We all have a “them” or “they” a “him” or “her” that we compare ourselves against. There is healthy comparison, where we see someone who has traveled a similar road ahead of us that become “remote mentors”, and inspirations for our journey. But there is also unhealthy comparison. The kind where we emulate without question, where we implement without context, and where we clone vision without leadership or clarification of our unique voice and identity.

For churches it might be comparing themselves with the larger church in town, the North Points, Willow Creeks and Saddlebacks.

For people it might be comparing themselves to the super mom, the popular blogger, the published leader and the keynote speaker.

In social media it might be comparing ourselves to someone else’s online community, affiliate sales, custom Facebook tabs or viral Youtube videos.

• Launching a customized Facebook Page because another church has isn’t not a good reason for you to launch one.
• Doing a podcast because another non-profit is doing one isn’t a good enough reason for you to start one.
• Following everyone who follows you on Twitter because people with a lot of followers seem to do that IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON to do it yourself.
• Streaming your services online because you see other churches your size doing it IS A TERRIBLE REASON to do it yourself.

It IS a good reason to investigate their investment, return and strategy. And THEN to see if who you are in your passion/vision could benefit from it in part or whole. But often we clone then we get creative trying to squeeze ourselves into another’s strategy.

How much of what you do is because someone else is doing it?
How much of that do you need to stop right now?

Living in a world of comparison can surround us with so many voices we forget what ours sounds like. Then we are just noise that mixes into the crowd. Social Media works best for the clear and remarkable – with the resonating tones.

Thanks to John Otjen and Kevin Ely the wizards behind the video production process and workflow for Church Online in making this quick video tour. If you want more details you can check out a working “whitepaper” of our process and equipment on this Google Document.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jami Smith, an indie Worship artist, based out of Oklahoma City over the past few months. One of the projects I’ve been most excited about is putting together and releasing her YouTube Video album. It is based on her new album she just launched called Verse (click here to check it out).

We created a dashboard video that has the song list for Verse as well as an introduction by Jami talking about the heart behind the music for this album. Then using some YouTube magic (ie annotations) we created links to the rest of the video songs. At the end of each song we have another end plate with a Home, Next and Previous options to click onto the next song or go back to the list.

This video album was combined with a 12 week engagement plan on how the songs, and the heart of their message, can create conversations between Jami and her community. This has the effect of helping Jami connect with her community, listen, and give accessibility while also helping the community to engage with an artist and her music on a whole new level.

I’ve love for you to check out the Verse Video Album and share it with our friends. And if you are a music artist and have any questions let me know!

It is surprising how long I can ignore situations when I have come to my limits of time, attention, energy and commitment. I will keep pushing hard, staying up late, and careening across the margins and boundaries that make life, relationships, health and productivity itself sustainable.

Last night was one of the times when my end was in my face. You know, those times when you take out any piece of paper close to you, cause at that moment everything feels like chaos and any sort of paper will do, and you start writing down all the commitments you have.

As the list grows longer, your eyes get bigger, and you realize that the word “no” hasn’t been in your vocabulary much both for others and especially to yourself. Honesty with all the ideas, creativity and the journey’s of people’s lives we see and often (ie me) compare ourselves to; we can run past our emotional, spiritual and productive limits but not recognize it for a long time.

With all the commitments and things to do, taking the time to focus on character and who I am runs out first. That is why my canary in the mine has always been 1) have I been skipping time with God and prayer? and 2) how have I been responding to change?

The world of 2010 is limitless in regards to ideas, information, opportunities and people’s accomplishments and stories. But we as people, as fathers, mothers, friends, lovers, leaders, pastors, counselors, writers, creatives, and on aren’t limitless. I say that as much to try and convince my eagerly competitive activator’s mind as much as you today. It’s okay to have limits, its okay to be you, its okay to have your journey be the one you care about, its okay to be present in your daily community. Life without limits is raw, stuck, and ultimately lonely.

Just some questions for us to think on:

• How many things am I actually committed to right now?
• When things are out of balance what are the “canaries in the mine” that are signs of danger?
• Do I have time for people to be close to me?
• What things do I want that are really because someone else did them? (that I should let go of…)
• If life was this speed, for the rest of my life, is it sustainable? (honestly there aren’t seasons, just excuses for abuses)

If you’re like me the pace of things coming at us every day is daunting. Not only do we have the things we want to do, there are the things we feel we should be doing from social comparison, er social media. In a time when our ability to do more is creating more for us to do we can find ourselves paralyzed by the workload, procrastinating (lazy freaking out), and with no margin to treat people well.

To that I say (as much to remind myself as ANYONE) the best response isn’t to try and fix it all at once; and it isn’t to ignore it all; and it surely isn’t to accomplish it while ignoring the people in your life.

The best response I can find is to:

1. Review my commitments. (If I’ve not listed what I am committed to, which is why I do what I do, then I make a quick list and keep it by me.)
2. Realize hard things are hard because they are worth it, its okay they are hard, that’s why I’m here to do it.
3. Hard things take the time they take – just use the time wisely, not distracted.
4. Take a deep breath
5. Focus and finish one thing at a time.
6. Realize relationships/people are more important, which is why I work through my work consistently so I have time for my important relationships.
7. Margin in our life, time, minds, emotions is key to consistent productivity and healthy relationships. Less margin = higher stress. I might need to say no to a lot of things, even if I’ve already committed to them

Be encouraged, there is a lot to do, a lot of it is probably hard stuff, but you are up for it. Take a minute to get centered, let the fear and anxiety slip off, and take things one at a time.