The End of the Iraq War: A Timeline | The White House

The End of the Iraq War: A Timeline | The White House
"We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people."

George Michael records Don McLean"s The Grave
"In February 2003 George Michael unexpectedly recorded Don McLean's The Grave in protest against the looming Iraq war. "

Writer: DON MCLEAN 

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He's gone

When the wars of our nation did beckon
The man, barely twenty, did answer the calling
Proud of the trust
That he placed in our nation
He's gone

But eternity knows him
And it knows what we've done

And the rain fell like pearls
On the leaves of the flowers
Leaving brown, muddy clay
Where the earth had been dry

And deep in the trench
He waited for hours
As he held to his rifle
And prayed not to die

But the silence of night
Was shattered by fire
As the guns and grenades
Blasted sharp through the air

One after another
His comrades were slaughtered
In the morgue of marines
Alone, standing there

He crouched ever lower
Ever lower, with fear
â??They can't let me die
They can't let me die here!

I'll cover myself
With the mud and the earth
I'll cover myself
I know I'm not brave!

The earth, the earth
The earth is my grave.â??

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He's gone

Some songs from Don McLean

Don McLean biography


Don Mclean-1972


The Story behind "American Pie"
Don Mclean-2011




"And I Love you So" By Don Mclean








Writer: DON MCLEAN 

In the beginning there was nothingness and God but waved his hand
And from the endless void there sprang the beauty of the land
And high above the canyon walls the diamond stars were new
And breezes blew from nothingness and herbs and grasses grew
And silent creatures roamed the Earth and multiplied their [Do7]kind
And man was but a molecule that God had left behind.

[Chorus:]
We have grown we have grown, we have captured the throne
Of the kingdom God made for our winning.
We have grown we have grown, but our children alone
Have so little time left for beginning.

And mountains sprang and chaos rang the overture of life
And rivers coursed the twisted blade of natures sharpest knife
And cut beneath the rolling dales a gateway to the sea
While tidal waves and mighty gales were heard in symphony
And sunshine fell upon the waves and warmed the virgin land
And from the mud a drop of blood was left upon the sand.

(Chorus)
And eagles flew from craggy peaks above the garden wall.
The drop of blood became a man, the tree of life grew tall.
And perfect in his loneliness, a rib pulled from his chest
Formed a sweet companion of pulchritude and breast.
And from the tree of knowledge God said they could not eat.
And perfect was their paradise unto the serpent at their feet.

(Chorus)
Tree of knowledge, tree of death, upon the ground they trod.
The serpent said your eye's will see and ye will be a god.
Defy the word and eat the fruit and ye will never die
And you will chart your destiny and rule the Earth and sky.
And man was banished east of Eden. See what we have lost.
For though the father sets the price, the children pay the cost.

基督徒的福音債

Be thankful always

Grateful kids are healthier--study finds benefit in 365 days thanksgiving
"But like anything else, gratitude takes used to it . Developing a 'thanking' routine, from journaling to dinner time shout -outs, is an essential element to all the studies."


A free November Gratitude Calender  from: http://www.aholyexperience.com/
A Book of Gratitude
Thankful for cards
Thankful Tags

Animal Farm By George Orwell

Mistreated and overloaded animals can’t stand it anymore.  They took a revolution to defeat human being and built a farm ruled by animals called “Animal Farm”.

Victorious and excited animals constituted their own law called

 “THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS” (P43)

1, Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2, Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3, No animal shall wear clothes.

4, No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5, No animal shall drink alcohol.

6, No animal shall kill any other animal.

7, All animals are equal.

A few years later, what happened?

What did they hear from the pigs who had being marched through the farm?

“Four legs good, two legs better!  Four legs good, two legs better!”

“Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be?”

“There were nothing there now except a single commandment. It ran

“All animals are equal. But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Other.” (P133)

The Trumpet of the Swan By E.B. White

Louise is a trumpeter swan without voice.  When he fell in love with a beautiful swan Serena, how did he tell her he loves him?  How did he get a real trumpet to play a song " beautiful dreamer" to win his sweet heart? Louise is a very special swan. Though he had no voice , he could read , write, play a trumpet, even earn money.

Some Excerpts
" The world  is full of talkers, but it is rare to find anyone who listens. And I assure you that you can pick up more information when you are listening than when you are talking."
" The best was to travel, really, is to travel light."
"Louise is a musician, and musicians can't choose their working hours-they must work when their employer wants them to."
"this feeling of rapture can lead you to your death.  No matter how wonderful you feel down there, don't ever forget to return to the surface, where you can breathe again."

My Bookshelf

Elementary School

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little , The Trumpet of the Swan  

by E.B. White

The Cricket InTime Square

The Incredible Journey  by  Sheila Burnford

BFG-big friendly giant

The Phantom Tollbooth 

The Story of  DOCTOR DOLITTLE      By Hugh Lofting

Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O’Dell

The Chronicle of Narnia     By   C.S. Lewis

When I first read the book

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"

 I can't stop reading  and submerging myself in the world of Narnia.




The Johnny Tremain   By Esther Forbes

A book of Boston in revolt

The tiny  Seed

Middle School

The Adventure of Tom Sawyer    by   Mark Twain


Animal Farm by George Orwell



Watership Down   by Richard Adams


The Cay     by Theodore Taylor


Summer of the Monkeys  by  Wilson Rowl

This is a very special summer.
A boy was fascinated by the reward which could be attained by catching monkeys who were escaped for a circus.
He tried every way to catch the monkeys.  Did he catch them?

      

The giver  By  Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue    By  Lois Lowry

Messenger      By  Lois Lowry

The Giver
In the world,  everything is predictable.  People live in the community without differences, risks,troubles. People do not know colors. They do not have  secretes and memory.  You are assigned to have your name, job,your spouse, and your children by the committee.

For Adult Reader

Inside out by Larry Crabb

                

What is self protection?

Many  of our behaviors are motivated by self protection.

However, we are so used to it that we do not recognize it at all.

Real changes only happen when we undermine inside of our heart

instead of just correcting or fixing the outside or appearance of behaviors. 

Connecting   by Larry Crabb      

How do we  relate to others?

Sometimes we feel emotional, lonely, empty.

It's probably because we connect to people wrongly.

Connection problems!

  

The Cricket In Times Square by George Selden

The cricket, Chester who used to live in the country in Connecticut, accidently came to Times Square in New York.  What happened to him? A very interesting, warm and touching story reminds me the song of “New York New York” and old memories.

Some excerpts from the book

“I thought cats and mice were enemies.”

“In the country, maybe, But in New York we gave up those old habits long ago.” (P28)

“And as always in New York, when a little crowd formed, more people came just to see what the other were looking at. Bees do that, and so do human beings.”

“So by Thursday Chester cricket was the most famous musician in new York City. But now there is a strange thing: he wasn’t really happy-not the way he used to be. Life didn’t seem to have fun and freedom it had had before.” (P124)

“I almost wish he hadn’t come to New York-if he isn’t going to be happy here.” (P133)

“What good is it to be famous if it only makes you unhappy?” (p134)

Giant Yellow Teddy Bear In New York City

Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O’Dell

Island of the Blue Dolphins           Scott O’Dell

(P 166)

                                                             

“After that summer, after being friends with Won-a nee and her young, I never killed another otter.”  I had an otter cape for my shoulders, which I used until it wore out, but never again did I make a new one. “

” Nor did I ever kill another cormorant for its beautiful feathers, though they have long, thin necks and make ugly sounds when they talk to each other.”

“Nor did I kill kills seals for their sinews, using instead kelp to bind the things that needed it.”

“Nor did I kill another wild dog, nor did I try to spear another elephant.”

“ If Ulape and my  father had come back and laughed, still I would have felt the same way, for animals and birds are like people, too, though they do not talk the same or do the same things.  Without them the earth would be an unhappy place.” 

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God

成爲孩子生命中的貴人

“如何教養出優質的下一代“

看到王師母，不但身為師母，同時也爲人妻，爲人母，和衆人的老師，一人同時扮演多種角色， 但是説起話來卻是不急不緩，聲音甜美，氣質優雅。祕絕爲何呢？她說，當她能控制自己的情緒，妥善處理自己的負面情感，不要讓怒氣，憂慮，焦躁，沮喪等負面情緒 來耗損自己的精力和時間，你將出乎意料的發現自己不但是精神百倍，體力驚人，同時能做好許多事，而且生命越活越精彩。

再一次，又一次地看到了我們這個人，自己本身的重要。在扮演各種角色之前，自己跟自己和好是最重要的。教養孩子之前，我們是不是成熟的人-成人，我們的價值觀，處世爲人， 情緒狀況，是否合神心意，討神喜悅。使我們在管教孩子之時，不惹孩子的氣，讓孩子心服口服。對孩子並不是一再地耳提面命，嘮叨不停，卻是話説的精短扼要，重話輕說，仍就保持一貫的優良氣質。

所謂的領導學，就是對人產生影響力，並且使人轉化。並非訓練CEO，經理人才，才需要學習領導學。身為父母的，就是在扮演領導孩子的角色。孩子的自信絕不是與生俱來的，而是藉由周遭的許許多面鏡子的反射來告訴他， 他是一位怎麽樣的人。身為父母的我們，能否成爲孩子最大最穩固的鏡子，反射出神在這個孩子裏面的心意，使孩子能活出神在這個孩子裏的命定。當我們不斷地為孩子禱告，願我們孩子在生命的各個層面中出現貴人，讓我們先為自己禱告，我們就是孩子一生最大的貴人。

天國的子民，富足的人生

當我在學經濟學的時候，記得書本寫著這個世界“資源是有限的，稀有的”, 當這個物品越稀有，它就越有價值。例土地就是一種稀有財。 又學到了這個世界的資源有如一塊大餅，而且這個餅是會被分完的。大家要竭盡所能，才分得到大餅的一部分。當這個觀念深植於人心，我很懷疑我們如何成爲富足而慷慨的人，看到別人的成功衷心為他高興。

王師母的講座中，提到了一塊大PIZZA 的觀念。我們孩子的價值是覺得這個世界所有的資源都只限于在這塊大PIZZA裏，當別人拿走了其中幾片的PIZZA，就開始忐忑不安。還是仍就有充足的安全感，相信這塊PIZZA無限大，可創造出無限的潛能，自己仍有成功的機會。孩子的心態是富足的，還是貧窮的。對孩子能否健康積極，並且成爲衆人的祝福，重要關鍵。

神對我們的應許有許多，他是豐豐富富，充充足足，我們乃是天國的子民，享有富足的人生。

彼前2:9

惟 有 你 們 是 被 揀 選 的 族 類 、 是 有 君 尊 的 祭 司 、 是 聖 潔 的 國 度 、 是 屬 　 神 的 子 民 、 要 叫 你 們 宣 揚 那 召 你 們 出 黑 暗 入 奇 妙 光 明 者 的 美 德 。

Real Secret to Effective Time Management-Ann Voskamp

Real Secret to Effective Time Management

"In the silent   times-seek God"
"In the  painful  times-praise God."
"In the harried times-hallow Hod."
"In the terrible times-trust God"
"And at all times, at all times-Thank God"

Obama Speech :Martin Luther King Memorial dedication

Martin Luther King Memorial  dedication

Short Stories

Rikki Tikki Tavi

The Lady or the Tiger?

"The Last Leaf" by O. Henry

"The Open Window" by Sak

The velveteen rabbit

 Tigers Mothers  or the Making of Velveteen  Mothers

"There are Tiger Mothers and there are Dragon Mothers,

 but if the years can be used to make a woman only into this: a Velveteen Mother."

"A Velveteen Mother — made Real by the years — the way grace can happen to you. And not all at once — but you become. And grace becomes you."

From:

The velveteen rabbit

"What is REAL?"

"Real isn't how you are made," 

"It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, 


but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."


Form: http://quotes.livejournal.com/5773196.html
More Article:
母老虎-tiger mom

以弗所書3：1-13

以弗所書3：1-13

主題：揭開神的奧秘-5次提到奧秘

奧秘1，   以弗所書3:3“福音的奧秘”-神的救贖計劃

羅馬書1:16    我 不 以 福 音 為 恥 ． 這 福 音 本 是 　 神 的 大 能 、 要 救 一 切 相 信 的 、 先 是 猶 太 人 、 後 是 希 利 尼 人

奧秘2，   以弗所書3:4“基督的奧秘”-耶穌，十字架的道理，出身卑微，受人輕看，死於十字架，三天之後死裏復活，升天，坐在神的右邊。-基督論

奧秘3，   以弗所書3:5“這奧秘在以前的世代沒有叫人知道，像如今藉著聖靈啓示他的聖使徒和先知一樣。”-舊約乃是影子，到新約成全。

奧秘4，   以弗所書3:6“這奧秘就是外邦人在基督耶穌裏，藉著福音，得以同為後嗣，同為一體，同蒙應許。”-神的所有的應許都在基督裏成全了。上帝的縂應許就是永生。

舊約裏沒有人明白，新約， 聖靈啓示，聖使徒和先知.

誰啓示了神的奧秘呢？神藉著聖靈啓示。

五旬節聖靈降臨，使徒們得到了啓示，能力，明白了神對人類的救恩計劃，就是這福音，耶穌基督成爲上帝的羔羊，死在十字架上，使人與神和好。使外邦人因著耶穌，得以與猶太人同為神的兒女。

神的奧秘向怎様的人顯明，啓示呢？ 最小的還小-保羅。

以弗所書3：8

“我本是比衆聖徒中最小的還小，然而他還賜我這恩典，叫我把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外邦人。”

神做事的法則

路加10：21

“你將這些事向聰明通達的人就藏起來，向嬰孩就顯出來。”

基督十字架的道理-軟弱成爲剛強，世人覺得最笨的方法

路加14:11

因 為 凡 自 高 的 必 降 為 卑 ． 自 卑 的 必 升 為 高 。

奧秘5，以弗所書3：9“這歷代以來隱藏在創造萬物之神了的奧秘，是如何安排的。”

不但知道明白神的奧秘，神所隱藏的旨意， 更是知道神旨意的安排

a，神的旨意如何安排：

以弗所書3：10

“為要藉著教會使天上執政的，掌權的，現在得知神百般的智慧。”

什麽是教會：基督的居所， 也就是我們，我們的身體就是基督所居住的地方。

b，神的旨意何時安排：

以弗所書3：11

“這是照著神從萬世以前，在我們主基督耶穌裏所定的旨意。”


空中主日學

希伯來書：（44）信心與所聽見得到調和

希伯來書：（44）信心與所聽見得到調和

信心四層次：

1， 天然的信心：人人都有，當神創造人的時候，就已經把這個最基本的信心放在人的裏面。

2， 渴慕真理的信心，也就是信與道調和的信心：當人不壓制神賜予天的然的信心，進而產生渴慕真理的信心。

3， 因聽道而產生信道的信心：信道是從聽到而來，道裏面藏有信心的種子。聽道以後，道被吸收調和之後，道就產生信心的果子出來。

4,勇敢事奉的信心：聖靈賜下，做為服事的信心。是可以透過操練，等候神賜下。 （哥前12：9）

小小寶貝flash-太陽北風-新唐人亞太台

小小寶貝flash-太陽北風-新唐人亞太台

10 Points of Joyful Parenting

希伯來書

空中主日學-希伯來書（52）熟悉仁義的道理

5:12		看 你 們 學 習 的 工 夫 、 本 該 作 師 傅 、 誰 知 還 得 有 人 將 　 神 聖 言 小 學 的 開 端 、 另 教 導 你 們 ． 並 且 成 了 那 必 須 喫 奶 、 不 能 喫 乾 糧 的 人 。
5:13		凡 只 能 喫 奶 的 、 都 不 熟 練 仁 義 的 道 理 ． 因 為 他 是 嬰 孩 。
5:14		惟 獨 長 大 成 人 的 、 纔 能 喫 乾 糧 、 他 們 的 心 竅 、 習 練 得 通 達 、 就 能 分 辨 好 歹 了 。

嬰孩吃奶，唯有長大成人才能吃乾糧。

“嬰孩很可愛，但是老嬰孩就很可憐。“

空中主日學-希伯來書（54）麥基洗德的等次


希伯來書-

7:1

這 麥 基 洗 德 、 就 是 撒 冷 王 、 又 是 至 高 　 神 的 祭 司 、 本 是 長 遠 為 祭 司 的 ． 他 當 亞 伯 拉 罕 殺 敗 諸 王 回 來 的 時 候 、 就 迎 接 他 、 給 他 祝 福 。

創世紀

13:7		當 時 迦 南 人 、 與 比 利 洗 人 、 在 那 地 居 住 ． 亞 伯 蘭 的 牧 人 、 和 羅 得 的 牧 人 相 爭 。
13:8		亞 伯 蘭 就 對 羅 得 說 、 你 我 不 可 相 爭 、 你 的 牧 人 和 我 的 牧 人 也 不 可 相 爭 、 因 為 我 們 是 骨 肉 。 〔 原 文 作 弟 兄 〕
13:9		遍 地 不 都 在 你 眼 前 麼 ． 請 你 離 開 我 、 你 向 左 、 我 就 向 右 、 你 向 右 、 我 就 向 左 。
13:10		羅 得 舉 目 看 見 約 但 河 的 全 平 原 、 直 到 瑣 珥 、 都 是 滋 潤 的 、 那 地 在 耶 和 華 未 滅 所 多 瑪 、 蛾 摩 拉 以 先 、 如 同 耶 和 華 的 園 子 、 也 像 埃 及 地 。
13:11		於 是 羅 得 選 擇 約 但 河 的 全 平 原 、 往 東 遷 移 ． 他 們 就 彼 此 分 離 了 。

處理紛爭的原則：

1，，講明原則，而非爭辯

“你 我 不 可 相 爭 、 你 的 牧 人 和 我 的 牧 人 也 不 可 相 爭。”

2，，預備犧牲

“你 向 左 、 我 就 向 右 、 你 向 右 、 我 就 向 左 。”