Slappy Christmas and other thoughts

You must read Gene Edward Veith's article on the historical St. Nicholas. It is interesting, enlightening, and funny.

I've been thinking more about the megachurches closing on Christmas. While I am not judging individual decisions to attend or not attend, it is really interesting to me that the Chicago Tribune, CNN, ABC News, etc (all obviously using the same source) ...hardly defenders of traditional Christianity... seem shocked by this decision to close. When was the last time you saw a theologian from Gordon-Conwell seminary quoted prominently in a mainstream media outlet? I think even our "foes" want to see the Church of Christ standing firm and not bowing to the popular culture.

Ben Witherington has great posts on this as well, here and here. A commenter on his blog actually makes a good point that it is not only the large churches, and of course, not all large churches will be closing!

There's a fine line in all of this between seeking God's will and doing what He commands and becoming pharisaical and following the traditions of men. But Jesus didn't set aside the commandments, He fulfilled them. And this whole thing has had the very positive effect of making me want to revisit some of our family's decisions and even non-decisions (lack of really thinking about it) on what is benefical to us on the Sabbath. After all, the Sabbath was made for man, and He uses it for our benefit when we obey Him. God has been using some very difficult and provoking circumstances and people in my life to make me want to be very serious about holiness. "Be holy as I am holy."

Now...if only Barbara Walters had used a theologian from Gordon-Conwell, or better yet, from Westminster, for her "Heaven" documentary. But no...but that's another subject, and I won't go there...I promise!

Megachurches Closing for Christmas

Not really a funny subject, but a very sad capitulation to popular culture and sentimentalism, but this spoof at the Holy Observer is funny (link from Dominion Family, who got it from Izzy).

Even the folks at the Chicago Tribune get it better than the megachurch decision-makers. Here's how they describe Christmas Day:

the day set aside to commemorate the incarnation of God on Earth.

So this decision caters to those with happy and intact families...but what about the broken, lonely, and despairing. Who is there for them on the saddest day of their year?

As for individual families and their decision to attend of not, that is up to them. Dominion Family says it well, so I will quote her here,

The way I look at it, and that may be wrong, is that individual families may or may not be in church Sunday morning. Those families will have different reasons for not being there, some good, some bad. Some families may not be there out of conviction of one sort or another, even. But the church closings definitely say something about our culture and the state of evangelicalism.

This would never happen in Mitford...Father Tim wouldn't dream of it. He knows his catechism too well.

What is the duty of all Christians?
The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ, to come together week by week
for corporate worship...

Okay, getting off my soapbox now. :)

Future Grace

by John Piper...this is definitely on my Christmas list! Can't wait to read this one. Listening, guys? :)

Here's a review by Pastor John Samson at Reformation Theology. Please go there and read the entire review...it is excellent...a sermon in itself. Here's an excerpt:

Grace is stripped of its meaning when it is merely thought of as a "good business decision" on God's part. I am refering here to the mistaken idea that God saw our "worth" and decided that the high price was indeed right, and that He would pay the necessary expense to bring us safely to heaven. No, a thousand times, no! That's not grace at all. That's just a good business deal!

Grace is seen in this - while we were wretches; while we were sinners, shaking our fists at God, hating God, defying God in thought, word and deed - every single one of us; God did something ridiculous - paying an outlandish and scandalous price to redeem us (the blood of His beloved Son). This was not because He calculated it all out and thought it was a good investment on His part; that we were "worth it." No, God was motivated by His radical, amazing, abundant and all conquering love alone, as He set about saving a people for Himself. There was nothing of intrinsic worth in the creatures He redeemed. Any worth we had was entirely borrowed from the God who made us in His image.

I find this especially pertinent at Christmas. It's not some sweet, heartwarming story...it's cold and brutal and heart-breaking. The infinite and eternal and completely holy God became that helpless babe, born to die...for me...not because I was "worth" it, or because I "deserved" it, but only because of His amazing love, and for His own glory.

Fall on your knees...O hear the angel voices...O night divine....O night when Christ was born...
What other response can I give? Lord, keep me on my knees, keep me aware of this incomprehensible truth. Take my life and let it be...all for Your glory.

Boys and how they play

Dominion family has a great post about the "absence" of children in our culture. Makes me think of a funny but scary story a friend of mine tells about her son when they lived for a short time in the suburbs while they were building a house. I think he was about 10 years old, and he was playing in his backyard, dressed in his camo, with his black spray painted gun (horrors...he covered the orange tip!) My friend heard voices in her front yard and went to investigate. There were two policeman, laughing. They had come to investigate a neighbor's report of an armed man in the neighborhood. We still laugh, although it's sobering to think what might have happened.

I am so grateful to live in the country with a creek and lots of open space where my kids can play mostly unsupervised. Yes, it has snakes and ticks and stuff...I have learned not to worry too much, although you don't catch me out there very often! :) We have swords and guns and...gasp...rarely use bike helmets. We've had plenty of stitches, beestings, and even several bouts of Lyme disease, but I wouldn't trade the freedom our kids have to play and run for a "safer" environment.

A List of Sevens...for fun

1. Seven things to do before I die

1. play my violin well
2. go to Scotland with my husband
3. master Latin
4. read, read, read...so many books
5. grow in loving God with all my heart, mind, soul & strength
6. read the Narnia Chronicles to my grandchildren
7. see all of my children loving and serving Jesus as adults

2. Seven things I cannot do

1. read twaddly books to my children
2. give twaddly books or music as presents
3. sing a solo
4. play the piano in church
5. create fine art
6. ski (anymore...I'm too chicken!)
7. read Hebrew & Greek (but those would be on the top 10 list of things to do...)

3. Seven things that attracted me to my spouse.

1. he's extremely handsome and has beautiful brown eyes
2. he has a great sense of humor
3. he liked Bruce Springsteen (I know, but I wasn't a Christian...)
4. he grew up in the Episcopal church (like me, and that was attractive to me, then & NOW)
5. I liked his parents and sister
6. he was (and is) the nicest guy I ever met
7. he loves me

4. Seven things I say most often

1. life's not fair (or you don't want fair!)
2. are you pleasing God?
3. look at my eyes
4. no
5. I love you
6. get your school done! or stop talking, start working!
7. Hi hungry, I'm mommy or You've NEVER been hungry a day in your life

5. Seven books (or series) I love

1. The Bible
2. The Chronicles of Narnia
3. Anne of Green Gables series
4. anything by George MacDonald
5. A Child's History of the World by V.M. Hillyer
6. Goodnight Moon
7. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

6. Seven movies I love to watch (or would watch over and over if I had the time)
this is very hard. I'd much rather read a book!

1. Sound of Music
2. The Return of the King
3. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
4. Adam's Rib
5. Heidi
6. It's a Wonderful Life
7. Sargeant York

7. Seven people I want to join in, too
Anyone who wants!!

Warning to parents

The Common Room: God is Not Your Vending Machine

Please, read this. It is a very long and excellent post that every parent of a teen or even younger child should read. It is very thought-provoking and well thought-out, and has links to other blogs posting about the Kara Borden/David Ludwig story.

I can't say it enough. KNOW what you children are doing, on the internet and elsewhere. Don't just assume because you are homeschooling that your child is safe. We MUST shelter our children's hearts, and teach them about the deceptive nature of sin. Don't assume your children are mature in their faith just because they "talk the talk" -- David and Kara did too...

And you can hold me accountable to do the same for my children.

And above all, this has really convicted me of the need to pray for my children fervently and constantly. They're His kids, and He loves them more than I. But I must be a faithful steward, and that means KNOWING and PRAYING!

Livy, today's historian

I am copying this from my other blog over at xanga.

I've been reading Livy's Early History of Rome (very, very slowly...not from lack of interest, but lack of time...the story of my life!), and I just LOVE this quote. This is WHY I love history, and WHY we as Christians should love history, and ultimately, WHY we have chosen to home educate our children (which is resulting in MY education, better late than never!)

"I invite the reader's attention to the much more serious consideration of the kind of lives our ancestors lived, of who were the men, and what the means both in politics and war by which Rome's power was first acquired and subsequently expanded; I would then have him trace the process of our moral decline, to watch, first, the sinking of the foundations of morality as the old teaching was allowed to lapse, then the rapidly increasing disintegration, then the final collapse of the whole edifice, and the dark dawning of our modern day when we can neither endure our vices nor face the remedies needed to cure them. The study of history is the best medicine for a sick (or discouraged, according to Mr. Callihan) mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find for yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things, rotten through and through, to avoid." (The Early History of Rome, Book I, Lattimore translation, emphasis mine)

Seems like there is nothing new under the sun, huh??

I am also really struck again by God's common grace...revealing truth to this ancient pagan. A pagan, yes, but a very observant and astute pagan. We would do well to heed his warning here in our country and in our own study of history. Reminds me of another excellent quote from the most excellent Author of the ages...

This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.' (Jeremiah 6:6)

Lord, have mercy on us.

pax,
k

Contentment

I am reading a priceless book called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. It is written by an old Puritan writer, Jeremiah Burroughs, who lived from 1599-1646. I just love the Puritans. They were so insightful and on the mark, and their writings are so relevant for Christians today. Although my version has very small print for my aging eyes, it is worth the strain!

In his opening pages, he describes contentment and then goes on to show his readers their great need of this virtue. He goes to great pains to point out that contentment is an inward virtue, and is only really present when we are not only able to "hold our tongues, but also to have a quiet soul." Ouch! I still have trouble with the first part, and am nowhere near the second.

"Contentment is an inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit...It is a grace that spreads itself through the whole soul."

He talks of how we must first be "satisfied in our judgment and understanding"...in other words, we see God's hand in all of our circumstances, and acknowledge His providence in our lives. We say to ourselves, "This is the hand of God...it is best for me, even though I don't see the reason, yet I am satisfied in my judgement.

But even when we understand God's providence and sovereignty in all of our circumstances,
"...you may still have much to do with your heart afterwards. There is such unruliness in our thoughts and affections that our judgements are not always able to rule our thoughts and affections."

This is ME he is talking about. How can someone who lived so long ago know my heart so well??

November

November is a spinner
Spinning in the mist
Weaving such a lovely web
Of gold and amethyst.
In among the shadows
She spins till close of day
Then quietly she folds her hands
And puts her work away.

~Margaret Rose

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I love the Narnia books...I am passionate about them. God has used them in my life in so many ways. My sweet cousin Elizabeth and her mom, Aunt Lucy, introduced me to them when I was about 12. I adored them, and read them over and over. I still read them over and over, and have loved sharing them with my children. As C.S. Lewis aptly noted,

"No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally worth reading at the age of fifty."

I really wonder whether the movie can do them justice...we will see. There will be no more difficult-to-please critic, I am sure!

I'm reading them aloud to my crew. We just finished the part where Eustace becomes a dragon, and then Aslan brings him to wash in the deep well. He commands Eustace to remove his clothes, and Eustace is puzzled until he realizes that Aslan must mean to shed his dragon skin. So he scratches away, and is quite pleased to see the old skin shedding, but when he goes to wash, he sees that the skin is just as hard and scaly as before. Three times he attempts to remove the dragon skin on his own, working furiously, and seeing some progress, but then realizing every time he looks in the pool that his attempts have had very little effect. Aslan says to Eustace, "You will have to let me undress you." And Eustace lays down to allow him to do so.

"The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off...Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off -- just as I thought I had done the other three times; only they hadn't hurt -- and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there I was as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been."

What a masterful description of how it works in our lives when we attempt in our own strength to deal with our sin. We think we are doing pretty well, but then we get another glimpse of ourselves when another difficult circumstance arises, and we see the truth about ourselves as Eustace did when he saw his reflection in the pool. So we must just surrender and allow God to deal with us, by stripping away the things that keep us from HIm. And it can be quite painful, cutting us to the heart. But, when sin is stripped away, we can see how much uglier it is than we even imagined. And then...we are smaller...there is less of self. As John the Baptist said, "I must decrease, and He must increase."

Lord, increase in my life, strip away my sin, until self is small and insignificant, and you are all.

My Prayer

Almighty God, You alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners. Grant Your people grace to love what you command and desire what You promise: that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect for 5^th Sunday after Lent
Book of Common Prayer