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waterbrine
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Name: Drew
Birthday: 6/9/1982
Gender: Male
Interests: technology, theology, terminology, dialogue, individuals, home improvement, my wife O:-), Christianity, reading, writing, what makes men - men.
Expertise: Mac OS 10.4, on-the-fly video & audio
Occupation: Mac Specialist, Apple Store Wa
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  waterbrine
Member Since:
2/2/2005
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| So I finally got around to reading "Freakonomics". It was a great read. The way that Levitt & Dubner conveyed their concepts took very dry material - economics - and gave it a story line that was desirable to follow. I truly enjoyed my reading.
One big takeaway I had as a new parent, was the understanding that who I am is more important in Parker's development than the circumstances surrounding us. Parker is an amazing treasure and blessing in my life. Rather than worrying about how much money I make, or what kind of luxuries I am able to provide for him, he needs my love, my affection, and my guidance. He will do well if those things are given to him. Beyond that, it is out of my hands, and truly will be up to God. Levitt & Dubner may have been coming to the material from the cold approach of the science of economics, but I found my heart and faith warmed by the results they were able to show. | | |
| Something I'm working on. Please critique and help me figure out how to tweak this.
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There are two common approaches to accomplishing ministry. 1) Put out huge things and "know that God will provide". 2) Require detailed planning before announcing or accomplishing anything. Both approaches are deeply flawed. While common, both approaches severely limit what is actually accomplished.
Like the majority of Christian life, I believe these two approaches must be held in dynamic tension. Deuteronomy 6.16 condemns putting God to the test, a concept which is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 4.7. Unfortunately, approach 1 leads directly to putting God's mercy to the test. A person in any non-religious context who attempts something without planning is considered a fool and failure is regarded as the likely outcome. In a religious context, the same person is often seen as faithful and one who "gives God an opportunity to show up". The leader who practices this approach essentially backs God into a corner, and then blames Him when things go wrong.
Similarly, but from the opposite end of the spectrum is approach 2. This leader dives into the planning process obsessively aware of the teachings against testing God. Typically, this leads to more repetition of the same tasks. Because every eventuality cannot be thought through and controlled fully, planning is never absolutely complete. Luke 14.31-32 offers the example of a king who plans for war and then realizes he cannot win, so he sends for peace. One can see this as a king who doesn't act to win, but rather he considers things realistically and then acts accordingly.
The third approach balances the two. Or at least accepts counsel from both perspectives. Within that realm, one can then dream freely about amazing things that can be accomplished for God. Once those dreams have been identified, the planning process begins to start to make those dreams something more concrete. At some point, after a responsible amount of planning, you have to dive in and start working the plan. The old saying "Plan your work, and then work your plan" comes to mind.
As I work through the journey of implementing David Allen's Getting Things Done, I've realized that the GTD approach combined with Pilgrimage's "green sheets" offers an amazing process for ministry. What Wilhite has created allows you to systematically think through the goal planning process, which gives you the projects & actions to push through the GTD system. Arriving at that point, one can be confident in attempting some pretty audacious ministry programs (or whatever you want to call them), without presuming upon God's mercy. This is achieved because you have taken care of everything that is within human ability to anticipate or control; everything else left is, of necessity, that which only God can see and control. You're letting God be God, while we do what we're supposed to do and are capable of doing. | | |
| Being a dad is something special. Recently I've been overwhelmed by the negatives, or should I say the hard parts. I'm consciously taking time, though, to be thankful right now. It's like medicine - hard to get around to, but very good for you.
01. Time off from work.
02. Moments where he's lying on my chest (like right now).
03. Knowing that he loves me.
04. Knowing that he depends on me.
05. It's what I've dreamt of.
06. The first step of a family legacy.
07. Helping doctors learn how to treat preemies better through their experiences with him.
08. Cute outfits.
09. Being able to go into Build-A-Bear and maintain my man-card.
10. Getting to know people like Angela, his primary nurse while at the NICU.
11. Focus and purpose in my life beyond what I'd had previously.
12. Being humbled by responsibility. | | |
| Ok, so I've been a Dad for almost two months now. It's pretty crazy to realize that my life has changed so much already. Going from being the husband of a pregnant woman and father of an unborn child in 5.5 hours was a pretty intense experience. I am so thankful for the fact that both my wife and my son are healthy. God has truly blessed me in that sense.
The story of our original NICU neighbors, Tabatha & Logan, has brought that home to me more clearly than I would have thought possible. Logan is a baby boy that was born the same day as Parker (May 29, 2008) at the same gestation (29 weeks, 2 days) to a mother - Tabatha - who was suffering from the same complications that Denise was (HELLP syndrome). We were even positioned in adjacent beds in Riverside's NICU.
At first Logan seemed to be progressing along at a faster rate than Parker. As you can imagine that started to get very frustrating to both Denise & me. I did my best to maintain a positive attitude, but under the surface I was struggling with how small my baby was. However, we didn't realize the undercurrents that would soon appear in Logan.
Around the time that Parker was moved from the B room of the NICU to the C room (a type of step-down area), Logan was transferred to Nationwide Children's Hospital here in Columbus. Surgery was going to be required to relieve extra pressure inside of his head. That was something that impacted me quite deeply. My brother, Steve (1978-2000), had spina bifida, hyrdocephalus, cerebral palsy, etc. Being in the NICU with a kid who was fighting a similar battle to the one that my brother fought 30 years earlier showed me the impossibility of true coincidence. God positioned me next to this family of two in a critical time of their lives with the knowledge that my brother's life was part of what would factor into the treatment of this new life.
Sitting in a chair at the NICU realizing that 30 years after my parents did the same with their ailing firstborn son, I was able to do the same with my premature yet healthy son is an overwhelming reality. Adding the duality of my brother and Logan combines to prove to me that there is a plan behind this world. God must be real if things like that are happening.
I don't know where your religious / spiritual beliefs are. But I challenge you to confront the reality of this story and find an explanation other than a plan behind this world. | | |
| I'm feeling pretty spent today. The impact of Parker being in the hospital, being a dad, working, caring for Denise, etc. is all hitting me today. To be honest, I don't know what to ask for other than your encouragement and prayer.
This is short, kind of depressing, but it's also real. I said I was going to use this journal to make myself express, and this is what I've got right now. Thank you for listening / reading. | | |
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