One Sour Blackberry

I never owned a Blackberry device. But when the deals made them so affordable – just $49 – I was able to convince my wife to toss her flip phone and move into the smartphone world. Eventually, she moved on from Blackberry ... as did most of the world. She might now be considered among the addicted class. 

The New York Times piece on "When the Blackberry Reigned and How It Fell" displayed a brief history of the company. Discussion continues as to the future of the former hand held champion. Buy outs. Break ups. Buy backs – perhaps from the cofounders. Will it matter? (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/29/technology/when-blackberry-reigned-the-queen-got-one-and-how-it-fell.html ) 

As the Times makes note … the “co-chief executives missed the real threat: they initially dismissed Apple’s iPhone as “little more than a toy.” And all those apps available were simply too much. Too bad there wasn’t an app for how to fix Blackberry’s problem.

Having started a few small ventures – both for profit and not for profit – I feel badly when a company fails. People lose jobs, feel a lot of stress, and sometimes good products go away.

You know what? Some are predicting the demise of the church. That is not new. But maybe some of the concerns are.

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hills Church in Seattle put out this vivid description:

"Christians are being ostracized, gay marriage is being legalized, the bandwagon has stopped carrying us and has started running over us. The church is dying and no one is noticing because we're wasting time criticizing rather than evangelizing. ... The days are darker, which means our resolve must be stronger and our convictions clearer. This is not the hour to trade in work boots for flip-flops. You didn't think you were here to kill time listening to Christian music until Jesus returned, did you?"  http://www.christianpost.com/news/mark-driscoll-christians-facing-darker-days-the-church-is-dying-105180/

Ouch! Is he right? This message came from a letter he addressed to “Christian” and was given to participants at the 2013 Resurgence Conference.

As the skies darken in our world in so many ways and so many places, our faith might well be called into question. We will be tested on the authenticity of our beliefs. The world will examine how closely we respond to larger needs than our own.

In other words, our spiritual life is on the line. We need renewal! And Driscoll sees the problem. There are no buyouts available. Hopefully, we don’t sell out. And certainly, there are no apps for that.

That’s the way WE work. For Moody Radio, I’m Mark Elfstrand.  

Billboard Beliefs

I admire well designed billboards. The means of communicating a very brief, yet powerful message to a commuter whizzing along at 70 miles an hour is true advertising art. 

Often, I play my own game of billboard critic … attempting to get the message while driving, but often failing to do so. Too many words. Blurring graphics. Poor color choices. Weak messaging.  Small print. Unfortunately, it’s bad form ... and a waste of money.

Three Christian Post stories of billboards trying to send a religious message have surfaced recently. One promotes a campaign known as "Jesus Tattoo."  Fifty-nine billboards near Lubbock, Texas, depict an image of Jesus clad in tattoos with the words “addicted” and “depressed” along with other negative word pictures. (http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-billboard-campaign-portrays-jesus-as-tattoo-artist-106317/)

The intended message is to convey Jesus loves people unconditionally. Jesus becomes the tattoo artist to help. The group has a website and video to help advance their perspective. Well, it certainly gets attention.

Then, the ministry Answers in Genesis has posted billboards in New York City and San Francisco challenging atheists with this message: Thank God You’re Wrong. They even sponsored a digital spectacular in Times Square displaying the message. Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, is seeking to respond to atheist billboards being posted in a number of places. (http://www.christianpost.com/news/creationist-group-challenges-atheists-with-thank-god-youre-wrong-billboards-106212/)

Not to be outdone, atheists in Michigan have their own billboards. The message?  “Millions of Americans are living happily without religion.” That apparently is to help us overcome negative stereotypes of non-religious people. (http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-happy-without-religion-claims-mich-billboard-campaign-106085/)

Frankly, those billboards would have no impact on me. I already know atheists can function somewhat happily without a religious faith. I know Jesus's love is unconditional. And I already believe that atheists are wrong in their view that there is no God.

Personally, I think billboards that work connect with ideas like … "McArches … all size drinks. $1."  Or … "Sleep well tonight at Red Roof Inn. Just $49." One life-altering billboard I’ve seen simply asks if you’re pregnant and need help. They give a web site and phone number. Good job!

In my earlier years, I developed advertising concepts for clients. I would advise them not to use billboards if something needed to be explained. And you’d better be able to read the critical piece of the message from a quarter mile away. And here’s the key: meet a need in the simplest of terms.

Communicating our faith needs careful attention as well, regardless of medium. Jesus managed to teach the most important life lessons in short stories. And the impact lasted for mile after life-changing mile. My advice … Go thou and do likewise.

That’s the way WE communicate. For Moody radio, I’m Mark Elfstrand.   

Should “Messies” Clean up?

A while back I watched an interview with a brilliant academic. He may well have been very bright, but his office was a mess! And it made me feel better.

I admit to it. I can work in a messy environment. In fact, that is my "normal."  And a recent study published online in Psychological Science gave me hope. http://pss.sagepub.com/content/24/9/1860

Researchers at the University of Minnesota wanted to find out if neat environments can produce good habits. College students were brought in for a test and put in adjacent office spaces. One was exquisitely neat. The other … very cluttered. After ten minutes, as subjects were leaving, they were offered a choice of an apple or chocolate.

Remarkably, the apples were the food of choice for most students in the clean room. And this group also seemed to trend towards more socially conscious behavior on such decisions. Score a big point for cleanliness.

But wait! A second experiment claimed a point for those working amidst chaos! In this test, participants in those same mixture of clean and cluttered offices were asked to come up with new uses for Ping-Pong balls. The messy office team proved significantly more creative at this. Yes! Score one for the messies!

In a third experiment, volunteers in the messy space were more likely to take a risk on trying a new flavor of lunchtime smoothie than the tidies. The environment seemed to prompt them to more risks. Score another point for messies.

In fairness, the experiments were demonstrating examples of cause and effect. Regardless of the personal style of participating, their work environment did influence the way they responded in several key areas. 

I am not advocating for either group. But I am refreshed to know that those  – like me – who work among our “stacks of stuff” are okay. And possibly, it helps our creativity. So in your office, give the messies a break … IF you want some creative results.

Any spiritual perspective here? Well, the Bible tells us in the creation account in Genesis that God brought order out of chaos. I’m grateful He did.  The exchange between God and Job also opens our eyes to the way God constructs the world in our behalf. Thirdly, 1Corinthians 14:40 instructs us about worship stating that “all things should be done decently and in order.”

On the other hand, our individual lives are often messy … filled with chaos. But there’s hope. As those created in God’s image, He offers us the wonderful gift of creativity to solve problems both big and small. 

Our grandkids love playing with a bag of foam shapes. We toss them on the floor and then build things. And then knock them over. Chaos … order …chaos … order. Fun stuff.

I’d love to keep going on this topic but, quite frankly, my garage is calling.

That’s the way WE work.  For Moody Radio, I’m Mark Elfstrand.

Self-Serving Service

Recently the Chicago food chain Jewel-Osco made an interesting announcement. Several of their stores are saying goodbye to the self service checkout lanes they installed several years ago. The chain said it’s an effort to reconnect personally with customers. This decision comes despite the reality of higher costs of such a move. www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-jewel-scrapping-selfcheckout-20130925,0,7322858.story

There are also some self serving benefits to such a move. The company has observed a theft problem in self checkout. And quite often, a store employee must get involved in a problematic transaction. One consulting firm says other companies are making this decision, noting some inefficiencies and slowness when customers have a lot of items.

I liked the idea of reconnecting personally. Frankly, it’s one of my pet peeves, however, when that personal connection fails to occur. I find it refreshing to have a clerk at any store greet me and engage a bit at checkout.  Quite often that ISN’T the case.

Instead, two store employees are talking with each other. I’ve witnessed a clerk take a phone call and chat with another party while I’m checking out.  Or there is the silent type that might give the sole welcome of, “Next?”

Recently, I rented a car and the person handling the transaction gave me the keys and said, “There’s your car.”  No walk around to check for damage, no instructions about operating the car. I wonder what the company mission statement says, or their values proclaim about customer service. In one sense, it’s self-serving service.

I believe the problem exists for multiple reasons. Some employees might not be so called “people persons.” Others don’t receive good training. But honestly, I think a good number simply don’t really like the idea of serving people. It’s beneath them.

Recently, a grocery store near us changed managers. And I can see the difference already in the attitudes of employees and their willingness to help.  And a hardware megastore near me has their employees walk you to find the product you need. Now that’s service.

Christ followers should certainly be way ahead of the game when it comes to looking after customers. People should sense a difference in our attitudes of joy and a desire to help. How refreshing to find a soul who cares.

The marketplace is a great place for ministry. Jesus said he came to serve, and not to be served. If it was the mindset of the living God incarnate to live that way, I think we can manage it as well. Right?

That’s the way WE work. For Moody Radio, I’m Mark Elfstrand. 

The Pods Are Blooming

Given the choice, would you prefer to work outdoors ... or indoors? Chicago weather makes that question a bit more challenging. Hot, humid summers and sometimes bitterly cold winters can turn one indoors rather quickly.

But for those more moderate climates, the company known as Well Design is turning cubicle assignments on their head. They've developed a Workaway Outdoor Pod. It's a cut-out cubic design that can be placed in parks, plazas, and lots of other places. https://www.openforum.com/articles/outdoor-office-spaces/

With the pod comes a work surface and shade, built in seat, and it’s even equipped with WiFi. A smart phone app is used to reserve the “pod on the move.”

It's easy to see why some, who find their creative juices flow better in the open, would love the pod. Detail-oriented work likely might get better focus than in an inside cubicle. And who is going to gripe about working alongside a beautiful stream on a sunny summer day?

That being said, someone at a recent NeoCon exposition in Chicago asked the question, “Why can't developers make better use of premium outdoor space.” Well Design is apparently thinking in those directions.

In the article "The Coolest New Trend in Office Space", it was recommended that a company consider both pluses and minuses of such work zones. Concerns over places with four seasons should be obvious. Security is another issue. And, of course, will people actually LOSE focus enjoying nature scenes? That would be a third concern.

My dentist has a great compromise. He has his office in his home ... with patients' chairs looking out on tree lined property and fish swimming in the ponds in his covered indoor nature area. It doesn't replace Novocain, but it helps.

I've seen people put up nature posters to give them the outdoorsy feel. Lots of plants or flesh flowers may help the indoor blues. Relaxing, reflective music in headphones is a lot more common.  I've taken a walk or a drive during my lunch hour at some jobs. 

Wonder what your workspace will be like in heaven? Or are you thinking you won't be working in heaven? Paradise for Adam and Eve included daily work. And I think we can reasonably conclude they enjoyed their work and their workspace. 

I'm counting on there being work on the new earth when all is made new. And I think we have good reason to make work on this earth a lot more fun than it is. In a few of my not-so-heavenly jobs, coworkers and I have found unusual ways to make our jobs more enjoyable. Details available upon request.

Bottom line, the curse from man’s sin did not mean work has to be miserable. Just more difficult. 

I hope today you'll find a way to consider those marvelous lyrics Louis Armstrong sang years ago ... I see trees of green, skies of blue … and those roses. Truly, it's a wonderful world.

That's the way WE work. For Moody Radio, I'm Mark Elfstrand. 

Best Company to Keep

In case you missed it, the list of "Best Companies to work for in 2013" was released a few weeks ago by Glassdoor.  It’s their fifth list of the fifty best places to work this year. A recent article on the Forbes website gave details of the story.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/12/12/the-best-companies-to-work-for-in-2013/

Glassdoor claims their process of soliciting anonymous responses to their surveys gets more accurate results. Eighteen questions were posed to some half million employees in the US. Those who responded rated career opportunities, compensation and benefits, work-life balance, senior management, culture, and values.

At the top of the list was Facebook. And who wouldn't like this deal?  Along with paid vacation and healthcare, employees get free food and transportation, $4000 in cash for new parents, dry cleaning, day care reimbursement, and photo processing. And as a bonus, your job entitles you to impact a billion people. Sweet! Even without the photo processing.

McKinsey and Company came in second. In third place, a tech firm named Riverbed. Ten companies have been on the Top 50 since the list was created in 2009. Firms like Apple, Careerbuilder, Google, and others are top dogs.

Glassdoor says what works for one company may not work for another. But opportunities for advancement, clear cut business priorities, and solid company cultures are the common themes. Well, and those unbelievable perks.

Sounds great ... but what about the ga-zillion small business owners and medium size employers who can't pony up like Facebook, Google, and the like?  What about struggling ministries?  And what does the Bible say about employee culture and perks?

It doesn't say anything on employment benefits. But Paul tells his protégé Timothy that a worker is worthy of his wages. And that those in charge should take care of the people who work for them. 

Probably the best advice to the spiritually minded business leader is to apply Jesus's words we often call the Golden Rule. No ... not the rule that says "he who has the gold makes all the rules." The one that says "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Play that out in the world of compensation, benefits, etc. and you will likely be much more generous and perk minded than you would be otherwise.

And getting employees involved in mutual care of each other helps build a pretty strong culture. This stuff isn't magic. It's good spiritual common sense.

And that, my friend, is one of the perks of a spirit led life.

That's the way WE work.  For Moody Radio, I'm Mark Elfstrand.

Purposeful Work

When it comes to meaning and purpose in our lives, I can't recall anyone weighing significance in terms of bits of information. Until recently.

From an article on productivity and purpose, (http://99u.com/articles/17643/its-not-about-productivity-its-about-living-purposefully)  I learned that the human brain can handle about 100 bits of information per second. Reading quickly takes roughly 50 bits per second. Everything in our perceptual world uses up this brainpower. Sights ... sounds ... everything. 

So, let's say a person lives to the age of 80 and, accounting for 8 hours sleep per night, that works out to 150 billion bits of information processed. Included here are emotions, thoughts, sensations ... and conversations. That sums up who you are.

When you think about life in those terms, it seems sterile. But then we must realize that we can make decisions about most of that data. We determine where those bits are used. And what counts as important.

The article I was reading on this subject challenged us to focus on purposeful living, not just productivity. The challenge is to align your attention with who you are and what's truly important to you. Good thinking.

But I would add a bit of a different perspective, so to speak. I've known so many people who spend most of their waking hours in a bad work situation. It could be they don't like their job, their work environment, or the stress that they live under. A good part their attention has negatively-focused bits. 

Contrast that to a person who enjoys their work. Or least their attitude gives them an edge toward millions of more positive bits. The article did not categorize brain processing in terms of positive and negative bits of information. But let's face it. More positive than negative must have an impact on us.

The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7 AMP). As you consider your work life ... in fact all of life ... learning to make every bit of life more positive is a good challenge for all believers. Some call it positive thinking. It certainly results in more positive living. 

The importance for a Christ-follower is to know that this is a discipline. It requires effort. Positive living impacts not only us, but also all those we influence.

Why not make a decision today to shift into that more positive gear ... at work AND at home? I can see you changing your world, one bit at a time. 

That's the way WE work.  For Moody Radio, I'm Mark Elfstrand.