Sitting in this Advanced Issues in Cross-Cultural Counseling class really causes me to wonder how the heck I've functioned decently for as long as I have. The issues are being brought up and dealt with so differently between Western and non-Western cultures that I can see me acting in each. Weird.
I can see how that gap is really difficult to jump across but using certain labels such as "denial" are very dangerous. Something in the "other" culture could be denial on one culture but it's not in the other. It's very much like the gap between Christians and non-Christians. How do we stand in the gap of that when we are Christians and we believe strongly in that? But the thing is, we HAVE TO STAND IN THE GAP. We have to be in the place to see both sides and understand both sides. Yes, we are going to believe one and relate to one but we have to pull the two together so that the "other" can join us in the gap and hopefully choose Jesus. When it's cultural, which side they believe is not as important, what's important there might just be to get them in the gap. The gap is a rough place.
Honestly, if I understand myself as "Asian" many of my actions make much more sense. But if I only use that lens to view myself then it wouldn't make sense. To sometimes replace that with an "American" lens then there is a balance and it makes sense in why and how I respond as I do.
2009/02/24
2009/02/18
YAM
The Young Adults' Ministry met for the first official time tonight. I had a couple of the new guys lead worship and I spoke. I was more prepared than usual and shared about discontentment and how our grumbling and complaining was a sin. Afterward we had a great time of praying with one another and then an awesome time of fellowship at McDonald's. Wow! I mean, the message I gave was definitely as much for me as anyone in the room so I'm excited about that. It was really intimidating tonight with our head pastor sitting there in the room.
Tomorrow morning is day two of the morning prayer in the dorm. I've started a lot of stuff here, and it's weird but exciting. Tomorrow is also the first day of the English language class. Eek. So much new stuff but it'll be cool.
Welp, I'm outta here, blog world, that is...time to hit dream land for a wonderful new day!
Tomorrow morning is day two of the morning prayer in the dorm. I've started a lot of stuff here, and it's weird but exciting. Tomorrow is also the first day of the English language class. Eek. So much new stuff but it'll be cool.
Welp, I'm outta here, blog world, that is...time to hit dream land for a wonderful new day!
the classroom
After 5 years of an authoritarian system of education, it's really hard for me to listen to other students or get involved, except for when I'm seriously interested. Maybe it's not my programming but more so depending on the topic. I need to work on getting interested even when I'm not passionate about something. Such as, now I am partially listening yet typing in my blog.
It's weird though because I used to be that kid that always participated in class. Where did my confidence go?
Maybe I should take my notes here so I can put my own thoughts into the notes.
How much do I know about John Wesley? Not much, but what I'm learning, I like. His model of disciple-making is intense but pretty hard core. It's definitely not what is being followed, it's what's being attempted, I think...so I'm not sure if it would work out in our society. I wonder. But sheesh, it's definitely awesome to be reading about what he did and had plans for, wouldn't be too horrible if we tried it out today, in the way it originally was supposed to be.
What happened to our view of God's presence? In the OT, folks would fall to the ground or be frozen in fear when they were in the presence of God. I realize Jesus changed things but where's the reverence?
Abraham's covenant is so hard core. How we learned it in intro to OT last semester was so life-changing. Hearing it again in another class, makes me wonder if all Christians understand it. God took on all stipulations of the covenant, He promised that even if we broke the covenant, He would take the repercussions. No sovereign leader had done that before. He broke the line between master and servant and took on the punishment for us (we sinned so Jesus died for us).
These are surely random thoughts, but at least I'm back to writing, there's too much in my head. I haven't done well at documenting my time here. But that shall change!
It's weird though because I used to be that kid that always participated in class. Where did my confidence go?
Maybe I should take my notes here so I can put my own thoughts into the notes.
How much do I know about John Wesley? Not much, but what I'm learning, I like. His model of disciple-making is intense but pretty hard core. It's definitely not what is being followed, it's what's being attempted, I think...so I'm not sure if it would work out in our society. I wonder. But sheesh, it's definitely awesome to be reading about what he did and had plans for, wouldn't be too horrible if we tried it out today, in the way it originally was supposed to be.
What happened to our view of God's presence? In the OT, folks would fall to the ground or be frozen in fear when they were in the presence of God. I realize Jesus changed things but where's the reverence?
Abraham's covenant is so hard core. How we learned it in intro to OT last semester was so life-changing. Hearing it again in another class, makes me wonder if all Christians understand it. God took on all stipulations of the covenant, He promised that even if we broke the covenant, He would take the repercussions. No sovereign leader had done that before. He broke the line between master and servant and took on the punishment for us (we sinned so Jesus died for us).
These are surely random thoughts, but at least I'm back to writing, there's too much in my head. I haven't done well at documenting my time here. But that shall change!
2009/02/17
random thoughts
2/17
Marriage is 2 families coming together, which is still true in most cultures. Was Romeo and Juliet the romanticized moment that destroyed that concept as it was immortalized and is read in most high school English Lit. classes?
I wonder what it was that made, or at least allowed, the American culture to be so individual in the concept of even family.
Marriage is 2 families coming together, which is still true in most cultures. Was Romeo and Juliet the romanticized moment that destroyed that concept as it was immortalized and is read in most high school English Lit. classes?
I wonder what it was that made, or at least allowed, the American culture to be so individual in the concept of even family.
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