Hoarders

The Grasshopper’s Dilemma

by Andy Wood on April 17, 2009

in Allocating Your Resources, Consumers, Enlarging Your Capacity, Executing Your Plan, Exploring the Possibilities, Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Gamblers, Hoarders, Life Currency, Love, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Money, Pleasers, Principle of Abundance, Protecting Your Investment, Waiting

grasshopperThis week a friend sent me a poignant and compelling image that describes what it’s like to live in a climate or with a spirit of fear.  But the image is so strong, I think it describes anybody who feels as though they are in a no-win situation.

I feel like a grasshopper on the ocean hanging onto a leaf.  I cling to the leaf to keep from drowning.  If I eat the leaf to keep from starving, I lose my life preserver, and drown.

I’ll tell you later what he learned in the process.  But can you relate? [click to continue…]

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Felling by Yelling

by Andy Wood on March 13, 2009

in Hoarders, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, Turning Points, Words

yelling-2Interested in getting a head start on your firewood for next winter?  I once heard of a unique way to drop a tree.  It seems some villagers in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific have learned how to conquer the really big ones.  If a tree is too large to be felled with an ax, the natives cut it down by yelling at it.  (I’m not making this up.  I read it in a book, so it must be true.)  Just at dawn these woodsmen with special powers sneak up on a tree and suddenly scream at it at the top of their lungs.  They do this every day for 30 days, and the tree dies and falls over.  The theory is that yelling kills the spirit of the tree.  According to the villagers, it always works.

Felling by yelling.  Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?  Crazy enough to be true.

I’ll have to admit, though, I’ve never seen it happen.  I’ve never yelled at a tree (and I wouldn’t tell you if I had).  Not for thirty days.  Not for one day.  Furthermore, I’ve never seen anyone else yell at a tree.  So I can’t say by experience that hollering works on trees.

But it does work on kids.  I have seen that happen.

Works on spouses, too.

Some people yell at their cars or their washing machine, and it doesn’t seem to do much good.  But I’ve seen it drop a few pastors.  And I’ve seen it kill the spirit of a friend or two as well. [click to continue…]

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10 Spiritual Gifts You Won’t Find in the Bible

by Andy Wood on February 18, 2009

in Ability, Hoarders, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, Spoofs

spiritual-gifts-wordleSpiritual gifts are in the news lately.  Figured out what yours is/are yet?  It’s a fascinating study, provided we approach it with the right attitude.

The Internet Monk suggests that the Holy Spirit gives different people different gifts in different situations – challenging the assumption that we somehow receive a gift load when we are saved and carry that with us throughout a lifetime.

Tim Challies also wrote last month about discovering your giftings.

The Barna Research Group just did a survey on spiritual gifts and discovered some interesting stuff.  Since they’ve been doing this for a while, they reported some fascinating trends among Americans claiming to be born again:

  • Evidently the Holy Spirit is recognizing a greater need for encouragement over the last several years (can’t imagine why!).  The percentage that claims to have the gift of encouragement has tripled – growing steadily from 2% in 1995 to 6% today.
  • Also, apparently the Spirit has decided that Americans have enough understanding of the gospel (or maybe that some of the mega churches have all that sown up).  Since 1995, the proportion of born again adults claiming the gift of evangelism dropped from 4% to 1%.
  • On the other hand, Lucy, churches may have some ‘splainin’ to do. Evangelicals who have no idea what their gift is rose from 8% in 2000 to 13% today.

One of the questions about spiritual gifts that comes up occasionally is whether the gifts mentioned in Ephesians, 1 Corinthians, and Romans are exclusive. That is, are those sixteen or seventeen spiritual gifts the only ones the Holy Spirit gives?  Were those lists – all of which are different – meant to be just examples, or are they the only possibilities?

That sure came up on the Barna survey!  More than one-fifth (21%) of survey respondents claimed to have spiritual gifts that aren’t mentioned in the Bible.  These include:

  • a sense of humor
  • singing
  • health
  • life
  • happiness
  • patience
  • a job
  • a house
  • compromise
  • premonition
  • creativity
  • clairvoyance.

So I gotta tell you, my wheels are turning.  While it may be risky to step outside the framework of the Bible, the possibility of other spiritual gifts brings up some interesting ideas.  If other spiritual gifts really do manifest themselves in the Body, then I think I may have discovered some.  And I’m sure building a wish list for others.  So with apologies to the Apostle Paul, here are ten possible charismata he just didn’t mention:  [click to continue…]

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What if It All Depended on Jesus?

by Andy Wood on January 16, 2009

in Ability, Five LV Laws, Hoarders, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, Principle of Abundance

Help Wanted:  Branches

Master of the Universe, a firm dedicated to establishing change agencies throughout the world and providing eternal dwelling places for an undisclosed number of people, is seeking branches on which to conduct its fruit-bearing strategy.  Generous benefit package.  Unlimited positions available to trusting and trustworthy candidates.  No previous experience necessary.  Will train the right candidate(s).  (Please note:  No advancement possible.  This is an entry- and exit-level position.  The other two positions – Vine and Gardener – have been permanently filled.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Stop doing God’s job.  Not only is it unnecessary, it’s ridiculous.  And believe me, when you try to solve God-sized problems with man-sized vision and wisdom, you will be ridiculed.

So, following up from the last post, how DO we approach situations, opportunities, challenges, and problems that are larger than we are?

You approach them like a branch would.  [click to continue…]

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Where Do You Go With Your Super-sized Challenges?

by Andy Wood on January 14, 2009

in Enlarging Your Capacity, Gamblers, Hoarders, Insight, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle

Imagine the looks and the laughs.  You’re a servant – socially, a nobody.  You own no property, have little-to-no money.  On a busy city sidewalk, you are nameless and faceless.

And yet here you are, in the local real estate office, looking for investment properties.

Or maybe sitting around the local JerusaBucks, sipping on a latte and asking some of the locals about business opportunities or stock market preferences.

You’re a legend in your own mind.  But if anyone knew you, they’d laugh you out the door.

Version 2.0

Imagine the awkwardness and anguish.  You’re a servant – socially a nobody.  You own no property, have little-to-no money.  On a busy city sidewalk… well, you get it.

And yet here you are, being asked by the most powerful man you know, to look out for part of his money – more money than you’ve ever seen, much less ever held in your hand.

Echoes of your parents’ proverbs still ring in your ear – stuff like, “A fool and his money are soon parted.”

Can’t he find someone else for the job?  This is risky business, and you’re no risk taker.

Isn’t there some hole somewhere…?

Above Your Pay Grade?

How do you handle assignments that are, in the words of the president-elect, “above your pay grade?” [click to continue…]

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Why Haven’t You Won the Lottery Yet?

by Andy Wood on December 10, 2008

in Ability, Enlarging Your Capacity, Five LV Laws, Hoarders, Insight, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Money, Principle of Abundance

Why do you have the resources, abilities, relationships and intelligence that you do?  Why do you lack the brain, the pain, the financial gain that others have?

It all comes back to the Trust.

What you “have” isn’t yours any more than what somebody else “has” is theirs.  It all – even your life – belongs to God.  He purchased it completely with the death and resurrection of His Son.  But He has entrusted the management decisions to you.  Incidentally, the primary management decision you must make is what you will do with the death and resurrection of His Son!

Jesus’ story of the talents illustrates the point. (You can read my paraphrase/summary here.) Each of the servants received part of the master’s possessions to manage for him while he was away.  That represents your life and all it entails. [click to continue…]

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The Language of Surrender… and Freedom

by Andy Wood on December 1, 2008

in Enlarging Your Capacity, Exploring the Possibilities, Five LV Laws, Hoarders, Insight, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, LV Stories, Principle of Freedom, Principle of Legacy

I don’t have to win.

I don’t have to lead.

I don’t have to debt.

I don’t have to worry.

I don’t have to be first.

I don’t have to survive.

I don’t have to give up.

I don’t have to overeat.

I don’t have to be right.

I don’t have to succeed.

I don’t have to be afraid.

I don’t have to get angry.

I don’t have to be served.

I don’t have to look good.

I don’t have to be noticed.

I don’t have to cradle pain.

I don’t have to have things.

I don’t have to be offended.

I don’t have to be stressed.

I don’t have to feel rejected.

I don’t have to procrastinate.

I don’t have to resist change.

I don’t have to be depressed.

I don’t have to defend myself.

I don’t have to always say yes.

I don’t have to spend all I earn.

I don’t have to hide my failures.

I don’t have to control outcomes.

I don’t have to get instant results.

I don’t have to hide from the truth.

I don’t have to hide from intimacy.

I don’t have to harbor resentment.

I don’t have to feel sorry for myself.

I don’t have to judge others’ motives.

I don’t have to blame myself or others.

I don’t have to be thanked for what I do.

I don’t have to take counsel of my fears.

I don’t have to crave words of affirmation.

I don’t have to repeat destructive behavior.

I don’t have to compare myself with others.

I don’t have to criticize weakness in others.

I don’t have to envy the blessings of others.

I don’t have to live in the shadow of my past.

I don’t have to spend money to impress others.

I don’t have to see every (or any) expectation fulfilled.

(I’m sure there’s plenty more I’ll discover.  How about you?  What does your language of surrender/freedom sound like?)

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What Are You Waiting For?

by Andy Wood on October 22, 2008

in Executing Your Plan, Five LV Laws, Hoarders, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase

Another saint doing battle with the powers of darkness

“Arose.”

Fascinating word.  Occurs 173 times in the New American Standard Bible.  Nearly always, something interesting, if not transforming, follows.

Jesus uber-arose, as I hope you know.  As in, from the dead.

Abraham arose, too, as in from the bed.

Jacob arose, and bugged out of town.

A new king arose in Egypt, and things got ugly for Jacob’s descendents.

Moses arose and went up the mountain.

Balaam arose and got up on his donkey.

Arose is the difference between sleeping and moving.  Between sitting and acting.

Arose changes things. [click to continue…]

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What’s Your B.S.?

by Andy Wood on September 12, 2008

in Five LV Laws, Hoarders, LV Alter-egos, Principle of Freedom, Principle of Legacy

Imagine for a minute that you lived in a world where you were the only one who ever told the truth.  A world of random mirrors where you never knew whether someone else’s “yes” meant “yes” or “no.”  How would you get a loan at the bank?  How would you get directions to the nearest gas station?  How would you fall in love or have meaningful family relationships?  How could you ever function, much less be happy?

Imagine getting up every day and telling yourself and everybody around you how badly your life is going.  Have a cough?  It’s probably pneumonia.  Surprise bill in the mail?  You’re going broke.  Get a compliment on your appearance?  You mumble something about needing new clothes or not feeling well lately.  Receive a major blessing?  It’s just a matter of time until the other shoe drops.

By now I’m sure you have an image of somebody in mind (certainly not you, of course).  I’m thinking of a girl I once knew named Kim.  She was a twin; her sister Kay was pretty much an optimist.  Kim?  Winnie the Pooh’s friend Eeyore had nothing on her.  The only seventh grade girl I’ve ever met who was completely dreary.

I made an amazing discovery the other day.  Kim (and whoever you’re thinking about) has a soul mate in the Bible.  [click to continue…]

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How Two Businesses Can Point You to Remarkable Growth

by Andy Wood on May 23, 2008

in Enlarging Your Capacity, Five LV Laws, Hoarders, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase

GE adIt’s a long way from Fairfield, Connecticut, the home of General Electric, to Henderson, Nevada, the home of Zappos.  The gap is even wider between their respective products and services.

GE is a multinational American technology and services conglomerate.  Zappos sells shoes, handbags, and other items online – to the tune of more than $1 billion this year.

Both made the news last week.  And it all has to do with their “Bottom 10.”

General Electric is a household name; chances are, you have something in your home with it’s name emboldened on it.  The only original company still listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, more recently, GE is the company that Jack rebuilt, and one of the most admired in the business world today.  Jack Welch determined in the 1980s that GE would be number 1 or 2 in  particular industry or leave it completely.  He also started the practice of firing the bottom-performing 10% of his managers every year.

Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that GE was sending its century-old appliances business to the auction block.  Say it ain’t so!  The American company that “brings good things to life” may be bringin’ ‘em from Korea or Sweden or somewhere else.  From a sentimental perspective, it hurts.  But from a management perspective, it was an overdue decision.

[click to continue…]

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