When I started this blog, I hoped it would be an opportunity to explore the deeper questions of faith and especially those related to faith and technology. However, no sooner had I let my friends and family know about it, I was hit (and hit HARD) by "life". Some of the issues were as serious as life and death and some as seemingly insignificant as the overwhelming amount of laundry created by our family of five. As I'm starting to come out of the other side of the worst of it (I hope and pray!), it has given me a lot to reflect on regarding God's purposes for our lives.
One of my favorite verses is II Timothy 2:15. In the King James Version, in which I originally memorized it, it says:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Note: In other translations that are a little more accurate, the word "study" is translated "be diligent".
As I've been overwhelmed by "life" in the past few weeks, recalling this verse has made me question whether or not it contradicts itself. How can we study or be diligent if we are busy being workmen? My passion and heart's desire is to study the Word and figure out how to best live by it. How can I do this when God has put me in a season of life where my role as wife and mother makes laundry one of my top responsibilities?
In that last question, I found my answer... I'm in a season of life where God has put me in one of the most important roles I will ever have. In this season, I may not be able to spend as much time as I'd like following my passions of learning and teaching the deeper issues of theology, but, no matter where we are in life, we are to be diligent in doing what He has called us to do.
So, hopefully in my next posting I'll be able to share some cool observations and insights I've had recently regarding the intersection of faith and technology. Until then, I encourage you to "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15 NASB)
Also, I rarely read The Message (just because I prefer the more literal translations) but I found the following verses especially poetic and they have been encouraging to me during the especially tough month of "life". I pray these words of Jesus encourage you too:
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
My Introduction
When I was choosing my major, I decided on Computer Engineering - a combination of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. I made this decision based on my fascination with the evolution of technology. My long term goal was to attend Law School and study Intellectual Property Law. I was completely intrigued by the fact that people could "own" thoughts and ideas and the laws that governed them were rapidly evolving.
I attended Texas A&M University (WHOOP!) at a time when most students had computers in their dorm rooms, but few took them to class, e-mail had become the primary source of communication between students and professors, but cell phones were just beginning to emerge. During this time of huge technological growth, I was also seeing changes in our culture, but I didn't think much about it at the time...
Though I was interested in technology, my passion was the study of God's Word. Most of my extra-curricular activities in college involved Bible study of some sort. When I moved to Austin after graduation, I began working at Motorola in their microprocessor division and joined a Bible-preaching church and became involved in a discipleship group with girls that became the dearest friends I have ever known. This discipleship group prompted a time of incredible spiritual growth unlike anything I had ever experienced, even though I had been a believer since the age of five.
One day I was sitting in my cubicle doing verification on a small component within the microprocessor when I was hit with a thought like a lightening bolt... How were the eight hours a day I was spending on this impacting the kingdom of God? Was it really worth my time to help people have smaller cell phones? Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that you can (and should!) impact the kingdom no matter where you are or what you are doing. If everyone was a preacher, Bible teacher, worship leader, etc., we'd be starving, homeless and without cellphone communication! :-) I just came to realize that even though I liked technology in general, the minuscule details that go into creating it wasn't for me. So, Law School plans were tossed aside and I began taking classes at Dallas Theological Seminary while still working full-time as an engineer.
During my seminary days, a LOT of "life" happened. My role at Motorola transformed into one where I was training people how to develop chips with the ARM processor. I got to travel the world doing this training and I also found out that teaching was a driving passion in my life (even though I wasn't particularly interested in the subject I was teaching at that time). I also got married (to THE most wonderful husband in the world!), got pregnant three months later (the timing not planned by us, but an extremely wonderful blessing), and then quit working for monetary gain to stay at home with my baby (no mother ever really quits working!). When my oldest child was a year old, I got pregnant again and decided the "plan" needed to change. I put my Masters degree goal on hold and graduated in 2007 with a Certificate of Graduate Studies. Like I said, a lot of life in only four years!
Since seminary, I had a third (and final!) child and have both enjoyed and been extremely challenged by motherhood. :-) A little over a year ago, I came across a blog review in the DTS alumni newsletter. It was called donteatthefruit.com and it talked about issues of faith and technology. I was thrilled with the content I was reading! Finally I had found something that combined many of my skills, interests, and passions. Once the niche was found, I started researching, thinking about, and preparing to teach women about the theological issues that effect our faith in God. And so, last month, I started this blog as the first step in teaching the message that God has put on my heart. My hope is that the thoughts that are share through this media will take people deeper into their relationship with God. If it ever becomes glorifying to myself instead of Him, that's the day it stops. (And my accountability girls are reading this and keeping me to it!)
Also, last month, John Dyer (the writer of Don't Eat the Fruit) came out with his first book entitled From the Garden to the City: The Corrupting and Redeeming Power of Technology. It is a thought-provoking, well written, highly interesting and very informative book about the relationship between faith and technology. Be sure to pick one up soon (see http://fromthegardentothecity.com/ to start reading immediately). In subsequent posts during the next 13 weeks I will be reviewing each chapter of this EXCELLENT book. Be sure to become a "follower" of my blog so you will know when those posts are published and we can journey through this subject matter together!
I attended Texas A&M University (WHOOP!) at a time when most students had computers in their dorm rooms, but few took them to class, e-mail had become the primary source of communication between students and professors, but cell phones were just beginning to emerge. During this time of huge technological growth, I was also seeing changes in our culture, but I didn't think much about it at the time...
Though I was interested in technology, my passion was the study of God's Word. Most of my extra-curricular activities in college involved Bible study of some sort. When I moved to Austin after graduation, I began working at Motorola in their microprocessor division and joined a Bible-preaching church and became involved in a discipleship group with girls that became the dearest friends I have ever known. This discipleship group prompted a time of incredible spiritual growth unlike anything I had ever experienced, even though I had been a believer since the age of five.
One day I was sitting in my cubicle doing verification on a small component within the microprocessor when I was hit with a thought like a lightening bolt... How were the eight hours a day I was spending on this impacting the kingdom of God? Was it really worth my time to help people have smaller cell phones? Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that you can (and should!) impact the kingdom no matter where you are or what you are doing. If everyone was a preacher, Bible teacher, worship leader, etc., we'd be starving, homeless and without cellphone communication! :-) I just came to realize that even though I liked technology in general, the minuscule details that go into creating it wasn't for me. So, Law School plans were tossed aside and I began taking classes at Dallas Theological Seminary while still working full-time as an engineer.
During my seminary days, a LOT of "life" happened. My role at Motorola transformed into one where I was training people how to develop chips with the ARM processor. I got to travel the world doing this training and I also found out that teaching was a driving passion in my life (even though I wasn't particularly interested in the subject I was teaching at that time). I also got married (to THE most wonderful husband in the world!), got pregnant three months later (the timing not planned by us, but an extremely wonderful blessing), and then quit working for monetary gain to stay at home with my baby (no mother ever really quits working!). When my oldest child was a year old, I got pregnant again and decided the "plan" needed to change. I put my Masters degree goal on hold and graduated in 2007 with a Certificate of Graduate Studies. Like I said, a lot of life in only four years!
Since seminary, I had a third (and final!) child and have both enjoyed and been extremely challenged by motherhood. :-) A little over a year ago, I came across a blog review in the DTS alumni newsletter. It was called donteatthefruit.com and it talked about issues of faith and technology. I was thrilled with the content I was reading! Finally I had found something that combined many of my skills, interests, and passions. Once the niche was found, I started researching, thinking about, and preparing to teach women about the theological issues that effect our faith in God. And so, last month, I started this blog as the first step in teaching the message that God has put on my heart. My hope is that the thoughts that are share through this media will take people deeper into their relationship with God. If it ever becomes glorifying to myself instead of Him, that's the day it stops. (And my accountability girls are reading this and keeping me to it!)
Also, last month, John Dyer (the writer of Don't Eat the Fruit) came out with his first book entitled From the Garden to the City: The Corrupting and Redeeming Power of Technology. It is a thought-provoking, well written, highly interesting and very informative book about the relationship between faith and technology. Be sure to pick one up soon (see http://fromthegardentothecity.com/ to start reading immediately). In subsequent posts during the next 13 weeks I will be reviewing each chapter of this EXCELLENT book. Be sure to become a "follower" of my blog so you will know when those posts are published and we can journey through this subject matter together!
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