This weekend we had a great time on the soccer fields.  The boys both had games and Austin’s team won 3-0!  Aden’s team didn’t win but there are few things as fun as watching a bunch of 5 year olds in matching uniforms trying to figure out which direction to kick the ball.

The thing that struck me that morning – something I’d forgotten about soccer – was the rule that when one kid gets hurt the others all take a knee while the adults assess the situation.

Such a small sign of respect really, but such a great concept.

When a person is down, do we just keep running with the madness of everyone else or do we take a knee around them, figure out what’s going on and help them get back up or get the help they need.

Interesting to me.  I like it.

Travis

Just read a link from Carlos {I’m secretly & insanely – yet righteously – jealous of his abilities} about where we go to fuel our personal creativity. Read the post here.

I love this from his post on how he finds personal creativity:

Me.
Easy.
Starbucks @ Tower Place and Piedmont.
Why?
Because that place is ALWAYS hosting the hustle.
Suits swooning over each other in interviews and deals being made.
Right in the heart of Buckhead and a 3 minute walk from my office.
When I sit in there, I see all the people who could come into the doors of my church.
And I create for them.
Next to them.

The truth is that all of us who follow Christ are now here for other people. Do what we do for God – but consider those around us and create/manage/account/lead/present/whateverGodhasyoudoinginyourliferightnow being conscious of those around you that need God.

T

A thought on leadership from everyone’s favorite Canadian pastor {well, the only Canadian pastor I am aware of} Jason Boucher {view his site}. He is on my blogroll list as well.

In a recent post he brought up the question {read the entire post here}:

“As a leader, should you be authentic 100% of the time, with everyone? Because either you are authentic or you are not right?”

He brought out the point from Carly Fiorina:

“We must deliberate in confidence, but be transparent in our decisions.” When you make a decision – be transparent. When you are in process – deliberate in confidence.

Never say what you don’t believe, just don’t say anything at all. Sometimes I think that is the most authentic you can be

I love nuggets like this – they remind us how to lead with transparency and integrity at the same time. What do you think?

Travis

I recently received a free year subscription to Collide magazine {click here for their site}. I have subscribed to their blog for a while but I must say that their magazine is a great additional resource. I’m not even sure how much a subscription costs, but if you like to rethink church, media and see how they converge – this is one worth getting.

Travis

Apparently the YMCA is taking over the world. Ok, maybe just our world.

Friday we headed to downtown Summerville for the annual YMCA Flowertown Festival. Food, crafts tents, tennis, walking…free stuff…you know the routine. It was actually a great day to be out…the weather was hot and clear and the crowds were heavy but not too heavy.

That night we headed to the church field for Austin’s soccer practice. He ran like crazy {until he got tired and asked his coach if he could be goalie…not because he loves being goalie but because there is no running involved}, and we tried in vain to get a kite to fly. We had good wind and I’m not a complete idiot so it must be the kites fault. Oh well. The kids have been trying to get it to fly for 3 days now – and nothing.

Saturday morning we headed out {early} to the Moncks Corner YMCA for soccer pictures and games. The rain held off until we were leaving and the boys did great in their first ever official soccer games.  Austin’s team is the Eagles and Aden’s team is the Tigers.  The competition is intense in the 4 to 5 and 6 to 8 age groups but all the players held their composure and played like the professionals they are.

All in all it was a great couple of days outside with the family. I love those times.

Travis

Manners. Who’s got em? What are they? Is it a lost art?

I was so excited today when Amy forwarded me an email about an upcoming class that my kids {3 of 4} can take this next school season: “Manners for Girls and Boys from 1st through 4th Grades”.

I was saying a while back, after I saw an ad for another manners/etiquette class, that our kids should go. We try to teach them as much as we can but many times they think it is just us “their parents” who have these expectations for them to be perfect – essentially saying the rest of the world doesnt’ care about such things.

This will be a great chance for them to learn from someone else and understand that we aren’t the only ones who won’t put up with bad attitudes, manners and etiquette.

The class is described…

“They’ll be learning about things like: polite conversation, how to introduce yourself and others, table manners, telephone manners, saying please and thank-you, good sportsmanship, opening doors for others, taking compliments courteously, being nice to people, looking people in the eyes when you talk to them, talking politely and quietly during meals, how you shouldn’t interrupt when others are talking, letting guests go first and lots of other new things. Each lesson will include a Biblical lesson on that particular manner skill as well.“

OH MY LAND, WHAT AN ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS!

Thank you for reading.

Travis

Last night we tried something new. We sent the kids to bed and headed back to our private domain – and proceeded to stick a foreign object into our noses. We rinsed our nasal passages. Weird, I know…but strangely satisfying. We picked up a NetiPot from Walmart (they have everything) and couldn’t wait to try it out. We’d talked about it for a while but finally jumped in and gave it a shot.

The picture shows what it looks like.

Make fun if you want, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Travis