What’s Your Mission

Most of the mission statements I have read recently fall flat. They fail the smell test. Organizations spend phenomenal amounts of time constructing mission statements, and so should individuals, if Steven Covey is to be believed. They invest great energy in being very precise about what they do, as a good mission statement should. They sometimes devolve into a discussion of how they will do it, which is not really a mission, but a method. They fail at this important task because they lack passion. Its one thing to state a goal, but are you prepared to rally the troops and motivate yourself to march forward. State what you do, and you are stating the obvious. Begin with why. Begin with what makes you passionate about this mission.

Emerson

The earth laughs in flowers. - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Christmas Papers

This piece is copyright 2008 by Ray Zimmerman and will appear in the soon to be released anthology,
Southern Light.

Christmas Papers

I was older when I noticed
the same color and pattern
on the Christmas paper.
Each year a pattern
graced a smaller package.

Christmas morning emanated
excitement and opening
packages with scissors,
carefully cutting tape,
so as not to rip the paper.

I was older when I noticed
my mother’s hands,
ironing on Christmas night.
She ironed the same towel
again and again.

Under the towel
Christmas papers
lost their creases,
regained smooth surfaces.

Her hands rolled the paper
we could not replace. Choosing
between gifts and new paper,
she chose gifts.

Murder Mysterty

I just received this announcement from Becky Wooley:

Dear Ones, My publisher is telling me that I need people to request that my book,

"Non-Prophet Murders," be made available as an ebook.

You can do this by going to Amazon.com, entering my name or the name of my book

and clicking on the question about ebooks under the cover picture. (You aren't buying anything,

you are just requesting that it be made available.)

Also, I need you to pass this email on to anyone who might want to read my funny, murder mystery.



I am available to speak for book talks, ladies' days, and book clubs.

I will supply posters and news releases.

I can travel up to 200 miles from Chattanooga, OR appear via SKYPE.

Please do send this on to many, many people.

Thank you!

Becky Wooley
www.facebook.com/BeckyWooley1

Becky is the author of the humorous clerical crime novel, "Non-Prophet Murders: A Grit and Grace Mystery." Signed copies are available from the author. Unsigned copies can be ordered from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com or Wipfandstock.com. "Non-Prophet Murders" should be available as an ebook in April of 2011.

New Voices

This time around, I will be starting "New Voices" at 6:00 so those who are interested can attend another spoken word event in St. Elmo later that evening. You are invited to read. - Ray

Confirmed Readers thus far include Finn Bille, N.L. Diwan, Jim Pfitzer, Ray Zimmerman, Christyna Jensen

New Voices
Pasha Coffee House,
3914 St. Elmo Avenue,
6:00 to 8:00 PM
Saturday, December 18, 2010
At New Voices, hot improvisational jazz meets the power of the spoken word. Hear music by The Undoctored Originals, including Dr. Jim Woodford, Keyboards, Dr. Bob Vogt, Saxophone, Billy Lowry, Drums, Ian Kibby, Euphonium, and Jack Gaillard, Congas. This event includes readings by Chattanooga area writers. Past participants have included Ray Zimmerman, Finn Bille, Jim Pfitzer, Bruce Majors, N.L. Diwan, Mary Wier, Julie Alexander, K.B Ballentine, E. Smith Gilbert, and others. Contact: znaturalist@yahoo.com