I’ve decided I like Andy Stanley. And I always knew I liked what Joel had to say on software.

Here are some of the notes I typed out. Some are quotes, some are paraphrases.

Notes from Stating Vision Simply

• Andy’s working definition of vision is “a mental picture of what could be . . . fueled by a passion that it should be.”

• In order to accomplish at home what I wanted to accomplish at home that meant there were some things I might not be able to accomplish at work.
  • Vision pre-decides for us.
  • The clearer our vision gets, the fewer things we do and the easier it is to say no.

• It’s gotta be simple, it’s gotta be portable, it’s gotta be repeatable.

• It has to be transferable. Memorable is portable.

• To make your vision simple, it can’t be complete. Complete is not memorable or transferable.

As reinforcement to crafting a simple vision statement, Andy asked what Barack Obama’s vision for his presidential campaign was? What was Hillary Clinton’s? John McCain’s?

Point taken. I knew Obama’s was “Change.” Couldn’t tell you what anybody else’s was.

• The larger the audience, the simpler it has to be. Every time you add a layer,  you have to add another layer of simplicity.

• If you’re beginning with a fog, the best you’re going to communicate is a mist.
  • Before you can make vision stick, you have to have a clear vision yourself.

If it’s a mist in the pulpit, it’s a fog in the pew.
~Howard Hendricks

• If you say everything, you say nothing. It’s not portable.

Portable and Memorable Vision Statements

To make poverty history (Bono’s ONE campaign).

Invest and invite (North Point’s evangelism strategy).

To create a church unchurched people love to attend (One of North Point’s early vision statements).

Help your users be awesome (the mantra of Kathy Sierra).

We help the world’s best developers make better software (the new tagline for Fog Creek Software).

My Personal Takeaway

From the podcast, I take away “Make it memorable. Make it portable.”

Also to take the time to get a clear vision. The quote from Howard Hendricks resonates with me.

It is worth the initial effort to determine a clear vision for yourself. Otherwise, you will inevitably waste time in the future doing things that are not getting you where you want to go.

Listen to the Podcast

Duration: 24:34 (download)

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And in the course of the few seconds you’re asking or thinking to yourself:

• Does he really need the money for bus fare?
• Am I safe? Is he going to club me over the head?
• Is he going to use this money to buy drugs or alcohol?
• Do I have money on me? Please don’t let me have money.

What I’ve been thinking about lately is our tendency as Christians to hesitate before taking action.

It reminded me of something a pastor once shared in Masuko, Peru on the mission field.

Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)
¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go . . .

“Therefore go . . . “

Jesus’ command to us, his disciples, is go. Our default action as Christians should be to go.

But too often we over think and over analyze the next step or action. Paralysis through analysis. And before you know it the opportunity has passed.

If we would be less hesitant and more inclined to just jump out of the boat we would see God do more in our lives!

• More lives getting touched with the love of Christ

The list of thoughts/hesitations I gave earlier about the homeless guy. Who cares!? Jesus makes it blatantly clear that we are supposed to help people in need and not judge them. Give the guy some money; buy him a cheeseburger. Pray with him at the very least!

That one simple act will go a lot further than you walking away rationalizing to yourself that the homeless guy was going to buy alcohol with your money.

• More personal growth, Spiritual maturity and progress

We’ve got dreams. We’ve got God’s calling we’d all love to fulfill. We’ve got big decisions. What’s the next step? How am I going to make it happen? Where’s the money or the time going to come from?

The answer to that question can be “I don’t know.”

A 50%-good solution that people actually have solves more problems and survives longer than a 99% solution that nobody has because it’s in your lab where you’re endlessly polishing the damn thing.
~ from Joel on Software

As Christians we need to be okay moving forward and taking a step without all the answers or even direct confirmation from God. The bottom line is that if you are moving forward, you are making progress.

You, walking towards your calling and dreams, will have a greater impact on people than you standing there waiting to see how God is going to align the stars to make it happen.

Therefore go.

I’m afraid of responsibility.

I’m afraid of leading people.

I’m afraid of being outwardly passionate.

I’m afraid of accepting the authority given to me.

I’m afraid of stepping up my game.

I’m afraid of my life being out of balance.

I’m afraid.

I’m paralyzed.

2 Corinthians 11:30 (NIV)
³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)
⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.

But I will learn to walk again by God’s power . . .

Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)
¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “. . . Where you go I will go . . . . ¹⁷ Where you die I will die . . . . May the LORD deal with me . . . if anything but death separates you and me.” (emphasis added)

I’ve been wrestling over this post for awhile. I’m having a hard time communicating in words what God is communicating in my spirit.

The bottom line is that spiritual maturity, growth and fruit requires a decision to commit (despite any hardships). Commit to what? You tell me . . .

We all have areas of our lives that we’d love to abandon, hop the fence and frolic in the grass on the other side. My church isn’t feeding me. Let me try the church down the road. This relationship is too much work, how about I move on to that pretty looking girl over there? I’m not content at my job. Let me keep my eyes open for an out.

In the verses above, the armor-bearer and Ruth both stand firm in their commitment to Jonathan and Naomi. Wherever they go, we go. Kinda reminds me of the My Buddy and Kid Sister commercials of the 80’s. 

It is this commitment that eventually brings God’s blessing. Jonathan and the armor-bearer defeat the Philistines. Ruth marries Boaz and becomes the great grandmother of King David (I think I did the genealogy right).

Commitment is a lot like planting a seed. Your life is a seed.  When you choose not to commit and plant yourself somewhere else, you start from the beginning. You have to re-grow your roots. Keep bouncing from here to there and you’ll never see any fruit in your life.

Psalm 92:13 says those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish.

Roots are critical to growing things.
~ Stu Weber in Tender Warrior

Do you have roots where you’re at now? If not, plant yourself. Make the decision to commit regardless of how difficult, painful or inconvenient it may be.

(Obviously filtering it through God first.)

That essay really resonates with me and affirms the cry of my heart.

Jesus needs us to be tenacious about his Gospel. Our lives need to be in a continual battle to ensure we are in line with God. We need to be idealists; believing one person can change the world through the power and Spirit of God within us.

Brooke’s words are a subtle reminder to that and how short our influence on the earth is.

James 4:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ . . . What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Brooke passed away at fourteen.

Intellectually we all know that we will die . . . We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever. (emphasis added)
~Frederick Buechner

Why do we frolic along in our lives thinking we have the rest of eternity to accomplish the plans and purposes of God in our lives? Or that we can spend the first half for ourselves and then the last half for God?

I will go on adventures and change the world. . . . I’ll be one of those people who live to be history maker. . . . I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with . . . a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back.
~Brooke Bronkowski

I want to spend eternity in Heaven knowing I’ve left behind an eternity on Earth.

An eternity of Kingdom influence. An eternity of disciples who are building up new disciples. An eternity of passionate, sold-out, radical little Tran-babies passing on the fire from generation to generation.

But we don’t have an eternity to leave behind an eternity.

We have to start now . . .

The essay was written at the age of twelve and is a humbling expression of maturity from from a girl who later passed away in a car accident (at the age of fourteen).

Since I Have My Life Before Me

I’ll live my life to the fullest. I’ll be happy. I’ll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with their troubles.

You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I’ll have moments, good and bad, but I will wipe away the bad and only remember the good. In fact that’s all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back. I’ll set an example for others, I will pray for direction.

I have my life before me. I will give others the joy I have and God will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow the footsteps of God. I will do my best!!!

~Brooke Bronkowski

The idea of accountability has been a main thread in my brain for a few weeks now.  The question I’ve been asking myself is what makes accountability truly effective?

I’ve been in a fair number of accountability relationships ranging from highly ineffective to moderately effective.

But none I would call highly effective.

A lot of accountability relationships involve trustworthy people regularly asking the tough questions. Are you looking at porn? How is your relationship with God? Are you spending daily time in the Word? In worship? In prayer?  Are you avoiding situations that you know will tempt you?

These safeguards involve transparency with other people and setting very specific boundaries.

All those are great things and should happen; however, they can and will fail if one condition is met: you no longer value your relationship with Jesus Christ above everything else in the world.

When that happens, deception will follow. People can ask the tough questions all day long, but if being in a right relation with Jesus is not mission critical to you, lying becomes easy. Finding ways around Internet filters is trivial. Gazing lustfully at another woman is as easy as breathing.

All that to say accountability fails when our relationship with Jesus fails.

True accountability has to be between you and Jesus. No one else will be able to be as strong and as supportive as you need them to be.

Dear Jesus,
I pray that I will always be transparent before you. That you will be my first love and that nothing will ever deceive me into thinking I need it more than you.

You know this verse if you’ve been a Christian for any period of time. Along with Matthew 22:36-40 ,this is probably one of the most significant commands Jesus ever gave us.

Because of its significance, it’s worth marinating on. Are we fulfilling it?

It’s important to note the Great Commission was given to individuals. Not to the church.

Jesus asked us (individually) to go and make disciples.

1. How many people pursue God more because they’ve seen you passionately pursue God?
2. How many trust God more because they’ve seen you trust God in all seasons of your life?
3. How many people are comfortable in prayer/worship outside of church because they’ve done it at your house multiple times before?

If we are not teaching people to walk out the Word of God, we are not making disciples.

Are we failing miserably?

I feel like I am.

One Point

We shouldn’t be afraid of failure.  Instead, we should be afraid of being successful at the things that don’t matter.
~ Unknown

Have we maximized our time?  Have we taken every opportunity God has given us?  Or have we let our days become consumed with things that don’t matter?

The days are evil. They will overtake our time and energy without an afterthought.

One Application

Apparently this is a common problem.

So after much research, I collected a bunch of illustrated guides from various places on the web and went to town.

Links

• How to repair a Canon E18 error (lens error) (things to try before taking your camera apart)
• E18 – Repair Guide (Illustrated, Canon S100)
• Fix Canon SD600 Lens Error (Illustrated)
• Canon E18 Repair Guide for SD300 (Illustrated PDF)
• Canon PowerShot S500 E18 Repair (Illustrated)

Suggestions From My Own Experience

Clean out any dirt/debris from both the lens and gear box.

Unscrew things in sections.  For each section, get a blank piece of paper and diagram where all the screws are.  As you unscrew stuff, place the screw on your diagram in its approximate location.

This will make your life infinitely less complicated as you put your camera back together.  Now you don’t have to worry about which screw and which size screw goes where.

Just be sure you put these diagrams away from your work area.  A small bump will send your screws flying and make your diagram worthless. 

The Good

I was able to clean out a lot of sand from the inside of the camera (i.e. lens mechanism, gear box).  The lens now retracts and extends.  It used to not do that. I’m awesome!

The Bad

Some of the gears controlling the movement of the lens are stripped.  That prevents the lens from extending/retracting smoothly and without a lot of grinding sounds.

The Ugly

The camera is un-fixable.  I now have a slick-looking paper weight.

Moral of the Story

My sister should give up being an agronomy major. Then she would be far less excited to take her camera into a soil pit.

My Sister and the Soil Pit