But on to the lesson from politics: No one wants to make the difficult decisions. It’s much easier to just pretend like everything’s okay and nothing’s wrong so that you don’t have to make a difficult decision.
The problem is, things are wrong, and unless you make a difficult decision today, you have a MUCH, MUCH more difficult decision years down the road when you’re literally forced into taking drastic, drastic measures.
The lesson is fight for the small incremental changes today, and hopefully you’ll get there…

I’m still learning this politics thing.

Good answers, everyone! They all apply, and they all take so long to build and can so easily and quickly be destroyed.
My answer for what one thing takes a long to build but can be destroyed in no time is: Trust.

Too many times have I had my trust in someone destroyed in just an instant, by something small, seemingly uneventful thing. Each time someone breaks my trust, the cap how much I’m able to trust them is lowered. One guy has even broken trust so much, I have absolutely zero trust in him, and think he may be lying 100% of the time. Talk about lack of trust–and this can never be rebuilt at this point!

Don’t break trust people, don’t break trust.

(Congratulations to Marvin for being the first to echo my One Thing!)

So then I went to apply my 10% off to save my $9.99.
Sure enough, the price adjusted to $89.96, plus some $17 in shipping, bringing my total cost, with coupon, to around $107. Yes, the coupon actually cost me an extra $7.

This is deceitful marketing, and you shouldn’t do it. Bad company.
This is especially true in with church marketing. Don’t bait and switch. Bad church.

Needless to say, I didn’t use the anti-coupon, and didn’t make any additional purchases. I only purchased what I was going to purchase anyway.

I realize there are many answers to this question I pose, but what is your one answer?
You’ll read my answer in a few days, so check back.

If you believe that people hate change and that it is your job to change them, they will hate it. If you believe that people thrive on change and that your job is to unleash it, you will tap into a limitless source of ingenuity, energy and drive that will allow you to take your big ideas into big results.

Michael T. Kanazawa

What do you think about this statement? Is this a proper description of how people see change?

Talking about vision, what vision is and how to cast vision, I realized that talking about vision past-tense isn’t vision-casting, it’s a history lesson.
And history is boring (to most people).

But talking about the future, what are we going to accomplish, now there is something people can rally around and get excited about. We all know we don’t have the future 100% figured out, but if you don’t have a goal, I can guarantee you’ll never arrive where you aren’t heading.

Vision-casting isn’t about the past, it’s about the future.

My friends, you can’t cast vision often enough. Talk about the future of your marriage, your future house, the future _________. Future, future, future.

And no, you cannot talk about the future too much.

The problem is when we allow our personal preference to get in the way of God’s preference when it comes to what He wants to do in our church.

May we always remember: It isn’t about me, it’s about God.

Have you spent time considering what it would be like to be a Christian which persecution like this? Please keep our Christian brothers and sisters in India in your prayers and thoughts.

MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO CALL ME THAT THE HINDUS DESTROY A POLICE STATION AT RAIKIA 20 KM FROM G.UDAYAGIRI AND 4000 HINDU MILITANTS ARE ATTACKING THE G.UDAYAGIRI REFUGEE CAMP.THEY HAVE CUT THE POWER AND TELEPHONE CELL PHONE AND HAVE SENT THE LETTERS TO THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS TO KILL WITHIN 5 DAYS OF TIME. NEED MUCH PRAYERS FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIANS AND THE CHURCHES. THEY HAVE BLOCKED THE [Removed for Confidentiality's sake].THINGS ARE NOT AT ALL GOOD. IAM CONCERN OF OUR STAF,CHILDREN AND BELIEVERS WHO ARE AT [Confidential] RIHGT NOW.

How would you fare if you were thrust into such a life?
How would the church fare?
How would your faith fare?
How would Jesus fare?

I found myself doing this key this week, and am finding it works!
The key? Sit on the ground and pull out all the weeds.

Happy weed-free lawn!

That got me thinking about what I enjoy most about camping. I think for me, camping is an escape from the technology-driven, high-stress hustle and bustle of everyday life.
If only for a day or two, it’s an escape (I leave my cell phone, iPod and Macbook Pro at home) from what I deal with daily and get back to the basics.
I can’t just go to the fridge and get lunch. I have to kindle a fire, get coals going, etc. I have to work for my food. I have to boil my water to make coffee (french press), instead of just pushing a button on my coffee maker.

It’s like an alternate reality, and it’s thoroughly enjoyable for me!

What do you like best about camping?
(And if you’re interested in joining our camping excursion this coming weekend (Sept. 19-21), let me know in the comments and I’ll fill you in.)