It is amazing to me how God provides all of us with what we need. When one of our preachers asked me to fill in for him to preach in four short days (yesterday being the end of that four days), I had no idea what I would speak on. Let me stop here and say that he also unwittingly gave me a great birthday present (yesterday was my birthday). There is nowhere else I would want to be on my birthday than somewhere being given an opportunity to speak the Truth. I am by no means a refined preacher but I love the Lord and there is nothing that makes me happier than being able to share his word and how it works in my life.
As I sat down the next night (Thursday) to study the Bible with my children (something I do not do often enough) I decided to read them the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17. In this story, God tells Elijah to hide by the brook and that he will provide for him. God sends ravens to bring Elijah food and Elijah stays there until the water begins to dry up. This is all found in the first seven verses of this chapter. At this point, I stop and I am going to make a point about how Elijah went and lived a very uncomfortable life just because God told him to and that they should obey like Elijah does. God had other plans though. I asked my children (5 and 6 years old) why did Elijah do what God said without asking any questions. At this point, without hesitation, my six year old, Ethan responds "Because he loved him."
I paused. I was totally caught off guard by this response. I couldn't argue with that answer or ever provide a better, more concise answer. This 6 year old prince of God had just shaken my soul and I get misty eyed just thinking about how powerful this child's words were. Here I was, preparing to teach my children a lesson about doing what they are told and instead I am given a lesson. Talk about verification of Psalm 8:2.
Despite the effect this had on me that night, I still woke up the next morning not knowing what I would speak about. I was going to go with the obligations of Christians. I was off work that next day and I took Luke, my youngest son, with me to my parents to eat lunch that day. I was going to ask my father and mother's advise on what to speak on while there. But God had different plans. My parent's home is surrounded by tall, tall trees and that day in those tress were hundreds of crows, cawwing (is that a word) away. As my son and I got out of the car and walked inside Luke asked me what those birds were and I explained to him that they were kinda like the birds in the story we read last night about Elijah. After lunch, I left to pick Ethan up from school and the birds were still there as I was leaving, louder this time. When Ethan and I arrived back at my parent's house, the crows were still there singing their rancid tune and Ethan asked the same question as his brother before. "What are those birds?" As I was answering him, his answer to me the previous night hit me again and I then had my inspiration of what to speak on. God is so good.
Over the next several days I will be posting my thoughts on this and hopefully the words will help you answer the question I am trying to answer. Am I living a Christian life just so I can get something out of it such as Heaven, financial security, peace, etc... or am I living a Christian life for no other reason than I love God for everything He is? If you can answer yes to the second half of that question, then how are or do we show God we love him? It is a tough question but one we all need to ask ourselves because God has earned our love and we need to be acting daily to show God how much we love him.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Pilgrim's Map of the Day
Here's some links that will brighten your journey.
A great excerpt on why we fail to pray steadfastly from Sam Storms’ soon to be release The Hope of Glory… I hope you will enjoy this read and order the book as it appears promising
I’m going to have to study this and check the facts, but on the face and the brief amount of time I spent reading it, it appeared very intriguing. Leave your thoughts on this in the comments section.
Bible Bomb
A great writing about finding what we are looking for.
Find it here
This is a very funny photoshop that comes from a contest of photoshops for movie posters before their time.
Click here to see some more funny photoshopped pictures.
A great excerpt on why we fail to pray steadfastly from Sam Storms’ soon to be release The Hope of Glory… I hope you will enjoy this read and order the book as it appears promising
I’m going to have to study this and check the facts, but on the face and the brief amount of time I spent reading it, it appeared very intriguing. Leave your thoughts on this in the comments section.
Bible Bomb
A great writing about finding what we are looking for.
Find it here
This is a very funny photoshop that comes from a contest of photoshops for movie posters before their time.
Click here to see some more funny photoshopped pictures.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Can God have faith in me to love Him?
Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;…
Often times when we read this verse, we think about the word image and we read image, or some versions say likeness, and our minds take us to the physical sense of the word. We think, God must look like me, have a face, a body, a brain. However, there is another definition of the word image that we often fail to apply to this verse and that is the definition of a mental representation; image; conception. This is hard to do because to do so would mean that I am a representation of God’s imagination. I am something that God imagined, expected to be a certain way, and have the traits that God wants me to have.
When we use our imagination what is it we really imagine? If you believe any of the theories of developmental psychology, we all have a part of us called the ego, also known as the unconscious. Inside that unconscious is what we want ourselves to be, what we feel or learn is what would be the perfect self. In other words, God’s image. At our best, we are the greatest that God could imagine and everything that He sees good in himself. Yes, the universe is vast, the earth is great, the butterflies are beautiful, but we are the best he could imagine.
To me, this means that God put in me everything about himself that he likes. Every feeling, every quality, and every emotion. We know that God feels anger. God feels jealousy. God feels sadness. God has hope that we will all live to please him. But the two most precious gifts that God gave me the ability to do is the ability to love and the ability to have faith. God gave me the ability to take a part of my brain and use it to say, no matter what happens there is something bigger than me and something that will always guide me through my life and because of that I love this being that I cannot touch, I cannot hug, and I cannot see. Yet, I love Him so very much. How extraordinary.
Knowing that God imagined me and I am, that means that he wants me to do something in this flesh. God wants me to be like him and to love him. God wants that and he went to the furthest links that anyone could go to in order to make sure that I love him because he first loved me. I cringe to think about how much sadness God must feel every day over the fact that so many people that he created and molded don’t love him back. Think back to the first time you were turned down for a date. You thought you loved that person and when they did not want you back remember how that felt. Now multiply that by millions and millions and millions and then you may be able to see just a glimpse of the hurt we as humans make God feel.
Not many people, including myself, know this but I used to be a bit of a heartbreaker. As I was trying to think about what to speak about at church tonight my father relayed a story to me when I went to pick my kids up from his house today. He informed me that when he called a physician in another town today that upon hearing his name (I am my father’s namesake) the receptionist mistook him for me. When hearing his age, she realized that it must be my father and promptly told him that she used to be in love with me but I never knew it because she was too timid. He didn’t get her name so I don’t know who this is nor can I think of any girl who expressed interest in me in my “formative” years that I didn’t promptly pay attention to. As I thought about this though and began writing this document again, I put the two together. How sad I must have made her feel by not noticing her or realizing that she was, as she put it, “in love” with me.
Fortunately, we serve a God who will notice and expects our love. A God who knows that numbers of hair on each of our heads. Let us make sure that God KNOWS we love him every minute of every day.
The second half of this deals with faith. I have faith in God and watching what happened to famous radio personality as he lost his son this past weekend and how he reacted and used it as a call action by God has only strengthened my faith in God. However, and I might be wrong for doing this, but I have found myself wondering the past week or two, does God have faith in me? If you take this question on its face the obvious answer is “yes, God knows you are there, he invented you.” But does God believe in me that no matter what comes my way I am going to stand firm for him as he does for me? Does God have faith in me? Am I not being given the opportunities to spread the gospel to the amount of people that I want to because God still lacks faith in me.? Is my church not growing because God doesn’t have faith in me or my congregation to handle the responsibility found in the great commission?
I go to the Bible for my answer. Mark Chapter 11 verses 12-14 and 20-24 shows us Jesus with his disciples when Jesus sees a fig tree. Jesus approaches this fig tree with hunger, hoping to find sustenance. The tree is leafy and shows promise but when Jesus looks upon the branches, he finds no fruit. The story continues to show Jesus cursing the fig tree and it withering away. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach his disciples a great tail of faith.
Let’s put ourselves in the place of that fig tree. Many of us claim to be Christians simply because we have accepted Jesus Christ as out Lord and Savior and attend church regularly. Some of us may even take active roles in our church services and leadership. You may appear leafy and beautiful on the outside and if you are bearing fruit, but when these leaves are lifted, what will be found. Have you bore any fruit?
Sure, those of us who are parents can say, “I have raised my children to be good Christians and to have faith in Jesus,” but is that the only fruit you have bore? How good is your fruit? When Jesus comes to take those children to start their own independent ministries and Christian walks, will this fruit be good? Can God have faith that you as a parent bore good fruit or have you let him down? It also seems that it would be unacceptable that once those children are picked from your care that you no longer bring forth fruit or have more fruit there already. If you look at the time when your children are gone as the end of your responsibility as a Christian or spiritual guide, you will find yourself withering away because you are no longer showing God that he can have faith in you to continue adding to his kingdom.
What about Sunday school teachers and class members? Can God have faith in you that as a whole, you are a fruitful tree? When one of you move away or change classes or simply fall away, can God have faith in your group continuing to ripen and the fruit you helped develop will seed into a new tree? Can God have faith in you?
When you ask yourself why does God not send me more opportunities to deliver the message of Jesus you should ask yourself if God can have faith in you to do this great work?
When you ask yourself why God does not help you relieve some of your financial burden, can you say that God can have faith that you will use monetary blessings to advance his kingdom.
When you ask yourself why your church does not grow through God sending you more opportunities to minister to people seeking him, can you say that God can have faith that your church will lead wanderers closer to Him?
These are all tough questions to ask but even tougher to answer. Only you really know that answer. Only you can look at the fruit (or lack there of) you are bearing and examine it for acceptability for God when he comes looking for those to place into service next.
I will conclude with an example from my clinical practice. I had a client about six months ago tell me that he does not pray anymore because he does not think God would listen to his prayers due to the wrongs he has done. After trying to teach him about the forgiving nature of God, I diagnosed him with the DSM IV disorder Spiritual Confusion and formulated parts of his treatment plan around this. In the six months since this has happened, he has come quite a long way in his spiritual life and is actually attending church and is stronger in his faith. As he discussed this with me today, I was quietly congratulating myself and telling myself, “job well done.” Then, out of nowhere he states that it is all due to his sister helping him with this problem and inspiring him to do better. I felt actual disappointment. This was a sin for me to feel this way. Satan allowed pride to creep into my head and when that ego was not stroked, I was crushed. Crushed over someone coming closer to God, but not giving me credit. I have since asked God to forgive me and prayed for similar opportunities to refine this aspect of my life. As I delivered there thoughts tonight in my church, I revealed this sin to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and I hope they all can learn from my mistake.
I tell that to make this point. I believe that God allowed this to happen to me today so that I could see an area where he may possibly lack faith in me. I learned from this instance that as long as I do not allow all glory to be given to God, I will never find happiness in helping someone in their spiritual life and I will eventually wither away because of my pride. This fruit may have blossomed on my branch, but I do not think that Jesus would want to come back to my tree for more fruit until I work this out with Him.
Often times when we read this verse, we think about the word image and we read image, or some versions say likeness, and our minds take us to the physical sense of the word. We think, God must look like me, have a face, a body, a brain. However, there is another definition of the word image that we often fail to apply to this verse and that is the definition of a mental representation; image; conception. This is hard to do because to do so would mean that I am a representation of God’s imagination. I am something that God imagined, expected to be a certain way, and have the traits that God wants me to have.
When we use our imagination what is it we really imagine? If you believe any of the theories of developmental psychology, we all have a part of us called the ego, also known as the unconscious. Inside that unconscious is what we want ourselves to be, what we feel or learn is what would be the perfect self. In other words, God’s image. At our best, we are the greatest that God could imagine and everything that He sees good in himself. Yes, the universe is vast, the earth is great, the butterflies are beautiful, but we are the best he could imagine.
To me, this means that God put in me everything about himself that he likes. Every feeling, every quality, and every emotion. We know that God feels anger. God feels jealousy. God feels sadness. God has hope that we will all live to please him. But the two most precious gifts that God gave me the ability to do is the ability to love and the ability to have faith. God gave me the ability to take a part of my brain and use it to say, no matter what happens there is something bigger than me and something that will always guide me through my life and because of that I love this being that I cannot touch, I cannot hug, and I cannot see. Yet, I love Him so very much. How extraordinary.
Knowing that God imagined me and I am, that means that he wants me to do something in this flesh. God wants me to be like him and to love him. God wants that and he went to the furthest links that anyone could go to in order to make sure that I love him because he first loved me. I cringe to think about how much sadness God must feel every day over the fact that so many people that he created and molded don’t love him back. Think back to the first time you were turned down for a date. You thought you loved that person and when they did not want you back remember how that felt. Now multiply that by millions and millions and millions and then you may be able to see just a glimpse of the hurt we as humans make God feel.
Not many people, including myself, know this but I used to be a bit of a heartbreaker. As I was trying to think about what to speak about at church tonight my father relayed a story to me when I went to pick my kids up from his house today. He informed me that when he called a physician in another town today that upon hearing his name (I am my father’s namesake) the receptionist mistook him for me. When hearing his age, she realized that it must be my father and promptly told him that she used to be in love with me but I never knew it because she was too timid. He didn’t get her name so I don’t know who this is nor can I think of any girl who expressed interest in me in my “formative” years that I didn’t promptly pay attention to. As I thought about this though and began writing this document again, I put the two together. How sad I must have made her feel by not noticing her or realizing that she was, as she put it, “in love” with me.
Fortunately, we serve a God who will notice and expects our love. A God who knows that numbers of hair on each of our heads. Let us make sure that God KNOWS we love him every minute of every day.
The second half of this deals with faith. I have faith in God and watching what happened to famous radio personality as he lost his son this past weekend and how he reacted and used it as a call action by God has only strengthened my faith in God. However, and I might be wrong for doing this, but I have found myself wondering the past week or two, does God have faith in me? If you take this question on its face the obvious answer is “yes, God knows you are there, he invented you.” But does God believe in me that no matter what comes my way I am going to stand firm for him as he does for me? Does God have faith in me? Am I not being given the opportunities to spread the gospel to the amount of people that I want to because God still lacks faith in me.? Is my church not growing because God doesn’t have faith in me or my congregation to handle the responsibility found in the great commission?
I go to the Bible for my answer. Mark Chapter 11 verses 12-14 and 20-24 shows us Jesus with his disciples when Jesus sees a fig tree. Jesus approaches this fig tree with hunger, hoping to find sustenance. The tree is leafy and shows promise but when Jesus looks upon the branches, he finds no fruit. The story continues to show Jesus cursing the fig tree and it withering away. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach his disciples a great tail of faith.
Let’s put ourselves in the place of that fig tree. Many of us claim to be Christians simply because we have accepted Jesus Christ as out Lord and Savior and attend church regularly. Some of us may even take active roles in our church services and leadership. You may appear leafy and beautiful on the outside and if you are bearing fruit, but when these leaves are lifted, what will be found. Have you bore any fruit?
Sure, those of us who are parents can say, “I have raised my children to be good Christians and to have faith in Jesus,” but is that the only fruit you have bore? How good is your fruit? When Jesus comes to take those children to start their own independent ministries and Christian walks, will this fruit be good? Can God have faith that you as a parent bore good fruit or have you let him down? It also seems that it would be unacceptable that once those children are picked from your care that you no longer bring forth fruit or have more fruit there already. If you look at the time when your children are gone as the end of your responsibility as a Christian or spiritual guide, you will find yourself withering away because you are no longer showing God that he can have faith in you to continue adding to his kingdom.
What about Sunday school teachers and class members? Can God have faith in you that as a whole, you are a fruitful tree? When one of you move away or change classes or simply fall away, can God have faith in your group continuing to ripen and the fruit you helped develop will seed into a new tree? Can God have faith in you?
When you ask yourself why does God not send me more opportunities to deliver the message of Jesus you should ask yourself if God can have faith in you to do this great work?
When you ask yourself why God does not help you relieve some of your financial burden, can you say that God can have faith that you will use monetary blessings to advance his kingdom.
When you ask yourself why your church does not grow through God sending you more opportunities to minister to people seeking him, can you say that God can have faith that your church will lead wanderers closer to Him?
These are all tough questions to ask but even tougher to answer. Only you really know that answer. Only you can look at the fruit (or lack there of) you are bearing and examine it for acceptability for God when he comes looking for those to place into service next.
I will conclude with an example from my clinical practice. I had a client about six months ago tell me that he does not pray anymore because he does not think God would listen to his prayers due to the wrongs he has done. After trying to teach him about the forgiving nature of God, I diagnosed him with the DSM IV disorder Spiritual Confusion and formulated parts of his treatment plan around this. In the six months since this has happened, he has come quite a long way in his spiritual life and is actually attending church and is stronger in his faith. As he discussed this with me today, I was quietly congratulating myself and telling myself, “job well done.” Then, out of nowhere he states that it is all due to his sister helping him with this problem and inspiring him to do better. I felt actual disappointment. This was a sin for me to feel this way. Satan allowed pride to creep into my head and when that ego was not stroked, I was crushed. Crushed over someone coming closer to God, but not giving me credit. I have since asked God to forgive me and prayed for similar opportunities to refine this aspect of my life. As I delivered there thoughts tonight in my church, I revealed this sin to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and I hope they all can learn from my mistake.
I tell that to make this point. I believe that God allowed this to happen to me today so that I could see an area where he may possibly lack faith in me. I learned from this instance that as long as I do not allow all glory to be given to God, I will never find happiness in helping someone in their spiritual life and I will eventually wither away because of my pride. This fruit may have blossomed on my branch, but I do not think that Jesus would want to come back to my tree for more fruit until I work this out with Him.
This is the most beautiful sermon I have ever heard in my life.
I am posting this link to the Rick and Bubba website which contains the most unbelievable sermon I ever heard. This speaker has just lost his toddler son and I can think of nothing else I can say. This will change you.
Rick Burgess, A Father's Love
If you choose to download this clip, it is large (30MB).
Here is the video divided into three clips.
Rick Burgess, A Father's Love
If you choose to download this clip, it is large (30MB).
Here is the video divided into three clips.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Are we obligated to hear outside viewpoints of the Bible?
I am writing this because I am very confused and disturbed over a conversation I had today. I was told today that a Church of Christ in my region has allowed an openly gay male who is married and cohabitating with another man to come into their church and teach a class on the gay lifestyle so that the people who are interested may "better understand" this lifestyle. WHAT???? Read it again, take it in. To make matters worse, when I voiced my disapproval over this matter and stated that this is wrong, I was painted as the bad guy. WHAT??? I was told that we, as Christians are OBLIGATED to learn about such matters. I have no idea in the Bible where we are obligated to learn about such lifestyles. I know that all sins are the same and that we are to try and avoid them all and help one another but we are specificalyl instructed in the Bible to remove people who continue to live in sin from our numbers. I did not ask if they were paying this gentleman with the church money to come and speak but I have a sneaking suspicion that they are.
Am I being close minded? I told this person that I would have gotten up and left, addressed my concern with the elders, and then approach this individual personally and try to show them the path of destruction they are walking down, as all of us are who knowlingly and intentionally live in sin. I am truly concerned over this church and I pray that they will realize their sin and stop this series of lectures. We are to go to the world and teach them, not bring them into the church and allow them to teach us.
I hope that I am wrong about this and I am jumping to a conclusion. The law is made for sodomites (1 Timothy 1:9-11); not for them to teach, but for us to teach to them and bring them to being whole. I pray that this church will not become what we are warned against in 2 Peter 2. Please leave your comments and strategies to help this church.
God Bless
Am I being close minded? I told this person that I would have gotten up and left, addressed my concern with the elders, and then approach this individual personally and try to show them the path of destruction they are walking down, as all of us are who knowlingly and intentionally live in sin. I am truly concerned over this church and I pray that they will realize their sin and stop this series of lectures. We are to go to the world and teach them, not bring them into the church and allow them to teach us.
I hope that I am wrong about this and I am jumping to a conclusion. The law is made for sodomites (1 Timothy 1:9-11); not for them to teach, but for us to teach to them and bring them to being whole. I pray that this church will not become what we are warned against in 2 Peter 2. Please leave your comments and strategies to help this church.
God Bless
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Pilgrim's Map of the Day
I hope that you are all having a good Saturday and know that your own pilgrim's map should lead you all to church tomorrow.
* First of all, if you are interested in theories of personality and life-span development jump into the post where I posted my latest paper on Erik Erickson and comment on the conversation that Eric and myself have engaged in. It's good stuff.
* Secondly, I was researching my presidential candidates yesterday and looked at Obama's church website that he claims membership in. I am making no statement about Obama but I must ask you all if the Bible ever approves making your worship to him specific for only one race or country? Read their mission statement.
* If you have not seen them, take a look at the pictures left in the destruction of the tornadoes on 01/10.
* Take the time to read this article from USA Today regarding Christians in America and leave your comments and solutions in the comment section.
* "Why don't you have musical instruments in the Church of Christ?" Who hasn't heard that question. The truth is that we do have musical instruments. It is the human voice. If you enjoy a capella singing take the time to read the two articles from Scientific American listed on the science of how God made this instrument to work. God is great.
First article
Second article (with sound clips)
* In really creepy news, read this article about a movement in England to declassify the Church of England as the official church of that nation. READ THE NUMBER OF THE BILL.
* First of all, if you are interested in theories of personality and life-span development jump into the post where I posted my latest paper on Erik Erickson and comment on the conversation that Eric and myself have engaged in. It's good stuff.
* Secondly, I was researching my presidential candidates yesterday and looked at Obama's church website that he claims membership in. I am making no statement about Obama but I must ask you all if the Bible ever approves making your worship to him specific for only one race or country? Read their mission statement.
* If you have not seen them, take a look at the pictures left in the destruction of the tornadoes on 01/10.
* Take the time to read this article from USA Today regarding Christians in America and leave your comments and solutions in the comment section.
* "Why don't you have musical instruments in the Church of Christ?" Who hasn't heard that question. The truth is that we do have musical instruments. It is the human voice. If you enjoy a capella singing take the time to read the two articles from Scientific American listed on the science of how God made this instrument to work. God is great.
First article
Second article (with sound clips)
* In really creepy news, read this article about a movement in England to declassify the Church of England as the official church of that nation. READ THE NUMBER OF THE BILL.
Communication in Marriage
Last night some married couples from our church began a six-week course of study on communication in marriage. First of all, thanks to Jason Jarrett for organizing and moderating last night's session. It is so nice to be around fellow Christians who reaffirm the fact that it is not just your marriage that has these problems. I love the Lord for the gift he has given me in my wife and in my children and I have no desire to do anything more than to lead my family spiritually. I wish I had had that goal from the beginning of my marriage with Joy. I have to say that this whole communication thing is difficult because I try to help very troubled, despondent, and sad individuals daily at work whose stories and situations make you just want to cry. I do not feel it would be appropriate to burden my wife with these stories or how sad I feel for many of these people so I rarely talk to my wife about my job. She knows that I feel this way and I think she respects that. On the other hand, my wife likes to tell me about her day most days and it makes me feel good when she does because it reaffirms our trust in one another to me. It's the days when she doesn't tell me about her day that worry me. I'm like "what did I do, are you mad?" Being married is great and I love my wife but communication is so hard. I hope that all who are reading this will take a close look at the communication in your marriage and try and improve any holes or barriers that you see in the communication with your spouse.
God Bless
God Bless
Thursday, January 10, 2008
I busted my hump on it, might as well share it
Well, I just finished typing my paper on Erik Erickson theory of personality. If you don't know, I am currently in grad school working on my masters in psychology and counseling. Erickson is by far my favorite of all the psychoanalysts because he stepped out of the psychosexual ideas and formulated a more continuous and wholesome theory of development. My favorite Erickson quote is regarding the fact that infants who develop well leave that stage of life with a sense of hope:
Anywho, at the risk of having my words put up for critique, if you are interested read this simple paper on Erickson's theory of personality/life-span development. I know it gets bloated at the end but I was limited to 3 pages in Word with one-inch margins across, and we do have certain questions we must answer.
"Hope is the most indispensable virtue in the state of being alive."
Anywho, at the risk of having my words put up for critique, if you are interested read this simple paper on Erickson's theory of personality/life-span development. I know it gets bloated at the end but I was limited to 3 pages in Word with one-inch margins across, and we do have certain questions we must answer.
Erik Erickson, who trained in the famous Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute with the father of psychoanalytic research Sigmund Freud as well as Freud’s daughter Anna, is today considered one of the most highly esteemed and most influential researchers of psychoanalysis. Through his years of work, Erickson published many books on the subject of psychoanalysis and revolutionized the field with the development and publication of his eight stage, life-spanning psychosocial theory of development. Erickson’s psychosocial theory is used in many treatment centers to this date.
1. What is the overall purpose/direction behind personality? From the standpoint of the individual, what is the general goal/goals they are trying to accomplish through their personality? Erickson believed that the purpose of personality or life-span development in humans stem from an individual’s facing a basic crisis and having to either grow or else fall behind. The crisis the individual faces is the epigenesis of the maturation. These basic crises occur when an individual’s ego is forced into contact with a new societal barrier. These barriers can range from a child beginning kindergarten to an adult beginning to worship at a new church.
This desire to be part of certain societal groups is a derivative of what Erickson believed was each individual’s desire to figure out what they believe as well as what they will or might become. This belief the individual is of course groomed from the beginning of their life and cues are taken from the primary care giver as an infant / child, then peers, then co-workers / adult peers etc…
2. Discuss the concepts of the theory that represent common aspects that all individuals share (what are the parts/elements of the theory?) Erickson brought to light the theory that all individuals pass through one of each of his eight stages as they grow and that healthy growth from this stage allows an easier adjustment when the next crisis occurs that will cause further growth. Making Erickson’s theory unique at the time was the fact that an individual does not simply pass through a stage and then leave it. Instead, Erickson felt that each stage served as a building block to the total personality of the individual with each advanced stage taking cues from the previous stage.
While not allotted the space to fully discuss all eight stages of Erickson’s theory of development it is important to briefly look at each stage. Erickson was careful not to restrain his theories to any specific age in an individual’s life (other than infancy) and felt that during these stages, individuals either grew productively and developed strengths and ritualizations or developed negatively and developed negative pathologies and ritualisms. These will be discussed later.
Erickson’s eight stages of development are infancy, early childhood, play age, school
age, adolescence, young adulthood, adulthood, and finally old age. As stated above, Erickson’s theory was that the growth in these stages has an epigenesis of facing a psychosocial crisis. Infancy must overcome basic trust vs. basic mistrust. The early childhood individual is faced with autonomy vs. shame and/or doubt. Play age children are faced with initiative vs. guilt and the school age child must battle industry vs. inferiority. The young adult faces the crisis of intimacy vs. isolation and the adulthood crisis is generativity vs. stagnation. Finally, in old age any further development is forced by the crisis of integrity vs. despair.
3. Discuss the theorists' ideas concerning the role of society in the development of personality and any developmental stages. Regarding the role of society in development, Erickson felt that each individual had a radius of significant relations. The role of society is very important in Erickson’s theory.
For the infant stage, the maternal person in the individual’s life is key to a positive outcome in this stage. The focus shifts from the maternal person to all parental persons during the early childhood stage. In play age, children look to their basic family for assistance in growth while the school age child receives guidance from their neighborhood and/or school. It is important to remember that Erickson’s theory was one of building blocks and that in each stage, the people key in the stage continue to have influence in the proceeding stages.
The adolescent’s radius of significant relations includes peer groups, out groups, and models of leadership. Young adults learn from partners in friendship, sex, competition, and cooperation where the adult grows with help from divided labor and a shared household. The individual in old age has significant relations with man kind in general.
4. Explain how the theory addresses individual differences in personality----what are the concepts/dimensions that the theorist utilizes to describe these individual differences (different outcomes/personality types)? Erickson’s differences in personalities stem from how well the individual navigates the crisis in each stage. Should the infant navigate successfully, hope is gained and a numinous ritualizaton. Should the infant make negative progress in this stage, pathology of withdrawal and a ritualism of idolism could develop. As the individual grows, positive outcomes ranging from will to wisdom develop while negative outcomes include legalism, compulsion, inhibition and dogmatism.
Pilgrims's Map of the Day
Are you all on the right path, try these links to help.
* I love Lifehacker and have now for about two years. They listed yesterday the top 10 underhyped webapps that you can't really call yourself "technologically savvy" unless you know about and use them (I made the last half of that sentence up and I didn't know about any of these).
*
Ever wanted to dress up like Christopehr Walken and do your own "More Cow Bell" sketch? Well then click the thumbnail and print out a full size cut out Walken mask. Running low on ink? Then do like me and just print out the thumbnail and make an awesome finger puppet. Oh the fun!
* As you may or may not know I do substance abuse counseling. I was sent this link today that really brings to light the hypocrisy of many Americans about "legal" as opposed to "illegal" drugs. Read on.
* Are people who will suffer in eternal torment a.k.a. HELL, not getting exactly what they want. Click here to have your thoughts tickled.
* And finally, watch this video of some guys doing stuff with a basketball and trampolines that are pretty amazing.
The Devils Acrodunk Mix-tape - Click here for funny video clips
* I love Lifehacker and have now for about two years. They listed yesterday the top 10 underhyped webapps that you can't really call yourself "technologically savvy" unless you know about and use them (I made the last half of that sentence up and I didn't know about any of these).
*
Ever wanted to dress up like Christopehr Walken and do your own "More Cow Bell" sketch? Well then click the thumbnail and print out a full size cut out Walken mask. Running low on ink? Then do like me and just print out the thumbnail and make an awesome finger puppet. Oh the fun!* As you may or may not know I do substance abuse counseling. I was sent this link today that really brings to light the hypocrisy of many Americans about "legal" as opposed to "illegal" drugs. Read on.
* Are people who will suffer in eternal torment a.k.a. HELL, not getting exactly what they want. Click here to have your thoughts tickled.
* And finally, watch this video of some guys doing stuff with a basketball and trampolines that are pretty amazing.
The Devils Acrodunk Mix-tape - Click here for funny video clips
Praying for Wisdom
WISDOM IS SEEING LIFE FROM GOD'S POINT OF VIEW!!!
I used this recent enlightment today on three seperate occassions to try and help people and myself so I might as well share it one more time. Thanks to Dale Jenkins this past weekend I learned that I need to be praying for wisdom. I pray for everything else but never for wisdom. Dale's refrence was James chapter 1 verses 5 and 6. He explained that in order for us to receive wisdom we must do three things:
1. Admit to our need at that time
2. Ask specifically for wisdom
3. Expect an answer, expect an answer, EXPECT an answer
Three easy steps that we can so easily mess up.
Guess what happens when we follow these steps though. God will give it continually, generously, and without finding fault. We serve a great God.
Since that day, I have used this new education and I can tell you all, it works. I hope that all of you will try.
God Bless
I used this recent enlightment today on three seperate occassions to try and help people and myself so I might as well share it one more time. Thanks to Dale Jenkins this past weekend I learned that I need to be praying for wisdom. I pray for everything else but never for wisdom. Dale's refrence was James chapter 1 verses 5 and 6. He explained that in order for us to receive wisdom we must do three things:
1. Admit to our need at that time
2. Ask specifically for wisdom
3. Expect an answer, expect an answer, EXPECT an answer
Three easy steps that we can so easily mess up.
Guess what happens when we follow these steps though. God will give it continually, generously, and without finding fault. We serve a great God.
Since that day, I have used this new education and I can tell you all, it works. I hope that all of you will try.
God Bless
9/11
Alright, I received the infamous viral/urban legend e-mail today that takes untrue facts and strings them together to make them all add to 11, then inaccurately quotes the quaran (that's right, I did not capitalize it), and then, in what I must admit is a really cool manipulation of Microsoft Word has you enter NY Q33 into a word document, increase the font to 48 and then change the font to webdings 1 causing a very creepy picture. It was neat and I did forward it to several friends (take that). I could go off on how easy it is to manipulate facts and scripture to say what we want it to say but I have a paper to write and I am going to stay off my soapbox.
That being said, fact is always scarier than fiction. So check these pictures of actual ads out that were published years ago. Talk about foreshadowing.
To see the full size images check out Copyranter.
That being said, fact is always scarier than fiction. So check these pictures of actual ads out that were published years ago. Talk about foreshadowing.
To see the full size images check out Copyranter.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Pilgrim's Map of the Day
Here are today's links for today that I thought were worth sharing.
Here is a great link to The Christian Chronicle and thier finding on the traits of a growing church. Also, click your state on the map to see how the church is growing (or shrinking) where you live.
I didn't grow up with an older brother but I have two sons who are 16 months apart in age. For some reason this video made me think of them.
Big Brothers Suck - Watch more free videos
I found two excellent posts as I read the Kingdom Living Blog's best of for 2007.
The first discusses the fact that the Church of Christ seems to refuse to discuss the Holy Spirit and his thoughts on why.
The second is a neat look at 10 rationalizations out of discipleship that are prevelant today.
THESE ARE BOTH MUST READS!!!!
God Bless you all.
Here is a great link to The Christian Chronicle and thier finding on the traits of a growing church. Also, click your state on the map to see how the church is growing (or shrinking) where you live.
I didn't grow up with an older brother but I have two sons who are 16 months apart in age. For some reason this video made me think of them.
Big Brothers Suck - Watch more free videos
I found two excellent posts as I read the Kingdom Living Blog's best of for 2007.
The first discusses the fact that the Church of Christ seems to refuse to discuss the Holy Spirit and his thoughts on why.
The second is a neat look at 10 rationalizations out of discipleship that are prevelant today.
THESE ARE BOTH MUST READS!!!!
God Bless you all.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Pilgrim's Map of the Day
Are you a fellow pilgrim, then follow this map of links to help find your way:
Follow this link to see some various pilgimage sites that different religions journey to. I haven't noticed any with streets of gold yet though.
Make sure you read this article written by Dave Bish on the necessity of us noticing just how evil we can be.
Read this Trey Morgan post about how our words affect others. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the simplest things.
Follow this link to see some various pilgimage sites that different religions journey to. I haven't noticed any with streets of gold yet though.
Make sure you read this article written by Dave Bish on the necessity of us noticing just how evil we can be.
Read this Trey Morgan post about how our words affect others. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the simplest things.
Something became obvious to me last night...
Last night at the Bible Bowl in Vernon, AL I realized something that I wish I had known before. You see, Vernon Church of Christ has the most beautiful acoustics in it and I could not wait to get up and lead a song with the congregation while the kids were back taking their test. My choice was Teach me Lord (Teach me lord to wait, down on my knees...) and I thought that it would be beautiful. I soon realized that myself and about two other people were the only ones singing and to make matters worse, for some reason the song in the book was on two seperate pages, that's right, you had to turn the page to see the rest of the song and then turn back at the start of the second verse. So, what did I learn from this you ask. I learned that if and when you have an opportunity to lead singing in a church where the average age of people is around 55, you had better lead a song that was writted PRIOR to 1965. I love soloists and I love singing, but it is much easier when you are expecting to sing solo. Thank you to my friend Matt Thigpen, the preacher at Sulligent Church of Christ who was there for trying to help me out.
ALRIGHT, NO LAUGING WILL BE TOLERATED
Watch the videos below to see our congregation and our ladies from church singing the "Women of the Bible" song that was the theme around the Women of the Bible fashion show our ladies at church entertained us with in December. My wife was Bathsheba so if any of you hear I have been sent off to war, it was nice knowing you. Stay off the roof honey (If you don't get the last two sentences, read your Bible because that was funny). Check out our church website soon for the pictures from this event (http://www.kingsvillechurchofchrist.com/)
Monday, January 07, 2008
The 9th Avenue Youth Rally
I feel that it would not be right to not write about and thank the 9th Avenue Church of Christ in Haleyville, AL http://www.9thavenuecofc.org/ for the wonderful youth rally they hosted this past weekend (Jan. 4th and 5th). I know that our kids from church received a great deal of knowledge and motivation due to this effort.
Adam Faughn, the youth minister there informed us that I think 273 people attended this study on the book of James. While I cannot speak as to what was taught in the children's classes, the adult class was taught by Dale Jenkins and he did a fantastic job. I feel as if I am a better person because of my attendance and I know for a fact that God was smiling down on this gathering. I can't wait until next year's rally.
Adam Faughn, the youth minister there informed us that I think 273 people attended this study on the book of James. While I cannot speak as to what was taught in the children's classes, the adult class was taught by Dale Jenkins and he did a fantastic job. I feel as if I am a better person because of my attendance and I know for a fact that God was smiling down on this gathering. I can't wait until next year's rally.
So it begins
I have been avoiding making a blog for a long, long time now but for some reason I feel compelled to begin one now, at the busiest part of my life. Go figure. What I hope to accomplish with this is to share my thougths and life with others in an honest hope that I may have something to say that can either brighten someone's day, encourage them to try and live a better life, or cause them to seek spiritual guidance from the one true God in Heaven.
I hope to add to this blog often and try and provide my own insights. One thing I have planned to do is to read through the Bible and post my own thoughts and questions that I encounter from my own readings. I also aim to share the joy that I have in my life due to my lovely wife Joy and our two wonderful sons Ethan and Luke as well as the beautiful relationships we have with our church family and friends. I hope that you will check back often and find enjoyment in this effort.
I hope to add to this blog often and try and provide my own insights. One thing I have planned to do is to read through the Bible and post my own thoughts and questions that I encounter from my own readings. I also aim to share the joy that I have in my life due to my lovely wife Joy and our two wonderful sons Ethan and Luke as well as the beautiful relationships we have with our church family and friends. I hope that you will check back often and find enjoyment in this effort.
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