FAKE MEMO FIASCO

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE December 1, 2011
RE: Gala Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House.

There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols... feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!

A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 PM. Exchanges of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.

This gathering is only for employees!

Our CEO will make a special announcement at that time!

Merry Christmas to you and your family,
Patty


Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 2, 2011
RE: Gala Holiday Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year.

However, from now on, we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians and to those still celebrating Reconciliation Day.

There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols will be sung.

We will have other types of music for your enjoyment.

Happy now?

Happy Holidays to you and your family,
Patty


Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 3, 2011
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, you didn't sign your name..

I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this?

Somebody?

And sorry, but forget about the gift exchange, no gifts are allowed since the union members feel that $10.00 is too much money and the executives believe $10.00 is a little chintzy.

REMEMBER: NO GIFTS EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.

Patty


Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
To: All Employees
DATE: December 4, 2011
RE: Generic Holiday Party

What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.

There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party or else package everything for you to take it home in little foil doggy baggy. Will that work?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet, and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms.

Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, each group will have their own table.

Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table.
To the person asking permission to cross dress, the Grill House asks that no cross-dressing be allowed, apparently because of concerns about confusion in the restrooms. Sorry.

We will have booster seats for short people.
Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet.

I am sorry to report that we cannot control the amount of salt used in the food . The Grill House suggests that people with high blood pressure taste a bite first.

There will be fresh "low sugar" fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the restaurant cannot supply "no sugar" desserts. Sorry!

Did I miss anything?!?!?
Patty

Company Memo
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All F*%^ing Employees
DATE: December 5, 2011
RE: The F*%^ing Holiday Party

I've had it with you vegetarian pricks!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your f*%^ing salad bar, including organic tomatoes.

But you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!

The rest of you f*%^ing weirdo's can kiss my *ss. I hope you all have a rotten holiday!

Drive drunk and die,

The B*tch from H*ll!!!


Company Memo
FROM: Joan Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE:December 6, 2011
RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her recent nervous breakdown and I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the asylum.

In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

Happy Whatever!
Joan

Be Content with What God Sent

This morning, I was going over Proverbs 16, and the 33rd verse is such a simple statement. "We roll the dice, but God controls the outcome." Actually, the whole chapter marinates in the same theme. We plan, but God directs our steps. Sometimes I forget that the number of hairs on our head, He has numbered, He knows if a sparrow falls from the sky, and on and on.


So why is it that I let anxiety creep in? I get upset and question when I can't get consistent work, or when I have to drive 100 miles to do it. When I fret about my lot or circumstance, I'm meddeling with What God already knows, and is allowing. Sometimes my thoughts can parrellel what the disciples felt when they thought the boat was going to sink while Jesus comfortably slept. Would He really let them drown when He knew the plans He had for them later? Doubtful. Yep, they freaked out; still had much to learn from the Master!

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 talks about this "Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to enjoy your food and wine, and enjoy whatever work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over circumstances.

Prize the Fire

Charles Spurgeon quote-

"Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soil. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!

How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to him, and in him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of his promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg in summer and have nothing."

Footprints

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

I remember the first time I saw the Footprints poem in a picture frame on a wall, I thought back on some times in my life when I felt blue and alone. It is so true that He is carrying us through the toughest of times.

I just wanted to share another video with lyrics that should stick with you as well... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX2uM0L3Y1A

Ever have one of those days, or maybe even a season, where you encounter some form of self doubt? Past choices, present situations, future repercussions.

Just know God loves us, even when we mess up, and has his angels surrounding us. I had to share this video because it cover so many different venues of what we struggle with. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF5CjtrIl_c&feature=related

HHPP

"Dave, all my sisters had to get married, don't let me down." I still hear my dad telling me this when I was a teen. It seemed everytime I went out with someone; I heard this in my head. It did the job and there are no fatherless kids running around, and I married the girl of my dreams by choice.

It was funny to hear one of the pastors say the same thing last week only in a more shocking way. HHPP!

Be Humble, be Holy, and keep your Pecker in your Pants! I think if the Pastor had said that in the church I grew up in, half the congregation would have fainted, and the other half would have held a meeting to vote him out! Maybe one of the reasons I like Eastlake Church is that they don't major on the minor issues in the Bible; no legalism there. No sharks there.

But then this he week, he crossed the line, when talking about the first 3 chapters in Genesis about the creation of a perfect world, then ruining it by creating....cats. As a cat lover, I must say he's gone too far ;)

If you have a hole in your heart and you have no life, God can fill the hole and make you whole so you can Know life!

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

Steve Jobs dead at the age of 56.

An excerpt of his famous Stanford speech..."Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary...Stay hungry, stay foolish"

Your inner voice...What determines yours?

Promises

I love going through promises the Bible gives us when we go through what could be anxious times; one of my favorites is in Isaiah 41:10-

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

It's just amazing just how many people are going through some tremendous stress in there lives. I hear story after story, but there is some good news.

I grew up to the sounds of my dad magically touching the ivory's of an 1800's finely tuned Steinway Grand piano. To get to the point where it sounds it's best requires a good 11 tons of pressure and stress in order to get it to it's sweetest sound. The stress causes the wood to mold and transform to the makers desire for it.

For us it's the same. Our Maker looks at each of us as a fine-tuned Steinway Grand. All of us begin as rough wood that He desires to transform and tune. Many times, these experiences stretch our faith, our families, our frame. Many times it may feel like we just can't handle the stress, and that's when the anxiety sets in...just know it's part of the process and dwell on the promises we've been given.

Guilt or Grace

My ears are still ringing.

Last night we went out to celebrate a friend's birthday. She had gotten a dozen of us had VIP seating to the Santana concert. So there we are enjoying the sights, sounds and the smells of BC days...If I was to visit Starbucks after the concert, I'm sure someone would comment about the essense of marijuana shampoo I must have used. Yeah, it was the prevailing smell. It had been a while since going to a concert reminiscent of the liberal 70's.

After a few songs, Mr Santana very casually starts talking about God, Guilt and Grace; the choice to live life under grace and faith vs one under the weight of guilt. He talked about living as a child of God and choosing to make right choices...

I don't know anything about his belief other than what he presented last night. The thing is many people raised eyebrows listening to his message. I quite enjoyed the whole experience; great seats, good friends, good vibes, good times. Who knows, maybe it opens up the door with our friends with conversations about living under grace...

The Great I Am

So I'm dropping the kids off at school this morning, and again, I have a song stuck in my head that I'm singing over and over again. I go to youtube and plug in words that I think may be the title. After several attempts, I find the song. As I listen, I start reading the comments beneath and one catches my eye...
"I came to the church, scars on my wrists, emotions filled with pain, on a road to suicide. I begged for a prayer, something to show there was reason to live. I left, No scars remained all burdens lifted, and for once...I felt forgiven."

Enjoy the song...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGv5d8EE34k

Trilogy

My older son keeps watching "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy over and over. One time it's at our house, the next at a friend down the street. I'll occasionally sit in and watch bits and pieces of them...Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the three films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins, as he and a Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, and thus ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauronn. In a sense, the trilogy mirrors to some extent the greatest trilogy of all time...Nightmare on Elm Street 1, 2, and 3!

Kidding!

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created..." Then came the fall and the perpetuation of continually falling short and missing the mark of what God had initially set in motion; evil and our bondage to it. The second part showed us how are attempts to reach God fell far short, but that good news of Hope was coming. The third part is that Jesus came to offer us a future and a hope, and at the end of the book- we win with the "Return of the King."!

Remember the scene in Braveheart where William Wallace has a couple great lines- "Every man dies, very few truly live." "A life without cause, is a life without effect."

There is a greater picture for all of us if we choose to embrace it. For some it might be from making money to making a diference. For others, maybe choosing to leave an impact that outlives ones self. In this gray world one thing is true-- the lines between black and white are becoming more and more blurred. Don't know who said it but "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

My Father-in-Law who has been in the local school system here for decades, sent me this quote from another colleague in Tennessee; thought I'd pass it along...

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School
football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to
honor God and Country.

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that
saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I
understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility
to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life
style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms
and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.


I can even use this public facility to present the merits of
killing an unborn baby as a "viable! Means of birth control." If
someone is offended, no problem...


I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students
in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess
"Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom
that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian
convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it
"enlightenment.."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM
to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then
Federal Case Law is violated.


This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone,
except GOD and HIS Commandments.

Nevertheless , as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and
students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily
agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and
at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough
unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional
transgression.

For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is
Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD
and ask HIM,in the name of JESUS, to Bless this event, please
feel free to do so.. As far as I know, that's not against the
law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held
hands with one another and began to pray.
They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They
prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's
Box!

The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the
United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the "one
nation, under GOD."

Soul Surfer

It was great seeing my college buddy again after 30 years. He and his wife stayed with us over the weekend and did a little catching up. Come to find out , his daughter was one of the Producers of the surf movie Soul Surfer. I figured we should watch it since we had an affiliation with it.

Not a dry eye for family movie night. If you haven't seen it, go rent or buy it. It's one of those you want to keep in the family library of films. Then you get to the end credits and Brit Nicoles powerful song comes in..see the youtube link

...enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmxiNN-GLkg

Enjoying Today

One of the things I very much enjoyed both as a kid spending my summers in Minnesota, and living in the south the past three years was the feeling of being close to God and in His presence. How? Just by being on the lookout all around me.

Sometimes we are just to enjoy today, together with Him enjoying both the pleasures and enduring the pain today’s difficulties bring. Learn to enjoy everything he’s prepared for us; stunning scenery, winds of adventure, nooks for resting when you get weary and so much more.

He is our guide, our constant companion, and He knows every step we take on the road ahead. As long as we stay close to His side, we are on course. Don’t worry about what is around the corner, just concentrate on enjoying His presence and staying in step...

30 Year Reunion

Hard to imagine it was 30 years ago that I got involved with Campus Crusade for Christ at San Diego State University. This past weekend we had a 30 year reunion; great seeing old faces-literally. Many old stories revisited. I'm reminded of one of the summers we did a skit and I remember lighting a BIC lighter and saying the line "Turn or Burn" and the guy blows out the BIC and walks away. The point being don't bother me...I'm busy.

When the Titanic was on its maiden (and only) voyage, warnings were coming over the airwaves "careful, icebergs sighted in the area." The premise for the Titanic was that it was unsinkable, and the staff bought into that idea. The response from the bridge of the Titanic came back "shut up don't bother us."

Many years ago, that was my attitude "shut up, don't bother me, leave me alone I'm having too much fun right now." But there it was, I was invited to attend an event called Decide 80. One of the sponsors of the event was Campus Crusade...and so I turned.

Safe and Exciting

Ever wonder if it's OK to complain to God? I think He wants to be involved with all aspects of our life; the good, the bad, and the ugly. When you look at Psalms and Lamentations, you find that more than half are well, complaints. Yes, we are to praise the the Lord and stuff, but also talk with Him about all the crap of everyday life too.

So many have a preconceived idea that life is not supposed to be a roller coaster, but rather where in all cases life is a straight path. But when I read various passages, I see that He tells us He can help make paths straight, which in theory means there must be ones that aren't straight or without bumps.

Here's an interesting take from Eastlake Church's blog today..."My expectation was that God knows where he's taking me and that he will be the "10 and 2" driver, the driver that steers me in the path of least resistance because I am His son, he cares about me and will not cause me harm. Now, after being a Christian a while longer, I see God in a different light. He lets me choose where I go, but when I hand over the controls, he looks back at me with a smile and says, "Son, do you trust me?" I respond with a confident "Yes!" He puts on his seat belt and helmet, tells me to hold on tight, and makes a hard right turn as he steps on the gas, off the paved road straight into the dunes at Glamis. We're jumping off dirt mounds, speeding through ditches, and God is confident all the way."

We may feel like we are in a questionable state, and may not feel safe, but in God's hands. Imagine how the disciples felt. Remember the story where they are crossing the lake and a big storm kicks up... Jesus was sleeping! Yet, He was "in the boat" with them.

Sometimes in these storms, we may wonder, and even complain, but know this- God is with us in the boat in the storm of life.

The Best Wine

Ever wonder why some wines taste so much better than others from the same area, and sometimes from the same vineyard? Terroir- where the vines are located.

The best fruit, when it comes to the noble grape, is when it is stressed and starved and generally located in the poorest soil on the hill. You would think if you put Miracle Grow and fertilizer on, and pampered the heck out of them, that the wine created from those grapes would be fantastic right? Nope- ruined; good for $2 Chuck or worse yet, relegated to become vinegar.

I sometimes wonder why I can't catch a break so to speak, why life has to be so hard. Could it be that God is allowing the stress and strain of this life to create one with character and seasoning that is used for a blessing to others? They will know us by our fruit.

I hope these blogs can be used to help others when crap happens.

Stretching the Comfort Zone

Mittens and Squishy. Yep, Squishy. Our two cats as different as night and day. Mittens is the wild cat; catches everything; crickets, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, turtles and of course, birds. Her daughter, Squishy, is just the opposite; we have raised from a kitten, is domesticated, couldn't survive a day on her own, unless "treats" grew on trees. What's the point of putting yourself into hostile environments just to prove you can survive? Just in case right?

For this very reason, I tend to watch shows like Man vs Wild, Survivorman, Discovery and Animal Planet. Picture a wild goat. He is aware of his surroundings, able to leap and bound over rocky terrain, find food and water sources, and defend himself against hostile animals. By contrast, his domesticated counterpart sleeps in a barn, chews the grass at his feet, drinks water provided for him, and lacks the vigorous survival skills of his wild cousin.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james%201:1-4&version=NLT

Sometimes, God allows circumstances to shape us by stretching us physically, Spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. While we may not enjoy the trial, we can be assured God is in control, and that perseverance, trust, faith and hope, and patience are all being perfected. Unless we have gone through trials personally, many times we otherwise may not be qualified to help others in similar circumstances. Even Squishy, catches the occasional crunchy cricket if stuck outside for a few hours.

Following Instructions

These last four years have been to say the least...turbulent. Four moves in four years, cancer scare, home loss, job loss, broken cars, broken hearts, broken dreams. Yet, through it all is an inter-woven peace. I can't imagine not having this kind of peace. The Bible is full of instructions, guidelines and guardrails, to help lead us into the kind of peace of which I'm talking about.

But what is it about the instructions we don't like? Are we smarter than the manufacturer? Does it take too much time; or is it that, deep down we don't like being told what to do? Are you like me; one of those people who never reads the instructions when putting together a child's bike, grill, or piece of furniture from IKEA, etc? Even after four moves, we always seem to have a few leftover pieces.

Not reading the instructions when putting something together will only cost us time and pride. But when it comes to life, not reading the instructions can cost us and the ones we love, or so much more. God gives us His instruction manual through His Word; the information in it is far too valuable to disregard.

Taxi!

Have you ever been scared riding as a passenger in a car? I mean really scared?

A few years ago on one of our family vacations, we took a taxi to see the high divers dive off the cliffs in Alcapulco. You know where I'm going with this... Two things are very obvious as you make the drive up; No traffic signs, and every other business sells VW fenders and bumpers. My first obsevation was to ask myself why would there be sooo many auto shops, I don't mean a few, I mean like hundreds on these streets?

The trip up wasn't too bad, but the trip back down, and I mean flying back down these cliff hugging streets with no gardrails was a different venue all together. I counted no less than 3 close-miss accidents as we worked our way back down in the VW taxi....Whew, we made it back bodies intact.

Most of us would feel safer, if we knew there were gardrails in place, or that other people would obey traffic signs. That drive in that city had none, and my wife and kids were scared, and there may have been a couple momments for me as well.

Bottom line- God doesn't want us to have to live our lives without any guidelines, gardrails, yield and stop signs. His book is full of them, there to help keep us safe; when we choose not to trust in them, the risk of bodily harm increases.

Suprise, Suprise, Suprise

I'm watching Mr. Netanyahu's interview on CNN.

If you go back a hundred blogs or so, you'll see I mentioned that maybe Israel is in fact sitting on oil. Mr. Netanyahu, just stated that "We found oil" in them there hills...

All the Middle East countries have oil, yet, for some reason Israel didn't have any???

Earthquakes, rumors of wars, food shortages, famines, crumbling economies, weird weather, evil is good and good is evil? Countries wanting to obliterate Israel off the face of the earth... Hmmm. Maybe there is some truth to Biblical prophesy?

Now that nuclear disasters are causing peeps to rethink energy policy, some countries may ramp up efforts behind the scenes to get more oil... Iran has enough nuclear material for three nukes...

Adversity and Blessing

Although adversity may never seem to be a blessing, God in His grace can bring blessing out of our adversity. The key is releasing the hurt and pain to the Lord so He can bring the needed healing to our lives.

As I've mentioned in past blogs, when I meet someone who is going through a business failure or a financial loss, there's an instant bond between us of shared experience.

God can take our adversity—a heart attack, cancer, an automobile accident, violent crime, bankruptcy, a marriage crisis, the loss of a loved one—and transform that pain into encouragement for the people around us. We come out of those experiences stronger and better able to comfort others.

Distressed For Your Comfort?

I have to say I had a pretty tough week last week; surgery, radiation, nassea, headaches, body aches etc. The job I got three months ago isn't too happy either, so extra stress of the idea of looking for work again...

Then I read this verse from 2Cor 1:6
"If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer."

An excerpt from TGIF

"God must love you a lot! He doesn't allow someone to go through the kinds of adversity you have experienced unless He has a special calling on your life." Those were the words said to me by two different mentors at two different times within a three-year period. Later I would learn another related truth from a respected man of God - a man who lives in another country, a man whom God uses throughout the globe. "The depth and width of your faith experiences are directly proportional to your calling."

So what's next?

Imploding Actors for $100 Please

A famous actor most recently known for his odd numbered comedy?

Who is Charlie Sheen.

I subscribe to several blogs and groups; I read one yesterday by one of my Pastors from the church I attended in GA.. titled "What if Charlie Sheen were in your small group?" Good read, check it out.
http://smallgroupscoach.com/2011/03/what-if-charlie-sheen-were-in-your-small-group/

$5 budgeting

Five Dollars

Doesn't seem like much but consider for a moment the 8th wonder of the world-compounding.

Save just $5 a day, or $150 a month, for 30 years — earn 10 percent on it — and you'll end up with a nest egg of more than $340,000. Would that make a difference in your life? (By the way, if you're wondering how the heck you can make 10% on your savings, you can't — at least without risk.)
The tricky part is saving that $5 without sacrificing your quality of life. As of today $5 buys a #1 meal at McD's, 1 pack of cigs, 1 happy hour drink inc tip, 1 appetizer or tapas. Oh, here's one; 1 Venti Caramel foo-foo drink..Ouch. But if you chose to sacrifice just a little, $5 makes a world of difference to kids and families in a third world country, if you chose to help them.

One of many ways of doing that is to pay for name brands only when name brands make a difference. Sound obvious? Take a quick stroll around any grocery store and you'll see that it must not be at all obvious, because the shelves are stuffed with products that cost extra — sometimes a whole lot extra — in exchange for nothing more than a name.

So if you're struggling with finances, want a little retirement, or want to leave a legacy for others, consider Abe.

Modeling Leadership

Ken Blanchard, the author of the One Minute Manager, once shared a story about what can happen when individuals in a company model servant leadership, no matter where they are on the totem pole.
A business consultant was training more than 3000 employees of a mid-western grocery chain to approach their jobs with a goal of creating a memory for their customers. She stated that "this is what will distinguish your store from all others."
Johnny was a 19-year old bag boy that had down-syndrome. His first response to the consultant's suggestion was "I'm just a 'bag boy.'" Nevertheless, he went home and shared what the consultant said with his mother. They began to ponder the consultant's words about how he could create a memory for his customers. Johnny had a habit of collecting inspirational thoughts that he would often read. He decided he would begin printing these sayings and place one in each of the bags of his customers. When customers came through the line he would place the sayings in their bag and say, "I've included some of my favorite sayings in your bag in hopes it will encourage you today. Thanks for shopping with us."
After just a few weeks, an amazing thing began to happen. One day the store manager noticed that all the customers were lined up at only one cashier station when there were other stations open. He began to panic, thinking the other stations were broken. After further investigation he found this was not the case. Actually, customers wanted to come through Johnny's line in order to get his saying of the day.
One woman came up to the manager and said, "I used to come to the store only once a week, but now I come everyday!" Johnny's example spread to other departments in the store. The florist began giving a flower to each florist customer. The meat department put Snoopy stickers on each meat order with a special greeting. This one act by a bag boy changed the entire climate of the store.*

Gives and Takes Away

You may say to yourself " My power and the stregnth of my hands have produced this wealth for me" Deut 8:17
There is danger Will Robinson, well, for any of us who may have achieved some level of success through hard work or working smarter; then believing we achieved it through our own efforts. But the reality is that He is a gracious and merciful God, who has given it and can take it away.