This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Nov
2
2017
I don’t remember what responses I had back when I was younger and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up.
But now that I’m older and know better, let me tell you the answer I’d like to give:
Retired.
Aim high, kids.
But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work any more.
Numbers 8:25
Sep
7
2017
I saw someone the other day who was wearing a shirt that said “There is no planet B.” Something like this:
or this:
And I thought to myself, “But there is!”
That poor soul must not know the Bible well enough. There will be a new earth, likely resembling how things were before the fall of Adam and Eve. So it should be better than this current earth, which is apparently planet A.
To be correct, we should expect there is no planet C.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
Revelation 21:1
Aug
8
2017
One of the heavily-travelled intersections near our house is closed now due to construction. Heavily-travelled is a relative term. I’m sure some people in larger cities would scoff at the numbers of cars going through there, but locally it was known as a bad intersection.
Anyway, the roads around it are closed far enough from the intersection such that you can’t get close enough to see what’s going on. And the county work commission website shows only the start date and projected end date, with sporadic updates.
But…
What they’ve done on this project is setup a web cam.
That helps a ton. In this day and age of round-the-clock news feeds and instant status updates, having that web cam will quell the impatience of the masses.
Plus it’s fun to watch.
Note to anyone in charge of a public works project, especially those affecting people’s commutes: setup a web cam.
You shall prepare the roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the Lord your God will give you as a possession, so that any manslayer may flee there.
Deuteronomy 19:3
Jul
27
2017
Yes, I know it’s 2017. But I never wrote about the book I read during our vacation last year, so here it is:
The Collapse of Parenting by Dr. Leonard Sax
I’ve written some about his other books before. If you’ve read and enjoyed those books, then you’ll enjoy this book too. Maybe enjoy is not the right word – appreciate maybe. Because the picture he paints is bleak. It’s a book of warning – kids aren’t doing a good job of growing into adults because the adults are not doing a good job of parenting them.
Here are three main thoughts I had while reading this book:
And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Judges 2:10
Jul
18
2017
There are an increasing variety of things these days that are not appropriate for kids. For the purpose of this blog post, I’ll focus on movies, but it could apply to other things, such as any TV show being made now or a number of books or songs.
I have heard some people justify taking their kids to things they shouldn’t, or producers justifying inappropriate content in what should be an innocent show, by saying that it will just go over the kids’ heads.
In other words, they won’t understand it, so it won’t hurt them.
How do you think kids learn things?
If you do that enough – take kids to things that go over their heads – eventually they will catch on. The basic concept of education is something like this: 1. present new material, 2. explain it to the students, 3. see how well they understand it.
By having things go over their heads, you are not keeping them out of harm’s way; you are introducing them to the new material. You are starting the education process. So you think it’s okay because you’re skipping part 2? That just leaves them to form their own conclusions about why the adults are laughing.
Kids are kids for only a short time. Don’t make them grow up faster than they need to, just so you can have your entertainment. What will matter more for eternity: that you were amused for a few minutes or that you let a child be pointed in the wrong direction morally?
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.
Mark 9:42
Jul
6
2017
I forget the reason, but I was asked to fill out a survey and I obliged. These days, there’s no lack of opportunity to complete a survey – I’m declining at least once a day, it seems.
After a few questions, I was tired of thinking so much of each topic. Each answer had 10 levels. I forget the wording, but it was something like “Extremely Disagree” to “Extremely Agree”.
That’s too many options.
Surveys don’t need 10 gradations. Does anyone have feelings that nuanced? 3 should suffice, 5 at most. I personally don’t think about most items that much, especially the categories these people were asking. Good/Fair/Poor should be the options.
It’s good that corporate America, maybe even the world, has agreed upon the 5-star rating system. It makes everyone’s life simpler since everyone uses the same process – you know what you’re doing and how everything compares. If I need to start a rating system though, it will have 6 stars – that way my things will look better than everyone else’s.
Grade inflation for product ratings.
And, of course, my surveys will go to 11.
So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.
1 Kings 18:6
Jun
8
2017
Finally, someone has closed the loophole:
I have always thought it odd that stores required shirts and shoes but not pants. I’m glad at least one store out there does.
Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
Job 38:3
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