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Category: Internet

One of the Coolest Hidden Mac Tricks

I could not live or work without Mac “Hot Corners” – once called Expose’. How do you navigate to your desktop when it is loaded with windows? Minimize them all one at a time? That’s for people with too much time on their hands. Mac has a very handy and cool feature called “Hot Corners” – as I set up a new Mac I was reminded quickly how much I use this! Instructions: Click the  Apple menu (top-left). Go to System Settings. Click Desktop & Dock. Scroll allll the way down (it’s hiding like a shy volunteer). Click Hot Corners… Pick a corner and set it to Mission Control (shows all windows), Desktop, Application Windows, etc. Click Done and enjoy feeling powerful. My Set Up: Move my mouse to lower right it shows ALL windows, upper right just the application you are in, such as Word. Lower left I set to Desktop, and BONUS TIP, you can click and hold on a file, drag to lower left, desktop appears, and then drag to where you want to drop it. OR, go to Desktop, grab a file, and then go to Mission Control – never dropping the file – and…

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The Story of Kidology Continues in 2025!

The Story of Kidology: From Internet Beginnings to a Global Ministry In 1994, the Internet was still a mystery to most people. There was no eBay, PayPal, YouTube, or Google, and Amazon had just barely launched. It was that year during Christmas break while discipling a tech-savvy kid that I was introduced to this new digital frontier. My first website featured a space-themed background of stars with Star Wars images and movie sound bites. Discovering Community Online My second webpage, “Kingdom Karl,” was a quirky idea for connecting people who spelled “Karl” with a “K.” To my surprise, the site attracted nine members, half from Germany! This early project opened my eyes to the internet’s global reach, even in its infancy. It was exciting to connect with others who shared my interests, and I quickly realized the internet’s potential to bring people together. As I marveled at the possibilities, I felt God nudging me to use this tool for my life’s mission: “To reach and teach as many children as possible with the Good News of God’s love and to enlist, equip, and encourage others to do the same.” Introducing: The Object Lesson Zone Inspired by my Life Mission, I…

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ChatGPT Reviews Kidology.org

I asked AI via ChatGPT to list the Top 20 Challenges and Topics of Children’s Ministry Leaders and then to access how well Kidology.org addresses those. This was the result… including this image: (I did no editing and for the most part it’s pretty accurate! I simply added a few links to resources as they were described, but there is MUCH more on the site than even what is listed here! If you are looking for something not listed here, we probably have it after 30 years of building the site, just write and ask!) Certainly! As of my knowledge cutoff in October 2023, Kidology.org is a well-established online resource dedicated to equipping and encouraging children’s ministry leaders. Founded by Karl Bastian, known as the “Kidologist,” the website offers a wealth of resources, training materials, and a supportive community aimed at addressing the various challenges faced in children’s ministry. Here’s how Kidology.org addresses the top 20 issues facing Children’s Ministry Leaders Today: Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers: Kidology provides practical articles and training modules on effective strategies for volunteer recruitment and retention. They offer ideas on building a strong volunteer culture and recognizing volunteer contributions to prevent burnout. Curriculum Selection and…

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New KarlBastian.info Page

I’ve been reviewing my various domains over the past year and letting a bunch of them expire. Back when there was only .com, .org and .net it made sense to snag all three when you bought a domain. Some you bought for fun – like IamtotallyunpreparedforSundaySchool.com which we did for a conference lanyard years ago at CPC that is still live. Now that there are a zillion extensions, it makes less sense to hang on to other extensions as they no longer prevent brand competition as someone can simply snag up .biz, .info, or a host of others. One of the odd extensions I pocked up early on when they started adding new ones was karlbastian.info. I’m lucky enough to have a fairly unique name – not too many imposters out there. I was about to cancel the renewal (it just forwarded to my blog) when I got an idea! Why not make KarlBastian.info literally info about Karl Bastian? I have been accused of being a little confusing with all my various websites for ministry, church, kids, even droning… so what if I had a HUB where you could find them all, IN ONE PAGE? Not a new website –…

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Making Your Communication Personal and FUN with Bitmoji!

To capture people’s attention today, your messages need to stand out! Let’s face it, e-mail and text communication is a daily part of every leader’s day. But the people we are communicating with are inundated with messages from all areas of their lives. How do you make yours stand out? How can you bring a smile to people’s faces? I use a FREE app called Bitmoji, specifically, the iOS keyboard. You can search by key word of just scroll through LOTS of options then copy/paste or download to your device. Getting Started is easy (and free) 1) You download the app and set up an account. 2) You go through the steps of creating your character! 3) You can change outfits as often as you want! 4) You look for the ones you want to use and then HAVE FUN! Since it is a phone app, I search on my phone, and when you select one, it copies to your clipboard. I will then text it to myself and on my computer, download it from Messages to my desktop, and then I file them all in a folder. If the app ever goes away, I’ve got hundreds to use for…

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