In retrospect, this past week has been a blur. I have traveled almost 4,000 miles this past week, have spent at least over an hour in at least three states, and only spent a total of 12 hours in the office this week. Looking back it just feels like the week has breezed by.
My week started at 4:30am on Monday with an arrival at the local airport to begin a west coast journey to attend a meeting that was scheduled to begin at 9am Pacific time. Since I can't catch a direct flight, I'm forced to connect in Dallas. There's a whole story related to why I'd subject myself to an early flight out, but this opportunity allowed me to fly first class from Dallas to the west coast in the company of other high rollers like Michael Irvin. Unfortunately the early time tabled was conducive for me to catch a hour of sleep in my first class recliner, so I didn't really even get a chance to fully appreciate the luxuries afford me. Monday evening found me at a beach side seafood restaurant in Malibu dining on Chilean Sea bass. Tuesday found me again traversing the country returning home with a diversion to Oklahoma City because of weather in Dallas. For the hour and half we spent on the tarmac in OKC, I passed the time listening to the young lady next to me fretting about her ability to make it home to Alabama. So to assist I pulled out the treo and navigated the airlines website checking on flights in an effort to comfort this young lady. Upon arriving in Dallas, I watched two other flights scheduled after mine, leave for home. I did get home after 10pm that night exhausted and curious if my trip scheduled next month will allow me to get into Chicago in time to make the first pitch at Wrigley Field (I arrive in Chicago at 10:30am and the game starts at 1:20pm). Wednesday saw a normal day at the office, normal given the fact that I've been absent for the two previous days. Thursday I spent the morning in the office, and the afternoon driving to Dallas. This drive was prolonged by an hour because of construction that diverted (see a theme developing?) east bound traffic to the frontage road and a extreme backup of vehicles. Friday I spent the day in a workshop visiting with other educational technology professionals. Saturday I returned home, so that the rental car could be checked in by 1pm.
I'm not sure how people do this business travel. One of the guys I met out at the west coast on Monday, was also in attendance at the workshop in Dallas on Friday. I know for a fact that he was in Arizona on Tuesday, and who knows where else Wednesday and Thursday. At one point the wife and I decided that if I ever changed careers, I would be allowed to travel one week a month if the job required. After a week like this, I'm not convinced that I'd want to pursue opportunities that required this.
Thankfully I'm home for a couple of weeks before I jet off again. Of course the next time I fly the friendly skies, it's for a guys weekend away that includes the mentioned Cubs day game.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007
Losing it all
For the last couple of months, the wife and I have been attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University through our local church. For the entire span of our marriage we've been in debt, and despite all the good intentions and plans that I may have conjured, we continue this pattern of money mismanagement. So we now sit at the foot of a man who has been on top of the mountain, only to loose it all, and then by the grace of God has been able to re-establish his footing.
Having read the stories about Mr. Ramsey, and having listen to several of his radio shows and read through a couple of his books, I find his advice and story encouraging. Despite the dire straits that I may be walking upon, I find courage that change can happen, and that with some honesty, communications, and grace that I too can enjoy the opportunities presented to my family.
Over the last couple of years I have spent several nights obsessing over the bills that have stacked up against us. I have questioned my ability to provide for my family, and more than several occasions I have lost total confidence in myself and my abilities as a father and husband. Not all dire situations affect me in the manner in which money issues affect me. Job challenges that maybe wrought with unattainable objectives typically drive me to find the critical path to overcome the hurdles. Attacks on me or even the illusion that I may have done something to wrong others, typically drive me to re-examine my own actions and decipher how I need to be more sensitive to how my actions or words evoke others to respond. However money simply takes the wind out of me, and I want to just curl up into the fetal position.
So my wife returned from her ever so exasperating trip to the west coast with stories of a presentation by Phil Vischer, the creator of the VeggieTales. The short version of Phil's plight in the world of Christian animation is that he created VeggieTales and it exceeded all expectations he had regarding it's popularity. As the mania grew, so did his aspirations of what VeggieTales and the Big Idea brand could become. So a series of events came to pass that saw Phil leverage the company, relationships, and himself to the point that ultimately left the company in bankruptcy and he lost his dream, passion, and more than ten years of his life's work. I'm sure I may have over stated the impact here, but the point is simply he overextended the dream to share with the world a message and talent that God had given him. After all this ordeal, he continues lending his voice for the characters he created, helps write scripts, and relishes the exposure that VeggieTales has received since it started airing on NBC on Saturday mornings. Obviously there are some unique and God opened doors in his story, but reading through some of the accounts of the rocky history, I get the sense that in the midst of the storm his confidence, ambition, and very self worth was shaken. And yet, bitterness couldn't be a descriptor of his attitude. He still has a hand, although intentionally limited and guarded, in the developments of the vegetable gang. The language he uses implies peace as he describes the fact that many of the individuals that helped propel VeggieTales success in the early days, who later were laid off, are once again pouring the energies into the developing story line of Bob, Larry, Pa Grape, Archibald, etc.
The silver lining that I take from both Phil and Dave, is that in spite of ourselves, God can work in us. In spite of our own failings, and the pain that it can (and will) cause, peace can be felt. I find it encouraging that although I'm confident that neither Phil or Dave would wish anyone to follow in their footsteps, the fact remains that their path isn't completely bleak. Even as they might have walked in the valley of darkness, they feared no evil, confident that the Lord was present. Sometimes presence is all we need. Sometimes, in absence of miracles, in the absence of words, the knowledge that we are not alone is what sustains us. There are and will be days that when our own short sightedness will get the best of us. There are and will be days when we are allowed to fall flat on our faces. These days don't necessarily represent God's absence, more times than not I believe these represent our own absence from God. I typically find that it is on these occasions when I fell God's presence more than ever. It is on these occasions when my own voice or others I have gathered around me aren't drowning out God's wisdom and counsel. The challenge of course it not to only be listening when I'm flat on my face or in dire straits. He's always present, his Spirit is always offering counsel. May I listen now. May I be conscious of his strength in my weakness, and his words in my silence.
Having read the stories about Mr. Ramsey, and having listen to several of his radio shows and read through a couple of his books, I find his advice and story encouraging. Despite the dire straits that I may be walking upon, I find courage that change can happen, and that with some honesty, communications, and grace that I too can enjoy the opportunities presented to my family.
Over the last couple of years I have spent several nights obsessing over the bills that have stacked up against us. I have questioned my ability to provide for my family, and more than several occasions I have lost total confidence in myself and my abilities as a father and husband. Not all dire situations affect me in the manner in which money issues affect me. Job challenges that maybe wrought with unattainable objectives typically drive me to find the critical path to overcome the hurdles. Attacks on me or even the illusion that I may have done something to wrong others, typically drive me to re-examine my own actions and decipher how I need to be more sensitive to how my actions or words evoke others to respond. However money simply takes the wind out of me, and I want to just curl up into the fetal position.
So my wife returned from her ever so exasperating trip to the west coast with stories of a presentation by Phil Vischer, the creator of the VeggieTales. The short version of Phil's plight in the world of Christian animation is that he created VeggieTales and it exceeded all expectations he had regarding it's popularity. As the mania grew, so did his aspirations of what VeggieTales and the Big Idea brand could become. So a series of events came to pass that saw Phil leverage the company, relationships, and himself to the point that ultimately left the company in bankruptcy and he lost his dream, passion, and more than ten years of his life's work. I'm sure I may have over stated the impact here, but the point is simply he overextended the dream to share with the world a message and talent that God had given him. After all this ordeal, he continues lending his voice for the characters he created, helps write scripts, and relishes the exposure that VeggieTales has received since it started airing on NBC on Saturday mornings. Obviously there are some unique and God opened doors in his story, but reading through some of the accounts of the rocky history, I get the sense that in the midst of the storm his confidence, ambition, and very self worth was shaken. And yet, bitterness couldn't be a descriptor of his attitude. He still has a hand, although intentionally limited and guarded, in the developments of the vegetable gang. The language he uses implies peace as he describes the fact that many of the individuals that helped propel VeggieTales success in the early days, who later were laid off, are once again pouring the energies into the developing story line of Bob, Larry, Pa Grape, Archibald, etc.
The silver lining that I take from both Phil and Dave, is that in spite of ourselves, God can work in us. In spite of our own failings, and the pain that it can (and will) cause, peace can be felt. I find it encouraging that although I'm confident that neither Phil or Dave would wish anyone to follow in their footsteps, the fact remains that their path isn't completely bleak. Even as they might have walked in the valley of darkness, they feared no evil, confident that the Lord was present. Sometimes presence is all we need. Sometimes, in absence of miracles, in the absence of words, the knowledge that we are not alone is what sustains us. There are and will be days that when our own short sightedness will get the best of us. There are and will be days when we are allowed to fall flat on our faces. These days don't necessarily represent God's absence, more times than not I believe these represent our own absence from God. I typically find that it is on these occasions when I fell God's presence more than ever. It is on these occasions when my own voice or others I have gathered around me aren't drowning out God's wisdom and counsel. The challenge of course it not to only be listening when I'm flat on my face or in dire straits. He's always present, his Spirit is always offering counsel. May I listen now. May I be conscious of his strength in my weakness, and his words in my silence.
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