Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Global Vision
This previous week was all about God's Global Vision For Us. I've always had a passion for missions trips and I can't wait to study abroad. So for me the past week has just been reaffirming my ideas and beliefs about helping those in the global community. There are some arguments that we should help those near to us first, as in the United States, but while we are here at Azusa I think it would be foolish not to take advantage of the great opportunities to study abroad in foreign countries or do mission work overseas. You will always be able to go out on the weekends and spend time in inner cities helping out underprivileged children or handing out food to the homeless. The Global opportunities in this life are few and far between and it seems that the older people get and the more orderly their lives become the less they want to be adventurous and do something extreme for God. That is why I strongly believe in global missions work, because the local will always be there and be convenient. We shouldn't limit ourselves to the near and easy problems but dream as big as God does. This is what my reaction to Global Vision week has been.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Racism......
Here is another enjoyable topic up for discussion here at beginnings blog. It is nothing to be made light of and is all together a horrible thing that has torn societies apart since the beginning of time. Most recently we heard the effects of racism on the Jewish people. Millions were killed, starved, tortured, and many are still effected by the hate driven actions of a racist population. What can be done about this? As for the past, nothing. All we can do is always remember so that we can prevent it from ever happening again. Our generation should never feel guilty for anything that has happened to the people decades ago. We are only to hear their stories, learn our history, and accept that horrible things happened and will happen when ignorance and hate lead to action. With that we have a responsibility to never make the same mistakes as our forefathers and nothing more. I believe racism is a huge problem in our world but every day it fades.
One thing that has always irritated me about the discussion on racism is the tendency to blame people of today for the actions of people in the past. As a white, male American it sometimes feels as though I should always be apologizing or feel guilty for the actions of all previous white males who have discriminated against African Americans, such as slavery or the KKK, or Japanese Americans for their placement into internment camps. I had nothing to do with any of that and would never approve of such things so why should I be targeted? I think bitterness plays a huge part of racism today. We have to learn to forgive not only each other but the generations before us for their mistakes. Who are we to be stingy with forgiveness when our Lord and Savior gives it so willingly? That is pretty much the main point I have to say. Racism is a horrible aspect of our lives here on earth, but it can be overcome with patience and understanding, just like any other problem.
One thing that has always irritated me about the discussion on racism is the tendency to blame people of today for the actions of people in the past. As a white, male American it sometimes feels as though I should always be apologizing or feel guilty for the actions of all previous white males who have discriminated against African Americans, such as slavery or the KKK, or Japanese Americans for their placement into internment camps. I had nothing to do with any of that and would never approve of such things so why should I be targeted? I think bitterness plays a huge part of racism today. We have to learn to forgive not only each other but the generations before us for their mistakes. Who are we to be stingy with forgiveness when our Lord and Savior gives it so willingly? That is pretty much the main point I have to say. Racism is a horrible aspect of our lives here on earth, but it can be overcome with patience and understanding, just like any other problem.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Issues
So this week in beginnings we discussed body image, pornography, and sexual abuse if I remember correctly. Its been fun....But in all honesty these are fairly relevant topics in the society we live in today. As far as body image goes, I believe the media has way too much of an influence over the youth of America today in shaping how they think they're bodies should look. It starts at an extremely early age, with even Disney movies focusing on gorgeous, slim, full-figured women to depict in cartoons. The men are also shown as tall, muscular and well defined individuals. Then as adolescents and young adults the movies we are filled with just flat out beautiful people. 300 shows guys with abs bigger than my head and women with seemingly perfect, flawless bodies and faces. Television shows corrupt our idea of normality even more, creating styles that are ever more revealing and flashy. Pornography has the same effect in a way. It gives you a false idea of how to treat women, what men and women's bodies should look like, as well as diminishing the true purpose of why sex was created; for a married man and women to express their love and join together as one. Pornography can even lead sexual urges so far out of whack that it leads people to sexually abusing others, such as molestation and rape. Overall, these are all very scary but very real topics we discuss. They should not be taken lightly in any way, and I know sometimes we like to joke about these things but tons of people around us, even on this christian campus, are effected by them daily and struggle with the thoughts and memories of their traumatizing experiences.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Alcohol: The Dilemma
It seems as though everyone you meet has had some encounter with alcohol. Wether its a sip with your parents at dinner time or a weekend/party/social drinker. Everyone has an opinion on alcohol which is pretty much based on their individual experience with it. I have seen young people be responsible with alcohol and older people be very irrisponsible with it. So age is almost irrelevant when it comes to alcohol. Even though there is an age limit place on alcohol in our society I do not believe that your age excuses you from any inappropriate actions. It is just as sex is legal after your 18, it doesn't mean you are justified in going out and having sex. I believe that you should not drink until you are of age and when you are you should not get drunk. This is because Christians should hold themselves to a higher standard than the rest of society does. We are under the constant scruteny of the secular world due to the pledge we make to live good, God honoring lives. Many people we have heard speak take wishy-washy stances on alcohol and say "I don't think it is that bad as long as you are responsible". But in the end you are not being responsible if you are voluntarily taking part in breaking the law and disrespecting your body with a poisonous substance. True, that in moderation alcohol can have some positive effects on our bodies, a glass of wine is even recommended on occasion. However, when we put addictive substances in our body we are not exactly heading down the clean, pure path God wants us to walk, especially when we are younger. I may sound overbearing or unrealistic to some people, but by not drinking your really not missing out on anything and every time you put that bottle, cup or glass in your hand you are ruining your image to others and giving Christians an even worse name than they already have in the secular world.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Strengths Goals
I am a very goal oriented person and this blog topic really did make me think about what I wanted to do with my time here at APU. This semester I really would like to nail down my major and feel confidant that it is the one for me. Another goal for me is that I will be able to graduate in 4 years or on time. Due to my scholarship restraints it is required that I do so. I would also like to maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA. All of my strengths will help me accomplish these goals. Belief that God will get me through the tough times even when I sometimes doubt myself. Competition with my past to see if I can really see if I can improve each semester. Also, the fact that I judge my success based on how good others are doing around me so I will want to outdo them. Command will help me if I stay with Athletic Training becuase there is a need to be authoritative when helping and treating athletes. Adaptability will be a big help if situations come my way that make me feel that it is necessary to change my major or direction in college. In the end the goals I have now may change but the strenghts I have will help me achieve and overcome whatever comes my way.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
My Strengths
So I slaved through that crazy, long test and finally figured out my strengths. I was actually pretty surprised to see that they match my idea of myself pretty well and described my characteristics in ways I've never heard or thought of before. Here they are:
Belief
Adaptability
Command
Competition
Individualization
Belief was the first one that caught my eye, ironically being the first one on the list as well. This is a huge aspect of my life because my belief system is what guides my actions and decisions on a day to day basis. One quote that I thought was most accurate of me from the strengths quest website was "[beliefs] provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities."
Adaptability was a part of me I really considered a strength. However, after reading about it, it did make sense. An example in my life of adaptability was during my senior year. Up until my Senior year I was positive I wanted to go to a UC, such as UCLA. But, when my senior year came around and it was time to college hunt I was open to whatever college stood out to me, wherever I felt called to go, and for me that was APU.
Command is another strength I was amused to see on my results. I think it is all to true being that is basically being confrontational, but in a positive aspect. If someone does something I disagree with and tries to justify it I will be the first to let them know how I feel. I rarely feel afraid of confrontation, even when I should be. Such as with adults or people positions of authority. One quote from the description that I love was "you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution". I hate it when people tip-toe around how they really feel about certain subjects just so the group doesn't have to feel uncomfortable.
Competition "is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people's performance." This is a dead-on description of me. I don't like to admit it a lot of the time but it is true. This is just one sentence, but the whole description given on strengths quest is exactly true as well. There is competition rooted in almost everything I do.
Individualization is one of the cooler strengths I think I have. I can usually tell most about a person's character after a few minutes a talking or getting to know them. Also, I can almost always tell how someone will react to certain things in life, such as jokes, controversial issues, etc.
Bellow is the strengthsquest description of each of my strengths, which you can read if you really feel the need. Enjoy
Belief
If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics-both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. "I know where you stand," they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.
Adaptability
You live in the moment. You don't see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn't mean that you don't have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don't resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.
Command
Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others. Once your goal is set, you feel restless until you have aligned others with you. You are not frightened by confrontation; rather, you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution. Whereas others may avoid facing up to life's unpleasantness, you feel compelled to present the facts or the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. You need things to be clear between people and challenge them to be clear-eyed and honest. You push them to take risks. You may even intimidate them. And while some may resent this, labeling you opinionated, they often willingly hand you the reins. People are drawn toward those who take a stance and ask them to move in a certain direction. Therefore, people will be drawn to you. You have presence. You have Command.
Competition
Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people's performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you don't compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seems unlikely.
Individualization
Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or "types" because you don't want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person's style, each person's motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person's life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person's need to be shown and another's desire to "figure it out as I go." Because you are such a keen observer of other people's strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team "structure" or "process," you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well.
Belief
Adaptability
Command
Competition
Individualization
Belief was the first one that caught my eye, ironically being the first one on the list as well. This is a huge aspect of my life because my belief system is what guides my actions and decisions on a day to day basis. One quote that I thought was most accurate of me from the strengths quest website was "[beliefs] provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities."
Adaptability was a part of me I really considered a strength. However, after reading about it, it did make sense. An example in my life of adaptability was during my senior year. Up until my Senior year I was positive I wanted to go to a UC, such as UCLA. But, when my senior year came around and it was time to college hunt I was open to whatever college stood out to me, wherever I felt called to go, and for me that was APU.
Command is another strength I was amused to see on my results. I think it is all to true being that is basically being confrontational, but in a positive aspect. If someone does something I disagree with and tries to justify it I will be the first to let them know how I feel. I rarely feel afraid of confrontation, even when I should be. Such as with adults or people positions of authority. One quote from the description that I love was "you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution". I hate it when people tip-toe around how they really feel about certain subjects just so the group doesn't have to feel uncomfortable.
Competition "is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people's performance." This is a dead-on description of me. I don't like to admit it a lot of the time but it is true. This is just one sentence, but the whole description given on strengths quest is exactly true as well. There is competition rooted in almost everything I do.
Individualization is one of the cooler strengths I think I have. I can usually tell most about a person's character after a few minutes a talking or getting to know them. Also, I can almost always tell how someone will react to certain things in life, such as jokes, controversial issues, etc.
Bellow is the strengthsquest description of each of my strengths, which you can read if you really feel the need. Enjoy
Belief
If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics-both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. "I know where you stand," they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.
Adaptability
You live in the moment. You don't see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn't mean that you don't have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don't resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.
Command
Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others. Once your goal is set, you feel restless until you have aligned others with you. You are not frightened by confrontation; rather, you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution. Whereas others may avoid facing up to life's unpleasantness, you feel compelled to present the facts or the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. You need things to be clear between people and challenge them to be clear-eyed and honest. You push them to take risks. You may even intimidate them. And while some may resent this, labeling you opinionated, they often willingly hand you the reins. People are drawn toward those who take a stance and ask them to move in a certain direction. Therefore, people will be drawn to you. You have presence. You have Command.
Competition
Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people's performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you don't compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seems unlikely.
Individualization
Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or "types" because you don't want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person's style, each person's motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person's life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person's need to be shown and another's desire to "figure it out as I go." Because you are such a keen observer of other people's strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team "structure" or "process," you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Who Am I?
The question to answer is who am I? It's such a simple question that has the ability to bring up the most deep and revealing answers. However, I wont start my first blog with those answers. Instead I'll start with the basics, which seems appropriate. My name is Colton Anthony Simmons and I was born July 12, 1989 in Santa Clara, California near the bay area. I have both a mother and a father as well as an older brother. I have been a Christian for most of my life but only in the most recent years of my life have I learned what it means to truly be a follower of Christ. So, in order for you to really get to know me and "who I am" you have to understand my hobbies as well as interests.
I try to fit as much fun into everyday of my life as I can and the way I do that is mostly by going place or playing outside. I love to play almost every sport, but only watch a few. Currently tennis is the only sport I play competitively for Azusa. I'm fairly small at only 5' 7", 135 pounds, so most sports were realistically not possible for me such as football and basketball, two of my favorites. But I'm still fairly athletic and can do pretty much any physical activity I put my mind to. Other than sports, I spend a lot of my free time playing bass, as well as guitar. I've really gotten into music the last few years and Have found that it is a great escape from whatever crazy stuff is going on around me. The only habit/interest I have that could be considered a little strange or unusual is my love of playing with fire. But don't worry APU, there isn't any in my dorm! Not that I don't wish there was.
Moving on to the more important stuff, I think that a huge part of who we are is what we believe. As I said before, I am of the Evangelical Christian faith, so I believe the Jesus Christ was the son of God, our savior, and died on the cross to save us from sin. I also believe that the bible is the history of God's people and his word written through man. I am very much an inexperienced Christian in the grand scheme of things and still have a lot to learn about my faith as well as my religion. However, I stand very firm on the things I do believe to be true and the values I hold. My goal in life is always to live the life I say I do. This has been a constant struggle throughout the younger years of my life, and believe me I screwed up a lot. I do not believe that makes me a hypocrite or any other Christians who have crossed the lines they so firmly draw in their life now. In actuality I think that having failed before and seen what the other side of life without God is like makes me an even better and more effective Christian now. I wouldn't wish what I've had to go through on anyone but I'm glad I did because I am proud of the person I have become.
So who am I exactly? I think the only important thing that a person can ever be in life is a firm believer in Christ and what he did for all of us. Someone who acts on their beliefs instead of just arguing with those who disagree with them, someone who doesn't live in the image of society but the image of God, and finally someone who is a Christian even when its not convenient or when no one is looking. That's the someone I want to be and currently am trying to be.
I try to fit as much fun into everyday of my life as I can and the way I do that is mostly by going place or playing outside. I love to play almost every sport, but only watch a few. Currently tennis is the only sport I play competitively for Azusa. I'm fairly small at only 5' 7", 135 pounds, so most sports were realistically not possible for me such as football and basketball, two of my favorites. But I'm still fairly athletic and can do pretty much any physical activity I put my mind to. Other than sports, I spend a lot of my free time playing bass, as well as guitar. I've really gotten into music the last few years and Have found that it is a great escape from whatever crazy stuff is going on around me. The only habit/interest I have that could be considered a little strange or unusual is my love of playing with fire. But don't worry APU, there isn't any in my dorm! Not that I don't wish there was.
Moving on to the more important stuff, I think that a huge part of who we are is what we believe. As I said before, I am of the Evangelical Christian faith, so I believe the Jesus Christ was the son of God, our savior, and died on the cross to save us from sin. I also believe that the bible is the history of God's people and his word written through man. I am very much an inexperienced Christian in the grand scheme of things and still have a lot to learn about my faith as well as my religion. However, I stand very firm on the things I do believe to be true and the values I hold. My goal in life is always to live the life I say I do. This has been a constant struggle throughout the younger years of my life, and believe me I screwed up a lot. I do not believe that makes me a hypocrite or any other Christians who have crossed the lines they so firmly draw in their life now. In actuality I think that having failed before and seen what the other side of life without God is like makes me an even better and more effective Christian now. I wouldn't wish what I've had to go through on anyone but I'm glad I did because I am proud of the person I have become.
So who am I exactly? I think the only important thing that a person can ever be in life is a firm believer in Christ and what he did for all of us. Someone who acts on their beliefs instead of just arguing with those who disagree with them, someone who doesn't live in the image of society but the image of God, and finally someone who is a Christian even when its not convenient or when no one is looking. That's the someone I want to be and currently am trying to be.
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