An interesting thought occurs to me. I was telling my dad about the time I insulted a celebrity on my blog and was called to task for it. He told me that it was good to have humbling experiences before I became too prideful. Not very sympathetic it's true, but that's what I have an fiancee for.
You know how they say you shouldn't keep your anger all bottled up and let it explode all at once? I wonder if the same is true for pride. I think I have a natural tendancy to accrue feelings of pride and arrogance. I would consider myself a sucsessfull person* and it stands to reason that unchecked, my pride would get out of hand.
I imagined myself like a canister of gas under pressure (why I thought of this specifically, I'm not sure, I think it's because I used big cannisters of Helium every year at home-coming to inflate balloons at Taylor). And the gas inside was pride.
Now the terrible thing would be if more and more gas got pent up intside the cannister until eventually it just blew up. This happens to people. Think about Tiger Woods or anyone else who was so "larger than life" that they could do anything. Until it caught up with them.
A much healthier thing would be events along the way the let out some of my "hot air." For example, insult a celebrity on your blog or invite a dirty comedian to campus. That's like a saftey valve kicking on and letting out a good amount of air and relievving some of the pressure before things turn dangerous. It's still kind of explosive (and painful) but way better than it would have been if everything has stayed all bottled up inside.
The BEST alternative would be to just poke a bunch of holes in the container so that everything that flows in flows back out naturally and safely. But until I can figure out how to do that I suppose I'll just be thankful to God for safety valve expreinces.
*not financially
Friday, February 26, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Public Service Announcement
It has come to my attention (thanks Mal) That International House o' Pancakes is giving away FREE short-stacks of pancakes tomorrow from 7:00 am to 10:00 PM.
If you have a soul and a stomach (and I would hope you have both) you need to hustle yourself over to the nearest HOP and eat free food with boysenberry syrup.
This counts as a dangerconn giveaway
If you have a soul and a stomach (and I would hope you have both) you need to hustle yourself over to the nearest HOP and eat free food with boysenberry syrup.
This counts as a dangerconn giveaway
Full on apology
Last night I wrote a blog-post about meeting Shane Claiborne.
It was very rude. And I am just sick over it.
It was rude and defamatory and a sin against my brother in Christ. I am ashamed that I wrote slanderous things about anyone, but especially against someone who I have met, and who has done nothing wrong but try to live his life for Christ.
I was trying to be funny, and as usual I have stepped over the line and said hurtful things that I had no business saying.
Shane was very quiet during the car ride, but he was saving his energy because he had a lot of speaking engagements that week. Also, a neighbor of his was involved in a tragic accident and it was heavy on his mind.
Despite that, he was polite to me and at no point tried to shame anyone for anything. Shane is an unassuming guy who isn't trying to prove anything to anyone. He is just trying to live his life the best he knows how and is willing to share that with anyone who asks.
While he was doing that I began to cut him down behind his back to amuse people.
I am sorry for what I did, I will never do anything like it again, and I apologize to anyone who might have read this. (although, thankfully, my audience is still a small handful of family members and Jordan Beck.)
I also want everyone to know that I am trying to make amends with Shane personally. He left me the phone number to his office and I am trying to set up an appointment so I can talk to him over the phone. I am only writing this now because my transgression was public and affected all of my readers, so my confession and apology should also be available to the same people.
It was very rude. And I am just sick over it.
It was rude and defamatory and a sin against my brother in Christ. I am ashamed that I wrote slanderous things about anyone, but especially against someone who I have met, and who has done nothing wrong but try to live his life for Christ.
I was trying to be funny, and as usual I have stepped over the line and said hurtful things that I had no business saying.
Shane was very quiet during the car ride, but he was saving his energy because he had a lot of speaking engagements that week. Also, a neighbor of his was involved in a tragic accident and it was heavy on his mind.
Despite that, he was polite to me and at no point tried to shame anyone for anything. Shane is an unassuming guy who isn't trying to prove anything to anyone. He is just trying to live his life the best he knows how and is willing to share that with anyone who asks.
While he was doing that I began to cut him down behind his back to amuse people.
I am sorry for what I did, I will never do anything like it again, and I apologize to anyone who might have read this. (although, thankfully, my audience is still a small handful of family members and Jordan Beck.)
I also want everyone to know that I am trying to make amends with Shane personally. He left me the phone number to his office and I am trying to set up an appointment so I can talk to him over the phone. I am only writing this now because my transgression was public and affected all of my readers, so my confession and apology should also be available to the same people.
Monday, February 15, 2010
From Great to Good
It makes sense that we should always be trying to get better. And I know that we are all sinners in need of God's redeeming grace. But I would like to take a moment to reconsider the obsession we have with growth and improvement.
I am constantly bombarded with the idea of how I need to change to be different and better. The Steve of tomorrow should be a better man than the Steve of today. the Huntington of tomorrow should be better than the Huntington of today. Completely true. Not arguing.
But as we go to the words of Jim Collins* "Good is the enemy of great." His point was that doing "a pretty good job" would ruin any business that wanted to be great because it would lull them into complacency. Good isn't good enough. Let us then disdain good, "fix" what isn't broken and change, change, change.
That's not bad if you have a clear vision of what you want to change into. It's kind of a problem though if you are changing for the sake of change or because you hate the fact that you are just "good." I'm all for growth and I do want to be more like Christ, but we should slow down and celebrate small victories, celebrate who people are, and understand that we want to be changing for the sake of honoring Christ. Not for the sake of being perfect. Lets need Christ and worship Christ, thankfully accept the gift of Christ, and not pretend that we are going to BE Christ tomorrow. Guilt is a sign of an impossible goal.
I thought flipping Jim Collin's words around would be original. But it turns out that a french thinker by the name of Voltair thought of it long before I did.
"perfection is the enemy of good."
* Author of Good to Great and apparently the 14th disciple** if you are a business or a mega church. Also, interesting note. If you have actually read good to great you might be interested to know that Circuit City is going out of business.
**A thirteenth disciple was selected to replace Judas
I am constantly bombarded with the idea of how I need to change to be different and better. The Steve of tomorrow should be a better man than the Steve of today. the Huntington of tomorrow should be better than the Huntington of today. Completely true. Not arguing.
But as we go to the words of Jim Collins* "Good is the enemy of great." His point was that doing "a pretty good job" would ruin any business that wanted to be great because it would lull them into complacency. Good isn't good enough. Let us then disdain good, "fix" what isn't broken and change, change, change.
That's not bad if you have a clear vision of what you want to change into. It's kind of a problem though if you are changing for the sake of change or because you hate the fact that you are just "good." I'm all for growth and I do want to be more like Christ, but we should slow down and celebrate small victories, celebrate who people are, and understand that we want to be changing for the sake of honoring Christ. Not for the sake of being perfect. Lets need Christ and worship Christ, thankfully accept the gift of Christ, and not pretend that we are going to BE Christ tomorrow. Guilt is a sign of an impossible goal.
I thought flipping Jim Collin's words around would be original. But it turns out that a french thinker by the name of Voltair thought of it long before I did.
"perfection is the enemy of good."
* Author of Good to Great and apparently the 14th disciple** if you are a business or a mega church. Also, interesting note. If you have actually read good to great you might be interested to know that Circuit City is going out of business.
**A thirteenth disciple was selected to replace Judas
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Worth
I just saw The Who perform at half-time at the super bowl. They are really really old and perhaps just a little bit out of it. But they were most definitely the best part of the game. Sadly, I was watching them in a room full of students who weren't sure who they were.
Anyway. A thought on worth.
So good parents continue to tell their kids that they don't need to change who they are to impress their peers. They don't need to try to accomplish things or "be someone" so that we can feel good about ourselves. We shouldn't to other people to affirm our value and define our sense of self and worth.
This is a good thing.
But the bad thing is that we often take this logic. These same good parents then tell their kids that they are special just for being who they are and we try to make everyone believe that they have intrinsic value. The shocking news is...people don't have intrinsic value. We DO need to look to someone outside ourselves to validate ourselves as a person of value who is worthy of being loved.*
The problem is that we go to the wrong people. I don't think I need to point out that it is a bad idea to try to gain affirmation from "the world" or to try to "earn" affirmation from God, (though both of those thoughts are worth further consideration) But I do want to emphasis that our value really DOES come from outside ourselves.
If you took a look at my shoes and I asked you "what do you think these are worth?" You would name some price pretty close to "$0" (And you would be right).
But here are three things could really change your opinion on that question. What if my shoes cost me $15,000, were previously owned by Theodore Roosevelt, and were hand-made my Leonardo Da Vinci? First of all you would be very impressed by the prolific nature of my shoes. Second, you would wonder why I was actually wearing them. But the conclusion you would eventually draw was that these shoes were very valuable. And that is because
1) They were bought at a great price
2) they were owned by some one great
3) they were hand-made by a master craftsman
In all of these instances, value was bestowed on the object by some one external to the object itself. Just like the way God gave us value. By creating us Himself, calling us His own, and buying us at a great price.
Intrinsic value is overrated anyway.
*Note: Ladies, if any of you are freshmen in high school please read the rest of this entry before you run out and get pregnant.
Anyway. A thought on worth.
So good parents continue to tell their kids that they don't need to change who they are to impress their peers. They don't need to try to accomplish things or "be someone" so that we can feel good about ourselves. We shouldn't to other people to affirm our value and define our sense of self and worth.
This is a good thing.
But the bad thing is that we often take this logic. These same good parents then tell their kids that they are special just for being who they are and we try to make everyone believe that they have intrinsic value. The shocking news is...people don't have intrinsic value. We DO need to look to someone outside ourselves to validate ourselves as a person of value who is worthy of being loved.*
The problem is that we go to the wrong people. I don't think I need to point out that it is a bad idea to try to gain affirmation from "the world" or to try to "earn" affirmation from God, (though both of those thoughts are worth further consideration) But I do want to emphasis that our value really DOES come from outside ourselves.
If you took a look at my shoes and I asked you "what do you think these are worth?" You would name some price pretty close to "$0" (And you would be right).
But here are three things could really change your opinion on that question. What if my shoes cost me $15,000, were previously owned by Theodore Roosevelt, and were hand-made my Leonardo Da Vinci? First of all you would be very impressed by the prolific nature of my shoes. Second, you would wonder why I was actually wearing them. But the conclusion you would eventually draw was that these shoes were very valuable. And that is because
1) They were bought at a great price
2) they were owned by some one great
3) they were hand-made by a master craftsman
In all of these instances, value was bestowed on the object by some one external to the object itself. Just like the way God gave us value. By creating us Himself, calling us His own, and buying us at a great price.
Intrinsic value is overrated anyway.
*Note: Ladies, if any of you are freshmen in high school please read the rest of this entry before you run out and get pregnant.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tri-Bond
Ok I've got a question for you. What do Bob Ross, Jim Tressel, and God have in common?
If you said an affinity for "happy trees" you could be right. But that's not what I was thinking of.
I was actually thinking about how these guys all have a plan for their work that far outstrips my humble understanding.
Have any of you watched Bob Ross paint? It's like watching a lava lamp. Really nothing interesting happens and what does happen is slow and extremely predictable. You don't really have a reason to watch and you wouldn't say it's actually entertaining you but either you're easily distracted, or very bored and lonely.
But for those of you who have seen Bob whip up some happy bushes and trees you know one thing happens every time. He's painting away and you say "hey, this looks pretty good, I think I'm going to take up painting." And just when you think his painting is finished he throws some ugly dark blobs on it and you flip out at the T.V.
"Bob what are you doing? You MADMAN! You've ruined it! Oh Bob you FOOL when will you learn to leave good enough alone!?"
Yet by the end he is able tie it all together and the ugly blobs turn into a natural part of the picture and you say to yourself "Bob you son of a gun....you've done it again."
Now let's go to Jim Tressel. The greatest coach in the history of sports.* Jim does something that makes every Buckeye fan go insane at least once a game. He plays such conservative football that sometimes you wonder if he is even trying to win. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't punted on 3rd down yet just to play it on the safe side. I think it's quite possible that he's trying to set a world record for the most wins with the fewest points in history.
But. The man wins games. He almost always wins games.** He doesn't get over excited like the fans or succumb to knee jerk reactions every time something happens on the field he doesn't like. Jim is always in calm, cool, collect mode while I am trying not to swear in front of Cortney. And in the end Jim is right and the Buckeyes win another game.
I realized one day that Bob and Jim are to professionals that are great at what they do, and I don't trust them enough. I sit on the couch with zero coaching or painting talent, annoyed that these guys are ruining something cool. But every time I see them at their work I am proved wrong, and once again they show why they are the professionals and I am making negative dollars every year to eat at the DC and plan student activities.
Do I need to draw the comparison to God? The man has a bigger picture in mind than I do and he knows how to stick to his guns even when I think he should "fix it" right now. He is patient and wise. He knows where he is going and has the skill of a master artist who can visualize the end before he even begins. After 7 years I have learned to trust Jim Tressel, when will I learn to trust God?
Oh, for your enjoyment...Bob Ross
*He's the greatest coach since before sports too.
** He loses some on purpose, just to be safe.
If you said an affinity for "happy trees" you could be right. But that's not what I was thinking of.
I was actually thinking about how these guys all have a plan for their work that far outstrips my humble understanding.
Have any of you watched Bob Ross paint? It's like watching a lava lamp. Really nothing interesting happens and what does happen is slow and extremely predictable. You don't really have a reason to watch and you wouldn't say it's actually entertaining you but either you're easily distracted, or very bored and lonely.
But for those of you who have seen Bob whip up some happy bushes and trees you know one thing happens every time. He's painting away and you say "hey, this looks pretty good, I think I'm going to take up painting." And just when you think his painting is finished he throws some ugly dark blobs on it and you flip out at the T.V.
"Bob what are you doing? You MADMAN! You've ruined it! Oh Bob you FOOL when will you learn to leave good enough alone!?"
Yet by the end he is able tie it all together and the ugly blobs turn into a natural part of the picture and you say to yourself "Bob you son of a gun....you've done it again."
Now let's go to Jim Tressel. The greatest coach in the history of sports.* Jim does something that makes every Buckeye fan go insane at least once a game. He plays such conservative football that sometimes you wonder if he is even trying to win. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't punted on 3rd down yet just to play it on the safe side. I think it's quite possible that he's trying to set a world record for the most wins with the fewest points in history.
But. The man wins games. He almost always wins games.** He doesn't get over excited like the fans or succumb to knee jerk reactions every time something happens on the field he doesn't like. Jim is always in calm, cool, collect mode while I am trying not to swear in front of Cortney. And in the end Jim is right and the Buckeyes win another game.
I realized one day that Bob and Jim are to professionals that are great at what they do, and I don't trust them enough. I sit on the couch with zero coaching or painting talent, annoyed that these guys are ruining something cool. But every time I see them at their work I am proved wrong, and once again they show why they are the professionals and I am making negative dollars every year to eat at the DC and plan student activities.
Do I need to draw the comparison to God? The man has a bigger picture in mind than I do and he knows how to stick to his guns even when I think he should "fix it" right now. He is patient and wise. He knows where he is going and has the skill of a master artist who can visualize the end before he even begins. After 7 years I have learned to trust Jim Tressel, when will I learn to trust God?
Oh, for your enjoyment...Bob Ross
*He's the greatest coach since before sports too.
** He loses some on purpose, just to be safe.
Monday, February 1, 2010
The time has come!
Yes friends, the time has come for me to return!
My blog is now up and running again.
For the few faithful (one) reader(s) out there who were dissapointed at my blog's hiatus...Rest assured that I am back in action with more enlightening and entertaining thoughts. Or, more accurately, things that entertain and enlighten me.
Also, notice that we got our first official sponsor! Nevin Street Coffee. Home of the famous Ben Blake. "Where is Nevin Street" you ask? Well I have no idea. But their coffee is out of this world!
You can begin looking forward to all new posts coming soon! Tell your friends.
Steve
My blog is now up and running again.
For the few faithful (one) reader(s) out there who were dissapointed at my blog's hiatus...Rest assured that I am back in action with more enlightening and entertaining thoughts. Or, more accurately, things that entertain and enlighten me.
Also, notice that we got our first official sponsor! Nevin Street Coffee. Home of the famous Ben Blake. "Where is Nevin Street" you ask? Well I have no idea. But their coffee is out of this world!
You can begin looking forward to all new posts coming soon! Tell your friends.
Steve
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