The True Story of the Whole World

I finished my first theology book by Packer around Thanksgiving. Now i have started another book for this subject. It is called "The True Story of the Whole World" by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen. Dad read the prologue with me and then yesterday i read the first chapter. The chapters are not too long. The book is trying to help us see the Bible as a whole. The authors tell us that there are many stories in the world. Some of them are true, and some of them are not. In the first chapter, the authors focus on several things. Who is God? Bartholomew tells us that the name for God used in the first chapters of the Bible tells us a lot about who he is. The English Translation says simply 'God'.  But God tells Moses that his name is the Lord. He identifies himself as redeemer of the people of Israel. Only later does he reveal himself to be both, the redeemer and the creator. The 'Lord God' tells us that both these roles are played by the same being.

In History i have been reading about  Joan of Arc. She was almost like a redeemer for the Prince of France. He wanted to keep France under French rule, but others wanted the child king of England to become king. Joan rode into battle and defeated many of the enemy. Finally, however, she was caught. Up until that point, she must have seemed like a redeemer to most of the people of France.

Where in the World is Marco Polo?

In China, of course. Well, at least he used to be there. Long ago before Christopher Columbus was even born, China was almost legendary to the people of what we now call Europe. It was so far away from where they lived, that it took almost five years to get there and back. But China had wonderful goods to trade such as gold, cloves and ginger, rare plants, beautiful rugs and silk cloth that only the Chinese knew how to make.  There once was a  man named Niccolo who traveled to China. While he was gone, his wife had a baby. The baby's name was Marco Polo.  Marco's father did not return until his son was fifteen. Niccolo had been made a messenger for the king. Now he wanted Marco to come back with him to China. Soon they set out. It took them around four years to reach China. When they finally arrived there, Marco wrote a book about his travels and for many years that was the only way for most people in Europe to find out what China was like. It would be kind of like Neil Armstrong writing a book about the moon and we would have to take his word on it.

Robin of the Hood

The famous classic "Robin Hood" has just been read  by me. I really loved the book that i picked to read as a story that took place in the Middle Ages. One thing that puzzled me was that one of the most famous "Robin of the Hood" stories was not to be found anywhere in the book. You probably have heard the story of how the evil sheriff sets up an archery contest to catch Robin Hood. (Robin goes to the fair under a disguise and wins the golden arrow set for a prize. After the contest is over Robin goes off and shoots the arrow through the Sheriff's dining room window with a note attached to it. It tells the sheriff that he gave the prize away to Robin Hood. The sheriff is outraged, etc. etc.) Well, the book doesn't include that story! Either it was not the original copy or the story was just made up by someone else and was immensely popular. The book, however, was a great read and i hope that someday whoever i reading this will read it,  too.



Ch. 8: Where is there hope?

This is the shortest and final chapter in the book For the Beauty of the Earth by Steven Bouma-Prediger. It is about hope and where we should put our hope. There are several places he lists that the world tends to put its hope in. Tales of ecological development and improvement are one example. New technology and growing awareness of the world are some others.  But although these may offer hope to some people, are these, to use Prediger’s term, “human seeds of hope,” enough?  He then uses the passage Isaiah 54 verses 1-10 to show us that there is only one real hope. That God is our redeemer and he is on our side. He will take care of us and so we need not to worry. None of the other reasons for hope should be dismissed, for they are real. But our God is a god that can do anything and everything good. So we should put our full hope in him.

Hope is not the same thing as optimism. Optimism is worldly.  Hope comes from another world and is as Prediger puts it, rooted in faith in God.   The last lines of Prediger’s book says,

“For the beauty of the Earth. May we each be so moved by love and gratitude that we bear witness to the good news of the gospel. In doing so, we will with our lives proclaim the hope that lies within us- the hope of God’s good future of shalom.”

Why worry about Galapagos Penguins and the Jack Pine? Continued

Why worry about Galapagos Penguins and the Jack Pine?

Arguments for Earth care

I am continuing the blog post that I started on Monday. Here are the next five of Prediger’s arguments.

Value Generates Duty

We should care for the Earth because certain animals, plants, and ecosystems are valuable for their own sake. There are two sets of distinctions that we should make when looking at the value of creation. The first is between instrumental value and intrinsic value. Instrumental value is when you give an object value only as much as humans get out of it. Intrinsic value is value of the object because of the benefits it gives God’s creation. Prediger uses this example: “So the worth of a maple tree as X board feet of lumber or as a location for a tree house is an example of instrumental value, while the worth of that maple tree as a habitat for cardinals or as a creature that praises God is an example of intrinsic value.” The second distinction is between subjective and objective. Subjective is when something is valuable only when people see it as valuable. Objective is when something is valuable whether or not it is valued by humans. We should see creation with an objective and intrinsic view. We have the duty to creation to help them praise and glorify God. Some argue that carrying out our duty to creation will interfere with our duty to help our neighbors. Here they have a point. Others persist that non-humans can not care so why should we care for them. Here they are wrong. God is not human and yet God cares for us and for all of creation.

　

We’re all in This Together

. Perhaps this is more of a self-interest argument. This argument says that we should work for the common good. Everything is interconnected and interdependent. When we do something that benefit’s the world, it eventually will come back to you

God Says So

This perhaps is the most straight-forward argument. We should care for the Earth because God has clearly commanded, (in the Bible,) us to. To quote Prediger himself, “It is difficult to find fault with this argument,” but he still lists some criticisms. One argues how do we know which bible passages to live by, if some of the parts of the laws of Leviticus are to be ignored, why not the ones in Genesis? Here is the answer. None of the Bible is untrue. The parts that are sited in Leviticus here, such as the kind of clothing to wear or the length of hair, were for culturally specific, and so we do not need to live by them anymore. Other parts of the Bible, however, can not be ignored

　

God’s Concerns are Our Concerns

God loves and cares for the Earth so we should to. That is a compelling reason for many Christians. But some object that God’s made us more important than the other animals, so shouldn’t we see ourselves that way to? The author answers that human beings were made in the image of God, and that we are important, but that this does not cover up our role as Earth-carers. The critic rejoins, “ Isn’t God’s primary concern that more human beings realize his love for them? Shouldn’t we put that first in our lives? The author says that this is wrong because it acts as if the Message is unconnected to the Earth.

For the Beauty of the Earth

The tenth and last argument says simply that we should care for the Earth in response to God’s blessing. When someone gives you a gift, you say thank you, but you also show how grateful you are for the gift by how well you take care of it. God has given us the Earth, and so we should take care of it.

I think some of these arguments are more persuasive than others, but there was some truth in each one, especially the last.

End of Note

Why worry about Galapagos Penguins and the Jack Pine?

Why exactly should we care for the Earth? There are many arguments as to why we should, and in the 7^th chapter of his book, Steven Bouma Prediger lists ten. I have chosen to break this chapter into 2 parts because it is a long chapter, and also because it has a lot of information in it. I will write about the second part of the chapter on Wednesday. After that I will have one more chapter, and I will probably be done with the book by the end of next week. And so, behold, the first part of the chapter, and five of the ten arguments he lists therein.
“If you breathe, thank a tree,” what a catchy phrase! That is actually his name for the first argument. It argues that it is in our self interest to take care of the Earth. We should not cut down trees because we depend on them for air. We should not let companies drain out their waste into lakes, because that is our source of water. Some people find this statement compelling, and it is. It looks at Earth-care as to our benefit. But Prediger says that “we must move beyond mere prudence.” Most people are looking for more than that in an argument.
“On loan from our children,” the second argument, states that our descendants need to inhabit this planet, so we have duties to protect it and to take care of it. Prediger thinks that this is persuasive for many people, and would compel them to watch out for the Earth.
The third statement is actually a song. “Tis a gift to be simple”. This argument argues that simply caring for the Earth is a more joyful way to live than not. But some object that most people do not live like this and doing so will separate people from culture. Still, Prediger states this is an argument to consider.
“The Poor and Oppressed Unite” is an argument that says simply that we should care for the Earth because all oppression is linked. The depression of the Earth will result in our depression. We need to care for the Earth and for other forms of oppression. But some rightly, (at least in my opinion,) object, it takes so much time to focus on everything, wouldn’t it just be better to focus on one thing?

I think these are all good arguments and worthy of consideration.
　

Virtues and Vices and My Thoughts on Wisdom

The next chapter in my science book is called “What Kind of People Ought we to Be?” In it the author lists many virtues that can be found in those who try to prevent the ecological crisis. For instance, respect, self-restraint, honesty, hope, patience, etc, etc. For each of the virtues, he attempts to explain and to name the vices of each. For respect, conceit. For honesty, deception. For hope, despair. He states that virtues have vices, usually two that fit into different categories. Frugality is another virtue, and with it, its vices, greediness and stinginess. Frugality is advisable, and indeed necessary in some conditions, when faced with a limited supply of nutrients. Greediness is a deficiency of that virtue, it is the total opposite, it lacks frugality. Stinginess is an excess of that virtue, it is to much. Other virtues, such as wisdom, do not have two categories of vices. There is a deficiency, (lacking wisdom, having foolishness,) but there is no access. You can not have too much of wisdom. That is what Prediger states, at least.
         But I have a question. Can one have too much wisdom in the sense that one is always flaunting it at others? Or would that be considered foolish and a deficiency? In J. I. Packer’s book, Concise Theology, he says that “Wisdom in scripture means choosing the best and noblest end at which to aim, along with the most appropriate and effective means to it.” God clearly has a lot of wisdom, and there is also wisdom in the scriptures. Is the wisdom that Packer speaks of a different kind of wisdom than Prediger’s? Is the word END the best word to use in the definition of wisdom, for it seems to me that Prediger is speaking of a kind of wisdom that is to enhance, “the beauty of the Earth”, in a way signaling that what we do now is going to effect the Earth in the long run. He is not speaking of an end to the Earth. Those are my thoughts of the day.

End of Note

How should We think of the Earth?

This next chapter in my science book, (For the Beauty of the Earth, by Steven Bouma-Prediger) is the 5^th out of eight. It is called How should We Think of The Earth? It begins by saying that "how we should think of the Earth" really means how  should we think of the Earth and God in relation to the Earth. How we should think of animals and nature in relation to the Earth. In this chapter he wants to prove that there are many ways to think about this. Here are some of the things we need to think about when we think about those things:

Image bearers,

Sin and Salvation,

The doctrine of the Trinity,

the Presence and power of the Spirit,

All these are ways to look at the world, and some of the concepts of looking at it And those are just some. Prediger explains the concepts of them. For instance, when stating the philosophy of Image Bearers, he says that we are made in God’s image. We have responsibility to care for the creation. We are all connected, not just with ourselves, but with all creation.
When he explains the doctrine of the Trinity, he explains that the Trinity is 3 persons, all with the same divine being, (they are God,) but are a different person and nature in relation to each other. (The Father
would not be the Father without the Son and the Holy spirit. etc. etc.)
In the second part of the chapter, he addresses the ways that we look at how to care for the Earth. He gives reasons why and why not these are true. For instance, one of the ethics he lists is Wise use. That is the concept of using resources wisely and sparingly because of a lack of never ending supply. (ex.) water) Prediger thinks this is inadequate, however, because it sees in creation only as much value as it is to be useful to humans. We must look at God’s creation with respect and love it and take care of it, simply because it is the work of God. I think I agree with Prediger and I think he makes a good point.
I can connect all this with Theology, because this is all about theology! I wonder how people back in the middle ages, (where I am reading in history,) though of Global warming. Did they try to conserve too? Maybe they did try to conserve food, because many of the people were poor. I will have to look that up.

‘Global Warming in the Middle Ages”

(ha, ha, ha,)

Don't Judge a book by its Readers

 

Prediger’s 4th chapter is named What is the Connection between Scripture and Ecology.  In this Chapter he states many things, but perhaps his main purpose is to defend the Word of the Lord from other people who criticize it.   Many people are beginning to complain that the Bible is not only not trying to help ecological problems of the Earth, it is causing them. Some people agree that the Bible does not put enough emphasis on the job of caring for creation. They believe, in fact, that even though God created the world, the bible shows God to have made men above all else, and take the command of God to “subdue the Earth” (Genesis 1:28b) as a command to make the Earth, and all that is on it, our slave and to believe that the Earth was created only for us. That is not what the Bible says, and it should not be interpreted this way. But we must wonder, if those against the Word have good reason to claim what they believe is true, how are we coming across that way? What is making them think that about us and what we believe? Is there something that we could be doing better at, or a way that we could care for God's wonderful creation? Are they judging the Bible by the ones who are reading it?  In this chapter, he lists many scripture passages that are answers to important questions we need to answer before we can help the Earth, and one that is misinterpreted and needs to be read a second time. These passages are as follows;

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Genesis 6-9

Job 38:1-42:6

Colossians 1:16-20

Revelation 21:-22:5

Out of these five passages he makes many conclusions and statements. Here are a few.

We are in a responsive and God-wrought world.

We share the Earth with many other creatures that are wonderful.

The covenant God made with Noah was included all creatures, non-human and human.

God is at the center of things.

After the Day of Judgment, God will make a new Earth and dwell on it with us, for creation is his home.

The first statements’ question was Where are We? He supported this first statement, (which came from Genesis,) by saying that when God created the Heavens and the Earth, he spoke and it came to be. But he also spoke and the Earth sprouted up plants and vegetation, The EARTH sprouted up plants and vegetation! So when he spoke the Earth responded. But when HE spoke the world responded. So God has made the world, (“god-wrought”) but the Earth responds to him, (“responsive”.)

He supported the other statements likewise, only with different supporting details. I liked this chapter pretty well. I think he has proved his point. To me at least.

The Golden Age of India

Today I read about the golden age of India. But at this point in time, Rome is in the Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages. This time period is called these names for different reasons. The Golden Age of India is called that because, during this time in India, mostly good rulers ruled over a big, happy  empire.  There were many poets and writers and artists. They wrote in the Indian language, Sanskrit. Iron and copper were molded and formed into sculptures. Mathematics and astronomy, the study of the stars, flourished.
  The Dark Ages of Rome were dark because there were not many educated people in that country, hardly anybody could read and write, and so we have do not have many records of what happened in Rome and what happened in the land that used to be Rome before the Barbarian Celts took over.

We can connect this information to our life. Here are some of the ways.

• connect to us:  we have good times and bad times, times when we don't want to communicate to others, (although this was not Rome's problem,) and times when we flourish and feel good about ourselves
• connect to our country: our country doesn't always do well. Sometimes we have a lot of money and we spend it well, fortifying and supporting our country, and other times we owe a lot of money and our economy falters, our public services break down and we get discouraged, (although Rome may not have been feeling discouraged)

• connect to a book we have read: this will vary according to person, but i have chosen a book that i am  reading. Its name is The Pilgrim's Progress.  In it, the main character has some times when he is discouraged and things are going badly, but he also has some good times.  

And those are my thoughts for today!
END OF NOTE

 

What is wrong with the Earth?

What is wrong with the Earth? Lots.    In For the Beauty of the Earth, By Steven Bouma- Prediger,   the 2^nd chapter is about the problems of the Earth.  Most of the problems are caused by us, the humans.  Deforestation,   air quality, lack of water, waste,   and on and on.  The list seems endless. The   author is trying to prove, in this chapter, not only that global warming is real, but that it is not going to stop unless we stop it, because we are causing many of the problems. He supports this statement by naming many problems that are happening,   why they are happening, and where they are happening.  One example he gives is acid rain.  He says that this hazardous precipitation is caused mainly because of fossil fuels that come from cars or fumes from coal burning power plants.  He also said that acid rain does not obey the boundaries I think that I agree with his statement. Humans are a species that have done and are doing a lot of damage to the Earth. But I also think that we can still help it yet. We are not a lost cause.

In a way, this is the approach of Christians to sin.  We choose to sin. God gave us that freedom.  (Although he wants us to choose not to sin, and to try to be like Jesus.)   We have sinned.  And since we are sinners we cannot save ourselves, for we are not worthy to be saved. That is why Jesus came down to Earth for us. Packer states, in his book Concise Theology   that Jesus was sinless, and that is why he can save us. He was God. Had he sinned, he would have been just like the rest of us, unworthy to receive God’s grace.  But, although Jesus did not sin, he still faced the trials and hardships we face, like hunger, pain, sadness, and temptation. If he had not faced those, he would not be truly human, and so would not have been able to save us then, either.  We, like with global warming, can do something.  If we trust in Jesus and choose to follow him, we can be saved. We are not a lost cause. 

But unlike us, Rome was.  Right now I am reading about the fall of Rome in history. Rome was a huge empire in the days of Augustus Caesar and other   emperors. But gradually, Rome fell apart. She was too big for her own good.  It must have been   reliefs to at least some of the people,   for there were good emperors, but more often the rulers were bad.  They didn’t always agree with the senate, and most of the time that Rome was a great country, she was fighting!  Some imperators thought only of making their country the biggest and the richest in the world, instead of thinking of what would be best for the people and what would enhance peace.  They never did learn.

End of note

Where are we?

　

I have started to read a book for science class because I finished the book, You are Here. I liked that book very much, but now I have started to read another book on the care of the Earth and Ecology. This book seems to be mainly about Ecology. The book is called For the Beauty of the Earth. It is by Steven Bouma-Prediger, and he is writing from a Christian perspective. This blog is about the first chapter.
　

Ch. 1: Where are We?

An ecological perception of place

　

Prediger starts off this chapter with having us imagine what we remember most from our childhood, about nature. I, of course, would not say that I OUT of childhood yet, but it did get me thinking about where I am now. In this chapter, the author wants to point out several points.
That everything is connected
That we can learn from our planet
That we NEED to learn about our planetLet us begin with the first point. Everything is connected. He supports this statement by listing three places that he knows, and has come to love. He states the forms of wildlife in those places, and how they all depend on each other.
For example, leaf-cutter ants and fungi depend on each other. These ants are gardeners. They basically grow fungi in their nests.
The fungi is their only food, and the ants are the only known cultivators of fungi. So these two species are interdependent on each other.
I think I agree with this first point. After all, are not all the states in the USA all interdependent, and all are looking to each other for the food and services that they provide.
The second point is that we can learn from our planet. Prediger supports this point by using those three places to show us what he learned from them. For instance, in the rain forest, you can find tarantulas. These animals are not easily angered and are really not as dangerous as most people think them to be. That is something we can learn from the rain forest. I think that that is a correct assumption. Scientists often use the work of animals or their skeletons to learn how to make something. The airplane is only one example.
The third point that this author wants us to realize is that we need to learn from the environment, or we will not survive. You adapt or you die. And that is what many animals do, adapt. The author says that we need to learn from our mistakes about the world, learn how to use its resources properly, and how to care for it. He says that if we learn about the world, we will begin to see all the good things about it, and we will begin to care for those things. If we care about the polar bears, then we will turn off our lights when we leave the house, we will use a washing line as much as we can instead of a dryer so that energy will not be wasted instead of being used for something that would benefit the environment, and if we care about plants, butterflies, and panda bears, we will recycle our paper so that it is not wasted.
I really liked the 1^st chapter and I am excited about reading the next one.

　

End of Note

Connecting Between Different Beliefs While Sticking To Your Own

Connecting between Different Beliefs While sticking to your Own

　

The Pilgrim’s Progress, a book by John Bunyan that I am currently reading, talks about a man who reads from a book, (I think we are to inference it as the Bible), which pronounces his judgment. He is panic stricken! He gains a heavy burden of all his sins now that he is aware of them. Then, he meets a man named Evangelist. Evangelist tells shows him a direction to go in and to find a gate where he will be admitted and told more directions as how to get rid of his burden. Christian, for that is his name, immediately goes home, where he tries to persuade his family to believe him and to come with him, but they will not. So he sets off by himself. He meets men name Pliable and Obstinate, (isn’t it funny how all the names are so obvious,) who try to persuade him to go home again, but they do not succeed. He keeps going, and Pliable travels with him for a little while.
Well, my job is not to tell you the story, (for I think you should read the book,) but to give an example of how, whatever religion you believe in, someone will always try to stop you. In WW2 Jews were prosecuted, in Europe, though the Middle Ages, and the Medieval times, Catholics and Protestants alike were discouraged, many kings did not like the idea of Islam. In the USA, we give freedom of religion, which means that we can worship or believe in whatever we like. It does not mean, however, that people will not try to get us to come over to their religion, or to stop our belief in other’s. I believe that is one reason why God gave us a conscience.  As J.I. Packer says in his book, Concise Theology,
       "It, (Conscience,) feels like a person detached from us, often speaking what we would like it to be silent, and saying things that we would rather not hear."

A conscience is like a little voice in our head. It tries to tell what is right and what is wrong. (We don’t usually listen.) I think this because, a lot of religions are false. There are also some preachers in the religion that are false. They make up things or go along with other people’s beliefs, so long as it is benefiting them. They like to accuse others of sins, and make following the law so hard, but so useless, so that they can look better than everybody else. In short, this is the definition of Pharisee in the Bible - the true law. They are also trying to lead you down the wrong road. This method is often called “Persuasive.” You probably have learned that term in Language Arts. But usually it is connected to writing. Well, the Pharisees did use writing, but they could also speak pretty persuasively.

I am not saying that you should have NOTHING to do with other beliefs than your own. No. It is good to show that you care about what other people believe, and respect their religion, whatever it is. That is showing respect for the person. But you should stick with whatever you really believe, and follow that belief.

End of Note



Ch. 2: Mumbai, India

Mumbai is famous for its spreading sickness, pollution, inadequate landfills, and dangerous wastes. Millions of people live there, but most of them live in slums. Mumbai floods when it rains a lot, and at high tide. Garbage often clogs storm drains, and so the water builds up. There are about 100000 people living on every square mile. The city, which is made up of  7 islands,  is in between 33-49 feet above sea level. Not much help at all if it floods.  There are also landslides and monsoons.  Mumbai once was a fishing village, but it now is  refuge for tons of hazardous electronic waste that we send there. The reason is that it is much less expensive for us to get rid of waste in India then in the USA. But the waste there isn't treated properly. It isn't disposed of with the correct consideration for the environment. Most of it is dumped right into a heap. That isn't an immediate problem, if you don't count the smell and toxic fumes, and that it takes up space and is not being recycled, no. It begins to be a real problem when it disintegrates. Then, all the mercury and lead and other dangerous materials start to come out. The air becomes more toxic then it is now, and people get sick.  This is a problem for us to. The chemicals come out into the air and we breathe in that air. It's not just India that is going to get sick. What about the flooding? Many of the U.S.'s big cities are built close to sea level too. In fact, Mumbai's lowest elevation point is where New York stands towards the Atlantic Ocean.
    But what will help Mumbai? The slums. There are no recycling programs in Mumbai, (that i know of at least,) except for these. The slum dwellers  buy stuff from junk dealers, so to speak, and companies. They clean the products up and sell them again. They reduce, reuse, recycle, and relocate the stuff. Who would of thought that?

Thought's about YOU ARE HERE by Thomas M. Kostigen

The Greatest Problem No one Has Heard About

The Greatest Problem No one has heard about

This is about a chapter from the book You are Here

　
The human body relies greatly on water. We can survive less then two days without water. And now, water is, in many countries, growing scarce. Thomas Kostigen brings it home by saying, “ A child dies from lack of clean water every 12 seconds.” We will need more fresh water if we are going to survive, and you can’t just make fresh water. “This leaves just one other option,” Kostigen continues, “we have to mind what we have. Each of us over the course of a year uses about 20000 gallons of water. We waste 10% of it by letting the taps run, the drips amount, and the leaks continue.” Isn’t that just terrible! We are lying in bed listening to the sink drip while children over in Africa are dying because they don’t have the water that we are letting run down the drain!! In the future, if we don’t do something about this problem, wars will be raged and maybe more people will die in the fight for water than those that die because they do not have it. We in the U.S.A. are so used to having water sitting there in our faucet that we do not think about what might happen if it is not there!!! But there are steps to be taken, and things to be thought about. You can do something!!!!

Here are some examples that Kostigen suggests:

Turn off the water when you brush your teeth

Run full loads in the dishwasher instead of hand washing the dishes and don’t rinse your dishes before you put them in

Take showers instead of baths

If you live in dry country, replace your plants outdoors with desert plants that need less water

Flush only when necessary, forgetting one flush every 24 hours could save 5000 gallons per year

Use a gas-station car wash instead of a bucket-and-soap one

(saves about 100 gallons per wash)

Eat less meat, it takes so much more water to make meat than veggies and fruit!

These things can really make a big difference!!

　

　

As you may have noticed

As you may have noticed i have not written in a while. The reason for that is that i have been very busy,  and on Monday, i had a day off because my 2 sisters had 2 days off and i felt that that was not, not, not, not, not fair!!!!!!!!!!!! (I spent the day reading at the library.) But now, as you may have noticed, i am beginning to write again.

Robert Louis Stevenson is a very famous author. He wrote Treasure Island, and Kidnapped, and The Black Arrow. Most famous perhaps is his Child's Garden of Verses. I am write now reading the book, Treasure Island. So far i have found it enchanting. It is funny, how a lot of the books that i seem to read, are meant for boys. Treasure Island, The Black Arrow,  and many other books that i read were targeted mainly for males. I don't consider myself a boy, and currently i have no grudges towards boys. I find that these books are very good books, and when i am grown up, if i have children, i will recomend these books to them. Treasure Island is about pirates, and some treasure. One thing that i see  about Stevenson is that you can basically see the plot and where it is heading, by the middle of the book. I'm not saying that it is not exciting anymore. Oh no!  His books are always very exciting, so i am looking forward to reading more this afternoon.

.End of note.

The Black Arrow

    I have finished reading the Black Arrow, which i remember telling you that i had started. The story was set in the time of The War of the two Roses. It is set in England. There are two houses, or rather sides, called Lancaster and York. I don't know what they were fighting about, but they were fight a very vicious battle.  In the end, noone has really one, but the house of Lancaster has really begun to be in the lead. The story, however is not about the war between them. It is about the adventures of the young squire Richard Shelton. This boy is a sort of helpless person, but he is under the custody of a very rich and miserly knight, Sir Daniel, who he suspects to have murded Richard's father  I'm very glad that in America we try not to come across that.

end of note

It Is

Many people deny that global warming is there. But It is. Some may choose to ignore it, or admit that it is, but then throw up their hands and exclaim how big the planet is, and how small we are, and we can't make a difference, and that it is already to late to do anything about it, and so we might as well go on with our business,  while we can, that is. Now, I don't see any reason to believe that our cause is hopeless, for while it certainly is,  it is not to late to do something. Just recently, I started a book, by name, You are Here.  It is by Thomas M. Kostigen.  It is  about our effect on the Earth, (for we certainly do have an effect on our planet.) The book began by showing us what is happening in Jerusalem. The author visited there and saw the many relics and ruins of what originally united Christians, Jews, and Muslims, in other words, why it is famous. Christians find this city important to there religion and to their culture,  for there in Jerusalem is where Jesus Christ is said to have been crucified. The Jews find the city appealing for much the same reasons. The Muslims pilgrimage there. All in all, it is a very important city. But now, because of weather, wind, and all the wear, with no considerable care, plus the toxic air, memorable monuments are falling down. That was the first chapter, and i can't wait to read more.

End of Note

The Cold Bites

In this season of fall, it is getting cooler. The wind blows, and in some time there might even be snow. You know how in the winter, when you go outside, the cold nips your toes and you wish you had a scarf around your neck. That is the way a conscience is. It nips and bothers us about wrong. When we lie, we feel it, or when we choose to ignore something that is quite important. It often seems like a little voice inside our head. When we need to make a decision, or a choice. When we disobey our mother. It's there inside us,  and we know what would be the right choice. But the sad thing is that, hardly ever do we make the right choice. More often than not, we ignore that little voice, and think about what we want, perhaps telling ourselves that we made the right choice or that we can make up for it later. That is like putting on more clothes, defending us from the cold. Only, in the winter that is a good thing. Too much cold can result in getting sick, (or getting frozen.) We do more and more bad things, and soon, it doesn't bother us any more. God gave us our conscience so that we would be able to tell the difference between right and wrong. So, we are held fully accountable for our actions. That, at least is what J. I. Packer says, in his book, Concise Theology, ( in my own words of course.)

I've been reading a book called The Black Arrow. It is by Robert Louis Stevenson. Many people would consider it a "boy" book, but I am enjoying very much. In it, the main character discovers what can happen when you do rash things, or decide on the spur of the moment. Some things you can never take back, or make up for. 

 Here is another example. Global warming. IT IS!!!! You can't ignore it. It has shown what can happen when we don't take care of the Earth. We can't take back what we've done.  It is done. It has happened. Even if we do solve the problem, lasting damage has been done. I am also reading a book called    You are Here.
It talks about the problem of Global warming, and where it hurts most. Wouldn't it be great if we could just move to the moon, and not have to worry about the world any more!!!
   So watch what you say. Your conscience is usually right. God made it to be that way.

Introducing.... A NEW SUBJECT!!!!

Some of you will probrably never have heard of ths subject, and even if you have, it usually would not be taught in schools. It's name is...

THEOLOGY

PRONOUNCE IT HOWEVER YOU LIKE

To begin the study of theology, i am reading a book called, Concise Theology, by J. I. Packer. The author is a christian writer, so he is writing from a Christain standpoint. He is also writing about Christain theology.  He is very famous for anothe book he wrote,called, Knowing God. 

   The book i am reading was meant for adults, but he wrote it so it is very easy for me to read. That is the way i want to be able to write in English. So that i can adress all audiences, no matter what age. The purpose of his book is partly to inform us about Christian theology. In the first chapter he focuses on how God informs us about himself and reveals the way to heaven. That, i geuss, is like Expository writing, that i am working on in English.  In history, i am reading about some of the prophets that wrote some of the Bible.  The reason that the kings did'nt like them much,( and so chased them down and tried to kill them,) was that they prophesied against the bad kings, and warned them against whatever God had told them to warn against. Especially about going to war against othe nations. (Which the kings did any way, and then lost great battles. You can read more about it in 1st and 2nd Kings in the Bible.) The prophets also prophesied about the coming of Jesus, who would be the one and only way of salvation and to Heaven. The passage of scripture that i am currently memorizing, ( 1st Peter 1: 3-16,) says, " Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in the things that have now been announced to you by the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."

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Expository Paragraphs= to inform

In English today, I worked on a lesson on Expository writing. Expository writing is meant to inform your audience of something. I wrote a paragraph about my three favorite places, because that was one of the suggested topics. My three favorite places are my room, the library and the mountains. Only,I forgot about the library and I put my backyard instead. But I did have fun in that time. I like writing and I can't wait to find out about another kind of writing.

The Fine Arts of Homeschooling

One of the reasons i decided to try homeschooling was that, while i was working on my own schedule, i could pursue my love of music. i play the piano, and although i am not a professional, i do enjoy it immensely and want to continue doing so. Now, because of my flexible schedule, i am able to do more than an hour's practice each day. i am able to work harder, and because i have no homework in the evenings, i can practice a little then. The subject of music, then, is taken care of.
   Then, there is Art. i never really enjoyed Art in school. Not long into my first year at the school, our art teacher became sick, and never really came back. Thence afterwards, most art classes were cancelled until a substitute came along. Even after that, we made things like cards or just drew pictures in Art classes. Often we watched movies. In my second year, the substitute was still there. But in my latest and last, (for now at least) year at school, our homeroom teachers were the heads of our art studies. Not that there was much studying in it. My teacher usually had us make a cool craft, or write a poem and then decorate it.  i remember one or two art classes where we imitated a famous painter's style or colors, but that was it. However, art did get fun in that year. Now i am struggling to find an art project that will be fun, challenging, and yet connect somehow to stuff i am learning. Any ideas? i'd love them!!!

End of Note

9-20-10

Long time - no see (AKA; History)

i have not written in a long time. i have been having a busy week. i like it that way, but i do want to write in this blog sometimes!!! i have been reading a lot of history. i have been reading a lot about all the ancient countries and their wars. They fight a lot!!! Right now in the book, Babylon is at the top of the world. Assyria is not far behind. I am reading about King Solomon and his son's time. After them there were quite a lot of bad kings!!! You can read more about in the Bible,  in the book of 1st Kings. i like reading about those kings from a different perspective than i usually read from. That is all for today. Let's hope those Isrealites win the war and aren't taken into exile!!!-(which they will be.)

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History

Lately, I have been reading a lot in my big, more grownup, (you know the definition,) history book. I hope to finish it by the middle of October. I have been reading a lot about Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, and the  Ancient Minoans and Ancient Crete and Ancient Assyria and Ancient Bablylon. I have also been reading a lot about all the wars and alliances and treachory they had. They made a lot of alliances by just sending there daughter down to different countries. The smaller countries did this a lot.

Well, that is all for today!!

Emma . .

       

The First Last

Today, Tuesday, September 7th, marks two things.

1. The day after Labor Day. (How was your weekend?)
2. This is the day I finish my first history book.

You might call that 2nd event a "last." I finished the last page of my  smaller, less grownup, more interesting history book, which is a pity for all of the reasons hereafter: it is smaller, less grownup, and more interesting.  Moreover, my mother has found a book that I "simply must " read which is none of the reasons above. Strictly speaking, it is not small, it is not, not grownup, and it doesn't look too interesting.

That is my first last.

Goodbye smaller, less grownup, more interesting history book. AKA: A Child's History Of the World!!!!!!

End of Note

September 7th, 2010

English Firsts

So far in this blog, I have talked about firsts in math, (my first test,)  firsts in history, ( I read about these,) and  my first really "good feeling"  which took place during my  latin time.  It seems that I have hardly talked about my study of  English at all, let alone "first".  Well, today is the day,  my friends.  Language gets to go "first."

 Today I started writing a journal.  It's not a " Dear Diary" one of those.  (I have a seperate notebook for that.) It is just like writing this blog.   I am just writing it on a computer, and I write about what I learned in English and what I am thinking about what I read in history and what excercises I did in Latin and WHEN  WILL I GET MY SCIENCE BOOK!!.  It is fun to get to choose all the different colors and fonts to use for each entry and to write in whatever size I want.  And all this is in English!  Whoever knew Language Arts could be so fun!

Writing an entry takes about five minutes, so the rest of the time is spent studying a lesson or reviewing my vocab. words.  Whoah!!!!  There's another thing to write about!
There is this cool website. You just google flashcards online and then click on the one that says
"Flashcards! The world's largest online library of printable flashcards!"  It's usually towards the top. You can make flashcards online and print them or just study them online. It is such a good way to study. And that's how I studying my English Vocab.

              Wow! Two firsts in one subject in one day!  Maybe I should make a sign that says,
                             " ONE FIRST PER SUBJECT PER DAY!"
like they do at restraunts with coupons. So there English!!!!! No more complaining that you're never mentioned!!!

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September 2, 2010

Christain by Name Only?

Just this afternoon, I have been reading about,( in my smaller, less grownup, more interesting book, A.K.A. A Child's History Of the World,) how  Prodestants became Prodestants, or rather protest-ants, and how they broke away from the  Catholic church.  What both sides did seems so un-christain like, I wonder if they actually believed in what they were fighting for.  Then, all the kings and Queens! Bloody Mary, Philip the II, even Queen Elizabeth who is supposed to have been a pretty good  queen even though she was a women, had  her cousin killed because she was a Catholic. Were these people really christains, or were they just  trying to make themselves look good? Is it possible they killed all these people out of sheer spite?

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                                                       September 2, 2010

My huge history book that I am reading (or at least trying to)

I have previously mentioned a big book that I am reading.  This is the book that I am talking about.  The book is called  History of the Ancient  World  and it is by Susan Wise Bauer.  It was meant for an older audience than a sixth grader, but I find it rather interesting.  Some of the words I don't understand, so I write them down to look them up later in a dictionary. That is what I mean to do, at least.

              Today and the day I last read this book, I was reading about the ancient Sumerians and  Egyptians. I read a lot ( in Egypt history) about the lower and the upper kingdoms. There were all these wierd kings with long wierd names and I am glad  that I did not try to read out loud, or I would have been stumped.  I hope someday you-who-are-reading-this-blog will read this book also, and I hope you will enjoy it as much a I am.



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                                                                           August 31

The First Monday, August 30th 2010, (in which I briefly study Marco Polo)

Do you know who this is?  This is Marco Polo.  Today in history I read about him. He was only 17 when he took his first journey to China in 1271!  He was a great storyteller and he told a man his adventures. That man wrote them down, and so now there is a book called,  The Travels of Marco Polo.  Today in history I also read about Richard the Lion-hearted, (whom everybody loved,)  and also his brother John, (whom nobody loved.) I read a little bit about the Crusades and an even littler bit about Robin Hood. To explain the " little bits",  you've got to realize the title is,   A Child's History of The World, and they are  are trying to recall the  beginning of the world through World War II  in 470 pages.

In math, today, I took  my first test of the school year.  One thing I really enjoyed  at school, was getting my report cards and progress reports. I liked seeing what I did well  and what I should work on in the next quarter. I will probably not get report cards this year, but, now, the fun of seeing my test scores will increase.  The test took barely half an hour, and the content was all review, so I spent the rest of my assigned hour in another lesson on estimating, bar graphs,  and rounding to the nearest 10, 100, or 1000.

              In English,  where I am using a  Shurley English Grammar curriculum, I reviewed the contents of a sentence and what defines a noun and a verb. 

I have not yet started studying science yet, for I do not have a textbook format to use.


                                                        WRITTEN ON AUGUST 30


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Schooling, (whatever kind), is worth it in the long run

Sometimes I feel like I don't ever want to spend time in school , or even just learning again.  But other times, I feel like I could learn the whole day and never get tired of it. Neither of those describes exactly  what I feel today , but my emotions are closer to the latter than to anything else.  I really enjoyed

studying German today, and while I was translating Latin sentences, I thought, " I'm really getting the hang of this now,". It gave me joy to know that I was actually getting somewhere.  I'm not quite a Latin scholar yet, but I really enjoyed that lesson. 

                                       Aug.30th

My learnings between the days of August 25- 27, which mark the beginning of the school year. August 28, 2010

On the day that I began my studies, Aug. 25,a Tues., math was my first priority.  In the hour I had set aside for that subject, I completed more than 2 lessons in the curriculums. I read the short paragraph there about what I was about to undertake, completed five or six of the examples, and then did ten or so other problems of a different kind of math work. That is basically the process I will be using in math every day. These first few days will be review for me. This day I rewiewed how to add and subtract , divide and multiply  whole #'s and money. My next subject would have been Language Arts had I had my workbook. Instead I spent 10 minutes on German and then moved on to a half hour study of Latin. In Geman I went over the 5-w words.  ( where when who how why).  In Latin I reviewed the first lesson over.  History was my fourth subject. I read about  the first people on Earth. The book I'm reading from has a Christian viewpoint. It is a book that was meant for kids so it is interesting to me. It is also sometimes funny

On Aug. 27, things went much the same way on this day. In math, I worked on the numberline, story problems, and place values. In L. Arts, I did an easy excercise on synonyms and antonyms. In German, I tried to memorize the days of the week. (Sonntag, Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch , Donnerstag, Frietag, Samstag,)
 In Latin I did some more exercises. I worked on the parts of  a Latin sentence.  In history, I read more about the first nations of the world and their first wars.  I also started a much bigger history book which is by Susan Wise Baur.
It is meant for adults to read, so I don't understand all of it. It is interesting too. It talks a lot about how people recorded what they did and how we know what we know about them.
                                           
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