Day at the Zoo

God's creation is so incredibly amazing! The kids and I took my mom to the Denver Zoo today and here are just two examples of God's perfect design for His animal world.

The giraffe stands about 18 feet tall, and the head and neck of a full grown giraffe weigh about 500 pounds. God has designed the giraffe with a strong, large heart, capable of pumping blood against the pull of gravity. In addition, He has given the giraffe a unique series of blood vessels and valves located in the head which regulate the blood pressure to the brain when the head is lowered.

We also learned about the alligator snapping turtle which has a wormlike growth on the tip of its tongue. The turtle will lie still in the water with its mouth wide open. The appendage on the tongue moves, imitating a worm, and when an unsuspecting fish comes for the "worm," the snapping turtle then quickly closes its mouth and enjoys lunch!

Who else but God could think of, and then speak into being, such creatures?

God's Layout for the Hour

I am reading a book about Frank Laubach and Brother Lawrence; two men who strove to walk in the awareness of the presence of Christ. I ran across these two journal entries, written by Laubach, a missionary in the Philippines. Both thoughts spoke to me and it is no accident that I "chanced" to read them today!

August 21, 1930
I shall be forty-six in two weeks. I no longer have the sense that life is all before me, as I had a few years ago. Some of it is behind--and a miserable poor part it is, so far below what I had dreamed that I dare not even think of it. Nor dare I think much of the future. This present, if it is full of God, is the only refuge I have from poisonous disappointment and even almost rebellion against God.

January 2, 1932
I resolve to accept each situation of this year as God's layout for that hour, and never to lament that it is a very commonplace or disappointing task. One can pour something divine into every situation.

Today is my birthday (a few more candles than Laubach), and instead of getting to relax with our children, and garden as I had hoped, we spent a couple of hours hoping to retrieve our "dead" car and bring it home. God had different plans for us. We weren't successful in bringing the car home, but I had the opportunity to spend those hours with my mom as she joyfully recounted some of the circumstances surrounding my birth.

Thank you God for my precious mother, and thank you for unexpected time spent with loved ones.

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"

bulwark--1. a wall-like defensive structure; 2. a strong support or protection in danger.

Not only is God our strong support and protection in danger, but His fortress never fails! What comforting words.

The great reformer, Martin Luther, wrote not only the words to this famous hymn, but also the music as well. Go here to hear the music.

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

No Regrets

This afternoon I had the opportunity to see many former colleagues from my teaching days. I took our two children to an art show put on by a wonderful former principal of mine. (My poor children, who are cooped up at home, not being socialized properly!) I prepared them for the usual barrage of questions they would inevitably field.

I also steeled myself for the usual barrage of questions that are invariably lobbed my way. Public school teachers can be some of the most skeptical people when it comes to home schooling. You can see it in their eyes, behind the slightly uncomfortable smile. You hear it in their questions. "Are you in a home school group? Do you do any outside activities? Do you have to take the CSAP (Colorado statewide testing)? You aren't going to teach high school, are you? I bet they're really smart! Is it hard? Do you like it?"

Many of my friends took early retirement. And now they're traveling to foreign countries. Driving nice cars. Pursuing hobbies. Finding their creative sides. Puttering around in their gardens. Painting.

I don't have any spectacular photographs taken in Nepal to put in an art show. I can't talk about what Heathrow was like yesterday in London. But I have no regrets. I get to spend every day with my two precious children. I get to see them learn. I get to travel alongside them in their Christian walk. We get to pray and sing hymns every morning. We have Creation as the first event in our timeline of world history.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to brush up on those high school requirements. Let's see...that's four years of English, four years of....

The Tower of Babel

Early in my teaching career, I taught sixth grade in NE Florida. On the first day of school, a student asked me a question in a foreign language.

To attempt to replicate the full effect of my dilemma, you must say it fast and use a southern accent: "MizMacMillen, isyoufintocarryusoutside?"

What he meant was, "Miss McMillen, are you getting ready (fixin') to take us outside?"

Reading "Why Don't They Just Speak English?" in Christianity Today's "Books and Culture" newsletter reminded me of this conversation I had 28 years ago. It also makes me consider the Tower of Babel. What must it have been like when God confused the languages? And now, here were are thousands of years later, still trying to translate the Bible into numerous obscure languages. This article is made even more interesting when one considers this tremendous task. You'll appreciate not only already having a Bible in our language, but you'll be in awe of the tenacious people who spend a lifetime on these translations.

(painting by Pieter Bruegel, 1563)

"Just As I Am"

I never thought I'd blog this hymn. I used to think of it as the hymn that would be played over and over until someone, anyone, would come forward to "rededicate" their life to Christ. The story behind this hymn was included in today's sermon and I now see the hymn with new eyes.

The hymn's author, Englishwoman Charlotte Elliot (1789-1871), was stricken at age 30 with a serious ailment that made her an invalid for the remainder of her life. She became bitter and depressed until she was visited by a well-known Swiss evangelist, Dr. Caesar Malan. The author of Amazing Grace (a book of the stories of hymns), Kenneth Osbeck, describes the scene this way:

Sensing her spiritual distress, [Malan] exclaimed, "Charlotte, you must come just as you are--a sinner--to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Immediately placing her complete trust in Christ's redemptive sacrifice for her, Charlotte experienced inner peace and joy in spite of her physical affliction until her death at the age of 82.

"Just As I Am"

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee--
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yes, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Maturity

Every so often when I'm in the kitchen, I listen to snippets of the Dennis Prager Show on the radio. Today, I heard parts of an hour long interview with Dr. Steven Marmer about the topic of maturity. With our current culture's fixation on youthfulness, our children are becoming mature (i.e. responsible) later than in past generations. With immaturity, come destuctive behaviors that attempt to bring momentary distractions and joy from external sources. This often includes engaging in destructive and/or addictive behaviors.

Here are three signs of maturity, according to Dr. Marmer. As I gather the curriculum I want to use this year in school, I want to remember these sorts of life skills that are very good goals to impart to our children.

1. Don't let life's adversities drag you down. It is inevitable that they will come--we live in a fallen world. Deal with them without blowing up at your children or spouse.

2. Don't be blind to the past; learn from it. At the same time, don't be a prisoner of the past, either. Go on with life.

3. Willingly fulfill obligations.

Building Balance in Church and Family Life

CHEC Home School Conference--Part 4

So far, I have written about the following seminars we attended: Rebuilding the Wall by Doug Phillips, Building Covenant Communities by R.C. Sproul, Jr., and Building Meaningful Family Worship by Kevin Swanson.

In the 4th seminar we attended, Kevin Swanson, a pastor and the executive director of CHEC, discussed the different types of balance needed in church and family life, and how Christendom today is flailing for the proper balance. He covered a lot of ground in this seminar, so I will just share a few of his ideas.

#1 Jurisdictional Balance
God has ordained three institutions: family, church, and state. It is our duty to have a proper understanding of the rights and responsibilities of each. In today's society, the state holds an undue amount of influence in our lives. Swanson stated, "Anything that's dominated by the state will be destroyed by the state." I think this holds true in many aspects of our lives. One just needs to look at examples such as the public school system in this country, the way the government "protects a woman's right to choose," or the way the welfare state has destroyed many black families in the inner city.

#2 Core/Crust Balance
Our core is our heart; how we truly are. Our crust is that external self we show to the world. Scripture is clear on the fact that God looks at the heart, so we know this is important. Yet, our external self is important, as well. Swanson was focusing here on how we act and treat others.

#3 Heart Balance
We need to balance three aspects of our heart; our mind, our will, and our emotions.

#4 Here are five ways we can attempt to achieve balance in the various areas of our lives:
1. Honor our fathers (I would add mothers, too)
2. Be humble
3. Be long-suffering
4. Pray, pray, pray
5. Use God's Word