Values Clarification

Brian Tracy, a prolific e-communicator, wrote in his July 11 email regarding The Need to Lead, “The greatest need we have today, in every area, is for men and women to practice the values of integrity, discipline, responsibility, courage, and long time perspective, both as individuals and in their families. These are the key qualities of leadership. “

There is a question that comes to my mind—what is the foundational source of these values. Some solid biblical responses can be found in 1 Corinthians 10.31, Colossians 3.23, and Matthew 22.37-39.

Tracy goes on to say that the greatest need we have today is for men and women to practice these values; these are the key qualities of leadership.

Tracy then quotes Immanuel Kant’s “Universal Maxim.” Kant suggested that “you should live your life as though your every act were to become universal law for all people.” Continuing he writes, “The very best judge of truth for you is to ask, ‘Is it true for me?’” Here is where you have to stick with me. I know this sounds relativistic. It sounds that way because it is. However there are some great points of application coming up! Hang in there.

Tracy contends that if everyone were encouraged to live in this way our society would be much improved. I think Tracy fails to account for total depravity, but now comes the good part. Tracy offers four questions to stay on track; questions to help us focus on living out our values. For the Christian community, a modified version of these questions can be helpful for us in continuing the journey on which God has placed us.

The four questions are:

1. From a spiritual perspective, what kind of community, workplace, school, would my community, workplace, school be if everyone in it was just like me?

2. Spiritually speaking, what kind of family would my family be if everyone in it was just like me?

3. What kind of church would this be if everyone in it was just like me?

4. What kind of Sunday school / small group would this be if everyone in it were just like me?

Are the values you profess being lived out in the arenas of life in which you live?

Father's Day

For Father's Day last Sunday we had a special service at Southwood Baptist Church to honor, encourage and challenge fathers.  The message of the day was "A Father is..." and used each letter of the word father to describe a characteristic of an outstanding dad. They were:

F is for Faithful (to family and God)
A is for Available
T is for both Tough and Tender
H is for Honest
E is for Encouraging
R is for Respected

Not a comprehensive list, but clearly a solid foundation for any father.

Wedding Pictures

I don't really know how this works but our wedding photographer gave us this link to a gallery of wedding photos: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/803912/4/WEH_Photography/Clients/2010/Lightfoot-Owens_Wedding?h=969d95

Hope it works!

Moving Forward

Mom's last day of agony was Monday, October 5th.

This has been one of the many transitions in my life during the past 5 months. Another has been the the freedom to visit other churchs in the Des Moines area.

During a time of worship yesterday, I was struck with the question: Am I completely/fully satisfied with the love of God, and trust He is enough for all I need? If the answer is "yes" how is this demonstrated/lived out in my daily life?

Mom Report Day 128

Yesterday mom was scheduled to begin her fifth and final week of radiation treatments and chemotherapy pills. It wasn't until late last week that the treatments caught up with her.

As this is a report about her, it is also a report of observations I've just noted about my dad, too.

Yesterday mom was too weak to do anything and the radiation oncologist had her admitted to the hospital primarily to be rehydrated. The cumulative effects of the treatments have completely depleted her of energy, strength, appetite, and hydration. It was all my dad could do to get her to even sit up momentarily.

As I sit here in the hospital room, mom dozing in and out of sleep, and dad doing likewise, the type-A in me thinks he is wasting his time watching her sleep. But I realized for him, he could be nowhere else.

As that thought ran through my mind my mom woke up from a little nap, trying to recount the subject of her afternoon dream. The sight is typical now: mom too physically weak to talk loudly, feebly begins to utter a few words; dad growing ever-deafer springs out of his chair to hear her and stands at her bedside, bent over with his ear only an inch away from her mouth.

This scene brought back just a few similar scenes from today: dad's arrival at 7am bending over her bedside with the most gentile kiss on the cheek; laboring several times to get mom up and out of the bed to go to the restroom--he does not leave her side; sitting on the bed feeding her tiny spoonfuls of lunch--eager to build her strength; all the while fighting off the frustration that he can't will her to get stronger...

Bible expositors say that the word "love" in the Bible is a verb--something to be lived out in a practical fashion. I see what they mean.

Light out of Darkness

Ed Thomas, head football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, Iowa was killed by a former student on June 24th.

The coach was admired nationally for the juggernaut football program he built, the successful men he shaped and the resilient town he helped rebuild after a devastating tornado last summer. News of his death has flashed around the country.

He won 292 games and two state titles in 37 seasons, and ranked 32nd among active high school football coaches nationwide in victories.

Thomas coached four players who are active in the National Football League this season. Since the school has fewer than 300 students, per capita, no other high school in the nation has ever had as many NFL players among its alumni.

At an afternoon news conference, Thomas’ son, Aaron, thanked community members for their support and prayers.

Mid-way through his 3 minute statement…Aaron said: “God always has a reason. At this

time, it’s very tough for us to understand that.”

As I heard those words my heart went out to him. I thought, “We should do something for him and the family.”

Upon reflection, I recognized that his slain father had already done that.

Aaron was speaking from a foundation of faith that his father had helped him establish. It was as if Aaron was quoting Job’s unflinching trust in God during the devastation in Job’s life.

Job grasped tightly to his belief in the character of God saying, “Even if He kills me, my trust is in Him.”

Even though he can’t understand the reason for this tragedy, Aaron is leaning on God.

So back to the “we should do something” thought. Am I close enough to God to withstand such a tragedy? Are you? And what are you doing this week to deepen that reliance on God?

And second, for parents—is it a part of your plan to raise your children to develop such a foundation? If so, you know that it is a process that has to happen daily.

Are you helping your children to understand God’s power in creation? His goodness even in the midst of trials? How God is still there when your friends aren’t? Why “no” is often the most giving response to a request for some thing? How you’ve trusted God when the chips are down?

Now is the time to do this…before you need to…before the darkness comes…show them the Light.

Mom Report Day 38

A little more than a month has gone by since my mom's 6 and 1/2 hour surgery. When I talked t her on Tuesday, I was informed she had made a major breakthrough--she had eaten a White Castle hamburger!

This is momentous because White Castle "belly bombers" are her favorite. And I took an empty box to her ICU room and posted it on the bulletin board as an incentive for her. So, early this week she reached that goal, which I'm sure is a true test of her digestive system.