Blogging Lite

Too busy to Blog for a while...Uni studies and work - we are in the critical phase of our Project (so far on time, under budget and on quality) so let's hope for the best. My team has been working hard (late nights, weekends etc), thinking best on how to reward them.

Some are getting a bonus, but also may take out to dinner with partners to say thanks for their efforts.

Anyway here is a quote:

"All succesful people have a goal. Noone can get anywhere unless he knows what he wants to be or do" -Norman Vincent Peale

It's academic, really.

Project Management: Lessons & Life

“When the Student is ready, the Teacher will arrive”.

My motive is not to boast, but rather to capture here an experience that went well. At the request of my lecturer, I delivered a presentation at University on Tuesday after I made some points on between my own experience and ‘what is not stated’ in the text book and notes for my Project Management class.

In the presentation I leveraged some scenes from some of my favourite DVD’s, 'Apollo 13' and 'Master Commander' to drive home some key points.

The point of the presentation was that the role and mindset of a Project Manager is not the mind of a Technical Lead (or expert).

A Project Manager only needs only conceptual understanding of the key technical aspects of the Project and the ability to ask hard the questions – at the right time. A good PM could lead a project in an unrelated field – and could put a man on the moon if tasked with that mission. The scene I used was when Gene Kranz (Mission Controller played by Ed Harris)) directed his technical people to come to him ‘with a solution and not a problem’ when the air scrubbers were failing.

Secondly, a Project Manager can be friendly with his team – but not a friend. The scene I used was when the young midshipmen was ‘knocked’ by his subordinate, and then lectured by Capt. Jack Aubrey about leadership) being an " 'Unfortunate business’, - You need not be a tyrant – but you cannot be their friend ‘lest they see you as weak’.

In every Project (usually during the 'storming' phase) there is a time when someone with more technical experience than yourself will challenge your Leadership. This has to be 'nipped in the bud' efficiently. Be prepared to remove people with a bad attitude - regardless of their techical capability. No one is irreplaceable. Keep a Professional distance.

Having the opportunity to ‘Captain my own ship' over the past few years, (ie. lead some great IT Projects) – these things are learned only through reflecting on the experiences of yourself and that of others.

I also handed out this sheet, the collective wisdom of a Project Director at NASA which is something not found in text books.

In particular I like rule No. 5:

“Rule #5: Vicious, despicable, or thoroughly disliked persons, gentlemen, and ladies can be project managers. Lost souls, procrastinators, and wishy-washies cannot”.

Anyway, I guess most of this stuff is only really learned (like matters of faith) hen you have experienced it in real-life.

“A proverb is never learned until it is lived”.

Paradox

It is so strange that at the end of a day when your kids are awake - you yearn for them to go to bed. Then when they are fast asleep - you miss them.

Dignity

One of the things that i admire about the Saviour, was his discipline, exercised under pressure. Under fire. Under injustice.

From time to time I guess, we all feel that we are being mocked, belittled or persecuted to varying degrees. In our humanity, we will do it to others. We question their motives, although in Truth, we do not really know them.

Too often I fail.

In a tempest, my fast and hard words of anger or wit fired at an antagonist to cut straight to their very core with the objective of bittersweetly evening up the score.

As I grow older and (hopefully) wiser (a resul of my own mistakes), I am more frequently choosing silence over an unbridled tongue. Choosing restraint over fiery passion.

And in this time of percieved weakness, electing to abdicate ownership of a certain victory, there one finds true strength and comfort in silence. Leaving vengence to serendipity and ultimately to the Father.

...And of course it's never a good idea to dignify a fool with a response.

"A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered;
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue".-Proverbs 17:27-28

Justification

Justification

Of late I continue to be intrigued by alternative perspectives, and have been reading a little more on Catholicism.

One of major bones of contention of the Reformation surrounds the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Noting that the 1908 catholic Encyclopedia cites this doctrine as 'heresy'.

Intersetingly, it has been reported that in recent times there has been dialogue and some resolution between the Lutheran and Catholic Churches on this matter. Alternative (esp. American Baptist Church) sites are somewhat more skeptical...

Personally, I am unqualified to make a judgment on what it all means and whether it is a positive move or whether there is something with a more sinister agenda behind it all.

For now, I stand firm in my conviction that we are justified by Grace alone (Acts 16:29-31), and will put these things on a 'watching brief' for the time being.

I guess every move towards Christian Unity is positive, but of course Truth must never become a casuality of the process.

Catholic Perspective

"I pray for them, I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world, But for those you gave me…For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world - While I return to you.
Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life, That you conferred as a gift through me - So they can be of one heart and mind As we are one heart and mind"
Jesus Prays for Christian Unity (John 17)

I've been reading through the Catholic Encyclopedia lately and its good to get an understanding of the 'official' Catholic perspective on the Reformation.

They write with a level of disdain and regrettfully about the impact of the reformation and control of the scriptures being handed down to the 'common' man.

One consequence the reformation is the Church dividing, then dividing again and again into numerous groups and schisms — and numerous heresies being introduced (as unlearned people without understanding started interpreting the scriptures themselves).

It was not long before people like Calvin started imposing his own teaching (heresy) on European people - which the Lutherans themselves were quick to refute as documented in the Book of Concord along with other heresis (such as anti-trinitarianism)..

I believe that there is some truth in the Catholic viewpoint.

Whilst the reformation had to happen I believe that it is important to note that the 'reformation' was far from ideal and came with a high price and new dangers.

(Please note thse are my own personal thoughts, and that I am not a Bible teacher or student of Church history).

Severed Finger

Reports of a severed human finger in a bowl of chilli at a Wendy's restaurant have hit the firm's sales in the San Francisco area, a company spokesman says.

Reflection on the Cross from the Crescent

I have been researching and thinking about Catholicism in this time after the passing of the Pope, so please bear with me as I reflect on this theme over the next week or so.

I found this article rather interesting on the Muslim Hopes for New Pope regarding Catholic (Christian) and Muslim relations.

>"... dialogue (is) better than ignoring each other...I think it is true that we are not going to have a series of negotiations which bring us to a common faith... but at the same time my experience also shows me strongly that we can actually come to respect one another as believers and move somewhat closer to understanding each other"
-Father Dan Madigan Head of the institute for religions and culture at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University and an expert on Islam.

My thoughts?

Interfaith Dialogue is so important - especially if we profess our faith as the "Big T" - 'Truth' then we should never be afraid of discussion.

Though if our words though can't compel people to Christ we should win people to Christ through the lives that we live...though for me this is much easier said then done.

Gone Camping!!!

I'm going camping this weekend - it's Dads and Son's thing with some friends from the Lutheran Church I used to attend, all good 'down-to-earth' guys. About 5 dads actually and about 10 kids.

Should be an absolute ball...though I hope the air mattress doesn't have a puncture this time.

Bye until Sunday!

Origins

Source: TIME Photo Essays

Another great discussion on PB’s Blog re: Origins and Creation – and just wanted to capture my thoughts here.

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, makerof heaven and earth"
-The Apostles Creed

There are several views on Origins – predominantly:

Young Earth (Genesis Ch 1 is a literal Biblical Creation record)
Old Earth (Genesis Ch 1 is a metaphorical Biblical Creation record)
Secular (Evolution/Science) (Genesis Ch 1 is a religious story only)

Today I am not evaluating the secular account, rather looking at the opposing 'Christian' views that share a belief that there is in fact an intelligent Creator or 'God'.

It could equally be argued that evidence points both ways – Young and Old earth, so it is good to question and articulate where you stand on certain issues and why.

I believe that Young Earthers (Biblical Creationists) are not necessarily anti-intellectual or damaging to the faith in terms of their beliefs and theories. The real threat comes when the Young Earthers and the Old Earthers (Intelligent Design) alike fight with each other - rather than learn from or tolerate alternative points of view - and promote the core message of Christianity.

Creation is a peripheral issue in Christianity unlike our core beliefs articulated in the creeds.

I am a 'Young Earther', and have arrived at that conclusion after much thought. But I also consider ID as plausable alternative worth reviewing. Creation issues and statements of belief were not worthy of being included in the core creeds - and these were written (I believe) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The trouble I presently have with the non-young (Old) earth creationists is that of the sequencing of death and sin.

Did sin occur and then bring death into the world (universe) as a consequence, as the Bible indicates?.

If we have old earth with Diino's etc living and probably dying over eons before Adam and Eve then the whole ‘fall of man’ philosophy would have to be metaphorical - as death would have been happening before Adam and Eve were even ‘naughty’.

We all have very little idea of what a pre-fall would have looked like. Likewise, we only have an inkling of foresight into what the new heaven and new earth will look like.

And yes, (in answer to another question regarding trees and death or leaves falling) the new environment as described will have trees (according to Revelation) and where will their leaves fall? We are told that there will be no more tears and that there is Victory over death. This is the whole point of the Cross.

Personally I feel that, because none of us were there in the pre-fall world at the time, and because we don’t know what it was like - then to retrospectively apply our understanding with today’s mindset would only open up even more theological rabbit holes than would taking God at his Word regarding sin leading to death as a consequence.

Last time we (re)examined the sin and death issue, and questioned God’s word, we were left open to deception —and got it all horribly wrong. We should learn from our mistakes.

My fear is if we try to decouple the physical reality from the spiritual reality, then we may end up crossing into the heresies of the Gnostics, the Thielings and the Spongs (as I understand their teaching) – that because we only died spiritually (metaphorically) then Jesus resurrection was spiritual and not necessarily physical.

The Bible is not a history book, a science book, ecomonics book, however there is some historical context to it. In some ways it is not even a theology book.

The Bible gives us context and insight from origins to destiny - or an Overview of 'HIStory' if you like. And some events/aspects are definitely metaphorical (the woman and the dragon) whilst others are literal (the ressurection of Jesus).

I think here is inherent danger in both 'overliteralising' the scriptures as there is in 'underliteralising scriptures' (for want of a better term).

Also, if we believe in a literal Jesus and his miracles, then why should we doubt his miraculous power at creation as part of the Triune God, the 'Elohim'.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart– and lean not on your own understanding".