The other night over dinner at Chick-Fil-A (mmmm), my husband gave me an awesome pep talk. I (Michayla) was talking through some concerns about work projects, and he shared some fantastic wisdom. He’s an amazing little league coach, so pep talks are a specialty of his . Here’s the gist of what I pulled out of his healthy dose of perspective.
Anyone in the position of creating something (whether it’s a lesson plan, a piece of art, a proposal, a craft for your Awana Club etc.) has to understand going into it that the project is not about him or her. It’s first, as a Christian, about God. It’s secondarily about the people for whom you are creating.
When you put pressure on yourself to come up with something great or “cool” and you rely on your own cleverness, the project ceases to be great. However, when your motivation is about making something for people that they need and serves them well, then that perspective will keep you pointed in the right direction: away from yourself.
When working on a project, we have to always ask, “What’s the point of this? What’s the ‘why’?” Because it’s not just about creating a neat app, or a cool product, or a clever strategy. It’s about serving. It’s about people. It’s about the Lord. Not about the bottom line, and definitely not about our own self-promotion.
Does that mean you don’t pour your unique passion, energy, and heart into your projects? Of course not. God gave us all unique passion, energy, and hearts for a reason. They are a gift, and they bless people when we use them to serve. We need to use them well.
So, these projects that I’m working on- should I stress about feeling like they aren’t where they should be yet, that they’re not clever enough, or “right” enough? I think, rather, that I should be praying, “God, is this what they need? Is this going to serve them well? Is this going to accomplish what You want to accomplish?” Then the project becomes about His glory and their good, and not about myself or my department.
This is the responsibility behind creativity: setting oneself aside (including all the self-imposed pressure) to create for others in order to honor the Father.
May the amount of time we pour into creating that product or that Large Group Time lesson (whatever the project may be) match the amount of time we are on our knees about what we are creating and who we are creating it for.
I (Michayla) read this article about how a high school in Pennsylvania is integrating technology use into the classroom. They’re not just using smart boards or school-owned laptops. They are letting kids use their personal smart phones and tablets in the classroom.
The article says that this new policy is “an attempt by the district to come to terms with fiscal realities.” There is simply not enough money to provide every child with a laptop or tablet. The idea is that allowing kids who own smartphones, tablets, or laptops to use them in school would free up the school to purchase devices for kids who do not own one.
This is quite a paradigm shift. Most schools have a strict “no-phone” policy. However, according to the article, educators are recognizing the need for kids to know how to use these devices properly- whether that is how they use it to find information or how they use it to interact with others.
But wouldn’t opening the door to personal devices being used in the classroom create a flood of issues with it? Sure. I appreciate how this school is addressing that question, though. Their answer? They recognize that they don’t know everything about how allowing these devices in the classroom will affect the education experience. They are doing what they can to safeguard that experience, but they also know that this is something they will need to address as issues arise. They are not letting fear of the unknown keep them from trying something new. Like the article says, “As with any new program, there are growing pains.”
This high school requires students to register their devices with the school and only use the school’s network (which blocks access to specific web content). But what is a student with a 3G data stream going to do if they are really determined to access something? Circumvent the school’s network, of course. Educators are going to have to learn how to handle those situations properly.
What is the benefit to allowing students access to technology in the classroom? First, this generation does not know life without the Internet. It is part of the way they gain information and interact with each other. This affects the way they study, the way the process information, and how they connect ideas. It’s taking how they learn information in every day life, and incorporating that into the learning experience of the classroom. Second, it’s accomplishing one of the principals that many schools are adopting: “real-world learning” and more engaged learning (critical thinking and problem solving vs. rote memorization). Third, technology use has opened up incredible opportunities for special needs children to learn and develop. I used to babysit an autistic child very regularly when I was a high school student, and it excites me beyond words to think of what will be possible for him as an adult because of technology.
Are there going to be issues because of these devices showing up in the classroom? Absolutely. Are there going to be downsides? Of course. But schools can’t really know what those will be specifically until they try something new.
How has technology effected your child’s learning experience? What do you see as the benefits and negatives?
Is the “tweet” literally altering the way we think?
The world seems to be falling in love with Twitter. It’s immediate, ubiquitous and, honestly, sort of feeds our egos.
Twitter and Facebook are really about two things: immediacy and platform. Anybody can very quickly share their thoughts or comment on the thoughts of others. It creates a sense of virtual community.
But Twitter only allows you 140 characters in which to say whatever it is you have to say. Facebook may afford you a bit more, but brevity is the key to getting read in either place.
That caused me (Don Hampton) to think: “Just how effective can you really be in communicating something of depth and value in 140 characters?”
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposi”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are th”
I know what you’re thinking. Social media wasn’t designed for oration or to really even be a space where true discourse can take place.
But isn’t that the point?
Twitter has more than 360 million users and Facebook even more at last report. People are going there every day to interact, explore and discuss.
Combine that necessary brevity of speech with the fact that social media allows anyone to have an equal platform and you can see that we have created here a true marketplace of ideas that has very little moderation.
In other words, whereas we used to be a society where degrees, experience, expertise and skills were relevant to dialogue, we are rapidly moving in the direction that we don’t really need to listen to anything we don’t like – and every idea is just as valid as every other.
And, if I only have 140 characters with which to convince you, how convincing can I be?
Last week, I (Michayla) got really sick with bronchitis. I couldn’t come in to work, and I couldn’t go out with friends. When my husband left for work in the morning, I found myself reaching for the computer. Why? The solitude was bugging me. I wanted to feel connected to people.
If you have read any of my posts here, you know that I appreciate technology and social media; however, you also know that I have a healthy dose of caution when it comes to how we use it.
Sherry Turkle is a psychologist and sociologist who has devoted most of her career to studying how technology shapes what we do and who we are. Her most recent book (Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other) and TED talk discuss how social media has affected our capacity for relationships, intimacy, and authentic communication. There are many points in the book and talk that I could discuss here, but I will zero in on a few that really resonated with me.
“Being alone feels like a problem that needs to be solved.” – Turkle
When we run to social media to alleviate our sense of loneliness, we are using people to (as Turkle puts it) “support our fragile sense of self.” God made us to be deeply relational people. We are made to have a relationship with Him and with others. Yet, we also need to have the ability to handle solitude. In solitude, I connect with the Lord and have the ability to reflect on Him and who He created me to be in this world. Social media should not be a deterrent to developing the capacity for a healthy amount of solitude. The inability to be alone actually develops one’s sense of loneliness according to Turkle. She also made a statement that calls parents to be very intentional in this area with their children: “If we don’t teach our children how to be alone, they are only going to know how to be lonely.” She suggests that parents designate “sacred spaces” where devices are not allowed like at the dinner table or an evening together as a family. This not only makes parents focus on conversation with their children, but it also encourages children to develop the ability to focus, converse, and listen.
“I share, therefore I am.”- Turkle
Turkle proposes that, without connection [online], we do not feel like ourselves. There is definitely a point where I feel this statement breaks down. I would propose it is possible to be oneself online, but I do agree that we often project (to an extent) the “self” that we want to be or want others to see. Turkle says, “Human relationships are rich and they’re messy and they’re demanding. And we clean them up with technology. And when we do, one of the things that can happen is that we sacrifice conversation for mere connection. We short-change ourselves. And over time, we seem to forget this, or we seem to stop caring.” The danger is that we fail to be comfortable with offline conversation (or avoid it) because we cannot control those conversations. They are messy. We can’t edit. We can’t backspace. Face-to-face conversations require more discipline, more effort, and more vulnerability. As Turkle states, “We turn to technology to help us feel connectedin ways we can comfortably control. But we’re not so comfortable. We are not so much in control.”
Conversation is a skill that needs development. When our children grow up believing a conversation is easier to have via text or FB message, they will struggle to converse easily as they enter adulthood. Is this the case for all children? No. In many cases, texting and social media can enhance their offline communication. However, this is not the case for each child, and that is where parents need to be intentional.
Social media is a component of how we connect with others, and it is a wonderful way to keep in touch with people who are not in our immediate circle of life. However, it should never become a substitute for real, face-to-face interaction and conversation. It should also not be a place we go to “to be heard.” Are we “heard” on these platforms? Yes, to an extent; however, it should not be our intent for posting on these platforms. Many run to Facebook or Twitter to alleviate the feeling that no one is listening. Turkle says, “And the feeling that no one is listening to me makes us want to spend time with machines that seem to care about us.” May we never run to Facebook before we run to our Father in heaven. May we never trade a deep conversation with a brother or sister in Christ for the short-term gratification of “likes” or comments. Is Facebook/social media bad for us? I don’t think so. I (as you know) really appreciate all that social media has to offer us. After all, it is reflective of who we are as God’s creation—deeply relational. However, is dependency on, addiction to, or misuse of anything bad for us? Of course. So, we must, as God’s children, remember to steward this well just as we seek to honor God with how we steward all aspects of our lives.
We are, as Turkle puts it, a world that is “smitten with technology.” She reminds us that technology is “not all grown up.” It is still in its early days—and that is exciting news for us. It means we can still learn how to best use this tool to benefit our lives. It means we can learn how to pass on best practices to our children. It means that we can shape technology instead of allowing technology to shape who we are. That is really, really good news.
Want a sign that technology is moving too fast and that we seem, as a culture, to be bent on change purely for change’s sake? Apparently, Microsoft is planning to exterminate Windows XP in two years.
So 100 million users will need to update their operating system. Why? They don’t say – other than it’s 10 years old and, I (Don Hampton) guess, that automatically makes something extinct in today’s marketplace.
Now, those of you who know me know that I’ve been a Mac proponent for years now. So bashing Windows (no pun intended!) comes naturally to me. But this is symbolic for more than just another opportunity for me to beat that drum.
It’s about how we seem to constantly be rolling out newer, bigger, better, faster, cooler stuff. I recognize that our culture is built on the concept of the “better mousetrap” and, certainly, our economy needs it. But, being the tech curmudgeon I am (at times), I don’t think that it’s enough to say we should kick out a “new Coke” product every few years just because some little tweaks or whatever need to take place.
And, frankly, as an Apple geek, I have to admit that they are just as guilty of that. My impression of the “new Ipad” is that it’s an excuse to try to generate more sales built on the premise that the screen resolution needs to be clearer and the processor needs to be faster.
There’s nothing wrong with Microsoft wanting to upgrade their product. And there’s equally nothing wrong with getting excited about a new product launch. But sometimes what I see is that we have become way too enamored with shiny things in this world, and that can breed a distinctive lack of satisfaction if we’re not careful.
On the other hand, I just read that the iPhone 5 is coming out this fall. Can’t wait to be first in line.
You can read about the Microsoft “planned obsolescence” here:
Last weekend I (Don Hampton) had to ground my 13-year-old son. Fortunately, it’s not something my wife and I are often forced to do. But this was a serious infraction in our home and we, as responsible parents, had to act.
What did he do? He stealthily grabbed the iPad from his father’s backpack, slipped past all onlookers and stored it in his blankets. That evening, after a couple of quiet hours around the house, we realized we hadn’t seen Adam in quite some time. I went up and discovered him, head buried in his sheet, face to the screen.
Turns out he wasn’t watching some R-rated movie or surfacing to a gambling web site or anything of the sort. He was actually researching a project he’s doing in conjunction with his homeschool.
So, while the offense wasn’t that awful, we felt compelled to bring serious consequences. It was a confusing moment. He was, after all, doing school work, of sorts. But he was, too, feeling the need to sneak and hide.
And, as parents, the bigger picture issue for us is that he has shown the propensity to act in a highly addictive manner toward screens of all sorts. We’re not wanting to shelter our kids from reality, as we parent them. But we also recognize that even something good, something fun, something positive can become a deterrent to spiritual growth and personal maturity. We were upset because our son felt compelled to conceal his behavior and we know that, if left unsupervised, he literally could spend an entire day sitting in front of a screen.
So, we told him he was grounded – from screens. No TV, no ipad, no computer. We told him to go outside and play in the sunshine.
His response? “I don’t think you could have done a meaner or harder thing to me than that.”
That was the moment we knew we were doing the right thing. Has that ever happened to you?
This past Wednesday was a momentous occasion for my husband and I (Michayla). We bought our first home, and we are absolutely soaring with happiness and thankfulness to God for this blessing!!
As I was taping along the baseboards in our master bedroom getting it ready to paint, I was thinking through all the events that led to purchasing this home.
Downloading the RedFin app to our iPad.
Finding the listing for our house on the RedFin app, and forwarding to our realtor.
Visiting house. (Should read: “Falling in love with house.”)
Faxing in offer.
Offer accepted.
Finding a washer and dryer on Craigslist for half the price stores were offering.
Looking through countless pictures on Pinterest, HGTV.com, and numerous other websites to get ideas for paint colors/furniture.
Asking about carpet on Facebook. Got a lot of good suggestions from friends.
Asking about warranties on Facebook. Got a lot of good advice.
Getting TONS of encouragement from friends and family via text, social media, phone calls.
Finding a great animal control specialist online to help take care of the raccoon in the crawl space that wants to live with us. Silly raccoon
Finding the directions to the title company on line. Still got lost…because GPS was in the other car. But we got there!
In the middle of the closing, our attorney got $145 knocked off our total because our loan officer and he had smartphones. Because they could get in contact with people instantly, and those people could scan/email in a document, we saved money. Praise the Lord!
Post-closing- lots of texting and phone calls filled with rejoicing!
These are just a FEW ways technology interacted with or facilitated our home-buying experience. I asked my mom later on in the evening, “How on earth did you and Dad do this without the internet???” She just laughed
What’s my point in sharing this? Technology played more of a role in this major life event than I realized. As a good friend and co-worker recently observed, because I am a digital native, I live in this “space” of interacting with this new model of communicating and operating. I receive blessing and assistance from it. My home-buying experience was dramatically different from my parents’ because of the way technology has progressed since then. No doubt, my children will have a dramatically different experience, as well. Technology will continue to progress.My generation is merely the beginning of digital native history. There’s a lot more coming- we can all sense that. How do we (whatever sector we are in) harness that progression and move with it in a way that will spread the Gospel, honor God, and build up the church? I don’t have the answers.
But I’m on my knees about it asking for His wisdom. I hope you are, too.
One aspect of my job is to coordinate a quarterly event for the staff that we call “LINC.”
LINC stands for learning, innovation, networking, and culture. The purpose of LINC is to generate forward thinking, spark ideas, encourage conversation, and develop different perspectives. Speakers from outside and inside the organization talk about a different topic each quarter that is relevant to ministry and our culture.
What I love about LINC is that no two events are the same. One quarter, we’ll have a Christian movie producer in to talk about Christian media; yet, another quarter, we’ll have an expert in to talk about software to make an Awana club run more efficiently. We have had experts from within our organization talk about small churches in America or apps. Next quarter, one of our staff will be sharing information about the generation dubbed the millenials.
Though the topics vary each time, the same thing will be true of each event: the audience will be encouraged to think about ideas, ask questions, and apply it however they see fit. We’ll never tell the staff how to apply the information- we merely supply it.
After each event, we publish the videos to a private website. That way, staff that was not able to attend can still see the video and participate on the forums we have created for each event. This helps keep the conversation going.
Here are some pictures from yesterday’s LINC event:
As you can see, we have different styles of events- sometimes we do it interview style, sometimes we use a lot of media, and sometimes it is just a speaker on the stage. Also, we always have a Q&A time at the end in order for the staff to engage with the speaker.
Environment is an important aspect of our events. We try to make the environment support the topic and style of speaking. We also always have snacks for the staff Food encourages community, right?
This is one of the highlights of my job, and I’m already looking forward to next quarter. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to work in a place that values constant learning.
How do you continually keep a spirit of learning? What are your favorite ways to stretch your thinking and process through ideas?
It’s difficult to imagine what our days would be like without light bulbs, running water, telephones, and (as I sit in this unseasonably warm weather for Chicago ) air conditioning.
Today, I (Michayla) had the opportunity to hear a speaker share how he saw a need, and how he created something to fill that need. The heart behind his “invention” is to help people do something better, and I love that. These are the kinds of people that make everyone’s jobs easier, more effective, and honestly- more fun.
It got me thinking… perhaps in our techie world, we often see inventing as something people “out there” do. But I’m always amazed by the creativity I see in the people around me. You don’t have to go much further than your refrigerator door to see a picture drawn by your nephew (or son/daughter) and be reminded of how God made His kids to reflect Him in their creativity. Just browse through the boards on Pinterest and the amazing DIY projects, recipes, artistry, interior designs, and hundreds of other ideas will blow your mind away.
Ministry is fertile soil for creativity and invention. Each week, countless people pour their hearts into “inventing” ways to make outreach more effective, children’s ministry more engaging, and youth ministry stronger. There are a lot of needs in ministry. Each week, careful eyes survey the ministry landscape and perceive the gaps. Then they get to work… whether that’s in the kitchen with a baby in one arm and a bunch of craft supplies in the other, or over a cup of coffee and a marked-up, idea-filled napkin in Starbucks. It is exciting to think about the countless minds that are asking, “What about this?” and “Could this be done better by…?”
If you have ideas, don’t just leave them as seeds. Take them, plant them, water them, give them sunlight, and watch them grow. Your family, church, and community need your creativity. They need your inventions. Whether it’s a craft that helps a little one connect-the-dots in their mind about a Bible story, or a computer program to help your ministry run more efficiently- just pursue it.
As I turn on my lamp here at my desk, I’m reminded that it took Mr. Edison seeing a gap and wanting to fill it with something. I’m reminded that I shouldn’t hold my ideas to myself when I see a need. We’re God’s kids, and we have a lot of creativity given to us by our Father. Let’s steward that gift well, especially when we see needs.
I (Don) saw this list and thought it was awesome and would be extremely helpful for Awana leaders (and others) who want to have Bible study tools and more at their fingertips.
RT @compassion: Monday Encouragement: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ... 4 weeks ago
. Here’s the gist of what I pulled out of his healthy dose of perspective.
