Author: Zephaniah

The Blessing of the Morning

There is something precious about the morning. Quiet, full of promise that some new hope may be given in the new upcoming day.

An excerpt from “The Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible” by Bonhoeffer, Dietrich

The Blessing of Morning Prayer

“From the unity it has attained, the whole day takes its order and discipline. This unity must be sought and found in morning prayer and will prove itself in work.

Prayer in the early morning is crucial for the whole day. Wasted time of which we are ashamed, temptations to which we succumb, feebleness and lethargy at work, disorder and indiscipline in our thoughts and in our intercourse with other people—these more often than not have their cause in the neglect of morning prayer.

The ordering and arrangement of our time will be more positive when it is the outcome of prayer. Temptations which the working day brings with it will be conquered if there has been real encounter with God.

Decisions demanded by our work will come more easily and readily when they are made not in the fear of others, but simply before the face of God. ‘And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men’ (Col. 3:23).

Even mechanical tasks will be carried out with greater patience, when they are recognized as tasks laid on us by God. Increased energy for work will be ours when we have asked God to give us today the strength our work requires.”

A few cool things for the weekend

I read quite a bit. Sometimes the volume varies. Anything from multiple hours to minutes. Anything from audio books and podcasts, blogs and newspapers articles to hardbacks and twitter.

I’ve had people ask me continually for years (literally) – Zeph, what are you reading? I’ve promised to share some of it more broadly for ages… and now I’m finally doing it. I’ll try and share on a weekly basis, cool/interesting things, I’ve read/am reading, listened to, watched etc..

Here is this weeks list:

  1. Charlie Munger: The Psychology of Human Misjudgement  – Cool animation of Charlie Munger (business partner of Warren Buffet – world’s 9th richest man) talking about how human’s think they are making good decision’s – but actually aren’t.
  2. Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. Always something i’m trying to understand more about generally, and for me to be effective in my leadership roles at work. Interesting read on the meaning of Diversity
  3. Me learning life lessons from an Ikea Bookshelf.
  4. Nassim Taleb tweeted a list of really really interesting aphorisms (observations) about life.
  5.  If you have children. My 1 and 3 year old, loved Vivo on Netflix. Sitting down to watch it start to finish on multiple occasions. It’s a good one for adults to. Catchy songs, witty lines and a cool story-line.  

“The Proverbs On” Series: My mini tweets on what the Book of Proverbs in the bible teaches us on life.

The Proverbs On: “The Benefits of Honesty and aiming to live a straight, sincere and truthful life”

“People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” Proverbs 10:9

Have a great week.

Zeph

Thinking about Understanding

Definition

understanding
noun

UK /ˌʌn.dəˈstæn.dɪŋ/

⁃ Knowledge about a subject, situation, or about how something works
⁃ Sympathetic awareness or tolerance
⁃ A psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, whereby one is able to think appropriately and use adequate concepts to deal with that object.

Some of the ways I think about improving my level of understanding:

1. Go over the same thing over and over again over a prolonged period of time*
2. Staying, learning and mediating on a topic for a long time, rather than moving quickly to something new**
3. By asking questions to people who show an open understanding of topics, or who have over time demonstrated and shown success in specific areas, and then allowing them to speak and get into their flow over time
4. By staying around people of understanding for a long time or for prolonged periods of time especially when they are executing or planning an idea, project or plan
5. By praying everyday for a mindset and Spirit of Understanding
6. By having and demonstrating belief in a person of understanding and going along with what they are saying and/or doing , even though it may not make any sense to you at the current stage

*Dag Heward Mills — The determinants
** Dag Heward Mills — The determinants

The Power of a Mission

Another day. No need for an alarm clock. Energy had forced its way into their wary bones. They arose, driven on by their goal, their joint enterprise and mission…

Get the baby to be quiet.

Do as I say, not as I do? “Short Story”

Father: “Son, do the task like no one is looking. Aim and aspire for excellence. It’s an internal motor, not an external trigger.”

Son: “Ok Dad. I will, thank you”

Key turns in lock.

Father: “Your mums home! Pick my socks up from the floor and pretend we know how to use the dishwasher!”

Fear, Perfectionism. A Saturday Afternoon In My Kitchen.

imperfection

I was thinking. Just considering. You know when you take a step back, and just look at yourself, trying as best as you possibly can, to do it wholeheartedly, without bias and the rose tints. Well, I was doing that. I wasn’t getting much back from it, no epiphany, no fantastic insight, no next great step.

So I just decided to have a cup of coffee. Black coffee.

I boiled the kettle, measured out 3 teaspoons of Nescafe, waited for the inevitable click and poured the water. I sipped once and just stood there. Peering, no, actually staring, I was staring at nothing. I sipped again, and again, and again.

For some strange reason, the next sips came with steps. I walked up the staircase and found myself in my home office. I sat down. Looking at the empty monitors. “Youtube.com” I thought. So, I typed it in. “Let’s find something interesting to watch”. Some recommendations popped up, a few documentaries, an Avengers Endgame, “Easter Eggs you missed” video. Naturally, with the mood I was in – reflective, meditative and ponderous I clicked the Avengers video.

30 seconds in. I turned it off. Went into my OneNote, and clicked into my writing notebook, and started looking at my writing drafts. I was surprised. Very surprised. Roughly 40 started but never “finished” pieces of writing. Varying from short fictional & non-fictional stories, longer extended essays, how-to’s and tips and tricks – you name it. They were there. Just sat there. Never “finished”.

I read a few. Hmm… Some were crap, some were good, they made me laugh, ponder and reflect. “Why did i never hit publish”, I wondered aloud. Perfectionist? Fearful? Wait, I retorted to myself. “Aren’t those two things just interchangeable?” Maybe they are for writing.

Then. All of a sudden, I moved into autopilot. WordPress.com, drafts – and I just started writing. I wrote this.

Then I told myself. Publish these drafts. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Screaming In Closed Spaces

HELP!” A female voice pierced the atmosphere. A shout. A massive shout!

My eyes and head immediately looked up and to my right. Then, a furious hand clap followed, accompanied with another, “Help!”

A few people stood up. I noticed my heart beat quicken, followed by a brief rush of adrenaline. What is happening, what is going on.

Suddenly. A young lady bounded down the aisle. “I’m a doctor,” she confidently proclaimed.

Ok.

I felt the collective inaudible sigh of relief from everyone else.

This isn’t what you want to be happening, in the middle of your transatlantic Virgin Airlines flight.

Normality resumed

Apparently someone was having a seizure.

A lady on my right looked over.

“Exactly what you don’t want to hear in the middle of a flight,” she said, still obviously shaken up. I gave her a reassuring smile. You know, one of those, I’m here for you smiles. I think it helped.

“I know right” I replied.

Going through traumatic, tough experiences together accelerates bonding.

Ask the cast of Love Island.

So I’m glad I was there for her.

The woman who had the seizure was fine.

Everyone went back to sleeping, reading, drinking and eating.

Me. I wrote this, and pondered the main thought I had as the situation unfolded.

If I go to the next life now, that’s disappointing. There’s still more to experience, more to see, more to do, and more to give.

But I’m at peace. I go and see my maker.

The gym for physical gains. But, there’s more to life than the gym. 

This is so important. 

Outline it pratically. (Write it out) It will be a place. A person/s.

If I have an emotional need – who or where

If I have an mental need – who or where

If I have a spiritual need – who or where 

Speak. Search. Someone near you has, or is your solution. 

Zephaniah. 

The Time I Learned A Lesson From An Ikea Bookshelf

Thirteen and a half hours. That’s how long the flight is – but it’s Singapore Airlines, so it has Wi-Fi.

So I go online, read some articles, clear down and respond to e-mails, and keep a tab on the football scores. She’s about to move in – her first stop online. Ikea.com.

“We need a bookshelf” she says. I peer over, and see the yellow and blue of the IKEA logo. “You’re right, my solution of leaving book’s lying all over and under the desk, dining table, coffee table and floor, isn’t a great one.”

“There are a lot of books, we may need more than one bookshelf actually,” She says. I pause, change can be a good thing, and this makes sense. “Ok,” I respond. Continue reading “The Time I Learned A Lesson From An Ikea Bookshelf” →

Blocks – This Just Can’t Be Me?

"If I stare and look really sad, then I'll think of something to write"
“If I stare and look really sad, then I’ll think of something to write”

Think about everything that on the inside,  you know you have to write about, do something about, say something about. Then just leave it. Forget about it, and keep moving … Is that the right thing to do?   Continue reading “Blocks – This Just Can’t Be Me?” →