Pray-As-You-Go

At our Administrators' Conference in Portland OR last week, Dick Weniger used mp3 devotions from www.pray-as-you-go.org for our morning devotions. Awesome. Very powerful stuff. They open with bells ringing, then some type of music (chanting, singing, African music -- you just never know), then a Bible verse/story, then a meditation, then quiet time for reflection, then a re-reading of the verses, then more quiet time and then a Gloria Patri. I can't wait to use this with my own staff. It's more moving than just about any other devotion that I've used in recent memory. Hope others will check it out. You can download it to your iPod or other mp3 player, or just to your computer. It's from a Jesuit group in England (so there are the great accents and everything) and I truly look forward to listening to them every morning. :)

The blog/FB connection

So, apparently on my settings, whatever I type in my blog will appear as a 'note' on Facebook. Too cool. Or I could just post on Facebook because I'm way better at doing that than remembering to update my blog. Oh well.

"I burp"

Oh, yes... today's highlight... I picked K up from daycare at 4:30 p.m. We went to the park across from daycare to play (we've never been at that one before). I taught her how to climb up the ladder arch thing (with my help) and she loved it. I had fun swinging and she was howling with laughter watching me swing next to her. We stayed for 30 mins and went home.

I put her in his highchair booster seat and she said, "'scuse me. I burp".

BWA ha ha ha ha.... I knew she started saying, "bless you!" after SHE sneezes (which is hilarious) but this is too much. I'm sure Todd would be mortified but it is really funny. At least she knows when/why to say "excuse me". :) YEA!

Twitter on, you twit... ?

OK, do you Twitter?

I don't know why I signed up but it seemed new and cool but not TOO popular... Now, of course, it's being advertized EVERYWHERE for EVERYTHING lately...and, well, I don't really get it. People have entire conversations on twitter. I'm not sure how, really. I've aimed comments at a few people (mostly people Todd knows) but I wouldn't say I engage in actual conversations. So, what's the appeal? What am I missing? I must admit that I just find it to be a random update-stream of consciousness-Facebook status type thingy. When I'm really feeling random or really, really, really need to vent (but I can't on FB because it's about someone who may or may not see my vent on there) then I turn to Twitter. But I feel like a 'twit', really, because I feel like all these people are using Twitter for something more interesting and engaging than I'm using it for. What gives?

So -- fill me in on what I'm missing out on. Until then, I'll continue to randomly vent on and on... ;)

Technology Quiz -- How well can you score?

At our recent Administrator's conference in Portland, OR we were told that many of the things we assume are "technology" in the classroom, really aren't. If you can find a non-tech way to do something, it is not really 'technology' in 2009. So, here is the quiz I will be giving to my staff to see if they really know what is technology (which, incidentally, our 'technology' teacher doesn't actually teach 'technology' under these new standards.... interesting...) So, how well could YOU do on this quiz?

1. What is TokBox?

2. What is Skype?

3. What is a Wiki?

4. What is a blog?

5. What is a netbook? What does it feature? How much does it cost?

6. What is a podcast?

7. What is U-Stream?

8. What is YouTube?

9. What is School Town?

10. What is a GoogleDoc?

11. What is SketchUp?

12. How do you log in to an interactive calendar? Which websites offer them (name at least 2)?

13. How is typing different from handwriting and how is it similar?

14. How is powerpoint another form of making a presentation? Can the information on a powerpoint be done with magazines, poster board, etc?

15. How is internet research similar to research in a book and/or encyclopedia? How is it different?

16. Is a Smartboard any different that using a whiteboard?

17. Which class is the easiest to integrate technology into? Which class is the most difficult?

Every Scar Tells a Story

Today I did the children's message at my church. I decided to do something a little different for me. I had the kids sit on the steps and I stood with my back to the congregation. I think I was less nervous, or less distracted, that way and it went well.

My message was based on the Gospel lesson. Jesus visited the disciples in order to prove that he was raised from the dead and that he was truly alive and not some 'spirit' or 'ghost'. I took Kathleen's little pink glasses and put them on (which was comical since I have such a fat head) and asked, "Even if I wear these, can you still tell it's me?" (Obviously, they could). Then I put them on Kathleen and said, "If she wears these, can you still tell it's her?" (Same response). I told that Jesus appeared to his disciples to show that even if his appearance changes, he still is Jesus.

Then I showed them various scars on my arm. "This one is from when my cat scratched me in 10th grade...this one is from when I accidentally set a hot pan on my arm while a cook at camp... this one is from when I had chickenpox..." I pointed out about 6 or 7 total little scars from over the years. I asked if they had any scars. They all nodded and I said, "I bet you could tell me a story of how you got each scar too. Jesus had scars too. " Then I asked where his scars were and how he got them. I said, "Jesus was just like us, human. His disciples couldn't believe what they were seeing. They wondered if he was a ghost or spirit." Then I asked what he did to prove he wasn't one and they remembered that he ate a piece of fish (the Gospel lesson had just been read ). I said, "Would you believe that I brought each of you a piece of fish to eat too?!" Of course, all the adults giggled at this thought. Then I said, "No, just kidding. I did bring you something to eat but it's not fish." Then I handed out dum-dum lollipops and led a prayer.

I'd love to hear the stories that your scars tell -- and invite you to think of Jesus every time you tell someone about your own scar.