April 29, 2008
@ *i* Spring has Sprung *i* @
What does everyone do at this time of year as citizens, as homeowners or tenants to spruce up, clean up, or just every year spring cleaning that makes a place your castle?
Maybe someone is looking for tips & tricks, on how to do something.
Maybe you are considering something new for your home and want opinions from others.
Maybe someone has a business/service either of theirs or someone they've used that they would like to give a small plug to, here's the place! Looking forward to hearing from everyone. Happy Posting - Judy
I thought if we set some generalized guides on this post it would make it easier to find things that may interest you without reading thru them all, of course if you want to read all comments, wonderful!! Let's try starting your comments out with the first sentence in CAPS for the heading/subject of your comment, then hit enter and start a new line for your comment.
Posted by judy at 07:20 AM | Comments (15)
July 30, 2007
Stewardship of Ideas?
When we hear the word stewardship, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a fundraising campaign for a church. Our minds typically go to a pastor standing before his people, begging for money. Or, we hear people talk aboutt stewardship of time or talents.
That may be true in some circles, but I want us to think about a different style of stewardship. This stewardship is something that each of us, I believe, are called to be a part of. It’s stewardship of ideas.
We serve a God of creativity. We can look all around us and see the hand of God at work in his creation. With that said, I believe that God has planted within us a seed of creativity that we are called to use for the betterment of mankind. God does work through His people to bring ideas for solutions in this world.
For every problem or need you may have, I believe you’re not alone. Others have the same need.
When God gives you an idea for the solution to your problem, my challenge to you today is to share that solution with others. I believe that part of the Christian mandate is to help our fellow man. It’s an obligation we all have.
Again, God has planted within you a seed of creativity. You should find that seed and use it to God’s glory. If God has built you to be great, and He has by the way, and you settle for mediocrity, it’s not right. You will never live in the center of God’s will and fulfill the purpose he has called you to, if you continue to fail to use the creative seed he has given.
Are you being a good steward of the ideas and solutions that God has given you? If not, you can begin to change your focus today. It doesn’t matter your age, your status in society or your education.
When you begin to use the seed of creativity that God planted within you, the sky is the limit in your pursuit of happiness.
Stewardship is more than time, money and talent. It is also a call each of us have to impact this dark world with the light of Jesus Christ.
Plan - Build - Live
Rick@FreedomCoach.org
Posted by Rick at 11:26 AM | Comments (5)
July 23, 2007
Final Thoughts on Time Control
I want to bring this topic to a close. Feel free to continue to leave comments and based upon those, I may pick the issue back up. I realize that I have hit a nerve here and this is a topic on the hearts and minds of millions of others as well. Here is where I want to go today.
What would it feel like to be able to do your job from anywhere you were able to. Of course, this wouldnt apply to an assembly line or manufacturing type of position, but there are millions working in offices and cubicles all around the world that if given the freedom, could do their work from anywhere and be more productive.
Let me tell you about a work model, that if it were used more today, would revolutionize the attitudes of employees everywhere. Less turnover and higher productivity means a big fat bottom line, and employees that are happy and families that are stronger.
Employers, you really need to look at changing your model. If you don’t you will lose in the end. You will lose good people, you will lose credibility, you will lose integrity and character because the work model that you force upon your people is ruining families. Inflexibility is killing your people. Open your eyes. God have mercy on you.
In this article, Business Week features the electronic retail giant Best Buy. This shows how a very large, and I mean very large company, can make the changes to influence and promote what is really important in their business, their people and their families.
Click here to read the article.
Plan - Build - Live
Rick@FreedomCoach.org
Discover your passion.
Live your dream.
Posted by Rick at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
July 09, 2007
Who's Controlling You?
For the next few posts, I want to discuss, and I welcome your comments, how we are being controlled? I want you to ask yourself, "What is my life revolved around?"
I want to look at our current work model that is prominent in our society today. You have heard of mind control, today I want to talk about TIME control. The work model we see today became used in abundance decades ago. The idea of the 40 hour work week being carried out by 5 days a week at 8 hours a day, although may be good for the company, has unfortunately caused people to develop a mundane attitude about their jobs. Keeping employees in a box has stifled creativity.
If you could change one thing about your current job, what would it be? The number one motivation, statistics show, is not money. It doesn't matter how much you get paid, if your miserable in what you're doing. This will bleed over into your family, your church, your community service, just about any relationship you maintain. The number one thing that I have found that would keep people associated with a particular job is the opportunity for flexibility.
Flexibility definately goes against the decades old work model that is prevalent today. In the office at 8:30, out at 5:30, it doesn't matter how productive you are while your there. The bottom line is, the boss just wants you there. What if you could earn income by your productivity and not just the fact that the boss wants to see your face?
What if you could do what you do from home? What if you could do what you do at your office, but had the flexibility to be creative with your time, if the job was done? How would that make you feel? Would it put a pep in your step? Would you feel a little freedom and possibly enjoy getting up to do the day's work ahead?
These are some serious questions that need clarification and answers in your mind. The lack of flexibility from employers today is causing huge amounts of turnover for the company. The expense of the hiring process of new employees, the cost for their training. These two processes alone could save companies thousands. Any HR director can tell you that.
When will companies wake up and see that their people want uncontrolled time. Not fluff, that at the end of the day, just goes away and is forgotten. I'm not talking about corporate anarchy, but I am talking about flexibility. You vacation, when the boss says it's ok, you go to lunch when the boss says it's ok, you come in when the boss says to and can't leave until he says. With broken homes at an all time high, and stress and frustration running rampant, it seems that there is a solution that could be easily implemented to help ensure the balance of the employee's lives. It's flexibility.
If you're reading this and you're a business owner with employees, you should take a serious look at providing flexibility for your people. The culture, money or a "because I'm the boss, so it's my way or the highway" mentality does nothing for people, families and freedoms other than destroy them. Time is the issue. Listen to your people. Get flexible or you'll be needing to get replacement's.
Plan - Build - Live
Rick@FreedomCoach.org
Discover your passion.
Live your dream.
Posted by Rick at 04:34 PM | Comments (11)
July 06, 2007
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Remember this question? This is probably the most common question asked of youngsters. If you think about it, this is not only the most common question, but also one of the most important. Proverbs tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is older, he will not depart from it." We too often attribute this verse to strictly a spiritual connotation. Although that is part of the meaning, if you look at the original context, you can also say, "train up a child in the way he is bent..."
How were you wired in your younger years. Discover that and you will be well on your way to living a life where your work is also your pasttime. Think of your current situation. Is this what your ambition was when you were a kid? If not, why not?
My son Jack is seven and since he was two, you could ask him what he wanted to be when he grows up. His first response to this day is "I want to be an ice cream truck driver." He's been consistent with that for over five years. Now, he has added some things to that like; fireman, police officer, doctor, being in the military, but his first ambition has always been to be an ice cream truck driver.
My wife stopped the ice cream truck as it strolled through our neighborhood last week and began inquiring about how to get started. You can rent the truck for $10 a day. That's $10 a day. You can bet that, if not this summer certainly the next, you will see myself or my wife driving our son around and he will be living his life's dream.
Now, will he be doing that as a career? Probably not, but, if you notice the other things he would like to be, you will see that these are service oriented careers. You can bet that I will be resourcing my son with all the tools I can that will help him to engage in a life of service to others. You see, that's the way he is bent. I believe, this is his calling.
As a society we have seen a transition from "what do we want to be" to "what are we going to do". This focus on what we do rather than who we are is what keeps us feeling trapped. Discover your dream. Ask yourself again, "what do I want to be when I grow up?"
What are your thoughts on your work?
You can contact me at Rick@FreedomCoach.org
Discover your passion.
Live your dream.
Posted by Rick at 02:22 PM | Comments (40)