David Rische

“One of the strangest things is the act of creation.
You are faced with a blank slate—a page, a canvas, a block of stone or wood, a silent musical instrument.
You then look inside yourself. You pull and tug and squeeze and fish around for slippery raw shapeless things that swim like fish made of cloud vapor and fill you with living clamor. You latch onto something. And you bring it forth out of your head like Zeus giving birth to Athena.
And as it comes out, it takes shape and tangible form.
It drips on the canvas, and slides through your pen, it springs forth and resonates into the musical strings, and slips along the edge of the sculptor’s tool onto the surface of the wood or marble.
You have given it cohesion. You have brought forth something ordered and beautiful out of nothing.
You have glimpsed the divine.”

― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

It makes sense that the above quote refers to the divine, because God is the ultimate creator.  And being made in His image, we inherit the gift of creativity:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . . God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
(Genesis 1:1, 26)

One of the amazing things about creativity is that you can give and receive simultaneously when we choose to share it.  A powerful, inspirational, and enlightening force is unleashed when we make something out of that which was once nothing.  A common misconception is that we need to be artistic to be creative.  Part of the fascination regarding creativity is that it can be expressed in so many different arenas:

A stunning musical performance.

A mathematical breakthrough to solve a problem.

A film that can bring you to tears because of joy or sorrow.

A meal served in your home that truly belongs in a fine dining establishment.

A piece of writing or message that inspires you to take action.

The sharing of stories or jokes that make you laugh so hard it hurts.

A work of art that you can stare at and envision yourself in it.

A scientific breakthrough or invention that will improve the quality of life.

And on and on it goes . . . . .

Like every other worthwhile endeavor in this life – creativity is resisted, and has its enemies.  Fear.  Doubt.  Hesitation.  The Critic.  Embarrassment.  Worry.  Procrastination.  Comparison.  Time.  Frustration.

And on and on it goes . . . .

What are you going to choose to do with the ideas, talents, and skills that you uniquely possess?  Share them with the world (and be blessed at the same time)? Or, listen to the voices that are telling you to “stay in line, don’t make any waves, you’re not good enough, leave things the way they are . . . ”

I close with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite presidents, Teddy Roosevelt:

     It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly . . . who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.”

Please comment below sharing an activity that you enjoy doing, and you find yourself losing all track of time (a clear signal of creativity in action) . . .
If you haven’t already – please sign up at the top of the right hand column to be on our list to receive new material.  You will receive a verification email that asks you to confirm your subscription.  A free, full color eBook will be coming in July to all subscribers called Marketplace Ministry.  Have a great day! 🙂

My first thoughts when looking at the calendar were, “Oh good, a three-day weekend!” I had a completely different subject for a blog I’ve been working on the last two weeks. In the quiet of the morning, my heart tugged at me to draw attention as to the reasons why we have a  holiday on Monday.

Just like any other time in my life I need information – I went to Google to see the official definition of the Memorial Day Holiday (and the link led me to Wikipedia, the other great source of insight).  Here’s what it said:

“Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces.”

So I want to use this time and space to say “thank you” to those currently serving our country.  “Thank you” to the veterans who have served in the past.  And the ultimate “thank you” to those that have given their lives while serving.

Just a small sample of my military heroes:

1)  My deceased grandfather who served in North Africa during World War II.

2)  Former NFL safety Pat Tillman who turned down a mult-million dollar contract to serve as an Army Ranger, and ended up losing his life.

3) My friend Jeff from high school that made it through Ranger and Green Beret training.

4) My deceased brother-in-law Charlie who served in the Navy.

5) The deceased Major Dick Winters, a man I never met – but highly influenced my leadership style after reading about how he conducted himself during World War II.  Here are some of his highlights summarized from various portions of the book Band of Brothers by Steven Ambrose:

“Winters was one of the leaders of the United States Airborne Division ‘Easy Company’ during World War II.  It was a company that ended up taking 150 percent casualties and considered the Purple Heart a badge of office.  In Band of Brothers, Ambrose chronicles how Major Winters earned the respect of the men under his command by having high demands, but also by participating in everything that they did.  Winters personal code was:  ‘Follow me.’  He was described by the soldiers as a leader that took out more enemy troops – and entered into more risks than anyone else.  Even after the war was officially declared over, Winters could be found doing midnight training exercises with new recruits, while his fellow officers ‘cavorted in Paris.'”
This entry was discovered in Winters personal journal, “I did not forget to get on my knees and thank God for helping me to live through this day and ask for his help on D-Day plus one . . .”

My apologies to anyone I forgot to mention in this brief discourse.  Have a wonderful Memorial Day – and please leave a comment telling me about your military hero.

I use The Cloud on my computer, but please don’t ask me to explain it to you.  When I try to understand it – I just get more confused. I don’t comprehend how it can store information for an innumerable amount of people. I can’t see The Cloud. A brilliant group of minds developed it. Can the information be lost? Can it be hacked? Can The Cloud break down somehow???
To me, The Cloud has some of the same characteristics of God. Though evidence of Him is everywhere to me, I can’t actually see Him. His brilliance is beyond my comprehension. Many times I don’t understand His ways. How can He personally meet the needs of billions of people at the same time????

Believe or not, thousands of years ago, the ancient Israelites experienced some of the same feelings. However, God actually appeared to them in the form of a cloud!
The story takes place after the Israelites had been freed by Moses (powered by God) from hundreds of years of being slaves in Egypt.  During their long trek through the wilderness to reach their ultimate destination, God asked them to create a tent place of worship called The Tabernacle.  Only priests appointed by God could enter it.  Anyway, it helped give the Israelites a visual reminder about who was really leading them.  But The Tabernacle was portable.  Check out this scene from the book of Numbers, Chapter 9:

” . . .the cloud covered the tabernacle, . . . Whenever the cloud was lifted from over
the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the
cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp.  At the command of the Lord
the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp;
. . . Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the
tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out;
but when it was lifted, they did set out.”   (Numbers 9:  15-22)

Imagine the thoughts and feelings going through the minds of the Israelites:

“Uh, we just unpacked – now we have to leave again?”
“Last time He only took a day to move us – now we’ve been waiting for several months and nothing is happening!”
“Why is God treating us this way, is this some type of game to Him?”
“I feel like I have no control over my life.”
“Maybe it wasn’t so bad in Egypt after all . . .”

Sound familiar?  If we’re honest, we’d probably have felt the same way.  And if we’re completely honest, we probably feel some of those things now.

We can do one of two things with response to God as “The Cloud.”
We have the choice to either experience frustration or freedom.

Similar to the Israelites, the frustration lies in trying to figure out God’s timetable, thinking that we could do things better our way, and becoming impatient with Him.

The freedom lies in knowing that someone with unending power is in control.  He does have a plan and a path for my life.  He wants me to trust Him moment by moment.  It would be nice to have a “rough draft” for the next several months or years, but He doesn’t work that way.

BTW – one of my family’s favorite activities is to marvel at the cloud formations and take pictures.  The clouds are artistic, creative, peaceful, different every day, and create an internal sense of wonder – just like God 🙂

When we think of leaders, the first thoughts that usually come to mind are CEOs, government officials, civil servants, religious figures, etc.  Leadership expert John Maxwell simplifies the definition for us. “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.”  So logically, if you influence another person, you are a leader.  All the way from the corporate executive to the stay-at-home mom (and everyone in-between).

I have always enjoyed quotations, that is one of my favorite features about Twitter. Here are two quotes that have inspired me in my leadership journey:

First, “The Principal sets the tone for the building.”
Todd Whitaker

The wording could easily be changed to fit your particular situation:

The manager sets the tone for the business.
The chef sets the tone for the kitchen.
The flight crew sets the tone for the flight.
The pastoral staff sets the tone for the church.
The teacher sets the tone for the classroom.
The parents set the tone for their household.
The fast food attendant sets the tone for the food chain (see Chick Fil-A for how to do it right).

And so on, and so forth. Our attitudes and actions have an impact that we can’t even measure or observe. People are watching whether we want them to or not. Just think of all the key people who have influenced your life – unless you specifically told them, they probably don’t realize the impact they had. And that is the great challenge – what kind of “tone” are we setting? For all of the great leaders that have crossed our paths – there are also those whose “tone” has had a negative impact on our lives.

Second, “Failure is success if we learn from it.”
Malcolm Forbes

Many of us are recovering Perfectionists.  We’ve lived with the false perception that if something isn’t perfect – it isn’t right.  We’ve wired our minds to think that all mistakes are bad, a reflection on who we are, and that people will probably lose confidence in us.  It is until we cross the chasm of seeing mistakes as learning opportunities, chances to think deeper, solve problems, build our character, and to grow as a person –  then we can catch a glimpse of the success Forbes was referring to.

Bonus quote:  “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan

Please comment below.  What is one your favorite quotes:

Since it is the month for Valentine’s Day, I thought we would take a look at its’ most popular symbol. No, not cupids – the heart! We all know the complete dependence we have on it in the physical realm for keeping us alive. It also has amazing capabilities that we are unaware of.

A study was done by the Institute for HeartMath.  Their conclusion revealed that the heart’s electromagnet energy is 5,000 times more powerful that the brain, and the heart’s power extends around you in a circle that is 8-10 feet in diameter. (Kristin Robertson, Finding the Calm, Society Life, 2010).
Think of the personal applications if our heart actually extends beyond ourselves.  The author of this finding goes on to explain:  “Because our hearts are so powerful, this practice not only blesses you, but it blesses those around you.  Remember your heart’s energy can be measured at 10 feet away, so imagine walking through your day surrounded by your heart-space bubble that extends in all directions for 10 feet.  How many people touched by your heart bubble and are either blessed by it or repelled by it?  Be conscious of what energy your heart is radiating.” (Kristen Robertson)

That makes sense why people say (before speaking with you):  “What are you so happy about?”  or  “What’s wrong – I can tell that something is bothering you?”

What is exactly “the heart” in the spiritual realm?
A key verse is found in Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  Whoa.  Wait a second.  Slow down.  “Above all else . . . .”  somehow this should take priority.  This must be really important while we exist here on planet earth.  Why?  The next phrase explains:  ” . . . because it is the wellspring of life” or as another translation says, “. . . all life flows from it.”

So beyond it being a physical organ that radiates energy and should be protected – what is a satisfying definition of “the heart”?  It is difficult, because the phrase can be used in so many ways:

Bless your little heart.

He broke her heart. 

You have a kind, brave, and noble heart.

That kid’s got heart to finish the race despite her injury. 

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked  . . . . (Jeremiah 17:9)

I will give you a new heart. (Ezekiel 36:26)

And on and on it goes . . . . .

In the book, Waking the Dead, author John Eldredge gives this insightful perspective:

“The subject of the heart is addressed in the Bible more than any other topic – more than works or service, more than belief or obedience, more than money, and even more than worship. . . The heart is the deep center of our life . . . The heart is who we are.  The real self. . . . My heart is me.  The real me.  Your heart is you.  The deepest, truest you.  That is why the heart is central, for what shall we do if we dismiss our self?” (pg. 39, 50)

That explains why when Jesus was asked “What is the greatest commandment?”, He immediately replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22: 36,37)

It looks like the Tin Man was really on to something . . . . .

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How often do we hear the above response?  In our crazy, busy lifestyles – we seem to have forgotten that one of the original Ten Commandments was to take a Sabbath Day (a day of rest) at least once a week.   I wanted to share a few quotes from a book I would strongly recommend to anyone who feels like they are running at full speed on a hamster wheel. It is called Addicted to Busy by Brady Boyd, and can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=addicted+to+busy+recovery+for+the+rushed+soul&sprefix=addicted+to+b%2Cstripbooks%2C221

See if any of these quotes resonate with you:

• “If we do not allow for a rhythm of rest in our overly busy lives, illness becomes our Sabbath – our pneumonia, our cancer, our heart attack, our accidents create Sabbath for us.”  (pg. 33)
• “Ultimately, every problem I see in every person I know is a problem of moving too fast for too long in too many aspects of life.”  (pg. 44)
• “God is not merely a peaceful person; God, in fact, is peace.  When we sit in God’s presence, we’re sitting in the presence of peace.” (pg. 56)
• “I have a theory on this, which is that busyness is our means to impress.  If I’m busy, then I’m important, and if I’m important, then you’ll be impressed.  Right?”  (pg. 70)
• “I’ve been to Jerusalem on several occasions, and each time I’m there over a Sabbath, I’m struck by how seriously the Jews take their day of rest.  In Jerusalem, you can’t get anything done on the Sabbath.  Nothing.  The whole town essentially shuts down. . . . I guarantee all Jewish shopkeepers are closed for the day.  They’re at home or at a synagogue with their families, enjoying a Sabbath meal, enjoying the pleasure of one another’s company, and enjoying the inner strength that comes when we rest.” (pg. 83-84)
• “‘Jesus obeyed a deeper rhythm,'” . . . . Absolutely, he does just that:  engage, engage, engage, withdraw . . . . engage, engage, engage, withdraw . . . . It’s how we’re invited to live too.”  (pg. 105)
• “Something always interrupts our rest, because real rest is always opposed.”  (pg. 164)

And in conclusion – my favorite part:

• ” . . . . we think if we don’t get every room vacuumed, every bookshelf dusted, every meal made by hand, every child’s homework folder initialed, every birthday party attended, every plant watered, every inch of grass mowed, every load of laundry folded, every lacrosse practice made, every book read, every app mastered, every televised sporting event watched, every everything done, we will somehow be lesser human beings. I myself had lived according to that philosophy for far too many years.  I’m here to tell you it’s bunk.  The whole philosophy is bunk.  The universe will keep on spinning, and you will keep on being a great person, even if a few things are left undone.
• “A New Zealand Prayer Book has a fantastic prayer in it called “Night Prayer,” and one of the stanzas reads,

“It is night after a long day.

What has been done has been done;

what has not been done has not been done;

let it be.”    (pg. 89)

Great advice “let it be.”  Or, as the psalmist once wrote:

“Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10)

Please comment below.  Besides napping, what are activities you do that bring you “rest”?   And if you haven’t already, please sign up for my email list 🙂

Will the movie industry as we know it now take on the same future as VCR tapes (once great, now almost obsolete, replaced by digitally enhanced home theaters)?

Words of warning come from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas during an interview in 2013:

“The two legendary filmmakers were speaking at the University of Southern California as part of the festivities surrounding the official opening of the Interactive Media Building, three stories high and part of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Steven Spielberg on Wednesday predicted an “implosion” in the film industry is inevitable, whereby a half dozen or so $250 million movies flop at the box office and alter the industry forever. What comes next — or even before then — will be price variances at movie theaters, where “you’re gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you’re probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln.” He also said that Lincoln came “this close” to being an HBO movie instead of a theatrical release.

George Lucas agreed that massive changes are afoot, including film exhibition morphing somewhat into a Broadway play model, whereby fewer movies are released, they stay in theaters for a year and ticket prices are much higher. His prediction prompted Spielberg to recall that his 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial stayed in theaters for a year and four months.”
See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-predicts-implosion-film-567604#sthash.Zon1Mj8I.dpuf

I love the movies.  But I hate the prices. Unless tickets are given to us, my family has already been priced out of going to a professional sporting event.  When you add up all the costs:  tickets, parking, food, drinks, souvenir bobble-head – that is a lot of groceries, or savings toward a future vacation.  So will the movies be next?

Let’s break down the cost of a movie.  Tickets are about $10 for an evening feature.  Popcorn is about $6.  Drinks are about $6.  And of course candy is around $3.  So basically $25 per person, close to 100 bucks for a family of four.  And then, what if it turns out being a bad movie???????

Movies hold such a nostalgic place in my heart.  As a kid, the classics would come on television once a year.  Or, we would eagerly anticipate what two features would be at the local theater.

The Wizard of Oz inspired me to believe in good over evil.

Brian’s Song was the first movie I teared up over (I made sure no one saw me).

The 10 Commandments gave me a visual connection to my faith.

Star Wars was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen on a screen (it was 1977 mind you).

Jaws absolutely terrified me (and I loved it), however, I was afraid to take a bath that night.

Anything from Disney studios sparked my creativity and imagination.

I could go on and on.  I frequently use movie clips in my teaching to further strengthen a point that words aren’t enough for.

Yes, there are ways around the prices with loyalty cups & loyalty t-shirts, no snacks, coupons, gift cards, matinees, student & senior discounts.  However, in the next few years, I am curious to see if Spielberg and Lucas are correct in their predictions.  Where do you think the movie industry is headed?  Please comment below.  Hope 2015 is your best year yet! 🙂

Forget Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Wacky Wednesday, etc.  Next time you go grocery shopping, try these basic techniques listed below.

1)  Take cash:  Dave Ramsey and all the other financial experts are correct –  we spend less when we discipline ourselves to use cash only.  I magically become Scrooge when I only have a certain amount of money in my wallet.

2) Use specialty coupons that come in the mail:  It took me about two years to realize that the computer systems were tracking my purchases.  I would get a packet of coupons based on all the things we consistently consume.  And yet, I would ponder,  “How does Kroger know I liked Super- Sized Nutella?”  I know, it is a pain to remember to bring them.  Maybe keep them stored under the seat of the car you usually grocery shop with???

3)  Go grocery shopping after a heavy meal:  Enough said, this one speaks for itself.

5)  If physically able, carry a basket instead of pushing a cart:  I did this the other day, and was amazed at how selective I was regarding what went into the basket.  Normally, I would mindlessly toss these items in a cart –

Keebler M&M Cookies @ $3.49

BBQ Rib Flavored Potato Chips @ $3.99

8 pack of little bottled Cokes @ $4.99

Blue Bell Ice Cream (not on sale) @ $7.99

I already had a gallon of milk in my other hand, so I had to say “no” to these items.  Add that up, and I saved a whopping $20.46!!!  We go to the grocery store at least 2-3 times a week.  Multiply that figure out and at the minimum we could be saving $163.68 a month!  With savings like that every month, new realms open up in the financial landscape of our lives.  Now additional funding is freed up for critical and prioritized items such as Lord of the Rings collectibles, Star Wars memorabilia, and Batman merchandise. 🙂

Give this a try, and please comment below with your results.  Or, please share any other money-saving tips you have had success with.  If you haven’t already, please sign up to receive this blog emailed directly to your inbox.  Blessings! 🙂

What is wrong with having the character quality of perseverance?
Absolutely nothing.  It is one of the most highly desirable qualities to possess.  However, getting things done or obtained quickly is becoming the norm. Two definitions reveal how perseverance can be classified as “dirty”.

The first is that perseverance is dirty, and I want to stay away from it. Like trying to avoid getting scuff marks on my brand new pair of white Nike’s.
There is a challenge – my choices are easily avoidance, denial, and quitting.  Whatever I am desiring to obtain – it is simply not worth the effort. Or, I can go through life letting others or my electronic devices think for me in decision-making, finding out information, directions, preferences for what I like, and put together a research project with minimal effort beyond a few clicks on the computer.  The mantra of:  If at first you don’t succeed – quit!  I’ve been there, have you?  It took me almost three years to self publish my first book of about 50 pages.  And it isn’t because I’m slow on the keyboard.  I became close allies with Procrastination, Discouragement, Resignation, and Diminishment.  Fortunately, Perseverance beat up those false allies.

The second way that perseverance is dirty is a good thing.  It is associated with getting your hands filthy, messy, hard work, grit, thinking outside the box, facing pain,being stretched and challenged, forced out of your comfort zone, and embracing an indomitable spirit that won’t give up.

Three of my favorite stories of perseverance come from the entertainment world:

1) Sports:  QB Kurt Warner – he took two perennial losing teams to the Super Bowl (Rams and Cardinals) and was voted as the league MVP.  He had to overcome not being drafted by a team, playing in the Arena Football League, stocking shelves at a grocery store to pay the bills, and sit on the bench for years while less talented players were given the starting position.
2) Movies:  Sylvester Stallone – in the 1970s he had written a script about an underdog boxer named Rocky that Hollywood was not interested in.  United Artists took a chance on him, ultimately leading to an Academy Award for best picture.  Five decades later he is still making movies!
3) Music:  U2 – they initially broke up in their early beginnings out of frustration and lack of progress.  They were rejected twice by every recording company they attempted to get a contract with.  They had to eat humble pie and borrow money from their parents to support their first tour of London.  Now, they are frequently referred to as “The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World.”

Two things stand out with these and other stories of perseverance:

*The people involved had an unstoppable belief that they had something of value to offer, thereby making the world a better place.  They absolutely refused to quit until their was no other way humanly possible to accomplished what they envisioned.
*People who persevere have someone who believes in them.  They can see past the current circumstances and give an opportunity, continual encouragement, finances, a contract, public exposure, or whatever else is needed at that particular time.

How many of us were (or are) on the threshold of success only to give up inches away from a major breakthrough?

Thanks for reading – please share your favorite story of perseverance in the comments section.  Or, is there something you are working through right now needing perseverance?

This is the reason I haven’t posted a blog since July 18th 🙂  My first published book is called Five Prayers That Can Change History.  Count this as five blogs in one!  To order from the Amazon CreateSpace e-Store please click on this link:

https://www.createspace.com/4632454

Or, go directly to Amazon.com and search under the book section.  Also available on Kindle.  Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement in person, on FB, and Twitter.  I’m already working on a sequel . .

🙂