Saturday Video: The Next US President according to The Little Man

We want you to know that we did not prime him for his answer, and nor does his answer necessarily reflect the voting wishes of his parents.

But question for you: Is The Little Man Correct?

Tell us you know more than a 4 year old.

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E.B. Reames: Art on Friday (#5)

This is E.B. Reames Art on Friday Number 5, for your viewing pleasure.

This one is called: "Early on the Canal."

Email Beth if you wish to ask any questions, or buy her art: HERE.
See all the other posts HERE.
Or visit the E.B.Reames website: HERE.

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E.B. Reames: Art on Friday (#4)

This is E.B. Reames Art on Friday Number 4, for your viewing pleasure.

This one is called: "Tuscany Afternoon."

Email Beth if you wish to ask any questions, or buy her art: HERE.
See all the other posts HERE.
Or visit the E.B.Reames website: HERE.

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He's not really my uncle, is he?

About a week ago, The Little Man saw a billboard with Uncle Sam on it. He asked who he was. I told him it was Uncle Sam, and spoke a little about him.

So, after a week, The Little Man and I were having what they now call "Daddy and Dude Time". And he speaks up out of the Blue:

The Little Man: You know about Uncle Sam. He's not really my Uncle, is he?
Me: You are right, Little Man, He's not really your uncle.
The Little Man: And he doesn't really want me, does he?
Me: I guess not. Well, except that he apparently he wants you to join the army.
The Little Man: Well, I don't want to join the army. I don't like the army.
Me: Oh, why not?
The Little Man: Cause they are knights in shining army.

I wish I had a tape recorder.

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E.B. Reames: Art on Friday (#3)

This is E.B. Reames Art on Friday Number 3, for your viewing pleasure.

This one is called: "Sun and Dunes."

Email Beth if you wish to ask any questions, or buy her art: HERE.
See all the other posts HERE.
Or visit the E.B.Reames website: HERE.

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Vacation...

This pic is here just in case anyone has been wondering if we've been relaxing...

So far...

• After our time in Wenatchee with the Groffs, we joined the believers at Church at Christ The Redeemer Church in Spokane on Sunday. This is the church that we are serving at their family camp coming up in a week.
• We have reunited with our friends the Hughes', which has been fun. Our kids love their kids (and lots of them there are.)
• And our good friend Em-mma Collett has as joined us in a Lake House by Hayden Lake in Idado. Emma is The Little Lady's God-mum.

More Pics on Facebook.

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E.B. Reames: Art on Friday (#2)

This is E.B. Reames Art on Friday Number 2, for your viewing pleasure.

This one is called: "Consider the Lilies of the Field"

Should you wish to compliment, then please do so by either posting a comment, or by emailing her. She sell her art, of course. So feel free to visit her website or contact her if you wish to buy.

Email Beth: HERE.
OR visit the E.B.Reames website: HERE.

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Guess that place...

Vacation Day 1: With our good friends (from Moore College) Carey and Trish Hughes (+ 8 kids) in Spokane, WA. You read that correctly. 8.
Vacation Day 2: With our good friends (from Christ Church NYC) Alan and Mari Groff (+2 kids) in Wenatchee, WA.

Pics soon. In the meantime, 50 points if you know where in NYC this pic of The Little Lady was taken. (20 points if you come from NYC).

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Idado

We are on vacation for a few weeks: We are going to our own Private Idaho.

Check into the Blog, though. I'm hoping to do a few fun summer-type Blog posts. And I'll be reading and commenting on the BCP. And E.B. Reames Art on Friday has already been scheduled.

Might even try to get Dr Laurel to post...

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One for the Dad-Engineers...Solution

I know that this will appeal to so few. But those few are very important to me! Here is how I fixed up the old track!

Click to enlarge.
Click HERE to compare.

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Saturday Shot

Junior at 11 weeks.

One for the Dad-Engineers...

The Solution:

The Problem:
I've posted some other tracks.

But this one is for the Dad-Engineers. Click on the picture to see it enlarged. OK...

• What is wrong with this track?
• Why?
• What would you change?
  

Make reference to the letters if it helps.

I subsequently made some adjustments to make it another 'perfect track', and will post that in a few days...

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E.B. Reames: Art on Friday (#1)

Beth Reames is an accomplished artist. She also happens to be Dr. Laurel's mom. So we like her anyway. But her art is wonderful. We have some of her works brightening up our living room. Our friend Mike Winram bought several pieces for his offices in Sydney. People regularly comment about the beauty of the paintings.

So I've decided to make Friday 'E.B Reames Friday'. Each Friday, I will post one of her works for your enjoyment.

This painting is called: "Living on the Edge".

Should you wish to compliment, then please do so by either posting a comment, or by emailing her. She sells her art, of course. So feel free to visit her website or contact her if you wish to buy.

Email Beth: HERE.
OR visit the E.B.Reames website: HERE.

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On the 1662 Book of Extraordinary Prayer (#1)

A few years back, my church very kindly presented to me a personal copy of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) on my ordination to the Presbyterate (Priesthood) . I have other copies of the BCP, but the print is so tiny that my eyes hurt to read it. But I now have a readable copy.

So, anyways, I thought I'd write a series of posts sharing my thoughts on the 1662 BCP as I read though it. I have no other agenda here except to point out things of interest to me.

The catalyst for my interest in common prayer is the Hoo Haa of the Anglican Church . I ought to say that I have previously written about my 'journey' with liturgy HERE. So you can click on that and read if you want to.

Here is my first observation on the 1662: The writers of the Preface, in speaking about some alterations from previous books, wrote this-

For we are fully persuaded in our judgements (and we here profess it to the world) that the Book, as it stood before established by Law, doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God, or to sound Doctrine, or which a godly man may not with a good Conscience use and submit unto, or which is not fairly defensible against any that shall oppose the same; if it shall be allowed such just and favourable construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all human Writings, especially such as are set forth by Authority, and even to the very best translations of the holy Scripture itself.

I didn't do a lot of thinking about what it means to be 'Anglican' in previous parishes. There are cultural, historical, geographic and personal reasons why that was the case. In every good way, I thought of myself only as a Christian; as an adopted child of God. If anything else, perhaps I thought of myself as a reformed evangelical. But I did not think a whole lot about being Anglican.

But here in America, the Christian world is so very denominationalized. You cannot really get by without taking in account heritage, and why a person chose the church they did. Young and old alike, people ask me about being Anglican. All of which I found quite puzzling.

One question I am regularly asked is:

• What is the 'Anglican position' on 'X'?

It's a good question. It fascinates me (in part) because there often isn't an Anglican-specific answer. Who is the 'Anglican Church' to give us the 'Anglican position'? Is it my rector's thoughts? A congregation's? Is it a Bishop's position? Then which Bishop? Is it the Archbishop of Canterbury? Is it the deliberations of my Diocesan Synod? Or is it popular scholarship? ('I'm for Stott'. 'I'm for Wright'. 'I'm for Packer'.) Is the 'Anglican Position' found in Roman Catholicism for Christology, and in the Protestant Reformation for Soteriology?

The question itself, without a concrete answer has caused some here in the U.S. to consider Roman Catholicism. I have written HERE about that. The appeal for them is that there appears to be an actual answer to the question. What does it mean to be Roman Catholic? Discover the Magisterium of the Church. (Says the Catechism: "The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.").

I can't tell you how much this bothers me. Here is the rub for me: What happens if, while searching and then even finding an answer in the Magisterium of Rome, you discover a deeply flawed position or teaching? What if the desire to have an answer ends up overriding the answer itself? Put simply: I may desperately want an answer to the question. I may want it so much that I am willing to accept all sorts of crazy and weird revisions. For example, the Immaculate Conception of Mary? Hello?

So, what is the 'Anglican position' on 'X'?

The simplest answer is this: "The 'Anglican Position' on 'X' is the Christian position on 'X'. I do not mean to be arrogant or obscurantist. I mean to say that when someone says: What's the Anglican Position? I say -- Well, what does the Bible say? What does Jesus command? What do the prophets and the apostles say? If we can, together with all the saints both now and throughout history, submit to the Bible's teaching, then we have ourselves an 'Anglican position'.

I believe that Alister McGrath calls it "Christianity's dangerous idea."

I know that leaves many questions open. But Article 6 of the 39 Articles, simply says this:

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

In other words, Anglicans are a Bible people (or at least they are meant to be.) So I'm thinking that if you are an Anglican, go and read your Bible.

Really.

Now.

Go.

Go and 'read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest' it.

And then begin a lifelong journey in learning with others. Marking and digesting the work of trustworthy men and women throughout history who have also submitted themselves to 'read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest' the Bible.

But before you go, make sure you pray the Prayer for the Second Sunday in Advent:

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

See if you find an Anglican position. (It's the Christian one).

Discuss.

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Further Reading: Dr Paul Barnett's Ten Elements of Historic Anglicanism.

Saturday Shot

The Little Man has just locked into his first historical obsession:

The Titanic.

He asks about it all day. We have to keep saying that while it may be interesting, it is still a tragedy.

With a little help from Dr Laurel, The Little Man made the Titanic today.

• What interests did your kids lock down on early in their life?
• Did it become an obsession?

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Help another friend of mine.

Friend #1:

A friend is seeking ordination. And he was asked this question in the ordination process:

Article XVIII of the 39 Articles says that (BCP p 871), “Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.” What does this mean to you? What should we say to Buddhists, Muslims, and members of other religions? (less than 100 words)

In less than 100 words, my friend wrote this draft response:

Only Jesus Christ can save us. Only his saving action can deliver us from eternal condemnation. The only way I know that we can be saved is by calling on the name of Christ. I do not know for certain if people who do not call on Christ can be saved. It is possible, and I think the Bible may allow, that people who practice other faiths may be accepted into heaven. But I would never assume that any Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, or atheist is somehow saved. I also believe that the greatest joy possible is to know and love Christ. I would share Christ’s love, respectfully, with people of other faiths.

Yes or No? How would you answer? Where in Scripture ought Friend #1 go? Is he on the right track, or off it? Don't be shy. Comment freely.

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Pic on Flickr by Free ~ [ Saving's Life.

Help a friend of mine.

At a Bible Study, we read Romans 8, and in particular these verses:

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

So a friend emailed me:

How do I ever know if I am one of those God "foreknew?" Suggest some reading for me please.

Can you help her?

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Romans 8: The Comfort and the Challenge of Hope

A further thought on the back of the sermon last Sunday:

In my preparation, I couldn't decide whether Romans 8 functions as Comfort, or as Challenge. Obviously the contextual answer is comfort. But what about in application? My sermon ended up having two foci (is that possible?):

Hope does two things:

• It comforts the faithful sufferer in this way: There is God-ordained meaning in the madness; there is an end in sight; and there really is a God who suffers alongside us and is sovereign in all of it. There is, as I said in the sermon, a Christ-driven narrative in creation (from slavery to liberation; from death to resurrection). There is a rich and lush hope to come. And 'we who have the first fruits of the Spirit' are included into that same story and bound for the same destination. So Hope lifts up the downtrodden.
  

• And yet, Hope also challenges the hedonist* - the yearner of mere 'things' - in this way: There is, in the Messiah Jesus, a better vision of reality to live for and it is yet to be seen. It is a better hope than we might currently have: better than travel to Europe, better than fine wine, better than chic furniture or metrosexual clothing or larger homes or sporting contests. As good as these things are (really), the hedonist has set his or her sights way too low. It is a vision that is too myopic, and too self-oriented.

What does Clive Staples Lewis say?

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.

Or Jurgen Moltmann?

Where freedom has come near, the chains begin to hurt. Where life is close, death becomes deadly. Where God proclaims his presence, the God-forsakenness of the world turns into suffering. Thus the theodicy question, born of suffering and pain, negatively mirrors the positive hope for God’s future. We begin to suffer from the conditions of our world if we begin to love the world. And we begin to love the world if we are able to discover hope for it. And we can discover hope for this world if we hear the promise of a future which stands against frustration, transiency, and death.

Some further reading/listening:

• The Audio can be downloaded HERE.
  
• C.S. Lewis' sermon "The Weight of Glory." (PDF Download.)
• My friend Karen from Christ Church NYC who reflects on Romans 8 in a personal way: The Fall of Hope.
• Christianity Today on the Hope of Justice: Habakkuk in Zimbabwe.

Discuss.

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* Not the 'Christian Hedonist'!
Pic on FLickr by Magda.Indigo.

Does a Train Track get any better?

Oh. The Joy of it. Again.

Compare with last month's effort:

• Anyone appreciating out there?
• All criticisms and observations made in love received.

Care to comment, Tubman? Reuben? Rodeoclown? Anthony? Kieth? Seapea? Jane? Jason? Samr? Mandy? rd? Eric? Moffitt the Prophet? Dre? Sam? And anyone else who commented on my previous post.

Must.go.to.meeting with Martin.

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Verdure

Verdure –noun: The greenness of growing things.

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(Guest Blogger once more - Dr. Laurel)