Ruth Everhart

Writer / Pastor

Things I Wonder About

Your LinkedIn Profile: An Obituary in Progress?

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As I updated my Linked In profile today, it felt like I was writing an early draft of my obituary. Perhaps the difference between the two documents lies mainly in timing. A LinkedIn profile covers work in progress. An obituary doesn’t show up until our work is done.

Since LinkedIn is a professional tool, the information has to fit certain parameters: keep it positive; use active verbs; highlight results; quantify accomplishments. I tried to do those things. But as I crafted my profile, I thought about the transitions from one position to another. Words on paper convey a certain inevitability; they even create their own reality. But the real reasons for job transitions might be different from the ones we announce. After all, we know that professional transitions are supposed to look seamless and logical. Defensible. But transitions are rarely seamless, and in my life, at least, might appear to make little sense. Yet there is more to life than logic.

Why did I leave a successful church position in order to write a book, for which I had no publishing contract? What about salary, benefits, pension? Why did I take a lowly job as an administrator when my previous positions had entailed significant responsibility? What about the career ladder?

To an outsider, my decisions might appear daft! But I did not make them based solely on bettering my finances, or climbing a ladder. Like many people, I was following my sense of the Spirit’s leading.

[Read more…] about Your LinkedIn Profile: An Obituary in Progress?

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2015 Intentions

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One of my blogposts was among the 14 most-read Christian Century blogposts in 2014. Perhaps I should use foul language like “stinkin'” in my titles more often! My thanks to all of you for reading, and to the good folk at CC, especially Celeste Kennel-Shank and Steve Thorngate who curate a tremendous amount of blog material related to church, religion, spirituality, culture.

Onward to 2015! Do you write Resolutions or Intentions? Some people scoff at the practice, but each year I choose a phrase to remind me how I intend to live my life in the year ahead. It helps me focus. My 2014 intention was Do the Work. I often muttered this to myself as I sat down to write. It was so helpful that I even renamed this blog, which used to be Work in Progress. I prefer the verb: Do.

My 2015 intention is similar: Love the Work. (You might remember that I’m borrowing the phrase from Gordon Lightfoot.) May all of us love our work in the year ahead! Isn’t that one of the secrets of happiness? Work is one way we become ourselves.

Want to share your intention for the year ahead? I’d love to hear it.

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A Reversal of Communication

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Today I got a haircut. The stylist is competent so I have a level of trust.  In fact, I wonder why she works at Hair Cuttery. (Though I’m glad she does.) English is not her first language but we communicate well enough. I mentioned that I was letting my bangs grow out a bit and was pushing them to the left side. She proceeded to cut the hair and style it from the right side. Then she admired her work.

Oh well. A right/left mistake. An easy fix once I get home, right? Dyslexia exists in every language! I was proud of my ability to forgive her.

Then, as I stared in the mirror I realized the error was mine. You’ve already figured it out, haven’t you? Mirror reversal. An elementary error.

I wonder how many of our communication problems are sometimes at this elementary level. A miscommunication between two people who have some measure of trust, revealed in a moment of thought, rectified with ease, and conquered with a smile.

But if this mistake had involved a scissors and the lopping of many inches of hair, we’d be at a whole different level of conflict, right?

Maybe I’m thinking about communication and conflict because the General Assembly of the PCUSA is meeting right now. I’m holding the commissioners in prayer.

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Move Along Lake Wobegone

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Last night my family went to see Prairie Home Companion at Wolftrap. Doug grew up in Minnesota (Golden Valley). We met there, married there, and our daughters were both born there. All told, I lived there a decade. So we had earned our spot on the lawn.

It was a beautiful evening, weather-wise, and the crowd was Minnesota-mellow. I’d packed a nice picnic and our daughters were able to meet up with us as planned. The entertainment was enjoyable and all the radio pieces were in place, if a little worn around the edges. The best part was a song about Washington, DC, which had a feeling of freshness. All in all, it was a perfect evening.

Another item off the bucket list! Now you can retire, Garrison.

Seriously. You can retire.

Retirement is not a bad thing. It creates a little space in the world for the next thing to appear.

Maybe I sound like what I am — someone who used to listen “back when” PHC was a Minnesota show, not a national one. Back when things that happened in Lake Wobegone were a delightful surprise. Back when tater tots could be a punchline.

I have some compassion for the next generation. There are only so many really prime spots, career-wise. When you’re in one, it’s important to pay attention, and know when to move on. It’s part of the legacy process.

Garrison, you’ve had a really nice run. But honey, it’s time to move along.

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Protect that Work-in-Progress!

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Wrangler, the Poet.
Wrangler, the Poet.

There are mockingbirds nesting in our neighbor’s tree. Whenever our cat, Wrangler, goes outside, one of the mockingbirds flies over and dive-bombs her. So Wrangler streaks across the yard looking over her shoulder, then escapes into the storm drain.

I feel for the mockingbird. Some work-in-progress needs aggressive protection!

I wonder if Wrangler will want to write another haiku.

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Amish Fiction vs. House of Cards, Utopia vs. Dystopia

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paradise-valley-by-dale-cramerEarly in the week I read a novel about an Amish family that moves to Mexico to begin a new community where no one will force them to send their children to school.

I’d never read Amish fiction before so I thought I’d try it. Cold February nights call for warm diversions.

The story is simple and sweet. Although there are moments of tension, everything turns out well for the main characters, who are noble.

I thought: Why do people read this stuff?                            It skates over the difficult parts of life.

house-of-cardsLater in the week I watched the first episode of the newly-released Season 2 of “House of Cards” about Frank and Claire Underwood, who will do anything to become more powerful, including lie, cheat, and murder. (According to the Motley Fool, 600,000 people binge-watched the entire season last weekend!)

The story is complex and upsetting. Although the sounding bass of the theme music frequently indicates impending drama, everything turns out well (so far) for the main characters, who are amoral. (From one season to the next I had forgotten just how amoral!)

I thought: So this is why people read Amish fiction. Because life is difficult and dark enough.

How about you — do you prefer Utopia or Dystopia?

EDITED TO ADD: Check out this interesting blogpost by Peggy Noonan in the WSJ, about the real life politicians who are spouting the lines of the fictional characters, on camera no less. Yes, let’s “pretend” our politicians are amoral because nothing could be further from the truth, right?

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