Hicks Family Blog

A Love that Multiplies

2011-07-19T16:22:00.002-06:00

A Love That Multiplies: An Up-Close View of How They Make it Work by Michelle Duggar

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say about the Duggars? Seeing their family on TV was a factor (one of many) that led my wife and I to the belief of allowing God to control how many children we had (seven so far, for the curious). For a long time that was how I thought of them: They trusted God with their fertility and it all seemed to work out well for them. We share many (though not all) conservative Christian beliefs with them, so they were a nice family on TV we could relate to.

Since reading their first book (review here: http://family.bob-space.com/2009/06/dugg...) my opinion of them has changed greatly. I've really developed a deep respect and admiration for this large family that strives to glorify God in everything they do and makes demonstrating God's love to others their priority. To the Duggars faith isn't about attending church religiously and putting a fish bumper-sticker on your car - it's lived out in every aspect of their lives. While their critics can bash them over "family planning" choices or conservative beliefs they can't (honestly anyway) accuse them of being stereotypical "right-wing christian hate-mongers" because they make their lives about showing respect and kindness to others - even their critics.

This second book is full of the details behind what makes their home happy and their lives joyful as seen on the TV show. Non-Christians may be turned off by the constant references to their faith, but that's really what it's all about. Their faith is what makes their family work, and it's what allows them to cheerfully live every day in a way that would make most people go insane within 15 minutes.

This book does get into some of the nitty-gritty behind how (and why) they make the decisions they make - and the results of those decisions. It also details the major events last few years of their life (a tumultuous time) and how they dealt with each situation that arose. Repeatedly they demonstrate that trusting God isn't just front to impress Christian friends, but a pattern of life (and I would suggest the only viable pattern of life that leads to true contentment).

This book is well worth the read (even if you don't subscribe to the Duggar's beliefs) simply as an example of how life can be lived to the fullest. I recommend it so highly I'm giving away copies of it on my blog - read below for a chance to get one.

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Because I think this book is an excellent read for anyone - I'm purchasing copies (since I'm buying these on my dollar they may be gently-used copies) to give to interested readers. To win a copy please follow this blog using e-mail, Google Friend Connect, and/or RSS options all available on the right-hand sidebar) - then leave a comment on this post indicating how you followed and why you would like to read this book. I will award five copies to random commenters.

Millie Alyne

2011-06-28T10:54:00.003-06:00

Our seventh child (and fourth daughter) Millie Alyne Hicks was born on June 15th at 9:41PM. She was 7 lbs. 3.6 oz. and was 20 inches long.

She's slept through the night almost every night for the past two weeks - so this one is a keeper :)

The Shack

2011-05-24T15:40:00.001-06:00

The Shack by William P. Young

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many people had recommended this book to me. Over the course of the last eight months of so I read it aloud to my wife (eight months only because we have little time for reading together - not because the content was disinteresting).

First, the content of this book is really about getting to know God on a personal level. The story - while interesting and funny at points - really revolves around God reaching out to the main character and the relationship that develops between them. It is easy and natural to place yourself in the shoes of Mack - which really turns this into a book of understanding God's attempt to reach out to you. That's not a bad thing - W.P. Young does a good job of making it feel like an entertaining and emotional novel even though it could have been packaged as a Christian "self-help" without drastically altering the content.

The Shack really shines as revealing the loving character of God. While it doesn't come right out and directly answer the question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" it does demonstrate how bad events can be shaped into good experiences by God's will - and how despite what occurs to us God loves us anyway.

There were a few spots that troubled me from a theological standpoint. In a fiction novel issues like this wouldn't normally bother me but since a large portion of this book is focused on describing God there were a few points where it seemed like the author's opinion of God preempted God's own description of himself (from the Bible). In a few cases God is depicted almost a bit "hokey" or magical - these bits just didn't sit quite right with me. To be fair - were I to write a book about God's nature I'm not sure I'd capture every detail correctly either.

Overall however I think this book is a success at revealing God's loving nature (though perhaps to the detriment of other aspects of His nature). I would recommend it to anyone who has ever asked the question "If God is good, why do bad things happen?" - though take it with a grain of salt - the big picture view this book paints is superb, but the "devil is in the details" so to speak :)

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Costly Grace

2011-05-09T14:56:00.004-06:00

On the one hand, the church had become marked by formalism. That meant going to church and hearing that God just loves and forgives everyone, so it doesn't really matter much how you live. Bonhoeffer called this cheap grace. On the other hand, there was legalism, or salvation by law and good works. Legalism meant that God loves you because you have pulled yourself together and are trying to live a good, disciplined life.

Both of these impulses made it possible for Hitler to come to power. The formalists in Germany may have seen things that bothered them but saw no need to sacrifice their safety to stand up to them. Legalists responded by having pharisaical attitudes toward other nations and races that approved of Hitler's policies. But as one, Germany lost hold of the brilliant balance of the gospel that Luther so persistently expounded -- "We are saved by faith alone, but not by faith which is alone." That is, we are saved, not by anything we do, but by grace. Yet if we have truly understood and believed the gospel, it will change what we do and how we live.

- Timothy J. Keller (in the forward to Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile Vs. The Third Reich - by Eric Metaxes)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

- James 2:14-17 (NIV)

I'm currently participating in a summer seminar on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, moderated by my pastor Darrin Crow. If you are interested in joining in the conversation check out the website/blog

Giving up?

2011-03-18T22:08:00.003-06:00

I got another question from Aardvark tonight that deserved a longer answer. Here's the question, followed by my (and Crystal's) answer:

What does a person do if theyve had enough of there family & they feel for the younger children? Im a mother of 10 children.3 to my first relationship which turned out in seperation,1 to a relationship that ended up with the father committing suicide,3rd relationship 6 children involved ages 15,14,12,11,9 & 7, with the father not even trying to help me with the financial upbringing of the children or even supporting mine & there self esteem. Very draining 15yrs of trying to support my family,mentally,financially,emotionally,spiritually & physically,im so drained what does one do.
(name removed for privacy reasons)

Hi, my name is Roger. I'm a husband from Colorado. As a man I didn't feel adequately qualified to answer your question myself so I enlisted my wife's help in writing this answer. Her name is Crystal and she is presently pregnant with our seventh child - so she can probably relate to some extent with your situation. The rest of this answer is thoughts from the both of us:

When my husband read me (Crystal) your question, I immediately felt I could sympathize with you, because I too at the end of the day have those feelings and thoughts rush over me. Can I carry this load? Can I love my husband? Can I love my children? Can I teach them right from wrong? Can I support my husband and encourage him? Add on top of all that taking care of a house and all its chores, taking care of the kids, and occasionally yourself! I get it - as a mom we have to do everything - laundry, food prep, house chores, managing finances, helping kids, doing schoolwork. And at the end of the day, it doesn't feel like we have much to show for it except to get up and do it again the next day. It's a very demanding job with little thanks or appreciation.

Let me tell you about my (Roger) great grandma - because her situation sounds similar to yours. She recently passed away three months short of age 100. She married young to a husband who didn't treat her right. He was a alcoholic who would frequently bring other women back to their home to sleep with, and would only remain loyal to my great-grandmother long enough to get her pregnant again. Then he'd hit the road on a drunken womanizing binge and wouldn't be heard from for a while. Soon, she had a houseful of seven children (two of which died before reaching adulthood) which she had to care for (including financially) entirely alone. If anyone had the right to throw in the towel and give up it would have been her. I'm quite thankful that she didn't - because I wouldn't be here today (or at least wouldn't be the person I am today) if she had. You see - she realized that her actions had a profound impact on her children, and she selflessly chose to place their well-being ahead of her own. My great-grampa never did straighten up - so for about 50 years she put up with his antics until finally in his last days - when he was dying of disease related to alcoholism & tobacco use - he showed up on her doorstep. She graciously took him in and cared for him until he died.

Those fifty years must have been incredibly hard on her. As teenagers and young adults her children rebelled. Yet she continued to love them ahead of herself and pray for them constantly. The impact of her faithfulness now stretches to the fourth generation. Thanks to her dedication - her children didn't have to repeat the mistakes of their father. They all came back to live healthy, happy lives - and pass that on to their children and grandchildren as well. When she died this January she left behind a legacy of four generations of offspring - most of which are responsible, healthy individuals.

You see, the decisions we make today matter - and our willingness to endure suffering and place the well-being of those we care about ahead of our own plays a big role in what will happen in the future. I'm sure your children are precious to you - and someday when they face one of life's tough situations like your own, they will remember your willingness (or unwillingness) to persevere - and it will shape how they make their own decisions.

The problem is - you can't do it through willpower alone. We both fail too often as parents and husband/wife - yelling at the kids, not treating each other respectfully, dumping our problems off on each other. We try really hard - but trying just isn't enough. It's too easy to feel like giving up. There's really only one way to stick it out - and that's by relying on someone a lot stronger than yourself. It took more than my grandma just being a tough woman to survive through fifty years of raising a family alone. She was able to do what she did because she relied upon God's strength. Philipians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." and there's more truth there then you might think. If you're willing to give up your right to "give-up", and turn over to Him your rights to not be taken advantage of - He can take that and give you the love and strength you need to faithfully serve your kids - and even your husband - so that someday your children and their children will attest through the way they live their lives to the legacy that you left behind.

The Shaping of Things to Come

2011-02-02T12:50:00.003-07:00

The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church by Michael Frost

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finished reading this a month or two ago - but I'm delayed in posting my reviews.

I enjoyed the majority of this book. Frost and Hirsch discuss what Christian mission looks like in today's modern developed world - and how certain mission strategies of the past are no longer effective in reaching post-modernists. I particularly enjoyed the many examples of Christians performing mission in new and unique ways that are relevant to the 'culture' they are attempting to reach. Part of my reading of this book was at the same time as taking the Perspectives on World Missions course - and they paralleled well (though Perspectives tends to have a greater focus on the undeveloped world, while Shaping of Things to Come has a focus on the developed world).

Portions of the latter half of the book were rather technical and abstract in nature, and made for difficult reading as a result. However, I did appreciate the summary chapter at the end that discusses some practical applications that can be taken from the concepts discussed in the book.

Rather then let the books I've finished clutter my bookshelf, I'd like to get them into the hands of people who'd like to read them. Therefore I am giving away my (slightly battered) paperback copy of this book. If you'd like to have it just leave a comment on this blog post and let me know. I'll pick a random commenter (assuming there's more than one) and contact you to arrange sending the book to you.

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Thirty Years

2011-01-25T09:47:00.004-07:00

I turned 30 yesterday. With the start of a new year and the beginning of the fourth decade of my life I thought it was an appropriate time to reflect on things. What have I done well in the past thirty years? Where have I done poorly? What things should I have made a bigger priority? I'm spending this week evaluating these questions and setting up goals for the upcoming years. I'm looking forward to re-focusing on what is truly important.

One of my goals for 2011? Update this blog on a more consistent basis.

1632 (Assiti Shards, #1)

2010-12-13T13:31:00.001-07:00

1632 by Eric Flint

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As a science fiction junkie I enjoyed this book. The premise was interesting: a modern-day American town is transported to seventeenth century Germany. Certainly the time-travel culture-clash wasn't an original theme, but the setting of choice (the thirty years war) was an interesting selection. I enjoyed this book as much for the history (and the subsequent research I did on the thirty years war) as I did for its sci-fi aspects.

One admirable quality I took away from 1632 was the more 'realistic' exploration of the culture-shock. While most books would emphasize either "kick-butt American manifest destiny shows old-school Germans how it's done" or "Stupid Americans learn how their way of life sucks and become something else" (ie Avatar), this book had a good mix of the two - demonstrating high and low points to each.

In the end I have to give this 3 stars. The writing was a bit choppy and hard to follow at times, and there was more language and explicit scenes than I would appreciate. This book is available free via dailylit.com, delivered in small installments to your e-mail inbox or RSS reader.

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Why I am Deeply Saddened by the Election Results

2010-11-03T07:54:00.003-06:00

For a strong conservative like myself there were certainly many victories last night. Then why, might you ask, am I overcome by sorrow this morning? After all - 'my team' won, right?

I could be saddened by the failure of Colorado amendments 60, 61, and prop 101. It does concern me to some extent that even amidst the backlash against a big-spending congress the citizenry is unwilling to limit or withdraw the excessive economic power it has granted to its government. However, in the end the worst the failure of these ballot measures will do is perpetuate the current state of recession. Thankfully in America even the poor usually don't starve to death.

I could be saddened by the retention of corrupt Colorado supreme court judges - judges which disregard the state constitution to impose unwanted taxes upon the people. However, the above-average number of "No" votes on retention has sent a clear message. Moreover, I strongly believe that people can change - and even if they continue to show little respect for the law there will be another retention vote someday.

I could be saddened by the faltering red wave that started out strong with Rand Paul's quick victory in Kentucky but seemed to fizzle as the night wore on as demonstrated by Reid's victory of Angle in Nevada and the still undecided Colorado senate race. Again however, a strong message against big-government spending was sent and the gains on the conservative side were large - no reason to be glum...

I could be saddened by the driving factors fueling last night's conservative win: namely rage against the disruption to the status quo. Conservative America seems to be real bothered by any reduction to their standard of living - and now that a message has been sent and a few goons removed from office many will return to their normal lives, content to have slapped down those who 'intruded' on their prosperity. This is nothing less than an attitude spawned from pure selfishness. However, again, I take comfort in the fact that many conservatives saw beyond the direct threat to their own status quo and instead voted out of a concern for others and the overall health of the nation.

No - none of the above troubles me much. What truly saddens me more than any other issue in this election is the failure of the citizens of Colorado to protect unborn children via amendment 62. All the other ballot initiatives in this election were matters of opinion. While I disagree with my left-leaning friends on a lot of these issues I realize that the disagreements on them stem from a difference of opinion as to what would be the most beneficial for America (and in turn, the world). However, when it comes to the intentional destruction of unborn humans opinions quickly cease to be relevant. Abortion is a matter of right and wrong. No matter how you slice it the intentional destruction of an innocent human being is pure and complete evil.

I fault the society which values personal convenience over the life of a child. I am sickened that this tragedy has been legalized in this nation for close to 40 years - resulting in untold millions of lives destroyed in the name of selfishness. I also feel deep pity for the lives of those affected by abortion - women and their families who were convinced by our cultural standards of selfish individualism that a child would be a burden, and thus have missed out on the overwhelming blessing that children are. As a father of seven (one yet unborn) I can personally vouch that each child is a unique gift from God and a treasure to be valued - regardless of the circumstance.

I pray that one day soon America would awaken to the horrific evil we have allowed to fester among us...

Understanding a Conservative Christian - Origins

2010-09-27T12:12:00.002-06:00

This is the third article in the series "Understanding a Conservative Christian":
(3) Origins
(2) Introduction - Part II
(1) Introduction

Origins

Where do we come from? Why are we here? These questions are among the deepest and most fundamental of the construction of our worldview. The question of origin is the foundation for the two main worldviews I discussed in the introduction. Let's contrast:

In the Biblical Worldview the earth, humans, animals and everything else are the creation of a all-powerful God (as described in the first few chapters of Genesis). Humans -specifically- are created in His image, given His breath of life, placed as ruler over the animals and created with explicit purpose: relationship with their Creator. This Biblical view of origin shapes the thinking of those like myself who hold to this worldview: life - particularly human life - has meaning (and is held sacred) since it was given with purpose by the Creator. Morality (right and wrong) is fixed and external to our perceptions and opinions of it.

The majority origin belief held by the Secular Humanist Worldview is that of abiogenesis coupled with Darwinian evolution. Abiogenesis is the spontaneous and random generation of life from inorganic material, Based loosely upon the theories of Charles Darwin (from which it takes its name) darwinian evolution outlines the subsequent transition of that single-celled life to the complex organisms we see today over the course of millions of years. Because life is the result of random chance it has no defined purpose other than the purpose individuals ascribe to their own lives. Morality is also relative - either to the individual or the culture.

Darwinian evolution (via abiogenesis) is the predominant origin theory of the day. Yet this evidence supporting it is not as solid as many would lead you to believe (for those willing to take a close look). Darwinian evolution is based upon a host of assumptions. A full expose on the case for/against Darwinian evolution is beyond the scope of this article, but here is a short list of a few of the more fantastic assumptions behind the 'evidence' for Darwinian evolution:

* Inorganic material gaining purposeful form and function - conveying information
* A uniform rate of radio-isotope decay across eons of time
* Accumulation of mutation to generate new unique abilities
* a uniform geological record unaffected by significant catastrophe

I am happy to discuss/debate the case for Darwinian evolution - and the scientific evidence pointing toward the Biblical creation account - just leave a comment or send me an e-mail. However, the point of the above list is to demonstrate the incredible amount of faith required to believe in Darwinian evolution. To buy into it, you have to believe all those assumptions to be true (or at least variations thereof). You're taking a lot of things for granted.

Now, don't get me wrong, Biblical creation requires assumptions as well: God as described in the Bible is real and acted as the Bible says He acted. Both origin hypotheses require a good measure of faith/belief - each is a critical part of it's associated belief system (worldview).

Our origin is important because it shapes our morality: The basis by which we determine which actions are appropriate and which are not - what is right, and what is wrong. Origin also defines our purpose - our reason for existence. These two (purpose and morality) go hand in hand and are closely related: Morality is the system by which our purpose is carried out.

As a believer in Biblical creation, I have a clearly defined purpose: to remain within my Creator's love and glory. My morality is likewise drawn from His instructions for my healthy existence. Just like an auto company makes an owner's manual for their car to explain its designed care and use so the Bible serves as God's owner's manual for me to explain my designed purpose and morality.

Things are far different for the secular humanist origin of darwinism. Since life results form random chance then purpose isn't clearly defined. Purpose is relative to the whim of the individual. Morality is also not fixed - it is also at the determination of the individual (though both tend to be heavily influenced by the surrounding culture). The darwinian origin hypothesis results in relativism (a lack of absolute truth - what's true for you may not be true for me).

Now, does this mean most darwinists are amoral? Not at all. Darwinists are free to construct their own morality - either as individuals or culturally as a group - and thankfully most choose a neutral or marginally altrustic morality (remember the Justice & Compassion Principle?). But there is a problem: Darwinists are also free to construct a selfish, or even harmful morality - and both are perfectly acceptable within secular humanism - the worldview provides no basis to reject these.

As an example, consider the Nazis of World War II era. Collectively as a culture they embraced a morality which permitted the murder of millions of innocent individuals. Few would agree with their callous disregard for human life, yet they were acting well within the (non-)limits allowed by darwinist/secular humanist morality.

Now, certainly many atrocities have been committed in the name of the Christian religion as well: certain acts during the crusades, the inquisition, etc. However, there is a fundamental difference. Those who committed atrocities in the name of the Christian religion did so in direct opposition to the moral standard they claimed to represent. Not so with darwinist-based atrocities (the eugenics movement, nazism) which were simply acting on a viable morality assembled from their worldview.

This series is titled "Understanding a Conservative Christian", so following that vein let me conclude with my personal convictions. I choose to embrace the Biblical worldview, and as part of that, I believe in a literal six-day creation event where the universe was spoken into existence by God six to ten thousand years ago. I don't believe this for scientific reasons (though significant known scientific evidence corroborates with this origin hypothesis), but because it is the most theologically sound explanation of the Biblical text. I am secure in my choice of origin - as it bestows upon me a fixed morality and purpose. I can act confidently within that morality and purpose knowing I am acting not only in my own best interest, but also in the best interest of others.

The Meaning of John 3:16

2010-09-17T23:16:00.004-06:00

I use the Aardvark IM service to both ask and answer questions. Russell from Salt Lake City just asked the question below, and I felt it deserved a more detailed answer than a quick 2-line IM response:

What does the bible quote John 3:16 mean?
in the bible, in the book of John Chapter 3 verse 16, there is a saying and I am trying to figure out what it means and why people wear it on their face.

Russell - here's my best answer:

To really understand John 3:16 you need an understanding of overall themes of the Bible, because John 3:16 is a summary of the secondary key theme. The reason people wear it, put it on signs, or quote it is because it so well captures and condenses the nature of that theme: redemption. The redemption theme starts near the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 3) and doesn't end until you get to near the back cover (in Revelation).

The Bible starts with God creating a perfect world in Genesis 1. He creates humans and places them in this perfect world as it's caretakers. But almost immediately (by the time you reach the third chapter of Genesis) something goes seriously wrong. Through the actions of Adam and Eve (the first humans) evil enters the world. This evil is a taint on the entire world - including humanity - transforming it from the paradise it was designed to be into a increasingly horrific place of darkness.

That's not the worst of it though. You see, God created humans with a purpose: to remain in close relationship with Him - to experience His all-powerful love and glory - and the evil taint (sin) which now consumes us and the world around us separates us from that purpose. We can't (spiritually) get to where we need to be because we are no longer perfect.

Now, here's where we get back to John 3:16. God's creation was ruined. And being all powerful He could have chosen to destroy it entirely and start fresh. However, God is also 100% good and 100% loving (the Bible says God IS love - like that's what He is), and he isn't content to wipe us out or let us just rot away in some forgotten hell-hole. So he devises a plan to fix things.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 (NIV)

God's love is summarized in the first part of the verse. He loves the world (that includes us!) enough that He's not gonna leave us to some evil destruction. The next part of the verse tells us how He decides to fix things.

Starting in Genesis 3, and throughout the rest of the Old Testament (the first 39 books of the Bible) you will find hundreds of prophecies foretelling how God is going to rescue the world from evil. Here's an example:

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:5-6

God's plan for redemption (rescuing the world from evil) was to enter the world Himself as a human in the form of Jesus Christ. The gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible) tell this story. A part of God - his Son - is born into the evil world and lives a perfect life. He came with a singular mission: to eradicate evil and redeem (or save) humanity from destruction so that humans can once again be free to fulfill their created purpose.

Rescuing (redeeming) the entire world isn't an easy task however. The only way Jesus can obliterate the evil that enslaves us is to take it upon himself. He takes all sin - yours, mine, and everyone elses - upon himself, and he faces the destruction that comes with it: he dies. This is what is summarized in the second part of John 3:16: "He gave his one and only Son". Because of His love in the first part of the verse God actually sacrifices a piece of Himself to bring about and end to the evil that threatens our destruction.

The last part of the verse is the best though - because things don't end with Jesus death. Because Jesus is God, He is more powerful than death and destruction - they can't keep him down. Jesus rises from the dead, forever breaking the bonds that sin and evil have on the world through death and destruction.

Now, you may wonder if the above is true why is there still evil in the world? The answer is that Jesus work is not yet done. He conquered evil and cracked its deathgrip on the world - but there's still a lot of cleanup to do. Jesus life, death, and resurrection starts a counter-revolution - a rebellion against the evil; He call's it the "Kingdom of God" because that's what it is: the return of everything good and loving to the world (remember God IS good and God IS love). It spreads like a virus, eradicating all evil it contacts. The carriers of this Kingdom are humans - those who have been infected with the life-giving love of God and then pass it on to others.

With Jesus rising from the dead, the death and destruction as a result of sinful evil is beaten - and anywhere His Kingdom spreads to is saved from death. The evil is eradicated and only goodness, love, and life remain. This is what the last part of the verse means. Those who believe in Jesus - who have joined his Kingdom - are rescued from destruction. Instead they get to live forever serving out their original created purpose by being in close relationship with God. Jesus sacrifice has made them perfect.

The Bible ends with a prophecy of the future: God's Kingdom spreads throughout the entire world and when it does God physically returns to the earth. All evil is utterly and permanently destroyed never to trouble us again. John 3:16 is a message of ultimate hope. The days are numbered for evil. God's Kingdom is coming - and we can be a part of it. By believing in Christ's sacrifice and victory over our sin we are set free from evil and become a part of His advancing Kingdom. Not only are we saved from destruction, but we get to be His heralds, His agents of infection, spreading the good news of the life-giving Kingdom to others who are still awaiting rescue. That's why you see John 3:16 references everywhere. It symbolizes belief in God's Kingdom and a desire to spread that freedom from death to others.

Eco-Hysteria and Overpopulation

2010-09-09T11:28:00.005-06:00

The Jeub Family just posted a great article about James Lee - the eco-terrorist that took hostages at the Discovery channel headquarters last week. Mr. Lee apparently focused his assault on the Discovery network because of the pro-large family shows they air on their TLC channel. It is sad that brainwashing in the religion of extreme environmentalism led to the loss of his life (and nearly the lives of the hostages).

Read the article, and if you don't follow me on Facebook (Roger Hicks) or Twitter (BobTHJ) join up to check out the two fun and informational videos I posted about the myths behind overpopulation.

Perspectives / The Glory of God

2010-09-03T12:17:00.002-06:00

Crystal and I are taking the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class. I highly recommend it to anyone who is able to take it. The subject matter is deep (it is a college level class), and it makes you think.

One of the subjects I've been thinking about lately is the glory of God. Apparently our pastor (Darrin Crow) has been thinking about it too, because we talked about it for Sunday school, during the sermon Sunday, and at our Perspectives class this Wednesday (where he was the guest speaker).

Our ultimate purpose (that for which we were created) was to bring God glory. As Christians we often miss this idea - focusing our efforts in "being good", condemning evil, or even proselytizing. However, Jesus made this purpose clear in John 17:4:

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

Christ came to earth to bring glory to the Father. His work was to redeem us, but the purpose of that work was so that God might be glorified. In the same way our work is to spread the good news of redemption - not so people would be saved from hellfire (though they are) - but so that God's fame might be made known through his awesome work of redemption and we might turn our hearts toward him in worship.

John Piper says "Mission exists because worship doesn't". We need to be missional - the world needs to know God's overwhelming love for them. But in our drive to "reach the lost" we must not lose sight of the primary goal: humanity must be reconciled to God so that it can fulfill it's purpose of glorifying and worshiping Him!

Disclosure: I don't claim any credit for the thoughts in this post - they are almost entirely lifted from the Perspectives course material and pastor Darrin. It's good stuff none-the-less.

Why Sacrifice? She’s Just Our Daughter!

2010-08-18T13:14:00.003-06:00

Dr. Jay Wile - a man who I respect both for his scientific assessment as well as his homeschool advocacy - has recently posted a response on his blog to an article first run in the Denver Post. It is well worth the read as it outlines the often selfish reasons we humans tend to employ to avoid giving our children the best we have to offer.

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

2010-08-12T08:40:00.002-06:00

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity: A Memoir by Bill O'Reilly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've never been a huge O'Reily fan. I don't watch TV, so I don't have much experience with his program. Back in the day when I listened to talk radio I didn't find his political commentary as entertaining as that of Limbaugh or Hannity. However, after listening to this audio-book on a long drive to Wisconsin and back I was indeed entertained by the many stories Mr. O'Reily shared from his younger days. While I do have some disagreements with O'Reily, this book also convinced me of his desire to bring evildoers to justice regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. Worth the listen/read.

View all my reviews >>

Parenting = Unhappiness?

2010-07-08T11:06:00.002-06:00

Albert Mohler just posted a great article on parenting and happiness. Apparently recent research has shown that parents are more unhappy than non-parents. Mohler suspects this is the result of a shift in how our culture views parenting and children (I tend to agree). Check it out here.

Birthday party!

2010-04-30T00:41:00.004-06:00

So, this is almost two weeks late, but we had a joint birthday party (which also was late) with the Wolfe family for Maddox and Purity. We designed a volcano cake out of angel food cake covered in whipped cream, with strawberries and oreos for accent. To top it all off, we put a little dry ice down inside the center to give it that smoky effect.

From 100420

Kyle and Kat brought 500 water balloons - which the kids went through in about 3 minutes (with a little help from the adults). Here's some more pics from the party:

Understanding a Conservative Christian - Introduction II

2010-04-20T00:31:00.005-06:00

This is the second article in the series "Understanding a Conservative Christian":
(3) Origins
(2) Introduction - Part II
(1) Introduction

This is the second introductory post to the forthcoming series "Understanding a Conservative Christian". My intention was to proceed on to the topic of Origins, but I realized there were a few points that I didn't cover in the first introduction.

Biblical Authority

In my description of worldviews in my previous post I mentioned that I believe in a Biblical worldview. This worldview holds the text of the Bible (the word of the Creator God) as the central means of interpretation of the difficult issues we face. The Biblical worldview holds the Bible to be authoritative - and with good reason.

Even if you don't agree with what's contained within the Bible, you have to agree that it's a pretty amazing book*: Composed by over 40 authors over the span of many centuries it retains remarkable consistency, both internally as well as externally to historical and archaeological records. Even more remarkable the Bible contains many prophecies or predictions about the future - many of which have been shown to be true and none of which have been shown to be false. It is the top best-seller of all time.

When faced with the above evidence there are two apparent choices:

1. Assume the mysterious nature of the Bible's consistency and other unique qualities are an elaborate hoax or the result of extreme coincidence.

2. Accept the Bible for what it claims to be: The divinely inspired words of God himself to us, his creation.

The more reasonable argument seems to clearly be the latter, and so I accept the Biblical worldview and thus use the words of God found in the Bible as a basis for my various beliefs. Thus you will note that as I review the various topics I intend to cover in this series I will make reference to specific Bible verses that I interpret to support those beliefs.

Note that while holders of a Biblical worldview agree on the authority of the Bible, there is much disagreement over how it's words are to be interpreted. Bible verses (like any quoted source) are easily taken out of context and used to justify actions and behaviors that are inconsistent with the remainder of the text. Even when not removed from context there can often be disagreement as to the exact meaning of a passage. You will note that some of my beliefs differ from the expected norm of "right-wing evangelicals" because of how I interpret specific passages. When in doubt about the interpretation of a passage I think of Jesus' description of the greatest commandments (Mark 12:29-31) and try to pick the interpretation that best matches:

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

*Here's a link to a more detailed description of the stunning case for Biblical authority. Note that I found this link on a google search and know nothing of the organization which published it.

The "Justice and Compassion" Principle

The second thing I wanted to mention was what I've termed the Justice and Compassion principle. There may be a better name for it (and there probably is) - but it's not coming to me now. The basis of the principle is that we as humans generally desire to see justice and compassion carried out. Unfair circumstances or situations bother us. We as humans find them disagreeable, and wish to see them remedied. For example: there is general agreement among humans of most worldviews that we should help the poor. Liberals and conservatives don't disagree on this point - they simply disagree on the best method to help them.

Now, a caveat - I'm not saying that everyone places justice and compassion in a position of primacy. We are all susceptible to allowing our own selfish interests to be placed ahead of these. For a plethora of examples look to most any person or group in a position of power (political, social, economical, etc.). I would argue that this conflicted nature (compassion/justice vs. selfishness/greed/pride) is Biblical and a result of our internal struggle between our sinful nature and God's nature (who we have acquired inherent knowledge of by being formed in His image as His Creation).

Barring the insurgence of selfishness, however, I believe most all of us wish to see good done; justice and fairness to prevail; and the needy to be cared for. I believe this of most atheists, progressives, and others who disagree with my viewpoints. Therefore I will make no attempt to demonize those opposed to my viewpoints. We all want the same thing - we just disagree as to the best way to get there. The slogan of the Salvation Army is "Doing the Most Good" and I think that applies here. When it comes to any controversial political topic - from global warming to abortion to terrorism there are many approaches. The key is to finding the one that is most effective.

I take seriously Jesus' commandments that were quoted above. I'm certainly not perfect (indeed I have many faults) - but I do try and adjust my life daily to better fit Jesus model of loving God and loving others. Thus, in future articles I will attempt to argue that my positions are "doing the most good" because I believe them to be in-line with this love that Jesus advocated.

Your comments and discussion are welcome.

Easter Egg Coloring

2010-04-03T21:26:00.002-06:00

We had Kyle & Kat Wolfe over last night. We sat our ten (combined) kids down on the floor in two separate groups and dyed easter eggs. I'm proud to report that only 3 eggs were broken (Maddux ate one shell and all - LOL), and the only spillage of dye was done by myself....not a bad night overall. Check out the pics:

Easter Eggs

Our World History Timeline

2010-03-27T14:12:00.004-06:00

The girls and I are putting together a timeline of world history using the excellent free timeline tool available at Preceden. We're adding events/people/literature as we cover it in history, so it's kinda bare prior to 1800 or so, but we'll keep filling it in the more we cover.

Preceden - Make a Timeline for Anything

It's been a great tool for helping the kids understand how events relate throughout time, and helps them to organize history in their minds. Grab the timeline to scroll in either direction!

Faith in Hard Times

2010-03-16T12:19:00.004-06:00

If I had to pick celebrity heroes I'm pretty sure Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar would be on the list. In the unlikely case you haven't heard of them before they recently had their ninteenth child 15 weeks early - both mom and baby's health were in extreme danger. They are featured on a regular reality show by TLC.

Oddly, my reasoning for naming them "celebrity heroes" would have little to do with the number of children they have, or even our shared belief that conception is God's business - not ours. Instead, it has to do with their faith and their willingness to trust God completely with every situation in their lives. Their book goes into greater detail about this, but suffice it to say - they have chosen to place their lives in God's hands and he in turn has blessed them more then they can imagine.

One of the questions I think everyone struggles with regardless of their position on God is "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Even those of us who know and understand God's truth in the Bible still wrestle with this question. I just learned that a girl who we went to church with and that my wife and mother helped mentor during her teen years was brutally murdered a day ago. Despite having a horrific childhood, she had become a very loving and caring person - why, of anyone, did she have to die? I'm sure those closest to her now are struggling dearly with this question as I write this.

When we are faced with hard times, pain, evil, death, or sorrow it is the hardest time to stand by our faith and remember that God is in control. Back to the Duggars - watch this recent video clip from their show (sorry couldn't find a version to embed here). Pay particular attention as Jim Bob addresses the camera crew during the midst of their crisis (starts around 40 seconds in). Did you catch it?: "...we praise God when all the good things are happening, and we praise God even through this difficult situation". Faced with the possible death of his wife and unborn child, Jim Bob's faith in his Father is unwavering. It mirror's Job's response to hard times from the Bible.

God promises that even during the midst of tragedy and strife he is with us (Joshua 1:9). He even takes those troubles and shapes them into something good (Romans 8:28, Genesis 45:4-6). What a privilege that we can rely on Him. There's great freedom in the faith to trust God even through our hardest times. The situation may not be under our control - but that's OK, because it's under the control of someone far more powerful than ourselves.

Understanding a Conservative Christian - Introduction

2010-03-09T12:11:00.007-07:00

This is the first article in the series "Understanding a Conservative Christian":
(3) Origins
(2) Introduction - Part II
(1) Introduction

An Exposition for Atheists, Progressives, and other Interested Parties

This is the introduction to (what I hope to be) a series of posts explaining my beliefs (and the beliefs of other like-minded persons) on various issues for the purpose of granting a better understanding to persons who hold to a different set of beliefs than my own. It is my desire that these posts both inform and foster open discussion on these issues.

A few notes before we begin:

* I am not a professional author. While I will rough-edit these posts and will attempt to logically convey my positions and beliefs on various issues I will likely bungle the wording at points or not clearly communicate that which I wish to say. My apologies in advance. While I will endeavor to be comprehensive in a discussion of a topic, I will not be leaving "no stone unturned". If there is an issue you feel I did not adequately address, or a gap in my reasoning, leave a comment and let me know - I'll attempt to clarify.

* If I could summarize this series in one word it would be "Why?". Specifically to those who hold different beliefs than my own, the actions and positions I take on specific issues may seem puzzling, illogical, or downright insane. My effort here is to try and expose the "Why?" behind what I say and do - to give readers a better glimpse into my thoughts and behaviors (and the thoughts and behaviors of those who hold similar beliefs). In a similar fashion, I hope this series gives me the chance to learn some of the "Why?" behind your beliefs. If you disagree with my position on an issue, or have something to add, please post a comment and let me know your thoughts. Hey, you can even tell me how wrong I am and why.

* I live in the United States. These posts will address themes and topics that are relevant to American culture today. I realize some readers of these articles may not reside in the US, and I may not have a clear understanding of the cultural issues relevant to where you live. However, international readers are still more than welcome to join in the discussion - and if things differ greatly where you are at, let me know! I'd like to learn more.

* The title of this series is "Understanding a Conservative Christian". While my beliefs are in many ways similar to others among the US political "right" and evangelical Christian circles I in no way intend to speak for the group as a whole. I have arrived at my viewpoints independently and in some ways these viewpoints differ from the expected norms. Please understand that the viewpoints we discuss should be taken on an issue by issue basis, and not compiled collectively to represent anyone's belief system other than my own.

* As I said previously, my goals are to inform about my viewpoints, discuss various positions on issues, and learn more about the "Why?" behind the viewpoints of others. However, I need to be clear up front that a secondary objective of this series is to persuade. You see, I believe my viewpoints on these issues to be the correct one - just as I'm sure you believe your viewpoint to be correct (in truth we all do - nobody holds to beliefs that they believe to be incorrect except for the point of argument). It is not my intent to ram my beliefs down your throat, but (as a result of my worldview - see more below) I do hope that by exposing the reasoning behind my viewpoints you (the reader) might better understand the basis for those beliefs and be persuaded to believe the same. Of course, I am certainly not infallible - and I am open to correcting my viewpoints as well should you sufficiently convince me otherwise.

Worldview

Before we can launch into covering relevant topics I believe it is necessary to spend a few moments discussing Worldview. I googled the term worldview to find a good definition. These struck me as good ones:

One's personal view of the world and how one interprets it; The totality of one's beliefs about reality; A general philosophy or view of life

A set of commonly held values, ideas, and images concerning the nature of reality and the role of humanity within it.

largely unconscious but generally coherent set of beliefs about how the world operates; at the level of day-to-day practice, approximately synonymous with paradigm

The Wikipedia article on Worldview has a more detailed description. Here's a quote (which in turn appears to be a summary from Apostel):

According to Apostel, a worldview is an ontology, or a descriptive model of the world. It should comprise these six elements:
1. An explanation of the world
2. A futurology, answering the question "where are we heading?"
3. Values, answers to ethical questions: "What should we do?"
4. A praxeology, or methodology, or theory of action.: "How should we attain our goals?"
5. An epistemology, or theory of knowledge. "What is true and false?"
6. An etiology. A constructed world-view should contain an account of its own "building blocks," its origins and construction.

Our worldview is our set of core beliefs - the lens through which we view the world. It shapes our thoughts, actions, and behaviors. Understanding worldview is KEY to understanding how I (or anyone else for that matter) think, and why my viewpoints are what they are.

There are two* pre-dominant worldviews in America today. The first is the Secular Humanist worldview. This worldview is defined predominantly by its belief in the human being as supremely important and the primary authority over itself. God is unimportant to this worldview, therefore adherents tend to be atheists. From Wikipedia's definition:

Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that espouses reason, ethics, and justice, and specifically rejects supernatural and religious dogma as the basis of morality and decision-making. Like other types of humanism, secular humanism is a life stance that focuses on the way human beings can lead good, happy and functional lives.

The second predominant worldview in America is the Biblical worldview. This worldview is based on the Bible (hence its name). It holds God as supreme over humans, His creation. It rejects the human being's importance, other than that which is acquired from being made in the image of the creator God. It too is a life stance focusing on how human beings can lead good, happy, and functional lives by fulfilling their created purpose of serving their Creator.

While these two viewpoints represent the extremes of ideological thinking in America the belief systems of most Americans falls somewhere between the two. My personal belief system is close to the second - and I attempt to refine it on a regular basis to bring it even closer.

Because our worldviews shape our thinking, our viewpoints on various issues will reflect the beliefs that comprise our worldview. You will notice that the "Why?" behind my various positions will be directly based upon the beliefs of my worldview. When viewed through the lens of my worldview, you will see the logic I have used to arrive at the viewpoint I hold - even if that viewpoint seems illogical from the perspective of a different worldview.

Moving Forward

My tentative plan is to write a new post in this series every few weeks. The first will likely be "Origins", since this is both a topic of debate in America as well as the defining factor that shapes the two worldviews listed above. I welcome your comments and look forward to the discussions we'll have.

* A third Islamic worldview (based upon the teachings of Muhammed and the Qur'an) appears to be rapidly growing in popularity among western nations. There are of course many other minority worldviews as well.

Eden's Second Birthday

2010-03-02T15:08:00.004-07:00

From 100301

Eden turned two this Sunday/Monday (we joked that he really doesn't get a birthday again until 2012 because he's a leap-day baby). We had Nana, Wiggy, and Uncle John over. Crystal made brownies & ice cream into a mountain cake with trucks driving on it (see right). More pics below.

A Sam's Club birthday party

2010-02-24T15:54:00.002-07:00

This last Sunday was Wiggy's (my Dad's) birthday. Our family tradition is usually to go out for a nice dinner together on birthdays. Of course, now that there's quite a few of us, dinners out at nice restaurants can start to get pricey. At some point during the meal my Dad will comment "We should have all just gone to Sam's club and got a hot dog for a $1.00!"

So, this Sunday we threw a surprise birthday party for him at Sam's Club. We laid out a tablecloth, a banner, and gave the kids noisemakers. And then we all enjoyed (choked down) a hot dog together in his honor. Best part? All ten of us ate for $17.00 :)

From 100221

Why We Live Debt Free

2010-02-19T15:45:00.003-07:00

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law - Romans 13:8 (KJV*)

Let me start with where we were: It's January 2006 - and we're in serious financial trouble. Both Crystal and I are working full time (opposite hours so we don't have to put the kids in daycare). We just got out from under a double house payment (we moved before selling our trailer in Grand Junction so we had to pay on both houses until it finally sold over half a year later). We have well over $15k in credit card debt, plus a variety of other debts. We have very little equity in our new home (less than $10k). Our cash situation is dismal: I'm constantly signing up for new credit cards (to help pay the interest on the old ones), frequently getting cash advances on my paycheck, and hitting up my parents for money on a regular basis.

That's where we were when we decided things had to change. We cut up our credit cards and threw them away. We virtually stopped all discretionary spending. We agreed not to borrow another dime. I then called Money Management International and set up a debt repayment plan. They negotiated on our behalf for lower interest rates on our credit cards and we began the lengthy process of paying them back.

Things got worse. Even with reduced rates on our cards we were still drowning under the interest. It was more than we could pay. We began to fall behind on the bills. Our mortgage went into foreclosure and suddenly we had an additional $3k in legal fees to repay. It didn't look to good. A number of (divine) circumstances occurred and thankfully we were brought back from the brink. But it wasn't an easy time.

Last spring (March of 2009) I made the final payment on our credit card debt. Today, we live debt free. Instead of credit card debt we have savings in the bank. We have no mortgage, our home was bought with cash. I'm not writing this to brag (because we have nothing to brag about**), but only to state that it is possible to live debt free - even with 6 hungry kids to feed!

So, why did we choose to quit borrowing? Here were our reasons:

1. We were slaves to our poor choices. Our whole lives revolved around how to stay afloat. It consumed large amounts of our time and energy, and led to a lot of conflict between us. Being debt free has granted considerable peace to our family.

2. We were unable to give. We couldn't help anyone around us that needed something, nor could we contribute to charitable causes. Thankfully now a large portion of our income can go to helping others.

3. We didn't want to rely on the government. The few times we were forced to rely on government services (primarily medicaid insurance) because of how poorly we handled our money we felt as if we were stealing from the taxpayers who had worked hard for that income. Since we're opposed to government social programs it was hypocritical for us to continue using them.

4. We needed to do right by our children. While I certainly don't advocate that you must first have your finances straight before you have kids, I do believe it's important to get your finances straight in order to provide for your children. During the same time-period God was changing our beliefs on having kids, and we realized that if our family was going to be larger than 2 or 3 children we needed to use our money differently.

Being debt free has radically changed our lives for the better. Yes, it can be tough at times: we aren't able to always rush out and buy whatever we want. We have to save for our purchases in advance - and most of what we buy is used (within reason - groceries and diapers are two things we don't get second hand, lol). But we have tremendous freedom to give, and we don't have to rely on any bank, government agency, or person to make it through.

We recently started taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course to find even more ways we can save and improve our spending. If you are buried in debt I highly recommend this taking this course, it is well worth the cost.

Footnotes:

*I quoted the King James Version above because most people recognize this verse in that version.

** God alone gets the credit for this. While we have attempted to live frugally we certainly wouldn't be near as far along were it not for a few divine circumstances that radically changed things for us in the intervening years. We also owe a debt of gratitude to my parents for their financial counsel during this time.