Love your introspective thoughts plus your articulation of them, as always, Terry. I've just started a vacation which was supposed to begin with a plane flight yesterday but, weather causes problems for airports. So with an unexpected additional 24 hours at home alone I took a leisurely walk through the park this morning in perfect weather and stillness... and during which I was occasionally telling my coding agent what to do next (for a non-work project, just for fun). The odd mixture of worlds wasn't lost on me. There's what's here now and material, there's the new tech becoming reality, there's what's coming in the near future, and in the longer future... I'm right there with you in trying to figure out living in these multiple worlds simultaneously!
“The infinite catalog is a genuine marvel. I spent nineteen years helping build technology to put Scripture into the hands of people everywhere, and I believe in what a digital tool can do. But nothing in that catalog costs me anything, and I have started to notice what that does to me. I skip. I hunt. I half-listen to a hundred things and sit with none of them. The abundance that promised me everything has quietly trained me to be present to almost nothing.”
This is such a profound and important observation in our age that is striking me recently as well. I love how you worded it.
We can optimize and speed everything up, open up infinite possibilities, reduce the cost of everything in the name of ease, comfort, or even productivity and impact. And it can be really good. But I think that cost was also an investment into virtue; patience, presence, grit, self-control. And I know I personally haven’t had to pay that down near as often as I would like and would benefit the flourishing or my soul.
I told my LifeGroup last night I was looking for opportunities to find boredom this summer.
The "analog to digital, back to analog" is a perfect metaphor for reclaiming our true self. I am in that same space right now, and as usual, your thoughts spoke to me this morning.
I am "retiring....temporarily", (Im stealing your phrase) in January of 2027. It is frightening and thrilling at the same time. Waiting on God for whats next hasn't been the mode of operation for the last 30 years, so Im learning.
Rod, congratulations on a January “temporary retirement” phase. What a gift and blessing! I am praying for you now, for the Lord to do the work needed to prepare you for that transition.
Thanks Terry, and quite honestly, Ive missed your announcement a few months ago, and am catching up now!
I had an opportunity for sabbatical last summer, and was re-introduced to Silence, Solitude and Sabbath. Dawn and I have been on that journey for the past year, and have never felt closer to Jesus.
Ill be following your journey. I deeply respect your decision and what God is doing in you. Keep going!
Thanks for your prayers! Ill be transitioning all of my responsibilities in the next 6 months, then….poof! No job!!
One of the most amazing features with Claude Code is the /remote-control and being able to carry a session of coding and work in my pocket is so freaking awesome. And at the same time pushes against some of my desires to be disconnected. A wonderful and complex tension. :)
Love your introspective thoughts plus your articulation of them, as always, Terry. I've just started a vacation which was supposed to begin with a plane flight yesterday but, weather causes problems for airports. So with an unexpected additional 24 hours at home alone I took a leisurely walk through the park this morning in perfect weather and stillness... and during which I was occasionally telling my coding agent what to do next (for a non-work project, just for fun). The odd mixture of worlds wasn't lost on me. There's what's here now and material, there's the new tech becoming reality, there's what's coming in the near future, and in the longer future... I'm right there with you in trying to figure out living in these multiple worlds simultaneously!
Beautiful.
“The infinite catalog is a genuine marvel. I spent nineteen years helping build technology to put Scripture into the hands of people everywhere, and I believe in what a digital tool can do. But nothing in that catalog costs me anything, and I have started to notice what that does to me. I skip. I hunt. I half-listen to a hundred things and sit with none of them. The abundance that promised me everything has quietly trained me to be present to almost nothing.”
This is such a profound and important observation in our age that is striking me recently as well. I love how you worded it.
We can optimize and speed everything up, open up infinite possibilities, reduce the cost of everything in the name of ease, comfort, or even productivity and impact. And it can be really good. But I think that cost was also an investment into virtue; patience, presence, grit, self-control. And I know I personally haven’t had to pay that down near as often as I would like and would benefit the flourishing or my soul.
I told my LifeGroup last night I was looking for opportunities to find boredom this summer.
Miss seeing you around, Terry!
Thank you, Ben! It such an interesting time of tension...feels like a space I am constantly living in with technology and life. "tension" :)
Terry,
The "analog to digital, back to analog" is a perfect metaphor for reclaiming our true self. I am in that same space right now, and as usual, your thoughts spoke to me this morning.
I am "retiring....temporarily", (Im stealing your phrase) in January of 2027. It is frightening and thrilling at the same time. Waiting on God for whats next hasn't been the mode of operation for the last 30 years, so Im learning.
I appreciate you.
Rod
Rod, congratulations on a January “temporary retirement” phase. What a gift and blessing! I am praying for you now, for the Lord to do the work needed to prepare you for that transition.
Thanks Terry, and quite honestly, Ive missed your announcement a few months ago, and am catching up now!
I had an opportunity for sabbatical last summer, and was re-introduced to Silence, Solitude and Sabbath. Dawn and I have been on that journey for the past year, and have never felt closer to Jesus.
Ill be following your journey. I deeply respect your decision and what God is doing in you. Keep going!
Thanks for your prayers! Ill be transitioning all of my responsibilities in the next 6 months, then….poof! No job!!
One of the most amazing features with Claude Code is the /remote-control and being able to carry a session of coding and work in my pocket is so freaking awesome. And at the same time pushes against some of my desires to be disconnected. A wonderful and complex tension. :)