ERNIE BEAL: brandyourself.com

For the most part we know only "sound bites" about one another.  Events we have heard about, rumors passing our way, and highly selective (sometimes unflattering) comments in both the online and real world conspire unconscously to create an image wholly incomplete about a person, organization, cause, or event.   Getting out the full story for our lives and strivings takes much effort in a "sound bite" world.  Fortunately, social network media is maturing to the point where you can put forth "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey used to intone on radio as I was growing up.

I have been experimenting with a site called brandyourself.com.  It offers a chance to pull the online fragments of your life into a single place where the best of who you are and what have done become more fully available.   For a sample, check out my new site at: http://erniebeal.brandyourself.com.

If you elect to use this tool drop me a note via the links provided in that profile with your new site name.  I would love to get to know you better.

~  Ernie Beal

ERNIE BEAL: Sermon Examples

Folks curious about my preaching style sometimes ask for examples.  Video recordings do not exist.  However, sound recordings were made for messages offered across several years at Faith UCC Fort Wayne.   Two representative examples are:

The Road Less Traveled

This, Too, Shall Pass

Feel free to download and listen.  

                                                                                                                    ~ Rev. Ernie Beal

MATT RIDLEY: When Ideas Have Sex

I have been working with the folks at Imagine Rural Development (http://imaginezambia.org/) on startup planning for an exciting new model for generating sustainable development.  Working with a tremendous team, an "idea factory", we have been ranging broadly in our discussions.  Along the way, a team member shared the following Your Tube video.  It's well worth watching:

http://youtu.be/OLHh9E5ilZ4

ERNIE BEAL: Recovering our past

Between 1980 and 1992 my professional focus involved representing people who claimed their civil and human rights had been violated in some particular.  Within this period I handled several hundred lawsuits filed in federal courts and many more administrative claims.  My practice ranged broadly, in both geography and scope of claim.  Though most cases concluded via settlement several went to trial with verdicts favorable to the folks I served.   Among the most notable were:

Keehr v. Consolidated Freightways

http://openjurist.org/825/f2d/133/keehr-v-consolidated-freightways-of-delaware-inc

Reeder-Baker v. Lincoln National Corporation

http://openjurist.org/834/f2d/1373/reeder-baker-v-lincoln-national-corporation

Moffett v. Gene B. Glick Company

http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=1985865621FSupp244_1829.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985

Smith v. Stoner

http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17329818169633542294&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr

Schafer v. Parkview Hospital

http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=1984654593FSupp61_1642.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985

Reflecting on this period of my life I am reminded strongly that every life story contains many events, successes, and mistakes no individual one of which tells the whole story.  My legal career reflects my desire to work with folks who have been abused, to apply my skills to great achievement, and to work successfully in contexts not ordinarily receptive to the cause I pursued.  Those qualities continued to be evident in later professional work, even when making mistakes or falling short of a desired goal.   

I recently had an opportunity to talk with an agency providing housing supports to individuals who had experienced multiple life challenges and for whom the present "story" of their lives had very little positive detail.   Thinking about my past, present, and future compelled to realize the importance of working with those folks to uncover, recover, and retell the full story of their life.   I suspect we can all benefit by remembering the great moments, the good work, and the pleasant memories associated with every person we know.   Such action on our part makes a great antidote to the modern tendency to reduce people to "sound bites" and one-dimensional characterization.

~ Ernie Beal

 

 

ERNIE BEAL: KONY 2012

ERNIE BEAL: Getting Things Done

A compelling vision will enthuse, energize, and enoble organizations, groups, and individuals.   It takes something more, however.   Visions become real only to the extent that they also enable teams and people to accomplish sought after goals or achievements.  Enabling vision requires moving beyond the lofty ideas, buzzwords, and dream language with which most vision statements are written.  It moves into the realm of the more mundane, i.e. the arena with actions plotted and task completed.   Enablling vision means identifying and applying practices that take one from the present to the future.  In most cases this will require formal implementation strategies or project plans.   Far too often workgroups and individuals launch lofty pursuits without working through an appropriate action approach.   To work beyond the limits of dreams requires action-oriented leadership and step-by-step strategies.   Organizations seeking, and committed to, significant accomplishment profit by identifying and empowering  an action champion who will channel team energy and enthusiasm.   Often the best way to do so may be employing for a time an action expert with strong project skills and experience.  That's what makes  "Vision | Works".

~ Ernie Beal

So hard to walk the talk!

Many folks belong to religious traditions in which a core premise exists:  as individuals and in our social groups we fail in our twinfold pact with God to (a) love God without holding anything back at any time and (b) love other folks with equal effort and consistency.   In spite of these failings we hold tight to a belief that God keeps loving us no matter how often or how severely we fail to live as expected.  Whether we put it into words or not all of us expect God to forgive our "trespasses", "sins", and other failings.  Religious types call this expected response on God's part "grace." 

I am no longer surprised that human beings fail to love as expected.  Our tendency to make ourselves the center of our universe probably accounts for our difficulties in this respect.  I remain perplexed, however, by the widespread inability to generalize our expectation must forgive us various transgressions into a universal rule that everyone else should be likewise forgiven.  

Having worked within social support initiatives across my professional career I have noticed this hypocrisy appearing in two forms:  (1) in vicious backbiting, name-calling, and similar nastiness towards companion workers and other people we know, and (2) the curious inability to extend to people we know (and some we don't) the core expectation underlying social support work--that people in our communities should grant more grace to the clientele's we serve.   We have trouble translating the mission we impose upon others into a behavioral norm  for ourselves.   Consider, for example, the irony built into many offender reentry programs where other employers are asked to grant former inmates consideration and grace that the agency itself will not extend to its own workers.   Similar examples abound in every social initiative.

Accepting my human failings has become easier each year that passes.  Making fewer mistakes became impossible against the weight of my collective errors.   These days I hope only to remember more often that the foregiveness I want for the errors of my way ought to extend equally to how I act toward everyone else.

Tough Times

In 1943 Reinhold Niebuhr, one of the Twentieth century's most prominent religious leaders , put together a short prayer offered at the time in a local church service:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.

Niebuhr's prayer, long ago entitled "The Serenity Prayer", became one of the most widely recited  prayers, with first few lines being adopted by the folks in Alcoholics Anonymous.  It seeks "peace" (individual and social) in times of turmoil, despair, and uncertainty.  Said daily, it becomes a petition seeking the promise of Philipians 4:7 ("His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.")

These days I find myself speaking Niebuhr's words more and more frequently, both in response to world events as well as things active in my own life.   The Serenity Prayer reminds me of two important facts:  (1) our experiences and graces are a gift from God for which we are, at best, merely stewards and (2) tending that gift properly necessitates recognizing that we have little control over what other people do or say.   As long as I remember this twinfold reality I remain centered, focused, and able to withstand the hostility and indifference of others toward me and my special charge. 

Very long vacation...

Sadly I'm not referring to recent time away from work. I meant only that it has been almost a year since I last posted to this blog (as well as enjoyed my last real vacation). This hiatus does not mean there's been nothing to talk about. Joys, sorrows, pleasures, and irritations have been abundant over the past few months. Except as relevant to future events I do not plan to comment here on that history, however. After all, we can never undo our past (nor can we control our future). Going forward I'll simply focus on the present, offering thoughts on topics that range from work to personal, from serious to comic, from important to frivolous. If you find something you like, let me know. If you don't, oh well...

Adios, Espana...Day Eleven

The map said Bilboa-final resting point before an early a.m. departure tomorrow (August 3rd)--was only 175 kilometers or so from Pamplona. If one travels in a more or less straight line and observed all speed limits, the journey should take no more than two hours. Traveling a far more circuitous route, we managed to turn the trip into an eleven hour adventure.

Rather than head west toward Bilboa, we elected to travel east, tracing the Camino de Santiago to its source: St. Jean Pied de Port in southern France. This required travel along a two lane highway that seesawed back and forth across the Pyrenees in a way that tested how tightly I could grip the steering wheel without breaking it (or my hand)! As we climbed up (and up and up and up) this mountain trail, Camino-travelers became more frequent. As we twisted and turned downward along roads where there was little margin for error (lest a long drop ensure), some travelers still early in their adventure were struggling up the mountain slope. I wondered what that might bode for their Camino success. [BTW...a really great website for information about the Camino can be found at: http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/].

St. Jean Pied de Port proved far too busy for our taste. Passing through, we navigated north to a small town where a pleasant noon day meal was consumed. From there it was back into the Pyrenees--back and forth up to the summit at Ispiguey (think “Miss Piggie”). While I took pictures throughout the mountains, I doubt they do justice to the grandeur evident when standing along the side of the road, gazing at God’s handiwork across the many miles visible. No one the folks who populated these mountains and trails centuries ago found it easy to erect churches and monasteries to celebrate gifts with which they were confronted every time they rose and looked out the window.

Traveling northward through the Pyrenees we finally reach Irun, on the north Atlantic coast. This gave us one more chance to spend time along the coast so we jumped on two lane highways that---you guessed it---seesawed up and down the coastline. Quite frankly, today’s travel made me long for a quick trip up US 30 from Fort Wayne to Valparaiso. I may take Monday off and do so!

I still find Spain fascinating; southern France had some charm as well. Given the intensity with which I usually work and the breadth of the tasks to which I am always committed, this journey away afforded opportunities to refresh and nourish my soul. Remote places (curves and all) were especially helpful. When I can strip away the “noisiness” of daily living and hang out in the natural, unblemished world, the spirit that has dampened within me can fed by the Spirit that surrounds me. Our Spanish journey reminded me how important those opportunities are to me and gave me a good swift kick in the ---- toward making a better effort at doing so.

For those of you who have traveled with us as we flitted from town to town, I thank you for your time, thoughts, and prayers. We had several chances to stroll along Spanish parkways and river walks where it seemed as if the entire community had turned out looking for connections with family and neighbors. Far too often our rugged American individualism leaves us thinking that we can go it alone and our experience are personal only. This blog was a deliberate attempt to build community; I offered up travel photos, personal tidbits, and some serious reflection hoping to start a conversation trend. If you’ve heard that call, you have my special thanks.

And, as the Spanish folks say “Buenvenidos.”

Day Eleven photos can be found at:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601176659920/

Camino de Santiago...(Days Nine and Ten)

James the apostle worked the Spanish venue. Legend holds that his bones were brought to Galacia upon his death in the early first century where they were “discovered” anew in about 837 CE. A cathedral built in Santiago to hold these relics soon became the site of regular pilgrimages. During Middle Ages roughly a half million people annually traveled from what is now the border between Spain and France.

Though pilgrimage slowed to a trickle in the 1960s, more than 100,000 people travel the ancient routes each summer. Some come on foot. Others on horseback. Moderns travel by motorcycle, car, or bus. Many make the journey as a whole; others take it in stages--a little each year.

Most folks travel along the “French route,” a path that begins at Roncevalles and passes through Pamplona, Burgos, Leon. The road includes cities with origins that date back to Roman times. Along the way, on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) encounters churches, monasteries, castles, and communities, the origins of which cover a gamut of time, style, and significance.

We traveled this path in reverse, heading from Santiago to Pamplona across the last few days of our trip. We enjoyed our stops in Leon and Burgos; indeed, we were especially enchanted by Burgos with its expansive riverfront parkway. Burgos has Spain’s third largest cathedral, an imposing religious edifice founded in 1221 and completed almost three centuries later. Our cursory visit was not long enough to appreciate Burgos or its cathedral fully.

Our journey ends in Pamplona, a city given imaginative treatment by Ernest Hemingway in his novel, The Sun Also Rises. Elevated temperatures kept us from exploring this town as much as we would have liked. We made it as far as the fortified walls of the city’s citadel, a contemporary reminder (1571 CE !) that this community’s strategic importance dates back to its founding by Roman general Pompey in 75 BC.

Day Eleven will return us to Bilboa where, after a dreadfully short night, we’ll pick up our air transport home. Eleven days was not enough time in this wonderful country. We sampled just enough of the terrain to know that there’s more worth visiting. Indeed, the entire Camino experience awaits....

 Day 9 and 10 photos can be found at:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601145028101/

Spanish Collage....(Days Five to Eight)

Pictures alone do not capture the incredible diversity among the sites visited across the past few days. Awakening early last Thursday (Day 5), I sat outdoors along a small bubbling river that graces Parador Congas de Onis where I chose, like the brethren who cloistered there, to open my day with meditation, reflection, and prayer. By mid-day, we were at the old City in Oviedo touring historical sites. Just up the road from Oviedo was the port city Gijon, a town about the size of Fort Wayne but possessing a much more attractive waterfront. We spent a lot of time wandering the mile long waterfront way.

On Day Six we traded waterfront and other coastal treasures for historic sites along the route to Santiago. We stopped in small mountain town and visited the walled city in Lugos before heading on to Santiago. I took no pictures in Santiago on Day Seven even though it is the ending site for the Camino de Santiago (more later). I didn't care much for this city.

From Santiago, we headed east through the Galacian countryside on Day Eight. Traveling along two way highways, we ventured up and down and around mountains on paths that would make a James Bond car chase seem tame. At every hairpin curve (and there were many) we looked down gorges that dropped more than a 1000 feet. I’ll confess that my nerves were rattled and my stomach churned some.

Day Eight offered up many quaint villages, historical sites, and a bewildering array of small (very old) churches. When we could speak (without losing our breakfast), Jan and I pulled together some thoughts about our travels thus far, especially those things that we found consistent across the many different terrains. They include:

        1. GRACE: Spanish folks seem to be a gracious lot. We have traveled in Spain without knowing the languages, yet everyone we met tried to be helpful in spite of this arrogance. I cannot with confidence claim that travels in America would result in a comparable level of grace for someone who did not speak the language.
        2. LITTER: Streets, alleys, and sidewalks have been almost completely litter-free. Even though Spain hosts a hearty crop of smokers, you don’t see cigarette butts tossed casually on lawns or at entry ways. While there’s some chance that publicly paid workers attend vigorously to outdoor care, I haven’t noticed people tossing things on the public or private ways with callously similar to that which I see at home. What is it that compels an American cigarette smoker to litter every space they enter? Why don’t people in our country take better care of properties that belong to others? It sure would be nice if we could teach the folks who visit our Magnavox Way and Lynn Street offices to refrain from such piggish behavior.
        3. RELIGION: Spain’s religious roots run deep. Christian witness has been present in various Spanish communities since the first century. With little exception, this witness has been carried by the Roman Catholic church. While its influence has declined in recent years, the Roman Catholic church carried a message to the people in communities both large and small. Spain’s countryside is dotted with ancient church buildings, some of which date back more than 800 years. Within its larger church buildings, an effort has been made to make the biblical story come alive through pictures, sculpture, and other artifacts. We were struck by the vivid depictions of events related to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Though I tried to explain the argument made by my Protestant forebears in favor of bland architecture, I found myself less convinced that the argument had merit. White walls and “modern” styling avoid confronting the average church goer with the fundamental stories and myths associated with our religious faith. I wonder if that’s such a good idea. Maybe our worship experience would be more intense if surrounded by reminders of the lengths to which our predecessors in faith were willing to go.

Day Eight ended in Leon, site of Spain’s third largest cathedral housed within a walled city that dates to the mid first century. We plan to explore it tomorrow before heading off the Burgos. From this point in our journey we will be backwalking (via car) the “Camino de Santiago,” an ancient pilgrimage route that begins just in France near the Spanish border and travels (by foot originally) through the countryside to the city of Santiago. I will try to offer a thought or two about that experience over the next few days.

Meanwhile, to view the pictures for the last few days, check out:

Day Five:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601101288430/

Day Six:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601104489785/

Day Eight:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157601104704057/

Enjoy!