Getting Peed On

21 Jan ’12 By 10 Comments

While flying to Michigan last night I heard a lot of complaining.

The weather was bad.

Flights got canceled.

I experienced my first aborted landing.

People had to wait in line.

Lots of passengers missed flights.

And everyone blamed the flight attendant for the pent up negative experiences of their entire lives.

But you know who wasn’t complaining?

The men’s urinals.

Some of the people I admire most are those who have every right to complain but never do, happy to serve people who’s needs they consider more important than their own. ch:

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Filed Under: culture, leadership, travel Tagged With: , , , ,

Big Day

31 Aug ’11 By 16 Comments

As I was tucking Eva in to bed, she looked up and said, “Tomorrow is going to be another big day.”

Her sheer enthusiasm and determined hope struck me.

“Yes, it is Eva,” I replied. “It absolutely is.”

But while I had no immediate recollection of exactly what made today “big,” nor was I aware of anything significant we had announced we were doing tomorrow, I knew I could agree with her.

Because she would make it a “big day.”

And as I shut off the light and slipped out of her room, I realized that’s exactly how God intends us to look at each tomorrow.

It’s going to be big.

Adventure.

Conflict.

Discovery.

Resolution.

Life.

And he designed it for living. Yet, so often our days aren’t “big days.” They’re flat, repetitive, predictable, and stale.

God’s fault? Our spouse’s fault? Our boss’? Our chosen (or unchosen) line of work?

Or ours?

Because we failed to catch something that a 6-year-old did. And maybe we have to act like we’re six to rediscover.

Life is a gift. Only the grateful make best use of it, and find everything wondrous.

Because the grateful can never be disappointed. ch:

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Filed Under: #heavenmeetsearth, culture, leadership, The Hopper Kids Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Perfect Moment

19 Jul ’11 By 8 Comments

I believe each day has at least one perfect moment.

Most of them happen fast: the flare of the last second of sunlight on the horizon, an unexpected hug, the shock on someone’s face from a surprise.

But perfect moments can also be hidden from our perspective. No, not necessarily our visual perspective; I mean the perspective of our attitude.

-A washer and dryer that cleans our clothes with the push of a few buttons (or twisting of a few knobs if you’re old-school).

-The fact that your car has four tires on it from the same manufacturer; all inflated.

-A faucet that dispenses drinkable water at any temperature you desire.

Those are just three perfect moments worth taking a picture of today that 98% of the rest of the world’s citizens will not have the luxury of capturing (even if they did have a digital camera).

Mine? Was seeing my 3 kids make an impromptu bed and watch a movie.

It lasted for 60 seconds. ch:

What perfect moment did you take a picture of today? Feel free to post a link for us.

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Filed Under: culture, leadership, pictures, The Hopper Kids Tagged With: , , , ,