Big Red Car here. OK, folks, it’s winter here today and for the next four days — 50F and high of 54F and rain!

Will be 68F later this week, so that’s a bit of all right, no?

So The Boss is talking to one of his brilliant CEOs and he says: “Boss, where can I get some exposure to public speaking? I need to develop my public speaking gravitas.”

Now, gravitas and public speaking are not the same thing but The Boss knew what he was looking for and like he always does he had an answer. Bit of a strange answer.

The Boss told him: “Go to church and watch the minister deliver the sermon. Ministers are very good public speakers and they do it every week. Sometimes more than once.”

The Boss had a particular church in mind and sent the brilliant CEO on his way.

Week later the brilliant CEO reports back. “Wow, that was a damn good idea. The guy is ultra tech. The entire deal was projected, subtitled, videoed. Had his notes on an iPad. Very cool sound system and projection system. Very high tech! He was an excellent speaker and kept the entire church spellbound. Just what I need to do. I learned a lot. It was just a conversation but the lesson was in the conversation. Just what I want to do.”

Then the brilliant CEO surprised The Boss — not an easy thing to do. He said: “And the sermon was pretty damn good. It touched on something I’ve been thinking about. It was a lot of wisdom sort like The Wisdom of the Campfire (The Boss’s CEO coaching brand).”

Sayeth The Boss: “Do tell. What did the minister say.”

As it turns out, the minister spoke to the notion that God gives all men and women (including CEOs and wannabe CEOs) potential, unlimited potential really. He then sets us up in the starting blocks and sprinkles us with free will and says: “Run as hard and as far as you want but know I’ve given you enough talent to be a sprinter and a marathoner and a winner. From here on out, you will decide the outcomes. I just give you the potential and free will. You decide how far it carries you.”

The Boss looked at the brilliant CEO and said: “Sounds like a very good lesson, no?”

The brilliant CEO said: “Yes, and I don’t have to pay him monthly like I do you.” [The Boss didn’t tell him about tithing but maybe he will one day.]

Here are the takeaways:

1. Don’t buy into the common secular about face on religion. Religion is an organized delivery method for truth. It is there 24/7 and there is a lot to learn. Don’t close yourself off to the learnings that are available to you. If you don’t deal in truth, stay home. If you can’t handle the truth, stay home.

2. Ministers are very good public speakers and sometimes will provide a damn good lesson to boot. They are also quite high tech.

3. We are all blessed with unlimited potential and free will. That alarm clock snooze button should be called “The Freewill Decider Button” (only if George W Bush had named it, hahaha, Big Red Car, shut up the folks don’t think that’s funny).

4. Being a CEO is a constant struggle and it is the greatest laboratory of potential plus free will. Exercise some of that free will and get into the race. Not that you aren’t but know how you are. Be informed and challenged.

And they say that “organized” religion is passe.

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Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? You can enjoy this song or you can turn it off. Have a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!

Want a treat this holiday season? Go sit in a church. Arrive early, before the masses arrive. Find a quiet spot and just sit there. Let the peace flow over you and meditate a bit. How can this be bad?

But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.