A Change of Policy for the Boy Scouts of America

lifted from Rotary International

Yesterday I found out via The Blaze that the Boy Scouts of America changed it's policy to allow for gay members (but not openly gay leaders).
The Blaze

 I was bothered, alarmed even, for that change. I thought for sure the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would drop the program over this type of change. I consulted the church website to see for sure, but to my surprise the church announced that they will continue with the association with the scouts:
mormonnewsroom.org

I even upon reading other sources found that the church was one of the voices supporting the change:
nbc news
usatoday

I spent several hours last night and this morning soul searching and praying about the matter. To be honest I'm still not 100% percent comfortable with the change; but I had a thought (greatly assited by the church'd official announcement) on the matter that helps me at least consider letting my boys take part in spite of the change:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches the Law of Chastity (no sexual relationships outside of lawful marriage between a husband and wife). That standard is expected of all members no matter the age, marital status, or sexual orientation. The law is taught to the youth and that taking part in church activities (including the scouting program) is conditional upon meeting church standards of conduct.

While the policy change on the national level makes me think twice about letting my boys take part in Boy Scouts, it doesn't seem to change how the Church operates the program.

I'm still worried, however, about whether the door is open to allowing gay scout leadership and the consequences that come with that; or how the boys will relate to each other once one of their members admits to being gay or having same gender attraction. Moral corruption and bullying are both inherent risks, but I guess that's just a bridge I'll have to cross only if and when I get there.


Previous post about the Boy Scout of America: Role Models

What if it were One of Mine?

What if it was my daughter in a homosexual relationship? If she were the minor and I found out she was dating another, older girl, what would I do?

I hope first that I would be big enough to invite the two for a private and polite chat about where our family morals are and what the secular consequences will be if this relationship continues before the age of majority. I would explain that I am morally opposed to all extra marital sex as well as homosexual relationships. I would tell them that their sexual relationship is illegal if they are more than 3 years apart and that if this continues, my daughter will be removed from the school (that is if she is no longer homeschooling) and I will notify the other girl's parents that I oppose the two being together. I would also individually let my daughter know that if she sneaks out or runs away to be with her "girlfriend", I will have to involve the police and file statutory rape charges against the other girl. I would let my daughter know very clearly that as long as she is under age, she puts her "girlfriend" at risk for arrest and a lifetime of problems including reduced chances at college and career. No child of mine plays the "But I love..." card with me.

Now if it was my daughter as the older girl, I wouldn't even bother with meeting the younger girl. I would simply tell my daughter very clearly what the other family can legally do to ruin her life if this relationship goes on. I may even contact the other family and and find out what they know and what action they may take. No matter what the other family does or says, I will tell my daughter to leave the other girl (at least until the younger one has graduated high school and reached eighteen years of age) or I'll not let her drive the family car, not fund college, and if she is especially belligerent, not post bail should the other family press charges.

As a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my children about the law and the consequences of breaking the law.

Tragedy in the Moment, but a Potential Serial Killer Stopped

This story and the comments section has my blood up.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/18/report-hofstra-univ-student-was-shot-killed-by-cop-trying-to-rescue-her/

A quick synopsis of events: Andrea Rebello was with friends in her home when an armed intruder forced his way in and demanded money and valuables. They tried to appease him, but what they had on hand was enough. The intruder allowed one of them to leave to get money from the ATM, but she calls the police instead. When they arrive and the intruder finds out, he gets Andrea in a headlock and attempts to take her hostage to escape. The intruder made a move to fire on the police officer, and the officer fired eight shots, seven of which stuck the intruder, who died of course; and tragically, one struck Andrea in the head, killing her also.

Many comments disparage the police officer, other comments offer condolences to Andrea's family and empathy for the officer.

In my opinion, the police officer made judgement call, one he will have to live with the rest of his life. However, the officer is not the villain in this story, the armed intruder is. A beautiful woman is dead because of the armed crook, not the policeman doing his duty. Even though a young woman is dead, the officer is still the hero. The intruder would likely have killed everyone in the apartment when the money did not come, and the police officer, Andrea, and any number of other people who got in his way while trying to escape or rob again.

On the rare occasions when I have found an police officer or military man in the mood to speak candidly, they have never claimed that being in an armed conflict is good times. In fact one told me these are the moments that nightmares are made of.

Our heros need to make terrible decisions sometimes, but that's what they need to do to make it home to their families.

The survivors were lucky their assailant was stupid and over patient. Home invasions do not usually take long enough for the police to arrive. The police can only be back up or investigators. If even one of these friends had been trained and armed, this story may very well have ended on a better note.

Weekend Lesson Planning

I'm teaching Colin to add, just the x+1 family of math problems. Colin works best with a number line, so I am looking for a very good, proffesional looking number line that a kindergartener would like to use. However, Colin is very particular. This number line is not good enough:

lifted from Elizabeth Richards

He likes the above image because it has animals, but the number line is not "real" because it doesn't have arrows.

So far nearly every time I've drawn a number line, I've included arrows on the ends symbolizing infinity in either direction. It's an old habit from high school and college algebra. Now Colin won't accept any number line without arrows.

Here's the one he liked best that I found online:

lifted from Smart Exchange

Seriously. The absence of numbers does not matter to Colin. As long as it has points and arrows on both ends, he is very happy.

A Lonely Lighthouse in the Storm

I am responsible. God gave me outstanding blessings for which HE made me responsible. HE gave me a mind so that I may think for myself. HE gave me a heart so I may feel HIS love and give love to those around me. HE gave me health and a strong womanly body so that I may have joy and bring children into this world. HE gave me my husband for me to have support, strength, love, and friendship. HE gave me children to cherish and raise to glorify HIM. How can I possibly turn away from these blessings?

I'm living in a world that confuses me. Schools, instead of nurturing young minds, are destroying them with misinformation and politically correct curricula. Hearts and feelings are being crushed by the harsh and false doctrines of the feminist movement. People are destroying their health and strength with drugs, poor diet, and sedentary lifestyles (I'm not perfect either, but at I'm trying to maintain my health). Husbands and wives are being abandoned, or marriage avoided, or redefined into obsolescence. And children... this is the worst tragedy of all, children are being murdered both in and out of the womb.

How has our nation fallen into such sin? How can we recover?

favim.com Tawas Point Lighthouse *

Sometimes I feel like a lonely lighthouse at the edge of a raging sea. I feel the winds and waves crashing against me, and I feel horror for those ships caught in the storm. I can't save them, all I can do is hold my light high and hope they see it to get their bearings.

It's like the scripture says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
(New Testament | Matthew 5:16)

HE has given me mighty blessings, and those blessings are my light. I am not mighty to save. Only the LORD fits that description; but I can stand and hold up my light. Perhaps that is what is needed in the world right now. More people who have been richly blessed to hold up their lights and illuminate our world.




*a note about this lighthouse: Tawas Point Lighthouse on Lake Huron. Lake Huron is a small sea and like all the Great Lakes, rather prone winter storms and high winds. This lighthouse warns against a shoal. The nearby water (not pictured) is only a few inches deep for several hundred yards out. It's a place ships must avoid at all times and in all weather. This lighthouse is still in use today, although automated, of course.

The Laws Concerning Firearms Are Officially Outdated

It doesn't look like much, but it's viable. The Liberator

Thank's to the invention of the 3D printer and Defense Distributed we now have "undetectable" firearms that anyone can simply "print" at home. Are we scared? The U.S. Federal Government certainly is. Should we be scared? I'm willing to say no, we should not be afraid.

An undetectable weapon is simply one that can not be detected by a metal detector or an x-ray device. With current security technology  these weapons can be smuggled into formerly weapon free zones, federal offices, sporting events, airlines, shopping centers, and so forth. It seems obvious why that would be worrisome for security purposes. A bad person with undetectable weapons can cause an incredible amount of death, damage, and chaos.

With this worst first thinking in mind, the federal government is trying to suppress the print information for plastic handguns and similar technology, instead of innovating a new way to detect unfriendly weapons or changing the laws concerning weapon free zones.

However, what they are failing to address is that this is a two sided coin. Bad people with plastic weapons can not detect if good people are similarly armed. In the hands of good people, undetectable weapons are a powerful tool. Imagine when an undercover officer needs to move quickly through a security checkpoint while in pursuit of a suspect without it being obvious whether he is armed or not, or that security personnel let him breeze through on purpose.

Now I can understand that the government would want certain places to be weapon free, but that won't be feasible until we have ability to detect offensive plastic. Perhaps, instead of taking draconian measures to suppress the information of how undetectable weapons are made, we should change the laws concerning weapon free zones. Encourage firearms training and ownership as a duty among the general adult population and allow them to carry wherever they will.

Such measures won't stop bad people from getting weapons or doing bad things, but it slams the door on mass shootings, armed robbery, rape, break ins and a host of other violent evils. If the Fed wants "common sense" gun control laws, they should first consult the original common sense gun control law, the Second Amendment.

Not only shall the right to bear arms not be infringed, Defense Distributed has proven that the right to bear arms CAN NOT be infringed.

Satire: A Proposal To Update The White House Electrical Wiring and Other Federal Facilities

Whereas there was smoke in the White House on May 11, 2013 emanating from a closet in the West Wing; whereas the cause of the smoke is unknown, all electrical wiring, fire suppression systems, and psychic advisors must be replaced, effective immediately in all federally own facilities including  but not limited to the White House, all congressional and judicial facilities, military bases, public schools, private homes, and holes occupied by the homeless.

Said wiring must be composed of 24K gold mined from sustainable sources by methods that meet or exceed all OSHA and EPA standards. Membership in the AFL/CIO Union shall be required of all employees of said mining project  No legal documentation, photo ID's, drug tests, vetting, background checks, English language or competency tests may be required or administered for employment in said mining project.

The 24K replacement wiring must be insulated in heat resistant Bengal tiger skin. Whereas Bengal tigers are a rare and endangered species, and whereas Bengal tigers are carnivorous and highly frightening and dangerous natural hunters, it is proposed that a new breed of Bengal Tiger, to be named The Obama Tiger, be created, bred and farmed, in the neighboring nation of Detroit, located on the border of the U.S. state of Michigan, and the international border of the Canadian Province of Ontario. Said Obama Tigers shall be bred to be docile, herbivorous, non-flammable, thin skinned, and democratic in nature. Said nation of Detroit shall be emptied of all current occupants of conservative political leanings and "humanly" relocate to a colony on Earth's orbital moon. Such humane tactics may include, as necessary, weapons confiscation, re-education, electric shock therapy, and repetitious viewings of all the works of Michael Moore. Whereas the conservative inhabitants of the nation of Detroit are few in number, the budget of said colonization project shall be minimal, but unspecified. Whereas certain animal rights groups may object to the genetic alteration, breeding, and farming of Bengal/Obama Tigers, an unspecified budget to placate all officials of said animal rights organizations shall be established.

The proposed budget for all projects above is slated at approximately U.S. $11,235,813,213 and no completion date has determined.

"Step two: Having firmly grasped your tiger tail, address him in a calm, clear and assertive voice..."
Lifted from: Economic Crisis Cartoon

Keeping Watch Over Mommy

Stay right where you are, woman!

My three month old son, Gideon, is on guard duty this afternoon. He is watching over me very closely to make sure I don't go anywhere. If I leave my seat he sounds the alarm and will not stop until I have picked him up, or sat back down.

He's actually kind of funny to watch. Gideon gets a very stern look on his face when I look his way, but as soon as he thinks I'm not going anywhere he starts to nod off. Then if I move or shift in my seat and he's awake again.

I think I'm going to start calling him "Warden", because I just can't do anything or go anywhere today without his express approval.

What Would Happen If Public Education Were Completely Defunded?

lifted from: http://andrewburns.blogspot.com/

Just wondering. I suppose at first there would be a lot of people out of work: the teachers, administrators, maintenance, bus drivers, etc. Of course the teachers' unions would stage massive protests until they ran out of cash and were forced to find other causes or (gasp) real work.

But what of the students? I'm willing to say that private and homeschools will flourish, and more many churches will likely open up their facilities for schooling (...hmm... 4 R's... readin', ritin', 'rithmatic, and religion... now that's an education).

Defunding the schools will be no utopia, but imagine an America where parents controlled the education of their children. We would probably pick some different subjects besides environmental activism, socialism, and fuzzy-wuzzy-feel-good-math.

Housecleaning...

I'm trying to get the house clean today, but it just can't be done.

lifted from: FulcrumGallery.com

I try to wash the dishes, and Karyn wants to help by pouring the wash water into the rinse water. That's not helpful, so I clear and organize the kitchen counters and pick up some week old pizza boxes to tear apart and throw in the trash, butthey are glued together and indestructible  Next I try cleaning off the dining table which is the time Colin picks to get a butter knife and smash crackers all over the table. I'm losing my temper a bit and boil some water and make a cup of chamomile tea. There was a little water left in the pan which 2 minutes later Karyn splashes on herself with a startled and pained squeak  I get her sorted out and try again to wash the dishes and Aaron calls saying he'll be late, which is fine, but now I have to tell the kids, but I don't get to right away because Gideon wants to nurse and take his nap. Ok, that's done and I finally tell the kids Papa will be late and they are alright with that. The cup of chamomile is cold and doesn't taste as nice, but I drink it anyway and set a timer for three o'clock to remind me to take the kids to the playground, assuming Gideon is awake at that time. I'm about to get back to cleaning something, when Colin, while dancing on the table, knocks a glass of water off. It's sturdy and doesn't break, but now there is spilled water to clean up, which I tell Colin to take care of. He succeeds in spreading the water around, but not much is picked up. Then he helps himself to a popsicle and drops chunks of it on the floor while Karyn is in the kitchen hosing the counters walls and floors with the sink sprayer. I give up. It seems like the harder I try to clean the house the messier it gets.

A Little Girl's Voice Raised In Song

How the song is supposed to go:

Loveliest of trees!

The cherry now

Is hung with bloom

Along the bough.

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide.

What I heard my three year old daughter singing this afternoon:

Loveliest of trees,

the cherry now,

is wearing blue

about the woodland ride!

Everybody does not want to

see your underwear.

Well, I tried to teach her a classic... I halfway succeeded.

lifted from: The Giraffopia Blog

Why I Married Aaron

To be honest, I had fallen in love with several other men. In fact, I had loved one or two others with a greater intensity than I felt for Aaron at the time (which, by the way, today I love him 100 times more than any other man... love does grow). However, I had turned done several proposals because I knew that as much as I loved these others I knew we would be at each others throats with in a short while.

I married Aaron because he was/is:
Morally Worthy (moral worth always tops the list)
Loyal
God fearing
Loves children
Comes from a similar family and personal background
Is of the same faith
Straight (an absolute neccesity in a heterosexual relationship)
Goes to church and encourages me to do so
Works hard
Sees the world the same way I do
And yes, I loved him, and still do

I actually sat down and wrote two lists, one filled with reasons why I should marry him, and one filled with reasons why I should not marry him. The reasons why won by a very narrow margin. I kneeled down anyway to pray if it was right for me to marry Aaron. The Lord answered me that He wasn't going to choose for me whom I should marry. So I responded, "Oh Lord, stop me if I'm wrong".

He didn't stop me. Still hasn't said a word against our marriage, so I must have done the right thing. In any case I've been very happy with my choice.

The Gun I Want

Lifted from: This Website

After I get the NRA membership, the proper training, and a good gun safe, the following is the kind of defense weapon I want:

I want something fairly easy to conceal, but with a large enough caliber to bring an attacker down without requiring a precision shot between the eyes. I want that person to know I didn't miss. If that means he gets a hole the size of a grapefruit ripped through his body for threatening myself or my children, so be it. In a high adrenaline situation, I'm not going to count on my ability to aim well enough to hit his heart with a small caliber round.

My gun will also need to be well balanced. It should feel comfortable and useful in my hands, otherwise I may be hesitant to take it to the range on weekends to practice.

My gun will be easy to disassemble,  clean, and reassemble. I do not want my gun seizing up, or worse, exploding in my face because I didn't clean it properly, or got something out of place.

This is a rather ugly thought process, and I pray I never find myself in a situation where I need to take a human life. If anything I hope the sight of my gun would be enough to drive away any assailant, which leads to another factor, intimidation. As much as I admire beautiful weaponry (would love a collection of antiques), I don't want some desperate criminal to think because my gun is pink, that I'm afraid to use it. Let my gun be shock inspiring to look upon.

Worst case scenario: Kill or be killed.
Best and most likely outcome: Criminal runs away like a little girl at the sight of my .357 Magnum.

The Stupid. It Burns.

I worked as a volunteer intern for a state senator in Michigan one year. I learned there several important lessons, such as: Senators have no life outside of politics; yes, politicians are humans and just as prone to stupidity as everyone else (which leads to my final point); never drink a flaming shot.

I was in the Senator's office licking envelopes whilst learning about the law making process when I heard outside the door in the reception area, this conversation.

Secretary: Hi Matt... Oh my G--! What happened to your beard. (I'm not sure what Matt's position was)

Matt: Oh, I set my face on fire Saturday night.

Secretary: What?! How did that happen?

Matt: Well, I was with the fire marshal after a meeting and we went to the bar for a drink. I think I must have had a little too much, but I wanted to try a flaming shot. Tim didn't tell me I was supposed to blow it out first, and it set my beard on fire.

Secretary: Oh my G--! What did Tim do?

Matt: He just laughed.

Secretary: No way! Drunken b------d.

Matt: Yeah, and the bartender really freaked out. She was new and all, and didn't know what to do. I had to put it out myself.

lifted from: Fark.com

Secretary: Well, you look good for having set your face on fire.

Matt: I was red Sunday morning, but it's pretty much stopped hurting since then.

I was trying so hard not to laugh or be unprofessional. It is an interesting moment when you discover that the people we elect to office prove to be as stupid prone as everyone else.

I'm Coming Out Of The Closet

It's so stressful to keep such a large part of myself a secret. I feel so guilty and torn for not telling my loved ones. I'm worried how I may have mislead them. So today I am being courageous and announcing it to the world that... (brace yourselves) I am heterosexual. Yes. I am a straight female; and what's more... a monogamous straight female.

I have at times been seen holding hands and being affectionate with a man, who is my male husband, who doesn't mind that people know he is straight and monogamous as well. I'm sure not everyone who reads this will be surprised; especially since we have had three biological children of our own (which of course that fact has been very difficult to hide).

I know it's not popular, or cool to be straight right now, and marriage obviously can be very risky, but I must come out of the closet on this issue.  I also know I'll be attacked by heterophobes who believe I am living an unnatural or unhealthy lifestyle; and I'll be accused of destroying society by bringing in children and raising them to be straight or celibate, and teaching them to get along with people of the opposite sex, to drive cars that run on fossil fuels, and to question or oppose socialist policies. However, I choose to accept the risks because I am so courageous.

Now that I've said that, and posted it on my blog, I expect to be called by talk show hosts and VIP's to congratulate me for my courage. My picture posted on the Wheaties box would be nice too, even though I am not a second rate football quasi-celebrity.

Planting Seeds

I am planting the seeds of intelligance... well, actually marigold, columbine, and several kitchen herbs; but the kids enjoyed homeschool today, and that's the point.

lifted from Questioner's Garden Time

Last night I ran an errand in town and visited Wally World. I thought it would be nice to get myself a window box and bird feeder. When I got home I showed Colin the bird feeder and the widow box, the bag of soil and seeds, and he was full of questions and a lot more excitement than I felt. I let him watch me fill and hang the bird feeder and decided to incorporate the window box garden in to school the next day.

During quiet study time I made a couple diagrams of a plant's life cycle, and the basic needs of a plant (something children between preschool and kindergarten would understand). After the main parts of school were done I explained the life cycle of most flowering plants and what they need and we planted some of the seeds in the window box. Actually, I only let them do the watering because I got it mainly for myself.

They were pretty thrilled and wanted to practically drown the seeds. I wouldn't let them. Hopefully they will not knock over the planter, or flood it before the seedlings get established.

Hell Must Be A Lot Like Daycare

lifted from http://humor.beecy.net/misc/hellfrozeover/

I'm not convinced that I'm going to Hell. No one has succeeded in persuading me to change my faith on that basis; but still, it's fun to consider the irony of what they say.

When I was a little girl, my first idea of Hell was that it must be a lot like daycare, kind of fun at first. Hell must be stocked with all the coolest toys (Teddy Ruxbin, My Little Ponies, Barbie, G.I. Joe, and Hot-wheels etc) and Saturday morning cartoons play all the time, or else no one would seem to want to go there.

Yep. Hell would be lots of fun until you realize no one is coming to pick you up at the end of the day. Then it wouldn't be so much fun anymore if I was alone.

Lot's of people all my life have told me I'm going to Hell. That bothered me when I was a teenager, but now that I'm an adult I tend to imagine the irony of a Hell full of people like me: Devoted family people, who dedicated their lives to following the Savior, contributing generously to charities, patriotic, optimistic, self reliant, adaptable, educated people. I'm not sure Satan would want to hang around people like that. So if I go to Hell, I'll have good company and my Teddy Ruxbin Doll.