Honouring God on October 31

It's time for me to weigh in or maybe wade in on October 31. Every year at this time the facebook posts start in earnest for and against allowing your kids to participate in any way in Halloween and Trick or Treating festivities. Being of the Reformed faith there's always been a big clash since I was a kid because October 31 is also Reformation Day which is a pretty important event in Reformed Theological History. Growing up I was always allowed to go Trick or Treating. Many of my church friends did and the ones that didn't often still handed out candy. 

The greatest struggle I have with the facebook posts against Christians getting involved in Halloween festivities is that most of my facebook 'friends' are Christians, so if I post something it's not in order to evangelize it's to share it with my fellow christian. So when my Christian friends post a blog that tells why allowing your kids to trick or treat is wrong I assume they are hinting that I should not be allowing my kids to go, since they already choose not to. Then I feel I have to post a 'this is why Halloween can be ok' blog to defend myself. This whole thing irritates and disappoints me. I cannot understand why we can't give each other the benefit of the doubt! I believe all my christian friends, trick or treaters or not are prayerfully doing their best to raise their kids to honour God. I hope and pray that they will believe the same of Ryan and I. 

Respectfully, I would like to point out my personal reasons for allowing my kids to be involved in trick or treating and then I would like to explain why I believe some of the 'reasons' people give that allowing involvement in Halloween is a dishonour to God is incorrect.

On why we allow our kids to get involved.
1. Because we have busy boys, who we ask to sit still in Church and school and this is one night they can run around and ring doorbells and have fun, it makes us and them glad to do it.
2. Because it a chance to speak to all our neighbours.
3. Because of the way the seniors faces light up when they see the kids dressed up.

On why I don't feel we're dishonouring God
1.All  Hallows Eve's origins are actually not pagan, Samhain is pagan and it was a three day festival that the druids and Celtic celebrated. (While we're at it a reminder that the Christmas tree has similar 'pagan' roots.) All Hallows Eve was placed on the middle day of Samhain to overshadow the pagan festival. See here.
2. Participating in trick or treating is not 'conforming to the world'. If I felt trick or treating was wrong I guess allowing my kids to be involved would be conforming to the world. Since we don't allow our kids to dress up as grim reapers or watch scary movies on Halloween we think we are not being 'of' the world. As it is I hope and pray they are a light in the world as they do their thing tomorrow night!
3. It is not glorifying Satan to allow my kids to trick or treat. It is just a day, Satan is not any more powerful that day than any other and to buy into such an idea is to be superstitious and to be superstitious is to glorify Satan.  In Romans 8: 7,8 Paul speaks about eating meat that was sacrificed to idols and isn't at all concerned about eating it. It's just food. 
4. I am not diminishing Reformation Day because I thank God for my (reformed) faith every single day. There is one day a year that kids can ring neighbours doorbells and get treats and to be honest we do this for 2 hours in a 24 hour day. There are 365 to praise God for the 95 Thesis. Then I could always dress Ethan up as Martin Luther that would be a conversation starter! :)
5. Lights turned out does not imply that you are abstaining because you are a Christian. I know for sure that some feel they are making a great sacrifice and statement by choosing not to participate. On our block which is the only place we take our kids half the houses have their lights out. So not being home or hiding makes no statement at all. 

I have prayerfully considered my opinions and God's direction for our family on this for several days and am brought back again and again to Romans 14. 

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.

This is verses 12 to 14 but the whole chapter talks about this. It talks too about stumbling blocks and I know that some may say by allowing this I am placing a stumbling block for those who feel it's wrong. But that is a two way street. Sometimes I feel like my brothers and sisters in the Lord are trying to make me feel something is wrong that I don't feel is wrong because they aren't comfortable with it. We have christian liberty in Christ. We have to decide for ourselves and it's God's business to do the judging! But we should all at least think highly enough of each other to believe that we all have thought about it and do desire to honour God. Friends please don't be distressed, Ryan and I truly have thought this through. We respect your decision please respect ours.

A Place for the Square Peg.

 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.~1 Corinthians 13:2

I was raised and still attend a pretty conservative church by the average christian's standards. It's an upbringing I have always appreciated and still do! (That's a bit of a disclaimer for my mom who now has an ipad and will read my blog posts.)

Recently I have heard our church called pharisaic and legalistic. I have mixed feeling about that, I feel both understanding and indignation for those comments. Are we 'rules' oriented? Yes, for sure. But some of the most well rounded children come out of the most 'rules oriented' families! God doesn't want us just running willy nilly!  I don't think rules are a bad thing, especially for people with a sinful nature that would self destruct left to their own devices. But there are a couple problems with the over-glorification of rules.

 Judgement
When there is a definite set of rules on how a christian should conduct themselves and live then there is a lot of judgement for folks who don't live that way. I get that there are ten commandments and I hold them in high esteem, but do we hold them ALL equally in high esteem? Truthfully we hold some a little higher than others, for example taking God's name in vain and not attending church are REALLY bad. Killing and adultery are bad but mostly we don't do that, WHAT? We don't lust? We don't call each other fool??? Oh oh, seems like we aren't doing any better than anyone else? So why oh why do we dare hold someone else to a standard we have no ability to keep ourselves? Do you know why I judge? Because it makes ME feel better about my sins and struggles.

We. must. stop. 
STOP.

No matter if we have the most sound doctrine out there, if we judge based on a list of rules that we get to give importance and weight to at our own discretion we dishonour what God revealed to us! We blaspheme His Holy Word and His Holy Name.

Stop looking at what our believing neighbour does, stop looking at what our unbelieving neighbour does and place Jesus' summary of the commandments in JUST as high esteem as the rest. 'LOVE your God and LOVE your neighbour as yourself.' When you love someone you do not judge them. You do not live their life. You do not know their circumstances.God walks beside them, He knows their struggles, and He gives the life of His only Child for them. Then we dare to think we are in a position to know better than God? If a person seems to be stuck in a sin the truth is they need your love all the more. How many of us when a sister or brother is not in church calls them to see if they are ok? Visits? How many of us judge them behind their back with words like, 'Well, no wonder they are depressed if they don't go to church because that is where you get lifted up.' I've been guilty of saying that. Then God taught me some really hard lessons.

If the last few years of my life have taught me anything it's this. Life can hurt so much you don't know how to lift you head any more much less attend church. In those times, the love of a sister or brother in the Lord has been Christ to me. Christs love wasn't something unreachable then, it was there beside me. Jesus to the least of these! That is our mission. It is our mission to the adulterer, to the homosexual, to the murder, to the theif, to the unbeliever and believer alike.

Unless we release the judgement that we are clutching in our heart and using to prop ourselves up we will never be able to properly evangelize and obey God. It's ok to have rules, but you may not use them as a measuring stick to see how people come up short. Use them as you would for your kids, a way to love them and keep them from hurting themselves.

A Lack of Joy
Recently I talked to a friend about folks saying there is a lack of joy in conservative churches. The friend didn't understand she finds great joy in our church. I can see both sides of this. If you are able to separate yourself from a list of rules and see them as ways to love God, following them out of thankfulness then they don't bother you. You see them as a safety net. They help you guide your way.

However for some people attempting to follow rules and falling short gives them great sadness. They feel like a square peg in a round hole. Have you ever felt like that? Like you just don't quite 'belong'? They feel like from the moment they darken the church door to the moment they leave that everyone is eyeing them and thinking 'Why is she wearing that, why don't they bring that kid to the nursery, where were they last week, he's not even singing etc etc' And let's be honest, sometimes we are thinking that. That brings us back to judging. If we feel judged we can't feel joy. We can't. We're always looking over our shoulder. Trying to be 'good enough'. But isn't that the point? We can NEVER be good enough. That is precisely why Jesus died. I think when you have struggled with depression you understand this better. You feel Satan beating you down daily whispering 'You'll never be enough.' in your ear, and you just want to go the church and know that you don't HAVE to be enough.

The kind of Joy these people are looking for is not Joy in following guidelines or Joy in working hard for the Lord, it's just JOY, basking in the glory of the cross, and all Christ has achieved for them. Those other 'works' they flow out of such a JOY, not into it.

It seems that some churches have decided to take a different approach with struggling sinners, because they are trying hard to break free of a legalistic mold.  Is it wrong for a church to accept sinners, who live in sin, show them love and pray for the Spirit to change their life?  Should church members be held more accountable than that? I don't think accountability for church members is a bad thing. We are all supposed to keep one another in line in love, but we must remember that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It is by GRACE we are saved. We must try not to sin any more but the truth is we will.We can leave changing hearts up to God, He's REALLY good at it! :)  And maybe the reason saved souls still sin is to teach us humility so that we cannot look down our nose at the person in the pew next to us. Or down the street. Yes that person who smokes the smelly stuff  and screams profanities at their kids, we're not better than them, not really. But the Spirit in our hearts, He is better, and He makes us more than we could ever be.

The Spirit's Flame

Recently our boys were playing at friends' house and they took some ashes from their fire pit and were dumping them here or there and unbeknown to them the ashes were still smoldering. We quickly put a stop to this and explained to them that when ashes are still smoking there is still a potential for a fire. If we hadn't noticed them doing this it could have been a dangerous situation but as it was it was a teaching moment!

Today it has been on my heart to study two scripture passages.

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love, in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out;

no one will hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,

till he leads justice to victory.

In his name the nations will put their hope.” ~ Matthew 12 / Isaiah 53

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 21

As Christians I think sometimes we all underestimate the important of God's Spirit in us. It's quite strange that we do that since there is no way we can navigate a life in this world as 'sin addicts' without the Spirit. 

As I have been considering this text in Isaiah, foreshadowing the coming of Jesus and the Christian life thereafter with the Holy Spirit I'm starting to understand more and more how God desires His Spirit to be a burning fire in us. It's helpful when reading these verses to know that the word justice here translates to the gospel or good news.  Jesus proclaimed His gospel to us by not only speaking it but living and dying it and therefore justifying us before God. Jesus didn't come like the great King or Prophet that the Pharisees were expecting, but rather humbly and quietly, but that didn't make His gospel any less of a victory!

The promise I am focusing on most here though, is that Jesus, filled with God's Spirit will not break us when this life leaves us bruised and broken. He will not allow the potential for our flame to go out in fact He will help it to burn ever brighter. This is such a wonderful promise, particularly if you've ever felt bruised, as I have, by this life. 

After Jesus left he promised we would have Him with us always in the form of His Spirit. So we are left here on this broken earth with the promise of everlasting life, with God's Holy Spirit and with the Scriptures. Sometimes it still seems impossible to navigate! I need to remember that I can depend on God's Spirit of Truth. The person of the Spirit lives in God's people and He wants to burn brightly in us and guide us through the struggles and joys of life. He wants to be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances so that He can burn ever brighter! We have to listen though, we can't be determined to ignore this Spirit because we have our own different ideas. I think of the folly that following in their expectations brought the Pharisees. Because Jesus wasn't what they expected Him to be they missed out on His promises. The refused to see things any way but the way they'd always seen them. 

I am working hard on allowing the Spirit to lead me through Scripture and show me God's will for my life. I don't want to miss out on wonderful things because I have different expectations. It's a constant battle but I want the fire of the Spirit to consume me so I no longer walk in old ways but in new ways.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ~ Galatians 5:16

Whose am I?

A few weeks ago, while visiting Ryan's parents, we heard a sermon on Lord's Day 1. The minister said something that I've heard before but was still great to hear. He said that the world often asks "Who am I?" but the Christian should ask, "WHOSE am I?" Once we answer this question it will be much easier to define "Who am I?" Shakespeare says "To thine own self be true." While this can be a very worldly saying, if I find my identity in Christ, than being true to me means being true to him too.  Life is filled with difficult decisions that affect us a great deal in our daily life, it's often hard to remember to define ourselves in Christ to say, "I am not my own but was bought at a price!"

Sometimes when I look at this blog I think it's a bit of a downer name I've given it, but I did it to remind myself and you that we must be humble. We are slaves to our evil nature, and if we're honest we all feel the constant battle within us. The Spirit with in us fights with our desire to go our own way. I'm looking forward to being complete in heaven, to knowing that I am doing what I was created to do, and to no longer be held back by the limitations of my sinful nature!

I have a tendency to try to please others. I want people to agree with me so I can come across argumentative but sometimes I think it's my blundering -bull in a china shop- way of trying to be persuasive. I am the perfect example of someone who 'means well'. These are traits that actually rob ME the most of my own contentment. I want to be confident and comfortable in my decisions. I have to do what's best for me and my family, what will nurture my faith and make me into a better christian wife, mother, sister, friend, and neighbour. I feel this need to explain myself when I make decisions, almost to 'defend' myself. I don't know where that comes from! Maybe because I'm the youngest and was always subjected to lots of advice -- lots of it good :) Maybe it's to do with easily I am intimidated and how easily my confidence in myself is shaken. I'm gonna work on it this  year though. I'm going to be praying lots for God to give me the confidence to rest securely in the choices I make. I'm going to pray that he gives me the wisdom to make the right choices, and the courage to recognize and fix the wrong choices I make.

Thank the good Lord he did not leave us in our own hands. If he had done so our demise would be unavoidable, but he bought us, paid the price for us, and lifted us out of the pit we had no way of getting out of on our own.Through Christ I can do all things, through Christ I can be true to God's Spirit and also to my own spirit.

So Whose am I? I am not my own. I belong both body and soul, in life and death to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. ~ Romans 8:9a

What about the other side of Modesty?

So this summer I've read several Christian blogs about pool and beach wear. While I sympathize with a lot that is being said and I agree fully that modesty is important (I have three boys and a husband I'd be nuts not to agree!!!) I'm not totally against two piece bathing suits. I actually take more offense at skimpy church wear!
So that is the issue of 'sexual' modesty, what about another side of modesty? Is modesty only about clothing and the covering up of one's body? Here's the definition of modest: Unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements. So we know that means clothing, and it also means talents as we're supposed to be humble, but what about money? Oh, oh, here's where the rubber meets the road and I hope I don't step on too many toes.
Sometimes I wonder about these sweaters that proclaim "BENCH" down the sleeve. And clothing with the "Lululemon" symbol, I can already hear the onslaught coming. What if I got it second hand? What if it was on sale? Is it okay when the skimpy skanky bikini is on sale? Why do you want clothing that is obviously very expensive? Really? I think that's a good motive to examine. Are we running after the world wanting 'brand name' stuff? I know many say they are so comfortable, I can tell you I think I'd be very UNcomfortable in a hoodie I paid a hundred bucks for. It's all relative though. I mean some might buy very expensive shoes and have the real excuse that they are on their feet all day as a nurse. There's always different good 'reasons'. Like I said I just want to examine our motives. Sometimes I see two year olds running around in brand name hoodies and I wonder....
What about vehicles? Do we 'need' a vehicle with a name basically proclaims... "I have money"? Do we all need the fanciest SUV we can get? Here in central Alberta a rusty van is an embarrassment!
When God blesses you with a beautiful body you should not show it all, and when God blesses you with talents you should show them humbly, when God blesses you with obedient children you should not look down your nose at the struggling mother in the grocery store. Right? So...when God blesses you with money is it ok to flaunt it?
It's easier for me I know, I don't have the body, or the obedient kids and my talents are a bit limited, and we are blessed financially but not 'Coach Purse" blessed. Course I've never been interested in designer anything so I guess I'm blessed not to be coveting those things. Not that I don't covet. Oh I would LOVE a bigger house and yard, a vehicle that would pull a little trailer, a trailer to pull, and many other wonderful things that money can buy! Satan waits around every corner to tempt us hey?
Well,I just wanted us all to remember when we judge the skimpy bikinis at the beach that modesty does not end with clothing.
I hope you all have a blessed week, and forgive me for speaking my mind... I know you are used to it! ;)

 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.~ Philippians 4:12,13

Bring On the Sunshine....

It's one of those sultry summer nights that you hear about in country songs and read about in books. I love it. I feel like I'm in Manitoba again.

It's warm in the house to be sure, I just had a cold-ish shower, and have one of those big square fans that sounds like a helicopter propped up in my window. Growing up on the farm I remember how mom would work at keeping the house cool, all the curtains were drawn, and she'd constantly check the the inside and outside temperature in the evening so the moment they were the same everything was thrown open and the fans were going. I used to talk into the fan. Back in the day we didn't all have a WII or whatever else so we had to entertain ourselves!

Oh how I love a hot summer! I love the endless summer days filled with blue skies, laughing kids running through sprinklers. I love the evening walks with the dog, the sounds and smells of lawn mowing, and those crazy thundershowers that spring up after a few hot days.

Nights like this get my creative juices flowing. They seem like the perfect backdrop for a story. I like to write I've always thought it would be great to write a book but as anyone who knows me can tell you I don't have a whole lot of patience and book writing is patient work.

My last two summers have sucked, to put it mildly. I was dealing with too much, physically, spiritually and emotionally. In some ways I feel I've been set free from some of that and thank the good Lord He's giving us lovely sunny weather to boot. By no means have I completely healed but then, I'm not sure I ever shall, and I'm learning to accept that and strangely that is my healing.

Well reading back I'm not sure what my 'life lesson' was this blog post but I'm cheery and I hope you'll all find that contagious! I hope your summer is bringing you the energy and rejuvenation you need too.

Enjoy the heat wave!

 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
~ Proverbs 4:18


 

Mijn Genade Is U Genoeg

From the time I was a little girl until I was a teenager my Oma had a wooden plaque in her living room that said 'Mijn genade is u genoeg.' It means "My grace is sufficient for you," and it's a quote from the apostle Paul.  I asked my mom once to translate it and what makes me chuckle now is when she told me what it meant it I understood it little more than I had in dutch! I had no idea what it was referring to nor did I have the drive at the time to figure it out. My mom's answer was 'genoeg' then.

My Oma lived to me 90 something years old. I remember her to be kind and I always loved her. I was 19 when she died and I was sad, but we were rejoicing because she lived so long and she had some strokes in the end that paralyzed her partially. She was ready to go.

Recently my mom wrote us kids a book about her life as a immigrant family from Holland to Canada and having read it I think my Oma must have looked to that precious plaque carted all the way from the Netherlands many times her life and she must have known exactly what it meant. When she felt lonely for her family and country, when she couldn't speak or understand the language when life was eked out of a hard land with hard work, she always knew that God's grace was enough. Even before that in Holland when she lived through the war and buried her child and later when she buried another child and her husband.... A life of 90 years carries many joys but also many sorrows of this broken world.

If God's grace was sufficient for her, than it will be for me too. Right? I've been thinking of the sign often lately and in the past years it's like God translated it for me! My mom gave me the English version and now God made me understand. "My grace is sufficient for YOU, Amy, it's genoeg, enough." It isn't too much, it isn't too little, it's "enough".

I'm thankful for Oma, for my heritage that has taught me daily of God's grace for me and even for the trials in which God has brought the true meaning of His grace home to me. My doubt in His sufficiency doesn't change that it is enough. Nothing changes God, if His grace was sufficient for Oma, it is for me too.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 1 Corinthians 12:9

Jesus, I Come

1. Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,
     Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
   Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
   Out of my sickness into Thy health,
   Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
   Out of my sin and into Thyself,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
2. Out of my shameful failure and loss,
     Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
   Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
   Out of earth's sorrows into Thy balm,
   Out of life's storm and into Thy calm,
   Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
3. Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
     Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
   Into Thy blessed will to abide,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
   Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
   Out of despair into raptures above,
   Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
4. Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
     Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
   Into the joy and pleasure, Thine own,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!
   Out of the depths of ruin untold,
   Into the flock Thy love doth enfold,
   Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
       Jesus, I come to Thee!

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/1050#ixzz1lFnzxpXi