As this summer rapidly edges closer to its inevitable ending, my thoughts have begun to shift towards school, and beyond. Studying Middle Eastern International Relations at this critical juncture in its history is probably equally as exciting and terrifying as it was to be an astronaut during the space race.
In keeping with my own desire to use my education and career to somehow tangibly benefit the world, I have come to sincerely ask myself, “Could I ever represent and defend policies and ideologies for this country that I personally oppose? And if I could – would I want to?”
Answering those two seemingly simple questions will profoundly determine where I apply for jobs next summer. It will also profoundly affect the size of my paycheck – let’s not pretend that isn’t a factor. I pray the answers come in time.
15 Responses to “Career Options”
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Twitter: EstherCrawford
- @jeffreine that bridge gives me chills
- @jeffreine yep! and watched tv ... I'm pretty sure every night should end like that
- @soccerhaus it was pretty hilarious... then another couple came in and started making out too.. it never ended
August 12th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Love ya Miss Esta!
August 8th, 2006 at 2:11 am
You are way to nice Miss Esther!
August 8th, 2006 at 12:33 am
Yeah, I dont know where that came from, but he did bring up some interesting points.
As for us, you’re right, its hard to see one’s viewpoint when they have never met. I guess the political middle east is something that is very hard to agree on because of how touchy the subject is. The truth is that violence exists all over the world, because we live in a fallen world. I heard somewhere that every 1.3 seconds, someone enters eternity not knowing Jesus. Sad really. I have to apologize if I came off crude, or angry. Bottom line is I love the Lord, and this conflict is not out of His control, and He is allowing it to happen for a reason, whether it is Biblical or not.
Best of luck to ya!
August 7th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
May Christ’s peace be with you as you find God’s plan.
BTW, thanks for the jordanian news link. I will add that to my list.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Rant.
DuncDawg – it’s people like you that reinforces my stereotype about Christians. I’ve heard ignorant rants like this back in Bible college. Like attracks like. That’s why I’ll never again be a “Borned-Again Believer.” I do recall preachers back in WWI & II yelling from the pulpit the same dribble. In the eighties, there was a huge resurgence in church attendence when the threat of nuclear war was the highest - about the time The Day After was televised. Amy Grant made a fortune in those days. Then church attendance died off in the early nineties after the end of the threat of the Cold War.
Now again we have a spike after 9/11 and televangelists are calling for the End of Days and the Teletubbies. All you LaHaye fans out there: I better not be seeing you in Costco. Why buy in bulk if Jesus is coming so soon? If you truly believed your dribble, you’d be preaching it on the streets like Jeremiah, not writing blogs on the net going to bed soundly at night because you did your duty just saying like it is to the lost sinners out there. Maybe you’ll get a bigger mansion overlooking the crystal sea in heaven for spreading the Good Word online. You’re worse than Jonah. At least he was honest with himself and God. Your motivation stinks and so do your words.
By the way, how can the Bible be the “Living Word of God,” if the Canon is closed?
You’re getting all your information from tainted Western-centric sources. I bet you vote by those voters cards sent out to churches each year. You flat out said you don’t listen to people who have been over to the Middle East and seen firsthand the human rights violations. If you do have a girlfriend, which I doubt, are you going to discredit her when she sees what’s going on too?
Your closeminded backing of Israel is flawed pal. No – it’s evil. You back the Nation of Israel because of St. John’s Revelations right? The chain of events do not bode well for our Jewish neighbors do they? In the end they are decieved and distroyed by their lack of faith in the Christ. You take on their cause with the foresight of their failure and demise. You treat them like a project. It’s condescending and inhumane. You really believe you’re better than they are – and everyone else. That milk quote has soured.
Thanks for giving me ammunition on the politics doesn’t matter quote. You really don’t know your Bible do you pal? Read the OT. The Messiah was expected to be a political one and in fact he was. He overthrew the money changers and met with political officers, not to mention changing the world. There is no time in history the Church was not involved in politics. I only hear passion and grief in Esther’s words. Your words our bitter and sour. I pity you. I pity the time Christ challenges your faith since he’s the only thing you lean onto. You’ll either fall down or find something else to lean against.
By the way, Tim La Haye has a fun, obscured little book published back in the eighties substantiating Carl Jung’s personality theory. Carl Jung! How scandelous.
August 7th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
BTW, my ideas dont come from the news, they come from the Word of God.
August 7th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Interesting point. I do have to say that no, I havent been over there first hand. And yes, “it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out” that Israel can be brutal, seeing as we are all fallen men and women. Just because they are Gods people doesnt mean that they could never be in the wrong. In fact, readings from the Old Testamant would show you how dumb they are sometimes. But, they are still Jews. Paul talks all about how the Jews are God’s chosen people. However, he also said they too must believe in Christ to be saved.
Interestingly enough, like I said before, Israel will never be defeated militarily…
Zechariah 12:8 “In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
As for my gf, I think she’ll be ok, as there a numerous missionaries from all over the world in Jordan, which is widely known. In fact, the Christians in Jordan are widely accepted, so I wouldn’t bother being critical. In fact, a little encouragement would be appreciated. Afterall, you are Christian, right? Also, she for one, is over there for Jesus, not politics. She believes all must be saved, Jew or Gentile. Sadly, it doesnt sound like you were there for the same reason. She stays out of politics, because they dont matter. Jesus is not a political party, and thankfully, if she does differ than me politically, thank God our relationship isnt based on politics. What a sad way to live a life. Our’s is based on Jesus, and that’s something we’ll never disagree on.
I hope you see the broader picture of the middle east. and not base everything on some first hand experience. I pray that you would get familiar with the Living Word of God, seek out truth, and realize peace in the middle east will never happen until the coming of the Anti-Christ. I will be praying that God would reveal this to you, it would bring you much more joy than you seem to have. Of course, you cant feed meat to babies if what they need is milk!
Blessings!
August 7th, 2006 at 2:32 am
Thanks for the post! Sorry I didnt get back with you sooner, Ive been trying to get my girlfriend off to Amman, Jordan. She will be serving the Lord as a missionary over there for 10 months, so be praying for her.
I feel as though I must clarify some of the things I said. I am, in no way, finding any joy in the deaths of so many people, especially those who dont know the Lord. (I do not, however, believe that anyone, man, woman, child, Jew, or gentile is “innocent”). However, when something this bad is going on in the world, I have to turn to my only hope, the Lord Jesus Christ. My hope is not found in the ideals of man, or some biased (or un-biased) website on the freedom of a people. Christ is the only thing I have to hold on to. I lean on His understanding, and not my own. I can see that the Bible has prophesied wars and rumors of wars in Matt 24, and in many other times. I also do believe that Israel of today is the Israel of the Bible. Why? Because of the significance of Israel, and the existence of its people. From Old to New Testament, The jews have always been in danger of being wiped out. Nothing has changed to this day. God promised He would never abandon His people. Even Paul expressed His love for the Jews. The only Jewish state that exists to this day is Israel, and yes the actual physical state is a political formation in the late 40′s, but when I refer to Israel, I refer to the Jewish people. The Bible talks about how God has a plan for the Jews, and that’s all we know.
About interpreting revelation…, I believe the Word of God is a living word, always staying relevent to the changing times. When revelation may tell someone something, it might tell someone else something completely different, and at the same time, never contradicting itself. I am in no way imposing what God has revealed to me through Revelation on anyone. In my post, I was meerly stating what I believe.
I pray that you lean not on your own understanding of what seems right, but that you lean on the Word of God and cling to the Hope of Christ!
Blessings!
August 7th, 2006 at 12:27 am
I think you should be the next Alias. I’ve seen you in a bright red wig. You looked just like Jennifer Gardener – well, a short Jennifer Gardener. Remember, our cousin is serving our country in Iraq. It is worth salvaging, even if Jerry Springer is still on UPN. Is PAX still on the air? Has anyone ever watched PAX TV?
August 6th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
I have faith that whatever path you choose you will give it your all and your brother and I will be very proud of you!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
August 5th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
The simple answer is this: Do what you feel comfortable with. You are the only one that knows your limits. You have to live with yourself & you will pass on your values to ur children. Money isn’t everything yet everything revolves around it. Balance! I have always said…In order to make a difference you have to be given the opportunity to do so. We can only change things from the inside out.
August 5th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Would you mind reading my blog?
August 5th, 2006 at 8:02 am
Your thoughts and questions do bring to the forefront our nature to either do what is inherently right, or to do what benefits us the most. I’m glad that you brought that up, because I am also in school full of idealism and hope for the world, and it causes me to think about what career path I am going to take and why. You know, you could look at working in international human rights. Lord knows that we need more human rights advocates in the middle east.
August 4th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
A dear old friend of mine says that being an adult is accepting a certain amount of hypocrisy in your life. I think of this sometimes, when I hear myself feeding desperate poor people lines of government bullshit because I know the system can’t help them and I don’t need the guilt in my life. But that’s not nearly as often as when I feel that I’m doing reasonably well, so either I’m pretty good at helping people or I’m extremely good at self-deception.
August 4th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
Lemme know how the answering of those questions goes. I’m trying to convince someone to give me a job and I may have to defend their setups and ways of doing things before I can change them, which is what I REALLY want to do. But my potential job is just sports :) so I’m sure I’ll deal with it somehow, IF I can convince them to give me a shot.