Tag: Christmas

Categories
Business motivation

Know Your Customer/Audience

Cartoon of two kids looking at a present. The boy says, "What do you think? Did Mom get me that table saw for Christmas?"

Christmas is less than two weeks away. Have you got that special gift yet? It can drive us crazy searching for the one gift that will light up a loved one’s face. It can be even more difficult to find one that is age appropriate. One year, my eight-year old nephew wanted an axe. While he would have enjoyed it, and all he wanted to do was chop wood, his parents agreed with us he was too young for that special gift that year.

Cartoon of two kids looking at a present. The boy says, "What do you think? Did Mom get me that table saw for Christmas?"

You may not want to give a book lover a table saw. Nor would you want to give a carpenter a book if he or she doesn’t like to read. It’s common sense, but frequently in business, we try to sell a product to a customer that isn’t interested. It just may not be for them.

Gift-giving is a lot like the business of selling. You want to find the right person for the right product or service. Don’t try to force a “gift” onto a customer that just isn’t appropriate for them. They may force a smile and utter, “Just what I wanted.” But if it really isn’t for them, it will soon be cast aside and never used.

Know your customer.

Categories
motivation

The Challenge of Waiting

Cartoon of people waiting in line. One man says, "I don't normally expect long, Christmas-shopping lines at a convenience store."

Yesterday, I had an appointment. We were making good time on the freeway. the GPS app showed an accident was ahead, but it would only delay us four minutes. Then we slowed down. and we waited….

  • And we waited…
  • And we waited…
  • And we waited more…

Traffic was at a standstill for two hours. We had to cancel the first appointment. Did my wife and me waist our afternoon? It felt as pointless as the couple waiting in my cartoon.

Cartoon of people waiting in line. One man says, "I don't normally expect long, Christmas-shopping lines at a convenience store."

When traffic finally moved again, we decided to keep our dinner appointment with friends. After all, we came this far! It ended up being a pleasant evening. The memory of the two-hour standstill faded. Eventually, the wait did feel worth it! It reminded me of this verse:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIV

It resonates with me because my wife and I have been in a period of waiting. We know things are about to change in our life, but we don’t know how or when. We only know it begins when she resigns from her position as a children’s pastor at the end of the year.

We are all forced to wait once in a while. I didn’t feel joyful, patient or faithful in the traffic jam. But how I waited ended up mattering more and led to an enjoyable evening.

Sometimes, how we wait during this time of year is more important than the event we are anticipating.

Categories
Sketch notes

A Christmas Story Sermon Sketchnotes

Yesterday, my pastor delivered a sermon based on A Christmas Story. I love the film partly because it’s based in Indiana and the school Ralphie goes to looks just like the elementary school I went to as a child.

I drew my notes for this session. I just had to! I had to get Fleck at the flagpole and the leg lamp in a sermon sketch note! Yes, I know Fleck had an aviator’s cap on and my sketch doesn’t. But I am pulling out my creative license for this violation.

Sketch ©2019 Kevin Spear | Sermon © 2019 Steve Southards

I resonated with the sermon of what to do when you’re stuck. We all get stuck from time to time. This time of year, we can feel like we’re stuck in the same Christmas traditions that used to mean something but no one can remember the why. We can begin to think about regrets over the year and start to think about new year’s resolutions.

Regardless, if you are a person of faith, there is always a way to get unstuck! Romans 7:15-25 has it all set up for us. There is hope for the person who feels stuck… even to a frozen flag pole!

Categories
Christmas

Designer Christmas and Complementary Colors

cartoon of a man and a green monster in a Santa costume. The Monster says, "The great thing about being a monster around Christmas is it's the on day I can wear a red outfit with my green skin."

cartoon of a man and a green monster in a Santa costume. The Monster says, "The great thing about being a monster around Christmas is it's the on day I can wear a red outfit with my green skin."Christmas is one holiday where we see red and green everywhere. It grabs our attention. Any other time of the year, we would be chided for wearing such clashing colors. My wife has spent the better part of thirty years reminding me why that is a no-no… except at Christmas!

Red and green are color complements. If we look at a color wheel, red and green are opposite of each other on the wheel.

Basic Color wheel with primary and secondary colors
A basic color wheel with primary and secondary colors.

Complementary colors fight for attention. They bring energy and strength to any object or artwork that uses the colors together. Isn’t it a bit ironic that a holiday associated with peace, comfort, and joy has such a color theme?

Then again, Christmas isn’t quite as it seems. A king is born in a barn. Shepherds are the first to visit the newborn. Magi must keep the good news a secret from another, insecure, power-hungry king.

There is much more to Christmas than peaceful nativity scenes and carols about sleepy towns and babies that don’t cry.

Categories
motivation

I Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like

Cartoon of a boy and a radiant girl. The boy says, "How can I keep my bad attitude with you glowing like that?"

I never met a man I didn’t like.

Will Rogers

The other day, I read the book, I Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like: The Life and Writings of Will Rogers. I’ve been interested in his work since I was a teen because he had a way of sounding plain-spoken, funny and thought-provoking all at once.

I find this quote quite profound. Is there truly something likable about everyone no matter how bad or evil they appear? Can you say the same about a serial killer? A dictator?

To me, this is another way to say, Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. There is something in the soul of every man and woman that is good, whether they show it or not. At the same time, each human heart has an evil, dark side, whether they show it or not.

During this Christmas season of love, hope, and joy, may we find the likable in everyone. May there be peace on earth, goodwill to all.