3 words to live by: Read, read, read

  • "Mattis was known to have had a personal library of over 7,000 books, and prompted the study of history for his troops through required reading lists of various history books for his officers before battle."
  • "He noted that his reading, 'doesn’t give me all the answers, but it lights what is often a dark path ahead.'"
  • "Mattis reportedly never owned a television set."

I've experienced some things in reading that may have helped deepen his intellect:
  • Books require you to follow an argument in close detail. A book's length allows it's author to dig into great detail and requires close and sustained attention from readers.
  • Novels allow authors to develop characters over time, requiring readers to navigate subtlety.
  • In this fast media age, books require us to give them time. We won't resolve things in the 30 minutes of a sitcom or the 2 hours of a movie. Instead, we have to display patience as we digest the book.

I have to think that reading discipline gave him an intellectual depth that helped him find his way through dilemmas. We often find ourselves on the horns of dilemmas, confronted by 2 alternatives neither of which lead to favorable outcomes. A deep intellect can help us find a 3rd way. Being able to find ways through dilemmas leads to a good reputation. Some points from the article:
  • "Beyond the bravado, and tough wartime rhetoric, Mattis was known to be an intellectual among the military’s upper ranks, a thoughtful and well-read commander, emphasizing (perhaps in a monkish way) the study of both history and philosophy."
  • "Mattis emphasized that his Marines always take a reasoned approach to the battlefield"
  • "Mattis’ ethics ensure that he has always told politicians and higher-ups his honest views on often thorny political or military issues."
If you build it, will they come?

The National Wood Flooring Association launched an online university to prepare people for certifications in wood flooring. Why did they do that? Apparently, not enough young people are taking up the trades. I don't think that means an industry is dying. It may mean perceptions of the industry by potential skilled workers need to be updated.

Demand and supply factors in the shortage of skilled labor.
  • Demand: Workforce in the trades is aging out.
  • Supply: Young people still want to go to college instead of take up a trade.

The trades are concerned their careers aren't as flashy as others. NWFA University offers digital badges as credentials in response.

Flashiness isn't the cure-all, however. Saying college isn't necessary isn't the solution either. There are benefits from going to college that tradespeople can gain. Rather, there needs to be a way to help people find a balance. What incentives are there, for example, to encourage working tradespeople to take college courses on the side? A degree can be had without going into debt while fixing the labor shortages in the trades.
Hallelujah Chorus etiquette: Stand or sit?

It's that time of year to go to a Messiah concert, and you'll have to make a decision about the Hallelujah chorus: stand or stay seated?

  • The most popular story is that "King George II, attending the London premiere of 'Messiah' in March of 1743, was so moved by the 'Hallelujah’' that he stood up - and if the king stands, everybody stands." The more cynical theorized the king had to go to the bathroom and was waiting for intermission, ready to sprint.
  • People stood for other numbers as well, so the Hallelujah Chorus tradition remains from something that was more common.
  • The sacred nature of the words moved some people to stand on reflex. They may have felt like they were in church listening to hymns.

Here's what some people advise:

There are a couple of solutions:

So what to do if there's no guidance in the program or from the stage? It may be a situational thing.
  • I attended one that was performed in a light way, the choir members dressed in Christmas costumes and flashing signs with the words. The Hallelujah Chorus was merely one selection among other Christmas music, sacred and secular. Not many people stood for that one.
  • Another performance was a more traditional performance of Messiah. Everyone stood for that one.

Either way, the advice to include consideration of other people's enjoyment of the performance is always in season.
The star of Bethlehem. Out for last year's Christmas season, this may be worth your time to read over the coming holidays. Why would it be important for the average Christian? One way to look at it is contextualization. In the spirit of the apostle Paul's becoming all things to all men, this age fancies itself enlightened through science. If so, your friends will be interested in factoids about cometography and the reasonableness of seeing the star as a significant natural phenomenon. Why suggest it was a natural phenomenon? It could be a way to direct conversation to God's control of nature, one element of an apologetic argument.

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The Great Christ Comet: Revealing the True Star of Bethlehem by Colin R. Nicholl on Amazon (hardcover | Kindle) on Barnes and Noble (hardcover | Nook)

Is crowdfunding like grant management?

Apparently, Steve Wozniak has stopped participating in crowdfunding projects because he can't see how the money is being spent. Among other things he said in an interview is this: "I’ve actually turned away from self-funding for now. Kickstarter and Indiegogo and those sort of things…You never get to see their accounting. You never get to see how they used your money. It’s not like a real open company."

This makes me think of applying for and managing grants and donations. The funding sources want to see how their money is spent, and they get irritated if money goes to overhead costs rather than direct costs involved in moving the project forward. Many funding sources I've encountered put conditions on use of the funds, including reporting requirements. Excluded items can include overhead costs like marketing and office equipment.

That makes sense, because that kind of spending can become excessive, so funding sources want some kind of accounting. There are some who push back because groups like non-profits that depend on grants can be hindered by not being able to use money where they see the most need.

What have you seen that is a win-win solution, and how can it be applied to crowdfunding?
Pastors, shepherds of minds. Here's a challenging statement: "…all Christians are to be theologians." Your pastor wants to bring out the theologian in you. How does Peter Beck do it for his congregation? Dwell on this: "…my mantra has become “orthodoxy leads to orthopraxy”—right thinking leads to right action."

Don't shy away from the intellectual side of your faith when your pastor brings it up. Take it on!
Is your pastor wondering about developing an academic/scholarly side to his ministry? Here are some points made in an interview about finding that path:
  • "I’ve always loved being very involved in the church and teaching in the academy. I’ve never really drawn a sharp line between the two."
  • "…pastoral ministry may be the best thing I ever did, because nothing has helped me as a professor in the classroom more than being a pastor in a church."
  • "If a student is seeking the Lord with all his heart and longing to please him, and he’s divided between pastoral ministry and an academic career, I would ask which desire is strongest. I trust God is leading and directing him, so which desire is stronger in his heart?"

There are other points in the interview that will help your pastor think about blending the professional and academic dimensions.

The most important statement for me was, "But the Lord also leads by circumstances." Some people might call this the door theory, God opens some doors and closes others. You might consider circumstances the call, and the ensuing journey the pursuit of your calling. I pondered this when I wrote my book, Your Unfinished Business: Find God in Your Circumstances, Serve Others in Theirs. God calls you in your circumstances and guides you toward your calling.

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Your calling is your unfinished business. Read Your Unfinished Business: Find God in Your Circumstances, Serve Others in Theirs to start pursuing your unfinished business.

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