Everyone Communicates, Few Connect; Connection Series, Blog 3:
Our family lived in the mid-western town of Marshalltown, Iowa for 15 years. Two structures towered over the residents there; first, the beautiful down town county courthouse and second, the imposing power plant on the edge of town. The coal burning power plant had been standing and providing energy for those in the area since 1950. But, this week the old energy plant was imploded; see the video above. In place of the old power plant has been built a new much cleaner natural gas energy plant that provides energy, not just for the residents of Marshalltown, but for over 500,000 homes. You could call it a "Energy Explosion" in more ways than one!
Checker 3: Connecting Always Requires Energy
Really connecting with others when we communicate takes energy. On the flip side, wouldn't you agree that when you are tired it is difficult to connect with those in your life? Connecting always requires energy. So, it is imperative that we get our rest. When we are tired one of the first things to go is our ability to really connect with others.
The Jewish people may have been the first to institute the idea of rest into the week; it has become known as Sabbath. The Jewish website Judaism 101 says this,
The Sabbath (or Shabbat, as it is called in Hebrew) is one of the best known and least understood of all Jewish observances. People who do not observe Shabbat think of it as a day filled with stifling restrictions, or as a day of prayer like the Christian Sabbath. But to those who observe Shabbat, it is a precious gift from G-d, a day of great joy eagerly awaited throughout the week, a time when we can set aside all of our weekday concerns and devote ourselves to higher pursuits. Shabbat is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The word "Shabbat" comes from the root Shin-Beit-Tav, meaning to cease, to end, or to rest.
Typically when we think about rest, we think about sleep and although this is certainly an important part of rest, it is surely the tip of the ice-burg when it comes to rest. For me, as a person of faith it is imperative that I have a spiritual connection every day, a Sabbath, to rest in God's control. This gives me the energy to really connect with others. When I feel "tired", the first place I look is my connection with God. Undoubtably I have been relying on my own energy for too long.
Where does your energy come from?
Tip for the day: Find out what kinds of things fill your tank and what drains you. Start or continue doing the things that charge your batteries.
Here's to filled batteries and an energy explosion in our lives,
Troy Vande Lune
Big Rock Leader
Leadership Coach
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