May 2014 – Page 2 – 300 words a day

Setting down the rocks

On Monday, I wrote about the next step in picking up a fist-sized rock: This week, when you pick up your rock, think of someone who annoys you. Not an enemy, not really, but a person who gets on your nerves. Then, when you put the rock down, on your desk, in your car’s console, […]

by Jon Swanson

Wisdom includes implementation

Yesterday I talked about offering to help the students in my speech classes. I was being fairly generous, I thought. And there were several students across the years who took me up on my offer. They stopped me after class, they came to my office, they called me. (If there had been email back then, I’m sure […]

by Jon Swanson

Looking for wisdom

First published November 15, 2012 I used to teach college students how to speak. I would tell them at the beginning of the class, “When you give your speech, I will assign you a grade. In that moment, when you are completing the assignment, I will use the standards that I have established. And you […]

by Jon Swanson

When I don’t know what to ask.

A friend and I were praying. We meet almost every week. We talk about our lives. And we pray for each other. I said, “You know about the pain. You know about the grief.” and I listed a couple more things that were happening in the life of my friend. And then I said, “I […]

by Jon Swanson

Picking up rocks.

Last week, at the start of our 90 day countdown, I asked you to pick up a fist-sized rock each day. Here’s why: We’re talking about changing habits, about becoming more spiritual, becoming more like Jesus. And people usually do that by doing something “spiritual”, trying to read the Bible every day or pray every […]