Baptist Seminary Passes Policy on Charismatic Behavior

So the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has passed a resolution on charismatic behavior, including speaking in tongues. Now over at This Guy Falls Down, Mark Lee said that they banned it but that isn't really accurate. They won't throw students out over it (at least not based on this). The actual guideline appears to be:

stating that it would neither endorse charismatic practices -- including “private prayer language” -- nor employ those who promote such practices.

Is this wrong? Well, regardless of how you feel about charismatic behavior, I think it is fine. This is a denomination that doesn't believe in it. So they don't want the future leaders of the church being taught about it. Plain and simple. Don't like it? Change denominations. There is no demonizing of those that do have these practices but the practices and not part of the doctrine. Other denominations are still our brothers and sisters in Christ. This quote from the president of the seminary really sums it up:

"We do believe in absolute religious liberty," he observes, "but we also believe that if you're going to be a New York Yankee, you shouldn't wear a New York Mets uniform."

I also like what Mark Lee says:

I will say that I do have a lot of respect for SBTC in that they are attempting to do something that is becoming more and more foreign in Christian circles: they are spelling out what they believe. We are living in an age where many, if not most, are getting their theology from Christian music. That's a scary thought now, isn't it? Like Dylan said, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

Call for Submissions!

The next Carnival of Pregnancy is this Friday! If you have a post on anything pertaining to pregnancy (yours or someone else's) please go over to BlogCarnival and submit it!. All you need to do is fill out the easy form. All entries are due by Wednesday.


Related Tags: pregnancy, motherhood, carnival, expecting

Geek Chic

So maybe chic isn't quite right;). But Acorn Studios has rather inexpensive Geeky Gifts. While this is not something I want for Christmas, I am sure that they would make great stocking stuffers.

(HT: Gizmodo)

Related Tags: Geeky Gifts, Nerd Gifts

Stem Cell Research Ad

I have seen all the press on the Michael J. Fox ad. Do I think he was faking? Not really but I do think that they chose to film when was at his worse for an emotional pull. That doesn't anger me but I see it for what it is. Here is a star studded ad against embryonic stem cell research. This is greatly angering the left but I am not sure why. They are speaking the truth and aren't trying to pull an unspoken emotional string.

Cool Dalek Pumpkin How-To

For all lovers of Dr. Who!
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a very cool how to on making a Dalek pumpkin. It is detailed with all the parts you will need and the carving steps. It even walks around (as seen in the video). All it needs to say is, "EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!!".

(HT: BoingBoing)

Related Tags: Dalek Pumpkin, diy, howto, make, robot, RC, robotics, radio control, halloween, pumpkin, jack o lantern, decorations, dr who, doctor who, dalek

Another Sad but True

Now I will make 1 concession (I know, shocking). Bush has turned out to be a big spending Republican. But take the worst Republican spender and it will still be less than the standard tax and spend Democrat.

(HT: Michelle Malkin)

America founded on Secularism??

I have found where liberals take a wrong term on their analysis of our nation...At the beginning. Richard Dawkins proudly states:

America, founded in secularism as a beacon of eighteenth century enlightenment, is becoming the victim of religious politics, a circumstance that would have horrified the Founding Fathers.

What is he on? The first settlers came over for religious freedom but still practiced religion. All 206 "Founding Fathers" had a religious affiliation. I don't think that any of the Founding Fathers, even deists Jefferson & Franklin, ever thought that the existance of God was something to be truly doubted. It is obvious that American society, from the beginning, is based on the Judeo-Christian principals. Women weren't even allowed to decide on pregnancy (ie, avoid or try for) because it was "playing God". Now am I saying that the Founding Fathers were all good christians? No. Am I saying that I believe that all the society stood for at that point? No. But to say that the ideals held were all secular is a mistake. Did the Founding Fathers implement seperation of church and state? Yes, but to keep the state out of religion and not the religious out of the state. They wanted to avoid issues that had existed like religious requirements to vote or hold office and tax supported churches. They didn't want the United States to be a theocracy but there is no dening that is was founded as a Christian nation. Built on Christian doctrine and a belief in God. No one demands that you hold Christian doctrine to be truth but to deny its position in our history can distort every view you hold.

Muslims Try to Stone a Girl in France

Once again Gates of Vienna has come through with a shocking but true story.

'A schoolgirl at the Jean Mermoz college [secondary school] in the eighth district of Lyon was pelted with a hail of stones on Wednesday morning in a playground where she was eating a snack. The theory that the act was related to the non-observance of Ramadan has been confirmed by the prosecutor in Lyon on the strength of the earliest results of the investigation.

Yes, children were stoning another student for eating during Ramadan. The scary part was that the President of the Regional Council for the Muslim Religion only problem.

He deplores the ignorance of the pupils, to whom it would be necessary to teach the Koran at school, and who are unaware that during Ramadan the “women who are indisposed are exempt from compliance'.

So the only reason that it was wrong was because she might have been on her period? Come on. Remember that this wasn't in a strict muslim extremist society but in France (ok, maybe that is a muslim extemeist society;). This wasn't anything I saw on the news. How about you?

Carnival of Recipes #114

Hi everyone! I am your humble host for this week's delicious Carnival of Recipes. There are some great recipes that will inspire your cooking talent and will grow your hunger.

In the spirit of October, Amy at Mom Advice gives us Frugal Momma's Test Kitchen: The Glorious Pumpkin. In this post she helps us turn our pumpkin into puree and then shares various pumpkin recipes.

We have a couple of entries dealing with entertaining. Shawn over at Everything and Nothing has a delish recipe for Black-Eyed Pea Dip. Muse over at me-ander shares their most popular pick and would love your input!

Remember that we all need to start the day off right so Third World County offers us a a yummy breakfast dish in Fast, Super-easy Rice-cooker Omelet. And yes, that is an omelet cooked in a rice cooker. In my house we also use sweet breads as a great breakfast but we also eat them for dessert and snacks too. This week we have some great bread recipes. Kicking Over My Traces has a tasty sounding Cinnamon Swirl Bread. KeeWee's Corner has a great looking Banana Oatmeal Bread. I can tell you that this is where my next batch of bananas are going. Christine over at Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea has a delicious looking Pumpkin Bread with an optional sweet top. To top all of these great breads you should try
Famous Recipes' Walnut Butter Recipe.

Now that the weather has turned nippy it is a great time for soup. Kevin at Technogypsy had all this stock so he made soup, kinds with Udon and also with halushki. Elisson of Blog d'Elisson made a savory and rich Boof Booganoon (aka Beef Burgundy). Joel Fuhrman M.D. of Disease Proof offers us a Tomato-Bean Soup in Healthy Eating for Two. Mostly Cajun offers us his own 2 bean soup recipe in Soup, glorious soup!

We have a variety of other savory main dish recipes to tempt your taste buds. The wheat/rye guy at Triticale has a yummy sounding Jamacian Pumpkin Curry. Seriously Good has a seriously good looking Shepherd's Pie recipe that is a must try. El Capitan at Baboon Pirates has a Marinated Swine Butt that is holiday table worthy. Maureen at Trinity Prep School has an easy and great Curried Rice recipe. It even makes good leftovers! Frazzled Dad offers us a savory and finger licking recipe with Jim's BBQ Ribs.

Our last recipe for this Carnival is of course dessert. Just think of it as a sweet ending for a sweet person. A Weight Lifted offers us a moist and delicious Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

That brings our carnival to a close and I want to thank all of you for joining us! If you wish to submit an article for the future please go over to BlogCarnival and join us October 29th at Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea for our next edition!

Related Tags: Carnival of Recipes, Carnival, Food, Recipes

Pregnancy Carnival

Welcome to the Pregnancy Carnival! I invite you to look around and read the great articles but first, I have an announcement.
High
The NerdFamily is expecting!

So onto the carnival. We only have a couple of entries but they are good. First is a touching article from Chris Gribble, Infertility article - Year One. Then Lisa over at Let's Talk Babies has a great article on Blood Pressurethat is a must read.

I also found a few interesting things. First is the Ovulation Watch.


I am not advocating this, the price was just part of the picture. So this monitor the chemistry on your skin and you wear it when you sleep. Very interesting. Then Crystal over at TailFeathers has an interesting post on Pregnancy Dreams. This is how she figured out she was pregnant and would like input on your own experience. Then Pregnancy Weekly.com has an interesting post on Mother's stress and how it may slow baby's growth in the womb.

That wraps up this Carnival. If you would like to submit an article go over to BlogCarnival and fill out a simple form. Please come back November 3rd for the next Carnival!

Cool Nintendo Craft

So I have once again found a great craft appropriate for those with the nerdy (or gamer) slant. This case holds a Nintendo DS system and, as you can see from the picture, can still be plugged in. This would also be a great homeschooling project. Rosered over at Crafters has more pictures, materials list and detailed instructions so you can also make one!

(HT: BoingBoing)

7th Heaven and Schooling

7th Heaven had an interesting plot this week. One of the story lines was the 2 little boys' teacher hit on Reverend Camden. Now in a previous episode she made it clear she was interested in him but this week she propositioned him. Right in school(but not in front of everyone). Reverend Camden went to the principal, who basically laughed him off, and asked for the kids to be transferred. After he had been humiliated by the principal, who told him it was all in his mind, he went to the hospital (and the show continued on). Then he returned after school got out and when all the teachers were together. He talked about how great and under paid most teachers are but that there are some corrupt teacher. This is how he told them he was pulling the boys out of the school.

I am outta here, I am outta of this wacky world of education where the lousy, immoral teachers are protected at the expense of all the other teachers. I am not waiting days or weeks or months to find the right teacher for my sons. Life is short and education is important. And to the rest of you, thank you, thank you for everything you do for the students in your classrooms everyday.

The reality is this is how I and many home schoolers feel. Most teachers are well meaning, sweet people. The immoral teachers, corrupt union system and a misguided educational system is the real reason many of us pull our kids out. Can we work out some of the kink by changing teachers, demanding specialization (either special ed or gifted ed) and trying to deal with our kids getting picked on? Sure, but by then it has been weeks, months or years and our children have missed out. Some of us aren't willing to take that risk with our kids and their education. So we homeschool but, and I want this to be clear, I do not think most teachers are bad. As a matter of fact, I think they can be pretty great!

Seeing (RED)

So I was over reading Michael Medved at Townhall on this new star studded (RED) Campaign. Here is the jist.

The concept behind this new effort, launched by rock star/activist Bono and Schwarzenegger brother-in-law Bobby Shriver, is to get major companies (including The Gap, Motorola, American Express, and more) to make special products available with the (RED) designation (for some reason the word always appears in parentheses in its official deployments. The corporations then devote advertising resources to make the specially branded (RED) merchandise look stylish, desirable, hip, and socially conscious. They also pledge a portion of their profits from sale of these products to the relief of African AIDS patients.

Now you notice that the pledge is only for a portion of the profits or of the increased prices. Here are some examples:

For instance, Gap jeans normally priced at just under $50 are now sold as signature (RED) pants for $198. The Gap promises to donate 50% of their proceeds to AIDS relief – so that still means that the company is taking an extra $50 bucks (not for charity, just for profit) from gullible people who choose to buy the jeans. A Gap long-sleeved t-shirt that last week cost $14.50, now goes for $45…. Meaning that the company still gets an extra $8 of your money on an absurdly over-priced piece of cloth, even after giving their share to charity.

So is this the great plan? I agree with Medved that you should buy the normal cheap stuff and donate the difference. But then people won't "know" that you donated. But isn't that the point of charity? To do something for selfless reasons and not for a status symbol? And, is it just me or are these companies just appling rapacious tactics in an already tragic situation? I have half a mind to avoid these companies all together (if I were a boycotter to being with). How about just donating the money to the cause, be you company or individual? I think the idea of collecting money to go straight to the treament of AIDS is a noble idea but the implementation can bring less than favorable results.

Calling for Entries

Nerd Family will be hosting the Carnival of Pregnancy this Friday. So I am calling for entries! Please go over to BlogCarnival and submit your articles. You just click submit to this carnival and fill out the form!

Personal Religious Freedoms

I just finished reading a post by Steven Waldman over at Huffington Post, The Church-State Divide: Religious Folks Have to Choose, and I am a little frustrated. HE begins by discussing a de-Goding of Christmas.

Hmmm. Maybe the conservative Christians really are right about secularism run amok, I thought. And what about all those stories about kids being told not to read the bible in cafeterias?

So I thought great but then he went on to talk about all of the breaks that religious institutions receive, according to a New York Times article. Waldman said that the exceptions shown to religious group didn't bother him.

But at a minimum, supporters of religion having a special place can't have it both ways: we cant take special tax breaks, zoning rules and exemptions and then claim we're discriminated against. Religious folks will have to choose between the tax breaks and the persecution complex.

This is what I find frustrating. Giving my church freedoms isn't the same as giving it to me. The Bill of Rights were not rights for institutions but individuals. Why can't I have freedom of speech that includes the name of God? The reason groups like the Christian Coalition exist is to look at our personal rights more than the church buildings. The lawsuits that have had to be filed (and won years ago) to get Christian student groups in schools are the type of battles Christians are really talking about when it comes to secularism. People on the left need not be so obtuse as to see the issue we are really discussing. It is the kid's Christmas Program...

Duh, the Republican party isn't Christian!

I have been seeing articles on David Kuo's new book, Tempting Faith, and other articles on Tucker Carlson's statement, elites in the Republican Party have pure contempt for the evangelicals. My response to all of the "revelations"? Duh! The Republican party isn't actually Christian. Are they more Christian than the Democrats? Of course, but Christian doctrine isn't the total driving force behind the party's actions. Do I think that Dobson, the Christian Coalition and all other Christian groups are naive enough to blindly trust the party. I hope not. If they did, why wouldn't their groups just be part of the party? All political party's play political games. Of course we are a pain to the Republican elite. The Republican elite are interested in the Republicans winning above all else. It is understandable that they cater to the Christian right, we are what has placed them in power, but they resent that a little. Did these articles tell me things I liked? No. Were they suprises? No. Will they change how or if I vote? Never, I know what the other side holds is more than a little resentment. The Democrats will implement more anti-family measures and spend more tax money than any group of nonChristian Republicans ever will.

Math Lessons from Numb3rs

It is probably not a shock to anyone that I like the show Numb3rs (that is when SciFi isn't showing Stargate SG1 or Atlantis;). While the story lines are a little far fetched, I enjoy seeing math getting so much play. Well, there are now actually free math lessons that correlate with each episode. I don't know at what age you all allow your kids to watch the show (mine are way to young) but the lessons seem to be in the algebra, statistics, and real world (like balancing a checkbook) arenas.

(HT: Mala on Homeschooling Mensans Yahoo Group)

Blocking Conservative Blogs

I was reading this interesting article at Gates of Vienna about the US Department of the Interior blocking conservative blogs from their network. But they are not blocking liberal blogs. This is crazy. I totally understand an employer blocking all major blog domains (blogspot, typepad, etc) but to only block some. That is a mistake and I am curious if it will be a lawsuit also. Who actually makes this call to begin with? It can't be anyone as high up as the Secretary but this is definately above the tech guy's pay grade. This is one of the many reasons Conservative Republicans back small government;).

Tim Gunn is a Dictionary.

This is why I watch Project Runway. I was watching the reunion show (in prep for the finale) and they discussed Tim Gunn's vocabulary. Here are some of the words the contestants were amazed by:
Mitigating
Consternation
Caucus
Circuitous
Egregious

Here's my secret: This is one of the reasons I love this show. It is bright and witty. It doesn't insult my intelligence and actually assumes I have some.

And yes, I have been known to use all of these words.

Great Political Ad - The Scary Reality

Supposedly this was made for the GOP for the 2006 elections by Hollywood producer/directo David Zucker but I have no confirmation. I found this hilarious, scary and oh so true.

(HT: AllahPundit)

The 41st Carnival of Homeschooling

This week I am blessed to be hosting the 41st Carnival of Homeschooing. We have many delightful entries so let us jump right in.

Since we all teach our children schoolwork before play let us begin with the academic entries. Though I do have to say, I hope we all teach our kids that school is play;) but none the less, onward. Home-Schoolers Rule says, "I am so Excited!" because they have found some great literature resources. Then Dana over at Principled Discovery telles us how to Help Scientists Study Local Bird Populations. This looks like a great program and is well worth the small investment. Andrew over at The Current Events in Education has posted come lesson plan ideas on Constable's Great Landscapes. Here's another in Semicolon's ongoing series of posts about their study of world geography this year. This week we're in Korea. There's a link to the entire series in the sidebar. The Thinking Mother shares information about an Internet based distance learning class in electronics that her nine year old will begin later this month through Quick Study Labs. Then we move onto the more creative subjects. Homeschool Hacks explain that some of the best education hacks are the ones that are so much fun, your child asks to do them again and again. They have found that Scrapbooking is Definitely a Homeschool Hack. 7 Valleys Homeschool welcomes fall in with HappyAutumn!! Crafty Ideas.

Big news this week was the resignation of Scott Sommerville from the HSDLA. Scott Somerville has left HSLDA after 14 years as an attorney to tackle the biggest (non-legal) challenge facing homeschooling today: ‘disengaged dads.’ His post from The K-Dad Network asks which fathers aren’t reaching their homeschool potential yet in Which Dads Aren't Involved?. Barbara at The Imperfect Homeschooler has her own take on the Fath situation with Are Homeschool Dads "Falling Short," or Just Pooped?

We have some great posts aiding in the practical side of homeschooling. Doctor Homeschool starts us out with Overcoming Faliure Syndrome. It is a guide on how to restore your child's self-esteem after making the switch from public to homeschool. The Headmistress at the Common Room helps us find the correct recipe for books in education in Miss Mason, Reading, and Education. HomeschoolCPA deals with a question we all have in Homeschooling and Full Time work. How do you do both? Then Janine at Why Homeschool shares some thoughts about how homeschooling parents are doing a much better job at socialization than the public schools in Homeschooling Does Not Equal Isolation, Part 1.

Then it is time to look at some of the benefits of homeschooling. All Info About Home Schooling reminds us that the government of the US is determined to label children as underachievers....but homeschoolers keep overachieving with The Difference. Corn and Oil wrote Homeschoolers Aprecciated about homeschool graduates and college acceptance. PHAT Mommy says that surveys say that homeschoolers have higher GPAs in college than traditionally-schooled students in Homeschoolers Succeed in College - Imagine That! One of the benifits for me are the things offered by the government that my kids don't need to take advantage of. Gena at Home Where They Belong talks about one of these things with Drugs for "Crazy Teens".

Unfortunately, homeschooling isn't all hearts and flowers. High Desert Hi-Jinks asks What Did You Throw Away to Become a Homeschool Mom? (she really wants to know!) Now, like the author says, I think what I gave up was well worth it. Guilt Free Homeschooling talks about People Who Nearly Scared Me Away from Homeschooling. Then Spunky at Spunky HomeSchool talk about The Cons of Homeschooling.

Finally, we get to take a look at some personal entries. Since we are a community, it is nice to see what is going on in each other's lives. Trivium Pursuit have some great pictures posted from Colleen Moeller Fund Raiser/Wilder Cave Video Premier/Pie Auction/Barn Dance Last Saturday Night. That is a lot of stuff for one night;). My Domestic Church says reading and reading recovery are on her heart and mind this week. She is just posting some random ramblings and thoughts on the topic and how they are affecting my family and what she proposes to do about it. Joanne at A Day in Our Lives shares how her middle child is learning to enjoy writing after school made her feel like she wasn't good at it in Day 137 ~ Book Reviews & Writing. Malissa's Merry-go-round is joyful that One month of schooling is done!

That draws this delightful carnival to a close. Next week the carnival will find its home at Homeschool Hacks. If you would like to submit an article or learn more about the carnival please to to Why Homeschool, the owners of the carnival.

Carnival of Recipes is up!

Go over to Kicking Over My Trace and check out all the great recipes, including my Snickerdoodle Recipe.

AP Classes, To Much for Kids?

Scarsdale High School is considering eliminating Advanced Placement Tests. Why? Because to many kids take them (so they are no longer considered advanced) and they are to much work. I say phooey! That is right phooey! I admit it, I took AP courses and absolutely loved them. I also view them as an even handed leveler for all high school students. When an entering college freshman has take AP calculus AB, you know what material was covered and that they are ready to progress to what would be the next class. If they hadn't taken the test (or a class without a test) how would you know what was taught? But that is one of the complaints.

“The test unfortunately drives what you teach and how you teach,” said Kelley Hamm, Scarsdale’s assistant principal.

Duh. Colleges are not going to look at each school's syllabus and evaluate how it measures up to the college's class. Much less taking into account the high school's grading criteria. The AP test gives impartialial evaluation of a student's knowledge and abilities.

But a big part of this is snooty claseparationion.

But like a few private schools, Scarsdale is concluding that the A.P. pile-on is helping turn the teenage years into a rat race where learning becomes a calculated means to an end rather than a chance for in-depth investigation, imagination, even some fun to go along with all that amassing of knowledge.

So if you go to a "good" school you will not need to prove yourself the way that the lowly students from mediocre schools do. Come on, that is unreasonable.

Then the question arises, are AP classes good for students? I say yes. Are they harder than standard high school course? Of course, but that is what gets them ready for college. I feel it is a perfect introduction. The premise is that you take a semester college course and take almost a full year to go through the course work and prepare for the test. I finally got a glimpse of what would be expected of me once I graduated high school. AP classes often take kids who are gliding and teaches them how to analyze and communicate great ideas. I admit, I learn how to write much better in my AP US History class than I had in 10 years of English classes.

College Board officials say their tests do not force teachers to ram down information. Trevor Packer, executive director of the College Board’s A.P. program, said students need only answer only a quarter of questions right in the multiple-choice section to earn a 5 score, leaving lots of room for inventiveness elsewhere. Much of the test has questions based on documents and demands analysis rather than memorization.

What is the test's value? College credit. Will all classes be accepted by all colleges as an exemption? No, but a little investigation can tell you that before you take the class. An example, the UC's wouldn't count AP Government as a replacement for any class. The CSU system would only give it as credit for a very easy Poli Sci class. So many students didn't waste their time taking that AP class.

It boils down to this theory that children should just be children. Aren't we trying to train them to be adults? AP Classes are a great way to do just that.

(HT: JoanneJacobs)

Call for Submissions!

I am going to host the Carnival of Homeschooling this week and I need submissions. As usually they are due by Monday night at 6pm (pacific). You can go to Why Homeschool for all the submission details (icluding where to send it)!

Snickerdoodles

Here is an easy snickerdoodle. You can freeze the dough once in balls and cook later. It is a great recipe do make with kids. I have the 5 yr old roll the balls and the 3 yr old rolls them in cinnamon and sugar. So on with the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

cinnamon
sugar

Procedure
1. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs
2. Add dry ingredients
3. Roll into balls the size of walnuts
4. Roll in mixture of cinnamon(1) and sugar(2)
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Pregnancy Carnival

Sorry for the delay in this week's Carnival of Pregnancy. Once the little cuties come out they can cause a little chaos so it can take a little longer to get things done. All you expecting mother's have been warned;). So on with the Carnival! We got some great entries so let's jump right in!

First things first...You have to get pregnant. Jeanine and Nina are taking the plunge and doing In Vitro Fertilization... a different perspective from Queercents. So it all works and your pregnant! What is next? Let's Talk Babies helps you with Telling Your Boss That You’re Pregnant.

One of thebenefitss of being around pregnant women is sharing their joy. Principle Discovery's Dana share their first pictures of their 10 week blessing-to-come in A glimpse at baby. We also get to share in Loni at Finding JOY in the Morning with Baby Update - 14 weeks.

We have some posts that deal with the end of the pregnancy. First up is Hug the Monkey presenting Home-made Oxytocin Therapy for Pregnant Moms (warning: it deals with specifics with labor) and how to avoid needing Pitocin. SenseList has a great post, 20 Most Popular U.S. Baby Names in 2005 and 1885, that compares the common popular names. Suite101, Family Travel, has a very interesting article, Baby Born on a Plane,
that deals with the citizenship issues that arise in this situation.

Something else that comes with babies are products and gadgets. PocketChange tells us about Power Bars for Preggies. They seem to come in many yummy flavors. American Inventor Spot has a review of the iCrib system with Make Your Baby the Coolest on the Block. An yes, it is an iPod accessory;). Then is the not so fun expenses. Canadian Financial Stuff takes a look at Baby formula, the price of convenience?

That brings a close to our carnival. Please read and respond to our various authors. If you have an article to contribute please go to BlogCarnival. Then come back in 2 weeks for our next edition!

Christian Carnival

Thank you all for joining me for this week's Christian Carnival. We have many wonderful entries so let us jump right in!

Kicking it all off are a couple of movie and book posts. Nehring over at Nehring the Edge offers a review of Namesake Entertainment's production of Frank Peretti's novel The Visitation. Mick over at Romans 15:4 Project encourages everyone to go see Facing the Giants. Adam's Blog has an interesting article on Life, Man, and God on the Silver Screen. Then John asks if you could give only one book to a new Christian (besides the Bible) to show him how to walk with Christ and lead a life pleasing to Him, what would it be? This week at Light Along the Journey John discusses his new choice with his review of the new Piper book What Jesus Demands from the World.

Now we look at our faith and the world issues. A Penitent Blogger has a poignant reflection on evil and mercy, current events and the book of Job with Murder and Suicide. Surly Dave over at Surly's Soapbox has a piece on School Shootings and Forgiveness. Tim at Life In Student Ministry says he used to give and help homeless people without assuming responsibility for enabling possible addictions, but then an actual homeless man says to stop. The Homeless Guy encourages donating food to homeless people since it's harder to obtain meals now, but not to donate money. So now, what should be the extent of our on-the-spot giving? So to what extent should I help the homeless? Jon Swift talks about the debate over torture illustrates how Christians can get back to traditional values by changing with the times in Traditional Torture Values. Boring Made Dull presents At LEAST We A’re Safe From posted at The Boring Made Dull about the scrubbing of God from the VeggieTales that are being aired on NBC. They even reference a comment from Instapundit on Kanye West and how he should oppose Islam.

Going from just culture to church groups we have a couple of good posts. Matt at Random Acts of Verbiage sees the effectiveness of the XXXChurch with XXXchurch and a Pornographer'’s Conversion. Diane at Crossroads continues in her series on helping those over 50 to understand the postmodern generation and the implications for their churches, the postmodern worldview is the subject of this post in Postmodernism for Old Folks: Bridging the Generation Gap. Parableman has a Roman Catholic friend gives an interpretation of Catholic theology on works and merit that sounds surprisingly consistent with Protestant views on the subject in Roman Catholic Merit. Sometimes all is not hearts and flowers in the church. Rev-ed at Attention Span looks at what can happen when bitterness fills the heart of a church member in Bitterness.

We have quite a few enlightening posts on christian living. Kim Anderson of Mother-Lode thinks It's About Time to consider the harvest of our year's inner work as we enjoy autumn. She invites us to think of time differently than our clock-punching culture. Then there are 2 different posts on controlling our mouths and showing Christ through us, so I guess that means I am not the only one that struggles with this;). First is Annette at Random Thoughts with Heart and Mouth. She says that people often say that they are Christians, but their lives don't show this. She talks about what is really needed to be a Christian. Then Leslie at Lux Venit makes herself vulnerable by talking about God dealing with her sin of gossip and slander in The Diagnosis. Then Andre at Every Square Inch submits Stewarding Our Ambition. Dreams and ambitions are gifts from God. The topic of stewarding our ambitions is important to every Christian and something many struggle with. Some pursue their unbridled ambitions while others eschew any hint of ambition in their lives, viewing it as unspiritual. This first post in a series of three explores what godly ambition looks like and how to steward our ambition with responsibility. Karen at From the Anchor Hold presents Transitus: how to go to the Father, which is a historical example of how to die right. With all these great posts on developing our own Christian walk, Spritibee reminds us Even Kids Need Purpose!

When looking at the doctrine posts, I know we will all have plenty to contemplate. Does anything ever happen by chance? Nancey Murphy 2 on Sun and Shield is a great place to start. Martin has been occasionally musing on the suggestion, by some, that quantum uncertainty is the physical basis of human free will. Murphy has written on this subject, and doesn't believe that can be the whole story. Tom over at Thinking Christian wonders if Questions Allowed? He wonders is it safe to ask questions about the faith in most churches? Should it be? Well we respond immediately with a question;). How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Intellectuelle begins an exploration of the question includes commentary on the nature and identity of angels. Beyond The Rim... has a beautiful piece on how to view God with Our Father Who? I think it is a great start to prayer. Henry at Participatory Bible Study Blog asks, God: Nice or Not? He says the incarnation shows God at his most merciful, compassionate and "nice" while at the same time giving us a challenge that is very hard. God's niceness has a sting to it, but that makes it real! Weekend Fisher at Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength presents us with Two Views of Predestination. Is there more than one way to understand predestination? Weekend Fisher reviews both a sovereignty-centered model and a Christ-centered model of predestination. Veracity over at The Way offers us Ten Days of Awe, without Teshuvah-meaning literally to turn away, from our sin, God will not hear our prayers.. Then Vons Takes presents The (Missing) Message where he asks, "Is 'The Message' translation missing part of The Word when it mistranslates I Peter 3:1-4 and related passages?"

Finally, we wrap with a beautiful poem from Poetic Pilgrimage called Dawn of Deliverance.

That brings an end to all of our wonderful entries. Thanks to Dory at Wittenberg Gate for keeping all of this going. Please submit an article and join us for the next Christian Carnival. With that I bid adieu. May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ shine upon you all. Amen.

Western Education in Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan is building a King's Academy in Amman and I think it will be a blessing to the whole area. This academy is based on the Deerfield Academy in New England that King Abdullah attended himeself. He is even going to bring over the recently retired headmaster of Deerfield to run it. It will be a full boarding school just like its American counterpart and will be about $28,000 a year with scholarships available. The King says that he wants this to eventually be a school with kids from all over the world. If they hold true to the plans I think this will be a great institute. Especially if...

But instead of a mosque on campus, there is a spiritual centre and in a resolution to the difficult question over whether girls should wear a scarf to cover their hair, the school uniform will include a mandatory scarf that girls can either wear on the head or around the neck.

Being a co-educational school in a Muslim country means the school policy is far stricter than its American counterpart on mixing between the sexes, especially out of school hours.

I think it is going to be a opportunity for both the children who attend and the nation of Jordan on the whole. The effects of this level of learning and of the "westernization" of these students will definately effect the next generation in the MidEast. Education is the way to cause long lasting changes in the mind set of the population and to cause a self directed peace. (Now we needed to have a war in Iraq to get them in school and away from the brainwashing, but I digress.) I truly believe that King Abdullah II's father would be quite proud!

(HT: JoanneJacobs.com)

Messing With People

This is actually called a Suspicious Looking Device. It has a timer and buzzes when it is touched. Then it will roll away. I believe it looks like the Ghostbusters device, except that was yellow;). If you go to the site there is video of how it works.

(HT: BoingBoing)

Call for Submissions!

This week is the Carnival of Pregnancy and I am calling for submissions! Please go over to BlogCarnival and submit your post on Pregnancy. It can be funny or factual. It needs to be both family friendly and on a family friendly site. You don't need to be pregnant to play so go submit! Then come back Friday to read the carnival!