Bye, bye, babies!

Wonderful Stefanie, from the Writers' Circle, gave me the phone number of a pet store near her, and they'll take all the piggies! She'll take one, and Becky may keep one to replace Luigi (though I'd really rather she didn't!) The rest we will deliver and be done with tonight!!!!!!!!!!!

Health Care

To say that health care is a right is to say that you have a right to the products and services produced by another person's labor, and that, my friends, is slavery.

Church day, I guess

This morning, I went to the UPS store and copied the offering count sheets.

I also wrote a paragraph for the church bulletin about the teen Bible study, and read through Jen's handout on repentance.

And what took longest, I went through the church DVD (with many pauses and rewinds) proofing all the written portions.

Then during karate, I cleaned the church for Sunday.

I LOVE SERVING GOD!

Pride

At this point I'm leaning toward doing something on pride, or what the Bible calls being stiff-necked. It seems that ultimately, resistance to repentance must boil down to being stiff-necked in some fashion or another. Sometimes it's not being willing to admit that there's anything wrong with you; or similarly, nothing wrong that you can't fix quite well by yourself. A different way in which pride keeps us from repenting is by making us fearful of others' opinions.

I was thinking about this in bed last night, and there may have been one other way; but if there was, and if it's important, the Lord will have to bring it back to my mind, 'cause it's GONE...

I may write a story about teens in Pompeii. In the weeks and days before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, one or two will see the danger and warn their friends to leave. They'll be laughed at by many, but there friends will have the three reactions above: not believing anything bad will really happen; being confident of their own ability to outrun whatever happens; and being more afraid of being laughed at than of the volcano.

In addition to the story, I may look for good scriptures on pride. There's a bunch in Proverbs, I know. I'd also like to do something interactive, but we only have an hour or so!

Christmas

I'm not having any luck with the Christmas reservations, so far.

Guinea pig babies

Well, I've just sent an email blast to 19 different families... I hope we can get rid of the babies.

Teen girls

Another project in my life right now involves the girls in our church. Jen and I want to start some sort of Bible study for them. It's definitely where my heart is, but without God's grace, I am utterly inadequate to give them anything of eternal value.

The girls who might be involved are:
Cassie, 18
Sara, 17
Kayleigh L. 16
Izzy, 16
Angelica, 15
Styline, 14
Becky, 14
Jaycee, 13
Melina -- a bit younger, but she really wants to do it and Charis would like her to.... But because she's completely out of the age range, I'm not including her in the calculations.

The average, or mean, age is 15.375. The median, or middle number is between 15 and 16... there are 4 girls 16 and up, and 4 girls 15 and under. There are two modes, or values which occur most often, 14 and 16. And finally, halfway between the youngest and oldest is 15.5.

So, to the extent that I have a particular age in mind to aim at, it will be 15-16. That may end up being helpful to know.

I'm looking at the Harris twins' book, also Eugene Petersen's Run with the Horses. I've also thought about a theme of pride, or Proverbs 31. Jen is going to kick it off with the 1st and 3rd sessions about repentance. I'm not sure what will fit well in the 2nd session, which will be mine to lead, on September 20th.

I'm just praying like crazy.

Why I love the WTM boards

Okay, at 7:27 a.m. Eastern time, I posted the below-referenced note on the college board. In less than an hour and a half, I'd received 5 responses.

Also, on the high school board, which is where I've 'lived' for the last few years (and where I've learned almost everything I know about doing homeschooling high school) these are some of the threads being discussed this morning.

One mom was just notified that her student is a National Merit semifinalist, and has questions about the paperwork. She was able to get answers both from people who'd done it in the past, as well as another mom currently going through it who had been on the phone with the NM folks, and was able to share the info she'd received recently.

Another mom wants to know if a certain calculator is allowed on the ACT test.

Another is sharing a change in textbooks she's making for an advanced or AP physics class and why. There are always lots of discussions related to specific texts and courses.

Several threads are folks either new to high schooling this year, or facing it in the next year or two, questioning everything from what curricula to use, to how to grade, to how to track paperwork, etc. etc.

Movin' on up!

I just made my first post on the WTM college board! I feel like I'm both very ready to be there, and yet not at all prepared in some ways...

I like the constant reminder here, and in my username at WTM: God's grace is sufficient for me. His power is made perfect in my weakness.

Anyway, I explained how I'm going about trying to plan visits to different types of colleges, and a little of why I've chosen the ones I have. I asked for input, both on my general approach and on suggestions of specific schools.

If it works as usual, I'll find a lot of interesting chaff in response, and a few precious grains of wheat!

Making progress

Quick lunch, then errands: library, bank, drugstore, grocery store, then back to the drug store to pick up the prescription.

I still need to read Romeo and Juliet with Becky; go over both kids' writing exercises from Friday with them; take a 45 minute to 1 hour walk; do some decluttering in the basement; dry, iron, and hang up school/work clothes for Doug and Tim; clean a couple of bathrooms, call my grandma, spend 10-15 minutes doing yard work; and hopefully get to a couple of other small, miscellaneous jobs.

Oh, yeah. I guess I should make dinner for the family sometime, too.

Mondays

It seems I always start the week with a do-list as long as my arm. So far today, I've done the dishes, taken the dog out for a few minutes, straightened the downstairs, lifted weights, done a couple loads of laundry, paid bills and balanced the checking account, got Sunday's offering entered into spreadsheets and ready to take to the bank, picked up Tim and Jimmy from CVCC in Brecksville, and gotten Tim and Becky both started on the work for the week.

That's less than half of what I need to do today.

Sunday

I've been trying for the last couple of weeks to be more faithful about taking Sunday as a Sabbath. I'm not suggesting that this is some sort of law that is currently binding on believers, but when Jesus spoke about it, it was as something God put into place for our benefit. I don't want to miss out on any of God's benefits.

Also, I have always heard and tend to believe that those who are faithful in tithing are never left with the needs unmet. I also tend to believe that if a person is chronically short of money, beginning to tithe will help, even though it seems very counter-intuitive.

So, since I've been chronically short of time lately, I decided to try being faithful to use my Sundays in a more God honoring way; instead of merely as a day to get caught up on all the work that didn't get done the previous week, or even to get ahead of the game for the coming week.

I did better the first week than last week, and this week I'm having a hard time. I have to get some laundry done so Doug and Tim have work/school clothes for tomorrow. I also tried to pay some bills, but the bank's online system is offline until 8 a.m. tomorrow.

I guess I'll do the bare minimum of laundry, and then continue going through the Elizabeth George book. I originally started into that thinking it would be good to use with the teen girls at church; I'm not so sure of that now, but I think it's probably beneficial to me anyway. The other thing I will try and do is look through the material I have on purity, since that's what Jen really wants to cover with the girls.

I'm pretty impressed with Tim

This morning (Saturday, mind you!) he gets up at 5:30 a.m., reads his Bible, has breakfast, and wakes me up just after 6:00 to take him to the armory for an O-flight.

He's growing up to be a wonderfully responsible young man.

To share with Raphael

Good stuff for talking about Jesus to a Jehovah's Witness, with thanks to kevinquick.com

John 20:28,29-Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Acts 20:28-Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Col 2:9-For in Christ ALL the fullness of the Deity [or, Godhead] lives in bodily form

1 Ti 3:15-16-God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body...

Titus 2:13-while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Heb 1:3-The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Heb 1:4-So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Gen 1:26-27-Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness..." And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him.

Is 44:24-Thus says the Lord [Jehovah], your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the Lord [Jehovah], am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone..."

John 1:3-All things came into being by Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. [If Jesus was created, then he created himself]

Eph 3:9-...God, who created all things...

Col 1:15-16-And He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born [cp. Ps 89:27, Gen 41:51-52, Jer 31:9] of all creation. For [Gr. because] by him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created by Him and for Him.

Micah 5:2-"Bethlehem...out of you will come...ruler over Israel, whose goings out are from of old, from days of eternity."

Heb 7:3-[Melchizedek]...having neither beginning of days...like the Son of God

Rev 5:11-14-And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, [be] blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Matt 4:10-Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord [Jehovah] your God, and serve Him only.'" [Quote from Deut 6:13]

Matt 14:33-Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Matt 28:9-Suddenly Jesus met them [the women]. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

Matt 28:16-17-Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him...

John 9:38-Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. [He recognized Jesus as the Son of Man-vs. 35]

Heb 1:6-And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

Rev 5:8-And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.

Rev 14:7-He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Jesus is worshiped many times in the New Testament; the worshipers are never rebuked. An angel is worshiped twice in the New Testament [Rev 19:10, 22:8-9]; the worshiper is rebuked both times. Peter is worshiped once [Acts 10:25]; the worshiper is rebuked.

John 5:18-This is why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 10:28-33-"...no one shall snatch them out of My hand...no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God."

Is 9:6-And he [Jesus] will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Rev 21:6-7-"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End...I will be his God"

John 2:19,21-Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

Acts 2:24-"God raised him from the dead"

John 5:18-For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 8:28-"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM [Gr. ego eimi-cp. Ex 3:14; LXX-no "he" in Gr.]"

Ex 3:14-God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:58-59-"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM! [Gr. no "he"-cp. Ex 3:14; LXX]" At this, they picked up stones to stone him...

Acts 20:28-Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Phil 2:6-Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God...

Col 2:9-For in Christ ALL the fullness of the Deity [or, Godhead] lives in bodily form

Titus 2:13-while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2 Pet 1:1-To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours...

Jesus Christ:

aa. He is from everlasting (Mic 5:2).

ab. He was in the beginning (John 1:1).

ac. He is before all things (Col 1:17).

ad. He had glory with the Father before the world was (John 17:5).

ae. He existed in the form of God (Phil 2:6).

af. He was God (John 1:1).

ag. He is the Firstborn of all creation (Col 1:15).

ah. Through Him are all things (Heb 1:2).

ai. All things were made by Him (Col 1:16).

aj. God attributes Jehovah's creative works to Him (Heb 1:8,10).

ak. All things were created by Him and for Him (Col 1:16).

al. He made man in His own image (Gen 1:26,27).

ba. The Father sent Him (John 6:57).

bb. He sought not His own will, but that of His Father who sent Him (John 6:38).

bc. The way was prepared for Jehovah, then Christ came (Matt 3:3).

bd. He was Immanuel-God With Us (Matt 1:23).

be. All the angels of God worship Him (Heb 1:6).

bf. The magi worshiped Him (Matt 2:11).

bg. He was the Son of God (John 10:36).

bh. He who has seen Him has seen the Father (John 14:7-9).

bi. The Father was greater than He (John 14:28).

bj. He could do nothing of Himself (John 5:19).

bk. He did nothing of Himself (John 8:28).

bl. His Father gave Him the words which He spoke (John 12:49).

bm. He knew not the day nor the hour of the end (Matt 24:36).

bn. A cured blind man worshiped Him (John 9:38).

bo. He would raise up His body (John 2:19,21).

bp. No one has greater love than Him (John 15:13).

bq. He was one with the Father (John 10:28-33).

br. The Jews believed that He made Himself equal with God (John 5:18).

bs. He forgives sins against God (Luke 5:24).

bt. He gave men power to be born of God (John 1:12,13).

bu. Those in the boat worshiped Him (Matt 14:33).

bv. His 11 disciples worshiped Him (Matt 28:16,17).

bw. The Father's name has been given to Him (John 17:11,12).

bx. He is heir of all things (Heb 1:2).

ca. God raised Him from the dead (Acts 2:24).

cb. He ascended to His God (John 20:17).

cc. He appeared in the presence of God (Heb 9:24).

cd. He sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).

ce. God highly exalted Him (Phil 2:9).

cf. God glorified Him (Acts 3:13).

cg. He was made better than the angels (Heb 1:4).

ch. God made Him Lord and Christ (John 2:36).

ci. All men should honor Him as they do the Father (John 5:22,23).

cj. He is the First and the Last, as is Jehovah (Is 44:6, Rev 1:17,18).

ck. In Him dwells all the fulness of the Deity in bodily form (Col 2:9).

cl. He is the exact representation of God's nature (Heb 1:3).

cm. He is above all (John 3:31).

cn. He sustains all things (Col 1:17, Heb 1:3).

co. He is eternal Father (Is 9:6).

cp. He is Mighty God (Is 9:6).

cq. All things that are the Father's are His (John 16:15).

cr. All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Him (Matt 28:18).

cs. The Father has given Him power over all flesh (John 17:2).

ct. He is mediator between God and men (1 Ti 2:5,6).

cu. He is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18).

cv. He is Lord of lords (Rev 17:14).

cw. "Whoever calls upon the name of Jehovah will be saved" applies to Him (Rom 10:9, 11-13).

cx. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).

a. Jesus is the creator of all things.

b. Jesus is the sustainer of all things.

c. Jesus is the Savior.

d. Jesus is the giver of things of God.

e. Jesus has authority to forgive sins.

f. Jesus is the judge of all.

g. Jesus is all-seeing.

h. Jesus is all-knowing.

i. Jesus is omnipresent.

j. Jesus was eternally preexistent.

k. Jesus never changes.

l. It is proper to serve Jesus.

m. It is proper to pray to Jesus.

n. It is proper to give glory to Jesus.

o. It is proper to worship Jesus.

p. Jesus is Lord.

q. Jesus is sovereign with His Father.

r. Jesus is the Son of God.

s. Jesus is God, as is His Father.

t. Jesus is Jehovah, as is His Father.

Blech!

Feminist garbage on Moody today!

Shakespeare

Well, I had Becky's Shakespeare class all figured out. I had carefully and logically figured out which plays to read and in what order to read them. Now, I'm looking at it and wondering what I was thinking when I did so.

So far, she's just been reading some introductory stuff about William Shakespeare and his theatre, but today we're supposed to start into a specific play. I had Romeo and Juliet scheduled first, and A Midsummer Night's Dream last. I'm thinking I may switch them, but I can't remember why I scheduled it that way.

It would be just like me to get far enough into it that we can't really turn back, and then realize, "Oh! That's why I was going to do it that way. I wish I'd stuck with it!"

Jeans

They're a bit snug, but I'm wearing a pair of jeans that a month ago I couldn't even come close to buttoning!

Hopefully, in another month or two, they'll be as baggy as all the jeans I wore last winter are now.

Rafael

For close to a year, I've received occasional visits from Raphael, a Jehovah's Witness who comes to our neighborhood. Sometimes he's been with an older man, several times with his wife, and at least one other time with the young man who came today, Eric.

We've done a lot of dancing around the areas we disagree on, but today we were more direct. I know I haven't done the research and put the time into studying in order to give an answer that I should have, considering the eternal importance of what's involved. I'm going to try to do better.

I haven't seen him in a while. I thought maybe he'd given up on me... What's interesting is that this morning I asked God to give me an opportunity to share the gospel with someone today...

Large public university

We have two nearby schools that would give the kids a chance to see what a large public university is like, Kent State and Akron. Considering what a liberal place Kent State is, I doubt I'd actually want one of our kids to go there, so I'm leaning toward visiting Akron.

Both are nearby, both are big and in an urban environment, both are less than 10K a year for tuition, and close enough that room/board wouldn't need to be an issue.

I know other homeschoolers who've gone to Akron, and I think they're probably the more homeschool-friendly of the two. Besides, Kent State is very liberal and has welcomed and defended at least one jihadist on the faculty, so we'll probably visit there.

Malone University

I've also been looking at Malone. Again, like all the schools we want to give early visits to, it's nice and close. It's in Canton; and unfortunately, Mapquest suggests it's in a very built up area.

However, it's a Christian school, so definitely worth looking into. Doug thought it might be only a business, Bible, and education school, but they have a major in computer science and several in the natural sciences.

It's not a very small school, at almost 2500 undergrads, and the tuition + room/board is over 25K a year.

They have three kinds of visits: group visits, personalized visits, and overnight visits. I like the sound of their group visit days, but unfortunately, they are on weekdays and so would require Tim missing a day of school. They have one each month in October, November, and January - April. I think we'll probably do it... maybe in November?