Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Manhood - Part 3

This experience started it all!



Yes indeed. The day after Lisa totaled my Jeep on I-480 I discovered that my "manly man" Jeep had a pink airbag! You talk about a blow to the masculinity! I waited 47 years for such a vehicle. It was Army Green in color and "trail rated." It was a "man's man" kind of vehicle. It came directly from the showroom with the smell of "testosterone." What more could a guy ask for? But a pink airbag... what's up with dat?

Well, the Jeep has been replaced and I have moved on. Now, I am proud to say that I drive a mini van and it feels good! Not only that, I found a great deal online for a "mini van tent." Yes, that's right. A mini van tent that attaches to the lift gate and transforms the average "run of the mill" people hauler into a state of the art "recreational vehicle." NICE! All feels right in my world once again.

Emotion ... feelings. Words that are not commonly associated with men. However, men are emotional beings. Yes a man's focus may be different in someways from a that of a woman when it comes to understanding and demonstrating emotion. But nonetheless, men have and value emotion too. How do you see emotion playing out in a man's life? How does God intent for it to be used?

Does anyone have a "Real men drive a mini van" sticker I could have?




Thanks for stopping by!

-------
Adrian

14 comments:

  1. I am a man. I am an emotional man. God could change me in an instant if He wanted too but thus far has not. He has told me that as I experience the emotions that move within me, He does too, and that He desires to experience life as only I can experience it.

    Men belittle emotions. We’ve trained ourselves that they can’t be trusted, cause harm, are bad, and have less value than knowledge. As a result we move God from the heart to the head (with too much exclusivity) thereby denying Him the opportunity to live as we live.

    There are times when our emotions return us to the captivity, sickness and death of spirit Jesus came to deliver us from (damaged relationships result) and recognizing that is the key to the freedom, healing and life He desires for us (redeemed emotions, redeemed relationships).

    God is emotional, I am in His image, and therefore I am emotional.

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  2. I love emotions...

    :-) :-( :-0 :-/ :-\ :-> :-< ;-]

    "Dilige, et quod vis fac"

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  3. Yo Monkey-busness and E-Eye-motion,
    I like both of your replies. Where is Narrowminded at? Is he afraid to get emotional or what?
    What I need to know is how God uses emotion to deepen His relationship with you, man of God ...

    Monkey, I am glad to hear that God can get a life through your emotion but what about your relationship and growth/ development with Him? Does He ever tick you off and to what end?

    Blog in Eye, I hope you are not hiding from your emotions behind your Latin friend...? Come on man, talk to me...

    How about a woman's perspective on how God wants to use emotion to transform a man's life or, deepen deepen relationship with a woman or children perhaps? Ladies, can you help us out, please... :-)

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  4. I must crush you! You do not ‘call me out’ and ask me questions! (that was my mad emotion)

    When I experience a negative emotion that causes me to withdraw from relationship with; Him, myself, my friends, my family or society, He has taught me to embrace this negative experience and explore the possibility for healing. I believe His desire is for me to be relationally whole, beginning with Him and then the world that I interact with (“my garden”). He may not want a particular emotion corrected (a negative emotion may be correct), but every emotion I experience is shared completely with Him. It’s up to Him if He wants something done about it.

    At times I find Him annoying, frustrating, elusive and perplexing, (and while stimulating), I may get mad. When that happens, I tell Him so (if I think He already hasn’t figured it out) and He never (ever) shames me for it. I believe Jesus is particularly aware of the human experience.

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  5. As for deepening a man's relationshp with a woman or a child, I think in a trusted relationship, the display of emotion would be appreciated. It can humanize a person. The idea of being a rock all the time, is a bit unrealistic. It also gives others the permission to be human as well.

    Two great men of old that come to mind are Jeremiah (the weeping prophet) and David who "watered his couch with his tears" (boy, can I relate to that). I would say that neither of these men were diminished by their display of emotion. Let's not forget all the psalms of lament in which the psalmist pours out gut-wrenching emotion (they're included in Scripture for a reason). Although we don't like to feel bad and do all that we can to feel good, it's in those low moments that healing can occur. When taken to God, there is a release that takes place that God can replaces with His healing balm.

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  6. Monkey,
    Are you for real? Is this some kind of April fools joke? Do you really talk to the Almighty with such words or are you simply feeling emboldemed behind a keyboard today? Have you no fear?

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  7. Pat,
    It sounds to me like you are speaking of intimacy. Could this be? If so, can you give us a working/practical definition please?

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  8. He never (ever) shames me for it. I believe Jesus is particularly aware of the human experience.

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  9. Yes, I suppose I am speaking of intimacy. A definition, hmmm.... That's a tough one. I guess I would describe it as trusted closeness. We can be close to someone but not have trust of that person. In trusted closeness there is safety that one will not be ridiculed or humiliated, but rather valued and respected even if there is disagreement.

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  10. Pat,
    The complaint I most often get in counseling from woman-kind is "he doesn't open up emotionally to me. He will not tell me how he feels;" Or, "He is either mad sad or glad."

    My definition for intimancy is "In - to - me -see." The longing of a woman's heart seems to be for her man to let her into his heart (emotionally) and for him to be comfortable with her emotions. How does that work with your definition/understanding of closeness? Am I close? :-)

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  11. I believe God offers to raise us above the human experience. Isn't that what interaction and relationship with an indwelling supernatural being is supposed to do?
    Not meaning to eliminate our humanness but changing it thru bringing wholeness of being into our reality.
    We are dis-integrated at conception. Compartmentalized. Emotional, Cognitive, Spiritual, Physical. There's probably more but I've been working for 13 hrs.
    Before the Life of Christ is fully attained these aspects of our personhood act randomly independent. They're unbalanced. We at times are over or under any of them. During times of heavy stress we will default to the one or ones that serve our selfish nature best.
    Christ and only Christ can integrate these parts into a balanced, whole entity.
    Once He has access to our Hearts thru absolute surrender(not merely mental acquiesence) the resurrection Life of Jesus binds the broken segments together where healing begins. One cannot heal if one is in pieces. Healing doesn't make us whole, being whole allows us to heal.
    From the abundant Life He gives there are no negative emotions. Negative and positive have no meaning for there is only Him.
    Freedom from our emotions, Spiritual Life, the very mind of Christ and dominance of the flesh are attained.
    Full and abundant Life is received.

    The Glory of God is man fully alive.

    This is Godly masculinity.

    Carry on!

    "The Christian is one who bases his whole confidence in God and His work of Grace, then the emotions become the beautiful ornament of the life, not the source of it".
    O.C.

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  12. Bruce,
    That was worth waiting all day for. Thanks for the good word. Very insightful. I am blessed to know you.

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  13. Pastor Adrian, that sounds right. I would imagine that part of men not sharing has to do with how they have been culturally conditioned and so although they may love their wife, they may have to deal with the baggage of society that says "real men don't share/cry/show weakness, etc." And sometimes we have to accept people where they are instead of insisting that they be the way we think they should be.

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  14. I must comment on the pink airbag -

    Too funny!!! You are right, not very manly at all. Are all airbags that 'girl' color!? :)

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