“STOP, DROP and ROLL”

Stop, drop and roll is a simple fire safety technique taught to children, emergency services personnel and industrial workers as a component of health and safety training. Primarily, it is a method to extinguish a fire on a person's clothes or hair without, or in addition to, the use of conventional firefighting equipment.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop,_drop_and_roll

It consists of three components:

Stop – The fire victim must stop still, ceasing any movement which may fan the flames or hamper those attempting to put the fire out.

Drop – The fire victim must drop to the ground, lying down if possible, covering their face with their hands to avoid facial injury.

Roll – The fire victim must roll on the ground in an effort to extinguish the fire by depriving it of oxygen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop,_drop_and_roll

Professionally, we could apply this strategy:

Stop – putting off your dreams…do it today…tomorrow is not promised

Drop – all doubts and fears

Roll – with obstacles, setbacks, good times and challenging times

We can also remember to use this same procedure daily on our “walk of faith.”

A “spiritual” technique could be:

Stop – being disobedient

Drop – on our knees in prayer

Roll – away from sin

The Bible discusses the relevance of fire:

Psalm 66:12 (NKJV):  You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

Jeremiah 23:29 (NKJV):  “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Jude 1:23 (NIV): save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Hebrews 12:29 (NIV): for our “God is a consuming fire.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8(NKJV):  in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Memorable Quotes:

“Our souls should be on fire, yet no one seems awake.” -  Susan B. Anthony

“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” – Rumi

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” – St.  Catherine of Siena

“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” – Charles Bukoski

“When you are ablaze in the Holy Spirit, people will be drawn to you. They will watch you burn in fascination, drawn to the flame.” -  Susan Rohrer

“The most powerful force on earth is the human soul on fire.”

 “Everything you need to be great is already inside you. Stop waiting for someone or something to light your fire. You have the match.”  ~ Darren Hardy

 “When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department uses water.”

If we can “stop, drop and roll” from external fire and embrace the internal fire that burns within us, we can move toward our destiny and better draw others to God.

F.R.O.G.

I had seen this before, but never truly internalized its meaning.

F.R.O.G. is an acronym for “Fully Relying On God.”

Since I suffer from “control issues,” this never really resonated with me.

Recently, I mustered up the courage to reach out for some assistance with my health challenges. I was assured that they could help me and would provide a plan for me by the next day. I was filled with “hope” and possibilities. One day passed…Two days…still no contact. Finally, by week’s end, I sent a message inquiring. The response was that “we would need to hold off, help was unavailable to me at this time.” I simply thanked them for their consideration.

My first impulse was to be livid! Why lead me to believe you could help me…wait five days…and have me reach back out to you…just to reply that you can’t?  Interesting…a sense of calm overcame me. The “inner voice” seemed to whisper, “Trust Me…not man.” Wow! That is exactly what I was doing. I had wasted a valuable week trusting that “man” could help me, when I should have been fully relying on God.

The Bible states:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Jeremiah 17:5 (NKJV): 5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.

1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV): Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV):  And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Matthew 8:26 (NKJV):  But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV): 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Psalm 37:5 (NKJV): 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Memorable Quotes:

“We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when we ask him to do something for us, neither we as individuals nor our whole country would suffer so much.” ― Thaddeus of Vitovnica,

“...You say to God, “I have never seen you provide for me.” God says to you, “You have never trusted Me.” ― Corallie Buchanan,

“There were so many things going on inside me and on the outside—many beyond my control. However, one thing I could control was to pray and commit myself every day to trust God so guide He could me.”—Yilda B. Rivera, Courage Under Fire”

“God didn’t bring you this far to abandon you.”

“I don’t know what my future holds, but I know who hold my future.” – Tim Tebow

Lesson: Stop getting disappointed when “man” fails you: Fully Rely On God.

“Putting the Cart Before the Horse…”

I remember hearing this phrase in my youth and on through my adult life. It actually sounded somewhat comical to me…like something from some Western movie. I never truly internalized its meaning or real-life relevance.

“Cart before the horse” is an idiom expression or proverb used to suggest a conventional or culturally expected order or relationship. A cart is a vehicle which is ordinarily pulled by a horse; and to put the cart before the horse is an analogy for doing things in the wrong order. The figure of speech means doing things the wrong way round or with the wrong emphasis. The idiom is about confusing cause and effect. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cart_before_the_horse

This is something I found myself guilty of doing.

Cases In Point:

I wanted to be a New York Times Best-Selling Author…yet I hadn’t written a book.

I would purchase work-out outfits to go to the gym…and had not joined one.

I would purchase office supplies to start my own business…without having actually decided on a business name.

I bought books and supplies for my MBA program…before I actually enrolled.

I have had friends who have quit jobs…before having a new one secured.

Other examples would be:

Spending lottery winnings.. when you have not purchased a ticket.

Wanting a new car to drive…when you don’t have a driver’s license.

Wanting to be healed…without following the doctor’s orders.

Expecting a plentiful harvest…when you haven’t planted a seed.

Sometimes we do this spiritually. We believe, “If God blesses me, then I will obey Him.” Actually, it is “If I obey God, then I can expect His blessings.”

The Bible guides us:

James 2:26  (NKJV): For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV):  Let all things be done decently and in order.

Genesis 1:1-31(NKJV):  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 127:1-5 (NKJV):  Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

John 14:6 (NKJV): Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

James 4:3 (NIV): When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Memorable Quotes:

“Don’t complain about results you are not getting from work you are not doing.”

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

“It first takes a dream to have one come true.”

“Before you act, listen; Before you react, think; Before you spend, earn; Before you criticize, wait; Before you pray, forgive; Before you quit, try.” – Ernest Hemingway

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

Lesson to Learn: There is no way around “doing the work.” Putting the “cart before the horse” just leaves us with a frustrated, unproductive horse…

“Forget the Past?…”

We are often given the advice to “forget the past.”  I don’t entirely agree with this advice. If you forget the mistakes you made and didn’t learn from them, you may just repeat them.

I think you should reflect on the past. Sometimes, you don’t appreciate how far you have come until you reflect on where you came from.

Just don’t DWELL there.

The Bible directs us about this:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NKJV):  To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born, And a time to die;

Ecclesiastes 3:15 (NKJV):  That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV):  “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;…”

Philippians 3:13-14 (NCV): 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV): Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Memorable Quotes:

 “Learn from the past. Plan for the future. Live in the present.”

“Take Pride in how far you have come and Have faith in how far you can go.”

“Past is to be remembered as memories; Future is to be sought like dreams. Present is to be lived.”

“Be grateful for the memories of the past, they bring you good recollections and inspiration to make better memoirs in the future.” – Mar Razalan

“Remember the past; plan for the future; but live for today, because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.”

“The past is where you learned the lesson; the future is where you apply the lesson.”

“The past is like using the rear-view mirror in a car; it’s good to glance back to see how far you’ve come, but if you stare too long, you’ll miss what’s right in front of you.”

“Accept your past without regrets, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear.” 

We should use the past to reflect and accept the lessons learned, allow it help appreciate the present and be the catalyst for the future.

“Á Whole New World…”

"A Whole New World" is a song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin. The song is a ballad between the primary characters Aladdin and Jasmine about the new world they are going to discover together while riding on Aladdin's magic carpet.  A version of the song was performed by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Whole_New_World

Some of the lyrics include:

A whole new world

A new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us "No"

Or where to go

Or say we're only dreaming

A whole new world

A dazzling place I never knew

But now from way up here

It's crystal clear

that now I'm in a whole new world with you

Unbelievable sights

Indescribable feeling

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling

Through an endless diamond sky

A whole new world

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lmnt/awholenewworld.html

It is interesting that if we’d simply “be still,” look around and breathe, we can see the world through a different perspective.

Many of us rush through our lives oblivious to the wonder and beauty in front of us. We are too busy to listen to the sounds of nature, soothing music or even the laughter of small children.

We often long to experience a life of exciting adventure, when we have it directly in our view. It is often in the form of: the sun breaking through the clouds…the gentle sound of rain…the laughter and optimism of children…the wisdom of the elderly…the many blessings of an ordinary day.

The Bible says:

John 10:10 (NKJV):  “… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NKJV):  That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

Powerful Quotes:

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliott

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer

"What we SEE depends mainly on what we look for" - John Lubbock

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” - Anais Nin

“We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.” – max DePree

“I awoke only to see that the rest of the world is still asleep.” – Leonardo da Vinci

“Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination that we forget the journey.”

Although we may long for a “whole new world,” we will find that if we only pay attention and look at what has been and is directly in front of us, we may see it anew…

“Leading from Behind?”

I am closely observing and learning from several leaders I admire who are being diligent and visionary in implementing a “succession plan” in preparation of their retirement.

I admire their “servant leadership” and determination to leave things in a very functional, growth-trending state before passing on the leadership “baton.”

What concerns me is that a few appear to “cloud their vision” and focus on leading from the same perspective they have used 30, 40, even 50 years ago.

Yes, this worked then…but it is now 2014, approaching 2015. The world is vastly different. Being a late Baby Boomer (born in 1964), it is quite clear that the current generation, the “Millennials,” approach life, work, spirituality and the future very differently than we do.

“We can’t solve problems with the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

It is understandable that leaders want to solidify the values, best practices and wisdom from the past. However, in any form of leadership, you must manage change by leading from ahead…so that others can follow you.

Those refusing to take into account and utilize current technology, social media and communication trends are completely missing the connection with this current generation, society and industry demand.  

Cases in Point:

Blockbluster, LLc dominated the industry in the 1980’s even up until 2004. They were the leader in movie video rentals. However, they became complacent with their status by not making necessary adjustments to consumer trends. Thus competition such as Netflix, Red Box and Cable On-Demand overwhelmed them and rendered them no-longer-relevant, out-dated, out-of-touch with consumer demand and eventually, out-of-business. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_LLC

Blackberry was the innovator of cell phone technology up until 2012. “BlackBerry is widely referred to as ‘CrackBerry’ in the United States, which alluded to its excessive use by its owners and is a reference to the addictiveness of crack cocaine.” However, they have apparently allowed Apple and Samsung to minimize their existence with Touch screens, Face-Time, Camera and Free APP technology. They currently find themselves in “reactive” mode instead of “proactive.” Will they be able to move from “leading from behind” to moving up front? Only time will tell.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry

Spiritually, my minister once said: “We have to stay true to the faith, yet relevant to the times.” The Bible instructs us in:

Romans 12:2 (NKJV): And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Although we are not to “conform” to this world, we still have to live in it. We are given the mandate to influence it…to “be transformed by the renewing” of our minds. We have to understand where people “are” before we can lead them where they need to be.

Memorable Quotes:

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin 

“Be the kind of leader you would follow.”

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

"Leaders don't force people to follow; they invite them on a journey" -Charles S. Lauer

”A leader takes people where they want to go. A GREAT leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” – Rosalyn Carter

"We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are." – Max Depree

“Where there is no vision, the people perish:” - Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

If we continue the trend of leading people from “where we think they should be” instead of from “where they are,” we will eventually look around to realize that no one is following…

(If you enjoy my reflections, you can also read more from Lessons from a Bird at Amazon.com)

“Would You Be Found Guilty?”

If you were convicted of “Being a Christian,” would there be enough evidence to find you GUILTY?

If someone hired a Private Investigator to follow your every move and to listen in on your thoughts, words and actions, what would they find?

Imagine: You are in court, defending yourself.  Would there be enough:

• Circumstantial Evidence?
• Testimony of Witnesses?
• Motive?
• DNA Evidence?

Circumstantial Evidence is necessary such as church attendance, prayer, and reading the Word. The Testimony of Witnesses is important as they share what they have seen and heard. And of course our Motives are vitally important. But it is the DNA - the blood (of Jesus Christ) - that will convict you ... and, ironically, will set you free! http://www.lavozeterna.org/estudios/guiltyornot.htm

We fail to remember that GOD has us all under 24-hour-a-day,"continuous surveillance." He knows our thoughts, hears our words, sees our actions, hears our sarcasm and knows our ulterior motives. He KNOWS it all!

We might be clever at fooling man…but there is no fooling God.

Social Media reveals more about people than was ever evident in the past. Racism, Hatred and Unkindness have come to the surface with the ease of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. People bravely say the meanest, ugliest things about others, especially celebrities, the President of the United States and athletes online that they would NEVER have the guts to say to their faces. Not only is this pure rudeness, meanness, evil and hatred, it reflects low self-esteem, insecurities and basic cowardice. People who love themselves and love GOD are kind and loving to others. Unfortunately people are revealing their true character.

I am reminded of a joke that goes something like this:

A police officer pulls a car over for speeding. The bumper of the car has stickers that said, “I Love Jesus,” “God is Love,” and one of a cross. As he asks the woman driver for her license and registration, she is uncooperative, rude and curses him aggressively. She yells at him, “How dare you pull me over! I have a committee meeting to get to at church!” He immediately demands that she step out of the car. He hand-cuffs her, puts her in the back of his squad car and takes her to the station. After being detained for about 2 hours, she is released. The police officer tells her, “I am sorry. With all of the “I Love Jesus” and “God is Love” stickers on the bumper, I was certain that this car was stolen.”

The Bible says:

Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV): You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (NKJV): 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Luke 16:15 (NIV): 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Hebrews 4:13 (NIV): 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Psalm 33:13-15 (NIV): 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV): 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,     before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV): 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 6 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book     before one of them came to be.

Galatians 6:7 (NIV): 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Powerful Quotes:

“Man sees your actions, but God sees your motives.”

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion, but a daily process whereby you grow to be more like Christ.” – Billy Graham

“No nation, institution or person can abandon God’s laws without abandoning his goodness.”

“We shouldn’t try to fit God’s presence into our schedule, but we should build our schedule around being in God’s presence.”

“You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.”

“Remember, you may be the only BIBLE that others read.”

“Stop ACTING like a Christian and JUST BE ONE.” Christine Caine 

We should all strive to be the person, if accused of “Being a Christian,” our answer can be “Guilty As Charged.”

(If you enjoy my reflections, you can also read more from Lessons from a Bird at Amazon.com)