Too much sunshine.

Did I miss something here? I’m trying real hard, but I just can’t connect the 5th Dimension’s “Spread the Sunshine” clip with Huyndai cars. Every time I see all those people swaying in global unity behind one of their cars, I can’t help it. I start wishing for a seismic ground shake to knock them all over.

Want to connect me via music and cars? Chevy’s got it down. Songs, singers and cars all fit.

Front row seats!

For my birthday Friday, my wife Betty Jo suggested we head to East Lansing to find a sports restaurant filled with friendly Spartans fans. That way we could have a fun meal and try cheering the MSU basketball team on to victory. This was so cool…couple after couple kept getting seated before us and even with our 50 minute margin before tip-off, I started wondering if we’d be watching the game in the lobby. But in the world of near-perfect timing, we had nothing to fear! 5 minutes before the game starts, the hostess calls out to us and leads us past several empty tables, right to the one table front and center for the 9 screen, duck-when-the-slam-dunks-jump-onto-your-table monitor.

OK, so the Spartans fizzled (at least they’re in the big dance!), but the meal and the service were first-rate. How did they score?

1. Courtney, our server, served, never pushed. We’re a no-alcohol table, so she knew right off the bill would probably be lower. Nary a hint of displeasure. Plenty of beverage refills and wonderfully accurate entree descriptions. She made us feel like we were the main reason she came to work that night.
2. Gourmet at a sports restaurant? The grilled salmon and the walnut crusted chicken were amazing. We’ve paid quite a bit more for similar quality elsewhere. It was high value for the dollar and way beyond expectations.
3. Relax and enjoy the game. Our bill arrived; half way through the 2nd half. “There’s no rush,” she assured us. Hmmm. Guess they/she knew why we’d come: the food was an enhancement to the game.

So, thinking of your small group, how well might you do with these same issues:

1. Serving: How are you serving your small group as their leader? And a bit further out of the box, how is your small group serving others?
2. Exceeding: What are you doing to aim for significantly exceeded expectations?
3. Motivating: Can you identify each group member’s main reason for coming vs. his/her enhancements?

Here’s a thought: what’s one thing you could try that could create a positive impact on your small group in one of these areas?
In case you’re wondering: Betty Jo assured me that she was as surprised as I was about our front row seating!