Room For Mistakes

Many months ago I went into a McDonald's after exercising. I know those two don't really go together. I was not really paying attention when I entered the rest room. Not seeing the urinal I used a stall. As I was washing I thought how strange this McDonald's does not have a urinal. Thats when it hit me, I entered the wrong rest room. I exited very quickly. Thank God I did not meet anyone in there. Could you imagine what would have happened if I came out of the stall and meet a woman or a child. I probably would not be able to convince anyone that it was a mistake.

This got me thinking one of the problems with the our society today is that there is less room for people to be wrong, make mistake, or goof up. I am not talking about intentional bad actions. If someone on purpose breaks a rule then they need to suffer the consequences of their action. However, we really need to be relaxed understand that people make mistakes without realizing it and not be so hard on people when they do. None of us do everything correctly all the time. We need to give people a little benefit of doubt. Make room in your life for other people to be wrong.

Vanderbilt University Leaders Acting Crazy

Christian are all upset because of a new rule that forbids student groups at Vanderbilt from restricting leadership positions in student groups based on sex orientation or religion. You can read more about that at Baptist Press.

This kind of rule cuts many ways. Not only by their rule can an atheist be the baptist student union leader but a fundamentalist can be the local skeptic club head. Not to mention the die hard male chauvinist now running for chairman of the lesbian fellowship and the pro lifer on tract to be president of the pro choice group. Am I the only one to see that such a policy is nuts that who ever thought this was a good idea needs to be reprimanded. Student groups form around common ideas. You can't demand that a group reject some of its ideals just so that anyone can be a part of the group.

Any time we try to silence those who's opinion differs from ours we become the intolerant bad guy. My conspiracy senses tell me this rule was driven by a hidden agenda without the realization that it cuts both ways or how it makes Vanderbilt the bad guy. My optimism hopes that it was a group of good hearted but misguided leaders who made a dumb rule and will quickly resend it. But my optimism is cowering over in the conner having been beaten by my conspiracy sense.

Rules for Talking to Yourself

I feel the need to lay out rules for talking to yourself. Some people seem to be embarrassed by getting caught talking to themselves. They should not be embarrassed. So to help civilization I here by formally lay down simple rules for talking to yourself in print and electrons.

Rule 1. It is okay to talk to yourself. The human race is a very verbal race. Many people when reading even subvocalize the words as they read them and process them as if they were listening to what is being read. I think this is why audiobook are growing in popularity. In my high school they taught us to read our writings out loud to help us catch errors. By talking to yourself you put thoughts into words and get to hear what you are thinking! This is a great way to fully examine a situation or project or problem or anything. You are bring more of you mind into the conversation. So talk to yourself.

Rule 2. It is okay to ask yourself question. Role playing has been recommended for decades and what better way to get at the root of an inquiry than to put yourself on the witness stand and drill yourself with the questions. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish when you ask yourself the tough questions. Even in small projects asking yourself should I do A or B first may lead to valuable time savings for just addressing it early on.

Rule 3. It is not only okay but expected that you answer the question you ask yourself. If rule 1 is true and rule 2 is true then rule 3 is a no brainer. It to must be true.

Rule 4. Respect the ambient noise level with yourself conversations. For example when in a library or other quite situation keep the conversation level down to soft whisper or subvocalize. When outside if you need to yell. If anyone looks at you funny just know that they are jealous that they don't have the courage to talk to themselves in public. Point them here so they can get the education and encouragement to talk to themselves.

Rule 5. Your are developing a problem if you ever say to yourself "Pardon me what did you say?" or similar words. When you have trouble understand conversations with yourself it is time to seek help outside your own head.

Five simple rules. I hope they free you from the embarrassment of talking to yourself. Go forth and converse.

What Are You Living For?

As a Christian I have long been aware of the personal application of Hebrews 9:27.


"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment"

I tell you though even before I was Christian I was well aware of the first part men die once. It does not matter about your political views, your religious views, your wealth, or your health you will one day exit this world. If cremated your ashes will be scattered and forgotten or place in a jar and lost. It is no better if you prefer to be buried for even cemeteries in time die and are forgotten like the one pictured. Another decade or two it will be lost.

I don't mean for this post to be morbid I am just making clear that no matter what your best effort is some day you will no longer be remembered.  Which then brings me to the title. What are you living for? The Princes Bride aficionado will answer true love but actually each person must decide this for themselves. For me the answer is so that I will hear my love Jesus tell me one day "Well done good and faithful servant." This is achieved by loving my neighbor as myself. For those around me this means they are to see in me a person that truly cares for them and desires to be a positive influence in their lives. Some would say I am foolish for believing in Jesus but setting my belief aside is it not still a good thing to love the people around you as much as you love yourself. Once again I ask you what are you living for?

Note: I don't do good because I think it will earn me a reward. I do good because I love Jesus and want him to be proud of me the same way a child that loves his parents wants to please them and make them proud.