Psychology in your Life, but more specifically My Life

Hey everybody

I just got home. I was out at a college and career worship/potluck/games night. Actually I have hardly been home all day, which seems to becoming more of a trend here on Sundays. Obviously I went to Church this morning, and was ministered to by a powerful message by Shawn. He highlighted the fact that those of us who are Christians, have had our sin nature killed off. “Dead to Sin – Alive to Christ” as a good friend of mine often says. I think this truth gets missed, we don’t sometimes “feel” changed per se and so certain aspects of our life continues on in a path that leads away from Christ. We forget that now, because of our new nature through Christ we actually have a choice. Do we sin, do we do what the old Mike would do, or do we abide in Christ and learn from him and trust him and make the decision to leave our sin nature and sin life behind. It was a challenge to me that I need to cling to that promise that I have new life in Christ and how I can let that truth affect the way I live. It was exciting to me to be honest. Shawn also talked about the difference between faith and belief. I think I have heard this before, and maybe you have as well, but I still enjoy it. Faith is different from belief because faith assumes a response or acting out of what you “believe”. I can believe anything, but to have faith in it is to put it to the test almost. It was really good, it got me thinking.

After that I came home and got ready to go play some floor hockey with the youth. We played for a solid two hours this afternoon and it was good. I really enjoy this after church dealy where I get to get some exercise and also spend time with the teens. It’s been really good for me to do something active, but also to spend time doing something I love with the teens. It’s a way to share one of my passions that isn’t music, and it’s been great. Today was no different, it gets so hot in our gym that after 15 minutes everyone is sweating like animals, which I am sure you didn’t want to know because sweat is disgusting….why do we find sweat so disgusting? Anyway, different subject so we ran and shot, and this one guy Warren; he was such a good goalie. I couldn’t believe it, he was making saves that he had no business making and without pads! Those of you who don’t like hockey are rolling your eyes and saying “who cares!” Well fair enough, but it was amazing honestly, only after we were done did he tell us he used to actually be a goalie! After hockey I came home, showered up and went off to this College and Career thing. It was what I needed to be honest. I needed to freely praise God and sing some songs that are more suited to me, and applicable to my heart condition. (When I say heart condition I don’t mean physically, I mean spiritually, don’t worry, I’m not having a heart attack or anything) So we had a time of musical worship which was totally splendid, I was able to sit off by myself a little bit and pray and sing when I needed to, to stand or sit and so on. It was good; it was like a scaled down “Beggars Feast” for those of you who are familiar with the Canadian Bible College monthly worship night. Kyle shared a short message about what it means to go deeper with God. It was good, but to be honest it has slipped through the fingers of my mind and I can’t quite recall the thrust of the message, but I remember sensing the spirit talking to me through it. Pretty bad huh, I’m either a horrible listener or I am losing my memory at a more rapid pace then the average 21 year old man. After that, we played some games, and then the night was over. Then I came home and that’s where I am now. Sitting comfortably listening to Rachel Yamagata, who strangely enough is not actually Asian, despite what her name implies. She’s got a great voice, sometimes more guttural and jazzy then even Diana Krall, it’s impressive. She’s very cool, she sings about relationships and life and so on, but it’s interesting cause it’s honesty from a female perspective which is not something I get in my music or anywhere else for that matter.

When I got home, I checked my email and noticed that I had received one from my old friend Tim Houghton. Imagine my delight when I opened it up to see an old paper that Tim had written for Psychology class about me. I read it and I laughed so much, it is a brilliant paper even if you don’t know the details behind it. I’m pretty sure Tim got a failing grade on the paper, but as you read it, I am sure you will agree it is one of the best papers ever written! So here it is Tim Houghton’s Psych paper from 2nd year.

“Psychology in Your Life
Mike Schalin has an odd and disgusting ability to find unusual women who he is not interested in, but who are madly in love with him. This is a disturbing behavior due to the fact that I spend a good portion of my time with Mike and thus I do not enjoy the company of these women and neither does Mike, he just doesn’t know how to stop the outpouring of manliness. I will try and lay out a plan to help this poor soul.
First we will start with “classical conditioning”. During the next few weeks I will stay close to Mike’s side, and when ever he starts to say something funny or giddy or remotely anything that will attract the attention of girls that are odd, I will zap him with a small concealed tazer. This will associate the talking and joking to unwanted people with the sting of an electrical pulse. He will hopefully start to identify the fact that when he is in the presence of people he must judge those around him and learn to hold his fast and witty tongue.
Second I will use “operant conditioning”. I will spend nights going over pictures at random in the dorm rooms. There will be a collection of normal looking girls and a collection of extremely odd and scary looking women. When we go through the pictures, if Mike takes a long look at those pictures which appear to be normal, and not of the weird quality, then I will reward him with a small spoonful of Chef Boyardee Ravioli. If Mike takes too long of a look at some of the more interesting looking women than I will play angry chick rock, which will cause him to writhe in agony and he will learn his lesson.
And lastly I will try the “observational learning”. When Mike and I are wandering around the school, as so happens when we are bored and or sick or reading, we will keep an eye out for those females that I have already tagged as“Not suitable for Mike”. If one approaches I will fend her off and Mike will learn from example and learn to stick up for himself when he is alone and not with someone who does not have to deal with unusual girls having huge crushes on me.
In the end I predict 3 things that through this rough and rigorous learning pattern Mike will be able to do when we are finished with his training. First, fight the urge to strike up a conversation with just anyone before considering the consequences of such an action, second, fend off those who appear to be a threat to his manhood, and last but not least, be able to walk through the halls of CBC without the slightest urge to go and buy records with any woman owning a “Palm Pilot” (they are the trouble type).”

An Essay by T.I.Houghton

Isn’t that simply brilliant? How he got a failing grade is beyond me, and since that point Tim Houghton has always had a distinct dislike for one Margi Hollingshead, which is too bad, cause she was a nice, yet odd lady. Anyway, you might be expecting me now to tell you about a specific Rachel Yamagata song that will be the song of the day, but alas, she doesn’t make the cut. This morning I listened to Pink Floyd. I can see Carmen now, “Oh Not Pink Floyd!”, but yes, I listened to Pink Floyd as I got ready for Church, and I was touched by a particular song from their fabled album “The Wall” The song was “Comfortably Numb” which is a popular Floyd song, but just because a song is popular doesn’t disqualify it from being a good song that wannabe music snobs like me shouldn’t like and or appreciate. It’s a great song, it has a remarkable guitar solo that actually I had forgotten about. Also the idea of being “Comfortably Numb” is an interesting one. Especially for Christians who seem to have no feelings or desire to serve and to actually change their lives to a more Christ-like approach. Those Christians who don’t find themselves compelled seriously by the love of Christ who are comfortable to sit in Church every Sunday, give money in the offering and sing the songs, but do not let their Christianity affect any other part of their lives. I’m sure that’s not the specific instance that Pink Floyd was talking about, but the general concept it the same. Anyway, it’s a brilliant song, if you have the means and or the desire, you should check it out. Tomorrow I will give you a Rachel Yamagata song to check out, one of her songs is blowing my mind right now, so I can’t wait to let you know. But I should finish up, this is another one of those real long blogs. Anyway, thanks to all my friends here and there, near and far, you inspire me and I love you all. Ps. Enjoy some night sky if you get a chance, it’s really great tonight.