Thursday, September 6, 2007
How was I going to turn the boat around without anyone noticing? The men I had invited out fishing were all depending on me. They had been so impressed with my abilities as a sailor, navigating the boat through the channels and shoals that led to the open water of the Gulf of Mexico. Just minutes earlier I had successfully dodged five forming waterspouts spawned by passing squalls and they had enthusiastically patted me on the back.
How could I let on that I had been going in the wrong direction for the last thirty minutes and that we may not have enough fuel to get back to Key West? Boating was my craft. I was a sailor and sailors didn't make such blunders.
Maybe if I stopped to let them fish for a few minutes, they wouldn't notice when I restarted the engine that we were heading back the way we had just come. Even if they did, surely they would understand. This could have happened to anyone. The haze left by the squalls limited visibility to less than a mile. It was hard to know which way to go. Sure, I should have checked my compass, but sailors have a built in navigational system. and trust their instincts.
Water depth and underwater topography told me all I needed to know about where we were. I had been out here a hundred times and I knew exactly where we were. In just a few minutes the haze would lift and we would see the island on the horizon.
The haze did lift, but there was no island. There was nothing but water in every direction. Trying to hide my panic, I swallowed my pride and glanced at the compass. We had been going in exactly the opposite direction of Key West!
As I struggled with how to get out of this situation without losing face, a shrimp trawler about a quarter of a mile away that I hadn't noticed signaled us with a blast from its horn. The men onboard were frantically waving their arms trying to get our attention. I made a hard turn to port and sped over, happy for the diversion and the chance to once again show my seaman skills.
I pulled along side the "shrimper", idled my engine and yelled above the drone of their larger engines "what's the problem?" In broken English one of the Hispanic men yelled back "we lost in ocean, which way is to Keya Wesa?"
Well there it was. Now I was in the hot seat. I could avoid the issue no longer. My sins had found me out and it was time to pay the piper. I could see two of the men in my boat already starting to point in the direction that I had been heading and I knew that there was no escape for me.
I was a sailor and I was not about to put other sailors in harms way by giving bad directions just to save face. I could feel my crew's shock as I waved off their attempts to point and quickly motioned in the correct direction, telling the skipper of the other vessel "that way�set your boat on 115 degrees and it will take you right to Key West Harbor.
Now I was embarrassed. I had never fully understood that old clich� "the silence was deafening". Now I knew. No one was saying anything and yet, so much was being said. The only way I could have felt more ashamed was if I had gotten seasick in front of my friends.
I was humbled and while I know humility is a good thing, it certainly did not feel good at the moment. Still, I had learned a very important lesson. Always trust your compass over your instincts.
That lesson carries spiritual significance for me as well. When it comes to my life's direction, I need to consult God's compass, the Word of God. As the compass is the guide in a sailor's craft, so too is the Word of God the guide for a Christian's vessel.
In I Kings 8:56 (kjv) we are told "�there hath not failed one word of all His good promises." Solomon was assuring Israel that none of God's promises fail. His instructions are always trustworthy.
Christians often trust their own judgments without consulting the "compass" of God. When we do this, we are asking for trouble and often find ourselves headed in the wrong direction.
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The author is a retired Coast Guard Officer with over 32 years of service. He is a Baptist Preacher and Bible Teacher. He helps those grieving the loss of a pet to understand the Biblical evidence that proves they live on. His most popular book, "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates" delivers hope and comfort to the reader in a very gentle, yet convincing way. Visit at http://www.coldnosesbook.com for more information or write to petgate@aol.com
Human Design is taking the new age community by storm.
The Human Design System was revealed to Ra Uru Hu in 1987 while he was living on Ibiza, a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. From January 3 to January 11, 1987 the world was bombarded with an unusually intense stream of neutrinos and the nature of human beings was revealed. A few people were particularly aware of the event and heard the “revelation of the voice”. Ra was one of the few who heard, understood and survived.
Initially Ra was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to ignore and forget the entire experience, but was unable to do so. Over the next few years he found it his inescapable destiny to write down the entire system as it had been given to him by the “Voice”. Then he had to travel the world for several years refining it and sharing it with others.
The result was the Human Design System, a unique and powerful system of knowledge. For the first time, the modern science of genetics was combined with ancient, mystical wisdom to provide a structure for understanding human life. The result was a unique personality mapping technique that blends Eastern and Western astrology, the Kabbalah, the Chinese I'Ching, the Hindu Chakra system, neutrinos, genetics and quantum physics.
In April 2000, the first studies based on 30,000 cases proved that Human Design is indeed a valid, reliable construct. (Research study by Eleanor Haspel-Portner, PhD and is available at Unified Life Sciences). Subsequent data is being collected to verify using Human Design analysis to enhance the healing potential of medical treatment and even prevent certain diseases.
Unlike most systems HDS does not rely on the cult figure status of a leader. Ra makes few public appearance anymore and has never had a “following” as such. It is the system itself that is important. It very is straightforward and logical – therefore easy for anyone to test. It doesn’t require that you believe in anything and makes no judgements about anything.
The system has gained incredible momentum since the turn of the millenia and reached critical mass in 2005. There are now thousands of analysts, teachers, and students across the world. And it is growing by leaps and bounds. In 2002 there were only a handful of sites on the internet about the Human Design System– today there are over twenty thousand.
Why this incredible rate of growth? Because a Human Design reading is absolutely essential to understanding oneself in the more complex world of the 21st century. There’s absolutely no question that the world is much more complicated and complex than it was 10 years ago. And it’s growing more complex with every passing year. In the past people could take five, ten, even twenty years to explore themselves, to discover their own unique powers. In today’s competitive environment those who are armed with deep self knowledge and who have the power of being their true self have a tremendous advantage over those who don’t.
Technology has finally given Human Design the last little boost necessary to propel it into the life of anyone who is interested in mastering themselves and their world. Until now the cost of having a professional Human Design reading ranged from $130 from a relative beginner to more than $350 from a seasoned analyst. Right now you can get a typed, 15 page reading that will provide information on your personal profile, type, strategy, authority and definition plus detailed knowledge on your genetic wiring of the chakras, behavioral channels, gates and lines. All for the low cost of $69.95.
Kip Winsett
Licensed Human Design Analyst
http://califmall.com/hds/
How To Be An Effective Leader In The Workplace - Part 4
This article is the fourth of a series on what true leadership is at the core, and will focus on effective leadership in the workplace.
Someone said, "Talent is a gift, but character is a choice".
If there is one thing that we can choose in life, it is our character. As a leader or would-be leader, you can say you have integrity but your action really speaks louder than your words. When you are at the top, you need to make a lot choices. Each time a decision is made, your character is shaped. You are challenged with a situation - do you bend the truth or do you stand up to it? Do you take the easy way out or do you pay the price? The decisions that you make create who you are and what you stand for. This is critical if you want to become a leader worth your salt.
Who do you want to be? In a corporate world, there are constant challenges that will demand that you make the right choice. What is the right choice to you will depend on your level of integrity.
I have encountered in real-life, a man in a very high position who sneakily tapped into the email system and read employees' emails to discover what people are saying about him. He lacked the character to know right from wrong. His insecurities choked him. To me all my respect for his brilliant mind came to nothing after this incidence. And that goes for the IT Manager who discovered it.
According to the author of "The Success Syndrome", Steven Berglas, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School, highly talented people at the top who lack the solid character to sustain them through the stress are heading for disaster. He believes that they are destined for one or more of : aloneness, arrogance, destructive adventure-seeking or adultery.
This description is totally fitting for the leader as mentioned above. He was a middle-aged single man, extremely arrogant and lonely. Do not fall into similar trap. Be mindful if you get to a point when you think it is enough to dynamic and profitable, exercise some soul-searching.
"Leaders cannot rise above the limitations of their character" says author John C.Maxwell who wrote "The 21 Indispensable Qualities Of A Leader". What this means to me is that, in the above circumstance, the leader did not have the fundamentals to begin with. He was not equipped to deal with the stress and therefore succumbed to temptations. And it was not the only time and only situation.
To improve your character, search for the cracks where you might have let people down or compromised. Begin to look for patterns and identify areas of weakness. Start rebuilding your character by facing the music, by admitting your flaws,only then you can move forward. Apologizing is not beneath any leaders of high calibre.
The choice is yours really. Fundamentally it is unimportant that you have dynamism and drive, if you do not stand on solid character foundation. Integrity and character is what will save you in challenging situations.
How To Be An Effective Leader In The Workplace - Part 4
This article is the fourth of a series on what true leadership is at the core, and will focus on effective leadership in the workplace.
Someone said, "Talent is a gift, but character is a choice".
If there is one thing that we can choose in life, it is our character. As a leader or would-be leader, you can say you have integrity but your action really speaks louder than your words. When you are at the top, you need to make a lot choices. Each time a decision is made, your character is shaped. You are challenged with a situation - do you bend the truth or do you stand up to it? Do you take the easy way out or do you pay the price? The decisions that you make create who you are and what you stand for. This is critical if you want to become a leader worth your salt.
Who do you want to be? In a corporate world, there are constant challenges that will demand that you make the right choice. What is the right choice to you will depend on your level of integrity.
I have encountered in real-life, a man in a very high position who sneakily tapped into the email system and read employees' emails to discover what people are saying about him. He lacked the character to know right from wrong. His insecurities choked him. To me all my respect for his brilliant mind came to nothing after this incidence. And that goes for the IT Manager who discovered it.
According to the author of "The Success Syndrome", Steven Berglas, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School, highly talented people at the top who lack the solid character to sustain them through the stress are heading for disaster. He believes that they are destined for one or more of : aloneness, arrogance, destructive adventure-seeking or adultery.
This description is totally fitting for the leader as mentioned above. He was a middle-aged single man, extremely arrogant and lonely. Do not fall into similar trap. Be mindful if you get to a point when you think it is enough to dynamic and profitable, exercise some soul-searching.
"Leaders cannot rise above the limitations of their character" says author John C.Maxwell who wrote "The 21 Indispensable Qualities Of A Leader". What this means to me is that, in the above circumstance, the leader did not have the fundamentals to begin with. He was not equipped to deal with the stress and therefore succumbed to temptations. And it was not the only time and only situation.
To improve your character, search for the cracks where you might have let people down or compromised. Begin to look for patterns and identify areas of weakness. Start rebuilding your character by facing the music, by admitting your flaws,only then you can move forward. Apologizing is not beneath any leaders of high calibre.
The choice is yours really. Fundamentally it is unimportant that you have dynamism and drive, if you do not stand on solid character foundation. Integrity and character is what will save you in challenging situations.
effective leadership
About the author:
Noraini Maskuri was an advertising media specialist with 20 years of experience, 12 years of which was in senior position in MNCs. She is currently running her own internet business. Her experience as leader of her group made her a passionate student of leadership. For more tips on how to be an effective leader, please drop by at: http://effectiveleadership.nmaskuri.com
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