Pondering Perfection (The Rest of My Story - part 2b)

This week I've pondered perfection from several perplexing perspectives & tho't to publish a few points here:


In all my years of attempting to do something - AnYtHinG .... even JUST ONE THING perfectly, I have never .... not even once(!), ever succeeded. And the few times I've even come close (relatively speaking!) were SO stressful. Exams, first impressions, job interviews, public performances, speeches & the like come right to mind - but there are many more mundane instances too.

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While "perfection" may be pretty to look at, attaining & maintaining it is definitely NOT pretty... it's frustrating!, exhausting!, discouraging!, time consuming! Not to mention.... impossible!!!

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Perfection is isolating - because perfectionists are intimidating &/or intimidated easily.

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With the exception of the precision & perfection I find in creation/nature - which I believe is a reflection of the nature of the Creator, when I do see something, or someone, that's practically perfect, it is almost always in a photo or on TV - & almost always, upon closer inspection, I figure out that it's airbrushed! Photoshopped! Edited!! As I considered this, I tho't more about Holley's question as it relates to "The Rest of My Story"...

Q. What's one little thing that helps you give God the red (redeeming) pen and make peace with who you are?

...it struck me in a fresh new way - that when Christ did this:

Hebrews 10(NIV): ....v14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

....He died to do what I was dying to do! He edited out every bit(!) of my story that I would have loved to edit out myself if I could (& probably more!). I shudder to think of all the red (blood!) my story required in order to make me perfect forever! The transfusion was transforming - to the point that when I received it, I stopped dying & started really living .... & my story was no longer even about me anymore! It's all about Him now (even when I tend to forget that!) from my unique vantage point ..... & tho' it is no less perplexing than any of the others ...... it is definitely the perspective from which I prefer to ponder perfection.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Think (or at least take a peek!) inside this box

One of my favorite ways to "decorate" is to make spaces multi-purpose - easily able to convert from say ... an office, to a den, to a gameroom, to a gym, to a famly theater, etc...

My house is "nothing special" by many of today's standards - but it has one special feature that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE about it ... that being, when you walk in, there is one big space which functions as 4 separate rooms ... kitchen, dining room, office, family room (no walls to separate them). Click on the box to see how this concept has been taken to a whole new level. While you're in there, click around to explore spaces that are "hidden in plain sight."






Truth be told, aside from how stark & sterile it looks, I really like how the space is managed. I like the transparency & the interaction almost "forced" on you here, & the minimal number of places for stuff to accumulate. Tho', being married w/ children, I'd prefer walls around bedrooms &, of course - the bathroom(s). But as far as I'm concerned, the whole entire rest of the house could be one not necessarily SO big, open space.

The Rest of My Story - Part 2

Click here for Part One:

Following are this week's 21 Day challenge questions & answers. Each day is linked to the corresponding post over at heart to heart with holley.

Tuesday

What's your approach?

According to Holley: "Here's a light-hearted look at different ways we approach our stories...

The Princess - She wants her story to be perfect and strives to make it so. She's got a pen and she's not afraid to use it!

The Procrastinator - She's waiting for "happily ever after" to come. You can often hear her saying, "When X happens then I'll...."

The Planner - She prefers lists to silly stories. If it can't be planned and checked off, why bother including it in the plot?"

ANSWER:

I'm a combo platter...w/ extra "Princess"
(& that's not necessarily a good thing)

***

Wednesday

Who shares your life?

ANSWER:

My husband & children are my "heart relationships"
(I probably confide in my kids more than most parents )

I know a lot of people. If I was on facebook you might be quite impressed in that regard - but in all honesty I have very few personal/"confiding in" relationships .... most are "functional" as described by the diagram on Holley's post...

but hey - I'm confiding in you here...that's progress - right?! :)


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Thursday

a) What would you edit?

b) What's one little thing that helps you give God the red pen and make peace with who you are?

ANSWER

a) that would be a novel in & of itself!

b) Hebrews 10(NIV): ....v4 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

This verse helps me "give God the red pen" because it seems inherent in it is the understanding that He has already done what is impossible for us to do for ourselves (made perfect forever) ....& the "rest of the story" (being made holy) is a lifelong process from that point on. God's Word is full of examples of what this process might look like in individual lives. I hafta think we each can SO relate to one or a few of them very closely ... & perhaps to all of them to some degree.

***

Friday

What's the next S.T.E.P?
(Small, Tangible, Easy, Positive)

ANSWER:

Well - I did answer this one. In fact, I took the step already - but I'm not quite ready to confind in you - to that extent - just yet. Thanks for understanding :)

***

Stay tuned for further details(!) as they relate to The Rest of My Story....

The Rest of My Story....

I happened upon heart to heart with holley the other day & was intrigued by a post series she's authoring called: "The Rest of Your Story" - & a subsequent 21 day question/answer challenge. In Part I one she says:

How do we write the rest of our story in a way that really counts?

This series is all about finding out together.

Because as I consider the story of our lives, here's what I've come to believe...

Jesus is the author (Hebrews 12:2) but He has given each of us a pen.

We get to be part of the process—and that's amazing.

According to Holley's plan,

At the end of the 21 days we'll have a rough draft of the rest of our stories including goals, steps to take, and even a life story statement (sort of like a mission statement but cooler).

Following is an excerpt from today's post that prompted today's question:

Stephen Covey once said, "When you pick up a stick, you get both ends." In our stories, a "stick" might look like...

Anxiety..........................Sensitivity...........................Compassion

Sensitivity in itself is a neutral personality trait. On our own it can lead us toward worry (negative). With Jesus it can lead us toward compassion (positive).

The goal isn't eliminating parts of who we are but rather letting God gently move us closer to the positive in our stories.

For example, the Apostle Paul was belligerent, overzealous, and an oppressive leader. After Jesus appeared to him, Paul was determined, enthusiastic, and an encouraging leader. Same characteristics...different ends of the stick. (Acts 9)

It's as if God said, "Okay, Paul, I purposely created you in certain ways. You're going to use those for me now, and that changes everything."

So there you have it .... a hint at of what's to come. I'll likely be using some of her challenge questions as future post prompts so ....

as I'm getting to know me better, you likely will too.

Care to join me?

If you've ever felt alone in a crowded room...

...it seems you're not alone!

Following are excerpts from a Washington Post Article I stumbled upon over here today. I just found them to be both interesting....and sad:


Americans are far more socially isolated today than they were two decades ago, and a sharply growing number of people say they have no one in whom they can confide, according to a comprehensive new evaluation of the decline of social ties in the United States.

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A quarter of Americans say they have no one with whom they can discuss personal troubles, more than double the number who were similarly isolated in 1985. Overall, the number of people Americans have in their closest circle of confidants has dropped from around three to about two.

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The comprehensive new study paints a sobering picture of an increasingly fragmented America, where intimate social ties -- once seen as an integral part of daily life and associated with a host of psychological and civic benefits -- are shrinking or nonexistent. In bad times, far more people appear to suffer alone.

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Compared with 1985, nearly 50 percent more people in 2004 reported that their spouse is the only person they can confide in.

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"We know these close ties are what people depend on in bad times," she said. "We're not saying people are completely isolated. They may have 600 friends on Facebook.com [a popular networking Web site] and e-mail 25 people a day, but they are not discussing matters that are personally important."

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Whereas nearly three-quarters of people in 1985 reported they had a friend in whom they could confide, only half in 2004 said they could count on such support. The number of people who said they counted a neighbor as a confidant dropped by more than half, from about 19 percent to about 8 percent.

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For most of the 20th century, Americans were becoming more connected with family and friends, and there was more giving of blood and money, and all of those trend lines turn sharply in the middle '60s and have gone in the other direction ever since," he said.

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Americans go on 60 percent fewer picnics today and families eat dinner together 40 percent less often compared with 1965, he said. They are less likely to meet at clubs or go bowling in groups. Putnam has estimated that every 10-minute increase in commutes makes it 10 percent less likely that people will establish and maintain close social ties.

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But University of Toronto sociologist Barry Wellman questioned whether the study's focus on intimate ties means that social ties in general are fraying. He said people's overall ties are actually growing, compared with previous decades, thanks in part to the Internet. Wellman has calculated that the average person today has about 250 ties with friends and relatives.

A rainy day

I love a rainy day - & today was indeed a very rainy day. This song seemed like a good note to end it on .... What a maginifcent (there's got to be an even better word for here!) voice Josh Groban has. I used to work in a card/gift shop & I'd play his music over & over :) I don't even normally like this kind of music all that much .... but I can't even help but like this.

Can you hear me now?

The video & quote below are excerpts from a post I found over at It's Like Herding Cats...A Pastor's Life - this morning:

....I opened with a video of world famous violinist Joshua Bell playing in the Washington DC metro station as commuters just stream by without stopping to listen. Bell sells out performances all over the world, performing with his priceless Stradivarious. But in that context, with those people, very few heard him. The music and the messenger were the same that had sold out the theater the night before. The problem was the listeners didn't "have ears to hear."

David A. Wilson

My thoughts: The artist is world famous. The instrument he uses is priceless. The setting ... the mundane daily routine of life. For SO many (too often myself included!) it's SO distracting. Imagine how much tickets cost to hear him play otherwise - and how much more valuable they become once a performance is sold out. Hmm....This all reminds me of Someone Else I Know. What I would give to see Him live & in person & to hear Him speak! Yet I'm also reminded of excerpts from a favorite hymn (my bold emphasis added):

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.

&

This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear Him pass; 
 He speaks to me everywhere.

& "all of this" made me think of that cell phone commercial where the guy moves a little bit this way & a little bit that way ... all the while speaking very clearly & saying w/ varying degrees of frustration... "Can you hear me NOW?!" - & I can't help but wonder .... if that's how God feels at times.

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²⁴"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. ²⁵Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Mark 4: 24-25

Crockpot Chocolate Cake

If you've never made cake in a crockpot you really should give this a try. It's so easy, so moist & so yummy! :) I made this one recently for my son's birthday & my husband requested it for his - which was today.

CROCK POT CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 box chocolate cake mix 8 oz sour cream 1 pkg instant chocolate pudding 1 cup chocolate chips 4 eggs 3/4 cup oil 1 cup water Mix all ingredients together. Pour into lightly greased 5qt crock pot, metal coffee can or Crock Pot Cake Bake pan. Cover. Cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

via cooks.com

What's your favorite crockpot recipe?

What a WonderFULL world...

.... as seen thru' the eyes of a child:

²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:2-4

It's funny (Friday) ...

It's not so funny in the humorous sense - but it is funny....how my husband (& I!) have changed so much over the years, in most every way that I can think of. In fact, I hardly recognize the two people who were the center of attention on our wedding day. We were both so young .... & I've told him before that I'm not sure I even married him for all the right reasons - but - they say hindsight is 20/20. Indeed, that perspective provides such clarity & proves that no doubt.... I made the right decision when I agreed to spend the rest of my life with him 23 years ago :) His birthday is Sunday so this "Funny Friday" video is posted in his honor - bc it reminds me so much of him.




I should note that I first saw this over at http://henleythegreatdane.blogspot.com/ several months ago - where so often I find good stuff.

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& - on another note, I thought this editorial cartoon about Avatar was funny too ... in the humorous sense :)

via

Hmmm....seems the lenses you're looking thru' make all the difference in the world.

AVATAR

In general I am not too fond of the Sci Fi or Fantasy genres...but - as this beautiful (tho' sad/tragic to a similar extent) story unfolded in sync w/ splendid imagery & amazing 3D effects that somehow managed to draw me in to the same degree that they "popped out", I was captivated(!) as I have never been before by a movie! I sat there thinking "WOW...someone else 'sees things' in much the same way I do, except they are MUCH MORE creative in how they express it!" At the end of 2 1/2 hours, I STILL wasn't ready for it to end. There is so much more I could say ... but I'll refrain from it because I believe I was at an advantage knowing very little about the movie before experiencing ("viewing" is not the right word here) it for myself.

I would be remiss tho' if I didn't point out that The LORD'S name was used disrespectfully many times .... in casual, angry & just downright disrespectful ways which I found to be very distracting - & detracting since I personally find that to be offensive.

edited

Happiness is.... a verb?!

Scattering Lupines passed on the Happiness 101 Award to me. Along w/ that honor came the challenge to list ten things that make me happy. Truth be told, I was actually kinda surprised as one thing after another listed here (there are certainly others) are not really things at all! Seems things don't make me nearly as happy as doing things does!

Writing

It's my preferred means of communication. Tho' it's time consuming, writing gives me the satisfaction of wrapping just the right words around what I'm learning, feeling, doing, etc. .... before (key word here) sharing it --- & somehow, in that process of trying to help it all make sense to someone else, even I gain a better understanding of whatever it is I'm attempting to explain!

Giving

I love it. I just do. I especially love to give gifts & to surprise people w/gifts when they least expect it. I never ever feel like I give enough - & I continually want to give more. However - I do not like feeling like I'm expected to give.... as that takes so much of the fun out of it!

Sharing

Sharing is different from giving in that it involves taking. The process of "give & take"encourages relationship which, quite frankly, is what I believe we were created for! I honestly believe that everything God created & inspired, He did to communicate relationship ... with Him & with each other...& indeed I enjoy some very special relationships with some very special people that I really enjoy doing all of the things I've listed here with - namely my husband/best friend & my children - & those I've experienced enough give & take with to call my friends :)

Exploring

The more up close & personal that I'm able to explore creation/nature, the better I understand the nature of the Creator!

Learning

Which is one big reason why I enjoy homeschooling so much -- because, in turn, I learn so much that either I've forgotten or somehow missed out on the first time around. And learning leads to ....

Understanding

- and the more I REALLY understand after studying, exploring, researching, reading, writing, calculating, learning, etc ..... the better I feel like I know God ... and the better I get to know Him, the more I enjoy....

Worshipping God

...especially with music (When words fail, music speaks.) - & by allowing Him to work through me to the best of my ability - which involves sharing(!) and ....

Being Creative

in how I use my time, money, energy, & God given abilities to express what He has shown, taught, & done for me ... in hopes of introducing Him to others.

Resting

As much as I love "doing", I've learned that in order to do anything well, I must rest now & then. Rest is so refreshing & allows the time that's necessary for all that I'm learning & understanding to sink in & to reflect on how I might share some of that with others in personal & creative ways.

Caring

If I ever stop caring, I hope I die. Caring is what motivates me to do so much of what I enjoy(!) ... giving .... sharing ... learning, etc. I see people around me who seem to have lost their abilility to care about anything or anyone other than themselves & some who have even lost that (!) & that ..... makes me sad :(

*******

Now... I'm supposed to choose ten others to pass this award on to but I'm going to bail here.... However, if you've been inspired to consider what makes you happy, to the point of generating a mental list, consider yourself among the chosen & challenge yourself to write it down .. & share it. Who knows?! ... in the end you might have a better understanding of what you're trying to explain as well ...which in my case, the bottom line seems to be ....

Happiness is as happiness does.
(hmm...sounds like something Forrest Gump would say, huh?! :)


“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12


For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10

Frosty the Snowman

Some of us enjoyed the aftermath of the overnight snowstorm more than others. Take these two (Playmaker & her boyfriend) for instance...





Thanks Doc! Nice job filming here :)

We all can, should, must(!) do SOMETHING....

"Water is a tremendous issue. By the end of next week we'll be able to produce close to a half-million gallons of fresh water a day."

Franklin Graham
Samaritan's Purse


"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5, NIV).

See Scott run....

and run and run .... gaining momentum as he goes!

Scott Brown Leads Martha Coakley in New Massachusetts Senate Poll

I hope he wins the race!

Go Scott! Go ..... all the way to Washington, DC!

Funny Friday

Was trying to think of what I could post for my first official Funny Friday & it wasn't long before this pic came to mind. The year is 1999. We were pickin' strawberries. Strike was 2 yrs old - & apparently not quite potty trained yet.....

I hesitate to post this pic bc I have one blogger friend back in Oregon who just may still pick strawberries at this particular farm!

No doubt this is tacky, but....

I stumbled upon this nifty corkboard the other day & placed it above the kitchen sink figuring it packed potential to provide another new/fun/different & hopefully interactive way for our family to communicate (can't have too many of those when you have a tween, a teen & college student - right?!) here at Grand Central Station (aka: home) headquarters (aka: the kitchen).

It may be tacky, but ....

it's the perfect place to put:

* recipes while I'm cooking - I can be soooo sloppy!

* permission slips/paperwork for the kids to remember - could save me a rushed trip to the school!

* lunch $

* Scripture I want to memorize - or I want my kiddos to memorize :)

* Timely (key word here) words of wisdom - I've got a million of 'em :)

* Appointment reminders

* Grocery List

* Things to do TODAY

* ...or better yet..."Things I DID DO Today"- Hubby will be SO impressed :)

* Things I want to remember....Don't forget:______, _______ & ______ !

* Things I want to forget - nooo...If I list them, that'll just make it MORE difficult!

* Notes from Daddy - who often leaves AND comes home - when it's dark

* Jokes & cartoons - we're addicted to fun around here :)

* Chore Lists - they're not going to like that one!...oh well, such is life!

* Interesting info/article clippings, etc. (....or maybe that's just TMI!?)

* Coupons - A penny saved is a penny earned.

* Phone messages - scratch that.....we canceled our land line & they all have their own cell phones now.


oooooooh - I just thought of another one. Playmaker just texted me that she got an "A-" on her research paper! Hoooorrraaay!! That's HEADLINE NEWS here at Grand Central Station! Signing off....to go post "CONGRATULATIONS!" for all to see :)

We installed a simple time machine

edit...I still have some tweaking to do here but I'm thinking I like the pics off-centered in their frames better ... that it makes it all a bit more interesting. What do you think? Unfortunately I gotta run so any more tweaking will have to wait.

This hearth has perplexed me as long as we 've lived here. Don't remember ever having it decorated in a way that I've been really pleased with. This weekend I tried something new...

The trouble now is....

I can't stop staring at it!!!

One glance hurls me back in time to re-visit sweet history, fun memories & happy times. I always want to linger ... but it's never long before the present beckons for my undivided attention.

Left - Playmaker on the far right - back in her rookie days. She's behind & looking up to her big brother (he used to help coach her team) in much the same way she still does .... in such a way that I'm not so sure he even realizes. Not much has changed there :) .... & so I'm thankful he still provides her with a good example to follow.

Right - This merri-go-round would be considered much too dangerous by today's obsessive standards...but our kiddos survived! - & judging by the happy faces they're sporting here, apparently they enjoyed the ride :)

Left - Playmaker flying a kite on the beach

Center - This most recent Christmas card pic is tucked amidst all the others for a

that was then, this is now

effect.

By the look of things...much has changed - but much still remains the same - & I hope it never changes :)

Right - Strike presenting a toothless, priceless(!) grin at the beach.

Left
Strike - dressed her best - in her pink "ballerina dress".
What else would one wear to pick cherries on the farm?! :)

Center
Spokes - the year he enjoyed the honor of being Captain of his hockey team.

Right
Fun at the Oregon Coast. We had sooooo MUCH fun there!


Once again, I've lingered here too long...

I must get back to the future -
so I don't miss something that I wouldn't want to forget! :)

That's a Wrap

Who knew ... that a $5 scarf would provide a nice finishing touch to wrap up some fun changes we recently made in the dining room...

Good clean (Sterile!) humor

Double click to enlarge:


clipped from our Sunday funnies

New Dining Room Suite (kinda) under $20

A while back I saw a distressed antique black hutch at Scattering Lupine's that I really liked - SOoo I gave mine a makeover w/ a similar but slightly different look - for the price of one small can of paint (aprx $8), a paintbrush & some elbow grease to distress it. I also painted the light sconces on the wall & the base & legs on our table, & the silverware box on the table. Some of that I used spray paint for. I feel like a got a whole new dining room suite & it was SO quick & easy (started yesterday - finished today! ... AND - the price was right :)

here's a before pic of the hutch

Planning to do nothing, more

It was still dark when I kissed my husband goodbye as he headed back to work for the first time in ELEVEN days! I can't remember when we've had so much time w/ so little to do (ie. that needed to be done)....when my husband, in particular, rested SO much. We read, went to bed early, slept in late, began a still ongoing game of Monopoly w/ the kids, started a puzzle, spent lots of time by the fire, went for walks, spent good times w/ good friends & family, took a road trip to my sister's house & drank in the beauty afforded by taking the back roads to get there. In short, we enjoyed the ability to be flexible & spontaneous. We even managed to get some things done around the house that needed tending to - but somehow in that relaxed frame of mind - it all seemed more enjoyable/less like work ... & I think that's perhaps what I enjoyed most!

I feel refreshed. Hubby looks better than ever!

In our 24/7 society we've managed to find & make time to DO just about everything under the sun ... yet I really do not believe that is even close to what God intended when He created a time for everything. If it were, why would He have given us the gift of rest on a silver (Sabbath) platter?

For numerous reasons I wholeheartedly believe that REST is the key to doing more & to doing it well ... in a manner that is pleasing to God & both attainable & sustainable (healthy!) for us.

So ... while many are planning to do more & to do lots of things differently in 2010... I am going to dare to be different by planning to DO NOTHING (rest!) more often (ideally one day a week!) ... in hopes that the things I do will be less exhausting - & done w/ more excellence - from a heart motivated more by a desire to do good & less by a sense of obligation ... to "simply" do more.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37: 3-4

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 2:3

Gifted Hands

My friend over at Embracing the Paradox recommended this movie & I enjoyed it very much. Perhaps what I liked most is that it's based on a true story....a story I'd like my own kids to aspire to - which is why I'm going to encourage them all to watch it before I return it :)



As a kid, Ben Carson faced much adversity growing up in a broken home amongst poverty and prejudice, poor grades & a bad temper - but despite all of that, his mom continually challenged him to rise above the low expectations society had of him & insisted that God had something better planned for him. Her faith in God, which Ben embraced, and her encouragement to read more, watch tv less, & to work hard drove him to become one of the world's leading neurosurgeons. "In the end" I gained some extra motivation to keep on challenging & encouraging my own children to work hard & attempt to make a positive difference in the world while they're at it!

Khan Academy

Need some help w/ your homework? Chances are you can find it here: Khan Academy. A friend just sent me this link. He thought Playmaker might benefit from watching some of the videos to help her w/ some schoolwork ... but I'm thinking Strike & I might too! All I can say, is "WOW --- what an incredible free educational resource!"

The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.

We have 1000+ videos on YouTube covering everything from basic arithmetic and algebra to differential equations, physics, chemistry, biology and finance which have been recorded by Salman Khan.

via

It's about time

There never seems to be enough of it. You can try to buy some -- or carve some out -- or to find some -- or to save some...but all to no avail. It's valuable. Precious. Priceless - b/c no amount of money will ever purchase one split second - yet the only thing one can really do w/ time - is spend it.

Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV) says:

¹ There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

...yet it seems much too often I find myself saying "I don't have time"!

This morning, I'm reminded once again of the value of time...
& praying for wisdom in how to spend mine in 2010.