Lisa notes

3 People to Love on Valentine’s Day

By LisaNotes February 10, 2020 Encouragement, Grace & Truth Link-Up 14 Comments

Who are you going to love on Valentine’s Day? Try these three people.

1. Love Someone From Your Past

Valentine’s Day forever changed for me 10 years ago. On February 14, 2010, my daddy died.

He had a quick bout of cancer. It was too brutal to fight. He refused treatment. And on a rare snowy, Sunday Alabama morning, his spirit and his body went separate ways.

I still miss him.

On this Valentine’s Day, I’ll be remembering back to that day. But I’ll also be remembering the days and years before them, when we had him here at maximum capacity. He was such a force.

My husband Jeff kept a pair of Daddy’s old reading glasses. He keeps them in his workshop in our basement. When he puts them on, he remembers his father-in-law.

And when I see Jeff wearing Daddy’s glasses, I know I’m being watched through eyes of love. Both my husband’s eyes and my father’s eyes.

WHO IN YOUR PAST WILL YOU LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY?

If it’s someone still here, let them know. If they’ve already moved on, remind yourself that you loved. You were loved. This is worth savoring.

2. Love Someone in Your Present

On this Valentine’s Day, Lord willing, I’ll be with the love of my life. Jeff is a rock. Secure. Stable. Priceless.

If we have our way, we’ll go nowhere that night. We won’t exchange cards (we made a pact years ago: no cards or gifts on Valentine’s Day, yippee!).

But together we’ll be.

Maybe after dinner we’ll sit in the living room together in the ratty red love seat and cuddle under our favorite old brown blanket and watch an episode of This Is Us and he’ll hand me a tissue when I cry because I’ve yet to get through an episode without tears.

And we’ll both amble around the house until bedtime. Then one of us will call it a night and the other will get ready too. Together we’ll leave the day behind and crawl under covers at the same time because that’s how we do it every night. And we’ll both feel like the most blessed people alive to still have the other one beside us.

WHO IN YOUR PRESENT WILL YOU LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY?

It doesn’t have to be a romantic partner. Maybe it’s a friend or a coworker or a sibling.

Whoever you see, can you speak love into their life? Can you give it away with abandon?

Bob Goff says,

“Give away love like you’re made of it. Let it fill you up like candy in a pinata, so when you take a hit, it’s what will pour out you.”

I know you can. We all can. Let’s agree to.

3. Love Someone in Your Future

This Valentine’s Day I’ll start a new adventure here on my blog. Instead of wandering online to link up with Maree Dee at Grace & Truth for the Christian weekly link-up there, like I do every Friday morning, I’ll stay put and do it right here.

Maree asked me to co-host with her, Lauren, Heather and Valerie. So each Friday I’ll invite community to gather with us here to meet awhile, linger a bit, and mix our lives together. I’ll share mine. You share yours.

It seems such a lovely thing to do. Mix grace and truth and Jesus and people. Good things will bubble up. I’m sure of it.

If you’re a Christian blogger, drop in for a visit. Leave us a link to an encouraging word you’ve written. Visit with old friends.

And make a new friend.

WHO IN YOUR FUTURE WILL YOU LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY?

Someone in the future is waiting for us. We don’t know yet who it will be.

But guaranteed, there are always new people ahead of us. They don’t know we’re waiting for them. We don’t know it either.

But Jesus knows. And Jesus must love it.

Does Jesus love Valentine’s Day? He knows it’s a fun day for many. But also a hard, vicious, grief-filled day for others.

Yet if he sees us loving someone from our past, someone in our present, and someone in our future, I say yes. Jesus loves that part of Valentine’s Day anyway.

Because he is love, we can be, too.

Who are you going to love on Valentine’s Day? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

If you’re around Friday, drop in a link here. Share a blog post about how you’re working out this Christian life thing. Jesus will meet us here, too. The link-up stays live for a week.

What Are Enneagram Wings? Your Invitation to Abundance {Enneagram Series #10}

By LisaNotes February 10, 2020 Enneagram 12 Comments

Once you know your core Enneagram number, don’t stop there.

Also become familiar with its two adjacent numbers. One of those numbers is your Enneagram wing.

Deciding your wing number can really help the Enneagram system click into place, inviting you forward on a clearer and abundant path of spiritual growth.

What Are Enneagram Wings?

Enneagram wings are simply the neighboring numbers on the circle. The wing options for a type 3 are either 2 or 4. For a type 9, the wings are either 8 or 1.

If you’re still struggling to decide your core number, looking at wings can help.

No one is solely one pure type. Your wing to the right or left of your number is also revelatory about your personality. It may complement it or it may complicate it, depending on circumstances.

For example, if you’re wavering between two adjacent numbers as your core number, such as 6 or 7, one of these may be your core number and the other may be your wing. Maybe you’re a type 6, wing 7 (written as 6w7) or a type 7, wing 6 (7w6).

Or if you have three numbers in succession that describe you, say 4, 5, and 6, your core number may be the one in the middle, type 5, with the other two numbers being potential wings.

What does your wing number mean?

The Enneagram Institute explains it like this:

“Your basic type dominates your overall personality, while the wing complements it and adds important, sometimes contradictory, elements to your total personality. Your wing is the “second side” of your personality, and it must be taken into consideration to better understand yourself or someone else.”

Wings help you understand your unique personality more specifically. They partially explain why your personality as a 4 looks different than your friend’s personality as a 4.

For example, I used to doubt that I could be a 5. 5s are typically defined as emotionally-reserved, yet I can cry under a minute at a sentimental commercial. But once I understood my 4 wing (4s get all the emotions), it made sense. I’m a 5w4.

Can you be two wings at the same time?

Depends on who you ask. Most experts say you only operate with one wing.

Some say you might depend on one wing in the first half of life, then switch to the other wing in the second half of life.

So while your core type does not change over the course of your life, your dominant wing might change.

You decide.

How do you know your wing?

First, know your core number. Then look at its two adjacent numbers. Read the descriptions. Do you relate more to one than the other?

Looking at your test results might also help. Of the two numbers adjacent to your core number, which score is the highest for you? This might be your dominant wing. It will not necessarily be ANY number that is second highest. Your dominant wing might be the relatively highest score of the two numbers adjacent to your core number.

But ultimately, you decide which best applies to you based on the descriptions.

In the next post, Series #11, you’ll see names for all the possibilities. The names may help you identify which wing is yours. For example, 3w2 is known as The Charmer whereas 3w4 is The Professional (Riso-Hudson Wing Subtype Names, Wisdom of the Enneagram, p 70).

Do you have to have a wing?

Most people usually have one dominant wing.

However, some say they are a pure type and have no wings. Perhaps so. Others may function equally between two wings.

Always remember: The Enneagram is theory, not science. It’s amazing how accurate it can be, but in the end, it is not 100% accurate for anybody.

Spiritual Practice #6—Accept the Invitation to Be Present with God

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.”
– Brother Lawrence

As we look closer at our own thoughts and motives to determine our wing, we don’t walk alone. God’s Spirit is always with us, always in us, prompting us to listen closer and be more aware of his presence within our own.

Training ourselves to become aware of his presence is a true spiritual discipline. If you haven’t read the small classic The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, I encourage you to do so. Free e-copies are often available online or get a $0.99 Kindle version here. It’s one of my top 10 life-changing books.

Jesus doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us, contrary to this amusing cartoon.

Invitations to Abundance

To aid you in your awareness of Jesus’ presence, consider these invitations to abundance for each type, found in The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

Don’t read just your own number; also read the two numbers beside your number. Does one resonate more with you than the other?

Invitation to 1—Perfectionist. “To live for a higher purpose.
Remember that it is your true nature to be wise and discerning.”

Invitation to 2—Helper. “To nurture yourself and others.
Remember that it is your true nature to be good to yourself and to have goodwill and compassion for others.”

Invitation to 3—Performer. “To develop yourself and set an example for others.
Remember that it is your true nature to take pleasure in your existence and to esteem and value others.”

Invitation to 4—Individualist. “To let go of the past and be renewed by your experiences.
Remember that it is your nature to be forgiving and to use everything in life for your growth and renewal.”

Invitation to 5—Investigator. “To observe yourself and others without judgment or expectations.
Remember that it is your true nature to be engaged with reality, contemplating the infinite riches of the world.”

Invitation to 6—Loyalist. “To have faith in yourself and trust in the goodness of life.
Remember that it is your true nature to be courageous and capable of dealing with life under all conditions.”

Invitation to 7—Enthusiast. “To joyously celebrate existence and share your happiness.
Remember that it is your true nature to be happy and to add to the richness of experience for everyone.”

Invitation to 8—Challenger. “To stand up for yourself and to speak out for what you believe.
Remember that it is your true nature to be strong and capable of affecting the world in many different positive ways.”

Invitation to 9—Peacemaker. “To bring peace and healing into your world.
Remember that it is your true nature to be an inexhaustible font of serenity, acceptance, and kindness in the world.”

Do you know your Enneagram wing? Was it easy or hard to decide? Please share in the comments.

See the whole Enneagram series here

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A Hidden Gift in Each Enneagram Number {Enneagram Series #9}

By LisaNotes February 9, 2020 Enneagram 6 Comments

Keep Giving Your Gift

“Inside each number is a hidden gift that reveals something about God’s heart. So when you are tempted to prosecute yourself for the flaws in your own character, remember that each type is at its core a signpost pointing us to travel toward and embrace an aspect of God’s character that we need.”
– Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery

No one person is big enough to hold all of God.

But we can all share a piece of him with each other. When we put the pieces together, we have a beautiful glimpse of our amazing God.

I’m grateful God put us together as a family. We shine brighter, contribute more, and love stronger together than when alone.

Whatever your gift is in your Enneagram type, find it.

Keep giving it.

Have you found the gift in your Enneagram number? Please share in the comments.

See the whole Enneagram series here

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Your First Impression of the Enneagram and Week 1 in Summary {Enneagram Series #8}

By LisaNotes February 8, 2020 Enneagram 3 Comments

When did you first hear about the Enneagram? What was your first impression?

Here’s a funny meme from Instagram on Enneagramandcoffee about each type’s first reaction to the Enneagram. Does it fit you?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Below is a short recap of the Enneagram articles from this week.

Summary of the Week

If you want to learn more about the Enneagram, see these five articles from week 1 in our series, “The Enneagram for Spiritual Growth: 20 Ways to Practice the Enneagram.”

• What Are the 9 Enneagram Types? Plus 9 Fears and Desires {Day 3}

Spiritual Practice #1—Find God by paying attention to people.

Discover the nine Enneagram types with their core fears and desires. The Enneagram is about WHY you do what you do, not just WHAT you do.

• 3 Ways to Find YOUR Enneagram Number + 9 Healing Attitudes to Accept It {Day 4}

Spiritual Practice #2—Examine your heart with 9 healing attitudes.

What’s your Enneagram type? Here are three ways to find your enneagram number. And one way NOT to.

• 5 Enneagram Tests to Determine Your Type {Day 5}

Spiritual Practice #3—Test yourself and your core longings.

Take an Enneagram test to help determine your type. A test may at least rule out what your number is not. Here are links to five tests.

• Who Has Your Enneagram Number? Numbers of Famous People and People in the Bible {Day 6}

Spiritual Practice #4—Connect with people in the Bible.

What are the Enneagram numbers of famous people and people in the Bible? Here are guesses. See who has your Enneagram number to help find your own.

• Where Did the Enneagram Come From? What Does the Symbol Mean? {Day 7}

Spiritual Practice #5—Draw your spiritual family tree.

Where did the Enneagram come from anyway? What are its origins? What does the symbol mean? It’s not as crazy as it looks.

What was your first impression of the Enneagram? What do you think now? Please share in the comments.

See the whole Enneagram series here

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Where Did the Enneagram Come From? What Does the Symbol Mean? {Enneagram Series #7}

By LisaNotes February 7, 2020 Enneagram 4 Comments

Where did the Enneagram come from anyway? What are its origins?

And the crazy-looking symbol? What does it even mean?

History of the Enneagram

Did somebody just make this stuff up? Is it Christian? Anti-Christian?

The word Enneagram comes from two Greek words:

ennéa means “nine”
grámma means something “written or drawn”

While the Enneagram (a personality profiling system) has become increasingly popular in the last decade, it started much earlier. Some say it originated with the early Christian mystics, possibly in the 4th or 5th century A.D.. Some say it began even in pre-Christian times.

No one knows its origins with certainty. It was an oral tradition, not a written one. It remains a mixture of ancient wisdom traditions and modern psychology.

The modernized version of the Enneagram is mostly attributed to Oscar Ichazo from South America. In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Ichazo put his version together, and teaming up with Claudio Naranjo in Chili, together they brought it to the United States, where Ichazo still lives.

In the early 1970s, the Enneagram was taught among American Jesuit priests. Father Richard Rohr picked it up, and along with Andreas Ebert, published a book in 1991 now titled The Enneagram: a Christian Perspective, introducing the Enneagram to the Christian community.

In the 1990s, Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson also began teaching it, getting it into the hands of the average person (see their book, The Wisdom of the Enneagram).

And its popularity continues to grow.

But regardless of its origins, what we search for is truth, wherever we find it. There’s no such thing as Christian truth and secular truth because as R.C. Sproul says, “All truth is God’s truth.” Is the Enneagram true or not? You decide.

The Enneagram is only a tool, one among many that we can use to lead us to God. If it does that for you, fine. If it doesn’t, discard it.

A.J. Sherrill says it well in Enneagram & the Way of Jesus:

“Although the Enneagram has contentious origins, the theory need not be demonized simply because it may not have arisen from Christian thinkers. At the same time, many suggest the Enneagram did originate from Christians.

“Whatever the case may be, its usefulness is not contingent on its origins since all truth belongs to God, and it should be utilized as a means and not an end.”

The Enneagram Symbol

The Enneagram symbol looks mysterious. But it’s not. It’s not a magical sign. It’s simply a circle with 9 numbers and connecting lines.

The numbers don’t signify order, as best number to worst number. 1 isn’t the prize number; neither is 9. They don’t mean anything in themselves; they’re just labels. You could just as easily use letters, i.e., A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, or anything else as the placeholders.

The lines indicate directions of weakness and strength for each number. More in Series #12. Triangles are often drawn within the circle as well, indicating other groupings, such as the head, heart, and body numbers. If you’re a geometry fan, you’ll appreciate these. More in Series #17.

Spiritual Practice #5—Draw Your Spiritual Family Tree

More important than the Enneagram history is your own spiritual history.

Trace your spiritual heritage. How far back can you go with your spiritual family tree?

What was the faith of your grandparents?
What did your parents believe?
Who most influenced your own belief in God, blood relative or otherwise?

If time allows, send a note, a quick text, or a short phone call to thank somebody on your tree who has positively influenced you.

As children of God, we all share the same root in our family trees. Thank God today for your spiritual history. He has brought you this far and has good plans ahead.

Negative Reactions to Your Fall

For reference, here is a listing of how each type might react negatively to their own fallen nature. See if your number fits you.

These originate with A.H. Almas, a Kuwaiti author and spiritual teacher, in Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas, found in AJ Sherrill’s book, Enneagram & the Way of Jesus.

1—Perfectionist. Triumph over the Fall through self-improvement

2—Helper. Manipulate the way others see them by serving

3—Performer. Develop themselves to make success happen

4—Individualist. Deny any disconnection with self, but try to control it

5—Investigator. Isolate themselves through withdrawal and avoidance

6—Loyalist. Fearfully paranoid about potential dangers around them

7—Enthusiast. Avoid the pain of disconnection by seeking pleasure

8—Challenger. Angry at the Fall, they fight for justice and revenge

9—Peacemaker. Make everything better in routine life through submission

Wherever truth may be found it belongs to the Lord.
– St. Augustine of Hippo

What is your spiritual history? Who has most influenced you? Who do you hope to influence? Please share in the comments.

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Who Has Your Enneagram Number? Numbers of Famous People and People in the Bible {Enneagram Series #6}

By LisaNotes February 6, 2020 Enneagram 25 Comments

What is Donald Trump’s Enneagram number? Oprah Winfrey? Jesus?

Once you identify your own Enneagram type, a natural inclination is to wonder:

Who else has my Enneagram number?

We’re eager to assign numbers. Numbers to our friends and family. Numbers to famous people. Numbers to people we read about in the Bible.

Is this a good practice?

Probably not. But do we do it anyway? Probably so.

Don’t Type Other People

The experts on the Enneagram suggest no. Don’t do it. Don’t type other people.

We can’t understand another person’s inner motives and thus we can’t accurately identify their Enneagram number. When we attempt it, we’re making judgments. A consequence might be we adjust our own behavior based on how we assume others will behave. Not good.

Also when we type others, we rob them of discovering it for themselves. Part of the journey of the Enneagram is coming to grips with your own number. It’s like a butterfly fighting its way out of its cocoon. If you rip it open before it’s time, it can be destructive.

But If You Do . . .

However, most of us do wonder about others’ types. And we enjoy hearing others’ guesses as well.

Just keep it as a a hunch, not a fact. Use your guess to give the benefit of the doubt, to enhance your relationships.

Never use the Enneagram as a tool against others (as in, “You’re such an 8!” or “I knew you’d say that because you’re a 6.”). Or against yourself either (“I couldn’t help it; it’s my 2 coming out.”)

The more we know, the more gracious we can be, not judgmental. Isn’t that how God is with us?

So, just for fun, below are some common assumptions (not facts!) of Enneagram numbers for famous people throughout history, including people in the Bible. They’re collected from around the web and various books. They are not definitive.

Famous People’s Numbers (Maybe!)

Which famous (or fictitious) person do you most relate to with your type?

Let these guesses help you better determine your own type.

Type 1—Perfectionist

Apostle Paul. Mahatma Gandhi. Batman. Hillary Clinton. Confucius. Nelson Mandela. Michelle Obama. Osama Bin Laden. Martha Stewart. Jerry Seinfeld. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter). Captain “Sully” Sullenberger. SNL’s “The Church Lady.” St. Augustine. Cesar Chavez. The Lone Ranger. Martin Luther. Miss Manners. Colin Powell. Condoleezza Rice. Alex Trebek.

Type 2—Helper

Mary Magdalene. The apostle John. Boaz. Jimmy Carter. Mother Theresa. Desmond Tutu. Nancy Reagan. Ken Burns. Princess Diana. Betty Friedan. Danny Glover. Barbara Bush. Whitney Houston. Florence Nightingale. Dolly Parton. Fairy Godmother. Della Reese. Mr. Rogers.

Type 3—Performer

Moses. Jacob. King Saul. King David. Judas. Pilate. Oprah Winfrey. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lance Armstrong. Tom Cruise. Bryant Gumbel. Jesse Jackson. Mick Jagger. Michael Jordan. Carl Lewis. General Douglas MacArthur. Elvis Presley. Will Smith. Sylvester Stallone. Marianne Williamson. Tiger Woods. Justin Bieber. Scarlett O’Hara (Gone With the Wind).

Type 4—Individualist

Joseph, Jacob’s youngest son. Job. Isaiah. Edgar Allan Poe. Nicolas Cage. Prince Charles. Bob Dylan. Lena Horne. Michael Jackson. Angelina Jolie. Thomas Merton. Michaelangelo. Meryl Streep. Vincent Van Gogh.

Type 5—Investigator

Mary, the mother of Jesus. Luke. Thomas the doubter. Zacchaeus. Nicodemus. Albert Einstein. Bill Gates. Sherlock Holmes. Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter). Stephen Hawking. Emily Dickinson. Stephen King. Karl Marx. St. Thomas Aquinas. Osama bin Laden. Buddha. Marie Curie. Charles Darwin. Amelia Earhart. Alfred Hitchcock. George Lucas. Sir Isaac Newton.

Type 6—Loyalist

Ruth. Apostle Peter. Timothy. Mark Twain. Rodney Dangerfield. Ellen DeGeneres. Richard Pryor. Sigmund Freud. J. R. R. Tolkien. Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings). David Letterman. Charles Manson. Chris Rock. Marilyn Monroe. Richard Nixon. Adolf Hitler. Woody Allen. Spike Lee. Tom Selleck. Bruce Springsteen.

Type 7—Enthusiast

Barnabus. King Solomon. Woman at the Well. Rich young ruler. Robin Williams. e.e. cummings. George W. Bush. Benjamin Franklin. Peter Pan. Thomas Jefferson. Sarah Palin. Steve Jobs. Terry Bradshaw. Antonio Banderas. Jeff Bezos. Leonardo DaVinci. George Clooney. Buffalo Bill Cody. Whoopie Goldberg. Andy Griffith. Tom Hanks. Magic Johnson. Eddie Murphy. Brad Pitt.

Type 8—Challenger

Samson. John the Baptist. Miriam, the sister of Moses. Martha. Donald Trump. Joseph Stalin. Martin Luther King, Jr. Muhammed Ali. Ernest Hemingway. Charles Barkley. Fidel Castro. Dr. Phil. Darth Vader (Star Wars). Hans Solo (Star Wars). Theodore Roosevelt. Queen Latifah. Roger Ailes. Napoleon Bonaparte. Morgan Freeman. Saddam Hussein. John McEnroe. Shaquille O’Neal. George Wallace. Muammar Qaddafi.

Type 9—Peacemaker

Jonah. Abraham. Man at the pool. Abraham Lincoln. The Dalai Lama. Bill Clinton. Jane Austen. Harry Potter (Harry Potter). Dwight Eisenhower. Mr. Magoo. Will Ferrell. Carl Jung. J. K. Rowling. Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz). Laura Bush. Julia Child. Clint Eastwood. James Earl Jones. Ronald Reagan.

All Types

Jesus. He has the best traits of every number, every personality, every person.

Spiritual Practice #4—Connect with People in the Bible

In AJ Sherrill’s excellent small book, Enneagram and the Way of Jesus, each type is paired with a person from Scripture. Read the following passages related to your type. How do you connect?

As Sherrill reminds us,

“The accounts of Scripture are not arbitrary tales, but were recorded for both the purpose of historical veracity, and as a means of personal growth.”

1—Perfectionist. Read Philippians 3:2-9 about Paul’s credentials to the Philippian believers.

2—Helper. Read Matthew 25:34-46 about loving the person in front of you.

3—Performer. Read 1 Samuel 13:8-14 about King’s Saul commitment to success instead of obedience.

4—Individualist. Read Job 7:11-21 about Job’s feelings against God.

5—Investigator. Read about Nicodemus in John 3:1-15 coming to Jesus at night.

6—Loyalist. Read about Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33.

7—Enthusiast. Read Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 about a time for everything.

8—Challenger. Read Mark 7:24-30 about the Syrophoenician woman.

9—Peacemaker. Read Genesis 12:1-9 about Abraham’s willingness to follow God.

In case you missed it, likely numbers are: Donald Trump–8, Oprah Winfrey–3, Jesus–All.

Who are you glad is in your group? Any surprises among those with your number? Please share in the comments.

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