We Are Not What We Will Be (to the Christian)

We know that we are not what we will be, but that God is purifying a Bride for Christ- - right this minute, in each of you—in order to perfect us on that Great and Glorious Day when Jesus shall return for his people (Eph. 5:25ff; cf. Phil. 3:12-21). (The Wrath of God: An Encouragement for His People and A Warning to His Enemies Charles R. Biggs)

I look forward to transformation even though I know that it is often a painful process. I take great comfort in the thought that I am not what I will be. We all want to change something about ourselves. We have all tried to change something and failed. The hope I have for change is not in presidents or rifles... it is in Jesus.

No one is like Him; yet we are made like Him. No one can see Him; yet our eyes are opened to see Him. Everyone is deaf; yet our ears are opened to hear the sound of His voice. We are His sheep. The church is His bride. We have been brought into the Church (if indeed we are in Him). We are His people.

Praise God for what He is doing in us. We are not what we will be.

Quote of the Week XXXV

I must not fear; fear is the mind-killer... (Frank Herbert, from Dune

"Christmas Eve" ... a Silent Night

I began the delayed Christmas celebration this evening. It is amazing the effect that being surrounded by people you love and who love you has on you. I feel like I should say something... but for once, my heart is still.

Quote of the Week XXXIV

“Since our hearts cannot, in God’s mercy, either seize upon life ardently enough or accept it with the gratefulness we owe, unless our minds are first struck and overwhelmed by fear of God’s wrath and by dread of eternal death, we are taught by Scripture to perceive apart from Christ, God is, so to speak, hostile to us, and his hand is armed for destruction; to embrace his benevolence and fatherly love in Christ alone” ("Institutes of the Christian Religion II.XVI.ii)

Christmas

I wish you all a merry Christmas. Cheers.

Christmas Eve

I have never been comfortable with holidays... never been psyched about gifts- perhaps something in me was broken long ago and remains unrepaired- perhaps not. Regardless of why, the holidays have always made me feel terrible. We rarely ever treat the days as holy- and I hardly understood what that even meant.

It's not that I have not gotten gifts that I treasure more than words can describe- I was just playing an acoustic guitar, in fact, and it reminds me of certain people every time I play it. I like that. It is not that I have not enjoyed giving gifts on occasion- sometimes they are well received and enjoyed. Who doesn't enjoy making someone's day and doing good to them? But still I always feel awkward on Christmas.

When people give me nice gifts I often feel obligated rather than over-joyed. And I hardly feel worth the effort (and that particular feeling has little to do with reality- it just is). And of course it is worse if you cannot give them what you perceive as an equal gift.

On this eve of a certain holiday I brace myself for awkwardness and regret. I will not likely feel closer to Jesus when it is over. But that is not so important- what is important is will I be closer to Jesus when it is over.

God of Wrath Our Beautiful Savior

Oh beautiful Saviour
Thou long-expected God of wrath
We long for you our God
The real and whole divinity.

We do not seek to make
A false and soothing deity
But wait upon your light
Shine upon your people oh Lord.

With a sword in your mouth
And a robe soon dipped in their blood
Let us watch and wait now
Come now long-expected Jesus.

When the Heart Rules

I find that sometimes when I'm the loneliest... I do the stupidest things. It is amazing how fast one can become so very very weak...

I remember Tim Johnson speaking at my high school graduation telling everyone to follow their hearts... I have listened to that little piece of advice. It has gotten me to some great places... and some terrible ones. The heart is deceitful above all things. I am not really sure why I thought it would be a good idea to take that little tidbit seriously... alas, now we are here.

God gave us all hearts and we should not ignore them. That does not mean, however that our feelings should rule us.

On Mercy

The Lord is faithful when we are not. This is a sobering thought. It makes me afraid mostly. I mean, how is it that one is supposed to respond to the suspension of justice in the world? I think fear is appropriate. Mercy is a powerful thing. The whole bit about explaining away "the fear of the Lord" as something less than fear not only is terribly wrong- but it also allows us all to continue in all sorts of evil- both evil done to us, and evil we do.

Justice, however, is not really suspended, is it... that is why Jesus was crucified. How quickly we forget. Let us not forget that when the consequences of our actions are withheld for a time. Jesus really did pay a price... and there really will be a judgment.

Desire = ?

Have you ever felt disqualified for something that you really wanted? You know, something deep-seated and burning... something you did not want to let go of. When I think things like that I do sometimes wonder if I have a right to think that just because I have the desire that it is ok for me to pursue whatever it is that I want.

There are plenty of good things in life that would be bad for some people to do under some circumstances. I wonder sometimes at the things I was taught when I was young. People would tell me things like, "the world is your oyster- you can be anything you want to be." Well that was just not true- I can want vocations that I have no aptitude for. I wanted to be a fighter-jet pilot. I've had glasses as long as I can remember and I can't always read the coffee menu if I'm at the back of the line (and wearing my glasses). I cannot be anything I want to be. I cannot have anything I want to have just because I desire it. I cannot go anywhere I want to go. Life has never been like that. It is not looking like life will be like that anytime soon.

So what do you do when you really want something but you are not sure it is ok for you to have it?

Lamentations 3:22,23

22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;[a]
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
(C) great is your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22,23 ESV)

A Pause

I woke early this morning. This is something I do not do very often (It was before five in the morning). I put on some clothes, put some left-over pizza in the oven to heat up, and went outside to start the car to let it warm up.

It was so serenely beautiful outside at five in the morning. It was dark- but not pitch black, because of all the snow. It was warm (for the area, anyways). There was a light dusting of snow all around and in the air- and it was quiet. A peaceful, beautiful, wonder-inspiring stillness that shakes the soul. I looked over to see the mountains that were hiding in the clouds like ghosts so very far away. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there and I smiled.

I just had to sing a quiet song to Jesus.

Patience...

"Patience is a virtue," that is what they used to tell us. The quicker ones realized that the only way to gain patience was to have your patience tried. Not many of us had a real strong desire for that sort of experience.

As things try my patience these days I remember what my friends and I were told as children. It is hard having your patience tried. It is hard to think of the fruit that God will produce when you are undergoing trial. I am reminded of this passage in James:

12(U) Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive(V) the crown of life,(W) which God has promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire(X) when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and(Y) sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Am I patient under trial? I pray the Lord to lead me.

In Brief, Daydreams

Have you ever had a really depressing day dream? You know you are just sort of sitting around doing nothing and your mind starts to wander and you begin to imagine something... but then it all ends badly. I find it odd sometimes how I can work myself into an emotional state just by day-dreaming. I think that sometimes when you are thinking of dark things you find yourself in a dark place without ever traveling.

I am not a fan of positive thinking, however. Pretending is not how you make things better... but why is it that pretending can make things feel so much worse?

Quote of the Week XXXIII

What the hand is to the lute,
What the breath is to the flute,
What is fragrance to the smell,
What the spring is to the well,
What the flower is to the bee,
That is Jesus Christ to me.

What's the mother to the child,
What the guide in pathless wild,
What is oil to troubled wave,
What is ransom to the slave,
What is water to the sea,
That is Jesus Christ to me.
- C.H. Spurgeon

Trial- a Sermon Series (Part 1)

If the video is giving you trouble or you simply just want to listen to the audio on your mp3 player- click here or on the post title. For future sermons in this series just click on the post title and it will take you to a page where you can download the audio-only. Cheers.

Hanukkah

I just came from a bit of a Hanukkah ceremony. It was not at a jewish home and we did our jelly doughnuts were not fried- but we did tell the story, light the first candle and answer the children's questions. I love ceremonies that teach you things about God and give children another time to ask questions which gives adults time to pass on what was passed on to them. It really can be quite beautiful. In fact, rather than having an aversion to religious tradition... I actually have a deep love for it. I practice the faith that was handed down to me by faithful men. They received it from faithful men. And this gives us all a connection to our past. This connection leads us all the way back to Jesus' incarnation. Christians did not come from nowhere and they are not going nowhere. We pass on what was passed on to us. So I have to say that I really appreciate Hanukkah. God has provided for His people in the past and He will provide for me today. To Him alone be the glory.

Au Revoir Guy

Guy Lacelle has died in an avalanche in Hyalite Canyon during the Bozeman Ice Festival. He will be sorely missed.

Rock and Ice Magazine: Guy Lacelle Dies

Rock and Ice Magazine: Guy Lacelle Dies

Providence

I'm always amazed at the timing of things. You know sometimes things just go south when you thought they couldn't get any worse. And sometimes they just turn around in a day when you thought there was no real hope. Sometimes the things you thought would be best turn out to be a nightmare. Sometimes you see the worst things in your life bear fruit for God. In all things, He has perfect timing.

As Night Follows Day

I was reading the Prayer Book Society of America's blog when I stumbled upon this essay:

Article reprinted from Cross†Way Issue Autumn 2009 No. 114
(C)opyright Church Society; material may be used for non-profit purposes provided that the source is acknowledged and the text is not altered.
AS NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY?
By David Phillips

My personal tutor at theological college was Michael Vasey. Michael was, I believe, opposed to the ordination of women as presbyters (priests). But when the General Synod voted in favour of this he is reported to have said that if the Church could do so despite the teaching of Scripture then it must follow that it could not object to homosexual practice. Accordingly in his book ‘Strangers and Friends’ published three years later he set out to argue from Scripture that the Church should
change its mind.

In a similar vein in 2003 the then Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, argued in an article in the Daily Telegraph that “The Church has got it wrong in the past - there's no doubt about it. I think you can take the view that, just as the Church eventually abolished slavery, so they ended up in favour of votes for women, so they voted for the ordination of women, and this is just one more issue where the Church has got it wrong.” His argument was that the Church had got it wrong on homosexual conduct.

There are many who sincerely believe that it is right for the Church to ordain women as presbyters, and wrong for it to endorse homosexual practice. Although some have argued this distinction forcefully I am convinced that the acceptance of one almost inevitably leads to the acceptance of the other. Some will find this conclusion offensive but I find it rather obvious.

The same argument?
First then, are the cases different? Some argue that the ordination of women is a ‘second order’ issue because it concerns church order whilst sexual conduct is a ‘first order’ issue because it concerns salvation. I am far from comfortable with this distinction because I believe that the ordination of women as presbyters is contrary to Scripture and I am not willing to suggest that it is therefore unimportant or less important. Nevertheless, I do think many see the two issues as
differing in degree. The distinction of first and second order is also not shared by those in favour of both. They see both as fundamental matters of justice and of the openness of the gospel. They therefore consider both to be first order issues and they are not going to rest having achieved one without achieving the other.

Some do argue the case as to why the Bible supports one and not the other, but I find the arguments badly lacking. I simply cannot see that the passages to which they plead actually support what they claim. For example some use the long list of women who are engaged in the Lord’s work in Scripture to claim that women should be involved in the Lord’s work, but none of these roles are as presbyters. The jump to say that they should be presbyters, when the Bible itself confines it to men
is unwarranted.

Others sadly seem to set up a straw man. They argue as if only Anglo-Catholics are against women priests and because Anglo-Catholics have a defective view of ministry then the opposition to women as presbyters must be wrong. This conveniently but disingenuously ignores the fact that evangelicals argue from Scripture that women should not be presbyters. It is also unfair to Anglo- Catholics many of whom do also argue from Scripture that women should not be presbyters (priests).

But is it fair to argue that the acceptance of one will lead to the acceptance of the other? What grounds are there for asserting this?

First, there are the facts of history. There are now too many cases to ignore – national denominations which have embraced the ordination of women which then went on to embrace homosexual practice. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the US is the most recent casualty which in August voted to permit sexual immorality amongst its clergy.

Secondly, the shift seems inevitable because unbiblical innovation necessarily leads to division. When pretty much all of Christendom has been united in saying that the Bible says one thing and then people start arguing that it says something different there are bound to be some who disagree. Some inevitably will feel unable to remain when a Church seeks to legitimise what they believe to be error. It is well known that more than 20 members of the General Synod left the Church of England after the 1992 decision to ordain women as priests. In total more than 500 clergy left although some later returned and a few may have used it as an excuse to get out with compensation. There were not a few members of Church Society among them. What was left was therefore weaker and more liberal. The same things happened years ago in the US Episcopal Church. Indeed most of the protestant, reformed, evangelicals left a generation or more ago often turning to Presbyterianism. Things are different in the Church of England because it is our national and established church so fewer people have left over recent decades but the general point is valid, the ordination of women in the Church of England has weakened the ‘conservative’ voice. Furthermore, the women so appointed are more likely to be liberal because a woman who accepts the classical evangelical or Anglo-Catholic position is not going to seek such a role.

Thirdly, the pressure from outside the Church increases. My experience, and I think that of others too, is that it is often outsiders who spot the flaws in our cherished ideas. Media interviewers are particularly good at this. Some in the church have elaborate arguments as to why Scripture does not say what it appears, but interviewers cannot see how this differs from arguments about sexual conduct, they are quick to see the gaps and pounce. In contrast when we stick doggedly with what the Bible actually teaches they may think we are mad (though they don’t usually say so on air) but they also see that we are being consistent. Moreover, they can see that whatever else might be said Christians through history have held both issues to be wrong.

Fourthly, as Michael Vasey demonstrates, evangelicals are not immune to misreading Scripture in order to conform to their own desires or to the spirit of the age. There are increasing numbers of people claiming to be evangelical who are arguing publicly that the Bible has been misunderstood and it really supports homosexual conduct. Whatever the details we have seen an apparent instance of this over the summer. A Vicar of a church in Chelmsford Diocese who after only a few months left his apparently evangelical parish after the uproar when he preached that homosexual practice is wrong. Likewise when Jeffrey John was appointed as Dean of St. Albans we found that some who claimed to be evangelical were not only unconcerned but apparently welcoming of the fact that he teaches that homosexual practice is acceptable. For myself I think the matter is so clear that anyone who can read the Bible as permitting such sin is not an evangelical because they have a distorted
way of approaching Scripture.

Fifthly, the nature of the arguments used in favour of both are disturbingly similar. I have already mentioned the trumpeting of justice and equality. It ought to be sufficient to say that it cannot be just to encourage people to disobey the Word of the Lord, but apparently our ideas of justice trump His. Others argued that the ordination of women is a ‘gospel imperative’ and in the last few weeks this has been articulated again amongst the largest of the break-away Anglican churches in the US which now wants to ordain women and so follow the same disastrous route as the body they left. The argument is that without this change the gospel we preach will not be taken seriously. Not only is this nonsense, it suggests that the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation and it is exactly the same argument some use in favour of accepting homosexual practice.

Then there are spurious arguments about words. The interpretation of the word ‘head’ is the most celebrated. People became convinced that ‘head’ did not mean what Christians had previously thought it meant. Indeed I have heard it said that those of us who read it as such are ‘uneducated’. The ‘educated’ view is apparently that there are a couple of readings in ancient Greek where it means something different and therefore these must be the meaning in the Bible. I find it hard to credit that people can take such an argument seriously yet it seemed to sweep all before it. Now we are seeing the same thing with arguments about words in Romans or Leviticus concerning sexual immorality. Many seem convinced that the real sin of Sodom was anything but Sodomy. The arguments can sound clever, even bamboozle people, but they are feeble and so devoid of any real evidence that unless people were obsessed with proving their argument it is hard to see why they would give them any credence, but alas they do.

I believe the same can be said of other arguments. For example it is argued that Mary Magdalene was sent by Jesus to tell the disciples of the resurrection. She was thus sent and so can be called an Apostle (which means one sent). Therefore women can be presbyters. This is a string of non sequiturs; they do not follow logically from one another. Moreover, it ought to be obvious that the argument is wrong because it reaches a conclusion that is contrary to what Scripture actually teaches. If this sort of argument can be allowed it is hardly surprising to find others saying that David and Jonathan were homosexual lovers and therefore homosexual practice is acceptable. The premise is wrong, the logic is wrong and the conclusion is wrong, but who cares so long as we can make the Bible say what we want it to say? The damage has been done because people have been encouraged to mishandle the Word of Truth.

Therefore, recognising that many will be far from pleased with the conclusion, I am forced to say that the acceptance of the presbyteral ministry of women within a Church more or less inevitably leads to the acceptance of homosexual practice. I hope this is not so, but I fear it will be. Nevertheless there is still hope, hope that some will see the mistakes and that enough remain to argue the case. But, if other churches are anything to go by, without the Lord’s intervention the
outlook is bleak.

David Phillips is General Secretary of Church Society

This is interesting. Few evangelicals have made as concerted an effort to maintain unity in the body as the Anglicans. This has lead to some stunningly clear thinking and writing on the issues of morality, the authority of scripture, and (not surprisingly) the unity of the body. Now I agree with David Phillips on these issues. What surprised me, though, is the connection he made between the interpretation of scripture, the ordination of women, and homosexuality. I think that this connection would not have been made so clearly and simply if the Anglicans as a whole had not been making such a strong effort to maintain the unity of the body. In striving to be faithful in one area- light has been poured upon several other areas that might have remained dark in our time. God, again has His way with things.

The One Jesus Who Is Greater Than All

When I wake up in the morning and I do not want to get out of bed... I get up because of Jesus. When the morning makes me want to scream and give up... I drink another cup of coffee and go to work for Jesus. When I can't seem to find the rhythm of the day and everything seems harder than it should be... it is because I did not commune with Jesus. When I fail and do not do what I should, or do what I should not do... I feel miserable because I know that people connect me to Jesus and I have made him look bad. When I succeed and do well or do right... I thank Jesus and I give praise to Jesus because it is His grace that has made it so. When I say harsh or vulgar words, I am ashamed because I know that Jesus has not spoken in vain and His word will stand forever and I am not a perfect man but He is a perfect God. When I am too tired to go on, I pray to Jesus who is the source of all my strength. When I have a question I ask Jesus because He is the truth and a fear of Him is the beginning of all knowledge. When I am in trouble I go to Jesus because he is my deliverer. When I am sick I go to Jesus. When I am healthy I go to Jesus. When I am perplexed I go to Jesus. When I am confident I go to Jesus. When I have money I go to Jesus. When I am poor I go to Jesus. When I see the way I give thanks to Jesus. When I am in the fog I beg for the mercy of Jesus. In all things and in all ways I can only go to Jesus. He is my savior. He is my Lord. He is my rock. He is my Judge. He is my deliverer. Jesus brought me into this world and Jesus will lay me down in the grave that He has chosen and prepared for me. His rebuke is better than all the blessings of mine enemies. His name, the name of Jesus, is greater than all names. No one is like Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He has never left me nor forsaken me- though I was a scoundrel and a shame to His holy name. Let all praise and glory and honour be unto my Lord Jesus. The war I fight, the war with myself, will be won and is being won by Jesus. Amen.

So Many Questions...

Have you ever wondered why the earth was so beautiful? Have you ever looked out at a landscape and thought, "that is just extravigant." Have you ever wondered why there was so much beauty? Sometimes... it seems a bit much.

Some people look out at the earth in front of them and they think, "that is just how things turned out." Other people see something in nature and proclaim (rightly so) there must be a creator! But why is it so shockingly amazing? Why is the world so beautiful? I think this tells us something about the creator... but what exactly?

Trust and Comfort

Sometimes, situations that seem scary, uncomfortable, or otherwise unpleasant can grow to be comfortable. You get used to them. You begin to understand them. You become familiar with them. Things you thought you could never do become old hat.


It's funny the places you can grow comfortable in. I wonder sometimes what kind of places and situations the Lord is molding me to be comfortable in.

Funny Things

A dream is a funny thing. I have a dream. You probably have a dream. Maybe we all have more than one. Who am I to say? Only the Lord and you know that. Sometimes a dream is a source of hope and motivation... sometimes it is more like a Langston Hughes poem.

Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

-Langston Hughes

Whatever it happens to be, though, a man's dream goes strait to the heart of him. Laugh at his dream and he will never trust you (no matter how polite he is to your face). Despise his dream and he will despise you. Fail to understand that what he speaks of is his dream and you are on dangerous ground. People long for something and by the time that something gets categorized as a dream, it has woven itself around the very soul of a man and it is not safe to crush it.

I pray that God would guide and shape my dreams Himself. Let him place within me what I cannot create in myself.

Waiting for Answers

Have you ever waited for answers for a really long time? Have you ever had a short wait for an answer to something seem like an eternity? Have you ever wondered whether or not you had any reason to expect an answer for some burning question on your heart and mind? Sometimes not knowing seems like the hardest thing you have ever done.

It may make you laugh a little because you are not really doing anything. None the less, waiting for an answer can fray your nerves, test your patience, and drive you to distraction. Yet everyone waits for answers. At some point you cannot search anymore. At some point things are out of your hands. It may be waiting for a doctor or test, it may be that you have to wait for a decision from a friend, or it may be that you are waiting on an answer to prayer from the Lord. Whatever it is, everyone must wait for answers at some point.

Where does knowledge come from, though? How do we obtain it? In all my waiting I am reminded of one thing:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.-Proverbs 1:7

I was not taught to fear God as a child. He was my buddy. You know, the guy with the thumbs up, pointing and smiling at you. The one who saved you, the one who is your friend. There was no fear. This explains why I know so little- and why waiting is so hard.

This Day

Now I know how it has come
To this and that which has transpired
And though I wish to know still more
I have seen my heart grow tired.

And all that I have longed for here
I find to be far far away
And not within my power to reach
And I cannot quite see the way.

Quote of the Week XXXII

Perhaps in part due to my respect for actual science, I find most scientists to be contemptible.

(Vox Day)

Side Note

I was thinking of posting... but then I became violently ill... war is war. But I do find myself beginning to appreciate the suffering in my life. There are different kinds of suffering and they all have their way with you... Just as God does. He always gets His way. We act like He doesn't sometimes... but that just isn't true. We act like we have rights... we do not fear, and so suffering is lost on us. Let it not be lost on us.

That Really Happened

When I was six months old, I felt awesome... now we know why...

Miscellanies... often worth the time.

Here is a recent example of what you might find on Tony Reinke's blog "Miscellanies:"

On Decision Making

“Proverbs, and the wisdom literature in general, counter the idea that being spiritual means handing all decisions over to the leading of the Lord. The opposite is true. Proverbs reveals that God does not make all people’s decisions for them, but rather expects them to use his gift of reason to interpret the circumstances and events of life within the framework of revelation that he has given. Yet when they have exercised their responsibility in decision-making, they can look back and see that the sovereign God has guided.”

—Graeme Goldsworthy, in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (IVP 2000), p. 210. See also Gospel and Wisdom in the Goldsworthy Trilogy.

November 17, 2009 Posted by spurgeon | Graeme Goldsworthy, Proverbs, Wisdom literature | | 5 Comments

I am particularly interested in meditating on the line, "...expects them to use his gift of reason to interpret the circumstances and events of life within the framework of revelation that he has given."

The Thing About Not Helping Is Really That You Are Not Helping

Reading this article from the Boston Globe reminded me of something.

In 2005, when the number of homicides spiked to a 10-year high, 64 had been committed by Thanksgiving and 75 by the end of the year. The following year, there were 68 by the November holiday and 75 for the year. But in 2007, the number began to decline slightly with 63 homicides by Thanksgiving and 66 by year’s end.

Since then, the number of violent crimes - with the exception of rapes - has fallen steadily, a drop Davis said is in large part the result of a reinvestment in strategies that target gangs. Earlier this year, police attributed the rise in rapes to more reporting, rather than an actual increase in assaults. They also noted that the year before had seen far fewer rapes reported, which made the increase seem even more dramatic.

The government and it's employees often seem to think that government is the answer to people's (or society's) problems. And when they try something (such as passing a law, starting an "initiative," or finding other ways to spend taxpayer's money) and it does not work- they often think that more government will fix it. It doesn't, and so they cry different government (which usually just means more government) and they still seem to think that they can fix whatever ills they believe need fixing.

Rarely do they stop and think that something doesn't need fixing. Rarely do they admit that individual persons are responsible for themselves and their actions. Rarely do they admit that they do not have the power or ability to fix a problem (even though they would like to). They just keep doing what they are doing and expect different results.

In Boston, the police and the city act as though they can curb hate in a man's heart. Now I know they can't. You know they can't. And one would like to believe that they know they can't. But they fail to see that the problem which they are facing is not one of bodies- it is one of hatred in a man's heart. They would likely cry that something has to be done and they must be the ones to do it. The thing is, even if they need to do something- they need to realize that fighting the symptoms is not the way to cure a disease. It is not an issue of whether or not the police should respond to murders- of course they should! It is an issue of what works and what is appropriate for them to do in the first place. I am thankful that there have been less murders in Boston this year so far. However, the government is not likely to fix the problem- and if the problem is fixed- it will be highly unlikely that the government will have been the cure (though they will take as much credit as they possibly can, of course).

But why do I mention all this? What does this have to do with the war? What does this have to do with sanctification at all? Here is what I am thinking: what do I do (or what do you do) that does not work at all? What do I do that only gets at the symptoms and not the real cause? What things do I labour to change that I have no business changing- and that I could never change even if I wanted to? In short, how do I behave like the government? That is what I want to know. And that is what you should ask yourself.

Love...

What Happens When the World Runs Out of News?... Apparently this:

It should come as a surprise to no one that the holidays are one of the most taxing and tense times of the year. In fact, the American Psychological Association found in 2008 that eight out of 10 people anticipated a stressful holiday season, largely due to the tanking economy; an older survey showed that 38 percent of people feel their stress levels rise during the holidays, including nearly half of all women. The biggest causes of all this anxiety? Finances come first, says research from Mental Health America, followed by painful memories, too many activities, overindulgence, being alone and relationships.

I am really impressed with the comprehensive nature of this article. It is just so timely and insightful. In fact, I now officially feel prepared for the "holidays," as they call them. Although, they really seem to have taken the holy out of the whole experience. I am just so glad that the Post took the time to publish this article- it is really making a difference in my life. Thanks guys- it means a lot.

Every Tear

In Revelation 21:1-8 it says:

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [1] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, [2] and God himself will be with them as their God. [3] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I long for that day. Paul Washer has noted that on the day Jesus Returns every thing you wondered about the end-times will be made known to you- but the Gospel will never be fully known, understood, or comprehended. We may think on it a thousand years and still not understand What Jesus has done in its fullness. Truly no one is like Him. All my praises fall short.

Quote of the Week XXXI

Fidèle

Vivant dans un village calme
D'où la route part longue et dure
Pour un lieu de sang et de larmes
Nous sommes purs.

Les nuits sont chaudes et tranquilles
Et nous gardons aux amoureuses
Cette fidélité précieuse
Entre toutes : l'espoir de vivre.

(From "Le Devoir et L'Inquiétude" by Paul Éluard 1917)

The Distance

There often seems to be a distance between our hopes and our realities that stifles our joy and makes for black deathly sentiments deep within our hearts. These feelings can come to seem normal. For those of you who have met with such despair and found a waiting faithful companion I have a small suggestion: think on the person of God... give it some real thought. We worry that we are not as we would be and yet the things we long most for are not things we can provide. The things we wish to change the most are not things we have any power over.

The distance between sometimes tells us of our naive expectations- and sometimes of our low ones. When we feel inadequate... do we consider our maker? The best medicine for frustration, disappointment, and despair is to commune with the one who made us. It is in our best interests to consider Him first. Consider Him in all that has been revealed to you- consider His wrath, His justice, His anger, His vengeance, His holiness- and perhaps when you are afraid of Him, His love, mercy and compassion will be a wonder to you. Then perhaps, when you see yourself in your place... perhaps then your dark thoughts will be something else.

Do Not Wake Me

I dream a dream where all my sins are gone
And every wrong I've ever done does not carry on
And all the pain that I have caused is somehow torn away
And all the wrongs are made right- this I dream today.

I dream a dream where every scar is faint in memory
And every hurt is disappeared and every burden free
And every pain is washed away and all the monsters kept at bay
And all the wrongs are made right- this I dream today.

I dream a dream where life is good
And all my tears are understood
And all my fear is gone away
And all the wrongs are right this day- this I dream in hope.

Kermit Wins

Quote of the Week XXX

Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.

(Dr. V. Raymond Edmund)

Quote of the Week XXVIV

The problem with socialists is that eventually they run out of other people's money

(Margaret Thatcher)

Quote of the Week XXVIII

I would rather limp as a man than walk freely as a coward...

- guess who said it.

Holding On

Have you ever found yourself in a bad way of some sort and thought that you just couldn't remain true (as if becoming false would somehow help)? Maybe you are tempted to do something wrong and under other more happy circumstances you might not even be tempted, let alone give in to the temptation. You are not really even likely sure what giving in is supposed to do. If you have been in a situation like this I am sure you have at one time or another given in to some evil in the moment of your trial and you have not remained true. And if you have done this you have likely also found that sometimes if you had just held on a little while longer you would have had a very different perspective on the whole situation. It is funny how we all react to stress sometimes. Perhaps today we should consider not making things worse when they are already bad.

Quote of the Week XXVIII

You've been leaving yourself open for me all day long Bruce Lee. -The Chan Man Ninja

Climbing

Blokey Blokes and Worship Music

Peace and Victory in Context

Peace (in the political sense)is not something that is worth having at any cost- and neither is victory (again in the political sense). It is funny to me that when peace and victory are considered as spiritual goals everything changes. As spiritual goals, these two things are worth much greater risks and losses.

A Brief Comment On Planning and Living

There are many days when the battle is not out in the open. Sometimes, it is just the temptation to go to the other side to try and get what you want. It is different when you discover what it is you actually want- sometimes a lot better, sometimes far worse...

Each day has it's own challenges. Sometimes they are one kind of thing, sometimes they are another. To say that you should make good plans does not mean that you should not exist where you are when you are. Planning does not consist of fitting two day's problems into a single day. It is enough to take the problem of this day and commit it to one who can do far better than you... Jesus did once say that tomorrow would worry about itself.

Quote of the Week XXVII

When death was new to me and I woke each day to the shock of its reality, I wanted nothing more than to claw my way back into sleep and my dreams, where there wasn't a pit of fear in my stomach and a heavy weight on my chest. I needed to breathe deeply, but it felt as though the air was rare and thin. I wanted only to stay in bed and cry, and when I looked around our bedroom and saw his things, ghostly images of Alex filled my mind, doing mundane things like pawing through a dresser drawer, looking for a sock.

(Jennifer Lowe-Anker. Forget Me Not: a memoir. The Mountaineers Books; Seattle: 2008.)

Still...

I dream of you without a face
And every time I lose the thread
And I realize something hard to take
I just don't know who you are.

Sometimes the sun is shining bright
And all the sky seems blue
And still I cannot take a step
Still I dream of you.

I don't know if I'll see you there
But maybe I hope I will
And maybe that's why I hate it here
I hate it here still.

Quote of the Week XXVI

I'm like Bob Ross with keys. - Corey

On Understanding, in Brief

Sometimes people confuse excuses with reasons. Sometimes well meaning friends suggest that searching for the reasons or the cause of something is akin to abdicating your responsibility for a particular action. Sometimes your friends are right.

I am sure that many of us have been "stuck" doing something wrong over and over again. The sin has become a habit or a refuge. It may be something quasi-secret, it may not. Either way I am sure that we sometimes seek to know why we do something, and in seeking to understand, we avoid dealing with our sin first. It is as if we think we have to understand things before we can obey. And sometimes we act as though we are entitled to certain knowledge...

I would suggest that perhaps obedience should come before understanding more and more as you grow in your faith in Jesus Christ. I think that it can become a trust issue. Do I trust that God is right? Do I trust that God knows best? Do I trust that God knows and cares about me? Do I trust that His law is not arbitrary?

I do not wish to stop anyone from seeking understanding, however. In your pressing for trust in God Himself, do not stop seeking for answers. Do not stop trying to understand how you got where you are (the good places and the bad). Only, do not let your search become an excuse to continue sinning. "Lord I believe; help me with my unbelief."

Decisions

Sometimes we are faced with a choice between doing a good thing and not doing a good thing. Sometimes we find this decision to be difficult because the reasons for not doing the good thing are a good. When you want to do the best sometimes you must abstain from a good thing and other times you must risk a good thing. We see darkly now- and often sin in ignorance. In a time to come, however, we will see plainly and certain decisions will become much easier. As life is not about ease, our current predicament should not be cause for dismay. I long to lean not on my own understanding...

Why

We often wonder why things happen, don't we? Or we wonder why things are the way they are (or appear to be). People go through life with a very strong inability to trust when they do not understand (which is not really much trust at all). With each other we demand why's all the time- like some sort of pathological disease. People always seem to want to know why. Why did you not call me yesterday? Why did you say that in front of those people? Why didn't you do that thing I asked you to? It goes on and on and on. You really have to wonder, though- when we ask the question, do we want the answer? If we get the answer, are we expecting it to change something inside of us (how we feel, perhaps)?

People do the same thing with God. Why did you let my beloved die? Why did you not stop that earthquake? Why did you make me handicapped? Why don't you visibly show yourself to everyone? And if a person does not get the answer they are looking for- they get furious. At that point, reason does not begin- it exits the building entirely. If I don't understand why- you must not exist. If I do not understand why- you must not care. If I don't understand why- you must be a monster! This is how it goes (at least in our culture) over and over and over again.

But I have to wonder if we really want to know why God does what He does. I have to wonder if we knew if it would really change how we feel. I have to wonder if knowing why is really what people are after. I doubt it is what they need in many situations- but I begin to wonder if they really even want it...

All of us have questions we do not know the answers to. I think that maybe we should think a little bit about why we are asking the questions we do in the first place.

To Be As Blind

When things have gone wrong for so long that you do not remember right... sometimes you are as blind to the good you do and receive that is all around you right now. Sometimes you see so much bad you begin to think that bad is all there is. Sometimes you think you have sinned so much that it is just part of who you really are. Sometimes those around you have sinned so much you begin to think that this life has no joys and was not made for such happy things. There are some problems with thinking like this.

When you are in such a state you miss what God has put right there in front of you and inside of you. And, when you view life as suffering you may lose sight of the purpose of suffering that God has intended, as though it were without benefit. Both of these views do not comport with the truth.

May the Lord have mercy upon the downtrodden. Who else will lift them up?

On Commitment

Some battles take longer than others. Commitment is tested when you cannot see the end of the war. Commitment and ability are two different things, however. One's commitment is not enough to say, change the orbit of the moon around the earth. Commitment is often required for a prolonged conflict, it is necessary- but never sufficient. The battle will often belong to those with something other than commitment. It is good to be committed to a good cause- it is not, however, good enough to be committed to a good cause. If the Lord does not build it...

You know it's hard to find the connection between the dots when you do not believe there is one.

Quote of the Week XXV

You are responsible for the man you are- not the man people say you are.

(Luther Cox)

Two Things...

When considering the "problem" of evil, I rarely hear people discuss the evil in their own hearts. When people ask how God could allow this and that atrocity, I rarely hear anyone ask how God could forgive a man. It is interesting that the thrust of the problem of evil is not mainly a strong philosophical argument but rather a deep emotional unreasoned gut reaction. No one who champions the "problem" wants to deal with their own evil or God's forgiveness. I am, of course, open to correction if someone knows of something I have missed. Consistency is an uncomfortable thing.

Goodbye Johnny

Goodbye Johnny I never knew you
And I guess I never will
Goodbye Johnny I never met you
And my heart has grown quite still
Death comes easy, always, and often
Living is hard, uncertain, and rare
Goodbye Johnny the world keeps spinning
And we don't pretend to know it's fair.

"Having never known..."

"Having never known the man I really couldn't say.
And all the wishing, poorer still
Never the less I feel it impinging upon my sensibilities
And am all the more distressed for that which I cannot affect.

If it were another way
And I could perform some great feat-
but alas, such is not available to me,
And it is only this way here.

Knowing the evil in my heart
And how great a weakness lives within me
I am at a loss as to how to proceed,
The mercies of God are all that remain for me."

And who hasn't felt a kindred pang for such sentiment as this?

A Certain Thing.

Dying is the gift she would not have
And though it was the best of gifts
And every thing she wanted was laid therein
She could not bear to receive it then.

Living was the hardest thing
And though she did not want it at all
And though she wanted nothing less
She could not bear the experience then.

Believing was the simple part
In a certain way at least
It all made so much sense to her
And alternatives were poor at best then.

Trusting was another thing
And was what she could not begin
To do herself within herself
To conquer all that shame and sin.

But then there was this certain thing
This thing she could not ignore
And a thing it was so unreal to her
But she so very much just wanted more.

Dr. Peter Toon Has Died

Sunday, April 26, 2009

The Death of Dr. Peter Toon Saturday April 25, 2009

Dr. Peter Toon, priest and theologian, passed away on the evening of the feast of St Mark the Evangelist, in San Diego, California, where he and his wife have resided for the last months. He will be sorely missed by all those who love the Anglican Way. Dr. Toon has been, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most vocal and prolific defender of the theology of the Anglican Reformation and the traditional Book of Common Prayer over the last decades. The absence of his voice on so many issues facing the church today will be an irreparable loss. Clarity of mind, depth of knowledge, and vigor of presentation marked his work, making his arguments both distinctive and convincing. An evangelist like St Mark, he was a lion of the faith.

During the last year, Dr. Toon has been suffering from a rare disease called amyloidosis. Diagnosed last spring, he underwent various treatments that were intended to slow the progress of the disease. Sadly, the disease was stronger than the medications, and we have lost him sooner than was hoped.

At the end Dr. Toon was attended by Fr Tony Noble, rector of All Saints' Episcopal Church, San Diego. Over the last weeks they have prayed together with the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and his final words to Fr Noble were to the praise of God who he has served and loved so well. In his last hours, Fr Noble prayed with Dr. Toon the commendatory prayer.

O Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of just men made perfect, after they are delivered from their earthly prisons: We humbly commend the soul of this thy servant,our dear brother, into thy hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator, and most merciful Saviour; most humbly beseeching thee that it may be precious in they sight. Wash it, we pray thee, in the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that was slain to take away the sins of the world; that whatsoever defilements it may have contracted in the midst of this miserable and naughty world, through the lusts of the flesh or the wiles of Satan, being purged and done away, it may be presented pure and without spot before thee. And teach us who survive, in this and other like daily spectacles of mortality, to see how frail and uncertain our own condition is; and so to number our days, that we may seriously apply our hearts to that holy and heavenly wisdom, whilst we live here, which may in the end bring us to life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, thine only Son our Lord. Amen.

May light perpetual shine up on Dr. Toon. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.


Dr. Roberta Bayer
The Prayer Book Society of the United States of America

The Prayer Book Society will hold a memorial service at All Saints' Episcopal Church, San Diego, California, at a future date.
(from the Prayer Book Society Blog)

How can I dry my tears. I refuse. The loss is great.

From, "The War Inside"

The Christian life is a war, and the fiercest battles are those that rage within the heart of every believer. The new birth radically and permanently changes a person's sinful nature, but it does not immediately liberate that nature from all of the remnants of sin. Birth is followed by growth, and that growth involves warfare. (Tom Ascol. "The War Inside." Table Talk; April, 2009.

Union With Christ

Quote of the Week XXIV

Obama gets it part right
I actually agree with aspects of his broad diagnosis of the Wall Street problem:

Wall Street is not going to play as dominant a role in the economy as regulations reduce "some of the massive leveraging and the massive risk-taking that had become so common," President Barack Obama says. The changes in the role of Wall Street and the huge profits that came from that risk-taking could mean other adjustments as well, Obama said in an interview in this week's New York Times Magazine.

"That means that more talent, more resources will be going to other sectors of the economy," he said. "I actually think that's healthy. We don't want every single college grad with mathematical aptitude to become a derivatives trader. We want some of them to go into engineering, and we want some of them to be going into computer design.... I think it's important to understand that some of that wealth was illusory in the first place," he said."

Where Obama goes awry is that his plan is to attack the symptoms and not the disease. So long as the paper money system exists, the easiest and fastest way to obtain more of it is to play paper games. And some of the policies he is contemplating are certifiably insane, such as his plan to attack tax havens and overseas profits. As the British are learning, all that does is cause your best entrepreneurs to leave the country entirely. Preventing companies from writing off domestic expenses for overseas profits isn't going to reduce the incentive for U.S. companies to base part of their operations in other countries, it's going to increase their incentive to move ALL of their operations elsewhere.

It's also amusing how the US media inevitably mentions places like the Cayman Islands in articles like these, when the real problem is that in comparison with US corporate rates, about half the world, including many European countries, look like tax havens.(Vox Day)

"Soon and very soon..." I always liked that line.

A Brief Thought On Correction

For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." -Hebrews 12:6

When was the last time you thanked God for His correction. Understanding that if the Lord does not rebuke you He does not love you is not the same as hearing it and nodding assent. The scripture, however, is both true and sufficient. I pray that I will thank the Lord for His rebukes. I want to be loved, after all.

This our cry
Is from our hearts
And comes from places rarely trod
And we who voice
Our deepest thoughts
Are listening for our savior's call.

And How Has His Wrath Turned?

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within me; My sympathy is stirred. I will not execute the fierceness of My anger I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not a man, The Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror. -Hosea 11:8-9

The Lord wishes for His children to be well- and how have we separated this from His commands?

Quote of the Week XXIII

The Spiritual Gift of Wisdom Defined

The gift of wisdom is the ability to have insight into people and situations that is not obvious to the average person, combined with an understanding of what to do and how to do it. It is the ability to not only see, but also apply the principles of God's Word to the practical matters of life by the "Spirit of wisdom" (Eph. 1:17). -Mark Driscoll on "The Resurgence" blog

And The Pain, It Stops You...

I should be working
But instead, I'm paralyzed by the pain of your loss
It seems like I can only hurt for one of you at a time
I can think about some of the others-- the litany,
But I can only feel one at a time.

I always wish it was me and not you
I always wish I could have helped
I always wished I could have been there
I always wish...

The days go by and a year draws close
I had the strangest thing happen to me not too long ago--
And guess who I would like to tell but can't...
I wish I could tell you of my new joy...

I'm making coffee at night-- it reminds me of you (and so many others...)
I'm praying that God will let me work
But the pain is too much
And I cannot ignore the pain- even for my own good.

I know that the Lord keeps His sheep,
I know that they hear his voice
I know that I miss you
I wish you were here, Nick, I wish you were here...

I measure every grief...

It is sometimes a truly wondrous thing how poetry can express what prose cannot. Grief is a hard thing that every man has to deal with in their lives. If you choose not to deal with your grief (whatever that may be), you condemn yourself to more misery. Artists tend to have more experience with expressing grief- but don't let that fool you... that does not mean they know how to deal with it...

I measure every grief I meet
With analytic eyes;
I wonder if it weighs like mine,
Or has an easier size.

I wonder if they bore it long,
Or did it just begin?
I could not tell the date of mine,
It feels so old a pain.

I wonder if it hurts to live,
And if they have to try,
And whether, could they choose between,
They would not rather die.

I wonder if when years have piled--
Some thousands--on the cause
Of early hurt, if such a lapse
Could give them any pause;

Or would they go on aching still
Through centuries above,
Enlightened to a larger pain
By contrast with the love.

The grieved are many, I am told;
The reason deeper lies,--
Death is but one and comes but once
And only nails the eyes.

There's grief of want, and grief of cold,--
A sort they call 'despair,'
There's banishment from native eyes,
In sight of native air.

And though I may not guess the kind
Correctly yet to me
A piercing comfort it affords
In passing Calvary,

To note the fashions of the cross
Of those that stand alone
Still fascinated to presume
That some are like my own.

- Emily Dickinson

It is a strange comfort to know that you are not alone. I wish that I could really convey my gratitude to all the people (strangers and friends alike) who God has used to show me that I am not alone in my struggles- not alone in my grief. I'll start with the dead... Thank you Emily, I mean that.

Pleasing Everyone Pleases No One

President Obama gave a speech last Tuesday (April 14th) at Georgetown University on his over-arching plan to fix the current economic crisis. He made a little bit of a stir before he even began speaking, though.

Religious Symbols Hidden

Before President Barack Obama spoke from Gaston Hall at Georgetown University last week, his advance team requested that the university hide or remove any religious symbols or signs while the president was on stage. Of the more prominent was a monogram IHS, whose letters in Greek spell out the name of Jesus and which normally perches above the stage in Gaston Hall. During the address, the monogram was covered with what appeared to be black wood.

Georgetown is a private Catholic institution founded by Jesuits in 1789. The auditorium in which the president spoke is normally adorned with religious imagery, but only the symbols directly on the stage — those likely to be picked up by a television camera — were obscured.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, accused the university of "cowardice" for acceding to the While House, and criticized Obama's team for asking a religious school to "neuter itself" before the president made his address. "No bishop who might speak at the While House would ever request that a crucifix be displayed behind him," said Donohue.

The White House said that the backdrop, which included blue drapes and a host of American flags, was standard during policy speeches and other events.

Though the advance team asked that the religious signs be veiled, the president himself included in his message an analogy from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as he outlined his plans for an economic recovery. "We cannot rebuild the economy on the same pile of sand," he said. "We must build our house upon a rock." [FoxNews.com]
(From "The Pastor's Weekly Briefing"(a pastoral ministry of Focus on the Family) by H.B. London Jr.)

I would suggest that if you travel somewhere, you should be more respectful to the people you are visiting. If you disagree with them on something- you should do it in the open. If you do not think that you should be associated with them, perhaps you should not visit. Here is the video of the speech for anyone interested:

Seasons of Grief

The days come and the days go
But all the memories remain
Frozen in time, fallen in snow
A winter museum for the sane.

I remember your smile and remember your laugh
And all the goofy things you did
You shone like a star and then you burned out
And now your light is hid.

I cry in the sun and cannot hold back
And in the brightest of days
I wish you were here and had never gone
But your memory remains.

Entrapment

Rose, 20-year-old UCLA student and president of the nonprofit Live Action, entered Planned Parenthood's Memphis Health Center undercover and told a counselor that she was 14 years old, pregnant by her 31-year-old "boyfriend" and needed a secret abortion so her parents would not find out about her sexual relationship with the older man.

"Tennessee Code 37-1-605 requires health professionals to report suspected cases of sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement immediately," the group said.

"The Planned Parenthood counselor hears about the abuse, says she should report it, decides to remain silent, then tells me to lie to the judge about 31-year-old man," Rose said of the video. -From World Net Daily

You know that people do not really think that speeding is wrong because they speed, they lie about speeding, and they do not care if others speed. You know that a person does not think that statutory rape is wrong (as well as abortion), when she tells a girl she believes to be a teenager to lie to her parents, the police, and a judge if need be to avoid the consequences of the statutory rape and abortion (which itself is an attempt to avoid consequences).

How can you make a person feel something? You can't. How can you make a person desire to do right and be moral? You can't. Where does that leave us?

Quote of the Week XXII

VD: Do you think an ongoing period of economic contraction will see the British people demand to leave the European Union?

Hannan: They already do! The latest opinion poll was conducted by the BBC a week ago, and showed that 55 per cent of voters want to leave the EU. It's true that this position isn't yet shared by any major political party, but that moment will come: politicians cannot swim forever against the current of public opinion. If you offered a Swiss or Norwegian-style free trade deal, people would go for that with a large majority.

(From an interview posted on Vox Day's blog)

Someone had to say it...

All I Want In This Time

Lord I feel like a hole
Where the good things come to die
And the rot in my soul
Is near the reason that you died

And all I want is just one thing
Just this thing, this great thing
I want to lay my burden down
I want to lay my burden down
I want to lay my burden down
Down at your feet...

Lord my life is like mist
And quickly the sun bids me gone
As the dawn comes like this
So too I fade with this song

And all I want is just one thing
Only just this one thing
I want to lay my burden down
I want to lay my burden down
I want to lay my burden down
Down at your feet...

Bouldering

Seasons are for the weak. Boulder on.

Mt. Healy

Lovely view from the top of Dragonfly falls.

Summers In Paradise

I do so enjoy some places.

We often fail to realize how the Lord is working. It is hard to grasp how much is going on out of our sight and out of our understanding. There is a so much we just do not apprehend.

Ron Paul On Bill Maher

No Explanation Needed... Pure Joy

Freedom Watch With Judge Andrew Napolitano has Ron Paul on the Show

Judge Napolitano and others discuss the "stimulus" package with Ron Paul (part 1 of 6).

Paul Krugman on Looking Ignorant

I particularly enjoyed this one. Nobel prizes are worth less than the krona these days.

Quote of the Week XXI

The laws of logic are universally and necessarily valid, but our use of them, like our use of everything else, is fallible, because of our finitude and sin.

(Frame, John M. "No Other God: A response to Open Theism" p 42. P&R Publishing. 2001.)

Given that God is so powerful and so gracious... we should not cease to come before Him and ask that our thinking be made right. He can do it and we should believe that He has not idly exhorted us to do so.

Westminster Shorter Catechism...

Quote of the Week XX

I have all the corners, and most of the edges, but no middle.

(Melanie Reed, in a conversation about love and relationships)

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Gabriella y Rodrigo are amazing.

The death of death is all my joy
The death inside is all my pain
The death of God is sung in vain
And everywhere We dream...

"We shall overcome,
we shall overcome,
we shall overcome,
some day."

Her voice I hear in the streets
And on the radio
And under all the working,
I hear hear it everywhere.

But do I heed the voice I hear?
Do I do the work I know?
Is there hope before I die?
Is there hope today...?

Things We Want to Say.

"Today is the first day of something..." I think we've all felt and thought (sometimes wrongly) that before. The thing I hate the most is when I want to believe that but can't. You know, it's those times when you would like a new beginning-- but you are just too cynical, or just don't have that kind of faith in God's desire for you to have good. The thing is, despite ourselves, there are new beginnings everyday. God never stops working. He never stops caring. Despite all the awfulness around and inside us, His mercies are new every morning. So maybe today is the first day of something after all.

Sea Bass

Genesis 2:22 explains the creation of Eve saying, "And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man." God made the earth and called it good, but even before sin entered the world God said it was not good for the man to be alone. So, God made Eve to be with the man as a lover, helper, and friend. Until that point, Adam had never seen a woman because one had not been formed by God's hands. All that Adam had seen to that point in his life were the aardvarks, sea bass, and other animals that would not look good in a wedding photo. Eve may or may not have been beautiful, but to Adam she was glorious because she was all he had ever known. Practically, he had no standard of beauty to compare his bride to-- she was his only standard of beauty.

(Driscoll, Mark. "Porn-Again Christian: a frank discussion on pornography & masturbation." RE:LIT.)

I have often wondered weather or not I believed in an objective standard of beauty or not- often going back and forth on the spectrum. This provides me with some food for thought. Would we consider Eve to be beautiful? Did Adam? Does beauty demand that there be an agreement between the two?

Quote of the Week XIX

The basic structure of Christian Theology is simple. Its every teaching should be taken from the scriptures of the Old and New Testament as being the words of prophets and apostles spoken on the authority of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man, the Saviour of sinners.

(Van Til, Cornelius. "The Defense of the Faith." pg 7. The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company. Phillipsburg, NJ: Third Edition, 1967.)

A Child For an Hour

I went winter trail-riding for the first time yesterday. I felt like a kid again. I just pedaled and pedaled and pedaled... it was awesome. I rode a "Kula 2-9" from one of my buddies. It was so much lighter than my winter commuter- and the wheels were so much bigger- and so much wider... I just don't even know where to begin. The bike was amazing- but the real significant thing is what that amazing bike made possible- which was riding through trails in the woods in the snow in the middle of winter... it was incredible. I am very thankful to God for the whole experience. It was refreshing and comforting to be filled with awe and wonder once again.

Cold and Dark

So on my bike ride to work this morning, it was nineteen degrees below zero F. I was riding along, trying to pedal faster and not think about my toes too much when the thought struck me-- "it really is a nice day out." Now, I wouldn't recommend bike rides in the middle of Fairbanks winters to most people, but there is something about getting outside at least once a day and being in God's creation. I'm still trying to work out how the Godhead is evident-- but I'll keep working on it.

A Precursor To A Rough Draft

It's what I long for now
It's what I need right now
I never really got it
I never really understood...

Finding it is not so easy
Losing it is not so hard
Starting it is so much simpler
Holding on is quite another thing.

One is hard-pressed to rise without it
One is hard put to lay down in its absence
"It is not good..."
Ain't that the truth...

Where are there boundaries?
Where are there rules?
Why am I on my own in this?
When I can barely stand without it.

Having it is like a drug
But one that leads to health and not to shame
Living it is like a dream
It takes away so much sorrow even when it brings its own pain.

Who am I to question God?
Who am I to think I know better?
Who am I to think I cannot be blessed?
How dare I...?

I do not know what will come tomorrow
I do not know what will come today
I am not full of joy right now
And maybe that is ok...

Why Comments On Local Internet Newspapers Are So Worth It

I thought Pomeranians were those fruits they eat in the places like Iran and India. Oh, wait, that's pomegranates. It's so easy to confuse the two.

-from "The_Alaska_Curmudgeon" commenting on an article from a small-town newspaper.

The Spaniard Plays To The Weeping Dog

Who is it that would back down?
Who is it that would back away?
Who is it that would stay on the ground?
Who is it that would cede the day?

All around the weakness crashes
All around the death comes hard
Bombs, and screams, and ashes
We are not many and I am just one.

Ugly is this fighting
And nothing in it seems so true
But I am not born for quitting
And I was not set free for chains and fear.

I hear the stomping round and round me
Dancers in their soldier's garb
Music plays and plays and plays and plays
And I just want to fall.

One more day and one more mile
On and up and on we go
My being hurts so much I cannot feel it
And everything is numb.

Play for me that hymn of Jesus
Play for me that sweet guitar
Play for me that haunting rhythm
Play me somewhere away so very far.

"We Don't Have Time For This!"... Or Do We?

It seems that the new American President has made one or two decisions already that have been both noticed and welcomed in the international press. In an article from "Le Devoir":

Finies la torture et les prisons secrètes

Claude Lévesque

Barack Obama a ordonné hier la fermeture de la prison de Guantánamo d'ici un an ainsi que le gel de toutes les procédures devant les tribunaux d'exception qui y siègent, de même que la fermeture, «le plus tôt possible», des geôles secrètes de la CIA et l'interdiction des formes d'interrogatoires, largement qualifiées de torture, qui ont été pratiquées par les États-Unis depuis le 11-Septembre 2001.

And then from The Times:

Philippe Naughton

Barack Obama has wasted no time in getting down to the business of government, asking prosecutors to halt controversial military trials at Guantanamo Bay within hours of his inauguration.

The request was issued via the Department of Defence even as President Obama and his wife Michelle waltzed their way through a series of glitzy inaugural balls.

Mr Obama pledged during his campaign to close the prison camp on Cuba set up in 2001 to hold detainees from the 'War on Terror'. The camp's legality has always been questioned, and former inmates and human rights experts said the harsh interrogation techniques deployed inside it amounted to torture.

Last night's request was for a 120-day stay in the trials of five alleged 9/11 plotters - including the self-proclaimed 'mastermind' behind America's worst terror attack - and of a Canadian accused of killing a US soldier in Afghanistan. Mr Obama had been expected to issue an executive order as early as today for the full closure of the camp, but accepts that it might take months to rehouse some 250 inmates still held there.

And then from Le Monde we have an expansion of the theme.

Guantanamo a marqué les années Bush. Bagram ternira-t-il l'ère Obama ? Situé au nord-est de Kaboul, le plus important centre de détention américain d'Afghanistan compte près de 630 prisonniers capturés par les forces de la coalition. Afghans pour la plupart, tous ne sont pas des "combattants ennemis", mais, à en croire les rapports du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge (CICR), leur sort n'a rien à envier à celui des détenus de Guantanamo.

The international press is on to something here. The question is: How far is President Obama willing to go on this?

Quote of the Week XVIII

In war there is hope.

-Sarah Connor, From the TV show: "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"

Go Boston...?

So apparently you really could have a CSI Boston show. That is somewhat less than heartening.

Let us drop our fragile masks
And show once more what we once hid
And look intently at each other
As when young, we once did.

New Link- "Poem Hunter"

I put a new link called Poem Hunter some of you might find useful at the bottom on the right under "Other Resources." It is a site with (among other things) a searchable poetry database. I recommend checking it out if you either have an interest in poetry, or are trying to find a poem or poet that is on the tip of your tongue, but that you can't quite remember. Cheers.

On Hope

It sometimes feels like hope is a ghost. Sometimes it is there; sometimes it is not. It is always on the edge of your vision- always on the periphery. It is as if you are more likely to feel it than to see it... and perhaps this is right and good. Still, you cannot plant desires in your own heart. You cannot plant feelings in your own heart. You cannot plant attitudes in your own heart and mind. You may want to hope... but wanting is not enough.

They say it is hard to go on without hope... and this is surely true... but we often do things we do not have good reason to do (even though good reason may exist somewhere else besides inside our own minds). People go on who seem to have no hope every day. Lord save me from my fatalism. Have mercy upon our minds and hearts, oh God.

Oh, this will be good.

I was reading Al Mohler's blog when I stumbled upon this in reference to the upcoming inauguration:

The event Bishop Robinson will open with prayer will be a huge opening rally featuring major entertainment figures and a mass gathering on the mall. Artists invited to perform at the event include Bono, Stevie Wonder, and Bruce Springsteen, along with the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington.

I just want to know why the vampire hunters have not been represented. I feel somehow slighted.

Steven is probably the originator of the ancient art of Tai Chi.

Steven invented Tai Chi during the 3rd dynasty.

The Star Trek Reference Files

I find it difficult to think clearly when I am not emotionally detached. This, of course, makes thinking about emotions terribly difficult. I can sympathize with Data. It is a lot to overcome. Always wanting a release- and always right now... quite the challenge.

Quote of the Week XVII

"Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night:
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke; the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off: my heart was free:
I rose, went forth, and followed thee."

-Charles Wesley

I just broke a coffee pot... very upsetting... war is war though, I suppose. We often break things we took for granted though, don't we? We are more connected than we realize.

I long for the day when Christ returns. Now I just need to prepare. How does one look to the future without ignoring or despising the present?

Some things linger far longer than you would like. The truth is often that you let them. The war is over for us when we are all dead.

God Has Been Faithful

Another year has passed. 2008 was debilitating devastating. I lost two friends to suicide and that was just the start of it. I am tempted to say (with a great sigh of relief), "wow, glad that's over," but I somehow think that that might not give God's work in this past year it's proper due.

The truth is that many great and wonderful things were done in the year of our Lord two-thousand-eight. This does not require any of us to ignore, trivialize, or hide our grief from the terrible pains of this last year. To say that God is faithful has never meant that everything has gone according to our plans. To say that God is faithful has never meant that things have turned out the way that you thought they would. To say that God is faithful has never meant that He has made it easy for us. To say that God is faithful has never ever ever meant that any of us knew his whole counsel and secret will. We simply do not know everything that we might wish to know.

In this past year (and today is my Birthday... so I have really managed to pass another year), there has been grief that is almost too much to bear. There has been sadness almost equal to times past which I had thought would never again even be approached. The questions of why have become haunting. The burden of pain has been like the weight of the world. Yet I am still here; I am still standing. God is still faithful.

In this past year, babies have been born. In this past year, friends have married. In this past year, some of our soldiers have returned home to us safely. In this past year I have gained a new appreciation for family, a new understanding of the need for relationship in my life (and all of our lives), a new heart for education, and a new understanding of friendship and love. I have had errors in my thinking exposed. I have had errors in my doing lose ground. I have had the weight of the fellowship of the Church brought to my eyes and felt it above and beneath my very being. In short, God has been faithful.

I have some new friends and I still have many faithful old friends. I did not reach perfection last year. I did not always do right. I did not always do what was best. Sometimes I did not even know that what I was doing was not going to be so good... even though upon reflection that became quite simple and obvious. People did not always do right by me last year, either. People did not always do what was best concerning me. They did not always have courage; they did not always keep faith. I hurt and was hurt in this past year. I ask that any of you whom I did wrong by this past year would beg God to put forgiveness in your heart... and I will most certainly do the same for you.

We do not always know what to do. We do not always handle our troubles well. We do not always establish appropriate boundaries with each other. We are not always very quick to forgive- and of course we are not always quick to listen. We are not always honest with each other. We do not admit that we need each other every day. When we realize that we need things- we do not always go to the right place to try and have those needs met. We do not always readily admit our part in our own troubles- so much so that we often do not even see our part because we have blinded ourselves. We get mad at the wrong persons for the wrong reasons and wonder why we find it so hard for us to forgive them. In all of our lives, in all of our concerns, in all of our woes- we forget that God is faithful. We do not trust Him. We break fellowship with other believers in times of turmoil and stop going to Church when other believers are exactly the people we should be going to. We hold on to what was never ours. We demand what we have no right to. We expect that which contradicts all our experience and all that we can gather from the Word of God and are somehow surprised that our expectations are not met. We are all of us sinful. We are all of us flawed. We all need.

And somehow, for some reason, God is faithful to His church and to his Word. God has been so in 2008 and He will be so in 2009. Blessed be His holy name.