Monday, June 09, 2008
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Salsa!
The birthday celebration continues! I really wanted to go salsa dancing for my birthday. I knew I wouldn't find anything for Wednesday night, of course, so I had been looking for Friday or Saturday. Anyways, after following several links, I found out that at the Nasher Sculpture Garden in Dallas (at the Nasher art Museum) they have summer concerts. And last night was a salsa band! How cool is that! So we went!
The concert was outside in the sculpture garden. 
They had a stage and sound system set up for the band. 
People brought their blankets to sit out on the lawn and listen to the music. 
And there was a space to dance in front of the stage on the grass. You can sure bet we danced! We had such a great time! We danced and danced. There was a photographer from the Nasher there to take pictures of the event for their publication and he asked to take pictures of us while we were dancing! haha!
Of course, I don't have any pictures of us dancing, but here are a few we took.
This one we set the automatic timer on the camera and the only surface we had was on the bench. But it makes for a good view of my shoes! =)
Like I said, we had a blast! We were hot, sweaty, and tired when we left - which means it was a good night dancing.
The concert was outside in the sculpture garden. 
They had a stage and sound system set up for the band. 
People brought their blankets to sit out on the lawn and listen to the music. 
And there was a space to dance in front of the stage on the grass. You can sure bet we danced! We had such a great time! We danced and danced. There was a photographer from the Nasher there to take pictures of the event for their publication and he asked to take pictures of us while we were dancing! haha!Of course, I don't have any pictures of us dancing, but here are a few we took.
This one we set the automatic timer on the camera and the only surface we had was on the bench. But it makes for a good view of my shoes! =)Like I said, we had a blast! We were hot, sweaty, and tired when we left - which means it was a good night dancing.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
My first quarter Century
Yesterday I completed my first quarter century on earth. Yesterday was my 25th birthday! Yay! I had a great day and enjoyed many birthday wishes, cards, some ice cream, and gifts. One of my friends took me out for ice cream after our supervision at the school and Josh and I went to dinner yesterday evening. We might still do more celebrating this weekend...we are working on coordinating schedules and stuff.
Last night we also spent a while playing with one of my presents. My dad got me a new digital camera! The one we had, while still acceptable, is now 4 years old and is somewhat grumpy at times. Josh has had several occasions in which it would not turn on. Now we have a fancy new one! And this camera is amazing! Not only does it take beautiful pictures, but it has so many features for different lighting, focus, etc. Also, it has picture editing...right on the camera!
Here are some of the results:
(note: the pictures might look a little low-quality. That is because we used the down-sizing feature on the camera for easy emailing and uploading. We took the pics at 10 megapixles and then down-sized for the upload.)
Okay, here we are in the first one. Yay for birthday!
Now, check out Josh's smile in this second one! There is a feature on the camera to enhance smiles! Isn't that hilarious! There is also a retro edit to the photo to give it that old-picture style with black around the edges.
Okay, now check out my smile enhancement!
First, here I am, not smiling too widely.
But then....haha! Isn't that crazy! Do you like the blur-the-edges effect?
All of this was done on our camera! There is also a red-eye correction and several other blurring/editing effects. Another feature is the smile shutter. When you put that on, the camera will wait until a smile appears on the face of the person in focus and then it will take the picture. We played with that for a while, too. I sat on the couch with no smile, then would laugh quickly and it would take a picture! and another when I smiled again!
You can also play a slideshow on the camera with music of the pictures you have taken. I just can't believe all of this! So much fun! Just thought I would give everyone some laughs today!
Smile big....gottcha!
Last night we also spent a while playing with one of my presents. My dad got me a new digital camera! The one we had, while still acceptable, is now 4 years old and is somewhat grumpy at times. Josh has had several occasions in which it would not turn on. Now we have a fancy new one! And this camera is amazing! Not only does it take beautiful pictures, but it has so many features for different lighting, focus, etc. Also, it has picture editing...right on the camera!
Here are some of the results:
(note: the pictures might look a little low-quality. That is because we used the down-sizing feature on the camera for easy emailing and uploading. We took the pics at 10 megapixles and then down-sized for the upload.)
Okay, here we are in the first one. Yay for birthday!Now, check out Josh's smile in this second one! There is a feature on the camera to enhance smiles! Isn't that hilarious! There is also a retro edit to the photo to give it that old-picture style with black around the edges.
Okay, now check out my smile enhancement!
First, here I am, not smiling too widely. But then....haha! Isn't that crazy! Do you like the blur-the-edges effect?
All of this was done on our camera! There is also a red-eye correction and several other blurring/editing effects. Another feature is the smile shutter. When you put that on, the camera will wait until a smile appears on the face of the person in focus and then it will take the picture. We played with that for a while, too. I sat on the couch with no smile, then would laugh quickly and it would take a picture! and another when I smiled again!
You can also play a slideshow on the camera with music of the pictures you have taken. I just can't believe all of this! So much fun! Just thought I would give everyone some laughs today!
Smile big....gottcha!
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
More Memphis
We also went out to Mud Island on the Mississippi. They have built a scaled model of the river showing which states it passes through, the cities on the river, and the depth of the river along the way.
It was really cool! You could walk through the "Mississippi!" And it was neat to see the different cities along the river as it flowed through different states.
This is one of the beginnings of the Miss. If you look closely you can see a little dam in front.
So that was another educational part of our vacation. =)
All in all we recommend Memphis for a weekend vacation. Let us know if you decide to go, we just might come along! =)
It was really cool! You could walk through the "Mississippi!" And it was neat to see the different cities along the river as it flowed through different states.
This is one of the beginnings of the Miss. If you look closely you can see a little dam in front.So that was another educational part of our vacation. =)
All in all we recommend Memphis for a weekend vacation. Let us know if you decide to go, we just might come along! =)
Monday, June 02, 2008
Memphis Trip
Josh and I decided, on a whim, to go to Memphis for Memorial Day weekend. We had so much fun! We decided on Memphis because we had never been there and found a great direct flight there. 
This is at a park downtown. There was almost always some band set up playing. It was so fun to walk by, stop for a bit, and hear some live music.
This is a scene from downtown on Beale street. The buildings were all old and it had that quaint, old-town feel.
This is the first radio station that allowed Black men to be announcers.
Here we are with Elvis! He still looks good, huh?
This is us after dinner one night walking on Beale Street. This is where all the action happened. They block off the street at night so that it is one big pedestrian walkway. People just stroll up and down, getting something to drink, stopping to hear music. There were people set up playing on the corners, down alleys, and in almost all the restaurants. So fun!
We loved getting to hear music everywhere we went. We even danced in the street one time and danced on the patio of another restaurant.
On our first day there we went to the Rock n Soul Museum. It was a great museum and really helped us understand more of the history of soul and blues. It gave us an appreciation for Memphis and all the history that took place here. We got to hear about the greats like Elvis, BB King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, and more.
We also went out to Graceland while we were there (Elvis' house). But we did not end up going on any of the tours. Just to tour the mansion it would have cost us $50! We were not that interested. So instead we found a pop-up book of the Presley mansion and took our "tour" that way! =) We got to see lots of pictures in the gift shops, see his planes, one of his cars, some of his jumpsuits, and a few of his suits. Pretty crazy how much of a theme park it is. Oh, and we did go in Heartbreak Hotel, which was pretty much just bright and bold with Elvis' face everywhere. =)
I'll put a few more pictures on the next post and what else we did.
This is at a park downtown. There was almost always some band set up playing. It was so fun to walk by, stop for a bit, and hear some live music.
This is a scene from downtown on Beale street. The buildings were all old and it had that quaint, old-town feel.
This is the first radio station that allowed Black men to be announcers.
Here we are with Elvis! He still looks good, huh?
This is us after dinner one night walking on Beale Street. This is where all the action happened. They block off the street at night so that it is one big pedestrian walkway. People just stroll up and down, getting something to drink, stopping to hear music. There were people set up playing on the corners, down alleys, and in almost all the restaurants. So fun!We loved getting to hear music everywhere we went. We even danced in the street one time and danced on the patio of another restaurant.
On our first day there we went to the Rock n Soul Museum. It was a great museum and really helped us understand more of the history of soul and blues. It gave us an appreciation for Memphis and all the history that took place here. We got to hear about the greats like Elvis, BB King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, and more.
We also went out to Graceland while we were there (Elvis' house). But we did not end up going on any of the tours. Just to tour the mansion it would have cost us $50! We were not that interested. So instead we found a pop-up book of the Presley mansion and took our "tour" that way! =) We got to see lots of pictures in the gift shops, see his planes, one of his cars, some of his jumpsuits, and a few of his suits. Pretty crazy how much of a theme park it is. Oh, and we did go in Heartbreak Hotel, which was pretty much just bright and bold with Elvis' face everywhere. =)
I'll put a few more pictures on the next post and what else we did.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Pictures
Here are a few more pictures from Josh's graduation weekend that I am just getting to:
The Seefeldt family after graduation! We are all dressed up and looking cute! Josh's grandparents were here for graduation too. 
My dad and me looking at other students' architecture projects at UTA. There was a graduation reception and classwork displayed. Josh's stuff wasn't there, but there was some other cool stuff.
With our friends, Clayton and Holly Chisum after dinner for graduation. They drove up from Cleburne to celebrate with us. Holly is due in mid-June! Yay! They are having a girl. Their son, Corban (the one from the crate picture) is almost 2 1/2.
This is Josh's cardboard chair that he made for a class. It usually sits in our dining room. It is made entirely of cardboard and is not glued together. The pieces all just slide together. Pretty cool!
Friday night at the Stockyards. On the left of the picture are Josh's brother and sister, Michael and Laurie, and on the right is my brother Matt and my mom.
The Seefeldt family after graduation! We are all dressed up and looking cute! Josh's grandparents were here for graduation too. 
My dad and me looking at other students' architecture projects at UTA. There was a graduation reception and classwork displayed. Josh's stuff wasn't there, but there was some other cool stuff.
With our friends, Clayton and Holly Chisum after dinner for graduation. They drove up from Cleburne to celebrate with us. Holly is due in mid-June! Yay! They are having a girl. Their son, Corban (the one from the crate picture) is almost 2 1/2.
This is Josh's cardboard chair that he made for a class. It usually sits in our dining room. It is made entirely of cardboard and is not glued together. The pieces all just slide together. Pretty cool!
Friday night at the Stockyards. On the left of the picture are Josh's brother and sister, Michael and Laurie, and on the right is my brother Matt and my mom.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Raising the Awareness, Part 2
Quotes from women about what worked to end the violence in their lives:
"Realize that it happens not to poor, retarded and uneducated people - but to your neighbor, your friends."
"The best advice I have for other battered women is to seek counseling. I sought counseling through the local mental health clinic after which I regained self-confidence and self-esteem. Prior to counseling, I believed it was my lot in life to accept the situation."
"My advice for battered women is "quit kidding yourself that the violence will stop." Seek legal counsel or a therapist who deals with battered women."
"My advice is to realize that you as a person have worth. Have faith in yourself and realize there is a better life for you somewhere - LEAVE! Promises are nice, but they rarely come true. There are sure to be people out there who love you and will help you in your new life."
(from Ending the Violence by Lee Bowker, 1998. pg 101.)
This book is based on research from the experiences of 1,000 battered wives the author surveyed. It talks about how women who are battered are not just beaten physically and sexually. They are also beaten psychologically, repeatedly told they are no good, that no one would love them, that they are lucky to have a husband or boyfriend. They are basically brainwashed into believing they deserve what they get, are less than a human, and have no hope for any other type of life. This is one of the reasons that leaving the abusive situation becomes difficult. Many women actually come to believe this is the life they deserve.
Just by being aware of this fact we can help women around us, even if we don't know they are being beaten. Be an encourager! Get to know the shy, reserved woman and tell her good things about herself. Be sincere and be consistent. She won't believe it at first. One of the videos I watched about escaping domestic violence was a vignette to demonstrate the stories of many women. In this story the woman had one friend (her husband kept her isolated) who continued to tell her how smart she was, how pretty she looked, how creative she was, and how many opportunities she could have for the future. This made her a safe person - a person who respected and valued the woman for who she was.
Let's be those kind of people for others around us.
And let's educate ourselves about the resources available - crisis phone numbers, shelter numbers - so that we can pass that on to someone in need.
"Realize that it happens not to poor, retarded and uneducated people - but to your neighbor, your friends."
"The best advice I have for other battered women is to seek counseling. I sought counseling through the local mental health clinic after which I regained self-confidence and self-esteem. Prior to counseling, I believed it was my lot in life to accept the situation."
"My advice for battered women is "quit kidding yourself that the violence will stop." Seek legal counsel or a therapist who deals with battered women."
"My advice is to realize that you as a person have worth. Have faith in yourself and realize there is a better life for you somewhere - LEAVE! Promises are nice, but they rarely come true. There are sure to be people out there who love you and will help you in your new life."
(from Ending the Violence by Lee Bowker, 1998. pg 101.)
This book is based on research from the experiences of 1,000 battered wives the author surveyed. It talks about how women who are battered are not just beaten physically and sexually. They are also beaten psychologically, repeatedly told they are no good, that no one would love them, that they are lucky to have a husband or boyfriend. They are basically brainwashed into believing they deserve what they get, are less than a human, and have no hope for any other type of life. This is one of the reasons that leaving the abusive situation becomes difficult. Many women actually come to believe this is the life they deserve.
Just by being aware of this fact we can help women around us, even if we don't know they are being beaten. Be an encourager! Get to know the shy, reserved woman and tell her good things about herself. Be sincere and be consistent. She won't believe it at first. One of the videos I watched about escaping domestic violence was a vignette to demonstrate the stories of many women. In this story the woman had one friend (her husband kept her isolated) who continued to tell her how smart she was, how pretty she looked, how creative she was, and how many opportunities she could have for the future. This made her a safe person - a person who respected and valued the woman for who she was.
Let's be those kind of people for others around us.
And let's educate ourselves about the resources available - crisis phone numbers, shelter numbers - so that we can pass that on to someone in need.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Raising the Awareness
I've started my training at the women's shelter in Tarrant County, SafeHaven. Before I started reading and watching videos there, I did not know how prevalent domestic violence is. Here are some stats I got online:
So why don't they leave?
Well, that gets complicated. I'll explain more as I learn more. Often times the women do leave. The general stat is that a battered woman will leave 7 times before she actually breaks away for good. Something like 75% of women killed by their intimate partners were killed when they tried to leave.
What can we do?
Be aware! Understand that it could be anyone, any woman you know!
Understand that domestic violence is a crime!
There is a poster in the waiting room of our counseling office that says: "You wouldn't hesitate to call 911 if your neighbor's house was on fire."
The implication is: then why don't you call when you hear someone getting hurt?
Don't hide behind the excuse of "It's not my business what goes on in that house." If your daughter were getting beat up, you would want someone to call the police, right?
Teach our boys to be men who know how to handle their anger. Teach them to respect others, not control and dominate.
Teach our girls that no one can mistreat them. Teach them that love does not include manipulation, fear, and violence.
Develop churches and communities of genuine care for one other.
- Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.
- Intimate partner violence made up 20% of all nonfatal violent crime experienced by women in 2001.
- In 2000, 1,247 women and 440 men were killed by an intimate partner. In recent years, an intimate partner killed approximately 33% of female murder victims and 4% of male murder victims.
- Of the almost 3.5 million violent crimes committed against family members, 49% of these were crimes against spouses.
- 84% of spouse abuse victims were females, and 86% of victims of dating partner abuse at were female.
- Males were 83% of spouse murderers and 75% of dating partner murderers
- 50% of offenders in state prison for spousal abuse had killed their victims. Wives were more likely than husbands to be killed by their spouses: wives were about half of all spouses in the population in 2002, but 81% of all persons killed by their spouse.
- Only about half of domestic violence incidents are reported to police. African-American women are more likely than others to report their victimization to police.
- The most common reasons for not reporting domestic violence to police are that victims view the incident as a personal or private matter, they fear retaliation from their abuser, and they do not believe that police will do anything about the incident.
- Even with this dramatic under-reporting, domestic violence calls constitute approximately half of all violent crime calls to police departments. For example, 49% of the violent crime calls received by the DC Metropolitan Police Department in 2000 were for domestic violence incidents.
So why don't they leave?
Well, that gets complicated. I'll explain more as I learn more. Often times the women do leave. The general stat is that a battered woman will leave 7 times before she actually breaks away for good. Something like 75% of women killed by their intimate partners were killed when they tried to leave.
What can we do?
Be aware! Understand that it could be anyone, any woman you know!
Understand that domestic violence is a crime!
There is a poster in the waiting room of our counseling office that says: "You wouldn't hesitate to call 911 if your neighbor's house was on fire."
The implication is: then why don't you call when you hear someone getting hurt?
Don't hide behind the excuse of "It's not my business what goes on in that house." If your daughter were getting beat up, you would want someone to call the police, right?
Teach our boys to be men who know how to handle their anger. Teach them to respect others, not control and dominate.
Teach our girls that no one can mistreat them. Teach them that love does not include manipulation, fear, and violence.
Develop churches and communities of genuine care for one other.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Whirlwind week
It has been one of those weeks that is over before you even realized you got started. Last weekend was fun and exciting - and busy. I crashed on Sunday afternoon on the couch for a couple of hours - and I rarely do that. Monday we hit the ground running. Joshua started back to work full-time and I began juggling my job at the church and two internships and all the other things I usually do - cooking, errands, cleaning (in theory).
Monday was long as I first had a client in the morning and then tried to finish planning for my church event Wednesday evening. Tuesday I had to go back into the office to try to finish everything (which did not happen) and then spent all afternoon seeing clients. When I got home that night I still have stuff to type and print for the Wednesday night event. Wednesday morning I went over to the women's shelter counseling center in the morning to start my long training process. It was a little overwhelming to see how much training I had to do before I could start seeing clients. Then I had to rush over to school for my supervision class there, only to be told how much work is expected of me for that class. I was already starting to feel the beginnings of a cold, so I was feeling wiped and overwhelmed. However I had gotten a couple of phone calls about my event that night that I had to scramble to figure out. I tried to take a quick nap when I got home to be refreshed for that night, only to be bombarded with phone calls. Wednesday night we didn't get home until 11pm after my event - which did go well by the way. Thursday I spent ALL day at the women's shelter counseling center trying to get this training done. Friday I woke up feeling sick and yet still needing to go back to the WSCC to work on that training.
Last night I couldn't sleep due to feeling sick and having so much on my mind. Today I have done pretty much nothing - I had to miss a friend's baby shower and lunch plans with other friends because I need to rest and really didn't feel like getting up. It's just a cold, but this cold has knocked me out. The worst is that I can't sleep very well. Grr. I hate being sick because it wastes time.
I read that cherries are a natural source of melatonin, which helps you sleep. So I might be getting some cherry juice for tonight.
Monday was long as I first had a client in the morning and then tried to finish planning for my church event Wednesday evening. Tuesday I had to go back into the office to try to finish everything (which did not happen) and then spent all afternoon seeing clients. When I got home that night I still have stuff to type and print for the Wednesday night event. Wednesday morning I went over to the women's shelter counseling center in the morning to start my long training process. It was a little overwhelming to see how much training I had to do before I could start seeing clients. Then I had to rush over to school for my supervision class there, only to be told how much work is expected of me for that class. I was already starting to feel the beginnings of a cold, so I was feeling wiped and overwhelmed. However I had gotten a couple of phone calls about my event that night that I had to scramble to figure out. I tried to take a quick nap when I got home to be refreshed for that night, only to be bombarded with phone calls. Wednesday night we didn't get home until 11pm after my event - which did go well by the way. Thursday I spent ALL day at the women's shelter counseling center trying to get this training done. Friday I woke up feeling sick and yet still needing to go back to the WSCC to work on that training.
Last night I couldn't sleep due to feeling sick and having so much on my mind. Today I have done pretty much nothing - I had to miss a friend's baby shower and lunch plans with other friends because I need to rest and really didn't feel like getting up. It's just a cold, but this cold has knocked me out. The worst is that I can't sleep very well. Grr. I hate being sick because it wastes time.
I read that cherries are a natural source of melatonin, which helps you sleep. So I might be getting some cherry juice for tonight.
Friday, May 16, 2008
He did it!
Joshua is officially a graduate - twice! He has now graduated with his Master in Architecture. I'm so proud of him! He did an amazing job getting this degree in two years while working for an architecture firm here in Arlington. He made great grades, completed all projects, missed very few classes, and got several job offers along the way. Joshua has a God-given ability in architecture and it shows in his work. He has also excelled at his job and has been given promotions (more responsibilities) several times over these two years. His bosses of course want him to stay and are trying to get him to commit for as long as they can keep him there.
Here he is getting his hood, a recognition of being a graduate degree candidate.
Last Friday Joshua graduated from UT Arlington. Our families came up for the event. We had the graduation and then a celebration dinner all together. I think we had about 16 people at the restaurant! So fun! On Saturday morning I planned a graduation party for friends from our church to get to celebrate with us. A lady from our church hosted the party and made delicious waffles! It was fun getting to show everyone Josh's work and letting our families meet some of our friends.
Here we are with Josh's parents.
Congratulations to Joshua!
Here he is getting his hood, a recognition of being a graduate degree candidate.Last Friday Joshua graduated from UT Arlington. Our families came up for the event. We had the graduation and then a celebration dinner all together. I think we had about 16 people at the restaurant! So fun! On Saturday morning I planned a graduation party for friends from our church to get to celebrate with us. A lady from our church hosted the party and made delicious waffles! It was fun getting to show everyone Josh's work and letting our families meet some of our friends.
Here we are with Josh's parents.Congratulations to Joshua!
Monday, May 05, 2008
Movie Pick
I wanted to recommend a movie rental for anyone interested. On Saturday night we watched "Dear Frankie." You can find it in the foreign section because it's a Scottish film (so fun accents). We really didn't know what to expect but loved the movie. I'm contemplating buying it - and I don't buy many movies (in fact, I think we own under 10 DVDs). It's a little taste of life that most of us know nothing about. There are no inappropriate nudity or sexual scenes or innuendos. I think there is only one scene with "colorful" language - and it is used to reveal the true character of one of the characters.
So two thumbs up!
So two thumbs up!
Bummed
I'm bummed. I broke one of our crystal pitchers we got for our wedding. I know it's just a "thing" and that it's not important in the long run. I know that the good news is no one got hurt. It's just frustrating, you know?
I had washed it and set it on the counter to dry. I knew it was a slightly precarious position, so I was planning on moving it. But then Joshua got home from renting a movie and I was trying to heat up the pasta sauce, get the veggies out of the skillet, drain the pasta, get everything on the plates, and get into the living room so our food wouldn't get cold before we could eat it. I totally forgot about the pitcher...until we heard the crash.
That's what's even more frustrating. It was out of stupidity. It didn't break because I was saving a child from touching a hot stove or putting out a kitchen fire or frantically binding a cut finger. Nope. I was just dumb. Grrr.
I had washed it and set it on the counter to dry. I knew it was a slightly precarious position, so I was planning on moving it. But then Joshua got home from renting a movie and I was trying to heat up the pasta sauce, get the veggies out of the skillet, drain the pasta, get everything on the plates, and get into the living room so our food wouldn't get cold before we could eat it. I totally forgot about the pitcher...until we heard the crash.
That's what's even more frustrating. It was out of stupidity. It didn't break because I was saving a child from touching a hot stove or putting out a kitchen fire or frantically binding a cut finger. Nope. I was just dumb. Grrr.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
He's almost graduating!
Since Josh graduates in less than a week, we decided to take his graduation robe and hood out of their packages today. We had many laughs, however, when he tried it on. The robes for Master's graduates are a little different - and weirder - than undergraduate robes. The sleeves have strange hanging down points. And for graduate degrees you also wear a hood. The hood is strange too and Joshua had trouble figuring it out.
Me: Honey, you know those don't go on your head, right?
Josh: But it could!
For those of you who have seen that black and white visual allusion picture in which you can see either a young woman looking away or an old woman with a big nose, doesn't Josh look eerily like the old woman? =)
This is the one that has kept me laughing. It is so funny! Josh's hands are in the weird pointy-hangy parts of the sleeves.
We'll just call it "Graduate victory dance."
It's been a pretty entertaining Saturday!
Don't worry - he will look very professional and distinguished next Friday at the graduation ceremony. (But we know the real Josh!) heehee!
Me: Honey, you know those don't go on your head, right?
Josh: But it could!
For those of you who have seen that black and white visual allusion picture in which you can see either a young woman looking away or an old woman with a big nose, doesn't Josh look eerily like the old woman? =)This is the one that has kept me laughing. It is so funny! Josh's hands are in the weird pointy-hangy parts of the sleeves.
We'll just call it "Graduate victory dance."
It's been a pretty entertaining Saturday!
Don't worry - he will look very professional and distinguished next Friday at the graduation ceremony. (But we know the real Josh!) heehee!
Friday, May 02, 2008
It is moments like this that I wish I were not such a planner.
It would be nice to be an easy-going, take-it-as-it-comes kind of person. I try really hard to be like that sometimes, but it's not working right now. And I have to work hard at it. Planning has it's advantages - things get done, schedules get figured out, people get places.
However, at this moment I'm a bit overwhelmed. I'm doing two internships this summer. I've been trying to get my hours at each location and figure out when I'm doing what. And it's not easy. Probably I will have to figure it out completely once I start. But I would like to know more right now! One of my supervisors is hard to get in touch with and at the other location I already have clients with set times. So that means I have limited flexibility at one place and little information from the other. Not good for planning.
It takes much effort for me to remind myself to trust God in what He has planned for me. I do trust Him - but sometimes it takes all my strength. I just want everything set up and perfect. You would think I would have learned by now that it doesn't work that way!
So I'm trying not to stress. Trying to take one day at a time. Trying to be patient and wait until I can talk in person with people. And hoping that I don't let anyone down or overwhelm myself with too much work.
Not a restful time for an overachiever!
It would be nice to be an easy-going, take-it-as-it-comes kind of person. I try really hard to be like that sometimes, but it's not working right now. And I have to work hard at it. Planning has it's advantages - things get done, schedules get figured out, people get places.
However, at this moment I'm a bit overwhelmed. I'm doing two internships this summer. I've been trying to get my hours at each location and figure out when I'm doing what. And it's not easy. Probably I will have to figure it out completely once I start. But I would like to know more right now! One of my supervisors is hard to get in touch with and at the other location I already have clients with set times. So that means I have limited flexibility at one place and little information from the other. Not good for planning.
It takes much effort for me to remind myself to trust God in what He has planned for me. I do trust Him - but sometimes it takes all my strength. I just want everything set up and perfect. You would think I would have learned by now that it doesn't work that way!
So I'm trying not to stress. Trying to take one day at a time. Trying to be patient and wait until I can talk in person with people. And hoping that I don't let anyone down or overwhelm myself with too much work.
Not a restful time for an overachiever!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Today we had a picnic for the counseling department at the house of one of my professors. It's usually a good time hanging out with friends, relaxing, and eating good food. Joshua was one of the skilled grillers.
(Like the Starbucks aprons? Haha!)
And this is Hana, my co-counselor for this semester. She is from South Korea. I only have one more week with her until she gets a new co-counselor and I leave to do my internship. Exciting happenings.
Okay, back to homework!
(Like the Starbucks aprons? Haha!)And this is Hana, my co-counselor for this semester. She is from South Korea. I only have one more week with her until she gets a new co-counselor and I leave to do my internship. Exciting happenings.
Okay, back to homework!
Friday, April 25, 2008
the light
The end is so close I can almost taste it!
Joshua graduates very soon. Before he can, however, he has a project, a presentation, and a final. He'll be ready.
My semester ends even sooner. But before I'm home-free I've got two papers (one of which is a book review for a book I still have to finish reading) and a comprehensive final. And by comprehensive, I mean comprehensive over my whole counseling career. Yikes.
Almost...there...keep...going...
Joshua graduates very soon. Before he can, however, he has a project, a presentation, and a final. He'll be ready.
My semester ends even sooner. But before I'm home-free I've got two papers (one of which is a book review for a book I still have to finish reading) and a comprehensive final. And by comprehensive, I mean comprehensive over my whole counseling career. Yikes.
Almost...there...keep...going...
running
I've started running again. Last Friday I did about 2 miles (with some walking in the middle) and about the same over the next few days. Today I did 2.5 miles with no walking. Yes!
I haven't run in a while. I'm really not a runner. In the Fall of 2003 I was convinced by a friend to train for a half marathon. Before that time I hadn't run over a mile. Around the time that I was up to 10 miles in my training, a couple weeks before the race, I got tendinitis in my ankle and had to stop. I was really disappointed. I've tried to run off and on since then. Recently my knees hurt afterwards and I'm almost crippled if I don't ice them. Like I said, I'm not really a runner.
But I'm trying again. So we'll see how it goes.
I haven't run in a while. I'm really not a runner. In the Fall of 2003 I was convinced by a friend to train for a half marathon. Before that time I hadn't run over a mile. Around the time that I was up to 10 miles in my training, a couple weeks before the race, I got tendinitis in my ankle and had to stop. I was really disappointed. I've tried to run off and on since then. Recently my knees hurt afterwards and I'm almost crippled if I don't ice them. Like I said, I'm not really a runner.
But I'm trying again. So we'll see how it goes.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Funny Disgusting Story
I totally forgot to tell you about this disgusting story. It happened several weeks ago.
On a Sunday night Josh and I had gotten back from our Perspectives class, so it was about 10pm. Josh went to check the mail (why on a Sunday night?). Our mailbox is right outside our front door on the wall. So he was leaning out the door checking the mail. All of a sudden I heard breaking branches and crashing noises and thought "Oh no, what is falling?"
Joshua jerks back inside as a loud "thump" hits the front sidewalk. I was thinking some branches were falling. But when Josh slammed the front door I knew it was something else. We cautiously opened the front door and there on the front walk, maybe 3 feet from us, are two possums tangled together. Nasty! One was biting at the neck of the other, both lying on their sides. I can see its nasty little face even now. I wanted to shut the door, but of course Joshua wanted to keep looking. We couldn't tell if they had been fighting and fell from the trees or if they were mating. But neither one was moving very much. And with the sound of the thump with which they hit the ground, I figured they were goners.
We did shut the door and turned off the porch light (so they wouldn't be attracted to it?) and finished getting stuff together downstairs. All the time I was wondering what we were going to do with two dead possums. Or, if they really were fighting, what are we going to do with the one that loses? Josh couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened if they had fallen on his head!
Before heading upstairs to bed we checked outside one more time. Both possums were gone! The only trace of this disgusting encounter was a small tuft of fur that had come out of one of them. Unsolved Mystery.
(I guess it could be solved if we find baby possums soon)
On a Sunday night Josh and I had gotten back from our Perspectives class, so it was about 10pm. Josh went to check the mail (why on a Sunday night?). Our mailbox is right outside our front door on the wall. So he was leaning out the door checking the mail. All of a sudden I heard breaking branches and crashing noises and thought "Oh no, what is falling?"
Joshua jerks back inside as a loud "thump" hits the front sidewalk. I was thinking some branches were falling. But when Josh slammed the front door I knew it was something else. We cautiously opened the front door and there on the front walk, maybe 3 feet from us, are two possums tangled together. Nasty! One was biting at the neck of the other, both lying on their sides. I can see its nasty little face even now. I wanted to shut the door, but of course Joshua wanted to keep looking. We couldn't tell if they had been fighting and fell from the trees or if they were mating. But neither one was moving very much. And with the sound of the thump with which they hit the ground, I figured they were goners.
We did shut the door and turned off the porch light (so they wouldn't be attracted to it?) and finished getting stuff together downstairs. All the time I was wondering what we were going to do with two dead possums. Or, if they really were fighting, what are we going to do with the one that loses? Josh couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened if they had fallen on his head!
Before heading upstairs to bed we checked outside one more time. Both possums were gone! The only trace of this disgusting encounter was a small tuft of fur that had come out of one of them. Unsolved Mystery.
(I guess it could be solved if we find baby possums soon)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
almost there
Once again we are in the final throws of the semester. And in more ways than one do I mean final. Joshua graduates in about 3 weeks! And I finish classwork in 3 weeks. The light is there...
But as everyone knows, that means that right now we are swamped getting everything done. Joshua is currently attending some architectural meeting in Dallas as an assignment for one of his classes. Then he has to head straight to his night class (late, of course) until 10pm. Long night. I am currently working on completing my professional portfolio. It's pretty much finished, but I'm being picky and re-doing parts to make it better.
I'm writing about things like:
Of course, I still have to read another book for theology and write a book review. And finish my paper on salvation. And prepare for my counseling session on Tuesday night.
Whew!
It will be good to have the semester behind us.
But as everyone knows, that means that right now we are swamped getting everything done. Joshua is currently attending some architectural meeting in Dallas as an assignment for one of his classes. Then he has to head straight to his night class (late, of course) until 10pm. Long night. I am currently working on completing my professional portfolio. It's pretty much finished, but I'm being picky and re-doing parts to make it better.
I'm writing about things like:
- an assessment of my development as a counselor
- the relationship between theology and behavioral science
- my mission statement for counseling
- core assumptions (like how humans know what they know, what influences lack of well-being, etc)
- and my overall view of counseling
Of course, I still have to read another book for theology and write a book review. And finish my paper on salvation. And prepare for my counseling session on Tuesday night.
Whew!
It will be good to have the semester behind us.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Weather Woes
More crazy weather in the Metroplex. Yesterday American Airlines canceled something like 1000 flights. And this morning they canceled another 900. We have had massive wind and rainstorms the past couple of days.
Well, Josh was supposed to fly out to Monterrey, Mexico with the pastor and some guys from our church. But that didn't happen. One flight was canceled and they tried to get on another, only to have that one delayed and delayed and finally canceled. There are no other available flights this weekend.
So that's a disappointment. Now instead of being in Mexico eat tamales Josh is sitting in his Thursday night class. =(
But we trust that God has other plans and reasons why they did not need to go to Mexico.
Well, Josh was supposed to fly out to Monterrey, Mexico with the pastor and some guys from our church. But that didn't happen. One flight was canceled and they tried to get on another, only to have that one delayed and delayed and finally canceled. There are no other available flights this weekend.
So that's a disappointment. Now instead of being in Mexico eat tamales Josh is sitting in his Thursday night class. =(
But we trust that God has other plans and reasons why they did not need to go to Mexico.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
discovery
Last week had been a pretty busy week and then Friday I went to a ladies retreat while Joshua went on a boys camp-out. So by Sunday afternoon we decided it was time to do something fun together. I decided I wanted to make oatmeal raisin cookies. As we pulled out our baking ingredients, we realized that we didn't have any eggs. Not one to be deterred so quickly, I searched online for a vegan recipe (since they don't use dairy products) and found some for oatmeal raisin cookies. It turns out you can substitute mashed bananas for eggs. How cool is that?
And the result? Absolutely delicious! Couldn't tell!
Now, we didn't follow the vegan recipe exactly because we used butter (the recipe called for applesauce). But I think it was a pretty cool discovery.
And the result? Absolutely delicious! Couldn't tell!
Now, we didn't follow the vegan recipe exactly because we used butter (the recipe called for applesauce). But I think it was a pretty cool discovery.
Hailstorm
We had a HUGE hailstorm last night. The weather reports had been saying there would be rain in the evening, but we didn't see anything for a while. A little after 11pm (yes, we were still up) it started pouring and then we could hear what sounded like little hail. Then all of a sudden it sounded like rocks were being thrown against our window and covered parking area. When we looked outside, the street was covered in hail!
I tried to take some pictures, but I could get any through the window, since it was dark, and when I opened the door I got wet. So no pictures. But trust me when I say there was a lot of hail and big pieces!
And then just as suddenly it all stopped and we went to sleep.
I tried to take some pictures, but I could get any through the window, since it was dark, and when I opened the door I got wet. So no pictures. But trust me when I say there was a lot of hail and big pieces!
And then just as suddenly it all stopped and we went to sleep.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Pictures
Look! We found a new place to live and really spread out!
Haha! Just kidding! These are really pictures from our camping trip. This is from the Historical Penn Farm that we visited at the State Park.
We tried to blaze our own trail through the woods. We only ended up with scratches on our legs and a muddy dog. Josh washed him off.
Aw, what a cute family! Now, before I start getting any comments and remarks, let me make a few things clear.
1. Yes, we really like our dog and enjoy having him with us.
2. No, we do not think he's our kid nor is he serving as a child substitute.
3. Yes, we do buy toys for him and play with him.
4. No, we do not dress him up nor let him sleep on any bed.
5. Yes, he is a wonder-dog.
6. No, you cannot have him. =)
Haha! Just kidding! These are really pictures from our camping trip. This is from the Historical Penn Farm that we visited at the State Park.We tried to blaze our own trail through the woods. We only ended up with scratches on our legs and a muddy dog. Josh washed him off.
Aw, what a cute family! Now, before I start getting any comments and remarks, let me make a few things clear.1. Yes, we really like our dog and enjoy having him with us.
2. No, we do not think he's our kid nor is he serving as a child substitute.
3. Yes, we do buy toys for him and play with him.
4. No, we do not dress him up nor let him sleep on any bed.
5. Yes, he is a wonder-dog.
6. No, you cannot have him. =)
Spring Break
The rest of our Spring Break was spent right around here. We had a kind of 'lay-low' week, watched a couple of movies, tried to do homework. On Friday we went camping out at Ceder Hill state park. I had not ever been camping at a location like this - it was more like "park-and-camp" than what I imagine as camping. And there was a burn-ban in effect but there was a lot of rain Tuesday night so the hiking trails were closed due to mud. Talk about caught in the middle. So it wasn't necessarily a fantastic camping trip, but it was a nice time out of the house, enjoying the sun and no distractions.
On Saturday after we got back from camping we dyed Easter eggs with a lady from our church and two Taiwanese boys she knows. They are Buddhist, but their mom let them come to church for Easter Sunday to get to experience Easter. Pretty cool.
We spent Easter lunch with friends of mine from seminary. I have been in classes with the wife since coming to seminary and they invited us over for lunch. It was nice to get to share the holiday with someone.
And then Spring Break was over.
On Saturday after we got back from camping we dyed Easter eggs with a lady from our church and two Taiwanese boys she knows. They are Buddhist, but their mom let them come to church for Easter Sunday to get to experience Easter. Pretty cool.
We spent Easter lunch with friends of mine from seminary. I have been in classes with the wife since coming to seminary and they invited us over for lunch. It was nice to get to share the holiday with someone.
And then Spring Break was over.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Rocks and Caves
This past weekend we went to visit Josh's parents in Kerrville. Josh's brother Michael is living out there now, too and Laurie came out for the weekend from San Antonio, so we were all there together. On Saturday afternoon we went out to Enchanted Rock. Grandma Seefeldt told us it is the second largest rock in the nation. Josh and I had not ever been out there before but Laurie had several times and said we needed to do the caves, too, while we were there.
Here is the rock. This is not what I had in mind. If you ask me, this is closer to a mountain than a rock.
So you hike up this rock, which can be a little steep at times, and get an amazing view.
It was a good trek walking up. Not too difficult, but you definitely had to remember to drink your water. And please be friendly to everyone you meet along the way.
So we got to the top and looked around. Then Laurie directed us to the caves. Now, when someone says 'caves,' I think of a passageway in the rock that you can walk through, maybe ducking or squeezing by protruding rocks at points. Laurie did warn us that there were tight places and that it is completely dark inside the caves (we took flashlights) and she did say we would have to crawl through some places. But still I did not imagine what this cave was going to be like.
Here is Josh at the opening to the caves, getting ready to go in.
One last look at daylight before plunging in. See how happy and excited we are!
So the caves are really more like a small tunnel under and through the rocks in which you have to contort your body into all kinds of gymnastics positions to get through. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. There were only a few contortion moments. I can't remember how many times Michael and I said "This is stupid" during the hour long trek. Michael also commented on how dangerous it was. And it's true! If you were to get stuck or hurt under there, I don't know what you could do. There certainly is no way you could get a medic team down there.
See?
But all in all it was fun. Great chance to put our problem solving skills to work as we figured out how to climb over a rock without hitting the ceiling or how to pass a flashlight so that all could see their feet. I ended up having to hold the flashlight in my teeth several times so I could use my arms and my feet to work through some tight spots. We made it all the way through! (Of course, you really had to make it through once you got started because there was no way to get back past a certain drop off.)
Would I do it again? Yes. Would I still think it is a stupid thing to do? Probably.
One thing we were surprised about is the total lack of park rangers or guides anywhere around the rock or near the caves. It was pretty much a free-for-all once you pay your entrance fee. After our adventure under the rock and after Michael commented several times on how dangerous it was, we saw this sign on our way out.
Yeah, thanks.
Here is the rock. This is not what I had in mind. If you ask me, this is closer to a mountain than a rock.
So you hike up this rock, which can be a little steep at times, and get an amazing view.
It was a good trek walking up. Not too difficult, but you definitely had to remember to drink your water. And please be friendly to everyone you meet along the way.
So we got to the top and looked around. Then Laurie directed us to the caves. Now, when someone says 'caves,' I think of a passageway in the rock that you can walk through, maybe ducking or squeezing by protruding rocks at points. Laurie did warn us that there were tight places and that it is completely dark inside the caves (we took flashlights) and she did say we would have to crawl through some places. But still I did not imagine what this cave was going to be like.
Here is Josh at the opening to the caves, getting ready to go in.
One last look at daylight before plunging in. See how happy and excited we are!So the caves are really more like a small tunnel under and through the rocks in which you have to contort your body into all kinds of gymnastics positions to get through. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. There were only a few contortion moments. I can't remember how many times Michael and I said "This is stupid" during the hour long trek. Michael also commented on how dangerous it was. And it's true! If you were to get stuck or hurt under there, I don't know what you could do. There certainly is no way you could get a medic team down there.
See?But all in all it was fun. Great chance to put our problem solving skills to work as we figured out how to climb over a rock without hitting the ceiling or how to pass a flashlight so that all could see their feet. I ended up having to hold the flashlight in my teeth several times so I could use my arms and my feet to work through some tight spots. We made it all the way through! (Of course, you really had to make it through once you got started because there was no way to get back past a certain drop off.)
Would I do it again? Yes. Would I still think it is a stupid thing to do? Probably.
One thing we were surprised about is the total lack of park rangers or guides anywhere around the rock or near the caves. It was pretty much a free-for-all once you pay your entrance fee. After our adventure under the rock and after Michael commented several times on how dangerous it was, we saw this sign on our way out.
Yeah, thanks.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Snow and more snow
*Note: I tried to post this yesterday and I had trouble. So I'm just posting it now.
For Texas in March, we have had quite a bit of snow lately. Monday night it started snowing around 8pm. When I walked the dog at 8am there were still mounds of snow on cars and all in the grass - which is impressive considering that the sun was out and it was in the 40s.
Yesterday, Thursday, a winter storm blew through here. We heard on the radio that morning that there was 100% chance of rain and snow - which we laughed at because 100% sounds goofy. But sure enough, by 11am it was raining hard and not long after that it was sleeting. Then it started snowing and sleeting. The sidewalks at school got frozen and the flowerbeds were all white. Cars had a layer of ice on them. Then it would go back to raining, then sleeting, then raining...you get the picture.
When I got home at 5:30pm this is what our street looked like
And our "backyard"
There was a good layer of ice on stuff and it was cold, cold, cold.
By 11am the next day, Friday, the snow began to melt. But Friday was still a pretty cool day. By now you would not have known there was snow just two days ago.
For Texas in March, we have had quite a bit of snow lately. Monday night it started snowing around 8pm. When I walked the dog at 8am there were still mounds of snow on cars and all in the grass - which is impressive considering that the sun was out and it was in the 40s.
Yesterday, Thursday, a winter storm blew through here. We heard on the radio that morning that there was 100% chance of rain and snow - which we laughed at because 100% sounds goofy. But sure enough, by 11am it was raining hard and not long after that it was sleeting. Then it started snowing and sleeting. The sidewalks at school got frozen and the flowerbeds were all white. Cars had a layer of ice on them. Then it would go back to raining, then sleeting, then raining...you get the picture.
When I got home at 5:30pm this is what our street looked like
And our "backyard"
There was a good layer of ice on stuff and it was cold, cold, cold.By 11am the next day, Friday, the snow began to melt. But Friday was still a pretty cool day. By now you would not have known there was snow just two days ago.
Crate Training
Josh and I have been really impressed at how well crate training (or kenneling) Sammy has gone. He seems to like his crate and it works well when we travel to visit our parents because he always has his little place. We occasionally muse about how great it would be to crate train our kids someday...and usually people laugh at us.
Well, for all you skeptics out there....
See, it can be done!
In fact, this little guy was so well trained that we didn't even have to tell him to "get in his crate," he just jumped right in and shut the gate himself. And he was perfectly content.
Really, he did go right in. This is our friends' son, Corban. They stopped by on their way to the airport and while we were all talking Corban ran around the house playing with Sammy and then jumped in Sammy's crate and lay down. Sammy wasn't too sure about that.
Well, for all you skeptics out there....
See, it can be done!
In fact, this little guy was so well trained that we didn't even have to tell him to "get in his crate," he just jumped right in and shut the gate himself. And he was perfectly content.
Really, he did go right in. This is our friends' son, Corban. They stopped by on their way to the airport and while we were all talking Corban ran around the house playing with Sammy and then jumped in Sammy's crate and lay down. Sammy wasn't too sure about that.
Friends are great!
A few weeks ago (I'm late posting this one) a good friend of ours from A&M was visiting in the Metroplex and took us to dinner. Adam Fields was my Impact Camp partner for the summer after my freshman year of college and we were friends all through college. His family lives in Kerrville, so sometimes we get to see him when we are out that way. We met him at a little Mexican food restaurant (Shelley, it's the one you and I used to meet at!) in Duncanville. Great food, great stories, great time visiting with an old friend. 
Thursday, February 28, 2008
About Sunday
Okay, I'll end the suspense! But I did have fun with it. =)
Background: Our church currently meets at a community center in Arlington. We do not have a building and are renting the space. So occasionally during the year we have voting booths partly blocking the children's "wing" or other clubs coming in to meet right after us. So, I got a text message on Saturday night from the office manager/ministry coordinator at our church. She was letting us know that Bill Clinton was having a rally on Sunday morning at the park by this community center. The streets were going to be blocked off at parts of the park, there were going to be people everywhere, parking would be a mess, secret service would be around, and we were still having service.
We pulled up Sunday morning and sure enough it was a madhouse. The parking lots were almost full and there were policemen directly traffic. People were lined up in the park waiting for Bill and police were everywhere watching. Inside the building was no better. It was an early voting weekend so the voting booths were up, which meant we had to be careful with the flow of parents and kids going to kids' church. Throughout the morning we had several people coming into the building looking for the rally. There was even one secret service guy who was lost looking for the rally.
The really cool thing was that several people came to our church service because they were already there. We saw them with their campaign signs sitting through the service. And I know that people who were voting got to hear the worship songs proclaiming the goodness of our God. Talk about a testimony. Pretty cool. Those are the times when I am glad we are in a public place where we can share through our worship who He is.
So, did Josh and I get to see Bill. No. But our friend did. Did we vote early? Yes. Did we vote for Hillary? My parents taught me to not tell who you voted for...but you can probably guess.
That's the Sunday story.
Background: Our church currently meets at a community center in Arlington. We do not have a building and are renting the space. So occasionally during the year we have voting booths partly blocking the children's "wing" or other clubs coming in to meet right after us. So, I got a text message on Saturday night from the office manager/ministry coordinator at our church. She was letting us know that Bill Clinton was having a rally on Sunday morning at the park by this community center. The streets were going to be blocked off at parts of the park, there were going to be people everywhere, parking would be a mess, secret service would be around, and we were still having service.
We pulled up Sunday morning and sure enough it was a madhouse. The parking lots were almost full and there were policemen directly traffic. People were lined up in the park waiting for Bill and police were everywhere watching. Inside the building was no better. It was an early voting weekend so the voting booths were up, which meant we had to be careful with the flow of parents and kids going to kids' church. Throughout the morning we had several people coming into the building looking for the rally. There was even one secret service guy who was lost looking for the rally.
The really cool thing was that several people came to our church service because they were already there. We saw them with their campaign signs sitting through the service. And I know that people who were voting got to hear the worship songs proclaiming the goodness of our God. Talk about a testimony. Pretty cool. Those are the times when I am glad we are in a public place where we can share through our worship who He is.
So, did Josh and I get to see Bill. No. But our friend did. Did we vote early? Yes. Did we vote for Hillary? My parents taught me to not tell who you voted for...but you can probably guess.
That's the Sunday story.
Anger revisited
So my group presented on Tuesday night over anger. Apparently it was a hit with the class - everyone I have run into has said it was great. (Well, all the students, not the profs) It's good to have that over with. But, after a comment from a friend on the previous post about anger, I will elaborate a bit about it.
As I said before, anger is a normal human response and an attribute of God. Nahum 1:2,3:
The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;
the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The LORD takes vengeance on his foes
and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.
Thanks for reading!
As I said before, anger is a normal human response and an attribute of God. Nahum 1:2,3:
The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;
the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The LORD takes vengeance on his foes
and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.
So, we see that God demonstrates anger. His is a holy and just anger, not ever selfish or inappropriate. We have been created in God's image (Gen 1:26) and therefore have some of God's attributes in us. However, we are also selfish and tend to seek our own motives and our own good in situations. Therefore, our anger is often short-sighted, selfish, inappropriate to the situation, and inappropriately expressed.
James 1:19, 20 says to be slow to anger because the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. It does not say anger is bad, but being short-tempered is not what will bring about the good things of God.
Proverbs 29:11 says a fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Hmmm...self-control. Not only fruit of the Spirit but also a sign of wisdom.
Ephesians 4:26 says not to sin in your anger and not to let your anger dwell. Don't hold onto it! Easier said than done for some of us (myself included). But the Lord knows that bitterness grows when we dwell on anger.
So what do we do about it?
- First, recognize it for what it is. A normal human emotion. An emotion that sometimes masks other emotions like fear or pain. An emotion that can, and should, be controlled.
- Learn to confess your anger to God, not because anger is a sin, but because you have only your limited perspective and could be missing the big picture.
- Learn to express yourself in healthy, helpful ways. One way to do this is through "I" statements like "I feel hurt when you say those things because it seems like you don't care about my feelings."
- Develop a lifestyle of forgiveness. Not merely "sweeping things under the rug," but actively forgiving others.
- Develop an outlook of thankfulness. It's hard to be angry with you are thankful for what you have and what God has done for you.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Once
Okay, so Josh just told me about the song that won best song at the Academy Awards. It's from a movie called "Once." My brother gave me the movie for Christmas and although the language is really bad (giving it an R rating) the movie itself is good. Almost the whole things is music. And it's set in Ireland, so the people all have accents. Very cool. Anyways, I really like that song and am thrilled it won!
Just in case anyone was wondering...
Just in case anyone was wondering...
Quite a weekend
This weekend started out by us offering to keep our friend's maltese dog named Pria. Little did we realize how "yappy" little dogs really are. She's a very cute little dog and very friendly, but she "talks" non-stop. No kidding. Even when all the lights are out and Sammy is sleeping and we are trying to sleep. Pria lies there on her bed going "yap..yap.......yapyap" until Josh turns on a fan just to drown her out. She's not even barking at anything! Just talking. Poor Josh couldn't sleep very well. As far as Sammy goes, he tolerated her but they are definitely not buddies.
On Saturday we visited a Hare Krishna temple with people from our Perspectives course. This is a religion from India, basically a branch of Hinduism. It was a very interesting experience. They have 7 worship ceremonies at the temple each day and devotees (Krishna followers) are supposed to pray a chant-type prayer a thousand times a day. It was sad for us to think about the bondage they are in striving after an idol, repeating chants over and over hoping to draw close to this god.
We went to an Indian food restaurant for dinner afterwards which was delicious! For dessert there was mango pudding and rice pudding. I have to say I loved them both! The mango pudding was bright orange and I was a little nervous about trying it, but after one bit I wanted a gallon to take home with me. =)
On Sunday...
Well, I'll tell you about that famous person later...
On Saturday we visited a Hare Krishna temple with people from our Perspectives course. This is a religion from India, basically a branch of Hinduism. It was a very interesting experience. They have 7 worship ceremonies at the temple each day and devotees (Krishna followers) are supposed to pray a chant-type prayer a thousand times a day. It was sad for us to think about the bondage they are in striving after an idol, repeating chants over and over hoping to draw close to this god.
We went to an Indian food restaurant for dinner afterwards which was delicious! For dessert there was mango pudding and rice pudding. I have to say I loved them both! The mango pudding was bright orange and I was a little nervous about trying it, but after one bit I wanted a gallon to take home with me. =)
On Sunday...
Well, I'll tell you about that famous person later...
Friday, February 22, 2008
Quick school update. Not that anyone is really interested, I'm sure, but this way I have something to post. This week I have hardly done anything but school.
I am currently in the middle of a group project for my counseling practicum. We have to do a presentation about anger. (The irony is beautiful since group projects usually get me pretty angry.) We are to present a biblical view of anger and explain how to counsel someone in anger management type of stuff. It's been pretty interesting. One thing that was interesting was to find that anger is talked about in the Bible as much as love. Anger is one of God's attributes which means it is not a sin in itself because God is holy. Rather, our responses in anger are what causes problems. In regards to human anger the Bible usually cautions against it, since we often have selfish aims or see the situation incompletely and respond in anger. However, anger can be helpful when it motivates us against injustice. But be slow to anger, recognizing that our anger does not accomplish the things of God (James 1:19-20).
So, I'm writing a short paper about this. On Saturday we are getting together to record an example of a counseling session. Should be interesting. We have it totally scripted. haha - and our "clients" are pretty much model clients. We present on Tuesday and then this thing is over. Yay.
If you have any questions about anger, I'm your girl.
I am currently in the middle of a group project for my counseling practicum. We have to do a presentation about anger. (The irony is beautiful since group projects usually get me pretty angry.) We are to present a biblical view of anger and explain how to counsel someone in anger management type of stuff. It's been pretty interesting. One thing that was interesting was to find that anger is talked about in the Bible as much as love. Anger is one of God's attributes which means it is not a sin in itself because God is holy. Rather, our responses in anger are what causes problems. In regards to human anger the Bible usually cautions against it, since we often have selfish aims or see the situation incompletely and respond in anger. However, anger can be helpful when it motivates us against injustice. But be slow to anger, recognizing that our anger does not accomplish the things of God (James 1:19-20).
So, I'm writing a short paper about this. On Saturday we are getting together to record an example of a counseling session. Should be interesting. We have it totally scripted. haha - and our "clients" are pretty much model clients. We present on Tuesday and then this thing is over. Yay.
If you have any questions about anger, I'm your girl.
Friends!
So I am a bit behind in posting. This week has been very very busy for me. And it's not over yet. This weekend will probably be crazy too. But I'll try to do a quick update.
Last Saturday our friend Liz, formerly Schroeder, was in the Dallas area with her husband visiting from New York. I hadn't seen her since her wedding a year ago, and then only briefly (she was a little busy at the time). Another friend from college, Hannah, drove up from Austin on Saturday so that the three of us could have lunch and catch up. It was so fun to see them again and hear how things are going. I met Liz before classes started our freshman year at A&M. We were friends all through college, though it became a long-distance friendship when she first went to Germany for a year and then transferred to NY. While I studied abroad in Spain I was able to make a trip to Germany to visit here, which was just a joy! And now she's married and living in NY and I don't ever get to see her. =(
Here we are at lunch. Yes, we took a picture in McAlisters. Unfortunately the server was not as good of a photographer as he thought he was (notice the slight blurriness) but we are thankful he took the picture. It was an awful cold and thunderstormy day, but full of happy memories.
I love you guys!
Last Saturday our friend Liz, formerly Schroeder, was in the Dallas area with her husband visiting from New York. I hadn't seen her since her wedding a year ago, and then only briefly (she was a little busy at the time). Another friend from college, Hannah, drove up from Austin on Saturday so that the three of us could have lunch and catch up. It was so fun to see them again and hear how things are going. I met Liz before classes started our freshman year at A&M. We were friends all through college, though it became a long-distance friendship when she first went to Germany for a year and then transferred to NY. While I studied abroad in Spain I was able to make a trip to Germany to visit here, which was just a joy! And now she's married and living in NY and I don't ever get to see her. =(
Here we are at lunch. Yes, we took a picture in McAlisters. Unfortunately the server was not as good of a photographer as he thought he was (notice the slight blurriness) but we are thankful he took the picture. It was an awful cold and thunderstormy day, but full of happy memories.I love you guys!
Friday, February 15, 2008
I've been reading Queen Noor's (the queen of Jordan) autobiography, Leap of Faith. It has been very interesting. I have to admit that I don't know much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or for that matter much about the conflicts that have occurred in the past 30 years in the Middle East. It has been interesting reading about it from her perspective and reading about what her husband, King Hussein, tried to accomplish. (Not Saddam Hussein, King Hussein of Jordan). So now I am very curious about reading other perspectives to have a more well-rounded idea of the situation. So if anyone has any suggestions of other books to read, let me know.
Queen Noor is an American from Arab-American descent who married King Hussein in 1978 and became the Queen of Jordan. She converted to Islam right before her marriage. She worked to improve the situations of poverty, nature conservation, and increasing education and the natural resources and arts of Jordan. She was King Hussein's fourth wife. They had 4 kids together and then with all the other stepchildren, they had like 14 kids. King Hussein passed away from cancer in 1998 or 1999 (my book is upstairs).
Anyways, that is a little bit about what I am reading these days. That and textbooks and books for understanding how to help my clients in counseling. I think I'm reading about 6 books right now. And I love reading, so it's all good!
Queen Noor is an American from Arab-American descent who married King Hussein in 1978 and became the Queen of Jordan. She converted to Islam right before her marriage. She worked to improve the situations of poverty, nature conservation, and increasing education and the natural resources and arts of Jordan. She was King Hussein's fourth wife. They had 4 kids together and then with all the other stepchildren, they had like 14 kids. King Hussein passed away from cancer in 1998 or 1999 (my book is upstairs).
Anyways, that is a little bit about what I am reading these days. That and textbooks and books for understanding how to help my clients in counseling. I think I'm reading about 6 books right now. And I love reading, so it's all good!
Friday, February 08, 2008
Humbled
I'm learning, unfortunately sometimes the hard way, how important prayer is for counseling. And I don't say this lightly. Before starting my practicum I would have said "Of course prayer is important. We want God to do the work." And that's still true. But it's amazing to see what that really means.
I have found that praying just before the session or praying on my way to the session or really even in the morning during my devotional time is not enough. It makes me think of the story in Mark 9 when the disciples tried to cast out a demon out of a little boy and could not. Jesus could, of course, and did. When asked why the disciples could not cast out the demon Jesus replied that that kind would only come out by prayer (and some translations say "and fasting"). No doubt the disciples said a quick prayer before trying to cast out the demon. But Jesus was explaining that it is a matter of lifestyle - a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and spiritual disciplines.
It's almost as if I've been saying to the Counselor, the One who created us and knows everything about us, "Hey, come along with me to the session and help me out if I get stuck. Otherwise, I got this one. We'll tag-team it."
It's amazing how much you can know with your head and not follow with your feet.
I have to say that I am grateful to be involved in a profession that requires dependence on the Lord in an obvious way. I think I need obvious. Otherwise I tend to get pretty comfortable with what I can do.
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength...Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:20-25, 31 (emphasis mine)
I have found that praying just before the session or praying on my way to the session or really even in the morning during my devotional time is not enough. It makes me think of the story in Mark 9 when the disciples tried to cast out a demon out of a little boy and could not. Jesus could, of course, and did. When asked why the disciples could not cast out the demon Jesus replied that that kind would only come out by prayer (and some translations say "and fasting"). No doubt the disciples said a quick prayer before trying to cast out the demon. But Jesus was explaining that it is a matter of lifestyle - a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and spiritual disciplines.
It's almost as if I've been saying to the Counselor, the One who created us and knows everything about us, "Hey, come along with me to the session and help me out if I get stuck. Otherwise, I got this one. We'll tag-team it."
It's amazing how much you can know with your head and not follow with your feet.
I have to say that I am grateful to be involved in a profession that requires dependence on the Lord in an obvious way. I think I need obvious. Otherwise I tend to get pretty comfortable with what I can do.
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength...Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:20-25, 31 (emphasis mine)
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