A few things you should know about me

Okay, Everyone, here are a few things I think you need to know about me.  I don’t fit neatly into any little box, politically speaking or otherwise, and I’d wager that many of you blur the lines as well.  Let’s look at our fellow world citizens as HUMAN BEINGS and stop labeling people. 

I am a Christ Follower, but I believe in religious freedom.  I’m not a bigot, and I’m not going to beat you over the head with my faith.  I love you – no matter who or what you are – because I’m trying to follow Jesus’ example.  

In my faith, Jesus is perfect.  I am not, nor do I pretend to be, so cut me some slack when I blow it. 

 

And you know what?  I’m not going to apologize for my faith, just as you shouldn’t apologize for what you believe.  “Faith”, in and of itself, is NOT offensive.    

   

I support the 2^nd Amendment, but I believe that any citizen who owns a firearm should prove he is properly trained to use one… OH and that he’s not a freaking psycho.  I believe that violent crimes can be and are committed by any means necessary (baseball bats, automobiles, bare hands, etc.)  by the idiots that perpetrate them… not just people who possess (legally or illegally) firearms.  Getting rid of firearms is not the answer.  It’s merely treating a symptom of a MUCH larger problem.  

I believe that abortion solely as a means of birth control is wrong, but I fully support the use of birth control and all the education that should go along with that.  Numbers show that the more access women have to birth control, the less likely they are to get an abortion.  Ladies, educate yourselves and your daughters! If you’ve had an abortion or you support abortion, I love you.  I don’t hate you, and I’m not going to tell you what to do with your body… just like you shouldn’t be telling people like Michelle Duggar what she should be doing with hers. 

 

I believe we should take care of our planet.  It is a gift and should be treated as such.  

I believe LOVE should make the world go ‘round, not money.  Unfortunately, the latter is true.  We should love our fellow humans despite this, though, because Corporations are not going to.

I firmly believe we should give people a hand up, not a hand out, when they need it.  Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day.  Teach him to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.  I think education is the number one way to accomplish this.  

I think if you have the means, you should give something back to your fellow man.  If we all did this, no one would be screaming about the “2%”, because we’d all be taking care of each other.  HUH.  What a novel idea!

Life is too short to hold a grudge.  Let it go.

If someone disagrees with me, so be it.  I welcome healthy, civil debate.  Our thoughts and ideas help shape who we are, and if we can’t see past our own views, then we might be missing out on something great.  I’m not saying you should compromise your beliefs.  I’m saying present them with intelligence, and then respectfully consider another person’s view before dismissing it.  While you’re doing this, don’t be afraid to admit you might be wrong.  Just sayin’… 

I’m still learning.  We all are.  If I stumble a bit on my quest for knowledge, please help me up.  I’ll do the same for you.  

Okay.  So there they are, those few things about me.  I’m not going to apologize for anything, but I do welcome your thoughts.  Bring it on!

Fewer people see college as good financial investment

Fewer people see college as good financial investment

Really?  I think college is an awesome investment.

If you can afford it.

In this day and age, college tuition prices are rising at a seeming exponential rate.  For-profit institutions offer flexible class schedules at a premium... and then unscrupulous lenders swoop in offering unsubsidized money (AKA LOANS) to pay for said flexible schedules... and then students are in debt faster than they can blink an eye.  Tens of thousands of dollars later (and in some cases, this reaches into six figures) these students have a degree and then a HUGE loan payment.

But prices at the non-profits are also going up.  Books are ridiculous.  On-campus housing isn't as cost-efficient as it used to be.

And then you have the glut in the market.  Every summer recent college grads flood the market hoping to find a job.  In fact, I think many of them unrealistically expect to get six figure incomes as soon as they're handed their degrees.  They quickly realize that all those loans have to get paid somehow and so they take what they can get.  I don't know how to fix this.  It's just an observation.  

Still, most employers want to see that you have a degree in SOMETHING.  I think a lot of employers want education AND experience.  So what are we to do?  Whatever we can.  Get experience because that is less expensive but also get an education at the same time.  I guess.

I say all of this and I had a full scholarship for ALL FOUR YEARS of my undergrad education.  I busted my butt, though.  I had to keep my GPA above a 3.5.  I think there should be more scholarships from the private sector.  More corporations should offer internships so people can get valuable experience.  I also think there should be more work-study programs to help students work off what they owe.

Education.  This is a passion of mine and has been since I can remember.  Our society seems to value it to a certain extent because employers like to see a college degree on a resume.  Yet, we don't value it enough.  If we did, there would be more options for people to gain an education/trade/career.  Right?

*SIGH*

I have no idea how this should be fixed.  I'm just venting.

Homeschool World: Articles: Getting Started in Homeschooling

Homeschool World: Articles: Getting Started in Homeschooling

Some of you have sent me messages about homeschooling.  Here's an article that explains a bit of why our family has chosen to homeschool.  We know we've taken on a huge responsibility, but ultimately this responsibility was ours to begin with.  We're just approaching it differently now.