Laboring to the Day

Everyone loves a holiday...at least if the amount of traffic on Southern California freeways is any indication. The opportunity to take off work, get away, and not worry about the concerns of everyday life, is a welcome occurrence. Of course, rarely does a holiday go as idyllic as we imagine it, but still, the chance to get away from it all is applauded.

Perhaps the "get away from it all dream" is most prominently demonstrated in the American mindset towards retirement. Just last week, I was talking with a recently graduated student who was already looking towards how he would spend retirement. Sure, dreaming and planning can be good things, but we have developed a culture that has an aversion to work. While many may blame the younger generations, it is an infection that crosses generational bounds; many boomers feel cheated that the recent economic recession will upend their plans for retirement.

While this predilection is understandable, I'm not sure its biblical. While the Old Testament certainly gives prominence to elders, there's little indication that they ceased to actively manage their household affairs. And since their household affairs were their jobs, there seems to be little indication that they gave up gainful employment. Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David all appeared to work until the very end. Retirement only occurred when they went to their Father's home.

I tend to think that their spiritual children should do the same. We are, after all, promised eternal rest. There's no need for us to take a prolonged respite here on Earth, as we can look forward to a heavenly one. Additionally, Christ promises that, as we take on His burden and do His work, He will provide us rest here (Matthew 11:29). Sure, our work may not always be for a paycheck, but that doesn't abdicate our responsibility to continue to work for Him.

Someone famously said, "I'd rather burn out than rust out." May every Christian do the same.

The Important 2%

Recently I learned that chimpanzees and humans share the majority of their DNA. 98% of our genetic material is the same, what sets us apart is just two-percent. However, this two percent different is what allows humans to more effectively communicate, to form relational groups, and to do all those other things that chimpanzees are unable to achieve. It's a small difference in our make-up but a significant one.*

In life, there are a lot of things that are small but significant. One chromosomal deficiency can cause a lifetime of challenge. One point uptick in a person's IQ can certify them as a genius. A single digit change on a lottery ticket can be the cause of an expected windfall. If we think about it, its the small differences that really determine who we are. In business terms we call this a company's positioning. It's what sets them apart in the mind of their customers, as opposed to the thousand of competitors that they can choose from. Small but significant differences is what enables Proctor & Gamble to have more detergent brands than a conglomerate should rightly be able to manage. It's a slight change in formula that makes the laundry go from the "whitest whites" to the "line dry freshness." To the producers, it may be a minute adjustment. To the brand loyalists that buy it, it makes all the difference.

In a way, this illustration is demonstrative of this blog's purpose. For a long time, I've written about two different areas of my life. In publishing terms, my topics would have been classified under "Business" and "Christian Living." Both of these topics are important to me; both contribute to the person I am. What I've recently realized is that its their overlap, that small but significant areas in which the two merge, that is my sweet spot. I can't stop writing about business; it is after all, how I make my living. However, it would be equally impossible for me to stop writing about my Christian walk; it makes life worth living. They are two divergent topics and while the overlap may be small, may be just two-percent, it is, I believe significant.

So the purpose of this post is to prepare you for what's to come. In a lot of ways, I've kept these two topics separate...and where it makes sense, I'll probably continue to do so. However, for those who read me regularly, be prepared for a merging of the two. I will write more about organizational life, including the means and methods for effective communication, because like it or not, it's the arena in which most of us spend the majority of our days. Also, because its in this context that I can add the most value, that I can contribute in unique and significant ways. However, the end-game has, and will continue to be for me, the "better things" that lie ahead. I can not write about the here and now and forsake the then and there. It's an unconventional merging, but one that I'm hopeful will be of value. If not, I'm sure that there will be lessons in the failing as well.

2%....It doesn't seem like much. To the God who made the chimpanzee and the human being though, He knew it was enough to radically separate us. Maybe it will also be enough to dramatically change our life at work, as well as how we work at living a life that pleases Him.


*I've been reliably informed that the science behind this discovery is questionable and that perhaps only portions of the DNA code were compared to arrive at this figure. Since the post stands apart from this fact, I'm not going to get into an exact deduction. Suffice it to say - God's creation is marvelous whether the similarity is 2% or 60%,

Lessons in Leaving

As some of you know, today is a day of transition for me. I am leaving one career to start another and the flood of emotions that I've experienced is something that is foreign to me. I'm very blessed to love my job so in leaving there isn't a feeling of release. Instead, I leave knowing that I leave something great for something that I also love and that I feel called to do. In that, I believe that this new adventure will also be characterized by greatness.

However, in leaving, there are many things that I've learned. As I'm accustomed to doing, I thought I'd share at least some of those lessons with you:


1. Everything you do creates an impression - even those moments that in your mind were fleeting anomalies. The reaction to frustration that seemed so necessary at the time rarely is, but its what people tend to remember. Respond in the way that you want people to remember you by. Let that which you want to characterize you guide your interactions.
2. People respond to departures in all sorts of way - laughter, denial, anger and sadness. Processing these varied emotions can be a challenge which is why its good to take account of not only your leaving but the entire time of your stay. A few days shouldn't be the memory that sticks with you - look at things from the entire journey, and assess your time accordingly.
3. Just like we tend to improve our house when we're getting ready to sell it, we tend to wait until someone leaves to let them know what they meant to us. This is silly. Next days aren't guaranteed in any aspect of life. Let people know how they've contributed to your life immediately upon recognizing it. Then, regrets will be alien and appreciation abound.
4. People never believe that you will stay in touch when you move on. If you do so, you have a friend for life because they know that your relationship is no longer a matter of convenience but a choice of considered action. People want to know that you're not leaving them even if your place of employment is different.
5. Loving what you do is a rare gift. Loving the people that you get to work with far rarer. I'm extremely blessed to have both be true.

To all those who I will no longer rightfully call "colleagues," it is my sincere desire to always call you friends.

The Evils of Marketing

In business, there is often good-natured teasing between the disciplines. The division of power not only ensures fulfillment of all the responsibilities, but it creates barriers between those who spend the money and those who count the money. This tension is beneficial and if parlayed correctly helps ensure that the organization is properly run. Recognizing this doesn't eliminate the tension but it does make it more hilarious.

What's true in the confines of an organization often gets carried over to the classroom, and my students have repeatedly heard about the evils of marketing, mostly from those who participate in other business disciplines. While this is understandable, some of the jokes may have had an unintended effect. They cause those who feel called to a career in marketing to question the validity of their chosen path. As an individual who has spent her adult life in this field, this makes me sad. Sure, marketing can be used for less-than-commendable purposes, but so can any discipline (Enron, anyone?). The marketer's job isn't to convince people to buy something they don't know, it's to communicate to the organization's audience on its behalf. It's the responsible marketer who listens to the customer, discovers their needs, and creates products or services that meet those needs. It's not about need creation, it's about need fulfillment.


And while some may see this as evil, there's also a part of me that wants acknowledgment for all the good that happens as a result - all of the innovation, and new product creation, and communication that helps customers understand what they're purchasing and why. There are times when the good gets lost in the clutter - often as a result of the marketers' own actions, but that doesn't mean the good doesn't exist. Just like how the media spokespeople for Christianity can be some of the worse representations of my faith, those who often get notoriety for their marketing exploits, aren't the ones who really represent its significance.

The battle between disciplines is one that I've verbally chosen to stay out of. After all, I appreciate those individuals who count the money, sell the product, or ensure that my HR benefits are maintained. But for all my students who question whether the field they've chosen is good, this blog's for you.

The Bubble

One of the coolest things that I have the opportunity to do is to hang out with business students from California Baptist University every Thursday night. Of course, these gatherings take the form of a marketing class, so what I consider cool, they may consider work, but regardless we tend to have a good time. Additionally, although its my job to teach them, I learn more from them then they could imagine.

In a recent class, there was a discussion regarding a rival university. The topic eventually veered off into whether people who go to a Christian university really experience life or whether once they get into the "real world" they will be ill-prepared for what they find. It mirrored a discussion I had with a student in another class. Is life at a Christian university really life in a bubble? Does the bubble pop upon graduation?



This discussion was brought to mind as I read about a Christian who started a business but then wasn't sure about the legal ramifications of incorporating his faith into his work. Essentially, both the businessman and the students are wondering the same thing. Does this "Christian-thing" really have application to real life? If so, how?

The only answer I can give is the one I gave to the student who questioned me about the value of a Christian education, and that it is this - the foundation that is being laid will shape who you are and the type of life you lead. The experiences that you have a result are can't be quantified. Its about the person that you are, not the status that you attain and in the end, that's all that matters anyway.

There is no such thing as a "Christian life" and a "work life" - there's only life. The challenge is that when the bubble bursts - whether upon graduation or a thousand other life situations that will change your perspective - do you have faith that will see you through to the end?

God's Work

One of my best friends is a nurse in Africa. Day in a day out she works with children and adults infected by AIDS; she cares for them, educates them, and tries to be God's ambassador of love. Juli is one of my heroes. Because of her sacrifice, countless lives will be saved.

Oftentimes when I look at my own life I'm amazed at the call God's given me. It easy to feel that it's inadequate compared with the burden that I imagine Juli bears. I work in a comfortable office, with wonderful people, who challenge me professionally and personally. My family has always lived within driving distance. My friends are never more than a phone call away. It's easy to wonder if I'm missing something; if somehow I've missed out on what God asks of me because my life is filled to abundance.

The funny thing is if you ask Juli, she'd say her life is filled with abundance too. She once told me that people's impression is that she's suffering in Africa, but in reality, it's her home. She loves what she does and although it can be challenging and brimming with despair, she knows that she's where she's supposed to be. Therefore, her calling, while unbearable to most, is a joy and comfort to her.

George MacDonald once challenged that while we think God's work must be hard, what He's promised is a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. MacDonald goes on to articulate that sometimes when we are so consumed with wondering what great sacrifice and burden God is going to call us to next, we focus on the future and lose sight of the "easy" work that He's called us to today. We become ambivalent about doing the light tasks that He's given us because we consider them of no great importance. We treat God's call as insignificant because we are unaware of its value and its impact.

It's easy to see the value of Juli's call. Sometimes it's harder to see the value of mine. But I've come to believe that what is expected of both of us is to do the work that God has given us to the best of our ability. I can no sooner dictate what the outcome of my work is than I could guess the impact of the life that Juli's work saves. The reality is, whatever the impact, neither will be the result of mine or Juli's efforts. It will be because of the work that God is doing. And He can just as easily use a girl in an office as He can a nurse in Kenya.