Gosh this week has been an emotionally charged one for me reading in the blog world
Today I was heart broken and so very distressed to read this article: Belgium: Senate Approves Measure Allowing Doctors to Euthanize Children
Samuel 24:14
Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
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| Anthill Art |
- Have you ever wondered how to use Story of the World as your main spine ? Take a look at how Homemaking with Heart are using this resource.
- Do you like Unit Studies ? Have you seen this FIAR Volume 2 Pinterest board containing pins to FREE Notebook pages ?
- I just discovered Free Home School Lessons. Take a look at their
FREE Geography Unit Studies
Literature Unit Studies - bringing books to life
Modern History Unit Studies - If you are going to be studying ants this is an amazing YouTube clip to watch I would love to own one of these Casting a Fire Ant Colony with Molten Aluminum
- Are you looking for a great list of Christmas books ? Have you seen the one over at Homemaking with Heart ? Favourite Christmas Books
- Another great list of books over at Lextin Academy: Our Christmas Book Basket
- The week was the last Kelly Sports meeting for the year.
- Tennis was on Thursday only one more session to wrap up 2013
- A visit to Collingwood Children's Farm. This was fun and brought back memories of when we lived and worked at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
- An evening of sharing my experience of using Sonlight in our homeschool.
- Attending two Intimo parties in one week. Gosh I love their product line. I have a new savings goal now ...
- An end of year work Christmas function at Werribee Open Range Zoo. The children had fun on a jumping castle and many 'olden day' toys such as stilts and hoola hoops
- Having been born in Africa, spending my high school years in Namibia and living on a game farm I particulary enjoyed these photographs of Tippi growing up in Namibia. This Seemed Like The Worst Parenting EVER. Then I Kept Looking And ...
- Taking a Christmas summer break and enjoying one another.
The topic within is one of a divisive controversial nature. Proceed with caution ...OR skip it. If you are commenting on this part please do so with respect. The words that follow are my musings
I have been thinking about the passing of Nelson Mandela and the worlds reaction to his passing. I am amazed at the short memories of those who look at this statesman who was South Africa's first black President. I have wondered why people on Facebook have changed their profile pictures to his ??
The thing that has bothered me this week is how he has become a person to idolize. Why ? This man spearheaded terrorism and terrorist organizations. He lived as a man of violence for nearly two thirds of his life. He is the one who broke away from the ANC (who at the time preached non-violence) and created a terrorist wing. He was responsible for many deaths and many people have had to live with incredible life long disabilities because of his actions.
He was offered freedom in exchange for changing and stopping the terrorist organization he was building in the early 1960's and he turned it down. It took many many years in prison before he changed and realized that violence was not the answer to the issues in South African politics. I feel frustrated over the photographs of his prison life. He did have comforts when in jail. He studied law. How many free people are even able to attend university yet alone study law ? He served part of his sentence in a home with servants who cooked and cleaned for him ... He was not imprisoned for his attitude he was in prison for his actions of murder and terrorism, for forming a terrorist group, leading it and gathering funds for it...
Even after he became President of South Africa he supported and maintained close ties with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and backed Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat. As president in 1997, he gave South Africa's highest award (Order of Good Hope) for a foreigner to Libya's dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. He gave the same award to the corrupt Indonesian president Suharto.
Have you ever thought about what the legacy is that he has gifted South Africa with the formation of his terrorist organization ? It has become the murder capitol of the world. Since 1994 under the ANC regime there have been more than 290 368 people murdered. Currently there are over 71 000 assaults and 15 000 car hijackings per year.
I am grieved at his passing and the hole his death has produced in the fabric of South Africa's stability. He was a man who transformed his ideals and worked towards a positive outcome after his time in prison. As an elderly man he reflected on his time and handed down the wisdom he had gained with his life and said no I was wrong. Hatred will not fix this thing.
"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."
– Nelson Mandela
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the
triumph over it....The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but
he who conquers that fear."
For some further reading
– Nelson Mandela
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
– Nelson Mandela
- Mandela legacy: peace, but poverty for many blacks
- The dark side of Nelson Mandela
- This YouTube clip is controversial and I disagree with it's presentation but it shows some important perspectives as well. Please use discretion if you follow the link. I do not agree with all of the philosophies. I share this link for interest and not as my personal point of view.
- You can watch some excellent biography video's on bio True Story
- Nelson Mandela biography
Things I’m working on…
- Learning about Google + and wondering just how long Facebook will last because of their choice not to let all content show on your news feeds unless the page you follow pays for the priviledge.
- Reading some tips about Google+ and relationships and Google Plus Etiquette For Success
- I love a good photo story and enjoyed seeing the idea presented in Ugly Duckling Shipping Container Home Built by Artist Is a Beautiful Swan on the Inside
- What's the world coming to ?? I can't believe that a blatant criminal would complain about his prison conditions in a first world country ... Judge Jeanine Lashes Out at Boston Bomber for Complaining About Harsh Prison Conditions
- I love how some people can put together such random lists 18 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The Movie "Elf"
- Some Mommy encouragement over at Crazy Mad: What to Do When Your Kids Push You Over the Edge
- Best and Worst Times to Post to Social Media over on Pinterest.
- It Matters Whom You Marry
- Why I Celebrate Christmas {even as a Christian}
- Tony Abbott flags changes to make adoption system easier and faster
- Nothing new we are attending a lot of end of the year functions
- the opportunity to serve on the Schoolhouse Review Team for another year. Friends that pray consistently for me. A family who love me. You who read my ramblings and encourage me. A lovely home and a husband who supports my passions (even when it means I'm up till 3 AM ... )
On my bucket list is to go to a Sight And Sound Theatre production. At the moment they are featuring the Miracle of Christmas.
Blessings
Chareen
Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Nelson Mandela, I really knew little of African history and knew NONE of that, how embarrassing. I'll be thinking of this all the time now when it comes up. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Erin. It took a long time to compose but I just couldn't let it go. In general I try to steer clear from controversial topics ... I am pleased you found it helpful.
DeleteWe loved the fire ant sculpture, too.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your thoughts on Mandela. It is interesting how we look at historical leaders with rose-colored glasses so often.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the background on Mandela. While I do appreciate the beauty of a life turned around, the story isn't quite that simple and I appreciate that you shared so much background.
ReplyDelete