Getting to Yes

Somewhere along the line I picked up this helpful book called Getting to Yes. Although it is a secular book, I came across a fascinating part where the authors, Ury and Fisher, state that in order to negotiate fairly, one must have an objective standard or law. Guess what? The psalmist says "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord." And he says "Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true." While Ury and Fisher do not acknowledge God, they must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to do any proper, effective negotiating. Lord, help me not to be ashamed of your law, but, like the psalmist, to make it my delight.

I Never Forget a Face

One of my all-time favorite games for children is I Never Forget a Face. Excellent quality, this matching game is, obviously, beautifully illustrated. There are 24 different ethnic groups.

My youngest girls have played with these for hours. They love to take a boy and girl and pretend they are a husband and wife, and then choose numerous other ones as natural and adopted children. This game is a wonderful way to make children aware that God has created many peoples in his image, and open their eyes to the marvelous diversity in God's creation. I believe God could use this game to turn the hearts of our children to love the nations for Jesus' sake. I found it for a good price at: http://www.psychobabyonline.com/site/scpics/tmb/613/i-never-forget-a-face-match.jpg

Family Planning

Recently I saw the documentary Demographic Winter http://www.demographicwinter.com/index.html .Amazingly, some secular humanists who understand the negative effects of the "decline of the human family" are deeply worried. Many countries are seeing a decrease in population; in fact, they are dying countries and are beginning to feel it economically.
In the light of the above, I was thankful to find a note lying around the house lately written by one of our younger daughters. At play, she was imagining a family called The Johnston's Family. Under this title is the following:

John 35
Jeanette 33
Jack, Johnathin and Jude 13
Jesse and Josiah 11
Jorden 10
Joseph and Joshua 9
James 8
Jake 5
Jeremiah 8 months
More to come!!!

I was thankful to find this because so far they have not bought into the socially mandated 1.7 children per family as normal. Instead their play is reflecting the Biblical view of children being a blessing.

College Plus video

I read an excellent entry about College Plus on Voddie Baucham's blog: http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/5/7_Great_College_Plus_Video.html
Two of our children have used College Plus and it is a great blessing. Joseph, 20, is weeks away from getting a BA in Business. Hannah, 18, is nearly 3/4 of the way through a BA in Communications. I say this as a recommendation for the program. Check out more of Voddie's blog while you're at it. He is a blessing too.

How to enjoy your wealth

Don't we all want to enjoy our wealth? Bill Gates gives some great advice in this article. Larry Burkett, wise Christian financial counselor, further advises that if you leave an inheritance to your children it not be large. And another Christian advised a father with an atheistic son-in-law to leave no inheritance. Money says so much about us. Grant us faithfulness, O Lord.

Godiva pushes out Palmer

As a little girl, I was very undiscriminating about chocolate. Chocolate was chocolate and I loved it all. When I grew older, I tasted Godiva --smooth and rich -- and I began to associate Palmer with wax and sugar. Now I will pass up a poorer chocolate because I have tasted the best. I share this not to encourage you to a fastidiousness about food. Proverbs 23:3 warns about dining with a ruler: "Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food." Rather I share it to say that I have done what the Psalmist calls all to do: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." I have tasted the Lord. He is good. I want to keep tasting so that my appetite for idols will be killed. Why shall I settle for less? At stake is not merely the satisfaction of a craving, but my very real need to have my sins forgiven so that I may stand before a holy God. The alternative is not only inferior joy, it is the loss of sweet fellowship with the One we were made for.

Ah, Jeremiah, you are right.

Most Americans think they are good. If you are among the most, you need to google for the Westminster Larger Catechism and read questions 101 to 148. These questions deal with the ten commandments and what is commanded and forbidden in each one. For example, some violations of the seventh commandment are immodesty and the undue delay of marriage. Obedience to the fifth commandment calls parents to, among other things, commend and reward good behavior. Obedience to the ninth commandment requires the free acknowledgment of others' gifts and graces. This was what we talked about in our Sunday School small group as we discussed Ps.34:13; "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." There are many ways to bear false witness. See the guests at Simon's house when a woman broke a flash of costly nard and poured it over the head of Jesus. Some present refused to commend the grace of this woman who rightly discerned and demonstrated the worth of Jesus. That which was good, they called evil. And they cloaked their love of money in a seeming concern for thrift and good stewardship. In contrast, Jesus models a perfect obedience to the commandment: He tells the men to leave her alone because she has done a beautiful thing. He acknowledges her graces. O Lord, I know so little of my own heart. May your commandments unsettle my self-righteousness. I am undone except for the blood of Christ. The prophet Jeremiah said that the heart of man is deceitful beyond imagination. Ah, Jeremiah, you are right.