Communication FUNdamentals

Did you know that the mainstream media doesn’t report on violations of Freedom of Speech where it involves a Christian? Do you that the UN considers your rights as a parent negotiable? What are the latest news items Christians need to be aware of? Come join us as we discuss them and how we should react?

Today on Grace Talk Soup, I’m going to address a few of the latest issues in the news that are important to the Christian community.

* Why is it important that we know about these issues?

* Why doesn’t the main stream media report them?

* Why aren’t more Christians speaking up?

* How do Christians react to these issues and why is that important?

* What problem with not speaking up?

Latest News Stories:

* Miss California question reveals her Christian beliefs on marriage and sets off a rant from one of the judges.

* President Obama asks that all Christian symbols be draped while he is making his speech at Notre Dame

* Homeland Security memo that was only to go to law enforcement states that returning military, conservatives and those who are pro life are “primary” threats to national security and potential domestic terrorits

* Hate Crimes bill that could silence pastors

How do you feel about these issues?  Why are they important for our future?  What is the effect on a Christian’s free speech and religious freedom?  How should Christians react and what is the problem if we react the wrong way?  Come share your thoughts.

To join the call live (8am PST/11am EST) via your computer:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

To join the call live (8am PST/11am EST) via phone:
(724) 444-7444  Call ID: 19736

Can’t join us live? Listen to the audio:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

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Help us promote this show by posting it to Twitter, Facebook, your blog, newsletter, website, Yahoo group, etc.  Then email gts@artofeloquence.com and give us the link or tell us where you posted it and we will enter you in this week’s contest for a chance to win a prize!

Last year we graduated our first born from our homeschool.  I was so proud of her for all the late nights studying for SAT’s and AP Exams while her friends were out having a good time.  She did most of the research on college prep the two years prior to her graduation and learned so much that she wrote a book to help other college-bound homeschoolers reach their collegiate goals!

It was also a sad day when we dropped her at the airport to fly the 1800 miles to move in to her dorm-her home away from home.  At first, there were days I couldn’t walk by her room without crying.  She was with me every day for 18 years and now she was gone.  Just when she was fun to be around, fun to sing harmony with, fun to talk to about life, she was 1800 miles away and living a new life with new friends and I couldn’t see her sweet face.

After a while, the sadness left and a new relationship began to blossom, one in which I was not the main character in her life.  She started off calling a few times a day, but our daily phone conversations became once every few days peppered with emails and Facebook comments occasionally.

My biggest fear, as a mom, was that she wouldn’t need me anymore and yet that is also my greatest wish!  Isn’t that odd?  Our job is work ourselves out of a job!  LOL  We are charged with bringing them up in the way they should go and, when they go, we wish they’d stay.

But she called when she was sick, when she was lonely, when she was excited, when she aced a test, when her professor came over to congratulate her on a paper well done.  She called to talk to her 9 y/o brother when she missed him and to tell us all about the funny things she and her friends would do.  She called when she was upset because a friend’s sister was in a car accident and she asked for prayer.  She called when she was unsure about what to tell a friend and to tell us that she was struggling with a class assignment.

And now, here she is, having just finished her freshman year at Vanderbilt University.  She’s a Sophomore now!  The year went so fast!  After the first few months, the rest is sort of a blur.  It seemed to whiz by without warning.  Only three years left and the next three years may not see her home in the summers.

So we picked her up from the airport last night.  There she was sporting her new Christian sorority T Shirt and shocked at the sight of her father who finally got his glasses after years of eye doctors and various diagnoses.  She hugged her brother who is now much taller than he was when she left.  She didn’t know where the dishes were in the new house because we had only lived here two weeks before she moved out.

We took her upstairs to her room behind the closed door for her big surprise. While she was taking finals and packing, we were busy painting her bright, hot pink room her favorite color: green!  We set up some new things in her room to make her more comfortable while she is with us and gave her a green bag of green stuff to go in her new green room.  She loved it!

We sat up talking for a while until yours truly got sleepy and had to turn in. She and her dad are night owls.  They stayed up.  I can’t wait til she wakes up this morning to spoil her some more.  I can’t wait to hear all about her adventure this year.  I can’t wait to spend time with her this summer!   She’s still my baby girl.

I’m so glad we built such a special relationship while she was young. I thank God for her willingness to keep in touch and for the fact that she still feels like she wants our opinion. I am so blessed that she has become the lovely, young, faith-filled young woman she has!

Now life seems complete as both my children are here.  My college girl is home!

I think this is my 3rd year speaking at Cindy Rushton’s Ultimate Homeschool Expo!  She puts on a fabulous event! This is Preview Week for the UHSE and Cindy is having some of her speakers on to share even more fun with her listeners!

Come join me this afternoon 11am PST/1pm CST for my seminar on FUNschooling!  Here are the details:

FUNschooling
with JoJo Tabares
1PM CST

Call-in (Call in on your phone, cell-phone, or SKYPE):
(347) 205-9175

Join Us Live Online:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ultimate-Homeschool-Expo

And get ready for some FUN!

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1Peter 3:15

But the Bible tells us that each of His children is a unique individual created for a special purpose.  God didn’t make cookie-cutter people so we can not expect to approach each unique individual effectively about the Lord with a one-size -fits-all line or tract.  It is for this reason the Lord instructed me to write Say What You Mean Defending the Faith.

“Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”

You might be understood, but who’s going to take you seriously?

Art of Eloquence
http://www.ArtofEloquence.com
Because being understood is only HALF the job!

If you’ve listened in to Grace Talk Soup in the last few weeks, you’ll know that my co host, editor and dear friend, Carla Ives, is going through a tough time right now.  Her husband was diagnosed with cancer and it’s already been a long haul for her family.  Ray, just went in for a proceedure that will tell them how far the cancer has spread and then they will be deciding on a treatment.

Carla has a fabulous sense of humor and a very active imagination.  She wrote one hilarious blog post about her feelings and I thought it would make a perfect Friday Funny for Communication FUNdamentals.  It is hysterical but it is also a testament to how God gets you through and how you can use communication as a means to help you heal.

Ray and Carla have been blogging about his cancer experience to help others who are going through a tough time whether it be health related or not.  Take a few minutes and read her post.  You will laugh and be inspired!

NOTE: A God thing!  I designed a graphic for the cancer cells that she beats up in her imagination.  Carla told me they look very much like what she pictured!

If you want to hear more from Carla, AKA Ethel the Editor, tune in to Grace Talk Soup Thursdays at 8am PST/11am EST.

The other day my friend, editor and co host, Carla Ives, called to tell me that she just read HSLDA’s Weekly Update and found that they had recommended two of Art of Eloquence’s speech communication studies!

“3. Public Speaking for High Schoolers

Good public speaking skills are essential for your teen. Family, friends, and neighbors make great audiences, and your teen will be more motivated to do his best when he knows others will benefit from his presentation. “

“For help in teaching public speaking see these other resources:

‘Say What You Mean for Teens’

http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6425

‘Know Your Audience’

http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6426″

I had received their update, but had not yet read it!  What an honor to have an organization like the Home School Legal Defense Association recommend my speech communication studies!

Art of Eloquence has been so blessed to have received such positive feedback over the years and from some major homeschooling organizations like The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

I think our studies have resonated with so many because speech communication skills can be so initmidating for shy kids or seem boring to others.  I was a painfully shy child and the only way you could get me to study speech communication was at gunpoint!  So while studying the subject in college, I discovered that, if it is presented in a fun way, even SPEECH can be a fun course to take!

Communication skills are something the Lord talks about hundreds of times in His Word.  It’s a vital subject for every day life with family as well as in our careers.  If you would like to see what all the FUN’s about, check out our full line of creative Christian-based, speech communication studies as well as all our free resources at Art of Eloquence.com.

Even shy children love our speech course!

God’s Kingdom needs Godly leaders!  In order to fulfill this role, a Godly leader needs to understand what a leader really is.  Not only does he need to understand the mission and what is required, but he needs to be able to convey its benefits to others and that he is capable of leading others to that eventuality.

In my upcoming book, The Language of Leadership, I will explore what a leader looks like, what a leader sounds like, what a leader says, what a leader isn’t, how to convey leadership, what to do to show others you can lead, the 16 Biblical qualities of a leader and how to convey confidence when you’re not quite so confident that what you must do will be well-received.

A leader is not someone who is simply “in charge” for I have known many a boss who had no idea how to lead those under his authority.  A leader is not someone who is always right, as there are many great leaders who have failed.  A leader is not someone who is merely popular.  How many times in history have great leaders needed strength to overcome the popular thinking of the time?  A leader is not someone who is bossy.  Being in charge does give you the right to demand of your underlings, but only true leadership will bring peace and cooperation and stability to a situation.

For an overview and tips for leadership, tune into Grace Talk Soup this Thursday 8am PDT/11am EDT!  Bring your teens and please share this link with others!

Who will benefit from this show?

* Teens looking to cultivate leadership skills for college, the job market, business or missions.

* Those looking for career advancement.

* Those wanting to enhance their abilities to complete God’s missions for their lives.

To join the call live via your computer:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

To join the call live via phone:
(724) 444-7444  Call ID: 19736

Can’t join us live? Listen to the audio:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Want to win a prize?  Today is the last day to enter our contest!  Help us promote this show by posting it to Twitter, Facebook, your blog, newsletter, website, Yahoo group, etc.  Then email gts@artofeloquence.com and give us the link or tell us where you posted it and we will enter you in this week’s contest for a chance to win a prize!  For more details, listen to last week’s show: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736 .  Scroll down to Past Episodes and click on the orange Listen button next to last week’s show on how to get a job in today’s tough market.

Over the last several years, I have written a great deal on the topic of listening.  Most people know that listening is an important skill but they don’t really know why.  Here are a few of the sayings I have used in various articles over the last several years.

JoJo on Listening:

“1 speaker + 1 Listener = an effective communication equation.”  JoJo Tabares

“Sometimes the most intelligent thing to say is…nothing.” JoJo Tabares

“When your audience is no longer listening, it’s always best to stop talking!” JoJo Tabares

“You will not persuade another by cutting off his argument. You will only stifle your understanding of how to answer him.” -JoJo Tabares

I cover this topic in depth in an article I am just about to release to those on our newsletter.  If you would like to have access to these tips, freebies and exclusive offers, you can subscribe to What’s New at Art of Eloquence here!