Week 15: A Picture says a Thousand Words

I wish I had the words to capture the essence of what life is really like here at Monticello College. I wish I could paint you a picture! (Done)  We farm and garden yes, But the best part is the time that we get to spend cultivating our minds. By reading and discussing books.

We read the book “One Second After” by: William R. Forstchen. It is a fictional book about a  electromagnetic pulse hitting America, sending everyone's life style back 100 years at least. It really reminded me how important it is to be prepared spiritually, physically and emotionally for hard times. One line in said “we are still Americans.” that got me thinking “what does it mean to be an American?”

Dr. Brooks explained it in 5 principles.

1. Georgics (Having a connection with the land and cultivating it.)
2. Providence (Believing in a higher power and knowing it has a hand in your life.)
3. Liber (High level of literacy, reading, writing, speaking)
4. Public Virtue (Sacrificing personally for the betterment of others.)
5. Freedom (The ability to think and govern for yourself. (Locke: “to dispose and order freely person, actions, possessions....not to be subject to the arbitrary will of another, but freely follow his own.”

This is what it is to be an American! It really made me sit back and think. “Am I really an American?” I invite you to think about that for a minute.

We had Oral exams this week. I passed! Now before you start wondering “Why are they having their mouths examined?” Oral exams are a stand up in front of the room test where a panel of judges ask you questions about what you have learned through the year. Kind of like giving a presentation, but much more intense the panel of judges are looking for how much you know and what you still need to learn. For example: one of the questions I was asked was “What did you learn about 10 Commandments as compared to the Hebrew?” I explained the difference are that there are actually only nine instead of ten, that the Hebrew puts Mother in front of Father in order of honor. (See week 9 for a full explanation.)