Noviembre 2004 Archives

I take one concept very deeply from Garber’s book, a concept originated in his analysis of what the contemporary university prepares you for. He quoted from Neil Postman’s Technopoly:

“There is no set of ideas or attitudes that permeates all parts of the curriculum. The curriculum is not, in fact a “course of study” at all but a meaningless hodgepodge of subjects. It does not even put forward a clear vision of what constitutes an educated person, unless it is a person who possesses “skills.” In other words, a technocrat’s ideal – a person with no commitment and no point of view but with plenty of marketable skills”

Reading this I was convicted, not so much that I didn’t get a bigger picture in my university years, or that I didn’t have a sense of general concepts of telos in my life (on the order of “love God and enjoy him for ever”), but that I am now living as a disconnected skill for hire. I apply my skills to the problem at hand in the institution at hand without a bigger picture or moral program. I am not approaching what I do with a strong commitment or point of view in any consistent fashion.

In the past 10 years, I have been in a holding pattern, feeling that my deeper purpose is not being fulfilled in my work doing IT management for the insurance firm, but yet not taking firm steps in any other direction. I have spent many of those years renting my brain without much concern or care for the ultimate outcome of its effort. There are two contending realities here – one is that I minimize the importance of Christians honestly and deeply living out their faith in the context of the professional life. I need to be looking for mentors in this arena. The second reality is that I’ve allowed myself to feel comfortable dismissing the present because I’m expectant for the future. I love my work, but I don’t care about it, even though I feel my skills have been well used there. I’m always feeling like the real work might be around the corner, or at seminary, or in the next opportunity and that I’ll really care about it when God calls me… What does my performance in the now say about the way I might be prepared for the work that might come in the future?

I do know that God has used the impersonal nature of my labor - the transaction for a paycheck to provide material and space in the context of my marriage, family and life. But now I look harder.

I’ve been reading both Calvin Seerveld’s essay on Reformational Christian Philosophy and Christian College Education as well as Stephen Garber’s Fabric of Faithfulness. Both lead me to ask the question: How am I expressing an integration of Telos with my Praxis? Do I have what Seerveld calls "Gereformeerde voelhorns” (extra strength Reformational antennae … that quiver when a deed, word or thought is wholesome, unbibilcial or off color with what is true to the Reformation brand of the Christian faith).

My praxis is the business world, more concretely buried deeply within the faceless corporation. Seerveld focuses on Theology and Aesthetics when he discusses practical outworking. Gideon Strauss is charged with being most interested in the academy, the arts, and politics. Garber introduces some more interesting information into the conversation. But my question is “what does faithfulness look like on the bottom of the corporation.” But I'm still not finding clear answers.

I am being challenged to look again at what I am doing now. I want to move beyond a model where I’m simply a rented brain – applying skills to problems provided by my employers without looking for a bigger picture or moral program, a strong commitment or consistent point of view. My growing conviction that God has placed me here for a purpose has specific implication in how I view my work here. Believing that God has called me to the insurance company, to the web team makes a difference in my thinking and working. What are the specific ways that this changes what I do?

In my growth as an elder of my church, visitation is one responsibility that I have not thought very much about. This article from By Faith Online gives some good food for though.

In February Elena got ten dollars from her grandparents. (I think it was for her birthday) At that point she decided that she wanted to save her money for an American Girl doll. There were certainly more inexpensive alternatives to the American Girl doll, and she could have gotten her desire much earlier in the process, but she didn't waver on her goal. She started stashing money away - a dollar here, a quarter there. She started asking us how she could earn more money. "Can I clean out the van?" She asked our friends the Luce's if she could come over and help with their twins (not babysitting yet, just helping Missy around the house for an hour). She got a bank account and is very quick to tell us when we pass HER bank. Slowly the balance rose - 40 - 50 - 60 - 70. Toward her goal of $86.00

Last week she reached her goal, and went online and bought her American Girl doll. It came in the mail this week and Elena is so proud. Needless to say - I am too. I know that I would have caved and bought a cheaper replacement, or gotten candy when it was available. But she persisted, and now has the prize.

Here is to you Elena. We praise God for you.

The picture is from our pumpkin search the week before Halloween.

Next month my little girl Liliana turns two. She is my big bundle of curly blond hair - and she knows it too. She is starting to make up little games of interaction and then demand that we play them over and over again with her.

We kiss her and she giggles, waits a minute and says "nother one" and we kiss her again. Loud and demanding and she gets a big smoocher, whisper soft and she gets a whisper peck. She giggles on and on.

Her abuelita tita hid a small toy down inside Liliana's jammies, and after she searched and searched, zipping and unzipping she finally grabbed it. "Found it" she squealed. When she was all zipped up and held the toy aloft - she proceeded to push it right back down her jammies and start all over again. Much to everyones delight.

My mom also showed her what happened when you squeeze a file cannister - popping the lid accross the room. Liliana was so excited, running to find the lid, bringing it back over to her Tita, demanding to be gathered up on a lap, and squeezing again.

On Friday Night we went to a zoo party. Kids were dancing on stage and Marialice and I sat on the bleachers accross the way. Over and over, Liliana ran from the stage to tell us she was dancing, and then when we told her "yes, you are..." she ran back and climbed back up on stage and wiggled around.

I love the social interaction, I love the recognition that she is playing with her family, and I love her smile.

The picture below was taken in October, throwing rocks in the creek, near Sale Creek TN.

Religiously Political Conservatism by Jim Skillen. "Evangelical Christians baptized "visceral individualism" as part of true Christianity"

Day late and a dollar short for a reflection on my son. His birthday corresponded with Halloween and a 8:00 - 8:00 church day (with only time off for a nap in the middle afternoon). So reflections on my son happen today.

Antonio dressed up both as Buzz Lightyear and as an Crocodile in the halloween parties we attended over the weekend. Ever attentive to fashion detail, he noticed that Buzz has a one strand curl on his chin (look closely here- and demanded that his mother put one there.

Several other color notes. On Thursday we went out for dinner and He pointed out a cool toy truck hanging from the rafters of our favorite watering hole. I asked what color it was and he carefully and confidently enunciated "a-na-ran-jado" (If you are stuck - go here .) The latin soul deep in me celegrated and I said "YES" with all the joy of the Red Sox fan when Johnny Damon hit his grand slam in game 7 against the Yankees.

Last night when Marialice was putting Antonio to bed they started talking about the future. Antonio stated that before he turns 35 he is going to have children. He also stated confidently that these children are going to be darker. This is understandable in light of the multi-cultural and adoption focus of our community, but to know the shape of your family at 4? Wow.