Winterly engaged,
summerly wed, spring-time birth;
what will autumn ring?
Wither our branches bode
1
Right idea, right time
The wrong idea at the wrong time is a disaster.
The wrong idea at the right time is a mistake.
The right idea at the wrong time is unacceptable.
The right idea at the right time creates the potential for success.
Foster Care from Different Perspectives
I’m facilitating a panel at the Tapestry Conference on Saturday. I feel prepared in the sense that I have a robust list of questions and I’m generally pretty comfortable in front of people.
Anyone have any advice (experiential or otherwise) on striking a balance between fluid conversation and pointed Q&A?
TheCommon.org
Connects needs in the church with abilities in the church to enable the community to be the church.
Introducing Sevyn Grace Donovan
We finalized on Gracie’s adoption on Friday, September 19th. I was more excited about it than I thought I would be. I mean – she’s been home for six months, so I anticipated this feeling like more of a formality than something really special. It was really special.
I was nervous walking into the courtroom – the same kind of nervous as when I walked into the operating room when Jaimes was born. When our attorney asked me, under oath, if I understood that by adopting Sevyn from this day forward she is ours as if she was born to us, I got the same dizzy feeling I did when the doctor held Jaimes up for me to see for the first time.
I’m not comparing the kids, by the way. I’m comparing my experiences with new fatherhood. Finalization brought a feeling of newness and permanency to my relationship with Gracie that I hadn’t realized was missing.
Work and Worship
I’ve noticed I make poor design decisions when I don’t listen to my gut. Either I’m too lazy to plough through the added iterations or I’m too proud to take a cue from someone who shouldn’t know what they’re talking about because they aren’t The Designer™.
In Luke 5:4-9, Simon is asked by Jesus to drop his nets on the other side of the boat. He responds, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” For better or for worse, I read some sarcasm in his response. “Okay – if you say so, Master.” I think I read it that way because I tend to have a bitchy attitude about seemingly silly requests.
After the men haul in a huge load of fish, Simon falls on his knees saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” On reading this, I am ashamed. I think many times the “gut feeling” I have about a design is the Holy Spirit nudging me toward being better. That difficult client request, if nothing else, is a chance to ask God (The Designer) for help.
I’ve always thought about worship at work as a Tuesday morning Bible study or a (mostly) daily prayer time. Only now am I beginning to realize that God knows how to do my job infinitely better than I do. Not only can I come to him for help with my laziness and pride, I can ask him for help choosing colors, developing grid systems, solving interface problems, designing for accessibility, and the list goes on.
If I ask him for help, believing that he listens and trusting that he knows better than I do, I’m more aptly ready to praise him in the successes and run to him in the failures. In the end, I think that’s all that really matters.
We will finally finalize on Friday
Yep, the judge will throw down the gavel early Friday morning and make Gracie a Donovan forever. Knowing this date has changed my mood. I’ll try to post more later. We are all thrilled.
Gracie gets a back pack
2008 Tapestry Conference
Registration for the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Fall Conference opens today. The website was done by yours truly.
An idiotic or incremental solution?
Last week Barack Obama suggested Americans could reduce the amount they spend on fuel by making sure they have enough air in their tires. Everyone thinks he’s an idiot for saying that, but it’s the first thing he’s said that I completely agree with. I’m not being cheeky.
The root of our nation’s energy issue is American behavior – not government behavior. The government has, does, and hopefully always will try to realize the desires of the American people – providing us liberty to do what we want. We apparently don’t want to stop driving gas-guzzling vehicles. We don’t want to walk, ride a bike, or (especially in Dallas) take public transportation. “Okay,” says Mr. Obama, “at least maintain your vehicles, that’ll help with gas prices.” “What?” scoffs America. “You’re suggesting we be responsible? Pfft.”
Maybe he realizes the American people need to change in order for the country to change. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe the spirit of his statement really was idiotic and I’m just reading too much into it. Either way, I’ve got to appreciate a recommendation toward tangible, incremental change.