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We listened to one of the DVD series by Louie Giglio on the issue of hope.
He talked about how suffering is the one thing that God can use to bring out what is in the stuff inside of you!
If you ever want to know what you are made of - go through suffering.
Treasure in Jars of Clay
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
If you want to see suffering glorify God in your life, then consider these four points:
1. Embrace a higher purpose today.
2. Expect difficulty to be a part of the fabric of life.
3. Hope in the unshakable power of the cross of Christ, knowing that His will never let go of you.
4. Ask God to use your troubles for His glory.
Because suffering can have a horrible effect on your life if you don't have God in the supreme place in your life.
From HOPE: When life hurts most by Louie Giglio on DVD.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Actual Analogies and Metaphors from High School Essays
Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays.
We hope you don't recognize any of these as yours. Haha...
These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country.
Here are last year's winners.....
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes wth a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m.
instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually me, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
We hope you don't recognize any of these as yours. Haha...
These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country.
Here are last year's winners.....
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes wth a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m.
instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually me, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
Monday, May 10, 2010
How have Raquel Welch's attitudes changed recently?
Sex Icon Raquel Welch is waving the red flag of caution about the sexual revolution and the devaluing of marriage.
Check out the link below:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/07/welch.sex.pill/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/07/welch.sex.pill/index.html
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
College vs. College
This is Katie's assessment of the two colleges we visited:
Lets start with King’s (http://www.tkc.edu/). King’s College is located in the heart of NYC. It is in the Empire State Building and has several hundred students. They offer three majors- politics philosophy and economics, media culture and the arts, and business management. Their academics program is very rigorous and focuses heavily on business, journalism, and film production. They have ample opportunity for internships in NYC in all three of those. I went to one class and it left me confused and bored. It was supposed to be a politics class, but the professor didn’t even talk about politics! He was discussing a book about Sparta they were reading. Towards the end of the class, he did start talking about different choices the king made and why they were good or bad but until then, I was incredibly confused. The professors are nice, energetic, and have a well-developed sense of humor. The college does not have normal housing. They have apartments of three instead of the usual dorms. Also, they do not have a meal plan, so you must buy your own groceries and make a meal plan. The people are nice, but very glamorous. If you are a fashion diva who wants to change the world…..King’s is the college for you! Most of them are from public schools and do not know how to speak, write, and read analytically and with a Christian worldview. King’s does not offer a lot of extra-curricular activities. They have a debate team (but there is limited space with a LOOOOONG waiting list) and a theatre club. That is all but there are ample opportunities throughout NYC to get involved. Most of the students I talked to liked King’s because it “treated them like they were adults” and because of the hard classes.
King’s has two major drawbacks that I saw. The first is the glamour. Because it is in NYC, it attracts a certain kind of person. A nice person, but a person who is not at all like me. It is definitely for people who like fashion, shopping, and living in a very shallow city. The second drawback that I think is incredibly serious is their lack of emphasis on spiritual growth. They do not have chapel, small groups, worship, or any kind of gathering to worship God. It would be very easy for a teenager to lose their faith in such an environment. King’s has an emphasis on academics, not spiritual growth. The students themselves pointed this out several times. Another drawback that is more personal is the emphasis on business and media. I want to go into politics and King’s does not deal with politics hardly at all. It is not the environment I am looking for.
Lets move on to Patrick Henry College (http://www.phc.edu/). PHC is located in a small town in Virginia right outside of DC. It has a few hundred students and is only slightly smaller than King’s. They offer several politics majors, a literature major, a strategic intelligence major, and (most recently) a music major. They too have a very rigorous academic program. However, the two classes I visited were interesting and left me wanting more. Even though I came in the middle and wasn’t quite sure where the class had been, I still understood most of it and left intrigued. The professors are kind, intelligent, interesting and VERY willing to help you at any time. PHC has spacious dorms (not very large but spacious nonetheless) that normally have three people in them. They have a normal meal plan as well which is not as bad as other colleges. The food always contains a wide variety and is surprisingly delicious! All of the people at PHC are like me or very close. We have the same interests and ideas. 80% of the people who go to PHC are homeschooled which makes for a very different and not unpleasant experience. They have similar focus and I do not feel like an abnormal “nerdy” homeschooler. PHC offers a multitude of extra-curricular activities. They offer worship team, a variety of sports, theatre, different music options, tutoring, newspaper staff, different jobs around campus, debate and speech, moot court, mock trial, and more. All of the students I talked to said they went to Patrick Henry because “God told me that was where I was supposed to go” and because “Patrick Henry helps us change the world even while we are in college”.
The only drawback that I heard from students and that I saw was that it is indeed a very small college. Everyone knows everything that is happening in your life. That’s hard when you really don’t want people interfering. However, PHC has such a great environment and such a great emphasis on spiritual growth and developing relationships before academics that I feel it is the right college for me. All the faculty said that they were giving us the opportunity to change the world in college. We become world movers even while we are still young and that is what I have wanted to do. I feel like I can go to PHC as myself and be immediately accepted and feel at home. Unfortunately, if I went to King’s, I would feel like I had to change myself to be like the people around me. I would need to become a “city girl” to fit in. I would also probably lose my faith because of the environment I would be in. The faculty at King’s made the point that they were EQUIPPING students to become world changers when they go out on their own. This is not what I am looking for. I want to change the world NOW.
In conclusion, King’s is a great school. I would recommend looking at it and making sure it wasn’t for you, but if you are anything like me (nerd who would like to change the world in the area of politics) then I would sincerely discourage going to King’s.
Lets start with King’s (http://www.tkc.edu/). King’s College is located in the heart of NYC. It is in the Empire State Building and has several hundred students. They offer three majors- politics philosophy and economics, media culture and the arts, and business management. Their academics program is very rigorous and focuses heavily on business, journalism, and film production. They have ample opportunity for internships in NYC in all three of those. I went to one class and it left me confused and bored. It was supposed to be a politics class, but the professor didn’t even talk about politics! He was discussing a book about Sparta they were reading. Towards the end of the class, he did start talking about different choices the king made and why they were good or bad but until then, I was incredibly confused. The professors are nice, energetic, and have a well-developed sense of humor. The college does not have normal housing. They have apartments of three instead of the usual dorms. Also, they do not have a meal plan, so you must buy your own groceries and make a meal plan. The people are nice, but very glamorous. If you are a fashion diva who wants to change the world…..King’s is the college for you! Most of them are from public schools and do not know how to speak, write, and read analytically and with a Christian worldview. King’s does not offer a lot of extra-curricular activities. They have a debate team (but there is limited space with a LOOOOONG waiting list) and a theatre club. That is all but there are ample opportunities throughout NYC to get involved. Most of the students I talked to liked King’s because it “treated them like they were adults” and because of the hard classes.
King’s has two major drawbacks that I saw. The first is the glamour. Because it is in NYC, it attracts a certain kind of person. A nice person, but a person who is not at all like me. It is definitely for people who like fashion, shopping, and living in a very shallow city. The second drawback that I think is incredibly serious is their lack of emphasis on spiritual growth. They do not have chapel, small groups, worship, or any kind of gathering to worship God. It would be very easy for a teenager to lose their faith in such an environment. King’s has an emphasis on academics, not spiritual growth. The students themselves pointed this out several times. Another drawback that is more personal is the emphasis on business and media. I want to go into politics and King’s does not deal with politics hardly at all. It is not the environment I am looking for.
Lets move on to Patrick Henry College (http://www.phc.edu/). PHC is located in a small town in Virginia right outside of DC. It has a few hundred students and is only slightly smaller than King’s. They offer several politics majors, a literature major, a strategic intelligence major, and (most recently) a music major. They too have a very rigorous academic program. However, the two classes I visited were interesting and left me wanting more. Even though I came in the middle and wasn’t quite sure where the class had been, I still understood most of it and left intrigued. The professors are kind, intelligent, interesting and VERY willing to help you at any time. PHC has spacious dorms (not very large but spacious nonetheless) that normally have three people in them. They have a normal meal plan as well which is not as bad as other colleges. The food always contains a wide variety and is surprisingly delicious! All of the people at PHC are like me or very close. We have the same interests and ideas. 80% of the people who go to PHC are homeschooled which makes for a very different and not unpleasant experience. They have similar focus and I do not feel like an abnormal “nerdy” homeschooler. PHC offers a multitude of extra-curricular activities. They offer worship team, a variety of sports, theatre, different music options, tutoring, newspaper staff, different jobs around campus, debate and speech, moot court, mock trial, and more. All of the students I talked to said they went to Patrick Henry because “God told me that was where I was supposed to go” and because “Patrick Henry helps us change the world even while we are in college”.
The only drawback that I heard from students and that I saw was that it is indeed a very small college. Everyone knows everything that is happening in your life. That’s hard when you really don’t want people interfering. However, PHC has such a great environment and such a great emphasis on spiritual growth and developing relationships before academics that I feel it is the right college for me. All the faculty said that they were giving us the opportunity to change the world in college. We become world movers even while we are still young and that is what I have wanted to do. I feel like I can go to PHC as myself and be immediately accepted and feel at home. Unfortunately, if I went to King’s, I would feel like I had to change myself to be like the people around me. I would need to become a “city girl” to fit in. I would also probably lose my faith because of the environment I would be in. The faculty at King’s made the point that they were EQUIPPING students to become world changers when they go out on their own. This is not what I am looking for. I want to change the world NOW.
In conclusion, King’s is a great school. I would recommend looking at it and making sure it wasn’t for you, but if you are anything like me (nerd who would like to change the world in the area of politics) then I would sincerely discourage going to King’s.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Flag at Halfmast!
This two to three weekshas been rough for FamilyLife staff particularly here in Little Rock. We have seen two very precious women who have had long standing battles with cancer go to be with the Lord. The first lady was Debbie Perry and she was a great encouragement to many even in her battle with cancer. The day she first had to wear a wig she was entertaining people by "flipping her wig" at people in jest. She died on March 30th. We had a all staff meeting that day and it was a special time of prayer for her husband Tom. He was very encouraging to us as staff!
And then on April 7th, a missionary staff's wife went to be with the Lord while her husband slept next to her. She was very peaceful. They had served together for a number of years in New Zealand. More recently they have worked with all the different speakers who speak at the Weekend To Rmember getaways.
So as you can imagine we have been a bit somber around here; however, we all have our hope in the Lord. And praise God for these two women and for how uses each of us to minister in this world so taken by sin and death!
So when I went outside at the end of the day to go home and saw this:
My heart was taken by the beauty of this tribute and how we honor those who have gone before us and how they will one day welcome us into that celestial home!
And then on April 7th, a missionary staff's wife went to be with the Lord while her husband slept next to her. She was very peaceful. They had served together for a number of years in New Zealand. More recently they have worked with all the different speakers who speak at the Weekend To Rmember getaways.
So as you can imagine we have been a bit somber around here; however, we all have our hope in the Lord. And praise God for these two women and for how uses each of us to minister in this world so taken by sin and death!
So when I went outside at the end of the day to go home and saw this:
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Lisa's Recent Illness
Lisa came back with Katie on Sunday night (February 21st) from Houston from a speech and debate tournament. On Monday morning she woke up with what felt like a millstone sitting on her chest and every breath was painfully crippling! We saw our faithful doctor and he reported that she had Pleurisy (an inflammation of the lining of the lungs). We knew it was going to be a long time to heal so she started on several medications (steriods for the inflammation, antibiotic for possible infection, Hydrocodone for the pain). As the week progressed she had a hard time with each of the medications and so she also got a prescription for phenagren to keep the nausea down.
On Friday she went back to the doctor and found out that she had contracted H1N1 flu. Now we knew the cause but still didn't know how to treat the inflammation and other issues. Now she had to take Tamiflu too! We got the Tamiflu at half price from our pharmacist! Why? Apparently the government had purchased too much and is trying to get rid of it! She finished up the Tamiflu, came off of the Hydro codone and finished the antibiotics and the steriod treatment.
Sometime later, the doctor ordered a CAT scan and it revealed a small amount of fluid around her heart. It was the smallest amount but in order to better understand that she is being sent to a Cardiologist.
On Wednesday March 3rd she had another EKG and blood work. The EKG showed that her heart was fine but it was a little more stained.
Friday (today) she got a call from the doctor's office telling her that her thyroid was out of wack but we knew that and that her bloodwork showed a high level of infection and so she is taking another round of antibiotics. This time a very strong dose of Levaquin.
So she has an appointment with the cardiologist on Tuesday and the doctor again on Thursday.
As more develops we will keep updating this.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support during this time.
On Friday she went back to the doctor and found out that she had contracted H1N1 flu. Now we knew the cause but still didn't know how to treat the inflammation and other issues. Now she had to take Tamiflu too! We got the Tamiflu at half price from our pharmacist! Why? Apparently the government had purchased too much and is trying to get rid of it! She finished up the Tamiflu, came off of the Hydro codone and finished the antibiotics and the steriod treatment.
Sometime later, the doctor ordered a CAT scan and it revealed a small amount of fluid around her heart. It was the smallest amount but in order to better understand that she is being sent to a Cardiologist.
On Wednesday March 3rd she had another EKG and blood work. The EKG showed that her heart was fine but it was a little more stained.
Friday (today) she got a call from the doctor's office telling her that her thyroid was out of wack but we knew that and that her bloodwork showed a high level of infection and so she is taking another round of antibiotics. This time a very strong dose of Levaquin.
So she has an appointment with the cardiologist on Tuesday and the doctor again on Thursday.
As more develops we will keep updating this.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support during this time.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
“Of Studies” Read…” By Francis Bacon
My collegue, Eli, found this poem from a 18th century writer and it keys in on the work we do here at FamilyLife:
Read not to contradict or confute;
nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse;
but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted,
others are to be swallowed, and
some few to be chewed and digested;
that is,
some books are to be read only in parts;
others to be read, but not curiously;
and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention…
Reading maketh a full man;
conference a ready man;
and writing an exact man…
And therefore, if a man write little,
he had need have a great memory;
if he confer little,
he had need have a present wit;
and if he read little,
he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.
We, in our work, are always looking for the "best of the best" in all the books we come across. Do you know of any books, we should consider for the resources at FamilyLife? Do you have a favorite you want to let us know about?
What is your favorite resource at FamilyLife?
Nick
http://www.alsops.org/
Read not to contradict or confute;
nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse;
but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted,
others are to be swallowed, and
some few to be chewed and digested;
that is,
some books are to be read only in parts;
others to be read, but not curiously;
and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention…
Reading maketh a full man;
conference a ready man;
and writing an exact man…
And therefore, if a man write little,
he had need have a great memory;
if he confer little,
he had need have a present wit;
and if he read little,
he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.
We, in our work, are always looking for the "best of the best" in all the books we come across. Do you know of any books, we should consider for the resources at FamilyLife? Do you have a favorite you want to let us know about?
What is your favorite resource at FamilyLife?
Nick
http://www.alsops.org/
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Mayo Clinic Piano Story from the lady who shot the vidreo!
Enoy more of the background to the fun video!
Marlow and Frances Cowan's Mayo Clinic Story
Here is the couple's story of how their fame on youtube started! I don't even know if they know what youtube is!
Mayo Clinic atrium piano, charming older couple...
This is such a wonderful couple!
Watch for their story on a future blog post!
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