Youth Education Through Soccer

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Philen

You ever notice how – when you follow the path of least resistance…
accept where you are as being exactly where you’re supposed to be…
and then apply your whole mind to what’s in front of you rather than distract yourself with thoughts of what is not…
that amazing things begin to happen…
as if we’re all inter-connected by some super-intelligence that is intent on bringing us a deep and fulfilling joy?

Check this out…

And there’s some stuff that’s not on the flyer…

  • School classes will hold not more than 15 students
  • A 60% aggregate is set for children and they will be pulled from the field of play if they are underachieving
  • The soccer academy is run by Lloyd Tuffney – a UEFA A Certified Coach – and is endorsed by Ryan Maye, the Head of Academy Analysis at West Bromwich Albion and who has previously worked with Glasgow Rangers and Chelsea Football Clubs.

This is not just Soccer – This is Youth Education through soccer!

And here’s where it all links together by that Super-Intelligence I mentioned earlier… Continue reading →

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Necessary Endings

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Philen

“Growth Depends on Getting Rid of the Unwanted or the Superfluous”

So I’m chopping Facebook – not completely, but hugely. My 700+ ‘friends’ are being downsized to about 50. Truth is that I struggle to build any meaningful relationship with status updates. And I struggle to invest any genuine interest into a person’s life when my brain is overwhelmed by the sheer number of ‘friends’ – in fact I find myself becoming very disconnected. And then I start using Facebook as a tool for my own agenda.

But I don’t want to be that person.

It feels so shallow to spend hours each day trying to stay ‘friends’ with people I don’t truly know. What exactly am I looking for? Am I placing my hope in my Facebook ‘relationships’? Do I rely on Facebook for my own self-image? Am I trying to market myself? What is it? Is it worth it? Is it adding value to my life – true sustainable, meaningful value? Are my relationships growing? Am I increasing in knowledge and wisdom and love?

How much of my worldview has shifted to believe that if I don’t engage well on Facebook, that I run the risk of failing in my life, my work…?

When I was a baby, I used to poop in my pants and walk on my hands and knees. Before I could move on to childhood, where I could experience the joys of walking to my own potty before pooping, I needed to completely let go of my old habits. The old needed to die before the new could take place. The same goes for every area of my life.

I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my mutton curry if I did not leave behind the habit of suckling my mother’s breast.

I would not be married to my beautiful wife if I did not end my obsession over that ‘first love’.

I would not be living this new and fresh life as a servant to the poor, if I did not end my greed for money in the business world.

And so it goes on……..

“For there to be anything new, old things have to come to an end, and we have to let go of them.” Continue reading →

Posted in Identity, Personal Growth, Spirit-led Paths, Spiritual Life | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Tough Callings – Mamma Maggie Groban

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Philen

I try to be as discerning as I can on which conference to attend and which to let pass by, for fear that I might become a professional “hearer” but not a committed “doer”.
But the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) is something I jump at every time, and I am never disappointed.
There is always so much for my brain to absorb that it usually takes weeks of dedicated reflection before it all sinks in and I am able to share any of it coherently :) But there is one true gem I was gifted with, which I wish to share with you today.

“silence your body to listen to your words.
silence your tongue to listen to your thoughts.
silence your thoughts to listen to your heart beating.
silence your your heart to listen to your spirit.
silence your spirit to listen to His spirit.
in silence we leave many and be with the One.”

As I continue along this path of life I try to protect my tongue from mouthing off in a rush, and I also try to discern myself and others according to the lives we live rather than the words we speak. A speaker at the Summit commented that “The lives we live shout so loudly that nobody can hear the words we say.” and I agree wholeheartedly with this. I see this in my own life as I often wonder why I cannot get those whom I lead to do what I say. And then I am struck across my head with the reality-pole that what I am asking is not what I am doing. That being the case, can I truly call myself a leader? Can anyone truly call themselves leaders if their words are drowned by conflicting actions/inactions?

Anyway, these are things I am pondering and challenging – both myself (as a leader of others)  and those who stand as leaders over me. And as I ponder, I have decided to take the above quote to heart and to practice it, because I have found the life of the person who spoke it to be worthy of my attention. Her name is Mamma Maggie Groban, she is also known as “The Mother Theresa of Cairo” – a short clip of her presentation at the GLS 2011 is below for your viewing pleasure and I pray that you would be as blessed as I was. As for me I can feel my soul begging me to take a step into Silence – so I (somewhat stumblingly) will attempt to obey. If you don’t hear from me or see me on Facebook or Twitter it’s because I am practicing listening by shutting my loud mouth :)
Knowing me and my mouth, it won’t be long before you hear from me again :)
But I’ll never know what could’ve been if I don’t take a step to try.

The spirit of holy in me gives honor to the spirit of holy in you.
Namasté

“When I listen to a poor child I hear the heartbeat of God calling to all humanity. Every needy child is your child.” – Mamma Maggie Groban

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Stop Famine Now – Please Take Action

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Philen

Dear friends,

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch ONE’s new video “The F Word: Famine is the Real Obscenity” and sign the petition to world leaders.

The reasons for the famine in the Horn of Africa are complex and solutions are difficult, especially in Somalia, but we can’t lose sight of some simple facts: 1. 30,000 children have died in just 3 months. Thirty thousand. With over 12 million people at risk. 2. Famine is not a natural catastrophe – drought doesn’t have to lead to famine. It can be prevented, as we’ve seen in much of Kenya and Ethiopia. In the 21st century, it’s an obscenity that Continue reading →

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What is Community Development? – Help vs Support

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Philen

As I ponder the question “What is Community Development, and what makes it truly sustainable?” – I am constantly challenged by how small, seemingly arbitrary changes in our daily language can hugely affect our outlook on life and the Path we find ourselves walking.
Most recently I have been made aware of my use of the words “Help” and “Support”.

For much of my life I have had “Help” in my head and on my tongue…

“My life is devoted to helping the poor…”
“My organization is in the business of helping people…”
“How can I help you…?”

These have all been a central part of my identity, and many people have commended me for my selfless service to others.
Yet I have not been happy.
In fact, I’ve felt a growing discontent this year and it has been evident in my leadership, as I have felt that those I lead have not moved as easily as I had hoped for. How could that be when I was doing so much to ‘help’ them? Isn’t that what Jesus asks from us? Is this not the way of the great men and women who have walked before us – the Madiba’s, Mother Theresa’s, Ghandi’s, Luther King’s etc?…they all ‘helped’ those in need.

Or did they? Continue reading →

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