What In Tarnation?!?!?

Welcome Josiah Tanner!

Josiah came into the world today, July 30 at approximately 11:46 am CST.

Josiah (or as I have nicknamed him Gigantor because he dwarfed all the other babies in the nursery) was taken by C-Section this morning weighing in at 9 pounds and 12 ounces. He is 21 inches long with a head of thick black hair.

Kendall went through recovery and when I saw her she was tired and still feeling sick but doing well.

Dad, mom and Josiah are all doing well.

Thank you God for the miracle of new life!

Later taters!

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Now playing: Chris Tomlin - We Fall Down
via FoxyTunes

So now I am done with all seven novels. So how do they all stack up to each other. That is why we have the death match. Starting from my least favorite to my favorite Harry Potter novel. Whose ready for a death match? This entry has no spoilers for the latest novel, can’t say the same for the older novels.

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first book ranks in as my least favorite of all the novels. It had to start somewhere. You can really see how Rowling has grown as an author over the years and with each passing book. Ultimately, the book’s sunnier outlook just doesn’t stack up with the rest of the darker novels.

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The downfall for this book comes down to Dumbledore’s avoidance of Harry throughout the book. Then there is Harry’s less than pleasant disposition doesn’t make for the funniest trip to Hogwart’s. It does have my second favorite (or hated) villain in it, Delores Umbridge.

5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This book seems to be universally favored among all the Potterheads but I have never really liked it as much as the other novels. The introduction of the Dementors was cool even though they have less and less scary as the series has progressed. Additionally, I never connected with Sirius. As the series went on, I learned to like him even less, especially how he and his friends treated other people. I do like how Voldermort gets a rest in this one.

4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Relationships begin to solidify, annoying elements seen in other novels fade away. One thing that I really liked about this novel was that it was not a self contained story like all the novels previously. Instead the ending was left open, amping up the tension to the final show down. And of course my predictions that I made since I started reading these books came true and it made me feel smart. I like feeling smart.

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This book was just fun. It really was the turning point in the series, this is the last bit of fun before we get really serious. My favorite thing about the novel is that we get to see the wizarding and magic world outside of England and Hogwarts. Just fun stuff. This was also the first novel that I knew that Rowling wasn’t kidding around and wasn’t going to pull any punches.

2. Harry Potter and The Chambers of Secrets. Though this novel suffers from some of the same problems of the first novel, it still is one of my favorites. The thing that I enjoyed the most about CoS is the time travel plot. I really got caught up with that. I also enjoyed that the villain isn’t really present day Voldermort but Riddle from the past.

And the winner of the death match is…

1. The book that brings everything together. Just what is was supposed to do. I can say that I don’t think there were any slow or annoying parts for me. Some have attacked of the later chapters as being too talking but it kept my attention. I loved finding out how everything went together. This novel proved that Rowling knew what she was doing and stuck to her guns. That is something that I can admire.

Thanks, J.K. Rowling for all the good times. I loved all your books.

Later taters!

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Now playing: Leo Laporte and the TWiTs - TWiT 106: Googleverse
via FoxyTunes

The previous blog post is password protected for you own protection. I have finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My thoughts on the book and the series are in the previous post. That means it contains spoilers galore! Spoilerific! To shield eyes from those spoilers I have made it a password protected post. If you are like me and have finished the book and you would be interested in discussing the book just zap me an e-mail at to get the magical word to open the chamber of secrets.

I will probably remove the password at some point in the future. How long do you think it should remain so that most Potter fans have plenty of time to read the book?

Later taters!

I have taken a million and one multi-intellengence quizzes and I even think that I have taken this one.

The results of ’s learning inventory are:
Visual/Nonverbal 34 Visual/Verbal 28 Auditory 18 Kinesthetic 16

Your primary learning style is: The Visual/ Nonverbal Learning Style

You learn best when information is presented visually and in a picture or design format. In a classroom setting, you benefit from instructors who use visual aids such as film, video, maps and charts. You benefit from information obtained from the pictures and diagrams in textbooks. You tend to like to work in a quiet room and may not like to work in study groups. When trying to remember something, you can often visualize a picture of it in your mind. You may have an artistic side that enjoys activities having to do with visual art and design.

Learning Strategies for the Visual/ Nonverbal Learner:

Make flashcards of key information that needs to be memorized. Draw symbols and pictures on the cards to facilitate recall. Use highlighter pens to highlight key words and pictures on the flashcards. Limit the amount of information per card, so your mind can take a mental “picture’ of the information.

Mark up the margins of your textbook with key words, symbols, and diagrams that help you remember the text. Use highlighter pens of contrasting colors to “color code” the information.

When learning mathematical or technical information, make charts to organize the information. When a mathematical problem involves a sequence of steps, draw a series of boxes, each containing the appropriate bit of information in sequence.

Use large square graph paper to assist in creating charts and diagrams that illustrate key concepts.

Use the computer to assist in organizing material that needs to be memorized. Using word processing, create tables and charts with graphics that help you to understand and retain course material. Use spreadsheet and database software to further organize material that needs to be learned.

As much as possible, translate words and ideas into symbols, pictures, and diagrams.

Later taters!

So Pressed and his wife Kendallare very close to having a baby. Little Josiah. I’m sure he is adorable. I wrote this letter to him.

Dear Josiah,

So, how’s it going? I bet it is getting kinda tight in there. There wasn’t a whole lot of room in there in the first place and now that you have grown like crazy, I would imagine that it is getting a little uncomfortable.

I thought I would take a little time to share with you time tested facts and tips about life on the outside.

First, you are going to meet a whole bunch of people. I mean a lot! You probably have gotten used to being alone and not having to deal with people but that my friend is about to change. Some of the first couple of people that you will meet is your mom and dad. Go easy on them. They are new to all this. I’m sure that you be meeting grandma and grandpas as well. At some point however, you will meet me. I really don’t have any other way to say it, but I am the coolest person on this planet. Or at least that is how you should think of me.

Now when you get older, we will get to do all sorts of stuff. Don’t worry, it will all be cool stuff. In fact I suspect that you will want to spend most of your time with me, that’s normal but I assume that mom and dad will be a little jealous of all that so we will need to keep that on the DL (or down low).

I’m sure that I will teach you all kinds of stuff. Most of it you parents won’t want you to learn. Therefore, all the stuff that am going to be teaching you will be cool. Oh, and if you parents are being a drag, just let me know and I will see if I can get them off your back.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Your friend and coolest person in the world,

CSW

P.S. By the way if you ever want to start a blog, just let me know and I will hook you up!

P.P.S. This was a lot funnier when I started writing it a week ago. It was even more insightful.

VBS (aka Vacation Bible School) week is over and it was good. The kids seemed to have fun and things seemed to go really smoothly. Right now I am in the process of detoxing from the catchy but, in my opinion rather annoying songs (though I really like the song entitled “One” this year) from my system. I look forward to the day that I don’t spontaneously start singing about being a Game Day Central Hero in my mind. This is what it was like in my head during Sunday School this morning:

“Hmmm, that is a really good point that that person made. I need to remember that. I should probably write that down if I just had a piece of paper… I must have in this Bible… [singing] Game Day Central: Where heroes are made / Enduring what lies before us by keeping our eyes on Jesus / we become heroes who face each day like Game Day… [/singing] Ah a paper! Now what did he say? Think Christopher, think! [Singing] A - Admit to God that you are a sinner / B - Believe that Jesus is God’s Son / C - Confess the name and get in the game by confessing Jesus as your Savior and Lord… [/singing] Ah! Not that. Now I don’t even know what everyone is talking about! I am totally lost in this conversation. Oh, well, I give in… [Singing] Being of one mind / having the same love / Being of one accord / having the same heart…”

And basically, the rest of Sunday School was a mini-VBS concert in my head. This is really disruptive.

Like recent years, I was in charge of missions. While preparing for the next day’s missions activity, I was listening to the podcast of the Albert Mohler Radio program. Dr. Russell Moore was guest hosting an episode called “I Am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N: Reaching our Children with the Gospel of Christ” in which Dr. Moore asked the the question (my paraphrase) Are today’s modern methods of evangelizing children effective. Most of the time was actually spent talking about VeggieTale like entertainment programs being used in children’s ministries but Dr. Moore and his guest suggested that today’s typical VBS’s are more interested in entertaining students that telling the about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Got me thinking about the curriculum that my church uses from LifeWay (or as I like to call them the Evil Empire). Now admittedly, this year’s theme wasn’t my favorite but I tried to put that aside and think about the things going on in our church. Eventually I dismissed the conclusion. Sure there are more bells a whistles than when I attended VBS but the content still seemed to be there.

The next morning I overheard a discussion between one of our teachers and our pastor. She was saying that she thought that this year’s material wasn’t very good. She then went on to say that the material seems to be getting worse and worse with each passing year. She felt that the material was relying less and less on scripture and more and more on other things of far less importance. Now, this got my attention. This particular teacher is someone I highly respect. Like the highest respect. She has been teaching in VBS for 60 years. That is nothing to shake a stick at. My pastor responded that the material was just a guide and it was important for the teacher to use it as only that, a guide or a tool. My unvocalized question was about newer Christians stepping into that teacher’s position. People who didn’t have even 5 years of experience ministering to students in such a way. Of course in the perfect world, that wouldn’t happen. A new worker would work as a teacher’s assistance and gradually work into the position, but that isn’t true in many places and I would suggest that wasn’t quite true with our VBS this year. It got me thinking again.

Later in the week, I happened across a blog post at Internet Monk called Entertainment Tonight: VBS and What’s Really Going On. Similar concerns. This time though, as with most rants Spencer posts, I don’t think anything would make him happy (and that is probably an inaccurate perception but it is the one I have). Though I did enjoy a article that he links to from the very funny Lark News (think the Christian Onion, and just as caustic) called For VBS Addicts, It’s a Hard Fall.

There is one thing for sure: there is a huge problem when form trumps substance. I don’t think my church has reached that point with VBS. I’m also not convinced that LifeWay’s VBS curriculum is to that point yet but there do seem to be cracks on the surface that could get bigger. If I had any suggestion for LifeWay that would be to include two variations of each lesson in the upper grades. Let’s say grades 3-6. On version would be used for groups of students who aren’t Christians or new and need basic discipleship and then another version that would be more suited for a class of mostly Sunday School vets who are ready to go beyond the idea that we can share our faith with others and get a bit deeper. That way the teacher could get to know their class and use the version that would be most suitable to his or her class that year. Just a thought and it is definitely something churches need to keep their eye on.

I still wonder though, would there be any mixture of Gospel and gee whiz factor that would be acceptable to those who are crying foul? Or do we just need to sit down and read the Bible with nothing else? I honestly don’t think that there would be many people who would want that…

One thing I know, miracles do still happen at VBS.

Like normal with these kinds of posts, more questions than answers. If you have some answers, I would love to read them in the comments.

Pictures of the week can be found here and I have already posted short videos of the week.

Later taters!

I joined Facebooklittle while back. It was through Facebook that I found a quiz on which action hero you are. The site say the quizzes are exclusively for Facebook profiles but I wanted my results on my blog so I took the back door approach to share the results with you.

So which Action Hero am I?

In accordance with the prophecy! I knew it!

FYI, if you are on Facebook, I would love to be your friend. My profile can be found here. I also recently started a Facebook group for Cranium Leakage bloggers and for people who read CL blogs. Feel free to join that group as well.

Well I need to go to Wal-Mart and stock up on duct tape…

Later taters!