Shepherds, Wise Men, or ???

As you celebrate Christ's birth, take a moment and reflect on these words ...

"There were only two classes of people who heard the cry Christmas night: shepherds and wise men. Shepherds: those who know they know nothing. Wise men: those who know they do not know everything." - Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Are we shepherds, are we wise men, or are we something else all together? How well do we truly understand and appreciate the gift that was given to each of us some 2000 years ago?

This shepherd wishes each of you a Blessed Christmas season.

4th Sunday of Advent

The Holy Family ??

While surfing the Wild Wild Web the other day, this image (and clever caption) struck a chord. I think it manages to illustrate how our sometimes hectic family life can collide with the quiet beginning of a new liturgical year. Stuff happens - deep breath - remember what's really important - and quietly move on.

 

"A rough trip down from the attic leaves us with a statue 

of Jesus, Mary, and St John the Baptist"

Image and caption pilfered from  Conversion Diary

Secrets of Effective Teaching

As I write this post, we are in the midst of a teacher evaluation cycle. We each meet with our administrative team and discuss our classroom skills and how we can improve (or in my case - how I can avoid being shown the door :)

I'd like to share one of my personal favorite classroom feedback techniques...

Blessed with an extensive collection of college math credits (and the head tilts it took to get there), I can easily mix a touch of vector calculus with a pinch of differential equations to determine how badly I've confused my students. What can I say - it's a gift.

I am thankful we don't live in earthquake country. With regular seismic activity, I'd never know if my class was riding out a magnitude 7 event or simply confused.

Stay nerdy 

Thanksgiving Day

Today is a day set aside to reflect on all we have been given.

Some words to contemplate as we give thanks ...

“Gratitude is characteristic only of the humble. The egotistic are so impressed by their own importance that they take everything given them as if it were their due. They have no room in their hearts for recollection of the undeserved favors they received.”  Fulton Sheen

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”  G.K. Chesterton

And finally, what would Thanksgiving be without a pie chart??

What I Do #214

Folks often ask me (OK - sometimes ask me), what I do all day.

This is one response ...

Now You See It - Now You Don't

The middle school students are working with pictures.

Some classes are learning how to select and insert the perfect image to compliment a story. Other classes are learning how to modify an image to more clearly make a point. Frequently, finding that perfect picture is an iterative process. By carefully trimming away any extraneous fluff, you can approach your ideal image.

Rumor has it, that Michelangelo was thought to sometimes employ these same skills (but without any keyboard shortcuts).

Bummer about the bear, but I think the warning has merit.

At school, we recently celebrated All Saints Day. As part of that observation, it's helpful to recall the words of St Augustine "There is no saint without a past. There is no sinner without a future."  This is especially true if you happen to be the IT Guy at school.

What does this have to do with editing images? Simply this - if we seek God's forgiveness, we can edit out the mistakes of our past and make our future a better thing.