classroom surveillance

i read in the paper this morning about a high school football coach who has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations that he's abusive in the classroom as well as on the football field.
it's sparked a whole conversation about putting cameras in the classroom. bullying, false allegations about teachers, classroom disrupters, and the like are now unstoppable until we get surveillance systems.
cameras in the classroom? really?
have we really gotten to a point in our society that we can't take people's words about situations? that we can't control kids in classrooms? that bullying is becoming such a rampant problem that we need cameras?
while i agree that cameras would result in a reduction in classroom shenanigans, do we really need to slip down that slope? whatever happened to parental involvement?
even if we kept all recordings locked up in a safe and only brought them out after a written complaint that couldn't be resolved through normal channels… even if we didn't have situations where principals spent their days pouring over videos of classroom activities, how in the world would we absorb such an astronomical expense? because we all know that classrooms/hallways/gyms/auditoriums would require more than just the one camera… who/how in the world would the schools get the resources for such a beast?
and it's not just the expense. do we really want big brother in our school system?
what has happened in our society that we need to even consider such an idea?
i don't know. the whole idea just makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. what about you?

Thanksgiving

Today, as I am doing each day on facebook, I am giving thanks. Today I give thanks for the freedoms that I too often take for granted. Today, I give thanks for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our great nation. I'm thankful for my father who served during WWII and Korea; for my father-in-law who served in Korea; for my brother, who served during Vietnam and for the countless others who have served and those who are now standing in the gap for me and my fellow Americans. From the bottom of my heart… thank you.

PINT: the choke

so yeah. PINT. head on over to our lovely hostess… that one mom… and check out what's going on around the blogosphere… all on a post it, of course!

holiday presence

source

what i read this morning over at daphne's blog today stopped me dead in my tracks. i think i need a reality check like this more often.

please don't just blow off this invitation to have your heart pierced just a tiny bit. {lie… a lot}

i you're like me… it's easy to turn away and refocus… usually right back to myself.

the holidays are looming.

on the one hand i love them…

on the other, i hate the over-indulgent nature of them.

thanksgiving… a real license to gorge on foods that are heavy laden with flavor… but oftentimes have a high caloric price.

christmas. gift giving to people who already have everything they need.

oh, i don't mean to be a scrooge… or suck the fun out of the holidays. i'll do just about all of the aforementioned activities {except for the thanksgiving meal… i'm determined to be a good little dieter with a tiny bit of indulging on the side}. and i'll resist the urge to join the teenagers rolling our eyes at the dinner table on thanksgiving as my mother in law reads about six things that she's copied off the internet about being thankful or caring for the needy… just knowing that all the food is getting cold and the kids are getting antsy.

i plan on doing some things to help others during the holidays. as a youth leader, we'll likely be doing a group activity beyond the monthly dinner serving we do at the local homeless shelter.

what i hate about myself is that i only really get convicted of this during november and december.

we have 7 weeks until christmas.

do you have some ideas of how we can turn this season from consumption into compassion?

i'd love to hear your ideas and your stories.

now please… go read the story on daphne's blog. you won't be sorry you did.

passion

yikes.
ever wake up and think… geeze-oh-peeze… it's already thursday? how in the world did that happen? one minute it's PINT… and the next thing i know, i'm practically getting ready for another monday. happens to me every week! the week just screams by and i feel like i spend way too much time scratching my head {relax… no creepy crawlies… it's a figure of speech} wondering where the heck the time goes.
i felt like that this morning {at three in the morning, no less} and i want to stop feeling like that. how is it that days go by and i feel like i'm not accomplishing anything?
okay… i'm going to wipe that scared look off my face… starting to scare the dogs. {lie… they're fast asleep… like i should be}
i've spent way too much time over the last day or so in conversation {mainly on facebook, but have also left snarky tweets, too} about politics.
considering there was a huge, historic mid-term election, it's easy to see how that could be.
as a small business owner, i'm anxious to see a less hostile environment to do business and grow. as a mom, i'm interested in the future of our country and what will be left of it when my kiddles begin families {gah… not that far off!}. as a human in the united states in a time of 24/7/365 news cycles, it's next to impossible to escape pundits, political ads and getting slimed by the mud slinging! it's super hard not to let myself get completely sucked into all of this.
as i was commenting on a thread about some of the results in the election, i stepped out a bit more boldly than i usually do and mentioned that while i do have passions when it comes to politics, my true desire is for people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. realizing that people, communities and nations will always be self-seeking {and even if we know Jesus, we can still struggle with that} until they know Him.
my declaration was pretty well received. i refrained from getting into a huge theological debate after one person made a reference to "all roads…"
just trying to keep my passions in check. realizing the only thing that really matters… that can really bring hope and change… is Jesus.
for me, it's a question of focus.
not that it's not right to be about the political process… but i just have to check myself to make sure that i'm getting passionate about the right things.
so yeah… it's thursday. one day closer to when He'll be coming again.

PINT: the patriotic issue

PINT. the best day of the week.

read mine, comment {i'm needy like that}

visit that one mom and see what's on other people's minds post its

my cheating heart

dear blog
i guess it had to come out sooner or later…
i've been cheating on you.
{sob… i know!}
it's not that i don't love you… i do. really.
but lately you have made me feel inadequate. like my thoughts just don't matter. like you're not listening when i talk anyway…
so i've filled my time up with other things. like work {i know, it's a lousy substitute, but it does bring home the bacon croutons}, my youth group responsibilities {fall is super busy with them and we have a new intern to break in get to know}, and even though the kiddles have flown the coop, it seems like they've been swooping home alot more lately. and don't forget {although i'm sure most fans around here would like to} it's football time in tennessee. and georgia tech. and auburn. and arkansas. and vandy. and MTSU. it's been a crazy fall!
i'm sorry i've been two-{three, four, five} timing you. i'd like to say those other things didn't mean anything to me… but i'd be lying. i may be a cheater… but i ain't no liar.
i've felt so jumbled up and scattered lately that i haven't been able to put two intelligible thoughts together lately {just ask the hubs… he'll back me up there!}, let alone spend meaningful time here.
so i ran. i ran to the arms of Someone who loves and understands me best. spending great, quality time with Him has been what has held me together all these months.
while i'm laying it all out here, dear blog, i may as well be completely honest.
brutally honest… so you may want to sit down.
you will not be first in my life.
{there. i said it.}
He comes first. then the hubs, kiddles, and then other responsibilities.
i have put too much importance on you, and it took an affair to make that clear to me.
i adore you and the friends you have introduced me to. but i realize in order for us to have a healthy relationship, you need to be put in your place.
and maybe, now with my priorities in line… we can have more meaningful chats.
i still want to know what's going on in your life, dear blog and all of your peeps.
i still want to shoot diet coke out of my nose {not a real strong visual, but it's true. no one makes me laugh like your friends!}. i still want to know your stories.
i hope you're not angry with me, dear blog.
i hope that this little hiccup in our relationship will only serve to make us stronger.
striving always…