How far we've come

Russell and I enjoyed a movie on dvd last night. It's rare to find one these days that's blog-worthy. This one is relatively clean, has a good message and quality acting. It's The Express: The Ernie Davis Story. It would help your enjoyment of the movie if you like football at least a little, but even if you don't, it offers a worthwhile glimpse into the civil rights issues of the 1950-60's.

The title character makes a name for himself as an awesome running back who happens to be one of a handful of black NCAA Div. 1 players of the day. I must admit I cringed at some of the scenes of racism and hatred depicted in the movie. It's saddening to consider how recent this history actually is. I know many of my blog readers lived it themselves. Yet the progress that's been made in our country is undeniable, and the contributions from the sports world are significant.

It's good to learn from the past. It's good to remember how disgustingly sinful mankind can be (especially West Virginians -- that's a joke you'll get if you see the movie!). It's good to examine myself and the world around me today to see if there's any prejudice tendencies creeping in. And it's good to know that vengeance is of the LORD.

Re-blogged: being a wife

Here's a link I read today and thought it was worth passing on (HT: Amy). I don't have time to summarize it for you or tell you what I think about it, but if you're a wife or interested in being one, you might like to read it. Here's some excerpts:

When brides are preparing to wed, the lion's share of time and attention is spent focused on the wedding day: the dress, the flowers, the food, the colors, you name it. It's all about our "big day." We view our wedding day as the culmination of a beautiful romance. All that's missing is for the preacher to end the ceremony with these words: AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER... and then reality rears its ugly head. It was all a big hoax. Not really, but when we're not prepared to be wives instead of simply brides, it can feel that way.

Everything about our culture encourages us to view marriage as the end of journey. Marriage is either the apex of happiness or the beginning of the end, depending on which narrative we buy into. We teach young women to expect happily ever after and young men to believe that marriage is something you do after you're done having fun.

It's that transition from falling in love to living in love and it's one that many couples never make, hence high divorce rates, even in the church. We've relegated love to a feeling, beyond our control rather than what it truly is, a choice.

Ode to Sourdough

Warm and crusty, soft and chewy out of my toaster.
Butter melting into every nook and cranny of your bubbly meat.
Which do I love more?
The excellence of your savory, tangy flavor?
Your texture: dense, filling, satisfying?
Truly, I love your baker: industrious, creative, loving, giving.

Thanks, Patty!

Parenting and the Gospel

Rick Phillips has a great little read over at Reformation21 on passing on our faith to our kids. Read the whole thing here, but I'll give you some excerpts:

Not long ago I saw a study stating that 88% of evangelical youths abandon the faith by the time they leave college. Whatever evangelical faith is, it must not be very impressive if we can only pass it on to 12% of our own children. More recently, I saw this study, that shows that only 14% of evangelical parents consider faith in Christ to be a significant success indicator for their children. Well, there it is folks! Evangelical churches are not distinctively Christian and evangelical parents are not evidently Christian, so what a surprise that "a generation arose in Israel that did not know the Lord" (Jud. 2:10).

I take two lessons from this. First, what many have been saying for years is true: American evangelicalism is for the most part non-Christian...Evangelical parents have raised their children to carry on their own faith, and that faith has been a religiously sentimental form of materialism and hedonism. So evangelicals have passed on their own faith: it just has not been a biblical Christian faith.

Second, Christians committed to God's Word should not be intimidated by this trend. It is not as if the gospel has failed. The gospel has been abandoned.

This is a convicting (and encouraging!) reminder to me to continually hold out a true and vibrant gospel-believing faith to my children.

OK, Pictures -- I know you want them

I think we could all use a little reminder of just how cute these kids are after all:


First, a big "Thank you!" to Grandma Helen for the roller skates for Sarah (and Ruth's bike, too):






Here's Paul wanting to help Mom cook (and Sarah being a camera hog):




Next, a few shots from Russell's sneaky 40th birthday party. We are very humbled that all these great friends of ours would take the time to celebrate such a silly occasion, but any excuse for a party!




Next, we bring you California State Fair fun:

Home Schoolers Top National Average on ACT

It's not a lot, but may be reassuring to some:

(CNSNews.com) – Compared with other students, homeschoolers scored higher than the national average on this year’s ACT, a national standardized test used to gauge educational development and college readiness.

The national average for 2009 graduating high schoolers reported by ACT (American College Testing) officials is 21.1 on a scale from 1 to 36. Homeschoolers scored a national average of 22.5.

Like the SAT, ACT scores are used in the college admissions process to evaluate applicants.

Scores are based on the 1.48 million students who graduated in 2009, Colby said. Among those students were 11,535 homeschoolers, he said.

Ian Slatter, director of media relations for the Home School Legal Defense Association, said the one-on-one attention home-schooled students receive is conducive to learning.

“Parents can tailor-make an education program to suit the child. The child can then advance at their own pace,” he said.

Homeschoolers are further prepared for college because they must take initiative to accomplish projects, Slatter said. “Typically, in the home-school environment, the teen is self-directed in their learning because parents set a topic or task, and the student will then do their own research.”

Doxology

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

I'm pregnant!

(assumed conversation with numerous blog readers)

"again?"

yes, again.

"were you trying for another baby?"

Well, no, but we're definitely in favor of the idea!

"Is this #4?"

If you insist on the womb distinction. We don't, so we are counting it as our 5th.

"When are you due?"

Early April, but might be as early as late March if we have to go for another c-section or I get carried away with the castor oil again.

"Another c-section? What's up with that?"

I have a rare blood disorder called, ready... Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia or NAIT for short. Each pregnancy has a 50% chance of being affected, depending on the baby's genetic makeup. Sarah and Ruth were both NAIT babies, but Paul wasn't. None of our kids have any lasting complications from the disorder, so we're very grateful for God's providence in this. In a couple of months we should be able to determine through amniocentesis if this baby is affected or not.

Trusting God is the primary job of parents, both before and after birth. We don't take our children for granted or even consider them our children -- ultimately they are God's.

Praising Him for another opportunity to learn that trust!