". . . students need to be shaped "for responsible citizenship in a global society" without any mention of citizenship in American society"

My mom sent this to me in my email today and it made me laugh. Thought I would share!

How God created VIRGINIA –
 

God was missing for six days.  On the seventh day, Michael, the archangel, found him - resting. He inquired, "Where have you  been?"  God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds.  "Look, Michael.. Look what I've  made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is  it?"  "It's a planet" replied God, and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test Balance."  "Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm confused."  God explained, pointing to different parts of  Earth.  "For example, he said, northern Europe will be a place of great  opportunity and wealth,  while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people.  Balance in all things."

God  continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered  in ice."

The Archangel , impressed by God's work, then  pointed to a land area and asked, "What's that one?"  "That's VIRGINIA , the most  glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, ocean, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, and plains. The people from VIRGINIA are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and  they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, carriers of peace, and producers of good things."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But  what  about balance, God?

You said there would be  balance...."

God smiled, "Right next to VIRGINIA is Washington , DC .  Wait till you see the idiots I put there."

A couple of weeks ago we got a movie from Netflix called The Librarian: Quest for the Spear with Noah Wylie. This movie is a light-hearted cross between Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone and may have been part of the inspiration for the new SciFi show  Warehouse 13.  The kids and I watched the movie and really enjoyed it. Since then we have also seen The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines. And we are waiting for the last movie available: The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalis.

The kids and I really enjoyed the first two and we recommend them highly!

Six years ago, the rovers Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars. Their mission...spend 90 days traveling across Mars finding out information about this planet that has fascinated us for centuries. 6 years later, both Spirit and Opportunity are still working.

It has been an incredible success story for NASA. Unfortunately, Spirit has become stuck in a sandtrap on Mars. After months of trying to help the Spirit wiggle free, the scientists at NASA have made it official. Spirit won't be roving anymore. But the news is not all bleak. They are working to adjust the direction of the solar panels and hoping that Spirit will surived the Martian winter. If so, there are still experiments that can be done from inside the sand trap in the crater where Spirit now resides. Instead of being focused on moving Spirit, the scientists can now focus on other experiments. Well done NASA and Spirit! Hope to see you in 6 months after winter has ended!

When I was growing up, I don't remember ever going to a public library. I was a frequent visitor to my school libraries. I read all of the biographies the library had to offer on women when I was in elementary school. I found them fascinating. My parents bought me Nancy Drew books and Trixie Belden books and as I got older, my mom and I were often at Givens, the local used bookstore, picking up gothic romances for me.

After I got out of college, I began to learn to make some use of the local public library. Books on tape, video rentals, and more books than I could read. Over the next twenty years, I had an on again, off again relationship with books. When I was writing, my local library was my best friend...especially because of interlibrary loans!  While doing research for books, I saw all kinds of programs for children so when Jack and Katrina were old enough we began to participate in those. And the piles of books we would bring home...I read three stories to the kids each night. We would regularly leave the library with a stack of 20-30 books. 

Jack is not a big reader, but he enjoys being able to check out books on CD from the library. Katrina and I love going to the library and have made it a weekly ritual. We go, find a comfy chair and read a book. It's quiet. There are no phones ringing, no chores interfering...just quiet reading time. We had such a moment today and I hope we have many more.

Paul and Gena Suarez Recipients of the 2009 Dr. Robert Dreyfus Courageous Christian Leadership Award

COLUMBIA, SC, Jan. 26 /Christian Newswire/ -- Frontline Ministries, Inc., and the Exodus Mandate Project ( www.Exodusmandate.org) announced today that Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Gena Suarez are the joint recipients of the 2009 Dr. Robert Dreyfus Courageous Christian Leadership Award. Established by Frontline Ministries, Inc., in 2007, this award honors and recognizes Christian leaders who have exhibited moral courage through their unique contribution to the Church by advancing Christianity in the culture and life of the nation. This contribution and ministry may be in the face of opposition or it may run counter to the prevailing culture of Church and society. Chaplain Moore said of Mr. and Mrs. Suarez, "This couple has made a tremendous contribution to homeschool education through the founding and publishing of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine ( www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com). Their magazine has grown into the largest Christian homeschool magazine in the United States."

Starting with a humble beginning in spring of 2000, not as a magazine, but as on on-line e-Bay business, selling used textbooks and curricula to homeschool families throughout the United States and abroad, it flourished to a 12 page black and white flyer (The Old Schoolhouse Newsletter) in 2001, and then proceeded to becoming a full-color glossy magazine with paying advertisers in 2002 called The Old Schoolhouse Magazine (TOS). Since then, the Lord has blessed their efforts and has expanded TOS with the addition of a blogging community (HomeschoolBlogger.com), an on-line store (TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com), and a number of other homeschool-associated websites.

TOS Magazine exists to support and encourage the Christian homeschooler. Says Gena Suarez, "For the Christian, 'homeschooling' is not merely about 'schooling' or 'education.' Homeschooling is about discipleship -- cultivating a love for God in our children's hearts (Proverbs 22:6)." TOS Magazine is inclusive with respect to educational methodology, allowing "experts" to freely talk to the homeschool community about the various education methods available to them, as well as providing an endless array of educational resources, product reviews and heartwarming, encouraging articles written by homeschool columnists.

TOS Magazine exists to bless the Church. It is their objective to educate and warn the Church on the true nature of the Public School Institution -- to provide the Church with an accurate picture of the public school profile. "No other entity or establishment has succeeded in inflicting more injury to the Body of Christ in this country than the Public School System," said recipient Paul Suarez.

TOS Magazine exists to bless the non-Christians -- to share the Gospel with homeschooling families who have not yet embraced Christ. While there are few non-Christian homeschoolers who subscribe to the magazine, most of their contact with such homeschoolers takes place through their blogging community on HomeschoolBlogger.com (HSB). They intentionally did not make HSB a "Christian" community, hoping to draw homeschoolers of all faiths, and to encourage those who know the Truth to engage in lively conversation with those who have not encountered the Truth yet.

In accepting the award, Paul and Gena Suarez said, "We are most appreciative of your recognition. Yes, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is about homeschooling, but our focus has always been to keep Christ "front and center," even as we promote and advance the cause of homeschooling. It is our prayer that God will use this humble little phenomenon known as "homeschooling" to revive the Church in this country -- and around the world -- and set it back on its biblical foundation."

Dr. Robert Dreyfus, for whom the award has been named said, "Paul and Gena Suarez embody the attributes that have made America great, and many individuals have benefited from their work." Dr. Dreyfus, a prominent retired Florida dentist and inventor of a device to relieve neuromuscular pain for dental uses, served as a president of the Florida Dental Society of Anesthesiology. He has a 45-year history of volunteer work on behalf of family values and K-12 Christian education in Florida and is now the Florida State Coordinator for the Exodus Mandate Project.

Dr. Bruce Shortt, Exodus Mandate Board member and contributor to TOS Magazine said, "No magazine does a better job of reflecting the joys of homeschooling than Paul and Gena Suarez's The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. From the beautifully designed cover and layout to the insightful and engaging articles, the Suarez's show in every issue of TOS how homeschooling is a profoundly fulfilling journey that anyone can undertake. Homeschooling couldn't ask for better ambassadors than Paul and Gena."

Chaplain Moore noted that the 2009 award is the third to be awarded. The 2008 recipient was Dr. Brian D. Ray, PhD, president of the National Home Education Research Institute (www.nheri.org). His work as a premier researcher, writer and demographic analyst for homeschooling in the US has been recognized by both the Christian and secular worlds.

The Contenders:

Spiny Dogfish Shark and Giant Pacific Octopus.

Who do you think will win? Watch this amazing video to find out!