Categories
children's ministry

Green punch leads to strange visions

Three boys with green dye on their lips

The other night we had green punch at our church for a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. The kids were drinking it as if it was going out of style. And you know what happened, don’t you? That’s right… green lips! It led to a condition we all know as “leprechaun lips.”

Some kids started grinning from ear-to-ear, and then show their big, green tongues. Other kids decided to give their best duck faces. The kids were having a blast, but the older group didn’t know what to make of it. The senior citizens that witnessed the mess looked on with  bemused, puzzled glances.

I love this about kids. Something as simple as green punch becomes a fun activity. Meanwhile, anyone older than twelve in the group wouldn’t dream of showing their newly created, odd appearance. It wouldn’t be proper, right?

What makes you inhibited? Are you afraid of acting like a fool? Are you more concerned with how you will look to people instead of having a little fun? Let it go! Have some fun with the kids today. Don’t worry about how other adults will perceive you. They are secretly wishing they could have some fun anyway!

Categories
children cartoons

Postponed for Lack of Interest?

Boy asking why can't school be postponed?
Cartoon of a boy asking, “Why don’t they ever call off school for lack of interest?”

I’ve been there, haven’t you? You may even like work or school, but sometimes, mornings sap the motivation right out of you! How dow you get motivated when everything within you says, “Can’t we just call it a day?”

Continue reading “Postponed for Lack of Interest?”

Categories
motivation

Puzzle of Motivation by Daniel Pink

I just saw this video on motivation in the Twenty-first century. Daniel Pink makes a case that motivation with carrots and sticks only works if you are doing repetitive tasks with no creative problem solving involved. Instead, if you want an employee to be engaged and motivated to do creative problem solving, these factors are better motivators:

  • Autonomy
  • Mastery
  • Purpose

When I watched this, it brought reminded me why I thought the cliché of a starving artist is so much a part of society.

Continue reading “Puzzle of Motivation by Daniel Pink”
Categories
technology cartoons

Cartoon: Hacking Pet

Cartoon of a boy scolding a dog on a computer

Cartoon of a boy scolding his talented dog. The caption reads, “Skippy! Bad dog! There is no hacking in this house!”

I’ve come to the conclusion a dog’s main talent is hacking. My dog is a good hacker. She isn’t a computer hacker, but she is a very vocal hacker nonetheless.

When I heard Illustration Friday’s word was “talent, I thought of my talented dog.

Categories
creativity

Can You Stay Stupid?

Sketch of a man with a buffalo hat, Hawaiian shirt and striped pants

Over at Michael Hyatt’s blog, he gave a quote from a book entitled Do the Work. Within the quote, this statement stuck out to me:

Ignorance and arrogance are the artist and entrepreneur’s indispensable allies. She must be clueless enough to have no idea how difficult her enterprise is going to be—and cocky enough to believe she can pull it off anyway.

I have to admit, I’m not ignorant, or arrogant enough. And I’m willing to bet you aren’t either. If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time gathering information, reading blogs, and pondering what is the best way to tackle a challenge. If you’re like me, you can get bogged down in the minutia of information.

That’s one reason I love working with children. They can help me find my giddy, stupid self. When you’re around kids, do these things to get your daring, stupid self back:

  • Before you tell a child it can’t be done, ask yourself, “Why not?” Is it really that big of a deal? Sure, there are safety concerns you have to watch. Never allow a child to put themselves in danger, but there are so many ideas kids have that aren’t going to harm them or others. Take a chance! Get messy! Have some fun!
  • Allow yourself to be silly. Wear that flamboyant hat. Sing a silly song. Laugh even if you heard that joke when you were seven. It’s still funny!
  • Encourage a child no matter how outlandish their goals me be. Maybe they will be president some day. Perhaps you’re looking at the next astronaut to Mars. Encourage dreams. And dream a little yourself.

Working with kids is a great way to keep your innocent, creative self from thinking small. Encourage their dreams and you may find you can get “stupid” and work on your own.