Asking Yourself the Right Questions...

For folks who know me well, they likely know that I'm not much of a reader. My whole family are readers, but my kids take after my wife. There's only a couple of books that I've ever ventured to read more than once: Celebration of Discipline and Ragamuffin Gospel. I do well to read a book or two in a year.

Recently, a group of guys that I was meeting with suggested that we all start reading Wild at Heart and discuss what we read when we get together. One of my friends, knowing that I was not a reader, bought the book on CD and made copies for me to listen to along my commute. After listening to the first 2 or 3 chapters, I decided I needed to buy the book and read it for myself. Man, I'm so glad I did, too.

I've written here recently that I've had a very difficult time over the last year. Marital, family, monetary and employment problems - all at the same time. I honestly believe that if it wasn't for the support of our friends my family and I would not have made it. I've made it a point to thank most of these people. If someone is reading and wondering if you had a hand in our survival, go ahead and pat yourself on the back and accept my gratitude. It's wonderful to have good friends to count on.

Anyway, over the past several weeks since I started listening to and reading Wild at Heart, it has coincided with an epiphany and a renaissance that's been happening with me personally. Someone told me a long time ago that life is too short to go through it being miserable. I've written here that my wife and I were living in the shadow of a bad decision I made 15 years ago. I understand that life can be brutally hard at times, downright unfair, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. Still, it's possible to be able to enjoy the ride. For me, the last 15 years have been about surviving. If I'm anything at all, one thing I am not is a quitter. Not quitting is commendable where I'm from. However "hanging in there" just to prove that I don't want to quit can really get old. Part of the epiphany over the past few months has been this: if I'm only surviving, I'm still missing out on what life still has to offer. There is SO much more to life than just getting by.

That brings me to the questions we ask ourselves. So often it's about what the world needs. "What does the world need?" It's the stuff of great business plans. New businesses are started all the time because a guy is walking around looking for a way to meet a felt need in the world. If there's a market for it, it will sell. It always does. Of course, such things aren't about really meeting needs but exploiting that market, wherever it might be.

When it comes to people, it's a little more complicated than just trying to meet a need in the world. If that's what we're trying to do, it's a good way to get chewed up and spit out - real quick. Maybe you've seen those articles about the hottest jobs in the market. If we go after a vocation just because it is in demand we might find ourselves at some point on a ladder that is leaning against the wrong wall. I know. It's happened to me. There's nothing more demoralizing than putting so much time and effort into a profession only to find it's completely wrong.

Instead, as quoted in Wild at Heart, the right question is this: Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

In all honesty, we all have dreams that, for one reason or another, we're afraid to chase because of a list of reasons. They're not necessarily the same reasons, but you know what they are. Where will the money come from? What if I can't do it? Fill in the blank. Those questions only serve to keep us in the same spot we've been getting accustomed to being in for who knows how long. If we want to get out of there, that place of misery and hopelessness, we have to pursue those things that we've wanted to all along. This isn't an excuse to run out on responsibility. It's an opportunity to do what we've been created for and be what we were created to be.

Recently, I found a friend of mine, Travis Meadows, in My Space. Travis was our worship leader in our youth ministry in Jackson, MS 10 years ago. During that time, Travis was peddling songs in Nashville. He made several demos and independent recordings during the two years we were there. In the years since, Travis moved to Nashville and has been doing the same thing he was 10 years ago. Recently, on his website, Travis posted this on his blog:

Well, it's official! I am now Staff writer at Universal. I have been writing with some of the best writers in Nashville as well making some great new friends. I signed yesterday the 14th of March at 10:45, that same day I got my first cut, "Open Ended Heartache." It was recorded by an artist from Australia named Adam Brand. He did a great job. The next day he cut two more of my songs. So I'm one day into my deal and have three cuts. That's a good start. I'm hoping for a few more cuts. The more cuts the more money for the Meadows family. This truly is a dream come true. Here is a little irony for you. I tried for close to 15 years to make it as a christian artist, but no matter what I did it just didn't work out. Universal hired me as a country writer, too funny. So there you go Travis Meadows is a writer for Universal and loving every minute of it!

My brother-in-law, Aaron, has been in the process of starting up a coffee business. He quit his job with Starbucks and moved his family from Pennsylvania a few months ago. Why? Because the guy is passionate about coffee - of all things. But, I'm telling you, when you taste his coffee you will know the guy really loves doing what he's doing. I'm probably embarrassing him by writing this (he actually reads my blog every now and then), but he's an inspiration to me. He's pursuing the dream.

Of course there are excuses why we shouldn't be so bold. I'm too old. Travis is in his 40's and has been at this a long time. I'm not good enough. I don't know how to get started. My brother-in-law put in a lot of time in research before he launched his company. It's likely those excuses are the reason we've been sitting where we have been for so long. Life was meant to be an adventure. It's time to go after the things that stir passion. Life is too short not to.

So, what does it for you? Think about it and go after it. There's no better time than the present.

...and now, the Back-peddle

A few weeks ago, I was a little steamed up at the announcement that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys had acquired Terrell Owens. For me, a life-long Cowboys fan, that was treason - second only to the debacle Jones created when Jimmy Johnson resigned in 1994.

In case anyone wasn't paying attention or didn't care, Jerry was jealous of the attention being heaped on his successful head coach. In a drunken stupor, Jones commented, to a pretty good-sized group of people, "this team can win - regardless of who the coach is." Oh, really?! Despite winning, the super bowl 2 seasons later, the Cowboys, as a franchise, was no longer among the NFL's elite teams. The team still isn't to this day. But, signing Terrell Owens after two tumultuous seasons in Philadelphia it tells me that Jones is desperate to win again and take the team out of Jimmy's shadow.

Now, having said that, I must confess that, after spending the entire day in training, the first thing I did upon being released from the class was to check the baseball scores. Yep. The Astros will throw out the first pitch in their first regular season game of 2006 in just a few minutes from now. And you know what? I wish I could be there. In fact, I'll probably listen to the game in my car on my way home. I wish I could stick to my boycott, but it's hard to turn my back on the national past-time.

Granted, the ballplayers are spoiled, the rivalries hardly exist (except for if you're a Red Sox or Yankees fan) and the game isn't as fast paced as those at the college or high school levels. But, when one goes to a big- league baseball game, they know what to expect. Win or lose, they usually get it - and pay dearly. Still, they get the show and really, that's what it's all about. Right?

Maybe I should have written before that I was giving up on the Cowboys. I'm sure there are many in my family who wish I would - and maybe I will. One thing is definitely clear tonight as I get ready to leave work for the night...I'm ready to hear the umpire yell "play ball!"

Ya-hoo! Go Astros!