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Another
864 Hours Wasted
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Barrington H. Brennen
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Family Ministries and Counseling Services
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Since school closed in the middle of June, about 864 hours have passed.
How wisely have your children used their 864 hours? Out of the 864 hours
(36 days) your children should have slept at least 360 hours. That's about
ten hours a day. "You've got to be kidding," I can hear you saying right
now. Most children during this first half of the summer vacation would have
only slept about 180 hours (five hours a day) and have watched a minimum of
300 hours of television. That's at least eight hours of television each
day. If your child was in school during that same period, that child would
have spent 300 hours in the classroom. While in the classroom, the child is
learning, growing, and developing social and academic skills useful for a
lifetime. During the first six weeks of summer vacation, 300 hours of
television watching does not provide the same developmental opportunity. In
fact, it would have been more destructive intellectually and emotionally.
During the past 846 hours, your children would have pushed out of the brain
at least 40% of what they have put into it during the school year. This is
according to a research done at Johns Hopkins University. Many teachers
admit that for the first few weeks in school, they spend lots of time
reviewing the material they taught before the school year ended. It is
often wasted time. Unless the long vacations are better organized to
provide mental growth, teachers will continue to waste time
teaching and re-teaching.
Sadly, some children would have spent only 1.8 hours reading the Bible
during the same time period (864 hours). With 300 hours of television
viewing and 1.8 hours of Bible reading, which one is more influential in
their lives? There is a possibility that the majority of Children would
have not yet opened the Bible to read voluntarily during the summer. But
like a trained robot, their hands would have turned on and off the
television set at least 100 times.
STRUCTURE How can you help your children retain during the summer
vacation more of what they have learned during the school year? There are
about 43 more days before school re-opens. That's another 1032 more hours
to provide organized activities that can enhance your children both
intellectually and emotionally. I recommend that your children watch no
more than 150 hours of television between now and the day school opens for
the new school year. They should sleep at least 430 hours (10 hours a day)
and not 215 (five hours a day), what many children would normally do. Here
are more recommendations for the remaining part of the summer vacation:
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Make sure your
children read at least two hours for every hour they spend watching
television.
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Have your own
"Summer Reading Project." Let your children choose a new book to
read and provide a short summary of the book at the end of the
summer.
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Between now and
September 1, have at least 144 hours of television black-out time.
That's at least one entire day out of every week without the
television.
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Organize local
cultural tours of Nassau or The Bahamas. Plan to spend about 15 to
30 hours during the remaining weeks visiting historical sites,
government ministries, art and cultural museums, for example.
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Find fun toys,
games, activities for children to do on the outdoor every day.
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Make sure, as
parents, you spend at least one to two hours each day playing,
reading, or working with your children.
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If the children
are old enough, make sure they have at least five hours a day of
work on a job or at home.
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One hour each
week for the rest of the summer, let your children review something
they have learned during the school year.
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Three weeks
before school begins, make sure your children spend about 20 to 30
minutes every other day reading, planning, and studying from books
for the new school year.
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Enroll your
children in a supplemental education program.
OTHER CREATIVE THINGS TO DO Here are a few more creative activities to
make the summer months fun and educational. Let your children learn the
local and scientific names of ten trees and ten birds in your neighborhood.
Help your children create a scrapbook of their summer activities (photos,
newspaper clippings, etc.). Let your children write a new story, adding a
new paragraph each day. Let them read the story to family members during
an end-of-summer party. Go on a one-day trail walk and let them report on
every new thing they have observed-birds, plants, rocks, insects, trees,
etc.
THE MISTAKE
Parents make a big mistake each year by not providing structure during the
summer months. They drop all guards and standards, thinking it is best for
their children. This is detrimental to children's welfare. Although the
structure can be different during the summer months, the principles are to
remain. That is, children should obtain sufficient rest, nutrition, social
and intellectual stimulation. No one is exempted. Pastor Barrington
Brennen
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Del Anthony
Gordon, speaker at the Health Crusade |
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Health Crusade Continues Tomorrow
The Health Ministries Department will continue its Health Crusade tomorrow,
Sunday, July 27, until August 2, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. at the New Providence
Church. All are especially invited to attend, pray, and bring a friend to
learn how you can live a fuller, richer and better quality way of life.
Dr. Idamae Hanna, Director Health Ministries Department
Colporteur Symposium
You are invited to attend a big Colporteur Symposium today, July 26, 2008,
at 6:00 p.m. at the Grant’s Town Church, Wellington Street. Come and hear
our college and academy students share their experiences. Plan to be there!
The Colporteur
Ministry: A Matter of Souls Culture
At 6 p.m. this afternoon, we will meet at the Grant's Town Church,
Wellington Street, to show our support for the students who are engaged in
the Colporteur Ministry this summer. It is true that they are engaged in a
work that God ordained as a soul-winning ministry. While our students
receive financial benefits from the sale of the truth-filled books and
magazines, the main objective of the colporteur is soul-winning. So those
who are involved in this ministry are part of the "souls culture" that is
being cultivated throughout the Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists.
Notice this statement by Ellen White taken from Colporteur Ministry, page
6: "The canvassing work, properly conducted, is missionary work of the
highest order, and it is as good and successful a method as can be
employed for placing before the people the important truths for this time.
The importance of the work of the ministry is unmistakable; but many who
are hungry for the bread of life have not the privilege of hearing the word
from God's delegated preachers.
For this reason it is essential that our publications be widely
circulated. Thus they will go where the living preacher cannot go, and the
attention of many will be called to the important events connected with the
closing scenes of this world's history." Another statement that pointedly
highlights the importance of the work that colporteurs do and ties it to
soul-winning is the following: "If there is one work more important
than another, it is that of getting our publications before the public,
thus leading them to search the Scriptures, Missionary work - introducing
our publications into families, conversing, and praying with and for
them - is a good work and one which educate men and women to do
pastoral labor." (Colporteur Ministry, p. 7).
It is clear that those who are engaged in the Publishing Ministry are
involved in a work that is designed to make Christ known and to change the
lives of men and women. More persons are needed to do this work. Come to the
Symposium this afternoon and learn more about the ministry that God would
have us do at this time. Dr. John Carey,
Director
Eagle Music Ministry Network Core Choir to Meet
All members of the EMMN core choir are asked to meet
on Saturday night, August 2, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. at the New Englerston Church,
East Street. Important matters will be discussed and choir to rehearse.
Dues can be paid at this time.-A. Rolle
Lay
Preachers Pulpit Exchange
Conference-wide Lay Pulpit Exchange to be held on Sabbath, August 2, 2008
Men Getting Real One Day Retreat
The Adventist Men's Ministries, a service of the Family Ministries
Department, will be having a "Men Getting Real" one day retreat on Sunday,
August 24, 2008, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.
Men, plan your day to be involved.
Summer Kids
Go online now at www.bahamasconference.org/summerkids. It is an excellent
site for the Sabbath hours and during the entire week. Children who love to
write poetry and stories are encouraged to submit them to be published on
the site.
Abuse Prevention Sabbath. Sabbath, August 23, 2008, will be Abuse Prevention
Sabbath in the Adventist Church around the world. The theme for the Sabbath
morning service is "Abuse of Power." The day is sponsored by Family
Ministries and Women's Ministries. All churches are encouraged to
participate. . -Family Ministries, Barrington Brennen
Adventist National Chorale Practice on Sundays Continues for the Messiah
Production.
All
bases and tenors for all the choirs are to meet at Hillview Church at 5
p.m. every Sunday. All sopranos and altos are to meet at Living Faith
Church at 5 p.m. every Sunday.
Bahamas Academy Notice
A Spanish, Physical
Education and two substitute teachers are needed at the Bahamas Academy
Elementary for September 2008.
The
secondary division of the academy is in need of a General Science/Health
Science and a Physical Education Teacher. Persons interested may call
394-0094, 393-8898 or 393-3381 -Principal
Brothers Love Gospel Band
Brother's Love Gospel
Band invite you to another of its fantastic fun-filled family outings,
aboard Tiki Island Ferry, August 16th at 7:30pm. GOD'S PEOPLE JUST WANT TO
HAVE FUN! Call 364-0774 for Randy Forbes of the Bethany church for more
information.
Prayer Breakfast
The annual Prayer
Breakfast and Workshop of the Adventist Educators Association will be held
Sunday, September 7, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Living Faith Church
Hall. All teachers and school administrators are invited to attend.
Youth Announcements
Softball Jamboree will
begin August 3, 2008. All Adventist churches are invited to send a team.
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Conference Sports Day August Monday at Q E Sports Centre
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All Youth Directors and church coaches for all sports are asked to
contact Bobby Romer at 361-0692 or 433-9242, or 636-9509, or
romer42@msn.com -Pastor
Andrew E. Burrows, Youth Director
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A group of 91 persons headed by Pastor Andrew Burrows, Youth Director of
our Conference traveled on Sunday, July 20, 2008 to Jamaica to attend
the West Indies Union Camporee. The contingent will return tomorrow,
Monday, July 28 at 6:00 p.m.. Your prayers are solicited for continued
safe keeping.
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Special Thanks to all persons who supported the Admiral’s Craft Boat
Building Camp. It was a successful camp. We look forward to your
continued participation next year. -J. Admiral Forbes, Founder
Special Thanks to all persons who supported and participated in the
Eagle Ministry Music Network 3rd Annual Workshop/Conference. Again, we thank
God for a successful, sacred and intellectually stimulating time of
spiritual growth in the mind and ministry of music. Plan now to be a part
of workshop 2009. -Public Relations
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Claval Hunter |
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Celebration
of Praise Gospel Concert
August 3, 2008, at 8:00
p.m. at the Philadelphia Church in Elizabeth Estates, Claval Hunter will be
hosting his third annual gospel fundraiser concert in support of his
education. Currently he is completing his last year in the Masters of
Divinity program at Andrews University Theological Seminary in Berren
Springs, MI., and is in need of some financial assistance. Special guests
will be our very own Bahamian artist Tamika Smith, Brothers Love, Hillview
Youth Choir, Prophetic Voices, and much more. Admission is free. A love
offering will be collected. So come and let us celebrate the name of our
Lord together.
The Hour of Gospel Music at the Mary Ingraham
Home continues weekly on Sabbaths from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Today, the Bethany
Church is expected. Next Sabbath, the Bethell Church is scheduled.
Upcoming Events
August 30, 2008 Bahamas Conference Workers’ Meeting
Nov.
28 - 30 -Spirit of Prophecy Weekend
Dec.
13 Masterguide Investiture
Adventist Lawyers to Meet
A
meeting for all Seventh-day Adventist Lawyers will be held on Thursday, July
31 at 6:00 p.m. at the Conference Office.
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Sun
Sets Today at 7:58 p.m.
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Sun
Sets next Sabbath at 7:54 p.m.
