The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Setting: Medieval England, during the reign of King Richard the Lionhearted
Rating: PG
Star Rating: 4 out of 5

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I have to say that I was pleasantly suprised when I watched this last night. This 1938 rendition of the classic tale of Robin Hood was actually pretty well done for its time and stayed primarily true to the story. It did help, though, to have had Mom read Howard Pyle's version to us, for it was rather neat to watch a scene and remember it from the actual book.

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There are several moments of inappropriate romance (that is, if you're courtship-minded) between Robin Hood and Maid Marian, but besides this, there isn't any objectionable content.

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The movie mainly focuses on the exploits of Robin Hood against his Norman rival, Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Robin, made an outlaw by his enemies, gathers about his person a band of followers who aid him him in his endeavors to "steal from the rich to give to the poor".

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The scenes of swordplay, though not very realistic, were fun to watch (what do you expect? I'm a young man!). The movie is rated PG, but really the fighting is no more graphic or violent than in a movie like Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

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Another thing that might be noted is that Maid Marian, like all the other women in the film, actually wears something modest, unlike in so many of today's films, where the women decide to wear their bathing suits on set!

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One thing we might consider, though, is the godliness of Robin Hood's tactics as the hero of the poor. Is it right to steal from someone, even if they did take the wealth they have wrongfully? Is it right to repay evil with evil? God tells us that vengence belongs to Him, and to Him alone, and that we are not to take revenge into our own hands (Rom. 12:19). I think that it is an interesting topic to discuss, because it seems that Robin Hood is no longer thought of as as being wrong in his actions. Is he to be excused from obeying the seventh commandment? We need to call sin by its true name: SIN. It is wrong to excuse or glorify it. There is no getting around it, and so, whether we like it or not, we must recognize Robin and his merry men for what they were: thieves, plain and simple. Even if the Normans extorted money wrongfully from the poor, was it Robin's duty to take vengence and reccompence into his own hands? I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this. There's much more to discuss than is possible in this review.

Persevero,

Scribe

Overnight French Toast

This is one of our favorite breakfast recipes. I love it because I can make it the night before and bake it in the morning. (Warning: It's not for those without a sweet tooth or those on a diet.)

1 pound bread, crust removed if hard (I've used both homemade and store bought french bread.)

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

8 large eggs

2 c. heavy cream

1. Tear the bread into 1 inch pieces and put in large bowl. You'll have about 9 c. of bread.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

3. Whisk together the eggs, cream, and 3/4 c. of the cinnamon sugar in another large bowl and then pour over the bread, stirring until coated.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Spread the batter in the prepared dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 35 to 40 min.

6. Remove from oven, and serve with warm maple syrup.

One dish of this feeds our family just fine, and sometimes we have leftovers, which warm up nicely in the oven or microwave. Enjoy!

~recipe from Perfect Party Food cookbook

Beric

Well, you may remember my pet guinea pig, Beric, from an earlier post, where I took pictures of him and his buddy Beethoven outside. Sadly, yesterday, at 2:45 A.M. in the morning, Beric passed away.

His death was rather a shock, because he had only been with us for about 6 months. My previous guinea pigs lived with us for over two years, and so I was expecting Beric, who seemed to be very energetic and healthy pet, would live on much longer. I guess that just shows you that man can make his plans, but God ultimately decides how things will go.

I don't know the reasons for Beric's death. He was young, and always was an energetic animal. He was well fed and cared for. He even had a companion guinea pig (Beethoven) to keep him company, and they got on well together. The only thing I can guess is that he had internal health probems which we did not know about when I got him. But whatever it was, I can be glad I got to enjoy him for the time I did.

One thing about Beric was that he had the most energetic spirit of any of the guinea pigs I've owned as pets. I remember the day we got him. We had a small box to keep him in for the ride home from the pet store. But was Beric content to stay in that box? No sir. As soon as we came to a stop in a parking lot, and several of my family members went into a store briefly, he began jumping (believe it or not, guinea pigs are rather good at giving short, springy bounces) up against the sides of the box. With his little claws scratching at the cardboard, he finally managed to haul himself over the edge... onto the seat... and into my lap! Of course, once up, he decided he was afraid of heights, and after sniffing at my jeans, clambered back into his box. But once down again, he decided he had an avid fear of low places, especially those that resembled cages. Once more he mounted the sides of the box... (sigh)...

Another time, I had taken Beric and Beethoven outside onto our driveway to exercise. I should have known better...Beethoven, being what you might call a 'refined', laid back guinea pig, disdained to travel farther than a few feet from the box I carried them in. Not Beric. No sooner had I turned round, than that ornery pig shot off like a bottle rocket, sniffing - turning round to see if I had noticed his absence - sniffing - pawing - looking round...

Now, those of you who have dealt with guinea pigs probably know that the worst thing you can do is to allow your guinea pig to sneak off underneath some bit of furniture, where they'll stay till Judgment Day if the furniture isn't moved away from them, or you coax them out with food. Anyhow, I, who had dealt with guinea pigs as pets for the last two and a half years, let Beric slip away... under the family car.

I crawled around under the car trying to nab him, but the slippery animal would scurry away from me ere I could get to him in those rather cramped quarters. I coaxed, and I begged, and I pleaded, and I threatened (not that he understood me), but that lovable pig refused to listen.

So, being forced to take drastic measures, I called in the local S.W.A.T team - a.k.a. Little Big Man and Reaches Up with their Super-Soakers! Yikes!

Pump, pump, pump... "Hurry! Squirt him! He's over there, on you side!"... "No, no, he's on your side, now!"... SSSSSSSSSSSPPPUURRT.... "Got 'im! Ha, ha!"... Well, that was pretty much the routine for the next five minutes. In the end, Beric looked like a moving wash rag, dripping water everywhere, running in the mud made by the squirt guns... (sigh)...

Still, that stubborn pig refused to budge from his hideout, and at last I fired the S.W.A.T team, and, after bit of trickery, managed to secure Beric once more... then we got out the hair-dryer...:)

Well, I enjoyed keeping Beric for the time I did, and I can be thankful that I was able to spend the last hours with him before he finally died. The next morning, I put him in a small box, and then buried him next to the graves of Lewis and Clark, out in the back yard.

It's going to be strange and sad without him, now. But even if I can't understand it now, I can know that God works all things together for good. (Rom. 8:28) We'll miss you, though, Beric! :)

Persevero,

Scribe

Grinding Beans and Turning Hearts

On Saturday, Daddy gave a tutorial on grinding coffee beans. One would have thought there was something "big," something amazing going on by the way Whistler, Reaches Up, and Boo crowded around Daddy, eagerly listening to his instruction. But it was simply about grinding coffee beans.As I watched Mountain Man patiently instruct our Littles, I was amazed at how focused the children were...they were delighting in having Daddy teach them, and they just wanted to be near him.

It's in these moments that the hearts of children are turned to their fathers and the hearts of the fathers to their children. Step by step...in the daily tasks we do...the little things....patiently instructing...tying heart strings and pointing our children to their Saviour.

"And He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers..." Malachi 4:6

Our Big Rocks

No, this isn't a post about landscaping, but I'm sure most of you have heard the analogy of fitting big and little rocks in a jar. If you put the big rocks in first, you'll have room for the little ones. However, putting the little ones in first leaves no room for the big rocks. The big and little rocks represent those things we have to do in our lives. How will we fit it all in? How do we make sure the "tyranny of the urgent" doesn't fill our jars with the little rocks, squeezing out those essential big rocks?

Structuring our day has consistently been a challenge for me, but I've discovered that I'm much more at peace with what we accomplish each day if I've thoughtfully considered what the "big rocks" are, and God has been faithful to show me what He considers important for our family. ("If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." James 1:5) Our "big rocks" set the foundation for our day and help us to be wise stewards of our time. Here are the tasks that are current priorities for us.

~Independent Bible Reading/Quiet Time with the LORD: I have this time before the children get up, and this is the first thing the children do when they awake. Scribe, Little Big Man, Whistler, and Reaches Up started reading through the Bible at the start of 2008. It became a bit challenging for Reaches Up to continue (though he was doing a great job!), so I started having him read to Boo from one of our story Bibles. He's just finished the book, so he and Boo are listening to Bible tapes in the morning. After reading, everyone is supposed to review his/her memory work and then pray. Does this always happen perfectly? No, but our goal here is to establish this as a habit, a discipline that stays with them all of their lives. Being in the Word doesn't just happen. We often have to make ourselves do it, and just because it requires discipline doesn't make it less valuable or profitable. The children, especially, will learn the value of this time more and more as they grow in age and grow in grace. For me, I'm completely useless as a Mom and wife if I'm not in the Word, and sadly, this is not a discipline I cultivated in my early years. The habit of personal time in the Word is the essential of essentials.

~Chore Packs: You might be wondering why this would be an essential, a "big rock." It's just cleaning, after all. However, as Wendell Berry explains, "Rest requires order." In our family, none of us can function well when there are many messes and disorder. (If all of us left only 3 items laying around, you still have 24 things out of place.) This usually only takes about an hour in the morning, and we're all blessed by having at least the basics done. (and that's all it is--the basics) The chores also provide training in so many areas...thoroughness, working heartily as unto the LORD, initiative, diligence, and the list goes on and on. There is much discipleship that goes on during this time, as throughout the day.

~Morning Time: I'll post more about this separately because it covers so many different things, but this is essential for us because this is when we study God's Word together each day and discuss many other topics as a group. It's my favorite time with the children and definitely a "big rock."

~Lessons and Read Aloud Time: This is a "big rock" for the obvious reasons but also because it is one of those areas that can easily get overshadowed by all the little tasks we need to do each day.

~Family Worship: This happens in the evening, though with Mountain Man's work schedule, we're not as consistent as we'd like to be. This is essential, though, as we spend time together as a family worshipping the LORD with hymns, studying His Word, and praying together. I truly can't imagine family life without it.

On the weekends, there are other things that become the "big rocks," such as meal planning and home projects. In different seasons of life, the priorities change as well. The important aspect of mapping out our "big rocks" and "little rocks" is listening to the LORD and being in His Word. If Scripture tells us to love God with every fiber of our being, our heart, soul, mind, and strength, but I'm not even in the Word daily, how will I grow in wisdom and grace and love Him as I should? So, as a Christian, everyone should have personal Bible study and time with the Lord as a big rock. From there on, it's a matter of seeking God's will for our families. Here are some things I considered as I fleshed out the essentials of our day.

1) Continuously pray for God's direction. What are His goals for our family? How will we accomplish these? Do our activities reflect what is important in His kingdom?

2) Man makes his plans, but God directs His steps. My "big rocks" are never more important than God's designs for my day. They are not set in stone. If I need to minister to the heart of a family member in a special way, or help a friend in need, I'm misguided if I tightly hold on to one of my "big rocks," refusing to heed the direction of the Holy Spirit. I need to be sensitive to any changes God would make in my plans.

3) Without careful thought to daily essentials, I'm without clear direction, flitting from one task to another and never feeling like I accomplished much. I've mismanaged minutes that I'll never see again, and I've failed to "number my days."

4) Amazingly, having the "big rocks" in place, provides more time to fill my jar with the "pebbles." I'm more efficient, and I'm more at peace. It often defies understanding to let the little things go and focus on the "big rocks" first, but God honors those who honor him, and we honor God with our time when we seek His wisdom for what should be the priorities in our daily activities.

5) Satan wants me to reverse priorities. If he can get me to fill that jar with the little rocks first, he'll soon be the victor in many battles. Even worse, if he can convince me that everything else is more important than training our children up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD, he is effectively destroying our family one moment at a time. "Hmm, you'll really need to get that laundry going (or whatever other tempting task he dangles in front of me)...you'll be able to study His Word later." "You don't have time to discipline her right now...you have to get on to the next "big rock." "You can really listen to what he has to say later...taking the time for a heartfelt conversation is going to mess up your whole routine." Guilty as charged. I've fallen for this many times and still do, and the consequences are significant.

Filling that daily jar of time with the essentials first is a constant battle. But knowing our "big rocks" leaves us with so many fewer regrets because the "tyranny of the urgent" loses it's power over us, and we're then able to be more intentional about using our time to the glory of God.

"So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalm 90:12

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:15, 16

Love,

Queen Mom

Knights and Damsels, Foul Vermin, Football, and Horses

Yes, I know there are a lot of things mentioned in that title. But, it's amazing what creative children can accomplish on a two mile walk! We had such beautiful, almost perfect, weather on Monday that we resumed our morning walk. Yes, Little Big Man is teaching even Little Bit to catch that ball!

One of the favorite spots on the walk is here, where the neighbor's horses gather at the fence to greet the children. Whistler could stay here all day, and we always hear her lament, "I wish we had horses."

Reaches Up is ready to draw if need be! (and I don't mean in his nature journal...)

Even Boo has contracted sword fever. I was stunned to hear her, as she's chasing Little Big Man, call out, "Come back, you foul vermin." What??? Aah, how does a mother keep the cultures separate with this many different age groups? Boo did finally get Little Big Man, and below you see her posing proudly with her "sword." (Don't worry. We really are raising maidens...just warrior maidens, that is. :)) Hope that doesn't scare off all those potential suitors out there...)

Chef Luke de Delectable

"Hmm... needs some oregano, methinks... and perhaps some saffron... and I can't forget the parsley... and since we live in New Mexico, I think I'll add some green chili to spice things up a bit!"

(Note: This is a "funny foto!" Reaches Up was just a babe here.:)

Sanctification - Part 1

This will be the first of three posts for Chapter 2 (Sanctification) from J. C. Ryle's Holiness. In this post, we'll look at "the true nature of sanctification." Before we start, though, Ryle in his intro to this chapter, states that "there are three things required in the salvation of every man - justification, regeneration, and sanctification... if you lack any one of these three things, you are not truly a Christian."

(1) "Sanctification... is the invariable result of that vital union with Christ which true faith gives to a Christian." (see John 15:5). Ryle makes it clear here that, apart from Jesus, there can be no sanctification. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and there can be no life without Him.

(2) "Santification... is the outcome and inseparable consequence of regeneration." Ryle makes mention of the epistle of 1 John, which says "he that is born of God doth not commit sin - doeth righteousness - loveth the brethren - keepeth himself - and overcometh the world" (see 1 John 2:29; 3:9-14; 5:4-18). In short, as Ryle says, "where there is no sanctification there is no regeneration, and where there is no holy life there is no new birth."

(3) "Sanctification... is the only certain evidence of that indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is essential to salvation." In short, the Spirit does not lie still and idle when it is within a man. It works, and produces fruit, such as those mentioned in Gal. 5:22-23. Ryle says, "the Spirit is compared to the wind, and, like the wind, he cannot be seen by our bodily eyes. But just as we know there is wind by the effect it produces on the waves, and trees, and smoke, so we may know the Spirit is in a man by the effects He produces in the man's conduct."

(4) "Sanctification... is the only sure mark of God's election." Verily, only God knows the names written down in the Book of Life, but the elect may be known by their holy conduct and living. He who boasts that he is one of the chosen children of God, and yet continually lives a life of sin contrary to God's Word is lying to himself.

(5) "Sanctification... is a thing that will always be seen." As it is said in Luke 6:44, "Every tree is known by its fruit." Sanctification cannot be hid. Ryle says that, "Like Moses, when he came down from the Mount, he (the believer) may not be conscious that his face shines."

(6) "Sanctification... is a thing for which every believer is responsible." In other words, we are accountable to God to live holy lives. If we are not holy it is our own fault. We are expected to use the grace we've been given and not, as Ryle says, "to go to sleep."

(7) "Sanctification... is a thing which admits of growth and degrees." In other words, sanctification is a gradual process. A man may be more sanctified at one stage in life than in another (2 Pet. 3:18; 1 Thess. 4:1). "God's holiest saints agree...that they see more and know more, and feel more, and do more, and repent more, and believe more, ans they get on in spiritual life, and in porportion to the closeness of their walk with God. In short, they grow in grace..."

(8) "Sanctification... is a thing which depends greatly on a diligent use of scriptural means." In other words, this consists in diligently reading and studying the Bible, regularly partaking of the Lord's Supper, and hearing the word read and preached, which includes regular church attendance. God uses these means to impart to us grace and sanctification. We cannot get on without them.

(9) "Sanctification... is a thing which does not prevent a man having a great deal of inward conflict." Rather, spiritual warfare, and the struggle within is evidence of sanctification, for when you become a Christian, there are two natures within you, one old man, and the new man. (see Gal. 5:17). An inward struggle is a healthy symptom that you are alive in Christ, and not dead in sin.

(10) "Sanctification... is a thing which cannot justify a man, and yet it pleases God." Works cannot save you, yet without works, a manifest fruit of righteousness, the faith that saves you is dead. Ryle says, "... the Bible distinctly teaches that the holy actions of a sanctified man, although imperfect, are pleasing in the sight of God." See Heb. 13:6; Col. 3:20; 1 John 3:22, for just a few Scripture passages to support this. "...So is our Father in heaven pleased with the poor performances of His believing children."

(11) "Sanctification... is a thing which will be found absolutely necessary as a witness to our charcter in the great day of judgment." As Ryle points out, "it will be utterly useless to plead that we believed in Christ unless our faith has had some sanctifying effect and been seen in our lives." (see John 5:29; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:13)

(12) Sanctification... is absolutely necessary in order to train and prepare us for heaven." Heaven is a perfectly holy place. Ryle says that, "when an eagle is happy in an iron cage, when a sheep is happy in the water, when in owl is happy in the blaze of noonday sun, when a fish is happy on dry land - then, and not till then, will I admit that the unsanctified man could be happy in heaven."

- Scribe

The Profitability of the Doctrine of Sin

Ryle addresses the benefits of understanding the doctrine of sin as this first chapter comes to a close.

1) It's an "antidote to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology" which is so prevalent today (then and in our day). There is a so-called Christianity that has a little of this and a little of that, but it "neither exercises influence on daily conduct, nor comforts in life, nor gives peace in death; and those who hold it often awake too late to find they have got nothing solid under their feet."

We're reminded of those who "may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world" because they don't have a "thorough conviction of sin."

2) It's "one of the best antidotes to the extravagantly broad and liberal theology" which was so popular in his time as well as ours. Ryle comments on the tendency to reject "dogmas, creeds, and every kind of bounds in religion." We're hesitant to declare anything untrue, anybody wrong, and anyone lost. If you do, you are "called narrow, illiberal, old-fashioned, and a theological fossil." (Interesting how this is still very much the same in our day.)

3) Ryle's third point is that the doctrine of sin is an antidote to "that sensuous, ceremonial, formal kind of Christianity" that has swept over England. He appears to be addressing a "semi-Romanism" (Catholicism) that was prevalent in worship in England at the time. He expressed a concern over the outward expressions of worship, such as "music, flowers, and candles, and incense, and banners,and processions, and beautiful vestments, and confessionals, and man-made ceremonies" that don't really satisfy the soul when a man has truly seen his sin. Only seeing his Savior will do.

4) It's "one of the best antidotes to the overstrained theories of perfection." Even today, there are well known Christians who propose that we can be sinless here on earth. Evidently, this was an issue in Ryle's time as well. He affirms his belief that it is entirely unscriptural to believe "that here in this world a believer can attain to entire freedom from sin, live for years in unbroken and uninterrupted communion with God, and feel for the months together not so much as one evil thought." There is truly nothing perfect about how we love God, how we fear God, how we forgive, live, hope, believe, think, speak, and what we do. When you truly understand the doctrine of sin, you understand why this is true.

5) Finally, Ryle stresses that understanding the doctrine of sin provides "an admirable antidote to the low views of personal holiness." Nothing has changed since Ryle's time in regards to this...a low view of holiness is still very common among professing Christians today. Ryle calls us to repent and return to the "old paths." We should honestly look at what the LORD calls sin as well as what the LORD calls "doing His will." He then warns that "it is terribly possible to live a careless, easy-going, half-worldly life, and yet at the same time to maintain evangelical principles and call ourselves evangelical people!"

Ryle has done such a thorough job of addressing sin in this first chapter. Reading this chapter was convicting for all of us, and yet, it was encouraging and edifying, too. It is sad, as well, that Christians have such a low view of sin and simply don't want to hear about it. It makes them uncomfortable. (I guarantee our posts on this topic are probably the least read of any posts.) It requires them to think and examine themselves, and for many, that is not what their heart wants to do. They truly are more comfortable with that "careless, easy-going, half-worldly" life that Ryle previously referred to. More thought is given to the cares and pleasures of this world than to our own sinfulness, as well as a host of other Bible doctrines. May we be mindful of our sinfulness and, as a result, rejoice that much more greatly in the forgiveness of our LORD and SAVIOUR Jesus Christ.

Before You Know It

"It will be gone before you know it. The fingerprints on the wall appear higher and higher. Then suddenly they disappear."

Dorothy Evslin

Yes, the fingerprints will disappear and perhaps unexpected love notes like this. Reaches Up left this for me the other night, and it helps me remember to cherish the moments. They're priceless.

Weekly Rewind

Here's a review of this past week. We're so thankful to the LORD for the many mercies He's shown us....

~Reaches Up has been reading The Big Picture Story Bible to Boo during their morning Bible reading time. He finished the book this past week, and we're very proud of him! He and Boo are listening to Bible tapes (yes, they are really tapes) in the morning now. Thank you God for the gift of reading and for Reaches Up's love for Your Word.

~For the past ten days Little Bit has been afflicted with eye drainage. After much prayer and application of natural remedies, I took her to the doctor on Friday. She was given drops and improved after just a few treatments. The doctor didn't say it was "pink eye," and we don't think it was either, as it didn't spread to the other eye or to any of us. Thank you, God, for the gift of medicine and doctors when we need them. Thank you for giving Little Bit relief and keeping the rest of us healthy.

~Scribe played the prelude at church this morning. His willingness to do so was such a gift to me, since I had to play for the rest of the service. You can see a video of the song he played at the end of the post. Thank you, God, for the gift of music and for the privilege of playing for your glory.

~Mountain Man survived a very stressful week at work as he endured an audit. God brought him home safely each night, and the children and I made the best of the late hours. Thank you, God, for the gift of work and the blessings that come from it. Thank you for your protection over Mountain Man as he daily travels so far.

~Little Big Man, Whistler, and Reaches Up worked on a "dog newsletter" as part of their science curriculum this week. I wasn't sure how they would tackle the assignment, but I'm so proud to say that they really took their time and worked diligently. Their initiative was impressive. Thank you, God, for the gift of learning new things and for the gift of seeing good fruit in our children.

~You can read our post "Autumn Treasures" to see the many sights, smells, and tastes of autumn that we've enjoyed this week. Thank you, God, for the gift of the changing seasons and for the gift of delighting in the details of daily life.

~I saw my regular OB this past Thursday, and everything looks great. Next Girl is even starting to move! Thank you, God, for the gift of a good report and for this amazing gift of life.

~Scribe, Little Big Man, and I watched Jane Austin's Persuasion together late one night. We were all slightly disappointed. The boys thought it was one of the most "girly" period dramas we've watched, and I thought it moved quite slowly in some parts, and we all agreed that North and South and Wives and Daughters were much better. (Thank you Spencer girls!) Thank you, God, for the many ways we make memories with our children and for the many pleasures we have here on earth.

Love,
Queen Mom

Quoteworthy

"There is no imagination wherewith man is besotted, more foolish, none so pernicious, as this--that persons not purified, not sanctified, not made holy in their life, should afterwards be taken into that state of blessedness which consists in the enjoyment of God. Neither can such persons enjoy God, nor would God be a reward to them. Holiness indeed is perfected in heaven; but the beginning of it is invariably confined to this world."

(Owen, on "The Holy Spirit," p. 575, Goold's edition)

Palin & McCain - Part 4

Alright, we now come to the third major argument that McPalin supporting Evangelicals will use to justify their decision vote for these candidates: We can look to exceptional examples (like Deborah, or Queen Esther) to justify female leadership in the civil realm, even though we dismiss Old Testament precepts.

As I said in the last post, you cannot throw out the rule and use the exception as your guide. It simply does not work. Rather, the exception should prove the rule, not destroy it.

In this case, the rule, as found in Scripture, is that men, and men only are to be leaders, both in the home, the church, and the civil sphere. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, like the example of the widow I gave in the last post. Nevertheless, the rule remains.

Now first, let's look at the example of Esther (now I could go off on a totally diferent subject about her, but I'm not, because if I did, I would never finish this post!). If you think about it, this example does not really make sense. As Dr. Einwechter (couldn't have done this thing without him!) states, "A queen is a king's wife, and normally the position of queen is not considered a political office. There is no indication that Esther excercised any ruling authority in Persia beyong the management of her own household and her personal influence over the king. The analogy of Esther actually applies to John McCain's wife, Cindy, and not Sarah Palin, his vice presidential choice."

Also, using examples of female rulers in history, is useless. Dr. Einwechter says, "... history is not a self-interpretive phenomenon, and the experience of history is not the final standard of faith and practice for Christians. Scripture is our only infallible standard of truth and the measure by which the facts of history must be interpreted. History presents us with examples of every kind of civil leader on can think of. There have been good female rulers and bad female rulers. What should we conclude from this in regard to the biblical doctrine of the civil magistrate and the role of women in the civil sphere? Nothing. 'To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them' (Isa. 8:20)."

Now onto Deborah. You know, these days it seems as if everyone supporting Palin introduces Deborah, as though this one example will win the debate. If two people are having a discussion about this whole issue, and one of them says, "Yeah, but what about Deborah?" the conversation is supposed to end. McPalin-supporting Evangelicals seem to think that exceptional, out-of-the-norm cases like Deborah, Queen Elizabeth, or Esther throw out the rule that Scripture has clearly mandated to us! That's not true! These abnormal (key word there) examples contradict a host of other passages in God's Word (see Palin & McCain - Part 2), and therefore cannot be our guides in selecting civil magistrates! In short, as Dr. Einwechter points out, "The example of Deborah no more proves that we ought to vote for a woman for civil office than the example of Abraham proves that a man shoud take his son to a mountain to sacrifice him to demonstrate his devotion to God, or the example of David proves that that a man may have more than one wife."

Now, I'm sure we could discuss the whole Deborah issue in much more depth, but for now we'll just keep it at that. For a more detailed commentary on this subject, I would recommend Dr. Einwechter's invaluable treatise, linked here.

So, to sum this whole thing up, we might ask, "Well then, who are we to vote for?" I think that if we look in Exodus 18:21, we can see a summery of what qualities should be found in a civil magistrate (or, in fact, any leader). In this pasage, Jethro is counseling Moses about who should be elected as judges for the people "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness..."

So, a leader or civil magistrate should exhibit:

(1) - Ability. He should be one is able to execute all the duties which the office of leadership (of any form) require of him.

(2) - A fear of God. He should be a man who fears the Lord and walks in his precepts, relizing that the very office he holds was established by Him. We also need to realize that whenever we vote for someone who does not fear God, we are voting for a fool (Prov. 1:7; Psa. 111:10).

(3) - Truthfulness. He needs to be honest and truthful in all that he does. A liar or one who is decietful is not qualified for leadership.

(4) - A hate for covetousness. This means, as Doug Phillips said, that this man should not only dislike the idea of using his power to obtain wealth or gain gotten by unrighteous means, but he should hate it. And hate is a very strong word.

These form the basic outline of the qualities a leader should have. If the candidate for a civil office does not qualify in all of these points, he does not deserve the vote of a Christian. If neither of the candidates qualify (which seems to be the case in this upcoming election), then it is better to not vote at all, rather than vote against God's Word. And voting for the lesser of two evils is not an option either, because evil is still evil, and to cast your vote for evil is in contradiction with the Bible!

Before I wrap up, I would like to thank Dr. Einwechter for his awesome commentaries on this subject. His great posts were like a nucleus around which I could gather my thoughts. I also would strongly recommend (again) Doug Phillip's CD, "Biblical Principals in the Ballot Box". This CD is a must have! I've only skimmed the surface of the argument, but for those of you who want to study it further, this CD, and the articles by Dr. Einwechter (which can be found at Vision Forum's website under blog posts and hot topics) are essential. On a side note about the "lesser of two evils," look at www.baldwin08.com for an article about wasting your vote.

Persevero,

Scribe

A Hair Doo...

Boo: redefining the meaning of bed-head (no kidding!). It's just part of being a fine-haired blondie.

How are you....Really?

The children and I are studying Genesis using a children's commentary titled Herein is Love. It's a great resource and definitely doesn't speak down to children. In fact, I've had to edit here and there because I think the author occasionally forgets she's writing for children. Her details are sometimes a bit too graphic, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it has been a great resource, and we're looking forward to using her books for Exodus and Leviticus (can you imagine that one?:))

Right now, we're focusing on the story of Joseph, and as we're reading, the Holy Spirit illuminated such amazing characteristics of Joseph to us. We're at the point in our reading where Joseph has just been the victim of the cup bearer's forgetfulness, and thus Joseph remains in prison another two years. This is what was so striking. Think about this~he's already suffered abandonment and abuse at the hands of his own brothers, being sold into slavery as a trade-off for not being murdered by them. He's seen favor from Potiphar and then endures imprisonment as a victim of false accusations from Potiphar's wife, an immoral and vengeful woman. He kindly offers his assistance to the baker and the cup bearer, helping them interpret their dreams, asking the cup bearer to please not forget him when he returns to Pharoah's service. Yet, Joseph is forgotten~for two long years. When Pharoah finally learns of Joseph from the cup bearer and then calls for him, Joseph willingly interprets the dreams, qualifying his ability with these words,"It is not in me: God shall give Pharoah an answer of peace." Joseph's first words bring glory to God. He has waited patiently on the LORD for many years through so many difficulties, and yet, he steadfastly glorifies God. What an encouragement as we struggle to wait for God's answer day after day or week after week, etc. This deliverance is such a comforting reminder of God's faithfulness in our lives, and how He honours those who honour Him. It was our prayer as we closed that God would manifest these very things in our lives~patience during affliction and faithfully glorifying Him regardless of our circumstances.

So there is the foundation for what I'm really trying to say. As I considered this wonderful truth from God's Word, I realized these are the very truths we should be consistently sharing with each other during the week. We'll easily ask, "What was your favorite moment this week?" or "Tell me about the book you're reading." Yet, I have failed to consistently say, "What has God shown you this week?" or "What is God doing in your life?" I think I tend to assume, based on their behavior during the week or simply the fact that I'm the Mom. How intentional, though, to ask the questions and be accountable to one another. So, the children and I decided that a perfect time to talk about the truths God has shown us during the week, the struggles we're having spiritually, and the ways God is growing and stretching us and encouraging us, will be during Family Night. The potential fruit from such intentional discussion seems limitless, and I'm so excited to get started! (By the way, each of the children except Boo and Little Bit, start their day with independent Bible reading, so that offers a wonderful opportunity to have things to share~you have to be in the Word daily to be able to do this.)

(Can you imagine if we all made a point to discuss these things with not just our family, but with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ?)

Autumn Treasures

Candles and teapots and pumpkin pie playdough.....these are a few of our favorite things! (sing to the tune of "My Favorite Things" for greater effect:)) Here are just a few reasons why autumn is one of our family's most beloved seasons. We've been enjoying these autumn treasures all week.

~The music of Fernando Ortega and David Nevue

Here are Reaches Up and Whistler singing along to Ortega's "The Shadow of Your Wings" cd. It was a beautiful way to start the day.

~Yummy Apple Crisp

This one is so easy that it's almost too tasty to be true.

Easy Apple Crisp

6 apples-peeled, cored and sliced (we like the taste of Granny Smiths)

1 c. water

1 (18.25 oz.) white cake mix (we've used butter flavor with success, too)

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Arrange apples in an even layer in bottom of baking dish. Pour water over apples. In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until ingredients are thoroughly blended; mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

(from Allrecipes.com)

~The beautiful colors of autumn.

After ten years here, we FINALLY planted some trees. Each tree will be named after a family member. Above is my tree and below is Mountain Man's. It's lovely to see even these small trees display God's majestic work in His creation.

~Pumpkin Pie Playdough

After finding this on the internet last year, I made a batch with the help of Boo this week. It's simply yummy smelling, and the children are enjoying displaying their creativity with these masses of autumn-colored dough.

Reaches Up likes to make battles with even his playdough creations.

Whistler enjoys making pots and bowls, and she made some amazingly realistic creations.

Boo focuses on creating appetizing cookies and cakes for everyone to sample.

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

5-1/2 c. flour

2 c. salt

8 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 c. oil 4 c. water

pumpkin pie spice (we used 2 tsp., but I'll try 4 next time)

orange food coloring (2 part yellow/1 part red)

Mix ingredients together. Cook over medium-low heat and stir until lumps disappear. Knead on floured surface (we just did it on wax paper without flour) until nice consistency. Store in airtight container (we keep ours in a gallon ziploc bag).

This made enough playdough for all the Littles to have plenty to use.

~Buttermilk pancakes

We love having these during the week. We tried a new recipe on Wednesday, and it is our favorite so far for quick and easy homemade pancakes.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 c. all purpose flour

2 T. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. buttermilk

3 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

vegetable oil for the pan

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg together. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the buttermilk mixture into the well, and gently whisk together until just incorporated with a few lumps remaining. (from one of my favorite cookbooks The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book)

~A steaming teapot on a chilly morning

The children love waking up to a pot of tea or cups of hot cocoa. I love my large teapot from the Plow and Hearth company. It's used everyday.

~The delicious smells of Yankee candles

We're a candle-lovin' family. Even our boys have learned what candles can do for atmosphere, and often get them lighted before I do. Candles are such an easy way to spell "COZY HOME."

(Note: Amusing trivia--Webster in the 1828 dictionary states that while some writers use "lit," it is an "inelegant" form of the past tense for light. Are you smiling?)

If You Give Little Bit Some Peanut Butter...

~she'll make such a mess, you'll have to smile.

~you'll hear from her siblings, "Um, whose turn is it to clean off Little Bit?"

Whoa, boy! Those are some BIG numbers..

As part of my school reading, I'm going through an economics book called Whatever Happened To Penny Candy by Robert J. Maybury. This book presents economics in a very understandable way, and the author's writing style is quite engaging. Today I read a chapter about the federal debt.

The author states that frankly, he thinks the only ones who truly understand the federal debt are astronomers. He says, "The federal debt has become so huge that it can be grasped only by those who are comfortable discussing the number of light years spanned by our galaxy."

At the time which the author wrote this (which was some years ago), the federal debt was 6.783 trillion, or

$6,783,000,000,000.00

Now in case you aren't thoroughly shocked by this, let's look at some more stats given by Maybury:

(1) If Columbus, when he stepped ashore in America (that was in 1492 A.D. - over 500 years ago!), started borrowing money at the rate of $20,000.00 every minute, he would still not have borrowed the equivalent to the modern day federal debt by the year 2000! (That should have shocked yer socks off!)

(2) If you were to walk a line of $100 bills the length of present day's federal debt, it would take you 228 yrs! This line of $100 bills would also circle the earth all of 240 times!

Well, I, who had never particularly thought about federal debt, got a rude awakening! (I'm still tingling from that shock... wonder how many volts it was?)

-Scribe

Modern Day Baby-In-A-Basket

Here's Boo's favorite method of transporting Little Bit from one room to another. Little Bit, normally stocked up with baby dolls and a snack or two, is happy to go along for the ride.

Sin~Part 4

Ryle next considers the deceitfulness of sin. I'll sum up this section by offering several highlights from the chapter.

~"You may see this deceitfulness in the wonderful proneness of men to regard sin as less sinful and dangerous than it is in the sight of God; and in their readiness to extenuate it, make excuses for it, and minimize its guilt."

~Believing parents often "indulge their children in questionable practices," and then "blind their own eyes to the inevitable result of the love of money, of tampering with temptation, and sanctitioning a low standard of family religion."

~Sin comes to destroy us, but it rarely presents itself as such. "We may give wickedness smooth names, but we cannot alter its nature and character in the sight of God."

~We should remember Hebrews 3:13 to "exhort one another daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." And we should pray that we would be daily delivered "from the deceits of the world" as well as our flesh and the devil.

~Ryle encourages us to 1) humbly consider our sinfulness and 2) be thankful for the gospel of the grace of God. "What a mass of infirmity and imperfection cleaves to the very best of us at our very best."

~"For my part I am persuaded the more light we have, the more we see our own sinfulness; the nearer we get to heaven, the more we are clothed with humility."

~There is a remedy for our sin. We need not fear looking honestly at sin, "if we only look at the same time at the almighty medicine provided for us in the salvation that is in Jesus Christ." "Sin has abounded, but grace has much more abounded."

The last post on "Sin" will address the profitability of the doctrine of sin.

So thankful for His saving grace,
Queen Mom

Quoteworthy

"Let every man be swift to hear: not any thing; not idle and unprofitable talk, or filthy and corrupt communication; but wholesome advice, good instructions, and the gracious experiences of the saints, and above all, the Word of God; to the hearing of which men should fly, as doves to their windows; should make haste, and be early in their attendance on it, as well as constant; and receive it with all readiness, and with a sort of greediness of mind, that their souls may be profited, and God may be glorified.."

~John Gill

The Baptist Commentary Series Vol. 1

John Gill's Exposition of the Old and New Testaments

Vol. 9

"Glory to Thee, My God, This Night"

We're all familiar with the beautiful "Doxology." We sing it in our church every week as we close the service. So, we were surprised to learn, while reading The One Year Book of Poetry during our Morning Time, that those words are just part of a much larger poem titled "Glory to Thee, My God, This Night." What beautiful words with which to close the day.

Glory to thee, my God, this night

for all the blessings of the light;

Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,

Beneath thy own almighty wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,

The ill that I this day have done,

That with the world, myself, and thee

I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

Teach me to live, that I may dread

The grave as little as my bed;

Teach me to die, that so I may

Rise glorious at the awful day.

O may my soul on thee repose,

And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close,

Sleep that may me more vigorous make

To serve my God when I awake.

When in the night I sleepless lie,

My soul with heavenly thoughts supply;

Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,

No powers of darkness me molest.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,

Praise him, all creatures here below,

Praise him above, ye heavenly host,

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

~Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Taking Notes

Scribe was quick with the camera the other night to catch Boo taking "notes" while talking with her MeMaw. Notice the pencil is in the LEFT hand.:) (Little Big Man is thrilled.)

Ready To Give An Answer

"Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Peter 3:15

The children have been working for awhile on memorizing James 1, and they're almost finished! I've been studying that Chapter in my own Bible Study time, primarily using our Matthew Henry Commentary, and I have a LOT of notes.:) Thinking of the above verse, we played a great game this morning. I played the part of one of their friends (we assumed I was a Christian), and as I would make statements about my life and struggles, the children would have to refer to a specific verse from James 1 that would refute my conclusions. It was amazing to listen to what responses they could give from MEMORY. But, why bother? Here's why...

1) How many Christians actually KNOW what God's Word says? How many times have you heard from a Christian friend thoughts about God that are completely unscriptural? You know they're wrong, but you don't know what Scriptures to refer to in God's Word.

2) How often have you heard Christians justify sin using God's Word? Or even worse, justifying sin by stating that they are the exceptions to God's Word, and God "understands" what they're doing.

3) Have you ever heard a Christian declare that God's Word isn't relevant to what he/she is facing, or how unfair God is to bring this trial to his/her life?

The examples are numerous. I wanted the children to pretend I was a "Christian" because not only do they need to give an answer for the hope that is within them to the lost in the world, but they need to be prepared, especially, to encounter many nominal Christians, and to hopefully, spur such Christians on to a deeper knowledge of God's Word, and to applying the truths of God's Word to every area of life, that they might have hope, too. This was a wonderful method of seeing if our children could make the connections and actually apply the Scriptures that they have hidden in their heart.

Why do you have hope when everything around you is falling apart? Why can you be JOYFUL in the midst of this trial? Why can't you blame God for your falling into this sin? Why would God bring this trial to me? Why can't I be proud of my riches? Why can I rejoice even though I am not materially wealthy? Why can't I say what I want and how I want? These are just a few of the questions that can be discussed just from James 1. The children and I had a fun time role-playing, and they were eager for more and more questions. So, I'm sure this "game" will be a permanent part of our Morning Time, and may God use it equip us to be "ready to give an answer."

Love,

Queen Mom

H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds

I'm sure all of you have heard of H. G. Wells, so I won't go into great detail about him. His careers were varied, but he is, I believe, most noted and remembered for his famous sci-fi novels, The Time Machine (1895) and The War of the Worlds (1897). He also authored many political essays, papers on social topics, book reviews, and the like, as well as two other books which you may, if you wish, check out for yourself some other time: Tono-Bungay (1909), and The Outline of History (1920). I have read both of his sci-fi novels, and found them very interesting, but for right now we will just look at The War of the Worlds.

For those of you who have not read it, I will provide a brief summary of the plot. The setting is in England during the latter years of the 19th century. There are three main characters: the author, who is a scientist; a churchman; and a soldier. These people witness the invasion of Earth by creatures from Mars. The "Martians" are found to be much more advanced than the inhabitants of earth, and with their strange and terrible fighting machines, these aliens carry destruction through the world, slaughtering the "Earthlings", who are unable to compete with the technology of the invaders. They are on the point of wiping out human civilization, when they fall prey to something so small that it was overlooked, and thus the world is freed.

Now, first of all, the very premise of the story is obviously not at all true. We know of course that there is no life elsewhere besides Earth, and so there can be no Martians with intergalactic fighting machines coming from Mars to destroy humans. This topic can, I'm sure, be expounded upon, but I am here to review the book right now, not go off onto other subjects.

Second, I would recommend this book for older readers only ( I would say 12 & up). There are several reasons for this:

(1) The plot is mature. The reader should be old enough to discern the falseness of the idea that there is life elsewhere than Earth. He should be able to explain to you why such an idea is unbiblical and false. Several other matters concerning the Martians (which I will talk about in a moment) should also be adressed.

(2) The story contains some rather graphic and violent imagery. Due to the fact that this book is, in essence, about Man's fight for survival and the cruelty of the Martians, there are scenes and ideas which are mature and graphic, and would be frightening to younger readers, and might even give them nightmares.

(3) There are brief moments of profanity. The soldier is the main one who uses language, and though it is nothing extreme, any foul language should be replusive to us. Scripture tells us that we are to let no corrupt words pass our lips, and this rule applies to any place, any circumstances, any person. One method of dealing with this is to take a pencil or White-Out and cover up the foul words.

Before I wrap up, I would like to make mention of one more thing. Several times, Wells talks about the superiority of the imagined Martians and the way their bodies worked. Right off the bat we can see how disrespectful this is to the Creator. God Almighty made us and our bodies in His infinite wisdom. Who are we to say that He might have made us better? Can man be more wise than God? Can the pot say to the potter, "Why have you made me this way?" (see Rom. 9:20)? I think not. For man to think that he, who is the thing formed, can argue with God, who made him, is utterly wrong and arrogant.

Over the years, several movie renditions of the book have been made. I have only seen one, made in the 1960's. But if you watch this version, be forewarned that it does not follow the book. I would say that, as with any book that has been made into a movie, the book should be read first, and the movie then judged by it, instead of vice-versa.

I do not say that you shouldn't read The War of the Worlds. I only say that it should be read with caution and discernment, for indeed all things should be considered in the light of God's Word. By that standard, and that standard alone, are we to measure the things of this world.

Persevero,

Scribe

Quoteworthy

Being a family of avid readers (and having some aspiring writers), we LOVE quotes. It's truly difficult to read our books and not come across something for our copybooks. We've aptly named these posts "Quoteworthy," and we'll include here great thoughts we come across in our readings. I personally keep a notebook specifically for memorable quotes, and the children, as they get older, begin to do the same. It's quite a treasure. So, find a pretty or handsome notebook or journal, and join us!

We'll start with a quote Scribe came across while reading from Whatever Happened to Penny Candy (a reader-friendly economics book).

"Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think." Thomas Edison

If You Give Your Daughter Pretty Post-Its....

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..you might find love notes everywhere.

Little Big Man Jams

As promised, here's Little Big Man's first guitar video after 5,672 takes. It's quite difficult to have complete quiet in our house, you know. Enjoy!

Final Fall Family Photos~Take 1

Here are the last of the pictures from our first fall family photo shoot. Look at the oddly shaped tree. The children love looking at it every time we visit this area. The boys also had a great time climbing, as you can see.