living with

We may not be as free or independent as we think.

our tools

The great danger we have as we become more intimately involved with our computers… is that we’ll begin to lose our humanness, to sacrifice the very qualities that separate us from machines. 

-Nicholas Carr, The Shallows

still walking

I am on this journey. I don’t want to over-spritualize it or make it holier than it is. But I am on a journey. And I know you are too. These last few months have been filled with the realization that things are not so good. I am in a happy marriage with healthy children. But there is an increasing dissatisfaction in my soul with where the world is going. So general, I know… but are we gaining wisdom, patience, and love in today’s 21st century society? I’m not sure how much I want to talk about all this.

You may get a mouthful or a continuing diatribe… I’m just going to try to work out some of these things here…

so I can remember…

so I can be reminded…

and I’m sure there will be the intermittent revelation of more personal family stories and photos.

If you are still out there…

I am still here…

march 2012

Just a montage to those I adore. 

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read

From what I had previously written and lost, the information I was most excited to share was a book recommendation.

The Dumbest Generation, by Mark Bauerlein challenged me, inspired me, and had me questioning many cultural norms. I told Davy, “I ate this book.” I tasted it, chewed it, savored it, and swallowed it whole. To me, it was nourishment.

As teacher, mother, student, Christian, thinker, human… I think it needs to be read by anyone who is thinking that technology might not be all it’s cracked up to be. Read it. Let me know what you think.

sigh

I am mourning the loss of the post I just spent an hour writing.

 

struck

I feel lovestruck a bit. Or maybe awestruck. The book I finished a week or two ago is lingering with me. It is one of those that I think I will remember forever. I know it is a bit crazy to feel so strongly about a fictional story about fictional characters, but for whatever reason I am deeply affected by what I read.

Abraham Verghese’s Cutting For Stone is his debut novel. He has a way with words. There were moments in this book where I would read and re-read what he wrote, wondering how he crafted the words he did in the way he did. I would run to my reader friends and ask if they heard the magic I heard, and yes, they did. It will be a book I give to those I know treasure words.

It was given to me by an unlikely friend who somehow knew I would love it.

That is the gift of words and story. They are shared. They are life-changing.

I am thankful for all who have shared the stories they love with me.

shifting paradigms

I am really wanting to know what you think of these ideas! Watching this was exciting and overwhelming at the same time. i began to wonder what rabbit hole we have all gone down that a systematic change is so imperative. Let me know what you think. (These are thoughts from the TED conference, speaker is sir ken robinson)

recap – end of 2011

We have had a fantastic, restful Christmas holiday. Some of the highlights are below in the pics.

waiting for the reveal

 

she loved the robe

I guess the cat was cool?

christmas day 2011

d and his munchkins

playing together

b and s cute as always

family pic

pedernales falls

 

Was I aware of this?

one in two americans are poor or low income

What does this say about our nation? What does this mean for us? How does this affect our choices? How does this affect how we educate our citizens? How does this affect our children?

One of the quotes from the article says, “The reality is that prospects for the poor and the near poor are dismal,” he said. “If Congress and the states make further cuts, we can expect the number of poor and low-income families to rise for the next several years.”

Are we okay with this? As a follower of Jesus… I have a hard time believing that ignoring these facts is what he would have done.

Just some thoughts…

Not sure what I think…