Today I’ll be attending a couple of seminars by James Orbinski at Abington Hospital. Orbinski is the author of An Imperfect Offering which details his crisis medical work in Rwanda, Somalia, and other countries as a Doctors without Borders doc. He also has a DVD on the same topic called Triage.
What I’m most excited about is that I’ve been invited to his “Grand Rounds” seminar with the current family physician residents at AMH. That should be fun!
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Today I’m in Virginia Beach at Regent U. to help flesh out the details of a 2 year qualitative study of at-risk pastors and spouses. One question: what (besides free room/meals) would make them interested in coming and revealing their at-risk natures.
The ride down yesterday was a joy. Well, it was long, but the Eastern shore of MD is like going back to the 50s. Old buildings with rusted out coca cola signs on the roadside. It is like a trip through the rural south. There are little pentecostal churches scattered along the road. Farms. Rusted out cars. I saw cotton growing (a first for me).
Crossing the bay bridge provided a refreshing sight and smell. The sky was a cloudy steel blue and the water was greenish blue and capped with white. Gorgeous! While I wasn’t looking forward to the long drive, it turned out to be a quiet day with my thoughts; even restful!
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Men in foxholes and diners change.
Old men hobble to the diner this morning tapping their knotty canes along the walk; their faces tired and haggard. No joy.
But at their table they become young boys, teenagers really, but with deeper laughs, knowing looks, wise insights and experience lines on their faces. They eat their toast and jive ’bout “II” and “Korea.”
White and Black, brothers all. Foxholes will make men brothers and differences recede. Diners keep them together and inject vitality.
Crazy stories: showers once a week, using teletype, warming food on a truck engine.
“Remember when…we fooled that teacher…his sister got killed…we hung out on the corner…we could buy a whole bag of candy with a quarter…we hopped the train…”
Sprinkled between these stories are remembrances of friends no longer with him,”He’s dead, she’s sick, he’s lost his mind.”
The coffee’s drunk, the bill paid. On the street now they’re just some old forgotten men, a retiree, a social security check, a grandfather making due with a fixed income. But at the diner they are brothers, men of wisdom and power–a generation of courage who gave for our freedoms.
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Late notice but those who like KeyLife’s Steve Brown can hear him at Tenth Presbyterian Church tonight. He will be speaking in honor of HarvestUSA’s 25th anniversary. You can see information here. Also, it tells of Diane Langberg’s lecture for them at the end of the month–entitled “Beauty in Garbage City.”
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a box of chocolates? a roller coaster?
What analogies might you use to help illustrate the beauty and difficulty found in the marriage relationship? Yes, the Bible gives us several good ones but here I’m interested in ones that come from personal experience. I’m being asked to speak on the topic of “marriage as roller coaster”. I guess this depends on how much you like coasters…and whether the one you are riding is more like a kiddie ride or more like one designed to break your neck.
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The 2009 conference is underway. Loads of people here. Way too many for my taste. But, then I did run into three former students (Jane, Barb, and Bayo) and I saw some colleagues I haven’t seen for some time. Even better, I ran into Bishop Alex and Leah (my host and compatriot in Rwanda).
After my own presentation I went to an ethics seminar to fulfill one of my CE requirements due in November. Found out that AACC is coming out with a new code in 2010. Among a number of changes they are including will be a new section on ecounseling and another on disclosures about HIV/AIDS status. Apparently, more states are considering those with HIV who also are known to be having unprotected sex to be putting life at risk and so that triggers counselors’ duty to warn and protect (to notify 3rd parties of imminent life risk) just as we would if our clients threatened to kill another. There is a catch. If I breach confidentiality to warn a 3rd party about a murder threat, I cannot be held liable by the client if I breached in good faith. However, I have no protection from liability in revealing HIV status that is being used as a weapon. Seems the duty is still discretionary.
Tonight I did two things I don’t normally do. First, I walked very slowly around the exhibit hall and really looked at what people were selling/promoting. I must say, I’m not much of a fan of Christian pop. Not all was that, but some definitely. Everybody has a book or an angle that solves life’s problems. It is hard for me not to be cynical in that room. Hence why I don’t go there. But, I know my assessment is not completely fair. I am sure that many have very good materials. I’m only admitting that I hate the sales aspect. (I used to buy all of the candy bars I was required to sell for my high school track team just so I wouldn’t have to sell any).
Second, I sat through the whole plenary. Normally, I show up just in time for the featured speaker (Piper tonight). I have to say I did enjoy the worship more this time around and Newsong and Amy Grant. Seeing her brought back memories of being a young teen and thinking she a very attractive 20 something. Well, she still has that good voice and looks. It was just her and her guitar. I found that much more to my liking that if she had come out with a whole band…
The day is over and so we’ll see what tomorrow brings…
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Today, Diane Langberg and I provide a 3 hour presentation entitled: Pastoral Sexual Abuse: Trends, Challenges, Issues & Treatment. Click here (#14 on the list) for presentation slides (ppt format). The presentation covers issues such as “the setup” that leads some pastors to abuse parishioners, the impact on the various parties, victim related interventions, offender related interventions, as well as focus on the kind of issues counselors run into when either counseling various parties or consulting with the local church going through such sufferings.
Along with the slides, we will also pass out a tiny print decision tree for those who like to have a visual for what needs to be done (see link above for that item as well). I’m still playing around with this and could add things like communication with media, interactions with legal team and notification to law enforcement if abuse of minors has taken place.
Travelled Sunday afternoon to Ocean City, NJ. Waves were wonderful. Big enough to ride and look menacing when floating but not so big as to hurt. I rode them for a good 2 hours straight before the life guards called us out at the end of the day. Earlier, even when I thought I should probably get out the next wave beckoned me stay and ride.
Reminded me of a line in NT Wright’s book on evil. We like the beach because it lets us see the power of the ocean without having to feel it’s true strength. Something like that.
It is interesting that the wayves stay with you after you leave the beach. Ever had that feeling that you are still in the waves when lying down afterwards? I did. Reminded me that emotional waves experienced for a long time do that to a person as well. The situation is over but you still feel like you are in it.
See you later, I’ve got to go catch some more waves.
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Here’s one more line from David Goneau’s sermon (not quoted):
Why do we laugh at Elaine’s dancing on Seinfeld or any one of the idiotic characters on The Office? Isn’t because these characters are so obviously out of step with social acceptability?
What we laugh at reveals what we value most: acceptability.
Hmm. I think he may be right. We want to make sure we do not fall out of step with what is considered acceptable. I sometimes have to turn off The Office because it is so outrageous and I can’t stand the embarrassment–even though I know it is just a show. Not sure what that says about me…
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Musings on Faith and Psychology 