Thursday, March 20, 2008
With Whom Do You Indentify?
I've been taught that one way to pray with scripture is to imagine the scene, stand back and watch it, and then pick a character with whom you most closely indentify and ponder why you do so. When I do that with the Passion, I keep coming back to Pontius Pilate. Why? He's not such a bad guy. He didn't REALLY want to crucify Christ, he just wanted to keep people happy, to keep the peace. He tried scourging Jesus in hopes that it would be enough, but it wasn't. He tried to get others to agree to set him loose, but they wanted Barrabas instead. He tried washing his hands of the whole affair, but as we all know, we DO have to take responsibility for our actions. I don't like conflict, I want to make those around me happy and when I look at what I consider some of my more serious sins over my lifetime they haven't been things where I have said "I really want to _____. I know it is wrong to ____ but I really want to do it, and I don't care what God or the Church says.". Rather they have been things where I've said "I know ____ is generally considered wrong, but _____ wants me to _______, and if I don't, then there is going to be conflict". or "If I ______ then I'll fit in better with "the gang"; if I don't then I'll look like an unrealistic goody two-shoes.". Yep, Pilate is the one to whom I relate.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
What's the Difference
Between letting your child be responsible for himself and being lazy? I'm struggling with that right now. The semester my son was placed on the "basic" track at school which means that his classes have seemed easier than what he has had before. His grades improved and he was doing most of his homework with little to no help/supervision. Also, a few weeks ago, we were invited to leave the school at the end of the year. Definitely as a result of the improved performance, and maybe as a result of being asked to leave, I've backed off on my role as homework supervisor. Until now I've had a major financial interest in seeing that he passed all his classes. Since he is going to public school next year, that interest is gone. I've kept an eye on his grades and while he hasn' t been perfect about handing in homework, I wouldn't say he has been significantly worse than he was when I was cracking the whip all the time. However in the last few weeks his grades have declined, and now, on the eve of exams, I'm seeing more missing work and lower grades, to the point that he is going into exams with an "F" in two of his four subjects (in one of which he had a "B" a few weeks ago). I really think he needs to learn to be responsible for his own work. His homework is HIS, not mine. However, I don't want him to fail--but on the other hand, why not? He needs to learn that actions (and inactions) have consequences. If he goes over to the public school as a sophomore rather than a junior, no one will know but him that he was held back. It is another year that he can stay on my health insurance (and when you have a kid taking $500+ in meds every month, that's important). We haven't told him yet that he is not going to summer school for the class he failed last nine weeks (and don't plan to tell him until school is over) so maybe he'll see that as something to avoid. On the other hand it isn't working...but it sure is easier and more fun for me to not do homework with him every night. I've taken the little one to the playground, read with her, read my books...in general, done something other than homework at night for the last few weeks and I've loved it. Am I just being lazy or am I trying to give him a skill he really does need to learn?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Blogging about Books
I've been reading some lately, just not as much, and I've been stacking them up rather than adding them to my Bookmooch list because I haven't had time to get to the post office and experience has shown that books are usually mooched quickly or sit for a long time (indefinitely?). Anyway, these books will go on my list as soon as I finish writing about them so mooch away...
Debbie Macomber's Home for the Holidays is just two basic Harlequin Romance novels in one book. I've already forgotten the characters names, and just about everything else, but they are set at Christmas and believe it or not, they have happy endings. Pure mind candy.
Midnight Clear is three basic romance novels or "novellas" in one book. Again, mind candy, couldn't tell you anything about any of them; enjoyable to read if in the mood but totally forgetable.
Thursdays at Eight by Debbie Macomber is one you'd like if you like her yarn shop books. It is about four friends who met in a journaling class and who continued to meet every Thursday at 8 a.m. It takes them through a year in their life. The four are a 50+ widow/hospital executive who is being romantically pursued by a doctor; a 20 something aspiring actress, a 40 year old who just discovered she is pregnant (her other two kids are teens) and a 40ish divorcee who finally makes peace with the husband who left her for a 20 year old. Each chapter begins with an entry from one of the women's journal and then, in a different typeface, tells what happens next in life. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Haywood Smith's The Red Hat Club was about a group of women who had been friends since high school. They meet monthly at some society place in Atlanta. This is the year they turn 50. The book is set in 2002 but flashes back to their high school days. By this time, most of the women are not in happy marriages. The book ends celebrating the divorce of one of them from a man who beat her once (but no more, because she stood up to him) and who cheated on her regularly. However, I have to say that my favorite character was one who, when given the chance to re-unite with her high school flame, realized that even though fireworks didn't go off every time she saw her husband, he was a good man, a good father, loyal, honest etc. and that she'd be better off working on the marriage she had than seeking excitement elsewhere.
An Ideal Marriage is another compilation of Harlequin Romances. What can I say? They are by Debbie Macomber.
The Pot Luck Club by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson is kind of a Christian version of Thursdays at Eight and The Red Hat Club. It centers around a group of women in a small Colorado town. They are the Potluck Club. They go to the same church and meet monthly to pray (and gossip). The book includes recipies for the food they bring, and has them supporting each other in the changes life brings.
Francine Rivers is one of the best Christain Fiction authors I've read. Unashamed is her book about Rahab, a Cannonite harlot who live in Jerico when "the walls came tumbling down". She was also a foremother of Jesus. Anway this novella is short, and basically fills out the Bible story. I enjoyed it though it wasn't the enagaging read her longer novels have been.
Another Homecoming by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn is about a wealthy young woman who adored her father and clashed with her mother. Upon her father's death she discovers she was adopted. She searchs for and finds her birth family. Let's just say the end was never really in doubt, but it was an easy feel-good read.
Pope Fiction by Patrick Madrid is a Catholic Apologetics book focusing on the Pope. It had a few things I didn't know--a few myths I'd never heard and a few explainations I'd never heard, but I guess I've been reading this stuff long enough that I've heard most of it. If you want to learn the whys about the Pope, this is a good book.
Where is That in the Bible is another Patrick Madrid book. The main sections of the book are Authority, Doctrines, the Sacraments, Customs and Practices, Moral Issues and Non-Catholic beliefs. He gives scriptural authority for many teachings, but unless he's preaching to the choir, I think a lot of his arguments are going to fall on deaf ears. What I mean is that the scripture he quotes lends support to his argument, but I don't think that those who aren't already convinced of the truth of many of his assertions are going to be convinced by the scripture he quotes--its just too open to interpretation--which of course is one Catholic argument against the Bible as the sole source of religous truth.
Debbie Macomber's Home for the Holidays is just two basic Harlequin Romance novels in one book. I've already forgotten the characters names, and just about everything else, but they are set at Christmas and believe it or not, they have happy endings. Pure mind candy.
Midnight Clear is three basic romance novels or "novellas" in one book. Again, mind candy, couldn't tell you anything about any of them; enjoyable to read if in the mood but totally forgetable.
Thursdays at Eight by Debbie Macomber is one you'd like if you like her yarn shop books. It is about four friends who met in a journaling class and who continued to meet every Thursday at 8 a.m. It takes them through a year in their life. The four are a 50+ widow/hospital executive who is being romantically pursued by a doctor; a 20 something aspiring actress, a 40 year old who just discovered she is pregnant (her other two kids are teens) and a 40ish divorcee who finally makes peace with the husband who left her for a 20 year old. Each chapter begins with an entry from one of the women's journal and then, in a different typeface, tells what happens next in life. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Haywood Smith's The Red Hat Club was about a group of women who had been friends since high school. They meet monthly at some society place in Atlanta. This is the year they turn 50. The book is set in 2002 but flashes back to their high school days. By this time, most of the women are not in happy marriages. The book ends celebrating the divorce of one of them from a man who beat her once (but no more, because she stood up to him) and who cheated on her regularly. However, I have to say that my favorite character was one who, when given the chance to re-unite with her high school flame, realized that even though fireworks didn't go off every time she saw her husband, he was a good man, a good father, loyal, honest etc. and that she'd be better off working on the marriage she had than seeking excitement elsewhere.
An Ideal Marriage is another compilation of Harlequin Romances. What can I say? They are by Debbie Macomber.
The Pot Luck Club by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson is kind of a Christian version of Thursdays at Eight and The Red Hat Club. It centers around a group of women in a small Colorado town. They are the Potluck Club. They go to the same church and meet monthly to pray (and gossip). The book includes recipies for the food they bring, and has them supporting each other in the changes life brings.
Francine Rivers is one of the best Christain Fiction authors I've read. Unashamed is her book about Rahab, a Cannonite harlot who live in Jerico when "the walls came tumbling down". She was also a foremother of Jesus. Anway this novella is short, and basically fills out the Bible story. I enjoyed it though it wasn't the enagaging read her longer novels have been.
Another Homecoming by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn is about a wealthy young woman who adored her father and clashed with her mother. Upon her father's death she discovers she was adopted. She searchs for and finds her birth family. Let's just say the end was never really in doubt, but it was an easy feel-good read.
Pope Fiction by Patrick Madrid is a Catholic Apologetics book focusing on the Pope. It had a few things I didn't know--a few myths I'd never heard and a few explainations I'd never heard, but I guess I've been reading this stuff long enough that I've heard most of it. If you want to learn the whys about the Pope, this is a good book.
Where is That in the Bible is another Patrick Madrid book. The main sections of the book are Authority, Doctrines, the Sacraments, Customs and Practices, Moral Issues and Non-Catholic beliefs. He gives scriptural authority for many teachings, but unless he's preaching to the choir, I think a lot of his arguments are going to fall on deaf ears. What I mean is that the scripture he quotes lends support to his argument, but I don't think that those who aren't already convinced of the truth of many of his assertions are going to be convinced by the scripture he quotes--its just too open to interpretation--which of course is one Catholic argument against the Bible as the sole source of religous truth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
