Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Ch. 1: The Masculine Journey

LET THE BLOGGING BEGIN!!!

So, are you a Boy, Cowboy, Warrior, Lover, King or Sage??? If you're wondering how Eldredge defines each of these stages in a man's life, here's a brief synopsis of each category; however, it should be noted that the author doesn't really pinpoint a certain age to each phase, but tries to narrow it down to a decade or experience.
Boy - Pretty self explanatory, since a boy is a boy. He's discovering the world around him, despite being somewhat sheltered by his parents; yet, he's allowed to act his age and discover himself with little to no consequences.
Cowboy - Throughout his teenage years into his late twenties, he begins to push his limits and prepare himself for the future. I, just like the guys Eldredge describes in the book, learned how to drive, play sports, explored the many facets of college life, and started to develop lifelong goals.
Warrior - I know what you're thinking, but just because I'm a soldier in the Army doesn't necessarily mean I'm in this stage, or that just because you're not in the military, you can't be in this stage. A Warrior, I argue, is someone who finds his passion or interests and seeks them out. It could be a career, a hobby, or simply a challenge in life that you want to conquer. Although men always want to be seen as a Warrior, this stage is more prominent in his thirties or maybe forties. He learns the rigors of discipline needed to be successful, both in life and beyond.
Before moving on to the other three phases, I want to reflect on my time as a Boy and a Cowboy. Having two older sisters, I have to admit that I was forced to play and even act like a girl, albeit very reluctantly! About the time I became a Cowboy, I was able to defend myself better and make my own decisions, but luckily those instances were few and far between. I made a lot of mistakes as a Cowboy, but ones that I think helped develop me into the Warrior I strive to be each day, but I'm more concerned about being a Warrior for Christ, not my country. These decisions will forever overshadow anything I do on the battlefield.
After you read this, take some time to think about your life during each of these three stages and maybe how they helped prepare you for the next one.
Tomorrow, I'll discuss the next three and how important they are to being a father.
Take care.

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