Just finished this little book I picked up in an airport from Harvard Business Press about "execution". That's not referring to capital punishment ... its about carrying out plans within an organization. And some of the 'gems' in this book are most certainly transferable to church administration.

I don't exactly know why, but many - if not most churches have great difficulty seeing their mission come to pass. I am optimistic enough (maybe naive) to believe that church leaders have great ideas and honorable intentions. But for many their vision seems to fall short and the church can't seem to execute a plan.

I dare say, this may be the difference between great or effective churches and those that are little more than a community hall with a religious name. Certainly things like communication and power struggles within the organization cannot be overlooked. And other group dynamics are almost always a factor. But issues mentioned in this book have more to do with personal leadership skills - something I have been fascinated with for quite some time.

Maybe the most insightful information here comes from former Chief Operating Officer at Microsoft, Robert Herbold. His contribution to the book is in the area of "standardizing practices across business functions". He says when you create a plan, "Delegate clearly and use very specific criteria for defining what you want to happen." To me this is simple - but profound! And this guy has proven the power of his insight. In the six years (1994-2000) he worked directly under Bill Gates things definitely "happened" for Microsoft. They experienced a fourfold increase in revenue and a sevenfold increase in profits. YOW-W-W ... THATS EXECUTION!

Home Again

Finally arrived home in Maine last night. It was a whirl-wind trip to Virginia. What a month this has been! Josey and I traveled thousands of miles in the last several weeks. I feel like I haven't slept in my bed much. Honestly, I don't know how touring musicians and such do it. I don't know if I could travel long distances on a regular basis.

On the other hand, I had a RICH experience officiating the wedding of a former church member last Saturday. Yes, she is now a "Mrs." ... and I am SO happy for her! After congratulating her with a big hug, I told her I felt proud - like she is my own daughter. Not possible - since we are different race, but the emotional connection was definitely there. Ah ... the life of a pastor. Its AWESOME!

We also enjoyed staying with our friends, the Womacks. We have been blessed to know them for about 7 years now. But it seems like we are life-long friends. They also attended a church where I was pastor, and are part of our extended church family. Its interesting how we 'connect' with some and not always others. Guess that's part of what "makes the world go around".

A Rich Experience

What a wonderful Veterans Day Josey and I enjoyed. I was invited to be part of a re-dedication ceremony for a war memorial erected right down the street from our home. This particular memorial is in honor of Corporal Oscar Hix whom was the first (and possibly 'only') South Thomaston resident known to have died in World War I.

Something I found very interesting, was a type of segregation between people of local communities. Not racial segregation but, it was a kind of pride that definitely divides. We are talking here about communities of 'maybe' 2000 residents. And yet there are very distinct feelings of pride about ones place of origin. Its somthing that is foreign to me. Then again, I am the "foreigner".

I never did well in school when studying history. I am not very proud of that - it just wasn't interesting to me. And someone with my smarts (or lack of it) needs a personal interest to motivate them to learn. But the Marines I met while pastoring close to Marine Corp Base Quantico sparked a new appreciation for the discipline of study. In case you don't know, learning and knowing 'war history' is HUGE for officers in the Corp. Its only now, in my early 50s that I realize how important history should be. And I am more motivated than ever to learn.

I think the most enjoyable part of the ceremony was not my participation in the ceremony itself. However, I felt tremendously honored with the invitation. The real joy was in meeting so many interesting people from the village. I was introduced to most of the South Thomaston Historical Society, and then to some of the 'history makers' themselves. It was fascinating to hear a 97 year old woman speak about her memories of the area. And we saw a few pictures of our street taken back in 1912. WOW ... that's rich!

Amy's random questions for MI-5:

Here goes;

1. Bath or Shower?
*I 'almost' always take showers because of the time factor. I guess that's because I see bathing as a basic part of hygiene. However, my wife has taught me some benefits of a hot bath ... more on that some other time. (:

2. If you are a beer drinker- what is your favorite? Is it a seasonal thing? If you aren't a beer drinker what is your favorite beverage and does it change with the season?
*I acquired a taste for beer several years ago ... especially with Mexican food. But due to my pastoral responsibilities these days, I don't drink it. But I DO enjoy a good fresh coffee. And I look forward to other hot beverages in the winter. My wife makes a wonderful spiced cider each Christmas - Its awesome!

3. Now that the election is over what is one thing you are looking forward to as "life resumes"?
*I will once again enjoy the evening news on TV. I got so disgusted with the political rhetoric of elections, that I had quit this form of evening relaxation.

4. If you were a board game what game would you be?
*I don't like that word ... wait, that's the word "bored" I don't like. I guess I would be Monopoly - because it has endured the test of time.

5. Do you like barbecue sauce? Do you have a favorite brand? A favorite barbecue dish?
*Oh Yeah! I grew up in the south where BBQ is king. Smokey Bones BBQ is some of the best. But I recently discovered a delicious sauce in California called, The Pepper Plant ... a rather 'spicy' recipe. I hope to find it in Maine - or maybe online. Its bottled by Blossom Valley Foods in Gilroy, California. It would be GREAT for chicken wings. Whew ... my mouth is salivating !!!

Never have I been SO HAPPY

Never have I been SO HAPPY for presidential 'campaigning' to end. Since I recently returned from vacation where I did not watch, read, or listen to the press, I felt I had some 'catching up' to do before voting ... especially on the local issues and referendums. So I spent considerable time 'online' the last few days - trying to increase my understanding of current issues. In the process I was both overwhelmed and embarrassed.

First, I was overwhelmed by an obvious 'war' in the press. I often hear Christian spokesman complain about a "liberal press". And quite honestly, that label never meant much to me. But at this time something has changed. Fox News (which I have always seen as being balanced in their reporting) seems to be over the top with attacks on liberals. And CNN has nothing good to say about conservatives ... if anything at all. Is this some kind of civil war of words? ... can we even call it "civil"?

Its unfortunate that the proposed policies of both Obama and McCain get lost in the public feuding. The average American is hard-pressed to get straight answers during the race - to understand where the candidates stand on important issues. All reporting of public information seems to be tainted by attacks of the opposition. And who do you believe is telling the truth?

The political rhetoric has become embarrassing. Everybody it seems, is slinging the proverbial "mud". Character attacks are constant, and somehow 'slander' has become accepted in the political arena. Nothing appears to be 'off limits'. I'll show my age here, but what of John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan. These great men spent little energy and resources 'bad-mouthing' the opposing candidate. They won an election based on the strength of their ideas and plans for the Country. SO WHAT HAPPENED?

I believe we (as a nation) have moved farther away from our Christian moorings. The Bible - at the very least, teaches people how to value and respect one another. But an American shift in philosophy and stance against religion in the 'public square' seems to be coming around to bite us. I see this as socially destructive ... while some no doubt see it as a good thing.
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA ... AGAIN!

Its been said, "Home is where the heart is." I'm not sure if that notion is rooted in geography or the warmth of relationships. But I gotta say, I'm glad to be back in Maine!

We left Los Angeles on a beautiful morning characterized by warm temps in the 80's and perfectly clear skies. But landing in Philly for a connecting flight was quite a different story. About half way between LA and Philly, the plane started lurching forward like a car hitting patches of black ice. Then the sudden drops in altitude started. WHEW ... my belly was full of butterflies. I probably looked like I was trying to sleep through it, but I was actually pleeding with God in prayer. Thankfully, the pilots were skilled and God merciful. We landed in the home of Major League champs to a big round of applause from all passengers onboard. Unfortunately, our connecting flight was cancelled and we would have 5 hours to kill before the next flight to Portland. Needless to say, we were exausted to finally arrive home at 2 am - some 20 hours after leaving my sister's house in Cal.

Now, BACK TO WORK !!!

The "Big Sur"

WOW ... WOW ! That's all I kept saying while riding the "Big Sur" area of California's Pacific Coast Highway.

Earlier this week, Josey and I rented a 2008 Honda Goldwing and cruised the coastline from Santa Monica to Monterey. There are many 25 mph curves and several switch-backs, but the scenery was 'breath-taking'. In a few places the road is narrow with no shoulder. And the drop is about 300 ft. straight down to the ocean. This ride is a serious challenge of riding skills.

It was the longest ride we have ever done - about 350 miles each direction. We rode all day long to reach Monterey. And then a full day's ride back. Though our 'backsides' got sore (I know, TMI), THIS RIDE WAS AWESOME ! I 'highly' recommend it for the "bucket list" of every motorcyclist.

RIDE ON!