In one of his acts (view here), he jokes about people wasting their time watching fishing. They’re not even fishing, but I guess at least they’re gathering some food to survive! I could relate to this today when I found myself watching the Masters golf tournament. I’m watching golf, I’m not even playing golf!

I’m in transition (like the rest of the world) and fail often when it comes to loving other people, but when I watch golf I’m always very thankful that I don’t enjoy the sport. Not only does it seem pointless to show a small dimpled ball that you can control it, but a good amount of the golfers I know are talented at escaping from community or making other people feel like they’re worthless when they have no choice but to hang out with them. Escapism is nothing short of dulling the pain, almost like getting drunk or doing drugs in an attempt to not have to deal with the challenge of loving others.

That’s what God has me dealing with today as a creative / geek. Me and my computer. Helping a few people along the way, but for the most part trying to show a shiny gadget that I can have my way with it. If I need your help and prayers, it is that this Digital Disciples network continues to flip my soul upside down. That a few years from now I’ll look back and be disgusted with the geek that wasted a good amount of his life, and thanking God for showing me just how much people matter. How does this make you feel?

So, what’s the big deal? Why are people not comfortable with these gurus? Maybe they don’t think they qualify. My opinion would be that none of us deserve to give ourselves titles that beam pride. If others want to think that we do something well, they’re entitled to their opinion. But the critics are allowed as well. It’s a pretty confusing part of life, trying to figure out who to learn from or listen to and whose words need to go in one ear and out the other. It shouldn’t be a shocker that God’s Word has something to say about all of this. I’d suggest you read Philippians 2:3 over and over. The verse sums it up in a few words, when it took me two large paragraphs. Do you agree with the stats from the infographic? For some reason, now I’m thinking it would almost feel like an oxymoron speaking at a GURUS Christian / tech conference, LOL.

I remembered hearing about a “dollar theater” maybe twenty minutes away. Just so happens to turn into a “two dollar theater” on the weekend. The $8 was well worth The Princess and the Frog, holding our 4 year-old on my lap the entire movie so she could see, and learning a big lesson. Like most other adults, I really do believe silence is golden. Loudness usually annoys me, unless I’m at a Skillet, Red, or TFK concert.

But you don’t have a choice when you’re walking into a theater full of dozens of young children. You’ll be lucky to observe an entire minute of the movie without noise. The phrase “oh – to be young again” sometimes really does make lots of sense. What’s with us adults? All up-tight and self-centered. Expecting not to have to deal with the rest of the world when we enter a few hours of leisure after a long week? Blind to the fact that places like theaters are public and not by invitation only, LOL. Another Captain Me Planet lesson I guess! After a few minutes I realized the evening was going to be much more enjoyable if I thanked God for giving me a few hours to spend with my three little princesses.

Apparently God doesn’t stop with these $8 lessons until we get the hint? Have you found one that costs $7? If so, I’m there!

I don’t give God credit for everything. More clearly, I probably don’t give God close to enough credit for what goes on in life. That’s about as blunt as I can be. I glorify and thank Him for the necessities like food, health and weather. Those things that most Christians pray over every time. But what goes on beyond that? What else needs to be pointed back to Him? 1 Corinthians 10:31 is a verse I’ve known for quite a while, but making it stick is seeming to take way too long.

I see God at work every day. Providing new clients who need websites or blogs designed just in the nick of time. Twisting up my schedule just enough to make it chaotic, yet possible. Not knowing when the next payment is going to arrive from a client in another state or country. New friends that enter our lives when we couldn’t have needed them more. Sometimes how He lets go of things is just as amazing. Family members that don’t really offer much love distance themselves before too much verbal or emotional damage is done. Showing us that something we own is taking up too much time, and God makes it almost too simple to get rid of it.

How have you learned to give God credit, and not believe the lie that you made it happen? This Captain Me Planet sure has.

PRAYING that I do a better job at letting our children see just how involved God is in our every move. PRAISING Him for providing and guiding when it seems like we need it most and least.

1 Corinthians 12 speaks to the fact that we are all made uniquely and with our own unique purpose. So why do we try to suggest that other people should use Twitter, blog, design, write, photograph, or do anything else online just like we do? Sure, it’s great that we find tools that help us best manage our time or be most productive with it. But many Christians on the web throw out advice that seems to suggest that everyone should be doing it all the way they are.

If we want to truly be like Christ online we must put the person over the practice. How we interact with them is much more important than which technology we used to do it with. Why would someone want to hang out with you if they had to always meet you at the park or at church to do so? We have an American mentality of them coming to us, rather than us going to them. It really does annoy the heck out of me when I see Christians holding tightly to their megaphones, shouting advice and not just wanting to be heard, but wanting to be copied / duplicated. Let’s put the megaphone down and be in community with others. I’m guessing the less we’re shouting, the more we’ll actually engage! Does this kind of thing annoy you as well?

PRAYING for those of us that practice this without realizing it. PRAISING God for giving us so much freedom. Freedom that always brings us back to needing to hear from Him.

The Captain wanted to spice it up a bit today. He read yesterday’s post about our community of messy people (yes, you included), and wants to take it a step further. Here’s the dialogue I’ve had with him the past few days. He’s a tough guy. Not sure where he gets his energy.

• ME: How are things going in YOUR world Captain?
• CAPT: Apparently, as I’m sure you can tell, I have many new fans. Could life get any better?
• ME: Have you engaged with your fans this week? Do your fans know who you really are, or do they just applaud as you fly in, save the day, and fly out?
• CAPT: Why would I want to engage with them? After I am gone I will have left the world a better place!
• ME: You might be doing great things, even things other haven’t done. Wouldn’t it be great to encourage someone else. Maybe even train them to be able to do what you do. You know, so the world could continue to improve after you are no longer around?
• CAPT: You know, I never thought about it that way. Someone helped me get to where I am. I’m sure I could do the same!
• ME: Well, Captain. I think you and I should take this with us this week. It’s always reliable. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.” Philippians 2:3

What kind of situations put you in a position of being a Captain Me Planet? A few of mine would be posting blogs or message on the web, talking to people about technology when I know they might be be as “proficient”, not stopping what I am doing when someone needs my attention, praying sometimes more about what I might want than what others might need.

PRAYING for you as you consider transplanting the amazing work God has done in your life into the life of another. PRAISING God for giving us such challenging words that last through generations.

Two weeks ago God turned a light on. I didn’t realize I was in the dark. I thought I (Captain Me Planet) was doing just fine. Looking back on where the project was headed now I just have to smile at what God had in store. The details of this project keep clearing up as God allows me to join with others in preparation. Just today I was hanging out with my friend Kary Obebrunner, and God used him to bring up a couple of thoughts that only He could. I look forward to becoming less of a Captain Me Planet and let God’s timing and plan override mine. Have you either stepped into a project too quickly and wished you wouldn’t have? Or have there been moments where you’ve seen things come together in a way only God could have allowed and that was near impossible for yourself?

PRAYING for a high school friend of mine that was in a bad accident this past week. PRAISING God for a wife that always lets Him bring her out of discouraging moments in life.

The people standing directly behind them might be wondering why “Captain Me Planet” thinks the world revolves around him. They’re perfectly fine just bringing on a tiny purse or computer and minding their own business. More importantly, their focus isn’t on themselves.

I’ll admit, there are times when I do a decent job at thinking of others first, but am eager to start blogging a bit about ways I make the world revolve around me. I’ll start off being brutally honest. I’ll sometimes sit at my desk, enjoying some peace and quiet in the evenings. My kids could just be acting like kids, not out to hurt anyone, and I’ll expect them to quiet down. I could have worked a little harder during the day and gotten the work done before they got home. In time for me to enjoy more moments with them. But no, I’m the Captain and prefer that the loudness be contained to my liking no matter what’s going on around me. Wow – better stop there! This won’t be the last Captain Me Planet post, that’s for sure. Any other Captains dealing with things like this?