Hanging in the Balance

So, I find myself in a male dominated world. (No, these are not the musings of a hardened feminist). I know, many of you might think that we have transcended, gotten beyond all of this...but alas, there are still dark pockets...pockets especially in the "old holiness, institutional, hierarchical" institutions. I find Asbury Theological Seminary still trying to transcend one of these pockets. Hopefully, we are working towards the light.

OK, so from my count on the organizational chart, the cabinet has six people on it...only ONE is a woman. That makes it a 6 to 1 ratio at the top tier of the management level. We have five deans, only one is a woman. That leaves a 5 to 1 ratio on the academic management level. On a different level (we call it Director or Executive Director) out of twenty only six are women. Overall, we have 8 female managers out of 31 possible positions at Asbury. And how do those 8 women in management fair in compensation to their male counterparts? For that matter, how many women on staff are performing management work but Asbury won't recognize them with the title and compensation of a management position?

So only one out of every four management positions is filled by a woman. Not exactly blazing the trail of equality in the 21st century!

I think we need to do some work Asbury!!! Let's get more balanced!

SUNDAYS ALONE

Sundays can be fun days....but then they can be long days as well. I find myself navigating being alone more often now. For some that can be a real blessing. For people-persons like me that can be a drag. I am in the season of life when my children find so many other things to do...so many others that want their time. Often that doesn't include me. I know this is the way of life. Your children grow; they become adults; they spend time with others who become significant in their lives. I don't try to guilt them. In fact, I don't even think they know what I am feeling. I just find myself alone....a lot!

I appreciate the loving companionship of my dog Benny. He has been a real blessing! He is always there, happy to see me when I come home. He goes on walks with me after dark. He even invites himself to the foot of my bed at night. I also am grateful for the extra reading and thinking that taking classes demands. Thank the Lord for a good book when you find yourself alone. This helps fill precious time.

I am trying to make the best of it...this transition time. It isn't easy. A good thing has come of it though...I am seeking the Lord more and more. I am taking up His promise that He is the husband of the widow, and Father to the fatherless. I am welcoming Him more and more. I am hearing Him easier without all the distractions. I am sensing His Presence more. This is good. I want His companionship like I haven't for a while. Maybe being alone has it's perks after all!

What's With the Name?

The Brook Cherith, was the special place in 1 Kings 17 where the Lord called Elijah aside during the drought. Elijah was told to go to the Brook Cherith and cease "doing" during the drought. He was to hide out depending solely on the care and provision of God...the Providence of God. The brook trickled, giving Elijah water. The ravens visited morning and evening, bringing bread and meat for the day. Elijah had to cease from "doing" and sit quietly 24/7. The resources I checked think this "ceasing" could have lasted for over a year. Elijah had to be still and spend time in nature with God alone. My heart has been longing for this.

So, I begun the journey of blogging. I named my blog the Brook Cherith. I needed a discipline that will make me cease and desist so that I will make time to reflect and meditate. I have found this Brook Cherith to do just that since beginning the journey the past weekend. We should all have a place to escape the hustle and bustle, the pressing demands, the noise, the crowds, the heavy responsibilities, frustration, misunderstanding, feelings of abandonment. This is a place where I can be myself. This is a place where I can listen.This is a place where I can meet with God.

Independence Day

One of the very best things about the fourth of July is the sense of community. I know this applies only to the USA, but there is a sense of community that emanates on this day in our country. Just about all small towns, large towns and cities across this land...have a parade, fireworks, picnic food, and collective celebration. We come out of our homes to head to destinations to connect. Whether it is to watch the sanctioned explosives in a park or mall parking lot, or the illegal explosives in the neighbors driveway or back porch...we connect.

One of the ways we connect in the small town of Wilmore, KY is our 15 minute long, fourth of July parade that marches down main street. In this procession you will see the local high school band; the mayor in a corvette convertible throwing cheap candy; the owners of horses dressed in red, white and blue; the lawnmower brigade (men in shorts and white socks with a choreographed routine for their push lawn mowers); and best of all...the bus full of veterans from the local vets hospital. The vets bus is my favorite. I always get an overwhelming sense of gratitude and appreciation seeing the older men and women waving through the tinted windows of the bus. Inevitably, my eyes well up with tears. These are the ones who paid the price to allow us this freedom we share as individuals, with our families, in our individual communities, and in our country. These are the ones whom this day honors as we connect over our cheap hot dogs and illegal fireworks.

God bless the veterans! God bless the USA!

My Brother's 40th Birthday

Paul Allen Jacobson, 7-3-1969


If the dictionary had a picture of the word "cool" next to it, it would be of my brother, Paul. Today, my brother turns 40. My first correspondence with any soul this very day was with him. He text pretty early this morning, "I don't feel like 40." I text back (being 3 years older than him), "You will in a few years!" Silence went by. I text again, "The good news is, we don't LOOK like we are in our forties!" He text, "True that!" I text again, "...and even better, we don't ACT like we are in our forties...heehee!" He really liked that.

I love my brother. He is about 6'2". I LOVE his generously given, enormous bear hugs (so does everyone else)! He is a very wise, extremely intelligent, very cool, wonderfully witty, unconditionally loyal, loving, simple living, caring individual. He makes everyone laugh with his witticisms. He measures his life not by the things he has acquired but by the richness of the relationships he has acquired. He loves Jesus, family and extended family, old Cub Cadet lawn mowers, ham on Easter, good conversations, Snyders of Hanover potato chips, staying up late on Christmas holiday, old Volkswagens, mechanic work, his wife and daughter, classic rock, and a few beers. He never misses a holiday or a birthday, whether acknowledging by phone or card (I tease him that he should have been the girl of the family). He calls mom more than I do. Occasionally, he can skillfully season his sentences with expletives, like a Top Chef with exotic spices. He has grown his hair twice to sell to "Locks of Love." He has a snake tattoo on his upper left arm. He has the most gorgeous, kind, blue eyes you have ever seen. He is a good, good, good man. I don't say that very often now that I have been jaded by 40 plus years.

Recently, he willingly undertook the job of rebuilding the engine of an old, OLD Cub Cadet that has faithfully cut my grass for several years. When I asked him if it was worth it, he said, "Tam, they don't make them like they used to! You have to rebuild. You have the Cadillac of Cub Cadets there!" So, now, out of the goodness of his heart, he is rebuilding the engine free of charge just because he loves me. He does that because I know he will do whatever he can, even being over 450 miles away, to help me.

Paul, you are the Cadillac of human beings. They don't make them like they used to!!! Here's to you!!! Happy 40th Birthday! I love being your big sister!

The Brook Trickles...

OK, so I am back already. Seems like I might be willing to give this a try. I must be honest, I am a bit skeptical. Is this yet another technological option to whittle away our precious time? It seems time is such an important and precious commodity these fast paced days of the early single-digit years of the 21st century. We have allowed so many activities and "doings" to constantly tap-tap-tap us. Do I need to add another?

On the other hand, a very dear friend tells me that blogging is her "oasis"... a time away from "all that." She says it is also a place to "vent" and just be yourself. This is precisely the reason I have launched this site. An "oasis" is a concept I think I need to tap into more and more. A place to "vent" is somewhere I don't visit enough.

So the Brook Cherith begins to trickle for me....more on the choice of title later.

First Steps

OK. So I've joined the blogger mania. Will I continue the journey, or not? We shall see...