A Conduit Not A Reservoir

by | Sep 25, 2014 | Competence, Lessons Learned, Love, Stewardship

Collecting has always been a part of my nature. As a boy, I used my paper route earnings to collect coins and antiques. Books and papers were cherished and accumulated in piles. Throwing things away has always been hard. This has been an annoyance for those who have...

Exempt from Obligation

by | Jul 10, 2014 | Lessons Learned, Stewardship, Surrender

I have never joyfully written a check for taxes. However, this is not a new phenomenon. I doubt the Egyptians enjoyed paying taxes on their cooking oil. The Greeks surely did not enjoy paying taxes to wage wars but amazingly received refunds when excess was raised....

Fertilizing

by | Jun 12, 2014 | Lessons Learned, Stewardship

Spreading manure was a job I actually enjoyed while working on a farm as a boy. I know you think I am crazy, but I didn’t even mind the smell. Fertilizer is important but rarely appreciated. It contains much needed potassium nitrogen, phosphorus and trace...

Thank You Notes

by | Jun 5, 2014 | Lessons Learned, Stewardship

My mother taught me to write thank you notes, but I was never good at it. I saw it as a chore. Maybe this attitude revealed the true state of my heart – not so thankful. Its roots were found in my expectations and sense of entitlement. Ungratefulness focused on...