Get on Your Hobby Horse!

 Hobby Horse-interesting term.  Sometimes we think of a child's riding toy that consists of a long stick with an imitation horse's head on one end.

 

Britophiles, or anglophiles in love with British culture, might recognize a hobby horse as a costume, a figure of a horse worn attached to the waist of a dancer.  They are particularly associated with May Day celebrations in England.

 

In its entomology, the term morphed first into a designation for a favorite hobby.  From there it degenerated into a more negative connotation.  Most of us would think of the term in association with someone who frequently brings up or dwells on the same topic, a topic that borders on a fixation.

 

So while camped out in 2 Peter the other day, I was surprised to see Peter unashamedly on a hobby horse.

 

¹² Therefore, I will always remind you about these things-even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. ¹³ And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. ¹⁴ For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, ¹⁵ so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.

 

Peter understood that there were certain things that should continually be remembered-things so critical that if we lose sight of them, it will be detrimental to our walk, our witness, our life.  So he kept declaring those truths.  He climbed on his hobby horse and preached, taught it again.

 

It dawned on me as I read how critical a leadership principle this is.  There are certain things that leaders know are vital to advancing the mission, certain things that keep you moving forward, certain things that keep you focused.

 

Hobby Horses-fixations we keep coming back to that define us as leaders.

 

Here are mine.

• It's all about the relationship with Christ.
• The word always communicates with power and relevancy.
• Prayer is vital.
• Loving others is the environment of all ministry.
• Always expect God to show up and show off.
• Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

What are yours, the hobby horses that define you, your leadership?

 

Climb back on.

 

The Man in the Window

 

A Reminder of What it's All About.

 I've begun to camp for a while in 2 Peter.  Peter is at least considering the possibility that he may not be around much longer (1:15), and he's writing some final challenging thoughts to those he has led to the Forgiver.  He wants to be sure they don't stumble after he's gone, especially with the rise of so many false teachers.

So he makes some pretty incredible statements in chapter one.

• Through our knowledge of God and Jesus, grace and peace are possible.  V. 2
• Everything we need for life and godliness come through that same knowledge. Vv. 3-4
• So make every effort to keep adding to what we have, what we are. V. 5
• "Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."  V 5-7

Then something in verse 8 leaps off the page at me, something that had never registered before, something that resonated with my heart as a leader.  "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. . ."

 

If those qualities, those attributes are on the increase in my life, it's a guarantee that I will not be ineffective, unproductive.

 

Wow.

 

An answer for the great fear every leader has, that somehow we won't make a difference, that we will just spin our wheels, that our lives wont' count for the kingdom.

 

Peter is so convinced of this truth that he restates to his readers.

Beginning in verse 10, "for if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

 

He then justifies nagging them about it.

13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

 

Peter's last message is on the effective, productive life.  Be ever increasing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

 

Leaders know - it's always been about character.

 

The man in the window

Thanksgiving in the Age of the Pursuit of Stuff!!

Black Friday is over!  In the light of stories like this, maybe we need to reevaluate our weekend.

 

Twenty Injured After Woman Uses Pepper Spray on Black Friday Crowd

Published November 25, 2011

FoxNews.com

 

LOS ANGELES -  A mother of three shot pepper spray to keep shoppers from grabbing a video game system she wanted during a Black Friday sale, leaving 20 people with minor injuries, authorities said.

 

The incident occurred shortly after 10:20 p.m. Thursday in a crowded Los Angeles-area Walmart as shoppers hungry for deals were let inside the store.  Police said the suspect shot the pepper spray when the coverings over the item she wanted were removed.  "Somehow she was trying to use it to gain an upper hand," police Lt. Abel Parga told The Associated Press early Friday.  He said she was apparently after an Xbox 360 and used the pepper spray to keep other shoppers at bay.

The store remained open and those not affected by the pepper spray continued shopping.

 

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.

 

True Thanksgiving--discover it again this weekend.  One day wasn't enough.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness; 
   come before him with joyful songs. 
³ Know that the LORD is God. 
   It is he who made us, and we are his; 
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
   and his courts with praise; 
   give thanks to him and praise his name. 
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

 

Take the Lead-Give thanks!

 

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

Coming to a Complete Stop

NOTE:  I was sitting with my wife in the window on Saturday when she handed me her journal and asked me to read an entry.  It was some very good stuff on communication, and since good communication is a key asset for any leader, I asked her if she'd like to expand the thoughts and write the week's blog.  Having already thought of the idea herself, she quickly agreed.  So here are my incredible wife's thoughts on one of the key points every leader eventually learns.

 

A few years ago I was qualifying as a certified driving instructor in Ohio.  I had just finished my driving test and the examiner told me I never came to a complete stop at any of the stop signs on the route--not once.  I could not imagine that I had failed to come to a complete stop.  But since I knew better than to argue with a state trooper, I surrendered the point.   If anyone else had said it, I would've strongly objected.

 

This memory came to me yesterday morning after a less than comfortable discussion with my husband (yes we were irritated with each other).  He felt that I had been cutting him off, interrupting him, not permitting him to complete a single thought.  The intensity of his frustration lent credibility to the charge, but in my mind I knew I'd been careful to always wait until he completed a sentence before I jumped in with a question or objection or need of my own.  There was no way he could be right about this.  I had been very careful, because I had stumbled over this many times, and wanted to be blameless this time around.  

 

It was later, while journaling, that the driving test parallel occurred to me.  After my miserably failing that driving test, I applied myself to figuring out how to ensure a complete stop.  Focus on stopping first, and looking both ways second.  I had been "stopping" and looking at the same time.  My focus had been, "Can I go now?" instead of "Stop."

 

As I thought about the conversation with my husband, I realized I had been doing a very similar thing.  I had been letting my husband get one sentence out and then felt justified in quickly jumping in with my thoughts, my reasons.  

 

My focus had been "Can I go now?" instead of "Stop and listen."

 

The  analogy of communication as a traffic intersection is pretty valid.  Two different streams of thoughts, perspectives, feelings and emotions cross at a particular point.  Remembering that car accidents are avoided at an intersection with a traffic light is helpful.   If your focus is just on going straight through the intersection with your thoughts, your ideas, your feelings, and the light is red, you are bound for trouble.  Sometimes you just have to sit and wait until you get the green light.

 

I had stumbled over a common communication struggle.  When I should have done the "stop-listen-and wait for the green light" I was focused on "can I go now."

 

Listening, the waiting side of communication.

 

 

 

the wife of  

the man in the window

 

 Cheryl and Bruce have been married for 31 years.

What's the Difference?

My Dad had given me a blower that he had purchased on clearance from a Walmart in Elmira, NY about 15 years ago.  A 2 cycle blower that could also vacuum leaves and mulch them.  I used it every year in Austintown, and every year since I have been in Norwalk.  Over the last few years I noticed it began to be more temperamental in starting and that it began to run lean, so I usually had to apply some choke to keep it running.  It kept running so year after year I kept using it.

 

This fall the blower began to run even leaner than it had before.  To blow the leaves off my driveway or out of the yard I often h

ad to restart it after it simply stalled out.  But I kept nursing it along.  I actually used it twice like that to 

clear the front lawn of leaves.  

 Finally after one of those days when the trees shed their leaves in droves, I gave up on the blower.  It had stalled out ten times in ten minutes and it was apparent that it could no longer do the job, meet the need.  It could no longer perform.

I headed off to Tractor Supply, forked over the money I would have preferred not to have spent, and took home my new 2 cycle blower, vac/mulching machine.  Ten minutes later the lighter, more efficient, more powerful motor roared to life.  Ten minutes later the lawn was free of leaves.  What a difference the new blower made.

 

I hadn't realized how much efficiency I had sacrificed over the years.  I hadn't realized how much more effort I was putting into the chore because the tool I was using was losing its power.  I hadn't realized how dramatic the change would be when the new blower was used.  It was actually enjoyable to run it, to use it. 

 

Today I have to go back out and blow more leaves.  And as I was sitting in the coffee house, the Holy One began to teach me about the blower, about leadership.

 

Sometimes we may hang on to a tool, a method way too long.  We keep pushing at it, keep tweaking it, we get it running again, we get a job done, but we lose effectiveness, efficiency, power.  Somewhere along the way we lose sight of the tipping point of when it costs too much time, energy, frustration to keep it running.  But year after year we keep dragging the same tool, the same methods out.

 

My allegiance to the blower my Dad gave me, my misdirected sense of frugality (if it runs, it doesn't need to be fixed or replaced), my stubbornness thinking that I could get it done with a failing tool, impacted the mission-clearing the leaves.  It was harder than it needed to be, it took more time, it robbed me of joy and pleasure.  I could say I got the leaves cleared, but it wasn't a good thing.

 

I changed the tool, accomplished the mission-clearing the leaves, discovered fresh power, new enthusiasm, greater effectiveness and efficiency.  I actually told my wife, I should have done that a couple of years ago.

 

Leaders lead.  One aspect of that leadership is the continual review, evaluation of everything that we do and how we do it.  Leaders know we are not called to a method, but to a mission.  And one of the traps that is so easy for us to fall into is commitment to the tool at the sacrifice of the mission.

 

What about you where you lead?  Have you held on to things, tools, methods too long?  Are there tools, methods that have lost their edge, their power?  Is it time for a new tool, a new method, a new approach?

 

Leaders serve the Mission, not method.  Keep leading.

 

the man in the window

Lifting and the Road Back

I have been sharing a few things from my lifting experience in the last few emails.  Lessons about how our schedule can so easily squeeze out the important things, lessons about how much is lost when we forget or neglect the habits that define us.  But last night I was reminded once again of one of the important leadership lessons when I was lifting.

 

I have only been back to lifting for about five weeks, and on my best weeks that means three workouts:  one working on chest, one working on back, and one working on arms.  Last night was chest--inclined bench, declined bench and fly's.

 

After just five weeks back, in each of those three exercises I worked at the heaviest weights I had ever worked out at.  Five weeks earlier I had lost ground, fallen back.  But five weeks later I was not only back to where I was, but I had surpassed my previous marks.

 

That's the lesson.  And it was huge to me.  You caught it, right?

 

It's true that when the schedule crowds out the habits that make us a good leader, there is a price to be paid.  We fall back, we lose ground.  Whenever we neglect the defining habits, we pay a price. That is a sobering thought, a serious lesson, one that every leader needs to heed.

 

But the lesson last night was a jubilant thought.  You see, last night I was reminded that when ground has been lost, when habits that shape our lives have been neglected, the ground can be reclaimed, redeemed, restored.  The recommitment to the habit, the restored discipline, not only swiftly gets you back to where you were, but on the advance, moving forward.

 

Was it frustrating to have lost ground?  YES.

 

Was it worth the fight to get into the discipline?  Absolutely.

 

That's the lesson.  When we've let a discipline slide, a habit that defines us lapse, it's worth the effort to get back to where we were.  Always.

 

As a leader have you let a habit slide?  Are you in his word?  Are you stretching yourself to grow?  Pressing forward in prayer?  Are you on top of the disciplines that guard your heart from lust, avarice, sloth?  Or have you drifted?

 

There is Good news.  Reapply, start anew, do again the early things that defined you, and the ground can be regained.

 

The Forgiver challenged a church that was once ablaze with passionate service to do just that.

 

"But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! ⁵ Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. 

Revelation 2:4,5

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

Lifting and the Trap of a Busy Schedule

Okay, so since I've been lifting, I've discovered that my busy schedule is the number one reason for me to miss a work out.  Whether it's a trip to New York on family matters, a volleyball match to officiate, pre-marital counseling to be conducted, a meeting with another pastor, schedule is the number one reason I miss workouts. I don't miss workouts because I'm bored with it. I don't miss workouts because I'm sore.  I don't miss workouts because I think they are ineffective. I don't miss workouts because I don't like lifting. Usually if I miss a workout it's because of my schedule. That is such a big lesson to me.  You see if I miss a workout which brings benefits to my life it's usually because of my schedule. I don't miss studying the word because I find it boring I don't miss praying because praying is hard work I don't miss basking in his presence in devotion and worship because I find it worthless. I don't miss journaling because it has become passé in my life. Usually if I miss these things it's because of my schedule. That is such a big lesson to me.  You see if I miss one of my personal disciplines that shapes my life, it's usually because of my schedule.   Schedule.    Leaders know mastering it is essential, without it, the important things that should define us easily get pushed out.  Schedule well.   the man in the window

Lifting and the Loss of Gains

Last March I made a decision to add a regular weight lifting regimen to my schedule. I knew it would take some doing to develop the habit (I had last lifted regularly in High School), and I knew that I would have to work through some significant pains to get into a routine (what was left of my chest I now displayed around my waist), so I petitioned a friend with a regular lifting addiction habit to take me on as a lifting partner.

 

Over the weeks and month I began to truly enjoy our workout times together. In an ideal week we rotate through workouts on back, chest and arms recording meticulously in our journals how heavy and how many skull crushers, overhead pulls, tricep pulls, alternating bi's, etc. we do. The journal serves as a de facto accountability log. It's a record of our time in his man cave, grunting and lifting, growling and sweating, encouraging and challenging each other.

 

If you were to look in our logs at the period of late July through mid-September you would see a significant slacking off in our workouts. Vacations, his mission trip to El Salvador, mine to Africa, the battle to overcome a persistent parasite that lingered long after the return to American soil, District Conference, volleyball officiating, counseling, meetings all took a toll. But in mid-September the workouts returned. But we paid a price for the loss of discipline. In every category, in every exercise, we lost ground. I was actually a little surprised by how much had been lost so quickly.

 

It hurt to lift less weight than we had before. This was both a physical and Psychological hurt. Muscles that had not been worked hard in weeks ached as we got back in the routine. But there was also the emotional hurt of realizing we went backwards. A part of lifting is going heavier or at least maintaining where you've been. It is never good to go backwards.

 

One evening as we were lifting, I told my workout partner, (who happens to read man in the window) that the Holy Spirit was speaking, teaching me as I lifted. I was having one of those leadership moments as we lifted.

 

Leaders know and develop habits and practices that define them as leaders, those habits make them strong, they keep them strong. Some of my habits include the time in his presence in the mornings, the reading of books that challenge my thinking, meeting with men who speak into my life, cultivating prayer that believes God for great things. Strength in those disciplines has been gained slowly over time. Lifting was reminding me of a huge truth.

 

When we stop the disciplines that define us, we lose ground, not just a little, we lose ground surprisingly fast. So we can either keep the disciplines or pay the price.

 

Leaders know we are defined by the disciplines we keep.

 

Thanks T. for lifting with me. Thank you Holy Spirit for teaching me even when I'm slinging iron.

 

the man in the window

 

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

Changed - Iron Man

Like many movie fans, I have enjoyed Hollywood's recent offerings based on the superheroes of my childhood comic books. Spiderman, Batman, X Men, Green Lantern, Thor, the Fantastic Four have all been recent offerings. Just a few years ago Tony Stark came to life as Iron Man.

 

This morning in devotional reading I realized that just maybe the apostle Paul was familiar with Iron Man, or at least his story. A man dies and is raised to new life, with a new character, and equipped and armored in a way that makes him indestructible.

 

Tony Stark was the billionaire playboy heir to the giant Stark weapons manufacturing company. While observing the effects of his experimental technologies on the American war effort in the Middle East, he's injured by a booby trap. Stark's situation is dire and his injuries critical as shrapnel is moving towards his heart. His fellow prisoner constructs a magnetic chest plate to keep the shrapnel from reaching Stark's heart, keeping him alive. Having been captured by the enemy, who then orders him to design weapons, Stark and his prison mate use the workshop to design and construct a suit of powered armor which Stark uses to escape. But Tony Stark is transformed by the experience, including the self-sacrificing death of the prisoner who saved his life. Replacing the temporary power source keeping him alive with an ever renewing source, Tony Stark develops and dons the Iron Man armor, discovering a new passion, a new mission.

Changed, he becomes an unstoppable force against the powers of evil in the world.

 

Okay, so I was reading Colossians and I saw a similar story.

It's us. Listen.

 

He who died and in one blow forever disarmed the evil rulers and powers of the world (Col 2:15), set us free from them and their dominion (Col 2:20). Now raised to new life with Christ (Col 3:1) we discover real life (Col 3:4). A real life that brings with it a continually renewed new nature (Col 3:10). We the rescued, the ones freed from the rule of the kingdom of darkness now find ourselves in the kingdom of the Son. Brought into the very presence of God, holy and blameless, we stand (Col 1:22). Called to put on a new armor, for we are destined to join the fight against the evil rulers and authorities of the world (Eph 6:12).

 

Changed-an unstoppable force against the powers of evil in the world.

 

I confess I seldom see myself that way, but I think Paul did. Should we?

 

the man in the window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

Is It Clear?

It's the morning after perhaps the most challenging District Conference I ever attended. I was sitting in the coffee house writing down some of the blessings and challenges resonating with my heart. Following a quick trip down the hall to the restroom, I returned to discover one of my elders had stopped in to see me. As we greeted each other he stated the following, "I knew you were back in town and I knew I could find you here." I've written before about being defined by our habits, and as leaders that is always a good lesson to remember. But this morning, being remembered for my faithfulness to be at a coffee house in the mornings was sobering for me.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad people recognize that I begin most days at a coffee house and that they can drop by to find me, but I was wondering, do they know why I'm here? Was the habit I had developed testifying to the value of what was being pursued? I start the days at a coffee house to get some alone time with myself and God, to read, to pray, to journal, to contemplate, and to drink some good coffee while I do it. Is it clear that my time at the coffee shop is all about my intimacy with God or do people merely think I'm a coffee hound?

 

It got me thinking-are the habits that define me defining me in the right way? Are my priorities communicating the right things? Can people see what my life is truly committed to?

 

Then I really started thinking.

• Is it clear that I'm committed to intimacy with God?
• Is it clear that I'm committed to reaching my neighbors?
• Is it clear that I'm dependent upon prayer?
• Is it clear that I'm filled with the Holy Spirit?
• Is it clear that I walk in victory over sin?
• Is it clear that I am becoming more like Christ?
• Is it clear that I rejoice with others who rejoice and weep with those who weep?
• Is it clear that His glory is more important than mine?

Oh dear God! Is it clear?

 

The words of Peter whisper through my mind this morning

 

1 Peter 2:12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. NLT

 

Oh dear God, let it be clear.

 

 

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

The Tale of the Lost and Broken Lion

Just got back from speaking at a Field Forum in West Africa. At the end of the week, the team there gave me a gift of appreciation that both humbled and excited me—a carved ebony lion. It was a beautiful majestic piece that would look great in my office. Receiving it brought tears to my eyes. You see I have prayed to see the lion of the tribe roar. I loved the gift. I also confess it felt good to be appreciated (9 messages in 4 days). I believed that the lion would be a great reminder to me of what God had done while I was there.

Returning to the states, actually in route God would use the Lion to remind once again this leader of who and what I was laboring for.

The lion had been carefully packed by my wife and locked away inside one of our suitcases. Its large size made the idea of taking it in a carry-on less attractive. I knew that in checking the bag there was always the possibility of it becoming lost, but I was okay with that (so I told myself). When we arrived in Brussels, after bathrooms and passport control, we waited at baggage claim and out of the seven checked bags among the team, the bag with the checked lion was lost.

I instantly began to pout. Oh God, this stinks! I’ve lost the lion and I really wanted the lion. Note that I wasn’t bothered that my wife had lost many of her clothes or her mementos from the trip. I was pouting about me, and losing my reward. My lion. It was in this moment of ugly, ungodliness that the Forgiver’s spirit hammered my heart with one question.

“Was this why you came to Africa Bruce, for your reward, for your gift, or did you come for My glory?”

I actually began to weep. “Forgive me Lord. This was never about me, or my rewards. This was all about you. Forgive me for getting wrong again. If I never get the lion back, I’m good with it.” It was only after this when my eyes were off myself that I could appreciate how big of a challenge this would be for my wife, the bulk of her belongs on the trip were in the lost bag.

“Forgive me Cheryl. I didn’t even think about you or your things.” (pretty ugly huh!)

So we headed to the service desk, report the lost bag, and go to the hotel. At 10:00am we receive the great word that the bag was found and would be delivered later that day!!! Praise God. Cheryl doesn’t lose her belongings and I get the lion back. I was elated. We spent a great day in Brussels, enjoyed a fine meal out and the next morning repacked and headed finally for home.

Last night at 6:00pm we are picked up with all our bags at Hopkins International and head for home.

Early this morning I’m unpacking bags and as I take out the box with the lion in it I hear an unsettling sound—it rattled! A big ebony carving shouldn’t be rattling. Opening the box my heart sinks and I discover the broken tail and two broken legs. Instantly I begin to pout again. This stinks! We lost the lion and found it and now it’s broke and . . .

This time it took much less time for me to remember why I went to Africa. Not for the reward, for his Glory. So putting the disappointment aside I told my wife, I can neatly glue these and fix the lion. I can set it on my desk not as a reminder of a time I got to speak at a Field Forum in W. Africa, but as a reminder of what I’m working for – HIS GLORY.

It’s such a beautiful lost and broken lion.

I'm on Vacation

I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach recently and a leadership thing jumped out of the experience for me. Actually it was a recurring lesson throughout the week away.

 

Myrtle Beach was packed with people, families, golfers, swimmers, tourists of every make and model. Everyone was there dealing with the heat, the traffic, the reality of lines at restaurants, crowds at the boardwalk, and barefoot landing. But it was also a beautiful week. Lots of sun, ocean breezes, no storms, warm tides and beautiful sunrises.

 

But for many it was also a week filled with a lot of frustration. The crowds, the traffic, the wait for elevators, for seating in restaurants, and for your turn at a traffic light seemed to bring out the worst in people. People seemed agitated that while they were on vacation that they had to cope with any of the inconveniences that come with a visit to a major tourist area. And it brought out in them unique actions, actions that seemed at times pretty embarrassing.

 

While no one called it this, it appeared to be a huge sense of "I'm on vacation" entitlement.

 

It looked like this.

• I'm on vacation . . . so I can cut in line.
• I'm on vacation . . . so I can park on this guy's lawn.
• I'm on vacation . . . so I have a right to complain about the line for seating.
• I'm on vacation . . . so I shouldn't have to wait for elevators.
• I'm on vacation . . . so I'm entitled to take four lounge chairs, one for myself, one for my friend who may show up later, and two to hold our towels.
• I'm on vacation . . . so if I cut you off and flip you the finger as I run the light, don't hold it against the church I worship at as you read the magnetic sign on the back of my SUV.
• I'm on vacation. . . so I'm not required to care about you, your feelings, your life, your world - just bring me my food, clean my room, pick up my trash and let me break the rules because I'm on vacation.
• I'm on vacation . . .

While I know we'd all like to say we'd never be like that, I watched it being done by people in "witness wear" T-shirts, people who talked about their home churches, people with churches advertised on their vehicles.

 

And Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. AND love your neighbor as yourself except on vacation. (21^st c. American Paraphrase Bible)

 

Forgive us God when we forget the great commandment.

 

The Man in the Window

 

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

CROSSWORD PUZZLES ONE MORE TIME

I realized recently that crossword puzzles have taught me another
thing about leadership. Sometimes the solution is discovered in an
unconventional way.

Typically I work a crossword puzzle starting in the top left corner- #1
across or maybe #1 down. When I think I have a likely answer, I try to
confirm it with other clues before writing it in. Does the answer to #2
or #3 down fit? Does my answer unlock clues to other answers?

Most of the time that is how I proceed. I start in the top left corner
and solve my way through, spreading out, and the answers reveal more
and more of the puzzle. But that doesn't work all the time. For some
people that's when they give up on the puzzle.

But I've learned that when I'm stumped by obscure clues that seem to
make no sense, instead of giving up or settling for a quick fix and
peeking at the solution, I shift strategies. I try the top right. If
that doesn't work I go to the bottom left or right and work backward up
the puzzle. I keep looking for a key clue or starting point that helps
solve the whole puzzle.

Leadership is like that. Many times the solutions flow naturally. They
unfold just as we expect and anticipate. But other times leadership
puzzles take much more. The solution to the problem requires looking at
other ways, other ideas, other methods, before a solution is found.
Some puzzles are never solved until we check out some other
perspectives.

Real leaders know that sometimes the solution will not be found by
following the familiar path. Some solutions are only found by
approaching the puzzle a different way.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let
nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

The Man in the Window

CROSSWORD PUZZLES

My crossword puzzle has been teaching me a lesson, well actually a number of lessons.  I've always liked puzzles, any type of puzzle.  As a kid I enjoyed those complex wooden puzzles that required you to manipulate the string and blocks and discover the secret of removing the ring without untying the knot.

My enjoyment for puzzles continues.  I love to work a good crossword puzzle.  Even if I don't get to read the papers, I save the puzzles so I can do them later. I like thinking them through, linking the clues, and filling in the blanks.  I like solving them. While I do my puzzles in ink, I'm not expert enough to never have to do a write over or a scratch out.  But given time, patience, and diligence, I've learned that I can solve most crossword puzzles. That's the lesson.  I hope you caught it.  Leaders know that sometimes leadership feels more like a puzzle than a calling. -          A system is failing.  How do you fix it? -          A replacement on a team is needed.  How do we recruit the best qualified person? -          New direction is needed.  How do we find it? Just like solving the crossword puzzle, with patience and diligence, we apply ourselves to the situation.  As we do, more and more blanks are filled in until we reach the point where the puzzle (oops challenge) is solved. Perplexed today?  Faced with a problem, a challenge, a puzzle?  Apply yourself.  Be diligent and patient.  The solution lies ahead. the man in the window Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Gal 6:9.     The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CROSSWORD PUZZLES

I enjoy working crossword puzzles.  And lately God has been speaking to me about crossword puzzles.  No really.  Here let me help you understand it.     Try this one.   Across    1.        Some embroidery  (6 Letters)   Down 1.       Studies all night (5 letters) 2.       Explain away (5 letters) 3.       Cheer up (5 letters) 4.       Sage (7 letters) 5.       Times of preparation (4 letters) 6.       Was ahead (3 letters)   1    2    3    4    5    6 __  __  __  __  __  __ __  __  __  __  __  __ __  __  __  __  __  __ __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __                  __                 __     Figure it out yet?  Puzzled by it?   Here is the solution.         C  R  E W E  L R  E  L   I  V  E A  B  A  S  E  D M U  T  E  S S  T  E  M              A              N   That's the lesson the Father was speaking to me this morning in my devotional time as I puzzled over some of the challenges that lay before us. Half in prayer, half in meditation, my eyes fell on the crossword puzzle in the paper and I was reminded. Puzzles have solutions.  They may take time and effort, trial and error, but puzzles have solutions.  Some are very difficult, but puzzles have solutions.  I began to think what might happen if I viewed every problem as being a puzzle, and remembered that every puzzle has a solution. In the midst of puzzling times, this leader was encouraged to keep working at the challenges because all puzzles have a solution.   The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

Prayer is not preparation for the battle, it is the battle.