The Aspiring Agrarian

‘Tis Done, The Great Transaction’s Done

2007-11-17T20:27:00.000-06:00

In no way do I mean to minimize the true meaning of those words, taken from a song about the gospel, in which a sinner’s sins are traded for Christ’s righteousness. But the same words took on a new meaning for me today. The chickens are all butchered. The task is completed. And it was done here. And a further step was taken since last week in that I, lil ole me, the Aspiring Agrarian, was the senior member of the processing team.

Last week we had the assistance of this noted expert (Micah) as well as his lovely bride (Natalie) who also has much experience in this undertaking. Between Micah’s dad, and Joel Salatin's book, I have learned most of what I know about raising chickens. This week, we did not have Micah & Natalie’s expertise. I was the one with the most experience. And I was amazed how well things went. I got the scalder started on time. And despite being a little late getting everything else together, we still got started much earlier than last week. We still had problems with the first scald, but got it corrected with the second batch and the scald and pluck were wonderful thereafter. It was dark by the time we finished bagging and weighing. But it is finished. And the weather could not have been better. It was cold overnight, so the water in the chill tanks got very cold. But the temperatures through the day were warm enough that we did not suffer in the least. It was actually very ideal.

A big thank you to Elliott and his sister Kelsey, who helped both weeks, and their sister Lorisha, who helped today. Also, Aaron got his baptism of fire today, with his very first experience in the process. His wife (Eph1:6Beloved) had him believing he would be covered head to toe in blood and guts. I played along with the story as long as I could, but he finally realized that, although it is a messy job, he was not going to be that messy. And also much appreciation is due to Michael who loaned me the propane burner and stand which became the base for my scalder.

I have a long way to go, and a long way to grow, in reaching my agrarian aspirations. But last week and today are a big step forward. It gives me further confidence that as I walk the path the Father has set before me, I can succeed. And speaking of that agrarian vision, let me recommend again the writings of the Deliberate Agrarian, particularly this recent post, and the linked blogpost about the recent article in Christianity Today about Christian Agrarianism which he cites.

JFC

I Wasn't Kidding ...

2007-11-13T00:46:00.000-06:00

... when I said the chickens were eating like pigs. Last Saturday was processing day, and their finished weight told the story. The average weight of these birds was 6.6 pounds after processing.

This is the first "dis-assembly" done at home. Previously we had taken our birds to a friend's farm on their processing day, and pitched in to help with theirs, and then they helped with ours. (Of course I received a lot more than what I gave in those transactions!) This time we stayed at home. I just finished building my very own Whizbang Chicken plucker. The fellow who designed the Whizbang, and wrote the book, is right there to your left in my blogroll. Herrick Kimball - the Deliberate Agrarian. Herrick, the Whizbang worked wonderfully. I look forward to using it for many years to come!

We got started about 9 AM on Saturday morning. Except ... we didn't get started. Unfortunately, I did not start heating the water in the scalder until about a quarter till nine. So it was past 10 AM (I believe) before we really got started.

What was my scalder? It was a 55 gallon metal drum which had held foodstuffs, cut off just above the ridge about 2/3 of the way up. The ridge was folded over to form a fairly smooth surface around the top. It sat on top of a propane burner and stand which a friend loaned me. He uses it with a big stainless steel container to brew up to 20 gallons of his famous beverage. It worked great at heating the water in the barrel. Except that it took a long time to get started. And when it finally got to the optimal temperature, it suddenly quickened its pace, and went up another 20 to 30 degrees in a matter of several minutes. What did that result in? Birds that started cooking in the scalder. The first couple of batches that went through the scalder were in bad shape. After that, things improved muchly.

Oh, and how, exactly, did the birds get "dipped" into the scalder. Well, we cut off the bottom half (or so) of a 30 gallon plastic barrel, filled it full of holes so that the water would freely flow through it (but not so full of holes that the chickens would fall through), and dipped it down into the water. It was raised and lowered using a pulley system and a rope, rigged up by the Teenager.

Another problem I had was ... my chickens were so big that they would not fit inside the "killing cones." We ended up using 5 or 6 gallon buckets with holes cut in the bottom, instead of the traffic cones. But those buckets had too much room for the birds to flop around in, leading to a higher incidence of broken legs and wings. Not too bad, but still, it could have been better. We are planning to clip the legs to the sides of the buckets the next go-round, hoping to minimize the flopping around.

I wish we would have got some pictures taken. We were too busy processing (and our hands were covered with "stuff") so we didn't get any photos. Maybe next time.

This being our first time, we didn't progress as far as I wished. However, we processed 50 birds. (At least 50 had been put into the pickup and brought to the processing area the night before. Somewhere along the way, we have lost track of 2 of the 50. Maybe they escaped ... Yikes!) There are about 65 left, and the plan is to "dis-assemble" them this coming Saturday. Just in time for Thanksgiving, and I think they will be big enough that they could pass for small turkeys. :)

Just a note: It took me long enough to get the plucker built that most of the birds were over 9 weeks old. That's another reason they were so big. This Saturday, they will be over 10 weeks old. But from what I hear from others who have let them grow this long (and even much longer), the tenderness is not compromised. (The typical processing date is at 8 weeks old for Cornish Cross. In the summer, those who are kept past that time tend to have problems from the heat and their weight, succumbing to heart attacks, and other problems. In the autumn, this is not nearly so big a problem. In fact, I think the only bird I lost in the field pens was one that got run over when I was moving the pen.)

One more thing. Unlike when I have assisted at our friends home, this time I was the one responsible for the initial step ... slitting the arteries (or veins?) in the chickens' necks to drain the blood. I suddenly felt like I understood for the first time what a Hebrew priest must have felt ... for they engaged in this business day in and day out. It takes a little while to get used to it. But there are unpleasant aspects to providing food for ones family. I think we have tended to forget this when we think we can just go to the grocery store, and that is where food comes from. But food has a history that precedes the grocery store. And, as was noted to me when all was said and done, there is a lot of work involved. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to do that work. I fear the day is coming when a lot of folks that don't expect to will have to do that work. And I'm not so sure they'll be ready. I am not so sure I'll be ready, and I've been aspiring and working toward this for a while now.

Okay, one or two more notes and then I'll quit: Rick Saenz (Dry Creek Chronicles - should be on the blogroll to your left) has written a heap of good stuff related to agrarian thinking. He talks about providing food for your family, plus a little bit extra give away or to sell. I don't anticipate that I'll ever be a big-time chicken farmer. But I do want to provide this food for my family, and a little extra for charity and for cash income. PLUS, it makes a dandy business opportunity for the nine-year-old, who is perfectly capable of feeding, and almost able to carry the 40+ pound water buckets. He needs help moving the pens, and lots of help in processing. But he is capable of doing much of the day in and day out work, and is learning responsibility and earning a little cash doing so. I didn't have any opportunity like that at his age. I'm glad he does.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you walk properly toward those who are outsiders, and so that you may lack nothing. (1 Thess 4:11-12)

The chickens are starting ...

2007-10-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

... to get really plump. I'm not sure, though, but I think there has been some genetic engineering going on with my chickens. They are eating like pigs.

Seriously, we feed them a ton (okay, not literally) in the morning, then in the afternoon when the boys get home from Grace Academy. But I was off work on Wednesday and so I fed them two additional times through the day, and they ate it all. I've been trying to get them to say "Oink, oink," but they are too busy chowing down to work on their speech lessons.

Speaking of being off work, I got a lot done. The barn was needing a real good clean out to get ready for hay storage, and even animal shelter during the coming winter. It was full of this-and-that, plus a lot of parts from an old Honda that I got from the Missouri Rev. after it had been wrecked. It will supposedly save me on used car parts on the 1990 Honda that I still hope to get some more miles on. (It presently has about 500,000 ... kilometers, that is. About 310,000 miles or so. I'm hoping for a few more years ...) Anyway, I got a whole bunch of cleanup and restructuring done, and then when the teenager got home from school, we managed to get the doors, bumpers, roof, and trunk lid up into the attic of the barn. I tell you, that teenager is strong. And a monkey. He routinely grabs hold of the rafters and swings from place to place, way above the ground. When I was his age, I could run. Played good baseball, and had good hands for catching a football. Even played decently at basketball. But I didn't have anything like his upper body strength. Anyway, with his help, we got it to where there is lots of open room for hay.

And this morning when I was out taking care of the animals (before daylight ... I wish the sun came up earlier so that I could see what I'm doing out there), I did notice that the neighbor from down the road had finally got by and mowed the pasture. It is very difficult to get someone to make hay on a mere 3 acres that isn't totally flat. But I think (at least I sure hope) that what he is charging me is less than I would spend for the hay if I bought the hay. Hopefully if the weather holds it will be hay in the barn very soon. And if the weather doesn't hold ... God has some purpose.

Growing into agrarian things is not easy ... especially since I have spent a quarter century in jobs that are mostly office related. Exercise is measured in keystrokes. But there is a joy in accomplishing things that will provide food for my family. And as the Missouri Rev. noted in the last paragraph of today's post, there are more health benefits in it than just growing healthier food. May God be gracious to us and bless us and cause his face to shine on us, so that the earth will yield its increase, and all the nations praise him for his kindness. Amen.

When I was last blogging regularly ...

2007-10-12T13:58:00.001-05:00

... I mentioned that we were getting a few eggs from the layers that we had started raising in August (or so) a year ago. Their production went steadily upward for a few weeks, and then levelled off at a fairly good rate. Until ... one of the chickens turned predator, and started eating (and thereby teaching the others to eat) the eggs. We still were getting quite a few, but also losing perhaps half of what were being produced.

I did some inquiries among the older and wiser agrarians at church, and found out that I could obtain ceramic eggs that looked just like the real things, but which the chickens could not crack. Once their habits were broken by them trying to eat eggs that could not be eaten, then I would have my full production back. So I ordered the eggs. And that worked to some extent.

I had been keeping them in a pasture pen that we had also used for Cornish cross meat birds, which I moved daily in the pasture. I decided that it would be better if the layers had a little more freedom, so I started letting them out of the pen daily, and penning them back up at night. This seemed to have a positive effect on egg production ... at first. But then several phenomena began to take precedence. One, they started laying all over the place. And often I was able to find the places they had laid, but in other cases, I was not successful in locating them in a timely fashion. And two, another predator besides the chickens themselves began to partake of the lovely farm fresh eggs. Our dog decided she liked chicken eggs. Despite being from a breed that reportedly likes to eat chickens, she had been very good about not eating them. But she did eat eggs. And not only did she eat eggs, she also ate, or at least chewed until they were broken, the ceramic eggs. Thus I also lost one of the methods which had helped keep the chickens from eating their own eggs.

We continued through most of the summer with impaired production (or at least impaired preservation of the production), but still getting enough for the family and several dozen a week to trade for other goods and services. And then as autumn approached, a new spectre raised its ugly head, and ultimately resulted in the demise of the laying flock. A predator. (Or perhaps predators?) We began to lose one (or more) per night to some animal that somehow managed to get into the pen and kill and eat the poor fowl. I figured out one possible entry, and dealt with it. But the problem continued. To be sure, it stopped for several nights, but it resumed shortly. The teenager and I sat out several nights with a firearm, ready to blow said predator to "kingdom come" but the fearsome beast never showed itself while we were there. I was given some advice about traps, which I didn't have the time to follow up on. The teenager talked about building one ... but he has been extremely busy, too. Finally, after I thought I had solved the last of the pen issues, we lost the final 3 layers in one night.

I found out a week or two later what the predator was, and how it was getting in. We had moved the pens from one pasture to another, and were preparing to move meat birds into them. I got the first batch into the smaller pen. (They had to be moved out of the brooder hut; age and daily manure output, etc.) The first night, I lost 2, but caught the predator in the act. A feline, fiercesome and certainly not felicitous. Which I caught, and dispatched to the next world. And I discovered the unseen entryway. The tarp on the top of the pen didn't quite reach all the way to the front edge, and the dastardly perpetrator had been squeezing through that small opening on the top. And I, with all my attention turned to the bottom of the pen, had failed to see that problem.

In the days since, we have run a hot electric fence wire around the pens at night, and covered the small opening. And it appears that our losses have ceased. For the moment, at least. We are presently eggless, but have another 4 dozen (or so) pullets in the brooder hut so that sometime late this winter, or early in the spring, we will once again have eggs. And, hopefully, we will be fully prepared to deal with the problems that brought an early demise to last spring's layer crop. And, God willing, we will have lots of extras for barter or selling.

Right in My Own Back Yard ...

2007-09-28T13:46:00.000-05:00

... there is an agrarian festival that draws nearly 100,000 visitors for its annual occurence.

Okay, perhaps I have overstated a bit. I refer to the annual Fair Grove Heritage Reunion Festival. It runs Saturday and Sunday of the last weekend in September each year. Kick-off is a parade beginning at about 9:00AM on Saturday morning.

The parade is replete with marching bands, emergency vehicles, tractors, horses, mules, donkeys, buggies and wagons, historic automobiles, and tons (probably literally) of candy. After the parade winds through our town (population barely one thousand), the crowd moves to the various craft and food vendor booths. There are over 300 of these. These include everything from modern trinket sales to historic blacksmithing demonstrations.

Perhaps the highlight of the festival is the old mill. It was built sometime around 1880 (a Google search would probably yield the year), and runs off of a huge steam engine which is revived annually for a demonstration. The engine runs a number of belts (each about 12 inches wide) which run the various machines in the mill. The primary one which is in action during the festival is the mill itself, which takes shelled corn and grinds it into cornmeal.

Outside there are demonstrations of an old threshing machine, and other historic agricultural practices.

The crowd comes in shifts, with an average stay time of approximately two hours according to someone I talked to who seemed knowledgeable (who, I cannot remember). The police have estimated the total crowd over two days to be near 100,000 although there are probably no more than 10,000 or 15,000 maximum at any given time, and perhaps far fewer during some portions of the weekend.

In the first paragraph I confessed that I may have overstated a bit. Howso? Well, I said it is an agrarian festival. And it is a celebration of an agrarian heritage, but it is far from focusing on agrarianism only. Nevertheless, there are probably between 100 and 200 tractors and horses, mules and donkeys in the parade, and a strong undercurrent of agrarian memories being recalled. And 100,000 visitors may be somewhat overstated. But not a lot.

I guess this probably means that there is a bunch of agrarian knowledge out there to be tapped into. I am just not sure who all those wise people are. And, unfortunately, much of the agrarian wisdom has been adulterated by big-ag industrialism. But I bet a person with a careful filter could pick up a heap of good ideas if he got his head in between the right group of whittlin', 'baccy spittin' old-timers. Hmmm ... sounds like a plan.

P.S. - The second photo in this blog entry was taken during the 2004 Festival.

I Had Hoped ...

2007-09-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

that I would be posting more frequently. Alas, it did not happen. So, once again, I am trying to gather my resolve from wherever it has gone, and try again to keep a regular presence at the Aspiring Agrarian.

Much has happened since I last posted. I was about to tell you everything, but I think I will wait. Perhaps if I save some of my choice morsels of story, then I will have something to write about tomorrow, and the next day.

So I will only talk about one thing. I bought a cow/calf pair. Though this cow is part Holstein, it apparently does not have enough Holstein in the blood to be a milk cow. So it is to be a beef cow. I bought it from these fine folks who agreed not only to breed it back for me, but to deliver it for a very small charge. So my cow and calf have been boarding with them over the summer. Trouble is, it has been so hot this summer that the cow has not been cycling (didn't know they rode bicycles, did you), and so it is not yet bred back. So I have a pasture full of grass that is going to waste. The pasture is small enough that it is difficult to find someone willing to come and mow, rake, and bale it for me. But since I will need some hay for this winter, I hope to have this taken care of soon. Matter of fact, if you would, take a moment to pray that God will direct me to the right person as I try to find a willing hay-maker. Thanks!

Catch ya' on the flip-side ...

Today is the Big Day

2007-06-06T00:34:00.000-05:00

My little birdies are eight weeks old. And in about 8 to 10 hours they will be undergoing an Extreme Makeover.

This past evening after getting home (I had to stay late at work since I will be out today) I constructed a top for my pickup truck's bed. The frame is wood, and it has chicken wire and a billboard vinyl 'tarp' affixed to it. Thus there is part that is ventilated, and part that offers at least a little protection from the rain. And it keeps the birds securely in the truck.

After completing this task, I went to the pasture and started loading the chickens. They are not so little anymore. Some of them are downright heavy. I loaded them 4 at a time in an 18 gallon Rubbermaid tub, and then carried them to the truck. Instead of putting them into the truck via the movable chicken-wire on the new bed-top, I just dropped the tailgate and dumped the tub, and then used it to gently coax (push) them away from the tailgate and toward the front of the bed. Other than the last tub full of birds, I had no problem. I even left the tailgate open, and the birds stayed put. (It was after their bedtime, and they weren't very active.) A couple of the last bunch decided they wanted to escape, but being the more lethargic Cornish Cross birds, it was no problem to catch them and get them back where they belong.

When I was finished loading the chickens, I pulled the truck back from the pasture and into the driveway, and then came in to clean out the freezer and make room for the Made-Over fowls that will be coming home tomorrow. Meanwhile, the birdies are peacefully sleeping.

And speaking of sleep ...

If God Compiled a Songbook ...

2007-06-05T01:13:00.000-05:00

and then gave explicit instructions for us to use it, doesn't it make sense that we should? However, as Paul Buckley points out, evangelical Christians almost never do.

If we would seriously commit ourselves to obeying the command to use the Psalms, the worship wars (contemporary vs. traditional) would begin to evaporate. Click on the link above ... Buckley's article is worth reading.

I Know ...

2007-06-03T01:18:00.000-05:00

... It has been forever since I last posted. I've been extremely busy. Also quite distracted. Hopefully I will do better and start posting on a more regular basis. (Who knows if there will be anyone around to read this, considering how long it has been since my last post.)

To get you up-to-date ... the layers are doing well. Generally. We had some significant problems a couple of months ago where they started eating their own eggs. I think that is probably not happening anymore. We got some ceramic eggs from eggcartons.com which look like real eggs but yield no results when pecked. 'Sir William' and I have quite the time taking care of them and gathering eggs. We have plenty for us, plus he has several customers (a couple of folks where I work, and a family at church).

This year's first batch of meat birds is near completion. 'Processing' date is scheduled for this Wednesday. We got 52 chicks. One was D-O-A, plus we lost 2 in the brooder hut. Then in the pasture pen, one managed to escape and disappeared. (We called him CB, for 'Crooked Beak.' The top and bottom halves of the beak were not aligned and he had a hard time eating. He was less than half the size of the other birds when they went to pasture, but he was by far the most spunky. I expect he became a meal for some predator, but he probably had a better chance of outside survival than any of the rest, judging by his spunkiness.) We've also lost one more. I'm enough of a novice that I can't say why it died, but I know it could scarcely move the last week or so. We tried to keep it right next to some water, and its own feed, but it did not survive. That leaves 47.

I'm also supposed to be getting a cow/calf pair in the next week or two. The cow is part Holstein, but does not appear to be giving enough milk to be a milk cow. So we will just be using them for beef. The price was right, and I need something to help harvest the grass in the pasture.

That's the farm news. The bigger news includes ...

My oldest son, Jon, got married last night. He and Amy announced their engagement back in the middle of January (during the memorable ice storm we endured). He is going into nursing (and has been working for about 9 months at the home health care company for which I work). Amy is studying nutrition and dietetics at Missouri State University where she will be a junior this fall. Now, here is something interesting about the wedding. Amy had always wanted to be married on a rainy or snowy day. Well, before, during, and after the wedding, it poured rain. The small town where the wedding happened experienced more rain than some folks (who had lived there for twenty years) had ever seen. She got her rainy day! Another interesting thing about this is that Amy is the sister of my daughter's husband, Mark. Keeping it all in the family.

And speaking of Bethany's husband, he graduated a couple of weeks ago from Southwest Baptist University (my alma mater, BTW) with a 4.0 and a double major in chemistry and chemistry education. He will be teaching at SBU this fall as a lab instructor while Bethany finishes her final year of college. He won 2 top chemistry awards, plus was the recipient of the "Life Beautiful" award at SBU. This is the most prestigious award granted to a graduate of SBU; they give it to one male, and one female, in each graduating class. We are extremely proud of him.

That's all for this post. Hopefully the next one will come sooner than this one did. :)

Are you cool?

2007-01-30T15:55:00.000-06:00

Just in case you were wondering ...

from Doug Wilson's Blog & Mablog:

Coolness Quotient (CQ)

Finally someone came up with a way to objectively measure this. I was quite pleased. Take the "coolness" test now. HT: David Field

Bondage and Redemption

2007-01-30T13:47:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought about how you would summarize the entire Bible if you were given only one short sentence to do so? The Bible has many subplots, and many twists and turns in its story. I think, however, that one summary statement that could be made is: The God who made the world has demonstrated his glory by choosing a people for himself and working redemption for them.

The universal Christian faith is a trusting belief in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The work of redemption can be seen from the vantage point of each of the Persons in this Trinity. The Father chose a people, and planned their redemption. The Son lived a sinless life, and then died to atone for the sins of this people, thus securing redemption. These two parts of redemption are past tense. The part that is past, present, and future is the work of the Holy Spirit. That is, to make spiritually dead sinners come to life, and impart faith to them, so that they will repent and turn to Christ in faith, thus having this redemption applied to them.

Redemption is ultimately being delivered from the punishment deserved because of sin, and delivered into the kingdom and family of God as an adopted child and subject of the king. This redemption is experienced in its fulness in eternity. However, the redemption is also experienced in this present age to one degree or another. The Bible does not teach that God is concerned about eternity to the exclusion of the temporal world. Rather, he is establishing his kingdom here, on earth, in time. Daniel prophesies of this kingdom, noting that during the existence of the "fourth kingdom", God would set up a kingdom which would never be destroyed. It would consume all other kingdoms, and it would stand forever (Daniel 2:44). Daniel prophesied (c. 550 BC) during the Babylonian kingdom (kingdom #1) and which was followed by the Medo-Persian empire (kingdom #2), then by Alexander the Great and the Greeks (kingdom #3), and finally Rome (kingdom #4) which dominated the known world. During that time, Messiah came and proclaimed the gospel of his kingdom. Daniel notes (2:34-35,45) that this kingdom of God would start as a small stone, but would grow until it became a mountain that covered the entire earth. Christ gives the same picture of the gradual growth of the kingdom of God from small to large in the parables of a mustard seed growing into a bush, and leaven in a lump of dough (Matthew 13:31-33). While this process of growth is going on, his disciples are taught to pray for his kingdom to come on earth (his will being done) the same way that it is in heaven.

I say these things as background for some observations made while reading in Exodus. Let me summarize the background again: God's kingdom is bringing redemption on earth, which is congruent with his eternal purpose of perfect redemption in heaven. Redemption was effected for the Hebrews in Exodus, and in this it becomes a figure of both redemption that God's people will experience on earth, and the ultimate redemption achieved for us in heaven. The gradual nature of the growth of God's kingdom on earth (leaven, mustard seed, small stone ... all growing) teaches us that the fuller effects of the kingdom are seen following generations of faithfulness (time and growth). When the church moves into new territory, the early pioneers are often martyrs, planting seed that will be reaped by others later. Thus while not every believer experiences the earthly redemption of the kingdom, it is, nevertheless, the pattern of God to bring earthly redemption from bondage, and generally the heights of this sort of redemption are the result of generations of faithfulness which God has worked, over time, in his people. However, the beginning is at an inauspicious time, perhaps of little faithfulness, as God demonstrates his mercy (Ezekiel 16:3-6).

Now, about Exodus. Sometimes God's people are in bondage. Sometimes they are in bondage directly related to their sin. Or their past sin. And sometimes faithful ones are in bondage because of the overall sin of God's people. And perhaps sometimes they are in bondage, apart from sin, for the glory of God to be revealed. Certainly the Hebrews were in Egypt because of both righteous actions, and unrighteous, and because of the purpose of God. And they were in bondage. They were slaves. They were, for a period, being systematically exterminated as their male babies were being destroyed. And yet the time of redemption had not yet arrived. God had already given a timetable to Abraham (though it is not until after the fact that we can discern exactly when the timetable started; nevertheless, God had it planned). And it was 80 years after Moses' birth that the time of the end of the Egyptian bondage came.

(Exo 2:23-25 NKJV) Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. {24} So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. {25} And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

(Exo 3:1-10 NKJV) Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. {2} And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. {3} Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." {4} So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." {5} Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." {6} Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. {7} And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. {8} "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. {9} "Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. {10} "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

In this passage we find that, even as God's people are in bondage, and crying out because of their suffering, God is aware. Not only is God aware, but he is acknowledging them and their situation. And he is actively planning their redemption. God heard. God looked. God acknowledged. He said, "I have seen." "I have heard." "I know." Their cry "has come to me." "I have seen." And his response was "I have come down to deliver them." This redemption was not simply "out of" a bad situation, but was "into" a good situation ... a land flowing with milk and honey. And it was based upon his relationship that he had with this people. "God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." "I am the God of your father; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

Friend, if you are in the middle of bitter bondage, then cry out to God. Because God hears your cry, God sees your distress, God knows your anguish, and if you are God's, then he acknowledges you and has planned your redemption. The bondage is but for a season, and has a purpose. But it is temporary. (Psa 30:5 NKJV) For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. (Isa 51:11 NKJV) So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

And the other observation from Exodus. When God began the redemption, and sent Moses to Pharaoh, the pain of the bondage grew worse. Please do not take a worsening of your situation to mean that God does not care. Indeed, it may be as redemption begins, that the enemy lashes out more strongly than ever before. Nevertheless, God has already purposed to defeat the enemy, so that his people will be redeemed, and all the earth will know His glory. As David said to Goliath: (1 Sam 17:46 NKJV) "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

And as God said concerning Pharaoh's resistance: (Exo 7:2-5 NKJV) "You [Moses] shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. {3} "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. {4} "But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. {5} "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them."

When the fires get hotter, when the pain gets sharper, when the despair threatens to totally overwhelm you ... remember what happened to the Hebrews in Egypt. This increased distress was just a sign that their redemption was at hand. God's justice had waited patiently (not only before punishing the Egyptians, but also before punishing the nations of Canaan -- Genesis 15:16). But the time of redemption was at hand. Therefore, endure the present distresses, and seek godly remedies, but always do so with hope of God's redemption. (Psa 50:15 NKJV) Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." Cry out to God. And when he delivers you, make certain that you acknowledge the glory he displays in his mercy upon you.

Another update

2007-01-30T08:38:00.001-06:00

I want to again thank you for your prayers for my father. Many of you have emailed me, or commented here, and expressed that prayer support. God has been kind to us.

My father had surgery on Thursday, and went into ICU for two days for extensive monitoring. His recovery has been beyond our highest expectations. Many of you probably know that surgery which penetrates the sinus cavity (which was how they got inside of his head to get to the pituitary) tends to be very painful. Nevertheless, on the day of the surgery, early in the afternoon, his only complaint of pain was of something like a "dull toothache", and that night, six hours after receiving his last pain meds, he told me he was pain-free. The only pain he reported after that was when they removed the taped bandages from his face to change the dressings, and when they removed the packing from his nose a couple of days later. His primary apprehension about the surgery had been the pain likely to accompany it. That pain, however, was nearly non-existent. After two days in ICU, he was moved to a regular room, where he spent two more days before returning home yesterday. An interesting aside: he learned shortly before leaving the hospital that his endocrinologist, Dr. MacGorman, is the daughter of the seminary professor under whom he studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary between 35 and 40 years ago. The elder Dr. MacGorman taught New Testament and Greek classes.

Again, thank you for your prayers.

Further updates

2007-01-25T10:28:00.000-06:00

Again, thank you for your prayers. Comments and emails received from many of you have been very encouraging.

Here is a post-surgery update.

The surgeon just met with us and gave us a report. Surgery went very well. They were able to get about 98% of the mass, and since it is not malignant, and not fast growing, that should be sufficient. He also noted that there is a good amount of normal pituitary tissue that remained, and he has high hopes that he will not be needing replacement therapy. That is significant good news. He is projected to be in ICU for 2 days, and then another 2 to 5 days in a regular room before being released. The surgeon also noted that it would be good for us to try to encourage him not to be in the pulpit the Sunday following his release. He did say, though, that in 3 weeks, he should be substantially able to return to those duties.

Of course there will be a few things they are watching closely for several days. The cortisone which is needful after surgery can cause problems with the balance of blood sugar and insulin for a diabetic. And, any time you go into the brain area, patients tend to be extremely fatigued for several days, even apart from any significant physical activity. Please do continue your prayers for his full recovery.

Several of you have mentioned that I have not given an update on my father's cousin, whom I mentioned in an earlier post. He recovered well from the stroke. Apparently he was treated in a timely manner so that the effects of the stroke were minimized. He has been released from the hospital, and is now recuperating from the broken hip. Thank you for your prayers on his behalf also.

Update on my dad

2007-01-24T15:55:00.000-06:00

First, let me express my gratitude for those who have left comments, and have emailed me, letting me know that they are praying for my father, and for his cousin. It is in response the the prayers that He has engendered in the hearts of the saints that God moves to do his work. And I am grateful for the part y'all are playing in God thereby doing his work.

Here is an update.

The various x-rays and MRIs and other scans have confirmed several things. First, the pituitary gland does indeed have a mass growing on it that has caused it to increase from the size of a pea to the size of a walnut. This growth is almost certainly not cancerous, but a problem nonetheless. While the doctors involved are not certain that it is the cause of the blurred and double vision, they do agree that as it continues to grow, it would become a problem, if it is not already "the" problem. Further, if it grew it would likely be more entangled with the surrounding nerves, and much more difficult to extract.

For this reason, the doctors have recommended, and he has agreed, to have it removed now. He will be having brain surgery tomorrow morning to remove the pituitary gland. He is expected to be in ICU for two days following surgery.

Please pray for several things.

That God would be glorified, and good done for His people.
That my father, and all of us, would continue to trust fully in God to do what is right, and, when it is over, to know that He has done what is right.
That God would grant wisdom to the doctors as they perform the surgery, that as they get in and see the actual situation, they will know in which direction to proceed. Also, that their hands and fingers would move skillfully.
That the mass would be such that it can be removed from the gland without actually having to remove the pituitary gland itself. If the mass could be removed without removing the gland to which it is attached, this could save much hormone therapy later.
That spinal fluid leakage would not occur. It occurs in over a third of the cases of this type of surgery.
That my mother would continue to be granted peace by our Father.
That the church my dad pastors would be blessed by the ministry of those who fill the pulpit during his absence, which will be at least 2 weeks, and could extend for several months.

I continue to be grateful for the prayers of God's people.

Woo hoo!

2007-01-20T22:06:00.000-06:00

We experienced 3 particular blessings during the past day and a half at my house.

First, after nearly 7 full days without electricity, the power finally was restored at about 4:20 PM yesterday afternoon. That is cause for great rejoicing. Please continue to pray for others in our area who do not yet have power. The building our church meets in is still without power, so tomorrow's worship service has been cancelled. At least one family (and presumably more) in the church is still without power, and I have many co-workers at my place of employment who are still without power. One of them was told it would be another 2 weeks before the power company got to them.

Second blessing - our furnace has been giving us fits. After about the sixth call from a service technician, and the second major part replacement, I think we finally have the problem solved. Of course, without power, we had no furnace for the past week anyway. But prior to that, it was working only sporadically. Thankfully, we can heat with wood in fireplace inserts, and had done so quite a bit preceding the week without power, and of course totally during the week without power. I am also thankful for the family in our church who permitted us to cut firewood on their place.

Third blessing. This is an agrarian blessing, for which we have waited about 22 weeks or so (I don't remember exactly) -- the hens began laying during the last 24 hours. Well, at least 3 of them did. I expect the others will follow suit very soon. We were out moving the pasture pen, and found 2 eggs where it had been yesterday. And then in the 10 minutes or so after we moved it, while we were cleaning the watering pans and buckets and getting fresh water, another egg was laid at the new location of the pasture pen. Excitement abounds!

On another note, I have a prayer request. Actually a couple. My father was taken to the ER on Thursday with blurred vision and double vision, and the MRI he got showed a greatly enlarged pituitary gland. One of the doctors thinks that it was pressing on a nerve causing double vision, other doctors are not sure. There are 4 doctors involved, and they differ greatly as to their diagnosis and suggested course of action. Everything from a simple infection to cancer has been talked about. We are still in the dark as far as what is really going on. However, we are totally in the light as far as knowing who is in control. My father was very strong in his profession of faith in his Father as the one who was taking care of him, no matter what the outcome. It is a faith that nourished me as a child, and he continues to be an example to me. Pray for him that God would use the work of the doctors to clarify the situation, and to bring healing. The second request is for my father's cousin, who fell from a ladder and broke his hip, and suffered a stroke in the same incident. Some of you will remember my tribute to my great aunt Edith, who died this past autumn, who was the means by which God mediated much grace and good to our family. This is one of her sons. Pray that God would bring him speedy healing also.

Frigid temperatures

2007-01-16T14:17:00.001-06:00

Things are a bit cold here in Southwest Missouri. I've noticed a couple of other folks on my blogroll writing about the cold in Kansas and Texas. And it has hit here, too.

But that isn't the real story. I don't know how cold it was last night. The weather forecast predicted 5°F last night, and about the same for tonight. That's much colder than I like. But the real story is the ice. We had an ice storm roll through this past Friday night, followed by a second round on Saturday, and a third round on Sunday. Everything is covered with thick ice. Except the road. It had been warm enough before the storm came through that the ground warmth apparently kept the roads from icing up in most places around here. But the trees, electric lines, fences, grass, weeds, etc. has as much as an inch of ice on it. Sir William has been getting his entertainment going through the fields and assaulting the weeds with stick-swords. To be sure, the ice on the weeds is not quite an inch in diameter. But pretty close!

We lost power on Friday evening, and it has not come back on yet. That puts us approaching 90 hours without power. Our well pump is electric, so we have no water. Thankfully, we had some in buckets and jugs before the power went out. And we obtained some more on a trip out on Sunday afternoon. We have nice heat on the end of the house where the fireplace is, and have managed to do our cooking either inside the fireplace insert (in the fire), or on top of the insert (it gets hot enough to get water almost to boiling ... over time). EDIT: Perhaps it doesn't get to "almost boiling" ... but really hot, anyway.

Our community looks like a tornado went through. Well, actually that isn't quite true. The houses seem to have avoided most of the damage. But many trees are heavily damaged. It seems that those in the interior of forests have survived a little better, but most trees that are not in a grove have lost many branches due to the ice. We have 5 medium-to-large trees in our front yard; all of them have received significant damage. Many of the smaller and newer trees that we have planted have survived much better.

We had planned to spend Saturday cutting firewood. Thankfully the roads were not icy, so I was able to take my 15-year-old and go do that. We had to dodge a few trees on the paved farm roads and highways. But it was not bad. Until we got to the lane that leads to the home of our friends where we were cutting firewood. It had downed branches in numerous places, blocking the road. And so my new Stihl chainsaw got its first workout, not in cutting firewood, but in clearing the road to the firewood. Thankfully, we got through, and got our wood cut also. We learned that our friends were also without power. The eight kids were home, while mom and dad were out of state. (Never fear, these are the most responsible kids you can imagine.) They had a wood cook stove, and were real troopers ... getting along very well. I learned a couple of days later that some others from our church, a family (with eight littles of their own) and a single man, who were without power were also staying with them. As they say, "the more, the merrier!"

We are all hoping the weather is much better this coming weekend. After no church services this past Sunday due to the ice storm, and two thirds of the congregation missing the week before due to sickness, we will be ready for all of us to be together again. And make no mistake about it, it is the saints who are in the land, the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight (Psalm 16:3).

Mohler update

2007-01-15T17:34:00.001-06:00

Mohler released from hospital; activities to be limited
By Staff
Jan 10, 2007

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. was discharged Jan. 10 from Louisville’s Baptist Hospital East following a two-week hospitalization that included extensive abdominal surgery and a four-day stay in the intensive care unit due to blood clots in the lungs.

Mohler and his family are "overjoyed to be back home," according to a press release.

"Dr. Mohler looks forward to resuming his presidential and ministerial duties, but his activities will be limited for some time as he continues his recuperation at home," the release stated. "The Mohlers are deeply grateful for the many prayers offered and expressions of concern shown over the past couple of weeks."

Mohler was moved out of intensive care and into a private room at the hospital Jan. 8. He was admitted to the hospital on Dec. 27 complaining of intense abdominal pain and underwent surgery the following day. While physicians reported that the procedure went well and that Mohler’s abdominal issues were remedied, the development of blood clots led doctors to move Mohler to the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Mohler has served as president of the school since 1993.
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Mohler in intensive care with blood clots in lungs

2007-01-05T16:41:00.001-06:00

During my years in Southern Baptist circles, I grew to appreciate the work of this man, and what he was in the Father's hands for a revival of truth in the SBC. While the work is far from finished, his efforts, together with those of other likeminded pastors and teachers, have made a substantial difference. Please join me in praying for God's mercy on him and his family during this health crisis. Here is a press release from Baptist Press.

Mohler in intensive care with blood clots in lungs
By: Staff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. was admitted to the intensive care unit Friday with blood clots in both lungs and his condition is "quite serious," according to a statement posted on his website Friday afternoon.
Mohler, president of the school since 1993, was admitted to the hospital Dec. 27 experiencing abdominal pain and subsequently underwent a three-hour surgery to remove scar tissue from a 1980s operation. A statement on Mohler's website Thursday around noon said Mohler was continuing "to recuperate" from the surgery, performed at Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, Ky.
But a statement posted on the seminary's website at 4:12 p.m. EST Friday said Mohler's health had "sustained a setback."
"Over the past 36 hours Dr. Mohler has suffered from unrelenting pain," the statement read. "This unusual degree of pain signaled concern for the attending physicians and prompted additional tests this afternoon. In the past hour these tests have revealed that Dr. Mohler is suffering from pulmonary emboli in both lungs. His condition is quite serious and he has been moved to the intensive care unit of Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, Ky. for immediate treatment.
"Please make this a matter of urgent prayer," the statement concluded. "Thank you once again for your concern and support during these days."
Russell D. Moore, dean of the school of theology at Southern Seminary, opened the Albert Mohler Radio Program Friday by detailing Mohler's condition and asking that the audience "pray for his safety and for his speedy recovery." The remainder of the broadcast was a "best-of" program hosted by Mohler.
For updates visit www.albertmohler.com.
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Copyright (c) 2007 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press.

When Winds Blow Fiercely 'Cross the Plain

2006-12-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

Check out this poem about storms (literal & metaphors) on my poetry blog.

Sweet Success

2006-12-05T22:35:00.000-06:00

Tonight was attempt number 2. Much had changed. Well, at least a little had changed.

I started with 1 gallon of raw Jersey milk, obtained from friends who don't know what to do with all their milk.

I quadrupled the amount of rennet I used ... thanks to Daisy.

And while I followed Rikki's recipe ... pretty much ... some things were different. Instead of 3 to 5 minutes, it took 40 minutes for the milk to coagulate into curds. I was glad that several folks (the Milkmaid and the Settler's wife among them, I believe) had told me to wait, and that eventually the rennet would do its work.

When I finished, I had a round ball of mozzarella cheese. I took off just a little and tasted it. It was wonderful. I think I know what is for lunch tomorrow. A grilled cheese sandwich, made from my home baked whole wheat bread (from freshly ground wheat), my home made mozzarella cheese, and real butter. (Though the butter was obtained at the grocery store. I'm not using any of the cream from the remaining gallon of milk I have to make butter; instead, it will be turned into mozzarella, probably on Thursday night. Gotta make bread again tomorrow night.)

Yum! Yum! This agrarian stuff really works!

Cheesemaking

2006-11-28T22:52:00.000-06:00

I had had enough of it! I've been hearing repeatedly, from many sources, of the glory of cheesemaking. How delicious it is to eat the quality cheese that comes from your own kitchen. How easy it is (at least for mozzarella). In fact, last week Sir William spent Tuesday with some friends, and I learned from them that his playmate (age 9, I believe) was now the one making the mozzarella in their family. So surely an adult could successfully navigate the tricky corners of home cheesemaking, right?

Nah! My first attempt turned out to be a total flop. The curds didn't really form, and it ended up being a big mess, and the chickens got the results. Hmmm ... at least one good result. The chickens received a delightful nutritional supplement. :)

I had followed very carefully (I thought) Ricki's 30 Minute Mozzarella Magic recipe. But it didn't work. I immediately came up with 3 possible theories as to why it failed.

1. The recipe was for 1 gallon of milk. I adjusted all ingredients proportionally and used 2 gallons, but perhaps I shouldn't have done this.

2. The milk was Ultra Pasteurized (UHT), and was, therefore, heat damaged to the degree that it would not form a curd. (This is a theory. I had no way of knowing what method of pasteurization was used.)

3. My rennet was the cheap, grocery store type rennet, and so it was not strong enough to effect the required coagulation (is that a correct term in cheesemaking?).

After the failure I obtained some feedback from KS Milkmaid. Based on my description of the problem, she ruled out theory #1, and also dismissed theory #2. Theory #2 could have been the cause, but #3 was, she said, much more likely. My rennet was not full strength rennet, and thus did not effectively create the curd. The other factor was: after giving it nearly twice the time called for in the recipe, I decided to make the best of it, and try to go ahead with the process. Milkmaid said that I quite possibly could have had better results had I waited. Apparently the good cheesemakers don't always follow the recipe, but rather, base their actions on what is actually happening with the milk. Had I given it more time than what the recipe called for, it might have worked, even despite cheap rennet.

When I told Milkmaid about the failure, her first response was, "Oh super!! The sign of a good cheese maker." That is heartening. If even the good ones messed up on their first attempt, and still do periodically, then hope remains for me. I can tell you one thing, though. I'm gonna use twice the amount of rennet that the recipe calls for ... until I get myself the "real" stuff. I want to learn from my mistake. (And, on the offhand chance that the problem was #2 - UHT pasteurized milk, I am going to redouble my efforts to get a raw milk source. A dairy cow has been on the agenda for 2007 for a couple of years, and I'm intent on speeding up my agrarian calendar from earlier projections. Nevertheless, I don't have the cow yet, so I'm looking for another source until then.)

And so ... I'm going to get another gallon of milk tonight. And try again. I'll let you know how it goes.

Salvation is of the LORD

2006-11-25T19:24:00.000-06:00

I have posted a hymn on my music blog, which can be sung to either of these tunes:
WYE VALLEY (Like a River Glorious)
or ST. GERTRUDE (Onward Christian Soldiers)

Don't Trust the Weatherman

2006-11-04T17:28:00.000-06:00

He said it would be 57 degrees today, and I don't think there is any way that it approached that temperature. And the wind was blowing something fierce (though, to be fair, I'm sure some places get it a lot worse). But today was the appointed day, and so ... it happened.

Last night between 11 PM and midnight (after men's meeting with my church buddies), I got home and loaded my chickens into the back of my little pickup, and covered it with a double-layer of tarp. Thankfully, they are a lot easier to catch when they are mostly asleep. To be sure, they squawked some when I would catch them, but other than the one I was catching, the rest seemed to go back to walking around like zombies.

How many chickens did I load? Eight weeks and three days ago I got 48 cornish cross chicks. I lost one of those when I ran over it moving the field pen. I tugged the pen 10 feet sideways (from one "row" to another), apparently with the chicken under the far side base. The great news is: that is the only one of the meat birds that I lost. The other good news is, in the past 8 weeks and 3 days (since I got the meat birds), I did not lose a single one of the layer chicks (which were 2 weeks old at the point I got the meat birds).

So, the younger teenager(15), Sir William (8), and I headed off to assist with butchering early this morning. The family with whom we were butchering (an elder at our church) had 92 of their birds to butcher, plus my 47. It took us a little while to get started because we were putting tarps up along one (and part of a second) side of the outdoor pavilion under which they process. It was chilling! But thank God for those tarps. With 3 layers of clothing, and the tarps, the only part of me that got real cold was my feet. Walking around some began to help that. We were joined by 5 members of another family from church who came to fellowship, learn, work, and purchase.

We butchered all the chickens, sang a few Psalms as we worked (no, Sarie, no imprecatory Psalms), and then enjoyed a wonderful lunch of chicken soup and rolls, and a tasty desert. It is always thrilling to be with the saints, and despite the cold today, I was exceedingly grateful to be with them. (Psa 16:3 NKJV) As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." Truly, the saints of God are the excellent ones, and how greatly I delight in being with them!

I have so far to go in my agrarian aspirations. I read Christina (KS Milkmaid), Christine (Homestead Herbs), Scott (Homesteader Life), Herrick (the Deliberate Agrarian), and so many more who inspire me with the recounting of their exploits. Some of them are seasoned agrarians, others novices like me. Today, I felt like I was "one of them" as I rejoiced in the fruition of the work of my hands.

As in all things, may God be glorified, and may His people be blessed. I know I sure was today!

Weary in Well-Doing

2006-10-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

(Galatians 6:9-10 NKJV)
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

(1 Cor 15:58 NKJV) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Everyone is busy. It is certainly part of the American consumeristic mindset and lifestyle. And for those who are trying to head a different direction, the busyness is different, but real. And for those with one foot in one camp, and one in the other, the busyness is unfathomable.

Which leads me to my point. It is too easy to become weary in doing good. There is so much on the plate, that to add the time and energy for another thing is difficult. And then, to be steadfast in the extra commitment is even more difficult.

This said, I urge you to make that commitment. The Fuller family continues to need your prayers. Whether treatment will lead to improvement, or not, remains to be seen. In the meantime, there is much pain, and a flood of emotions that come when you are dealing with a potentially terminal illness. The saints have been wonderful, both in prayer support, and in assisting at the farm. I don't need to tell many of you about that. I only ask, as the Apostle Paul sometimes did, "that you continue in this all the more."

And when you pray, periodically it would be good to write down what it was that you prayed, and e-mail them (fullersquiver@netzero.net) with it. The encouragement that comes from proof of your prayers cannot be overestimated.

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for we shall reap if we do not faint.

... But God Had Other Plans

2006-10-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

He would have turned 13 today. But God had other plans.

God's plans are always for the good of those who loved him, the ones that he calls according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). But that doesn't always mean his plans are pleasant to those people. Even in the very passage that states that God works all things for good for his people, the Apostle goes on to dispel the myth that good = easy, pleasant, etc. Read the verses following verse 28 in Romans 8. Paul notes that Christians are counted as sheep to be slaughtered all the day long, and that they potentially face tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril (as if the other terms weren't perilous enough), and the sword. And yet none of this can separate them from God's love, found in Christ Jesus. Not even the powers of heaven (angels, powers, principalities, not even death itself) is equal to changing the Christian's status from being a conqueror.

When you are facing those times that are good (for you) but less than pleasant, remember that God loves his people, and even the troubles are consistent with his love and ultimate good purpose. AND, don't forget to pray for someone you know who is facing the tribulation and peril. It is the prayers of the saints that God answers in order to comfort them in their afflictions.

Cutting Edge Agrarianism?

2006-10-12T14:36:00.000-05:00

Check out this example of cutting edge technology with an agrarian bent.

In the Midst ... There Is

2006-10-12T00:18:00.000-05:00

I have posted, on my poetry blog, a reminder that God is there, in the midst of troubles, and brings relief when we cast our cares upon him.

Chicken Chronicles

2006-10-07T21:17:00.000-05:00

The road to writer's block is paved with good intentions.

I've been wanting to say something about the chickens for quite some time, but it seems that other things have come to the forefront, and I've have done very little writing. So, let me take a few moments here and give you an update.

Several weeks ago I noted that I had acquired 121 layer chicks. Of course I wasn't going to need all of them, but I knew other folks would. Two weeks after getting them, I picked up 48 Cornish cross meat birds. At that point Sir William and I moved the layer chicks to the other side of my brooder hut (it is a two-sided thingy), and at that point we counted them. We knew that we had lost 2 of the 121 to drowning. We learned when we moved them that we had lost an additional 10. I still have no idea what happened to them. There was no evidence of their demise.

A week or two later, when they were ready to leave the brooder hut, I delivered 50 of them to Eph1:6Beloved, and 29 to The Settler. And we moved 30 out to the pasture pen. In other words, after the first two weeks we didn't lose a single one more. And we still haven't lost anymore, though they have been on the pasture for several weeks. Of the Cornish meat birds, we lost ... ZERO ... in the brooder hut, and the last time I counted them in the pasture, it looks like we haven't lost any there either.

Sir William helps me every morning to get them fed and watered, and now that they are on the pasture, he helps me move the pen. He has been learning a few things about the pen. One, there is an area along the front that must be blocked by a 2x4 (other than when the pen is being moved), or the chicks can escape (if they are industrious enough). He came out this morning and found 5 of the chicks were out. The 2x4 had not been placed back covering the opening yesterday evening after he fed the chicks. (Depending on how the 2x4 is placed it is sometimes difficult to open the door, so he apparently moved it to open the door, and didn't put it back.) The second thing he learned is how to chase a chicken. If you don't want it to run a certain direction, then don't chase it from the opposite direction. You have to circle around and cut off the escape route. (No, I'm no expert chicken chaser. But I DO know that if you chase it, it will run in the direction opposite of where you are.)

I say that Sir William has been helping me every morning. That isn't quite true. There have been several mornings when he was up late the night before, and so I got up and did the work without him. BUT there were also a couple of times that I had been up late the night before, and he got out and watered and fed them, and then came back in (before my alarm went off) and whispered, "Dad, you can sleep a few extra minutes. I've already taken care of the chickens."

The Aspiring Agrarian does more aspiring than he does farming. And the plan is to take it slowly, because I am not ready to bite off more than I can chew. Nevertheless, I do plan to add a little something each year. First it was meat birds, then we added layers. I have planned for what I want to add each year, but at this point there are circumstances that have me in somewhat of a holding pattern. I know that many of those who aspire to aspects of the agrarian life find themselves in circumstances of one sort or another which preclude doing certain things. When you think of me, spend a moment in prayer asking God to work in my situation. Even better, spend some time praying for those you know personally whose circumstances are less than ideal. Scott Terry, the Reformed Farmer, has noted on many occasions that this is a multi-generational vision which will not come to full fruition in our time, even when we devote substantial effort to it. Make it your ambition (with me) to lay a foundation, so that the generations that follow will not have to start from zero (or worse yet, from MINUS). And pray to the Father that his Kingdom would come and his will be done ... on earth the same way it is in heaven! Amen.

Gracious Father, God of Mercy

2006-10-07T21:07:00.001-05:00

I've posted on my poetry blog a prayer for God's mercy on a family dealing with illness.

Urgent Prayer Request

2006-09-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

Many of you have read the blog of Kansas Milkmaid. Her blog is linked on the left. The Milkmaid (Chris) and her husband, Brian (the Milkman), together with their six children, run a small dairy farm in mid-Kansas.

Brian was recently diagnosed with cancer in several abdominal organs. While the prognosis for these types of cancer is generally very poor, the practitioner that they are seeing holds high hopes for Brian's recovery. However, they would be very appreciative of your prayers. The level of stress for this type of illness is incredibly high, and on top of trying to keep a dairy farm functioning (while Brian has an off-the-farm day job) and keep up with a barn construction project ... well, you get the idea. There is incredible need for God's mercy to be poured out on this family -- for Brian to be healed, and for the farm to continue to run despite the great pressures the family is facing.

Please pray for Brian and Chris, and their 6 children. And notes of encouragement can be emailed to fullersquiver@netzero.net

Precious In the Sight of the LORD

2006-09-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.

Today I learned that my great-aunt died yesterday. She was the last surviving family member from my grandpa's generation. She was 91 years old, and had recently been ill. However, up until that time, she worked a 32-hour-per-week shift bussing tables at the Old Country Buffet restaurant in the St. Louis area. A couple of years ago, she had major abdominal surgery, and before the six week recovery period was up, she was pestering the doctor for a release to return to her work. And he gave it. After five weeks, she was back to what she did.

It is not, however, this incredible energy that makes Aunt Edith so special. It was what God did through her to bring my family back to the Church. Our family history can be traced back to the 1600's to Donegal County, Ireland. Donegal County was populated by Scots whom the British had brought in to quell Irish uprisings. (Think of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce to get an idea of why the British wanted Scotsmen to do this task.) These Scotsmen had been Covenanting Presbyterians, many of whom had died for the faith in some of the most violent persecution of Christians (1600's). And then they ended up in Donegal County, Ireland. From Donegal County, Ireland, the family moved to America, to North Carolina. Here they were Primitive Baptists (1700's) and some in the family tree apparently served as elders in the church. In the 1800's, a turn for the worse was taken, as my great-great-great grandfather (I believe I have the right number of 'greats') left the Church and followed the religion of Joseph Smith. Several family members in the following generations were named after characters from the book of Mormon, including my great-great grandfather (Nephi) and my great-grandfather (Oscar Nephi). By great-grandfather's generation, they had apostatized from the Mormon religion, and were "without hope and without God in this world" (Ephesians 2).

But the God who keeps covenant to a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments had plans for the next generation. Oscar Nephi had a daughter named Edith. I don't know how God brought her to faith in Jesus Christ, but by the time she had children, she was back in the Church and faithfully loving the Lord. Her brother, George, however, was not. But when George's children came to visit their cousins at Aunt Edith's home, they were always taken to church. And so it came to be that when George's son, my father, was 10 years old, he was visiting his cousin, and went to Sunday School with him. The cousin was 5 years old. Nonetheless, my dad who was 10 went to class with him. Aunt Edith told the Sunday School teacher that my father came from an unchurched family and was not a Christian. And that Sunday School teacher took the time to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to him. My father's walk with Jesus began that day. Aunt Edith's influence was also pivotal in the lives of my father's brothers.

And so, the past several times when I have been with Aunt Edith, I have recounted for my children, in her presence, what God did through her for our family. And thereby, I rise up and call her blessed.

It is a bitter-sweet experience to lose such a person to death. Bitter, because she will no longer be there when we gather, but sweet because she is in the presence of our Lord, and is beyond all human suffering and struggle. And sweet because I will someday see her again. It is a true saying, worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. It is through turning to Christ and trusting him that we receive the benefits of his goodness and his death, where he received punishment as a substitute for us. Christ achieved salvation for his people, and Aunt Edith was his means of bringing that salvation into our family again.

It is a strong presumption I have that those who read my blog have already come to faith in Jesus Christ. But if that happens not to be the case for you, remember that God will forgive all who turn away from what they are, and turn to Jesus, trusting in him. And today is the day to do that. Today, while he is calling your name, do not harden your heart. And if you have any questions, you can e-mail me: jcaudle -at- sdgmusic.us

Aunt Edith, rest in peace. You are now in the presence of our Great God.

Chicks Ahoy

2006-08-27T22:33:00.000-05:00

This week has been a flurry of activity, getting the brooder hut ready for a new batch of chicks. You may have read of my fumbling attempts to raise Cornish Cross meat birds last year. It was a mixture of brilliance and bumbling. But we managed to bring 77 birds (out of an initial 103) through to processing, and have been enjoying the fruit of our labor since.

This year the brooder hut improvements were put on hold because of other issues going on. But I knew it had to be done in time to get some meat birds for the late summer season. So I started the work early this week after getting home from the daytime job. A day after placing my order (for the following week) with the hatchery, I got a call from them. They had an excessive hatch this week. Could I take their overage ... and even increase my order?

I contemplated, and suggested a small discount on each bird for my trouble. They countered with a smaller discount, and I jumped. So on Friday, I went and picked up 121 chicks. 85 Rhode Island Reds and 36 Barred Rocks. That's a whole bunch more than I needed, but what can I say? I can't resist a bargain. I also knew that among the crowd I run with, I had friends who needed some layers. It didn't take long to find them. Eph1:6Beloved is starting into raising layers in a serious way, and she needed some more birds. And The Settler is in need of a few more birds. So as soon as these birds come out of the brooder hut, about two thirds will be headed to other homes. (I will be picking up some meat birds next week; a smaller run than last year, but if they have extras, I may take them.)

This year has started much better than last year. I lost my first chick within 15 minutes last year. They all tried to do the triathlon when I put them in the brooder hut, and one of them succumbed to the watery depths during the swimming portion of the event. (The rest of them suddenly lost interest in swimming at that point; before that, I couldn't keep them out of the water.) I lost several more in the first couple of nights, and by the time 3 or 4 weeks in the brooder hut were up, I had lost about 20 birds. I have the feeling things will be different this time. They've been out there for over 48 hours, and I haven't lost any yet. (At least, I don't think so. I didn't count, but there was no evidence of loss.)

Sir William is excited to be involved in the operation. He is looking forward to collecting cash for eggs, and quite willing to be involved in the daily work. While I fall very short of the model that the Reformed Farmer has set in getting his boys involved, I am, at least, doing something right! (By the way, you can read about what he is doing by clicking on the Homesteader Life link to the left.)

Here are some pictures of the brooder hut. I don't make any claims about carpentry skills, but I am pleased that it is doing the job for which it was intended. I will be happy when the birds go to pasture in 3 weeks, and start laying somewhere along about the first of February 2007. Not only will Joseph be selling some eggs (DV) about that time, I will be daily tasting the fruit of my labor. It is a blessing of God! (Psalm 128:2)

Sleep Can Be Elusive

2006-08-24T23:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a poem about the lack of sleep when the kiddos are sick and sleeping fitfully, if at all ... and a prayer that God would grant his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2).

The Gospel According to Gilligan

2006-08-19T18:59:00.000-05:00

Some of you are aware that there are video tapes available to be used in Sunday School classes in which an episode of Andy Griffith is watched, and then certain spiritual or gospel related values are drawn from the episode. Sounds like to me that folks just want to watch TV, instead of study the Bible. (I once attended a church in which the people in the sound booth sometimes tuned in Dallas Cowboy football if the service went a little long ... same idea.)

Anyway, the point I was trying to get to was, Pastor Sauder is nothing like that. He passed up a perfect chance last Sunday to teach on the Gospel According to Gilligan. He was in Ephesians 3, where (in verse 17), Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. He explained that two different Greek words are translated dwells or abides, and that this particular word meant "to stay there and live there", not to be a transient guest.

He neglected to bring Gilligan into the picture, though. In Gilligan's Island, the boat that delivered them to the island was the Minnow, and they stayed there and lived there a long long time. The greek word to stay and dwell is also pronounced "minnow" (meno) ... so I am sure there is some connection. And if Pastor Sauder was one of the "Gospel According to Hollywood" types, I'm sure he would have pursued it.

Thankfully, he is one of the "What does the Bible say?" types, and so the service of worship at Christ the King is full of the Bible: we sing the Psalms, we read the Scripture responsively, we listen to a passage from the Old Testament, and another from the New, and to the sermon text, and to a sermon rooted in the Biblical text. In fact the entire liturgy is built around a biblically derived structure in which God calls his people to worship, he cleases us as we confess our sins, he consecrates us with his word, he communes with us at his table, and he commissions us to go into the world and be his people.

And as much as I like Gilligan, and Andy Griffith, I think we are probably better off leaving them out of church. I just don't think the screenwriters were intending to preach the word faithfully, in season and out of season.

Organic Pesticides

2006-08-11T09:33:00.000-05:00

There is a very interesting article here about farmers in India using an organic pesticide that costs a mere 2.5 to 3.3 percent of what chemical pesticides were costing. Interesting! It costs a fraction, and it doesn't contaminate the food and the land and the water. (HT: Carla Lynne)

Sir William's Latest Musings

2006-07-28T16:32:00.000-05:00

There's a new post at Sir William's Sword for anyone interested.

Take Heart, My Friend

2006-07-07T01:19:00.000-05:00

I've just posted on my poetry blog a poem of encouragement and prayer for those who struggle under a load of responsibility.

A Good Week

2006-06-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

It has been a good week. I had the privilege of spending much of the day on Wednesday working with fellow agrarians doing chicken disassembly. Thankfully, they don't start processing at the crack of dawn. I had spent a great deal of the night before getting work done at the office so that I would take the day off. And by the time I got to bed, the first light of the new day was beginning to show. So I slept for about 3 hours, and then took my 8-year-old son and headed off to Bechard Farms. They were just getting started when I arrived.

My first task of the day was removing lungs and kidneys. I did that for a while, and then switched to eviscerating when chickens started to back up in that area. I had done that job some last year, so I was familiar with the procedure. And after a little refresher from Micah (or was it Luke?) I was on the way. Clearly I am no expert. Nevertheless, it is gratifying to know that I know enough of what I am doing there to be able to accomplish what must be done. I still have not worked in the front end (killing cones, scalding, plucking, head & feet removal), nor on final cleanup. My 15-year-old son loves the front end ... I might leave that to him, although I probably need to learn the intricacies of it sooner or later.

In the meantime, my (8-year-old) son was enjoying the task of separating out hearts, livers and gizzards from the guts pulled out in evisceration. He was thrilled to be joining Dad in this job. I substantially fail to include him in my work (starting with going to the office every day without him); it is good to know that I occasionally get it right. (Here is a story about one of my heroes, who gets it right most of the time.)

All in all, we processed 387 chickens on the dis-assembly line. And then we shared a delicious meal of fresh fruit, chicken and turkey sandwiches, salad, jam, honey, and homemade bread. It was all very yummy. I also got to see the beehives I had built earlier this spring. Until she has a place in the country, Eph1:6Beloved has them hung at Bechard Farms. Other than a mishap with a cow that had not yet learned proper etiquette around beehives, they have been doing well. Even the one that the cow knocked over is well on its way to recovery. It was gratifying to know that the work I did is really being productive, and I will be rewarded in time with sweet honey! It is also nice to know that I didn't have to go into beekeeping myself to gain this reward; having evidenced an allergy to stings some 30 years ago, I would just as soon not deal with the creatures close-up. Eph1:6Beloved does deal close up, and in a daring manner ... apparently doing so without a bee suit on a regular basis. (Naddy is similarly daring ... though I'm not sure it is on as regular a basis.)

Another wonderful part of the day was singing. Now, it is to be acknowledged that we did not do nearly as much singing this time as we had during the first November processing date last year. On that day we had a bigger crew, and those who have really great memory (so as to call to mind all the words of all the Psalms and hymns we sing). Even with a smaller crew, and less singing, it was still a blessing.

After a wonderful agrarian day, I headed to the office and worked until nearly midnight, so that I could take half the day off the following day for the next adventure ... moving a fellow agrarian to a place in the country. A crew from church (many of the same folks who processed chickens on Wednesday, and several more) moved Eph1:6Beloved and her 5 children to a lovely country location, where she will be able to pursue her agrarian dreams more fully. We loaded multiple pickups, vans, and trailers, and formed a convoy of sorts. (BTW, don't ever agree to follow Eph1:6Beloved on the highway, unless you have both a lead foot and a turbo-charged engine. A little pickup with a refrigerator in the back could not keep up with her!)

Two days with the saints of God makes this a good week!

Jesus Excluded from Denominational Committees and Boards

2006-06-15T13:19:00.000-05:00

American Christians rightly decry the government schools in the USA, which have formally declared that God is not welcome in their classrooms by excluding His Word and the teachings thereof from the foundation of their education. However, America's largest non-Catholic denomination yesterday passed a resolution by an 80 percent majority which formally declared that Jesus is not welcome on their denominational boards, committees, and entities. The action was reported today by the denominational press:

When the back-and-forth on alcohol finally ended, the messengers passed with about a four-fifths majority a resolution not only opposing the manufacture and consumption of alcohol but urging the exclusion of [church members] who drink from election to the convention’s boards, committees and entities. Like other resolutions, it is not binding on [denominational] churches and entities.

Jesus was noted for drinking alcohol. And for that cause alone he would be excluded from leadership in this denomination. That in itself should have caused the messengers to this convention to refrain from their rash action. One messenger, speaking in debate, called this to their attention. They ignored his concerns.

Anyone interested in studying the use of alcohol, from a Biblical perspective, would do well to obtain Ken Gentry's book, God Gave Wine (cited at the end of this summary). It carefully examines the scripture, apart from the hyperventilating, hand-wringing, scripture-ignoring posturing that tends to mark certain strains of modern American Christianity.

Problems, Promises and Prayers

2006-06-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

(Psa 127 NKJV) Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. {2} It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. {3} Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. {4} Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. {5} Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

(Psa 128 NKJV) Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. {2} When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. {3} Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. {4} Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD. {5} The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. {6} Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

These two Psalms could almost be considered summary statements of the vision of Christian agrarians. You see the necessity of God being the source of your success, for he must guard the city and build your home. You find children, a quiver full, being arrows in combatting the enemy, and the cause of great rejoicing. You read of the blessing of eating of the fruit of your hands' labor. You finish with a multi-generational vision.

However, you also encounter a problem. Some of these things seem to be mutually exclusive. For instance, 127:3 states that "He gives His beloved sleep," and yet 127:5 states "Happy is the man who has his quiver full of [children]" and (128:3) "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table." But you tell me, how many families do you know, who have a house full of children ... especially babies and young children, who are receiving sleep from the Father? Sleep and full quivers do not seem to go together.

I am not writing about this "problem" in order to disparage the word of God. I write, rather, to recognize the tension that is often there in understanding how it all fits together. A similar thing was related to me from a man who is trying to build a farm, while needing to maintain his corporate job at this time. Milking early in the morning, and then again in the evening, with a day's work in the city in between, there is little time for sleep. And so there is a tension between the promise and the actuality. Does that mean that God's word is not true? Mh genoitw. (Romans 6:2,15 - "Certainly not!" or "God forbid") It is ALWAYS true. Does that mean the family with lots of arrows in the quiver, or a stuggling family business, is outside the will of God. Absolutely not! Indeed, they are, more than anyone else, actually pursuing the biblical vision! So why the tension between the promises of children, or of eating the fruit of your labors, and the promise of sleep? I am not so sure that I can answer that. But I think it has something to do with the fact that God puts us through many things that seem to contradict his promises, in order that we may cry out to him to fulfill his promises. And He, in the proper time, as we cry out to him, does fulfill those promises!

And so to those of you who are struggling between a rock and a hard place ... I want to heartily affirm you as you press forward in your calling. To be certain, you should always examine yourselves to see what difficulties may be of your own doing. As human beings, we for sure fall short. However, painful difficulty should never make us assume that we have fallen short, because it is through many troubles that we press into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Rather, let troubles make us examine ourselves by the light of God's word, repent of any failing we find, and otherwise, press on! Those of you who are on the frontline of returning to a biblical (and agrarian) view of family and work (and everything else) are to be greatly appreciated. You are blazing a trail that untold multitudes of your fellow believers need to follow, but we are notoriously fearful of following in your path. Your courage inspires us. Don't turn back.

Father's Day

2006-06-12T14:32:00.000-05:00

This coming Sunday is Father's Day. I want to recount for you some thoughts about Father's Day and about Ephesians 1:11, which was part of the text from which Pastor Sauder preached this [past Sunday] morning.

Ephesians 1:11-12 says, "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory."

Did you notice the phrase in the middle of that sentence ... the one that says that God "works all things according to the counsel of His will" ? Rewind to Father's Day 10 years ago. June 16, 1996. I had just come to understand that verse about 4 months previous. No, I don't mean I totally comprehend all that it means. But I do mean that I came to realize that, indeed, God is behind all things, working his plan and purposes. A theological term for this is "providence" -- and 10 years ago I had just discovered the historic Baptist confessions of faith (1644/46 and 1677/89 London), and what they taught about this term. (At that point I was a Baptist.)

Pastor Sauder talked about this verse in his sermon, and noted that modern man (and, I'm sure, historic man, too), including most Christians, do not really believe what this verse states. They don't really believe that God is working all things. They believe that things happen, not that God works things. He pointed out that a common response, when disaster strikes, is for the clergy to announce publicly that "God had nothing to do with this."

I recall hearing that this happened in Louisville (in the 1970's, I believe) when a tornado struck. A prominent Baptist clergyman made such an announcement. There was a bit of heat generated when a Baptist historian and seminary professor took him to task for the statement later. I also recall reading words to this effect, spoken by a local Baptist pastor, and reported by the Missouri Baptist state newspaper (then the Word and Way) when a tornado hit Jarrell, Texas in 1997. I know these well-meaning people are trying to protect God's reputation. But they are lying about him! (That is a strong term. I do not mean to imply they are purposely telling falsehood, but I do mean to imply ... no, to state explicitly ... that they are blatantly speaking wrongly about God.) Similar thoughts were expressed by the Jewish rabbi, Harold Kushner, in his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. God just can't keep a handle on all the bad that is out there waiting to happen. Don't blame him.

Which brings up the other response that people often have in tragedy, and which is, I guess, the polar opposite of saying God had nothing to do with it. They blame God. They are actually closer to the truth than those who say God had nothing to do with it. The truth, though, is between the two positions. Those who blame God are right that God had control, and was working the event according to his will. Read that verse again. God "works all things according to ... his will." The problem is the word blame. God is responsible. But blame is a pejorative word. It expresses disapproval, and charges God with an offense of which he is supposedly guilty. But God is never guilty of doing wrong. Rather, when God does all things according to the counsel of his will, he is always acting righteously. Job, when his children were killed by a tornado, did not cite the Devil as the cause of it. Rather, he said, "The LORD gave; the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21). And lest you say that Job was in error, the next verse stipulates that Job did not sin, nor did he charge God in error, in what he said. Indeed, God was working the events. He is working for his glory. And He is working for the good of his people. Romans 8:28 and following express the same thought. (Rom 8:28 NKJV) "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Those who quote this verse as a serendipity thought need to read the following verses. God working things for the good of his people is said to be consistent with them being counted as sheep for the slaughter, all the day long. It is not about tinkly laughter and giggles. It is about a Rock that is under you to keep you from drowning when you are pounded by the raging storms of life, knowing that no matter what the storm, it has been purposed (perhaps in a mysterious way you may never understand) for your good. Certainly you are permitted to extract yourself from the storm or fire by any means consistent with obedience to God's Word. But many storms come our way from which we cannot extract ourselves. And in those trials, we need to hear the words of God to the Apostle Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9) God is working all things according to the counsel of his will, and for the good of his people, those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

What does this have to do with Father's Day? That's simple enough. Ten years ago on Father's Day, I spent Sunday afternoon at the funeral home making funeral arrangements for my son who had been killed on a busy street in Louisville the day before. Easy? No way! But because God had just taught me about his providence -- his rule over every aspect of his creation, for the good of his people -- I had a Rock to sustain me. Two days later, at Nathan's funeral, we sang about God, who makes a way when there seems to be no way. We sang of his great faithfulness, which gives strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. We were exhorted in song to be strong, and take courage, to not fear, nor be afraid, for the Lord walked with us. We read from Isaiah 40 of the majesty of God, who tenderly cares for his lambs, but who is great and powerful so that the nations are but as dust, or a drop of water before him, and who never grows weary, and whose understanding is unsearchable.

Many people get bent out of shape when you start delving into the doctrines related to the providence and sovereignty of God. Why deal with such things? they ask. These things are controversial, and so theoretical. My friends, what you call theoretical is the absolute bedrock of reality, and the only source of true comfort in a storm. And the reason we teach these Biblical doctrines is: it is hard to learn them when you need them. You have to learn them before that time for them to be effectively in place when you need them! And you will need them. No one is exempt. Sometime in life, you will have fires that threaten to burn your soul. Being at the funeral home on Father's Day is a dramatic sort of trial. But there are trials which are much more difficult, which don't end after a year or two; trials which vex your soul in a much more painful way, but which your brothers and sisters cannot see, and thus are less a comfort than they are when tragic death strikes. In those times, you need to know that -- even in the midst of the unjustified human oppression (think of Joseph in Genesis) -- God is working all these events for his glory and your good. (These two purposes are never at odds.) The time may come when he grants you relief, and a door becomes apparent to escape the trial. But until then, you need to operate in the hope of knowing that God works all things according to the counsel of his will ... and that will is for your highest good. It makes all the difference.

Hope

2006-06-10T23:33:00.000-05:00

I've posted another hymn text on my music blog, based on Lamentations 3.

Scripture teaches that sometimes Christians go through what some have called "the dark night of the soul" where it seems that God himself is attacking them. Indeed, He may be. But Scripture also teaches that if God "attacks his people," he does so in a manner that is consistent with fatherly love, and with a purpose that is consistent with their highest good. In such times, it is of great value to recall that "though he causes grief, yet compassion he will show, according to the multitude of his great mercies."

This hymn, based on Lamentations 3, chronicles the dark night of the soul, and the hope that can be laid hold of even in the midst of the trial.

SuperWoman ... or superwoman?

2006-06-09T01:24:00.000-05:00

I was recently conversing with a friend who was, to use her words, "really bummed out." Lots of issues, actually, including the time of month, and problems with a couple of agrarian products. Much of it amounted to impatience. But the root problem, underlying it all, was the vision of SuperWoman which has been foisted upon Christian women by the culture of the world around us.

You know what I am talking about. SuperWoman wears a business suit to work, where she negotiates contracts that effect changes that are felt around the world. Then she jumps into her SUV, and picks the kids up at daycare, and gets them to ballet (one day), piano lessons (another), the soccer game (a third), etc. ad infinitum. She has a marvelous meal prepared when her husband, the lawyer, gets home from the office. And after things are cleaned up ... well, you know how the story goes.

This model of womanhood is very prevalent in our culture. This is what every woman can have, if she wants it. My friend ran in those circles for a while, and she could actually be a player in that world. But she left it for something much better. Unfortunately, this model still plays with her mind every now and then ... particularly when the house is a wreck, the kids didn't obey 'cause they had something fun to do, the products for customer A were not ready because she forgot customer A was coming, the product for customer B flopped, and there is lots of product C, but it is not selling as well as she had hoped it would. Sound familiar, agrarians? Agrarian sisters ... does that SuperWoman model pop into your head and cause you grief because you don't measure up using those standards?

I actually think my friend is superwoman. Notice, though, that I didn't capitalize that. Not SuperWoman, but superwoman. Not the world's vision of the ideal woman, but the woman who is pursuing faithfulness before God, instead. Let me tell you about the real superwoman.

She does not leap buildings in a single bound. She does not have a huge career, and an SUV, and a soccer team that she coaches, and "quality time" with the kids for a few minutes each night. Rather, she makes it her ambition to lead a quiet life, to work with her own hands, so that she is not dependent on outsiders. She endeavors with her husband to train her children to love the LORD God with all their hearts, souls, and minds. And she endeavors to serve others ... to let her light so shine before men that they might see her good works and glorify her Father who is in heaven. Which might seem to contradict an ambition to "lead a quiet life." But there is no contradiction. The motivation for the "ambition to lead a quiet life" and the motivation for "let your light shine before men" is the same: that her Father may be glorifed. That His kingdom would come, and His will be done on earth ... as it is in heaven.

She seeks to faithfully love the God of creation, and desires (not always successfully) to have a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God. She is more concerned about faithfulness to God, and faithfully receiving and training His blessings, than she is with maintaining her high school wardrobe sizes. Oh, she struggles, to be sure. But there would be no struggle if she hadn't chosen something more important to focus on ... a fuller quiver, lots of arrows with which to do war in the King's army.

Her husband and children rise up and call her blessed. Because she is faithful. She may not be SuperWoman, but she is superwoman, and that is a whole lot more important.

My hat is off to all the wives and mothers in agrarian land, indeed, throughout the Church of Jesus, who are faithfully loving the LORD God and their husbands. You will undoubtedly receive a ton of blessings in this life. But for every struggle you face, you will reap an immense eternal blessing, measured in souls who will come not only because of your service, but faithful covenant-keeping souls who come from your very self. God bless you!

Comments Timestamp

2006-06-04T20:19:00.000-05:00

Many of you are bloggers and your blogs are hosted by Blogger / Blogspot.

And when you make a post, the date and time are recorded so that folks know when you posted. However, many of you have your settings (apparently via the default setting) such that when people make comments on your blog, it does NOT record the date, but only the time of day.

If that is what you wish, then that is obviously your business. But I have noticed that some people have commented they wished that Blogger would include the dates with the comments made on their blog posts. Actually, Blogger CAN include the dates ... it is a setting that you can choose. And it is very easy to do.

From your Blogger "Dashboard", select the blog you wish to modify, and then from the setup for that blog, select the "Settings" tab, then the "Comments" tab, and then select the format you desire from the "Comments Timestamp Format" selector.

You will then have to scroll down to the bottom of the page and "Save Settings" and then select the "Re-publish" icon for the changes to take effect.

Hopefully, that answers a question that SOMEBODY out there was having ...

Sir William's Sword

2006-05-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

Sir William would be tickled to death if you stopped by his new blog and gave him a welcome.

Family Businesses

2006-05-15T01:46:00.000-05:00

I know that one of the goals of Christian agrarians is to get families involved in family businesses together. And I think we have a good role model in Bill Gaither.

Some of you don't recognize that name. But many of you will. Bill and Gloria Gaither are (or at least, were ... I think still are) from Alexandria, Indiana. They started out as school teachers in the early sixties, and spent the weekends making music as the Bill Gaither Trio (including, for a while, Bill's brother Danny). Gaither music took the Christian world by storm in the '60's and '70's -- I don't know what their most famous song was: perhaps He Touched Me, or Let's Just Praise the Lord, or Because He Lives, or another of the many dozens of songs they penned. Eventually they started self-publishing (I believe the John T. Benson company in Nashville had been their original publisher), and then started introducing other new artists (Don Francisco, Steve Green, Larnelle Harris, and Sandy Patti are a few that come to mind). Eventually the Gaithers decided someone needed to preserve the good old-time quartet gospel music, and so they started doing the Gaither Homecoming Concerts, with guest artists from all across the Christian music spectrum. They also wrote books (at least Gloria did, co-authoring a book with Shirley Dobson, wife of the psychologist).

Well, I was shocked this evening when I discovered that they are dabbling in another line in the family business.

First, I didn't see Bill's name anywhere in the project, so maybe I'm stretching things a little bit. BUT I still think this is interesting. Some of you have seen the kid's movie, Hoodwinked. I'm always scared to talk about movies, 'cause invariably there is a scene that I forgot about that is offensive to someone, and I just recommended it. But I really liked Hoodwinked when I saw it back in January. Well, tonight I saw part of the material on the bonus DVD that was released with the Hoodwinked DVD, and lo, and behold, Bill and Gloria Gaither's son, Benjy was one of the characters (voice behind the animated character) in Hoodwinked. The bonus DVD also included a full-length feature film made by the same people, called Wobots. Guess who produced it. Yup, Benjy Gaither. Now, get this! Guess whose voice was the voice of the counselor at the orphans' home. I about fell out of my chair. No, it wasn't James Dobson (although that would have been type-cast). No, it was Gloria Gaither! Yes, Gloria Gaither is now doing animated films. Okay. One film. I about fell out of my chair. (I already said that, didn't I. Oh well, now I've said it twice.) I had the live-double-album vinyl that the Bill Gaither Trio did in about 1974, and I think I would recognize Gloria Gaither's voice anywhere. And, indeed, her name rolled with the credits at the end of the film.

Now, I'm mostly kidding about this being a family business. But those Gaithers have their fingers into everything. And for some who may think I'm being critical of the Gaithers, I'm not! I actually have a reasonably positive view of them. (I mean, let's face it. How many folks were writing amillenial prophecy songs in the '70's against the tide of Hal Lindsey and the dispensationalists. I don't think The King is Coming quite fit the dispensational chart mold.)

Anyway, just wanted to report the interesting development. And for folks who never heard of the Gaithers, nor any of the songs that Gaither wrote that I mentioned, I guess you can simply wish you hadn't wasted your time reading this post.

Shaved by Grace

2006-05-15T01:14:00.000-05:00

I found the following commentary here. It relates to the second half of the fifth point of TULIP (preservation of the saints).

A fellow got up one morning and decided he no longer was going to shave himself, he was instead going to the barber for his morning shave. The town barber also happened to be the Baptist pastor in town. When the guy walked into the barber shop the barber/pastor was not there, he was out on a pastoral call but his wife Grace was in the shop. The man said to Grace, "I want a shave." Grace told him to climb up in the chair and she gave him a shave.

When Grace was finished he asked her how much for the shave and Grace said, "Twenty dollars." "Twenty dollars, that seems a little steep," the guy replied. Grace said: "That's my charge." So the guy gave her $20 bill and went on his way.

The next morning when he got up he went to the mirror and looked and his face was as smooth as when he was shaved the day before. He checked the following the day, same thing, a week went by, two weeks and his face stayed as smooth as a baby's face.

Finally after the third week he stopped back in the barber shop and Grace happened to be there. The guy said to her: "Grace, I can't believe I still don't need another shave. You did some kind of magnificent job." And Grace replied, "Well, you have been shaved by Grace and once shaved always shaved!"

NOTE: Naddy, I hope you liked that!

Herrick's Writings

2006-05-14T00:26:00.000-05:00

One of our fellow members of the Agrarian Blogging Community, Herrick Kimball (aka The Deliberate Agrarian), has recently published a book titled (rather aptly), Writings of a Deliberate Agrarian. I must first confess that I have not completed the entire book yet. I have been busy enough, and distracted enough, that I have read pieces, but not the total. Nevertheless, I think I have read enough to come away with the clear conviction that it is a worthwhile read. If you have not ordered your copy yet, it would be well worth it.

And, while we are on the subject of Herrick's books, let me go a little further. Many of you know that Herrick has written a number of books relating to home construction / repair and to agrarian topics. Two of the books he has written are about chicken processing: a complete guide to building a Whizbang chicken plucker, Anyone Can Build a Tub-Style Mechanical Chicken Plucker: Complete Instructions for the Kimball Whizbang, and a manual for building a Whizbang chicken scalder, Anyone Can Build a Whizbang Chicken Scalder. Well, there are a couple of us out there that think he needs to write another book for the pastured poultry crowd. Here's why:

Christine has recently lamented that her laying hens have not yet begun laying, although the expected time has come and gone. Several of her readers have advised her to be patient, and give them some more time, before taking the potential step of turning them into fried chicken, or some such delicacy. I suggested, however, that should they continue to fail as layers, then perhaps she ought to change her name to Mrs. Tweedy, and start making chicken pot pies. To which she replied that Herrick would need to build her a machine, and we decided he could also write a book: The Whizbang Chicken Pot Pie Machine Made Easy.

Herrick, we'd like a tiny commission when the book appears.

Psalm 119

2006-05-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

We have been reading through Psalm 119 for the past several weeks in family worship. Many of you are aware that Psalm 119 is an acrostic Psalm. That is, it is comprised of 22 stanzas (each stanza is 8 verses), and the 22 stanzas correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza (and perhaps each verse in the stanza, I am not clear as to whether it is the stanza or each verse therein) begins with the corresponding letter of the alphabet. We have been doing one stanza per day.

It has been a very interesting experience. The entire Psalm is devoted to the Word of God. In fact, almost every verse in the Psalm speaks of the Word of God. Many different terms are used for the Word of God: law of the LORD, his testimonies, his ways, his precepts, his statutes, his commandments, his righteous judgments, his word, his ordinances.

Tonight, we finished the Psalm. We read the final 8 verses, the last stanza. And then after prayer time, we sang the same passage: the final 8 verses of Psalm 119. It is a Psalm we learned at church two years ago, when we first started meeting for worship on the Lord's Day. It is a Psalm that we love to sing, because in the second half of the music, each voice part separates from the rest and sings its own melody against the other voices, blending together in a beautiful harmony which demonstrates the glory of the Word of God, of which we sing. We have been working on it for a month or two at home, singing it periodically after family worship time is over. It is particularly glorious, because my 8-year old son is singing (and carrying by himself) the melody, the (nearly) 15-year-old sings tenor, and I sing bass. What we have learned at church, we are able to do without additional voices to strengthen each part here at home.

I have found this Psalm to repeatedly speak to my soul. While those around us in the world care little, or none, for the things of God, and especially for the law of God, I find refreshment in the Psalmist echoing the theme: "I love your Law; it is my delight." While others speak of sentiment, devoid of the fixed ethics of God's Law, I hear the Psalmist speaking of God's law being a fountain of life. No, we do not find life in the letters of the Law, apart from the life-giving Spirit. But neither do we find the life-giving Spirit giving life out of mere sentiment, divorced from the Word of God. And so we echo the thoughts of this Psalm, and the words of another, in saying about the words from God: "More to be desired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb." (Psalm 19:10) Or to echo God's words to Moses: "Be careful to observe all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land." (Deut 32:46-47) God's Law is life to us, which He graciously gives. Or as John writes in his first epistle, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3) When someone tries to define love sentimentally, apart from God's instruction, they have missed the boat. God defines love in terms of obedience to His Law, and notes that when we have been the recipients of God's mercy in receiving His Law, that His Law is not burdensome.

What a refreshment, to read the Psalmist repeating stanza after stanza that he rejoices and delights in the precepts, rules, statues, ordinances, commandments, testimonies, and ways of God. May our hearts be so changed by His grace that we, too, rejoice in his precepts. For it is in graciously receiving this life-giving Word that we are being reborn. (James 1:21, 1 Peter 1:23).

Candace Joy - Good News

2006-04-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

You might want to read this update on Candace Joy who has been at home for several weeks now, and is making progress in her recovery.

For future updates, click on this link.

And, for anyone who actually kept up with NCAA March Madness, these may be recognizably famous faces, visiting with Candace at the hospital.

Getting Up and Pressing On (continued)

2006-04-24T01:22:00.000-05:00

I wrote about 4 weeks ago of my venture into running on the treadmill, trying to maintain some degree of physical fitness. I don't think I mentioned it then, but as a kid, I ran all the time -- between running to the park, playing baseball, football, and basketball. Due to an ankle injury when I was a senior in high school, I stopped running for about 7 or 8 years. Then, for a short time (and as part of the requirements of a class), I started running again. As soon as the class ended, so did the running.

Well, I STILL make no claim to great willpower that gets me on to the treadmill. But due to the encouragement of a couple of co-workers, and several blogging friends, I continue to run. And I wanted to give an updated report. Now all you real runners can turn the volume down on your snickering ... I'm not claiming to be a "real" runner, but I AM trying to return to a pattern of aerobic exercise that will enhance my physical fitness. (NOTE #2: I know a lot of you real agrarians get plenty of exercise on the farm; I don't get that in the office.)

Anyway, tonight's running was notable for a couple of reasons. First, I finished 12 weeks of consistent running. Second, I passed the 200 mile mark for that 12 week period. Yes, I am now at 202.93 miles over 12 weeks (excluding times when I just walked, or days when I played ball with the guys at church ... I mean, I would count that if I could figure out a way to measure the mileage!) Those of you who have encouraged me in this: thanks a million! I couldn't have done it without your help.

And now, I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

40,000 Little Buzzy Busy Bees

2006-04-17T01:13:00.000-05:00

I've posted an agrarian poem at my poetry blog.

Resurrection Courage

2006-04-14T17:53:00.000-05:00

quoted from The Wicket Gate

"In Russia, before the days of Communism, Christians greeted one another at Easter time with the words, 'Christ is risen,' and the person being addressed would respond, 'Christ has risen indeed!' As everyone knows, religion in Russia was forbidden during the years of Communism. To atheistic Communists there was no God and they replaced Christian Easter Sunrise Services with Sunrise Communist Rallies, to which all people of the community were requested to attend.

I read about one such meeting where, as the sunrise rally was drawing to a close, the Communist leader asked the large gathering of some ten thousand people if there was anything anybody wanted to say. A long silence followed. Nobody moved. Finally a teenage boy came forward. As he approached the podium, the leader warned the boy saying, 'You must tell only the truth,' meaning Communist 'truth.' 'If you don't, you will be shot.'

All eyes were fixed on this lad as he stood at the podium about to speak. He was flanked by soldiers, rifles pointed at his head. For several brief moments he remained silent. Then standing tall and taking a deep breath, he called into the microphone: 'Christ is risen!'

As the story goes, the exploding rifles shattered the silence of the early morning. Only one sound drowned out the crack of the rifles as the teenage boy collapsed to the floor in death. It was the resounding response of ten thousand voices shouting: 'Christ has risen indeed!'"

(by Rev. Don Collar, pastor of Bilberry Creek Baptist Church, Ottawa.)

Never At Odds

2006-04-13T22:49:00.000-05:00

I've posted a poem at my Polyphonic Poet blog, based on the first question of the Westminster Catechism, the writings of John Piper, and the emphases elaborated on by the posts of a fellow Christian agrarian.

Candace Joy Still Needs Our Prayers - update

2006-04-13T09:19:00.000-05:00

I just got this update from Candace Joy's mother ... she is in need of our continued prayers ...

Thank you all and bless you for praying! Candace is in need again so I am calling on all of the faithful to wear out your knees once again on our daughters behalf! It seems that she has a chemical hepatitis and has gotten quite ill. She is loosing weight and has a overall lack of energy. She will be getting a catscan tomorrow as the doctors will evaluate the extent of her bone infection to decide on the next course of action. Thank you for praying.

Cathy (the mom)

Updates are at http:\\www.candacejoy.org.

May God Be Gracious Unto You, and Yours

2006-04-12T00:20:00.000-05:00

I've posted another sonnet at my poetry blog: a prayer for God's gracious peace to guard the heart and mind of His child.

May We Still Trust

2006-04-06T11:52:00.000-05:00

I just posted (at my poetry blog) some thoughts about weather, and an exhortation to trust our Father, knowing that Mother Nature answers to Father God, and El Niño obeys El Padre

Grace Abounding (To the Chief of Sinners)

2006-04-04T00:03:00.000-05:00

I've posted a new song at my music blog, based on the life of John Newton (writer of Amazing Grace), and also incorporating concepts from the life and writings of John Bunyan and the Apostle Paul.

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

2006-04-01T23:27:00.000-06:00

Well, as soon as I posted about getting on the treadmill and running almost every night, I then turn around and miss 2 nights in a row. Getting lax on my commitment? No, not really. I did run tonight. However, I spent the last two nights on my latest agrarian project. Bees.

Now I am a little leery of the wee creatures, having demonstrated an allergy to them (or at least to yellow jackets) some 30 years ago. One sting during a mission Vacation Bible School in Glenville, West Virginia sent me to the hospital for a quick shot to arrest the spreading hives. So in lieu of becoming a beekeeper myself, I instead assisted a fellow Christian agrarian by construction of hives, in return for a cut of the honey. A pretty sweet deal if you ask me: no getting stung, but getting the sweet stuff. (I was also promised some mead.)

I built Kenyan Top-Bar Hives (description & plans here) which are much easier to build than the standard type of hive. They also require no honey extractor, and have several other advantages, as well as a few slight disadvantages.

Being a novice carpenter, it took me longer to build the hives than it would take an experienced carpenter. Add to that the smaller selection of tools available to me (and the fact that I just got the rip fence and mitre attachment for my table saw this evening AFTER finishing the hives). I also made a boo-boo or two related to mixing up inside and outside measurements. Nevertheless, I was very pleased with the steady progress I made, and the apparently acceptable results. And I hope to do it again. I have had, at least, an initial request from another Christian agrarian blogger to make the same kind of deal.

Soon these hives will be inhabited by 120,000 honey bees (3 x 40,000) -- and hopefully soon thereafter, lots of sweet stuff! I hope to post pictures as soon as they are placed on location.

So to my fellow Christian agrarians out there: rejoice with me. I did something agrarian! :)

Going Home to Rome

2006-04-01T23:26:00.000-06:00

Andrew Belli had an interesting announcement today. Make sure your read the comments, also.

Korean Organic Agrarianism

2006-03-28T12:48:00.000-06:00

It seems rather labor-intensive, but I learned that Korean agrarians have developed a rather interesting organic substitute for pesticides.

Read about it in the last paragraph here.

PLEASE NOTE ... the link has worked most times I checked it, but as commenters have pointed out, sometimes it goes to a page that is entirely in Korean. If the link is working properly, it opens a page with an English post titled Spring Skating to Yeouido Park (with Korean text around the English text window).

Getting Up and Pressing On

2006-03-27T23:55:00.000-06:00

Perhaps some of you have wondered where the Aspiring Agrarian has gone to. Others have probably given up on the notion that I would ever post anything new. I've had a few links to poetry on my poetry blog, and music on my music blog, and a couple of prayer requests. But not very much of substance here.

It is because I incorporated more than an hour of new things into my daily schedule 2 months ago, and I have not had a lot of time to write since then. You ask, "What is it that has now entered your schedule?" Two things.

The first of which, I wrote about on the poetry blog. 2 months ago, I began getting on my treadmill, almost daily, and running. I have run 36 minutes most nights, but 40, 45, and 48 minutes on some others. People who are real runners will scoff at my meager results ... I started out at 2.53 miles in 36 minutes, and tonight ran 3.54 miles in 36 minutes (a 5.9 MPH average ... my best so far).

I have, for quite some time, been aware that I've needed to increase my exercise level, to maintain health. Now I know that real agrarians have a work schedule that provides the substantial amount of such exercise, but my daily exercise regimen had been wiggling my fingers on a computer keyboard for 8 hours. Scarcely the prescribed aerobic activity for cardiopulmonary fitness. Everytime I had tried to incorporate running into my schedule before, I had been discouraged by the complaints I got (you're up too early, waking us up; you're up too late, keeping us up), and by the fact that I hate to get on the treadmill. This time, I have managed to press on for over 8 weeks ... well on my way to a habit. And although I am averaging almost 6 nights per week, I don't think that average will ultimately need to be maintained. I intend to eventually reduce the running to 3 nights, and about 3 miles nightly, and to add something else for 3 other nights a week -- flexibility and strength training of some sort. Anyway, this is part of the reason I've had less time to write.

The other thing that has become part of the nightly schedule is ... family worship. I began the same night I began running, and I have actually been more consistent with this than with running. Sundays are excluded (our congregation spends the substantial part of the day in worship, then practicing Psalms and hymns as a congregation, praying, eating, talking, playing, fellowshipping together). But other than Sundays, I have only missed 2 days in these past 2 months in leading family worship. We have primarily used the Psalms to this point: reading and commenting on the scripture, then praying together, and then singing a Psalm or a hymn. You might look at me and say, "You just started doing this?" And the answer is, "Yes, and no."

Family worship has always been something I tried to do. However, much like running, I failed more than I succeeded. In the past, I have let the conflict within the family, and the conflicting schedules that I permitted to be put into place, almost snuff out family worship. It was inconsistent, to put it charitably. Becoming a part of a church where the importance of family worship was taught, seeing and being challenged by the good examples of other men in the church, being encouraged by friends who strengthen my "weak knees" that had often buckled when facing opposition ... these things have helped me to make a change.

So is there good fruit from these 2 new habits. The first is clearly quantifiable. My speed and distance have increased 40% over these 2 months. And while the scales show a slight decrease in weight, some weight has clearly shifted, because my pants require that my belt be tightened up a notch or two more than before. I'm not sure that I can quantify the results from the second yet. Knowledge of God's Word, redirected affections, changed behaviors ... these things don't always manifest themselves as quickly, or as plainly, as the results on the gauges of a treadmill. But hints of good things begin to show themselves.

And so I press on. Doug Wilson has pointed out that in Scripture, ones children are to be raised in faith. And faith is believing that God keeps his promises about claiming the children of believers as his own. But faith also relates to faithfulness: which is, training those children to love the LORD God with all their hearts and souls and strength, and to daily train them in the commandments of the LORD -- morning and evening, when we rise up, walk along the way, and lie down.

Why am I writing about this? I'm not actually sure what all the reasons are. Perhaps they would fall into these categories. To glorify God for the changes he is making; to thank those believers who have been examples or encouragement to me; and to challenge those of you who are still struggling with this, or some other area of discipline in your life. Press on! Let me say it again: Press on! Depend on God. Ask for, and gladly accept the encouragement and exhortation of other believers. Get up when you fall down. Press on! Your labor is not in vain in the Lord. You will reap if you do not faint.

Please Continue to Pray for Candace Joy

2006-03-09T21:58:00.000-06:00

Candace Joy's mother commented on a previous post that Candace is still in great need of prayer. The infection appears to still being very active within her bones.

If you have been praying for her, please continue. Do not grow weary in well-doing, for you will reap if you do not faint. Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in this work of the Lord, knowing that, in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.

Likewise, pray for those whom you know personally who are facing any kind of ordeal, physical or otherwise. The prayers of the saints are a tool God has ordained to use in his providential ruling of the affairs of his creation.

Check here for updates.

Industrial Age Lament

2006-03-06T22:54:00.000-06:00

I've just posted on my poetry blog a sonnet about one of the hazards of the industrial age.

Candace Joy Still Needs Our Prayers

2006-03-04T19:04:00.000-06:00

I noted today on Deborah's blog that Candace Joy's parents are requesting emergency prayer again. Please remember Candace in your prayers.

Psalm 121

2006-02-25T18:56:00.000-06:00

I've posted another piece of music at my music blog.

text adapted from Psalm 121 by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music and a link to listen to the tune.

Prayer Requests - Candace Joy

2006-02-23T11:49:00.000-06:00

Deborah Anne Bunch has alerted us to a pressing prayer request. Please visit the family's website, linked below, for updates. And pray for Candace Joy.

from Deborah's post: One of my fellow Homeschool Blogger's daughters came down with a very rare, and very terrible infection after a overseas trip. It began to eat away at her bones and muscles in her legs and then spread into her hips. A prayer request was sent out by the thousands and has spread from blog to blog. She has had multiple surgeries and by the last post I read, seems to be doing better, although her condition is still very, very serious and life-threatening. Please keep her in your prayers, and the parents as well, they not only are facing a terrible prospect of possibly losing their daughter, and all the stress of surgery and hospital stays, but also a lot of guilt.
Their site for Candace is set up at www.CandaceJoy.org Please take a moment to drop by and let them know that you are praying! You can read the entire story by starting at the bottom of the page and working up.

Kyrie

2006-02-18T15:11:00.000-06:00

I've posted another piece of music at my music blog.

text adapted from the ancient prayer of the Church by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music and a link to listen to the tune.

He Will Come Ere End of Night

2006-02-13T00:31:00.000-06:00

A poem based on Mark 6:34-51 and a sermon on that text preached by Dr. Douglas Doll at Christ the King Church, Springfield, MO on February 12, 2006.

Psalm 1

2006-02-11T11:17:00.000-06:00

I've posted another piece of music at my music blog.

text adapted from Psalm 1 by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music.

Psalm 65

2006-02-04T14:11:00.000-06:00

I've posted another piece of music at my music blog.

text adapted from Psalm 65 by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music.

Another Example ...

2006-02-02T22:59:00.000-06:00

... of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 ...

The Reformed Farmer posted about his day of living those verses out with his family. I tell you, when I grow up, I want to be like him!

If you haven't been there to read it yet, you oughta', for sure!

O Restore Us Again (Psalm 60)

2006-01-31T00:05:00.000-06:00

(Psa 60 NKJV) O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again! {2} You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. {3} You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
{4} You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah {5} That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
{6} God has spoken in His holiness: "I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. {7} Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. {8} Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me."
{9} Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? {10} Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? {11} Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. {12} Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60 is a Michtam (a golden, or profound song) of David, and is a prayer that God will restore his people to his favor.

The Psalm begins with an acknowledgement that God has, indeed, cast his people off; that he has broken them down in his displeasure. We look back at those days (3000 years ago) and say, "Of course it is obvious when God casts his people off, and displays his displeasure." But I think, in reality, there is a great insight here. I guess it should be obvious. God has given us enough instruction, and enough warnings about failing to obey his instruction, that it should be obvious when judgment follows disobedience. But it doesn't seem to correlate in our (American Christians') brains quite like it did with David. Instead, we hear American Christians talk about how we are the greatest country on earth, and if Bush gets elected (2004) and Alito gets confirmed (2006), then we are in great shape. But if they look with their eyes open, they would see the display of God's displeasure. They would see reasons for the display of God's displeasure. They would see in the neighborhood of 40 million babies killed by their mothers who hired "doctors" to do the deed, in the past 33 years. They would see Christian children by the millions sent out to pagans to be trained that "God does not exist, or if he does, it is so unimportant to reality that we don't mention him" in the government schools. They would see Christian ethics that are substantially indistinguishable from pagan ethics. They would see a church that is not simply divided into East and West, or East and Roman West and Protesting West, but into literally tens of thousands of sub-groupings that are so contentious that any type of unity is out of the question. They would see fingers pointing at Sodomites and abortionists as the cause of our problems, when God clearly teaches us that those abominations are the result of the problem: covenant breaking among his people (Deuteronomy 28, for example, shows how pagans will be the head and God's people the tail, when God's people break covenant).

David, though, has a slightly more watchful eye than American Christians, and he recognized the fact: God had cast them off and broken them down because of his displeasure. And he acknowledges this. And he pleads with God to restore them again. In v.2, he acknowledges that God has made the earth to tremble. This is likely not referring to an earthquake, or anything of the sort. In Old Testament language, earth (or, better yet, land) refers to the land where God's people dwell, and thereby, to God's people. I am not conversant enough with Hebrew to verify that the present word is, indeed, that word, but apart from evidence to the contrary, I will assume that it is, in this case, the same word, and conclude that God has made his people to tremble, and to crack (breaches), and to be shaking. This conclusion (that earth/land here refers to God's people: Israel) is enforced by the nature of the prayer in v.1, and the explicit reference in v.3 to "your people," to whom, David says, God has shown "hard things", things that make them appear drunk with confusion.

The cast-off-edness, the broken-ness, the displeasure, the trembling and broken and breached land, however, is not the end of the story. In verse 4, David recalls that this is not the designed plan. God rules over all, and rules over even the troubles and sins in our life. This is the will of God which he "decrees" to bring about his desired end (which "will" can include troubles, and trials, and punishments, and judgments, and even sins -- think of Joseph's brothers in Genesis 50, and the wicked hands that crucified Christ, recounted by Peter in Acts 2 -- all according to God's "will"). But there is also the will of God which describes that which he commands us to do, which demonstrates his holiness, and which gives him pleasure as we walk in it. And this destruction of the land, and the sin which was causing it, was not part of the will of God in this sense. David recalls the will of God in this sense: You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth, that your beloved may be delivered. I am not certain as to the identity of this banner. But a banner is that sign which one carries which identifies him as to whom he belongs. Think of the flag flying on a ship. This banner identifies the ship as being from its country of origin. The same with the flag that troops carry into battle. Or, "I am my beloved's, and He is mine. His banner over me is love." The flag God flies over his people, which identifies them as his, is his love. My first thought is that this refers to the Ark of the Covenant, which includes a copy of God's Law in it. This marked God's people. The law was given to those who feared God, and was "the truth". These hints in vv.4-5 make me think, thusly. No matter what the precise identification of the banner, though, the fact is, in the pleasure of God, he has marked his people with protection and affirmation and his love, and will save (deliver) them. And so David references this thought, and then cries out to God: Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

David continues in the next section with God's claim upon his people, and a contrast with how he also claims the pagan nations. God, in his holiness (v.6) is rejoicing as he lays claim to his people and their land, apportioning it among them, and giving them tasks. Vv.6-7 are about his people. In contrast, v.8 he moves to the pagan nations. They, too, belong to God, but they are of "common" or "profane" use (a washpot, one to be trampled on). Think of Paul's letter to Timothy, and the contrast given between vessels of honor, and vessels of dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Again, this is part of David's recounting of the pleasurable will of God. God has chosen a people. That people is Israel. And God's banner has been given to identify them as the recipients of his special love, while the other nations, while belonging to God also, are common (dishonored) vessels.

This should also, as we survey the destruction of the holiness of the church, and the destruction of the unity of the church, which appears before our very eyes, this should be our cry: God -- such vileness in your people is not your plan. You may have a purpose for which you have decreed these things, but this is not your will in the sense that we are obeying your commands and giving you pleasure by what we are. Rather, we believe that your church is to be one. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over us all. Your church is one, holy, catholic (covers the entire world), and apostolic (built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ himself being the chief cornerstone).

David began to confess the truth about God's people, as to who they were, after having confessed the truth about God's people, as to how they were acting. We are acting like pagans, but we are the beloved bride of God Almighty. And as he confessed the truth about what God had determined to make of his people, in contrast to the pagans, David became animated. He was ready to go back to war! Notice in verse 9. Who is going to bring me to the strong city, to Edom? He is itching to get back into the battle against the stronghold of Edom. And (v.10) he knows that it is GOD who will carry him to that city to battle against it. The same God who had cast his people off would restore them. The same God who failed to go out with their armies would once again give them help from their trouble, and tread down their enemies. David noted that it was useless to go to other nations for help (the help of man is useless). Rather, he would depend on God, and the people of God (v.12 Through God we will do valiantly).

Friends, we need to model the prayer of this Psalm. Confess that God has been displeased with the wickedness of our land: not just the pagans, but his people who have acted unfaithfully, which has caused us to be judged by being overrun by pagans. Confess that this is not the ultimate design for God's people, but rather that His Church is the apple of his eye, and that he designs to deliver his people. Then we need to go out to battle with the certainty ringing in our ears that, by our God, we shall do valiantly. With this encouragement, we can do battle, which begins with making it our ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind our own business, to work with our hands, to avoid dependence on outsiders, and to, thereby, be a good example (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). And what is this business which we are to mind. First, to love the LORD our God with our entire being, and to receive his Law written upon our hearts, to live and walk in it, and to train our children (all that the LORD gives us) to walk in it, day and night, at home and away from home, always teaching, always training, always obeying (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

As always, this is a task much bigger than we are capable of doing, but with God we will do valiantly. And when we fail, we confess our sin, and confess his commanded plan, and get up and go again. Proverbs 24:16 For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity. Keep getting back up! The righteous will; the wicked won't.

Appointment for Pain

2006-01-30T14:23:00.000-06:00

Despite the title, this is actually a humorous sonnet about my morning.

He is the Image

2006-01-28T02:36:00.000-06:00

text adapted from Colossians 1:15-20 by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music.

Introducing my Music Blog

2006-01-28T01:15:00.000-06:00

Here is a quote from the Good Farmer John over at Antithesis in Agriculture:

Eventually, sometime between 1/1/06 and the spring field work, we'd like to have a basic website up with our blog, products, etc... available. In my younger years, I'd have waited to "go live" until we have enough put together to make a big splash. Not so with this one, we are taking this one step at a time, and so the initial offering will be very meager...

Well, I've decided he's right. If I wait till there is enough material for a big splash, that time will never come. So here is a little ripple.

The Finest Cuisine

2006-01-28T01:13:00.000-06:00

You might enjoy my thoughts on fine cuisine. It's what's for dinner.

But It Was You, My Equal, My Companion, My Acquaintance (Psalm 55)

2006-01-25T13:50:00.000-06:00

(Psa 55 NKJV) Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. {2} Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, {3} Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me.
{4} My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. {5} Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. {6} So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. {7} Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah {8} I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest."
{9} Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. {10} Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. {11} Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
{12} For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. {13} But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. {14} We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.
{15} Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
{16} As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. {17} Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. {18} He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. {19} God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God.
{20} He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant. {21} The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
{22} Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
{23} But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.

Here, David is, again, crying out to the LORD for deliverance from his enemies. He pleads with God to hear him (vv.1-2) and states the reason for his complaint (v.3). He is, again, being assaulted by an enemy who is wicked. While Paul tells us to live peaceably with all men, he also, lest we misunderstand his command, gives 2 qualifications: if it is possible, and as much as depends on you (Romans 12:18). David makes it obvious here that it is not always possible. Indeed, the Psalms as a whole would indicate that when the world is shared with the wicked, there will be a significant amount of time when there is no possibility of peace, apart from God delivering his people from the wicked. David's desire, here, is to fly away to the wilderness, to escape the tempest (vv.6-8). This, however, is not an option. So David calls on God to destroy them, and their deliberations (v.9-10). Notice(!) that David doesn't simply ask God. He argues his case, giving the reasons why God should do so. This is a part of prayer that, frankly, is all too often missing when I pray.

I wish that this Psalm would ingrain
itself securely in my brain
That I would pray like this, in fact,
And give the reasons God should act

The next section is a stark reminder that it is not always the pagans who turn out to be our enemies. In this situation, it was a fellow church member (vv.12-14,20) that David prays will go to hell (v.15). Now admittedly we are treading on dangerous ground here. But there are plenty of people out there who have professed a faith that they show themselves to not have possessed. When this becomes apparent, by their actions, and the church has tried them and found them apostate, then those who felt the brunt of their wickedness can ask God to appropriately respond to that wickedness. This was a person that David counted as an equal (equal to a king), a companion, an acquaintance, one with whom David took sweet counsel, with whom David made his way to public worship. And yet, it became apparent, this person's heart was not there, but elsewhere. I don't know why it is, but we seem to think that professing believers among family members, or church members, or pastors, or seminary professors -- at least in our denomination -- would never turn out to be infidels. But it is, sadly, the case. Paul even warns the elders of the church at Ephesus that wolves would rise up from that very group of elders to draw sheep away from Christ, to themselves (Acts 20:28-30). If it was true in the church that Paul planted, it is true in your circles, too. These people are smooth talkers, with oil-soft words, but these words are destructive swords issuing from a heart of war (v.21).

And so, David cried out to God -- evening, morning, and noon -- and anticipated that God would hear his cry (v.17), knowing that if he would cast his burden on the LORD, he would be established (v.22), contrary to the outcome that would befall his enemies (v.23). His final words in the Psalm? But I will trust in You.

May we, likewise, trust in our God, and call upon him to deliver us, as David did here, from those in our close circles who break covenant with us and with Christ's church, and indeed, with Christ himself.

On Behalf of My Brother

2006-01-24T18:55:00.000-06:00

a poem / prayer for a friend who is time-pressed between the responsibilities of providing material needs, and providing spiritual leadership.

Oh, That the Salvation of Israel Would Come Out of Zion (Psalm 53)

2006-01-23T00:50:00.000-06:00

(Psa 53 NKJV) The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good. {2} God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. {3} Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. {4} Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon God? {5} There they are in great fear Where no fear was, For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you; You have put them to shame, Because God has despised them. {6} Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Several things present themselves in this Psalm. I want to skim over the first several, and consider the last at a little greater length.

First, it is interesting to note that this Psalm is extremely similar to Psalm 14. There are variances, and instead of the covenant name for God (YHWH, which is used in Psalm 14:2,4,6,7), the generic term God (I assume Elohim) is used throughout this Psalm.

Second, consider the atheism noted in verse 1. "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God." In the wisdom literature of Scripture, the term "fool" generally refers to one who is morally (as opposed to mentally) deficient. Certainly that is the case here. Anyone who denies the existence of God is missing the center of reality. And that is morally stupid. But look carefully, and notice something else. In the NKJV translation, as well as most other careful translations, there is an interesting occurrence in verse 1. NOTE: most online Bibles do not display this, especially when copied and pasted. This note of interest is: the words "there is" are in italics. Italicized words, in the KJV, NKJV, NASB, etc. mean that the words were not in the original text, but were added due to differences in English grammar and style, to make the sentence flow. But consider the implications of this fact. Instead of, "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God," this could also be rightly understood as, "The fool has said in his heart, 'No, God!'"

In other words, practical atheism: When someone does not verbally deny the existence of God, but by saying "No, LORD!" (what an oxymoron), they practically deny his existence. None of us has ever said, "There is no God!" but we are a lot more likely to ignore what he tells us to do, and to, thereby, say, "No, God." Note that this is foolish, just as saying, "There is no God." James reminded us (1:22) that we are to "be ... doers of the Word, and not hearers only." Jesus told us (Matthew 7:21, 26) that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" and "the man who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like the foolish man ..." He also said (John 15:14), "You are my friends if you do whatever I tell you." Don't ever make the foolish mistake of thinking that God is concerned only about a profession "God exists." After all (James 2:19), even the demons believe that. No, God is concerned that what we say we believe makes a difference in us. Obedience demonstrates that difference.

The next several verses of the Psalm are quoted by Paul in Romans 3, as he demonstrates that all men are sinners, and in need of a Saviour.

However, I want to focus on verse 6. Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad. God's people (Israel) in this land are desperately in need of salvation. We have so aligned ourselves with the pagan culture around us, that there is scarcely any difference between what we believe (as indicated by our actions) and what pagans believe, and how they act. You might say, "I don't do that." You might say, "My church is not that way." You might rightly say both those things. But don't forget: you are part of the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. You and your church may not say, "No, God," but you are part of a body of Christ, covenantally joined together with Christ as the Head, and corruption presently has run amok in that body.

God's people need for God to "rend the heavens and come down" (Isaiah 64:1). This coming will be painful, and a fiery purging (Malachi 3 - 4). But it will set things aright for God's people. It is difficult to see, inasmuch as we have been blinded by the glitz of the world around us, but we have, in many ways, become slaves in this land. God has put pagans in authority over us, because we have failed to be faithful to the covenant (Deut. 28). And because of this, we are beginning to weep. I don't think it will get any better, until God's people humble themselves and repent. Part of repenting is grieving for ones own sin, and turning from it. But part of it is then pleading with God to "send salvation out of Zion" in order that we may "rejoice" and "be glad" in our God. Are you praying this? Am I praying this? "Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in Thee!" (Psalm 85:6). This was the prayer of David in Psalm 53, that God would turn back the captivity of his people, that He would save them, and that they would rejoice.

Think about it, when you pray.

Poems about Naddy's Birthday Celebration

2006-01-22T02:19:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of poems, about The Dog Branch and the Posties Jig.

These are a couple of the dances we did at the barn dance (in a gym) celebrating the birthday of Naddy, the Settler's daughter.

Let Us Exalt His Name Together

2006-01-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

A sonnet written in response to ...

An Evening of Music to the Glory of God
Presented by the
Orchestra and Choirs
of Grace Classical Academy
(Springfield, MO)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006

From the opening strains of This is My Father's World co-mingled with All Creatures of Our God and King, through J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, A. Vivaldi, interspersed with hymns and spirituals, and a stunning cello solo of Saint-Saens The Swan, the music was exquisite.

We Beg You to Defend

2006-01-18T12:54:00.000-06:00

A prayer for God's intervention based on the end of Isaiah 49.

CHiPs 2004

2006-01-17T22:30:00.000-06:00

You remember the old TV show, CHiPs, starring Estrada & Wilcox as Ponch & Jon.

Well, here's the 2004 version, featuring Paunch & Paunch.

I thought after Tracy's diatribe, it was time for a little levity.

A Holy Jealousy (Psalm 84)

2006-01-17T15:03:00.000-06:00

Psa 84 NKJV
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! {2} My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. {3} Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young; Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. {4} Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah {5} Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. {6} As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. {7} They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. {8} O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah {9} O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed. {10} For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. {11} For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. {12} O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

We sang this Psalm last Friday evening in our men's meeting. And I wanted to point out something interesting that I find in it.

The Psalmist expresses his longing to be in the public worship of God. The tabernacle (v.1), the courts of the Lord(v.2), your altars (v.3), your house (v.4) are all references to the place of public worship. It is a point worth making (as I have recently, as has The Settler) that it is not simply private devotion which God seeks, and which his people should seek, but it is the gathering of the body of Christ, coming together to worship him in one accord, which is central to personal piety in the scriptures. Obviously, this public worship is not to be without the heart (Isaiah 1 and Amos both address that issue). Nevertheless, when ones heart is engaged, there is nothing like the public worship of God.

The Psalmist notes that there is a blessing attached to those, who in God's strength, make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship there (vv.5-7). Notice that even a pilgrimage (v.5) is required. These folks can't just hop in the automobile (15 passenger van for many in our church) and go to public worship. At this point in Israel's history, public worship was a Jerusalem, and that was a significant journey for many families. This was, for many, a journey that could be made only 3 times a year. (Recall Jesus remaining behind in Jerusalem at age 12 while his family returned toward home in Nazareth.) As the pilgrims would approach Jerusalem, they would encounter steep travel. Jerusalem is situated high above sea level, and most of Israel is much lower (particularly in the area of the Dead Sea, south of Jerusalem, which is below sea level). As they ascended to Jerusalem, the pilgrims would sing the Psalms of Ascent, which you will find in your Bible, marked as such. For the Psalmist, it was a pilgrimage worth making. This, despite the fact that they travelled through the "Valley of Baca" (v.6). Baca is, literally, weeping, and presumably refers to a difficult stretch of the journey. The Psalmist notes that, with the pilgrimage in their hearts (v.5), even the tears became a spring. They go from strength to strength. That is, they get their second wind, and continue pressing on. The object? That they may "appear before God in Zion" (v.7). The Psalmist pours forth a prayer (v.8), which in context is probably for a safe pilgrimage, so that they can arrive safely to worship in Zion. Our prayers for safe travel are sometimes perfunctory; who gets attacked by highway robbers on the way to church? Their way was dangerous; the prayer was always real.

The Psalm is ended with an exclamation of the wonder of public worship (v.10) and the blessings that attend those who are there (vv.11-12). The question is: do we view the public worship of God, together with Christ's church, in the same way that the Psalmist did? If not, we are missing something.

Now, to the title of my post: a Holy Jealousy. Did you notice in verse 3? The Psalmist is jealous of the birds. The swallows don't have to leave the temple. They found a place to build their nest there, and to raise their young there. How does our devotion to the public worship of God compare? Are we similarly envious of those who get to be there more fully than we do? I'm obviously not suggesting the kind of envy that would draw the condemnation of the scriptures, but I do think that it is very interesting that there is a jealousy expressed here toward the birds, who could be in the place of public worship 24/7. May God so move our hearts that we likewise rejoice in coming together for worship!

Why Clap Our Hands? (Psalm 47)

2006-01-16T23:15:00.000-06:00

Psalm 47 (NKJV)
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

Most Christians are probably familiar with this Psalm. Okay, let me modify that. Most evangelical American Christians are probably familiar with the first verse of this Psalm. Who has not sung, Clap your hands, all ye people; Shout unto God with a voice of triumph?

But as I contemplated this Psalm, I asked a question. Why are we instructed to clap our hands? Actually, before we get to that, there is another interesting thing to note here. Those instructed to clap their hands are all peoples. The term people means, loosely, an ethnic group, thus peoples refers to multiple ethnic groups, not just Israel. This is of interest, because these peoples are the ones who are being subdued under Israel (v. 3). Thus being subdued by God actually leads one into joy, rather than away from it.

Which leads into the answer to the question, why are we instructed to clap our hands. It is because God is the awesome King over all the earth, and he subdues other peoples under His people. How many people who sing verse one are aware of that? And how many people, while they might acknowledge that God is the King over all, live practically as if He is not, preferring slavery to the world's system, rather than obedience to the King, and the hope of having all things put under their feet?

Some people think that this no longer applies, since we are not physical Israel in a physical land. But the Bible is abundantly clear in multiple New Testament passages that Christ's church is Israel; that Gentile believers were grafted onto the Abrahamic root, and together with faithful physical descendants of Abraham, form the true Israel of God: one people made of many peoples. And if we are Israel, and if God still is the king (indeed, Jesus is sitting at His right hand crushing his enemies -- I Corithians 15:24-25, Romans 16:20), and if we are still to sing these Psalms, then why are we failing to expect that they (together with the Lord's Prayer, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) will be fulfilled.

The next time you hear someone sing the first verse of Psalm 47, ask him the question: Why are we to clap our hands, according to the rest of the Psalm? It's something we all need to contemplate.

A Long Night's Celebrating

2006-01-16T17:19:00.000-06:00

A poem written in response to, and affirming, Micah's description of New Year's Eve and morning.

An Humble Request

2006-01-16T14:56:00.000-06:00

this poem, An Humble Request, was based on a French dialog posted by MyBelovedIsMine. It expresses the angst of patiently waiting and trusting God, when one is ready for God's timetable to move along. The poem can also be found here as originally posted. The original French dialog was subsequently removed.

The Greatest Love

2006-01-15T21:32:00.000-06:00

a sonnet based on John 13:34-35, John 15:12-15, Romans 5:6-8 and the testimony of the historian Tertullian

Lord's Day Feast

2006-01-14T23:50:00.000-06:00

Every Sunday our congregation gets to fellowship over delicious food.

Our day together begins when God calls us out of our separate lives, to join in worshipping Him as He instructs us in Scripture. Early in the service, we kneel before the LORD, our Maker and confess our sins, then lift our hearts and our faces as we hear the minister give us the assurance that, for the sake of Jesus who died in our place, God forgives us all our sins. We sing Psalms, and both praise Him thereby, and are taught as we contemplate the words He has given us to sing. We read His Word together responsively. We hear His Word read, from both the Old Testament and the New. We hear His Word preached by one He has called out to instruct and exhort us. In this, we are being consecrated for his service. His Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierces, much like the knife of the priest who consecrated a sacrifice in the Old Testament. We are living sacrifices, and are offered up to Him, not as a sacrifice for sin, but as a thank offering, and as a sacrifice of praise from thankful lips. We return a portion of our material blessings which he has given into our stewardship. We confess the faith we have in Him, a faith held in common with the Church of all centuries and all continents, a faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We commune with Him, taking real spiritual food. As our mouths partake of, and our tongues taste, the bread and the wine, our spirits feed on the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is real food and real drink. And we are commissioned to go into His world, and live as salt, and light, and streams of His living water.

Then we take a break. But not for long. The entire congregation comes back together for choir practice. We believe that it is worth effort, and sacrifice, to honor God as he instructs, and since he has instructed us to sing Psalms, but we don't know all the Psalms he gave us, we learn them. Since he instructs us to sing and play skillfully (Psalm 33:3), we spend effort in learning how to more fully obey this instruction. Following a time of practicing 2 or 3 new songs, we spend some time sharing prayer requests, and praying to God that Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Then comes eating time. We have been fed the Word. We have been fed Christ's body and blood. And now we are fed physical food for physical bodies. And it is always great.

I often kid that I learned everything I know (about cooking the food I bring) from my friend, Betty ... Betty Crocker, that is. But this evening, I am preparing something from Welcome Home for the Holidays published by the Gooseberry Patch.

That's the recipe ... the second one on the page. It's called turkey soup, but I think delicious, nutritious pastured poultry -- homegrown chicken -- will do just as well. I made one other modification, and one omission, from the recipe, but I think it is delicious. Let's just hope that those who partake will agree. It sure oughta' beat Naddy's opossum.

And I'm gonna put a birthday cake for J..... on the dessert table. Now I can craft words, but I cannot craft icing. So it might not be as pretty as the cakes made by the talented ladies of the church. But at least my son will know his Daddy loves him.

In the Old Testament, God gave instructions for one fast day -- Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. But there were instructions for numerous feast days. I recently heard a number around 80 (I have forgotten exactly what it was). We enjoy feasting on food and fellowship every Lord's Day. There's nothing like it!

Happy Birthday

2006-01-14T14:54:00.000-06:00

Eight years ago, this fellow came into the world. He is one of the joys that the LORD has given to me. He loves swords and guns, Spiderman, being a monkey (climbing anything and everything), playing football with the family, numbers and math, going to church, and particularly, singing I Bind Unto Myself Today, otherwise known as The Lorica, or St. Patrick's Breastplate.

I'm getting ready to go pick up his buddy from church, who will spend the night tonight. We will celebrate my son's birthday, and the 8 years that we have been blessed with his presence.

Cold Turkey

2006-01-14T13:07:00.000-06:00

a poem on kicking dependency ...

-ism's that try to Compete with Christ's church

2006-01-13T12:49:00.000-06:00

The Settler has posted here about the centrality of Christ's church, and the pitfalls of any "-ism" which ignores that, including agrarian-ism.

This one is worth reading several times!

Turning the Other Cheek

2006-01-12T18:03:00.000-06:00

I believe it was Dr. Hart who was talking about disagreements in how the Bible is applied to life, and noted that some people think that corporal punishment of ones children is prohibited as cruelty. Such people think that we, instead, should turn the other cheek when a child misbehaves.

I was sorta' thinking that corporal punishment, and "turning the other cheek," might be something parents would do at precisely the same time, if you know what I mean. And, after all, you wouldn't want to separate things that should go together, would you?

A Bright Hope in the Midst of Dark Oppression (Psalm 43)

2006-01-12T13:48:00.000-06:00

(Psa 43 NKJV) Vindicate me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! {2} For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? {3} Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle. {4} Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. {5} Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

I don't know the background for this Psalm. There is no heading that specifies which Psalmist wrote it, nor what the occasion was. However, one could get the distinct impression that it was written by David during the period of Absalom's rebellion. As you recall, David's son led in the treachery, and the nation was sufficiently drawn away that David had to flee for his life. I can imagine this Psalm being written when David was in exile, and he pleaded for vindication against an ungodly nation and against an unjust man.

It is, indeed, a distressing situation when one who should be working with you and helping you solidify your position actually engages in treacherous behavior, and proceeds stealing the hearts of your subjects by deceitful means. Nevertheless, it happened to David.

Whether or not this is the setting for Psalm 43 [playing the harp, in v. 4, lends additional impetus to the notion that David was the writer here], the fact remains that the writer of this Psalm was in a similar situation: an unjust man and an ungodly nation were contending against him. And so, as we find so often, he cries out to God. Note the estrangement that this situation generates between the writer and God. In verse 2, he questions Why do You cast me off? We hear from the "Christian" world all around us that God wants to give us peace, that he loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Somehow, they seldom get around to saying that the wonderful plan might be full of heart-wrenching uncertainties that leave one in the shadow of depression. We can learn from these Psalms that God is not surprised when such things happen. Otherwise, he would have never inspired such a Psalm to be written (and he did, in fact, inspire many such Psalms to be written.) We can know, inasmuch as he acknowledges that such situations exist, that he really is aware of reality, and therefore his promises that he will never leave [us] nor forsake [us] and that we can cast all our cares upon him for he cares for [us] are equally well attested.

I find something else of great value in this Psalm. Notice that the writer does not plead with God to send him light and truth so that he can have a better quiet time, so that his time alone with God will be more productive in peace and comfort. No! The Psalmist pleads for God to lead him back to the gathering of saints in the public worship of God (vv. 3-4, bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar ... ). For a generation or more (maybe a century, I can't say), we have been told that the most important thing in our spiritual lives is our quiet time. Certainly our time in God's Word and private prayer is vital. But the Bible shows a different picture. The rubber meets the road in the worship of the body of Christ, when God calls them from the separate lives they lead during the week, and they enter his presence. There they confess their sins, and are assured of his forgiveness. There they are consecrated by him; their hearts are cut in two by the double-edged sword of his Word, and the surgery has a santifying effect on their lives. There they offer back to him a portion of the material blessings with which he has blessed them, and their lives as living sacrifices, and the sacrifices of praise from their lips. There he feeds them with true spiritual food: the body and blood of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There he commissions them and sends them back out into the world as his emissaries of salt and light and living water. The Psalmist longed to be back in the public worship of God with other believers.

And so, during the exile (whether David's, or that of someone else experiencing only a week away from public worship), the writer consoled himself with the thought that his sorrow was not permanent, but temporary (as the Apostle Paul termed it, his afflictions were light and momentary).

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Hope in God, he said. That, indeed, is a Bright Hope!

Shining as Lights

2006-01-10T00:59:00.000-06:00

When our entourage of 18 arrived in Monroe, we got situated at the motel, and then went to Applebees to eat before proceeding to the opening session of the conference. When we were at Applebees, our table (5 of our men) was approached by a young man who said, "You know the Lord, don't you." When we responded affirmatively, he explained, "I knew it. I saw your ladies. The world don't dress that way."

The five young ladies at the next table (ages about 17 - 23) were dressed in modest, feminine, attractive dresses. I thought of Philippians 2:15 (NKJV): that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world

Thank God for daughters who revel in loving the LORD God and demonstrating that through faithful obedience!

A Wartime Walkie-Talkie

2006-01-09T22:59:00.000-06:00

Rich Lusk reminded us tonight of the quote from John Piper.

Essentially, prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie whereby we on the front lines communicate with the headquarters as to what needs to happen, and what supplies are needed, in order for the war effort to succeed. (This is, in no way, meant to imply that God does not already know. Nevertheless, He has ordained this means to accomplish this work.)

As I recall, Piper contrasts this with prayer being viewed as an intercom between the den and the kitchen, by which we order more beer and pretzels while watching the ballgame. (OK, I concede. Piper didn't say beer.)

The point being, although God always hears His children when they pray (NOTE: He hears ignoringly when we regard sin in our hearts), nonetheless, we should not simply be concerned about whether he hears us, but whether we are praying according to his purposes. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."

How are we praying?

"And I Will Save Your Children"

2006-01-09T16:01:00.000-06:00

Isaiah 49 (NKJV)
25 But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

Give thanks to the LORD our Savior and Redeemer, who today, in North Carolina, contended against him who contended with God's saints, and saved the children.

Storming Gehenna's Gates

2006-01-09T15:57:00.000-06:00

Poetic thoughts on the trip to the conference in Monroe, LA.

New Beginnings in a New Year

2006-01-06T09:42:00.000-06:00

'Tis a new year, and with the flipping of the calendar comes a time for new beginnings. That means time to start thinking about this summer's garden. Last year I had a bigger garden than I had ever had as an adult. (Now as a kid, in Texas, we had huge gardens. Dad was in seminary, and money was tight, and we ate a lot of homegrown vegetables.) This picture shows my green beans, my sweet corn, and my teenager. Hiding behind the corn were tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, zucchini, and jalepeno peppers.

Now, I know to you real agrarians, this might seem like a small garden with a small variety of foods. But it was a big step for me. The section with corn and beans was about 27' x 48'. This part was the best cared for because ... I created an irrigation system for it. I took 10' sections of gray PVC (gray is more flexible, and much more weather resistant than white) and put 5 sections together, laying this next to the stems of the plants. The five-section branches (9 of them) were joined by irrigation system hose on one end, and capped off on the other end. I drilled tiny holes in the PVC to let the water out, and once I started using a tiny enough drill bit, the system delivered water quite evenly.

Of course, I had no idea what size holes I wanted. I started with 1/8", and that was humongous. I then tried 1/16"; that was better, and I did use that for the sections furthest from the water source. But I ended up using 1/32" holes for the sections on the end closest to the water. Otherwise the water would run out before reaching the far sections. In this way, watering the garden was as easy as hooking up a hose from the irrigation system to the water supply.

Another time saver was, after the plants got a good start, I mulched them by putting down newspapers between them, and placing grass clippings on top of the newspaper. This did a major part of the work in guaranteeing that weeds would not take over. (I went to an auction in late spring, and ended up not buying anything, but I did bring home a trunkful of old newspaper that the lady was going to have her grandson cart off.)

There are several pitfalls to this system. The one I encountered the most was the amount of time it would take to get the newspaper down. You ask, "Why so much time?" Have you ever tried to do something with reading material, without reading it? I can't begin to count the number of headlines that caught my eye and led to me reading a story.

When the corn and beans came in, then it was time to feast with my buddies!