Why I’m Still in School
Wednesday mornings this school year I’ll be in class finishing up my MA in Ministry Leadership. I’m not sure I’m the oldest student in class but, if I’m not, I’m certainly near the end of the age curve.
Which is no big deal, but it has caused me to think…
Or when I’m doing homework – reading many pages of theology or writing papers – instead of let’s say, steelhead fishing or working on house projects, I’ve thought more than once….
Why am I doing this?
But it doesn’t take long to fill in the blanks, because I’ve always known the answer.
It’s simply because I love to learn. It’s one of my personal core values.
That’s why I read what I read, it’s also why I’m occasionally taking up new hobbies and it’s why I’ve committed myself to finishing this portion of my education.
I believe learning’s a lifelong pursuit because God and the people and the world He’s created are His gifts to us and the best way to appreciate these gifts (and Him) is to continually learn more about them.
Also, truth be told, I’m a bit afraid of growing stale. I’ve convinced myself that if I continue to pursue learning I can stop the cobwebs from gathering and keep my mind and spirit young even as my body grows old.
Then there’s the stewardship God’s given me here at SpringHill. One of our core values is “we’re a learning and mission-driven organization”. So if this value’s to be a part of the fabric of SpringHill it needs to start with me. We can only be “a learning organization” when I’m “a learning leader”.
So why am I still sitting in a classroom? Well, for all the reasons above and, simply, I just can’t help myself.
The Rule of “Last”
David Lynema (left) and Randy Boike “Just one last fish and we’ve caught our limit.” Randy Boike, David Lynema and I knew we were pushing the edge of getting back to the lodge in day light. If we stayed too much longer we’d be in the dark for part of our 2.5 hour return trip which included crossing 5 lakes, shooting 2 narrow rapids and making 2 long walks through the woods.
But we wanted to catch “just one last fish.”
Maybe not the safest decision when you’re in the northern Ontario bush.
And it’s especially not good when catching that last fish leads to an unplanned swim in a very cold Canadian lake, at the end of a very long day, at the end of September.
But that’s what happened on the last day of the SpringHill fishing trip. I caught the last fish, a big one (and it gets bigger every day). As I was lifting it into the canoe (I was solo) it tipped and I ended up in a very cold lake wearing way to much cotton.
Thanks to the cool heads of Randy and Dave and the inflatable vest Denise has sworn me to wear when I’m fishing in a canoe I ended up rescued, dried and warm before anything serious happened.
The whole thing turned out to be a humorous adventure rather than a disastrous event, for which I’m grateful.
But I couldn’t help recalling the rule my friend John McAuley instituted at his camp, Muskoka Woods, called “the rule of last.”
Whenever his staff hears “just one last time?” or something similar, they’re to make sure that the “last time” doesn’t happen. Why? Because their experience tells them it’s that “last time” when many accidents occur.
And I now know this rule’s universal and should apply to fishermen as well especially when they say “just one last fish”.
Creating Space
I just completed a regularly planned ritual I began after my first year at SpringHill when I experienced the seasonality of both SpringHill’s work and my job. Now before the end of any given 4 month “season” I lay out my calendar for the next season.
I literally create space by blocking off days for planning, administrative work, meeting with staff and supporters and yes – days off, all based on my goals for the season and the year.
I learned in that first year that if I didn’t take a proactive approach to my schedule it would be filled by others. And if my calendar became filled by others that meant there would be very little time left for many of the other things I needed to do for SpringHill, my family, and myself.
Now don’t get me wrong I work hard to make myself available to our staff, board and supporters as I create space by planning my calendar.
Being available and approachable is a high value of mine.
But without a thoughtful plan I actually become less available and can seem more unapproachable because of the frantic pace I end up running.
So after that first year I learned this fundamental truth – only I can be responsible for my time, my days, and my calendar.
I can’t entrust it to others.
And it’s not fair to do so, because they’re not in a position to manage my time. They’re only in a position to use it.
Only I’m in a position to manage my time, and create the space needed to do the things that only I can do for SpringHill, for my family, and for myself.
To read more on related topics see my posts:
