Abstinence Education

Some of you may have heard about this.  A report on Abstinence Education was paid for with tax payer dollars.  The Obama administration refused to release the findings.  It has taken some effort for it to be released and took multiple request through the freedom of information act to get it done.  It is in my opinion a blatant effort to stand in the way of family values.  Parental access to meaningful public programs that support Christian and family values on teenagers having sex and sex before marriage.  The left is now saying that the report has no significant information in it and it shouldn't be a big deal that it was not released.  I would venture to say a read of it yourself will prove otherwise.  Here is a article.

Feds embargo pro-abstinence findings

The full results of a national study that favors abstinence education is being withheld from researchers and the public.

The taxpayer-supported survey from 2008 found that around 70 percent of parents and their teenagers believed that teens should wait until marriage to have sex. Despite release of the study's summary and its highlight at two major public health conferences last year, the Department of Health and Human Services is withholding the full results according to Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Foundation.

"When a researcher [Dr. Lisa Rue] asked the HHS for the full results, she [was told it] is not public information and it has not been released to the public and so you don't have access to it," relates Huber. "[I find that] a little incredulous since it was shared publicly at two different venues."

Huber questions the motivation of the Obama administration, noting that "as of this past fiscal year, President Obama specifically put in his budget a desire to end all funding for abstinence education."

She hopes a change will be made soon. "We think that an administration that wants things to be open and clear should certainly do something different than the decision that is currently being exercised," Huber remarks.

Read the rest of this story here

For a link to a PDF file of the actual report click here.  If you have a digital reader such as a Kindle you can download the PDF to that and read it on the go. I am currently wading through it now it is 195 pages long.  I think it is worth the read I will post some additional information on it at a later date.  It took a significant amount of effort to get this released.  I think Christians every where should take the time to read it. 

Why do you think the Obama administration would benefit from with holding this report?

The Dog Days of Summer.

The Dog Days of Summer (<--- Click for definition)

Whew it's hot..... as the days of summer drag on I am reminded of my childhood days when the summer was the best part of the year.  When each day lead to the opportunity of new adventure.  Might I be looking at these days with a bit of Romanticism..... well.... maybe but they were wonderful days none the less. 

I don't remember any complaint about how hot it was and I am sure it was hot.  I don't remember trying to find ways to hole up in the house all day and suck up the AC.  I don't remember there being a single shortage of things to do.  I do remember..... riding bicycles all day.   Ten miles or more to our friends house just so we could hang out and play.  I do remember going to movie matinees at the movie theater for a buck.  I do remember late night catfish trips with my best friend and catching so many we could hardly carry the stringer.  I remember weekend camping trips in the surrounding woods with just us kids several miles away from home...... no cell phones.... no pagers..... no GPS.  Just us....... of course our parents could find us if they absolutely needed to but it would have taken significant effort.

Why do I bring this up?  I got a small glimpse of what it use to be like in my childhood.  I decided on Friday to take the boys out to the woods.  We were going to spend a few hours doing the unthinkable...... actually playing outside.  I asked my wife to make us some lunches, peanut butter and jelly and we each grabbed a couple of waters and threw them in our back packs.  We grabbed our bikes, and three B.B. guns and headed to the woods.  We didn't go far into the woods maybe a couple of miles but it was wet and after a bit we had to push the bikes and could no longer ride.  It was hot the going was tough and there was a little complaining but we got to a nice spot as we were all covered in water and sweat.

It was time to leave the bikes and go on foot with the B.B. Guns.  We were loaded, still with backpacks on and we headed deeper into the woods.  Hoping to find new things, discover new places and make new fun.  We did just that.

We have one main rule when it comes to hunting.  If you kill it you have to eat it.  So you better be sure of what you are shooting (no one wants to eat a skunk) and if you have no intentions of eating it your better off just keeping the memory and not wasting the resource.  This is not the only rule.  We are very aware of gun safety.  We talk about it every time we have the guns out.  We don't shoot things out of season and we respect the resources that God has given us.   Couple of things growing up I was always told not to eat any mammals, (rabbits, squirrel, hog etc) in months that do not have an R in them.  That would be May, June, July, August,  so even though we were out there and nothing of significance was in season it still gave us an opportunity to enjoy the experience.  Oh by the way we have claimed open season on the following creatures......  Lizards, all amphibians....snakes and bugs, if you can hit that grass hopper than pull the trigger.   If you see one you can kill it.  You don't have to eat it.  We will all celebrate in your fine shooting and we will go on about our business loosing no sleep about it.  

So what did we shoot?  Empty beer bottles, a few cans and the water bottles that we had brought with us after we had drank them.  The boys are getting very good at shooting... they are able to hit nearly anything that they shoot and almost at will.  They are exhibiting the gun safety rules in the process.  It wont be long until we can graduate to something with a little more bang.  We packed out all the trash that we took in and left nothing behind.  We did leave the tiny little pieces of glass that had been shot and re-shot until virtually nothing remained.  What did we see?  A bald eagle..... A turkey buzzard.....  A water moccasin eating a frog....  My son got a little to close to this while we were wading in ankle deep water.  I shot the 2 foot snake in the head.... he dropped the frog not sure if the snake lived or not but remember we have declared open season on snakes.... and seeing how I was sure it was a moccasin I wasn't going to try and find out if it was going to die from the injuries that I had inflicted upon it.

What did we discover?  That the outdoors are still a lot of fun.  Sometimes boys need to be motivated to dream about adventure.  We decided that we are going to load up and ATV and go to this perfect spot that we found and camp for the night.  Just the boys no electricity, no TV, no video games.  Just us.......... the outdoors, and a few ghost stories.  While your children will remember the time that you spend with them.... I doubt that playing Wii or watching TV with them will have as long of a lasting memory as teaching them to love the outdoors.  

Of all the wonders in the world none speak of God's glory any more clearly than nature.  Find a way to pass that on.  Walking, hiking, fishing, there are hundreds of ways, find one and do it with your kids.  The memories will last a lifetime ..... they have lasted me.   

                                         

Here are the boys looking as menacing as they possibly can.  I am convinced.... how bout you.

What things do you remember doing when you were a kid during the summer?

 

How Perspective effects our Perception part 2

When we ended part 1 of How Perspective Effects our Perception.  We were going to pick up with an example of an interaction between a husband and a wife.

From a relational PERSPECTIVE the things we spoke about earlier that shape our individual perspective will impact our perception of what is going on. Lets look at this one example of a husband and a wife interacting.

A wife asks the husband to wipe down the walls of the shower when he is finished. She knows that failing to do so causes mildew in the grout, a tough cleaning job - as she knows because she has been the one to clean it.

But the husband is surprised she mentioned it because he always thought the moisture in the shower quickly evaporated and never caused a problem. He sees her remark as critical and overreacting. He wonders if she has some other beef she's stewing on.

A new barrier to communication has just been erected - caused by differences in perspective.

His perspective no big deal it drys fast.

Her perspective big deal and cleaning the grout is a pain

Each of their perspectives causes an issue with PERCEPTION. He now perceives that she is being critical and overreacting and that there may be another issue..... This is based on his perspective that it will dry fast and is no big deal.

Now if he doesn't do it and goes on about his business because he doesn't think it is a big deal. His wife comes behind him and observes that it was in fact not done..... then her perspective of it making the grout moldy...... causes her perception to possibly go something like this...... He doesn't love me..... He never does what i ask him to do..... I work way to hard around here to have to do all of these extra little things that could just be prevented by a few minutes of every ones time. Instead it will take me hours to do this when it gets moldy again. These perceptions come about do to each individuals perspective to that one specific issue....

Confused yet...............?

Just for the record..... we have no grout in our shower...... so this example is random. (Just in case you were wondering) What we've got here......is failure to communicate. (I couldn't pass that one up.... it is a famous line from the movie Cool Hand Luke click here for a little clip)

That failure is created by each individuals perspective of the situation that in turn develops each individuals perception of what was intended by the statement or actions. This can make for a really big problem for the couple if they do not have a good method of conflict resolution. (more about conflict resolution in another post)

So you ask..... go head ask..... I'm waiting. Oh you want to know how that situation could be avoided. Well it may be inevitable that the conflict will take place but if you ask me..... and you did..... here are a couple of pointers that could help.

The husband could say.... Honey what did you mean by that statement...... you might not receive a simple answer but you would start the dialogue rolling and most likely not from a hostile starting point. The wife may respond with.... what do you mean.... what did I mean? You would have to expound in order for there to be additional understanding.

The wife could start with..... Cleaning the grout is really difficult. When the shower is left wet the mildew grows a lot faster. Could you wipe the shower down when you are done? This would have helped set the perspective for the husband prior to the request being made. Most likely eliminating the perception problem caused by him not understanding where the statement was coming from.

Now you may be asking yourself do we always have to do that? It seems like a lot of work and a lot of words just to ensure there is no error in perception by providing the correct perspective. The answer is - you probably won't always have to do that. At some point the husband and wife should begin to understand each other and what perspective they are coming from. This takes time as in any relationship to get to know each other and how the other person operates or from what perspective they are coming from. This is true of any relationship not just husbands and wives. (This reminds me of a study on group or team development where the team goes through specific phases. Forming.... Storming..... Norming.... Conforming.... and Performing..... maybe I will post on that some other time as it has really good insight into how relationships develop in teams and small groups)

After the two have that conversation they may come up with a solution that requires less work to actually clean the grout and eliminate the need to actually wipe down the entire shower after each use. Making it a win.....win situation for both parties.

The important thing to remember is that most of the time we have our own very individualized perspective on things that occur.  This intern adds to our very individualized perception and that can create problems if we react on our perception alone.  We should learn to be patient..... do not be quick to jump to a conclusion or blame..... we should also be slow to anger....take a step back and look at things from a different angle before moving on.  If we take the time to do that, many times we will have the opportunity to see things in a different light.  I think maybe this is were the good advise of take a deep breath and count to 10 may have come from.  Doing that really gives you time to weigh the possibilities before reacting in a way that could be detrimental.   Remember once the words are spoken you can't take them back.

Here is a verse from Proverbs to contemplate in relation to this and our response....

Proverbs 19:11 (ASV)
11 The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger; And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Up next How Perspective Effects our Perception part 3..... What perspective do we give when sharing the Gospel.

What examples do you have of conflict that may have happened because of perspective effecting someones perception.   How did you resolve it.

How Perspective Effects our Perception part 1

How Perspective Effects our Perception......



While taking a look at perception it became clear that there are specific issues that occur in each of our lives that effect our perception.  One of those things is our perspective..... perspective more or less determines from what angle we interpret the information that we collect or observe.  This perspective can be impacted by many different factors in our lives.  It may be shaped by the mood we are in...... are we happy, sad, hurt.....etc.   Is there a particular event that occurred in our lives that may shade our perspective of what may be happening.  This can manifest itself in many different ways.  Even the emotions we feel can be more difficult for us to deal with because of these outside influences.  Some people may feel that any anxiousness is difficult to deal with while others may describe anxiousness as a good feeling of anticipation.  This would be based on their individual perspectives..... that were shaped by the experiences that each had as a result of the so called feeling of anxiousness. 

Lets look at a definition of perspective:

Main Entry: perspective

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, probably modification of Old Italian prospettiva, from prospetto view, prospect, from Latin prospectus — more at prospect
Date: 1563
1 a : the technique or process of representing on a plane or curved surface the spatial relation of objects as they might appear to the eye; specifically : representation in a drawing or painting of parallel lines as converging in order to give the illusion of depth and distance b : a picture in perspective
2 a : the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed ; also : point of view b : the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance (urge you to maintain your perspective and to view your own task in a larger framework — W. J. Cohen)
3 a : a visible scene; especially : one giving a distinctive impression of distance : vista b : a mental view or prospect
4 : the appearance to the eye of objects in respect to their relative distance and positions
— per·spec·tiv·al \pər-ˈspek-ti-vəl, ˌpər-(ˌ)spek-ˈtī-vəl\ adjective
Click here for Merriam Webster page.


Lets look at a visual example of perspective and how the angle that we look at things impacts the image that our mind process.  This is also true in our communication with others and our relationships.  All of our experiences, previous perceptions, needs, wants, drives, memories, values, attitudes and other things such as our current emotional state combine together to more or less create our own individual perspective.

Take a look at this chalk drawing and tell me what it is.

Maybe you can tell what it is.... or what it is suppose to be a picture of.... but you can't really enjoy it.  You cant see all of the detail and you definitely are not seeing what the artist intended you to see. 

Now lets suppose we have no idea that this is not the way the artist intended us to see it.  Lets suppose that we have never seen anything like this and neither our experience or knowledge tells us that we should look at it from a different perspective.  So we walk away with a less than accurate view.... or perception of what is there.   We are not particularly impressed nor would we have any reason to say that what we just observed was all that great from an art perspective.  If someone had encouraged us to come see this we might even be aggravated that they were wasting our time because we don't have the right perspective.

Now suppose we ask some questions..... Hey what is that suppose to be?  A friendly bystander...... maybe even the artist.... kindly points out that we are standing in the wrong place that we need to move over here in order to truly see what was intended.   So with curiosity we move over to where the helpful bystander says we should look at it from......  and guess what!  Oh my look at what we have now

Whoa!!! Dude!!!! I couldn't see all of that from the other spot.  No beach ball, no woman...in a pool..  holding a can of coke, no rubber duckie.  Now it all makes sense and because I have the right perspective I now can see just how brilliant this artist is..... that is absolutely amazing.  If we have the wrong perspective we not only miss the point we have no idea what is really intended or in this case just how great the object is we are looking at.

If you would like to see some additional art from this brilliant artist by the name of Julian Beever you can click here to truly be astounded.

It occurs to me that the best perspective is that of the artist that originally did the work or piece.  That would also relate to other peoples actions in this situation as well.  When someone says or does something the best perspective in which to interpret that action or statement is from the person that delivered it. 

Now having said that..... it is not very often that we will always know the exact perspective in which the originator intended, however, with practice and experience we can find ourselves more likely to be able to determine that perspective.

Part 2 of How Perspective Effects Our Perception will give an example of husband and wife or relational interaction and how perspective effects our perception in those instances.

What are your thoughts on perspective?

10 Benifits of a Cup of Java

1.  After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America's favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java avoiders.

2.  Reduced risk of Parkinson's - Consider this: At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk.

3.  Reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia - Several studies comparing moderate coffee drinkers - defined as 3-5 cups per day - with light coffee drinkers - defined as 0-2 cups per day -  found that those who drank more coffee were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease later in life. A study in 2009 found that moderate coffee drinkers had reduced risk of developing dementia in addition to Alzheimer's disease.

4.  Lowered risk of prostate cancer - Harvard Medical followed about 50,000 men from 1986 through 2006. And every four years, we asked them how much coffee they drink, both regular and decaffeinated. And we found that men who drank the most coffee, more than six cups - or six or more cups per day, had a much lower risk of lethal or advanced prostate cancer. Their risk was about 60 percent lower than men who didn't drink any coffee.

5.  Cuts the risk of stroke - According to the study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2010 International Stroke Conference, drinking a single cup of regular or decaffeinated coffee every day reduces the risk of stroke by 30 percent.

6.  Cuts the risk of gallstones - According to the study, men who drank two to three cups of regular (caffeinated) coffee a day had a 40 percent lower risk of developing gallstone disease, and risk was reduced by 45 percent for those who drank four or more cups a day.

7.  Lowered risk of suicide - A ten-year study concluded that women who drink coffee are not as likely to commit suicide as non-coffee drinkers. The study was authored by Ichiro Kawachi of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. It followed 86,626 female nurses from 1980 to 1990 who drank between two and three cups of caffeinated coffee per day. Of the coffee drinkers, 11 committed suicide, compared with 21 women who never or rarely consumed coffee.  (A separate study on coffee consumption found that as little as 100 milligrams of caffeine each day can produce increased feelings of well-being.)


8.  Coffee and Cancer - Coffee is one of the most widely researched products in the world today. The World Cancer Research Fund (2007) published a report in which a panel of 21 world renowned experts evaluated data from 7000 studies, looking at a wide range of food and drinks in relation to incidence of human cancers. In respect of coffee they reported that “It is unlikely that coffee has any substantial effect on the risk of cancer of either the pancreas or of the kidney.” (WCRF/AICR Expert Report, 2007)
In conclusion the available data shows that coffee drinking is not a causal factor in the development of cancer at any body site, and may be protective in relation to liver, lower bowel and ovarian cancer.


9.  Improves cognitive reasoning - a study done by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research demonstrated that consumption of at least three cups of coffee per day (or approximately 300 mg caffeine*) is associated with a slower rate of decline in cognitive abilities in women. This suggests that caffeine intake could help keep mental and memory skills sharper for a longer period of time in older individuals. These beneficial effects also appear to increase with age.

10.  Keeps me from choking you first thing in the morning - do you really need more details on this one..... I'm just kidding ------- well maybe just a little.....  I wouldn't think of choking you >>>>>>> What am I thinking about ummmmmmmmm nothing.

If you don't have a cup think about getting one NOW the life you save could be your own...... or one of your loved ones.... or a pesky co-worker etc.  back to the choking thing again.  Okay moving on

HOW DO YOU like your coffee?



sources:
http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703278604574624032849271284.html
http://www.foodinsight.org/Resources/Detail.aspx?topic=Fact_Sheet_Caffeine_and_Performance