your box.

We all live in a box. We have to, at some level. 

The fish in the aquarium lives in a box, just like the fish in the ocean. The box contains their life. Obviously, we prefer the ocean to the aquarium but, at some point, there are walls. 

Make them big but remember we all live in a box, of some kind. 

What you can never do, ever, is put God in the box with you. Or worse, in a smaller box. 

that critic.

There are critics that help you to create better work. If you have a critic of that kind, keep listening and count yourself lucky - they're hard to find. 

The majority of critics don't help. They prevent, they destroy, they burden our work and art and creativity. If you have a critic of that kind, don't listen to another word and count yourself lucky that you can ignore them from here on out. Most people don't. 

You spirituality/theology/view/experience of God is work, and art and creativity. 

All of the same rules for critics apply. 

celebrate christmas.

Today we celebrate the arrival. 

God dwells in humanity. 
The Savior is a baby. 
The Messiah is fragile. 
The hero is sleeping. 
Violent powers are terrified. 

Today we celebrate that everything we are hoping for is already here if we can take a second to not be distracted and to look in all the wrong places. 
 

a little advent.

A lot of people can do a little or a few can do a lot. 

There aren't many alternatives, unfortunately. 

One works and one doesn't. One shares the duty and one burns us out with the task at hand.

The Christmas Eve story is often one that people think is about a few people doing a lot - mainly God coming to Earth as a human. 

I would argue that the story is of a lot of people doing a little, the way that God always shows up. 

Someone let Mary and Joseph stay in their house. 
Someone served them dinner. 
Someone grew the crops and raised the animals that were the dinner. 
Someone built a manger for an animal. 
Someone grew hay. 
Someone built a house. 
Someone gave birth to and raised Mary. 
Someone gave brith to and raised Joseph. 

And that's just for one scene in the Advent story. 

On this Christmas Eve, do a little. You may not be a hero but you might be preparing someone for an encounter with the Divine. You might be a hidden character in a story that will be told for generations. Or, you might not. Either way, celebrate. 

good person.

I can't tell you the number of times I've heard some form of the following: 

"Being a good person doesn't get you into Heaven." 

Ignoring the fact that the parable of the sheep and the goats, one could argue, says exactly the opposite - I think this is a line worth thinking a bit more about. 

It seems like this line is one of those that can't be taken at face value or out of context. It demands to know some intention and some periphery information. 

1. Said to the drug addicted pedophile as an affirmation that his life has not been wasted and is not worthless, I love this line. 

2. Said to the rich Western with 8.4 million in the bank who has never given a dollar away but does love Jesus, I do not like this line. 

3. Said to the teen mom kicked out of her church at 15, I love this line. 

4. Said to the Muslim who has dedicated her life to helping orphans, I do not like this line. 

5. Said about Donald Trump but not about Obama or said about Obama but not about Trump, I do not like this line. 

So, here's the thing with this line: 

If it's ever an excuse to not do something, it's terrible. 

If it's ever a reason to encourage someone, it's beautiful. 

If it's ever used to make someone better than another, it's ugly. 

If it's ever used to minimize generosity and a sacrifice for humanity, it's evil. 

If it's ever used to prop up your person and tear down their person, it shouldn't be used. 

In a way, it goes like this: what you do matters! But, don't worry, if you don't think you've done enough, you probably have. But, if you think you've done enough, maybe you haven't. And if you judge people by what they do or don't do, and assume that what you do matters more than what they do because they believe some different things than you do, well, be careful.

Said another way,  there isn't some level of doing or not doing that gets you anything, but there is a letting go of the whole game that will bring you life. And if you let go of that game, you'll defintiley end up doing plenty. 

love casts out fear.

One of my favorite writings is "perfect love casts out fear." 

I've quoted it many times, talked about it many times, and I believe it to be true. I'm not sure I've ever analyzed it and reasoned it out though. Yeah, I believe it, but why? Is it true? How? 

Some thoughts.

Love demands uncertainty by its very nature. If you love something, you have agreed to put up with not knowing how your love/the love will be received and, thus, its affect. If we knew, it wouldn't be love, it would be submission and mastery. That's very different. (And not God, by the way.) 

In perfect love, there is always a risk, because there is always freedom. 

Fear hates freedom. It hates freedom, because freedom demands uncertainty and fear hates uncertainty. Fear demands control of the future, at least as much control as is possible. 

But perfect love casts out fear. 

A perfect acceptance of uncertainty will always remove the desperate attempt to control the future. 

In many ways, this whole game is always about "what will happen next..." Which is amazing to think about. 

The only weapon of darkness is to give us a terrifying view of what will happen next. 
The only weapon of light is to give you a better view of what will happen next and a freedom to just let it.  

At the end of the day that's really it. 

Of course, the spectrum is huge but it applies in all kinds of circumstances. 

Any kind of lust for a human and/or object is an attempt to control what will happen next. It's fear overriding love. It removes risk and vulnerability and replaces it with anonymity and power. 

Any violent response is the same. It's an attempt to control injustice with force and power. 

All "sins" are some form or another of fear overriding love... of certainty overriding freedom, and that, I think, is the true danger. When we live in a spot of certainty, we certainly don't live in a spot of love, and/or God. 

two day.

I just ordered a product for someone. Because the company gives priority to production on products that are shipped at a faster rate, I paid extra for the product to be shipped Two-Day Air. This means the product left Los Angeles on a plane, arrived in Memphis, and then left Memphis on another plane to arrive back in Los Angeles, where it was made, to get on a truck, to be delivered in two days. Guaranteed. 

I could have ordered standard delivery and the product would have never left L.A. - or been placed on a plane - and may have arrived in a day, or two, or three, or four? 

I don't know what this says about me, our culture, or our systems but it definitely says something. 

We'll go a long way for certainty. 

belief.

The word often gets a bad rap because, some will say, it doesn't matter what we believe. It matters what we do. 

And that is true. But, what we do is dependent on what we believe. 

We don't do anything in life unless we believe there is a higher chance of a potentially good outcome than a potentially bad outcome. 

Good and bad are very subjective terms but whatever those mean to an individual, and their belief, will determine their action. 

I don't drive 200 mph on the freeway. I believe the odds of a negative outcome outweigh the positive. 

Sometimes our beliefs are correct. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes our beliefs of positive and negative are correct, sometimes they are not. 

Why are you not writing that book? Making that film? Starting that blog? Quitting your job? Opening that restaurant?

early adopters.

People will often talk about the bell curve of any new idea. There are early adopters, the masses, and those who lag behind. 

Early adopters stand in line for the iPhone.

The masses buy it when it's safe. 

Those who lag still have a flip phone. 

Like everything I hear related to business lately, I instantly go to other topics like faith and spirituality. 

Christianity is changing every day.

There are early adopters who can't wait for a taste.

There are masses who are waiting for it to be safe and approved. 

There are those who lag behind who will go to their grave without changing. 

Who are you?  

rolf's.

Last weekend, I was in NYC drinking a beer at Pete's Tavern, the oldest bar in NYC. And sitting next to us was a couple from Florida who told us about Rolf's. Rolf's was a German restaurant, nearby, and they were adamant that we had to go there. 

The place closes for six nights every year, spends $30,000 on Christmas lights, charges $15 a beer and there is a line to get in. 

So, we went. We stood in line 30 minutes - in the cold - to get in to a small room packed shoulder to shoulder with lights, everywhere. We spent $30 on beer. We smiled and laughed and talked to strangers. 

Was it worth it? 

Definitely. 

We told everyone we could about Rolf's. "You have to go there!" 

Why? Because Rolf's is an experience. The $30 in beers were worth the experience. The line was worth the experience. The cold was worth the experience. The cramped quarters was worth the experience. 

When the experience is like that, people talk. And more people go. 

This makes me think about the small businesses I run, of course. But, even more, it makes me think about church. Would people wait in line for 30 minutes in the cold to go to church? Would they spend $30 on overpriced coffee?

There are all kinds of reasons but none of them have me very comforted recently. 

blue skies, white snow.

I've seen blue skies and white snow too many times to count. I have hundreds of pictures (and even drone footage) that I've taken, that I can access any time, in addition to a seemingly infinite number of similar photos online. 

But, this morning, I couldn't stop staring at those blue skies and white snow. On my run, I did everything I could to soak in the view. 

There are lots of people with pictures of God. They'll happily share them. 
There are lots of people with memories of God. They'll tell you about them. 
There are books with words about God. You can read them. 

Compared to the actual experience of God, they really don't matter at all. 

I often feel like we've lost that truth. 

no, you aren't the same.

I've noticed, recently, something I do and something others do. A lot. 

In an effort to be empathetic (it would appear) we try to equate something we've been through with something someone else has been through. 

An example (pretty obvious) would be along these lines: 

Person: We have no money to pay our bills. 
Me: Yeah, I once had to sell my jeep to pay off some debt. 

Person: I've been sick for three weeks. 
Me: Oh man, my dad has the same thing. 

These, of course, can be fine responses. But, there is a dark side. 

Don't expect me to help. I've been through the same thing and I got through it. So, you'll be fine just like I am now, and I got here without your help, by the way, so don't expect mine.

Of course, it's never said that way but it's easy to interpret that way. The attempt at empathy is actually very non-empathetic, even cold. 

The answer, as usual, is to simply listen more. Tell me more. What's that like. What can I do? 

And then instead of excusing ourselves because we've been through something similar, after hearing some good options from them, help where we can. 

more equality.

If we're going to fight inequality on any level, there are three things that have to happen: 

If someone can't, they receive.
If someone can, they do. 
If someone has extra, they give. 

Whether it's money, privilege, power, or rights, it applies. 

As an experiment, maybe, or just practicing what we preach, we recently remodeled our new apparel company Republic of Equal. 

If you want a shirt and can't afford one, we'll give you one. Shipping included. 
If you want a shirt and can afford it, buy it. 
If you want to help someone else get some shirts, give a little extra. 

Either  way, we're donating $5 for every shirt shipped, no matter whether someone paid for it or not. 

This is, for the record, a terrible business model. And it could really backfire. 

But a belief in equality demands a belief in humanity and the goodness in us all. 

So, I'm excited to see what happens. 

snapchat. magazine.

I asked my daughter for two words. She got irritated but I insisted so she begrudgingly gave the words to the title of this post.  

Which end up being interesting words. Magazines used to be everything. We waited for them, read them, and cared what was in them. The gatekeeper was speaking. More restricted but more value.

Now we have Snapchat. Instant. We glance. We sometimes care. Everyone is speaking.  Less restricted but less value.

You can't have both. 

don't worry.

It will be hard. 

They will laugh at you.  

You will fail. 

You are wrong. 

You will cry. 

It will be worth it.

They will change. 

You will learn. 

You are right. 

You will laugh. 

early.

There has never been a conference or book or class to try and help people be more late.  

Late is lazy. Late is apathetic. Late is negligent. 

Be on time, at the least. We are waiting for your art. 

good times.

Seth Godin exceeded expectations. Enlightened, graceful, crazy smart, and generous. 

So here's a thought:

Good ideas and stories spread. If I have a story to share, I will, whether it involves a product purchase or non-profit doing work or a television show. And it will grow as more people share the story and idea that affected them.

This once happened to Christianity. The story and idea was worth spreading. Given the stats in Christianity in the West, it's no longer being spread. People blame all kinds of things and come up with all kinds of solutions to the blame but rarely is it that the ideas and stories are simply not worth spreading. That's a story and idea problem and Christianity in the West has it. 

seth godin.

Today I'm going to see Seth Godin for 8 hours with some people from around the world.

If you've never heard of Seth Godin, you're missing out and you should google him right now and find a podcast to listen to (there are many), a book to read (there are many), or a video to watch (there are many). Or just start reading his blog - it's worth it.

I've got big expectations. I'll let you know if they are met. 

travel.

I don't think it's possible to travel somewhere, and not have some kind of fear erased. The bigger the trip, the more, or bigger, the fears. 

If you think you're too afraid, travel more. 

lovin is a lot funner.

Here's a recent text conversation from a friend. 

Friend: Do you believe that if a person does not accept Jesus as the Son of God/died/crucified, etc... they will go to Hell? 

Me: I believe in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. 

Friend: I'm not sure what that means. Do you believe it's possible for a Muslim to go to heaven?

Me: Yes, for sure. Because Jesus said it was possible. (I then sent him the parable of the sheep and the goats.) So, if you believe in Jesus, you believe Muslims can have eternal life. If you don't believe a Muslim can have eternal life, you don't believe in Jesus. 

Friend: That's what I told my friend.  He said no way

Me: Well tell your friend this one. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." 

Friend: He's stuck on what Paul said.  The only way to heaven is professing Christ. 

Me: Yeah I’m down with that. But your friend isn’t professing Christ. Christ said Muslims could go to Heaven.

Friend: Where does it say muslims can go to heaven? My friend hates Muslims. 

Me: That parable I sent you makes no mention of believing in Jesus and/or the cross and/or accepting Jesus and/or any of the things your friend says are required for Muslims to get in. It says people who feed people and clothe them, etc… have eternal life (not heaven but that's another discussion). I mean, seriously, ask your friend to explain that.

Friend: I agree.  I wouldn't want anyone to go to hell.  Eternity seems like an awful long time to suffer

Me: I wouldn’t make my worst enemy burn for 10 minutes. I can’t imagine a God who would for eternity. And I can’t be nicer than God.

Friend: I wasn't sure.  Thought maybe I had it all wrong

Me: Well I mean you might. And I might. But, your friend might too. :)

Friend: True dat!  I've fought my whole life.  Lovin is a lot funner.