Our garden has done very well this year . . . and so have the weeds. Fortunately, our vegetables have paid little attention to the weeds and just kept right on growing and producing. Here is a basket of our harvest a couple of weeks ago.
Our tomato plants did way better this year than last. Maybe we put some more love into them . . .
Here is a shot of our little country girl, Kathryn.
“Whoever controls the image and information of the past determines what and how future generations will think; whoever controls the information and images of the present determines how those same people will view the past.”~ George Orwell, 1984 (1949)
“Today Christianity is the most successful single phenomenon, statistically considered, in all of history." - Paul L. Maier, “Introduction” in Eusebius; The Church History, 9.
I enjoyed being an invited speaker at one of the celebration services of the 200th anniversary of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Raleigh. This is the church my family was a part of while I was in high school. At that time I sensed God's desire for me to minister through preaching and teaching. Fortunately, Pastor Shannon Scott (far left) was willing to allow some of us young guys to preach and get some experience. I spoke last Wednesday night with Jarrod Scott (far right), who was my good friend in high school and roommates throughout college. Jarrod is now pastor of Green Pines Baptist in Knightdale, NC. Jeff Spry (middle-left), a good friend from Mt. Vernon and beyond also spoke. Jeff is an associate pastor at Western Avenue Baptist in Statesville, NC.
We are finally back from a week of vacation at the beach and another week out of town. I am posting a few sunset pictures from Hilton Head to mark the end of summer! Classes at Appalachian State and in the homeschool teaching cooperative start up this week. At ASU I am teaching two sections of Public Speaking and a First Year Seminar called Discourse in Politics and Religion. I am teaching Medieval History in the teaching cooperative. We were able to take sunset pictures over the water because we were staying on the west side of Hilton Head Island. If you look closely in the last picture, you can see a sliver of the moon.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13-14).
I am amazed at how our American Christian culture attempts to follow Christ and enjoy the wide, easy way at the same time. I am amazed at how I attempt to do this. It is important to understand, though, that by narrow and wide we don’t mean miserable and wonderful, respectively. Difficult does not always mean miserable and broad does not always mean wonderful. We can escape this illusion by knowing that inward joy and fullness of purpose is greater than whatever may be difficult or easy for our bodies and circumstances.
Following Christ in this world means carefully choosing to what is holy and right before the Lord. It means saying no to many, many, many things the world offers and puts before us. And in these choices we find security and peace and love. I am still making entirely too many soft choices, instead of choosing the very best for me and my family before God.
“I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” 1 Cor 15:10
I want to work hard and get lots done. I want to be productive for the kingdom of God. But I know what it is like to do that is my own strength and be limited to my own abilities. I have the grace of God with me. Grace = what God gives me. And not just all that he has already given me, even the strength and abilities to which I could limit myself. His grace is daily, moment by moment. I want to consciously draw from his grace in me by faith for each task.
Thanks to my buddy (whom I will keep anonymous, assuming he would like his iTunes gift to be thus kept), I downloaded the new Andrew Peterson Album, Counting Stars. If you know me, you already know that Andrew Peterson is one of my all time favorite artists. Thank you, Andrew, for continue to create authentic, thoughtful, God-honoring music. I have uploaded one of my favorite tracks from Counting Starts, "In the Night," for your listening enjoyment.
09 In the Night