Where Life and Faith Meet
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4Ü #250

Selling your Soul

31 August 2006

WASSUP - Authentic Leadership

Recommending books can be a bit like recommending music - it's all in the taste.

However, if I must recommend a great Leadership book it would be Authentic Leadership by Bill George Jossey Bass 2003 (former CEO of Medtronic).

This book cuts through the theory and self obsession of leaders on leadership. It has a clear sound of authenticity about it.

It's about character, having an internal compass, finding one's way in the labyrinth, being tested in the crucible, having friends, living balance, being yourself, not selling your soul, living your values and delivering real value to the one's who matter most.

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INSIGHT OUT - A work of art

Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Pablo Picasso

The word art comes from a base word "ar" which means "to put, to fit together or join"

There is a moment when all the bits come together and you see something greater - that's art.

Why is that so important?

We live in a disconnected world. We are divided into parts, roles and functions. Our bits are all over the place. We need an artist to bring our pieces together again.

That's the picture I have in Genesis chapter one, the Great Artist starts with the chaos of nothing and then layer by layer produces a work of art. At the end of each day the Artist stands back from the canvas and says, "this is good". On the sixth day the Artist places man and woman as His signature and then says, "this is very good".

Now that's a work of art!

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OUTSIGHT IN - Selling your soul

In one way or another many people go to work today and practice a form of prostitution.
They sell their soul for work.

Becoming the person others are creating rather than being you.

People joke about selling their mother in-law
But selling yourself, now whose laughing?

The time will come when with elation you will greet yourself,
Arriving at your own door,
in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the others welcome;
Saying, sit here.
Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine,
give bread,
give back your heart
to the stranger who has loved you all your life,
whom you abandoned for another,
who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs,
the desperate notes.
Sit.
Feast on your life.

Derek Walcott

Who is that you see in the mirror?

Is it you?

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SEE YA SUNDAY - Hope in Hard Times: Part 4 - Divorce

This Sunday morning 8.30 & 10.30 am

This series will explore some tough issues that in one way or another touch all our lives; death, disaster, depression and divorce. While the topics in themselves look a bit depressing, the messages will be informative, provocative, practical and inspirational. If you know anyone one who needs some hope in the midst of hard times, invite then to come along.

Bread & Wine - 9.45am - Weekly Communion

The St Columba Institute of Life and Faith
Poets and Artists - Created to be creative

This is the beginning of a dream to form a community of artist and poets who have a desire to connect life and faith through their creativity. Let's kick off with three Sunday evenings starting September 10th at St Columba 7.00pm.

Thanks for this time to chat.

Andrew
St Columba
Where Life and Faith Meet
andrew.norton@stcolumba.org.nz

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It's free but don't steal

If this is of help to others, you are welcome to forward it. This e-mail letter is 97% original - 3% cut and paste & 100% fat free. 4U is copyright to Andrew Norton. That means you can't cut and paste it and call it your own (that's stealing). I'm happy for it to be used but please refer to the author.

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LAST WORD- Discover fire

Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness.the energies of love. Then for the second time in history of the world, man will have discovered fire.

Teilhard de Chardin


© 2008, St Columba Presbyterian Church, Auckland