Favorites

Satisfaction, Surprises, and Celebrations in 2011

by Andy Wood on January 1, 2012

in Books and Music

A year ago at this time I found myself reading and hearing a lot of people emotionally drop-kicking 2010 to the curb.  “Good riddance!” they all said.  “What a sorry year!  Here’s hoping 2011 will be better.”

I haven’t checked yet this year.  Who knows?  Maybe that’s what you’re supposed to say so that the first of January feels even more exciting and hopeful.  I just found myself really surprised by all that for some reason.

Don’t get me wrong.  I saw plenty of reasons to howl at the moon about how awful things were.  But I also plenty of other reasons to look back with gratitude and – dare I say it? – satisfaction.

I decided to be more proactive this year.  Believing that 2012 is going to be an extraordinary year, I spent a little time looking back at the past 12 months and sharing a few lists of things that helped shape my heart and my world.

But first, let me tell you a very quick story that captures the essence of this year for me.  A few months ago I was out driving in the middle of nowhere on a fall West Texas day.  It was about 4:30 in the afternoon. Just off the highway, to the right, I saw three does feeding.  I was surprised to see them out this early, but enjoyed the scene.

A couple of miles ahead, this time on the left, a saw a deer’s backside pointed at me as it was grazing beside the road.  “Oh,” I thought, “another doe.”  Raising its head, this is what I saw: [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

My Favorite Personal Posts in 2008

by Andy Wood on January 1, 2009

in Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Words

Okay, one last (I promise) favorites list – especially  for those of you who may be new to LifeVesting or haven’t discovered SynerJACK yet.

One of the things blogging has done for me has been to get me to write more often, and more content, than ever – something I’ve always wanted the discipline or inspiration to do.  Some of those pieces were duds.  Others were things I was really proud of, but didn’t seem to resonate with others.  And some, like this and this seemed to capture a lot of attention and imagination from others.

What follows are, in order, the ones that still resonate with me.  Taken collectively, they reflect my passion, values, relationships, and a couple of things I think are hilarious or supremely important.  I hope you like them, too.

1.  The Holy Spirit Salad
I still just laugh and laugh, and Robin still punches me when I do.  But I have to admit, God speaks to people today, and He does so in many different ways.  Still not sure about the Holy Spirit salad, though.

2.  He Had a Hammer
In response to a question about my childhood hero.

3.  Don’t Go Gently
Butch Lowery died more than 15 years ago, but his life still speaks to me today.

4.  Last House Standing
A picture-and-100-words piece about resilience, strength, and determination.

5.  The Language of Letting Go
In a year of transitions, we went from mere in-laws to empty-nester grandparents.  This came as no surprise, but it required a new level of communication and understanding – the language of letting go.

6.  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!
A tribute to Skip Caray, one of the greatest broadcasters and cultural icons of my generation.

7.  To Prepare a Place
It had been a while – and I’d forgotten what groom-love looked like.  What I saw revealed far more than a man in love with his bride.  It was a reflection of Christ’s love for His.

8.  The Myth of the Early Christmas Shopper
Who says that just because you love somebody you have to get their Christmas gifts weeks in advance?  This is a fun look at the joys of shopping on Christmas Eve.

9.  Grace Works for Pastors, Too
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, scripture says.  This describes some of the most life-giving words I have ever heard.

10.  16001 Crosses.
This year I met one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever known.  Neville Davidson refused to accept complete blindness as the end of the story of his life.  He has found a way to give back, and in doing so, has touched countless lives.

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

My Favorite Blog Posts in 2008

by Andy Wood on December 19, 2008

in Life Currency, Words

For several years, as the blogging world emerged and developed, I had an unfair and inaccurate image of what blogging was.  I imagined it to be a “running narrative of the life of my cat,” or a load of political/social rants.  I passed.

Then I actually read one – Seth Godin’s, to be precise – and I was hooked.  I discovered a whole new world of rich ideas, excellent writers, passionate people, and yes, LifeVestors.  Some people blog for money, and that’s great.  Others offer up for free ideas and expressions as an investment in the world and in their future.

As the year ended, I thought I’d collect my favorite pieces into one post of my own.  I thought it would be easy to narrow it down to 10.  Ha!  I could easily have given you my American Top 40, or my AP Top 25.  Nevertheless, here are ten of my favorite posts, from ten different writers it would pay you to read:

10.  Think Like a Millionaire
Brian Tracy is something of an icon in the personal development world.  He has spent most of his adult life researching the differences between successful and unsuccessful people.  This post, while focusing specifically on financial success, reveals one of the most important distinctions in any successful life.  AND it helps make the point for why I wrote a book and have a site called LifeVesting.

9.  The Posture of a Communicator
The burden of communication is on the communicator, Seth says.  Wow.  Imagine that.  People who talk and write and market, who actually assume responsibility for whether or not you get the message.  Want more?  Check this out. [click to continue…]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }