Turn Lemons Into Lemonade

Gary Starkweather, Christ-follower and inventor of the laser printer.

Families are spending more time together these days. Perhaps more time than they ever thought possible, prior to the Coronavirus crisis.  

These are challenging days for all of us. But by God's grace, we can turn lemons into lemonade, and direct this experience toward something truly beneficial. This crisis, in fact, is presenting many new opportunities to be realized at last! Not the least of which is quality family time.

To that end, in the coming weeks we will be posting short video clips, encouraging parents to watch these clips with the entire family, and use them as meaningful "conversation starters."  

The first clip we have for you is an interview with Gary Starkweather, who invented the laser printer. Gary went to be with his Lord and Friend just last December 26, after a 6-year battle with cancer. But Gary's testimony while on Earth lives on, thanks to the Internet, computer technology and YouTube.

After you and your family have viewed the video below, pick one or two of the following questions for having a meaningful conversation (you may need to adjust the wording of these questions depending on the age of your children), or think of your own reflective questions: 

How do you think God feels about computer technology?

How does Gary Starkweather's view of his work with technology line up with a biblical view of purpose?

How will you look differently at the laser printer, now that you have heard from its inventor, and know more of the biblical worldview behind its development? 

What lessons can we learn about our own work from how Gary Starkweather viewed his work? How can we apply these understandings to our daily life and to our work at home, particularly during these challenging days?

If the video does not play, click https://youtu.be/8eFLQoBXMHI (6.5 minutes)

This video, and others we will be sharing in the weeks to come, are from the e-book curriculum, God's Pleasure At Work, by Dr. Christian Overman. For more about this curriculum, recommended age 13 through adult as a home-based study, click here.

Extra credit: Did you know that during the Bubonic plague in Europe, Isaac Newton had to work from home, and it was during this time he was most productive, developing his theories of calculus, optics and gravity?

Check it out here. 

Contact RenewaNation at www.renewanation.org 

  

You Complete The Sentence

Last week, we posted a video that documents the efforts of the United Nations to get CSE [Comprehensive Sexual Education] into elementary and secondary schools around the globe. If you missed it, click here:  https://youtu.be/hIv-KOQ5F4A

We also said that in Washington State, 58% of the more than 10,000 respondents to a survey done by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction said CSE should not be required in grades K-12.

But just 58%.

This means 42% did not object to mandating CSE in K-12 schools. That should give us all cause to pause.   

The day after the Washington State legislature passed the CSE bill, a citizen posted the above-referenced video on her neighborhood social network, and provided a link to petition the governor to not sign the bill into law.

The majority of the comments this person received from neighbors were negative. Here are some:

Oh my goodness 😂 I thought I was reading something in favor of the bill until I realized some special folks might actually think this is a bad thing.

I don’t think a non-traditional family is a threat to yours. If you’re out there suggesting that non-traditional families are somehow inferior to yours and in some way threatening, you are absolutely 100% preaching hate.

Gave that video 10 minutes of time. Honestly laughing pretty hard. Gonna show my wife so she can get a hoot out of it too.

You have the right to teach your kids whatever you want, but I have the right to think that’s a really bad choice on your part and to look forward to when your kids learn better.

Any society that does not thoroughly explain human sexuality to every youngster is working to destroy its youth.

The program allows an "opt out".  Nobody is trying to force mainstream views on your children, and while you're at it, the things you refer to as "radical views" are mainstream. So, please, show some equity here.

If we think CSE and the ideology behind it are part of a top-down push by the “powers that be” upon a hapless population that has no idea which way is up, think again. That’s not the full picture. It’s coming from “the bottom up,” too.

Pause.

If our neighbors believe CSE is good thing for elementary and secondary students, and it should be mandated learning, then...

You complete the sentence. Your way.

For one pastor's search to find out what is going on in California, see: https://www.nordskogpublishing.com/no-opt-out-allowed-the-california-sex-ed-indoctrination/

Contact RenewaNation at www.renewanation.org 

An Infection More Life-altering Than COVID-19

By now, you have heard about the Coronavirus, or COVID-19. Who hasn't?  

   

But have you heard about the other infection that's circling the globe right now, called CSE?     

The latest US state to pass a Comprehensive Sexuality Education [CSE] bill is the State of Washington. Prior to its passage, the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction did a survey and found that 58% of the more than 10,000 respondents said CSE should not be required in grades K-12. Nevertheless, the bill passed last weekend. 

Mandatory CSE for all Washington State public schools will go into effect starting the coming school year. Previous CSE bills passed in California and Oregon. Washington was just the third domino to fall on the West Coast.   

   

You may not know what CSE is about. You may have never heard of it. But it's as important to be informed about CSE as to be informed about COVID-19.   

A worldwide effort has been underway for several years to get CSE into elementary and secondary schools in Africa, South America, North America, Europe, Australia…and many other parts of the planet…through the work of the United Nations. This is no secret. This is no conspiracy. The UN is quite open about their efforts.

We urge you to carve out 35 minutes of your precious time to watch an informative video that explains what CSE is about. It presents numerous examples of CSE curriculum, and shares compelling warnings from experts around the world. If you are not familiar with CSE, you need to be.  

   

Spending 35 minutes to view the video below may be the most important 35 minutes you have spent since you began looking into COVID-19, or listening to what others are saying about it.

CSE is different than the Coronavirus. It's an infection more life-altering than COVID-19, in that it does the most damage to children, rather than the elderly. They must live with it for a lifetime.

There is a generation at stake here, not only in the USA, but in many other nations as well.

We urge you to take a good look at this video, and pass on this post to others:

If this video does not play, click: https://youtu.be/hIv-KOQ5F4A

Contact RenewaNation at www.renewanation.org 

A Daniel-Sized Challenge

Here's an important lesson from an ex-Marine in Canby, Oregon.

Last March, we wrote about a school teacher in the Pacific Northwest who was asked to check a box indicating he had “reviewed and accepted” the following policy:

“All students will be allowed to use a restroom and locker room consistent with their gender identity and/or gender expression or one which makes them feel comfortable.”

This Christian teacher would not check the box. Instead, he met personally with his direct supervisor to explain why. This led to a meeting with the district superintendent and the president of the school board. In this case, a decision was made to not fire the teacher. [For details, click here.]

How many Christian educators in state schools are not “checking the box?” It’s impossible to say. Yet, one thing is certain: Christian educators in public schools are facing a Daniel-sized challenge they never dreamed possible when they signed up. They need our prayers and encouragement.

State school teachers need the kind of courage that rejects self-preserving silence, and speaks directly and respectfully to those for whom they work, letting the reasons for their non-compliance known, regardless of the outcomes.  

An instructive example of courage comes out of the Northwest. Brian Hodson, Mayor of Canby, Oregon, denied a request for “International Transgender Day of Visibility.”

He explained his decision as follows:

“As a Christian, I am called to love my neighbor as myself. I am not called to judge others. I believe we will all stand before the Lord one day and account for how we spent our time on this earth. I recognize not everyone in our community shares my beliefs, and I respect their right to believe what they feel is right. As a veteran of the Marine Corps, that is one of the many reasons I served this great country. But I also expect the same respect to be reciprocated to people of faith. Instead, what I see is a visceral attack on individuals for having a biblical worldview, and standing firm that the word of God is above any cultural norms we’ve adopted as a society.”

How many mayors across the country are doing likewise? If there were many, we would have heard about it. Christian leaders everywhere are facing Daniel-sized challenges they never dreamed possible when they signed up. Let’s be praying for them—and encouraging them.

For the full Canby story, click here. Message Mayor Hodson via Facebook here.


Contact RenewaNation at www.renewanation.org