Bellegrove lesson bumped to 2/20

Due to inclement weather, my final lesson at Bellegrove church is now postponed until 10a.m. Sunday February, 20th.

Bring cookies. : )

Ice Baths and Squats (or, Care of Body as a Spiritual Discipline)

It is a Spiritual Discipline to properly care for your body. It’s one I’ve been quite poor at doing.

I was really fascinated by these 3 “body hacks” from Tim Ferriss that can help with fat loss very efficiently and speedily.

I pass them on to you for 5 main reasons.
1. It’s good for you (body, mind, spirit).
2. I’m going to give them a try and doing them together would be more fun.
3. They’re very simple, and your success will encourage us both.
4. I LOVE to share awesome things I find with my friends.
5. Warmer weather is coming (which means less hide-your-bulges clothing). Really it is only about 6 weeks away, and you’ll thank me.

CLICK this link below to view the videos. AND Keep me posted, please.
Four Hours to Your Perfect Body, Pt. 1

Have you ever had an ice bath?

How much would you have to be paid to try it for 10 minutes?

New Lenten Devotional- thumbs up!

Discovery: A Lenten Devotional — Click to get details.

When my friend and former classmate, Karen Weiss, sent me this information today, I knew I had to share it.

Lent is coming. This year the season of Lent begins soon, on March 9 and continues for 46 days until Easter Day. As Karen says, it offers us “an excellent time to clear away the clutter and delve into our faith. This devotional is designed to stretch and encourage you to look at life in a unique way through the eyes of saints that have walked before us. With the assistance of twelve different devotional classics, we can discover God in a new, relational way and grow stronger in our faith.”

I highly encourage you to take time this season to regularly reflect on the themes of Lent, especially in conjunction with a friend, family member, or small group. Make lenten reflection part of your spiritual journey this year. Explore this guidebook, or another devotional guide, that will take you deeper in your walk of faith. And please, keep me updated!

Karen’s devotional is only $7.50!

Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “AWESOME Valentine’s Day gift!” (Or you JUST thought that, in the last 2 seconds.)

BUT-JUST WAIT! As a special treat, this “Freebie February”, the first 25 people who respond in the comment section, will get a promo code for an additional $2 off. WHAT? Only $5.50? Moly Hoses! Yes, folks, that’s how I roll. Happy February, ya’ll!

February: SNOWED out! (and FREE CHOCOLATE)

So, we’re all taking the day off. The kids don’t have school, ETS is officially closed due to weather (which means I’m not teaching until next week).

I’m getting sick of winter already. They say a certain PA groundhog can determine wether spring will arrive soon, or if winter has six more weeks to do its worst. This all happens on February 2. Tomorrow. Um… I don’t think we need Punxsutawney Phil to tell us the inevitable. Do you?

UPDATE: Feb 3, 2011. In a meteorological SHOCKER, Punxsy Phil did NOT see his shadow, so he predicts an early spring. In this 125 year tradition, the groundhog sees his shadow 9 times out of 10, and then goes back into his den. (Or he could be scared by all the flashing cameras.)

AND! Can someone tell me why February can’t borrow a day from January and a day from March to get up to a more normal 30 day month? Those few days seem, well, important.

FEBRUARY FREEBIES:
For 3 years now, I’ve used February to give away gifts. I have the first one here: 10 oz of Premium Chocolate (premium for central Pennsylvania, that is.)

To try for this goodie, leave a comment, before Feb 14, telling us about the last fantastic chocolate experience you’ve had. What did you eat, etc? One fortunate or creative reader will get the Gold. Good luck.

From Professor to Gilligan in 27 minutes: Worldviews

The exhilarating feeling of being asked to teach Worldviews at my alma mater has been replaced by more of a sinking feeling. So, I’ve gone from Professor to Gilligan before teaching even one class.

I think it will go just fine…but getting from here to there with 3 days preparation time will be reminiscent of crunch time during final exams.

Will you please pray for me? Seriously.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll share some of what my class will be learning. (Okay, I admit, I like how the words “my class” sound.)

First a definition: What is worldview?

A worldview is a working theory of reality, used for living in the world. It is a framework of ideas, beliefs, attitudes about the world, others, God (whether you believe in him or don’t) ourselves, and life. It includes a comprehensive system of beliefs — with answers for a wide range of questions.

We all have a worldview, but many of us have never really examined it, or thought about it, all by itself, and in contrast to worldviews of other generations, cultures, and religions. Our worldviews collide. Watching one segment of bickering at Fox News will tell you that. By our worldview we come to understand our values, on a quest for truth.

It is said that the worldview of modernity could be (generally) comprised of the years 1789 (Storming of Bastille) to the Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989. We now live in a time of transition which some term postmodernity or hypermodernity. The predominant hallmark of the era being the underlying assumption that “Truth is ‘…a mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms…’ “. A.k.a Truth is different for you than it is for me (relative truth). Or, Truth is what you think truth is.

In our times, Science is questioned or discarded as the supplier and authority of truth with the common conviction that objective truth may or may not exist. Therefore, truth is inaccessible due to the nature of one’s personal standpoint of all knowledge claims.

CASE IN POINT:
Witness the decades long “4 out of 5 Dentists recommend Trident gum” advertising campaign? (This one below is from 1971.) What seems strange about it (Besides the weird hairdos and peculiar music)?

NOW-Here’s how the same company sells gum to people with a postmodern worldview (2008).

Which commercial makes you want to buy their gum?

For those of you who’d like to follow a bit more closely, read Part I of Nancy Pearcey’s book Total Truth.