Love Without Agenda » mindset

A Letter from Jesus about Christmas

Jimmy Spencer Jr. — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:50:14 +0000

I’m a practicing Christian…although Love Without Agenda isn’s faith based– I do recognize the powerful foundation faith can provide for loving others—this is a note my friend Andrew Wood posted and I really like it’s sentiment…and since I’m a Christian & it so captures LWA’s spirit — I think its appropriate for me to share this here– Love you all….Spencer A ‘Letter’ from Jesus about Christmas It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity Read more...

Why We’re Giving Away Our Book

Jimmy Spencer Jr. — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:55:39 +0000

I posted this question “Ask us why we are giving our book away for free” I went and took an hour or so nap—— and came back to 10 people who wanted an answer. So here you go. Our book is about you. It’s about the meaning of life— it’s about us loving ourselves and other people. It also about how to actually be that type person from the inside out– and finally its about— all the things that stop us from living and thinking like that. Its my take on what practicing christianity is supposed to be: love without agenda anyways… The main force on this planet eroding our ability to see people as valuable is this mindset of being a perpetual customer— that no matter where we go or what we do—— the world (and the people in it) are simply here for our use…and we just fail to see people as valuable. people become fuel for our desires people become fuel for my success people become fuel for my emotional Read more...

loving leftovers

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:41:11 +0000

I have lived in plenty and less. About 2 years ago i became a ” food pantry” user as a primary means of feeding a large family. This is a far different way of living than what is the norm in america, the way I have always known. I have found some beauty in this new way of providing food for my family. I grew up learning to cook from my mother and grandmother, a treasure like no other. My mother is a gifted and passionate cook and hospitality person. If you told me today that 100 dignitaries were coming to my home, i could serve a fine and delicious meal with ease, no recipe to read. With mom i made pierogoes (polish) hand rolled dough, golumpki (meat and rice stuffed cabbage in a tasty tomato based broth), baked goods finer than all bakeries, creamy mashed potatoes. i learned all the how to’s from folding batter to frying – which pans and oils are best…..i could go on and on and write books and books. My German grandma grew some of her own herbs and veggies. Every summer i would spend in her Iowa home learning to garden, harvest, can, cook and serve Read more...

can I see your ETHOS?

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:44:33 +0000

My 3rd son was our first to join a mental sport, not football but robotics. While I was happy for he and his friends to have all the gifts that being part of a sport brings to ones character, I met -more- at my first standing in their midst.

I was instantly overcome by the feeling, vibe or ETHOS in the room. I had never felt or seen anything like it in a competition based group setting. As a disclaimer I will say that I directed youth groups and camps for years and am no stranger to the world of kids, teams and to the “how to compete” discussion.

Instantly while standing in the room of robotics students, I was aware of JOY. calm joy. not zany and chaotic kids vying for attention. CREATIVITY. not wacky emo stuff where kids strive to be different and yet are just like the other dressed in black purple haired kids they hang with. The kids dressed with creative self expression. non-emotionally expressive engineer types did the macarena. they named their own teams: exploding bacon, thunder chickens , chipenguineers, cheesy poofs and the like. INTELLIGENT Read more...

why nobody?

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 04:44:13 +0000

Back in 2005 LWA had a speaking tour named the NOBODY tour, prior to our Stop Consuming Campaign, which some of you have heard of. Not many more than nobody were part of the Nobody Tour, but you gotta start somewhere. I still love the name nobody….. i love the name nobody for in my mind it attempts to take back a truer definition of success than our culture defines as success. I want to have eyes that laser in at the great in the somebody God created in everybodybut that the world puts in a garbage can and labels as nobody. I hear so many people feel like “nobodies” : nobody = is a child who does have one adult that they are crazy important to is the feeling of one with great spirit -left unheard is the uncredited woman behind a great man is the man of greatness left disrespected is any of great heart and noble means is one who has great invention yet unvalued one of great words-yet unread those who move mountains with prayer one of great intelligence-without a pedigree a beautiful woman- in a simple body and man of great strength -in a small Read more...

live WHY-do HOW

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:54:22 +0000

true or false: 1. all questions are valid ( whether innocent or cutting and sarcastic) 2. there are sometimes “front questions” (or question pt 1 of 6) 3. which cover up “the real question”(often non intentionally) 4. they have a personal feeling behind them (true, think about it) 5. they provoke thought (some people dont like that) 6. they can be good answers. (i learned that from jesus) 7. they can highlight or mask (intentionally) 8. the feelings and reason= attitude behind the question, shapes the question 9. a question can reveal true feelings and reasons (question behind the question) 10. the question is therefore far more powerful than their innocent face all true. —————– a question is very powerful. it is a window into a brain. it is a hand that can move a thought. a question is very important. especially when shaping a vision. —————– have you ever thought.”why doesnt he answer my question?”or: “we cant get him to answer a simple Read more...

Happy Labor Day

Jimmy Spencer Jr. — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:52:57 +0000

Its Labor Day. The day nobody works…thats so odd. Shouldn’t we call it National Picnic Day, or Non-Labor day? Any-whoo… It gave me a chance to check out where Labor Day came from and why we actually ‘celebrate’ [ I use that term loosely] the day. At the turn of the century the Central Labor Union, based out of New York City, decided to create a day to celebrate the social and labor accomplishments of American citizens. This took place around the turn of the century, about the same time Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day Lewis squared off for control of NYC. So now you know the thrilling history of another American holiday that gives us all a legitimate excuse to stay up late, and sleep in late. It actually got me thinking about our work ethic, here in the states, and how generation X & Y views all it life in general. We have become a nation of reapers. You know, like reaping and sowing. A nation designed not around work ethic and grindin’ in out, but a nation of consumers. It is so pervasive in our society that we nay not even realize it. Think about Read more...

consumerism breeds apathy

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:55:34 +0000

i am a people watcher. not the outside, but the insides, which reveal themselves. i am an observer and a listener. i have gleaned little cues from behaviors, im sure you have too… observed amongst a bunch of us who are growing and good people ..ways we are….things we do and say…. behaviors i see that made me ponder…..why?…what’s happening? to my generation. we exhibit: low expectation of self high expectation of others low self esteem high desire of control and position burdened leaders un-powered members indifferent to the grossest of global need desiring to be taught more than to learn most people too busy to help rich but no expendable income loving with an agenda more critical than grateful sense of entitlement independent mindset greater than whole group mindset need of external joy boredom within excess being hungry and obese addicts who who have graduated from the best help programs lack of self discipline giving sex then love -rather that love then sex apathetic christians and i guess the list could go Read more...

the freezing point of a leader

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:57:09 +0000

my son is studying chemistry in college, he wrote me yesterday to tell me that he has 3 labs. yes, the lab. hands on independent discovery. theory tested. reality defined. problems solved. most of us like the lab part of class. cool equipment. dangerous work, bunson burners, safety goggles, chemicals that explode and burn and do cool stuff. important work discovering life and death and how it all works in between in my own lab of life i have noticed : that leaders have a freezing point. anyone of of us, when leading just like water, alcohol or oxygen there are freezing points in our lives: places where one moment we were one way and the next… ……………we are are very different our old alive, moving, working as made to be becomes frozen…………. oh, we swear we will never freeze and then in frozen state its too late only the unfrozen can rescue us it looks like this in my living leaders lab: a passionate person they go into life with hope to use their talents to make a good mark on this Read more...

beautiful emptiness

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:27:37 +0000

I have been pondering today empty spaces and the potential space for beauty that only they provide. simple pictures: new garden soil, ready to plant spring flowers or weeds a nice clean empty table by the front door, very soon holds our keys and cell phones a now empty bedroom can be a home to someone. empty calendar time can give room to serve others an undone job can be a new purpose for another soul portraits: empty feelings failing to measure up empty life purpose fruitless life relationships heartless traditions fakey family lifeless groups unhappy seekers off purpose churches non focused faith meaningless materials nothing to trust inability to be satisfied in wonder of belonging no joy in being sitting in puddles of excuses living limited self misundersanding unanswered questions we search for the answer to our weakness. our unmet need. the non-answer is a ground work for a change to blossom in all. so the empty space sometimes must remain in our soul gives us eyes that see HOPE: on the corner of LIFE and ADVERSITY Read more...