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Not Just a Political Statement

Sep2

This is not just a political statement by a guy who happens to believe that he should be elected vice-president. It’s a religious statement. The government cannot, and should not try to, provide for all our needs and wants. Jesus said, “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” That truth is two-fold:

First of all, we will never be completely want-free, totally satisfied, without any problems or needs, here on this earth. We live in a sin-marred, incomplete, imperfect world, and no government instituted among men, by men, can change that fact. The purpose of government is to “provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” We can argue about the lines that limit government in those basic duties, but any government or politician who promises the moon and everything in between is over-stepping his or her boundaries and responsibilities and giving out empty promises.

Secondly, freedom, adventure, and security are found only in Christ. Neither the Republican Party nor the Democrat Party nor Congress nor the President nor any other person or institution in all creation can provide us with true freedom, true joy, and true peace of mind. Those things are found only in Christ, imperfectly and partially here, perfectly and completely when we see Him face to face. If we are not free to pursue Christ and obey Him as the Holy Spirit guides us, then we are not free at all, no matter how we are blessed materially.

Bringing Home the Prodigals by Rob Parsons

Jul19

I didn’t get all the answers I wanted from reading Rob Parsons’ short book called Bringing Home the Prodigals. (I don’t get all of the answers I want when I read Scripture either.) I didn’t read the book, and immediately receive a phone call from one of my “prodigals” saying that she was returning to the faith and wanted to go to church on Sunday. I prayed the prayers printed in the book, and my prodigal son hasn’t come home—yet.

'The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1667/1670' photo (c) 2010, Jorge Elías - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/However, I was reminded of the truths that God has already spoken to my heart during this time of waiting on Him and trusting Him to do His work in my life and in the lives of my family members:

Ultimately, we are all prodigals, Elder Brothers and Younger Sons and a little of both, and Christ is our only hope.

We the people of God’s church, by our legalism and our unloving attitudes, have made open rebels of some who were never rebels in the first place. We have driven God’s children away from us because of the color of their hair, or the clothes they wear, or the beverages they drink, or the language they use, or the piercings or tattoos they have on their bodies.

The great problem with the church in the Western world is that half the prodigals are still in the pews—and don’t realize their lost condition. “Our churches are filled with nice, kind, loving people who have never known the despair of guilt or the breathless wonder of forgiveness.”

Seeds sown into the soil of our children’s lives go deep into the soil of their very being. Never give up.

We cannot live someone else’s life for him. Children make choices. And sometimes those choices are bad ones.

“Our children are ultimately God’s responsibility. He is their Father. He does not ask the impossible of us. Only that we love them.”

“You and I cannot bring up godly children; it is not our responsibility—it is too heavy a burden. We are called instead to live godly lives.”

“In love’s service, only the wounded soldiers can serve.” ~Thornton Wilder.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ~I John 1:8-9
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. ~I John 3:1-2

55 (Mostly) Short Videos Worth Watching

Jul12

Humor:
1. Tim Hawkins: Things You Don’t Say to Your Wife.
Chick-fil-A
I Don’t Drink Beer

Tim Hawkins Comedy website.

2. Rhett and Link youtube channel
Facebook Song
The Barbecue Song
The Guacamole Song
3. Igudesman and Joo: Rachmaninov had BIG hands
I will survive
Ticket to Ride
4. Leonard Nimoy singing The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins. Unforgettably bad.
5. Chonda Pierce: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Chonda Pierce: Honeymoon Package

Books and Reading:
6. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
7. Mark Dever: Creating a Culture of Reading in Your Church
8. The Joy of Books

9. Louis Markos: Introduction to Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
10. The World’s Longest Children’s Book Domino Rally
11. A 26-minute interview with JRR Tolkien at his home

History:
12. A Trip Down Market Street, 1906, San Francisco.
13. Art of 1908
14. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, 1911
15. Titanic, 1912, original photos from the ship
16. Red Skelton interprets the Pledge of Allegiance
17. Louis Zamperini on CBS Sunday Morning

Poetry:
18. Robert Frost Reads his poem, The Death of a Hired Man
19. The Creation by James Weldon Jonson, performed by Wintley Phipps
20. Go Down, Death by James Weldon Johnson, performed by Wintley Phipps
21. How To Be Alone by Tanya Davis.
22. Michael Gough reading T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
23. Henry V, St. Crispin’s Day Speech
24. Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter . . .
25. Taylor Mali: Like, You Know?
26. Neil Gaiman: Instructions

Movies and Songs:
27. Popular Music, 1900-1909
28. The Movies of 1939: THe Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Gone With the Wind
29. Gershwin Playing I Got Rhythm and An American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue
30. Heart of Texas movie trailer. Watch the entire movie if you can. I thought it was wonderful.
31. The Keith Green Story: a one hour documentary about the life of Christian musician Keith Green.
32. Giant Wooden Xylophone in the woods play Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
33.Som Sabadell Flashmob: Jesu, God of Man’s Desiring
Flash Mob Hallelujah Chorus

Christian Life:
34. Unexpected Joy: The Dailey Family. Frisco, Texas.
35. Resurrection Sunday Dance in Budapest, Hungary, 2010
36. The Kimyal people of Papua, Indonesia receive the Bible in their own language
37. The Story of Jonah, retold by a master storyteller.
38. Cardboard Testimonies
39. I Am Second: These videos of Christian testimonies of people from all walks of life are powerfully moving and inspirational.
40. Ryan Ferguson recites (and interprets dramatically) Psalm 22.
Ryan Ferguson: Hebrews 9 and 10. I highly recommend that you check out this dramatic presentation of God’s Word.
41. Nick Vujicic: Extraordinary. Nick Vujicic Fully Living for Jesus Christ

Current Events:
42. 180 Movie: What changed their minds . . . in seconds? (For adults and young adults only)
43. will by Eusong Lee. An animated film about 9/11 and its aftermath.

Miscellaneous:
44.Much Better Now. A bookmark, yes, a bookmark, discovers life and the great wide world.
45. Crayola Monologues
46. TangleDoodle Art
47. A Murmuration of Starlings
48. Snoopy versus the Red Baron, aka Snoopy’s Christmas
49. Nature by Numbers A video about mathematical patterns in nature.
50. Roger Scruton on Why Beauty Matters. This is an hour-long BBC documentary on beauty in art and architecture, well worth the time to watch. “Not only has art made a cult of ugliness; architecture, too, has become soulless and sterile.”
51. Adam Savage at MakerFaire on Why We Make. “It doesn’t matter what you make and it doesn’t matter why, the importance is that you are making something!”
52. How Great Is Our God with Louie Giglio. If the Earth were a golf ball, then the sun would be 15 feet in diameter. And our God made it all!
53. Heartless: The Story of the Tin Man, a short movie from Whitestone Motion Pictures.
54. Whodunnit? An Awareness Test How observant are you?
55. Validation, a short film about parking, photos, and smiles. It’s not the whole gospel, but it’s got a lot of Truth.

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis, with Beth Clark

May22

“I have absolutely no desire to write a book about myself. This is a book about a Christ who is alive today and not only knows but cares about every hair on my head. Yours too. I’m writing this book on the chance that a glimpse into the life of my family and me, full of my stupidity and God’s grace, will remind you of this living, loving Christ and what it means to serve Him. I’m writing with the hope that as you cry and laugh with my family you will be encouraged that God still uses flawed human beings to change the world. And if He can use me, He can use you.”

I was encouraged by this story of a young woman, a girl really, eighteen years old, who found herself called by God to live in Uganda and minister to the poorest of the poor and adopt orphans and be ministered to by those same poor people and orphans. Katie Davis is a normal, average American girl in many ways, but she has an unusual God to whom she said “yes!” when He called her.

I really devoured this book. Katie’s story is amazing and inspiring. I will admit to one complaint about the book (but don’t let this keep you from reading it.) I would have liked to know more about what made Katie the caring, compassionate adult that she is. I would have liked to know more about her background. She mentions that her parents are Catholic, but Katie doesn’t seem to be a practicing Catholic. She talks like an evangelical Christian. I would have liked to know more about Katie’s family and how God prepared her for her new life in Uganda. But maybe Katie didn’t feel it necessary or didn’t feel comfortable sharing those family details.

Anyway, it is an excellent and challenging book. I gave it to a friend for a graduation present. I would recommend giving Kisses from Katie to all Christian graduates, but only if we’re prepared to have God do radical, exciting things in their lives. Read it only if you’re prepared to have God do radical, exciting, difficult things in YOUR life.

Katie’s blog

The Heart of Texas, the Movie

May11

Wow! I just checked out this documentary movie from the library the other day, and I put it in my computer and watched it tonight. I had no idea that I would be watching such a powerful story of suffering, redemption, and forgiveness. The events chronicled in the movie happened in 2000; the movie came out a couple of years ago in 2009. The tragedy/miracle happened not far from where I live, in a little town called Simonton and nearby Wallis, Texas. I hadn’t heard of the movie, nor had I heard the story of Grover and Jill Norwood and their neighbors, Ulice and Carrie Parker.

I don’t want to say much more, except that I highly recommend that you find or buy a copy of the movie and watch it. You may find yourself in tears, and then on your knees before the Lord.

Twelve Portions of the Bible to Study in 2012

Feb13

1. I’m involved in a Beth Moore Bible study at church: David, a Man After God’s Own Heart. So, we’re studying in First and Second Samuel. We’re going to be discussing the rather distressing story of Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom at Bible study on Wednesday, and I’m hoping to gain some insight into the parenting and letting go of adult children, although I can assure you that if I had a son like Amnon, I would be completely devastated and paralyzed for life. The story, if you want to read it, is in II Samuel 13-15.

2. Also at church, my pastor is preaching through the book of Revelation. So, I’m studying that, even though it’s my least favorite part of the Bible.

3. At our Women’s Retreat in April we’ll be doing a topical study on loving and living the law of the Lord, the Word of God. I’m looking forward to that study.

4. I’ll be reading through the New Testament during Lent, perhaps using this plan. I plan to read from the new paraphrase/translation, The Voice, from Thomas Nelson Publishers, to see what I think of it as I read.

5. After Easter, I want to do a study of the books of Judges and of Acts, to compare and see what I might need to be doing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in times like these. I think we’re living in Judges and in Acts, both at the same time, but I need to do some study to flesh that analogy out.

6. I hope to spend the summer in one of the major prophets, probably either Isaiah or Jeremiah.

7. Beginning in August, I will probably listen to Beth Moore’s study of the gospels, Jesus, the One and Only.

8. Z-baby and I are doing this 2012 Bible Reading Challenge, courtesy of Redeemed Reader. At least, we’re trying. We’re still only on Week 1.

9. On August 5, 2012 my pastor will begin a fall series in 1st Peter. So, that would be a good place to be concentrating.

10. I would like to memorize a psalm this year, but I haven’t decided which one.

11. I’d also be interested in memorizing some portion of the Sermon on the Mount, maybe in the fall along with my study of the life of Christ.

12. Finally, I want to go over the Old Testament prophecies that speak to the coming of Jesus as Messiah and Lord during Advent with my urchins.

Too ambitious? Not enough? I may not do all of the above, but I know enough about myself to know that if I don’t have some sort of plans and a variety of ideas, I will do nothing at all.

The Devil in Pew Number Seven by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo

Feb10

I am in a quandary. I don’t want to discourage anyone form reading this memoir, a true story that carries a wonderful message about the necessity of forgiveness, even in the direst of circumstances.

However, to be honest, the book could have been edited down to about half or three-fourths of its almost 300 pages and not have lost a thing. If you’re a good skimmer, you’ll really appreciate this story of a pastor and his family terrorized and very nearly destroyed by a man who acts like the devil incarnate. In 1969, Robert Nichols moved with his family to Sellerstown, North Carolina to serve as pastor of the Free Welcome Holiness Church. As the name of the church indicated, the Nichols family was welcomed by the community, except for one man, Mr. Horry James Watts, who lived across the street from the parsonage and occupied pew number seven in the Free Welcome Church every Sunday morning. The violence and harrassment began with threatening phone calls and escalated until . . . No spoilers here.

The amazing thing about the story is the ending. Could you forgive a man who threatened to make you family leave the community where you lived “crawling or walking, dead or alive?” The sction near the end of the book on forgiveness is worth the price of the book because the author speaks from hard-earned experience.

“If I allow myself to go down the pathway of rage and retaliation, several things happen, and none of them are good. Here are my top four:
My sins will not be forgiven by God if I refuse to forgive those who have sinned against me.
I miss an opportunity to show God’s love to an unforgiving world.
I’m the one who remains in jail when I withhold God’s grace by failing to forgive.
If I have trouble forgiving, it might be because I’m actually angry at God, not at the person who wronged me.”

So, I’m recommending this book with the caveat that you’re not to expect deathless prose, just a riveting and inspiring story of nitty-gritty forgiveness and even joy in very difficult circumstances.

Christmas: The Grace Project

Dec24

“His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory. (I Corinthians 2:7 NEB) He means to rename us—to return us to our true names, our truest selves. He means to heal our soul holes. From the very beginning, that Eden beginning, that has always been and always is, to this day, His secret purpose—our return to our full glory. Appalling—that He would! Us, unworthy. And yet since we took a bite out of the fruit and tore into our own souls, that drain hole where joy seeps away, God’s had this wild secretive plan. He means to fill us with glory again. With glory and grace.” From 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:11-14