View from the Summit

A couple months ago I was challenged to read the book Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. 

Deciding to read it was not a hard decision for me at all since I have been on this journey now for 2 years to minimize the stress in my life. I discovered that growing through subtraction is a lot easier than growing through addition.

I have learned to ask what are the things in my life that I need to eliminate? What can I stop doing that doesn't provide value? We can always add more to our plate, but I wanted quality, not quantity. 

Don't you want the best for your family? Don't you want to live life to its fullest? Have you discovered yet the immeasurable value of time? 

Here are five things I have learned about spirituality or connecting with a higher power:

1) Die to self

2) Don't try it in your own strength

3) Don't place your identity in your work or stuff

4) My ways are not always God's ways.

5) If God wants this to be part of His plan, He will provide the tools and resources.

If you give some thought to your average day I would suspect that very little time is devoted to empowering others.

We go through our day trying to make ends meet. Spending 8 to 10 hours at work, 4 or 5 hours with family and the rest, asleep preparing to do it again tomorrow.

Have you ever gotten that unexpected phone call for no apparent reason other than encouraging you and sending well wishes for your day?

A couple days ago a friend of mine, Matt Miller president of School Spirit Vending Co. came to Nashville from Texas on a business trip.

We met at the local pizza parlor in downtown Franklin. What a great time we had as we shared pizza with 14 other members of Matt's team. Laughing, sharing, joking and of course eating like there was no tomorrow.

Story after story being told as we compared the great state of Tennessee to Texas. One guy risking his life wearing a Dallas Cowboy jersey in the midst of Titan territory.