Pastor’s Page

As a relatively novice dad, this passage has new light shining on it. In meditating on these words, undoubtedly a framework for parenting, but especially for fathering, emerges. Here is a picture of our Heavenly Father’s dealing with me. Do I reflect that picture to the boys? What kind of representation of their Heavenly Father are they developing from their earthly father? Surely such a passage is encouraging to any believer. What a wonderful comfort it is to have a Heavenly Father who so patiently, kindly and gently deals with me. But too, what a needed admonition to reflect on whether or not such an understanding of a child’s frame is remembered in the daily plodding of life; whether or not the boys will be spurred to greater love and affection for their Heavenly Father in seeing and experiencing the love from their earthly one. Mercifully, He knows my frame.

“You have noted that we have posed the ethical dilemma in terms of church-world. Our use of the images of the church as a colony and Christians as resident aliens was meant to set this matter in stark contrast. From a Christian point of view, the world needs the church, not to help the world run more smoothly or to make the world a better and safer place for Christians to live. Rather, the world needs the church because, without the church, the world does not know who it is. The only way for the world to know that it is being redeemed is for the church to point to the Redeemer by being a redeemed people. The way for the world to know that it needs redeeming, that it is broken and fallen, is for the church to enable the world to strike hard against something which is an alternative to what the world offers.” – Resident Aliens, p. 94.

“You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the Witch. Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he’d been through and after the talk he’d had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn’t seem to matter what the Witch said…

Edmund was on the other side of Aslan, looking all the time at Aslan’s face. He felt a choking feeling and wondered if he ought to say something; but a moment later he felt that he was not expected to do anything except to wait, and do what he was told.

– from chapter 13, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of heav’n’s joy,
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verse,
Wed your divine sounds, and mixed power employ
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to pierce,
And to our high-raised phantasy present
That undisturbe`d song of pure concent,
Aye sung before the sapphire-colored throne
To him that sits thereon,
With saintly shout and solemn jubilee,
Where the bright Seraphim in burning row
Their loud uplifted angel-trumpets blow,
And the Cherubic host in thousand quires
Touch their immortal harps of golden wires,
With those just spirits that wear victorious palms,
Hymns devout and holy psalms
Singing everlastingly;
That we on earth with undiscording voice
May rightly answer that melodious noise;
As once we did, till disproportioned sin
Jarred against Nature’s chime, and with harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made
To their great Lord, whose love their motion swayed
In perfect diapason, whilst they stood
In first obedience and their state of good.
O may we soon again renew that song,
And keep in tune with heav’n, till God ere long
To his celestial consort us unite,
To live with him, and in in endless morn of light.

– John Milton

If the introduction is an indicator of what is to come, this should be a good read. Here’s a sample:
“After asking the Philippian church to ‘have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus’ (no small order for ordinary people), Paul tells this forlorn, struggling church, ‘God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure’ (2:13). In you. Then Paul reminds them, ‘Our commonwealth is in heaven’ (3:20).
“In the space of a few lines, Paul called the Philippians to be part of a quite spectacular journey – namely, to live and to die like Christ, to model our lives so closely upon Christ that they bear within themselves the very mind of Christ. Yet he also calls them to ‘rejoice’ (3:1), because in them, in their ordinary life together as a congregation, God is enjoying them as divine representatives in the world. Great demands, but also great joy, at the wonder, at the adventure of being the church.”

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Apostles’ glorious company,
Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,
Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,
Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,
Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,
Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,
And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Le jour des morts (All Saints Day) 1859

William Bouguereau

This morning Emilio wanted to hear the story of St. George and the Dragon, and it struck me how appropriate such a story is for today, Halloween.

The celebration of Halloween remains a debated point between Christians (not so unlike the rightness or wrongness of reading Harry Potter), but trusting we can learn from the past to inform the present, here’s an article well worth reading: http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/open-book/no-28-concerning-halloween/

For those of you who enjoy bluegrass, I highly recommend this album. I
heard their track “Redbird” sometime ago on the radio, and loved the
sound immediately. With Nickel Creek taking a hiatus, it is
refreshing to find some new “new grass” to listen to. For more info, and to listen to some of the songs from their album, checkout
their Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/cadillacsky

It is a crisp morning. The sun and breeze are in the leaves, and there’s that scent in the air that let’s you know the long awaited time has finally arrived.

To further stir the emotions: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=southernfootball

This clip is about 9 minutes long, but it is worth watching all the way through. Pretty amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

This is quite a clip. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oxTy7KIAaA

No sooner did I finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that I wanted to start over and read it again. I won’t say anything further at this point, but a tip of the hat goes to John Granger and the alchemical connections he has made to Ms. Rowling’s work. John, thanks for providing a depth of understanding and enjoyment that I would have otherwise missed out on.

P.S. I think the chiasm theory definitely remains intact.