It is interesting that socialism relies heavily upon the employment of force to accomplish its objectives. Often that means forcing people to be herded into groups.
Freedom and individual rights are truly the enemy of socialists. Yes, socialists talk about rights, but it is always the right of the collective. However, this is where the foundation of the philosophy must be examined. Are we really a collective soul of humanity because we share so many commonalities? Or, are we each distinct in our inner self despite our universal similarities? The reality is that you are not me and I am not you. We each have different ideas, values, beliefs, and behaviors. Therefore, the lumping together of people into groups such as: workers, females, young people, seniors, etc. always fails to truly capture the worldview of the people. Each individual lives and breaths on his own and has his own path to walk in life. That is not to say the community is not important. On the contrary: community is very important to human society, but only in the context off affirming the unique individual souls that God designed each human to be.
Labors unions and corporations are great examples of socialism's erroneous thinking. Both are a result of a collectivist view of the world. When people can not work with out paying dues to the union, they have lost their right of association and the freedom to work how they choose. When corporations are given money and privileges from the government, that really benefits individual people. How can the corporation take the liability when it is people who make the decisions and get benefits? Individuals or groups of individuals own and run businesses (not some impersonal IRS entity called a "corporation"). Even many so called "non-profits" turn out to be organizations that use money (often government funded) to pay employees salaries and other benefits. How can it really be "non-profit" when millions of dollars are made running it? That sounds like a business. I propose we just eliminate all the government granted special privileges and let: business owners take responsibility for their own decisions, workers choose their own way of making a living, and let charitable people freely give of their selves.
So, that is how individualism and collectivism stand opposite of each other. One hold rights, freedoms and responsibilities as the ownership of individuals. The other views rights as held by impersonal groups and the responsibility for actions as shared.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Saturday, October 31, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ENOCH!!! You're 2!!!
Enoch is happy to be 2 today. He's been looking forward to this day for a long time. =) Now, he can have a 1/2 a vitamin at breakfast with his sisters. Oh, the exciting things you get to do when you are 2!
We had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and he has some special friends coming to throw him a party tonight. Friends from church John and Elizabeth and aunts Olivia and Leah are babysitting tonight for our clan while Nate and I have a rare night out. We are attending the Selah/Avalon concert in Auburn. http://selahonline.com/
We are so thankful to God for giving us Enoch. He is a joy and delight to us. Pray that we can train Enoch in righteousness and that he will understand and respond to the Gospel at a young age!
Enoch is happy to be 2 today. He's been looking forward to this day for a long time. =) Now, he can have a 1/2 a vitamin at breakfast with his sisters. Oh, the exciting things you get to do when you are 2!
We had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and he has some special friends coming to throw him a party tonight. Friends from church John and Elizabeth and aunts Olivia and Leah are babysitting tonight for our clan while Nate and I have a rare night out. We are attending the Selah/Avalon concert in Auburn. http://selahonline.com/
We are so thankful to God for giving us Enoch. He is a joy and delight to us. Pray that we can train Enoch in righteousness and that he will understand and respond to the Gospel at a young age!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Fall is well under way. We are enjoying crunching through crisp leaves on leisurely strolls (those are the only kind of walks you take with four small children in tow). We have also taken our yearly trips to the apple orchard and the pumpkin patch. Actually, there were two trips to the pumpkin patch this year. One with Nate's parents, sisters and nephews and one with a group of moms from church. We spend as much time as possible outside. It gets harder once winter coats and snow boots are necessary.
Hannah and Jael are especially aware of the seasons now. They know that winter is next and SNOW! Hannah keeps talking about making snowmen and snow forts and snow balls, etc. She is quickly maturing into a very big help to mommy. She is good at playing with and watching Justus for me. (He is crawling now!!) Hannah is also becoming quite the talented hairdresser. She loves to create...um interesting... do's. One of her specialties is "noodles in a pot", a phrase she coined herself for a unique arrangement using LOTS of barrettes, headbands and other hair accessories. She is always on the lookout for her next victim... I mean volunteer (usually her younger sister and yours truly, even though Enoch is the most willing.) =D She keeps us thinking!
Jael is another willing helper and especially enjoys preparing meals with me. She is usually quick to obey mommy and daddy's requests. Jael is the peacemaker. When siblings are unhappy, she is most often the first to concede. Her personality is very different from her older sister, although she likes to copy almost anything Hannah does or says. They are both funny, but Jael has her own unique style. Basically, she cracks herself up! She loves to laugh and often laughs at her own antics. When conversing with people, she uses her hands a lot and has the craziest expressions. She keeps us laughing!
Enoch talks incessantly about anything and everything, particularly his birthday these days. He tells anyone who will listen that he is "almost 2" and that he will get a vitamin when his birthday comes. (The girls each get a 1/2 vitamin at breakfast and he has been very eager for the day when he can join them in this "treat".) He is a vivacious boy who loves anything that goes! His newest "love" is his skateboard. This summer he watched older boys go by on their skateboards and he would holler, "Mommy, look!". He wears his bike helmet and plays on an old skateboard we found in our garage. I've been surprised at how daring he is on it. He calls this activity "skaping". He keeps us moving!
Justus is crawling all over the place. His style is a mix between an inchworm and an olympic swimmer doing the butterfly stroke. He is no longer content to sit and watch all the action; he would rather jump right into the fray! Something funny is that he is our first baby to really like the vacuum cleaner. He gets very excited when we run it and heads straight for the cord to see if he can chew on it before we notice him. =D
Nate is still working at New Hope Mills, but has had somewhat of a promotion in recent months. He really desired to be part of the office staff in order to use a little more brain power and a little less muscle power! God provided by opening up some part time office work in the purchasing end of things. So now he is ordering supplies and doing some other miscellaneous deskwork as well as managing/working in the warehouse. It is approximately half office and half warehouse for him now... a good blend of brain and brawn.
I am finding myself really savoring this season. I have always enjoyed fall, but it is more than that. The Lord is growing me in the area of rest and trust in my relationship with him. Mothering young children is a mixed blessing of fun and lots of hard work. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest, if we don't lose heart (paraphrased). Some days I feel more weary than others, but I am encouraged to keep pressing on by the love of God that will not let me go, the Word of God, and the wonderful sisters in Christ that I am blessed to know.
Like everyone else reading this, there are some troubling circumstances in our lives right now. The most significant is that Nate's dear mom, Holly, has metatastized breast cancer. Holly is a godly woman who is an encouragement and testimony for Jesus wherever she goes. Gary, Holly, and two daughters, Olivia and Leah have been in Ireland serving the Lord for the last 5 years. They came home this summer to see family and friends and unexpectedly discovered that Holly's cancer had returned. So now they are living in our area as she receives treatment. God is GOOD and FAITHFUL. That is what Gary and Holly continue to share with everyone who asks a reason for the obvious hope that is in them. We would appreciate your prayers for her and all of the family.
Thanks for reading this lengthy update. God willing, I will post some fall pictures very soon. Love,
Nate, Caryn, Hannah, Jael, Enoch, and Justus
Hannah and Jael are especially aware of the seasons now. They know that winter is next and SNOW! Hannah keeps talking about making snowmen and snow forts and snow balls, etc. She is quickly maturing into a very big help to mommy. She is good at playing with and watching Justus for me. (He is crawling now!!) Hannah is also becoming quite the talented hairdresser. She loves to create...um interesting... do's. One of her specialties is "noodles in a pot", a phrase she coined herself for a unique arrangement using LOTS of barrettes, headbands and other hair accessories. She is always on the lookout for her next victim... I mean volunteer (usually her younger sister and yours truly, even though Enoch is the most willing.) =D She keeps us thinking!
Jael is another willing helper and especially enjoys preparing meals with me. She is usually quick to obey mommy and daddy's requests. Jael is the peacemaker. When siblings are unhappy, she is most often the first to concede. Her personality is very different from her older sister, although she likes to copy almost anything Hannah does or says. They are both funny, but Jael has her own unique style. Basically, she cracks herself up! She loves to laugh and often laughs at her own antics. When conversing with people, she uses her hands a lot and has the craziest expressions. She keeps us laughing!
Enoch talks incessantly about anything and everything, particularly his birthday these days. He tells anyone who will listen that he is "almost 2" and that he will get a vitamin when his birthday comes. (The girls each get a 1/2 vitamin at breakfast and he has been very eager for the day when he can join them in this "treat".) He is a vivacious boy who loves anything that goes! His newest "love" is his skateboard. This summer he watched older boys go by on their skateboards and he would holler, "Mommy, look!". He wears his bike helmet and plays on an old skateboard we found in our garage. I've been surprised at how daring he is on it. He calls this activity "skaping". He keeps us moving!
Justus is crawling all over the place. His style is a mix between an inchworm and an olympic swimmer doing the butterfly stroke. He is no longer content to sit and watch all the action; he would rather jump right into the fray! Something funny is that he is our first baby to really like the vacuum cleaner. He gets very excited when we run it and heads straight for the cord to see if he can chew on it before we notice him. =D
Nate is still working at New Hope Mills, but has had somewhat of a promotion in recent months. He really desired to be part of the office staff in order to use a little more brain power and a little less muscle power! God provided by opening up some part time office work in the purchasing end of things. So now he is ordering supplies and doing some other miscellaneous deskwork as well as managing/working in the warehouse. It is approximately half office and half warehouse for him now... a good blend of brain and brawn.
I am finding myself really savoring this season. I have always enjoyed fall, but it is more than that. The Lord is growing me in the area of rest and trust in my relationship with him. Mothering young children is a mixed blessing of fun and lots of hard work. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest, if we don't lose heart (paraphrased). Some days I feel more weary than others, but I am encouraged to keep pressing on by the love of God that will not let me go, the Word of God, and the wonderful sisters in Christ that I am blessed to know.
Like everyone else reading this, there are some troubling circumstances in our lives right now. The most significant is that Nate's dear mom, Holly, has metatastized breast cancer. Holly is a godly woman who is an encouragement and testimony for Jesus wherever she goes. Gary, Holly, and two daughters, Olivia and Leah have been in Ireland serving the Lord for the last 5 years. They came home this summer to see family and friends and unexpectedly discovered that Holly's cancer had returned. So now they are living in our area as she receives treatment. God is GOOD and FAITHFUL. That is what Gary and Holly continue to share with everyone who asks a reason for the obvious hope that is in them. We would appreciate your prayers for her and all of the family.
Thanks for reading this lengthy update. God willing, I will post some fall pictures very soon. Love,
Nate, Caryn, Hannah, Jael, Enoch, and Justus
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New Beginning
Well, this is a new beginning. My yahoo 360 account was about to expire due to changes that yahoo initiated. So, I'm starting afresh with another server. Since almost all of my blogging friends use blogspot, I thought I would give it a shot. I've left a few old posts on this blog as a "reader review". Will I actually blog more often now.... time will tell. =)
Hannah's Mid term Report
Hannah 2008-2009
Mathematics
Counts from 1-12
Began subtraction and addition
Language
Developing broad vocabulary (1st grade level)?
Very analytical, asks “why?” a lot
Writing
Writes her name and a few other letters (O, P, T, I)
Concepts
Understands that some activities are for children and some for adults
Ready to make new year resolutions (give up blanket, no help wiping)
Understands how she is related to people
Understands that the baby will soon "pop" out
Science
Likes birds and others creatures
Very keen observer
Theology
Asks how she can know and love God
Claims conversion to Jesus Christ as savior
Recalls numerous Bible stories
History
Knows about the grand old Duke of York
Knows that George Washington was the first president
Politics
Can recognize Ron Paul
Mid-term grade = Z+
(Z+ is the highest available grade at the Gilbert private academy, while A+ is the lowest)
Mathematics
Counts from 1-12
Began subtraction and addition
Language
Developing broad vocabulary (1st grade level)?
Very analytical, asks “why?” a lot
Writing
Writes her name and a few other letters (O, P, T, I)
Concepts
Understands that some activities are for children and some for adults
Ready to make new year resolutions (give up blanket, no help wiping)
Understands how she is related to people
Understands that the baby will soon "pop" out
Science
Likes birds and others creatures
Very keen observer
Theology
Asks how she can know and love God
Claims conversion to Jesus Christ as savior
Recalls numerous Bible stories
History
Knows about the grand old Duke of York
Knows that George Washington was the first president
Politics
Can recognize Ron Paul
Mid-term grade = Z+
(Z+ is the highest available grade at the Gilbert private academy, while A+ is the lowest)
Celebrating 5 years...
Yesterday, January 31, 2009, Nathaniel and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. Time is a strange concept. Usually, if we are looking ahead 5 years (or however long), it feels a long way off. Yet on the flip side, if we are looking back 5 years, it seems to have gone by quickly.
When I think back over the last five years, so much has happened, but it feels like it's gone by fast. We've lived on two continents, moved three times, experienced 6 jobs (between the two of us), and been blessed with 4 beautiful gifts from God (called children). No wonder there have been moments of insanity and stress!
Seriously though, God has been so faithful, and I believe that I've grown more in my walk with Christ in the past five years than in all my Christian life. Marriage has been A LOT MORE than I expected! It seems like I am just beginning to grasp what it means to be a godly wife and mother, and I feel even farther from my goal of being like Christ in every circumstance. That reality has made me sense my need to cling more tightly to my Saviour for HIS enabling and sufficiency.
On my own, I cannot be the help meet that God intends for me to be for Nate. I am thankful for a patient husband who models a patient Heavenly Father as he gives me space and time to grow. Our prayer as a couple is that our marriage would more accurately display Christ's covenant relationship with His bride, the church in the coming year than ever before. May Jesus Christ be praised!
Yesterday, January 31, 2009, Nathaniel and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. Time is a strange concept. Usually, if we are looking ahead 5 years (or however long), it feels a long way off. Yet on the flip side, if we are looking back 5 years, it seems to have gone by quickly.
When I think back over the last five years, so much has happened, but it feels like it's gone by fast. We've lived on two continents, moved three times, experienced 6 jobs (between the two of us), and been blessed with 4 beautiful gifts from God (called children). No wonder there have been moments of insanity and stress!
Seriously though, God has been so faithful, and I believe that I've grown more in my walk with Christ in the past five years than in all my Christian life. Marriage has been A LOT MORE than I expected! It seems like I am just beginning to grasp what it means to be a godly wife and mother, and I feel even farther from my goal of being like Christ in every circumstance. That reality has made me sense my need to cling more tightly to my Saviour for HIS enabling and sufficiency.
On my own, I cannot be the help meet that God intends for me to be for Nate. I am thankful for a patient husband who models a patient Heavenly Father as he gives me space and time to grow. Our prayer as a couple is that our marriage would more accurately display Christ's covenant relationship with His bride, the church in the coming year than ever before. May Jesus Christ be praised!
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