My New Year Resolution

I'm not big on New Year resolutions. Too often, I find that I'm trying to externally patch some problem by simply resolving to stop rather than dealing with whatever deeper root cause. This being the case, I too often fail at whatever I am undertaking because I'm attempting to treat a symptom rather than the problem.

All that to say that I have a New Year resolution of sorts this year, and it's one that I would recommend to everyone. Timothy Brister, in collaboration with The Resurgence, has begun a project called "Partnering to Remember." The goal this year is to memorize the entire book of Philippians beginning on January 1, to be completed by Easter Sunday (April 24). The Resurgence has created a very helpful PDF that divides the text up into small chunks of 5-8 verses for each of the sixteen weeks. The sections of this PDF are sized so that they can be cut and taped into a Cahier Moleskin for maximum portability and ease of study.


I know that memorizing and entire book of the Bible seems daunting, but what more worthy way to spend your spare time? I'm a little nervous that I won't be able to stick it out for 4 months, but why let that stop me? Come January 1, I'll start on the most ambitious memorization project I've ever undertaken. Tim Brister:

Let’s face it. Memorizing Scripture can be a difficult discipline, especially memorizing long passages of Scripture. In our fast-paced lives of multi-tasking with any number of things vying for our attention, there is a real danger for the Word of God to get squeezed out of our daily lives. More than any other time, Christians need to partner together for the purpose of internalizing Scripture, encouraging one another to abide in the words of Christ, and remembering the weighty truths that center us in God’s work in our lives.

I encourage you to join me on January 1 as I begin to memorize the book of Philippians.

Merry Christmas!!!

I enjoyed this...

100 days and counting...

For those of you who follow our baby blog, you'll know that yesterday marked the end of our first 100 days with Aiden. We've been chronicling the journey in pictures, and so I thought I would post the entire slideshow here for everyone to see. I can't wait to see the Lord's faithfulness in all of our lives over the next 100 days, and beyond.

The Alternative Chronicle

My brother is a writer and the editor for The Alternative Chronicle, a website for serious lovers of film and music. Writing from Los Angeles, many of the films reviewed may only be seen by the rest of us in some obscure video store after a very limited release, but that shouldn't dissuade you from visiting the site. The writing and film criticism is top notch, and in addition to excellent reviews of more familiar films like The Social Network, there's plenty you've never heard of to be discovered on their site.

What pulled me to the site recently is their ongoing roll-out of a best in genre list of movie musicals. The introductory post can be found here, with upcoming lists from a number of the collaborating writers and a final, yet-to-be-released top 10 list. If you love musicals, you're sure to see some of your favorites along with some unknown to you. Besides the current musical list, the site serves to remind me that there is much more out there than the headlining blockbusters that are standard fare at your local movie theatre. Check out The Alternative Chronicle and see what great films you've been missing!

UPDATED: The list of top 10 musicals is now online here, as well as all the individual writers' personal lists.

Hobby Lobby Heresy

I'm pretty sure this isn't what Paul meant when he wrote this in his letter to the Romans. Just sayin...

Road Trippin' with the Boy

Last week, we drove from Louisville to Chambersburg, PA to spend Thanksgiving with the Locke side of the family. Normally a not-so-ambitious undertaking, the drive is a beautiful tour through West Virginia and Western Maryland that takes about 8 hours. But this time, we had a complication...it was the first trip for our boy, just a week shy of 3 months old.

The packing was excruciating: did we remember burp cloths? Do we have enough diapers? Are the wipes where we can reach them? Then there was the planning. When will we feed him? What about stopping to change him? What will we do if he just screams his head off for 8+ hours?

Fortunately, our fears were without merit. As it turns out, Aiden loves to ride in the car (or more accurately, loves to sleep in the car). Kristen had to wake him up to feed him, and he was otherwise happy as a little clam.


Thinking ahead, Kristen bought this toy bar so that in his rare moments of wakefulness, he could entertain himself. He seemed to enjoy it once he realized he could hit the various parts and they would spin and make sounds.

He did great with feedings too! We ended up scheduling it so that he only had to eat twice on the trip, and once was with a bottle while the other coincided with a lunch and gas stop (I could see in his eyes that he wanted my Hush Puppies at Long John Silvers). Of course, the last hour of the trip, he was fussy, but who doesn't want to wail and scream after 9 hours in a car? As it turned out, the trip only took us an hour longer than sans Aiden, and we consider that a victory to be sure.

It was a great trip, and when I say that, I'm including the traveling. We were blessed with safe driving and a great time with family. And now Aiden has been inducted into the tradition of the Groves Family road trip. There will be many more to come!

Turkey Psalm

Thanksgiving inevitably brings about the question: "What are you thankful for?" While I could fill pages and pages with my answer this year, I was struck this morning by my daily reading in Psalms. Perspective is critical in any discussion of thankfulness and blessing, and this Psalm brings it to me. Have a happy thanksgiving, remembering the unending faithfulness of God!






²²for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
²⁴though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
²⁶He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.

²⁷Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
²⁸For the LORD loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever...

³⁹The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
⁴⁰The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

- Psalm 37:22-29, 39-40

Psalm of the Day

I enjoyed reading this Psalm late last week and dwelling on the symbolism in my thoughts over the next few days. So I thought I would post it for all of you to read and think about as well.

1Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

3The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD, over many waters.

4The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth

and strips the forests bare,

and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

11May the LORD give strength to his people!

May the LORD bless his people with peace!

- Psalm 29

Paul, Prayer and Persecution

A week ago, I preached on Philippians 1:18-26. If the reference doesn't automatically jog your memory, it's the passage where Paul proclaims "to live is Christ and to die is gain." I spent a great deal of time unpacking that main idea, but it's what Paul says just before this famous quotation that I've been thinking about this week.

"Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." (Philippians 1:18b-20)

In this long sentence spanning two and a half verses, Paul states that he will rejoice and have confidence despite his circumstances (he was writing this while imprisoned, most likely in Rome and possibly awaiting execution) because all was being worked out for his deliverance ("salvation" is a better translation, to mean something like "the Gospel is being worked out in me") and that ultimately, God would be glorified. But I think what is most interesting (and applicable) is how Paul knows all this will turn out for the Gospel and God's glory.

Paul says "through your prayers and the work of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." The English translation seems to separate these two things, simply listing them as a series, but Paul was expressing a much closer relationship than that. Both the prayers of the Philippians and the work of the Spirit are grammatically organized to emphasize their unity and interrelation. As Gordon Fee says, "the Philippians...are inexplicably bound together with him [Paul] through the Spirit. Therefore, he assumes that their praying, and with that God's gracious supply of the Spirit of his Son, will be the means God uses yet once more to bring glory to himself through Paul and Paul's defense of the Gospel."

This Sunday is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Across the globe there are thousands of believers who are facing persecution; they are imprisoned, beaten, separated from the ones they love all because they claim the same God for their Father that we do with relative ease. They are living today the same life that Paul was living when he wrote this letter to the Philippians, and we are those bound inextricably together with them. Our prayers are not just an expression of our sadness at their predicament or a plea to the Father for their comfort, but much more than that.

The work of the Holy Spirit allows them to rejoice in their circumstances and have the surety that Paul expresses: the Gospel is being worked out in their lives, and God is being glorified. And the means that we have a critical role to play: we are called to pray for the persecuted church, knowing that our prayers are a means by which the Holy Spirit works in their lives. As Moises Silva says, "The Spirit's help itself is...manifested through the koinonia [common fellowship, unity] of fellow-believers." They are not just people we don't really know, but a part of the same body that we belong to, members of our family, our brothers and sisters.

So pray, not just on Sunday, but begin to pray daily for the part of the body of Christ that suffers daily for the Gospel. Pray knowing that your prayers have an effect, that through the Spirit, the joy your persecuted brothers and sisters have in the midst of these dark hours and their certainty of God's glory in their situation is directly related to your prayers. And pray that He would hasten the day when their faith shall be sight and all that is broken will be made new.


For prayer updates, click here or go to persecution.com to sign up for email prayer updates.

Parenthood

"I'm becoming pretty obsessed about parenthood right now," said my wife yesterday. Was she referring to the all-consuming, late night feedings, or the constant stream of laundry, or perhaps the way a baby takes over your entire schedule? An involuntary obsession with parenting might be a good way to characterize our lives right now. But that's not what she was talking about...she was talking about the show Parenthood on NBC.

We've watched it from the beginning (it's in the second season now) and I have to say that it is without a doubt one of the best shows on television. It follows the lives of four very different siblings and their children as they navigate the crazy world of parenting. One of the siblings is a single parent, another has just recently met his 6 year old son for the first time, yet another has an autistic boy and the last struggles to balance her high-powered career and her family.

It sounds a little formulaic, right? Maybe a little cheesy...well, it's not. Check out this video clip:



Parenthood has an authenticity to its writing and a depth of talented acting that is rare on television, especially on NBC. Nevertheless, the show has underperformed in ratings. So, watch it. The multiple plot lines and large cast mean that it migh take an episode or two for you to really get everything that's happening, but it will most definitely be worth it. Parenthood has all the ingredients for a good, solid show with talented actors and excellent writing. But it also has the intangible that takes the show from good to great; it has a moment. The drama draws you in an compels you to continue watching...you will laugh, cry, struggle along with the characters. It really is a great show. Check out Parenthood at 10pm Tuesday nights on NBC.

Ad of the Year (or Century)

In a season of campaign ads that were at times as vitriolic as they were laughable, as irrelevant as they were aggressive, this ad for the 2010 Winnipeg mayor's race stands alone. (by the way, I did a little research and I'm pretty sure this is the real-ish deal)

One Year

It was a year ago today that I started sending out resumes for ministry positions, and I'm honestly not sure how I feel about that. In the last 365 days, we went from a family of two to a family of three, I added an M.Div to the end of my name and we've seen the nature of our ministry in Louisville change and taper off. The last year has been a mix of incredibly exciting events and difficult challenges, a pattern that I am sure won't change much in the coming months.

It's tempting to be discouraged when I remember how optimistic I was as I sent off my first resume on November 2, 2009 to New Hope Baptist Church in Pelzer, SC. It really does seem like that was forever ago, and in moments of weakness I wonder when this time of waiting will ever end. But God has been so faithful in our lives over the past twelve months. I think about the incredible ways that God has provided for us financially, the deep and enriching relationships that have ministered to us in the last year and the story of Aiden's birth.

When I look back all of this, how can I not trust that the Lord will continue to be faithful? As we begin to face the possibility that Kristen may have to return to work in a few weeks and wonder how we might be able to make that work, He is faithful. As I wait to hear back from the many churches still holding and considering my resume, He is faithful. As this time of waiting stretches past one year, God will continue to be faithful. Please pray with us that we would remember, celebrate and trust in this truth.

²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
-I Thessalonians 5:23-24

Psalms

For a long time, I didn't really like asparagus. It's not that I really had any experience with it, but it was green and a vegetable, so I pretty much rejected it out of hand. But a few years ago, I ate some and all of the sudden I realized that not only do I like asparagus, I love it. Now, I look forward to every time I get the chance to have some.

I tell that story because reading Psalms has followed roughly the same trajectory for me as my relationship with the delicious green stalk. I have always gravitated to the epistles for their theological and didactic nature and to narrative because it so beautifully illustrates the unfolding of the message of the Word. But I'm not really one for poetry, and I had never really gotten into the book of Psalms.

Per usual, the impetus for me to step out of what I was comfortable with was my wonderful wife, who has been enthusiastically enjoying the Psalms on her second read through the Bible in a year. I was skeptical, but I had finished an epistle and a narrative recently, so I took the plunge and started with Psalm 1. I was stunned...how had I been missing this the whole time?!?! The beauty of the text is intertwined with great theological truths about the nature of God, man, sin, redemption...I could go on and on. I'm not sure that anything I have read so clearly reveals so much about the nature of God.

I've been reveling in Psalms ever since. It's been an incredible encouragement in this time of uncertainty and Kristen and I have decided to memorize this passage to keep our minds and hearts focused on who our mighty God is:

6Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 7The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
8The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 9Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

- Psalm 28:6-9 (ESV)

I encourage you to check out Psalms if you have not already. And keep your eye on this blog, as I intend to start up blogging with more regularity in the coming weeks.

I'm still around...

I realize that I haven't posted here in a long time, and for you two people who still read this, I'm going to get back to it soon. I've been busy over on our baby blog since Aiden was born, but I'll be back here soon. For now, I'll direct you to the newest feature on our baby blog, 100 Days of Aiden. We're taking a picture of him every day and posting them up for 100 days. It should be interesting!

The Reckoning

Recently, I saw one of my favorite artists, Andrew Peterson, live in concert. His new album, Counting Stars was released recently, and it's been my most played album of the last two weeks. I would highly recommend it and any of AP's music; he's talented and insightful, and his heart for God shows through in his work. This particular song is the final song of his new album and probably my favorite.

It catches me off guard each time I hear it...I find myself choking on the words as I am reminded of the transitory reality of all that I too often trust as permanent. I've often struggled with articulating my feelings about what Andrew calls "the reckoning" but this song gives words to the desires of my heart. I can't be reminded often enough that there is a great coming reality when the curtain will be lifted and we will look God full in the face, and I too long for that day.



I can see the storm descending on the hill tonight
Tall trees are bending to your will tonight
Let the mighty bow down
At the thundering sound of your voice

I can hear the howling wind and feel the rain tonight
Every drop a prophet in your name tonight
And the words that they sing
They are washing me clean, but

How long until this curtain is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?

And I know you hear the cries of every soul tonight
You see the teardrops as they roll tonight
Down the faces of saints
Who grow weary and faint in your fields

And the wicked roam the cities and the streets tonight
But when the God of love and thunder speaks tonight
I believe You will come
Your justice be done, but

How long until this curtain is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?

You are holiness and grace
You are fury and rest
You are anger and love
You curse and you bless
You are mighty and weak
You are silence and song
You are plain as the day,
But you have hidden your face—
For how long? How long?

And I am standing in the silence of the reckoning
The storm is past and rest is beckoning
Mighty God, how I fear you
How I long to be near you, O Lord

How long until this curtain is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?

And I know that I don’t know what I’m asking
But I long to look you full in the face
I am ready for the reckoning

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

No, it's not Christmas, although that's great too. It's SHARK WEEK on the Discovery channel. For 23 years, Discovery has been paying homage to the apex predator of the ocean, the creature that strikes fear in the hearts of us mere humans.


I love sharks...I love their beauty and raw power. Watching a Great White breech is possibly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I still grab Kristen and say, "Look at that!" every time they play a slow motion shot of one, flailing in the air after jumping fully out of the water. It truly is amazing.

So tune into Shark Week, all this week on Discovery, and enjoy one of the most stunning works of God's creation.

Liberty Across the Pond

Your Freedom: Britain's liberty is at stake - it is time to have your say

By Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister
Published: 6:30AM BST 01 Jul 2010

During their 13 years in power, the Labour Government developed a dangerous reflex. Faced with whatever problem, legislation increasingly became the standard response. Something needs fixing? Let’s pass a new law.

And so, over the last decade, thousands of new rules and regulations have amassed on the statute book. And it is our liberty that has paid the price. Under the cover of pretending to act in our best interest, the state has crept further and further into people’s homes and their private lives. That intrusion is disempowering. It needs to change.

The Coalition Government is determined to restore great British freedoms. Major steps have been taken already. ID cards have been halted. Plans are underway to restrict the storage of innocent people’s DNA. Schools will no longer be able to take children’s fingerprints without their parents consent.

But we need to do more. The culture of state snooping has become so ingrained that we must tackle it with renewed vigour. And, especially in these difficult times, entrepreneurs and businesses need our help. We must ensure we are not tying them up in restrictive red tape.

So today we are taking an unprecedented step. Based on the belief that it is people, not policymakers, who know best, we are asking the people of Britain to tell us how you want to see your freedom restored.

We are calling for your ideas on how to protect our hard won liberties and repeal unnecessary laws. And we want to know how best to scale back excessive regulation that denies businesses the space to innovate. We’re hoping for virtual mailbags full of suggestions. Every single one will be read, with the best put to Parliament.

It is a radically different approach. One based on trust. Because it isn’t up to government to tell people how to live their lives. Our job is to empower people, giving you the freedom and support to thrive. That belief is right at the heart of this Coalition. And both coalition parties recognise that Whitehall doesn’t have a monopoly on the best ideas.

So, finally, after years in the wilderness, freedom is back in fashion. This is our chance to redraw the boundaries between citizen and state. It’s your chance to have your say.

Source

The Facebook Movie

Those of you who know me know that I am the anti-Facebook. I realize that it allows people to more easily keep up with one another, but I suspect that it is more often responsible for the proliferation of useless information and faux relationships rather than a tool for genuine human connectedness (see Neil Postman's books Amusing Ourselves to Death and Technopoly for further thought on that).

In any case, my aversion to Facebook doesn't really have much to do with my excitement about the upcoming movie, The Social Network. Rather, I am interested in it because the film was written by Aaron Sorkin, one of the most talented and creative people out there today. I've talked here before about my love of all things Sorkin, but I won't rehash a sonnet of wonder for Sports Night or a lament of loss for Studio 60 here, I'll just say that if anyone can write a great movie about a website (or anything), it is Aaron Sorkin. Additionally, the director is David Fincher, the director of such critically acclaimed films as Se7en and Fight Club. Needless to say, I am intrigued.

Facebook has a sordid history, with allegations that the founder, Mark Zuckerberg, stole the whole idea from some fellow college co-eds (the reality is that the claimed founders received a huge out of court settlement after suing Zuckerberg). Sundry co-ed malfeasance, ruthless conniving and general meanness are all rumors that surround the founder and his compatriots during the early days of Facebook. Some of it is true, some of it isn't and most of it is both...but it's all apparently in this film. Whatever this movie is about, it will be quite the interesting piece to watch.

The first trailer was released yesterday. Check it out below, and watch for The Social Network, hitting theaters on October 1, 2010.



Sources:
http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/techtonic-shifts/2010/05/13/as-facebook-takes-a-beating-a-brutal-movie-is-set-to-make-things-much-worse.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Social_Network

Quo Vadimus

Where are we going? That has been the question in this last week and a half; it has been such a roller coaster. We've been talking to a church in Missouri for the last few months, and I have been super excited about the opportunity. They're a 2 year old church plant affiliated with Acts29 and the Southern Baptist Convention, and situated in a unique area with a lot of needs and tons of potential for ministry. I had probably completed 2/3 of the process when I called them last Tuesday (the 8th) and they told me that they were going to go with another candidate. They encouraged me a great deal, but at the end of the day, it meant that we were back to square one.

I've really wrestled in the last week with getting back on the horse and searching for new ministry opportunities. For a few days I was just angry and frustrated, and then that gave way to discouragement and apathy. Kristen just moved into her third trimester, and while I am so excited about that, it makes the lack of any ministry opportunity loom more ominously in the foreground. I'm struggling once again with the reality that this will happen in God's timing, not mine, and that ultimately he is the one who will make it happen.

But, as always happens, the Lord put several reminders of his faithfulness in my path. My very good friend George emailed me after I sent him a discouraged email and reminded me that God is teaching me through this time, and that these minor difficulties will ultimately culminate in his glory. He said, "And you know that you can trust Him as He's never proven unfaithful. Not once." Of course I know this, but too often I don't really believe it. I need to believe it. Thanks for reminding me of that George.

Then, early this week, I sent my resume to several pastors that I had not contacted up to this point. The response was humbling and amazing...one of them immediately forwarded my resume to a church, another has a connection to a big church in this area that he was going to contact, and still another said he would even consider creating an internship for me until I found something more permanent. On top of all this, we got two incredible notes from my Grandmother on Thursday, offering to help us buy a pack n play for the baby, and encouraging us to persevere and remember God's faithfulness.

I am my father's son. I love to fix things, solve problems and do serious planning far into the future. I like to be prepared. But what that means for me is that too often I try to plan for God, to direct him in what I think is best rather waiting and listening to his leading. It's a lesson I have to learn over and over again, but God's faithfulness and his plan aren't always what I think or even want. Asking myself "Where are we going?" is a fruitless exercize in my own pride; I am learning once again that I have to ask the one who knows and patiently wait for his answer.

Here's lookin at you, kid

Our most recent doctor's visit allowed us to finally get some ultrasound pictures of our baby's face. It was awesome! We are so blessed that the baby continues to develop right on schedule, and the doctor confirmed that everything looks perfectly healthy and normal. This will most likely be one of the last baby-related posts on my blog for a while, as Kristen and I have started up a new baby blog: littlebabygroves.blogspot.com. Head over there for our latest updates, pictures and to vote in our gender poll. But for now, enjoy these pictures of our little one.

What does this MEAN?!?!

I came across an article recently that I honestly think every Christian should read. It's short and not too difficult, but it addresses an all-too-common failure that is evident in many churches and in the lives of many believers. The failure is this: reading a Bible verse.

Let me explain: it's not that people fail to read the Bible, although that is a problem as well. This problem is at the root of the common lament of struggle to understand what one is reading in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament. Too often, we read the Bible in individual segments, leading to a myriad of questions. Why is this here? What significance does this seemingly boring passage have? What does this mean for me?

But there's a key, one that almost universally unlocks the most confusing and difficult passages in the New Testament: context. Here's the article:

Never Read a Bible Verse
By Gregory Koukl

If there was one bit of wisdom, one rule of thumb, one single skill I could impart, one useful tip I could leave that would serve you well the rest of your life, what would it be? What is the single most important practical skill I've ever learned as a Christian?

Here it is: Never read a Bible verse. That's right, never read a Bible verse. Instead, always read a paragraph at least...read the entire article here.

Scripture memorization is a very valuable thing, but too often the one or two verses that are memorized, whether it be as a child in Sunday School or during personal study as an adult, foster within us the idea that verses and stories are divorced and divided from one another. This couldn't be further from the truth! Not only do verses have immediate context (the paragraph and idea that surrounds them) but they have context within the book, within the writer's corpus, within the history of God's interaction with his people, and this is merely the beginning of the contextual issues.

Now it seems overwhelming...how is one person supposed to remember and account for all of those things? Well, relax...and just read. Pay attention to what you just read. Think about what's happening in the story or letter. Ask yourself why something just happened, and what it means. If you walked outside one morning and were surprised by tomato plant growing in your garden, context would govern how you understood that event. Did you plant it a few weeks earlier? Did you just buy the house without knowing it was planted by the previous owners? Is your spouse gardening and not telling you? Answers to all of these contextual questions help you understand why the tomato plant is there, and give you an idea of what could be coming next.

Scripture is a marvelous tapestry of interwoven events, themes and ideas. When you find yourself struggling to understand a verse, read the context and apply it to what you are studying. It will give you a refreshing understanding of how the whole of the Bible fits together, and ultimately will help you better apply the Word of God to your own life.

A few excellent resources for growing in the way you understand the Bible:

ESV Study Bible (by far the best study Bible on the market today)

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart

A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible by Robert Stein (more technical, but still an excellent resource)

It's all a shell game...

I've always loved Ford Motor Company, but my affection for them has only grown recently as both Chrysler and GM took massive bailouts from the government to basically subsidise their failure to remain competitive in the marketplace. Ford made a number of smart moves financially just before the recession began, and that, coupled with their star CEO implementing massive product development, manufacturing and quality control changes has left them in a great position to not just weather the storm, but expand their market share.

But GM announced a week or so ago that they too are now back on the straight and narrow road of capitalism, repaying their government loans back early, in full and with interest. Here's the heart-warming commercial I'm sure you've already seen:



Unfortunately, it's all a farce. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley was the first to call it simply a "TARP money shuffle." The official response from the Treasury department seemed to initially contradict this; the statement claimed that GM properly used escrow funds to repay the loan, and that this escrow was not held by the US Treasury, but by GM. That's all well and good, except that the New York Times revealed that this is all merely a game of semantics on the part of the Treasury and General Motors.

According to the Times, the inspector general overseeing the bailout program noted in a Senate Finance Committee meeting that the money being used to pay back the Treasury was "other taxpayer money." The Treasury noted last Tuesday that the money used to repay the bailout was in an escrow account held for General Motors by the US Treasury. This is probably the most troubling quote from the NYT article:

Emphasizing that the cash in the account was “the property of G.M.,” Mr. Allison said that the department had approved the company’s use of the money to retire the original debt because it was “consistent with Treasury’s goal of recovering funds for the taxpayer and exiting TARP investments as soon as practicable.”

Why should you care? The issues are twofold: first, the money isn't "the property of GM" in the first place. It's the taxpayers' money, and represents what comes out of your paycheck every two weeks that is supposed to go to legitmate financial needs of the government. Second, while the Treasury has backed off of their original claim that taxpayer money was not used for the payback, GM deceptively continues to claim they have payed back their loans and are somehow more prepared to survive in the market, while this is clearly not the case. GM used government money, paid by you in your taxes, to repay the bailout money they owed to the Treasury.

How can GM be "a company America is proud of" as CEO Ed Whitacre states in the ad, if they can't even pay off their bailout with their own funds? GM is no more out from under the bailout now than it was before it paid off its loans, it only wants you to think it is. Taxpayers should be embarassed and angry at this charade, and disgusted at the misleading tactics of the US Treasury and General Motors. It's not the taxpayer's job to support a failing business, and until GM can actually turn a profit, that's exactly what it is.



Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/business/02gret.html
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-28/gm-properly-used-escrow-to-repay-u-s-treasury-says-update1-.html

AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME...

This will most likely be my last Derby in Louisville, and it promises to be an interesting one. With a flood advisory looming for today and tomorrow, the track is sure to be very sloppy at the 6:24pm post time. There are few things more amazing than watching thoroughbreds run in the mud, and a fast horse on a dry track can be a monster in the wet or get bogged down in the muck. All bets are off.

I've had trouble choosing a horse this year, mostly because I haven't paid very close attention to the pre-Derby buzz and predictions. So I went with a trainer I like...Bob Baffert. The jockey is Martin Garcia, and this is his first mount in the Kentucky Derby. And my horse? Conveyance.

His odds are 12-1, and he's recently won The Southwest Stakes; many of those horses are here now for the Derby, so Conveyance knows the competition. Bred here in Kentucky, Conveyance is a quick out of the gate horse and stamina has been a weakness in the bloodline...if he's back at the start, that's bad news. His pedigree includes a sire and broodmare sire who were both Derby favorites but failed to win. On this track anything can happen, but today, I'll be rooting for Conveyance in the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby!

A Must-Read Coming in August

My mother walks where few women dare to tread. She raised four boys- stitches, wrestling matches, tree climbing- and lived to tell about it (and, remarkably, so did we). She held our feet to the fire with our homework, took us on trips to the library and sat in the stands for our football, wrestling, basketball, swimming and track competitions. Now she's written a book, to be released in August, about the whole, wild experience. You're going to want to check this out.


From the publisher:
Boy #1 is a blessing. Boy #2 is a joy. But what happens with boy #3? And what if there is a #4? Or more? Suddenly, Mom is outnumbered. Throw Dad into the mix, and you have enough testosterone to chase Mom out the front door and keep her on the run from dawn to dusk.

My mom is not only a great mom, but an excellent writer, so this will definitely be a great read. Keep an eye open in bookstores for I'm Outnumbered in August, and read more about my mom, her book and raising boys at www.outnumberedmom.com.

On a personal note, I couldn't be more proud of my mom for writing this book. It's always been her dream to write, and now that she's got the creative juices flowing, I can't wait to see what else is coming in the future. Congrats mom!

The Search for Love

Here's a short film my brother stars in that just won best audio, best music and best comedy at the Highbridge Film Festival. It's hilarious, clever and definitely worth a watch. Enjoy!

A Baby Update!

So, I know it's been a while since I posted, and I'll work on getting back on track, but for now, here are a few pictures of our ultrasound from Thursday. It was 30 minutes of just ultrasound, and it was awesome. I can't wait to be a father!

And, for those of you who are wondering, we didn't cave. We're still not finding out the sex of the baby. It's going to be one amazing surprise.

Here's a great profile shot...you can see the spine, legs, all kinds of cool stuff.
In this one you can see our little one raising a clenched fist...they're already sticking it to the man!
This is by far my favorite...you can see both feed (look where the arrows ar pointing) as well as toes, the back, spine and a little bit of a rear end. I love it!
These last two are the 3D ultrasounds. The baby was wiggling all over the place, but would not turn over, so when we go back in three weeks, we'll have some 3D face shots to post. Looking forward to that!

First or Last?

There are phrases and ideas that have worked their way into common discourse. "A bird in the hand" or "when in Rome" are two that come to mind. But as I read through the book of Mark a few nights ago, I came across another common phrase: "The last shall be first, and the first shall be last."

This phrase appears not only in Mark 10:31 (where it is actually phrased "But many who are first will be last, and the last first") but also in Matthew's complementary account of Jesus' encounter with the rich, young man. In both cases, Christ's teaching and his main point are the same. But what exactly does this phrase mean, and when people use it, do they really mean what it says?

Too often, I hear this phrase used as an implicit reminder of a reward for those who are nice to other people. Let that pregnant lady on the elevator and catch the next one...the last shall be first. Give some money to a homeless man you pass by on your morning commute...the last shall be first. For many, this phrase is really just a moralistic proverb, a reminder of why you should do good things. Sadly, for Christians it is often the same. But that isn't what Jesus is saying at all.

As is always the case with Scripture, reading the context helps understand the meaning. Here's the passage in its entirety:

17And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 20And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth." 21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." 28Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." 29Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Mark 10:17-31 (ESV)

Christ clearly ties being one of the last-made-first not with some kind of moral do-goodness, but with the consequences of a life devoted to following him. If that seems like a subtle distinction, think about it again. Common usage would suggest that the one that does the most sacrificial "good things" somehow gains placement "first" in virtue of their "last" nice-guy standing. But Christ clearly points out just a few verses earlier that this is the complete opposite of his meaning. Consider his conversation with the rich, young man; the man said that he had kept all the commandments, but Christ asks him for more. The mere keeping of the law, the doing of good things, is not enough to save him. He must be willing to sacrifice the thing that is most dear to him in order to follow Christ.

The reality of this passage is not that money is the obstacle to following Christ. For this man, it was. The reality is that being "last" means loss, sacrifice and persecution because of faithfulness "for [Christ's] sake and for the gospel." You can do all the good things that you like; you can give and help and sacrifice until you are blue in the face, but if it is only for your sake and not for the sake of the Gospel, then it means nothing. Truly being one last-made-first means being one that will give up anything for the call and furthering of the Gospel, and being one who will follow Christ above all else. To simply do good deeds for the sake of being last (made first) is as void as the rich, young man's willingness to keep the commands but hold on to his wealth.

So the phrase isn't really about doing good deeds at all- it's about the reality that those who truly follow Christ will have to give up and suffer for it, but that the lastness of this suffering translates into the firstness of communion with believers here on earth and ultimately, communion with God forever. It's not what you do, it's who you're doing it for.

OK Go

This is simply amazing.

Our (fur) Baby

It occurs to me that it has been a long time since I've posted any pictures of our adorable puppy Paisley, and a few weeks ago she got to spend some playtime in the snow. It's probably her favorite thing ever...well, second only to peanut butter. Here are some action shots of our crazy pooch:

Our sweet puppy, calm and enjoying the snow...


Graceful as a deer, bounding through the snow...


This is probably my favorite picture of her...she's got the crazy eyes.


Paisley's not super agile, but that doesn't stop her from trying.

Recently, Paisley's had a bit of drama in her life. What was supposed to be a short pedicure for her turned into an impromptu first aid session when I accidentally cut the quick of one of her nails. I know, I should have been more careful...I felt awful about it. A quick tip: when you do this to your dog, sticking her foot in a bowl of flour coats the nail and helps staunch the bleeding. Unfortunately, you also have a dog tracking flour all over the house. At least it's better than her tracking blood all over the house.

Paisley wanted to lick all the flour off her paw, resulting in a restart to the bleeding, so before it was all said and done, her foot got a second dip in the flour and she got a stylish sock to keep her from licking her nail. She was none too pleased about this.

Finally, she settled down from all the excitement and made peace with the fact that she was going to have to wear this sock (for a little while, at least).

That's all the canine news for now, but I'm sure there will be plenty more fodder for future posts since there will be many new and exciting things coming in her (and our) lives.

Brian McLaren & Whole Foods

Here's a short parable, written by Dr. Jim Hamilton of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, about the new book by Brian D. McLaren, entitled A New Kind of Christianity. I haven't read the book yet, but I've heard response from many who have, and I think this short story hits the nail on the head.

Brian McLaren decided to open his own Whole Foods store. He started small, and the business grew. After a struggle through the early years, he had his own storefront with the sign in the parking lot and everything: Whole Foods.

More and more, though, people complained about the high prices, and they were a little disappointed that while the food was supposed to be healthy, it just didn’t taste as good as what they were used to eating. McLaren wrestled with the problems of price, access, taste, and image, and after much turmoil he began to move toward a solution that he was sure would address the issues.

The change didn’t happen all at once, and McLaren didn’t announce what he had decided to do. In fact, there are some indications that this was, we might say, an organic development, a slow transformation. Once it had happened, though, the results are clear for all to see...(read the entire post here).

Old-New News

Note: This post was originally written a week ago, but I've just gotten around to publishing it. Sorry for the delay.

It's been one of those weeks, and yet, I find that God has been teaching me quite a lot. To be more precise, it was the end of last week and the beginning of this week that were so rough. I've been sick, which is no fun in and of itself, but I was teaching a class on Saturday (a week ago) and felt horrible the night before, so I took the night off to sleep. I am not sure if I was feeling better or worse than our puppy, who got bit in the face by some insect and looked like a Shar-pei for the evening.

It turned out to be providential that I was at home, sick on Saturday morning, because at 6am, as I was laying awake in bed, feeling awful, I heard water running into our apartment from the burst hot water heater in the apartment above. I was able to move everything out of the way in time, but if I had been at work, the water would have run for at least 2 hours, probably ruining furniture, important files and our brand new computer.

Paisley still had a swollen face when I finally got her out of the kennel, so Kristen took her to the vet while I went to teach this class. The vet was unconcerned, and after a few more doses of Bendryl, she looked much better that evening. The rest of the week was pushing furniture around, a new carpet pad and shampoo and generally a lot of re-organizing everything that was hastily pushed away earlier.

But the small adversities I faced this week reminded me of two very important realities that I too often take for granted. First, the scope of difficulty that I face pales in comparison to the lives that so many people live daily. The day all this happened was also the day that a 8.8 earthquake struck the country of Chile, and the perspective on our little inconvenience is humbling. Please continue to pray for the people of Chile, and I once again recommend Baptist Global Response to give to relief efforts.

Second, I was reminded of the faithfulness of God. Sure, last weekend was rough, but it could have been many times worse. We weren't faced with a major vet bill, nor did we have to worry about replacing any of our stuff. And, in the grand scheme of things, our possessions have no everlasting value, and yet God was faithful to protect us from further difficulty and loss. A conversation with the pastor of a church that called me recently only affirmed again the faithfulness of God, as he was used by God to further make clear the direction of his call on our lives.

I'm grateful this week for God's grace and love. I'm grateful for his work in my heart, the shifting of my desires that changes my outlook on our material possessions from anxiety and fear to peace and comfort, even in the midst of difficulty. I'm thankful for the reality of the Gospel in my life this week.