Thursday, October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024 Posted Thoughts on Weariness

 My mind kept drifting to the song, Oh My Soul. There is one lyric, “Oh, how you’re weary, from fearing you lost control.” It is more than just being a little sad or tired but that gut wrenching pain where even just breathing takes effort. Your vision is blurred from the tears. Your whole being is sucked of its energy. Your brain power, emotions, and even your spirit is past the point of exhaustion. 


The battles of life are real and raw and are happening on so many levels. When you find yourself in the fight for your life due to a health diagnosis. Prayers hover over my friend who was hospitalized recently. Intensive care is no place you want your loved one to be in so prayers for recovery to overcome the weariness over health issues. Praises to my friend for staying in the battle to win her brother out of addiction and even better coming to church. Understandable if she would have given up, but even though she was tired she was weary she never left the battle. Another friend who in daily pain stayed strong on this campaign who is sticking it out through this battle for our country. So many other examples of weary people who are choosing not to leave the battlefield. 


If you are in the midst of a battle here are some reassuring words where you can be encouraged and refreshed:


Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).


He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40: 29-31).


For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul” (Jeremiah 31: 25).


I think we all know how it feels to be weary:


-turn to the Lord and ask him to fill you with a fresh outpouring of His Living Water

-feeling depleted, then open God’s Word to nourish your spirit

-be refreshed by refreshing others so encourage someone else to today to brighten your own heavy heart

-remember that prayer is just a dialogue with a loving Father who will never turn you away


A pastor asked a question about what we will do after November 5th and it doesn’t go how we would like it to go? Pray was the #1 answer from the audience. I think we are all feeling a bit weary from this election cycle. His response was you wake up and you pick up your cross and you head right back out there into the battle because we know how the battle ends. Jesus will be coming back if you believe it or not. But, as believers, yes, we kneel in prayer but armor up and grab your sword as there are souls to fight for. Then he quoted John Quincy Adams, “Duty is ours, results are God’s.”


“Adams explained his quote to a reporter by saying, “It's only up to me to do the right thing. It's up to God what happens after that”. He also said, “I would point out from scripture, God has not called us to be successful, he's called us to be faithful.”


Heard this new song by Jeremy Camp called “These Days.” It inspires us to keep pushing because:


I believe that you and I

Are in the right place, at the right time

God called us by name

And He doesn't make mistakes

I know we were born to shine bright

In a dark world that needed some light

Don't have to be afraid

Maybe we were made for these days


Prayers over our country, communities, and families. God Bless each of you!


dreamsdontfade.com (new posts on toxic empathy, social gospel, and yep more on education)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llk74D3FWzs

Saturday, October 26, 2024

***A book isn’t banned just because it isn’t stocked in a middle school library

 Why School Board’s Matter:

***As the National School Board Association states, the school board represents the community’s voice in public education.


Contrary to the narrative propagated by progressives and unions:

-school boards are not extensions of the school district

-they are vital representatives of the community's interests in public education

According to the National School Board Association:

-the school board represents the community’s voice in public education

-providing citizen governance and knowledge of the community’s values, beliefs, resources and needs

***board members are the policy-makers closest to the student


-the critical nature of school boards are to be accessible and accountable entities within our communities

-they serve as the education watchdogs

-ensuring that taxpayer dollars are utilized effectively and transparently

-advocating for policies that reflect the values and beliefs of the local community

 

“Engaging with your local school board is not just a right; it's a responsibility that empowers not just parents but the community members to influence the educational landscape, ensuring that it aligns with their values and priorities” (Nicole Neilly).


Free Speech & Book Bans Testimony w/ Nicole Neilly

-curation of books is the issue

-age appropriate books is the real issue

-in school boards cut mics to read from the explicit paragraphs

-show sexual images to children in your home or on a playground 

-matter of public accountability

-book issue is a parental issue 


Problem:

-parental exclusion policies that families do not have the right to know their child’s gender identity in a tax-funded school

-families are now considered adversaries

-it is not evil to want to be involved in your child’s education

-parents are demonized when raising concerns about the content of books their children are being exposed to-this is not book banning

-policies that state parents are not entitled to know their kids identities that knowledge must be earned 

-families are being falsely accused of trying to banning books 


Comparison:

-today, if a child shows up to school talking about sex the teachers would assume the child is being sexually abused and authorities would be contacted

vs.

-today, children are not only learning about sex at school but are being told to keep secrets from their families so when they sound the alarm they are mocked, dismissed, and treated like they are the criminals for wanting to protect their children from sexual content and predators


-when basic grammar is replaced with policing on pronouns 

-when preservation of a child’s innocence is frowned upon and labeled the problem then what politics is at play here?


***questioning age inappropriate and sexually explicit material in classrooms and school libraries as well as schools intentionally excluding parents in decisions about their children.


all schools must carefully curate their book collections, including the assessment of appropriateness of the material for age or grade level. 


***A book isn’t banned just because it isn’t stocked in a middle school library


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guz7t2yu-mU


https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/10/02/exclusive-seven-arizona-school-districts-exposed-transitioning-kids-parental-consent/


https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Biden-Harris-War-on-Parents-Report-AFL-PDE-Final-3.pdf


“Social Justice Academy” & “Embrace Transgender Ideology & “Disavow Whiteness” For 3rd Graders (learn to be leftist activists)

https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-a-social-justice-academy-where-third-graders-learn-to-be-leftist-activists


“help our children understand and react to racial differences, and to teach our youth how to speak up against injustice, racism and inequality.” 

“womxn rights” 

“whiteness is a bad deal. It always was” and that “you can be white without signing on to whiteness.”

“transgender is not a choice” 

 -propaganda about defunding the police, transgenderism, and oppression,

Black Lives Matter, defunding the police, and taught to compare former President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler


The transformation of “Art” in all content = Social Justice Activism:

 Art has the power to inspire social change and promote awareness of important issues. By incorporating social justice themes into their teaching.


"The transformation of 'Art' in all content to mean 'Social Justice Activism'" 

-essentially means that the primary function of art in all forms, from paintings to music to film, is now considered to be actively promoting social justice causes and advocating for marginalized communities, rather than just aesthetic expression alone

-it implies a deliberate use of artistic mediums to raise awareness, challenge societal norms, and inspire action towards equality. 


Key points about this transformation: 

  • Focus on social issues:

  • Artists would prioritize depicting or addressing issues like racism, sexism, economic inequality, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental concerns within their work. 

  • Empowering marginalized voices:

  • Art would be used to amplify the perspectives and experiences of historically underrepresented groups, giving them a platform to be heard. 

Call to action:

  • Beyond simply raising awareness

  • the intention would be to actively encourage viewers to engage with social justice issues and potentially take action. 


Colleges and Education and the Teacher as Activist Pipeline

https://defendinged.org/investigations/corrupted/