"Shake off those gloomy feelings. Drive them away. Fix your mind & pleasures upon what is before you... All is bright if you will think it so. All is happy if you will make it so. Do not dream. It is too ideal. Too imaginary. Dreaming by day, I mean. Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn them to your advantage."
The Character and Faith of Robert E.Lee in His Own Words
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
"What of it?"
This few precious lines from John Calvin's Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life:
"If we in our innocence and with a good conscience are robbed of our goods by the villainy of the wicked, and are reduced to poverty among men, we shall thereby increase our true riches with God in heaven.
If we are vanished from our country, we shall be received into the intimate fellowship of God.
If we are tormented and despised, we shall be the more firmly rooted in Christ for fleeing to him.
If we are covered with reproach and shame, we shall receive the more glory in the Kingdom of God.
If we are massacred, we shall be received into the eternal glory.
We ought to be ashamed of deeming the everlasting values of less account than the shadowy and fleeting pleasures of the present life."
"If we in our innocence and with a good conscience are robbed of our goods by the villainy of the wicked, and are reduced to poverty among men, we shall thereby increase our true riches with God in heaven.
If we are vanished from our country, we shall be received into the intimate fellowship of God.
If we are tormented and despised, we shall be the more firmly rooted in Christ for fleeing to him.
If we are covered with reproach and shame, we shall receive the more glory in the Kingdom of God.
If we are massacred, we shall be received into the eternal glory.
We ought to be ashamed of deeming the everlasting values of less account than the shadowy and fleeting pleasures of the present life."
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Check map before starting.....if you want to arrive at the right place.
Eliza Pinkney, an enterprising young woman who developed the dye indigo, a major cash crop in colonial South Carolina, lived in the 1700's. Being a devote Christian, she wrote the following resolutions that she would read each morning. They demonstrate a serious intention to obey the command in scripture to work out our salvation in fear and trembling:
http://pedersenwritings.blogspot.com/2011/02/eliza-lucas-pinckneys-resolutions.html
Of course we all fail to live up to our resolutions. Thus we see our need for Christ and the call for repentance. Further the resolutions focus us for duty and make us less vulnerable to the evil one who wants to distract us.
http://pedersenwritings.blogspot.com/2011/02/eliza-lucas-pinckneys-resolutions.html
Of course we all fail to live up to our resolutions. Thus we see our need for Christ and the call for repentance. Further the resolutions focus us for duty and make us less vulnerable to the evil one who wants to distract us.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thanks God, for the fun of words.
Mary Anne Hoberman has a books of children's poems called Yellow Butter Purple Jelly Red Jam Black Bread. Although I do not like all of them, many are piles of fun. 'Whale' for one:
A whale is stout about the middle,
He is stout about the ends,
& so is all his family
& so are all his friends.
He's pleased that he's enormous,
He's happy he weighs tons,
& so are all his daughters
& so are all his sons.
He eats when he is hungry
Each kind of foods he wants,
& so do all his uncles
& so do all his aunts.
He doesn't mind his blubber,
He doesn't mind his creases,
& neither do his nephews
& neither do his nieces.
You may find him chubby,
You may find him fat,
But he would disagree with you:
He likes himself like that.
A whale is stout about the middle,
He is stout about the ends,
& so is all his family
& so are all his friends.
He's pleased that he's enormous,
He's happy he weighs tons,
& so are all his daughters
& so are all his sons.
He eats when he is hungry
Each kind of foods he wants,
& so do all his uncles
& so do all his aunts.
He doesn't mind his blubber,
He doesn't mind his creases,
& neither do his nephews
& neither do his nieces.
You may find him chubby,
You may find him fat,
But he would disagree with you:
He likes himself like that.
Homemaking a Limiting Occupation?
Rachel says no way, but decide for yourself. This lovely article may help you think it through further.
http://www.feminagirls.com/2011/11/29/how-do-we-love-thee-let-me-count-some-ways/
http://www.feminagirls.com/2011/11/29/how-do-we-love-thee-let-me-count-some-ways/
Morning Prayer from II Samuel 5.
Father, Creator of all,
Grant that each of my children would feed on your word
and be satisfied and full of worship,
and say with David,
"The Lord has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood."
Grant that each of my children would feed on your word
and be satisfied and full of worship,
and say with David,
"The Lord has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood."
Monday, November 28, 2011
What I said at our son David's wedding.
Abbie, welcome to our family.
I think we need to give you a little history on David. I have kept a book of conversations and statements heard around the house and so I am a primary source on this history.
So here are a few nuggets from the world through the eyes of a little boy named David Edward Paulson.
Early on we had a burden to give our children a Christian worldview. So we were excited when we saw it catching on.
One spring my daffodils had come up and it began to snow. I was worried that my flowers might freeze and never bloom. David was four years old and hearing my concern and said,
"Mommy, you don't need to worry too much about flowers. They're not real persons."
How is this for a theology of hair? One day when I was getting David ready for nap he stated, "Mommy, even when you have a French braid, God knows how many hairs you have."
David, at four you believed that God knows all things. May you always have that big of a God -- who knows all things and can do all of his holy will.
One day we were doing a science experiment with celery -- putting it in colored water to see how the celery drinks the water. I told the children that the celery drinks like we do from a straw but very quietly. At night as daddy was tucking David in he said, "I'm going to be as quiet as celery drinking water."
As I reviewed my record of conversations with my children I realized that David's interest in bikes goes back a long ways:
Of course we started with a tricycle, but soon David was ready to graduate. As he anticipated, he said,
"Mommy, I'm so excited about getting a two-wheeler. Aren't you excited?"
"yes, I am."
(pause) " I think I'm more excited than you are."
One day David asked me why I didn't wear a bib when I was eating.
I told him that bibs were for people who were still learning to eat.
He thought and then said "So bibs are kind of like training wheels."
After he had been riding for a while he said one day, "I'm sure glad they made bicycles the way they did -- with a seat so you can rest a bit and with handles for your hands."
David was a significant part of my sanctification. I started motherhood indecisive and eager to avoid conflict. But of course the two options with a healthy two-year old are either to grow up and take charge or else be ruled by the child. This latter option became less and less attractive as time went on and I prayed for God to help me exercise the authority he had given me. Thank you, David for playing that part in my sancfication.
I am deeply grateful that God has called you to himself.
As Moses set out to shepherd God's people through the wilderness he said that He did not want to go if God did not go with them. I know, David, that that is your heart also. As you bear the burden of providing and protecting and vision casting, remember that you always have Your tender Father in heaven who is your provider and protector and who has not called you to labor in your own strength. Lean hard on him. He will comfort, honor, and satisfy.
Abbie, if God should be pleased to grant you children, I pray that you will have both a love and respect for your calling at home. Nancy Wilson on her blog Femina says that very few in our day do so. I confess with sadness that I have not loved and respected my calling at home as I should have. A respect for our calling at home is realizing that the position of mother is a position of considerable influence. Because this is true, Satan has worked very hard to belittle the position. Secular media lately accused the mother at home of swapping her mind for a mop. Fight falling prey to this lie. To love our calling at home is to find joy in it, to provide a place for rest and happiness. May God give abundant grace for you to both love and respect your calling at home.
My prayer for you is taken from I Kings 8, Solomon's prayer for the dedication of the temple:
May the Lord, who is like none other, showing steadfast love to his servants, have his eyes open to you day and night and his ears open to your prayers. When you come into want or sickness because you have sinned -- for there is no one who does not sin -- if you repent with all your mind and heart, and plead with God, then I pray God will hear you and forgive. And out of the grace that God extends to you, may you extend grace to each other. We could not wish you better.
I think we need to give you a little history on David. I have kept a book of conversations and statements heard around the house and so I am a primary source on this history.
So here are a few nuggets from the world through the eyes of a little boy named David Edward Paulson.
Early on we had a burden to give our children a Christian worldview. So we were excited when we saw it catching on.
One spring my daffodils had come up and it began to snow. I was worried that my flowers might freeze and never bloom. David was four years old and hearing my concern and said,
"Mommy, you don't need to worry too much about flowers. They're not real persons."
How is this for a theology of hair? One day when I was getting David ready for nap he stated, "Mommy, even when you have a French braid, God knows how many hairs you have."
David, at four you believed that God knows all things. May you always have that big of a God -- who knows all things and can do all of his holy will.
One day we were doing a science experiment with celery -- putting it in colored water to see how the celery drinks the water. I told the children that the celery drinks like we do from a straw but very quietly. At night as daddy was tucking David in he said, "I'm going to be as quiet as celery drinking water."
As I reviewed my record of conversations with my children I realized that David's interest in bikes goes back a long ways:
Of course we started with a tricycle, but soon David was ready to graduate. As he anticipated, he said,
"Mommy, I'm so excited about getting a two-wheeler. Aren't you excited?"
"yes, I am."
(pause) " I think I'm more excited than you are."
One day David asked me why I didn't wear a bib when I was eating.
I told him that bibs were for people who were still learning to eat.
He thought and then said "So bibs are kind of like training wheels."
After he had been riding for a while he said one day, "I'm sure glad they made bicycles the way they did -- with a seat so you can rest a bit and with handles for your hands."
David was a significant part of my sanctification. I started motherhood indecisive and eager to avoid conflict. But of course the two options with a healthy two-year old are either to grow up and take charge or else be ruled by the child. This latter option became less and less attractive as time went on and I prayed for God to help me exercise the authority he had given me. Thank you, David for playing that part in my sancfication.
I am deeply grateful that God has called you to himself.
As Moses set out to shepherd God's people through the wilderness he said that He did not want to go if God did not go with them. I know, David, that that is your heart also. As you bear the burden of providing and protecting and vision casting, remember that you always have Your tender Father in heaven who is your provider and protector and who has not called you to labor in your own strength. Lean hard on him. He will comfort, honor, and satisfy.
Abbie, if God should be pleased to grant you children, I pray that you will have both a love and respect for your calling at home. Nancy Wilson on her blog Femina says that very few in our day do so. I confess with sadness that I have not loved and respected my calling at home as I should have. A respect for our calling at home is realizing that the position of mother is a position of considerable influence. Because this is true, Satan has worked very hard to belittle the position. Secular media lately accused the mother at home of swapping her mind for a mop. Fight falling prey to this lie. To love our calling at home is to find joy in it, to provide a place for rest and happiness. May God give abundant grace for you to both love and respect your calling at home.
My prayer for you is taken from I Kings 8, Solomon's prayer for the dedication of the temple:
May the Lord, who is like none other, showing steadfast love to his servants, have his eyes open to you day and night and his ears open to your prayers. When you come into want or sickness because you have sinned -- for there is no one who does not sin -- if you repent with all your mind and heart, and plead with God, then I pray God will hear you and forgive. And out of the grace that God extends to you, may you extend grace to each other. We could not wish you better.
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