Aggie Bibliophile

Unshelved

2009-05-27T06:56:00.003-05:00

This is a comic strip I found. Check out the Pimp My Book Cart contest. AMAZING.

http://www.unshelved.com

Tax Day

2009-04-15T14:40:00.001-05:00

Today I mentioned to my students that it was "Tax Day." They thought I was saying "TAKS Day" and freaked out. Homophones will do that to you.

Book Cart Drill Team

2009-04-11T10:06:00.001-05:00

Who said librarians weren't cool? This is amazing and a new goal of mine. I will be book cart drill team champion some day. Mark my words.

Poking my head out...

2009-04-10T18:13:00.002-05:00

So...I know it's been a while but between grad school and trying to catch up on Bones I've had no spare time to write. And although I love Bones I doubt you want a play by play. Nor do you want me to recap articles on digital libraries. So...yes I"m still here.

So, in the words of Bones:

"Dancing Phalanges!"

Bones

2009-03-22T14:09:00.003-05:00

I have a new show! Well, it's not really a new show but it's new to me. Thank you Kelly for introducing me to Bones. Firstly, it stars David Boreanez (so hot!) from Angel and Buffy and Emily Deschnael (sister of Zooey Deschanel from Elf). It has an X-File-ly feel because of the FBI twist but not as uber serious as Mulder and Scully. Angela is a nice character foil of Temperance "Bones" Brennan. The only drawback is it's quite graphic with the decomposing bodies but the story arc about her parents is quite interesting. That aspect reminds me of Alias. I'm working my way through season two now. OK, back to the show.

Black Box

2009-03-07T18:28:00.005-06:00

I'm not going to read this until after my midterm Thursday.

I"m only going to read one chapter.

I'm only going to read until 10:00.

Oh, hell I'll finish the book.

This is the thought process that went through my head this afternoon after I picked up Black Box from the library. I usually don't visit the library that often, even though I want to be a librarian. I'm a very bad library patron. The thing is I forget to turn in books and end up racking up big fines. We'll see how this one goes.

So I read this book in one sitting. The thing is, I didn't like it very much. I couldn't put it down though. I wanted to see what happened. This is about a girl whose sister is suffering from depression and how she deals with it. It was unique in that most books about depression are from the point of view of the person struggling with it. The character was rather flat and it was rather anti-climatic. I wouldn't really recommend it, but I'm glad I read it....if that makes sense. Alright....to bed I said.

Top Gun in 3 Minutes

2009-03-02T17:08:00.002-06:00

At the Summit retreat this weekend we recreated 80s music videos. Our class took first place. Enjoy!

Dollhouse

2009-03-02T13:00:00.004-06:00

"Everything you want. Everything you need. She will be. Honestly, and completely." Adelle

I'm in love with Dollhouse. (See clip below.) I am quite impressed especially since there have only been three episodes so far. It has the FBI aspect from the X-Files, the new cover each week like ALIAS, and the amazing genius of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog). I've been waiting for my new TV obsession to come and I think I have found it in Dollhouse. Synopsis: Dollhouse is a place that takes girls and wipes their memories and personalities, imprints them with a new personality and sends them on missions. Dr. Saunders is my favorite character so far (played by the lovely Amy Acker). I have some theories as to what has happened to her. Bottom line: Check out Dollhouse. If you're not around on Friday nights watch it on fox.com.

Follow the link for a recap of the pilot.
http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=dollhouse&ep=1234652620937

Washington Post Neologisms

2009-02-26T10:24:00.003-06:00

This is from an e-mail I received. I thought I would share.

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words. The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

9. Karmageddon (n): its like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Caterpallor (n.): The colour you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

Incantation

2009-02-25T14:31:00.002-06:00

I have a rule when I'm reading a book. If I'm not into a book after 50 pages I put it down. There's no point in reading a book you don't like. That being said, I was excited to pick up this book. I've heard great things about Alice Hoffman and it's about the persecution of Jews during 16th century Spain. Sounds great. It's just so slow! Usually, if a kid isn't sold on a book by the second chapter there's no hope of redemption. I gave this about six chapters and 56 pages and it was way too many. That sounds harsh, but I'm not going to waste my time with a boring book. Sorry Alice. Not my favorite.

Identical

2009-02-24T10:43:00.003-06:00

This is a very difficult book to read, but very good as well. It deals with the heavy subject of sexual abuse and its effects on teens. The format of this book although typical of Ellen Hopkins, is not what you normally see. It is written in free verse poetry. The two main characters, Kaleigh and Raeanne are identical twins and much of the poetry is for two voices. This is a book that stays with you. I could not put it down (I stayed up until 11:30 reading it when I normally go to bed around 10) and I cannot stop thinking about what happened to the girls. Definitely an R rated book. Between the two of them they deal with drugs, sex, cutting, bulimia and anorexia on top of the sexual abuse. It's not a book for all people but if you can get through it, worth the while.

The Willoughbys

2009-02-22T13:34:00.008-06:00

"I have learned over the course of many years that it is a bad idea, usually, to investigate piteous weeping but always a fine thing to look into a giggle." The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is by far my favorite children's author and what makes her special is her versatility. You have the Giver trilogy which is dark and insightful, you have Gossamer which is sweet, Number the Stars which is a great historical fiction and now The Willoughbys which is a hilarious, witty parody on "old fashioned" stories. I usually don't laugh out loud while I read. Usually it's more of an internal chuckle, but not with this book. I was LOLing all over the place. The vocabulary is exquisite. She adds GRE level words (with a glossary at the back) to add to the parody. She also incorporates lots of "old fashioned" stories (and includes a bibliography in the back too.) A very quick read but well worth it.

If I'm not here tomorrow.....

2009-02-21T21:47:00.000-06:00

Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy

2009-02-21T11:44:00.003-06:00

This is one of the cutest books for adolescent girls. (Or grown ups if you're like me.) It is the sequel to I'd Tell You I Loved You but then I'd Have to Kill You, both by Ally Carter. The third in the series, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover comes out in June. It's about Cammie Morgan who goes to the Gallagher Academy, a spy school for girls. In this one there is the added pressure of the Blackthorne Academy (the spy school for boys) joining the girls for training and ops. My students are in love with these books. I can't keep them on my shelves. (Which isn't an issue anymore as I closed my classroom library. One student thought it would be a good idea to make a hollow book out of one of them and took a box cutter in it. I don't know what's worse, the fact that they would do that to a book they didn't own, the fact that they probably had a box cutter at school, or the fact that they were probably carrying something shady in the book!) One of my favorite parts is that they every day in the cafeteria they are told the language they have to speak. One day it's German the next French and then Japanese. If I had to choose I'd much rather go to Hogwarts, but still, I love these books.

The Graveyard Book

2009-02-11T03:38:00.002-06:00

So, I'm a little behind the times here. I was reading Neil Gaiman's Blog and realized that The Graveyard Book won this year's Newberry. I was already wanting to read it, because come on, it's Neil Gaiman, but now I'm doubly excited to read it. Making a trip to Barnes and Noble after school. I'm telling myself I can't read it until I get through my chapter on bibliographies. The chapter on dictionaries I didn't mind. Encyclopedias, OK. Bibliographies? It doesn't get drier than that. It's also 3:41 and I can't sleep.

It's Coraline. Not Caroline.

2009-02-09T10:10:00.004-06:00

Yea Neil Gaiman. One of my favorite books is now a movie and quite a good movie at that. I went to see it Saturday with my friend Brittany. She had never read the book but also enjoyed it. It was one of the best movie adaptations I've seen. Although there's an extra character it does not take away from the story. (In the book we are privy to Coraline's thoughts. Hard to do lots of that in a movie, so the Whybie character adds that element to the story.) The Other Mother is portrayed exactly as I pictured in the book. The imagry is fabulous. If you are in the mood for a dark, clever book/movie Coraline is the way to go.

Coraline Trailer

The Maelstrom

2009-02-02T18:44:00.002-06:00

That's what my 5000 professor called my 5600 class. And boy was he right. It's more work than I ever imagined, but I'm loving it. I signed up for 5 hours only knowing what undergrad was like, thinking that it wouldn't be that much. When I walked in and received a one inch notebook (the syllabus) I was rudely awoken. The material is so interesting and I'm loving it, it's just about the amount of work of 3 undergrad classes. So, I should really get back to reading now.

Love to all,

Mere

Ode to the Stupid Question

2009-01-24T09:26:00.002-06:00

Oh, thy stupid question

how I loathe thee

Some deny your existence

but me, I always see

Whether conference,

or class,

or meeting

thy are always present.

How do I check my e-mail?

What day is New Year's Eve?

I present to thou my own stupid question,

When will you think before you speak?

Variety is the Spice of Life

2009-01-17T12:36:00.003-06:00

Tonight is the 4th Annual Summit Variety Show. (Summit is the singles ministry at church.) My friends and I are singing a little number in it. We're singing The Irish Blessing, which I love. We used to sing it in choir in high school so it has a special place in my heart. Sigh.

We're starting Night by Elie Wiesel in class on Tuesday. (Monday is a holiday. Whoop!) I think the kids are going to get into the book. They find the holocaust really interesting. I'm hoping it will capture them and get them engaged.

I got my textbook in the mail the other day. So excited. I'm taking Introduction to Reference and Retrieval this semester. Class doesn't start until the 24th (yes, it's a Saturday) but I've already started reading it. So good. I can't wait to start class. (Yes, this does classify me as a nerd and a true bibliophile.)

That is all for now dear friends.

Sincerely yours,

Mere

Bee Season

2009-01-13T20:59:00.002-06:00

Spelling Bee that is.

I'm co-chair of our school's spelling be that is coming up in a few weeks. I've been working with kids to prepare and coming up with the "master list" of words to ask. Words that I don't think are hard are really difficult for some kids. I have to remember that these kids are only 12-14 yrs old and haven't had as much schooling as me. Always a good thing to remember.

Weight Watchers Update:

I've lost 4 pounds and found an absolutely terrible recipe. Don't ever make the 5 cheese and spinach quiche of the WW website. I love quiche and spinach and cheese, but this was terrible. Fat free cheese is never good. Even in a recipe like this.

The Perfect Winter Evening

2009-01-05T17:17:00.002-06:00

Vegetable soup and a good book.

Reasons why this combination is good.

1) cold outside-warm soup inside

2) 3 WW Points = : )

3) Good books always make me : )

The book I'm reading, (Wilderness Skills for Women) is uber fabulous. The author, Marian, was my bible teacher in HS. I'm quite proud to say that she was my teacher b/c she's quite the speaker/author now. I love her first book Sex and the City Uncovered but this one is more applicable to me. It talks about different stages of "wilderness" you can go through, such as the wilderness of rejection or the wilderness of despair. Definitely been through both of those, so it really hits home. After you get through going over the different wilderness seasons it discusses how to survive them. What skills are essential to get through those tough times. I'm normally not a big self help book person with two exceptions- Marian and Beth Moore. Always wonderful.

Take care, stay warm.

Mere

Technologically Savvy

2009-01-02T11:37:00.002-06:00

I figured out how to create a link on my lists, so now when you click on the book I'm currently reading it will take you to the Amazon page where you can buy it or learn more about it. How cool is that?

Two events I'm looking forward to this weekend. Kristen's in town and we're going to the aquarium today. It's been about six months since I saw her at Sarah's wedding and that was brief because she was busy with bridesmaid duties. Tomorrow is Chris and Jenna's wedding. I love it when you know both the bride and the groom. It makes it that much more special.

I've taken a time out on the quilt for now. I want to read some of my new books and have been sewing non stop for the last two weeks. It'll get finished but not right now.

Love to all,

Gig 'em and God Bless

The Quilting Bee

2008-12-29T23:04:00.003-06:00

To the four people who actually read my blog.....welcome!

I have been working on my quilt for the last five days about 6-8 hours a day. I am bound and determined to finish my t-shirt quilt before I go back to school on the 5th. Let me walk you through my journey.

This is Courtney cutting out her shirts. This is the first step after you choose your shirts. You need 25 14x14 in squares. This square will be made up of 4 7x7 squares. I am teaching Court how to make hers while I'm working on mine.

Once you finish cutting the squares, you need to create a layout. Thank goodness for my large bedroom and a digital camera to help with that.

Once you have the layout, it's time to start sewing. You sew a strip of fabric on the bottom and right sides of each square. Then you assemble the squares into columns. Here is a pic of my first two columns.

Everything is more complicated with a cat who wants to be in the middle of everything. Thanks Henry!

I will keep you posted as I work on it more and more.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T15:55:00.002-06:00

I've been inspired to write in my blog after my 3 month sabbatical. Let me express the few things that have been keeping me busy lately.

* 66 8th Graders 5 days a week

* 30 small tikes in High Five kids choir

* HFBC Choir and our fabulous Celebration Christmas show.

*Ignite (My Sunday School Class)

* Applying to grad school (I start in January!)

* Finishing my quilt

*Scrapbooking random life events

I promise for at least the next two weeks, while I'm on Christmas break, I will be posting more frequently. After that....we'll see.

Merry Christmas. Love to all.

Mere

Cloverfield aka The Galveston Alien Project

2008-09-05T19:48:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I say goodbye to my home of one year. Tonight before I finished packing I wanted to curl up and watch a movie. The only problem with that is my Netfllix are in the mail and everything else is packed. Thank you faithful friend Video On Demand. I've been wanting to watch Cloverfield since it came out so I stretched out on the couch with a bed pillow and a sheet. (Blankets and Sofa pillows are packed.) I pushed play with my bowl of low fat no sugar added ice cream in my lap. I must say it is in my top ten list of movies not to watch followed by How to Deal and 2001 Space Odyssey. Don't get me wrong, I usually love sci-fi but this was terrible.

It reminded me of the spoof of Blair Witch Project my friends and I made as a freshmen in high school. We were at the beach and we called it "the Galveston Alien Project." We had ketchup blood and everything. Same concept with a few more fireworks. I would be fine with it if it were at least smart but it seemed like a movie to show off special effects. I didn't much like the characters and they end up dying before you get to know them well anyway. I heard lots of good things about this movie when it came out. To my friends who enjoyed it: What were you thinking? Thus ends my rant on Cloverfield.

One down, thirty five to go

2008-08-29T22:39:00.002-05:00

The first week of school has come and gone, and what a blessing it was. It's amazing what a difference a year makes. My kiddos are super sweet this year and I am more sure of myself and what I'm teaching. Not one student turned in a paper with an obscene drawing. I'd say that's a step up.

Life is hectic as I move in a week. It looks like the cabinets threw up all over my living room. What is not already in boxes is strewn about. The goal is to be fully packed by the end of the weekend. We shall see.

I made a big decision this week. I was thinking about how much I missed school and thought about taking the GRE for fun. That's when I realized it's time that I go back to school. I was accepted to start this fall but the timing just wasn't right. Thankfully I still had everything together to reapply. The application is in and now I wait.

The plight of a young teacher

2008-08-19T14:22:00.004-05:00

In service. Two words simply cannot express the inner turmoil that ensues during the week prior to school starting. Thank goodness for new district laptops and wireless Internet access. My friend Sara (Pronounced Sahrah) put it best by saying, "I think they make us endure this to make us look forward to school starting." Seriously, five days is a bit excessive.

My favorite quote from in service: "We feed the teachers so they don't eat the children." Enough said.

Slowly trucking through Poisonwood Bible. I am loving it but don't have as much time to read as summer is winding down. I heard of a Language Arts teacher at a low ses school in the district who said he hated to read. I was appalled. How can you get at risk kids to love reading if you don't read yourself. Ugh.

On a happier note, Happy Birthday Erin and Kim!

Love to all,

Mere

A good pair of shoes can change your life...

2008-08-09T15:04:00.003-05:00

...just ask Cinderella.

I sit here, writing to you, in my gym clothes and a new pair of heels. I don't have anything to wear them with (yet) but they spoke to me yesterday at Target. This morning, I cleaned my apartment adorned in said heels. They look so pretty on my smallish feet. I thought I'd share.

I also wanted to express concern at the negative reviews of Breaking Dawn. I agree with Matt Selman that we have had enough flirting between Edward and Bella and it's time to move on. This installation in the series was much darker and more serious as the characters are "older." I found it much more appealing that the previous three. I conquered the 750 page volume in no less than three days. I quite enjoyed it.

Brooke Fraser was amazing in concert. Her look reminds me of the 90s Alanis but her sound is just so pure. My new favorite.

I go back to school in less than one week. I am not looking forward to the days of inservice. Bleh. I am looking forward to starting fresh with a new bunch of kiddos. I'm praying this year goes more smoothly. (It can't get much worse than last year.) I will miss the extra time for good books and coffee. le sigh. With that I say,

Thanks and gig them.

"I watched Waitress for the first time and loved it" Pie

2008-08-05T17:51:00.002-05:00

So cute! Here are a few pies I'd make up, if I had the bakery skills good enough to invent pies. (I'm not a bad cook....I just need a recipe.)

"Your parents should have thought twice before procreating," Pie

"I'm late for church so I have to sit in the front row," Pie

"I'm going to read while I vaccuum," Pie

"My cat ate an SOS pad," Pie

"The humidity feels like a sweater," Pie

"I wish I could eat everything Paula Deen cooks and still loose weight," Pie

If you can think of any pie names, leave them for me. : )

Thanks and Gig 'em

Random Musings

2008-08-04T21:34:00.004-05:00

Howdy Friends,

It's been a while but life has not been overly eventful the past week or so. Summer will do that for you. (Not that I'm complaining.) Some things worthy of mentioning....

Thanks to my friends and fam who have been keeping mom in your prayers. She is recovering well from surgery. The meds are managing the pain.

A question: Does anyone else ever get words stuck in your head? Like a song that would get stuck in your head, but it's a word? Maybe that's a testament to the fact that I'm a book nerd. I've had the word ubiquitious in my head for three days. Go figure.

Design Star: Yea Jennifer! I can't wait to see her new show. (I have watched copious amounts of HGTV lately, again, attributed to summer.)

Best new summer show: The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Breaking Dawn***SPOILER***

BELLA IS PREGNANT WITH A VAMP BABY!?!? Can we say Darla and Angel? I just hope it's not a repeat of Connor...boy did he get on my nerves.

The Tabernacle book is uber interesting. Especially if you love symbolism. Everything in the temple points to Christ. God left no detail out in his planning of it. So cool.

Flavor-Ice Light...the best summer popscicle ever.

That's about all friends. Hopefully the new school year will bring more philosophical musings, but for now, please be content with my random mind.

Gig 'em and God Bless

Recreational Revelations

2008-07-25T22:35:00.003-05:00

You may have been wondering about my posting recently, or lack there of. I have spent the last week on vacation away from phone, e-mail, and my computer. I did much reading and reflecting. Although I love my friends very much, it was nice to have uninterrupted family time. Some noteworthy things about the week.

* I finished The Pillars of the Earth. Good job Ken Follett. So wonderfully written. It's well worth the time commitment.

* Stardust....I'm sorry Neil Gaiman, I read half of it and can't get into it.

* Buffy the Vampire: Portal through Time Yes, this is glorified fan fiction, but it's just fun and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

* Family reunion t-shirts are awesome.

* Backing your car into a pole isn't fun.

* The pain of a miscarriage is largely overlooked by society. I love you Beth Ann and Matt.

* Brooke Fraiser is amazing. Check her out on I-tunes

* Two Goals for the Near Future:

1) Loose Weight

2) Learn all the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby (I am half way there)

I love to serve others.

In spite of all of our idiosyncrasies, I love my family more than anything. They're awesome.

Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog

2008-07-16T12:37:00.003-05:00

Mr. Whedon has done it again. Only Joss could conceive the idea of a musical blog. It's worth sitting through the first few minutes of monologue to get to the humorous, melodic stylings of Dr. Horrible and his nemesis Captain Hammer. Enjoy!

Dr.Horrible's Singalong Blog

Lessons Learned

2008-07-13T23:59:00.003-05:00

I have recently been pondering the subject of friendship. I have been blessed with many friendships and through the years have been taught several lessons. (Many were learned the hard way.) Here are a few that have been on my heart lately.

1) Sometimes you don't always get the apology you were looking for.

2) Conversations don't actually have to be spoken. The eyes say it all.

3) Making friends is hard, but keeping them is harder.

4) Being friends on facebook doesn't make it so.

5) Your true friends can understand when you speak "yawn," "cry" or "toothbrush."

6) Err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion.

7) The truth hurts but sometimes is necessary.

8) Don't let things build until they blow up. If there's a problem talk about it.

9) It's better to be kind than right.

10) Time doesn't necessarily heal all wounds, but the Lord can mend a broken heart and lead you to forgiveness.

Oh, Henry

2008-07-10T21:19:00.003-05:00

While I like to say that I devour books, I mean this only in the figurative sense. Tonight, my beloved cat, Henry, decided to take this more literally. He tore a page out of my Word Nerd book and started gnawing away. He was quite irritated when I, his mom, took it away proclaiming, "We don't eat books!" So, friends, please remember that the phrase, "devour books," is only a metaphor.

I Want to Believe

2008-07-09T05:56:00.004-05:00

When I was in the 7th grade I had an obsession unlike most kids my age. Rather than collecting posters of my favorite boy band I scoured magazines for info on The X-Files. I was convinced that I too would be a doctor like Scully and work for the FBI. During my trip to DC last year I was giddy as we passed the J. Edgar Hoover Building during the trolley tour. I have fond memories of watching Mulder search for his sister and wondering if the truth really was "out there." That being said, I was thrilled to hear Chris Carter was making another X-Files movie. It's a stand alone story that I will be in line to see on July 25th. Here is a clip from the movie. Enjoy

I Don't Need a Super Power

2008-07-07T21:20:00.004-05:00

I have always been fascinated by super heroes and things out of the norm (Although not until recently have I discovered the joys of comics. Thank you Amy!) In college we had many a conversation as to which would be the best super power. At the time wanted to orb but now I think I'd just like a lasso of truth like Wonder Woman. I thought about how disgusting it would be if someone had the ability to see people fart. (I'm thankful I don't have that power.)

Super powers would make life so much simpler. It would be nice to orb to the grocery store rather than have to get in my car and drive there. And really, spidey senses? How awesome is that? But recently, I realized that I don't need super powers.

This epiphany occurred tonight during Houston Project. This is a church wide service project that includes over 800 volunteers serving in the areas of Houston that have the most need. I've been looking forward to this week all year. To be able to get my hands dirty and serve people. When I got my assignment I have to admit that I was less than thrilled that I was assigned to the prayer team. It's not that I don't think prayer is important, but that I wanted action. To be with the people.

So today, I reluctantly went to the prayer room (which funnily enough takes place in the probation office) I was intimidated at the thought for praying for three hours. I pray a lot throughout the day but I've never sat and prayed for hours on end. I knew it was so important for the whole success of Houston Project. Despite my hesitation, the hours went by rather quickly. It was evident that the Holy Spirit was in that room. It was so neat to be there with five other people, joining together in prayer for a purpose. I left feeling blessed by the prayers that were lifted up to the Lord.

I used to think as prayer as my many requests to God for my benefit. So many times I found myself saying, "Lord this is what I need from you." I've realized that prayer is more than that. In the things that we ask for, blessings, healing etc, it's ultimately about His glory. Many times by the act of praying we are brought closer to our Creator and our perspective is changed rather than the situation itself. This is what I found to be true tonight. My perspective on prayer changed as I spent the time in communion with Him. We prayed fervently for people to come to know Him, for VBS to run smoothly, for lives to be changed and boy was He faithful.

I recognize tonight that I do not need a super power because I have the power of prayer. The amazing ability to go to the Lord directly, without having to go through anyone else. I can talk to Him as if He were my best friend. As I close, whatever "it" is that is troubling you, I encourage you to "pray it up." I'd love to hear how I can be praying for you as well.

Gig 'em and God Bless.

One Nation Under God

2008-07-04T14:44:00.005-05:00

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Let me start by saying Happy Independence Day. Please note, I did not say "Happy 4th of July." To me, naming a holiday by the date takes away the importance of the celebration. On Christmas, no one says, "Happy December 25th." We say, "Merry Christmas." Not calling the holiday what it really is adds to the cavalier attitude that surrounds said holiday. Many people don't even know what we celebrate, they just know that there is a day off work to party. (As an American History teacher I shudder at this thought.) Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness equate freedom. So, today, I would like to talk about meaning of freedom.

When I think of freedom I think of it in two different settings. First, the obvious, freedom to the life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I am so grateful that the founding fathers did indeed sign this great document. They risked more than a war, but their very lives for the cause in which they believed so strongly. Were the Revolution to turn out differently than it did they would be hanged for treason to the Mother Country.

Secondly, I think of freedom in Christ. In Paul's Epistle to the Galatians he tells us that it is for freedom that Christ set us free. This is something that I have been learning recently in a whole new way. From the world's perspective, it doesn't make sense at all. Freedom by following rules? It's so much more than that. I've been learning to let His grace flow over me in order to give up the sins that hold me in bondage. That is true freedom. To no longer be bound by the emotions and things that hold me back.

Generally these two aspects of freedom are not spoken of together thanks to the notion of separation of church and state. Our nation was formed on Christian principles. Ben Franklin wanted our national symbol to be Moses parting the Red Sea. Although most believed in an agnostic god, the Christian ideas remain central.

If then there is true freedom in Christ, at a time when we are arguing over wars in Iraq and the right way to fix the social security problem, it seems that these things might be better solved if church and state were once again reunited. Regardless of whether you fall to the left, right, or down the middle, Christ has a place in government. (Please note, I am not suggesting to get rid of the notion of freedom of religion or that Christianity should be the only religion, but merely that we should revisit the original themes of government.)

So on this Independence Day, I celebrate the freedoms I have as an American and as a follower of Christ. Have a wonderful holiday. Be safe and God bless.

Walter the Farting Dog

2008-07-03T16:30:00.001-05:00

I fell in love with this book the moment I read the title. Walter is an adorable canine plagued by a rather potent flatulence problem. Being a rather gaseous person, I can relate to Walter's plight. There are several books in the Walter series including, Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale and Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach. I plan on incorporating this book into my curriculum, although I'm not entirely sure where. Bottom Line: I heart Walter.

Stargirl

2008-07-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make: I didn't read any of the books my students were assigned for summer reading last year. I'm sure I probably could've been more effective if I had a clue what they'd read, but knowing half of them didn't read it anyway and trying to prepare for the year as a new teacher, it just didn't happen. Recently I read one of the books my 8th graders had to pick from last year, Stargirl.

Stargirl Caraway unabashedly marches to the tune of a different drummer, so much so that the character is somewhat unbelievable. It seems Spenelli goes above and beyond with Stargirl to get his point across. (Which although frustrates me, the adult reader, can be effective with pubescent teens.)

There were several instances that brought me back to my days of watching Full House or Boy Meets world, where I had to turn my head to keep from living the embarrassment with the characters. (Cory and Sean could get themselves into some serious shenanigans.)

Unlike most YA literature, there is no pink boy at the end to wrap things up nicely, which was a refreshing change. Stargirl left me with a sad resonance in my soul and makes the reader think twice about inclusion and individuality. Although not perfect, Stargirl is a must read for any pre-adolescent and probably their parents too.

Twilight Fever

2008-07-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

In the last eight months, I have seen countless girls (and some boys too) get sucked into Stephanie Meyer's world of sparkling vampires and werewolves. Students who I couldn't get to read for the life of me were suddenly consuming 500 page books in a matter of days.

I like to think of myself as an independent woman, and mass trends turn me off. I love fantasy, but who can do vampires better than Joss Whedon? I was skeptical, to say the least. Despite this, I had to find out what was captivating my students and why there is so much darn facebook flair about Edward Cullen.

The beginning of Twilight is full of character background and description as to why Bella, our heroine, moves from sunny Arizona to the sleepy town of Forks, Washington. although the plot moves slowly, the back story is mesmerizing and you immediately fall in love with Isabella Swan.

Enter Edward Cullen. Pale, handsom and brooding. Once we meet Edward, the plot betings to move more rapidly. I enjoyed learning the rules of the vampire world, especially how vampires sparkle in the sunlight. The climax was rather weak and unbelievable, even for fantasy, but on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed Twilight. (So much so I fangoriously devoured New Moon and Eclipse within a week)