As the world continues to examine the resume of Alaska governor Sarah Palin, Americans are heating up the blogs with debates on balancing family life and professional life.
But—distinct from current blogging on the subject—often in this area there seems to be a disturbing linguistic implication, in both print and speech: that parenthood, in contrast to paid work, is something other than…well…work.
Followers of the trend have what they believe to be Scripturally-based reasons for the path they’re pursuing, and it is interesting to see these reasons explained.
I realized that a growing number of Americans refrain from eating meat for various reasons, myself included. But I wasn’t aware until recently, when looking for some seasonal recipes on the Internet, that there’s in fact a vital Christian movement promoting vegetarian living.
…what happens if you wear white after Labor Day? Do you get a ticket from the fashion police?…Are you turned away from eating establishments? Do they quit accepting your money at PTA or place of worship? I think our mothers are laughing because they gave us one of those life rules that we’re afraid to break. Kind of like—clean your plate—there are starving children somewhere.
QVC Community Blog, September 3, 2007
It’s true, we’re being buffeted on all sides by the high cost of fuel, and by all the other prices that have shot into the stratosphere because of it. But it’s like they say: Whenever you’re having a perfectly hideous time of it, one of the best things you can do to regain a sense of contentment and balance is this…Find somebody out there that you can help, then focus on making that happen!
And, too, it is written (and you know, if it’s not actually written, then somebody ought to take this down right away):
Times may be hard,
the future may look rough;
but for a soldier in the field
anyone can score
a few Oreos with Double Stuff!
This is a communication from MSG Jeffrey Pennington, currently stationed at Patrol Base Kaufman, Samarra, Iraq:
Enemy activity here is starting to increase as we push Al Qaeda further out of the city. As their backs are against the wall, and they have few if any places to hide, more frequent battles have been taking place. One such battle [recently] claimed the life of a U.S. soldier in the unit that operates in Samarra with us.
Today, some really wild visuals featuring a kind of wedding I didn’t know about before this past June.
We touched on this in the first installment of Quirky Theme Weddings, but I had to dig a bit deeper to see if the Star Trek wedding in that piece was more of a one-off type of thing, or part of a larger trend…
Turns out it’s part of a trend, all right, and the links below are a portal to a world where few southeast Missourians have ever gone before…but there are other people around the globe who apparently spend a lot of time there. And I mean, a lot.
“I’m about 9 or 10. I’ve been studying for the past year.”
Neeraj, a girl from from India
PBS Wide Angle program, Back to School
“My [late] father told me to go to school, and not to rest.”
Nanavi, a girl from Benin
Back to School
As youngsters throughout the U.S. return to the classroom, I’m reminded of the mixed feelings with which my friends and I approached that prospect when I was little.
“It’s a whole ’nother world, a whole ’nother culture,” says Scott Brickell, who, with father Jay, took the plunge and converted the family homestead into Brick’s 4×4 Farm 2 ½ years ago. (A born multi-tasker, Scott is, additionally, a music industry professional based in the Nashville area. As owner of BrickHouse Entertainment, he manages such acclaimed Contemporary Christian acts as MercyMe and Phil Wickham.)
Now officially known as Brick’s Off-Road Park, the Brickell spread in Poplar Bluff is home to a variety of adrenaline-boosting diversions for the hard-driving SEMO set.
One of my own nifty neighbors has gone from “Roving Random Shopper” to “Carpooling Shopper with a Plan”.
“If I ever had any free time, I used to just hop in the minivan and cruise,” says this 40-something healthcare worker. “If I saw something I liked in a window, or if somebody put up a “Sale!” sign I could see from the highway or whatever, I’d just pull over and pop in if I wanted,” she remembers with a smile. “But that party’s over!”
Kids.gov is “the official kid’s portal for the U.S. government”, and is chock full of fun facts and activities geared to youngsters, all categorized by age group. There’s a section for educators as well.
Featuring games, projects, brief articles, and great links to other kid-centered learning pages, this is a site you might want to recommend as a ”first-stop” resource for young people during the coming year!