Good Morning!
It’s Friday!!!
On this day in 1632 scientist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek was born in Delft, Holland. He created the first microscope lenses that were powerful enough to observe single-celled animals.
In 1901 daredevil Anna Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. She was 63 years old.
In 1939 nylon stockings were sold to the public for the first time in Wilmington, DE.
And in 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, U.S. military forces went on the highest alert in the postwar era in preparation for a possible full-scale war with the Soviet Union. The U.S. blockade of Cuba officially began on this day.
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Quote of the Day
“Men are never so good or so bad as their opinions.”
James Mackintosh
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Today is Luciano Berio’s birthday. From, and conducted by, Ronald Zollman.
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Wandering Views 
Morning all. Lots of rain here tonight. Wish I could send some to California. I’m tired.
Played ‘Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow’ with my class today.
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QOD: What is the best Christian university in the US?
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Good morning everyone.
It’s Friday! You know what that means?
No Lions today. Our church has a luncheon for couples who have been married at least fifty years. Elvera looks forward to that. It’s a couple thing. If you lose a spouse, you’re suddenly disinvited. They have another arrangement for that.
QoD. I wouldn’t know. Years ago, I would have said Bob Jones, but they have competition now. I hear Liberty is a good school. Some would say Patrick Henry or Wheaton.
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Most of my high school teachers were educated at Bob Jones University.
I will ask a QOD
Have you ever celebrated Thanksgiving away from family and friends? If so how did you do it? Did you go to a nice restaurant? Did you make a smaller version at home for just you, your spouse, (children)?
This year Mr. P and I will be attending a ball on Wednesday night, which means we won’t get in until after midnight. I don’t have the room nor the inclination to go all out like I did last year. BG will celebrate at her Nana’s. I am at a loss for how Mr. P and I can celebrate except to make reservations for us at the Grand Hotel.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos/ptlal-grand-hotel-marriott-resort-golf-club-and-spa/
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I’m guessing today’s photo is from the hills/mountains of Pennsylvania. I have driven several times through the heart of that state in the Autumn, and the layers of colour in the surrounding landscape is always spectacular.
QoD: I wouldn’t know. PCC was touted in my church circle, but their lack of accreditation, expensive tuition and travel distance completely deterred any of us from considering them. I am of the opinion that encouraging one’s child work for a degree that is not accredited and of no use in the workplace is a form of provoking one’ children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4); as there is nothing so exasperating as finding your years of work count for nothing – we can’t all work for Christian employers.
I am also of the opinion that going to a secular institution will not shake a young person who is firm in their faith. I attended an institution that would curl the hair of most Christian parents – it had gay-straight alliance posters in the foyer, the students were foul mouthed and the teachers told foul jokes, the student association’s main feature was a bar and I used to hear students discussing where to get the best grade of marijuana – yet it didn’t change my convictions one hair; if anything, I was turned off by the behaviours and had no interest in joining in them.
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Someday, I’ll get here before Chas and get to say It’s Friday!
Ricky- Most of us could not answer your QoD because we are not aware of which ones are good or better than others. Plus, the ones I am aware of are better than secular schools, but how does one define “Christian”? Is it a school where a lost person would not feel comfortable? Would an agnostic or atheist, or someone from a non-Christian religion attend there? What I am saying is that I do not know of any colleges that are 10% Christian, as all of them have non-Christians attending. And the one nearest me is only Christian in name, long ago becoming a warmed over secular college with a religion program (think Harvard or Princeton on a much smaller scale).
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Kim, the best thing we did when we had no family to celebrate with, was to invite someone else who had no one to celebrate with – a college student or 3, a young couple with little ones who just moved to the area, a pastor whose family lives on the other side of the country…
We have great memories of having our pastor and his family over for Thanksgiving – it has become a tradition. Even now that we live so far a part, we still try to get together for Thanksgiving. And we tease each other about the traditions we each brought to the table – like oatmeal stuffing – kinda yucky! 🙂 But it created/creates great memories and helps others, which then helps us.
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How about Thanksgiving at the beach?
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I’m not sure if that’s progress–to go from anonymous to deleted . . .
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LeTourneau? Wheaton or Gordon-Cornwall? Notre Dame? Sort of depends on how you define best . . .
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Peter asks, “but how does one define “Christian”? Is it a school where a lost person would not feel comfortable? Would an agnostic or atheist, or someone from a non-Christian religion attend there?”
I was talking with a graduate of Bob Jones once. He said that you don’t have to be a Christian to go there, but a non Christian wouldn’t stay there.
That was many years ago. I suspect it’s still true.
I agree with Phos about un-accredited schools. You’re wasting your time.
So also is going to an accredited school and majoring in music history. Or some such.
Too much time and money is invested in school for trivialities. My DIL got a degree in History. But she was already married and working. She just wanted a degree. And that’s what she got.
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I agree about wasting money on college if it isn’t going to help advance a career in that subject. I do believe in being well rounded and knowing History and English and such but not at a cost of 40K a year!
I want to be wherever that photo was taken.
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I got my degree in psychology, BTW. I was studying civil engineering and had to change because Southwestern Seminary wouldn’t take engineering as prep for entrance. You had to have a liberal arts degree. But it was my engineering training (two and a half years) that got me my job as a cartographer. I also worked part time as a cartographic draftsman while in school.
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I will have to differ with Phos if she is referring to Pensacola Christian College, which most folks think is an extremely legalistic school. When sending people there, I have told them they ought not go if they have a problem with following rules that may not make sense to them. But, having spent four and five years there, two of my children went directly into very good jobs and were college debt free upon graduation. The cost was quite low relative to most others and included room and board.
on the other hand, two went to very secular college (one had a roommate who entertained his girlfriend in his bed beneath son’s whenever they could arrange it, even though son was there). Both of those were paying for years.
Either way, one needs to hold on to what one believes or develop new beliefs.
I liked the sound of that Ozark college mentioned in World recently. No cost other than work. Sounded good.
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Kim, that photo could have easily been taken in western, North Carolina, Northwest SC, southwest Virginia.
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In response to today’s QoD: I say Wheaton, only because my oldest niece is a sophomore there this year and loves it! She’s on 50% scholarship, but her missionary parents still have to come up with close to $20,000. a year. It’s expensive.
I disagree with Phos about college not changing ones views. My eldest brother attended Rice University and was an atheist at the end of four years. He’s never recovered his faith. My nephew is a freshman at A&M. In his first week of living in the dorms, he saw people puking from alcohol and a girl propositioned him for sex. He’s led a sheltered life and hadn’t even kissed a girl yet, so he was completely shocked by her forwardness. It can be hard to hold on to one’s faith in college, especially when all the professors are vehemently opposed to Christianity.
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Re: my above question…I once spent a Thanksgiving in Blowing Rock, NC.
We had to leave early because I had booked us into a Bed and Breakfast and there were no TV’s in the room. LOL
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Mumsee, I thought you would disagree with me, but I knew you wouldn’t mind if I said what I thought either – I wasn’t thinking of you or Mike when I made the comment about encouraging children to go to unaccredited college was provoking them to wrath, especially as one of your children took the only program that is accredited in PCC. No, I was thinking of many others I have encountered who cannot get ahead because their parents encouraged, even forced, them to go to an unaccredited school. I even met one when I was in college – he dripped with animosity towards his former school. Many of them have walked away from their parents’ form of religion; while I have also met those who were allowed to go to more secular colleges to get the education they desired and are thriving Christians.
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Pensacola Christian has the added benefit of being close to me in case you or your children need anything 🙂
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We are at the doc’s office again to get treatment started on psoriasis for husband. The weather is beautiful here.
That is a beautiful picture on the header. Where is it?
On the youth group discussion yesterday, I would add that a small group worked well for our son. I think it was a traditional type group. He needed a group since he is an only child. As for Mumsee, you have a ready made youth group so it makes sense not to seek one out.
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Ann, I am sorry to hear about your brother – that is very difficult. So, it might help if I give a little background before I explain why I don’t think it is school which kills faith. I have a relative who decided to go to a very secular school for a very secular career. She ended up denying her former faith and getting into drugs and immorality. She seemed to stabilize a little when she moved in with and then married a more average non-Christian man; but, of course, that didn’t satisfy her parents, who desired her and her family’s salvation. Fast forward several years – both she and her husband are now Christians and active in their local church (she teaches Sunday School). So I do understand the heartbreak that can come from someone who leaves the faith in college (though I also hold, that while there is life, there is hope).
So now to explain why I don’t think it is really school that kills a person’s faith. I am not a five point Calvinist, but I do believe in what they term ‘The Perseverance of the Saints’. Jesus said quite clearly, that the sheep his Father gave him would never be lost. Paul reiterated that point, giving a whole list of things that could not separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus in Romans 8. So neither secular schools nor immoral roommates can separate us from our faith. Those who ‘loose’ their faith in college, either will come back (as my relative did) or never really had it in the first place. As religious hypocrisy bothered Jesus more than open sin (compare his reactions to the Pharisees with how he treated the woman at the well or the one who washed his feet with her tears), I don’t really see how providing an environment where children of Christians are forced to carry on a pretense of being more moral than they really are is conducive to true Christianity.
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Eldest son carries a lot of animosity toward PCC and their rules. He is the furthest from faith at this time but we hope that if he was, he will come back. He actually got himself banned from their alumni group by talking on a website.
Kim, part of the rules of PCC is nobody is allowed to leave for the first couple of years. They have to have written permission from parents to go with anybody anywhere or to receive guests. Very tight. But it only costs seven thousand a year, including room and board. I tell people, if you can deal with the rules, it is good.
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My husband read an article, perhaps in World, perhaps on reasons.org, that found most millenials who leave their faith do so because they have unanswered questions. Many youth groups have gone the way of entertaining and being friends with the kids instead of teaching them the practical spiritual steps of examining Scripture and applying it to your life.
He’s now leading a Sunday school discussion group for recently high school grads that simply “what are your questions?” It’s been a lively time with him as the main facilitator (mostly handling the theological, scientific and older Christian questions) with his former third and fourth grade SS co-teacher–Leah, our housekeeper, my first reader, recently college and newly wed.
Her husband now joins her each week for Sunday School. Now his brother is coming. Children of one of the major SS adult class teachers, they’ve got lots of questions to pepper R with.
He’s also got a handful of college freshman–including two very serious and devout young men who simply don’t understand how to present their faith in a winsome manner to our highly secular Sonoma County society.
He loves it. They kids love it. I’m so thankful for the whole class–and we’re surprised at how many other people have said, “That would be perfect for my loved one.”
So, I think it has to do with preparing kids to understand and apply their faith to their world. Some of you will remember how vexed I was when the daughter who drove me crazy eight yeas ago, chose UCSanta Barbara (one of the big party schools) over a $50,000 scholarship to Azusa Pacific College.
(I may get over that someday).
She joined CRU, and was mentored and ended up being one of their strongest Bible study leaders by the time she graduated. Against the trials and temptations of her secular school, she saw truth and followed it, presenting it along the way.
She had many difficulties, but the person God had created her to be flourished and reached out to so many that we’ve known a long time UCSB was the best choice.
(She herself said APU would not have worked for her. Perhaps our is a more free-ranging branch of belief, but she found the rules and narrow-mindness too stifling. Obviously it works well for many–I’ve many fine people from APU and Biola–but our child had been raised in a society that didn’t shelter her and it didn’t work for her.)
I agree with Mumsee, that College of the Ozarks does sound like a terrific school.
Hopefully you can read this: http://www.worldmag.com/2014/04/salt_and_light_on_campus
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Mumsee mentioned the College of the Ozarks. I recommend it for those who cannot afford college but want life skills. We have a friend whose son went there. The only “tuition” is working your way through. Someone else mentioned LeTourneau in Texas. Some other friends sent their son there. They liked the education their son got. But as with any college, a young person who is not strong in the faith will most likely change for the worse at any college, especially if away from the influence of parents. A friend went to Oral Roberts and said there was more marijuana and other drugs than a secular college he also attended. If a young person is well grounded in the faith, he could go to Cal-Berkeley or Harvard and not be affected by the Liberalism that permeates most universities.
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Looks like Pennsylvania to me, what a beautiful landscape with those wonderful old homes.
I was a nominal Christian when I entered college and came out a pretty firm agnostic (I always thought atheism was as presumptuous as being a believer). We had one psychology prof who said he was a Christian and I remember how odd that sounded to us — all the other professors (a state university) were strong liberals, many were outspoken atheists.
But, like Phos (although I am a 5 pointer), I believe that God cares for his own and if you’re His, you’ll be brought home with assurance. God preserves His people, chosen before the foundation of the world & they are His even before they confess His name.
Those who leave the faith (and stay outside of it for their lifetimes) were never of the faith.
But influences can still do some harm to young people along the way, to both Christians and non-Christians. It’s too bad that academia has become such a group-think and (amoral or immoral) group-act experience in the west. 😦
I realize that young people who are strong Christians have managed to survive and thrive — I know some who went to Ivy League schools (Princeton, etc.) back east, became involved with other Christians on campus, did great in school and have gone on to very successful careers, their faith thoroughly intact.
But I suspect they may be the exceptions.
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Just got a call from the mechanic, they found other issues (water pump leak, for one) that also need to be fixed which will just about double the bill. Aargh.
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Two of mine went to Biola and two to Wheaton. I was impressed with Biola. They require their students to do some form of ministry.
and, yes, I’m awake in the middle of the night again. But it least tomorrow is Saturday!
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Kim, for several years we did a progressive Thanksgiving dinner. We got together with several friends and went to different homes for different courses. I enjoyed it. You had to clean your home but were only responsible for one course not the whole meal and their was lots of time between courses and time to visit. And we had beautiful country drives in between.
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Kim’s QOD: For several years, my son (age 8-11) and I would spend Thanksgiving week at a John Jacobs Golf School in Sun City West, Arizona. My wife went with us one year and swore never to return. We always had Thanksgiving Dinner with octogenarians at a cafeteria. The weather was great, and the golf and fellowship were unmatched. Then he started playing football and basketball at school, so those trips were over.
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I do not have the room nor the inclination to have people to my house. I left most of my stuff packed up. I am not doing Thanksgiving for two people and my friends have their own traditions with their own families. The one I could invite us to has acquired more relatives since her oldest daughter got married. I do not want to intrude on that.
I have checked into a couple of resort/higher end hotels/restaurants near us, but can’t decide.
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Kim- Come up north and enjoy a cold (maybe even white) Thanksgiving. You might even consider revisiting The Nest if mumsee and Mike would have you.
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One Thanksgiving ( I believe, the first one without my mother), my husband, son, and I enjoyed a Thanksgiving buffet meal at the Stone Mountain Inn. A friend had sent a check for us to enjoy a meal out. It felt rather odd having all the tables about the dining room with people we did not know having their Thanksgiving meals. It was pleasant, and we had a lovely view, but it was not the same as having the wonderful smells throughout the house and all the commotion that goes with getting every item on the table at the same time. I can see doing a meal out again so it was not like I did not appreciate it. But it is not the same.
A favorite memory of Thanksgiving away from my family when I was probably in my 20s was going to my boyfriend’s grandmother’s house for the meal. We went to the church and got tables that were set up from the front living room door almost all the way through to the back door of the house. They had a really big gathering unlike anything else I had experienced. It was memorable.
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This is our first afternoon back at the office. Husband had to come in to do paychecks. I am not sure how long we will stay At least I got my overdue how-to article sent in. Now I need to work on some overdue book reviews. And then there’s the next article which is an expository one. At first I did not think I would have any good ideas for that, but a little brainstorming gave me lots of ideas.
The office dog, Max, is here today. He barked a lot at first when he saw me. He makes a good watch dog although his size would not scare anyone away.
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Oh, and Middle Son talked to his dad last night. He is coming home again this year for Christmas. I am not sure where I will put him but told him to come on. Last year we paid for his flight. This year he is paying…so I must not be as evil of a stepmother as he thought I was 🙂
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QotD: John Brown University in Siloam Springs, AR.
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QotD just asked about Universities. Our son went to Covenant College, and it was a wonderful Christian College. The applicants had to prepare a statement of faith so that encouraged most students to be professing Christians.He is at Baylor now, and it is Christian, too. Since he did not go there as an undergrad, I can’t really speak about how much Christian influence the school has on its undergrads.
Our son made wonderful friends at Covenant who will see him through life, and he seems to be developing similar friendships at Baylor. At Covenant he seemed to meet people from more countries and differing majors. Now he is in one particular grad/PhD department so he is limited in knowing people in other departments. That is what specialization does for people! But he seems to love Baylor just as he did Covenant. At one point he told me he heard that a development group that had worked on an area in Chattanooga would be working in bringing new life to Waco. I can see the similarities as far as they both have a beautiful river as part of their landscape and recreational offerings. Chattanooga has Moonpies, and Waco is the home of Dr. Pepper.
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Kim’s QoD. We don’t celebrate on Thanksgiving day. You all remember my postings of the past about Elvera’s family (and my son & his family) coming to our house for a reunion the
Saturday after Thanksgiving. It’s a busy time for us.
We just came back from the “married over fifty” luncheon. The entertainment was a lady who is a one woman handbell choir. She has the bells laid out in the order as piano keys, with white & black handles. She plays the entire bit by herself. She has recorded piano backup; which she played herself. Very interesting. She played other instruments too. A pastor’s daughter. She had several pastor’s jokes, some funny.
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Janice, RC Cola goes with moonpies. Don’t let me catch you with a Dr. Pepper and a moonpie.
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We have celebrated a lot of Thanksgivings without family. We might plan to have just a small Thanksgiving, but then some person alone pops up and then another and first thing you know…
One of my favorites was in Italy. We were just going to be us with our son who also worked over there, but then some folk got invited and we ended up with something like thirty extra people. We laid all of the bookshelves face down on the floor, covered them with sheets, and sat on pillows or the floor. We had a lot of expats from the US and Canada and England and Australia and Greece and China. Some Italians came by to see what it looked like. It was a lot of fun. It was a rather small apartment so it was interesting to fit all of them inside.
Other times we have had singles from the military, old lonely folks from church or the neighborhood, Veterans of Foreign Wars….whoever God sends our way that time. It has always been interesting. I am not sure it has ever been just us though we have planned it to be.
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Now we usually have two Thanksgivings. You know how people like to alternate which relatives they go to? We don’t do that. My stepmom has her son and family to be with, my brothers wives have family to be with. We have an early Thanksgiving with my dad and stepmom and brothers and their wives and whatever nieces and nephews are available. This year we are having it the day after tomorrow. We don’t usually have to worry about snow or time conflicts if we have it this early. Works for us. Then we have another on the day with whoever shows up. Lots of food. No wonder I have a problem….
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We may have an early Thanksgiving if things work out for us to be for traveling by then. And we may have a second Thanksgiving with my brother. Things are requiring flexibility this year.
Office mate told me my husband looks good, meaning he looks better rested. He has a good start on a beard now. I have never seen a beard on him before. And he has never not smoked for so long before. Who is this man? At least Miss Bosley still recognizes him. 🙂
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Oh! I see we are having company for Thanksgiving! That will be fun. Kim, don’t worry about bringing a thing but the buttermilk. We will put you to work when you arrive. Thanksgiving is going to be good this year….
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wish I could come. Not sure whether or not I will get a Thanksgiving invitation this year. I am not up to putting on a feast by myself.
Christmas is coming! However Christmas can be hard for me.
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Jo, what makes Christmas so hard? Is it being away from family?
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well, it is when my husband left, two days before Christmas, and I usually don’t have anyone to spend Christmas morning with. So I wait all day for the evening meal with family. Sometimes it is hard to be alone all day. I am working on having a thankful heart. Christmas eve is great with lots of family time all day and evening. Oh, and I mean when I am home.
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So fix a big Christmas breakfast for those who are line you. I love Christmas morning and do breakfast for all who will show up.
I just am not in a place that is condusive this year.
I may have figured thanksgiving out. We have a ball on Wednesday night and p wants to spend the night closer in. So if we stay in a hotel we can have lunch there before coming home
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Ricky’s QoD: I don’t know, as my husband and I and our two adult children only pursued a secular education after high school.
Kim’s QoD: We’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving apart from family or friends, except for one year when we had invited my husband’s family over, but there was a bad snowstorm and no one could make it, so our little nuclear family had a pretty big meal to ourselves.
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I’m back! Did anyone miss me? 🙂
My husband and I went away for a few days for our anniversary. I know AJ is away this week, too, but I’m going to have to send him some of my photos to post. I got really super ones of fall color, reflections in water, a butterfly, and some birds. We hoped to see a pileated woodpecker and some bald eagles; we saw only a brief glimpse of a pileated (it was very close, but way too quick a look to get a photo) and saw only a juvenile bald eagle. But we saw several cedar waxwings and I got some great photos of them. And a great blue heron posed for me too, though I have gotten much closer to them other times than I did this time.
We walked a lot and we (especially him) are super tired, but it was a wonderful few days otherwise. (We went on way too long a trail today by accident, but otherwise all the hikes were good.)
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Waah…boo hoo…*sniff sniff*. Oh, I missed Cheryl!!!
How’s that? 😉 (What do you expect from someone who shares a name with an actress!)
Sounds like a lovely time, Cheryl, and I am looking forward to those pictures. Maybe on the day AJ posts your reflections in water, I’ll post a video by Claude Debussy entitled Reflections in the Water. It’s a piece I played for my senior piano recital in college.
Nice to have you back — really. 🙂
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you two are silly!
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Elvera used to keep a little girl about Chuck’s age when they were very small.
She had a saying, I’m sure she heard, but couldn’t pronounce.
She’d say, “Silly sang”. for “silly thing”
Donna is a grown woman now. I hope she has a good life. She had good parents.
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