Don’t ask for just a few.

Posted June 20th, 2008 by Jen in religion
10 Comments »

I just read an encouraging story of miraculous provision from the hand of God. It’s from my daily Bible reading, and is found in 2 Kings 4:1-7. There is a widow - her husband was a prophet under Elisha. She is desperate because with her husband now dead, and no way to continue payments of his debts, the creditor is making unreasonable and egregious claims for his compensation. He is coming to take away her two sons to be slaves. Aren’t you glad we have laws against this?

She turns to the prophet Elisha in her distress, and he gives her some unusual advice - well, for an Old Testament prophet, it’s not at all unusual, those were some veeerrry interesting fellows. Upon discovering that all she has in her entire house, her whole earthly belongings, is a little bit of oil, Elisha directs her:

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

Enter the miracle. She follows his directions precisely, right down to the shutting of the door. The widow pours and pours into the many jars. Son, give me another jar, she said. Sorry, Mom, that was the last one, says he. Then comes the stunning end of verse 6: “Then the oil stopped flowing.”

God provided exactly what she needed. The moment the jars ran out, the oil stopped. She could sell the oil, pay the debts and have enough left over for her and her sons to live on. This story truly sends shivers up my spine. It can be difficult to ask for help, especially for a lot of help. I can imagine perhaps the widow had to set aside her pride and her tendency to say, “neighbor, can I have just a few?” If this was me, that’s what would have happened. But I’m picturing the joy of the entire village, as each member had given much to this family, and they all get to rejoice in the immense provision.

What a life lesson! Seek help from wise people, follow God’s precise instructions even if they don’t make sense, and watch the blessings flow. He cares for you.

Tags: Bible study, Elisha, miracles, oil, provision

Revisiting Father’s Day

Posted June 15th, 2008 by Jen in family life, parenting, religion
8 Comments »

I was commenting today over at Tipper’s blog, Blind Pig & the Acorn, on her Father’s Day post, and I’m reposting my comment right here, because it’s a good follow up to my previous post. Tipper blogs about her Appalachian heritage, a favorite subject of mine (with my own Appalachian father from the hills of West Virginia), and I’m seeking to reclaim some of those roots. Tipper’s post asked for three random facts about your dad.

Tipper, … I wrote a short paragraph today about being “fatherless.” You know, I had a father, and when I was 12 or 13 years old, my parents separated, I moved to a different state with my mom, and I never lived with my dad again. I only saw him a handful of times after that before he died of lung cancer.

But the childhood I had with him until that age, it was difficult. He was an alcoholic and a distant, often angry father with many of his own troubles. However, I’m learning, the older I get, that it’s wise to still search for the good things, and even pray for God to reveal some sweet forgotten moments. There’s a lot of healing in setting your mind to this, so here are three things about my dad:

1. He was so very proud to be Appalachian.

2. He loved to plant things, and most of his energy went into his black walnut grove.

3. He was a carpenter by trade, and my memories are of him *always* wearing his white carpenter’s overalls, with hammer always hanging on his pants and nails in his pockets, ready to build.

p.s. Julie has a blog tag about an “a-ha!” moment you’ve had this week, so this will count as mine! Go check it out and see if you can come up with something, and if you’re reading this and would like to play along, consider yourself “tagged.” And if you also have some things to share about your dad, visit Tipper.

Technorati Tags: family life, Father’s Day, Appalachia, fatherless, childhood memories, God, relationships

For the Fatherless on Father’s Day

Posted by Jen in family life, parenting, religion
8 Comments »

I am fatherless. On Father’s Day, I celebrate my husband as father of our children. But I’m still reminded that I am fatherless. You say God is my father. I’ve heard many, many sermons about how even if you don’t have an earthly father, God is your heavenly father, and that makes everything right -but I’m still understanding and accepting this concept.

It’s an amazing truth, though, and taking hold of God as Abba Father, especially for the earthly fatherless, is powerful and redemptive. Redemptive to the same degree you accept Him as Abba, and lay down your pain, anger, disappointment, and mistrust.

Greg Laurie has some great thoughts on this today; you may be blessed to read this.

Tags: Christianity, Father's Day, fatherless, God, redemption

Giving Thanks…for bread and beans…

Posted May 29th, 2008 by Jen in family life, religion
18 Comments »

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Giving thanks today. Iris at Sting My Heart hosts the Thankful Thursday meme, and I thought I’d participate. I actually desperately need to participate today. Forgetting to give thanks to God for His many blessings is a paved road to bitterness, depression, anger, hopelessness, and despair. I’d rather not go there.

So, today, I thank the Lord for….

……the breadmaker my mother-in-law gave me almost 12 years ago, so I could make a fresh loaf this morning, as we are out of bread (dough only cycle is a lifesaver)….

….the left-over beans and hotdogs from Connie’s BBQ, which she kindly sent home with us, so we could have a nice dinner last night, as we are out of everything….

….the bag of coffee from Jane, from Christmas, stuffed in the back of the cupboard, discovered in the nick of time this morning, so I could have a nice cuppa joe to start my day, as we are also out of coffee….

….an email this morning from my sister, Julia, asking me about a creation science children’s show, encouraging because I need to know I’m not alone in this journey….

….an email this morning from my friend, Julie, inviting our family and a few others on a hike to the Camp Sherman fish hatchery, encouraging because I need fellowship with other believers….

….the New Hope Church (in Hawaii) website, which has the daily Life Journal reading, so I can keep to a good schedule of Bible reading, as I will die a slow death otherwise….

….a new family I just met on the side of the road (who randomly stopped to watch Chuck’s cannon shoot), who also homeschool and are also Christians, and live out our way in the country, encouraging because even though I haven’t called the wife yet, just knowing they are there, 5 or 10 minutes away, brings hope….

What are you thankful for today?

Technorati Tags: Christianity, relationships, Thankful Thursday

The Intelligent Lizard

Posted April 28th, 2008 by Jen in humor, religion, science
12 Comments »

Hmmm, I say, what is this slick, button-y surface and colorful pixeled screen?

Oh, I see, if I grip the keys just so, and push….

Now, that was pretty simple, and it only took me about 4 billion years to figure out. Or not.

p.s., the lady of the house was really freaked out to see her little girl’s pet lizard taking over her laptop computer. My sincere apologies and lizardly regrets for causing such a commotion. Well, being so evolved and all, I enjoy the cinema as well as computers, so I’m off to the movies.

Technorati Tags: lizards, Creation Science, Intelligent Design, animal humor, Expelled the Movie, Ben Stein’s Expelled

Religious Rights of Students in Public Education

Posted April 22nd, 2008 by Jen in education, politics/world news, religion
10 Comments »

A commenter made a good observation on my previous post about the case of the Wisconsin high school art student receiving a Zero and subsequent detentions for including in his landscape drawing a cross and the lettering “John 3:16.” The student, named as A.P. in a lawsuit against the school district, signed a policy the teacher presented at the beginning of the semester, which “prohibited any violence, blood, sexual connotations or religious beliefs in artwork.” Hmmm, placing religious beliefs alongside and seemingly on the level of violence, blood, and sexual connotations is interesting. Anyway, the comment was this:

Since when can a minor sign a legally binding contract without the consent of his legal parent/guardian?

Her question got me thinking. A minor can void a legal contract, true. The contract was not binding, but neither should it be meaningless. I don’t think it’s smart to be teaching kids that they can break contracts willy-nilly and be free of all responsibility. HOWEVER, this particular contract…oh boy.

This student should have carefully read the contract at the beginning of the class and raised a stink at that point - because on the face of the policy itself is a violation of student rights, as set forth in legal precedent (Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District (1969) which upheld the right of students to wear black armbands in protest of the Vietnam War).

Tinker held that the First Amendment did apply to public school students and teachers, and that regulation of student speech in the classroom would be allowed only if there was a constitutionally valid reason, like “substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others.” A mere desire to avoid controversy is not a valid reason to suppress student expression.

Tinker has since been limited by other cases, with the scope of free speech not including indecent speech (Bethel School District v. Fraser) and with school newspapers being regulated (Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier). See also Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators Association and Morse v. Frederick.

Not only the Tinker case, but a document from the Department of Education, circulated in 2003 (Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools), makes it clear that students have a right to religious expression in the classroom. Here is the relevant portion from that D.O.E. document:

Religious Expression and Prayer in Class Assignments
Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher’s assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.

The fact that this “contract” the student in Wisconsin signed was ever conceived and drafted shows not only the ignorance, but the bias, of this teacher/school.

There is a lesson here for all students and parents of students in public schools: Know your rights. Because it’s obvious that attempts will be made to violate and undermine your rights, often out of honest ignorance of the law and confusion among school leaders about the religious liberties of students. That Dept. of Education document is a good one to print out and go over carefully with your child. The prevailing anti-religious climate and the extreme, sometimes absurd, secularization of public life doesn’t appear to be letting up, so be on top of the issues and use favorable laws to your advantage while we have them.

Vigorously protect religious expression - this is a unique American principle. The point of the First Amendment is to prevent a state-sponsored religion, not to squash religious expression in American public life. It is unjust and unconstitutional to mandate that public schools be religion-free zones.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof … — Religious-liberty clauses, First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Technorati Tags: religious liberty, First Amendment, religious expression, U.S. Constitution, religious freedom, public school

It’s a good thing Raphael didn’t attend public school in modern day Wisconsin

Posted April 19th, 2008 by Jen in arts & crafts, education, history, religion
14 Comments »

The Tomah Area School District in Wisconsin has a policy that bans Christian symbols in students’ artwork, leading to a high school student receiving a Zero on his illustration depicting a landscape with a cross and the lettering “John 3:16.”

Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Giotto, and the rest of the famous artists who produced the religious masterpieces of the world: I’m forever grateful that you didn’t live in 21st century America where you have to sign away your freedom of religious expression.

Technorati Tags: art history, famous artists, First Amendment, religious expression

Be Thou My Vision

Posted April 16th, 2008 by Jen in music, religion
12 Comments »

Do you have a favorite hymn? Linnet’s Nest asked this question, and shared hers. Thank you, Linnet, that was beautiful. I think Linnet should do a podcast sometime so we can all hear the lovely British accent that I know she has.

My favorite hymn is Be Thou My Vision. I love the gentleness of the song, woven throughout with a call for God’s constant presence and guiding hand in our lives. This is a traditional Irish hymn, and hands down the best recording I’ve ever heard is performed by Van Morrison. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this on YouTube, so I’ve presented here Fernando Oretega’s version. While it is still moving, the man is clearly not Irish, as Van Morrison is, and somehow I just like to hear an Irish man sing a traditional Irish song. You can find Van Morrison’s Be Thou My Vision on his CD Hymns to the Silence. When we homechurch, we always play Van’s version and sing with him - my kids love it, we love it, and I’ll bet you would be moved.

But here is Fernando Ortega with Be Thou My Vision:

Tags: Be Thou My Vision, Christian music, Fernando Ortega, hymns, Van Morrison

Are you happy or are you holy?

Posted April 7th, 2008 by Jen in family life, religion
12 Comments »

Marriage: For Happiness or Holiness? This is the topic for the Marriage Monday group writing project over at Chrysalis.

I admit I really didn’t know where to begin on this topic because I was a little confused; I had never considered this view of marriage as either/or, but as both or none. Happiness and Holiness in marriage are certainly not mutually exclusive. I had to ask e-Mom over at Chrysalis what she was getting at. Well, once I figured out that there’s a book out there by a gentleman named Gary Thomas called Sacred Marriage with the subtitle “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?”, it all made sense.

I haven’t read the book, so I can’t presume to know all of Mr. Thomas’ basic premises. However, I did find an old article he published in Christianity Today (1999) in which he addressed the exact subject:

Years ago, I finally realized that marriage is for holiness more than happiness. Marriage creates the best environment in which I can serve God and grow in the character of Christ—and that’s what I should expect from it more than anything else. This doesn’t mean that happiness and holiness are mutually exclusive; often they aren’t. But the primary purpose in my life is not to pursue happiness, it’s to become like Christ. How thankful I am to be married—to be in an ideal environment for spiritual growth.

When I was married for happiness, and I went through the inevitable seasons of unhappiness (or just the routines of life), I assumed my lack of happiness meant my wife wasn’t measuring up. I judged her failings and she judged mine.

When I realized I was married for holiness, I knew that I never measured up. I became more than satisfied with my wife as I focused on what I needed to change. My wife didn’t change, but my perspective did.

Humility gave me a new marriage because it gave me a new me. If God, who is perfectly holy and righteous, can delight in my wife as he does then I can respond with similar delight.

This cleared things right up. Why an entire book needs to be written when these four paragraphs would do… But like I said, I haven’t read the book, and I feel this way about nearly all self-help books, not just this one.

IF happiness in this discussion is a selfish, inwardly focused, pleasure-seeking state of mind, and holiness is that state in which we are growing in the character of Christ, then this is an easy discussion. It seems that a self-focused happiness (what will make ME feel good) is in opposition to true humility. Humility is that holy quality of being free from pride, being intent on serving our spouse and meeting his/her needs, considering the other above ourself. So, yes, marriage should be more about working toward holiness than happiness.

IF, however, happiness in this discussion is a mutual feeling you share with your spouse, as in, “we have such a happy marriage,” or a joint sense with your spouse of contentment, joy, and pleasure in your marriage, then this seems to be a holy thing in itself. And it seems silly to try to put this happiness in juxtaposition with holiness, because the two are working together like two parts of a body, just as the scriptures command.

Happiness or holiness? I’ll take both, please.

Tags: Gary Thomas, happiness, holiness, humility, marriage, Sacred Marriage

Five Year Old’s Solution to Hell

Posted April 4th, 2008 by Jen in family life, parenting, religion
22 Comments »

Aloha, it’s Friday! My fun question for you today is this:

Has your child - or do you remember your own from childhood - ever come up with any funny conceptions of God, Heaven, or Hell?

Here is my answer, from a very amusing incident last week:

Now that JoJo has turned 5, she is very smart. Perhaps she will go straight from kindergarten to seminary, for, you see, she has solved the problem of hell. We listened to Matthew ch. 5 today, and afterward I asked the kids what they thought. JoJo said it was a little bit scary - the part about someone’s whole body being cast into hell (v. 30). The fires, the eternal burning - even theologians have a difficult time understanding this concept. Is this real? Is hell a metaphor? But no matter, like I said, JoJo is very smart, and she had a solution:

Can’t they just stop, drop, and roll?

Do you have a great “out of the mouths of babes” moment? I’d love to hear it, leave me a comment! (You can visit An Island Life for more Aloha Friday participants.)

Technorati Tags: children, Christianity, faith, God, hell, heaven

Christian Carnival CCXVII: Attributes of God Edition

Posted March 26th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, religion
11 Comments »

Welcome to the Christian Carnival CCXVII: Attributes of God Edition! I am honored to present such an expansive and quality array of posts this week. I’ve arranged the posts around several attributes of God, using the wonderful little book Praying the Attributes of God by Rosemary Jensen (former director Bible Study Fellowship International) as my guide. I hope you’ll find some encouragement and insight here as we examine the character of God and read various spiritual thoughts from each of the authors below.

1. God is Accessible

Deuteronomy 4:7: What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

Ephesians 3:12: In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Thom presents Postmodern Apologetics: Evidence that Demands a Kingdom posted at Everyday Liturgy. Thom discusses an apologetics that leads toward life in the kingdom instead of an intellectual decision.

Shamelle presents It Doesn’t Cost Much To Consult With God posted at Enhance Life.

2. God is Creator

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Hebrews 3:4: Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

ChrisB presents What’s Wrong with This Maxim? posted at Homeward Bound. A little game of spot-the-theological-error.

3. God is Eternal

Isaiah 40:28: The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Revelation 4:8: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.

John presents Restoring Eden posted at Light Along the Journey. John compares a children’s movie to our quest for the Kingdom.

4. God is Faithful

Genesis 28:15: I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

1 Peter 4:19: Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

The Bloke presents “…today you will be with me in paradise!” posted at …in the outer…. Reflecting on one of the last sayings of Jesus on the cross reveals a not so common emphasis in the Scriptures that is often missed in the midst of theological debates about what happens after we die or where Jesus went after He died. The reflection, however points to a simpler truth that reaches down to us to comfort us as we deal with the tougher issues of life. It reminds us that even though we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” He is there to protect and comfort us.

Jeremy Pierce presents Trust Without Action posted at Parableman. This post looks at a translation of “faith without works is dead” (from Kenny Pearce) that’s much clearer and yet doesn’t sacrifice some of the things the more dynamic translations sometimes sacrifice.

Dana presents Fighting the sunset posted at Principled Discovery.

5. God is Good

Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Matthew 7:11: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Jody Neufeld presents First Monday in Easter posted at Jody’s Devotionals.

Doug presents Can an Atheist be a good person? posted at Bounded Irrationality. Atheists ask me “Do you believe an atheist be a good person?” I look at what it means to be good. If I’m good for self-centered reasons, am I really good? Can I ever be good without self-centered reasons?

6. God is our Guide

Psalm 23:2-3: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

John 16:13: When he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Renae presents What if…Homeschooling was Illegal posted at Life Nurturing Education, saying “which hill will you die on?”

Steve presents To be young, to serve truth… posted at faithdoubt. Explores a passage from “The Brothers Karamazov” that highlights the struggle between the desire to serve truth and the patience that serving truth may take.

Henry Neufeld presents On Being a True Believer posted at Threads from Henry’s Web. On trying to disbelieve and failing miserably.

7. God is Holy

Leviticus 19:2: Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

1 John 1:5: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all.

Diane R presents Christian Hindus?? posted at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet. The new missiology is allowing people from various religions to keep it and simply “add” Christianity. Is this right?

8. God is Impartial

Deuteronomy 10:17: The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Acts 10:34-35: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

Mark Olson presents He’s Wrong posted at Pseudo-Polymath. In which I disagree with someone of some authority. I’m not Catholic, and have been Protestant … and I think the anti-Catholic knee jerk reactions of some Protestants are misguided. Here’s one.

Richard H. Anderson presents The Importance of the Centurion posted at dokeo kago grapho soi kratistos Theophilos.

Jan presents a generous understanding posted at the view from her, saying “I read and reviewed Brian McLaren’s book “A Generous Orthodoxy.” I’m not trying to be contentious, but not finding any literal “heresy” in it, I genuinely am confused by other’s strong opposition to it.”

9. God is Immutable

Psalm 33:11: The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Romans 11:29: God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

Barbara presents The Day After Easter posted at Tidbits and Treasures.

Martin presents Jesus lives; is Christianity a corpse? posted at Enigmania.

10. God is Jealous

Exodus 34:14: Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Ezekiel 39:25: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.

Ray presents Easter Sunday Musings About the Rich Man, the Camel, and the Needle posted at Money Blue Book.

Ronnica presents Go, Go, Go and Do, Do, Do posted at Tale of a Kansas Girl. As a Christian, it’s so easy to buy into the ideal busyness of our culture. Taking the time to consider what is on God’s agenda for our day rather than our own is a struggle.

11. God is Just

Proverbs 17:3: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Rodney Olsen presents Jesus on Trial posted at RodneyOlsen.net. Jesus was subjected to six trials and each one of them was a travesty of justice.

David A. Porter presents Growing as a Disciple of Jesus Christ posted at A Boomer in the Pew.

12. God is Love

Isaiah 38:17: Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.

Romans 5:8: God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Chad Dalton presents Do you love Jesus? posted at Living Stone Bible Church Blog.

13. God is Merciful

2 Samuel 14:14: Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.

1 Peter 5:10: The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Annette presents Would you do this? posted at Fish and Cans.

Ken Brown presents Holy Saturday - A Day For Death and Doubt posted at C.Orthodoxy.

14. God is Provider

Psalm 23:5-6: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Luke 22:35: Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.

FMF presents Wealth is More than Money posted at Free Money Finance. True wealth is more than just money.

15. God is Savior

Deuteronomy 32:39: I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.

1 Corinthians 1:18: The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Ken (Wickle) presents Easter: One Rock Cries Out posted at A True Believer’s Weblog. Putting together Jesus’ statement that rocks would cry out, and thinking about the rock in front of the tomb.

:: Suzanne :: presents Friday Poetry: Goodly Fere on Good Friday posted at :: Adventures in Daily Living ::.

John presents “He is Risen . . .” posted at Brain Cramps for God. Just a simple Easter post.

16. God is Wise

Daniel 2:20-22: Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.

Ephesians 3:10: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

Andrew Tatusko presents Where the Paschal Baptism Tradition Went posted at Notes From Off-Center. This is a reflection on the disappearance of the Paschal baptismal rite in response to the baptisms of both my sons on this past Easter morning.

e-Mom presents Secrets of the Parables posted at C h r y s a l i s. Were the Parables Meant to be Understood? Four Views.

Thank you for visiting this Christian Carnival! For a list of future hosts, please visit Parableman.

Technorati Tags: blog carnival, Christian Carnival, Christianity, faith

Christ is Risen, Happy Easter!

Posted March 23rd, 2008 by Jen in persecuted church, politics/world news, religion
1 Comment »

Easter blessings to you all! Today I celebrate the reason I can live. Here is some wonderful news out of Italy, a Muslim converts to Christianity.

Italy’s most prominent Muslim commentator, a journalist with iconoclastic views such as support for Israel, converted to Roman Catholicism Saturday when the pope baptized him at an Easter service.

As a choir sang, Pope Benedict XVI poured holy water over Magdi Allam’s head and said a brief prayer in Latin.

“We no longer stand alongside or in opposition to one another,” Benedict said in a homily reflecting on the meaning of baptism. “Thus faith is a force for peace and reconciliation in the world: distances between people are overcome, in the Lord we have become close.”

An Egyptian-born, non-practicing Muslim who is married to a Catholic, Allam often writes on Muslim and Arab affairs and has infuriated some Muslims with his criticism of extremism and support for the Jewish state.

Allam also explained his decision to entitle a recent book “Viva Israel” or “Long Live Israel,” saying he wrote it after he received death threats from Hamas.

“Having been condemned to death, I have reflected a long time on the value of life. And I discovered that behind the origin of the ideology of hatred, violence and death is the discrimination against Israel. Everyone has the right to exist except for the Jewish state and its inhabitants,” he said. “Today, Israel is the paradigm of the right to life.”

I will pray for Allam, and many like him, who has already received death threats from Hamas, and he now faces additional danger, as converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death. Though killings are rare, Islamic legal doctrine does call for the death penalty for rejecting Islam.

Peace of Christ to you on this blessed Easter.

HT to Crunchy Con

Tags: Easter, Hamas, Israel, Magdi Allam, Muslim, Pope Benedict

Good Friday and Call for Submissions

Posted March 21st, 2008 by Jen in blog stuff, carnivals, family life, holidays, religion
1 Comment »

I trust your Good Friday was good. This year, my little JoJo had her birthday on Good Friday. She enjoyed a happy celebration with many friends. As for me, I just loved all the moms who came and I basked in the rare opportunity to fellowship with all these ladies at once.

Here’s a verse that caught my eye as I thought about Good Friday, the day we commemorate the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

I thought this was an appropriate response for believers; as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, we can respond with a sacrifice of thanks. What struck me about this scripture was that our thank offerings help pave the way for our salvation! Having a thankful heart, a constant spirit of gratitude, is honoring to God and critical to our eternity.

I’m hosting the upcoming Christian Carnival, and I hope you’ll consider submitting an article. You can click here to submit your post. This carnival publishes on March 26, and I need your submissions by Midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 25. Here are two past Christian Carnivals I have hosted, if you’d like to see the format:

Christian Carnival 189: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Edition
Christian Carnival: Renaissance Edition

Have a blessed Easter.

Technorati Tags: birthday party, blog carnival, Good Friday, Christian Carnival

A Fast from Asking

Posted March 17th, 2008 by Jen in family life, parenting, religion
5 Comments »

I told my kids that we are going on a two day fast from asking for things. I saw over at Heather’s that her family was fasting from complaining, and I knew I needed to steal her idea.

I am worn down to raw nerves from everlasting requests for a glass of water, more apples, a new spoon because mine fell on the floor, my clothes because I’m too lazy to go upstairs and get them myself, a certain book, a new train, a bike, a bunny, a horse. Times four.

We’ve somehow gotten into a very bad habit of asking for things, often without even thinking or without having a great need. Just because. I know it could be much worse. The kids don’t watch TV (just videos) and so are spared the incessant barrage of commercials. They don’t attend a regular school so they have a reprieve from coveting the latest styles and gadgets of their classmates. However, because we humans are selfish by nature, we still have to battle the Stuff Monster.

So, I gathered the children and explained that we would spend the next two days REFRAINING from ASKING for anything, save for the bare necessities of life. Like, I need some toilet paper in the bathroom. I explained to the kids that it’s become a bad habit, that it’s wearing me out, and that it goes against God’s words about not being gluttonous, greedy, materialistic, selfish, and covetous.

They all listened attentively. My six year old daughter had just one question: What will we get if we do this?

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH!

Technorati Tags: children, Christianity, fasting, greed, materialism

A Three Year Old and a Fish

Posted March 13th, 2008 by Jen in family life, religion
14 Comments »

The crime scene, exactly as I found it. The three-year-old coveted his six- year-old sister’s fish. He knows he is too little to feed the fish. We’ve warned him about putting foreign objects in the fish tank. And never is he to use the fish net and attempt to catch the fish.

But it was all just too much. As you can see, that’s enough food for several schools. I happened upon the bathroom today, and the betta fish was lying on her side (my daughter just knows it’s a girl), and only the faintest twitch told me she was still alive, but quickly approaching her final moments. The boy had found his opportunity. He was soundly disciplined and we await the moment when “your father gets home.”

The real details emerged from my four-year-old daughter. I thought the curious child just really wanted to feed the fish. But, he must have spilled his guts to his other sister, because she tattled confided to me the terrible truth. “He was trying to catch the fish, and he couldn’t, so he got mad and dumped in the food and some soap.” Oh, how my heart sank. Not just an innocent mistake, but acting in anger.

We’ll be having some earnest discussions over here, dealing with controlling our anger, true repentance, forgiveness, and asking God to change our hearts. What a wonderful, terrible, teachable moment.

In the meantime, my precious, mourning daughter had me record her memories:

It was a betta fish that had no twins that matched to it. And I saw other twin fish at PetSmart but that one was the only betta fish that was rainbow colored. She had one really shiny scale by her gills. Her name was Glory. She had almost all of the colors in the rainbow. I loved my fish the first time I got her. She made me laugh when she did funny things. I hope she’s been fine when I’ve been gone. I want to let her go when she’s better. I hope she has a happy life when I set her free into the river. [Oh, sweetie, your fish isn’t just sick, she’s dead.]

Technorati Tags: betta fish, children, fish, fish food, death of pet, teachable moment

Is this a Christian song or a coffee commercial?

Posted March 12th, 2008 by Jen in music, religion
4 Comments »

This is a poignant song by some very talented ladies, but darn it, I mistake it for a Folger’s commercial every time.

I thought it was just me. But I confessed to my husband this evening that Point of Grace was sounding like an old coffee jingle, like…, “Folgers,” he finished my sentence. It’s the first lines that get me - one of Folger’s commercials starts with “Every day I wake up,” and Point of Grace (How You Live) says “Wake up to the sunlight.” That wake up part, with the same sort of rhythm and feel, and suddenly I’m grabbing for that second cup.

Technorati Tags: coffee, commercial, Folger’s Coffee, How You Live, Point of Grace, Folger’s coffee commercial, Christian music, TV jingle

My Testimony

Posted March 11th, 2008 by Jen in religion
12 Comments »

Can I get a witness? I’ve created my own little “meme” and it’s about the most important subject to me, my faith in God and life in Christ. More than anything, I like to hear people’s stories of their faith journey - their testimony. Here is a bit of mine, and, if you’d like to share yours, too, just use this template and fill in your own answers. Leave me a comment and let me know if you participate, I’d love to read everyone’s!

1. When did you become a Christian?

There has never been a time when I didn’t believe in God. Even though I wouldn’t call my childhood home “Christian,” there was literally always a neighbor or someone who took me to church - I marvel at this looking back, that some old saints thought enough of this poor girl from the ramshackle house and impoverished family to never miss a Sunday. However, it wasn’t until I was 18 years old that I committed to live my life for one purpose - to the glory of God.

2. Was there anyone instrumental in your decision to be a Christian?

Of course, there was the drawing power of the Holy Spirit above all. Also, there was a girl in my college dorm my freshman year - Deanna - who made an impact on me. She was just a sweet individual with the light of Christ that seemed to spill out her eyes and I remember thinking, I want to be like her. Looking back on this relationship makes me realize that yes, we can make a difference by simply wearing the character of Christ every day.

3. Were there any difficulties to overcome in your early walk with God?

Like most young people, I had to deal with peer pressure. I had intentionally said No to God’s call on many occasions during my youth for fear of what others would think. No, I won’t fully live my life as a Christian, no, I can’t risk my popularity, no I can’t lose my friends. When I finally did make a firm decision, halfway through my first year of college, I did indeed lose many friends. But the new people that came into my life more than made up for it! I didn’t have a sudden transformation like some people, but a change that took place over a period of many months, and continues even to this day.

4. How did your life change after committing yourself to Christ?

For the first time, I had a hunger to read my Bible, to know God, to worship, to tell other people about Him. I’m sure I was obnoxious. There was a sadness that I hadn’t changed my life sooner. I started Bible studies in my dorm, I counseled at a children’s camp, I went to campus fellowships, I stayed up late with friends talking about God. I just had so much to learn. The honeymoon period. I am always reminded of this early phase of new love, and am continually striving to lose my complacency as a now-older Christian and return to that first love.

5. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Jeremiah 29:11 - I know this is a favorite of many! “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I remember the first time I read that verse, and I thought, how did I never see this before?! I was seriously dumbfounded. I probably had read it before, it just never registered. I was sitting in my car, about to leave to go take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test), and I was a wee bit terrified. I opened my Bible - you know, the random search thing, and it fell open to this page and my eyes fell on this very scripture. I was instantly calmed, and knew whatever the outcome, He had my best in mind. I suppose that had I done outstanding on the test, I would have gone to an ivy league law school and not the University of Oregon law school! Haha. Yes, I spent a year and a half in law school before I left to get my teaching degree. God is merciful. And He has a sense of humor, because I am (happily) doing the very thing I scorned at one time: homeschooling, being a wife, a mother. He knew I would be miserable looking up case law all day.

6. What does it mean for you today to be a Christian?

I’m now a wife and mother and teacher and homemaker and businesswoman…and Christian. Today, I have three main concerns: to teach my children to love God and discern the Truth, to continue in my own walk despite the many tugs and enticements on my time, and to encourage others in their journey.

7. Any last words?

For the multi-tasking and overburdened people that many of us are, I would encourage you to rearrange your priorities. Cut something. Move God up. If you have to stop going to your MOPS group or book club to make room for your own time with God to study the Bible and pray and worship, then do so. If you have to get up by 5 a.m. every morning to make it happen, then set your alarm. If you’re displaying anger and a constant quick temper toward your children, repent, because this will undeniably affect their future. Fervently pray for your children. Have conversations with friends, family members, neighbors, anyone who will listen, about the Truth of God. Share your testimony!

I’m randomly “tagging” some bloggers to do this meme, but if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged!

Chrysalis
SmallWorld
Untraditional Home
A Bend in the Road
A Wife of Valor
Aroma of Joy
Dishpan Dribble
MooBee Farm
Boomer in the Pew
Coffee Mom
Shore Stories
Under His Construction
Life Nurturing Education
No Fighting, No Biting
PebbleChaser

By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8

Technorati Tags: Christianity, God, habits, testimony, witness

A Habit of Peace

Posted February 26th, 2008 by Jen in religion
9 Comments »

I’ve decided I must pursue peace as a habit of life. I’m calling it a habit because I have some control over this attitude of the heart and mind; peace is a practice and pattern I can cultivate no matter the circumstances around me. I know this because I’ve been cultivating the opposite habits in my life lately: turmoil and anxiety. Apparently, I’ve tended to them well, because they are flourishing like weeds.

The ever-present worry, knots in my stomach, and uneasiness of late have become like a tiresome, old friend. I strangely cling to them out of familiarity and a bizarre sense of duty to hold onto them. If I let go of these worrisome habits, will I be doomed? Not worrying equals sure ruin, in my twisted mind. How does one come to such a warped understanding? For me, It’s partly the result of being continually let down as a child, so to hope for good things meant they surely would not come to pass.

Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. ~St. Augustine

I need to retrain my mind to diligently run after peace. How do habits get formed, anyway? I suppose by performing the same action over and over. The amount of mental will-power required to retrain your mind is enormous! Truly, only with God’s help is this possible.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. ~ Aristotle

I noticed yesterday, even after some situations had been resolved, that I still had residue of worry over the very thing — it was there from habit only. A great big light bulb went off in my head! I was never trained in the habit of peace — which is ultimately a complete trust in God and his love for you. I’ll be instructing myself in the habit of peace by doing a few things:

1. Praying for God’s help to overcome my destructive habits.

2. Memorizing scripture that deals with the peace of Christ and commands against worry (Matthew ch. 6, for example).

3. Recognizing the instant a worrisome thought enters my mind, and replacing it with peace — thoughts centered on the character of God and His good plans for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11).

Grace and Peace to you, my friends.

Technorati Tags: habits, worry, peace

The Sun Broke Through

Posted February 15th, 2008 by Jen in family life, poetry, religion
4 Comments »

The Sun Broke Through
by me, with apologies to the real poets out there

The sun broke through, we must find a trail,
Explore the woods, the creatures, the mountains.
Creator God, how do You know
Just when I need those glimmering rays of hope?
How does the crack of a branch under my foot,
The white tail of the deer flitting out of sight behind the Juniper,
The rock, dancing in the shadows, up to the blue, blue sky,
How does this beauty of the house of God
Bring back to my soul the virtue and serenity
My impoverished spirit is desperate for?
Now I flicker, now I leap, now I know, as best I can know.

photo: our property (can you see the jackrabbit in the center?)

Technorati Tags: poetry, beauty, God, woods

Grapes of Abundance: 13 Thoughts

Posted February 7th, 2008 by Jen in family life, religion
14 Comments »

I had another striking dream last night. It was a very short segment. I seemed to be in a vineyard, watching. I saw in front of me my husband’s large hand, holding a great cluster of grapes, of such mass that it weighed down his hand. The grapes were plump, deep purple, and beautiful. I clearly heard the word “abundance.” To my right, I noticed my husband’s younger brother reaching into a bag, perhaps burlap, and he said with amazement, “there is so much, I can’t seem to pull them all up.” I observed the brother as his hand stretched out to take hold of more bunches of grapes, and there seemed to be no end to them. Abundance. That was the whole of the dream. I don’t know the fullness of the meaning of this dream, but here are 13 thoughts (for the Thursday Thirteen meme) I have of the possibilities - perhaps one or another of these may capture the significance of the dream.

1. I should expect God’s provision. We are trying to wrap up our house project, and there is the stress and strain of all the elements of time, money, and labor having the essential collaboration and timing. I will trust in His abundant supply. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, he clothes the flowers, and consider the birds…

2. Aside from raw supplies, I can trust God to provide for my spiritual needs, in abundance! His Joy, Peace, Comfort, Eternal Security, and so much more. I can’t live without these resources. I woke up feeling very spiritually at rest, a contrast from the past month of intense worry and anxiety.

3. It’s interesting that the first immense cluster of grapes I saw was in my husband’s strong hand. As the main financial provider and spiritual head of our household, this makes sense. I had a fleeting thought in my dream of “I don’t know if I could hold up that huge bunch of grapes.” But he could.

4. My husband and I have a dream of cultivating a small vineyard on our property - the property in question. It’s interesting that the grapes appeared in my dream, as it to say, “We are coming!”

5. I did a quick search on grapes this morning, and unbelievably, I found an article titled, “Cornell Names New Wine Grape ‘Abundance.’” Can you believe? I live in Central Oregon, not exactly wine country, but there are a handful of vineyards. And this grape, ‘Abundance,’ was named for its productivity, makes a good red wine, and is disease resistance and winter hardy. Sounds exactly like what we would need to survive our harsh winters.

6. The presence of the younger brother in the dream - perhaps he has a share in this abundance, either monetary or spiritual?

7. There were grapes not only in my husband’s hand, but also in the sack the brother was reaching into, and the abundance of such was evident; this was more than we would ever use for just ourselves.

8. Grapes in the Bible symbolize charity; we have always prayed that we could be a blessing to others in significant ways.

9. The new wine that is embodied in grapes denotes a blessing. From Isaiah 65:8: Thus says the LORD: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.”

10. Like Pharaoh’s dream of seven fat cows and seven healthy ears of grain, perhaps this dream signifies the beginning of the years of plenty, and the rest has not yet been revealed.

11. The first verse that pops into my head about abundance is this: Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). What is in the heart is the crucial issue.

12. Along those lines of the heart, another telling scripture on abundance, from Proverbs 20:15 - There is gold, and an abundance of jewels; But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing. “Lips of knowledge” speak to me of wisdom; speaking wisely, acting wisely.

13. I’m so thankful for my dreams! I love looking for the nuances, the possible meanings, and just the richness of dreams. They are sometimes common, with no meaning at all, but sometimes extraordinary and vividly colored messages from God.

Tags: abundance, dreams, God's provision, grapes, vineyard

Works For Me: Faith

Posted January 30th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, religion
3 Comments »

Welcome to another edition of Works For Me Wednesday - see the complete list of entries HERE.

What works for me is Faith. Have you tried it? It moves mountains, heals sickness, and changes lives. Sounds too good to be true. Where can you find this faith thing, you say? The good news: you don’t have to climb to the top of a mountain in Tibet, chant, do yoga, or drink a detoxifier. The other news: you must believe that God can do what He says He can do. Well, even the demons believe, so you must actually go beyond belief. What is beyond belief? FAITH!

What works for me is a faith that makes me act like I believe God. One thing that means is not circumventing the details of the situation to get to the faith goal. God tells you, “Have faith that I will accomplish X.” If, like Abraham and Sara, you decide that “I must do A, B, and C to make sure that X happens,” that is not faith, and will bring a lifetime of painful consequences. Surely you remember Ishmael. But, if you have faith like the Roman Centurion who believed that Jesus would heal his servant, even from a distance, just with His words, you have the kind of faith that brings this response: “I have not found such great faith, no, not in all Israel!” (Luke ch. 7, Matthew ch. 8).

Disturbing images to stop the whining?

Posted January 22nd, 2008 by Jen in family life, parenting, religion
7 Comments »

Am I just a twisted mother to do such a thing? My son had been whiiinnnning all morning about doing his math. With no apologies, I told him he simply must learn how to do subtraction with renaming. It’s an arithmetic skill that’s a necessity in life. He continued with the mournful complaints mixed in with tears. I talked to him about being thankful - what we all resort to at some point, right? Look, we have a warm house, clothes to wear, food to eat, a wonderful family….and the privilege of learning math. So suck it up. My rational words didn’t even make a dent in the laments.

So, I took my strategy to the next level. I did a Google search for “pictures of starving children.” Oh, yes I did. I made him look. First, he just cried all the harder at the disturbing images. You do the search and see what comes up. But at least these tears were justified. Children in Sudan, naked, bones protruding, crawling in the sand to find bugs to eat. “Mom, I’m going to have nightmares!” I panicked. Had I gone too far? However, he grew quiet, the tears subsided, and he soon carried on with the borrowing and subtracting.

I certainly don’t want to make light of the situation in Africa and elsewhere, and just because I used it to my advantage to shock my boy into being thankful, I hope that doesn’t make me a shameless and unscrupulous mother. Does it?

I would be shameless and unscrupulous if I brought out pictures of starving children every time my kid whined, and only when my kid whined. But if the approach is to bring world calamities and injustices to the forefront of our comfortable lives on a regular basis, regardless of the children’s current temperament, and for the purpose of compassion and consciousness, then I really think it’s okay. And if you need a boost in the math department every once in a while…

Christian Carnival: Renaissance Edition

Posted January 16th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, religion
15 Comments »

Welcome to the 207th Christian Carnival, the Renaissance Edition! Renaissance comes from the French, meaning “rebirth.” What a fitting word for a Christian! This period of European history spanned roughly from the 14th-17th centuries, but the 15th and 16th centuries best represent the Renaissance.

Life in the Renaissance by Marzieh Gail is a fascinating look at this cultural movement, and left me with several impressions of Renaissance Life. I’ll do my best to arrange our posts this week according to these central themes. There is no way to cover the vast details of the Renaissance in this small space, but I hope your interest is piqued and you study further.

The first impression of Renaissance life is that it was a rediscovery of the ancient civilizations of the past - the great works of Greece and Rome. Emerging from the Middle Ages and its emphasis on the spirit, the Renaissance man was very interested in learning and in life. Scholars hunted out ancient texts long forgotten, and scoured about for the works of classical authors such as Plato and Cicero. Sculptors dug up old statues and once again were fascinated with the human body. Explorers eagerly poured over maps from antiquity, and all the intellectuals sought to improve the secular and the worldly.

Beyond the Rim presents Thinking Christians? Are you a thinking Christian? If so, consider yourself a rare person in the modern world in which we live. This post touches on that problem, which just about guarantees almost no one will read it. ;-)

Crossroads presents A Review of Everything Must Change-Part 5: This is the last in a series reviewing and comparing the books, “Street Saints” and Brian McLaren’s new book, “Everything Must Change.”

The Veil Away presents What It’s All About: I will tell you right now what “it’s all about”–the thing that human life is about, and without which you may be human but you are certainly not alive. I will tell you simply and I will tell you shortly.

JR Madill at Theology for the Masses presents Creating a Universe of Certainty, or, If You Remove Reason, You Remove Doubt (Part 2 of 2)

Notes From Off-Center presents What if Belief in God is Just a Delusion After All…What Then? Let’s say that “God” is a poisonous and vile belief in itself - a problem to the degree that it is the very source of most, or at least an awful lot, of human harm in the world. And let’s also humbly admit that it is a mass delusion reinforced by socio-political groups called religions. What is the suggested solution to treating people with this delusional belief?

A Frank Review presents BoC’s Watershed Moment: After 9-11, the term “fundamentalist” has taken on new connotations. Need Christians and other religions be concerned about the public perception of what it means to be a fundamentalist?

The second impression is that the Renaissance focused on Italy. Florence is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of the Renaissance, and scholars have considered several factors unique to Florentine culture. This was the heartland of the ancient Roman Empire. Florence brought in wealth as a capital of silk and jewelry. The ruling Medici family were great patrons of the arts, and apportioned enormous sums of money to commission works from the leading artists of Florence, including Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Michelangelo. Some historians adhere to the Great Men theory - it was pure luck that great men were born there. Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Michelangelo were all born in Tuscany. It’s more likely that the cultural conditions present in the region are what allowed these men to rise to their potential.

Henry Michael Imler at Theology for the Masses presents Question of the Day: The Naked Truth: What is one “truth” that is not a) contextual, or b) discovered/conditioned through experience inside a particular culture?

Observation and Principles presents In the Beginnning, Jesus: I wonder if John 1:1-4 is describing who Jesus was in the beginning, at creation?

Thinking Christian presents What Christ Does For Us, Part 5: Who Christ Is: We will indeed all bow to Him. We will all, someday, recognize His divine majesty, and part of our worship will be based on recognizing how He sacrificed Himself on our behalf.

Dokeo kago grapho soi kratistos Theophilos presents Last Harvest: For the last harvest, the churches will need to re-tool their marketing.

A third impression is that the Renaissance was a dazzling spectacle. The splendid dresses with great balloon sleeves and rich fabrics, the magnificent chapels and palaces and ships, books streaming from the newly-invented printing press. This was an age of display and extravagance.

Had it not been for its explosion of great art, the Renaissance would surely not seem as splendid as it does. The very name of the age - Renaissance or rebirth - was coined by Vasari, an artist of the sixteenth century. Suddenly, large sums of money were being paid out to buy objects of beauty: furniture, clothes, jewelry, buildings, public and private, gardens, city squares. Wherever the eye gazed, it must behold a work of art. Art to enrich life became the order of the day. Men seemed to comprehend that even if they themselves were forgotten, their works of beauty would remain. p. 114

Homeward Bound presents Prosperity Preachers Consistent: As we hear the stories of opulent homes and antique-adorned offices, we should remember that this is exactly what they teach.

Tom Fuerst at Theology for the Masses presents Contra-Dispensationalism: The White Horse in Revelation 6: Contrary to this popular interpretation, though, this figure in chapter 6 is hardly some eschatological anti-messiah. This figure really is the actual Messiah, Jesus Christ. He comes forth to conquer, but does not do so with violence – again, the lack of arrows in his bow.

Enigmania presents Genesis 3: The post is about the story of the Fall, which seems literally fabulous nowadays (whence, via Aesop’s Fables, the connection with the Renaissance), but I feel that the earliest Monotheistic account of Creation ought to have some deeper meaning, and so I wonder what that could be.

Royally Redeemed presents Way 2: Life Savers: Discipline and self control are crucial in the life of a Christian. These are the very things that force us to crucify our flesh, because if we are going to talk the talk of a Christian, we must walk the walk of a Christian.

C.Orthodoxy presents Of Sin and Judgment: I had a dream last night: A man finds himself in a dark place. There are skeletons lining the walls around him, each bearing a name and a list of sins.

And finally, a few quotes from Life in the Renaissance that seemed to fit with particular posts.

To the Renaissance man-in-the-street heaven was static. Those who ascended there were supposedly blissful, standing throughout eternity, arranged in rows according to rank….The average person, seeing the grandeur of the heavenly hosts as shown in church paintings, could have little doubt as to where he was likely to end up. His future was made even clearer by the Mystery plays put on by his guild, where hell was shown as a monstrous yawning mouth with sharpened fangs, crowded with people much like himself. p. 112

Bounded Irrationality presents Heaven is better than a story: Does Heaven seem boring to you? Do you make comments like “I don’t want to be sitting on a cloud playing a harp for eternity”? Perhaps as a Christian, Heaven just seems good in comparison to Hell. If that’s your perspective I’d suggest you think about why Heaven is better than a story.

As we have seen, the Renaissance was an explosion of interest in human learning, in the knowledge of this world rather than the next. Although men still remained devout believers, they turned from religious studies to “human” ones. They became “humanists.” p. 92

An Accidental Blog presents A Fox in sheep’s clothing? Matthew Fox’s creation-centred spirituality.

In Italy anyone could attend the University of Florence regardless of age, class or finances if he was a registered Florentine citizen of legitimate birth. He received one gold florin, about four dollars, a month. Medical students also had an allowance of red wine and spices “to keep up their spirits.” In Venice, too, there were no class distinctions at the university and private charity housed the deserving. p. 97

Principled Discovery presents Student, Interrupted: How universities are treating the mentally ill. Well, they’re certainly not giving them red wine and spice; read this post to find out more.

The music of the Renaissance, once lost, has in recent years been uncovered in monasteries and ancient castles, and reconstructed from old, stained manuscripts without staff lines or indications of pitch. We now know how music sounded at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella; how widespread was the influence there of Arab poetry and song and instruments, and how many European styles grew out of them. p. 69

The Evangelical Ecologist presents 10 Tough Psalms for Worship Songs: Even Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, or Darlene Zschech would have a tough time with these.

Besides pages who could recite poetry, and choir singers, and jesters, most courts also employed troupes of actors to put on plays. The plays would be staged in a palace hall or courtyard; a temporary platform might also be set up in a church or on a cart drawn by oxen and supplied with screens of boughs. Some plays were Latin comedies (tragedies were not popular), rather immoral, and some, in Italian, referred to current events. p. 68

Nerd Family presents the Everything Skit. A musical drama.

The less holy could save themselves and their dead loved ones by applying to the church for an “indulgence,” or purchase of these merits. Wherever these indulgences were for sale, the money poured into the church. At a time when funds were thus being raised to build a new basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome, Martin Luther objected, among other things, to this outflow of German money to the corrupt church in Italy. In 1517 he invited a debate by posting a list of ninety-five points for discussion on the church door in Wittenberg. The list included an attack on indulgences. p. 113

Healing Through Words presents Am I the Only One? This is a quick article about how everything is sold to us.

Logical Consistency presents Nicaragua’s Bravery: Recently, the Associated Press wrote a twisted report on Nicaragua’s new abortion ban.

Cramer Comments presents American Idolatry: So, I missed last night’s premiere of American Idol. I hope to miss the rest of the season as well…

In the Middle Ages, ordinary people were not supposed to read the Bible, and indeed it had not been translated out of Hebrew, Greek and Latin into such local languages as English and French. The main goal of the reformers, however, was to “arm the simple layman with scripture.” A literary monument of the later Renaissance, England’s King James Bible, completed in 1611, was the work of great scholars who humbly wrote: “We are poor instruments to make God’s holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the people. . . .” Unlike the Middle Ages, the Renaissance placed an increasing emphasis on the importance of the common man. p. 110

Weekend Fisher presents Old Testament, Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh? Weekend Fisher considers the current controversy over the name of the earlier books of the Bible and how the conversation provides chances to explain Christ to the world. 

Tidbits and Treasures presents Changing Our Thought Pattern: We should be going to the Word to see what our thoughts should be.

Psuedo-Polymath presents For The Christian Blogger: A prayer for blogging.

There was also much quarreling and fighting in private life. Women carried on feuds, soldiers kidnapped young girls, thieves went about in bands, men beat their wives, housewives struck their maids, and neighbors hurled oaths as well as insults at one another on the street. Practically every man and woman went armed with a knife, or was escorted by others so armed. Duelling was frequent because it was a recognized way of proving one’s manliness. p. 138

Alexander Marlin presents Do You Know if You’re a Loving Parent?

It was a time of sudden turns of fortune, of riches to rags in an hour. The mother of a disgraced official in Rome was driven out of her mansion and, left with only the clothes she had on, hurried from friend to friend seeking help. Afraid of being punished, they turned her away and closed their doors. Worse than hardness of heart was brutality. The history of Europe in the Renaissance is stained with torture scenes that are unbearable to read; torture was legally used by the authorities and all kinds of violence were common. p. 138

Parableman presents Moderate Deontology and the Problem of Evil: One kind of defense against the problem of evil seems to require an undesirable ethical theory. This post responds to that difficulty.

Thank you for visiting the Christian Carnival: Renaissance Edition. Next week’s edition will be hosted by Chasing the Wind, and you may submit your post HERE.

I Really Like Homeschooling, I Just Want Someone Else to Do It For Me

Posted January 14th, 2008 by Jen in education, family life, parenting, religion, the office
9 Comments »

There are days, there are seasons to be sure, when a homeschooling parent has a tough spell. After spending a week investigating a local fine arts charter school, a private Christian school, and homeschool co-op options, I’m back to where I started. At home.

My many conflicting commitments have sent me into a tailspin. With pressing financial obligations that require me to leave Homeschool Fantasy Land, I’ve seriously looked at my options. How can I homeschool and run a business? When I can’t afford outside tutors, how do I teach my kids in the disciplines in which I’m not equipped, like music, but which are very important to me? Can’t someone else do this for me?

I did what I have to do in cases of extreme distress: I called Catherine. I look upon her as my Homeschool Mentor-Mom Mentor-Wife Mentor, and she’s always the one to help me readjust my perspective.

She gave me a real talkin’ to this time. She’s not one to say, “Oh, honey, you poor thing, I feel for you.” It’s more like, “Are you even thankful for what you have? You are where you are, now work with it.” I complained about not being able to afford private music lessons, and how, unlike her, I don’t have 10 years of music training in the French conservatories. “You can listen to CDs of classical music, can’t you?” I grumbled about having to work at our family business. “Do you know how many people would die to have a family business? To have that opportunity to teach their kids a life skill at their side?”

I groused about feeling inadequate. “Jennifer, I would say that about some people, but never you. You’re intelligent, educated, and love the Lord.” However, she maintained that all my education and degrees may actually hinder me, as I’m tempted to reproduce an educational institution in my home. Her main point, as she talked, and I humbly listened, was that God has our family where He has our family. She is adamant about just living life with your children, and learning as you go. Her style is much more un-schooling than mine, and her children are so bright and lovely and competent. “You just need to ask the Lord, how do I accomplish this? will You please provide what I need?” she asserted.

Nothing has changed about my situation. I still have to find a way to spend several hours a day working on the business; I still have to buckle down and really stretch myself on the music education; I still don’t have anybody to pass my kids off to; I still don’t have any more money than I did a week ago. However, I’ve regained a little bit of the mind of Christ, which was lost over the past month of holiday insanity. The mind of Christ seems to be telling me to chill out.

Chill out and educate my children one day at a time. “Why do you homeschool?” Catherine had pointedly asked me. Oh, yeah. It affords us the opportunity to bring up our kids as children of God. It empowers our family to grow together in ways that we can direct. It enables me to take advantage of those daily moments where training happens, moments I can even set up in advance to teach my children life lessons on character and friendship. And homeschooling, perhaps most importantly, ensures that my children are not trapped in an artificial construct, but are learning to live a real life in the real world. Okay, I’ll do it.