Windows 7 help

http://lifehacker.com/5386953/lifehackers-complete-guide-to-windows-7

Books for Boys

From Virginia is for Huguenots :

Books for Boys

via Virginia is for Huguenots by noreply@blogger.com (VirginiaHuguenot) on 10/23/09

Standing tall among the likes of Jules Verne, Joseph Conrad, James Fenimore Cooper, Jack London, Rudyard Kipling, Alexandre Dumas, Frederick Marryat, are distinctly Christian or Christian-influenced adventure writers, such as, to name a few:

• Daniel Defoe -- Presbyterian dissenter who chronicled the history of the Scottish Presbyterian Church.
• Johann David Wyss -- Rector of the Reformed Protestant Cathedral in Bern, Switzerland.
• Robert Michael Ballantyne -- Ballantyne travelled to the places that he wrote about, and he stated, Personal Reminiscences in Book-Making: "...in all my writings I have always tried — how far successfully I know not — to advance the cause of Truth and Right and to induce my readers to put their trust in the love of God our Saviour, for this life as well as the life to come." Elsewhere, he wrote: "In writing these volumes, the author has earnestly endeavoured to keep in view the glory of God and the good of man." See this website.
  
• Robert Louis Stevenson -- Presbyterian, although he tended away from the beliefs of his church, wrote of Covenanters and Camisards, and coined the phrase "Ballantyne the Brave".
• William Henry Giles Kingston -- Devout Christian, missionary supporter and translator of the works of Jules Verne from French into English.
• George Alfred Henty -- Henty once said in an interview: "To be a true hero you must be a true Christian. To sum up, then, heroism is largely based upon two qualities-truthfulness and unselfishness, a readiness to put one's own pleasure aside for that of others, helpful to your parents, even if that helpfulness demands some slight sacrifice of your own pleasure. You must remember that these two qualities are true signs of Christian heroism. If one is to be a true Christian, one must be a Christian hero. True heroism is inseparable from true Christianity, and as a step towards the former I would urge most strongly and urgently the practice of the latter."

A common theme running through many of these adventure stories is named after Daniel Defoe's greatest novel, Robinson Crusoe. Sometimes called the "Robinsonade," the story of castaways stranded on desert islands may be found not only in Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island, but in Wyss's The Swiss Family Robinson, Ballantyne's The Island Queen and The Lonely Island, Kingston's The Coral Island and Henty's For Name and Fame. Stevenson's Treasure Island does not involve castaways, but he spent time in the south Pacific later and is one of the great nineteenth century travel writers. Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe both strongly reflect the Reformed world view of their authors. I am partial to these having had my own experience on a desert island (Gun Cay, Jamaica).

It is the historical novels focusing on religion that are of particular interest to this blogger, who is himself slowly writing a work of historical fiction. I will highlight a few which I think are worth having in the family library.

• William H.G. Kingston, Exiled For the Faith: A Tale of Huguenot Persecution (also titled Villegagnon: A Tale of Huguenot Persecution). -- A story concerning the French Huguenot colony of France Antarctique, located at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the mid-1500's. The leader of the colony, Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon, is known as the "Cain of America," having turned from Protestantism to Catholicism, and executing the first Protestant martyrs in the Western hemisphere.

• William H.G. Kingston, In the Wilds of Florida -- This story takes place in the 19th century but mentions the 16th century French Huguenot settlement in Florida.

• R.M. Ballantyne, Hunted and Harried -- A story of the 17th century Scottish Covenanters.

• G.A. Henty, St. Bartholomew's Eve -- A story about the 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of French Huguenots.

• G.A. Henty, Won By the Sword -- A story about the Thirty Years' War.

• G.A. Henty, Lion of the North: A Tale of the Times of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of Religion.

• G.A. Henty, By Pike and Dyke: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic.

• G.A. Henty, By England's Aid: or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604).

• G.A. Henty, Orange and Green: A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick.

• G.A. Henty, For the Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem.

 

Planned Parenthood: Let's Make Profit from Abortion

More from http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6700777.html

“Definitely the most lucrative part of their business was abortions. One of the things that kept coming up was how family planning services were really dragging down the budget, and family planning services include education about contraceptives. It was a drain on the budget, but abortion services were really running up the budget and that was keeping the center afloat.”


From Rod Dreher at http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2009/11/abby-johnson-ex-abortionist.html

Reason to give thanks down in Bryan-College Station, Texas. From a local news report:

Planned Parenthood has been a part of Abby Johnson's life for the past eight years; that is until last month, when Abby resigned. Johnson said she realized she wanted to leave, after watching an ultrasound of an abortion procedure.

"I just thought I can't do this anymore, and it was just like a flash that hit me and I thought that's it," said Jonhson.

She handed in her resignation October 6. Johnson worked as the Bryan Planned Parenthood Director for two years.

According to Johnson, the non-profit was struggling under the weight of a tough economy, and changing it's business model from one that pushed prevention, to one that focused on abortion.

"It seemed like maybe that's not what a lot of people were believing any more because that's not where the money was. The money wasn't in family planning, the money wasn't in prevention, the money was in abortion and so I had a problem with that," said Johnson.

Johnson said she was told to bring in more women who wanted abortions, something the Episcopalian church goer recently became convicted about.

"I feel so pure in heart (since leaving). I don't have this guilt, I don't have this burden on me anymore that's how I know this conversion was a spiritual conversion."

Michael Horton reviews N.T. Wright's book on Justification

From http://euangelizomai.blogspot.com/2009/10/michael-horton-reviews-nt-wright-on.html

 

Michael Horton's series of reviews on N.T. Wright's book on Justification.

1. Introduction
2. Justification and God's single plan: The Covenant and History
3. Justification and God's people
4. Justification and God's Righteousness: Imputation and Future Hope
5. Justification and God's Righteousness: Covenant and Eschatology
6. Justification, Faith, and Faithfulness: The Works of the Law
7. Justification and the Testimony of Paul
8. Justification and Romans
9. "Works of the Law" – Soteriology and Ecclesiology
10. Conclusion

A (the?) key quote from the film "The Prestige"

You never understood… why we did this. The audience knows the truth. The world is simple, miserable, solid all the way through. But if you can fool them, even for a second… then you can make them wonder. And you get to see something very special. … You really don't know. … It was the look on their faces.

 

-- Robert Angier (played by Hugh Jackman; screenplay by Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan; directed by Christopher Nolan; based on the novel by Christopher Priest)

Cotton Mather's Household Rules

http://virginiahuguenot.blogspot.com/2009/09/cotton-mathers-household-rules.html

 

Diary of Cotton Mather, 1681-1724, Vol. 1 (1681-1709), pp. 534-537:

Some Special Points, Relating To The Education Of My Children.

I. I pour out continual Prayers and Cries to the God of all Grace for them, that He will be a Father to my Children, and bestow His Christ and His Grace upon them, and guide them with His Councils, and bring them to His Glory.

And in this Action, I mention them distinctly, every one by Name unto the Lord.

II. I begin betimes to entertain them with delightful Stories, especially scriptural ones. And still conclude with some Lesson of Piety; bidding them to learn that Lesson from the Story.

And thus, every Day at the Table, I have used myself to tell a Story before I rise; and make the Story useful to the Olive Plants about the Table.

III. When the Children at any time accidentally come in my way, it is my custome to lett fall some Sentence or other, that may be monitory and profitable to them.

This Matter proves to me, a Matter of some Study, and Labour, and Contrivance. But who can tell, what may be the Effect of a continual Dropping?

IV. I essay betimes, to engage the Children, in Exercises of Piety; and especially secret Prayer, for which I give them very plain and brief Directions, and suggest unto them the Petitions, which I would have them to make before the Lord, and which I therefore explain to their Apprehension and Capacity. And I often call upon them; Child, Don't you forgett every Day, to go alone, and pray as I have directed you I

V. Betimes I try to form in the Children a Temper of Benignity. I putt them upon doing of Services and Kindnesses for one another, and for other Children. I applaud them, when I see them Delight in it; I upbraid all Aversion to it. I caution them exquisitely against all Revenges of Injuries. I instruct them, to return good Offices for evil Ones. I show them, how they will by this Goodness become like to the Good GOD, and His Glorious CHRIST. I lett them discern, that I am not satisfied, except when they have a Sweetness of Temper shining in them.

VI. As soon as tis possible, I make the Children learn to write. And when they can write, I employ them in Writing out the most agreeable and profitable Things, that I can invent for them. In this way, I propose to fraight their minds with excellent Things, and have a deep Impression made upon their Minds by such Things.

VII. I mightily endeavour it, that the Children may betimes, be acted by Principles of Reason and Honour.

I first begett in them an high Opinion of their Father's Love to them, and of his being best able to judge, what shall be good for them.

Then I make them sensible, tis a Folly for them to pretend unto any Witt and Will of their own; they must resign all to me, who will be sure to do what is best; my word must be their Law.

I cause them to understand, that it is an hurtful and a shameful thing to do amiss. I aggravate this, on all Occasions; and lett them see how amiable they will render themselves by well doing.

The first Chastisement, which I inflict for an ordinary Fault, is, to lett the Child see and hear me in an Astonishment, and hardly able to beleeve that the Child could do so base a Thing, but beleeving that they will never do it again.

I would never come, to give a child a Blow; except in Case of Obstinacy: or some gross Enormity.

To be chased for a while out of my Presence, I would make to be look'd upon, as the sorest Punishment in the Family.

I would by all possible Insinuations gain this Point upon them, that for them to learn all the brave Things in the world, is the bravest Thing in the world. I am not fond of proposing Play to them, as a Reward of any diligent Application to learn what is good; lest they should think Diversion to be a better and a nobler Thing than Diligence.

I would have them come to propound and expect, at this rate, / have done well, and now / will go to my Father; He will teach me some curious Thing for it. I must have them count it a Priviledge, to be taught; and I sometimes manage the Matter so, that my Refusing to teach them Something, is their Punishment.

The slavish way of Education, carried on with raving and kicking and scourging (in Schools as well as Families,) tis abominable; and a dreadful Judgment of God upon the World.

VIII. Tho' I find it a marvellous Advantage to have the Children strongly biased by Principles of Reason and Honour, (which, I find, Children will feel sooner than is commonly thought for:) yett I would neglect no Endeavours, to have higher Principles infused into them.

I therefore betimes awe them with the Eye of God upon them.

I show them, how they must love JESUS CHRIST; and show it, by doing what their Parents require of them.

I often tell them of the good Angels, who love them, and help them, and guard them; and who take Notice of them: and therefore must not be disobliged.

Heaven and Hell, I sett before them, as the Consequences of their Behaviour here.

IX. When the Children are capable of it, I take them alone, one by one; and after my Charges unto them, to fear God, and serve Christ, and shun Sin, / pray with them in my Study and make them the Witnesses of the Agonies, with which I address the Throne of Grace on their behalf.

X. I find much Benefit, by a particular Method, as of Cotechising the Children, so of carrying the Repetition of the public Sermons unto them.

The Answers of the Catechism I still explain with abundance of brief Quaestions, which make them to take in the Meaning of it, and I see, that they do so.

And when the Sermons are to be Repeated, I chuse to putt every Truth, into a Question, to be answered still, with, Yes, or, No. In this way I awaken their Attention, as well as enlighten their Understanding. And in this way I have an Opportunity, to ask, Do you desire such, or such a Grace of God? and the like. Yea, I have an Opportunity to demand, and perhaps, to obtain their Consent unto the glorious Articles of the New Covenant. The Spirit of Grace may fall upon them in this Action; and they may be siez'd by Him, and Held as His Temples, thro' eternal Ages.

Productivity, Concentration, & more from "What's Best Next"

 

Great Thoughts from Matt Perman's "What's Best Next" blog (links at bottom of this post):

Doing One Thing at a Time is the Way to Get More Done, Not Less

From Drucker's The Effective Executive:

Concentration is necessary precisely because the executive faces so many tasks clamoring to be done. For doing one thing at a time means doing it fast. The more one can concentrate time, effort, and resources, the greater the number and diversity of tasks one can actually perform.

 

The Secret of those Who Do So Many Things

From The Effective Executive:

This is the "secret" of those people who "do so many things" and apparently so many difficult things. They do only one at a time. As a result, they need much less time in the end than the rest of us.

That last sentence is critical: "as a result, they need much less time in the end than the rest of us."

 

Stop Interrupting Yourself

Interruptions are not necessarily things other people do to you. The biggest type of interruption is what you do to yourself by constantly switching gears from one unrelated task to another.

Chunk your time by focusing on important tasks in large segments, and grouping similar tasks together, to prevent this.

 

On Concentration and Effectiveness

From The Effective Executive:

If there is any one "secret" of effectiveness, it is concentration. Effective executives do first things first and they do one thing at a time.

The need to concentrate is grounded both in the nature of the executive job and in the nature of man. …

The more an executive focuses on upward contribution, the more will he require fairly big continuous chunks of time. The more he switches from being busy to achieving results, the more will he shift to sustained efforts — efforts which require a fairly big quantum of time to bear fruit. Yet to get even that half-day or those two weeks of really productive time requires self-discipline and an iron determination to say "No." …

But concentration is dictated by the fact that most of us find it hard enough to do well even one thing at a time, let alone two. Mankind is indeed capable of doing an amazingly wide diversity of things; humanity is a "multipurpose tool." But the way to apply productively mankind's great range is to bring to bear a large number of individual capabilities on one task. …

Concentration is necessary precisely because the executive faces so many tasks clamoring to be done. For doing one thing at a time means doing it fast. The more one can concentrate time, effort, and resources, the greater the number and diversity of tasks one can actually perform.

 

 

 

http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2009/09/doing-one-thing-at-a-time-is-the-way-to-get-more-done-not-less/

http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2009/09/the-secret-of-those-who-do-so-many-things/

http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2008/12/stop-interrupting-yourself/

http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2009/09/on-concentration-and-effectiveness/

Links on Augustine in the 21st Century

From http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/09/24/augustine-for-the-21st-century/

Augustine for the 21st Century

Bruce Ashford (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) has a helpful series of posts on Augustine, The City of God, and their relevance for today:

• Why Should We Read Old Books?
• What is Augustine's Argument in The City of God?
• What Can We Learn from Augustine's Apologetic Strategy?
• What Were Augustine's Starting Points and How Are They Relevant for Today?
• What Can We Learn from Augustine as a Pastor-Theologian?
• Selected Passages by Augustine, Reading Recommendations, and Concluding Thoughts

  

DARE MIGHTY THINGS, despite failures... good advice from Teddy Roosevelt

From http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2009/09/avoid-the-gray-twilight/

 

Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, not defeat.

Handy Biblical Studies reference website

http://biblerefshelf.sudalyph.org/