Hal Young's Blog, page 64

Boys and Music

The always thought-provoking Douglas Wilson (author of Future Men) has an interesting post on getting boys engaged with music, particularly to worship God but in other aspects as well. His first point?

1. It is more important that your boys grow up masculine than that they grow up musical. You don't necessarily have to choose, but if you have to choose, you should know which way to go, and should go that way without hesitation.

I doubt anyone loves music in worship better than Doug Wilson, but ...

Good Eats

Someone on ChowHound asked for the 50 things you ought to eat in North Carolina and I couldn't resist. Thought you might enjoy it. I'd love to hear your area's not-t0-be-missed foods, too!!

We've traveled all over the world and eaten some awesome food, but North Carolina still can't be beat. Here's my list of must-tries in the Old North State:

Chicken Pastry (Your best bet for this is your grandmother's house or a church potluck, but for years Strickland Dail Dining and Catering in Snow...

News You Knew:Boys Eat A Lot

Another scientific study to prove what you already knew:  As the lead researcher observed,

"They really can eat."

Reuters reports on a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found boys 8-10, offered a buffet lunch, ate 44% more than girls at the same stage of development.  While girls' appetites caught up as they entered puberty, the boys ended up eating nearly 2000 calories at lunch as they hit their growth spurt around 14 to 17.

So see, it's not just yours.

Playing In The Dirt May Make You Smarter

From The American Society for Microbiology:

Exposure to specific bacteria in the environment, already believed to have antidepressant qualities, could increase learning behavior according to research presented today at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in San Diego.

"Mycobacterium vaccae is a natural soil bacterium which people likely ingest or breath in when they spend time in nature," says Dorothy Matthews of The Sage Colleges in Troy, New York, who conducted...

The Podcast: George Rogers Clark and the Conquest of the Northwest

This week's episode from Hero Tales is the remarkable story of how George Rogers Clark and a few dozen backwoodsmen captured the Northwest Territory from the British during the Revolutionary War.  Theodore Roosevelt relates how Clark led his men through the icy floodwaters of the Wabash River to surprise the British outpost of Vincennes, among other outstanding acts of courage, persistence, and self-sacrifice.  Without this campaign, the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and...

God Answers Prayer!

Ever doubt that God answers prayer? Come talk to us, because we've seen Him answer so many prayers, it is unbelievable.

We were hoping and praying that Hal's immune system would recover enough for him to get his chemo yesterday. His neutrophil (infection fighting cell) count was 700 last week, while normal is more than 2000, really more than 2500. We were hoping for at least 1300, so it would be clear it would be safe for him to receive the chemo.

Imagine our shock and surprise, when his...

The Podcast: George Washington

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One of my favorite Founders is George Washington. There's a whole mythology that sprung up around him, sure, but the reality is just as fascinating and more edifying. Two excellent biographies I've enjoyed are Joseph P. Ellis' His Excellency, George Washington and Richard Brookhiser's Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington.  He really was a man of strong personal character, overcoming defeat, discouragement, anger and temptation, and becoming the absolutely indispensible man of the ...

Need Prayer for Hal

Hello dear friends,

Hal went to get his chemo today and they had to postpone it because his blood counts were dangerously low. His neutrophil count (the cells that fight infection)was 700 (normal is 2000; 500 is time to be hospitalized). He is at serious and dangerous risk of infection. He already has a bad cold, too. Please pray that his body would recover and that the Lord would protect him from infection in the meantime.

Please especially pray during the next few days. We are speaking at a c...

The Podcast: Kings Mountain

The Battle of Kings Mountain by F.C. Yohn

This week's edition of the podcast is another reading from Hero Tales From American History.   In 1780 America's war for independence was going badly.  Georgia and South Carolina had fallen back into British hands, and after defeating General Gates at Camden, Lord Cornwallis proceeded into North Carolina, breathing threats against the homes and families of the patriots who opposed him.   This chapter describes the trek of "the Overmountain Men" who...

The Critical Importance of Failure

Ugh. I hate it. It's awful when our children fail and I hate it. I want to spare them the pain, the shame, the discouragement. I want to protect them and keep them safe. Always. Why not?

Because it's a fallen world and they're not perfect and they will fail. How much better to fall down when you have your parents around you to pick you up? When the failures are fixable? When it's $50 or $100 and not thousands?

Risk-taking is an important part of manhood. Ambition, courage, and entrepreneurship ...