Hi. I'm not a father, but I play one in utero. Ok, so my wife is preg-o, and I'm not talking about the canned sauces. I saw the first of many pictures of the little wiggler, and I have to say, I am becoming more and more annoyed with fathers these days.
I work wich children. I'll not give you any more than than, but I work with children. One father I know refuses to actually do anything beneficial for his child. He believes that by dominating the poor kid and bending the child to his every will, he is benefitting the boy. Ok, so the teachers this child has are all complaining that the child is becoming difficult to handle and shows controlling tendencies. Obviously the mother's fault, right?
Another father I know takes week long vacations during the Christmas Holidays. This would be great if the rest of the family were invited. It would be less worse if the father were not always away on trips for business. I know it's not my place to judge, and I'm not. This father (just like the previous one) believes that he is doing what is best for his children.
It is interesting that all too often we look at things we do and defend them as things we do for others. Are we really doing things for others? What does doing things for others look like?
Well, this is something we can define by what it is not. Doing for others does not include the words, "I, me or myself." Doing for others does not take a vacation. It is not something that understands the phrase, "No time for..."
Why, "No time for..."? If we say, "No time for work." That is a complaint, is it not? If we don't have time for something, there is an implied, "I" which we know is off the mark at the start of it! What is a good idea, and a good practice, is "what would you like to do?" That will truly begin our struggle down the path of other-centeredness. Just ask your partner this week or next. "What would YOU like to do." Then put no qualifiers on it. Make no adjustments, do it exactly as the other person wants it to be done. If you can do that, you have acheived a new level of awareness.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Annoyance of All Annoyances
And Paul wrote, "And they'll know we are Christians by our multi-media experience." Oh, oops. Sorry. That wasn't correct. What was that... I don't remember anymore. I think I heard something about this on a Christian Music Video. Oh gosh, don't tell me I'm going to have to look in BIBLE.
Ok, so that's an obviously stupid point. Unfortunately, it seems to be the case that many of our teens and 20 somethings are following this line. We have our Christian music, our Christian books, our Christian T-shirts, our Christian shoes, our Christian Zipper pulls, our Christian hoodies, our Christian car dealerships and our Christian contractors. There is even a Christian distribution of Linux (Ubuntu CE). I'm not antagonistic towards these groups, the Christian Linux project is doing some really good work. Christian music is giving teens a nice alternative. The problem is that we have gone too far.
Why can we simply not have musicians who are Christian? Why can we not have contractors who are Christians? Why can we not have car dealerships who are Christians? I believe that we avoid this "truth" simply because of the implications. If we are merely Christians who happen to be musicians, then we'll not be as set on making money and getting an audience, we'll be concentrating on God's will.
Christian music has been hit like this before, so I'm not going to bother with that industry more than I already have. I would prefer, rather, to address the issues of everything else. I recently had the misfortune to use a "Christian" contractor. This gentleman did poor work slowly. I talked with various other contractors to determine the length of time this task should have taken. The general consensus is that is should have taken a day, maybe two. Instead this job took a full work week. The "Secular" contractors was amazed that any person in this line of work would do the low quality of work seen in my basement. Why did I hire this man? Simply because he professed Christianity. There was a cross on his ad and I bought into it. I talked with him and he told me about his church experience. I foolishly believed that because he professed something he would live it out.
I have met with several of this man's peers, mostly non-Christians. The witness this man is showing is that Christianity is a complete marketing scam. Why would someone want to follow this lead?
Instead we should simple do our jobs to the best of our abilities. When people see our work, see how we respond under poor circumstances, see that we do not simply give up under general adversity, they will wonder what is wrong; why are these "Christians" different?
To new Christians, do not run about screaming at people to live Christian lives. Just follow the way yourself. To veteran Christians, stop telling people you are a Christian and show them that you are. Actions speak louder than words.
Ok, so that's an obviously stupid point. Unfortunately, it seems to be the case that many of our teens and 20 somethings are following this line. We have our Christian music, our Christian books, our Christian T-shirts, our Christian shoes, our Christian Zipper pulls, our Christian hoodies, our Christian car dealerships and our Christian contractors. There is even a Christian distribution of Linux (Ubuntu CE). I'm not antagonistic towards these groups, the Christian Linux project is doing some really good work. Christian music is giving teens a nice alternative. The problem is that we have gone too far.
Why can we simply not have musicians who are Christian? Why can we not have contractors who are Christians? Why can we not have car dealerships who are Christians? I believe that we avoid this "truth" simply because of the implications. If we are merely Christians who happen to be musicians, then we'll not be as set on making money and getting an audience, we'll be concentrating on God's will.
Christian music has been hit like this before, so I'm not going to bother with that industry more than I already have. I would prefer, rather, to address the issues of everything else. I recently had the misfortune to use a "Christian" contractor. This gentleman did poor work slowly. I talked with various other contractors to determine the length of time this task should have taken. The general consensus is that is should have taken a day, maybe two. Instead this job took a full work week. The "Secular" contractors was amazed that any person in this line of work would do the low quality of work seen in my basement. Why did I hire this man? Simply because he professed Christianity. There was a cross on his ad and I bought into it. I talked with him and he told me about his church experience. I foolishly believed that because he professed something he would live it out.
I have met with several of this man's peers, mostly non-Christians. The witness this man is showing is that Christianity is a complete marketing scam. Why would someone want to follow this lead?
Instead we should simple do our jobs to the best of our abilities. When people see our work, see how we respond under poor circumstances, see that we do not simply give up under general adversity, they will wonder what is wrong; why are these "Christians" different?
To new Christians, do not run about screaming at people to live Christian lives. Just follow the way yourself. To veteran Christians, stop telling people you are a Christian and show them that you are. Actions speak louder than words.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Welcome
Hello. My name is Jonathan. I'm blogger... At least I am now. I wasn't three seconds ago. Anyway, I'm Linux type of person. I affirm the philosophies of F/OSS. I am also a Christian. This is a lame blog post, but you'll get my dronings about both of these topics. if you want. That is if you read this. Which why would you?
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