Author Archive
A Whole New Mind
I just finished reading a phenomenal book entitled “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink. In the book, Pink discusses how, over the last 20 – 40 years or so, we have been slowly moving from a left brained society, into a right brain society, and how those with “right brain” thinking will be the powerful thought leaders of the next 100 years. I will be writing more on this subject, because I think that the church in America is far more “left brain” than it may understand, and certainly more than it ought to be. But for now, here is the letter I sent back to the author. I think it will unveil a little more about me as well. To preface this, Pink talks about the six attributes of a right brain thinker: Design, Story, Symphony (the ability to see the big picture across many domains), Empathy, Play and Meaning. Hopefully many of you possess similar qualities. I highly recommend this book, and would love to dialog with you if you choose to read it. Here’s the Letter:
” I just finished reading A Whole New Mind, and like Godin’s Tribes or Ferriss’ 4 Hour Work Week, I began recommending this book to others long before I finished it. I found it fascinating on many levels, specifically because I find myself so in tune to the these six areas, and for the first time, this book was more affirmation than inspiration (although I was highly inspired by book!). Here’s a synthesized version of my story.
- I am a graphic designer and have run design agencies for the past 25 years. (current agency is http://www.purefusionmedia.com) – DESIGN, PLAY
- I spent a year on hiatus and wrote screenplays during that year (Story by McKee was my biggest influence). – STORY
- I am known in various circles as the “Word Picture” guy, able to take complex ideas and situations and synthesize them into easy to understand pictures or stories. – SYMPHONY and MEANING
- I created an online organization/tshirt line called “Live Intentionally” strictly for the purpose of helping people understand each other stories, empathize with each other, and inspire one another. I’ve included a shirt design here (don’t worry, I folded the company so I’m not looking for endorsements or sales). – DESIGN, EMPATHY and MEANING
- I have been told I can see the “big picture” in a variety of arenas including culture, technology, faith and neuroscience, and have spoken at conferences, churches and schools to that end. – SYMPHONY and MEANING
- I am in the process of building an online community that, using a myriad of assessment tools, helps individuals (especially the unemployed) uncover their (sometimes latent) talents, leadership skills, personality traits and spiritual giftings, turning them into one collective two page narrative used to determine future employment and life visions and present a potential employer with a crystal clear picture of the possible candidate before even the first interview. – SYMPHONY, MEANING, STORY
- I just finished a book unveiling how, through the power of modern day parables (such as the phenomenon of the DVD director’s commentary or the plot line of Invasion of the Body Snatcher type films), the Christian faith not only resonates with all areas of reality (especially neuroscience and law), but also unveils the holistic intent and resistance for and against humanity. My goal for the book is to help this very L-Directed Christian body to stop thinking religiously (and predominantly morally) and start thinking empathetically, holistically and (most importantly) strategically. – SYMPHONY, STORY, DESIGN, MEANING and EMPATHY
None of this is to brag, but hopefully to encourage that books like this will inspire those like me, providing us a hook on which to hang our R-directed motivations and passions. With every page I turned, I found myself saying “yes! yes!” excited that you had put into words (words both well written and well researched) these many R-Directed visions I’ve carried for years.
Hopefully you will be receiving similar email responses from those to whom I have recommend this book. I strive to surround myself with and to search out what I call “Men and Women of Understanding;” those that are R-Directed, spiritually rich and strategically minded. I believe that, like me, they will burn through many a highlighter as they read and notate in your book.
I wish you nothing but the best, and would love to continue further dialog as your time permits.
Live inspired,
David Litwin “
(You can also visit his site at www.danpink.com)
Wonder and Worship.
Taken from a chapter of Parables & Parallels.
Ponder:
Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices.
(Ex. 23:24a, NIV)
Here’s a typical translation of the scripture above: “God doesn’t want you to worship anything besides Himself for He is a jealous God who hates all the other false gods that are out there, so don’t serve anything but Him.” It may evoke reverence to some, but it leaves others confused and dejected. It appears to put people in their microscopic place: God is big, and you are not, so serve Him. Consider the following quote from renowned atheist Richard Dawkins:
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak… megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” (condensed for emphasis)
But look at what really is being said in the scripture above: “Do not bow down.” In the days this text was written, you bowed before kings, before people of authority. Or more succinctly, you bowed before people of more importance than you. And this type of bow was the ultimate form of submission: to lay prostrate before another person or deity. To say, “I am not worthy to even be in your presence, so I shall bow before you.” I suck, but you are worthy.
So what is God really saying in this scripture? Is he forcing some control-freak nature on humanity as Dawkins posited? Or, if we understand “bowing,” is he saying something like this?
“Do not consider a single thing in this universe of more importance and of more value THAN YOU… other than Me.”
What does that do to your personal worth? To your significance as a human being? You are of such ultimate value and richness that you are not to consider yourself less than any other thing in the universe – but God. The One who created the cosmos, the beauty of Yosemite, the force behind the waves on the North Shore of Oahu. And all of that creation pales in comparison to your inherent value. Now that’s liberating. You matter! You’re of immense worth! So much so that the only thing of more worth is God himself. We spend years attempting to motivate ourselves to some semblance of significance and here God is saying you can’t even begin to conceive how valuable you are. You, Christian or not, diehard atheist or agnostic, it doesn’t matter.
Now, consider the following quote in this light:
“It is not as in the Bible, that God created man in his own image. But, on the contrary, man created God in his own image.” (Ludwig Feuerbach)
How pathetic. Not in terms of this man or his quote, but in terms of your significance and worth. If there is no God, if you are just “lucky mud,” an accidental blip in this cosmic comedy, then you have such limited value. If we can’t think up anything bigger than ourselves, then how can we see ourselves as more majestic then the really beautiful things that surround us? No wonder the world is racked with nihilism and despair.
If you see God as a demagogic ruler, then the natural inclination is often to fight that authority. But if you can see just how valuable you really are, then you can begin to revere your self and your Creator in a new light. God sees us as the most valuable entity in the universe other than Him; it is time to for us to get up from whatever we have bowed down to and start to recognize and act on that powerful revelation. And then we not only worship out of recognition of His value to us, but also out of our immense value to Him.
Live Inspired.
David Litwin
hello
hello monday, january 14, 2013
hello coffee in my new mug from my dear friend, Val.
hello grey days. i just don’t love winter. { #imjustasummerkindagirl }
hello green smoothies. sooo good.
hello goodwill donation center ~ i have a truck load for you. { less is more in 2013 }
hello “walk&talk” with my friend Cyndi. great way to exercise and connect … together! { she’s in Naples, FL and im in Franklin, TN }
hello sinus pressure. i’m really over you. please go away!
hello #projectlife. hello week 3. loving this project.
hello to do list ~ never feel like i get enough done!
hello monday. hello happy day. hello new week. hello fresh start. hello daily grace.
{{ linking up with the lovely lisa leonard for hello, Monday! So fUn! }}
what are you saying hello to?
hello ~ january 7, 2013
hello monday ~ January 7, 2013
hello to a New Year in Nashville, TN ~ it’s going to be the best year yet!
hello coffee and carrot juice and getting back into a routine.
hello no school today and my littlest having a friend over.
hello tuesday and going back to school after a LONG winter break.
hello grocery getting. Blah.
hello 2013 calendar ~ and making plans for new adventures.
hello photos from #PostalPix and hello #projectlife ~ we’re off to a great start.
hello to my husband’s new book, Parables & Parallels available from Amazon … so excited and proud of him. download the book and read excerpts here.
hello to blogging and twittering ~ trying to keep up.
hello making plans for our annual soul sisters beach get-away for the soul trip. i can’t wait!
hello playing Flinch with our 7 year old daughter ~ her latest obsession.
hello meeting friends for a double date this week ~ woo hoo!
hello monday ~ it’s going to be another crazy, busy { awesome } week
hello little blessings. so so many things that make my heart grateful.
hello sunshine ~ you make me happy!
hello monday. hello happy day. hello new week. hello fresh start. hello daily grace. {{ #ilovemondays }
{{ linking up with the lovely lisa leonard for hello, monday! }}
what are you saying hello to?
p.s. ~ the photos are from my insta.gram feed
Old Bay Pasta Salad
{{ OLD BAY pasta salad }}
This is our family’s favorite go-to summer pasta. Hope you enjoy it too!
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in ½-inch strips
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup soy sauce { we used Bragg Liquid Aminos}
1 teaspoon OLD BAY Seasoning
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
…….
1 package { 13.25 oz. } 100% whole grain pasta, uncooked
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped { optional }
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 cup thawed frozen peas { optional }
1 cup thawed frozen white corn
¼ cup mayonnaise { we like Vegenaise or safflower mayonnaise }
¼ cup ranch salad dressing { we like Low fat Natural Fresh Ranch Dressing }
OLD BAY Seasoning, to taste
toasted pecans*
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
directions
In a small bowl, mix oil, soy sauce and seasonings. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade. Turn to coat well.
Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour { longer for extra zesty flavor ~ we always marinade overnight }. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.
Grill over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through, turning frequently. Allow to cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water as directed on package. Rinse under cold water. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss pasta in with chicken, tomatoes, scallions, peas and corn.
Whisk together mayo, salad dressing and OLD BAY in small bowl. Pour over pasta mixture and mix well. Cover.
Refrigerate 2 hours. { optional }
Just before serving, gently stir in the chopped romaine and toasted pecans. Sprinkle on some additional OLD BAY, if desired.
*to toast pecans ~ pre-heat oven to 350-degrees. place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes, watching carefully and shaking occasionally. they will be done when golden and fragrant (about 5-10 minutes). set aside to cool.
#365grateful project ~ week 24
162/365+1 ~ us. poolside. grateful.
163/365+1 ~ decisions. decisions. she’s grateful for lots of choices 
))
164/365+1 ~ grateful Randi is having so much fun at the beach.
165/365+1 ~ almost ready. grateful. {{ blackberries }}
166/365+1 ~ chillaxing. grateful.
167/365+1 ~ grateful. proud. happy … that she loved kindergarden! {{ first & last day of school }}
168/365+1 ~ catching fireflies with daddy. grateful.
#365grateful project ~ week 23
156/365+1 ~ ready. to. pick. grateful
157/365+1 ~ grateful for blackraspberries in our berry patch.
158/365+1 ~ what a personality. :0 grateful.
159/365+1 ~ sophomore year is over. She is grateful!
160/365+1 ~ soaking up some sun. grateful.
161/365+1 ~ grateful for my dad. {{ happy birthday dad! }}
162/365+1 ~ us. poolside. grateful!
