My name is Spunky Jr. I am Spunky Homeschool's daughter and I'm 16 years old, homeschooled and the eldest of 6 children. My hobbies include knitting, blogging, writing, reading, biking, running, volleyball, piano and flute. I also write for Virtue Magazine. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 10 Mar 2006 15:57:00 -0600 Fri, 10 Mar 2006 15:57:00 -0600 Hannah Beth of Beauty from the Heart (a blog that I also contribute to) has put together an awesome little video that speaks volumes. Even though Beauty from the Heart is a blog for young ladies, I would encourage everyone to watch this. And, if you feel led, pass it on to your friends. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/97966/ Fri, 10 Mar 2006 15:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/97966/ I have had my driving permit for ages. Yes, I'm 17 and and I still don't have my license - thanks to Michigan's (silly) but smart laws that require 3 weeks of class, 2 hours a day, 4 days a week and 6 hours of driving time with a (certified) driving instructor. On top of that, once you do get your license you're on some sort of watch list until you're 18. Whew. (Just so you know, I'll be getting my license sometime next year.) When I started driving, it was the first time that my parents had to sit in the passenger seat (okay...they've sat there before but not while I was driving) while I had control over the car. I had control over the car because my parents allowed me to. They could have easily told me that I wasn't allowed to drive yet or something. But they let me drive. They gave the keys to me and put me in control of the car. Before we're Christians, we're driving our own car to the destination we want, regardless of what others have to say. Yes, we may take input, but we know how we want to run our lives. When we become Christians, in a way we "hand over the keys" to God. He has control over our lives now because He's driving the car to His destination. He's caring out His plan for our lives. This seems easy but it's not. I struggle with it a lot. Giving up everything following Christ isn't the easiest or the most popular thing to do - especially in today's culture. "Giving up the keys" is not easy. Our tendancy is to want control over everything. Sometimes we don't want to give the keys up and move to the passenger seat. But we do as Christians. We have to surrender daily to Christ. Just as my parents gave me their keys to drive, we must also "give the keys" to God and let Him drive our car. Who's Driving Your Car? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/97962/ Fri, 10 Mar 2006 15:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/97962/ Remember Jay Bennish - the teacher who ranted for 20 minutes and was recorded? You may remember the name, but not the face because Mr. Bennish had an "extreme makeover" before appearing on this morning's Today Show. Before: After: (Photos via Michelle Malkin.) Also, an anonymous commentor on my HSB blog said this: First of all... lets not take Mr. Bennish's, who by the way is one of the most known and respected teachers at Overland High School (my school), out of context. For example the exerpt you put on your front page is a small part of sucha big lecture that was ended with, "Alright, and so this becomes very, very muddled. And I'm not in any way implying that you should agree with me. I don't even know if I'm necessarily taking a position. But what I'm trying to get you to do is to think, right, about these issues more in-depth, you know, and not just take things from the surface. And I'm glad you asked all your questions, because they're very good, legitimate questions. And hopefully that allows other people to begin to think about some of those things, too." (Quote from your very own Michelle Malkin) So make sure you keep this part in mind, when you are so glad you stay homeschooled. I'm sorry, but 10 seconds of an equivicating dosn't erase 20 minutes of ranting. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/96019/ Tue, 7 Mar 2006 15:42:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/96019/ Student records a political rant by his geography teacher. Sean Allen, is a 16 year old student at Overland High School in Denver Colorado. He recorded a 20 minute political rant by his teacher, Jay Bennish who teaches "world geography". The rant was downright hilarious (and sad) and it just goes to show how radical the Liberals are. I heard several clips of the tape on Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and found it very enlightening, to say the least. Michelle Malkin has posted the entire transcript and I'd encourage you to read it. Teacher Jay Bennish: Who is probably the single most violent nation on planet Earth?! Unidentified brainwashed student interjects: We are. Bennish: The United States of America! Make sure you read the rest. It makes you shake your head and wonder what has happened to our schools. Thankfully I've avoided this indoctrination stuff - there's only one way for me: homeschooling. Thanks Mom and Dad for saving me from the madness. (HT: Mom) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/93271/ Thu, 2 Mar 2006 17:20:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/93271/ Regenerate Our Culture What is Regenerate Our Culture? Regenerate Our Culture is an organization dedicated to changing our nation's worldview from unbiblical to biblical. In the coming months, we're going to accomplishing this in various ways. But on March 15th, we'll be launching our Online Magazine. Just who are we? Regenerate Our Culture was founded by several teens just like you. They are Tim Sweetman (Agent Tim Online), Jake Smith (Mission 36Teen), Alex King (Smart Homeschool) and myself (Spunky Jr.). What's our vision and purpose? Every organization needs a vision and a plan. Proverbs 29:18 says: Where there is no vision, the people perish...The same is true with Regenerate Our Culture. Not only do we have a vision for this organization, we have many plans. I'd encourage you to read all about them. Want to get involved? That's right! You can get involved with Regenerate Our Culture too! We have put together a bunch of things you can do to become a part of this. Check it out! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/92351/ Wed, 1 Mar 2006 09:44:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/92351/ I am going to attempt to cross-post all my posts here now.  That's if I remember though.  I also changed my template a little bit.  Looks somewhat like my other blog!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/90288/ Sat, 25 Feb 2006 12:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/90288/ Cast your vote in the Homeschool Blog AwardsIn my mind, I see a little girl tooting on a flute. She is about 11 years old, she has long brown hair and her blue eyes are glittering. She's excited. Her flute isn't too expensive. It's one that she saved up for all by herself (it cost a whopping $250.00). She's practicing furiously so she's prepared for her lessons. She practices more than once a day. And she's working hard to earn the first flute position in band. She's going for the gold. Today I see something similar. I see that same girl. She's definately a few inches taller, her hair is darker but her eyes shine with the same determination. She's not playing off of a $250.00 flute anymore...but a much more expensive one that she saved up for. Over the years, her overall quality has improved and she's achieved her goal and more. She's no longer the first flute in band. This year she had the opportunity to put her piano playing into practice. But she hasn't given up her love of flute. This year, she helped the current flute section play an ensemble piece and she's helped in the classroom with them. In her mind, she sees what she saw 5 years ago - three flutes practicing with the same determination. They're going for the gold too and she's determinted to help them succeed. That same 11 year old determination is still there. She has just finished her last season with that band. The concert was last night. Everything she'd done in years past convenes on this moment. She plays her ensemble piece with the beginners. It was awesome. And then, like a breath of air, it's over. This determined girl has given all she has and she's moving on. She plays with the local youth symphony on her flute and loves it. She's not first flute, but she's working towards that goal. She's going for the gold. Her eyes sparkle and her hair dances - and she practices. She's got that same 11 year old determination still there. This girl loves music and wants to do her best. And that girl is me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/55900/ Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:04:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/55900/ Now is the time to cast your vote in the Homeschool Blog Awards! There are so many excellent bloggers and nominees. Please take time to visit the blogs before casting your vote. It is tempting to just vote for the blogs you currently visit. But please take the time to visit all the blogs before you cast your votes. And don't forget to view the rules, get more details and vote! Lastly, the voting system is absolutely awesome! Jake at StillThinking did an incredible job constructing an automated voting system. It will make voting and tabulating so much more easier. Oh yes, and yours truly spent over 4 hours copying/pasting names and URL's into the database. Get over there and vote! (Just so everyone knows, I was nominated in Best Teen blogger and Best Inspirational and Beauty from the Heart was nominated for best Group Blog. Now I'm not trying to hint, but I thought I'd let you all know. ) And don't forget to spread the word! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/55898/ Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:03:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/55898/ I am going to continue in my study of 2 Timothy. I talked about the first chapter in two different posts (post one and post two). Today I'll be moving on to the second chapter. Take a look at 2 Timothy 2:15: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.As Christians, we should try and present ourselves as good workmen to God. Often, we try and please God and others at the same time. We should not be distracted by what others think in the world or what our friends say. We should be taking our cues from Christ and not from this world. Often times we try and "straddle the fence" or get as close to "the line" as much as possible. Instead we should try and be close to God as possible. We should not be ashamed of who we are in Christ. There are many times when I am. The culture seeks to conform me to its image and keep me from being a workman for God. How do we come against this? Paul says, "we are to correctly handle the word of truth." It is the Word of God that will keep us from being ashamed of who we are in Christ. We must renew our minds daily with the washing of HIS word. How many of us would think of going without a shower? Our own pride will keep us indoors and away from EVERYBODY. I dread the thought of it. But when I'm not in God's Word that's exactly what I'm doing. The Word of God is shampoo for my brain. It scrubs out the ideas that the world wants to deposit and leaves my mind renewed in Christ. If I am willing to spend time on my outward appearance, how much more should I spend time studying the Word of God? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/53494/ Thu, 8 Dec 2005 06:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/53494/ Due to the busyness of the last couple of days, I haven't had time to write another post on 2 Timothy (see posts one and two). However, I am not going to stop this series. Look for another post within the next day or two. ~~~~ Don't forget about that the Homeschool Blog Awards are going on. My mom is still taking nominations! Get over there and nominate your favorite homeschool blogs today. ~~~~ David at Oneway Purpose has an awesome post about qualifications and Germany (when doesn't David have an awesome post?). He adds some interesting thoughts to an article from Reuters that you don't want to miss. Now, I read the article and am going to add my own commentary (not that David's was bad, I am just taking my thoughts in a slightly different direction). Germans value letters attached to their name more than money, love or having children with nine out of ten rating a good qualification as their most important aim in life, a survey showed Wednesday In essence, this is making Germany's population severely decline. Many are preferring letters next to their names rather than the legacy of children. I don't know about everyone else, but I sure would much rather have children than a "PhD" or a "Dr." next to my name (I'm not against higher education, by the way). My mom is a classic example of this and she's one of my role models. She has a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. She was making an incredible amount of money by the time she graduated from college. She also got married at 23 and had me at 26. Quoting from her Choosing Home article: I gave my life to Christ my first year there [at college]. Through excellent discipleship and fellowship God was able to root out many false notions that had been deposited in my youth. Christ also gave me an inner confidence that I had lacked. But I held firm on marriage. It wasn't for me. Many others were there for an "Mrs." degree but I was all business. I majored in computers. This suited my logical and analaytical skills fairly well. And an added bonus, the corporations were hungry for women in this field so I figured finding a job would be easy after graduation.My mom had no interest in marriage. But God had other plans for her. This was also the time when I took my first "real" job as a computer sales representative for a company in our area. I quickly excelled in my job. I was learning nearly $4000 a month selling computers. The PC industry was booming and so was my career. Full steam ahead. But then came the choice. Choosing Home. Fortunately for my mom, God made it very clear what He wanted her to do. She stopped working and stayed home and had kids. My mom is a great encouragement to me in this area. In a world that encourages women to join the workforce, she's a voice who has encouraged me to keep going "against the current". Getting back the the original article, it really boils down to what we value and are we open to input from God. If so, we should listen to His leading and not our own. (See my post on Staying Home and College for more reading.) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/53493/ Thu, 8 Dec 2005 06:31:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/53493/ Currently, I am just starting a small blog series on the book, 2 Timothy. Yesterday I talked about 2 Timothy 1:1. Today I'll be talking about 2 Timothy 1:7-9. One of the things I like most about Timothy is that he seems to struggle with some of the same things I do. Look at 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." This Scripture speaks volumes about many different things, but I wanted to know why Paul was telling this to Timothy. My Study Bible seemed to indicate that Timothy (obviously) had a lack of confidence. This is something that I struggle with many times. It's hard to come out of our comfort zones and tell others about Jesus. It takes a leap of faith but it's well worth it. Let's look at the next couple of verses and see if Paul follows up with anything (emphasis added). "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..." Paul commands us not to be ashamed of sharing the gospel or suffering for Christ. I think this is one of the biggest reasons many people aren't willing to come out of their comfort zones. Many times we're too afraid that we'll be laughted at, made fun of, ridiculed or other wise. But we shouldn't fear any of those things. Why? Because Christ suffered under those same terms! When He died on the cross, He too was laughted at and ridiculed and yet He didn't procrastinate and start complaining. Yes His death was painful, but He understood that He was bringing glory to His Father. Jesus understood what was at stake, Paul understood the stakes and we need to as well. When it comes to sharing the Gospel with those who are lost, we don't want to miss a chance - and it shouldn't matter if they ridicule or laugh at us. The same was done to Jesus and Paul. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/50116/ Wed, 30 Nov 2005 10:18:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/50116/ I have been pondering the thought of doing a series of blog posts on one of my favorite books of the Bible. The next couple of days, I'm going to try and write about 2 Timothy - one of my favorite books because of what Paul talks about. It may seem a little silly that I'm not going through 1 Timothy, but I decided not to. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to go verse-by-verse in this study or I would. I have always enjoyed the way Paul has started each of the books he's written. Take a look at 2 Timothy 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus…” Paul addresses himself in each book he's written like that. I think it's neat and it seems like a trademark of his. The other reason I like the way Paul makes his introduction is because of how he refers to himself. Look at Romans 1:1: "Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle..."Look at the way Paul addresses himself in every book - but specifically Romans. First – he calls himself an apostle but secondly, he often times called himself a bond servant of Christ. Essentially he was calling himself a slave! You would think that someone who is an apostle – one of God’s disciples – would call himself something a bit higher than a bond servant. Paul was a humble man – willing to call himself the lowest even thought he was an apostle. Sometimes I think that because I’m good at something, that I’m the also the greatest at it. A good example is blogging. I could be a great blogger who writes awesome posts, get lots of traffic, be a Higher Being on Truth Laid Bear and a dozen other things. All of those blog statuses and titles mean absolutely nothing to God. They aren’t going on our “Getting into Heaven” resume! Yes, God cares about it but it’s not eternal. I think that’s why Paul calls himself a "slave". Just because he was called an apostle doesn't mean he was more special. Yes, he was someone who knew a lot about the Bible and about Jesus but all of the knowledge, titles and stature in the world mean hardly anything in Heaven. What matters most is this: did we live our life for Christ? Did we serve Him to the best of our ability? That's the only thing that matters in eternity. Paul understood this well and that's why he was so humble. It doesn't matter if we were one of God's apostles, or our blog status is high, or we're popular. We need to ask ourselves this question and humble ourselves before God. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/50114/ Wed, 30 Nov 2005 10:17:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/50114/ A few days ago I mentioned some of the things I was thankful for. One was for online friends. Well, last night I was able to meet up with one of those online friends and meet her in person. I was finally able to meet Coie Ig - the other young lady who started A Side Tracked Focus, fellow blogger and great friend. Not only do we have a lot in common, we look like twins! To make things worse, she needed a winter coat and so did I. We went shopping and ended up getting the exact same coat. So now, we LOOK LIKE TWINS more than ever! Here's what Coie had to say: While there [at Borders Books] we "argued" about different authors, how many books they wrote, and when they died. We stopped when someone on staff asked if we needed any help. Then we went to Target in search of winter coats. Nothing...so we went to Kohl's where we found matching coats...I know--PATHETIC. We've never even met in person. But no one could tell us apart anyways, so we decided to confuse them more. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. BELOW: I personally don't like this photo all that well because we both look so pale (click for better view). http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/48615/ Sat, 26 Nov 2005 10:44:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/48615/ Do you find that your parents set rules that you may not necessarily agree with? It's not an everyday occurance for me, but there are a few times when I feel this way. My friend Jake and I were talking the other day about the fact that I'm not allowed to Instant Message. My parents have never allowed me to do so for various reasons. After going back and forth with my friend about the effects of AIM. We both came to the conclusion that even though we may not like the rules our parents have, we must accept and respect them. I'm not saying that AIM is harmful or could be harmful. My parents have their reasons for not letting me get it - the biggest being that I'd be addicted to it (they're right!). That's fine. I respect their decision and I'm glad they've made that rule and stuck by it. But for you it may not be AIM; it could be a book, movie or relationship. The Bible says in Colossians 3:20: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.and in Ephesians 6:2: "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise—"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."I am told to obey and honor and my parents whether I like it or not. It's a commandment from God. Not only do I please the Lord when I do so, I please my parents. But it has to be more than outward obedience. It has to be inward as well. So many times we can be obedient with the wrong kind of attitude. Have you ever thought, 'Just wait 'till I'm 18...." or 'But so and so's parents let them......" or even further, 'When I have kids I'm never gonna....." We need keep ourselves from that attitude. It can lead to bitterness or anger and could eventually cause a rift in the relationship. This is not a good thing and we should strive to obey our parents cheerfully. "A merry heart does good, like medicine..." ~Proverbs 17:22If your relationship is strained, check to see if you're obeying cheerfully. It just may be the cure for your ailing relationship. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/45050/ Wed, 16 Nov 2005 06:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/45050/ I have a problem. Actually, I have lots of problems. My real problem is that I can't conquer my first problem. Yes, I definitely have quite a problem, wouldn't you say so? So what is this problem? I don't want to come out of my comfort zone when I want to evangelize. It's not that I don't want to tell others about the gospel, it just has to be within my comfort zone. Really, I'm actually afraid that I'll be laughed at and scorned when I tell others about Christ. But that shouldn't matter. Jesus was laughed at when He was dying on the cross. Should I, a sinner, be willing to do a few things for HIM? Like spreading the gospel? I would think so. Jesus sure went out His comfort zone for me when He died on the cross. One of my favorite Bible verses is Matthew 28:18 - 20: Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."God specifically commands us to take His Word and share it with others. When we procrastinate (something I can be good at) we're not obeying Him. While Jesus was here on earth, I don't think He procrastinated and said that He, a perfect man, couldn't eat with a sinner and share the Gospel. I don't think so. Jesus opened His arms to those who were lost. Why can't I? I've been challenged lately to come out of my comfort zone and be a light to others. There is a little boy down our street who I see nearly everyday because I baby-sit and teach him piano. We both get along so well and the opportunity for me to tell him about Jesus has come up. I've just never been willing. It's sad when you think about it. Really it is. I am denying someone a chance to know Christ because I'm and can't come out of my comfort zone. How selfish. I have been reading a lot about missions as well. I would love to take a missions trip one of these days. But I think God has been holding me back until I come out of my little zone and share Christ with those around me. Matthew 25:21 has encouraged me to be faithful with the small things: 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. So, God has taught me quite a bit....and I'm excited. I just have to keep my eyes on Christ and remember that He is the one I should follow. He's my example. The more I focus on Him, the better I'll be. Related posts: Daughter of the King has a series of posts on this topic. Read one here and the second here. Very inspiring - great job Lindsey! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/42909/ Thu, 10 Nov 2005 11:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/42909/ Yesterday was music day around here. I had a flute lesson and a piano lesson (what I like to call a double whamo...) It wouldn't have been so bad if I had practiced over the weekend. But both of my teachers are college professors and don't tolerate not practicing. After receiving the "time mangagement" and "you need to practice" lecture from my piano teacher, I proceeded to play all the major scales like I normally do. That didn't go well and I got the "you should be able to sit down and play your major AND minor scales without messing up" lecture. Golly, how do I get myself into these messes? Then the lightbulb went on. All I needed to do was sit down and practice them until I knew them so well. I asked my piano teacher how long it would take for me to learn both sets of scales and he said Christmastime. All I need to do it get it done and work hard. Isn't everything like that? We see the goal, but it's the getting there that's the hardest part. Sometimes we don't have the enthusiasim or we don't like what we're doing, but it's got to get done. In the case of my scales, all I need to do is be willing to sit down for 45 minutes and run through them all. Not everything is that easy. Reading our Bibles, doing our schoolwork or just work in general can be difficult to get done. We shouldn't do this work grudgingly, but cheerfully. We need to get it done and persevere. 2 Chronicles 15:7 says, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." When we persevere and get our work done, we'll be rewarded. Whether our reward is by finally getting a certain concept in math or an actual medal-type of reward, we'll get one. Our reward may not even be here on earth, but it in Heaven. That alone should keep us on our toes and not wanting to give up. And no, unfortunately, that piano in the photo above is not mine. I wish it was. Maybe someday I'll get some sort of reward like that, but for now...I'm stuck with regular old thunker that's terribly out of tune! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41869/ Tue, 8 Nov 2005 06:38:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41869/ The other day, I posted about Problems with blogging. To quote quote myself, One of the most used blog sites for teens is Xanga. Over half of my personal friends have Xanga's and even more are getting MySpaces. While these are fun to read, there is no real purpose. When I used my Xanga, I didn't do anything but ramble. It's not productive. I would like to touch on the topic of Xanga's and why I'm not a huge fan of them. First, let me say that people who have Xanga's are NOT bad bloggers. In fact, quite a few bloggers I enjoy reading maintain Xanga's that are well written (a few include Mountain Gal and SecDef, Set Apart for Him and Quaere Verum among many).My number one reason is of Xanga's reputation. They have a reputation to lure teens who want to keep up with friends and talk. It's become a "virtual gathering" spot for teens.Teens like to talk - including me. Sometimes we open our mouths a little too wide or let our hands type a little too much. I've done this. When we let our mouths or hands get away from us, bad things are bound to happen. In a multitude of words there is sin.Xanga's seem to lack purpose and are most often centered around self. We teens have a habit of wanting to make ourselves the center of it all. Xanaga is gaining a reputation as a hang out for self-centered rambling teens. Ramblings can be good to a certain extent. And it is nice to know what's going on in people's lives. But after a while, it gets monotonous to write about what you did every single day (which is school for most of the people I subscribe to). Isn't there more to our lives than just us?Karen Kovaka said this and I would have to agree: "...it seems like the crucial difference between 'rambling' and 'purposeful' teen blogs is in their focus, not necessarily in their authors' level of self-esteem. The ones that ramble are (by and large) focused on the author - his feelings, his desires, his preferences. The ones with more purpose are focused on others, on what the readers want, on what will edify the audience." Do you find ramblings to be edifying? Yes I would agree that it can be nice at times, but is everything that those people type edifying?I am trying my hardest not to be critical as I know that some of them (my Xanga friends) may actually be reading this. I'm not saying that having a Xanga is bad.I've also noticed that many people who use Xanga also are disrespectful to parents and/or those in authority. It seems to be a breeding ground for irreverant thinking. I liked what David Ketter said, Now, I have seen the downsides of those rants on Xanga's and know them all too well. Honestly, I try to discourage them because usually are dishonorable to their parents (and I had "honor your father and your mother" drilled into my head a long time ago...). It has helped with some friends of mine, but not stopped it, unfortunately. If you had some of their other friends discouraging it though, it would stop, I'll bet. I would have to agree. This leads to another totally seperate topic, but many people in today's culture seem to encourage disrespect to those in authority. Hannah of Sold Out talks about this more in her post here.What do you think? Am I too hard on Xanga bloggers? Or is there some merit to all of this? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41432/ Mon, 7 Nov 2005 06:15:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41432/ Today was a pretty dreary day - weather wise.  It was 64 degrees but cloudy and it looked as if it was threatening to rain.  Booo....I think I need to move farther south to Alabama.  Tenn. might not be bad place, then I could be close to my bestest friend Coie Ig.  Did you know she's my bestest friend?  I didn't think so.  She's such a sweetie and sometimes I call her TWICE a day!  But that costs lots of money so we send sometimes at least 50 emails!    One of my new friends is Kirsty.  She's Jake's sister.  I've emailed her several times and we have sooo much in common!  Take a look at her blog.  Isn't it cool?  I love her template.  Her brother (Jake) did it for her.  I'm hoping to have mine re-done someday by him as well.   And of course, my sisters blog here as well.  They are always asking for me to check their blog.  Here's a photo of them both:                               Elizabeth                                                       Katie   Aren't they such sweeties?  I think so.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41069/ Sat, 5 Nov 2005 16:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/41069/ For those of you who have been pestering me, you can stop. Why? Because............. A Side Tracked Focus is up and running! That's right, our web technician (Jake Smith) stayed up way past his bed time to make sure that we made the deadline (Nov. 1st). A Side Tracked Focus was started by four teens Tim Sweetman (also known as Agent Tim), Jake Smith (the tech guy over at StillThinking and blogger also known as Mission 3:6Teen), Coie Igarashi, and myself. I'm really excited that this project has launched. Some of you may know that this has been going on, as I've mentioned it here before. The main part of the site is done, but we're still adding a few things like who we are, etc. Go check out A Side Tracked Focus and give us your feedback. ________________________ Dont' forget to read Problems....with Blogging? and Do you have genuine faith? There is quite a lively discussion going on under the problems with blogging. If you have something you'd like to add, go for it! And, later today, I'm going to have a bit on the new Supreme Court nominee. For now, click over to Boy Scout Blogger - one the best teen political blogs in the sphere! And, I couldn't miss Agent Tim's very funny nomination speech. It was seemingly over. I wasn’t even in the top three. Neo was winning, not me. With his recent link, and faithful readership, he had been given at least 15 votes. But suddenly, history was changed forever. The first girl blogger would be president blogger of the year (come to think of it…it would have been the first guy blogger of the year…but that’s beside the point.). History was being changed.Yes, I was changing history...one vote at a time. But then, the race went down hill from there. The Grandma Agent joined the campaign. I called the folks over at HomeschoolBlogger.com and had them put up links, etc. But Tim slowly took the stage when he benefitted from his Grandma's contributions. It was over. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/39250/ Tue, 1 Nov 2005 07:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/39250/ I guess some parents have a problem with what their teens are blogging about. This story comes from USA Today via my mom (Spunky Homeschool). Want to know whether your teen is blogging? Ask her. Experts say parents should tell their teens that they're going to read their blogs before doing it.That sounds great. I don't have a problem with that. My mom already reads everything I post. Millions of teens who grew up with a mouse in one hand and a remote control in the other now pour out their hearts, minds and angst in personal online diaries. (snip) "This is the new way kids interact," adds Paul Saffo of the Institute for the Future in Menlo Park, Calif. "Fifty years ago, they borrowed their parents' phones or made their own phones out of string and Dixie cups. Today they have their own cellphones, and they have their own computer accounts and Web pages and they have their own blogs. Believe me, I don't pour my entire sould on my blog (ha, it would be a rambly mess). One of the most used blog sites for teens is Xanga. Over half of my personal friends have Xanga's and even more are getting MySpaces. While these are fun to read, there is no real purpose. When I used my Xanga, I didn't do anything but ramble. It's not productive. "Teens are so exhibitionist," adds Jenny Rypkema, a sophomore at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. At 19, she has been blogging for four years. "They are having huge identity problems, so they like to put out some front to the world. They want to be out there."I can tell you one thing, I'm not having huge identity problems. Heck, I know I'm Spunky Jr. There's no identity problem here. How about you? Note: This is Spunky Jr.'s mom and I approve this post. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/39060/ Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:16:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyjunior/39060/