My Hero: King Jesus

post to come, its Christmas Eve...

Abstract

-Thoughts on the power of God in the lives of close friends. Eagerly anticipating...
-Thoughts on the scandalous nature of the King of the Universe's birth.
-Thoughts on true heroism.

A story from the famous Susan Malmsten

Heather and Todd were excited about the arrival of a new addition to their
small but soon-to-be-large family.  Having just been accepted to med school,
Dr. Todd pulled out his freshly bought stethoscope and told Heather he had
an idea.

"Let's listen to your belly!" Todd exclaimed.

"Yeah, whatever dear..." Heather said, while sitting there trying to
remember where she was (yes folks, pregnant women often go crazy)

Todd excitedly put the stethoscope to Heather's belly... and listened
intently.

"Hey I hear something!" Todd said

"Are we at the zoo?" Heather asked quietly to no one in particular.

From within the depths of Heather's large round stomach came this voice...

"Hey hey hey!  How is everyone feeling tonight?!!  Spleen, you look great! 
Colon, glad you could make it but please take a shower next time, P-U!!  Hey
Liver, have you lost weight?  You look fab!"

Todd was a little confused... what could possibly be going on?

Heather was definitely confused.  "I think I left my pants in the grocery
store" she mumbled.

Todd continued listening....

"Well for those of you who don't know me (and who wouldn't, I'm the biggest
thing in the Belly these days) my name is Hodd and I am here to make you
laugh! (clap clap clap)"

Heather stared at the man listening to her belly with a stethoscope... he
looked kinda cute.  She wondered who he was.  Then he started chuckling. 
Strange.  Her belly began rumbling... and she was starting to feel gassy. 
The weird doctor man was laughing pretty hard now.

"This kid is hilarious!" Todd exlaimed inbetween laughter and fell to the
floor about to wet his pants.

Heather tilted her head to one side inquisitively.

She pulled herself up off the couch with great difficulty, and joined Todd
on the floor.

Tears were pouring out of Todd's eyes and he continued to roll around on his
back laughing.

Heather began to rock side to side.  "Oh, I get it.  We're boats, aren't
we!"

Row row row your boat, gently down the stream
Merrily merrily merrily merrily
Life is but a dream.

... ah yes, life is but a dream.

and with that I bid you adieu.

Baby Names?

Deceit

My thoughts have been drawn to think about the word 'deceit'. This has come about because of sin in my heart, which was stirred up by the following passage in 1 Peter. Besides being the current skirmish in my war against sin (up alongside judgmentalism), I have noticed the extent of its influence in the world. I propose that these two sins are fundamental problems in the hearts of those who discuss/debate theological issues in this day and age. But first, a look at the passage in question.

1 Peter 1:22-2:3

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

2:1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

A word about Deceit

(Just recently, as I continue to wrestle my brain into studying NT Greek, I read C.S. Lewis' Surprised by Joy, in which he basically said that learning Greek means identifying words with images, ideas, motions, and experiences [which relate to those who would have used it] rather than merely inserting an English equivalent, which in most cases is not an accurate representation. In other words, the word ‘naus’, and 'ship' both refer to a vessel on the water, and an idea, image, or experience should come to mind rather than a simple translation. Now, I need to be careful because I extrapolated a bit on what Lewis said. Nonetheless, this is the kind of perspective I believe is important to have when viewing Greek words. On the other side we need to be careful that they are not over-subjectified, so that any word means anything depending on one's experience. Rather we should look to understand the culture, and time when these words were used so that we are better informed of their meaning. I believe this view is helpful in toning down the super-spiritualization of Greek, or the undervaluing of it. But alas, I have digressed.)

Check out blueletterbible.org for more info on the following Greek.

dolos {dol'-os} = The idea behind this word is seen in the fishing analogy. Picture the fish looking at a worm on a hook. Behind the irresistible worm is a fatal hook. The whole truth is not meant to be understood. To switch analogies, we see it a lot in advertising. A common example of guile or deceit in Canadian culture is our beer commercials. Pleasures of every sort await the people (and this is aimed at University students) who drink, carouse, and involve themselves in alcohol. The flip side, or the deception, is that the commercial is not telling the entire story. The sinfully idealized way in which females are pictured, and the lack of the consequences to the actions alluded to/engaged in, are in serious opposition to God’s word. (As an aside, Alcohol is not a bad thing, but the deceptive way it is advertised is).

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Unconscious Deceitfulness and Conscious Deceitfulness

The plague of sin in the heart causes the heart to lack a desire for pure truthfulness. Unconsciously this may manifest itself in conversation by the person elevating one truth over another, refusing to hear the claims of another/understand what they are saying, or in ‘camping’ on one point by continuously returning to it. Consciously, the sin of deceit may appear when a person deliberately withholds information in a discussion, or attempts to ‘bully’ another through a series of ‘leading questions’. In both situations the main problem is that love for God, and for the person in the discussion are absent. The mature and wise man (as proverbs declares over and over) will benefit from reproof, will listen to instruction (even if it is from a fool!), and will change if necessary.

The Internet and Deceit

The internet has been used in many deceitful was, particularly in the area of critique. There is probably evidence of this kind of usage in my own blog, and if there is, I need to repent. The major issue with critique in chat-rooms, discussion boards, blogs, and the like, is a lack of relationship. I must insert that, to a certain extent, truth must be defended whether the defender knows the assailants or not. The major issue today is a lack of love for the people who spout untruth. We shake our heads at the Gay Pride parade, and the pro-Abortionists, and store up hatred in our hearts toward them, forming in our minds five passages of scripture in the shape of spears, with which we might impale them. Worse however is our attitude toward those who call themselves ‘brothers’. Often there is little desire to carefully instruct, and love those who claim to love Jesus. Most of the time great attacks are made from a severe lack of knowledge of God’s word, or the subjects at hand, and if these things are known, there is no love by which they may be made useful (sadly this comes from many who claim to believe the teachings of Calvinism, or the Westminster Confession, or the Puritans, etc…).

Applications

Truth must be fought for; the whole truth. God’s complete sovereign control balanced with man’s responsibly accountable choices. The fullness of God as the second person of the Trinity, in all his glory, authority, and power, with all of his demands, decrees, and wrath, brought together with the fullness of Man in all of his blood, life, death, and example. How about the scandalous cross we romanticize eh? God murdered his son, and mankind murdered him. The gifts of the Spirit right beside the holiness and righteousness of that same Spirit. Hey folks at Trent, lets get it balanced. I love you guys deeply. Stop chasing after miraculous signs at the expense of Christ.

I've begged you for some proof

For my Thomas eyes to see

A slithering staff, a leprous hand

And lions resting lazily

A glimpse of your back-side glory

And this soaked altar going ablaze

But you know I've seen so much

And I explained it away

From:

"Shifting Sand"

By Caedmon's Call

Off the album "40 Acres"

Written by Aaron Tate

The truth is folks, the back-side glory can be seen by reading a book, and falling head-over-heels in love with the one who displayed that glory to Moses. We can know him via a book. A book!

The Ignorant Mr. Anderson

In the last two days I picked up a copy of C.S. Lewis' 'Surprised by Joy'. I had to make one of those cards to put in the back of the book, so that the church would know it was out (it hadn't quite made it to the shelf yet). In any case the book is mind blowing because it is pure Lewis. The entire book is filled with references to books he has read (many classics), and also includes perhaps over 50 inserts of latin/greek/german/french phrases (most of which I did not comprehend). He is constantly saying things like: "This experience was akin to when Euripedes did this with (excuse my memory) So-and-so." And that was one of the really beneficial things about this book. It explained to me quite clearly that I have no right to boast about the books I have read, or the people I know of. C.S. was merely explaining facts about his childhood. I treat some of these names like trophies, even though I have never read them. To have even heard of Homer is nothing compared to someone who translates from the original. So this is good. Secondly, it re-emphasized the fact that spending my time wisely, and fruitfully is something I need to dedicate more energy to. From now on its no longer, "yeah I read Owen, he's pretty good" (having lightninged through Mortification of Sin [which, by the way, means I was probably thinking about something else and skimming/skipping humongous chunks]), but "I need to re-read this because I don't have anywhere near a good grasp on such-an-such an idea".

Be careful what you read folks.

In other news, I wrote a poem. For some reason every time I read Lewis I receive inspiration. I'll post it some other time.

The Night Can Be So Long

I've been listing to Andrew Peterson lately, having received a very timely CD by the mysterious Aunt Deb. I say mysterious because God has gifted her with a very timely ministry to a younger generation, which often involves life-changing directions. Beware of Aunt Deb! In any case, Listenting to Andrew Peterson's Far Country has been refreshing. Sometimes I sit down and just laugh, because he blends earthy metaphors with kingdom glory. In a day and age when exploring Christian music is akin to throwing your CDs at Calvin and Hobbes' duplicator, it is good to hear truth contexted well. The following song is perhaps an echo of the Boltinator's thoughts of late.

All Shall Be Well
from "The Far Country" Words and music by Andrew Peterson

(Matthew 16:18, Matthew 5:16, Luke 15:20-24, Luke 15:4, Isaiah 40:8, Hebrews 12:1)

We touched down on the sound
At the top of the world
In the land of the midnight sun
Where the frozen river melts away
And breaks into a run
Into the sea, into the mighty waves
That waited just to see it
From a long way off that river thawed
And the tide ran out to meet it
“Welcome home, unfrozen river, welcome home”

‘Cause all shall be well, all shall be well
Break the chains of the gates of Hell
Still all manner of things will be well

See the quiet hearts of the children of
The children of this land
They have stayed alive in the day-long night
By the fires that warm their hands
There is a wilderness inside them
It is dark and thick and deep
And beside the fire at the heart of that wood
Is a precious missing sheep
So go on in, hold your torch, let it shine

‘Cause all shall be well, all shall be well
Break the chains of the gates of Hell
Still all manner of things will be well
All shall be well, all shall be well
The Word of God will never fail
And all manner of things will be well

There’s a light in the darkness
There’s an end to the night

I saw the sun go down on a frozen ocean
As the man in the moon was rising
And he rode the night all full and bright
With his face at the far horizon
And the night can be so long, so long You think you’ll never get up again
But listen now, it’s a mighty cloud of Witnesses around you—they say
“Hold on, just hold on Hold on to the end
And all shall be well”

©Andrew Peterson


Well.... That's it for now, but I think I may blog a little more regularily. I'll tell you soon about the happenings in Kitchener. For now, just hold on, because all shall be well.

So I have been catapulted into the Publishing industry. I feel like a foose-ball being kicked around by aggressive, and extravagantly coloured, plastic men. The job arose out of a trip to Toronto Baptist Seminary with the C&C (no not command and conquer) group of Grace Bible Church. After a fascinating time, which included a surprise visit from some close friends, and a call to live a life of worship as described in Romans 12, my wife and I drove back to K/W area with a member of the C&C group. On the way home, Heather fell asleep, and I this woman and I talked about life, interests, her job, my lack of one, etc... The conversation came around to my interests in grammar, english, and whether or not I was a fan of the editing/proofing process. This is me. I'm the kid who drools over linguistics, and fusses exceptionally over the grammar and content of every email I send. God's absolute control over the events of this world is astounding. In any case, Janice asked my if I would be willing to work on a book being published through Joshua Press. 5 Chapters into a book on Wesley and Socialism, I am enjoying it thoroughly. I never realized how many endnotes could exist in one chapter. In any case, God is providing, Heather and I are well, opportunities to spend time with the pastor of Grace are growing, and I am studying John and being fascinated. Oh ya, go immediately to www.desiringgod.org and check out the conference stuff. You trent students, listen to it. There is some interesting insight into our post-modern world. Noah, you remind me of Driscoll.

My time is running short,
peace,

al'Ander

Be Nice to those 411 folk.

So I thought I would try my hand at the call-centre gig, and for the moment (half way through training) I enjoy it. Directory Assistance is one of those bizzarre jobs where you work to provide phone numbers as fast as possible to those who (generally speaking) are either Voice-Automated-Illiterate, thickly-accented, or mumblers. The job itself is sort of like the intellectual side of tree-planting (if there is such a thing) because speed and accuracy are the key elements. Everything about the odd keyboard we use in DA is designed toward that. The hard part is the amount of information which must be known in order to deal with all types of situations. Its a kin to the intense physical rigors of crossing swamps, climbing over trees, and enduring crazy weather systems, only in the brain. So I'll give it a whirl, realizing that I have the better end of the deal because (hopefully) these customers actually want the information I gots. So treat your 411 agents nicely, because you just might get me, and I just might not appreciate the breathing-down-your-neck-and-get-me-your-supervisor kind of angry that exists in this field.

On to bigger and better things however:

I was reading John 2 yesterday, writing out a fair bit of the passage, and suddenly my brain turned sideways, and the whole turning water into wine miracle stunned me. Here are some thoughts and observations which I am currently investigating. This stuff is craziness!

1. The jars Jesus told the servants to fill with water were used for Rites of Purification. He changes that water into great wine. Purification, wine... Something is odd here.

2. What is Jesus talking about when he says to his mom: "Woman, what does this have to do with me, my time has not yet come?" Is he saying, "Hey mom, give me a couple minutes" or is he talking about his death, or what?

In any case, the 1st question pretty much blew my mind, particularily when I looked up in Numbers that they sprinkled water of 'purification' before sacrifices and offerings were given. My take is this: Water of Purification is a physical act of what is supposed to be a heart-felt affection. The Jews tended to (and don't we do this too!) associate these commands as having effectual significance, and over time traditionalized the whole ceremony, so that it was not a true representation of what was going on in their hearts. Purifying our hearts is the issue, the water simply reminds us. Jesus changes the reminder from water into wine. What does wine represent? Joy, Happiness. Read Song of Songs, or many other passages, which talks about Wine being a symbol of a 'full life' or enjoyment. This has definitely strayed from exegesis, but stay with me for a moment. The thing which purifies our hearts is that which also enraptures our hearts. Christ. He is our purification (Heb 1:3) and our desire, our joy, our satisfying drink. Why do we take communion? What is that emblem of wine associating? Joy and Sorrow, Life and Death. Perhaps the cool thing is that Jesus made the best kind of wine, not some crappy vintage. Just like the joy he gives is the best kind of joy, because it originates out of him.

Heather and I are doing well, seeing as we worship King Jesus. I like that title. It reminds me to think of Jesus as our champion warrior, gone out to defeat the enemy's champion on our behalf. All our hopes ride in the strength of his arm, and he has a righteous right hand.

Peace friends

News

Heather and I are coming to Ptown this weekend. She works a bit Saturday, and we hope to go to Braidwood on Sunday. We hope to visit with some of you lovely Peterborough folk, take your books, clothes, and chocolate, and retreat once again to Kitchener. Beware the Andersons!

I finished at 11:40, the time here is lying

Kitchener Poem (or Rant)

Edwards' grave cries out to all this fine day,
broiling and roiling tumble tongue tying sentences
with a God-enflamed heart and brain.
Hedonistic Kristiens claiming Christian-like hedonisms
head to worship their favourite preacher, or do they head to feed on his or HER head.
When society exhausts itself in seeking happiness, in hoarding and goarding
and giga-biga biting their way along,
And the end of a life is perhaps the next step away, and the Christians gobble the idea of this
perhaps hateful word called 'access', not to mention participling it,
So that knowing is laughable, discipline is ancient, and the quiet study of the Word is not so
good as a message 'to go' before work.
Joy is Sorrow, Humility is Victory, and Truth is both Ugly and Beautiful, but never sexy.

-the bard

KW

Well, Heather and I made it. We have crash landed in Kitchener Ontario after an exciting time near Alongonquin. Heather is at school, and I am running around shopping, cleaning, cooking, and trying to figure out phone/internet/job issues. Bell Mobility folk are smooth talkers. I think it is a bizzare cultural thing that I missed. First the Employee sterotypes me as a person who should understand all of the high-gimmerick of her electronic trade. She speels out info and questions concerning what I needed, and then (with a slight grimace) realizes I didn't quite understand what she was saying, so she re-stereotypes, grabs a piece of paper, and writes everything down, explaining High Speed, DSL, and Dial-up. It kind of made me chuckle inside. In any case, I am finding out facinating things about life while residing in KW. The highway sections are like this puzzle which keeps shifting around so you never know quite how to solve it. The roads intersect eachother and then run parallel, kinda like a DNA strand. And I am finding out the value of community centres and government run programs as I type away in one. Needless to say, things are fresh, I am in the business of hunting out every internet nook and cranny in this town until I can solidify my own, Heather and I are church hunting, and I'm going to try Chiken a la King (or somesuch) for dinner tonight. I'm going to pull the greek books out and study intently this year, hopefully so I can read my GNT with affinity. I hope the TCF community is doing well, and I miss Braidwood. Church hunting begins this Sunday. We might try and check out some Christian Reformed folks. Who knows!

Gotta run, there is lots to do down here.

God speed friends,

Todd

Time

24 hours 2 mins and counting...

Yep. Singleness is dwindling...

9366 minutes

And I am excited. Truly anticipatorily excited.

Closing in on Afraid...

11 days...

Steely Nerves

Yep that's right... 18 days to go.

Brothers to Battle

Honesty and courage go hand in hand. As a lover of Christ, I find the most difficult thing in life to do is communicate to another human being that I have not loved Jesus. It seems to be intesified if someone a) also knows Christ, and b) is in an intimate relationship with me [ie family]. The perspective I desire to have is one which continually keeps my current situation before my thoughts at all times. That I have been rescued by the only means possible, from the worst problem possible, by the only person possible; and it is not myself. When I analyze my own sin, and truly sorrow over it, I am not very much inclined to comment judgementally on someone else's sin. But the trick is that a beginning step must be taken in order to start a process of honesty in a positive direction instead of a negative direction. If noone talks about personal sin, then noone will risk saying anything offensive (which is most of the Bible in the toilet), which completes and maintains a viscious cycle of assumptions, judgements, and failures, which can only be broken by Godly courage, which is born of a true desire to be holy, and shatters the trend by being the first one to say: 'I have a problem'. From here the entire trend (and the lifestyle of an entire people group in some cases) reverses like a coiled spring, so that people freely share eachother's burdens, refrain from judging, and teach eachother how God would have them live.

My little brother is probably the most courageous person I know, and I love him for it. I have no shame in declaring that his honesty is a reproof, and his attitude is refreshment of the soul.

Continue to fight brother, I am beside you.

Todd

Lyrics that pack a punch

Every Grain of Sand

Bob Dylan

In the time of my confession,
in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet
flood every newborn seed
There's a dyin' voice within me
reaching out somewhere,
Toiling in the danger and in
the morals of despair.

Don't have the inclination to
look back on any mistake,
Like Cain,
I now behold this chain of events
that I must break.
In the fury of the moment
I can see the Master's hand
In every leaf that trembles,
in every grain of sand.

Oh, the flowers of indulgence
and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals,
they have choked the breath
of conscience and good cheer.
The sun beat down upon the steps
of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness
and the memory of decay.

I gaze into the doorway of
temptation's angry flame
And every time I pass that way
I always hear my name.
Then onward in my journey
I come to understand
That every hair is numbered
like every grain of sand.

I have gone from rags to riches
in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream,
in the chill of a wintry light,
In the bitter dance of loneliness
fading into space,
In the broken mirror of innocence
on each forgotten face.

I hear the ancient footsteps like
the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there,
other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance
*(of the reality of man)
Like every sparrow falling,
like every grain of sand.

*of a perfect finished plan (different version)

I don't know about anyone else, but these lyrics cause some serious neron movement in my gray matter. Like nerons running marathons trying to understand and compute and react to what Dylan is talking about. Its thick like chocolate milk, with all of the goodness. I love how it sounds rolling off of the tongue when I attempt to play it. It has that feel of a song which moves the soul to consider the words. It taunts you with interesting metaphors and quizzical comparisons. And the underlying base note is that constant reminder that God has authority over all things in life, and how for some it is a terribly unbelievable atrocity, and how for others it is the most marvelous and exciting truth.

"In the fury of the moment
I can see the Master's hand"

Such a contrasting image here. I get the picture of someone in a severe rage suddenly stop in their tracks to observe a butterfly peacefully lighted on a flower. Or that sudden realization in the middle of the act, that you are sinning against a holy God.

"Oh, the flowers of indulgence
and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals,
they have choked the breath
of conscience and good cheer."

Indulgence dulls the conscience, and ironically enough, destroys joy.

"I am hanging in the balance of a perfect finished plan."

I love this line. Such a good reminder that all the work on our behalf is completed. The perfect plan is finished. Its done. Wow! Our job is the infinitely joyful task of telling people how good God is.

Peace,

Todd

Possible Teen Girl Squad Material

Heather and I were going through some of her grade school stuff, and we came across a story she called the "Pioneer Girl". I'll write out the essentials and insert some voice indications. For all of you strong bad enthusiasts out there, I hope you laugh a lot a lot a lot...

The Pioneer Girl

(narrator voice, typical scratchy teen girl)

N: One day Anna was walking down the path. She saw a sign it said: "The pioneer girl is coming to town!!". If you would like to see her sign address here.

Anna (insert cheerleader voice):"I wonder who the pioneer girl is??"

N: She signed up anyway. She put: "Blue house, white windows and red door."

N: She went to sleep thinking: "who is the pioneer girl?" The next morning Anna made breakfast for her younger sister Andrea (she also has another sister named Ashleigh. Ashleigh is only a baby, Andrea is five and Anna is fifteen) Bang bang there was a knock at the door.

Anna: "I wonder who that is"

Anna's Mom: "Please get the door Anna".

N: Anna got the door and there was a girl that she had never seen before.

girl she had never seen before (insert so and so voice): "I'm the pioneer girl, I'm fifteen"

Anna: "Oh. Come on in. I'm fifteen too. My name's Anna."

Pioneer girl: "I'm looking for a place to stay and I'm very good at knitting"

Anna: "Well you could stay here. I'll check with my mom."

N: (the Pioneer girl's name was Leah) Anna came back with a smile on her face.

Anna: "You're aloud to stay."

N: They all had a happy life. Leah helped alot.

THE END


Word for word folks. My wife to be is hilarious.

Anyone willing to draw an episode for this one? haha. Peace out.

Update

39 days and counting. I really need to get a tickerfactory thing. Noah my number is 743-7396, I'll be home friday. I would love to get together in the coming weeks, and experience some of the insight that Christ has granted you in the past months. We're Headed to the Loo today to search for apartments. I hope Hope Valley is treating you well Jer, I may be back in the weeks to come.

Quick thought: Jesus is the most offensive person alive. There is noone else who has scandalized and brought on the hatred of so many people.

I love you Paul; continue to dig into the word. The firm foundation of faith God has placed in you will be a resting place for those who waver. Make sure you share with them what you have learned!!

That's all for now. Heather and I are off to find some place to reside until we get to go home. I look forward to seeing you all soon, if not after I'm dead. Blaze friends, blaze, for time is short!

In Christ,

Todd Edward Anderson

Studying Brings Joy to the Soul and Honour to Christ

I feel as if I am having a difficult time being impressed by the magnificence of God. The problem of sin in the form of idleness, which has crept up under the guise of 'relief from the stress of wedding planning', has dulled my mind so that the strength of my love for God wanes, and my desire for Him diminishes. Heather and I pondered a solution, and so we have decided to attempt a touch more of a scholarly approach to Bible study, praying that we will once again continue that trend of deepening delight in our saviour. We chose for eachother a passage to analyze and write a 1000 word essay (min) concerning it. Now the purpose here does not demand a rigid form of expression, but it does require a purposeful thoughtflow, with application. I'm excited about it.

This also reminds me that I wanted to encourage everyone else in a thought I had while watching the T.V. show House, which I don't really endorse, as the insightfulness of it all is buried beneath worldliness. But I gleaned one interesting idea. In each episode the doctors brainstorm the cause of some odd combination of ailments, ruling out problems, and testing theories. Each Doctor has a particular area they are specialized in, an area that they have studied intently and are skilled in both knowledge and practice in the application of it. In the same way I think we should continue to lean on one another's teaching, checking to make sure it is sound, but relying on the Holy Spirit to teach us about the nature of Christ, and how to become more like him, through the experience, study, and knowledge of other believers. Most people call this discipleship, but few really experience it. If we stop to think about it, we will continue to be discipled until the day we die. We may learn from people of any age if we truly began the process of learning. Like the proverbs continually say: "The wise man hears and increases in learning." (paraphrase). Living skillfully in God's eyes means being willing to learn from those who are wiser than yourself in a given area. I intend to refresh my life in this way. I desire to be taught more about the satisfying enjoyment of God's glory in the person of Christ.

Which reminds me. Noah keep posting your studies on Pneumatology. I am very interested in hearing your thoughts on what the Bible says concerning the Spirit's role in the Trinity, and how he relates to man. I'll be checking!

Give generously and without pride of the deep rich wells of knowledge and wisdom which the Lord has placed in your hearts for the enjoyment of all peoples. And be quick to listen to those who would do the same.

Peace my friends.

Ticking

46 days left... wow

Lots of things left to do, and time is counting down. I may put up a nice counter from tickerfactory seeing as AndyMack doesn't need his anymore! Congrats dude!

I'm in Peterborough at the moment, but the next couple weeks may see me anywhere from Hope Valley to Waterloo. Today I intend to have a lovely chat with some insurance companies... hehehe.

Peace friends.

Todd

intentshoughnal

I'm not sure where this post will go.






Notice how I didn't use the continuous tense, "will be going". Its either for two reasons. 1) I'm grammatically lazy like most North American English speakers, or 2) There is a purposeful attention-drawing point, which is most likely only noticed by you the reader because I mentioned it in grueling description. For those who were wondering, why did Todd write that the way he did, congrats, I applaud your intentionalness in being attentive to language. Because, it is important.

se v enThe things humans communicate are important. Therefore the medium and all the governing rules of it become immediately important. Not in and of themselves, but because they are the vehicle by which we connect with people. Like a language, or a grammar system, or a gesture, or specific physical contact. For written language, this culture finds it very tedious to spend time thinking about why someone writes the way they do. Like why did I indent this paragraph 7 times instead of 5. Did you check? Do you care? Probably not. And to be honest, on that point, I don't really care, because it makes little difference in what I am communicating. I believe the trend of today is that people are much more interested in dump-trucking (haha I just verbed a word) information by whatever means or words possible, as long as the core of the message is understood. Just get the gist of it. Just gist. You see? You can figure out the basics of what I meant. And it has become sort of fun to try and decipher what the crap people are saying on msn. A good puzzle. The best thing of all is that muddled writing indifferences (hehe) and protects the writer. Something can't be offensive if it is barely understood.

and I'm guilty of this the same way
you are. and i'm probably breaking my own rules. Which is the point I suppose. I would like to be (as far as possible) aware and in control of my tongue, or this electronic one, and every manner or means it uses to communicate. I thoroughly enjoy quality language manipulation, both in speech and in grapho. As long as it is done with a desire to enrich life, instead of out of pride and arrogance. Consider grapho for a moment. It refers to the greek word 'grapho' which represents the idea of writing. I could very well take pride in the idea that some people would not be able to reason out why I did that, or what it meant, or even further, that it had some Oobie-Doobie Greek etymology. And to be honest, I have abused language in what I say and write in this way before. That doesn't mean don't have fun with language. But be careful (that is full of the attribute of caring) in how you say what you say. Don't lord it over others. Furthermore,


and to the second point: which might be more impointant than the first one:

what we say always affects something. Broad, possibly vague, but I believe true. And thus howww we say it also affects something. Be intentional about how as well as what. Ask or watch Noah Salo write poetry, and you may get a good idea. I am very much still learning about this entire topic. God is an intentional God. This is dangerous. It means that nothing happens with out his intending it to happen. Do things come out of your mouth or keyboard which you did not intend. Do they come out of mine? God intentionally kills those who hate his name. He intentionally saves those who hate him. He intentionally enjoys fellowship with himself and those who love him. What he says, and the way in which he says it, he intends.

intentional11 this time.

where will you go.?
will it be
intentional

It’s a dangerous way to live.

I agree with Jer about the DW article in Relevant Mag. Check it out.

Luke and I are well, trying to live Christ in a culture that is very different from where we come from. I am encouraged though by some of Derek's thoughts here.

This was particularily interesting...

"I cannot think like an American. I cannot think like whatever it is I am. I have to think about one who looks ahead to King Jesus on the throne and His kingdom and Him ruling righteously and perfectly, because that is the kingdom that is coming. That is the government that we long for. That is not the government we are in now. There is a point at which, with what look like political decisions, where I have to pull back. Politics is a broken system, especially a two party system. It’s really hard. I think there is work to be done. I feel like there is kingdom building that can happen in that arena, but it is not ideal. It is really difficult."

An experience unlike any other

Luke and I are doing well this chilled friday afternoon. As we sit in the freshly (2005) constructed Timmins library, looking forward to a day of conversation with family, reading and relaxation, my mind wanders back to an odd experience I had two days ago. For some context, know that a week ago I was extremely close to quiting this crazy job of tree-planting, for the simple reason that I miss Heather quite a lot. Those feelings of longing have not changed, but my attitude toward the situation has, and this is all due to God's grace. Its funny how crazy this culture is, and it is interesting to note how affectatious every word, action, and deed becomes in shaping the attitude of a work day. My response this past week has been to breathe deeply of the word of God, and pray continually. And this is what happened as a result:

I was planting on my own this particular day, filling in a long row of swamplike terrain, which was brimming with stumps, fallen logs, and the like, singing praises to God and cherishing the fact that (if nothing else) I have the ability to spend 8 solid hours relatively unhindered in concentrating on Jesus, and how excellent he is. All of a sudden, as I was singing the lines of some song like "Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him", or something Derek wrote, I began to cry. And then I began to weep, tears of joy flooding my face. It was not due to the hardship of the job, but rather the realization that Jesus lives, and that he is all I need. It really hit me. The experience continued off and on for 15 minutes, and I was stunned by what had taken place. I must have looked insane: a guy in tree-planting gear, laughing, singing and weeping as he runs around planting trees. But it was an extraordinary experience. Nothing flashy or earth shattering, or irrational. It was that realization of the mind which struck my heart the way a particularily tasteful chord strikes the ear, and I was floored by the thought that Jesus is alive, and in control, and beautiful.

Treeplanting continues to be challenging, but now the challenge is turning more from the work, to the people. The mission field here is as ripe as any, and many preliminary conversations I have had with people reveals a wide variety of backgrounds and interests, but a common thread of interest and openness to the things of God. My chief goal in the next month is to spend as much time as possible listening to people, and explaining why my life is full of joy and happiness because of the one I love. Jesus is to be held in high esteem, and my actions (I pray) will mirror that. Pray for Luke and I, as we endeavour to help these people find real joy. Pray that we would not judge those whom we were once very much like. Pray that we would work dilligently to uphold the truth of God's word, and let that message offend people, rather than the way we say things carry the offence.

Thankyou friends, and may God strike your hearts with a similar fire for the lost that he has founded in me this week.

Grace and Peace in Christ,

Todd

Treeplanting

Luke and I are tree planting! Its craziness, but we are alive and currently in Timmins. It is snowing.... and its May. Welcome to the North... sigh. In any case, it is good to read blogs, and write emails. Cheers all, chase Christ, and adore Him!

The Todd... still kickin

the Plant

Heading to the bush; Its my last day in ptown. Pray that Luke and I will honour God in all we do. Peace to all of my friends, and all of my enemies...

I will try and update if I get internet access.

'who you are when you are alone is who you are'

God bless,

Todd

And you thought we were normal :)

A wedding invitation picture which didn't make the cut

Love

I love Heather.

And I wanted to expound a couple of reasons why this is the case. My hope here is to encourage everyone to seek to know God as deeply as possible before you have the opportunity to die, because he is the only truly enjoyable thing.

This relates to Heather, because my love for her is always contingent on my love for God. I should also define what I mean by love, so that there is no confusion. There are two basic ways I see our culture, and perhaps even our Evangelical culture, use the term 'love'. It is used to describe a degree of affection for something, or it is used to describe an attitude/characteristic of a person. God does both of these perfectly. John describes God as 'love' (1 John 4:8), which refers to his personal attribute, or character. God is also perfect in his affection toward man. This is to say that God has the correct degree of affection towards each person. What is it about mankind that is attractive to God? It is that very image of himself, which he created Adam and Eve in, and which every human has the form of. Unfortunately (and this will not be pursued very far in the discussion), every human being born is corrupt in that form. But let me clear some of this philosophizing up.

1. Love is a characteristic
2. Love is an affection

From my perspective, and my own experience, men and women on this earth form relationships with eachother based on these two reasons. It need not be both, but I believe one or the other is necessary. In a healthy relationship the characteristic of love in a person (and as mentioned before, true love always stems from a love for God) is the root of a Godly relationship. It is the essence. It is not based on anything about the other person. It does not deal with attraction, or the senses, or perceptions about the other person. It is simply that characteristic of love which is given to the human by God's spirit. This is that 'agapei love' which everyone has heard about and gets excited over. It is from this characteristic that a person declares, I will live my live sacrificially toward God, and toward this person. I will love them regardless of anything they do or say.
Love as an affection deals with desire, and delight. It is that love which notices the person and says, "I want to be with them!", "They are amazing, and marvelous, and wonderful...". This type of loving affection has its root in one of two places. Either it is planted in the godly, self-less characteristic of love in a person's life, or it is planted in the godless, selfish characterisitic of self-love in a person's life. There is no stand-alone affection. You can't desire something without there being a reason for desiring it. A healthy desiring affection toward another person does not put on 'pink shades', or disregard the sin in another person's life. Rather it chooses not to focus on them, but instead to focus on the good things in another. To marvel at their personality, and physical beauty, to cherish their conversation, and godly attitude. Because this type of love is rooted in a loving disposition, the issues of sin are dealt with based on that unconditional foundation. To top it off, one's affections steadily grow over time, if they are based on a characteristic of love.

As followers of Christ, and people who have been given a new heart (which is that characteristic of love) we not only have the ability to love those who are our 'enemies', but we also have the ability to have genuine affection for them. This is what heaps burning coals on their heads. Those who do not follow Christ do not have the ability to love unconditionally, only selfishly. They love because it benefits them. When they see someone genuinely desiring to spend time with people who hate them, it is mind boggling to them, and in many cases causes them to ask why, or proclaim us to be mad.

But now to the purpose. I love Heather. It is only by God's grace that I do so. I must remind myself more and more of that. It is his working in my heart not only so I have the capacity to do so, but so that my affection toward her grows. The Spirit of God is developing in me a continual desire and delight in my future wife, and he has established in both of us a fail-proof plan against all sin, temptation, and any marriage problems: Christ.

As we enjoy Jesus more and more, our capacity to enjoy eachother grows too. And for the world we present a picture of Christ's relationship with the church, one of supreme affection and character!!

May this be our prayer should God leave us on earth until our wedding day.

God bless,

Todd

Read this...

The following are the headings of Piper's thoughts (and David Powlison's) concerning Cancer. Read the article here.

"You will waste your cancer if:

1. You do not believe it is designed for you by God.
2. You believe it is a curse and not a gift.
3. You seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
4. You refuse to think about death.
5. You think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6. You spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
7. You let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
8. You grieve as those who have no hope.
9. You treat sin as casually as before.
10. You fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

I have been pondering the glory of God recently. And how I don't think about it, or love it, or cherish it near enough. On the other side of the coin are the 'civilian affairs' talked about in 2Ti 2:4: "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."

From my experience, it is an uncommon thing in this culture for people who name themselves "Christians" to be so ravished by the glory of God. Do I itch for any sort of chance to proclaim His name, to honour it, or to tell other people that they should be?

I want to work on internalizing the glory of God in my thoughts, not simply in the meaningless, purely intellectual way, but in a way which consistently stirs the heart to action. Someday perhaps I will have the faith to declare that a personal experience of Cancer, or some other difficult struggle, is a blessing from God because it allows me to tell about how great he is. I want that.

This is my contribution to the "i'm-to-busy-to-actually-post" trend which is sweeping student blogs everywhere! Don't worry, we'll all be back,


at the end of April.

O ya, I'm back to Greek, and this time I'm vocabing!

and I'm still getting married.

Jonathan Edwards for the Win!

All I have to say is, read him. Read anything you can find of him. I am currently working through "A History of the Work of Redemption", and the truths he brings out are extremely valuable.

gotta fly

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

She was looking mighty fine
Dressed in pure white
Her husband down the aisle
He was smiling

The bridesmaids all in a line
And everything down to the letter
You'd fallen deep in love
And there you settled

You're married to the Law
And looking like a white-washed tomb
Vanity stirred by your husband
Choking on a whirlwind of dust

You bore all kinds of sin
Through Adam's filthy seed
You can't satisfy your husband
And he's unable to save you

His jurisdiction over you exists only in life
You'll never be free of what you love until he dies

-the bard 21/02/06

New Album

The Lord provided some inspiration through Steven Yuille's sermon on Romans 7, and I am working on writing an Album about the Law. The main purpose is to declare what the Law is, what it does, and the misconceptions behind what many evangelicals think of it.

The Law

1. Jurisdiction

2. Function I (defines and reveals sin)

3. Function II (arrouses and convicts)

4. Feeling You are Dead

5. Ignorance of Sin

These are just a start, and may change. I have been kicking around the idea of either adding more songs about the Law (from thoughts on Romans 6), or doing the other half of the CD on grace. For the next little while I will be writing and posting lyrics for the songs above.

the bard.

Band Photos?

Guitarist/Vocalist/Writer turned Rag doll

Social/Psychological Support Technician turned Fiancee

Sound/Computer Genius turned Sound/Computer Genius?

Pianist/Floutist/Vocalist turned Microphone Muncher

Saxophone/Keys/Harmonica/Violin Player turned Used-Car Salesman

Percussionist turned Detective

Guess What !!!

Its Thursday!



;)

Isaiah 47

My thoughts on Isaiah 47. This is taken directly from my journal, so it may be a tad bit scattered.

Observational Questions/Thoughts

What is the significance of 'virgin daughter' in Biblical cultures? -v1
Why are the adjectives 'tender' and 'delicate' used? (look up other defs) -v1
What is a millstone? -v2
What is the significance of veils and skirts in Biblical cultures? -v2

Who is the speaker taking vengeance on? -v3
Is the passage saying that the Redeemer takes Vengeance? -v4
What does the phrase 'Holy One of Israel' Signify? -v4
Who is the Queen of Kingdoms? Babylonian? Chaldean? -v5

What does this mean: "I profaned his heritage" ? -v6
Is this because the speaker is "Angry with my people"? -v6

Is God blaming/punishing the Chaldeans for not being merciful? -v6

I will be queen - prideful thoughts -v7
You did not consider nor remember the outcome - forgetful, uncaring, unwise? -v7

Sensual one? (need def) -v8
Dwells securely? (need def) -v8

I am and there is none beside me - more prideful words -v8

Can the Queen control -v8
1. Security?
2. Whether she is a widow or not?
3. Whether she loses children or not?
-Are these the kinds of things which are valued in that culture?

How can her wisdom and knowledge delude? -v10
Delude? (need def)

Why does evil come on her? -v11
-Judgement?
(due to Pride I would suspect, but that is for later)

What does this mean: "For which you cannot atone?" -v11
-Is this saying that the Queen cannot pay for her evil?
Suddenly? (need def) -v11

Is God mocking? Or challenging? with this phrase: -v12
"Stand fast in your spells... perhaps you will be able to profit,"

Are these statements true?
1. She can't save herself -v13
2. Astrologers can't save her -v13
3. Those who laboured with her can't save her. -v15


Interpretive Thoughts

Main Point

1. Pride
A. God will Judge Babylon/Chaldea for their pride.
B. Nothing will save them.

A. They are proud
i. Of their security -v8
ii. Of Self -v8
-thinks she is safe from widowhood, childlessness.

-God Judges suddenly -v9
-God Judges in full measure -v9

B. Nothing will Save them
i. She can't save herself -v12
ii. Astrologers can't saver her -v13
iii. Labourers can't save her -v15

-The will all burn -v14

Other Thoughts (Applicational)

Big questions left:

What does this mean: I profaned my heritage? Why? -v6

Am I trusting in security? Security in life, school, marriage, job, etc...? -v8

What does this mean: Say in my heart? -v8

Applicational thoughts:

1. Kill Pride

-Best way to kill pride is to put Christ first, and other people second

Practical things

1. Ask Questions of people
2. Listen closely to what they say.
3. It is alright to leave questions unanswered. Constantly trying to resolve problems often leads to a misunderstanding of the person, or a lack of depth in the relationship needed for such resolutions.
4. Ask for help from someone who is more gifted than you in a certain area.
5. Ask someone to pray with you/for you. (Quite the humbling experience if you are sincere)
6. Fast. It tends to destroy pride because every time you feel hungry it is a reminder that you are denying your body as a symbol of denying your fleshly lusts and appetites. It also gives one a better perspective on prayer.
7. Plead with Jesus to change your heart so that you are not proud. Ask specifically. The purpose for asking specifically is not for God's sake but for your own. When you pray specifically you are reminded of a concrete example of pride, and you will build up a desire to destroy it. Generalized prayers tend to be looked upon with indifference or apathy. Many people can pray, "Lord help me with pride." It is harder to pray for a specific instance in your life, because it is shaming and personal.
8. Continually think of others as more important than yourself. This is more than just a thought process however. It must touch the heart or else it becomes useless practically. However, you will never naturally be humble. It takes the Lord working through your mind, which effects your heart, and changes your actions. Pray to this end.

Keep on striving to kill pride brothers and sisters. God is made to look extremely good when his children are full of humility.

Peace,

Todd.

Funny Carlton Cards from the Past

So my mom found this Carlton Birthday Card which was given to my dad from a friend of his a long time ago. Its pretty funny, so I thought I would share it.

CARPE DIEM
Seize the day.

CARPET DIEM
Seize the carpet.

CARPAYMENT DIEM
Seize the checkbook.

CARPE DIARRHEAM
Seize the toilet paper.

CARPE DUH
Seize an idiot.

CARP DIEM
Fish of the day.

CRAMPY DIEM
Seize The Midol.®

CARPE DIET
Seize the rice cake.

CARPAL DIEM
Seize the knuckles.

CARPE DIG 'EM
Seize the Sugar Smacks.®

CARNAL DIEM
Seize the smut.

CARPE CAKEM
Seize some birthday Cake!

-the bard

the loo continued...

Ya, so I've been doing a ton of thinking in the last three weeks or so. And I believe something needs to come out of all of that soon. Something is brewing, and I expect its going to be large. But now I need to go think some more...

more to come...

al'Ander

From the loo.

I have had quite the weekend down here in Waterloo. I had the opportunity to go on a retreat which encompassed the University/College/Working folk of a church here, the Laurier Christian Fellowship, the Waterloo Christian Fellowship, and the Guelph/Brantford crew. About 120 people in total were at the retreat, and it was used by God to effect powerful change in many people's lives, because it was focussed on Acts 16, and in particular, the idea of laying down what we think is our right to have authority in life. The thing that hit me most, I think, was that we are called to lay down what we believe to be our right to have security in life, and submit to what Jesus calls us to. No more chasing after a University Degree for the purpose of getting a job so I can pay bills. Instead, chasing after a community of people whom I love and cherish, and want to spend time affecting people with for the kingdom of God. That means moving with them, living with them, loving and hurting with them, exhorting them, encouraging them, and having the same done to you.

The question was posed: "What authorities currently control your life, which are not honouring to Christ" (paraphrase)

And it struck me that World of Warcraft was becoming a real problem in that way. I was desiring to spend time playing that game more than spend time with Jesus. Paralleling this weekend, Heather and I have been studying Isaiah 45-47, and in 46:5,9 It speaks about How there is none like God. Nothing is like Him at all. So I resolved (and actually wrote it on a piece of paper) that, when I get home I am going to burn WoW. Take the CD's, put them in the case, go outside to the garage and throw them in the stove. Then light it on fire. The crazy thing is, that is not nearly as intense or momentous a decision, as some other one's I have been pondering. It comes back to the idea of security. Have I been studying at University hoping to get a degree so I can make a living and support a wife, etc... I think the answer is yes, and I believe that that is a bad motive. The motivation I have for anything I do should be to Glorify Christ, and the best way to do that is to spend time in a community with people willing to do the same, and seeking to invite others to join their lives. So Heather and I have been praying a lot recently about what the summer might look like, and where the Lord is directing us in the coming year. Pray that I would not chase what the world chases! Pray that I would not depend on the security of wealth, or social status, or job status that this world craves so much. Pray that I would cling to Christ instead.

Thanks friends,

Todd

4 little lessons

Frozen face, frozen face,
It takes a race to set the pace of pain in my head.
Chew, chew, loud and strong,
show me what it means to chew!
Chew while you can, chew for me,
But don't chew on that fruit tree!
Oh no, too late, and now the race
has more to worry about then clothes on
cold days.

Lord let the law thaw my frozen heart,
To bring the pain which comes from consistently
delighting
in this unsatisfactory candy,

which rots my soul.

-the bard 23/01/06

Coming soon!

thoughts on the phrase: "both truths" with reference to how the church deals with scripture.

This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything

I'm tired of you
throwing up all over me
And even more tired of
Eating your regurgetated breakfast;
Reflexes numb,
Conscience cold,
Tatste buds writhing in protest.

I find the gall to return to the table
in search of some crumbs.
Fast food remorse declines fresh bread,
So that I'm unsatisfied a step out of the door.
I want more.

-the bard 12/01/06


An analysis of what it means to be fulfilled (or in this case filled) by the world rather than by Christ. I think the key to the poem is the line 'fast food remorse declines fresh bread', because it speaks to the state of the human heart. For a season people may regret their efforts to find satisfaction in worldly things, but the motive is wrong, because they go back to it, rather than to Jesus. We would rather stuff our faces with McDonalds than feast at God's table. I am attempting to (as I probably do in most of my poetry) impress a vivid image at the beginning of the piece, which is a metaphor for the more abstract meaning which flows from the second portion. The hope is that the image is stuck in the mind and referred back to when the abstract thought is dealt with, so that a lasting parallel is made between the two, and a concrete change in life is demanded. If I continually write the same material, it condemns me for not dealing with the issue. And I like it that way. For me poetry is another medium by which I work out my thoughts and feelings, which hopefully results in changes to my life.

Only through Christ's working can I find satisfaction in God. Only with new eyes can I see Him as lovely, and only with a new heart can I adore what I see.

Peace friends!

Todd

The smile behind the laugh

My Dad and I tend to clash personality-wise, which puts a strain on how we interact while doing jobs around the house, etc... So today I was asking the Lord to give me a good attitude while helping Dad out in taking out some seats from a van. And it was a struggle, but we got through it without any problems. The entire time my Dad was uncertain as to whether he should even pull the seats out and go through the hassle it may cause. Then the funniest thing happened. Dad comes in and tells this story:

"So I'm going through the van cleaning out the holes where the seats latch into, and I find a quarter. I said to myself, 'I'm going to be rich'. Immediately I turned to my right and found a plastic bag containing around $50."

This story made me laugh. We made $50 pulling a seat out of the van, when we thought it wasn't even worthwhile to do so. There was a smile behind my laugh though. Dad was thinking about adapting the van so that a few people in wheelchairs would not have to count on the City Bus Service to get to church on Sunday (it is always booked up on Sundays). I think God is telling him to go for it.

Giving allows us to demonstrate where our joy is truly found: The glory of God in Christ.

todd

A new song...

Spiritually Wild

The burden of your heart is salting your cheeks
And meekly you go down onto your knees

Has it always been this way
You going to Him before me
Clearly you are living properly

Time Spent selflessly awaiting your turn
A faithful friend a refuge from the waves

Consistently pointing to Christ
Enjoying it all the while
Baby you are spiritually wild

-the bard