Vocation

The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.

The humblest sweeping maid sweeping to the Glory of God is therefore just as significant as the greatest preacher in the world.

Look, I'm just a singer. But in the end, I want to tear a little corner off the darkness.

Emotional even as I start reading this.  Not sure exactly why. Seems like my heart letting down it's guard in acknowledgment that I have pursued wrong things professionally for so long; maybe not so much pursuing wrong things as allowing .... I'm not actually sure right now.  I just know I'm not using the gifts Hod has given me for his kingdom.  Something is missing.  Something is wrong. Greek philosophy: pursuit of the Good, the True and the Beautiful Quote: Bono on his work for social justice: "Look, I'm just a singer. But in the end, I want to tear a little corner off the darkness." Deciphering DNA code is a process called sequencing. Quote: we are haunted, not by reality, but by those images we put in place of reality. - Daniel Boorstin    "home" 3/25/11 intro call Ever assignments in NYC? Disruptive to sit in? What do you do exactly? Worldview = the code? Define reality.     Send Keller sermon. Ought, is, can, will Fairy tales. Google.  Most influential institution.   What would it take for them to take our definition of reality seriously? Clockwork orange. Studs in the wall.  Hold the whole thing up but never advertise Can't solve Leslie newbiggen    Church of scotland missionary Fascinating story that explains reality Money.  Don't need our explanation so long as they can define their own reality Swift.  Can't reason a man out of something he never reasoned his way into Abolition of man. Show the fruit of the gospel, without calling it that.  Then you can explain where it came from when asked. Benchmark for success would be to sit on the board at Google 1.  Believe that gospel reality would make everything function better 2. Don't live this way. David brooks Diane vaugn.  Uncoupling Apply ourselves consciously to the work of renewal        Conscious destruction. Take and eat. Only renew by disruption

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent.

To image the being of God toward the world, to be the priest of creation, is to behave toward the world in all its aspects of work and of play, in such a way that it may come to be what it was created to be, that which praises its Maker by becoming perfect in its own way.

It is a vain thought to flee from the work that God appoints us, for the sake of finding a greater blessing, instead of seeking it where alone it is to be found - in loving obedience.

"Quotes:" In 1836, Charles Simeon retired after fifty-four years of ministry at the Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, UK. There he had been engaged in a ministry of expository preaching that had sent several generations of young Christian leaders out into British society. He had accomplished far more than 99.99% of ministers ever do. Yet a friend discovered that this elderly man was still rising at 4:00 a.m. every morning to light his own fire and to spend time reading the Bible, praying, repenting, and spending time with God. His friend thought this was over-kill. “Mr. Simeon,” he pleaded, “Do you not think that, now that you are retired, you might take things more easily?” “What?!” replied the old Charles Simeon, “Shall I not now run with all my might when the winning-post is in sight?”.

Just as it is better to illuminate than merely shine, so to pass on what one has contemplated is than merely to contemplate.

In his presence, Washington crew men always stood, for he symbolized that for which God’s children always stand. Said by a student athlete ay University of Washington about George Pocock from The Boys on the Boat George Yeoman Pocock A native of Kingston upon Thames, England, Pocock learned the craft of boat-building as an apprentice to his father, Aaron Frederick Pocock, a boat-builder for Eton College.[5] A champion sculler himself, Pocock (along with his brother, Dick) used prize money earned from racing to emigrate from England to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1911, in search of better employment prospects.[6] The brothers established an independent boat-building business, initially supplying rowers affiliated with organizations such as the Vancouver Rowing Club, and the Prince Rupert Rowing Club. In 1912, Hiram Boardman Conibear, rowing coach at the University of Washington, visited the Pocock brothers at their Vancouver Harbour shop and convinced them to move to Seattle to build boats for the Washington crews.[7] When rowing at U.W. was shut down during World War I, and there were no boats to be built, the Pocock brothers hired on as pontoon builders for a fledgling Seattle aircraft manufacturer, Pacific Aero Products, which was the forerunner to Boeing.[8][9] In 1922 as the use of wooden components in the manufacture of airplanes began to decline in favor of metal, George left Boeing to return to boatbuilding for Pocock Racing Shells on the campus of the University of Washington.[10] Over the next half-century, Pocock perfected the craft of building fast and efficient wooden shells, introducing many innovations including the use of Western Red Cedar for the outer skin of the shells.[11] He was appointed Boatman to U.S. Olympic Rowing Teams in 1936, 1948, 1952, and 1956.[12] He was a mentor to many of the day’s rowing coaches,[13] and continues to be revered by oarsmen and coaches for his contributions to the sport of rowing.[14]

for him the craft of building a boat was like religion. It wasn’t enough to master the technical details of it. You had to give yourself up to it spiritually; you had to surrender yourself absolutely to it. When you were done and walked away from the boat, you had to feel that you had left a piece of yourself behind in it forever, a bit of your heart.

Many are the scholars who make it their professional occupation to occupy themselves in this towering edifice of culture, exploring its nook and crannies, developing their responses, making their contributions here and there, and helping to hand it on to succeeding generations. For some the temptation proves irresistible to go yet farther and make this the concern of their lives, letting society go its own sorry way while they lock themselves away in this abiding, socially transcendent cultural stronghold, acquiescing in society while pursuing Bildung. As Rotterdam burns, they study Sanskrit verb forms.

A moralistic mindset sees ‘the world’ as a profane place that we should have as little to do with as possible. The secular mindset makes work into almost a form of self-salvation, a way to prove yourself and amass wealth or achievement.The gospel leads us to integrate our faith with our work, to turn our vocation into a way to serve others rather than ourselves, and to reshape our job with the priorities of God’s kingdom.

I don’t want people who want to dance. I want people who have to dance

Ring. Those who had asked for more information about hobbits eventually got it, but they had to wait a long time; for the composition of The Lord of the Rings went on at intervals during the years 1936 to 1949, a period in which I had many duties that I did not neglect, and many other interests as a learner and teacher that often absorbed me.

The prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them.

I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?’

"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"

We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts.

Teach them the quiet verbs of kindness, to live beyond themselves. Urge them toward excellence, drive them toward gentleness, pull them deep into yourself, pull them upward toward manhood, but softly like an angel arranging clouds. Let your spirit move through them softly.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.