Have you ever woken up, and checked the news, wondering what else is wrong with the world? Maybe with something like this going through your head?
The Sofa cant shake the feeling that the world is filled with bad news story followed by bad news story. (At least according to the newspapers anyway…). Well The Sofa has cracked a little, and has created The Good News Page on Facebook.
The Good News Page is there to talk about the good stuff in the world.
The Good News Page is there to put something positive into your Facebook feed.
If you like the idea, can you spare The Good News Page a like, and get some good news into your Facebook world.
If there’s one thing that jumps out of my memories of Old Testament lessons from Sunday School, its that Solomon built one heck of a decent temple. Why? Well the message version of 1 Kings chapter 5 puts it simple enough, “Build a temple in honor of God, my God, following the promise that God gave to David my father, namely, ‘Your son whom I will provide to succeed you as king, he will build a house in my honor“.
I guess the obvious thing to think about here then, is what do we do to honor God in our lives?
Well take a seat, maybe listen to History Maker by Delirious, and check out our things to do for God..
1. Build a Temple.
http://www.bible-architecture.info/Jerusalem.htm
Get some wood, and other building materials together, and get building.
Oh and don’t forget the planning permission.
2. Lead Worship at Church.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/susieq3c/4044933922/
If the above fails, then learn to play the guitar. The church loves people who can lead huge crowds of people in worship.
When I was younger, I came across a pastime known as “people watching”. Every now and then, a friend and I would find ourselves in the front of a coffee shop, and the two of us watched the outside world. We’d sit there, comment, and take it all in.
As I’ve grown up. I’ve realised that was stupid. Coffee shops are not where the action is found. For real people watching, go to a train station! Preferably a nice big train station. You get to see people who lost, confused, and sometimes saying good bye. But you also get to see people having laugh, relaxing, and being reunited with loved ones. Even if its just their luggage. This is where you really get to see people at their most emotional… People watching at its best…
A similar but more sobering sight greeted a few of us last night, as we approached the Exeter Casualty department. People on their mobiles, updating loved ones… People carrying children away… That person who comments “I’ve done something stupid…”
It occurred to me.
English folk aren’t great at showing emotion, but there seems to be a few places where we let our guard down, like Train Stations / Airports or Hospitals. Between the comings, goings, arrivals, and sometimes painful goodbyes, it does sometimes look and feel a little raw.
As I sat there in the waiting room, watching our mate occasionally wince in pain, I wondered.
Where does the church fit into this?
Is “Church” a place where we can be in pain, or are we to busy being ok?
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Saw this on Phil Cooke’s blog, and thought it was a good way to start the week:
Filmmaker and comedian Woody Allen famously said that “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” While we laugh at it, the statement is pretty accurate. “Showing up” means putting yourself in position for something to happen. I heard of a musician who bumped into a record producer in an elevator. They started talking, and when the producer asked if the musician had recorded anything, the musician whipped out his iPhone and played him a couple of cuts. The producer was impressed enough that they scheduled a meeting and eventually worked out a record deal. That musician “showed up.” He was ready and in position for something good to happen.
Far too many of us dream of big things, but don’t actually write that book, plan that project, or develop that relationship. We dream about losing weight, but never show up at the gym.
The truth is, Woody’s right. A huge part of success in any field is showing up ready to accomplish something significant. And showing up comes from the discipline to do everything you can to get yourself in position. I like how Benjamin Franklin put it: “You will find the key to success under the alarm clock.”
What is it that you need to show up for this week?
You wake up. You go to work. Go Home. Hang around. Go to sleep. Throw in going to the Pub, and you have most peoples lives.
Thats fine for a while, but if you’re anything like me, it gets to the point where that gets you down. Personally I found myself feeling unfulfilled with what I was doing, and scrabbling around for a purpose in life. I do occasionally still feel that way, if you’re anything like that, here’s a few things I’m finding that helps.
1. Learning skills you want to learn. Dont learn something that might help your career.
I need to be motivated to learn something new, I also need to to be excited by it or I’m not going to bother. I tried going over the cisco CCNA course… to be honest it was the best way to go to sleep. So I quit that, and did a course in something I actually want to do (Adobe Dreamweaver / Flash).
2. Getting more involved.
I got more involved with the youth club at church, when the guy who was leading it admitted to struggling with the commitment needed. I find that as well as focusing my time, it gives me an identity away from the world of 9 – 5 .
