The last twelve days for me have been particularly eye-opening for two reasons. First, I’ve been almost totally removed from my usually setting as a higher ed person/math prof/tech geek and instead have been a stay-at-home dad to my 2- and 4-year old daughters as they’ve been out of preschool. Second, my family’s recent foray into the Lutheran church kindled in me a desire to follow the church calendar, particularly during the Advent season which has just ended. It’s given me a great deal of perspective on my usual role as math prof — particularly in the area of my vocation as an educator. (The whole idea of vocation is central to the Lutheran approach, and it’s really brought home, literally, in being around my kids so much.)

One particular advent reading has left a big imprint on the way I think about my vocation. I was using a prayer book to do devotionals during Advent, and the…

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