Michael Moore's Faith

I read today that Michael Moore thinks Gustav hitting during the RNC convention is proof there is a God in heaven.

When Katrina hit New Orleans I read of many conservative evangelicals claiming it was punishment for the sinful culture of the city.

I know the magnitude and fury of both storms are what I deserve.

I am thankful for a Savior who experienced the storms of hell in my place.

God, be merciful to all of us. Grant us repentance, especially those standing in the path of Gustav and Hannah.

Thomas McKenzie's "Reverend Barak"

Check out IHAJJ for a refreshing take on America's hope.

Of Interest...

Barr Only Presidential Candidate on Texas Ballot

Republicans, Democrats miss deadline to file presidential candidates in Texas

Atlanta, GA - Bob Barr is slated to be the only presidential candidate on the ballot in Texas after Republicans and Democrats missed the Aug. 26 deadline to file in the state.

"Unless the state of Texas violates their own election laws, Congressman Barr will be the only presidential candidate on the ballot," says Russell Verney, campaign manager for the Barr Campaign and the former campaign manager for Ross Perot. "Texas law makes no exceptions for missing deadlines."

The Texas Secretary of State Web site shows only Bob Barr as the official candidate for president in Texas.

"We know all about deadlines," says Verney. "We are up against them constantly in our fight to get on the ballot across the nation. When we miss deadlines, we get no second chances. This is a great example of how unreasonable deadlines chill democracy."

"Republicans and Democrats make certain that third party candidates are held to ballot access laws, no matter how absurd or unreasonable," says Verney. "Therefore, Republicans and Democrats should be held to the same standards."

Isaac Wats Quote

“God often digs wells of joy with spades of affliction.” Isaac Watts

Rise Up by Ben Shive

I don't remember knowing the struggles of so many. Our church has lost two children under six in the last three months. We've lost men and women. Some to horrible accidents, others to cancer. It doesn't matter how death comes, it's always ugly.

I've talked to numerous friends who are struggling with family, marriage, and church issues. On top of it all, we've been at war for almost seven years. We hear about a slumping economy daily.

When Rebecca emailed me about a four year old who lost a battle with a brain tumor last week my heart sank. My first thought was, I don't have any sadness left. As that fog began to lift I began to feel more and more of the fall. We are surrounded by so many evil and horrible realities. It seems like death, divorce, disease, and sin are winning and gaining momentum.

They are not.

This song has become my current favorite. It is too good to even comment on. To buy the whole album, click here.

Rise Up by Ben Shive

Every stone that makes you stumble
and cuts you when you fall
Every serpent here that strikes your heel
to curse you when you crawl
The king of love one day will crush them all

And every sad seduction and every clever lie
Every word that woos and wounds the pilgrim children of the sky
The king of love will break them by and by

And you will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end
I know the night is cruel
but the day is coming soon
And you will rise up in the end

If the thief had to come to plunder when the children were alone
If he ravaged every daughter and murdered every son
Would not their father see this? Would not his anger burn?
And would he not repay the tyrant in the day of his return?
Oh, wait. Oh, wait the day of his return

Cause he will rise up in the end
He will rise up in the end
I know you need a Savior
He is patient in his anger
And he will rise up in the end

And when the stars come crashing to the sea
and the high and mighty fall down on their knees
When you see the Son descending in the sky
the chains of death will fall around your feet

You will rise up in the end
you will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end

Back With the First Graders

A first grade boy just told me the highlight of his summer was the time he spent in "Chicagarado."

The Boys - The Fall

I was downstairs and heard the boys begin to argue. Joshua told Andrew to do something (not sure what). Andrew screamed. Joshua yelled. Andrew screamed again. Joshua yelled, "Andrew, listen to me! Don't yell!" Andrew screamed again. Joshua yelled with passionate anger, "CRAP! Andrew, this isn't funny!"

And downstairs I thought of Elvis Costello's words, "Two little Hitlers fight it out until, one little Hitler does the other one's will."

Knowing their hearts are just like their daddy's makes me grateful for my Savior. May he grant my boys and their father repentance as often as Andrew yells, again and again.

You May Or May Not Be Interested

I was interviewed at a website called Prayersforblowouts. The site creator had the idea of interviewing his readers (based on how many comments each reader leaves). I was the second to fifty, making me the Larry Doby of commenters.

Mr. Mom

I'm at home for my second day in a row taking care of the boys. Rebecca has taken a part-time teaching job at Franklin Classical. It's pretty funny watching the boys for this long of a time without Rebecca.

Andrew falls ... A LOT.

Joshua talks ... A LOT.

Andrew just tried to take Joshua's toy and when I told him not to he screamed back at me, "NO!" Joshua responded by saying, "He talks, Daddy." I guess he didn't know I had noticed.

Joshua sits in a corner and hoards his trains. Every once in a while he will give one to Andrew and tell me how good he is at sharing. Andrew has walked in enough circles to complete the Appalachian Trail. Now he is walking in circles and raising his arms up and down. Now he is climbing on the ottoman. Now he is sitting in a chair. Now he is grunting. He's looking at the chair wondering what fun he could have there. He's scooting off the chair and reaching for the ottoman. He's off the chair. He's back on the ottoman. He's standing between the chair and the ottoman. Now he's on my foot. Joshua is still in the hoarding corner. Now Andrew is dancing on my foot and singing. Now he's playing peek-a-boo with the Sportscenter anchor. Now's he's yelling, not quite sure at who. Now he has invaded the corner. His invasion causes Joshua to throw his sippy. It made Andrew laugh. Now they're both throwing things and laughing. Joshua's laugh is slightly creepier than Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker. Now Joshua is repeating Andrews name over and over. Andrew is screaming. Either Joshua's repetitive chanting bothers him or he just saw saw Cujo.



This all happened in fifteen seconds.

Rebecca, you have been and continue to be my hero.

Larry King and the Chapmans

Larry King reflects on the Chapman Interview

The Interview

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Vacation Videos

Song for My Sons

This is a Song for My Sons by Sara Groves

This is a song for my sons for when they understand it
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding
for things we couldn't see or comprehend

This is a song for you, to carry in your pocket
take all our love with you in all the paths you walk in
I can't say your life will always go like it should
but I can say that God is always good

and when the cold wind blows like I know it will
and when you feel alone like I know you will
and when the cold wind blows like we know it will

Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow cold

This is a song for my sons for when they understand it
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding
for things we couldn't see or comprehend

This is a song from my heart a small refrain to hold you
for times when we're apart and I cannot console you
Be honest with yourself and don't forget to pray
and read your bible everyday

and when the cold wind blows like I know it will
and when you feel alone like I know you will
and when the cold wind blows like I know it will

Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow cold

The Boys in Destin

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008)

“Life organized legalistically has shown its inability to defend itself against the corrosion of evil.” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

For more about Solzhenitsyn click here

Heidelberg Meditations - Day Eight

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ

"Christ"

He is the anointed one. He is the defining person in history. He is the center of God's redemption story. He is the messiah. All of the Old Testament points to him. He is the true and greater Israel who obeyed the Father. He is the true and greater Moses who intercedes for and serves his people. He is the true and greater David who reigns as king over his people. He is all of this and more and we belong to him.

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression ^[a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken. ^[b]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes ^[c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life ^[d] and be satisfied ^[e] ;
by his knowledge ^[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, ^[g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, ^[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Heidelberg Mediations - Day Seven

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ

"Jesus"

When I think of my Savior's name I often recall my two month stint as an Outback hostess. I guess I was a host, but I always felt a little hostessy. As I was walking past a table, I overheard a conversation about Jesus. I'll always remember hearing them talk and feeling the excitement and warmth of knowing the sweetness of his name. I still love to hear his name. Almost everytime I speak at the retirement center the piano player plays the old hymn, 'There's Just Something About That Name."

I think the simplest meaning of his name is 'the Lord saves.' His name is common (as common as Joshua). Son of God, and Son of Man. A carpenter. A man who was tired, lonely, weak, crying, sighing, laughing, and dying. But the God who reigns, forgives, heals, saves, provides, intercedes, and lives.

He is supreme over all creation. There is no one like him. He is glorious and we belong to him. We are his bride. It is no wonder our hearts are flamed when we hear his name.

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds by John Newton

based on Song of Solomon 1:3 “Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth.”

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

By Thee, my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my life, my way, my end,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

'Til then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy name
Refresh my soul in death.

Heidelberg Meditations - Day Six

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ

"unto my faithful"

My faithful Savior. The faithful Savior. Faithful to the Father. Faithful to his people. Faithful to me. When we are faithless he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself. In our doubts and fears he is faithful. We belong to the faithful Savior. The author and finisher of our faith. Faithful in obedience. Faithful in trials. Faithful in sorrows. Faithful to death. Faithfully interceding. Faithfully providing.

"Savior"

Faithful to death, but raised by the Spirit on the third day. By his life, death, and resurrection we are saved. We are crucified with him, yet we live, not us, but our faithful Savior living in us by his Holy Spirit.

Always Been There by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame

We’ve all got our burdens, our secrets and our shames
We’ve all been discouraged and watched love fall in flames
And when we’ve hit the bottom of all we can bear
When we need you

You rise like the morning sun, a pillar in the night
Who looked into the void and called it light
And you’re faithfully providing for the trouble that we share
When we need you you’ve always been there

Blessed are the poor all around the world
Your children living under war and oppression
Cause you’re the man of sorrows, they whisper up their prayers
When they need you

You rise like the morning sun, a pillar in the night
Who looked into the void and called it light
And you’re faithfully providing for the trouble that we share
When we need you you’ve always been there

And how do we know in the dark of the night
To call out for you, Lord, to come with your light
We were born with you hidden on our hearts
And now we need you

You rise like the morning sun, a pillar in the night
Who looked into the void and called it light
And you’re faithfully providing for the trouble that we share
When we need you you’ve always been there
When we need you you’ve always been there

Heidelberg Meditations - Day Five

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ

"but belong"

I've heard it said our deepest need is to be intimately known. It is also our greatest fear. We all want to belong and we want to belong to someone we deem important. The gospel tells us we are loved by the one who knows us best.

If we're honest with ourselves, we know that someone who knows us that well probably shouldn't love us. But he does. He loves us so much that has has adopted us. My pastor told us this year that adopted children can never lose their inheritance.

Those whose faith is in the Son have been adopted and belong in the family of God.