michaelrobb Accountability

Celebrating Lent in general

So, a dear friend of mine when we last spoke told me a story about how he got in a theological spat recently with a group of Calvinist hating on Lent. His point was:
Lent is no worse than Christmas or Easter in that they each (at least in their rituals/date) have very pagan roots and are used by liturgical Christians and adopted by some non-liturgical Christians as a means for worship and the larger general American society and even commercialized. Therefore those using these aspects of the church calendar are ignorant of the origins of the traditions, but they should continue as long as it remains sincerely worshipful and does not cross a line into unbiblical practice.

Frankly, I think his position is a good one to take with regard to most “spiritual formation” material. A lot (not all; nor would I say a majority) of it has unChristian roots but is rebranded and used for Christian worship and as long as it does not become rote/legalistic/insincere and it does not teach bad theology or contradict the Bible, there’s no real harm in using these tools/means of grace regardless of their origin.

With regard to Lent, according to Catholic tradition, it was/is a catechumen’s final period of preparation for Baptism. The penitents and the rest of the community accompanied them on their journey and prepared to renew their baptismal vows at Easter. In practice, “Lent is a season of self-examination, fasting and penance in preparation for our Easter Day observance.” This is true in Protestant traditions as well, although most ignore the season since the church calendar is not observed. Methodism teaches, “Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection.”

Personally, I find the season used in this way to be a rich and beneficial practice.

michaelrobb Accountability

Why I plan to go to New England in May

My School, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is hosting a trip to New England in May. It’s a short excursion: 8 days long and includes visits to Harvard, Yale, Princeton (JE archives), Northampton (Edwards & Brainerd), Plymouth, Malden MA (Judson), Burlington VT (NETS), Portland ME, Boston, Providence (Brown & FBC), and Newburyport MA (Whitefield burial) among other stops.

It’s attractive to me because I want to get a firsthand encounter with New England history, especially about the distinctive theology that shaped New England as I get to experience where historic theologians (especially relevant to my faith) practiced ministry. But all that, and I still wouldn’t go if it did not also offer me the opportunity for course credit at a greatly reduced rate.

Normally, it costs me $945 to take a 3 credit hour course. I plan to take several of these over the next several months until I graduate. If I go on this trip for $2100 (rebated $350 for travel expenses), I get to take two courses as part of the trip which means for 2100-350=1750 I get credit for courses I have to take that I would normally pay 1890 for. A savings of 240 dollars!

So, I’m excited to go and look forward to telling you more about it and what I learn/study as a part of the adventure.

michaelrobb Accountability

Post for March 3-4, 2017

Usually, I don’t publish a post for Saturdays or Sundays, because I’m not tracking them and therefore, they aren’t for my accountability partners. But it seemed good to group them together this time. Let me share “how I feel about how I spent these days.”

I feel great about them! Like I said in the Post for March 1-2, I worked really hard on homework so that I could be done in time for Hayley’s parents arrival since they were planning on spending Friday and Saturday working on renovations (of the duplex we bought a few weeks ago!) with us. Thankfully I mostly succeeded. I left a little bit of Greek to complete Saturday evening after they left that would be due that evening, but otherwise, I finished everything due that week and weekend.

March 1, I started the day early going downtown and paying for parking in quarters while I went to the courthouse to update my driver’s license. I’ve needed to do it for a long time since it’s the first step to renewing the tags for my car, but I waited until we had our new address and then a little longer. Anyway, I went and did that and then I called my school to change my classes around so I could go on (what promises to be) a really awesome trip to New England. [Hopefully, when I go, I’ll write a lot more and have a series of posts based on/inspired by it – for now though: Here’s why I’m going if you’re interested.] Then, I convened with Hayley, went to the bank and got to working with Hayley’s parents. We worked super hard and fairly diligently getting tons accomplished and retiring physically spent and pleased with our efforts.

March 2 began the way March 1 ended. David, Ange, Hayley, and I all went to the new place and dove into the task at hand working very hard and getting a lot done. As a plot twist, Timothy showed up as well to help us take up some flooring and be a part of the work. He is the second friend to lend a hand to this project. When Hayley’s parents left, Tim and Hayley and I went to Cleveland for the real reason Tim was with us: to celebrate the birthday of Mitch! We bought Coke and Balloons and ordered a pizza which he delivered to a dancing, music-blaring, triad of fans/friends. Finally, when the show ended, Tim and I dropped Hayley off at our current residence and headed back to church to finish Greek. I was 30 minutes late turning the assignment in and certain I spent my time as I should have.

All in all they were wonderful days.

michaelrobb To-Do[ne]

Not a “post for…”

This post is really just a filler. I don’t have much to say; I just don’t want to always be talking about how I spend my days and lamenting that I don’t write often enough. There’s got to be more! So this is Not a “post for [enter date]”.

Soon-ish, I’ll want to tackle notecards again and consolidate because they’re building up and the last time I addressed them seems so long ago. Maybe I’ll do that now (in part). What I mean is that I’ll reflect on what I’ve done and haven’t done so that when I go to address notecards again soon, I’ll have an updated starting place…
Ok, so as soon as I decided to do this, I thought to myself, “I think I’ve done this soon” and I have… on Jan 18, 2017: here. Needless to say, that probably needs updated eventually, but given that I haven’t been doing much of any “blog work” since then, I don’t think today is the day.

Maybe instead I could cross an item (or two -dare I dream?) right now…

There are three that I can cross of happily!

  • First, Do some Yoga – I’m crossing this off because I’ve done some yoga. I stretch at least once a week and I’m certain that since I wrote this goal, I have succeeded in going through a full stretching routine. That being said, I want to do it again. Stretching is just so rewarding! It feels good and has good results long term.
  • Second, Digitize “To Memorize” – I’m crossing this off because I’ve downloading an app that is useful for encouraging me to memorize scripture (It sends me daily reminders that I ignore far too often) and will eventually contain my entire list. However, I will add to a new notecard: Blog the “To Memorize” list. That way I can share more about what gave genesis to the desire for this list for me and give you a benchmark if you’d like one.
  • Third, Review my relational schematic – I’m crossing this off because I finally caved and re-crafted this. I had misplaced my original (which had dated updates) that I had been using for a few years at this point and was so sad to lose it that I clung desperately to hope of finding it far longer than I should have. Anyway, I’ve remade it.
michaelrobb Notecards

Explore, catalogue, and consolidate 1.18.2017

The time has come again to address my notecards. I also want to lump in my “eager to do” list also as school is starting again.

Here’s the remaining items (I’ll still update the original posts with Links as I address these) from notecards 12.10.2016:

  1. Texts to research/respond to concerning a proposed call to bi-vocational ministry (and rejection of the full-time pastorate).
  2. Attributes of a ‘man’ that is good to marry (I should spend time developing these)
  3. Studying Successfully:
  4. “Specialized” or “well rounded/a Jack-of-all-trades”
  5. Pursuit of: health, wealth, love, and happiness
  6. Concepts for church giving
  7. Programs of the church:
  8. Stop owning; start stewarding
  9. Time well spent
  10. Habits for Living

Here’s the remaining items (I’ll still update the original posts with Links as I address these) from “eager to-do”:

  1. Clean the office floors [Although it will need redone and redone, I did it this day.]
  2. Review relational schematic: here
  3. Go through books I own and catalogue [I separated this into two separate tasks.]
  4. Do some yoga: here
  5. Organize Google and Safari Bookmarks
  6. Digitize to memorize: here
  7. Renew tags for my car [I did not notate doing this, but it happened in this season.]

Here’s the new items on my current notecards:

  1. Put personal holidays on calendar
  2. List visits and put some on calendar
  3. Advice given by Warren Buffet to college seniors
  4. Put school deadlines on calendar
  5. Create budget/cash envelopes
  6. Visit an accountant/tax lawyer/fiduciary
michaelrobb Accountability, My Core Values

Core Value 6: Serve my extended family practically

Each of My Core Values has a subtitle that describes a litmus test by which I can determine success or failure in that area of life. For this one, it is:

Be vocationally and skillfully equipped to do so, while cultivating a compassionate heart towards my family.

The first aspect of this core value is fairly self explanatory, despite it’s difficulty. I found a great resource for mapping skill sets on peak prosperity’s website as the writers were outlining resilience (in lieu of a world currency collapse they have predicted). I find this list more suitable to me than similar listings found on college websites, because the skills of survival in the world suggested by peak prosperity are more akin to the ones needed to serve family in need than the skills of the world of academia/big business in my opinion. Consequently, I plan to order the skills and then develop them one by one (and hopefully sustain/catalog them) so as to be equipped to serve.

The second is even more important though. Skills can be learned and researched in the moment to a significant degree, but the will to serve must pre-exist. So, I hope to continue attending family events, affirming family ties, and thinking warmly of the people that make up my extended family.

michaelrobb Notecards

Explore, catalogue, and consolidate notecards 12.10.2016

The date in my title is a bit presumptuous, but I think it’s reasonable presumption. I think it is very likely that I will “Explore, catalogue, and consolidate notecards” again. When I do, I’ll be glad for the date (or I’ll change it).

Stickies:

  • Texts to research/respond to concerning a proposed call to bi-vocational ministry (and rejection of the full-time pastorate).
    • 1 Corinthians 4:11-20; 9:15-27
    • 2 Corinthians 11:7-13; 12:11-19
    • 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12
    • 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
  • Attributes of a ‘man’ that is good to marry (I should spend time developing these)
    • Tender, quiet, resolute, care for the weak, pray with, talk about loving God, physically strong    -not sure where I got these ideas…
  • Studying Successfully:
    • practice tests are the greatest
    • consistent work
    • spaced/interval training for specific facts – study the notecard/data:
      • Everyday, every other day, weekly, every fortnight, before the test
  • “Specialized” or “well rounded/a Jack-of-all-trades”
    • Skills/intelligences/aptitudes:
      • language, math/logic, music, spacial, kinesthetic, fine motor, interpersonal/communication/leadership, intra-personal/spiritual, naturalist, pedagogical/teaching, existential/philosophical
  • Pursuit of: health, wealth, love, and happiness
  • Concepts for church giving – graph and finalize
  • Programs of the church:
    • Required for elders:
      • Salvation/Basics of the Faith, Church history/Development of Doctrine and Worship, Money/Personal Responsibility, Biblical Literacy, Romance/Marriage/Dating/Sexuality, Spiritual Disciplines, Prayer/Christian Mysticism/Hearing from the Spirit, Friendship/Accountability/Relational Evangelism
    • Other Offerings:
      • Biblical Languages, Shop and Service: auto, Shop and Service: home, Health/Nutrition/Exercise, Music: Choir, Music: Band/Orchestra, Music: Piano Class, Parenting: Newborns, Parenting: Preteens and teens, Parenting: homeschooling, Prison Ministries, Homeless Ministries, Widows and Single Parent ministry, Divorce Care, Grief Share, Promise Keepers, After school homework help, ESL/TESOL, Bookstore, CoffeeShop
  • Stop owning; start stewarding
    • Every thought, word, deed, attitude, motive
  • Thoughts on happiness and purpose:
    • Happiness is not a second order event premised on something else occurring first. It’s a first order event that happens when you live your truth.
    • The end of man is to glorify God and/by enjoy/enjoying Him forever.
      • God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied by Him
      • I suspect a person is happiest when seeking the glory of God.
    • Therefore, to make much of God is to seek my enjoyment and is to fulfill my purpose
  • Time well spent:
    • “You multiply time when you give yourself emotional permission to spend time on things today that will give you more time tomorrow.”
    • Therefore, when making To-Do lists, the question is not, “what’s the most important thing I can do today?”, but rather it ought to be, “What can I do today that will make tomorrow better?”
    • “There is a difference between waiting to do something you know you should be doing and waiting to do something because now is not the right time. It’s the difference between [negative] procrastination and patience.”
      • Related to delegation: “Permission of temporary imperfect.”
  • Sitting Tree – (how can I get involved and help other people get involved… do I want to? probably not yet, but it’s on a notecard for a reason.)
  • List of clothing that will at some point need replacing:
    • black shoes, canvas shoes, At-home shorts, out-and-about shorts (in 3 months or more), underwear, undershirts, socks.
  • Project 333 – clothing selections
  • Proposed schedule for full-time student life
  • Habits for living:
    • At least 60 minutes at least 4 days a week – exercise body
    • At least 45 minutes at least 4 days a week – exercise imagination/creativity
    • At least 45 minutes at least 4 days a week – exercise gratitude/slow down
    • At least 90 minutes at least 4 days a week – exercise biblical literacy

So, there we have it: 15 notecards that have captured ideas/calls to action. Hopefully I will respond to them eat in turn. The only scary part is that this list of 15 things is the subset of my actual to-do list set for time off. But for today, I’ve spent enough time on the notecards. I fully understand what is here and will come back to them at a later date.

And that’s the goal: Patience over Procrastination. Joy over Stress.

michaelrobb Accountability, Notecards

How I use notecards

I’ve been keeping notecards for quiet some time – I think I started in late middle school, I would want to remember to do or research something something and therefore, I would write it on my hand. So many agenda/calendars/notebooks had been lost that I didn’t trust myself to have anything but my hand on me. Then I discovered that I could use 3×5 notecards and keep in my pocket. And like my hand, I could re-write as often as needed with a new card. Also, it allowed me to keep longer lists, so I switched and have never regretted the habit. They make for excellent bookmarks, drawing tools and portable memory sticks. Plus you can play games on them and use them creatively to solve certain mechanical problems that arise.

In college, I began keeping a weekly and daily schedule on notecards with me at all times. Someday I want to go through those and catalogue how I spent my time as a reference to the person I actually was: my values and priorities.

In recent months though, I’ve been using them exclusively to capture things to do and to research. Every couple of weeks/months I catalogue and consolidate my notecards. I try to push the call to actions that I ultimately end up on notecards (and the thoughts like them) through a paradigm I learned from “Procrastinate on Purpose” by Rory Vaden.

  • Ignore the call to action/task (and forget about it)
  • Eliminate the call to action (and forget about it)
  • Automate the call to action (and check up on it, by putting it on a notecard)
  • Delegate the call to action (and forget about it)
  • Procrastinate the call to action (by putting on a notecard and thereby looping to the top and back through until a change in status)
  • Concentrate on the call to action (and address it now!)

Going from top to bottom, you attempt to Ignore and then only if that fails, you attempt to Eliminate, and then only if that would be wrong, you attempt to Automate, and only if that fails, you attempt to Delegate, and only if that also fails, you Procrastinate, and only if all of those have proven unsuccessful, then you concentrate on the call to action and complete it.

So, I use notecards to capture initial thoughts that are a call to action, as well as a tool to preserve the looping call to actions. Here are the posts where I explore, catalogue, and consolidate notecards: