Need some proof that truth is not the most popular opinion?

That a lie, stinking and hideously embarrassing at its roots, can be cleverly spun and pose as fact, widely accepted by the undiscerning.

Here are a few examples: here and here to name just a few.

Francis Chan on hell

planting

The girls planting potatoes..

Sam and Grandpa getting the dirt ready to plant

ESE

Her vocabulary includes ouch (which sounds pretty much like ouch), egg (geegg), chicken (chickee), cat (cat), horse (horse), dog (dog), duck (duck with a gutteral "ck" sound). She almost always sticky: sticky hands, sticky face, sticky shirt and pants. She loves making large (small) finger tracks in pans of bars sitting high on counters, unloading drawers of things that are most difficult to put away and can use a spoon right side up and can put on her own rubber boots. And she's a mere 18 1/2 months old.

mistaken dialogue

Priya: Anneka, you're getting on my nerves

Anneka: I'm not getting in your herbs.

Priya: Nerves, not herbs. It means its annoying.

lambs and rhubarb

This guy is the last of nine lambs born in the last two weeks.

Anneka with her gingham fish house dress and apron helped cut up rhubarb. Yes, she is using a somewhat dullish knife.

Ellie helped too using a table knife.

Beware of letting small faults pass unnoticed under the idea ‘it is a little
one.’ There are no little things in training children; all are important. Little
weeds need plucking up as much as any. Leave them alone and they will
soon be great. - J.C. Ryle

lesson in being true

In what has been arguably the most foolish "regime" (to recycle the words used for the last president), I reserve one credit to the current leader of the U.S.: he has taught me the incredible value of saying what one means, meaning what one says and following through on those statements.

I am not being facetious, when I say that nearly daily, a news clip or sound bite will again remind me that if I cannot make promises I intend to keep, be gracious when I am accosted and apologize when I make a mistake, I should consider a change in my duties of leadership or get down on my knees and beg for help.

But how very far I am from implementing such basic principles of leading. In my case, the sphere of influence is minute: four to be exact. The dog could sometimes be included in that figure, rounding up the number to five.

No one is more aware of my fallen sinful nature than those four under my influence. I promise that I will exchange a desired reward for some help: take out the trash, feed the rabbit, carry a dirty clothes hamper to the laundry room, make a bed in exchange for reading a whole chapter in Little Britches before bed, a few jelly beans or "a piece of cash" (in Sam's very words). Then I forget to remind sixteen times or it is well past bedtime or I came across 42 other messes that I thought couldn't wait until tomorrow and I don't fulfill my promise. I feel bad. But I don't apologize or explain why the reward wasn't granted because bedtime is past or it's time to move on to something else. In the process of begging for help, I fall asleep. Then another day starts.

But hopefully, I've given those under me the impression that I am also a work in progress. That I'm not above asking for forgiveness. Admitting I've erred. Working on a correction. Attaining correction bit by bit.

the promenade of ego

Until tonight, I don't think I've ever heard a parent of a teenager describe the societal ritual we call the "prom"  with the adjectives "evil" and "celebration of promiscuity".

That's not to say that no one has ever thought such, deep down in the recesses of their soul. I've just never heard of anyone brave enough to say it out loud in public.

Think about the combination: many teenage girls dressed in clothing that leaves very little to the imaginations of many teenage boys who need no fodder for their already uncontrolled imaginations spending a whole evening posing in close proximity of each other for photos taken by well-meaning adults who more than likely paid money for entrance to the affair in addition to the hundreds of dollars of garments they already purchased for their children to showcase themselves.

I've heard it described as a "right" most recently, in fact. But the former comment holds all the truth, while the latter holds none.

Because I generally prefer a low profile and maintain a high level of social awkwardness, I suppose this disclaimer would eliminate my opinions from a true discussion of this topic. Nonetheless I freely offer my opinions.

Although I was not creative enough to think of such a plan in my day, I do like how one family I know handled the issue: they planned their own event held on the family farm. The attire was Goodwill vintage and the atmosphere relaxed. Which is very different than the prom pictures of one teenage girl I saw last week, whose strapless dress resembled drapes in a 80 year old woman's formal living room. I'd bet money she didn't get it at Savers because all her little teen aged friend wore similar matronly prints.

The mom that was brave enough to admit that evil is a very real part of this ritual we call prom, also admitted that she was ashamed she bought into the selfish ego-centric atmosphere of the evening.

Perhaps a few more moms and dads need to stop reliving their glory days of high school through their children and encouraging them to feed their egos. It is time to step up and encourage our kids to "rise above".

Could I even be so bold to suggest that many folks have gone on to live very successful lives and never once attended a prom? It is possible. I know a few of them.