Wednesday, December 12, 2012

If you don't tell your time, life, money where to go...

You'll wonder where it went.

I'm turning 30 next week.

I have to stretch out before I play sports. I have muscles that hurt even when I do that. I didn't used to have those muscles.

So its an adjustment.

But one of the best things I've done in life and now get to lead C3's leaders in doing is living life based on core values.

We've got one shot at this life.

And unfortunately for too many of us, we live that life in one of two wrong ways.

1. We are reactionary. Life kicks us in the teeth. We say "ow". Or we complain. Or we react to it in a myriad of other ways and then wait for the next hand to be dealt and hope it might be better than this one.

2. We are lethargic. If the bulk of your life is controlled by Tivo, your grave's epitaph is going to suck. FARRR to many people are just going through the motions. We don't live lives that have any intention on having eternal impact. Work 9-5...Eat...Watch Tv...Repeat...or Work 9-5...Eat...Live Vicariously through my children...Repeat.

So here's a solution. Christian or not...your life is made up of core values. Things that define you. Things that you will never budge on. They are non-negotiables. So start there. Maybe your faith is a non-negotiable. Maybe your family...your commitment to financial wholeness...your commitment to fun. Make the list. Shoot for 6-10 things that describe and define you.

Need help with that? Ask people who know you. If you are saying your walk with God is a core value and yet the people closest to you can't identify that in you...maybe you're bluffing. If financial wholeness is a core value, but your friends see you as a free spender who's in debt and lacking in generosity...maybe its reality check time.

Anyways...once your core values are figured out, then the fun part comes in...developing goals for the next year under each of those values. The key thing to remember about goals is they have to be MEASURABLE (I know when I've made it!) and ATTAINABLE (I can actually make it!)

So an example for us Thompsons...We have the core value of Generosity (What's ours is His) so under that core value, along with tithing and sponsoring a Compassion kid from our new church planting partner in Ecuador, we also put down a goal of having 100 meals around our table with people outside our family!

Shaina and I have done this for 2013 and it has been a lot of fun to see what ambitions and goals each of us have and how we can encourage each other to reach the goals. We've also had all our leadership do this as well and now we can encourage them and hold them accountable too.

It tells us where our time will be allotted. Where our money will be spent. Where our lives are going.

2013 is going to be a blast. But not on accident.

Take a few hours and pray, dream and reflect...come up with who you want to be in life...and then set up the goals to make it happen.

You got one shot at 2013 (assuming the Mayans were wrong), maybe you should live it on purpose!

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