Friday, March 17, 2006

Frankie Preaches, Kinda Sorta

This is one of my favorite emails that's been floating around for years. I've been meaning to post it here for awhile, and today just seems appropriate.

Use your brains, people. This really is a good example of picking and choosing bible passages as a way of justification: In this example, it's silly. Put your brains to work regarding beating your children. Silly can't even describe it. Criminal does.

Dear Dr. Laura, Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22
clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does
his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev.
20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

INNOCENT CHILD DEAD -- BOYCOTT

I had started a post last weekend about a book called To Train Up a Child. It is the only book that I have ever thrown away not due to poor condition. I do not believe in book censorship, but that trash has no business in anyone's home. I stopped reading after the authors stated to pull the hair of an infant who was biting while nursing and to thump an infant when he started to pull hair, glasses, etc.

A fundamentalist friend gave me the book. It made me ill. I deleted the post before publishing because it was making me physically ill to think of all the abused children. I should have finished the entry and posted.

And now I've come to learn that an innocent child has been murdered by his mother who followed the advice of the authors of To Train Up a Child. Story

I wondered when I read that book years ago why the authors were not turned in for child abuse and promoting child abuse. I did nothing but throw the book away. I will take a stand now.


BOYCOTT

Michael and Debi Pearl
homeschoolblogger.com
The Old School House Magazine
Advertisers at The Old School House Magazine
advertisers


That child's blood is on your hands, Michael and Debi Pearl. According to my bible, murder is a SIN. Your actions are criminal.

Let's go beyond blogging. Let's start a letter writing campaign, or an email campaign, to all the advertisers at The Old School House Magazine. If they continue to advertise in a magazine that promotes child abuse, we, the homeschooling public, will not buy their products. What can we do further? America is a land of free speech, but when that speech promotes child abuse which is illegal, what can we do?

How do they sleep at night knowing the pain and torture that is inflicted upon innocent children at their direction?

Bloggers outraged:

http://beingbridget.blogspot.com/2006/03/boycott-supporters-of-child-abuse.html
http://dantesvirgil.blogspot.com/2006/03/repulsive-hipocrisy-boycott-these.html
http://intothesunrise.blogspot.com/
http://evilmissy.blogspot.com/
http://deskfullofclutter.blogspot.com/
http://asmallcornerofnowhere.blogspot.com/
http://lifewithheathens.blogspot.com/2006/03/boycott-refuse-to-support-abuse.html
http://www.odonnellweb.com/
http://cobranchi.com/


If you want to be added to the list, let me know.

May it be noted I am a Christian and I have never in my life believed in spanking or any form of child abuse.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

County Fair Arts and Crafts

Last year my son entered things in the county fair under the Cub Scout division. He won lots of ribbons and a little cash, too. It was a lot of fun. He'll enter under Cub Scouts again this year. As we were walking through the fair, we spotted the 12 and under arts and crafts exhibits. We decided that it would be cool to incorporate County Fair Arts and Crafts into our school. I saved last year's fair book and typed up select categories that are boyish enough and I think my son might enjoy doing.

I'm scratching my head on some of these categories, though. Plastics? What does it mean, plastics? Liquid painting or stenciling? Isn't all paint liquid? I don't get that one, either.

I thought I'd share what we are doing because I know there are county fairs all over the country. My son was thrilled seeing his creations up on display, and was even more thrilled when he got ribbons. (He won the grand champion for Scouts division, which was very cool.) I highly recommend entering the county fair. As my son said, "Mom, plain and simple, it's just cool!"

Maybe some of you crafters have some ideas to help us out. We have no Wal-Mart in our town. We have no craft store, either. We are 60 miles from the nearest Hobby Lobby. I hardly ever go to Hobby Lobby because I spend too much money there. (In other words, I can't just hop in my car to go get ideas.)

County Fair Arts and Crafts

Basketry

Either buy a kit or find something on the internet. A rope basket would be cool.

Ceramics

Buy something and have DS paint it.

Plastics

???

Wreath or swag

Probably not, not too boyish...unless we made a Harry Potter wreath. Would a Christmas wreath count or would that have to be under Holiday.

Wall hanging

Something Harry Potter. ???

Beadwork

Make a bead wristband or a beadie.
Patterns
More Patterns

Recycled
Cool Recycled Site
DS will be making a train similar to that on this website. We have all the parts saved up, just need to build it.

Toy, small

???

Painting on item

Will buy a box or plaque and have him paint a scene or design.

Paper craft

quilling, oragami, paper airplanes...???

Liquid painting or stenciling

???

Leather

Leather moccasins

Craft stick item
probably a craft stick bridge. However, DS has free access to the craft sticks and builds with them all the time. His latest creation is a telephone holder. It's a major PITA because the phone falls off, but we use it anyway.

Holiday
Christmas wall hanging

Not specified
??? Could have fun but I'm drawing a blank

Quilt

DS has been begging to learn to make a quilt. (Probably because of my civil-war era quilts from my great-grandparents that I love so much) I have purchased everything, just need to give up control over MY sewing machine and quilting supplies. Gulp. Will make a baby quilt log cabin style with the Quilt in a Day pattern.

Pillow

?? Does Wal-Mart still sell Harry Potter fabric? How creative can you really get with a pillow? Will search the net.

Stuffed Animal

Need to find pattern...I'm wondering if a yarn snake would qualify as a stuffed animal. It's not really stuffed, but cool. My pattern is like a pom-pom snake, as long as you want to make it...wouldn't an eight-foot long snake be cool?

Latchhook

Have kit, have started.

Construction – wood or metal

Hmmm, the choices are wide open.

Collection of items – small

Ha ha, snort, too many collections here. Will probably spray paint an egg carton and display rocks. Last year he displayed his state keychains in cub scouts.

Photography – framed (made to hang)

Time to hand over the camera.

Picturenumber painting (made to hang)

Have purchased, need to start.

Picture – any type

Probably a picture of his dream house, which there are at least a million of around here.

Refinished furniture

I have a night table that is old and ugly. He could use it in his room. Would painting qualify rather than staining?

Woodcarving

Sky's the limit here.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

For your morning coffee

Have a cup of coffee with me this morning.

My son and I both think this is pretty funny. Put the coin in the slot, select your coffee and then make sure to click on apri after the coffee pours.

Really, this reflects my sense of humor.

And on another note, we got a cool email today with sidewalk drawings. We liked them so much we searched the artist, Julian Beever. Scroll down and check them out. Our favorite is the boat followed closely by the Coke bottle. Very talented!

Purity Fire

I received this from my local homeschool group. Okay, I admit that I am in a mini-depression right now. This kind of thing just does not help. At first I laughed at it because it was so funny, but then it fueled my depression because I want a homeschool group that isn't so extreme, so weird.

I wasn't going to blog this because the local hs group people have been very nice to me, have not preached. However, this is so against my beliefs and so stupid that I just couldn't not share it.

The two big questions are: What is a manly meal? Is it prepared by young virgin girls so it is pure?

What exactly do they do at the purity fire? Throw the boys into the fire?

I know...they tell the manly men and boys to not visit www.themarriagebed.com because they got smart and figured out that is just a place where Christians can discuss porn under the guise of their religion.

Shaking my head.

PURITY FIRE

For young men 7-12 grade and their fathers

April 8,2006
at 6:00 p.m.

at the XYZ Farm

Cost of $15.00 pair ($5.00/ additional son)

The evening will begin with a manly meal, followed
by music and skits. Mr. ABC will challenge and inspire
father and sons to be pure.

Reserve your tickets by calling ???

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

It was that bad.

This is one of the buildings downtown where I live. A friend of my husband's took it. You don't see that every day -- that's how windy it was yesterday during our blizzard. Kinda funny looking, but helped to reaffirm why I was in a very bad mood yesterday.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Let's Ban March

I think March should be outlawed. Maybe the last two weeks of February, too.

We had gorgeous weather Saturday that turned in a hurry. We are in a blizzard now except they call it a winter storm nowadays. Schools were closed, although we ended up doing three subjects anyway. It's actually pretty and much more tolerable than blizzards in colder months.

I was highly annoyed by one of the moms from scouts. She called my house four times this morning and let the phone ring nine to ten times each. I don't answer the phone during school. There are several reasons for this. One, I am spending time with my son and teaching and/or supervising him. Two, I have a propensity to gab and gab and gab when the phone rings. Depending who is on the other end, I can talk for a couple hours. Three, I think my son needs to learn that things can wait and to keep focused on what he's doing. Anyway, the mom emailed me instead. She made the comment that "someone must be on the internet this morning because they aren't answering the phone." Now in print that doesn't look bad, but if you heard her say it...highly snippy and sarcastic and bitchy.

I am in such a bad mood and it just seems to be spilling over to everything. Sigh.

My sister called tonight and talked an hour. She was diagnosed with diabetes today. My heart breaks for her. My half sister has it as well. My mom had it and my dad has it. All adult onset. I don't -- yet, but if I don't lose some weight and take better care of myself. She lectured me to wake up before it was too late. She's right.

I just cannot seem to focus on anything. Everything seems to be a major task. I have library books sitting here that were due Feb. 28th. Aargh! I'm not bipolar, really, I'm not -- but I just seem to be bouncing up and down lately. Last week was all down, I had a short reprieve Saturday, and Sunday and today I'm down again. It stinks. It's hard to do school when I'm like this. Today was another jammie day -- for me.

Someone needs to whack me upside the head to get me going. If my mom were alive, I'd be lectured severely. Of course she's probably the reason that I get depressed anyway, she was a carbon copy of Joan Crawford. (I'm NOT kidding, either.) I haven't broken all of my learned responses and reactions yet.

March last year was such a struggle, too. I really think the month should disappear. I don't like to whine all the time and that seems to be all my blog is lately, whine.

Ugh.