Chasing the Sun

My eyes flew open at 3:30 a.m. I fought the insomnia monster until 4:30, then cried "uncle" and got up. I figured I could get in an hour or so of quiet time and work before the sun began to rise, and I would get an early start on my morning run. But, just as I opened the door to head out to pound the pavement.. the bottom fell out. Of the sky, that is. Rain, rain, and more rain. I grumped and flumped and stumped around. My first instinct was to go back to bed. That pillow looked really good. But, instead, I flipped on the TV and checked out the local weather radar. The rain was moving away from a nearby beach. So, I jumped in the car, drove across the bridge to that beach, and ended up here.

An hour later, I was exhausted, energized and even-tempered.

As I walked the last few yards for my "cool down," I breathed in the salt air, took in the white sand and the beautiful green water... and, as I stared out at the breathtaking horizon,  it occurred to me that we don't always have to give into the rainy times in our life. Sometimes, if we want to find the sunshine, we have to search for it... we have make an effort to find it... we may even have to chase it down.

And, as I turned from the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and headed toward my car, it also occurred to me that if it hadn't been raining over my head earlier this morning.. I would never have ended up on this beautiful stretch of beach. And, it occurred to me that sometimes...

rain in our life can be a blessing.

Hooked on Leadership

He caught my eye as I walked toward the river on a very hot day. The young man in overalls,fishing with a simple cane pole, was hauling in a nice sized fish.

"What 'cha catching?" I asked.

"Mullet. Landed a couple already," he smiled. "You know, you can't fish without a license in Florida unless you are in your own county and you are using a cane pole."

Why, no. I had not known that.

He continued with a wide grin, "I didn't have a cane pole, but I had a tiki torch! So I just cut it in half, wrapped string around it and commenced to fishing!"

Eureka! I thought. This was the real life application I had been searching for, as I prepared an article on the necessity of flexibility, ingenuity and tenacity in the role of a leader.

When you are in a leadership role, situations do not always go according to plan. Wait. Let's face it. They frequently do not go according to plan. In those cases, the successful leader is able to adjust, adapt and advance---just like this determinedly creative fisherman.

• Adjust. When confronted with obstacles, challenges, lack of resources (financial and human), and last minute changes, the successful leader doesn't fall apart along with the plan. The successful leader takes a breath, takes a step back, and takes control of the situation. Like the man who wants to fish, but learns that he can't because he doesn't have a license, the successful leader refuses to walk away, blame the plan, and abandon the goal. The successful leader will make a conscious decision to stand his or her ground, rework the plan, and search for an alternate route or innovative tools to reach the goal. The successful leader doesn't blame the circumstances or people that are interfering with the plan, but (with a nod to this fisherman) will look at the river, focus on the fish that are in there, and adjust the plan to find a way to get those fish out of the river and into the bucket. Plan A didn't work? Adjust to Plan B, or C or Z. The successful leader does not allow a "no" to translate into a "never."

• Adapt. "How badly do you want it?" That's the question I repeatedly asked my daughters as they were growing up and pursuing this goal or that. I now pose the same question to my clients. "How badly do you want it?" Anything worth having typically doesn't come easily. As a leader, are you willing to adapt to the changing circumstances, personalities and resources? Are you willing to work harder or longer? Are you willing to try something that's never been done before--- a new way to do an old thing? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone, stretch your mental muscles, listen to someone with less experience but perhaps more imagination? Are you willing to stop focusing on what you don't have and look around to see what you do have that will adapt to the changing situation? Are you willing to find a tiki torch, cut it in half and "commence to fishing?"

• Advance. When a crisis hits and a plan falls apart... there is often a lot of activity. People race here and there, voices are raised, arms are flailed, blame is laid... and in the end there is very little forward movement. The successful leader who has adjusted the plan, and adapted the formula or resources or tools to meet the needs of the evolving situation, uses quiet confidence to advance toward the goal. The successful leader understands that this may mean sitting patiently, quietly and still until the bait of the new approach takes hold. It may mean moving from one spot to another until you find the most favorable environment for the adapted plan. It will always mean taking responsibility for the adjustment, ownership of the adaptation, and oversight of the advancing movement.

By the time that I finished my walk along the river and came back around to the young man with the improvised cane pole, I found he had caught more fish and was happy to show off his trophies. Like that fisherman, the successful leader also understands the importance of celebrating the ability to adjust, adapt and advance--- and of sharing that success with the people around him. 

A cane pole, a mess o' mullet---and a practical lesson on leadership qualities. 

Pay attention. It's not just another fish tale.

Just Breathe

It's been a month.

I have alternated between days where I lost my breath because I was racing around so fast, to days where I felt like I was on my last breath--- slogging through the wet cement that was my day. One step forward, two steps back. 

Until this morning---when a little breath of wind made all the difference.

I woke up just as the sun was coming up and decided to go out for an early walk. I opened the door to air that was already uncomfortably warm and stuffy. I hesitated, but decided to take the walk anyway. The neighborhood was quiet. At first, the only sound I heard came from sprinklers that were watering the increasingly green grasses of spring. Then, I heard the chirp of birds. I looked up and saw two redbirds racing from tree to tree in what looked to be a game of avian tag. They flitted here and there, then skedaddled off to parts unknown. Then, I heard the chattering of squirrels and watched as they scampered across a lawn and up a tree...then halfway down..then back up again.  

The stresses of the month began ease.

I turned my attention away from the sounds of the morning and focused on the sights. The sky was so vividly blue this morning. Crayola only wishes it had a blue that intensely beautiful. Fluffy white clouds would gather in one spot.. then suddenly dash off as if to find another place to play. 

Back on the ground, the flowers in the neighborhood yards began to open and greet the day. The hibiscus flowers were especially vibrant, although nearby roses provided colorful competition.

As I approached the house and began walking back up the driveway, a breeze began to blow. It blew softly at first.. then more briskly. The leaves in the trees began to swish back and forth. I just stood there, closed my eyes, listened to the soft movement and let the light wind wash over me. Within minutes, the temperature had dropped a bit.. and the air felt clear... and clean. It was, without question, the breath of fresh air that I had needed.

I smiled, opened my eyes, and decided that the unexpectedly early wake-up call and this spur of the moment walk had been God's gifts to me---gifts that ended with a  feeling of renewal and excitement for what this day will hold.

I am looking forward to seeing what His breath will blow my way.

Earth Day: Can You Dig It?

Photo: NASA

So today is Earth Day. You know--- Earth, as in the planet. Earth, as in the big blue globe we loved in the elementary school classroom. Earth, as in "In the beginning, God created....."

Or, Earth, as in--- dirt.

Yep. While millions of conservationists, environmentalists, and even the commander of the International Space Station (in a tweet from 240 miles ABOVE Earth) are celebrating Earth Day... Drexel is thinking about dirt.

One of my earliest memories is of digging in the dirt. One grandmother loved planting Texas Bluebonnet flowers in her front yard.. the other loved planting tomatoes, peas and butter beans. Both gardens required digging in the dirt. And, they let me help!

I loved using my little spade to dig, turn over and break up the soil. I loved reaching my little hands into the dirt, pulling up a fistful of the dark, rich soil and squishing it between my fingers. I loved watching the funny-looking roly-poly bugs and earthworms crawl in the earth.

If I was lucky, at the end of the digging and planting, my grandmothers would let me dig a hole outside the perimeter of the garden, turn on the water hose, fill the hole with water and make mud pies! 

It occurs to me that life is kinda' like digging in the dirt. Sometimes the dirt is hard and dry and we have to pound it, till it and water it to get it into a workable form. Sometimes the dirt is soggy and we have to expose it to sunlight and air. Sometimes the dirt is barren and we have to feed it and nurture it. Sometimes the dirt is filled with weeds, and we have to cull what's choking the goodness.

Sometimes, though, life---like good soil---is just right. Like the dark, rich Southeast Texas soil I dug in as a child, sometimes, the soil is just right for growing what is beautiful and healthy.

On Earth Day, I'll leave the celebrations of the planet to someone else. I'll just go digging in the dirt of my life. Gonna' feed it, weed it, water it, squish it between my fingers and see what grows.

If all else fails, I may make a mud pie! 

A Little Wobbly, But Hangin' In There!

Photo:
Drexel Gilbert

Look at what caught my eye in a Pensacola, FL park after church today! Those of you who know me, or who read this blog, know that I often look at life through a tilted lens. This artwork made me stop---look---tilt my head---and think. 

My title for this piece has to be:
"A little wobbly... but hangin' in there!" 

Ever have those days?

Ever wish the wobbles and bobbles would straighten out, already? "Just think how much better life would be," we think. 

Maybe.

Then, again, maybe it's the wobbles and bobbles that help us determine who we really are, how badly we want to reach a goal, and how hard we are willing to work to get there. Maybe the wobbles and bobbles cause us to exercise our faith; stretch outside our comfort zone; balance wisdom with imagination; stay focused on the top (the goal) and keep on climbing---one wobbly step at a time.

Next time you are feeling a little wobbly, remember this photo, start stacking up your faith; regain your balance; get creative; and keep climbing. 

The view from the top just might be an eyeful!  
Hebrews 10:35 "Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards." (CEV)

Time to Clean the Pot

"Darryl," I said to one of the morning studio camera operators. "The coffee is GREAT this morning! What did you do differently?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he replied, "I cleaned the pot."

I thought about that long ago "morning-news-moment" yesterday--- as my coffee maker was spitting and steaming, fussing and fuming and taking FOR-EV-ERRR to brew. When it finally finished, my coffee tasted---well, let's just say, it was down the drain with that cup-o-joe. So, I tried my old friend Darryl's approach, and---

I cleaned the pot.

It's amazing how much better coffee tastes when the pot is clean. And, that thought led me to this one: 

What's in the pot of my life---the pot of my mind---the pot of my mouth... that needs to be cleaned?

When we are on the fast-track of life (and who isn't?) it's easy to just 'rinse and go' instead of taking the time to really clean out the pot that brews our thoughts, attitude, actions and words. Before long, we may find that our "pot" is filled with the residue, build up and debris of life's hassles. We may find ourselves acting just like my coffee pot---spitting and steaming, fussing and fuming, and taking FOR-EV-ERRR  to do what we need to do--- the way we need to do it.

Although I like to think my pot is not all that dirty, I admit I've been running so fast lately, I've been in the rinse-and-go mode... and even a little build up can cause thoughts and actions that leave a bad taste. So, today...

Photo: WikiHow

I'm cleaning my pot.

Just like the  variety in the row of cleaners at the supermarket, there are many ways to clean your life's pot. This is what I am going to do---at least for today.



Step 1: I am going to scrub away negative thoughts that have built up in my mind. Just for today- just for the next 24 hours- every time I have a negative thought or reaction, I will write it down on a piece of paper---then cross it out.. 

Just. Like.This.

Step 2: Just for today--just for the next 24 hours--I'll  replace that negative thought or reaction with something positive or constructive. Example: Negative- I don't have enough time. Positive- I have the same 24 hours everybody else in the world has each day. What 10. 15, 20 minutes do have that I spend on "this" that I might shift to spend on "that"? 

Step 3: I'll clean up my words. Trust me... I have one of the most boringly clean mouths around. when it comes to "those" words. But, in general conversation, just for today--just for the next 24 hours-- I'll  replace spitting and steaming (I'm not being literal here, folks) with steadiness and self-control. I'll speak words that encourage, uplift, and unify.

Step 4: Quality in- Quality out. Sometimes, I buy the discount coffee brands. I'm always disappointed. The little  I save isn't worth it, because the quality of what my coffee pot brews is not first rate---no matter how clean the pot. So, just for today-- just for the next 24 hours-- I am going to only feed the pot (my brain) quality material. I started with my scripture and devotional readings this morning. I'm going to be more aware throughout the day of what's on my car radio, my television, and my laptop screen, my conversations.

 

Photo:
Christopher Meder from Fotolia.com

The next 24 hours might be very cleansing. And, to think. It all started with a cup of coffee... brewed in a freshly washed pot.

No April Fool

It's a new day.. a new month.. the beginnings of a new season. What will you do with it?

At the start of the year,I came to a deeper realization that time is precious and should be used accordingly. I resolved to try and do one new thing each day. See:  2013: It's Time

I've been pretty good at keeping that resolution, even if the 'new thing' was something simple. Some days I cooked a new recipe.Some days, I read a book, or story, I'd always wanted to read but had never found the time. I began running again, and some days I  take a new route.--- just because. I met a friend for lunch, when I once would have given into the "I'm just too busy" excuse. I took a few risks with my career choices. Some paid off. Others-- I'm still waiting.  Some days I visited a chapel I'd never been to before. (See my Lenten blog series.) 

One day, I decided I would talk a lot less and listen a lot more. Amazing what you can hear when you do that--- both spoken and unspoken.

But enough about me.

Would you like to consider this day to be a fresh, new start for you? Then, do it. It isn't always easy. Trust me, I know. Really. I do. The first step is usually the hardest.

It begins when you say, "I'm ready." 

I don't know what your new start looks like. Maybe you don't know yet, either. Maybe you want to get a job, quit a job, paint, write, build, plant, create, invent, improve, help... or heal. What I do know is that once the first step is taken, it's easier to take the second, the third, the fourth.. and before you know it, you just may be off and running! 

For centuries, April 1 has been reserved for pranks, jokes and hoaxes. What if you made April 1, 2013 your day to get serious--- about doing whatever it is that has been on your 'to-do' list for so long? 

It's a new day.. a new month.. the beginnings of a new season. Take that first step. And, let me know how it goes.

April 1 is shaping up to be a good day. No foolin'.







.