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Life Wins

Today is as good a day as any (and better than some) to reflect on the apparent and unreal failures of our life...those times when it seemed as if we had failed, as if opportunity had passed us by, as if loss had won the day. Yet, we can now look back upon those times and see that life would not be undone, that failure created the possibility for another victory and something larger than us had won the day.

For this, I am most grateful. Happy Easter.

Wishful Preaching - The Book NOW Available

As of 11/26/12, as good a day as any, the Kindle version of "Wishful Preaching: Things I Wish I'd Said From The Pulpit" is now available. All profits go to charity. Own your copy of Wishful Preaching now.

You can read Kindle books on anything, too. See all the options here: Kindle Free Reading Apps.

"A little bit preaching, a tad irreverent and a dash of hilarious - Wishful Preaching is a collection of 12 sermons that SHOULD be preached from the pulpit. After 15 years of ministry and a less than pretty exit, I've become aware that there are a few things I wish I'd said from the pulpit. 

Preaching isn't really all about what the preacher does. It is about what we do, what we hear and how that impacts our lives. Preaching is as much about hearing as it is about talking. This book is about the talking, the proclaiming of preaching. I have written in a form very similar to how I've preached with a mix of scripture, story and humor. 

This book is about hearing, too. You will be challenged to hear some things in different ways, in ways that might really challenge you, even make you steaming, righteous mad. Sound fun?"

5 Slow Down Tips- Make Some Life Space

Dave Matthews band calls it, "The Space Between." Marketers say, "White space sells." Advertisers refer to "The pause that refreshes." All of these folks and their sayings come to mind when I find myself overwhelmed by the business and intensity of living.

Life comes at us pretty hard, sometimes. The multiplying demands of parenting, the self manifesting lists of tasks for work, the bombardment of feelings from our relationships - all take their toll on us. Our lives become crowded. Sometimes we carve out more time by sleeping less. Other times we try to tilt the scales by omitting leisure time and hobbies. These things, these accessories to our living are 'luxuries' after all, right?  Soon we become tired, anxious, angry and hungry for some down time. Devotion to family, church, non-profits, and even our pets tugs at us with passionate attachment.

We all know in our minds that down time brings balance, even serenity to our living, yet... too often we lack the white space between the business and activities that make demands of us. Here's a short list of 5 things we can do to create more white space in our living.

1. Manage your use of time. When we begin to feel that we don't have enough time in the day, that there is not enough of us to go around, we can remember that there is always 'enough' time. Time doesn't vary. We have 86,400 seconds in every day - everyday. The issue is trying to do too much. Make a list of everything that needs to be done, then organize your day accordingly. Group similar tasks together (computer tasks, errands, phone calls) and then complete similar tasks together. Delegate to someone else what you can (don't be afraid to ask for help from friends, colleagues, even relatives). "To everything there is a season..." -Ecclesiastes 3:1

2. Plan for your hobbies. Many of us don't think of our 'play' time as important. Carl Jung reportedly spent hours 'playing' during his most difficult periods of his adult life. The solution to our biggest obstacles is often dependent on us allowing our creative minds to play. Make sure that 'play' that you enjoy is on your list.

3. Exercise. The spirit may be willing, but if the flesh is weak, stress and fatigue will overcome us. As strange as it seems, the times when we are most 'tired' are often because we have neglected our bodies. Exercise that engages cardio and muscle strength - even in 20-30 minute daily doses will work wonders.

4. Use advocates. We all have people who understand our need to rest, relax, create, ponder and otherwise have down-time in our lives. If we can get the support of a loving friend to hold us accountable for our self care, we are likely to be more successful. It is easier to say 'no' to one more demand if we have an advocate in our corner.

5. Do nothing. There is a Spanish proverb - "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterwards." Plan for some nothing time. A cup of coffee on the back porch. A restful moment before you start your morning commute. Stare at the stars. Stand in the dark and feel yourself breathe. Sit in a chair, close your eyes and listen to music. Even God rested on the 7th day. Make some 7th day time!


Having white space in our living helps. What more can you add to the list? How do you know it's time to slow down?

Whitney Houston Prediction - Another Drug Death

I'll go ahead and make the assumption and prediction: Another celebrity with amazing talent, success and fame has died because of drug and alcohol addiction. The news of Whitney Houston's death has exploded through Social Media and traditional media outlets. Everyone is being very careful, and apparently respectful to report the causes of her death to be "unspecified" at this point. I'm going to take a leap here, and I'll take full responsibility for being wrong - if I am. Her death is related to drug and alcohol abuse.

Celebrities often become the focus of news and discussions about addiction. I don't even have to name them off, you can do that yourself. From Joplin to Jackson the list a very long and well know one. However, behind everyone of these celebrities is a raging sea of human causalities tossed aside.

Listen as you hear people talk about Whitney this week. There will be the politically correct response of "What a tragic loss. She had an amazing voice." There will be a mention of the bad Bobby Brown. Then we might hear the story turn more personal. We might hear our family and friends share about those they know and have lost to addiction.

I've spent over a decade of my life among and around addicts trying to recover. For every celebrity addict news mention I can personally name multiple men and women who have died from addition. Men and women who were bright, gifted, funny and intelligent. Addiction seems to like those types of people, likes to destroy them. It makes me furious that there is this cunning, baffling and deadly condition among us that destroys life - often in dramatic fashion. In some ways, I believe Whitney hardly had a chance.  The numbers alone were against her. According to some sources, addicts have (at best) a 30% recovery rate, and if we look at alcohol, that success rate drops to about 14%. Add to that equation some financial success  (so you don't run out of money) and fame (so people tend to tell you what you want to hear), and the odds against an addict finding recovery are low enough to make a Vegas bookie salivate.

I don't have the answer.  Some celebrities make it. According to a NewLifeRecovery article Bonnie Raitt and Eminem seem to have made recovery and stardom work. For the rest of us, the treatments are fairly well known: 12 steps programs, Outpatient therapy, Individual Therapy, Support Groups, etc. The biggest problem with an addict's success  in recovery is the addict. The addict has to want to learn how to live without mind and mood altering substances - continuously. The greatest success is when that addict seeks recovery within and stays connected with others who are seeking to recover.

The Grammys are tonight, and no doubt Whitney's death will flavor much of what is said. It is my hope that at least some of the chatter and sentiment will carry a message beyond the tragic loss of one amazing artist, and to the greater issue of addition in entertainment and our larger culture.