Tag: work

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What’s it Worth

This week, I have been presented with the idea of the importance of my job in my life a few times.  I am not really talking about the value of work, nor making a living, but more around the striving for upward motion in your career, and what is it worth?

Three times this week, this idea has popped up, and it has provided me a lot of opportunity to think about it.  The first time was early in the week in The Handwritten Blog’s entry In the Scheme of Things.  The next time was in preparation for this week’s ‘reduction in force’ that occurred at the place of employment, and the third was right in the midst of that day when I was able to hear the head of Covenant Transportation talk about having Christ as your focus and not your job.

It’s interesting that all of these provided an opportunities to think through the idea of what would happen if my employment went away.  What really matters? Is it getting those project’s complete, or is it the way you interact with those around you.  I choose to think that quality of work is important, as it brings glory to God, but that what is more important thing in the scheme of things, is your relationship with the creator and the way you treat his creation ( other people!).

I am really not doing this idea justice in these words.  But maybe these do:

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Matthew 16:24-27

 

Keep it all in perspective today!

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Do The Dew For Him

Yesterday I was able to head over the local high school and present for the annual career day.  Geez, I can’t get away from these kids! 🙂  Amazingly, this presentation turned out to be the highlight of the day, even better than the evening’s cross country banquet at the Golden Corral.

Anyway, by providing the official drink of software development ( and gaming) – Mountain Dew Code Red, and by giving away door prizes that included Nerds, Goobers and Smartees, I think I keep them interested in the life of a Software Engineer.

But what I really wanted to share with you was the verse that I shared with them at the end.  When all is said and done, I told them to pick a career that they enjoyed and that ultimately put them in a place where they could give the glory to God – no matter what is was.

And amazingly, I stayed right in Colossians 3, where it seems I am spending the entire week.

17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17 New International Version (NIV)

Who are you doing whatever you do for?

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Ode To Busyness

I feel like my life has been shot out of a cannon since school has started.  Over the last two weeks it’s been a combination of new practices, new routines, school meetings, and over various events that eat up the calendar from sun up until sun down.  The lazy days of summer ended in such incredible fashion that the memory of those days in only re-callable with pictures!  And it seems to be set to continue like this for some time.

This weekend I have been thinking about these weeks ahead and the ‘business’ that they are filled with and have decided to not be stressed by it.  There are so many positive things about to happen as our children discover their own strengths and weaknesses.  I can’t imagine the amount of memories that I will gather as a parent observing and challenging those guys. Maybe I am a little crazy, but I have decided that this busyness is life. Oh, sure some of it can be reduced, and lots of it can be managed.  But instead of ‘just getting through it’ or trying to find another way, I am going to try to embrace it head on.  (This may be the biggest mistake of my life!).

I am starting to think that the things we do each day are not barriers to us living life, but actually are us living life.  So today, on this Monday morning the beginning of a week with a schedule that is quite full, I am rejoicing.  Not because I am ‘busy’, for there is not doubt I would rather be laying on beach somewhere, but because I am starting a a day that is a gift from the Lord and the number of opportunities that lay ahead of me in this busyness are enormous.

So off I go, rejoicing ( I hope I can make it past 10am!!!)

 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 New International Version (NIV)

 

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Salty Springs

Last night I received an email about a project I am working on at work.  The email was changing some of the structure of the project and had some statements in it that could seem to be giving praise to those who don’t deserve it.

For some reason, my first instantaneous reaction was one of outrage and frustration.  But then I quickly stopped myself.  Why should these things upset us so much?  Lets look at the facts, the project was still being completed, the direction and strategy for the work was still on track and heading in the same direction.  Why did it matter who, and how?

I started thinking about my post from Tuesday about Micah 6 and what we really are here for.  I started thinking about Matthew 5, which I has just spend 30 minutes in conversation about, and I very quickly realized – this did not really matter, and in acutallity was a great time to help shine the light of Christ. 

For some reason its such a struggle for us to see past the noise of this world, and to concentrate of the important things, and to deal with conflict in a way that still brings glory to the Creator and deflects from us.

So, because of these thoughts,  two verses have been flitttering around in my head, so I thought I would share those today:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:10 NIV

 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:9-12  New International Version (NIV)
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Checked in at Lame

I love this whole social media concept of checking in.  I haven’t used Foursquare, or Yelp yet, although it’s on my to do list.  I have been using the check-in feature on Facebook and it’s a great way to let people know all the cool places you go and where you are.

But one thing I notice is that no one checks in at work.  Whats up with that?  I guess we have Adam to blame! You know the whole work curse thing!  We spend the majority of our lives at our place of employment, but we don’t allow ourselves to acknowledge the significance.  As a matter of fact the one time that I did notice that one of my friends ‘checked-in’ at his workplace, the one comment on that post was “Lame”.

So I was thinking today that I would check in at work, and I would check in with one thought on my mind – this one from Micah:

8The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands:

“See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6:8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

I determined this morning that this may help take some of the lameness out of the whole work thing, since it might just possibly help me look past the curse and to the influence I could exert on those people around me.  Maybe those concepts will make the work check-in just as interesting as the other fun places we go.  Well, who am I kidding, checking in at work will probably always be lame, but considering  justice, mercy and humility might change the way we consider the time we am there!

Give it a try.

Oh and here is an alternative ending!

 8But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,

what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously. Micah 6:8 The Message