1-30-08 - For RM

Caleb started Math 1

Isaiah sleeping.... With Daniel Who decided to put an adult-size ski mask over him... And then to give him a "mental note" (so he hadn't combed his hair that day)

Tolerance....according to the U.N.

U.N. 'Declaration of Principals on Tolerance'

1.3 Tolerance is the responsibility that upholds human rights, pluralism (including cultural pluralism), democracy and the rule of law. It involves the rejection of dogmatism and absolutism and affirms the standards set out in international human rights instruments.

Yeah....like "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No man comes to the Father but by Me"

1.4 Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the abandonment or weakening of one's convictions. It means that one is free to adhere to one's own convictions and accepts that others adhere to theirs. It means accepting the fact that human beings, naturally diverse in their appearance, situation, speech, behaviour and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that one's views are not to be imposed on others.

So...no evangelism, but you have the right to hold whatever views you wish. Just a sec....I thought our religious views were intolerant. Can't we be tolerant to in-tolerant religions?

4.3 Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to
fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities
for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.

If I can/should be able to think for myself.....why are they telling me what to think, and defining this for me?

4.4......This means devoting special attention to improving teacher training,
curricula, the content of textbooks and lessons, and other educational materials
including new educational technologies, with a view to educating caring and
responsible citizens open to other cultures, able to appreciate the value of
freedom, respectful of human dignity and differences, and able to prevent
conflicts or resolve them by non-violent means.

I.e.....you instructing us as to what we need to and don't need to teach our kids! So....dogmatic religions are out. We need to teach our kids what the U.N. authorizes, and we cannot be violent towards other religions. You know....like 'radical Islam'. Funny, they are outspokenly violent towards Israel and the U.S.....but Israel should give it's land to these people.


"You must give up your land. If you give it up, these people who are bombing you (and telling the whole world over and over that they want you anhilated) will stop and be content. Now, it is true that you have already made HUGE concessions to them and they aren't happy, but see, you must be tolerant towards thier longing to see you all dead!"


Interesting thing....my computer is not 'authorized' to view the 'Tolerance Homepage' found at the bottom of the article.

Quote:

"No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any."

— Thomas Jefferson, 1787

Sinulog

".....armed with candles in hand and hearts filled with pure love our beloved Santo Niño, will surely not only please one’s self – but the dear Child Jesus as well." January 12 - 20, all of the Island of Cebu will celebrate "Sinulog". With blind, catholic devotion everyone will celebrate and pray to a small stone/wood figure that is supposedly representing the Christ child, the "Holy Child", or in Spanish "Santo Niño".

"....a Festival Queen has the privilege to bear in her hands the image of the Christ child. She has become the resemblance of Queen Juana receiving the image of Santo Niño. The latter can be traced back to the year 1521 wherein together with Rajah Humabon, Hara Amihan or Queen Juana received the image of the Santo Niño from Magellan as a baptismal gift among the first Filipinos to be Christianized."
The girl who holds the Santo dances her own dance as the 'queen'. With arms outstretched, she takes the idol in a large circle, and up and down, bending her elbows, and circling from her waist. Sometimes, a contingent of the troupe lift her up, as she holds the little child out for the adoration and praise of all...

In hopes of absolving their sins, the people all go to a mass mass (pun intended) ...
..and burn candles, and sing praises to the "Santo Niño". The little girls all hope to grow up to be the most popular girl, the girl who gets to hold the saint, and dance.The lost-ness is overwhelming... the eyes searching for hope in the eyes and ears of the little child in red... who cannot see or hear them. This is where my heart is.....

Every barrio and barangay trains its school children for months, has endless band practice, and prepares the most elaborate costumes it can think of. Depicting the Spanish possession, or a battle with the moors, the dances then turn to a depiction of flora, fish, or fauna that show how the little child has benefited their lives. (the background dancers in the picture are fish)If you care for a more "surround sound" experience, please listen to this Youtube video. It is the song that is the "theme" of all of Sinulog. Everyone walks along singing and chanting.

After looking in vain for a lyrics sheet, I will just write out a few words for you.

"Pit Señor" is the theme, which means "praise the Saint"

At the end of the first 'verse" is the line that always makes me want to cry. "...Praying and worshipping the Santo Niño, offer (up) your life so that god will (still) be happy... Sinulog, shout it out loud, everyone celebrates" (repeat 2 times)

Thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinulog/ for the photos.

The Cebu Sun Star's website also displays some moving pictures.

Try Wikipedia for an overveiw.

(Bethany wrote out what lyrics she could hear)

Sinulog, isyagit ug kusog; (Pit Señor, Pit Señor) tanan magsaulog

Sinulog, isyagit ug kusog; (Pit Señor, Pit Señor) tanan magsaulog

Sisisinulog, sisisinulog

Sa balanghay maoy atong dungog

Pagsayaw nga giparis patihog sa sulog

Panadje ug manampit alang sa santo Niño

Ihalad ang kinabuhi aron malipay pa ang Ginoo

.... mga langyaw sa tibouk kalibutan

apil ang mga langyaw sa atong pagsaulog

malingaw sa pagsaulog sa mga pasundayag

magkiay ta sa pagtambong kay naabut nang panahon

Someone needs to make new words:

Sinulog, syagit ug kusog, JESUS LAMANG, JESUS LAMANG, tanan mag...something... Hmmm..

Cartoon Break

Legs that mock.....have knees that bow

Farm Show 2

I am sorry for not being more complete. I had a specific amount of time in which to post which ran away rather quickly.

Here is the video OS (Oldest Sis) took of the second competition dance. She got most of it...except for about 3 seconds in the beginning.

She was unaware of the necessity of keeping the camera vertical, and felt sure of a better shot holding it lengthwise. So, I am putting a disclaimer. I will not be held responsible for any neck strains, aches, pains, nor will I compensate any monetary amount in fixing said injuries. Enjoy at own discretion.

Note: the camera focuses in on my younger brother's square for a couple seconds. They are the ones in red and black.

Note 2: yes, there is a mess up. Apparently the judges missed it. (providence, perhaps)

Oh....and this was the outcome of the night:

BLUE RIBBONS!!!!!!

Farm Show!!!!

Yesterday was the 92nd Annual Farm Show Square Dance.

We had practiced the day before and in a sweltering room above the pine tree exhibits...and I must say that we did marvelously!! (Pictures, etc. by oldest sister) We are promenading to our square.

This is a short clip of our first warm-up dance

This is my square waiting for the Division C dance.

Happy Farm Show Week Everyone!!!

Psalm 90 meditations

This is not just because of the "New Year", but more what I have been mulling over for a while now...

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Update:

I have been banned from computer for some time, therefore I have not updated, or responded to any recent comments.

My plays went ok. My performance was sometimes comical, and other times just sad. The first night I was much to quiet, and my aim was very bad!! (I throw candy to the audience in a part of my play)

Yes, Rache, they thought the accent most unique, and since I was the only person really doing it I stood out. One person who knew me in a different context was really, really shocked and impressed by how 'well I did it' which was probbably very bad according to any knowledgeable judge.

For those of you who were not initiated, I played the part of an old Russian grandmother, and when I decided of my own volition to add an accent, I called up a lovely friend who was from around there and who would naturally know all about what to do and how to roll the tongue properly. (though...I did forget the "ing-a" a couple times!!!)

Thursday, I said a line to early, and therefore messed up the dialogue and said the opposite of what was intended, but the church had SUCH amazing resonance that even the people who could not be heard were able to be understood.

Saturday, Bethy returned from her missions trip, and we finally had a camera, so all my pictures are from this one play. I missed coming in because we were all talking behind the curtain...but I guess it didn't show. I hit people with candy, and burst out laughing, which made me loose my train of thought. I then messed up a very serious dialogue, and had to run through it again...and apologised to the audience. Then, after forgetting my last sentence, I waited for my 'son' to say his line. He was awaiting my last sentence, so he said nothing. I assumed that he had forgotten his line, so I went on on the next sentence I could remember......which happened to be a whole page away. Thus, a whole chunk of the story went missing, and most of the little details were left hanging. We finished off in good style, and I only wanted to get away and have a good cry.

Because of the rectangular set-up, the cast had to sit behind a room-divider the entire play with the lights off so as not to distract....so I got to sit in a corner and no one knew what I was doing. I managed to fake a smile for the rest of the play, remembered the rest of my 5 lines, and bore out through Cast & Crew pictures, family hugs, congratulations from everyone on what a great performance it was, and the last piling of things into their respective owners cars.

I do not know if I was meant to be included or not, but as I was standing by the director's daughter, she could not help but invite me to an unofficial cast party at Friendly's, as she was inviting a couple other people. My dear oldest brother stayed behind to drive me home in his car, and volunteered to take me. I decided to go...thought not with much gusto, as I had a bad headache He scolded me for crying, and told me he had enjoyed the performance, and not noticed any problems but my 'sorry'. (which was unutterably sweet of him)

Because we got to the restaurant first, the manager kept on addressing me, who had no idea what was going on, and who was in no way able to organize for an American group of an unknown number at a very strange restaurant. My dear brother paid for some ice cream, and made the night much more enjoyable that it would have been by opening up conversation with some people, and getting things going. I left glad that I had gone, and in a much better frame of mind than I was before.

The next few weeks were filled with a whole lot of 'preparation-for-guests' cooking, and 'making-up-for-the-people-who-are-gone' work, and 'why-is-the-house-such-a-wreak' cleaning, and a bunch of other things which might possibly bore you.....

So I shall end with what we did last night......

Cut deer!

(Note: the WMD you see pictured here is a sundang (soon-daung)....and is very, very, very common in the RP)

Should We Own Our Ancestors?

Ape Rights

Quote:

"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives … and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted."

-- Nate Saint

It is Snowing....

HOW can one be happy?!

A Mission Statement:

A life's passion...

Invitation:

Dear blog readers:

For those of you who are at all interested, or care, I am in a homeschool drama club, and practicing a play. I am issuing a public invitation for some who can come, and a 'let you know' for those who can't.

The shows will be Dec. 4, 6 and 8 at 7pm.

The show on the 4th we will be at Grace United Methodist in Carlisle.
On the 6th we willbe at Hope Grace Brethern Church, in Dillsburg.
On the 8th we will be at the Camp Hill Church of God in Camp Hill.

Be forwarned, two have 'X-mas themes' and may not be in harmony with your weak stomachs. The play I am in has little to do with ch- sorry X-mas, but with 'giving out gifts'. The theme of the other plays also color mine however.

I shall not give seasons greetings, but I DO give an invitation to all interested and semi-interested parties. Come, or not. But you HAVE been invited!

The Death Penalty and Genesis

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man’s blood,

By man his blood shall be shed;

For in the image of God

He made man."

I was reading Genesis in Time and Space, by F. Schaeffer, and he made a very interesting point in ch. 2. He said that the image of God changes the way we look at the death penalty. The reason we have a Biblical command to kill murderers, is not primarily because they killed another human being. It is because they have silenced the image of God. The image of God in every man is the reason that man has personality. It is the reason that man craves love and communication, and they are the evidence of a personal creator.

When we minimise the necessity of the death penalty, we are actually straying from the Biblical method. Murder is punishable by death. Murder is a defacing of the image of God.

I thought it very profound.

Worth it?

What is a concert worth?

Another amazing Square Dance

Luke 11:32

When I was about 13, I made a list of the 'earthly treasures' that I prized the most. I have since lost that list, and forgotten most of the dozen things on it. However, near the top of the list was my 'one great beauty' (to quote Amy March) my hair, which the Flipinos compared to cornsilk.

This past week, I have wanted to add one more thing to the top of that list...a little thing of earth that matters to me a lot more now. My eyes.

A couple people have asked me what made me 'get into' photogrophy. I don't know. I began to enjoy 'seeing' things through a camera. I made good shots, and attended a class. But now, as I begin to treasure my eyes, the camera has becaome dearer.

This month has been a roller-coaster eye-wise for me. I have gone in for check-ups three times now, and tried out contacts. My glasses are a really old perscription, and since I got them early summer 2006, my eyes have gone down two more steps. What a person with 'normal' eyes can see at 100 yards, I can see at 20. The doctor apparently told my mother that he didn't know how I made it around without my glasses.

Suddenly, sight means so much. Being an (oftentimes over) imaginative child, I have often imagined myself as a great saint, bed-ridden and weelchair-bound. Or a frail, pale creature, slipping slowly away. What? Blind? NO!

I always loved verses in proverbs about the eyes. But the one that echoes through my head a lot lately is this:

The lamp of the body is the eye....

Day in Philly:

This week, I had the opportunity to go back to NJ to see old friends and aquaintances.

Thursday I was in Philly for a fun-filled time with newly-met friends.

I got to go to a concert,

And was even 'allowed' to tour the Liberty Bell building!!!

It was very sad to be a citizen of this country, to live here in peace and (supposedly) in freedom, but to have to undergo humiliating and invasive 'security' checks before seeing my own national monuments.

I feel violated because people are authorised to paw through my bags and search me for 'dangerous devices' because I am not allowed to protest. This is why the second ammendment was enacted....does anyone CARE anymore?

Proposal!!!!

Saturday night I recieved a proposal of marraige. This dashing young man not only bent on one knee to ask for my hand, but he gave me a bright red rose, and quoted Romeo and Juliet lines about me.

I was so charmed, that a refusal would not come out....I accepted, and we marched to the front of a church, in front of an adoring audience, and (quote) "...on that day she became Mrs. J___ N_____"

My wedding boquet was a lovely white. I wished to invite a couple of you dear readers, but we needed to hurry. Of course, I had to explain to my family, and...of course...my father....but I have high hopes that this sudden, suprise engagement and wedding will turn out for good.

Yours-
Mrs. N_____