clarity evangelist

Commanding Clarity

Last week during my friends change of command ceremony near Seattle, I marveled at the connection between the highly disciplined environment of the military and the practice of clarity.  Think about it for a moment-in the military clarity is everywhere:

• The mission is always crystal clear
• There is a ton of communication before and after any initiative (after action review) 
• Lines of authority are unmistakable  
• A person's accomplishments, time and experience are worn on their sleeve, literally   
• Lots of attention goes into training and technology for communication 
• Maintaining clarity requires a whole new world of vocabulary 
• Expectations and role descriptions for each individual are always reviewed 
• There is never a moment without total accountability to what is made clear 

At one point I almost began weeping.  As I immersed myself in a day of military culture, I couldn't believe the sheer discipline of clarity that we exercise on behalf of our great country, in contrast to how little we achieve as leaders within God's eternal kingdom. 

Here is the mission of the squadron I was with: To provide combatant commanders with a fully combat ready strike group, capable of prompt and sustained across the full spectrum of naval operations anywhere in the world. 

During the ceremony the three core values of the Navy were not only passionately conveyed by the four leading officers, they were demonstrated throughout the ceremony.  For example, one aspect of the core value of "honor" is articulated as "We also honor the sacrifices our families and loved ones make to support us in our call of duty. During the ceremony, Hunter's wife, mother and two daughters were lavishly honored with generous bouquets from the Navy. The moment reflected the value wonderfully. The other two values are courage and commitment.  

Top Gun Drive

While in Seattle, I celebrated a milestone of a friend’s life vision. From 4th grade through my first year at Penn State, Hunter Ware was a best bud. On Thursday became the commanding officer of an aircraft carrier attack squadron. As I watched them unveil his newly titled plane at the change of command ceremony, I reminisced on the birth of his successful career as a jet-jock. I was there when we walked out of the first showing of Top Gun. Can you imagine two week-kneed high school punks in awe of Tom Cruise’s “need for speed?” We quickly adopted the signature high-five move.

Hunter didn’t get into the Naval Academy on is first attempt.  But I watched him reorder his life in order to pursue this dreams with even greater intensity. Even our favorite arcade game that year was “Afterburner,” which was funded with my cafeteria points.  The next year he made it into the academy. Over the 4 years of training, many of his colleagues wanted to fly jets, but few found to the cockpit. Sure enough, after the academy, Hunter was selected for Pensacola for the next stage of his supersonic dream.

Twenty years later he is still flyin- and in charge of his squadron. The spark I saw ignite in that crazy, feel-good movie is still in his eye. 

What spark is in yours?

Here’s to Hunter Ware, a great buddy and now CO “Tupper.” 

Soul Excavation

I am enjoying the scenery of Whidbey Island, north of Seattle in quaint B&B for a few days. As I kick off a summer study break, it amazes me how, the faster I go, the more time I need to really engage with my heart.  The best way to describe this moment is what Henry Cloud calls, “excavating your soul.”  He writes, “There is no shortage of things in this life that will bury your heart and your soul."  At this moment, I am absorbed in the silence.  I don’t want to produce, I simply want to be; to reflect, to think deeply about my life and my Savior. What am I thinking about? One snaphot:

 If we were created to live with love as a normal state of being, how am I doing? How am I receiving and how am I giving?  I want to know the “normalcy of love.” Both love as a normal state and love in the normal things of life.

It seems to me that clarity in life is superficial at best without the practice of soul excavation.