Jerry L. Lewis's Blog, page 2
January 16, 2010
Exciting!
Hooray!
My book is now live on Kindle, and is in queue (what a wierd word) to be posted on smashwords.com within minutes. How different things are now. When Charles Dickens wrote "A Tale of Two Cities." the story was printed as a weekly newspaper sequel, and authors were paid by the word. That made for a really long drawn out story. Now I can post my whole book in seconds with a mere click on multiple sites around the world.
Smashwords is converting the book to all formats "as we ...
My book is now live on Kindle, and is in queue (what a wierd word) to be posted on smashwords.com within minutes. How different things are now. When Charles Dickens wrote "A Tale of Two Cities." the story was printed as a weekly newspaper sequel, and authors were paid by the word. That made for a really long drawn out story. Now I can post my whole book in seconds with a mere click on multiple sites around the world.
Smashwords is converting the book to all formats "as we ...
January 11, 2010
A New Family History
Once, at the end of the school year, one of my high school students, who I'll call Roy, was really having a bad day. He always dressed in black, had long stringy hair, turned in poor work, and acted like he was perpetually trapped in the middle of a bad day. That day he seemed even worse, so I asked him to stay a few minutes after class.
I asked him if he had any idea why he felt so badly. Nearly in tears he blurted out, "I think my father hates me. Last night he took my little broth...
I asked him if he had any idea why he felt so badly. Nearly in tears he blurted out, "I think my father hates me. Last night he took my little broth...
January 9, 2010
Hidden Forms of Christian Gambling?
The sermon was about the evils of gambling. Ohio had a casino iniative on the ballot, and our denomination's state conference was working day and night to block it. As I was listening to the information about the rallys, emails, and big efforts to get the news out, I began wondering if this casino thing wasn't what Jesus had already talked about. You know, the part where He said that the person who managed his money poorly would lose it to someone who managed it well. How often does preaching against sin amount to much? Why not preach FOR something like holiness and insight?
Drifting back to the sermon, I picked up just a trace of "holier than..." attitude, which sent my thoughts spiraling again. We had just heard a financial report which included information about the church's insurance policy. Buying insurance means that we're betting that the church will burn down, while the insurance company is betting it won't. Seems like gambling to me. Sure didn't sound much like faith.
Since most civilized countries require their drivers to carry insurance, the government becomes the biggest enforcer of nationalized gambling, and we all participate when we drive.
After the service, the pastor left an insured building and got into an insured car to drive to an insured home. If on the way, he or she engaged in a cell phone call, they were betting that they had enough resources to co-manage the conversation and the driving. If they got a little "creative" with the speed limit, they were betting that (1) the police wouldn't stop them for five or ten miles over the limit, and (2) they wouln't go so fast as to lose control, in effect gambling with their life and perhaps the lives of others. No wonder the world often makes fun of what seems like our "double mindedness."
It turns out that we all gamble, it's just that "some's better than others." It is OK to stand up for what you believe, but make sure that if you're going to throw stones you know how much glass is around you, and what the deductable is.
Drifting back to the sermon, I picked up just a trace of "holier than..." attitude, which sent my thoughts spiraling again. We had just heard a financial report which included information about the church's insurance policy. Buying insurance means that we're betting that the church will burn down, while the insurance company is betting it won't. Seems like gambling to me. Sure didn't sound much like faith.
Since most civilized countries require their drivers to carry insurance, the government becomes the biggest enforcer of nationalized gambling, and we all participate when we drive.
After the service, the pastor left an insured building and got into an insured car to drive to an insured home. If on the way, he or she engaged in a cell phone call, they were betting that they had enough resources to co-manage the conversation and the driving. If they got a little "creative" with the speed limit, they were betting that (1) the police wouldn't stop them for five or ten miles over the limit, and (2) they wouln't go so fast as to lose control, in effect gambling with their life and perhaps the lives of others. No wonder the world often makes fun of what seems like our "double mindedness."
It turns out that we all gamble, it's just that "some's better than others." It is OK to stand up for what you believe, but make sure that if you're going to throw stones you know how much glass is around you, and what the deductable is.
Christian Gambling?
The sermon was about the evils of gambling. Ohio had a casino iniative on the ballot, and our denomination's state conference was working day and night to block it. As I was listening to the information about the rallys, emails, and big efforts to get the news out, I began wondering if this casino thing wasn't what Jesus had already talked about. You know, the part where He said that the person who managed his money poorly would lose it to someone who managed it well. How often does p...
January 1, 2010
The Thanksgiving Day Streaker
Today is the first day of January, and when I looked out the window this morning, there was this small fat child streaking in my front yard. It looked like the tyke was having loads of fun and beckoning me to join in. Well first of all, there are rules against streaking even in one's own yard. In addition, it's freezing in Cincinnati and the thought of some body part or another icing up and falling off wasn't very appealing.
Then I recognized him; it was the Spirit of 2010, the little cherub-looking guy who will age into a really old dude by December 31st. He wasn't encouraging me to play, but rather to get busy planning. Ah, yes. Time for those pesky New Year's resolutions. You know, the promises we make to stop doing something we shouldn't, or to start doing something we should.
I've made a lot of them over the years, and the ones I've kept could just about be counted on one finger. Until recently, that is. You see, there's no point in doing the same stuff over and over if it isn't working. The resolutions I've made the last several years have been much more successful because I made some simple adjustments, and here are a few of them.
As far as making improvements goes, guys have a tendency to look at how far we've come, while gals look at how far we've got to go. Being a guy, I figure that making major progress is often more realistic than shooting for a do-or-die attainment, so I add in a little "transgression factor." Say 10%. Estimating how many times a year I now commit/omit my "project" and multiplying that by 0.10 will tell me how many times I can mess up and still stay on track next year. If you're like me, a 90% improvement is a whole bunch better than what I've been doing in the past, and next year I can cut that back another 90 percent.
Next, I pick my battles carefully. We've picked up our habits one at a time, so I pick one or two to work on rather than attacking the whole bunch in one massive onslaught. I like to think of what I could change to get the most benefit for the least effort, and that doesn't always mean overcoming the biggest or worst habit first. Often picking the easiest habit to change is a smarter choice because I establish a winning track record and can hit the next project with added momentum.
Finally, I've found that making a resolution on New Year's Day just doesn't work. If I haven't made the resolution by at least Thanksgiving, I'm setting myself up for failure. In November or early December, I begin telling myself that January 1st will be the start date for _______, and I begin planning ways to make that happen. I ask questions like how it will feel to live with this change, and what I can use to help make the change permanent. I may do a few short trial runs to look at obstacles and make supporting changes. Then I begin a mental countdown as January 1 approaches, readying myself to go from dress rehearsal to show time.
Back out in my front yard, the little streaker fella has started looking down the street. That's right, little buddy, you're at the wrong address to cheer on resolution making. But come back sometime around Thanksgiving. I may need your help on a project or two that will be starting early next January.
Then I recognized him; it was the Spirit of 2010, the little cherub-looking guy who will age into a really old dude by December 31st. He wasn't encouraging me to play, but rather to get busy planning. Ah, yes. Time for those pesky New Year's resolutions. You know, the promises we make to stop doing something we shouldn't, or to start doing something we should.
I've made a lot of them over the years, and the ones I've kept could just about be counted on one finger. Until recently, that is. You see, there's no point in doing the same stuff over and over if it isn't working. The resolutions I've made the last several years have been much more successful because I made some simple adjustments, and here are a few of them.
As far as making improvements goes, guys have a tendency to look at how far we've come, while gals look at how far we've got to go. Being a guy, I figure that making major progress is often more realistic than shooting for a do-or-die attainment, so I add in a little "transgression factor." Say 10%. Estimating how many times a year I now commit/omit my "project" and multiplying that by 0.10 will tell me how many times I can mess up and still stay on track next year. If you're like me, a 90% improvement is a whole bunch better than what I've been doing in the past, and next year I can cut that back another 90 percent.
Next, I pick my battles carefully. We've picked up our habits one at a time, so I pick one or two to work on rather than attacking the whole bunch in one massive onslaught. I like to think of what I could change to get the most benefit for the least effort, and that doesn't always mean overcoming the biggest or worst habit first. Often picking the easiest habit to change is a smarter choice because I establish a winning track record and can hit the next project with added momentum.
Finally, I've found that making a resolution on New Year's Day just doesn't work. If I haven't made the resolution by at least Thanksgiving, I'm setting myself up for failure. In November or early December, I begin telling myself that January 1st will be the start date for _______, and I begin planning ways to make that happen. I ask questions like how it will feel to live with this change, and what I can use to help make the change permanent. I may do a few short trial runs to look at obstacles and make supporting changes. Then I begin a mental countdown as January 1 approaches, readying myself to go from dress rehearsal to show time.
Back out in my front yard, the little streaker fella has started looking down the street. That's right, little buddy, you're at the wrong address to cheer on resolution making. But come back sometime around Thanksgiving. I may need your help on a project or two that will be starting early next January.
Thanksgiving Resolutions for New Year"s Day
Today is the first day of January, and when I looked out the window this morning, there was this small fat child streaking in my front yard. It looked like the tyke was having loads of fun and beckoning me to join in. Well first of all, there are rules against streaking even in one's own yard. In addition, it's freezing in Cincinnati and the thought of some body part or another icing up and falling off wasn't very appealing.
Then I recognized him; it was the Spirit of 2010, the littl...
Then I recognized him; it was the Spirit of 2010, the littl...
December 26, 2009
Having a Blue, Blue Christmas?
Many of the people I talk to have one blue Christmas after another. They want to find true love because they believe it will lead to happiness, and that if it doesn't happen soon, it may never happen for them. Regrettably, we often overlook the part we must play in the process of growing into a loving, and more importantly, lovable person.
How quick we sometimes are to blame a past partner for the failure of a previous relationship, while overlooking our role in the situation. God is not a magic genie who will just drop that special person right into our laps just because we have asked. He has to consider the welfare of the person He may send to us. Will we have acquired the additional skills to make this new relationship work? What will be different about this time?
The bottom line is this: if we can't forgive, trust, and love ourselves, how can we expect to find someone else who can?
There is a process of self-forgiveness, acceptance, trust, growth, and love toward ourselves that we must work through. Jesus hinted at the first step of the process when he told us to love others as we love ourselves. If he meant that we are to love others, doesn't that imply that we are to love ourselves as well? Not just to be more loving, which is mostly on the outside, but to really begin to see ourselves as truely lovable. I outlined the steps for doing this in my recently published book, "What God Can't Do," available as a free download until Jan 15 at http://www.pastorjerrylive.org/.
There is an unfortunate similarity in the terms "more loving" and "more loveable", but understanding the difference between them is the first step in changing Christmas from blue to joyful through and through..
How quick we sometimes are to blame a past partner for the failure of a previous relationship, while overlooking our role in the situation. God is not a magic genie who will just drop that special person right into our laps just because we have asked. He has to consider the welfare of the person He may send to us. Will we have acquired the additional skills to make this new relationship work? What will be different about this time?
The bottom line is this: if we can't forgive, trust, and love ourselves, how can we expect to find someone else who can?
There is a process of self-forgiveness, acceptance, trust, growth, and love toward ourselves that we must work through. Jesus hinted at the first step of the process when he told us to love others as we love ourselves. If he meant that we are to love others, doesn't that imply that we are to love ourselves as well? Not just to be more loving, which is mostly on the outside, but to really begin to see ourselves as truely lovable. I outlined the steps for doing this in my recently published book, "What God Can't Do," available as a free download until Jan 15 at http://www.pastorjerrylive.org/.
There is an unfortunate similarity in the terms "more loving" and "more loveable", but understanding the difference between them is the first step in changing Christmas from blue to joyful through and through..
Christmas: Any Color But Blue
Many of the people I talk to have one blue Christmas after another. They want to find true love because they believe it will lead to happiness, and that if it doesn't happen soon, it may never happen for them. Regrettably, we often overlook the part we must play in the process of growing into a loving, and more importantly, lovable person.
How quick we sometimes are to blame a past partner for the failure of a previous relationship, while overlooking our role in the situation. God ...
How quick we sometimes are to blame a past partner for the failure of a previous relationship, while overlooking our role in the situation. God ...
