I am taking a class on child spirituality and the cultivation of the “religious potential” of children. I use the term “religious potential” becuase that is what part of the title is of the book we are reading. In the introduction they speak of children as already having a relationship with God, we are merely the facilitators of them growing closer in relationship with Him. I can easily accept this, but I’m thinking of how we commonly think, as christians, that children are born in original sin and have to be saved. I think that is why we are so adamant that we shove the Bible (stories) down their throats and stand over them piously as though they cannot teach us anything and if they do not know Noah and his 7(?) sons they will not pass into the “big church”. I am beginning to see the very opposite may be true. The idea of deschooling is very interesting. The thought that we should not be passing information then checking to see if they can regurgitate what we “taught” but to put the child in touch with sources that reveal God to them and establish a relationship and grow that relationship is not something new to me, but excites me to hear it being used and grown in what most people view as the most “religious” of denominations. I think if we grab ahold of this in our community, it could spread and we could have a whole new generation of kids who actually have a relationship with God that is real and not based on bible story and memorization. Hmmm, just a thought.

I’ll take this one…anyone have about $900,000? 

So we will…dream another dream. It’s amazing how when you begin to reflect upon your blessings, your losses become like a vapor. While the scent of loss still lingers, our appetite for God’s blessings has become more unquenchable.-Tim Garrety

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PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING.
IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU’LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS!
IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. KIDS WERE ASKED
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS
ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED
NOR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING
THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH’S WIFE WAS JOAN OF
ARK. NOAH BUILT AN ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE
DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE
WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL
LIKE DELILAH.

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD
WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.

8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS,
MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE
HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO
STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE
FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA
CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS
IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS
BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY
SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET
THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH
IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY

I have always wanted a 4th child. We had said that we would have 4, but I think the reality of how much work and cost of even one child is, sunk in. I was still holding out, but Jared has been pretty much a solid “no” for quite awhile. I just realized that since I started taking tennis lessons and the Improv class, I really haven’t thought once about wanting another kid. I guess it is important to have a job or hobbies that fill the space that was once filled by the kids when they were more high maintenance. Thanks honey. I think you would agree that the title fits. So, why not sign up for another class?!

I do not take constructive criticism well. How in the heck can I get better at something if I already feel like I’m doing fine? And, why do I get bent when someone tries to help me be better? Poop. I hate that in myself sometimes!

So, May 9th is now the new date for Christian’s surgery. They wanted to wait til summer but we said no way! I mean these guys have nothing else to do but surgery but my kid has a childhood to participate in. He’s already been ripped off from a lot of it and we can’t wait to get him back in the game. He wants to swim and play tennis (or maybe that’s me!), and jump on the trampoline. Anyway, that was the soonest we could get. We are excited at the prospect of him really being better. Thanks, God.

When the kids were little-er, I was always so excited to get to the time when they would be able to and want to participate in sports or activities of some kind. That time has come and I don’t think I realized that I would have to be the one getting them there, assisting them in practice and often helping the coach or instructor during the lesson. It is crazy some days. But maybe we’ll have a pro soccer, tennis, actress, piano player in the family. Or maybe not, and that’s ok.

They make everything ok.