Today is my last day working for the seminary
Today, Friday, November 9, 2012, is my last day of employment with Southeastern Seminary. I’ve worked in the IT department for SEBTS doing web development for 10 years (and 8 days to be exact). Monday, I begin a new job as an application consultant / developer for CtiPath, an IT company in the contact management center industry.
As I was telling my wife, Margaret, earlier in the week, this last week has hit me harder than I thought it would. You see, for the last 10 years, I’ve worked in an office with 3-4 other people. And, I’ve made some great friends during that time. You’ve even “met” some of them on this blog, although you probably didn’t know it.
I worked with one of them almost the entire 10 years that I’ve been here. I worked with others for a few years. Some have already moved on to other jobs, while some still work at the seminary. I’m going to miss these people!
While they are all technically adept and often helped me in my job, they are more important to me because of the way that we all helped each other grow in Christ. Our conversations, discussions, and even arguments have been extremely beneficial to me. They’ve taught me that it’s possible to remain united in Christ and to fellowship closely with people with whom you have theological differences.
So, to Gary, Tony, Jonathan, Stan, Lew, Dan, Theron, Glenn, Drew, Jason, and others… Thank you! And, I know that our relationships will continue past this job change.
So now you’re free to blog on the evils of seminary, right? 😉
(Kidding.)
Seriously, congrats on the new job, and God bless in your endeavors!
Working in a Christian ministry myself, I have an idea of how I would feel if I some day left all the wonderful friends I have there. Thankfully, these days we have the Internet to keep in touch.
I don’t know if our friendship can survive you changing jobs. That will really impact our day to day relationship 800 miles apart. Also, you should have written a post specifically about how awesome I am, since obviously that was what you meant to say with this post, but were too afraid of what all your other past coworkers would think.
Hey Alan,
Beem there…done that. In 2002, the company I had been with since 1973 was sold and by 2003 the new owners had bankrupted us. They said they know how to really run a company and they ran it into the ground.
I have a great job now and landed on both feet. Several of those relationships are still ongoing, mainly through facebook but I really miss the daily contact with some of the best friends I have ever had. By the way, I was IT director for the company. Congratulations on your new role and God Bless.
Alan,
Thanks for keeping busy posting amidst the job change. I wish you the very best in Christ, and look forward to reading about how this new extension of your Christian journey blesses you.
I long for and hope for the time I can be a more frequent and consistent myself blogger. I rarely get the time to read or write as much as I’d love to. It seems that immediately after I rediscover profound inspiration and focused determination, and I say to myself, “This time I really mean it,” Satan gets extra busy to make sure my time is sucked up with earthly distractions: computer problems, extended family issues, commute traffic, tending a generator the 12th day after Hurricane Sandy, etc.
But, what Satan meant for evil, God used for good. These distractions are opportunities to serve themselves and, especially this hurricane, have helped to solidify my resolve to focus more on Him despite what happens, or maybe even because of what happens. For example, it’s offered me a few times to post on Facebook or email individuals about how the world and its desires are passing away.* I can be thankful to Him that there is encouragement to make time with Him a priority, even such encouragement from bloggers like you. Thanks!
In Christ,
Dwight
*And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:17)
Thanks everyone. My last day went very well. We even had a great lunch together at a local Mexican restaurant. (I ate way too many tortilla chips…)
-Alan