Sweep Them into a Corner

I am saddened by the attitude of our society towards the elderly. There is so much wisdom to be learned from them, and we continually push them to the fringes of our lives so that they are in our thoughts for important events and holidays, but otherwise they sit forgotten in a winter home in Florida or in an RV around the country. What an awful way to treat those who have gone before us and cared for us and our parents.

It's as though we lose respect for people once they hit a certain age, and then we try to sweep them into a corner. I am certainly guilty of this as well. How often have I looked down upon those with more experience than I simply because they haven't kept up with the times. Too many times. I'm pretty sure that our Father God who made us doesn't want us to mistreat or push away our parents, grandparents, or the elderly in our church. And it's not that hard to change. Talk to them. I know I certainly don't call my grandparents enough. Stay later in church to give a kind word of encouragement to an older person that you don't know. Demonstrate that your youth and our society don't blind you to their existence and the incredible resources you have on hand by just dialing a phone number.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching. . ."
Proverbs 1:7-8

Black Friday . . .

. . . the epitome of Western materialism. But it makes for a fun time at work.

On Long Distance Friendships

They stink. I'm bad at them.

A Stranger

A woman, sitting in a chair after a church membership class. Gazing vaguely into space. Oblivious to the other conversations going on around her.
"Are you ok?"
". . . No."

What ensued was a conversation over two days which has changed me, possibly (hopefully) forever. This woman proceeded to pour out her life to me - a stranger. She didn't even know my name.

A story of such brokenness and pain and sin that I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by her frankness, her appalling misdeeds, her knowledge and desire to change, but inability to do so, and my own sin.

As I listened, I felt as though I was seeing what I could become. It was as though God put this woman in my life so that I would recognize what it looks like when a Christian ignores the commands of Scripture.

And it was a sobering realization.

A New Day

Today is a new day. The sins of yesterday are forgiven, and I have grace and strength for a new day. Don't forget that!

Listen

One of the most amazing and heart-breakingly beautiful songs I've ever heard: click on Ukrainian Alleluia. Northwestern College Choir is singing this this year.

Review of "Twilight"

As most of my middle schoolers had been reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, and it was recommended by several friends, I decided to read through the series (This is something I've been doing for awhile now-reading the books that my students are reading). I knew it would be feminine as I was going into it, and my expectation proved correct. It was quite a girly book, but I did still enjoy it. It was a quick read, but suspenseful and thought-provoking as well.

Yep, thought-provoking. As Liz Holst pointed out to me, it is a very interesting study about self-control. For those of you who are not aware of the premise of the book, here's a quick rundown. A human girl falls in love with a vampire. He wants to drink her blood, but to do that would almost certainly mean killing her and if not, turning her into a vampire. So he refrains. And therein lies the most potent role model for self-control that I've read about in a young adult book in quite some time. Though Edward (the vampire) wants desperately to drink Bella's (the girl) blood, he has to have the will power to resist his strongest urge. How many times do we (as Americans especially) give in to what our flesh desires? How often do we need not only gratification for our desires, but instant gratification? I really enjoyed that this book causes our young people to think about their desires in light of other people and especially in light of what is right and wrong.

Anyways, that being said, I would give the book about a 7.5 out of 10 (marks being taken off for writing style and believability within the Twilight universe, ex/ Bella doesn't really have a strong reaction to the fact that Edward is a vampire, and I find that just a little odd).