What is your Question

I hear many times in many conversations with people emerging, submerging, diverging, or other [insert your own] a common thread. I am not sure where it comes from but its a common thread. "I want to know my purpose" "Discover what your purpose is and you will live a fulfilled life." This seems a bit of a myth to me.

We spend a lot of time in our lives looking for 'OUR DESTINY.' BUT I want to encourage you Rather than look for your purpose look at all the questions that you have... about life, about God, about whatever. Sift through all of those questions and find one. I would think that even more important than discovering what your purpose is, is discovering what your question is. What is your big question? The question you always come back to regardless of the shifting landscape of circumstances in your life. When times are good... the question is there... when times are Bad the question is there.

What is your question? that might shed a light on your life journey more than you think. Your questions say much about you and how you see you world. There is no such thing as a wrong question.

Some might say "Who Am I?" for others it might be "Am I good enough?" For others it might be "What next?" or Why?

Take a moment to think it through and then if you dare... Post your question?

FYI - for all you who like to 'fix' others please refrain ... the purpose of this exercise is one of self discovery in a learning community.

Uncertainty

I figure with some blogging happening on truth and certainty . I want to mention I think that the most certainty I have on anything is that we are in times of uncertainty.

Within uncertainty it is more important to identify direction rather than destination. Goals should be replaced by ethics, and transparency enables leadership and management to face uncertainty & complexity in an unknown future.

We must learn how to thrive and grow in uncertainty rather than trying to find certainty.

Agree disagree?

'Nothing' is the space for everything. Live with Negative Capacity

Oh and BTW I am very excited that Kim has decided to enter the world of Blogging

Interesting things to be aware!

There are some interesting things in development in our world ... I track the development of a group called the World Futurist Movement [WFM]. Late last year ... the group came up with 10 major issues that the world will face in the next 50 years.

Many demographic specialist predict the world will reach 9 billion people within 30 yrs. This prediction is based on current trends in population growth. This projection made by many is incorrect however. According to the WFM we fall behind [yearly] in global grain production by 10%. That means 10% of the world is not getting staple foods [aside from the other issues that are causing mass starvation]. North American Corporations such as Ford Motor Co and Husky Oil, as well as several members of Congress and Canadian Politicians are attempting to make a motion that 45% of all North American Grains will be utilized for the production of Ethanol [a fossil fuel replacement]. This again causes a greater need for food and proves a severe lack of vision by several North American Leaders.

In all this ...the bottom line is that the world population will decline.

Found a few interesting articles today that state that this is already happening in Europe and Russia.
"A dramatically declining population is one of the most acute problems facing Russia today. The country's official population, now around 143 million, is shrinking by 700,000 every year. By 2050, some experts predict that the country's population could be as low as 120 million."
Radio Free Europe

"In countries - both modern and less developed -throughout the world, birthrates and fertility rates have fallen at an astonishing rate. Because of extremely low fertility, Europe has already begun losing population and is projected to fall from 725 million today by approximately 100 million people or more by mid-century, and continuing thereafter. Japan will fall from over 125 million to just 110 million. In less developed countries the fertility rate is about 2.7 and falling fast; about 25 such countries are already at or below replacement level.
Among the modern nations, only the United States is an exception to the trend, as it is likely to grow from about 285 million to about 410 million people by mid-century because of higher fertility and continued robust immigration."
FutureScan

Now interestingly enough there is a movie about to come out that kind of plays into this... On Christmas day for that matter [stop and think about this for a second].

Now I don't know about you ...
but someone is trying to say something...

But what
are they trying to say?


This leads me to a few questions
What are the causes of the decline in the Birth rate? Keep in mind that this is a global issue not just a pocket of populations here and there. So its not just economic.

Are there significant sociologic, economic, environmental and theologic implications to this?
How should the church respond to this type of trend?
A fundamentalist approach might be the thoughtless... 'this is a judgement from God.' Is it that?
Or is it something more? Maybe if we dig a little deeper we may uncover a 'Cry from the hearts of men.'

Are we mere victims to a evolutionary development in humanity or are there some key significant thinking processes that are causing this shift?


Is anyone making the connections? Seeing beyond what the trends seem to be saying?

Does hope tie into this? Does hopelessness effect the
birth rate?

Or Trust?

Or community?

Reel Courage

Hey

I think its something to celebrate when someone takes a step towards a dream. Many people dream but few dare to pay the price to see those dreams come to reality.

PROPS to Matt Hawkins who has stepped out in a journey... I am glad to knwo him and have the honor to call him a guy who I work with. Matt if you read this know that I celebrate your successes and will be in your corner in the dark moments.

Read this for more info.

Take courage folks and step out. Stop Dreaming!!! Its time to Act!!!

Confession Time

Ok I have to make an honest and frank confession . . . Many of my acadamia buffs will cringe and maybe not wanto be my friend any more ;) but I just have to throw this out there.

I HATE READING BOOKS... I DO NOT READ BOOKS ... I DO NOT VALUE READING BOOKS!!!

Several times in conversation and someone will stop me and say... you've read Rob Bell's book, or 'that idea is from... such and such a book' and Folks I have to confess .... NO IT IS NOT!!!
I have never read Rob Bell!... I find Brian Mclaren ...very boring, and Donald Miller is a great guy and I have learned a lot from him but I have'nt read his books. Last time I heard him speak I found myself going... these thoughts feel stale.

WHY? YOU ask? Well thanks for asking ...

1) I cannot converse with a book... I cannot challlenge and expand a thinking process. Its there and its static and glaring at me telling me I cannot challenge it and expand on it. I cannot read a book and say... 'WEll I think I agree with a few points and I disagree with others.' That to me is not learning... all that has done is proved that I have an opinion and possibly a very arrogant one.
2) I have been taught all my 'leadership development' years that 'he who reads...leads'... I know many people the claim they read two and three books a month... but where are the exceptional leaders that are emerging from this discipline. People that are going to help shift and change culture. IF those that read lead...then ... PLEASE STAND UP AND DO SOMETHING!!!

3) Regurgitating ideas to me are just that - ... PUKE plain and simple... its when we own an idea that we are transformed by it. NO Let me restate that... Its when we are ready to die for an idea that we are proven to be brilliant/ or delusional.

4) Application of knowledge is what makes people brilliant... not the acquisition of knowledge.

5) What about atmospheric learning... understanding whats happening on a grander scale by processing knowledge thought a wider grid... simliar to that of radio waves. Imagine tuning into all the radio waves that are passing through the air at this moment. Can we intuitively learn from things happening around us? Ever Seen Conspiracy theory... Gathering data and connecting the dots... Those dots can lead you to a remarkable truth.

6) As Alex has mentioned in his blog... Can we learn from the Holy Spirit?

7) Could our system of grading learning be off? Maybe reading is not the best way to learn? My Case - I have never done well in school but I know my mental abilities are above average. I am not suggesting we go out and burn books ... nor am I suggesting people do not learn... but maybe could we try thinking differently about it. I am simply trying to pose a few questions about our value systems.

Of course you are reading this blog ;) Can I get an Amen from anyone out there... or not?