my understanding. It's this whole creation/evolution thingy. You know, in the left field we have the old earth evolutionist camp. In the other corner we have young earth creationist camp.
It's actually the old earth, my mum and dad were monkey camp. We sort of evolved from them. Well, I guess some would look at me and say Yep.
But if that were so then the earth would be totally over run with monkeys and humans and everything in between. And, let count backwards population wise from where we are now. I think maybe the earth's human population is around a few billion just now? Now if the age of the earth were say just a few hundred thousand years old, wouldn't one expect to see more humans or at least human/ape type animals?
And lets look at technology? What about that then. I mean steel hadn't even been thought of in Christ's time and that is only 2000 years ago. And look at the last 300 years. Look at where we have come in the last 300 years ago.
If we have evolved and technology with us, then I would have expected the car, just one example, to take a thousand years to get to where it is today.
I think you can work out where this line of logical thinking is going.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Monday, 17 August 2009
Monday 17th August 2009 I got distracted.
Yep, that's what happened. Yesterday I set out with the intention of waffling about creation and evolution and got to thinking about us and what we were created to be. Naughty me.
But before I go there. Today has started out most excellently. I have taken Michele to school and helped another parent hear Michele's class of 25 student with their reading. What a pleasure! Michele is an excellent reader and there are a number of others in her class who are also excellent readers. It is a pleasure to hear them and offer encouragement. Then there are the poor readers.
Well, really are they poor readers? I mean lets keep everything in perspective here. Michele is now five and a half. Most of the kids in her class are about the same age. Now, I can remember back when I was five. In those days, very few if any, five year old kids could read. Most of us didn't know what a letter was. But then, in those days we didn't start school until we were six. Kindergarten was expensive and most parents, mine included, couldn't afford the cost. So we missed out. Also, most parents in my day didn't encourage their children or have the facilities that I have. I started Michele on the computer when she was 2.5, Cathy the same. I wonder, even today, how many parents of public, or private, school children would do that. Maybe let the child on the computer to "play", but not learn.
So, when I take that into consideration, the children I am hearing read are not so bad after all. And, when it is all said and done, isn't that what we pay the teachers to do?
So, where does that leave me? How can I best help these kids and further their reading ability? The stories they read are very simple, depending on their ability. Obviously some one like Michele, and about 4 others, will be reading very advanced books. With the poor readers, we encourage them to read the words. Those they can't, we read and get them to repeat the word. We also get the child to sound the word. Now, because I suspect some can't, I get the child to tell me the letters in some words. My idea is to get the child to concentrate on the letter, the word and the story. We also get the child to look at the pictures, something we were never allowed to do in my day, and work out from the picture what the story might be about.
Just one more little brag. Yes, yes, I know, I can't help myself. Cathy can recognise all but four letters in the alphabet. How good is that? She, like her elder sister is an amazing kid.
So, this morning it was reading. Did I mention that I also took Cathy over to the school with me? Well, I did. It is a good lesson for her in getting use to a structured class room education system. Also, she thoroughly enjoys it.
This afternoon we will return to the school for a thing called PMP, what ever that means. It is an exercise thingy. We are in a big room with five little exercise stations set up. Each class, there are four in all, come into the room, one class at a time. The children are divided into 5 groups. They then work their way through each of the stations. The children are supposed to do the exercise and talk us through what they are doing. each exercise is very simple and takes very little time. We do 4 class rooms with around 25 kids in each class. That takes around 90 - 120 minutes in all.
OK, so, by now you are probably wondering what sort of education style parents we are. Some one called us un-schooler's because of our approach to schooling with our girls. But that isn't true. Both girls will attend school. But, we also do a bit of home schooling with both girls. But our approach is a bit like un-schooling in that we allow, certainly at home, both girls to learn at their own rate. So, I get that makes us Public Schooling Home School Un-schooler's.
Stephanie calls us Involved Parent Schooler's! Well, at least Stephanie's tag isn't such a big mouthful.
And I still haven't addressed the subject I started out to. But maybe that is another post for another time. But I really do want to address this issue of creation/evolution.
Lots of questions to think about. How old is the earth really? Was it created in 7 literal 24 hour days? Were they consecutive days? How long was each day? Was an hour the same as we understand an hour to be? Is man today the finished product of what Elohim intended? Or did we evolve, spiritually into what we are today? How long did man live for say around a thousand years ago?
So, maybe I might get to look at that next time. I do have some legitimate questions for those who believe man has evolved over 10's of thousands of years. Next time maybe.
But before I go there. Today has started out most excellently. I have taken Michele to school and helped another parent hear Michele's class of 25 student with their reading. What a pleasure! Michele is an excellent reader and there are a number of others in her class who are also excellent readers. It is a pleasure to hear them and offer encouragement. Then there are the poor readers.
Well, really are they poor readers? I mean lets keep everything in perspective here. Michele is now five and a half. Most of the kids in her class are about the same age. Now, I can remember back when I was five. In those days, very few if any, five year old kids could read. Most of us didn't know what a letter was. But then, in those days we didn't start school until we were six. Kindergarten was expensive and most parents, mine included, couldn't afford the cost. So we missed out. Also, most parents in my day didn't encourage their children or have the facilities that I have. I started Michele on the computer when she was 2.5, Cathy the same. I wonder, even today, how many parents of public, or private, school children would do that. Maybe let the child on the computer to "play", but not learn.
So, when I take that into consideration, the children I am hearing read are not so bad after all. And, when it is all said and done, isn't that what we pay the teachers to do?
So, where does that leave me? How can I best help these kids and further their reading ability? The stories they read are very simple, depending on their ability. Obviously some one like Michele, and about 4 others, will be reading very advanced books. With the poor readers, we encourage them to read the words. Those they can't, we read and get them to repeat the word. We also get the child to sound the word. Now, because I suspect some can't, I get the child to tell me the letters in some words. My idea is to get the child to concentrate on the letter, the word and the story. We also get the child to look at the pictures, something we were never allowed to do in my day, and work out from the picture what the story might be about.
Just one more little brag. Yes, yes, I know, I can't help myself. Cathy can recognise all but four letters in the alphabet. How good is that? She, like her elder sister is an amazing kid.
So, this morning it was reading. Did I mention that I also took Cathy over to the school with me? Well, I did. It is a good lesson for her in getting use to a structured class room education system. Also, she thoroughly enjoys it.
This afternoon we will return to the school for a thing called PMP, what ever that means. It is an exercise thingy. We are in a big room with five little exercise stations set up. Each class, there are four in all, come into the room, one class at a time. The children are divided into 5 groups. They then work their way through each of the stations. The children are supposed to do the exercise and talk us through what they are doing. each exercise is very simple and takes very little time. We do 4 class rooms with around 25 kids in each class. That takes around 90 - 120 minutes in all.
OK, so, by now you are probably wondering what sort of education style parents we are. Some one called us un-schooler's because of our approach to schooling with our girls. But that isn't true. Both girls will attend school. But, we also do a bit of home schooling with both girls. But our approach is a bit like un-schooling in that we allow, certainly at home, both girls to learn at their own rate. So, I get that makes us Public Schooling Home School Un-schooler's.
Stephanie calls us Involved Parent Schooler's! Well, at least Stephanie's tag isn't such a big mouthful.
And I still haven't addressed the subject I started out to. But maybe that is another post for another time. But I really do want to address this issue of creation/evolution.
Lots of questions to think about. How old is the earth really? Was it created in 7 literal 24 hour days? Were they consecutive days? How long was each day? Was an hour the same as we understand an hour to be? Is man today the finished product of what Elohim intended? Or did we evolve, spiritually into what we are today? How long did man live for say around a thousand years ago?
So, maybe I might get to look at that next time. I do have some legitimate questions for those who believe man has evolved over 10's of thousands of years. Next time maybe.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Sunday 16th August 2009 A question?
"Each night before my grandmother went to bed, she checked that her house was tidy. She wanted to leave a clean, neat house 'as a testimony to unbelievers' if the Lord came during the night. We might smile at her concerns but, like Paul, she lived each day firmly believing that Jesus could return at any time. Both her heart and home were ready.
How many of us eagerly anticipate the Lord's return on a daily basis?" KYB study 3, 1-2 Thessalonians - The key to the future.
Stephanie and I were just thinking about that statement. We both agreed, to our collective shame, that we rarely think on a daily basis about Christ emminant return, even though we know it can happen at any time. Maybe we need to re-evaluate. Repent even.
On another thing that has been on my mind lately. I am a creationist/evolutionist. How is that for a contradiction. I believe that God created the world in seven periods of day/night. How long each of those periods in terms of hours might be is open to question. There is a line of thought that says they were 6/24 hour periods. God rested on the 7th. That is, He ceased creating. He didn't stop working. He stopped creating.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
God didn't stop working. Just from the work He had done. So, that takes care of the creating bit. Now for the evolving bit.
God created man complete in a sense. Man, and woman, could function but were not complete. God was still working in their hearts to conform them into His image. That, after all, is the purpose of man. To display God's image. To display God's character. To have God dwell in them. He would be the source, they would be the display. Go look in a mirror. A mirror has an image of you. Like us without God, the image in the mirror is incomplete. Again, for the image in the mirror to move, you need to move in order that your reflection in the mirror can move. The image in the mirror has no ability to move. As we also need God to make us complete us, we also cannot complete the image. Only God does. Our part is to act like the image in the mirror. We must let God move in us. To be the source of our effect. That image in the mirror can't move without us. Similarly, we can't move without God.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Friday 14th August 2009 Something different...
I was going to do another brag post, but I am too lazy to get the photo's of my camera to upload, so that one can wait until tomorrow, or Sunday.
Anyway, for today's post. I go to this church over here. But you already knew that. I am in a group over at St Luke's called Triple M's. What is Triple M's. Well, it is an accountability group for us mere males. The concept for Triple M's comes from Life Transformation Groups or LTG's for short. And you can read more about it here. Part of the accountability is reading the Bible every week. This week my partner and myself are reading Genesis 12-25. That's 14 chapters. I love Genesis. Ask my wife. Drivers her batty. So for me this has been a goody.
But.... Genesis has lots of questions. Un-answered ones that is. Like, who paid tithes to who in Genesis 14. And, how did Pharaoh know that Sarah was Abraham's wife. And where did Isaac get to after his mountain top experience with his father? And what ever possessed Abraham to sell off his wife trice? And how many characteristics of God can you spot? And why did God decree that boys are to be circumcised after 8 days. Why not 7 or 9. And how many years after Sarah did Abraham die and what is the significance of this number in the Bible?
Enough for now. Enjoy.
And here. Look up this NASA and The Bible. That'll give you something to chew on.
And I promise not to brag about me kids until tomorrow at least.
Anyway, for today's post. I go to this church over here. But you already knew that. I am in a group over at St Luke's called Triple M's. What is Triple M's. Well, it is an accountability group for us mere males. The concept for Triple M's comes from Life Transformation Groups or LTG's for short. And you can read more about it here. Part of the accountability is reading the Bible every week. This week my partner and myself are reading Genesis 12-25. That's 14 chapters. I love Genesis. Ask my wife. Drivers her batty. So for me this has been a goody.
But.... Genesis has lots of questions. Un-answered ones that is. Like, who paid tithes to who in Genesis 14. And, how did Pharaoh know that Sarah was Abraham's wife. And where did Isaac get to after his mountain top experience with his father? And what ever possessed Abraham to sell off his wife trice? And how many characteristics of God can you spot? And why did God decree that boys are to be circumcised after 8 days. Why not 7 or 9. And how many years after Sarah did Abraham die and what is the significance of this number in the Bible?
Enough for now. Enjoy.
And here. Look up this NASA and The Bible. That'll give you something to chew on.
And I promise not to brag about me kids until tomorrow at least.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Monday 10 August 2009 Brag brag brag!
That's Cathy. She is number 2. Well, not really. They are both number 1. At least that is what I tell them and I believe it. Now this young lady, not yet 3, spent most of the day over the road at school with her elder sister. The reason? Piano practice and lessons. For mum. So, as I had the day off work and had to be over at the school to help out and mum really needed to get into the piano, I took Cathy with me. Mum was of course a tad worried as to how Cathy would get on. She didn't need to be. Cathy did what Cathy always does. Took life in her stride. She rejoiced in her life in Christ, had a ball and entertained the masses. In the morning I was working in 2 classes hearing the kids reading. I love it. Cathy stayed with Michele and "learnt" what Michele was learning. Now Cathy is 2.5. However, the teachers kept on commenting on how clear her speech was. Is it just me? I thought all 2.5 year old kids were, or at least should be, clear with their speech. Cathy had no problem making herself understood and did exactly as shew was told when she was told without argument. How good is that? But then she is the more compliant of the two girls. I must confess though, to being worried when I wasn't hearing any noise. But I needn't have. I praise God for that little girl. She has brought me so much pleasure. She is really easy to train and loves a good play session. At 2.5 she is well on her way to knowing her entire alphabet and can count quite well. If she is asked to get 4 spuds, she will get 4 spuds. She is also so eager to help. She will most times do stuff, like getting the scrap bucket or setting the table without having to be asked. In fact the worst time of the day is the evening meal. Which, I might add, we don't fuss too much about. After all, she starts eating when she gets up in the morning then eats all day long. I think they call it grazing. But she "grazes" on healthy stuff, like fruit and cheese and so on. So who are we to worry.
The there is the fun stuff. Like she will look sad and say "I'm not happy", which we know is a put on. So I will ask her "Do you want me to pick you up, turn you upside down and shake the unhappiness out?". Of course the answer is yes. She is usually laughing her head off before I have even got that far. Then there is racing down the passage way of our house with her going "You can't catch me", knowing not only that I can and that she wants me to. Then there is the "daddy broke" game. That entails me flopping on the bed and saying "Daddy's broke". She will then jump upon the bead and "Kiss daddy better" followed by me grabbing her at exactly the same time as she plants the kiss and rolling her over and blowing a fat raspberry on what ever bare skin I can find. That is followed by mother shouting at us to "stop squealing and will you stop rough housing that child. Is it any wonder that the kids wont obey." Actually that parts not true. Ours do.
This is Michele
The there is the fun stuff. Like she will look sad and say "I'm not happy", which we know is a put on. So I will ask her "Do you want me to pick you up, turn you upside down and shake the unhappiness out?". Of course the answer is yes. She is usually laughing her head off before I have even got that far. Then there is racing down the passage way of our house with her going "You can't catch me", knowing not only that I can and that she wants me to. Then there is the "daddy broke" game. That entails me flopping on the bed and saying "Daddy's broke". She will then jump upon the bead and "Kiss daddy better" followed by me grabbing her at exactly the same time as she plants the kiss and rolling her over and blowing a fat raspberry on what ever bare skin I can find. That is followed by mother shouting at us to "stop squealing and will you stop rough housing that child. Is it any wonder that the kids wont obey." Actually that parts not true. Ours do.
And then
Dear daughter number 1. Where does one start? Today I was most disappointed. I didn't get to hear her read at school. I like listening to her read. Yes, I know she is 5.5, but she is an excellent reader. And she comprehends everything she reads. It is always a pleasure to listen to her. She has been reading now for almost 12 months. Michele loves life and cooking and reading and writing and dressing up and playing piano, at least for the moment. Playing the piano that is. Now we have been branded un-schooler's because of our approach to early learning. Michele is a prime example. When she was around Cathy's current age, we were looking at how we were going to school her. We were examining our options. Would we home school, would we public school, would we private school her? So many options and such a difficult decision to make. In the process of exploring we found, or the Lord guided us to, starfall.com. Michele was around 2.5. She wanted to climb up on my lap when I was looking at this site. She showed interest in the screen and with what was happening. I encouraged her. Six weeks later she knew her entire alphabet. I couldn't believe it. But, we didn't push her. Later, when it came to transitioning to and then sentences, we let her govern the rate and amount. Later we looked at Hooked on Phonics. Again, this was a learning mile stone. Some days she would want to do lots, other, none. We let her govern the pace and amount. We noticed that if we pushed her she would stop. If we let her go, she would fly. Now some would treat this as obedience, or the lack of thereof. And, to a point it was. But I looked at it this way. If I pushed it and outlasted her and said "you will do this, she might have done it, but it might also have put her off learning and school for life. Obedience and be sorted out in other areas. My approach is that learning should be fun. If it is fun, she will want to learn. If not, she wont. And which is better, a kid who enjoys her book, or a kid who hates school and all it stands for.Today was a good day for Michele. She had her sister at school, and in her class and at assembly in the morning. She was one happy and proud little girl. And good on her, so she should be.
That brings me to another brag. (Did I ever mention I brag about me kids a lot?) These two girls get on real well together, they are best of mates. Yes, occasionally they do disagree, but not often and not for long.
This is Mum. How could I ever forget the best woman in the world. She is my standard of beauty, on the outside as well as on the inside. We have been married for near on 8 years now. I don't know her very well. Oh, it's not that I don't know her. It's that when I think I know it all, she blows me away with something new. Now that photo is blurry. Sorry 'bout that. Try taking a photo of a moving target. You see, Mrs Wonderful has decided to go back to school. She wants to study grade 8 piano plus grade 6 theory plus get a diploma in teaching piano music. Why? Coz she can. And because she wants to put something back into other students and coz God is calling her to that. And she wants another baby. Well, we both do. Just requires more practise is all. Now each piano lesson cost A$60 per hour. But if she can achieve, and I know she can, what she wants then that is cheap. Her teaching can all be done at home if she chooses. That accomplishes her goals of being a Proverbs 31 woman and a keeper of the home. This also accomplishes something that I want for her. I want my Love to be fulfilled in every area of her life. She is not my slave. We are a team. She is my "help meet". What does that mean? Go look it up. You will be amazed at what you find. Stephanie is my "other" self. I am her "other" self. We fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Exactly as Christ called us to be and designed.OK, enough waxing lyrical.
Oh, no it's not. Did I tell you she is good looking. And a good cook. And I enjoy just spending time in her presence. And she is good in (wash your mind out). Now every man should have a lady as good as mine. Well, they do, they just don't know it.
Time to go.
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Sunday 9th August 2009 Ham sparks
Yaesu 301 Transceiver
Icom 735 Transceiver
I have another HF radio also. It is an IC 718. It's only a couple of years old. Although it is a good rig, along side of the 735, it really doesn't rank.
The first HF rig I ever used was the Yaesu FT 301. I have also included a photo here. And here you can read a review of the rig. All I can say is excellent radio. I got mine in 1989 and it did me for almost 10 years also. It was an old radio when I got it. But it was like a brick. Didn't matter what I did to it, it survived.
Now I do love a good chat. But that is not my main interest. My main interest is antenna construction. In particular, VHF antennas. Which is why I built the Moxon. It is small and powerful.
Enough on radio of the Ham variety. No you can't eat them.
I am always saddened when certain things in my well ordered life go belly up. I admit there are certain things I don't understand. For instance, I could never understand why Mr Bush of the junior ilk could take the coalition of the willing, or is that bullied, into war against Iraq. I got over that. Sort of. I had many an animated discussion with some people about that. Not that it did any good, coz it didn't. I don't understand how God gets any glory out of children suffering. I understand how it happens, but as to those who say God is somehow glorified, please do go get a life and some compassion. I have two girls and I would murder for them, and certainly would not be saying thank You Lord if they were to suffer.
I am also saddened when dear friends of mine part company. You see it is all so unnecessary. And it appears that this is happening right now with two of the nicest people you would have wish to meet. To all intents they appeared to be a loving couple. In fact I remember saying they were running a mutual admiration society. But it seems Satan is having a victory. Who is at fault? Satan. Because he has been able to manipulate one or the other, it appears that they might go their separate ways. Pity. They have 12 kids and one on the way.
And as I said there is a better way. Jesus way. You think that's a pat answer? Wrong. We all go through bad patches. But, and I have proved it to be so, if we are prepared to put on the rose coloured glasses and keep them on two people can not only survive each other, than can grow passionate about each other again.
Two recommended books: The Love Dare. And The Way of Agape. You can look up the details. Oh, and if that is not enough proof. Just take account of the number of times we have kicked Christ in the groin. Did He dump us? No.
Enough.
And as soon as I can get batteries for my camera, I will brag some more about my kids.
And my wife. Now there is an amazing woman. Later. I must behave.
And as soon as I can get batteries for my camera, I will brag some more about my kids.
And my wife. Now there is an amazing woman. Later. I must behave.
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Saturday 8th August 2009 Little bits of this and that.
So, here it is. Outside on a temporary pole. Oh, your bored with antennas and ham radio? Well, I might talk about something else later.For now? It's my experiments with the Moxon. The antenna performed better than I thought it might. I was able to talk from Frankston, that's where I live, to station on the other side of Port Phillip bay at Geelong, that's where I don't live. On my handy talky with its little antenna I couldn't even hear those stations, much less talk to them. And the photo is taken looking toward Geelong. The antenna is barely above the roof line. I think it is fairly save to say the antenna is a screaming success.
What now. Well, I guess next I build a Moxon for 2 Metres. Watch this space.
Lest you think our life be totally boring, let me burst that little bubble with a pin, or a pop. Well, isn't that what happens when I approach a bubble with the sharp end of a pin?
This Jorge Bolet Master Class - Rachmaninoff Piano Concert is what we are listening to right now. Why? Because my love has decided to go back and get her grade 8 piano certificate. That might be followed by a degree, or what ever it is called, in teaching piano. Then she will teach, pass on, her extensive piano knowledge. You didn't know that? Neither did I till I got to know her better. Try this: Barenboim Master class with Lang Lang. And it is always interesting to listen to a master class on almost any subject.
And this quote to end.
From Major W. Ian Thomas "I cannot-God never said I could; but God can. and always said He would!" That quote is from the book The Indwelling Life of Christ - All of Him in All of Me.
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