Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Caffiene-Crazed Clerk Clobbers Criminal
Dustin Hoffman* clocks criminal with coffee cup, causes contusion while criminal clears cash from collection. Click.
*not the actor, the Dunkin Donuts clerk. Please stop calling, Mr. Hoffman.
PS: It's Friday and it's been a long week. I had to have some fun. And no, I didn't use a thesaurus. By the way, here's some of the best warnings from 2007. Warning: Avoid Death sounds like a winner to me.
*not the actor, the Dunkin Donuts clerk. Please stop calling, Mr. Hoffman.
PS: It's Friday and it's been a long week. I had to have some fun. And no, I didn't use a thesaurus. By the way, here's some of the best warnings from 2007. Warning: Avoid Death sounds like a winner to me.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
LWW Chapter I - Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe
Wasting Little Time With Exposition
Jack has a great grasp of the children of his time. Lucy's scared of the odd-looking professor and Edmund wants to laugh at him. Peter and Susan know better and act it. Additionally, Jack wastes no time telling us what kind of children they are and uses their reactions to the story's set-up (the old house, the rain keeping them indoors, etc.) to tell us what kind of children they are. Jack also helps those outside of English culture by describing the house well enough that most people get the feel of the old English manors that were expanded room upon room without central hallways and without much of a overall plan, i.e., "...three steps down and five steps up."
How Lucy finds the wardrobe in the first place also tells her personality. Young children can be painfully curious and interest in fur coats is (or was) very natural for children. The progression is natural for the supernatural discovery of an entire world within a wardrobe and she controls her curiosity enough to remember to keep an eye on her way back out to the world she came from.
Jack's description of Tumnus is incredibly helpful for those who don't have much experience with mythology. Most children don't, anyway and it makes the rest of the story approachable, even when full descriptions aren't always given. The biggest obstacle in a series is usually the end of the first chapter of the first book. His closing of the first chapter offers such an interesting encounter that it soars easily over that obstacle and passes it like it's not even there.
Bigger On the Inside
One of the recurring elements in the Chronicles is with us from the first chapter. The assumption of a physical impossibility, of something being larger on the inside than it is on the outside, is one of the mysteries that leads to the first conflict (Lucy vs. the other children). No rational person would believe such an impossibility, yet it is the primary way Lewis establishes Narnia. The later difference in the passage of time contributes to the impossibility and yet it helps establish Lucy's credibility in Chapter V. Taking some things in life by faith, no matter how impossible they may be, is something Lewis isn't shy about introducing, even this early on in the book.
Reflections on Chapter I
I get a sort of giddy anticipation with this first chapter that I don't often see with other books. You want to finish the scene with Lucy and Tumnus and then you realize you've only read eight pages! Why not go a few more--please! It's also easy to find myself almost wishing that new worlds were just around the corner or in the closet behind the stairs. And I already feel like smacking Edmund across the face.
Feel free to chime in or at least read along with me.
Jack has a great grasp of the children of his time. Lucy's scared of the odd-looking professor and Edmund wants to laugh at him. Peter and Susan know better and act it. Additionally, Jack wastes no time telling us what kind of children they are and uses their reactions to the story's set-up (the old house, the rain keeping them indoors, etc.) to tell us what kind of children they are. Jack also helps those outside of English culture by describing the house well enough that most people get the feel of the old English manors that were expanded room upon room without central hallways and without much of a overall plan, i.e., "...three steps down and five steps up."
How Lucy finds the wardrobe in the first place also tells her personality. Young children can be painfully curious and interest in fur coats is (or was) very natural for children. The progression is natural for the supernatural discovery of an entire world within a wardrobe and she controls her curiosity enough to remember to keep an eye on her way back out to the world she came from.
Jack's description of Tumnus is incredibly helpful for those who don't have much experience with mythology. Most children don't, anyway and it makes the rest of the story approachable, even when full descriptions aren't always given. The biggest obstacle in a series is usually the end of the first chapter of the first book. His closing of the first chapter offers such an interesting encounter that it soars easily over that obstacle and passes it like it's not even there.
Bigger On the Inside
One of the recurring elements in the Chronicles is with us from the first chapter. The assumption of a physical impossibility, of something being larger on the inside than it is on the outside, is one of the mysteries that leads to the first conflict (Lucy vs. the other children). No rational person would believe such an impossibility, yet it is the primary way Lewis establishes Narnia. The later difference in the passage of time contributes to the impossibility and yet it helps establish Lucy's credibility in Chapter V. Taking some things in life by faith, no matter how impossible they may be, is something Lewis isn't shy about introducing, even this early on in the book.
Reflections on Chapter I
I get a sort of giddy anticipation with this first chapter that I don't often see with other books. You want to finish the scene with Lucy and Tumnus and then you realize you've only read eight pages! Why not go a few more--please! It's also easy to find myself almost wishing that new worlds were just around the corner or in the closet behind the stairs. And I already feel like smacking Edmund across the face.
Feel free to chime in or at least read along with me.
Introducing... Into Narnia
It's been on my mind a long time now to do a series of posts based on The Chronicles of Narnia. C. S. Lewis has always been my favorite writer, ever since my father began reading the Chronicles to my sisters and I after dinner. Jack--as his friends called him--had a superb grasp of the ways God has revealed Himself to us. With my learning disability, his was one of the few books I could read without losing heart. I think that's because Jack and I both hated the schools we were subjected to and I found the characters so relatable. While The Chronicles of Narnia were his most well-known works, I have also read some of his other non-fiction works. Mere Christianity seems to be my favorite; it's one of the few theological books that really set the record straight on man's relationship with God.
Anyway, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (LWW) is my first and favorite of the Chronicles and its there that I will begin in a few hours.
Anyway, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (LWW) is my first and favorite of the Chronicles and its there that I will begin in a few hours.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Children's Eyes
I need to look at life through my daughter more. We were looking out the window at the snow falling last night and she said, "It looks like the snow is pouring out of the streetlight!" Sure enough, it did.
The other day, we had fog when we were leaving the house and she said, "Oh! It's blurry out!" Back when her older sister was the same age, she noted, "It's froggy out there." I'm not sure which I like more.
God gives us the gift of children to remind us of the holy wonder of creation. May we never take them for granted.
The other day, we had fog when we were leaving the house and she said, "Oh! It's blurry out!" Back when her older sister was the same age, she noted, "It's froggy out there." I'm not sure which I like more.
God gives us the gift of children to remind us of the holy wonder of creation. May we never take them for granted.
It All Comes Down To The Relationship
Since yesterday morning, we've learned that the shooter was Matthew Murray, and the heroic guard who brought him down was Jeanne Assam, a former police officer. Murry and the two slain by him in Colorado Springs were all homeschooled and lived in Denver. That's where the similarities end.
Murray was spiraling toward death in a most radical manner. As WorldNetDaily reports, Murray shook up a YWAM Christmas program with songs Marilyn Manson and Linkin Park. His parents and YWAM leaders agreed to remove him from the trip. Murray began to descend into a mental and spiritual state that most Christians would associate with demonic possession. He would "roll around in bed and make noises. He would say, 'Don't worry, I'm just talking to the voices'." His fits of rage and flaming vitriol mirror Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the killers in the Columbine shooting only miles from Murray's home.
Conversely, it seems that Stephanie Works, 18, and Rachael Works, 16, the sisters he killed in Colorado Springs were living a godly, Christian life of ministry and love. They are mourned by family and friends who had so much to say about the victims' lives and are thoroughly convinced that it was because of their relationships with Jesus Christ. I expect that the same can be said of most of Murray's other victims, both living and dead. Murray had nothing but rage and contempt for those who embraced their faith. Murray rejected the God his victims embraced. That's the fundamental difference. The rest of it: YWAM, the rage, the parenting, the music and the outcome all pivot on Murray's relationship with God, or the lack of it.
Since I'm a homeschooling father, I need to weigh in on the homeschool aspect of this tragedy. Homeschooling is not a cure-all for behavioral problems, nor is it solely responsible for Murray's descent. It is a tool that parents use to help their children and it can be used well or used poorly. The cases I've seen where a homeschooler has gone nuts are far fewer than those educated in classes. Yet even in those rare cases where it's a homeschooler perpetrating the crime, it seems that the parents took an imbalanced approach to homeschooling. The children are made to study in isolation with the emphasis resting on one or two texts exclusively, such as the Bible and/or an encyclopedia. I'm not sure if this is the case with Murray, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is. Additionally, the Works sisters seemed to be in a balanced homeschool environment, with several friends each who they involved in their lives and a broader experience than what most class schooled children and youth experience. Healthy homeschooling is not focused on keeping children isolated from everything that could possibly harm them. It is aimed at allowing the parent to guide and monitor the influences their children experience to prepare them for life, not insulate them from it. It helps children understand not only what is good in life, but what is bad and how it's a waste of time and energy to pursue the wrong things. This is the right use of the homeschooling tool. It won't solve all the problems a child suffers, but it will help undo the damage.
Update 12/12: More details about Murray's curriculum are emerging. Kevin Swanson of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado gives a few good responses.
Murray was spiraling toward death in a most radical manner. As WorldNetDaily reports, Murray shook up a YWAM Christmas program with songs Marilyn Manson and Linkin Park. His parents and YWAM leaders agreed to remove him from the trip. Murray began to descend into a mental and spiritual state that most Christians would associate with demonic possession. He would "roll around in bed and make noises. He would say, 'Don't worry, I'm just talking to the voices'." His fits of rage and flaming vitriol mirror Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the killers in the Columbine shooting only miles from Murray's home.
Conversely, it seems that Stephanie Works, 18, and Rachael Works, 16, the sisters he killed in Colorado Springs were living a godly, Christian life of ministry and love. They are mourned by family and friends who had so much to say about the victims' lives and are thoroughly convinced that it was because of their relationships with Jesus Christ. I expect that the same can be said of most of Murray's other victims, both living and dead. Murray had nothing but rage and contempt for those who embraced their faith. Murray rejected the God his victims embraced. That's the fundamental difference. The rest of it: YWAM, the rage, the parenting, the music and the outcome all pivot on Murray's relationship with God, or the lack of it.
Since I'm a homeschooling father, I need to weigh in on the homeschool aspect of this tragedy. Homeschooling is not a cure-all for behavioral problems, nor is it solely responsible for Murray's descent. It is a tool that parents use to help their children and it can be used well or used poorly. The cases I've seen where a homeschooler has gone nuts are far fewer than those educated in classes. Yet even in those rare cases where it's a homeschooler perpetrating the crime, it seems that the parents took an imbalanced approach to homeschooling. The children are made to study in isolation with the emphasis resting on one or two texts exclusively, such as the Bible and/or an encyclopedia. I'm not sure if this is the case with Murray, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is. Additionally, the Works sisters seemed to be in a balanced homeschool environment, with several friends each who they involved in their lives and a broader experience than what most class schooled children and youth experience. Healthy homeschooling is not focused on keeping children isolated from everything that could possibly harm them. It is aimed at allowing the parent to guide and monitor the influences their children experience to prepare them for life, not insulate them from it. It helps children understand not only what is good in life, but what is bad and how it's a waste of time and energy to pursue the wrong things. This is the right use of the homeschooling tool. It won't solve all the problems a child suffers, but it will help undo the damage.
Update 12/12: More details about Murray's curriculum are emerging. Kevin Swanson of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado gives a few good responses.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Church Shootings Update
Still no word on whether the first shooting is related to the second shooting, but the fact that the police haven't said they are ruling that out, combined with a search warrant being executed in Arapahoe (SE Denver area) County, leads me to believe they are working on establishing such a link.
One of the families involved at New Life lost both teenage daughters and the father is still in the hospital. What do you say to a man who saw his two "young flowers" cut down in a hail of bullets? If I were in his shoes, I would be wondering if I did all I could to protect them. I'd be asking God "Why was it my two girls?" I'd mostly be a basketcase, inconsolable and overwhelmed with grief. It's one thing to read a news article, quite another to live through one. My prayers as a dad and husband are for David Works and his family. There is no good answer for why he and his family were struck this way. May God comfort and protect him during this traumatic time.
One positive note is that an armed security volunteer saved lives yesterday. A person who trained and practiced ended up saving lives today and possibly sparing my state a continued killing spree. God bless her for her quick action and bravery.
One of the families involved at New Life lost both teenage daughters and the father is still in the hospital. What do you say to a man who saw his two "young flowers" cut down in a hail of bullets? If I were in his shoes, I would be wondering if I did all I could to protect them. I'd be asking God "Why was it my two girls?" I'd mostly be a basketcase, inconsolable and overwhelmed with grief. It's one thing to read a news article, quite another to live through one. My prayers as a dad and husband are for David Works and his family. There is no good answer for why he and his family were struck this way. May God comfort and protect him during this traumatic time.
One positive note is that an armed security volunteer saved lives yesterday. A person who trained and practiced ended up saving lives today and possibly sparing my state a continued killing spree. God bless her for her quick action and bravery.
Church Shootings In Arvada and Colorado Springs
Let's see what we know right now.
At 12:30 AM this morning, a person asked for lodging at the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in Arvada. This is the same base that my friends went to when I was in high school. This person opened fire on four YWAMers and killed two. One of these two had helped George Morrison of Faith Bible Chapel hang Christmas lights last week. He was obviously up all night with police.
Now, someone has opened fire on people at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, just 60 miles south of Arvada only 12 hours later. Between 3 to 5 people were taken to hospitals there, although they are not sure how many victims were injured.
Are these two shootings related? Exactly 12 hours later, a gunman attacks another Christian group. I don't know, but until they're sure they have all the suspects in custody, I don't feel all that safe right now. I feel like I did on 9-11 and on 4-20-99 (Columbine). I am alert and concerned. Terrorism is aimed at destroying people's sense of security. It works.
I'm going to church next weekend, if only to show these jokers that Christians aren't driven by intimidation or fear.
At 12:30 AM this morning, a person asked for lodging at the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in Arvada. This is the same base that my friends went to when I was in high school. This person opened fire on four YWAMers and killed two. One of these two had helped George Morrison of Faith Bible Chapel hang Christmas lights last week. He was obviously up all night with police.
Now, someone has opened fire on people at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, just 60 miles south of Arvada only 12 hours later. Between 3 to 5 people were taken to hospitals there, although they are not sure how many victims were injured.
Are these two shootings related? Exactly 12 hours later, a gunman attacks another Christian group. I don't know, but until they're sure they have all the suspects in custody, I don't feel all that safe right now. I feel like I did on 9-11 and on 4-20-99 (Columbine). I am alert and concerned. Terrorism is aimed at destroying people's sense of security. It works.
I'm going to church next weekend, if only to show these jokers that Christians aren't driven by intimidation or fear.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Serendipity And Happiness
The forecast is in and it's snow, snow--oh, and look more snow. I guess the weather is truly frightful. I can actually say the fire is delightful too. We have a roaring one right now, right over my shoulder behind me. Christmas music via satellite warmly rolling out of the stereo. This audiophile loves Christmas music, by the way.
And it all happened by accident.
See, I've found that intentionally seeking the perfect thing--anything, like Christmas, a vacation, a job--is the perfect way to ruin it. The best moments are the "Wow, look at us!" moments, the ones we never set out to create. They just happen. I love them, but it's not something I crave. Any time we're craving the perfect...we will be disappointed. We don't have perfection here in this life. My son has a cough, which he gave to his little sister, who is now dealing with a sore throat, cough and fever. My Fibromyalgia is making my nerves tremble so that typing is a challenge and mousing around it hit-or-miss. The kids, even the "sick" ones--they're running now--aren't behaving. It's not perfect, but I can be perfectly happy.
I don't intend to have a perfect Christmas this year, but the best ones are never perfect anyway. May all of us be blessed with an imperfect Christmas full of love, joy and happiness.
And it all happened by accident.
See, I've found that intentionally seeking the perfect thing--anything, like Christmas, a vacation, a job--is the perfect way to ruin it. The best moments are the "Wow, look at us!" moments, the ones we never set out to create. They just happen. I love them, but it's not something I crave. Any time we're craving the perfect...we will be disappointed. We don't have perfection here in this life. My son has a cough, which he gave to his little sister, who is now dealing with a sore throat, cough and fever. My Fibromyalgia is making my nerves tremble so that typing is a challenge and mousing around it hit-or-miss. The kids, even the "sick" ones--they're running now--aren't behaving. It's not perfect, but I can be perfectly happy.
I don't intend to have a perfect Christmas this year, but the best ones are never perfect anyway. May all of us be blessed with an imperfect Christmas full of love, joy and happiness.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Surely? Surely?
This is a great little video of a little girl reciting Psalm 23...
I don't know if she actually is homeschooled, but her mom and dad are definitely keeping the spirit of homeschooling. She's so cheerful even though she's got a cold. "Surely?...oh,..." "Surely?..."
I don't know if she actually is homeschooled, but her mom and dad are definitely keeping the spirit of homeschooling. She's so cheerful even though she's got a cold. "Surely?...oh,..." "Surely?..."
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