Chapters 7 and 8 Wisdom and Problems

We are going to get caught up a bit by doing two chapters in one week. Chapter 7 is about how we learn and about the need for wisdom. When I was a Regent College this summer my professor (Susan Phillips) told the class that as we age we lose some of our capacity to remember facts (like names, places, etc...anyone else noticing this?). But in its place comes a greater capacity to integrate the wisdom we have gained in our lives with our actual experience.

Smith writes, "In the end, no one will care how successful you were, or how much you accomplished, or how important you were or what roles you had. All that will matter, the older we get, is whether we are wise women and men...the pursuit of wisdom provides focus and integration to our learning for the wise person is mature in relationships as well as work..." (pg. 138).

Question: How does one embark on a journey to gain wisdom?

A Big Question

So...if you were not afraid, what would you be doing?

(Yellow Island in the spring)

MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR ® INSTRUMENT

If you are interested in completing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® Instrument, Rev. Dr. Joe Bettridge is a certified test administrator and is willing to facilitate any Courage & Calling book study participants who wish to take the test. Joe is offering a small group session where he will administer, score and explain the rest results.

The Myers-Briggs will help you gain insight into your personality type. It can help you understand how you best communicate and identify your greatest strengths and abilities. Knowing your Myers-Briggs 4 letter personality type will enable you to better hone your vocational choices so they fulfill and enrich you rather than sapping your strength.

Since I have just returned to the island from vacation and Joe and Becky are about to leave, scheduling the test might be a couple weeks out, but now is a good time to start collecting interested persons. If you'd like to take the test please email me. In the email please indicate whether you prefer a lunch time meeting like we did last time, or if morning or late afternoon suit you better.

Thanks!

Chapter 6 - Finding the Courage to Follow Our Vocation

A lot of this chapter is about facing our fears. Fears of being honest with how we have lived so far. Fears about our own limitations. Fears about the future. Fears...fears...fears!

Smith writes, "It takes courage to pursue our vocation, the courage to be - the courage to be true to who we are, even if that means living on the edge, living with risk, living with less security and less influence and less power - because to pursue our vocation means that we have chosen the way that is true to who we are, true to ourselves, true to our call" (pg 123).

This summer I am working through what I feel to be God's new call to me to learn and practise the art of Spiritual Direction. For me this means making my life smaller rather than bigger. It means learning to take a long, loving look at what is real in my life so that I can help others do the same. Practically, what this means is having to say "no" to things I love that fill up space. I am told I need space in my life to pursue this call. One of the books I am reading lays out a process of discernment in which they ask you to place yourself on your deathbed looking back over your life at the descision you are currently making. From this end of your life perspective, what do you wish you had chosen? In a way it is asking, "What regrets do you NOT want to have?"

Courage...I guess we have gotten to the meaning behind the title of the book.

Quote: "Acknowledging our fears does not in itself make us courageous or justify our actions. But it is a start. When we acknowledge our fears, we can ask if they are legitimate; we can ask if we are really living in faith, hope, and love, or whether our fears are nothing more than rationalizations for actions tat are less than noble" (pg 122-124).

Ok..go for it...Honestly...can you name some of the primary fears you have that might be holding you back from embracing your vocation? And...realistically...are there ways you can be gentle with yourself and help yourself begin to overcome some of these fears?

Thanks for sharing.

Living in the Present

Getting stuck in the past (whether it is from resentment, envy, past glory, or whatever), seems to be a killer when it comes to working out our present vocation. Smith writes, the ability to be "fully present" to the current situation, to the current moment, to the real circumstances of our current life mission, is a major growth step God asks us to make as we learn to think vocationally.

How do you think this works, and why do you think Smith makes such a point about it?

Becce

Chapter 5 - Thinking Vocationally

I really appreciate the conversation on recent posts. I thought Charlene's question about how we lose our focus was honest and I would guess most of us have experienced a season of "focuslessness." A time when we are in transition. One of the gems I gained from my week at Regent was an assurance that getting us back focuses is really something God promises to do for us (Jeremiah 29:11-14a), our part is a willingness to let him clean us up enough so that focus is again discovered.

I have also been thinking about Jill's comments at our Face-to-Face when she asked if "acceptance" of where we are is a type of giving up of our dreams (Jill, is that what you were saying? Can you state it better?). Whoa...there is a discussion! Is acceptance the only way to move forward, or is it a kind of resignation?

Give those questions a go if you want...
But as we move into Chapter 5 we address the issue of how we view our work.

Have you ever felt a "slave" to your work? I have. In this chapter Smith shares a very liberating thought. There appears to be a number of advantages for us as we grow to think vocationally (pp. 96-99). They are:

We are free from comparing ourselves to others (that would be a relief!).
We are free from artificial standards of excellence (another sign).
We are free from the burden of trying to please everyone (sign me up!)
We are free from the urgency and the tyranny of time (take me home!)
We are free to love ourselves and others.

Of these freedoms...which do you long for most intensely?

Becce

Sabbath Keeping

I am currently in Vancouver BC studying at Regent College. For me this is a real Sabbath.

Here is a fun (although terrifiying) question: What would an ideal Sabbath day look like for you?

Want to give it a go?