Contemplations

I have been contemplating the effects of egalitarianism on the church. The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has a three part series on their blog here. The battle of a woman's role in the church rages on and the PCA denomination is dealing with it as well, read here.

The issue that makes my heart heavy and that I am grieving over is how egalitarianism leads to disregard and unbelief in the word of God. Actually, I think it just reveals the way a person truly regards the Bible. It is so disheartening that many churches think it is more exciting to dramatize a Bible story or perform a skit in lieu of reading the WORD OF GOD.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

God is faithful to produce a harvest of righteousness through HIS WORD.

We just received our monthly mailing from Voice of the Martyrs last week and the focus is on smuggling Bibles. The stories of people making their own homemade copies of the Bible by copying scriptures from a television program, and others only having a copy of the New Testament, brought tears to my eyes. One person wrote "The more I read the word, the more I become sensitive to sin." These people desperately desire the scriptures while we don't even read them in our church services!

Mommy Why are They Brown?

We have lived on military bases for almost half of Tracy's career or in 'military' neighborhoods where it is common to see many different people from differing ethnic backgrounds wearing the same uniform. In essence our children have not seen racism first hand and have grown up with friends and neighbors of differing color and ethnicity.

I only recall once where the color of someone's skin was the topic of a conversation.

We had a lovely pair of sisters babysit for our family and our children loved them. When they left Sarah, who was three and had been fascinated with one of the girls braids, asked,

"Mommy, why were they brown?"

"Well, Sarah, God made many people of many different colors. Isn't God amazing?"

"Yes, I really liked those pretty brown girls, and I liked the braids."

In my zeal to teach her not to notice race or skin color I was not content to leave our conversation at that (oh, you live and learn). So I proceeded to explain to Sarah much more than her little three year old mind wanted to know. I will not bore you with my politically correct ramblings. I pray I do know better now.

......"And so, they are called African-American and we are called Caucasian".

Sarah scowled up at me, put her little hands on her hips and exclaimed, "I am not called 'casian,' I am called Sarah!"

Needless to say I got the point.

I was soon to learn that neither of my daughters considered themselves white but pink--but that is another story.

Yesterday we observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day. Dr. King is well known for his 'I Have A Dream Speech.' Today, one particular quote stands out to me:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

I know in our household the content of one's character is much more important than the color of one's skin, the type of education one has had or their societal position. As Christ followers we are concerned with the state of a person's soul, their walk with our Savior and their desire to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

We look at the family of God, and like the military, see many of differing ethnicities wearing the same 'uniform'--the redemption of Christ.

It was Jasmine Bachaum's thought provoking post on race, that is cute and insightful, that prompted this memory of how a three year old taught her mother a lesson.

Ebenezers

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set [it] up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us”.

The tangible reminders of what God has done in a life, in a family. Ebenezers.

A simple plan, collect rocks and write the evidence of God’s hand in our story on each one. Prayers that were prayed for what seemed so impossible...to us. Miracles. Places where there was nothing we could do to change circumstances… but pray.

Ebenezers. Prayers answered. A way to build the faith of future generations. The vision of a small hand holding a stone and asking to hear how God shaped their story. Our small story being written into His big story.

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help I’ve come

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

So I read this adorable blog, called grosgrainfabulous.
The author has plenty of gorgeous stuff for any vintage style lover, and right now there is a giveaway going on for a beautiful plaid dress, which I am posting this to get in on.
You can read the blog and see the dress here.

Ten Years Later, Boy's 'Hand of Hope' Continues to Spark Debate - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Ten Years Later, Boy's 'Hand of Hope' Continues to Spark Debate - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

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The Feminist Mistake and True Woman

I am reading The Feminist Mistake by Mary Kassian. It is a book used in many Christian college women's studies courses. It is very enlightening to me since I was born after the Feminist revolution and wanted a more detailed history of the roots of the movement. Her website has lots of interesting articles and info as well.

When you are finished there you may want to head over to True Woman to read and sign the Manifesto.

Homeschool: An American History

Milton Gaither, a professor at Messiah College in Grantham, PA, and author of Homeschool: An American History, has a very interesting and informative blog.