Five things I didn’t learn in college
Our first entry of the week is from Almost an M, the author behind almostm.com: Thinking • Unthinking • Rethinking – Making Disciples in a Post-Christian Context.  He’s a great friend who has served overseas and may wind up back there some day. Now, he and his family are living missionally in Dallas, TX. I’m grateful for his perspective and creative thinking about the church.
Thanks, JourneyGuy, for letting me have some fun with this. I loved me some college days and all that came out of that, but here are 5 things I didn’t learn while at university.
- How to tell a difference in “flavors” of ramen noodles – in spite of a good, collegiate try, I never acquired this skill. I could see the differences in color, but the taste was always some similar salty, noodly combination. Perhaps you can do better in this area, but I hope you have a little less frequent opportunity in this area than I had. (BTW – I did learn that 4 ramen meals in one day has some pretty negative side effects.)
- How to dance – if by dance one means moving to the beat and / or in some graceful way, this is something I did not learn to do back then–or since.
- How to count – of course this skill I mastered in kindergarten.
- What to expect when parenting offspring – this didn’t even cross my mind.
- How to drink coffee – needed to do this. Wanted to. Tried many times, but it was just too bitter. Have since gone to a couple cups a day, but it was not a part of my academic regimen. That ate uptake may have cost me a tenth or more of a point on my GPA.
- How normal and weird a transformed life could be – while at university, I am sad to write, churched people were both more likely and comfortable to be around me than were those that were not regular church-goers. Since those days I have done away with a good measure of piety and really begun to seek out those that are without Christ. This seems to be so much more in keeping with the life of Christ, but a little bit awkward for some that would prescribe a life of retreat from the world.
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A La Carte: A month without email, sin and social media, facts about first-time churchies and more
A La Carte is a regular entry that just collects tidbits I’ve saved over the past week from around the net. Here we go:
A month without email
MG Siegler at Techcrunch recently went without email for a month, and he has some interesting conclusions about the medium that we’ve all come to know and hate.
The past few weeks have been fantastic. Both my mornings and evenings have been decidedly less stressful due to this one little life alteration. Actually, all day, every day has just felt better, not having to worry about the constant stress of getting and (more importantly) responding to email.
When I initially said I was quitting for the month, it brought about a few common reactions: 1) “you’re my hero†2) “you’re an idiot†3) “it will never workâ€. A ton of people I’ve run into over the past month have wanted to know how it was going. Here are some thoughts after a month away.
I’d encourage you to read his post and leave some thoughts here!
Avoiding sin when using social media
Many thanks to Tim Challies for linking this great article by Julian Freeman. Using scripture such as Proverbs 10.19, Â (“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”) Freeman urges us to use social media with wisdom, restraint and strategic purpose.
Some of his main points include:
- Balancing saying something with nothing. It requires true wisdom. Don’t succumb to SEO conventional wisdom.
- Status updates are permanent records. What you think in a flash may not need to be published.
- Writing is not doing. “Don’t confuse talking (typing) with doing.” Embrace productivity.
- Living within social media is not living. “The disembodiment of the medium,” he calls it.
- Know the difference between “Friends, Followers and Feed-Readers.”
A few funs
- All I asked, was if the building had an elevator. You should have seen the stairs I got. RT @SpacemanQuisp
- In summary, my life is a white button down shirt at an all you can eat spaghetti buffet. RT @HindSight5050
- Prison is peculiar. All the pros are cons. RT @pagecrusher
- It’s difficult to have a committed relationship with a schizophrenic. They’re always seeing other people. RT @gneicco
5 Facts about first-time church visitors
Rick Ezell offers the following observations about those who visit church for the first time. What do you think? His article is worth reading for more insight.
- Visitors make up their minds regarding a new church in the first ten minutes of their visit.
- Most church members aren’t friendly.
- Church guests are highly consumer-oriented.
- The church is in the hospitality business.
- You only have one chance to make a good first impression.
While I tend to agree with #1 and #3, I’m not sure I can buy into the other points. Even though I might agree with #5 in principle, there’s so much more at work in an authentic Christ-focused church. When our default template is external appearance, our measurements become secular rather than transformational.
Don’t ignore your cluttered lobby that’s not marked well for guests, certainly. But more importantly, don’t neglect cluttered souls by your incessant appeals to “excellence.”
What’s wrong with the NCAA
Aaron McFarling has a great blog entry at Roanoke.com about the inconsistencies and confusions surrounding the NCAA in recent years. Probably one of the best insights came from a reader who left the comment:
The problem is the NCAA is what NCAA stands for : No Cajones At All
That’s the problem.
Too much rain?
Michael Kelley reins in with a great insight about too much rain. After recently spending a week in west Texas where things are brown because of no rain, I thought his insight about grass that turns brown when there’s been too much rain was spot on.
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Back to School Guest Bloggers Week!
This week in Blacksburg has been welcome chaos. Students are back. According to one source, the New River Valley will see the addition of over 8000 new VT students alone, and eventually Virginia Tech will host about 30,000 undergrads, post grads, and professionals.
While traffic has increased, so has the energy level of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg corridor. Our church begins two services this week again, and we will begin a third service on September 11 in the evening. Other organizations – both church and business – have geared up in similar ways.
It’s back to school time!
So next week, I’ve invited several friends and bloggers to write for Notes from the Trail a “back to school” entry. Their assignment went like this:
Consider sharing with my readers (Carolyn and my mom) …. (drum roll) “Five Things I Didn’t Learn in College” that might encourage college students. I encourage you to have fun with it. If you don’t want to go “deep,” don’t.
I hope you’ll subscribe and watch your RSS feed for the entries! You’re in for a treat!
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Making the radio
The family gathered around the laptop tonight to listen to Carolyn’s cousin, Mike Graham, sing. Mike is a Texas Country musician and songwriter. He’s incredibly talented. He was featured with 2-3 other musicians on The Ranch 99.5. Here’s a selection of his music from the broadcast below.
Also, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear the DJ tell him that his cousins are listening in from Blacksburg, VA. We sent a message to Mike via the radio show’s online chat, and it was cool getting to hear him say hi back to us on the radio.
Listen to a portion of the broadcast
Listen to the DJ telling Mike…
You can also get Mike’s music here or on iTunes.
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Doing it West Texas
 |
| “Our Texas chauffeur” From Summer 2011 |
We’ve had a blast in San Angelo the past few days. Yes, it’s been over 100 each day. But with no humidity to speak of, you can sit in the shade with iced tea and actually be comfortable. Caro and the kids make this annual trek to their family’s lakehouse, but I only make every 3 years or so.
With eight grandkids (4 are 5 and under) in one lakehouse along with eight adults, it’s quite an unruly crowd. Yet, the days pass quickly with fishing, jet skis, more fishing, card games, a little TV and, of course, major meals.
I brought 5-6 books with me, thinking I’d devour them while away. With water-logged days and heat that saps your energy, I find that I can’t stay up late. When I slow down or lie down, my eyes quickly rebel against my desire to read, and zzzzzzz…..
We drove further south today – to Junction, Texas – to meet Carolyn and Cortney’s grandfather for lunch. We rendez-voused at Cooper’s BBQ (simply amazing) where the kids found and chased kittens around the exterior of the restaurant (amid warnings of “watch for snakes”) while the adults swapped stories and enjoyed the simplicity of a no-schedule, nowhere-to-be day.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch… (I’m sooooo Texan), our church family back home participated in Blacksburg’s annual town festival called “Steppin Out.” Essentially, it’s a massive outdoor restaurant combined with craft booths and live music. Toss in a few hula hoops, cops on bikes, and things made out of grass and granola, and you’ve got Steppin Out.
Since being away this summer, I’ve had a few observations about life. Here are five for your musing:
- There’s no distinguishable difference between 100 and 110 degrees, with humidity being constant. Hot is hot.
- Coffee shops are a great
escapeopportunity for reflection during family vacations. - While noodling (fishing for catfish with your hands while fully immersed in water) looks fun on TV, 10 year-olds claim that accidental noodling for snakes is decidedly not as adventurous nor fun.
- Installing two ceiling fans to cool down a back porch in west Texas is where they got the expression “blowing hot air.”
- Ski ropes can instantly foul up the prop on a jet ski.
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Crashing Windows
Windows. As an operating system, I’ve enjoyed jokes at users’ expense since 1988 – the year I became a computer user, and a Mac Plus was the happy recipient of my digital affection.
However, the crashing windows I’m dealing with now are not on a PC. In the past three months, 75% of my door windows on my 97 VW Jetta have broken.
I was dismayed last year when my AC compressor gave up he ghost, but I figured that I could get by since the climate is so mild in Blacksburg. I’ve apparently gloated too much about our wonderful weather, because my power window motors have broken in this order: passenger side front.. passenger side back.. driver side back.
When the first window broke, I had the shop block the window up so that it would just stay up. It wasn’t a big deal. When the next window slid into the door and refused to rise again, I had to make a decision. With no AC, anytime it’s wet outside, I have major fogging problems. With just two windows working on one side of the car, it was like a rain forest inside whenever it rained outside.
So, after much thought, I elected two weeks ago to have the front passenger window motor repaired. I now had three working windows again.
Last night, when I pulled in to the driveway, I rolled all three windows back up. Right after I turned off the car, I heard a “thunk.” In dismay, I whirled around to see my back driver side window slowly sliding into the door. Sigh.
It’s like Volkwagon had a shelf-life for window motors or something. I wonder what it is that made three of my window motors go kaput within 6 months. And of course, I don’t trust the life span of the remaining driver window now. Looks like other folks have had a similar problem with this model of VW.
I wish Apple made Windows… They would just work.
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Things Mattie said
Our five year-old niece is visiting us for a few days. She’s from El Paso, and she is quite loquacious (i.e, my ears are losing weight because of the workout they’re getting). However, she’s pretty entertaining and fun, and I thought I’d record some things she’s said to us during her stay. Keep coming back for more “Things Mattie Said” (TMS):
- Upon arriving in Raleigh-Durham where it had been raining: “Look at those ponds!” (speaking about water puddles – they don’t see much of those in El Paso…)
- To Sam on the way to McDonalds: “Your voice used to be different.”
- Since she’s been here, she’s been texting all the time.. on a toy calculator.
- “I think God made me do that because I didn’t do that.”
- I love that show. Spongebob. He’s a good actor.
- Nanny, (what she calls Carolyn) why did you wear your hair like that? Did you not have time to fix it?
- Everything looks good on me. (she’s not a big believer in humility)
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A la carte: Office influence, Teams and leadership, the Dalai Lama, animated gifs, and global warming alarmism
Here’s my not-so-weekly roundup of interesting posts, tidbits and news.
Office Influence
Phil Cooke shares the following points about how to avoid having your voice ignored in your office/work environment. Many of them apply directly to any social group you’re in. I’d encourage you to read the linked post in its entirety for his thoughts about each:
- You become an office doormat when your desire to be liked is stronger than your desire to accomplish great work.
- Being “nice†doesn’t mean going along with everyone.
- Start thinking more about other’s perception of you.
- Far too many people stay in a bad situation.
- It’s your job to stop enabling your coworkers’ bad behaviors.
- Find a mentor.
- Learn to say “NO.â€
- No matter how good you are at your job, nothing is more important than people skills.
Teams and Decision Making
Another great entry from Phil can be summarized this simply:
Teams are for brainstorming and execution.
Leaders make decisions.
Did you hear the one about the Dalai Lama?
Thanks to Michael Kelley for bringing my attention to this. I feel like it’s something I would attempt.
Animated GIFs
It’s spectacular and creative when photographers devise new ways of sprucing up photographs. Credits go to Shawn Blanc for surfacing these. Go to this site to see more of what you see below.
Here’s the first linked image:
Is it over for global warming alarmism?
Short answer: I doubt it. However, recent research suggests that…
“This could be the last nail in the coffin of the global warming alarmists: NASA data show that the amount of heat that the Earth has been losing into space, from 2000 to the present, is far greater than the alarmist models predicted.” (Source)
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Review: Out of a Far Country
The debate of whether a person is “born gay†or not is an extremely sensitive one in our culture, and it blurs more than gender expectations. Sexuality, and its worship, has transformed our culture into an animalistic one in many arenas. Sane voices which attempt to speak to the issue of homosexuality are often screamed out rather than appreciated or soberly considered.
Out of a Far Countryis a story of one family’s experience with homosexuality and a life gone rogue. Angela Yuan and her son Christopher have co-written their account of Chris’ coming out and subsequent embrace of a lifestyle bent on self-destruction.
It’s not the story of a typical family that finds a child has not lived up to their expectations. But it is a story that will connect with many. At times, I felt that the publication of this book is another example of “extreme testimony.” In many ways, it’s a modern day example of the parable of the prodigal son. I always hesitate to promote extremes because they’re not indicative of most people’s experience, and they tend to magnify the past rather than the present.
Honestly, the best part of the book is the last three chapters as you get to finally hear Christopher process his conversion to Christianity and his reflections on holy sexuality.
“Holy sexuality means focusing all our sexual feelings and behaviors exclusively toward one person, our spouse.
Chris concludes, “The truth is that I did not need to be attracted to women in general to get married; I needed to be attracted to only one woman.â€
I’d encourage anyone who is personally experiencing the decision by a family member or friend to choose homosexuality to read this book. The Yaun’s story is compelling and moving.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for more information or theological implications, you’ll need to look elsewhere. This book has very little of that other than some brief reflections.
By the way, I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I’m grateful for their Blogging for Books program.
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About
Notes from the Trail
The Personal Blog of Jeff Noble
Info: From the misty hills of Virginia, "Notes from the Trail" seeks to encourage you on your journey. Written by a graphic designer-pastor, this blog is a blend of humor, insight, and faith discovery.
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