The view from my office is usually this pleasant. It's also convienantly portable and I often get to check up on my crash pad (temporary apartment) from the location of this shot. The apartment is right along the Sacramento river. Great for jogs.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Office Window
The view from my office is usually this pleasant. It's also convienantly portable and I often get to check up on my crash pad (temporary apartment) from the location of this shot. The apartment is right along the Sacramento river. Great for jogs.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Change From Pastor to Pilot
A friend asked what it's been like to make a 180 degree career move, switching from a Christian environment for most of my existence and to a predominately "secular" (non-Christian) culture. The change isn't that strange. It has actually been a gradual transition. In addition, some time ago I had wondered if God would bring me into a more mainstream line of work. Some would think that it would have been natural for me to walk in my father and grandfather's foot steps, and in part it has, yet I had never dreamed of becoming a pastor. Being a shepherd was good, and I even found that it fit, however I wasn't completely at home in it. I have always known that I have been assigned by God to some form of cross-cultural ministry. This is the way I am wired. I am naturally inclined to people of different cultures. I would rather be overseas. But it was kind of God to allow me to be a missionary in my own backyard. It's a good training ground.
So the gradual transition from pastor to pilot happened when I got back into construction work a couple years ago. I took a leave of absence from leading Extreme Life (XL) church about two years ago. During that time I found a job doing carpentry and property management. When I came back to XL I kept the "secular" job while also pastoring. It was about a year ago that I felt like I was supposed to step down from leading XL. It was soon after that that aviation came back on the scene after receiving an invitation from a friend. He wanted me to join a start-up company which would have a flight department. This got me thinking about flying and by late winter 2007 my aviation goals were being pursued again.
When I attended the grad school, it was to fulfill some training and education goals. I did not attend seminary to become a pastor. However, even though I never dreamed of leading a church, I felt quite comfortable pastoring after a while. God wanted this for me. Today I have thought at times what it would be like to go back to preaching sermons, leading small groups or worship, or doing anything pastoral. And it's scary to think that that is a comfort zone for me now. My tempation is to fantisize about "full-time" ministry. But I can't go back. I'm in a different place. I can't go back to that way any more. Not just because of where I believe God needs to take me, but also theologically and philosophically I can't go back to the way of church that I was doing and leading. It's not adequate for the place that God wants to bring His church. But that's a different subject.
So I actually like the challenge that I have right now--working with people of different religious or non-religious backgrounds. Yet my work is fairly demanding that I barely have enough time to think and pray about how to respond to the daily barrage of ethical or moral or character issues. In this new environment I realize how difficult it is to be a positive, godly influence, while still being normal and personable. I also have realized how much of a Pharisee I can become. I've been so caught up in "my religion", even though I don't quite consider it religious. I've become addicted to church, the worship, the meetings, the pastors leading--all of which is good but I just got too used to others doing church for me, even in the midst of starting a church.
So I have been on a detox program. It's kind of like a 12-step program, but for those addicted to "church religion". Church is good, don't get me wrong, but my whole approach needed to be changed. I still need to be around Christians and remain in fellowship, but it needs to be something that is dynamic. Much of what I have experienced and taught as church was too static. In fact, most of what was a true expression of church happened Monday through Saturday with friends, but for some reason that didn't seem to count. In order for something to have life there needs to be dynamic activity. This most often happens outside of Sunday morning church services. And I think I'm preaching now, so I better stop before I get wound up. It's hard for me not to talk about the much needed change I need for my church life. That's what you get for asking a former pastor a simple question.
So the gradual transition from pastor to pilot happened when I got back into construction work a couple years ago. I took a leave of absence from leading Extreme Life (XL) church about two years ago. During that time I found a job doing carpentry and property management. When I came back to XL I kept the "secular" job while also pastoring. It was about a year ago that I felt like I was supposed to step down from leading XL. It was soon after that that aviation came back on the scene after receiving an invitation from a friend. He wanted me to join a start-up company which would have a flight department. This got me thinking about flying and by late winter 2007 my aviation goals were being pursued again.
When I attended the grad school, it was to fulfill some training and education goals. I did not attend seminary to become a pastor. However, even though I never dreamed of leading a church, I felt quite comfortable pastoring after a while. God wanted this for me. Today I have thought at times what it would be like to go back to preaching sermons, leading small groups or worship, or doing anything pastoral. And it's scary to think that that is a comfort zone for me now. My tempation is to fantisize about "full-time" ministry. But I can't go back. I'm in a different place. I can't go back to that way any more. Not just because of where I believe God needs to take me, but also theologically and philosophically I can't go back to the way of church that I was doing and leading. It's not adequate for the place that God wants to bring His church. But that's a different subject.
So I actually like the challenge that I have right now--working with people of different religious or non-religious backgrounds. Yet my work is fairly demanding that I barely have enough time to think and pray about how to respond to the daily barrage of ethical or moral or character issues. In this new environment I realize how difficult it is to be a positive, godly influence, while still being normal and personable. I also have realized how much of a Pharisee I can become. I've been so caught up in "my religion", even though I don't quite consider it religious. I've become addicted to church, the worship, the meetings, the pastors leading--all of which is good but I just got too used to others doing church for me, even in the midst of starting a church.
So I have been on a detox program. It's kind of like a 12-step program, but for those addicted to "church religion". Church is good, don't get me wrong, but my whole approach needed to be changed. I still need to be around Christians and remain in fellowship, but it needs to be something that is dynamic. Much of what I have experienced and taught as church was too static. In fact, most of what was a true expression of church happened Monday through Saturday with friends, but for some reason that didn't seem to count. In order for something to have life there needs to be dynamic activity. This most often happens outside of Sunday morning church services. And I think I'm preaching now, so I better stop before I get wound up. It's hard for me not to talk about the much needed change I need for my church life. That's what you get for asking a former pastor a simple question.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Instructing--Full Throttle
It's almost a month later. I'm in my new job. I am working for ATP, Inc, the company with which I acquired my additional instructor ratings last spring in Long Beach, CA (see blog entries dated then). I have been here for 4 days and working for 3. I now live in Sacramento, CA. I will be here for at least 3 months, if I can stand it (more on that later).
After leaving Bakersfield in the beginning of August, I joined up with my family for vacation. I vacated a job to go on vacation! It worked out great. Before I went on vacation I sent an e-mail to ATP saying that I was available. And before I left Bakersfield I was able to get a company training date and flight school location that needed an instructor (Sac).
I spent one hard week in Jacksonville Beach, FL to pass the companies procedures and flight standards. It was long days of ground school, simulator flights in the afternoon, and practise and review until late into the evening and even into the next day (like 2am). I averaged 4 hours of sleep the first part of the week. When I passed everything by Friday I was on the first flight I could take back to my family in Orange County. I wanted to spend as much time as I could before having to move up to Sac.
Now that I am here I "get to" work long hours, seven days a week. I easily put in over 12 hours a day. They work us like dogs (but not the kind of dogs that sit at home all day doing nothing). I'm told that I could build up to 100 hours of multi-engine time per month. That is flying 25 hours a week, 4 hours a day, which means that I'm with students over 10 hours a day. (For every flight hour an instructor spends about 2.5 on the the ground.) In three months I could have over 300 hours, which would qualify me for free ATP training in their "Regional Jet Transition" program (normally students pay $6000). This will provide me an education advantage when I apply for a job with the regional airlines. But this opportunity will only come if I instructor for 300 hours at this company. With the way the schedule is currently going I don't know if I could make it a month!
Why Is God So Kind To Me?
I know God's love when he allows tests to come my way. The Bible says that God disciplines those he loves and I know that I'm being stretched and disciplined like nothing I have experienced before. As soon as I began here in Sac, I was given two instructor students that need to pass three checkrides in the next week. I have never trained instructors before, let alone doing two in one week. In addition, they must get through three different checkrides. These days I am feeling really weak because of the stress and pressure of my new job. It's causing me to turn to God for strength. I also know his kindness when he reveals his constant presence with me.
Additionally, I know God's kindness because he allowed me to be "free" of the last job right in time to catch my family on vacation in SoCal. I had a wonderful time with them and it was a good break. Besides having a family reunion, we spent time in Big Bear, one of our regular, yearly vacation spots when we lived in SoCal.
What's the Hardest Thing To Deal With?
If I can get through this week I believe I can make it through the rest. The present difficulty is doing something I have never done before--train other instructors but also at a pace that doesn't allow me to figure out how to do it! Even though I have been an instructor it's a greater challenge to train others to become one.
Once I have gotten through this week I will continue to wrestle with the fact that I'm in a worldly environment where swearing, course joking, and general unprofessionalism exists (general only among the students). This is very prevalent. A good thing is that a few of the instructors like going to church and are very professional. Hopefully, we can have a positive influence on all aspects of the students life.
After leaving Bakersfield in the beginning of August, I joined up with my family for vacation. I vacated a job to go on vacation! It worked out great. Before I went on vacation I sent an e-mail to ATP saying that I was available. And before I left Bakersfield I was able to get a company training date and flight school location that needed an instructor (Sac).
I spent one hard week in Jacksonville Beach, FL to pass the companies procedures and flight standards. It was long days of ground school, simulator flights in the afternoon, and practise and review until late into the evening and even into the next day (like 2am). I averaged 4 hours of sleep the first part of the week. When I passed everything by Friday I was on the first flight I could take back to my family in Orange County. I wanted to spend as much time as I could before having to move up to Sac.
Now that I am here I "get to" work long hours, seven days a week. I easily put in over 12 hours a day. They work us like dogs (but not the kind of dogs that sit at home all day doing nothing). I'm told that I could build up to 100 hours of multi-engine time per month. That is flying 25 hours a week, 4 hours a day, which means that I'm with students over 10 hours a day. (For every flight hour an instructor spends about 2.5 on the the ground.) In three months I could have over 300 hours, which would qualify me for free ATP training in their "Regional Jet Transition" program (normally students pay $6000). This will provide me an education advantage when I apply for a job with the regional airlines. But this opportunity will only come if I instructor for 300 hours at this company. With the way the schedule is currently going I don't know if I could make it a month!
Why Is God So Kind To Me?
I know God's love when he allows tests to come my way. The Bible says that God disciplines those he loves and I know that I'm being stretched and disciplined like nothing I have experienced before. As soon as I began here in Sac, I was given two instructor students that need to pass three checkrides in the next week. I have never trained instructors before, let alone doing two in one week. In addition, they must get through three different checkrides. These days I am feeling really weak because of the stress and pressure of my new job. It's causing me to turn to God for strength. I also know his kindness when he reveals his constant presence with me.
Additionally, I know God's kindness because he allowed me to be "free" of the last job right in time to catch my family on vacation in SoCal. I had a wonderful time with them and it was a good break. Besides having a family reunion, we spent time in Big Bear, one of our regular, yearly vacation spots when we lived in SoCal.
What's the Hardest Thing To Deal With?
If I can get through this week I believe I can make it through the rest. The present difficulty is doing something I have never done before--train other instructors but also at a pace that doesn't allow me to figure out how to do it! Even though I have been an instructor it's a greater challenge to train others to become one.
Once I have gotten through this week I will continue to wrestle with the fact that I'm in a worldly environment where swearing, course joking, and general unprofessionalism exists (general only among the students). This is very prevalent. A good thing is that a few of the instructors like going to church and are very professional. Hopefully, we can have a positive influence on all aspects of the students life.
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