Words of Wisdom from a Five-Year-Old Road Warrior

by Andy Wood on June 25, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, Photos, Principle of Legacy

LK 1So… we took an extended weekend road trip for my niece’s wedding, and let me just say, it was an adventure in flying (yes, it was our plane that turned around and kicked an unruly passenger off), driving (we arrived in Mobile at 4:30 am after a late-late arrival in New Orleans), a wonderful wedding, and an equally-bleary-eyed trip home.

Along the way, our lives were enriched by the profound wisdom of the flower girl – none other than The Sasster, Laura Kate Wiley. She was good enough to share some of her deep insights, proverbial-level wisdom, and of course, contagious joy with us. Well, and with whoever else happened to be around.  Enjoy…

LK 9

How to Make an Impact

SWA Gate Agent:  You’re Mister Wood?

Me: I am. [Thanks for holding the plane for us.]

SWA Gate Agent:  I believe you have a granddaughter on this flight?

Me:  Believe I do!

SWA Gate Agent:  Cute little blonde?

Me:  Yep, that’s her.

SWA Gate Agent:  Well, she’s pretty excited that her Grammy and Papa are going to be on the plane.

Me, to Grammy and Aunt Sassy:  He’s met Laura Kate! [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

See-Through Leadership

by Andy Wood on June 19, 2013

in 100 Words, Five LV Laws, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, Pleasers, Principle of Legacy

Hidden Agenda

Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret (John 18:20).

Want to lead like Jesus?

Stop hiding your agenda. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

What “Business” Are You REALLY In?

by Andy Wood on June 17, 2013

in Ability, Consumers, Conversations, Exploring the Possibilities, Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase

(A Conversation)

InterviewDon’t confuse your business with your delivery system.

What do you mean?

Your “business” is the value you bring to people. Your delivery system is the way you deliver it.

Okay… I’m still not sure I get what you’re saying.

Okay, let illustrate it.  Let’s pretend it’s the year 1900, and you own one of the dominant businesses of the day – a railroad company. What’s your business?

Railroads?

AAAANNNNK!  You lose. Twenty years from now you’ll be out of business and replaced with trucks.  Anyway, who gets up in the morning wishing somebody would give them a bunch of steel and cross timbers?  Let’s try it again.  What business are you in?

Uh, transportation?

Good.  You may survive this after all.

Okay that makes sense, I suppose.  But I’m not a business owner.

Of course you are. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

How Awake is Your Heart?

by Andy Wood on June 14, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity, Waiting

Sleepy 2Psssssst.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Helloooooo.

Sorry to interrupt you in the World of Slumbering Hearts, but we should talk.  You’re probably reading this in the middle of the day, but I’m writing it in the middle of the night.

Sometimes I get to thinking when I probably should be sleeping.  It works out OK, I suppose. Sometimes I get to sleeping when I should be thinking.

Anyway…

It seems as though more and more we live in a world of sleeping hearts. Cold. Unresponsive. Lifeless.

Our eyes are open.  Apparently our thumbs still work. We still go through our routines. But we seem oblivious to a quieter, more powerful, more eternal world.

Our generation is by no means the first.  The Apostle John was asked to deliver a wake-up call to some churches in what we call the Book of Revelation. Three, in fact.

One of them, in Ephesus, was deliriously busy doing religious things. Campaigning for spiritual orthodoxy. Working tirelessly for The Cause. God had obviously blessed them with hard workers and boundless energy.

Wake up call: You’ve left your first love.

The second, in Sardis, was living on their reputation. God had obviously blessed them with amazing experiences.

Wake up call: You have a name for being alive, but you’re dead.

The third, in Laodicea, was living in the lap of luxury. They had the best of everything… the latest technology, the coolest gadgets, the nicest stuff. God had obviously blessed them with material prosperity.

Wake up call: Lukewarm Christians nauseate God.

So… how awake is your heart? I know you’re probably really busy. I know you can probably point to past experiences where your heart is alive. I know you can find many blessings in your life for which you are grateful.  But it’s possible to have all that and still have a sleepy, lethargic heart to what God is doing here, now.

Here are some signs of life to look for in hearts that are alive and awake: [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

The Nursery

by Andy Wood on June 12, 2013

in 100 Words, Allocating Your Resources, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

Nursery

The room was completely remodeled.

New drywall, carpet and wallpaper with clowns and balloons.

New furniture filled the space.

New little outfits filled the drawers.

And diapers!

Oh my, the diapers. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

The Summer of 1980

by Andy Wood on June 10, 2013

in Turning Points

toilet seatSummer 1980.

We were standing in a line. A food line, snaking its way into the church fellowship hall.

It was an interesting mix of people.  Some of our church members, who were hosts.  Most of our youth group, over which I presided. And a touring youth choir from Kentucky. It was a fun atmosphere, and everybody was having a good time as they got to know each other and anticipated the concert later that evening.

Standing at the rear of the line there in Lumberton, Mississippi, were the pastor of the Kentucky church and the pastor of the Mississippi church – my friend Rick.  The Kentucky pastor made an interesting observation, especially for somebody who hadn’t been there very long.

“There’s something different about this church,” he said to Rick.

Little did he really know. But he would soon find out.

And it all started at camp. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Who Will Go First?

by Andy Wood on June 7, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Insight, Life Currency, LV Cycle, LV Stories, Principle of Legacy, Turning Points

RickI didn’t know it would be the last time.

But then again, we both had lived long enough to know there are no guarantees when it comes to this sort of thing.

It was in Orlando, coming up on three years ago.  Rick said he’d drive me back to the airport. We had been together during the Southern Baptist Convention. (It would be less-than-honest if I said we had been there FOR the Southern Baptist Convention).  But we used the meeting there as an opportunity for a reunion of the Wolfepack. Rick was always the undisputed leader of that gang.

During a difficult time in my life, they had made sure to include me in the meeting. And it was as though we had never missed a beat. That’s the nature of the truest of friends.

Rick dropped me off at the airport to fly home. Just after walking into the terminal, I realized to my horror that I had left my phone in his car.  I found a way to call it, and of course, he turned around and brought it back to me.

Doctored.

He took that picture of himself on it (above), and made it the wallpaper.

That was Rick.

And I kept it as my wallpaper for about a month after my wife started asking, “How long are you going to keep that?” [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Why You Should Lead People into SPACE

by Andy Wood on June 5, 2013

in Enlarging Your Capacity, Five LV Laws, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase, Since You Asked

space

Interesting question came up yesterday.  If leaders are people who are influencing others to go somewhere or move in a certain direction, where should we be leading them to go?

Paul had a simple answer to that:  “Follow me as I follow Christ,” he said (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Okay, so, my answer wasn’t so spiritual. But I think it works, both for presidents and pastors, middle managers and mentors.

Where should we be leading people?

To space.

Hey, it works for Richard Branson.

Actually I use S.P.A.C.E. as an acronym for five directions we should all be pursuing.  Tell me what you think: [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Dance in the Rain

by Andy Wood on June 3, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Abundance

Dance in the Rain 2

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name (Hebrews 13:15 NET).

I.
So much you’ve wanted to write or to say,
To sing from the heart
Or create magic with words
And rhythm and feeling…
Art from the heart
To show the supreme worth
Of your Dearest Friend,
Your Immortal Beloved,
Or your Infinite Redeemer.

Yet the words don’t say it all,
Do it all,
Or show it all.
The Dearest, Immortal and Infinite
Are worthy of so much more.
So there you are…
Yearning to capture the perfect refrain
For the One who has taught you to dance in the rain. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

From Reality to Destiny

by Andy Wood on May 31, 2013

in Ability, Executing Your Plan, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase, Time

GatewayWhen I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes.  I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty.  I am trusting and suspicious.  I am honest and I still play games.  Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer.

(Brennan Manning)

It’s time to face the facts.

Anybody ever say that to you?

Did they ever follow it with something that sounded like good news?

Where did reality get such a bum rap?  I don’t mean Debbie-Downer-such-a-frowner stuff where you look for reasons to be miserable.  I certainly don’t mean TV shows that pass for “reality.” I mean an honest assessment of the brutal facts that say, “Where you is is where you is.”

So… um… Where you is?

Do you realize that the only way you can ever experience meaningful change, positive results, breathtaking opportunities or fulfilled potential is first to enter the doorway of truth? [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →