Category: Communication

Activism, Bible, Choices, Christianity, Communication, Community, Culture, Emotional Health, Faith, Grace, Gratitude, Health, Hope, Jesus, Love, Monday Mornings, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Practice, Prayer, Red Letter Christians, Social Justice

Feeling Revived!

gregoryjoel

Thoughts From the Porch: It’s beautiful Fall morning on the porch.I had an incredible weekend at the Red Letter Revival in Dallas. I couldn’t goFriday, but I was able to attend Saturday. What a Sabbath! The workshops wereamazing. The worship service Saturday night was what I always imagined ‘church’to be. The presence of God’s spirit was overwhelming! A huge thank you toeveryone who worked so hard to make the weekend possible.

The weekend fulfilled the promise of its name – revival. I feel revived, refreshed, and renewed. Going into this weekend I found myself tired and worn down – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The months since my hospital stay have been arduous, especially financially. Work, paying work, has been slow. Financial fear and frustration creep in despite my faith.

Most of my energies have been focused on Opal’s Farm. Compensation won’t start until later next year, but the initial footwork still must be done. Doing the “next right thing” can be scary at times. The only reason I mention this is because this weekend I received a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

I attended a workshop led by Rev. Edwin Robinson on “Undoing the Theology of Racism”. He started the workshop by singing and talking about ‘wading in the water’. He drew an analogy with Moses’ parting of the Red Sea as recorded in the Book of Exodus.

You see, Jews understand the event differently than most Christians. Moses didn’t simply put his foot in the water and the sea parted. He waded all the way in. It wasn’t until the water was up to his neck that the water began to part. Salvation from the pursuing Egyptians and the sea in front of them came when the water almost covered them, when they couldn’t see it coming.

That’s stuck with me all weekend. I’ve been feeling like the water’s up to my neck lately, the future unsure. That’s the feeling anyway. But that’s not the reality. Let me explain…

If I look back on my journey to this point in life, I can see that, God has always ‘parted the waters’ for me. Not just on occasion, but every time. Unfortunately, while I see clearly looking backwards, I’m flying blind while looking forward. Maybe that’s why they call it faith…

This weekend renewed my faith. Financially, there’s more month than money right now. Physically, I feel refreshed and ready to greet the day. Mentally, I’m still fearful but somehow less stressed. Most importantly, I feel revived spiritually. I’ve struggled with the whole idea of ‘church’.  I take the words of the Rabbi literally. Sometimes I think I’m one of the few when I see what others do in Jesus’ name.

I believe that Jesus “meant what He said”. I believe that following His instruction can help me become the man Idream of being: of loving God and loving others with all my heart, mind, and spirit. I believe that He really did bring good news of the Kingdom of God and I want to share it.

My heart and my spirit tell me that Opal’s Farm is a tangible way for me to share that good news. Not by words, but by example. Jesus feed the hungry, why shouldn’t I? The Apostle James said that “faith without works is dead”. In other words, walk the walk. If you believe it, act like it.

Finally, this weekend reminded me that I’m not alone. There’s a multitude of wonderful people of faith, Kingdom people who seek God’s will “on Earth as it is in Heaven”. I really needed that reminder.

So, thank you Red Letter Christians for putting together a great weekend. To learn more about the Red Letter Movement, visit www.redletterchristians.org . Colorful

Beatitudes, Bible, Christianity, Communication, Politics, Prayer, Relationships, Writing

Red Letter Revival – Dallas

gregoryjoel

I’d love to take time to write a post this morning, but I’m on my way to Dallas this morning. It takes a pretty momentous event to motivate me to drive in Dallas traffic…

But such an event is happening today! The Red Letter Revival has come to Dallas. Some of you may be familiar with the first event held in Lynchburg, Virginia outside the halls of Liberty University. Faith leaders have gathered to reclaim our faith: faith that’s been often co-opted by those calling themselves evangelicals but seeking political clout over following Jesus. 

The words printed in red, the words and teachings attributed to the Rabbi himself, are often overlooked in favor of political power and false teaching. I’m looking forward to spending a day among people who strive to live a life according to the words in red.

I never though I’d see this in print but – I hope to see you in Dallas

St. Luke’s “Community” United Methodist Church, 5710 East R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas, TX 75223

Branding, Business, Communication, Conversational Copywriting, Freelancing, Listening, Marketing, Preparation

Warnings and Bad Copy…

gregoryjoel

Thoughts From the Porch: Several years ago, when I could stay awake past the ten o’clock news, I used to watch Jay Leno on the Tonight Show. He had a segment of the show where he read ads and articles that probably weren’t edited well. They tended to have a far different meaning in print than the creator originally intended and generated a ton of laughs. I often wondered whether the resulting faux pas’ were poorly edited copy or intentional little pranks by bored writers.

I stopped by our local QuickTrip gas station to fill up my truck yesterday. I noticed the advertising sign above the pump touting their breakfast pizzas and burritos above the pump. Nothing special really – that is until I read the small warning print…

ALWAYS READ THE SMALL PRINT!

I’m not sure what ‘rooster peckers’ are or why they feel a need to warn me about them. I am sure that I won’t be buying any breakfast food at QuickTrip anytime soon. Above all, I’ll be more attentive to reading food labels. ‘Rooster peckers’ in my food is, well, disturbing…

I filled the tank and went on my way. Unfortunately, I’ve been obsessing on ‘rooster peckers’ ever since. I’m not entirely sure this is the kind of brand recognition the marketing department wanted to create. What is a ‘rooster pecker’ anyway?

I decided to research this matter further. Was this a required FDA warning? Why the ‘pecker’ wording? It’d make more sense if it said rooster beaks. That would create a whole other round of questioning. You know, why only rooster beaks and not hen beaks? Does someone determine the sex before they ship the eggs out?

I googled ‘rooster peckers’. I googled the warning. All I learned is that roosters do not have ‘peckers’. I’ll let you think about that…

I’ve been trying to determine how this warning came about. I don’t know anyone with ‘rooster pecker’ allergies. Once ‘rooster peckers’ are in my food I’m unclear as to the damage they could cause. To be honest, I’d be okay if I wasn’t aware of their presence. Now, I’ve seen some strange warning labels, mind you. I’m sure extremely bored bureaucrats have come up with a few just to inject humor into an otherwise, ugly business. I’m beginning to wonder if some QTmarketing employee decided to have a little fun with their work as well. I’m not so sure management would find it humorous.

I left QT with a good laugh, absolutely no appetite, and a keener eye for detail in my writing. Humor is a great tool, but it must be used wisely.

Acceptance, Business, Christianity, Communication, Conversational Copywriting, Culture, Faith, Freelancing, Introverts, Jesus, Listening, Marketing, Patience, Persistence, Stories, Storytelling, Telemarketing, Thoughts From the Porch, Uncategorized, Work, Writing

Telemarketers, Plumbers, and Nazis

gregoryjoel

Thoughts From the Porch: I have a great deal of respect for people who perform dirty jobs. Last month our plumbing backed up. It was a simple fix. The back-flow valve and broken and stopped up the drain. The difficult part of the solution involved the raw sewage that needed to be drained to fix the valve. I can stomach a lot of things, but raw sewage isn’t one of them. Fortunately, we had a plumber friend who helped fixed it in no time. I have no complaints about their hourly rate. Plumbers are paid well for a reason: dealing with ugly, and disturbingly aromatic drainage issue.

business close up energy equipment
Photo by Digital Buggu on Pexels.com

I truly respect people who perform jobs they’d rather not have to do. My friend told me that he’d rather be doing something else, but plumbing had provided a good living for he and his daughter. I know how he feels. I’ve worked jobs I didn’t like because I need to keep a roof over my family’s head and provide food on the table. A lot of people do. Willingness to do what it takes is an admirable trait.

My dad used to tell me that it didn’t matter what I did for a living. Work hard. Try to be the best at whatever job I had. Wise words from a man who grew up during the Great Depression. He understood the value and importance of work. All work was honorable, and one should be grateful to have it. He also grew up prior to the age of telemarketing…

As phone technology advanced from party lines to individual land lines, the telephone became a great marketing tool for business. Telemarketers scheduled their calls around when people would be at home, so they usually called during family dinners (and yes, there was a time when the whole family sat down to dinner…) or when one was in the middle of something. Telemarketers developed a unique knack for interrupting and being a general pain in the you-know-what.

Now that we have cellphones, they can be annoying anytime. One company representing USA Auto Care and some savings club, calls my cellphone at least six times a day. I’ve even counted ten calls from the same company! I’ve tried to block their calls, but they are able to call from different numbers each time. So, I answer the phone, hear the same mispronunciation of my name, and the beginning of the same annoying script. I try to refrain from questioning the caller’s maternal lineage, but I’m not always successful.

In fact, they called again this morning during my ‘porch’ time. I‘ve begun plotting some form of revenge. I’m convinced that even Jesus would have a hard time loving a telemarketer. I told my wife I should get an airhorn to sound of in response to the telemarketers. Her reply was “they are just doing their job”. Isn’t that the same defense used by the Nazis at the Nuremberg trials…

As a freelance writer and a business owner, I know that cold calling is a necessary evil. Telemarketing companies wouldn’t exist if it didn’t turn a profit. Someone out there is staying on the line, right? It’s a numbers game.

I know to that I offer a service and a solution to my client’s problems. I only hope that I’m more sensitive to my prospect’s needs when I cold call.

I’ve gotten it together a bit more since this morning. I’m not getting an airhorn. I wouldn’t like it if someone did that to me. Telemarketers don’t compare to Hitler’s SS, even if they are “just doing their job”. They’ll call again. That’s just what they do. I’ll reply with a firm, “not interested, thank you” and hang up.  

Autumn, Business, Communication, Conversational Copywriting, Culture, Fall, Generations, Marketing, Relationships, Seasons, Service to Others, Stories, Storytelling, Television, Thoughts From the Porch, Uncategorized, What Can I Do, Work, Writing

Telling a Better Story

gregoryjoel

It’s another Monday morning here in North Texas. Thanks to Daylight Savings Time, I was up well before sunrise. That may not be the case when we fall back an hour next weekend. I love the sounds of the world awakening around me. They are more pronounced on Mondays. The quiet of weekends replaced by the stirrings of a busy world slowly going about its business.

antique birch classic daylight
Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. on Pexels.com

I’m not a big television watcher. Occasionally it’s nice to curl up in bed, relax with my wife, and watch old TV shows on the cable. Sunday nights we watch reruns of the old Johnny Cash show. It was pretty edgy for the time, and in a way, for the place it was recorded as well.

The show originally ran from June 7, 1969 to March 31, 1971 on ABC, and was recorded at the Ryman Auditorium. Guests included rock, pop, and folk artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell and The Monkees, a bit surprising coming from the home of country music, the Grand Old Opry. I guess only Johnny Cash could have pulled off such a guest list there.

The “Man in Black” was the consummate storyteller. He related the changing world of Vietnam Era America in a way that few could. I appreciate it even more now that I’m older. His stories take on new meaning.

Storytelling, especially folk tales, seems on the brink of becoming a lost art. Looking back just isn’t as popular as running forward. Sometimes it’s nice to take a breather. Hearing those old stories is a reminder that “no matter how much things change, the more they remain the same”. My kids may not relate to his tales of towns left behind because of a new interstate highway being built, but if you change the words they still apply. Today it’s the town left behind by jobs being outsourced overseas and young people stranded in a sea of student debt…

When I returned to writing copy and content, I chose conversational writing and storytelling as my ‘market niche’. Not only is it important professionally, it’s important personally. Everyone has a story to tell and together we can write a better one. Helping tell, and live, a better story is what we were all created for…

Stories remind me of how connected I am: to the past, present, and future. They are a constant reminder that I’m part of something bigger than me. My story is a part of your story, and vice-versa. Together we can write a better story.

How can I help?