Through the Bible...

I need a change.

Something fresh.

This pretty well summarized my thoughts as I began to reflect on various spiritual practices that I would engage going into 2012.

Over the years, there have been various ways of engaging Scripture that I've found helpful. For the past several years, I've targeted specific books of the Bible and/or passages to explore, ruminate and study. This year, the desire began to grow to read through the complete Bible from the beginning.

This type of reading plan has often frustrated me, given that I tend to prefer a slower more contemplative reading of Scripture. That being said, this year I'm hoping to be able to accomplish both.

As I'm reading through each day, I am looking for those moments where it seems most needed to slow down, pause and prayerfully reflect and journal about what's there. I'm super excited about the new discoveries that will be found this year...

Two new items that I'm really excited about: The Mosaic Bible and Glo Bible.

I was looking for a new Bible to work through. I didn't want a study Bible, yet I was looking for something that would offer something fresh to my weekly reflections. I came across the Mosaic Bible which does just that. At the front it has weekly reflections-meditations that coincide with the Christian calendar.

The following is a brief explanation by Tyndale:

Holy Bible: Mosaic is about helping you encounter Christ in a deep and authentic way, through insight from every continent and century of the Christian Church. Historical and contemporary art and writings from across the globe offer a depth of Scriptural wisdom and understanding as you read and reflect on God’s word.

Mosaic is arranged so that every week has variety of content for reading and reflection. Each week follows a theme appropriate to the Church season (such as Advent, Easter, etc). The content included for each week includes full-color art; Scripture readings; a historical reading; a contemporary reading; a prayer, creed, hymn or quote; and space for reflection.

The other resource that I'm using is Glo Bible software. As I'm reading through, I'm using Glo's "journal/add note" feature to capture thoughts, insights, reflections and prayers. For just under $35, you can sync notes from up to five devices. This works well for accessing/input from my phone, as well as from my desktop. It also works in partnership with YouVersion.

Journaling Resources

Journaling slows down the mind to the pace of the hand

so the soul can catch up to the speed of life.

Here are a few online resources to explore journaling...

Examen.me
This is a website that allows you to create a user profile and save all your reflections. It offers daily readings, prayers, etc. You can reflect on a passage, or engage a prayer of examen. You can search entries, as well as export them to you hardrive.
http://www.examen.me


Journler
Journler (spelled as is...) is a downloadable program that allows you to save entries to your computer. You can integrate images, sound and video into journal entries. They can be searched by text, date or tag.
http://journler.com

Ommwriter
Ommwriter is a downloadable program that over-rides your screen - pushing all other programs and notifications to the background (and silent)... I has various background tracks that can be played as you write.
http://www.ommwriter.com

iPad Christmas Song

Capuring Creative Ideas with EverNote

Often as I'm out at a store, a park or simply riding around town, I see something that sparks an idea. Sometimes someone will say something that resonates deeply within. Or, perhaps a book is mentioned. In each of these scenarios, my mind is flooded with thoughts, however the time and space of the moment don't give ample time to reflect or develop the thought further.

During these moments, I always pull out my smartphone (which most days isn't all that smart) and send myself an email with the idea. At other times, I'll jam the thought into my calendar or simply write it on a piece of paper or a napkin.

Imperative to the creative process of a communicator, or anyone for that matter, is developing a system that allows you to capture thoughts, ideas, inspirations, and the like.

All of the world is a canvas and each individual is an interesting story to be read. I love what Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance Man wrote,

“I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand. Why shells existed on the tops of mountains along with the imprints of coral and plants and seaweed usually found in the sea. Why the thunder lasts a longer time than that which causes it and why immediately on its creation the lighting becomes visible to the eye while thunder requires time to travel. How the various circles of water form around the spot which has been struck by a stone and why a bird sustains itself in the air. These questions and other strange phenomena engaged my thought throughout my life.”

If you're looking for a way to capture ideas, check out EVERNOTE. It synchronizes your notes to any Mac, PC, iPhone and Windows Mobile, or you can use the web interface. And it recognizes handwriting or printed text in images. Once synced, which is a simple process, you can view the information from you desktop, laptop, cell phone or any other computer. It's fabulous for capturing thoughts and ideas on the go, or simply brainstorming at your desk.

The following clip shows some of the practical uses of EVERNOTE.

Wordle Reflections...

Wordle is an online means of "generating 'word clouds.'" It's simple. You provide the text, and it generates the text into a "word cloud."

The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. Below are two that I created in about three-minutes.

(Reflect)

These "word clouds" could be utilized as a means of reflection, contemplation or centering prayer. Simply allow yourself to move in and out of the various words, reflecting, letting the words draw you in and then allowing God to move, draw, invite and speak to you through them...

(Philippians 2:12-13)

Turn Down the Volume and Live Out Loud

I recently saw this on Garr Reynold's blog. It was highlighted in the context of public speaking... As I've reflected this week on Slowing Down, I thought of this video. It accentuates what happens to Audio recordings when they are put on CD and what happens to the sound quality when everything is magnified-louder.

This week I got to thinking about this in connection with our daily rhythms. In such, we live amidst a culture where everything going faster and faster - louder and louder. The faster and louder life becomes without moments of silence...the quality of life diminishes significantly. Watch this excerpt with this in mind...



Garr commented, "When there is no quiet, there can be no loud. And where there is no nothing, there can be no something."

In what ways, then, can we apply the spirit of “dynamic range” to all aspects of our lives?

The New Age of Multi-Tasking...

I thought this was interesting as we're beginning to wrestling against the Cult of Speed: Do More and More in Less and Less Time... Attempting to minimize brainless-multitasking...

Researchers at Sharp have developed a TV that can show two different programs at the same time. Your viewing angle determines the program you watch.

New Trends in Technology

"Learn as if you were going to live forever.
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."

Mahatma Gandhi

"The people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world are the ones who do."
-Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple

Recently, in Creative Learning Conversation, Color Outside the Lines we we're talking about utilizing various means of technology as a part of the creative process to better gather and develop ideas. For several present, some of the means and usage of various technological tools discussed were new and at times, even overwhelming.

The speed of change and increase of knowledge, innovation and technology is amazing. It is an ongoing challenge (as thrilling for some that it may be) to stay constant and "up-to-speed" with the latest and greatest. After this particular time together, Amy tipped me off to a recent video she had seen on uTube demonstrating this very idea of technological innovations and the challenge humans can experience to keep up with the changing of the times... Mad props and thanks to you Amy, it is brilliant, true and hilarious.

Check out this Norwegian sketch about technological innovations and how people initially struggle to get acclimated...

New Landscapes of Learning

Once upon a time, not so long ago, if you asked any individual where one would go to "learn," you would quickly be told with no uncertain doubt, "school." Schools were the primary place of learning, teachers where the foremost conduits of information. Children simply went to school to learn and be taught.

Once upon a time, if you wanted to tap into higher education, you would have to pay untold amounts of tuition fees, travel great distances, and shoulder your way through uninteresting lectures and predetermined curriculum. But, what if you could customize your education? What if you could dive into the courses you wanted, pause for personal research and exploration, only to pick back up where you left off? With the advances of the digital cultures at hand this is more than a bizarre question.

Currently the landscapes of learning are undergoing significant transition. Individuals are once again experiencing the art of self-discovery learning and exploration. However, much of this is taking place "outside" of the classrooms. How our educational systems intuitively and creatively interact with these present realities will considerably influence the future of educational systems and institutions.

Currently, you can tap into half of the nation's top 500 schools and universities. How? Our good friends at Apple, it's called "iTunes University."

iTunes University is a collection of podcasts and vodcasts created by university professors. All of these are made available - for free. Free university lectures on topics of my choice? This is simply amazing! You can search by School, Topic, or Subject. As such, you can begin to customize your own educational experience. Just yesterday I took part of a Communications Class at Stanford University and then jolted over to Seattle Pacific University to watch a special lecture by Dr. N.T. Wright. Talking about a "Personalized Learning Environment" right in front of you. Tuition: Free. Where will you go? May the explorations of learning begin afresh and anew.

GPS... on the wrist

I am one of the strangest persons I know when it comes to Christmas and Birthdays... There are certain people in my family that always give money as their means of celebration... The old adage, "You know what you want better than I do... I didn't know what to get you... Get what you want..." We're all familiar with the drill...

We'll... what most people don't know is that I will hold on to this money for weeks.... and most times months before I will finally plunge in and spend it. One reason my be that these are the only times during the course of a year that I actually get to hold on to some 'green back' cash... Typically, I simply 'hand-over' the check stub to the wife'e who then sends all the accounted for money to its necessary landing - ie. the bills and such.

But Christmas and Birthdays are a different story baby - I get the "green" and I hold on to it... Why? Probably because other than my few technological gadgets that accessorize my laptop (and my obsessive love for books) - I'm a pretty simple person and rarely spend money to buy something new... So when Christmas and Birthdays come around I have a hard time just running out and spending it on the first thing that I see - after all, it will be another year (or at least 6 months) until the next Holiday/B.Day where I will once again be endowed with some cash.

We'll I finally spent the last of my Birthday money... A Bitter Sweet experience it always is... (Strange - I know - don't say I didn't warn you). My Birthday is at the end of March -- it's now the end of May - 2 months... Not bad actually, generally I'll stretch it out even longer than this...

So what was the last item...?

Timex Speed and Distance Ironman Triathlon GPS Watch

That's right a watch... But not just any watch...! This baby sports GPS. It connects to up to 12 satellites - detects where on the planet I am - converts the signals to GPS data - and then signals back to my wrist indicating exactly how far I've been running, walking or biking since I started. Moreover, it calculates how fast I've been runner - miles per hour - pace - average - etc...

At least, that's what Timex boasts that it can do... Like I said, I just made the plunge... Currently it's being handed off from one U.S. Post Office to another until it finally makes it here to the great Michiana - South Bend, IN.

...I'll let you know how it works.......