Finally something in common!

It just occurred to me that me and Emily actually have something in common.  Well we actually have a few other things in common too; i.e. we worship Jesus, we love our kids, we both now enjoy coffee.  But honestly we are very different on a lot of issues.  I think we have both learned to enjoy some of the things that we each like that we didn't prior to being together.  It tends to happen when your in love with someone.  Anyway the new found common ground is that we both have the integrity of our jobs questioned all the time.  I'm really not bitter.  Its kind of funny really.  I've learned to chime right in.  I love the gym teacher jokes.  Nothing gets my day going better than a student asking me, "Coach Little did you have to go school to be a P.E. teacher?"  Or this is the slightly kinder question.  "Coach Little did you have to go to school as long as the teachers do?"  Notice that I am not included as one of the teachers, but at least the second question submits the possibility that I might have went to some school.  Its pretty funny isn't it.  I actually thought about trying to become certified in a really difficult subject so I could earn some respect.  However, the Drivers Education class was already filled.  I'm just kidding Driver's Ed. people.

My wife also gets questioned about the value of her job.  I guess a lot of folks think you get to sit around and eat bon bons all day while your 21 month old and 4 month old just pacify themselves.  Garrison and Allie-Parker are really good at pacifying themselves.  She sits quietly in her bouncer and stares at the T.V. in delight.  Garrison also loves sitting in place for hours on end.  Its amazing to watch really.  I can't believe Emily is ever tired, even after 12 hour days of stuff like this (like during football season).  Well its not even 12 full hours.  Garrison and Allie-Parker both sleep until 11 am every morning, and no one ever wakes up during the night.  During the remaining hours of the day the T.V. does all the teaching necessary.  I mean I guess Emily would get up and do something if it were necessary.  (Just a little sarcasm on the last paragraph)

Really and truly though, it is funny when I get asked the questions about P.E. and I guess it is sometimes funny, when people that don't have one smidgen of an idea of the work it is to take care of two very small children and keep the house clean and pay bills on time and run errands and cook dinner and make your husband lunches and anything else that needs to be done, make light of staying home with your kids.  But honestly the questioning about Emily's job ticks me off a little, (actually a lot).  You see, I see first hand everyday how much effort she puts into raising our children and making our house feel like a home and all the other stuff that goes unnoticed like making me lunches to take to work.  Emily asked me not to write anything about her other than the funny stuff, but I can't help it.  I think it is right for people to know.  I didn't mean to get serious on this one.  I'm  Sorry.  My wife deserves the praise though.  I don't tell her nearly enough how much I appreciate everything she does.  

With all that said, please keep the P.E. jokes coming.  I've got to go for now though.  I need to go practice blowing my whistle before I go to bed.

Ryan

Imperfect Knowledge

I get hung up sometimes on not being able to understand certain things in God's Word.  I mean I see the truth there, but then I go and try to fill in blanks that have not been filled to bring the seeming contrast together for myself.  The one thought that always seems to jump around in my head is how God can be in total control, (and He is) and man be in control of his actions as well.  This is a paradox.  The trouble I get myself into is trying to force the two together into some formula that seems to make sense.  I say 'seems' to make sense, because let me tell you I've tried for 7 years to put the the two concepts together and I always find a flaw in the formula.  You know why, because there is no formula.  The Bible says in Deuteronomy that there are secret things that belong to Him only, but it also says that He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.  ( 2 Peter 1:3)  The Bible takes for granted man's responsibility and says all over the place that God is sovereign.  There is a lot to say about this topic that I have left out.  It is definitely not an easy topic to just brush off.  However, from experience I have found that if I let the two concepts lay side by side the mystery seems more beautiful than dreadful.  When we start filling in blanks that the Bible does not fill in we may be in danger of seeing God as something He is not.  We must take God as He is revealed in His Word, but let us be careful not to add or take what is there to make it fit into what seems to make sense.  Part of worship to our God is found in adoring His mysterious ways.  I'll leave you with a few quotes that hopefully will renew a fresh look at God and His wonderful mystery.

"Shoreless ocean who can sound Thee, Thine own eternity is round Thee,

Majesty Divine."  (Frederick Faber)

"He works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform, His foot is on the sea shore, He's riding on the storm"  (William Cowper)  

My precious great-grandmother always quoted the first part of that line to me any time she talked about God answering prayer.  She went to be with Him last May.  If there was one thing she left me believing is that God works in mystery in the lives of His creation.

Ryan

 

Prenuptial with God

This will hopefully be a short post.  I was thinking about the common thought process of some christians I have talked to.  It goes like this.......even if it turns out that there is in fact is no heaven and hell,  we christians would have lived a good life anyway.  At first this argument sounds decent, but I think it leads to a prenuptial agreement with God in your heart.  You see, people who make prenuptial agreements with their soon to be spouse are afraid that their husband or wife will not keep their promise.  I think this will always keep a mind-set of holding back a little just in case.  That is exactly what the thought process above does with God.  I pray I will have Paul's mind-set instead.........."If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." (1Corinthians 15:19)  It is hard to be completely sold out for someone that you think might not really exist. 

Thanks for reading,

Ryan

Feels like coming home

You know sometimes when you hear christian apologist arguments it seems that they are trying to convince people that honestly do not believe there is a God that there is in fact one.  Sorry Emily, I know that was a very wordy sentence.  I love you.  Anyway, one day maybe I will be able to be more concise.  My point is this...Every single human being knows that there is a God.  As I've heard preachers say 'in your heart of hearts you know.'  That is not an oversimplification of a complex matter.  It is just as true as every other line in Scripture that we all as christians hold to.  Every coherent man and woman knows that there is a God.  Forgive me for being brutally honest here,but it has been too long since I have studied my Bible.  Today I opened up and read the first couple of chapters of Romans.  Listen to this........"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."  (Romans 1: 18-19) 

It goes on to explain how He has shown it to them, but that last statement is enough to see that God has shown all people that He is here.  If I am reading this right, this means everyone.  Chapter 2 explains how gentiles, (that is everyone who were not jews at that time and now) have this knowledge as well even without the law.  Paul through God's inspiration is arguing that even those who have not heard of the God of the Bible know that there is a God.  

In the verses quoted above he says that men suppress the truth by their unrighteousness.  The truth is there but they don't like it, so they press it down deeper and deeper and harden their hearts more and more.  The opposite could be true: that is that they could acknowledge the truth and seek God and He would give them the light they need to come to the gospel.  

I don't want to get away from my main point.  When you tell someone, when hopefully I tell someone here in the next few days about Jesus, we need not worry that they genuinely do not believe there is a God.  They know He exists.  You do not have to worry about that.  As you begin to tell them they will either begin to be drawn to the message and feel like they are coming back home to their wonderful Father that they knew was there all along but didn't want to be with, or they will harden their heart to the God that they know exists but don't want to follow.  Now I do believe christian apologetics have their place.  Sometimes we need to be re-taught the things we already know, and so many lies are flying around us all the time it is good for christian scientists to prove what we already know.  It is true we all know it.  Whether we only know Him as a Being that is out there or as our Heavenly Father, He is here.

I'll leave you with these verses.

Thanks, 

Ryan

"For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their hearts were darkened.  Claming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."  (Romans 1:20-23)

Thanks Jody

So I was talking to a good friend of mine about the topic that I have been writing about lately on these last few notes.  (Facebook notes)  He brought up the a theologian and philosopher that I had never read or heard of before. (Saint Anselm) Anyway I looked up some of what he thought and found it very interesting. He was argued that existence precedes essence. I read a little of what he thought about it and I also read some others that disagreed with him and some that agreed. Most of the arguments were centered around the existence of God. If any of this interests you just google Anselm and you will get a ton of information about him. However, the most interesting couple of sentences that I read on the website were found in conclusion of the arguments. After listing several philosophers for and against the existence of God, the conductor finishes like this

"Classical theism states that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect. Ontological arguments, both old and revised, have also assumed this explicitly or implicitly. Many philosophers are skeptical about the underlying assumption, as described by Leibniz, "that this idea of the all-great or all-perfect being is possible and implies no contradiction."
For example, moral perfection is thought to imply being both perfectly merciful and perfectly just. But these two properties seem to contradict each other. To be perfectly just is always to give every person exactly what he deserves. But to be perfectly merciful is to give at least a person less punishment than he deserves. If so, then a being cannot be perfectly just and perfectly merciful.[30]"

The argument above is a sound one. God can not be perfectly just if he is allows any of the ones deserving punishment to go free while punishing others. He can not be a just judge if He allows anyone deserving punishment to go free. This is where the wonderful truth of Jesus comes in. 'At the foot of the cross, where justice and mercy meet.' This is the absolute 
divider between the God of the Bible and the god of all others. No other religion shows a god of absolute justice and unconditional love. Search it out. You will find none. 
I'll finish with one of my favorite songs

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that helf Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I knoww that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast inJesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Thanks for reading,
Ryan

Education

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

John Dewey

How many folks would enjoy school more and teachers teach better and parents free themselves from guilt and children enjoy learning if we looked at education a little more like this.  Now there are certainly some things that I disagree with that John Dewey believed about education, but the quote above gets the essence of what I believe we are definitely missing in public schools and could be missing in many private schools.  

Ashes for Beauty

In talking to people, even very sincere Christians, I have found that we all have a hard time with the eternality of things.  We have a hard time with thinking of deserving hell for eternity.  Now I can't dive off into that right now, but try this out for a different angle.  Can you imagine feeling at home in a place of utter beauty and holiness where Jesus lives with His Father and the Holy Spirit, if it were not for the cross.  Honestly, I feel like Peter felt when he saw how awesome and holy Jesus was.  He said, "Go away from me Lord.  I am a sinful man."  If I'm dead honest, the eternality of things doesn't settle well for me all the time, but feeling comfortable in heaven with my sin is absolutely unthinkable.  I can't imagine it.  One thing I am certain of is that I don't deserve real Beauty.  I am not fit for a place like heaven, and I feel deep within my heart that I will go on forever somewhere.  So my only hope is that Jesus took my place of darkness and ugliness.  Without that, any hope of going to heaven when I leave this earth is gone.  I am certain.  Jesus is the only way.

Ryan