Global Warming

This is not one of favorite things to talk about for a variety of reasons. The most prominent reason is given in the following blog. (This guy is one of my favorite bloggers. I do not know him personally but my love for math and using math correctly makes his blog so much fun to read!

Anyway, he points out how political the topic of global warming is and that is why I don’t like to talk about it. I am convinced by the hypocrisy of people like Al Gore that speak so decisively about it that it’s next to impossible to really figure out if there is a true problem and if there is, what should we do about it that’s REASONABLE!

Reasons I Don’t Support Socialized Health Care

1. I don’t trust the government to run anything less efficiently than anybody. Examples of messes they have made are Social Security and Public Education.
2. The “plan” has not been sufficiently informed by people with knowledge of the industry. I feel like we have several in D.C. that live in “pipe-dreams.”
3. We have emergency care in the United States. No ER can turn someone away even if they are uninsured and medical bills have all kinds of mercy in them. You pay what you can afford even if you have to pay the rest of your life; they do not put you in prison for making medical bill payments.
4. WE CANNOT AFFORD IT. We have an MAJOR spending problem in this country… MAJOR…. It seems reasonable to me that if you cannot afford something that you do not buy it. If you choose to finance something, that’s fine but don’t expect your children and grandchildren to make the payments!!!!!
5. I think there are other ways to help that are not being considered. What makes medical insurance so incredibly high? Is is because doctors need high salaries to validate the amount of schooling they have to have….what about helping America’s brightest get free medical degrees in exchange for some “free” service for the poor? Is it the cost of malpractice? What about reasonable limits on settlements…I definitely mean compensation but not millions and millions of dollars. What about more gov’t money for research and development so that not as much is passed to the patient? What about asking the American people if they would like to give to a medical fund that could be tapped for poor in stead of FORCING THEM BY TAXING THEM? It could be surprising what happens. There are so many ideas that are not related to GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

In general I think history teaches us that we want less government control in our lives. Why? Because governments are run by people and people have thirst for power.

Just my thoughts.

Change We “Need”?

President Obama spent much time campaigning about how much change we “need” in this country. This short video demonstrates what he thought NEEDED to be changed. I don’t get it. How does he think these changes will make us better off? Why does he not study failed governmental ideas and try not to make those same mistakes here?
And why oh why are we even considering government controlled healthcare when we are worse than BROKE? We simply do NOT have the money to be considering something like this right now. When you are borrowing money just to make budget; you STOP SPENDING as much as possible!  Everyone in America is having to do this but Washington.

Thoughts On Education and Educating

This week I was able to attend a conference for parents who are mentoring their children’s education. It was an all day affair and was very inspirational and helpful to me as I needed some time to focus on the upcoming school year.  It also provided some great food for thought that I have been chewing on since I attended on Wednesday.  One of my favorite speakers was there, Andrew Pudewa, most known for writing a curriculum called The Institute for Excellence in Writing.  (He is a great communicator….use of humor, personal stories, and challenging information makes the time slip by very quickly.)  I want to summarize one of presentations because it provided clarity for me about what I am doing as I enter the high school years with my daughter Rebekah.  (For those of you who might read this and not know me, I am preparing to mentor Rebekah’s high school years.  She will study at home as opposed to the traditional classroom and as for socialization, by far the most common objection to home study, she is well-connected now in sports and has enough friends to keep her on facebook for hours if we would allow it!)

Mr. Pudewa stated there are three forms of education.

1.  The conveyor belt — the form used in public and most private educational classrooms.  The curriculum of this model is textbooks.  The methodology is lecture.  The goal is what to think.  The result is a job or entry to college.  This model only leaves a small amount of room for individualism and for speed of learning.  You have to learn what is in “the box” for your grade on the belt and you have to do so at the predetermined speed of the belt.  In some cases it provides a boring approach to learning and limited opportunities for actual study (you don’t need study because you have the textbook with all the information that you “need” to get the “grade.”)

Of course he is generalizing above, and did remark that their are some amazing teachers in this country but even so are limited by “standards” determined without regard to WHO is in their classroom. While I would add that the conveyor belt is not all bad because it is the only way some can get any education,  I do agree that it has serious limits and that you can graduate from the belt and be pretty empty-headed with no serious thoughts about life-time learning.

2. The Professionalism Model – this model was practiced in America years ago, some call it the apprenticeship model.  It is still practiced today but by a very few people.  In the model the curriculum is case studies.  The methodology is competition (learn to be the best in your field so that you will offer the best service and make the most money).  The goal is when to think (particularly in your field) and the result is a career. This model has the obvious advantage that a person could invest in the area of his/her interest and spend quality time learning what is helpful and appropriate to a specific field.  Possibly this model could make a comeback in America because of the level of specialization needed in so many fields.

3. The Leadership Model – this model is not practiced as much in America.  The curriculum is classics (not necessarily old books but books that are written by great minds).  The methodology is mentoring (someone to hold you accountable to study and to provide some direction based on your interest and possibly find some tutors to aid your questioning).  The goal is how to think and the result is leadership.

The above comments are primarily from Mr. Pudewa’s speech which are based on a book called A Thomas Jefferson Education. From here forward are the thoughts that I have been thinking through in the past few days.

I agree that the conveyor belt is not optimal.  I went through the conveyor belt and graduated with a shallow education.  If not for the model of self-learning provided by my parents, who do not have college degrees but are much more educated than many with them, I would have continued to be a rather shallow thinker.  I did not choose the conveyor belt for my children but the decision was not easy because it goes against what is “normal.”

The apprenticeship model is difficult in America because the “system” doe not recognize experience like it does degrees.  I like the idea but would want it to be in conjunction with the leadership model.

The final model is most attractive to me for several reasons.  I like freedom. ( Though I struggled with the loss of a career at times in my life…my closest friends know this about me, I really do enjoy that I manage my own time.) I have really learned to love investigating things.  I like to study and I like to push my kids to study.   I love having my kids around me even when they are driving me crazy! I like having flexibility in learning though it has been difficult for me for it to be ok to deviate from “the schedule that I chiseled into stone.”  I really like choosing who can help my children with their educational journey…not stuck with burned-out, just-drawing -a -paycheck teacher/tutors! However I see problems with this being the general form of education in THIS country at THIS time for several reasons.  People don’t have time to be mentors because they need to make money (we have definitely sacrificed to live on one income).  People don’t want to be mentors to their children because they want to pursue a career (and I have really dealt with inner struggle over this one).  People don’t have the self-discipline to actually study at home….tragic but true.  People don’t have vision for what mentoring should look like.  People need accountability but many don’t think they do.

So my final thought is that we must continue to have freedom in this country to pursue whatever form of education is best for our family lifestyle.  The investment we make in our kids must be personal choice so I am going to conclude with an advertisement for my next blog post…..is the right to choose an education style for your family in danger in America?

I’m off to email a friend about the order of 9 American novels for Bekah to read….so much fun!

www.bondedtogether.wordpress.com

Welfare…is it really for fairing well?

I disagree with President Obama’s ideas concerning “spreading wealth.” I disagree because he seems to have the idea that wealthy people do not deserve to be wealthy (even if they are busting their buns to get there) and poor people deserve to have some of the wealthy peoples’ money.

As a Christian, I have to reject this idea.  Let me say first that, I do think that the American government should be helping people who are in desperate circumstances. However, really helping someone means helping them change their circumstances in such a way that they no longer need the government to help them.  (To clarify, I understand that some people’s circumstances can never be changed and therefore, I am NOT referring to those who participate in government programs that help them with permanent problems.)  What I am referring to is the number of people who stay on public assistance for years and never reach their potential.  They do not get an education, they do not get better jobs, and they do not move out of public (dangerous) housing.  Why?  Because it is easier to get a check than to take the risk of getting out that door and moving on up. In essence the government is robbing them of their potential by killing the incentive to grow.

Instead, what happens is the person begins to feel entitled to that check even though they are NOT earning it.  They begin to think, as our President has espoused, that they deserve that check.  AND, the most sinister of it all is that they can be controlled to do or think certain things in order to get that check.

So I conclude with American welfare, in general, is NOT for fairing well.  It’s a way to waste your life.  We must consider that we deserve nothing and therefore, we must take advantage of God-given opportunities, gifts, and talents to make something of this one life.  He is all we need, we do no NEED the American government.

Pray for our government to have vision of INDEPENDANT Americans that are FREE to give to those in need because they are taking care of themselves, by the grace of God!

Political Math

A friend of mine sent me a link to a blog about political math. Today’s post is very interesting.

If you go to the blog, be sure to watch the debt road trip video that he created on May 15.  You will need to go to the second page of posts to see it.  It sparked quite a bit of conversation, but no matter how you feel about Obama’s type of governing, it does indicate that we are more rapidly spending money that we do not have than ever before.  I am not for spending money personally that I do not have at least not without extreme caution, and I certainly think it is a dangerous scenario to lack extreme caution when spending someone else’s money.

Once again, I think we MUST be daily praying for our president.

President Obama and his agenda

President Obama is coming through on campaign promises to be a president of change.

He is trying to change the opinion of millions of Americans concerning homosexuality. He has declared June to be gay pride month and now he is appointing Kevin Jennings, founder of Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network as head of the “safe schools” campaign for the Department of Education. So that will mean indoctrination; it will not mean tolerance. Mr. Jennings uses foul language and is unable to discuss the issue without resorting to name-calling and intolerant rhetoric. He cannot teach tolerance because he is not tolerant of those that disagree with his opinion.  His agenda is not to stop hateful language and such; his agenda is educate children into thinking that homosexuality is normal. (Much like our society already accepts promiscuity, heterosexuals living together etc.)

It is sad.  Homosexuality is not normal.  Promiscuity is not normal.  Sex outside of marriage is not normal.  All of these avenues to “pleasure” only lead to heart ache and pain.   Our society has taken the most precious intimate act that can facilitate true bonding with another human and is intent on using it outside of safeguards and then honking about how “liberated” we are.  Instead, we are absolutely becoming more and more dysfunctional as humans.

I only continue to post about this issue because we must be aware of what is happening.  We must trust God and rely on Him to give us wisdom as we train our own children to love Him, to care for homosexuals and others, and to order our lives around the safeguards of His Word.  Sexuality is a great gift, a beautiful union between husband and wife.  While we reject the distortion the world gives it, let’s not forget the beauty of the gift.

Pray for the President.

Abortion Kills Human Children

Last night I enjoyed a terrific dinner with some terrific company. As we talked, one of them made reference to this video. I found it this morning and am posting for you. It is powerful. Will you pass it on through your communication mode?

I want to add that as you share and educate other women in our country, please do so with prayer and with great grace.  There are many women among us now that have fallen prey to the lie and while many of them do not feel guilt and do not look back with regret, some of them are devastated.  To the devastated, we MUST offer HOPE.  There is forgiveness, life, and hope in repentance and in commitment to follow Jesus.  For the “hardened” women, we must pray.  These women are hardened in part because they are sinners, just like us, and in part because our society has “indoctrinated” women to believe that their rights are being challenged by those who want abortion to be illegal.

At this point, I think we are a long ways from getting abortion to be illegal, but we can save babies and that’s what we should be doing…..saving babies by education and by volunteering to take “unwanted” babies.  If you are not at place in life  where you can adopt a baby, find a couple that you know is and ask them if you happen to have a conversation with someone in a crisis pregnancy, could you say, “I know of a stable, loving home for your baby….one phone call away.”    Sometimes that reality helps.

And as always, let’s pray for our president and our nation’s leaders.  As Dr. Piper states, many of them are blind.

The Nation and the Gospel

“The Nation and the Gospel” is the title of an article written by James Russell Lowell (1819 – 1891). He was a professor of modern languages at Harvard University. I ran across the article because I am getting ready to teach American History next year.   I decided to print it here because I have run across so much secular thought lately.  It seems that every time you turn on the news, there is more information about how determined we (as a society) are to deny that Christianity has positively affected and directed this nation.  It is the height of ingratitude.  So here it is.

The worst kind of religion is no religion at all, and these men living in ease and luxury, indulging themselves in the amusement of going without religion, may be thankful that they live in lands where the gospel they neglect has tamed the beastliness and ferocity of the men who, but for Christianity, might long ago have eaten their carcasses like the South Sea Islanders, or cut off their heads and tanned their hides like the monsters of the French Revolution.  When the microscopic search of skepticism, which had hunted the heavens and sounded the seas to disprove the existence of a Creator, has turned its attention to human society and has found a place on this planet ten miles square where a decent man can live in comfort and security, supporting and educating his children unspoiled and unpolluted; a place where age is reverenced, infancy respected, manhood respected, womanhood honored, and human life held in due regard- when skeptics can find such a place ten miles square on this globe, where the gospel of Christ has not gone and cleared the way and laid the foundation and made decency and security possible, it will then be in order for the skeptical literati to move thither and then ventilate their views.  But so long as these men are dependent upon the religion which they discard for every privilege they enjoy, they may well hesitate a little before they seek to rob the Christian of his hope, and humanity of its faith, in that Savior who alone has given to man that hope of life eternal which makes life tolerable and society possible, and robs death of its terrors and the grave of its glooms.

There are plenty who will take issue with this article and point out the deficiencies of Christians on an individual basis.   To that reader I say, yes, Christians need the law and moral code of the Scripture too, for without it they can easily lose their way because of their own sin.   The point of the article is that this country’s sound moral basis came from Scripture.  The astounding piece of literature known as the Bible has guided this country for many years and as our leaders look away from it and try to operate without the Truth of the word, this country will become more and more dangerous and most will live without regard for God or His Word and will not regard neighbors as important as themselves….already we see that.

I hate ending on a gloomy note so if you are still reading this rather lengthy piece, let me end with this Scripture…

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Is disagreement unloving?

I don’t understand the motivation for Pastor Rick Warren’s decision to apologize to homosexuals for supporting prop 8. Does he think his support of the traditional definition of marriage is somehow unloving to homosexuals? And if so why? If he thinks he was malicious or unkind in how he approached the topic, then I can see that he would need to apologize for his attitude, not his conviction.

I don’t understand why we harp about tolerance in this society all the time but then don’t tolerate differences. I do not have to agree with the homosexuals’ view of what marriage is in order to tolerate them or be kind to them or treat them as human beings. The majority voted for marriage to be defined as binding agreement between a man and woman. That does not mean that homosexuals cannot live together (as many heterosexuals do without the binding agreement of marriage) and commit to each other by their own words.

Even if we had voted to change the definition to mean man and man or woman and woman, I still would not recognize that as a marriage.  Does that make me intolerant?  No, it means that I don’t agree. I would be intolerant if I sabotaged their ceremonies, treated them unkindly (meaning using disrespectful behavior or language), destroyed their personal property, defamed their names in public, etc.  Much like many of them did to the Mormon church and people after prop 8.

One last thought, I don’t disagree for the sake of being disagreeable!  When I disagree with someone, it’s because I think there is cause for it.  In other words, I don’t agree because I think there is a problem and a danger.  (See my post on “homosexuality and prop 8.” )