In our ongoing series of guest posts about, “What I Learned From My First Job,” we’ve been getting some laughs and some schooling along the way. Today Becky Garrison drops in and tells us what she has learned from her job as a religious satirist. Her work for the now defunct Wittenburg Door was masterful, as she balanced sound doctrine with a tongue firmly planted in her cheek. Thanks in part to that early work, she’s now the author of... Read more
Helen was an instant hit at our writer’s conference. She’s the kind of woman you want as a mother, grandmother, or friend. Photo by Laura Boggess Her story was of loss – and resilence. She was married for 65 years to the same man and had lost him. Although she was now widowed, she didn’t quit. To be surrounded by a good retirement, a big house, loving children and grandchildren wasn’t enough. She still had a story to tell. And that’s why... Read more
For the next two weeks we’ll bring you some of the most interesting bloggers from the blogosphere all sharing what they learned from their first job. I already have a couple of dozen posts lined up, but there’s still room for you. Send me your idea here.I first met Marcus Goodyear in 2007 at GodBlog in Las Vegas and I instantly liked him. A humble charm belies his brilliant mind and leadership ability. As the senior editor of The High Calling, he... Read more
I had a friend once who’s life took a series of ugly turns. He ended up being just bad news, with no job, no family and no faith, having turned his back on everything. Seeing nothing but darkness, I walked away. Years later I heard that he recovered and was a brilliant example of grace and restoration — and I missed it.The LA Times last week reported a most interesting story. In 1935, a neon light was installed to backlight a... Read more
things struck me: The light was intentionally covered over in the name of progress and modernization. That there was nothing remarkable about its purpose which was to illuminate from the inside a painting of a landscape. That people were fascinated about the light and trying to explain its longevity. The discovery that the original plans of the owner at the time were to help those in need, and it was his light that was still burning. Add to these the... Read more
What are you working for? Do you look forward to the day when you take advantage of 4 P.M. early bird menus, who-cares-when schedules and golfing at noon? Or do you have plans – big plans for God. “My husband has just checked out.” The exasperated woman confessed her frustration at a workshop I was at last weekend. Apparently, her husband hit a certain age, began drawing a retirement check, and decided his ministry years were over. He had an impressive background,... Read more
It’s always interesting to see how informal groups quickly fall behind a person. There’s always somebody that has the magnetism and the drive that others recognize. Every group needs a leader, otherwise it will quickly fall apart.The ragtag group called “the disciples” were obviously led by Peter. Full of vim, vigor and bluster he seemd to be the first one to make the leap. He wanted to show the world that he was a true believer.He stood in the courtyards and tried... Read more
Trust is a critical component — in the workplace, in the home, in churches and in politics. Nothing will derail good intentions faster than a lack of trust. Many of our societal ills come from a lack of trust. Government manipulation of data to support the Vietnam War, capped by Watergate started the modern-day distrust of authority. Investigative reporters became a standard at most newsrooms. And before you knew it, every authority figure was looked at askance, as if anything they... Read more
We all know people who have been laid off, fired or whose jobs have disappeared altogether. For millions, months have now turned into years of unemployment or under-employment. Maybe this is you. I have a friend — John — who lost his job. His attitude was amazing. With a wife and children at home, he could have, he should have gotten angry. But instead his very first reaction was of expectancy. “I don’t like it. I don’t understand it. But... Read more
(Photo credit: OldOnliner) Have you ever opened up a desk drawer and promptly closed it because it was just too messy to deal with. Some of us have chapters of our lives that we wish weren’t part of our history. There is abundant counsel and books that go to great lengths to help us “deal with it.” The problem is that there seems to be so little to deal with. For me, when I look back at those years, when I survey the... Read more
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