When Your Name Gets in the Lights

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When Your Name Gets in the Lights

We’re watching the Golden Globe Awards on TV at the moment.  I just watched Sandra Oh accept her award.  As many others before her tonight, she has honored her fellow actors, crew, tech, producers, et al.  What struck me the most just now is how she honored her parents. 

They got their name in the lights for a brief few seconds.  What an honoring act. 

When Carolyn reads my blogs to me, out loud, I am honored. 

I’ve managed people, and the best part of managing is when we get to honor our teammates.  No one gets on top as a solo act.  No not one.

Share the glory.  Your team mates deserve their share of credit.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration

It's About What They Could Become

It’s About What They Could Become

Let’s talk a bit about human potential.  Had you seen me when I was ten, you wouldn’t have been very impressed.  Nor at 15, 18, or 25.  Oh, I had a few successes by then, but my real becoming didn’t happen, in my opinion till much later.

Meet Larry.  He was in my youth group back in the 70’s.  As a young teen, Larry was a nice kid and would do anything for you in the world, if he could, but to think he would come to earn a doctorate and pastor a few large churches?  No way.  Not Larry.  He didn’t fit the mold for that kind of success and good stuff to be happening to him. 

Somewhere along the line, Larry was paying attention.  He went to college, the same one I attended, graduated and went back to his home state and pastored a small-town church.  That lead to larger churches, and ultimately to seminary, and with each success, each bit of learning, Larry grew.  He BECAME!

I’ve got to tell you this personal thing.  Once Larry wrote me a note and said this: “Of all the good influences in my life, you were the first.”

Oh my.  That is encouragement to this encourager.

This quote is in my files and it prompted this idea tonight.  I’m not sure who originally said it. 

“It’s not what they are now.

It’s what they could be.

It’s all about human potential.”

You see, you and I are in the human potential business.  Our job is to grow people up into the man or woman they could become.  We cast a vision of what their potentiality is when in full bloom.  We believe in them.  We encourage them.  We coach and empower others so they can grow wings and develop sureness of foot.

And when they take off … wow!  What a moment.

That’s about as good as it gets for those of us who like to be people builders.

Something to think on,

in less than 60 seconds.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration

Living the Dash

Living the Dash

Walk in any cemetery and you’ll find headstones that read something like this: 

John Smith

1910-1994

Note the dash.  What did John Smith do during all those years of his life?

What indeed.

What am I doing since my birth, and what about you?

We live.  We make an impact.

Some of us create.

Some build.

Some manage.

Some raise families.

Some sing, or write or act.

Life happens, and we move through it.  Ah, but what is our contribution?

I’m not trying to cram into my dash as much as possible.  Some do, and if that is their speed, then go and do.

Anymore, I’m going for quality.  I’ll pause and smell a rose on Sunset as Carolyn and I walk along.

I’ll stop and enjoy a few bars of music coming from unexpected outdoor speakers.

I’ll smile and wave at small children and laugh at their giggles and smiles.

I’ll keep writing insights as they come along.  I’m still searching for the idea for the blog heard ‘round the world.

I’ll keep living and breathing.

I’ll keep whispering “I love you” to CB.

I’ll keep saying words of hope and encouragement to those nearby.

And I’ll keep hoping.  I’ll hope my fellow man and I can continue to get along.  I’ll hope my government will rule wisely, with consideration for all of us.

And I’ll trust in the God of my understanding. 

And when my dash ends …

Memories of something I’ve said, or written, or done, may linger in someone’s mind and keep me alive a few breaths longer.

This is what is on

my mind today.

P Michael Biggs

It's All About People Blog Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration