Jesus asked his supporters to give up their wealth to feed the needy. He did not threaten them with imprisonment. Following Jesus is voluntary, the State is coercive.
Arguing with Dumb Memes
His First Recital
Another unexpected turn from my musical children.
Isaiah 53: The Unclear Future
1 Peter 1:10-13 RSV — The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation; they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
It’s comforting to know that the prophets couldn’t see the full consequences of their predictions.
I try to hold that humility while I study Scripture.
Ink and Community
We haven’t been to a lot of Allschoolers park day meetups recently. We’re in a different season of life with work, music, jiu-jitsu, and other interests pulling us in different directions.
In all these endeavors, I am constantly reminded of how Allschoolers remains a critical support structure for me family.
My girlfriend and I opened By Her Hand Tattoos last year and we’ve been able to serve several Allschoolers. Just this week, we had one client referred to us by a member and another Allschooler with a very special project.
Two sisters trusted us with a memorial piece. They didn’t know we had a homeschooling connection, but we put it together quickly. I lost my wife almost seven years ago and Kristen’s memorial tattoos have become a part of my healing process.
Thank you to everyone in the group. You have been a positive constant through the last four years.
Caught Up
After tackling some household projects, I’m falling in for the hype around this Tyson/Paul fight.
Jiu-jitsu Days
My sons and I were all promoted last month. The journey continues with this awesome crew.
We Are Ruled By Sexual Deviants
I went to the internet to refresh my memory about the child abuse scandal involving then-Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert.
What I found was a laundry list of disgusting episodes of misconduct by elected officials.
Is there any industry that is beset by this level of immorality?
Those who seek political power believe they deserve to have power over sovereign individuals and act accordingly. They should be challenged and dismissed at every opportunity.
Leadership
Isaac is taking the next step in his jiu-jitsu journey.
He’s been chosen to join a new leadership team at Elevated Studios. The older youth now have a vehicle for becoming mentors to the younger kids.
No Banned Books
There are no banned books. Between libraries, new and used book stores, personal collections, little free libraries, ebay, Amazon, and a million other sources, there is no book on the “banned” list that isn’t readily available anywhere in the U.S.
We even have a full week where these books are celebrated and shared widely.
The only controversy is over “public” schools that have to make curriculum/content choices about what is taught. If these institutions are indeed “public,” than the public should have a voice in those choices. Parents are also stakeholders who can object to certain texts.
Not every book can be read, nothing is “banned” if it is not chosen for a curriculum.
It’s a distraction from the real negligence occuring in schools. I know a local high school English Languange Arts (honors) class that has yet to even begin a novel. How many books will these kids be reading if they’ve gone almost half the school year without one? What might be “banned” is irrelevant if they are reading nothing.
Don’t miscontrue my perspective. There are few boundaries in our educational environment. I have been challenged by librarians on what I allow my sons to read. These are the same librarians who allowed pornographic material to be highlighted in the New Juvenile section at Appoquinimink Public Library (https://delawaredad.com/2023/09/25/nsfw-pornographic-comics-in-the-kids-section/).
I don’t trust librarians, nor public school teachers, nor anyone else, to choose what my children read. I am blessed to have home education as an option. I fully understand the perspective of the parents who want to have a voice in the system.
I’m Glad He Said It
Isaiah is tough. I’ve read 53 of 66 chapters and I’m not sure what’s going on.
I’ve been waiting for a switch to go on, but I can’t see the arc of the book.
Isaiah 53 is a heavy one. It predicts the coming and suffering of Christ in shocking detail 700 years before His birth.
I was relieved to listen to this sermon as Pastor Allen Nolan expresses how hard it is to really understand this book.
I’m going to pause and dig into Isaiah 53. There is a ton of literature and I feel like there is a space for me to receive more understanding.
