The Kids at The Pololu Valley Black Sand Beach

Caleb has swimming bracelets to enter the pool area and 3 watches (one arm is digital, the other is analog). #ANewFad

At her request, I painted Trevi’s fingernails. She calls this a strawberry french manicure. #ANewFad

This vacation was brought to us by Panama Jack (and not Gillette). #moustache Think I should keep it?

See more pics I tweeted here.

Soon, Debbie will have more pics up here.

See pics from our last trip to the Big Island in 2008 here.

Take a listen to the Something Beautiful Podcast!

Listen for a recent interview I did along with a chance to win a copy of Not Like Me.

For example, as a church leader in a church plant in Seattle, I began to realize I was so desperate for people to show up that I allowed our vision to be hijacked by people who had left other churches to come to ours. I ended up compromising our vision for a church that reaches out to focusing on the needs of the ones who were coming.

Learning from Gary Irby (church planting strategist for Seattle) and then later Erwin McManus (lead pastor at Mosaic), I came to realize my mistake. As church leaders, we need to make decisions based on who is not here yet rather than on who has been here the longest.

This principle is true in business as well.  According to Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business Professor, Author, & Innovation Expert:  “The Innovator’s Dilemma is about the failure of companies to stay atop their industries when they confront certain types of market and technological change. It’s not about the failure of simply any company, but of good companies…

It is about well-managed companies that have their competitive antennae up, listen astutely to their customers, invest aggressively in new technologies and yet still lose market dominance.”

So then, what is the solution?

According to Christensen we need to be willing to innovate to reach a new audience.  If not, our current audience will get older and pass away.  Ironically, they will also go to a new company willing to meet their needs better than we are.

I realize that the business world isn’t synonymous to ministry, but too often churchgoers do make decisions as if they are consumers rather than ministers.  For those of us who are church leaders, we have to make sure we avoid that same consumeristic trap.

For more notes on The Innovator’s Dilemma,  send me an email at belinda@mosaic.org with “Innovator’s Dilemma Notes” in the subject.  I will also include you in future email newsletters which include free resources.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When have you found peace when it didn’t seem possible?

A friend of mine I haven’t talked to in about 10 years recently sent me an email from Iraq. After we knew each other in Seattle, he joined the military and now flies blackhawk helicopters. I cannot imagine the courage it takes to serve so faithfully and sacrificially! We are grateful for his service along with the rest of our military, and we pray for our troops!

After so many depressing reports from Iraq over the last few years about the violence our troops face along with the news we seemed to hear about insurgent fighters and sectarian fighting, it seemed like we were stuck in a never-ending battle. It has been quite encouraging to hear of the recent downturn in the violence. See the following:

US reports ‘phenomenal’ drop in Iraq violence
Baghdad’s Weary Start to Exhale as Security Improves
Commander: Citizens, extra troops help ‘crush’ al Qaeda in Iraq
Returnees Find a Capital Transformed).

What was the breakthrough? Many feel it has been the troop surge. Others suggest it has been the result of locals expelling al Qaeda from their areas. The answer is actually quite surprising.

Former Lt. Pete Hegseth (Exec. Director of Vets for Freedom) was asked for his opinion on FoxNews on Nov. 12th. He responded:

“Everybody I am talking to and experience tells me it is the new counter-insurgency strategy…. We’ve taken troops out of the big bases and pushed them into the population. They are creating the relationships and they’re gathering the intelligence necessary to find these weapons and insurgents and create the space for Iraqis to stand up….”

I realize that so much more needs to be done and I imagine there is still quite a bit of instability, but how encouraging to know progress is being made through developing relationships.

What a great lesson for the Church! How much more effective in serving the world and helping make the world a better place if those of us who follow Jesus left our “bases” and moved into relationships! Changing the world means loving and serving one person at a time. It takes time, but it is time well spent. It is dangerous to get off the base, but developing meaningful relationships with those around is worth the possible heartache and disappointments.

Too often we hide from people who look differently, believe differently, or live differently when we are actually called to love and serve those around us.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

What are ways you have found peace through your relationship with God?

“Below is information on the Premier Viewing Night of a documentary that Red Line Films and ESPN did on our Kirkland National 1982 LL World Series team. The team will be at a Sports Restaurant holding a silent auction in Seattle to raise money for disadvantaged little leaguers (4pm Sports Restaurant & Bar 140 4th Ave North-across from the Space Needle). Then the ESPN airing of the documentary will be shown. If you are available, desiring to go, and in a donating mood, check out the contact information below.

Perry and Lisa

The link for the film’s page on the 30 FOR 30 website is http://30for30.espn.com/film/little-big-men.html. This provides updated & additional broadcast schedule info for the film. There is a trailer and more media too.”

“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear–hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

How can we show mercy and even rescue people who are making bad choices?

Paul Richardson, my friend and Josiah’s father tells the story in his book A Certain Risk: Living Your Faith at the Edge and in the interview we had this past spring. LISTEN HERE!

I love how the Richardsons turn what was almost a tragedy into a day to remember.  Rather than avoiding swimming pools the rest of their lives (or their kids lives), they jump right back in!

“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.”

Who has helped rescue you when you were heading in the wrong direction?