Blog is Live Again

I searched for a post on the blog to find some information I had entered last year, only to find that the blog had been shut down. Apparently it was caused by some affiliate links, so I’m going to take them down. I’ll start to post again on the blog, so you can look forward to some new content.

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Laziness, For Shame

Lately I haven’t posted, and it isn’t for lack of things to say.  Truthfully, I’ve started a list of topics, ideas, and points that I would like to address.  What is most surprising to me out of all of this is that I’ve come to the realization that blogging is good for me.  Instead of being an activity that is associated with procrastination, I’ve found that these posts reflect my interaction with the material I’m learning, the discipline I exhibit with time management, and the vibrancy of my relationship with the Lord.  I had wondered if instead the posts would simply reflect keeping up with culture and various tidbits of news and gossip that circulate on the internet, with the occassional sale or deal.

In any case, I plan to start posting regularly again.  And the content of this blog may change when I do.  We’ll see.

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A Belated Christmas

Merry Christmas!  I’ve had to consider whether to continue with this blog, and if so, how to focus its posts to make it more useful.  That will be one of the questions for the next week, but in the meantime, I’ll add a few things that have caught my attention recently.  They say that more blogs are closing each year now than are being started, and I’d rather not be a statistic.

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A Note on Referrals and Affiliates

You may have noticed that there is a section on the sidebar labeled “Referrals.” I was hesitant to consider referral links when the opportunity was presented, but these represent the best of the online retailers, sites at which I spend a majority of my money. So I decided in favor of referral links but also transparency and clear delineation so you can decide whether to use them or not. Here is some info about them:

- Amazon: Everyone is aware of Amazon.com I’m sure. They offer free shipping on orders over $25 and are the standard for comparing book prices. They have “gold box” deals every day and offer special discounts, as well as sales on every Friday. Most unused however must be their marketplace where products can be purchased from 3rd parties (new or used) for less than from Amazon, often at great deals. Even sweeter, they have a post-order price policy, so if it drops within 30 days of purchase you can email them for a refund. Simple. And now there are programs and services that will track prices and alert you if they drop. I use Amazon for almost everything, and with the referral program, anything at all purchased after starting a shopping session through the link will earn me credit for future purchases.

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Tips for Effective Emails

Communication in the present age is marked by quicker interactions and near-limitless quantity.  Yet, for all our advancements we have lost something, namely the effectiveness and simplicity of the message, often relying on many more words than necessary to relay content.  How can we communicate more clearly and concisely?  WebWorkerDaily offers the following tips:

1. Use the minimum number of sentences. I’ve been using the 5-sentence rule, but you can use more if needed. The question is: how many sentences are needed to communicate what you’re trying to communicate? Or how few sentences can you get away with. Cut it to that number, and no more. That ensures that you’re not wasting the time of the recipient, and that your email actually gets read (people tend to put off reading longer ones, and might even delete them).

2. State what you want right away. Don’t write a long introduction, telling your life story, or any story for that matter. People aren’t interested. They just want to know what you want. So state that, in the first sentence. Skip the niceties. Don’t make the recipient wade through 10 paragraphs to find what action is needed for the email.

3. Write about only one thing. There have been numerous times when I read an email, saw the action needed, and went and did it … only to find out that three other things were also needed to respond to the email. I’ve also responded to the first part of an email and not to others, just because I didn’t have enough time.

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Texting Tips, that is, What Not to Do

A link from JoshHarris.com took me over to the Washington Post for an intriguing and very sad article on text messaging in general, and its relation to love and romance in particular.  After a compelling narrative of texting troubles, here are the conclusions of the author as she echoes Helio:

• Don’t flirt too long virtually.
• If someone doesn’t text you back in 24 hours, it’s not happening
• Only cowards settle arguments via text
• Text breakups don’t count.

And the No. 1 text message rule: Keep it short.

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Small Group Leaders, Listening, and Asking Questions

Christianity Today has a brief article relating to small groups, probing questions, and listening skills. The lists were adapted from an article for pastors, but is yet useful for general practice. Here is a summary:

Characteristics of a Good Listener

1. Looks at me while I’m speaking.
2. Questions me to clarify what I’m saying.
3. Shows concern by asking questions about my feelings.
4. Repeats some things I say.
5. Doesn’t rush me.
6. Is poised and emotionally controlled.
7. Responds with a nod of the head, a smile, or a frown.
8. Pays close attention.
9. Doesn’t interrupt me.
10. Keeps on the subject until I’ve finished my thoughts.

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Burnout, Ministry and Otherwise

Crosswalk has published an excellent article on burnout, which can be found here.  It includes a handy list of cause which is useful to watch out for.  I personally identify most of them in my life, and with prayer and reliance upon the Lord, hope to address them in keeping with personal responsibility to preserve this temple of the Lord.

Burnout can occur in the physical, emotional, and spiritual areas of life. Sometimes it affects only one or two of these areas, but it often takes its toll in all three, as it did with Elijah. He was physically exhausted from running before King Ahab’s chariot some 25 miles from Mount Carmel to the entrance of Jezreel (I Kings 18:46). He was emotionally drained as evidenced by his wish to die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life” (I Kings 19:4). He was spiritually distraught, which was shown by his words, “I, even I only, am left” (I Kings 19:10).

Many things cause burnout. While it is impossible to mention them all, here are the primary causes.

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Motivational Methods and the Net

Looking for help to meet a goal? Having a hard time keeping your New Year’s Resolution to do your devotions every day? Perhaps you promised a missionary friend you would start praying for him/her. Maybe you want help to study regularly, to exercise, to stop smoking or to fight temptation.

Don’t Break the Chain is a website that picked up on Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity tip, or “lifehack” which was featured on Lifehacker recently. Basically, it involves checking off each day that you are successful so that it easily visually and easily seen, so that not only is the activity itself desireable, but there is an added pressure not to “break the chain” and remain consistent. Once we break it, it is easy to lose our discipline after all. (As an interesting aside, at the time of this post Tim Challies has blogged 1412 consecutive days – talk about consistent!)

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Churches, Organizations, and Blogs

What are your favorite?

It has been quite a surprise to me that most posts have received comments, after only a short time on the Internet.  I’m grateful that it has been useful to some, though I don’t presume it to ever grow beyond a simple and straightforward site.  This most likely will be premature, but let me ask: are there are churches, organizations, blogs, or otherwise that should be included in the sidebar?  I’ll be updating it and adding many of my favorites in the coming days!

Leave a comment or drop me an email and I be sure to take a look.  By request, I’ve created a new email account:

theseminarian[at]gmail[dot]com

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