Weigh-In

Start: 182, 39in
Current: 168, 37in
Loss this week: 1lbs, .6%, 0in
Total Loss: 14, 7.7%, 2in

Microsoft Guru = Mac Genius

http://gizmodo.com/5046128/microsoft-to-deploy-their-own-version-of-the-apple-genius

Apple is leading the IT industry.  Any questions?

Camera Woes

I finally got around to diagnosing my camera issues.  After a while of digging around for information on the E18 error code I was receiving, it doesn't look good for me.  It seems to be a common issue, and one that leaves most users needing a new camera.  This was confirmed by PC World:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/124765/digital_camera_disasters_will_yours_get_fixed.html

Hopefully I'll be able to at least borrow someones camera so I won't be cameraless for my trip to California.

Weight-Loss

Start: 182, 39in
Current: 169, 37in
Loss this week: 5lbs, 2.9%, 2in
Total Loss: 13, 7.1%, 2in


:)

Apple

Just finished some of my Apple training. My brain is still recuperating.....

Change

News Ticker: New job at Apple, working out almost daily, eating right, living life.

It's always so hard for me to blog. I have so much to say, and so much is required to say it all, that I feel I couldn't possibly have the time to write it all. Hence the news ticker! :P

Anyways, the biggest news in my life is my career change. I am taking the step back into corporate America, with many lessons learned from my stint in self employment. It'll be a very challenging next season, but I look forward to it with an anticipation I haven't felt in years, if ever.

I've also been working out almost daily with one of my roommates. How great it is to have a support structure! How great it is to feel parts of my body I haven't felt since I was a child! How great it is to have a mood elevating practice does not include some sort of drug!

Living in community has been a great help for all these. I've been eating healthier as well. Trying to make better choices. I may start to take it one step further and track my diet and make changes, but that's a lot of work! :P

Living life? Well, yeah, I'm trying. I don't want to be a slave to my own self-pity any more. I don't want to loaf around the house for weeks at a time because I think I'm not good enough to do anything worth doing, or too afraid to make mistakes. I want to live life, boldly, and fear free. I want to make mistakes, and learn. We have such little time on this earth, might as well make some use of it.

Image by gilad of Deviantart.com

Willow Creek Leadership Summit - Day 1

These are my raw, unprocessed notes:

Buzzwords: sector, redemptive, facilitate, microwave wisdom, cast vision

Bill Hybels

Session 1

Questions for making decisions

1. What does the Bible have to say about this?

2. What would smart advisors advise?

3. P/G/E - What does the pain or gain of past experiences teach you?

4. Does the spirit prompt you?

After asking these questions, make a trial decision.  Spend some time imagining that you have already made the decision.  Does it bring life and peace?  Does it bring worry and anxiety?

Develop personal proverbs or axioms.   This condenses the process of decision making and develops a language for your culture.

Some of Bill Hybel's Axioms:

Create motion for the sake of motion.  If motion is not intentionally created, people will stagnate.

Leaders call fouls.  Call people out when they do something inappropriate, and be prepared to call yourself out.

Take a flier.  Take a calculated risk.  Sometimes you just need to do something crazy to get the juices going.

This is church.  Church isn't about programs and organizations and Sunday morning, church is about one-on-one, life bringing discussion; church is about raising each others kids; church is about taking care of those in your community that are in need.

Gary Haugen

Leads International Justice Mission, addressing human rights abuses all over the world.

What is leadership that matters to God?

Are Jesus and I really interested in the same things?

We are God's plan for justice in the world, and he has no other plan.  We are the proof to the world that God is good.  We are the body of Christ, this implies that we are to do what we know God wants to do in the world, this is what it means to give up our lives for God as living sacrifices.

Biblical injustice is the abuse of power to take from people the good things God intended for them.

How do we lead when the going seems helpless/scary/hard?

Helpless?  Despair comes when we look at what we do not have the capacity to do, hope comes when we look at infinite power and love of God, and trust that he will do regardless of our capacity.

Scary?  Jesus did not come to make us safe, but to free us to be brave.

Hard?  Take your strengths on a more demanding climb.

1. Choose not to be safe.

2. Choose deep spiritual health.

3. Choose to seek excellence.

4.  Choose to seize the joy.

I don't want us to be devoted to prayer and the acts of the early church just because they were.  We shouldn't create structure for structure's sake.  I want us to be devoted to prayer because without it we will surely fail.

Seize the joy - I have been processing this for a while.  It should make us laugh every day that God uses such broken, goofy people to fulfill his purpose.

Daily prayers:

1. God, have mercy.

2. God, fill me with your joy.

3. God, I want to walk in step with the spirit.

How to fill the hole of leadership:

1. Where is there real need?

2. Can I add value?

3. Is anyone else already doing something about it?

And then, persevere!

Bill George

Session 3: Finding Your True North

Are we doing all we can to be a light?

Authentic leaders - be genuine, be yourself.

Leadership is responsibility

Leadership is not about followers, it's about empowering people to step up and lead.

Align, empower, serve, collaborate

Developing Leaders

1. Understand the purpose of their leadership (calling)

2. Gain self awareness - get out and do, get feedback, introspection

3. Have values and integrity

4. Follow intrinsic motivations, strengths, and talents

5. Build a support team

6. Lead an integrated life - don't worry as much about balance, but make sure that you are the same person in every area

Wendy Kopp

Session 3: Stand Up and Lead

It's easy to be a leader when you deeply believe in what you are doing

Impact does come from well managed, strategically operated organizations

Cast your vision and then:

Be purposeful - maximize your time

Be relentless - towards your vision

John Burke

Session 4: Leading in New Cultural Realities

What kind of soil do we need for the people we are leading?  It is a leaders job to cultivate the soil for people.

What would it look like to create the right environment for God to move in people?  Does it provide room for broken people?

Soil needs grace giving acceptance.

Soil needs authentic confessing community.

Stay connected, fruit happens.

Spiritual leadership is getting people to stay connected together.

Efrem Smith

Session 4: Leading in New Cultural Realities

Culture is expression, one must engage the culture we live in.

We must be willing to lead multinationally and multiculturally

If you cannot love across racial/cultural lines, you are going to have a hard time leading

Pot luck idea - bring a meal that represents your upbringing

Praise

To the glory of God that one would leave so touched his soul would show on his cheek.

Fasting

I just finished reading the Fast chapter in Celebration of Discipline and it has inspired me to make fasting a discipline in my life.  God has been opening my eyes recently as to how much I am driven by and a slave to my appetites.  Consequently, I am completely controlled and consumed by that which I attempt to satisfy my appetites with.  This will not do!  The appetites of the flesh are directly contrary to the appetites of the spirit and therefore must not be allowed my energy.

The Plan:

Step 1.

Weekly liquid fasts, or partial fasts.  This means that during the set time of fast, fruit/vegetable juices, milk/honey can be consumed.  This will ease the body into the discipline.  I will do this on Wednesdays, starting at noon, and going for a 24 hour period of time ending on Thursday at noon.  Do this for four weeks.

Step 2.

Weekly water fasts.  No food, no juices, only water may be consumed during the fasts.  Same amount of time.  Do this for four weeks.

Step 3.

Weekly water fasts.  Same as prior step, but for a 36 hour period of time.  Start Wednesday at noon, continue until Thursday at midnight.  Do this for four weeks.

Step 4.

At this point I will process where to go.  I may try to add a monthly three day fast.  We'll see where the spirit leads.

Remember, break fasts with fruits and vegetables!

Live Life

Last night I couldn't sleep, so I took a shower with the lights off, which usually helps me sleep. This interesting series of events lead me to discover that light shines out of the drain in the floor. More importantly, I felt inspired to write these words:

I would rather die young, having lived a rich and full life, than to reach the age of expectancy having never have lived.

To expand:

I believe that Jesus has set us free to live our lives, not to spend them petrified to move, knowing that to move is to break the law (make mistakes). This conclusion presumes that one understand the severity of their brokenness, or rather, that one walks with the understand that one cannot possibly comprehend the full extent of their brokenness. Once true humility is reached, that is, once one comes face-to-face with the inevitable comprehension that they are indeed not perfect and that they indeed have not the power or ability to change themselves (regardless of the number of good deeds one uses to make up for said imperfection), one is now free to turn from a life of inward focus to a life as God intended. For did not God create Adam in shame (naked) but leave him free to live so focused on life that he did not realize his nakedness until, through the eating of the fruit, his eyes were turned towards himself? And has not the story of man always been a struggle on the part of He who loves us to refocus our eyes outwards? Therefore, it is an act of worship to spend time in deep, heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for every blessing of God.

Crazy

We're all mostly moved in now. I finally got a chance to organize my room a little bit more. I got a new guinea pig, pictures will have to wait until I find my USB cable. I also bought a new car, unfortunately the red tape is taking a while. I hope to be able to have it by Wednesday. Marisa and my two-year anniversary was yesterday. We went to Fishbones in Detroit. It was fun. I've started thinking about some weird things. I feel some changes coming. I think I'm going to stop reading so many blogs, or maybe stop all together. I want to be able to focus on my books again. There's only so much that can be communicated through a 30 second read. I also want start writing down some of my philosophies per Marisa's nudging. I'm not sure what all is happening in my head, but I feel a lot of rearranging.

The Brewing Excitement

The guys were over today. People are starting to move in. I'm so excited :) I got the keys made for everyone and unpacked some more of my stuff. Out of the three things on my list that I wanted from my boxes, two of them are missing. Ah well, causalities of moving I guess. I did find my Network+ book though so that's one less excuse to not study. That's it I guess. Toodles :P

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend has been fun so far. The Genesis grill out was fab. I cooked :) I also had a great conversation with Jaison Raju, the man leading the Genesis Maturity Initiative. I had originally decided to drop my participation with the initiative teams because I felt I should focus more on the Hamtramck House, but we decided to strike up a different type of relationship. He's going to help me test out some wiki software to help organize and promote the collaboration within and between the initiative teams.

In other news, I have a few pictures of the grill out and the house, but I'm still not fully unpacked and cannot find my camera cord.

New Site

I'm working on a side project right now. A new site. I'm playing with different OS CMS that will allow me to have a blog, wiki, forum, etc. all at the same time. Should prove interesting!

PS: I'm upgrading Gutsy Gibbon to Hardy Heron as we speak. I guess I just could not wait the 8 more days until official release. Ah well :)

Stuffs

I got my hair cut.

But I'm tired.

So you don't get to see it yet.

Deal.

zzZZzz

Joes Goals

I've started using Joes Goals again to keep track of those daily things that are important to me, but aren't always urgent enough to make the cut. Things like working out, getting outside, reading the Word, etc. As a little incentive, at the end of the day I give myself one quarter for every check I get. Those quarters go to my disposable income fund since the rest of my disposable income is going towards my next car. If you're curious as to how well I'm doing, check out the neat little chart to the right ->
- John

Keep In Touch With the Family

Most of us have some sort of desire to keep in touch with our families more. We know we should, but where does one find the time? When you're so busy picking between junk and things people want you to do in your inbox, who thinks about emailing or picking up the phone to call their family? Lifehacker featured a website a week ago that helps us do just that, and so much more! Geni is a geneology website that also doubles as a familial networking site. Enjoy sites like Facebook or Myspace? Geni will help you connect to your family, without all the troublesome spam of unwanted friend requests or application requests. It also allows you to map out your family tree! Check it out, it's really cool!

This Summer

I was recently approached by the leader of my bible study group. He had an idea for a communal living project in Hamtramck. One three story house, six guys, and I'd be the organizational leader. What a fantastic opportunity!

Network+

I just placed my order for my Network+ study material. It should be coming soon. I am excited. That is all.

Lent

It's the Lenten season again, and for the first year ever I'm going to give something up. I realized that Jesus went out in the desert for 40 days to be tempted so that he could be our blameless offering that sets us free, so the least I can do as a follower is try to meet him there. Video games are a huge part of my life, and this year, for 40 days, I shall not play them. It was only after I made that commitment that I realized that I have a LAN party (tons of video games) planned for smack dab in the middle of the 40 days. This poses a potential issue, but I might be able to get away with simply administrating.

Update: Matt's going to buy me a round if I make it the whole time, hah hah!

Changes, Improvements, and Undertakings

A lots happened in the past few days. I accepted a new position within my company, a promotion one would call it if it were a corporation. I passed my Microsoft Certification. I got a raise. I have more and new responsibilities. I made the decision to go back to college and get my degree. I accepted a position on a mission team to Amsterdam. I got a new phone. I was asked to be the Best Man in my bud's wedding. I'll be hiring and training employees for my company.

Needless to say, that's been a lot to process. I must admit, that I'm very intimidated by that list. A week ago it would have drove me into a depressive state where I would deny my ability to do any of the above list and I would start to "simplify" my life by uncommiting my self to as many as I could. After passing my Microsoft Certification, which I've been stressing over for the past 4 years, I learned that hard work won't kill me. I learned that I can do anything. What a freeing experience. So, now I'm off to figure out logistics :)

I am.

If you have it together, do not read this post. If you know everything and could never possibly make a mistake, this post is not for you. For the rest of us in the real world, hi.

My name is John. I am human. I am weak. I suffer. I fail.

I overeat when I'm depressed. I do not feel adequate in my career. I do not feel handsome. I am misunderstood, unappreciated, and unloved. I don't want to talk about where I came from, I don't like where I am, and I don't know where I'm going. Sticks and stones break my bones, and words will always hurt me. I sin, I lust, I am self centered. I am overworked and underpaid. People expect what I cannot deliver.

This is the human condition. You are not weird, or different. You are not any less able to cope with reality. The truth is, in this world, there is trouble. (John 16:33) Jesus doesn't mince words. How would you feel if just one person offered interest in your life? What if one person really cared? Maybe they don't understand the situation you're going through, but they really cared. They listened, and didn't judge. I'm willing to bet such a simple act could change your life. What if we decided to care about one person's pain? What if we decided to listen and not judge? What if we realized that we are all human and are all in this together?

One simple step. The next time you see someone in pain, doesn't matter if you know them, just ask them if they care to talk. If they don't, that's fine, at least someone cared enough to ask. If they do, great! LISTEN! DON'T JUDGE! It doesn't matter if you would respond differently, allow them to be human, just care!