Zero Out Your Inbox

I did this quick training/challenge for our staff on Tuesday at our Communications Meeting and I thought I'd pass the notes on. Most of this comes from Karen Leland. This method and it's variations have been around for a long time, but it's a good one, so here's my spin:

ZEROING OUT YOUR INBOX 

WHY?

1. We need to get better at the time it takes to communicate with our people and each other. 
2. Goal is to spend less time playing with email and more time doing stuff. 
3. It’s a tangible accomplishment in an otherwise continual loop of unfinished ministry business. 

Four “D” Method (with some extra hints): 

• Create 2 subfolders in your inbox called “Defer” and “To Be Done” (or whatever make sense to you). 
• Every email you receive falls into one of four categories: Do, Delete, Delegate or Defer. 
• Take action on each message, the ultimate goal being to touch each email only once whenever possible. 
• The only way an email will ever get out of your life (and out of your worrying brain) is to either deal with it or get rid of it. If you’re planning to do anything in-between, you should understand why. 
• Filters can be your friend. Focus on creating filters/scripts for any noisy, frequent, and non-urgent items. Depending on what you consider noise, this could probably include: 
• blog comments 
• “friend” requests and announcements from sites like Twitter, Facebook* or Flickr 
• mailing lists and subscribed forum threads 
• regular updates like newsletters and office memos 
• non-spam store updates, coupons, and sale announcements 

Do: If the message can be handled easily and quickly (within five minutes) do it now. Once done, delete the item or move it to a folder for storage. If the task can't be completed easily, move it to a folder for items to be done, or flag it for completion at some point during the day. At the end of the day, all the flagged items, that are unfinished should be moved to the “to be done” folder, those becoming priority the next day.

Delete: If an email sits in your in-box waiting to be worked on for days, weeks, or even months, you’re probably putting it off for one of these reasons:

1. It is too big to handle as is and needs to be broken down into bite size chunks (DO IT). 
2. The item is not clearly defined enough for you to take action on (FACT FIND). 
3. It is something you don't really, want, need or intend to do (DELETE IT).** 

Delegate: Just because you received the email message, does not mean you have to be the one to execute it.

Defer: Many items in your in-box are good ideas you would like to follow up on - just not now. Instead of letting the someday item sit in your active in-box file, create a folder where you can keep tabs on messages you may want to take action on at some point in the future.**


  * Be careful not to forget about notifications if people are trying to communicate with you.
** Just because you don’t think its important, that doesn’t mean the requester agrees. Communicate!


Five Minutes To A Cleaner Inbox: 
Open your email in-box and then set your watch, computer or iphone on a five-minute timer. Now, starting from the top (the latest email) go through and see how many items you can get completed and moved out of your mailbox using the four D's - Do, Delete, Delegate or Defer.

Photography Happenings

I haven't posted any work in a while, so I thought I'd put a few shots up. The first is from an impromptu pre-engagement/engagement shoot with Jackie and Chad. Very fun couple. The second set is Chrissy, daughter of dear friends, who is graduating from High School.

Really, Google Voice?

When I heard about Google Voice, I was super excited because I HATE listening to voicemail messages. The biggest draw for me was that Google will "listen" to the message and send you a text and and email with the message typed out. I assumed there would be some words that would be messed up, but I didn't expect THIS:

my message:
"Hey it's Brandi. I wanted to find out if you would watch Candace on Friday when I go to a movie. I'll talk to you later. Let me know."

google voice text interpretation:
"Hey it's Brandon to find out if you would be overlaps Janet 91. It would be, but I'll talk to you late. Asking head back."

Sounds like a bad spam email. Bummer - I really wanted to stop checking voicemails.

Hi Carlos!

You're with my very best friend in the whole world! Please give her a hug for me!

Here are some pictures of Dave and me (Danielle):

This is us making funny faces. We like to do that:

And this is me standing in a lot of SNOW! Molly can tell you all about snow:

We can't wait to learn more about you and get to know you!  We love you and will be praying for you all the time.

Welcome to Our Family, Carlos

Maybe we can call you "Los?"

I can't believe you've had to wait so long for a sponsor. I am VERY excited to get to know you!

You are a cutie!

(thanks, Molly, Aber and Heather: you've made child sponsorship real to me)

Won't you consider sponsoring a child from El Salvador?

I Didn't Listen to God on Tuesday

We had a staff retreat this week and were sent away alone to think through how the way we do ministry effects how we connect with God.

Two words came to my mind: creatively and frantically.

Psalm 63: 1-8 has been on my mind for the past couple of months and it popped into my head again, so I read it, totally worshipping through and agreeing with every part, as usual.

This is Psalm 63: 1-8:
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
   in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
   and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

When I was done reading, I sensed God saying, "But that isn't how YOU would write it." So...I put it into 100% honest words that were my own and then felt God prompting me to share it because it wasn't only for me. I chickened out...actually, I disobeyed God. I've repented, and now here it is.

Maybe it's for you, too:


O God you are my God; frantically I look around for you;
  my soul would probably want you;
  my flesh is too busy to care,
  as in an overcrowded city where there is too much noise.
So I have tried to connect with you at church,
  with my limited knowledge of your power and glory.
Because you generally take care of me, I will do good things in your name.
So I will make you look good - until I get bored;
  in your name I will be too busy to care.
My soul will starve to death and my mouth will talk a big game
  when I realize how far I got on my own and that I don't know you at all;
  but you must have helped.
And in the blazing heat of this desert, I will yell about being lonely.
My soul clings to you, but I pull it away;
  I am too busy to learn how to trust your hand to hold me.

Tradition...

TRADITION!

Since I've been married, I have found myself gravitating toward things that could potentially become part of a family tradition. I'm stockpiling these Christmas season ideas already, and just want them in one place, so I thought I'd share what I'm thinking through and how I want to use them. This is so random.

• Hope Ornament: I saw an ornament at Hallmark that I want to create myself. The basic idea is that you have everyone write a wish on one side of a decorative strip of paper, roll them up and put them inside a clear ornament. What I want to do: When we gather to decorate our tree the following year, we will start by opening that ornament and reading what each person wrote. We'll write more hopes and prayers for the next year on Christmas Eve.
• Twelve Days of Christmas Salad Plates (Pottery Barn): Dave really likes to have the table set for Christmas from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. I'm thinking of something fun that involves getting the entire table set in the amount of time it takes the family to sing, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Could be disaster. Could be memories.
• Stockings: I want to do something different with stockings. Maybe each person in the family will pull the name of another family member and they need to put something in that person's stocking for each week in Advent (four weeks, each with a theme and goal). We could open the gifts and light a candle on the Advent wreath each Sunday night. 
• Giving and Serving: Still working this one out. Wondering about giving each family member a choice to give up one of their potential gifts in order to shop for one gift that will be given to someone less fortunate. I don't know how to make that feel more like a real choice and sacrifice.

Also, I'd definitely suggest reading Noel Piper's incredible book about the importance of family traditions. She gave everyone in Molly and Aber's wedding party a copy and it completely changed my outlook on traditions in general.

What about you? Thinking through any Christmas traditions? Already have good ones?

I Realized Something About Myself Today

I've had a couple of rough days and my immediate reaction when the stress mounted was to start doodling. I'm a major doodler, but going to paper and markers to let out some frustration was weird: weird because it was automatic...like breathing.

I have never considered art to be a way for me to vent.

So I'm left to wrestle with these questions:
Are my regular artistic abilities (and duties) suffering because I subconsciously consider creativity an outlet for stress? How can I expect my product to be excellent when the process to getting there is linked to tension and pain?

Hi.

Your Photographer Might Not Be Awesome

I've been saving this entry from Jeremy Cowart's blog (I respect him and his work a TON). Since then, he's moved his site and this particular entry isn't there, but I think it's a good take on what's going on in photography today. Check it out:

----------------------------------

Photo Cliches
by Jeremy Cowart on 12/22/08

This one could stir up some controversy, I don't know.

Have you ever noticed Photography Cliches? Like how every photographer seems to be drawn to train tracks when they first start out? Then they move to the guy with his guitar slung over his shoulder WALKING down the train tracks? What is it about train tracks anyway???

For the last few years I've said that the "Chair (or couch) in the middle of nowhere is the new train tracks". I've seen this concept executed ENDLESSLY for years now.. especially for bands. (And yes I've done it but trust me, it was against my wishes.) It's usually not a purposeful thing but somewhere in our subconscious we just rip off ideas without thinking twice about it.

So the latest trend I've seen is EVERYONE in wedding photography and even outside of wedding photography doing the shot of the couple holding hands, staring straight ahead into camera like a deer in headlights. You know what I'm talking about. The background is always different but the pose is repeated over and over and over.

Why, as creative people who are always supposed to be breaking new ground, do we endlessly rip each other off???

I think this is one of the negative effects of the internet. Everyone has such quick access to everyone else's work so as soon as something new is done, everyone takes it, slightly changes it and then calls it their own.

It just goes to show how ridiculously easy photography is. Anyone can buy a great camera now, learn how to use it, look at a few portfolios online, then go shoot their friends wedding using the same poses they've seen online and all of a sudden another "professional" photographer is born.

Crazy times in photography right?

When people ask "How do I make it as a Photographer?". The answer is BE. AMAZING. If your work is good people will find you. Make yourself stand out from the rest of the repeat photographers. There's a million photographers out there but if you have a good eye, good ideas, good people skills and a good work ethic, you're golden. Work will find YOU.

So sorry for the rant. I'm not usually one to rant but these cliches have just been on my mind lately.

----------------------------------

I think a lot of "professional" photographers are doing a disservice to their customers. Just because you WANT to take pictures, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Good photographers, like Jeremy said, are AMAZING, and there is no denying it. I cringe on a daily basis looking at the things clients are getting charged for.

In my opinion, once you move from the camera and Lightroom to Photoshop, you aren't being a photographer, you're being a graphic designer. Lightroom (and other software like it) is great because it's a digital manifestation of what photographers can do in a lab/darkroom with film. Photoshop is graphic manipulation. I'm not saying it's BAD, I'm just saying I think we need some perspective.

So, what are the non-negotiables when it comes to being a professional photographer (in my opinion)? Only two things:

1. Creative Eye / Ideas (you know when you have a good shot)

2. Technical Proficiency (ISO, f-stop, depth of field, shutter speed, etc.)

If you feel offended by this, I'm sorry. But instead of wasting your energy being mad at me, go and BE AWESOME.

ECHO '09 Notes and Thoughts

I didn't go. But two of my favorite online peeps did, and I took notes from their notes. This is a long one, and a lot of you won't care (that's ok). But it's definitely having an impact on how I think about communications at Grace. Here's what's striking me (my thoughts in green):

“Policies are an admission that you have failed to lead.” - Shawn Wood
I totally agree. I think policies can be good, but if you find yourself answering every question with policy and "why it is the way it is" before listening to the heart of the question, that's a major issue.

Phil Cooke:

• Media is always on. It has become the culture in the world we live in today.
• Communication does not begin with words; it begins with connection. You need a relationship and trust in order to be heard.
• Jesus controlled his perception
• It’s not just who you are, it’s how you are perceived that counts.
• The Branding Big Four: What’s the point? What makes you, you? What are your skills and talents? What makes you different?
• We are in the middle of the greatest shift in our culture since the inventing of the printing press.
• Old media was a one-way conversation; today’s media world has created a two-way conversation. The audience needs a way to talk back.
• Generation after generation of pastors and Christian leaders get it wrong. They believe our only responsibility is sharing the message. Dialogue is king.
• The next generation wants a voice and wants to be part of the story. We need to help make this happen. It's going to mean messier, but it's also going to mean authentic life change.

10 Things to Remember:

1. In a media driven culture, visibility is just as important as ability. Get noticed, get seen.
2. You can’t brand a lie. Be who you say you are. In a media-driven culture, what you took up a lifetime to build up can be taken down in an instant.
3. Being different is everything. Be different. Be unique. I don't know if I agree with this.
4. Stop thinking “mass” and start thinking “niche.” How we communicate with each person needs to be tailored.
5. Understand the Power of a Name. Names matter because they are the first thing people see, and in a media-driven world, that’s how they will judge you. "Grace Church" vs "Grace Baptist" - speaks volumes, unfortunately.
6. Speak the language of design. Does your style and media choices reflect the audience you are trying to reach? I hope so.
7. Lose the Lingo. We’ve created a language no one understands but us.
8. Culture is more important than vision. Create a culture where vision can happen. This totally blew my mind. I need to think about this for 1,000 years.
9. Find the over-arching theme for your life and work. What are you all about?
10. What drives you nuts? The problem that drives you crazy is usually what God is calling you to fix. They're also the most difficult.

Ben Arment (I think this would have been my favorite session. I need to see a video of this.)

• Great causes are launched in sociological environments.
• Great moves of God in the past have been moved forward by sociological forces.
• The Gospel needs GO - it wants to attach itself to movement.
• Parable of the sower (it's not the seeds): Social movements are good soil: SOW. If we haven’t laid a sociological foundation that can carry our cause, we’re throwing our seeds at the wind.
• God moved in Acts 2 in the midst of a major social movement. As it had its impact, people traveled back to where they came from and the message of the Gospel advanced.
• Leverage social conventions and their momentum.
• George Whitfield was not just a spiritual phenomenon, he was a sociological phenomenon.
• The thing people don’t tell you about is that oftentimes, momentum works against you.
• Avoid herd decision-making.

Panel
We need to be careful, as the Church, to not innovate for the sake of innovating. What’s the purpose and role of the local church in your community? And how can you innovate with that goal in mind Churches get ahead of themselves when they try to innovate for the sake of innovation. - Carlos Whittaker

When you look at a tech issue, is is going towards the mission of your church or the mission of the machine? Work towards the mission… reaching people for Christ. If the technology facilitates the mission, go for it. If it’s majoring on excellence to please people in the room, don’t. - Conway Edwards
I don't want to do anything "just because." I think sometimes we forget what our goal is when we are chasing down technology because it can be so alluring. Every tech purchase should be linked to a goal that reflects our mission and vision. We can't just be buying stuff because it's cool.

Change typically has to do with the outer things we’d change (music, style, etc) – transition has to do with people’s hearts (how they think, what they feel, what they believe). Churches have a real challenge with change. But if you think about who God is, He’s unchanging, but He’s all about changing us. It’s a journey. We tend to not talk about change and wonder why people are inflexible towards change. God is constantly changing us. We want to be able to continually morph and change and make that culture of change a part of who we are. - Scott Hodge
If everyone's hearts were united under the mission and vision of Grace (because we are making much of Jesus), then switching times, venues, music, etc., should be a joy. We should be thankful to be a changing church, so long as our doctrine is sound, because it means we are trying to fulfill our God-given mission.

The emerging generation are late adopters of technology. - Bobby Gruenewald
This doesn't mean wait. It means use it well, so you're a trustworthy source for when they catch up.

The interaction we need to create in our church services needs to be interaction between the people and God. The connection and interaction needs to lead them towards Christ. - Cynthia Ware
Seems like a "duh" statement, but it gets lost in all the muck.

Dawn Nicole Baldwin / Cynthia Ware
7 Deadly Sins of Social Media (I just want to give a hearty "amen" to all of this.)

1. Lust: loving your audience is great, but take it slow. Don’t stalk or overwhelm your audience. No one wants to be spammed by their church.
2. Gluttony: don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start slow with a few things instead of trying to do it all at once.
3. Greed: it’s hard to shake hands while you’re reaching for someone’s wallet. Don’t pressure people to volunteer…don’t stalk people to do things they haven’t asked. Texting is permission based. Treat those relationships like gold.
4. Sloth: avoid the temptation to “set it and forget it.” We need to be intentional!
5. Wrath: there are a lot of people out there itching for a punch in the nose, but don’t be the one to give it to them. Be careful what gets posted in any social media channel.
6. Envy: don’t be dissuaded by other people “doing it better than you.” Stay focused on the mission God has set before you.
7. Pride: stay humble, rock star.

• Questions to Consider When Diving into Social Media: What’s the goal? What is the best tool? How much does it cost? How will we create buy-in? When will we evaluate? How will we measure success?
• It is worth it to experiment. The goal is to use the technology, not the technology using you. It’s a tool for enhanced communication. What works best for you might not work for someone else. I'm thankful that we're all about trying things at Grace. Makes innovation possible (and natural).
• Your congregation should be moving to paperless. This is probably my #1 goal for the 2009-10 ministry year. To do this, we have to be intentional in communicating with people. One person might want email, and another might want a text. We need to make it happen.
• Churches should not have “turn your phone off” signs, they should have turn your phone on signs.”

ECHO Debrief (through Joshua’s Brain):
Revelation > vision
Calling > dreams
Niche > mass
Culture > language
Adversity > prosperity
Interaction > broadcast
Leading > policies
Effective > excellence

(Thanks, Joshua and Tim!)

Seth Godin is "Right"

Seth Godin is a man after my heart. He takes "issue" with the "weird" quoting found all over the place. I don't know if it's because I "read" Unnecessary Quotations, but they stick out like a sore thumb lately. So, no, Seth, you are not the only one. It drives me "nuts."

@loribaily got me thinking, too. Grammar excellence is the last thing I think about when promoting events and designing communication pieces. I'm usually so manic about the design and strategy, that it leaves little time to proofread and refine. Grammar and spelling should definitely come up higher on the list.

I constantly judge products based on what the ads look like and how they communicate. I shouldn't expect any less of a person looking into our church. If I'm not going to buy something because they use Comic Sans and quotation marks, people should assume our church is full of idiots when they see a typo in the bulletin.

Boom. Roasted. I can't believe I roasted myself.

Worship Lessons from a 3-Year-Old

Dave and I took my mom and our two nieces, Emma and Candace, camping this weekend. Dave brought along a worship CD because Candace always requests, "Jesus songs" when she's with us. We popped it in and I was gagging in the backseat of the van because of how cheesy it was. The CD was called "Modern Expressions of Worship." The problem is, it was made somewhere around 1992, I'm thinking. :::gag:::

Candace and Emma were loving it, though. It was right in their groove. Candace even broke out an air mic at one point. They pick up songs quickly (especially overly repetitive, annoying ones).

I let out a groan as a new one started because I could tell that it was only going to get worse. Candace snapped her head back at me and said, "What's wrong, Dan-L?"

"I don't like this song, " I said, as I made my best "yucky face."

Candace's mouth dropped open in shock and she said, "WHY? It's a JESUS SONG!" Then she turned around and resumed her dancing and clapping.

I joined in.

10 Extreme Lessons

This was the most wonderful ministry experience I've ever been a part of. I learned a lot, and I want to get these thoughts down before I forget them.

1. Email, Twitter and FaceBook are the best forms of communication for a quick project turnaround.
2. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition t-shirts are, apparently, worth more than gold. 
3. Teach your children how to listen to directions, or they will grow up to be annoying adults who don't understand anything you tell them. Please: do society a favor and get it done.
4. When people constantly tell you, "You're doing an awesome job, GET SOME SLEEP," you know that you must be on top of your game.
5. Anne Maleno had the most difficult job on that site...and she rocked it. She has the awesome ability to be firm and direct while staying positive and thankful toward each individual. I was impressed to say the least.
6. True colors and motivations come out in times like these. Everyone has struggles and needs, so it's important not to let those things cloud how you view a person on a regular basis. Deal with it, make it right, and then move on.
7. Teaching your church how to love and serve people is the best way to spend your marketing dollars.
8. Don't do something because you want to impress someone, do it because you're serving God. You'll never make it if you try to please people. You'll be constantly disappointed.
9. Don't underestimate the power of momentum and influence. This was just the beginning. If in one year, all we have to show for this is nice flowers on East 21st Street, we missed it big time.
10. Every human being longs for true community. Jesus can unite people more powerfully than I can explain or comprehend. Get to know your neighbors: it will probably change all of your lives.

Here's a link to some photos on flickr.

And here are some media links.

Extreme Makeover Side Project

I've got a confession to make: I have written and typed the word "extreme" more times in the past week than in my whole life and probably your life combined. My fingers have developed muscle memory for typing the word.

When I found out about this potential partnership with the show, I was extremely happy. I fought back tears as Derek explained how our Church could possibly be involved.

The thing is, I actually love Erie. I know...but I do. Somewhere along the way, I got a heart for transforming this city. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to jump start a volunteer initiative that could do just that. Erie is never going to live up to it's potential if we all just sit in our living rooms talking about how messed up it is. Until we take ownership for where we live and stop ignoring the people who need our help, we can forget about it. The local government can't change this place without us. This should be just the beginning.

I know for me, that when the cameras are gone, I'll still be here fighting for the city I love.

Get involved.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition in ERIE!

I was at the rally that Maleno Builders held this morning at Grace. I also had the privilege of providing some live Twitter material through the Erie Blogs Twitter feed. Check it out.

Grace is going to have a big part in all of this. Some of us on staff are going to a meeting on Monday to find out what awesome thing(s) we'll be contributing. I can't wait!

Does everyone realize how lucky we are to have this happening in our community? Hello?!

Karla & Joe's Wedding Sneak Peek

I really can't say enough about this experience. It was absolutely wonderful to be part of this special day. I remember standing at the airport with Karla and Kate, being completely exhausted after Molly's wedding and making a pact to pray for each other: that we would be content in singleness or whatever God would have for us.

All I have to say is that Karla's patience has paid off. She and Joe have been waiting for each other for a long time, and they're perfect for each other. I'm so happy for them.

It rained on the wedding day, so a bunch of our outdoor plans were shot. There are a lot of cool places to shoot pics in Minneapolis. It was a bummer, but we were able to be creative inside. It was a really fun group to work with.

There was butter next to flowers. It had to happen.

Bridesmaid dress next to Karla's "going away" dress.

Bridesmaids doing the make-up thing.

Hair decisions.

Karla chose a gorgeous dress for herself.

She was so excited to put it on. I don't think she stopped smiling the whole time.

Deep breath moment.

Joe and Karla opted to see each other before the ceremony. It was such a sweet time.

Flower and stained-glass awesomeness.

My favorite moment of the ceremony.

Moments alone (well, with me) in the lobby after the ceremony.

Joe likes jellybeans. I like fun pictures of rings. Match made.

The rest will be coming soon, guys! Congratulations!

TJ and Emily's Wedding: Sneak Peek

This was a super fun wedding. Not only was the couple (and family) awesome, but Dave and I got to work together. He was video taping the day while I was photographing it. It really made me want to do more work TOGETHER. It was a blast. Everyone kept saying that I was really laid back and made everything easy for them. I hope that shows in the photos, and more importantly, I hope I added to the awesome feeling of the day.

Anyway, here are some quick (low resolution) shots:

TJ! He was such a good sport.

Emily was one of the most beautiful brides. Her dress was GORGEOUS.

Grandma wanted to wait and see Emily walk down the aisle, but in the end,

she was glad to have this moment. So sweet.

This was one of those "deep breath" moments that all of us brides know so well.

Red shoes? Yes...RED SHOES. How awesome is that?

The flower girl yelling, "WE DID IT!" right after the ceremony recessional.

Do the bustle!

Awesomest. Couple. Ever.

Heartfelt toast by the Best Man. He wouldn't let me take candid shots of him.

I got this one, though. BOOM!

Aww...

I'll be done with all of your proofs within the next couple of weeks, guys. Congratulations, and thanks for letting Dave and I play a part. It was so much fun!

Campbell Family Visit

OK, so our #1 favorite southerners visited Erie this past week, and we were lucky enough to have them stay in our home. Brent and Jenn lived in Erie while Brent was attending LECOM. It was a wonderful four years.

To say it was awesome to see them would be a complete understatement. I love these guys so much. Here are some pictures from the visit (mainly so Jenn can download them).

I miss them already.

And, also, I would like to say that I think it's a sin against God that they don't live here anymore. Thank you. Chattanooga, you don't know how good you have it.