140 Words Or Less

There’s a way of thinking prevalent in competitive environments like business or athletics (hello Miami Dolphins!), that in order to help someone become successful, you need to break them down in order to build them back up.  People require “tough love” to strip them of their illusions of adequacy and show them how much they need your help.  If feelings get hurt in the process, well, short term pain, long term gain.    The problem is that only non-living objects are improved by demolition. Nobody helps a tree grow by chopping it down.  Living things need to be nurtured with water and fertilizer and the occasional pruning, not decapitation.  Those who “break down” to “build up” reveal that they really see others like properties, not people.  Truth is, they’re really just scared of things that might grow bigger than them.    Word Count: 139

Faced with a scandal that threatened his political career, Rob Ford denied any wrongdoing. “ ‘This is unbelievable,’ he told the Star. ‘...Someone's trying to do a real hatchet job on me, let me tell you.’  But Tuesday, Ford made a 180-degree turn, admitting he had lied about the incident and apologizing for his behaviour... ...Ford says he is sorry about the incident and the fact he lied about it... ...‘Being in politics, you're in the spotlight all the time. I made a mistake. I made a major mistake. I really regret it'... ...'I came forward and admitted it. That's all I can do. I mean, I'm not perfect.’ "  You would think this was written today, but it's from  2006 “Disregard for the past will never do us any good.  Without it we cannot know truly who we are.”   - Syd Moore Word Count: 140

Most of my posts on this site tend to be about music, sports, politics, religion and God (sometimes all at the same time).  In the real world, I sell furniture for a living.  Once they found out I blogged,  I was co-opted as a contributor to The Upper Room Home Furnishings new website . So if you could care less about Banksy and Bono but you need some tips for designing yourself a pretty sweet Man Cave, just click  here . For my take on how to combine "His and Her" styles into one unified space, click  here . If room design isn't what you visit this blog for, don't worry.  More posts about Barack, Bands and Beatitudes will be coming soon.  

Banksy, the world famous artist, has been doing a month long “ residency ” on the streets of New York.  My favorite “exhibit” was the stall he set up in Central Park, offering signed, original Banksy pieces for $60.   The context in which we find things often determines how we value them.  The point Banksy was making is that “value” is really just hype.  Those same paintings displayed in a gallery would cause people to fight each other to pay $300,000 for them. Stripped of the cultural signifiers that tell us what’s “important”, the Banksy pieces appeared worthless.  Nobody thought these paintings were valuable because nobody expects to find anything valuable on the street.   I once paid $100 to see Feist perform at the National Arts Center but I’ve never given more than $5 to a homeless person.   Word Count: 140

I love music and I love arguing about music.  So occasionally I will be posting lists of my five favourite songs by a particular band or artist.  I expect you will disagree.  That’s what the comment section is for.   Let's do this! 5 Electrical Storm:  My totally irrational choice.  U2 themselves probably wouldn’t even put this in their top 25.    4 Where the Streets Have No Name:  The song that every worship leader wishes they had written and has spent their life trying to replicate.   3 Beautiful Day:  Hearing this song on the radio made me buy my first U2 album (And, ironically, what I thought at the time was the first “non-christian” album I had ever purchased. The joke was on me). 2 The Fly:  U2 is currently working on a new album.  If there is one song on there half as boundary pushing as The Fly, I will be supremely happy.   1 With Or Without You:...

A friend recently told me I should blog more.  My doctor says I need to spend more time exercising.  The school my kids attend would like me to volunteer more. My manager is wondering if I could come in early and stay late.  My wife wishes I could do more around the house and my kids want me to play with them more.  My in-laws want to know when we’re coming to visit.  My church only needs a “few hours” of my time.  There are “20 Must See Films”, “14 Can’t Miss TV Shows”, “50 Essential Albums” and “25 Must Read Books” I haven’t got to yet.  Personally, I’d like to upgrade my degree and write a book.   The mistake is to think that I need more time.  What I need is more wisdom to discern between essential and important.  Word Count: 140

Occasionally, people are crazy enough to ask me to come talk to them about life, God and other stuff that I spend my time wrestling with.  This past Sunday I had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts with the fantastic community of people at Stone Church in Toronto (www.stonechurch.ca).  I had a blast chatting with them about the prodigal son and why God doesn't love us like we think He does.   If you've got 40 minutes you want to burn, you can listen to it here: The Good News Is You Are Wrong