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| Friday, December 15, 2007 Do we love the new Toby Mac song - Made To Love? Do we ever!!!!!! We all rush to the radio to crank it up - love the words and message - and music is great too. Of course, the Winter Wonder Slam is in Ft. Myers tonight - and we are exercising restraint - Toby Mac, Hawk Nelson, The Afters I think - we should not spend ticket price - and we are dutifully doing book discussion on War of Words - so we have a good previous engagement excuse. Working on plans for Master's in Louisville in January. Thanks to many other folks, and the Lord - it seems that it will work out. Want to recommend an interesting book - maybe especially for fellows. Blue Like Jazz - Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality - by Donald Miller Let me know what you think if you get to read it. Blessings to all, L | | |
| Random Items Ordered books to give to friends dealing with cancer - haven't read it - but highly recommended by people who know lots more than I do: Outsmart Your Cancer - Alternative Non-Toxic Treatments That Work by Tanya Harter Pierce Helping my son with a speech on Redwall - I LOVE Redwall!! The author's (Brian Jacques) official website states that: "When someone comes to take your homeland and hurt your loved ones, you have no choice but to stand and fight!" He is a great writer - sharp, accurate picture of human nature - little woodland creatures wanting nothing more than to live their hobbity lives, and VERMIN rise up against them - to capture, enslave, terrorize - so they must have WARRIORS to defend them. It gets nowhere to just wish that everything could be peaceful and lovely - Tolkien said that (this is paraphrased) we fight exciting wars in order to live boring lives. Boring, being the loveliness of - normal - New apologetics website/forum - great discussions the past few days. Thanks to site creator/moderator. I love the exchange of ideas - digging into Scripture and theology. How can God be both merciful and just? We all deserve justice/wrath/death - God intervenes - and offers mercy to those who believe. God isn't merciful to everyone - only to those who believe - those who do not believe - keep getting the wrath/justice - that we all deserved. Scripture: "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will"
Hebrews 13:20-21 The picture I see with this is the chasm/abyss in LOTR - when Gandalf is falling with the Balrog - I see Jesus coming UP from the abyss - through the blood of the eternal covenant - and that reminds me of Patrick - telling the Irish pagans that they rightly understand that God requires a blood sacrifice for sin - and He has provided the sacrifice - being both just and merciful. Merry Almost, Almost Christmas to all, Blessings for the Way, LS | | |
| My friend, Sandy, shared with Bible Study small group this morning that she is undergoing surgery and treatment for cancer. Her attitude is so good. I so see Lord of The Rings in this. We would all rather - I think - me first on the list - sit at home by our cozy hobbit fire, and drink ale and tell stories with friends - than go on a perilous journey - yet that is so much the Christian life - and we know that Frodo got home safely - altho in a sense he gave his life for the purpose for which he was called- he could never return to a normal life. I want to be sure to have the right outlook - that the journey itself is largely unknown - possibly with wolves, orcs, Balrogs, enemies lurking around the bend (only with God's permission and control - Job Ch. 1-2) - but with God's promise to deliver us safely to His kingdom - through whatever perils - through whatever means. There are times of refreshing for body and spirit - and often a fellowship of companions to face the journey with you - always God. Our Bible Study "teacher" is a precious woman, who has earned the right of the platform - and is able to speak the truth of the Scriptures boldly - in a winsome way that doesn't cause offense. In Romans 5 - stated so clearly that we were helpless, powerless to save ourselves - from Ephesians - we were DEAD - and dead folks can't do anything - even believe - unless God, through His grace comes to them first. I feel so strongly that God's character is defamed and misinterpreted - like Job's friends - when His ways are misrepresented. I must focus on the duties of the day - spelliing, helping with an Expos - a monumental task - ready for FUSION I am thankful for all of the companions whom God has provided to me - in all of you. Hugs, LS | | |
| Greetings to all -Election Day tomorrow - will be interesting to see how the country votes. Grat article in October 28 issue of WORLD Magazine "Go Out and Vote" - by Marvin Olasky - the part that really caught my attention was his quote from Calvin's Institutes about the existence of "some who deny that a commonwealth is duly framed which neglects the political system of Moses, and is ruled by the common laws of nations" Calvin then wrote that this view is "perilous and seditious..false and foolish" Legislators should pay attention to "times, places, and nation...For the Lord through the hand of Moses did not give that law to be proclaimed among all nations and to be in force everywhere." Calvin opposed the idea that ancient Israel's legal code should be transplanted into different societies. The Westminster Confession of Faith notes that the laws of ancient israel "expired together with the state of that people". Article goes on to say that Christians don't have to apologize for or defend biblical references to stoning for sin, etc. These were commands given under specific hisstorical circumstances for a land designated as the Holy Land. Today, Christians should work with non-Christians to promote national security and protect innocent life, but the experience of ancient Israel taught that until Christ's return we cannot have a Holy Land, because sin comes from within. Francis Schaeffer advised that we need to form "co-belligerent" alliances with non-Christians. Blessed Monday to all - and closing with the quote for the day: "Never forget that only dead fish swin with the stream" Malcolm Muggeridge I love that!! | | |
| Greetings to all - our Christmas cheer is up all over the house. Artificial tree of course - hubby finally build a world class tree stand from 2X4's and nailed the base of the tree to it. Tree is heavy - fell over several times last year - in cheapy little metal stand - with all ornaments - never again! Made some phone calls from Republican Headquarters yesterday - got caught up in visit by Charlie Crist - which I hadn't known about in advance. Interesting to see just a glimpse of how the political machine has to work. Early voting is a good deal. Sad to see polls saying that Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania may not be able to catch up - his speech on "The Gathering Storm" is so important. A friend sent a newsletter by very interesting fellow - they sell grass fed beef - I just e-mailed their address to ask to subscribe to the newsletter. The latest one is worth reading. goodmeat@slanker.com Website seems to be www.slankersgrassfedmeats.com I haven't looked at website - but letter was good. Blessings to all, L | | |
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