Keer “Unplugged”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,391024,00.html

A Qantas flight en route to Australia from London made an emergency stop in Manila on Friday after a loud bang punched a hole in the Boeing 747-400's fuselage, officials and passengers said.

Did someone forget to enter the code and push the button as this plane flew by The Island?  Or Desmond?  Did you push the fail-safe key?  Oh wait no, maybe it flew by at the precise moment that Ben moved The Island....

(Lest someone accuse me of being insensitive, which I have found is HIGHLY LIKELY, I DO feel for these people...how scary!  I'm merely blogging about the similarities between this situation and "Lost," which I find amusing.  I do not mean to make light of this situation, and I'm very thankful no one was injured.  I'm simply a "Lost" freak, is all.)

There is just so much wrong with this, I don't even know where to begin.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,385962,00.html

OK not really, but this lady pretty much sums up how I am at home. LOLOLOL.

Whenever people discuss different political things, governmental changes, etc. in the U.S., the Founding Fathers are often brought up.  "This was/was not the Founding Fathers' intent," is commonly said.  The plumb line for said item that is being discussed is whether it lines up with what the Founding Fathers intended.

For example, some feel that the Department of the Interior is "wrong" because it oversteps the role of government according to the Constitution.  It's a "waste" of resources, etc, since it's not what the Founding Fathers intended.  However, what is it that makes it "wrong?"  Is it sinful for a government to have a Department of the Interior?   Considering that the Bible doesn't really talk about national parks ;-), I'm going to say no.  But why isn't these seen as a preference issue rather than a "right/wrong" issue, since we are talking about a constitution, not the Word of God?  AND, since the U.S. Constitution calls for a republic, why is it assumed that the only things allowed EVER in the U.S. are the things specifically mentioned in the Constitution, and anything else is WRONG?

Along similar lines, when discussing other countries and their laws, those law are often compared to the U.S. Constitution and our form of government here, and then those laws are deemed "good" or "bad," depending on how they line up with our Constitution.

What is it that makes us defend our Constution and form of government?  For those of us who are born here, is it because we are born here?  What about those who are born in Finland?  Or Zimbabwe? Or India?  Are the people that live in other countries as bent on the "rightness" of their Constitution?  Typically people don't get much of a choice as to what country they live in or the government they are under, so do they automatically defend their form of government (note: NOT their government leaders) simply because they have no other choice?

Also, what makes us think that our form of government is better than, say, Canada's?  From what I can tell, Canada has a republic as well (Carla, correct me if I'm wrong LOL), but it's also very different from ours, and I have seen the Canadian government criticized by Americans for different policies and laws.  (Andrea has corrected me - Canada is a Dominion...see the comments.  Thanks, Andrea!  But it still applies. )  Yet it's because those laws are against OUR Constitution, NOT Canada's.  In fact, if you ask the Canadians, they are pretty pleased with those laws.  Isn't that what a republic is all about anyway?  Allowing the people to have a say?  So why are we complaining about what CANADIANS want to do?

This post probably doesn't make much sense...I don't even know if I really have a point.  I don't even know how I feel about all of it myself, especially since I've always been pretty conservative when it comes to the U.S. Constitution.  These are just some ponderings that I've been having for a while....

I have mentioned my love for Homeschool Tracker Plus before.  Oh, let's see...here (although the price has increased since I wrote that post), here, and here.

Recently my hard drive crashed, and I lost my HST database from April 5 on.  I had to call off school for a week because I didn't really know what to do.  I am that dependent on HST.  Sure, I COULD homeschool without it, but it wouldn't be very smooth.  I can print off one list and see what pages G needs for his math, what books he needs to read for history, and that he needs a balance scale for science.  I don't have to look in a gazillion different TEs or try to remember who is on what lesson.  I don't have to handwrite anything except very specific instructions for the day like, "Correct math p. 85."

I now live in a state that requires a certain number of days and hours of attendance.  I can record all of that with just a few clicks.

I can print off a week's worth of assignments (for 4 children...next year 5) and make all the copies I need to BEFORE the week starts.

I can scan the assignments for the next 2 weeks and request any books I need to from the library.

I absolutely, POSITIVELY, love this program.

And now I love it even more.  LOL.  They have started a referral program!  So, if you happen to buy Homeschool Tracker Plus, would you please enter my referral code, 2RNSD? (I'm just bummed they didn't start this program sooner LOL!)

My good friend Carla has shared a couple of thoughts recently that I think should be highlighted.  In fact, not even in yellow highlighter but in blue or pink, so that they will stand out more.

First she talked about assuming.  This is something I am CONSTANTLY working on with my oldest son.  "Did he SAY xyz?  No?  Then do not ASSUME.  You do not know if that is actually the plan.  DO NOT ASSUME."

This is something that adults struggle with as much as, or more, than children. We read something that someone has written and assume we know their whole worldview and philosophy, when all we really know is that there is something about the topic we read to move someone enough to write that particular item. We see what they have on their tables and assume we can decipher their entire nutritional philosophy. We hear that they like a book by a certain author and assume they agree with everything that author says.

I think my new credo is going to be, "Assume nothing. Ask." I think that maybe you need to be on the receiving end of hurt that is born of people assuming about you to really understand how damaging this can be. We simply cannot look at snippets of peoples' lives and think we can deduce their thoughts, attitudes, philosophy and views.

As someone who recently has gone through a pretty major bruhaha due to some huge, INCORRECT assumptions, I completely agree with her.

If I were to go to someone's house and see a copy of Babywise on her shelf, I would be wrong to assume that she is a diehard Ezzo fan.  She might be...but she might also keep a copy on hand to refer to because she is a lactation consultant who works with moms who struggle with milk supply after following the advice in the book.

If I were to meet someone new, and she asked about doctors who were less persnickity about vaccine schedules, it would be wrong of me to assume that she is anti-vaccine and into hard core holistic medicine.  She might be...but then again maybe she just likes to pick and choose which vaccines her children get and when.

If a friend were to tell me that she is questioning xyz that she has always been taught and holding that teaching up to Scripture to see if it truly lines up, it would be wrong of me to assume that she is rejecting that teaching.  She might end up doing so...but then again maybe she is just being a good Berean and making sure that each. and. every. teaching she adheres to actually lines up with what the Word of God says.

Carla encourages us to,  "Assume nothing. Ask."  I could not agree more.  And I'd like to add a bit.  When you ask, do not do so in an accusatory manner.  Do not ask based on an assumption.  Do not ask questions as though you know the answer to the first one.  Do not say, "How can you like that book????" Do not ask, "So how come y'all have decided to not do any vaccines?"  Do not assume that because someone is wondering about xyz teaching, then she is rejecting abc teaching as well.  And then do not ask her, "Well, what do you believe about ABC????" meanwhile trying to get her to admit to something that she DOESN'T agree with!

I know that this is something I have been trying to watch in myself lately.  It's far too tempting to think, "Oh, she has Radical Jane listed in her blogroll.  Wow, she must agree with Radical Jane."  When really Radical Jane is her sister, whom she disagrees with sharply, but out of courtesy lists her anyway.

It is wrong for me to assume anything about anyone.

Then Carla wrote about rumors (or, since she is from Canada, rumoUrs ).  Again, I couldn't agree more.

I think that it behooves us to both make sure we know the facts before we issue a "hey, did you know" type statement and to make sure that to the best of our ability we've checked it out before we pass it on.I think we also need to weigh out whether or not we need to pass things on at all. Are we passing on that "Brisis doesn't use any curriculum for her family" because we are trying to help a budding unschooler connect with a vetern one, or because we want to show that we know something different about someone else. Are we sharing about a controversial teacher/pastor because we really want peoples thoughts/input into a perplexing situation, or are we doing it because we want to create a stir or sully his name further?

A friend of mine is dealing with this sort of thing as I write.  Partial truths and flat-out lies are being told about her by someone she has cared about for years.  And these things are not being said out of pure motives but out of a desire to play the martyr.  Fortunately some people are coming to her and saying, "This doesn't sound right...is it true?"  But there are a lot of other people who will just plain ignore my friend.  Or they might be friendly to her yet not truly trust her any longer, due to what was said about her.  They like her so do not want to cut off all contact, yet they still believe the half-truths and lies, so they no longer invest in a relationship with her.

All because of rumors.

Got this from Dangit Ange!

Rules:You can only use one word and it's not as easy as you might think. Now copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers.

Here's mine:
1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Where is your significant other? couch

3. Your hair? long

4. Your mother? Arkansas

5. Your father? Realtor

6. Your favorite thing? Jesus

7. Your dream last night? dream?

8. Your dream/goal? heaven

9. The room you're in? schoolroom

10. Your fear? puke

11. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here?

12. Where were you last night? home

13. What you're not? well-rested

14. Muffins? strawberry

15. One of your wish list items? wishlist???

16. Where you grew up? everywhere

17. The last thing you did? print

18. What are you wearing? jeans

19. Your TV? dvd

20. Your pet? none

21. Your computer? laptop

22 Your life? full

23. Your mood? scatterbrained

24. Missing someone? yes

25. Your car? van

26. Something you're not wearing? shoes

27. Your summer? school

28. Your favorite color? purple

29. When is the last time you laughed? supper

30. Last time you cried? Thursday???

I needed this post today.

(Again, I'm sorry, non-HK people!)

The day after I posted my last update, I received a reply from the HK admin team. I'm sad to report that it was full of accusations that either don't make sense, are false, or are misplaced (i.e., someone else did something, but the admin team is blaming me for it). I replied to them a month ago and have not heard back. I guess I won't, and this will have to go unresolved.

In the meantime, I have continued to receive questions from people. It hasn't been plaguing my thoughts too terribly much (after all, I've been through an illness, a 2-week period where my husband was in Hawaii, Saipan, and Guam, a week-long visit from my parents, and a severe hard drive crash), so I keep forgetting to blog about it. But I'm actually remembering this morning LOL!

1. Why are you so bitter about this? Why are you even blogging about this?

I'm truly not bitter about it. I'm actually more confused than anything. I still don't know fully the reasons behind it. The reasons I was provided didn't make a whole lot of sense. I am frustrated at the poor communication, especially when I have reached out in every way I know to reach reconciliation.

However, that is not why I'm blogging about this. I am blogging about this so that the truth can be shared with the ladies who are still at HK. What was told to them about the situation was not the truth. I really don't care that the truth wasn't told about me; I care that the truth wasn't told to my sisters in Christ. I feel that they deserve the truth.

At first, I didn't say anything, not because this was a private matter that needed to be kept under wraps, but because I did what Matthew 18 instructs me to do. I went to the person (actually in this case it was a collective "person" - the admin team) privately, in an attempt to reconcile. They did not respond to me until after I chose to go public. Again, I spoke with them privately about it, in hopes that they would repent and be willing to reconcile. So now, after I have given them sufficient time to respond, I am sharing what happened. This is partly so that you can encourage them to participate in reconciliation (if that's even possible anymore), and it is partly to clue the curious in to what happened (as best I can, since again, I don't fully know what happened myself) since what happened occurred in a public arena.

2. Why are you gossiping about and slandering HK?

Slander means that you are saying untrue things about someone else. I am not doing that. What I am sharing is the truth. I am also sharing the truth about what happened to me. Yes, it is a negative thing that happened. However, the wrong isn't in my telling of that negative thing, it is that the negative thing happened in the first place.

I have really debated whether I should have come forth and said anything at all about it, because I knew that this all would be considered gossip by some. I thought about the news. Granted, while some news definitely is gossip ;-), for the most part it is the simple reporting of facts. Some of those facts are negative. Some of those facts might cause us to have an unfavorable opinion of a person. But is it the reporting that is wrong? Or was it the deed that is being reported wrong?

I thought about the Bible. Let's face it, a LOT of what is written in the Bible gives me a negative impression of some people. Was the writer wrong to write about Jezebel, for example? Or was it a simple reporting of facts, and the wrongdoing was by HER, for being such a staunch idol-worshiper (plus more)?

So that is what I have tried to do. I am reporting the facts, as I experienced them myself. I am purposefully trying NOT to use hyperbole. I am purposefully trying NOT to employ emotional language. I am trying NOT to share how I "feel" because I do not want to play the victim and get everyone to feel sorry for "Oh poor Keer." What I AM trying to do is to let the HK ladies know what happened, because I know that several have been wondering. And I know what what they were told publicly was not the truth.

3. In all your communication with the admins, did you hear from any of them personally, or did you always hear from "Admin?"

One admin spoke to me as herself on my Yahoo group. Another admin spoke to me using her name (but on behalf of the admin team) when I requested access to my PM box. But all of the official correspondence was from "Admin" or the "HK Admin Team" or something of that variety. I do not know if all of the admins agreed with what was being sent to me (since it wasn't signed by a list of admins, just "HK Admins" or whatever) or if only a few did. I do not know if they collectively wrote it or if one person wrote it and "signed" it on behalf of the others.

4. Hearth Keepers was someone's home, and you were just a guest. The admins could have shown you the door anytime they wanted.

I will continue with that analogy. Imagine I am on the outside of HK "home," looking in through one of those one-way glass mirror things. (I must watch too much CSI.)I can see and hear what is going on, but the people inside can't see me. The admins could explain to the other guests, "Keer was getting on my nerves," or "I just didn't like her." After all, as a guest, they don't HAVE to welcome me in. They don't have to like me. However, what they are saying is that we were deactivated due to ongoing tensions and recent threads. (Though later they say that it WASN'T because of recent threads.) They ask the other guests to extend grace and forgiveness for any inappropriate e-mails and PMs that they may have received (which implies that Carla, Amanda, and I were SENDING people inappropriate e-mails and PMs). They share how much they are protecting the other guests from all the awful things that we have done. When the other guests say things like, "Wow, I must have missed something because I have no idea what is going on," "Wow, there must have been some really awful stuff going on behind the scenes because I didn't get a hint of it on the board...you've done such a great job of protecting us!!!" etc., the admins do not correct them, despite the fact that the other guests have unknowingly jumped to wrong conclusions.

Meanwhile, I'm on the outside, screaming through the glass, "They are lying to you!!!!!!!!!" But since I can't be seen or heard, I can't do anything about it.

However, now I can, and I just hope that the ladies who read this will be able to see the truth through the lies they've been told. I also am hoping that the admins who read this will hear that small voice inside telling them that yes, what I have written is the truth, despite what they have previously convinced themselves.

Please continue to pray for the truth to be revealed and for reconciliation.

I've joined a great new message board for Christian women.  Are you looking for a great place to fellowship with Christian ladies from across the globe?  Come join us at Ladies of Grace!  (And say that Keer sent ya! )

BACK UP YOUR HARD DRIVE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

My hard drive on my laptop died.  Clicking noises are NOT GOOD.

I last backed up my homeschool and financial records on April 5.  I last backed up pictures, ALL financial stuff, ALL homeschool stuff, etc. on December 1.  Sigh.

A computer man is attempting to retrieve my data.  We shall see.  Please pray!

His youngest daughter was killed yesterday.

There is information regarding memorials, etc. on his website: http://www.stevencurtischapman.com