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.
Mar
17
2011
It’s not a good idea
to let your toddler
toss his pacifier
in the dishwasher.
They are not dishwasher-safe, especially when they land right next to the heating element.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;As wax melts before the fire,So let the wicked perish before God.
Psalm 68:2
Mar
16
2011
All the radio stations were discussing a certain NFL player’s comments calling his situation “modern-day slavery”. Since everyone else seems to be offering opinions on his comments, I didn’t want to feel left out. So here are my thoughts:
An Open Letter to Professional Athletes
I hear you’re having a disagreement with the owners and executives of your team. In reality, your lot in life is not much different from most everyone else’s – someone owns the company and you get paid to show up and do what it is the company hired you to do.
That, my friend, is called a job. It is not slavery. You can choose to work at that job, or you can choose to retire tomorrow and not work. And there are a bunch of people who would love to be able to do what you do. I don’t know of anyone who thinks slavery is an enviable position. Nor are there any slaves who can choose to retire.
Now maybe you were trying to use a figure of speech and it just got lost in the context. But you used the specific term “modern-day slavery”. I need to point out that modern-day slavery is no different from old-time slavery. Slavery has not changed. Sure, America’s stance on slavery has changed since the 1800s. But there is still slavery.
Real slavery.
Not the I’m-slaving-away-at-my-job type, but the I’m-being-kept-against-my-will-and-working-for-nothing type of slavery.
Which is a far cry from your lot in life.
Yes, you have your problems, and I hope you can resolve them. But before you compare yourself to a slave, go spend a week with International Justice Mission so you know what modern-day slavery looks like. Go work in the brick kilns in Chennai for a week and then let us know how closely that compares to your life here in America.
Or better yet, how about devoting part of your salary to helping slaves? There are thousands of slaves in Sudan and millions of slaves throughout the world right now. Don’t just use them in your labor dispute. Don’t just reference them in your speeches. Do something for them.
Sincerely,
A Fan of Football
For what it’s worth, I think his comments were nothing more than poorly-planned choice of words. Maybe, maybe not. I’m not angry with the player, nor am I offended. I just felt it was an opportune time to highlight a real problem to contrast with the so-called problem of an NFL lockout or strike.
There – I have done my slacktivism duty.
And I know some NFL players already do go to Africa and help needy kids. Good for them. Let’s have more of that and less of the complaining about your contract. Millionaires don’t get much sympathy, especially not now.
Getting back to the NFL … I do not like the plan to go to 18 games for the regular season. Go ahead and drop the pre-season games from 4 to 2, but don’t increase the regular season – that would water down the season.
and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Hebrews 2:15
Mar
10
2011
I was supporting our local economy the other day, when I noticed further proof of the decline of the education system. Or maybe it was a pointy-haired manager’s decisions. Or maybe it’s the decline of common sense.
Regardless of the cause, here is the effect:
What are Star Wars books doing in the non-fiction section?
And it wasn’t just one book out of place. There were a few blocks of different Star Wars titles in there.
I can almost hear the rationalization: “It’s a book that describes the characters in the movie. It’s a non-fiction book about a fictional movie!”
If it were a making-of-Star-Wars book or the actors’ biographies, I could understand it. But it’s a book about fictional characters. It’s nothing but made-up people, places, and other nouns.
It’s fiction.
And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Acts 19:19
Mar
8
2011
Congratulations to Ricky Anderson! In honor of this momentous occasion, I gave him some tips on what to expect regarding the delivery room. Go over to his blog and read it.
and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth
Revelation 12:2
Mar
7
2011
It’s March, the start of the spring quarter. I didn’t have any good ideas that related directly to spring, so here’s a painting-related WordPress theme.
As is usual, it’s not really a new theme – all I did was replace the images. It’s supposed to look like paint dripping.
Anyway, here’s a slightly new look. Expect some tweaks in the days to come.
Drip down, O heavens, from above,
And let the clouds pour down righteousness;
Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit,
And righteousness spring up with it.
I, the LORD, have created it.
Isaiah 45:8
Mar
3
2011
One of the pieces of schoolwork that Alpha brought home this week was a March calendar. They were given a number of events that would be happening in March and they filled them in.
Click on the picture for the full thing.
What I noticed first was that the school (or his class at least) celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday. I never knew when it was. Now I know, although I don’t know what good that does me.
But the second thing I noticed was his editorial note on March 9 – a day of no school. He drew a frowny face to denote his sadness at the prospect of no school.
I remember liking school. I liked summer break, but I also enjoyed the start of fall and going back to school. I could start waxing nostalgic here, but I’ll skip it. All that to say this: Alpha really does like school.
Beta, on the other hand, has been sick this week. He missed preschool on Monday. Tuesdays he doesn’t have preschool anyway. On Wednesday his cough was still prevalent, so we told him that he would be missing preschool again.
His response?
“Yeaaaa!”
They may look similar, Alpha and Beta, but looks can be deceiving.
So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
Nehemiah 2:2
Mar
1
2011
Subway is falling behind again.
Subway never used to offer to toast my subs. Then Quizno’s showed up with their toasted subs and Subway quickly followed suit, in order to negate any marketing edge that Quizno’s might have had.
Now Tubby’s has raised the bar. Here’s an ad from a local Tubby’s Sub shop:
Subway offers only meats, cheeses, and vegetables. They offer only non-alcoholic dressings too, like mayo or mustard and such. This ad says, to me at least, that Tubby’s offers beer and wine in their sandwiches. How can Subway compete with that?
Click on the image to get the full effect of the ad.
Plus you get the context that shows maybe, just maybe, they might mean the beer and wine are inside the store, not inside the sub.
You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 29:6
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