How College & Seminary Did Not Prepare Me For Life

My years at CIU and SEBTS were amazing times in my life.  I cannot imagine where I would be without the people and truths that I encountered during those years.  I was changed while I was there and prepared for what came after.  But there is a way of approaching any education that leaves us unprepared for life. In First Things First Stephen Covey talks about "The Law of the Farm":

"In agriculture, we can easily see and agree that natural laws and principles govern the work and determine the harvest. But in social and corporate cultures, we somehow discmiss natural processes, cheat the system, and still win the day. And there's a great deal of evidence that seems to support that belief."

Covey goes on to talk about "cramming" in school - goofing off during the semester then spending all night before the big test trying to cram a semester's worth of information into your head to spit back out on paper the next day. He goes on to talk about how this simply would not work on the farm. A farmer could never put off planting in the spring, waste time all summer, then rip up the soil and throw in some seeds in the fall and hope to get a bountiful harvest before winter.

 "Cramming does not work in a natural system, like a farm. In the short term, cramming may appear to work in a social system. You can go for the "quick fixes" and techniques with apparent success. But in the long run, the Law of the Farm governs in all arenas of life."

In college and seminary cramming wasn't my usual mode of operation.  Yes, I did some cramming and it wasn't too unusual for me walk into a quiz or exam with study notes still in hand!   But it was rare for me to be completely unprepared for a test.  Nonetheless, when I graduated from seminary, I felt a bit lost.  I was a pastor while I was in seminary, but for 7-8 years of my life someone had been telling me what to read, what to study, when to turn things in and when the test would be.  Suddenly, no one was doing that.  I had a sermon due every Sunday morning and I couldn't turn it in late and get a letter grade off!  But other than that, I had to figure out how to manage my time on my own.  I consider it providential that I was reading "First Things First" at about the time I got out of seminary.  I have not applied it to nearly to the degree I wish.  But I have often maintained or regained my equalibrium by returning to those principles: 

• Weekly connect to mission, roles and goals
• Check my system for projects and things to read or review
• Plan the week accordingly by putting in the 'big rocks' first
• Adjust in the moment as needed
• Weekly review.

I am in serving in a new place.  I am in the process of figuring out my roles here and what the 'big rocks' are.  I am trying to figure out what this will look like in my weekly and daily routine.  It hasn't been an easy process, but my hope is that by laying this groundwork now I will reap great rewards later.