The Mack Academy

Mack Family Update: First Semester Completed!

Wendy Mack — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:35:53 -0700

It has been quite a while since I have been able to blog as I have been incredibly busy preparing for and going through my first semester of college. I thought I would share a little bit about what that has been like for me:

My first semester in college has been a dream-come-true! I am a double major in Worship Music Ministries and Liberal Arts and it has been amazing to be able to focus on areas that I really love. I have just finished taking twenty units which has been intense but incredibly worth it. This first semester I mostly took general education classes and a few of the basic classes required for my major and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I have been taking viola and piano lessons and it has been so incredible to be taking lessons rather than just teaching myself. I can see how much my skills have developed since the beginning of the semester: my sight reading has drastically improved as well as my comfort level while performing. This has opened up several opportunities for me both to serve and work in music. I am extremely excited because, as a result of this instruction, I have been hired to perform with an orchestra on Christmas Eve this year!

In addition to studying the viola, piano, and singing in the choir at The Master’s College, I have also had the opportunity to study handbells. I was able to take a handbell directing and arranging course and had the privilege of performing one of the pieces I co-arranged in The Master’s College Christmas concerts this year! I also rang with the advanced handbells, directed the beginning choir, and participated with a quartet I had helped start that was hired to perform at a dinner party earlier this month.

I am so excited about next semester because, in addition to some more gen-ed classes, I get to start taking classes that are more major specific! Three of the classes I am most excited about are Intro to 3D Graphics and Animation (Liberal Arts Degree), Mathematical Systems for Elementary Teachers (Liberal Arts Degree), and Music Leadership and Administration (Music Degree). While I am not pursuing a teaching credential at this time, I am using my Liberal Arts Degree as an entrepreneurial-type degree to give me a broader range of skills that I can use in business. I will, however, be taking a few teaching courses to both meet major requirements and obtain basic teaching skills that I can use in my ministry.

Well, that's the update right now. I will be posting more soon!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Government Regulation: Good or Bad?

Wendy Mack — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:11:59 -0700

In his video, Max Borders shared his concerns about rampant government regulation and its effect on small businesses. Borders mentioned that it is essential to our economic welfare to encourage cottage businesses to grow and prosper and to remove the government regulations that threaten to crush the small business and entrepreneurial spirit.

Borders declared,

"The urge to regulate is nothing new...but the extent of the regulatory state today is unprecedented in history. The problem in all of this is that regulation is like a hidden tax...when taxes go up it becomes more difficult for companies to succeed. Likewise when these hidden taxes - these regulatory costs - go up, it becomes harder and harder for entrepreneurs to thrive. What I would argue is that cottage industries are at the beginning of wealth creation."

I believe that it is necessary to take the middle road in this argument. Yes, government regulation does exist primarily as a hidden tax. The dramatic increase in government spending and in the national debt is destructive to our nation’s economy. Instead of cutting back on its spending and expenses, many politicians are seeking to supplement that spending through new taxes – often in the form of regulations.

This increase in regulations has proven detrimental to our economy. For example, in 1990, due to the increase in taxes and regulations, the Lockheed aircraft company left Burbank, California. This move caused the loss at an estimated 6,000 jobs and nearly destroyed the city’s economy. Even today, many are sending their work overseas – a process even more devastating to the American economy. Are the businesses at fault? – no! – Americans, in their efforts to “protect the small businesses”, have reverted to a method of “taxing the rich to feed the poor”. Business owners have become fed up, and unless something happens soon, Americans will suffer even more at their own hands!

Government regulations have become increasingly outrageous. You must now buy permits for garage sales, lemonade stands, and fruit stands! Building permits are required for even small home modifications such as adding a window or door, for adding water heaters, cutting trees, sidewalk caf� seating, having a flagpole over six feet, or even for making too much noise!

Clearly, government regulation is out of hand, not all government regulation is bad? Americans benefit greatly from many of the health care regulations, and the average American enjoys a standard of living far above that in other countries. In his video, Max Borders complains that the red tape and permits required by the health bureau crushed his cottage business before it could even start. While I am sure that much of the red tape is unnecessary, I am thankful that I can be relatively sure that my food is safe to eat – a luxury that most other countries do not have.

So, is government regulation entirely bad? No. Businesses should be regulated with moderation – for the purpose of protection rather than taxation – but the government should not regulate every aspect of private enterprise.

Originally posted on MackAcademy

The Freedom To Fail

Amy Mack — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:48:05 -0700

Here is an essay I recently wrote for the New Threats To Freedom Foundation in response to Michael Goodwin's video on the Freedom to Fail. Enjoy!

Our goal today is to entirely eradicate failure. We somehow have the idea that if our children fail, they will be bruised for life, unable to cope with the realities of society and unable to make a successful living. But is this really the right response? Is the key to success the eradication of failure?

Michael Goodwin was completely correct in his statement that they key to success was the freedom to fail. While certainly no one likes failure, how can we obtain or enjoy success if we do not know what failure is? Victory can only be sweet when we know what bitter defeat tastes like.

Piet Hein wisely stated:

"The road to wisdom? Well, it's plain and simple to express: err, and err, and err again. but less, and less, and less."

Our Founding Fathers understood this important principle when they wrote our Constitution. They knew that one of the most important freedoms we could ever have is the freedom to fail and they also knew that we would never become a great nation unless we learn from our mistakes.

Perhaps the greatest rising threat recently, has been our school systems. Parents and teachers have taken the mentality that no child should be allowed to fail. Instead of allowing the child to make and learn from their own mistakes, they try to bring everything to such an easy level that no child could possibly struggle - somehow believing that if the child is shielded from failure, he will be a great success.

But, with this dumbing down of tests and the dispensing of good grades, regardless of merit we have now raised a generation of children who do not value hard work or an education. They have become dependent upon society to supply their needs while they have become lazy and idle. Instead of adding value to society, these people have become a burden. Yet, despite the evident outcome, we continue to work to rid ourselves of failure.

Instead of shielding children from failure, we're, instead, preparing them to be failures in life, a burden to society, and a dull, senseless generation without initiative. These people could have no hope to succeed in the workforce and are inadequately prepared to face the hardships of life.

Charles F. Kettering stated it best, however, with this remark:

"Virtually nothing comes out right the first time. Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. The only time you don't want to fail is the last time you try something... One fails forward toward success."

There is no possible way to succeed without learning from past mistakes. Failure defines ourselves of it without ridding ourselves of success, as well.

"Sometimes a noble failure serves the world as faithfully as the distinguished success." Edward Dowden

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Please help me win a scholarship!

Wendy Mack — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:15:05 -0700

I have been working very hard to raise the money that I need to attend The Master's College through scholarships. My goal is to double major in Worship Music Ministries and Liberal Arts.

I recently applied for a $3,000 scholarship through WyzAnt, where I write an essay about who is my most important teacher and receive votes on my essay. I need to make it into the top 10 to be considered for the scholarship. Will you please help me earn this scholarship?

Just go to this site and vote for my essay entitled "Dr. Englin - Bringing the spark back into learning".

Thank you so much!
[Originally posted on the MackAcademy.com web site. (http://www.MackAcademy.com)]

Originally posted on MackAcademy

How to Make a Pop-up Candle for a Birthday Surprise!

Wendy Mack — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:32:23 -0700

In a previous post, I shared a pop-up design I created using a cylinder technique to create a patriotic hat. I had a request to share my templates and instructions, and since I have wanted to post a pop-up card tutorial for some time, this seemed like a great opportunity to try my hand at one. As this is my first attempt, you'll have to be patient with me as a lot of the steps are very difficult to photograph. I'd love to hear any feedback about this tutorial!

Although the request was for instructions to construct Uncle Sam's Hat, I needed to make a birthday card and decided to kill two birds with one stone. I used the exact same template and technique to create my Birthday Candle, and I will include a few notes along the way of how you can modify it to make the patriotic hat.

NOTE: This is my own design and template and is for personal use only. It may not be sold in any way.

What you will need:

Templates template.pdf
Card stock for the base of the card and for the support stand
Decorative paper for the front of the card and candle body. In order to ensure that your candle pops up completely, the paper needs to be thinner than card stock - around the same thickness as regular printer paper but no thinner.
Yellow or gold paper - the thickness does not matter.
Scratch paper
Glue/Tape - Most pop-up card designers prefer to use a wet craft glue because it gives a strong, long lasting hold. I prefer to use a combination of glue sticks and tape because I like how fast the glue sticks dry and the fact that my paper does not have wrinkles after the glue has dried.
Scissors - I use regular scissors to cut out the parts and decorative scissors to dress up the "decorations" I added to my card.
Paper Clips
Razor Blade/Craft Knife - I own and use both, however I really prefer using a craft knife because it gives me a better control of the blade and is a bit safer to use. Mine came from Michael's.
Cutting Board - to protect your table from your blade
Pencils, pens, markers
Ruler
Dental pick - this is optional but is my favorite tool in making pop-up cards. I use it to perforate the paper to make it easier to fold. You can also unbend and use the end of a paper clip as a substitute.
Any other supplies or stickers you would like to use to decorate your card.

Now you're ready to begin!

Step 1: Decorate the outside of the card

It is important to decorate the outside of the card first as once the candle is constructed on the inside, the surface will be a little bumpy and thick and it will be difficult to line up paper, stickers, or any other item that will decorate the front of your card.

You can buy all sorts of decorative paper at any craft store. I decided to create a Disney Cinderella themed birthday card from a packet I got from Michael's. I cut my card stock in half then folded it in half again. I then cut out a rectangle of decorative paper, glued it to the front, trimmed off the edges, and put a Cinderella sticker on the front to complete the effect. I wish the lighting was better so that you could see it, but I really love how the front of this card turned out!

Step 2: Make the support brace

The most important part of the cylinder technique is the support brace. It is critical that the support brace be made out of a thicker paper than the body of the cylinder so that it has enough strength to fully expand the candle. For the best possible effect, the main beam of the support brace must be the same length as the body of the candle. Cut out the template, trace it on card stock, and cut it out. Then, using your dental pick (or paper clip), perforate the beam so that it folds in half, and the tabs so that they fold up. Your brace should look something like this. After you finish folding the beam, glue the two sides of the main beam together, leaving the tabs sticking out.

Step 3: Prepare the body of the candle

Before we begin this step, I need to explain a few things about my template. I created this template when I was first learning how to make pop-up cards. At the time, I didn't realize that there was an easier way to create a pop-up cylinder, and instead I set out to create a template for myself using some of the principles I was learning in geometry as well as lots of trial and error. I have since learned about an easier way to create a pop-up cylinder, however, I still use this template for the majority of my cards because I like how the entire body of the candle is just one piece of paper and I think it looks a little more realistic. However, either method works equally well. If you would like to learn about the other way, here is a great tutorial.

Moving on...

Cut out the template of the candle body, trace it onto the thin decorative paper that you have picked out, and cut it out.

Note: If you are making the patriotic hat, instead of cutting out the template on decorative paper, cut it out on either regular or heavyweight printing paper. It is really important to draw and color your patriotic design first before proceeding on to the next step

Fold the top part (the circular part) of the candle in half. Fold the circular part down into the body of the candle. Fold the support tabs up so that they are facing into the body of the candle. Your candle should look something like this.

Now, here is the really hard part for me to put into a tutorial. You need to create little tabs of the sides on the body of the candle. Unfortunately there is no exact measurement to this, I usually just eyeball this part, however, I tried to draw a line on my template that gives you an approximate measurement of how much I usually fold over. When you're done, it should look like this.

Step 4: Make the candle flame

Take the yellow or gold paper that you selected and fold it in half. Sketch a flame design onto the folded edge of the paper so that the edge of the flame overlaps the folded edge of the card. Make sure that you add a little tab at the bottom of the flame that can be folded up inside the card.
Using your craft knife, make a little slit in the candle top along the fold, a little larger than the tabs at the base of the flame. Insert the flame into the slit and tape the tabs up onto the underside of the candle top. Your candle should now look something like this: (Please note that the side tabs should not yet be glued. I had used a different order when I made my card before realizing that I could save a lot of hassle by reversing a few of my steps)

Step 5: Attach the support brace to the candle body

Again, please disregard the glued side tabs, I am reversing the steps to make it easier to attach. After attaching the candle flame, glue and tape the support brace to the underside of the candle top. Make sure that the seams align as in my picture. It doesn't matter which end of the support beam is glued to the underside of the candle as thy both should be nearly identical.

Step 6: Glue the tabs together.

Glue the tabs on one side of the candle together and to the body of the candle so that you create a seam that lies flat. Use paper clips to hold the card together while the glue dries. Make sure that everything is folded inside of the candle and that it looks like this. Repeat the process on the other side.

Step 7: Attach the candle to the card base

Note: If you are making the patriotic hat, before you attach the cylinder to the card base, trace a circle onto a piece of paper and cut it out. Draw a patriotic design on the paper and then fold it in half. Match the seam of the circle with the seam of the card base and glue the paper down. This will now become the base of Uncle Sam's hat.

Now that you have finished constructing your candle, there is only one step left! Line the bottom of the support brace along the main crease in the card base. Tape and glue it. Then glue (and tape depending on the thickness of the paper you are using for the candle body) the bottom tabs of the candle body to the base of the card. Fold the card shut and rub your hand hard over the back of the card to make sure that all of the tabs are pressed down perfectly flat. Allow the glue to dry for several minutes before attempting to open the card. (If you are using wet glue, allow the card to dry for one to two hours.)

Voila! You have now completed making your very own pop-up birthday candle card. The finished version will look something like this. In hindsight, I think I could make the candle look a little rounder if I shortened the width of the bottom tabs of the candle body. I was also thinking that this design could be a great Fourth of July Firecracker. All you would have to do is replace the flame with a fuse. Play around with it and tell me what you think!

In creating this tutorial, I now have a growing respect for those who both write books about pop-up cards and maintain blog and website tutorials. It takes a great deal of time and energy, not only to design the card but to discover a way to explain it clearly. Because of this, it will be a while before I post another tutorial, however, I thought I would add a teaser about two tutorials I am considering posting next. One is a cylinder and cone technique that Carol, a fellow pop-up card designer, helped me design, and the other is a pop-up "Wendy House" that I designed for my sister Amy's birthday. Here is a preview picture of the house. I think that this would be a great Gingerbread house for a Christmas Card!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Don’t Knock It ’Til You Try It!

Wendy Mack — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:59:54 -0700

Have you ever thought about what you might be missing out on by not trying new things? A few years ago, my mother signed me up for a knitting camp at our community's clubhouse. I wasn't really enthusiastic about this as I thought that knitting was just something that old people do and that I would never like or wear anything that I had made. I was quickly proven wrong and by the end of that camp I was knitting scarves, towels, and dishcloths with whatever yarn I could get my hands on. I was hooked!

The next year, I signed up to take a class at the local yarn shop that had just opened in town. Through this class, I learned how to do the more advanced techniques of knitting and also learned about some of the history and tradition behind this craft. I learned that knitting is not just a craft for the elderly, but that there is a large community of young knitters. I also learned that many men - including a friend of mine - enjoy knitting and don't see it a just a "girl's" thing

Knitting is so relaxing, and it's a great social activity. I've really enjoyed being able to knit during family movies or while waiting for events to start. The most rewarding part, however, is being able to see and wear something that I have created, or be able to give a handmade gift to my friends or family. I have made a variety of things including hats, scarves, sweaters, blankets, vests, placemats, and ornaments.

If you are a knitter or interested in getting started I recommend the two following resources: my favorite on-line knitting community that includes patters both for free and for sale is Ravelry; although I have subscribed to several knitting magazines, my favorite one so far is the Creative Knitting Magazine. With these two resources, you will have all the patterns you need to start knitting!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Ben-Hur Book Review

Amy Mack — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:37:03 -0700

When I say the name Ben-Hur, what do you think of? Probably the thrilling chariot race where young Judah Ben-Hur amazed the world. Or maybe it was the story of Judah's life and his quest for revenge?

For a school assignment, I recently had the opportunity to read Lew Wallace's unabridged book Ben-Hur and I thought I would share a quick review of it. I had been well acquainted with the Charleston Heston movie of this classic story and had assumed that the book would be similar. I was surprised at how different the two really were.

Ben-Hur is actually two different stories wrapped into the same exciting book. The first story being the unjust capture of Judah Ben-Hur, his mother, and sister Tirzah after an accident. Tirzah and their mother were thrown into a cell which was then sealed off from the outside. Judah was doomed to a life of slavery aboard a galley ship. The story follows Judah through his service, rescue, hunt for his family, and his revenge against Rome (not just Massala which the movie shows. Judah and Massala do have a run in and Judah does triumph in the race, but Judah's ultimate revenge is against Rome itself).

The second story is actually not shown in the movie version and is not well known. It is the quest of three men (Judah Ben-Hur, his servant Simonides, and Belthasar - the last of the original wise men) in an attempt to answer a single question: Who is Jesus? Is He the Son of God and the Savior as Belthasar believes? Or will He be the King of the Jews and the conqueror of Rome as Judah and Simonides hope? Their adventures lead them from joining Jesus' followers to the very cross at Calvary until at last they understand the truth.

GOOD POINTS

All throughout the book, Judah relies on God to help him - and God does provide. The reader is constantly encouraged to trust in God and is shown examples of His love and wisdom through the life of Judah Ben-Hur.
Lew Wallace challenges the reader to answer the question: Who do you believe Jesus Christ is? As the three men try to answer that question themselves, they constantly turn to Scripture. The author seems to encourage the reader to look up the truths of the Bible and to answer that question.
Even in all the trials that Judah Ben-Hur faces, he never loses his morals. He also has an upstanding character and is respectful of others.
As with most good books, evil dies and good triumphs. We are reminded that while it might seem that evil wins for a time, in the end, justice catches up to those who do wrong.

BAD POINTS

A main part of the book is Judah's quest for revenge. As Judah schemes and eventually exacts his plans, he does wrong by killing two men, crippling another, attempting to overthrow the government, starting riots and rebelling against those who are in authority over him. He justifies his actions by declaring that it is for a "good cause" or that this "is the will of God" or that it is his "right". Lew Wallace seems to say that revenge is okay if you have a good reason or if someone has done something bad to you. How different from what the Bible says! Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. - Romans 12:19
The story of Ben-Hur ends with the crucifixion of Christ and makes no mention that He was raised from the dead. Even when we see a brief glimpse of Judah five years later as he is working to protect Christians, there is no mention of the risen Savior. That's okay if you know that Jesus did rise from the dead on the third day, but the impression given is that Christ remained dead and that the Christians are just carrying on His work. This can be very misleading and false. As Christians, we know that our Savior did indeed rise from the dead and that we do not have a dead faith. Readers of Ben-Hur need to keep this in mind and to be discerning.

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Emily’s Pirate of the Caribbean Quiz

Wendy Mack — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:13:20 -0700

Recently, we showed Emily Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time. She really enjoyed it and is constantly quoting lines from the movie. She decided to create a Pirates of the Caribbean quiz and have me put it on the blog:

Pirates of the Caribbean Quiz

1. Who was Jack’s murderous first mate?
a. David Barbossa
b. Nathaniel Barbossa
c. Hector Barbossa
d. Mark Barbossa

2. What did young Elizabeth see in the water before seeing Will?
a. a flying fish
b. an umbrella
c. a hat
d. a sea bass

3. What boat – ship - did Jack and Will commandeer?
a. the Dauntless
b. the Interceptor
c. the Black Pearl
d. the Flying Dutchman

4. Who was William Turner’s father?
a. Cannonball Casey
b. Mutinous Matthew
c. Bootstrap Bill
d. Pirate Pete

5. Who had the last pirate medallion?
a. Elizabeth
b. Will
c. Jack Sparrow
d. Jack the Monkey

6. Why did Elizabeth promise to marry Norrington
a. To get his money
b. To earn power
c. To save Will
d. all of the above

7. Who said it? “He’s a pirate”
a. Jack
b. Governor Swann
c. Elizabeth
d. both a. and c.

8. How long did Will practice with his swords each day?
a. four hours.
b. all day
c. couple of minutes
d. three hours

9. What is the name of Jack’s ship?
a. Dauntless
b. Interceptor
c. Flying Dutchman
d. Black Pearl.

OK, Good Job! Now here are the answers!

NO PEEKING Until you have completed the quiz!

1. c. Hector Barbossa. Not many people know Barbossa’s first name!
2. b. an Umbrella. Remember the umbrella/parasol spinning in the water next to the ship?
3. b. the Interceptor. Norrington unknowingly made the Interceptor ready to sail for Jack
4. c. Bootstrap Bill. They crew of the Black Pearl tied a canon to old Bootstrap’s Bootstraps and sent him down to Davy Jones’ locker
5. d. Jack the monkey, He took it at the end of the movie after the credits
6. c. to save Will. She already had power and money! She was the governor’s daughter!
7. c. Elizabeth. When she accepted Will’s proposal.
8. d. 3 hours. He said this when fighting Jack
9. d. The Black Pearl.

Hope You Had fun with this quiz! Be sure to check back soon for More quizzes on other topics!

All pictures are from Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Originally posted on MackAcademy

How to get Wisdom

Wendy Mack — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:00:00 -0700

For a writing assignment, I had to write an extended definition about a topic. I chose to write about Wisdom.

“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” (Proverbs 16:16) Wisdom is something that can be very hard to define because it encompasses a number of different qualities – each working together to strengthen the others. In today’s society, the word “wisdom” is often used interchangeably with the word “knowledge” – but this is a gross misuse of the word! Although knowledge is a small part of wisdom, wisdom is not the collection of facts and figures to be foolishly spouted off to anyone who will be made to listen. A wise person will share his knowledge at appropriate times so as not to humiliate or embarrass, and for the sole purpose of helping others – not to draw attention to himself. This knowledge is used to give him the ability to make good decisions or to be discerning. Francis Bacon said that “A prudent question is one-half of wisdom”. A wise person is always ready to learn from others no matter how young or old for he realizes that he does not always have the right answers.

It has been said that wisdom is advanced common sense. While this is not the best definition of wisdom, it is true that a wise person will use discernment to avoid dangerous or questionable situations. He will always seek to be a peacemaker and will think before he speaks. Before making decisions or drawing conclusions, he will make sure that he has all of the information or facts available. For example, in the story of Chicken Little, Chicken Little had the knowledge that something had fallen out of the sky, but he did not have the wisdom or the discernment to discover what it was before he spread rumors to all of the other animals. When he met the Fox, an enemy who said that he would take Chicken Little and his news to the king, Chicken Little did not have the wisdom or discernment to see that he was getting himself into a dangerous situation.

How can one obtain wisdom? Herb Caen once said, “A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.” This means that wisdom is often obtained through experience learning from one’s mistakes. However, God is the most important source of wisdom. In James 1:5 we are told, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Hip-hip-hip-hippopotamus

Wendy Mack — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:00:00 -0700

I absolutely LOVE working with children and I also love music. So what could be better than combining these two things in one wonderful ministry?

For the past two years now, I have been able to serve as the Music Director for the four and five year old JAM Jellybean Class - a Bible club for the younger children. Every week I prepare fun Bible songs for them to sing and then lead them in "song time" for twenty minutes. We sing anything from the Hippopotamus song, to the B-I-B-L-E and enjoy singing about God's love for us.

This ministry has not only given me a chance to do two things I love, but it has also stretched me and taught me new things. Through leading music, I have had to improve my accompanying skills (as I play the piano and sing at the same time) and helped me feel comfortable singing and playing in front of people.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of working with the little JAM Jellybeans is hearing them sing "Jesus Loves Me." Every week we end with this song and it is so wonderful to see them loudly (and perhaps a little off key) sing that Jesus loves them! I hope that the messages in these songs will stay with these little ones for the rest of their lives and I am so excited to see them learn more about God and His love for them!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Wendy Mack — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:00:00 -0700

For school, I had to write a critical book review of Charles Dickens' classic A Tale of Two Cities. I thought that I would share that review on the blog.

ATTENTION: Review contains a spoiler

It is easy to understand why Charles Dickens is listed among the great authors when one reads his classic A Tale of Two Cities. This exciting novel is the story of a family during the French Revolution and their struggles to survive. Dickens quickly captures and maintains the reader’s attention throughout the entire book, then masterfully shapes his emotions so that he experiences the same curiosity, nervousness, horror, and awe as the main characters.

Dickens begins his novel with a puzzling enigma to catch the reader’s attention. This opening statement has become one of the most famous lines in literature: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” How can it be the best of times and the worst of times? And what times? These questions puzzle the reader as he next reads about a man who was buried for almost eighteen years then “recalled to life”, about the curious actions of his caretakers, the Defarges, and about the love of a daughter who, having never met her father before, willingly takes him in and cares for him. In just a few short pages, the author has peaked the reader’s curiosity and is ready to help him experience the unrest of the age.

The time leading up to and during the French Revolution was period of tremendous unrest. This unrest in England is demonstrated through the bloodthirsty trial of Charles Darnay who was accused of being a spy for the French. The reader sees that the bloodthirsty crowd – and many in the jury – would much rather see a gruesome death for this young Frenchman then see an innocent man acquitted of his accusations. Darnay is defended by Sydney Carton who uses the fact that the two of them look remarkably similar to prove that the witnesses could have been mistaken in their identification of Darnay as the spy. Lucie Manette, who later becomes Lucie Darnay, frequently hears echoes in the house where she and her father live, and often imagines these echoes to be the tramping and marching of thousands of feet of some kind of evil marching slowly into their lives. In France, we learn of the cruelty and selfishness of the upper class and of the desperation of the lower class. The people are starved and told to eat grass if they are hungry and later, when the coach of a French aristocrat runs over and kills a little girl, he does not appear to be sorry for his actions (only telling the coach to drive faster) and instead tosses a small amount of money to the father – as if a bit of gold could pay for the dead child!

Tensions reach a peak and finally the flame of revolution is ignited when the Bastille is stormed – two leaders of which were Monsieur and Madame Defarge. Lucie’s imaginations come true as Charles is forced to travel to France to rescue an old family servant and is instead captured by the revolutionaries and held prisoner because he had been related to French aristocracy – although he had previously renounced his title and had lived as a commoner in England. Historical records of the age describe the incredible carnage that took place during the French Revolution, but this bloodshed is so much more horrifying when seen in light of the indifference of the people. Dickens shows us how La Guillotine was a national symbol, and it was as common to go to the executions as it was to go to the theater. It seemed like the people could never get enough blood and they found every reason to gain more heads for La Guillotine – even to the point where they were keeping score as to how many people they could execute in a day!

It appears all hope is lost when Darnay is sentenced to the guillotine for the crimes of his father and uncle and Sydney Carton uncovers a plot by Madame Defarge to kill, not only Darnay, but also his wife and daughter. Lucie and her family is rushed to safety and a family friend, Miss Pross, stays behind to detain Madame Defarge and risks her life so that Lucie might get away. It still seems hopeless for Darnay until the reader learns that Carton drugs Darnay and secretly arranges for him to be taken to his family, then switches places with him. Carter had decided to die so that Darnay might live portraying the Biblical principle, “Greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for a friend.” . On his way to the guillotine, the verse that comforted Carton and gave him the strength to continue was John 11:25-26, “I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

The compilation of a great author, puzzling enigma, vivid portrayals of the unrest and horror of the times, and the Biblical principles of love and sacrifice have earned Dickens’s novel its well-deserved title of “classic”. It is a wonderful and thought-provoking story that will continue to be read throughout the years to come.

Originally posted on MackAcademy

From Competing to Judging

Wendy Mack — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:11:25 -0700

For nearly six years, I've had the wonderful opportunity to be on a robotics team and compete in the First Lego League Robotics Competition. Our team, the Lego Mountaineers, was a home school team and competed in many different tournaments in California. Through the program, we learned and developed skills in writing, research, teamwork, engineering, programming, mechanical design, and presentation.

When we became too old to compete, Wendy, Mom, and I agreed to volunteer judge one of the local competitions. For the past four years, we have thoroughly enjoyed helping run these tournaments and seeing a side of the competitions we had never seen before and we have loved judging the different aspects of the competitions: research presentation, robot design, robot performance, and teamwork.

While I have now judged all of the different aspects of the competitions, my favorite part is refereeing the robot performance. I love watching the brilliant ways the teams solve a challenge and encouraging them in their work. I also enjoy seeing the missions first-hand and watching the team members - who are under a lot of pressure - overcome sudden mechanical problems and difficulties.

First Lego League has been a wonderful part of my life since I was nine and has taught me many valuable skills and lessons. I am so glad I can continue to and help in the program and see other kids benefit from the same experiences I enjoyed!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

2010 Christmas Card: Carol of the Bells

Eric Mack — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:05:25 -0700

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Ringing in the Christmas season

Amy Mack — Wed, 1 Dec 2010 19:14:37 -0700

This Christmas was full of music for Wendy and I as we performed with seven different groups over the holiday season. All but one of the groups were in handbells - the most handbells groups we have ever been in at one time.

Through The Master's College handbell groups, we had the privilege of playing in the annual Come Christmas Sing concerts - a week long concert series put on by the college and featuring a wide variety of music and instruments. We were also able to expand our musical abilities under the direction of Professor Claire Blackwell and enjoyed playing songs such as, "Angels We Have Heard on High", "The First Noel", "Joy to the World", and even a funky version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".

Through the Grace Baptist Master's Hands handbell ensemble, we were able to perform in our church's Candlelight Christmas Concerts. Under the direction of Cory Evans, we had the opportunity to perform a fun arrangement of "We Three Kings" as well as provide the prelude music.

Wendy and I also had the opportunity to join our church's orchestra for the first time this year as the only two violists. We have loved being a part of this special family and expanding our skills in music. In the past four months, we have learned so much from the orchestra and thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Christmas concerts. We're looking forward to continuing on in this special group and to our next main performance - the Passion Play.

Originally posted on MackAcademy

What Child is This?

Wendy Mack — Wed, 1 Dec 2010 17:36:34 -0700

This past semester, our handbell trio The Fellowship of the Ring had the opportunity to perform in the prelude of The Master's College annual Come Christmas Sing Christmas Concerts. We performed Wendy's and my arrangement of "What Child is This".

This particular song really stretched the three of us as we had to come up with creative ways to cover as many bells as possible while still making the piece look easy and sound good to the audience. The song included everything from the very lowest bells (weighing nearly sixteen pounds apiece!) to some of the highest and each of us covered over an octave of bells.

Through this semester we have been able to expand our repertoire as well as enjoy practicing challenging pieces together. This next semester we are looking forward to playing a Lord of the Rings medley (since our group is named after it) and to pulling off another fun song!

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Twelfth Annual Master’s College Bellfest

Amy Mack — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:42:57 -0700

This month, my sisters and I participated in the 12th annual Master's College Bellfest, a fun listening and learning opportunity for handbell ringers and lovers. We had over ten choirs and small ensembles from all over southern California share their works, including a special mini-concert by renowned solo ringer Christine Anderson. While there, each choir was able to sight read through a new piece while learning many new and fun techniques as well as participate in a mass ring of Joel Raney's arrangement of "We Three Kings".

We'd like to thank Claire Blackwell for coordinating the event and Christine Anderson for directing and teaching us. We all learned a lot and really appreciated all the hard work that was put into this.

Below is a list of the choirs performing and the songs that they played. Click on each link to view a video of the song. Enjoy!

Joy to the World
arr. Calcote
The Jubilant Four

Theme by Haydn
arr. Martha Lynn Thompson

The First Nowell
arr. Duane Plash
Jubilation
(The Master's College)
Claire Blackwell, director

O Holy Night
arr. Kevin McChesney
The Mack Sisters

This Little Light of Mine
arr. Allan Petker
The Glory Ringers
(Woodland Hills Christian Church)
Linda Short, Director

Andantino
arr. Morgan Ruthardt
The Fellowship of the Ring

Jazz Fanfare and Alleluia
arr. Margaret Tucker
Synchronicity Handbell Ensemble
Dan Doggett, Director

He Has Made Me Glad
arr. Linda Lamb

Take it to the Lord
arr. Sandra Eithun
The Master's Hands
(Grace Baptist Church)
Cori Evans, Director

In Christ Alone
Getty/Townend, arr. Patricia Cota
Grace Chapel Ringers
(Grace Chapel)
Joel Custodio, Director

Toccata Allegro
arr. Mallory Ferraro, Julie Turner, Jefferey Hall
Harmonic Bronze
(Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District)
Larry Roland, Director

Come Thou Fount
arr. Justin Schuoler
Justin Schuoler, Director

There is Power in the Blood
arr. Larry Sue
Master's Handbell Ensemble
(The Master's College)
Claire Blackwell, Director.

We Three Kings
John H. Hopkins arr. Joel Raney
All Handbell Choirs
Christine Anderson, Director
Lyle Michaud, Synthesizer
Justin Schuoler, Timpani and Percussion
Lindsay Christoph, Percussion

Originally posted on MackAcademy

Andantino - The Fellowship of the Ring

Eric Mack — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:02:05 -0700

Originally posted on MackAcademy

We Three Kings (Mass ring at Bellfest 2010)

Eric Mack — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:59:16 -0700

Originally posted on MackAcademy

The Jubilant Four

Eric Mack — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:24:42 -0700

Originally posted on MackAcademy

O Holy Night... Our Handbell Debut at Bellfest 2010

Eric Mack — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:33:03 -0700

Originally posted on MackAcademy