Embarrassment

Embedded video from CNN Video

This video I put up is about a girl from Florida who has been recently mortified. In a yearbook picture she is in a picture that she believes her "private parts" is shown. However, it is not just her that can see it so can everyone else in her school. This has mortified the 16 year old, Junior. She hasn't been to school since Monday and does not plan on going back until the picture is removed. I believe that even know they remove this picture, it will still be following her for days to come. I mean look it is on cnn now. Once it makes its way to the internet it is there to stay. Which brings me to my point of topic, BECAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT ON THE INTERNET. Any picture on the internet is put there permantly. You can delete it all you want but it is still in cyber space embedded.

Everyone has a facebook or myspace and they are putting up crazy pictures that have done during high school or college. What we do not think about is that those pictures can have an affect on us in the long run. For instance if we try to get a job, that job can look you up on the internet and find pictures. Sure those pictures are from 10 years ago, but it still can hinder that person judgement to hirer you. God also doesn't want us to exploid ourselves like that. We need to remember as Christians especially to be careful with what we post on the Internet. As for the girl in Florida, that is going to be a hard thing to live down. Not only at her high school but for the rest of her life.

Thought the last one was my final blog but I just cant stop....

Missing...

For years there has been evil people who have been kidnapping little kids. Why do they do it? Who knows. All we know is that there are evil, sick-minded people out there who need to help. However since we can't reach every sick, twisted person we have to deal with this.

Not only do they kidnap kids but the eventually kill them. Some have been lucky to make it out alive for example Elizabeth Smart. Elizabeth was taken from her home. Fortunately she was found 9 months later. Kids like here are so lucky. However, there are some children that are not so fortunate. Amber Hagerman was a 9 year old girl who was kidnapped one day and found dead soon after. Her mother along with others started a system known as "Amber Alert". The Amber Alert is an alert that lets people know that there is a child missing. Now that technology is updating everyday, there are new ways to display this amber alert. If it was for this system and for technology there would be more kidnappings and childrens death than there are today.

Now I am not trying to say we should all be in fear, we should just be cautious and look at the road signs for Amber Alerts. Also we need to trust in God. In the Bible Jesus says in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." We need to realize that God is in control and that we are his children and that he will not lead us astray. As long as we trust and believe in him we are saved. I wish that everyone had this peace of mind and knew that Jesus can do miracles things and that he will watch out for us always.

As for humans sake, we should all remember to teach our children safety as always. Not only with technology but just out in the world. When they are playing, watching t.v., or just making them food. They need to always be safe and cautious.

BE SAFE EVERYONE!

Youtube

Today's techonology is so wonderful and blossomed so much over the years. We have gone to have car phones to bluetooths built into the car. Computers are not only PCs anymore but are portable laptops. Now they have this little website
called, "Youtube". Youtube is a website that where people can upload videos that have personally taken or look at music videos from artist and also watch what the news have putten up. Well this is an exciting cool website that everyone should enjoy. However there are some people that abuse this fun tool. Now there are people putting up horrible, sexually, vulgure videos and it makes you wonder should you let your kids still on it. I mean yes, there are some videos that you have to clarify that you are at least 18 years of age, but anyone can click yes to that.

School and parents should teach their children that its ok to use websites like this but just make sure you are going about it the right way. Yes you can't censor everything out because the real world is not censored. But we all should just make them cautious of what they are going to see and hear. Teach them basically right from wrong. As Christians we are also suppose to filter those things out of our lives. God wants us to live clean, pure lives and that means not to let unpure things come into our lives. So wash your eyes from all these nasty things in the world.

Weight...

So as everyone probably knows...weight mostly matters to everyone. People not only judge others but them self on what they look. I blieve that kids are mostly impacted by it the most. Girls especially take this to heart. They see women in the media and other teen stars in the media and wish they could look like them. Now it's ok that they look at them as role models, but I believe they aren't as much looking at them like they are role models but as someone to look like. The media says that be skinny is beautiful or eating to much makes you gross. This is the wrong idea that girls or anyone should have. The internet, t.v., and even people in school make it seem like you have to look a certain way to be accepted my the world.

However, everyone is totally wrong. We are all created in God's image. No person is ugly and their especially not ugly because they are not a particular weight. I believe that parents really need to sit down with their children and reassure and reiterate to them that size doesn't make you a beautiful person. It is your heart and they way you treat people that make you beautiful. As Christians we need to realize that it is not gonna matter what we look like; when we get to heaven God is going to look at what kind of face you had or what you weighed. He is going to look at what are heart was like. Churches as well need to to talk to their youth groups and let them that they don't need to follow the worlds comformaties but go by what God says. Since the world goes by looks and kids do deal with issues like these, they should have internet sites that are helpful to kids and let them know they are beautiful the way the are. Dont let technology tell you, your not beautfiul or cool enough. God is in control!

Children and Cell Phones...

Ok, so recently kids have been on my heart so they are who I am talking about. Today's children know how to use technology at the age of 5. Children such as 7 years old are walking around with their own cell phones. It is not a bad thing for kids to have. In today's society there are mean evil people and kids might get into situations were they will need to use a phone. So all that is good. However it seems that they are letting cell phones get in their way of their schooling. Most schools even colleges are banning cell phones. Some colleges for example Montreat College ask their college students to turn the cell phones off while they are in class. Which this is not a bad thing. We as students need to pay attention and class. We come to learn not socialize during class or ignore what they teacher is saying.

However I do think little kids at that age should not be able to have access to their cell phones at all times. It is not just going to take away from their time in school but if they are are texting their little friends at home the will not get their work done. As Christians God doesn't want us to fall in the conformity s of the world. Cell phones and other types of technology can take over our minds and pull us away from God. Now I am not calling technology items from Satan, but I am just saying that we need to remember God blessed us with these awesome forms of technology and we need to still set time away from all that and thank him for what he has done. So we need to remember to teach our kids that there is more in the world than cell phones and computers.Get your kids or siblings to go outside, enjoy God's wonderful nature!

Today's youth has the priveledge to use a computer whenever they want, get on the internet not just from a computer but from a phone, and bascially figure out to look at different things through different loop holes. This doesn't mean this is a good thing. I mean don't get my wrong technology is great, especially when helps children look up school information and just want to play games. However there are still some evils in having all this free access. There are so many evil people out there who can trick little kids into thinking that they are chatting or playing with other children. Also there are many different sites that have explicit pictures, that children of frankly anyone should see. The Internet, yes is a great tool of techonolgoy but probably one of the unsafest and we as not only humans but Christians need to help protect our children from it.

In the Bible it says in Ephesians 5:3-4, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or coventousness must not even be named amoung you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nore foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."

This is great verse to look at because and apply to each and everyone of our lives. We do not need to fill our minds and children minds with nasty, impure visions. We should teach our children that it is impure and wrong to look at demographic things, but most of all teach them to be cautious of what they are looking at and just remember if what they are looking at is appropriate to show God.

As for those who dont believe in God still need to teach there children the dangers of the internet. I believe when they teach children using technology or having them using technology they need to know the pre-cautions they should take, but also remember that the internet is a fun exciting piece of technology.

Swine Flu...

Recently in the world there has been an outbreak in health known as, "Swine Flu". Swine Flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease usually found in pigs. It spreads through tiny particles in the air or by contact. There has been cases of pigs having this flu now, however people have been passing to each other by human to human contact. This flu has been moving around not only throughout the U.S.but in other countries as well. Children are going to school with surgical masks on. Adults are going to jobs and business with them on as well. The world as we know it is going to a big panic over this. There have been some number of cases where people have died but also there are many that have gotten some antibiotics that help them fight through it.

Yes, we all should be aware of this issue and make sure we wash our hands and stay clean,however we don't need to lose site that God is in control. As Christians we need to realize that God will protect our bodies and keep us clean and safe. God told us that we do not need to live in a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind! If anyone does get sick from this doesn't mean that they are going to have it forever or that they are gonna die. They just need faith and prayer. The Lord will be with us no matter what, if we just believe. In James 5:14 it says, " Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." This verse is saying that if we see people who are sick we are suppose to reach out and pray for them. As a Christian that is what I am exactly going to do!

This week I learned about "Swine Flu". In my blog I added a hyperlink so that you can visit cnn.com and learn more about what it is.

Tea, Anyone?

Recently this past week my mom and little sister participated in an event called, "The Tea Party". This not a regular tea party. Actually this was a rally where people of both parties, democract and republican, came out and voiced their opinions about what Obama was doing as president and how bad our economy is. There were rallies all over the U.S. My family resides in South Carolina so our Governor Mark Stanford and Senator Jim DeMint came out and talked about what they thought. All of this was quite amuzing especially when there were only 10 Obama supporters out there and 70 (guessing) people who were against him. I myself am neutral about the whole thing. I believe there is some good and some bad in both parties.



What people are forgetting and realizing is that there is no faith in America. They have taken out the God part in, "In God We Trust" and just fill in the blank with whoever is president. We need to take a step back not only as Americans but as Christians and realize that the president isn't God. God is God. He is Lord. What he says goes. Yes, we are all going through a rough time and people are turning to Obama to fix it. He can only do so much and if he doesn't ask God for help it won't be alot he can do. Ultimately, God decides what is going to happen to us. We has a community need intergrate God back into our politics and in our lives. I watched the news and they showed some over the protestors. Some had Bible verses and saying how we need to turn to God for our struggle. I really liked that, and I especially liked how they media didn't not show it or twist it around.

Easter

This coming sunday is Easter. The week actually leading up to Easter is events that occured right before Jesus was hung on the cross. On Easter sunday was when he rose again. What does this mean to people today? As Christians we should all being going to church and thanking God for letting his son die on the cross for us. If Jesus did not do this then what do you think our world would really be like. So as Christians we should especially be in church. However people who are not Christians still go to church and still participate in church activities. I believe that they feel obligated to do it because their ancestors did it or it is just "the thing to do". It might be a good thing because they can go and hear what the Word says.

Today, however people have changed Easter's meaning. Little kids all over the world see that Easter is another holiday to get what they want and eat candy from the Easter bunny. I believe that is so wrong. I mean yes, we can still have fun on this holiday but we all can not lose site of what this holiday truly is. I believe the media does not help any either. You have commercials all over about kids needing to come see the Easter bunny and for parents to come out and by candies and gifts. I believe as Christians we need to show the world that Easter is not just about materialistic things however it is about the death of Jesus Christ and then Him being raised again. Also we need to continue to share our faith with others. Yes, everyone still can have fun but we still need to intergrate and incorporate our faith in it.

Genocide Awareness Month

April is genocide awareness month. This is a time when people come together to remember those who have lost their lives to this hateful crime over the years. Let me back up for a second. Let me tell you what genocide is. Genocide is a hateful act that people commit to others, may it be because of the race, ethinicty or religion. They kill them because of one of these. The people that commit this crime do not even care if you are a man or woman, child or adult. If they do not like the way you live they will kill you. The term genocide was first used in the 1940's because of the Holocaust, however genocide has been around for years. An example would be in the Bible, in Matthew 2:16. King Herod was having the all baby boys killed because he didn't want the Messiah to live. He was killing innocent babies because of Jesus. That was a form a genocide and that still happens today in different countries.

What we as christians can do, is to participate in local organizations and help out. Start online prayer group. Also I believe that schools to teach more of this topic in school, so that students know what is going on around the world. Also they are the future and they could be the ones that could grow up and help be the solution to stopping this problem. But I believe as Christians we just need to continue praying for the people that are having to go through it now and also we need to keep in remembrance those who have lost their lives because of this crime. Keep Faith to end Genocide!

Intergretation of Faith, Learning, and Technology

I have been thinking alot about my interview with Mrs. Van Brocklin and how what said about the Intergretation of Faith and Learning. We as a college need to come together more especially as a christian college. We need to witness to each other and be there for each other especially when it comes to academics. Academics can really bare down your mind and get you pulled away from God. This is one of the times you most need God. God gave us a mind of Christ. So why wouldn't we call on him? He gave us this mind so why couldn't he help us out with it?

Also I think that we don't need to help each other through email or facebook. Yes, they are good so you have a hard copy of what you talked about or have for reference notes in the Bible. However I believe that is too impersonal. Being a christian is having a personal relationship between you and God. So just having technology as a one on one source base between you and another person is not always good. Techonolgoy is great dont get me wrong however it makes things too impersonal and I believe as community we need to come together and share the faith one on one.

Interview with Dr. Van Brocklin

For my interview I decided on talking to a teacher. Mrs. Van Brocklin. She kindly took time out of her busy schedule to chat with me a little bit about what her views on intergration of faith, learning and technology. She was great talking about how she feels about it and how she believes we as college students could act on intergration of faith. She also talked to me about how she feels technology and if it is taking the place of faith.









This video was recorded by Meredith M. Florence

Save the kids....

I know in all of my postings lately I have been talking about Obama, but i think I should. I mean that is what is going on in the world today and it is very important to every American. The big buzz in the news about Obama is the stimulus plan and how he is trying to save america economically. Recently I have been reading about how he is going to put more money towards students education. Schools need more books and investments in the actual buidlings that children go to. Obama promises that every student in the will have the internet in the school. Obama believes that the school is very important. Also he believes that there should be efficent amount of money to provide to the schools and the teachers. He talks about in many different articles that children are the future. He is right they are they need to have the most education possible. He also promises that there will be more access to internet for students, which I think is also good because the world functions on the internet and other types of technology.

God says that the children are the world. He has a special kind of love for children. Yes he loves everyone the same but children have a special place in their hearts. I believe it is because kids are so innocent and don't know as much. So I believe this is one of the good choices in the stimulus plan. Kids are the future but they can't be when they are neglated and not taught the proper things.

World Peace and Technology?

I read this article about about this organization called, "The World Peace Through Technology Organization" that is planning on using technology to have get World Peace. The system the organization uses is called Drupal. Drupal is open source content management system, which allows anyone to create and organize online communities with no programming expertise. Code for Cause are the people that are actually putting all these websites together. The result of this was good. They had alot of participants. However I really don't see how this is going to cause World Peace. Yes, they are trying to get people to work together through websites and the internet, but if gettin World Peace was that easy it would have happened along time ago.

I dont believe there is ever going to be World Peace. Only after the rapture the second time when God comes back. After seven years when God comes back there should be World Peace because there really won't be a world persay. If there was suppose to World Peace there would be no sin in the world. I mean think about it, if there was no sin we all would be happy together, loving, and just living for the Lord. Instead you have people killing people, hurting people not just physically and emotionally, and also just not living a Christian life. So I don't think that this organization is a good organization. I mean its not bad they mean well, but they are not going to get the World Peace that they want. I wish. But not happening.

That's it for now!


Here is the website http://peacetour.org/

What in the world?...

Everytime that America gets a new president people always have something to say about who got elected. This year it is a little more intense. Barack Obama is African American and Caucasian and he is the president of the United States. He has been president for almost a month now.Personnally I think that he is doing a good job. Coming into office he didn't come in to where he could just sit and relax. He had to fix our country. The United States is in a recession and we need to be pulled out of it. I think that the stimulus plan is quite a good idea. However the plan of spending some money on the making the Maglev train is somewhat ridiculous. I think that it is not a huge necessity that we Americans need also it is not going to benefit everyone. This piece of technology is a pretty cool idea however, I think that the money could be well spent in some other issue.

Don't get me wrong I am not knocking Obama what so ever. I think that his ideas are good. He is actually focusing his energy on getting us out of this recession. I also like his idea about giving more money to college students. I believe that that is a productive idea and that it will benefit all Americans. Not only now but in the future. I think as Christians we don't always need to point out the negatives about our president. Even if you don't like him or did not vote for him, you can't really do anything about it. All you can do is just believe in God and have faith in Obama. I mean there is a reason for everything. Don't have negative doubts about him all the time. Just keep faith that he knows what he is doing.

Thats it for now...see you next week...

Faith and Technology in my classes

The majority of my classes here at Montreat, teacher try to intergrate faith into their teachings. They try to mention God when teaching us about life and what we need to know about whatever you are learning about. If they don't mention it to the class they put it on their quizzes and tests. Well there is one class that I have that the teacher has not once mentioned anything about God. I know that there are some people here who are not Christians. However i thought that Montreat is Christ-centered. That should be including the people that work here.

I think that teachers should being talking about God and faith in the classroom. Especially at a Christian College. Montreat is all about God and they recognize that God is the reason why we are here. I would think in a biology class they would Definitely focus on God. She gives technology the credit to finding how the body works. But we should be thanking God for making out bodies so wonderful and complex. It kind of shocks me that the 3 weeks that we have been in there I have not heard her once talk about God. Some teachers like to pray for our class, or maybe in put a little Bible verse on our test and quizzes. This teacher doesn't. I don't know if you just doesn't want too or she doesn't believe in God. It just amazes me.

My Technology Video

I like this video. I don't know if this is really something that is going to surface one day, but it would be good inventions! I am that now I know how to embed a video now!




I recently just found out that we actually had to have a video of new technology just not a technology video. Therefore I found another video and just added it. Microsoft recently is making a new product called, "Table Technology". This table technology is really neat. It is a computer in a table. It is also touch screen. So basically you can play games, email, draw, or even listen to music with just a click away. This new product is pretty much like ipod touch but embedded in a table.

Video of Where I live and work- Renee Tolbert

Here is a nice, short video of where I live and work.

So I read this article...

I really liked the article, "Intergrating Faith and Learning in Higher Eduation" by David S. Dockery, because it covered alot of information about how faith has been tossed out of teaching plans today. I never new that colleges used to be all Christian based schools. In the article he shows how through out years, how each college soon became public and drawn away from the faith.

I like what Dockery wrote saying,"Because we can think, relate, and communicate in understandable ways, since we are created in the image of God, we can creatively teach, learn, explore, and carry on research. " I think that is true. I mean God gave us a brain for a reason, so why cant we use it by going to school to learn about life and more about him? Also i like how he points out that if we love God with our minds it will impact how we live life.

So I am happy that I am at a christian college, I mean it is helping me to keep a right mind-set and not fall into the worlds comformities. It also is helping me to turn more to God to help me with my school work and other aspects in my life. He made me life so why won't he help me to live it to fulliest and have a great life?

First Posting- Integration of Faith, Learning and Technology

1. Integration of faith, learning and technology-issues related to these 3 components. Reflect on them as you progress through this semester.

2. Uploading still pictures.

3. Uploading video: existing (youtube) and create your own.

4. Slideshow- Flicker, Picassa and others