notashamed via Flickr

Earlier last month we gave some ideas on switching up your Bible study routine. Changing things around can help break the monotony and gather a different aspect or view point. A fresh view at a common passage can spark a new level of understanding. One way to help study the Bible is called an inductive Bible study. So what’s an inductive Bible study? How is it different? How is it helpful? Who can do an inductive Bible study? Well, I’m glad I asked myself all these questions, because that really helped set me up for the following paragraph:

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It’s already the end of Back to School week at Godly Sheep, and there were some good articles out there, that for one reason or another, we didn’t get to highlight.   However, we do want to share with you some of the better ones.  Consider this the “Special Feature – Deleted Scenes” from a DVD menu.  Check out the links if they sound interesting!

Back-to-School: Teens Need Their Sleep
Jim Liebelt – Crosswalk.com Contributor

“Parents shouldn’t wait until the new school year starts to begin helping their teens make the transition back to SST (Standard School Time). Why? Because if teens are not already adjusted before the school year starts, it’s pretty likely that they won’t begin with the focus and energy they need to get the school year off to a good start. Adequate sleep is often sacrificed. “Re-establishing a regular school-time sleep schedule can take several weeks. So, it’s important to start resetting that internal clock early,” said Kris Sekar, medical director of the pediatric sleep lab at The Children’s Hospital at Oklahoma University Medical Center. “A series of small adjustments in the sleep and wake-up times is best and should start right away.”



NH court orders home-schooled child into government-run school

“An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney filed motions with a New Hampshire court Monday asking it to reconsider and stay its decision to order a 10-year-old home-schooled girl into a government-run school in Meredith. Although the marital master making recommendations to the court agreed the child is “well liked, social and interactive with her peers, academically promising, and intellectually at or superior to grade level” and that “it is clear that the home schooling…has more than kept up with the academic requirements of the…public school system,” he nonetheless proposed that the Christian girl be ordered into a government-run school after considering “the impact of [her religious] beliefs on her interaction with others.”  The court approved the order.”




Scholarships: How to Avoid the “Gotchas’s”
Steve Diggs – No Debt, No Sweat Financial Seminar Ministry

“As I’ve said to thousands of people in my audiences around the country at our No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminars: Colleges are not the philanthropic institutions they appear to be. Now, don’t misunderstand, I am not opposed to colleges. I’ve been a college teacher. Today, I sit on boards at two universities. But the truth is, universities are in a business. And that business is selling semester hours. Frankly, they don’t care where the money comes from. It can come from Mom and Dan, the student, or from debt.  The bottom line is: They need the dollars.This is why colleges don’t make the rounds of American high schools each spring with free scholarship money for every potential student.  In fact, someone has to pay.  So, if you are a student (or the parent of a student) fortunate and strong-willed enough to earn a scholarship, let me share a few thoughts on how to make the most of it.”



Student numbers grow for sixth year running in Religious Studies A-Level

“Church educationalists point to the subject’s popularity as a vivid sign that young people are interested in exploring religious and spiritual perspectives of the world, and in studying the moral and cultural frameworks people share across diverse globalized societies.  Up to 21,079 students in the UK will today find out their results for Religious Studies A-Level compared to 20,134 in 2008, and 80.1 per cent of them will be celebrating achieving a A-C grade against 80.4 per cent in 2008. The number taking AS Levels also increased.”

Kristin Brenemen via Flickr

So your parents have left.  You are in your dorm room, lying on your new hard bed, reading a passage in the book of James, alone.  Alone, except for your new upperclassman roommate, who has stopped by three times to grab stuff for a total of 15 seconds. (Your interaction and relationship has moved from a head nod to a “Sup?”.  Progress!)  You’ve updated your side of the room with pictures of old friends and family, and corrected your alarm clock to read 10 minutes fast for motivation to be prompt.  The empty prison cell look your room once had now has the personal touches to make it look like you’ve been incarcerated for months.  Tomorrow is your first day of college classes, and you want to look like you have some semblance of knowing what’s going on.  So here is comprehensive list of what to pack in that new, “I’m in college” bookbag of yours.

• Bible – A college schedule is rough and often changing. Sometimes you’ll be too busy to think, then out of nowhere, a half hour window of time will open. These pockets of time can be a great opportunity to do some impromptu devo-ing. Also, it is handy to have in case people start a “Who-Has-The-Coolest-Bible” contest.  These break out randomly across Christian college campuses. You don’t want to be the kid that got Bible served.

• Backup Bible – Usually a New Testament/Psalms works best. Having this in a front pocket will help in the event you leave your Bible in your room. Or often times in my case, the bathroom (don’t judge!).  Don’t get caught looking anxiously around at everybody as they flip to whatever passage is being talked about.  As long as you’re hitting the New Testament or Psalms, which most chapel sermons do, and you have Superman-like magnifying eyes to read the teeny print, you’ll be fine!

• Laptop – How will you be able to stalk all your Facebook high school friends while you’re away at college, or find out how their mafia family is doing?  A laptop is essential in letting your friends know that you’re tired or that you’re eating lasagna. Watching YouTube videos of Miss Teen South Carolina is the easiest way to connect with your roommates and make friends. Oh, and it’s also good for writing papers or something like that.

• 3×5 Cards – Make flash cards, study notes, homework assignment keeper; these versatile card stock, mini papers carried my life in college. They also double as a doodle pad. They fit nicely in your pocket, and everyone assumes they are being used for educational purposes; which in some cases they were being used as a hilarious cartoon flip book.  It was these little cards, and many a boring English lecture class, where I was able to hone my doodling skills.  My 3-D boxes and epic stick figure battles wouldn’t be what they are today, save for these cards.

• Class Books – You just spent buku bucks on these hard back, entire-tree-killed-to-have-this-many-pages, piece of literature.  Your Biblical Interpretation I professor insisted you buy four of these type books, and encourages you to bring all of them to every class. You only crack one of these books most of the semester. Rest assured that the one time you decide not to lug all those back pain inducing books to class, you will be discussing those other three books that day.

• Notebook – These are nice to have to take, you know, notes in.

• Pens/Pencils/Highlighters – Collect and hoard these like you’re a hostage, and the only way out is more pens, pencils, and highlighters.  Multiples are necessary.  You would not believe how many die, break, disappear into thin air when you need them most. Never, ever let the kid who continually forgets to bring a pen to class borrow from your fine assortment of writing utensils.  He/she is a pen thief.  They will take your pen and promise to give it back, but the pen is never heard from or seen again.  Buy a pack of cheapies to let them “borrow” if you must be charitable.

• Gum/Breath Mints – Gum is actually known for helping to increase one’s memory.  Chewing it not only improves your brain, but your breath as well.  If your class or school does not allow chewing gum in class, bring a pack of breath mints.  Close in proximity desks, whispering, and morning breath does not mix well. Also, be prepared to share.  Opening a container of Tic-Tacs is like opening a bag of candy in front of preschoolers.

• Scissors/Calculator/Ruler – Having these “bookbag essential extras” can turn an ordinary student into a hero in the classroom.  Be the one who answers the call for “Help” when someone needs to draw a really straight line, or cut a piece of paper in half, or figure out how many Fridays remain in the semester.  Most likely other people will use these more than you will, but for those who fight for truth, justice, and the right to a well divided piece of paper, the honor can be yours.

As that first day of school comes closer and closer, the excitement (or dread) builds as the countdown shrinks.  Some students are still counting down, but others have already started their college classes. Whether you’ve got your book bag packed for classes or know someone who does, it’s that time of year where many are thinking about long lectures and expensive books. College is a great way to learn and grow more in your faith, but it can be trying as well.

For some, their faith can be questioned, tried, and tested for the first time.  Without the familiarities of their home church, family, and friends, their reliance on God becomes ever more needed.  Though college can be an excellent time to grow in one’s relationship with God and really push it to new heights, it all comes down to choices. Devotions, church, telling others about Christ become individualized instead of a family member or friends’ influence. New responsibilities and challenges can turn into temptations and moral development. That is what helps to build the founding structure of one’s character that they will keep for a lifetime.

So what’s a student to do during this important point in their life? That’s where ministries like InterVarsity come in.  InterVarsity is “An evangelical campus mission serving more than 32,000 students and faculty on more than 550 college and university campuses nationwide. Incorporated in 1941, InterVarsity has a rich tradition of campus witness, thoughtful discipleship, and a concern for world missions.”

InterVarsity stretches across the nation and across the world with their Global Missions Projects.  Not only can students become involved, but parents, churches, and pretty much anyone interested can as well. For those more interested in InterVarsity, hit the link at the bottom of the post.

InterVarsity

I don’t know about you, but I have been to so many parties where its the same four things: pizza, pop, chips and brownies. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it can get a bit boring. Recently, I hosted a Hawaiian Luau for my college and career group. We didn’t roast a full pig, but we did have a lot of fun! Here are some tips I’d like to share that are both easy to do and easy on the wallet.

Consider looking at your local dollar store for cheap decorations. At my dollar store I found: a plastic Luau door poster, hibiscus flower cut outs, bright colored plates, cups, napkins and leis. I even found cute straws with little umbrellas attached to them!

I hosted our party outside, the atmosphere helps to add a lot to any party!

For our party, I had people bring a dish to pass or pay $4 a person. I encouraged guests to wear bright Hawaiian colors or a Hawaiian patterns for a $1 off the cost. This really helped to add to the theme and gave an incentive for people to dress up.

Menu Ideas:

• Teriyaki mini kabobs (red onion, chicken, green pepper, pineapple, grape tomato)
• Tropical dried fruit & nuts mix (found at Walmart)
• Pistachio fluff
• Tropical Jell-o jigglers
• Hawaiian Punch Rice *(Recipe below)
• Ambrosia
• Pineapple upside down cake
• Coconut Cream Cake *(Recipe below)
• Peach & pineapple salsa with chips
• Slushies
• Luau punch *(Recipe below)

Extras To Consider:

• Play a Hawaiian CD in the background
• Have a limbo contest
• See who can ‘Hula’ hoop the longest
• Tiki torches would be great at night
• Have a tackiest Hawaiian shirt contest
• Be sure to provide shade if it’s outside for the “tanning challenged” like me–we had a little portable awning type thin

Have any other Hawaiian Luau ideas? Share them in the comments!

*Recipes!

Hawaiian Punch Rice Recipe:

• 2 c. rice
• 3 c. Hawaiian Punch
• 2 c. water
• 1 diced pineapple
• Diced chicken breast
• Heat Hawaiian punch and water to a boil. Add rice and lower heat to medium. Let rice cook. Put cooked rice in a serving dish that already has the diced chicken breast pieces. Add pineapple. Stir until you have a good mix of rice, chicken and pineapple.

Coconut Cream Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole 18 ounce package white cake mix
• 3 Whole eggs
• 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup water
• 1/2 Tsp coconut extract
• 14 Oz coconut cream
• 14 Oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 Cup flaked coconut

Steps:

Luau Punch Recipe:

• 1 Gallon orange Hawaiian Punch
• 2 Liter pineapple soda
• Float pineapple slices and maraschino cherries for a more festive look!