"and" or "or"... maybe "and" and "or"??

I like the thought process here...
http://tonymorganlive.com/2010/03/08/and-instead-of-or/

Epic Friendships

Here's a good read from Q Blog - Ideas That Create A Better World(http://www.qideas.org)

http://www.qideas.org/blog/epic-friendships.aspx
Epic Friendships
by JR Kerr

I am reading a wonderful book at present about the relationship between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Theirs was clearly an epic friendship at a time in history when our world needed leadership and hope that our society would not be swallowed in darkness. Out of this friendship emerged the necessary combatant to evil that existed and overwhelmed the world in their day. It is hard to imagine how different our world would be today if these two had not been present both in leadership for the world, but also in friendship for one another.

Churchill once told Roosevelt, “Our friendship is the rock on which I build for the future of the world, so long as I am one of the builders.”

C.S. Lewis noted once in an essay on friendship that Emerson observed, “Do You Love Me?” actually means “Do You See the Same Truth?” or at least as Lewis commented, “Do you care about the Same Truth?”

Do you have a friend like this? Do you have someone who as Lewis puts it, cares about the same truth as you? I think in recent years we have lost some of our vision for friendship because we have underestimated how important it is for friends to care deeply about the same things. We have taken friendship and turned into something that is safe and docile, a place where you are safe to hold whatever view you desire and still to be completely embraced and accepted including your beliefs and the implications of these beliefs. Now I am in no way saying we should not love people where they are and embrace our friends, family, and colleagues as they wrestle through matters of truth, beauty, and influence. But how much more does our friendship with someone weigh when we care deeply about the same truth. When we are committed to the same mission. Of course, this in no way ensures complete and total agreement; in fact this kind of friendship promises quite the opposite. When we care about the same truth, with equal vigor, we most certainly will differ on the best means to live out that truth, and perhaps secure the life that truth promises. This is the beauty of a friendship that lives within the boundaries of a commitment to a shared truth. It means we are safe to wrestle deep and hard with one another over how that truth gets played out into everyday life.

Think for one moment . . . what would your life look like if you let someone like this into your life on a regular basis?

A True Friend

Got news this week that a close friend & his family are moving to Alaska. Not a suprise - he's been sharing this dream with me for a long time. Guess it was the suddeness that caught me - he's leaving in 6 weeks.
Why do I feel so happy and so sad at the same time?
Sad to know they'll be such a distance away (3,900 miles!), that we won't have anymore spontaneous canoe trips down the Shiawasee River, that we won't have more backpacking trips in Northern Michigan, and I'll miss the long conversations we've had during our adventures.
Yet, I'm thrilled for him! To be able to live in the mountains, in the ruggedness of Alaska, and begin the ministry God has called him to -- that is awesome.
So cool to have participated in adventures together: Mt Rainier, North Country Trail Marathon, canoeing, camping & hiking & running.
So glad that there's things like Facebook to keep in communication.
And soooo cool to be able to have one more adventure together. Driving from Michigan to Alaska - through places we spent hours talking about - the mountains and rivers - Yukon Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Alaska. Mostly I look forward to the great conversations we'll have. Men don't often get to talk together about life at any level of depth. We've been able to do that. You're a true friend.
Gonna miss your physical presence Scott, Chelsea, & Clara. But gonna stay connected in spirit. Oh, and on Facebook too...

Soak

http://theecheloneffect.bandcamp.com
Find music that makes you soar. Helps you rise above. Inspires.

Listen

He was camping in a cave.
Just had some awesome victories at work - made his employer look really good in front of the competition. In fact, exposed the competition's drastic weakness in a way that made them look incredibly foolish - even verbally mocked them while he was at it.
Back to the cave.
He was hiding. Feeling sorry for himself. I've felt like this before - like I'm the only one around that could possibly understand my problems. No one is for me - everyone's against me - I'm alone. Confused about my calling. After everything I've done, what is next?
That's a good time to listen.
It was Elijah in the cave (read his story in 1 Kings).
God wanted to talk to him. He was near him in a great & powerful presence, but His voice was a gentle whisper.
It was in that gentle whisper that Elijah found breakthrough. God gave him direction - told him what role to step into, what direction to go, and encouraged him.
Yes, Elijah was in a down spot - fearing Jezebel, and feeling like he was the last one left. But he went to the right spot. The cave was on Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. He knew he had to find God's presence and listen for His voice. Took him 40 days and nights of travel to get there.
Endure.
Find God's presence.
Listen for His gentle whisper.
~Selah~

Change

What does it take for us to change?
We all give a mental nod to the fact that we should change and grow and mature.
But what does that look like? How quickly does it happen? What does it take?
Doesn't God work through those closest to us - our spouse & kids & close friends - to show us why and how to change? How about sermons and the Bible and other books and just listening to the voice of God?
If so, do we hear these promptings, and do we really respond to them?
I think the process of change is a journey, fast or slow, that begins with an acknowledgement that we need to change - that we haven't arrived at perfection. Sometimes this feels like eating humble pie, but that's ok. A good dose of humility is like nitrous - acts like a catalyst to speed the transformation.
Funny thing is, once the transformation occurs, we can't believe how naive we were to resist the change.
I need to embrace change.

Begin

A journey begins before you ever get in the car. Launch the endeavor. Step on the trail.
It starts as an idea. A desire. A challenge.
Then it percolates for a while. Flavored. Filtered. Transformed to the finished product.
It's transferred to others. Your spouse. Your kids. Your friends.
It brings excitement. Hope. Dreams.
Then there's preparation. Real. Raw. Revealing.
It's life changing before it begins.
So when did the journey really begin?