When you really think about it that's the way Christ did his ministry - it was being involved intentionally in peoples' lives not just going up and down the street on a one time door-knocking campaign. Maybe back in the day when Americans had a common knowledge of the bible and of God that made sense. I'm not knocking folks who want to do this but maybe we should be getting involved in the lives of folks and maybe we can get a hearing?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
been a while
Been quite a while since I posted. Whole summer passed by and now deep into the Fall. Love this time of year. Been extremely busy at the job - keeping the HQ up and running network and telecom-wise in the midst of hurricane season. A lot of fun, exhausting. Just read a buddy's blog on him being melancholy - gotta admit I'm feeling a little that way too. Neat things going on at our local fellowship with a new (sorta) senior pastor - saying goodbye to our old one after 14 years. Much like the rest of us who were military and came and went we have sent him off on a new mission. Kinda cool watching folks get charged up on reaching out to the community - but the challenge is to get my generation to understand the next generation is into relationships. There will be new methods to reach folks with the love of God and that entails getting into their lives. For example I know that right now as I'm typing this two of the next-gen guys are down at the ball fields playing baseball with a bunch of latino guys - just a couple of gringos asking to play ball with them. Today they were taking a box or two of baseballs as a gift. They're being intentional in being part of the lifes of these fellas in hopes of sharing the love of Christ with them somewhere down the line.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A mission again
Well I'm finally going to have a mission again. I have been selected to be the Section Chief for Site Support in the FEMA IT Services Division. Basically I'm responsible for providing all the IT support (network, computers, telecom) for FEMA Hqs. Man am I looking forward to getting on the job.
You might wonder why I would take a pay cut and take a job where most of the time you get hollered at? Because I need a mission - I need to do something that counts for something. Keeping the comms running at FEMA fits that bill for me.
I picked up a phrase years ago - don't know who I got it from but it had to be a fellow comm-weenie: "Doing a good job in comm is like wetting your pants in a dark suit. It gives you a nice, warm feeling and nobody notices." Someone recently added a second part: "After the nice, warm feeling goes away you're simply left cold and wet."
You might wonder why I would take a pay cut and take a job where most of the time you get hollered at? Because I need a mission - I need to do something that counts for something. Keeping the comms running at FEMA fits that bill for me.
I picked up a phrase years ago - don't know who I got it from but it had to be a fellow comm-weenie: "Doing a good job in comm is like wetting your pants in a dark suit. It gives you a nice, warm feeling and nobody notices." Someone recently added a second part: "After the nice, warm feeling goes away you're simply left cold and wet."
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Data mining
I find it fascinating that the next generation is into posting stuff on myspace and facebook and then is surprised that people use it to keep up with their adventures. They call it stalking and "creepy" when all you are doing is simply taking the public information they have posted and use it to discover what is going on. Question is: why post the stuff if you think people aren't going to use the information? Do they just think its like something in a museum that you just look at and go on to the next piece? Maybe some folks just "window shop" in museums and rush on to the next but there are others who look at a display; read the accompanying text - ask themselves questions; etc.
But to express surprise that people are actually using the information posted on social sites really is unexpected and incongruous. Maybe they aren't as wired in to the "information age" as they really think they are..
But to express surprise that people are actually using the information posted on social sites really is unexpected and incongruous. Maybe they aren't as wired in to the "information age" as they really think they are..
Saturday, April 26, 2008
musings from the front porch
Saturdays are my only real day to do any kind of relaxation - not that I know how to relax anyways. But I'm sitting on the front porch now on a Saturday evening watching a thunderstorm roll in.
Had a great little party down at the neighbors' this afternoon welcoming back my "other son" from Iraq. Watched him grow up with my kids - still remember them playing street hockey and jumping on the trampoline; playing lacrosse at the high school and now we share a brotherhood of arms as combat veterans.
as i just sit here i wonder how far do you go in helping others? where do you draw the line in areas where you think you might be manipulated? what happens if you can't put your finger on your hesitation? Do you do it anyway? maybe the scripture where it says that when you know you are to do good but don't do it; its sin.
i don't know - other than my gut says no...
Had a great little party down at the neighbors' this afternoon welcoming back my "other son" from Iraq. Watched him grow up with my kids - still remember them playing street hockey and jumping on the trampoline; playing lacrosse at the high school and now we share a brotherhood of arms as combat veterans.
as i just sit here i wonder how far do you go in helping others? where do you draw the line in areas where you think you might be manipulated? what happens if you can't put your finger on your hesitation? Do you do it anyway? maybe the scripture where it says that when you know you are to do good but don't do it; its sin.
i don't know - other than my gut says no...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
We are the Hokies!
Today is the one year anniversary of the massacre at Virginia Tech. My thoughts go back to that day as I remember my son Stevie calling me and asking me to check the news and see why there were shots and SWAT teams rushing past him as he went across the drillfield. And then to watch in horror as the reports came in of over 20 shot and my oldest son emailing me telling me he was getting reports from the campus it was much worse.
The moments spent accounting for all the Hokies from Woodbridge that were there and might have been in the count of dead and wounded. Hearing from my daughter that she and her roommates were safe and that she had been in class in the building next to Norris Hall.
What really amazed me was the reaction of those young adults to the criticism of their administration and their refusal to buy into blaming anyone other than "the killer" for what happened.
To watch the spontaneous prayer meetings and candlelight vigils and watch them grieve as Hokies.
To see the pain in my oldest's eyes and his longing to be down on his beloved campus with the other students and encouraging him to go spend the weekend there so he could grieve with his Hokie family.
To watch the Hokie Nation recover and show to a cynical world that people do care about each other.
To watch rival campuses offer hope and comfort to the Hokies in the spirit of America.
And now on this anniversary to watch them again grieve I realize that even tho I did not attend Virginia Tech that it is truely a fact, as is told us at orientation, that once you have a student attend Tech you as parents are also Hokies. I am a Hokie as sure as my sons and daughter and part of the great Hokie Nation that has shown America and the world that in the midst of sorrow there is still hope and love.
We are the Hokies.
We are Virginia Tech.
The moments spent accounting for all the Hokies from Woodbridge that were there and might have been in the count of dead and wounded. Hearing from my daughter that she and her roommates were safe and that she had been in class in the building next to Norris Hall.
What really amazed me was the reaction of those young adults to the criticism of their administration and their refusal to buy into blaming anyone other than "the killer" for what happened.
To watch the spontaneous prayer meetings and candlelight vigils and watch them grieve as Hokies.
To see the pain in my oldest's eyes and his longing to be down on his beloved campus with the other students and encouraging him to go spend the weekend there so he could grieve with his Hokie family.
To watch the Hokie Nation recover and show to a cynical world that people do care about each other.
To watch rival campuses offer hope and comfort to the Hokies in the spirit of America.
And now on this anniversary to watch them again grieve I realize that even tho I did not attend Virginia Tech that it is truely a fact, as is told us at orientation, that once you have a student attend Tech you as parents are also Hokies. I am a Hokie as sure as my sons and daughter and part of the great Hokie Nation that has shown America and the world that in the midst of sorrow there is still hope and love.
We are the Hokies.
We are Virginia Tech.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Apologetics
I have been having some really neat discussions with the next generation - especially those who are from my faith background. Many of these revolve around my generation's approach to the faith and our combativeness in defending it. We have seen our culture deteriorate before our eyes and because of our generation turning its back on God and living for our own pleasure.
Sure a lot of good things have happened in improving our physical lives - we have too much stuff but at least Americans are still the most generous and happy-go-lucky people on the face of the earth. We addressed a great national sin of descrimination - the leftover of our great civil war that liberated a people from slavery but kept them in a second-class citizen role for over 100yrs. Our kids have lived in a better society than I grew up in (except that most of my formative years were on Air Force bases where we had overcome segregation).
One question I constantly ask is how much do I as a believer participate in the political discourse and try to compete in the marketplace of ideas? Do I vigorously compete and have folks accuse me of being "unloving" or "unchristian" or do I simply acquiesce and let society run its course? Do we become as the first century christians who were mainly of the lower and slave class who had no real power in society and just live our lifes and show love? What is it that God expects of us? and who's definition do we follow about christianity? the world around us who wants to tell us what we can and can't do?
such a dilemma
Sure a lot of good things have happened in improving our physical lives - we have too much stuff but at least Americans are still the most generous and happy-go-lucky people on the face of the earth. We addressed a great national sin of descrimination - the leftover of our great civil war that liberated a people from slavery but kept them in a second-class citizen role for over 100yrs. Our kids have lived in a better society than I grew up in (except that most of my formative years were on Air Force bases where we had overcome segregation).
One question I constantly ask is how much do I as a believer participate in the political discourse and try to compete in the marketplace of ideas? Do I vigorously compete and have folks accuse me of being "unloving" or "unchristian" or do I simply acquiesce and let society run its course? Do we become as the first century christians who were mainly of the lower and slave class who had no real power in society and just live our lifes and show love? What is it that God expects of us? and who's definition do we follow about christianity? the world around us who wants to tell us what we can and can't do?
such a dilemma
Monday, March 31, 2008
My mind meanders
As I say in my description I am a left-handed guy in a right-handed world. As such I have to use both sides of my brain to a greater degree than most folks. I think that has caused me to have a mind that rapidly analyzes problems; thinks thru the variety of solutions available and comes up with a way ahead all in my head. This causes me problems with others because they can't see my thought processes and just assume I've jumped to a conclusion without thinking it thru.
I also am usually convinced of the "rightness" of the solution - which again causes me problems with others when trying to convince them of the solution. Hopefully I've gotten better over the years in trying to explain my thoughts but I still have a long way to go.
I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I retired from the Air Force in 99 and have been a govt contractor ever since except for a 2 yr stint back in govt in Homeland Security. My recent return to the contractor world has convinced me that at heart I am a public servant -- I need a mission to achieve. So I can see myself back in government in the near future.
I also am usually convinced of the "rightness" of the solution - which again causes me problems with others when trying to convince them of the solution. Hopefully I've gotten better over the years in trying to explain my thoughts but I still have a long way to go.
I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I retired from the Air Force in 99 and have been a govt contractor ever since except for a 2 yr stint back in govt in Homeland Security. My recent return to the contractor world has convinced me that at heart I am a public servant -- I need a mission to achieve. So I can see myself back in government in the near future.
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