Hidden agendas?

Does anyone else play the assumption game? The game that says based on their actions this must be what they are thinking or their reasons for doing/not doing something. I've found that even though I am pretty observant that the assumptions I make are often wrong. Sometimes I give the other person too much credit, sometimes I don't know someone as well as I think I do, sometimes my emotions cloud the view, sometimes I am just plain wrong. I've lived the statement that says "you know what happens when you assume?" (If you don't know the answer, ask around as I am sure someone can tell you.) My view is based on their actions or appearances. Those can be deceiving. What I see may not match the reasons for those actions. I ran across this in my reading last night. Proverbs 21:2 says "We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives." We see the outward, God examines the inside. So my assumptions may be wrong. What I think your motive is doesn't really matter, but God knows the real motive. He cuts through the walls and layers we build to see our hearts. Kind of scary, but also kind of cool. Does our actions match our motives? I may not know if your appearances are real, but that doesn't matter because God is looking intently at our motives.

A little update

Half way there. Yesterday was day 45 of reading through the bible in 90 days. Currently reading through Proverbs which is one of the most practical books of the bible for me. I love the insights that I get each time I read through it. No matter where I am currently at in life there is something in there that speaks directly to me. An interesting switch from Psalms which reveals a lot of the emotion of the writers. Psalms dealt with the heart and Proverbs is reaching my mind. Wonder if that is part of what the verses in the new testament is talking about it when it says to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?

Refreshing day yesterday as I got to talk with some friends I haven't seen in awhile. A chance to catch up a little with the things happening in their lives and to enjoy their friendship. Kind of shows the diversity of my friends. One I've known for 24 years, the other I've known about a year. One lives in Las Vegas, the other I met on a plane going to Vegas. One started out investing in me, the other I started out investing in. Both are friends I don't get to talk with very often, but I love the unique perspective they bring to my life. A day I think God knew I needed to hear some encouragement from some friends.

Keep circling around the idea of living in the expectancy and not in the expectations. Enjoying the things I look forward to in friends (laughter, good conversations, etc.) but not having the expectations (rule that it has to happen). The good conversations that took place yesterday. A note from my aunt that simply says "I love you". A message from a friend half way across the world that shared her thoughts on my blog from yesterday. Enjoying the moments of friendship without expecting them. Hard not to look ahead and expect those, but trying to live fully in the moment and enjoying them. Thanks Shane, Joel, aunt Cathy and Kim for making yesterday better simply because you were part of it.

Multiple choice

A couple diverse thoughts to start off your Monday morning. Kind of like those multiple choice tests from high school. Pick the one that best applies to you. No grades will be given, but a 1,000,000 bonus points for sharing your thoughts.

• Do you think we should pray like the ones written in Psalms? I can't help but imagine what a Sunday morning would look like if we heard some prayers like these. They didn't seem too concerned with "prettying up" their thoughts. Read this morning about smashing the heads of their enemies. These were not prayers about so-and-so's sick grandma (not that grandma isn't important), but raw and intense prayers for help and emotional prayers of thanks. They seemed to take to heart the fact that God already knew their true thoughts and feelings and just honestly shared them. Wonder why our prayers sound so sanitized? They often sound more like a speechwriter has crafted them (lots of words, but not much substance) than us honestly talking to God.
• Not sure what even prompted me to write down these two questions yesterday, but I've been trying to take an honest look at my life and answer them. Give it a whirl and see what you come up with. How do you sacrifice your convictions? What is your compromise?
• Do you listen before speaking the truth? I have had several people speak truth into my life the last couple of days. Some I was glad did, others just made me angry. The truth is always needed, but sometimes our delivery of it can make it harder to receive. I have tried to sort through and hear the truth, but have wondered if some of the ones delivery it were more concerned about me or saying what they felt needed to be said. One says I care about you, the other says I am right. You may be right, but if you don't care about me first, it really doesn't help me much. What do you think?
• How do answer the question - How are you doing? Do you really tell everyone how things are going for you? Do you just default to the acceptable answer - fine? I have probably been asked this question about 10 times (at least) over the weekend. I probably honestly answered two of those people. Eight people got something else. Why the difference? For me it is because those two really seemed to want to know. They allowed time for me to answer. I wasn't on the clock so they could move on to the next person. They had seen something that made them wonder about me and they asked. They cared enough to see me. The people in line checking me out will probably always get the "fine" response. Those who throw it out as a greeting, will get the "fine". When I ask that question, I want that person to know that I really want to know how they are doing. I don't want the expected answer (unless of course you are really doing fine and then you will probably have to convince me of that). How do we slow down enough to see the people around us?

There you go. A few thoughts to get you started today. Go for it and weigh in with your thoughts. How often do you get the chance to make this easy of an "A"?

Lesson learned

How do you deal with people who let you down? (If it hasn't happened yet in your life, my guess it will at some point. I hope not, but we all tend to be messed up in our own way and bring that into our relationships.) I would describe myself as logical and that I tend to observe and analyze the situation fairly well (over analyze is probably more accurate according to my wife), but I also know that I can have pretty intense emotions especially with the things I am passionate about. So this last week has been a struggle as I dealt with wondering if it was worth investing in other people's lives anymore (something I am passionate about). What the exact issues were don't really matter, but how some friends responded does.

One of them simply asked how I was doing. He was available to listen. He didn't offer any solutions or try to solve the problems, he was just available. Another friend encouraged. She pointed out things from the past where she saw that my investment had made a difference. She also suggested that I watch "A Wonderful Life" and imagine myself as Jimmy Stewart's character to see the impact that I may have had in people's lives without even realizing it. (I love creative ideas!) Another friend offered some tough words to hear. Words that challenged me to look at whether my expectancy that exists in friendship (the looking forward to being together, laughing together and talking) had turned into an expectation (a rule that expects them to act a certain way to meet my expectations). An idea that she found intriguing from the book "The Shack". My way of dealing with it at the time was to pull back from those people for a time (wrong way) and then decided to serve them (a lot better way). To continue to invest even though I wanted to do anything but that.

I need each of those voices in my life. Friends who will listen, friends who will encourage, friends who will challenge. The cool thing to me was those voices were from people I didn't expect. (May be onto something with the whole expectancy vs. expectations thing. One of those things I realize, but a whole lot harder to put into practice.) So where do you need to listen, who do you need to encourage, do you need to challenge someone, do you need to serve? We all have a part to play. What is your part for today?

Who cares?

I wonder what I am missing. How many things slip by unnoticed in the busyness of life? Is someone hurting, but I'm too busy to notice? Does someone need a word of encouragement that may help them make it through the day? We have no problem pointing out the failures of others, but do we celebrate the things they get right?

It has been one of those weeks for me. One of those weeks were everything seems to hit at once. My inadequacies on display for all to see. My insecurities just right below the surface. Questioning every action and trying to figure out which way is up. Just hoping to make it through the day without adding one more thing to the list of things that I've done wrong. I was at the breaking point when I got an e-mail that simply said that someone noticed. He asked if there way anything I needed help with. It wasn't out of obligation. It wasn't for any other reason than he noticed something that made him wonder if everything was okay. And he asked. A simple e-mail that made a huge difference.

Makes me wonder how many people pass by me each day hurting. Putting on the smile and pretending everything is great when in reality they are in need of someone to notice them. Notice that they matter. It doesn't take much to ask them how they are really doing. It doesn't take much effort for me to write a note to tell someone that I notice the difference they are making. To let someone know they are loved just because. For me that means my focus needs to shift off of my problems and look for those opportunities. Take the time to notice what is happening in the lives of those around me. Who do you need to notice today? Who could use a simple note that says you care?

You or others?

What does selfless look like to you? Do you know it when you see it? More importantly do you practice it?

Want to be counter-cultural? Being selfless is about as counter-cultural as you can get. We are told to be successful you have to look out for number one. And according to what I read and see most of the time, it is about what you deserve in your life (and apparently their is a lot of stuff that we deserve). It is all about me. What I want and how I am going to get it.

Being selfless says it is about others. Finding ways to put others in front of ourselves. Putting them before my wants. Selflessness will mean sacrifice. Sacrifice of your time, your "rights", your pride and possibly your money. Being selfless isn't for the weak. It requires discipline. It requires commitment. It requires you to be intentional.

Is it about you or others? No easy way around that question. Are you going to choose to be selfless or selfish? I don't know if there is really any in between.

Who do you know that displays selflessness? Take a minute and thank them. They don't do it for the thanks, but we still need to thank them. What will be your choice for today - yourself or others?

What is your choice?

"God isn't obsessed with our happiness...but His holiness" - Perry Noble

But are we obsessed more with our own happiness? I wonder if we take a hard look at our prayers if they aren't more focused on our happiness than His kingdom. Not to say that God doesn't care if we are happy, but that isn't His priority. He is more concerned about who we are and who we are becoming than our happiness or lack thereof. Do we care about His holiness as much as our happiness? Do we choose ourselves or His kingdom?

What keeps you awake at night - your circumstances or God's plan for His kingdom? I've had little sleep the last couple of nights, but honestly it has been more about my circumstances than His holiness. Maybe I need a change of perspective. Maybe a view from what God finds important will help shape what I should find important.

So what are you going to choose to be obsessed with... happiness or holiness? It always comes down to our choice.

Missing what is right in front of me

"Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don't see him; quietly but surely he's active, and I miss it." (Job 9:11 - the Message version)

Wonder where God is moving right in front of me and I don't see it? What is He doing that I am suppose to be a part of, but am missing it?

Sometimes I clearly know what I am supposed to do. Other times I don't have a clue. Whether I know or not, God is still at work though. The difference is often whether I am looking for those places to join Him in what he is already doing. We don't have to prompt God to act. He is already moving. I just need to be searching for those areas and then jump in with Him. Wonder if we try to make it more difficult than it is sometimes? Sounds like we need to look and listen and then we will know where God is working. Sounds easy huh? Wonder why it is so hard then? Could it be that my focus is more on me than Him? How much are you seeing these days?

What do the critics say?

Who are your critics? Do you listen to them? Do they keep you from doing what needs to be done? I was reading Nehemiah this morning and began to wonder if I listen too much to the critics. As I was reading, I kept seeing these three names pop up frequently - Sandy, Toby and Gus (actually it was Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab but that was a little much to say each time.) They were a little upset that someone was going to change the ways things had been. They liked the status quo and didn't want any changes to that. They ridiculed. They pointed out that it wouldn't work. They formed a group and caused as much trouble as they could. They tried to set up a meeting to keep Nehemiah from his work of rebuilding the wall. The told lies to try to incite the people. They tried intimidating him to quit. For years (years... and you thought your critics were persistent) these critics kept trying to keep Nehemiah from his vision and purpose. What did he do? Basically he ignored them. He turned it over to God and asked him to deal with it. He had a purpose and wasn't going to be sidetracked by the critics. Are you giving too much time to the critics? Focusing on them instead of your purpose? Or are you the critic? Distracting people from what they need to be doing.

Breathing deeply

Take a deep breath. Slow down. Be still.

My alarm didn't go off this morning. It was set, but I apparently forget to turn it on. Most days that's not much of a problem, but today I was suppose to be meeting someone in 35 minutes... across town... that would take 20 minutes to get there. 15 minutes to get ready, pack a lunch and be out the door. What normally takes 30 minutes was now being cut in half. Today started running at full speed, already behind.

That feels like my life the last several days. Out of control. Running from one thing to the next. I know it is just a season, but it is tiring. The sad thing is that I think most people live their lives this way. Staying busy with little time to be still. Wonder what they are missing by keeping this pace? The chance to hear God speak about their purpose? The opportunity to make a difference in someones life? The chance to talk to a friend? The privilege to be in community? The needed conversations with their spouse? The chance to play with their kids?

Why? Why do we run until collapse? Why do we feel it is better to be busy? Why try to cram one more thing in? Is it that tough to slow down?

Today I choose to slow down. Have the conversations. Listen to God. Invest where I can. The things on my list that don't get done... they will have to wait. When was the last time you slowed down and were still? Is your schedule controlling you or you controlling your schedule? Really it is our choice most of the time.

One step forward

Do you celebrate the one step forward? You know... one step forward, two steps back. My life is usually one step forward, two back, one sideways, and then maybe two tentative steps forward again. I don't know how to travel in a straight line. I want to and in my mind I can usually come up with the game plan to accomplish it, but somehow reality falls short of that.

I want to be selfless so I look for ways to serve my wife. Then I get angry with the boys for some small thing and sit and watch as my wife takes care of things that I could help with. Next day I ask if I can help, but with maybe less than a cheerful heart. Then I do some small thing without prompting just to be helpful. That is how the one step forward and two steps back goes in my life. I have the game plan to become more like Jesus and to be selfless (the straight line moving upwards), but reality looks more like scattered dots on a page. Some days looking more like Jesus than other ones.

But the question is do we ever stop and celebrate that we are moving forward? Maybe we don't move forward at the pace we want or it doesn't happen all at once like we imagine, but are you still moving forward? Sometimes I think we need to celebrate the little accomplishments. We don't camp out there and settle for the small step, but still taking the time to recognize that we are chasing after the important and for that moment we at least moved in the right direction.

Who around you needs to hear the applause for the step forward they are taking? Can we focus on more than the shortcomings and negatives? Do we spend more time celebrating or criticizing? Don't misread me. We need to critically evaluate our lives and see if we are pursuing the important, but sometimes we need to stop and celebrate as well. As I've been reading the old testament recently, one of the things that has stood out to me is that two or three times a year the whole nation would stop and celebrate for a week or more. Celebrate an amazing God and how He works in our lives. They knew how to party. They didn't stand around and do a polite golf clap. They poured themselves into celebrating God. Do you need to party? What is going on around you that could use some celebrating? Let's see the one step forward today and worry about the two steps back some other day.

Optimist or pessimist?

Are you an optimist or pessimist? Or as some people refer to it, are you a dreamer or realist? Overall I think I am probably an optimist. I can usually see the good in most situations and believe things can always improve. Sometimes, when I am the one involved, I may lean a little more toward the pessimistic viewpoint, but generally speaking I see the glass as half full with the potential for a full glass. Recently though I've leaned more towards the other end of the spectrum. Situations where I've expected little to nothing from people. Preparing to be disappointed. Doubting that things will work out like I hoped. Trying to be more "realistic" about my expectations. Know what I've discovered? I don't like being a realist. See to me, the problem of being pessimistic is that there is no hope. Hope is what gives me the energy to keep trying even when I don't see immediate results. Hope keeps me moving forward.

I was ready to give up on some people. Walk out and not look back. I was just tired of trying without any movement. That all changed in one Sunday morning as I heard stories that changed my view. Stories of how others loved. Stories of people being selfless. Other people surprised me by taking action. My hope was restored that maybe it does make a difference. Maybe community can exist like I dream about. Really, a lot of the change was about what I was focusing on. Where I place my focus tells a lot about what is important to me. The more important to me, the more time and energy is focused in that direction. Are you focused on the good or bad? Our viewpoint helps shape a lot of our attitude. We get to choose if we see the potential for good or bad in any situation. We get to decide if we are going to hope or give up. What viewpoint are you going to choose - optimistic or pessimistic?

What are you being asked to do?

What do you do when you've been asked to do something you don't want to, BUT know you should? I can come up with the excuses, make the justifications, find the rationalization to not do it, BUT still know in my heart that I need to just do it. (Sounds strangely like a Nike slogan.) That has to be one of the most annoying traits of God sometimes. He will let us do whatever we choose, BUT He still points out what is right. Not what is easy, not what is always the fun thing to do, not even what I want to do, BUT what is right in following Him. Following Him isn't about me, BUT about His purpose. His desire to show love to people through me. I want someone else to do it. I want to stand safely on the sidelines and watch it unfold in front of me, BUT he has asked me to do it. I want to look around and ask why not that person? They are more qualified. They have the right personality. Funny (not HaHa funny, but strange type of funny) that even though I know that He is perfect and holy, I am still arrogant enough to question Him about what is best. I love that annoying persistence. The persistence that means He never gives up on me even when I have to try it my way first. He could give up on me, BUT he continues to love me in spite of my arrogance. What have you been asked to do that you keep answering Him with "Yeah, BUT..."? Maybe it is time we get off our BUT and just do it.

The hard truth

The hard truth is hard to hear. Pretty obvious wouldn't you think? The truth is that we need others who will tell us the hard truth. Not only do we need people who will point this out, but also people who will help us through it as well. See I can have the tendency to criticize which may point out the truth, but it doesn't help anyone grow. We can also be encouraging to people but fail to confront sin and that doesn't really help anyone grow either. It takes the combination of the two.

I was reading an interview with Matt Chandler (pastor of the Village Church in Dallas) and he said something that I've been thinking about since then. He said "Sins aren't things you do. Sin is about who you are." I try to make it about what I do when in reality is a lot deeper than that. The actions are just a reflection of who I am. We can spend a lot of time trying to correct the symptoms and never really accomplish anything. To grow in my faith it will require me to look hard at who I am and humbly seek God and others to help me. See pride will tell me that I am okay, I just do some small sins. Reality is that I am not okay. Who we are should be a reflection of Jesus. Anything less than that is not acceptable so we need to keep digging a little deeper until we become aware of any sin in our lives.

Those two things collide for me a couple of weeks ago. My friend Lane took the time to tell me the hard truth about sin in my life. Not only did he point it out but he is also helping me try to find a way to change who I am. It is up to me to surrender (my pride, my justifications, my obedience to God) and be willing to let others tell me the hard truth. The hard truth may hurt, but sometimes the courage of a friend to speak the truth may be what is needed for us to grow.

Who do you have an authentic relationship with that can tell you the hard truth? Anyone you need the courage to confront with the hard truth? The hard truth isn't easy, but we haven't been called to an easy life. Real community takes hard work and won't happen by accident. It requires us to be intentional. Intentional in who we invest in and intentional in our openness to others.

What is your story?

What is your story? Maybe it is one with lots of twists and turns. Maybe it is one that seems a little slow and uneventful to you. Maybe it reads as a story gone horribly wrong at some point. Maybe it is the fairy tale story lived out. Wherever you are at right now in the story it is still playing out. If you don't like where the story has gone so far then change it before the ending. We control a lot of our story, but not all of it. See my story may weave through parts of your story. We don't live a life in isolation. Our stories are where we have been, where we are right now and where we are heading. They intersect with others and honestly that is where the story can be the best. When our lives come together to create more than what we can on our own. Not only that but we also play a part in God's story. See His story has been playing out a long time and we have part in that as well. Our story weaves into the bigger story he has been creating. What will your story be? You know what it has been, but what will it be? Today you get the chance to decide which way the story will go. I hope it is more exciting, more adventurous, and impacts more people than you can imagine. I also hope you get the chance to play a big part in someone else's story today whether you realize it or not. Let's go create some amazing stories today.

Tuesday morning

Lots of different thoughts running through my head this morning. So I thought I would share a few of those with you. Not completely thought out, but some random bullet points to start off your Tuesday (which seems like a Monday).

• Life is tough in the mundane for me. The little details that play out. The routine that doesn't have much new in it. When things are out of control, I know I can't handle it so I turn to God and to others for help. But the mundane is another story. It seems to slowly pull me out of my rhythm. The slow drift seems to be more dangerous than the huge mountain. The huge problem requires a game plan, a plan of attack, but the everyday normal sneaks up on you. I end up slowly farther away in my relationship with God and others.


• "Trust is not a pass/fail class. There are degrees and shades of trust. Discerning the different dimensions is the first step toward developing more trust. My level of trust in someone is often about my own moods, experiences and perceptions. I must monitor these conditions and factor them in." Some thoughts about trust from Steven Furtick's blog. Trust is one of the highest values in relationships for me. Some good thoughts to help me redefine what trust is and maybe more importantly what it isn't.
  


• How wise are you? Been reading a lot through the old testament recently and just finished reading about Solomon not too long ago. He was one of the wisest people ever and know what he said - get advice from others. Find good counsel, the wise listen to others, get all of the advice and instruction you can - some of Solomon's advice about wisdom. Maybe it isn't about what we know. Maybe it is about who we should ask. Who is in your circle of influence that you are listening to?


• After reading Amy Storm's blog this morning this phrase has stuck with me since then - "There is too much 'you' in you. Stop focusing on yourself, and start dwelling in His enduring love." Where is my focus? Is it on me and what I want? Wouldn't my focus be better used if it was on God and his enduring love?


• One of the best decisions I've made recently was to take the B90X challenge. It is simply a plan to read the Bible in 90 days. Nothing magical about it, but it has brought a freshness to my time spent reading. Don't know if it is the fact that it usually involves reading about 15 chapters a day or the fact that I am reading 45 minutes or more each day. It has helped me to see the stories in the Bible in a new way. By the way, there are some really jacked up stories in the OT. Amazing to me that God didn't "clean up" those stories, but instead chose to include them. Maybe it points out how he can use anybody. Some really funny stuff in there as well. Stuff that makes me wonder why it was included. Maybe it points out God's sense of humor.

Limited time only

What is worth your time? Do you ever stop and consider how valuable your time is? We each have a limited amount of time each day. We each get the same 24 hours to spend. I've heard people say that how you spend your money reflects where your heart is. Well, I think the same is true with your time. Where are you going to spend it? I was talking with a guy last night who said he tries to carve out 3 times a day to spend with God. It is a priority for him. He has to guard it because otherwise it can be spent on the urgent or being busy but not on the important. We make time for the important. It may mean sacrificing some things. It also requires you to look at what is important to you. My guess is if you can't list the important things to you that your time will be spent before you know it on whatever comes along first. There is always something willing to take your time. Maybe it is sitting in front of the TV or computer. Maybe it one more hobby to invest your time in. Maybe it is the mundane things in life like mowing the yard, cleaning the house or other things like that. Maybe it is spending more and more time at work.

Unlike with the phone plan, we don't get rollover minutes. If we waste the time on the unimportant, then that time is gone forever. We don't get more time later on either. So what are the important things you want to be spending your time on? Once we start shaping our schedule around those important things, then the "extra time" (Whatever that is. I think I've rarely if ever seen that.) can fall to the less important. How are you going to spend your time today? On the important or on whatever comes your way?

Who do you choose?

Have you ever had that best friend that would do anything for you? The one who you always know has your back. This morning I was reading about David and Jonathan (I Samuel around chapter 18 and on) and was thinking about their incredible friendship. Jonathan was next in line to be king. He was the prince in waiting, but David is who God had chosen to be the next king. Could probably create a little tension in most friendships, but not with Jonathan. Matter of fact, he protected David multiple times from the king's plans to kill David. He sacrificed the chance to be the king because of his love for David and God. See Jonathan got it. It wasn't about him. It was about the bigger picture and what God had planned.

How many times do we choose ourselves over someone else? We don't want to be inconvenienced. I'm not even talking about given up something like our right to be king, but we don't even want to give up our time or money. I wonder if we don't experience in-depth friendships because we are unwilling to sacrifice for them? I wonder if we go into it thinking it is a 50/50 deal. I will give to the friendship as long as they give back equally. That way no one is taking advantage of me or I am not sacrificing more. See that is focused on ourselves - what am I going to get out of it? Jonathan didn't seemed to be concerned about himself, but more about David's safety. Wonder what our friendships would look like if we started caring more about others and less about ourselves?

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have some friends that I know will be there no matter what. They have proven it over time. When I am a tool they continue to love me; when I need help they are there to support me; when I am making bad decisions they challenge me; when it has been the toughest they have stood beside me. They have loved me even when it cost them. It has cost them time, sleep, tough conversations, money, all because they get the bigger picture. I hope that I can do the same for them. Not because it is a 50/50 deal, but because I love them enough and can be selfless enough to put them ahead of myself. Who is your Jonathan? Where do you need to quit focusing on yourself and start serving someone else? How can you be selfless today?

A year in reflection

What an amazing year! I love as it approaches fall and this mornings weather reminds me that fall is just around the corner. I simply want to spend lots of time outside (not good for work productivity though) especially when it is 65 degrees in the morning and in the 80's during the afternoon. This time of year seems like when things feel new and fresh to me. A good chance to start without regards to any of the past.

Today is a milestone day for me. One year ago today I started writing my thoughts on this blog. 271 posts later I continue to be amazed at the way God is working in me. It has been a year of being challenged in what I've read, a year that I've learned the importance of community and how that looks in my day to day life, a year of ups and downs as I try to pursue Jesus, learning to trust at a level I didn't think possible, trying to grow as a leader, venturing out to try writing in a different way, learning to love, learning to forgive and ask for forgiveness, celebrating milestones with my family and friends, all of these are woven throughout the thoughts that I've written on here the last year. A snapshot of my life over the last year. What an amazing ride! Challenging at times, exciting at times, frustrating at times, fun in many ways - a ride worth taking.

What have you learned over the last year? Who has impacted your life? Whose life have you impacted? Ready to start it all over again?