Have you ever read and seriously considered the lyrics to Casting Crown's song Slow Fade? I never had until I went to a Casting Crown's concert last November at a friend's invitation. Their hard-hitting, message-centered lyrics are more five minute sermons than contemporary Christian music. In August I have the opportunity to lead a short Sunday School series that will center on the lyrics of several powerful "Modern Psalms", starting with Slow Fade. If you're interested, I will be building the lesson notes on my personal wiki page here.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Music Monday: He's My King: Do You Know Him?
How do you describe the indescribable? Dr. S.M. (Shadrach Meshach) Lockridge puts a dent in it with his speech "He's My King: Do You Know Him?".
Read more about Dr. S.M. Lockridge here.
Read more about Dr. S.M. Lockridge here.
Music Monday - Clear the Stage
My good friend Kraig Smith passed along this song by Ross King titled Clear the Stage.
The lyrics are as follows:
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
and know that great is your reward and just be hopeful
Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.
Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.
Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.
And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
The lyrics are as follows:
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
and know that great is your reward and just be hopeful
Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.
Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.
Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.
And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.
Universalism would bring the end of Christian influence
Stumbled across a thought-provoking opinion piece by Tim Wildmon of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Don't ask how I find these... :)
An excerpt: But the Pew Forum survey found that "57 percent of evangelical church attendees said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion." "The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only 3 inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.
An excerpt: But the Pew Forum survey found that "57 percent of evangelical church attendees said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion." "The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only 3 inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Olive Garden Stuffed Chicken Marsala
One of Barb's favorites, copied from Flora's Recipe Hideout....
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
---CHEESE STUFFING---
1/2 cup smoked provolone or gouda cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato flakes, if in oil, drain first
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
---CHICKEN---
2 pounds Skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 ounces cooking oil
2 cups flour
salt and pepper, to taste
---SAUCE---
1 small onion, chopped
6 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
24 ounces marsala wine
8 ounces heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. STUFFING: Combine all cheese stuffing ingredients in a bowl.
3. CHICKEN: Butterfly thickest section to create two lobes - pound until 1/4"-1/2" thick. Place pounded chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one half of chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down and fold over other side of chicken breast.
4. Preheat a large saute pan on stove top. add 4 oz oil, heat oil until shimmering. Place approximately 2 cups flour in a pan and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess flour. Place stuffed chicken breasts in saute pan with the preheated oil. Cook each side until golden. When chicken is seared on both sides remove them from saute pan and place them in a baking pan and into the oven for 10-20 minutes. Bake until juices run clear and stuffing and center reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees.
5. SAUCE: Add the onions to the saute pan. stir with spatula. After 2 minutes add the mushrooms, saute mixture until onions are translucent. Deglaze saute pan with the marsala wine - make sure to incorporate particles from bottom of pan. Bring wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer sauce on low heat until reduced by half.
6. Place cooked chicken breast on a plate and top with onions, mushrooms and sauce. Serve with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
---CHEESE STUFFING---
1/2 cup smoked provolone or gouda cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato flakes, if in oil, drain first
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
---CHICKEN---
2 pounds Skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 ounces cooking oil
2 cups flour
salt and pepper, to taste
---SAUCE---
1 small onion, chopped
6 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
24 ounces marsala wine
8 ounces heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. STUFFING: Combine all cheese stuffing ingredients in a bowl.
3. CHICKEN: Butterfly thickest section to create two lobes - pound until 1/4"-1/2" thick. Place pounded chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one half of chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down and fold over other side of chicken breast.
4. Preheat a large saute pan on stove top. add 4 oz oil, heat oil until shimmering. Place approximately 2 cups flour in a pan and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess flour. Place stuffed chicken breasts in saute pan with the preheated oil. Cook each side until golden. When chicken is seared on both sides remove them from saute pan and place them in a baking pan and into the oven for 10-20 minutes. Bake until juices run clear and stuffing and center reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees.
5. SAUCE: Add the onions to the saute pan. stir with spatula. After 2 minutes add the mushrooms, saute mixture until onions are translucent. Deglaze saute pan with the marsala wine - make sure to incorporate particles from bottom of pan. Bring wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer sauce on low heat until reduced by half.
6. Place cooked chicken breast on a plate and top with onions, mushrooms and sauce. Serve with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Axis and Allies Gamenight #1
This is the first of a series of entries that have virtually no value to anyone other than myself. I and a small group of men play a board game titled Axis and Allies. Each night we meet for dinner, then play until after midnight. It's effectively a man's answer to Creative Memories Crop Nights. I've played in these game nights for nearly five years. The original crew that invited me included Kraig Smith, Brent York, Matt Cook, and Scott Stringer. They've all moved away, I'm left holding the torch (which is now about the size of a match stick).
This first game night of the 2007-2008 season (these are almost always played over the wintertime) occurred tonight. Most players were busy/out of town due to the holiday season. Allen Acker backed out due to a sinus infection. In the end two played, Rob VanFosson and myself. Here's the game summary:
Host: Darden
The Players:
Darden: USA, UK, Russia **WINNNER**
VanFosson: Germany, Japan
Special Rules:
Salvage (Russia), U-Boat Interdiction (Germany), Enigma (UK), Banzai (Japan), Superfortresses (USA)
Round One Summary:
Russia: Bought mix of infantry and artillery, typical first move, nothing special.
Germany: Rolled two dice for weapons development, winning Jet Fighters. Bought 1 U-boat, 2 Fighters, and tanks. Typical counter-attack to Russia. Took out UK's Mediterranean battleship.
UK: Bought Indian factory, consolidated African tank and Mediterranean Destroyer to India. Forgot to move transport/sub around Australia.
Japan: Did not buy Asian factory. Rolled two dice in attempted weapons development (long range bombers) but failed. Took Pearl. Moved southern fleet against UK's Indian fleet and lost. Japan failed to hold serve.
USA: Bought two bombers and an aircraft carrier. Lept for West Africa due to Germany's land move east, thereby bottling up German battleship in the Med. Otherwise laid low.
Middle Rounds Summary:
Russia: Typical game exchanging blows with Germany. Slowly gained upper hand because Germany's penchant for Jet Fighters failed to replenish ground troops.
Germany: Bought one U-Boat and 1-2 Jet Fighters for first three rounds due to special rules. Slowly lost momentum in ground war against Russia. Lost tank in Africa, failed to dominate the continent.
UK: Cranked tanks into Asia, taking upper hand due to Japan's lack of production capacity on the mainland. Got luck rolls and had two Australian troops island hop from East Indies to Borneo to the Philippines, thereby strangling Japan's IPC's while gaining at one time a 56 IPC production count. Used growing production capacity to build transports, moved first to Norway (Germany left it open), then to Karelia, then to Eastern Europe, then to Western Europe. Germany was left counter-attacking the UK. UK shifted focus from Asia to Europe after Round Three in attempt to deliver knock-out blow to Germany. This starved India (1-2 tanks per round). Late in game Japan began moving troops to Asian mainland using up to four transports, thereby threatening India. Because Germany was weakened, Russia switched to tank production in Rounds 4-5 and helped recover India via counter-attack.
Japan: Eliminated initial US fleets, but failed to remove UK fleet from Indian Ocean until Round Three. Was starved of IPC's due to losses of south pacific islands to UK. Failed to fight for Asian mainland until late.
USA: Bought two bombers per round every round. Moved them all to UK for strategic raids against Germany. Slowly began strangling Germany's production. Never wiped out Japanese fleet, and never significantly pressed Japan. This would have been regrettable if the Allies' concerted effort to focus on Germany failed.
It Was Over When... Japan failed to buy an Asian factory and missed on weapons development. This opened the door for the Allies to focus on Germany.
This first game night of the 2007-2008 season (these are almost always played over the wintertime) occurred tonight. Most players were busy/out of town due to the holiday season. Allen Acker backed out due to a sinus infection. In the end two played, Rob VanFosson and myself. Here's the game summary:
Host: Darden
The Players:
Darden: USA, UK, Russia **WINNNER**
VanFosson: Germany, Japan
Special Rules:
Salvage (Russia), U-Boat Interdiction (Germany), Enigma (UK), Banzai (Japan), Superfortresses (USA)
Round One Summary:
Russia: Bought mix of infantry and artillery, typical first move, nothing special.
Germany: Rolled two dice for weapons development, winning Jet Fighters. Bought 1 U-boat, 2 Fighters, and tanks. Typical counter-attack to Russia. Took out UK's Mediterranean battleship.
UK: Bought Indian factory, consolidated African tank and Mediterranean Destroyer to India. Forgot to move transport/sub around Australia.
Japan: Did not buy Asian factory. Rolled two dice in attempted weapons development (long range bombers) but failed. Took Pearl. Moved southern fleet against UK's Indian fleet and lost. Japan failed to hold serve.
USA: Bought two bombers and an aircraft carrier. Lept for West Africa due to Germany's land move east, thereby bottling up German battleship in the Med. Otherwise laid low.
Middle Rounds Summary:
Russia: Typical game exchanging blows with Germany. Slowly gained upper hand because Germany's penchant for Jet Fighters failed to replenish ground troops.
Germany: Bought one U-Boat and 1-2 Jet Fighters for first three rounds due to special rules. Slowly lost momentum in ground war against Russia. Lost tank in Africa, failed to dominate the continent.
UK: Cranked tanks into Asia, taking upper hand due to Japan's lack of production capacity on the mainland. Got luck rolls and had two Australian troops island hop from East Indies to Borneo to the Philippines, thereby strangling Japan's IPC's while gaining at one time a 56 IPC production count. Used growing production capacity to build transports, moved first to Norway (Germany left it open), then to Karelia, then to Eastern Europe, then to Western Europe. Germany was left counter-attacking the UK. UK shifted focus from Asia to Europe after Round Three in attempt to deliver knock-out blow to Germany. This starved India (1-2 tanks per round). Late in game Japan began moving troops to Asian mainland using up to four transports, thereby threatening India. Because Germany was weakened, Russia switched to tank production in Rounds 4-5 and helped recover India via counter-attack.
Japan: Eliminated initial US fleets, but failed to remove UK fleet from Indian Ocean until Round Three. Was starved of IPC's due to losses of south pacific islands to UK. Failed to fight for Asian mainland until late.
USA: Bought two bombers per round every round. Moved them all to UK for strategic raids against Germany. Slowly began strangling Germany's production. Never wiped out Japanese fleet, and never significantly pressed Japan. This would have been regrettable if the Allies' concerted effort to focus on Germany failed.
It Was Over When... Japan failed to buy an Asian factory and missed on weapons development. This opened the door for the Allies to focus on Germany.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Cream of Crab Soup
Got this recipe from Richie Stevens, brother-in-law of our former neighbor Amanda Adams. Good stuff!
Ingredients:
1lb backfin crab meat
1/2 stick butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
1 cup half and half
Directions:
Melt butter in pan. Blend in flour and stir. Stir in broth and simmer 2 minutes. Add milk and half and half, stirring constantly until thickened (DO NOT BOIL). Add crab meat and salt and pepper to taste. We also add old bay seasoning to taste as well. It takes a while to get it thickened but once it gets hot enough without boiling it will thicken.
Ingredients:
1lb backfin crab meat
1/2 stick butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
1 cup half and half
Directions:
Melt butter in pan. Blend in flour and stir. Stir in broth and simmer 2 minutes. Add milk and half and half, stirring constantly until thickened (DO NOT BOIL). Add crab meat and salt and pepper to taste. We also add old bay seasoning to taste as well. It takes a while to get it thickened but once it gets hot enough without boiling it will thicken.
Blue Ribbon Googled-Last-Night Red Bean Chili
This October our church celebrated it's 25th anniversary with a huge fall picnic. The Men's Ministry held a chili cook-off challenge. Over 20 men across the church were talking it up. Some pulled their family's secret recipe out of retirement. One commented on how he had been soaking (Barb calls it marinating) his beef for two days to get the right zing. I had decided to cook a pot to help feed the masses (a male's version of a pot luck dinner). I enjoy chili, but my couple attempts at cooking it was average at best. So I did the next logical thing - I googled for a new recipe. At 6pm the night before the cook-off.
I shopped at Giant that night, threw everything the recipe called for into a crock pot. And slept. The next day was showdown at the OK Corral. There was some jockeying, some jabbing, some posturing (all in fun) by most. I stayed out of it lest I be found for the poser that I was. There was some good chili that day, and mine didn't hold water against some of them. But what mattered was the judge's results, and in the end this Google recipe (which I can't even trace now) was the near unanimous choice for Best of Show. Three of four judges voted this #1 out of 22, the fourth judge tallied it #2. I've made it four times since, and it continues to receive rave reviews. Head and shoulders above the rest, I now gladly share with you the Blue Ribbon Googled-Last-Night Red Bean Chili recipe.
Ingredients:
3 lbs. ground beef
1 (really) lg. yellow onion
1 (really) lg. green pepper
2 (28 oz.) cans Furmano’s chunky crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes (Original flavor)
2 (16 oz.) cans Goya red kidney beans
2 (15 oz.) cans Hormel Chili Hot with Beans (yes, Hormel)
Diced jalapeño peppers to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp)
Chili powder to taste (I use about 1.5 Tbsp.)
Adobo seasoning to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp.)
Black pepper to taste (I use about 1.5 Tbsp.)
Raw sugar to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp.)
Directions:
Brown beef. Chop then saute onion and green pepper. Throw everything into large crock pot. Cook 8-10 hrs on Low. Best if refrigerated and warmed the next day. Makes 6 quarts.
I shopped at Giant that night, threw everything the recipe called for into a crock pot. And slept. The next day was showdown at the OK Corral. There was some jockeying, some jabbing, some posturing (all in fun) by most. I stayed out of it lest I be found for the poser that I was. There was some good chili that day, and mine didn't hold water against some of them. But what mattered was the judge's results, and in the end this Google recipe (which I can't even trace now) was the near unanimous choice for Best of Show. Three of four judges voted this #1 out of 22, the fourth judge tallied it #2. I've made it four times since, and it continues to receive rave reviews. Head and shoulders above the rest, I now gladly share with you the Blue Ribbon Googled-Last-Night Red Bean Chili recipe.
Ingredients:
3 lbs. ground beef
1 (really) lg. yellow onion
1 (really) lg. green pepper
2 (28 oz.) cans Furmano’s chunky crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes (Original flavor)
2 (16 oz.) cans Goya red kidney beans
2 (15 oz.) cans Hormel Chili Hot with Beans (yes, Hormel)
Diced jalapeño peppers to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp)
Chili powder to taste (I use about 1.5 Tbsp.)
Adobo seasoning to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp.)
Black pepper to taste (I use about 1.5 Tbsp.)
Raw sugar to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp.)
Directions:
Brown beef. Chop then saute onion and green pepper. Throw everything into large crock pot. Cook 8-10 hrs on Low. Best if refrigerated and warmed the next day. Makes 6 quarts.
"I'm watching everything you do Daddy!"
Life has two speeds these days - hectic and chaotic. But you know that already. Then Fantasy Football season rolled in and elbowed into my computer time, so I've set aside using the blog to capture some of the memorable family moments in recent months. And there's been some good ones.
One that I want to remember in 10 years is the night I was driving the boys home one night without Barb when I realized I had been deep in thought for some time. And the boys were quiet (I figured asleep). I glimpsed Cameron leaning sideways in his back seat, so I asked him what he was thinking. "Nothing" was the reply. "Com'on son, you have to be thinking something". "No" was the repeated reply. "So you're just sitting there and your mind's just going buzzzzzzz...." Without hesitation Cameron interrupted me to say "I'm learning how to drive, daddy". Gulp. "Whaddya mean?" was my nervous reply. Then blammo - "I'm watching everything you do daddy!".
I won't capture into words the look of "I told you so" that came from Barb later that night. How'd my boys get this old this fast???? :)
One that I want to remember in 10 years is the night I was driving the boys home one night without Barb when I realized I had been deep in thought for some time. And the boys were quiet (I figured asleep). I glimpsed Cameron leaning sideways in his back seat, so I asked him what he was thinking. "Nothing" was the reply. "Com'on son, you have to be thinking something". "No" was the repeated reply. "So you're just sitting there and your mind's just going buzzzzzzz...." Without hesitation Cameron interrupted me to say "I'm learning how to drive, daddy". Gulp. "Whaddya mean?" was my nervous reply. Then blammo - "I'm watching everything you do daddy!".
I won't capture into words the look of "I told you so" that came from Barb later that night. How'd my boys get this old this fast???? :)
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Music Monday - Aaron Shust
I was slow to catch on to Aaron Shust. His song One Day comes with a catchy tune, but it was the lyrics below that made it a favorite for me. It reminds me of James 4:13-14 where the Bible says "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." One day we will have a day like no other, and this song reminds us that everything we do in the meantime should be preparing for it. Hope you enjoy.
One Day I will leave this body
and I will get a perfect one
That day I will see His glory
shining like the noonday sun
One day, I'll take a walk with Jesus
He might explain the mysteries of life
Some say, I just can't believe it
but I know that one day
We will gather at the Crystal Throne
All these years: we're finally home
I can actually see His face
And all I can do is say,
Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come
We lay our crowns before You
Every heart and soul: adore You:
The God of gods, Almighty One
One Day, death will be abolished
And sin will have its mastery no more
And I know that we will be astonished
At all that our Creator has in store
One day we will meet our Savior
And He will give each one of us a stone
Engraved with our names upon it:
known by God alone
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Annual Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight!
I remember my grandfather tell me about one early morning in the mid-60's when he was driving down the lane leading to the farm house when all of the sudden every star in the sky began moving. He saw the Leonid meteor storm of November 1966, (picture is from a similar storm in 1833) an annual meteor shower that peaks every 33 years. Ever since then I have dreamed of seeing a true meteor storm, with rates peaking at 10,000 per minute.
Tonight is the annual recurrence of the Perseid meteor shower, regarded as 'Old Faithful' because of it's reliable-but-not-spectacular nature. The Baltimore Sun reports this year's event is nearly ideal with a New Moon and good weather forecast. I'll be out there at 1am tonight with the dreams of a young boy of seeing the stars fall out of the sky just like my Grandfather saw, but knowing I'll be lucky to see but a few. Hopefully I won't wake up at 4am with ants up my pants!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Music Monday - Rich Mullins
I remember hearing Awesome God for the first time at a Campus Crusade for Christ Friday night gathering at Virginia Tech in 1990 or 1991. I've been a Rich Mullins fan since, and loved the fun little song Screen Door. The lyrics carry the line
The quirky lyrics and straight percussion accompaniment I first heard on the CD years ago fits the band's live performance. I stumbled across this fun but grainy video of a live show by Rich and his band of Screen Door - hope you enjoy!
Faith without works is like a song you can't sing
It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine
The quirky lyrics and straight percussion accompaniment I first heard on the CD years ago fits the band's live performance. I stumbled across this fun but grainy video of a live show by Rich and his band of Screen Door - hope you enjoy!
And the countdown's on....
It's August. The last month of summer. Time to get ready for school's return. This year there is new excitement in our home as we are preparing to homeschool our oldest - a new adventure for us. We've seen many of you, our friends, lead the way. Many reasons factored into our decision, but they all seem to fade into memory as the logistics of starting a homeschool for the first time flood in. It seems there's a difference between watching others do it with ease and actually going through the mechanics yourself.
After much consideration and prayer we've already tackled the curriculum decision. We reviewed the full gamut of options available to homeschoolers at the CHAP (Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania) 2007 convention in Harrisburg PA in June. For several reasons we chose to start this first year by continuing with the A Beka curriculum series Cameron started in First Grade at Kings Christian Acadamy. First decision down.
Our next decision was to consider options with several homeschool co-ops in the local area. We looked into the Homeschool Christian Acadamy (HCA) based out of Patuxent Presbyterian church just up our street. We know one of the administrators (Alisa Albers), one of the teachers (Sandi Hepler), and several of the kids there. We enrolled Cameron in a full day of classes. Each Thursday he will take Science, Math Games, Art, Music, Latin, and Phys Ed with 10-15 other First and Second graders. This gives Cameron continued interaction with peers, and gives Barb one day to continue working with several children with her National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) training. Second decision down.
This week we make the final decision on where to register our homeschool for outside supervision. I read the Maryland State Department of Education Fact Sheet on Home Instruction, which states we must choose to have our home instruction supervised by one of the following entities:
1. The local school system.
2. A nonpublic school that holds a Certificate of Approval from the Maryland State Board of Education.
3. A nonpublic school registered with the Maryland State Department of Education as exempt from education regulation because it is governed and operated by a bona fide church organization.
4. An education ministry of a bona fide church organization.
Right now we're considering registering directly with the local county school system. If anyone has any other suggestions or insights we'd welcome your comments!
After this, we then can start focusing on lesson planning. Again, we're open to any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom from anyone out there! Homeschooling will become a central theme in blog posts to come.
After much consideration and prayer we've already tackled the curriculum decision. We reviewed the full gamut of options available to homeschoolers at the CHAP (Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania) 2007 convention in Harrisburg PA in June. For several reasons we chose to start this first year by continuing with the A Beka curriculum series Cameron started in First Grade at Kings Christian Acadamy. First decision down.
Our next decision was to consider options with several homeschool co-ops in the local area. We looked into the Homeschool Christian Acadamy (HCA) based out of Patuxent Presbyterian church just up our street. We know one of the administrators (Alisa Albers), one of the teachers (Sandi Hepler), and several of the kids there. We enrolled Cameron in a full day of classes. Each Thursday he will take Science, Math Games, Art, Music, Latin, and Phys Ed with 10-15 other First and Second graders. This gives Cameron continued interaction with peers, and gives Barb one day to continue working with several children with her National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) training. Second decision down.
This week we make the final decision on where to register our homeschool for outside supervision. I read the Maryland State Department of Education Fact Sheet on Home Instruction, which states we must choose to have our home instruction supervised by one of the following entities:
1. The local school system.
2. A nonpublic school that holds a Certificate of Approval from the Maryland State Board of Education.
3. A nonpublic school registered with the Maryland State Department of Education as exempt from education regulation because it is governed and operated by a bona fide church organization.
4. An education ministry of a bona fide church organization.
Right now we're considering registering directly with the local county school system. If anyone has any other suggestions or insights we'd welcome your comments!
After this, we then can start focusing on lesson planning. Again, we're open to any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom from anyone out there! Homeschooling will become a central theme in blog posts to come.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Air Traffic Controller needed
This summer Barb added a hummingbird feeder to our deck. We waited patiently for our first sighting. Then he came. Over time he brought friends. Now we need an air traffic controller to direct traffic. At least five hummingbirds have taken up shop in our back yard. I've learned a few things about hummingbirds this summer. I never knew they chirped - a lot! This morning we had two birds chase one another right in front of our chairs. The resulting battle sounded like a clash of light sabres from Star Wars. They're also trusting of us. One bird fed from the feeder with Barb standing just two feet away from it. Barb now spends time each morning reading on the deck while she watches them come and go. Below is a video of just one of the birds feeding. We've yet to capture one of their mid-air duels, but will upload it when we do!
Not being an avid bird watcher, I thought it unique to have four or five hummingbirds take up shop in one's backyard, until I saw this video on YouTube!
Not being an avid bird watcher, I thought it unique to have four or five hummingbirds take up shop in one's backyard, until I saw this video on YouTube!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Houston, We Have a Problem!
I once thought my wife's penchant for snapping photos was out of control. We upgraded our hard drive once, then had to buy an external drive for backup (you do have yours backed up, don't you Rich?!? :). It kept growing. And that was just from the film camera. It exploded with the addition of the digital camera.
But something's happened. I can't put my finger on it, but something is definitely amiss. First was Monday when Barb took the boys to Six Flags for the day (while I sat sequestered away on a source selection panel!). Cameron rode his very first big boy water slide. The boys rode roller coasters. They went with 'Grandma Myrtie' and Owen's best friend Philip. Not one photo.
Then yesterday Barb took the boys to the Solomons Annex pool, complete with water slides and diving boards. Both boys took and passed the swim test. Owen was a champ, and was beaming with pride when he got his wrist band certifying this milestone in his life. Not one photo.
So, I have many firsts to report from the Darden family this week - but all you get is this plain white text. If you see Barb this week, ask her if her camera's broken. :)
But something's happened. I can't put my finger on it, but something is definitely amiss. First was Monday when Barb took the boys to Six Flags for the day (while I sat sequestered away on a source selection panel!). Cameron rode his very first big boy water slide. The boys rode roller coasters. They went with 'Grandma Myrtie' and Owen's best friend Philip. Not one photo.
Then yesterday Barb took the boys to the Solomons Annex pool, complete with water slides and diving boards. Both boys took and passed the swim test. Owen was a champ, and was beaming with pride when he got his wrist band certifying this milestone in his life. Not one photo.
So, I have many firsts to report from the Darden family this week - but all you get is this plain white text. If you see Barb this week, ask her if her camera's broken. :)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Music Monday's Tuesday debut
Our friends 50 toes posts favorite music clips they title 'Music Mondays', and invited others to join in. I'll bite. I've avoided the whole YouTube scene for much the same reason as we turned off our DirectTV feed - it's a time drain with virtually no lasting value. So pardon my surprise and amazement when I discovered the unbelievable wealth of great music videos when I began research to take up the 50 toes challenge! So here it goes.....
One insane tidbit of info I have etched in my mind from my misspent early teen days was an interview of Eddie Van Halen on MTV News with Kurt Loder. I was a huge Van Halen fan, the year was 1982, the band had just released Diver Down (with Hang 'Em High a hit) and Kurt Loder asks Eddie what it was like to be the greatest guitar player in the world. He said 'I dunno, go ask Phil Keaggy'. Phil WHO I asked???? I never heard Phil Keaggy's name again for over 15 years. Then I saw him live in concert with my friend Drew Ham in Colorado Springs, and realized that he is, in fact, the greatest guitarist ever recorded. The clip below is the tip of the ice berg. When you watch this, keep in mind he is playing solo, with no backup recording. Read this article to hear how he uses digital delay/sampling effects to build and overlay tracks live. Barb and I went to see him live 8 years ago - he often plays in coffee houses and small theaters. It's a great night out if you can catch a tour stop in your hometown!
Here's Phil Keaggy in Salvation Army Band. It's over nine minutes long. Get another cup of coffee and enjoy....
I've got several months of clips already in the queue, so until next time..... :)
One insane tidbit of info I have etched in my mind from my misspent early teen days was an interview of Eddie Van Halen on MTV News with Kurt Loder. I was a huge Van Halen fan, the year was 1982, the band had just released Diver Down (with Hang 'Em High a hit) and Kurt Loder asks Eddie what it was like to be the greatest guitar player in the world. He said 'I dunno, go ask Phil Keaggy'. Phil WHO I asked???? I never heard Phil Keaggy's name again for over 15 years. Then I saw him live in concert with my friend Drew Ham in Colorado Springs, and realized that he is, in fact, the greatest guitarist ever recorded. The clip below is the tip of the ice berg. When you watch this, keep in mind he is playing solo, with no backup recording. Read this article to hear how he uses digital delay/sampling effects to build and overlay tracks live. Barb and I went to see him live 8 years ago - he often plays in coffee houses and small theaters. It's a great night out if you can catch a tour stop in your hometown!
Here's Phil Keaggy in Salvation Army Band. It's over nine minutes long. Get another cup of coffee and enjoy....
I've got several months of clips already in the queue, so until next time..... :)
Saturday, July 28, 2007
And the lights went out in California.... AGAIN!
One of the joys of living at the end of a small peninsula is that there is one tree-lined feed for SMECO's power lines. Our power outages here in Kingston Creek are memorable. The 1994 Valentine's Ice Storm was eight days. Hurricane Isabelle was seven days in 2003. The tornado (which clipped the trees between our house and the neighbor's) was a three day outage in 2004. Tropical Storm Ernesto was five days in 2006. The wind storm of last week was an all-nighter, and last night's lightening outburst (the worst I remember in five years) was nearly an all-nighter.
We've learned to appreciate three things through all of this:
1. You can cook ANYTHING on a grill (pizza and fries are a family favorite)!
2. The neighbor's pool is INVALUABLE to flush the toilet, but buckets of water get heavy after the first 100 yards!
3. These niftly Brinkman GO-LED lights deserve an award for cheap, safe, effective emergency lighting.
I trekked back to Target last night to buy two more packs. $4.99 at Target for four of these little guys. Disposable, cheap, and good enough to keep you from stubbing your toes on the toys the boys left out in the hallway (and to read a book in bed by).
We've learned to appreciate three things through all of this:
1. You can cook ANYTHING on a grill (pizza and fries are a family favorite)!
2. The neighbor's pool is INVALUABLE to flush the toilet, but buckets of water get heavy after the first 100 yards!
3. These niftly Brinkman GO-LED lights deserve an award for cheap, safe, effective emergency lighting.
I trekked back to Target last night to buy two more packs. $4.99 at Target for four of these little guys. Disposable, cheap, and good enough to keep you from stubbing your toes on the toys the boys left out in the hallway (and to read a book in bed by).
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Back in the USA
Our team returned to the States yesterday. The cocoon that surrounded me in Mexico has been stripped away. The intense closeness that comes from setting aside the cares and worries of one's own life is now intruded upon by the realities that awaited my return. Being reunited with the family was wonderful, especially as my boys rapidly shared their experiences at Grandpa's farm, the beach with Laura & Mike McFarlin, and with our former neighbors Zack and Amanda. Barb had returned home from family and friends only hours before I did, and had a week of memories herself.
But soon the excitement settled. The boys fussed over computer games. The bags need to be unpacked. The dishes had to be put away. The water pump failed again (I need to finally replace that flaky pressure switch). The neighbor's dog through the night, waking me up for good at 5am. I'm home.
And yet in some way's I'm not. Being my first missions trip abroad, I am suffering from the emotional overload that comes from shifting not just time zones - but newfound friends and cultures all in a matter of 12 hours. In many ways my heart is still with Jorge and Eduardo and the men, women, and children of San Bartolo. I wonder what Julio is going to do today. I encouraged him to spend time reading his Bible. I pray he stated with at least five minutes in the Word of God this morning. I can't wait for an update from Jorge.
Life will move on. I will return to my job Monday, and the 154 emails that await me. If not careful one can drift forward with one's life and allow friends and events to fade to a distant memory. It requires intentional effort to maintain such bonds. I hope Jorge, Eduardo, and Lis are able to keep in touch. Last night I shared with my boys stories of the boys and girls of San Bartolo, and of the work that Jorge and Eduardo are doing there. In our family prayer time Cameron, my oldest at seven years, prayed that they would be excited about sharing Christ with Mexico - something I hadn't even asked him to. Jorge and Eduardo have just joined Scott Stringer and John Albers in his nightly prayer requests for safety and strength. If I go a day forgetting them, the Lord will be using Cameron each night to remind me.
I will be adding a few more posts to this blog about my memories of Mexico in the coming days. If you hadn't figured it out, this blog was more for me than for you. I wanted to preserve in this journal the experiences and people that I hope to return to in the coming year. I will be returning to this blog in time to remind myself of the joys and the hopes that I have for the church in San Bartolo. I hope that you have enjoyed getting a taste of some of the sights and sounds of Mexican culture, of the wonderful people there, and of the work that is underway there.
When you see me, ask me how my Spanish lessons are coming. Drop me an email to remind me. I'm serious that I want to return to San Bartolo. I promised the kids there that if I am able to return that my Spanish would be better (but probably not my soccer game). Hold me accountable to that!
But soon the excitement settled. The boys fussed over computer games. The bags need to be unpacked. The dishes had to be put away. The water pump failed again (I need to finally replace that flaky pressure switch). The neighbor's dog through the night, waking me up for good at 5am. I'm home.
And yet in some way's I'm not. Being my first missions trip abroad, I am suffering from the emotional overload that comes from shifting not just time zones - but newfound friends and cultures all in a matter of 12 hours. In many ways my heart is still with Jorge and Eduardo and the men, women, and children of San Bartolo. I wonder what Julio is going to do today. I encouraged him to spend time reading his Bible. I pray he stated with at least five minutes in the Word of God this morning. I can't wait for an update from Jorge.
Life will move on. I will return to my job Monday, and the 154 emails that await me. If not careful one can drift forward with one's life and allow friends and events to fade to a distant memory. It requires intentional effort to maintain such bonds. I hope Jorge, Eduardo, and Lis are able to keep in touch. Last night I shared with my boys stories of the boys and girls of San Bartolo, and of the work that Jorge and Eduardo are doing there. In our family prayer time Cameron, my oldest at seven years, prayed that they would be excited about sharing Christ with Mexico - something I hadn't even asked him to. Jorge and Eduardo have just joined Scott Stringer and John Albers in his nightly prayer requests for safety and strength. If I go a day forgetting them, the Lord will be using Cameron each night to remind me.
I will be adding a few more posts to this blog about my memories of Mexico in the coming days. If you hadn't figured it out, this blog was more for me than for you. I wanted to preserve in this journal the experiences and people that I hope to return to in the coming year. I will be returning to this blog in time to remind myself of the joys and the hopes that I have for the church in San Bartolo. I hope that you have enjoyed getting a taste of some of the sights and sounds of Mexican culture, of the wonderful people there, and of the work that is underway there.
When you see me, ask me how my Spanish lessons are coming. Drop me an email to remind me. I'm serious that I want to return to San Bartolo. I promised the kids there that if I am able to return that my Spanish would be better (but probably not my soccer game). Hold me accountable to that!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Our final day in San Bartolo
We wrapped up our sports camp mission to San Bartolo today. We had almost 50 kids today, many of them coming for the first day. My friend Julio brought a second helper today, a 14 year old named Lucio. At the day's close we spoke one last time with the large group about the purpose of our visit, which was not to show how badly I play futbol. Many of the younger kids were squirming as little ones do, some of the older boys were not interested in listening, but there was a good group of kids who listened intently and understood the message.
Several of the adult men from the church stopped by to see how camp went. Jesus returned to pick up his weedeater that we used to clear the soccer field on Sunday. Eduardo´s father, himself a pastor of a large church in Puebla, MX, paid a visit. Dr. Victor made the rounds. Our final lunch at Dr. Victor´s home was special. After photos (hopefully to come to the blog after my return to the states), Dr. Victor gave us each one of his business cards, which said on the back: "Si tú y yo nos conocemos y tú me olividas, no pierdes nada, pero si conoces a Cristo y lo olvidas, entonces si lo habrás perdido todo.", which roughly interpeted says: "If you and I meet and you forget me, you lose nothing, but if you meet Christ and forget Him, then it is as if you lost everything". Dr. Victor`s contact info is: Dr. Victor Manuel Sabbagh García, U.N.A.M, Lardizabal Sur N° 2512, Apizaco, TLAX, tel: 01 (241) 418-00-59 or 417-57-68. One of his various business activities is the Gas Central de Apizaco, S.A. de C.V.
I hope I can return on a future visit. If I do, I hope to see many of the same kids again. I look forward to seeing Lupe, Joel, Arturo, Juan Carlos, Lizabeth, Liz, Liz (popular name!), Cinthia (the tickle monster!), and many others whose name escapes me. I hope to see Gabriel and Chava, as well as Enrique and his friend (or brother) come as well.
We pack up tonight, and head to the airport at 0500 hrs tomorrow morning. I will miss the children, the weather, the sights and sounds of San Bartolo and Apizaco, and most importantly the friendships struck both with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Mexico, as well as our team from Leonardtown - memories that will stay for a lifetime (again, I heard that "I told you so" from Wyoming, Kraig!).
Several of the adult men from the church stopped by to see how camp went. Jesus returned to pick up his weedeater that we used to clear the soccer field on Sunday. Eduardo´s father, himself a pastor of a large church in Puebla, MX, paid a visit. Dr. Victor made the rounds. Our final lunch at Dr. Victor´s home was special. After photos (hopefully to come to the blog after my return to the states), Dr. Victor gave us each one of his business cards, which said on the back: "Si tú y yo nos conocemos y tú me olividas, no pierdes nada, pero si conoces a Cristo y lo olvidas, entonces si lo habrás perdido todo.", which roughly interpeted says: "If you and I meet and you forget me, you lose nothing, but if you meet Christ and forget Him, then it is as if you lost everything". Dr. Victor`s contact info is: Dr. Victor Manuel Sabbagh García, U.N.A.M, Lardizabal Sur N° 2512, Apizaco, TLAX, tel: 01 (241) 418-00-59 or 417-57-68. One of his various business activities is the Gas Central de Apizaco, S.A. de C.V.
I hope I can return on a future visit. If I do, I hope to see many of the same kids again. I look forward to seeing Lupe, Joel, Arturo, Juan Carlos, Lizabeth, Liz, Liz (popular name!), Cinthia (the tickle monster!), and many others whose name escapes me. I hope to see Gabriel and Chava, as well as Enrique and his friend (or brother) come as well.
We pack up tonight, and head to the airport at 0500 hrs tomorrow morning. I will miss the children, the weather, the sights and sounds of San Bartolo and Apizaco, and most importantly the friendships struck both with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Mexico, as well as our team from Leonardtown - memories that will stay for a lifetime (again, I heard that "I told you so" from Wyoming, Kraig!).
More sights and sounds from the streets of Apizaco....
We have been driven back and forth from San Bartolo each day by three of our brothers and sisters in Christ here in Mexico (and John once, thanks again for the prayers for safety!) Lucy as I said in a previous post lives in Puebla and has a three-hampster Ford go-cart of a car. Pepe, who works for the Potomac Baptist Association and lives in both Maryland and Puebla, has a four-hampster bright yellow car that is comparable to a Honda Civic. Eduardo, the local pastor for San Bartolo, drives a 1980's stype red Chevy van with captain's chairs in the middle row. The drive between Apizaco and San Bartolo is only 10 minutes at most. San Bartolo is on a hill that overlooks Apizaco. The vistas and landscape here remind me in part of views from southern New Mexico, only there is grass and agriculture here. There are two large mountains (I'm going to guess they are 12,000 feet) close by, one on either side of the town. There also is a large volcano (guessing 14,000 feet) a bit further away.
The streets of Apizaco resonate all day (starting at 6am) with the blaring of various advertisements from each of the delivery trucks in the local area. Most often, it is the propane delivery men, with each company having their own jingle and slogans blasting from their truck's roof. Most locals are not on a delivery schedule, the trucks roam the streets much like an ice cream truck back home, and the jingles are intended to draw customers out of their home and businesses. I'd hate to be a delivery driver, I don't know how he sleeps at night with that jingle playing in his head!
Another amazing sight is the tractor trailers who rumble through the streets all day and night. These streets are narrow. The street in front of our hotel has a narrow median strip, and parallel parking to the left and right in both directions. The single middle driving lane is maybe 15 feet wide with cars on either side. Double tractor trailer loads rumble by at all hours. These double-trailers are not the US style, where regulations limit the second trailer to be half-length. These are full length double trailers in tow. Right through the downtown streets. Don't park on any street corner here if you visit. Poor Jorge and Wayne have a room whose window fronts the street. Tractors rumble through all night, with their jake breaks belching 10 feet away as they slow for a turn just down the street.
The streets of Apizaco resonate all day (starting at 6am) with the blaring of various advertisements from each of the delivery trucks in the local area. Most often, it is the propane delivery men, with each company having their own jingle and slogans blasting from their truck's roof. Most locals are not on a delivery schedule, the trucks roam the streets much like an ice cream truck back home, and the jingles are intended to draw customers out of their home and businesses. I'd hate to be a delivery driver, I don't know how he sleeps at night with that jingle playing in his head!
Another amazing sight is the tractor trailers who rumble through the streets all day and night. These streets are narrow. The street in front of our hotel has a narrow median strip, and parallel parking to the left and right in both directions. The single middle driving lane is maybe 15 feet wide with cars on either side. Double tractor trailer loads rumble by at all hours. These double-trailers are not the US style, where regulations limit the second trailer to be half-length. These are full length double trailers in tow. Right through the downtown streets. Don't park on any street corner here if you visit. Poor Jorge and Wayne have a room whose window fronts the street. Tractors rumble through all night, with their jake breaks belching 10 feet away as they slow for a turn just down the street.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
