Inform - the most common and generally the hardest to measure value.  If I own the meeting, my goal should be to make sure the intentions of the meeting are clear in order to limit and compel those that have an interest to attend.

Act - a working meeting where value is measure in completion of tasks

Decide - all meetings involve decision making at some level, but a meeting established for the purpose of making a specific decision requires substantial planning: making sure the correct information is presented, that the decision request is clear, that those making the decision are present and it’s clear who owns the decision. The value of these meetings are measured by clarity of the decisions.

My goal is to make my meetings matter.  Whether I facilitate or attend, be prepared, be clear, be decisive.

Wingsuit Flying

What bothers you more: Things that you disagree with or things that may change you? I suppose that being forty means that I’m set in my ways and have formed strong opinions about many things. I have a core that will not easily be shaken.

Sitting in church today, I learned about a series of upcoming sermons that will be focused on the parables of Jesus. Though familiar, there will be some perspectives shared that will be uncomfortable for me and others. To Pastor Dave I say, “Bring it on.” I don’t expect the essence of the gospel (part of my core) to be challenged, but I should be open to the idea that what I understood the meaning of a parable to be for thirty years, might be a bit more confusing ,challenging or paradoxical.

Tomorrow I’ll read the news. I’ll see and hear many ideas and opinions that are different from my own. In most cases, I can articulate why I disagree, but I will certainly listen to the opinion of others, first to understand, second to decide whether or not it matters to have a strong opinion, and third to form/adjust/share my opinion.

The next time you’re bothered, figure out why it matters so much to you. Then do something about it.

Remember the last time someone cut you off on the freeway? Or when your child repeatedly disobeyed you? I do and both times my reaction was beyond what was appropriate. I’ve been reading a little book by Richard Baxter on anger management. I don’t consider myself to have ‘anger issues’ but it is an area for me to improve. Baxter discusses occasions when anger is sinful. Some examples:

• When it disturbs our reason, and hinders us from thinking rightly.
• When it causes us to act unbecomingly, so as to use sinful words or actions.
• When it is greater in measure than that which provoked the anger.

What’s my point? I think a lot of us, me included, feign anger, hurt, many other things, for personal and selfish reasons. When things are not going our way we try to redirect the situation. There may be circumstances where this can be justified, but think about it the next time it’s not. What’s a better way to respond? For someone who does this all the time, watch Everybody Love Raymond.

Reading through the Bible can be a daunting task. Here are some suggestions on different ways to approach it, from Justin Taylor’s blog.

• Lifetime Fitness
• Lightroom for most of my photo needs
• My wife, my kids
• Google Reader - love it but I wouldn’t call it efficient. Don’t forget to add iotaoflife.com as a subscription
• Delta tools are hand for building pinewood derby cars for cub scouts
• Home Depot - paint for the girls’ room this week. something else every other week
• Chai tea - my daily indulgence
• Podcasts - see my previous blog entry
• Our neighbors
• Open Door
• Living in America
• Lost - 11 days to go

My dislikes:

• Really cold weather without snow. How many snowstorms have been promised but missed our house this year?
• The pile - every house has one and it grows until it must be destroyed (or sorted)
• Forgetting why I went upstairs…or downstairs
• Verbing of the English language. Have you noticed how often people use words as verbs when they’re not meant for that?
• Phrases like, “It is what it is”
• Long blog entries
• Anything Hershey’s, except mint kisses
• Recycling bins that are too small

Here are some that I listen to with some frequency:

• Marketplace by American Public Media - daily finanical program
• Marketplace Money by APM - weekly financial program
• Cato Institute - libertarian daily program
• Future Tense by APM - daily technology program
• Electric Politics - current issues
• Geek News Central - daily fix of technology tidbits
• Mars Hill Church - Marc Driscoll sermons
• Acts 29 Network - church planting discussions
• NPR Talk of the Nation - American politics and culture
• NPR Technology Podcast - technology review
• This American Life - stories about life
• Dennis Prager - conservative radio show

Here are some others that I listen to with less frequency:

• Great Ideas Podcast at Johns Hopkins University
• Politics of Culture from KCRW - more politics and culture discussion
• The Sound of Ideas Podcast - Ohio issues
• Hugh Hewitt - conservative radio show
• WNYC Brian Lehrer Show - various issues on politics and culture

I certainly don’t agree with everything I hear, but I like to hear multiple perspectives. It’s also easy to fast forward or move on to the next thing. I’m always looking for new programs so pass along your favorites.

It’s never been a struggle for me to come up with resolutions. The more ubiquitous goals like losing weight, reading more, praying more and improving time management are easy to share, albeit ordinary. Others don’t make the final cut because they are either too personal, too difficult or poorly defined. I have learned that objectives or goals need to be SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. In addition to SMART goals, choosing the right number is just as important for me. To avoid any possible diagnosis of renaissance man syndrome in 2009, my top level list is short.

• Skill - learn guitar beyond the few chords I keep relearning every few months. It may mean taking some lessons.
• Behavior - more regular workout, beyond weekends. I receive a lot of motivation from my wife. A second behavior is to break the habit of vending machines and soda. It’s costly in health and dollars.
• Heart - more compassion and deeper love toward my children, my wife and those around me.
• Mind -be a better conversationalist
• Soul - more consistent prayer and Bible reading

Perhaps I can extend I Thessalonians 5:11 to how we think about our New Year’s resolutions, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”