A Statue of Responsibility

I have a friend who has a dream… a big dream… let’s say a 300 ft. tall dream.  He believes that just as Lady Liberty stands proud on the east coast of our nation, so should a Statue of Responsibility tower above the California coast as a reminder to American citizens and visitors from around that globe that both attributes (Liberty and Responsibility) are essential to sustain the freedoms (economic, spiritual, etc.) we so often take for granted:

The Statue of Responsibility is not a pipe dream.  And it’s not IF it’s going to happen, it’s where.  Foundations, celebrities, and politicians are flocking to this important mission.  Several locations are under consideration.

www.SORfoundation.org

What an incredible pair of transcontinental bookends.  Remember you heard it here first!

The Bird in the Box

I have the privilege of hanging with twenty weird guys at least once per month in the media room of a local church.  A few justifiably hem and haw about their 45 minute drive, but none complain that we should meet at a more civilized time than 6:00 – 8:00 am.   We call ourselves Dream Builders and we are weird in the way we think and act.   Here are a few common characteristics of our Dream Builders:

• Accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior
• Continually seeks a more intimate relationship with God
• Desires to see God do what He loves to do – The Impossible!
• Committed to helping other Dream Builders achieve their dreams

At times I think we’re so counter-culture-counter-intuitive we should probably use this image as our logo:

We keep our radar high for an unusual, but amazing phenomenon.  I call it – and a weird term if there ever was one – The Bird in the Box.  It’s how DBers listen and respond to the music – HIS music.

Take a gander at the Dream Builder’s decision equation:

So let’s start with the Box.   As you can see the box is unopened, and there’s a reason.  The Box holds a serum better than 100cc of adrenalin – it’s a Dream Builder’s secret sauce.  Take a look at this short clip of clip of JJ Abrams, my favorite movie director and creator of TV shows like Alias and Lost, and movies like MI 3, Cloverfield  and the Star Trek movie last summer.  This man is a Mystery  ninja –  as you’ll see.

Dream Builders love the Mystery Box because it represents Unlimited Possibilities.  The contents of this box are more valuable to a Dream Builder than probably 90% of people.  When the time comes, the perfect time, the box opens and two questions are answered:

• WHO does He want me to help?
• HOW does He want me to help them?

So that’s the Box.  Careful now; something else is hiding in the box.  It’s the Bird:

Black Swans also share a few traits:

1. Unexpected event – never happened before
2. Simple in its definition – extreme in its impact
3. We have trouble interpreting how it happened, or how to prevent it/make it happen in the future
4. Could be a “Good Bird” or a “Bad Bird”

When a Black Swan emerges from The Mystery Box, God’s Odds are in play:

God doesn’t play by our odds or rules.  When it comes to Dream Building, He rarely operates in the realm of what we call “Business as Usual”.   When God releases a Black Swan like feeding 5000 families with a few fish, inserting a 9 foot tall (odds of a man that tall: 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1) villain like Goliath into a battle, or generating $100 milllion from a small-budget overtly Christian movie (like my friend David Nixon did with his movie Fireproof)  – we have no choice but attribute the outcome to our Creative Creator and enjoy His music.

C.S. Lewis alluded to God’s Swans revealing God’s Odds in his Chronicles of Narnia:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Lucy:

“Will we ever get back into the Wardrobe?”

The Professor:

“Most likely.  But I think it will happen when we’re not looking for it.”

Prince Caspian

Lucy:

“Why didn’t you rescue us like before?”

Aslan:

“Nothing happens the same way twice, dear one…”

DBers don’t anticipate when God will release Swans or what they will look like – we just keep our radar high for an opportunity to respond.   In fact, in the midst of all this mystery there’s only one thing we can be sure of – Aslan is on the move!

So the box finally opens and the bird appears and prepares to fly.  Now the Dream Builder has only one choice to make:  Will he take the Blue Pill or the Red Pill?

Here are a few Red Pills DBs have swallowed. All are real – most you may not know about:

• “You feed them.” – Jesus to disciples on feeding the 5000
• “You make those Christian movies.”
• “You build that 300 foot tall Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.”
• “You adopt those kids from Russia.”
• “You hold that annual golf tournament to honor pastors.”
• “You organize a nation-wide event to celebrate My Creation.”
• “You create a national sports event to support breast cancer research called THE CURE BOWL.”

The Red Pill requires risk and faith – Spiritual “Guts” if you know what I mean.  So the Dream Builder reaches for the Red Pill and washes it down; when he does, his fellow DBs usually respond in one of three ways:

1. Don’t know how I can help, but I’m committed to you and to pray for your dream.
2. Don’t know how I can help, but I know someone who can – I’ll connect you.
3. You’re talking my passions, my “fastball” and/or my resources – I’m in!

What do I mean by “fastball”? 

Nolan Ryan won 300 games, threw no hitters until he was in his early 40’s, and struck out more batters than any other hurler in history on one pitch – a 100 (up to 104) mph heater that the best batters in the league said “disappeared” on its way to the plate.  Point: we all have our “Fastballs” that we bring to this game we call Dream Building.

And what happens when Dream Builders join other Dream Builders who are ready to fire their fastball?

The Lord replied: “Look, and be amazed!  You will be astounded at what I am about to do!  For I am going to do something in your own lifetime that you will have to see to believe.”  

Habakkuk 1:5  The Living Bible

I said that Dream Builders are weird.  They believe August Rush when he stated, “The MUSIC is all around us; all you have to do is listen.”

Dream Builders are counter cultural and often counter intuitive.   It is my privilege and one of the greatest joys of my life to lock arms with these lunatics as we open Mystery Boxes, release Swans, and gulp down Red Pills to engage in the Adventure and see God reveal his “odds” by doing what He does best – the Impossible.

The Heart of a CHAMPION

Charles Lindbergh describes the heart of a Champion around one word…

Dream Builders 6:00 a.m.

 

And the Call Goes Out…

 

We need heroes.  Desperately.  In their brilliant book, The Fourth Turning, William Strauss and Neil Howe describe the cycles in America’s history.  The “fourth” cycle as they describe it, involves a period of tremendous hardship and pain.  The last 4^th occurred during the Great Depression and WWII – the next is now.

But there’s hope.  According to the authors, heroes have surfaced in every Fourth Turning of our country’s history.  When times are at their toughest, when hope seems to be our most depleted resource – heroes step in and turn the tide.  So, as our call goes out, who will step in as our champions that re-fuel the dry tanks of America’s hope?

We need entrepreneurs – those brave individuals who risk for reward, even though they currently have less than a 10% chance of survival.  Those that succeed generate over 70% of the jobs in this country, and almost all of the innovation.  They now have a name that’s catching on – Economy Heroes:

 

But we need more than those who can re-boot our economy, our country requires a “re-tweet” of the Greatest generation; men and women with the tenacity of my favorite uncle – known to friends and family as “C.W.”.   He’s 83 now, sinking fast with a debilitating back disease.   But even, and in his case especially, with pain that would force a rhino to its knees, he’s still the mentally toughest individual I know by far.   I loved hearing him tell stories over the years of his youth – growing up on a farm in a small Florida community during the Great Depression.   His academic and vocational choices were limited which required intense focus and determination.   His father handed him $150 on the night of his high school graduation, told him he wished he could give him more, told his son he loved him, and wished him luck.   C.W. caught a ride to the University of Florida that night with the professor who gave the graduation address.    The professor dropped him off on the outskirts of town and also wished him luck.   C.W. found cheap lodging and showed up at a local dairy the next morning looking for work.   No jobs were available, but he committed to working at no pay until a job opened.  He worked without compensation for three months. 

For the next four years C.W. started work at 5:00 a.m., went to class in the afternoon, and studied at night.   He joined the Marines the day after graduation because the job market was tight and he wanted to serve his country.   He fought in the Pacific campaign, including Okinawa.  After the war he farmed and built enough capital to branch out and ultimately become a very successful commercial developer and a pillar of his community.

The people I call heroes – like my Mom, a crazy missionary, an amazing two-star general, an off-the-hook Christian Businessman who leads a world-wide organization that aids the poor and provides incredible support after disasters – and who loves Cuban cigars and drinks single malt whiskey, a brilliant young business woman who struggles with a ridiculously rare form of incurable cancer, a movie producer/director whose dream is to make Orlando the Christian movie capital of the world, and my lovely wife – are self effacing, courageous, and creative individuals who will do what is necessary to aid others in need.

They’re unstated motto – “It’s not about me.”  We need millions of heroes like them to “save” this country.  Are you available – because my friend – the Call is out…

A Deeper Cut

 

If spiritual adventure means a “sharper cutting edge” (previous post), we can also assume that engagement with that edge produces a “deeper cut”:

 

“Exactly what is God doing with all His power?  At some point in your Christian life you’ll be forced to admit that Jesus didn’t make it on your list of responsive, valued friends.   Live long enough, and dreams important to you will shatter.  Some will remain shattered.  God will not glue together the pieces of every Humpty Dumpty who takes a great fall in your life.  The divorce will go through, the cancer will claim a loved one’s life, the Alzheimer’s will not be arrested (let alone reversed) by the latest drug.  The broken friendship will not be restored despite your best efforts to reconcile.  Your marriage will not be satisfying no matter how many counselors your consult or seminars you attend.  Your singleness will be an intolerable burden.  The lost income will not be replaced by money pouring out of heaven’s windows.  You’ll feel low for a long time; the dark tunnel will lengthen with no visible light at the end.  Your sense of adventure will yield to dutiful drudgery.  You will be miserable.  Your dream of feeling alive, captivated by beauty and passionately free, will die.  And God won’t do a thing.  For a long time.  Maybe till heaven.”

 

Larry Crabbe

Shattered Dreams

Why would we want sharper edges when they produce deeper cuts?  There’s “gonna be an answer”, and as unpleasant as a wider wound sounds, it will actually makes sense.

A Sharper Cutting Edge

 

Yesterday I talked, discussed, and pontificated with my son in China for almost two hours (thanks Lord for Skype).   I’m proud of him and his decision to “cross the Rubicon” by following God’s lead to a new life and adventure.  In the course of our conversation Casey made a cool statement, “When you get to the cutting edge, you realize something… there’s another cutting edge.”  I love that, but let me offer my own interpretation, “When you get to the cutting edge, you realize something… there’s a sharper cutting edge ahead.” 

 

“A new thought occurred to him. ‘I will join with whatever forces are opposed to the root of this unpleasantness.  I will ally with goodness against evil.  I will not wait to see more clearly; what my hand finds to do, I will do.  But I will stay close to the spring.  My soul is thirsty.  A pleasant life is not water for my soul; whatever comes from God – whoever God is – this is only true water.  And it is enough.’  The man worshiped God, and God was pleased.  So God kept water bubbling up out of the spring in the man’s soul.  When the man didn’t drink every morning from that spring or return every evening to drink again, his thirst became intolerable.  Some things in life got better. Some things stayed the same.  Some got worse.  But the man was dreaming new dreams, greater dreams than a pleasant life.  And he found the courage to pursue them.  He was now a man with hope, and his hope brought joy.  God was very pleased.  So was the man.”

 

Larry Crabbe

Shattered Dreams

 

The shaper the edge – the more we grow – the more we experience adventure and risk – more courage is required – the more we need consistent “true water” to quench our thirst.  Here is the view from Casey’s apartment window in Beijing:

 

 

 

A “shaper edge” is waiting out there for him.  A sharper edge is waiting for us.  As Crabbe says, when we live on the edge life gets better, stays the same, or gets worse.  But when we’re on the edge we’re dreaming new dreams, greater dreams than a pleasant life.  And if that pleases Him – I’m in.  How about you?

Gen-Spoiler

 

“People often ask me how Lost is going to end.  I usually tell them to ask Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who run that series.  But I always wonder, do they really want to know?  And what if I did tell them?  They might have an aha moment, but without context.  Especially since the final episode is a year away.  That is to say, the experience – the setup for a joke’s punch line, the buildup to a magic trick’s big flourish – is as much of a thrill as the result.  There’s discovery to be made and wonder to be had on the journey that not only enrich the ending but in many ways define it.”

 

J.J. Abrams – Creator of the TV Series Alias, Lost, and Fringe; the director of MI3, Cloverfield, and the upcoming Star Trek prequel – from a recent article in WIRED Magazine

 

What does this generation have against “Mystery”?  The warning in red caps “SPOILER ALERT” appears in almost every article I read these days, especially if it concerns an upcoming book or film.   Leaked screenplays, stolen drafts, and pirated videos are almost as commonplace as influenza, and twice as nauseating.  Whatever happened to the “discovery of the journey…” as Abrams alludes?

 

I love Abrams’s work and creative philosophy, which he describes in my favorite TED video entitled “The Mystery Box”:

 

 

Now as much as I enjoy ranting about the Gen-Spoilers, I’m also a card-carrying Spoileraholic when it comes to God’s plan.  What’s the next step?  Where’s the money coming from?  Will my kid get good enough grades?  Am I going to be able to take that vacation?  Did my 401k drop today?  Will Ben Laden attack next month?  Yada, yada, yada, la tee la tee da.

 

I know God loves me but sometimes I picture His eyes rolling and Him saying, “Where’s the love, boy?  Where’s the trust?.”  Thanks, J.J. for the “spiritual” insight; I’ll try harder to enjoy the “…wonder to be had on the journey” that will not only enrich my “ending” but also, in many ways, define it.

 

 

Slumdog Kairos

 

Kairos is a Greek term meaning “the right or opportune moment”.  It’s that instant when the dots connect: circumstance and time intersect in such a way that only God can get credit for the outcome.  I waited for Netflix to watch “Slumdog Millionaire” last weekend on DVD:

 

 

This is a strange film in that it seems to be an Indian movie made for Americans.  I consider myself well informed, but nothing in print can take the place of a dramatic visual story depicting stark reality as Slumdog achieves relating to the impoverished citizens of India. 

 

The “velvet hammer” of Slumdog for me, however, was not poverty but Kairos.  Jamal, the hero, remembers traumatic events in his life to answer questions on a game show.  Jamal’s trails and tribulations, all horrific, seem divinely orchestrated to give him the mental wherewithal so that he can capitalize on his “opportune moment.”

 

Joseph (in Genesis) had a similar experience – he’s unjustly accused, spends several years in prison, helps a stranger in prison who forgets about him for two more years, then gets called into the highest court where he answers a few questions and immediately gets promoted to second in command of all Egypt. 

 

We need to remember that hardships, trials, economic downturns, etc.  have a purpose – and perhaps one day, as the Professor states in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, our opportune moment will occur “…when we’re not looking for it.”

 

 

 

Who do You Want to Help? How do You Want to Help Them?

What could happen if men across the world pursued God given dream in the context of two questions:

Who do you want to help?
How do you want to help them?

And what if men of vision met on a regular basis to share those dreams with the understanding they would receive one of three responses from each of the other men in the room:

I don’t know how I can help you with your dream, but I’m behind you 100% and will pray regularly for your dream.

I don’t know how I can help you with your dream, but I know someone who can – I’ll connect you.

My strengths, passion, and resources relate directly to your dream – I’m in!

Take a look at the kickoff meeting for a Dream Builders group that started yesterday in Orlando. Listen to the vision of Kennan Burch who has seen God accomplish dreams beyond what most of us can ask or think:

http://tinyurl.com/DreamBuilderKickoff