The World is Just Awesome

...which could only mean a MORE awesome Creator!

[HT: Dan Bereens]

Dockers Store Man-Ifesto

Just found the Docker's Store Man-Ifesto through Randy Alcorn's blog.

Check it out: Dockers Store Online - Live Khaki

What You Are

"What you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you are saying."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I saw this quote the other day, and there were so many different images that popped into my mind. Faces of different people I know, politicians that I read about or hear about on the radio, etc. But then I began to wonder about myself. Does my life speak in such a way that it mirrors my words and my speeches? When I preach? When I lecture a student? When I talk with my kids? Is there a strong enough correlation between life and speech that the message is amplified or muted?

Mini Mass Destruction!

I just wanted to say that I would like to have this book.

I am not necessarily asking for this for Christmas or anything... I'm just saying... Interesting Book!

I saw it at the book store the other day, and flipped through the pages. I am just glad that there wasn't a book like this when I was in school. I would have been in so much trouble!

Maybe I shouldn't advertise this. The first time I get hit by a spitball fired from a trebuchet...

Proclamation by the President

My sister just sent this to me. I thought it was great, so I wanted to pass it along.

1789 General Thanksgiving Proclamation by George Washington

Contract for a Curve

I don't know about other teachers, but I don't like to curve my test grades.

I especially don't like to curve the grades when there are still a handful of students who did well. Even more so I don't like to curve test grades when every question on the test came from the homework... and I told them that they were coming from the homework!

If I just automatically curve a set of poor test grades, that is teaching them that you can't really ever fail, and if you do, it won't be that bad. I know that we live in an age of bailouts and other economic assistance when you fail, but that still doesn't mean that it will always happen.

And even if it does... Is that really what you want? Do you want to be bailed out when the reason for your failure is you?

I know that the answer to that question is, more and more, becoming a resounding, "yes!" Our classrooms are filled with people who would genuinely take a passing grade even though they know they don't deserve it. Even though the standard to pass has been lowered to a 60%! That's right, you only need to demonstrate a knowledge of 60% of what you have learned to pass.

Well, I could rant on this for a while, but school is getting ready to start so I must end this post. I did want to show you the Contract for a Curve that I made up last night. I just figured, if they want me to curve their grade, then they are going to need to do something for it.

Here it is: Contract for a Curve

The Pharisees' Guide

Just started a new book called The Pharisees' Guide to Total Holiness by William L. Coleman.  I found the book on a book shelf in the closet at church.  I was clearing the shelf off to take into my office for all of my books.  This is one book that came with me into the office.

I have never heard of this author, so I hesitate recommending this book, but so far it has been pretty good.  I just finished chapter 5 and I am plowing ahead into chapter 6.

It is keeping my attention (which means something for a guy with such extreme ADD).  It isn't a perfect book: there have been a couple of things that I don't quite agree with how they were phrased, but overall I think this guy is onto something.  It might be a tad bit outdated, but it really does offer a good synopsis of who these Pharisees were and what they were all about.