Symphony in the Flint Hills

What a magical evening we had on Saturday!  Joel and I had been looking forward to Symphony in the Flint Hills since we purchased our tickets back in March.  Each summer, the Kansas City Philharmonics presents an outdoor concert for over five thousand attendees at a different location in the Flint Hills of Kansas, and each year the concert reflects the heritage of that particular location.  One year, a cattle drive was incorporated into the concert.

This year, Fort Riley was selected, because the fort is celebrating 160 years of military history. Who knew people could actually tour Fort Riley?  We didn't.  Although we didn't make time to tour the first capitol of Kansas, the Custer house (where General Custer was believed to have lived), or the museum, we were treated to a lovely walk through streets lined with historic officers' homes, all built with native limestone.  

Of course, the symphony itself was spectacular, which included music from Copland, Dvorak, and other selection that I recognized from Bugs Bunny cartoons.  ;)

The forecast for that day included rain and the possibility of thunderstorms, so we were very thankful we had an almost ideal evening to enjoy the music and surroundings.  

Dale, Jayne, and Rachel

Barbara and Harlan

Our view of the band shell and orchestra as the sun set

The cavalry on parade

If this wasn't actually General Custer's house, he would have lived in one similar to it.

Not bad living for an army officer!

Still Here

Wow. . .it's been a month since I've posted anything on my blog!  And I'm feeling rather guilty.  

It's been a rather busy time for us with more house redecorating, landscaping, family reunion planning, and several fun weekend activities.  

I hope to resume regular blogging in the near future.  Just want to let you know this blog has not fallen by the wayside.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dining at Disney

Several friends and I were recently talking about some of the most memorable meals we've ever eaten.  Certainly not an easy task to narrow that down!  I've eaten some really great food over the years, some prepared in fabulous restaurants and some prepared in homes.  And it's not always just about the fare.  The ambiance and fellowship also contribute to the making of great meal memories.  

Last week, while at the Magic Kingdom, we discovered that Disney is adding a new section to the park, Fantasyland.  Part of that new area is the restaurant Be Our Guest, based on The Beauty and the Beast.  This happens to be Ashlea's favorite Disney movie.  I don't know how many times she watched it and sang along to all the songs when she was young.  It's not surprising that she still knows all the words. We inquired about getting reservations, but the reservation recording said the restaurant was booked through October.  We happened to mention that to one of the park employees, and she said, "Don't take 'no' for an answer!" and explained there is a reservation cancellation line.  Our daughter-in-law Baillie was also so excited about the possibility, she hurried over to get a good place in line.  And by the time our pager went off, we were all caught up in the moment.  Watching the girls' reactions to the dining rooms, replications of the movie's ballroom and west wing, made this meal one that will hold a fond place in our memories for a long time.  

The dining room lighting was dim, but the details were amazing.  

Beyond the window, "snow" was falling in the exact pattern it did in the movie. 

Lynette (Ashlea's friend who joined us for the day), Ashlea, Baillie, Tyler, and me just after we were seated.
Maybe Tyler wasn't quite as excited as the girls. ;)
Our napkins were shaped into rosebuds.  

Just as we were almost finished eating, the Beast made his appearance. 

Greeting our host

Air Force CSO Graduation

We were so happy and proud to be part of Tyler's Air Force CSO graduation last Friday in Pensacola, Florida.  He committed himself wholeheartedly to the demanding training required to earn his navigator wings.  Now he will continue his AC-130 training in Arkansas before being stationed in New Mexico in the fall.  We know his career is in the Lord's hands and are thankful for His leading.  

Receiving his wings

Being presented with his certificate of completion

Tyler and Baillie

The whole family

Alpha Cat Strikes Again

Phoebe may be younger than Beatrice, but she never wants her elder "sister"  to get the upper hand.  This afternoon, as I was folding laundry, the following interaction unfolded:

Beatrice, always looking for a warm cozy place, hopped into my open drawer.  

Seizing an intimidation opportunity,
Phoebe jumped up onto the dresser.
Beatrice immediately bolted.

Phoebe then climbed down into the drawer,
as though she really wanted to be there.
That lasted about two minutes.
After Beatrice left the room,
Phoebe jumped out.

A few minutes later, once the coast was clear, Beatrice recaptured her spot.  

Our cats are so amusing.  

Maybe I need to get out more often.  

Air Force Assignment

Our son Tyler received his Air Force plane assignment, the AC-130, a heavily armed ground attack aircraft, which is the plane he requested. He is a CSO, combat systems officer, more commonly known as the navigator.  

For those interested, you may read about the AC-130s by clicking here. 

The Gospel and the American Dream

As long as I can remember, the message of the American dream has pervaded our society.  "Be all that you can be" is ingrained in us.  We've been told that there is nothing we can't accomplish if we apply enough skill and effort (often with the help of some ingenuity and imagination).  And certainly the United States provides ample opportunities to pursue our dreams.  We are not locked in to a particular trade or profession as are those in many other parts of the world.

As followers of Christ, is there anything wrong with this picture?

David Platt writes:  "Certainly hard work and high aspirations are not bad, and the freedom to pursue our goals is something we should celebrate.  Scripture explicitly commends all these things.  But underlying this American dream are a dangerous assumption that, if we are not cautious, we will unknowingly accept and a deadly goal that, if we are not careful we will ultimately achieve. The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability.  The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking.  But the gospel has different priorities.  The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust in his power.  In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him."  

The fatal goal of the American dream, of which Platt writes, is that if we believe we achieved our goals and desires in our power, we will take the glory for ourselves, as well as be recognized by others for what we have accomplished.  We will tend to make much of us rather than make much of God.  The Lord is jealous for his own glory; it is uppermost in his own affections, and he will not share it with another.  He delights in working through his people, oftentimes through difficult or seemingly impossible circumstances, for his own glory. 

The American dream mentality is also evident in how we do church.  The contemporary thinking is that the church must adopt the business model to draw the crowds:  entertainment-driven worship, a top-notch facility, programs for the whole family.  

Platt continue:  "We Christians are living out the American dream in the context of our communities of faith.  We have convinced ourselves that if we can position our resources and organize our strategies, then in church as in every other sphere of life, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.  But what is strangely lacking in the picture of performances, personalities, programs, and professionals is desperation for the power of God.  God's power is at best an add-on to our strategies,.  I am frightened by the reality that the church I lead can carry on most of our activities smoothly, efficiently, even successfully, never realizing that the Holy Spirit of God is virtually absent from the picture.  We can so easily deceive ourselves, mistaking the presence of physical bodies in a crowd for the existence of spiritual life in a community."

I can't help but wonder how different the church in America would be if we truly relied on the power of the Holy Spirit in our personal lives as well as in the church community, if we were in desperate need for the Lord to show himself mighty and glorious through us. Let us not overlook the ministry of the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Wisdom. . .the very presence of God living in the redeemed.  He delights in giving us himself!  

"Our great need is to fall before an almighty Father day and night and to plead for him to show his radical power in and through us, enabling us to accomplish for his glory what we could never imagine in our own strength.  And when we do this, we will discover that we were created for a purpose much greater than ourselves, the kind of purpose that can only be accomplished in the power of his Spirit."

~quotations from David Platt's book, Radical, chapter 3

Oh Father, You Are Sovereign

I was reminded this evening of this great hymn by Margaret Clarkson about the sovereignty of God, which our church in Michigan regularly sang.  The children in our congregation especially seemed to sing out the truths contained within.  I can still hear their beautiful voices.  I love the sound doctrine flowing through each stanza about Providence working through creation, the affairs of man, human pain and suffering, toward our ultimate triumph and our souls' eternal good. 

O Father, You are sovereign
In all the worlds You made;
Your mighty Word was spoken,
And light and life obeyed.
Your voice commands the seasons
And bounds the ocean’s shore,
Sets stars within their courses
And stills the tempests’ roar.

O Father, You are sovereign
In all affairs of man;
No powers of death or darkness
Can thwart Your perfect plan.
All chance and change transcending,
Supreme in time and space,
You hold your trusting children
Secure in Your embrace.

O Father, You are sovereign
The Lord of human pain,
Transmuting earthly sorrows
To gold of heavenly gain,
All evil overruling,
As none but Conqueror could,
Your love pursues its purpose—
Our souls’ eternal good.

O Father, You are sovereign!
We see You dimly now,
But soon before Your triumph
Earth’s every knee shall bow.
With this glad hope before us
Our faith springs forth anew:
Our Sovereign Lord and Savior,
We trust and worship You!

Home on the Prairie

They don't call them prairie dogs for nothing!  Another sign that we are indeed back in Kansas!  :)

Joel and I made a trip to Home Depot last night, and situated right next to the Home Depot parking lot was a prairie dog town.  I was delighted to see the cute little critters, so I had Joel stop the car for a couple minutes. By the number of mounds, I'd say there were hundreds of prairie dogs calling this area home.  It was fun to watch them poke their heads out of the holes and scamper about.

But not everyone thinks prairie dogs are cute or desirable.  Joel reminded me of the time way back in the early 1990s when the prairie dogs became so prolific in the Carey Salt brine field, they became a hazard to the plastic pipes used in solution mining.  They discussed how to rid the field of the varmints and decided shooting and poisoning were not options.  What to do?  Carey Salt heard of a company with a converted sewer vacuum truck, which specialized in prairie dog removal.  Dog Gone came, stuck the vacuum hose down each of the holes, and sucked up the the little critters.  The truck tank was padded to protect the dogs when they landed.  I know this sounds like something out of Red Green, but I kid you not!  Over 600 prairie dogs were collected that day and relocated to Colorado.

Watch Me!

Are we prepared to say to others, "watch me," as a means of pointing them to Christ?   This little video, with audio teaching of D. A. Carson, challenges us with that message.

Cup of Wrath

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before Jesus' crucifixion, Jesus prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me."  Was Jesus dreading the physical pain that he would experience on the cross?  As excruciating as that would be, the cup to which Jesus was referring was more than the physical pain of the scourging, beatings, or having nails driven through his body.  Christ even instructed his disciples not to fear those who can kill the body, then added "but I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you fear Him!" (Luke 12:4-5)

John MacArthur writes:

"Clearly, what Christ dreaded most about the cross -- the cup from which He asks to be deliver if possible -- was the outpouring of divine wrath He would have to endure from His holy Father.  The cup was a well-known Old Testament symbol of divine wrath against sin. (Isaiah 51:17). . .There the cup symbolizes a judgment that God forces the wicked to drink.  They drink until they become drunk, and physically ill, and they vomit.  It is as if God says to the sinner, 'You like sin? Fine.  Drink your fill.'  And He makes them keep drinking of the consequences of their own sin, so that the very thing they sought after becomes the judgment He force-feeds them; the thing they loved becomes something that makes them sick and ultimately destroys them."  

MacArthur continues:

"So when Christ prayed that if possible the cup might pass from Him, He spoke of drinking the cup of divine judgement.  Do not imagine for a moment that Christ feared the earthly pain of crucifixion.  He would not have trembled at the prospect of what men could do to Him.  There was not one ounce of the fear of man in Him.  But the next day He would 'bear the sins of many' (Hebrews 9:28)--and the fullness of divine wrath would fall on Him. In some mysterious way that our human minds could never fathom, God the Father would turn His face from Christ the Son, and Christ would bear the full brunt of the divine fury against sin."

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Quotations taken from The Murder of Jesus by John MacArthur

You Must Be Born Again

When the Pharisee Nicodemus went to Jesus in the dark of night (John 3), he didn't question that Jesus was from God, "for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him" (v. 2).  Jesus responded by going straight to the heart of the matter:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (v. 3).  Of course, that answer puzzled Nicodemus, for how can a man be reborn when he is old?  In the verses that follow, Jesus explains to Nicodemus that the new birth, or regeneration, is an act of God alone in which he makes a spiritually dead person alive in Christ.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit that takes a heart of stone and turns it into a heart of flesh.  The result is a soul that can now respond in faith and have an inclination toward the things of God.

But what are the signs of being born again by the Spirit?  How do we know if we have truly been regenerated?  The book of 1 John has much to say about a life that has experienced the new birth:

1. 1 John 2:3-5:  "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.  By this we know that we are in Him, He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Are we concerned about obeying the Lord?  Do we cheapen the grace of God by continuing in a life of sinful behavior?

2. 1 John 2:15-16:  "Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the prides of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."  Where do our true affections lie?  Do we have idols that we love more than the Lord?

3. 1 John 3:9:  "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God."  In this life, we will never be without sin; however, our lives should be marked by a decreasing practice of sin through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

4.  1 John 4:7:  "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  Do we see an increase in our love for the family of God and an desire to fellowship with other believers in Christ?

5.  1 John 5:1a:  "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."  Our lives should reflect an abiding faith and trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  

Taking Up our Cross to Follow Christ

"Then [Jesus] said, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?'"

One of Jesus' radical messages was for his disciples to take up an instrument of torture and death and follow him with a life of self-sacrifice.  You certainly don't hear that message from the likes of Joel Osteen and the TBN crowd!  And it's even a different calling than a plea to "admit, believe, confess, and pray a prayer."  When Jesus called out his disciples he called them to abandon all their comforts and a life that was familiar to them.  I sometimes wonder what that would have been like for the disciples to drop their nets (their careers), their possessions, and their families to follow Christ.  

David Platt writes:  "Ultimately, Jesus was calling them to abandon themselves. They were leaving certainty for uncertainty, safety for danger, self-preservation for self-denunciation.  In a world that prizes promoting oneself, they were following a teacher who told them to crucify themselves. And history tells us the result. Almost all of them would lose their lives because they responded to his invitation."  (Radical, p. 12)

What about us?  Is the calling any different?  Am I willing to follow in the footsteps of the disciples and give up everything to serve Christ?
 

David Platt states, "We do have to give up everything we have to follow Jesus. We do have to love him in a way that makes our closest relationships in this world look like hate.  And it is entirely possible that he will tell us to sell everything we have and give it to the poor.  But we don't want to believe it.  We are afraid of what it might mean for our lives.  So we rationalize these passages away.  .  .And this is where we need to pause.  Because we are starting to redefine Christianity.  We are giving into the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with.  A nice, middle-class, American Jesus." (pp. 12 - 13)  We convince ourselves that Jesus doesn't mind our pursuit of the American dream or our nominal commitment to him.  Platt continues:  "But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point?  We are molding Jesus into our image.  He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with.  And the danger now is that when we gather in our church building to sing and life up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible.  Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."  (p. 13)

One Perfect Life

I would like to recommend John MacArthur's newest book One Perfect Life.  MacArthur presents the life of Jesus in this harmony of the four New Testament Gospels.  Prophetic passages are also incorporated from the Old Testament, beginning with the promise of the Messiah given in the Garden of Eden, to show how the whole Bible tells the unfolding story of redemption through the finished work of Christ, promised before time began. The reading sections are typically two pages in length and include study notes, so it can be used as a devotional book. What a great resource to help the reader better understand the life and purpose of Christ.  

Radical

A couple weeks ago, while Joel was attending meetings at the corporate office in Kansas City, I spent the day shopping a nearby shopping district, first stop being the Barnes & Noble bookstore.  I was in search of a book by a secular author, and situated on the same table was David Platt's Radical.  That, in itself, puzzled me.  I knew of the young mega-church pastor, having watched one of his sermons online, and I remembered that Platt has a compelling burden to share the gospel globally to billions of lost souls.  I picked up the book and read the subtitle:  "Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream," and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit began. I bought the book, and Joel and I are beginning to read through it together.  We pray that our hearts are prepared to receive the message.  

In the first chapter, Platt describes his collision course with the American church culture "where success is defined by bigger crowds, bigger budgets, and bigger buildings."  He noted that when Jesus left this earth, there were only about 120 followers who were doing what he told them to do.  Jesus wasn't interested in marketing himself to the masses; rather, he graphically explained the cost of becoming one of his disciples, which drove the crowds away.  And he was fine with that.  

Platt said he was faced with two big questions:

1.  "Was I going to believe Jesus?"

2.  "Was I going to obey Jesus?"

Platt's biggest fear, he said, was "that I will hear Jesus' words and walk away, content to settle for less than radical obedience to him," as most people did in the first century.  That's the reason he wrote this book.  He believes this journey of faith extends beyond pastors and church leaders to the larger Christian community in this country.  "I am convinced that we as Christ followers in American churches have embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical but that actually contradict the gospel we claim to believe.  And I am convinced we have a choice."  He challenges us to take an honest look at the Jesus of the Bible and consider what the consequences might be if we really believed him and obeyed him, i.e. radical abandonment to Christ.

And so our journey begins. . .

Touching: Father's Speech at Daughters Wedding - We Worked Hard, Don't S...

Snow Diving Cat

I realize that this post might get me reported to PETA, but oh well, here it goes!  :)

Our Phoebe is so predictable and loves her routine, which includes wanting to go out on our private patio every morning to enjoy the view.

The funny thing is that while we lived in Michigan Phoebe wouldn't go outside unless everything was "just right" - not too cold, not too hot, no wind, etc., but now, even with snow, she cries and paws at the door every morning wanting to go out.
 

I thought I'd teach her a lesson (that she really does NOT want to go out) by having her go "snow diving." 

So I opened the patio door and launched her into the snow bank.  

Phoebe quickly made her way back, not wanting to remain belly high in the cold white stuff. 

To avoid the appearance of having been humiliated, Phoebe decided she would enjoy the view for a while longer, as if to say, "Yeah, I good with this."

But only for a couple minutes.  

This snow diving routine has taken place every morning for the last week, and she keeps coming back for more.  I suggested she try making snow angels.  

Bottom line, I know this is all about who is in control. . .and we both think we have the upper hand.  

Obviously, one of us is deluded.  

Plucking the Heartstring

This is a beautiful analogy of the power of the gospel:

"I have often looked at the huge cables, the monstrous wires, of a suspension bridge, and thought, 'If somebody was strong enough to pluck it, I wonder what it would sound like?' To a termite looking at the great strings on a bass fiddle, it would say, 'Boy, I wonder what that sounds like?' But you see there are people who can pluck it. And the Bible says there's a chord in your life which is as thick and huge as a suspension cable, and nobody, nothing, no message but the gospel message is strong enough to pluck it. But once it’s plucked, once it starts to reverberate, the entire heart reverberates with the sounds of joy." ~ Tim Keller

Golden Loves Guitar !!

A dog with rhythm!  Love it!  :)

Good Soil, Fruitful Heart

It's always a blessing for me to revisit the parable of the soils found in Luke 8, Matthew 13, and Mark 4.  I guess it's a kind of "heart check". . .am I bearing fruit as the one true test of a changed life in Christ?  In the parable, Jesus is explaining to his followers that anyone who shares God's Word is a "sower," and the hearers of the Word are classified into four types of "soils" or souls of men. The first soil, or soul, is referred to as the wayside, where the Word doesn't take root because the seed falls on ground that hasn't been cultivated, the hardened heart.  The second soil represents the shallow heart.  There is a veneer of soil on top of the stony earth, allowing for an initial response to the Word, but it quickly withers as soon as temptations come along. The third soil is described as the thorny ground, the preoccupied heart. There is a response to the Word of God, but it perishes over time as the cares of life choke God out.  This heart is captivated by riches, pleasures or other passions, and those pursuits take precedence over a relationship with the Lord.  The last soil, the good soil, is the responsive heart. In contrast to the other hearts, this heart genuinely receives God's Word with gladness and is changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh, resulting in a life of obedience to Christ.

So I have to ask myself:  Is my heart preoccupied with earthly desires and pursuits?  Is my life consistent in my private life as it is in church?  Am I growing in my love of Christ?  Does this love manifest itself in a love and concern for others?  Am I using my spiritual gifts to serve the body of Christ?  

Jesus ended the teaching of this parable with this command, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" The Word of God demands more than just listening. Those with "ears to hear" delight in the mystery of redemption that is hidden in the person and work of Christ and the building of his kingdom.