When I graduated college, I got a great job in the oil and gas industry right away as an accountant. I was a finance major – and I have zero interest in it- but I knew I would get a job majoring in it anyway. I had lots of advice around me telling me this also. You know, because our real dreams are unrealistic. And I had no idea to even dream preacher – I am a woman and Church of Christ-that is not going to happen.
Anyway, my time in the industry was not great-but I made amazing friends. I was able to build community despite not liking my job. I had no idea the reason I did not like my job is because they weren’t going to let me like it. I was an easy target to blame if something did not go right. Everyone was afraid of getting something wrong; and of course, no one would take the blame. I was more than happy to take the blame, and they let me. One of my bosses used to say this: “We are short on talent, and long on employees”. He was saying we had no talent and there are too many of us with jobs. That is what I had to listen to all the time.
Our bowling league I created was so much fun though. I started it through our Corporate Challenge, and then we had a blast and kept it going for awhile – even with the boss who made comments like what I mentioned above. We had great fun together outside of work. He has even told me since I have left there hasn’t been another group like what we had. I am grateful I have received healing words as the final word from him.
My first job was under Venezuelan control too. Which gives me another perspective. I swear so much got packed in my short time in the business. Venezuela started replacing our leaders with their own. The first CEO was great. I loved Oswaldo. I miss him so much. He was light and life, and attended one of our bowling league games. But he did not last long before he was replaced, and the new guy was bad news. He brought us in a meeting and told us that people in India would work for $10/hr – we needed to be grateful. I was pissed. That was a racist remark, and I am so tired of powerful people thinking people do not need a living wage or a job. This is a problem everywhere. It wasn’t long before they decided to move us to Houston. Jake finished school, and we were going to stay in Tulsa- but Sachse called-and we do not refuse interviews.
When Jake and I moved to Sachse, I took another oil and gas job. This one treated me better personally, and funny enough, I became the birthday coordinator. Everyone seems to see I am social. I did not think I was at all.
I was pregnant with Kimberlyn pretty soon after taking the job, and they gave me the sweetest baby shower- they barely knew me. They even talked me into coming back to get my final bonus before deciding to stay home with Kimberlyn. So with all of this kindness said, they were sending jobs away to France. It is so funny to me knowing our politics now-with people screaming at political leaders because jobs are leaving – I want to say this: Corporations were doing this on their own! It has nothing to do with political leaders! And also, corporations were telling us how to vote. I have written about it here. Learning about Politics before I was political.
So, let me say this. I felt guilty staying home on a teacher’s salary. I knew we would struggle, and we do. But I could not live that life in oil and gas. Scarcity is the mentality. Racism and misogyny are rampant. While I wasn’t always treated horribly, I was never treated like I was great at anything other than getting people together either. Maybe because that was my passion and they saw that.
So now let me get to the point of this post, Dr. Russell Moore and Jerry Falwell Jr. Jerry is like Donald Trump to me. They are people I want to ignore because they are so obviously wrong, and their actions are so horrible- I thought it was obvious to christians. Holy Moly! Now that I have been invited to the table of Religious leaders- in a Baptist Church (I am watching you Dr. Moore and Jerry – you don’t own the title Christian or Baptist) I see church is running just like the oil and gas industry, and soccer too; here is my story about that It is OK to slow down- YOUTH SPORTS!.
I never planned to go into ministry-Furthest thing from my mind. I tried to run from Trump and Falwell, but I can’t. I see leaders like Russell Moore, who seems harmless – but he feeds these guys. Russell is my past. He is nice, but his policies and views on women and LGBTQIAPLUS are anything but nice. I can’t sit back and watch people like him own a narrative that needs to die. Christianity is better than this. We can’t tell the difference between a businessman and a christian – while you can be both-you can’t serve both equally. You have to pick one. Jerry has blatantly with his words and his life picked his master. That doesn’t mean it can’t change. But he runs a christian university- Baylor, I am looking at you also. This matters.
Russell Moore is different. While I would not say he is serving money – at least he doesn’t know it, but this is the spirit he operates under says we serve money –2000 Baptist Faith and Message Statement. Jesus has been taken out as the lens they view scripture, and our colleges and churches have followed suit. I have more I want to say. This is just the beginning.
Also, I love being at the Table. I love theology so much when we connect it to public life. Our faith actually means something more than waiting for the next life. We can’t taste that life now. I am on fire for this. Grateful for the men of my church who saw this in me.
There is Life Out There 