our blog
Oct
Pushing Buttons
Up until now, your My One Word experience was progressing quite well. You are probably encouraged to see the growth taking place in your character. Everything has been rosy with the attention on you and the personal benefits of this experiment. However, this may have changed as you read the focus was going to shift to others. Then we took it a step further and you may have halted in your tracks. Not only do you have to devote all of October to others, your entire focus is suppose to be directed to a single individual – the most challenging person in your life.
If you’re like me then chances are good that you’ve tried your hardest to ignore last week’s homework assignment. The reasons why are probably the same as well. It took us no time at all to come up with a name. Instantly this person’s image came to mind and almost simultaneously you cringe.
For me, it’s a guy who has somehow mastered the art of pushing my buttons. He’s no stranger. In fact, he’s a close friend of mine and we actually get along for 90% of the time. It’s the other 10% where we run into trouble. Being a friend, he knows me well. This works to my advantage and disadvantage. Over the years he’s figured out which buttons to push, and the exact sequence of maneuvers to create a variety of emotions inside of me. At the first pushing of a button, I find myself getting frustrated, jealous and angry.
I think what grates my nerves the most is the fact that this guy is a know-it-all. Ask him a question and he’ll give you an answer. Scratch that. You don’t even need to ask. This “expert of everything” will give you his two cents whether you want the input or not.
It doesn’t seem fair that I’m devoting an entire year to acknowledge my shortcomings, learn from others and transform my character while it seems this guy hasn’t even bothered to change himself. I feel myself getting fired up as I write these words. Somehow, without even being in the room, he has managed to push my buttons.
Even if he knows the combination to push, in the end they are still my buttons. I own them. They belong to me. Whether I want to acknowledge it or not, I have the ability to control my reaction when buttons are being pushed. This is going to be tough, tougher than you can imagine, but this month I am going to take my one word and apply it to my friend.
I know this friend will always have some of the same attributes, and in part that’s why I love him. He reminds me that we are all in process. But if I change my approach towards him, maybe I can change the way he reacts towards me. At the very least maybe I can disarm some old buttons that far too long held a control over me. Hopefully towards the middle of the month my new approach towards my old friend will have an impact on how we interact with one another, and our friendship can grow stronger.
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Which characteristic of love found in this passage do you need to display most to the person you struggle to love? How is this characteristic intertwined with your One Word?
- Read Philippians 2:1-4. How has coming to grips with the fact that you are a work in progress caused you to extend more grace to others? How has your perspective of others changed?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
Sep
The Long Road Ahead
The leaves are starting to change colors. The kids are back at school. Summer has come to an end. Football season has already kicked off. Before you know it, Christmas and New Years will be upon us. With this in mind, I think it’s time for a little straight talk. If you’ve been going through the last nine months looking for the light at the end of the tunnel then unfortunately you are in for a problem. Truth is: there’s no end in sight….the tunnel has no end. Yes, 2011 will soon be over but your word will have to live on long beyond that.
Otherwise this project would be totally pointless. What good would it do to promise to be “patient,” if in January you returned to your rude and impatient ways? If God spent an entire year trying to mold a more “gentle” being, how much progress has really been made, if moments after the clock passes midnight, you get into a fist fight at a New Year’s party? What’s the point of spending twelve months trying to become a “humble” person, if you only plan on bragging about how well you’ve done once the project is complete?
The goal cannot be a short term character fix. We are interested in long term and permanent change. For that to happen your word must change from being a deliberate act, to something that comes more naturally.
You’ve spent eight months thinking about your word, organizing your life to be successful, embracing the struggle, celebrating the victories, leaning on friends and hopefully noticing change. In September we want you to focus on making that change a real part of your character.
Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see dozens of titles that promise the quick fix. In just thirty days you can master a new language, lose a ton weight, get out debt and become a “better you.” The Bible though teaches us that character building takes time.
God wants to do permanent work inside of you. This month let’s come to terms with the fact that there’s a long road in front of us, but if we stay the path he will use our word to teach us things like humility, love, compassion and courage. Rather than a quick fix on outward appearance, He’ll transform our heart and motives for the inside.
- How have the thought patterns, actions and disciplines that were awkward and unnatural at the beginning on this process began to seep into your character?
- Read 2 Peter 1:3-10. The passage speaks of qualities that complement your faith (good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, generous love). Which character quality has been most developed in your pursuit of your One Word? How does focusing on one of these qualities help develop the others?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
Aug
Back To School
Right now many parents are rejoicing over the fact summer has come to an end and their kids are heading back to school. Some might even do an Irish jig as they watch the school bus pulling away from their house. They are delighted while I’m a wreck. Now, don’t confuse my reaction for me being the ultra parent who loves to spend every waking moment with their children. I love my kids, but time apart can be a good thing for both parties.
The reason why I dread the upcoming school year can be summed up in three words: brand new wardrobes. Thinking of the hit on my wallet makes me cringe. This has nothing to do with being consumed with name brand labels or designer clothes. We are bargain shoppers who head straight to the sale rack. Sadly, thanks to a summer growth spurt, our oldest daughter, Madison, literally has no clothes that fit her. Jeans we used to roll up suddenly look like Capri pants or that an impending flood is coming. Baggy tops now show her mid-drift. The only bright side is her younger sister’s closet just exploded with possibilities.
My wife and I sat baffled as we helped Madison try on her old clothes. We both understood the basics of biology and realized eventually our children would mature. But, someone please tell me…when did our baby girl grow up? When did she sprout up like a tree? How did we not notice this?
The Psalmist says our life is but a breath (Psalm 39:5 and 144:4). Other parts of scripture compare the days we have on earth to a shadow (Psalm 102:11 and Job 8:9) or grass that is here one day and gone the next (1 Peter 1:24 and Psalm 37:2). Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action.
In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” We have been there every step of the way with Madison, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment of the here and now and miss the growth that has taken place along the way. The same principle holds true with our spiritual transformation.
You might look at yourself right now and be confronted with struggles, frustrations and shortcomings. Letting this be your only perspective will inevitably lead to frustration. So, rewind the tape to a few months ago. Where were you back then? Chances are good you’ve grown, yet if you don’t stop and reflect, you’ll never have the opportunity to celebrate transformation and God’s faithfulness.
But, we can’t stop there. We can’t sit back and be satisfied reveling in the past. Life is short and we only possess a small window to leave an eternal mark. Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off sharing our faith, forgiving someone who hurt us or putting our One Word into action for another day. The reality is tomorrow has never been promised to us. Each day is a gift and the question we must ask ourselves is what are we doing with the moments we’ve been given?
- Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action. Reflect on the steps you’ve taken throughout the My One Word process. Which step toward growth reminds you that change is indeed possible?
- Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off things for another day. In terms of your walk with God and influencing others, what is one thing you have put off that you know you need to act upon? What is causing you to hesitate from putting your faith into action?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!