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