What Reformation Day Really Is

Good post on the Heidleblog today....you can read by clicking on the title in the left-hand column...

'Apple of My Thigh'

I love to make desserts, but due to issues with my blood sugar, I can eat very little of the 'sweet stuff'. That's why I love to have the chance to cook for company, church dinners and any other opportunity that presents itself. With the holidays approaching, I'm looking forward to all the delicious and delightful upcoming occasions.

I have two functions coming up this weekend.

If you haven't seen this already, I thought I would share a recipe I recently came across - in case any of you are looking for something easy and delicious for a Reformation celebration treat. (I'm also planning to make an 'Upside-Down Apple-Pecan Pie', and I have a wonderful recipe for 'Microwave Carmel Corn' )

'Heavenly APPLE OF MY THIGH Dessert' - first on my list to prepare - is a cute and descriptive name for this tastefully-decadent fall fruit dip...

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
3(1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee - Heath, Score, etc. - chopped
5 apples - any variety - , cored and sliced

Directions:

1. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce in a medium bowl. Spread onto a serving tray or plate. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with pieces of chocolate covered toffee. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then serve with apple slices.

Prep time: 10 minutes Ready in: 40 minutes Yield: 8 servings

Monkey Business

Esther and Henry spent the evening with us yesterday. Anyone who knows Esther, knows how much she loves her footed pajamas - AKA 'monkey suit'. Esther put hers on and 'brother' wanted to wear one too...yes, these are the very same I purchased at the Bellingham Goodwill.

Biblical Retaliation or Theology of Charity

Ever since I started to study the subject of biblical 'calling', I've been wrestling with how to 'love and serve' my neighbor. For someone who does not naturally like people, this is a massive and frightening consideration. (The Heidelberg says we're 'prone by nature to hate God and our neighbor' and if you deny that, I'm sorry to have to tell you that you're either deluded or lying). Clawing my way out of the oozing muck and mire of selfishness and self-centered focus continues to be difficult and at times painful. But, it seems the Holy Spirit is giving me the desire and the assistance to progress.

The other day - while corresponding with a Facebook friend - I remembered the book referenced below. Jonathan Edwards', Theology of Charity (my term) is part of what has been rolling around in my brain lately. The seed that was planted by my first reading about four years ago sprouted and continues to grow. You can read the entire volume on Google Books...

From ‘Charity and Its Fruits’ by Jonathan Edwards

‘Charity Disposes Us to Do Good’

First, We are to do good both to the good and to the bad. This we are to do, as we 'would imitate our heavenly Father, for " he (Matthew v. 45) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." The world is full of various kind of persons ; some good, and some evil ; and we should do good to all. We should, indeed, especially, " do good to them that are of the household of faith," or that we have reason, in the exercise of charity, to regard as saints. But though we should most abound in beneficence to them, yet our doing good should not be confined to them, but we should do good to all men as we have opportunity. While we live in the world, we must expect to meet with some men of very evil properties, and hateful dispositions and practices. Some are proud, some immoral, some covetous, some profane, some unjust or severe, and some despisers of God. But any or all these bad qualities should not hinder our beneficence, or prevent our doing them good as we have opportunity. On this very account we should the rather be diligent to benefit them, that we may win them to Christ ; and especially should we be diligent to benefit them in spiritual things.

Second, We should do good both to friends and enemies. We are obliged to do good to our friends, not only from the obligation we are under to do good to them as our fellow- creatures, and those that are made in the image of God, but from the obligations of friendship, and gratitude, and the affection we bear them. And we are also obliged to do good to our enemies ; for our Saviour says (Matthew v. 44) : " But I say unto you, love your enemies ; bless them that curse you ; do good to them that hate you ; and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you." To do good to those that do ill to us, is the only retaliation that becomes us as Christians ; for we are taught (Romans xii. 17, 21) to " recompense to no man evil for evil," but on the contrary to "overcome evil with good ;" and again it is written (1 Thessalonians v. 15) : "See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men; and still again (1 Peter iii. 9) : "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing ; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."

And, Third, We should do good both to the thankful and the unthankful. This we are obliged to do by the example of our heavenly Father, for he (Luke vi. 35) " is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil ;" and the command is, that we "be merciful as he also is merciful." Many make an objection against doing good to others, saying, "If I do, they will never thank me for it; and for my kindness, they will return abuse and injury :" and thus they are ready to excuse themselves from the exercise of kindness, especially to those who may have shown themselves ungrateful. But such persons do not sufficiently look at Christ ; and they either show their want of acquaintance with the rules of Christianity, or their unwillingness to cherish its spirit.

And what are the implications of the Theology of Charity in light of the current political season? If you're grappling with the same issues, look for an upcoming edition....

NEXT: Toward Developing a More Biblical Approach to Social Justice

'Food' For Political Thought

As we come to the end of the current political campaign, I'm sharing a couple of articles that have been meaningful to me as I consider a biblical response to my civic responsibility and privilege. First, a thought provoking article by Ronald J. Sider, professor of theology at Eastern Seminary, http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2005/03/Evangelical-Voters-Practice-What-You-Preach.aspx. While I don't necessarily agree with every word in this piece, it contains much to be considered.

The second is a piece by Michael Horton with a compatible message, entitled, 'Just How Pro-Life Are You Really?'

Both articles challenge Christian readers to test and try their convictions and their understanding of biblical worldview.

Family Time with Autumn

Gems from Proverbs

A group of our UPC women are going through a study on the book of Proverbs.

'Proverbs: The Way of Wisdom' is one of the Living Word Bible Studies. The author is Kathleen Buswell Nielson whose husband, Niel Nielson, is the president of Covenant College. The study is inductive, and the emphasis is solidly reformed and orthodox. Last night, among other things, we studied some passages that tell us what God is like and also what man is like. It's good stuff, so I thought from time to time, I might share some of the points that have been meaningful to me.

One point that stood out in particular speaks to me in the midst of this current political season. (Some time I might write more about all that...)

Many Christians think/feel/believe that if only the 'right' man is elected (and this goes for all party affiliations) our national troubles will be ended and our 'mourning' will be turned to 'dancing'. And on the other hand, that if the 'wrong' man is elected, the apocalypse will be ushered in the day after he takes the oath of office.

Proverbs 21:1 tells us that "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;he turns it wherever he will. A note from the Geneva Study Bible explains: 'Though kings seem to have all things at commandment, they are not able to bring their own purposes to pass unless God has appointed.'

I don't know about you, but this brings me tremendous comfort - no matter who the 'king' happens to be, his heart is in the hand of our Almighty and Sovereign God, who divinely appoints all things!

Getting Back to It

I have a dilemma when it comes to blogging...it has to do with self-disclosure. To me, writing a blog post becomes intensely personal. I pour my heart and soul into every post...and I may be overestimating my visitors , but I assume they preceive the real me as they read. This may or may not be a good thing. The other day a Facebook friend commented about feeling you already know someone after reading their blog. I agree, completely...putting my feelings out in cyberspace exposes me to the whole world. Well, maybe that's the point of blogging, eh?

So, that's been my problem and why I don't post more often. But, on the other hand, lately I've been thinking I have things to say...thoughts and feelings that crave expression...why not this medium?

Eons ago, when I was still in my 40's, I was dealing with the mental and physical decline of both my parents. As I pondered the issues of aging parents, I began to realize that I, myself, was (and am) an aging parent. And I began to feel sad that someday my children would probably have forgotten the younger, more vital, 'with-it' Mom...and the old, infirm, impaired version would crowd out all the better memories of ME in their minds. So, that's another reason to put down some cogent thoughts now...I can read my posts and 'remember' a time when I could still 'think' and 'reason' and my kids and grandkids can read it too, and recall that their mother/grandma hasn't always been so O-L-D and decrepit!

So, if you read my posts, you might say to yourself, 'Who does this old bird think she is?' or, you might like what I have to say. If you do, forgive me for trying to leave some written legacy of my diminishing intellect, and keep reading!