Bees, Blueprints and Balance

Somehow September came and went, and I didn't post anything. It could be because I was on the road at least two days each week that month... I loved every adventure as I traveled from Greenville, Illinois to Seattle, WA to Pasadena / Azusa / Rancho Cucamonga... phew. All super interesting projects, but I am glad to be sleeping in my own bed for a few days.

During all those trips I've saved up so many good links that I will have to pace myself and not knock you over all at once! Let's get started.

Be the Bee: The Beehive as a Metaphor for Life in Christian Community. This 5 minute video is so beautiful and lyrical, I don't want to say very much. Just watch it. I will bet that you will use it in a staff meeting, Bible study or sermon very soon.

Five Fundamentals for an Evangelical Future. I start getting hives when I read any sentence with the word "fundamental" in it, but if you can resist the temptation to blow over this one, I think it's worth a read. Please do not think these are five MORE things to add to your never-ending to-do list... instead, I would recommend this list as a filter for you and other leaders in your Christian organization (church, non-profit, school, etc.) to use to think about your strategic planning. There is no one-size-fits-all blueprint that will work for everyone as we plan for the future, especially not in this season of "discontinuous change." I am currently working with three different organizations who are trying to adjust long-successful systems and programs in face of the new challenges of the 21st century. I think article provided some good points to jumpstart the conversation.

Work/Life Balance Strategies. In all of my conversations with friends, colleagues and client, this topic nearly always comes up at some point. There are WAY too many quick-fix solutions and platitudes. I thought this article took a unique approach, and may strike a chord with you.

This 100 Year-Old To Do List Hack Still Works. If the work/life balance issue applies to you, you might find this article of interest as well... I just passed it along to a maxed-out pastor friend of mine. I'm interested to see if it is helpful. We all have the "could-you-help-me-figure-out-how-to-get-everything-done-AND-somehow-keep-all-of-my-projects-organized?" problem at various points, right?? This article is an effective short answer to the question.

What #firstsevenjobs says about Today's Young Adults and the Job Market This quote caught my attention: "The number of teenagers who have some sort of job while in school has dropped from nearly 40 percent in 1990 to just 20 percent today, an all-time low since the United States started keeping track in 1948." I am stunned at how different life is for today's teenagers. To illustrate, you can also read this article on the decline of the driver's license among teens. I bet you'll never guess how many 16 year-olds get their drivers' licenses...

ENOUGH for now! I'll post again in a few days. Meanwhile, I'll end with this:

In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing

vessels is likely to be more productive than energy

devoted to patching leaks.

Warren Buffett