Today started off like any other Sunday. Before the school day begins we have our weekly elementary assembly. Today was the kick-off to prayer week so it was longer than normal. I had my little prayer book tucked into my attendance book and while the kids were listening to the prayer and recitation, I was praying and reading a psalm and Luther's explanation of the 10 Commandments.
We headed upstairs and began our day. We were about 2/3 of the way through Math when they announced that there would be no swimming today. No problem...my kids had PE today. Then about 10 minutes later, more or less, they made another announcement. This one was harder to understand.
It honestly sounded to me like she said "we will now be decorating the mosque." Granted, it's an odd type of announcement to make but since it's prayer week and the assistants are responsible for decorating the school, they're probably calling them downstairs to hang up stuff. But then her voice started sounding more urgent. What could be urgent about hanging posters? They repeat the announcements in Arabic and when she did, the kids perked up and said, "She said for us to go to the basement!" She hadn't said "decorate the mosque", she'd said, "evacuate to the mosque"! (Slight difference in meaning there.) And what mosque? The school mosques are in the basement. They must want us to do an indoor evacuation. We start to head there but then find out we're evacuating the building. Again, what mosque?
We headed out the gate to the street in front of the school and the place we normally line up during drills is empty. Everyone is heading in the other direction toward...the mosque. {sigh} Would it have been so difficult to say, "evacuate to the mosque across the street"?
So we head there and find room in the little courtyard to line up the classes. While we were there the fire trucks turned up. Then ambulances. We stayed out there a while and after about half an hour (?) they told us to take the students inside the mosque. We have about 1000 students in our school. The mosque didn't look all that big. But the nice thing about mosques is that they have almost no furniture. Basically a chair for the imam to read from and that's it so there was plenty of room. However there was some confusion as to whether women who weren't wearing head coverings could go in or not.
I told the kids to take off their shoes and led them to the door. Then I sent them on their way. I figured my job today would be to guard their shoes. Not much else for an uncovered woman to do while she waits for the all-clear. After a bit one of the admin walks by and says to go on in and stay with the girls, it's ok. So I go in and stay with the kids.
We sat there a while, listening to different staff members keeping the kids occupied. Actually they kept the whole neighborhood occupied. It was the microphone used for the call to prayer that blares out the speakers at the top of the tower. It was rather loud.
We occupied ourselves with playing Telephone, made much more difficult than usual by the very loud microphone. We ended up with some interesting variations...except when I started them off with "I want to go home". That one they all got right. (Or was it, "I want to eat lunch"?)
Almost as soon as everyone was at the mosque they started carrying in big boxes full of bottles of water. During the various announcements and other things meant to occupy the kids someone had the wonderful idea of announcing that if anyone needed to go to the bathroom they just needed to tell their teachers. {sigh} I allowed my kids to go 3 at a time. I didn't bother because the bathrooms didn't have toilets...just holes with places for your feet on each side. No, thank you.
They had croissants sent from somewhere. The ones you find wrapped in plastic at the bakalas (Arabic version of mini-marts). They got them handed out rather quickly, I must say. I got a cheese one. It's amazing what you can have delivered in this country.
They called the homeroom teachers down for a quick meeting with the principal who informed us that messages had been sent to the parents' cell phones to come and pick up the kids. We received instructions to have all the parents sign our class lists when they came to collect their kids. They started coming right away. They were all pretty calm and nonchalant about it really. Not long after that we received the OK to head back in the building.
Less than an hour later we had a meeting telling us what had happened. A phone call was received saying that something would happen at the school at a certain time and then the person hung up. They evacuated the building. Besides the fire trucks and ambulances and police, they sent bomb-sniffing dogs and the Kuwaiti version of SWAT. (When someone told me that last bit I told her to please not say that to me when my mouth was full of water.)
It kind of reminded me of a similar experience when I was teaching in St. Louis. That time I was outside without my purse and had to wait until 5 for the dogs from the airport to check it out so I could get it and go home. This time I had my purse. My lunch would have been rather sorry by tomorrow though.
Speaking of, I wonder what tomorrow holds in store?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
A book fair...
...threw up in my house!
Wednesday night Baba and I went to the fairgrounds for the annual book fair. Most of the materials are in Arabic but there are several who have good quality English books as well (and some who really need to have me on retainer to read their stuff before sending it to the printers).
We found a vendor who was there 2 years ago, the only other time we've gone, and bought more toys. They're out of Syria. Their products are pretty good quality (especially compared to the cheapie made-in-China junk you usually find here) and their prices are very reasonable. Actually we looked at them, it was time for them to close, so Baba went back the next day. This is what he came home with. 
(And these pics don't include the books we bought!)
(And these pics don't include the books we bought!)
Friday, November 28, 2008
I'm tired!
Last weekend A went to visit her aunt. When she wasn't home she went shopping. A few days later she was headed out and checked to make sure she had her civil ID. She couldn't find it. She emptied her purse and searched her room but it wasn't there. Today I drove her to the stores she'd visited last week in an attempt to find it.
First I had to try to make it to the fairgrounds. Baba told me it was past the 40. It wasn't. I tried every exit between 40 and 50...no luck. So we went to Jleeb al-Shuwaikh.
I'd never been there and it was an experience. Driving in Kuwait is nerve-wracking enough when you know where you're going. We went to one center and she went to the 3 shops she'd visited before. No luck. The kids and I went to window shop a bit and the Boss impressed one store owner with his Arabic.
Then I drove A to another shop in the middle of a lot of back streets. We hit pay dirt. She found her ID.
By this time the kids were getting cranky and fighting in the back seat. We still had one more place to go. We had to go to the fairgrounds for the book fair that Baba and I had visited earlier this week. One of the toys had a missing part so I had to exchange it. The traffic was horrible. Think creeping parking lot. I had to park outside the main area and we walked to what must have been the other side of the fairgrounds.
The kids were starving so after we exchanged it we bought sajj and chips. We made the trek back to the car and I realized it was only about 10 minutes til 8. Baba and I were heading to an 8:30 movie. We made pretty good time and Baba met me downstairs when I dropped off the kids.
We went to see "Taken" with Liam Neeson. It was good. Plenty of action so Baba was happy and plenty of Liam so I was happy.
I'm thinking tomorrow we're going to be pretty darn lazy.
First I had to try to make it to the fairgrounds. Baba told me it was past the 40. It wasn't. I tried every exit between 40 and 50...no luck. So we went to Jleeb al-Shuwaikh.
I'd never been there and it was an experience. Driving in Kuwait is nerve-wracking enough when you know where you're going. We went to one center and she went to the 3 shops she'd visited before. No luck. The kids and I went to window shop a bit and the Boss impressed one store owner with his Arabic.
Then I drove A to another shop in the middle of a lot of back streets. We hit pay dirt. She found her ID.
By this time the kids were getting cranky and fighting in the back seat. We still had one more place to go. We had to go to the fairgrounds for the book fair that Baba and I had visited earlier this week. One of the toys had a missing part so I had to exchange it. The traffic was horrible. Think creeping parking lot. I had to park outside the main area and we walked to what must have been the other side of the fairgrounds.
The kids were starving so after we exchanged it we bought sajj and chips. We made the trek back to the car and I realized it was only about 10 minutes til 8. Baba and I were heading to an 8:30 movie. We made pretty good time and Baba met me downstairs when I dropped off the kids.
We went to see "Taken" with Liam Neeson. It was good. Plenty of action so Baba was happy and plenty of Liam so I was happy.
I'm thinking tomorrow we're going to be pretty darn lazy.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
How much longer til Christmas?
I love my students. They're the sweetest kids I know...next to mine, of course. Only these find me scarier. They're quicker to mind and don't throw screaming hissyfits when I say 'no'. Just their moms do. {sigh}
I gave a Science test this week. Their first. It went well. There were several who aced it and several who had the opposite result and everything in between. A couple of the moms are obsessed with their daughters' grades. Anything lower than straight A's sends them into shock. One mother was unhappy with her daughter's score on the test. She came to my room after school (not allowed) to talk to me. I like her, I love her daughter, and I knew she'd just go nuts if I told her she had to wait all weekend and make an appointment so I chatted with her and showed her the test. She said it was too hard. I told her it wasn't. She said that her daugher knew all the answers and that she wanted me to give it to her again. I told her 'no'. She wanted me to change her grade. I told her 'no'. She told me her girl was like my daughter. (In fact, all those girls are.) I told her that I'd expect my daughter to take the grade she earned. I wouldn't ask for it to be changed.
She was not happy. Neither was I. I would love to give the girls all the chances they need to succeed. But you know what? I do! She had the same chance, the same amount of time to prepare for the test as all the others. Several of them got A's. Several of them got B's. Several of them got C's. You get the drift.
Last year one of my moms was unhappy that her daughter had a C for math 2nd trimester. She wanted me to change it. She was just a little girl, she said. I told her that she needed to learn that when you slack off you don't get the rewards. When would she prefer she learn it? After she's in college or in the work force or in 2nd grade where it's safe to learn the lesson? She wasn't happy, I held my ground, and 3rd trimester she was back where she belonged. If I'd let her mom have her way, she'd never had had any reason to shape up.
Kuwaitis love their kids. Unfortunately for many, loving their kids means keeping them from any kind of personal responsibility. They don't even carry their own bags into the school or out. We make them carry them inside, but coming and going they have a maid who carries it for them. I'm talking big kids here...upper elementary! Sometimes the parents themselves are carrying 3-4 bookbags and lunch boxes while their kids run around and head to the car with nary a thought in their little heads. These book bags have wheels, people!
My girls argue over who gets to be first in line. They cut in front of others and look shocked when I tell them to go to the end. Everyone thinks s/he has to be first, in everything. But I just keep making them go to the end of the line. I make it a good place to be. The one who holds the door open for the class gets to bring up the rear. It's a privilege. I don't think they're too convinced yet, but they'll get the hang of it eventually.
Before you think I have a class full of brats, don't think it for a minute. Yes, many of them are spoiled by their parents. But they're smart as whips and love to read. Just like last year, I have girls who yell "Yeah!" when I tell them to take everything off their desks but their pencils, it's time for the test. Can you believe it?! They cheer when it's time for a test! I have to print up copies of extra practice for them in Math because they regularly finish about halfway through the period. I don't think anyone has lower than a B. Yeah!
I've got 2-3 girls that read circles around everyone else...even me, I think. We're talking high 80 to 90 something words per minute. This is their 2nd language! They're reading like mad. I still have some who read at a pretty low speed, but they're reading. They love to read and devour my books. I can't wait for my book order to come in so I have some new material.
I'm going to miss them in December but I'm so looking forward to this break. I'm going to bring back my set of Little House books. The library has the first book but not the rest. I read the first book to them and they loved it. But we have to stop there until I can get my hands on mine. I'm going to grab my old Nancy Drew books and hunt up some at a used book store. They'll enjoy those too, I think.
Oh, I can't wait!
I gave a Science test this week. Their first. It went well. There were several who aced it and several who had the opposite result and everything in between. A couple of the moms are obsessed with their daughters' grades. Anything lower than straight A's sends them into shock. One mother was unhappy with her daughter's score on the test. She came to my room after school (not allowed) to talk to me. I like her, I love her daughter, and I knew she'd just go nuts if I told her she had to wait all weekend and make an appointment so I chatted with her and showed her the test. She said it was too hard. I told her it wasn't. She said that her daugher knew all the answers and that she wanted me to give it to her again. I told her 'no'. She wanted me to change her grade. I told her 'no'. She told me her girl was like my daughter. (In fact, all those girls are.) I told her that I'd expect my daughter to take the grade she earned. I wouldn't ask for it to be changed.
She was not happy. Neither was I. I would love to give the girls all the chances they need to succeed. But you know what? I do! She had the same chance, the same amount of time to prepare for the test as all the others. Several of them got A's. Several of them got B's. Several of them got C's. You get the drift.
Last year one of my moms was unhappy that her daughter had a C for math 2nd trimester. She wanted me to change it. She was just a little girl, she said. I told her that she needed to learn that when you slack off you don't get the rewards. When would she prefer she learn it? After she's in college or in the work force or in 2nd grade where it's safe to learn the lesson? She wasn't happy, I held my ground, and 3rd trimester she was back where she belonged. If I'd let her mom have her way, she'd never had had any reason to shape up.
Kuwaitis love their kids. Unfortunately for many, loving their kids means keeping them from any kind of personal responsibility. They don't even carry their own bags into the school or out. We make them carry them inside, but coming and going they have a maid who carries it for them. I'm talking big kids here...upper elementary! Sometimes the parents themselves are carrying 3-4 bookbags and lunch boxes while their kids run around and head to the car with nary a thought in their little heads. These book bags have wheels, people!
My girls argue over who gets to be first in line. They cut in front of others and look shocked when I tell them to go to the end. Everyone thinks s/he has to be first, in everything. But I just keep making them go to the end of the line. I make it a good place to be. The one who holds the door open for the class gets to bring up the rear. It's a privilege. I don't think they're too convinced yet, but they'll get the hang of it eventually.
Before you think I have a class full of brats, don't think it for a minute. Yes, many of them are spoiled by their parents. But they're smart as whips and love to read. Just like last year, I have girls who yell "Yeah!" when I tell them to take everything off their desks but their pencils, it's time for the test. Can you believe it?! They cheer when it's time for a test! I have to print up copies of extra practice for them in Math because they regularly finish about halfway through the period. I don't think anyone has lower than a B. Yeah!
I've got 2-3 girls that read circles around everyone else...even me, I think. We're talking high 80 to 90 something words per minute. This is their 2nd language! They're reading like mad. I still have some who read at a pretty low speed, but they're reading. They love to read and devour my books. I can't wait for my book order to come in so I have some new material.
I'm going to miss them in December but I'm so looking forward to this break. I'm going to bring back my set of Little House books. The library has the first book but not the rest. I read the first book to them and they loved it. But we have to stop there until I can get my hands on mine. I'm going to grab my old Nancy Drew books and hunt up some at a used book store. They'll enjoy those too, I think.
Oh, I can't wait!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Time Flies
In two weeks we'll be back in the States. :D I thought the time would drag by slowly but it's flying. Could have something to do with those lesson plans I have to have finished before we leave, the Christmas shopping, and the packing to do.
I have no idea what all we'll be able to do while there. Baba has a mylogram as soon as we get back and then they'll schedule his surgery. Everything else will be worked around it. I want to be sure to spend lots of time with Grandma. She'll be 101 in a few months and we missed the big birthday party. I'm reading the Little House books to my students so I want to make it to the museum in Mansfield for some necessary shopping. ;) I've been collecting the names of books I want in my head. I need to make sure I write them down at some point. Then I'm off to hit as many bookstores as I can. Plus I have several at home I want to bring back with me.
It'll be good to drive somewhere the right-of-way isn't determined by a game of chicken or the biggest car. Or one's nationality. Where the lines on the street, speed limit, and stoplights aren't considered to be mere suggestions.
So until then, I'm planning like crazy and look forward to the trip. Maybe it'll snow!
I have no idea what all we'll be able to do while there. Baba has a mylogram as soon as we get back and then they'll schedule his surgery. Everything else will be worked around it. I want to be sure to spend lots of time with Grandma. She'll be 101 in a few months and we missed the big birthday party. I'm reading the Little House books to my students so I want to make it to the museum in Mansfield for some necessary shopping. ;) I've been collecting the names of books I want in my head. I need to make sure I write them down at some point. Then I'm off to hit as many bookstores as I can. Plus I have several at home I want to bring back with me.
It'll be good to drive somewhere the right-of-way isn't determined by a game of chicken or the biggest car. Or one's nationality. Where the lines on the street, speed limit, and stoplights aren't considered to be mere suggestions.
So until then, I'm planning like crazy and look forward to the trip. Maybe it'll snow!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Rainy mornings
The other morning I was driving to work in a light rain. Just enough rain and sun to enjoy a rainbow.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Church Marquees
A friend sent me these today. While I wouldn't recommend more than a few of them to actually go on your church's marquee, they're pretty clever and good for a chuckle.
"Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case."
"Prevent truth decay. Brush up on your Bible."
"The best vitamin for a Christian is B1."
"Under same management for over 2000 years."
"Soul food served here."
"Tithe if you love JESUS! Anyone can honk!"
"Beat the Christmas rush, come to church this Sunday!"
"Don't wait for the hearse to take you to church."
"Life has many choices, Eternity has two. What's yours?"
"Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due."
"Wal-Mart isn't the only saving place!"
"Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
"It's hard to stumble when you're down on your knees."
"What part of 'THOU SHALT NOT' don't you understand?"
"A clear conscience makes a soft pillow."
"The wages of sin is death. Repent before payday."
"Never give the devil a ride. He will always want to drive."
"Can't sleep? Try counting your blessings."
"Forbidden fruit creates many jams."
"Christians, keep the Faith...but not from others!"
"Satan subtracts and divides. GOD adds and multiplies."
"If you don't want to reap the fruits of sin stay out of the devil's orchard."
"To belittle is to be little."
"Don't let the littleness in others bring out the littleness in you."
"GOD answers kneemail."
"Try JESUS. If you don't like HIM, the devil will always take you back."
"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." (Prov. 17:22a)
"Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case."
"Prevent truth decay. Brush up on your Bible."
"The best vitamin for a Christian is B1."
"Under same management for over 2000 years."
"Soul food served here."
"Tithe if you love JESUS! Anyone can honk!"
"Beat the Christmas rush, come to church this Sunday!"
"Don't wait for the hearse to take you to church."
"Life has many choices, Eternity has two. What's yours?"
"Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due."
"Wal-Mart isn't the only saving place!"
"Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
"It's hard to stumble when you're down on your knees."
"What part of 'THOU SHALT NOT' don't you understand?"
"A clear conscience makes a soft pillow."
"The wages of sin is death. Repent before payday."
"Never give the devil a ride. He will always want to drive."
"Can't sleep? Try counting your blessings."
"Forbidden fruit creates many jams."
"Christians, keep the Faith...but not from others!"
"Satan subtracts and divides. GOD adds and multiplies."
"If you don't want to reap the fruits of sin stay out of the devil's orchard."
"To belittle is to be little."
"Don't let the littleness in others bring out the littleness in you."
"GOD answers kneemail."
"Try JESUS. If you don't like HIM, the devil will always take you back."
"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." (Prov. 17:22a)
Friday, November 7, 2008
Someone posted this on WT and I just had to share it with you.
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Prayers for our new president
A friend from the Wittenberg Trail sent me these prayers. They're both too good not to share so rather than just pick one I'm posting both. :)
Father God, We lift up to You our newly elected President, even though not a choice for many. Father, we can not always understand Your decisions. We pray that he may have an open ear to Your verdicts that he may make God centered decisions and that he may listen to Your counsel. Father, You have the power to change men's very souls, so we ask Your loving hand be on all of our newly elected officials and we petition You to not lift Your mighty hand of protection away from us. We ask for Your imminent Love and Goodness to engulf our great country and to allow each one of us to be part of the change that is needed and by helping us change our will to Your will. Thank You for our citizenship in this country, but more so for our Citizenship in Heaven. In the Name of our King and Savior, Jesus we pray. Amen
Gracious Heavenly Father, we ask you to bless Barack Obama. According to your good and gracious will, help him be a good president for our nation. Guide President-elect Obama into all truth. Give him wisdom to choose the right, and reject the wrong. Help him bear the sword of justice fairly, defending the innocent and punishing the guilty. Give him strength and courage to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We pray that you will lead President-elect Obama to do all he can to protect human life, from natural conception to natural death. Protect him as he serves our nation and give all who serve with him wisdom and insight. Use this man to provide for the external safety and security of your Holy Christian Church in this land, so that we may preach the Gospel unfettered, for the salvation of many souls. We ask these things in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Father God, We lift up to You our newly elected President, even though not a choice for many. Father, we can not always understand Your decisions. We pray that he may have an open ear to Your verdicts that he may make God centered decisions and that he may listen to Your counsel. Father, You have the power to change men's very souls, so we ask Your loving hand be on all of our newly elected officials and we petition You to not lift Your mighty hand of protection away from us. We ask for Your imminent Love and Goodness to engulf our great country and to allow each one of us to be part of the change that is needed and by helping us change our will to Your will. Thank You for our citizenship in this country, but more so for our Citizenship in Heaven. In the Name of our King and Savior, Jesus we pray. Amen
Gracious Heavenly Father, we ask you to bless Barack Obama. According to your good and gracious will, help him be a good president for our nation. Guide President-elect Obama into all truth. Give him wisdom to choose the right, and reject the wrong. Help him bear the sword of justice fairly, defending the innocent and punishing the guilty. Give him strength and courage to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We pray that you will lead President-elect Obama to do all he can to protect human life, from natural conception to natural death. Protect him as he serves our nation and give all who serve with him wisdom and insight. Use this man to provide for the external safety and security of your Holy Christian Church in this land, so that we may preach the Gospel unfettered, for the salvation of many souls. We ask these things in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Just one more...maybe
One more golden nugget in honor of the Reformation. (There could always end up being more though. ;) )
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION ARTICLE V: LOVE AND FULFILLING THE LAW
[The adversaries] do not teach the righteousness of faith because they understand faith as merely a knowledge of the history or of dogmas. They do not understand faith to be a virtue, which takes hold of the promise of grace and of righteousness, and which enlivens hearts in the terrors of sin and of death. Paul says, "With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:10). Paul says that confession saves in order to show what sort of faith receives eternal life, namely, that which is firm and active. That faith, however, that does not present itself in confession is not firm. So we conclude that we are justified before God, are reconciled to God and reborn through faith. In repentance this faith lays hold of the promise of grace and truly enlivens the terrified mind. It is convinced that for Christ's sake God is reconciled and favorable toward us. "Through" this faith, 1Peter 1:5 says, "[We] are being guarded. for a salvation ready to be revealed." The knowledge of this faith is necessary to Christians, brings the most abundant comfort in all troubles, and shows us Christ's office. Those who deny that people are justified through faith and that Christ is Mediator and the Atoning Sacrifice, deny the promise of grace and the Gospel. When it comes to justification, they teach only the doctrine either of reason or of the Law. (paragraphs 262-263,265-266)
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION ARTICLE V: LOVE AND FULFILLING THE LAW
[The adversaries] do not teach the righteousness of faith because they understand faith as merely a knowledge of the history or of dogmas. They do not understand faith to be a virtue, which takes hold of the promise of grace and of righteousness, and which enlivens hearts in the terrors of sin and of death. Paul says, "With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:10). Paul says that confession saves in order to show what sort of faith receives eternal life, namely, that which is firm and active. That faith, however, that does not present itself in confession is not firm. So we conclude that we are justified before God, are reconciled to God and reborn through faith. In repentance this faith lays hold of the promise of grace and truly enlivens the terrified mind. It is convinced that for Christ's sake God is reconciled and favorable toward us. "Through" this faith, 1Peter 1:5 says, "[We] are being guarded. for a salvation ready to be revealed." The knowledge of this faith is necessary to Christians, brings the most abundant comfort in all troubles, and shows us Christ's office. Those who deny that people are justified through faith and that Christ is Mediator and the Atoning Sacrifice, deny the promise of grace and the Gospel. When it comes to justification, they teach only the doctrine either of reason or of the Law. (paragraphs 262-263,265-266)
Dog on a Chain
I'm sitting here listening to Issues, Etc. while grading papers and just had to stop and share this analogy with you. (If you want to listen to it yourself, listen HERE. It's from Tuesday's show.)
He made a wonderful analogy (I think he credited Luther for it) of the devil being a dog on a chain, barking and snarling and lunging toward people that he wants to tear apart. But a mother, whose child is scared to walk past of the dog, comforts her and tells her that the dog can go no further than the chain will allow it. As long as her child stays well outside of the length of the chain, the dog can't hurt her. The child listens and is safe.
Then a priest walks by. He sees the dog and walks outside the range of the chain. Then the dog changes into a beautiful prostitute. She motions to him and he's tempted by her. He walks toward her and as soon as he's inside the range of the chain, she changes back into the dog again and tears him apart.
How many things out there sound so good? Look so good? Words that are well-dressed and well-spoken and go down so smoothly? Speak to our own personal sense of morality? Our own worldly sense of morality. Of course murder is wrong. Of course it's even worse to kill children.
But Satan has convinced people that murder is not wrong. That there are times when murder can actually be approved of. Satan has fooled people into the murder of over 50 million babies. He's convinced others that killing a baby who survives its attempted murder is OK. A perfectly healthy baby killed because his mother "made a mistake". What a horrible price to pay for someone else's mistake.
OK, this was going to be a short post on the broadcast I'm listening to and I ended up jumping on my soapbox. I'm to jump down now and get back to my papers.
Monday, November 3, 2008
A Prayer for the Children
I saw this on Soldier's Wife's blog and had to share it with you.
We pray for the children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes,"
who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.
We pray for the children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.
And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find bread to steal,
who don't have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.
We Pray for the Children
who spend their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry.
And we pray for those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything
Who have never seen dentist,
Who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being
We pray for the children
Who want to be carried and for those who must,
Who we never give up on and for those who don't get a second chance.
We pray for those we smother and for those who will grab the hand of
anybody kind enough to offer it.
We pray for the children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes,"
who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.
We pray for the children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.
And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find bread to steal,
who don't have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.
We Pray for the Children
who spend their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry.
And we pray for those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything
Who have never seen dentist,
Who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being
We pray for the children
Who want to be carried and for those who must,
Who we never give up on and for those who don't get a second chance.
We pray for those we smother and for those who will grab the hand of
anybody kind enough to offer it.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Happy Reformation Day!
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
ARTICLE V: LOVE AND FULFILLING THE LAW
Let us hold on to this confession of the Church: we are saved by mercy... The Scholastics have invented the doctrine of wholly deserving merit. We will, therefore, reply briefly. It is essential to believe that we are saved by mercy so that hope maybe sure, so that there may be a resulting distinction between those who obtain salvation and those who do not. When this is expressed in this way without explanation, it seems foolish. For in civil courts and in human judgment, issues about rights or debts are certain, and mercy is uncertain. But the matter is different in God's judgment. Here mercy has a clear and certain promise and command from God. The Gospel is properly the command that directs us to believe that God is reconciled to us for Christ's sake.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). Whenever mercy is spoken of, faith in the promise must be added. This faith produces sure hope, because it relies upon God's Word and command. If hope would rely upon works, then it would be uncertain, because works cannot quiet the conscience. Faith makes a distinction between those who obtain salvation and those who do not obtain it. Faith makes the distinction between the worthy and the unworthy, because eternal life has been promised to the justified. Faith justifies. (paragraphs 223-226)
ARTICLE V: LOVE AND FULFILLING THE LAW
Let us hold on to this confession of the Church: we are saved by mercy... The Scholastics have invented the doctrine of wholly deserving merit. We will, therefore, reply briefly. It is essential to believe that we are saved by mercy so that hope maybe sure, so that there may be a resulting distinction between those who obtain salvation and those who do not. When this is expressed in this way without explanation, it seems foolish. For in civil courts and in human judgment, issues about rights or debts are certain, and mercy is uncertain. But the matter is different in God's judgment. Here mercy has a clear and certain promise and command from God. The Gospel is properly the command that directs us to believe that God is reconciled to us for Christ's sake.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). Whenever mercy is spoken of, faith in the promise must be added. This faith produces sure hope, because it relies upon God's Word and command. If hope would rely upon works, then it would be uncertain, because works cannot quiet the conscience. Faith makes a distinction between those who obtain salvation and those who do not obtain it. Faith makes the distinction between the worthy and the unworthy, because eternal life has been promised to the justified. Faith justifies. (paragraphs 223-226)
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