Watching and Listening

Yesterday I had the sheer joy of having a “business meeting” with my co-workers back in Kansas City. At least, that is what I called it when our manager walked by. I was advised to install my webcam so that such a meeting could actually occur, and Adam Spriggs endured about 15 minutes of me struggling to get the video and voice config working so that we could actually communicate. Most of the meeting was us chatting in Gmail while making funny faces at each other, but eventually I got my headet working (which I forgot I even had until Adam said, “Where’s your halo headset?”) and my other co-workers came into view while I showed them the winter wonderland outside my office window.

It has been wonderful this week to just sit back and work. I commented to Julie today that this is very similar to when I was in Seminary: A “vacation” consisted of being able to unwind from school concerns and just have a good week of working. I’ve been really wrapped up in Church and Youth-Pastor-y things these past few weeks, which I love, but it was nice to have a few days with nothing else going on and I can just get some work done. It all came to an end when I heard today that we will be having sports practices twice a week until Festival of Life down in Boston at the end of March. But I have decided to take a couple ping-pong players under my wing for a couple weeks of training – if they’re up for it. Ka-Chow!

I saw Cars recently, I liked it. I also saw “The Ultimate Gift” which I highly recommend! It was a random rental which left me in tears almost the whole way through it. Twice.

I learned a lesson in listening this month. I have been struggling with what it means to “lead” – not just recently, but for quite some time, as I find myself in “leadership” roles, but am so entirely inept that it is embarrassing. For a good laugh, put me in a situation where a decision needs to be made – the aftermath is as painful as the decision itself. But I am realizing that it was in the situations where I have an excellent team of people around me when I thrive, and disaster when I lack such people. Last week we had an event each night in honor of February Vacation, and had Laser Tag slated for Friday. The day came, and brought a snowstorm with it. I had my heart set on going, but found myself at the church, with a dozen students and adult volunteers, an hour after we were supposed to leave for a 2 hour drive, and the snow was getting worse. All the students were ready to go, and all the adults advised against it. I had to recognize the good advice of the adult volunteers, despite my own desire to travel, regardless of the weather. We ended up going out to eat, watching a movie, and having an excellent time.

And if I had a nickel for every time Tim Troxler bailed me out of a bad situation…