Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Balance

I was in a small gift shop recently. And I usually don`t buy those little knick-knacks—but I had to buy this one. It was a small painted rock with one word: BALANCE. I have it right in front of me on my desk in my office. It’s a reminder of my need to find a balance between meetings, emails, strategic planning, time with people and time with God. Eugene Peterson says: “Ministry often reinforces inattentiveness to Christ.” Do you get it? Ministry gets in the way of knowing Jesus. I know it. In leadership, we get so involved in the business of our ministry; we neglect the Lord of our ministry. As busy as He was in His three year ministry, Jesus got alone with His Father. So let me ask you: Are you so busy serving God that you don’t have the time to be with God? I have to plead guilty to that one. So when are you and I going to change that?

Monday, March 05, 2012

Have you had a good laugh today?

Have you have a good laugh today? You should! Laughter has been shown to increase our pain threshold. It reduces blood-sugar levels, boosts glucose tolerance and increases blood flow to vital organs. Laughter occurs 30 times more often in social situations. So you need to choose happy friends.

Jesus wasn’t afraid of laughter. He often used humor to make a point to the crowd. The book of Proverbs says that laughter is good medicine. It jogs the organs, sends endorphins to the brain, and lightens our emotional outlook. So, find some good clean jokes you can tell. Watch old episodes of I Love Lucy. Learn to look at life with a smile. Look for humor in everyday situations. The Bible says that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

So go ahead. Be joyful today—it`s okay.