Links of the Week: 11/28

In a late attempt to get somewhat back into the blogging game, here are a few links from the interwebs that I thought were noteworthy this week.

Christians and Alcohol - Depending upon your age, denomination, and geographic location, this may or may not be a big issue. Regardless, Tim Challies writes a good article on thinking through the different views of alcohol use by Christians. If you want to extend the argument to ask why some Christians consider alcohol permissible but not narcotics, here is a good followup.

The Theological Church - Kevin DeYoung talks about why he is glad that his church has a reputation for being "quite theological." This section is key: "Now–and this is an important caveat–if we are arrogant with our theology, or if our doctrinal passion is just about intellectual gamesmanship, or we are all out of proportioned in our affections for less important doctrines, then may the Lord rebuke us. We should not be surprised theology gets a bad name in such circumstances. But when it comes to thinking on, rejoicing in, and building a church upon sound biblical truth, we should all long for a richly theological church."

Child or Fetus? - Denny Burk thinks through our vocabulary when we are talking about children in the womb.

Seminary Lectures - Reformed Theological Seminary is now offering a lot of their seminary lectures free from their their new app.

Pastors Worth Listening To - Tim Raymond over at Credo Magazine offers some expositional preachers who are worth listening to. Per his suggestion, I listened to a sermon from St. Helen's Bishopgate last night and was really encouraged by how thorough and sound it was in how it handled the Bible.

Most Important Election Issue - With election season upon us, this blog post gives three possible answers to the question "What is the most important election issue."

Celebrity Pastors - As a member of a church whose pastor might be deemed a celebrity, I found this article a helpful way of distinguishing between those who are celebrity because of their gifts and hard work and those who simply seek to be a celebrity.

Carson's Theological Method - I put this at the end because I think most will find it dreadfully boring. D. A. Carson is probably my favorite commentator and one (if not the) leading New Testament scholars alive today. Andy Naselli is his research assistant and manager and has a scholarly article on his theological method that looks fascinating.

Beautiful Feet Project - This video is a powerful look at the vast need for spreading the gospel in Asia.


The Zipper Incident - This one is just a funny clip that Kevin DeYoung posted earlier this week on his blog. If you can look past the awesome early 90s hairdos of the people in the crowd, it's pretty funny.

Baby Elizabeth is here!

Wednesday, September 21st at 7:45am, my sweet niece, Elizabeth Kate, was born.  Ryan and I were able to spend the weekend with the new mom and dad (my sister Leigh and her husband David) and their precious daughter.  She is absolutely adorable and we are all completely in love!  My sister is already a wonderful mom, I am so proud of her!  Here are some pictures from the weekend.

  

 

Book Review: The Hunger Games

   So  I am well into my fall reading list, staring with "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.  I had planned to finish "The Historian" first, but I reserved Hunger Games for myself at the library so once it was available it jumped to the top of my list since it would be due back in a couple weeks.  As a side note, I checked it out from my county library collaboration, JCLC.  If you live in Jefferson county and don't have a library card get on it!  One card gets you access to the entire collection in Jefferson county which is about 15-20 libraries and you can reserve titles and have then sent to your local library for pick up, amazing.

   So as I mentioned several weeks ago, I love the Harry Potter series.  After I reread all 7 books this summer I was craving to read something else similar.  Something with an intricate story that was fun to read.  So that is where "The Hunger Games" came in and it was just that; a story that had history, interesting characters, and an exciting plot line.  While the story was not as intricately planned or as well written as the Harry Potter Series, it was creative and interesting.  

   The story is set in North America after wars have destroyed what we know as America.  Now there are 12 districts that report to one capitol who continues to punish its constituents by forcing one young girl and one young boy to be chosen from each district to compete in the Hunger Games where they will fight to the death to win wealth and food for themselves and their district.
   I would definitely recommend this book to someone wanting a fun book to read.  It also had the ability to provoke thought on the sinfulness of man when resources are scarce and power is desired.

   So now my reading list has been updated... book II of the Hunger Games Trilogy will likely be the next one I pick up!
   

"Is everything sad going to come untrue?"

Photo Source: christianphotos.us

    About six weeks ago, my cousin and her husband, due to complications with her pregnancy, lost their baby girl and boy at 19 weeks. Obviously this was a great tragedy for them, and my family. Below is a letter than Ryan wrote to them trying to express our sorrow with them and our hope that they be comforted. I share it in the hope that it will stir in your heart, as it did mine, to a great hope in the promises of our God. 
    Ryan's note: My thoughts here are deeply indebted to Tim Keller's excellent chapter on suffering in his book The Reason for For God (Dutton Press, 2008), which I would highly recommend. In particular, the example from The Lord of the Rings and the sentence that follows is taken nearly word from word from the book (p. 33). 

----------------------------------------------- 

Dear Jennifer and David,

     I have no way of articulating how truly sorry I am, nor do I have any way of really knowing and understanding the grief that you feel now. Cards, phone calls, hugs, and even letters seem like paltry comforts in the midst of great waves of pain, anguish, and even anger. For every tear that Laura and I have cried, I am certain you have cried your hundreds.

     In such times, I think it is only natural for all of us to ask “why?” Why is there such agony, such loss that we go through? The question reaches out even farther, asking why a good God, Creator of all things, would allow such pain. Yes, there are times where it is clear after some time has passed that God was at work to turn sorrow into glory, the ashes of our grief into a garland of praise, making people grow in relationship with him and with others. But for every situation where God is obviously at work there seem to be other situations where it is difficult, if not impossible, to see through the midst of grief. What then? Why then?

     In all honestly, I can say I don’t know why every painful situation comes about, and those who think they do are typically trite and glib. Even Job, the archetype of biblical suffering, is never told why he underwent so much loss.

     Still, there is a great divide between suffering without reason and suffering without hope. One leads to questions that may not be answered in this life; the other leads to despair that is overwhelming. The good news of the gospel is that although we might not see every reason, we still have reason to hope. That hope lies in Jesus Christ. Though he was fully God and fully man, he humbled himself by dying. God the Father gave his son on our behalf. Jesus is not an impersonal deity who is unacquainted with our sorrows. He himself was homeless, mocked, flogged, crucified, the most humiliating and unjust suffering ever possible. He is even acquainted with our unanswered prayers, as he cried out to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. Our God is the One who bled, died, and suffered for us in order that he might be with us as we cry, grieve, and even die. We hope because he is with us.

     More than this, we can hope because he is at work in renewing all things, preparing a place where we will be with him for all eternity. And his renewal is not merely forward-working, but it will bring glory out of our former sorrow. It is a complete restoration. After the climax of The Lord of the Rings, Samwise finds out that Gandalf was not dead as he thought, but alive. Upon seeing him, he cries, “I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself! Is everything sad going to come untrue?” The answer of Christ is yes, everything sad is going to come untrue and will somehow be greater for having been broken and lost.

     Mine and Laura’s prayer for you is that the God of all comfort will be with you and comfort you in your grief and that the God in whom our hope rests will carry you through such a difficult time. We love you so much and eagerly await the day when we will worship with Lily and Tate at the feet of Jesus for all eternity.

     Blessings,

           Ryan

Hebrews 4:15-16: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4a: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.

1 Corinthians 15:19: If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Thank goodness it's September!

Here are my reasons for LOVING that it is finally September:

1) September means cooler weather is close.  This summer has been a hot one.  I think everyone is ready for a little coolness in the air.

2) Baby Elizabeth!  Leigh and David's little girl should be with us by the end of the month.  I cannot wait to meet her!

3) The return of football:  September brings the season for Friday night lights at local high schools and Saturday tailgates on college campuses everywhere.  We love watching football on TV and love going to games, especially once the weather turns nice and crisp.  We will kick the season off right tonight by watching the televised games with friends. 

I know this is technically a NFL preview and I have way more love for the NCAA, but it still makes me happy.

Fall Reading List

Last week I took my National Board Dental Exam Part II, so I am now refilling all the time I was spending studying.  Of course a lot of that time is spent with my wonderful husband.  The other time I am using to try and work out more often and start my fall reading list.  Here it is:
1. The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova ( I have started this one before but life happened and I never finished it.  I was really enjoying it so I have picked it back up.  The story has a neat twist between history, folklore, and fiction.)
2. Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (This one is actually waiting for me a the library.  Pretty excited to read it.  I heard it is what you should read if you miss Harry Potter. haha)
3. Power in the Pulpit - Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix and The Supremacy of God in Preaching - John Piper (These two are the reading assignments for the IDM class Ryan and I are taking at Brook Hills with our pastor, David Platt. Should be challenging but a really good way to help me learn best how to teach the bible to my college girls small group.)
4. The Help - Kathryn Stockett (I know I am behind since the movie is already out and it seems everyone has already read this book, but my mom lent it to me and I have heard it really is great.)

What I'm listening to...

Such a fun song, love it!

Recipe: my favorite fancy coleslaw

Since the new school year has begun, Ryan and I are trying to stop of summer trend of eating out way more than we should.  Last night, for the first time in several weeks, I tried a new recipe.  I found it on Cooking Light's website, which I think is a great place to look for healthy, new recipes.  Here is are the recipes I tried last night, Apricot-Lemon Chicken with a Sweet Lemon-Mint Pear Salad.  Very yummy!

But for today's recipe I will share what Ryan's grandmother calls "the famous slaw".  Most of the time Ryan and I join his extended family for dinner I am asked to bring this slaw, which is great because it is yummy and easy to make.  In reality, I can take no credit for this recipe!  I found it in a Paula Dean cookbook I own. So here it is, "the famous slaw"...

Rene's Coleslaw
Source: Food Network, Paula Dean

Ingredients

• 5 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the chopped, washed, ready to eat slaw)
• 1/2 cups almonds, toasted
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
• 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use light mayo)
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine cabbage, almonds, cranberries, celery, green onions, and green pepper in a large plastic bowl with a snap-on lid. Combine all dressing ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour dressing over slaw just before serving. Stir well.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my wonderful husband's 26th birthday.  This is the 10th birthday we have celebrated together.  I hope he knows today that I love him more everyday.  I love my life with him and I look forward to the future adventures we will have together.

Taken during the first couple months we were together, 2002.

I also want to say Happy Birthday to my lovely sister, she is turning 30 today!  And she will be a mom in less than 2 months!  Wish I could see her to today to celebrate.  Luckily I will see her next week, probably the last time I will see her before baby Elizabeth is ready to come!

Let 4th Year Begin

Although it is still July, my 4th year of dental school began today.  So I figured it is time to get back to reality, and to blogging!  So to start of year, here is my summer in one blog post...

1. Time with my sister. My precious big sister is 7 months pregnant.  I was able to go to Mississippi and visit her and help work on the beautiful nursery she is preparing for her precious baby girl. Here is a picture of her nursery in progress...

I tried to be creative and use her baby's initials and the colors from her pillow sham to make some decor for over the crib.  We'll see how it looks once they are hanging over the crib... haha.

2. Peru! Ryan and I had the great privilege to lead a short term mission team to Peru this June. Our team was made up of incredible individuals ready to serve the Lord.  Like last year, we worked in an orphanage, preached in churches, and visited a Compassion International project.  It was a wonderful experience.  We were truly able to see God work through our weakness to bring himself great glory in Peru!

3. B Wise's wedding.  One of my most precious friends Brittney married the love of her life last week.  I had the privilege to be a part of that day with her.  She was beautiful, the wedding was beautiful, and all around it was just so much fun! 

and 4. Harry Potter.  I know how ridiculous it seems that Harry Potter makes my top 4 list for my whole summer, but I am afraid I absolutely, unabashedly, love Harry Potter.  Ryan and I started reading the books years ago.  We loved them so much that we went to the midnight book release of the final installment of the series because we could not wait to hear the end of the story.  8 months ago we went to see The Deathly Hallows, Part I with some good friends of ours who share our love for the story.  At that time we planned to see Part II together once it was released this July.  In anticipation for the July release, Ryan and I challenged one another to read all 7 books this summer before the release.  So after reading all 7 books in about 5 weeks and watching all 7 previously released movies, we went to see the final movie on the day of its release.  While the books will remain king in my mind, the movie was fantastic.  I think they were true to the story told in the books and they succeeded in bringing what I imagined to the screen beautifully.  So I guess we have to say goodbye to Harry Potter (or at least goodbye for now, until I revisit Hogwarts through blu-ray and by rereading the epic tale again.)

Scripture and Jesus As We Like Them

Photo from German History in Documents and Images
 

 

     This morning I read a passage from Eric Metaxes's book Bonhoeffer that was a reminder of how much we want God to look like us, even to the point that we will twist Scripture to fit our own needs. Let me set the stage: It is 1933 and Germany has just pulled out from the League of Nations under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Most of the German people saw this as a great victory for their country. They were humiliated after World War I and the continued sanctions on the size of their military was obviously problematic for a man like Hitler who desired domination by any means necessary. A day after the German people voted in agreement with Hitler (though most historians would agree this was likely a rigged poll) to pull out from the League of Nations, the German Christians (the official state-endorsed church) held a rally in the great Sportpalast of Berlin (the photo above is actually taken from this very rally on November 13, 1933). There, a high-school teacher by the name of Reinhold Krause, the leader of the Berlin German Christians, gave a speech that revealed the true agenda of this church sponsored "church".

In coarse, crude language, Krause demanded that the German church must once and for all divest itself of every hint of Jewishness. The Old Testament would be first, "with its Jewish money morality and its tales of cattle merchants and pimps!" The stenographical record notes that "sustained applause" ensued. The New Testament must be revised, too, and must present a Jesus "corresponding entirely with the demands of National Socialism." And it must not longer present an "exaggerated emphasis on the crucified Christ." This tenet was defeatist and depressing, which was to say Jewish. Germany needed hope and victory! Krause also mocked "the theology of the Rabbi Paul with its scapegoats and inferiority complex," and then he mocked the symbol of the cross, "a ridiculous, debilitating remnant of Judaism, unacceptable to National Socialists!" Furthermore, he demanded that every German pastor must take an oath of personal allegiance to Hitler! And the Aryan Paragraph that demanded the expulsion of every church member of Jewish descent must be heartily accepted by every German church! (Bonhoeffer, p. 193)

     Oh how desperately we want our Jesus and our Scripture to look like us! Don't we see the ease with which we can follow him if only he would conform to our liking, to our prejudices, to our desires?

     "Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:20-25)

     Be encouraged, brothers and sisters! This facade put up by the German Christians was the beginning of their downfall. Many Germans saw through this and realized that this was in error. Though the night may seem dark and the foolishness of man great, God is greater still. He chose in his goodness to save men and women by the cross. It is he who preserves his word, the Living Christ, the Word himself who still speaks today.

     Be warned, brothers and sisters! Fashioning Jesus to our liking and twisting Scripture to suit our needs ultimately produces a god in our own image. Worshiping this god of our making is idolatry, plain and simple. And this temptation is not localized to a specific point in history, nor to a specific political ideology. It is the temptation to which all our fleshly hearts bend. May God in his mercy and grace keep our hearts steadfast. Soli Deo Gloria!

ATL and the Indy Grand Prix

Ryan and my weekends usually consist of some activities, church, seeing friends, so on, but it almost always includes some rest and relaxation.  This weekend was a little different.  Saturday we headed to Clarkston, GA with a group from our church's college ministry.  Clarkston is right outside of Atlanta and since the 1996 Olympics over one million refugees have immigrated from countries all around the world from Atlanta.  Most of these individuals come from places where you likely have never heard the gospel, like Iraq, Bhutan, Thailand, Sudan and many others.  Most of the refugees are in Clarkston for around 2 years so there are about 40 missionaries living among these people trying to share the gospel with them.  We were able to hangout with 2 of these workers from Global Frontier Missions.  We came for a one day exposure into what Clarkston is like and how we can possible lead short term teams to serve there.  Here is there website: http://www.globalfrontiermissions.org/atlanta.html.  It was a very interesting experience.  These people are so close to Christians and churches but most have them still have never heard a clear gospel presentation.  Praise God that I have heard and responded to his gospel.  It was so clear to me on Saturday that his grace alone has saved me!

So we got home Saturday and were pretty exhausted, but we had free tickets to the Indy Grand Prix for Sunday that we just could not pass up!  So Sunday morning we got up and headed to Leeds and the Barber Motorsports Park to watch the main races, Star Mazda, Indy Lights, and the Indy Grand Prix.

 

Here was our view of the track.

The green "Go Daddy" car, AKA Danika Patrick.

A shot of the cars on the final turn during a "double-file" restart

We are not about to go buy t-shirts and put numbers on our cars, but Ryan and I both really enjoyed the race.  It was quite an experience!

It's Friday

I almost posted this earlier because I couldn't wait, but I figured it would be most appropriate to post today seeing as how "it's friday" and I "gotta get down on Friday".

Ryan's Lucky Day

I think I mentioned in a previous post how much Ryan and I love 97.7 the Peach.

Well now we love them even more because last Friday he won free tickets to 2011 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park next weekend.  Ryan and I have been wanting to go to an event there for years, and now we have free tickets to see one of the biggest events it has ever hosted.  We are so excited! 

Small Group Retreat

Coming back to school after the weekend is never fun.  Coming back after an awesome weekend away... even harder!  Friday, Ryan and I and 6 of our wonderful friends from small group headed to my family's farm in Mississippi.  It was a weekend full of fun and relaxation.

Top Moments:
1. Worship and s'mores around the bonfire.
2. Shooting skeet in the orchard.
3. Trying to be ninjas with Josh and Rebecca's throwing knives.
4. A delicious breakfast with delicious pancakes, made by Katie! And discovering that wheat rocks, thanks to Penny.
5. The girls beating the boys at "Capitalism."
6. Singing to each other via walkie-talkies in the car. There was some Beyonce, Journey, and a whole lot of Disney.
7. Watching the boys go wild on the four-wheelers.
8. Laying in the hammock in the sun.


Thanks friends for such a wonderful weekend!

Spring Break Getaway

Life has been pretty crazy the last couple of months.  Since I last blogged, Ryan and I celebrated Christmas with our families, we moved to an apartment, Ryan started working full time, and I started the second semester of my clinical education which is insane.
But since several people have asked me about why our blogging has ended, which by the way shocked me (I did not think we were very interesting), I have decided to try and start blogging again.  Try and control your excitement.
Today, I will give you guys a spring break update.  2 weeks ago was my spring break and Ryan took Thursday and Friday off work.  We had a fun filled Thursday in Birmingham which included breakfast at Demetri's BBQ, a walk at Railroad park, and a dinner out at Flip Burger.  Then Friday morning we headed to Mississippi to my family's "farm" where Ryan and I enjoyed the beautiful weather and the peace and quiet.  We rode the 4-wheelers, cleared some trails, went fishing, read, laid in the hammock.  It was wonderful!  We are actually heading back there on Friday and taking our wonderful small group with us, pictures to come.  I think I have posted this picture before but, below is a picture of me, my sister, and my dad at the farm years ago...

The farm is such a precious place to my family, and I am so glad Ryan can now enjoy it, and I look forward to sharing it with friends in the years to come.