When Forgetting Is a Sin

Many who know me know that I often have a problem of remembering things. This has proved helpful and hurtful in my marriage with Derek. Helpful - it is difficult to hold grudges against Derek if I can't remember the offense. Hurtful - if I forget important pieces of information or things important to Derek.

And while not minimizing the ways I have hurt Derek in my forgetfulness, there is a kind of forgetting that is infinitely more serious and hurtful - forgetting God.

This morning in my devotions, I read Psalm 78, and it recounts the many times and ways Israel sinned against God during their wilderness wanderings. It begins, though, by telling how to not be like them:

"We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done" (v. 4).

"...Arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God" (v. 6-7)

But here is what Israel did...

"They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them" (v. 11).

"They did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power" (v. 22).

"...despite his wonders, they did not believe" (v. 32).

"They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe" (v. 42).

O, to remember! I don't want to be like the Israelites in their forgetfulness, although I wonder how much I really am. How often do I tell about God's glorious deed and might or recall his wonders and power? I am thankful for a merciful God who does not consume my for my short-term memory! And I am thankful for the tangible example I have in Derek, who shows me mercy on a daily basis amidst all my shortcomings.

Happiness Depends On...

The following is an incredible blog post from our team leader in Zambia, Tim Hilty. Please take the time to read about how our brothers and sisters in Zambia are fighting the fight of faith in the midst of difficult times.
Last week a pastor in our mission’s pastors training classes passed through what most American’s would consider a tragedy. His wife gave birth to a baby boy via an emergency C-section operation. During the operation doctors and nurses told him to go home and wait for the outcome. They told him that the procedure was 50/50 survival for wife and child.

The next morning he returned to the hospital and found wonderful news waiting. His wife and child were okay… His boy was born with birth defects but the prognosis for future procedures seemed good. A week passed and all seemed well… He and his wife were exhausted from taking care of a newborn and recovering from the invasive surgery. Friday night they went to sleep and in the morning they found the baby struggling to breath.

They rushed to the government hospital but their son died on the way. The doctors pronounced the child BID (Brought In Dead). What started out as just another morning turned into a visit to the police, mortuary and hasty funeral service. In Zambia, children who are days / weeks old are not given the typical funeral. The pastor and his wife had not yet given the boy a name so the government documents indicated “son of…” Within hours, the death had been processed by the authorities and burial plot was given to the family in crisis. By 13 hrs. that afternoon, everything was finalized. The pastor and his wife returned to their home, stunned and exhausted.

I visited them the following day and sat with them in their home, me being mostly quiet. Lots of family members were packed into every room of the small house. Mothers, sisters, nieces, uncles sat on the floor and we all sat in silence. Communication was evident, soul to soul, spirit to spirit. Being surrounded by community like that would have been uncomfortable to me if I were the one loosing a child. I would probably want to be left alone. Not so in Zambia, the community shows profound solidarity and draws close to the grieving.

Looking around the room I saw the faces… and wondered how the happenings of the day before could possibly be true. The pastor was warm and appreciative of me passing through his place. He shared with me his deep conviction of the “supremacy of Christ” even in the midst of loss. He shared how he felt the tangible comfort of his Savior. As he talked I glanced over at his front door… A paper had been posted there at eye-level – no doubt put there deliberately. I’ll never forget what it read:

“Happiness depends on happenings, joy depends on Jesus.”

Already, the pastor had begun his fight for joy… in the midst of everything he had decided to soldier on.

Dog and Cat Theology

I was reminded of "dog and cat theology" this morning when I read my Bible. If you've never heard of this theology, here is an example...

Dog: "You feed me, you pet me, you play with me, you love me. You must be God."

Cat: "You feed me, you pet me, you play with me, you love me. I must be God."

Psalm 40:5 says, "You have multiplied, O Lord my God, you wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with YOU!" Oh, for a more God-centered theology and way of life.

Just for fun, here is a rare photo from the past. And yes, that is ME holding a dog (for all of you who know my aversion to animals).

Encourage Yourself in the Lord

When Derek and I were in Zambia last summer, we got to know John Chitambo, who will be our partner in crime (uh, ministry) with the CROSS project when we return, Lord willing. Though our time was short, we really enjoyed our time with John and feel blessed that we will get to work with him.

Something John said to us has stuck with me over the last 6 months. During our trip to the bush for a few days to do a CROSS "conference," there were a few things that didn't go as planned. For most people who live in a place like Zambia, they get used to things not going as planned. Someone once told me, "In Zambia, we expect suffering - it is the life we live."

So, on our trip to the bush whenever things went "wrong" (i.e. not according to our plan), John would graciously remind us, "You just have to encourage yourself in the Lord." It almost got to be a joke as we rode along the bumpy rode with choruses of:

John: "God is good!?!"

Us: "All the time!"

John: "All the time!?!"

Us: "God is good!"

John: "Hallelujah!?!"

Us: "Amen!"

John: "You just have to encourage yourself in the Lord."

Maybe you're wondering why that has continually come back to me over the last 6 months. Well, John is a typical Zambian, in that he knows what it means to suffer. Having already seen his first wife die and now facing the daily trials of his 20-year old son battling kidney failure, it just means more when he tells us how every day he needs to encourage himself in the Lord.

Lately, God has been showing me verses in the Bible along the same lines as John's motto:

"Be glad in the Lord." Ps. 32:11

"Delight yourself in the Lord." Ps. 37:4

"Hope in God." Ps. 42:5, 11

"Rejoice in the Lord." Phil. 3:1, 4:4

Notice a theme? God is the source of our encouragement, gladness, delight, hope, and joy. "When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul." (Ps. 94:19) That's why we can sing "When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay."

So, wherever you're at, hear the words of John Chitambo and "Encourage yourself in the Lord."

Omnivorous Attentiveness

I just learned that phrase in Pastor John's talk about C.S. Lewis at the recent DG Pastor's Conference. This is what he means by omnivorous attentiveness:

"To wake up in the morning and to be aware of the firmness of the mattress, the warmth of the sun’s rays, the sound of the clock ticking, the coldness of the wooden floor, the wetness of the water in the sink, the sheer being of things (quiddity as he called it). And not just to be aware but to wonder. To be amazed that the water is wet. It did not have to be wet. If there were no such thing as water, and one day some one showed it to you, you would simply be astonished."

When I was taking anatomy and physiology I learned so many incredible things about the human body - one of which was a chemical or neurotransmitter (I can't remember) that basically prevents people from going crazy due to over-stimulation. If we were constantly aware of all the stimuli bombarding our bodies, we would all go crazy. Think about it - consider what your eyes see right now, including in the periphery. Now feel the air enter your body and your lungs expand as you breathe. What are your fingers and toes touching? How does it feel to be sitting on whatever kind of surface you're sitting on? Did you notice the feel of your clothes against your skin?

And on and on the list could go. God gave us the ability to feel all of these things as well as the ability to not feel them all at once and go crazy. But it is good to be aware - to be omnivorously attentive to all of these things...and then to "ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name" (Ps. 29:2) for all of his good gifts.

Give To Everyone Who Asks Of You

While living in Zambia before, I frequently came in contact with people who asked me for things...like money. I wanted to honor Jesus' command to "give to everyone who asks of you," so I quickly realized that I needed to get creative in how I gave, because I didn't even have 20 Kwacha (1/4 cent) for everyone who would ask.

I don't think that the president of Senegal was thinking of Jesus' command, but he definitely got creative in giving to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. He offered free land to any of the victims who would want to voluntarily repatriate back to Senegal. Thankfully, they made sure to clarify that "it would be in a fertile part of the country rather than in its parched deserts."

Blessed Are The Poor {In Spirit}

At Bethlehem, we have a church-wide Bible memory program called "Fighter Verses." Fighter Verses are short passages of Scripture selected to equip the believer in the fight of faith. This year, the plan is to memorize the Sermon on the Mount.

I stink at Bible memory and always want to do better. But this year, I am resolved to memorize Matthew 5:3-7:27. I have changed my Bible reading plan this year, which I am hoping and praying will make the difference in succeeding with my resolution.

Anyways, this week as I was reciting the verses, I forgot a couple words, and the difference really got me thinking. See if you can catch the words I left out (and whatever you do, DON'T look at the title of this blog!): "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3.

Just for a second, ponder if that statement was true. For starters, we Americans wouldn't have a chance at having the kingdom of heaven. But one's possession (or lack thereof) of riches actually has nothing to do with having the kingdom of heaven.

As the verse really goes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." To be poor in spirit has everything to do with spiritual state. Charles Finney lists several aspects of being poor in spirit: to "understand our own guilt and helplessness"; "that nearly the whole power of the sensibility continually tends to selfishness"; "a realizing conviction of being shut up to the grace of God for help"; "a conviction that we are shut up to faith in Christ as the only possible way of obtaining help"; "a deep and abiding sense of the absolute need we are in of a Savior from our utter wickedness, helpless and just condemnation".

So, blessed are those people. Blessed, because they have found Christ as their treasure and not themselves...or their wealth (or lack thereof).

Need More Joy?

January 1, 1995
By John Piper

1. Realize that authentic joy in God is a gift.

2. Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly.

3. Resolve to attack all known sin in your life.

4. Learn the secret of gutsy guilt - how to fight like a justified sinner.

5. Realize that the battle is primarily a fight to see God for who he is.

6. Meditate on the Word of God day and night.

7. Pray earnestly and continually for open heart-eyes and an inclination for God.

8. Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself.

9. Spend time with God-saturated people who help you see God and fight the fight.

10. Be patient in the night of God's seeming absence.

11. Get the rest and exercise proper diet that your body was designed by God to have.

12. Make a proper use of God's revelation in nature.

13. Read great books about God and biographies of great saints.

14. Do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others (witness and mercy).

15. Get a global vision for the cause of Christ and pour yourself out for the unreached.

30 Years Ago Today: How God Called John Piper to Become a Pastor

on Justin Taylor's blog, Between Two Worlds (follow the link to see a great picture)

In May of 1979 John Piper had completed his sixth year of teaching biblical studies at Bethel College (Saint Paul, MN) and was due for a sabbatical in the fall. In every class Piper had encountered students who sought to discount his Calvinistic interpretation of Romans 9. So he had one aim for his eight-month leave: “to study Romans 9 and write a book on it that would settle, in my own mind, the meaning of these verses.” Or put differently, “to analyze God’s words so closely and construe them so carefully that I could write a book that would be compelling and stand the test of time.”

The book–which Richard Muller would call “the most compelling and forceful exposition of Romans 9:1-23 I have ever seen”–was published four years later by Baker as The Justification of God.

But God had more designs for this sabbatical than the production of a book. He would use this time to call Piper away from being a professor to become a pastor.

Piper enjoyed college teaching in many ways. In addition to teaching through a number of New Testament books using an exegetical methodology called arcing, Piper was seeing the lives of some of his students transformed. He even saw some students converted in his NT History classes. And he was also involved at his local church, teaching a rapidly growing young-adults class at Olivet Baptist Church in Crystal, MN. Students unable to take his classes at Bethel (due to enrollment caps) were coming to hear him teach Sunday School.

But during his sabbatical a new desire was emerging: “to see the word of God applied across a broader range of problems in people’s lives and a broader range of ages.” In other words, he increasing longed “to address a flock week after week and try to draw them in . . . to an experience of God that gives them more joy in him than they have in anything else and thus magnifies Christ.” And he found that in studying the majestic, free, and sovereign God of Romans 9 day after day his “analysis merged into worship.”

The decisive night of wrestling was on Monday, October 14, 1979—30 years ago today. His wife and two young sons were asleep. But Piper was up past midnight, writing in his journal, recording the direction God was irresistibly drawing him to.

The journal entry for that evening begins in this way:

I am closer tonight to actually deciding to resign at Bethel and take a pastorate than I have ever been. . . .

The urge is almost overwhelming. It takes this form: I am enthralled by the reality of God and the power of his Word to create authentic people.

In effect the Lord was saying to him:

I will not simply be analyzed; I will be adored.

I will not simply be pondered; I will be proclaimed.

My sovereignty is not simply to be scrutinized; it is to be heralded.

It is not grist for the mill of controversy; it is gospel for sinners who know that their only hope is the sovereign triumph of God’s grace over their rebellious will.

The calling to preach and pastor had become irresistible.

Bethel was operated by the Baptist General Conference, which had its roots in Swedish Pietism. Piper sought the counsel of Dick Turnwall, Executive Minister of the Minnesota Baptist Conference, and they met together in Turnwall’s office just a mile or so down the road from Bethel. Piper had a number of counts against him as a pastoral candidate: he was young, had no pastoral experience, had intentionally skipped all of the practical courses in seminary–and had no Swedish heritage. But Turnwall encouraged him to fill out a ministerial form, and Piper sent it to Warren Magnuson, General Secretary of the denomination. And then he waited.

Bethlehem Baptist Church, located in downtown Minneapolis, had been searching for a pastor since the retirement of Bruce Fleming. It was originally known as the First Swedish Baptist Church of Minneapolis in 1871, but had moved to English services by 1930.

By 1980 it was an aging congregation: of the 750 members, 279 were over the age of 65, and 108 of those were over the age of 80.

Turnwall put in a call to Marvin Anderson, chairman of the church and a history professor at Bethel Seminary, to inform him of Piper’s availability as a candidate for pastor.

Two members of the search committee were sent to observe Piper’s Sunday School class. They reported back to the rest of the committee that Bethlehem may have just found their new pastor.

Anderson called Piper, and on Friday, December 7, John and Noël met with the search committee at the Andersons’ home in Shoreview, MN, along with other members of the search committee and their spouses: Char Ransom, Marlene Johnson, Olive Nelson, Ozzie (Floyd) Nelson, Jim Backlin, Rollin Erickson, and Clarence Ohman (chairman of the deacon board). The following Wednesday Noël would give birth to their third son.

After meeting with Piper two or three times a week for a month, he became Bethlehem’s candidate.

At some point in the process John had told his father, Bill Piper, about his sense of God’s calling. A 55-year-old itinerant evangelist, Dr. Piper had been preaching the gospel for 40 years and had been in countless churches throughout the United States. He knew both the promise and the perils that would await a pastor. So he wrote his son a two-page letter in response, seeking to make sure the call was genuine and that his son was realistic, not idealistic, in his expectations. Here is an excerpt:

Now I want you to remember a few things about the pastorate. Being a pastor today involves more than merely teaching and preaching. You’ll be the comforter of the fatherless and the widow. You’ll counsel constantly with those whose homes and hearts are broken. You’ll have to handle divorce problems and a thousand marital situations. You’ll have to exhort and advise young people involved in sordid and illicit sex, with drugs and violence. You’ll have to visit the hospitals, the shut-ins, the elderly. A mountain of problems will be laid on your shoulders and at your doorstep.

And then there’s the heartache of ministering to a weak and carnal and worldly, apathetic group of professing Christians, very few of whom will be found trustworthy and dependable.

Then there a hundred administrative responsibilities as pastor. You’re the generator and sometimes the janitor. The church will look to you for guidance in building programs, church growth, youth activities, outreach, extra services, etc. You’ll be called upon to arbitrate all kinds of problems. At times you will feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Many pastors have broken under the strain.

If the Lord has called you, these things will not deter nor dismay you. But I wanted you to know the whole picture. As in all of our Lord’s work there will be a thousand compensations. You’ll see that people trust Christ as Savior and Lord. You’ll see these grow in the knowledge of Christ and his Word. You’ll witness saints enabled by your preaching to face all manner of tests. You’ll see God at work in human lives, and there is no joy comparable to this. Just ask yourself, son, if you are prepared not only to preach and teach, but also to weep over men’s souls, to care for the sick and dying, and to bear the burdens carried today by the saints of God.

No matter what, I’ll back you all the way with my encouragement and prayers.

On January 27, 1980, John Piper was presented to the congregation as a candidate to become their pastor. You can listen online to his 32-minute sermon from that morning, which he preached on Philippians 1:12-14, 19-26. He closed the sermon with application to his own calling:

Right now in my own life, I stand on the brink of a professional change. I really love my job at Bethel College. It is very rewarding. When I see students out there who are in my 1 Corinthians class, it makes me very glad.

One of the ways God has said to me “Move Piper,” is this: when I read Philippians 1:19-26, there is in me a tremendous longing. Last October it became an irresistible longing to be an instrument in God’s hands to fulfill these goals in a local church.

At this point in my life I say, and I believe God is saying to me, “The potential, Piper, for magnifying me is greater now in the pastorate than in the professorship.” That’s why the move. When I become a pastor, I am going to have one all-encompassing goal, a very simple goal, that in nothing I might be ashamed but that in everything I might magnify Christ whether by life or by death. To that end, I aim at three things.

I will aim to love Christ with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength. Because when I die in the midst of my ministry and say farewell to a beloved flock and a cherished family, I want to be able to believe that it is gain. And in my dying I want to be able to bear witness to a church that Christ is great indeed and worthy of all our trust.
While I live and minister, my goal is going to be to make the people glad in God. Woe to the pastor who uses his position to hammer year after year in chiseling out a hard sour people! He has forgotten his calling. “I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your advancement and your joy of faith.”
Since joy comes from faith, and faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God, it will have to be my main goal–my tremendously fulfilling and joyful goal–to feed that flock the Word of God every week, week in and week out. I will pray that Jesus’ words will become fulfilled in my words. The banner of every sermon I preach will be this: “My words I have spoken to you in order that my joy might be in you and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).
That evening Piper delivered a 20-minute testimony of sorts, designed to introduce himself to the people by explaining the major influencers in his life–mainly his father and mother, but also formative teachers like Clyde Kilby and Daniel Fuller.

The people of Bethlehem voted soon after, and elected John Piper to be their thirteenth pastor. In June the Pipers and their three boys moved to Minneapolis, buying a house within a half mile of the church. And on July 13 he preached his installation sermon, The Wisdom of Men and the Power of God, from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. Among the words that this young shepherd delivered to his aging flock were these:

I come to you as your pastor today with weaknesses (which you will learn soon enough) and in much fear and trembling. Not that I distrust the power and promise of God but that I distrust myself. Not so much that I will fail—as the world counts failure—but that I might succeed in my own strength and wisdom and so fail as God counts failure.

Years later Piper recounted a moment from his early days at Bethlehem:

. . . I stood in front of the glassed-in case of “pastors’ pictures” in the second-floor hallway of the “B” building. I was a brand new pastor. I looked at the two longest pastorates in Bethlehem’s 109-year history and thought, “Maybe God would keep me faithful long enough to be here that long.”

God, in his sovereign kindness, has answered that prayer.

I thank God that he has kept John Piper faithful, and I pray that he would continue to do so until Christ returns or Christ calls him home.

Thank you, Lord, for the decisive calling you did in his heart, 30 years ago this evening.

Quote of the Week (Blast from the Past)

In the November 10, 1993 Bethlehem Star, John Piper wrote:

Job 6:26

Do you think that you can reprove words,
when the speech of a despairing man is wind?

In grief and pain and despair people often say things they otherwise would not say. They paint reality with darker strokes than they will paint it tomorrow when the sun comes up. They sing in minor keys and talk as though that is the only music. They see clouds only and speak as if there were no sky.

They say, “Where is God?” Or: “There is no use to go on.” Or: “Nothing makes any sense.” Or: There’s no hope for me.” Or: “If God were good this couldn’t have happened.”

What shall we do with these words?

Job says that we do not need to reprove them. These words are wind, or literally “for the wind.” They will be quickly blown away. There will come a turn in circumstances and the despairing person will waken from the dark night and regret hasty words.

Therefore, the point is, let us not spend our time and energy reproving such words. They will be blown away of themselves on the wind. One need not clip the leaves in autumn. It is a wasted effort. They will soon blow off of themselves.

O how quickly we are given to defending God, or sometimes the truth, from words that are only for the wind. If we had discernment we could tell the difference between the words with roots and the words blowing in the wind.

There are words with roots in deep error and deep evil. But not all grey words get their color from a black heart. Some are colored mainly by the pain, the despair. What you hear is not the deepest thing within. There is something real within where they come from. But it is temporary—like a passing infection—real, painful, but not the true person.

Let us learn to discern whether the words spoken against us or against God or against the truth are merely for the wind—spoken not from the soul, but from the sore. If they are for the wind, let us wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul not reproving the sore is the aim of our love.

Learning to listen to the soul,

Pastor John

Quote of the Week

As a preface to the quote for this week, I wanted to give a little background as to why it is especially poignant for me today. Many of you know that I have been on the job hunt for the last several months. Last week I applied to a job at a more rural hospital, and it really seemed like a great opportunity. AND it seemed like I perhaps had a chance! So, this morning I wrote a personal "thank you" note to the Human Resources people, and Derek and I drove on down there for me to hand-deliver it to them.

Earlier in the morning, while I was praying and reading my Bible, I thanked the Lord for all that He has taught me through this job search (150-200 applications to hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, assisted living, and home care). Yet...yet I still want a job! At this point in the process, though I have learned to rely on the Lord, I am still tempted to find satisfaction, joy, fulfillment in getting a job. That was when this quote came to mind:

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." -C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory" (emphasis added)

Well, as of right now, I still don't have a job, and I haven't heard anything from the hospital I visited this morning. Yet...yet I want to be pleased in my Lord and not the outcome of a job application.

War of Words

Last year, at Desiring God's National Conference, Paul Tripp spoke on the topic "War of Words: Getting to the Heart for God's Sake." His message was funny, convicting, powerful, straight-to-the-point, and perfect for anyone who thinks or speaks. (Thinking is just unspoken words, right?)

After a year, I downloaded it to my iTunes collection and listened to it again while cleaning the house the other day. But it was about a year too late, because it targets an area that I constantly seem to fight against - my sinful heart. Actually, it is about the power of our words, but words come from the heart.

So, if you're like me, and need a kick in the pants in regard to your heart and tongue, this message comes highly recommended. It is not difficult to understand or theologically complex - maybe that's what makes it so convicting - it is all too easy to understand...

Rachel Barkey (1972-2009)

A couple months ago, we posted a video by Rachel Barkey - wife, mother, Christian, and dying of cancer. On July 2, 2009, she left this weary world, with all its tears, pain and suffering, and went home to Jesus. Her blog - Death Is Not Dying - has a more detailed description of her life, and you can also find the excellent video she spoke in.

Diversity and Productive Conflict

A friend recently posted the following excerpt from Patrick Lencioni on his blog, and it was so good that I had to share it here, too:

"Which brings me back to the power of diversity, and the reason why it remains so misunderstood and under-exploited in most organizations: it requires conflict.

The practical advantage of diversity boils down to this: a group of people with different perspectives usually makes better decisions and finds more creative solutions than those who have largely similar views, backgrounds and skill sets. This is true for all teams, whether they’re running a corporation, a church, a school or a movie studio. However, when a team cannot productively engage in conflict, not only does that diversity remain untapped, it becomes a competitive disadvantage.

That’s because when team members with divergent points of view cannot openly and passionately advocate their positions, the team will not be able to properly understand and incorporate those ideas into a final decision. Instead, they will frustratingly agree to compromise, walking away dissatisfied with the outcome and resentful of their team members who they still don’t understand.

This is the norm in virtually every organization where I’ve worked or consulted. And that’s because when we talk about diversity, the emphasis is usually on acceptance and tolerance and “getting along.” All of which, of course, are good things. The problem surfaces when those qualities prevent people from challenging one another’s points of view out of fear of being labeled close-minded or intolerant.

And so the key to making diversity work is to teach people first how to appreciate one another’s differences, and then how to challenge them in the context of pursuing the best possible outcome. When a company can do that, it will transform diversity from a slogan to a real competitive advantage."

Memorial Day

At church last weekend, Pastor John encouraged us to do something "significant" to commemorate the freedom we enjoy because of those who have fought and even lost their lives fighting for our country.
I really thought about that and what I could do that would be significant. Finally, something came to mind - visit my Papa's grave. You might wonder what is so significant about that, but for me it proved to be very significant. Papa died in 2004, just 2 months before I returned from Zambia. I was not able to be here for his memorial service or for the graveside service, but I understand that it was very moving.

Papa served in World War II and also the Korean War, so he was buried at Fort Snelling Cemetery and received a traditional military funeral, including the salutes, firing of guns, flag folding, flag presentation to the spouse, playing of Taps, etc.

I had never been to Papa's grave. I had thought about it a lot but for some reason never went, and it was more emotional than I anticipated. It is one thing to know that someone has died, but it is quite another to see a gravestone with their name on it.

Derek, my sister Sarah, brother-in-law Justin, nephew Josiah and I spent some time remembering, taking pictures, talking about some of the wars and looking at some of the gravestones in the area. The one right next to my Papa's had the inscription at the bottom "In everything he gave thanks." That was a life well spent! We also visited my Uncle Pete's grave, who was buried at Fort Snelling.

My Papa loved to have a good time, and he had a great sense of humor. So, in his honor, we took the following picture...













...we love you, Papa! And we are so thankful not only for your service to your country, but for your service to us, your family. Your legacy of love, discernment, commitment, hard work and humor continues on as we remember you this Memorial Day.

Death is not Dying

Rachel Barkey is a wife and mom of two young kids. And she has terminal cancer, nearing the end of a five-year battle. She gave a very God honoring, Christ-exalting message at a women's event in Richmond, BC, Canada on March 4, 2009.

Very much worth watching for women or men.

You can watch it here.

Quote of the Week

It doesn't matter, really, how great the pressure is; it only matters where the pressure lies. See that it never comes between you and the Lord - then, the greater the pressure, the more it presses you to His breast. - J. Hudson Taylor, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

Gardening - Till the Soil, Pull the Weeds

Tis the season to garden. I realize that I am probably behind schedule, but I am also not a true gardener, so I get a pass. Gardening truly is a hobby for me ("an activity done in one's leisure for pleasure"). If things grow - praise God! This brown thumb won't get any credit for it, that's for sure. And if things don't grow - well, the process was fun.

Today Derek and I stopped at Home Depot for some lawn mower oil, but I got allured by all the packets of seeds as soon as we walked in. I wasn't really planning to plant a garden this year, but the thought of fresh basil and the smell of fresh soil were too much for me. So, I caved. And I bought seed packets of green onions (which were supposed to be planted in the fall - oh well - better late than never!), sweet basil, chives, cilantro, and oregano. An herb garden!

This afternoon I went out with my spade, shovel, fertilizer, and seeds and got right to work tilling the soil. It only took about 4 seconds to run into my first obstacle - a weed. Actually, there were several weeds on the surface that looked like no problem for this amateur to take care of. Just a little yank and tug and I'd be right on my merry way planting the seeds. Not so. These weeds were buried deep, tunneled far (we're talking FEET), and all interconnected to the same root system. In fact, at one point I thought I was pulling on an electrical line, because it was so huge.

How could this be? I thought. They were so tiny on the surface, and some of them were even pretty...just like the sin in my life. A little frustration here, a little selfishness there, a little pride and self-righteousness - no big deal. Just don't try to dig them out!

Digging weeds up is painful, and no matter which weed gets pulled, it always leads to the same root - me. I want, I need, I am, I think, I feel, but I... It is everything opposite a humble, Christ-saturated attitude. And it is very ugly.

Yes, digging hurts. But the ugly, destructive weeds get pulled out, and the rich, nutrient-filled soil remains, ready to grow things like basil or chives! The plants have a much better chance at growing strong and healthy, as opposed to being stunted because of weeds.

I wonder how much fruit in my life is stunted because of weeds - even pretty weeds - and roots of self. How willing am I to let God till the soil of my heart and pull out the weeds...for the sake of being more like Christ and bearing much fruit - like basil?

Crabbypants

Last night I went to bed crabby. It's a rotten feeling, especially for Derek, who had to sleep next to me. Although, he didn't have to sleep next to me for the first few hours, because I slept on the couch - he was sleeping too loudly, which didn't do anything for my crabbiness.

This morning when I woke up I was mildly less crabby, which is weird for me, because usually 8 hours of sleep is enough to make me forget almost anything.

Why was I crabby? The short answer is stress. Remember the blog I wrote at the end of last semester about Derek and me being impatient and tired and crabby? Well, here we are again at the end of another semester, and I have been Debbie Downer and Polly Pessimist.

Anyways, this morning God was so gracious to me as I spent time reading the Word and praying. And throughout the day, God brought verse after verse to mind and helped me preach the hope of the Gospel to myself. Then tonight at church was SO great. Pastor John began his sermon on John 3:16 by praying that marriages would be affected by the wonder of the Gospel. He ended the sermon by saying that he and his wife, Noel, had gotten in a bad habit of reciting their complaints to each other (that would be me lately - Debbie Downer), but that they had vowed this year to "proclaim and tell of [God's wondrous deeds]" to each other. (Ps 40:5) Then he said, "Husbands and wives, when you get home tonight, look at each other and say, 'Jesus died for us.' THAT'S a wondrous deed God has done for you!"

So, on the way home from church, Derek and I looked at each other and said, "Jesus died for us." It's hard to be crabby and say that. To be the worst sinner I know and be saved by such a great Savior is the cure for these crabbypants tonight!

Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me and for Derek! While I was still crabby and still Your enemy, you died for me. Thank you.

70 Years of Marriage

On April 22, 2009 my grandparents, Elmer and Hilda Dearth, were married 70 years! My grandfather was 21 years old when they got married, and my grandmother had just turned 17. The year was 1939. Hitler and World War II were just getting started. My grandparents have seen a lot of history in there marriage alone, not to mention their lives.

I could mention a lot about all the historical facts that they have lived through, but instead I want to mention some things that I love about my grandparents. There are many more details to these points, but here is a snapshot.

1. They love the Lord. On my grandpa's desk, ever since I can remember, there has always been a Bible open, and my Dad tells stories of going into town and my grandfather always talking about the Lord with everyone.

2. They have true grit. Times have not always been easy for my grandparents. They lived through the Great Depression. They also lived and worked on a farm in north-western Wisconsin and raised five children there.

3. They are truly nice and kind people. Both of them are always quick to smile and have a kind word. Even now as my grandfather is having a hard time remembering people, his natural reaction is to smile and shake your hand.

4. Their commitment to each other. I am sure that their marriage has had ups and downs and really hard days, but they have stayed committed to one another and honestly love each other. My grandma in her 80's is taking care of my grandpa.

The Bible says that marriage represents Christ's relationship to the Church. And by the way my grandparents have lived their lives and the time that they have been married, I believe their marriage represents this truth, though it may be dimly. I am am forever grateful to my grandparents for the love that they have shown me and the example that they have lived for all of us.

Here is the slide show from their anniversary.