Quick Hits of the Week

• The people that we choose to spend time with will influence us heavily. For example, if you want to predict someone’s income, look at the average income of their 5 closest friends. If you’re looking to become more successful you need to always be looking for more successful people to spend your time with. Dan Miller suggests that we start by never being the smartest person in the room. Then, make a habit of doing the things that successful people do differently.

• It’s Summer, which means that our kids have spent a week or two at Vacation Bible School of one type or another. Churches will usually sponsor a VBS as a safe and feel good option for parents to deposit their children while school is out. There’s nothing wrong with it, but I wonder if something more community focused would be better. Over at Lenore Skenazy’s Free-Range Kids, she shares the story about a couple of moms that created a successful camp in the streets and homes of their neighborhood. It’s a great idea, and I hope to see more people (including churches) organize similar events. Also, let me just say, if you’re a pastor to children or young adults, you should be reading and incorporating the ideas introduced at Free-Range Kids. We need to take the fear out of  our parenting.

• Can you tell when a picture isn’t straight? Or when a wall isn’t square? Well, here’s your chance to prove that your eye is the keenest of them all. Go and see how well you do, and then come back and let me know. (Don’t try it after you’ve had a couple rum and cokes, though. Man, my score was miserable.)

• Short-term mission trips have exploded in the US, but that has meant a steep learning curve for the organizations who coordinate them. Dan King covers all of this ground extremely well as he explains why you shouldn’t build a house (or a well) on your next mission trip. The bottom line is that missionaries need to be improving lives in every way, but handouts seldom lead to long term improvement. A well is of no use to their community if no one knows how to fix it when it breaks.

• Finally, I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, but I never have understood their strange fixation with doing this. I like seafood just fine, but that isn’t how I want it served.

Is there something valuable or important or cool or funny or weird or awesome out there I missed this week? I can’t hit it all, but you should let me know about it by dropping me a line or sharing it in the comments below! I’d appreciate the heads up.