Computer Desktop Pics

One of the ways I love to make my computer "personal" is by using my own pictures as the desktop. Here's a collection from the last year or so. They're freely downloadable in high resolution.

Click here to see all 26.

Outliers - Book Review

When it comes to the most successful people we can think of we tend to believe things like:

"He was just born with that ability."

"She just has the gift for it."

But from the beginning of this compelling and enlightening book, Malcolm Gladwell quickly and convincingly proves us wrong time after time.

Gladwell shows us:

How being discriminated against as a Jewish attorney was the key ingredient to later producing the most successful and respected (and yes, Jewish) attorneys.

That it is not the brightest who succeed.

Success is not the sum total of our decisions and effort.

How cultural background led to more airline disasters in history; and how it was overcome.

That if we have ancestors who feuded, we are still a hothead.

How lucky are kids are if they play baseball and have an August birthday.

How a white plantation owner buying a slave because of her beauty changed the author's life.

Why Asians with rice paddy heritage are indeed better at math. (And how everyone can be better at it.)

And much much more...

Gladwell does an amazing job of relating data through stories that keep us hanging on like a "whodunit" novel. This is not a book for "eggheads." It is for everyone who wants to better understand the ingredients that make us who we are and why that matters.

When I think of who most needs to read this, parents, teachers, educators, and coaches come to mind. But I think that's too narrow; it's simply great information for us all.

I've read Gladwell's Blink and now this, and I must say that if a certain beer company were reviewing this author they'd say, "He has readability!" He owns that unique intersection where intriguing information meets compelling style.

This a great book that I have thoroughly enjoyed and couldn't help but tell people about--one of the best reads of the year! (maybe the best)

MalcomGladwell.com

about Gladwell

The Tipping Point

Blink

Outliers

Malcolm Gladwell

The Way Out wk 1 - "Everyone's Wounded"

The Manuscript in PDF click here

Here it MP3 click here

It's so Vogue to be...

...Against something. I notice that it's so easy to pick. Easy to disagree. Easy to rant and rail against...all kinds of things: political figures, media, church people, church-not-so-much people.

It's easy to overhear when I'm here at Starbucks. Easy to read when I'm on FaceBook. Easy to see when I'm flipping channels. In the church. Outside the church."It's all going to hell because so-n-so..."

And clearly I have been there (still there some days). I used to take pleasure in a good rant and well-thought (or not so) tirade. But now it strikes me as it's the easiest of things to do. Which is to say, not necessarily the thing that adds any kind of value to anyone outside myself.

Culturally it seems hard not to take our cue from the media and politics. They both seem to be running the same play ad nauseam: whatever the other guy/network is doing, bash it, slam it, and tell them to cram it. And tell all your friends to do the same. And I think the truth is, we enjoy being whipped into a froth, in our sense of collective disdain.

But we don't have to follow suit. We do not have to follow this example. We could entertain the idea that disagreeing, yelling louder, being more vocal isn't very positive. Doesn't accomplish much. It just furthers the divide. Gets us worked up, with no other tangible results.

The more difficult things?

Exercising the creativity to notice people doing things right.

Doing something for someone v. decrying someone or something.

Did you notice the picture at the top of this post? Look at it. Slowly in detail (I'll wait...)

(Thought you'd never get back.) Did it make you smile? Did it make you wonder when the last time you felt like that? Do you want some of what they have? I do. Seriously.

They're playing a game...against an opponent. And they're what? Smiling. Yes, they are trying to win, trying to beat the other team, but with joy that spills out all over their faces.

When I find people doing things right. When I actually get up off my tuchas long enough to help someone, I feel touches of what the kids in the picture have in spades.

And I suggest that the more we decry, rant, complain, point out shortcomings--in people or organizations--we just become a little older and a little crustier.

This is a discipline I've been working on. I'm not great at it. But I am seriously trying to avoid easy criticisms. Instead I'm trying to find what's right in people and organizations and fanning those flames.

Will you join me? We don't have to follow the media and politicians. We can blaze a new trail--together.

Peace & love,

-morgan

Beatles are BACK!

We're back into the groove of preparing for The Beatles II--Concert with a Cause! This is a totally different concert from last year.

This year, conceptually, it's three complete and separate bands on stage: "The Cavern Club," "Rooftop Concert," and "Ed Sullivan Show."

Musically, it will flow between these three bands throughout the concert and then all three collide for a huge "can't miss" finale!

Right now, volunteers are building out to make our stage wider to hold the three bands. Of course there's plenty of surprises when it comes to set design, lights, music and song selections. This concert is mostly songs we didn't do last year.

And we want to leverage this event to highlight Bridges Outreach; a great non-profit organization working to "bridge" together: communities, school and churches.

TWO shows
Sun Oct 11th
4pm & 7pm

Oakbrook Auditorium
Tickets are $7

get them at our website:
concertwithacause.org

WHAT happened at Starbucks?!

We began with, "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." And went on to say, "God is in you and He is in me. This is no less holy because of where we are. This is no less serious because of where we are. This place is no less holy than the most ornate cathedral..."

We were serious. We were earnestly acknowledging that God was the most important Part of this union. And we prayed for His presence and guidance till death do they part.

It was short but devout. I read John 15:5-17, encouraging them that what they most needed for their marriage was to remain in Him. And that God wants to use this holy union to be hope to the people around them--that this marriage is more than just them. God wants to use this new team to impact their world. I got to speak more candidly, more seriously, more intimately than in typical weddings.

A holy moment... Sitting on a bench on the terrace of Starbucks on Alto Road.

Maybe this is catching you off guard. It did me too. As a minister, I understand my calling, to be responsible to God. So I chewed on it.

I concluded that who we are, what we're about, and our motives (the things "inside the cup") are far more important than geography.

And ironically I have married couples in church whose countenance did not seem as earnest as it felt this morning in front of Starbucks. In my spirit, it felt good and right.

They first met at that location, just on the other side of the wall from where they said their vows. I thought of how in the Old Testament people marked places where God had done profound works. I could see the parallel.

We talked for a long time afterward. They plan to forgo cable for their first year of marriage. (WHAT??!!) So they can learn more about each other and read more about how to have a good marriage. (Are you kidding?) They are on the right track. God's speed.

After they left, I sat down in the sun and began to read. A few minutes in I looked up and saw this:

Wow...years ago I worked there. Before it was Grindstone Charlies, I worked at Rax in my early twenties. How shall I say it? A time when God was much less of a concern to me than He is today. It feels like a lifetime ago.

And here I am across the street and lifetime away from my past--now marrying a couple the age that I was then. The words of Jerry Garcia never cease to be true, "What a long strange trip it's been."

It was one of the moments...seeing into my past and present simultaneously...and knowing without a doubt...how incredibly good God has been to me and how infinitely blessed I am. It's beyond my ability to thank God enough. And it's with salty eyes that I land this post.

Love to all...

-morgan

p.s. Of course I brought my camera: see pics ;-) And an employee took a picture. Why do I think we're going to show up in an internal Starbucks Employee News Letter? ;-)

No Perfect People Allowed wk 3

Special thanks to the people who prayed for me this week as I nursed a "back attack" while putting together Sunday's talk. Really appreciate it!

Click here to listen to the free podcast. Click here for a PDF transcript. Click here to get free Adobe Reader for PDFs. Click here to watch the into on YouTube.

The laughing before I start the "recap" is in response to me donning black beret and sunglasses for the complete "beat poet" vibe. It's great to be part of a church that likes to have a good time and get serious about our faith.