yet, there is something that you believe or our culture believes that is so wrong. We’ll realize it tomorrow. Watch this and embrace humility.

(I was reminded about this video through the Monday Morning Memo email.)

What do you think?

We all have insecurities, fears, and vulnerabilities. What humors me is the way I try to hide and cover them up. Yet, those insecurities are seen like a flashing neon sign in the way I relate to others. Yours are the same. What to do?

1.  Live in denial. Ignore the vulnerability and try to cover up. Quiet the emotional upheaval with addictions, habits, and manipulations. Become rigid.

2. Confess the insecurity, vulnerability, and fear in the context of a safe relationship. God, by the way, is the safest place to start.

Like Jacob of the bible, the most transformative environment is when I’ve come to end of my resources and honestly admitted the need, embracing brokenness. You can learn from Jacob and me to save yourself from some unnecessary pain.

• Look at your resources (personality, money, connections, etc) and be thankful for them.
• Face the gap between your resources while seeing who you want to be, what mission you’re trying to accomplish, and the hungers of your heart.
• Acknowledge the gap between them to God and others.

Happy risking…

Thoughts?

People seem to aim their sights pretty low. I remember visiting with a lady as a young pastor who had this to say about teenage sexual activity, “Well, they’re gonna be teenagers”. Some time later she had a grandchild on the way from her high school son. Now, I’m not saying that happened because mom’s sights were low. But the vision you have for yourself and others will affect reality.

Below is a little grid or filter I use to help me evaluate what I’m aiming for and I’ll apply it for parenting, finances, health and spirituality:

• “A” desires represent the best or great: children that have secure identities(parenting), margin to pursue dreams(finances), feeling great(health), and overflowing with love(spirituality).
• “B” desires represent the good: children that have happy middle class lives, bills paid, no illness that gets in the way of life, and no overwhelming guilt/shame.
• “C” desires represent the base line: children that aren’t involved in illegal activities, surviving but on credit, manageable symptoms through medication, and periods of relief from internal misery.

Be honest about what you’re attempting to see happen in your life. Tease this out for yourself.

1. Classifying your desires helps you be honest about what you’re aiming for and can help you understand the results you’re getting.
2. Classifying your desires can help you elevate what you’re shooting for. I’m not guaranteeing you always get the “A” but why shoot for less. You can’t control all the factors that shape these desires. But you can BE AWARE of what you’re actually attempting.

Right now, think about something you want to achieve or see happen (parenting, career, finances, spirituality, schedule, relationships, school, marriage, etc.) and attempt to classify these 3 levels. What are you really aiming for?

Thoughts?