I just saw a comment on Facebook today that said something along the lines of the following: Let kids be kids. They'll have plenty of time to make adult decisions and deal with the consequences of those decisions.
Now while I agree with part of this statement the logic in the end is faulty. Allow me to explain. The above sentiment allows kids to be kids without limitations or repercussions. Now in most cases you're thinking "How could this be bad?" It's the without limitations or repercussions part that is bad. Kids should be allowed to play and learn and grow, yes, but they should also be taught how to act. They should be taught that their actions have consequences and that when you do something you have to pay those consequences.
Friday, September 19, 2014
God's Not Dead!
The other day I watched this movie for the first time and I have to say that I loved it! If you ask me this is so spot on that it's crazy. I know, I know, everyone's thinking that it's "Bible thumping" time. Well, yes and no.
I have been a Christian for my whole life, but I was given a choice. I chose to be Christian willingly and in my own time. I was raised going to church but was given the information to make my own decisions. Life has proven to me that God exists. I don't just live off of blind faith, I have seen God work in my life and in other people's lives. He doesn't always work the ways that we want him to and he teaches us lessons we think we already know or that we don't need to know, but he's always working on us.
I have been a Christian for my whole life, but I was given a choice. I chose to be Christian willingly and in my own time. I was raised going to church but was given the information to make my own decisions. Life has proven to me that God exists. I don't just live off of blind faith, I have seen God work in my life and in other people's lives. He doesn't always work the ways that we want him to and he teaches us lessons we think we already know or that we don't need to know, but he's always working on us.
USDA, Mind Your Own Business!
I found an article today about the newest 'revelation' by the USDA. A spokesman from the USDA, Kevin Concannon, stated that "Obesity is not just a health issue. It is an economic and national security issue." Now, I'm sure that this leaves several of you scratching your heads just like I was. Obesity is a national security issue? They've got to be kidding!
The Whole Me
For the longest time I've been trying to figure out how to best show my ideas online. My expertise and the information that I can provide is extremely varied and I've always felt like I needed to have it in more than one place. I had created this blog, a blog about my views on society and politics, a blog about my health struggles, a blog about the books that I love, etc. What I realized today is that I was trying to split myself into tiny pieces on the web and it's not working.
Why Letting Kids be Kids Can be Wrong
I just saw a comment on Facebook today that said something along the lines of the following: Let kids be kids. They'll have plenty of time to make adult decisions and deal with the consequences of those decisions.
Now while I agree with part of this statement the logic in the end is faulty. Allow me to explain. The above sentiment allows kids to be kids without limitations or repercussions. Now in most cases you're thinking "How could this be bad?" It's the without limitations or repercussions part that is bad. Kids should be allowed to play and learn and grow, yes, but they should also be taught how to act. They should be taught that their actions have consequences and that when you do something you have to pay those consequences.
Let me give you an example from my family recently. I have recently gotten a new job. In this new position I am once again working second shift and am at work from before my kids get home until it's almost bedtime. Now my kids aren't being left home alone, but they're with dad and well they know that if they're quiet they can get away with just about anything.
I've recently been getting messages from my kids teachers that they haven't been doing their homework. With schools anymore it is viewed that a kid not doing their homework is a failure on the parent, and while it is partly my fault (yes, I cannot supervise my children from work) it is ultimately their responsibility to get their homework done. This is where the kids being kids part is being taken too far.
Our kids are told that unless they are being pressured by an adult to do something that they don't have to do it. That it's a lacking in the parent that is holding them back. This is simply not true. True motivation only comes from within yourself. This is something that cannot be taught by force. So, the question is how do people learn this lesson? Through consequences.
My consequences for my kids are that their computers are going to be locked, that the TV will be off limits and that they will either be bored or do homework. If that doesn't work then there will be punishments on top of the restrictions. If I have to wake them all up in the middle of the night and force them to go through their homework then eventually they will get the hint and have it done earlier so that they won't get woken up in the middle of the night.
This is called teaching our kids responsibility. It's a big thing that has been lacking in our society for a long time. Don't get mad at the parents, get mad at the students. We're living in an age where there are a lot of parents out there that might not know what the kids are being taught in school. It requires motivation from the kids themselves to get things done. Not only that, but learning how to do things that you don't want to do is a big lesson that many adults have not gotten yet.
We live in a world that has coddled kids so badly that they don't learn how to be adults. It's not something that you can learn when you become an adult, you need to start learning responsibility when you are a kid. This is why prisons are so overcrowded. They're full of adults who are just now learning that actions have consequences. If you really want to stop prison overcrowding and fix our justice system teach a kid that there are consequences for their actions. If you successfully teach a kid that then they are far less likely to become an inmate in the future. If you worry more about your kids learning life skills than if they get a B instead of an A on their take home project because mom and dad didn't do it for them this country would be a much better place for us all in the future.
Now while I agree with part of this statement the logic in the end is faulty. Allow me to explain. The above sentiment allows kids to be kids without limitations or repercussions. Now in most cases you're thinking "How could this be bad?" It's the without limitations or repercussions part that is bad. Kids should be allowed to play and learn and grow, yes, but they should also be taught how to act. They should be taught that their actions have consequences and that when you do something you have to pay those consequences.
Let me give you an example from my family recently. I have recently gotten a new job. In this new position I am once again working second shift and am at work from before my kids get home until it's almost bedtime. Now my kids aren't being left home alone, but they're with dad and well they know that if they're quiet they can get away with just about anything.
I've recently been getting messages from my kids teachers that they haven't been doing their homework. With schools anymore it is viewed that a kid not doing their homework is a failure on the parent, and while it is partly my fault (yes, I cannot supervise my children from work) it is ultimately their responsibility to get their homework done. This is where the kids being kids part is being taken too far.
Our kids are told that unless they are being pressured by an adult to do something that they don't have to do it. That it's a lacking in the parent that is holding them back. This is simply not true. True motivation only comes from within yourself. This is something that cannot be taught by force. So, the question is how do people learn this lesson? Through consequences.
My consequences for my kids are that their computers are going to be locked, that the TV will be off limits and that they will either be bored or do homework. If that doesn't work then there will be punishments on top of the restrictions. If I have to wake them all up in the middle of the night and force them to go through their homework then eventually they will get the hint and have it done earlier so that they won't get woken up in the middle of the night.
This is called teaching our kids responsibility. It's a big thing that has been lacking in our society for a long time. Don't get mad at the parents, get mad at the students. We're living in an age where there are a lot of parents out there that might not know what the kids are being taught in school. It requires motivation from the kids themselves to get things done. Not only that, but learning how to do things that you don't want to do is a big lesson that many adults have not gotten yet.
We live in a world that has coddled kids so badly that they don't learn how to be adults. It's not something that you can learn when you become an adult, you need to start learning responsibility when you are a kid. This is why prisons are so overcrowded. They're full of adults who are just now learning that actions have consequences. If you really want to stop prison overcrowding and fix our justice system teach a kid that there are consequences for their actions. If you successfully teach a kid that then they are far less likely to become an inmate in the future. If you worry more about your kids learning life skills than if they get a B instead of an A on their take home project because mom and dad didn't do it for them this country would be a much better place for us all in the future.
God's Not Dead!
The other day I watched this movie for the first time and I have to say that I loved it! If you ask me this is so spot on that it's crazy. I know, I know, everyone's thinking that it's "Bible thumping" time. Well, yes and no.
I have been a Christian for my whole life, but I was given a choice. I chose to be Christian willingly and in my own time. I was raised going to church but was given the information to make my own decisions. Life has proven to me that God exists. I don't just live off of blind faith, I have seen God work in my life and in other people's lives. He doesn't always work the ways that we want him to and he teaches us lessons we think we already know or that we don't need to know, but he's always working on us.
The movie "God's Not Dead" highlights some of the arguments that I've had with atheists over time. There are some atheists that are really anti-Christian, they want to take away your right to choose to believe. There are some who are really believers but they don't really know in what yet. I have yet to run into a true atheist. Atheist seems to be a cover for other things. They call themselves atheist, but it's not true that they don't believe in God. They either haven't found a religion that fits the God that they know in their lives or they are mad at God for allowing evil to exist.
The second group mentioned above is the ones that yell the loudest. They tell you that evil is proof that God doesn't exist and since he doesn't exist they are the only ones who can tell you what is best. They tell you when a baby is really a baby. They tell you that having more than someone else because you worked to get it is wrong. They tell you that all the poor in the world are your fault because you aren't poor. They tell you that using a descriptive term to identify another human being is wrong. But they are the rule makers, they are God, so it doesn't apply to them.
The Bible had a term for such people which has stuck with us since then. They are hypocrites. They tell you that you have to live by rules that they don't live by themselves. And why? Well, because we keep reminding them of those pesky facts that they don't want to believe in. Those pesky truths that are hard wired into human beings by God. They say that we're horrible because we can't help everyone, but who do they help? We're horrible because we live what we believe and therefore are "shoving it down their throats".
It all boils down to what was said in the movie, "How can you hate someone who doesn't exist?" There is so much hate for God going around that it isn't funny. It's not enough for atheists to not believe in God, they want to force everyone else to not believe in Him as well. They want to take away our right to choose what we believe because it's "for our own good".
They've socialized medicine and made the system worse than it was. They've legalized the killing of unborn babies, but only if the mother does it. They've tried to suppress our right to believe as we see fit all the while quoting the freedom of religion. They don't want freedom of religion they want freedom FROM religion. They want to silence that nagging little voice of conscience that they keep being reminded of when they're confronted with believers. Considering how loudly they're complaining I'd say we're doing something right!
As for me I will say it loudly and proudly, "God's Not Dead"! If you want to debate it with me feel free, but for those who vehemently oppose religion, your own hatred for God is pretty damning of your own argument. For how can you hate someone who doesn't exist?
I have been a Christian for my whole life, but I was given a choice. I chose to be Christian willingly and in my own time. I was raised going to church but was given the information to make my own decisions. Life has proven to me that God exists. I don't just live off of blind faith, I have seen God work in my life and in other people's lives. He doesn't always work the ways that we want him to and he teaches us lessons we think we already know or that we don't need to know, but he's always working on us.
The movie "God's Not Dead" highlights some of the arguments that I've had with atheists over time. There are some atheists that are really anti-Christian, they want to take away your right to choose to believe. There are some who are really believers but they don't really know in what yet. I have yet to run into a true atheist. Atheist seems to be a cover for other things. They call themselves atheist, but it's not true that they don't believe in God. They either haven't found a religion that fits the God that they know in their lives or they are mad at God for allowing evil to exist.
The second group mentioned above is the ones that yell the loudest. They tell you that evil is proof that God doesn't exist and since he doesn't exist they are the only ones who can tell you what is best. They tell you when a baby is really a baby. They tell you that having more than someone else because you worked to get it is wrong. They tell you that all the poor in the world are your fault because you aren't poor. They tell you that using a descriptive term to identify another human being is wrong. But they are the rule makers, they are God, so it doesn't apply to them.
The Bible had a term for such people which has stuck with us since then. They are hypocrites. They tell you that you have to live by rules that they don't live by themselves. And why? Well, because we keep reminding them of those pesky facts that they don't want to believe in. Those pesky truths that are hard wired into human beings by God. They say that we're horrible because we can't help everyone, but who do they help? We're horrible because we live what we believe and therefore are "shoving it down their throats".
It all boils down to what was said in the movie, "How can you hate someone who doesn't exist?" There is so much hate for God going around that it isn't funny. It's not enough for atheists to not believe in God, they want to force everyone else to not believe in Him as well. They want to take away our right to choose what we believe because it's "for our own good".
They've socialized medicine and made the system worse than it was. They've legalized the killing of unborn babies, but only if the mother does it. They've tried to suppress our right to believe as we see fit all the while quoting the freedom of religion. They don't want freedom of religion they want freedom FROM religion. They want to silence that nagging little voice of conscience that they keep being reminded of when they're confronted with believers. Considering how loudly they're complaining I'd say we're doing something right!
As for me I will say it loudly and proudly, "God's Not Dead"! If you want to debate it with me feel free, but for those who vehemently oppose religion, your own hatred for God is pretty damning of your own argument. For how can you hate someone who doesn't exist?
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
USDA, Mind Your Own Business!
I found an article today about the newest 'revelation' by the USDA. A spokesman from the USDA, Kevin Concannon, stated that "Obesity is not just a health issue. It is an economic and national security issue." Now, I'm sure that this leaves several of you scratching your heads just like I was. Obesity is a national security issue? They've got to be kidding!
They later stated in this article that it was the same sort of thing that Michelle Obama had said in December of 2010, "Military leaders tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well." Now obesity may be a factor in not allowing you into the military, but then of course there has always been a good reason behind that. If you can't keep your body in shape and ready for the physical rigors of a battlefield you shouldn't be there to begin with. It's pretty straight forward.
When I was in we went through what were called "weight and tapes" where they checked your weight and compared it to your BMI (body mass index). According to their weight chart I was always overweight. I kept a solid 160 lbs all the way through my military service and their 'standard' for a woman of my size was 141 lbs. My BMI was low enough however that I never had a problem. As they say, muscle weighs more than fat.
As far as obesity preventing people from joining the military, that's not entirely true. The recruiter's job is to make sure that if you want to join the military they will do everything in their power to get you in. Military recruiting stations often hold events to help prepare those wanting to get in for the physical challenges and I've often heard of recruiters helping overweight applicants create a workout routine to get in. The thing is that like all workouts, unless you have a drive to do it you won't. While for some obesity is a symptom of illness this is usually not the case. For many who are overweight it is the lack of drive to manage their weight better. The only person who can make you exercise or who can make you eat better is ultimately you!
Regulating what kids can or cannot eat at school doesn't teach them anything. They are not in school every moment of everyday and will get to eat what they want at a later time. It's the same thing as preventing the sale of 'large' sodas. Well, just order more sodas and you don't have to worry about it.
The problem is that they're wanting it to appear that they are doing more for us, that they're looking out for our well being. What they should be doing is stop wondering whether or not my kid eats too much chocolate milk and worry more about what is allowed to be put INTO that chocolate milk. That is their job, not to make my nutritional decisions for me.
The current government is being allowed to do too many things 'for the good of the people' that restrict everyone's way of life. That was the whole point of this country, ability to choose for ourselves! USDA, We want our freedom back!!!
Friday, August 22, 2014
Reading
My Achilles heal to writing has always been reading. My to read list is so long that I could probably do nothing else for the rest of my life and never reach the end of the list, not mentioning all the ones that I will find in the future. I often find that my biggest hurdle to writing is my reading. I'll get really caught up in a good book then the next thing I know the rest of the day has gone by. While that is the kind of writer I want to be it can make writing for myself difficult.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
The Rain
I'd always loved the rain growing up. In California it was always soothing. We'd know about the weather two or three days before it got to us in the north end of the state. The same storm fronts would go through Alaska, Canada, Washington, Oregon, and then they'd finally get to us. The worst thing that could happen was it could become a thunder storm. As long as you weren't stupid and hung around tall metal poles or didn't try to find cover no one ever got hit.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Procrastination
I wish I could say that my lack of a post yesterday meant that I was doing something else productive. The truth of the matter is that I was watching television. It was mindless and it just was. I didn't really mean to spend the whole day doing it. We can let ourselves get caught up in things and then the next thing we know there goes all of our time. I had decided to watch a couple of really old DVR recording and then next thing I knew I was cleaning it out.
I was procrastinating. I was going to just watch a couple shows, then it became a couple more, then I needed to finish that series, and then the day had passed me by. I can do this with books as well. I start reading and then the next thing I know I've finished a whole book (or series) and spent the whole day doing it.
I was procrastinating. I was going to just watch a couple shows, then it became a couple more, then I needed to finish that series, and then the day had passed me by. I can do this with books as well. I start reading and then the next thing I know I've finished a whole book (or series) and spent the whole day doing it.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Perspective
While attention to details is necessary for any piece of involved writing an intentional lack of details might be necessary as well. The best writers always view their writing as their characters. Don't write it as if you were watching someone else's life on a television show; write instead as if you were writing a journal entry in your own personal diary. There are so many things that we do automatically when we view our surroundings that most people don't even think about. When looking at other people we automatically start to scrutinize them. We take in the basics (height, weight, age, etc.) but we also take in the more complex things (attitude, facial expressions, body posture, etc.). All of these things we put together to gauge people. We pick how to react to them from a complex mixture of how they act and what they look like.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Description Exercise
My homework assignment that I assigned myself was to create a description. I kept this really broad on purpose, my plan is to just let the words flow. Without further ado, here we go!
I remember in school we were asked what our favorite things were. Our favorite color, our favorite song, our favorite season, etc. Some were simpler to answer than others. For me the hardest of those three was easily what my favorite season was because I enjoyed them all. I was the kid that would ask why we had to choose a season. Why can't we love all the seasons equally? They each have their special moments and memories that stay with us for the rest of our lives. I remember being torn as I sat trying to decide between the things that I liked about each season and struggling to come up with something for the paper we were required to write on it. If I were to write about what I love most about the seasons there would be pages and pages of information to go through. I had to keep it short and sweet so that wouldn't work very well. I finally decided that I would just start writing and decide when it all came out what my favorite season was. The result didn't help me decide, but it gave me an idea. Why not right about my favorite thing about each season? The result pleased me, but I'm not sure that my teacher was quite as thrilled as I was since I was given a C for "not following directions". The comments on the paper itself were encouraging so I figured I would share.
I remember in school we were asked what our favorite things were. Our favorite color, our favorite song, our favorite season, etc. Some were simpler to answer than others. For me the hardest of those three was easily what my favorite season was because I enjoyed them all. I was the kid that would ask why we had to choose a season. Why can't we love all the seasons equally? They each have their special moments and memories that stay with us for the rest of our lives. I remember being torn as I sat trying to decide between the things that I liked about each season and struggling to come up with something for the paper we were required to write on it. If I were to write about what I love most about the seasons there would be pages and pages of information to go through. I had to keep it short and sweet so that wouldn't work very well. I finally decided that I would just start writing and decide when it all came out what my favorite season was. The result didn't help me decide, but it gave me an idea. Why not right about my favorite thing about each season? The result pleased me, but I'm not sure that my teacher was quite as thrilled as I was since I was given a C for "not following directions". The comments on the paper itself were encouraging so I figured I would share.
My Writer's Block
Most of us at one point or another have heard about writer's block. The term is used for writers who can't seem to find anything to write about. We just sit there staring at a blank piece of paper for hours stuck and unable to go any further. I was stuck for years with this condition. The ideas were there until I was looking at the paper and then nothing ever happened. I have finally figured out what caused this, fear.
For all artists there is a part of us that wants to do something that is groundbreaking. We want to be the next big name and have everyone singing our praises, but at the same time this is terrifying. The what if's start to build up in our minds. What if I really don't know how to write, but don't know it? What if this is really not what I was meant to do? What if no one likes my ideas? What if I can never finish this story? When we allow these what if's to pile up on us we run into writer's block. Our brain is churning so much trying to come up with "THE" story that we can't write any story.
For all artists there is a part of us that wants to do something that is groundbreaking. We want to be the next big name and have everyone singing our praises, but at the same time this is terrifying. The what if's start to build up in our minds. What if I really don't know how to write, but don't know it? What if this is really not what I was meant to do? What if no one likes my ideas? What if I can never finish this story? When we allow these what if's to pile up on us we run into writer's block. Our brain is churning so much trying to come up with "THE" story that we can't write any story.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
I am a Writer
A couple months ago I lost my full time job. It was wearing me down more and more every day so it wasn't something that I mourned the loss of to begin with. I was thinking that this was a wonderful new start. That I could finally do something better with my life that didn't suck every ounce of energy out of me.
When I started out I was thinking that I have no idea what I wanted to do. It's the never ending conundrum, when faced with infinite possibilities how do I know that I've found the right one? I was stuck. So, being the avid reader that I am, I started reading. I went to the ones that I remember being told about when I was a kid. I looked for the constant favorite, "What Color is Your Parachute?" What I found was lists and lists of attributes that I wasn't sure if I had or not. Am I ambitious, coherent, organized, etc? I just didn't know. I found myself getting depressed about this whole thing. I was hoping that something would tell me what I'm good at. I mean after all the centuries of people working and the multitude of personality measures and things out there I figured that there would be a test somewhere that would tell me what I should be doing with my life.
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