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Showing posts from May, 2009

Children and Storm Stress

Helping kids deal with the distress of natural disasters By Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor & Certified Life Coach Monster storms like Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Floods, Blizzards, Forest Fires and Mud Slides destroy more than communities- they destroy emotional security and stability in the lives of everyone impacted by these critical incidents, especially children. Equipping counselors with response techniques is essential so they can make a positive difference during the rebuilding process. Here are some key elements to know in serving children who have been emotionally traumatized by natural disasters. How are children affected? It depends on the age of the child. The younger the child, the more they look to their parents for emotional security and strength. If a parent is “shell-shocked" or psychologically “numb” and not able to manage their own emotions or responsibilities; the child feels even more pressure and becomes more confused an

Three Cigars that could have changed the Civil War

by Ron White, author and coach It was September 1862 and the fate of a nation was about to pivot on three cigars serendipitously stumbled upon by a Union soldier – Sergeant Bloss. The stage was the United States Civil War and the scene was that of a recently vacated rebel campfire. Bloss spotted an envelope with three cigars in it and was proud of his treasure. As there was as scamper to find a match to ignite the cigars, a piece of paper wrapped with the bounty was noticed. It was a find that would shake the course of the war from its tracks. The paper was General Robert E. Lee's battle plans and they had just fallen into his enemies fortunate hands. Lee's soldiers were just coming off a victory at the second Battle of Bull Run and they needed to do two things. First, they had to keep the Union off balance and secondly, re-supply his own forces. The scenario called for a daring move – just the kind of courage that made General Robert E. Lee famous over a century after his deat

The Secret to a better life- learning to count the days

By Dwight Bain Too many funerals. That’s what I said to my friend a few weeks ago after learning of another sudden death of someone much too young. I was struggling to make peace with the grief when God’s Spirit took me to Psalms 90, written as a prayer of Moses. Listen to these incredible words that are over 3,000 years old, but just as relevant today as when they were written. Psalm 90 “ 1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth an d the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 3 You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. 5 You carry them away like a flood. They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: 6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers. 7 For we have been consumed

What we can learn from the Walton Family?

by Darryl E. Owens, from OrlandoSentinel.com With the stock market shedding value like gossip-rag celebutantes shed clothes, I'm sure all my 401(k) will afford me in retirement is a Starbucks frappuccino. Small, please. In my misery, there's plenty of company. Take my fellow baby boomers -- the 57.8 million of us who census projections suggest will be around in 2030, when the youngest would be 66. Right now, boomers aren't bullish on our wallets. As a recent Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends survey noted, "most boomers have children to worry about, and most have at least one living parent. Three-quarters are homeowners, at a time when home values are stagnant and the mortgage crisis is heating up. Boomers are edging toward retirement, which potentially means living on a fixed income. "Two in three boomers said getting ahead is tougher now than a decade ago. Investment gurus say the stock market is for building wealth in the long run. After the

The Modern Day (Real Life) Indiana Jones

by Vic Johnson One of my life's most valuable possessions is my journal. Why? Because my journal contains my dreams! And my dreams are my future! I learned this principle from a story about a 15 year old boy by the name of John Goddard. John, one day, happened to hear his parents and another adult talking, and the other adult had been telling John's parents about how miserable his life was and how much he had failed. He wished he was John's age again and could live his life over and do some things differently. Well, John heard the anguish in his voice, I suppose, and he made a vow that he was going to do something at 15 years old. So at 15 years old he took out a legal pad and began to write the things he wanted to do in his life, what he wanted to accomplish. Before he was finished he had 127 things on his list. He called it, "My Life List". Today John is in his late 70's. Of his original 127 goals, John over the last 55-60 years has accomplished 111 of them,

Barb Waldron- A Heart to Help Others

Barb Waldron is a Master’s level intern completing her Counseling Psychology degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University in Orlando. She loves to celebrate life and help others feel appreciated, cherished and valued so they can experience the difference their lives make to others. She has a passion to inspire hope and develop people’s potential through counseling, training, and public speaking, to create positive change in people’s lives. Her areas of interest are empowering people to break free from the limitations of their past and walk into their God-given freedom, as well as finding meaning after stressful loss or change. She has served for almost twenty years in corporate America as an Employee Advocate to guide employees in personal or professional crisis, and to help them achieve resolution of major conflicts by finding rapid solutions. She has created employee recognition programs and championed the corporate culture, earning a reputation for trustworthiness and excellence.

Shouldn't Christians Have The Best Sex?

Linda Riley, LMFT & Certified Sex Therapist The Greek philosopher, Sophocles said, “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love.” The Russian novelist, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s definition of hell is the “inability to love.” The apostle Paul says, “Without love we are nothing.” Life without love is an empty meaningless experience. God has designed us with both the need to give and to receive love. The capacity to love is a gift from God as love is a Divine energy. Our world seems to be moving, away from love for God and for others towards self-love. As a result of this shift, we are experiencing great difficulty creating healthy loving relationships, both emotionally and sexually. Love is what brings meaning and depth to sex. Helen Singer Kaplan says, “Love is the best aphrodisiac.” God designed sex to be an awesome experience; magical, mysterious, romantic and most of all passionate. It was intended to be a powerful means of unity and pleasure. But ou

Marital Update!

Danger lurks behind the new iPhone 3.0 software by Michael Smalley I am not a paranoid person, but let me be perfectly clear, I’m a little paranoid about the implications surrounding the new 3.0 software upgrade for the iPhone. What is making me so nervous? I read a post this morning from Apple Insider where they reported, “Apple has given signs it may allow more risque software on the App Store once iPhone OS 3.0 and its enhanced parental locks become a reality”. The phrase “enhanced parental locks” is what has gotten me so nervous (oh yeah, “risque” doesn’t exactly cheer me up either). The iPhone seems like it is going to make it easier to watch and experience porn directly on the phone through third party apps. The porn industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that I can assure you will take advantage of any loosening of the rules for content on the iPhone. Porn destroys. No matter how diluted our culture tries to make porn, like it is no big deal, it is a very big deal and a maj

Sexting- What a Parent Can Do?

By John Thurman He came into my office visibly upset we shared a quick greeting and before you know it he shoved a cell phone close to my eyes and said, “Look at this!” I was thrown for a loop when I began to focus on the screen of his fifteen year old daughter’s cell phone. It was her sans blouse and supporting garments. First of all there is no woman young or old that I need to see other than my wife. This still somewhat shocking episode, but it began a new phase of my counseling practice, working with parents and their teens after the teen has been busted for sexting.Since that cold winter day a little over a year and a half ago I have worked with a dozen or so teens and their families coming to terms with this phenomenon. How has Sexting happened? First of all teens are not well known for impulse control, but up until the advent of the camera phone and web cams, the photos of nude and semi-nude teens was regulated to “Girls Gone Wild,” and other shady and pornographic sites, but th