Have you Heard of this guy?

My Brother Hiram Ring is in in the BIG Time!

I was listening to WXPN today and at aproximately 1:30 eastern time. Hirams new Christmas tune "Just A Single Season" came on. Sandwiched between Snow Patrol and Madeleine Peyroux, in the hour featuring, among others, Tracy Chapman and Barenaked Ladies andAretha Franklin! and WXPN is a college station that is on multiple stations across Pennsilvaina. His song is also Today's pic for Philly Local Download of the Day!

I'm so proud of my little brother!!

check him out.

HEROES CNN Tribute

Last sautuday I was on a plane headed home from a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with family in Boston, and on the losing end of a battle with a cold. I came down with a chest cold and cough I had begun battling on the trip out from Denver. All holiday weekend I valiantly consumed numerous cough drops and vitamin C to beat back the cold only to feel it linger, and with all the holiday chatter, I lost my voice.

The time spent with family was amazing. To see almost everyone together was a BIG blessing, (we get to see most family members only once every year or so as we live scattered around the country). The heavenly aroma of turkey in the oven, music and the mingle of family voices as we all caught up on the latest news from each other and reminisced of times past... what a fantastic time together.

Since I couldn't talk on the flight home I decided to put on my headphones and watch a little TV on the seat back in front of me. (Jet Blue does a great job with it's in-flight entertainment combo of direct TV and satellite radio)

I was flipping around the channels and came across CNN's Heroes Tribute show.

The show honors everyday people who are changing the world one person at a time. The things these people are doing is AMAZING! With the vision and drive to make a real difference, they are making a lasting impact on the lives of others and finding profound meaning and fulfillment in service to others.

As I watched the stories of creativity and passionate service I have been touched and I've begun to think of what I can do.

And

I wonder what you can do. I challenge you to take a few minutes to click on the CNN Heroes show. Read and watch the clips and Let it inspire you. Like my friend Michael Port says "THINK BIG" about your role in making this world a better place.

Thinking Big often starts by doing something small.

There is a HERO in all of us waiting to be set free!

Heaven: Am I looking forward to it?

At church today the message was on the topic of heaven and it got me thinking... If my life is a prequel to a life lived in heaven, what can I expect and what do I think heaven will be like?

Am I looking forward to it?

I've heard people tell me that it's a place where it's all sterilized and light, clouds and cherubs with wings and harps. That heaven is a state of mind or that it is one big church service for all eternity.

Is a heaven as described above a cause for celebration? or a motivation to live a life with purpose and passion for what lies after death?

If I read my Bible right it seems that all those descriptions fall woefully short and are drastically off the mark.

I read of heaven as a PARADISE! A place where family members are re-united, and our bodies eat food and fruit from the trees of life. A Paradise we lost when mankind was banished from the garden of Eden. It is Eden regained with its lush vegetation, rivers, trees and animals. where we dwell in a city and a place where relationships are formed, where we can remember and share the stories of our lives from this earth. Where we have occupations and jobs and rewards. A place were pain and sorrow cease. A place where our Creator lives with us and sustains all life...

All this is heady stuff.

I was wondering...my life here is filled with sorrow and grief and struggle. It is the journey through these "problems", "difficulties" or"opportunities" that bring meaning and growth, it is what makes life an adventure.

Since I've never known life without the heartache of defeat and the glory of victory (in this life we cannot understand or have one without the other), I can not begin to describe what life would be like without either experience.

Yet, it seems in Paradise tears are wiped away & sorrows shall cease. To my mind that is unfathomable.

I do believe, in faith, that all the struggles I experience in this life pale in comparison so the quality of life in Paradise. It seems it has always been our Creators plan to return us to the Garden of Eden where life was first breathed into mankind.

For those who say that Heaven or Paradise is just a fantasy... you might as well live it up now and take your chances. Get what you can and die with the most toys. You still can't take them with you.

I believe we were created for something more.

Why serve others if it doesn't mean anything in the big scheme of things? is the reward only in the doing? or do the actions of our lives build something of value beyond the grave?

The Bible says to store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust and thieves can't rob it. It seems our Creator brought us to life with good works prepared in advance for us to do. A purpose for lives that live beyond our these temporary earthly bodies.

It sounds to me like my life here is training for Paradise. A full life here is just the beginning of a fuller life there. So what will my existence be filled with there? I'm not completely sure, but I am certain that I will know my Creator even as I am fully known now by my Creator. -that alone is life more abundant and greater than my capacity for life here and now.

We were made for HEAVEN for PARADISE.

YES, I am looking forward to it!

Trick-or-Treat: Halloween a TCK Holiday

Today Halloween is observed with candy exchange all across the USA. People dress-up in ghoulish costumes and other outfits of fancy. It makes me wonder why. As a TCK, I find myself looking in on this tradition from the outside the culture. Growing up in Ghana we didn't celebrate Halloween.

I've done a little research into Halloween and it seems the tradition has it's roots in the Celtic past. History.com has quite an interesting piece on how we in the States have come to observe his day.
http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/viewPage?pageId=713

Halloween is a mix of traditions built upon one another. (Celtic mysticism, Roman paganism, & Christian traditions.) Different cultures have shaped its practice and meaning.

Halloween and how it as evolved is a great metaphor for what makes a TCK a TCK .

So... will you Trick-or-Treat this Halloween?

Connecting Bridge a social network for TCKs

I've been thinking a lot about the value of living a connected life. being on a journey alone has its own benifits but I beleive we were made to be connected with others to share life ( our joys nd sorrows) with others along our journey or those whose loves interesect with ours.

So I've decided to start a social network for Third Culture Kids. (TCKs) of which I am one. Feel free to join if you spent a significant part of your childhood in one or more cultures that are different from your parents cuture.

The topics we will share and discuss there relate primarily a shared exprience of life spent living multi-culturally.

there are two avenues of Conneting Bridge they are

the connectingbridge blog

the connectingbridge social network

please feel free to join or follow either or both!

What have I done?

What have I done??? This question can be answered allot of different ways or taken in allot of different directions. It all depends on where you place the emphasis. for example:

WHAT have I done?

What HAVE I done?

What have "I" done?

What have I DONE!

Each have a different meaning depending on the emphasis and tone. The context in which the statement is uttered also has a significant impact on the meaning. Change the word "I" to "you" and a whole new complex set of meanings arise.

Communicating accurately and effectively is an intricate business. In the heat of passion or stress it is easy to miss communicate with the ones most dear to us and it's easy to miss read signals by those trying to communicate with us.

I tend to speak before I think and that tends to get me into trouble. I am working on thinking before I speak so that what I say will be clearly understood by those listening.

What do you think?
I challenge you to give your communication style a second thought!

SUCCESS: Where do you get it? What does it look like?

SUCCESS. What do you think of when you see or hear that word? Say it to yourself and take note of your reaction. What feelings and emotions does sit stir up? Intuitively we know what success means to us but it is not always easy to define. We tend to get our definitions of success by look at other people and measure ourselves against them . Yet if we really were honest with ourselves we might find that having another persons life, or wealth or job would be not really be our true definition of success.

I've come to the conclusion that to be successful in my life I've got to start with defining success for me and no one else. I alone can live my life, no one can live it for me. Its the same for you.
Doing the inside work of pealing off my desire to fit, to be liked, to please others is where I'm at. It's the hard work of really examining what my core values are.

Core values... two words that we hear allot these days. I believe core values describes and relates to the essence of who I am in personality and character. Working from a clear understanding of who I am this is a good place to start when it comes to defining and reaching for SUCCESS. I've found that most of my beliefs about success have been built on other peoples values and not on my own and I haven't really own them so they haven't worked for me. Rebuilding a picture of success based on my my own strengths and talents is the real challenge. It takes courage to look inside and aknowlege that the changes need to be made, make the changes and head in a new direction.

I'll let you know my new picture of what success is when I cleared the the space inside me of all the "should" I've heard from others. Time to pitch the crap and live from who I've been born to be.

What about you what's your view of success? Are you living from the essence of who you are -your core values?

Learning new things & picking up old dreams

Back in 2005 I thought about starting a blog for Third Culture Kids and I've decided to have a go at it. You can check it out out at Connecting Bridge. Let me know if you find it helpful and give me suggestions of what kind of resources you would love to see on there. Check the links there for other more established TCK sites. In the near future I'll have my podcast up there. Tell me what issues you would love to hear about.

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Collaborating with Michael Port

Today I got the news that I won Michael Port's contest to come up with the subtitle for his new book!

Here is what the new book cover looks like!

(due in May '09)

"Think you can't change the world? Think again." is what I submitted. Michael changed "the world" to "your life."

Here is an excerpt of the note I got back from Michael after winning:

"Thank you so much for the HUGE value you added to this project.

You really helped pull the title together.

The book will be released in May. Thanks again Isaac.

You did a great thing." mp

I first heard of Michael Port last summer when I picked up the audio version of his book, "Book Yourself Solid." (I've listened to it repeatedly and it's still a selection on my iPOD.) While listening to Michael talk about his "velvet rope policy" for working with ideal clients, and providing value by going the extra mile, I became energized and started seriously considering starting my own consulting business to help business owners maximize their promotional efforts. I got the needed encouragement through his book to venture out.

Little did I know then ... that I would provide Michael Port with the subtitle for his new book!

Isn't it interesting how life gives us a glimpse of the life of our dreams when we dare to ACT on our dreams?

You see, while being inspired, I've still had doubts. This last year I had gone back to my old "reality" that says "got to get a hourly job doing something I don't like, working for someone I don't care about."

I just couldn't accept going back to my "old" way of thinking. It was a struggle.

When Michael announced on Facebook that he was offering to pay $1000 to the person that helped come up with the subtitle for his upcoming book, "The Think Big Manifesto," I saw a chance to give back to Michael, and to leave my old thinking behind.

Brainstorming subtitle ideas put me back into action mode. It gave me a clearer picture of my purpose. I was working in my strengths and I was energized. I started to believe again in the creative part of me that I've denied for most of my life. The part that desires to help make the lives of others better, fuller and richer.

It was a real joy to submit my ideas and bring value to the message Michael is sharing. Enriching Michael Port's life and the lives of others with my ideas is doing something that I'm here on this earth for and I couldn't be happier.

Winning the contest is just the icing on the cake! :)

If you are like me and are interested in changing your life, start THINKING and dreaming BIG!

If you are stuck and needing some inspiration, feel free to contact me.

For more info Michael Port is you can go to his website http://www.michaelport.com/ or click on the title of this post. You can also find us both on Facebook.

A Day of Rememberance

It was twelve and seven years ago today that my world was altered. A brother and an uncle moved on to life beyond this mortal coil. The space they left will always ache until we are reunited. I've spent some time reflecting on their lives and the words I wrote last year on this date to commemorate them still hold true.

Last year I wrote:

Today, September 11th marks the departure from this world of two of my favorite people. My brother Thaddeus and my uncle Jonathan, two great souls who lived life with passion and hearts open to God. I shall never forget the friendship we shared. My memories are a mix of joy and sorrow. and I marvel at the depth to which I've been touched from having known them. Time, and the years that have passed since their departing has faded some memories and magnified other memories (the jolly and the not so jolly are affected) . If you had the good fortune to know either of them you know of which I speak for you have some memories of them too. My brother Thaddeus died on September 11 , 1996. My uncle Jonathan died on September 11, 2001

Reflections on the Prodigal Son

Have you ever looked at the story of the the prodigal son - beyond the typical Sunday School version? Today I got a new glimpse into its significant meaning.

Jesus is talking about my Creator's love for me. He is describing how God longs for relationship and goes beyond what I expect.

In the parable, the father's love forgives and restores without reservation. Do you think he would not have accepted his son if his son had not repented? I don't see that in the text. I read that "while the son was still a long way off the father, [motivated by a compassionate heart] ran to meet his son, hugged and kissed him." All this was done before the son could open his mouth to say anything ... anything.

Do I really believe the creator of my body and soul loves me like that? I would like to say so, but honestly, I'm not sure. You see, it seems so unconditional and irrational. The son squandered everything and made a total mess. Yet his father cleaned and dressed him up, put a ring on his finger, shoes on his feet, and threw a huge party for him, restoring him completely.

Love like that sounds good, but how many of us have experienced it? How many times were you and I told that we needed to shape up to get something as a kid? Or taught by teachers and bosses to seek acceptance through our performances?

Are we still striving for acceptance and approval? Doesn't life teach us that works = worth or that performance = value?

Jesus was saying something totally different. Rereading this Parable of Jesus (found in Luke 15:11-24) has rocked my world and challenged my belief to it's core.

Take another look. Read it for yourself. Let it rock your world.

Getting up early for The Nielson Challenge

I rolled out of bed early this morning - on a Saturday! - to head downtown to participate in The Nielson Challenge.  It's a two-mile course sponsored monthly by our local running club, Pikes Peak Road Runners, that is free to the public. The race was established to promote running and help novice runners like me improve our times.  

My wife has really caught the running bug over the summer and has got me running as well ... however, I must confess that my competitive side is what got me up this morning! I couldn't let my wife go and not know how my time compares to hers. So out of bed early it was.

We reached the park at 7:15 a.m. and checked in. We got our numbers and went back up to the car to keep warm and wait for the start which was at 8 a.m. It was quite chilly this morning. At ten minutes to eight, we jogged over to the start and did a few stretches with the other people running around and warming up; a good crowd of runners were milling about. I'd say that there were probably fifty or sixty on hand for the start.

The organizers gave us instructions regarding the course and at ten past eight the "gun" was sounded. Being the cocky novice, of course, I was at the front and took off with the leaders. I was swept up with the thrill of the moment. Here I was in my first official race! It didn't matter that it had been over two weeks since my last jog around the neighborhood. For the first sixty seconds I was feeling pretty good ... then I began to suck air. People began to pass me; first a little kid, then some women. I decided that I needed to cut back on my pace (despite my pride) and start breathing through my nose if I was going to make it.

Two minutes into the race my calves started to tighten up, and just when I thought about slowing even further I saw the first couple of runners passing me going the other way! This meant that the turnaround (1/2 mile) must be close ... I just had to make it there. I reached the marker and as I turned, a couple of bystanders encouraged my efforts. I started to believe. Plus, there was this young teenager in front of me in a red jumpsuit that I couldn't let out of my reach, which meant I had to keep up the pace. The next half-mile I continued to struggle but eventually found a rhythm in my breathing. One mile done!

Then the course headed into a shady area and a breeze picked up. I got a little chilled. Thinking about the cold made my mind start to wander and my breathing and rhythm got off track. The kid ahead of me began to pull away. As I tried to keep up, a pain shot into in my ribcage. I had a stitch. I wasn't getting enough oxygen to my lungs. I let the boy go and determined to keep my arms and legs pumping. I was not going to walk! At one and a half miles a few more women passed me. It was OK. All I could think about was finishing. Soon my breathing returned to normal and I began to feel better. I envisioned the finish and before I knew it I could see the clock. Racing toward it, a feeling of exhilaration coursed through me as I crossed the finish line. I had done it! 

I felt really good. Yes, it was worth getting up early. I stuck around to find out my time. I'd finished in 17:08. My personal best, averaging 8:34 a mile! My wife was about a minute behind me.

Now I think I really have caught the running bug ... I'm going to have to do better next month when the Nielson Challenge comes around again!

Replacing Lost Things

After turning my things upside down looking for my lost ID the last couple of days, I decided to bite the bullet and make a trip to the local Department Of Revenue to get it replaced.

I walked in the DOR and 4 & 1/2 hours later walked back out with a piece of paper that assures me that for my time and money ($14.00), I will receive by mail, the official laminated card with my picture on it within the next 30 days! I must admit that I did get to pass the time multi-tasking, I read a great sales book, studied and took the written test to remove the air-brake restriction from my current license. I did find out that I'll have to take another general written driving test and a behind the wheel driving test if I want to add the passed air break test to my current license. so it looks like the DOR will be getting more moolah if I get a job that requires a passed air brake test as a driving condition!!

By the way I still find myself looking in vain for my lost ID in places that are illogical, go figure!

Searching for what is Lost

Have you ever lost something that is extremely important or dear to your heart? What do you do about it? How do you go about finding it?

I recently lost or miss-placed my drivers license, I think it's kind of crucial to getting around. So what have I done?

1) I thought back to the last place I remember having it and retraced my steps.

2) looked in all the logical places as I retraced my steps.

3)As my anxiety grew I began to look in illogical places that I knew it could not be but was hoping by some miracle it would be.

4) I left no corner unreached.

My actions got me thinking. My mind and actions become illogical at times of high stress and anxiety, my emotions get the better of me and the the dersire to find what was lost drives me to extremes. I begin looking vainly in places that don't make sense. Some times I look in illogical places first and then in the logical ones. Why is this?

Emotion once riled up creates impulsive and at times irrational actions. i.e. the ID could not be in pants that havn't been worn in months, or in a jacket that I havn't worn since before I lost the ID. yet that is where I looked and searched. The result was waisted time and effort.

The frantic nature of my search as subusided because I've got some new information. It has changed the nature of my search and almost brought it to an end.

The drive to find the ID is still there but once I found out that I can get a replacement for a nominal fee at the DMV my axiety has been replaced with peace.

With my new peace of mind I can see that I have acted rashly and illogically at times in my search for the ID. And it makes me wonder how I have gone about other quests for things in my life.

Am I living my life from a place of anxiety and fear or am I living from a place of deep seated peace? I must comfess that it seems most of the time I have lived out of the former and found myself acting and pursuing things that are illogical and empty, fools gold. Yet the times when I am living from a place of peace, my steps are ordered and clarity moves me in the direction of my dreams.

So what have I learned? when I find myself being axious I need to :

1) take the time to catch my breath and return to peace.

2) then and only then resume or

3) redirect my efforts based on that peace.

Now it's time for me to practice this! I hope you will to!

Facing Fears and Goldfish.

Ever been told you were not good enough, that you were a second choice because the first choice that was really wanted was not available? how did it affect you? as a 9 year old in the midst transition, trying to fit in, fresh off the boat from Africa this experience had a profound affect on my view of myself. 24 years later I'm still thinking about it and self diagnosing it.

I've been told to get over my past that it is keeping me from living fully in the present. I know that to be true but believing that I'm better than second place and second class is easier said than done.

It's a belief that I've allowed to take root in me.

I've gotten comfortable and familiar with the way I see myself. My fears are predictable and provide the boundaries to my comfort zone, keeping me from exploring new horizons and successes. I've become like the goldfish who is out of his small bowl and in a bathtub but doesn't venture beyond the space of the fishbowl even though the glass is no longer there.

Time to reexamine if I'm still that little 9 yr old who believed that lie from a grown-up.

OK I just checked...no I'm not. So what do I do with it now? Time to let go of feeling and seeing myself as only good enough for second place in life.

The fear is a fear of letting it go because now I'll have to act like it's not true and I've never done that before.

It is one step out of the comfort zone... I'll let you know how it goes changing my belief and life! I am capable of being nunber 1 and I want that for ME!!

Time has and does not stand still

WOW! it's obvious that I haven't spent time jotting my thoughts on here as I thought I would...while I haven't been sharing my journey I've still been living my life and I think it's time to bring this space up to date.

Last time I wrote we had recently arrived here and everything was in a state of flux, now a half a year later, with a couple of months of winter weather left,(we seem to be adjusting to the cold just fine!), I can say with certainty that the decision to move out to the foot of the rocky mountains was one of the best decisions we (my wife and I) have made to date! and
God has been gracious and we feel blessed to be where we are. Our relationship with one another is deeper and fuller and more in line with each other.

Considering that we left "everything" ; friends, family, jobs and "stability" behind in the move from CA, we are rejoicing to have a great apartment with sweeping views of the mountains, my wife has a thriving private piano studio and I have been working at a job that has helped me get physically in the best shape I've been in in years!

All of the above blessings came together just at the right time within the same week, (the apartment became available to us, my job and my wife getting the leads for her students)! It was so miraculous! Thanks be to God!

I am also at a place in my life where I am realizing that I am refreshed and willing to start to share with and willing to serve others.

I have recently started to believe that the experiences of my life have prepared me to pursue a career as a public speaker. As someone who brings value to others surrounded by the pressures and challenges of cross cultural living and working, especially those in the midst of the cultural transition process.

So I think I've found my passion in life!
... now it's time to pursue it! Thanks for being on this journey with me!