Spot on.

Please don't get me started on legal vs. illegal immigration. :glare:

After 15 years in the public education world I can say that most kids like "school" when they are young, especially kindy-grade 2. The older they get the more problems that develop and also the more school becomes more about socializing than education. At that point, those who are very social (popular) or very athletic, etc. love school and everyone else hates it. Yes I know that is a generalization but I do have 15 years of "anecdotal" evidence in 5 different school districts to back up my opinion. :D

Very interesting article. Can't wait to see what the Hive has to say about this one... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html?mod=WSJ_hp_us_mostpop_read

Yes but only because I moved somewhere sunny. :D

Yep that was me who linked it orginally and a lot of board members thought it was hysterical and then there were some that got bent out of shape about it too. Personally I thought it was super funny!

NO ONE opens gifts at parties here EVER. And in fact, it is very common here for the parents to only let their child open 1 or 2 gifts at a time and spread it out over a longer period of time. They feel this keeps the child from getting spoiled and also allows the child to enjoy each gift as something special instead of having a huge pile of presents and being unable to choose what to play with or tossing one gift aside in favor of another. They really want each gift to have its own "special attention". I really like this idea!

OK, this is just awesome! I vote we all take a pic of ourselves doing the duck face with the stupid peace sign and change our avatars on the board.:lol::lol::lol:

DUCKSTACHE??? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Don't Waste Your Life. It changed my whole world. :D

See, I AM the visionary leader type so I struggle A LOT with the whole biblical submission thing...well...not entirely. I mean, my dh is head of our house but we still make all decisions as a couple if that makes any sense. I am the only woman in my theology program right now (i graduate in April!!) and I am the only female in administration at the school where I work so I am kind of used to "kicking in glass ceilings". I just wish it didn't have to be that way. I am an odd duck I suppose. I am really conservative in a lot of ways but really not conservative in others. And the idea that women are barred from many areas of ministry for the SOLE REASON of being a female just perplexes me. So my "simple" question is pretty complex in my brain and now my next class starts on Monday and first topic of discussion: women in ministry...sigh... off to put on my "thick skin"...

Wow. Your whole post was sort of depressing. I am so sorry you had to deal with all that. The worst I have experienced so far is having trouble getting into seminary because I am a woman.

Our school is non-denominational and our staff comes from just about every christian denomination. It has nothing to do with the school and the school is independent and not sponsored by any denomination (not for the last 10 years). The problems is that we live on a small island and there is a catholic church (we are not catholic) and then about 20 other churches that are almost all of the same denomination (I am being deliberatly vague so as not to offend) and its teachings are VASTLY different than what we believe. And these teachings are pervasive in every service and every ministry so it is not something we can even work around. It is kind of depressing to be honest as we LOVE fellowshipping with other believers. I did hear today that there is a Methodist church somewhere on the island so maybe we will try to find that one!

Hi. My name is Heather and I am a Literature Abuser.

Well let's just say that the type of churches on this island are almost all of one of the denominations you listed above.

So let's say you and your dh were of a certain denomination and you lived in area where there were NO churches of that denomination and in fact there were primarily ONLY churches whose doctrinal beliefs you did NOT agree with ... what would you do? Would you attend church and sit under teaching you do not believe? Or not attend church and do family worship at home?

We have all the same friends too. But how about the fact that I can't stand the husband's of my two BFFs? Does that count? :D

I am the "other". I had ds #1 and felt DONE. Five years later I did not feel done any more so we adopted ds#2 and then I felt DONE. Five years later I did not feel done any more so we adopted dd and now I feel DONE. Ask me in 5 years. :D

ANother vote for Settlers of Catan. My 6yo plays it with ease and we LOVE it. Also another vote for Quirkle.

We are inching towards that and ds is nearly 13. It only takes once so I tend to err towards the side of caution.

This. My bio father split before I was born. I know less than nothing of him and he is dead now. So I only have my mom's side of the family. My dh is adopted. So we know nothing for either of his parents. So I can provide almost no information for my bio ds should he ever have an interest. I n addition, I now have two adopted children who also will not be able to do one of those stupid family tree assignments so I will be throwing them in the trash right next to yours!!! :D

Oh no! Not at all! I just want to be careful that I am not overzealous in sharing what I believe. It is such a fine line and I have experienced those who share what they believe in love and with humility and those who pound you in the head with it. Those who were "rabid" in their beliefs REALLY put me off. It was the quiet, humble, yet confident explanations I received that brought me around. As I tend towards an "overzealous" personality in general :D I am just trying to be extra careful! I truly enjoyed this conversation so thank you (all of you)!

I just decluttered ds (12yo) room again and that night at bedtime he said "Thanks Mom. I feel so much more peaceful in my room now."

This week I am reading "The Hangman's Daughter" and I am going to try to keep up with the challenge this year a little better!:D

Yikes. thanks for the warning! :D At any rate, my full intention was just to answer some questions about calvinism (and in many ways it was good for me as a practice in defending my faith...sharpening it...understanding it even more, etc.). I have no intention of trying to bring others over to the "dark side". :tongue_smilie: As I said before, Calvinism is the framework that helps me have a better personal understanding of God and the Bible. I do not believe it makes me a better christian than someone else. As I have answered the basic questions the best I know how and it is now turning into a situation where I would be trying to convince you or "turn you"...I will bow out as that was never my purpose. I have every confidence that God will give each of us the understanding we need. Blessings on your journey. :grouphug: