- Opening prayer.
- Sing music or listen to performed music.
- Listen to a speech.
- Closing prayer.
I find that interesting because I disagree strongly. It is certainly true of some churches, but I wouldn't say majority—at least it would not characterize most of the churches I've been to. And certainly not what I would consider a more ideal "script" if you want one, which would be simply...
- The Word (Scripture and sermon)
- The Eucharist
Permalink | Read 3075 times | Comments (0)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
A friend sent me the following Frazz comic and I was immediately hooked. The setting is an elementary school, and the main characters are Frazz (school janitor and Renaissance Man), Caulfield (a genius who hates school because it bores him; he hangs out with Frazz a lot), Mrs. Olsen (Caulfield's teacher), Mr. Burke (the school's best teacher, and Frazz's best friend), Mr. Spaetzle (the principal), Miss Plainwell (first grade teacher).
I've never been much of a Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. fan, but his short story, Harrison Bergeron, has haunted me since I first read it, long before frustrations with our chidren's schools brought us head to head with its stunning reality. Written in 1961, Vonnegut's warning is yet more accurate and more frightening today. (More)
That sentence is enough to make half the readers of this blog think I’m insane, and the other half think I’m possessed. Be that as it may, it’s the best way I know to explain the way I think. (More)
Permalink | Read 6938 times | Comments (4)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest] Everyday Life: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
Permalink | Read 2707 times | Comments (1)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
Last night some friends came over for dinner, and were enchanted by the Lady Grey tea that I served. When they left, I thought about giving them some tea bags to take with them. However, we had plans to go to the beach together this weekend, and I decided it would be nicer to bring the tea with me, as a surprise. Unfortunately, due to a crisis at work, we had to back out of the beach plans.
The moral: If you can do something good, do it now. Tomorrow is not promised to us.
Permalink | Read 2637 times | Comments (0)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
Permalink | Read 4516 times | Comments (0)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
Permalink | Read 2795 times | Comments (0)
Category Children & Family Issues: [first] [previous] [next] [newest] Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
Sleep—the new weight loss program!
Permalink | Read 4249 times | Comments (0)
Category Random Musings: [first] [previous] [next] [newest]
It's not surprising that the walkers benefitted from their exercise; what is peculiar is the distribution of their improvements. Both uphill and downhill walkers experienced a decrease in their LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Uphill walking also lowered triglyceride levels and increased the body's ability to handle fat. Downhill walking significantly increased the body's ability to handle sugar. Walking uphill did not help with sugar, nor downhill with fats. (More)
Homeschooling is legal in Pennsylvania, but the regulations imposed on homeschooling families are among the strictest in the nation. Recently, one family decided to sue the state on grounds that the rules impose an unreasonable restriction on their freedom of religion. Reading that article, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's editorial in response, reminds me that we must never, never become complacent about our rights, nor take our freedoms for granted. The Post-Gazette wonders,
To us, the requirements seem rather minimal. Parents must submit an annual affidavit to the local school superintendent outlining their educational goals. They must turn in a log at the end of the year showing what subjects were taught and when. A neutral, certified teacher reviews the work and interviews the child. Standardized tests are required at several grade levels.
What is the problem with that?
One problem is that such an attitude betrays appalling ignorance of what homeschooling is all about. It is not about taking the philosophies, methods, systems, procedures, and materials of school and trying to squeeze them into one's living room. Rather, homeschooling liberates children and families to pursue learning in creative ways that are not possible when subjected to classroom-mentality restrictions. (More)