Starting a Master's Program
It’s official, I’m starting a master’s program. I’ll be “attending” the distance ed. program (online-ish) from the Augustine Institute in Denver, CO. I’m on the 2 year track, so graduation will be end of summer, 2011! Please pray for my studies.
The Master’s will be in Theological Studies (another way to say it is Catechesis & Evangelization). The Augustine Institute is a relatively new school that is focused primarily on the New Evangelization that Pope John Paul II called us to. The instructors are amazing and the content will really stretch my brain. I’m not looking forward to tests and papers, but I’m really excited about the material and the knowledge that I’ll be gaining.
Why do you all care about this? Well, it’s an example of how I’m trying to better myself. We should all do this – men and women. I’ve realized that I’m maxed out on information from my bachelor’s degrees and I need more knowledge if I’m going to succeed in ministry, this site and my speaking career – not to mention succeeding in teaching my children the faith. I’m getting this degree for many reasons; knowledge, greater responsibility within the Church, to help my family, etc. I’m also getting this degree because I hear a call to get it. God expects great things from me and I will succeed in those endeavors.
In your own life, think about areas that need improvements, areas where more knowledge would benefit you, and then do something about it. This could be a degree, a financial class, a cooking class. It could be a gym membership or a diet routine. It could be gardening or car maintenance. The point is that if we remain stagnant, we become stale. Once we are stale, we’ve got little or nothing to offer. A TrueMan offers his very best, every time.
Man up!
"Life: Imagine the Possibilities"
Check out this video from CatholicVote.com. Grassroots Films does a great job with these videos. It gets a great message out and does it through uncompromising, yet non-aggressive tactics. This is an example for all of us who support and are part of the pro-life movement. Check it out.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIBZ-kJ6XAc]
Man up!
Just Because He Can
I took my wife out for dessert on Mother’s Day. While talking with her, I noticed (through a window) a male shuffling around his Hummer H2. He entered the vehicle and proceeded to pull forward. Sounds pretty normal, right? Well, in front of his vehicle was not open pavemen, but a grassy curbed area of the parking lot, for which he had complete disregard. I noticed him doing this, quickly told Catherine to turn around and look and was genuinely frustrated at what I just witnessed. She said, “There’s tomorrow’s post.”
I wanted to write about how this wanna-be alpha male acted this way just because he can. He knows that he most likely won’t be confronted. He knows that his truck is going to have no problem driving over a wimpy 8 inch sloped curb. In my head, I’m thinking to myself that this guy, if confronted about his actions, would say something like “But I drive a H2, and I can drive over anything I want to.” He probably thinks that “because he can”, he should.
First off, he’s selfish. He doesn’t think about anyone but himself. Secondly, he has total disregard and zero respect for others and their property. He didn’t care that the curb may have cracked, or that the grass might have been destroyed or any other possibility (regardless of how far-reaching they might be). He was selfish, thinking only about himself and his H2. Thirdly, he wasn’t interested in the example he was setting. He very well might have had children in the vehicle with him and because of his selfishness, the children now believe that it’s acceptable to act this way. Fourthly, he probably never contemplates the consequences of his actions, but believes that if he wants to do something, he should. What’s the problem with a guy like this, besides his lack of respect for others? He wants people to spoon feed him things, to come behind him and clean up after him and he expects that he’ll never be responsible for anything, because he’s a “dude”.
I understand the desire to drive over stuff in a 4×4, I do it regularly… but not private property. I thoroughly enjoy off-roading in my Avalanche… but I do it respectfully. That’s not the point. My point is that being selfish is not manly. My point is that total disregard for others and their property is not manly. My point is that being a societal leach is detrimental to others. Be a TrueMan, respect others, be accountable to yourself for what you do, and know that others are watching you.
Man up!
The Hunt for Gollum
For all the Lord of the Rings lovers out there, here is an independent film trailer made on a budget of merely $3,000 and shot by amateur film makers. “By fans for fans”. I think they did a really good job. The film is about 40 minutes long in total. Go to www.thehuntforgollum.com to view the entire movie.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnMHgwG9aAo]
Is the Male Gender Really As Bad Off As I Suggest?
Recently, I was asked the question – “Do you really think that men are as lame as you portray them to be on your site?” I was interested in answering the question fully, but because of the surroundings, it didn’t work well to stay on one topic for long. I wasn’t able to fully articulate my position on the matter, so I’d like to do so now.
Do I really believe that the male gender is as bad off as I suggest on this site? Yes, I do. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t write about it the way I do. I write this blogsite because I believe that in order for our society to return to a thriving society, men must play the most vital role in that reversal. I write this blogsite because I see many problems in our Church and among the general population that hates us, and I want to help change that. I write this blogsite because I see families that are doomed from the moment the male and female begin dating, let alone when they get married and have children. I’m not trying to point fingers, I’m not placing blame, I’m not condemning anyone. What I try to do is bring to the light some problems within the male gender that could drastically and radically change the course of society.
Overall, I believe that men do lots of things well. What I don’t see is consistent behavior in all aspects of most men’s lives. What do I mean? I mean that most men are good at a few things, yet the other areas of their life suffer. For instance: a man might be really good at his job and he might devote a lot of time to his career, while at the same time, he ignores his wife and children. Maybe for other men they are pretty good at spending time with their family but fail to lead them spiritually. It could be many different things… you probably get the jist of what I’m saying here.
What’s the main topic I write about? Virtue. I write about virtue often because it is at the heart of manliness. In order for a man to truly be manly (in the real sense of the word), he must be virtuous. Prudent. Just. Temperate. Courageous. Faithful. Hopeful. Loving. I look around and see very little virtue in our world… I want to see it more and more. I want to see virtue rampant among men, women and children. If it were, life would be much different for many people. It starts with the men.
This is my opinion… take it or leave it.
Man up!
Step Back and Watch
I’ve noticed lately that if I step back from a situation and watch other’s behavior, I learn a lot. Unfortunately, I learn a lot about what not to do. I notice behavior that is often selfish, self-centered, arrogant, dominating, argumentative, void of purpose and distracting. In watching others and their behavior, I see a lot of my “former” self in those behavioral characteristics. It’s a blessing to have grown to be where I am now. I’m talking about those situations when you are in a group setting and you are planning out an event, for example, and the members of the group aren’t willing to compromise, they become angry, defensive and standoffish. Nothing ends up accomplished, except that everyone gave their opinion about each and every piece of tasking, the group went round-and-round about the issues and nothing was decided on.
What I recommend here is to simply stop talking and listen. Watch what others are doing; learn from them. Being self-centered doesn’t help anything. It most certainly does not allow constructive ideas to take place within the group. Be wise. Don’t be overbearing or dictatorial, it doesn’t work… it most certainly is not manly and it creates descent among the group.
This brings up a topic that I need to post about… Leadership. I’ll be posting on leadership soon.
Man up!
