The Princess Dilemma

 With my literature class on Monday we discussed George MacDonald’s book “The Princess and the Goblin” first published in 1872. This is a fantasy story he wrote to introduce children to the idea of faith and the difference between good and evil. Within the story he contrasted the prevailing cultural definition of rich equals good and poor equals bad with a more biblical view that a person’s character defines them, not their breeding.

Providentially, on my way out the door to class, I happened to glace a section of the newspaper on its way to the recycle bin. The section's cover page included, a full page, full color, photo of a dressed-up princess entitled “Princess Dilemma: Are we sending a wrong message to little girls?”

The report provided great fodder for a discussion with the kids. Not only did we enjoy the humor in the newspaper writer’s thinking that the “princess phase” in a little girl’s life is a new phenomenon but we talked about why the desire to be a princess even exists in the hearts of little girls and big girls. And, why boys want to be the rescuer of the princess. That’s the plot of MacDonald’s story. And the Cinderella stories of every culture. It provided a delightful opportunity to discuss how the entire Bible is the story of Prince rescuing a dirty waif, dressing her up and taking her as His bride. Truly the perfect “happily ever after.”

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-28

Westward Ho!

Lured by the promise of paradise on earth, thousands of families loaded small wagons and headed into the great unknown. They counted the farewells to family, friends and most of their worldly goods a small price to pay for the promise of the good life painted by the tales of politicians, wagon train masters and printed advertisements. Living life as sojourners for a short time would surely reward them with health, riches and happiness.

 Our studies of the Oregon Trail and Westward Migration this week brought me face to face with a reality that repeats itself over and over in tales historical and fictitious: Humans long for home. And home is beautiful, plentiful and satisfying. The extremes we will endure for this promise astound me. While at the same time they clarify the knowledge that deep within our nature, all humans know that we were created for something else. It’s that remnant of the Imago Dei. We know were meant to live in a garden without thorns in our fields or our relationships.

As believers the challenge is for us to focus on the example of Abraham, to sojourn as an alien and foreigner in this world while looking forward with joy to a city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. To fix our eyes on the One who is the way, the truth and the life; the One who is preparing a place for us.

These studies humbled me this week.  The sacrifices of emigrant families for the promise of a good life now make my sacrifices for the sake of eternity look paltry. At least one in every ten emigrants died on the journey, never reaching their reward. Yet, I know that nothing will separate me from the love of Christ Jesus my Lord.  I know that my reward is sure. I know that He who began this good work in me will carry it to completion. I know that when I am home there will no sickness, no dying, no poverty, no tears.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is  set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising  the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

To Desire God's Kingdom

A quick trip about the blog-o-sphere sent me meandering through the 2011 book reviews of my cyber-friends. Not an unpleasant journey, quite the opposite. I am a booklist junkie. My favorite store is Amazon.com. I wish they were not-for-profit because my contributions to their cause each year would make a great addition to our tax deductions. I’m not writing my own book list. However, one book does stand out in my own personal year-end review: James K.A. Smith’s book, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview and Cultural Formation.

As our family has journeyed together through these last ten years of education, my conviction that the end of education is nothing short of disciple making continues to grow. Followers of Jesus Christ are honored to participate in Christ’s mission by going into all the world and making disciples. Growing disciples means that Christ-followers know more than the elemental truths of the gospel, but that they are able to handle the strong meat of the Word: the Word that claims Christ preeminent in all things. All things including history, math, language studies, grammar, writing, science and even laundry.

Smith agrees. Of course that’s why I loved the book. But, he helped me flesh out my thinking in this area through his discussion about the nature of being human. Smith argued that intellectual reason is not the motivator of a human’s actions. Rather, humans are motivated by the desires of their hearts. We do what we love regardless of what we say we believe.

A major premise of the book claims that our desires are shaped by our actions. If we physically immerse ourselves in a kingdom whose practices and images define the “good life” by any means other than finding satisfaction in Christ, we are in danger of pledging our souls to a counterfeit king. Some of his examples include the typical western world’s shopping malls, the stadiums of our sporting events, and the halls of our academies. This time, these activities and the images connected with them shape the desires of our hearts.

Augustine claimed that the goal of education was to teach students to love that which is lovely.

The remedy Smith offers to the counterfeit-kingdom loyalty is to intentionally re-connect our hearts and our intellects through the pattern of worship defined by the Scripture and practiced by the local church. The physical acts of gathering together, listening to the Word together, praying together, singing together and breaking bread together shape the desires of our hearts. As our intellectual understanding of these practices grows through the transforming power of the Word, so our hearts are set to find their satisfaction in the person who is Truth.

Christian education is the work of making disciples of Jesus Christ. God has ordained that this single mission be mediated through his church. There is no doubt that pragmatically, it would seem much easier to make disciples outside of the context of the church thus the plethora of para-church organizations. But I am convicted that the only hope I have that my children will learn to love the Kingdom of God is to cultivate that desire for Jesus Christ through the means that he ordained.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Heb 10:19-25 ESV

A New Focus for 2012

"May mornings be advents
Each coming a mercy..."

Some of my favorite lines from a favorite poet, Kathleen Nielson. They fix the eyes of my heart on the wonder of God's never failing faithfulness and his mercies, new every morning.

The first mornings of a new year are extra special, a time to review, a time to renew, and a time to begin again.

I'd abandoned this blog last year as preschool plans no longer filled as much of my days. I've decided to re-envision the purpose of this space and broaden it's content to correspond with my current circumstances.

My desire is to post at least once a week and record insights our family is learning on this journey of being transformed by the Word as we look for evidence of Christ's preeminence in every area of our lives.

Rom 12:2
...be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
ESV

From the Gift to the Giver

A few weeks ago as I was catching up on the ironing I listened to a recorded discussion about Jonathan Edward's teaching on the practice of gratitude. I was shocked to hear that it wasn't a discipline he encouraged. Why not? Well, from the discussion I gathered this: Edwards felt it was not good enough. He was concerned that if we fix our gaze on the gifts, we could miss the beauty of the Giver. He believed that the beauty of Christ should so captivate our souls that if we were never to receive a single gift from His hand, He alone would be enough for our souls to be fully satisfied.

Yes.

Isn't that Job's story? "Though He slay me, yet will I trust him." In the midst of his pain, when he would cry out to God with that "WHY?" question, God always answered WHO. Over and over and over and over again. Always God pointed to Himself. And in the end, God was enough!

When the pain in my life is so great that it feels like hypocrisy to "look for the silver lining," is it possible to train my mind to gaze instead on the beauty of Christ himself? He is the One who never changes. He is the One who is always, always, always good. He is the One in whom all the promises of God are YES! He is the One who will transform me from glory unto glory.

As I've been pondering this I remembered this little story from C.S. Lewis:

I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The sun was shining outside and through the crack at the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From where I stood that beam of light, with the specks of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black.

I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it. Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no beam. Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 90 odd million miles away, the sun. Looking along the beam, and looking at the beam are very different experiences.
Originally published in The Coventry Evening Telegraph, July 17, 1945

And I wonder if I can discipline myself, with each counted blessing, to turn and look up the beam to the Source of the gift. To see more of Him. To know Him better. This really does happen sort of automatically as I count my many blessings, but what if I shifted my own focus just a bit to see the blessing as just the wrapping of the gift in which the Giver makes more of Himself known to me? What if it was my intention to let every undeserved gift be simply the means by which I learn more of Jesus? What if I worked at looking for specific ways that every gift helped me cast my gaze upon the beauty of the Lord? Couldn't this take the already transformational practice of gratitude journaling to a whole new level? Couldn't this truly transform my mind -- from glory unto glory??

Am I crazy to think that maybe even the Beauty Hunters might learn this next step? What it might look like I'm not sure, but maybe something like this:

J: "I'm thankful for my new puppy."
Me: "Why do you think God blessed you with that new puppy?"
J: "I don't know, 'cause I wanted it?"
Me: "Did you know that God's Word tell us that when Jesus was here on earth he had every feeling that we ever have -- and yet he didn't ever sin? Do you think that maybe because Jesus knows what's like to need a friend who is always with you -- that maybe that's why he gave you a dog? Did you know that more than a dog can ever be -- Jesus promises that He will never leave you, never forsake you? That puppy is a very special gift, but Jesus is an even greater gift isn't he, J?"

Or maybe I'm crazy to think that I'll have to help them see this. It is they who teach me so often.

Maybe, with habitual practice, we will all learn, with every gift, to shift our gaze - from examining the beam of light, to examining its Source. May we be so captivated by the beauty of Christ that our souls are satisfied in Him -- with or without the gifts.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.   2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

Welcome Back!

These little guys bubbled with praise! We counted 37 things to give thanks for and it was our first day of class! Here are some of my favorites:

JM: For gold treasure. I don't have any but I have a gold penny!
HB: For mom and dad because they snore when they sleep.
HO: For my litte sister because she is so cute.
IS: For sparkly shoes.
KS: For treasure hunts.
JS: For my class. I have helpers. Three of them. If someone is being mean to me I can just to to one of them.
JM: I get to do school and I turned 5!

All She Knows is Thanks

It happens every time. Little heartaches or great joys. Big desires or small requests. Her heart translates the words. And every time she converts them to praise.

I'll say, "Let's ask God." Or she'll say, "Will you pray with me?" And every time she just says, "Thank you..."

"Thank you that You will help me to obey."

"Thank you that You will keep my daddy safe."

"Thank you that You will help my sister find her shoes."

"Thank you that You will help my friend to get well."

Is this what faith as a little child looks like? Does it just believe with such absolute confidence in the power and goodness of God that it expresses its requests in thanksgiving all the time? Is this what giving thanks in everything looks like?

Oh Lord, thank you that You move mountains with such seeds of faith!

 "For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 17:20 ESV