As studying life space crisis intervention I decided to take the time and figure out what my personal life space crisis intervention would be. The first step is to focus in the incident. This is very important because I believe i jump to the end result a lot of times and try to solve everything and make both parties happy. I need to focus in the incident first to get the real story and get to know what to do next. It will also give time to both of the parties who were in a fight or disagreement to calm down. I would go to one person at a time and ask them to tell me what happened, truthfully. While I am talking to one person there will be as assistant or helper keeping an eye on the rest of the people. You should never be with children by yourself anyways. After hearing the story from everyone involved I would bring the group or parties together to talk about it and discuss it. In this little meeting I will have a few more volunteers or other staff just in case something breaks out and I need some assistance taking care of it. After talking out the incident I would then ask the kids involved what hurt them the most and what they think their, not any one else's, but their consequences should be in regard to the way they acted. We will talk it out and discuss their discipline and make sure that both I and they agree it is fair. I will then discuss that just because they messed up doesn't make me think any less of them but i just want to help them correct the negative activities or attitudes. I will tell them I still love them just the same as I did before the incident happened. After this we will resume activities and make sure that the incident is not brought up again rather than between me and the ones being disciplined.
When doing this I need to watch when I am about to get angry and always have someone there to help me. I need to be able to ask someone to step in if I am getting too worked up so I could go and cool down and collect myself rather than saying all kinds of bad things I really don't mean.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Chosen to be a Soldier:Renouncing the World
As a Salvation Army Soldier each and everyone has their own code of rules and regulations. The O & R for Senior Soldiers can be found in the book Chosen to be a Soldier.While reading the section titled "Renouncing the World" I have some across many interesting and very important facts we should follow as Soldiers of Christ's Army.
1. The human spirit is free but that does not mean we are to rebel against God. As Christians we are followers of Christ and should therefore follow him and obey his rules for our lives. He has not given us these rules to be condemned or to not have a good time but to protect us from broken hearts and broken souls.
2.We should not be "worldly" meaning we should not worship things of this world such as clothing, money, jewelry, wealth, fame, or any of the such. We should not have to have the latest fashion or make ourselves look more important to others. We should also not degrade ourselves and not take care of our selves but look presentable.
3. We should stay away from drinking, smoking, and the use of drugs. As a movement dedicated to helping the struggling alcoholic we should not engage in drink because it will be even tougher for the struggling one to get help and we ourselves may fall into alcoholism. The army is to be called the largest abstinence organization in the world. Addictive drugs may be prescribed by doctors but should be watch very carefully so we should not grow addicted. We as Soldiers should not gamble because it is addicting and life controlling. Gambling can lead to men and women lying and gambling rather than providing for their families. Soldiers should not live in debt but after they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord they should get with the people they owe money to and make out some kind of payment agreement. If they do not try to pay off their debt they will be removed from the soldier roll. We as soldiers must also keep away from dirty language, movies, books, plays, and situations.
To end it is said that being a soldier will not be an easy job but will be accompanied with persecution. But our Lord is good and he promises in Matthew 5:10-11 that we will be blessed if we bear the suffering for his name.
1. The human spirit is free but that does not mean we are to rebel against God. As Christians we are followers of Christ and should therefore follow him and obey his rules for our lives. He has not given us these rules to be condemned or to not have a good time but to protect us from broken hearts and broken souls.
2.We should not be "worldly" meaning we should not worship things of this world such as clothing, money, jewelry, wealth, fame, or any of the such. We should not have to have the latest fashion or make ourselves look more important to others. We should also not degrade ourselves and not take care of our selves but look presentable.
3. We should stay away from drinking, smoking, and the use of drugs. As a movement dedicated to helping the struggling alcoholic we should not engage in drink because it will be even tougher for the struggling one to get help and we ourselves may fall into alcoholism. The army is to be called the largest abstinence organization in the world. Addictive drugs may be prescribed by doctors but should be watch very carefully so we should not grow addicted. We as Soldiers should not gamble because it is addicting and life controlling. Gambling can lead to men and women lying and gambling rather than providing for their families. Soldiers should not live in debt but after they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord they should get with the people they owe money to and make out some kind of payment agreement. If they do not try to pay off their debt they will be removed from the soldier roll. We as soldiers must also keep away from dirty language, movies, books, plays, and situations.
To end it is said that being a soldier will not be an easy job but will be accompanied with persecution. But our Lord is good and he promises in Matthew 5:10-11 that we will be blessed if we bear the suffering for his name.
40 developmental assets:Internal Asset
Integrity
What exactly is integrity and why exactly do children and youth need it? Well, integrity is when a young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs. Why should our children and youth have integrity? Well, when they have integrity they are able to stand up for the right things. The children and youth also start to understand and follow what is right rather than what is wrong. When faced with a tough decision they have to make, if they have integrity, they will most likely choose the right decision instead of the wrong. Children and youth will also start to stick up for the right decisions they are making. When hanging out with friends they may start to explain to their friends that what they are doing is wrong and they need to stop.
One way we can start to get our children and youth to think about integrity and to have it in their lives is to first have it in our lives. If we have no integrity in our lives and expect our children and youth to have it then there is no way they are going to pick it up and live it out. They need to see their parents and leaders living a life of integrity so they may yearn for the integrity we have. We can also start to help them make the right decisions. We can start to teach them the good things and remind them that bad things and situations are going to come up but we need to fight against that. One program the children can go through if they already haven't is the DARE program. It is a program to stand up against drugs and alcohol and it defiantly teaches integrity.
What exactly is integrity and why exactly do children and youth need it? Well, integrity is when a young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs. Why should our children and youth have integrity? Well, when they have integrity they are able to stand up for the right things. The children and youth also start to understand and follow what is right rather than what is wrong. When faced with a tough decision they have to make, if they have integrity, they will most likely choose the right decision instead of the wrong. Children and youth will also start to stick up for the right decisions they are making. When hanging out with friends they may start to explain to their friends that what they are doing is wrong and they need to stop.
One way we can start to get our children and youth to think about integrity and to have it in their lives is to first have it in our lives. If we have no integrity in our lives and expect our children and youth to have it then there is no way they are going to pick it up and live it out. They need to see their parents and leaders living a life of integrity so they may yearn for the integrity we have. We can also start to help them make the right decisions. We can start to teach them the good things and remind them that bad things and situations are going to come up but we need to fight against that. One program the children can go through if they already haven't is the DARE program. It is a program to stand up against drugs and alcohol and it defiantly teaches integrity.
40 developmental assets:External Asset #17
Creative Activities
When i child has creative activities in their lives they are more than likely to get into less trouble, do better in school, and score higher on not only high school and elementary test but also college tests. Kids who are involved in a form of creative arts such as a choir, band, painting, drawing, designing, dancing, sculpting, and photography become more creative and insightful and start to apply those skills to other things in life. They will learn valuable lessons in these activities they will be able to apply to their everyday lives.
Adding the arts to your family time can increase the communication and create stronger bonds through time. Some ideas you could do with your family is plan a day once a month to go as a family to a play, musical, concert, dance performance, museum, or art gallery. While on this family outing you will be able to talk to the kids in a more comfortable environment and create stronger bonds with them. You will also be able to find out some of the arts they like and dislike. Another way you can apply the arts to your family is to go to one another choir or band or play concerts for support. When you attend one anothers activities that not only shows love to the person involved but also exposes you to different kinds of arts.
It is proven that the arts makes people smarter! There was a test given where Mozart was played for students just before taking the test. In the results the students scores 8-9 points higher than taking the test without the Mozart music! It has also been proven that students in the study of arts and music have scored higher on their SAT scores in both the verbal, and math tests!
If taking some time to invest in our children fun and encouraging activities make they smarter and help them not only now in life but through their whole lives why are we not doing it?
When i child has creative activities in their lives they are more than likely to get into less trouble, do better in school, and score higher on not only high school and elementary test but also college tests. Kids who are involved in a form of creative arts such as a choir, band, painting, drawing, designing, dancing, sculpting, and photography become more creative and insightful and start to apply those skills to other things in life. They will learn valuable lessons in these activities they will be able to apply to their everyday lives.
Adding the arts to your family time can increase the communication and create stronger bonds through time. Some ideas you could do with your family is plan a day once a month to go as a family to a play, musical, concert, dance performance, museum, or art gallery. While on this family outing you will be able to talk to the kids in a more comfortable environment and create stronger bonds with them. You will also be able to find out some of the arts they like and dislike. Another way you can apply the arts to your family is to go to one another choir or band or play concerts for support. When you attend one anothers activities that not only shows love to the person involved but also exposes you to different kinds of arts.
It is proven that the arts makes people smarter! There was a test given where Mozart was played for students just before taking the test. In the results the students scores 8-9 points higher than taking the test without the Mozart music! It has also been proven that students in the study of arts and music have scored higher on their SAT scores in both the verbal, and math tests!
If taking some time to invest in our children fun and encouraging activities make they smarter and help them not only now in life but through their whole lives why are we not doing it?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Mission Trip 08
My first mission trip ever..and oh how it changed my life!
This past week I was on my school's mission trip. We went to the greater Boston area and visited most of The Salvation Army corps and special shelters there. It was amazing.
Some of the biggest impacts were the Plymouth corp where we presented a mini youth councils night. A few of us gave our speaks and we played a couple of games. We also did a choreo drama to Isaiah 42 and a stomp production Felipe Concha made called "Stop upon injustice". At the end of the service Steve was wrapping up and giving an alter call when a group of small children came up to the front of the chapel, grabbed hands, and started to dance in a circle as we were singing worship. It was awesome because none of the adults ran and brought the children back to their seats, they let them worship God the way they wanted to, by dancing at the front of the chapel. During the alter call they came back up but this time Capt Dan met with them as they all sat in a circle throwing their hands up and calling out "Break the chains! Lord Jesus Break the Chains!" It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You see, our speaks were on child slavery and how we need to get out into the world and free people who are still bound by the chains of Sin and Guilt. We need to stand up for what is right and do something, even if it is the "un cool" thing to do. These children understood perfectly and I do believe that there were children slaves set free and unchained that night because of the innocent prayers and cries these children at the Plymouth corp in Mass sent up. I believe that it is our duty to go out and set others free. Through this meeting God really showed me for the first time that my work does pay off and I am not just working in Youth Work to have a job, but to save and transform lived through the Holy Spirit. Youth work for me is not, IS NOT, a job, but a lifestyle.
Another program we did was at the Brockton ARC. This meeting, although different from the children's meeting, touched my heart and soul just as much. We had preformed our famous "Everything" drama and the Holy Spirit swept through that place! Felipe also gave a speak about how when an eagle turns 40 he has the choice to either Live or Die...and we are like these eagles, we have the choice to either Live in Jesus Christ or Die and give ourselves to the world. Let me tell you, the Lord was defiantly in that place and the Holy Spirit was defiantly in the hearts of the men that evening. Over twenty men gave their lives to Christ that night for the first time. Through our Choreo Drama, our passion for the Lord, and Felipe's speak something hit those men right in the Heart and i believe and know that something was the Lord. During this meeting i realized and believed the scripture 1 Tim 4:12 that says " Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for all believers through your speech, life, love, faith and purity. That night that certain scripture became alive in my life. I was understanding that even though I am only 20 years old I can change people's lives with the power of the Holy Spirit no matter how old or young they are.
Now I am back at school, taking a few classes, then off to the NEOSA youth councils. My prayer is that the faces of all who touched my life and all who our groups helped and changed would stay in my heart and mind. I have made a commitment not to turn back to my old self I was before the mission trip, but to keep living for God with a spirit of Passion for his word and his will in my life. Because of this mission trip my life has been changed forever, for the good, and for God.
Now I am
This past week I was on my school's mission trip. We went to the greater Boston area and visited most of The Salvation Army corps and special shelters there. It was amazing.
Some of the biggest impacts were the Plymouth corp where we presented a mini youth councils night. A few of us gave our speaks and we played a couple of games. We also did a choreo drama to Isaiah 42 and a stomp production Felipe Concha made called "Stop upon injustice". At the end of the service Steve was wrapping up and giving an alter call when a group of small children came up to the front of the chapel, grabbed hands, and started to dance in a circle as we were singing worship. It was awesome because none of the adults ran and brought the children back to their seats, they let them worship God the way they wanted to, by dancing at the front of the chapel. During the alter call they came back up but this time Capt Dan met with them as they all sat in a circle throwing their hands up and calling out "Break the chains! Lord Jesus Break the Chains!" It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You see, our speaks were on child slavery and how we need to get out into the world and free people who are still bound by the chains of Sin and Guilt. We need to stand up for what is right and do something, even if it is the "un cool" thing to do. These children understood perfectly and I do believe that there were children slaves set free and unchained that night because of the innocent prayers and cries these children at the Plymouth corp in Mass sent up. I believe that it is our duty to go out and set others free. Through this meeting God really showed me for the first time that my work does pay off and I am not just working in Youth Work to have a job, but to save and transform lived through the Holy Spirit. Youth work for me is not, IS NOT, a job, but a lifestyle.
Another program we did was at the Brockton ARC. This meeting, although different from the children's meeting, touched my heart and soul just as much. We had preformed our famous "Everything" drama and the Holy Spirit swept through that place! Felipe also gave a speak about how when an eagle turns 40 he has the choice to either Live or Die...and we are like these eagles, we have the choice to either Live in Jesus Christ or Die and give ourselves to the world. Let me tell you, the Lord was defiantly in that place and the Holy Spirit was defiantly in the hearts of the men that evening. Over twenty men gave their lives to Christ that night for the first time. Through our Choreo Drama, our passion for the Lord, and Felipe's speak something hit those men right in the Heart and i believe and know that something was the Lord. During this meeting i realized and believed the scripture 1 Tim 4:12 that says " Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for all believers through your speech, life, love, faith and purity. That night that certain scripture became alive in my life. I was understanding that even though I am only 20 years old I can change people's lives with the power of the Holy Spirit no matter how old or young they are.
Now I am back at school, taking a few classes, then off to the NEOSA youth councils. My prayer is that the faces of all who touched my life and all who our groups helped and changed would stay in my heart and mind. I have made a commitment not to turn back to my old self I was before the mission trip, but to keep living for God with a spirit of Passion for his word and his will in my life. Because of this mission trip my life has been changed forever, for the good, and for God.
Now I am
Thursday, March 27, 2008
High Risk: Destructive Relationships
As i was reading the book "Reclaiming Youth at Risk" i read about destructive relationships. I was continually reading about how children in these kind of relationships have a lot of problems in social and emotional development. The children are relationship-resistant and they expect rejection a lot more than accept ion because they is what they are use to getting. I read a story about a young boy who had been in foster homes since he was about four years old. He wasn't only being switched homes but also schools, neighborhoods, programs, and shelters. There is a quote in the book that says "Each time he was moved was like pulling a piece of used tape from a wall and trying to fasten it again". Being moved around so much and having so many different families took a strong toll on the young boy. He was never able to trust anyone because he knew he would be leaving in a short time. He also could not show love or accept it because he didn't know what the point is when he would just be moved to another family soon after he had arrived with the current family. There was no one there for him continuously, there was just always new people.
Think about how you would feel if you never knew someone personally. You never had that best friend you have had for years, you didn't even have a father or mother that has known you and loved you since you were born. How would you cope in these environments? How long would it take before you buckled under the loneliness and depression?
There is not a happy ending to this young mans story, rather is it the worst of endings you could think of. This young man, after being at a foster home and getting the orders to move to another at the age of 17 (after he had been reunited with his siblings only to be taken away from them again) committed suicide by hanging himself from a board in between two birch branches in his last foster home. The signs were there, however. When Richard began to feel depressed and an outcast he began to keep a diary. If only the parents had been more involved in his life, if only the school teachers and directors had had a little more time with him...would he have ended his life this way? I don't think he would have.
In today's world there are a lot of people who can impact the lives of young people and children. There are not only the youth workers but the teacher, parents, and everyday people in the church that can impact a child or youths life. What would happen if you took more time out of you so called "busy" schedule to meet with a teen for lunch one day of the week? You could change the persons life and not even know it till one day they tell you that you are the reason they are still living.
I believe it is our duty, as followers of Jesus Christ, to reach out to those around us. We should not live our lives for ourselves but life our lives for Christ who gave himself for us.
Think about how you would feel if you never knew someone personally. You never had that best friend you have had for years, you didn't even have a father or mother that has known you and loved you since you were born. How would you cope in these environments? How long would it take before you buckled under the loneliness and depression?
There is not a happy ending to this young mans story, rather is it the worst of endings you could think of. This young man, after being at a foster home and getting the orders to move to another at the age of 17 (after he had been reunited with his siblings only to be taken away from them again) committed suicide by hanging himself from a board in between two birch branches in his last foster home. The signs were there, however. When Richard began to feel depressed and an outcast he began to keep a diary. If only the parents had been more involved in his life, if only the school teachers and directors had had a little more time with him...would he have ended his life this way? I don't think he would have.
In today's world there are a lot of people who can impact the lives of young people and children. There are not only the youth workers but the teacher, parents, and everyday people in the church that can impact a child or youths life. What would happen if you took more time out of you so called "busy" schedule to meet with a teen for lunch one day of the week? You could change the persons life and not even know it till one day they tell you that you are the reason they are still living.
I believe it is our duty, as followers of Jesus Christ, to reach out to those around us. We should not live our lives for ourselves but life our lives for Christ who gave himself for us.
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