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Changing the World: December 12 – Buying ‘Good Gifts’


This is a terrific idea – buying ‘Good Gifts.’ The idea behind this suggestion is simply to buy a gift for someone in a needy country via a website and then let someone know you have bought a gift on their behalf. Don’t quite get it? Nevermind – just check out the web site for more information. What a great idea.

www.goodgifts.org

 

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 11 – Share Books with BookCrossing


Now this is an idea I really like, but I won’t spend too much time describing what it is all about and how it is done. I’ll simply say that I’m signing up and looking forward to getting involved with this whole BookCrossing idea.

Check out BookCrossing at:

www.bookcrossing.com

 

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 10 – Human Rights


Today is ‘World Human Rights Day,’ so the suggestion for today is human rights awareness. Become familiar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at:

www.un.org/rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 9 – Time Capsule


Today’s suggestion is a very interesting one and is all about preserving memories of our current culture by burying a time capsule. The time capsule is of course buried and dug up at some point in the future by another generation (or more) into the future.

What a great idea and I would suggest a good one for a family to do. Perhaps it could be an extension of a family history project.

For more information visit:

http://www.naa.gov.au/services/family-historians/looking-after/time-capsules.aspx 

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 8 – Helping the Homeless


Today’s suggestion is to assist the homeless by eating out. Sounds strange – but it can be done. Follow the link below for more information – it is a good cause:

www.streetsmartaustralia.org

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 7 – Light Messages


Today’s suggestion is a rather simple one – to simply put up a small ‘light sign’ to get a message across and raise awareness of an issue. The issue could be ‘peace’ of ‘save trees.’

The message is communicated by making the word/s using a string of lights (fairy lights, etc) and hanging them outside of the house.

This idea is not one I’ll be following up – I’ll do my bit for the environment and not do this one. However, spreading a message via a string of lights can be done – or it could be done by a piece of chalk as with the word ‘eternity,’ by Arthur Stace in Sydney.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/stace.htm 

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 6 – Tree Dressing


Today’s suggestion is about honouring a tree/s. This one is a little too much like tree worship for my liking, though the idea of preserving trees and planting more – greening the world – is an idea I greatly support.

The actual idea is about dressing up a tree with various decorations and the like in order to honour a tree.

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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‘Calvin for Armchair Theologians,’ by Christopher Elwood


I have now read this book and have found my earlier thoughts sadly confirmed. My first comments on this book on this Blog at:

https://atthebookshelf.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/calvin-for-armchair-theologians-by-christopher-elwood/

So I not only agree with my earlier thoughts on the book, but have even more to say about it. The illustrations (cartoons) I found to be completely inappropriate and the attempts by the author to justify them as irrelevant. There is just no place for the comical depictions of God given in the book.

The treatment of Calvin’s life is disappointing, with not enough detail given to it and some of the important events/incidents in his life are not treated or merely glossed over. It would have been better to have settled on the summary of the Institutes or do a full biography of John Calvin.

I also found the conclusions toward the end of the book disappointing and would suspect Calvin to be turning in the grave as a result of them.

The summary of the Institutes was probably not too bad, but I would have been better served to have read the Institutes rather than this book.

In summary – a very disappointing book that I would not recommend to anyone else to read.

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Changing the World: Pledge Bank


Today’s suggestion is about working with others to change the world. This can be done by making a pledge online at the pledge bank. This is a great suggestion and for more information visit:

www.pledgebank.com

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

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Changing the World: December 4 – Civil Rights Awareness and Action


The suggestion for today is about raising awareness of civil rights and actively seeking to do something about the rights of people that maybe being abused. Again, this is a very worthwhile cause and is something I would seek to do at every opportunity.

For more information visit:

www.thekingcenter.org

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton