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Had a fascinating chat to my Dad last night and he mentioned this idea of Digital natives vs Digital immigrants.
wikipedia define it like this.
A digital native is a person who has grown up with digital technology such as computers, the Internet, mobile phones and MP3. A digital immigrant is an individual who grew up without digital technology and adopted it later. A digital native might refer to their new “camera”; a digital immigrant might refer to their new “digital camera”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_native
Not saying that everyone born after 1982 is a computer genius, and no-one old has a clue, in fact the digital world was created by apparent immigrants, so how much truth is there actually in that idea?
I think there has to be SOME truth in it, the kids of the 90s do have a different mind set. Encyclopedia Britannica is going out of business because no-one needs to have a bunch of books to look things up any more. You have a thesaurus, a calculator, a dictionary, currency converter and measurement converter all on your home page without realising it. A government petition doesn’t mean going down to London any more. Log on anywhere in the world and sign the petition for what ever takes your fancy. (My latest was to give a refund to the people who were at uni 98 – 04 who were done out of grants, and have to pay interest on their loans)
I heard someone complaining about how young people never relate to each other any more, all they do is sit on the computer. But for many people that IS relating, just not maybe how it was done 20 or more years ago. The idea that people can comment on your blog for the whole world to see is a bit scary. Image a news paper reporter who published EVERY response to an article. For starters we could be there for a year just reading the result of 1 column, but it also has a HUGE impact on vulnerability. When you post on a blog you do make yourself vulnerable to the whole world. But there is also a measure of self regulation. If someone was gong to respond to this post, they will probably use nicer language, and a more positive argument simply because the whole world is able to read what they wrote.
For the digital native (I probably am one even if a couple years old) it is interesting trying to work with digital immigrants. We run a few websites and facebook groups and myspace and youtube stuff, sometimes trying to explain why we need to put stuff up there is hard! Personally I find, some people get it and some people don’t.
Fascinating. So what about digital immigrants who are trying to build international computer systems that natives are going to be using? How do we work cross-culturally when designing and developing systems? Do we realise that the two groups are actually looking at this form two different angles? The web is no longer a place to share information, it is a part of life. Shopping dating, social integration, game playing Christmas shopping, insurance, auctions, cars houses, pets, children (not auctioning them!) health care!! Digital is no longer PART of life. For many of us, it IS life.
A VERY big challenge that hit my as I was giving the seminar, about God loving the whole nation. His desire is fro everyone to know him. Everyone, not just the nice neighbours, or the town kids, but also the bad people. The bombers, the plane crashers, the murderers. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7075584.stm BBC News article about a girl who was murdered in Italy last night, was from Leeds uni where we were today. L ) Osama Bin Laden, he loves Marilyn Manson, he loves who ever kidnapped Madeline mcann,( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7068760.stm ) HE LOVES THEM ALL. But what about my judgement? Am I the same as Jonah who said they don’t deserved to be saved so I don’t want to go and talk to them. Yes I probably am. WOW I need God to break through into my heart.
On the way home I had an encounter. I was thinking some more about this whole God loves EVERYONE thing it really started to get to me. I have not even got close to God’s heart for the lost. Not even a glimpse. Friday nights we have a drop in at the community centre in Risborough and we get between 30 and 70 kids through each night. Some can be really annoying and I just want them to start a fight so we can physically remove them. IF ONLY! But God loves them too. What would he do about it. What would He be talking to them about? I was listening to Delirious in the car, there song really got hold of me. The song was Rain down and the bridge goes, “Do not shut, do not shut, do not shut the heavens, but open up, open up, open up my heart” I rewound and turned it up and listen again then as I thought about those people that God loves and I don’t I start to sing along, then rewound again, then really starting crying out for God to open up my heart and do some surgery and change me and mould me and give me a part for his heart.
The next track was written about the position of African orphans and HIV victims, and the chorus was real to me again. The reprise later in the album too. In fact at a gig they did a few weeks ago, they did this song and by the time they hit the guitar solo Stu G was on his knees, but then end so was Martin and Jon … quite powerful.
These are the lyrics.
Our God Reigns
40 million babies lost to Gods great orphanage,
It’s a modern day genocide and a modern day disgrace
If this is a human right then why aren’t we free?
The only freedom we have is in a man nailed to a tree.
100 million faces, staring at the sky,
Wondering if this HIV will ever pass us by.
The devil stole the rain and hope trickles down the plug,
But still my Chinese take away could pay for someone’s drugs.
Our God reigns, Our God reigns,
Forever your kingdom reigns.
The west has found a gun and it’s loaded with ‘unsure’
Nip and tuck if you have the bucks in a race to find a cure.
Psalm one hundred and thirty nine is the conscience to our selfish crime,
God didn’t screw up when he made you,
He’s a father who loves to parade you.
Yes he reigns, yes you reign, yes you reign,
For there is only one true God,
But we’ve lost the reins on this world,
Forgive us all, forgive us please,
As we fight for this broken world on our knees.
Written by Delirious? ©2005 Curious? Music UK
As I prayed for God to reign in my heart he broke me again. Hard to drive with tears forming, maybe I need to pick a better time to pray! I can’t get over the need for me to have God’s heard for the lost. I pray he will keep changing me until I have his heart, I hope it will change the way I react to the news and to the annoying kids!
Day in the life of Touring Tim & Jess – the Next Gen touring Team! Saturday the 3rd November.
Having got our selves involved in a new initiative a few weeks ago we had to travel up to Leeds. The New an initiative is superb! UCCF have got a bunch of mission agencies together to try and raise awareness and bible understand of global mission with CU’s in the North east of England. I know we aren’t actually based in the North but any access to Student aged Christians is a must for us.
So up at 0515, in the car for 0530 on the motorway with Jess almost awake too!! Jess has only been working with me for 2 months yet we seem have done a few exhibitions already. Quick stop for some breakfast at Leicester forest east services, eating bacon whilst trucks pass below you is slightly odd at 0700 in the morning!
In Leeds for 0845, straight in and upstairs to get set up, well rehearsed now, done in about 15 minutes flat, compute screen and all. Not too many exhibitors which is nice we have a tiny table, which is not too great but we don’t have to share it like some of the others!
0930 car parked up people are expected to start arriving any minute now. I must go and find a timetable and work out where my seminar room is. YES I get to do a seminar, TWICE today about GO to the nations, it is going to be interesting, not a Wycliffe push, a general mission thing. We’ll see how that goes a bit later!
Before the first meeting has even begun we have names on paper. People flocked, maybe because we are young and not grumpy despite the early start! Very encouraged already!
1st meeting 1 odd song I didn’t know, then Mark Boddington (right) spoke. He is my older brother James’ ex land lord! He was good, very deep and incredibly detailed all about the cross. He also told a couple wonderful stories about being a parent. (ana, and Gus in particular!)
Then a brief break and into my 1st seminar. Only 8 people showed up which was a bit disappointing, but we had a great time exploring what the bible says about God’s heart for the nations, I have to give credit to Eddie Arthur for an inspirational chapter he lent me about the tower of Babel incident and Acts 2 and how amongst all of that, God created diversity, and yet he gets more glory as a result of our diversity. One day in revelation it says every tribe and tongue and nation will be in his throne room singing ‘holy holy holy’ is the lamb. How rich will that sound be as a result of the diversity, but how magnificent that God is glorified as a result of the diversity he created as a judgement on mankind!
The seminar was good I feel a lot happier with the material and the last minute re-arrangement was a result. Couple more conversations over lunch, including another agency with lots of partnership potential for the future. Both our organisations work in the same place and they are already sending teams who visit some projects that we are involved in!
Second seminar more people turned up, about 20 of us this time, Jess does a wonderful job of putting on EVERY vest for out main players activity, very amusing to say the least, however she was not happy that mentioned lack of CU at uni, on the finding of a boyfriend have started working with us!
That session finished well, some good conversations with participants, and then to the stand, a flurry of people, more names on paper, in fact we have 12 or 13 names, some VERY exciting people we (royal we, I mean JESS!) to get in touch with next week.
SO 1600 next session starts we are told if we want to go we can, so we get on an pack down. Jess is on the phone AGAIN! But recovers well by going and handing out postcards to people.
Get all the stuff into the car, and off by 1700. RESULT we aren’t supposed to finish till 1730 so that is very cool, maybe I will get home to see my family after all!
Jess is staying in Leeds with some mates form uni tonight, I have to drive home on my own. No big deal used to do it to and from Sunderland all the time!
Tomorrow I am leading worship at church, whilst playing bass. THAT will be interesting, I hope I am alive okay!! Haha, need to get he music sorted out before bed, cos it isn’t going to happen in the morning!
YUP? me too! Well mine was due last week, I had received a letter from my company offering me a quote about 50p cheaper than last year, and so the search begun. It started with a fight between me and a previous insurance company about No claims discount awards. I was involved in a car crash last September and it took them a while to decide whose fault it was a so they withheld some no claims discount. My broker said the insurance company wouldn’t release it, i called them myself to find out why. they had a computer error and so the automated system would tel the broker they couldn’t release it. Have sorted it out they decided i COULD have it. Excellent, things were looking up. You would have thought. Jumping form 2 to 4 years of NCD one would assume a bigger discount. So to start my NEW search i called my present company for a new quote. It came back £250 MORE than the first quote! haha. Amazed, i actually laughed at the guy as i put the phone down. He didn’t call back, i jumped on the web.
No matter how annoying the ads on tele are, i did go to 2 separate comparison websites, which did produce fantastic quotes one of which i bought online. that was a bit scary, but i tell you want it was £300 cheaper that the other quotes. A TRIUMPH a huge saving, and suddenly Esure, despite their annoying adverts came out on top. £450 may seem a lot to the older drivers amongst you, to fo rme in a 2.5l Vectra estate, i thought it was a bargain!
Well yesterday was an interesting day to say the least. firstly I took my bike out on it’s longest ride yet. 120 mile round trip to Redhill in Surrey. Apart from spewing oil all over my left shoe and leg and a nice puddle after I park, it was wonderful to filter thought he stuck traffic on the M25. Not as scary as I thought it would be and generally found drivers were polite and not aggressive at all. Maybe it was a mate who had told me how irritating drivers can be in such times I was prepared for the worst.
I learnt 3 things on my outing.
1) Time to put the inner back in my jacket.
2) Get a bike with a Faring. (for the non bikers that is the little windshield on the front of the bike, which dramatically reduces how much wind hits your body and head as you ride, sort of deflects it over you!)
3) need to start doing some finger exercise so the don’t cramp up- on longer journies.
None of those are a big deal now, but if Ali ever passes her driving test and starts driving to work, I will also need some better fitting trousers than the pair I have borrowed and probably some proper boots too!
The reason for the trip was not so great, it was to attend a funeral. Bert Hat, who is my aunts grandad, yeah i know, a close relative of mine, but one of those chaps who has always been around on family occasions and Christmas and weddings and the like, a wonderful man, who was full of life and humour. He was 96 (not a bad innings at all) and died peacefully at an old peoples home after moving in a couple years ago. But 1 thing struck me GREATLY during the service. Now it wasn’t the old organ, or the 90 year old pianist who accompanied the chap from the London philharmonic orchestra, nor was it my cousins seizure at the end of said piece, but it was Bert’s brother who gave the most wonderful tribute. all these amazing things I never knew about grandpa as we all knew him. For example, was a class 1 ref for a while. That is the equivalent of a premiership ref these days. He got free tickets to all the internationals and cup finals at Wembely! He also set up Redhill and Reigate table tennis league, and their chairman and also the chairman of Bowls clubbed (dubbed as old men’s marbles by his brother!). This guys who at the most I knew did bingo for us at Christmas parties, got a mobile phone for his 90th birthday and learnt to text, loved having sky sports and learnt to play golf in his 90s. Hoe little did i know him. Hoe little did i ever take the time to find out about his childhood, or his national service, or the time he spent living in India in LUXURY having got passed as an officer in the army. Lost opportunity now, not going to have chance until we are in Glory with him. At least there is comfort and hope that he DID know Jesus, he WILL be in heaven. It was a wonderful yet thought provoking service!
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