If your family is like mine, you explore far off people, places, and time periods with relative ease through the magic of the Internet. Your home computer brings a wealth of educational resources into your homeschool on a daily basis that would be too expensive or too hard to find any other way. We also know that there is a lot of filth in the online world. How can a family safely use the Internet without bringing unwanted content into their home and into the minds of their children?
Surf With a Purpose
Surfing the Internet can be a similar experience. Many times the trouble starts when using the web for a specific purpose turns into mindless browsing. If someone begins clicking on any random page or ad that looks appealing, he is like the surfer who doesn't care where the wave takes him.
Keep the Sharks Away
There are many good filters to choose from, including ones that are free. An effective filter allows complete customization of its features including prohibiting obscene and criminal themes, letting parents allow or disallow specific sites regardless of the content, blocking chat, setting time limits and time of day restrictions, and keeping a history of both allowed sites visited and blocked sites attempted. My favorite filter even blocks "non-productive" activities like gaming.
A Second Set of Eyes
It's important to remember that all software filters have limits. Even when working perfectly, they cannot block every possible threat among billions of websites. Adding a second set of eyes to watch for Internet danger at home is just as valuable. To keep more eyes involved, put the computer in a high-traffic area of the home where it is highly visible. Face the computer screen out so that it is easily seen by others. A good rule of thumb is, if it has a door on it, it's probably not the right room.
The Internet is a powerful tool for good and evil. It can be as unpredictable as the ocean which brings smiles to playful children on one shore and a tidal wave to communities on another. Knowing how to ride the waves carefully can help protect your home from unwanted Internet content and bring you safely to many rewarding destinations.
David Edgecomb
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This article was originally published in the Jan/Feb '07 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more information, visit http://homeschoolenrichment.com/
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Life of Saint Patrick
He was born in 389 A.D.
His father, Calpurnius, was a civil magistrate and a deacon, and his grandfather was a minister in the Celtic Christian Church, whose origins date from second-century Roman occupation.
At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped by raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland. For six years he herded pigs on a Slemish farm. Repulsed by the Druid's human sacrifice, magic spells, and superstitions, from which Halloween originated, Patrick committed himself to Christ, as he later wrote: "The Lord opened the understanding of my unbelief, that, late as it was, I might remember my faults and turn to the Lord my God with all my heart; and He had regard to my low estate, and pitied my youth and ignorance, and kept guard over me even before I knew Him."
He was led to escape to the seacoast, where he found a ship to freedom. He lived in a monastery in France for several months. Years later, Patrick had a dream, left his family and prepared for the ministry. In the year 432, Patrick crossed the icy sea to Ireland with twelve brave monks.
They made their way to the home of his old master, but found he died in a battle with a neighboring tribe. Undoubtedly, had Patrick not escaped, he would have been killed as well. They then went to the hall of Chieftain Loigaire, who was feasting with his warriors and Druid priests. A messenger ran in, interrupting the festivities, and announced the arrival of these unarmed strangers. As they entered the long, smoky hall, carrying a tall cross, silence fell. The Druid priests were threatened and alarmed when Patrick boldly spoke in their own language, which he had learned while a slave. The chieftain was astonished, and not only granted them religious toleration, but was baptized and donated the land for their first wooden church.
Feeling inadequate due to his lack of education, Patrick used illustrations to preach, the most famous of which was the three-leaf clover, which he used to explain the Trinity.
Wherever he went, Patrick left ministers. He founded 300 churches, baptizing over 120,000 converts. It was said that Patrick found Ireland heathen and left it Christian, resulting in Irish missionaries re-evangelizing Europe in later centuries.
Patrick died on March 17, 461.
William J. Federer
His father, Calpurnius, was a civil magistrate and a deacon, and his grandfather was a minister in the Celtic Christian Church, whose origins date from second-century Roman occupation.
At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped by raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland. For six years he herded pigs on a Slemish farm. Repulsed by the Druid's human sacrifice, magic spells, and superstitions, from which Halloween originated, Patrick committed himself to Christ, as he later wrote: "The Lord opened the understanding of my unbelief, that, late as it was, I might remember my faults and turn to the Lord my God with all my heart; and He had regard to my low estate, and pitied my youth and ignorance, and kept guard over me even before I knew Him."
He was led to escape to the seacoast, where he found a ship to freedom. He lived in a monastery in France for several months. Years later, Patrick had a dream, left his family and prepared for the ministry. In the year 432, Patrick crossed the icy sea to Ireland with twelve brave monks.
They made their way to the home of his old master, but found he died in a battle with a neighboring tribe. Undoubtedly, had Patrick not escaped, he would have been killed as well. They then went to the hall of Chieftain Loigaire, who was feasting with his warriors and Druid priests. A messenger ran in, interrupting the festivities, and announced the arrival of these unarmed strangers. As they entered the long, smoky hall, carrying a tall cross, silence fell. The Druid priests were threatened and alarmed when Patrick boldly spoke in their own language, which he had learned while a slave. The chieftain was astonished, and not only granted them religious toleration, but was baptized and donated the land for their first wooden church.
Feeling inadequate due to his lack of education, Patrick used illustrations to preach, the most famous of which was the three-leaf clover, which he used to explain the Trinity.
Wherever he went, Patrick left ministers. He founded 300 churches, baptizing over 120,000 converts. It was said that Patrick found Ireland heathen and left it Christian, resulting in Irish missionaries re-evangelizing Europe in later centuries.
Patrick died on March 17, 461.
William J. Federer
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