Looking for life through the ages

Since several of my friendly friends were kind enough to comment on my last post, I will now post another post.
The call of Christianity is not a call to ignorance. A Christian should be familiar with contemporary philosophies, sayings, and ways of thinking; all while remembering that we are in this world but not of this world. The true Christian will use worldly wisdom (which is foolishness to God) to proclaim the glorious Gospel of Christ, just as the Apostle Paul did when he quoted the sayings of the ancient philosophers and poets in Acts 17:22-28. He introduced the religious and philosophical people of Athens to the one true God, with whom they were previously unaquainted.
Those philosophers were seeking to live to the fullest, being satisfied in every way. That is one universal desire that never gets old, desiring to live to the fullest. Not long after the birth of this nation, Jonathan Edwards, a great and prolific preacher, stated that desire in his sixth resolution: "Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live." Just a few years ago, Jon Bon Jovi, the great and prolific performer stated that same resolve when he wrote, "I just want to live while I'm alive."
We Christians are different from all others in our beliefs and values, but we share with all humans in all of history the desire to really live while we are living.

Home redefined, Christian worldview, and secular wisdom

My friend of 15 years, after our unsuccessful giraffe-hunt, gave me a copy of The Book of Proverbs. In the very beginning of God's ultimate book of wisdom, God tells us that there is wisdom in other sources, too. The Bible is the ultimate authority for all of life, but there is also wisdom to be found in the words of men. One secular illustration of a very Heavenly theme can be found in the lyrics of a song performed by Melissa Etheridge; "Home is a feeling I've buried in you." This line came into my head at a womens' Bible study on God, Our eternal dwelling place. Two things about this line strike me. First, the idea of home as a feeling, not just a place. Second, finding that feeling in a person, not in a house. Thinking more about God being the Christian's dwelling place, I find two seemingly opposing truths at work; one is that we can be at home anywhere on earth because the omnipresent God is always with us. Equally true is that we Christians are aliens and strangers on earth, passing through this life in search of our real citizenship in Heaven.
At this same Bible study, one of the women was sharing that her relatives did not want her to speak to them about God. She agreed, but qualified her agreement with the fact that she is a Christian no matter what she talks about, and her Christian worldview will come out when she talks about sports, current events, family life, politics, or even the weather. The mature Christian finds his identity in Christ, not just when speaking about religion, but all the time

I will now end this post with some worldly wisdom. In Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens has one of his characters say to another, "No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for somebody else."

Extreme blogging and scandalous celebrities

I've been thinking about the forgotten Biblical mandate for Christians to be temperate and self-controlled in all things; to be free of all excesses and extremes. Yet every television channel has at least one "exteme" show. Extreme Makeover. Extreme Home Makeover. Extreme sports. Extreme dating. Extreme Skinny Celebrities. (None of these are made up.) It's just ridiculous.

The other day, a lady asked me if I knew the name of a celebrity she had seen on TV. This celebrity had just been caught in a scandal. I didn't know, but imagine my shock and awe. A celebrity??? Caught in a scandal??? Now there's something new and unheard of!

wedding warriors and outfit interventions

As I'm wearing a pair of socks labelled as "socks to stay home in", I'm obliged to stay at home today. I've been watching some very educational TV-the Style channel. First, I watched a show about a wedding planner. I repeatedly heard the phrases"I want everything to be perfect", "It's my day." Not once did the brides show any concern for their guests, exept when the guests were used as props so the couple would look popular in their wedding pictures. A friend recently shared with me that things that have a bad beginning tend to have a bad middle and a bad end. (Like Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events.) I recall my own wedding. Mr. M. and I wanted our home to be full of love and fellowship, looking to the interests of others as well as ourselves. This in mind, we wanted our new life to start off reflecting that desire. We had no wedding planner, no professional make-up artist, no walkie-talkies, no one to remind me to bring the wedding rings. My mom made the centerpeices. We wanted to have a big party with family and friends, and have good food and good fun. We didn't talk about "my day." It was our day-as much his day as mine, as well as a day for both families and friends; it was also their day.
Then I watched a show about a wardrobe intervention. Apparently you can be as grouchy and impatient as you want, and no one cares as long as your'e wearing nice clothes.
Oh, how different are Christians from the unbelieving world! So much selfishness and materialism . . . so little regard for holy institutions (one bride had her 5-year old son give her away!)

Stretching exercises for the mind and soul, or, A preface to prayer

Dear God, please help me to quiet my heart before you. You are a God of order; please help me to organize my thoughts so my prayer will be well-pleasing to you. I realize your supreme love, goodness, and kindness in wanting me to tell you my cares, and in your listening to my prayers and petitions, and answering according to what is best for me. Thank you for speaking to me through your word, and for the Holy Spirit's applying your word to my heart. I am in awe that you were the ruler of all before there was anything to rule. Thank you for creating man, and giving us life, and providing a way of salvation when we first sinned against you. Thank you for loving us so much, and for the joy your salvation brings. Sometimes I lose that joy, and so I ask that you would restore it to me. Thank you for all the extra blessings youv'e given me-family, friends, home. Please help me to be a good and grateful steward.