MyklK

I read an article this morning about how there are macro (100,000 year, 41,000 year, and 23,000 year) temperature cycles based on our planets orbital irregularities.  And that there are also micro (1,500 year) cycles based on variations in the sun’s – a.k.a. the ‘ultimate’ cause of all global warming – cycles of activity.

There was also a little bit about the famous “hockey stick” of a long period of tame temperatures and then a big spike at the end proposed by a Dr. Mann.  And how his poor statistical analysis makes even random numbers introduced into his calculations come up with this kind of alarming curve.

This is all well and good.  I tend to think global warming is overblown.  If it’s true, I’m looking forward to milder winters and hot summers aren’t so bad.  I just haven’t been convinced by hysteria that man is what’s causing it and that if we wold just breath less – or eliminate others who keep exhaling these toxic fumes like Carbon Dioxide – we would save the world.

The article is here if you want to read it yourself…

SouthCoastToday.com: CONSERVATIVE CORNER: Global warming “” right on schedule

What did catch my attention was a statement made about Greenland and it’s example of these mini temperature cycles – here’s a quote:

Greenland (aptly named at the time it was settled by Eric the Red) became a thriving Viking colony, known for its fertile coastal farmland and bountiful ice-free waters — that is until the Little Ice Age turned it into an ice-covered wasteland, surrounded by pack ice. Yet Greenland’s ongoing recovery from the Little Ice Age is treated as an enigma today.

Now this is not what I was taught in elementary school!  I was taught that those tricky Vickings didn’t want to share the good stuff with everyone so they named Greenland because it was all icy and they named Iceland to keep people away from the little paradise they had discovered.

Now I’m reading that Greenland was green before this ”little ice age” between 1300 and 1850.  What are the facts?

My point is this: we need to be very careful about what we believe just because we are told it.  Or at the very least we need to keep in mind that we could always be wrong.  Not only does this keep us humble, it also keeps us from looking like a fool when the rest of the data comes rolling in to contradict what we so vehemently defended.

Does this mean we should never stand for anything?  Of course not!  Just be willing to look like a fool for doing it.  And that’s alright by me! 

I’ve been preparing the outline of my book.  I have given myself the deadline of 3/31 to complete it.  As I have been looking at topics I want to include and that I want to exclude, I keep coming back to these small daily disciplines, or habits, or rituals.  They seem to be the key in my thinking.

I was thinking the other day that I would like to be in such a place that no one could ever come to me and ask, “So, Jonah, what’s the word?” (Sorry, an allusion to VeggieTales Jonah…)  In other words, I would like to always be ready to tell something I’ve been learning from God’s word lately.  To do this I must regularly be in the word of God.

I have also wanted to gather the pieces of wisdom from Jim Rohn’s book “Leading an Inspired Life.”  There is a point in there that the difference between success and failure is small disciplines faithfully repeated or small errors in judgment allowed to accumulate.

And then yesterday I was reading Og Mandino’s “The Greatest Salesman in the World” and the first scroll talks about how we are slave to our habits.  But we get to determine those very habits that are our masters.  So if we establish good habits (or disciplines – I need to settle on a term I that is meaningful to me…) then we will begin to see a change in the course or trajectory of our lives.

I have come up with my basic habits.  I use my fingers to illustrate for me 5 foundational daily disciplines.  I’m a lefty so on my left hand I start with my pinky and ring finger as Bible study and prayer.  These fingers form the foundation of the hand.  They are the least active, but they offer stability to the others.  Next is my longest finger, and for longevity physical fitness is the key.  Next is my pointing finger and right now every direction I want to turn in life (coaching, counseling, authoring, web development) all involve writing of some kind.

Then there is the opposable thumb.  This is where the focus of balance is, this would be my daily focus of activity.  Mark Forster calls it the “current initiative.”  This will always be changing, but the point is to get to it every day.  Knock it out; make progress until it’s done.  This takes focus and it give the grip to taking hold in life.

There are my thoughts, as scattered as they are.  So today I have already accomplished my Bible reading, my prayer, and my writing.  I will now move on to exercise before I get ready for work.  I just have to decide on my current initiative.  Here are some possibilities:

• Getting organized, desk, schedule, finances, book, life coaching business, ministry, family relationships, and so on (pretty big one)
• Peacemaker Certification (probably could fall under getting organized)
• Getting ready for the next Peacemaker seminar we will do (this too could be consider getting organized!)

Hmm so maybe getting organized should be my first current initiative – I just need to organize how, exactly, I’m going to get organized!

Any ideas?