Happy 11th birthday Aimee! The weather's just great isn't it? :)
Happy 15th b-day to Daniel (in advance). We're leaving for California tommorrow, so you're birthday will be spent in the car most of the day...what fun! :) Actually we're going to stop at the Oregon Caves and the giant Sequoias on the way, so that will be neat.
Not a lot to report, but I had to post, sooo... I'm sure Christopher wouldn't mind me posting this since most everyone knows it by know. He applied for the Vision Forum internship program, and last week learned that he's been accepted! So he'll be heading down to San Antonio Texas in early August to stay for about 5 months. It's funny to hear Mom briefing him on how and what to buy, what to cook and all that. :) This is a great opportunity for him, and we wish him the best!
Oh, and he also ordered a camera yesterday--a Canon Powershot A620 with a card, batteries and a charger. I'm still saving... :( Well, have a great week, and I'll be sure to post some more before we leave again for Colville on the 22.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
My Cookie!...hehehe
All you guys think you can make cookies? How 'bout you make it easy and just make one :) Mine turned out about 16 1/2" in diameter! Ya, that's me in the picture--the hat and apron were Christopher's idea :)
At the Evening of the Arts (an event held anually at our church) it turned out to be very popular! Just look at those kids waiting to get a bite of that colossal confection! (never mind the cake-it's obvious the only thing the crowd wants is my cooking :)
But alas! it was demolished in about a half hour...allowing me to stop serving, get some pie and talk to friends. My new cookbook will be published at the end of next year...I know ya'll can't wait ;)
At the Evening of the Arts (an event held anually at our church) it turned out to be very popular! Just look at those kids waiting to get a bite of that colossal confection! (never mind the cake-it's obvious the only thing the crowd wants is my cooking :)
But alas! it was demolished in about a half hour...allowing me to stop serving, get some pie and talk to friends. My new cookbook will be published at the end of next year...I know ya'll can't wait ;)
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
In 1492...
You don't know your history until you've read these! Most were made up by my siblings--I won't mention any names. :)
In 1491, Columbus sailed without his gun
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean goo
In 1493, Columbus climbed his first tree
In 1494, Columbus sailed the ocean floor
In 1495, Columbus made his first dive
In 1496, Columbus his first lollipop licks
In 1496, (we had a tie) Columbus discovered trail mix
In 1497, Columbus turned 11!
In 1498, Columbus sailed in a crate
In 1499, Columbus sailed too fast and got a fine
Now go and impress your friends with your new knowledge! They'll believe you...really. :)
In 1491, Columbus sailed without his gun
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean goo
In 1493, Columbus climbed his first tree
In 1494, Columbus sailed the ocean floor
In 1495, Columbus made his first dive
In 1496, Columbus his first lollipop licks
In 1496, (we had a tie) Columbus discovered trail mix
In 1497, Columbus turned 11!
In 1498, Columbus sailed in a crate
In 1499, Columbus sailed too fast and got a fine
Now go and impress your friends with your new knowledge! They'll believe you...really. :)
Thursday, May 04, 2006
3rd Year in a Row
I had my adjudication for music festival this afternoon. They held it at Beacock's, and this time they actually had a nice grand piano for us poor students. :) I was a bit nervous beforehand, but once I started playing, I was much more relaxed and comfortable. The competition is divided into difficulty levels (I think I was in Difficult 1); they have a required peice (there are a few choices) and you're allowed to pick the other. I played "Reverie in F Minor" by Dennis Alexander, and "Venetian Boat Song" by Felix Mendelssohn. The two girls that played before me also did the Reverie, and since I was the last one to play that peice, I kinda' got the last word. :) The judge seemed to prefer my interpretation--very 'romantic'....hmmm.... Anyway, I won't keep you in suspense too long. The judge gave me another Superior--this is my third Superior in a row so I get a gold cup! They have a special recital for gold cup winners, but I probably can't manage it because it's on the same Sunday as my piano teacher's recital and our small group meeting at church. I've got a few more piano performances in the next two months, but the big ones are over. Now I just need to clean off my bed and walls to display all these trophies and ribbons! :) Have a beautiful evening everyone! (by the time you're reading this, it probably won't be evening, but that's why God gave us imaginations ;)
Sunday, April 23, 2006
The Big Day!
Last Saturday WPC held a garage sale/bake sale/car wash fundraiser for our church's outreach efforts to the Colville Indian Reservation this summer. Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and overall very sucessful. Following are some pictures for your enjoyment. :)
Jonathan Bordwine bought some pretty goofy stuff: a guitar strap for a belt, suspenders, driving gloves, a silver cup (aka. the "Chalice of Malice"), a leafy hat thing, a monstrous pair of toy sunglasses and various other items. Combine all of these and you've got Caesar, interplanetary explorer, Augustus!
Amanda Tuck manning the craft table. That was a boring job, so thanks a million to those who were willing to take a shift!
Doesn't look like Jonathan is too thrilled to be a sign-holder! :)
Brian, Jon and I. The hat was 25 cents, I couldn't resist... :)
Here's the car-washing crew. They estimated that they washed about 60 cars!
What with the spectacular weather, fellowship with friends, plenty of work, and lot's of stuff to rummage through, the day was really fun, and very successful fundraiser. It was my first experience selling my work, and has motivated me to look for other ways to do that this summer.
In other news, I've got about 5 piano performances in the next 2 months... Can't wait for summer break! Oh, and the younger kids (Jeremy, Rebecca, Christianna) are still struggling with whooping cough, so please pray for their recovery--especially the baby. Hope ya'll have a wonderful week!
We set up the garage sale in one of the back theaters-there sure was a lot of stuff! Thankfully, even with all the people, it didn't get out of hand like garage sales often do.
Jonathan Bordwine bought some pretty goofy stuff: a guitar strap for a belt, suspenders, driving gloves, a silver cup (aka. the "Chalice of Malice"), a leafy hat thing, a monstrous pair of toy sunglasses and various other items. Combine all of these and you've got Caesar, interplanetary explorer, Augustus!
Amanda Tuck manning the craft table. That was a boring job, so thanks a million to those who were willing to take a shift!
Doesn't look like Jonathan is too thrilled to be a sign-holder! :)
Brian, Jon and I. The hat was 25 cents, I couldn't resist... :)
Here's the car-washing crew. They estimated that they washed about 60 cars!
In other news, I've got about 5 piano performances in the next 2 months... Can't wait for summer break! Oh, and the younger kids (Jeremy, Rebecca, Christianna) are still struggling with whooping cough, so please pray for their recovery--especially the baby. Hope ya'll have a wonderful week!
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Debate
Well, we're all done with debate this year. Last weekend's tournament went really well--we didn't quite qualify, but still did great. We were the only team to win all our 6 preliminary rounds, just barely losing in quarter-finals. I got 7th place speaker out of 54, and D & I got 5th place team out of 27. It's such a relief to be done. :)
Oh, Christopher and I got our first taste of square-dancing (they held one at the school we debated at). As long as you have someone who knows what they're doing, it's a lot of fun--especially with about 40-50 people in a huge gym! Dad posted about all this on the family blog as well. Have a nice day people!!
Oh, Christopher and I got our first taste of square-dancing (they held one at the school we debated at). As long as you have someone who knows what they're doing, it's a lot of fun--especially with about 40-50 people in a huge gym! Dad posted about all this on the family blog as well. Have a nice day people!!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Dicussion on Homeschooling
This is a transcript from CNN news of a discussion between Gerald Tirrozi, Michael Farris, Tucker Carlson, and Bill Press on the issue of homeschooling. One of the very first questions asked is:
"Michael Farris, why do you want to punish kids by making them stay home with their parents all day?"
Ha, I love it! Definitely worth a read (even though it's long).
"Michael Farris, why do you want to punish kids by making them stay home with their parents all day?"
Ha, I love it! Definitely worth a read (even though it's long).
Parent Involvment in Education
Even though the government has taken over the education of most of America, they still encourage parents to be involved in their children's education, though mostly for the wrong reasons. This is off the National Education Association's website:
"What Is Parental Involvement, Exactly?
Parental involvement in your child's education can mean:
Or, it can be as simple as asking your children, "How was school today?" But ask every day. That will send your children the clear message that their schoolwork is important to you and you expect them to learn.
BTW, I know my posts have been pretty long lately, but I'll be sure to post on some less serious topics soon, so hang in there. ;)
"What Is Parental Involvement, Exactly?
Parental involvement in your child's education can mean:
- Checking homework every night
- Discussing your children's progress with teachers
- Voting in school board elections
- Helping your school to set challenging academic standards
- Limiting TV viewing on school nights
- Becoming an advocate for better education in your community and state.
Or, it can be as simple as asking your children, "How was school today?" But ask every day. That will send your children the clear message that their schoolwork is important to you and you expect them to learn.
Some parents and families are able to be involved in their child's education in many ways. Others may only have time for one or two activities. Whatever your level of involvement, do it consistently and stick with it because you will make an important difference in your child's life.
Why Is Parental Involvement Important?
In study after study, researchers discover how important it is for parents to be actively involved in their child's education. Here are some of the findings of major research into parental involvement:
- When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school — and the schools they go to are better.
- The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from preschool through high school. A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.
- Reading achievement is more dependent on learning activities in the home than is math or science. Reading aloud to children is the most important activity that parents can do to increase their child's chance of reading success. Talking to children about books and stories read to them also supports reading achievement.
- When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically.
- Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher student achievement: actively organizing and monitoring a child's time, helping with homework and discussing school matters.
- The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational process, the more powerful the effects.
- Positive results of parental involvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children's schooling."
BTW, I know my posts have been pretty long lately, but I'll be sure to post on some less serious topics soon, so hang in there. ;)
Monday, April 03, 2006
Plants & Prayer
If you're having trouble with your garden this year, you'd better read this. :)
Research on the Power of Prayer
Larry Johnson
The power and impact of prayer is another area that has recently received some enlightening research. The Spindrift Foundation (Salem OR) was interested in two simple questions; does prayer really work, and if so, how? The foundation knew that good tight experimental control was an absolute necessity if any of the findings were to have any validity in the scientific community. To completely eliminate human bias, they used the germination rates of grass seeds as the target of the prayers. Because they could have seed trays side by side with the exact same physical conditions, they were able to introduce very stringent statistical controls. The people asked to pray for the seeds had absolutely no physical contract with them. The Spindrift Foundation found that prayer did indeed work, and there was a statistically significantly higher rate of germination for the seeds that had been prayed for.
The foundation also found that prayer was much more effective on seeds that had been stressed with salt water, than on seeds that had only clear water.
While geographic distance did not have any statistical impact as a variable, more interestingly, the type of prayer offered did. It was found that the more general the prayer, the more impact it has on the seeds. In other words, a prayer such as "thy will be done" had more impact than one that pleaded that the seed be germinated. This is fascinating research. It is very comforting to know that not only are scientists proving that there really is power in prayer, but they are also proving that it works best when you need it most.
Research on the Power of Prayer
Larry Johnson
The power and impact of prayer is another area that has recently received some enlightening research. The Spindrift Foundation (Salem OR) was interested in two simple questions; does prayer really work, and if so, how? The foundation knew that good tight experimental control was an absolute necessity if any of the findings were to have any validity in the scientific community. To completely eliminate human bias, they used the germination rates of grass seeds as the target of the prayers. Because they could have seed trays side by side with the exact same physical conditions, they were able to introduce very stringent statistical controls. The people asked to pray for the seeds had absolutely no physical contract with them. The Spindrift Foundation found that prayer did indeed work, and there was a statistically significantly higher rate of germination for the seeds that had been prayed for.
The foundation also found that prayer was much more effective on seeds that had been stressed with salt water, than on seeds that had only clear water.
While geographic distance did not have any statistical impact as a variable, more interestingly, the type of prayer offered did. It was found that the more general the prayer, the more impact it has on the seeds. In other words, a prayer such as "thy will be done" had more impact than one that pleaded that the seed be germinated. This is fascinating research. It is very comforting to know that not only are scientists proving that there really is power in prayer, but they are also proving that it works best when you need it most.
The 'Science' of Prayer
I don't know how many of you are aware of the recent studies and experiments which have tried to analyze the 'effects of prayer' in given situations. So far, the secular scientists have come to the conclusion that prayer in general actually has adverse affects on those prayed for. In one experiment involving several hundred patients with heart problems, they found that the individuals prayed for actually had more complications than the others. This study has been circulated by the media and is presented as evidence that God either doesn't answer prayer, or doesn't even exist.
Sadly, many in the Christian community try to argue against the means or methods used, instead of simply renouncing this nonsense entirely. Here's an example. In this article, the author utilizes a counter-study to try to prove the effectiveness of prayer. The fundemental problem with all these approaches is that they assume God's will can be calculated scientifically. They treat God like a cosmic vending machine; if He fails to give us the snack we want, He must be out of order. Dr. George Grant put it this way:
"The primary difference between biblical faith and heresy is that true religion is a response to truth and false religion attempts to manipulate God. True faith aims at God's satisfaction, while heresy aims at self-satisfaction... They (Cain, Balaam, Korah) believed that not only could they manipulate human society and natural elements with their peculiar approach to moral and ethical standards, but that God would also be forced to conform Himself to the desires and demands of men who act in terms of certain legal strictures: Say certain things, do certain things, believe certain things, or act out certain things, and God will have to respond. In essence, they believed that man controls his own destiny.
To some of us God is little more than a cosmic vending machine in the sky, designed to dispense our every want and whim. To others of us He is a grandfatherly sage who lives to patiently offer us certain therapeutic benefits and baubles from His largess. To still others He is a kind of Santa figure--jolly, unflappable, and determined to bestow goodies upon all mankind. Invariably, though, we moderns tend to see God in terms of ourselves--in terms of our wants, our needs, our preferences, and our desires. We have apparently, as Voltaire accused, "made God in our own image.""--The Micah Mandate, Dr. George Grant (from pgs. 75 & 156)
The prevalent modern conception of God focuses primarily on His goodness and mercy to the exclusion of His other atributes. Here are just a few principles these studies and experiments fail to recognize.
1. God is sovereign. His will cannot be influenced by our desires, efforts, or prayers. In fact, Jesus tells His disciples, "When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."--Matthew 6:8 God knows what's best for us.
2. These days, people are confused about why we should pray. Dr. Grant asserts in his book, The Micah Mandate, that "prayer is [to be] objectively hedged by God's will. As the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession says, "Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will." We are not to pray simple in order to get something. We are to pray in order to be something (James 4:3). We pray in order to be conformed to God's will," not to manipulate it.
3. In His sovereign purpose, God may use difficult circumstances to test our faith, and cause us to grow in sanctification. If He allows a loved one to die, He will cause it to resolve for His glory. Also, He disciplines those He loves, and may bring trials into our lives to turn us around.
4. I can just see the bold headlines: "Science Proves That God Doesn't Answer Prayer." This is ridiculous; God always answers prayer, but not always to our satisfaction or according to our expectations. Christians need to learn to accept God's answers, and remember that He is in control, and will "work all things together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."
Feel free to add to what I've said. I always appreciate comments ;)
Sadly, many in the Christian community try to argue against the means or methods used, instead of simply renouncing this nonsense entirely. Here's an example. In this article, the author utilizes a counter-study to try to prove the effectiveness of prayer. The fundemental problem with all these approaches is that they assume God's will can be calculated scientifically. They treat God like a cosmic vending machine; if He fails to give us the snack we want, He must be out of order. Dr. George Grant put it this way:
"The primary difference between biblical faith and heresy is that true religion is a response to truth and false religion attempts to manipulate God. True faith aims at God's satisfaction, while heresy aims at self-satisfaction... They (Cain, Balaam, Korah) believed that not only could they manipulate human society and natural elements with their peculiar approach to moral and ethical standards, but that God would also be forced to conform Himself to the desires and demands of men who act in terms of certain legal strictures: Say certain things, do certain things, believe certain things, or act out certain things, and God will have to respond. In essence, they believed that man controls his own destiny.
To some of us God is little more than a cosmic vending machine in the sky, designed to dispense our every want and whim. To others of us He is a grandfatherly sage who lives to patiently offer us certain therapeutic benefits and baubles from His largess. To still others He is a kind of Santa figure--jolly, unflappable, and determined to bestow goodies upon all mankind. Invariably, though, we moderns tend to see God in terms of ourselves--in terms of our wants, our needs, our preferences, and our desires. We have apparently, as Voltaire accused, "made God in our own image.""--The Micah Mandate, Dr. George Grant (from pgs. 75 & 156)
The prevalent modern conception of God focuses primarily on His goodness and mercy to the exclusion of His other atributes. Here are just a few principles these studies and experiments fail to recognize.
1. God is sovereign. His will cannot be influenced by our desires, efforts, or prayers. In fact, Jesus tells His disciples, "When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."--Matthew 6:8 God knows what's best for us.
2. These days, people are confused about why we should pray. Dr. Grant asserts in his book, The Micah Mandate, that "prayer is [to be] objectively hedged by God's will. As the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession says, "Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will." We are not to pray simple in order to get something. We are to pray in order to be something (James 4:3). We pray in order to be conformed to God's will," not to manipulate it.
3. In His sovereign purpose, God may use difficult circumstances to test our faith, and cause us to grow in sanctification. If He allows a loved one to die, He will cause it to resolve for His glory. Also, He disciplines those He loves, and may bring trials into our lives to turn us around.
4. I can just see the bold headlines: "Science Proves That God Doesn't Answer Prayer." This is ridiculous; God always answers prayer, but not always to our satisfaction or according to our expectations. Christians need to learn to accept God's answers, and remember that He is in control, and will "work all things together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."
Feel free to add to what I've said. I always appreciate comments ;)
Friday, March 31, 2006
Got this off the forum too.
Dr. Seuss Explains Why Computers Sometimes Crash
(Read this aloud to get the best effect- it's GREAT!)
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, And the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, And the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
Then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.
If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash,
And the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash,
And your data is corrupted ‘cause the index doesn't hash,
Then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!
If the label on the cable on the table at your house
Says the network is connected to the button on your mouse,
But your packets want to tunnel to another protocol,
That’s repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall,
And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss,
So your icons in the window are as savy as a souse;
Then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang,
'Cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!
When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk,
And the macro code instructions cause unnecessary risk,
Then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM then
Quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!
That's awsome! :)
Dr. Seuss Explains Why Computers Sometimes Crash
(Read this aloud to get the best effect- it's GREAT!)
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, And the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, And the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
Then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.
If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash,
And the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash,
And your data is corrupted ‘cause the index doesn't hash,
Then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!
If the label on the cable on the table at your house
Says the network is connected to the button on your mouse,
But your packets want to tunnel to another protocol,
That’s repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall,
And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss,
So your icons in the window are as savy as a souse;
Then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang,
'Cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!
When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk,
And the macro code instructions cause unnecessary risk,
Then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM then
Quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!
That's awsome! :)
Hey Pete, I was browsing AVlux and found a post by "Big Pete." The thread was about weblogs, and he said:
"I would lable this thread *Peer Pressure*... Despite the fact that you all seem to enjoy sporting an internet version of your daily lives, I remain unmoved. (Watch, I'll have to get one sometime for some strange reason and then I'll be really embarrassed.)"
I hate to pick on ya, but I just thought that was funny!
"I would lable this thread *Peer Pressure*... Despite the fact that you all seem to enjoy sporting an internet version of your daily lives, I remain unmoved. (Watch, I'll have to get one sometime for some strange reason and then I'll be really embarrassed.)"
I hate to pick on ya, but I just thought that was funny!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Evolution: What Next?
I was reading some articles on Answers in Genisis (see links) about how some people are trying to get chimpanzees reclassified as humans. They want to call them "Homo troglodytes." The author was theorizing about how they'll have to extend civil rights to apes in the future. Isn't that absurd? These people want to give rights to chimps, and at the same time deny fundemental, God-given rights to unborn infants! It's just another manifestation of mankind's innate sinfulness. Oh, here's the link to that article.
On a happier note, it's raining outside!!
On a happier note, it's raining outside!!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
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