bekahcubed

Categories Following Christ

I’m so vain…

2 Comments by

I think that this blog’s all about me.

Am I the only person who occasionally wastes hours of her day reading her own blog?

I find myself nodding, mm-hmm-ing, and occasionally bursting into an amen.

I want to write myself comments to say “Bravo”.

I become impressed with how I express myself, with the topics I write about, with the way I think about issues.

I’m pretty much my biggest fan.

Which is pretty much not cool at all.

My pride would say that I am wise, that I know the answers, that bekahcubed is a fount of wisdom and discernment.

The word of God says otherwise.

In fact, God’s word places wisdom and pride on opposite ends of a spectrum.

“When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.”
~Proverbs 11:2

“By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.”
~Proverbs 13:10

“In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.”
~ Proverbs 14:3

In fact, pride is the one thing that Scripture tells us God actively opposes: in both James 4:6 and I Peter 5:5, we read:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

In taking pride in my wisdom, I reveal how little wisdom I truly have–
and I set myself in opposition to God and He to me.

How much better that I heed the word of God through James:

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Categories Reflections

The Way of Grief

1 Comment by

He’d just lost his wife, the woman he’d loved for years, the one he’d shared everything with. He described the early stages of his grief this way:

“How could things go on when the world had come to an end? How could things–how could I–go on in this void? How could one person, not very big, leave an emptiness that was galaxy-wide? Everything–every object–was pervaded by the void. I could teach my classes smilingly, even to calmly reading a poem about loss…But that first day of teaching after the St. Stephen’s night, when I left the class to go home, I saw the MG, small and somehow forlorn, invaded by that void, and I was barely able to get off campus before the tears came….There were, though, thousands of other things and memories, each of which must be seen once in that piercingly bleak emptiness.”
~Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy

I read the words and identify with them. I know that void, the blankness of imagining life without, the reality that life will be–now is–without. I walked to classes, turned in assignments, taught my students, carried on with life. To the outside observer, I was fine. People commented on “how well I was taking it.”

I wasn’t taking it well at all. I continued in the routines of day to day life, but every step was now pervaded by the void.

Then as now, I shook myself and said I couldn’t be experiencing what I was. To say that my experience was anything like Vanauken’s is to make light of the depth of his grief. It’s like the pet owner who compares the adoption of his pet to the difficult process his neighbor is going through to adopt a child.

Yes, I had reason to sorrow. But grief? Grief like this?

A woman I know lost her husband of more than a quarter century at about the same time as I experienced my loss. She had reason to grieve. I–I was overreacting, clearly.

I was shamed when I wrote of the difficulties of day to day living–of living through my pain. She commented, identified, encouraged me to trust God amidst it all. How could she be identifying with my grief? She had reason to grieve–much more reason than I. I should be comforting her, not she comforting me.

Yet however small my loss may have been compared to the losses of others, I was grieving in the same way.

The same void. The same questions. The same need to trust God just to make it through the next moment. The same little things that set off fountains of tears. The same pain that can’t be put into words.

Long months have passed, months where it took all my energy to merely cling to Christ. Months where I’ve barely been able to see through the tears, through the void. The sun peeks out from behind the clouds every now and again. I begin to think that my grieving days may be numbered.

Then I read of grief like Vanauken’s and the grief rushes back into my soul. My heart aches as I read of the intimacy he shared with his wife, the years they spent together, the years he lost. My heart aches to think of the memories I don’t have, the time I didn’t share, the stories I can’t tell.

I am crying again, grieving again, feeling my loss with such intensity.

And again, I think, what right have I to grieve? My loss is so very small–Vanauken’s loss, Annette’s loss so great. How can I dare to grieve over so little, so long?

I don’t know, except to say that grief does not know the measures of reason.

“How could one person, not very big, leave an emptiness that was galaxy-wide?”

I don’t know, except to say that this is the way of grief.

Categories Everyday Life

I’m a fan…

1 Comment by

…of saying “I’m a fan” or “I’m not a fan”.

Evidence?

According to this very blog, I’m a fan of…

And, by the same source, I’m not a fan of…

Yeah, I’m pretty much a fangirl. Or not.

Categories Family & Friends

When I get a big-girl job

4 Comments by

There’s a little game I play on occasion–I call it “when I get a big-girl job”.

You see, right now I work on a contract basis, with a semester-by-semester contract for the teaching assistantship. I have low job security and need to be prepared for an extended job search each time my contract expires. Because of this, any “extra” money that I earn gets funneled immediately into savings.

Which means that there are a number of things I want but don’t really need that I’ve put off purchasing for now.

But on the days that I allow myself to play “when I get a big-girl job”, I dream of buying a road bike and contact lenses.

The road bike is for me.

I love cycling and commute wherever I can on my bicycle. I’m ridiculously slow, in part because I’m not in that great of shape and in part because my bicycle is not that great.

I bought it seven years ago off a rack at Walmart. It’s a standard $100 mountain bike, heavyish and clunky. It’s great for a kid exploring–not so great for an adult who wants to commute.

My bicycle

Then there was the accident. Only months after purchasing my bike, I had an unfortunate encounter with a fire hydrant that mangled the front post. Somehow, between my dad and my grandpa, we managed to scrounge up a new front post and get it installed. The new post is older and heavier, and unfortunately, the brake mount is different–and doesn’t exactly work correctly.

I’ve tried replacing the brakes, remounting them, working whatever hacks I can. But I’ve been unsuccessful at truly making the brakes work properly. So the mount swings back and forth and occasionally, I discover that I’m working double time trying to ride with the brake pad applied to one side of a wheel.

So I’d really like a new bike. A road bike, light and well-designed.

The second item isn’t so much for me as it is for my dad.

When it became clear that my vision needed correction, I chose glasses over contacts for a number of reasons. First, glasses are the economically savvy choice. They last until you need a new prescription. Second, glasses are the economically savvy choice. :-) Even if you use contacts, you should have a pair of glasses for emergencies anyway. Third, I have perennial environmental allergies. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to introduce little pieces of plastic into my already regularly red and itchy eyes.

Now, though, I’m eager to give contacts a try.

Why?

Because my glasses bug my dad to pieces. They’re perpetually crooked.

At first, I regularly dropped by the eye center where I bought my glasses to have the professionals there straighten my frames. It frustrated me that by the time I returned home, they were sitting crooked again.

I took to straightening them myself–but it never seemed to last for long.

Finally, I figured out what the problem was.

My nose is crooked.

That’s not new information–but I hadn’t connected the two. You see, my nose’s crookedness begins very close to the bridge of my nose and continues all the way down. Which means that straight glasses, if placed all the way at the bridge, will sit straight. But if those glasses slip even a quarter of an inch down my nose, they will begin to tilt precariously.

Crooked glasses
The glasses that once sat parallel to my eyebrows now lie at odd angles, giving me a rather mad professor look.

It doesn’t bother me too much–but it drives my dad crazy.

Enough that I’m ready to try contacts “when I get a big-girl job”.

Categories What's on Your Nightstand?

Nightstand (August 2010)

17 Comments by

On last month’s nightstand:

On my nightstandOn my nightstand

What I actually read this month was…
(Click on the titles to see my reviews.)

Fiction

  • Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
  • The Quest by Nancy Moser
  • Second Time Around by Nancy Moser

Nonfiction

Juvenile

*****************Begin Note**********************
I generally review what I can prior to my nightstand post and figure that I’ll leave what I didn’t get to un-reviewed. I DO NOT want to do that with Jon Meacham’s American Gospel or Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird–both are too excellent to not write about. I hope to write about both over this next week–the reviews will be linked in my “Recap” post that comes out Saturday evenings at 11:59. So if you want to read my thoughts on either of those books, check back sometime on Sunday for the link. Otherwise, if you see a linked title on this post (or any other of my nightstand posts), the link will lead to my review.
*****************End Note**********************

Currently in the middle of…

On my nightstand

  • Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris
    I’m still working on this one slowly with my book group–I’ll let you know when I’ve got a formal review done!
  • Founding Faith by Steven Waldman
    A history of church and state in the United States. So far, quite interesting. It makes a case for there not having been a uniform religion among the Founding Fathers–leading to interesting discussions of the interactions between church and state.
  • Proverbs: The Wisdom of Solomon translated by Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro
    I’m reading this along with my daily Bible reading (which currently has me in Proverbs.) This is a free translation (somewhat akin to the Message, only by a Jewish rabbi who appears to be rather secular)–and it makes for some interesting reading and comparison.
  • A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
    Lisa reviewed it, I recapped it, Casandra raved about it–and then she lent me her library copy so I could read it (Casandra’s my roommate, for those who were wondering!) Thus far, this is a spectacular true story.

On this month’s nightstand:

I’m going easy on myself this month, recognizing that I’m starting up quite a few new things that’ll likely eat a significant portion of my time. Thus, there are only (!) 13 titles on this month’s nightstand (not counting the homemakey books and the children’s picture books, of course.)

On my nightstand

Fiction

  • By Way of the Silverthorns by Grace Livingston Hill
  • A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
  • Love’s Enduring Promise by Janette Oke
  • Love’s Long Journey by Janette Oke
  • Masquerade by Nancy Moser
  • Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Nonfiction

  • How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper by Robert A. Day
  • Manufacturing Depression by Gary Greenberg
  • The Narnian by Alan Jacobs
  • The World According to Mr. Rogers
  • Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen
    (After reading Osteen’s Become a Better You, I’m not sure whether I’ll read this one or not–I’m guessing I’ll skim it just for the basics so I can dialogue about it in an informed manner. Please read my thoughts on Osteen for a better understanding of why I’m reading/skimming this title.)
  • A dozen craft/decorating/homemakey books

Juvenile

  • Children’s Picture Books author BA-?
  • C.S. Lewis: The Chronicler of Narnia by Mary Dodson Wade
  • The Homeschool Liberation League by Lucy Frank

Drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading.
What's on Your Nightstand?

Categories Book Reviews

Book Review: “The Myth of a Christian Nation” by Greg Boyd

1 Comment by

View my disclosure statement for more information on how I choose books to review.

America is a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. Our founding fathers were Christians. America is a second Israel, a chosen nation to promote God’s message around the world. Christians in America need to take America back for God–we need to outlaw abortion, pass laws to protect the sanctity of marriage, and fight for Christian prayer in schools.

Does any of this sound familiar?

It certainly does to me–a homeschooled daughter of conservative Christians. My school textbooks read America as a Christian nation through and through–until the corrupt sixties destroyed everything. Admittedly, I generally took this story of history with a grain of salt–but I know plenty who had been raised on the secularly revisionist history of the US who now take this “Christian” version as gospel truth. To them, the call to “take America back for God” is THE calling of the American church.

Greg Boyd’s The Myth of a Christian Nation challenges these and other assertions of the “religious right.”

Boyd’s primary thesis is that Christians miss the point when they make political involvement central to faith. Boyd argues that there is a fundamental difference between the way “the kingdoms of the world” operate and the way “the kingdom of God” operates. The kingdoms of the world attempt to change behavior by exercising power over people; while the kingdom of God changes hearts as the church demonstrates what Boyd calls “power under” living–service and self-sacrifice, following the example of Christ in the cross. Boyd argues that when Christians emphasize politics (a “power over” approach), they dilute or pollute their Christian witness–and fail to walk in Christ-like “power under” love.

I have to say that this book was rather uncomfortable for me–pretty much all the way through. While Boyd states from the beginning that his beef is not merely with the “religious right” but with any political agenda that the church takes on as its own, 100% of his criticism is of the religious right. As a conservative, and one who would probably be lumped by pollsters into the category “the religious right”, I struggled against the temptation to be offended by Boyd’s one-sided criticisms of conservatives.

I spent at least the first three chapters “reserving judgment”. I wanted to hear Boyd out, to really listen to what he had to say. And I’m glad I did.

Boyd’s strength in this book is his clear emphasis on how the kingdom of God differs from the kingdom of the world–and that the primary concern of the Christian should be to exercise kingdom of God “power under” rather than kingdom of the world “power over”. He makes a wonderful point that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world are completely distinct–and should be kept completely distinct.

“To be sure, a version of the kindgdom of the world that effectively carries out law, order, and justice is indeed closer to God’s will for the kingdom of the world.… But no version of the kingdom of the world is closer to the kingdom of God than others because it does its job relatively well. For God’s kingdom looks like Jesus, and no amount of sword-wielding, however just it may be, can ever get a person, government, nation, or world closer to that. The kingdom of God is not an ideal version of the kingdom of the world; it’s not something that any verison of the kingdom of the world can aspire toward or be measured against. The kingdom of God is a completely distinct, alternative way of doing life.”
~Greg Boyd, The Myth of a Christian Nation

Boyd does a good job, in my opinion, of urging Christians to see living in a Christ-like, others-serving, “power-under” manner as their primary call; rather than seeking political influence as their primary goal. What Boyd does less well is clearly articulate how a Christian might have a godly attitude towards and involvement in politics. That is, one could easily read Boyd and think that the only appropriate thing a Christian can do in relationship with politics is to quietly vote his or her conscience. While Boyd never explicitly says that a Christian could never campaign for a candidate or cause, run for office, or otherwise “move and shake” politically–that is the impression that this book gives.

Because I am not a huge fan of the “Christian nation” narrative made popular in works such as Peter Marshall and David Manuel’s The Light and the Glory, I was not particularly worried about or offended by Boyd’s alternate narrative which makes America out to be an almost completely secular nation (a la current secular revisionist history.) However, my reading on the subject (two excellent books on church and state and the founding of America are Jon Meacham’s American Gospel and Steven Waldman’s Founding Faith) suggests that the reality fell somewhere in between these two extremes. Again, since my presupposition (as well as my reading of history) falls somewhere between the two extremes, I took Boyd’s rendering with a grain of salt, just as I have with Marshal and Manuel’s. But I wonder if Boyd’s extreme secular interpretation fo history would drive away those who have fully bought into what Boyd calls the “Myth” of a christian nation–making them unable or unwilling to see his true thesis amidst their (partly justifiable) outrage.

I have tons more thoughts on The Myth of a Christian Nation–but I’m already running rather long. This book (and the book club with which I read it) challenged me greatly, changing my mind on some things, clarifying my thoughts on others, and encouraging me to search deeper on yet more. Even though I do not find myself agreeing with everything that Boyd has written (or perhaps because I do not agree with everything Boyd wrote), I am very glad that I read this book–and that I chose to hear Boyd out through the sections which I could have chosen to take deep offense at.

I encourage other readers to do the same. Read this book, choose to reserve judgment, choose to quell the offense you might be tempted to take, choose to search through and pray through Boyd’s thesis. Maybe Boyd will change your mind. Maybe he won’t. But I promise you that you’ll have a deeper and wider perspective on the kingdom of God and on how politics may or may not fit in that for having wrestled with Boyd’s arguments.

Rating:4 stars
Category: Religion and Politics
Synopsis: Boyd argues that “the quest for political power is destroying the church.”
Recommendation: Many may find this book offensive (I know I was definitely tempted to take offense)–but I think Boyd’s thesis is certainly worth grappling with. Christians (particularly those who are interested in politics) would do well to read this book and wrestle through the ideas found within.

Categories Reading My Library

Read-Aloud Favorites

1 Comment by

I don’t often get a chance to read my library selections aloud to youngsters. Instead, I read most of my picture books silently, by myself.

As a result, most of my reviews of children’s picture books are based on, well, my own opinion of the books and how I think youngsters might respond.

But this last week, I had an opportunity to babysit for a couple of my favorite little ones–avid readers at age 4 and 2.

I brought along a selection of library books and we started reading them one by one. We’d gotten about halfway through my stack when they started asking for repeats (instead of continuing through.)

These three titles by Jim Aylesworth were the ones they wanted to hear again:

Children's books by Jim Aylesworth

Country Crossing tells the simple story of a railroad crossing in the nighttime country. All is quiet except for crickets chirping and an owl hooting. But the a car drives up and is stopped at the tracks. The train approaches and departs. The car starts up again and drives away. And the country returns to its quiet activity.

What makes this story unique and repeat read-aloud-able is its use of onomatopoeia and rhythmic language to give the listener a feel for the activity occurring as the car and then the train approach and recede. The illustrations by Ted Rand are old-timey and fairly realistic. I enjoyed reading this one out loud–and the children enjoyed listening and perusing its pages.

Little Bitty Mouse is an understated alphabet book that describes how a little mouse snuck into a house and explored a variety of the house’s contents. Every few pages, the story repeats the refrain

Tip-tip tippy tippy
Went her little mousie toes.
Sniff-sniff sniffy sniffy
Went her little mousie nose

The story is enjoyable, with a nice rhyme scheme and an unobtrusive alphabet element.

But the part that probably endeared it to the kids was the very end when the little bitty mousie hears a “ZZZZ” and goes to investigate. What she finds–a cat sleeping–frightens her, and she lets out a “Squeak!” (The four year old jumped every time I turned the page to see the cat and let out my own shrill pitched “Squeak!”)

Sweet Little Bitty Mousie,
Just as scared as scared can be,
Went run run run run running!
That was all she cared to see!

Jim Aylesworth’s Book of Bedtime Stories is a compilation of four stories. We started to read these a second time, but didn’t get all the way through due to the kids’ Mommy arriving home. So I’m not sure exactly what appealed; but, like the other two stories, these stories featured a pleasant rhythm and rhyme structure, fun onomatopoeia, and simple but engaging story lines.

These stories were a hit with a couple of kids–and this reader wasn’t complaining about the repeats!

Reading My LibraryFor more comments on children’s books, see the rest of my Reading My Library posts or check out Carrie’s blog Reading My Library, which chronicles her and her children’s trip through the children’s section of their local library.


Categories The Week in Words

WiW: On Christian Occupation

4 Comments by

The Week in Words

On what sets Christians apart:

“‘And they’re all so–so happy in their Christianity,’ said Davy.

And I said, ‘Could it be–that happiness–what’s called “Christian joy”, do you think?’

That night I wrote in our journal: ‘The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness….Indeed, there are impressive indications that the positive quality of joy is in Christianity–and possibly nowhere else. If that were certain, it would be proof of a very high order.'”

~Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy

Christians, and Christians alone, have reason to walk in joy. For it is only we who have certainty of God’s favor, certainty of eternal life, certainty of purpose. We are called to rejoice in all things (Philippians 4:4)–and we have reason to do so.

I love the concept of Christian hedonism–and John Piper’s twist on the Westminster catechism’s answer to the question “What is the chief end of man?” Piper suggests that it should be “to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.”

As Christians, our joy and our occupation are one and the same–the glorification of God. Our task is to glorify Him–and glorifying Him brings us joy.

“Christian joy” is how all other occupations take on their meaning.

On what the world needs:

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

~Howard Thurman (HT: Semicolon)

The only way to truly come alive is to know Christ Jesus, to be crucified with Him and raised to newness of life through Him. But there is a very real sense in which people who do what energizes them are a blessing to the world, simply because they take pleasure in their work.

The thought reminds me of another quote, this one by Eric Liddell, “I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure.”

Just as Christian joy is not an end in and of itself, but a logical outcome of glorifying God, so outreach is not an end in and of itself, but a direct outcome of the Christian’s pleasure in God and awareness of God’s pleasure in him.

What this world needs is fully alive people, walking (or running) in the pleasure of the Lord.

On the virtue of wasting time:

“Drinking beer with friends is perhaps the most underestimated of all Reformation insights and essential to ongoing reform.”

~Carl Truman

This article was really quite insightful, talking about the value of rest. It reminded me of I Corinthians 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” And indeed, while the worldly man is given either to workaholism or to sloth, the Christian has reason to rejoice in both diligent work and regular rest.

Whether you’re a beer drinker or not (I’m not–stuff smells too nasty!), there’s a definite aspect in which this is true. Time “wasted” in relaxation and relationships (not in front of the tube) has purpose. God Himself rested, setting a pattern for us to follow. And God designed us to live in relationship with others.

We can glorify God as we run, as we work, as we play, as we relax with a cup/mug/glass of our beverage of choice.

We can do all things for the glory of God. And, as John Piper puts it, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Collect more quotes from throughout the week with Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”.

Categories Family & Friends

Sunday Snapshot: LAN Party

3 Comments by

In the past week or two, three of my four brothers have built themselves computers. They have finally conceded that laptops are a bad investment (I’ve been telling them this for years–my desktop is showing no signs of waning after 7 years while most of them have gone through two laptops in the same period.) And, apart from the economics, they also realize that desktops are immensely preferable as gaming computers.

That, after all, is really why they built their computers.

So last Sunday, after our family (plus some) lunch, Daniel set up a table in the basement and traveled home to get his computer. John went to his separate corner of the city to get his computer. And Timothy brought his down from upstairs.

Daniel, John, and Timothy on computers

In between chatting with my folks, processing my pickles, and crocheting a Christmas ornament, I popped downstairs to take a few photos.

John gave the signal and each boy raised his hand to avoid a face photo.

I switched sides, making it harder for Dan to hide his face–but he managed it nonetheless.

Just another Sunday afternoon when the Menter children re-converge on their house of origin.

Categories Recap

Recap (August 15-21)

1 Comment by

On bekahcubed

Book Reviews:

  • The Cross of Christ by John Stott

    Rating: *****
    Category:Theology of the Cross
    Synopsis: John Stott gives a comprehensive, readable theology of the cross.
    Recommendation: This is life-transforming information Stott unpacks. Read it.

    Read the rest of my review.

  • Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough by Lori Gottlieb

    Rating: ****
    Category: Relationships/Memoir/Sociology
    Synopsis: Gottlieb explains how being a picky dater can lead women to lonely lives.
    Recommendation: This book has a lot of merit. Single women should consider its thesis carefully.

    Read the rest of my review.

  • The Quest by Nancy Moser

    Rating: 0 stars
    Category: Christian Fiction
    Synopsis: A group of people representing the pieces of the armor of God must join together to battle a demon who wants to destroy them.
    Recommendation: The theological premises of this book are awful–and since the whole story seems designed to push this faulty theology, I see little redeeming value. Don’t read this book.

    Read the rest of my review.

Recipes:

On the web

Laugh out loud funnies:

  • Some TERRIFIC money saving tips

    “Stop paying income taxes. Although it seems counterintuitive, if you stop paying federal income taxes, the federal government will actually step in and pay for your room and board!”

    HT: Evangelical Outpost

Books for the TBR list:

  • Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
    Confession: I enjoy YA girls fiction of the frothy sort. Think Princess Diaries (although I did eventually get fed up with that series and quit on it.) Suite Scarlett sounds like a perfect match for someone who likes YA girls froth but would prefer to have a bit of substance to go along with it (Or maybe substance isn’t the word. Jennifer’s review described it as “Scarlett isn’t one of those YA heroines who spends time hanging out with friends, ditching school and going to parties.”) I think I might enjoy this series.

News to take note of:

  • A German millionaire on giving to private charities:

    “The donors are taking the place of the state. That’s unacceptable.”

    “It is all just a bad transfer of power from the state to billionaires. So it’s not the state that determines what is good for the people, but rather the rich want to decide. That’s a development that I find really bad. What legitimacy do these people have to decide where massive sums of money will flow?”

    Maybe that it’s THEIR money? Ever thought of that? This absolutely blows me away. Heaven forbid that individuals take the place of the state (although, strangely enough, I don’t ever recall the place of the state as being to “determine what is good for the people.” Maybe “act in a way that is good for the people”, but never “determine what is good for the people”).
    HT: Instapundit

Thought-provoking posts:

  • Vitamin Z wonders why so few churches have communion every week:

    “The only reason I have heard for not doing it every week is that ‘we want to keep it special’. But why don’t we say that about singing or preaching? Shouldn’t we also want to keep those things special as well? Can you think of any other reasons for why we shouldn’t participate in the Lord’s Supper every week? Fearful of solidarity with Catholics? Is this just a traditional routine that most churches don’t mess with? What do you think? “

    My church has no set schedule for celebrating the Lord’s Supper–and definitely celebrates less rather than more. But whenever we do have communion, someone soberly reminds us that we are not to take communion as a “routine”. I generally cringe at that point and then have to get my heart right again before I actually take communion–I’m not too fond of my church’s attitude towards this sacrament.

  • Tim Challies explains why books are better than e-books:

    “Some time ago I was at a library where I saw a book written by an old, old author. That book had been owned by two great theologians, first by one and then by another (who had purchased much of that first man’s library). Contained in the book were notes and remarks by those theologians, one remarking on the work itself and the other reflecting both on the work and on the other theologian’s notations. It was fascinating to see how different people had experienced that book, how it had become interactive in its own way. That is not easily reproduced in an e-book format.”

    This happens to be one of my favorite way to read books–with a pen in hand and someone else’s notes already in the margin. It brings a whole new dimension to “doing theology in community.” I’ve learned to enjoy it so much that I practically beg people to borrow my books and write notes in them–Thanks, Gracebug, for scribbling up Desiring God! (See my review of The Lord’s Supper: 5 Views for more thoughts on the topic.)

Videos worth seeing:

  • John Piper on the movie-watching habits of Christians:

Related to previous posts:

  • Kevin DeYoung on the ministry of rebuke:

    “The goal of a rebuke, like any kind of discipline, is always restoration. It’s not punitive, but palliative. A loving rebuke is not supposed to be like a gunshot, but like a flu shot. It may hurt, but the goal is to help you get healthy.”

    This one seemed to relate well with my “Heresy Hunter” case study (Part 1 and Part 2)