reminiscing

There's a snow cone stand near our school. As I was leaving work today, I noticed several of the kids from our school had purchased snow cones. It made me think of when I was a kid and I would beg mom and dad for some extra money to buy snacks at school. Getting an ice cream or a coke at the snack bar was a huge treat. We usually purchased lunches from the school cafeteria. Only the "rich" kids got to eat in the snack bar every day. Also, during the summers, we would ride our bikes to the nearest convenience store to buy candy and drinks. I was so excited to be able to go. I was excited to be able to buy Nerds or Sweet Tarts or whatever. It totally made my day. Now that I'm grown up (begin laughter now), it's so much harder to appreciate and get excited by stuff like that. I can easily go to the bank, get a $20, and buy myself a snow cone. There is no longer the anticipation, the wondering if I'll be turned down (by my parents for money), and the pure joy of knowing getting a snack is special. God has blessed me in so many ways. But I think this gives me a little bit more insight into "Blessed are the poor..."

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Welcome Baby Will

My second nephew was born yesterday at 1:43 p.m. My older sister didn't take nearly as long as she took when delivering my first nephew. I believe this little guy resembles his father much more than his older brother. He weighed 10 lbs. 0.7 ounces, and he was 19 3/4 inches long. It's interesting to watch my older nephew interact with his younger brother. He definitely knows that this new little guy is taking a lot of our attention. He really wants to touch him and generally get to know him; however, we adults don't let him do what he wants to do. We're too afraid he'll hurt the little guy. Maybe we're too cautious. Maybe it would be best to allow Gabe to touch him - I don't think the baby will break. But our fear keeps us from letting that happen. Hopefully, it'll all work out. I'm sure it will.

I pray that little Will grows up knowing how much God loves him and how much we love him too. I pray that he grows up knowing his strengths and realizing all of his potential. Welcome to the world.

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OK...OK...I know it's been a while

Teaching my theories course ended last Thursday. Preparation for lecturing every week kept me really busy. I really do have much greater appreciation now for college professors. The students in my class did well. All of them ended up with A's or B's. If someone had made a C in the course, they would have had to retake it.

Also, this past weekend was my younger sister's graduation from ACU. I am really proud of her. She was even mentioned by Dr. Money as he addressed the class. Yup, she's one of those kids. Anyway, the day was made a bit awful by a few new friends of mine named Giardia. That's right folks, I am carrying amoebic parasites. I figure I got them from going to Mexico at the end of March, but I can't be sure. They have done a number on my GI tract for about a week and a half. Thankfully, I am now on antibiotics and doing much better.

Finally, for those of you who don't know, I totaled my truck a couple of weeks ago while on my way to church. Long story short: hydroplaned, fishtailed, did a 180, and came to a halt on some big boulders that were landscaping for Golden Corral. I'm OK, but I'm now searching for a FUEL EFFICIENT vehicle. I mean $3.70 per gallon, really!!

So what now you ask. Well folks, it's the same old song. I need to write my dang dissertation: the bane of my existence. However, I was inspired some by watching the ACU faculty walking in the processional at the ACU graduation. Long, flowy robes are cool...they remind me of Harry Potter!!

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Busy and Scared

Teaching the theories course on Thursday nights has been taking up a lot of my time lately. Preparing for last week's class was particularly time consuming because I had to prepare lectures for two chapters. I am discussing classical psychoanalysis on Thursday night, and it is a complex theory. Anyway, I can honestly say that I am having a blast teaching. I love discussing theory, and I hope that I pass on my passion for this subject to the students.

I realize that the time I have in my current job is limited. I know that when I finish my doctorate I will want to be employed by a university somewhere. However, I really love the job I have right now. Working with middle school kids is fun. There are big transitions that happen between the 6th and 8th grade years. It is fun to be a part of kids' lives when they are going through that particular stage of development. Some stuff happened at work today that makes me want to actively seek this next stage in my life. Hopefully, by next week, I will have sent my resume' to some contacts that I have. That scares me a little...but being scared usually causes action...and that action could lead me to a much better place.

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Almost 32

Alright everybody, my birthday is on Thursday, the 17th, and I'm not afraid to say that I think it's important that everyone remember that. Thirty-one seems quite uneventful. I do remember that last year on my birthday, school got cancelled because of an ice storm. That was pretty cool. They're forecasting a "wintry mix" on Thursday morning, but not anything that will stick. I will begin teaching a theories course on Thursday night. That means three hours of reviewing the history of counseling on my birthday...can you say good times!! I know that 32 will be better than 31 because I will become an uncle again in May. Also, if you pray for me and I get off my lazy butt, I might finish my dissertation before I'm 33. Wouldn't that be cool? And with that dissertation comes possibilities of a new job and new residence - all sorts of stuff. Yes, I believe I should be looking forward to this one. I hope all is well with you.

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The Last Days of 2007

I'm preparing for a class I will be teaching next semester. I will be teaching counseling theories to students beginning their master's coursework to become counselors. In preparing for this class, I have just finished reading A Primer of Freudian Psychology by C.S. Hall. While I was reading this book, my appreciation for Freud grew. I really want to get across the idea of Freud's groundbreaking, novel ideas to students. I know Freud is probably one of the most criticized persons in history, but to theorize about the mind and personality like he did over a hundred years ago astounds me.

As I was reading about anxiety, frustration, tension, and cathexis, I wondered about my own happiness and what battles my id, ego, and superego were involved in. Freud postulated that for an individual to be using a defense mechanism, this must be unconscious to the individual. So, those of us who say, "well, I'm just projecting" or something similar would actually be wrong (according to psychoanalysis). In order for one to be using a defense mechanism, one is unaware of it. Now, one could become aware of use of defense mechanisms through psychoanalytic work, but this is not done without the help of a psychoanalyst. Most other theories of psychotherapy give more responsibility and ability to the person to be in control of his or her intrapsychic processes.

Allow me some pseudo-free association:

I thought about my happiness. When I was thinking, I reflected that much of my happiness was brought about by doing things. It then led me to think of how I am tricked into believing my happiness comes about from things that I do or accomplish or acquire. I then thought of how I had heard people talk about contentment or joy versus happiness - that the former are states rather than acquisitions. I asked, "Am I content?" or "Am I joyful?" I don't know. I will tell you that I think being happy seems to be more fun - the emotional energy tied to happiness seems greater than that tied to the other two. However, I wonder if I would say that if I had truly experienced the other two.

I hope 2008 brings more contentment and joy. Let's pray for that. I hope each one of you has a blessed end of year and a happy new one.

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Eight friends from college

I have eight friends from college that I have kept up with for the past ten years. These are the guys that meant the most to me during my years at ACU. I talked to one of them tonight for about an hour. Ever since we graduated, we have called each other on the other's birthday. I'm serious when I tell you that I don't think we have missed a year since we graduated. How cool is that! Well, my friend is now a surgeon in Waxahachie. Yes, he actually gets to cut on people all by himself. He was always smarter than me in school, but tonight I kept thinking about the fact that he was finally done with his medical training and practicing on his own. That's crazy. That got me to thinking about my other seven friends and what their professions are:

1. youth minister
2. architect/professor
3. ER doctor
4. coach
5. youth minister
6. family minister/doc student in psychology
7. youth minister

Not bad for a bunch of guys from ACU. I'm so proud of all of them, and I can't tell you what each one of their friendships means to me. I am so grateful that I can call them up at anytime and catch up on their lives.

My friends make me happy.

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