Ground Zero, 9/11: Rudy’s finest hour

Aside from the two towering infernos, our collective memory of 9/11 is that of Mayor Rudy Giuliani arriving at the scene with his staff -- his hair, face, and shoulders covered with fine dust from the crumbled concrete of the mightiest symbols of the American century.

In leading his city back on its feet, Rudy Giuliani stood taller than the two towers that were there no more.

Read more at Business World

Financial Lessons From A 20 Year Old

There is a 20 year old entrepreneur I am familiar with who, at his young age, has reaped marketing awards and has closed thousand-dollar deals with medium-scale enterprises in his community. At his age, he not only enjoys the comforts of independence, but he also enjoys a debt-free existence.

In the course of my conversation with the young entrepreneur, I learned a few things from him. I’m sharing this with you, because I believe that you may be able to benefit from his methods, and improve your own personal financial habits.

Here are five habits I observed from him:

1. He saves HALF of his salary. Granted, his salary is twice the salary of mid-level managers in his community, but the fact remains that he SAVES it. Sure, he treats himself to creature comforts like designer clothes, but he also makes sure that he has his limits. The pace at which he saves money can easily allow him to invest a significant amount with top notch investment brokers. Doing so can help increase his net worth faster.

 Read more at My Financial Objectives

10 Things to Teach Your Kids About Failure

1. Not Everybody Gets A Trophy
   Somewhere along the line we became a society that preached instant gratification. Like a giant carnival, our slogan became “everybody wins all the time.” We know it’s not true. It’s also a terrible example to set. Losing is every bit as important in human growth as winning. Rewarding your child for doing nothing will teach him just that. Nothing.
   
2. Everyone Has Different Talents
   Maybe your daughter wants to be the next Carrie Underwood. Then you hear her sing. Your son wants to be Evan Longoria. He can’t hit the ball off a tee. There are just some things we aren’t cut out for. It’s best to learn that at an early age. The good news is that they are a champion at something. Guide them towards where their gifts lie.
   
3. Have Class
   What is one of the most flattering descriptions a person can hear? “He sure has a lot of class.” “She sure was a great sport about it.” Are you teaching your children how to fail with dignity? How a person accepts failure is an easy indicator of the character within. It also almost guarantees future success. Respect is gained outwardly and inwardly. Coach Dungy is prime example of “class.”

Read more at AllProDad

10 Ways Nerdy Dads Are Kewl

Face it. Being a Dad doesn’t usually bring a lot of “cool factor” with it. It’s not easy to look cutting edge driving mini-vans, pushing strollers and spending Saturday’s at Lowe’s shopping for tile.  More times than not, dads just look plain nerdy. Wear that badge with honor! Let’s celebrate the faithful husband and dedicated father as the true heroes they are.
1. It Takes A Real Man
   Any fool can roll with a Mercedes. Cruise a ‘69 Camaro. It takes a real man to rock a 2006 Dodge Caravan. Sleek power sliding doors. Built-in DVD pumping Sponge Bob as he tears up the road. Fold-down seats and just enough room to haul the nine foot Christmas tree. McDonald’s fries in every crevice and the remains of an old 7-11 slurpee in the back. All traces of manhood wiped clean.  Dad could drive a sports car that drives the ladies wild and makes the other men want to be like him. But how Dad rolls is seeing that his family is happy, comfortable and secure.
   
2. The Cover of GQ
   Once upon a time, Dad used to get his hair styled. Not cut. It was full and thick, and always up with the latest trend. His hair was proud like the lion that he was. Now Supercuts has replaced the young and pretty hair stylist. He treats himself by getting the shampoo along with the $10 dollar trim. His hair has thinned, but he combs it over to cover the sparseness. GQ will not be calling him for its next cover. But to his wife and family, he’s the most handsome man on the planet.
   
3. Making It Rain
   Who’s your Daddy? That’s right. Who makes the green come raining down? Dad - that’s who. When his twelve year old daughter has grown out of every shoe she has in three months, Dad is there to the rescue. Payless baby. “Hook her up,” he tells the sales person. When his boy has lost his retainer, his cleats and needs tutoring in science, Dad pulls out his overstuffed (with receipts) wallet. Don’t forget Mama. Anniversary time? The diamond heart necklace at Zale’s will be dangling from her beautiful neck. Dad works hard to make it rain on his family every time they need him.
   
   Read more at AllProDad
   
   
   

10 Ways To Teach Your Children To Overcome Obstacles

Life can be well described as an obstacle course, with impediments that get re-arranged every time we start a new day. This fact is one of the elements that makes for rich experience, not only in our careers, but also in our personal lives.

Unfortunately, many children learn too early that obstacles are either there for someone else to deal with, or simply not worth the trouble. Consequently, too many young people leave school and enter the workplace without a good grasp on the possible.

The obstacles are not going away, and our children need to understand the art of the possible. We have this great opportunity to be involved in preparing young people to live complete and fulfilling lives. A huge part of this happens to be the question, “How can I teach my child to overcome obstacles?”

All Pro Dad has a few ideas to help get the ball rolling;

1. Be a role model: Kids learn most of what they know about problem solving by watching their parents deal with difficulty. So demonstrate the deep satisfaction that comes with negotiating a challenge.

 Read more at AllProDad

To Serve Is to Suffer
by Ajith Fernando
 

If the apostle Paul knew fatigue, anger, and anxiety in his ministry, what makes us think we can avoid them in ours?

Paul's theology emphasized the need to endure frustration patiently as we live in a fallen world awaiting the redemption of creation. Paul said that we groan because of this frustration (Rom. 8:18-27). I believe we fail to include this frustration in our understanding of vocational fulfillment. A church that has a wrong understanding of fulfillment for its workers will certainly become sick. This may be one reason why the church contains so much shallowness. We have measured success by the standards of the world and fail to challenge the world with the radically different biblical way to fulfillment.

The contemporary emphasis on efficiency and measurable results makes frustration even harder to endure. In the past four centuries, industrial and technological development in the West made efficiency and productivity top values. With rapid economic development, things once considered luxuries became not only necessities but also rights in the minds even of Christians. In this environment, the Christian idea of commitment has taken a battering.

We call our churches and Christian organizations "families," but families are very inefficient organizations. In a healthy family, everything stops when a member has big needs. We are often not willing to extend this commitment to Christian body life.

Read more at ChristianityToday GobalConversation

Management Tip: Tendencies of bad bosses
http://bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=15428

BOSTON -- Being the boss is hard, especially when you need to counter the natural tendencies that separate you from the people you manage. 

Knowing what these propensities are can help you avoid them. Here are the top three to watch out for:

1. Self-deluding. This isn’t just a problem with bosses; the majority of people estimate their skills to be higher than they are in reality. Be aware that you might be self-aggrandizing and find ways to get input and evaluations that show you what your true skills are.

2. Heedless of subordinates. Those in positions of power are watched carefully by those under them. But that level of attention is not reciprocated. When you become the head honcho, don’t forget to remain curious about and engaged with your direct reports.

3. Insulated from reality. No one wants to deliver bad news to the boss, so the boss often doesn’t know the full story. Create a culture in which the messenger isn’t shot, but lauded for bringing important information forward.

Today’s Management Tip was adapted from “Some Bosses Live in a Fool’s Paradise” by Robert I. Sutton. The Management Tip offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org. Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

Leading a Church in Prayer ...

... deserves thoughtful preparation.

Kevin DeYoung | posted 7/19/2010

 

Some traditions use set prayers. Others rely on extemporaneous prayers. Both have their place. But I believe what our congregations need most are studied prayers, well prepared, well expressed. These prayers may or may not be read, but will be thought through ahead of time. Publicly leading a church in prayer deserves thoughtful preparation.

2. Pray Scripture. Don't just ask God for what we want. Let him teach us what we should want.

 

4. Leave the preaching for the sermon. Don't exhort. Don't explain texts. Don't unpack complex theology. Spurgeon again: "Long prayers either consist of repetitions, or else of unnecessary explanations which God does not require; or else they degenerate into downright preachings, so that there is no difference between the praying and the preaching, except that in the one the minister has his eyes shut, and in the other he keeps them open. It is not necessary in prayer to rehearse the Westminster Assembly's Catechism."

6. Pray so that others can follow you easily. The goal is edification (1 Cor. 14:17). So don't let your sentences get too long, too flowery, too ornate. If you write out your prayers, write for the ear not for the eye. On the other hand, don't use distracting colloquialisms like, "Lord, you're so sweet."

 

 Read more at LeadershipJournet.net