Walking is important to me. I walk whenever I can. I relate to other people differently when I walk than when I drive. We all walk at our own pace. Sometimes we amble along, sometimes we stride with purpose. Walking gives us time to reflect, to breathe well, and to pray. My prayer is fairly intentional at the beginning of a walk. There may be a subject or person drawing me out to walk and pray for them. Sometimes I pray... Read more
Some people want to become leaders. They are looking for opportunities to lead. Some people have mixed feelings about leadership. They would like to assess their potential. Some people are not interested in leading other people. They just want to do their best. Almost all of us, though, know how it feels to run out of time to accomplish what we want to do. Our idea of leadership may be influencing other people or meeting our own potential. Whatever we want to accomplish... Read more
Easter was here just a week ago. After weeks of preparing and practicing in Lent, Easter exploded in light and celebration. There were hours of special church services over three days last week. Social media feeds were filled with photos of family gatherings and resurrection memes. Children hunted for hidden eggs. The air was filled with the aroma of chocolate. Then Easter seemed to disappear overnight. We moved on to the next thing, whether that was basketball or April Fools Day.... Read more
We live in a culture that worships super heroes. Super heroes surround us on film, in books, on television, on our own phones. Even on the smallest screens, super heroes teach us lessons of life and leadership. We learn their stories and absorb their super heroic mythology. Super heroes are the leaders we seek to become. Super heroes sweep into people’s lives to solve their problems. They rescue people who are overwhelmed and powerless to save themselves. Super heroes have the power to make things right. Many of us long... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. We spend three days this week moving from the season of Lent into the season of Easter. Today is the third and final day. Tonight we will get together for my favorite service of the year, the Great Vigil of Easter. Tonight, in the darkness, we will mark the moment Lent is over and Easter begins. Tonight is not a time of baskets, bunnies, or Easter bonnets. Tonight is a time of remembering our true selves. We begin... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. We spend three days this week moving from the season of Lent into the season of Easter. The second of these three days, today is called Good Friday. We spend today remembering some very painful, challenging events. Many people find it particularly ironic, and confusing, to call today Good Friday. Why is Good Friday specifically designated as good? Many people believe it is because of our changing understanding of the word good. We currently think of good as part of... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. We divide each year into liturgical seasons. This week we spend three days in transition from the season of Lent into the season of Easter. Today, the first of those three days, is called Maundy Thursday. Even people who know it is called Maundy Thursday do not necessarily know what that means. The word “Maundy” comes from the same roots as the words “mandatory” or “mandate.” Today is Maundy Thursday because we celebrate one of the... Read more
The longer I am a leader, the more I realize I do not know. I used to believe leaders knew the right answers. Becoming a leader was about knowing the right things in front of the right people. When we finally knew enough things, we could become leaders. As I gained leadership experience, I learned something ironic. Leadership is not like being in school, able to raise your hand and get called on to give the answer. Knowing the answers is actually... Read more
Spiritual life inspires us to rest and reflect on deep truths, to know our true selves well. Spiritual life draws us to pay attention to each present moment without getting distracted. We are able to trust spiritual life, to depend on its power, because it is not transitory. Spiritual life does not come and go, but is always with us. We may perceive it as stronger on some days, or in some places, but spiritual life is a constant presence. Spiritual life does not move away... Read more
What is your favorite flavor in the world? What is that one flavor you simply detest? We taste flavors through receptor cells, which are primarily on the surface of our tongues. Science tells us that all the flavors we can taste are combinations of five primary taste sensations. No matter what, our favorite tastes come from salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami. Everything we experience through our sense of taste depends on how those flavors fit together. There are flavors that we anticipate,... Read more
Strategic Monk
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