From “Bullied Nobody” to LifeVesting Somebody

by Andy Wood on July 5, 2010

in Books and Music, Insight, Life Currency, LV Stories, Principle of Abundance

How do you respond when you are told every day what a nobody you are?  When the people who are supposed to be your friends and co-learners in school instead ruthlessly call you demeaning names, and you feel you have no one to talk to?

Brenda Poage gets that.  And Brenda is a somebody that you need to know.  Wife and mother, author and visionary, Brenda – like most of us – is who she is because of how she has responded to some painful experiences in her life.

Brenda is a LifeVestor.

Kids can be cruel, but you don’t have to explain that to Brenda.  From the time she started school in her small Texas town, she was mercilessly bullied by other kids in school.  Having to play academic catch-up required that Brenda attend remedial classes. And she became the brunt of some pretty mean name calling and bullying.

So when educators and parents today start quoting statistics that as many as half of all school children are bullied in some way, Brenda does more than raise her hand as “Exhibit A.”  She did something about it.  And that’s how Ima Nobody Becomes a Somebody was born. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

I Didn’t Know I HAD a Teaching Philosophy

by Andy Wood on July 3, 2010

in Enlarging Your Capacity, Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Legacy

December 16, 1983.  I walked across a stage in Ft. Worth, Texas to receive my Get-out-of-Jail degree.  The moving vans had already left town, and when we drove into the parking lot to get my cap and gown, the car was loaded with luggage.  This would be the day I put Texas – and school – in the rearview mirror.  I was sick of both.

But my weariness and frustrations blinded me to some lessons I began to learn as the boxes were put away in our new home in Jackson, Alabama.  I learned that in all my learning, I loved to learn.  And through the years in youth ministry and pastoral leadership, I loved to teach.

That said, I made a shocking discovery recently.  Counting the classes I’m engaged with now, I have taught 54 courses and nearly 775 students on a Master’s, Bachelor’s , or Extension level.

Oh… and I’ve lived in Texas for the last 14 years.

Recently somebody asked me to write out my philosophy of teaching.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn I actually had one.  Here is what I wrote: [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

The Worst Lawyer Ever

by Andy Wood on July 1, 2010

in Ability, Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Cycle, LV Stories, Principle of Legacy

It’s a little hard to feel sorry for Mo, even when at times in his childhood you would have been tempted to.  He was a sickly child, and his short, thin physique was no match for the other boys who were good at sports. 

Mo was no geek, either.  Something of a slacker in school, the truth was, book learning was way past hard for him.

But he had his looks, right? 

Uh, no.  Sitting atop his bony, wiry frame was a giant schnoz.  The dude was seven shades of ugly. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Formula 432

by Andy Wood on June 29, 2010

in Conversations

(Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc. – Part 2)

In our last episode, we were left in a place called Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc. where Joe Jacobson, the owner and founder, was explaining some of their findings.  And he was about to share something about forgiveness that I had never seen before.  If you haven’t read the previous post, I would encourage you to do that first…

Joe said, “Our greatest discovery happened when we combined what we call Formula 432 with Element 118.”

“Sounds very chemical,” I said.

“Aw, just lab talk,” Joe said with a smile.  “One of our guys used to be a youth pastor.”

“Say no more,” I said.

“Formula 432 is actually Ephesians 4:32.  We learned it as kids in church:

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

“I noticed that on the wall in your lobby,” I said.

“Then you probably also noticed Element 118 on the other wall,” said Joe.  It’s from Isaiah 1:18:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”

“When our researchers combined these two truths, we made a breakthrough discovery about forgiveness.”

“What’s that?” I asked, intrigued. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc.

by Andy Wood on June 27, 2010

in Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, Principle of Freedom

I have to admit, I thought Joseph Jacobson was joking when he handed me his business card.  “Forgiveness Laboratories,” it said boldly.  The card identified Joe as the Director of Research. 

“Okay, I gotta ask…” I started.

“You want to know what a forgiveness laboratory is,” Joe anticipated.

“I’ll bet you hear that a lot.”

“Sure do,” Joe said with a smile.  “Why don’t you come by the lab for a visit sometime?”

So here I was, introducing myself to Gracie, the receptionist (yeah, I caught the irony in her name).

“I’m here to see Joe,” I started.  “Sorry I’m a little late.”

“We forgive you,” Gracie replied with a wry smile.  “I know… bad joke, but it comes with the territory.  Actually Joe is finishing up a couple of interviews and asked me to show you around.”

Gracie got up from her desk and shook my hand.  It was then that I first noticed that this charming, poised single mom was wearing a white lab coat. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Are You a Fumaholic?

by Andy Wood on June 25, 2010

in Ability, Consumers, Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, Pleasers, Principle of Freedom

“I feel like a man with three dollars in my pocket. Maybe a quart in my tank. And what astounds me is how quickly I think about spending what little I have. I get a little bit back in my soul and I start thinking about advancing the Kingdom. People that need my help. I get a little bit of God back in my tank and I start thinking about who I need to pray for.  Lord have mercy” (John Eldridge)

+++++++

Hi, I’m Andy, and I’m a fumaholic.

(All:  “Hi Andy!”)

I’m really glad to be here tonight to share my experience, strength and hope with you. The First Step says that “we admitted we were powerless over our fumaholism, and that our lives had become unmanageable.”  So tonight I thought I would share how my life got to that place.

I’d like to start with a couple of confessions… that is okay in a place like this, isn’t it?

(Room erupts with raucous laughter) [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Hide and Seek: The Ultimate Treasure Hunt

by Andy Wood on June 23, 2010

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

Get this scene…

It’s the long-shadow season… a late-October Saturday afternoon.  Alabama has just kicked off to Tennessee, and the rest of life has been put on hold.  I’ve got the snacks and drinks, recliner set to football position, and it’s a glorious day.

That’s when I hear it.  In those few seconds before the doorbell rings and the dogs go crazy, I hear the giggles of a gaggle of adolescents.

Two thoughts immediately flash by:

  • I am obviously not living in Dixie, because nobody in their right mind there would be roaming the streets when the Tide ‘n’ Vols are on TV.
  • I’m about to be scavenger hunted.

Sure enough, I open the door to a group of teenagers, and one of ‘em hands me a list.  “We’re on a scavenger hunt.  Do you have any of these things?”

Game on (while the other game is on pause). [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

12 Lessons Learned from the Latest Road Trip

by Andy Wood on June 21, 2010

in Uncategorized

Corie, Carrie, Cassie, and Kara on the Charles Bridge in Prague, 2005. All were back together again for Kara's wedding this weekend in Ft. Worth.

1.  Yes indeed, a washer and dryer will fit inside a conversion van if you take the middle seats out. 

2.  Driving said conversion van automatically lowers your driver’s IQ by about 30 points.

3.  Apparently I was right at home; Dallas/Ft. Worth was the host to an Idiot Drivers Convention this weekend.

4.  If a nighttime idiot driver in DFW makes you mad, it’s probably not a good idea to get behind him and turn on your bright lights.

5.  If you make a nighttime idiot driver in DFW mad by turning on your bright lights in his mirror, and he decides to retaliate… for 15 minutes… it’s probably best just to declare him the winner. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Object Lessons in the Life of a Father

by Andy Wood on June 17, 2010

in Insight, Life Currency, Turning Points

Sometimes when God wants to reveal His heart to us, He communicates with words.  But for folks like me, sometimes he has to draw a picture.  I thought since Father’s Day is approaching, I would give you a glimpse into the gallery of my soul and show you a master Artist at work. . . . 

The Bracelet

“Hold out your hand,” she said as I entered the room to kiss her good-night.  With that, my daughter interrupted momentarily my nightly bedtime routine.  “This is for you.” [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

The Incredible Worth of a Friend

by Andy Wood on June 15, 2010

in Esteem, Life Currency, Love

Rick was nice enough to drive me to the airport. Then drive BACK to the airport when I left my phone in his car. After, of course, taking his picture on my phone and setting it as my new wallpaper.

“What is the secret of your life?” asked Mrs. Browning of Charles Kingsley; “Tell me, that I may make mine beautiful too?”

He replied, “I had a friend.” (William C. Gannet)

+++++++

Last week I got an interesting email, informing me that there would be a breakfast meeting of the Mobile Mafia in Orlando for everybody who happened to be there for the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Mobile Mafia, aka Wolfepack, are a loosely-structured group of men in ministry who came up under the leadership of Fred Wolfe, who remains in every sense of the word our pastor, mentor, and father-in-the-ministry to this day.

“Have a nice time,” I thought, as I dismissed the email as irrelevant to me. I hadn’t been to a Southern Baptist Convention since 1994.

Immediately after that, I got another email from the same source – my friend Wayne.  [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →