President Obama’s Address to American Students

The President encourages students to overcome and work hard to succeed.

more about “President Obama’s Address to Amereica…“, posted with vodpod

Keeping Up With Students

One of the absolute joys of teaching, tutoring, and mentoring students is in following their successes after they have moved on. I spent some time working with Patrick McCammond, who needed a little boost with his mathematics. He has gone on to great success in the academy and has become a solid leader and an exemplary young man. I recently received the following picture of Patrick on the rocket team (SMAW) in Combat Town at Quantico– this is a guy with honor and integrity, with whom I would trust my life.

Semper fidelis!

Patrick

Social Media Revolution

Important data/information/numbers for educators, evangelists, and marketers alike.
This YouTube video is geared toward using social media to reach people with the Gospel.

Decyfer Down

A good friend is seeking support for ministry.  Josh Oliver, who I have known since he was a little guy, singing and playing with his family at Open Door Baptist Church in Morehead City, NC, is currently the drummer for Decyfer Down, a great Christian band.  Decyfer Down has accepted this calling on their lives — to spread the gospel of Christ with music.  Their style is powerful and reaches out to many would might not ever step into a church building.  They are preparing for another tour and desparately wish to bring their wives and kids along on this mission trip.  Please read the following request from Josh and respond generously!

You can contact Josh directly —   Email:  josh@decyferdown.com  or leave a comment on this post and I’ll get back to you with additional details.

This is a new season for Decyfer Down as many incredible opportunities have
been given to us including a 53 city tour this fall from coast to coast.
We are writing you to ask if you would partner with us as we raise the
funds for new transportation.

In the past 10 years we have gone through 4 vans and over 800,000 miles of
driving, and as we approach this new chapter we have been given an amazing
opportunity to step into a Prevost Coach that has all the right amenities
and sleeping for 12 people.  Moving from a van to a bus is a huge step,
so we have been praying about it for the past 3 months with the
accountability partners in our lives. We have experienced numerous trials,
but also many amazing acts of God as we toured around the country sharing
the message He has given us.
God has provided us a class A CDL driver, full time mechanic and even a
parking place in just a short period of time for the bus.

We would love to take our wives and kids out on the road with us to
experience the lives touched with us.  As the ministry grows so does our
outreach
into many different communities, and the option to show up in these cities
fully rested would be an amazing feeling!

We also envision taking young men from the local community on the road for
short trips . We believe that mentoring and being an example for them
would really challenge them to live a faith filled life .

We have partnered with a bus ministry out of Nashville TN and we are
looking to raise funds to purchase the bus shown in the attachments listed
below.

We are trying to raise $75,000 dollars for the bus and $25,000 dollars for
a bus fund and trailer.

A tax deduction through our non-profit partner is available .

We also would like to offer anyone or church that is willing to donate
$6,000 dollars or more… a special offer of:
1)      Free private Decyfer Down concert
2)      Vip Tickets to Decyfer Down Affiliated events (tours or festivals)
3)      A day in the studio as we record album number 3
——————————

——————————————————————————
Please hear our heart and pray that God will continue to use us and expand
the ministry and the calling that he has in our lives.  We look forward in
sharing with you how many hearts and lives have been greatly changed as we
continue this journey.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers
on this opportunity ……

Decyfer Down - seeks support for this tour bus

Pastor Mark Driscoll

One of AMiA’s newest consecrated Bishops, Doc Loomis shared this video on Facebook and I just wanted to pass it along.  Members of my family have fallen prey to the “prosperity” gospel at times and Mark’s perspective is important.  So much of what Joel proclaims is Truth; we are children of an amazing God, our hope and faith in His power and authority and grace is well founded, He desires to bless us [though not in the way we might "want" or think we "deserve"], …   And yet Joel is wrong to equate “victory” with health, wealth and joyful relationships.  In fact, as Mark clearly points out, this definition of “victory with Christ” would paint a picture of Christ  Himself as a failure.  One other thought:  Another extreme and false position is also possible.  One can accept sin and pain and poverty as one’s “lot in life” and stop striving to live fully in God’s will, to develop His giftings and serve His people, allowing others to see the Christ alive and working within them.  Are wealth and prosperity and good health sinful in and of themselves?  Of course not!  But when they become idols or goals which are elevated to higher importance than following Christ, they hinder our walk with Him.  When they become a measure of our “victory”, they blind us to the real victory of  knowing and sharing the love of Christ.     Watch the video — and share your thoughts.

Life After High School

As I get ready to send my son away to college, a wave of emotions floods over me.  I am excited for him and the opportunities he has for learning and growth.  I am slightly anxious concerning the parenting job I have done — have I really prepared him for this new independence?  We have talked together and I had him create a list of  stuff he still wants to know or do before heading off to school.  The list was eclectic and included a few things I can’t believe I have not shown him yet.  For example, changing a tire and a few other basic car maintenance tasks and maintianing financial records and a budget.   We have checked  much off the list and I will cover the following this weekend:   [ a bible study I glanced at from Christianity Today magazine provides the outline]

Overview

Are you or someone you know nearing the end of their high school career? If so, you know that there are many decisions right around the corner. Help them prepare with this Bible study course intended to focus on issues such as new friendships, spiritual growth, and a healthy lifestyle.

The following 7-session course will help you and your group discuss questions on how to prepare for life after high school such as:

• What’s exciting about life after high school? What makes you nervous?
• What would be the result of treating the Bible like a buffet from which you could pick and choose truths, versus accepting the whole as God’s Word?
• Whom do you look to as a model of belief? Have you ever met or known a Christian who gave Christianity a bad reputation?

Session One

Rediscovering God
How to experience God the way he intended it.

Session Two

New Friendships
Experience life with frienships that matter.

Session Three

Romantic Relationships
How to receive and give love the way God intended.

Session Four

Tell Your Story
How to recognize and share your story effectively.

Session Five

A Healthy Body
Unlike a human gadget, your body was designed by God!

Session Six

Calling and Purpose
Living a life that points upward and beyond you.

Session Seven

Rest and Relaxation
Embrace God’s command to enjoy the Sabbath through fellowship and himself.

My Dogs

There are many days when I come home, tired or perhaps stressed, and while my prayer life and Christian walk keep me generally rejoicing, it is frequently my sweet dogs, who never fail to greet me with wagging tails and an offer of a generous face licking, who keep my spirits high.  So here is a shout out to dog lovers and to my great dogs, Bruno, Silk and Blaze.

Bruno

Silk

Blaze

They all love to play and this time of year, I most enjoy getting outside with them, tossing a ball or Frisbee and smelling the Cape Jasmine in the back yard.

Cape Jasmine smells so good!

TED Talk – Why Cheat?

Having recently discovered how easy it is to put TED talks into this blog, I am likely to include more of them. This talk is about reasons for cheating. Dan Ariely uncovers and unpacks cheating psychology related to Enron and Stockmarket cheats. From my perspective this provides more evidence for Christian Education — consider Dan’s comments about the tests he does using the Ten Commandments.

TED Talk – Decision Making and Expected Value

A talk by Harvard Psychologist, Dan Gilbert about how we make flawed decisions. Dan demonstrated, with a number of great examples, how we fail to follow Bernoulli’s equation for expected value.

Do Hard Things

do_hard_things_study_guide

Do Hard Things - The Rebelution

I have been using this text as the basis for our High School Sunday School Class at All Saint’s Anglican Church in Newport/Morehead City, NC. The ideas resonant with me and I have plans to offer a modified version to our adults. Beware the Myth of Adolescence!

do_hard_things_study_guide1

Oh, How I Want to Carry a Positive Attitude!

I have had a difficult time of late.  Personally, some relationships are not where they should be.  I am troubled by the issues and news of the day and this has affected my desire to “blog”.   Generally, I always wish to convey a positive, solutions-oriented message.  The following article just broke my heart.  I was not a supporter of the Education Lottery in North Carolina, when it was debated and finally implemented.  The lottery has already suffered from corruption and scandal.  Now we see that the economic “crisis” is used as an excuse for newly elected Governor Beverly Perdue to redirect monies promised for education.  Shame!

Education lottery funds in jeopardy for local schools

Lenoir County Manager Mike Jarman fears proceeds could be reversed to help battle state’s deficit March 2, 2009 – 9:44 PM Chris Lavender Staff Writer

Lenoir County Schools’ portion of the North Carolina Education Lottery quarterly proceeds were recently reversed back to the state, a county official said Monday. The state’s current deficit crisis has forced officials to scramble for cash where they can find it, including local funds for public school capital construction. Lenoir County Manager Mike Jarman told the commissioners during a Monday meeting the state has diverted $300,000 from its school building capital fund to help decrease the state’s deficit. “The $300,000 is gone,” Jarman said. “(The state) doesn’t intend to pay it back.” Lenoir County Schools wasn’t alone in the recent reversion of lottery quarterly payouts. Jarman said the state decided not to distribute $43 million in lottery proceeds for school districts use this quarter. The state’s education lottery began on April 30, 2006 with instant scratch-off ticket sales at about 5,000 retail locations. While quarterly payouts will continue to be in jeopardy, Jarman said the state could decide March 22 to dip into every county’s education lottery savings account. The county manager said about $1.2 million is distributed from the state’s lottery to Lenoir County annually. Commissioner Chris Humphrey questioned Jarman if the state could legally request that lottery proceeds for Lenoir County be returned. “The people voted for the referendum (on the education lottery),” Humphrey said. “They didn’t expect the state to steal (the money) back.” According to Jarman, Gov. Bev Perdue has the discretion during times of economic crisis to use local funds however she sees fit to meet the state’s financial needs. Jarman said Lenoir County officials were willing to work with officials in Raleigh to try and reduce the deficit. “We want to be part of the solution,” Jarman said. But if the state decides to take more lottery proceeds away from Lenoir County’s account, Jarman said it will have a substantial impact on the county’s ability to pay its debt service for school construction. Jarman will travel to Raleigh on Thursday to meet with state officials to see what they plan to do. This year, the county will pay $5.9 million on the debt services for school construction, the county manager said. “We plan to give (the state) a couple of days to see where they go with this,” Jarman said. “It could have a serious impact.” Lenoir County Schools Superintendent Terry Cline said Monday afternoon he is concerned about the state’s seizure of lottery proceeds in February earmarked for school construction. “These funds are important to us,” Cline said. “They help us pay for the debt on the bond.”

Does it do any good to make comments like, “I told you so!”.   As for me — I get back to work — teaching young men and women about integrity and character and honor; about Christ and His love, and about math, physics and the proper use of God’s gifts.  The Rebelution and the stirrings of a Revolution swirl about me.   God help us!

Christmas Flashback

So here is a Christmas flashback of the new and somewhat hastily put together band whose members all work at Duke Marine Lab.  The recent snow in Beaufort, NC reminded me that I had not posted anything about the music in my life. Fact is, I love music and have played bass for fun and occasional cash since junior high school.  Filling in for a band that “fell through”,  The Lab Five Band was formed, and had this great opportunity to celebrate the holiday’s with colleagues and friends from Duke Marine Lab.

Note:  In order to see the whole video, you will need to view this post in it’s own page by clicking on the title [Christmas Flashback -- in red at the top]

This year I am hoping to ramp up my time playing and enjoying music.  Look for posts about — Blind Hog, All Saint’s Praise Band, Crystal Coast Community Choir, The Southernairs, Tapestry and, of course, The Lab Five Band !

Snow in NC

For all my family and friends:  You know we get very little snow in Eastern North Carolina and when we do, it is a big deal.  Most “things” generally come to a stand still with just a weatherman’s mention of snow or ice;  school’s close, events are canceled, stores are stripped of milk and bread, etc.   Perhaps this is because we are not very well prepared in terms of snow removal equipment and large stockpiles of salt and dirt to spread on our roads, or perhaps it is because the rare snow fall blankets and transforms our normal view of the world.  I prefer to focus on the latter.  The neighborhood suddenly looks pure and clean and Holy.

Home Snow 21Jan09

It is worthwhile to pause occasionally just to appreciate the beauty which surrounds us.  This rare blanket of snow in Morehead City, provided an opportunity for my family to pause and enjoy the freshness, the brisk, refreshing air of this moment  — before we all got cold and ran inside to sit by the fire in the fireplace.

Morehead City Snow

Open Letter – Voice of The Martyrs

Dear Ones –

I have been involved with the Voice of the Martyrs for a few years now.  I don’t always send the letters of encouragement [see below], but try to do so.  It is eye opening to read about the plight and strength of other Christians around the world and certainly sheds a new light on any trials though which I face.
Encourage all Christians to support the Voice of the Martyrs, to support the Martyrs, to support one another in love and strength.
http://www.prisoneralert.com/

Have a Blessed Christmas — Schools Out 

Peace,
Ed

VoM E-mail

Rejecting the Bible

As one who is wholeheartedly sold out to Jesus and who spiritually and  intellectually believes the Bible is the inspired word of God, I am troubled by the growing rejection of Scripture as Truth, as relevant to our culture, and as worthy of study.  It seems that many in the mainstream are even blaming problems in society on “fundamentalist’s” use of the Bible to address the culture, as evidenced in a Newsweek article which Albert Mohler referenced in a recent blog.

Disappointingly, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham offers an editorial note that broadens Newsweek’s responsibility for this atrocity of an article and reveals even more of the agenda:  “No matter what one thinks about gay rights—for, against or somewhere in between —this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism,” Meacham writes.  “Given the history of the making of the Scriptures and the millennia of critical attention scholars and others have given to the stories and injunctions that come to us in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt—it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition.”

Well, that statement sets the issue clearly before us.  He insists that “to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt.”  No serious student of the Bible can deny the challenge of responsible biblical interpretation, but the purpose of legitimate biblical interpretation is to determine, as faithfully as possible, what the Bible actually teaches — and then to accept, teach, apply, and obey.

As a Christian, who does not consider himself intellectually bankrupt, it is not possible for me to remain silent in the face of attacks which strike at the very heart of my faith and worldview.  I stand by my conviction that true education and wisdom is not possible outside a Christian worldview.   I acknowledge that Scripture has been misused and misrepresented, that Christians are often their own worst public relations enemies, diplaying an overly judgemental and angry persona.  However, the accumulated works of faithful Christians [ Saints -- past and present], provides ample support for an intellectual, historical, spiritual, …  arguement for accepting the Christian Bible as the authoritative Word of God.  I suppose this must be a starting point in defending “the faith” to this culture.

Look for future posts which outline my reasons for accepting Scripture as authoritative and divinely inspired.

For now — I appeal to historical evidence –

The Holy Bible is the best documented, best selling, most read, most quoted,  most life changing, most translated, most cherished, … book ever known –  in the entire history of mankind.  For anyone to reject it lightly, because it contradicts some lifestyle or behavior or opinion, well — that would be intellectually negligent.   So, when a rigorous study of the Bible is really performed, what do we see?   More on this later    Perhaps — the reader would like to provide some comments based on their experience with the Bible.  I would love to hear how you relate to the Scriptures.

Bible

If We Are The Body…

Listening to a local talk radio station, I heard a troubling story.  On a call in program called Let’s Talk Legal, a Vietnam Veteran named Tony said he was diagnosed with symptoms stemming from exposure to agent orange.  He had lost use of his legs and found some help through a great local veteran’s administration agent.  However, he was still in need of handicap access modifications for his bathroom and for one other door in his house.   I thought it very sad to hear him call in to  Let’s Talk Legal and ask about pursuing legal representation.

If we are the Body of Christ (calling all Christians), why aren’t our hands working to provide for this man?

Helping Hands

Has no one in the Church heard of his need?  I’ll pursue this and see if I can get our local churches to help Tony get his bathroom modified.  Though I am a lousy fixit guy, I can sure swing a hammer.

Here I Am

Ed raises his arm -- conquers the trash

This was a wonderful experience with my daughter, a collegue and her daughter.  Christian Education includes experiences in stewardship of God’s wonderful creation.