Gospel-centered life

“If God did indeed do the things of which the gospel speaks, then . . . The story must either be disbelieved or it must become the fundamental presupposition of all our thought and action” (Lesslie Newbigin: Missionary Theologian p243)

Increasingly, I am convinced of the centrality of the Gospel in all of life, not merely as the means of conversion.

Art sites for kids

A friend recently put me onto two clever art websites for kids. One is: www.jacksonpollock.org which allows kids to create their own Autumn Rhythm online. The other (for a bit more fine motor skill) is My Picasso Head in which kids can create their own figure using drag and drop facial features - very fun!

More snow!

Elisabeth took advantage of the recent snow to get out and play (and sled) again!

May I please go in the snow box?

Today we ventured out the playground again. The ground surfaces had been well-shoveled, but (for obvious reasons) the sandbox was still filled with snow. So Elisabeth very politely asked:

Daddy, may I please go in the snow box?

It only matters where the pressure lies

"It doesn't matter, really, how great the pressure is," he used to say; "it only matters where the pressure lies. See that it never comes between you and the Lord - then, the greater the pressure, the more it presses you to His breast."
(Taylor, Dr. and Mrs. Howard. "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." China Inland Mission: Philadelphia. 1935. p107)

Not prepared to trust Him without

What follows is an excerpt from Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. It has rebuked me and encouraged me many a time:

After concluding my last service about ten o'clock that night, a poor man asked me to go and pray with his wife, saying that she was dying. I readily agreed, and on the way asked him why he had not sent for the priest, as his accent told me that he was an Irishman. He had done so, he said, but the priest had refused to come without a payment of eighteen pence, which the man did not possess as the family was starving. Immediately it occurred to my mind that all the money I had in the world was the solitary half -crown, and that it was in one coin; moreover that while the basin of water-gruel I usually took for supper was awaiting me, and there was sufficient in the house for breakfast in the morning, I certainly had nothing for dinner on the coming day.

Somehow or other there was at once a stoppage in the flow of joy in my heart. But instead of reproving myself I began to reprove the poor man, telling him that it was very wrong to have allowed matters to get into such a state as he had described, and that he ought to have applied to the relieving officer. His answer was that he had done so, and was told to come at eleven o'clock the next morning, but that he feared his wife might not live through the night.

'Ah,' thought I, 'if only I had two shillings and a sixpence instead of this half-crown, how gladly would I give these poor people a shilling!' But to part with the half-crown was far from my thoughts. I little dreamed that the truth of the matter simply was that I could trust God plus one-and-sixpence, but was not prepared to trust Him only, without any money at all in my pocket.

My conductor led me into a court, down which I followed him with some degree of nervousness. I had found myself there before, and at my last visit had been roughly handled. . . . Up a miserable flight of stairs into a wretched room he led me, and oh what a sight there presented itself! Four or five children stood about, their sunken cheeks and temples telling unmistakably the story of slow starvation, and lying on a wretched pallet was a poor, exhausted mother, with a tiny infant thirty-six hours old moaning rather than crying at her side.

'Ah!' thought I, 'if I had two shillings and a sixpence, instead of this half-crown, how gladly should they have one-and-sixpence of it.' But still a wretched unbelief prevented me from obeying the impulse to relieve their distress at the cost of all I possessed.

It will scarcely seem strange that I was unable to say much to comfort these poor people. I needed comfort myself. I began to tell them, however, that they must not be cast down; that though their circumstances were very distressing there was a kind and loving Father in heaven. But something within me cried, 'You hypocrite! Telling these unconverted people about a kind and loving Father in heaven, and not prepared to trust Him without a half-crown.'

I nearly choked. How gladly would I have compromised with conscience, if I had had a florin an sixpence! I would have given the florin thankfully and kept the rest. But I was not yet prepared to trust in God alone, without the sixpence.

To talk was impossible under these circumstances, yet strange to say I thought I should have no difficulty in praying. Prayer was a delightful occupation in those days. Time thus spent never seemed wearisome and I knew no lack of words. I seemed to think that all I should have to do would be to kneel down and pray, and that relief would come to them and to myself together.

'You asked me to come and pray with your wife,' I said to the man; 'let us pray.' And I knelt down.

But no sooner had I opened my lips with, 'Our Father who art in heaven,' that conscience said within, 'Dare you mock God? Dare you kneel down and call Him "Father" with that half-crown in your pocket?'

Such a time of conflict then came upon me as I had never experienced before. How I got through that form of prayer I know not, and whether the words uttered were connected or disconnected. But I arose from my knees in great distress of mind.
The poor father turned to me and said, 'You see what a terrible state we are in, sir. If you can help us, for God's sake do!'

At that moment the word flashed into my mind, 'Give to him that asked of thee.' And in the word of a King there is power.

I put my hand into my pocket and slowly drawing out the half-crown gave it to the man, telling him that it might seem a small matter for me to relieve them, seeing that I was comparatively well off, but that in parting with that coin I was giving him my all; but that what I had been trying to tell them was indeed true, God really was a Father and might be trusted. And how the joy came back in full flood time into my heart! I could say anything and feel it then, and the hindrance to blessing was gone - gone, I trust, forever.

Not only was the poor woman's life saved, but my life as I fully realised had been saved too. It might have been a wreck - would have been, probably, as a Christian life - had not grace at that time conquered and the striving of God's Spirit been obeyed.

I well remember that night as I went home to my lodgings how my heart was as light as my pocket. The dark, deserted streets resounded with a hymn of praise that I could not restrain. When I took my basin of gruel before retiring, I would not have exchanged it for a prince's feast. Reminding the Lord as I knelt at my bedside of His own Word, 'He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord,' I asked Him not to let my loan be a long one, or I should have no dinner the next day. And with peace within and peace without, I spent a happy, restful night.

Next morning my plate of porridge remained for breakfast, and before it was finished the postman's knock was heard at the door. I was not in the habit of receiving letters on Monday, as my parents and most of my friends refrained from posting on Saturday, so that I was somewhat surprised when the landlady came in holding a letter or packet in her wet hand covered by her apron. I looked at the letter, but could not make out the handwriting. It was either a strange hand, or a feigned one, and the postmark was blurred. Where it came from I could not tell. On opening the envelope I found nothing written within, but inside a sheet of blank paper was folded a pair of kid gloves from which, as I opened them in astonishment, half-a-sovereign fell to the ground.

'Praise the Lord,' I exclaimed, 'four hundred per cent for a twelve hours' investment! How gladly would the merchants be if they could lend their money at such a rate of interest!' Then and there I determined that a bank that could not break should have my savings or earnings as the case might be, a determination that I have not yet learned to regret.

I cannot tell you how often my mind has recurred to this incident, or all the help it has been to me in circumstances of difficulty. If we are faithful to God in little things, we shall gain experience and strength that will be helpful to us in the more serious trials of life. (Taylor, Dr. and Mrs. Howard. "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." London: China Inland Mission. 1935, p25-27)

I have never been in the situation of having all my worldly savings in my pocket, and yet how often have I begrudged giving because I had a big bill and not a smaller one in my wallet!

Smiles after skating

Nothingness and unity

“The greatest task before the church today is simply to take her stand humbly but decisively upon the accomplished work of Christ upon the Cross and to go forth into all the world with the proclamation that here, and here alone, at the place where all men are made nothing, is the place where all men may be one.” (Lesslie Newbigin: Missionary Theologian p80)

Very humble and very bold

In preparing for an upcoming Sunday School lesson on influential missionaries, I have been re-reading Lesslie Newbigin: Missionary Theologian. What follows is one of many treasures to follow in days to come:

The Church, it seems to me, needs to be very humble in acknowledging that it itself is only a learner, needing to pay heed to all the variety of human experience in order to learn in practice what it means that Jesus is King and Head of the human race. But the Church also needs to be very bold, bold in bearing witness to him as the one who alone is the King and the Head. For the demonstration of the truth we have to wait for the end. (Lesslie Newbigin: Missionary Theologian p217)

First time ice skating

Yesterday Elisabeth went ice skating for the first time ever! The ice was very rough, and it started raining while we were skating, but she did an outstanding job for her first time. She could stand on her skates without falling, and could shuffle forward when teased by outstretched hands in front of her.

Last of the sledding

Elisabeth went sledding for four consecutive days until the snow became to slushy. So these may be the last sledding photos of the winter . . .

Traditions

Do you have family traditions that helped you as a child to set your eyes on Jesus through the time leading up to resurrection Sunday? Have you seen other families do things that help their kids understand the meaning of Christ's passion? Do you have creative ideas for how to walk through Lent with children in a way that is expectant and prayerful?

I'm not as interested in baptising pagan influences (i.e. how you can use easter bunnies to teach your kid about Jesus) as in traditions that connect the real historical events to our present experience.

Thanks in advance for your contributions!

Lent

Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent (which is reasonably well described historically here). Traditionally, Lent is a season to prayerfully prepare for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ. For me, one of the greatest distractions from that prayerfulness is the internet. So, for Lent I am going to use the internet only for email, news (since we don't have a TV), listening to the M'Cheyne's readings, and occasional blogging.

So if posts are few and far between, that's why.

If anyone has wisdom on how to help children to experience Lent prayerfully and expectantly, please share!

This is all that most trust in

Take heed of being deluded by common presumptions. Most men have some thoughts in general about what their state is, and what it will be in the issue; but they make no diligent search into this matter, because a number of common presumptions do immediately insinuate themselves into their minds for their relief; and they are such as all whose force and efficacy to this end lies in this, that they differ from others, and are better than they; as that they are Christians, that they are in the right way of religion, that they are partakers of the outward privileges of the Gospel, hearing the word, and participating in the sacraments; that they have light and convictions, so as that they abstain from sin, and perform duties so as others do not; and the like. All those with whom it is not so, who are behind them in these things, they judge to be in an ill state and condition, whence they entertain good hopes concerning themselves; and this is all that most trust in. (John Owen. The Glory of Christ p229)

May God the Holy Spirit use these words of Owen to shake us from the condition he describes.

Peaceful bedtime routine

We have several friends with young children who are learning from our mistakes in establishing sleep habits. We developed a number of bad habits early that have made bedtimes difficult from the first few months of life. One was nursing Elisabeth to sleep; another was rocking her to sleep when not nursing her. Essentially, we did everything possible to make her depend on us to get to sleep. Not surprisingly, that trend has persisted. Until about two weeks ago, Elisabeth rarely went to bed without insisting that one of us be in the room with her.

After a bedtime showdown two weeks ago (which was actually about staying in bed, not about one of us being present), she has turned a remarkable corner. Now after Bible story, Window on the World and prayer, she climbs in bed, we leave, and we don't hear a peep for between 11 and 12 hours! We've never had that before.

So we thank God for this wonderful turn, and recommend that if you have, or are going to have, young children that you learn from us: Don't make them dependent on you to go to sleep!

Ready for another run

I want be to be a bad girl

Yesterday Elisabeth was overtired from having been sick and woken up early in the morning. In the afternoon she needed to take a break to collect herself. Rebecca said to her, "I think you need to sit and think for a while." Elisabeth retorted:

I want to be a bad girl for the rest of my life!

I'm glad that such sentiments are short-lived!

A book about bears . . .

Today Elisabeth picked up this book and started reading aloud:

A book about bears, by Jackson Pollock and Elisabeth Addie . . .

At least she got the bears part right!

Valentine's Day 2 years ago

Phonics in the tub

Elisabeth made two notable steps forward in phonics yesterday . . . in the bathtub, and using her Aunt Haley and Uncle Gordon's names!

Elisabeth knows how to spell Haley's name because of a clever little song that Haley taught her. However, until now Elisabeth has had a hard time sequencing letters and numbers that she hears. For instance, if I say, "H-A-L-E-Y. Which letter comes first?" She would be just as likely to tell me Y as H (in fact more likely, because it was most recent in her memory). If she sees it written on paper, it is a different deal; but with auditory processing, sequencing hadn't yet come, until yesterday. We sang the little Haley song, and she was able to find the foam letters in sequence to put on the wall!

She didn't know how to spell Gordon's name, but was able to chunk it into syllables, and then identify the letters that made each sound in sequence. She's been associating letters and sounds for a long time now, but I've never see her decode sequential sounds in a word that she is hearing (and not seeing) before yesterday.