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.

Tulips Again?

Most years my tulips only last a week to a week and half before the blooms are gone.  Some people don't appreciate them.  Here today and gone pretty close to tomorrow.  Some people don't thing they are worth the effort, the space.  For some the bloom, no matter how spectacular, is not worth it.

 

But I love my tulips.

 

I've got some fierce fuchsia colored tulips that I just love.  Brilliant.  And I learned a secret about my tulips.  Given time, they produce more and more tulips.  Plant ten bulbs and in five years have twenty plants.

 

That is so great about tulips. 

 

So for me the bloom, even short lived, is worth it.

 

It's just like that in my devotional life, that time I seek Him in the window.  Very seldom do I have an earth shaking, life changing, career defining moment in my devotions, but I do get blooms of His presence in my life.  Blooms of His beauty.  Now I admit that these blooms often fade quickly in the face of the rest of my day as my schedule quickly distracts.  For some people, it is not worth the effort, not worth the trouble for a brief glimpse.

 

But I love those moments in the window, those moments of discovering blooms of His presence.  Even on the busiest day, the bloom of His presence makes a difference.  Discovering it fresh and new each day is so worth the effort.

 

It's what so great about tulips.

 

Look for the bloom.

 

 

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

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

Tulips

My tulips have been teaching me something this week.

 

My tulips are blooming-red, yellow, white, variegated rose, fuchsia, orange, pale pink.

 

They've been coming up for the past few weeks and suddenly they burst into color.  Soon the petals drop and the tulips fade away again for another year.  This year with so much rain, I've noticed something about the blooms, they have lasted longer.

 

How long is a tulip bloom supposed to last?  This depends on two factors: first, the kind of climate and the season where you live and; two, how quickly the flower is pollinated.   During the warm springs, or when the bees are very active, our flowers last for only a week or maybe a week and a half.  But during colder, rainy springs, tulip blooms last longer.  I've been enjoying tulips for the last three weeks.

 

In this cold, rainy spring where early May seems like most early Aprils, the blooms last longer.  They become a testimony of the season.  Spring really is here.  Better days, warmer days, drier days are coming.

 

That's the lesson. 

 

You picked it up right?

 

The blooms remind me of the presence of God in my life.  Often like those warm pleasant springs, my awareness of His beauty, His grace, the wonder of His presence passes quickly.  I get distracted by so many other things. But in the tougher days, the colder days, the more challenging seasons, He makes His presence known in more vibrant ways.  He seeks to manifest himself as a promise of things to come.  He blooms in our lives.

 

In the midst of a tough season, going through a tough day, look for the bloom of His presence, the promise of change to come.

 

 

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

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