Three Hungers

For years I medicated these hunger pangs until I came to a point that I had lost my spiritual way; isolated in a tiny studio apartment in Corvallis, Oregon; and was so numb to purpose the gun in the corner was starting to look like an option.  The spark had gone out.

“There are three hungers that seem to be particularly close to the surface of our post-Christian society.

First, there is a hunger for transcendence.  For most there is some level of awareness that the spiritual world is real, and there is a desire to somehow connect with these transcendent realities.

Second, there is a hunger for community.  While hyper-individualism of our culture continues to dominate, it has also awakened a greater awareness of our need to be meaningfully connected to others.

Third, there is a hunger for purpose.  We live in an affluent time and place in world history, which has helped awaken the reality that we are made for more than simply making and spending money…and we want our lives to count for something.”  ~ Tim Morey, Embodying Our Faith

I am no longer spiritually starved, friends provide a buffer to isolation though it stalks me like a fiend, and purpose, purpose is wind in an aeolian harp and the breeze is pickin up.

I feel like a homeless hungry beggar who has found food and shelter.

Update after hitting the wall

I slammed into the wall

game changers

Backyard – Process – Hand off

I had a dream of too many holes and an ever increasing number of round/square pegs.   Next day a friend of mine, Rob Geyer, gave me three words that helped me begin to live and be on a higher level.  The context of my life was unchanged; an season of multiple projects, short deadlines and complex organizational structures – these three words are game changers.

Backyard refers to what exactly I am responsible for.  Returning to a singular focus of my Circle of Influence with a clear “yes” gives me time and energy to focus on things I am both responsible for and accountable to.  I had been spending time in my larger Circle of Concern; in essence, working in my neighbors backyard.

Key questions:  “How big is my backyard – what is it’s condition?”

Process refers to the manner in which I repair the fence, clean out and steward my backyard.  Process deals with systems as contrasted with “tasks” that have to do with specifics.  All too often in a chop wood/carry water season I drop into task only.  Process means I now give sustained focus to process development/deep delegation as well as tasks no one else in the organization is called on to do.

Key questions:  “What are my processes – what is my process to task ratio??

Handoff is the idea of team, collaboration and exponential wins.  For the team to win I need to be comprehensive and complete in stewarding the processes and tasks as I hand them off to others to complete the next leg of the relay.

Key questions:  “Who are my relay partners – how can I increase the number of partners?”