Finally some answers!

So this is Claire.  She makes me laugh!  She reminds me alot of our first dog, Minnie because of her temperament and coloring.  But she sure is sweet and a cuddler.  The K's took her to get her hair cut on Tuesday.  It'd been a long time, so the barber decided to shave her I guess.  When I got back to the house after gals Bible study, I walked in and she came to greet me like usual.  I barely recognized her and I think she knew it!  She kind of cowered away and hid...I think she was embarrassed.  She looked so tiny and rat-like!  ha! I put a before and after picture.  I guess when the doggies get a trim, they get a complimentary bow or scarf put on them...cute... :)

So here's an update to the latest decisions:

I sat down with Jeff last nite to look at my finances for the next year.  This really gave some clue as to whether I could do the internship.  Financially I could swing it, but with the schedule, it would be insane.  Today, I met with the director of VOH for my second interview.  I told her right up front that I would not be able to commit to the internship right now.  When my class is over in December, things might look a little different.  But for now, I am going to volunteer there and get some experience.  It's been such a battle deciding all of this these past few weeks. I had so much peace last nite about it all.  It was so nice.  :)  

BIBLICAL COUNSELING CLASS ON MONDAY:  

Monday was our second class...and it was great!  We started by finishing up with the Key Elements in the Counseling Process.  (As a note, these are all developed by God's word, the writings of Jay Adams, and the Biblical Counseling Ministry at Faith Baptist).  The Key Elements are: 1. Gather Data, 2. Find out the Problem, 3. Establish involvement, 4. Give HOPE, 5. Proper Instruction, 6. Give homework.

I enjoyed hearing about Giving homework.  To give a counselee homework, is to challenge them to actually put God's word to work in their life.  Just talking about your life problems all day is not going to change anything!  You actually have to work at growth!  (If only Id realized that a long time ago...there is no born a superChristian.) 

Next we spent a while comparing counseling philosophies.  This was good to look at.  Some guidelines to think about are : How do people propose to know what they knew?  By science research?  What is their view of man?  Do people have to take medicine to cure everything?  What is the GOAL of counseling?  What is the role of the counselor?  So then we looked at the counseling methods of Freud, Skinner, Rogers, and then God.

Through reading and conversation in the last year, it has come to my attention that there is alot of modern psych. mixed into what is being taught in the Christian Orthodox church today.  Im talking about issues of ADHD, depression, schizophrenia, etc.  I think our society is too quick to diagnose people's symptoms as a mental illness when it really could be a sin issue.  There is alot on this topic, so I'll write more later.  I wanted to give a heads up to this topic though.  

I observed 3 counseling sessions on Monday.  All three were very different: counselor personality and style as well as the case.  The last counselor I observed was so patient with this one couple.  I was sitting there in my chair just watching this new married couple.  They were both on their 3rd marriage, dealing with all kinds of issues.  One of them has grown up going to church, but has never had someone sit down & explain salvation to her.  The husband did not show that he knew Jesus personally. I just couldn't help but think: where in the world do you start to help this couple?? But, they are ready to work and make changes in their life! Praise God!  I observe the same cases all semester until they are finished, so Im curious to see what work they are going to do as well as the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

I want to share about all the cases I observed but this is getting long.