Tough Love -- Oct. 30, 2008

A happy 40th to my Sister! (No, this is NOT the tough part! I'm coming to that part...)

I have done mean things in my life and I can come across a bit aloof at times but I would not categorize myself as a mean person. In fact, I often will go out of my way not to be mean and sometimes I loose out because I am not assertive enough, but that is not really my point either.

I am caught in a situation that I am actually struggling with. In our walk with God our faith can only truly grow as we endure hardships. This is not to say we should go looking for trouble but it's only in times of adversity that we grow closer to God. This is true in our relationships too. As we face trials of various kinds, whether it be with a friend, family member, or spouse, often relationships are strengthened through hardship. It certainly can go the other way as well, but it is through hardships that we grow. I would bet God is sorrowful that this is the way it has to be but He also knows that in the end we can be strengthened in faith toward Him.

This is true for good stories as well. How many times have you read a book (or even FOUND one for that matter) where everything was all peaches and cream with no adversity and no pain? It would not be a good seller. Conflict is what makes for a good story. The ending may turn out "happily ever after" but in getting to that place our heroes must go through the crucible. In other words, as a writer I have to be mean to my characters, I have to deliberately place them in harm's way and as they jump out of the frying pan they fall fast and hard right into the fire. Not the uncomfortable edge but right into the white hot middle. I hate that!

As the author, the creator of my story, I am god to those in the book. No, they do not worship me or even know that I exist for that matter but I give them life, raise them, give them a cause and send them out into the cruel world, into the tricks and traps that I set for them! That is hard for me to think about let alone do but without it my story becomes flat and boring prose regardless of how flowery. I must exercise tough love. Some may die and others prosper but guess what? That is how life plays out. God obviously has our best in mind but I must think of new and more sinister ways of getting my characters into trouble.

It is hard! I have created these folks and I want the best for them so it is...difficult to purposely place them in harm's way to the point that they despair of life itself.

Well, just call me "meany" because I am, even as you read this, plotting harm for my characters and I am anxious to see how they will react! Stay tuned!

Bye for now!

In God's Image - Creator --Oct. 29, 2008

When God created mankind (Male AND Female!)  He made us in His image with intelligence, will, and...CREATIVITY! Just look around you and you will see creativity everywhere! From the buildings we live in to computers we work or play with, creativity is everywhere. To deny we are a people of creativity is to not only deny what is right before your eyes but also deny God's image. For indeed He is THE Creator.

As I have been exploring who I am (I wish I would have started this YEARS ago!) one thing that comes to light again and again is my desire to create. I love to create! Especially with words. For me to create however, is much different than my Creator, for He is able to create with just the thought but I have not been granted that skill, I have to apply myself.

I have read a LOT about writing novels, short stories, etc., and time and time again they authors tell me, clear as day, that it is not an easy task, it takes time and effort. For me, being a little slower than you out there, it takes time for all of this to really sink in and only when I truly apply myself to a task do I finally come to understand. It is the same with my writing. Even though all these veteran writers are telling me that there is no magic bullet to writing and even the veterans have to dig a scratch and fight to get the words onto the paper (however much they love their jobs!) it is still work. This realization has FINALLY dawned in my heart and mind!

I picked one of my many story ideas and have determined to go as far as possible with it, following the teachings of those I have decided to follow for writing advice. There is so much good advice out there that if you don't pick a small portion to follow you will never be able to get any writing done as I have been discovering!

In this story I have began to develop a plot line and a few characters. Of course I already have a map but right now I am focusing on my characters. Wanting them to be more than talking heads or two dimensional freaks I am spending time trying to develop who they are by asking questions as to their history, what they want, where do they want to go, what is preventing them from getting what they want, etc. It is a long process, especially if you have more than one character. But it is exciting! Why? Because I am creating! Just like my Heavenly Father only with a lot more effort! I can't simply speak a story into existence but I can take what I know and mold it into a character with a real life, real history, real wants and needs. The really cool thing about all this work is that you, the reader, may never see any of the character's history but, if done correctly, this information makes the character someone real to you and has you cheering for him or against him, depending on the circumstances. It is very very cool!! In fact, (you're gonna laugh at me hear!) I have read books where the characters were so real to me I almost felt the need to pray for them! Can you believe that?!? That is how I want my characters to be and spending time planning their past lives, giving them a life outside of the story brings them right off the page and into your hearts! That how I want to create!

I owe all this to my Creator, God Himself! He has created me in His image and I want to follow in His footsteps to glorify His name! And in His strength alone will I be successful.

Bye for now!

Another Friday??? -- Oct. 24, 2008

It amazes me that time appears to be moving faster the older I get. I say "appears" because time has not changed since I was a boy, twenty four hours is still twenty four hours in length but for some unusual reason my perception of time makes it appear to me that time goes faster as I get older.  I wonder what it will be like when I get to eighty years of age (Lord willing, of course!)...Will I celebrate Christmas one day and the next day be preparing for Thanksgiving the following year? It makes me grin just thinking about that!

I have never been one who was concerned about getting older and I feel like I have been growing old with grace. Oh sure, the signs of age are there and I still get a surprise when my aches and pains don't heal as fast as they used to (Ironic don't you think, in light of my theory of time seeming to be going faster!). It just has never bothered me.

Well, all this to say to you, "Welcome to Friday!" Though I have struggles that take my eyes off of Jesus and thus cause me great stress, I still look at each new day a wonderful potential for learning and growing making each day, even Monday, new and exciting! They obviously do not all turn out good but difficulties are our path to growth in trust to our God and the very life of any good story. Thus our lives, all of our lives, have the potential for great stories!

So minutes glide past on the face of each clock giving birth to new hours which in turn bring forth new days. New days bloom bright and flare brightly as they merge into the week and the weeks expand until they fill our months. Each month then adds its strength to the making of our lives; short or long. Each part of these building blocks are our opportunities for God to use us and help us to grow that His love would stir in our hearts and, as we cry out for understanding and wisdom from the Giver of Such Things, our eyes are open to those around us, our neighbors.

How do you use your time? I have to go now and put some thought into how I am spending the time given to me. There is ALWAYS room for me to improve. :-)

Have a God filled day! "Redeem the time..."

So long!

Breathing Helium – Oct. 23, 2008

I had some really fun news today! I got an email from Helium.com telling me that I am now a PREMIER WRITER! It is a motivation for me to receive this encouragement.

From what I have been able to tell so far this really only means that enough of the articles I have written have been good enough to get a top 25% rating which means that I get access to premier articles in the "Market Place" writing area. This is the area that publishers use to get the best article and pay more than the penny or two I get for someone like you reading my article.

For me this is a wonderful encouragement from God to continue writing and that I need to kick it up a notch!

Thank you to all who have read my articles and I would ask that you would pray that God would use my articles to glorify His name. If I gain anything from my writing, then that would be a bonus but if God gets the  glory that is what is really important.

Bye for now!

Random Randomness -- Oct. 22, 2008

I am eating lunch right now and I want to write but I don't have any real direction so you can understand the title of today's muse.

Went to Men's Fraternity this morning and it was interesting. Our table has some fine men who are willing to open up and share and as we go through the various lessons there is a veritable feast for thought! As men we can sure find ourselves lost in all we are supposed to be doing for our families, churches, community, etc.

We went for a bit of walk and explored as far as we could to see how far the we could make it in the skywalk system. We discovered that we could access roughly half of what we could prior to the flooding this past summer. It felt more like home, walking in the skywalks but I am still waiting for the day the library will be open again.

While I was eating lunch I started reading a writing class I 'won' from one of my favorite author\teachers, Holly Lisle, about scene creation. As I was reading I found my desire to write growing once again. She has a great way motivating me. I can't say for sure what it is that motivates me but she has what it takes. I need to take an injection of discipline and to get busy! Right now I am ready.

Work has been "odd" lately. I have really enjoyed the oddness but it has been odd. I have asked for more responsibilities and have been given them and these new responsibilities have started taking over my time. I REALLY enjoy these tasks so it's not a bad thing just different. In fact, I feel a bit guilty because these tasks do not feel like work thus I feel like I'm not earning my way. But I must remember these are supplements to my "usual" work.

I am going to try to get my hair cut tonight, Lord willing. If you look at the new photo of me on this blog, you will undoubtedly notice my hippie hair. Usually my hair needs to be cut every 6-8 weeks and at 8 weeks I can not stand it anymore! I have thought about letting it grow out long again, just for kicks but I can't seem to get past the 8-week barrier. Mullet has come to mind because it's the front that drives me nuts but I'm just not cool enough for one of those things. Do a Google on 'mullet' and you'll see why I do not consider myself cool enough to sport one of those bad-boys!

Meetings, meetings, meetings! I am in another meeting in which I have no input but there seems to be a thing that my name needs to be included in all meetings. It's a curse. LOL!

I get an hour break and then more meetings.

Well, this really has been random thoughts today. I hope you are not all spinning with the change in subjects. Like I said, I wanted to write but had no clear pathway or idea so what you see is what you get.

Have a God filled day!

Bye!

2x4 Indentation--Oct. 20, 2008

It used to be that people would quit their jobs, sell all they have and travel to some remote part of the world (it helps to have a high mountain readily available too) to find themselves. I have never met anyone who has gone on one of these quests and actually found themselves. This does not mean that someone out there has not accomplished this largish feat it just means I have never met any of those people. Considering all the people that live in this world my web of relationships is quite small; infinitesimal even, so it is no surprise that I haven't ever met anyone coming back having found themselves. In fact, most of the people I know I think are pretty secure in who they are and have no need to go find themselves. On the other hand, most of those people probably think I should maybe at least take a hike around the block to see if I might at least get a glimpse of who I am. (If I walk one direction there is a bit of hill I must walk up. Not quite a mountain but it least it has an incline to it!)

There comes a time when you do so many stupid things that you hit rock bottom. Before you get too comfortable there, however, more stupid things crash in on you and though you've hit the solid floor of stupidity the the rest of the stupid things you've done then fall on you to crush you. (You know! The old 'Rock and Hard Place!' This is the place!)

I have been doing a lot of reading trying to understand how to think better, how to treat people better and how to be a more effective leader. In fact, these areas have become something of a passion for me. I am reading all sorts of wonderful books and articles and even am trying to apply them in my work environment. There does seem to be some merit in these things. But..(there's always a BIG but...) these things don't take into consideration that the idiot (or in technical computer talk, The ID-10-T error) should be allowed to play with these toys. In case you are wondering I can assure you that one's increase in knowledge, and even one's attempt to practice that knowledge, does not decrease the size of foot that can fit into one's mouth.

I was at small group last night and the ice breaker was a favorite soup or soup story. I am not a big soup lover so, being several people away from having to answer, I had plenty of time to come up with a really big mouth sized shoe fitting.

First, it is import for you to understand that one of the easiest dishes to bring to a get together like this is soup. We have soup regularly at our small group and it is really fine. I do not mind soup but...

My response was this: "Given any other choice besides soup I would take the other choice in a heart beat." Now that is not too bad in and of itself but as soon as the words left my mouth I tasted dirty rubber from the souls of my sneakers filling the vast cavity known as my mouth. The whole thing just came out wrong and the only right thing was that there was one other who, a few minutes later, agreed with me. (Thank you, Jim!) But it does not leave out the fact that my statement did not come across with tact or anything resembling pre-thought.

So I have requested of our leader a moment at our next meeting to apologize for my comments. (That is if I can get my foot out of my mouth by then!)

This all led me to take a hard look at all aspects of my life and when you do a stupid thing all the other stupid things you've done, are doing or will do come into sharp focus and give the appearance of being what your entire life is built on. You would think that after reading all the books on building people up, watching all the respectable people doing such a wonderful job of building people up even by just saying, "Hello" to someone, that you would learn, but it does not always happen. Sometimes you simply get a hearty helping of leather instead, with the added bonus of hurting someone's feelings.  Nothing like wounded hearts to go along with some tasty Wal-Mart brand pseudo-leather.  UMM! UMM!

My only comfort today is that God is graceful and can change even me (although I have to be one of the toughest cases He's ever faced!) and a plan to apologize in person.

What I have discovered in trying to find myself is that the tongue is not so easy to tame and that reading a few books can't substitute for a genuine and gracious heart. A word spoken to build someone up is better than trying to get a laugh and hurting someone's feelings.

If you plan on trying to be clever or could potentially contract this foot-in-mouth dieses, wear flip-flops!

Bye for now! 

Twitter Update...Oct. 16, 2008

I decided to remove the Twitter posts from my Blog. I felt it was too cumbersome and a bit tacky looking too. Rest assured I'm still Twittering but I am not posting the results on my blog anymore.

If you want to join Twitter and start following me!

 

Bye

Hidden Treasures...Oct. 16, 2008

I don't like throwing things away. It seems to me that somewhere somehow I could find a use for it and, it is a known fact, that the minute I do throw it away I will need that very item the next day. However, there comes a time when I know I'm being a psycho so when I can't stand it anymore,  I employ a tool I learned a long time ago called, "Getting Brutal". This means that once you decide that you are throwing something out you do it regardless of your mental and emotional attachment to the object. It's brutal! (Thus the name...get it?!?!)

One area that I draw the line in brutality is books. I LOVE books! I have always loved books and I don't even care if I read them  or not, I love books. There's no ego here, there's no bragging, no nothing,  just a plain love of books. This love extends to notebooks as well.

I have notebooks from years back in which I wrote Bible studies or notes from a Bible study but I have saved them.

The other night I ran across some notebooks that I had been using a year or so before Kim and I got married and there, on the first page, Kim had scribbled this note, "ONLY 11 MONTHS LEFT TO GO!". She was talking about our wedding, of course!

I also found that I had written notes on an evangelistic message I wanted for our wedding since there would be people there who would never darken the door of a church outside of a wedding or funeral. (Christmas and Easter don't even make their lists!) This is where the wedding was almost off, at least at Kim's home church.

The pastor looked me in the eye and said that he would in no way do this type of message because it just did not work in this type of environment! That was the whole of his answer. I was FLOORED! What do you mean it doesn't WORK?!?! There will be people here who need to hear this message! What doesn't work??? I was THIS close to walking out and not coming back! Not that I would not have married my Kim but I was not doing it in that church!

Needless to say I DID get married, for family peace,  in that church but to this day I still feel anger toward his unwillingness to have an evangelical message for MY wedding! (I mean OUR wedding, Honey!)

(This has gotten WAY off the point I started with! Well, at least you have some history of the Larson wedding days!)

In my mini treasure hunt, I also discovered a neat study guide that I acquired some years back, how I don't recall, but I have been using that for my "fast" this week and it is REALLY cool! Simple yet it forces you to think and I love to do think! (Not real good at it but it is fun when I can focus!)  (This was where I was REALLY going before I got off track with that wedding stuff!) (Do you like Kryspy Kremes?)

I don't think books are a stumbling block for me but I hate throwing out books. If you want to win your way into my heart give me Barnes and Noble gift cards (Note the 'S' on the end of CARD. LOL!) for my birthday! I go crazy when I get those little beasties!

Well, though I could go on and on you are now bored out of your skulls so I will sign off! Have a good weekend!

REMEBER:

McCain or Obama just as long as you exercise your God given responsibility and VOTE! It's coming soon! Roughly three weeks to go!

Fast Times...Oct. 13, 2008

It has been brought to my attention that I have been spending so much time doing so many things that I have allowed any real time with God to slip away. It's time to get back on the "fast" track!

No, this will not be a food fast but a "things that take Greg's attention from God" fast; i.e.: TV, books that are just for fun reading, etc. I do this from time to time and it is no easier than a food fast. It's too easy for me to get caught up in the things I like doing and now it's time for me to make some sacrifices.

This week is going to be  a busy one outside of work. Donating plasma tonight at 1930;  tomorrow we start our SEEDS training, a new evangelism method we're employing at church starting at 0630; Wednesday is Men's Fraternity, 0600; Elder's Meeting at 1700; 1930 is another plasma donation; and last but not least, Friday at 0600 I meet with my friend and accountability partner, Jim. Oh yeah, on Saturday at 0930 I get to meet with H&R Block because this year we used them for our taxes and for the first year the State of Iowa has sent us a letter saying we owe more than what H&R Block said we did.

This looks even worse on "paper"! WOW! Oh well, that's a part of life.

Well, I'd better go! It looks like it could be a long week!

Bye for now!

Homecoming Weekend -- Oct. 10, 2008

The crisp nip of Fall is in the air. Not quite chill enough to put on heavy clothing yet but enough so to remind you that colder weather is not far off.

Leaves are crisping on the branches and float to the ground to be crunched by passing walkers. The fall weather seems to bring the walkers to life. The smell of Fall, the fading light of the year gone by, seems to revive one's heart. Strange, since Fall is the twilight of the year; the fading of the old and the promise of the new.

Sports fans of all type turn their hearts to football this time of year and not more so than during Homecoming! And Homecoming is what we have in Marion this week. The activities for the students have been many and varied From Super hero day to Red and Gold day. (Suspiciously like ISU Cyclone colors but the kids deny this fact.) The air is full of peppy energy! Go INDIANS!

They have a tough assignment tonight as they face the the Knights of Union. This team is supposed to be very good but Marion is tough and prepared! They are scrappy and it's HOMECOMING!

Though Kim and I will not be attending the game tonight we are sending a great delegation consisting of: Alyssa, Logan, and Kyle! They will add their energy to the crowd which will be huge as it always is during Homecoming. I wouldn't mind going but tonight is Friday and I have $36.00 of Barnes and Noble gift cards that may find the end of their life tonight. Gone but not forgotten.

Whatever your Friday hold for you, Homecoming or travel, or just an evening of relaxation, enjoy the time God has given you! Relax and forget the past week; look to tomorrow where once again, God's grace is renewed!

Get out and crunch through some leaves this weekend!

Bye!

I have a Twitter... Oct. 9, 2008

No, this is not something inappropriate for younger viewers nor is it a disease...To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure how to classify it. It is just kind of fun.

I guess I would call it a mini blog. Each entry can only be 140 characters long and it's meant to be used to answer the following question, "What're you doing today?" I really like to consider it a mini-blog or an minute by minute, "What's up?".

Here's the link if you want more info:

http://twitter.com/

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think. It is being used in a lot of different ways including on-line marketing. No, you can't put a whole marketing scheme in Twitter but you can inform your clients of new material in 140 characters or less. Or point them to your updated web site etc.

The jury is still out as to its practicality but it is kind of fun and it would be even better if a bunch of you would jump on my "Follower" list. (If you join, I'll become one of YOUR followers as long as you let me know you joined!)

Stress Alert!! -- Oct. 8, 2008

There are times in my life when all of the stresses begin to accumulate to a point where nothing seems to help. It's at this point where I know God is the only answer and to take some time to just sit back and do nothing except maybe read. I must say that in some strange manner writing helps. Though this is certainly not one of those moments of revelation, I have known this for a LONG time, it's just that it's hard to motivate myself to write when I find myself in this place.  It's a cruddy place but it does bring me to me my knees which is a good place to be, proving that the tough times are the times God cherishes most because they are the times that draw us to Him.

I don't know what this means for this weekend. I get off of call and that is always a good thing. It's homecoming for Marion so there are a number of activities planned including, odd as it may sound, a football game. The Indians play the team from Union, a very tough opponent I am told. We'll see what our guys are made of this week.

I will say that if it's nice, a walk is another welcome distraction. 

All in all God knows me, wants me to know to know Him better and He can use things like this to draw me closer. Keep this in mind because He wants YOU to get to know Him better too! :-)

Go with God on your way the rest of this week.

The Poems – Oct. 4, 2008

Here are two poems I wrote the other night. These are not to make you laugh so, if after reading them you feel like busting out, please remember that I am not a poet and not really trying to be one I'm just "tinkering". These things just come to me once in a great while and it feels good, somehow, to write them down. I posted one a LONG time ago on this very blog so this is not the first time.  Hold on, here we go!

A pearl of wonder

A pearl of great price

Locked deep inside

Sealed, out of sight

 

A lamp aglow

Beneath the basket

No light does show

Seeming dead, a casket

 

Unlock the depths

Unleash the light

Into the darkness

Glorious sight

 

 

Number two:

 

First bite so sweet

Now eyes opened wide

Shameful faces flushed

Longer to abide

 

Naked they fled

Running to hide

Seeking them out

Surely to chide

 

In pain and sweat

Now to live

Love sought them

Still willing to give

 

The price to be paid

He knew in his heart

In darkness wad laid

But soon to depart

 

 

Poetry Unleashed -- Oct. 3, 2008

I do not yet have them ready but once again I have tried my hand at a little poetry. I have NO IDEA really, how to write a poem properly so I will spruce them up and place them out here sometime this weekend. I like them but my taste is usually way different than other peoples' taste. :-)

See you soon!

Leadership Unveiled -- Oct. 2, 2008

Today started out early because I had an upgrade to do on our retail pharmacy system. Due to their odd schedule I had to do this at 0500 this morning. Once I got out of bed it was not too hard, but...0500?? YAWN!

That really doesn't have anything to do with leadership but it was just a "fun fact" about my day.

I have become a student of leadership. I think I enjoy it so much because I really enjoy people. I look at leadership as a way to help people grow. My boss has come along side me in my desires to get into management and has taken a direct hand in mentoring me.

He has put me into all sorts of situations and given me all sorts of extra tasks to accomplish. I have found it an exhilarating experience that has brought new life to my once hoo-hum job. It is so cool to once again be excited about the new day! Even Mondays have been better.

I have been ready books, listening to tapes, going to seminars, and, the most important part in my opinion, observing people. I like to see how people react in certain situations and then I take what I see and see if I can apply it to my life. I want to apply what they do that is good and verify and change in my own life, anything that I see in others that I don't like. It is so cool! I am really excited to see what god can do with this!

Keep leaning on the Lord and keep learning! The day you stop learning is the day your life ends. Keep up the curiosity!

Bye for now!