Mountain Musings

Family and Church

In the past several years, we have been searching the Scriptures, thinking, praying, reading, etc. about God's view of the family, and particularly how the family and local church should work together. Like some other issues of life, it is interesting to realize how past traditions and ways of thinking have sometimes caused us to gloss over and miss things in Scripture (or vice versa: read things into Scripture that aren't there).

This statement by Vision Forum's National Center for Family Integrated Churches pretty well sums up where we have arrived regarding family and church. Give it a read, and see if it won't challenge your thinking.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that the family is a holy institution, ordained and established by the Sovereign Triune God Who created the heavens and the earth. God's infallible revelation, the Bible, reveals that the family is an integral part of the unfolding of His eternal purpose for the redemption of sinners. This great and gracious salvation--purposed by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit--is in great measure passed on to succeeding generations as parents faithfully disciple the children God gives them. Therefore, the biblical order and unity of the family are crucial to the stability and health of the Church of Jesus Christ. In light of this, we recognize that the family--and especially fathers--are the focus of a fierce and unrelenting attack by the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This has escalated to the point that Christians must rise up in defense of the family in uncompromising biblical warfare.

~ Tom

A Well-Watered Garden

"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul...You will be like a well-watered garden, Like a spring where waters never fail."  ~ Isaiah 58:11

This verse has been brought to my attention quite a bit lately. Recently I was invited by my gardening friend in Harrisonburg to attend a one-day women's conference next month titled "A Well-Watered Garden." And the verse above is the theme of the day. Needless to say, since I like all things gardening, it caught my attention. So I have had this verse on my mind.

When I pulled up my email this morning, today's Grace for the Day devotional from David Jeremiah spoke of being satisfied with God's goodness and referenced this same passage, including verse 10 about the Lord lighting our darkness and making it as bright as the noonday sun if we show others how He satisfies.

And since I like quilts, I just enjoyed visiting the Debbie Mumm quilting site as Susan's latest post over at By Grace just linked to this watering can wall-hanging quilt. No, Isaiah 58:11 wasn't sewn onto one of the quilt blocks, but the watering can sure did bring this verse back to my mind yet again!

At the IBLP Seminar last week one of the topics was meditation and how God blesses and prospers us when we meditate on His Word. I'm beginning to think these two verses in Isaiah might be a good starting point!

~Deb

God's Grace

Thanks to Lydia at Renewed Day by Day for posting the letter from Chris Klicka, one of the attorneys with HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association), and his testimony of God's grace and provision. Since we are finished with homeschooling, we aren't as up-to-date on current news with the local homeschool organizations or with HSLDA, so I especially appreciate Lydia's including this on her blog. If you haven't seen the letter already, it's a good way to find out how to better pray for Mr. Klicka and his family.

~Deb

When the Red, Red Robin...

...comes bob-bob-bobbing along. Spring has arrived--that is, the calendar tells us it has, but the weatherman is still holding out for more winter weather. We gladly welcome the season of daffodils, robins, and new mulch! Well, maybe the ol' bod won't welcome the pitchforking at first, but the flower beds will surely thank me for sprucing them up during these next weeks.

The birds have already started building their nests in some of my favorite houses, and I enjoy watching their antics. Other birdhouses haven't been given a second look, and I don't know what to do to entice the birds to move in for the season. Maybe if I let them know rent is free...?

The story behind this birdhouse: I purchased this homely looking one for $5 at an estate sale. As I was trekking through the house with the rest of the crowd, I happened to spot several birdhouses out in the backyard--some on posts and this one hanging in a tree. When I asked the lady in charge if they were for sale, she hesitated and said she didn't think so because birds may have already started settling in. I really wasn't interested in finding a screwdriver and removing the ones on the posts (although I probably would have if she had said yes), but I did want the one hanging in the tree.

She agreed and suggested $5 as a price; I think more to discourage me from buying it more than anything else, but I bought it and have been very pleased. It's very ruggedly made with a green tin roof and rests alongside the driveway in our autumn olive tree.

I think with the first day of spring arriving tomorrow it's a perfect time to post the stories behind each of the 26 birdhouse treasures in the "For The Birds" Photo Album.

~Deb

National Quilting Day

Today was National Quilting Day, and I missed it! The third Saturday in March was designated as a special day to celebrate quilting back in 1991 by the National Quilting Association.

After reading the web page information, I found out that quilters are actually celebrating the craft for the entire month of March. So maybe I can participate after all...by finishing my quilt this month. I've been asked if I've posted pictures yet. No...too many other good things crowded into the schedule, and I laid the wall-hanging aside for awhile.

March goal: F-i-n-i-s-h   t-h-e   q-u-i-l-t !

~Deb

Patrick: Courageous Missionary

For a very interesting Irish story today, check out the Serven Clan's blog. Here's what they say:

"What do you remember on St. Patrick's Day? Leprechauns and pots of gold, or a godly man who glorified God by bringing the gospel to a pagan nation? Read this article to your family this Patrick's day to recount the real story of an ordinary man who was used by God to do extraordinary things."

~Deb

Learning Continues

The last two nights of the Basic Seminar have been packed full of information--however, too much to digest and post right away. It's been very enlightening, but these late nights are taking their toll. Zzzzz.

Today's and tomorrow's sessions are all-day ones beginning at 9:30 this morning and ending at 8 p.m. tonight.  So...we're off for a day of instruction. Tom was able to take the day off work, and I'm super excited he'll be with us all day.

And since we won't be home til late, the pooch comes, too. Thankfully, the temperatures will be cool enough so Pepper can sleep in the back of the van with no problem. Picture us coming out on our various breaks and at lunch to keep her company and take her out for a walk. What we do for a dog!

That describes our next two days. Hope you all have a good weekend.

~Deb

New Answers in Genesis Mag

We just received word that our subscription's remaining issues to the Answers in Genesis Creation Magazine have been transferred over to a new magazine they will begin publishing in June. The Australian Creation will no longer be distributed in the USA. Here's what AIG's Ken Ham says about the new magazine:

Creation ANSWERS will include several exciting features that we’re going to keep “secret” for the time being. But get ready for a beautiful, colorful, thorough, accurate and inspiring publication that will appeal to both men and women, young and “not so young.”

You can subscribe here. Sounds interesting, and it seems as if the same quality scientific reporting will be found in the Creation Answers magazine that we like in Creation. And I just found out also that Ken Ham has a blog!

~Deb

Previewing a Cooking Mag

We received a free sample issue of this cooking magazine in the mail recently. Hannah and I both liked the looks of it enough to subscribe for one year. There are no advertisements in it at all--just lots of tips, shortcuts, recipes, notes from the test kitchen, what to do when things go wrong, and many more columns of interest.

Yesterday the current issue arrived with asparagus on the front cover. Who likes asparagus?! I have never cooked asparagus in my life; can you believe it? However, I have eaten it at a friend's house a year or so ago, and it was actually pretty good! I was surprised. But that didn't make me want to try cooking it myself. If you have a great suggestion on how to prepare this vegetable so even the pickiest eaters would like it, let me know.

I just checked the website, and they're sending a free sample issue along with a Microplane Grater/Zester if you subscribe.

~Deb

V-I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E-S

How do doctors think? The answer to that question would fill quite a few blog posts, but we'll take one particular facet and examine it. When you come into the doctor's office with a fever, a cough, a headache, stomach pain, vomiting, or any other complaint, how does the doctor go about deciding what the cause of your illness is? Without knowing the cause, a correct decision regarding treatment is hard to come by, thus the underlying cause or etiology must be elucidated, or at least deciding in a general direction. One common way medical students are taught to think is by using the mnemonic in the title of this post. It is helpful for beginning students when looking at the presenting symptoms of a patient to be able to organize the differential diagnosis by etiology. As students grow more accustomed to seeing different constellations of symptoms and making diagnoses, the mnemonic becomes more cumbersome than helpful, but the basic process of elimination and prioritizing remains the same. The mnemonic stands for the following basic causes of disease: