12 January 2015

My Diverse Interests

Last week someone commented on the many and diverse involvements that I have. It is true that I do a variety of things, and I hope they are with purpose and intention. So here is an overview:
     1. I care about diversity of culture, beliefs, and lifestyle and the intersection of all of this. This is the impetus behind The Isaac-Ishmael Initiative which I began four years ago.
     2. I care about equity economically and socially, especially in the Two-Thirds world where most people live in abject poverty. This is why I am involved with a great relief and development agency, Dorcas Aid International.
     3. I umpire youth and adult baseball for about 5 months per year, because I love the game and because it puts me in touch with real people living life in their own way. Umpiring reminds me of my blue-collar roots in New York and keeps me grounded.
     4. My wife and I have raised Labrador Retriever puppies for the last few years, because we love animals and embrace the 8 weeks of chaos, sleep deprivation, and joy that puppies bring to us and to the families who adopt them.
     5. I serve in my local church, Denver Community Church, because being in community should not be an option. Church is messy at times. But the alternative is isolation and that's just hell.
     6. For many years I have had a deep concern for and involvement in leadership, which led me to start a company called Step Up Enterprises that I run with my great business partner, Lizzy Wagner. We believe that everyone has a next step, even if it is the tiniest baby step. We have a counseling section and a consulting section - in both we help people and organizations through the many challenges and stresses of life.
     So these are my diverse and varied interests. What I hope motivates me the most is that I know I only have a certain number of days on earth and I don't want to waste time. I want to make the very most of the life I have been given.


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