Be unusual!!!

According to Newsweek magazine, only 1 out of 10 Americans know at least one author of The Federalist Papers.  They are Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison.  Perhaps we can boost the average by a few decimal points!  =)

You can learn more about the Federalist Papers by going here:

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/federalist/timeline.html

Why do I think that God loves me?

"Jesus loves me, this I know.  For the Bible tells me so......".  My 20-month-old daughter knows these words.  They seems so easy to understand.......but are they?  Why do I think that God loves me?  It is so easy to think that He does when I look across the room at the wonderful man with whom I share my life.  I often praise Him in my heart when I watch my sweet little girl spinning around and singing.  I do not doubt that God has given me this blessing and many others.  But I have to wonder.......if I did not have all of these blessings, would I still believe that God loves me?  Would I still love Him? 

I John 4:10 says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins".  This is how I know that God loves me.  Jesus sacrificed Himself and redeemed me when I was His enemy.  That alone is light years beyond what I deserve.  Even without the blessing of family, friends, good health, money (I could go on and on), He is good and utterly worthy of my love.  May He always have it.

Numerophobia

Numerophobia = fear of numbers

I am not truly afraid of numbers.  Most of the time, I like them just fine (especially if there are a lot of them in my bank account)!  =)  The lovefest ends when it comes to using numbers to find answers to my questions.  I just do not know how to do it.  So...........I'm going to try again.  I'm going to read The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith as an introduction to economics.  Maybe I can become like one of these people............

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/09/forbes-the-richest-people-in-the-world-2011?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk1%7C49368

......but it's okay if I don't!  =)

Free Ivy League education? Anyone? Bueller?

Here's a link to some ABSOLUTELY FREE courses offered at Yale University.  Granted, you cannot get credit for taking these courses, but you can get a lot of great information!

http://oyc.yale.edu/

Black history readings...........................

The month of February is considered Black History Month in the United States.  While I happen to be of the opinion that "black history" need not be relegated to one month of the year, I really don't feel like stepping up on the soapbox today.  Here's some interesting stuff written by one of the smartest young ladies in the world.
http://allshehastosay.blogspot.com/2011/01/huck-finn-gets-makeover.html

...........and, lest I forget, here is my list of favorite books that relate to black history!

Uncle Tom's Cabin~~Harriet Beecher Stowe
Up From Slavery~~Booker T. Washington
Black Like Me~~John Howard Griffin
Roll of Thunder, Here My Cry~~Mildred Taylor

Baby, you're (FAR more amazing than) a firework!!

With my utmost respect to Mrs. Brand and her very popular song, I have to say that it is lacking something.  What are fireworks?  Explosive pyrotechnics.......................colorful, flying fire.  Impressive?  Yes.  Beautiful?  Uh huh.  An accurate assessment of a human being?  Not quite.  God has far more to say about our value as people.  Want to feel amazing?  Read on............


See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  ~I John 1:3

 So God created mankind in his own image,  in the image of God he created them;  male and female he created them.  ~Genesis 1:27

 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.  ~Hebrews 2:11

Yes, we are beautiful, awe-inspiring and utterly precious............because our Maker says so!

Thoughts on languages

In my opinion, learning a second (or third!) language is one of the best ways to educated one's self.  I know that I have an advantage, since I attend a Chinese church and am married to a gifted linguist.  There are so many ways to learn another language inexpensively, and many good ways are absolutely free!  This is the link to my favorite language learning site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/