Grasshopper.com did a great job with their recent marketing campaign using social media. They created the above video, while a bit cliche, I thought it was nicely done.
The video works because its message rings true of the human spirit. We’re all summoned to create, risk, lead, and change, at least in some area in our lives. Whether we’re able to hear that calling, or do anything about it, might be a different story altogether.
I pour my heart into a lot of different things that I think are worthwhile, but I question if I’m changing the world. I’m in a city of nearly six million where a simple stroll through the downtown core can make you feel like a speck of dust.
I think when you’ve changed a life (including your own), you’ve already changed the world.
Let the bets begin. Here’s my projections for the electoral map
With a lot of the state polls tightening, the Bradley effect, the reverse-Bradley effect, the republican 72 hour blitz, voter turn out suppression, and machine malfunctions, here’s my gut take.
There will not be an Obama landslide victor nor a McCain upset.
Obama’s definitely on the offense, but I don’t think they’ll flip many of those red states. What it does do is it forces McCain to spread resources towards defense and away from key battleground states.
As exciting as it would be, and maybe I just don’t want to get my hopes up, even though Obama’s storming into McCain’s home state of Arizona, and new south states like Georgia, I’m leaving them in McCain’s column.
Polls seem to be shifting in McCain’s direction in huge battlegrounds like Pennsylvania and Ohio, but I say it’s too little too late.
With Florida’s extended voting early voting hours, and what’s happened to them in the past elections, I can’t see democrats and independents sitting this one out.
My take is North Carolina might be the tightest races of election night, and that one is trending Obama.
My final tally, Obama takes it by 353 to McCain 185.
I also don’t think the democrats will get the 60-seat filibuster proof senate, but they’ll come real close.
Keep in mind a lot can still happen in the coming days. I can’t believe there can possibly still be any undecided voters after two years of campaigning with heavy media coverage. I do think that much of the youth vote might not be captured in the current polls, and many independents could swing back to republican roots do to cultural concerns.
* I just saw on the news that 15% of Canadians were surveyed to be willing to forfeit their own vote in the Canadian elections to vote for Obama.
** I would love to play a game of Risk with Obama’s campaign strategists Plouffe and Axelord just to see how badly they could smoke me.
*** What a mess the next president will be inheriting.
What do you think? Come up with your own election projections here.
There’s quite a bit of uncertainty with what I’ll be doing next in life. I’ve got two more major projects to hammer out, and hope to figure out some next steps by May. The possibilities seem endless.
I’ve spent the past seven months helping out at a church plant that is now just entering its sophomore year. With any week, people can just choose to not show up and set up, and just go to some more dignified and established church and bask in what God’s already done, but they choose not to. I have such a great admiration for the emotional, relational, and financial investment these people have risked in this endeavor.
We had an open-mic session during our gathering this past Sunday. I’m rarely comfortable receiving any type of praise, but I have to admit there’s something deeply affirming about people sharing that you have been sent by God and that He is actively working through you. What more could anyone seeking the heart of God ask for?
One older gentleman came up to the front and said I’ve been completely unorthodox… But a breathe of fresh air. I love that.
With his building engulfed in flames a man in Germany threw his nine-month old nephew out of his apartment window four-stories down to a police officer. The parents screamed for him not to do it. The toddler is doing fine, but five other children were killed in the blaze. (Full article and more photos)
Some leadership reflections on this…
- Are we willing to make choices that could cause the death of what we love?
- What does it take to be the one who acts when no one else is willing to?
- Are we willing to do what’s right contrary to what well-meaning people might be screaming?
- Are we willing to trust others, even strangers at times, with our decisions and the lives of our loved ones?
I just finished reading Reclaiming Youth at Risk. I had my doubts at first. It uses Native American child-raising philosophy in helping create redeeming environments for our youth today. It has caused me to have a much deeper respect for the natie american people as well.
A quote from poet Edwin Markham:
He drew a circle to shut me out. Heretic, rebel a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win. We drew a circle that took him in.
It’s been four years since I graduated and began working at IBM and it’s been 4 years since I’ve known that this is the summer I’ll be leaving it all behind. Much praying and planning has went into this journey. I recently extended my thirty year plan into a sixty year plan… just in case I live that long.
I’ve never had a doubt that this is what God wanted me to do, though I’ve got to say, that a twinge of nervousness has crept up on my recently. With this next step I’ll be leaving the common and familiar for the seldom and unfamiliar. I’ll be trading a steady and solid income for unknown periods of debt. Most of all, I’ll be giving up a job I love and daring to live a life of love.
One of my managers was relieved it wasn’t due to any type of job dissatisfaction. “Well, I can’t compete with God”, he exclaimed. It turned out my other manager was on staff with Willow Creek earlier in his career. We ended up talking for a couple hours about life, discipline, and vision. It’s interesting how as I’ve talked to others about this, what I’m hearing is that I’m “one of those people” who actually try to do something different; something they love in this life.
I’ve got a lot that I want to do in my life, but the truth is, after looking at my life from a sixty year perspective, I was starting to draw blanks on what else I might want to do. Most of us over estimate what we can do in a year, and drastically underestimate what we can do in ten or twenty years. The way I see it, with the pace of life as it is these days, we have the opportunity to live multiple life times, having different and worthwhile careers and passions during our time on earth. I know plenty of people who have things they want to do in life, but the reality is, they’re just wish lists. Real dreams must be attempted.
I’m leaving this career, and taking the next step towards my dream of unleashing hope in others because I must. My heart demands it. And anything less would be a violation of who I’m called to be.
