On A High Hill

It's Friday! Time to Wrap up the Vacation

2012-01-27T04:39:00.002-05:00

While we were in Nevada we visited Valley of Fire State Park. Lisa blogged about this a few weeks ago and you can see her article here. She posted some of her wonderful pictures, too. Thought I'd share a few of the ones that I took.

This park has some very interesting geographic formations, petrified trees, animal species, Native American hieroglyphs, and history. (Here's the link for more park information and some great professional photographs.)

Dan and Lisa playing at the Beehives.

Whenever I couldn't find The Bear I just kept looking up and his head and body would eventually appear on the rock formations above me. From his vantage points he managed to see more than the rest of us could from below. It was hard to keep him ~~safe~~ on the ground this trip.

I think Nevada has beautiful scenery based upon the various colors that can be found within the rocks. The photos I showed last week of Red Rock Canyon's calico hills were one example of the diversity. This park was just as aesthetically pleasing.

This boy below is, um, "native" to America, but he and his "kind" didn't make these marks on the rocks. The cliffs along this trail were literally covered with ancient symbols.

(What "kind" is that, you ask? I was thinking of destructive teenagers, but then, I couldn't really say with any certainty that ancient Native American teenaged boys didn't leave some graffiti here while their mothers yelled from below, "Get down from there before you kill yourself!" I suspect ancient moms were not so different from modern ones.)

Here's The Bear with just one of the ground squirrels (a.k.a. "chipmunks") that we fed. I'd brought nuts to snack on in the car which we then shared with the little beggers. Word of our generosity spread quickly and before long there was a groundswell of critters heading our way. We soon drove on, leaving the picnickers nearby to deal with any late-comers. :)

Here's a photo of one of the petrified logs in the park. Looks like there was a catastrophic flood there at some time in ancient history! Ya think?

See the guy waving a cap in the picture below? That's Dan. Evidently you can't let your brother-in-law have all the fun ~~trying to break a neck~~ climbing on rocks. :)

And yes, just in case you're wondering, we did actually go into Las Vegas itself. Here's Pastor Dad (and Lisa) waiting patiently for the Bellagio fountains to begin their show.

That's the end of the vacation pictures that I'll be posting although I think I took a couple of hundred of them. I would probably never get tired of looking at them but I suspect that you might. New subject next Friday!

Thursday Tune-up: Key to Success

2012-01-26T05:43:00.001-05:00

Source:

When someone is on a diet it is a whole lot easier to read a calorie-counting register than it is to stop eating in order to keep the calorie count below the desired amount.

When someone wants to get into shape it is a whole lot more fun to admire the exercises in the magazine than it is to do sets and repetitions of crunches and presses.

When someone wants to know more about God and His Word it's a whole lot quicker to glance at the reading schedule than it is to read a few chapters of the Bible.

When someone wants to sew a quilt it's a whole lot simpler to admire the illustrated step-by-step instructions than it is cut out the material and sew the blocks together in an orderly fashion.

It's always easier to read about something than it is to actually do it. The key to success in meeting any goal is to put down the manual and manually complete the steps necessary to achieve it.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Prophecy Fulfilled!

2012-01-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:17

We haven't read very far into Matthew's gospel yet, but already we've encountered several examples detailing how Old Testament scriptures were fulfilled. The chart below was compiled from my journal notes.

Scripture fulfilled:	Old Testament Prophecy
Matthew 1:21-22	Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 2:5-6	Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:15	Hosea 11:1
Matthew 2:17-18	Jeremiah 31:15
Matthew 2:23	Judges 13:5
Matthew 3:1-3	Malachi 4:5, 6
Matthew 3:15	Psalm 119
Matthew 3:16, 17	Isaiah 11:2; 61:1
Matthew 4:13-16	Isaiah 9:1, 2

Timeline Tuesday: Back to Genesis!

2012-01-24T06:11:00.028-05:00

This Friday we will return to the book of Genesis and pick up where we left off before venturing into the book of Job. (Feel free to go back and read here what I had to say about the insertion of Job within the context of Genesis and how he probably was a contemporary of Abraham.)

Which brings us now to reading about Abraham! Feel free to check my addition because I did a rather hurried calculation based upon the math/timeline project I mentioned in that earlier post (same link as above). My figures show that Abraham was born in year 1,949 of the earth's existence*****. Scholars place his birth near 2100 BC which fits with a literal interpretation of the earlier chapters of Genesis and places the year of creation at approximately 4050 BC. Agree or disagree with me concerning the age of the earth if you must. We should at least be able to agree on an approximate time for the life of Abraham.[1]

We will not interrupt our reading of Genesis again, but it will be mid-February before we complete it. The timelines for the next couple of Tuesdays will again be "micro" in nature as we focus on the Patriarchal Period.

_____
Source:
[1] Besides several Bible scholars I consulted The Illustrated Atlas of Jewish Civilization: 4000 Years of History by Josephine Bacon, Quantum Books, c. 2007. This is a secular volume dealing with the specific subject of Jewish history and as such it cannot ignore what the Bible has to say about their early history. Although Ms. Bacon does not necessarily believe that an individual named Abraham existed, she states that the events concerning Abraham as described in the Torah would have happened in approximately 2000 BC (or BCE "before common era" as she and other secularists who do not want to use the birth of Christ as the focal point in their dating structure call it. See here for a discussion of the BC/BCE and AD/CE debate. Call it what you will, the life of Christ is still the reference that determines when they change from BCE to CE. They didn't choose some other well-known person and event, like say, the death of Julius Caesar, as the date from which to define all of history as being pre or post that certain year. Just an observation.). I compared this book with Bible commentaries when setting an approximate date for Abraham's life and found it interesting that they agree.

*****My calculations actually came to 1948 but there is no such thing as a Year 0. The first year of time would be Year 1. Therefore I added 1 to get the year of Abraham's birth. It might skew things slightly, but as long as the procedure stays consistent throughout the calculations the addition of a year won't matter. For instance, it will show that Methuselah died the same year that the flood occurred whether one uses 1656 (the calculation) or 1657 (the year). Adam was created on day 6 of the 1st year of creation and lived to be 930 years old. That would mean his lifespan was from years 1-931 and not from 0-930. Correct?

Memory Monday: A Guest Post, Part 2

2012-01-23T06:17:00.001-05:00

Joining us again this week is Mike Kelly. Last week he told us why we should memorize scripture and he wrote as though it were a letter from God. Since he used scripture as his basis, it really was a paraphrase of God's own words. (See Part 1 here.)

Today he again assumes that divine role and tells us some pointers on "how" to memorize scripture. Remember, God designed that brain of yours and He expects you to be thinking about good things. (cf. Philippians 4:8-9) Nothing is better to think about than the Bible!

"Dear Christian,

I promised to be back this week. This is the Lord with some practical ‘how to’ tips on memorizing scripture. Last week I challenged you (well, actually I commanded you) to take seriously the Scriptures that make clear the importance of memorization and meditation to spiritual growth.

This week is the nuts and bolts. Some steps to take in order to most successfully hide My Word in your heart.

First, let me say I have always found where there is a big enough ‘why’, people will usually find the how. Or, in common parlance, if you want it bad enough you will do it, regardless of the tools or training available.

So here are some steps and tips:
1. Read through the passage or verse you are going to memorize, including its’ context. Make sure you understand what is being said. A good tip here is to read it in 3 or 4 versions, including a paraphrase like The Message.
2. Rewrite the verse in your own words.
3. Read the verse aloud a number of times. Some of you are auditory learners.
4. Pray through the verse daily as you learn and review. Turn it into a prayer for others, or for your own growth.
5. Repeat the verse ALOUD often when you are driving or alone.
6. Think about how the verse applies to your life.
7. Every opportunity you get repeat it...to your spouse, to your kids, to a friend.
8. Write out a number of copies on 3 x 5 cards and post it on the bathroom mirror, in your car, on the refrigerator, and anywhere else you can think of-- so you see it often.
9. This probably is only for some of you, but sing the verse(s) when you can. Many have found this one of the best ways to remember.
10. With today’s technology, google it and save it on your smart phone. Easy access.
11. And finally, as in real estate the mantra is “location, location, location,” in memorization it is “REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW.” Set up a system to review daily, then weekly and finally once every month until it is truly engraved on your heart.

DO THIS AND YOU SHALL LIVE.

With All My Love,

The Lord"

___________

Mike Kelly is currently developing a full-time Twitter ministry (#MKBibleChat hashtag for anyone who would like to participate in the regularly scheduled chats) and the Bible Memory Coins system. (For ordering information visit the memory coin home page here.)

___________

Our list is not too short this week but most of them are familiar verses that come from The Sermon on the Mount. Remember that you are not expected to memorize all of them. Just pick one from this list or one of the previous lists (found here and here and here) to work on for the week, a month, or as long as it takes for you to be able to master it.

Genesis 12:1-3 (God's call to Abraham)
Matthew 5:3-11 (The Beatitudes)
Matthew 5:14-16 (You might recognize one of these as my blog verse!)
Matthew 6:9-13 (What is named "The Lord's Prayer" but is more appropriately called "The Model Prayer")
Matthew 6:19-21
Matthew 6:33 (One of my favorite verses!)
Matthew 7:7
Matthew 7:12
Matthew 11:28-30

Bible Reading Schedule, January 23-29, 2012

2012-01-21T06:58:00.001-05:00

January 23-29

Monday, January 23rd

Job 34-36
Matthew 4

Tuesday, January 24th

Job 37, 38
Matthew 5

Wednesday, January 25th

Job 39, 40
Matthew 6

Thursday, January 26th

Job 41, 42
Matthew 7, 8

Friday, January 27th

Genesis 11, 12
Matthew 9, 10

Saturday, January 28th

Genesis 13-15
Matthew 11

Sunday, January 29th

This day is set aside to read any scheduled scripture portions that have not been completed.

Free Friday: Return to Vacation

2012-01-20T01:25:00.000-05:00

Oh, I wish!

It can't be done so I'll just return to the pictures of vacation. If I'm really ~~delusional~~ --er-- blessed I might even start to feel a bit warmer than I do right now just remembering the desert. Well, I can dream, can't I?

This year Lisa and I decided to take the power plant tour since the guys were there to share the experience with us. It was very enjoyable and very educational. (But don't tell The Bear because he just thinks we were on vacation!) These are some of the turbines that provide electricity to most of the southwestern United States.

And not only is the facility functional, but it has its artistic elements too. (There I go again with all that educational talk!)

I shot this picture blind. No, really. I couldn't see a thing with the blazing sun shining directly in my eyes so I closed them. I thought it turned out surprisingly well under the circumstances.

After we finished our tour we walked across the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, the same one you saw behind Dan, Lisa, The Bear, and Pastor Dad in the previous picture, and the same one casting a shadow across the face of the Hoover Dam in this picture. (I'm feeling warmer already! How about you?)

The turbines we saw are housed in the building on the bottom left of this photo. And that's Lake Mead in the background.

A few days later we went to Red Rock Canyon to descend and ascend the rocks. What a workout!

Down we go!

And up and over we go! Pastor Dad wanted to know if I was coming. I explained to him that it's very important for the photographer to stop and take pictures and gulp air so I made sure I took lots and lots of pictures. (I won't bore you with all of them.)

Sometimes it is important for the photographer to have a picture taken of herself just to prove that she really was there. Or maybe she just needed to sit for awhile and gulp air.

Some folk didn't seem to require much rest. (And some folk were in danger of breaking ~~his~~ their necks a great deal of the time. Not to mention any names or anything, but even big sister looks like she's delivering a stern lecture.)

The park itself is full of diversity! Not only are the formations different from place to place but even the temperatures differed by several degrees depending on how much sun the locations receive. We saw our first snow of the season near an area overshadowed by some high hills.

Brr! Now I'm cold again! And it's time to wrap up this segment of the travelogue from our December Vegas trip. One more post ought to finish it. That's it until our next Free Friday!

Thursday's Tune-Up: Are You A Dummy?

2012-01-19T01:13:00.006-05:00

source: www.Christianphotos.net

It's mid-January and for many of us some of the New Year excitement has started to fade and the determination we had to read God's Word daily, attend church regularly, memorize scripture methodically, and pray fervently in 2012 has faded along with it.

Does that describe you? Could this be your photo above? Let's see if there's any resemblance.

Are your eyes glazed over when you read your Bible each day?
Do you paint on a phony smile when you "have to" go to church?
Is your brain wooden when you try to memorize verses?
Do the words coming out of your mouth when you pray sound like a well-rehearsed script?

Mmm-hmm. I thought so. It happens to all of us sometimes.

Unfortunately, it's natural; meaning it's part of our nature. We easily slip back into old familiar habits like puppet skits performed many times.

And that's exactly why we need to keep practicing new routines whether we feel like doing them or not. Reading the Bible, praying, memorizing scripture, and attending church are the means God uses to change the old nature into a new one that resembles His own.

We have a tendency to resist change in spite of all good intentions. (I wonder how crowded the health clubs are these days?) But if you continue your new spiritual exercises one day you'll find that your eyes no longer stare vacantly at the pages of your Bible, your smile is genuine when you meet with other believers, and your brain meditates on those memorized scriptures with the result being honest heartfelt prayers to God.

What a picture that would make!

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Col 3:16-17 (KJV) -- imported from Bible Explorer 4 (emphasis mine)

Wednesday Wisdom: Taken from Job

2012-01-18T03:38:00.001-05:00

Job's friends were miserable comforters.

Thankfully, Job himself was not!

Source: www.Christianphotos.net

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job 19:23-27 (KJV) -- copied from Bible Explorer 4 software

Timeline Tuesday, Welcome to the Gospel of Matthew

2012-01-17T00:58:00.003-05:00

(My grandpa's Family Bible)

Later this week we will conclude our reading of the gospel of John and begin reading the gospel of Matthew. There are a couple of reasons that I chose Matthew as our second gospel to read.

First, I believe it to be the earliest gospel account. This is somewhat in dispute among scholars as many believe that Mark wrote his gospel before the other synoptic gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, wrote theirs.

I don't pretend to be a great theologian but I do enjoy reading the debates of great theologians. I read several but the argument that really struck a chord with me was really quite simple. It was made by John MacArthur. I'm paraphrasing it here for the sake of brevity. He said that it makes no sense to believe an eyewitness (Matthew) would copy the work of someone who wasn't (Mark).[1] Good point!

Most scholars agree that this gospel was written about AD 50 and certainly prior to AD 70. This is based upon the use of the words "unto this day" (27:8) and "until this day" (28:15) which seems to indicate that several years had passed since the death and resurrection of Christ. And considering that his Jewish audience would be scattered after the Fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple it would seem likely that he wrote prior to that event. [1,2]

The second reason that I chose this book is because Matthew was a Jewish believer who wrote his account to other Jews to convince them that Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah. I felt that this meets the criteria of "to the Jew first . . ." as mentioned in Romans 1:16. The synoptic gospels of Mark and Luke were meant for Gentile readers and we will read them in the months that follow.

There are many arguments that Matthew uses to present Jesus as the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews.

He uses many examples of how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies (watch for the words "that it might be fulfilled" in your reading).
He takes Jesus' lineage back only as far as Abraham (the father of the Jewish nation).
He talks of the Kingdom (watch for the words "the kingdom of heaven" as you read).
And he concludes that Jesus fulfilled the Davidic covenant (watch for the words "son of David" because any reference to King David occurs 9 times in Matthew and only 6 times in the other gospels). [2]

The timeline is the same for all the gospels and covers the life of Christ. We're leaving the one that presented Jesus as God and are transitioning into the account that presents Him as the Messiah. Prepare your heart to worship your King!

Quoted sources:
[1] The MacArthur Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, notes for Matthew and Mark.
[2] The New Open Bible Study Edition, Thomas Nelson Publishers, notes for Matthew and comparison chart entitled "The Four Gospels"

Memory Monday: A Guest Post, Part 1

2012-01-16T01:02:00.001-05:00

This Monday and the next we have a guest writer, Mike Kelly, with us. Today he wants to help us understand "why" it is important to be memorizing Bible verses. I hope you'll enjoy today's creative article and come back next Monday to view his ideas for the "how" of Bible memorization.

“Hello. I am God. If you think about it, that means I created you. Not just you but all the electrons, neutrons, cells…and mountains and rivers and planets…point made?

I also know you more intimately than you know yourself. I know what makes you tick… (Psalm 139)

So you might want to listen up. Because I love you I decided to reveal Myself and My will for your life in a Book: My Word--you know it as the Bible.--in it I have provided “ALL THINGS pertaining to life and godliness” (II Peter 1) so that you might have what I had Paul call “life indeed” in I Timothy (Paul was one of my better servants, by the way…you should see the mansion he lives in now…WOW) and what John calls “abundant life.”

But there is a part you must play (you knew there’d be a catch, didn’t you?). You have to actually read My Book…and reflect on it…and, yes, MEMORIZE it. (Colossians 3:16; Joshua 1:8; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalm 1; II Timothy 2:15) Which involves some things I know (remember the part about ‘I created you’) most of you don’t like: WORK and DISCIPLINE. But remember the good news: afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12).

Another important motivational reminder: “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” Proverbs 4:18.I should know--I created the Path, too.

Very important point: memorization and meditation on My Word is not optional, not if you want to walk My Path. You DO want to walk MY PATH, don’t you? I’ve heard ultimately it gets a little warm on the other road. (Yes, I have a sense of humor…created it, too. Psalm 2:4) So back to My point: it is a command that you learn My Word—thoroughly. Note I NEVER referred to my greatest commands as “Ten Pretty Good Suggestions."

So how are you doing so far on this assignment, one I first gave you when you became a Christian? Do you know John 3:16 (a gimme) and Galatians 2:20 and Romans 3:23…how about Psalm 119:9-11 or II Corinthians 5:17? How does it look to those not following My Way when you stumble and mumble when trying to tell them about My Word and My Way? Are you flunking this test? Not a test you want to flunk as it tends to have eternal consequences.

In Colossians 3 the first couple verses I command you to “set your mind on things above”. Best way to do this is knowing My Word, verbatim, word perfect so to speak.

Remember, “the mind set on the flesh is DEATH, but the mind set on the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE.” (Romans 8:6) So you choose: death…or life and peace.

Sincerely,

God

P.S. It looks like you have some work to do. I will be sending another message with some tips and ideas on “how to” on the memorizing and meditating thing. Hope you will watch for it…and read it…and GET TO WORK.

___________

Mike Kelly is currently working on developing a full-time Twitter ministry (#MKBibleChat hashtag for anyone who would like to participate in the regularly scheduled chats) and the Bible Memory Coins system. (Link here for the home page.)

___________

Our memory verse list this week is short. And remember that you are not expected to memorize the whole list. Just pick one here or from one of the previous ones (found here and here) and work on it for the week or the whole month.

John 18:36
John 20:21
John 21:24-25
Matthew 3:16, 17
Job 22:22
Job 31:35, 36

And a couple of familiar passages:

John 19:17-22 (an abbreviated portion of the crucifixion account)
Matthew 1:18-25 (the birth of Jesus, commonly known as one of the Christmas story passages)

Bible Reading Schedule for January 16-22, 2012

2012-01-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

January 16-22

Monday, January 16th

Job 20, 21
John 18

Tuesday, January 17th

Job 22, 23
John 19

Wednesday, January 18th

Job 24-26
John 20

Thursday, January 19th

Job 27-29
John 21

Friday, January 20th

Job 30, 31
Matthew 1

Saturday, January 21st

Job 32, 33
Matthew 2, 3

Sunday, January 22nd

This day is set aside to read any scheduled scripture portions that have not been completed.

Free Friday: A Tribute To One of My Heroes

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ballad of the Green Beret

Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret

Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Trained to live off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand-to-hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage peak from the Green Berets

Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her his last request

Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret.

I was in the first grade when this song became popular. Our music teacher, Mrs. Schoonover, would take requests while waiting for class to be dismissed and this was the most requested song. I don't think we ever left the music room without singing it at least once! Not only was it patriotic and poignant, but most of us could name at least one person fighting in that far away country with the funny sounding name.

The soldiers we knew were probably not in the Green Beret. As the song says one hundred would test but only three would meet the standard. This didn't matter because the anthem struck a chord in the hearts of those little kids who bellowed it out every time they went to music class.

Eleven years later I would meet one of the 3% immortalized in that song. On Christmas Day 1977 I was invited to meet my future brother-in-law and his wife, Pastor Dad's sister as part of Round 1 of the "Meet the Family" tradition that commonly precedes the marriage ceremony.

I have many memories of him through the intervening 34 years. Some of them are funny, hilarious even, and I can barely type without laughing through my tears. But these are private stories, the kind that might be shared among our cherished group of mourners at his funeral today.

Although I do not feel the liberty to share those here I do want to publicly thank him for his service to our country.

Thanks, Bill, for being one of those real life heroes I sang about in elementary school.

And there are other things that come to mind.

Thanks to you and your wife for being a great big brother and big sister to Pastor Dad and me.
Thanks for all those crazy Monopoly games we played when we were all young enough to stay up late.
Thanks for not hiding your sweet tooth. It helped me to not feel so guilty about having a mouth full of 'em myself! I always knew I'd have an ally when the question "Does anyone want dessert?" was asked.
Thanks for chatting with me about genealogy. It was fascinating to compare notes on our different German roots.
Thanks for telling your children about Jesus without pulling any punches about the life you lived before meeting the Lord. This had to encourage them to skip the rebellious lifestyle and head straight to Godly living.
Thanks for visiting us when we lived in Tennessee. It really was a big deal.
Thanks for being such a great uncle. Like myself, you have no biological nieces and nephews, but you never seemed to notice that our children were not blood relatives.
Thanks for the bear hugs.
Thanks for concentrating on how long you were blessed to live and not how young you would be when you died.
Thanks for the courage you showed in recent weeks while fighting your final battle. You modeled dying grace in front of us all as a soldier of the Lord. We look forward to seeing you again once our own battles are over!

You truly are one of my heroes and I'll miss you. No family gathering will ever be the same without you; like the traditional tribute to the absent soldier your place at the table will always be empty.

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2 Tim 2:1-4 (KJV)

The Thursday Tune-Up, Week 2

2012-01-12T00:40:00.002-05:00

Where do I begin to explain the spiritual, emotional, and physical events of the last week and how they relate to my goals?

Emotional Goals
Since last Thursday our family has been on the mountaintop, down in the valley, back on the mountaintop, back down in the valley, etc., etc., etc. It feels like we're all parts in a set of hand weights. Up! Down! Up! Down!

Last Thursday my brother-in-law awakened and showed real progress in his recovery. This Thursday he is fully alert and recovered but is living in his eternal home.

On the same morning that my brother-in-law died his daughter-in-law gave birth to a healthy baby boy, his seventh grandchild. (Yes, you read that correctly. Stop and re-read it to let it sink in.) So really, the emotional health goals that I shared with you last week were forgotten this week. Some personal ones that are between God and myself, and which I didn't share, were met though, and that's very important.

Physical Goals
The same could be said about my physical goals of bike riding, treadmilling, and weight lifting. None of those mattered this week.

Spiritual Goals
I DID meet my Bible reading and studying goals this week. If anything I hungered more for the Word of God because of the ever-changing scenery around me. The never-changing God was my refuge and strength. What a comfort to know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Prayer was an almost 24 hour vigil this week, too. Yes, I asked God to spare my brother-in-law's life, but I knew that if He did it would be a temporary fix and that eventually - even if many years from now - He would still take him Home. Honestly, most of my prayers this week had to do with comfort and grace for the patient and those who love him, sincerity and peace for each of us as we confront our own mortality, and personal wisdom for myself while conversing with my loved ones (i.e. when to open my mouth and what to say when I do open it).

As I followed my Bible reading schedule I encountered John chapter 11 on the very morning that my brother-in-law died. I found meat to feed my hungry spirit there in that passage that details the death and resurrection of Lazarus. As I read each verse slowly and carefully I was comforted and encouraged. Jesus HAS conquered death! He IS the resurrection and the life! Hallelujah!

Conclusion
That's the brutally honest evaluation of my week. I pray that you've been given grace to face whatever curve balls life threw your way, too.

As we look forward to the weeks ahead I ask that you read over your goals again occasionally and remind yourself of why you chose them in the first place. Weed some impossible ones out and pick realistic ones to take their place. Goal setting should never be something that waits until the next New Year. Goals are things that should be prayerfully adapted as God allows circumstances to rearrange your life and as you allow the Bible to mold you into the image of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday Wisdom

2012-01-11T00:26:00.001-05:00

Do you have a notebook or journal handy as you read your Bible? I've found mine to be invaluable for jotting down things that I notice while reading. For instance, the chart below was started 2 years ago during the Take Ten in '10 plan and I've added to it each of the following years.

God is amazing! He always shows me something new! I hope you are mining many nuggets as you read each day.

Comparison between Genesis (chapters 1-10) and John (chapters 1-8)

Reference	Genesis (G.)	John (J.)
G. 1:1; J. 1:1	In the beginning . . .	In the beginning . . .
G. 1:1; J. 1:1-3	God created the world	God the creator was the Word
G. 1:3; J. 1:1	God used the spoken word to bring the world into existence	Jesus was the Living Word that brought the world into existence
G. 1:3, 14, 24; J. 1:4, 5	God provided light and life to His creation	Jesus is Light and Life to His creation
G. 3:1-15; J. 3:14	Serpent as type of deceiver	Serpent as type of redeemer
G. 4:1; J. 3:3-8	Physical birth explained	Spiritual birth explained
G. chap 6; J. 4:34-38, 6:5-35	Food necessary to preserve physical life	Food necessary to preserve spiritual life
G. 6:18; J. 5:24	Believe the covenant and be saved from physical death	Believe the covenant and be saved from spiritual death
G. chap 7; J. chap 4	Waters of death	Waters of life
G. chaps 7-9; J. 6:15-21	God put Noah and family in a large boat and met them on the other side of the water	Jesus put the disciples in a small boat and met them on the other side of the water
Book of Genesis, J. 7:21-24, 8:53-59	Moses wrote this volume which includes the record of Abraham’s life	Jesus told the rulers that they didn’t believe the teachings of either Moses or Abraham

Source: Author of “On A High Hill” http://onahighhill.blogspot.com

Tuesday's Timeline

2012-01-10T00:52:00.031-05:00

We didn't begin any new books of the Bible this week so there isn't anything to discuss on the broad timeline, however, I did notice something interesting this week when viewing a chart that showed a harmony of the gospels. This would be more of a mini-timeline

Have you ever noticed how many events John recorded that happened after the Passover (The Last Supper) but before the crucifixion? According to John, many things happened between them. In his gospel the supper takes place in chapter 13 but the crucifixion itself isn't recorded until chapter 19.

The other gospels are not quite so detailed. Matthew records The Last Supper in chapter 26 and the crucifixion in the next. Mark records the supper in chapter 14 and the crucifixion in chapter 15. Likewise, Luke records the events in succeeding chapters telling about the supper in chapter 22 and the crucifixion in chapter 23.

John managed to provide us with so many more details than did the other gospel writers. It is as though he relived every moment over and over again in his mind and was able to recall exact details concerning words and actions. Trauma will sometimes help someone recollect things about a loved one and the Holy Spirit seems to have given John that ability.

And aren't we glad He did! It is from John's gospel that we learn that Jesus comforted his disciples about his leaving (chapter 14) and prayed for all of us who believe on Him (chapter 17). What an encouragement it is to have these added details to round out the scriptural account!

Memory Monday

2012-01-09T00:41:00.001-05:00

Just so you know, I'm working on the passage from last week. I knew mentioning chocolate rewards would motivate me. Just kidding. I don't save chocolate as a reward. :)

Here are a few verses that I spotted that I already know or wish that I knew better. There are a few passages in here, too, just in case anyone needs more of a challenge. I don't think I'll be trying to do one of those this week because I don't have the one from last week memorized yet.

Old Testament

Job 7:17-18
Job 9:32-33
Job 13:15
Job 14:1
Job 14:14
Job 19:25

New Testament

John 10:9
John 10:11
John 10:27
John 12:24-25
John 13:34-35
John 14:27
John 15:13
John 17:3

And the Passages

Job 19:23-27
John 14:1-7 (I memorized this one when I was in 2nd grade. I can still quote it very well.)
John 15:1-5

Are there any verses from our readings - this week or last - that should be added to the list? Share them in the comments!

Bible Reading Schedule for January 9-15, 2012

2012-01-07T01:34:00.016-05:00

Please note: It's not too late to begin NOW. You can easily make up the missed days.

Or you can request a modified schedule that was adapted for a group that will begin reading on January 11th. The modified version gradually catches up the missed 8 days through January and February and requires slightly more reading until it syncs with the posted version on March 1st.

The complete 2012 reading schedule and the modified one are available as printable pdf or MS Word files (please specify) upon request to Karabeth6@gmail.com.

January 9-15

Monday, January 9th

Job 6-8
John 10

Tuesday, January 10th

Job 9, 10
John 11, 12

Wednesday, January 11th

Job 11-13
John 13

Thursday, January 12th

Job 14, 15
John 14

Friday, January 13th

Job 16, 17
John 15

Saturday, January 14th

Job 18, 19
John 16, 17

Sunday, January 15th

This day is set aside to read any scheduled scripture portions that have not been completed.

Free Friday: Family Vacation Part 1

2012-01-06T00:28:00.019-05:00

Exactly one month ago today Pastor Dad, the Bear, and I caught a late flight to Las Vegas for our family vacation. Las Vegas might not be what comes to most peoples' minds when they think of a "family" vacation, but in our case we already have "family" there, specifically Lisa and Dan, who also took vacation time so they could spend the week with us. And there are many "family" things to do in and around Vegas even if it does mean avoiding The Strip as much as possible.

When we landed in Vegas it was still December 6th by local clocks but early in the morning of the 7th by the ones in Cincinnati. Since we told Lisa we'd be there before her birthday we technically kept that promise as long as we used her clock as the standard and not ours. This seemed to be satisfactory even if it did mean some of us suffered a bit from jetlag.

If you remember, I went to Vegas last year to be with Lisa on her birthday because Dan had deployed just a few days before. Actually he left the day after I got there. Coincidence? :)

I must say that as "happy" as I tried to make last year's birthday visit, this year's was much, much, much happier with the addition of the men: Dan, Pastor Dad, and The Bear. No comparison!!!

The first day of our sight-seeing itinerary, which was Lisa's birthday, included a visit to a chocolate factory. Free samples!!!! Yum! These guys, the M&Ms, aren't made in Las Vegas but they were enticing greeters at the Esther M Chocolate factory.

Serious chocolate aficionados like myself want to know where their chocolate originates. Perhaps I'll plan future vacations around other chocolate factory tours. Who knows? And The Bear might be interested in touring the plant where his beloved Skittles are made. Most folks plan around beaches or mountains. I plan around chocolate. (Just kidding, although that Hershey's tour on the way back from NYC several years ago sure hit the spot.)

My dream job, but profits would go down if I worked here. That, or it would cure me of my addiction.

The factory also has a beautiful cactus garden to tour. It was decorated with seasonal lights, but since we were there in the daylight hours we didn't see it lit up. We found the various varieties of cactus to be interesting enough without artificial illumination!

Dan, Lisa (The Birthday Girl), and The Bear with a few "friends" who have "good taste" (because they're having their picture made with my kiddos! What did you think I meant?)

Gram and Pastor Dad smiling in the Nevada sunshine

I took so many pictures that I need to post them a few at a time. Enjoy visiting Vegas with us via our pictoral journal. And try not to envy those who live in an area of perpetual warmth. I know I was experiencing it earlier this week when the temperatures rapidly dropped and the ice made the roads slippery.

The Thursday Tune-Up

2012-01-05T01:00:00.076-05:00

No, this isn't about singing (unless that was one of your New Year's resolutions). This is about getting started right and staying on track.

So . . . did you make any resolutions this year? I did! I'll share a few.

Ride my bike more than last year.
Alternate working out on the treadmill with lifting weights.

These are the resolutions dealing with the "body" part of my being (remember the body-soul-spirit components I mentioned last week?). Here's how I intend to keep these resolutions.

This one is easy! All I'll need to do to is to take the bike off it's hanger in the garage and ride it once. Yes, it was not ridden at all in 2011. Sad, but true.
We already owned the treadmill but we recently added a weight bench to our home gym. You might remember a few years ago that I said I like lifting weights. I used to do my workouts on the floor with hand weights. That all changed when Pepper (our chocolate lab-meth lab mix) decided to turn my workouts into something to rival UFC events. She seemed to feel that since I was already down on the mat a good wrestling match should ensue. I, on the other hand, never wished to take up martial arts. So now I'm up high enough that I can avoid her.

Then I made a few resolutions to do with helping my soul. I equate this aspect with the emotions. It's true that all of these things - body, soul, and spirit - are intertwined because a healthy body and good spiritual relationship with the Lord definitely help the emotions, but I've decided to see myself as a creative person, too (STOP LAUGHING!), who needs a couple of outlets for the talents that God has given me (STOP IT, I SAY!). These are the resolutions concerning creativity.

Sing in church more. (Ha! Ha! Evidently my "tune-up" does have something to do with singing.)
Resume crafts and needlework.

Here are how I intend to meet these goals.

I have been known to sing solos but as rarely as possible. That's because I suffer from stage fright. It's also because I own very few prerecorded background accompaniments. I need to buy more and sign my name to the soloist list at church. (Sigh. This one will be hard.)
I have a few unfinished projects (Hmm. How long has the Princess been married to her Prince? That long, eh? I really must get that wedding sampler finished.) and some new things that I'd like to try. Calvin (remember Calvin and Hobbes?) had his bicycle and I have my sewing machine.

The object of "good emotional health" would obviously be to NOT STRESS OUT if I can't do the above things or not to do them as well as I think I should (Do I have any tendencies toward perfectionism? You think?) but to try to complete a few creative projects and feel good about it.

So what things do you want to start/change/accomplish this year? Whatever they are I'm praying for you and rooting for your success!

Wednesday Wisdom

2012-01-04T00:59:00.004-05:00

"Why did this happen to me?"

As a pastor's wife I've heard this question many times. As a person I've asked this question many times.

It's a simple question but it has a complicated answer. "Sin" is the short version as is exhibited when it follows the direct path from Point A to Point B. "Well, he had been drinking before getting into his car so it's really no surprise that he crashed and ended up in this hospital."

But sin is also the long answer as is shown when it follows a meandering route from Adam to us. Our tracking skills are not so exemplar when the questioning person is a grieving mommy that just buried her newborn child.

If any adult life exhibited the meandering road it was Job's. He was a sinner but there was no evidence of a Point A to Point B situation at his time of suffering so he asked the question.

And God never gave him the answer. But that's okay because God didn't owe Job - nor does He owe anyone else - a detailed answer.

And yet, God gave us the answer to Job's question. He wrote the Book so that you might have it when confronted with griefs that cause you to question.

Satan's accusation was the cause of Job's trials and is often the cause of yours. The Apostle Paul explained it in the New Testament.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:12 (KJV)

As frightening as this sounds, it is wonderful to know that God is not the source of our problems. Our battle is with the powers of wickedness that demand to be allowed to test us.

Elsewhere Paul makes it clear that God will only allow this testing to go so far. He always knows where to set the boundaries.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Cor 10:13 (KJV)

God knew how Job was going to respond before He permitted Satan to begin testing him. God knew that Job would not sinfully accuse Him of evil. God knows just how far to allow Satan to go when testing you, too, and He knows what you're capable of withstanding.

We're at the start of a New Year when we wish each other a "happy" one knowing that it is certain to hold it's share of "Why?" moments. When the trials come do not foolishly accuse God but gratefully thank Him for the limits He set on them. Like Job, keep your integrity because you know that God promised to provide the means of escape!

Requesting Your Prayers

2012-01-03T19:56:00.000-05:00

Dear Reader,

I'm interrupting the normal flow of posts - which are scheduled well in advance anyway - to ask your prayers for my brother-in-law. For the sake of the family's privacy I won't give his name but the Lord knows him (and he knows the Lord) so God will know who you mean when you pray.

My brother-in-law had a stroke a few weeks ago and was left partially paralyzed and without the ability to speak. Some mobility and speech was regained through therapy and he seemed to be progressing well. Then everything drastically changed 2 days ago and he is now unresponsive and extremely ill.

Please pray for my brother-in-law and his family as the Lord brings him to your mind. Thank you.

K.

Tuesday's Timeline

2012-01-03T00:25:00.027-05:00

I love studying history sequentially. It just helps make sense of the whole subject when things flow in order.

Studying the Bible is no different, at least for me. I like reading passages within their proper historical context. Let me take a moment to present the overview of the passages you're reading this week.

Genesis (Beginning events happening circa 8,000-4,000 BC and covering almost 2,000 years in the first 10 chapters; recorded by Moses many years later during the years of the Exodus)

The book of beginnings! If you believe that God created the world exactly as He said that He did in Genesis chapter 1 then you believe that there is no such thing as "prehistoric" anything as far as it pertains to the earth. Take a moment to think about that. If history began in Genesis chapter 1 then there is no "pre" history since God tells us exactly about the first moment of history!

That's exactly what I believe, just in case you're wondering. I believe the world to be no older than 10,000 years.
(****A tip for homeschoolers or anyone who is curious: If you ever want to do a really neat math/history project take sheets of paper or half-sheets of poster board and mark them off in 1/4 inch segments to make a timeline. Allow each 1/4 inch to represent 10 years. That's your scale. Then devote a different color of pencil or marker and make a thin bar line graph for each Biblical patriarch from Adam to Jacob using the book of Genesis as your guide. You'll need some decent math skills to plot on the graph where each man belongs when he is born, when he becomes a father to the son that is given, and when he dies. Don't put the years in BC until later but mark your time in "years of creation." For instance, Adam was created in Year 1, became the father of Seth in Year 130, and died in Year 930 according to Genesis 5:1-5. If you do this you will be amazed by many things! First, you'll see that Adam saw many generations of his "greats," if you know what I mean. Second, you'll see that Methuselah died the year of the Noah's flood. Third, the colorful bar graph will help you visualize just how many generations there were alive at the same time since men lived to be over 900 years old! This is a great assessment of early historical events. Make sure you have LOTS of paper or half-sheets of poster board before you begin. Adam's life alone will cover 23.25 inches which is means his life ends 1 1/4 inch from the beginning of the 3rd piece of 8.5 x 11 inch paper taped together longways. Once you've got your generations plotted through Jacob find a Bible commentary to give you an approximation of when he lived and you will be able to go backward through time to assign years in BC notation to approximate the year of creation. We did it ourselves over twenty years ago.)

So starting our reading in Genesis (no matter what your creation theology) probably makes sense to you. But what's the reasoning behind choosing the books of Job and John for this first week?

Job (Events happened approximately 2,000 BC; recorded many years later)

The book itself was written later than the events that occurred in it (as was the case for the creation story contained in Genesis that is credited to the authorship of Moses; the same Moses might have been used of God to record Job's story, too, but no human author took credit for it). Several scholars (including John MacArthur: see The MacArthur Study Bible, c. 2006, notes for Job; and especially Dr. Henry M. Morris The Remarkable Record of Job, c.1988, Chapter 1) think that Job was the contemporary of Abraham. This would be possible because the name of Uz, the probable ancestor of Job for whom his hometown received its name, is listed in Genesis 10 near that of Abraham's ancestors (cf. Genesis 10:21-25).

Morris and MacArthur also point out that the land of Uz was likely near the land of Midian. This could be another reason to suggest the authorship of Moses since he spent time in Midian prior to returning to Egypt and leading the Jewish Exodus.

It seems reasonable to place the Book of Job after Genesis 10 where his probable ancestry is given even though he most likely lived after the Babel event recorded in the early part of Genesis 11. To do otherwise would be to dissect the 11th chapter and place the Book of Job between the account of Babel and the lineage of Abraham. Perhaps we'll do that if we edit the reading in future years, but for now the we will be reminded when we return to Genesis in a few weeks that 11:1-9 precedes the life of Job.

The Gospel of John (References creation c. 8,000-4,000 BC but deals with the life of Jesus c. 4 BC - AD 29; recorded by John circa AD 80-90)

John was not the first gospel account written but it is the first that we'll read. Actually, John's gospel was probably the last of the four written yet I enjoy reading the Gospel of John alongside the Book of Genesis. "In the beginning . . ." they both begin. Unlike the synoptic gospels, John references Jesus as the creator of the world! This opening statement is enough to immediately establish Jesus' claim to be deity.

Each of the four gospels concentrates on a different aspect of the nature of Christ. John focuses on Jesus as God and there's no beating around the bush! He boldly proclaims Jesus to be God by going back to the creation account to do so. That's why we're reading the Gospel of John first even though other gospel accounts were written earlier.

In conclusion, our Old Testament timeline covers about the first 2,000 years of the world's history (c. 4000-2000 BC) and the New Testament timeline is of the life of Christ from eternity past (which is the only "pre" history I believe existed) through to the life of Christ (birth c. 4 BC - death c. AD 29).

Memory Monday

2012-01-02T00:02:00.016-05:00

Mondays are usually such tough days but some of us are off work this week. Even though most of us are getting our first holiday break of the year today doesn't mean that our minds should be totally on vacation even though most of this week's verses are probably familiar ones. Consider them mental warm up exercises for the weeks ahead and my gift to you. :)

There's something for everyone here. Are all of the verses familiar to you? If so, great! Review them this week. If not, well then, pick one of the unfamiliar ones and see if you can master it. Don't worry if it takes longer than a week to commit it to memory. We're not keeping star charts here (although you're free to keep one yourself if it makes you feel any better). And if the verses listed are just too easy then give the longer Scripture Passage a try. You might know each of them individually but in order as a complete block.

Give it a try! And if you need some help on how to begin try some of the ideas below. Feel free to post your own ideas in the comment section. My aged addled brain is always looking for new ways of remembering things, and not just Bible verses either!

Genesis 1:1-2
Genesis 1:27
Genesis 2:7
Genesis 7:15-16
Genesis 9:15-17
Job 1:21-22
John 1:1
John 1:2
John 1:3
John 1:4
John 1:5
John 1:12
John 3:16 (or John 3:16-18 if this verse is just too easy an assignment)
John 4:24
John 5:24
John 8:31-32

Scripture Passage to Memorize: *Give yourself extra credit, perhaps a piece of chocolate (or two).

John 1:1-14

MEMORIZATION HINTS:

I memorize things in a variety of ways and the teacher in me likes to help children memorize in ways that seem best suited to their learning types. I seriously doubt there are any children reading this, but I find that some of the things that helped me memorize school assignments as a child still help me learn new things as an adult. See if any of the following suggestions help you.

Some verses can easily be coupled with sing-songy tunes like children's nursery rhyme music and some can be written in phrases such as poetic couplets or rhyming techniques. Others require lots and lots of writing.

Do you know your learning style? If not, an activity listed below might help you have one of those "Ah ha!" moments where one recognizes him/herself from the description. These are just some of my suggestions. See if you can think of others. And if you do, leave me a comment telling me what works for you or someone you know. I'm always looking for creative ideas for teaching memory verses to children in our summer Vacation Bible School and it isn't too early for me to add to my memory toolbox!

Auditory learners

putting the verse to music
listening to an Mp3 of the verse
having someone else say the verse and repeating it to the person a phrase at a time
read the verse aloud to themselves

Visual learners

reading the verses after they have been arranged in stanza or phrase form
drawing icons or other mnemonic pictures over the top of words in the verse (picture cues)
putting the verses on index cards and placing them strategically around the house
diagram the verse grammatically (Oh, those English majors!)

Kinetic learners

physically write (or type) the verse
write each word of the verse on a separate index card and arrange them in correct order
place each index card (see above) in proper order onto the floor and step from card-to-card while reading the word.
"air writing" each word of the verse
act out the verbs in the verse

I'm a combination learner, as are many, who does well when I see it, sing it, and muscle it around. Depending on the difficulty, it can take a bit of creativity to make something "stick" in my memory.

God bless you this week as you memorize His Word. Actually, I think Psalm 1 (just to name one) promises that He will!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

From our family to yours:

Happy New Year!

May ". . . the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, . . . keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus . . ." this coming year is our prayer!

Phil 4:7 (KJV)

In Christ,

Pastor Dad, Gram, and The Bear