Don't you hate it when you erase all you just typed? Me too.
Old school linear progression of life - you're born, go to school, choose a career, find the love of your life, get married, have a houseful of kids, retire, die.
New school view of life - you're born, attend for a while, attempt to find yourself, travel, work a couple jobs, do what makes you happy, dabble in hobbies, realize you might want to get married, attempt to find yourself and a spouse, travel, get married, maybe have kids, settle into a career, party and dress like you're 25, try to find yourself again, retire, die.
Sociologically, this way of thinking has some consequences. The older model provides a situation that is conducive to stable neighborhoods, creating responsible adults, generational accountability, and faithful ministry to the local community. Although the newer model might be carried out under guises of doing humanitarian work, loving the world, and refusing to get into a rut, it often lacks a stick-with-it-ness that creates lasting relationships and results.
This newer model is often linked with the idea of being a gypsy - going where life takes you, always up for the next adventure, not being tied down or succumbing to someone else's idea of what's right for your life. Forget conventional wisdom, just do what you want.
Being a twenty-something follower of Jesus, this gets a little tricky. Short-term ministry opportunities abound for those of us willing to travel a little, hang out with kids and youth to show them the love of Christ, and work for little pay and lots of intrinsic reward. Life is fun, simple, and you get to do what you love. At what point is this lifestyle no longer appropriate? At what point do I have to decide, this is what and who I want to be when I grow up? At what point, as followers of Christ, do we have to take a hard look at sustainable ministry and stable communities and get on board with modeling faithfulness and perseverance to the next generation?
As for me, I guess I have a year long internship in Australia worth of thinking time.
Little Miss Sunshine
Old school linear progression of life - you're born, go to school, choose a career, find the love of your life, get married, have a houseful of kids, retire, die.
New school view of life - you're born, attend for a while, attempt to find yourself, travel, work a couple jobs, do what makes you happy, dabble in hobbies, realize you might want to get married, attempt to find yourself and a spouse, travel, get married, maybe have kids, settle into a career, party and dress like you're 25, try to find yourself again, retire, die.
Sociologically, this way of thinking has some consequences. The older model provides a situation that is conducive to stable neighborhoods, creating responsible adults, generational accountability, and faithful ministry to the local community. Although the newer model might be carried out under guises of doing humanitarian work, loving the world, and refusing to get into a rut, it often lacks a stick-with-it-ness that creates lasting relationships and results.
This newer model is often linked with the idea of being a gypsy - going where life takes you, always up for the next adventure, not being tied down or succumbing to someone else's idea of what's right for your life. Forget conventional wisdom, just do what you want.
Being a twenty-something follower of Jesus, this gets a little tricky. Short-term ministry opportunities abound for those of us willing to travel a little, hang out with kids and youth to show them the love of Christ, and work for little pay and lots of intrinsic reward. Life is fun, simple, and you get to do what you love. At what point is this lifestyle no longer appropriate? At what point do I have to decide, this is what and who I want to be when I grow up? At what point, as followers of Christ, do we have to take a hard look at sustainable ministry and stable communities and get on board with modeling faithfulness and perseverance to the next generation?
As for me, I guess I have a year long internship in Australia worth of thinking time.
Little Miss Sunshine
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