Rick Mattson's Blog, page 8
March 5, 2021
On Losing a Parent
I knew this day would come, but I half-denied it. My mom, Tudy (not Trudy) Mattson, always wanted to be young and never accepted the idea of getting old. On the fated day of January 23, a friend remarked to Tudy that she didn’t look well, and suggested she visit the nurse. Mom hopped in her Toyota instead and went ...
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December 14, 2020
Do Christians Have to “Be Right?”
I saw a quote recently from a liberal Christian author who was disavowing the ministry of evangelism because it meant Christians had to “be right” about everything. And if you’re certain you’re right, then everyone else must be wrong, and it’s your job to convert them to your viewpoint, lest they wind up in hell. If that was biblical evangelism ...
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September 3, 2020
On Being a Performer (part 1 of 3)
First Post: Are you a performer? A sharp student at Macalester College where I worked for many years said to me one day, “I’m a performer.” I could see it in him. He was (and is) talented academically and musically, and when he was “on” he was really on. The idea of being a performer stuck with me from that ...
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On Being a Performer (part 2 of 3)
Second Post: Liabilities In my prior post I shared how performers tend to have an altar-ego that kicks in when things need to get done and done well. In my own case, when funds need to be raised for the ministry, or I’m literally on-stage with Muslim or atheist dialogue partners, or I’m bouncing around a college campus meeting students ...
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One Being a Performer (part 2 of 3)
Second Post: Liabilities In my prior post I shared how performers tend to have an altar-ego that kicks in when things need to get done and done well. In my own case, when funds need to be raised for the ministry, or I’m literally on-stage with Muslim or atheist dialogue partners, or I’m bouncing around a college campus meeting students ...
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On Being a Performer (part 3 of 3)
Post #3: A theology of performing In my prior post I tried to affirm the legitimacy of a “performer” profile, while also pointing out certain side-effects that often plague performers, such as loss of identity and performance fatigue. In Be Different: Finding the Resilience to Lead, authors Christopher Howard and Andrew Gross insist that leaders in general — and for ...
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June 16, 2020
On Coping, Part 3: Neglected Resources
In my prior post I mentioned that today’s university students are not known for their resilience, mainly due to mental health concerns. In fact, mental health is a runaway train on campus these days, with experts using terms such as “epidemic” and “crisis” to describe the situation. Two massive surveys of college students showed, for example, that depression, anxiety, and ...
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June 6, 2020
On Coping, Part 2 of 3: Resilience
In my prior post I told the story of being left on my own as a college student in Minnesota, while my parents moved to Florida. These days, things are different. Students struggle with “overwhelming anxiety,” loneliness and suicidal behavior. Counseling centers on campus are jammed. Two out of five students are too depressed to function, and many take a ...
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On Coping, Part 2: Resilience
In my prior post I told the story of being left on my own as a college student in Minnesota, while my parents moved to Florida. These days, things are different. Students struggle with “overwhelming anxiety,” loneliness and suicidal behavior. Counseling centers on campus are jammed. Two out of five students are too depressed to function, and many take a ...
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June 5, 2020
On Coping, Part 1 of 3: How It Was
I grew up on the prairies of Marshall, Minnesota and attended a local college, living at home to save money. But half-way through school my parents sold the house and moved to Florida, leaving me in the cold, literally. Don’t feel sorry for me. I never did. They invited me along to Florida but I declined. I stayed in Marshall ...
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