This morning I spent several hours teaching kindergarten students (around 200) all about the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the garden.
This week is our county fair and we always set up booths manned by our local 4-H & FFA members to raise awareness for ourselves and the farmers that make the fair, and indeed most of our lives possible.
It was wonderful to see the childlike innocence in their eyes as they learned about gardens, livestock, milking, soil, dairy, fruits, vegetables, meats, and pretty much anything else that can be associated with our farming industry.
We had a few rowdy kids, but most were well behaved.
I was especially funny when I told them that my mother made brownies with squash, and that even though they said they hated tomatoes they still loved them (due to the fact that they enjoy eating pizza and ketchup).
Having to shout over the fans in the barn made my throat hurt after a while, and I kept calling Samuel (the boy who was helping me teach) by his older brothers name, and I couldn't help but laugh when the kids asked silly questions, but I had a lot of fun teaching them about what comes out of our gardens.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Firsthand
Firsthand is a smart, honest, and deeply felt journey that invites you to leave behind handed-down beliefs and find authentic faith.
"Our goal is to help you replace secondhand religion with a meaningful relationship," write authors Ryan and Josh Shook. "We want to help you get from a religion that you wear on the outside to a faith of your own-one that is authentically yours all the way through."
The brothers tell about growing up in a church only to realize that, "how things are supposed to be" had stopped working for them. So they set out to find what makes a young person's Christian faith stick-or not-and in the process, asked hundreds of other people, young and old, some really hard questions.
Like:
"Firsthand faith is the only kind that lasts because it's centered deep in your own mind and heart," write Josh and Ryan. "Sure, it's still a work in progress, but it's yours. It's you. In fact, firsthand faith is so real and personal that when hard times hit, it just gets stronger."
Taken from the inside cover of Firsthand.
The Shook brothers take a topic that many can relate to and yet none really discuss, and dive right into it. They explain how a "Secondhand religion" is not going to work out for people in the long run.
So, you're a teenager who's been going to church since you were born, you were baptized, you have memorized tons of verses and bible stories, you know the Book inside out, you know how to pray properly, you are the perfect example of what a Christian should be. You're textbook. Momma and Daddy taught you to believe in God and Jesus, so you believe in God and Jesus. You practically grew up in church.
That's wonderful, that's amazing. But that's common. That's something that has happened to most of the people who call themselves "Christian." But let's face it, you aren't experiencing true faith. You are riding on the faith of your parents, your pastor, your youth leader, and members of your congregation. You don't really have a religion of your own. Maybe you say that you've accepted Christ, but have you really? Or did you just do it because others expected it of you.
That is what secondhand faith is. It didn't belong to you from the start, a faith handed down to you.
The Shook brothers shake you. Firsthand explores why this secondhand faith happens, and how to prevent it, and then explains in such a way that teenagers and young adults can clearly understand and relate. The questions are answered, and backed up with experiences from outside sources. At the end of each of the eight chapters, there are comments from other people explaining how second and firsthand faith affected them. And then after that there are suggestions and links to websites and videos that might help the reader branch out on their own.
Every teenager should read Firsthand. I read it, and found myself relating to so much of the content. I had to take a step back and really examine myself. Firsthand made me look at things, and at my faith in a whole new light, and it truly changed my perspective on so many things. When I finished reading I asked myself, "Do I still want secondhand faith?" The answer is no. But you should find that out for yourself.
http://firsthandbook.com/
"Our goal is to help you replace secondhand religion with a meaningful relationship," write authors Ryan and Josh Shook. "We want to help you get from a religion that you wear on the outside to a faith of your own-one that is authentically yours all the way through."
The brothers tell about growing up in a church only to realize that, "how things are supposed to be" had stopped working for them. So they set out to find what makes a young person's Christian faith stick-or not-and in the process, asked hundreds of other people, young and old, some really hard questions.
Like:
- If God is real, then why do I feel empty?
- Why should I even try to follow God when I fail so often?
- How do I experience a connection with Christ that's more than surface level?
- Can I ever get past a "checklist Christianity" of do's and don'ts?
- Is it possible to have authentic faith when I'm full of doubts and questions?
- Can I really discover my purpose in life through a relationship with Christ?
"Firsthand faith is the only kind that lasts because it's centered deep in your own mind and heart," write Josh and Ryan. "Sure, it's still a work in progress, but it's yours. It's you. In fact, firsthand faith is so real and personal that when hard times hit, it just gets stronger."
Taken from the inside cover of Firsthand.
The Shook brothers take a topic that many can relate to and yet none really discuss, and dive right into it. They explain how a "Secondhand religion" is not going to work out for people in the long run.
So, you're a teenager who's been going to church since you were born, you were baptized, you have memorized tons of verses and bible stories, you know the Book inside out, you know how to pray properly, you are the perfect example of what a Christian should be. You're textbook. Momma and Daddy taught you to believe in God and Jesus, so you believe in God and Jesus. You practically grew up in church.
That's wonderful, that's amazing. But that's common. That's something that has happened to most of the people who call themselves "Christian." But let's face it, you aren't experiencing true faith. You are riding on the faith of your parents, your pastor, your youth leader, and members of your congregation. You don't really have a religion of your own. Maybe you say that you've accepted Christ, but have you really? Or did you just do it because others expected it of you.
That is what secondhand faith is. It didn't belong to you from the start, a faith handed down to you.
The Shook brothers shake you. Firsthand explores why this secondhand faith happens, and how to prevent it, and then explains in such a way that teenagers and young adults can clearly understand and relate. The questions are answered, and backed up with experiences from outside sources. At the end of each of the eight chapters, there are comments from other people explaining how second and firsthand faith affected them. And then after that there are suggestions and links to websites and videos that might help the reader branch out on their own.
Every teenager should read Firsthand. I read it, and found myself relating to so much of the content. I had to take a step back and really examine myself. Firsthand made me look at things, and at my faith in a whole new light, and it truly changed my perspective on so many things. When I finished reading I asked myself, "Do I still want secondhand faith?" The answer is no. But you should find that out for yourself.
http://firsthandbook.com/
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