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The class of 2010 has now sat through hours of names read listening for their own. Students sweated bullets over finals (and sometimes standardized tests). Textbooks were closed, accounted for, and stored in the sauna of a dust-disturbed storeroom.

The moving of the tassel on the mortarboard signals the completion of school. It says, “you’re through, finished, completed. School (with its accompanying learning) is over.

Perhaps you need to rethink the tassel and just not bother because it’s a false alarm. Learning of a different kind is just beginning.

Mark Twain observed, “If you hold a cat by the tail, you learn things you cannot learn any other way.” It’s a different kind–and longer–education.

The Greeks practices “praxis,” a philosophy that called for taking what you know and putting into action. How do we find the “praxis” of our lives today?

Find mentors. We grow when we have someone bigger, faster, smarter, and wiser than we are. The tragedy of young lives is they surround themselves with friends with the same level of ignorance and disdain the sage counsel of experience. Make sure your circle includes someone who can teach you something new.

Ask questions of others. Ask them other others. Too many times, we want to appear smart, so we nod in agreement when our mind is nothing more than a fuzzball. Stop and ask, “tell me more about that. I’m not sure I completely understand.”

Reflect on experience. Ask three critical questions to  improve anything.

• What happened?
• Why did it happen? (What did leader, speaker, teacher do to get the result that took place?)
• What would I have done differently?

Keep learning in the right tense. As a minister, I hear people say, “I already learned that in the Bible.” They think learning is a past-tense experience. Once you read it, know it, can feed it back, you don’t need to learn it again. Learning is really a present-tense experience. When you read the Bible, it’s not what you learned but what you are learning.

Let the schoolbooks back in storage. Take your mind out of storage and learn something. The great failure of many lives is that they live by what they learned rather than by what they are learning.

What’s on your “to do” list for today?

I like to listen to comedy. A favorite comic is a woman named Jeanne Robertson. She has a wonderful skit on the “to do” list. On her to-do list is a daily, repeated item that reads “Find the Humor.” She refuses to check it off as complete until she has found something humorous.

She relates an instance when looking for laughing made a difference. While waiting in an airport line, she had her humor radar scanning in high gear. People in the line were agitated, irritated, and surly. Then it dawned on her. She was so intent on finding the humor that she had forgotten to get mad.

Every circumstance has hidden giggles, chuckles,  and snickers. If you can find them, life takes on the joy it was intended to have.

How do you find the humor in life?

Hang about humorous people. They have an outlook on life that will rub off as you spend time with them. I have friends whose stories make me turn life on its head so I can see a different perspective.

Laugh at yourself. Someone has noticed, “you might as well laugh at yourself since others are doing it secretly.” One of the lessons of maturity is not to take life too seriously.

Reflect humorously. Recently, I fell out of the shower door (while taking a shower). While I won’t go into all the details, I wasn’t hurt. The only thing that was damage was my ego. (For self-protection, I won’t go into any further detail.) But my wife’s sides hurt from laughing all day long. The more I think about it, the funnier the scene gets.

Take Jeanne Robertson’s advice. Make sure you put “find the humor” on your to-do list today.

A seer warned Julius Caesar to “beware the Ides of March.” On March 15th, he was assassinated. For Americans, it is adapted to “beware April 15th.” That’s the day tax returns are due.

The tax season is also a favorite scamming season for cyber-criminals.

Emails, purportedly from the Internal Revenue Service, advise you to click on a link to claim a tax refund due to you. When you click the link, it takes you to a website asking for social security numbers, names, home addresses, and bank account numbers (so the money can be deposited in the account). It probably also has an IRS logo to make it look genuine. The email address even reads “irs.gov.”

Don’t click on this link.

The IRS does not use email. They do not contact you electronically or even over the phone. All communication from the IRS will come through the Postal Service. (Misuse of the postal service is the federal offense of mail fraud.)

This scam is especially aimed at the trusting, the electronic novice, and those who are older. What should you do if you receive such an email?

First, don’t click on any links. That opens the trap door to your private information vault.

Second, contact the Internal Revenue Service. If you think money is due you, call them (1-800-829-1040) and talk to someone directly. In addition, forward the email to the email fraud division of the IRS. They will investigate.

Pay what is due the government, use what is yours to use, but do not let the criminals continue their electronic crime spree.

Twenty-five years ago, computers turned my world upside down. The possibilities for easier, more efficient work were endless. Spreadsheets crunched numbers. Desktop publishers (as they were called) made preparing newsletters and flyers a snap (and fun). Word processors allowed words to flow and let me change on a fly. One of my great joys was writing a macro that would compress as many keystrokes into one as possible.

I keep a task list on an IPhone synced to the web so it is available on a laptop, a business center computer, or my desktop. I’m very efficient.

Then why, when you go to my desk, do you find a paper time log? It’s all about the purpose.

While some professions use time logging to determine billable hours for various clients, my use is more mundane–to find out I use my time. I could use a spreadsheet where categories are color-coded and a macro could produce an automated report. It would be easy, efficient . . . and irrelevant.

In my church, our elders want to see a monthly report. It helps them see my work better. It’s an accountability tool.

For that process, I use paper. A few times a day, I take a paper week-at-a-glance planner, enter what I did in the appropriate time block, and repeat as needed. It’s done with a cheap ink pen on paper. On the first day of the month I take a legal pad, write down all the things I did in various categories and then transfer the information to a pre-designed report in my word processor.

Why not let a computer do that? It’s because of what I would lose. They key to using time logs effectively is not the historical archiving of dozens of daily tasks. It’s reflecting on what’s happening in your life.

If I let the computer do the work, I get a pretty report that won’t change my thinking. I need the mental processing, the seeing of tasks, the “ouch” of bad time use.

Imagine the learning lost if I did not have to confront questions such as:

•    Where did I use my time? Was it on important things or did I squander it?
•    What did I neglect?
•    What needs to be eliminated or delegated?
•    What time-wasters grab me by my mental lapels and demand attention?

Einstein observed, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” When you take reflection out of life, you learn nothing.

I still use my computer for so many things. But I don’t want it to do my thinking for me.

Are you reflecting on your time? What does it tell you about your life?

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter experience both a growth in numbers and influence in American society. These electronic tools allow us to stay in touch, learn of others lives, and expose ourselves and others to different ideas.

But the phenomenon is not without risk. As Michael Hyatt has written, “we live in a transparent world.” What you say online is not private. Even if a few   read it, they can forwarded in the blink of an eye to thousands.

It’s a mixed bag. Recently, I was following the sad story of a woman missing who was found murdered by her husband. The compassion of people writing on their Facebook page touched me in special ways.

Sadly, many people approach social media with an adolescent attitude. In the physical world, a ticked-off teenager can yell at his parent, go into his room, and slam the door. The problem is confined within the walls of a home where the tension can be discussed and resolved.  Yet, in the cloud environment, the same temper tantrum brings terrible consequences to relationships. As with many things, it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

If you use social media, you are standing in a public place and speaking in a voice loud enough for others to hear. That means you have to use social media responsibly.  What does that include?

Learn new things. On Twitter and Facebook, I follow astronauts, authors, journalists, and web designers. From each I get new insights into areas in which I have little expeience. I am indebted to them from things I learn everyday.

Contribute to the lives of others. Since social media uses “friend” as a key component, remember the meaning does not change just because you use a keyboard. Friendship contributes to the betterment of both in the relationship. Keep up your part.

Be positive, not negative. If you need to talk to someone face-to-face, do it. Don’t use a post or an email as a dodge for difficult conversations. Posts should inform, encourage, and even entertain.

Evaluate your friends and following lists. Just because you clicked on a button doesn’t make someone your friend. If you are not growing from the relationship, stop following. Remember, those on the other side should make the same evaluate of you..

Don’t use social media as your personal journal. There is a place for getting things off your chest. Put it in a journal or diary where no one can read it. You get the therapeutic value of the release without the collateral damage to others who are the  target or your hurt or pique.

Realize that social media is a megaphone in a crowded mall. Everyone who reads it can forward it, and consider it. If you would not say it aloud in a crowd, don’t put it on your social site. It’s one thing to express an opinion and but its another thing to commit character assassination.

I enjoy Twitter and Facebook. I’ve learned so much. But the oath of Hippocrates should govern: in your healing do no harm.

Everyone needs a Jones (no Mr.) enter their life. With Andy Andrews’ newest book The Noticer, Jones extends his hand with a warm handshake. The book allows you to hear the slight gravel of his kind voice as he speaks words of wisdom.

Andrews is the best-selling author of The Traveler’s Gift. His storytelling makes him the modern-day William Tell who can hit the heart without damaging the soul.  This book hits the bull’s-eye.

The book begins with the first encounter between a homeless searcher meeting a kindly old man named Jones with an ever-present brown suitcase. As the story unfolds, you find yourself stepping into the shoes of a couple whose marriage is in trouble, a father who cuts too many corners, and a widow who believes her life is behind her.

In each case, Jones simply gives them a rare gift–a little perspective. It’s the perspective that lingers in your heart like a mist on a spring day. With memorable aphorisms, Jones (who is the mouthpiece for Andrews) waves mental smelling salts under your nose to wake you to reality.

•    In marriage, your problem is you speak a different dialect.
•    Big stuff is made up of small stuff, so you better sweat the small stuff!
•    If you are still here, then you have not completed your life’s purpose.
•    Wisdom is the ability to see the future consequences of our choices.
•    It takes wisdom to discern that oh-so-thin line between good and best.

The book ends with a challenge to spread the seeds left by Jones. The challenge is to simply become a noticer who enters the lives of people and give them a little perspective. How could you change your world with a little wisdom, some caring, and a little brown suitcase?

Not all books are the same. Some you borrow from the library and read them. Some you buy, read, shelve, and refer to occasionally. Other books you buy, keep and re-read every year. Andrews’ books are in the last category for me. However, of all the jewels written by Andrews, The Noticer is his Hope diamond. It takes you by the hand, buys you a cup of coffee and gives a little perspective when life gets twisted and tangled.

Don’t just buy The Noticer. Read it. Weep over it. Change over it. Become a new person with it. Whether you live under a pier or a palatial mansion, you will never be the same after your meeting with Jones. And, in reality, you will become the Jones for those who know you.

Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective. That’s Andrews’ gift to me in this book. Let him give it to you as well.

The Noticer, by Andy Andrews. Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009. 167 Pages.
Available through amazon.com.

Thomas Nelson Bloggers: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Last year, I got an IPhone. I did it for many reasons but received a lot of benefits without knowing it.

My primary reason was so I could have internet access in many different locations. Since the building end of my job requires remote locking/unlocking of doors and monitoring temperature settings. The IPhone would let me do it well.

But I found some serendipities.

First, I did not realize who much simpler life became. Suddenly, I had my calendar, email, and to-do list all in one location. (The last time I had that was in a large binder I had to carry.) Now, when at a doctor’s office or somewhere else, I can put down appointments or other items needing attention. (That gets it off your mind, David Allen style.)

Second, the app store opened a new world to me. While it is easy to go overboard, many apps for the IPhone are free or less than a buck. In future posts I will cover some of those apps in detail.

Third, the IPhone is elegant. That’s not a necessity, but it shows not just good engineering but also some creative thinking as well. For a Windows guy, it sure makes Apple appealing.

The phone works well and I get the others as a terrific bonus.

Other smartphones have many (or even more) of the same features. But for me, the Iphone with its larger touchscreen is wonderful.

(I’m just looking forward to the software upgrad

One of the burners on my stove would not heat so I called the repairman. The doorbell heralded an arrival of two repairmen. (I did not think it was that serious!) One was the owner of the business who brought with him a young apprentice.

He turned over the work to the apprentice who wielded a screwdriver as if it were an epee. He promptly touch a wire that sparked (and bit).

Once the young man shook off the sting, came an emotional sting. Rather than a lecture, the owner calmly asked the question, “What did you learn from this?”

It wasn’t the wire that taught the young man something. It was the reflection on the spark.

People who grow in their lives constantly ask, “what did I learn from this?” While this is a good question, it really summarizes three other questions.

• What happened?
• Why did it happen?
• What would I have done differently?

The most difficult question to answer is the first because many people don’t get specific enough. In the example of the apprentice, the answer is not, “the wire sparked.” The specific answer is “when I touched the wire, it sparked.”

Once you answer the what, the why uncovers the reason–”because I did not check to see if the power was off.”

The third question avoids future consequences. The young man learned that he needed to check the circuit breaker before touching any wire with a screwdriver.

Develop the habit of asking that question after every meeting attended, after every presentation made or heard, or after every difficult situation. Then you will learn.

Twain said, “the cat doesn’t walk across the hot stove twice. But neither does he walk across a cold one.” If you will ask the right questions, you can outsmart the cat.

Making an Effective Mission Report

I’ve seen the yawns and the wiggles-and I’ve had them as well.

Over the years, I’ve endured hundreds of reports from mission fields. Most, if not all, had the interest of dust settling on an old table.

The problem was the focus.

• The focus was on the missionary. Inevitably, the theme was “look what I did…”
• The focus was on disasters. One missionary related how he had selected a place to worship associated with a cult in that town. Now, the church was suffering. Now, his lack of forethought was the devil’s fault.
• The focus was on the pictures. Many reports are glorified travelogues. The rhythm of the presentation are punctuated with the phrase, “this is a picture of…”

The result of this focus was a presentation out-of-focus!

In January of 2009, I was part of a medical mission to Nicaragua. The Waterview Church of Christ (where I serve as a staff minister) is a supporter of the church in that location. It came my time to give the report. I decided I would not repeat the mistakes I had heard many times.

Out of that experience, I learned what an effective mission report demands.

It demands organization.

Too many times, the only organization is putting pictures together. A great presentation is a story with a strong theme. It has points which are parallel. It is clear and moves in a direction. For my presentation, my story was how three different people saw our work in Nicaragua through their own eyes.

It demands knowing the audience.

My audience was church members who had heard some about our work, but did not feel the impact of the work on people. They needed more than data. They needed deep appreciation. My aim was not the subject but the audience.

It demands faces and feelings, not facts and figures.

My pictures were face shots. The eyes tell the story. As the faces appeared on the screen, I described pain, suffering, need, and yearning. The audience had to identify with the people they saw. They did not need to know the dates or the travel routes or the itinerary. Above all, avoid cluttered slides and bullet points. The strangle the life out of presentations.

It demands preparation.

I worked for over 12 hours on the presentation. I rehearsed and refined it 8 times. Every presentation to a new audience demands focusing on the needs of particular audience. Take time to learn about each audience. Canned presentations smell of opened tins of sardines.

The result of the presentation was humbling. Tears were shed. Hearts were changed. Wallets were opened. Souls were pricked. And hopefully, God felt the glory due him.

Does he demand anything else but that kind of presentation?

(To hear the presentation go to http://www.waterview.org/mp3/20090222pm.mp3

Americans watch a lot of TV. When counted, the average American uses 9 years of his lifespan glued to the television set.

Recently, I went to Nicaragua on a medical mission trip and did not watch much TV. (The only program watched was a group viewing of the Super Bowl.) While the days were long on the trip, I got a lot of reading done.

When I arrived at home I unconsciously flipped on the TV.  Suddenly, I realized I was not reading as much. It was because of the TV.

Many people throw out baby with bath water. TV is the demon box and you must rid yourself of it quickly. But television has also opened the window of history to me. With baited breath, I experienced Neil Armstrong hopping down the steps to the dusty surface of the moon. The plume of smoke at the Challenger disaster brought shock and tears. I was there when the sledge hammers took their first swings to bring down the Berlin Wall. It was television that gave me and many Americans a different view of race relations through the miniseries Roots.

But television can be a timewaster. The nature of the medium numbs us and elbows out other things, perhaps more important things.

As with most tools, television can be used but also be abused. How do you make the television your servant rather than your master?

Know why you are watching. Is it entertainment? Escape? Anesthesia? Socialization? Knowing your purpose for watching keeps your mind from switching into autopilot. You make a conscious decision rather than let the flicker control your thoughts. When you don’t know why, three hours later you may say (with regret) “why did I bother?”

Plan Your Viewing. One of the truly great innovations of the 20^th Century was the VCR. Its offspring, the digital video recorder (such as TIVO) allows people to select their viewing, record it and watch it when they want to watch. Once you know what you want to watch, you can decide the when.

Ask, “what is TV replacing? The problem with TV is that it squeezes our so many other activities that need to be part of life. Reading, learning, and conversation fall victim to the cool blue glare of the TV. Hours wasted bring regret for what is not done. Choose to watch TV when appropriate and choose not to watch TV when it is inappropriate.

Watch for the right reason and it serves you. Watch without a reason and it rules you.