When I Grow Up
I want to be a librarian. Think about it. All those books and a nice quiet atmosphere. A long time ago I read a list of the best jobs. At the top was actuary (quiet and better pay, I suppose) but second was librarian. I'm sure there are the periodic confrontations, but mostly it would seem like a quiet job.
But that's not the career path I chose. So I'm an engineer. Not a bad job, but more stressful, I think, than being a librarian would be. Which is to say I generally want the rest of my life to be quiet and uneventful. I'm starting to see that's not likely to be the case. It is said there is an ancient Chinese curse - "May you live in interesting times." Our times are interesting, I will say that.
I bring this up to say that one reason I haven't been blogging, or reading blogs, much these days is because they are (gross generalization coming) contentious. There are exceptions. Voice of Vision, The Dow, Dluxe's World, Craver VII, Between Two Worlds and others I readily acknowledge as exceptions. But many of the places I (used to) frequent seem to thrive on debate.
I'm not against debate. There are those who are called to the front line and all of us are there on occasion. I just don't want to be there all the time. So I'm going to try to remove that "tone" from my posts. This is not a call for others to do the same. If you read this and are happy with your blog, by all means carry on. Sometimes the debate blogs get the lion's share of the attention, so not everyone feels like I do. It's probably more of a temperament thing anyway.
I thought about deleting some of my more contentious old posts, but that's more work than I want to spend on this. Besides, they provide a measuring stick for whether I've really changed or not. Part of this attitude change may relate to being out (again) of the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention), but probably not. I'm not sure if it's a life verse (if you have a life verse, feel free to let me know) but it's a verse that I have come back to quite often since I found it years (okay, I can probably measure this in decades now) ago:
But that's not the career path I chose. So I'm an engineer. Not a bad job, but more stressful, I think, than being a librarian would be. Which is to say I generally want the rest of my life to be quiet and uneventful. I'm starting to see that's not likely to be the case. It is said there is an ancient Chinese curse - "May you live in interesting times." Our times are interesting, I will say that.
I bring this up to say that one reason I haven't been blogging, or reading blogs, much these days is because they are (gross generalization coming) contentious. There are exceptions. Voice of Vision, The Dow, Dluxe's World, Craver VII, Between Two Worlds and others I readily acknowledge as exceptions. But many of the places I (used to) frequent seem to thrive on debate.
I'm not against debate. There are those who are called to the front line and all of us are there on occasion. I just don't want to be there all the time. So I'm going to try to remove that "tone" from my posts. This is not a call for others to do the same. If you read this and are happy with your blog, by all means carry on. Sometimes the debate blogs get the lion's share of the attention, so not everyone feels like I do. It's probably more of a temperament thing anyway.
I thought about deleting some of my more contentious old posts, but that's more work than I want to spend on this. Besides, they provide a measuring stick for whether I've really changed or not. Part of this attitude change may relate to being out (again) of the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention), but probably not. I'm not sure if it's a life verse (if you have a life verse, feel free to let me know) but it's a verse that I have come back to quite often since I found it years (okay, I can probably measure this in decades now) ago:
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (ESV)When I grow up, I want to be a peacemaker.
posted by Taliesin at 10:56 PM
6 Comments:
Matthew 5:9
Hebrews 12:14
Ephesians 4:3
Philippians 4:9
Colossians 3:15
James 1:26
Thank you for the mention, sir. :) I try not to be contentious, but sometimes can't help it. :)
The verse that helped to define my life was Psalms 37:4. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
When I was working at a Christian camp for disabled people, I was agonizing over the decision of whether or not I should pursue a more serious relationship with the wonderful woman who is now my wife. Trying to discern if it's the Lord's will. When I came across that verse, I understood it to be saying that if we are delighting ourselves in the Lord, He will conform our hearts and minds to desire what He wants for us. I felt as though I were delighting myself in the Lord more at that time than at any time before, and if I was in love with her, it was obviously His will. :)
It's been a favorite verse of mine over the last 7 years since that day. :)
What?? You think Even So... is NOT contentious? He makes faces at me when you're not looking. He's doing it right now!! Okay, he stopped. Okay, he did it again!!
Great verses J.D. I especially like the James reference because that one's a tough one at times for me.
Chris/Tal - Psalm 37:4 reminds me of Psalm 138:8, which reads "The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands."(NASB95)
Craver, why in the back of my head am I hearing, "Stop touching me! Tell him to stop touching me!" and "Stay on your side of the car. This is my side of the car!"?
Yeah, Craver is my long lost twin...since I'm only 5'3", I guess that makes me Danny Devito, and Craver, well...maybe that isn't a good analogy...
(8 days later)
There! Now!! Did you see it this time?
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