WWBSMD?

What Would Brittney Spears' Mom Do?
Unfortunately, we'll never know. It seems that Lynne Spears' book is indefinitely on hold. I wonder why? Could it be train wreck Brittney or newly pregnant 16 year old Jamie Lynn? Who knows. (Shamefully the book was being published by a Christian publishing house. What in the world were they thinking in the first place??)

By the way, I shamelessly stole WWBSMD from a good friend.

UPDATE: Girl-a-thon in reply to her friend discussing the pregnant Jamie Lyn--"Well, duh. Same parents, same mess." I guess even an 11 year old gets it.

Something in the Drink

Yes, there is definitely something in the drinks in San Francisco, but I don't think sugar is the problem.

Be Afraid...Very Afraid

I have finally begun to read I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. A friend gave it to me a very long time ago, and I just haven't had the spare moments to get into it. Now, days before we start our Christmas break from school (can I get an Amen?) I have begun the book.

Tom Wolfe is said to be a keen social observer. A description with which I must agree. His prolific writing includes both fiction and non, and there is no possible way I could tell you who he is, if you don't already know. But if you don't, please go read this.

I read the preface which refers to a study done on cats in which their amygdalas were removed. I am already scared about what lies ahead. (I know this sounds nutty but it all makes sense--I promise.) The book is about undergraduate life at a prestigious American university. Though he did research on several campuses, the rumour is that the story is taken mainly from events on the campus of Duke University. The premise is that peer pressure and the anything goes wild life of undergrads is too much for any young adult to resist. As a parent--and pre-Charlotte Simmons--I believe that we can instill values (and the courage to hold to them) in our kids. I'll keep you updated as to how that goes as I am reading.

Cultural Clarity

I passed by a self-storage place today (they are popping up all over this island) and the signs struck me: Climate Controlled Self-Storage. Is it just me, or does that pretty much sum up the culture at large?

Control freak? No worries. You can even control the climate now, baby.

Have enough stuff? Good. Too much stuff? Even better.

And the most glorious word of all...SELF. Who needs anoyone else? After all, you are most important to you, right?

Another One Bites the Dust

I admit it, I am a movie junkie. It's the cheapest therapy I've ever known. And now, sadly, it's on the endangered cultural items list. It seems as though Will Smith and his family can be added to the the ranks of those duped by Scientology. I know, I know--what do I care? It's just that it's getting harder and harder to have some mindless entertainment. I can't even see a trailer for a Tom Cruise flick without getting major heebie-jeebies. And don't get me started about the Travolta nightmare.

Conspiracy Theory

I was all set to title this "Anyone...Anyone?" But Palmtreepundit beat me to it :-) Any way, here is a movie that I am anxious to see. (Hat tip:Anne)

A Very Very Good Day

Today was a busy day with a long morning appointment, and a longer than planned for afternoon appointment. The Kids-a-thon really were solo for much of the day and they did such a good job staying on task, I was amazed. That made it a good day.

The morning appointment was spent with Teen-a-thon and I am so proud of her. She has faced some very tough decisions in the past few months, and I am always amazed at the maturity and thoughtfulness with which she makes them. Today, especially, she made a very loving, wise decision, and I am so proud of her. That made it a very good day.

The afternoon was spent with a friend who asked for my advice on some very tough issues in her life. She too, is facing some hard decisions. She said she saw things very clearly after we talked and said that I helped her out. I am grateful that God can use my "brass tacks" personality to help such a dear woman. That made it a very very good day.

Bella

Dad-a-thon and I went to see this movie last night. The subtitle is "True love goes beyond romance." Well put. It was very very good. Bring tissues, but please do find it and go.

Update: Here is the trailer.

A Very Very Bad Hair Day

I decided to shape up the 'do. So I had chosen two hairstyles--one that kept the length and one that returned to my very short hair. I decided to go with the longer one for now. That way, I could always go short afterward. My stylist and I also thought it would be good to make my hair dark and put in some big chunky dramatic highlights.

HMMMM......

Somehow a hairstyle that looked fabulous on the model looks like some kind of trailer trash-barfly-rodeo queen combo. It's so very sad. Thankfully my stylist is a gem. She told me to come back tomorrow (today) and we'll go for the very short, very blonde look I have had before and know works well on me. In the mean time, YeeHaw!

(Mahalo to Girl-a-thon for the photography.)

Fun and Beautful Jewelery

My friend makes this gorgeous jewelery and I thought you might like to take a peek, since Christmas is coming up. I have a couple of her creations, and have given them as gifts, too. They are unique and creative and very individual. She is a stay at home mom and makes all the jewelery herself. She ships to the mainland, too. I added her website to my links but here it is as well.
UPDATE: She has named her pieces, and you just might recognize a few :-)

So Many Topics...

So little time.
Blogging is somewhat of a therapy for me. (It is probably a big therapy for my husband and friends, too, in that I (might) yack a little less at them!) Lately, I have had a plethora of things to mull over through this medium of blogging, and conversely no time to do it. The result is that I am fried.

I am learning--through the cactus and glass route--that I am a mere mortal. For the first time in my life I am finding myself saying, "I just can't do it all." Generally I have been able to finagle my life in a way that I can do just about everything that I take on. I have learned not to take on as much as I used to, but even that seems to be a steep learning curve for me.

The problem, as I see it, is that I have lost my groove. I'm in a funk. Not depressed, just...well, something's not quite right. It's like a little sand in my shorts, or a small rock in my shoe...something's not quite right with Mama's world. And you know how THAT goes!

I'm deep in scripture, so that's a plus. I'm even making myself read something mildly funny and interesting that will likely not grow me in any way. I'm trying to get some exercise now and then. I don't know what it is, but something's not right in my world....Until I get that straightened out, my heart just won't be in my work. And that is simply unacceptable to me.

So! To recap: I have an unidentifiable issue that is frustrating my ability to think and focus on my work and responsibilities, which causes me to do them half way. In turn this is frustrating because I hate to "phone it in."

OK then. Welcome to the crazy train :-) Keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.....

Busy Busy

It has been a very long time since I posted. There have been so many things I'd like to post about, but not the time to post. Sadly, I think that the things that make life the most interesting to blog about are also the things that keep me too busy to post! Hopefully that will change soon!

WooHoo!!

I feel like running out to my back yard, waving my arms wildly and hollering, "WooHoo!!!" They are here. They are praciticing for the show this weekend, which just happens to be right next door to my house. So they are flyimg over at mach whatever, and it is pretty awesome to see.

I think I'd better rent Top Gun this weekend ;-)

Words Mean Things (Right?)

Did you know that the term "single" has nothing to do with marriage? It refers to a person's relational status. Apparently, teens and young adults who have had a regular "hook-up" (defined: boyfriend/girlfriend situation for more than a week) do not consider themselves to be "single". This was news to me. It was news to the 19 year girl I was talking with that anyone who is not married is single. She had never heard that before.

The conversation started with her statement, "I have five friends who are pregnant and all but two of them are under 18." She said this so matter of factly I was stunned. I asked her what she thought about that, and she replied, "What do you mean?" I asked her if she had any thoughts, feelings, or opinions on the news that five of her teenage girlfriends are single and pregnant. That's when she told me that two of them were not single. I asked how long they'd been married, and she said, "Oh, they're not." Slightly confused, I asked, "How is it that they are not married and not single?"
"They have boyfriends!" She said, obviously frustrated that I could be so...slow. Trying to get back to the question at hand, I again asked her what she thought about her pregnant teenage single freinds. She said, "I don't know...glad I'm not [pregnant], I guess."

There is an entire population of kids heading for adulthood with this frame of mind. The uphill battle for their hearts and minds is made all the more difficult when we literally speak different languages.

String Theory

You have heard of the "Promise Ring", right? Apparently girls have been convinced that they only need a "Promise String".
Yes. String.

At this rate, there will soon be the "Promise Kleenex" or "Promise Dryer Lint".

Have we really de-valued women and marriage that much? Say it isn't so.

What Does One Do To Receive This Award?

If you look closely that is a golden speculum. I couldn't help but take a picture of it when the genetic counselor left the room. As I told Teen-A-Thon, "What in the world did he do to get THAT?"
Then I couldn't help but think that someone--seriously--someone should have told the good doctor that this plaque belonged in a drawer and not on his office wall.

It was an adventurous day, indeed.

Quote of the Day--Beware This One Stings

"[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the *execrable cruelty of one or a very few."

-- John Adams (An Essay on Man's Lust for Power, 29 August 1763)

Reference: Original Intent, Barton (338); original The Papers of John Adams, Taylor, ed., vol. 1 (83)

*ex·e·cra·ble [ek-si-kruh-buhl]–adjective
1. utterly detestable; abominable; abhorrent.
2. very bad: an execrable stage performance.

It's No Coincidence...

...that I am in this bible study right now. Nor is it random that the chapter we are studying deals head on with persevering faith. Like I told a friend in an email:

I've been alternately frustrated with and grinning about the subject of this week's work in the study, and the week I am having. Why can't I just download the info and forego the struggle? Why is my will in need of such harsh training? I wish I could just make myself get over it and persevere already!!

(Yes, I am aware of the irony of those comments)
;-)

Sand and Sea

OK. That's the look I'm going for with this latest Blog makeover. I really don't have the time to fool around with this thing, however, the need to make it look nice (combined with an inability to do so )is a symptom of my greater disease: Zero Creativity.

My previous attempt brought unfavorable comments from a friend.
(BTW, Girl-a-Thon thought it was due to your age and that you probably have "old eyes";-)

Seriously?

Yes. Seriously.
The powers that be think it is a very good idea to put a criminal mental health facility across the street from an elementary school and preschool. (As if sharing a fence with the sewer wasn't enough.)

As usual, following the money trail is very enlightening. For starters, the medical director of CARE Hawaii, Inc. is also (well, whaddayaknow?) the owner of the property where the facility would be. I'm sure there is plenty more dirt to uncover, but I have other pressing issues tonight.

The acting administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) informed my state Representative of the criteria that are used to determine whether the state will allow a facility to exist. The major criteria are: "relationship to the sate plan, need and accessibility, quality of service/care, cost and finances, relationship to the existing healthcare system, and availability of resources". The full criteria are listed here. **Note that "impact on surrounding community" is not one of the cirteria.

If you live in this area, please get involved and contact Darryl D. Shutter, the Acting Administrator of SHPDA. This is really a challenging assignment, as all of your comments must deal only with the aforementioned criteria. No reason, or logic allowed. The email address is shpda@doh.hawaii.gov, the fax number is 587-0788.

If you don't live in the area, please pray that this facility would not be allowed to be located at this address, or any other so near to children.

Back In Black

I wish I had more creativity, but this is about as good as it gets for me. I go from black to grey and back again for my blog. I suppose I could take an art class, or something... any advice for good blog designs?

Oooh! Wow! Good Night.

It was awesome, but that is what happened at our house. It was perfectly clear and beautfiul to see. But it was, uh...12:51 AM.

Ouch!

It looks like I'll have to make another Amazon order soon. This book sounds like a must read. Check out the excerpt over at Between Two Worlds.

(Hat Tip: PalmtreePundit)

But of Course

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Reverend Countess Jeanne the Encompassing of Waldenshire under Throcket Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

(Hat Tip: Empress Anne the Decent of Much Bottom )

Oh No You Di'int!!

"Catholic churches in the Netherlands should use the name Allah for God to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians, says a Dutch bishop."

The problem, of course, is that we are not calling upon the same God. It's short,so give it a read.

I do agree with the bishop, that God is above the names we try to give Him. However, we should not decide what to call Him based on an effort at appeasement of those who have a tendency toward violence. Every believer should call upon the name of the Lord their God in the culture of their own. In my middle class American lifestyle, it's God, or Abba, thankyouverymuch.

Nifty Stocking Stuffer?

"It resembles a hand-held electric razor and is available in metallic pink, electric blue, titanium silver and black pearl.

But it gives out a 50,000-volt jolt that short-circuits brain signals and momentarily incapacitates."

Of course, Amnesty International thinks it's mean.

It's a Tazer for the common folk. The whole story is here. What do you think about this?

It's My Blog And I'll Cry If I Want To

Today was the start of week 2 of school at our house. Simply put, it wasn't pretty. I was in tears--and shivering because our A/C is malfunctioning--by 8:30 AM. Considering that I actually break down and cry about 3 times a year (including funerals) this does not bode well for our little academy in the sun.

I got to pull myself together just in time to take a pregnant teenager to her first OB appointment, while being on the lookout for her abusive ex-boyfriend. Interesting. The appointment took 2 hours. Of Course. Actually the appointment took an hour. We waited for an hour.

All of this follows an exceptionally rough Sunday, which was anything but restorative.

God Answers Prayers

That may seem like an extreme title as you continue to read this post, but I don't think so. I have been praying for this to happen longer than I have even been a Christian! People, Whole Foods is coming to my town!!!!
An article detailing it is here, but it really does not do this momentous occasion justice....Allow me:

Whole Foods Saves Woman
Finally, after nearly 12 years of having to piecemeal a quasi-organic and natural foods diet for her family, one woman's dream has been realized. Whole Foods is setting up shop in her very own town. Gone are the days of schlepping two babies into that wretched Down To Earth on King Street. No more scary, scuzzy,3 foot wide parking structures. 'Finito' to hauling the babies in the urine scented elevator, plopping them into a "shopping cart" that would then be full--of babies, not food!
'Basta' to the half rotted produce that passes for organic at the markets!
It is all coming to an end, and I will wear a red dress to the funeral. HOORAY!

Shameful

In homage to the Emperor and his fine new clothes, the U.S. has withdrawn from the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The study is an international measure of high school seniors' abilities in algebra, geometry, calculus and physics. Get a load of this:

In the past, the American results have been shockingly poor. In the last survey, taken in 1995, students from only two countries—Cyprus and South Africa—scored lower than U.S. school kids.

No kidding. Cyprus and South Africa. We should be very proud.

Conspiracy theorists suggest that the U.S. government withdrew from the study without making any announcement because it anticipated another poor showing.

Ya think?

But, wait--

Federal officials deny the charge. Mark S. Schneider, the commissioner for the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, says the decision was made after a number of other countries decided not to participate. “We looked at the countries who are participating, our scarce resources and our overextended staff,” says Schneider, “and we decided to give it a pass.”

Ironic choice of words, don't you think?

The full article is here.

Ex Duco

This is the source for the English word educate. It means to lead out of (one's self).

That was never truer to me than it is this week. We have begun our school year here, and it is definitely leading me out of self.

For starters, this year marks my sixth year homeschooling. (That is amazing to me!) Most of you who are homeschooling know that every year is different. (This year is especially different in that I am adding another child to my roster of students. I am now teaching 6th, 7th, and 12th-ish grades.) For me, each year is different, and also intimidating. Each time I consider all that is to be accomplished with each child, I am overwhelmed. I think to myself: There is simply no way I am going to be able to make all this happen!

You know what? Without the strength of Christ, my fears are well founded--I can't accomplish the year ahead in my own strength. Luckily, I am reminded by good training and good friends, that we serve an awesome God.

So, I have decided to anchor myself to Phillipians 4:13--I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me--and trust that God will be the same God this year that He was, and will be throughout eternity.

A Good Reminder

Last night, I attended a bridal shower for a young woman who will be married later this month. Her family from Italy has come out for the wedding, and it is sure to be a great celebration for them. At the shower, the bride's mother was taken with the fellowship that her daughter has found in our little church. The mother of the bride spent quite some time telling us how happy she was that her daughter had found friends to share her life with and who would pray for her.

I needed that reminder. I definitely count myself among the very blessed of God's children, but I sometimes fail to count the "little" blessings that, if they were not there, would seem awfully large. I'll list three blessings that I have tended to gloss over, and I encourage you to take stock and do the same.

1. A bible teaching church with a gifted teacher in the pulpit.
2. Wonderful women friends who all challenge me, are smarter than me, and love me in spite of myself.
3. A body of believers and friends who pray for me.

Sad, But True

Peggy Noonan has an article about manners in our Gilded Age. Her point is that though we are a country of enormous wealth, we have hideous manners. I think she nails it. Here is a keen observation:

There are good things and bad in the Gilded Age, pluses and minuses. I write here of a minus. It has to do with our manners, the ones we show each other on the street. I think riches, or the pursuit of riches, has made us ruder. You'd think broad comfort would assuage certain hungers. It has not. It has sharpened them.

It is a thoughtful look at something that was creeping up on us, but is now getting a bit more obvious. Take the time to read the whole thing.

Good, Beautiful, True

The keynote speaker at the Veritas conference was Leland Ryken. He had many great speeches. The following challenge struck me. Dr. Ryken said that for something to be incorporated into one's life (like a book, piece of art, or a movie) it should be Good, Beautiful, or True. The best things, he said, are all three.

Re-Reading

Why I do this when my To Be Read (TBR) pile is so big, I have no idea. Anyway, I am again reading "Recovering The Lost Tools Of Learning" by Douglas Wilson. It is one of the books that put the nail in the coffin of my kids' traditional education.

When I first read the book, I truly had a love-hate relationship with it. I loved that it spoke such clarity and truth into my foggy and confused mind. However, I hated that what Wilson was saying was true. I had big plans for my life. And they definitely didn't include homeschooling, for heaven's sake.

Fast forward seven years and here I am, beginning my sixth year of homeschooling. It's nice to have some experience. It's nice that things feel a bit familiar. But I need to remember where my heart was when this all began: it was tentative, at best. In light of that, this quote about parents and double standards stuck out at me while I was re-reading:

"...a junior high student may be pulled out of a Christian school because there are not enough social activities, or the sports program is not adequate. The child is then placed in a school where social activities are plentiful, but so are drugs and alcohol, along with rampant sexual immorality."

This is why I need to remember my own heart in the beginning of this homeschooling adventure. I know many people who make decisions about their kids based on the above rationale (or worse). And I just can't wrap my head around that thinking. It only gets worse, though, because my kids are getting older. The fruit of these decisions is growing and getting ripe. For kids hitting adolescence, this isn't good, believe me.

So I need to guard my heart and pray for them. It is too easy for me to be stunned at "their" thinking. I need to remember my own foolish thinking, and the grace of God that opened my eyes to the realities of this world.

Quote of the Day

"An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens....There has never been a moment of my life in which I should have relinquished for it the enjoyments of my family, my farm, my friends & books."

-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to John Melish, 13 January 1813)

"Aha!" to "Amen!"

Last night, I returned home from Veritas Academy Teacher Training. It was as wonderful an experience this time, as it was last year.

This year, however, there were fewer "Aha!" moments and more "Amen!" moments My dear friend and I attended with two other good friends. They had their own "Aha!" experiences, and it was greatly encouraging for us all. I'm not sure how or when I transitioned from the former to the latter, but I know that it was different this time around.

If you are a homeschooler and you have the chance to get this kind of encouragement, you simply must do it.

Dewey's Heritage

So much of our culture's ills can be readily blamed upon the decline of American education. In an effort to rehabilitate society, the current educational establishment has a few trendy buzzwords. Not the least of which is "Character Education". The problem is, without Christ at the center, all character education is merely slapping paint on a termite ridden house. It looks good for a time, but it will eventually show itself to be the wretched mess it is.

Permit me this long quote from John Dewey and the Decline of American Education :

To be meaningful, character education must be based upon a clear notion of individual virtue developed within an unapologetic context of right and wrong, all of which must be drawn from our best philosophical traditions. Many contemporary programs teach students to cultivate character traits for mere utilitarian advantage: "If you are loyal then your friends will be loyal to you." Students must be taught that virtue is its own reward--even if the consequence is personal loss, as it sometimes is.

The Future is Now

I just finished a practice session for my son's online Omnibus I class. It uses VoIP (voice over internet protocol) so that students can hear and speak to each other as though they are in the same room. I am thrilled and amazed that my son and about 20 other students from around the world will be taught by Bruce Etter of Veritas Academy. Now even more people can benefit from the generosity of teachers like Mr. Etter. He is teaching two classes in the evenings (after full days of work!). The time change works out marvelously for us, as it puts the class at about 2PM our time.

I am so excited about the prospects of this opportunity. Imagine what this means for people in rural little no where towns? Or stranded on an island in the Pacific, for that matter. As long as teachers are willing to share their expertise this way, geography will no longer be a factor in the quality of one's education. I know several of you have done this before. And some of you are even those college teachers who have done this for years, but it's all new to me! :-)

Now if we can get Boy-a-thon as excited as I am!

Time Crunch

Most of the family has been gone to youth group summer camp since Monday, so I have had some coveted uninterrupted time to work on school planning. I have gotten the bookshelves nearly organized for the last time (it takes about three passes to get it "just right"). But the pile of mending is staring at me from across the room. (In the background I hear the far off theme to "The Good, the Bad, nad the Ugly" as a tumbleweed blows by in the dust...I have until 2PM to tackle the pile in peace...it's either me or the mending; only one of us will be left standing at the end of the day!!)

"Life is really time consuming."

From a friend as we tried to set up a time and date to get together. I had to laugh. Hope you do too.

A Time For Everything

In the last few days, two dear families have moved away, and though that is part and parcel of living here, it has been hard to say goodbye.

One friend met her husband, got married, and had two babies here. One friend and I shared the last seven years of our children's lives together. Both of them have been dear to me in many ways. We've had laughter and tears and a few good bottles of wine. God blessed me with them, and I am sad that it is over now. Sure, we will be able to stay in touch (better than ever with Email) but it isn't the same as having those last minute get-togethers.

Octosquid? Squidopus?

This was found in a filter of the Bid Island this week. Full story here.

"A Quiet, Humble Man"

By all accounts I have read, that is the description of John Dewey. However, just as I am sure the cow that started the Chicago fire was sweet and docile (as most cows are), this one man has caused incalculable damage to the educational system in this country.

I have just begun to read the book pictured here. It is a short read, but filled with a thorough explanation of why Dewey's ideas and influence are so insidious. Sure, I knew Dewey was really a socialist at heart. Yes, I knew he was hostile to religion of any sort. But I never really thought that he purposefully sought to change the nation through education. I had no idea that he actually knew it was a shortcut through our nation's lengthy political process. Because of his reputation as "a quiet, humble man", I thought of him as a nice guy who accidentally brought a deadly virus virus into American education. With Edmundson's look at each and every one of Dewey's writings (the book took 20 years to finish) one can only come away understanding that the current education system Is anything but an accident. It is a mess, for sure, but it is so by design.

Boots On The Ground

I woke up thinking of this strange wartime analogy for parenting. Who knows why? Anyway, it occurred to me that one of the many reasons that parenting is such a challenge is not just that it is demanding on all fronts--physical, mental, emotional. But that the job requires that you are to be the philosopher, policy maker, and the implementor of those policies. You are commander in chief, general, and infantryman: boots on the ground.

Perhaps you are an extremely talented person and can balance all these demands with ease. Personally, I find it a real challenge to concurrently use both sides of my brain. When I play and joke around with my children, there is a part of my mind distracted by the philosophy of child-rearing: How will this impact them in the long run? Will they be prepared? Do they know how much I adore them?. Or, I can research, consider, and pray about the child rearing, all the while a part of me wants to blow that off and go play with the kids.

Again, as with all areas of this life, I am grateful for a sovereign God. If I were trying to do this gig on my own strength, I would fail miserably. I am grateful that God does indeed have a plan, that it is good, and He loves me. Without that baseline in my world, it would be rather easily rocked, I'm afraid.

Heavens to Betsy!

I have no idea where that phrase comes from, but it pretty much sums up my last few days. Since I last blogged, we have added a new member to our family, lost internet, and I was out for the count with the flu. Thus, I have had LOTS to say, and no ability to say it. Hmm...wondering if there is a lesson there? ;-)

We now have TeenGirl-a-thon with us (really, these names are getting a bit ridiculous). Her story is heartbreaking, but not rare. As we have come to know her and a few of her friends, they have all been in the same situation growing up: parents on drugs, on welfare (fraudulently) and kids basically fending for themselves. By the grace of God, this child has managed to stay out of big trouble, and has maintained a positive and even thoughtful attitude.

I wonder how it will all be over time, but for now, I have been nothing short of amazed at the things I have seen this child endure.

Please keep us in your prayers, as we are figuring it all out as we go, over here.

Sickos, Bullies, and Crap. Oh my!

Here's what I found when I was looking for lighthearted morning news.

Sickos
Coach, 40, Weds 16-Year-Old Student
Anguished Parents Sign Consent Forms, Saying They Had No Choice
Right. There appears to be an epidemic of parents with no choice but to fail their children. Poor parents...it really is about them, after all.
Full story here. Be forewarned--it's filled with adults suffering from idiocy.

Bullies
Severe Bullying Caused Teen To Contemplate Suicide

Watch this. Key in on the schools' response and their idea of "normal middle school behavior".

Crap
Video Game Addiction: A Medical Disorder?
American Medical Association Seeks To Have Obsessive Game Playing Declared A Psychiatric Disorder
Full story here.
I suppose it is possible there are cases where this is actually a problem, however, something tells me that video games are not the responsbible party here. My first clues are that video games are inanimate, and require the will of a human in order to operate.

Your thoughts?

Cranky Old Mom

I guess that's what I've become. Now, anyone who knows me knows I like to have fun, and I do think I crack a funny joke here and there. However, I am finding it more and more difficult to enjoy what is meant to be mindless entertainment. I'm speaking about the movies.

I have always immensely enjoyed going to the movies. I even enjoy bad movies, because I like to think about what makes a movie good or bad. However, at the risk of sounding like a grumpy ol' grandma, there are themes these days that would never have made the cut for PG in my day. (Disclaimer: I did walk to school in the snow, and it was uphill--one way--but I don't think that should discredit my opinion here.)

The latest flick to cause me to shake my head (actually, I was making sarcastic jabs to my friend) is the new Nancy Drew movie. There are several really stupid messages in this movie (I won't even address the pre-teen mantra: if-you-dress-like-a-tart-and-treat-people-with-disgust-you-are-normal), not the least of which is this one from Kids In Mind:

MESSAGE - Forbidding a child from doing something that they love will make them go on doing it, but in secret.

How very UN-Nancy Drew.

Some other messages:
1. Throwing a wild party and trashing your house will make your dad "proud of you". (Yes, that is an actual quote from Carson Drew)

2. When disobeying your dad, ask 2 boys who are smitten with you. If they think it's OK, then it is OK.

3. Finally winning the approval of teen girls who are cruel to you, and dress like Steven Tyler, will make you feel good about yourself.


The rest of the movie is cute and corny and fun for the intended demographic. I couldn't really recommend it, though...

Perpetuating Stereotypes

Girl-A-Thon and a friend have been taking an embriodery class with 12 other girls. They are learning how to embroider, which is the point of the class. However, nothing is ever simple with 14 girls (except what I will write in my next post). A few days into the class, Girl-A-Thon and her friend decided to do their embroidery while in the character of medieval princesses. Unfortunately, this is, um...totally not cool. Some of the other girls began to make fun of them, at which point the teacher told the two (obviously improperly socialized) girls that they were asking to be teased, by acting like that. Thus in one fell swoop, stereotypes on both sides have been reinforced.

I have begun to reply to the most un-original question about homeschooling ("Aren't you worried about socialization?") with, "What do you mean by that?" Because, at our house, we have thought quite extensively about socialization; not in general, but in particular. We have determined that all socialization is not created equal.(Geniuses, aren't we?) And though I'm yet to have anyone actually formulate a reply to my question about socialization, I am quite capable of describing our family's thoughts on the same. My answer is actually quite long, and even backed with empirical data. (What a nerd. I wonder what kind of teasing I am asking for?)

The answer, for the parents who would take the time to think critically (ooh, educationese!) about socialization, is that they worry (for me) that my kids won't be able to survive as the fittest. Of course the difficulty here, is that we aren't seeking the same goal for our kids. I don't want my kids to be top of the heap in 6th or 7th or 10th grade. I have this crazy notion that my kids should seek to glorify God in all they say and do. Speaking from experience, observation, and yes, empirical data, that is simply not going to happen in a sea of other children. Furthermore, the adults strolling along the shores of that sea usually repsond to what I would defitinitely call anti-social behavior with a flippant "What did you expect? You're weird if you're nice (or innocent, or don't know who Paris Hilton is, etc.)"

Thus we remain a decidedly homeschooling family.

A Day of Accomplishment

Ironically, days in which I feel like I've actually made progress toward something seem to be rare this time of year. One would think that, looking back at the end of a school year, I would feel great accomplishment. And actually, that is the case...for about half a day or so. Nearly immediately, I look ahead to all there is yet to be done.
I do love to plan for and think about the books to gather for the next school year. However, all of the maintenance projects around the house begin to weigh heavily on me. Which means they get regularly mentioned to Dad-a-thon. Yes, it can be a stressful time here in the home-a-thon.

By God's grace, I am growing in my ability to "be still" and be content. It does, however, seem to highlight my need for more growth...

Anyway, today I got a few things done. Though I must admit homeschooling sure cut into my home improvement time ;-)

Sustained Adolescence

A comment my son made yesterday got me thinking. While shopping for a gift for my husband's birthday, I said to the kids, "It's so hard for me to find a gift for Daddy because if he wants something, he usually just gets it for himself."

"Really?" my son asked, "Dad can just go get anything he wants for himself?"

Nervously wondering where this was heading --the mind of a 12 year old boy can be a scary thing--I said, "Well, yes."

"I want to be a man just like that when I grow up."

Aha! The perfect moment to discuss the values of God-glorfying hard work, perseverance, tithing, etc. So of course, I did talk about all those things, and the resultant dimming of my son's excitement--though entirely age-appropriate--reminded me how much work there is in rearing a boy. Now, there is nothing wrong with a 12 year old wanting the world on a silver platter. However, he is to become a man; not a 30 year old who thinks and behaves like a 12 year old. Apparently that notion is counter-cultural.

The glorfication of irresponsible behavior in our culture is shockingly popular. Look at the lifestyles section of any paper or magazine. It is filled with gossip about the latest train wreck of a young adult, awash in cash and devoid of any correction (=love) or discipline (from the Latin discipulus: student)from their family; the very people whose job it is to do so!
This is so very sad. Without the presence of loving correction and discipline while a child is in the parents' home, that child is greatly challenged to develop any self-dsicipline. I once explained this to my kids by using the example of relay runners and a baton. Parents have the responsibility of discipline for a time in the child's life. During this time, the child sees, experiences, and learns how to discipline himself. Then the parent hands the baton to the child, and he heads off to run his own leg in the race of life. Fumble and drop the baton, and running will have no purpose or direction; the finish line just an interesting banner hanging there for no apparent reason.

The District

That's what the locals call it, and I am quite confident it they use caps when they do.
I spent last week in D.C. meeting up with a lifetime friend and a couple of other gals whom I have known for a while now. It has taken me nearly the week to recover from the time difference, but I am getting there. Leaving is always nice because it makes me want to get back home. For that alone it is a good thing.


My initial impressions were very different from what I expected. I found it to be a beautiful place with a real sense of purpose. It was as though the seriousness of the work that goes on there was tangible. Of course the sense of history is impossbile to miss, with every spot having some major siginificance to our nation, albeit the world. It is not crowded or dirty (I guess that's just New York), and I felt very safe where I was. Granted I didn't venture out to the sketchy areas, but then again, why would I?


The whole family will head back for a "field trip" this fall, and I expect we will have a great time. For those of you who have never been (like me) I recommend you make a point to go there. Ours is an incredible nation, invented by incredible men. The place where it all began is a pilgrimage every American should make.

Family (Again)

As I re-read my last post, I realized it could be interpreted that I was judging those around me. I confess that that was indeed my initial reaction in the office. (I am not prone to love those who "aren't doing what they are supposed to be doing." Of course I do have plenty of rational explanations (read: excuses) for my own tendency to fall short.)

However, the reason that the situation stuck with me was--no, not PTSD--because of the stark examples it provided. Each of those people I mentioned were experiencing the chaos of fractured family life (and taking the entire doctor's office along for the ride, too). This is what happens to a culture at large when the family falls apart.

Why Should Anyone Care?
It seems almost un-American to care what happens in someone else's family. However, if you think the chaos inside someone else's four walls doesn't have a direct impact on you and your life, you just plain don't know your history.

Clearly, this isn't going away, so expect more thoughts later...

Family Values

A worn out term, I know, but it sure explains a lot, doesn't it?

Lately (as in the last 31 years) I have been perseverating on the impact of the family. I think about it all the time. My earliest recollection of thinking about the family is when I was six years old. But I digress...

My thoughts this time were ignited at the pediatric opthalmologist's office. We arrived, checked in and sat down. My son immediately noticed an outdated dinosaur poster. Outdated because it had the audacity to have a brontosaurus on it. Any budding paleontologist these days knows that "a brontosaurus was actually a mistakenly contrived dinosaur. It is made up of the bones of an apatasaurus put in the wrong places." (A Direct quote from my son.) I, on the other hand, was reading the signs posted at frequent intervals around the small room which stated "Do Not Climb or Stand on the Furniture." I laughed to myself as I thought, "That many signs really does seem a bit excessive."

Obviously I was worng, or I wouldn't be writing about this. And boy was I wrong. As we waited our turn, the waiting area was not only confused for a jungle gym, but a home theatre, and private family counseling session, as well. In the span of 20 minutes the place became so unruly and cacauphonous, that my children and I literally began to huddle together. Instinctively hoping for safety, I suppose.

It was BIZARRE. Let me take you around the room with me:

In the middle of the room, and on every chair--including a few that had people in them--were two toddlers. They ran, they screamed, they yelled, and they did indeed climb on the furniture. I would have sworn they had a Starbucks double shot for breakfast.

To the left were 3 generations of women. (I had mistaken them for a mom with both a teenage and a preschool age daughter. It was actually a mom with her teen daughter and the daughter's little girl.) The mother of the preschooler was on her cell phone arguing with her boyfriend. The preschooler was watching "The Grinch" with Jim Carrey on a portable DVD player (volume on high). The grandma(?) was yelling at her teenage daughter telling her what to say to the boyfriend.

There was an older couple, grandparents to another very young boy. He was very interested in playing with the Starbucks kids. His grandparents looked tired and worn. It was 9AM. He had already overpowered them. He joined what I will now call the ADHD gang. Every once in while, grandma would holler across the room "No, that's naughty. You come sit down." The boy would scream "NO!" Then the whole gang would chime in, scremaing "No! No! No!" and continue on their merry way.

Finally, grace was poured upon us, and we were called in for the kids' exams. As I admired the doctors diplomas (BS Yale, MD Harvard--chief resident, no less), I couldn't help but think that she somehow got jipped.

Yeah, Right

“Under orders from our supreme ruler, Usama bin Laden, we announce our complete surrender and ask for mercy from our triumphant conquerors,” said an unnamed spokesman on a prerecorded audio statement released on al-Jazeera and CNN. “We are defenseless in the face of the Democrats’ aggressive pull-out schedule — Allah be praised.”

This post from Scrappleface would be a whole lot funnier if it weren't so darn indicative of the way the Democrats think. Of course the real cynic in me thinks that's giving the Dems far too much credit. The real cynic thinks they care nothing at all about the war, lives lost, etc. They care only about getting that power completely back into their own hands...


It's funny, because wehre I live, the entire state is run by the Democartic party. Local politicians have an arrogance about them that you really should experience sometime. It will make you ill. I'm originally from another state run by Republicans, and, though I was not interested in local politics while growing up there, I imagine they behave much the same way.

Seriously...A Man Thought of This

Read on the wrapper of a feminine hygiene product: "Have a Happy Period" And, in French, too: "Bonne et heureuse semaine".

C'mon people. Do we have to write anything on the wrapper at all? And if you think yes, why in the world would you write that?

Sponge Worthy

Now, Elaine will not have to be so particular.

"What Do You Know of the Latest Tragedy?"

That was my dad's question when I finally reached him this morning. (He was referring to the attack on my nephew) Its accuracy struck me. The events that cause all the members of my family to get in touch basically involve tragedy. Though I would never describe us as a close family, we do know how to rally in an emergency. We do know how to do that.

It is heartbreaking to me that the very means God has given us to experience his love and grace, the family, has become so injured in our culture. My own family of origin is certainly not in the worst shape, but it does suffer serious wounds.

Knowing what I know now, it is gutwrenching to know that the people whom I love dearly suffer so much. I know. I have been there.

A few of my favorite things...

After a truly horrific 36 hours or so, it was really nice to go out to a "joint" with friends. (Our nook of Hawaii is particularly odd in its contrasts. You can have a $150-$200 dinner in a place where they have to remind customers "no tank tops after 5PM" and "please wear shoes".) I feel so incredibly blessed by the good friends God has seen fit to give us; and am particularly grateful for them at times like these, when tragedy has struck my family and I am so far away.

Praise to the Lord, He is worthy of praise

A sigh of relief was breathed by family yesterday afternoon. My nephew was taken off the ventilator and was doing much better.

He is doing even better today. I got to talk briefly to him and give him our family's love. He is sitting up for short times, and is conscious (though loopy from the morhpine).

God has spared this one of His children, and for that, there is an occasionally functional family spread across this nation that is ever so grateful.

Random Violence

What a strange phrase to coin. It is the surest sign of our need to explain the unexplainable. As if naming something absurd, somehow makes it less absurd.

In any case, the absurdity of random violence has hit home today. My nephew was stabbed seven times in the back last night. He is on a ventilator and that's about all I know right now. Apparently there was a robbery near where he was with the two girls in his car, and the criminals dragged my nephew and the girls out of the car and attacked them with knives. The girls' faces are slashed up, I'm told.

Again, as in the case of the atrocities at Virginia Tech, there is but one explanation, and it is best said here:

“the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). We need new hearts (Ezekiel 11:19, John 3:3). We need Jesus.

Field Trip Day

One of the perks of having a friend in the Navy was realized yesterday when we got to tour the USS Ronald Reagan. It is an aircraft carrier, and the newest one on the sea. What an incredible experience. It adds a whole new meaning to the word "awesome". I know I feel a lot safer knowing there are a few of these out there, patrolling.

Liberalism is Developmentally Inappropriate for Adults

I tend to think of the relationships of ideas, in pictures. This causes me to "take the scenic route" when discussing topics, but often makes for an interesting experience (or so I think). All this is to explain how I arrived at the statement above, and it provides a nice example, as well.

I was dusting and it came to me--the reason I get so frustrated with the politically liberal way of thinking. It is not merely naive, it's childish. And, therefore, developmentally inapproriate for adults.
Most children would like there to be peace and flowers, puppies and ponies, cookies and milk all around. But as adults, we are bound by the reality that there are a limited amount of resources and an unlimited amount of draws on them. As adults, we must thoughtfully make decisions based on this reality. No one likes this reality, but a reality it is, nonetheless.
Children, on the other hand can make choices outside of reality. They can make blanket statements like "Everyone should have cookies every night." And Actually, wouldn't we all like to have that in the world?

National Embarrassment

I have been embarrased by this woman since she became Speaker of the House. Everything about her screams "Don't let women in positions of power!!" I don't happen to agree with that sentiment as a general rule, however, I do think it is much more difficult for women to lead in a diginified and honorable manner. Sadly, Nancy Pelosi is completely a case in point.

Hers is an air of arrogance and self-righteousness. She looks like she will break into "Na-Nee-Na-Nee-Na-Na!" at any moment. It's just embarrassing on all counts.

With a little bit of luck she will go away. Seems she may have committed a felony when she took her unauthorized field trip to Syria.

The Logan Act makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."

Read the whole explanation here.

UPDATE: PalmTreePundit points out that Ms. Pelosi is a HAIR PUSHER!!! The photo above is proof of this crime against humanity. According to my husband's grandmother, this is an offense of highest degree for a woman. Grandma says it indicates self-importance. (Teresa Heinz-Kerry is also a hair pusher.)

The War that Can't Be Named

In their infinite wisdom, the democrats in the House Armed Services Committee have banned use of the phrase "Global War on Terror".

The “global war on terror,” a phrase first used by President Bush shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S., should not be used, according to the memo. Also banned is the phrase the “long war,” which military officials began using last year as a way of acknowledging that military operations against terrorist states and organizations would not be wrapped up in a few years.

What if we compromise and call it "Sheila"?

The whole thing is here.

Civics 201

The week of March 14 was Civics 101. This is defintiely Civics 201. I am still trying to convince the state legislature that the UN Council on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a bad idea. You MUST read this thing. The whole treaty is, of course, a good sized paperback book. An abbreviated version can be found here.

Consider these (and no, this is not a joke):

Right to Freedom of Expression: This right shall include the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through any other media of the child's choice.

Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion: The state would only need to respect a parent's "rights and duties...to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right." Thus, a child could join a cult and prevent the parent from interfering with his or her "right" to do so.

Right to Freedom of Association: A child could determine who his or her friends are against their parents' wishes. (Can you say "online predator"?)

Right to Privacy: A child could not be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence. This could include a right to abortion or sexual activity.

Right to Mass Media(Yes, a right to Mass Media): This right would ensure the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources.

In order to enforce these "rights" a child would simply have to call a social worker to report their parents for violating their rights. If this treaty becomes binding, the government would have the power to intervene in a child's life "for the best interest of the child." Currently, the government can intervene in this fashion only by going to court and proving that parents have been abusive or have neglected their children. This means that whenever the UN-dominated social services system thought that your parental choices were not the best, the government would have the power to override your choices and protect your child from you.
The ability to homeschool one's children would become not a right, but a UN-supervised activity that could be overturned if social services personnel believed that it would be "best" for your child to receive another form of education. Moreover, children would be required to be taught in a religiously "tolerant manner". (The American Bar Association, which supports the treaty, has already opined that teaching children that Jesus is the only way to God violates the spirit and meaning of the UNCRC.) Ah, yep. It would become illegal to teach you rchildren your Christian faith.

These are not idle speculations, but the proven result of the UN's own interpretation of the treaty as they have reviewed other nations' compliance with the treaty's provisions.

(hat tip:HSLDA)

If you haven't had enough, more information about the concerns with the U.N. Convention of the Rights of the Child are found here.

Wynona

Yep, she's really that beautiful.

We had the pleasure of seeing/hearing her in concert last night with the Honolulu Symphony Pops. That woman sings so powerfully and effortlessly. She sang "At Last" and it gave me chicken skin. She even made a Foreigner song sound awesome! Serious pipes on that sistah.

We went with some friends and had a fun night. At dinner, I learned a new word: churchwatching. It's people watching, specifically at church. I like it. I'm keeping it to use as my own now. :-)

Hungry to Learn

This was called to my attention by another homeschooling mom. This is the blogpost of her husband's cousin, a missionary in Africa.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Madam, I have nothing
The boy arrived at mid-morning, just as the rains were ending. Webby had been here just a few days ago seeking sponsorship for grade nine at a village school about 10 miles away. He didn't qualify for the US Sponsorship program since we begin with tenth graders, but he found someone else on the Mission who agreed to provide the funds he would need.Now he was back. He had walked in the rain with no jacket or umbrella, and the envelope he pulled out of his pocket was soaked on the edges. Inside I found the money and the letter I had sent to the village school last week. He dropped his head down and said quietly, "There were no more openings at the school, Madam. Could you see if I can go to Namwianga Basic?"I asked, "Did you walk all the way from your village today?" He nodded. "In the rain?" He nodded again. I decided anyone who would walk that far in the rain to get a chance to go to school deserved a chance. I phoned the sponsor and asked if she was willing to pay a little more since he would have to be in boarding at Namwianga. She agreed to the extra funds. I wrote out a request to the headmaster at Namwianga Basic and sent Webby to walk another mile to deliver the letter and wait for a reply.An hour or so later he was back. Good-hearted Mr. Simoongwe at the Basic was willing to let him in. I told Webby the good news. Then I asked him, "Do you have a uniform? You can't start classes without a uniform.""Madam, I have nothing." He was very matter-of-fact as he spoke. No emotion. No tears. Just the truth. I looked at him in his wet, ragged clothing and fought back my own tears. "Let me see what I can do," I told him. I went inside and scrounged through a box of donated clothing from last year's container shipment. I found some outdated navy polyester pants that were too big and an oversized blue shirt. He had a belt, so he could cinch up the trousers, and he could roll up the sleeves of the shirt. At least he could get started going to class for now, and I would find him something more suitable later. I grabbed some pens and notebooks from another closet and stuck them in a bag. And then I him off to start school--with nothing but some donated castoff clothing and a burning desire to learn. I hope it's enough.

Rachmaninov had big Hands

A great solution to the problem of playing Rachmaninov's pieces. The composer had enormous hands, This allowed him to play with a great reach that is impossible for most pianists to make.

Are You As Smart As A 6th Grader?

They seem pretty smart, to me.

I'm in LOVE!!

With my new printer, that is. Yes, I know, I am a serious geek. But if you used a printer like I do, you would be in love right here with me.

Homeschooling involves virtually commercial use of a printer. Now that I can get some of my teacher's manuals on CD, this makes my printer use even greater. Two words for my new love.....are you ready?.......

DUPLEX COPYING!!!

Oh yeah. Not only can I duplex from the computer, but it asks me (nicely, by the way) if I would like to add another page when I am copying or scanning. It's marvelous.

Don't worry. My excitement is not just a rebound thing after the relationship from you-know-where with my previous computer. This is the real thing, I tell ya.

Go Ask Alice...

Or you could just ask me and my friend who testified at our state legislature yesterday. Either way, you will hear what it is like to go through the looking glass!

Thanks to PalmTreePundit for blogging about this issue while we were driving to the hearing of the Committee on International Affairs.

My friend and I were the only people who testified against the resolutions (text found here and here) before the committee.
Short version is this: The UN created the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and Lyla Berg wanted Hawaii to adopt the UNCRC as well as urge the US Senate to do so. Rights for children. Conjures visions of innocence and playfulness. Sounds nice enough, right? Well, not so fast.

Here are some of the rights given to children in the UNCRC:
"the right to privacy," "the right to freedom of thought and association," and the right to "freedom of expression."
Parents have no rights enumerated, but are given responsibility to further the independent choices of the child.
Take that list of rights, shake it up with a group of teenagers and imagine the fallout.

Further, the UN has clearly shown itself to be an absolute nightmare of ineffectiveness and corruption. (I'm sure it means well somewhere deep inside, but it is does not exactly demonstrate a real understanding of right and wrong.) If the UN were a neighbor, no one would take its advice on family matters of any kind. The thought of it as a legal entity with rights of enforcement of its standards is scary. Picture Tony Soprano telling you how to rear your kids, and you get the idea.

It was a crazy day, to say the least. We'll be attending another committee hearing on these same issues, so please do keep us in your prayers.

(The Ever Glorified) Socialization

More of that oft revered missing link for the kids-a-thon:

"...during school hours in a classroom with an experienced teacher present,
two sixth graders completed the act of intercourse...at least ten students were
witnesses. No disciplinary actions were taken against the teacher... All
teachers were told to keep quiet."

Yep. The full monty, right there in shop class. And even better, the school has been keeping it under wraps. Gosh, those poor kids of mine are really missing out.

Here's the whole thing, and an update.

Lately I have met a few (more than 3) people who have absolutely no sense of humor. I know, I know, hard to imagine that that can occur with someone with a pulse, but it does. I have now actually seen it--repeatedly. I don't understand it, at all.

If you can shed any light whatsoever on this, I'll be much obliged.

Good News For Homeschoolers

This is a day old, but it's important to spread this kind of news:
Entering college is getting easier for homeschoolers.

That's refreshingly good news for us. We do have a few more years before we need to get too involved in this process, but I have a dear friend who is grateful for the trend.

Monday at Our School

The day was too beautiful not to be at the beach.

So, we packed up our lessons and had school there. Now and then I need a reminder as to why we do the things we do (homeschool, live in an expensive place to live)--this was a very good one. The kids ran and played, then we'd gather on the beach blanket for a lesson.

Girl-a-thon made a sand city and Boy-a-thon played Godzilla coming out of the sea to detroy it. We all laughed hard as we screamed "It's Godzirra!! Lun for your Rife!"

"It’s going to get a lot of Christians with their knickers in a knot unnecessarily.”

I'm no DNA expert, but don't you need the mother and father's DNA to determine genetic
identity? Wonder where Jim Cameron got God's DNA? In case you're even later to this story than I am, it seems the Titanic/Terminator dude has found Jesus' "residue". Do read the whole thing.

I agree with this guy:

“This is exploiting the whole trend that caught on with ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ” said Lawrence E. Stager, the Dorot professor of archaeology of Israel at Harvard, in a telephone interview. “One of the problems is there are so many biblically illiterate people around the world that they don’t know what is real (emphasis mine) judicious assessment and what is what some of us in the field call ‘fantastic archaeology.’ ”

Any of you who know me, know it is almost painful for me to read fiction. But I tried, I really did, to read Da Vinci code. It was so poorly written, I just couldn't take it. I was actually stunned that so many people had read it. The movie was kind of fun, but could have been much better. The real point to be made, here, is that it is a work of fiction. (Christians should pay attention to that categorization as well as non-believers.) It makes no more sense to believe in the premises of Da Vinci Code, than it does to believe that there's a real Willy Wonka with lickable wallpaper.

I plan to use the premises put forth in the documentary in my son's logic lesson this week. (We have been on vacation, and he needs some easy exercises to get back into his logic groove.)

"Uh, Mom? I don't understand my math."

Megan and her dad walked to the store. They left the house at 9:30
AM. The walk took them 45 minutes. What time did they arrive at
the
park?

Nice editing work, publishers ;-)

Vacation-a-thon

We are on the last few days of a truly great family vacation. You know, I really like the people in my family:-) That may seem obvious, but I do love people I don't really like. I'm not very good at it, but I do try to obey God in this regard. In so doing, I find it wonderful to appreciate loving people that I like, as well. God is so funny that way. He always makes it more than worth it to obey him. I like that, too.

We spent a week here, which was awesome. It was, however, colder than last year, so we did have a few unpleasant chills. But it served its purpose--boy-a-thon is over his desire to live in Utah. He decided his ol' mom is right: snow is a nice thing to to visit.

We flew to L.A. where upon landing in the enchanted airport, we knew we were definitely not in Kansas anymore. As we looked around in wide-eyed amazement, we saw right away that this was an entirely different land. Just like those other travelers trapped in Oz, we linked arms to stay safe and we chanted while we walked down the path to the rental car busstop:

"Escalades...
...boobs...
...and Botox, oh my!"

The next five days we spent here. Last night, we met up with old friends, and had incredible Mexican food. This afternoon, girl-a-thon and I are headed here.


Lots of interesting observations that I'll be posting about when we get home!

True Love, Indeed

here are two great stories about families who loved their members regardless of what they could do for them. Yes, folks, actual love.

Personhood, Part One

This is the first in a series of posts I hope to get off my chest. I also hope to rattle your cage a bit, and get you thinking about something I fear we GenXers will surely see worsen.

For a while now, I have been plagued by what a friend of mine calls our culture of death. He asserts that some time ago, as a culture, we turned a corner and are now more comfortable with ending lives than saving them. (It's nearly impossible to argue with him, given the every day use of tidy phrases like "mercy killing" and "pregnancy termination".)

For whatever reason, this particular topic disturbs me at the core of my being. Now I know it seems obvious that it would, but this, above all other horrors in the world, truly grieves my soul. I literally become dumbstruck in conversations about the value of a human life. It is because, this, more than any other truth should be held as self evident. How is it even possible that a human being would argue against its own worth or right to live? I suppose it makes sense when we consider that those who don't value human life aren't including themselves in the discussion; but the mental acrobatics required for that to make any sort of sense is just too much for me.

An Actual Inconvenient Truth
Regardless of the more polite terminology, the bottom line is that inconvenient people are legally killed. Whether it is bad timing to have a baby, or a confused, incontinent grandpa, these people take too much effort to maintain. Our society that loves convenience has somehow stealthily slid into sanctioning the killing of others who may be a burden to someone else. Charming, isn't it?

I think I'm Gonna Hurl

For the love of Pete, someone tell me this is not actually happening: Al Gore is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

"A prerequisite for winning the Nobel Peace Prize is making a difference, and Al Gore has made a difference," Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, a former minister of environment and then of trade, told The Associated Press.

Silly me. I thought the Nobel Peace Prize was supposed to have something to do with furthering peace.
You know, they don't have to award a prize at all. There are many years where no peace prize was even awarded. On the other hand, if one can be nominated for the Nobel Peace prize for telling people they need to clean up after themselves, or the world will be a mess, every mom I know is hereby nominated!

What Do You Think?

I would really love to know if you think this is right or wrong:
There is a group of people in congress who have a club that is defined by race. One cannot be a part of this club if one is not the same race as the current members all are. In fact someone of another race just tried to join, and the group voted against him because he wasn't the same race they were. It's a good idea to read the whole thing.

racism--n 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.


—Related forms
racist, noun, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Oy Vey!

The last time I checked, Jesus was never divorced, nor did he father a child out of wedlock.

Ok. I think I have had enough of this ridiculousness. Here's the straight deal:
Tom Cruise is nuts. Scientology is a cult. And (get ready...I'm going to say it) it is WRONG.

Palm Springs

Assisted living for an entire city.

I'll be using that line for the rest of my natural life!
(Anyone from So. Cal. like, totally gets it.)

Better Brush Up On Your Chinese

This can't be good.

Dang That Katie Couric!!

We finished school at a somewhat reasonable hour today. I had big plans for looking through the catalogs that arrived in the mail, and reading in one of the three books I have staring me down. Then it came. An Email from a friend with Katie Couric's stupid comments.

It seems Katie got a newsflash (pun intended):
There are a bunch of men in the news business!

This has made Katie sad. She notes that 51% of America is female while just 16% of congress is. While those statistics may send her mind wandering (was she even paying attention during the White House briefing?) I'd be more interested to know what percent of the newscasters there actually deliver unbiased news. To put it simply, I don't discriminate based on gender. I don't care if I get the news from a woman or a man. I just want the news, straight and clear.

And, Katie, since I know you read my blog, it may interest you to know that some of those 51% of women--the ones with kids--well, a good number of them are at home. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 6.8 million American women are full time moms at home. And, of those, only 1.5% are there because they cannot find work. And, go figure, the higher education the mother has, the more likely she is to stay at home. What?! This is a choice? Surely women are still being oppressed from being what Ms. Couric and the gals think they should be, right? I mean no woman would choose to be home without being held back by those good ol' boys, right? Frankly, I think the fact that I could do Couric's job, but I choose to do mine, is a greater measure of my status as a woman in this country.

Hate to burst your bubble, but I am aware that I have options, Ms. Couric, and the choice you made is unappealing to me, thankyouverymuch.

24

I can't believe I have to wait a whole week for my next fix! In the meantime, it looks like we may actually make progress with Iran.

Quote of the Day

Spoken from Boy-a-Thon while he was in the garden, admiring a bee:

"I wish people could dress up like bees without looking like idiots."

You should know that he admired the bee for about 3 minutes, nonstop. He has always adored animals, plants, and in fact all creation. He will not allow any of us to kill cockroaches. He will scoop them up and take them outside.

A 'tweener

'tweener (twee-nuhr) n. 1. Something or someone in the area separating categories or space. Orange is a 'tweener of red and yellow. Warm is a 'tweener of hot and cold.
(My father-in-law first introduced me to this word years ago. At first it seemed funny. Then I began to see it as clever. Now it has become an essential part of my vocabulary. Take it and use it. I'll bet it becomes essential for you, too.)

For about the last year and a half, I have been feeling, well, not quite comfortable. I've been kind of itchy, and irritable. (No, I did not forget a 'b' back there.) It's the way I imagine babies feel when they fuss a bit just before they fall asleep. They are not really awake and they are not yet asleep. Things just aren't right until they finally drift off to a peaceful rest.

I thought this started with the Terry Schiavo fiasco, but it actually began long before that. The deep funk I felt over the Schiavo case was the first time this sense (it had been very subtle before) was an actual feeling. It was measureable. I could tell for certain something just wasn't right. It actually made me sick to hear people use the term "non-human person" and espouse their "criteria for personhood". I felt like Alice through the looking glass.

I haven't had another acute experience such as that, but that sense of light nausea has never completely gone away. You see, while I am living in this world, I am growing in the knowledge of another world. And that other world is the place where I am supposed to be. I and you and every image-bearing being of God's creation were meant for heaven. Believers are indeed 'tweeners.

When I remember that, the nausea subsides a bit. When I am refreshed by the truth and promises of God's word, I can relax and cast all my anxieties on Him. We are indeed strangers and pilgrims on the earth. I declare plainly that I seek a homeland--a better, heavenly country. Thank God He has prepared a city for us!

Human Error

I haven't blogged since before Christmastime because I thought something was wrong with Blogger. In fact the problem with Blogger is me. Imagine that? I am actually my own problem. Go figure.

Previous to thinking Blogger had "broken", I was feeling quite sorry for myself, having not gotten any comments on my blogposts. Guess what? The fault was mine again. Apparently, I have become so handicapped by my dependence on my own wonderful IT guy that I am, well, an idiot.

Fear not! This year I endeavor to be more responsible for my own technical issues. Shh--don't tell the computer whisperer; he'll break out in a sweat ;-)