Ready for a walk?

Hey Gang here we are it's a new week and time for a new assignment. I gave you heads up last week that we would be shifting the focus of our assignments. So here we go! This week our assignment is to go for a walk. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Before you begin walking ask God to open your eyes to see others as he sees them. Then as you are walking whenever you see someone send up a prayer for them. God may give you something very specific to pray for when thinking of them or maybe you simply ask God to bless them in some way. The length of the walk doesn't matter. Maybe it's around your block maybe further. Just make sure you have time to clear your head and hear from God.

Alright Gang there it is. Have a great week and as always lets "Live it upside down"

New look to our weekly assignments

Hello Gang,

As promised here is an update on what we will be doing from here on out with our weekly assignments. I have spent quite a bit of time walking talking and praying these last couple of weeks. Asking God about the Upside Down Group and what he would like to see. During one of these walks it seemed to me that God was saying “You have the right idea but you are going about it a bit backwards. What makes them want to work these assignments?”

Me: The Joy they experience through helping another.

God: Ok, What makes them want to step out on a larger scale?

Me: It becomes a natural next step from the smaller assignments. They begin to recognize opportunities on their own.

God: And when they recognize the opportunity but are in a busy time of their life what makes them set aside the time to help?

Me: Again, it’s remembering the joy they experience through helping.

God: That will only carry them so far. They need a voice or guide that pulls them in that direction despite their desire to go elsewhere.

Me: I know, that’s where you come in.

God: Where am I in these assignments?

Me: Well… umm, you’re the whole reason we do this.

God: I know that, but you seem to be leaving me out of it. It’s as if a friend made a game just for you and him and you begin playing it with everyone but him.

Me: Crap!

This isn’t exactly what happened but it’s the best way I know how to explain it. Really it was me walking and listening and God planting this realization in my head. So what does all this mean? I believe it is God that plants the love of others in our hearts. The more we know and focus on him the more our love for and desire to serve others grows. (Yes there are people who don’t know God that love and care for others. It was still him that planted that love in their hearts and I would love to see what they could do if they focused on God in their drive to help others. WOW! It would be incredible nothing short of miraculous.) So from here on out our assignments will be things that help us to focus on God. Sometimes God and serving others at the same time but always focusing on him. Come back on Monday to get the assignment and you will see just what I’m talking about.

Have a great weekend and as always… Let’s live it upside down!

Happy Fathers Day.

Howdy Gang,

I hope each of you had a great week last week and are now sitting here excited about the prospects a new week brings. With it being Fathers day today I feel it only appropriate that our assignment for the week be tied to fathers. So here it is. This week your job is to do something for a father. Not yours fathers day was for that. This week think of a father you know that could use some support and do something for him. Maybe he’s a single father, or just lost his job, or a large family and he and his wife could use a night out. Whatever it is have fun. Have a great week and lets live it upside down.

This is most likely the last time you will see an assignment like this. After much thought and prayer we have decided to switch the focus of our assignments a bit. Look to the blog later in the week and we will give you more details.

So we met our neighbors. Now What?

Howdy once again,

I hope each and every one of you had a great week last week. Did we get a chance to go out and meet a new neighbor? Good! Now that we have met a new neighbor it's time to branch out on "Being Good Neighbor" This week what we want you to do is once again look out your front door and see which neighbor catches your eye first. Now ask yourself "What could I do for them?" Then go out and do it. That's right this is "Do something for your neighbor week" Wash their car, mow the lawn, clean their windows, or my favorite (to receive) Bake them some cookies, Etc... If it's something simple maybe you can do it for multiple neighbors.

There ya go, this week should be pretty simple and another great excuse for getting to know a neighbor. Have a great week and as always... Lets live it Upside Down!

Meet your neighbors

Hey Gang,

I hope everyone had a great week last week. I know I told you that I was planning on writing a couple of extra blogs however my computer took a dive and I am now operating on half a screen It took me a few days to learn how to work around it. 

Anyway it's time to move on to our assignment of the week. Now that the weather has turned and people are once again venturing outside I figure it's time to once again begin communicating with our neighbors. So this week lets take a step outside our front doors look around and ask yourself "Which neighbor have I not gotten to know yet?" Walk over knock on their door and invite them over for a drink, or fire up the grill and have them over for dinner. If neither of those idea's work then come up with your own. The goal here is to get to know a neighbor.

That's it gang, hopefully you'll find this one pretty simple to do. Let us know how it goes. 

Here's to a great week and once again "Lets live it Upside Down!

Commitment

It's a new week thus time for a new assignment. Have you set a date for your "Thank you party" yet. Please don't let this summer go by without it it is a fun and powerful way to let others know the impact they have had on your life.

Typically each week when planning our assignments I try to look at what is happening around me. Look and see how others interact with each other, listen to people about things they have seen that have meant something them, look at the time of year, etc... I also try to make it something that we can have fun with. After all it's easier to do anything when the word "Fun" is attached right! This week we are going to step away from the model just a little bit. Our assignment will still be fun just not in the beginning. In the beginning it will be tough. Some may even choose to not participate because we have to step way out of our comfort zone. If you have what it takes to succeed in completing the task you will find the end exceptionally rewarding. And it will bring a smile to your face that lasts much longer than a couple minutes. 

Lately I have begun to notice a disturbing pattern. I've watched people break commitments at the last minute so they can participate in another that seems like more fun. Watching this happen I have been forced to look back on my own life and have found myself being guilty of the same thing. Unfortunately one of the unintended side effects of this is hurt feelings at the other end. Quite often it can be more than just hurt feelings. Another effect is that it becomes difficult for us to speak with the person we left standing because we know we have hurt them. This of course puts a gulf between the two and the already fragile friendship becomes permanently damaged. 

For those of you reading this that can sit back and say "This isn't me" your assignment is very easy. I want you to do two things.

1. Continue to keep your commitments!

2. Encourage others to keep theirs.

For those of us that have recently done this we have two tasks as well.

1. Call up the person or persons we cancelled on and apologize. 

2. Encourage others to keep their commitments.

Please, please, please don't take this lightly. Please don't push it aside because it's outside the comfort zone. Please do look at life and friendship as it truly is a "Jewell" a "Gift from God" anyone would be a fool to toss either of these away.

Thanks everyone have a great week and of course lets "Live it upside down"

"I will most likely be blogging a bit more this week so feel free to check back again before next week."