Blink

Per Betsy's advice, I started reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. So far I really like it. It basically discusses how we size things up, often without even realizing that we are sizing things up, in order to make split-second decisions. In some cases this is good, in others bad, but in all cases, our subconscious decision-making ability can be improved. Which is good news for me, because I've never been that great with quick decisions.

"Basketball is an intricate, high-speed game filled with split-second, spontaneous decisions. But that spontaneity is possible only when everyone first engages in hours of highly repetitive and structured practice - perfecting their shooting, dribbling, and passing and running plays over and over again - and agrees to play a carefully defined role on the court. This is the critical lesson: spontaneity isn't random... How good people's decisions are under the fast-moving, high-stress conditions of rapid cognition is a function of training and rules and rehearsal.

I used to think that quick decisions had no merit because they weren't based on facts or analysis or time. But one of the take-aways I have from this book is that long, calculated and "informed" decisions are not necessarily superior to fast, initial decisions. The book demonstrates that point through various examples, which I should probably summarize for the reader. But I've had enough typing for today, so if you are intrigued, I guess you'll have to read the book.

Air and Sun

I went to the MacDill AirFest today. It was my first air show, and I LOVED it. It ended with the Thunderbirds, who were amazing. Flying an F-16 has to be a thrilling experience, because even just watching it was really sweet. My favorite moves: when the solo pilot shot straight up to demonstrate the vertical climbing ability of the F16. And their "bomb burst" maneuver, where 4 pilots went straight up and each branched a different direction, followed by a solo pilot who flew right up through the middle in a spiral pattern.

I only had my cell phone with me for picture taking:


Unfortunately, I forgot to put on sunscreen, so I now have my first Florida sunburn....

Lucky

Ok, so I won't limit myself to country music. I first heard this song at Jodie's house in February, but heard it for the 2nd time on the radio tonight. Kinda fit in with the previous post, so thought I'd stick it up here in cyberspace:

Lucky by Jason Mraz with Colbie Caillat Music Video

You know, I haven't heard a Jason Mraz song that I don't like. Although I can only think of 3 of his songs off the top of my head... Maybe I should increase my sample size.

Yeehaw

I like country music. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sure, sometimes country music is about sad stories, or mama, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or gettin' drunk. But not all country music is like that. There's a lot of really sweet country songs out there. I'm really not a sappy person, but lately I've been really liking the sweet country songs. One example:

Whatever It Is by the Zac Brown Band

Ok, I could do without the music video intro scenes and the first part of the 2nd verse, but all in all I think it's a sweet song. A good friend who's always been "just a few years older than me" once told me that when his fiance/wife would ask him why he loved her, all he could say was "Because I do. I just love you because you're you." When I first heard that, I thought it was ridiculous. If he couldn't articulate why he felt how he felt, how could she be sure his feelings were real and valid? But then I talked to her about it, and she said "Oh, I'm so glad he didn't give me a laundry list. Because if he had, then I would have always been worried that if I changed or no longer met that list somehow, he wouldn't love me anymore." She was free to be herself because he loved her for who she was, not some detailed checklist he was looking for. I think that's part of why I like this song. It makes me picture a younger Larry bebop-ing around, falling in love with Sally because it was just meant to be. And the fact that stories like that aren't just found in a country song, but can indeed be found in real life, gives me hope.

And finally, this is for Betsy, "Know what? I DO like Garth Brooks!" (aside from his crazy Chris Gains stage, but that's beside the point) :-)

Will

In preparation for finding a new church, I had been listening to some online sermons lately. I like the following sermons about God's Will, a topic that never gets old to me:

Our Savior Lutheran

Abraham

Today's sermon was on Genesis 22. It's the familiar story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. Reread it if you haven't in awhile. It reminded me of 2 things this morning:

God always has a plan. It might not fit our exact image or our precise timetable, but His plan is always good, best in fact, and right on time. Abraham trusted God and was willing to obey by sacrificing his son, even if it didn't make sense to him. Can you imagine the relief Abraham must have felt when he heard the Lord's voice telling him not to lay a hand on Isaac? And the Lord responded to his faith by providing a ram for sacrifice and making his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.

It gets messy when we try to do things on our own without God. Abraham is a great hero of the faith, but his faith wasn't perfect all the time. At first he was impatient and didn't believe he would ever have a son with Sarah, so he took matters under his own hands and had a son with Hagar. Can you imagine how Abraham must have felt when He realized the Lord had a better plan?

Abraham's life experience provides a good life lesson: We won't get it right all the time. We might not always head the "right direction." But we can rest assured that our God is bigger than our faulty plans. He amazingly works through the lives and experiences of prideful human beings to work out His plans for the nations. Can you imagine how blessed and thankful Abraham must have been whenever he looked back and remembered the many ways the Lord took care of him throughout his life?

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -- Hebrews 10:23