Unseen Good Works

Blessed are those who have not seen

 and yet have believed

(John 20:29)

At last year’s Women in Manufacturing Summit, I learned about the “Dream It, Do It” initiative. This is a program launched by The Manufacturing Institute that “offers local manufacturers, schools, community-based organizations and other stakeholders the opportunity to partner with a respected national platform to promote manufacturing as a top tier career choice in the United States.” Recognizing that every region is different, the DI-DI program advances a national standardized brand that can be customized to fit the needs of the local workforce. As a follow up, I was pleased to see that in August 2013, my home state of Arkansas signed on as the 23^rd member as an avenue to address the growing skills shortage across our great state. To learn more about the national Dream It, Do It initiative, please visit http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Image/Dream-It-Do-It/Dream-It-Do-It.aspx

The state of Connecticut has identified a need for more machinists, assemblers, and CNC tool operators. To gain the attention of future of engineers and innovators, and to leverage the state’s DI-DI program, October was deemed as “Manufacturing Month” to introduce middle school aged students to future careers in manufacturing. At featured events, students were given hands on opportunities to experience additive manufacturing, cutting tools, and 3-D printers. Grace Sawyer Jones, president of the local community college shared that one way to increase awareness is by exposing students to potential careers as early as possible. “It’s by having students who are looking to these fields long before they come to college. And more importantly,  the manufacturing businesses are here (in CT). Those are the parts that you bring together early in their lives, so they really have a realization of the possibilities.” To read more about the Connecticut manufacturing event, please click on http://wnpr.org/post/manufacturing-event-targets-future-workforce-connecticut-made-products?goback=%2Egde_4239561_member_5800678290263916544#%21

As an advocate for careers in manufacturing, I agree that we have to introduce the next generation of workers to the possibilities of sustainable jobs as early as possible. Many kids are not aware of the products that are machined or assembled locally. More importantly, as adults, business owners, and community leaders, we should begin to challenge these young innovators to consider the unseen good works, potential products that could be assembled and manufactured in the future from local resources. We should not limit our or their focus to the types of manufacturing that we see today, instead testing their abilities to develop solutions without the benefit of tangible proof from current technology. That’s what engineering and innovation and the next generation of job creation in manufacturing is all about: believing in what we have not seen and yet have believed to be possible. How are you engaging young people in your community to Dream It, Do It, to ignite their purposed work? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Hold Out for Good Works

All the days of my struggle I will hold out

until my change comes.

(Job 14:14)

As a young girl, I knew that my great-grandfather was a good provider for our family. By day, he worked on someone else's farm, and on nights and weekends, he built houses in the community. In times of plenty, he was able to create residual income from rental properties. In times of struggle, he could sell one of his well-constructed houses to a neighboring family. Well into my teenage years, I could look down and around Lowe Street and see the results of his good works. My lesson learned: knowing how to work with your hands dramatically improves your ability to never be without work.

The U.S. employment numbers were released today. 148,000 jobs were added in September. The largest gains were in the fields of construction, wholesale trade, and transportation and warehousing. (A summary by the Bureau of Labor Statistics can be located at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm). The unemployment rate held at 7.2%, which happens to be the near the average rate for a high school graduate. Consider these statistics for unemployment based on attained educational levels. Unemployment rates for

High School Dropout = 10.3%
High School Graduate = 7.6%
Some College = 6.0%
BA or higher = 3.7%
My lesson learned: having an education dramatically improves your probability to never be without work.

In spite of what has happened in recent weeks, I feel that we are on brink of economic recovery relative to jobs in industrial manufacturing and construction. While the manufacturing numbers remained flat in this report, my anecdotal evidence (based on my travel schedule) is that activity is picking up. Of the 148k jobs added in September, 20,000 of those were construction related. And if the Gulf Coast region is any indication, that number will see dramatic increases in the foreseeable future. Our bid activity also reflects this trend. For all those naysayers, growing weary from worry about the days of time and toil, my advice is simply to keep the faith and wait patiently. My lesson learned: holding out and enduring during trials dramatically improves your tolerability to never be without work.

In the words of Rev. James Cleveland: The way may not be easy/ You never said that it would be/ But when I get tired/ Can’t find my way/ You told me to put my trust in Thee/ Help me to hold out/ Until my change comes. That song gives me motivation to get through these struggling times on the journey to good works. Instead of worry, I put my hands, mind, and faith to work reading, thinking, studying, praying, and praising Him in advance for the accomplishment of His purposed work, learning to hold out until my change comes. How are you holding out until your appointed time for your good works? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Walking in Good Works

Whether you turn left or right,

you will hear a voice saying

this is the way, walk in it

(Isaiah 30:21)

Kenny Rogers is famous for singing: You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run. Have you ever been in a situation (work, church, or community service) where the mission of the organization no longer aligned with your personal beliefs? What do you do? Do you stay, because it’s comfortable? Or do you walk away, because the experience no longer has purpose in your destiny?

I have come to a place in my spiritual journey where I have to question the value of some relationships. As a self-proclaimed math geek, I like order of operations and try to apply the same principle to life: The people on your path to destiny should add and multiply to your efforts of good works, not subtract and divide. Some people have power, that in the natural, may appear to have the ability to help you to reach your destination quicker, but I am reminded that we should not put our trust in man. By faith, I am listening for the still small voice for guidance on the walking the right way.

In the natural, I think about all of the time and energy I have invested. Or I wonder what others will say about me. Or in the case of a business deal, I am fiscally aware of how much walking away will cost me. By divine intervention, I am reminded of the story of the king who hired troops from a foreign land to fight his battle, but was commanded not to use the army whose services he had already paid a price. The king’s obedience to the spirit was rewarded by victory. Simply put, obedience is better than sacrifice.

This is the way, walk in it. Grace and favor will guide you through various right and left turns that eventually lead to your destiny. When you have doubts about a relationship or a situation, let your conscience be your guide. Stick to what you feel from the spirit. This is not the time to start navigating by someone else's maps or expectations -- you could get lost.

Walking by faith means learning to trust in God, in spite of how it looks to others. Everyone has his or her own spiritual journey, so no one else can truly understand what you are experiencing. Sometimes people and situations shift and you will know when to hold ‘em or when to walk away. Instead of making an emotional decision, try listening for that spiritual voice saying this is the way, walk in it. How do you decide who is adding and multiplying your efforts toward your purposed work? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Purposed Work: The Light of Good Works

Purposed Work: The Light of Good Works: Let your light shine before children So that they can see your good works and glorify Your Father (Matthew 5:16) This little light o...

The Light of Good Works

Let your light shine before children

So that they can see your good works and glorify Your Father

(Matthew 5:16)

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Oh, this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. This song touched my heart as a kid, but suddenly has new meaning to me as an adult. In ancient torch races, the goal was to complete the race with the light still burning. I am constantly reminded that life is not a sprint, but life is a marathon. The race is not given to the swift, but to the one who endures. I do not have to finish my race first or fast, based on my self-inflicted timeline. Instead, I want to do the works I was commissioned to do, to be a light that shines through eternity.

It seems that everywhere I turn there is a 5k event. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the life of me, I do not remember such communal involvement when I worked a corporate job. I gave annual financial donations, but I do not remember the most important thing, giving my time, or more importantly, involving our son in real acts of good works for a worthy cause. But since I have become independent, I am more aware of how the community supports this momentous effort. Even our middle school football team wears pink socks during the entire month as a sign solidarity and support. That’s probably what caught my eye: the number of children participating in voluntary games or voluntary races in showing care for such worthy causes.

I advocate leading by example, yet I have never attempted to run a 5k, nor have a challenged my family to participate. I asked my son if he would be interested in taking part in a 5k race, and he quickly retorted that he is a sprinter, not a distance runner. Then I had to remind him of the purpose of the races, to train to endure and complete, in support of the named cause. I told him the story of the ancient torch race and we agreed to run 5k before the end of the year as a family. I am excited. Before 2013 ends, our family will participate in a race, not for time, but to complete the event with our familial light still burning.

I want my light to shine before My Father and before children. I feel the best examples of grace that we can demonstrate begin at home with our own children. We try to involve our son in voluntary efforts as a sign of doing good works. Before the year ends, we have challenged ourselves to participate in a 5k. What are you doing to let your light and your good works shine before your children? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.