Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 422
June 13, 2015
The Sea Horse: Acquisitions
The small man strolled through the department store he had just purchased. He selected four different outfits for his wardrobe, and several items to add to his arsenal. Hyperbole was ready to put his plan into action.
No one would suspect a Charity luncheon as a cover. That was one of the reasons for the rooftop luncheon, to give his crew experience blending in as waiters and waitresses. Though his original plan hadn’t involved partners, it was easy to enough to alter.
She was who he hadn’t counted on, he thought he would never see her again. He remembered an argument ten years before, but they were young and proud. Could she see him now as anything but a threat? He would know soon.
Meanwhile Swordfish and the Wonzu were fighting. The Wonzu used her ‘eyebrow’ blade to lunge at the younger woman, but each time, Swordfish would strike and retreat. What the older woman didn’t know was this was all part of the plan.
She was drawing the Wonzu into a trap of her own making. Swordfish had taunted her foe into a battle in front of her lieutenants. It was rumored that no one could beat her in a fight. Wonzu had promised the first person to succeed would be granted any request.
Just as the Wonzu took her weapon in both hands to deal a final blow, she felt the heat go through her body. The woman collapsed almost instantly, waking up a few minutes later.
“It’s called a heat bomb Wonzu. You see, your anger made you just careless enough to not notice that I attached it to your blade. I believe I am owed one request.”
The Wonzu was angry, though more at herself than her impressive opponent. “I see now why the Sea Horse trusts you to be his partner, you are cunning, and quick. I am at your service, one request, but within reason.”
“It’s small, it’s to limit your activities to your territory for the next nine days. I ask nothing more or less, of ALL your members.” The Wonzu laughed. “He will hate it, but he will agree.”
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June 12, 2015
#CollageFriday: Sculptures
This #CollageFriday, instead of sketches, we thought we’d share some of our “Sculptures” with you instead.
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June 11, 2015
The Three Levels Of Influence #3
Extended influence to me is how you influence people that you will never meet. The first thing that must be done is to answer the question, why do we want to influence those we will never know? While the idea of leaving something valuable behind is appealing, for me, it goes beyond the concept of personal legacy.
It must be about the betterment of others. The scripture said as we have freely received to freely give. I am blessed with a beautiful heritage, and I want to give others something beautiful as well. The greatest thing I can pass on are the opportunities and resources that I’ve been given, with some additional things added that I’ve picked up along the way.
It’s about equipping, empowering, and elevating others to a higher level than where I started. I’m a member of a cycle of blessings, those who have influenced me, now influence others through me. My life is the product of multiple examples, all of which have helped to make me more than I could have been on my own.
I am a very real product of my Grandfather, I know his sayings, his mannerisms, etc, but it is primarily through the vehicle of his daughter. While I loved and spent a lot of time with him, his personality and experiences were gifted to me through my Mother. He influenced her, and she influenced me.
Equipping
Empowering
Elevating
These three things can be accomplished by providing those we do influence with four specific tools. First we can, make available but not force, our knowledge to them. It’s not something that can be pushed, only offered. Knowledge placed in open hands will soon reach others.
Teaching, sharing knowledge, and providing information multiplies, or extends our influence. It goes beyond where we will go, have been, and are currently. Copernicus, who believed the Earth was round, lived generations ago. To this day his knowledge still benefits science and scientists.
A second way of influencing beyond your reach is through showing compassion. Be the pattern of kindness in someone’s life for them to follow. We live in a world that can be harsh and self motivated, but we can be the reminder that there is still good in our world. People will give chances to others because we gave them one.
Third, be passionate about what you believe in. Let those you reach know that there are some things worth fighting for. Show them that conviction can be nice, well mannered, and unbending. There is a way to make your beliefs known in a productive manner.
Someone is going to be passionate about what they believe, why not you and I? We can make ourselves heard without drowning out those around us. Our country was built on respected differences, and I see no reason to change now.
Fourth, and finally, leave something behind. If you’re a writer, mentally walk back in time. Write what a younger version of yourself needed to hear when you were first starting out. If your a businessman, invest in something that will create an opportunity you didn’t have.
Monuments, statues, and institutions such as colleges and libraries, aren’t really built for the people they’re named after. They are built for the child that wasn’t born when the foundation was poured. An yet, that foundation equipped them to get an education. It’s very existence empowered the child with the opportunity to learn. Lastly, what they learn there, will enable them to influence generations they will never see.
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June 10, 2015
Part Two: The Three Levels Of Influence
Every human is like a planet, in that it seems that we have our own gravitational pull, in regards to influence. History shows us also that the dominant aren’t always the prominent. Emperors, Kings, and Presidents have been influenced by those with less than one tenth of their own power.
In this second article, I’d like to look at our personal influence. I believe that everyone in life can make lasting change in our world. The key is how we use this natural ability God has given us. By that I don’t mean that anyone’s intent would be unethical. I believe that most individuals want to bring about positive effects.
What concerns me more is that people either ignore their ability to influence, or feel too insignificant to pursue it. Every human heart is capable of love, every human voice makes a sound, and every human living breathes. In short, anyone can share their love, their voice, and their life with others.
You are significant because you are here. God placed you where you are, to be uniquely you, and to reach others. Too often we are drawn to the scene of big impact scenarios and we measure our own days against them. This is a enormous mistake for one reason, we forget that those big events are the result of several small ones. Your small steps now, lay the groundwork for someone else’s massive steps later.
If you are unaware of your influence, consider a comic called Garfield minus Garfield. It’s the same comic, except Garfield is missing. Without all of the characters, it doesn’t make sense. You are a character in your own life, and when you don’t actively participate, you create a vacuum. Someone or something is going to fill it, why shouldn’t you?
Three ways we can influence others is by being mindful of our attitudes, alphabets, and actions. An approachable attitude is the best type to have. It may not be a perfect one, we all have bad days. If however, people feel that our door is always open, it will promote connecting.
You can’t benefit who you don’t connect with, and you can only truly connect with those you care about. Caring for others means making time for them, even with leading busy lives. When we are never too busy to help, then we will be sources of refuge that add value to others.
The alphabet that our letters originate from was made up of symbols that represented pictures. To this day, our words still forge images. Every word we speak forms more than a picture of ourselves, but of our view of life. Our words reveal who is important to us, what are our priorities, and how we intend to achieve our goals. Words can either be tools or weapons, the choice is ours.
If our attitudes and vocabularies are the foundation of our influence, our actions hang the doors. My Dad, a very wise man, never tried to convince me how smart he was, he didn’t have too. Dad, a hard worker, never had to inform me of how hard he did his job. Finally, he never had to tell me that he loved our Mother, I saw it.
I saw it because he was there every morning, went to work each day, and came home each night. One of the last things he would do when he left was kiss Mom goodbye, it was also one of his first acts returning home. The hours he spent at work weren’t about making money, they were about providing for us. When Mom and Dad went to do something fun, they made sure we went with them.
We were never an after thought in their lives, instead after God, we were their first thoughts. If you’re doing your best, then you are already influencing others. My goal isn’t to convince you to start, but to make you aware that you already have.
Don’t measure your influence by what you are not doing. God called you to make a difference by being yourself, so do what only you can. Your accomplishments impact your world, and that is exactly what we are called to do. We can only change our corner of this world, but if everyone improves their own section of Earth, then we will have changed the world.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about something I call extended influence, or influence multiplied. I look forward to sharing part three with you.
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June 9, 2015
The Three Levels Of Influence Part 1
Influence is described as the effect of something on a person, thing, or event. If you’re a student of leading people, it’s also the one word definition of leadership. Normally when we look at influence, it’s how we can impact others. While I’d like to address that, I’d like to begin with how we are influenced ourselves.
From the time that we exist, we are influenced by our parents, our environment, and the world around us. We start out like an empty suitcase, we begin to carry things. Over time, we’ll discard some items, and add some more.
What is alarming to me is the passive approach that we take to the influence of others on our lives. Let’s examine three seemingly innocent questions that illustrate what I mean.
What do you read each day?
Who do you talk to every weekend?
What do your best friend(s) like?
These seem like small things, but they’re not. They are going to shape your morning, which will in turn craft your day. Days produce weeks, which turn to months, and years.
Before you know it, you’ve compiled a lifetime. With that in mind, let me ask you the same questions. What are you reading every morning? I’m not only referring to inspirational reading, but any and all reading.
As a Christian, I feel strongly about reading the Bible daily for our spiritual wellbeing. I also believe in reading other beneficial materials regularly. These are books that improve relationships, provide leadership resources, and are tools for learning.
Each day I check certain blogs and websites whose content improve my life. One is my Pastor’s site, www.DennyLivingston.com. His viewpoint inspires and challenges me to be a better man. Seth Godin’s blog, sethgodin.com stretches my brain in a different way. It brings perspective from a business point of view.
I also believe in reading that makes you smile. I read Garfield, Dick Tracy, and Arlo and Janis each day. How does that affect me? It makes me happy.
It’s become a practice for me to text my wife the Garfield comic each day. She would never seek it out herself, but it makes her smile. It’s an intimate unique part of our relationship. If you read something that makes you happy, you’ll going to spend at least two minutes smiling every day.
Second, who do you talk to every weekend, or your leisure time? Your weekends are normally viewed as your voluntary hours. Many don’t have as much voluntary time as they use g to, but they do have some. Who do you spend that time with?
Are those people adding to your life? Whether we want to admit it or not, they are influencing us. They’re not forcing us to do anything, but we pick up the habits of those we’re around.
If that friend were a voice in your child’s life, would you approve? If the answer is no, then a re-evaluation of your personal circle may be necessary.
Thirdly, what do your best friend(s) like? What are their interests? Do you know enough about them to know their hopes and dreams. The way we react to the crisis of those in our lives is vital to a healthy personality. What do you connect about when you get together? Are you working to ensure that it isn’t a one sided relationship?
Influence is what affects us, but it is also how we are affected by others. One way that we should be impacted by others is in our empathy. Are we close enough to truly care about what they’re going through?
How you react to their needs influences us as well. It builds our own compassion, empathy, and understanding. We must be able to laugh with those who laugh, and mourn with those who cry.
If we take a passive stance on what, or who, that we allow to influence us, we give the keys away. We’re nonverbally saying that it’s not important enough to safeguard the channels into our hearts and minds.
Life is too valuable not to at least consider how the you of today differed from the you of five years ago. If you like the changes, then evaluate how you arrived at them, and plan for the you of the next five.
If there are things that bother you, walk backwards through your mind. Explore the events, and begin correcting your course. We can change, as long as we live, we have the ability.
Growth is uniquely attached to life itself. Living things grow, such as plants, flowers, minds. Bodies may reach their full peak, but they will continue to change as long as they exist. Our mission is to ensure those changes are positive in scope, and long lasting.
It is possible to have a well rounded life, if you use the right sandpaper. We all have rough edges, I see plenty in my own life. Smoothing them out won’t happen overnight, but it’s worth taking the time. I can use outer things to make me fluent in the language of change, I just have to be proactive in the process.
In the next two articles, we’ll look at Influencing others, and something I call extended Influence. Today, I wanted to look on the outward influence of others on you and I. Those things, people, places, and events that shape us. Primarily, we don’t have to be passive in our own development, we can have an active hand in all three levels of influence.
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June 7, 2015
June 6, 2015
The Sea Horse: Partners In Crime Fighting
“I wish you wouldn’t.” “I have to fight for what’s right, just like you do. Please understand, I’ve never asked you to give the battle up, even though I’m terrified every mission.” The Sea Horse nodded. “Then let’s build you a persona. First you’ll need to know how to fight.”
It was with a huge grin that Elizabeth drop kicked her husband. “Rook saw to it that we were trained growing up. He said it was for self defense, I think it was to make us agents. Are you okay?” “Oddly, I’m relieved, though a little embarrassed.”
He did a backflip and returned to her side. “The matierials in my costume are stronger than Kevlar, we’ll use them for yours too. What primary weapon?” “A bo staff, I’ve always preferred it to a firearm.” He laughed.
“Okay, remind me to ask what else I don’t know about you later. Instead of a staff, we’ll use spears, they’re scarier. With the name I have in mind, it’ll also be opposite of what they expect.”
Four days laters, his bride, and now partner in crime fighting, stood beside him. They had been married weeks ago on the trip to Ireland. It was there that she informed Aaron that it was time for her to join the fight.
This happened shortly after Galleon tried to kill the newlyweds. The Senator had arranged for the two to be married in international waters so no record of it was recorded. They had planned a quiet salvage mission, but everything almost ended two days after the wedding.
Upon returning home, Dr. Aaron Matthews and Elizabeth were married publicly. He now sported a cane from a ‘boating’ accident, to explain his retirement from surgery. Aaron had suffered some injuries in his battle with Galleon, but they were minute. However it provided an excuse as to why he was no longer practicing medicine. The complete truth was crime fighting had become a full time occupation.
Elizabeth had taken the name Swordfish, and it seemed to fit. Her dark blue hood had the appearance of no eyes or nose. A blue translucent lower face piece covered her mouth and neck. It, along with the glow her costume generated, gave her skin an almost alien appearance.
A ponytail like Fin curved from the back of her mask to above her shoulder. A silvery blue cloak like cape covered her dark blue and silver uniform. Swordfish’s gloves and boots were a hard flexible matierial that resembled fish scales.
Sheaths built into her cloak held three spears, one large and two smaller ones. Each was designed with a swordfish motif, and a built in laser. Aaron’s goal was to make her appearance as menacing as possible. It was an added layer of defense. Like him, she had a voice modulator that lowered her voice several octaves.
“You look terrifying, it’s perfect.” “I hope so, I look so non human.” “That was my goal, it will stand up against the Wonzu or Armor’s menacing look. Which is our first two visits. You and I will take Armor, the Inspector and Loggerhead have a meeting with the Wozu.”
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June 5, 2015
June 4, 2015
Combatting Sleeplessness
Typically, I wake up at least twice during the night. The first time is no problem, it’s right back to sleep. The second time can make for a long night, unless I take certain steps that work for me. Everyone’s experiences are different, I’m sharing this in case it may help someone else.
I am by no means a doctor. These are my own personal experiences. They are in no way meant to reflect a medical opinion. Persistent loss of sleep is a serious matter, and should be consulted with a physician.
The first, and I feel, that the most relevant is to spend some time praying. As a Christian, I believe there are seasons when we are called to prayer. You never know who you may be interceding for on the other side of the world.
You’re asking, how does this tie in with going back to sleep? In two very wonderful, very different ways. First, if God has put it on our hearts to pray for someone, once accomplished, we can go back to sleep.
Second, if it’s just a sleepless night, prayer not only draws us closer to Christ, it brings rest. Once I’ve prayed, sleep comes easier. Your body has been brought to a state of obedience, and there is a peace that comes with that.
After prayer, the second thing I’ve found to work is an act of productivity. In fact, what you’re reading now is the result of that. The majority of my posts are written between 3 and 4 in the morning.
It doesn’t have to be writing, it has been folding laundry too. The point is to not think about it, instead to take away the pressure of going back to sleep. In the process, you’ve turned a frustration into a productive task.
You go from feeling bad for losing sleep to feeling good that something is checked off your to do list. It’s not that the task is any more important than your rest, it’s about replacing an irritation with a feeling of success. You’re not losing sleep, you spent a little extra time awake completing something else.
The third way will sound simple, but it’s effective. A change of location helps me to go back to sleep. We were given a recliner in our room, and I move from the bed to it. In no time, me, my chair, and my blanket are off to dreamland.
I don’t know why this helps, but it does. It’s as if it shifts the sleep equilibrium in my favor. We recently replaced our mattress, which has bettered my back issues. However I still found myself awake before three with my chair in mind.
My fourth and final suggestion is giving your brain a distraction. I either watch a program on my phone, or listen to a podcast. Music helps my wife, but it tends to keep me awake. Visuals, and the spoken word tend to work better for me. As I lay there and my brain focuses on what’s being said, and I drift back off to asleep.
I believe we are made to be like a battery, empowering others. The difference between a rechargeable and a throw away is the charging cycle. Sleep is our primary recharging activity, and must be maintained.
It’s my hope that one of these simple suggestions will help. While they may seem elementary, if they enhance even one sleepless nights, it’s been worth sharing. My prayer for you is a peaceful night, filled with wonderful dreams, that you can begin to accomplish the next day.
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June 3, 2015
Postcards From Dr. Ed
Wikimedia Image
James 1:4
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Dear Timothy,
I have left to explore the trail seldom taken, the Bettering road. – Dr. Ed
I’ve mentioned my imaginary friend before, the physician whose practice is in the corner of my mind. The short gentlemen with the Einstien like mustache and silver buzz cut, Dr. Ed, edification expert. He practices what he refers to as “the anti-me”, or honoring others above self. A whimsical illustration in a world that too often is slow to say thank you, but quick to say what about me.
I hadn’t heard from him in a while, so naturally I was concerned when I got this letter. As crazy as it may seem, I was worried about my sensitive friend. Could he survive in this cold and sometimes uncaring world? That’s when the postcards started.
Pictures from across the country of people caring for others. Snapshots of individuals who spend their waking hours caring for others more than themselves. Lives that aren’t only vacationers from selfishness, but citizens of another realm. A place where caring about your brother isn’t a relic, but a daily, reoccurring event.
The Pastor’s Wife who not only takes care of her family, but works until midnight in the care of others. She, along with the volunteers I saw the last two nights prepping for VBS to ensure the kids have a special experience. Or the man who put politics aside to comfort an opponent during a time of loss. These people practice the act of living life’s which better those in their pathway every day.
We live in a world of noise, where kindness isn’t a stranger, just simply drowned out. Selfishness is loud, selflessness isn’t. Caring for others goes about its business quietly. It not only doesn’t seek the spotlight, it avoids it entirely.
There are good people still in this world, kind, caring, and polite individuals. They just don’t advertise themselves. If it doesn’t seem like it to us, we have two courses of action. The first is to lament the loss, shake the head, and go about our way.
The other is to pick up the banner of edification and blaze a trail. We can activate in our own lives what we see as absent in our sphere of influence. Be kind, be thoughtful, be polite, and hardest of all, be patient.
Let’s face it, our common concern goes out the window when someone cuts us off in traffic. When someone is rude, our reaction isn’t to counter their attitude, but to compound it with our own. I can’t affect my world if I act just like it.
That’s what the practice of edification is all about. It’s not a natural instinct, but a cultivated response. Patience is a virtue, and virtues take work. Improving our world is completely doable, if we’re willing to work at it daily.
I’ll wrap this up with my friend’s prescription for a sour world, which is a daily transfusion. “Every individual must roll up their sleeve and give of themselves daily.” As simple as it is, that’s it. Smiling when not easy, caring for the lives around you, and thinking about them is a great way to travel through life. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it makes.
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