Enough

In Ignition last week we talked about the concept of enough.  Here is the formal definition:

Enough: occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations (enough food for everyone)

The point of the message was questioning how we decide when we have enough of something.  The challenge issued to everyone listening was to lower the bar in our lives regarding what we consider to be enough for us as individuals.  If we lower our expectations about what is enough then we increase our odds of finding peace and joy. 

One of the key thoughts it brought to mind was how differently I define enough based on the situation.  The example is when we donate to charities we often set enough very low.  I gave one jacket to goodwill or three pairs of shoes and I think with pride that I helped do my part and that it is enough.  Yet when I go to Old Navy I see a new jacket and I think to myself well I only have 3 jackets at home so I could use one more.   I think we all are a little off balance on our definitions of enough in at least one area of our lives.  I don’t have a black and white answer here but I can guarantee that it is worth thinking about.  I know I will struggle this but I am hoping to raise my enough bar when it comes to giving to others and lower the enough bar that I have set for myself.

Merry Christmas to All!

We have some seriously awesome friends; here is a video montage of the photo booth pictures from our annual Christmas party!  Alex Gibbs, thanks for all your help in making the photo booth so awesome!

Christmas Party from Alex Gibbs on Vimeo.

Paper Camera

I had a blast downloading a ton of the 10 cent apps as part of the Google celebration last week!  One of my favorites was a silly app called Paper Camera.  Now I would never have paid $5 for it but at 10 cents this app is pretty sweet.  It uses the camera on your phone to turn pictures into a variety of paper formats.  You can choose from lots of options but my two favorites are one that makes everything look like a comic book and the one that makes the image look like something out of a sketch book.  I haven’t played with it much since last week but I see potential for this app.  Here are a few samples:

The Power of Words

This summer I attended Big Stuf camps as I mentioned in a previous blog entry.  Each day at camp the leaders had a chance to meet for an hour with speakers from the Orange Leaders group.  We watched a video that really struck a note with me.  Those of you who know me know that I cry pretty easily but this video really touched my heart.  In a very subtle way it hints at the issues with have in communicating both in life and in ministry.  This video is less than 2 minutes long but manages to sum up the fact that the words that we choose to use are so significant.  I think we get so focused on getting our point across with other people that we often forget that the words we choose matter.  If our message is not delivered in a meaningful way then the impact will be much smaller, if we carefully choose our words we can have a much stronger impact. 

I think the other key is that the first sign was focused on the blind man and most of the people walking by couldn’t relate to being blind and therefore they could easily turn their back on this man.  When the girl changed it to terms that helped people understand how much harder life was for this man then people were compelled to help.  I think words have the power to change the world and we should all choose our words carefully to increase our impact and improve our communications with others.

 

Happy Feet

Sometimes in life it is the little things that can add a splash of cheer to an otherwise dreary day.  I have a well known affinity for rhinestones and this simple purchase of rhinestone flats has helped keep a bounce in my step all day even after a trying week at work.  

I'm back

After a very long hiatus from my blog, I'm back! 

T-Mobile Huddle Up – Boys and Girls Club

I love volunteering; it all started in high school when I volunteered with Toys for Tots and Habitat for Humanity.  Since then I try and make an effort to help out with various organizations including the work we have done with a local youth group for the last 4 years.  When I first started working with CapGemini after I graduated college I got involved with several programs they offered including cooking meals at the Ronald McDonald House, 5k’s for cancer research, and donations for Dressed for Success.  About a year and a half ago I moved over to working for T-Mobile.  I hadn’t had a chance to serve through the community through any T-Mobile programs until I heard about Huddle Up.  It is a community outreach and service day that happens once a year.  I was so glad when I got a confirmed spot for the event. 

I spent the day working outside and making a difference for the kids that go to the boys and girls club for after school programs and athletics.  We split into 7 teams to tackle various projects at the facility, my group created a new play area complete with a swing set and filled with mulch to keep the kids safe.  We also built storage benches and basketball racks for their sports equipment and we stained the woodwork on all of those items.  I woke up the next morning and my forearms and knees were sore but it made my heart happy because I helped make a difference even if it was only for 1 day, those improvements will be used and loved by lots of kids for years to come.  The best part was seeing the reactions of the kids when they walked in.  They were so excited and so thankful for all the time and money we had put into the projects to make it a safer and more fun place for them learn and grow.