Dan Schmoyer

No Longer On The Minority List

Dan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:09:25 +0000

Well, after waiting for what seemed to be a LONG time I am finally off the list of people in America who are currently unemployed (which is currently at 9.8%). I have been interviewing at Human Services Inc. in Oakdale, MN for the past few weeks for a position as one of their Life Skills Counselors at the Day Treatment Center. It is for local teens who struggle with behavioral and conduct disorders. I work as one of the recreation therapists which basically means I work with the students on social skills, character traits, and learning how to make positive behavioral choices. I start work on Monday which will be the first Monday I’ve had to go to “work” since the beginning of August 2008!

This past year has been crazy with school, internships, and working part time as a counselor at a local charter school. We are all glad this process is finally over. We are also excited to see where God leads as I start working in a setting I hadn’t exactly anticipated when I left TreeHouse. I guess that’s why I’m not the one who makes the decisions for how my life goes

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, and encouragement over the past year and specifically the past few months. Make sure you check back here for updates and more information on work, family, and where God is leading our family.

New Family Pictures

Dan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:02:39 +0000

I have added some new pictures from this summer and now (gulp!) the fall!!! Yikes, its weird to even say that but I guess it’s true. This past summer went by SOOO fast with classes, going to PA, homework, playing with the kids, doing things outside, and getting ready for this fall. I am in the process of looking for a job and I currently have one good lead open so hopefully we will continue to be sensitive to God’s leading and make a wise decision.

Maggie is doing well. She is due with Baby #3 around Christmas time. We have named him Eli (yes, we know it’s a boy!!!) and are still deliberating about the middle name.

At the moment that is all that is going on around our house. We’ll try to keep you up to date more often. Enjoy your weekend!!

Click on the picture to see more!

Grief and Loss Video

Dan — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:58:22 +0000

I just put together a short video for the students in one of my grief and loss groups at my internship. I thought I’d send you the link in case anyone else wanted to check it out. The song is called “Brighter Days” by Leeland. Have a great day!

Dan

Click here for the Grief and Loss Video

Updated Summer Pictures

Dan — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:16:49 +0000

I have been trying to keep our family photo album online updated so if you want to check it out CLICK HERE.

Dan

ps. I am biased and think my kids are pretty darn cute

A Different Perspective

Dan — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:23:46 +0000

I just finished watching all 5 of the parts from the “How Great is our God” tour with Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio and I have been reminded again of my place in the grand picture of our universe. This tour is the sequel to the “Indescribable” talk Louis Giglio gave a little while back.

I am going to copy the link down below for you to go and watch this awesome and encouraging perspective. Make sure you have some uninterrupted time to watch because it is about 45 minutes long. I guarantee you will enjoy it. At the end of each part you will be able to click on the next part until you have seen them all.

Louis Giglio- How Great is our God Part 1

Nouthetic Counseling and Adlerian Psychology

Dan — Sat, 16 May 2009 03:53:34 +0000

I just completed a class at Adler Graduate School that required me to write my own personal philosophy of counseling. The whole process was very challenging and encouraging because I got a chance to actually put on paper what I knew in my head to be true. I think a large number of people have ideas on what they believe about certain things but few are ever forced to actually sit down and completely think it through enough to logically place it on paper. I am very glad I had an opportunity to write this paper because it helped to solidify what my approach is when working with children, youth, and adults.

Below is my philosophy of counseling so if you’re really bored and don’t have anything fun and exciting to do (like watch grass grow or fishing in a bucket!) you are more than welcome to take a read and let me know your thoughts. I am by no means an expert on this topic and welcome your comments and suggestions.

Dan

Philosophy of Counseling

Nouthetic Counseling Information

Confused, or not confused: That is the question.”

Dan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:16:34 +0000

Today I completed the college and career booklet I told you all about earlier. It ended up being 32 pages long (34 if you include the cover page and table of contents). If you find spelling errors or other things like that, please let me know and I’ll try and keep it totally up to date. Also, if you find a link that doesn’t work anymore please let me know. I have gathered a bunch of this information for a while but my hope is that all the links and hyperlinks still work.

Let me know what you think of it and what you think will make it better. Also, remember, this copy is designed to be used at Rogers High School, thus, some of the information is taylored directly toward the students here. If you want a “blank” copy I can try and get you one. Then all you have to do is put your information down instead.

You are free to reproduce and distribute this booklet freely, but only if it is not sold or used for personal financial profit. If you reference or use it as a source, please mention or cite the copyright information. Thanks!

UPDATE: I have updated the booklet so all the links should be working now and all the pages and information should be correct. Thanks!

Download the guide HERE: College and Career Guide Booklet UPDATED!!

Guide to college, careers, FAFSA, financial aid, scholarships, and military opportunities

Dan — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:23:11 +0000

I am in the process of putting together a brief document that summarizes issues for students who are preparing for college. Some of the subjects covered are as follows:

Choosing a college, applying to college, financial aid, choosing a career, military careers, and pursuing a job after high school (assuming you’re not going to college), etc….

This resource is going to be availabe in the next few weeks. I am about half way through completing the booklet. I will let you know when it is completed and attach it here so you can download it and use it for your own personal enjoyment.

If you would like a copy of what I have put together so far, leave a comment here and I will email the incomplete version to you now.

Also, if you have any questions related to college, careers, FAFSA, financial aid, or whatever else, please let me know, either by email or by leaving a comment on this post.

Have a great week and GO EAGLES!!

186,000 Miles Per Second!

Dan — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:26:48 +0000

Yes, that is the speed of light. Right now it seems more like the pace of our life! The weeks seem to be flying by so quickly. It feels like a few weeks ago that we were in Virgina for my sister’s wedding, but in reality that was in August, and we are now at Thanksgiving! With online classes, spending 2 days a week at Spectrum HS working as their school counselor, looking for internship placements, and Maggie working on weekends it seems like we barely have time to breathe. Thankfully, we have run full steam into a long weekend of sorts with Thanksgiving being on a Thursday. We will spend Thanksgiving with my older brother and his wife (Tim and Dana) north of the cities. It will be good to have nothing scheduled or on the “to do list” (other than take care of the 2 kids and watch as much football as the wives will allow )

Over the past few weeks I have been trying to think of a way to offer some of the skills I have been learning and practicing through my school counseling classes. I have been posting and updating some basic information on the Spectrum High School Counseling Services to share with the students at SHS and any parents that are interesting in the college and career planning process. If any of you have any questions or would like more information please let me know and I”ll try to get you an answer as soon as possible. I have learned a lot during the last 2-3 months of classes and time actually working with students at SHS but I am not an expert by any means, so please be patient if I’m not able to answer you question right away. Thankfully, I know people who do know it all so I’ll be picking their brain when I need help.

Since I am going to be redirecting the focus of my website to more college and career prep information some of you may not find it exciting to get updates about this topic in your mailbox. If you would like to unsubscribe to the website please let me know and I’ll remove you from the email list. No offense will be taken or implied I am a big fan of reducing needless information in my mailbox so I understand. Please do check back peridically because I still plan on updating you all on current family situations and events under a new Family page on the top of the website. It’s not up there now but I’ll get to it soon.

Thanks for your patience and time as you read through this! I’ll talk with you all soon.

Rethinking the “Full-time Ministry” box

Dan — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 04:02:42 +0000

Over the past few months I have been thinking about the phrase “full-time ministry”. I have always thought I would be involved in full-time ministry in some way and my past jobs have reflected that belief. Over the past two years at Treehouse and at our church (www.northwestbiblechurch.org) I have learned about youth, God, myself, how to grow and mature with co-workers, and what full-time ministry really looks like.

My previous picture of full-time ministry involved a number of different things. 1. Having a career/job with a Christian organization, 2. raising your salary or part of it, 3. not getting paid much for what you do and the time you put in , and 4. your ministry being centered at a specific location (ie.. church, school, TreeHouse, etc…). Finding a job that fits into the small box I mentally created is REALLY hard and usually involves #3 being a prohibitive factor in taking any jobs that would come along.

As I have been rethinking the ministry box I have begun to see ministry in a more holistic way instead of narrowing it down to fit into old “normal” paradigm. I have come across an article that explains how I am beginning to view the term “full-time ministry”. To read the article CLICK HERE. It is a little long but a quick read. The story at the end about the young pastor is something I can relate well to because as I have been transitioning from TreeHouse to Spectrum High School I have had similar feelings. Thankfully I am beginning to see things a little differently. I hope it also gives you something to think about. I want to challenge you to reconsider how you view your job/career and why God has placed you there. Is it about earning money or bringing Him glory?