“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.”

When I have some “free me time” I usually choose to cook, bake or sew. My interest in these hobbies stems from my grandmother. As I was growing up she took time to teach me about these activities and mold me into the person I am today. I am able to make things from macaroni salad to quilts because of her instruction.

I admire how she organizes and plans out her cooking, produces a plethora of food in a timely manner and then brings the whole family together to enjoy it. It always seemed anti climatic to me that after a LONG day of cooking everyone would inhale the scrumptious food and be on their way; however, she graciously takes the compliments and treasures the few minutes before it is time to do dishes. All the while she does this with joy and never complains. Her attitude trained me to be a joyful servant in the kitchen and I appreciate that. One particular trade that I feel honored to have learned from her is canning jelly. I enjoy helping her make pomegranate jelly from the juice of the beautiful fruit off of my grandparent’s tree.

My grandma has also been a very positive example for me in my role as a wife. She is always eager to serve my grandpa and speak well of him! I am thankful for the fine example I have to look up to in my grandma!

I’m afraid too many of our Christian colleges have developed an inferiority complex.  Obviously, relatively small Christian colleges cannot compete with giant research institutions in terms of facilities and equipment.  There will probably never be any atom smashers or giant radio telescopes on Christian college campuses.  So What?  Undergraduate education — even in the sciences — does not demand expensive, sophisticated equipment.  Basic laboratory equipment and solid, godly science teachers who demand excellence will give our students the knowledge and skills necessary to get them into medical schools and into graduate programs at the universities.  More and more employers are looking for graduates from liberal arts colleges — graduates who have been well schooled in the world of books, words, ideas, ideals, history, ethics, speech, communication, and creativity.  No expensive equipment is needed here.  For the most part, we already have the most important “equipment” in the form of well-trained, highly motivated, dedicated faculties.  We need to pay them better, encourage them to reach higher in their own scholarship, and expect them to set examples of excellence for our students, while accepting nothing but excellence from them.  In many cases, our faculties, like our students, are not being adequately challenged.

Most people do not have the opportunity to meet their great-great-grandparents. Autumn has been blessed to have two great-great-grandmas living. One she will meet in a couple of weeks and the other is the subject of this encomium.

I will always remember the first time Autumn met her great-great-grandma Marsh. Autumn was still small enough that her great-great-grandma could hold her on her lap and it was such a precious sight to see! This woman who has lived so much of her life was holding this baby who has so much life to live. At that moment I realized that without great-great-grandma Marsh, Autumn would not be and I felt a deep gratitude for the things she had gone through and the life she has lived. Although I do not know her very well at all (she is Brandon’s great-grandma) I learned so much about her character that day. As she held Autumn on her lap she gave her advice about life that filled the room with laughter. She would say things like, “You rule the roost now!” and “If you don’t get your way, just stomp your feet!” Her humor at her age was such a delight to see. Then when she got quiet someone asked what she was thinking and she replied, “I am praying for Autumn.” It was a very special moment, one that extended blessing from one generation to those that follow.

We had the privilege to visit great-great-grandma Marsh again six months later and the interaction between her and Autumn was just as sweet. This time Autumn was much too big for great-great-grandma’s lap but they enjoyed the garden together and exchanged many smiles. As time may be drawing near to the end of one life on earth I want to preserve these memories for Autumn to have. Although she may not remember these times she will know that she has a GREAT-GREAT-grandma Marsh.

Ken Robinson, in the following video provides a fresh (and often comical) look at education, creativity, and a passion for life.  Check it out.

I have a younger brother who is one of the most athletic and creative people I know.  It is actually quite irritating how quickly he can master musicianship and endeavors of athleticism.  So what seems logical is to allow him to exploit his strengths, gain power, finesse and experience.  But our society requires these dreams to be extracurricular.  Why is it that we require our young ones to learn chemistry (which many of them will never use), calculate complex formulas (that are soon forgotten by 95% of individuals), and then wonder why we are failing to educate this upcoming generation?

Contradictions abound in the realm of education.  We explain that everyone is unique, that everyone has their own strengths.  And yet we require everyone to participate in the same classes, learn the same things, and become the same as everyone around them.

What if, instead of bringing our children up to take all of the most advanced classes in the maths, sciences, and language, we allowed them to gain a basic understanding and then begin to exploit the gifts that are natural within them.  Give the students a foundation, instill within them a desire, but allow their natural gifting to drive them to excellence.  Our children are talented.  Let’s train them to embrace their talents, not destroy them before they even get to explore them.

Divorce, crime, and debt are prevalent in American society, a collection of people who pride themselves in their accomplishments, in being a super-power.  Over the past century our knowledge has doubled, and doubled again.  We can find books on any subject, get a PhD in virtually any subject.  But our homes are broken.  How long can society last on this beach of shifting sand?  Instead of building a foundation, we are racing to see who can build the tallest, most magnificent building.  But the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

And while I don’t dare argue for even a second that knowledge is unimportant, it is wisdom that holds a society, a home together.  Regardless of your opinion on groups like the Amish, it is very difficult to argue that they are not a stable people (no they are not perfect, far from it).  An object of our mockery (be it in fun or in seriousness), the group has one of the most stable foundations I have encountered.  When tragedy strikes, the people know how to respond.  That is wisdom.  No, you will not find the latest Apple gadget, amazing vehicles or scientific theories coming from the Amish.  But when society all around them is coming crashing down, you will see a group that is standing firm.

But that is not to say that it is impossible, or even improbably to attain both wisdom and knowledge.  But if we want our knowledge to be worthwhile, it must be built upon a foundation of wisdom.  Where there is wisdom, there is the power to gain knowledge and understanding.  Anything else is just a chasing of the wind.

Melissa, I love you. Thank you for being my bride and my best friend. I will always be yours.

The following is an excerpt that I have found especially encouraging and helpful in my training and leading of Autumn-

Understanding the nature of love
You may have strong feelings that prevent you from spanking your child, but it is ignorance to claim that love is your motive. The God who made little children, and therefore knows what is best for them, has provided them parents to employ the rod in training up their children. To refrain from doing so, based on a claim of love, is an indictment against God himself. Your actions declare that either God does not desire what is best for your child, or you know better than He.

Parent, you must recognize the difference between true love and sentiment. Natural human sentiment- often taken to be love- can be harmful if not submitted to wisdom. Love is not sentiment. That is, love is not simply the deep feelings we have in association with those close to us. Such feelings can be, and often are, self-serving.

Love is not an emotion at all. Love, in the purest sense, is goodwill toward and good doing for your fellow man. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” True love is disinterested. That is, there is no thought of personal gain or of personal loss in the act of loving.

The Pearls, throught great, and articulate argument continue to debunk the theories that our societies have so frequently entitled “Love”. I highly recommend this book, and upon reading it, I believe that you will as well.

I am a huge fan of all of the work that 37 Signals has done in the community.  Half of the apps that I have written are in Rails, I use Basecamp for both my personal and professional projects, and I have purchased and read both Rework and Getting Real. I am a daily reader of the ever-so-popular blog Signal vs. Noise, and have watched many a lectures from DHH. Some might call me a 37 Signals fanboi.

But a fanboi of 37 Signals I am not. Constantly (and consistently) I disagree with the things that come from the mouths of DHH, Jason Fried and Co. I have seen them contradict themselves; they over-simplify (I know, that is the whole point), and I often feel that they speak just to get a reaction. But even when they are wrong, they are right.

Back when I was in Business School I had a teacher, a lawyer by profession, that could take any side in any debate, and without question, whatever it was that she was trying to prove would be made true. Even when she was wrong, she was right, and everyone knew it. The could sell snow to an Eskimo; get them on the lifetime subscription plan.

And that is exactly why 37 Signals is great at what they do. Even when they are wrong, it is their passion, their energy, and their vehement and eloquent vocabulary that convinces the world that they are right. That is why they are the movers and shakers. When they say jump, half of the business world says, “How high?”

The leaders are not always the ones that have the most knowledge, are the greatest thinkers. No, the leaders are the ones who know how to lead. Who push the masses in the best direction that they see fit. Their voice is loud, strong, and unwavering.

So I went out in search of a good system to be able to journal.  I wanted something that would keep me focused, would be simple to use, was secure and was free.  What I found was virtually nothing.  There are variations out there, but nothing that was of much interest to me.  There are some software packages out there, but the problem for me is that I am not always on the same computer, to I would have to sync.  That and I am a minimalist, so I don’t really like to install things on my computer if I don’t have to.

So I set out to write daily in a journal.  But again, that is hard to remember to bring with me wherever I am.  And then I wasn’t able to find the full-text search on it.  I know that I wrote about [insert subject here] last year, but I was having trouble finding it.  So I tossed that out the window.

So what was my solution?  Well, as a programmer, of course it was to create my own application.  It does everything that I need it to (and even if it doesn’t, I can add features, which will keep me focused).  And then I decided to open it up to the world.  I am not sure how much interest there will be for it, but that is ok, because I wrote it to use it myself.  Anyone else making use of it is just an added benefit.

So, I leave you with this- ToJournal.com

“Sunday’s Coming” Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

I found this great quote as a response-

“I’ve learned through experience that if you try to attract the world with the world you will be at best mediocre.

We who are followers of Christ have been uniquely and individually called before the foundation of the world to go beyond what we can imagine possible.”

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart, and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong, and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath, even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury, and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be shaken.”

Psalm 15

Luke 6

After nearly 20 years of preaching at Trinity Alliance Church, pastor Mark Swanson concludes his service with this wonderful sermon from the end of Matthew.

Today I was doing a bible reading plan over at YouVersion.com and as I was going through the Gospel of Matthew, I came across the following:

So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

Very interesting.  42 generations from Abraham until Christ.  42 generations to the promise.  Christ is 42.

Well, the church that I work at has moved its offices much closer to my home.  This has been a huge answer to prayer.  It means that I will be able to purchase a road bike (bicycle) and ride to and from work each day.  This will allow my wife, Melissa, to have the car each day, and for me to be able to stay fit and healthy.

Such a small change, but it is great that the Lord hears the cries of His children.

Shall we begin today to be men of prayer, if we have never done so before?  Let us not put it off till a more convenient season.  God wants me to pray.  The dear Savior wants me to pray.  He needs my prayers.  So much- in fact, everything- depends upon prayer.  How dare we hold back?  Let every one of us ask on our knees this question:

If no one on earth prayed for the salvation of sinners more fervently or more frequently than I do, how many of them would be converted to God through prayer?

Do we spend ten minutes a day in prayer?  Do we consider it important enough for that?

Ten minutes a day on our knees in prayer- when the Kingdom of heaven can be had for the asking!

Ten minutes?  It seems a very inadequate portion of our time to spend in taking hold of God (Isa. 64:7)!

And is it prayer when we do “say” our prayers, or are we just repeating daily a few phrases which have become practically meaningless, whilst our thoughts are wandering hither and thither?

If God were to answer the words we repeated on our knees this morning, should we know it? Should we recognize the answer?  Do we even remember what we asked for?  He does answer.  He has given us his word for it.  He always answers every real prayer of faith.

-The Kneeling Christian

Why is it that so often we (and I am included in this) complain at how the world is, how our world is, yet we very rarely go to our knees and petition the very God who created it all?  I am far too guilty of bringing my deepest complaints, requests, and petitions to my wife, yet rarely to my savior.  Too often my prayer is “Thank you for this awesome weather”.  While there is nothing wrong with truly praising God for the weather (we should praise God in and for all things), we must learn to go beyond just speaking words, and learn to go boldly before the throne, bringing our whole heart and mind before Him.

Despite the hardships of having ben a slave for six years, tending to the herds of a Druidic high priest Milchu, Patrick had come to have a supernatural love for Ireland.  It was in Ireland that Patrick had come to know God personally as he walked the woods and mountains alone with the animals.  He had gown up in a Christian home in a British Roman settlement but had never embrace the faith while he lived with his family.  He had been a lax student during that time, something he now greatly regretted and was too independently minded to walk so easily in his family’s faith.  Alone and seemingly forsaken in Ireland, Patrick sought out God and found Him.  Then, through a dream, God led him to escape and eventually return to his family, who welcomed him warmly.  Upon his return to Britain, Patrick resumed his studies with more vigor, intending to join the ministry as his father and grandfather had.

Now, as the oars pulled against the dark waves, Patrick began to see God’s hand in it all.  Shortly after his return to Britain, Patrick had a dream about Ireland in which he heard “the void of the Irish” calling to him: “We be you, holy youth, come and walk among us again.”  Patrick felt this was God’s call to return to Ireland with the Gospel.

Yet he felt unfit for the task, so he journeyed to a monastery in Britain, again leaving his family, and poured himself into being ordained.  Roughly twenty years had passed since then.  At his first opportunity to return, Patrick was passed up by his church elders to be a missionary to Ireland, and another, a man by the name of Palladius, was chosen.  When Palladius was killed a short time later, Patrick was elected to go.

Upon landing, Patrick returned to the village where he had been a slave.  His intent was that his first convert would be the man who had been his master, Milchu.  But when he arrived there, he found Milchu’s home in ashes.  At word of his coming, Milchu had gathered all of his possessions into his home and lit it on fire, killing himself in the flames.  Patrick was horror-struck at the madness of this act and determined to act dramatically to release these people from the fear of false gods that would drive a man to do such a thing.

Patrick spent some time preaching to the locals there and finding out what had happened since his departure and who was in power.  His years as a slave had served him well, as he still spoke their language fluently and with little accent, making it easy to communicate.  In his conversations he learned that the high king of Ireland, King Laeghaire, would be celebrating the Druidic feast of Betine, which coincided with Easter that year, at his courts in Tara.  Patrick headed there immediately, intent on making a statement for the power of God over the idols and occult practices that bound these people.

It was tradition that on the eve of the festival, it would be the high king who lighted the first bonfire of the festival.  Any who defied this would be put to death.  Yet as the king emerged that night to start the festival, Patrick’s bonfire was already glowing brightly for all to see on the hilltop of Slane not far away.  As had Elijah before the prophets of Baal, Patrick had uttered a formal challenge to the Druids and their king.

As Laeghaire gave the order for the perpetrators to be found and killed, his two Druidic high priests offered him a word of caution and prophecy: “O king, live forever.  This fire, which has been lit in defiance to the royal edict, will blaze forever unless it is put out this night on which it has been lit.  The man who lit the fire and the coming kingdom by which it was lit will overcome us all.”  But the king would hear none of it.  He had twenty-seven chariots prepared, and he, his guests, and his court rode to subdue Patrick.

When the chariots arrived, Patrick was summoned before the king.  The king ordered Patrick’s bonfire extinguished, but no matter what his soldiers did, the fire refused to be put out.  Patrick gave a bold testimony for Jesus before them and refused to be silent.  When Laeghaire commanded his soldiers to execute Patrick to quiet him, confusion descended on them, and they attacked on another.  When the two Druid priests then turned their vehemence on Patrick and Jesus’ name, one fell and cracked his head on a rock, while the other somehow fell into the fire and perished.  One version even records that when the king himself pulled his sword to slay Patrick, his arm froze in the air as stiff as a statue and stayed that way until he knelt in surrender to Patrick.  Though it is unclear how many of the details of this encounter are legend and how many actually happened, Patrick’s victory over Laeghaire and his Druids opened the political doors of Ireland to the Gospel.

Patrick thus had a captive and royal audience to be among the first to be converted during his ministry.  Though the king did not become a Christian on this day, his chief bard, his two daughters, and one of his brothers did.  Less than two weeks later they were baptized.  The brother gave Patrick land and a barn that became the first church, and wealth to use to spread Christianity throughout Ireland.  Laeghaire also gave Patrick legal sanction to preach throughout the island.

For the next thirty years Patrick established Christianity throughout Irelend, and though he had other miracles attributed to his ministry, he was not often far from trouble. Ireland was not neatly organized in kingdoms under Laeghaire, so whenever he went into a new area, it was likely that Laeghaire’s sanction would mean very little.  Patrick and his followers were imprisoned on several occasions- Patrick once spent two months in prison wondering if his ministry was over- and he saw many of his converts die, as well as being sentenced to death himself more than once.  Through it all, though, Patrick remained humble and counted only on God’s protection to free him from any situation.  He wrote the following in a chant or prayer, which he titled “The Breastplate” that he taught others to remind them of their purpose and Protector:

Christ shield me today against poison,
against burning, against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come to me an abundance of reward,
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Having successfully planted churches and established pastors and priests in every district in Ireland, Patrick died around the age of seventy-two on March 17, A.D. 461.

Story from the Jesus Freaks book.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation–

23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Those words, I consider to be the most rich, most inspiring, and awesome in all of scripture. Absolutely beautiful.