TECH-vangelist

Family Advent Challenge

ginafelter@gmail.com — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:41:50 PST

The season of Advent brings many things such as cold winter weather, shopping, large receipts, and most importantly the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. What are you doing to prepare for the latter? For many, especially in these hard economic times, Christmas can be a very difficult time with much added stress. This year we are challenging you to make it a little less stressful for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by offering prayers and serving their needs. Odds are that we know someone first hand that has lost their job in recent months or we ourselves may be experiencing this loss. Unemployment is difficult on its own combine this with the added stress of Christmas gift exchanges and we have a recipe for devastation! Rather than giving into the stress of the situation, I would like to see each of us be MUCH more giving with our time. Give the gift of time to your children, volunteer in your children's classrooms, volunteer at your Church food drive, volunteer at your local homeless shelter. Let us all pray unceasingly for each other that we not give into the stress of the season but rather celebrate the reason for the season!
Let's see what creative ways you can come up to help others and add to this time of preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reduce, Refocus, Replenish!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:19:20 PDT

When our vocation becomes the burden that thwarts our faithful efforts we must reduce, refocus and replenish! When Mass becomes a chore rather than a celebration, it is time to reduce, refocus and replenish! Reduce obligations. Refocus priorities. Replenish your spirit. Start by attending Mass!
Feeling emotionally and physically drained we must put forth every ounce of strength to attend Mass not giving in to our fatigue. The celebration of the Mass is our greatest source of nourishment to replenish our weary soul. Mass provides us with an opportunity to be in the presence of our Lord. Mass provides us with stillness. Though our minds might be racing, our bodies are still. Can you remember a time when you were just you? Not serving, not coordinating, not controlling, but just being? When all we have left to give is mediocrity, it is time to reduce, refocus and replenish! Mass is exactly where we need to be. Unable to contribute joyfully to the celebration, we can internalize the joyous celebration savoring every word, gesture and iconic image present. Assimilate God’s graces and wisdom as He speaks to our heart throughout the celebration. Through the grace of prayer, our minds will slow down to match the pace of our bodies. Pray for the courage to say “No” when our best is no longer in us to give. If we truly want to serve the church, we must allow ourselves the golden opportunity to be served by the Lord our God.
How are you serving God? How are you allowing God to serve you?

Something New Every Day

ginafelter@gmail.com — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:20:50 PDT

There are so many wonderful free tech tools these days. It is overwhelming at first to look at my list of fabulous resources. When asked what my favorite tool is, I guess my answer would depend on what I have used recently and what I have just discovered and is fresh on my mind.

I am blessed in my district to have computers in every classroom (5) as well as access to mobile carts with 25 on each cart. We have plenty of software on our laptops (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Comic Life, Pixie, Kidspiration, Google Earth, Activ Inspire, Garage Band, Audacity, just to name a few.) There are many web 2.0 sites that are blocked by our district filter like Wall Wisher, You Tube, and most blogs so when I find a web based application that I like and can use I get very excited.

Lately, my new favorite tool is ZimmerTwins for making movies. I made a school log in started experimenting with just a few students. They caught on so quickly and had creative ideas in less than a moment. I have even used this site whole group with exceptional education students who did equally well with making a movie. I like that there are characters with talking bubbles, actions, title/end pages etc. in the four different tabs at the top.

The second tool that has caught on with the students has been Wordle, and Tagxedo. Both are word cloud sites, but Tagxedo lets you save your work as a .jpg file, and Wordle does not. We have used these for vocabulary review, copied and pasted expository writing to find overused words, and just simply for fun.
I don’t want to overwhelm my teachers or students with new things constantly since they seem to be already frustrated with technology in many cases. I try to keep it simple, and give people what they ask for so that I don’t add to their feeling that they are always “behind”.
If teachers need to start small and not get overwhelmed, I highly recommend both of these on line tools.

by: Suzanne Whitlow

ITRT Henrico County Schools

http://etechplace.org/whitlow

What's your Tech style: Savvy or Junkie?

ginafelter@gmail.com — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:51:46 PDT

Are you tech savvy or a tech junkie? A tech junkie is uninformed and careless with their online persona and connections. Tech junkies have no regard for their online safety and the safety of others. On the other hand, one who is tech savvy utilizes technology with respect to themselves by protecting their information and taking precautionary measures to being safe while making connections. The road to being tech savvy starts here, whether you are new to technology or a tech junkie, we will get you there.
Technology has provided the world with an opportunity to connect with people at the speed of instant in a variety of ways on a variety of different levels. From social networking sites, to live video streaming to texting and video chatting, our world is more connected than it has ever been. There is tremendous responsibility that comes with this connectedness. Personal security of information is at the forefront and demands our attention. It is imperative that all tech users become familiar with safety features available on their tech devices of choice. Parents and teachers are partners in educating students both about how to manage privacy settings and internet safety.

Safety While Networking: Simple measures of protection are available on popular social networking sites allowing users to manage how much information is available for others to view. These settings can be found under the account information tab. Savvy Tip: Talk to family and friends about not posting specific details of meeting locations and times on publicly shared message boards. Facebook notes are not private. Opt for email or a phone conversation to set up the details of gatherings.

Safety While Texting: Cell phone companies do have a number of security features for families including usage allowance, time restrictions, and the ability to block certain numbers. This is a great tool for parents with concerns about excessive texting. Concerning cell phones with an internet connection, parents need to be aware that there are no securities limiting access to websites. Also, mobile versions of popular networking sites have the option to include location data with postings by utilizing the GPS feature of your mobile device. Savvy Tip: Demonstrate proper etiquette when texting by being respectful of friends and family members rules concerning texting. Always ask if it is okay to text someone before doing so.

Safety While Surfing: There are a number of web protection programs available to keep the whole family safe while they surf. One such program that is free to download is PureSight™. PureSight™ has various features allowing parents to monitor what sites their child is visiting, how much time they are spending on the computer and track instant messaging conversations just to name a few. Savvy Tip: Remember when engaging in online conversations to uphold a respectable persona. Online conversations are not private conversations.

It is imperative that all tech users become familiar with safety features available on their tech devices of choice. Parents and teachers are partners in educating students both about how to manage privacy settings and internet safety. I challenge every lover and user of technology to look into their own connections and see where they may need to employ or modify privacy settings and safety features. Be informed. Be responsible. Be tech savvy!

A Holy Couple Reunited in Heaven

ginafelter@gmail.com — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:42:34 PDT

Mr. Pietro Molla, husband of St. Gianna Beretta Molla died this Holy Saturday morning. I was introduced to St. Gianna while on retreat. Her book titled "Love letters to my husband" challenged me to mature in my own ideas of love. It was then that I made her my patron saint and live by her example of a loving, life giving wife, mother, and person. Truely together this holy couple will save many marriages. She saved mine.

Below is a link to a beautiful write up by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB of Salt and Light Catholic Television Network.
A Holy Couple Reunited in Heaven — Death of Mr. Pietro Molla, Husband of St. Gianna Beretta Molla on Holy Saturday Morning in Mesero (Milano) Italy

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Catholics Unite! ... on Twitter?

ginafelter@gmail.com — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:20:39 PDT

TweetCatholic.com is a first class twitter app uniting Catholics! @MatthewWarner, the creator of this app is the master mind behind http://www.flocknote.com/ and http://www.fallibleblogma.com/

There is so much unity here on the Internet amongst catholics. Every catholic blog, website, tweet, or Facebook post I see in some way is promoting another Catholic site. (Just like I am doing here...I suppose I should rethink my angle.) It is great to see Catholics united in promoting and supporting each others efforts. Now, if we could bring that same spirit into our parishes! Can you imagine picking up the Sunday bulletin instead of the phone book to choose your hair dresser or local contractor for your room addition. Supporting those that support our parish bulletin is the best we can unite outside of the parish potluck without the awkward meet and greets at a mutual friends pool party.

If your not yet a catholic tweeter I hope this inspires you to join in the catholic conversation happening now at Catholictweet.com

Passion Reflection

ginafelter@gmail.com — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:18:23 PDT

The strong words and role we play in this weekends gospel are agonizing. On Palm Sunday we celebrate and welcome Jesus as the Christ only to turn against him. Not only do we turn against him, but we humiliate him, torture him and ultimately kill him. There is so much that can be said here, however just on the surface of this topic I am compelled to question my own convictions. I can't help but wonder if I were living in the time of Jesus where would I have fit in. Would I have sold out Jesus like Judas? Would I have the courage to approach Jesus like Veronica? Would I have denied my relationship with Jesus like Peter? Would I have been just another face in the crowd? Would I have recognized Jesus as the savior?
God is so good. He knows I am weak. Though I would have loved to have met Jesus while he walked the earth, God knows it was not in my best interest. I am here, in this era, in this time, on this day to share my role in the resurrected life of Jesus. God knows that my role is best served now.

Going Underground!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:46:46 PST

This Catholic is going underground for the next few days. May you all enjoy your celebrations centered on Christ! See ya on the flip side of Christmas.

I leave you with this small gift. Click the link and enjoy yet another awesome Catholic podcast!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:25:15 PST

"Any one thinking of the Holy Child as born in December would mean by it exactly what we mean by it; that Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate." - The New Jerusalem, Ch. 5

HELP! It’s the third week of Advent and I’m not prepared!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:50:40 PST

Have you gotten lost in the commercialism of the season only to be disappointed and depressed with your choices? I am embarassed to say that I have. There is hope however! I have found a few good resources to help me find the spirit of Christmas. Whether I am on the go or find a moment at home to surf the net, these resources have helped me re-focus my thoughts and actions on the true reason for the season.
A fitting podcast titled “Affluenza” by Nick and Pat Padley of InBetweenSundays.com on the commercialism of Christmas.
BustedHalo: A fun interactive Advent Calendar AND the chance to win prizes.
CatholicMom: Great Advent activities for the whole family.

Bringing "Pope2You" to You!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:35:58 PST

On May 24, 2009 we celebrated the 43rd World Communications Day. The Vatican unveiled Pope2You . A website bringing together all of the online presences of the Pope to one convenient location.
Do you know the Pope has a presence on Facebook? Pope2You on Facebook allows you to send various virtual postcards to friends and family. These virtual postcards include wonderful pictures of the Pope and his messages of hope. With Pope2You, you can e-mail or download Pope Benedict, XVI message for the 43rd World Communications Day. Or, click on Wiki-Cath and have an interactive study of this message. You can even keep up to date with the Pope on your iPhone with H2Onews. If your like me and don't have the iPhone or iPod touch you can always keep up with the Pope on YouTube.
These are just a few of the methods the Vatican is using technology to evangelize to the faithful. I guess that would make the Pope not only the chief pastor of the whole Church, but also the chief TECH-vangelist.

Another cool ongoing project of the Vatican: St. John Lateran Virtual Tour . Please visit Catholic News Service for the full article.

Love of texting!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:05:21 PST

Love of God. Love of texting. Love of neighbor. Which one of these is not a virtue? Perhaps we should first define virtue. Virtue, (as defined by CatholicReference.net) is a good habit that enables a person to act according to right reason enlightened by faith. Also called an operative good habit, it makes its possessor a good person and his or her actions also good.

Does texting, instant messaging and chatting allow opportunities for people to demonstrate goodness? Yes! Texting, chatting, and instant messaging provide opportunities for people to demonstrate their goodness therefore an opportunity to be virtuous. But, are we?

Being one of virtue is not something we do sometimes but rather it is habitual. Being virtuous is something that is demonstrated in every aspect of our lives and is evident in all that we do especially when nobody is looking.

These various new ways that we communicate are wonderful ways to nurture and strengthen relationships when used virtuously. Though I wouldn't go so far as to say that "love of texting" is a virtue, but it is yet another way we need to use our talents to glorify God.

See textetiquette.com for some general "Do's" and "Dont's" of texting.

Share your thoughts on texting and how it has affected your relationships.

For example: An out of town friend of mine knew I was dealing with some pretty difficult things and sent me simple greetings of encouragement and prayer. This was so uplifting and helpful during this difficult time. I was not expected to reply back and I didn't have to perpetuate the struggles I was dealing with by conversing about it. Rather, she gave me the space and freedom to deal with my struggles while letting me know that she was available if I needed. I would say she is a great example of textvangelizing!

Take your faith where ever you go!

ginafelter@gmail.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:53:46 PST

Check out these cool links for some awesome faith filled resources!
OliveTree - Bible Reader App

Catholic Apps for the iphone - A video of some great catholic apps.

PodTrapper - Listen to Podcasts on your blackberry
Just a few of my favorite podcasts.

Catholic Momments - Lisa Hendey
Among Women - by Pat Goan
Rosary Army - Greg and Jennifer Willits (Downloadable Audio Rosary)

If you are a tech geek like me and desire to grow in faith you will definitely want to subscribe to this blog! Feel free to share your faith finds here too!