Reflection Paper

Once I took the lead in 2014, the requirements from top managers were quite clear, I should invert the tendency of turnover, engage the team and drag it to the next level in terms of productivity and quality.

Writing has always been something, that through my scores on papers, has been proven to be one of my strong suites in school. However, I think this class decided to burst that bubble. Who I am as a writing has changed quite a lot and for the better due to this class. There are elements to my writing that I do not think improved or could use more tidying up, but comparing my first paper to my last show’s that this class made a bigger impact on my abilities than I had anticipated. That aside, there were also many aspects of the class I did not enjoy. If I looked at the class with rose-colored lenses than all I would have taken away from the last nine weeks was a growing experience, but that is not fully the case. The class as a whole left me with major writing improvements, but there were also some parts to the class that were moreso tedious than helpful.

After completing the match assessment, I familiarized myself with several behaviors I did not know I had. First, I will talk about the statements that I consider most like me. With my career in retail since the age of nineteen I have acquired quiet the few skills. I can get others to do what I want them to do by being very discreet. In order to have a successful team, you must guide each individual to reach success. I am currently employed in a bakery which means that my duties include training new individuals who will be working with me. By holding a professional tone, I have noticed that each trainee complies with their work. I like the freedom that open-ended goals provide me. My personal freedom is something that I do not take for granted. Open-ended goals for me should not set limitations to getting the work done or acquiring new ideas. Additionally, I have noticed that I work best when things are orderly and calm.

I’m thankful the Holy Spirit kick started me to take this class. The spiritual growth from this class, learning to depend more on the scriptures for revelation of the truth, and that Scripture is Sufficient for every area of my life is very important. Many don’t know or haven’t learned how Scripture for those struggling in life, who quest wisdom, or desire God’s direction will change their lives. The Bible instructive and corrective ways helps individuals, groups, and counselors focus on sharing Scripture and speaking the truth in love (Babler, 10). The need for Scripture is evident because of all that occurs daily in the world. Thanks to Social Media, TV, and Radio Broadcast we are exposed to 20% Good and 80% Negative. This informative information we read, here, and see is a cause of some crisis that is a direct result of sin (Rom. 6:23). Some sin we are responsible for directly, sin of society, or related to a significant crisis that’s Not A Direct result of our own personal sin (Job 1-2). Biblical counselors should walk with, serve, love, encourage, and help people regardless of the type of sin or crises (1 Thess. 5:14, Babler, 11). Chaos, pain, fear, anxiety, loss, hopelessness, trauma, and death are initial responses when a crisis occurs. These are opportunities to glorify and honor God in the mist of these trying times. We learn to trust, depend on the Lord, grow our relationship with GOD, love, and serve others while ministering Scripture. We must ask for wisdom

I like to believe that there are infinite ways to “be human”, all revolving around our inherent desire to cooperate and coexist. We’re an innovative species, driven by our ability to contemplate and united by our need to give meaning to the world around us. Somewhere along this common quest to think in terms of a global context, humans have devised, and continue to turn to, a plethora of institutions be they religious, political, or otherwise. Today, my own collaborative human journey looks toward one institution in particular - Georgetown University.

Matthew 22:37 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Mark Noll emphasizes that Evangelical Christians are not loving God with their minds. Noll shares that if Christians do not become well-informed intellectuals, they will not be able to lead others to Christ. When I reflect on my religious upbringing, I realize how much truth I accepted came from humans, and not from scripture. When people challenged some of my beliefs, I was not able to support myself, because I accepted what I heard as truth. I am thankful that God has showed me the importance of wisdom in my faith.

Imagine someone who no longer had to worry about self-esteem, relationships, or belongingness, but rather had to worry about fulfilling his or her full potential. This person has achieved self-actualization; this is said to be the natural state of the human mind, but it is rarely seen in its true form. In fact, only 2% of the Earth’s population is said to be self-actualized. So, what does it mean to be an achiever of self-actualization? Self-actualization is defined as being the highest state of mind where a person has a grasp on reality and feels he or she is living up to their full potential. It is the highest level of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, being able to reach this level should be possible for everyone, but this does not seem plausible.

Most people do not hit rock bottom freshman year of high school when they are only fourteen years old. However, my experience was a little different. School, friends and peers, and love had an unhealthily strong influence on my adolescent development. External forces like these ruled my mental health and changed me for the worse. I gave power to things out of my grasp which changed the locus of control in my life drastically. From this period of my life, I learned many valuable lessons and have since adjusted my values to reflect them. I no longer live a life where control is out of reach and external factors determine my happiness. Thus, I am an entirely different person now than I was when I entered adolescence, and for this I am thankful.

“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” A father is commonly thought of as a protector, a money maker, the one who takes care of issues. They are also known as betrayers, cowards, and boors. When the word dad comes to mind, what do you think of? Your hero, best friend, worst enemy? I think of martial arts, hospitals, and some life lessons that have changed who I am forever.

The year is two thousand and seventeen, I am twenty-four and in disbelief while listening to the news station. My country, United States, and its citizens are upset and confused at one another. I think to myself with concern, “how did it get so bad?” the news continues to report in the background. I listen for a second, “requesting all white students to leave campus for a day, another campus is to host an all-black graduation, and several protests are happening violently on campuses all over the country...” I tune out again and begin to feel the weight in my heart. “How… “my thoughts start. “how can…” my mind tries again. I feel confused, shocked, concerned, and I feel betrayed. My eyebrows narrow and I squeeze my thought out, “How can we go back 60 years?” After all that has happened in our history, how can this country have segregation in our academics?

Relationships have been a strength in my personal and professional life and my most recent re-assignment as a technology integrator and instructional coach has tested my relationship development and maintenance of trust particularly with more challenging individuals. Extra grace is required at times. This was profound rehearsal for dealing with potentially difficult parents and I continue to seek first to understand. One of the best examples I witnessed over this internship came from the new principal at Valley View. During the fall conference day he pulled his desk into the center hallway where parents would enter the building and manned the welcome table the entire day. Many of my primary teacher colleagues mentioned how many parents noted and appreciated the welcome. I have that in my back pocket as a definitive implementation when I become principal.

I always knew there was a God. That is something I never questioned. When I was little I was taught about the LDS church by my grandparents. My dad always taught me that the LDS church was not true. He would tell me things like “all mormons are going to hell” and he would tell me it was a church based on lies. At such a young age this was very confusing for me, but I have always been a daddy’s girl so of course at one point I started to wonder if my dad was right. I wasn't able to be baptized at 8 because my dad would not allow it. When I was in 4th grade my mom, my sister, and I moved out of my grandparents house and became inactive to the point where I had forgotten a lot of what I had learned from my grandparents and at church. We continued to be in active and would attend church maybe two or three times a year. The missionaries would come to our door occasionally, but my mom would always tell them that me and my sister are unable to be baptized because my dad won’t allow it and send them away.

The first reading for this week is exploring the change in friendship during the whole lifetime. According to Brian R. Patterson (2007), among all the existing methods of analyzing relationships, the most popular is the ones that focus on microdynamic view of the friendship, which is studying the changing of relationship in a short time (p. 29). However, he argues that we should also value the development of relationship in a life-long time, which can provide a macrodynamic way to “augment microdynamic research” (Patterson, 2007, p. 30). When we are using a microdynamic approach, we focus mostly on the detailed and complicated events that happen in a relatively short period.

When I was in the first grade, my learning disabilities started to shine through. I always thought my struggles rooted from my lack of effort and trying to get through the school day. One day, a teacher came into my classroom and asked for me. I walked with her to this empty, smelly, and plain white room. She started telling me that she was with the special ed department, had been tracking my progress, and that I had a learning disability that needed to be acknowledged. She started showing me proof that I was having troubles in math. She handed me a thick envelope and told me to take it home to my parents so they could go over it and sign it. Those papers changed the way I was able to learn and started to get me on track throughout the rest of my school years.

I stood atop a wooden stage found in an auditorium located in the University of Toledo. While standing there, Dan Stark, the Toledo region’s current engineer of the year, handed me a scholarship while the sound of applause filled the large building. The framed sheet of paper had a four-digit number written in it in large font: $1,000. To understand the circumstances that led up to this event one must observe the past and how I learned the importance of hard work.