The Lead of Love

Satisfied???

2009-08-08T10:08:00.002-05:00

"The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—
is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the
friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties
you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no
human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with
heaven, if Christ were not there?" John Piper - God Is The Gospel

The Gospel Lived Out In The Family

2009-06-10T17:56:00.002-05:00

"Children growing up in a Christian home should actually be able to see the Gospel modeled in the way their father loves their mother with a sacrificial love, the love of Jesus for His church, and the way the mother submits to the father as an expression of the church's submission to the Lordship of Christ." - Alistair Begg

Now For Something Completely Different

2009-06-04T08:24:00.003-05:00

One of my friends from high school is very involved in the start-up of a brand new company. The company's name is Alice , because after all, everyone needs an Alice. At least that's what their company slogan says. To be honest I'm not exactly sure how the company will work, but it is my understanding that consumers will be able to purchase household cleaning items, personal hygiene items, and other things and have them delivered to your home all with free shipping.

Now anyone who knows anything about our family knows that we love good deals. So our curiosity is peaked. Well, yesterday, to spread the word about the company, Alice offered up a freebie to anyone who posts about them on their blog. Which brings us to this.

Free Toilet Paper. For A Year.

Now who couldn't use that? I encourage you, no, I implore you to go and enter for yourself. If for no other reason, do it so that one day in one of those conversations when someone asks you if you have ever won anything you will be able to say, "I won a years worth of toilet paper." Now that's a conversation starter.
Contest ends Saturday, June 6 at midnight.

Do Right

2009-06-03T08:51:00.002-05:00

Recently, our oldest son, Alex, was presented with an opportunity that would provide him with a lot more freedom than he had experienced before. This of course provided Mom and Dad with some concerns, but we gave our o.k. and permitted him to go. I thought about what I wanted to say to him before he went. In fact I thought about it a lot. Do I threaten him with the "if you do this" or do I ignore the multiple scenarios running through my mind? After all, it doesn't seem like that long ago when I was a teenage boy and I know what I would have done with the same level of freedom. As I thought about it, I decided to take the middle road. I left the threats and situations behind and instead gave him the following council. I don't believe that it is original to me, but I don't remember who said it. Anyway, this is what I told him as I was dropping him off.

"Alex, do right. Don't be good. Being good is situational. Just do right. Do right because it is right to do right." I think someone should walk up to me many times and say the same thing to me.

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Now playing: Sovereign Grace Music - Oh the Deep, Deep Love
via FoxyTunes

Death is Not Dying

2009-05-18T13:22:00.002-05:00

This is more than a suggestion. Go here and watch the video or download the audio. A tremendous God-centered presentation of the Gospel. (Thanks to Kerry for passing this along)

Now I Wear His Righteousness

2009-04-10T12:24:00.004-05:00

'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?' (Ps 22:1)

'So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha' (John 19:17)

Where were those who had followed him? Where were his disciples? Surely one of them would come to his aid and help him bear his cross. But no, for the Scriptures had stated long before, 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered' (Zech. 13:17).

No disciples to aid him. No angel to strengthen him as there had been in the garden. At Bethlehem, when the Saviour was born, the night was changed to day as the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds. On Golgotha the day gave way to night as Christ sank deeper and deeper into the abyss of damnation. At Bethlehem there were countless angels praising God; on Golgotha legions of darkness filled the impenetrable gloom, hoping that darkness would finally triumph over light. Heaven was silent.

Christ felt both the hurt of man's injustice and the weight of God's justice as he went forth to bear the full curse of sin and so to be accursed of God. He was to die on a cross and 'cursed is every one that is hanged on a tree' (Gal. 3:13). Matthew Henry comments, 'Those that see him thus hang between heaven and earth will conclude him abandoned of both and unworthy of either'.

Christ became a 'curse for us'. He bore our sin and its consequences, even the curse of a holy God. He was treated as if he were a sinner. God's curse is intrinsically holy. It is his condemnation of sin and the sinner. Christ as sin-bearer was inevitably accursed of God. Just as blessing reaches its fullness in heaven, so the curse reaches it fullness in hell, and Christ experienced the curse in its fullness.

He 'took the curse upon Himself in order that He might satisfy us with His blessing'. While it is true that 'He came to preach the Gospel, His chief object in coming was that there might be a Gospel to preach'.

Now, the forgiven, restored sinner willingly takes up his cross and follows the Lord Jesus Christ. That cross is whatever the Christian suffers for the sake of Christ and his truth. In bearing that cross there is peace and blessedness as the Christian experiences the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. Not that we can share in the redemptive suffering of Christ, but rather that we seek by God's grace to deny self, accept the anguish of the struggle against sin and bear meekly the scorn of a world that rejects Christ. 'There are some who would have Christ cheap. They would have Him without the cross. But the price will not come down'.

The hand that reaches out for salvation must be empty. Everything of self must be disowned. We are debtors to mercy alone. We are all beggars. - Taken from The Cross He Bore, by Frederick Leahy

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Now playing: Aaron Keyes - Not Guilty Anymore
via FoxyTunes

Three On Thursday

2009-04-09T07:31:00.003-05:00

Here are three random things I have learned in the last week.

In 1996, these mummies were discovered in Egypt. I found it somewhat fascinating because people had been virtually living on top of the tombs for years and didn't know they existed. They were only discovered when a donkey tripped and knocked a hole into the roof with its hoof.

If your doctor tells you that you need to lower your cholesterol, do not, under any circumstances, mention that fact within earshot of your children. They will not allow you to eat anything for the rest of your life. Actual quote, "You," said one sibling to the other, "May have as many sticky buns as you would like. Dad can't have any because his cholesterol is too high."

I am constantly reminded that surrender is not a daily event in a victorious Christian's life, rather it is moment by moment. Col 3:3 "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." For someone who has died to sin, it is far to active in my life to be called dead. Yet I take hope in knowing that His grace is sufficient in this also. I have been purchased by His blood, therefore my life is hid in Christ, my Savior and my God.

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Now playing: Sara Groves - The Long Defeat
via FoxyTunes

Expanding My World

2009-04-08T09:29:00.000-05:00

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:34-40

In My Weakness

2009-03-06T09:32:00.003-06:00

Psalm 57:1-3

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Now playing: Rich Mullins - Bound to Come Some Trouble
via FoxyTunes

Refocus

2009-02-22T19:52:00.002-06:00

Life has been a little crazy lately. More than I care to go into now, but it explains why I haven't been blogging. Today I came across this post on one of the blogs I read regularly. I posted the same video below in case you don't want to click out. I share it because it seems that often times when my needs seem the greatest to me, that they are best lifted by looking on the needs of others. It is not that my worries and concerns are unimportant, but when I view a video like the one below it readjusts my view. The concerns of my yesterdays, today and tomorrows cannot change my standing with my Savior for my salvation rests securely in Him. Nothing that happens to me here can change that. When I compare that to these thousands who have never heard it helps to put into perspective my worries in the present moment and their souls in the light of eternity. Would you pray with me that the Gospel would be proclaimed through this ministry?

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Now playing: Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) [#]
via FoxyTunes

Ashes to Beauty

2009-01-30T15:22:00.002-06:00

This song is incredible! I've been listening to it over and over again for a few months and then I actually thought, "Hey, I wonder if I can find it on Youtube." Here it is.
For those of you who pick up my feed off of facebook, you may need to got to my blog to see the video.

Perspective

2009-01-23T09:52:00.002-06:00

The following quote is from a letter written by Nate Saint just 21 days before he was martyred by the Waodani (Auca) Indians in Ecuador on January 8, 1956. It was written just prior to Christmas as an open letter to his friends.

"As we have a high old time this Christmas, may we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christless night without ever a chance."

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Now playing: Caedmon's Call - Be Merciful to Me
via FoxyTunes

Request Update

2009-01-22T07:42:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to thank you for your prayers. Kim's surgery went well. We got her home around 5:00 last night. She is doing all right with her pain though just getting comfortable seems a struggle at times. Thanks again for your prayers. They are greatly appreciated.

Video

2009-01-21T08:08:00.002-06:00

This is really, really well done!

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Now playing: Caedmon's Call - Before There Was Time [Live]
via FoxyTunes

Prayer Request

2009-01-20T22:11:00.002-06:00

We would appreciate your prayers tomorrow afternoon as Kim goes in for gallbladder surgery. She is scheduled for surgery at 1:45 PM and should be home tomorrow evening if all goes well. Please pray for a healthy recovery for her.

The Greatness of God's Faithfulness

2009-01-13T21:17:00.005-06:00

If you were ask people what their favorite all-time Christian song or hymn was, I am sure that the responses would be varied. Yet I suspect there would be a few that rise to the top of the list according to the frequency by which they are named. Songs such as Holy, Holy, Holy, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, and Be Thou My Vision. I suppose that Because He Lives would be towards the top and maybe even some newer contemporary songs like Indescribable or Shout To The Lord. But I am sure that no list would be complete without many references to the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

Now, in no way do I mean to convey any negativism towards the song Great Is Thy Faithfulness in this post. In fact my intent is the opposite for it is certainly one of the hymns I deeply cherish. And yet I have often wondered if people realize what they are singing when they sing it. For that matter, it seems as if though the phrase, "Great is His faithfulness" is an evangelical catch phrase. It often goes something like this. "Well, I didn't have enough money to pay my bills at the end of the week, but God provided and all were paid. Great is His faithfulness." While that also is true and God often does provide in miraculous ways for those He loves, it seems to me that we do a disservice to ourselves if we don't understand where that phrase first came from and what it meant when it was written. The point I am trying to make is that too often I think that we as believers look at God's provisional faithfulness to us like a great big blessings bank. "Look at my 3,500 square foot house, my luxury suv, and my brand new boat. Great is God's faithfulness!" We see all of our physicals blessings that God has graciously given us as proof of the attribute of His faithfulness. Yet God's faithfulness to us is far grander than physical blessings and it reaches far beyond our simple imagination of stuff.

For a long time if you would have asked me where the phrase "great is Your faithfulness" came from I would have answered with one of the following answers as a possibility; maybe Abraham said it as he looked at all that God had given him, or David as he surveyed his kingdom, but it was probably Job who said the words when God restored all back to him. But the phrase "great is Your faithfulness" comes from Lamentations 3:23. You know, that little book that is wedged between Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

Lamentations was written by Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, while he and the city of Jerusalem were under attack by the Babylonian army circa 586 BC. The Babylonian army circled the city of Jerusalem for approximately two and a half years from 588 to 586 BC. It was the ultimate waiting game. The Babylonians knew that Jerusalem could only defend herself and they also knew she would not surrender. So they simply waited. For two plus years not allowing anything in or anything out of the city. It was a waiting game of starvation. Sooner or later, Jerusalem would run out of food and then the Babylonians would take the city with little or no casualties. On top of the food issue that Jerusalem faced was the reality of disease. With two years of not being allowed out of the city, the refuse, garbage, and filth would have begun to pile up bringing in the vermin and disease. (II Kings 25:1-10, Lamentations 1:8-12)

Not to make anyone sick, but to give a glimpse into how bad a siege like this was we should also consider Jeremiah 19:9. In this verse, written before the attack on Jerusalem, Jeremiah prophesies that the eventual attack on the city would be so terrible that it's occupants would resort to cannibalism in their attempts to survive. This was not unprecedented. In fact when the northern city of Samaria was under a starvation attack 150 years earlier by the Assyrians, we are given the rather gruesome story in II Kings 6:26-29 of two women who agree with one another to eat each others sons.

I say all of this to try and prove the point that when Jeremiah wrote "great is Your faithfulness" he wasn't counting all of the stuff that God had given to him. In fact if you read Lamentations 3 you will find a man that seems broken almost beyond words. And yet he writes in the middle of it, "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him."
The faithfulness that Jeremiah is thankful for is that God continued to grant His mercy and compassion day after day to a sinner like Jeremiah. Jeremiah knew that he deserved to be perishing with those that were dying daily around him, yet in complete devotion to the One who alone can save he proclaims that his hope rests solely in the Lord.

Would that I like Jeremiah be able to say, "The Lord is my portion, I will hope only in Him." May He continue to strip away me from me that I become more dependent on Him. Then, as a debtor to His grace, mercy, and compassion alone may I be able to say, "Great is God's faithfulness for He has saved a wretch like me."

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Now playing: Aaron Keyes - Not What My Hands
via FoxyTunes

Labor Of Love

2008-12-25T10:13:00.002-06:00

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

Christmas Present for a Friend

2008-12-24T21:41:00.004-06:00

A friend of ours called and asked for us to provide a Christmas present for her daughter. Her daughter had mentioned how she would like to know what various people had as their favorite Bible verse or passage and why it was important to them. So her mom was collecting these to place into a little keepsake book and she asked if we would participate. I agreed and thought I would share the same contents here.

My favorite verse or passage is II Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart.Though our outer self is wasting away,our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

This passage is so powerful! It gives us hope to face any trial or struggle that may come our way as believers. Here we see the proper perspective we are to have as we face this thing we call life, we are to view them as light afflictions. Barely an issue for us, certainly no problem for God. We also see that not only are our struggles not an issue for God, but we also see that God is working through them in His divine purposes for our good. For He is using them to "prepare for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." I'm not sure what the weight of glory is, but I can't wait to find out! But there is a caveat, our focus or vision. What are we looking at? There is nothing that we can see with our physical eyes that will matter in the end, but with the eyes of our heart (Ephesians 1:18) we can be Christ focused and cross centered. A quote I borrowed from someone goes like this, "People with eternal natures cannot be made happy by temporal things." Keep your eyes on the prize of Christ Jesus and you will find that any challenge that God asks you to face will seem as nothing in the end when it is compared with the supreme knowledge of knowing Christ.

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Now playing: Third Day - Show Me Your Glory
via FoxyTunes

A Glimpse Into Forgiveness

2008-12-18T07:34:00.002-06:00

For those of you who know the Scott Willis family, here are a few articles that shine a light into what Biblical forgiveness looks like. For those of you who may not know, ex-Governor Ryan of Illinois just recently asked for a Presidential pardon that has brought the Willis story back into the limelight. Scott and Janet Willis's response is gracious and Biblical and it is a response we could all learn from. You can read the Chicago Tribune article here and another portion of the story here.

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Now playing: Sara Groves - Less Like Scars
via FoxyTunes

We Now Return To Our Regular Scheduled Blogging

2008-12-16T08:51:00.003-06:00

After the last few hectic weeks I feel almost as if I can breathe again. I hope to start blogging again soon and maybe even try to get a Christmas letter out (I'm not betting on the last part.) Anyway, I just thought I would let everyone know that we are still alive and are still maintaining the status quo.

I also wanted to let you know of a very good new album that was just released by Covenant Life Church. It is an album of 10 of the most loved hymns of the church. They keep the melodies of the hymns the same but update the instrumentation that normally goes with them. For those who are not aware, Covenant Life is affiliated with Sovereign Grace Ministries so you can expect the same quality in this new album as you would get on the albums from Sovereign Grace. Here is the best part. You can get if for free! Noise Trade is offering it as a free download. Just provide them with a few e-mails (you can use mine as one of them) and you get the album for free.

If you are in the Christmas music mood yet, you might want to take a listen to the group Sojourn and their album Advent Songs. More folk sounding with a couple of original rewrites of standard classic Christmas hymns, I really like this album. It is also free at Noise Trade.

You can find both albums here as well as many others.

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Now playing: Covenant Life Church - And Can It Be
via FoxyTunes

Covenant of Grace

2008-11-17T11:27:00.009-06:00

This year I am teaching two home-school history classes. One is a continuation of the class that I have been teaching for the last 4 years. This class is for older kids and both of my boys attend this class. The second class is for younger kids, fourth grade and under. Hannah, my daughter, attends this one. In the younger class we have literally gone back to the very beginning of history. The first event in history that we studied with the younger class was Creation. From there we move through Biblical and world history and see how and when they overlap. It has been a good reminder for me to go back and revisit some things that I haven't looked at or considered in four years.

About a week ago we studied God's covenant with Abram as recorded in Genesis 15. It was such a powerful story and is so applicable to us today as believers that I wanted to share it in a post, so here we go. (Warning; this may be lengthy.)

The first thing we must understand in examining the covenant process is to realize that this process was common place in the ancient middle east. A covenant is simply a promise between two parties to agree to follow through on a set of conditions or circumstances. These were very solemn agreements and were not to be taken lightly. Often times a covenant would extend past those who made the promise to all of their descendants.

The example that I used in the class was to imagine two neighbors who were both farmers shared a watering hole for their sheep. These two neighbors would promise each other through a covenant to allow each other access to the watering hole. They would both agree to enter into a covenant with each other and would then arrange the covenant process.

The act of making a covenant often involved cattle or sheep for sacrifice. The two parties involved would kill the animals by severing them into two pieces, the front half and the back half. They would then separate the pieces of their sacrifice by placing them a certain distance apart. This would create a pathway between the halves of their sacrifice. It also left a significant amount of blood that connected the two halves. The two farmers in our illustration would then walk on the path of blood between the severed halves of the animal. This act was a declaration of promise to hold to the terms of the agreement. This act also stated to the other who was involved that if they did not uphold their end of the covenant that there would be a penalty. They were literally stating as they walked through the sacrifice that if they violated the terms of the covenant that the other party could then do to them what they had just done to the animals. So, the making of a covenant was literally an oath of death.

That takes us to Genesis 15. I will assume that you can read the text yourself, but I will summarize the story for you. God tells Abram to gather a cow, a goat, a ram, and some birds to prepare them for the covenant process. Abram obeys and sacrifices the animals and then severs
all but the birds into two pieces, separating them and leaving the trail of blood in the middle between them. As nightfall comes, God places Abram into a deep sleep. In a vision, while sleeping, Abram sees a smoking oven and a burning torch pass between the animal halves. God then speaks to Abram and promises again to fulfill His covenant with him.

A simple reading of this narrative provides us with a glimpse one of the seemingly odd stories that make up the Old Testament. It is easy to skim over stories like this and miss what is going on within the text. However there are some important things to draw out of this passage. One of the most important is not what we read in the text, but rather what we don't read. If you read the text you will notice that the only things that walk between the halved sacrifices were a smoking oven and a burning torch. These two items are representative of God. It was a burning bush that revealed the I AM to Moses. By smoke and flame God would lead His children, Israel, out of Egypt. Mount Sinai became a smoking mountain as the most holy God handed down His law to His people in Exodus 20. So the interesting thing in this covenant between God and Abram is that God alone agrees to the covenant. This is the oddest of all covenants because it is completely one-sided. Abram does not walk through. He can't because there is nothing he can do to uphold his end of the covenant. Abram is simply left to trust by faith that God will grant through His grace what God has sworn to do.

There is only one term that is placed on the covenant for Abram and his descendants. That requirement is simply obedience to God. If Abram cannot obey God, he violates the terms of the covenant. But that is where the imagery of this covenant gets so powerful. Because God was the only one who walked through the sacrifice, He is the only one who upholds it. The statement that God makes as He alone passes through the blood is that if either party violates the covenant, then He alone will take the punishment. God cannot violate His terms of the covenant because they rest on the very promise of who He is. There is no way Abram can keep his one condition of the covenant for he is sinful and can only fail. Yet God declares as He walks in the blood that should either party fail to keep the covenant that He will pay the penalty.

For me, this is such a powerful picture of grace and mercy. For it was in this ceremony 2000 years before He would send His own son into the world that He had already promised the sacrifice. As the God the Father passed through the bloody path He was declaring that He was the sacrifice. It is as if God said, "Abram, what you have done to these animals, I will do to myself. So that I may pour the riches of my love and mercy upon you, I will send my own Son, God of very God, to fulfill this covenant promise."

So we see the covenant and the cross tied together in scripture. It adds a new dimension or another facet cut on the jewel of God's grace when we read a passage like Isaiah 53 and realize that this had been His divine purpose since before that desert night in the middle of Canaan.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

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Now playing: Derek Webb - She Must and Shall Go Free
via FoxyTunes

Lights in the World

2008-11-12T08:01:00.002-06:00

12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Emphasis mine.

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Now playing: Casting Crowns - If We Are the Body
via FoxyTunes

Dealmaker

2008-11-05T07:42:00.004-06:00

Anyone who spends a short amount of time with Kim will learn that she has a passion about getting good deals in shopping. She coupons most of the time and is frequently sending in rebates. As I have said before, she lives the example of the Proverb's 31 wife who shops for the field, waits until it goes on clearance, pays for it with coupon in hand, and then sends in a rebate to make it free.

Monday evening she came home from work and as she walked into the door she said, "I need the camera."
I asked, "Why?"
Her reply was, "Do you love me?"
At this moment there are warning bells going off in my head, the whole flashing lights and the "awoogaa!, awoogaa!" But with camera in hand and all three children in tow we walked out to the car. It seems that Kim had gone to Walgreens after work to pick up a few things. When she walked in she noticed a large cart full of Halloween items that Walgreens was trying to get rid. Now understand, we aren't Halloween people. We don't do all of the decorating and we don't hand out candy. Our kids have gotten past the age for trick or treating and frankly I am glad. Anyway, Kim asked the manager how much for the cart of stuff. The manager said that the carts were $10 apiece and that there were 2 carts left. As Kim mulled this over the manager said that they wanted to get rid of it and that she would give Kim both carts for $15. At this time Kim knew she wanted the candy in the carts, but not all of the rest of it. However another lady walked up at that very moment and asked how much for the cart and before the manager could reply, Kim said, "I'll take all of it." By all of it, the manager decided that she meant all of it. So for $15 Kim got the 2 large carts full of stuff and then the manager and assistant manager loaded every remaining Halloween item in the store into the trunk and backseat of Kim's car. All of it for $15.

To sweeten the deal, our neighbor came over and took a bunch of the Halloween decorations and paid Kim $5. Kim didn't ask for the $5, but the neighbor insisted since she took so much stuff. So we only ended paying $10 out of pocket. If you are doing the Christmas Child shoeboxes and need candy, please call us. Also, if anyone has need of a bunch of plastic pumpkins, shoot me an e-mail . . . please shoot me an e-mail.

A partial list follows;
200 plus treat bags.
30 Large plastic Jack-o-lantern pumpkins.
3 witch hats with wig.
multiple window clings.
4 large pop-up lawn ornaments.
Many various ceramic Halloween decorating items.
75 large bags of candy.
Plus more than I care to list.

The reason for the purchase was the candy. We will send most of the candy in shoe boxes to Samaritan's Purse so that they may distribute it to children around the world.

I have a few pictures that really don't do the the event justice. Sorry about the quality of the pictures. Our regular camera is on the fritz.

Most of the stuff piled up in our living room.

The trunk of the car before we unloaded it.

The backseat of the car.

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Now playing: Laura Story - Bless the Lord
via FoxyTunes

Psalm 62 My Soul Finds Rest

2008-10-29T08:31:00.005-05:00

I came across this new song that I can't recommend enough. It's by Aaron Keyes and Stuart Townend. Enjoy!

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Now playing: Caedmon's Call - Mystery of Mercy
via FoxyTunes

Shaken

2008-10-27T14:36:00.003-05:00

I'm not an emotional person. What I mean by that is that I am not easily moved to tears. In fact I would be hard pressed to recall the last time that I did cry. Not any time in the last few years of that I am sure. I don't say that out of some prideful masculine bravado, but rather, I am just stating the fact that is. Sometimes I wish tears would come easier. At times I feel as if though my lack of tears are indicative of a cold and uncaring heart. I hope that is not the case. I confess this in my life for two reasons. First, I pray that God would create in me a tenderness for the world directly around me. That His Spirit would let me see with eyes that see past the faces of people to the souls that are perishing within. That I would be living more and more with an eternal kingdom perspective. Secondly, I would like to draw attention to two new blogs that I have linked to on the side. I have started reading them recently and I recommend them heartily. Sometimes they are quite humorous, but very often they move me to be shaken to my core. In the writings of these two ladies, I see a glimpse of just how much hurting this world has in it. Their posts almost move me to tears frequently and that says a lot. Yet I continue to read due to the quality and the uniqueness of their posts, but more importantly because they show me how small my world is and how much more I need to be doing for Christ's kingdom.

Some of their latest posts that I recommend can be found here at 6 Year Med and Ali's African Adventures.

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Now playing: Sara Groves - It Might Be Hope
via FoxyTunes

The Clarity of Christ in Speech

2008-10-14T07:52:00.004-05:00

I am reminded of these verses this morning.

Col 4:2-6 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God mayopen to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (emphasis mine)

I need to be reminded that my speech and the words of my mouth are one device that God can use to draw others to Him, whether they are believers or unbelievers. Far too often I speak impulsively or react suddenly with my mouth. Not necessarily in anger, but maybe more so to make sure that my point is heard. To make sure that my opinion matters. In reality, it doesn't.

What should matter when I speak is how clearly Christ is being heard. Isn't that the point of 1 Corinthians 13:1, that no matter how eloquently I speak, the effectiveness of my speech should be weighed by it's content of Christ and His love shining through. Without the love of God driving my motives, I become as annoying as a small child who will only play "Chopsticks" on the piano because it is the only song they know. In those moments or in the times of incessant tapping where I just cry out, "Stop it! You are driving me crazy!" May I then be reminded again of my speech and my need for God's grace in this area of my life also.

Do I weigh my words before I speak,
In the shadow of the Cross?
Is Christ clearly seen in every way,
My walk and talk and thought?
Do others all around me,
See any evidence of Him,
Or do they continue on their way
Just living as they've been?
May I hesitate to answer.
May I pause before I speak.
May I be more willing to be taught,
Less likely than to teach.
May sprinkled in the words I say,
God's grace be shown divine.
So all may see Christ's glory shine,
His kingdom built, not mine.

The Best Father Ever

2008-09-30T08:07:00.003-05:00

For years I have coached my children in every sport they have been involved in. Basketball, baseball, soccer, whatever it is I have been involved and have enjoyed it immensely. I am not one of those parent/coaches that is under the delusion that their son or daughter is the best player on the field. I am a realist. My children are athletic and each of them have gifts that make them excel at certain things in the sport that they are involved in. At no time have they ever been the most gifted athlete on the team that they are playing for. I recognize that and only ask from them that they provide their best effort.

In saying all of that, it has been somewhat embarrassing as a baseball coach to have a child who can't catch a pop fly ball to save his life. If Caleb has had one severe deficiency in his baseball game, it has been his inability to catch a pop fly ball when he plays the outfield. As a coach you realize these things and instead play a player at a position where they can excel, like first base. At first base, he is close to the action, has a good glove, isn't afraid of the ball, and most of the time can catch a pop-up in the infield. He just cannot play the outfield.

Last week Caleb got contacts for his eyes. Turns out he can't see anything far away. We realized we had a problem a few weeks ago when a large sewage waste truck came down the road and Caleb said, "Here comes a bus." Maybe I should have asked a few years ago while coaching him if he could actually see the ball coming at him.

Dogs and Cats

2008-09-24T07:33:00.004-05:00

Someday soon I hope to get back to actually writing something original. Until then this will have to do. Someone sent this in an e-mail to me the other day. I laughed out loud.

From a Dog's Diary...

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

From a Cat's Daily Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in
order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made
condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my
confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell,
so he is safe. For now ...

Dancing in Church

2008-09-11T08:42:00.002-05:00

I have nothing to say other than to warn you against drinking anything while watching this.

Time Wasting Recommendations

2008-09-10T08:07:00.002-05:00

Tim Challies had a link to this fascinating article today. It is ten things you didn't know about the earth. Some of it is over my head, but all in all it shows to me the sovereign hand of God in creation. Click here to read the whole article.

Within that article is a very cool mapping tool. Well, at least it is amusing. Remember when you were a kid and you thought if you dug a hole straight down you would end up in China? Turns out you were probably wrong. However, you can find out where you would have ended up if you did dig the hole by going to the map tunneling tool.

I came across this site a while back and have forgotten to post it, but here it is now. It is a free music/pay as much as you want to music site founded by Derek Webb of Caedmon's Call fame. The site has a good variety of Christian music and it is all free to download. You have to provide three e-mail addresses in order to get the free music. Yes, you may use my e-mail address as one of the three. Enjoy!

Signs You Might Be A Fundamentalist

2008-08-26T07:29:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine told me about this recent thread over at Sharper Iron. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of them. This was what I grew up with and some of these (very funny, but often true) examples are why I am no longer a fundamentalist. Most of these I have pulled from the thread, though I will add a few of my own. Enjoy!

* If you've ever watched Sheffy on New Year's Eve.
* If you can tell a person's spiritual condition by a passing glance at their CD rack.
* If you actually believe NIV stands for Non-Inspired Version.
* If none of the preachers you know called "Dr." have earned degrees.
* If you've ever worn culottes, over snow pants, while skiing.
* If you've roller skated to Majesty Music.
* If you've heard more rock music played backward than forward.
* If you ever dressed up as a Bible character in late October for "Harvest Festival."
* If you know what a "six inch rule" is.
* If you were taught that the better option than the "six inch rule" was to place your KJV between you and your date.
* If you've had to get on your knees to have your skirt length measured, and you ever carried safety pins in your purse to pin necklines and skirt slits.
* If you are scientifically certain that the hottest flame is black.
* If you've ever raised your hand to indicate you're not saved because you were distracted during the invitation.
* If you believe NaCl (or any simple chemical formula) will leap into flames when in contact with water on the face of a man who played with it at a party.
* If you know for a fact that rock music kills house plants.
* If you have thrown a stick in either a fireplace or bonfire on a Friday night.
* If you've heard it preached that the letters in "Santa" can easily be rearranged to spell "Satan."
* If you have a Hollywood Video or Blockbuster card in your wallet but think "not supporting Hollywood" is a good reason not to go to the theater.
* If you've ever worn guys shorts (as a girl) so that they'd be long enough to "check."
* If you regularly tell co-workers that you went to a "small, private college," instead of an Independent Fundamental Baptist Bible College in a town they've never heard of.
* If you have your doubts about any preacher with facial hair.
* If you understand that the term "mixed bathing" has nothing to do with personal hygiene.
* If you have ever held hands with a girl (or guy) during the prayer at a youth rally because you knew it was the only time the pastor wouldn't be looking.
* If Sissy Seagull was your first crush. (for guys)
* If you know who Ace, Baba, Christy, and Pudge are.
* If you can't have a church picnic with the other independent fundamental churches in the area because their standards aren't the same as the church that you attend.
* If you ever changed the last part of the chorus of "Now I Belong to Jesus" to "not for the years of Tom Malone."
* If you felt "dirty" when the pastor didn't give an invitation after his Sunday night message.
* If the front of your Bible has your hand-written note of the exact date and time you were saved....from all 7 years you went to camp.
* If you checked your parents' bedroom to make sure they were still there for at least a week after your church hosted the multi-night series of A Thief In The Night movies... er, films.
* If you are offended by any of the content above.

Feel free to add your own.

Today

2008-08-18T08:37:00.002-05:00

My friend Tina had a post last week where she invited others to participate. Well, better late than never, so here goes.

I'm wondering . . . how long will it take me drive to the wedding this afternoon up in Oshkosh? if we can stop adding things to the "to do list" long enough for me to finish what is already on it? how it can be that soccer season is already upon us? if more of our butterflies will hatch today?

I'm reading . . . End of the Spear.

I'm feeling . . . tired, lost, frustrated, unsure

Kim is not doing well again. Nothing has changed in our lifestyle that would seem to cause any changes, yet all of her symptoms are back.

I'm wanting . . . my headache to go away. More coffee may be the answer.

I'm wishing . . . I could take my family far away for a vacation and when we came back everything was better.

I'm thinking . . . about my spiritual walk. Something is not quite right, but I can't fully put my finger on it.

I'm going . . . to a wedding at 1:30. Who gets married at 1:30 on a Friday afternoon?

I'm hoping . . . in the riches and depth of God's mercy (Eph 2:4)

Though there a lot of things going on in my life right now, my biggest problem is still me. I continue to be in debt to God and my debt grows larger every day. Yet He is rich in mercy because of His great love.

I'm thankful for . . . laughter.

Hannah's smile when she realizes I am teasing her, Caleb's unique viewpoints on everything, Alex's growing grasp on the fine art of sarcasm, and the same private jokes that Kim and I have laughed about for years . . . all of these make everyday better.

I'm clinging . . . to Lamentations 3:22-23.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and He will never change. Any situation I find myself in does not change who God is. He has been faithful in the past, He knows where I am today, and He holds my tomorrow. I can sleep at night in His bosom and know that when I wake in the morning He will still be in control.

Our Great Need

2008-08-12T07:42:00.003-05:00

Recently I have had a partial quote of a sermon rolling around in my mind. I had heard the sermon a few years ago and remembered the preacher, but could not remember which sermon of his the quote had come from. Well, yesterday I found it and I thought I would share it here. The quote is by Pastor Alistair Begg.

"What was the great need of the sacrifice of Jesus? What was the problem? Not our predicament, but God's wrath. God's wrath. Because if God had been complacent in relationship to sin there would have been no need of a sacrifice. But because God was so holy that He could not even look on sin, and because all of His wrath had been revealed against all of the unrighteousness and the wickedness of men, the great need was for the wrath of God to be propitiated. So that in the dying of the Son the Father's wrath is propitiated. Christ takes the burden of our sin and our rebellion and our guilt on Him. And we as a byproduct discover the wonderful provision of forgiveness, and freedom, and hope. Because in the death of Christ, He has done all in relationship to sin, He has done all in relationship to God, and He has done all in relationship to Satan." (emphasis mine)

For me, this quote brings a shift in my mind from a God who is loving, and He is, to a Holy God who demands justice. My focus seems at times to be to much upon God as the forgiving God, and that He is, but at what cost? At the cost of His full wrath and anger for my sins being poured out upon His son. May I keep my eyes on the Cross and see in a new and fresh way the glories of Calvary.

Sixteen

2008-08-04T06:05:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, Kim and I celebrated our sixteenth anniversary. For the special occasion we took the kids out for pizza. In the days leading up to August 1, I began to reflect on what has changed about our relationship in those years and how our vows have become a living breathing part of our marriage. Following are a few random thoughts in no specific order.

-On a daily basis we find ourselves thinking the same thing at the same time, or saying the same thing together. It is unbelievably weird, but I love it.

-There is great comfort in having one person who will laugh with you when no one else would.

-We meant what we said about the "richer or poorer" part of the vows, but are very content living in the poorer part and doubt seriously that we will see the richer. Which is fine with us.

-Feeling completely at home can be achieved just by being in the presence of one person no matter where you are.

-Loving someone unconditionally on your own is hard work. It can be done, but it is almost impossibly hard.

-Loving someone unconditionally through Christ and His grace is much easier and more fulfilling.

-The "in sickness and in health" part of the vows seemed very insignificant sixteen years ago, but I wouldn't trade a moment of the years we have together. The hard times have always been hard, but they have also been the times when our love and marriage have grown the most. As Browning wrote, "I walked a mile with Pleasure, She chattered all the way; But left me none the wiser, For all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow And ne'er a word said she; But, oh, the things I learned from her When Sorrow walked with me."

-I could never have imagined having what we have.

-When I said "I do", I did, but I never knew how much more I would.

An Opaque Transparency

2008-07-15T06:30:00.003-05:00

Since the beginning of this blog I have attempted to be very transparent about what God is doing in my life and what He is teaching me. There are a few reasons for that. The first is that is who I am. I don't think I am very different from the blog to real life. The second reason is that when I write about varying spiritual issues in my life, it is to benefit me. I have found that when I write things out I gain a better grasp on what I am dealing with.

As I thought about this apparent transparency that I have online, I realized that it is only a veiled clarity. What I mean is that I am not completely transparent. And I don't think anyone could be. I am still uncomfortable with having my last name associated with the blog and in all truthfulness, no one wants to know every thought that crosses through my brain in a given day. Some of my thoughts would be quite amusing if you could see them just due to the unbelievable stupidity of my brain process at times. While many other thoughts would only offer views of my own wickedness and that is an expose that no one wants or needs to see.

Quite often my spiritual life works like my blog. (At this time some of you are commenting about it being poorly done, infrequently updated, and mostly devoid of true substance. That's ok.) I have found that in moments of repentance and in the process of asking God to reveal sin that lies within my heart that I only want to be partially honest. That I only want to be transparent in part. "God, help me deal with this sin here and here, but I would prefer that you don't look into the sins in the corner." I try to hide and justify some while at the same time asking God to make me like He is, and that doesn't work. Honestly, who do I think I am fooling? I'm hiding sin from God? After all He has searched me and known me. He knows my thoughts from afar. Before I utter a word, you God know it. Where can I go that you are not there? Any attempt to hide sin from God is completely futile.

Yet I think there is another aspect to this issue of sin in my life. I recently came across an illustration that opened my eyes. Picture yourself getting on a plane. You have had your boarding pass checked at the gate and are now on the plane. Settling into your seat 1G you began to run through your mind the varying minuscule snacks that will be offered shortly. "Should I take the package of ten peanuts or the pack of 5 pretzels?" As you prepare for takeoff and taxi out on the runway the voice of the pilot comes over the speaker system. "Thank you for flying with us today en route from Chicago to Houston. It is my pleasure to be piloting this aircraft to your destination today. I just wanted to let you know that in the years that I have been flying it has been my resolution to crash very little."
Excuse me!?! "Very little?" How about not crashing at all. I think that one crash would be enough. But is this not how I live my life on an almost daily basis? If I am being completely transparent, wouldn't my prayers sound more like, "Dear God, in my walk with You today I resolve to sin very little." Is that not how most Christians approach their daily walk with Christ? "God, it is inevitable that I will sin today, therefore I hope to keep my sinning to just a small amount today. Oh, and I would prefer to sin in the following ways. I know that this will be alright with You, because you are the forgiving God. Amen."

I think that my sin may be less of trying to actively hide it, though there is some of that going on, and more a matter of accepting sin in my life. I know that I will sin for I cannot escape my flesh, but my attitude toward my sin needs to change. Instead of viewing sin as unavoidable in my life, I need to be viewing it as the very root of all evil that it is and be active in destroying it. I need to stop being resolved to sin and become resolved to actively kill sin in my life. The late great Scottish preacher Robert Murray M'Cheyne once said that within his heart lay the seeds of every known sin. As in his, so in mine. May my life be ever the more clear of sin that I may know more of Him.

Update

2008-07-04T07:05:00.003-05:00

Well, I have good news to share. Yesterday we went with my parents to the first visit with the oncologist. It seems as if though someone made a mistake in reading the previous scans of my dad's chest. The mass is not getting larger, it is actually getting smaller. I'm not sure how you make that mistake, but the result of that news is that the oncologist felt quite confident in telling us that he did not believe that my dad has cancer. The doctor told us that the common markers for cancer were not there and that the PET scan that my father had earlier this week showed no signs of cancer anywhere. My dad will have a follow up scan in three months to see if the mass is still there.

That's all for now. Thanks to all for your prayers and have a delightful Fourth of July weekend.

The Weight of Affliction

2008-06-17T06:59:00.006-05:00

Here is a very brief update on our life and a verse to share that is a great comfort to me.

In April my father had a hemorrhagic stroke while in Austin, Texas. He was completely paralyzed on the right side, but is making a remarkable recovery. He is walking with a walker and will even use a cane from time to time to get around. The first weekend of May, we flew him up to Wisconsin for the summer.

On May 15, due in part to his lack of mobility, he threw a massive clot from his leg to his lungs. He was flighted by helicopter (his second med-flight in 7 weeks) from Watertown to Madison. The clot had traveled from his legs through his heart and stopped in his lungs. The doctors placed a metal filter in one of his arteries to prevent future clots and he was released from the hospital three days after going in. Normally, a person can be given medication to help break up clots, but due to the type of stroke my father had, he cannot take that medication.

In the first week of June, my father had a routine follow up scan where they discovered a mass in his lungs. The doctors compared the scan from June to one taken 3 weeks prior and realized that the mass had grown in size and had changed shapes. The doctors believe that it is cancer. My father will have a full body scan done on July 1, to determine definitely what we are dealing with.

Last week, we evacuated my parents and their RV home from the campground where they were spending the summer. Due to the rain and flooding we have received in the Midwest, the campground flooded. They are currently living in their RV in our driveway.

Through all of this, Kim has been doing well. Most of her symptoms had stopped occurring and her pain was much less. We made sure to take care of her and she made marked improvements from where she had been. However, her symptoms have flared this last week. Yesterday was the first time in a long time that she complained of leg weakness. Whatever she has seems to be back to an extent. By the end of yesterday, she had numbness in her legs and her right arm was numb. Many of her other symptoms have come back in the last few days as well.

I post all of this so that I may ask for your prayers. I also wanted to share one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. It helps to put into perspective these slight inconveniences of the last few months. May grace upon grace fall down.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Weekend Quiz

2008-05-30T07:37:00.002-05:00

I had seen this before, but was recently reminded of it again. Thought I would post the quizzes here for more participation. The quiz is in three parts and is titled, "How Well Do You Know the Words of Jesus?" Feel free to post your results in the comments after you take the quizzes. Be forewarned, these are tough. Click below to get started.

Beginner's Quiz

Intermediate Quiz

Advanced Quiz

Enjoy!

Music Rant

2008-05-23T12:17:00.004-05:00

Something has been bothering me for a while. Specifically, what has been bothering me has to do with a song being played on "Christian" radio. Now I don't listen to music radio very much, but occasionally I will have it on while driving, etc. I do have my alarm clock set to wake up to our local Christian station, but other than the few seconds of the song being played before I hit the snooze button, I don't really listen. However, I have heard enough of it recently to pick out a new song that really irritates me. It is the new song by Point of Grace, "How You Live (Turn Up th Music). It bothers me because I can see absolutely no reason why it should get airplay on Christian radio. Now I know that there are other songs that have not had an implicit gospel message to them, such as "Butterfly Kisses" and even Steven Curtis Chapman's current hit, "Cinderella". But "How You Live" is not only lacking a Christian message, it is actually heretical in its lyrics compared to Biblical teaching.

For example, look at these lyrics.

"So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you"

Sounds a lot like Hinduism's teaching on karma if you ask me. Yet that is not the part of the song that bothers me the most. It is actually the last few lines of the chorus that get under my skin. "'Cause it's not who you knew, And it's not what you did, It's how you live." Excuse me?!?! How does this get played on any station that claims to be Christian? "It's not who you knew, it's how you live?" The lyrics should be just the opposite. Actually it not about how I live, but it is all about who I know in the person of Jesus Christ. I know the song is along the lines of "carpe diem" yet can't we seize the day and still adhere to accepted Christian orthodoxy?

Welcome to the Shop

2008-05-21T07:42:00.004-05:00

I thought I would post a few pictures of the project that left my shop yesterday. It is one of the most unique pieces that I have ever been involved with. The project is on its way to be stained and finished. After that is done I will install the furniture into the customers home. After the installation is complete, I will post some finished pictures of the completed project.

So, here is what it is. It is a queen size bed that retracts into a cabinet. The bed slides in and up the back of the cabinet so that the whole unit fits into a 24" deep space. It operates via remote control. Very James Bondish. As always, clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.

This first picture shows the majority of the unit. There is a lot more that goes with the whole piece that what is shown in the picture. The entire project is 12' wide by 10' high. So, what you see here actually will get another 30" of cabinetry on top of it. On the left hand side, there is a desk that will get a granite counter-top on it. On the right hand side there is a drawer base that will also get granite on it. The main unit in the center will have a piece of art mounted in the big section in the center. Most customers who are purchasing these are mounting flat screen tv's in that space. Due to this project being in the "not finished yet stages", there are not drawer faces on the drawers yet. That is why there are big gaps around the drawers on the left and right. When finished, the unit will be virtually flat all the way across.

Here we can see the bed mechanism coming out. What is actually the foot-board of the bed will look like two drawer faces. They will line up with the drawer faces on the right hand side when it is completed.

Here the bed is completely extended. The slats that are on the top are the box spring and the mechanism that holds the mattress in place when the unit is closed. All in all, it is very clever engineering. Getting through some of the details was a challenge, but it has been a rewarding project. Finished project pictures will come in a few months.

Polishing God's Monuments - A Book Review

2008-05-08T22:59:00.005-05:00

Last week I started and finished reading the book "Polishing God's Monuments" by Jim Andrews. Jim Andrews is a pastor, author, and in this book, the father of one of the main characters, his daughter, Juli. It is the true story of Juli and her husband Paul whose marriage of nineteen years has been surrounded by the most unbelievable illness and suffering.

The style of the book is unlike any other I have ever read. The author moves through the book by writing a chapter on how Juli's health is during a specific time period and then he follows with a chapter that deals with the theology of pain and suffering from a Biblical perspective. This alternating format seemed weird at first, but I quickly realized, at least for me, that the personal chapters would have been far too emotionally taxing to read all at once, and the theology needed the break in order for me to absorb the teaching.

The personal side of the book deals with the illness of primarily Juli, but also with Paul's correlating illnesses as well. As very new newlyweds, they were both diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Shortly after that diagnosis, Juli would began to suffer from another illness that some CFS patients are susceptible to, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). These two illnesses combined would send Juli, Paul, and their families on a maddening, painful, God-questioning, journey for the next nineteen years of their lives. Juli's MCS quickly became very severe. She soon developed sensitivities to cosmetics, soap, and all household cleaners. One scent of any of those items anywhere within her house or even a scent on someone who entered the house would cause her body to shut down in a pain she describes as acid being poured through every vein and muscle in my body. Her illness advanced to a point where the MCS so severely attacked her body that she was allergic to paper, fabric, and many various chemicals that made up their everyday life. For example, she developed an intolerance to chlorine. In the summer months, when the city they lived in would increase the levels of chlorine used in the treatment of the city water, her MCS would become so severe that she could not tolerate a drop of water anywhere within the house; no drinking, no bathing, no toilet. As if that were not bad enough, she even developed a sensitivity to electricity. She soon became a prisoner in her own house. Living in darkness, she would spend her days without books or music to help pass the time. Her illness cut her off from all personal contact with her family and friends except for her contact with Paul. However,as heart wrenching as the personal side of the book is, it is the other chapters that give the book its substance.

One of the questions that first confronts the reader is why? Why did this happen to Juli and Paul? They were a young, talented couple with their whole lives in front of them. Their desire was to serve God on the foreign mission field and they were taking steps to fulfill that purpose when the illness struck. Why would God allow such pain and suffering into the lives of those who are willing to devote their lives in service to Him? The author begins to relieve that tension by describing what he calls, "monumental faith." This is not faith of an enormous size, but rather it is faith in the God of monuments. He describes various times in his life where the sovereign hand of God was extremely evident. It is those times in the past where God could clearly be seen that he describes as "God's monuments." He explains that in the periods of our life when God appears to be silent or far from us, that in those moments we go back and remember those "monuments" of God. When God appears to be distant is when we must rely on what we know of His character. He is faithful and true, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He works all for our good, even the periods of lives that are filled with pain and questioning. It is in those times that we need to fall back, remember God's faithfulness in the past, "polish God's monuments" in our lives, and continue to trust that He knows what is best for us.

This book struck a chord with me personally. I think in part due to some of what our family has gone through in the last year. However, it also revealed a heart issue for me. I think it can best be summarized in the following quote from the book. The quote is from a young lady who was a friend of the Andrew family. She was battling through her second brush with brain cancer and in the midst of that circumstance, in incredible pain, just months before her death, she said these words. "When I became a Christian, I surrendered all my rights to Jesus to do with as he chooses. If it's his good pleasure to slice me into pieces and barbecue me on a skewer, that is none of my business. The Lord is good; his ways are perfect and I have no complaints." Could I say that? What is my response to rather minor inconveniences? How I respond to the small trials in my life is rather telling about the faith I profess to have in a sovereign God.

This was a different book. A book on the Biblical theology of suffering is not going to sell as many copies as all of the other "Christian" drivel that tells us how we can achieve what is best for life here and now. However, the weight of truth in this book will stand far longer than most of what is being mass marketed as "Christian" to the evangelical community today. I enjoyed this book so much, that I wanted to begin reading it again as soon as I finished it. I have in fact gone back to read portions of it. I highly recommend it and think that it would be a welcome edition to any personal library. You can purchase it here.

Deja Vu All Over Again

2008-04-30T06:51:00.002-05:00

Our house is an old house. It has its charms and its problems. It has a cement cistern rendering a quarter of the basement useless, but it also has a full size laundry chute that you can access from the first or the second floor. We believe the house was built in the 1930's judging by the date of the newspapers that were used to help caulk around the original tub. The house has all original woodwork and it includes some small built in amenities that were common in that time period. One of those built ins is an all wooden ironing board that folds down out of the wall in our kitchen.

In an effort to help Kim get out of the house for work, I have long ironed her uniforms for work. We have a routine that is fairly worked out. I iron her uniform, make her a sandwich, and send her out the door. Due to the fact that it takes less time for me to get ready to go somewhere like church, I usually do the ironing of the clothes for those occasions also. All this to say that I probably iron articles of clothing about four times a week.

For the first ten years of living in our house, we kept the iron in a small pantry in the kitchen near the fold-down ironing board. After it had cooled down and when it wasn't in use, it had a home on one of the shelves in the pantry. Convenient and close to its accessory, it was a good system. About 5 years ago our iron broke and we got a new one. We ran into a slight problem with the new one. It had a slightly higher base which meant it was too tall to fit on the shelves in the pantry. The iron needed a new home. So for the last five years our iron has sat on top of the refrigerator.

In doing the math on this I come up with about 4 times of ironing a week, times 52 weeks, times 5 years, equals 1,040 opportunities to pull down the ironing board and reach for the iron. Out of the approximately 1,000 opportunities in the last 5 years, do you know how many times I walk into the pantry to grab the iron? Almost every single time. The iron hasn't lived in the pantry for 5 years! It wasn't in the pantry last week and it wasn't there when I reached for it yesterday. Yet this simple fact does not stop me from looking somewhat like an idiot as I reach almost daily for what isn't there. But it is not the last 5 years that conditioned me to act in this way, it was the 10 years prior to this that built in me a habit and a pattern that I may never break.

This past week I had one of those "aha" moments. I found myself willfully sinning again. The same sins I had committed many times before. The same situation and the same circumstances brought my same response. See, like reaching for the iron that isn't there, I find myself habitually sinning in the same way. My wicked heart has set a pattern of rebellion that has conditioned itself to respond to the same circumstances by committing the same sins. In all the years of my struggle with my sin I often look to stop the sinning, yet I need to break the habits of my life that lead to that sin in order to find release and freedom through His grace. In my repentance before God this last week, it was almost as if He said, "Why do you keep reaching for that iron of sin? Stop walking in the same direction every time due to habits that only lead to sin." My senseless reaching for what isn't in the pantry is just like my reaching for what I think I want in the moment, but what I know is just as empty as the spot on the shelf where the iron used to live.

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Gentlemen, Start Your . . .

2008-04-29T07:08:00.004-05:00

I thought I would share a few pictures from a couple of weeks ago. Every year our kids participate in AWANA and part of that participation involves making pine derby cars to race in the annual Grand Prix race. They can't race until they are in third grade, so this was Hannah's first year. Caleb and Alex have both raced before. There are awards handed out for three different categories, speed, design (what looks most like a real car), and for creativity (doing the best you can with a block of wood). Well, I am not one for the speed category, but design and creativity suit me fairly well. Click the picture to enlarge them if you want a closer look.

This first picture is of Alex's and Caleb's cars from last year. Caleb's car is a 1960 Mercury sedan. I know nothing about cars, but if you give me a picture I can carve it. Alex's car is the solar system. In the center is an orange super ball that we cut in half. Underneath the car we mounted a led light. When you turned on the light, the sun would shine. Caleb got first place in design and Alex got first place in creativity.

This is Hannah's first car. All she knew was that she wanted the car that Nancy Drew drove in the new Nancy Drew movie. Some quick Google work turned up that is was a 1960 Nash Metropolitan convertible. She took home a third place prize in design.

This is Caleb's car from this year. He came up with the idea of a car that was thin enough to race either upside down or right side up. As he and I discussed the idea, we talked about having a theme to the car that had two different views or different looks. He decided on the cross of Christ and His resurrection. This side is the cross and it says, "He who knew no sin became sin for us . . ."

This is the other side of Caleb's car. It says, "He's risen" on the bottom and on the top it says, ". . . that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

My First Meme

2008-04-14T06:12:00.004-05:00

I first saw this on Tina's blog and thought, "I should do that." However, life got hectic and I didn't get to it. Today I have a few extra minutes so I thought I would play along. If you are so inclined, Kerry did one also.

I've never done a meme before, but I've seen them. Normally there is a tagging process which to me is a lot like the awful stamp club things my kids would get sucked into when they were younger, but I digress. I didn't get tagged and I won't be tagging anyone at the end. Mostly because I don't know five other bloggers who haven't already done it and I don't think that tagging bloggers I don't know would necessarily be nice. I will answer the questions to the best of my ability though quite honestly my memory is somewhat fuzzy on portions of my personal life. So here goes. . .

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, each player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Five things on my to do list today:
1. Pull school for the kids for the week.
2. Make breakfast for a friend from Florida who is dropping in with some of his friends.
3. Order a sheet of Formica for friends, order drawers for the current project in the shop, possibly order various hardware for same said project.
4. Get back to building the project. The main portion is built though it needs to be stood up and have the main mechanicals installed. Then I can start on the rest of the cabinetry around the main unit. It is very clearly the most unique piece I have ever built, a bed that retracts via remote control into wall cabinetry. Think James Bond.
5. Make supper, clean the kitchen, quote out two other potential customers on their projects, put together worship packages for the upcoming Bible conference at our church. That's more than five, sorry.

Snacks I enjoy (and allow myself to have):
Hmmmm. This one is a little tougher. I don't know that I really have one thing that I really crave or eat on a regular basis. Wait! It just came to me. Coffee. It is like my comfort food. I can drink it all the time. In fact, I probably drink way too much. Other than that the only other thing that is a real downfall for me when it is around is chocolate. Especially dark chocolate. A piece of dark chocolate in the mouth followed by a drink of hot coffee is divine. You let the heat of the coffee melt the chocolate and it is the perfect mixing of flavors.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
I have no real answer on this one. Having more money is a thought that rarely crosses my mind. Not because we already have a lot, because we don't. But we try and keep an eternal perspective and personal wealth doesn't come into the equation for us. I would like to think that if I became independently wealthy that my life would stay fairly the same. I am a simple person and I don't need a lot of stuff to make me happy. However, if I became a billionaire, I would give it in various ways to further the kingdom of Christ. On a personal level, there are a few places around the world that I would really love to travel to, but they are so out of reach I have never given serious thought to them.

Three of my bad habits:
1. Being too dogmatic on my own opinions.
2. Procrastination. Enough said.
3. Whenever I dish ice cream, when all has been dished, just prior to putting it away, I have to eat one small bite of ice cream from the container off of the ice cream scoop. This is probably more of an idiosyncrasy than a habit, but it is a little bizarre. I've tried to not do it, but it just feels weird if I don't. It is always the last thing I do and no, I have never worked anywhere that served ice cream.

Five places I have lived:
This one is easy, because I have only lived in three places.
In order.
1. Waupun, WI
2. Watertown, WI
3. Clyman, WI

Five jobs I've had in no particular order:
1. Newspaper boy for 4 years. I did every route in the town at one time or another.
2. Pizza delivery. You quickly learned to get on the good side of the guy who makes the pizza's to get the pick of who you will be delivering to. We had some regular customers who were very good tippers and we had one regular customer who always answered the door in only his underwear. Underwear guy always got the new guy to deliver his pizza.
3. I drove forklift and cleaned in a machine shop for a summer. From the first day to the last, all of the guys on the floor called me, Elmer. They said I looked like an Elmer and they never asked or cared what my real name was.
4. Inventory manager for a tool equipment retail store.
5. Worked in a production furniture shop and became one of their floor leaders. That allowed me the opportunity to learn all of the different jobs in the shop. I also trained the new employees and was allowed to work on the very custom jobs that the shop would get from time to time. All great experience that helped when I opened my own business.

What was I doing ten years ago?
I changed the order of the questions because this one is the hardest for me to answer. Ten years ago was 1998. I would change jobs that year, but overall it was a year of personal crisis. I was in the last year of a two year period of running from God. I had fallen into a pattern of sin that I really enjoyed, but I never counted the cost. The more I ran from God the further I ran to sin and in doing so I was destroying my marriage, my family, and myself. After a while, I felt so incredibly guilty that I sank into a deep suicidal depression. I alone knew the reason why. I continued to run from God and even had some very serious agnostic thoughts. I couldn't understand how if there was a God, why He would let me wake up every day in such personal misery. My wicked heart told me that the only answer to free me from my pattern of guilt and pain was to no longer live. Yet through all of that, God was pursuing me. I did not run to Him and I did not come willingly. He drew me kicking, screaming, and fighting for what I thought was my "freedom". In spite of me, He offered grace and when He grabbed me I could no longer say no. "Once His enemy, now seated at His table." He not only gave me back my life, He gave me life in Him. He restored a marriage and a family and continues to give grace. I cannot think of that period of my life without thinking of Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—
I cannot think but that I should have run any storehouse of mercy completely empty. But God, who is rich in mercy called and drew me. Sovereign Grace Music in their song "Always Forgiven" puts it so well.
All You have shown me is grace, love, and mercy,
Now and forever I am Your child.
Freely You pour out Your loving kindness,
Father of grace You welcome me in.

Life Update

2008-04-10T07:17:00.003-05:00

A couple of quick notes to update my three faithful readers.

This past Saturday my father had a stroke. He and mom were in Texas selling at an antique show. It was a fairly serious stroke, but he is making some rapid progress already. I have spent a better part of my week on the phone trying to arrange post-hospital rehab care for him up here in Wisconsin. Once he is physically able to fly via commercial airline, I will fly down and bring him back. I am anticipating that he will be discharged from the hospital in Texas early next week.

Other than that life continues on. Alex has started baseball practice. He is doing a select baseball team this summer. What a change one year can bring. No longer can we go to the local store and get him youth baseball gear. He has moved into adult sizes. He is 5' 8" tall and is wearing a size 12 shoe. Still skinny as a rail though.

Caleb is in a holding pattern for sports. His baseball season doesn't start for another month yet. However, he is going to Atlanta next week with his cousins to watch them participate in the national high school robotics competition. Two of my nephews are on the team and this is right up Caleb's alley. He is already packed and wants me to download a bunch of new songs on his mp3 player for the trip.

Hannah has started spring soccer. I am coaching her in that again. She really enjoys it and it is a good opportunity for her to exercise and socialize. She is hoping to finally score a goal this year. She keeps getting better so hopefully.

Kim's health is definitely getting better. There are still a lot of ups and downs, but overall her pain is less and her endurance is stronger.

Lastly, I have joined Facebook. Honestly, I did it because Sovereign Grace Music is offering a free download of their newest unreleased album "Come Weary Saints" from their Facebook page. I'm not sure what other benefits Facebook hold for me, but we will see.

The Routine of Christianity

2008-03-25T05:48:00.003-05:00

I have started this post about five different times over the last week and have tried to attack it from different angles, but none of them are working. So I'm going to put down the thoughts that have been running through my brain and hopefully in the end, they will all make sense. Mostly, they are questions or question like statements of self-analysis of my personal life.

For the past few months, I have been giving some thought to how my personal life is viewed by others. Specifically, the question would be, "When others see me, do they see Christ?" I think it is easy to answer the question with a yes and move on with the rest of my life because too often in self-analysis I only focus on the good and I repress the bad. However, as I stepped out of myself and tried to view my life from every angle, there is much more to be seen than just the good interactions between myself and family or between myself and friends at church.

One of the things that I have been thinking about specifically is, "Is my life a testimony of the saving grace of Jesus Christ?" If not, what does that look like? Part of my problem is that I am self-employed. It is not uncommon for me to go for weeks at a time without seeing anyone other than my wife and children and our friends at church. I have almost no personal interaction with anyone else. It is not like I am a hermit, but yet in many ways we are isolated because of homeschooling and self-employment. So that means that when we do interact with others who are unbelievers, we must make the most of the situation. Which leads to another question, "How do we do that?"

I know that we are to be salt and light as is commanded in Matthew 5:13-16 and that is certainly my goal. Yet what does that look like in my life? We are called as believers to come out from the world and yet we are commanded to go back into it to tell the good news. Seems like a paradox to me. Still, we must go. So of course in my mind that leads to yet another question, "How can my life be salt and light to the world around me and what does that look like in practical everyday living?" As I have studied and thought about this subject, I have come up with two things that I think are important as these questions apply to my life. They are, as the rest of the post, in the form of a question.

First, is my minute by minute daily living showing forth good works that are motivated by devotion to Jesus Christ so that others may in turn see them and be led by the Spirit to glorify the Father? Matthew 5:16 "...let your light shine before other, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Notice that it doesn't say that they may "hear" your erudite words. The world around me does not need to hear from me my personal knowledge about the Bible, nor do they need to receive any judgments from me on how they live their lives. No, they need to see the radical change the grace of God has wrought in my life and then the Spirit will lead them to ask questions like, "What motivates them to do that? or Why would they continue to reach out to them after all that has happened?" I believe that the radical change of grace in my life is seen by others when I am moved with compassion to do something out of love that I would not have done through any power of my own.

Secondly, when others see me, is my hope in Jesus Christ clearly visible? I Peter 3:15 "...always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." Is the reason that no one has asked me recently about my personal relationship with Jesus Christ due to the fact that they see me trusting in the same things that they trust in? Their jobs, their families, their relationships hold their worlds together. Do they see me motivated by the same hope they have? If they do, than my hope is obviously in the wrong place. I think it certainly implied in this verse that one of the reasons that my life may not be an effective witness for Christ is simply due to the fact that, to often, my hope is in the wrong things rather than in the right Person.

I have not completely worked all of these questions out in my head, yet I know there are two things I need to prayerfully continue to examine. First, that the motivation of my actions need to be Godly and not self-centered. Secondly, I need to constantly examine myself to make certain that I am hoping only in the Giver and not the gifts.

The Dumb Lamb

2008-03-11T07:30:00.002-05:00

As the Passion approaches, I have began to re-read The Cross He Bore by Frederick S Leahy. (Check out this post for more information.) I am reading a chapter a day and will finish the book on the morning of Good Friday.

Today's chapter is titled "The Dumb Lamb" and it deals specifically with the silence of Christ as He stood before His accusers, the Sanhedrin and the High Priest. When He was falsely accused, He stood silent. Leahy explains the reason for Christ's silence this way, "God does not unfold his mysteries to the wicked. The members of the Sanhedrin were not seekers after truth: they were murderers at heart."

In the last part of the chapter on the majesty of Christ's silence, Leahy concludes with these thoughts: "All too often Christ's silence has been given a dangerous one-sidedness, as his passive obedience is stressed almost, if not altogether, to the exclusion of his active obedience. Christ's silence was deliberate, emphatic and authoritative: it was his deed. . . . Because of his sublime and sovereign silence, he has earned the right to speak eternally. His silence was an act of mighty obedience to his Father's will and a compliance with that wondrous mission entrusted to him in the counsels of eternity. . . . In that ecclesiastical court Satan was tempting Christ with his own riddle, twisted though it was. By a single word he might have freed himself from his enemies. But our silent Priest continued majestically to his death. O blessed silence that lay at the heart of our redemption! . . . This Holy Temple, the subject of the riddle, could now be broken down, to be raised in glory. Just as the first temple was erected without sound of hammer, or any iron tool (I Kings 6:7), so this Temple of Christ's body will be restored in a silence that nothing can profane."

The Heart Work of Forgiveness

2008-03-03T07:00:00.003-06:00

These two phrases of three words each may be the most difficult words to say in all of the English language, especially to say them and mean them from your heart, "I am sorry," and "I forgive you." It is easy to flippantly respond to someone and say words because we believe that others want to hear those words when inside we know we are not sorry and we do not forgive. It is easy because our pride holds us so strongly that we believe we are still the ones who are right. And sometimes we very well may be. But being right does not give us an excuse not to forgive. Being right does not issue with itself a free pass at being self righteous, for too often, our self righteousness leads to anger and bitterness against the other party. No, Paul tells us in Romans 12:21 to overcome evil with good. The following saying applies well, "To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; but to return good for evil is divine." And isn't that what we as the redeemed should be looking to be like, Divine?

The past few days have been a work of grace as God has shown me a proper attitude of forgiveness in the midst of a trial. He has so graciously led me to wise counsel in a difficult situation and has reinforced with His Word the need to forgive even when I am wronged. I do not know how this period of time in my life will play out, nor do I know what I will ultimately take from it. But I do know that He, for right now, has shown me what forgiveness needs to look like in my heart. I am so thankful for His grace in gently pulling me to Himself in this trial. Most of all, I am thankful that He has shown me how greatly I have been forgiven, and is that not the ultimate goal of forgiveness? That we, by His grace, may overcome evil with good so that others may see the great redeeming, forgiveness of a Heavenly Father in our lives. There is no power of our own that can forgive others who do not deserve it save the power of the cross in our own lives.

The following is a poem by Rosamond E Herklots.

"Forgive our sins as we forgive,"
You taught us, Lord, to pray;
But You alone can grant us grace
To live the words we say.

How can Your pardon reach and bless
The unforgiving heart
That broods on wrongs and will not let
Old bitterness depart?

In blazing light your cross reveals
The truth we dimly knew:
How trifling others' debts to us;
How great our debt to You!

Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls
And bid resentment cease;
Then, by your mercy reconciled,
Our lives will spread your peace.

Catching Up

2008-02-27T06:31:00.003-06:00

Well, this has blog been dormant long enough. Things have been very busy in our life as we . . . well, live life. There has been a basketball tournament, snow removal, lots of school, teaching preparation, snow removal, doctor's visits, snow removal, and the extra busyness that goes in when I am finishing a project up for a deadline.

It is time to be honest. When I am doing work for someone and get to the end of their project, I am quite frankly tired of the project. Usually when I have about two to three weeks left until I am done, I really get the urge to move on to something different.

The actual ending has the following components. During the installation the customer is excited because they are seeing it all go together for the first time. For me, the installation is anti-climatic. I have lived with the project in varying degrees for at least the last six months and the happy feeling that have is that I don't have to think about it any longer and I can move on to new challenges. Recently, after building and installing a very complicated piece, the customer looked at me and said, "It is absolutely beautiful! Did you have any idea it would look like this?" My response was, "Yes. It turned out exactly how I pictured it in my head over a year ago." So for them, they were seeing it for the first time and were excited. For me, I was seeing what I had been seeing all along.

With all of that stated, there is a funny story about the recent completion of a project. Last week, I finished up the last final details of various projects for a customer that I have been working with for the last year. Actually, the first project I did for them started over 3 years ago. Anyway, last week I was done and when I finish a job I file all of my drawings, work documents, and everything related to the project together into my "Finished Work" file. As I was putting this project into the file, I commented to Caleb that there is a happy feeling of finality when I actually file away the project. He looks at me and ask, "Dad, how much did you charge them to build all of that?" "It was pretty expensive," I replied. "Was it $2,000.00?" he asked. I said, "No, it was more than that." "Was it $100,000!?" he asked. I just laughed at him. The fact that an eleven year old mind can have a $98,000.00 jump in the price amused me.

The first week of the Sunday school class went very well. We made it through the introduction and the first point on the outline this last Sunday. We were actually suppose to start two weeks ago, but that Sunday morning we canceled church due to an ice storm that came through. I may or may not be teaching again this week due to a special speaker coming or not coming, but I would guess that I have at least a couple of weeks left yet in this short series.

It has been awhile since a mentioned how Kim is doing, so I will give a brief update on her. She still is suffering from the same symptoms she has been, so actually, not much has changed. The doctors have been trying some different medications with her to help ease that pain, but none of them have been completely effective. Her symptoms still vary in intensity from week to week or day to day seemingly without reason. She has started to see a chiropractor to see if she can get any relief there. At this point we are unsure what else to do.

Well, that is all for now. I will try and maintain a regular blogging schedule, but I have some major deadlines approaching so I can't make any promises.

Confessions

2008-02-13T07:27:00.005-06:00

As I was preparing to teach the next couple of weeks I came across this history I thought I would share.

As the teenager of a heathen father and a Christian mother living in North Africa during the late 300's AD, young Augustine would fill his life with the passions of whatever he set his heart upon. Rejecting the pleading of his mother to become a believer and follower of Christ, he pursued education and specifically, pursued fulfilling the desires of his flesh through all manners of sexual lust. Before he was twenty, he had taken a concubine that he would keep for the next 15 years. He had this to say about those years, "I went to Carthage, where I found myself in the midst of a hissing cauldron of lust. . . . My real need was for you, my God, who are the food of the soul. I was not aware of this hunger." "I was willing to steal, and steal I did, although I was not compelled by any lack." "I was at the top of the school of rhetoric. I was pleased with my superior status and swollen with conceit. . . . It was my ambition to be a good speaker, for the unhallowed and inane purpose of gratifying human vanity."

As he lived his life, devoted to pleasures of selfishness, he drew ever nearer to God through various theological and often heretical studies. In his early thirties he came under the teaching of the great preacher Ambrose where he began to realize his need for something more. However, he could not reconcile his need for God with the sinful desires of his flesh. That is until August of 386. At 32 years of age, while in a garden with his friend, Alypius, the following exchange between Augustine and a Holy God took place, an exchange that fought for fleshly desires with irresistible grace.

"There was a small garden attached to the house where we lodged. . . . I now found myself driven by the tumult in my breast to take refuge in this garden, where no one could interrupt that fierce struggle in which I was my own contestant. . . . I was beside myself with madness that would bring me sanity. I was dying a death that would bring me life. . . . I was frantic, overcome by violent anger with myself for not accepting your will and entering into your covenant. . . . I tore my hair and hammered my forehead with my fists; I locked my fingers and hugged my knees.

I was held back by mere trifles. . . They plucked at my garment of flesh and whispered, "Are you going to dismiss us? From this moment we shall never be with you again, for ever and ever.". . . And while I stood trembling at the barrier, on the other side I could see the chaste beauty of Continence in all her serene, unsullied joy, as she modestly beckoned me to cross over and to hesitate no more. She stretched out loving hands to welcome and embrace me.

I flung myself down beneath a fig tree and gave way to the tears which now streamed from my eyes . . . In my misery I kept crying, "How long shall I go on saying 'tomorrow, tomorrow'? Why not now? Why not make an end of my ugly sins at this moment?" . . . All at once I heard the singsong voice of a child in a nearby house. Whether it was the voice of a boy or a girl I cannot say, but again and again it repeated the refrain 'Take it and read, take it and read.' At this I looked up, thinking hard whether there was any kind of game in which children used to chant words like these, but I could not remember ever hearing them before. I stemmed my flood of tears and stood up, telling myself that this could only be a divine command to open my book of Scripture and read the first passage on which my eyes should fall.
So I hurried back to the place where Alypius was sitting . . . seized [the book of Paul's epistles] and opened it, and in silence I read the first passage on which my eyes fell: "Not in reveling in drunkenness, not in lust and wantonness, not in quarrels and rivalries. Rather, arm yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ; spend no more thought on nature and nature's appetites" (Romans 13:13-14). I had no wish to read more and no need to do so. For in an instant, as I came to the end of the sentence, it was as though the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled."

Later, in his book, Confessions, Augustine would write this about his conversion experience.

"During all those years, where was my free will? What was the hidden, secret place from which it was summoned in a moment, so that I might bend my neck to your easy yoke . . .? How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose . . ! You drove them from me, you who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place, you who are sweeter than all pleasure, though not to flesh and blood, you who outshine all light, yet are hidden deeper than any secret in our hearts, you who surpass all honor, though not in the eyes of men who see all honor in themselves. . . . O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation." (Bold emphasis mine)

As I consider the testimony of Augustine, I am compelled and convicted to give to God all of my "fruitless joys" and find in Him my "sovereign joy", complete happiness and contentment in Him alone. Consider also with me this statement by C.S. Lewis, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." May His grace enable us to taste and see and treasure Him above all and to find in Him . . . Him, infinite joy.

All italics are quotes of Augustine taken from the book The Legacy of Sovereign Joy by John Piper

Two Weeks in Africa

2008-02-11T05:50:00.000-06:00

I've added a new blog link to my sidebar. It is a blog for a missions team from our church that is on their way to South Africa. The team is leaving tomorrow and will be back in two weeks. We are very excited for them and look forward to seeing how God is working in Capetown when they get back. If you would like to see what a short term missions team looks like in action, then follow along on their blog.

As a slightly connected side note, on Caedmon's Call's latest album, they have a song called "Two Weeks in Africa." The lyrics follow.

Johannesburg to Capetown,
the plane had barely touched down.
She was taking photos for the friends back home.
This was always where she felt her heart belonged.
She was finally here,
the sky was bright and clear.

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

Johannesburg to Houston,
she came home on a mountain.
But school was starting, things kept moving on.
Before you knew it, seven years had gone.
She found a picture of her,
standing, smiling,
arms around the starving kids.
She swore not to forget,
she swore not to forget...

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

And if we follow our dear sun
to where the stars are not familiar.
Faces turn to numbers,
numbers fall like manna from the sky.
Why, oh why?
Oh Father, why?
One village in Malawi now has water running pure and clean.
One church alive in Kenya's full of truth and love and medicine.

We put the walls up, but Jesus keeps them standing.
He doesn't need us, but He lets us put our hands in.
So we can see, His love is bigger than you and me.

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

An Invitation

2008-02-08T10:20:00.000-06:00

I have been extended the opportunity to teach one of our church's adult Family Bible Hour classes over the next couple of weeks. This class has been going through the book of Acts verse by verse and this week we will be discussing the Jerusalem council in chapter 15. I will not be teaching this week, but in the next couple of weeks following this coming Sunday I will be teaching the class. When I substitute for the class, we will leave the book of Acts behind and move forward into early church history to discuss the creeds, confessions, and councils of the early church fathers and what role those events play in our lives today. We will be discussing dates, people with names no one can pronounce, and lot's of various "ism's" (asceticism, antonomianism, Pelagianism, etc.) So, if you are in the area and would like to fall asleep to the sound of my voice, we would love to have you. Actually, it should be a very interesting study and I am looking forward to teaching the class. As a result of my study preparation over the next few weeks, there may be a related post or two that ends up here. If you've managed to read this far consider yourself officially invited to attend.

Sufficient

2008-02-04T08:13:00.000-06:00

Currently, I am reading Tim Challies book The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment and I am enjoying it very much. When I am finished I will attempt to provide a short review of the book, but today I would like to draw a thought out of one of the quotes he has in the book.

While discussing the fact of how the Bible was attacked 30 years ago on the basis of its inerrancy, Challies comments on how the fight for the Bible has now changed to another attack in our present age. He quotes the late James Montgomery Boice on what that current war is, "Inerrancy is not the most critical issue facing the church today. The most serious issue, I believe, is the Bible's sufficiency." Boice, who was one of the leaders against the attack on the Bible's inerrancy years ago, articulates perfectly the severity of the problem.

Now, I don't exactly have a pulse on the heartbeat of the evangelical church of today, but I do know my heart and my own weaknesses. And it is in examining my heart that I am able to agree with Boice.

When I am faced with the various issues of life, how do I react? Most often it is to try and fix the problem. You know, "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get it done." Do my actions relay that I believe that the Bible truly has the answer to every problem I face? Are my reactions an indication of what I verbally say, that the Word is the living Truth that applies to every area of my life? How do you react to your everyday issues? Do you answer them with Scripture or are you like me and attempt to work your "me-centered" theology to fix the problem?

Yesterday in church we sang a line from a song that says, "Truths unchanged from the dawn of time, that will echo down from eternity." What good does it do for us to say in our churches, our job, or conversations with our friends that we believe that the Bible is without mistake and then spend our lives applying pop psychology instead of the real Truth? What difference could you and I make for His kingdom if others saw in us that the Bible held the answer to every issue we face? Weird? Yes. Different? Yes. Bizarre to hold onto the ideals of a dusty book instead of applying the Dr. Phil's of the world? Yes. At least to those on the outside looking in, but we are called to be different and weird and to do it so that others can see in us just how incredible Christ in us is.

I like how Sara Groves in her song, "The Word", put into music our need for His Word and how often we put it on the back burner. I, like her, need to "rediscover, all the ground that I have covered."

"I've done every devotional
Been every place emotional
Trying to hear a new word from God
And I think it's very odd,
that while I attempt to help myself
My Bible sits upon my shelf
With every promise I could ever need

People are getting fit for Truth
Like they're buying a new tailored suit
Does it fit across the shoulders
Will it fade when it gets older
We throw ideas that aren't in style
In the Salvation Army pile
And search for something more to meet our needs

I think it's time I rediscover
All the ground that I have covered, like
Seek Ye first (what a verse)
We are pressed but not crushed,
perplexed but don't despair.
We are persecuted but not abandoned
We are no longer slaves
we are daughters and sons,
and when we are weak
we are very strong

And neither death nor life
nor present nor future
nor depth nor height
can keep us from the love of Christ
And the Word I need
is the Word that was
Who put on flesh to dwell with us.
In the beginning....

And the Word was
And the Word is
And the Word will be

Effects of the Weather

2008-02-01T08:13:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday of this past week the temperature outside went from the mid to upper 30's in the morning to -30 below zero with windchills by midnight of the same day. That type of 60 degree swing is not exactly normal, but the saying in Wisconsin has always been, "If you don't like the weather, wait a day." Those cold temperatures can really make the air dry and we realized yesterday just how dry it had gotten in the house. Hannah walked across the room, sat down on the couch, and this is what we got! It was our impromptu science experiment for yesterday!

Spending Your Money Part 2

2008-01-31T07:58:00.000-06:00

In yesterday's post, I encouraged you to spend some money on a book that I hold in high regard. (If you are still on the fence on that, just do it. Buy the book and read it. I promise you that you will see the Cross in ways you never have before.) Today, I will once again tell you how to part with more of your hard earned cash.

Starting February 1, tomorrow, until February 29, Sovereign Grace Ministries will be selling all of their music cd's for $6 plus free shipping. If you would prefer, you can download the cd for the same $6 price. The $6 price on the cd's is only good for as long as the cd's last so do get in early if you are planning to go that route. Click here to check out the selection. I have a few of the albums and have downloaded some of the individual songs and all I can say is that they are great. If you click on the albums, you can hear a preview of all the songs and see the lyrics.

Now, if you only have $6 to spend and don't know which way to go with it, I recommend Valley of Vision. Of the albums I have, it is my favorite. The songs are based on Puritan prayers from the Puritan book "Valley of Vision" (Wow! what a coincidence). It helps that the album has one of my favorite songs on it, "O Great God". But the album also has a wide variety of other very good songs including, "Valley of Vision", "Only Jesus", "Let Thy Kingdom Come", plus others. You might be wondering, "What does music sound like when it is based on writings from a bunch of dead Puritans?" Good question. Listen to the samples and you will find out. The album is everything except dull.

If, you happen to be fortunate this week and have $12 to spare, then I would suggest that you also include the album, "Songs For the Cross-Centered Life". The album is filled with songs that focus ones thoughts on the suffering of the Savior. Again, I highly recommend this album. Great songs, nice variety, well produced album.

One last thing. If you buy an album and while listening to it find yourself saying, "I would love to have our church sing this song." You're in luck. You can download the piano and guitar sheet music to all of Sovereign Grace's music from their website. The guitar chords and lead sheets are free, and for the month of February, the piano scores are $1 per download. Some of the songs are also available in a down-loadable vocal background track form if you would like to have it sung as a special.

So, there you have it. Starting tomorrow, go buy some music. I don't think that you will regret it.

Spending Your Money Part 1

2008-01-30T10:04:00.000-06:00

I know. What audacity! I don't blog for weeks and now, when I do, it is to spend your money. Actually, it is just a suggestion, but a very good one.

Easter is coming. In fact it is coming quickly. If you look at the calendar you will see that this year it is about as early as it can be. This year it falls on March 23. I only realized that because I schedule the music in our church and I must be thinking ahead and planning for such events. Anyway, you are probably wondering how this applies to how I would like to spend your money. Glad you asked and I will eventually get to the point.

What do you typically do for Easter? By that question I don't mean Easter day, Easter baskets, ham and lamb dinner, or any of that. What I do mean is, how do reflect upon the Passion of Jesus Christ? Do you attend the services and check them off as they come or do you actually focus on the story of meaning behind the week? Growing up, our church never held a Good Friday service, but when I became an adult and started attending a church that did, I realized what I was missing. Now, I can't imagine not attending a Good Friday service.

Well, last summer, I stumbled upon something that I realized would become part of a new Easter remembrance for me, the book The Cross He Bore by Frederick S Leahy. This little book is the best book I have ever read on the Cross of Christ. It opened my eyes to so many things I had never seen involving the death of the Savior. It is a short book. Thirteen chapters total with each chapter about six to seven pages long. Each chapter is a different meditation on the suffering of the Redeemer. What I plan to do is to read a chapter a day leading up to Good Friday and I would encourage you to do the same. You can purchase the book from Westminster Bookstore for $4.03 with a $5 flat shipping rate. My suggestion, is to go to Westminster and browse through some of their other products and put a package together. You won't regret it. By the way, for $4.03, get a copy for your pastor. He will appreciate it.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction of the book.
"As the cross is central in God's eternal decrees, and in the actual redemption of his people, so it should be central in the thinking and experience of the individual Christian. It is my conviction, and at times my sad experience, that as the cross goes out of focus in the Christian's life, coldness and backsliding set in.
It is not my intention in these brief chapters to give a detailed account of the trial and crucifixion of our Lord. That is done in the Gospels infinitely better than by any mere man or woman. Rather, I have selected certain passages which help us to meditate on the what the Saviour endured for our salvation. If our meditation on the cross be meagre, can our love for the Saviour by great?"

Speaking in Code

2008-01-11T07:38:00.001-06:00

When I was a young child my parents used to speak in code language when they wanted to talk in front of we children without us knowing what they were talking about. The code language they used was pig Latin. (If for some reason you don't know, in pig Latin you take the first sound or blend of a word, move it to the end of the word, and add "ay". e.g. "It's cold today" would be, "It'say oldcay odaytay.") Anyway back to the story, that worked fine for a while, but eventually my brothers and I caught on to pig Latin. It is easier to understand than it is to speak, but with a little practice you can speak it as fluently as you can speak English. In fact, on a cross-country family vacation, my mother and I talked for hours using only pig Latin. It was my turn to drive and I drew the 1 AM to 5AM driving shift (we always drove straight through). I was a little tired while driving and to keep me awake my mother and I began to read road signs and cities in pig Latin. There is still something about the city of "Ewbergnay" that makes me smile.

This past year has made me realize that we all speak in code to one extent or another. With all of the doctor's visits we have been to for Kim, there has been one thing that has been consistent. Code language. Here is how all of our doctor's appointments have gone this year. The visit would start in common English. The doctor is speaking and I am understanding everything he or she is saying. Doctor asks a few questions, looks at Kim's chart and realizes and confirms that Kim is a practicing Registered Nurse. As soon as she would confirm this, I am out of the conversation. The language in the room would immediately turn to medical code language. Abbreviations and terms, real Latin and words that would fill a Webster, all with endings in Greek. Code words and terminology that those in the medical field understand, but language that for most of us feel completely lost in. I would sit patiently and try and pick up what I could. Every visit would end with the doctor looking at me and asking, "Do you have any questions?" No, how could I? I haven't understood a word that has been spoken since the initial handshake. When Kim and I would get back into the car after appointments, she would have to explain to me everything that was said. Eventually, after many doctor visits, I began to understand some of the conversation and on a few occasions was bold enough to ask questions.

When I was relating this experience to my pastor, he told me that the same thing happens at pastor's breakfasts and conferences. He said that the language spoken among pastors is very different from how they speak when laymen are part of the conversation. He said there is a very discernible shift in the conversation as theology terms come out and New Testament Greek begins to be spoken.

As I thought about both of these examples, I realized I am not exempt from speaking in code language. I have friends who are woodworkers and when we talk, words like "biscuit", "rabbet", "scribe", "plinth", "stile", and "ogee" are common words we all understand. Those who work with computers are no different. Believe it or not, I am convinced that the majority of people have absolutely no idea what they are talking about when they throw around terms such as "RAM", "gigabytes", and "peripherals". Most people don't know and only those who really understand computers do, because that is their code language.

In considering all of this, I reflect upon Romans 8:26-28. "26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
There is, for lack of a better term, a code language with God. In our prayers we petition God and pour out our souls to Him, but our hearts are wicked and we don't know what is best for ourselves. None of us knows the mind of God, and none of us can stand as His counselor. So when verse 26 speaks of "our weakness", it speaks not just of our physical weakness, but also our spiritual failures as imperfect sinful beings. Matthew Henry puts it this way, "As to the manner, we know not how to pray as we ought. It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well, seek in a due order; and here we are often at a loss--graces are weak, affections cold, thoughts wandering, and it is not always easy to find the heart to pray. The apostle speaks of this in the first person: 'We do not know'. He puts himself among the rest. Folly, and weakness, and distraction in prayer, are what all the saints are complaining of. If so great a saint as Paul knew not what to pray for, what little reason have we to go forth about that duty in our own strength!"
But we are not left there in our weakness, alone and struggling in our prayers. For the Father sends the Spirit to intercede, to dictate and make requests for us that we cannot possibly began to imagine of our own power. There, in that intercession, is the code language of God. God the Spirit, pouring out the desires of the Father, to the Father on our behalf, and we never hear a word of it. I take great comfort in that. That is language I would not want to hear, for those petitions I cannot speak may very well be bringing into my life great sorrow. Sorrow that if I knew about would cause me to worry and fret. But no, I can rest in the promise of verse 28, that those prayers offered up by the Spirit to the Father, no matter what they are, will bring about ultimate good in my life. And I can close my eyes and sleep at night knowing that He who holds me today, holds my tomorrows.

Tiny Tidbits

2008-01-10T08:11:00.000-06:00

What a funny word! Tidbits! Say it. Let it roll off of your tongue. It will bring a smile to your face. I don't know, it just struck me as an amusing word as I typed it in.

Well I haven't posted in a little while and I wanted to throw forth a few items I think may be helpful, amusing, interesting, etc.

First. I have added links to some of the books that I am reading or have read. If you click the title, it will take you to Westminster Books where you may then purchase the book if you would like. Great book store, great prices, $5 flat shipping fee. One of my favorite internet purchase destinations.

Secondly, this past Tuesday found me again in the history classroom. Since we had been off for a while due to Christmas vacation and what not, I decided that a game quiz was the way to refresh the memories of the students. One of the questions that I asked was, "Who was the first person to physically circumnavigate the world?" If you answer Magellan, you would be incorrect. Magellan never actually made it all the way around since he died in the Philippines prior to his ships making it back to Europe. Actually, Sir Francis Drake, in his ship the Golden Hind, physically made his way around the world first. When I asked the question, our youngest participant, Joshua, raised his hand and said, "I don't remember his name, but his ship was the Golden Rear." Golden Hind, Golden Rear, priceless.

If you look down the column on the right hand side of the blog's home page, you will see a button for Sitemeter. Sitemeter records how many people view my blog, where they are from (approximately, as in by region, not your street address), and how they found the blog. Interestingly enough, the majority of people who pop into the blog after finding it via Google search, arrive when they are searching for the term, "dactylic meter". Who knew?

Lastly, this was sent to me yesterday. It is truly amazing.

Happy New Year of No Resolutions

2008-01-01T07:46:00.000-06:00

Happy 2008! The period of time in many peoples lives where resolutions are made, fitness club contracts are signed, fitness club owners pay cash for new Porsche's, and where we are just a month or more away from watching many people we know settle into a funk because they were unable to keep their resolutions. Ah! Maybe I'm a little cynical.

I'm not one on making resolutions, but then I'm not a person that places an emphasis on time or keeps very good track of it. I'm not talking about punctuality. That is totally different. Rather, I am referring to people who see a new year as a new page of life, a fresh start like freshly fallen snow before the snowplow comes through and splatters the crisp whiteness with chunks of road salt and grime. I am not that person. For me, years run together. So while I have things that people might see as resolutions, they are not really new years resolutions. At different times and in various ways I become convicted or convinced of changes that I need to make in my life. I don't wait for a fresh page of life to began writing on that page, but rather I began implementing the changes as soon as I can.

I have decided to list some of my lifestyle changes that I am currently working on. So, if you would like, you may refer to them as new year resolutions, though in reality, most of them have been and will continue to be works in progress.

By God's grace I will continue to improve in the following areas.

1. Become more dependent on God. Specifically in my prayer life. I have referred in the past to this major weakness in my Christian walk and have begun to study prayer biblically so that I may become more reliant upon God. I am starting a personal prayer journal to hold myself accountable. Expect to see more posts on prayer in the coming year as God graciously works in this area of my life.

2. End a really bad habit. I don't know when exactly this started, but a few years ago I fell into a pattern of reading multiple books at the same time. I never used to do this. I have always been the type of person that picks up a book and finishes it before starting a new one. Not anymore. I think it started when I had a bunch of books that I wanted to read that all were purchased at the same time. I couldn't wait to read them all so I read them all at the same time. It is a really bad habit as it seems to lead to a lot of re-reading due to the lack of continuity. As you can see, I'm not doing to well on this one as I have added two new books that I am currently reading without finishing the ones I was already reading.

3. Continue to catechize my children. My children do a lot of scripture memory for AWANA and that is good, but I really want them to understand the doctrines of the Bible. Giving them a firm foundation for their own theology is very important to what I believe my role as a father is. We are using this copy of the Westminster Shorter Catechism for those who are interested.

4. By God's grace continue to improve on my personal time management. That I would continue to weed out the hay and stubble in my life and focus my time on items that have eternal value.

Eph 5:15-16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Col 4:2-6 "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Light That Pierces Darkness

2007-12-25T15:03:00.000-06:00

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We sincerely hope that you are all enjoying a blessed Christmas season. As we have gone through this Advent season, we have been focusing on the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. That focus has led us to a new re-realization of how lost we all are without Jesus Christ. It has also shown us how inadequate we have been about proclaiming His light to those around us who live in the same darkness that we once lived in. We pray that His light will shine through all of us as our lives touch others so that maybe He can touch them. Merry Christmas!

My Life When I'm Not Blogging

2007-12-22T08:36:00.000-06:00

It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything and with good reason. I had a project that I had promised to complete by Christmas. It has involved a lot of 17 hour work days over the past couple of weeks, but I finished yesterday. I will need to go back for some minor touch up stuff, but the customer is pleased and I am too. I thought I would share some pictures of the project through different stages of its steps towards completion. The project is designed and built solely by myself. The wood is quarter-sawn ash and matched ash veneers.

This is where the project will go. This picture was taken 1 year ago. The project will have a bookcase on the left side of the fireplace, the fireplace hearth and mantle, and an entertainment center on the right side of the fireplace.

This is a picture of the project in my shop 2 weeks ago. I assembled the whole unit in the shop as I made the mouldings and trim work to go on the unit. You can see a little bit of the amazing grain in the wood on this unit. You can also see a little bit of my cluttered shop.

This is after the first day of installation on Wednesday. I hired another cabinetmaker to help me with the installation. These units are a little big to handle by myself. I could have done it, but I saved myself a tremendous amount of time by hiring in someone else.

This is the finished project after I was done yesterday afternoon. Just a little bit of moulding to go around the marble and it will be done. The customer was very happy and so am I. It is not the largest project I have ever done, but it may be the most complicated. It may also be the most rewarding. This will go down as one of my favorite projects I have done.

The Golden Compass and the Christian Response

2007-12-07T07:27:00.001-06:00

The movie The Golden Compass opens this weekend under a large amount of criticism. There is a tremendous push by the movie company to make this one of the largest money making fantasy movies of all time. However, like I stated above, the movie is taking some very serious hits about its story line and the book series that it is based on. I don't feel that I can adequately review or respond to something I haven't seen or read. However, I can refer you to someone who has done both and provides a fantastic critique of the movie and the book series and what it means for Christian believers.
Read here.

Challies December Giveaway

2007-12-07T06:59:00.000-06:00

Sorry I'm a little late with this one, but if you want an opportunity to win a nice set of Biblical resources for your church, you can enter by clicking the banner. You only have until Monday, December 10 to enter.

Nowhere Man

2007-12-05T06:33:00.000-06:00

"He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"

Disclaimer: This is a continuation of Beatles song themed posts. I only include this because it is one of the funniest stories I know. It is a story about a young man we will call Ted. Ted was someone I met many years ago and was a very casual acquaintance. As in, Ted may actually be his real name, I don't remember. That is how casually we knew each other. He was a party guy and this story involves one such party. I was not there and do not condone the behavior I will relate to you, but the story did actually happen. If anything, read this as a warning to what can happen when you willing inebriate yourself to the level which Ted did.

As I stated above, Ted was a party guy and was also a frequent pot smoker. He was either in his senior year of high school or had recently graduated with no plans of further education. Either way, the Memorial Day weekend was coming up and Ted's friends planned a large drinking party over the holiday weekend. Someone they knew had a piece of property a couple of miles from town that was secluded and located on the river. The property was bare other than a pier that ran out into the river for docking boats. It was really the perfect place for a party since there were no houses or people around.
So the party takes place on Sunday afternoon/evening. There is a good group of people and they get a bonfire going. Someone at sometime has brought some old furniture out to the party place, chairs and even an old couch. The party is going in full force and Ted is well on his way to destroying more of his brain cells. As the party gets into late evening, Ted manages to find a place on the couch which is located out on the dock extending into the river. The party continues on and Ted eventually passes out on the couch.
Well, the evening is getting late and people start to leave, including Ted's ride home from the party. Of course he doesn't realize it because he is sleeping his buzz off on the couch. Or at least he was until he rolled off of the couch into the river. Cold, late May river water has a startling wakening effect on the inebriated sleeper. Fortunately, Ted woke up and was able to stand up and get himself onto dry land. He comes to the realization that it is really late, like early morning hours, and that everyone has left him there with no way to get home. Of course he is also very cold and wet due to his sudden baptism and he is still drunk. He decided that the best thing to do was to go back to sleep and in the morning either someone would remember to come and get him or he could walk back into town. Not wanting to continue feeling cold and wet, and since no one was there, he stripped naked and laid his clothes out near the bonfire so they could dry. He then climbed back on the couch to sleep.
Well the sun finally woke Ted up and he had some vague memories of what had happened during the night. As he got up off of the couch to retrieve his dried out clothes he realized they were no longer where he had placed them. It seems that he had laid them a little too close to the fire and that they had all been burned up. So we now have a naked man two miles from home without a ride. However, Ted is not without resources. Cell phones weren't around yet so he couldn't call anyone. He didn't feel quite right about walking to the nearest farm house naked and having to explain that. But, he did have the couch. Of course a couch that has been relegated to riverside party life is probably not the nicest couch. Imagine grandma's 1971 burnt orange and brown polyester couch and you are probably getting the picture. Well, Ted realizes what he needs to do and really should be commended for his ingenuity. He takes one of the couch cushions, unzips it, pulls out the foam cushion part, and punches two leg holes in the cushion cover. He then steps into the cushion with the zipper portion around his waist and begins his walk home wearing his improv couch cushion "shorts".
As he finally nears his house after walking the 2 miles into town, the full weight of his previous nights actions began to sink in on Ted. For Ted lived directly across the street from Veterans Park. It was Memorial Day. In the town that Ted lived in, they had a parade every Memorial Day that finished at Veterans Park. So as all of the parade goers watched, Ted scurried past them to his house wearing nothing but his couch cushion shorts.
I also strongly considered "Mother Natures Son" for the title of this post. But since Ted went on to do not much of anything as far as I know, this title fit him best. The last time I heard about Ted, he had just survived being struck by lightning. It seems that he really wanted to smoke some pot, so he sneaked out and hid under the tallest tree during a thunderstorm while getting his high.

Happiness is a Warm Gun

2007-12-04T06:28:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: The following story may make some who are vegan or PETA types slightly queasy. However, the overall story is worth getting to the end for and I hope that you would try to persevere.

I had no intentions on participating in this. But yesterday, this memory came to mind as did this song title. So here is the story and its list of characters.

I come from a family of seven boys. Yep! All boys, no girls. I am number six from the top otherwise known as the second youngest. I will refer to my brothers by their first initial and a number that represents where they are in the birth order. D1, B2, K3, D4, R5, E6(me), and on the end A7. Most of my brothers have nothing to do with this story but are included just to confuse you. Actually, the story's only characters are myself, R5, A7, and a mutual friend named Chad.

At least 10 years ago, R5, A7, our friend Chad, and myself went out deer hunting. Now in Wisconsin it is practically your duty as a citizen of the state to participate in the annual gun deer season. It provides revenue for the state by way of a "tax" called a hunting license. It is also a virtual means of self defense for the rest of the year, due to the amount of deer actually in the state and their natural desire to run around looking for ways to hurtle into your car while you are driving at speeds of 60 MPH. Either way, I used to hunt but didn't enjoy it enough to go back into the woods in the last 10 years.

On opening weekend of whenever this story took place, R5, A7, Chad, and I were hunting on some state owned public hunting grounds near the center of Wisconsin. I remember that we hadn't seen anything to shoot all morning and had met up together by mid morning to discuss our plan for the rest of the day. We decided to head back out for a little while longer before lunch time and see if we could find anything. So we split up and starting walking back to our deer stands where we hoped for some unsuspecting deer to pass us by. Shortly after entering back into the woods, I heard a shot and then another. They were close and seemed to come from the area where R5 was sitting. I sat a little longer, listening for more shots, and looking to see if the shots would scare up any deer who would pass my way. No such luck, so after waiting a few minutes I left my stand to go and see if someone in our party had gotten a deer. When I got to where R5 was, he was standing over a dead deer. He had just gotten to his stand when the deer came walking through and R5 shot. Shortly after I got there, Chad found us with my brother A7 being the last to show up for the "look at the dead deer" party.

Now I should explain a little about my younger brother, A7. He is a very good outdoors-men, loves to hunt, fish, hike, etc. He knows all these different plants and barks that you can eat if you get lost in the wild without food and would prefer not to starve. He also has a litany of various hunting/outdoor stories that have a tendency to run towards the side of excessive exaggeration. I refer to him as the "Last Great White Hunter". He also is quick to take the hunting thing to a bit of an extreme, such as drinking the blood of the first deer you kill. You get the picture.

Anyway, R5, Chad, and I are standing around the recently deceased deer when A7 comes walking down the pine tree row. In an attempt to try and show his ability and knowledge in hunting, A7 asks if he can gut the deer. For those who don't know, a freshly killed deer must have all of its organs and what not removed soon after it is killed to preserve the venison for eating. Well, R5, Chad, and myself all have the ability to gut the deer, but if A7 actually wants to do it, then who are we to stop him. So, A7 leans his gun against a tree, pulls out his hunting knife, and lays the deer on its back. Now to properly gut a deer, you start by cutting through the skin from just under the neck between the front legs and then all the way across the stomach to the tail. The slight problem that arises in trying to do this is that dead deer do not lay on their backs well and due to the fact that their legs are always pointing straight, it is a little difficult to keep the deer on its back, with legs spread out wide, so that you can cut open its chest. I hope you get the picture. To help A7 out with the deer organ removal process, Chad stood on the deer's right rear leg and I stood on its left rear leg. This allowed the deer to be completely spread eagle like, on the its back, waiting for A7's impending knife point. At this point A7 gets down on the ground with his knees right behind the deer's tail and leans over the deer to began the cutting sequence. Something else you may not know, but should be reminded of is that dead animals have involuntary muscle twitches shortly after their demise. Back to the story. As A7 leans over the deer and begins to cut, the deer's ear moved. I know what you are thinking, but no, the deer is dead this is just involuntary muscle twitching. So as my brother continues to operate with his knife, more muscle twitches. A7 sees the twitches and in this loud voice filled with hunters bravado begins to mock the dead deer. He is actually laying across the dead deer with his knife pointed in the open eye of the deer mocking it. "Oh! Think you're still alive! You're not 'cause we killed you and now we are going to eat you." It was a little weird but not out of character for my brother. It was at this moment, as my brother lay completely straddling the deer, that the moment we have all been waiting for arrived.

Some things in life you come upon, while others are thrust upon you. This moment was the latter. It is not every day that you are standing over a deer, watching your younger brother acting with such bravado over a dead animal. It is also not every day that one has such an opportunity and so you can not just let it pass by without acting. So as he lay with his face just inches away from the twitching deer face, with his knife pointed at its throat, mocking it loudly and verbosely as he stared into its eyes, that was the moment that I intentionally lifted my foot. Remember, I am standing on the deer's hind leg. When I lifted my foot, the leg took off like a catapult that had just been released, snapping back towards its own stomach and directly towards the backside of my sprawled out brother. That leg hit him in the rear end with a loud snap and A7 thought the deer had come back to life while he was spread out over it. He let out this loud yell and jumped up and backwards as his knife flew 30 feet in the air. He started yelling and looking for his gun to shoot the deer. I don't think I have ever seen anyone so scared in my life. However, he quickly realized what I had done and started calling me every name in the book. He also continued to reach for his gun, but I think he was looking to shoot me at that point. I remember Chad, R5, and myself laughing so hard we were crying and that I wouldn't let A7 near his rifle for the next half an hour for fear that he would shoot me. So, while happiness is a warm gun, happiness is also holding your warm gun and your bother's warm gun whom you just played a prank on.

Update and song thoughts

2007-12-01T07:02:00.000-06:00

Kim's test went well yesterday. The area of concern is no longer. She has what the doctor referred to as "redundant tissue", which means that she has a little more heart then the rest of us. There is no follow up needed with the cardiologist so this is all good news.

This last week has brought with it a song. It is a song that I knew and was familiar with, but it seems almost as if I am listening to it with new ears recently. It is the song "You Created" by Caedmon's Call. I find it amazing that the familiar can so many times become new for us when we view it or listen to it or read it. This often happens for me with scripture. Anyway, this song points to me where my focus should be and the idols in my heart that I have made of my own pleasures. It also reminds me of a quote by John Calvin, "The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but that we want it too much." What Calvin means is that most of what becomes sin for us is not that we desire wrong or evil things, but rather that what we desire becomes too much of am emphasis. Our blessings, given to us by God, too often become our gods or the objects of our delight instead of the Giver. Anyway, here are the lyrics to the song.

Who is like unto the Lord our God
Who dwelleth on high, Who dwelleth on high
Who is like unto the Lord our God
Who dwelleth on high, Who dwelleth on high

You dwell in glory
The heavens are Your home
You began the story
And made Your beauty known

But You created nothing
That gives me more pleasure than You
And You won't give me something
That gives me more pleasure than You

You hung the planets
In Your image You made man
I'm overcome and broken
At the wonders of Your hand

Bits and Pieces

2007-11-29T14:02:00.000-06:00

I haven't written in a while, but then life has been hectic. So I am going to hit a couple of completely random thoughts.

The forecast for this weekend is calling for snow. Possibly up to seven inches worth on Saturday. This makes me all the more uncomfortable because of the following reasons.
1) I just finished raking leaves this past week and there are still plenty that are hanging on to the trees yet.
2) I'm not particularly fond of snow when I have a lot of other things going on. I currently have a lot of other things going on.
3) The lawn tractor still has a blown engine which means that the blower that attaches to the tractor is virtually useless unless one is looking for a large door stop or paper weight.

My next item of trivia is this. I find this story absolutely amazing, fascinating, and very entertaining.

I am very perturbed that I didn't get in on time for this. However, I may steal the idea and do it in the future just for fun. I was so looking forward to a wire clothes hanger mobile made by Mup.

Lastly and on a more serious note. Kim is scheduled for her TEE at 10:00 tomorrow morning. (If you are looking at the screen right now going, huh? Look here.)
We are not expecting anything out of the ordinary to come up, but are praying for wisdom for the doctor's.

Black Friday and Grace

2007-11-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

As most of you probably know, the Friday after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. The retailers all run their special door busters, there are deals everywhere, and if you live in a northern climate you can even get free frostbite waiting in line for the store to open so you can get the latest most popular DVD for $5. Well, Kim likes Black Friday. Correction, she will admit that it like an addiction for her. Anyone that talks to her for more than five minutes will come to the proper conclusion that she is a deal hound. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, she has not only examined the field she is purchasing, she has done comparison shopping, waited for it to go on clearance, and will buy it with coupon in hand and a rebate waiting to be filled out at home. I am honestly very thankful that God has blessed me with such a frugal wife. For a few years now, she and I have gone shopping on Black Friday. We normally celebrate Thanksgiving in Illinois with her family and since the larger chain stores are conveniently located we spend Thursday night there and wake up early to shop. Now we are not those people that are sitting in the parking lot at 3:00AM waiting for the latest "I need that". No, Kim very carefully examines the ads, makes a detailed list, and we shop for items that should be in large supply.

Now I must admit that the first time we tried this I came up with a word of the day. Moron. That was it. I kept muttering it under my breath, referring of course to those around me, not my wife. I was so irritated by everyone who couldn't figure out how to park a car, move a cart, or realize that "Yes, you have finally reached the register and this process would go quicker for everyone behind you if you were actually ready to pay for the mound of stuff in your cart and no, you should not be allowed to add the cheese and sausage log sale item that is next to the cash register after you have already paid!" Moron. The word of the day worked fairly well for me until we were driving back to Wisconsin that evening and someone cut me off and from the back seat I heard a child's voice say, "Moron."

Last year something significant happened while we were out. We had finished our shopping for the morning and went to Panera's for lunch. They were packed, but we were able to find a small cafe table near the registers. As we ate our food, they had a steady stream of customers coming in, but were not rushed. Located where we were, we could hear people ordering and some of the conversation between the cashiers as they waited for more customers. Then the significant took place. A lady, by herself, approached the ordering area and place her order. She was late 30's, early 40's and looked like almost every other person in the place. The cashier that took the lady's order was probably in her early 20's and was the same cashier that had taken ours. As the lady finished placing her order, the following conversation took place.
The lady asked, "So, were you able to get any shopping done for Christmas?"
The cashier replied, "I picked up a few things for my son. It is all about him anyway."
"Did you find anything for yourself. Certainly there was something you saw that you wanted," the lady asked.
"No. It is really just about my son. I have gotten everything I need for him," said the cashier.
"May I see your hand?" asked the lady.
The cashier obviously feeling awkward stuck out her hand. The lady placed one of her hands on top of the girl's and another below as she held her hand and leaned in towards her.
"You are important," she said. "Take care of yourself. This is for you and not for anyone else."
The lady suddenly let go of the girl's hand and walked away. She picked up her food and left the building.
The young cashier had a look of "that was weird" on her face until she opened up her hand. There, in her palm, was at least one one hundred dollar bill. Her face melted into tears and she began to sob uncontrollably.
There, in Panera's, was grace. Outwardly happy, seemingly content, the young mother tasted grace. It was something to be that near to grace, to almost feel the experience. To be close enough to hear the conversation, to see the demeanor change from one of apprehension to complete emotional release. And I thought, how have I acted today? Did I mutter "moron" at those around me, treat them as obliviously as I normally did? Why? Did I not claim to have the Spirit of Christ in me? While I don't have money to give away, could I not have treated those around me with grace? Couldn't I greet with a smile, graciously help those around me, and show grace in me? I remember this story as we enter into this season of consumerism and me first attitudes. May we be reminded of the grace that we have been given and show that grace to those around us through our very words and actions.

Prayer

2007-11-14T08:15:00.000-06:00

Part of the reason that I began this blog is for my personal edification. Yes, it is about me. I have learned that I organize my thoughts better when I put them down in writing. As it is, today's post will be an attempt of an honest, introspective, contemplative look at one of my personal weaknesses. I don't pray enough. Sure, we all could probably say that, but when I carefully examine the use of my time I realize that it consumes very little of my life. God has been convicting me about this recently and so I deviated from normal devotional reading today and instead looked at a few select verses on prayer.

I started reading in James 5:13 where I find the simple command to pray. "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray." So there it is. My ineptness when it comes to prayer is simply disobedience. Who among us doesn't have suffering? Sure, it may not be physical, but we have a serious sin problem that is certainly causing some suffering. And in Romans 12:12 it says to be "constant in prayer." I'm not praying like I know I should and therefore I am being disobedient to His clear commands.

So if I am to say that I love and treasure God above all else, and that I desire to glorify Him in all that I do and yet I have this area of disobedience in my life because I don't follow a simple command to pray, then I think it is safe to say that He is not my true treasure. "Where your heart is there your treasure will be." Matthew 6:21 And again in verse 33 of chapter 6 where it commands me to seek His kingdom first. However, I want Him to be my true treasure. I want Him to be magnified and not me, so I must confront this disobedience in my life, put on the armor, and go to war against myself.

As I began this battle, I have purposed to examine prayer more closely. To do a study on true Biblical guidelines to prayer. To help with that today, I plan on meditating on these words from James 5:13 "Let him pray" and the words "be constant in prayer" from Romans 12:12. I also downloaded this sermon to listen to while I am in the shop today.

I would like to quote John Piper on prayer. "Prayer is the splicing of our limp wire to the lightning bolt of heaven." Unfortunately, I'm not sure that at this time my prayer life has a current and that is what concerns me.

Monday Miscellany

2007-11-12T12:18:00.000-06:00

Life has been a whirlwind of activity over the last few days. My parents were up from Arkansas for one of my nieces weddings and stayed with us while they were here. That of course meant there were lots of card games involving grandparents and grandchildren. Throw into that some homeschooling, a self-employed woodworker with deadlines, the wedding and reception, church and all of its activities, a doctor visit, and a trip to the mechanic and you have glimpse into the past 4 days at our house. I will attempt to hit the high and low points of the past several days.
My parents came in on Thursday and left early this morning. They really do not like the cold weather, but even in spite of it we had a nice visit. The kids had worked ahead in most of their school last week so that they could have off on Friday when my parents were here.
I have a large project that I am working on that has a looming deadline along with several other projects in the queue behind the current one. On top of that I added a small project on the side that involved me working in the shop Saturday morning and being gone Sunday afternoon while I installed it.
Saturday afternoon put us in Waupun for the wedding followed by the reception in Fond Du Lac. It was good to see all of my brothers who could make it, however that was not the highlight of the day. Our whole family was quite convinced that the minister was drunk for the ceremony. No joke. His message started by talking about the moral decline of society and sex. He then moved into saying that marriage was instituted by God and followed with the next sentence where he stated that the word "wed" came from the old English word meaning "gamble". The more he spoke, the more people laughed. However, they weren't laughing because he was funny, but rather that they were shocked at what he was saying. The expressions on people's faces were indescribable. He finished the evening off by saying the prayer for the food at the reception. He started the prayer by telling a joke about a newly married bride and groom that implied overt submission of the wife and ended with the husband threatening to shoot his new wife. I've never seen a wedding quite like it.
Friday afternoon was spent at the doctors office as we had another appointment for Kim. I know that some of you who read this don't know what has been going on, so I will give you the Cliff Notes version. Starting in April of this year, Kim has been experiencing bizarre symptoms that have ranged from loss of feeling in her arms and legs to her almost being unable to walk. She had a period of about six weeks in August and September where she was almost completely confined to sitting because her legs were so weak. Towards the end of that period, she began to develop some pain in her legs that would increase with use. Her symptoms have improved recently though she still has periods of sensation lose. Her largest complaint now is the severe pain in her legs. We have seen five different Neurologists and have done virtually every test possible and don't really have a diagnosis. Her latest test was an echo of her heart. They were just checking it to rule some other things out and didn't expect there to be anything, a test of exclusion. Our appointment this past Friday was with a cardiologist to discuss the results of the echo. At the visit we found out that there appears to be a slight detachment of a leaflet in her heart that they want to investigate further. Ironically, they don't believe this is related to any of her other symptoms. So the news on that front is that she is scheduled for a TEE at the end of this month. The TEE is where they sedate her and run a tube in to get a closer look at the heart. We will keep everyone posted as to what is going on via e-mail and the blog.
Well, I need to fix lunch for the kids and get to the shop.

November Giveaway

2007-11-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

Once again, Tim Challies is giving something away. Click the banner for your chance to win.

Sir Walter Raleigh

2007-11-01T07:50:00.001-05:00

This past Monday, October 29, marked the anniversary of the death of Sir Walter Raleigh in 1618. Purely by coincidence, the history class that I teach was studying that period of time and specifically Sir Walter. A couple of things we found extremely interesting about the chap.

First of all, I love the following quote. He was sentenced to death by beheading and he actually examined the very ax that would carry out his sentence. As he looked it over, he remarked, "This is sharp medicine, but it is a physician for all diseases and miseries."

To appreciate the next tidbit you need to realize that the class is almost equally made up of boys and girls. As boys and girls are prone to be at the ages of 8 to 13, they have some very different interest when it comes to history and life. Obviously the girls enjoy the historical characters whose lives are surrounded with great love and passion, while the boys thrive on stories of death, conquests, and plagues. Well we are in luck, for Sir Walt (we are on nickname basis by this point) was a true Renaissance Man who wrote poetry, fought battles, loved passionately, and died bravely which of course pleased everyone in the class. As we finished the study on Sir Walt, ending with his death, we concluded with one last gruesome detail for the boys. History records for us that upon his untimely head and body separation, that his body was buried in Westminster and his head was embalmed and given to . . . his wife! She kept the head of her dearly departed in a velvet bag for some time until she could no longer tolerate the stench and she had it reunited with the rest of him. At this point in the class, my 10 year old son, Caleb, raises his hand and says, "I'm guessing she never remarried. Seeing as how not many guys want to date someone who carries their dead husband's head in a bag." How very true.

Promises Kept

2007-10-31T08:43:00.000-05:00

October 31 For many people the month and the day mean one thing only; a celebration of a pagan holiday where hyperactive children are given insane amounts of free sugar and adults find yet another reason to practice debauchery that society views as normal on that day. But, when you place the year 1517 behind the month and the date, it should bring a whole new meaning to the combination of the month and the day.

Before one can understand the full importance of that date, a little historical background should be provided. At this time in history, Europeans had only one choice for church attendance, the local church in their village with a priest, a monk, or a bishop which practiced under the guidance and polity of the universal Church of Rome. During this time, the Church placed a massive emphasis upon the sins of the people and their impending judgement in purgatory or hell. One of the Church authorized means of relieving ones self from the punishment of sin and of guilt was for the sinner to practice the sacrament of penance as assigned to them by their priest. After a priest would hear confession of sins from a parishioner and witness contrition for the sins committed, absolution for the sins was granted by the priest. However, the process was not over yet for the sinner still would need to provide satisfaction for the confessed sins as prescribed by the priest. Usually the satisfaction of the penitent involved fasting, giving alms, or saying a specific prayer a certain number of times. If the sins were more severe, you could be asked to satisfy them by going on a long pilgrimage or on a crusade.

Over time, the Church’s system of penance adopted a new development. They began to allow people to pay penance for the satisfaction of their sins. This practice was a win-win situation for the Church and the penitent; money for the Church and satisfaction for the sinner without the inconvenience of time spent on prayers and pilgrimages. When the Church would receive money for sins committed they would issue to the sinner an official document of the Church that would acknowledge the payment of monies and give the sinner release from any further appointed practice of satisfaction. The official document or papal ticket would become known as an indulgence. The practice of buying and selling indulgences quickly took hold. One of the other practices involved with indulgences was that they could also be purchased for friends and relatives who had already died, thus relieving the amount of time they would have to spend in purgatory.

With that background set, we can now look at the importance of October 31, 1517. In the country of Germany at that time, in the vicinity of Wittenburg, there was an indulgence seller named Johann Tetzel. He was a high pressure salesman who had catchy jingle for his indulgences that went something like this, “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” As Tetzel’s indulgence selling neared the very gates of Wittenburg, he unknowingly was about to receive the ire of a young monk who lived in Wittenburg. A young monk by the name of Martin Luther.

For a few years now, Luther had been practicing a slightly different religion then what the standard European church would practice. He had come under the grip of the Holy Word of God, specifically Romans 1:17 “The righteous will live by faith” and had been guided by the Spirit to see that his life’s practice of works righteousness could never compare to the sufficiency of Christ alone. In later years Luther would say this of his conversion, “My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage him. Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement 'the just shall live by faith.' Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning...This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven.”

This recently converted monk began to see the abuses of the universal Church. He understood they impact of souls being eternally damned to Hell through the practices of buying and selling indulgences. As Tetzel neared the gates of Wittenburg, Luther took pen in hand and wrote ninety-five statements of abuse by the Church of Rome. On the thirty-first day of October, Martin took those ninety-five theses and nailed them to the door of Wittenburg Castle for all to read. With that single action, he sparked a flame that would soon sweep all of Europe in a firestorm. For that one nail held the convictions that would soon unite the reformers of the past with those who were yet to come, and it allowed the present reformers to stand and proclaim the light of the true Gospel, Christ alone.

So, while this is all well and good and yes, we can nod our heads and say that we are thankful for the early reformers like Luther, what can we take from this event in history and hold on to and make our own? I believe there are many and while my list is not exhaustive, I will share a few.

The story of the Reformation reminds me of the importance of prayer. Almost every time I read about the early reformers, I am reminded of a term that almost made me cringe the first time I heard it, posthumous joy. Picture it this way. Let us say that in the twelfth century AD there lived an old man who had been enlightened with the true joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was not much he could do but pray for the Gospel to continue to be illuminated to the lost and dying around him, but pray he did. He prayed for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to come and to start a revival that would sweep through the Church and bring many to Jesus. He prayed faithfully from the day of his conversion until the day of his death and never saw that revival come. Now picture that same man in Heaven as centuries later or in eternity future he sees God’s sovereign hand answering the prayers of the faithful as the Reformation begins. Picture that man walking with Luther and John Huss in Glory and saying, “I prayed you would come and God faithfully answered my prayers.” Imagine then the posthumous joy of the saints of God as they glorify the One who is Faithful and True. We are never promised an answer to our prayers in our lifetime, but we are commanded to pray. James 5:16b

The second thing I am reminded of is the power of Scripture. Luther was one of the most devoted followers of man-made religious practices, but it was God’s Word that moved within him and planted the seed that sovereignly grew into Salvation. Hebrews 4:12

I also think of the faithfulness of God and how He fulfills His promises to us. Christ promised that His church would stand and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. At times in the darkness of the middle ages and at various times in history, it appears as if thought the Church has disappeared or almost destroyed. But God kept His promise and He will continue to do so. Hebrews 10:23

Finally, I am reminded of how thankful I truly am for Jesus Christ. When I look at all of the man-made devices of “salvation,” I am in awe of the sufficiency of Christ alone. If I was left to find my own means of salvation I would never make it. There is nothing I could do that would be enough to make up for what I have done. There is nothing I can add that helps save me a little bit more. It only upon Christ that my hope rests and I am so thankful that it is the only way. Hebrews 4:14-16
If you are interested in reading about other aspects of the Reformation click here Challies.com.

Girls Day Out

2007-10-24T08:03:00.000-05:00

Our daughter Hannah had faithfully worked for 3 years in the AWANA Sparks program to finish all three books of memorization work. One of the rewards for doing that was the end of the year "Sparks Day" at Camp AWANA. Unfortunately, we had a problem with the day she was suppose to go due to the fact that she needed surgery on her feet. Both of her pinky toes were hammertoes that required surgery to straighten. That meant limited walking for a few weeks and sandals only for the whole summer while her toes healed. Trying to be the good parents, we promised her her own "Sparky" hike when she was healed up. So this last Sunday was the day. Hannah and I took three of her friends out for pizza after church and spent the afternoon hiking and geocaching.

Here are the girls after lunch, ready for their first cache!

Trying to use the GPS.

Why geocache when there is a park here?

Our last cache. This one was the first part of a multi-cache. In the green tube the girls are holding, there are coordinates to the next hidden cache, after finding that one, the coordinates will lead you to the final cache.
All in all we had a great time. I returned with all four girls, slightly wet, a few scratched and bloody, everyone of them very tired, but I returned with all four.

PS. For those who don't know, Hannah is the one in the white shirt with the heart on it.

Following the Greeks

2007-10-22T07:11:00.000-05:00

In addendum to my prior post, I feel that I need to explain a little more about dactylic hexameter. First of all, so I'm not seen as completely stupid, I understand completely the example that I gave before of strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, jam pot. What I should have said however, is that I didn't get the rest of the examples that they provided. So, for the three people that are reading, I decided that it is time for you to play along at home. The following examples are in dactylic meter, not hexameter. So you are looking three syllable "feet" with the accent on the first syllable. Three of the following sentences are in dactylic meter. Feel free to place your guesses in the comment section to show off the depths of your wisdom and to humiliate me. Enjoy!

1. In Xanadu did Kubla Khan.

2. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary.

3. This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks.

4. Look on my works, ye mighty and despair.

5. The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day.

6. The nox was lit by lux of luna and twas a nox most opportuna.

7. Leaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland...

8. The sea was wet as wet could be, the sands were dry as dry.

9. When voices of children are heard on the green.

10. Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers...

Those Blasted Greeks

2007-10-18T06:58:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, we home-school our children. Before anyone starts to jump to conclusions or anything, we are not your militant home-school family. We do it because it works for us and it's how we believe that God is leading at this time. There may come a day in the not to distant future where we look at other schooling options. We are open to that. With that stated, we also realize that there are some specific education options that we can offer our children now that they would be unable to get anywhere else.
For four years now I have taught a history class once a week to a few other home-school families. We have used the fantastic history curriculum that is published by Veritas Press. It is a curriculum that starts with the Creation, the actual beginning (what a novel idea!), and then works through Biblical and historical events chronologically. Through this curriculum the overall emphasis is God's sovereignty in the events of human history. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the class in the early years was seeing how Biblical and world history intertwined. We are now in our fourth year and just getting to U.S. history.
However, as good as the history class has been, I wanted a little more for my children to prepare them for life as they get older. So this year Alex, my oldest son, and I are tackling the Veritas Press seventh grade curriculum Omnibus. It is a Biblical and Classical curriculum that is history, theology, and literature all rolled up into one. It also includes plenty of writing and tremendous amounts of logic. There is a Primary reading list and a Secondary reading list and we are doing both of them. So far Alex is enjoying the curriculum. It is time consuming and mentally taxing, but very rewarding. So far this year, Alex has read the following books; Genesis, Exodus, Epic of Gilgamesh, Code of Hammurabi, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Chosen by God, and Till We Have Faces. He is currently reading The Magician's Nephew and has just started the Odyssey. By the end of the year, Lord willing, he will have read, analyzed, discussed, and essayed 41 different books. With the exception of the Code of Hammurabi, he has really enjoyed the curriculum. The time that he and I get to spend together discussing these books has been very enjoyable and rewarding. I personally wish I had the time to read each of these books and maybe over many years, I will.
This extremely long-winded post was necessary for me to explain my first problem with the curriculum. I know there are somethings that I understand and other things that I don't. Mostly, they fall in areas of interest, like cars. I don't understand cars. I know how to do the very basic of maintenance on them, but that is it. Guess what, I don't care that I don't understand cars because they don't interest me. Back to my problem. Alex and I began the Odyssey this week and one of the things the textbook brought out was that the Odyssey is an epic poem that is written in dactylic hexameter. That means that each line of the poem in the original Greek language was made up of six metrical "feet", or dactyls. Each dactyl foot has three syllables with the accent always on the first syllable except for the last dactyl. The English equivalent the text book gives is
"strawberry strawberry strawberry, strawberry strawberry jam pot"
The textbook then goes on to give a list of English sentences of which some are written in dactyl meter and some are not. We are suppose to determine which ones are.
Here is the rub. I don't get it. I want to understand how it works because literature interests me, but I don't get it. I understand how it is suppose to work, but I can't hear the meter. I have the answers in front of me as to which sentences are written in dactyl meter and which aren't, but I still don't understand. This of course leaves me somewhat frustrated and muttering under my breath, "Those blasted Greeks".

October Giveaway

2007-10-09T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here is a great opportunity to walk away with a stack of books. Once again Tim Challies is giving away stuff. All you need to do is enter your e-mail address and you are entered for the giveaway. This months giveaway is a great one. He is giving to one fortunate person 40 copies of R.C. Sproul's newest book The Truth of the Cross. Of course no one needs 40 copies of one book, the object is for the lucky winner to turn around and give them away as a potential evangelism tool. I would appreciate it if you click the banner above to enter because, well, you get a chance for some free books and quite honestly it improves my chances of winning too.

Of Sunflowers and Sparrows

2007-10-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

For a few years now, we have planted sunflowers in a long, narrow bed along the driveway. When we first bought our house there were cedar trees planted there, but I really dislike mowing around any type of pine tree, so to the burn pile they went. I can’t really remember anything else in that place other than the cedar trees and sunflowers.
Every spring, as soon as the ground is ready, we plant our sunflowers. We are not real particular about what kinds we get, but we try for several different types. We plant them according to height so that the shortest ones are closest to the street and the tallest ones are farther away as they go up the driveway. We always try to get some of the huge sunflowers and have even gotten some to grow over twelve feet tall. Somewhere there are pictures of three little children hiding among the stalks as the heads of the flowers stretched far above.
Sunflowers of course get their name from the simple fact that they follow the sun. If you were to stand at our kitchen sink and look out the window you would see the sunflower bed. In all the years that I have been watching the sunflowers grow, I have learned a thing or two about them. One of the things I have learned is that they follow the sun even when it is cloudy or rainy. No matter where the sun is they know it. Something else I have observed is even when the plants are very small, before the flower head has formed, the top of the plant begins to follow the sun. Every spring and summer I am in awe of these wonderful plants.
Now, fall is closing quickly. Almost all of the blooms have faded and petals have dropped. The largest of the sunflowers have heads that are so large they can no longer follow the sun because the shear weight of the seeds can not be supported by the stalk. These mammoth flowers hang silently while just a few feet away their smaller cousins hold their seed heads upright as autumn breezes rustle the dying leaves.
The funny thing is . . . now the fun starts. Everyday now we can look out at various times and discover species of birds that we haven’t seen all summer coming to visit our sunflowers. Nuthatches, wrens, chickadees, cardinals, and goldfinches on their annual migratory flight stop in at our patch beside the driveway for their own little bed and breakfast. The squirrels climb the giant sunflowers and hang upside down while trying to get seeds to store for the winter. Ornery blue-jays fly in to drive the squirrels away while chipmunks stand on their hind legs and pull the plants down so they can stuff their little cheeks full in winter preparation. This morning I watched a whole flock of sparrows flit from head to head, eating here, singing over there. They would stop every once in a while and take a quick dust bath under the sunflowers stalks. And then . . . it hit me.
I am reminded every year when I watch the sunflowers as they grow and follow the sun, how they are a perfect example of how I should be. Their heads always on the sun, even when they can’t see it, show me how often I take my eyes off of the Son I should be watching. When my stormy days come, too often I try and part the clouds by myself. I lose my focus, but the sunflowers don’t. I become a me-flower instead of a Son-follower. But today something else became apparent to me. Those little sparrows haven’t been here. They weren’t here in May watching as we tilled the ground and planted the seed. They didn’t nest right next to the flower bed waiting for the day when the seed would be edible. Nowhere is there a calendar where they have today’s date circled scheduling lunch for them from our sunflower bed. And yet, there they are. All along God knew when the sunflowers would die and no longer be able to follow the sun, and all along He knew the very day and time to bring the birds to eat from the sunflowers so they wouldn’t starve.
It had come full circle for me. I need to be like the sunflowers and stay focused on my Creator. He will take care of the rest just like He took care of the sparrows this morning. It is so much easier said then done, but all creation sings His praise and I believe if we stop and listen long enough to the song it sings we will be directed to the Maker. Even in these trying days I need to let go, keep my eyes on Him, and rest in the comfort of knowing that He who keeps the sparrows will keep me and my family. Matthew 6:25-34

And so it has begun

2007-10-03T18:01:00.000-05:00

I don’t mean the blog, though I certainly could be referring to it and may at some later time. No, I am referencing the fact that I am the father of a teenager. I have been for three days now and I must say, so far it has gone well. No blue hair (not that his father would have ever done that), no girls calling on the phone (again, I plead the Fifth), and there has not been any sign of overt rebellion towards his mother, father, or religion (we will not pursue this any farther). Granted, we are only 3 days in, but we haven’t noticed much of a change from him being twelve. In all seriousness, my children are one of the most precious treasures that I have and I relish watching all of them grow in the unique graces God has bestowed upon them.

My eldest reminds me of myself in so many ways it is frightening. We have pictures of he and I side by side when I was his age and most people cannot tell who is who. Even though there are physical similarities between us, I see so much more in him. He has developed a passion for music and the gift that God has given him is this area is unlimited. Quite often, when no one is looking, I tear up listening to him play the piano. His fingers play more than notes, they play songs that course with feeling and emotion. Because of his ability and love for music, he was given an acoustic guitar for his birthday. Three days later and he has already learned 4 or 5 chords.

As proud as I am about his musical abilities, his heart is what I treasure most. He is developing into a deep thinker (I will address more about this some other time) with a passion for God that I pray will only continue to grow. I am so thankful for God’s grace in his life and for the tenderness of his heart. My prayer is that he would continue to have a passion for God revealed to him and that he would know God as He is, not a God/god of his imagination.

I have always wanted to sing Rich Mullins baby dedication song “Let Mercy Lead” for a baby dedication, but that has never happened. However, I believe that it is maybe more appropriate now as my son enters into these next exciting and terrifying years. So here are the lyrics dedicated to him.

Aidan you're young
But Aidan you're growing fast
Me and your mom
And all the love we have
We can only take you so far
As far as we can
But you'll need something more to guide your heart
As you grow into a man

CHORUS:
Let mercy lead
Let love be the strength in your legs
And in every footprint that you leave
There'll be a drop of grace
If we can reach
Beyond the wisdom of this age
Into the foolishness of God
That foolishness will save
Those who believe
Although their foolish hearts may break
They will find peace
And I'll meet you in that place
Where mercy leads

Aidan the day
Aidan the day will come
You'll run the race
That takes us way beyond
All our trials and all our failures
And all the good we dream of
But you can't see yet where it is you're heading
But one day you'll see the face of love