tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5957177247372917180.post705685613016321084..comments2023-12-31T03:56:05.988+11:00Comments on EQUIP book club: Finding Time to ReadEQUIP Book Clubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00151092103823699320noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5957177247372917180.post-78853273342804948392008-05-27T10:44:00.000+10:002008-05-27T10:44:00.000+10:00I used to have a good strategy that was a variatio...I used to have a good strategy that was a variation on one I heard up at WKC a few years back. In order to free up more time for worthwhile things, the idea was to not take on any new commitments for six months. During that time, other commitments would wind up and you'd have extra time to do quiet times etc. <BR/><BR/>I resolved to not start watching any new TV. I'd continue to watch my current shows, but over time they'd wind up or be cancelled, and I'd welcome another hour back to my week. <BR/><BR/>Now I'm much more likely to rent DVDs or download p/vodcasts rather than watch broadcast TV. I'm still choosing to watch things, but there's no temptation to "see what's on next".Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975327956640416348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5957177247372917180.post-4154758021904025902008-05-26T23:47:00.000+10:002008-05-26T23:47:00.000+10:00We've started a mini book club at church following...We've started a mini book club at church following through the books suggested on the blog. We are planning to read, discuss throughout the month, then meet togther at the end to share a meal, discuss and pray together. Thanks again for the effort to get the Equip Book Club organised!!Theresehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818799193691122612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5957177247372917180.post-37616297265206540652008-05-26T21:03:00.000+10:002008-05-26T21:03:00.000+10:00These are such good suggestions. Being realistic a...These are such good suggestions. Being realistic about what we can achieve is so helpful. When my children were very young I found myself inundated with too much to think about. I'd been used to reading lots but at the suggestion of my husband began to take my time, just reading one book at a time, and taking up to months to get through them; sometimes just a paragraph per day. But it was so helpful as when I finally did get some quiet time, I just had one clear idea to ponder...<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the thumbs up about the mini club (not that I really needed your permission :P) I'd thought I'd try to round up a few women from church and see if that might work.<BR/><BR/>We've never had a tele but with so many other distractions these days, who doesn't need to heed Piper's advice? <BR/><BR/>I hope you don't mind long comments, but your post reminded me of a poem my (then) 8 year old daughter recited in a *family-and-friends* concert one year. It's a corker and should be read aloud. (It's from the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)<BR/><BR/>The Rule of TV (Roald Dahl)<BR/><BR/>The most important thing we've learned, <BR/>So far as children are concerned, <BR/>Is never, NEVER, NEVER let <BR/>Them near your television set -- <BR/>Or better still, just don't install <BR/>The idiotic thing at all. <BR/>In almost every house we've been, <BR/>We've watched them gaping at the screen. <BR/>They loll and slop and lounge about, <BR/>And stare until their eyes pop out. <BR/>(Last week in someone's place we saw <BR/>A dozen eyeballs on the floor.) <BR/>They sit and stare and stare and sit <BR/>Until they're hypnotised by it, <BR/>Until they're absolutely drunk <BR/>With all that shocking ghastly junk. <BR/>Oh yes, we know it keeps them still, <BR/>They don't climb out the window sill, <BR/>They never fight or kick or punch, <BR/>They leave you free to cook the lunch <BR/>And wash the dishes in the sink -- <BR/>But did you ever stop to think, <BR/>To wonder just exactly what <BR/>This does to your beloved tot? <BR/>IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD! <BR/>IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD! <BR/>IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND! <BR/>IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND <BR/>HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND <BR/>A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND! <BR/>HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE! <BR/>HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE! <BR/>HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES! <BR/>'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say, <BR/>'But if we take the set away, <BR/>What shall we do to entertain <BR/>Our darling children? Please explain!' <BR/>We'll answer this by asking you, <BR/>'What used the darling ones to do? <BR/>'How used they keep themselves contented <BR/>Before this monster was invented?' <BR/>Have you forgotten? Don't you know? <BR/>We'll say it very loud and slow: <BR/>THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ, <BR/>AND READ and READ, and then proceed <BR/>To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks! <BR/>One half their lives was reading books! <BR/>The nursery shelves held books galore! <BR/>Books cluttered up the nursery floor! <BR/>And in the bedroom, by the bed, <BR/>More books were waiting to be read! <BR/>Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales <BR/>Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales <BR/>And treasure isles, and distant shores <BR/>Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars, <BR/>And pirates wearing purple pants, <BR/>And sailing ships and elephants, <BR/>And cannibals crouching 'round the pot, <BR/>Stirring away at something hot. <BR/>(It smells so good, what can it be? <BR/>Good gracious, it's Penelope.) <BR/>The younger ones had Beatrix Potter <BR/>With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter, <BR/>And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland, <BR/>And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and- <BR/>Just How The Camel Got His Hump, <BR/>And How the Monkey Lost His Rump, <BR/>And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul, <BR/>There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole- <BR/>Oh, books, what books they used to know, <BR/>Those children living long ago! <BR/>So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, <BR/>Go throw your TV set away, <BR/>And in its place you can install <BR/>A lovely bookshelf on the wall. <BR/>Then fill the shelves with lots of books, <BR/>Ignoring all the dirty looks, <BR/>The screams and yells, the bites and kicks, <BR/>And children hitting you with sticks- <BR/>Fear not, because we promise you <BR/>That, in about a week or two <BR/>Of having nothing else to do, <BR/>They'll now begin to feel the need <BR/>Of having something good to read. <BR/>And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy! <BR/>You watch the slowly growing joy <BR/>That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen <BR/>They'll wonder what they'd ever seen <BR/>In that ridiculous machine, <BR/>That nauseating, foul, unclean, <BR/>Repulsive television screen!<BR/><BR/>And later, each and every kid <BR/>Will love you more for what you did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com