One Christmas story that I love is about an old man who has lost his way. At one time in his life he knew about what was valuable and why. Over time, he lost this and the important things in life took a back seat to one master passion, gain. In the end, he is shown the folly of his ways and he becomes reformed character. You know his name as well as I do: Ebenezer Scrooge.

One of the themes that I love most in the story is that you can be good in business and still be good to people. We see this contrasted in the characters of Scrooge and his former employer, Mr. Fezziwig.

At one point early in the story Scrooge threatens to relieve Mr. Cratchit, his employee, of his situation (fire him) if Cratchit takes any more coal to put in his fire. Remember, this story is set in December in London in the middle of the 1800s. With no fire to keep him warm, Mr Cratchit was working in a state of intense misery. With no more coal to put on his fire, he had only the light of a single candle to keep him warm. This is a vivid picture of the lack of concern that Scrooge felt for his employee. Making money was his sole focus.

As a young man Scrooge had it much better than Cratchit. Scrooge’s first employer was Mr. Fezziwig. We discover about Mr Fezziwig that he was a jolly man and a good man of business. He ran a profitable business and expected those who worked for him to work hard, but he was also kind to those who worked for him. He was everything that the older Scrooge was not. We see this in a conversation between the Ghost of Christmas Past and Scrooge:

   ‘A small matter,’ said the Ghost, ‘to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.’

   ‘Small!’ echoed Scrooge.

   The Spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pouring out their hearts in praise of Fezziwig: and when he had done so, said,

   ‘Why! Is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves this praise?’

   ‘It isn’t that,’ said Scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter, self. ‘It isn’t that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count them up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.’

Fezziwig was not only good at business. He was good to people. That made him truly successful. The beauty of the story is that Scrooge becomes like his old employer, and even better:

   Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him……it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.

What does this mean for the world today? Working hard and earning a profit from it is an honorable undertaking, when done honestly. Providing for ourselves, our families, and others would not be possible without it. We must remember to apply the lessons that Scrooge learned. We should be good to those that we work with and those who work for us. We should show kindness to those in need, for one day we may be in need of kindness. What better time than Christmas to start practicing it?

I consider myself a creative guy. I like to write. I like to sing. I love public speaking. Being creative in these ways feels right…and is crazy hard half the time too. So, while I have always considered myself creative, I have not consistently created over the years. There is a definite difference.

This difference was really brought to light for me through a book I just finished called Creative Calling. It is by photographer/entrepreneur Chase Jarvis. In the book he details how he went from following a very traditional path of playing college sports and going to med school, to giving it all up after his grandfather passed away to pursue being a photographer.

To say the book was inspiring would be an understatement. It was like the guy was reading all of my mail and my excuses and telling me to get past my bologna and create anyway. The writing that has appeared in this blog for the last three weeks is me pushing the processed meat aside and following the instructions I have been given.

At one point I believe I read this: we are what we do, not what we say we are going to do. I had to wrestle with that one. I know that I can talk a good game. I have to admit that I have talked a lot over the years, but haven’t really followed through. I have great intentions, but…we know where intentions go.

In the book he offers encouragement and guidance to help get past what I have described above. In that encouragement he even said start small. I can do something creative every day. Even if it is just writing one sentence, singing a few lines of one of my songs, or working on my next speech project. I can do something every day. You can too.

Are you creative? Yes. You are. We are human and by nature are all creative in some way. It just had to be cultivated. It may not come natural, but it is a muscle that can be built. I am all in on the journey to being my best creative self. I hope you will join me…and check out the book too. It was good stuff.

I remember where I was when I said it. Summer camp. 1992. Cry night. “I don’t care what you all think about me,” I said to the group at large. “I believe in myself. I am going to be somebody.”

For the life of me I don’t know why I needed to announce that to our cabin. I guess I felt the chip on my shoulder of not being popular or not being understood or whatever adolescent thing I was going through at the time. I do know the feeling was very real. From some reason it still drives me today.

I’ve actually had the strange realization lately that many of the snapshots I have in my mind are from this period of my life. They seem to be the memories that I can pull up with ease and examine. This one sticks out to me though. It was also the same church camp trip where I drank a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce…we don’t need to relive that.

What does it mean to be somebody? Again, who knows why I felt the need to make the bold prediction, but I have to ask myself if I have lived up to it? Have I made something of myself? Are there more questions that I haven’t answered?

I will do my best to answer this in a few concrete ways. Yes. I am somebody. I am a child of God. I am a husband and father. I am a son and brother. I am a friend. I have a career that I love. I am respected for the work I do. I like who I see when I look in the mirror.

Did I know in 1992 the above would be my “Be Somebody” definition? No. I probably thought it had to do with being rich or famous. It doesn’t. It has to do with being myself and being ok with it. I had no way to understand the reality that this is all a journey toward being your best, authentic self. There is no arrival point. While we are breathing there is still opportunity to be more and do more than we are now.

Here I am, it is 27 years later. I still want to be somebody when I grow up. I am still striving. I still want to grow. The difference between them and now? I know I am somebody, but I understand it isn’t enough. I have to keep going. I have to keep growing. I also know I was somebody then too. Just a lot earlier in the journey.

Where are you in this journey? Don’t give up. Keep moving forward. Keep asking the questions. One day you will be light years from here, looking back with a smile on how far you’ve come.

I wrote this a few years ago based on a Toastmaster speech I heard. The lady who delivered this speech was adamant that she was not going to let anyone put her down. She was going to be the success she knew she could be. I hope you enjoy.

Watch Me

Verse 1

When you left you said I’d never make it all alone and didn’t think twice and leaving me on my own.

You led me to believe that I couldn’t make it without you, and didn’t care what happened when you said we were through

But then I realized I am made of stronger stuff. You think that I won’t make it when the times get tough?

Chorus

Watch me, as I get over you. Watch me, as I do something new.

You stand there and doubt me, but you will see. I won’t let you dictate what my life will be. Watch me.

Verse 2

You told me I was hopeless, that we just didn’t fit, that I would never find someone to put up with all of it.

You went out of your way to tear my heart in two. You thought when you left I wouldn’t know what to do.

I finally realized the only thing wrong with me was you. I have wasted so much time, I have so much to do.

Chorus

Watch me, as I get over you. Watch me, as I do something new.

You stand there and doubt me, but you will see. I won’t let you dictate what my life will be. Watch me.

You will never bring me down again.

What a wonderful day. That is what today has been. Such a good day with my two favorite people enjoying each other’s company and food and movies and more food and more movies….yeah, it was a good day.

So, when thinking about what to write this evening I decided to share a few things that I am thankful for.

I am so thankful to God for the life that He has given me. I am thankful for His Son and for saving me. I am thankful for my family: my wife, my boy, my parents, my brother and sister in law, my niece, my in-laws, and for my friends who are my God given family.

While out on a walk tonight I reflected on a few things that I am thankful for that are out of the ordinary. I’d like to share a couple of those with you as well:

I am thankful for people willing to say a good word for you. Years ago a friend reached out to me and asked for my resume. He worked at a large company in the town I lived in and knew I was on the hunt for a different job. He spoke up for me and got me an interview. I made an impression on the hiring manager and have been working in the same industry for the last 12 years. I never would have thought this would be the career I would enjoy, and had a friend not said a good word for me, I may have been doing something different now.

I am thankful for getting fired from my last job. Yes. I really am. The company that hired me in their paragraph above was where I worked for almost nine years. The majority of my time there was wonderful. The last couple of years made my hair start turning gray at a faster rate. I was burned out. I was tired. I got fired just at the right time. When you work for a big company, layoffs are a reality. They don’t necessarily mean you are a bad worker or a bad person. That job is not longer the right fit for you. That was the case for me. Now, I do similar work for a company I enjoy so much more. It may sound strange, but I am so thankful for getting fired.

What are some things that you are thankful for that are out of the ordinary? What has happened in your life that fills you with gratitude? Take a few moments and share them. If you are up for it, share them with me. I would love to hear it.

If you have made it this far in this post, please know I am thankful for you too. I hope you had a wonderful day surrounded by people you love.