Walls Are Made for Climbing

Wall.

Our first couple of Storyline teams are wrapping up soon.  (Next week)

Six guys (myself included) have documented their ambitions, practical ways to achieve them, and the climactic scenes they're pursuing. 

We also documented the anticipated obstacles and conflict that we'll experience along the way: the walls. 

This last week I felt like I ran flat into one of those brickish boogers by: 

• getting lazy after achieving my weight loss goal
• missing a couple of self-imposed deadlines
• internalizing some judgy feedback
• choosing slumber over action
• talkin' smack to myself
• essentially... being passive and listening to lies

So last night I shook it off and followed thru on a commitment that my wife doesn't even know I've made to her.  That one step to move through fear and push back toward the story I want to write is the equivalent of hopping the wall.  I knew the wall was coming, it showed up, and I climbed it.

I see other walls ahead, and I know the men I'm walking with are unconsciously building some of their own as I type. Thankfully, our Creator gave us The example of perseverance in the form of His Son.  He taught us how to climb. 

Sometimes we'll need a push in the keester from a climbing buddy. And sometimes we'll have to have faith that He'll help us take the next step when we think we can't do it anymore.

But, at the end of the day, there is no drama necessary. 

Just need to grab with a hand, press a foot on a ledge, and do the work. He has shown time and time again that He'll honor the climb.

My hope for you is that you understand where you want to go, that the vision of your destination/impact will make the climb worth the effort, and that you will find Joy in the journey.    

You have great stories inside of you.  Greater stories than you believe you're capable of writing.

Go write 'em.  


p.s.  If you'd like to learn more about Storyline, please let me know.  Trish and I recently purchased a case of the books and will be happy to share them with anyone that is serious about experiencing the process.    
 

Pots for Piggies

I am the producer of unnecessary drama.  

I make stuff more complicated than it needs to be.  

I talk a lot.  About me. 

I want to DO more.  For others.

So here's the goal for the next year: make pots and give the proceeds away. 

Heifer International supplies animals and the skills to raise 'em to folks that could use some help.  

A pig costs $120.  And can produce up to 16 more pigs within a year.

That right there is hope.  For a small business or for the health of a family. 

I'd love to integrate your story, or that of a loved one, into a piece of clay. 

Or to create a full installation of pieces that tell a story together.

Or to just sell you an ice cream bowl. 

Both of our stories will benefit. 

I wanna give away 50 pigs in 2013.  

Let me know if you're up for helping me do it.  Oink Oink.   

pba.  

  

  

Redeeming the Negative, and Filling the Hole

 

The Storyline journey continues!  

 

As a follow-up to the last post, here are a few examples of negative turns redeemed:

• Parent's Divorce: demonstrated my Mother's desire to take care of us and keep us safe
• Parent's Divorce: showed the powerful impact of infidelity and lack of maturity within the marriage context
• Parent's Divorce: reinforces that we are all broken and that we are all in need of God's grace
• Moves: stuff is temporary, friendship is work, and people genuinely care
• Summary of Several Turns: sex, booze, and material possessions don't fill the hole (and that's a good thing)
• Going Out of Business: God answers prayer (and He provides)
• Relational Stuff: my wife and I have loved each other through some tough stuff
• Relational Stuff: her stuff is her stuff, my stuff is my stuff, yet we've been thoughtfully paired and are uniquely capable of supporting each other in ways others simply can't.  We're fortunate.

The process of walking thru these learnings with multiple guys was a powerful one!  Almost without exception, the men in our group took action to clarify events with others, seek forgiveness from others, or offer up forgiveness to others. 

 

In short, we all got a little bit of healing.  And then we all started looking forward. 

 

The next step in the process focuses on the roles we play in day-to-day life as well as the ambitions we have that are associated with those roles.  My 5 are:  Husband, Father, Leader, Friend, and Artist. 

 

My ambitions within these roles are wide-ranging, but the themes include:

• Say "Yes" more often than "No" or "I'll Think About It"
• Operate out of Excitement not Fear
• Live a Life of Adventure
• Impact Many Lives
• Be willing to Fail Miserably (with joy)
• General Observation: Almost none of my Positive Turns have been centered on possessions.

Over the next week we'll start documenting some of the tactical ways we want to achieve these ambitions role-by-role. 

 

Some of the tactics will be small, and some will be very large pipe dreams.  I'm excited about some of the things that God is laying on my heart, as well as the things yet unheard that are resting in the hearts of the men I'm walking with. 

 

Inciting Incident #1 = Sign Up for a Missions Trip to Russia.
Still love the bad-ass stare.  So tough.  ;)

 

I look forward to sharing the plans, as well as the outcomes, soon!  pba. 

 

p.s.  Don't fall asleep on the couch after a weird day at work.  You'll end up wide awake typing a blog entry at 2:00 a.m.

 

 

 

Redeeming the Negative Turn

Donald Miller’s Storyline process consists of a few basic parts:

1. Documenting your Back-story. (The big positive & negative events or “turns” you’ve been thru)
2. Redeeming Negative Turns. (What did you gain/what positive resulted from the hard stuff?)
3. Roles & Ambitions. (What roles do you play and what do you want to accomplish?)
4. Inciting Incidents. (How are you gonna make it happen?)
5. Conflict. (Expect it and embrace it. It’s the stuff of Good Story)
6. Climactic Scenes / MySubPlot.com. (What does the Story’s conclusion look like?)

I’m on Step 2.

In short, I have to find “the positives” within a divorce, multiple untimely moves during my K-12 years, pushing off my Faith for stuff that felt a lot more fun after college, multiple employers going under, and my wife and I both using entirely dysfunctional and destructive methods to manage our day-to-day fears.

I know that I’m still ticked about a lot of stuff, but I’m far enough away from most of it to actually find the silver linings that are there to be had: a positive perspective on a mother’s love, knowledge that my God is with me every step of the way, increased understanding of folks that have gone thru similar experiences, and a deep connection between husband & wife.

Without acknowledging these positives I will remain closed, selfish, and unable to forgive. And, without that forgiveness, I will be hard-pressed to know what love really looks like because I’ll continue spending my time protecting my innards from more pain.

I obviously have very little “figured out”, but I’m thankful to be on Step 2 and am proactively moving thru it to get to Step 3. 

And that’s the beauty of it. 

The process illustrates, by its very structure, that the past is somewhere to visit and acknowledge, but it’s not a place to live. Where are you livin’?

Perfect Timing

Day starts at 5am - started a new job yesterday and I'm excited to get there, get focused, and move thru the day.  It turns out to be a busy day spent cleaning up loose ends from my previous gig and trying to lend some mindshare to the mission/vision of my new role.  It flies by and quickly comes to a close.

Time to get out of the office to get to football with JB.  Got there by 5:30 and watched mini-man have a great practice, highlighted by a leaping tackle on 4th down to save a touchdown for his team.  I saw him grow at least an inch as his teammates yelled his name in support.  (You must understand that 12 months ago he would have avoided that same contact - so excited to see him grow)

Practice ends around 7:00 - gotta get home to grab a snack prior to getting over to church to kick-off a Storyline small group that I'm instigating/organizing.  Exciting stuff!  We get home, Jacob grabs a snack, excitedly shares his exploits with his mom, and heads to bed.  I have time to say "hi" and "wish me luck" to my smokin' hot wife, and I'm off to church (more than a little nervous about leading four gents thru a process I have yet to complete myself).

On the way to church it feels a little breezy in my oh-so-sexy '99 Regal.  'Hmmmm... looks like JB rolled down his window to cool off after practice.'  I push the button to close up the window, a few unfamiliar noises make themselves known, and the window doesn't budge...  "Crap!"  

I'm a little early for our 8 o'clock, so I pull over to see if I can at least force the window up by hand.  No such luck.  "Sunuva!  Why now!?"  Resigned to the fact that I'm not going to resolve the issue in the immediate term, I head to the kick-off - completely distracted and sarcastically thinking about how "perfect" the timing was - "JUST before I need to lead something that already feels like a stretch. For the love!" 

In hindsight, it really couldn't have been any more perfect.  

Part of my recent storyline that I shared with the guys was centered on facing fears associated with auto repair.  Seems odd to be afraid of auto repair, but I've spent 30 years bitchin' and moanin' about how my father wasn't there when I was a kid and how he failed to pass down stuff that Dads 'should' pass down.  Grade-A victim material.  And really, at the end of the day, a giant load of crap.  

That said, the desire to "get over it", the fact that my car is 13 years old, and the advent of YouTube, recently converged.  Their union has led me to replace a Water Pump, a Timing Belt, Brake Pads & Rotors, and (tonight) a broken rear window regulator/motor - all within about 5 months time.  I love it.  Every time something else gives way, the fear gets smaller and the excitement of getting my hands dirty gets bigger.  

So tonight I'm thankful: for His perfect timing, a rear window that works, and a story that's getting more interesting every day.  

I invite you to consider whether or not the story you're writing with your life lines up with your dreams.  And, if you've lost track of your dreams, or are stuck in a cycle of complaining about your past, take action and pursue a better story.  Its the perfect time to do it.