Puzzles, Grammar and Life

It seems that we have developed a tradition of putting together a puzzle during the Christmas/New Year Holiday.  We've missed a few years, but most years we have managed it.  Any guesses as to what the picture might be this year?  I will try and remember to post an image once completed.

I grew up with puzzles and have always enjoyed them.  I might even have a few that my grandchildren now enjoy when they come to visit.  They teach things like patience and observation.

People attempt to assemble puzzles by various approaches.  My preference is to 1) assemble the border and then 2) focus on specific, recognizable features on the interior.  I like to place those features in the approximate correct location within the borders as they come together.  I then connect them as pieces are added.  Frequently you will see me with a piece in hand, 3) scanning the picture on the box for a match of color and distinguishing marks which then lead me to place the piece near where it belongs in the assembling puzzle upon the table.  Some people start with step two and others with step three.

There are lots of things for which puzzles can be a metaphor (I think that's the correct term).  Life is like a puzzle -- or, a bowl full of cherries in some movies.  We spend our developmental years figuring out all the pieces and beginning the assembly process.  The last piece falls into place as we take our last breath.  Our careers are also like a puzzle in some ways.  The big differences between life, careers and puzzles is that we don't know what the picture will look like when completed until they are almost over.  Even then there can be twists and turns that change the final view in dramatic ways.

I like the idea of a puzzle with a constantly evolving outcome.  Once a couple of pieces fit into place, the picture changes and finding the next piece is a completely new challenge.  I think that is often how life unfolds.  We usually can't see beyond the next piece.  We also sometimes struggle to see where the current piece fits in our overall plan.  It doesn't mesh with the mental image we have developed of the future.

I think that in life and careers, just like in puzzles, we need to learn to focus on the present.  We need to be mindful of the possible futures and prepare for them -- especially those we would like to develop -- but, we should focus on the piece in hand.  When we place it correctly within the overall framework, it makes the next piece fall into place more easily.  If it is handled poorly -- placed incorrectly -- the pieces connecting to it are more difficult to assemble.

Upon further reflection, my example of a puzzle is a simile rather than a metaphor -- at least in the way I used it.  If, instead, I had said that life is a puzzle, it would have been a metaphor.  Simile = "like", metaphor = "is" is the rule.  I've always struggled with that one.  Maybe I've puzzled over the differences.  I don't know.  This correct grammar stuff is frustrating -- just like the piece that doesn't seem to fit anywhere....

Serving a Layerd Cake

A number of my contemporaries have retired and a number more are contemplating such.  Although there are times the thought crosses my mind, I don't think it is something for which I am ready.  I can't envision myself in what most consider as retirement.

My career has consisted of a series of periods doing different things.  I won't go into details of the various segments, but suffice it to say that each stands somewhat alone in that they are all dissimilar in many ways -- almost as if they were each a separate career.  Usually a career is built as one continuous advancement after another that leads inevitably up some "ladder" of progressively greater responsibility, or higher function within a trade or industry.  Mine hasn't really looked like that, but each piece could stand alone as if it was a separate book rather than a chapter in a long story.

The consolidating factor between them is that in retrospect, each contributes to the next in the knowledge and experience gained being applicable in some subtle fashion.  It is as if it is a layer cake with clearly separate layers which build upon each other.  I can only hope that at the end there is a generous portion of frosting.

One of my "outside interests" is archeology.  I enjoy delving into the past and it intrigues me to find an object that is from some ancient period and speculate as to its use and those who used it.  I have never been involved in a professional archaeological dig, but it is something I have often thought would be enjoyable.  Perhaps there will be opportunity some day to do so on a volunteer basis.

My mind connects archeology to my career because it too is often a series of layers which build up over time to create a timeline of events.  Human habitations seem to be renewed over time even when cataclysmic events may erase them for a period.  Often, the renewal is located upon the rubble of the ruined.  It seems that certain locations remain attractive in spite of past occurrences that may have led to their demise.  When such a location is discovered, carefully conducted excavation using proper scientific techniques can reveal a history of the people who lived, worked and died on that particular piece of ground.  History is recorded in many ways.  The facts captured in the remains are unchanging even though our understanding is often obscured by the passage of time.

I see the same in my career.  Even though each segment stands alone, in retrospect there is connection that ties them into a cohesive whole -- an interconnected history.  As I look toward the future I can only speculate where the path will lead, but I know that the pieces will all fit together.  Perhaps someday retirement will seem a suitable place to be, but it isn't on my current horizon.

I have never discovered within the Bible any reference to retirement.  Instead, there are many references to serving others.  When you view your career -- your job -- as service to others, it changes your perspective.  It adds a higher level of purpose to your life.  It gives you reason to pursue, to improve, to build, to bring value, to enhance the lives of others.  It impels you to live. 

Retirement, on the other hand, seems to imply, "I have given all I plan to give, now I will take for me."  Maybe we need to redefine retirement as a change of direction -- a change of career.  Let it be the frosting between the layers of the cake which is our service to others.

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Choices Have Consequences

One of the writing prompts in the book I received for Christmas is:  "If you had the resources and extra time to go back to school, what would you like to study?"

The most interesting aspect of the question is that it causes me to reflect on my own choice of Agricultural Economics and whether it was the correct one.  The answer, for a whole list of reasons that I won't go into, is that it was probably the correct choice for me.  My career looks nothing like I anticipated it would, but it was still the right choice.  I believe I am right where God intended me to be.

Through the years, though, I have thought many times that I would prefer to be in a different field altogether.  One of my favorite pastimes as a kid was hunting arrowheads.  Out of that grew the thought of majoring in Archaeology.  I can see myself as an Indiana Jones type, traipsing all over the world, having adventures, dodging poison-tipped arrows and raiding booby-trapped tombs, but that isn't what archaeology is; it is the science of delving into the past through the objects left behind.  It requires lots of patience and probably more time in a laboratory or library than in the field excavating ancient ruins.  It is also difficult to make a decent living doing it.

I also considered Forestry at one time.  My first college searches were for institutions that had great forestry programs.  It is actually one of the reasons I considered my Alma Mater of Texas A&M in the first place; they have a great school of Forestry.  I also briefly considered Stephen F. Austin University, Oklahoma State and some little college in northern Michigan for the same reason.  The trouble is that I didn't really know what being a forester meant.  My mental image was of a Ranger in a National Park working with wildlife.  A  forester is all about growing and harvesting trees.  Most of them work in private industry for companies like Weyerhauser.

What I really should have been considering was Wildlife Management or, Wildlife Biology.  I think I would have enjoyed a career in either field.  With the knowledge I now have, I think it is an area in which I would have excelled.  At a former company where I worked a group of us were visiting one time and the subject came up of snakes.  Someone mentioned a Cottonmouth but, none of them really knew what they looked like.  I pulled up a photo on my phone that I had taken only a couple of weeks previously and showed it to them while describing its behavior and typical environment.  My boss looked at me and said, "What are you, some kind of naturalist?"  He was probably closer to the truth than he realized.  I also had photos of other wildlife, their tracks and trails as well as of the areas where they lived -- all taken during one of my many treks into the woods on our property.

I enjoy hunting, but I'm not what most people would consider an avid hunter.  I would rather watch the animals, study their behavior and figure out ways to attract rare or, endangered plants and wildlife to our property.  I believe hunting is an important tool for managing wildlife, so I'm not what many in agriculture would consider an eco-nut, or a preservationist.  I'm more of a conservationist.  A conservationist recognizes that resources should be managed to benefit all -- the land, the environment and people.  Deer are a great example.  They are an excellent source of protein, they provide aesthetic value to the viewer, they help control vegetation and they co-exist well with domestic animals such as cattle.  The recreational value of hunting them is an added benefit.  We attempt to manage our land in a way that is attractive to deer and other wildlife.

What I find interesting is that I view wildlife management in economic terms.  By economic terms, I'm not just referring to a dollar value, I am thinking of overall value which includes the various things listed in the previous paragraph in reference to deer.  Value is measured by what we are willing to give in exchange for it.  Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources.  Wildlife Management and Economics fit hand-in-glove when you really think about it.

We need to look at ourselves as part of our environment rather than looking at our environment as an object outside ourselves from which we must extract a living.  Maximum resource benefit, sustainability, these are things we should consider with each and every purchase or, consumer decision we make.  Cattle have a tendency to defecate on their food.  In their case, in a grassy pasture, it is a return of the organic matter to the soil from which it came.  It is in a highly processed form that makes the nutrients readily available to be reincorporated back into the soil.  Humans aren't in the habit of defecating on their food, but in a way do something even worse -- pollute the environment of which they are a part.

I am disgusted every time I make the drive out to our place in the country.  People in this area haven't accepted the message that throwing trash on the roadside is unacceptable.  The ditches along the roadway to our place are filled with cups and plastic bottles and beer bottles and other trash thrown from the windows of the cars that pass by.  That refuse washes down the various waterways into the creeks and ultimately the lakes which are the primary source of drinking water for the area.  I constantly find items that wash across our pasture during heavy rains.  The people of the neighborhood are literally trashing their own nest; polluting their own drinking water.  They give no thought to the long-term impact of their behavior.

The issue isn't just one of our "local" nest, it is the planet itself.  Our consumptive behaviors may not have a visible impact in our own backyard, but they have one -- perhaps on the other side of the world.  We need to learn to be a part of this planet, not just consumers of it.

Ah, well, I suppose I ended up on a bit of a rant today.  It wasn't my intention.  I really was just thinking about whether or not I would choose the same educational and career path if I had it to do over again.  The answer is probably yes, but I have broadened my areas of interest through the years.

Why Do We Do What We Do?

Why do we do what we do for a living?  This is a question that I believe we all need to ask ourselves from time-to-time.

I think the answers would surprise those who know us.  I think that if we are truly honest with ourselves, the answer might surprise us.

I look back through the years at my "raising" as well as my education -- both formal and on-the-job -- and at my career(s) and can see that where I have been has shaped where I am.  I suppose that is only logical and is true for pretty much everyone.  But, what I really mean is that there seems to be a definitive "shaping" of who I am that prepared me for what I am doing.

Such a view obviously implies a belief in Divine Guidance.  Yes, I do believe that God actively works in our lives to shape us into what He would have us to be.  Does that include our career?  Perhaps, because it is such an integral part of our life and exerts tremendous shaping influences on us.

I become frustrated when I hear someone talk about how bad it is that when we visit with others the conversation almost always turns to work.  This occurs with friends, acquaintances and people that we have just met.  It is especially common in men.  Women often turn to the topic of family rather than career.  But, I believe God designed them uniquely for a nurturing role.

Our career is often a place where we can serve others.  Yes, many are very self-serving in their jobs, but, it doesn't have to be so.  Whatever we do -- unless illegal, immoral or unethical -- can be done in a way that others benefit.

If a person is unhappy with what they are doing, it is likely that there is something about their reason for doing it that is not right.  I suppose that some belief systems might refer to it as being in harmony with ourselves.  I think that it is a result of either not being in the job that you are made for or doing the job for the wrong reason.  Which brings us to attitude.

If our attitude is one of service to others, any job can take on a completely different complexion.  If we are sweeping floors and cleaning toilets, it can be with the attitude that I am providing a clean environment for others and therefore making their lives better.  However, if it is just for the paycheck, I will likely feel that it is a demeaning job.

I believe that God designed each of us with a purpose.  We are shaped by Him to serve others.  If we find what it is that He has designed us to do and pursue it with all of our heart in service to Him and to our fellow man, we will find joy and happiness in our life.  And, we will be successful.

I think that it was Sam Walton who said something to the effect that, "Success is achieved by serving others.  The greater the service, the greater the success."  -- and if he didn't say it, my apologies, he should have!

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.



15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,



16 your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

Out of This World

My last post was about passion. Specifically, "what are you passionate about?" I ask the question because it is something that I have struggled with throughout my life. My interests are so varied that I must be careful not to "flit" from one thing to another. Focusing on that "one thing" that is a burning passion within me has been elusive.

I wonder if that is a function of personality types? Is it only certain personalities that are able to focus passionately on one or a few things? Or, is it something deeper? Is it that only those individuals who have truly found their niche in life that become passionate about it? -- those who find their true calling?

There are myriad things that interest me. Nothing that consumes me -- although there are times that I'm sure my family would say that my work consumes me. But it doesn't really. My sense of responsibility, of duty, sometimes drives me for a period of time, but it isn't all-consuming.

There is one thing that I know that I am supposed to be passionate about and that is "living for Christ." I fear that I am often a miserable failure in that area. It is fortunate for me that He is a loving and forgiving Savior and Mediator who has already paid the price for my "failures" by His sacrifice.

I believe that we each are called for a specific purpose in life. I think we are born with a "bent" toward certain things. Sometimes you can spend 10 minutes with a child and know with a high degree of confidence what general type of career that child will eventually pursue. I wonder sometimes though if I have ever found the "purpose" for which I was born. I sometimes wonder if I made a "wrong" choice and chose the wrong career path at some point in my past. Why is it that I invariably become restless in my career? Is there something drawing me toward another path? Is it just human nature? Is it that I haven't found where I belong?

I think sometimes that I will remain restless until my days on earth are ended. What do you think?

"...As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world..." __John 15:19(in part)

Advertisement: Yokes by Jesus

In biblical times plows were pulled by oxen. Usually the oxen were yoked in pairs. Often the pair would consist of an older experienced ox that was well trained to the plow along with a young ox that still needed to learn. One of the keys to the oxen efficiently pulling the plow was the yoke itself. The better that it fit the oxen -- the more comfortably it fit -- the more efficiently they could pull. This was because it was a comfortable fit that allowed the pressure to be evenly distributed without chaffing or galling the animal.

Jesus was a carpenter. Among the many things that he made I'm sure were yokes for oxen. Often farmers would bring their oxen in to the carpenter to be "fitted" for the yoke. Basically, they were custom made to fit the specific animal. Can you imagine how well a Jesus-made yoke would fit? I suspect they were the best made yokes around.

The yoke on an ox is a little like a job or career for a man or woman. If it is a good fit they are efficient and effective. If it is a poor fit, they are constantly fighting against it and are frustrated and ineffective.

Each of us is uniquely suited to a particular career or job. That is what we should be doing. When we find that niche we are happy and productive. Often we enter into a career because of the money we will make or because of the expectations of others. We should find and do what we were made for.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."__Matthew 11:28-30

(adapted from our sermon this evening)