Let's call it Lent?

So it's now officially the Lenten season.  People are committing to abstaining from sugar, alcohol, negativism, technology etc, etc, etc for 40 days until Easter.

I wasn't planning on doing anything.  It's not because I don't believe in the practice.  I think it's a good idea to realize the aspect of our lives that we DO have control over.  Albeit small, we do have a role to play in the working out of our faith.  It's also a good idea to "test" ourselves to see if we really can go without something that we think we NEED in our lives, rather than just talk about doing without it.

The reason I originally objected to participating this year is that I feel no attachment to a "community" of believers.  I am friends with many Christians and enjoy their company regularly.  But I am not a part of a community.  This is partly intentional because of my frustrations with the state of the Christian religion in America, and partly because I am nervous about being crushed again.

If I am not a part of a community, why should I participate in a community event?  They have 'Fat Tuesday' where everyone pigs out before 'the fast' so to speak, then the celebrate Easter together, etc, etc.  I never want to be the casual attender that just hits up the "main services" (Easter, Christmas).  I never want to be luke warm.

But, the reality is that I have decided to lent.  I want to lent the concept of moderation.  Only one cup of coffee a day.  Only one drink with dinner (or none at all).  The point for me is to achieve balance- I've been so off-key lately.  I will start exercising.  Not a ton-- though I could if I became obsessed with it... just a little bit in order to balance.  I will start praying intentionally.  I will play more with the dogs.

That's the plan, anyway.  We'll see how it goes.

Tim

You are not who you think you are

Someone told me once that no matter who you think you really are, the REAL you is what people perceive of you.

It's a little cynical... perhaps a little boring...  but there's some truth there.

I mean, I might just think that I am the most kind, compassionate man...

But when my coworkers tell me that I come across as a stuck-up jerk--

I have to rethink my perception of me.  And not just the "perception" but also what is truly going on in my heart.

"Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" -- I believe this to be true.

So there's my dirty laundry: my employees think I'm a bit of a jerk.  I demand too much of them-- I do too much "behind the scenes" work and not enough "in the the trenches" work.  Hm.

I mourn this.  But I also move on quickly.  As much as I am sorry that I come across as abrupt and a bit demanding at times, I understand that they are not the ones with the title: Manager.  They do not have to answer to anyone, and in their minds, the motto is: "we're just makin' coffee here!  Let's just have fun!"

They have a point.  We are hideously underpaid and it's easier to cope with that by screwing around.  But their point is grossly outweighed.  Making coffee IS fun, and at its surface seems like we're all just standing around, lollygagging.  But if you remove a layer, you can see that we're running a business.  And we, as a company with 4 locations, haven't gotten to where we are just by frolicking through daisies.

That's a hard fence to walk.

1.  Keep the job light-hearted, so you don't lose your mind.

2.  And keep a tight grip on the reins so that you never lose the respect and quality that your business demands.

Sigh.

I'm not the perfect boss.  In fact, I'm probably not even a mediocre boss.  But I'm trying.  Doesn't that account for something?

Tim