It's odd... after looking back on my undergraduate college experience, I initially thought that I ddin't learn enough... The same thing was true during senior year of high schoool, the same was true when I graduated from middle school, and the same will be true when I complete my Masters Degree.
However, I think that we, as human beings, are very good at disregarding and downplaying incidents, even brief moments, of significance for the sake of allowing ourselves to move to the next season of life. We need, at times, to say the last wasn't that important so that we can let go of how much it really meant to us.
I want to get to the place where I do not have to look on the meaningful moments and say, "It wasn't that important." I want to be able to accept the loss of the moment and to move on, appreciating the moment for what it was, in all of its adequacy and inadequacy.
If you are considering charter schools as an alternative school choice, make sure to do your research. Below are some posts on You Tube from a "well recognized" charter school in Clevleand, Toledo, and other cities. Please note that some of the content in the videos below is not appropriate for younger viewers/readers.
Above: This is what HSA and other Charter Schools would have you believe... Below: This is the behavior that you can expect from students at HSA. Notice that there are sexual references (these kids are 11-14 years of age).
Above: You can see the sense of humor and the tolerance at the school for violent play-acting. As you can see, the children are in a classroom. Below: This is a video at school (notice, no uniforms today). The students edited the video with software so that it appears that a boy is shooting a gun (his hand is the gun).
Above: The title of the video above are enough to suggest that there is a problem with authority. Below: The title of the video below is "Horizon Whitey's Dance to Crank That" - if you do not find this insulting, imagine replacing "Whitey" with another derogatory racial term.
The lack of discipline evident in many of these videos is a great concern for any parent. It is evident that many of the children in the videos are behaving as they are during school sponsored programs or events.
चार्टर स्चूल्स अरे अ जोके!ಚರ್ತೆರ್ ಸ್ಚೂಲ್ಸ್ ಅರೆ ಅ ಜೋಕ್!ചര്റെര് സ്കൂല്സ് ആരെ എ ജോകെ!சார்டேர் ஸ்கூல் ஆர் ஏ ஜோக்! చార్టర్ స్కూల్స్ అరె అ జోక్! इफ यू अरे कांसिदेरिंग चार्टर स्चूल्स अस अन अल्तेर्नातिवे स्चूल चोइस, मके सुर टू दो यौर रिसर्च. बेलो अरे सोम पोस्ट्स ओं यू तुबे फ्रॉम अ "वेल्ल रेकोग्निजेद" चार्टर स्चूल इन क्लेव्लेंद, तोलेदो, एंड ओथेर सितिएस. प्लेस नोट ठाट सोम ऑफ़ थे कंटेंट इन थे विदोस बेलो इस नोट अप्प्रोप्रिअते फॉर यौन्गेर विएवेर्स/रेअदेर्स। ಇಫ್ ಯೌ ಅರೆ ಕಾನ್ಸಿದೆರಿಂಗ್ ಚರ್ತೆರ್ ಸ್ಚೂಲ್ಸ್ ಅಸ್ ಅನ್ ಅಲ್ತೆರ್ನತಿವೆ ಸ್ಕೂಲ್ ಚೊಇಕೆ, ಮೇಕ್ ಸುರೆ ಟು ದೋ ಯೌರ್ ರಿಸರ್ಚ್. ಬೆಲೌ ಅರೆ ಸಂ ಪೋಸ್ತ್ಸ್ ಆನ್ ಯೌ ತುಬೆ ಫ್ರೊಂ ಅ "ವೆಲ್ ರೆಕೊಗ್ನಿೆದ್" ಚರ್ತೆರ್ ಸ್ಕೂಲ್ ಇನ್ ಕ್ಲೆವ್ಲೆಂದ್, ತೊಳೆದೋ, ಅಂಡ್ ಒಥೆರ್ ಕಿತಿಎಸ್. ಪ್ಲೀಸ್ ನೋಟ್ ದಟ್ ಸಂ ಆಫ್ ದಿ ಕಂಟೆಂಟ್ ಇನ್ ದಿ ವಿದೆಒಸ್ ಬೆಲೌ ಈಸ್ ನಾಟ್ ಅಪ್ಪ್ರೋಪ್ರಿತೆ ಫಾರ್ ಯೌಂಗೆರ್ ವಿಎವೆರ್ಸ್/ರೆದೇರ್ಸ್. ഇഫ് യു ആരെ കന്സിടെരിംഗ് ചര്റെര് സ്കൂല്സ് ആസ് ആന് അല്റെര്ണടിവേ സ്കൂള് ചോയ്സ്, മാകെ സുരെ ടോ ഡോ യൌര് റിസര്ച്ച്. ബെലൊവ് ആരെ സോമേ പോസ്റ്സ് ഓണ് യു ട്യൂബ് ഫ്രം എ "വെല് രേകഗ്നിഴെദ്" ചര്റെര് സ്കൂള് ഇന് ക്ലെവ്ലീന്ദ്, ടോലെടോ, ആന്ഡ് അദര് സിറീസ്. പ്ലീസ് നോട്ട് ദാറ്റ് സോമേ ഓഫ് ദ കണ്ടന്റ് ഇന് ദ വിടെപോസ് ബെലൊവ് ഈസ് നോട്ട് അപ്പ്രോപ്രയാറെ ഫോര് യൌന്ങേര് വിഎവെര്സ്/രീടെര്സ്. இப் யு ஆர் காங்சிதேரிங் சார்டேர் ஸ்கூல் அச அன் அல்டேர்ணடிவே ஸ்கூல் சாய்ஸ், மேக் சுர் டு டூ யூர் ரேசேஅர்ச். பெலொவ் ஆர் சொமே போஸ்ட்ஸ் ஆன் யு துபே பிரோம் ஏ "வெள் ரேகோக்நிழேது" சார்டேர் ஸ்கூல் இன் க்லெவ்லெஅந்ட், டோலேடோ, அண்ட் அதர் சிடிஎஸ். ப்ளீஸ் நோட் தட் சொமே ஒப் தி காங்ட்டேன்ட் இன் தி விதேஒஸ் பெலொவ் இஸ் நாட் அப்ப்ரோப்ரியாடே போர் யூங்கேர் விஎவேர்ஸ்/ரேஅதேர்ஸ். ఈఫ్ యు అరె కాంసిదేరింగ్ చార్టర్ స్కూల్స్ అస్ అం అల్తెర్నతివే స్కూల్ చోఇస్, మాకే సరే తో డో యౌర్ రీసెర్చ్. బెలౌ అరె సం పోస్ట్స్ ఆన్ యు ట్యూబ్ ఫ్రం అ "వెల్ రేకగ్నిజేడ్" చార్టర్ స్కూల్ ఇన్ క్లేవ్లేఅండ్, తోలేదో, అండ్ ఒతేర్ సితీస్. ప్లీజ్ నోట్ తాత సం ఆప్ ది కంటెంట్ ఇన్ ది విదేఒస్ బెలౌ ఈజ్ నాట్ అప్ప్రోప్రిఅతే ఫర్ యౌంగేర్ విఎవేర్స్/రేఅదేర్స్.
I declare to the world that I WAS a buffoon. I truly thought that the purchase of energy efficient light bulbs was consumer savvy. I learned of my grave error today when I was changing the hallway light that burned out.
To my disgust, it was the energy "efficient" 10-year bulb that took a nose dive before the ordinary $0.10 light bulb that was next to it and still working! I didn't even know about these light bulbs 10 years ago; I was still in high school and I had no reason to buy a light bulb... obviously, it didn't last ten years. In fact, I estimate that it didn't even last two years. Keep in mind that this bulb was worth about $5.00 when I purchased it. I purchased the stupid bulb in college about five years ago (generous estimate), and I didn't take it out of the package until I got married (about 3 years ago). I then placed it in a lamp that we never used. I took it out of the lamp at/around the first year we were married when I was arguing with my wife about how great these bulbs were, and how much money we would save by purchasing them... In any case, for the purpose of testing to see if our energy bill would fall in the slightest, I placed the bulb in the socket from where I just removed it. Our bill didn't change in the slightest, and the light is dead after 1/5 of the advertised life expectancy.
It took a rude awakening for me to realize how easy it is to neglect those who you love the most. One night, after my girlfriend (now, my wife) and I went to the theater, she was very quiet. I could see the signs indicating that something was bothering her, so I persisted on asking her to tell me what was on her mind. Finally, she broke down and we talked for hours about the insecurity she had recently felt between us. After significant distress resulting, in part, from my prideful point of view, I began to realize that I had not been communicating well with her, and I had been lax in consideration of her emotions. After all was said and done, it was as though our relationship had been rejuvenated. We had reached a new level of honesty, and I was able to understand her so much better than ever before. This concludes this encounter, but it was not the first time that this happened between us. It has been a continuous theme, always with the same result. I realize more and more how much I want to spend the rest of my life with her.
Often the biblical relationship between Jesus and the church is compared to a marriage. Jesus is referred to as the bridegroom, and the church as the bride. The comparison, in spirit, would encompass much of what I went through with my wife during our courtship; however, this does not line up with the doctrine of many churches in our culture. Several different congregations have held to the same traditions and standards for years, implying that they believe themselves to have a right and adequate depiction of the relationship between God and the Church. These congregations hold fast to what was revealed to them, by God, at one period of time, and they refuse to allow flexibility in their doctrine.
This is not to say that the churches are completely incorrect in their doctrine, but, as John Milton said:
…If we look not wisely on the sun itself, it smites us into darkness… The light which we have gained was given us, not to be ever staring on, but by it to discover onward things more remote from our knowledge. (Areopagitica 608)
Many churches have received true revelation from God, but they overindulge themselves in the truth that they have found, blinding themselves by pride and arrogance. However, a proper and correct attitude toward revelation and “revival” is to seek it with truth already revealed and embrace new truths offered by God.
Milton did not go out on a limb to say this; there is significant scriptural backing. In two of the synoptic gospels Christ is quoted in telling a parable about wine skins (in the King James translation, the word “wine skins” is inappropriately interpreted as “bottles” thus destroying its intended meaning): 17. Neither do men put new wine into old [wine skins]: else the [wine skins] break, and the wine runneth out, and the [wine skins] perish: but they put new wine into new [wine skins], and both are preserved (Matthew 9: 17)
In this verse, it is important to take into consideration both the cultural situation in which it was told and the symbolism represented. It is told twice, with the same cultural situation: other religious leaders are questioning Jesus’s doctrine. Jesus responds to them by telling this parable. As in other cases with Jesus, he told parables to indirectly and more completely respond to questions. This implies that the parable will answer to the discrepancy between two doctrines that originate from the same source (in this instance, the Jewish tradition). We then must look to the imagery to find out what the actual message is.
On a literal level, in Jesus’ culture this parable contained common knowledge. It is mandatory to prepare wine skins before you use them; the parable is actually referring to worn out wine skins. The word “old” in this parable is derived from the Greek word “Palaioo” (“antique, i.e. not recent, worn out: - old”) (Strong’s). However, wine skins were not only good for one use; they were meant to be recyclable, but it required preparation. The process of preparation entailed, first, soaking the old wine skin in a river for days, allowing the flow of the swell to saturate the skin and, then, beating the skin mercilessly until limber. When the skin was finally filled with wine, they would then be set-aside for years to ferment, until the wine was finally ready to be consumed. This was a stretching process for the skin, as the gasses from the fermenting wine expanded the wine skin. It was a practice that required patience and exertion, and Jesus was using good common sense to say that pouring new wine in an “old” skin, without applying the effort, wastefully risks losing both the skin and the new pressed wine, when a little work will maintain both. However, this parable cannot be read on a sole literal level for it to be understood in its proper context.
The underlying message that Jesus conveys is that we must expand our understanding of religion, and in order to do so it is necessary to become pliable with our set belief traditions, lest the new ideas (revelation) be lost. This message is clarified in the gospel of Luke, where the same story appears with an additional verse: “No man also having drunk old wine / straightway desireth new: for he saith, / The old is better” (Luke 5: 39). This verse develops the message more, so that it appears to be a call for those people who comfortably rely on established traditions to be like the wine skins: to prepare themselves for new wine, new doctrine. If the people continue to refuse the new wine, their old wine will finally dry up, and they will be forced to do one of two things, either die of thirst or, at some time, take in the newer wine.
It is necessary, also, to clearly identify the symbolic process implied by this parable. First, we need to be submerged in something different until we are changed, finally, we can accept that which is new. This resembles baptism. This process can also be found in the Hebrew Scriptures, exhibited by King David, after the prophet Nathan came to him in regard to his adulterous affair with Bath-sheba:
2. Wash me thoroughly from mine in- iquity, and cleanse me from my sin. … 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salva- tion; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. (Psalm 51: 2, 10-13)
Here, we see David ask God for the same treatment as the wine skins, a baptism of sorts. He realized that his pride corrupted what doctrine he once held onto, and he asks God to first cleanse him, and then he asks for a renewal that would eventually become a blessing to others. The word used for “renew” is the Hebrew word “Chadash” (“to be new; to rebuild: - renew, repair.”) (Strong’s). This clarifies that David is speaking of a significantly similar process to that of the parable of Jesus. We can venture to say that the process David is going through matches that of the parable. However, here David makes a significant statement that is not in any way present in the parable of Jesus: “take not thy holy spirit from me.” Jesus does not specifically state that an individual is in danger of losing the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they fail to follow this process. However, it seems to be something that David fears.
This renewal process also seemed to be a popular theme with Paul. He speaks of the process in several of his epistles. However, it is important to first consider the meaning of “renewal” in the Greek language in which Paul was writing:
Anakainosis – “renovation, renewing” from anakainoo – “to renovate, renew” (anakainoo is derived from “ana” – “repetition, intensity, reversal, etc.” and “kainos” – “new” ~with respect to freshness) (Strong’s)
Simply by looking at this definition, we can identify two key characteristics of the message Paul is conveying by using this word. First, Paul is implying that this is not a one-time exploit; the prefix “ana” implies repetition. This may indicate that this “renewal” is a continuous process. Second, the overall meaning implies an overhaul of something, incorporating both parting with something old and replacing it with something new. So, altogether, we are looking at a process that is a continuous overhaul, which is exactly how Paul refers to it in his second letter to the Corinthians: “though our outward man perish, yet the / inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). This process, again, fits into the same theme as the process outlined in Jesus’ parable and David’s psalm.
Later in his writings, Paul takes this concept of renewal past self-purification/cleansing; he states that this renewal will exhibit the will of God: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)
It becomes evident that this is not just a procedure for reconciliation, but that it is the process of becoming in tune with the will of God. The reality, if we follow these scriptural passages, is that God is calling us to a continual state of change: continual revival. This process outlines for us the measures we must take to first find and then follow God’s will,
9. For we know in part and we pro- phesy in part. 10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)
And, judging by the present state of the church, today, it will be some time before perfection comes (if by natural means). But, until this time is come, we are instructed to seek God’s will to be renewed, or die to the will, to burst as a wine skin by ignoring the necessary course of action. To neglect the new movements of God is to say we are immortal, and to deny the very heart of the parable of the wine skins. Last time I checked I still had not met a person of Olympian decent, so I venture to say we are all very mortal. It is just a question of obedience:
To be still searching for what we know not by what we know, still closing up truth to truth as we find it (for all her body is homogeneal and proportional), this is the golden rule in theology as well as in arithmetic, and makes up the best harmony in a church; not the forced and outward union of cold and neutral, and inwardly divided minds. (Areopagitica 608)
The golden question, then, is how much do we desire that perfect union between Jesus and the church? It is all matter of how much we want that relationship, because it is always much easier to sulk in pride. It scares me to think of what would happen to my relationship with my wife, all those years ago, if I would obstinately maintain my point of view, regardless of its credibility. The same principle can be applied to the church, and it explains more so why we have had so many divisions amongst the body. It is said that the leaders of every great revival are persecuted by the church that underwent revival prior. It is a lack of adherence to this process, obstinacy. But, there is great hope, still. The simple words, “I’m sorry” can move mountains of pride when they are sincere.
Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!
