Sunday, 23 September 2012

Lectio Divina - Assuidity - Hints for making efforts to be faithful to Lectio

Assuidity is an uncommon word, but is common in monastic tradition. In monastic tradition, assuidity refers to patience and perseverance. Continuing to do Lection Divina is not automatic! It takes a certain effort and the concept of assuidity can give us four practical points to help us persevere in Lectio.

1. Making time - Do not "find time" MAKE time! This involves two things: a. Accept responsibility for your own use of time and stop being a victim to external contingencies; b. You have to prioritize differently: If you want lectio divina to be part of your life, then prioritize it ahead of other things. Procrastination comes to my mind...

Lectio divina demands a solid commitment of time!

2. Regularity - "The only way to pray is to pray; and the way to pray well is to pray much. If one has no time for this then one must at least pray regularly. But the less one prays the worse it goes." - Abbot Chapman of Downside
St. Benedict insists that the monk's day contains definite times of reading--times which are not subject to whim and are consciously scheduled.

3. Repetition - This is not to be confused with regularity. Repetition means reading and rereading the same passage. It is reasonable to assume that you will not get the full meaning the first time around.

Reading scripture can never be finished permanently.

4. Perseverance - Lectio divina is a long-term project that won't do us much good if we don't persevere. Even perseverance itself needs to be practiced! You need to monitor your progress from time to time, to make sure things are going well, because we can and do drift away from priorities. Your professionalism in certain areas of life ought to apply to your spiritual life. What business could be more important than the business of your spirit!

Lectio divina is a continuing struggle. It takes a lot of work. To experience the joy inherent in this great gift of God's joy, we have to pay our dues.

Sunday, 9 September 2012

Business Leadership Compilation - Bruce and Dana Brown

Business Leadership Compilation - Bruce and Dana Brown

1. Proactive vs. Reactive - The exceptional leader is always thinking ahead, avoiding problems before they
2. Adaptable - Comfortable in uncomfortable situations
3. A Good Communicator - Great listener - asks questions - looks at all the options - communicates a clear
4. Respectful
5. Quiet Confidence - Very self-assured but still humble
6. Enthusiastic - Self-motivated and spreads it to others
7. Open-Minded - Realizes there are many ways to look at everything
8. Resourceful - Realizes they don't have all the answers and willing to look, study and improve to find the
                         best answer - creates equal access to information
9. Rewarding - Able to celebrate the successes of others
10. Intelligent - Has a strong knowledge base ff the areas where he/she is in charge
11. Open to Change - Never satisfied with status quo - always willing to grow - sees change and growth as
12. Interested in Feedback - Secure enough to ask for and listen to feedback on how they can improve
13. Constantly Assessing - Always looking for weaknesses or areas that can be improved - not afraid to
                                          change if it means improved performance
14. Organized - Arrives prepared every day
15. Consistent - Consistency in areas of importance so that things are stable
16. Delegator - Knows and uses the talent around him/her - doesn't try to do everything all the time
17. Initiative - Igniter - self-starter - implementer


Saturday, 1 September 2012

Alexander Tsiaras: Conception to Birth -- Visualized

The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - John C. Maxwell

The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - John C. Maxwell

1. Character - Be a piece of the rock
2. Charisma - The first impression can seal the deal
3. Commitment - It separates doers from dreamers
4. Communication - Without it, you travel alone
5. Competence - If you build it, they will come
6. Courage - One person with courage is a majority
7. Discernment - Put an end to unsolved mysteries
8. Focus - The sharper it is, the sharper you are
9. Generosity - Your candle loses nothing when it lights another
10. Initiative - You won't leave home without it
11. Listening - To connect with their hearts, use your ears
12. Passion - Take this life and love it
13. Positive attitude - If you believe you can, you can
14. Problem solving - You can't let your problems be a problem
15. Relationships - If you get along, they'll get along
16. Responsibility - If you won't carry the ball, you can't lead the team
17. Security - Competence never compensates for insecurity
18. Self-Discipline - The first person you lead is you
19. Servanthood - To get ahead, put others first
20. Teachability - To keep leading, keep learning
21. Vision - You can seize only what you can see