Saturday Round-Up (September 10)

Hope you have a great weekend. It was a great week for good articles; I think you'll find one or more that will help you.

from The Art of Manliness

Bookend Your Day: The Power of Morning and Evening Routines.  I'm definitely a creature of habit, but I could probably use a little more consistency, and a lot more effective use of my time. Here's a quote from William Blake, "Think in the morning, act in the noon, read in the evening, and sleep at night."  

Spurgeon on a Stupid Way to Read the Scriptures.  "It is always better to read a little and digest it, than it is to read much and then think you have done a good thing by merely reading the letter of the word."

A Year of Biblical Womanhood. "When the term 'Biblical' can mean anything, it means nothing." True, but where Rachel Evans errs is by not considering context. Still, an interesting and thought-provoking project.

The Perks of the Job Are Not the Job Itself.  Thoughts from a stay-at-home dad. Apparently, there are a lot of these type dads in the blogging world.

How to Comfort a Bereaved Child.  Nine principles (plus one more by yours truly in the comments).

The Duel. I haven't done well keeping up with the Republican candidates for the 2012 Presidential campaign. This article is a good overview. Or, if you only have 47 seconds, watch this video for a recap.

Structured Homeschooling Gets an A+. You know that I don't make a case that home schooling is the only or "Biblical" method for childhood education. But this small Canadian study showed some interesting data, such as home schooled children having advantages over children in public school in math (by a half grade level) in reading (over 2 grade levels). Small class size and individualized attention go a long way.

Family Meals May Encourage Children to Try New Types of Food. Not only are family meal times great for conversation and connection, but they can encourage healthier eating habits.

One Way to Serve Families with Disabled Children. Don't forget about the children in those families who are not disabled.

Take Your Small Groups Off Life Support.  Watch this compelling video. "For every 10 minutes of commute, we are 10% less likely to have meaningful relationships. The average commute for America today? 30 minutes, each way. . . . We weren't built for isolation. We weren't meant to live lives disconnected from one another. We are created in the image of a God who exists in community. We are created for community."