Getting to the Point

Being Deliberate

In keeping with our promise “to be deliberate as a couple to enjoy beautiful things” our family attended the opening reception of the Beckley Art Gallery watercolor show today.

See a few entries below.

Then and Now

I used to be ignorant
And I didn’t do any school.
But now that I am learning,
I think I’d rather be a fool.
– Christina Harer

10 Words or Less

Of the 322 weekly “rope-holders” quotes that have gone out, here are six short ones to the point:
52. "The future is as bright as the promises of God." - Adonirum Judson
109. “Self-reliance is God-defiance.” - Geoffrey Bull
207. “It is never a waste of time to wait on God.” J. Hudson Taylor
230. "He who intercedes most, helps most" - Andrew Murray
248. "Both legalism and self-indulgence distort the gospel." J.I. Packer
313. “All that is not eternal is out of date.” - C.S. Lewis

Classic WV Festival

Here’s one we don’t want to miss: Autumn Harvest Festival & RoadKill Cook-off * September 25, 2010, Marlinton, WV. The West Virginia RoadKill Cook-off is one of the region’s most exciting and fun annual events. If you’ve ever wanted to taste exotic dishes like squirrel gravy over biscuits, teriyaki marinated bear or deer sausage, this is the place!

Standing the Norm on its Head

“Bare obedience can harden us to God more than disobedience can.” Now that statement by Mark Buchanan, author of Your God Is Too Safe, certainly turns the Christian norm on its head. He goes on to say, “If you doubt it, compare the older boy with the younger one in the parable of the prodigal; compare the Pharisees and religious rulers with the tax collectors and prostitutes in the stories of Jesus. Or just look at Jonah.”

I can see his point. How many among us are Christian atheists unawares? Saddled with the outward obedient forms of the Christian faith without having vitally, truly, honestly connected with God. That isn’t to say “bare obedience” doesn’t reap good citizens and hand out good consequences. It does. Or that obedience isn’t necessary. It is. But again from Buchannan, “Oh, God wants our obedience. But He wants something deeper than that.” What He wants is our affection, our heart, our undivided attention.

In reading this startling statement I was reminded of a similar head standing comment by John Piper in his book Brothers, We Are Not Professionals. Speaking to pastors he urges them, “We have all told our people to serve God. The Bible says ‘Serve the Lord with gladness.’ But now it may be time to tell them not to serve God.

There is a way to serve God that belittles and dishonors him…“What is God looking for in the world? Assistants? No. The gospel is not a help-wanted ad. It is a help-available ad. Nor is the call to Christian service a help wanted ad. God is not looking for people to work for Him but people who let Him work mightily in and through them.

“We will serve by believing His promise of fullest joy and walking by that faith. We will not serve by trying to put our power at His disposal for His good, but by doing what is necessary so that His power will be ever at our disposal for our good…The only right way to serve God is in a way that reserves for Him all the glory…Until the people understand this, brothers, tell them not to serve God.”

Home Tour

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

I don’t profess to have an across the board understanding of the intricacies of applying this passage. I also admit that when we sold our double wide and left home for the gospel I couldn’t really envision us coming back to a particularly nice home, but we have indeed received much. Not that we are living in a mansion, far from it. Our home is modest by all accounts, but it suits us well. It does have three features we have always dreamed of – wood floors, gas logs, lots of windows.

We are still on the lookout for a name that reflects the restful, peaceful place we are hoping to create for ourselves and others – a virtual sanctuary, a refuge, a place of renewal and refreshing. Kychom has come to mind, it’s an African name for “a place to rest” and Khaya meaning “a restful place.”

Here's a little tour:


Gas logs awaiting a snowy day

Lots of windows for welcoming the cheery sunshine

Wooden floors - YES!

The Quiet Garden

Nice patio, dusk, firebowl, friends, music

- what more could you want?

"Lord, may this room and this home provide the restful,

peaceful santuary we dedicate it to be."

News Notes

Christina was baptized on Sunday! She has long waited for the opportunity, but for a myriad of reasons it never worked out. Finally, happily she was able to make a public allegiance to Jesus - the true and better Priest, Prophet, King and Sacrifice. The water was freezing cold, but the moment was refreshingly warm. Afterwards we threw a big celebration with family and friends to help set the memory of the occasion in stone.

Daniel is less than a week away from flying out to Colorado for a year of study at Timberline Lodge. Selling a car, purchasing tickets, working out connections, gathering wilderness gear and school supplies, saying goodbye has been on his unwritten “to do” list. “Timberline Lodge is one of twenty-six Torchbearers schools located in twenty countries. The original school began in northern England at Capernwray Hall in 1947 when Major W. Ian Thomas, a British Army officer, returned from the war, and with his wife, Joan, opened their hearts and doors to European young people. Major Thomas taught, ‘when you and I received Christ as our Redeemer, He gave us, through His Holy Spirit, the fullness and power of His resurrection…Grasp this well, for otherwise your Christianity will remain boring, sterile, and impersonal. Christ Himself is the very life-content of the Christian faith.’”

My dad and mom made a trip from Volunteer Country to Mountaineer Country this week. It was the first time in almost five years they have stayed with us in our home. We had a good family reunion made even more special by showing them around our new place which is a tour we want to take you on soon. A highlight was our evening games of croquet in the back yard.

One thing I didn’t mention about Christina’s baptism day was the additional excitement the day provided. Diana was up early that morning peeling potatoes – lots of potatoes, over twenty potatoes to be exact. Putting the peels down the disposal became not such a good idea. My friend Google told me not to fear that potato peels are often a culprit of food disposal drain problems and that I need only take the trap off and clean it out. The trap was metal and rusty. It was also stuck. You can guess the rest. Potato juice went squirting everywhere so the remainder of our day became a blur of preparing food, entertaining guests, celebrating baptism all around the constant work of Eddie, our friendly plumber. What a memory.