Final phase of 2007

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. We basted until we tasted, we gobbled until we wobbled and we relaxed to the max. We drove 400 miles (round trip) over the river and through the woods to do it; we saw snow flurries,wildlife and sunshine. We conversed via text message and phone with many of our extended family and were once again reminded that we have much to be thankful for.

It always seems like a down hill roller coaster ride from Thanksgiving to Christmas. We were listening to a radio station last night that started yesterday playing all Christmas music 24 hour a day. I really enjoy Christmas music so it will be my station to turn to often over the next few weeks. This is also the time of year to look at our goals and see what we have accomplished this year so far. The old saying is that if we aim at nothing we are sure to hit it. As we enter this final phase of 2007, it’s a good time to take a life inventory. I was reading out of the book of Proverbs and was reminded that I have a responsibility to stay sharp and to be a sharpener for others.

“As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

At the heart of who we are is the system of our core values. For years I have been fascinated with businesses and individuals who put those values into words. We all have them; we sometimes don’t admit them or share them. Writing them down can be helpful to see where change could be helpful. We may find that we have a value that does not belong in our lives. I was reading the twelve core values of an exciting church pastored by Mark Batterson, and I decided to share them here:

Expect the unexpected
Irrelevance is irreverence
Love people when they least expect it and least deserve it
Playing it safe is risky
Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you
Everyone is invaluable and irreplaceable
Everything is an experiment
You cannot out give God
Maturity does not equal conformity
Go the extra mile
It's never too late to be who you might have been
Do it right and do it big

Sounds like good thinking to me.