When I was kid, magnifying glasses had special place in my heart.  My Great Grandmother had a massive, old-fashioned magnifying glass that she used for reading.  I was allowed to take the magnifying glass on outdoor excursions in the small wood lot that separated her home from my Grandparents home.  I would peer deeply into that small part of the natural world, and discover some intriguing, hidden details.  Oh yeah, and I burned holes in a whole lot of leaves.  When we look deeply into the fabric of the natural world, it offer us insights about the core dynamics at play there.  The same could be said about the fabric of culture…

When we look closely at the fabric of a given culture, we find that it’s essentially defined by the collective application of a particular set of values.  These cultural values might be stated, but we really have to look closely at how people live to discover their actual values.  To be sure, there are countless subcultures, embedded within mainstream culture, that shape and influence people….  And these subcultures shape the mainstream culture.  The osmosis effect of the subcultures that we immerse ourselves in wields a major influence on our hopes, our dreams, and our very identity…

Much of what we learn in life about values, relationships and even faith, are modeled to us by the influential people in our lives.   This is especially true for children.  We see attributes and virtues displayed by all sorts of people throughout our lives, but the ones closest to us can really leave a mark.  Sometimes, it’s actually the absence of values that leaves a mark on us.  Yet, no matter the past, we are each endowed with the opportunity to touch lives, to make a difference, to leave an imprint on culture.  People who shape culture consistently apply their values, learn from their mistakes and develop a deep sense of confidence in their identity.  When a community of people live that way, it’s viral….

A community of people with a purposeful sense of identity can actually create culture.  Culture defines nations and authors history.

I hit a major turning point in my life was when I recognized the origins of truth, and the nature of grace.  I still have a whole lot to learn, but my compass is a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  The eternal power of Jesus comes from knowing who he is, and believing in what he did (John 3:16).  This sometimes means making some blatantly counter-cultural decisions.  Once we right ourselves with God, through Jesus, something crazy amazing starts to happen within us.  We become attentive to the still, small voice….  We begin growing in wisdom and in truth….  We start asking deeper questions….  And we become part of His movement, a movement that creates culture.

I think we all want to be difference-makers.  I think we’re all searching for true north.  I think we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  When we look deeply into the hearts of those who truly make a difference, we find that they’re values-driven to a fault.  They do believe in something bigger.  In the face of cultural opposition and the internal struggles that we each face, these cultural architects inspire us to remain faithful, anyway….

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

- The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith

Well, the drama, the historical weight and the fanfare of  Super Bowl XLVI (46) is almost upon us!  It’s the Giants versus the Patriots!  I’m excited not just because I like football, but because my small group is going all out with a low country boil!  I still don’t think that Amy, my wife, knows what teams are playing, but she’s on top of the menu and every other detail for our Super Bowl Shindig.  That’s what’s great about the Super Bowl, it’s a transcendent cultural event that brings friends together.  We love sport in America, and we understand that our character is displayed by how we play the game.

Leading up to the Super Bowl, football fans have read and watched some intriguing feature stories about players who’ve made it to the big game.  I always enjoy hearing a person’s story, and I’m a huge fan of the high-profile NFL players and coaches who show strong character through the adversity and the challenges that a season of Pro Football inevitably brings.  There’s always some great stories and intriguing dynamics that make for some great subplots in big games.  The story of a person, and of a team, creates a certain intangible dynamic, or psyche, that impacts how we play the game…

The most interesting dynamic of this year’s Super Bowl has to be the rematch aspect.  The New York Giants and the New England Patriots also faced off in Super Bowl XLII (42) in 2008.  The Patriots were heavily favored to win Super Bowl 42 after coming off a historical undefeated regular season.  Tom Brady and the Patriots offense appeared unstoppable.  The underdog Giants shocked the football world with a 17-14 win that was defined by their formidable defense, and some big plays from their QB, Eli Manning in Super Bowl 42.

I have been fascinated with how football analysts, and my friends alike, are picking the winner of this year’s game.  Almost everyone is picking the Giants, yet odds-makers actually favor the Patriots by a three-point margin.  There’s clearly a shared intuition among the fans that the Giants are going to win.  I wonder what’s fueling that intuition.  Is it a critical analysis of the factors that will impact the game, or the fact that the Pats were a much bigger favorite in 2008 and lost?  Hmmmm…..

The better team on paper is, once again, the Patriots.  The Patriots have a much better record and better offensive stats this season.  Yet, we can all sense that the Giants are playing their best football at the right time.  Since the Vegas odds-makers are picking the Patriots, and the majority of the analysts and fans are picking the Giants, who is the underdog?  Well, I can tell you that Coach Belichick is telling his Patriots that they are the underdogs, and Coach Coughlin is telling his Giants that they are.  Hmmmm…..

The underdog card carries some motivation.  In spite of being extremely high-paid professionals, NFL players and coaches understand that the collective psyche of the team will play a vital role in the outcome of this game.  That’s what I love about sports.  Things don’t always play out the way they appear on paper.  Real people get to decide the outcome by how they play the game.  That should motivate me and you as we think about our future.  We can overcome the odds by how we play the game, and by placing our trust in the right things (most importantly, the right person; Jesus).

OK, who’s your pick to win the big game? I’m taking the Giants 31 – 24.

A Lemonade Stand is the perfect model for launching a successful small business.  Lemonade Stand Entrepreneurs clearly understand how the value of their product will meet a specific consumer need…. Everyone needs refreshment, and a cool glass of lemonade is a great way to refresh yourself.  What I love the most about Lemonade Stand Entrepreneurs is the contagious passion that fuels their simple mission…

Lemonade Stand Entrepreneurs sell just one product, and they completely understand every production and distribution detail about their product.  These entrepreneurs take their product to the marketplace with very low start-up costs, or overhead, so they operate in the black almost overnight.  These entrepreneurs run a cash only business on both sides of the ledger, so they’re masters at sourcing supplies like ice and cups.

Kids that launch Lemonade Stands recognize a consumer need, and they quickly create a customer base for themselves by meeting that need.  That’s the basis for the Lemonade Stand business model.   Kids can even learn about some basic business principles, including the distinctly American value of entrepreneurial initiative, when they launch a Lemonade Stand.  A Lemonade Stand is a temporal endeavor that’s best suited for children, but it provides a great illustration of a key principle that’s at play in the larger work-life journey…

The Lemonade Stand has been around for a long time, and no one has really done much to change it.  However, a successful Lemonade Stand proprietor must consistently get the small stuff right, like using freshly squeezed lemon juice and serving their product with enough ice.  Have you ever considered how much value consumers place on the type, and the quantity, of ice served by fast food establishments?  Ice is such a simple, yet valuable, component that’s woven into the value proposition of fast food restaurants, and Lemonade Stands… Perhaps true innovation in business, and life, is more about sustaining a focused approach than chasing the next great idea….

A focused and passionate work-ethic plows the most fertile ground for innovation, growth and future opportunities.

I think we sometimes go awry when we begin to compare ourselves with the achievements of our peers.  It’s an easy trap to get snagged by.  Not only does this trap snag us individually, it snags multimillion dollar corporations as well.  It’s healthy to be inspired by our peers, it’s unhealthy to envy success in others to the point that we lose sight our own unique opportunities.

I’m not suggesting that we should not think, strategize and dream about innovations and opportunities.  Quite the opposite… I’m suggesting that these innovations and opportunities are birthed down in the trenches.  I’m suggesting that opportunities and innovations are often closer than we think.  A focused and passionate approach begins by understanding our customers.  A clear understanding of our customer’s needs and expectations is the foundation of meeting those needs and exceeding those expectations.  Those are the goals, right?

Even if you’re not too concerned with the bottom line of your employer, it’s still in your best interest to meet and exceed the expectations of your customers.  Satisfied customers are the best friends of your career goals and aspirations.  That goes for external and internal customers alike.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ – Matthew 25:23

So, I’m reminding you, and me, to stay focused on the responsibilities of today as we dream about the possibilities of tomorrow.  That’s how we’ll make a difference and foster innovative solutions to for life and for business.  Did you ever have a Lemonade Stand as a kid?  How about any other youthful small businesses ventures?

It’s pretty uncommon for temperatures to drop below freezing in Central Georgia, and certainly not remain there for the better part of a day.  We seem to have socks-optional weather almost year-round down South.  This morning, however, it was a brisk twenty-one degrees when I took my daughters to school.  That’s some pretty chilly weather here, so I went with socks and extra coffee this morning.  OK, so I go with extra coffee every morning, but the warm mug and the socks really helped take the chill off….

Climate is such a defining aspect of how we describe the region in which we live.  We’re fairly incessant about watching The Weather Channel and checking our weather apps.  Outside of big weather events, it’s actually fairly easy to adapt our daily lives to the seasonal weather patterns.  Our conveniences are bountiful.  Most of us have plenty of blankets, warm jackets, central heat and even water heaters.  The weather doesn’t really slow us down, especially when it comes to our recreational pursuits….

We actually leverage the weather conditions for our recreational pursuits across the U.S.  Additionally, sports that are played outdoors, like football and soccer, typically don’t miss a beat due to the weather.   My son had soccer training last night in the freezing weather.  We packed his soccer gear and dressed him warmly.  We made sure that he had ample nutrition in his body, and we filled his water bottle full of fresh, clean water.  It was pretty easy to get him geared up and ready.  Recreation is actually quite a privilege….

We often take for granted the incredible array of modern conveniences that allow us to function so fluidly as individuals and as families.  Our conveniences allow us to carve out more time for recreation, education, work and other worthy pursuits, because the basic elements of sustenance are so readily available to us.  Imagine if we didn’t have electricity and running water, much less central heat and stainless steel fridges with built-in water filtration systems.  To say the least, life would be different for us.  Man, we are just so blessed, and those blessing are so full of promise….

Gratitude is a force within all of us that’s just waiting to rise to the surface like water gushing from a freshly tapped well.

For nearly a billion people on our planet, it takes a tremendous effort to access the most basic element of life; water. One billion!  Not only that, this water is profoundly unsanitary.  Basic society just can’t be established without sustained access to clean water.  Here’s the compelling case from charity: water to do something about this crisis:

Diseases from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are of children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.

Check out this brief video for more info….

Water Changes Everything. from charity: water on Vimeo.

charity: water makes it easy to partner with their mission; to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.  We can tailor our own charity: water campaigns, then drive them through a custom webpage.  I’m excited that my Longleaf Church Community Group (Small Group) is launching a charity: water campaign, and we’ve added a fun and engaging twist!

Here’s how we will embark on this campaign together….

• Our fundraising goal is to raise $1000 by the end of March.  This amount will provide clean and safe drinking water for 50 people!

• Our fundraising plan is to share a journey with our supporters.  We will be taking a family hike together on a Saturday morning in late February, or early March, while taking turns carrying a forty pound container of water.  This hike represents the arduous daily journey that so many impoverished people must take to get access to water, which is usually unsanitary.

• Our fundraising strategy will be to ask the Fried Grits readership, friends and family to support us.  We are asking for one-time gifts of $20, $50 or $100.  Gifts are made directly to charity: water electronically via our campaign page.  Click HERE see our campaign page and make a contribution!

Thanks for your support!  We’ll keep you posted.  Have you ever done anything together as a family, or a small group, to support social justice or attack poverty?

I really love Christmas Movies.  How many times have you referenced a scene from one of your favorite Christmas Movie this week!?  They’re just ingrained into our culture.  I love all the classics, such as It’s A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol.  I also love the new classics, such as Elf, Home Alone, A Christmas Story AND Christmas Vacation.  Christmas movies are great, because they help bring families and friends together, and they highlight some basic truths in memorable ways…

George Bailey, the central character in It’s A Wonderful Life, comes to mind as my favorite Christmas movie character.  After George recognized the depth of his influence upon the lives of his family and friends, he experienced an awakening around what matters most.  My favorite Christmas movie scene is not as notable as George Bailey, but I’ll bet it’s familiar to you nonetheless.  My favorite Christmas movie scene is from Christmas Vacation.  Let me set it up for you…

Clark Griswold had worked tirelessly to fire up “two-hundred and fifty strands of lights with one-hundred twinkling lights per strand, for a grand total of twenty-five thousand imported Italian Twinkle Lights.”  Clark stapled the lights all over the roof of his suburban home, and he had struggled mightily to power-up his lights.  Finally, the lights were lit and Clark’s family joined him on the lawn to take-in the extravagant display of lights.

An aerial perspective of The Griswold home.

As Clark moved from family member to family member hugging them, and anticipating that the lights would bring them some small measure of Christmas joy, each family member responded with gratitude, except one, Clark’s father-in-law, Art.  “The little lights aren’t twinkling”, said Art.  “I know Art, and thanks for noticing”, Clark replied.  Aside from the great humor, Art’s response to Clark reinforces a profound truth for me.

A great struggle of this life pits the peace illuminated by Christmas against the malcontent spread by the darkness.  Jesus Christ brought eternal peace for our souls, if we believe in him.  Yet, the battle within us rages because the darkness hates the peace, so the darkness attacks the peace with deception, and it uses absolutely everything at its disposal.

Think about it.  The struggles of this life are mostly internal.  Sometimes, misguided people will say and do things to you without thinking, without proper context and without regard for your diligent efforts. Unfortunately, we tend to internalize and dwell on those negative words and deeds, instead of the encouraging words that come to us so much more often.  Legitimate encouraging words and deeds aren’t always optimistic, but they are always genuine.

Art wasn’t genuine, he was just bitter.  Clark quickly deflected Art’s comment and moved-on.  Who knew that Clark W. Griswold Jr. had some wisdom in him!  The key to repelling those ill-timed attacks is; to recognize them as attempts to undermine our peace, to pray for those that might offend us and to maintain our focus on the right stuff…

The peace found through Christ transforms our souls, but the darkness works overtime to challenge our joy, and erode our resolve.  The darkness seeks to leverage our insecurities, and make us feel inadequate.  The darkness wants us to just give-up the fight.  The darkness even seeks to leverage the insecurities of others to assail our peace from the sidelines of life.

The birth of Jesus paved the way for us to become God’s children.  Jesus settled the score, and brought peace for our souls.  Peace that surpasses all else that is known, or seen.  This Christmas, my prayer for you, and for me, is to experience the peace of Christmas.  Peace that….

• illuminates the hope that lies within us.
• makes us courageous.
• prods us to grow in wisdom.
• fuels our dreams and unleashes our talents.
• makes us quick to forgive, and slow to anger.
• allows us to appreciate the moment.
• makes us want to hug our families every single day.
• inspires us to make a difference.
• conquers the darkness.
• restores our souls.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 TNIV)

What’s your favorite Christmas movie, or your favorite Christmas movie scene?