To say that I have hit the ground running since we returned from Hawaii would be an understatement. It's more like I have hit the ground at hyper-speed. As CCC continues to grow and the NewThing Network continues to expand it seems that I need to make major adjustments in my schedule about every 6-9 months. Well it feels like I'm going way too fast and it is time to make adjustments again. Here are a few signs just from today that I'm going too fast:
Avoiding people - Not so much tonight, but earlier today I was avoiding people, trying to evade prolonged conversations and hoping that people don't have issues that require help. I think I actually told Sue today, "being a Christian is really getting in the way of me being a pastor." That's a sign that I'm going too fast.
Jumping to conclusions - The PowerPoint wasn't quite right for my message tonight when I got to the Yellow Box in the morning. Instead of assuming that it was a mistake I started jumping to conclusions about all kinds of weird stuff. Once I was able to step back I realized that none of it was true. And normally, I don't react like that. But it's just a sign that I'm going too fast.
Failing "the bread and eggs" test - In between the Leadership Commission meeting early this morning, reviewing my talk for tonight and trying to get home by 11 am so I could go coach my sons basketball game Sue calls me. She asks me to stop at Bobak's and pick up a loaf of bread and dozen eggs. My first reaction was "are you kidding me?!?" I didn't say it out loud (thank goodness), but that is what I was thinking. I was feeling upset that my wife would interrupt my day to ask me to stop on the way home and pick up some bread and eggs. That is a sign that I'm going too fast.
So, it's time to start doing life differently. We all have a choice - we either do life OR let life do us.
Good stuff Dave. Thanks for taking the time (when you didn't have it) to put this personal lesson on your blog so we all can benefit. I did!
I may quote you this morning because I'm speaking on Sabbath.
Posted by: Scott Harris | February 19, 2006 at 10:08 AM
Thanks, Dave. That's a very good word today. I appreciate the heart that it comes from.
mark
Posted by: Mark Howell | February 19, 2006 at 05:28 PM
i think that you are absolutly right. i agree. i just dont know how one does it. any suggestions that you have at this stage of leadership would be incredibly helpful to a guy in my early stages.
Posted by: Jackaway (the intern) | February 19, 2006 at 11:07 PM
Amen Dave. Thanks for gentle elbow to the conscience :)
Posted by: Bruce Chant | February 20, 2006 at 01:10 AM