Hanging on the telephone

The telephone has been an intrinsic part of my life. When I left school I worked for a telecoms company and fitted them in people homes and workplaces. I have made and received tens of thousands of calls over the years. 

I recall the tricks of the trade: of being able to usage a phone when the dial was broken, or ring a number and walk away only for it to ring back a few moments later as some unsuspecting friend or family member was near the instrument, oh the hilarity when they picked the phone for there to be no on eat the other end! You can imagine...

These days I make relatively few phone calls. I make possibly one or two a day. Total. I average eighty emails and probably a dozen or so texts, but talk on the phone? It just doesn't happen that often today.

I am challenged today to call someone I haven't spoken to for a long time. I think I know who it will be but I may just call two people...

The physical action of calling and receiving phone calls involves many electronic and data connections but it also connects hearts and minds. I want to live as a generous person whom people know will spend time with them, either on the phone or in person, in order that we can really connect.

Now where's my phone book...?

Reach out

Thinking about 'reach' today.

Not in the boxing sense - although making an impact is really at the heart of this #40acts task. 

We're being prompted to think of those individuals and groups we have influence on and give them a positive message...

The groups I've come up with so far and, in brackets, whether I think I have much influence over them or not. I know as well that I may have a not very good influence on some of these:

Old school friends (very little influence)

Office colleagues ( much influence)

Divisional colleagues ( much influence )

Fellow divisional leaders ( some influence)

Former youth from West Midlands days ( a little influence)

Family (some influence)

Friends (some influence).

The more I think about this the more I am concerned that I have no influence. Not that I want to tell people what to do but that I want to model what Jesus would have done.

I really have to think about this carefully while I try to encourage others to think about their influence.

Thank you, no, thank you ...

"Thank you". 

Because I was brought up well I use these two words many times every day. I thank my secretary for the cup of coffee as I arrive in the office. In thank the person I chat with on the phone for their time. I thank the shop assistant, the bank clerk and the call centre worker. I thank my wife for brilliant ideas, i thank my children when they fulfil tasks.

"Thank you".

But do I really mean it? I say it so often perhaps it loses it's power. Maybe if I stopped and thought for a moment I would say more than "thank you" - or possibly less. Perhaps I have made it just a convenient way of ending a conversation...

Today is about gratitude with #40acts .

I have already, at the start of today written a thank you note (well, email) and very sincere it was too. I should have many opportunities to say "Thank you" today so I am going to go a step further. I am setting myself the challenge to add something. Whenever I say those two words I will add "...for..." . That will ensure that I really think about my reason for thanking.

Thank you for reading!

A Day Off? But I don't want a day off!

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that today is a #40acts day off! Apparently if you really fast for Lent then you don't observe the Sunday Fast, so fair enough #40acts you're being orthodox and that's fine with me. It does give me some moments to reflect of course: on this week, on my relationship with Christ on so many things.

Yesterday was about connecting with people, really connecting, on a personal level. If was also the day of my birthday celebration with my family. Plenty of opportunity to connect: the girls that work in the Climbzone, the people that were climbing with me, the waiting staff at the restaurant, the person that served me in a shop. What a day! I did try to connect personally with all of these people, we had conversations and I learned one or two names, there were smiles - the Climbzone girls looked as if it was the first time anyone had thanked them personally!

The best connection, however, was with Derek, the barista in Costa. While preparing a large order for me and my family we got into conversation (note to self: if you want to really connect with coffee shop staff order 7 coffees - they can't go anywhere and you won't go anywhere!). Enquiries about whether today was good were met positively, his colleague chipped in hers was a good day too, another colleague joined the conversation. We talked not of the weather but of the activities they were involved in today. I tried to hear what was going on in their lives. I tried not to talk about myself (a fault I know I can be guilty of). Did we have deep theological discussion? Was I able to take these folk forward in their faith? No. Were there three people who looked and sounded affirmed because they were recognised as people rather than service providers? I believe so! Was there one person who had discovered the joy of connecting? Definitely ! There may have been others as well!

(Incidentally, thanks to my wife for a fantastic day!)

Making connections.

Yesterday was about using the tools in my toolbox, accessing the god given gifts and skills at my disposal. I guess I do this everyday to a large degree - as we all do - without really thinking about it and just getting on with life.

I think what yesterday was really about was the intentionality of being. That when we have time to give to someone we do so in a thoughtful manner, when we donate to charity we do so recognising the human impact that gift will have, when we speak to someone on a customer service helpline, essentially with a complaint, we do so without aggression but excercising grace in  our speech and requirements. 

I'm going to think about that a bit more in the coming days - I think that may be at least one purpose of #40acts : to be more thoughtful and reflective.

Well today is about making human connections, knowing my neighbours, my barber, the person who works in the corner shop etc. I wonder what I will learn about them by learning their names.....?

Toolbox Time

Today I'm encouraged by #40acts to look in my toolbox, which is funny because I have increased my set of tools recently by the purchase of a new saw - but that's a different story! What they mean is the things that I have at my own personal disposal. List them, and specifically use one or more to bring a blessing to someone, to help them.

So in my devotional time this morning I spent time with The Lord thinking this through. Unsurprisingly he revealed a couple of things to me about myself that I have to list in the toolbox of my life. He showed me through looking at the words of the prophet Isaiah that it is not just using the tools but using them for specific tasks.

It's no use using a screwdriver to hammer a nail (although we all know that if the handle of the screwdriver were big enough it could be done!)

What God is saying to me is this 'you have all of these things at your disposal and you must use them to feed the poor, clothe the naked, free the captives'.

So what does this toolbox of mine contain? 

Optimism

Money

Patience

Co-operation

Time

Willingness

There might be a few more things that occur to me through the day - but I am a blessed person. Today I will deliberately try to bless others. I try anyway, but today I will try harder.

Chocolate and obedience

Having produced a 'Generosity Jar' that would do credit to a 7 year old I set about this second day of lent. Within minutes of my planned day things had gone wrong, a missed turning meant I was already running late. My plan had been to buy a bar of chocolate and give it to someone - ashamed of my pathetic jar I felt I had to carry out a deliberate act of kindness. Unfortunately now running behind time I  felt I didn't have time to stop to get the chocolate - but that would surely be OK, it was only a bar of chocolate anyway.

Spending time with someone that needed to talk was refreshing for me and, I believe, helpful for them. At the end of what had been, at times, an emotional conversation blessed with prayer, I made to leave only to hear my friend say 'I just need some chocolate now...'.

My reaction was to go and do what I should have done right at the beginning of the day... 

Even something as simple as a bar of chocolate can make a difference when given in the right spirit.