Are you time\task oriented or people oriented?

I have been doing a lot of thinking on different cultures due to taking Foreign Mission Prep last semester, spending a significant amount of time in two countries outsid the U.S. recently, and hanging out with many people from around the world. I started contrasting American time/task oriented culture with other more people oriented cultures. When some of my good friends who grew up overseas pointed out how task oriented I was it kind of upset me. I didn't want to be task oriented. It sounded so much better to be people oriented. I like people a lot and so I wanted to be thought of as people oriented. I saw the difference in the two mindsets when one of my friends and I ran errands on campus. I saw it as wise to seperate since our errands would take different lengths of time and be in seperate locations. She probably would have preferred to stick together and do them one by one while spending time together. Later that semester as I began reading books on cuture in FMP I was even more convinced that I wanted to be people oriented rather than task or time oriented.
My desire to be more people oriented increased even more as I spent time with my brothers girlfriend who is Columbian and as I heard him talk about her family. I too got to see a little of the Latin culture as I went to Peru this summer. I learned a lot from watching the people in Peru and became more purposeful in being people oriented.
This focus and thought process continued as I began working here in Israel among believers from around the world. I loved how long our meals took. I enjoyed talking late into the night over my second cup of coffee. I tried during this time to get my tasks done and still spend a ton of time with those around me. It is really hard to try to strive to do everything, be everywhere, and be everything to everyone.
I am thankful that I have tried to be more purposeful with people. I think that is good but I think my focus on making myself people oriented and trying to not be task oriented was unnecessary.
I came to this conclusion after seeing two men's work ethic recently. One man I don't know at all. I know that he has great material that should be published because it would benefit many and he sits on the material doing nothing with it. In my mind if you have the best material I would think that you would want to sell it and share it with others not sit on it just because you know you have the best so you don't need to fear that someone else will come out with a similar product sooner. Seeing this made me consider the importantance of getting tasks done. Completing tasks is a very important part of loving and serving others. I also think it is important to be responsible and to use the resources God gives us.
The other man I have learned from of late does use the resources God gives, including his time, very well. This man, whom I work for, taught me by his example that if you are Godward oriented you will be task oriented, time oriented, and people oriented. Being responsible with your time and resources will be important to someone who wants to glorify God in everything. Focussing on people also flows naturally out of a heart oriented to God. This man is always working on projects. He is an amazing scholar. A few of us got to go out exploring with him one day. What an amazing opportunity. I was so glad to be along. The amazing thing to me was that he was so considerate when we couldn't do everything he had planned. Sometimes it was because we weren't as fast as he was. Instead of resenting bringing us along he offered to stop and take a break or stop and get a cold drink. When we couldn't make it to all of our destinations, he asked which ones we would like to go to, even though he probably had preferences and it would have been better for him to visit certain ones. I also have noticed his consideration of others when people stop in his office to talk with him. Random people sometimes want to talk to him and he always makes time, even though he has 101 things he could be doing. He gets so much done yet he is so thoughtful towards others. As I thought about this I came to the conclusion that what is important is being Godward focussed. If you are you will naturally focus on others and the tasks at hand. I have also come to the conclusion that I am thankful for my American work ethic and now no longer wish I was raised in another culture. My desire now is to grow in being more focussed on God and to become more like my Savior.
So, while I think it is good to be aware of your natural tendencies, like my tendency to be task or time oriented, I think it is more important to be Godward oriented and to be seeking a balanced life where all your resources and time are used purposefully for His glory.

Writing to the glory of God

I have been reminded multiple times of late of the importance of writing. I have been encouraged during my time here in Israel to keep a journal. I want to because I have seen how beneficial it was in my past semesters here. I greatly enjoyed reading through those journals over the summer and remembering God's faithfulness to me during those semesters and remembering lessons I learned. It was also neat to see how God has changed me.
I was also reminded of the importance of writing as I listened to John Piper's sermon on David Brainerd in the "Men of Whom the World was not Worthy" series. David Brainerd was very sick and yet he was faithful to write relentlessly. His journals are on my list to read and have impacted many major theologians. His journals also speak of his writing day and night over and over again. John Piper encouraged the pastors to whom he was speaking to write more. He talked about the benefit of clarifying and organizing thoughts by writing. I've seen that benefit in this blog.

I see the following as some of the benefits of writing:
1. Writing my thoughts helps me see how wrong and sinful they are. Seeing it exposed on the page makes me recognize it and hate it all the more.

2. If we have recorded our thoughts on a certain subject, as we clarify our thoughts throughout life we can see how we have changed.

3. I also learned the importance of keeping a journal for contentment's sake and for trusting God in the midst of difficulties. My friend's mom taught me that it is good to journal and record those things and then record how God worked in the midst of them or delivered you out of them. She then uses that to look back on in the midst of later difficulties and remember the unchanging character of the God she serves and trusts in the midst of her present circumstances. She feels that this practice helps her see how light and momentary her trials are. This really helps to expose our foolish disbelief too and it helps us remember when we so quickly forget what God has done in the past.

4. Writing can also be a beneficial form of communication. I have been very thankful for written communication while in Israel. Writing someone a note is an excellent way to love and serve others around you or miles away.


I have not had a lot of time to write and I have not been posting much but I want to pursue it more.

Question 2

I like this question, and wonder myself what I will answer....

IF YOU COULD TAKE 10 ITEMS TO A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Okay, so here goes mine... I can't wait to hear yours! =)

1. Sunscreen
2. Matches
3. A machete
4. A gun (bullets included) =)
5. My J-Mac Study Bible
6. A Journal
7. A Camera (can't miss this photo-op)
8. A helicopter
9. Helicopter Fuel
10. A helicopter Pilot

Is that cheating? =)

Great Expectations

Expectations are kind of a funny concept, and yet we generally experience hundreds of moments of expectation every day. We wake up daily “expecting” certain things, expecting that parts of our day will turn out in a certain manner. We expect a chair to hold us. We expect our stomach to growl if we don’t eat, and we expect it to be satisfied if we do. We expect to get certain things done. We expect to get up, go to class, go to work, etc.

This is something that I have been thinking about a lot—especially since my year of being an RA. While one could probably come up with an extensive philosophy on expectations, I just have two thoughts for now.

#1. If our expectations are grounded in the world and in mankind, we will be disappointed and often tempted to sin. Often we find ourselves placing our expectations in others—expecting them to react or behave a certain way, to do a certain thing, or to be at a certain place. The only problem with this is that others are fallible and will disappoint. In placing our expectations in others, we place them in sinful people who will indeed fail us. And when we are disappointed and our expectations are not met, this will often in turn lead us to a sinful response… perhaps of impatience, selfishness, pride, anger, worry, etc. So, we must guard our expectations and be ready to respond to every situation in a way that places confidence in God and not in man.

#2. If our expectations are grounded in God and His Word, we will not be disappointed. God is unchanging, does not disappoint, and does not fail. We can wake up every day counting on Him to be faithful and to follow through with all that He has promised. Can you believe all that we have to rejoice in? We have been brought from a place where the only things that we could truly expect were judgment and hell. Now, we wake up daily and we can have great expectations of God’s grace, His goodness, His forgiveness, His love, His mercy, and His faithfulness to name a few. We get to wake up every day expecting grace from the God of the universe… stop and think of that and see if you can wrap your mind around it. I expect that you probably can’t.

Differences in Sleep

I already mentioned in a previous post some differences at meal time now I'll tell you that I sleep different too. I am actually tired at the end of the day. It is a good feeling of tired. It is the feeling in my muscles and bones that I have worked. Sleep really feels like a gift from God. I'm reminded here that I am much more lazy in America. Not that that is true of America as a whole but it is true of me when I am surrounded by the comforts afforded in America. I think part of that feeling that I have worked comes from the exercise I get here without even trying. If I run errands it usually involves climbing a hill or climbing many stairs. Have I mentioned lately I am very thankful to be here.

Remembering to be Thankful

Today my parents and I were out shopping, and I saw a barefoot homeless man digging some thrown-away pastry out of a trashcan and devouring it as though he hadn't eaten for a week. My dad and I went and got him a coffee and some apple fritters. The details are mostly trivial, but it's times like those that make me remember... I am so wealthy and have so much. I have a warm place to sleep at night and three meals a day if I want and a closet full of clothes and a bank account and opportunities for school and to travel and I am surrounded by people who care for me and love me. We in the human race--and even those of us who are God's children--are so quick to forget and complain. It's no wonder that God continually told Israel to remember remember REMEMBER. So many times they forgot and it resulted in complaining. So many times WE forget and start to complain. But contentment... ah, that little word, and remembering what our great God has done for us... how we are wrapped in His mercy and grace. When we contemplate that all we truly deserve is hell, and anything above that is a gracious gift of God... then there is much to be thankful for and much reason to be content.

Dwelling in Unity

While spending much of my free time recently with believers from at least 14 different countries, I have had many opportunities to think on unity of believers. It is so amazing to see people come together from around the world and to be able to praise God together, and encourage one another and love one another because of our relationship with Christ. I have been living with two roommates, one from Finland and one from Switzerland. It was so neat to have a time of prayer with them before one of them returned home. It was not contrived. We prayed for one another because we loved one another even though we had known each other for such a short time. I have also had many opportunities to sit for long talks around meals and hear many testimonies of what God is doing around the world and in individual lives. How Great is our God! He is at work and it is seen in how we relate to one another. Today in Congregation we read from John 17 which is known as the high priestly prayer. As Christ prayed for us before he died he prayed that we would be one as he and the Father are one (Verse 21) and he prays this "so that the world may believe you sent me." Unity as believers is so sweet but it is also an important part of our testimony. So, let us not forsake gathering together. Let us be likeminded and encourage one another. In Hebrew we sing the following song which is the original (not translated into English) of Psalm 133:1.

"Hine ma tov u manayim shevet achim gam yahad."

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity .

All Creation Testifies

I find it really funny that Jod posted an email about God's amazing creation because that has been on my list of things to post about. I like to share about good things on this blog, though most of you already know about them since you have experienced many of the same things I have and learned about the same things. The good thing I would like to tell you about today is the Blue Planet DVD series put out by The British Broadcasting Company and The Discovery Channel. It is a series on creatures in the ocean. I know that you are thinking "What! She is recommending a nature show." I usually don't watch them but this series is amazing. You see God's amazing creative power and His purposeful design. These creatures are amazing and what is really amazing is that we still haven't even seen the bottom of the ocean.
The good thing I would like to see but that hasn't been created yet is a film on the bugs of Israel. I am always amazed as I do yard work here how many different bugs there are here. I see so many bugs that I have never seen in America. There are all different shapes, colors, and sizes. Sometimes one wall is covered with moths of such variety that you can't help but reflect on God's amazing power and remember that God created everything. It would be facinating to learn more about each one because I am sure that all the information would lead us to praise God all the more.

God's Creation

Isn't God cool?Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array. Psalm 29:2

On the glorious splendor of Your majestyAnd on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
Psalm 145:5

Questions

So, since this blog is not often used for what it was originally intended for (not that I am complaining, but let's be honest)... I thought I would spice it up a little with a question for whoever might wish to comment on this.

Questions are a great way to get to know one another, and also to think, laugh, disagree, or be challenged. So whether they be interative silliness or interactive seriousness, we will no doubt learn knew things about each other... which is honestly part of this blog's purpose. And since this is more or less a "family blog" with few outside readers, it might just work well. So if you want to pose a question to the readers/writers of this blog, go for it.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

If you could invent something, what would it be?

My answer would be an international "BEAM ME UP SCOTTY" device. If I could somehow beam up my atoms and cells to Venezuela or Indonesia or Canada or Israel or Australia or India right now or in the next few weeks, I sure would. I'd love to pop in on my brother in Indonesia and see what kind of food he's eating. I'd like to see my parents next weekend after they are back in Venzuela. I'd like to catch my grandparents for coffee in Canada. I'd love to eat a shwarma with Jenn in Israel or go climb a tell. It'd be fun to visit my aunt and uncle and maybe a kangaroo in Australia. I'd love to see how Megan, Heidi, and Bjorn are doing in India. Just one little "BEAM ME UP SCOTTY"... and I'm outta here! Well, in my dreams... instead it's going to be "Beam me up DELTA" next time I fly. Fortunately, they don't have to disassemble my atoms and cells. I think all they'll do is disassemble my liquids and gels. Anyone else have an answer?