::: post-protestant thoughts :::

1. I must not ignore my
   ~ Hearts – emotional impact of events occurring around me
   ~ Minds – rational engagement of what is occurring around me
   ~ Souls – the maintenance of establishing fruitful practices, creating a lifestyle beyond mere habits that positively entrench behaviors against encroaching character assaults . . .
2. Do not hang on to Bad stuff for long.
   ~ Sometime i need to release things more quickly.
   ~ At other times our release must be process rich . . . perhaps even process rigorous.
3. It is important to consider tactically the implications of any given action
   ~ I should be viewing each event as a single (scene) act in much larger total movement of a much larger performance (Movie) . . .
   ~ Each action is a decision that will ultimately mean the downsizing or some other priority, therefore proper alignment of priorities is very important
4. The locus of control is critical. Proactive considerations must be taken into account regarding
   ~ How can I improve this situation/transition?
   ~ Reflection – Is control/influence pressures of change occurring from with/in/out?
   ~ What do I need to do (preparations) now?
   ~ Where do I need to get to? I want to be where?
   ~ What skill developments could assist in transition?
   ~ What fears need to be addressed? Is emotional/behavioral compensation required?
   ~ Who should I be meeting with?
   ~ How should my talents/strengths be invested Short/Mid/Long term?
5. What are the ‘best practices’ or prescribed steps to the next logical point?
   ~ Bite by bite you eat an elephant . . .
   ~ Be sensitive, periodically ‘wanting it all’ can often inhibit attaining 'any' . . .
   ~ Restructure/Reorganization may include finances, what other forms of reorg could be required or advantageous?
   ~ Incremental progress is critically important to long term progressive change
   ~ Consider the fundamental differences between Change and Transformation
   ~ Despise not the days of small beginnings . . .Proverbs?
6. According to McLaren much change in its first stages is frequently defined by what is not or what we are against rather than formed concepts of what is . . . definition by antithesis.
   ~ Rom 12:9
   ~ I need to make sure that I am moving against problems and not people . . .
   ~ I need to create naturally occurring ‘immunity’ – healthy situations, advisers, reading materials . . . avoiding naturally infectious environments, toxins, and high risk situations
7. ‘Doing the right thing’ – A lot of ‘injustice’ is likely to be my perception . . . right or wrong . . . I must maintain character through the issues . . . doing the right thing . . . regardless of what is done by others . . . proactively acting as opposed to reactive responses . . .
   ~ Avoiding ‘eye for an eye’ thinking . . . giving back better than I have received needs to be my focus . . .
   
   ‘Christian ideals have been tried and found wanting, instead they have been found difficult and left untried . . .’ GK Chesteron
   
8. Given my conversation with Rick and the reaction/misunderstanding with my message to the scouts I must be very introspective and disciplined around the dangers and natural propensities toward arrogance . . . and as Teresa of Avila maintains Humbleness is one of the most fundamental of all Christian virtues . . .
   ~ I must make every effort to authentically be who I say that I am . . . the outside must reflect the inside . . .
   ~ To often my pride is concerned with WHO (attitude) is right instead of WHAT (behavior) is right . . .
   ~ Focus should be maintained on identifying with others and their situations, rather than focusing me . . . people are more important than things . . .
9. Many of these circumstances are creating fearful situations . . . I need to maintain the integrity of the decision making process . . . decisions must not be made out of a fear of other people’s reactions . . .
   ~ My perception of right decisions and the implications of those decisions often solicit reactions in other people . . . however, my decision and their reaction are two very different issues . . .
   ~ There is a direct correlation between people around me who are ‘out of control’ and their unique hatred for the word ‘no’ . . .
10. Course setting trajectory –
    ~ Keep solid advisors around me . . . Ecc 4: 9-12
    ~ Get Wisdom and act rather than re-acting . . . Prov 4:7
    ~ Maintain a consistent and as reliable as possible ‘feedback loop’ . . . 360 degree Feedback . . .
    ~ Consider other models around me that are working . . .
    ~ Maintain a careful accounting of my own cyclical behaviors and personality patterns
    ~ Gently address impediments rather than operating at dysfunctional levels or enabling others . . . ‘peaceful co-existence’ at misproportionally high costs can potentially create longer term complexity and damage . . .
    ~ Add accountability and structure . . . but make room for creativity and margins . . .
    ~ Don’t overly depend on the maps of the past that have created success . . . new territory demand new maps, and new models . . .
    ~ Chinese Proverb – ‘within your strength lies your weakness, and within your weakness lies your strength’
    ~ Mind Map these ‘guide rails’
    ~ Prayer . . . liturgy . . . loved ones . . .

peace : : :