night time on virgin gorda

finally!

i'll start posting pictures taken while in the islands and some artwork as well...first up? Charlotte Amalie..

Team Building

I have been asked for my process to building teams, and here is the agenda for an initial team building consultation. Games in bold can be googled for their rules. This process was used with outstanding results at St. Mary's school faculty professional development day Oct 21 on Virgin Gorda, BVI

Openers:
Speed Rabbit: silly game to laugh at each other. Person in the middle tells us about themselves.
Mirroring: a good and safe game to foster connection and pay attention to each other
Stop me: line up shoulder to shoulder in two lines, facing each other and about 15 ft apart. One side closes their eyes, the other silently sneaks towards them until the closed eyes hold up hands and say "stop." Discuss the observations.

Discussion: (questions tailored to situation and environment, use the respect communication guidelines)
Why do you do what you do? (teach, preach, minister, play, etc.)
How did you get here to this program, job, position, etc.?
When the career is over and you are on your deathbed looking back over your life, what do you hope to have accomplished in this work?

Changing direction: write on index cards three assets or skill sets you have that could be utilized for the better by one of your co-workers or peers. Then we trade these off, making deals and agreeing to offer ourselves to the other in some way, thus making a covenant of support to each other over the coming months.

Putting it together: (or google "team building games, initiatives" to find new ones)
Human Knot
Alphabet soup
Four Quad

Closing questions:
What did we learn from today?
What are the strengths of our team?
What are three ways our team can improve how we work with each other?

Love is the Answer

The only way to bring healing to a situation is reconciliation and renewal
The only way to move forward is to step back and see the big picture
The only way to conquer an enemy is to befriend them
The only way to gain power is to give it away
The only way to create a new consciousness is to acknowledge that we are imperfect and must deal with our past decisions, make amends, and talk things through.

I am beginning to understand my role as a negotiator.
I am beginning to understand my role as a healer.
God help me to keep my head above the waters of pain and frustration, so i may be a positive change agent.

Blessed Complicated beauty

one day i think i'm exactly where i need to be, another day, i'm completely clueless.
Being completely accepted balances utter isolation.
Feeling love balances the acceptance of the slap in my face by old flames.
Being in the presence of God almighty is no comparison to fighting the demons that follow life in the ghetto.
I hate cockroaches.
No one should be left alone in a hurricane...ever!
How much love to i honestly have to offer?
Am i supposed to be here? Do i have something to offer? How can i possibly understand the implications of a life spent in service?

trial by fire

I have had two jobs my adult life. In both of which, i have been described as "hitting the ground running." Well, now it's a bit much...

Hurricane Omar is heading our way. Straight up my road, practically. It is deathly quiet here, no birds, no insects, just the rain, and dark ominous clouds on the horizon. I'm a little scared, but mostly excited. Tonight will a test of just how much i "love" thunderstorms...

Pray for us, I hope we stay dry...

finding God in the islands

It’s only when you look for God
He pops behind a tree
Look away and he’ll be there

The mound of work is piling up. Projects lay half finished everywhere, and more on the way. My motto in this ministry is "consistent and steady pressure." If i keep working, if i keep focused, then amazing things are bound to happen. And they do! An entire deanery committed to this new communication scheme, my personal life falling together in rhythm.

are you wishing for God to speak to you? Are you hoping for the answers to form in front of you? Do you wish that the end would be in sight?

Then stop looking so hard.
He'll be there when you stop demanding him to be there...