Do

"I've heard that we only use a small part of our brain. Maybe our soul is the same way. And maybe we're half asleep most of our lives, simply reacting to the stimulus our brain receives. Action, true action is rare indeed." - Jon Foreman, lead singer of Switchfoot

Having seen Switchfoot twice in concert over the last week, I've been feeling challenged to conquer the status quo. I think our lives can easily pass by without us really stepping in and doing anything to make them meaningful. We keep thinking that tomorrow is when we are going to change the world, not today. And Tomorrow comes, but when it does, it becomes Today, and yet another excuse not to do anything.

The world needs people who are willing to say, "what's going on is not acceptable." To quasi-quote Bono, "it's not okay that there are children dying of hunger in an age of plenty." But what can we do? I used to think it was enough to care, but I'm starting to wonder if there must be something else.

Awareness is important, too. After all, even if I did decide to do all I could about the AIDS crisis in Africa, on my own, it is not nearly as much as we could collectively accomplish. And if no one knows what is happening, then they can't join in the fight.

Anyway, I am left in the middle of the same struggle I was in when I began writing. What can we do Today about the struggles of the world? How do I prevent my life from merely passing me by... enjoying a career and all the other niceties of life, but never really accomplishing anything of consequence?

It's Cold Outside

The wind outside is whistling through the trees and it just sounds like tundra. Kind of what you would expect from such movies as "The Day After Tomorrow." I'm still not sure what makes that blog-worthy, but somehow this snap of bitter cold weather just seems dreary. As I made the long trek from Windsor Car Park to the Business building, my wet hair literally became frozen chunks. Luckily by now, after three days of this, I decided to take advantage of that wonderful invention we Canucks call "the toque."

It's not even THAT cold. I've survived spells of -35, and it's only -18 (but feels like -30).

As I apply for jobs, I'm definitely seeing the appeal of heading for warmer ground. In business we learn that there are always tradeoffs, but I wonder what tradeoff there could possibly be for warmer weather?

Since I know there are relatives that read my blog, I suppose now is a good a time as any to update you on my post-graduation plans. I finish exams on April 23, and then I am done my undergraduate degree! From there, I plan on finding a job in a consulting firm, where they will train me to be a consultant. I'll do that for a few years before heading off to complete my MBA, get my CMC (Certified Management Consultant) and continue consulting. At some point in time I may specialize, but I don't have to worry about that now. I've applied for jobs in Edmonton, Toronto, London (UK), San Francisco, Seattle and LA. Sorry... not Winnipeg. ;-)

Oh, How We Cheat Ourselves

About a year and a half ago, when I first started Business school, we talked about iPods in all my classes. Being a definite music lover, I started to develop a desire to get my own iPod. When we learned about the different terms for people who adopt products at different stages in my Marketing class, and the term for people who didn't get new products for a while was "laggards," that was the last straw. I decided I needed an iPod.

At the time, Telus had a deal where if you buy a new phone, you can get a new iPod on the same day for $50 off. My phone was starting to wear out, and couldn't keep its charge, so I decided that I would take advantage of the deal. Since I couldn't afford the 30 GB iPod, I figured I would get a nano.

When it got time to actually pay for the iPod, I suddenly realized that it probably wasn't the best use of my money, and didn't buy it.

That Christmas, I got a 30 GB iPod as a gift.

This may seem like a lame story, but I'm retelling it because it represents something that God has been teaching me lately. I'm at a place in my life where I'm getting really close to the next "stage" and I don't know what's coming. As a result, there are so many ways that I try to rush ahead of God and figure out what He's doing. This leaves me feeling discontent and unsatisfied.

God doesn't want me to go out and get only a partial version of what He has for me. He wants me to be patient and let Him give me the very best, in His timing. When we try to rush ahead of God, we only cheat ourselves. But if we are patient, we not only get something that is infinitely better, we also get to be content and hopeful in the meantime.

Wait on God. It's worth it.