This week's links!
- For this week's Esolen Selection, I have decided to share What Jesus Really Said About Sins of the Flesh from Crisis Magazine. An exploration of ethics of sexual morality drawn largely from etymological reflections on Scripture; an exercise in going deeper.
- For some humor, I loved this Wedding Jitters video by “Kid Snippets.” Apparently there's a group of adults who have their kids pretend scenarios and then they act them out with the kids' voiced dubbed in. A pretty hilarious glimpse inside the minds of children!
- For some more humor, Don't Make Fun of Renowned Author Dan Brown.
- For some politics (with a dash of humor): The Common Core is in the news (another Crisis article), not least because some states' citizens have begun to realize what a danger it is. (In fact,
Indianans(*edited to say of course we mean Hoosiers and have one ourselves — Joseph!) have been clever enough to prevent this intrusion in their state.)(Auntie Leila says:) But don't think that the loss of local control started here with this administration, or even under Bush's No Child Left Behind (although that was a decisive blow). Yes, communities still pay for their schools through property taxes, but if you are involved in your local government you quickly discover that these funds are tied to state and federal funds that must be secured to meet their requirements and mandates, all of which restrict local decisions on what to teach. Which is what school is about.
Read Common Ground to understand how court-ordered busing made it impossible for communities, including black communities, the intended beneficiaries — which arguably have lost the most in ensuing years — to retain control of the education of their own children.
It's all about testing and making money for the testing companies, because who wouldn't want to have a product that every child in America had to buy.
It all starts so early.
- And finally, for some theology: Read here for a nice take on an argument (used by Newman when still an Anglican, and also C. S. Lewis) on whether the invocation of saints leads away from God.
On that note, dip into our archives to read about Saints and how to get them into your family devotions without going crazy.
Rachel~ At the Butterfly Ball says
Hi Deirdre! I just wanted to pop in and let you know how much I enjoy reading your “bits & pieces” every weekend. I often end up sharing the links you have here with my husband and we talk them over all weekend long. Glad you contribute here! This is one of my very favorite blogs to visit.
Hugs~
DeirdreLMLD says
Thanks, Rachel! It's good to know that folks are liking b&p.
_Leila says
That frame is perfect for the picture! Love it.
And didn't that Honest Toddler piece crack you up??
Jennifer says
I love Carl Larsson's art. It was fun to see it on your blog!
Nancy says
So glad you included a link to the common core. I will forward this onto many here in the sunshine state. Love Carl Larsson and it is a great frame for the picture!
Kathy says
Thanks for the links–love all your work on this blog!
For the sake of correction, though you might have done it for fun, people from Indiana are “Hoosiers” not “Indianans”. I'm one of them. =)
DeirdreLMLD says
Of course – how could I have forgotten? I love it.
Steph says
Ok LMLD ladies….just wanted to say since you have introduced me to Anthony Esolen (my husband and I are reading his destroying imagination book)..my ideas of how to raise children, which I thought were pretty good,are now getting obliterated. Thanks for ruining us 😉
Kathy says
I quite agree Steph, we are reading it too and wow!
Loni says
Kathy, you beat me to it. We're Hoosiers! : )
I love the new addition of Bits & Pieces!
Elizabeth says
Hoosiers! Yes! 😀 Although I'm a New Englander, all my children were born in Indiana. And thank goodness those ridiculous legislators finally got some good things accomplished THIS year…'though we STILL don't have licensing for Certified Professional Midwives. >:-(
~Hoosier Mama 🙂
_Leila says
Of course — we have a Hoosier ourselves — our Joseph!
Maria says
Thanks so much for the link to the Dan Brown parody. I needed a good laugh. It is hilarious.