I haven't blogged in a week and some of that has been a slight malaise that I've felt in the past several days. It's good to try to get my brain thinking right now. If you're trying to keep track of what we're doing, we have made a decision that for the near future God has grabbed our hearts and rooted us in the Tri-Cities. During our time away we have had time to rest and reflect. Our hearts (independently) have been drawn back to the NW.
I realize that this could change, but I think all of our family is eager to return home. What we'll do while there is still up in the air, but I am finding myself eager to see how the Lord will provide for us during this time. I have found myself eager to return to substitute teaching in the public schools and recently I've been contacted with some speaking opportunities. Perhaps the combination will be how the Lord supplies our need.
At this point I still very much feel called to "wait" to watch for the unfolding of the road that the Lord has for me, and that has excitement as well as endurance attached to it. Tomorrow I'll share about an experience I had on Wednesday that was both disappointing and stirring regarding this.
For tonight, I'm thrilled that Jessica and I both feel that the Tri-Cities are the place the Lord is laying on our hearts right now. One of my prayers for us is that we would be united in spirit -- whatever decision we made. God has been very good to us, indeed.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Evidence...
Today we visited the American History Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery of Art. To top it all off we returned to the Natural History Museum where we watched the IMAX movie, "Deep Sea 3D."
It was a really fascinating overview of the relationships between various fish species in the ocean, and the 3-D gave the added thrill of watching the boys reach out to touch the movie every few minutes.
There were so many amazing parts of the ocean that I was previously ignorant about, but one of the final vignettes discussed the spawning of coral (which is a living entity). The movie claimed (and I feel it is verified by respectable data, as you can see text and a video here) that the 8th day after the full moon in August, coral reefs simultaneously release millions of spawn into the sea to germinate and begin new coral reefs. Further, the timing of this event happens yearly with uncanny precision.
The narrators discuss this phenomenon and raise the very real question of how could this unthinking, uncommunicative coral possibly know when to initiate this process. Their answer? Truly this is simply one of nature's ministries.
Yet, how can you possibly watch something like this and not see evidence of a Designer's hand in the process? I was so in awe of the way God has designed this part of creation to show forth His creativity, life-giving nature, and provision. It reminded me that God has not left Himself without a testimony of His presence! If only we have the eyes to see the evidence He has left for us....
Proverb of the Day:
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord (21:30).
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Contrasting Styles
Here is a picture that Jessica shot of the Stone guys just after we rode to the top of the Washington Monument. As our first full day in DC, we had quite a time! Jessica can fill you in on the details at our stonesintransit blog, but I'd like to highlight something that really struck me during the day.
Just as we were walking up to the Monument, we heard all kinds of sirens and saw at least 5 police motorcycles with lights on slowly coming toward us. With excitement, we quickly realized this was some kind of motorcade! Our suspicions were further confirmed as several (5-7 perhaps) black Cadillac Escalades with tinted windows followed the motorcycles and more police in back. Since it was just off Pennsylvania Avenue, we wondered if it was the President himself (we were told it was not because an ambulance is always part of a Presidential motorcade).
Truth be told, I felt it was quite impressive and may have been a bit awestruck at the sight. how cool to watch such an important person moving around DC (whoever they were)!
Yet with all of the impressiveness of that moment, it struck me later as I reflected on that moment that as we get ready to celebrate the entrance of the King Of The Universe, He chose to come with no fanfare or "Wow!" effect. Unnoticed by nearly everyone (except the lower portions of Jewish society and some foreigners), the Savior Of The World made His debut with no shofars or camelcades. He just came. He offered Himself and lived 30 years with no expectation that He was the Son of God from what we can tell. Even when His healings attracted attention, He was quick to downplay their effect.
How easily we love a leader who awes us or impresses us with power and display. Yet Jesus would have none of that. His basis for rule was love and not power. Imagine the implications for us on that one. How many times do I (did I today) rule my sons with stern proclamations of power rather than take time to lovingly correct them (do the words "knock it off" or "STOP IT!" ring a bell with anyone else)?
I need to consider this and ask the Lord to help me be like Him in this. Not awed by power, but compelled by love.
Proverb of the Day:
"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent (17:28)."
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Faith and Pain
Sorry I've not posted for a time -- I've been a bit under the weather. To remind you of where we've been, Hebrews 11:6 says:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone that comes to Him must believe that He exists and that is rewards those who diligently seek Him."
Two words that strike me from that verse are faith (which pleases God) and diligence (which He rewards). I believe that they are closely tied as we are most diligent seeking Him when we act in faith.
When is this diligent faith most clearly applied? Isn't it in times of difficulty or hardship? When our lives look bleak and yet we doggedly say that there is hope. When pain shrouds us and we hopefully (even if we don't feel it) remember that a Day of Relief is coming. To be quite personal, when we joblessness and lack of direction seem to choke out the future, I call out to God and assert that I know He has led me this far and I will continue to wait on Him until I hear His voice clearly -- even if the waiting makes me very uncomfortable. I love Wormwood's comment on this in the Screwtape Letters:
"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do the Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys (47)."
The Proverb of the Day:
"In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge" (14:26).
"And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone that comes to Him must believe that He exists and that is rewards those who diligently seek Him."
Two words that strike me from that verse are faith (which pleases God) and diligence (which He rewards). I believe that they are closely tied as we are most diligent seeking Him when we act in faith.
When is this diligent faith most clearly applied? Isn't it in times of difficulty or hardship? When our lives look bleak and yet we doggedly say that there is hope. When pain shrouds us and we hopefully (even if we don't feel it) remember that a Day of Relief is coming. To be quite personal, when we joblessness and lack of direction seem to choke out the future, I call out to God and assert that I know He has led me this far and I will continue to wait on Him until I hear His voice clearly -- even if the waiting makes me very uncomfortable. I love Wormwood's comment on this in the Screwtape Letters:
"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do the Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys (47)."
The Proverb of the Day:
"In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge" (14:26).
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Just plain fun
I have been working on a follow up post to yesterday, but I really wanted to brag about my sons. Yesterday, I took them to a woman's house and we raked leaves like crazy! Will worked especially hard both raking and bagging and attitudes were good all around. It was a wonderful opportunity to serve together and I'm hoping we will have more chances to work together in the next 3 weeks.
I'm including pictures for fun -- notice I am working hard at compacting leaf bags.
The Proverb of the Day:
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid (12:1)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Blessings -- from whose view?
As a follow up to my post on ungodliness...
God gives good gifts. I am convinced of that. Yet, I wonder sometimes if I have a warped sense of the blessings of God in my life? When I am happy, pleased, secure and content then I often comment that I am blessed by God. When my financial picture is rosy, when I have pleasant relationships with those around me, and all of my cars are working well I feel I am blessed by God. But what if God's greatest blessing to me is not found in what I just mentioned, but discovered during times of difficulty? In fact, what if the times of difficulty ARE the blessings themselves? Here are a few thoughts on why ease and comfort may NOT be the blessing of God that we often take them to be:
1. Comfort blunts our longing for the next life (we are to consider ourselves aliens and strangers in this world, but it is hard -- even pointless -- to see that when we are comfortably set up here).
2. Ease of life distracts us from pursuing God wholeheartedly (goodness knows that I know this reality. Currently I find that my jobless position has stirred me to seek God in greater ways than I usually did when I had a stable life. Perhaps this is just a "me" problem, but I would venture to guess it is a universal reality).
3. Prosperity dulls the need for a life of faith (Why do I need to trust God desperately when I can take care of it myself? I have enough money, influence, or resources to accomplish this on my own. I may not even need to call out to God on this one -- I can handle it).
For most of us, we have so much material "blessing" around us that we are insulated from the difficulties of life (read pain and suffering) that God wants to use AS a blessing in our lives (to remind us of our dependence upon Him). A friend told me that Dave Bechtel just preached on suffering and I am going to try to track that down. I am becoming more and more convinced that difficulty is the way that we most clearly see God.
What if the material prosperity we enjoy is not a blessing of God to us? What if it is rather His allowance to give us over to what WE have desired? I'm not saying we should seek pain in some masochistic manner (it will find us quickly enough if we allow it), but if you find yourself in any of the three categories above, I'd gently encourage you to intentionally jettison some of your comfort, ease, or even material resources.
Consider Hebrews 11:6 -- "And without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him." Tomorrow I hope to post about the relationship between faith and pain.
By the way, since I'm reading Proverbs, I figured I'd start a Proverb Thought of the Day section:
"Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly (14:29)"
Pretty self-explanatory.
God gives good gifts. I am convinced of that. Yet, I wonder sometimes if I have a warped sense of the blessings of God in my life? When I am happy, pleased, secure and content then I often comment that I am blessed by God. When my financial picture is rosy, when I have pleasant relationships with those around me, and all of my cars are working well I feel I am blessed by God. But what if God's greatest blessing to me is not found in what I just mentioned, but discovered during times of difficulty? In fact, what if the times of difficulty ARE the blessings themselves? Here are a few thoughts on why ease and comfort may NOT be the blessing of God that we often take them to be:
1. Comfort blunts our longing for the next life (we are to consider ourselves aliens and strangers in this world, but it is hard -- even pointless -- to see that when we are comfortably set up here).
2. Ease of life distracts us from pursuing God wholeheartedly (goodness knows that I know this reality. Currently I find that my jobless position has stirred me to seek God in greater ways than I usually did when I had a stable life. Perhaps this is just a "me" problem, but I would venture to guess it is a universal reality).
3. Prosperity dulls the need for a life of faith (Why do I need to trust God desperately when I can take care of it myself? I have enough money, influence, or resources to accomplish this on my own. I may not even need to call out to God on this one -- I can handle it).
For most of us, we have so much material "blessing" around us that we are insulated from the difficulties of life (read pain and suffering) that God wants to use AS a blessing in our lives (to remind us of our dependence upon Him). A friend told me that Dave Bechtel just preached on suffering and I am going to try to track that down. I am becoming more and more convinced that difficulty is the way that we most clearly see God.
What if the material prosperity we enjoy is not a blessing of God to us? What if it is rather His allowance to give us over to what WE have desired? I'm not saying we should seek pain in some masochistic manner (it will find us quickly enough if we allow it), but if you find yourself in any of the three categories above, I'd gently encourage you to intentionally jettison some of your comfort, ease, or even material resources.
Consider Hebrews 11:6 -- "And without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him." Tomorrow I hope to post about the relationship between faith and pain.
By the way, since I'm reading Proverbs, I figured I'd start a Proverb Thought of the Day section:
"Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly (14:29)"
Pretty self-explanatory.
Monday, December 1, 2008
CMOM
Stands for the Children's Museum of Memphis and this is where I took the boys this afternoon. This is a museum that we can go to for free because we bought a membership to Richland's local CREHST museum and it has reciprocity for the CMOM! You see a picture of the Will and Clay dressed in paramedic vests and Joe doing his best to imitate a person in need of a stretcher.As I watched them play together today, at one point there were all in one spot and I was overwhelmed with love for them. Afternoons like this were what I dreamed could happen during this time. I realize that much of my life needs to be spent working and providing for my family, but this is a season when I get to be with them.
I found myself praying for them that they will hunger and thirst for righteousness and that they will be mighty for the Kingdom of Jesus. As you follow us in this next month (and beyond), I would really appreciate your prayers for our sons that they will know Jesus well, and desire to obey Him.
Lately we've been reviewing Proverbs 6:16-19 (especially the second half of v. 19), and I close with this tonight for you to consider in your own life -- it has been convicting to me.
16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
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