Bible, Math, Politics and More!

• And On A More Thankful Note...

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  Today I encountered the text of Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation of 1863. With the Civil War continuing amidst a great deal of uncertainty, these words of Lincoln's remind us today that we have all the more reason to be thankful.
  
  Here is the text:
  
  The year that [...]
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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 8:51am EST
  by Ken

• International Environmental Control? It's Being Discussed

  Number of comments: 2
  I don't tend to believe most of the stories floating around about various groups (e.g., Jews, Swiss, bankers) on the verge of exerting imminent global control of governments, the world economy, etc. Most of them are of dubious credibility.
  
  But then I read this lengthy foxnews.com article describing' [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 12:15pm EST
  by Ken

• A Minaret-Free Land?

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  In a rather surprising development, 57.5% of Swiss voters approved a constitutional ban on the construction of minarets in their country. Although speculation exists that it will be overturned by a Swiss court or the mis-named "European Court of Human Rights," for now, there will be no more minaret-capped [...]
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  Posted: November 29, 2009, 11:37pm EST
  by Ken

• Comparison of Obama v. Bush

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  A friend of ours e-mailed this to our computer.

  
  If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on [...]

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 11:26pm EST
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: I Surrender All

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  The title and the lyrics give as plain a message as any hymn: Have I surrendered everything to Jesus Christ? Have I surrendered my life, my desires, my assets, my family? Have I surrendered my wants, my entertainments, and my pleasures? In short, do I hold back anything that I [...]
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  Posted: November 22, 2009, 7:46am EST
  by Ken

• Math and Laundry

  Number of comments: 6
  As reported by Reuters (and picked up at such interesting news sources as this and this), one Carin Froehlich of Perkasie, PA, has stirred up local debate because she practices the barbaric habit of hanging her laundry out to dry in the fresh Pennsylvania air and sunshine.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:15pm EST
  by Ken

• What Might Universal Healthcare Look Like? Issue #2

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  It would be instructive for all of us to consider what universal healthcare would look like in a practical sense. Various bloggers and others have pointed to actual examples in Canada, Britain, and various other countries.
  
  I would argue that we are already seeing elements of it in the [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 11:51am EST
  by Ken

• National Debt Reaches $12 TRILLION Dollars

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  Yes, today the national debt is believed to have reached $12,000,000,000,000.00. According to the twitter site @NationalDebt, it increased by a mere $40 billion dollars YESTERDAY.
  
  This is an astonishing amount of money. Let's break it down into more manageable pieces.
  
  For some time now I have [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 11:54pm EST
  by Ken

• New Twitter Hymn Site

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  @hymnthoughts
  
  The above twitter site will periodically broadcast a stanza or other portion of a well-known hymn that should bless your heart. I encourage you to follow @hymnthoughts. [...]
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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 10:23pm EST
  by Ken

• Political Correctness at the Navy

  Number of comments: 1
  According to the Navy Times, of all things:
  Naval Academy leaders removed two midshipmen from a color guard that performed at the World Series last week because they were white men, and replaced them with a non-white man and a white woman so the academy could present a more [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 10:16pm EST
  by Ken

• How Will the Senate Liberals Vote?

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  Some are drawing attention to the fact that there are those in Congress who—however moronically—do not think the House healthcare bill went far enough in its takeover of the American healthcare system. These folks opine that the government needs to be more involved, private insurers less so, and that a [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 8:02pm EST
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: My Hope Is in the Lord

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  My hope is not in man. It better not be! My hope is not in Congress...and certainly not after Saturday night's House vote! My hope is not in anyone's good works. My hope is certainly not in myself.
  
  None of the above can save my soul. None of the [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 7:15pm EST
  by Ken

• Another Picture of What Universal Healthcare Might Look Like

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  According to a story broken by Business Week earlier this week, a number of large, well-known companies, such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, have received quantities of the H1N1 vaccine to provide to their employees who belong to high-risk groups, as defined by the federal government.
  
  It should [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:38pm EST
  by Ken

• Scary Hillary Clinton Photo

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  This troubles me on more levels than I can keep track of (Thanks to blogprof for finding it):
  
  
  Correct me if I'm wrong, but which political party is it that threatens to sic the IRS on your church if it takes positions politically??[...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 8:00pm EST
  by Ken

• Another Bad Congressional Spending Idea

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  In a sweeping 98-0 vote, the U.S. Senate voted yesterday—with the U.S. House possibly voting today—to expand and extend the Homebuyers' Credit that gives first-time homebuyers up to $8000. The AP story was brought my way on comcast.net, and is consequently light on details, but here's the basic idea:
  [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 4:00pm EST
  by Ken

• Why Conservatives Should Appreciate the N.Y. Yankees

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  The New York Yankees won the World Series last evening, completing a 4-2 defeat of the Philadelphia Phillies. Those of us who have been longtime Yankees fans are quite happy about this, but there are others who, for various reasons, bitterly express the following wayward opinion:
  
  Well, they just [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 12:50pm EST
  by Ken

• Words From College Football

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  These first two quotes are from Pat Forde's column on espn.com. They are both insightful and witty:
  
  Regarding Brandon Spikes "gouging" of a player last week:
  Gators coach Urban Meyer (4) reviewed the video and used it as a teaching moment. The lesson Meyer delivered: Nothing, not even' [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 8:00pm EST
  by Ken

• Why I Will Not Open a Business Venture in Kalamazoo

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  From the Kalamazoo Gazette:
  KALAMAZOO — Kalamazoo city voters decisively adopted an ordinance Tuesday that extends anti-discrimination protections to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals.
  
  The ordinance passed 7,671 to 4,731, making Kalamazoo the 16th city in Michigan to adopt such a gay-rights ordinance that grants the protections [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 12:08pm EST
  by Ken

• Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on Ultrasound

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  Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on Ultrasound - FOXNews.com
  
  I have learned that while abortion "providers" (I prefer not to call them "doctors") need to use ultrasound in order to accomplish their evil deeds, the mothers are almost never allowed to view the ultrasound. Why? Because [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 12:30pm EST
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: Now I Belong to Jesus

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  This hymn by Norman Clayton reminds us of the eternal security of the believer: That once we have accepted Christ by faith as Savior, we are His children forever. Some would have us believe that salvation can be lost or forfeit; the Bible does not teach this. John 10:27-30 remind [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:42am EST
  by Ken

• The Basics of Christian Education

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  True Christian Education, regardless of where it takes place, must have these two basic characteristics pervading it:
  
  1. It must be thoroughly Christian. It must exalt all three members of the Trinity. It must follow the Word of God at all times and in all things. It must encourage [...]
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  Posted: October 31, 2009, 3:17pm EDT
  by Ken

• Why You Should Vote "NO" on Kalamazoo's Ordinance 1856

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  Next week Kalamazoo city voters will have an opportunity to vote on Ordinance 1856, which essentially grants special rights to homosexuals, crossdressers, and others who are not heterosexual. Much has been written on the topic (some great stuff is here) already, so I will not strive to duplicate those [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 11:09pm EDT
  by Ken

• "Going Green" the Capitalist Way

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  This morning two of my girls and I were taking our morning walk/jog, and it occurred to me that there were some ways to "help the environment" that the MSM seemed to be missing. Furthermore, they are things I have been doing for years.
  
  1. Don't bother decorating for' [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 11:46am EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: All That Thrills My Soul

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  This hymn by Thoro Harris should remind all of us that nothing should cheer, bless, and "thrill" us like Jesus Christ. He is indeed "more than life" to all of us who have accepted His offer of salvation.
  
  The verses remind us of several aspects of our relationship with [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 10:00pm EDT
  by Ken

• If the H1N1 Vaccine Is Such a Big Problem...

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  ...what on earth do you think it will look like when the government is in charge of nearly all of your healthcare?
  
  My wife and I have been thoroughly disgusted when we watch the news and see paranoid, physically healthy people act desperate to get the H1N1 flu shot [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 6:58pm EDT
  by Ken

• What's Up With a 90% Pay Cut?

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  Today we learn from foxnews.com (and others):
  The Treasury Department is expected to formally announce in the next few days a plan to slash annual salaries by about 90 percent from last year for the 25 highest-paid executives at the seven companies that received the most from the Wall [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 12:36pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him

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  Praise the Savior! It is something every Christian should do automatically and frequently, but we (alas!) do not. The five stanzas of this hymn give us a variety of reasons why we should.
  
  My favorite verse (today) is the 3rd: A reminder that no matter what happens here on [...]
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  Posted: October 18, 2009, 11:35pm EDT
  by Ken

• Fox News Polls: Some Interesting Statistics!

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  Fox News Poll: 43 Percent Would Vote To Re-Elect President Obama - Political News - FOXNews.com
  
  The headline-grabber from this batch of statistics is above: Only 43% of voters would vote to re-elect the president today. Considering that he won about 53% of the popular vote eleven months [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2009, 3:41pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Sharpton!

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  From this foxnews.com article comes the news that Rush Limbaugh's participation in a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams has been, um, ended. It is unfortunate that the liberal establishment was able to so easily interfere with the free market.
  
  But from the article comes this' [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 11:42pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: He Is Able to Deliver Thee

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  You cannot get to heaven by your own good works, no matter how good or how many. Deliverance from the eternal punishment we deserve comes only through the salvation provided by Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, can deliver us!
  
  Have you been delivered by faith in Christ?
  
  [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 12:11pm EDT
  by Ken

• High Expectations: Raising the Bar

  Number of comments: 1
  My alma mater publishes a quarterly magazine for nearly everyone on its mailing list (prospective students, donors, alumni, parents, etc.) called the BJU Review. We always enjoy reading it and learning about various things going on at the university.
  
  It is also well known that my alma mater [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2009, 12:47pm EDT
  by Ken

• Doonesbury: Equal Opportunity Slamming?

  Number of comments: 1
  Doonesbury, the well-known cartoon by G. B. Trudeau, annoyed me often during the past eight years with its sometimes-vicious insults of President Bush.
  
  Apparently Mr. Trudeau, unlike most of the MSM, does not give the current president the cult-like obeisance they do, as evidenced by this cartoon from Sept. [...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2009, 6:27pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: Victory In Jesus

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  We do well to remember that in the end, Jesus will defeat the forces of Satan and evil. In the meantime, it is all too easy to focus on lost battles and spiritual defeats that could have been avoided.
  
  The hymn below, written by Eliza Hewitt, reminds us to [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 12:16pm EDT
  by Ken

• Detroit Public Schools: Another Outrage!

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  September 30, in addition to begin the deadline when the state of Michigan is supposed to get its state budget passed, is what we call "Count Day" here in Michigan. The short version of the story is that (a) it is the day when school districts must get an "official" [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2009, 12:30pm EDT
  by Ken

• Senate Democrats: Abortion = Healthcare

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  Adding to the growing corpus of evidence that democrats in D.C. want—nay, demand—abortion funding as part of the abominable healthcare bill is a Senate committee vote that occurred this morning. In a 13-10 vote (with pseudo-republican Snowe joining twelve democrats), an amendment offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to [...]
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  Posted: September 30, 2009, 12:18pm EDT
  by Ken

• Is McCotter Nuts?!?

  Number of comments: 2
  Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, a Republican from Michigan, is apparently seeking support in Congress for a bill that would amend the Internal Revenue Code....tell you what: I'll just quote from a letter he sent to his colleagues:
  "Dear Colleague," the letter reads.
  
  "According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey,'" [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2009, 12:27am EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: My Sins Are Blotted Out, I Know!

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  Yes, they are! The Bible teaches us that we can know that our sins are covered by the blood of Christ. We need only confess our sins and repent of them in faith—and Jesus removes them as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).
  
  If you [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2009, 9:39pm EDT
  by Ken

• Singing the Praises of the President

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  By now most of us have heard about the video of the elementary kids singing the praises of President Obama. I find it repugnant, and, like so many other things, I am severely disappointed that the media isn't pouncing on school administrators for this. You know, like they would' [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 10:27pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hiding Money Offshore? Be Warned!

  Number of comments: 1
  As a professional tax preparer for part of the year, I have signed up for the IRS e-mails that are put out several times a week. This one I received struck me as rather interesting.
  
  Context of the e-mail: In its never-ending quest to see that all income taxes [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2009, 11:58am EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: I Need Thee Every Hour

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  The message of this hymn is both self-explanatory and profoundly true. No one can survive and have joy without the presence of the Lord. Meditate upon these words today.
  
  (Words by Annie S. Hawks, 1872)
  
  I Need Thee Every Hour
  

  I need Thee every hour, most gracious [...]

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  Posted: September 21, 2009, 9:09am EDT
  by Ken

• The Bob Jones University Creed

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  My alma mater has had the following creed, unchanged since the school's opening in 1927. It succinctly and accurately states the core doctrinal beliefs of the university, and more generally, of true Protestantism throughout most of the past five centuries. It is said in every chapel, in every Sunday [...]
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  Posted: September 19, 2009, 11:55am EDT
  by Ken

• How Bad is the Big Ten?

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  No one, except the deluded and the dishonest, is claiming right now that Big Ten Football is the greatest in the land, for the simple reason that the evidence speaks otherwise.
  
  Each of the eleven conference teams has played two games; a total of four losses have been recorded. [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: Tell Me the Old, Old Story

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  The theme of this song (at least, to me) is that we should want to hear that "old, old story" again and again—that story of "Jesus and His love."
  
  It should never bore us to hear about Jesus Christ and what he did. It should never "grow old" [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2009, 4:20pm EDT
  by Ken

• Another Reason to Like the KJV, from Luke 22:31-32

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  I wrote once before that I prefer to use the King James Version of the Bible, and gave some reasons for doing so.
  
  This evening I was continuing to read the phenomenally well-written book, Not By Chance, by Dr. Layton Talbert, on the subject of the providence [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2009, 9:04pm EDT
  by Ken

• Thoughts on President Obama's "School Speech"

  Number of comments: 1
  Today, President Obama went to a high school in Arlington, Virginia, and gave a televised address to school children across the nation (video is available at whitehouse.gov). His remarks were controversial in advance of their release on Monday, but as it turned out, the bulk of the speech was [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2009, 9:29pm EDT
  by Ken

• Government, Charity, and Grover Cleveland

  Number of comments: 0
  I was inspired today after reading a post over at theblogprof which cited a great article from Daily Inter Lake, a newspaper in Montana. The issue was how Rep. Davy Crockett, when serving in Congress, responded when a voter demanded why he voted to spend federal funds for [...]
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  Posted: September 07, 2009, 3:10pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: To The Work

  Number of comments: 0
  With Labor Day weekend upon us, a hymn about "Work" seemed an appropriate choice. When searching for such a hymn, I encountered this one, previously unfamiliar to me, in a familiar hymnal.
  
  Every one of us who claim the name of Christ should be actively working to do His [...]
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  Posted: September 06, 2009, 8:02pm EDT
  by Ken

• Random Thought on an Important Bible Verse

  Number of comments: 3
  The verse is Mark 12:17:
  And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.This verse clearly teaches we must pay our lawful taxes.
  
  But why is it that Caesar demands [...]
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  Posted: September 04, 2009, 10:43pm EDT
  by Ken

• Should We Pray for President Obama to Die?

  Number of comments: 2
  The biblical answer, of course, is No.
  
  But that doesn't seem to seem to be stopping a certain Baptist pastor (and I use "Baptist" loosely here, as nearly every Baptist I know would condemn this fellow) in Phoenix from not only praying to this end, but telling his congregation' [...]
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  Posted: September 02, 2009, 5:00am EDT
  by Ken

• Is the Obama Presidency Going to Implode?

  Number of comments: 3
  Why the Obama Administration Will Implode in Weeks
  
  The article linked above gives an encouraging yet serious perspective on the prospect of the Obama administration going down in flames due to Americans' long-delayed rendezvous with the realities now being proposed in Washington. Consider what Obama has been doing' [...]
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  Posted: September 01, 2009, 9:41pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

  Number of comments: 0
  After hearing a convicting sermon this evening on service to God, and thinking about a hymn to choose, this one seems quite appropriate.
  
  The first three stanzas especially point out to us that we are not to sit around idly while the battle is being fought; we are [...]
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  Posted: August 30, 2009, 10:50pm EDT
  by Ken

• High School Credit...for Athletics?

  Number of comments: 1
  This news article today got me thinking about several facets of education. The essence of the article (which, I might add, was clearly not written by a professional educator) was that in the past, Texas students could get 2 of their required 26 credits to graduate by taking an [...]
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  Posted: August 29, 2009, 10:46pm EDT
  by Ken

• On the Death of Senator Kennedy

  Number of comments: 2
  Senator Ted Kennedy died this morning after a bout with brain cancer. His death, like anyone's, is sad, and will bring grief to his family and friends.
  
  It is customary upon one's death to focus on the good and positive things that person did during his lifetime. As a' [...]
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  Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:08am EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: When We All Get to Heaven

  Number of comments: 0
  Within the last twenty-four hours a relative of mine passed away. Since she was a Christian, I can look forward to seeing her someday in heaven.
  
  This event prompted me to think about hymns that speak about the Christian's eventual destination of heaven. This hymn is a forward-looking view [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2009, 10:56pm EDT
  by Ken

• Will Michigan Change its Graduation Requirements in Math?

  Number of comments: 3
  In April of 2006, the all-wise legislature of Michigan passed, and the ever-more-all-wise governor signed, legislation that instituted a statewide set of public high school graduation requirements. These requirements meant that in every school district in Michigan,
  Students must complete at least Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, or an [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
  by Ken

• Great Quote heard on Rush Limbaugh!

  Number of comments: 0
  I heard this myself on the radio yesterday, and saw a tweet from Katie Favazza @KatieFavazza that pointed me toward it. It has also made the e-mail rounds:
  
  Obama’s health care plan will be written by a committee whose head, John Conyers, says he doesn’t understand it. It’ll [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2009, 12:18pm EDT
  by Ken

• Obama and Healthcare: Another Hit to the Michigan Economy!

  Number of comments: 0
  My wife knows a few people who work at the Jasper Clinic in Kalamazoo, "an independent phase 1-2a clincal pharmacology service provider." [Essentially, they do drug tests on human subjects before those drugs reach the market. Fascinating stuff, really.] Conversing with one of them this week, she learned that [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2009, 10:32am EDT
  by Ken

• Bible, SCIENCE, and Politics: What Should a Christian Think?

  Number of comments: 4
  Our homeschooling year began this week and I have accepted the fun task of teaching 7th grade life science to my eldest child. This has caused me to think a lot about science and what it means in our lives. Oh, yeah—science affects the political scene, too, sometimes in absurd [...]
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  Posted: August 20, 2009, 12:38pm EDT
  by Ken

• How Not to Behave at a Town Hall, by Barney Frank

  Number of comments: 3
  Rep. Barney Frank, Critics Face Off at Town Hall Event - Political News - FOXNews.com
  
  Apparently this was not the most genteel of gatherings.
  
  I do not condone boorish behavior at these "town hall meetings" that Congressmen have been holding. It is appropriate to point out lies, [...]
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  Posted: August 18, 2009, 11:38pm EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: That Beautiful Name

  Number of comments: 0
  Also goes by the title, I Know of a Name
  
  "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
  
  "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...." Phil. 2:10
  
  [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2009, 11:33pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Saturday Afternoon

  Number of comments: 4
  Two sessions remained in the afternoon, and both dealt with reaching out to youth. One highly telling statistic is that 67% of the youth vote went to Obama in the recent election. This is troubling. Obama’s use of social media to drum up support was masterful, and it is possible [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2009, 9:01am EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Saturday Morning, Part 2

  Number of comments: 0
  Phil Kerpen, AFPF Policy Director, came to the podium and encouraged us that liberal blogging numbers are down, and ours are up! He also warned us that there is a good chance that the “single payer” option part of the healthcare bill will be removed, but that the rest of [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2009, 8:58am EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Saturday Morning, Part 1

  Number of comments: 0
  Saturday began with a 3-hour general session and a great array of speakers. Here are the first ones:
  
  The large general session this morning begin with an AFP video, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a word from Tim Phillips, executive director of Americans for Prosperity, which sponsored the Right [...]
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  Posted: August 15, 2009, 12:51pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: The Rest of Friday

  Number of comments: 1
  The final session of the afternoon was by Beverly Hallberg, titled Online Video 101. I chose this one thinking that it would be more of a “How to use YouTube” session (similar to the previous ones about how to use Facebook and Twitter), but it turned out to be more [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2009, 11:00pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Twitter and Facebook by David All

  Number of comments: 1
  David All, of the David All Group, spoke a lot about why and how we should be active on Twitter and Facebook. A large chunk of the session was on the nuts and bolts of these (I will not bore you with these; twitter information can be found at [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2009, 3:37pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Blogging 101 by Matt Lewis

  Number of comments: 0
  Matt Lewis, compiler of "The Week In Blog," spoke to us bloggers (a.k.a., "Online community organizers") next. He said that we have a lot of power to influence.
  
  He began by pointing out that each of us bloggers should "find a niche." We have expertise, so we should capitalize [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2009, 2:28pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online: Winning in a Web 2.0 World

  Number of comments: 0
  Our first session was a panel composed of Emily Zinotti, of the Sam Adams Alliance; Adam Bitely, from Americans for Limited Government; and John Hawkins, of rightwingnews.com (and various other sites). Each began with a statement where they made some important points:
  
  Emily: We need to learn the new [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2009, 1:18pm EDT
  by Ken

• Right Online Conference: About to Begin!

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  The opening session of the Right Online Conference begins in about 10 minutes and I have a front row seat to the action (literally...I'm sitting in the front row). This session is a panel session titled "Winning in a Web 2.0 World."
  
  In unrelated news, the locals here' [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2009, 11:50am EDT
  by Ken

• The Right Online Conference

  Number of comments: 1
  As the winner of the 2nd Annual RightMichigan.com Blogger's Challenge, I have the honor of attending the Right Online conference this Friday and Saturday in Pittsburgh, PA. I plan to be frequently posting from that conference, and here are some of the things I hope to address:
  Making [...]
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  Posted: August 12, 2009, 11:22pm EDT
  by Ken

• Medical Care and Cars: A Brief Comparison

  Number of comments: 0
  In the free market system, some people drive nicer cars than other people. Some people drive Hummers, Cadillacs, and BMW's; others of us drive used vehicles made during the Clinton administration. In any case, nearly everyone is able to meet their transportation needs.
  
  In the free market system, some' [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2009, 11:58pm EDT
  by Ken

• Michiganders (and certain others) About To Be Denied Proper Representation in Census

  Number of comments: 0
  According to this wsj.com article, the upcoming 2010 Census will, like the three preceding it, be using a count of all persons physically present in the country to determine apportionment in Congress for the upcoming decade—including persons here illegally. The result of this will be to give disproportionately higher [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2009, 11:05am EDT
  by Ken

• Hymn of the Week: I Gave My Life For Thee

  Number of comments: 0
  This very first hymn of Frances Havergal was inspired by a painting of Christ with the subtitle, "This have I done for thee; What hast thou done for me?" She wrote the words and her father wrote a tune for them [The tune in hymnals today was later written by [...]
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  Posted: August 09, 2009, 9:17am EDT
  by Ken

• Good News! I've Solved the Illegal Immigrant Problem!

  Number of comments: 1
  I have developed a two-pronged solution to the illegal immigrant problem.
  
  First, we need to go national on the NYC plan for the homeless: If they are here illegally, we buy them a one-way plane ticket (or bus ticket, if they're already close enough to Mexico) to where they' [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2009, 10:10pm EDT
  by Ken

• Time to Apply the Pressure!

  Number of comments: 2
  Congress is embarking upon its summer recess. When your Congressman or Senator comes to your area, you need to introduce yourself and politely make a few things known to him or her. For your convenience, here are some talking points:
  Under no circumstances whatsoever is a government takeover of heathcare [...]
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  Posted: August 04, 2009, 1:17pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns: The Runners-Up

  Number of comments: 0
  Here is a collection of absolutely wonderful hymns that I like, but which I could not squeeze into the Top Ten list (alphabetized by title). One stanza of each is included:
  
  Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed? (Words by Isaac Watts [Refrain by Ralph Hudson]; the most common tunes [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 10:12pm EDT
  by Ken

• Work and Gratitude

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  Have you ever noticed that when you have worked hard for something, saving your money and making the necessary sacrifices, that you tend to treasure it more?
  
  Case in point: I drive a 1997 Lumina with almost 142,000 miles on it. It was paid for about five years ago. [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 11:42am EDT
  by Ken

• Manners, Beers, and Obama

  Number of comments: 0
  What do those three things have in common? Observe the picture below:
  
  
  Obama is evidently thinking about beer (or photographers, or who knows what else). Crowley, the much-maligned-as-a-racist yet diligent police officer, is helping Dr. Gates down the steps. Honoring his elder fellow citizen. [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 3:30am EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #1: Amazing Grace

  Number of comments: 0
  Anyone knowledgeable about hymns who looked at the last entry in this series could probably have figured out that Amazing Grace surely had to be #1. It is probably the most popular and best-known hymn in the English language.
  
  That "Amazing Grace" about which John Newton wrote was incredibly [...]
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  Posted: August 02, 2009, 10:35pm EDT
  by Ken

• Enjoying the Global Warming??

  Number of comments: 1
  According to the Kalamazoo Gazette's online version, July 2009 will be the coldest July on record...and those records go back to 1887. The record for average temperature could be shattered by about 1.4 degrees!
  
  And, this temperature chill is expected to continue for at least the first several [...]
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  Posted: July 31, 2009, 1:05pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #2: Holy, Holy, Holy

  Number of comments: 0
  My mother told me once that, when she attended the Highspire Church of God as a child, they sang this hymn every Sunday. I think that is a great tradition.
  
  Outside of Scripture, there are very few words in the English language that so powerfully and beautifully remind us [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2009, 10:17pm EDT
  by Ken

• Sportsmanship—Being a Good Winner

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  I read an interesting piece today on espn.com about certain very successful athletes and coaches who, immediately after winning (another) championship, did something unnecessary to focus the attention upon themselves and their accomplishments. This used to be called "unsportsmanlike" or, more simply, "gloating."
  
  My parents and many [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2009, 1:29pm EDT
  by Ken

• Sarah Palin: Come to Michigan!

  Number of comments: 0
  Sarah Palin resigned from being governor of Alaska Sunday. You can view the video of her speech here. It has some similarities to the typical political sending-off speech, but still contains the uplifting strains that Sarah Palin is now well-known for.
  
  If you feel like reminiscing, here are [...]
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  Posted: July 26, 2009, 10:45pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #3: The Old Rugged Cross

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  "So I'll cherish the old rugged cross...."
  
  If that line does not move you as a Christian, something isn't right. George Bennard, an evangelist, wrote the words and music to this hymn in 1913. Its message is both simple and profound: I cherish that cross because of what Christ [...]
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  Posted: July 26, 2009, 4:12pm EDT
  by Ken

• Henry Gates: Perhaps There's Another Core Issue Here?

  Number of comments: 0
  We all know the story by now: Dr. Gates attempts to "break into" his own home; a neighbor calls 911; police officers arrive; Gates is mouthy and gets cuffed. Media get the story; Obama inflames it; a meeting has been proposed at which everyone has a beer and leaves friendly.
  [...]
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  Posted: July 25, 2009, 9:15pm EDT
  by Ken

• Michigan is 41st in "Top States for Business"...Why?

  Number of comments: 2
  In a survey reported by NBC on its Nightly News broadcast this evening, and found here at the cnbc.com website, Virginia and Texas finished as the top two states in the nation for business, based on an analysis of the following ten factors (Michigan's 50-state rank in parentheses):
  [...]
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  Posted: July 23, 2009, 7:04pm EDT
  by Ken

• I Know Why People Move to California

  Number of comments: 0
  One year ago today, I took my first and only trip to California, with my wife. It was a combination business/pleasure trip. While there, we saw an Angels baseball game, enjoyed the beaches, and visited the Reagan Library (Note: All good Republicans should make at least one pilgrimage there before [...]
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  Posted: July 22, 2009, 5:26pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #4: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

  Number of comments: 0
  This hymn is probably my personal all-time favorite. Written by Thomas Chisholm, and later put to music by William Runyan, it has become widely known since 1923.
  
  The words get their inspiration from Lamentations 3:22-23:
  

  22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his [...]

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  Posted: July 22, 2009, 1:15pm EDT
  by Ken

• Arab Christian Group Claims First Amendment Rights Denied On Public Property - in Michigan!

  Number of comments: 0
  Arab Christian Group Claims First Amendment Rights Denied On Public Property - FOXNews.com
  
  The article gives you the full story. Here's the abridged version:
  
  Dearborn's big Arab International Festival. Attracted 300K+ people last month. City police tell Arab Christian Perspective group they cannot distribute literature on the [...]
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  Posted: July 21, 2009, 10:34pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #5: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

  Number of comments: 0
  Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott is probably the best-known hymn in the German language, written by one of Germany's greatest and most famous men nearly five hundred years ago. Martin Luther's words were translated from German to English by Frederic Hedge in 1853, and it has become extremely [...]
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  Posted: July 19, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
  by Ken

• Wienermobile Crashes Into Wisconsin Home!

  Number of comments: 0
  Wienermobile Crashes Into Wisconsin Home - FOXNews.com
  
  The picture says a thousand words:
  
  
  The article does indicate a woman was driving the famous vehicle, and evidently mistook forward and reverse at the wrong moment.
  
  On the good side, no one was [...]
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  Posted: July 18, 2009, 8:10am EDT
  by Ken

• Late Night Theology & Politics

  Number of comments: 0
  I was (and apparently still am) having difficulty falling asleep tonight, so I began reading my Bible. I encountered this passage from II Kings 15:
  18 And he [Menahem] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of [...]
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  Posted: July 18, 2009, 12:57am EDT
  by Ken

• NRA Statement on Judge Sotomayor

  Number of comments: 0
  They e-mailed it to me today, and I don't think they will mind if I pass it on.
  
  

  Joint Statement

  Wayne Lapierre, Executive Vice President, National Rifle Association
  And
  Chris W. Cox, Executive Director, National Rifle Association - Institute For Legislative Action
  On
  Judge Sonia Sotomayor's Nomination To' [...]

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  Posted: July 17, 2009, 10:28am EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #6: To God Be The Glory

  Number of comments: 1
  It would be nearly impossible to choose ten great hymns without including at least one by Fanny Crosby, perhaps the greatest hymn lyricist of all time. She wrote about 8000 hymns, at least 500 of which were put to music and are still used in the universe of hymns.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: July 15, 2009, 11:16pm EDT
  by Ken

• Michigan Unemployment Rises Again! Ugh!

  Number of comments: 0
  15.2% is the new ugly number. Almost makes you wish for the "good old days" when it was only 8.1%...which it was, twelve months ago. Was this the "hope and change" we bargained for?
  
  As I mentioned in my last post regarding Michigan unemployment statistics, we are moving [...]
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  Posted: July 15, 2009, 6:54pm EDT
  by Ken

• Living Together First Can Spoil Marriage, Study Finds

  Number of comments: 0
  Living Together First Can Spoil Marriage, Study Finds - FOXNews.com
  
  Let us first consider some of the statistics contained in this article:
  
  The study questioned about 1000 couples between the ages of 18 and 34 who had been married for no more than ten years. Of these:
  [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2009, 7:37pm EDT
  by Ken

• Perspective in God's Universe

  Number of comments: 0
  Theblogprof today had a great posting about Creation. He's got some great graphics over there, but I want to focus on a few thoughts it sparked in my own mind:
  God's Creation, the universe, is incredible. From the smallest subatomic particles (about which we can still only theorize) to [...]
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  Posted: July 13, 2009, 9:21pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #7: Onward Christian Soldiers

  Number of comments: 0
  One of the marks of a great hymn is that it is consistent with the Bible. In many passages we are reminded that we are in a battle with the devil and his forces, one which will never end until the final victory recorded in Revelation. On the flip side, [...]
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  Posted: July 12, 2009, 5:05pm EDT
  by Ken

• Michigan Blueberries

  Number of comments: 5
  This morning I took my four children to our annual July extravaganza: Blueberry picking! The five of us picked nearly 31 pounds of blueberries, with most of those now resting comfortably in my freezer. My children think blueberry picking is fun; I enjoy it also.
  
  Someone who lives in [...]
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  Posted: July 11, 2009, 7:30pm EDT
  by Ken

• Pontiac School District Adopts Dress Code

  Number of comments: 4
  I am a big fan of school dress codes. Every school (and I would even suggest this for those who homeschool) should implement some sort of dress code so that the students are dressed modestly, neatly, and non-disruptively.
  
  The Detroit News carried a story today that the Pontiac School [...]
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  Posted: July 09, 2009, 2:41pm EDT
  by Ken

• Top Ten Hymns Countdown #8: How Great Thou Art

  Number of comments: 2
  This is probably one of the two or three most recognized hymns in the English language. It has been sung by humble Christians in small churches, and by people as famous as Elvis Presley (and for which he won not one, but two, Grammy awards). It has been identified as [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 9:53pm EDT
  by Ken