Tuesday, December 11, 2007
GIANT GINGERBREAD MAN
Last year, the boys and I made this giant gingerbread man and had so much fun. They really enjoyed the fact that he tried to escape and can't wait to make another one this year! So, I thought I would pass the idea on to anyone interested. Enjoy!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Blogs
As you can tell blogging has been low on the list of priorities. It still is, but I am hoping that soon I will post some of what we have been doing in our homeschool. This past summer Mark took a turbo Hebrew class (which means two semesters of Hebrew squeezed into 10 weeks!) Then this fall he has taken two more Hebrew classes. He has been busy. Therefore, I have been busy. It has all been good and rewarding. No complaints here. Maybe the time to blog will soon appear!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Graduation
Believe it or not, graduation is almost upon us. Mark graduates December 14th. We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we make decisions regarding what's next. "Man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 19:21
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Children Desiring God Conference
A few years ago my husband and I were at a wedding when a friend asked our 3 year old, "Do you love Jesus?" Afterward we both admitted how we didn't appreciate such a question posed to him. I thought it would have been better if she had said,"Jesus loves you!" Of course she didn't mean anything by it and probably had never thought about it. So what is the big deal? I think what my husband and I were against was the notion that children who are just beginning to learn about Jesus should first learn why his parents love Jesus. They should first be taught that while we were enemies Christ died for us. We don't first love God, then he decides to love us, but we love because He first loved us and sent his son to bear the wrath that was stored up against us. Do I want my children to love Jesus? Absolutely! But, I do want their love to spring from a response to His love for them. A proper love for God can only come from a proper understanding of God's love for us. And a proper understanding of God's love for us must include the cross and our desperate need for a Savior. All of these thoughts were stirred up because of something I read on the Desiring God blog. This comes from Session 1 at the Children Desiring God Conference: A provocative quote by Spurgeon. "Spurgeon is lamenting that some preachers, though they believe in justification by faith, unintentionally preach the very opposite. Spurgeon recounts: "Justification by faith must never be obscured, and yet all are not clear upon it…. Many do this when addressing children, and I notice that they generally speak to the little ones about loving Jesus, and not upon believing in Him. This must leave a mischievous impression upon youthful minds and take them off from the true way of peace. (Lectures to My Students, p. 340) "John noted that this quote is convicting, because many of us talk more to children about loving Jesus than believing in Jesus. We need to wrestle with why Spurgeon said this. " I would encourage anyone interested in teaching their children the truth about God to visit Children Desiring God and also the recent "live blog" from the conference.
Session 1- speaker, John Piper
Session 2- speaker, Wayne Grudem Title: Teaching the Richness of the Entire Gospel from Election to Glorification
Session 3- speaker, Wayne Grudem continues unpacking what he began in session 2.
Session 4- speaker, C.J. Mahaney Title: Extravagant Devotioin
Session 5- speaker, David Michael Title: John Angell James – Pursuing the Souls of the Next Generation
Session 1- speaker, John Piper
Session 2- speaker, Wayne Grudem Title: Teaching the Richness of the Entire Gospel from Election to Glorification
Session 3- speaker, Wayne Grudem continues unpacking what he began in session 2.
Session 4- speaker, C.J. Mahaney Title: Extravagant Devotioin
Session 5- speaker, David Michael Title: John Angell James – Pursuing the Souls of the Next Generation
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Bluebonnets and Mercy
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come,and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
Song of Solomon 2:12
Let us worship our glorious God who did not abandon creation because of our sin, but continues to fill the earth with beauty. And let Spring remind us of the far surpassing beauty of God's mercy and grace put on display in the face of Christ!
Favorite Song
It has been about a year since I first heard Before the Throne of God Above, and it has remained my favorite song ever since. Here are the lyrics and a sample.
Before The Throne of God Above
Music and additional lyrics by Vikki Cook
Lyrics by Charitie Bancroft
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life
Lyrics
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).
To hear a sample click here.
Before The Throne of God Above
Music and additional lyrics by Vikki Cook
Lyrics by Charitie Bancroft
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life
Lyrics
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).
To hear a sample click here.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Biblical Womanhood and the Pharisees?
Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Jesus said that the Pharisees tied up heavy burdens and placed them on men’s backs and didn’t lift a finger to help them. Jesus had some very harsh words for them. The reason is because they were hypocrites. They cleaned up their appearance, but their hearts were still wicked. We see in Romans that the purpose of the law was to teach us what is right and it was to be like a school master leading us to Christ. It is to help us see that we are in desperate need of a Savior.
The above warning is precisely why I do not commend the book, Created to be His Help-Meet, by Debi Pearl. Mrs. Pearl takes the beautiful passages on womanhood and turns them into the measuring stick. It may not have been her intent, but the book sets her up as the perfect model that all should bow down before. Ladies we must never bow before other women’s design for woman even if they are using Scripture. We must only bow before Christ.
When I began the book my initial response was gratitude that someone was proclaiming the truths of Scripture so boldly. Yet it did not take long before I began to feel something was wrong. Biblical Womanhood is not complete unless the whole of Scripture is taken into account. Mrs. Pearl seems as though she has only read a few passages that pertain to women specifically when in reality there are numerous passages that are also addressed to women and men alike. The first one that I would encourage Mrs. Pearl to look at would be Ephesians 4:29-30, which reads as follows,
29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God’s will for men and women is that they be conformed to the likeness of Christ, and the Scripture does not record Jesus calling women "hussies," "ugly," "stupid,"etc. The people who he had the strongest words for were people like the Pharisees, who neither showed grace nor mercy. We must remember that being a Titus 2 woman does not make us acceptable to God. Christ alone makes us acceptable.
The womanhood passages in the bible are beautiful passages to me, and I am grieved when women take such beautiful instructions and turn them into a rod used to crush women. I believe as women we should hold fast to these passages. We should memorize them and never stray from them, but we should bear with the weak, especially those who are humble and desiring to change.
Is it possible to be saying the right things, but the way in which we say it makes it wrong or even sinful? Yes, I believe when we speak without grace and humility we are denying Christ. As Christian women we must seek to speak the truth in a way that does not destroy. The Bible calls it speaking the truth in love. Gentleness would be another word that is commonly associated with the way believers are to treat others. The apostle Peter says that our gentleness and respect gives unbelievers no room to speak maliciously about us. I would say it is impossible for us to teach Biblical womanhood with harsh demeaning words and be right. For if we teach womanhood without the spirit of Christ our words have betrayed the reality of our hearts.
So, what happens to us as women if we measure up in our Titus 2 lists, but fail to be changed on the inside. I believe when our outward lives gain us the approval of men, but our hearts are unchanged we end up like the Pharisees, we have received our reward- the approval of man. Let us set our eyes on things above, the eternal things, and let us pursue the reward that comes from God- not man.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
The above warning is precisely why I do not commend the book, Created to be His Help-Meet, by Debi Pearl. Mrs. Pearl takes the beautiful passages on womanhood and turns them into the measuring stick. It may not have been her intent, but the book sets her up as the perfect model that all should bow down before. Ladies we must never bow before other women’s design for woman even if they are using Scripture. We must only bow before Christ.
When I began the book my initial response was gratitude that someone was proclaiming the truths of Scripture so boldly. Yet it did not take long before I began to feel something was wrong. Biblical Womanhood is not complete unless the whole of Scripture is taken into account. Mrs. Pearl seems as though she has only read a few passages that pertain to women specifically when in reality there are numerous passages that are also addressed to women and men alike. The first one that I would encourage Mrs. Pearl to look at would be Ephesians 4:29-30, which reads as follows,
29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God’s will for men and women is that they be conformed to the likeness of Christ, and the Scripture does not record Jesus calling women "hussies," "ugly," "stupid,"etc. The people who he had the strongest words for were people like the Pharisees, who neither showed grace nor mercy. We must remember that being a Titus 2 woman does not make us acceptable to God. Christ alone makes us acceptable.
The womanhood passages in the bible are beautiful passages to me, and I am grieved when women take such beautiful instructions and turn them into a rod used to crush women. I believe as women we should hold fast to these passages. We should memorize them and never stray from them, but we should bear with the weak, especially those who are humble and desiring to change.
Is it possible to be saying the right things, but the way in which we say it makes it wrong or even sinful? Yes, I believe when we speak without grace and humility we are denying Christ. As Christian women we must seek to speak the truth in a way that does not destroy. The Bible calls it speaking the truth in love. Gentleness would be another word that is commonly associated with the way believers are to treat others. The apostle Peter says that our gentleness and respect gives unbelievers no room to speak maliciously about us. I would say it is impossible for us to teach Biblical womanhood with harsh demeaning words and be right. For if we teach womanhood without the spirit of Christ our words have betrayed the reality of our hearts.
So, what happens to us as women if we measure up in our Titus 2 lists, but fail to be changed on the inside. I believe when our outward lives gain us the approval of men, but our hearts are unchanged we end up like the Pharisees, we have received our reward- the approval of man. Let us set our eyes on things above, the eternal things, and let us pursue the reward that comes from God- not man.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Good morning -
In my Systematic Theology class, we have been discussing the biblical doctrines of "justification" and "adoption," and I wanted to pass along several items from this morning's discussion that were encouraging in light of our current memory verse:
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”Galatians 4:4-5
As Tim explained Sunday, we stand condemned under God's holiness and law - but in Christ we are declared righteous on His account. Though we were criminals before God, Christ bore the death penalty that was ours - as 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God."
While forgiveness and pardon are definitely good news, the incredible news is that it involves far more than that. This holy and infinite judge could have acquitted us and then had nothing more to do with us, but He did not. He instead looked favorably upon us, adopted us into his family, and now lavishes the blessings and privileges of sonship upon us.
In light of our memory verses this week, Galatians 4:4-5, reflect on the following passages and rejoice in your salvation and in the love of our Gracious "Abba" Father!
Romans 5:8-10 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
John 1:12 - But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Ephesians 1:2-14 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,... In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
1 John 3:1 - See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
By His infinite grace!
Mark
In my Systematic Theology class, we have been discussing the biblical doctrines of "justification" and "adoption," and I wanted to pass along several items from this morning's discussion that were encouraging in light of our current memory verse:
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”Galatians 4:4-5
As Tim explained Sunday, we stand condemned under God's holiness and law - but in Christ we are declared righteous on His account. Though we were criminals before God, Christ bore the death penalty that was ours - as 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God."
While forgiveness and pardon are definitely good news, the incredible news is that it involves far more than that. This holy and infinite judge could have acquitted us and then had nothing more to do with us, but He did not. He instead looked favorably upon us, adopted us into his family, and now lavishes the blessings and privileges of sonship upon us.
In light of our memory verses this week, Galatians 4:4-5, reflect on the following passages and rejoice in your salvation and in the love of our Gracious "Abba" Father!
Romans 5:8-10 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
John 1:12 - But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Ephesians 1:2-14 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,... In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
1 John 3:1 - See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
By His infinite grace!
Mark
Friday, February 23, 2007
Latest Finds
Okay, I love good resources. Most bookstores have so much fluff that finding something worth your money is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Therefore when I do find something that I really like I feel obliged to pass it on. This is a list of resources that I used this past semester and thoroughly enjoyed.
Devotional:
Christ Our Mediator and The Cross-Centered Life, both by CJ Mahaney
God Is The Gospel, by John Piper
TableTalk magazine (personally I liked the articles better than the devotional) published by Ligonier Ministries
Whispers of His Power, by Amy Carmichael
Feminine Appeal, by Carolyn Mahaney (Titus 2)
Your Home a Place of Grace, by Susan Hunt
Homeschool:
Trial and Triumph, by Richard Hannula (this is a church history book written for children)
For The Children's Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macauley
www.amblesideonline.org (homeschool schedule for grades 1-11, includes booklist, Charlotte Mason perspective) If you go to this website and click on year 1 you will see all the books we used this year. I was very pleased with these and only edited a few.
www.veritaspress.com (christian and classical curriculum)
The Little Pilgrim's Progress, by Helen Taylor
http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com/ I don't remember how I stumbled across this blog, but it has been so encouraging and has given me so many ideas!
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer.
This is a must read and it has a supberb video series that goes with it. I will not begin to use it with the children until 3rd grade, but every parent should read or at least watch the videos. It helps you realize that everyone is working from some worldview. I highly reccomend it!
And now,
Here a few simple ideas that we employ with the boys that I believe is a great benefit to their education.
1. Keep the television off. It severly stunts the growth of their imagination and ability to sit and listen to hard books.
2. Go on trips with the children alone rather than with another mother. In this way you spend your time talking with your children instead of the other grown up.
3. Read old books together. You may need a dictionary for yourself, but you won't regret this time. We have found some of the books that were published around the early 1900's are free from feminism and the whole tolerance theme that runs through almost all modern books. Now, you will find most of the men smoking pipes!
You will be surprised at what the children will sit and listen to if you do your reading at bedtime. We even read the original Pilgrim's Progress with the boys and they enjoyed it thoroughly.
4. My rule of thumb for books is if it doesn't hold my interest and capture my imagination it is not good for the children.
Enjoy!
Devotional:
Christ Our Mediator and The Cross-Centered Life, both by CJ Mahaney
God Is The Gospel, by John Piper
TableTalk magazine (personally I liked the articles better than the devotional) published by Ligonier Ministries
Whispers of His Power, by Amy Carmichael
Feminine Appeal, by Carolyn Mahaney (Titus 2)
Your Home a Place of Grace, by Susan Hunt
Homeschool:
Trial and Triumph, by Richard Hannula (this is a church history book written for children)
For The Children's Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macauley
www.amblesideonline.org (homeschool schedule for grades 1-11, includes booklist, Charlotte Mason perspective) If you go to this website and click on year 1 you will see all the books we used this year. I was very pleased with these and only edited a few.
www.veritaspress.com (christian and classical curriculum)
The Little Pilgrim's Progress, by Helen Taylor
http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com/ I don't remember how I stumbled across this blog, but it has been so encouraging and has given me so many ideas!
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer.
This is a must read and it has a supberb video series that goes with it. I will not begin to use it with the children until 3rd grade, but every parent should read or at least watch the videos. It helps you realize that everyone is working from some worldview. I highly reccomend it!
And now,
Here a few simple ideas that we employ with the boys that I believe is a great benefit to their education.
1. Keep the television off. It severly stunts the growth of their imagination and ability to sit and listen to hard books.
2. Go on trips with the children alone rather than with another mother. In this way you spend your time talking with your children instead of the other grown up.
3. Read old books together. You may need a dictionary for yourself, but you won't regret this time. We have found some of the books that were published around the early 1900's are free from feminism and the whole tolerance theme that runs through almost all modern books. Now, you will find most of the men smoking pipes!
You will be surprised at what the children will sit and listen to if you do your reading at bedtime. We even read the original Pilgrim's Progress with the boys and they enjoyed it thoroughly.
4. My rule of thumb for books is if it doesn't hold my interest and capture my imagination it is not good for the children.
Enjoy!
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