I opened up an e-mail from one of my spiritual newsletters (bypassing over the Franciscan deal to buy a Christmas calendar for Cyber Monday) and it had a piece at the end with reflection questions on what I am doubting, and to pray on it. I thought I would share:
1. Where am I experiencing doubt in my life?
My next big move, my next big skill to develop and master
2. What is it that God says about me, as God’s child, within this doubt?
That I am having a very similar experience to many people I know...I am in the good company of high achievers with crossroads in their lives!
3. Write a prayer detailing this doubt
Dear God,
As you know, I have spent many a night, wondering where my life is going, where my talents might be best used. How can I help the people around me grow, to flourish, and for love and laughter to surround them and me, to keep me safe in dark times and good times, to have me watch well the things that need watching, and tend to those who are suffering.
How can I best use my talents? Which one should I choose? Which is right for me? Which will lead me to ruin? How shall I seek things that bring me joy and success and still stay true to You, Your Commandments, and Your Spirit.
I have no answers, and I expect none in return. With an unfailing heart, strong in faith and hope, I shall twist and turn down a narrow path of those seekers that came before me, but in my own way. I seek humility and righteousness, justice and peace.
I hope you take my doubt and recognize I wish to journey towards you in a straight path, to run unfailing, to do things perfectly. It is my doubt that holds me back. I journey further towards you, and ever back.
Monday, November 27, 2017
Sunday, November 05, 2017
TOW: Tools change, but the world changes very little
You know, when social media tools first came out, I had no idea how important they would be.
I can now say that my desire to focus on being an expert on rising marketing and communication tools was a good lesson in how technology works. Kuhn's theory on paradigm shifts worked in real action for me over the last 8 years or so.
While all of that is true, technology can only take the work of people so far. I have spent a lot of time working with a variety of technologies, and I talk to my friends in separate industries, that often have separate tools working for them that do similar things, but work better within an industry paradigm, with their precepts for language and symbols, different than mine, which are often focused on communication than numbers. (It was put especially well by a wedding guest this weekend, when
she said, "You work with Excel? I'm more of a Word girl myself.")
The kinds of tools change, but really, humans create the same communication errors over and over again. And the more we try and build in 'nanny-like' interference in communication tools, especially online ones, the more that the red tape starts to cause interpersonal errors, and suddenly tools are not tools, but masters.
One of the thing I am struck by, is how much people want strong sets of tools to help them organize, and rule their lives, depending on their industry, and yet most people use the first ones they were introduced to, way back when. (Excel, Word, AutoCAD, etc.) It goes to show how far back our biases for some of the worst tools in the world are.
I feel like this is a subject I could write a whole book or perhaps a chapter of a book about, but I'll stop here with a thought: Online tools come with a price to time spent in other ways. Most of the time, these tools can be helpful over time. But they are often extremely labour intensive at the start. And one has to ask if these tools will help, or hinder people, depending on the makeup of the team.
I can now say that my desire to focus on being an expert on rising marketing and communication tools was a good lesson in how technology works. Kuhn's theory on paradigm shifts worked in real action for me over the last 8 years or so.
While all of that is true, technology can only take the work of people so far. I have spent a lot of time working with a variety of technologies, and I talk to my friends in separate industries, that often have separate tools working for them that do similar things, but work better within an industry paradigm, with their precepts for language and symbols, different than mine, which are often focused on communication than numbers. (It was put especially well by a wedding guest this weekend, when
she said, "You work with Excel? I'm more of a Word girl myself.")
The kinds of tools change, but really, humans create the same communication errors over and over again. And the more we try and build in 'nanny-like' interference in communication tools, especially online ones, the more that the red tape starts to cause interpersonal errors, and suddenly tools are not tools, but masters.
One of the thing I am struck by, is how much people want strong sets of tools to help them organize, and rule their lives, depending on their industry, and yet most people use the first ones they were introduced to, way back when. (Excel, Word, AutoCAD, etc.) It goes to show how far back our biases for some of the worst tools in the world are.
I feel like this is a subject I could write a whole book or perhaps a chapter of a book about, but I'll stop here with a thought: Online tools come with a price to time spent in other ways. Most of the time, these tools can be helpful over time. But they are often extremely labour intensive at the start. And one has to ask if these tools will help, or hinder people, depending on the makeup of the team.
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