Beyond The Azure Blue

Water

2011-01-19T09:44:00.002-06:00

By J.B. Gable

“But let justice roll down like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Amos 5:24

I like water. I like it for all the obvious reasons, of course, but so much more I like it as a metaphor. Let justice roll down like waters. Awesome. But that is what water does naturally, isn’t it? From its source at some high and lofty place, a drop of water instinctively searches out the lowest elevation it can find. Some will gather in ponds and lakes, some will make it all the way to the sea and some will even manage to pool underground. Then when it finds that low place, some water droplets will ascend into the sky and begin the process all over again. Jesus seemed to reveal to Amos that justice as an act of true worship naturally acts the same way.

Justice, like water, will begin at the loftiest of places and immediately seek the lowest. This is what Jesus, the Living Water, seemed to do. Existing before the beginning as God, He descended down the mountain until he gathered in low places. Wherever He pooled, the landscape changed. He refreshed the land and ended the concept of drought. He made new water out of raw elements that were drawn to Him, things began to grow and the ones who drank were never thirsty again. These ones He made are just like Him and He appointed some of them to re-pool in the low places, some to gather underground, some to constantly be rushing wild and some to ascend to the high places. But, like Him, these ones that He made also make new water wherever they go.

This is what our little zedekiah project must be about. We raw elements who have been gifted with the opportunity to drink deep of the Living Water and continue to be re-made into Living Water ourselves now instinctively search out the low places in our world and in ourselves. And when we find these low places, let justice roll down and gather in everlasting and ever-growing pools of righteousness.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

2010-11-24T10:29:00.004-06:00

Jamais vu is the phenomenon that is roughly defined as the opposite of déjà vu – that is, instead of seeing something new and feeling it is familiar, jamais vu is the seeing of something familiar in a new way.

We’ve all had it – often the most exciting instances where you read a familiar scripture but your eyes are suddenly opened to see a different kind of significance or meaning or truth present in the words you’ve seen a thousand times since childhood. I wish I was sharing some kind of new, brilliant theological insight derived from the Bible today. But I’m not.

No, my latest experience with jamais vu involves Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sorry.

Driving home from the grocery store last night with my iPod on “shuffle,” I suddenly found myself hearing the chorus to “Waiting is the Hardest Part” devoid of any of the familiar context of the song:

The waiting is the hardest part.

Every day you see one more card.

You take it on faith, you take it to the heart.

The waiting is the hardest part.

It really is, isn’t it? In our get-it-done-yesterday kind of world, it is sometimes extremely difficult (if not impossible) to calmly and patiently and genuinely wait for the Lord to reveal His plan rather than rushing into whatever course of action seems best to us. It’s terrifying, that nebulous in-between place of what you want to be doing in the present and not knowing if it is in line with what God wants for your future. Sometimes, you may even be dreading the outcome, but desperate to know it for sure just to end the torture of uncertainty.

But each day, each hour that we place in His hands with the desperate faith that He will craft it into something that conforms to His ultimate plan – if only we will allow Him the time, space, and materials – we do, in fact, see “one more card” and (as the second chorus states) we “get one more yard.” We see a little more of His plan and we move a little bit closer to it. Maybe we don’t always understand the card that is turned over, and maybe we only move forward by inches instead of yards, but the point is that when we truly wait upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31) we are moving, working, climbing, building towards something.

May that simple reminder be an encouragement to all of us as we pause to wait and listen for the Lord’s voice and direction. Because the waiting really is the hardest part.

7 Books To Read Before Christmas

2010-11-09T11:08:00.001-06:00

I love lists. It's very satisfying to write something down, then cross it off-- no matter the task, the accomplishment becomes very tangible.

In pursuit of this satisfaction, lists coupled with time-tables are the ultimate satisfactory high. As Christmas approaches and the calendar becomes more full, here are 7 books I'd like to savor in the next 7 weeks.

1. Past & Present by Thomas Carlyle- It's allegedly the most influential book of the humanist movement in the 19th century. One can't under stand the 21st century without having a handle on the 19th & 20th.

2. Democracy and Education by John Dewey- Exploring the idea that an uneducated electorate makes democracy dangerous. You have to educate the people to keep them and their country free.

3. Peddling Prosperity by Paul Krugman- It's supposedly the new "The Wealth of Nations." That's some big expectations for book subtitled "age of diminished expectations."

4. The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins- Speaking truth to the American Christian-- that they are not only Christians in the world.

5. All We're Meant To Be by Letha Dawson Scanzoni and Nancy A. Hardesty- While the approach isn't anything new, I could use some new language to describe the fundamental human and social importance of women.

6. I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert- Always good to laugh at yourself from time to time.

7. The Razor's Edge by Somerset W. Maugham- The journey of a man struggling to find himself post world war I in a foreign land. Has to be something for everyone in this book.

5 Things I Hate About The Cam Newton Story

2010-11-05T14:25:00.019-05:00

In any story flying high atop the national media headlines, it is quite easy to get wrapped up in the visceral reaction a particular event has upon you.

Before you spend any more time and energy on what may or may not have transpired, let me give you five (mostly) objective thoughts on the over-arching ramifications of this ESPN Story:

1. The Obvious- That the line of deductive reasoning could well end up being proven true, in which case, Cameron Newton should be ineligible.

But, only $200,000? That seems like a real steal for anyone considering that the revenue from #2 jersey sales alone likely dwarf that. (See below for Follow-Up)

2. The Starkville Factor- Somehow Mississippi State comes out looking like good guys. Seriously!-- Mississippi State!

3. Vicarious Victories- The never-ending avalanche of slack-jawed yokels that trumpet the story as some kind of vindication for their school's loss to Auburn.

You want a vacated victory? Really? You're the same guy who wanted your future wife to have been dumped by the man of her dreams right before she started dating you.

4. The Outcry for Oversight - The only way to curb agent involvement and extra benefits to collegiate athletes is to make it criminally negligent to offer or accept such benefits. Being professionally or financially liable for the risk doesn't quite seem to be doing the trick does it?

Without getting political, does anyone want to spend another couple of million tax dollars on enforcing this?

College football and how it makes you feel is more important than some of the programs getting cut from our schools and states in an effort to spend less?

This is the type of person who buys football season tickets, then gets evicted from their home in October....except this time you're asking me to chip in for the tickets.

5. Diminishing Returns- In general, this story is going to cause more emotional reaction to the readers of it than real, honest to God problems going on in your life, neighborhood, or city.

A story that you had no hand in making or preventing is gonna give you more pause or cause to celebrate than people going cold or hungry near you right now? It means more than reconciling relationships?

That may not be how you feel, but a willingness to re-post the story on your social media, or re-work fight song lyrics to fit the allegations reveal a disposition and priority on how you spend your time.

It's November. Goodwill is having a coat drive. It's just one suggestion in a nearly endless list of opportunities you have to actively do something for someone else.

If you have a broken relationship, spend the same amount of characters you did on your trite jubilation or displaced despair into fixing it. You might find your time better spent.

Now, before you think I went about writing a would-be lecture to those willing to read this article, I took a trip to my local Goodwill to drop off all but my essential cold-weather coats.

I also used 112 characters of text to reach out to a broken relationship-- and I tell you truthfully-- whatever happens with #2 and Auburn football, is gonna be alright with me. Simply acting on the right priorities straightened out everything else.

Of course, it's your right to seethe, gloat, or be indifferent about Cam Newton and the story unfolding down on The Plain-- I just hope you won't give yourself license to spend emotion and time on sporting news before you spend it addressing something real.

Just a few things to think about this weekend while you watch the highlights-- Cam Newton will probably be in a couple of them though.

Receiving the Hand of the LORD

2010-10-26T11:16:00.007-05:00

A year ago today, I thought my world had ended.

When I went in for my four-month check up, we discovered that the child we had prayed for for two years had died. What’s more, my husband was in Afghanistan in the fourth month of his eight-month tour. Not only were we losing the child whose birth we had been joyfully anticipating when he returned, but he would never get to experience the growth of our baby firsthand, as I had not even learned of the pregnancy until two days after he shipped out.

I remember sitting on the sofa that evening after the devastating news, waiting for my mother’s plane to arrive, grateful that I had family that could fly out to be with me. And as shock gradually gave way to overwhelming grief, one verse kept scrolling through my head: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21b).

In the coming weeks and months, I can’t tell you how many times I read and re-read the book of Job. I know it is cliché to turn to the book in times of suffering, but I was reading it again with new eyes. And in the many additional challenges that the next 12 months brought, I found myself always returning to Job 38 and onward, where God finally speaks in response to all of the pseudo-philosophers/theologians surrounding His servant Job. The poetry in this section, where the LORD explains how He is the God of the unknowable, and the sarcasm He employs even as he challenges those who would question His actions – they have provided me with more humility, chastisement, and assurance than anything else.

Most scholars believe that Job is the oldest book of our Old Testament, that it was written down at least a century before a scribe or prophet penned even the book of Genesis. And I can’t help but take comfort in knowing that the book that in many ways speaks the most clearly and relevantly to the universal experience of human suffering is the first one of our holy scriptures to have been composed. To pull from another book, Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 states: “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in the ages before us.”

I will never fully comprehend the “Why?” of human suffering, but over the past 365 days – some days when I really felt so weighed down with grief that I didn’t know how I would make it to the next – I have come to at least understand that the question is not why, but how. How will we react when tragedy befalls us? How will we carry on when it feels like our world has ended, our prayers are going unanswered, and the universe just feels, well, mean? Through it all, we are to remain the trusting, hoping, and often desperate children of God who look to Him in all things. As Job says to his wife, “‘Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’” (2:10b).

We may not want it, we may have to struggle even to look up and see it some days, and we may just be too tired to imagine enduring even one more thing, but as long as we are receiving from the hand of God, we know that we are close to His side. And there is nowhere else I would rather be.

On Work

2010-10-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

"There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in --that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible."
- Mother Teresa

What? and Why?-- The 728b Foundation

2010-10-19T12:53:00.002-05:00

A close group of friends had an idea a few years ago: Start a non-profit that meets the fundamental needs of orphans and children wherever they may be.

When you're doing something that is a calling, even the mundane and tedious details become a source of excitement and joy. Coming up with a name that suited us was not difficult, as it had been established long ago, but finding the right words to explain the meaning of the name has taken a little time.

We are the 728b Foundation. We send doctors, engineers, farmers, teachers, and supplies to areas in the world where children, who do not have their basic needs met, can finally have the resources to help them build a future of their own making.

But, the question must be asked: Why 728b?

Because in any old hymnal, found on the backs of solid wood church pues all over America, there is a song titled "There is A God", and every member of our Foundation grew up in such a church. The common numerical reference to this song is 728b.

There is, beyond the azure blue
A God, concealed from human sight
He tinted skies with heav'nly hue
And framed the worlds with His great might

The words are simple, but at the heart of the song, awareness of our own existence is demanded; an authentic recognition that this physical world possesses powers unseen that rule fundamental human truths (regardless of religion or culture) that unite us in a common human spirit; and endowed by a creator.

A resolute duty permeates the praiseful hymn through the chorus:

There is a God (There is a God), He is alive (He is alive)
In Him we live (In Him we live) and we survive (and we survive)
From dust our God (From dust our God) created man (created man)
He is our God (He is our God), the great I Am (the great I Am)

It's one of the great marches of the Christian Church, but is so often mistaken for just another song we sing on Sundays when the song/praise leader is in a particularly chipper mood.

Should we take the charge of the song seriously, and recite our beloved hymn more as a mantra than a melody, a powerful call to action is found in the words.

We are His creation. He defines the world. He designed us and called us for the purpose of service. We are His hands and His feet during our time here. We are to serve Him through serving others.

If we approach life with that attitude, the denominational tradition from which the hymn came is irrelevant. Its words hearken to us all who profess ourselves followers and disciples of Christ.

This organization is striving to be a model for an active faith of genuine discipleship. In our minds and hearts, as they are united in common service, there is no doubt that we will begin to affect positive, sustainable, and lasting progress in this world, one small part at a time.

Although your connection with the 728b Foundation may be through a facebook group or visiting our blog, it provides the very first of abundant opportunities to serve those who need it most; the care for the most basic of human necessity of love and compassion being delivered through medicine, food, clothing, and education.

Come make a difference in the world with us.

Start with our small group of dedicated people-- and never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world....because it's the only thing that ever has.

We hope you'll join us in the journey.

Taking stock

2010-10-13T09:39:00.003-05:00

Audit. Simply the word sends chills down the spines of most Americans. If you know that your finances and paperwork are all in order and everything is on the up-and-up, it can be a scary process to have to submit it all to the IRS for review, but at least you know that you did everything asked of you.

But how often do we consider the prospect of being audited by God? How would you feel standing before the Lord as He reviews the assets of your life: your time, your talents, your financial resources, your thoughts, your motives, your energies, your attitude…

Would you have cause for concern? What discrepancies might He find? What inconsistencies might exist between what you say and what you do, what you teach and how you live?

If you had the opportunity to look at a log book that showed all the money you had wasted on clothes you never wear, flashy toys purchased for your own amusement, or dollars carelessly dropped for a few laughs – would you want to see the total? To be honest, I’m not sure I would. I’m afraid the number would make me too sick and too depressed to know what to do with myself.

Now consider if the same thing was true for your time. If you could see what percentage of your life has been spent being lazy or selfish or engaging in activities or talk that are negative – would you want to look? Or would you be too afraid to admit how much of your life you have wasted that you will never get back?

I would challenge all of us to conduct an audit of our own lives – an on-going review of how we are really utilizing the blessings entrusted to us. We all must give account someday; does the thought of yours give you concern or confidence?

On Love

2010-10-11T14:11:00.000-05:00

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."- Martin Luther King

Bridging The Divide (part 1)

2010-10-08T12:29:00.052-05:00

Bridges are one of the great architectural achievements in human history. Where a road would once end in air, or sea, or horizon, it could now continue to far off places. It allowed for the trade of goods, the sharing of cultures, and it was the first of many technological feats that has lead to the increasingly globalized world we have today.

The construction of a physical bridge is usually the precursor to metaphorical bridges of greater understanding between nations, cultures, and ideas. But all too often in our unhealthy modernity, ideas that ought not be reconciled have strong ties linked by a bridge. Sometimes they are a bridge to the reconciliation of thought and action that leads to peace-- but sometimes to tyranny. It can also be a bridge to nowhere.

America has one particular bridge that dominates the landscape of its history, present, and future. It is a grand, ornate, 16-lane super bridge with the philosophy that links Christianity to a ideology that seeks to codify Christian principles into governmental law.

This particular bridge is built on multi-million dollar churches, lobbies, and businesses; the sum total of which reaches well into the billions of dollars in assets and influence.

It is purportedly built on the idea and tradition that America is a "Christian Nation"; paved by the blood of patriots who died for this country; and held up by those willing to serve its cause today through giving money and votes out of "devotion to Christ."

No matter how well the construct may function, we should take some time to examine the divide the bridge conquers. So, we have to ask ourselves several questions:

First, what is the divide?

Second, should it be bridged?

I submit this thought for scrutiny-- is the divide human nature and the bridge Christ? or is the divide Christ himself, and the bridge human nature, attempting to bridge what should be unbridgeable?

Even in the first establishment of a Hebrew Kingdom in I Samuel, God has shown that an earthly kingdom and the desire for a "King" is a rejection of Him; it directs attention away from serving God and abiding in His promises for something greater.

In the New Testament, we see Christ's attitude toward government is best displayed in Mark 12, Matthew 22, and Luke 20. "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

This seems to be a clear delineation between God's law and gentile law. Taxes and monies are distributed by the government, therefore, can be collected by the government.

God, through Christ, demands that our hearts and actions are to reflect our voluntary obedience to His laws. This is the fundamental and intrinsic freedom given to us by our creator in free will. Do we, as Christians, need government to protect more than our freedom to worship?

Christ himself shows we do not even need that protection in the pages of secular law to be Christians, as He died by the hand of government.

The only laws we seem to hold fundamentally true throughout Christian history and denominations is this-- to be true in our submission to Christ-- wherever we may find those in need, we are to give freely of what we have-- our bank account is their bank account, our roof is their roof, our food is their food.

There are more scriptures (Matthew 26, Romans 2, Romans 13) to examine from the Christian perspective, and we'll save them for next week. In the mean time, it's not a subject that is deserving of a lecture, but of thoughtful and careful consideration to the consequence of the answers. Therefore, it begs the question...what do you think?

Sacrificial love

2010-10-04T11:41:00.006-05:00

Of all of the heartwarming stories in American mythology (i.e.: George Washington and the cherry tree) there are some that are not only true, but remarkable in the lessons that they offer for our own lives. Consider, for example, the story of Wyoming’s bid for statehood which, from all accounts I have read, did indeed happen as recounted below.

Since 1869, women in the Wyoming Territory had been able to vote, even though it was not yet a right granted to women in the rest of the country. When the territory came up for statehood in 1890, there was concern that the suffrage issue might hold up the proceedings and prevent Wyoming from gaining full state status.

While the delegation of men were in Washington to present the case for statehood before Congress, some of the most prominent women in Wyoming politics sent a cable to their delegation telling them that they would be willing to give up their right to vote in order for the territory to join the union as a state. The men of Wyoming cabled back this short message: “Wyoming joins with her women, or not at all.” They held firm on their position before Congress and Wyoming was successful in its bid for statehood, female voters and all.

What a wonderful example of what marriage should be like. The sacrificial love of both parties is enormous: the women were willing to give up their rights so the men would be successful in their goal, and the men were willing to give up their ambitions for statehood so that their women would not have to give up their rights.

It kind of sounds like O. Henry’s classic short story, “The Gift of the Magi,” except that instead of being left with short hair and a watch-less watch chain, in the end of Wyoming’s story, both parties benefitted from the willingness of the other party to subvert their own needs for the betterment of the other.

If you are married, consider how you relate to your spouse. It can be so difficult in the age of individualism, where iPods, iPhones, and i-culture abounds, to truly put the needs of someone else above your own. But think about the kind of sacrificial love Christ offered for his bride, the Church, and then think about the kind of love and support that you can offer each other in your marriage. You may find that the benefits are far greater than the “losses.”

Demanding what is "due" us

2010-09-26T15:57:00.007-05:00

As Christians, we tend to find comfort in the multitude of promises throughout scripture that assure us that the Lord looks out for His faithful servants, walking us through periods of trial and blessing us with those things that are truly good.

So often, it seems, we speak of these promises in scripture as if they are a kind of deal that God made with us, as if we are somehow an equal party with Him. I have even heard preachers use language that hints at the idea that we can hold God accountable to His promises when we pray for His hand upon our lives. “Ask boldly!” they urge us. “The Lord has promised and the blessing is yours to take if you ask for it unabashedly and with confidence.”

While I do not deny that God does and will honor all covenants and promises – and that this is an assurance in which believers can take great comfort – and I do believe that we are to bring our requests and petitions to the Lord with the confidence that He hears them, I think it is also every bit as important to remember that God owes us nothing. He owes us no such special treatment. He is not beholden to us in any way.

Consider what Jesus tells his disciplines in Luke 17:1-10:
“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

I know that I have been guilty of demanding plush treatment from God, making the argument to Him: “But I’ve tried to do everything right! Why don’t I deserve this blessing?” or “Look at all I have done for you – haven’t I earned respite from this trial?” In those times, I am no different from that demanding servant.

Of course, in 21st century America, the idea of slavery or servitude to another human being is abhorable – and rightly so. But that democratic thinking should not spill over into our understanding of the Creator of the Universe. All men are created equal – but man is not equal to God, nor do we have the right to demand from Him what we feel our service has earned us. Are we not all servants of the Most High? Is it not the place of the servant to serve rather than be served? At what point are we forgetting our place at the feet of God when we demand His blessings simply because we have done the work we were created to do?

I would encourage you to examine your own prayers and expectations of God’s gifts in your life, and ask yourself if you are trying to bring an account sheet before the Lord to remind Him of what He owes you, or if you are approaching each request with the humility and awe of one who is honored just to be a servant in the Kingdom.

On Inspiration

2010-08-09T10:23:00.000-05:00

"Everyone is trying to accomplish something big, not realizing that life is made up of little things."- Frank A. Clark

Fruits of Inspiration

2010-08-09T10:21:00.004-05:00

Every so often genuine inspiration comes to a person.

Inspiration manifests itself in so many ways that it can be nearly impossible to recognize if we don't make a conscious effort to look for them.

It can be in an overwhelming feeling of certainty when all intellectual avenues point to failure or mediocrity.

Inspiration can lead one to dedicate their valuable and ever-diminishing time on this earth to write a story that touches the lives of those who read it.

It can be dangerous-- calling people with little or no experience into foreign fields of work; but inspiration holds true, giving them courage and purpose even when their endeavors or lives are claimed embracing their calling.

It wills people into "unimpressive" professions-- but we find these people are usually the ones responsible for molding the minds and hearts of whole generations of students.

Our modern society tells us that inspiration has politically correct names-- hunch, impulse, enthusiasm, insight, and whim.

It's a precaution that is understandable, as some of the most horrifying events in the course of history have followed a claim of inspiration from a person of influence when they've called them "dreams" or "revelations."

The corruption of language and the story of the human condition have made it difficult to decipher the temptation of personal gain and selfishness from authentic revelation about our purpose in life. It is a horrifyingly effective deterrent to living a life blessed by genuine inspiration.

Instead of understanding hunches and enthusiasm as symptoms of inspiration, we view them as distractions from the steadiness of a well-paying job; termites on the foundation of the stability we crave in our lives; emotional flaws in our otherwise sound, calculated, stone-cold logic. This predominating attitude leads to measurable productivity on the assembly line, bigger bottom lines, and an American identity as "workers."

Having more resources allows for some pretty great things....but the lie is embedded in the idea that work and stability are ALL there is to life.

The blessing of inspiration is what welds together the confluence of talent, gifting, personality, life experience, and opportunity. It doesn't always demand a career shift, but it does demand a personal paradigm shift-- away from self, toward others.

It's a constant series of decisions to do this, not just a one-time, cure-all that serves as a one-way ticket to a personal Nirvana.

Often enough vein ambition masquerades as inspiration by white-washing this intention with the promise of more resources to give away with larger profits, or upon the condition that power and influence is obtained before a person or organization can truly devote itself to helping others in some grand method.

Meanwhile, authentic awakenings and inspiration produces an outcome of sincere and lasting value. It proliferates kindness and spreads self-awareness to everyone who accepts it. The end game is a measure of personal peace, living a life kindled by inspiration as it is passed to others who wish to live it.

I'm taking this time to encourage you to search yourself for inspiration. You likely won't have to go very far to find it. Once you find it, you'll see that you have enough strength to put it into action, access to the resources (people, money, supplies) to do it, and the blessings of influence to make it endure.

Perspective

2010-07-10T22:43:00.002-05:00

"You do not have a soul. You are a soul; you have a body."

~C.S. Lewis

On Marriage

2010-06-22T07:17:00.000-05:00

"Love is blind--marriage is the eye-opener."

-Pauline Thomason

The Starter Husband

2010-06-22T07:09:00.003-05:00

By J.B. Gable

I married relatively young. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Turns out I was wrong; oh so wrong.

When I talk about the divorce, I have started calling myself a "Starter Husband" as it would seem that she outgrew me rather quickly.

If it is alright with you, dear Reader, I would like to submit a few entries here regarding some of the experiences and lessons I have taken from this whole mess.

Here we go.

Entry #1: No Lawyers

Regardless of the circumstances which brought my wife and I to the point of separation, there is a moment when the realization occurs that this is actually going to happen and there is no turning back; reconciliation is not possible.

As painful as this moment is (and there is no pain comparable to it), it is a temporary thing. There will be days of profound sadness and depression when you wonder if there is enough bourbon in the world.

When I find the answer to that one, I will let you know.

The sadness can be staggering, but there is no situation that is made better by involving a lawyer. This is all going to sound counter-intuitive, but trust me... There will never be peace and healing if I begin to view my former partner as an adversary.

My advice: give them whatever for which they ask. The house, the cars, the accounts, whatever. Simply surrender.

It is true that your lawyer will fight for you and will likely secure at least half of your stuff. But the fight itself will do unspeakable damage to the soul. If you, dear Reader, are the kind of person willing to forfeit your soul for a few shiny trinkets, then close this browser window right now and get back to your Joel Osteen podcast.

You should just know that your children are watching, your parents are watching, your brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews are watching. Consider the damage you may do to them as your lawyer talks about equitable division and mediation fees. This is a fight no one ever wins, therefore lay down your arms and surrender.

Give whatever they ask and begin the healing immediately with unburdened conscience and no attorney fees.

Until next time, as our British brethern would say...KBO.

On Life

2010-06-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

"You win some, you lose some, and some get rained out, but you gotta suit up for them all."-

J. Askenberg

A Fortunate Fool

2010-06-16T09:28:00.005-05:00

Cliche Advice 101: "Stop and smell the roses." Should be no problem, but the admonition is contingent upon having flowers around to smell.

According to Tom Cochrane life is more like a highway; a place that is most likely void of roses. Fortunately for me this morning, the keys to my car are locked in my trunk, which isn't a metaphor for anything. This is much more literal. So, my highway-esque life has been temporarily slowed down enough to actually begin the process of digesting a few things I've experienced lately.

Since taking a new job in late March, it's taken a full-time commitment of my "off-time" just to inventory some of the things I've been seeing on a daily basis that keep me asking the question of God-- "Where are you?"

I'm not jaded or cynical enough to believe the Lord of Heaven and earth is some how neglecting his duties, or worse perpetrating the injustices of the world, but I do wonder how much of this mess I am able to help clean up.

It took me a few years to clean up my own mess, and the fact that I'm still here testifies to what a fortunate fool I really am.

Now I've entered a time and place in my life where that experience can benefit others having similar troubles, or at least I can listen to their problem without being judgmental; instead I am partial to re-focus a person's attention on solving an issue instead of dwelling on it.

A young lady, we'll call her Nikki, has crossed my job-path in the last few months who lost her very young child to death nearly three years ago.

Her grief is so great that she cannot stomach the thought of having a life that bares any resemblance to what it once was. Subsequently her marriage failed and a stint in a psychiatric hospital followed.

A string of jobs and other failed relationships dots the broken line in a life full of jumbled memories all trying to cope with pain.

Her latest failed romance resulted in her being booted out of her house, which left her living in her car the last week or so. It was at this point that I became aware of Nikki's story and looked to do my level best to help.

These gut-wrenching circumstances are things for which I have absolutely no answers, but finding her a safe place to sleep at night was a start. Though only a small act in its own right, because the love of Christ that is evidenced in it, never underestimate the value of seemingly small things.

For her, a stranger taking even the slightest interest in her life was a foundation to start hoping again. It was a reason to begin to reach out to others, starting with trust. It was an in-road for grace to pour into her life so that she can start a journey toward healing and a life that she wants to live.

I'm excited to see where Nikki's journey goes, and I know my small part was little more than pointing her back to a road that's going somewhere good. It will be her decision and Christ's love that drives the bus.

There's someone who needs your help today, and no one but you will be able to provide it. Go find them!

On Life

2010-06-13T21:11:00.003-05:00

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein

Thanks, Coach Wooden.

2010-06-05T07:07:00.001-05:00

It is a rare opportunity to get to meet your hero. It is even rarer to be able to spend time at their home while working with them on a book. But it is absolutely unheard of to meet someone the world idolizes – and have them exceed your expectations in every single imaginable way. That was my experience with Coach John Wooden.

In April of 2008, I had the privilege to spend several days with Coach in his Encino, California condo, as my boss, Don Yaeger, and I taped countless hours of interviews with Coach for what was to be his last (and in Coach’s own words, most important) book: A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring.

Everything about Coach Wooden blew me away. He truly lived up to all of the hyperbole about him. I mean, the man was hyperbole: No one wins ten National Championships. No one has that much poise, presence, and integrity. No one is that kind. No one is that humble. No one has that strong of a faith. No one loves his wife that much. No one is that good.

No one but Coach Wooden.

And that’s really the reason I can’t feel too sad right now, because I know that Coach is finally united with his beloved Nellie. I did see the famous stack of love letters he wrote to her every month since her death more than 25 years ago, tied in bundles on their bed, but that is actually one of my sadder memories. I felt like a voyeur, looking in on a man’s private grief. Those letters were between him and Nell; I didn’t want to intrude by staring at them too long.

It seems everyone who ever met him has their favorite Coach Wooden story. Some are stories about great moments in his career. Others are about wonderful lessons he taught them. Embarrassingly, most of mine seem to be about food.

He and I shared a lemon custard when we all went out to dinner: Coach; Don; Nan, Coach’s daughter; Dale Brown, the former LSU basketball coach, and me. Earlier in the day, Coach and I had been laughing about our mutual love for sweets; but that evening, when everyone else was ordering dessert, I refrained and passed when the waitress came to me. Coach looked at me, knew immediately that I was just trying to be polite, and with a grandfatherly wink said, “I’ll have one, but only if you make Tiffany agree to share it with me.” And, always the gentleman, he let me take the last spoonful.

Coach and I shared a lot of things that week. We talked about both being English majors in college and our love of the classical poets. We talked about both being former high school teachers and coaches, and all the challenges and joy that brought. We debated the merits of french toast over pancakes. We even laughed about having the same dosage of thyroid medicine. Nan said that Coach liked me because I was a teetotaler, just like him. We laughed about that, too.

But probably my favorite memory of Coach was when his granddaughter Caryn brought him a little peanut butter dippin’ sticks snack. He handed me his and asked Caryn to please bring him another. Then we went on with our interview, dipping our cookie sticks in the peanut butter until that inevitable, sad moment when the cookies are gone but there is still a substantial amount of peanut butter left. Had I been alone, I’d have just gone for it without a second thought. But I knew I was in the presence of greatness, and I figured I should try to act professional. Maybe I was staring at it a little too wistfully, or maybe Coach was really just a big kid at heart. Whatever the case, he leaned over to me and said, conspiratorially: “Do you know what I like to do at this point? I can’t let all that good peanut butter go to waste. I bet you can’t, either.” And he hooked a finger into the cup to get out every last speck.

I’m too young to remember Coach Wooden, the ten-time National Champion. He retired several years before I was even born. The Coach Wooden I will remember is the one who cared more about the Special Olympics than another Presidential citation; who made everyone around him feel like the most important person in the room; who was more concerned about making people feel comfortable than he was about any real decorum or pretense; and who was genuinely kind, warm, funny, gentle, and loving to everyone he ever met – including me.

Thank you for allowing me to share a few of your precious days on this earth, Coach, and for being one of the most important mentors in my own life. You are loved, missed, and irreplaceable.

Bubba Speak

2010-06-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

Little David had just now started to do memory work. He has diddled with it before, but he never really wanted to memorize anything and I never wanted to push. But as we were working with Tot on this, he picked it up :)

"You must understand this, my dear brothers.
Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak, and slow to get angry."

James 1:19

So cute, I could just eat him right up :)

A Mustard Seed Seems So Little

2010-05-24T10:32:00.003-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

A friend that I love with all of my heart has recently had some pretty good conversations with me. I admire the fact that he and I can be so honest with each other and continue to press forward on our daily walk.

He really gets me thinking...

What do you do when the faith you proclaim doesn’t quite match up with the faith you possess?

I’d imagine you’ve had times (I know I have) when circumstances tested how much you actually believe what you’ve said (or sung in church) about God.

Ezra finds himself in exactly this place in a fascinating passage in Ezra 8 where he’s leading a wave of return from Israelite captivity. After being sent with a large group of Israelites from Babylon to Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes, Ezra gets to a section of the journey that’s especially conducive to ambush.

At first, he considers contacting Artaxerxes for a contingent of soldiers before progressing, but stops short. I love his honesty as he explains why:

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” (Ezra 8.22)

Nice.

In other words, Ezra had spoken confidently about God’s protection, so he didn’t want to look faithless and cowardly by coming back and asking the king for soldiers. “I’d talked the talk,” Ezra says in essence. “Now it’s time to walk the walk.”

And I love his solution in verse 23: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

Where’s the best place to go when faith in God wavers?

God.

May the faith we possess always match the faith we proclaim.

But when it doesn’t, may we be smart enough to talk to the One who already knows there’s a gap, and who can do something about it.

Just sayin'.

Tot Speak

2010-05-19T13:17:00.002-05:00

Upon hearing that she was not allowed to spit on the ground...

T: There are just so many rules!

UK: Sorry, Tot. That's the way it is.

T: (shakes her fist at the sky) I curse the day rules were made!

On Happiness

2010-05-17T08:04:00.003-05:00

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."

C. S. Lewis

Cure For The Common Life (Living In Your Sweet Spot)

2010-05-17T06:55:00.002-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

I am currently rippin' and rollin' through Lucado books. His style is uber-easy and everything is reduced to such simple terms that they make sense.

My supposition is that after years of reading so much German-scholar-grad-level stuff I am welcoming works like this. Who knows?

This work was done is 2005, I highly suggest you grab a copy of it.

Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot offers career counseling for those who want to make the most of the gifts God gave them.

Lucado challenges us to view our work as a spiritual calling. "[God] ordained your work as something good. Before he gave Adam a wife or a child, even before he gave Adam britches, God gave Adam a job."

Lucado emphasizes that God gave us all the gifts we need to do the job he created especially for us. He encourages readers to make a thorough assessment of their gifts and inclinations. Lucado includes a useful personal inventory - "The Sweet Spot Discovery Guide" - at the conclusion of the book to help his audience do just that.

A key point of Cure for the Common Life is that the work we do is our gift back to God. Our work is sacred and should be done for an "audience of One" who sees all and knows all. "What if everyone worked with God in mind? Suppose no one worked to satisfy self or please the bottom line, but everyone worked to please God." It certainly would make for some interesting changes. While we might not be able to change the whole world, we can begin by changing our own attitude.

Another useful chapter is directed toward parents. "Each year God gives millions of parents a gift, a brand-new baby. They tend to expect oranges, cellos, and plumbing tools. Heaven tends to distribute tomatoes, accordions, and paint supplies. Moms and dads face a decision. Make our children in our images? Or release our children to follow their God-given identities?" Lucado encourages parents to really study their children to discover where their God-given gifts lie and then encourage them accordingly.

Cure for the Common Life is a groovy book, loaded up with helpful advice and a fresh outlook on the role of work in our lives.

Will make you assess.

Just sayin'.

An open letter

2010-05-16T18:56:00.003-05:00

We’re here, even though you may not have noticed us. We don’t have anyone toddling up the aisle for Children’s Church. We don’t have a child in Sunday School. Or Mission Friends. Or Youth Choir. Or VBS. Or the church tee-ball league. But we are here.

Please don’t be offended if we don’t sign up on the nursery duty roster, or attend the class baby shower, or look uncomfortable during infant dedications, or come to church on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, two of the most difficult days of the year for people like us. It’s nothing personal –- against you anyway. It’s immensely personal for us.

Please don’t treat us like satellite members of the congregation. We’ve watched your children week after week, month after month, as they’ve grown up around us. We’ve seen them be promoted from grade to grade and applauded when they recited a memory verse for the congregation and later when they led a prayer. We’ve vicariously enjoyed their development for years.

Please don’t roll your eyes when we bring our spoiled dog to the church picnic.

Please don’t assume we lead a wild life full of expensive vacations and every night at a different restaurant or bar, hanging out until the wee hours of the morning just because we can. We don’t.

Please don’t label us as selfish, having chosen this life simply because we’re afraid of responsibility. We didn’t.

Please don’t offer commentary if you think our house is “So much space for just two people!” You probably don’t know about the office with the pink walls and empty crib stashed in the closet. You haven’t seen the boxes of folded up onesies and tiny shoes with the tags still attached that were hastily stashed in the attic after the latest round of bad news.

Please don’t remind us that, “You’re not getting any younger, you know.” We know. Believe me, we know.

Please don’t tease us when we’re holding someone else’s new baby by asking when it will be our turn.

Please don’t automatically assume that we want to hold someone else’s new baby.

Please don’t host children’s birthday parties where all of the families in the class with children are invited, and then spend the next Sunday laughing about inside jokes from the event.

Please don’t allow our adult class to become nothing but a discussion of our respective families. If this does happen, please don’t misinterpret our silence as apathy. If this persists, please don’t take it personally when we find another class.

Please don’t confuse “Christian man” or “Christian woman” with “Christian father” or “Christian mother.” They are not the same thing, and the former does not automatically presuppose the latter. Instead of making every sermon or every class lesson quite so role-specific, perhaps we could all just focus on being the best people we can be, regardless of the roles to which God has called us. Especially if they are roles that make our hearts ache with the burden they bring. Especially if they are roles whose cup we have prayed to pass from us. Especially if that cup hasn’t budged.

Please don’t mistake this letter as bitterness but rather, as testimony to the invisible families among you who are part of the Body but without a place in it.

Very sincerely and in the love of Christ,
The Childless Couple at your Church

Prophecy and Water

2010-05-14T08:33:00.003-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

I wonder if you’re like me on this: growing up listening to sermons, I heard a decent amount about prophecy. Enough, certainly, to know that a lot of Old Testament prophecies foretold certain things about Jesus and the church.

What I didn’t hear too much about was how most of those same prophecies also had meaning at the time they were spoken—a more literal, immediate application that was in many cases observed during the lifetime of the prophet.

Then, centuries later, the same prophecy would be more fully fulfilled in some larger event. If you’ve read the Bible much, you’ve seen this kind of language: “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet…” (Mt. 21.4-5). Those New Testament passages are great examples of the final/ultimate fulfillment of prophecies that were partially and initially tied to events hundreds of years before.

It helps for me to think of prophecy like a cup, and the foretold events like water. Most prophecies were “half-filled” within a relatively short time. Only later, when the larger meaning came to fruition, was the prophecy “full-filled.”

Prophecy or otherwise, I love how God layers His words—just when you think you’ve exhausted the meaning/significance of something He’s said, you realize there’s another layer to be discovered and explored.

Makes me wanna go crack open my Old Testament this morning.

Just sayin'.

Wednesday Workout

2010-05-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Going to the gym with this verse in mind this morning:

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."- Proverbs 11:2

Arms and Abs today!

Listening To: Johnny Cash and Hillsong

Daily Workout

2010-05-11T07:20:00.000-05:00

Going to the gym with this verse in mind--

"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!"- Psalm 105:4

Today is Chest and Back Day.

All Sets on Descending Reps 12,10,8,6

-Chest Flies
-Dumb Bell Press
-Decline Press
-Bench Press

-Shoulder Shrugs

-Back Rows
-Lat Press
-Back Extensions

Abs- 50 leg lifts, 50 dangling leg raises, 50 crunches, 50 decline sit ups

30 minutes of treadmill running.

Listening To: Hillsong United, Johnny Cash, and Jack Johnson

It Takes Time

2010-05-07T08:30:00.004-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

Uncovered an interesting tidbit this week. Apparently, the ancient Greeks had two words for “time”—chronos and kairos.

Chronos described sequential time—seconds, minutes, hours. (Hence, of course, our word chronological). Kairos, on the other hand, meant “the right or opportune moment.” More qualitative than chronos, kairos would have been closer to our word, timing.

Robert Dale makes a great point about these two nuances. Investing chronos well, he says, pays off in kairos. In other words, the more wisely we use our seconds, minutes, and hours, the more often the stars align and we find ourselves in the right place at the right time.

It’s the whole “overnight success” idea—there’s really no such thing. What there is is a culmination of hard work invested again and again that eventually creates conditions ripe for success. Timing takes time.

Kairos takes chronos.

Just sayin'.

Daily Workout

2010-05-07T07:14:00.000-05:00

I'll explain a little more of what I'm doing later, but I'm heading to the gym this morning with this verse in mind:

Luke 9:23- And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Looking to have less of me today, more of others.

On Giving

2010-05-06T15:24:00.002-05:00

"Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others."

St. Augustine

The Giving Tree

2010-05-06T10:31:00.001-05:00

As a little boy, the naivety of life reigned supreme. The very idea that a bigger meaning could be found in Horton Hears A Who or Where The Wild Things Are is absurd in the mind of a 5 year old. The stories didn't carry any abstract meaning. These were the real life explorations of Horton with The Whos, and Max on the Island with the monsters.

Where the Wild Things Are-- a simple matter of scientific fact and discovery.

The newest Dr. Seuss book was treated in the pre-school community with the same reverence the scientific community received the latest Carl Sagan theories (but I'll still take Seuss' conclusions over Sagan's to this very day).

Sesame Street-- I planned on moving there to be closer to my childhood friend, Mr. Snuffaluffagus after graduation from elementary school.

But, by the time I was six they were "just stories" to me-- a thought I believed was very sophisticated for my Kindergarten education.

Something happens over time to many little boys over time-- we forget that these stories that helped shaped our world-view as children end up playing out in real life, but without costumes and two dimensional consequences.

The story of The Giving Tree always struck me as a horribly sad story of what mankind can do to trees solely for their lumber. It made me want to go plant more trees and be very nice to the 3 or 4 stumps that had residence in our yard. It wasn't until after I turned 30 that I realized I had been living with the Giving Tree my whole life-- my dad.

Thomas Arnold Clark, Jr. is a man of few words. He doesn't find them much good except to communicate a direct point. Some may find his no non-sense approach to life abrasive or even cold, but if that's what someone knows about him, they're a person who places a high premium on words and are unable to inventory actions.

Under even extraordinary hardships physically, financially, and emotionally he has continued to be a rock in our family. He has bent over backwards to help take care of his grandchildren and his children. Even with a broken back, he recovered quickly, and continues to give of everything he has to help his family.

He is the Giving Tree. A real live one. A true story of a parent's love for their child. Through my dad, I have seen the face of God.

Patterning my attitude and my actions after him are something to which I aspire.

I just need to be able to show him how grateful I am for him instead of asking him to give one more branch.

I love you, Daddy.

Come Thirsty (No Heart Too Dry For His Touch)

2010-05-03T07:15:00.004-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

I just wrapped up Max Lucado's Come Thirsty. It's a work from 2004 and is 226 pages in length.

I could read Lucado all day. It's easy stuff, without being mindless. I've never picked up one of his books and had to set it down because it was too long or stocked full of hard info. That being said, I've never picked up one of his books that didn't bless my life.

Thirsty offers a long drink of cool water to parched throats and "dehydrated hearts" --- people whose faith has run dry as well as those whose faith was never watered very well in the first place. As with Lucado's other titles, this one is saturated with grace, that aspect of God's love that drenches us with a favor that is incapable of being earned or bought. It's ours for the taking, regardless of who we are or what we've done or how we think of ourselves, and it's central to all of Lucado's books. If we allow it to, he writes, grace will saturate our lives and become as inescapable as the water that surrounds us on all sides when we dive into a deep pool.

The metaphor of water permeates this book, and as always, Lucado squeezes every last drop of imagery out of that metaphor. The writing style is pure Lucado, which never disappoints. A master of the one-word sentence ("Society labels you like a can on an assembly line. Stupid. Unproductive…Quitter. Cheapskate."), the author gets his points across in pretty much the way you would expect him to if he were sitting in a rocking chair on your porch, shooting the breeze and just chillin'.

Also part of the Lucado appeal is his ability to tell a story and relate it to some spiritual truth. To illustrate the lengths to which people will go to save their lives, for example, he recounts the widely reported story of Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who amputated his own hand, which had been trapped under an 800-pound-boulder. "Upon hearing the footsteps of the Grim Reaper at your door, what price would you pay for an extension?" he asks. "Would you give your right hand?"

And he proves he still has a way with subtle and ironic humor. In the chapter "Hope for Tuckered Town" --- home of weary, unspiritual people who try to work their way to God --- the daily grind and drudgery of life is so boring that Lucado maintains "you'll find more excitement at an Amish prom." Following a delightful anecdote involving a lost pot-bellied pig, Lucado addresses the problem of our struggles, but not before getting in a jab about our tendency toward pettiness: "Perhaps your Rubik's Cube has a square that won't turn. If God is our guardian, why do bad things happen to us?"

Nearly half of the book is devoted to a reader's guide that is as much a Bible study as it is a discussion guide for Come Thirsty. Prepared by writer Steve Halliday, the guide combines a question and answer section with a "Drink Deeply" action step, all of which relates to a specific chapter. Those steps are as wide-ranging as watching the movie Les Miserables for the chapter "When Grace Goes Deep" to writing your own obituary for the chapter "When Death Becomes Birth."

Jesus invites people to "come thirsty and drink deeply," Lucado believes. That's not bad advice for the way to use this book as well.

This work will quench your thirst.

Just sayin'.

Guatemala Trip

2010-05-01T09:01:00.000-05:00

Our crew that traveled to Chimaltenango, Guatemala for a short mission and scouting project has returned safely to the states!

We gained very valuable information about the area and people who are in need there in the rural highlands. We plan more trips to that area in the coming months and years. We'll be posting pictures and stories as soon as we can.

A very busy month from our staff has resulted in some sparse posting by everyone other than The Unsinkable Kristen Chapman. A veritable cornucopia of stories and posts are coming at you this week.

Stealth Masseuse

2010-04-27T09:24:00.004-05:00

For Christmas this year, I gave Dave the gift of a one hour back massage every Sunday night for the rest of the year. It could have gone horribly wrong, of course. I could have forgotten to do it. I could have started the year off right and then just let busyness get in the way. But instead, we've protected this time and every Sunday night at 9:30 pm we close up the house, hop on the bed, turn the tv on, and I start the back massage.

I'm pretty proud of this gift for a few reasons: Dave carries almost all of his stress in his back and this is a good way for him to start the week a little better than he left it; like most men his love language is physical touch and all the massaging helps show him I like him, and the last reason - well, the last reason is completely, totally selfish and possibly the working of a criminal master mind.

While I back massage, I watch The Vampire Diaries.

Oh yeah.

While this hour long massage is happening, I am watching my Tivo-ed episode of The Vampire Diaries, possibly the most cheese-tastic show ever, with NO redeeming value, but lots of shirtless men brooding - Holla! (Yes, I just said Holla - roll with it.) Dave can not stand this show, so I don't make him watch it the day it comes on - that would be mean. But I have to watch it sometime, right? So, when Sunday night rolls around I turn on my show and he puts his face into the mattress and I massage his back for an hour while I watch. He would rather I be watching Mythbusters or something, but he's not going to argue while he's getting an entire hour of back massage, now will he? Nope, nope he won't. And you know he can't have his face in the mattress an entire hour, sometimes he catches glimpses of the screen, and of course he hears all of the dialogue.

You know what this means, right? Slowly, week-by-week, my master plan is working. Every now and then I hear:

"Hey, is that Damon or Stefen talking?"

"Now is this girl a vampire, too?"

"Wait, I thought she was dead."

"Is he wearing the ring that makes him unable to be killed? Where did he get that??"

Mwah ha ha ha ha....

Edited To Add: Dave wants the general populace to know that he does NOT watch Vampire Diaries for personal enjoyment, he is simply feigning interest to make me feel better :)

Do The Next Thing

2010-04-20T13:19:00.004-05:00

Oh friends, it's been a day. It's been a day already and it's barely past noon.

So far, my day has included waking up to find the children holding a mostly empty tray where 20+ No Bake Cookies had been before. Oh the gastrointestinal woes that awaited them (and me, by proxy). Little David spends the morning emptying the dress up box and every other box. Then while I talked with an AT&T repair man in our back yard (that I wasn't expecting) wearing my pajama pants and muddy cowboy boots, they woke up the (teething, fever running, no sleeping) Gator and hid her in Tot's room. As I escorted said AT&T repair man out of our (broken) gate past our (barking, muddy) dog, I see the children running around our front yard clad only in underwear and my shoes. And I still haven't found the Gator. I get them all inside, walk to Tot's room and find the entire room dismantled and the Gator hiding behind a pile of blankets. They are instructed to clean the room or there will be no mercy.
Tot runs in later while I'm unpacking a large box of curriculum that just arrived saying the duck was burned.

Wait, what?

Yes, they sat a stuffed duck on a lamp and Tot noticed it smoking and took it off immediately. House fire averted. We get the rooms cleaned up, lunch fixed, curriculum put away and then I realized that I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for Gator this morning that I completely forgot about.

The cherry on top of my proverbial stinky sundae.

And now it's naptime.

Things have finally quieted down and I have Chick Fil A on the way.

I am meditating on this :

Guatemala

2010-04-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

Our special missions task force team is heading down to Chimaltenango, Guatemala on a 5 day relief/scouting trip.

Chimaltenango is a rural area edging toward the western highlands. Bibles, clothes, school supplies, and a little medical attention are being sent down along with some very smart and caring people for distribution.

The team's secondary responsibility is getting prices for building materials, construction, and an exhaustive list of supplies needed to begin molding a permanent infrastructure there to allow the people there to determine their own future.

Pray for these women as they travel. Ask for safety, wisdom, discernment, and that the will of God be made known perfectly during their visit.

We'll follow up on that adventure when they return!

Have an excellent Monday!

Death Aint So Bad

2010-04-16T12:15:00.003-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

Saw a bit of teaching this week from John Ortberg about the themes explored in his new book, The Me I Want To Be. Ortberg always has great stuff to say.

The point of the book is this: When God gets a hold of you, His goal is not to change you into someone else. It’s to restore you to what you were always meant to be. He doesn’t just want to make you holier, He wants to make you “you-ier.”

So true.

But this is, admittedly, a complicated reality.

Take, for instance, the way Scripture describes God’s intent:

“We know that our old self was crucified.” (Rom. 6.6)
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Cor. 5.17)
At first glance, it seems like God intends to scrap me and make something better in my place. I stop being who I am. My personality, my skills, my interests, they’re all deleted and typed over.

But this isn’t true. Not exactly, at least.

As Ortberg points out, God does want me to die. He wants the person I’ve been to pass away. But the death He desires for me is actually death to a false self.

A false self.

The “me” that goes away wasn’t really “me” anyway—it was a messed up version of me. A me that had missed out on innate potential. A me that had traded a fabulous mission for ridiculous distractions. A me…that wasn’t me.That’s the self that dies at God’s hand. A false self.

And the me that remains and is nurtured by Christ is not some identity-less carbon copy of every other Christian, but a hand-tailored, absolutely unique creation that’s existed in God’s mind for ages now and is finally being realized.

God transforms me into the best version of me possible.

Makes dying sound pretty good.

Wednesday Day Notes

2010-04-14T05:29:00.000-05:00

By Travis Gable

Just a few notes for this Wednesday, April 14:

1. Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you.

2. Short word of advice on the day before April 15: Don’t try to do your tax return yourself. It is likely that your return is wrong, and just as likely that your refund isn’t as high as it could be. New credits (and complex rules regarding those credits) are being added constantly – you need a professional to help you navigate the stormy waters of income tax compliance. Ask a CPA for help. CPA’s rock. Just sayin’.

3. I read a short “gift book” a few years ago that laid out some simple maxims to consider regarding stewardship. In The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn throws these truth-bombs our way:

•God owns everything. I’m His money manager. We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted —not given to us.
•My heart always goes where I put God’s money. Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.
•Heaven, not earth, is my home. We are citizens of “a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).
•I should live not for the dot but for the line. From the dot—our present life on earth—extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.
•Giving is the only antidote to materialism. Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.
•God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving. God gives us more money than we need so we can give—generously.

Enjoy these little nuggets of wisdom. Allow your mind-grapes to get squished.

Grace and Peace to you All.

Through Painted Deserts

2010-04-12T08:40:00.005-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

This book was written in 2005 and is 253 pages in length.

Donald Miller is no stranger to the Christian world, or to my blog reviews! In 1998, he published Blue Like Jazz , which has become not only a best-seller, but a manifesto of the Emerging Church. Although his books are not as directly ideological as others in the Emerging scene, he puts those same ideas into narrative form and intersperses observations throughout his books which are geared for a more post-modern Christian.

Through Painted Deserts is even less propositional than Blue Like Jazz. So even if you don’t care about Miller’s ideas about life, you still may find the book enjoyable (if you stick with it). The book, simply put, is about Miller’s van trip from Houston, Texas to Portland, Oregon. He drives this route with his friend, Paul. Both seem to be on a journey of self-discovery and divine inquiry.

In the author’s note, Miller writes,

We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn’t it?

It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out.

I want to repeat one word for you:

Leave.

The theme of “leaving” permeates the early portion of the book. Miller and his friend, Paul, head out of Houston destined for Portland, Oregon. Miller leaves behind the city in which he lived, his friends, and his girlfriend.

As he leaves home, we are invited along to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch everything through Miller’s highly descriptive prose. If anything else, his narrative ability makes the book accessible and imaginative for the reader, even though there are times where you want to yell out, "STOP RAMBLING!" Often, Miller uses very poetic language to describe the events of the trip. On several occasions, their Volkswagen van breaks down and requires some sort of jerry-rig to restore some semblance of operation. Right before one of these incidents, we read an entertaining account that flirts with aspects of horror and comedy:

I can tell by the look on [Paul’s] face that he wants the van to die. It’s like a vengeance thing. This old heap has been kicking him around for months and now he’s killing it. Slowly, but surely, driving it into the ground. The engine light casts a demon-red glare in his eye. It’s like he’s possessed. (p. 49)

Vivid descriptions such as this give the reader a clear sense of the moment throughout the memoir.

Interspersed (yeah, I like that word today) throughout the novel are several reflections which indicate there is, in fact, a larger journey Miller is taking. This journey is not merely a matter of geographical re-location. On his website, he writes, “What you will find in Through Painted Deserts is the beginning of a long trail of walking away from home, from religion and from an American version of Christianity.” His exit from Texas parallels his departure from the spiritual infrastructure to which he has grown accustomed.

As he reaches Dallas, in chapter two, he reflects:

Dallas blew in on the wings of a Gulf coast hurricane and rained glass and steel onto a field of bluebonnets…A big, Republican, evangelical city where you can’t drink, girls wear black dresses for dates on Wednesday, and the goal is to join the local country club like your daddy and his daddy before him. When you build a city near no mountains and no ocean, you get materialism and traditional religion. People have too much time and lack inspiration. (p.21)

This passage, and many others like it, show much of Miller’s discomfort with the South. He slams institutionalized Christianity which tells him, “Here are the five keys to a successful marriage,” when he asks, “What is beauty?” (p. 10) Miller offers no certain alternative to this spiritual paradigm, instead focusing on emphasizing the question “Why?” as opposed to “How?” The spiritual environment in which he has grown up tells him that Christian faith is rooted in pragmatism, its exercise is merely expedient, and its rewards are purely materialistic.

I agree with some of Miller’s critiques. If I were an outsider to the South, I’m interested to see if I would agree with his observations and, inasmuch as I’ve grown up in “American Christianity”, I feel very sympathetic with his dislike of shallow pragmatism. It seems that self-help guides, the prosperity gospel, and cutesy little books attempting to answer vast questions are the big sellers in Christian bookstores.

Though I suspect Miller doesn’t intend to deceive his audience, at times he is too immersed in his own subjectivity to compel me to agree. I appreciate the depth of imagery with which he expresses his immediate situation; but in order to legitimate his struggles, he must ground them in reality, or at least address his own biases.

In fact, Miller mistakenly stereotypes Southerners similarly to the way he claims American evangelicals stereotype God. If you’re curious, I ask you to consider Miller’s claim that Dallas is a “big Republican” city. In 2004, one year before Miller’s book was published, Dallas voted for Bush over Kerry by 50.3% to 49%. But the nation as a whole voted for Bush by 51%! So Dallas is actually a tad bit left of center. Moreover, it would do well to remember that Multnomah county, which includes Miller’ current home, Portland, voted for Kerry overwhelmingly by about 71%, with only 27% voting for Bush.

Most of the time, Through Painted Deserts isn’t like this. It is, first and foremost, a story. But I cite this problem because it’s clearly indicative of one of the goals of Miller’s book (as well as others he has written): to create a dichotomy between conservative Christians who are almost always hypocritical and his own liberal, “spiritual” perspective, which supposedly lends itself to openness, thoughtfulness, and integrity.

It took me a while and a little bit of dedication, but I enjoyed the book. Miller is a good writer. You might enjoy it too, especially if you enjoy memoirs. I have a deep appreciation for Miller’s ability to write compelling stories about his life.

This is the first work of Miller that I have read and felt "drug" along at times, but I am glad I finished the work.

It says, as a tagline to the title "Light, God, Beauty On The Open Road." You were able to watch him transform and re-connect with God, the Father.

That helps me.

It

can

help

you.

Just sayin'.

Funny.True.Not-So-Funny.

2010-04-09T10:16:00.003-05:00

One of my friends introduced me to the YouTube phenomenon of recut movie trailers. Pretty funny stuff.

Check out You’ve Got Mail:

Or the reimagined Lord of The Rings:

One thought that comes to mind when these are viewed? People do this with the Bible all the time.

Combine a bunch of actual quotes from Scripture, some creativity, and a predetermined agenda, and voila—you can make the Bible say just about anything you want it to.

The best way to ensure you don’t buy that kind of rubbish (or teach it)? Context.

In Which I Recommend Running Products

2010-04-06T19:51:00.003-05:00

So, I've been running about 3 times a week for the last 2 1/2 months or so, and while I am by no means an expert - here are some things that I think you should look into if you are a beginning runner. Beginning Runner meaning that you walk a good portion of the time and you do this to have some semblance of alone time in an otherwise hectic life, not to become the next Marathon Man. Anyways, you don't need much, really just your own two feet. But here are some things that will help you along the way.

1. A Great Running Plan - I personally use this plan from Cool Runnings. Oops, I mean this plan. It's incremental, it's great for beginners who just don't know where to start and don't want to burn out.

2. Good Shoes - I would love to recommend something fancy, but all I can honestly recommend is something good and cushion-y. Not your old track shoes from high school.

3. Great Pants - Ladies, you will NOT regret these pants. You just won't. They are expensive and you don't need them, but you will love every minute in them.

4. Great Tunes - Get thee an iPod.

5. The Outdoors - For the love of all that is good, get off the tread mill and go run outside. Treadmills and gyms are great for when you simply can't be outdoors, but you just can't beat the real, live air blowing against your face and the natural ups and downs of the hills around you.

So there you have it. Like I said, not much - but those few things have take this distinctly non-running Mom of three into someone that regularly runs 3 miles 3 times a week. Not too shabby!

Velvet Elvis

2010-04-05T21:34:00.007-05:00

By: Taft Ayers

This book was written in 2005 and is 177 pages long. It is a very easy read and pretty rad. Yeah, I said rad.

Rob Bell, author of Velvet Elvis, and founding minister of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is concerned with motion. In particular, he is tired of seeing a stagnant church, stuck in what he likens to a painting of Elvis hanging in his basement. Bell's interpretation of this painting is that it represents well the king of rock and roll, but as merely one artist's interpretation, it is not the definitive painting in all of history. But what if the artist—or even its viewers—were convinced this painting was the only true painting ever done of Elvis?

According to Bell, this is what has happened to the Christian church—the church has bought into the fact that Christianity as we know and experience it is a painting that can neither be changed nor altered. And Bell wants that idea to change. This book, then, is for those who are also wrestling with the true definition of church, and of Christianity. It is a book for those “who need a fresh take on Jesus and what it means to live the kind of life he teaches us to live” (14). It is his “Velvet Elvis,” his “repainting of the Christian faith.”

Bell's repainting is meant to grab the reader's attention. His chapters are called “movements,” and his page numbers are placed vertically on the outside corner of each page with three digits always represented, even when the number is below 100, as in 033. The specific layout of various phrases and sentences are also strategically placed so that the more emphatic points are separate from the previous paragraph—beacons stranded in the middle of the page as though the phrase itself is a lighthouse pointing the reader to the solid grounding of the particular point he is trying to make. For instance, when Bell speaks of the Council of Nicea and the work they did to canonize the Scriptures in the fourth century, he writes:

At some point we have to have faith. Faith that God is capable of guiding people. Faith that God has not left us alone. Faith that the same Spirit who guided Paul and Peter and those people in a room in the 300's is still

with

us

today.

Guiding us, showing us, enlightening us. (68)

And this format is found on nearly every page of the book. This slightly unorthodox style, while certainly not an impediment to his work, can be misconstrued as an assumption by Bell that the reader cannot be left to pull out the aspects of his most important and most supporting arguments. And his desire to interest the reader in unconventional ways transcends the visual aspects of the book.

One of many strengths found in the book is the historical depth Bell brings to his writing. He is well versed in rabbinical history and teachings; he draws freely from the sixteenth century Reformation; and he is thoroughly steeped in Scripture. Yet in his reliance on such resources to support his thesis, he states that one cannot receive any of these teachings without asking pertinent questions.

As he writes, “every generation has to ask the difficult questions of what it means to be a Christian here and now, in this place, at this time” (13). And just as his writing style is meant to surprise and alarm the reader, so are his various questions and statements.

In the beginning of the book, Bell discusses the importance of perceiving doctrine as a mere indicator of the complexity of God. The doctrines of the Christian faith are not the point. “They help us understand the point, but they are a means and not an end. We take them seriously, and at the same time we keep them in proper perspective” (22). With this in mind, he questions various Christian doctrines such as the virgin birth of Christ, the Trinity, and the concept of sola scriptura or Scripture alone. At first glance these questions seem at the least preposterous and at the most, heretical. But as one continues to read, one easily discovers the truth to which he holds. Such questions serve—just as do the aesthetics of the book—to test our sensibilities, and ultimately to draw us back to Christ. Despite these seemingly outrageous claims, when one mines the depths of his words, the truth of Christ is easily found.

At the crux of Bell's ministry, his life, his argument, and his desire for the church is a simplification, a dressing down, an uncovering, or in his words, a repainting of Christianity. In a particularly revealing part of the book, where Bell is offering the reader a glimpse into his heart for ministry, we read this:

You have to understand that I started out playing in bands, back when alternative music was…alternative…I understood music to be the raw art form that comes from your guts.

Do it yourself.

Strip it down.

Bare bones.

Take away all the fluff and the hype.

This ethos heavily shaped my understandings of what church should be like: strip everything away and get down to the most basic elements. (98)

This is his vision for Christianity and the church—simply to be followers of Christ, testing, probing, healing, redeeming, or in his words, repainting.

Bell devotes the last section of the book to the redemption found in Christ: we are accepted just as we are, called holy, and given a new objective—to tell others of the hope found in Christ and the church. This redemption spreads beyond the self, and out into all of God's creation. As Christians we are called to bring this good news, this gospel, to all people. “So this reality, this reconciliation, is true for everybody,” says Bell. “Paul insisted that when Jesus died on the cross, he was reconciling ‘all things, in heaven and on earth, to God.'”

This is the reality into which Bell invites you. It's a reality that when stripped down to its most simplistic form is the Jesus that has been, is, and will be for all who believe in him.

Best book I have read in 2010. It will enhance your walk with God.

Just sayin'.

Tuesday Favorites: Random Edition

2010-03-30T13:54:00.006-05:00

Oh yes, it's Tuesday Favorites time. Now, since I write here every Tuesday, I won't make Tuesday favorites a weekly thing here. That would get boring pretty fast. But I will do this every so often just to let the general public know about some things that I am currently loving, or think you should currently love.

They are as follows:

1) Star Trek (2009) - Let me state first off that I am not a huge Star Trek fan. I've seen most of the movies because my parents liked Star Trek, but it's not really a driving force in my life. But this movie was awesome. AWESOME. And if you are one of the ten people who haven't seen this, dude, you are missing out. Great action, interesting plot, and super interesting way to make a new franchise out of an old one. Let me put it this way: I own almost every one of Jane Austen's books in movie form - I am not an action movie junkie. But I insisted we buy this the day it came out and we've watched it multiple times since and will be watching it tonight if I have my way about it.

2. Tucson - Yes, I just came back from a super rad girls weekend there, so I may be a little biased, but I really love this place. I love mountains? It has mountains. I love quiet? Friend, this place is quiet. I love cactus? There is a little thing here called Saguaro National Park, yes, a park devoted to cactus. There is phenomenal Mexican food, wide open skies, and a clear black sky at so you can see the stars. Get thee to Tucson and feel the Arizona Zen.

3. Lawn Mowing Season - Okay, I'll give you that this is a little more random than the other things, but it is SPRING in Texas and I am gloriously happy. The robins are out, the Bradford Pears have lost the blooms and have bright green leaves, and the sound of lawn mowers can be heard at every hour of the day from dawn till dusk. For me, Lawn Mowing Season means that winter is officially over and I can throw open my windows and smell the delicious smell of freshly cut grass and know that only good days are ahead. And lest you think my yard looks anything like the one pictured, we'll just say that limbs awaiting chipping are currently covering most of our backyard and I'm living vicariously through the sounds of my neighbors mowing.

4. Thinking Putty - Short description? Silly putty for grown ups. Long description? Only the coolest thing ever! We ordered a tin of this for Tot because I saw it advertised as a good distraction for kids that needed to fidget while learning. Tot is smart as a whip, but her attention goes haywire without something in her hands. So, when I am reading to her or having her read to me, I let her squeeze and pull the Thinking Putty to get the wiggles out. What is cool about this stuff is that it's silicone based, never dries out, always returns to a puddlish form, and comes in all sorts of forms: magnetic, heat sensitive, glow-in-the-dark, etc. Frankly, Tot only gets it now and then because I like to use it for tension relief. You get a handful of it in one tin and it's the best for squeezing the mad out :)

5. Cactus - I know I already mentioned this once, but I am having a serious case of Desert Love. Did you know that Saguaro cactus take up to 70 years before they grow one of their famous side arms? I know! I had no idea either. So when you see one of the iconic little beasties, you can know that it is old, old, old. And when it rains, the Saguaro soaks up water and looks visibly larger. See? I am full of cactus facts. Love me some cactus. As evidenced by the picture.

So there you have it! 5 things that I am loving this Tuesday. What are you loving today??

Saying versus doing

2010-03-24T14:57:00.005-05:00

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'

And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward, he regretted it and went.

The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, 'I will, sir'; but he did not go.

Which of the two did the will of his father?"

--Matthew 21:28-31a

On Work

2010-03-23T19:36:00.001-05:00

If the power to do hard work is not a skill, it's the best possible substitute for it.

- James A. Garfield

Dear Self

2010-03-23T13:13:00.004-05:00

Dear Self,

A slice of cheese, Ruffles potato chips, a cupcake and a Diet Dr Pepper is not a balanced lunch.

Yes, it is bad to let the kids sleep in clothes that they were recently playing in the dirt in.

Yes, the baby does need a new diaper cover. This one smells.

No, you can't eat another cupcake. 6 is too many.

No, you can't have a glass of wine at 10am. Yes, I know what the kids got into before 7am. Just because you've shown restraint doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Yes, you have to clean the bathroom today. When Little David stops peeing in the tub instead of the toilet, you can clean the bathroom less.

Yes, you have to fold all that laundry, too. It's getting ridiculous.

What? Of course I'm fun.

Okay fine.

Have another cupcake.

Love,

Your Unsinkable Self.

On Music

2010-03-22T10:46:00.001-05:00

Where words fail, music speaks

Hans Christian Anderson

Monday Morning Music Choices

2010-03-22T10:42:00.000-05:00

Remember when "highly rated" music meant "good" music?

I'm not a big fan of Billboard Top 10 music. I don't find it very listenable, interesting, or entertaining on any level; but that's just me.

I like to kick off each week by perusing iTunes and finding 5 songs I've always liked, or at least wanted to like. I call it my Monday Morning Music Choices.

Sometimes it'll have a theme, other will be as spastic as an episode of 30 Rock.

Hope your Monday is a great one!

1. Love Is A Battlefield- Pat Benatar- Great rock mantra for 80's chicks!

2. America The Beautiful- Keb' Mo' - If you haven't heard this stirring rendition of an old American classic, you should check it out. Not everyone likes it, but I thought it was unique and beautiful.

3. Bust A Move- Young MC- Love the beat. Forgot the lyrics aren't so great.

4 Alive- P.O.D.- Gets the blood pumping! Good message. Not what you'd expect from this genre of music.

5. Edge of Desire- John Mayer- Women love this guy. I don't understand.

Badges? We Don't Need No Stinking Badges.

2010-03-16T08:34:00.005-05:00

I was feeling pretty on top of my mothering game yesterday.

We had done all of our To Do's for the day, had school, ate a delicious dinner as a family, and Dave was off for his run. I looked at the clock, saw that it was barely 6pm and the sun was still shining bright. Heck. Yeah. How great of a day, right? All the checks checked and it's still daylight. We shouldn't let this great day go to waste inside - we should do something fun! So I loaded the Gator in the stroller and the big kids got their shoes and socks on, and off we went on a walk around the neighborhood. The older kids ran ahead of me laughing and smiling, stopping at all intersections and holding hands on the busy streets while Allie laughed along watching them. I decided I needed a badge. A Freaking Awesome Mother Badge.

You could probably see my smug.

As we neared the end of the walk, my motherly heart bursting with pride at my well planned day and well behaved crew, we walked past a friends home as she happened to exit the front door.

And all heck broke loose.

Tot and Little David screamed "JOOOOOYYYY!!!!!! We MIIISSSSEDDD YOOOOOUUU!!" and ran full speed up her driveway, ready to tackle her with hugs. At that very moment, Joy's freshly bathed kids walked outside as well, as Joy tried to tell them to go back inside so they wouldn't get dirty and I tried to calmly call Tot and David back to the sidewalk, which they ignored. Oh, and did I mention Joy was on the phone with her mom trying to do all of this quietly while my kids shrieked and hollared and she hadn't really even said hello to us? Yeah. As quick as you could say "No. No. NOOO!" the kids had all raced inside the house and I was running with the stroller up the driveway trying to get them out of the house and miming apologies to the still-on-phone Joy. I left Allie in the stroller at the front door, tried to grab my crazy fast running kids (swirling in different directions, of course) all while Joy tried to get off the phone, and then Little David runs back outside and tries to push the stroller down the driveway while I finally get a hold of Tot. I pull her outside, grab Little David's arm right before the stroller and Allie with it get away. I catch the stroller, bark at the kids to get their hands on the garage door and Don't you move a muscle. And then ever so sweetly I say "Oh hello Joy, we were just taking a walk. How're you doing?"

Sigh.

She laughed, and then chaos erupted again when her kids ran outside and for the next five minutes all four kids run in a circle shrieking bloody murder and laughing. My "Freaking Awesome Mother" badge definitely and publicly soiled, I succumbed to the moment and laughed along, realizing that while I may be able to control everything for a span within my own house, the kids will always, always go bat stinking crazy the second we see another human being.

Reasonable Faith

2010-03-15T15:43:00.006-05:00

I recently started collecting more Apologetics books. (I have tried to gather ones that I can stomach, not ones that are agenda-layden) I recently re-visited Dr. William Lane Craig’s Reasonable Faith, 3rd Edition. Dr. Craig is a well known Christian apologist, having effectively defended the Christian faith for many years on university campuses across Canada and the United States (and no doubt around the world).

Let me say right away that Reasonable Faith is not light reading. It is 400+ pages filled with deep philosophical discussions about issues in Christian apologetics. That being said, Dr. Craig’s book is excellent and well worth the effort.

It is divided into five parts with eight chapters: with Latin (I assume) in the titles, and my best guess translation in brackets since I don’t know latin but the words look familiar enough to guess)

Part One: De Fide (faith)

1. How do I know Christianity is True

Part Two: De Homine (man)

2. The Absurdity of Life Without God

Part Three: De Deo (God)

3. The Existence of God (I)

4. The Existence of God (II)

Part Four: De Creation (creation)

5. The Problem of Historical Knowledge

6. The Problem of Miracles

Part Five: De Christo (Christ)

7. The Self-Understanding of Jesus

8. The Resurrection of Jesus

For each chapter (combined in chapters 3&4), Craig gives a history of the development of Christian apologetics for the topic being discussed. I found it very helpful to see the development of thought over time, and to know that Christians have been discussing and defending the faith for a very long time. It is also helpful to understand that some current apologetics issues are rooted in centuries-old debates that keep resurfacing.

For example, the issue of whether or not miracles can happen relates to Deism, the idea that God exists but is basically uninvolved in His creation. In a Deist’s view of God, miracles are normally impossible. Today we often hear of Bible scholars who rule out large portions of the Bible as unhistorical. Their reason is because there is a miracle involved in the story, and that automatically disqualifies it as history, since miracles are impossible. Notice that there is no historical investigation done, it is just assumed that the story is untrue because they have already concluded that all miracles are impossible! It is then helpful to know that this way of thinking is rooted in Deism from two hundred years ago, and that while there are few who would call themselves Deists, today, their thinking still lurks behind the scholarly work of many Biblical scholars.

After giving a historical overview, Craig gives the state of the debate today, and gives his best arguments in defense of the Christian faith. He interacts with different viewpoints, and explains why he believes his argument is correct. Sometimes it can get a little confusing, such as when he gets into discussions of multiple universes, string cosmology, theories of how time works, probability calculus, and reasons why infinity does not work in reality as it does as a mathematical abstraction (with the bizarre Hilbert’s Hotel of infinite capacity creating paradoxes when people check in and out in certain patterns…if you care to know what this has to do with the existence of God, see chapter 3). By the end of the book I think I was starting to grasp the probability calculus, and it is pretty cool in giving strong evidence for the resurrection using mathematics that were not available back when the famous philosopher David Hume declared miracles to be impossible.

But if you are now thinking, there is no way I want to read this book with confusing stuff like that, please don’t be dismayed, there are lots of other parts of the book that are much more understandable. For example, I jumped to the last chapter on the resurrection when I was about halfway through the book, in preparation for the Easter season that is right around the corner. It was extremely helpful and interesting, and I made much use of it in prearing the message I will deliver then.

At the end of each chapter, Craig gives a ‘Practical Application’ section. I always enjoyed getting to this part, not only because it meant I was about to finish a long chapter, but because it was interesting to hear Dr. Craig’s less scholarly, more practical and more personal comments about the material he had just finished so meticulously presenting. He is very candid, admitting that some chapters have more practical value than others when dealing with everyday people. As a suggestion for improvement if he keeps doing new additions, I would say that the Practical Application section was much too short and I would not have minded if it had been several pages longer in each chapter. I would also suggest reading Greg Koukl’s much shorter book, Tactics , in combination with Reasonable Faith. Tactics gives very practical tools for how to use Christian apologetics information, such as the material contained in Reasonable Faith, in every day conversation, so that you don’t walk away from an evangelistic opportunity thinking of all the things you wished you had thought to say in the conversation.

In summary, as I said a the beginning of this review, Reasonable Faith is a excellent book on Christian apologetics. I am happy to recommend it to you.

Just sayin'.

On Unconditional Love

2010-03-15T12:31:00.000-05:00

Children need models rather than critics.

Joesph Joubert

Lighthouse Project

2010-03-15T12:28:00.001-05:00

We explored some of the frightening statistics surrounding Russian orphans last week. As part of our comprehensive plans to address the needs of orphans wherever they may be, we have incorporated a "front line" response to the single greatest need of all-- finding a "forever" home.

Every year several thousand American families travel to Russia in search of their child. The chances an orphan will be adopted in that scenario are 1 in 3,000,000. In any given year, a child's chances are 0.083%-- less than a tenth of a 1% chance. The Lighthouse Project, dramatically increases a child's odds of finding a home by bringing the child to America for a visit.

70%-- 7 in 10 children who are part of the Russian Orphan Lighthouse Project will be adopted!

A group of families interested in adopting, a busy week at church, 10 days, and $1,000 are the keys to changing the lives and futures of these children in a lasting way.

If you or your church are interested in hosting a group of 10-15 children, the 728b Foundation will help you integrate a trip into your existing church schedule, provide an avenue for fund raising, and set up a church coordinator in charge of gathering potential adoptive families.

Our other projects facilitate the medical, nutritional, educational, and financial needs of orphans and entire regions in developing and under-served nations; but loving family environments are the ideal situation-- they're just not "the norm" for the 143 million orphans living in the world right now.

Please join us in changing the world one child at a time!

If you'd like to learn more about the Lighthouse Project, or our family of projects addressing the vast needs of orphans, please contact us.

cameron@728b.org

On Life

2010-03-10T10:05:00.001-06:00

A beautiful life does not just happen, it is built daily by prayer, humility, sacrifice and love. May that beautiful life be yours always

Dennis Castillo

18 Months

2010-03-10T09:57:00.005-06:00

That's the life expectancy of an Orphan in Russia post-institution.

Many studies have been conducted on the long-term emotional and physical effects of the brutal culture surrounding the Russian Orphanage system, but the problem is that no "long term" data can be compiled. Simply put, not enough of them survive to do a comprehensive 5 or 10-year study. 18 months is just the median for life after the orphanage---but all research agrees that this time should be measured in months, not years.

Time-wise, 18 months is roughly the same as Pancreatic Cancer after diagnosis--except the quality of life is worse with a Russian Orphan:

-15% will succumb to suicide within 2 years.

-50% will begin abuse of alcohol and/or drugs within 6 months of leaving the orphanage.

-60% are involved in prostitution and organized crime within 12 months.

-10% become "productive" members of society-- the definition is sufficiently tailored for the research: having a job, not in jail, and still alive. Their life expectancy is 28-30 years of age.

-If a child is 6 years or older, and remains in the system, they have a 96% chance of being doomed to those statistics. Only 4% of children over the age of 6 are adopted.

In the 18 months between orphanage and grave, the next generation of orphans are birthed.

Seems like a problem with no solution-- but hope remains, and is provided by those willing to help.

The 728b Foundation is trying to be part of the solution with our own Harbor Project and partnering with the Lighthouse Project.

If you're interested in becoming part of the solution, we'll be explaining how over the next few days. It's way too long for one post.

On Food Selection

2010-03-09T08:18:00.001-06:00

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

Mark Twain

10 Things You Never Thought You'd See Your Child Eat

2010-03-09T07:27:00.007-06:00

1. Neosporin.

2. Neosporin with a side of Vapor Rub.

3. Half a cup of salt.

4. Two handfuls of plain blue cheese followed by orange juice.

5. An acrylic-painted Gingerbread Man. At 3am.

6. Ants.

7. Bananas dipped in BBQ sauce and Garlic sauce (from the pizza box you left out the night before).

8. Their own hair (found on the floor after a haircut, before you'd swept it up).

9. Eyeshadow.

10. Half a stick of butter.

And yes, my children have actually eaten every single one of these things. Plus a few more that were too gross to even write down. :)

Amos 5:21-24

2010-03-09T07:18:00.002-06:00

I can't stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want

On Reading

2010-03-08T10:17:00.001-06:00

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

Dr. Seuss

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

2010-03-08T09:31:00.003-06:00

This work was done by Jim Cymbala and was published in 1997. It is 182 pages long.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire is Cymbala’s story of God’s work in his own life and in the life of his church, the Brooklyn Tabernacle. His burden in the book is to convince the reader that God desires to answer the fervent prayers of His church. Many of the stories that Cymbala tells are wonderfully encouraging. It is good to be reminded of God’s ability and even desire to work powerfully and visibly in the lives of His people.

I was moved nearly to tears several times as Cymbala told of how God powerfully answered prayers and changed lives through the gospel. One of those stories (page 40 and following) contains a letter from Roberta, who tells of her terrible battle with drugs and depression. When she “finally hit bottom,” she drove to the Brooklyn Tabernacle and cried to God to save her. Now Roberta sings in the Tabernacle choir and is a faithful member of the church.

Cymbala tells of the time that Roberta was asked to give her testimony before the church. Her father was present that night. The story that this young woman had to share, Cymbala says, was not a pretty one, and certainly not one that a father would smile in pride to hear coming from his daughter’s lips. As she came to the most disturbing parts of her story, Roberta stopped, looked at her father, and said with tears in her eyes, “Daddy, I know this is hard for you to hear. But I have to say it, because it shows how Jesus can forgive the worst in a person’s life.”

Cymbala tells also of his own daughter Chrissy (pp.60-65), who rebelled against God and her family and disappeared into the streets of New York City. He writes passionately about that experience, and several times I found myself feeling the same pit in my stomach that he himself must have felt during those days.

One Tuesday night, Cymbala went to his church’s Tuesday night prayer meeting and asked the church to pray for Chrissy. They did. A few nights later, she showed up on the doorstep and collapsed into her father’s arms. “Daddy—Daddy—I’ve sinned against God. I’ve sinned against myself. I’ve sinned against you and Mommy. Please forgive me.” A few seconds later, Cymbala writes, she pulled back startled and said, “Daddy, who was praying for me? On Tuesday night, who was praying for me?” It had been the church.

I don’t know all the circumstances of those events, but I do know that those stories resonate with me. I love to hear stories like those of God’s love and forgiveness through Christ, maybe because they are so familiar to me. I have experienced that forgiveness myself, and I have watched other people in my life dissolve into those same tears that Roberta and Chrissy cried as they realized the forgiveness that was bought by Christ on the cross.

Maybe that’s why Cymbala’s stories so affect me. I recognize them.

I was glad to see that in all his stories of God’s faithfulness in growing the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Cymbala is determined to make sure that glory is given where it is due—to Christ.

The emphasis is refreshingly not on pragmatic ways to bring people into the church or effective strategies for developing a management structure.

Cymbala again and again points to Christ as the source of all good and blessing in a church, and he calls on the church to pray to God rather than revamp their worship band. It is a welcome emphasis.

I appreciate and rejoice with Cymbala that God has done wonderful things in his life and church through prayer. The lesson to be gained is that we should pray and preach. We should pray, like the apostles, that God will use the preaching of His Word to draw many to Christ.

This book will warm you up a bit. I'd read it.

Just sayin'.

On Perception

2010-03-05T15:33:00.002-06:00

We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking only to learn that it is God shaking them.

Charles West

Unchristian

2010-03-05T15:28:00.000-06:00

This book was completed in 2007, it is written by David Kinniman. It's 246 pages in length.

The title of the book, Unchristian, can be a little misleading if you don’t read the subtitle. In short, this book is about how a specific generation (defined as mosaics: 16-29 yr olds) thinks about modern American Christianity and it’s followers.

I will admit, I am always skeptical of this type of research because even if you surveyed 1 Million people, you're still not hitting everyone. Also, if you did this type of research for a project in H.S. or college, you and I both know how data can be manipulated to prove a predetermined theory.

With that said, you have two options when it comes to this book:

1. You can view it as an honest attempt to understand how followers of Christ are portraying Christianity...

or

2. You can choose to be looking at this book as another way to say that you know everything and no one can tell you anything you don’t know.

It's your call.

In their research, they basically came up with 6 basic themes that popped up repeatedly with the people who were surveyed, concerning Christianity and it’s followers in America.

1. We are Hypocritical.

2. We are too focused on getting converts. They (potential-converts) feel like we view them as "targets" and not people.

3. We are Anti-Homosexual. We are bigots towards homosexual people and their lifestyles.

4. We are Sheltered.

5. Too Political

6. Judgemental

After reading this book, I was both saddened by how we have managed to look so little like Christ as a church “universal”, but also determined to to my part as a preacher to equip and empower followers of Christ with a biblical-worldview that will help them change the course of where the church has been going.

Any Christian in 2010 with their eyes halfway open is seeing that discipleship is essential if we as a church are going to succeed in effectively representing Christ. I recommend that any person who desires to have an effective ministry past the next 5 years pick up this book.

Before I go, here are some quotes that I picked up from the book:

•Mosaics and busters are the ultimate “conversation generations.” Then want to discuss debate. and question everything.

•…we cannot simply dismiss the criticism of hypocrisy by saying “Christians are not perfect; they are just sinners just like anyone else.”

•One-third of the people who qualify as born-again Christians embrace this idea (that “avoiding sin” is the main goal of being a Christian)

•We rationalize that outsiders don’t want to become Christ followers because they can’t cut it. The truth is that few outsiders say they avoid Christianity because the moral standards are too restrictive.

•Older born-agains need to look more carefully at what Jesus teaches, that spiritual maturity is demonstrated in a life as an outcome of the condition of a person’s heart and soul, that behaviors follow belief.

•…younger born-again Christians need to take an honest assessment of their lives and realize that they are increasingly poor witnesses of a life and mind transformed by their faith.

•We cannot hope to shed our hypocritical label if our lifestyles offer no proof of the “fruit” of Christ-likeness.

•Rather than being genuinely interested in people for their friendship, we often seem like spiritual headhunters

•…we heard no favorable comments about street witnessing, where Christians intercept unknown passers-by to share the Good News.

•We are learning that one of the primary reasons that ministry to teenagers fails to produce a lasting faith is because they are not being taught to think.

•We do not look like Jesus to outsiders because we do not love outsiders like Jesus does.

•It is unChristian to lose your sense that every one’s fallen nature affects all aspects of his or her life, including sexuality, and to forget God’s command to love people in order to point them to Christ.

•Another reason sheltered faith is unappealing is that young adults resist simplistic answers. Mosaics and Busters relish mystery, uncertainty, and ambiguity. They are not bothered by contradiction or incongruities.

•…our choices to live a sheltered life often leaves us unable or unwilling to help people who need Jesus.

•If we allow the actions and attitudes of outsiders to shock us, we become either isolationists or crusaders, and neither extreme will have much influence on outsiders.

•Keep in mind that politics only gets you,so far. You change people’s lives most deeply by transforming their hearts, by helping them embrace a passionate, thoughtful, personal connection to Jesus.

This book will challenge you and the the way you converse/interact.

Just sayin'.

On Attitude

2010-03-03T17:03:00.001-06:00

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

Herm Albright

Starting Off Right

2010-03-03T16:57:00.002-06:00

I've spent 10,961 days on the earth. That's not very many. Only the last 6 of those days have I been able to figure out some keys to the overall happiness and success of each and every day.

I've always been a ~~morning~~ 8 hours of sleep person. My usual sunrise routine would include breakfast, internet reading, and working out. Every now and again, after I had eaten and checked email, I would read scripture, but it wasn't engrained into my day. That meant I usually ended up forgetting to read The Word altogether.

A little more than a week ago I realized that my priorities were reflected in my schedule; to make my priorities a priority, I would need to set my schedule "top down."

6 of the last 8 days I've been waking up at 5:00 AM with an unmovable determination to do absolutely nothing else before I read, pray, and spend time in meditation. As you might expect, I've found my attitude and approach to the day to be much more positive, loving, and reflective of the Savior I claim to represent. Usually the biggest improvements to my life have been implementing the tiniest and simplest of changes. This is no different.

The downside to this approach is what's happened on the two days I've missed my new routine. They were some of the worst days for my attitude in recent memory. The bad days have helped me reaffirm the absolute need for the first things first approach in my life.

If you feel you need a change in your daily routine, give this a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

On Adversity

2010-03-02T09:39:00.003-06:00

A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.

- English Proverb (All English proverbs are William Shakespeare writing anonymously)

Just Keep Swimming

2010-03-02T06:31:00.008-06:00

If you are a parent of a child ten or younger, I'm going to make a bet that you've seen Finding Nemo at least once. One of the best lines in that movie is Dory singing "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming". Can you even make something up that is more motivating than that? Nope, you can't. The tune is catchy, the words inspiring, and the message Godly. Yep, Godly. God is a God of perseverance; of pushing through the hard times. Pressing on towards the goal, you know.

When the kids are driving you bat stinking crazy and you have no idea how you are going to make it through dinner? Just keep swimming. You'll get there.

When you know that next week your spouse will be traveling and you'll have all the kids by yourself for days at a time and that is always when someone gets sick or hurt? Just keep swimming....and keep your insurance card close by.

When it's been raining for forty days and forty nights, and if it doesn't stop and dry up soon you will most likely shrivel up and die from lack of sunshine and a place for the kids to run around? Just keep swimming. It'll dry up soon.

When you've been potty training for what seems like years; maybe for actual, literal years, and your child calls you to the bathroom to show you that they did make it to the bathroom, and to prove it they fished a little something out of the toilet and laid it on the towel? Just keep swimming....and keep the 409 handy.

See what I mean? When you just keep swimming, you remember that all of life's irritations will pass. Maybe you'll swim a mile and they'll be gone. Maybe you'll swim a marathon and they'll be gone. But when you keep moving, you stop yourself from doing what never works: wallowing.

Wallowing never solved anything and just makes you annoying to be around. Better to be the fish, my friend.

So, be a fish today. Regardless of what you're looking at. If it seems insurmountable, if the list just seems too long or the kids too crazy, just keep swimming and do the next thing.

You'll make it, friend.

On Faith

2010-02-27T14:04:00.005-06:00

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Spiritual Life

2010-02-27T12:16:00.006-06:00

By Taft Ayers

What does it mean to be spiritual? The decisions that we make, the life that we are "called" to live and the God that many of us believe in are all things that pour in to our core values and ethical decisions.

That all sounds right....and then....we put our feet on the floor each morning. Our spirit is often very willing, while our flesh is ridiculously weak.

Here at 728b, you will find a group of people who are driven to help the lives of many that inhabit this planet with us. It's a group of people who are inspired, not by their own talents or pride, but by the grace of God and divine opportunities that He blesses us with daily.

As a "Spiritual Life" writer here on this blog, I don't proclaim to have all of the answers, I just humbly serve the One who does. I have made it my goal to read 52 books this year that will bring me closer to Him. I am reading them all with a personal challenge attached, I'll read NONE of them more than I will read my Bible. It's challenging me for sure, and I share those reviews and thoughts each Tuesday.

We also do a fun little gig (from the Bunkhouse) on Fridays. The former name is "Useless Fridays"...but the new format here will be bring you "Factious Fridays." Sound interesting? Log on each Friday(ish) to get a taste.

I pray that this finds you well. Add 728b to your "favorites" ... but more importantly, add it to your prayer list.

On Need

2010-02-24T20:25:00.006-06:00

Remember that you are needed. There is at least one important work to be done that will not be done unless you do it.

-Charles L. Allen

Financial Life

2010-02-24T20:22:00.004-06:00

By Travis Gable

Sometimes it seems that Congress moves at a snail’s pace when it comes to “doing the right thing”. Whether it be health care legislation or troop deployments in war zones, the in-fighting appears to go on forever; nothing gets done. But every now and then, perhaps once in a blue moon, Senators and Congressmen come together in agreement, and pass legislation as swiftly as can be expected. We saw it after 9/11, and they did it again last month. In response to the devastating earthquake that tore Port-Au-Prince apart, and the tremendous need for relief that followed, Congress searched for ways to encourage Americans to give generously and without delay.

So, on January 22, a special tax provision was passed to allow charitable contributions to organizations providing earthquake relief in Haiti, although actually made in 2010, to be deductible as a charitable contribution on your 2009 tax return. Since February 1 through April 15 is the height of “tax season”, Washington thought this might be a helpful nudge to spur Americans on to doing good.

So, if you donate to Haiti relief from January 11 through March 1, even by text message, you can deduct that donation, along with your other 2009 charitable giving, as an itemized deduction on your 2009 tax return. If you haven’t donated to Haiti relief, but you would like to, this week is the last week to do so and claim the donation on your 2009 return.

The estimates for rebuilding Haiti exceed $15 billion. American charities to date have raised a little over $1 billion. While $1 billion raised is a praiseworthy sum, the need is still great. If you have a close relationship with an organization that is providing Haiti relief, give to that charity. If you don’t, usaid.gov may be able to point you in the right direction.

Travis Gable is a CPA in Nashville, TN and sits as the 728b Foundation's Chairman of the Board of Directors. He and his wife Amy have one son, Mark.

On Family

2010-02-23T05:29:00.004-06:00

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.

- Richard L. Evans

Family Life

2010-02-23T05:24:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Family Life here on 728b! I'm Kristen and I'll be your fearless leader. Well, maybe not your fearless leader, but I'll be the one doing some of the writing anyway.

Family Life for me is a very busy thing right now. I've been married to a rather wonderful man, Dave, for almost 8 years and we have three children ages 5, 3, and 7 months. I am a stay at home mom and I home-school, use cloth diapers, make our baby food, and try a variety of other granola-type activities. I also spend way too much time on the internet, consume enough Diet Dr. Pepper that I may no longer be made mostly of water, and have a tendency to wear my pajamas until well past noon. It's all about balance, people.

We all know that every family works a little different and looks a little different. It's easy to get wrapped up in our own family unit and forget all the other families and situations out there. My hope here is that you will see a little in to my family life, how we roll and what we do, and that maybe you can see similarities in your own family. It's always nice to know we aren't alone.

And if you have ever caught yourself eating cookie dough in front of the fridge at 11pm, then trust me, you are totally not alone.

I was doing that 5 minutes ago.

On Love

2010-02-22T12:51:00.009-06:00

Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Mother Teresa

Our Daily Life Journal

2010-02-22T12:50:00.002-06:00

Welcome to "Beyond The Azure Blue", the blog of 728b.org.

As we encounter our daily lives, we wrestle with feelings of isolation and inadequacy while struggling to find purpose in what we may see as mundane.

We recognize that our walk in life is highly individualized, but the common threads that run through our shared "human condition" unite us in a powerful way.

Though our professions, locations and experiences differ greatly, we can learn much from and be truly motivated by those willing to share their journey. This blog is founded for the purposes of bringing lives together in way the encourages and arms us for our own journey.

Our writers will be contributing their candid thoughts and experiences on several different subjects: Spirituality, Family Life, Finances, Teaching, Adoption, Foreign Service, Medicine, and Life in general.

We will spend the next week or so introducing each writer, as well as acquainting you with the general format and content you can expect each and every week.

We hope you'll join us on the journey!