Getting Things Done - Time Management Plus Knowing Birth Order Qualities.De-Trashing the House and Office Also Helps

  A truck, stealing the sun, is like trivia stealing time.

The seven-day chart is a way of seeing our stewardship of time, 168 hours per week. We are all equal in that respect.

If we start each time segment with a major project (or part of one), we end the week with 21 successful jobs or steps in major projects. The segments include time with family, worship, and recreation.

If we start each segment with trivia, then the trivia will be done but often little else. Experts in trivia can spend entire weeks doing nothing. Not all of them are in plush synod offices, but many of them are - like sands on the shore, like fleas on a dog.

It is the persistent management of time that makes us stewards of the life God has given us.

Days	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wed	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Morning
Afternoon
Evening

Tips - Birth Order, based on Kevin Leman’s Birth Order Book

 

The baby of the family is lovable.

	Positive Qualities	Careers	Drawbacks	Don’t Be Surprised
Firstborn or Only Child	Successful, driven, perfectionist, organized.	Most CPAs, pilots, and architects are F or O.	Can be seen as too critical, too domineering.	Sales manager. Can’t understand people who don’t do paperwork.
Only Child	Jewel of the family, an adult by the age of 8.	Above.	Seen as self-centered by others.	Good at working with opposites (like parents);
Middle Child	Diplomatic, balanced, seldom sees shrink.	May be opposite of what firstborn is, especially same sex siblings.	Feels overlooked, for good reason; seen by others as a bundle of contradictions.	Enjoys attention. Can be the rebel while the first-born is the conformist, the Jr.
Baby	Lovable, charming.	Born salesman or entertainer.	Not organized, not good at budgets or paperwork	Messy, particular about food, less motivated student or late bloomer.
The First Male Child or a Very Late Surprise Child (much younger)	Is a Firstborn in many qualities.	See Firstborn.	See Firstborn.	Four girls, baby boy, he’s a CPA or pilot or engineer.

1. We usually marry the opposite birth-order person. Firstborns marry babies or middle children.
2. Parents tend to favor the children who are their birth-order, so the last-born parent will defend the baby of the family to older children, etc.
3. If children are far apart in years, they can be more like only children or first-born children.
4. This should be seen only as an indication, not fate. Other factors are important, too.
5. Kevin Leman’s Birth Order Book can be found in most bookstores. He was a late-blooming student, a born entertainer (still is), messy, and very particular about his food. He was the baby of his family.

I recently guessed that someone's wife was a first-born and that the husband had a mixed combination. Some qualifiers are the loss of a sibling, step-brothers and sisters, and extreme age differences. An eight-year gap is like another generation.

The first boy born is treated as the first-born and plays the part.

Much of this depends on how parents treat that child. For many, the first-born has to sit, stand, learn to speak, dress neatly, be clean, and earn great grades. The same parents loosen up with the baby, especially the surprise baby after the Polish wedding where everyone danced until 2 am. That baby is adored and held by everyone, and the older siblings play mom and pop, telling funny stories about the baby.

The value of this practical knowledge is learning how to maximize one's natural qualities and to value the opposite qualities in the spouse. We almost always marry our opposites in personality.

I often predict one spouse as likely being the opposite of the one I know. One wife was the most social, friendly, engaging person in the congregation. Later, I met the silent, stern, introverted husband.

Getting Things Done is a website, a book, a company, etc. The old website was good in going over basics, like de-trashing the home and office. The Wikipedia link is a good summary.

Having a purpose is especially motivating. I wanted to revive Luther's work, the work of similar leaders, and encourage independent publishing. Because I enjoy that so much, nothing involved is really work, although it involves plenty of labor.

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress - Best-Seller after the Bible

"As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and, as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. [Isa. 64:6; Luke 14:33; Ps. 38:4; Hab. 2:2; Acts 16:30,31] I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, "What shall I do?" [Acts 2:37]"


Introduction to Pilgrim's Progress, with many illustrations - here.

Fun Moments

 All true.

I set up four hummingbird feeders in the front yard, one out in the garden, three hanging from the porch beams. Ranger Bob thought the hummingbirds might be intimidated at such a close range. They are the most daring birds.

I came home from errands, slammed the car door shut (it's a Chrysler), and saw our main bird dining from the first porch feeder. He was not startled by the noise or my approach. I stood nearby and watched him buzz his wings to move to each feeding port. Sip, blur, sip, blur.

I stood even closer, right under him, and watched him from below.

Likewise, the one sipping at the kitchen window is very close and unafraid.

I switched to hummingbird feeding because the squirrels took over the seed feeders and wrecked them as much as possible.

Sassy's Minion

Our neighbor has a toy chihuahua named Tiny. (I suggested Cujo!)

Their front door burst open and out came Tiny at 60 mph. Two girls chased him to no avail. On the second circle I shouted, "Come to us, Tiny. We love you." Sassy was next to me, in the middle of the street (cul-de-sac, no traffic). Tiny ran to us, rolled over his back, and folded his front paws. This is the second time a smaller dog ran up to her and rolled over in submission.

I placed my hands on his chest, picked him up, and handed him to the girl who loves Sassy so much. She took Tiny back into the house.

 Mom, dad, and the puppers - from the Net.

Another Hoot from WELS Discussions - People With a Sense of Humor Do Not Belong in That Sect

 "After all I did to get WELS the New NIV?"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WELSDiscussions/permalink/2952267161664391/?notif_id=1567613372288462&notif_t=page_group_post

Scott Kruz

Conversation Starter · 5 mins

A friend of a friend of a friend of someone at 2929 obtained a sneak preview of the bulletin for the ideal WELS funeral of the future. It will feature the Synod's best praise bands! We do not know the day, but we do know it will be just under an hour.

Screens: ON
Projectors: FULL BLAST

Invocation
Earth and All Stars
WELS Connection
Selected songs from LAPPY
||:: THAXTED ::||
The message, delivered by Pastor Trendy
Passing the peace/blessing, for 10 minutes
The Distribution . . . of free copies of the NIV 2011
Offering (during viewing Your Time of Grace)
Then, Then, Then
Holy Communion (Individual Cups only and solely served by the vicar)
Now, Now, Now
The Eulogy (read over softly-playing Christian rock)
Benediction
Area Lutheran High School Choir with non-WELS students sings selected popular music pieces

Screens: EXPLODE
Steeple: COLLAPSES

 A direct quote from a WELS members, whose name I have forgotten.

Greek Lesson - Mark 10 Blind Bartimaeus - Mark 11 - Entry into Jerusalem

Parser - tells us the I.D. of the word

Lenski's Mark Commentary - download as a PDF

Chapter 10 

46 και ερχονται εις ιεριχω, και εκπορευομενου αυτου απο ιεριχω και των μαθητων αυτου και οχλου ικανου, υιος τιμαιου - βαρτιμαιος ο τυφλος - εκαθητο παρα την οδον προσαιτων

47 και ακουσας οτι ιησους ο ναζωραιος εστιν, ηρξατο κραζειν και λεγειν ο υιος δαβιδ ιησου, ελεησον με

eleemosynary

48 και επετιμων αυτω πολλοι ινα σιωπηση ο δε πολλω μαλλον εκραζεν υιε δαβιδ ελεησον με

49 και στας ο ιησους ειπεν αυτον φωνηθηναι- και φωνουσιν τον τυφλον λεγοντες αυτω "θαρσει εγειραι φωνει σε"

50 ο δε αποβαλων το ιματιον αυτου, αναστας ηλθεν προς τον ιησουν

51 και αποκριθεις λεγει αυτω ο ιησους τι θελεις ποιησω σοι, ο δε τυφλος ειπεν αυτω "ραββονι ινα αναβλεψω"

52 ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτω υπαγε η πιστις σου σεσωκεν σε και ευθεως ανεβλεψεν και ηκολουθει τω ιησου εν τη οδω

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 11 \

11 και οτε εγγιζουσιν εις ιερουσαλημ εις βηθφαγη και βηθανιαν προς το ορος των ελαιων αποστελλει δυο των μαθητων αυτου

2 και λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε εις την κωμην την κατεναντι υμων και ευθεως εισπορευομενοι εις αυτην ευρησετε πωλον δεδεμενον εφ ον ουδεις ανθρωπων κεκαθικεν λυσαντες αυτον αγαγετε

3 και εαν τις υμιν ειπη τι ποιειτε τουτο ειπατε οτι ο κυριος αυτου χρειαν εχει και ευθεως αυτον αποστελει ωδε

4 απηλθον δε και ευρον τον πωλον δεδεμενον προς την θυραν εξω επι του αμφοδου και λυουσιν αυτον

5 και τινες των εκει εστηκοτων ελεγον αυτοις τι ποιειτε λυοντες τον πωλον

6 οι δε ειπον αυτοις καθως ενετειλατο ο ιησους και αφηκαν αυτους

7 και ηγαγον τον πωλον προς τον ιησουν και επεβαλον αυτω τα ιματια αυτων και εκαθισεν επ αυτω

8 πολλοι δε τα ιματια αυτων εστρωσαν εις την οδον αλλοι δε στοιβαδας εκοπτον εκ των δενδρων και εστρωννυον εις την οδον

9 και οι προαγοντες και οι ακολουθουντες εκραζον λεγοντες ωσαννα ευλογημενος ο ερχομενος εν ονοματι κυριου

10 ευλογημενη η ερχομενη βασιλεια εν ονοματι κυριου του πατρος ημων δαβιδ ωσαννα εν τοις υψιστοις

11 και εισηλθεν εις ιεροσολυμα ο ιησους και εις το ιερον και περιβλεψαμενος παντα, οψιας ηδη ουσης της ωρας, εξηλθεν εις βηθανιαν μετα των δωδεκα

12 και τη επαυριον εξελθοντων αυτων απο βηθανιας επεινασεν

13 και ιδων συκην μακροθεν εχουσαν φυλλα ηλθεν ει αρα ευρησει τι εν αυτη και ελθων επ αυτην ουδεν ευρεν ει μη φυλλα ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων

14 και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη μηκετι εκ σου εις τον αιωνα μηδεις καρπον φαγοι και ηκουον οι μαθηται αυτου

1550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

If Luther Was Only Right about One Thing - The Blessed, Holy Cross

Luther can still make us laugh out loud with his observations and critiques. His works are also overflowing with spiritual and practical wisdom, comfort, and hope.

His positive references to the "holy and blessed cross" can be quite annoying and perplexing. One factor is the connection with the extreme piety of Roman Catholicism, which often morphs into spectacular displays and even morbid self-torture.

But the meaning of the cross in Luther's works is they key to much of life. Perhaps we have to live a few extra decades to learn that. The cross is opposition, hatred, revenge, difficulties, and pain connected directly to the Gospel  Word.

Victories can be defeats, but defeats can become victories. How many glorious church buildings, fellowship halls, and parochial school gyms were dedicated with joy and decorated with festive banners - and now gather cobwebs with FOR SALE signs?

The success industry has greatly influenced us all to think in terms of setbacks leading to wealth, popularity, and a book contract. But the cross is the opposite, so we understand why the healing of the lepers is such a great miracle. Lepers were not only weak and sick, but shunned by society, having the ignominy of being driven away lest others catch the disease.

The blessed and holy cross teaches that the Gospel brings to us exactly what it brought to the Savior - constant opposition, hatred, sorrow, and dismay. Even before Jesus' arrest, trial, torture, and death, He saw the mixture of faith and fear, joy and glory-mongering in His disciples. The concise Gospel of Mark reveals this in the three Passion Predictions - chapters 8, 9, and 10 - each one followed by the most outrageous responses of his future apostles. After all, only one disciple was at the cross.

KJV Mark 8 

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

34 και προσκαλεσαμενος τον οχλον συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ειπεν αυτοις οστις θελει οπισω μου ελθειν απαρνησασθω εαυτον και αρατω τον σταυρον αυτου και ακολουθειτω μοι

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

In retrospect, we can see that every episode of the cross in the public ministry of Christ was significant in teaching us. We have a test, a standard by which to measure life. The cross/crown symbol can be found in wood carvings and stained glass windows in Europ and even in America - no cross, no crown.

The cross is definitely found in relation to the Gospel and ingratitude, opposition, and vindictive revenge. But those experiences also show us how the cross bears fruit in sharing the spiritual treasures of the Gospel Word. The cross is God's energy, so the cross is also God's victory over materialism, self-centeredness, and arrogance.