Doesn't Anybody Say Hello?

Overwhelmed by extracurricular copyediting, music recitals/concerts, and just life in general, I am treating you all with a guest blogger, my own Kathleen Kristi Lynn Selden. This is her last composition assignment for the year: Write the first chapter of a novel.

And if you really like it, you can send your checks to Katie, which she will use to earn a degree, and then one day finish the novel. I know this paper is in pretty good shape--Katie is aware of the importance in the writing process of having a good editor.

Doesn’t Anyone Say “Hello”?

“Have you seen James lately?” It took me a moment to figure out who had called me. I was used to hearing “Hey” when I answered my cell phone.

“Um, hi?” I responded, confused. It was Nate, my best friend James’ older brother.

“Charlotte, I’m serious. James just took off last night and hasn’t come back.”

“Wait, what?” I was still caught off guard by Nate’s strange greeting. I thought he was just kidding. I mean, James would never just leave without telling anyone. But Nate had called me “Charlotte”, and he’s never called me by my full name.

“James isn’t home. I can’t find him anywhere.” I stood in the middle of the mall, trying to sort my thoughts. People flowed past me as if I was only a log in the creek. Rejected elevator tunes played so quietly that, until now, I hadn’t noticed them. The smell of orange chicken and pretzels spilled out from the food court entrance. “Charlie, are you there?” Nate asked after a while.

“Yeah, I’m here,” I snapped back into reality. “Are you sure he ran away? I mean, he could have just been out late last night or something.”

“No, I left the house last night because I was going to a party. He couldn’t leave because he’s supposed to be watching Emma and Sarah while Mom and Dad are in Europe.” We were both quiet for moment. “Look, have you seen him or haven’t you?”

“No, I haven’t talked to him in a couple days. Call me if he comes home, okay?”

“Alright,” Nate hung up as abruptly as the conversation had started. I didn’t move from the middle hallway. Without thinking, I picked up my cell phone and robotically dialed James’ cell number. My heart beat faster with every familiar ring.

“Um… Yeah…you know what to do…” James didn’t even like to talk enough to record a decent voice mail. I waited as the typical computerized voice clarified the fact that I should leave a message after the beep.

“Hey, it’s Charlie” I added quickly even though I knew he could tell it was me on the phone. “Yeah, just call me back when you get this. Everyone is worried.” I closed my phone and placed it back into my pocket. I grabbed my keys from my purse and walked out into the parking lot.

I slipped into my car and placed both of my hands on the hot pink and black zebra printed steering wheel cover. Wrappers from every fast food place imaginable carpeted the floor, despite the fact that there was a conveniently located trash bag attached to the back of the passenger seat. I couldn’t help worry about him. I sat there, trying to remember everything I could about him.

cool flashback music like on Lost

“Hey, I’m Charlie.” I smiled at the boy sharing the back row table with me. It was my first day of high school, and I figured that I was going to be a bit more outgoing than usual because there wasn’t anything to lose. If people didn’t like me now, they wouldn’t like me later. He was leaning back in his chair in the corner, black hood from his zip-up sweatshirt over his head. He just looked up from behind his long black bangs, bewildered that I would say anything to him, and then leaned back down. The art room was a collage of oil paintings and photographs. Bits of colorful oil pastels freckled the table tops. Accidental paint splotches decorated the hard light gray floor. Three black and white pictures lay face up on the table in front of him. “I really like your pictures!” I said, hoping to start a conversation, and reached over to grab them, but he quickly put his hand down on top of them.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. I sat and looked in slight envy of everyone else who had friendly partners and wondered how I would ever make it through this class. The teacher stood up in front explaining shadows and lighting. The only thing I was thankful for at that moment was the fact that I was in the back row and could lean against the wall. The bell finally redeemed me from the neglected back wall and I picked up my books and started out the door.

“I’m James, by the way,” he said as I grabbed my pencil. I looked up and gave a quick smile. Maybe that class wouldn’t be so bad after all.

back to the present

I pulled into the driveway and parked just outside the garage. No one was home, so I threw my keys on the counter and looked through the caller ID on the phone, just in case Nate had called the house phone instead of my cell. Or, better yet, if James had called. I tried to think about the last time we had spoken. He had called me, which was strange because he didn’t like to talk on the phone much. Since his family had moved to Chicago in December, we mainly e-mailed each other. The last time we had talked, it hadn’t been the cheeriest conversation.

flashback music again

“Charlotte, I-I really screwed up.” No one in that family could say a simple hello on the phone.

“What’s wrong, James?” I asked hesitantly.

“Well, I don’t drink, you know that. But last night…”

“James…”

“I was just, sad, with the move and the new school and everything. I wasn’t thinking. I feel awful. I promised myself I wasn’t going to drink,” he stopped for a minute. “What am I supposed to do?” I had no idea what to say to him. Normally I was the one asking for advice, and it was just stupid little things.

"Just, well….forgive yourself; there’s nothing much you can do now. It’s going to be okay.”

“I’m so stupid! I hate being here. I hate my new school. I want to go back home.”

“James, I’m sorry. I miss you, too.”

“I’ve got to go; I’ll e-mail you later.”

“Okay, bye.”

back to the present

And then he hung up. What if he had beaten himself up about this too much? James could never handle guilt. He always blew things out of proportion. I could see him sitting, in the middle of no where, in his car. I hoped that was what he was doing, and that it was nothing worse.

"Oh, please let him be alright,” I whispered a prayer. I picked up the phone and tried to call him again, but the doorbell rang, so I set my phone down on the kitchen counter and walked down the hall and opened the front door.

“Can I stay here for awhile?”

“James!” I squealed. “I don’t know if I want to smack you or hug you! I’ve been so worried.” James just laughed. “That isn’t funny.”

“Well I’m glad to see you too, Charlie.”

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to see you, it’s just—“

“I know, I know.” He gave me a hug. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, I’m just going to go call Nate and let him know you’re here.”

“NO! Don’t tell ANYONE I’m here.” He jumped over to the phone and raised it in the air where I couldn’t reach.

“Why?” I said, jumping on the table so I could get my phone.

“Just promise me you won’t, okay?”

Of Boys and Men and Dads

One thing that has been particularly difficult for me as a single mom has been trying to reconcile God's loving providence for my family with the fact that both of my children are growing up fatherless. I have never had any doubt that God's ideal for the family is both a father and mother, with the father filling the headship role. I've never felt comfortable being the head of our home, and yet I've had to be just that. And I've always been aware that I could give my children most things that they need, but I've never been, nor ever will be, capable of being a father to them. And while my own father has stepped in and been an amazing grandfather to both of my children (I couldn't have asked for anything more) and has an especially close relationship with Jonathan, he still isn't a dad to them.

And I've seen both children suffer for that in different ways. And while I know that a girl needs a father for some important reasons, I've always felt my Jonathan suffered more. The only male in the home, he couldn't have gotten a more girly girl, completely uninterested in all things athletic, don't know how to use tools and don't care, I love purses and shoes, mom. He's had no one to play catch with, to take him golfing, or even when he was younger yet old enough to understand that he was a boy--no one to take him to that most mysterious of all places closed to females: the men's room.

So Al Mohler's blog was particularly interesting this week, as he addressed the issues of "The Disappearing Father" and then "The Dangerous Book for Boys." Mohler reports that researchers in Great Britain are on the verge of creating sperm cells from bone marrow that would allow women to conceive without men. In some ways, artificial insemination is allowing women to have their own families without men. It's frightening to think of a society of children raised without fathers--especially since some of those children will be men who could potentially become fathers. As a woman who has been raising two children for over ten years without a husband/father, I've seen the challenges and have tried to compensate by exposing my children to strong, godly men where I've had the opportunity. Probably lesbian couples or women who just want to do this thing on their own won't be that conscientious. It's scary. If there's a shortage of strong men now, what will a generation of children who have been intentionally raised without the participation of a father be like?

Mohler followed up his frightening look at the future of families with an article about a new book for boys entitled The Dangerous Book for Boys. The book was originally sold in Great Britain last year, and it will be offered in the United States this year just in time for summer. The publisher hopes to sell four million copies in the States. This book comes at an interesting time--I was just having a conversation recently with my favorite male friend, who was telling me he missed the days when it was legal to burn the trash. Apparently it was one chore he and his brother were happy to take on, and then I remembered that my own brother had been very quick to accept the task of burning the trash. My friend explained that the slight element of danger involved made this activity much more than just a chore--it was an adventure. I explained that the danger of it all was exactly why I was glad that it was now illegal and that probably the number one reason I never took up smoking was my fear of matches and all things fire related.

My own assessment of trash burning reveals that yet again I do not understand the needs of boys-becoming-men (what a shock!). One Wall Street Journal writer reporting on this book explains: "The unapologetic message is that boys need a certain amount of danger and risk in their lives, and that there are certain lessons that need to be passed down from father to son, man to man." In fact, the authors believe that the book has been successful because our culture is overprotective, and so boys aren't learning about taking risks. Mild injuries are good for them; apparently if we don't let our boys take these mild risks, they'll be out taking other kinds of risks like walking on train tracks.

So what do boys learn about in this book? Apparently necessary boy things like reading cloud formations, making batteries, constructing the best paper airplane in the world, how to tie certain kinds of knots, and even how to talk to and treat girls. The authors give boys this sage advice: Girls "do not get quite as excited by the use of urine as a secret ink as boys do." And while I, as a girl, feel a little disgusted by this, I'm also kind of intrigued. But good advice...

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing this book in stores. I think both Jonathan and I have a lot to learn.

Writer's Block

Here I am, with a rare opportunity to use the computer without having to fight the teenagers at my house for it, and I'm finding myself without much to say. And why haven't I been finding much to write about lately or diving for the computer the second previously mentioned teenagers leave to go to the bathroom or take a phone call?

Here are some possible reasons:

1. It's the end-of-the-school-year rush, which has many implications for unbloggish activity. One of the things this wrap-up brings are seemingly endless, lengthy band concerts, choir concerts, piano recitals, guitar recitals, etc. So I don't have much time in the evenings to blog. A second reason this results in decreased blogtime is that the older teenager, a fairly conscientious student who is deep in high school coursework, has had numerous papers to write for her classes in Shakespeare, composition, and even biology. So once she finishes using the computer for homework, it seems only fair that second teenager should have a shot at it. And by that time . . .

2. True confessions: It's been season finale time for some of my favorite TV shows. How could I think of foregoing American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, or my all-time favorite--Lost--to blog? Just be thankful I'm not blogging about them, because I could go on for a very long time about my depression over Melinda's not making the final two, how frustrated I am that the crowd begins booing every time Simon opens his mouth, and how sick I am of seeing Jordin waving her fingers in the air to indicate which phone numbers are hers (Take a "cool" lesson from Blake, girl! He wouldn't be caught dead waving his fingers around!). And don't get me started on how disappointed I am at Locke's "resurrection" from the dead, how happy I was to see Jack beat Ben to a bloody pulp, how sad I am that Charlie is no more, how amazing it was to see Hurley burst out of the jungle and run over the Others with his Dharma mobile, and how much I enjoy Juliet's penchant for sarcastic comebacks. Oh, right--I wasn't going to blog about this.

3. There is actually a noble reason, believe it or not. I've accepted an opportunity from Reformed Fellowship to copyedit a new book that they'll be releasing whenever I get it copyedited--no pressure there. Did I mention that the book is about six hundred pages? It is entitled With Heart and Mouth , and it is a commentary on the Belgic Confession by Rev. Daniel Hyde of Oceanside, California. So whatever computer time I have in an evening has been taken up with copyediting these days--and probably for quite a few days to come.

4. I've been diligently editing away on two major projects at work, which drains me of all language-related energy by the time I'm home. All my creativity has been spent by 5:00 these days. But they should both be finished soon, and work life will resume its more even pace, leaving me with some creative energy once I get home.

5. It's feeling like summer these days, and who wants to blog in the summer. And yet I shall . . .

Chosen unto Communion

Canons of Dort, Head 1, Article 7: Election

Election [or choosing] is God's unchangeable purpose by which he did the following:

Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, he chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. He did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so he decided to give the chosen ones to Christ to be saved, and to call and draw them effectively into Christ's fellowship through his Word and Spirit. In other words, he decided to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them, to sanctify them, and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of his Son, to glorify them.

God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace.

As Scripture says, God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, so that we should be holy and blameless before him with love; he predestined us whom he adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, by which he freely made us pleasing to himself in his beloved (Eph. 1:4-6). And elsewhere, Those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified (Rom. 8:30).

This past week our pastor conducted a funeral, preached on Thursday evening for Ascension Day, and preached again this morning, so this afternoon he was given a well-deserved break, and one of our associate pastors preached. This morning we celebrated the Lord's Supper, and the sermon text was from Ephesians 1:1-14, as well as Canons of Dort, Head 1, Article 7.

This article provides what is probably the fullest definition of election in the Canons. From the Scripture text and this article, we learn that God's elect have been chosen for communion. The word communion suggests a fellowship of groups coming together, in this case, God's people and God.

God's people have been chosen to communion by God the Father (v. 4). God desired a people to commune with, to love and be loved by. To elect means to call from out of, and here Paul speaks to the truly elect; he tells the elect that they are holy, saints. God chose us before the foundation of the world, and His purposes for us are that we should be holy and without blame before Him "to the praise of His glorious grace."

We have been chosen in Christ, and it is only in Christ that we can be holy and without blame; we are, of course, dependent on Him. Verse 7 describes the riches of His grace, those benefits that we have been graced (translated "made us accepted" in the NKJV) with in the Beloved (v. 6). The word that is used here for "made us accepted" carries much more meaning than simply acceptance. It is a word used only one other time in the New Testament in Luke 1:28, where Gabriel tells Mary that she is highly favored--as are we all.

Ultimately the elect have been chosen for communion with God through obedience. Because of all the benefits that we experience, described in Ephesians 1, we will become imitators of Christ. Those who have been justified will practice and seek righteousness. Verse 4 tells us that we are before Him in love, and this is a reference to the love we have for God. The phrase "in love" is commonly used today, and often just as quickly as one claims to fall in love, he or she frequently falls out of love. However, when we are elected in love, we will never be divorced from love. When God calls us, we are in love with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We should only come to the Lord's table if we are in love with Jesus Christ. And we come to love him as a child loves a father, or, as depicted in the book of Revelation, as a bride loves her husband. And the purpose of all of this is "that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (v. 12).

Our song of response was truly a great hymn of the faith:

Jesus, priceless treasure,
Source of purest pleasure,
Truest Friend to me:
Ah, how long I've panted
And my heart has fainted,
Thirsting, Lord, for Thee.
Thine I am, O spotless Lamb!
I will suffer naught to hide Thee,
Naught I ask beside Thee.

In Thine arms I rest me;
Foes who would molest me
Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking,
Every heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fear.
Fires may flash and thunder crash,
Yea, and sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.

Hence with earthly treasure!
Thou art all my pleasure,
Jesus, all my choice.
Hence, thou empty glory!
Naught to me thy story,
Told with tempting voice,
Pain or loss or shame or cross
Shall not from my Savior move me,
Since He deigns to love me.

Fare thee well that errest.
Thou that earth preferrest,
Thou wilt tempt in vain.
Fare thee well, transgression!
Hence, abhorred possession!
Come not forth again.
Past your hour, O pride and power!
Worldly life, thy bonds I sever;
Fare thee well forever!

Hence, all fear and sadness!
For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in.
Those who love the Father,
Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within.
Yea, whate'er I here must bear,
Thou art still my purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure.


~Johann Franck, 1653

Actions and Belief 2

Last week I commented about a Muslim lawyer who doesn't like the use of the phrase "Islamic militants." He was quoted as arguing that actions should not be equated with religion, and his implication was that when some Muslims consider themselves on a jihad and blow up planes and skyscrapers filled with innocent citizens and plot to decimate US military facilities, we shouldn't associate that with their Islamic beliefs.

So it was interesting that our chapel speaker today began his message on Psalm 73 by talking about how Islam has come to impact our world in his lifetime. (By the way, when did Baptists start sounding so Reformed? Two weeks in a row in chapel, I've had to pinch myself. And just recently I was editing something that used covenantal language. Where were you all when I was back at Cedarville College sitting in my Baptist doctrine professor's office telling him that I was offended by his calling particular atonement an inadequate understanding of Christ's atonement? Am I mistaken, or are Baptists now reading John Calvin and the Westminster Confession?)

Anyway, the speaker pointed out that Islam has a well-developed eschatology, and this most certainly shapes the way Muslims live and the choices they make. The promise of an afterlife filled with unlimited virgins who exist to fulfill the "martyrs'" every pleasure motivates them to be willing to die when they are called to. And isn't it interesting that the promise of something that the Bible would call sinful motivates them to kill. It all makes sense in a twisted sort of way. And of course their beliefs shape their actions. And note that the Muslim view of Paradise is just having much greater quantities of an earthly pleasure. So I guess that if I were Muslim, heaven for me would be endless shoes and purses and chocolate (without gaining weight). And probably books and free Netflix.

The speaker went on to discuss Asaph's observations in this Psalm. Asaph looks around and sees the wicked prospering, and when he sees this, he actually envies them because "they are not in trouble as other men; nor are they plagued like mankind" (v. 5). And yet his perspective changes when he enters God's sanctuary. Asaph sees things in a new way, and he realizes that he has God: "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth" (v. 25).

God is the one who guides us, who holds us by our right hand. He is always there, always near. The speaker read a quote from John Piper, and I paraphrase here. Piper pointed out that we could have all the comforts of heaven--no more tears, no sickness, no pain--but what kind of heaven would it be if God were not there? And it wouldn't be any kind of heaven, because God is all that satisfies--in this life and the next. And knowing and believing this eschatology will shape the Christian's actions: "I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works" (v. 28).

The Test of Sinlessness: 1 John 2:28-3:10

This passage includes yet another test. For those who believe and pass the test, these things have been written that they might know, that they might come to a greater knowledge and assurance. Yet this test can also reveal those who do not have the Son. As this Sunday was preparation for the Lord's Supper, we were reminded that the assurance that comes from this knowledge is necessary that we might examine ourselves to partake of the Lord's Supper.

"Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous" (v. 7). This verse, taken out of context, is open to many interpretations. Some might conclude that they are righteous, just as Jesus. But to understand this verse in this way would be to deny the rest of 1 John. We are righteous as Christ is righteous, but it is an imputed righteousness; it is a gift. "God looks at me as though I had never sinned."

Those who have been given this gift of Christ's imputed righteousness reflect His righteousness. Their lives become more Christlike. Because we have been given His righteousness, we now practice righteousness--and as we practice, we get better at it.

Verse 8 reminds us that the one who continues in sin is of the devil. There are two options: We are either of the devil practicing evil, or we are born of God practicing righteousness. Verse 10 tells us that this difference is made manifest--the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian can be clearly seen. This distinction is necessary for church discipline; how can discipline be taken if it is unclear who is Christian and who is not? Also, if we can't know who is a Christian, profession of faith is rendered meaningless.

Christians must ask themselves these questions: Am I different from a child of Satan? Am I dissatisfied with myself when I sin? Do I delight in doing God's will? These are questions we all must ask as we approach the Lord's Table next Sunday.

Mother-Daughter Bonding

This was a night that Katie and I will always remember. I know this will probably come as a shock to you, dear readers, but I was (emphasis on the was) a Spiderman fan--until tonight. I'm not usually excited about action/adventure/superhero movies, but I've really enjoyed the nerdy, but always sweet Peter Parker. And as far as superhero movies go, Spiderman 2 was intelligent, insightful--almost literary. And Katie felt the same way. So we had eagerly awaited the opening of Spiderman 3, and tonight was the night. And even though the movie was less than intelligent, insightful--almost literary, we certainly got our eight dollars' worth.

We settled into our seats, and eagerly awaited the start of the movie. The theater was not overly crowded, so we had plenty of room. The previews began, and Katie and I both murmured, "I love the previews." And we do. When the previews for Pirates of the Carribean came on, we noticed a little boy several rows up raising his arms in the air. Katie and I smiled and noted how cute it was that he was so excited for Pirates, and yet the arm waving continued for the next two hours. I guess he was excited about life in general.

The previews ended, and we settled in for the movie, but then we were treated to a live version of the manager giving the speech about turning off the cell phones, no text messaging, etc. We both thought this was a little strange, but the waving-arms kid continued to be excited.

I had read a couple of reviews of the movie, and so I was aware that this third installment had not achieved the greatness of the second movie. And yet to see it all unfolding on the big screen was a necessary experience in order to appreciate just how bad this movie was. From the first few notes of MJ's singing debut on Broadway (was Kirsten Dunst trying to sing badly because the critics would pan MJ's performance--if so, she deserves an Oscar); to Peter's strange transformation into what Katie says is an "emo" style with hair hanging strangely in his face and moves that would seem to belong in Saturday Night Fever; to the bizarre villain Sandman (which resulted in the ever memorable line, "Look out!" It's the Sandman!" to which I mentally replied, What's he going to do? Put them all to sleep?". When he caught on fire, my intelligent daughter acurately predicted that one strategy would be to turn him into glass and break him. I see film writing in her future.

And yet with all of this, the audience provided yet more entertainment. About halfway through the movie, a man in the row behind us started snoring loudly. And he just kept on. The teenage couple sitting directly in front of him was annoyed. In an attempt to arouse the sleeper, the young guy slammed his coat down on the chair. The sleeper moved a bit, but continued on. Finally, the guy (more a hero to me now than Spidey) yelled loudly, "Dude, wake up!" And he did--briefly. But the Sandman must have attacked, because soon the theater was resounding with his snores. Young guy finally got the manager, who spoke to snoring man, who didn't snore the rest of the movie.

At one point, we had excited boy up front, snoring man behind us to the right, and then a little kid started crying behind us to the left. Katie then uttered the funniest line of the night (which, sadly I can't repeat here--but rest assured, it wasn't profane or obscene), which sent us both into that laughter that you often experience in church when you're a little kid and you absolutely MAY NOT laugh. Tears were running down our faces as we painfully restrained ourselves.

Peter Parker poignantly reminded us at the end of the movie that we can always choose to do right (I'm not sure how theologically accurate that one is), and Katie and I heaved a sigh of relief as we headed for--where else?--the ladies' room. And to top everything off, in the one cubicle that I chose of how many? twenty? the toilet had overflowed and, of course, I was wearing sandals.

I can't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day Eve. I can hear us in Mother's Days to come: "Remember when we went to see Spiderman 3?"

Gratitude

As an editor, I work in an environment of thought. If I'm not reading something someone else has written, I'm writing something myself, and lately I've been finding that even my out-of-work time is spent reading about theological debates that I didn't even know were being argued (more on this another time). I always find it interesting when the same concept recurs within a relatively short period of time, because I know that even the ideas that I'm confronted with come not from chance, but from God's fatherly hand.

The theme for this week seems to be gratitude as a response to cynicism. This came up for the first time Monday morning during our departmental Bible study, when the study leader asked how we combat the dangers of cynicism. The point that was being made in the book we are reading together was that it is very easy to become cynical when we work in a culture of Christians (such as Discovery House Publishers and RBC Ministries). I thought that it was an interesting question, but it never seemed to be answered, and I put the question behind me as soon as Bible study ended and I returned to my desk to consider the work ahead of me for the week.

And then my last posting addressed the issue of gratitude, that our beliefs organically express themselves in our actions. We express gratitude for all that Christ has done for us by obedience to God's law, because He tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

And it all came together during Wednesday's chapel service. The speaker, Don Denyes, pointed us to 1 Chronicles 29:10ff., where David rejoices that the people have given so generously for the building of the temple. In his prayer is the foundation for gratitude. Interestingly, Denyes pointed out that the first layer of the foundation of gratitude is knowing who God is (what we believe), as David lists many of God's attributes (greatness, power, glory, victory, majesty). When we truly know Him, we will be grateful.

We also need to understand that God is sovereign, that He controls all things (v. 11). When we understand that all belongs to God and that He controls all the circumstances of our lives, we can be thankful for whatever happens in our lives.

Finally, we need to understand who we are and what we deserve. David says, "Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this?" When we understand that what we actually deserve is not nothing, but rather eternal condemnation, we must be thankful when we realize the great blessings of salvation.

Gratitude is a good theme, and it's definitely an antidote for the cynicism that can so easily take over when we read the news or simply interact with other human beings. Gratitude forces our focus away from ourselves and onto the One who has never been motivated by selfishness. And for that I am thankful.

Equating Actions with Religion

An interesting and scary news story from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, where an alert store clerk saw some incriminating video footage, contacted the local police, who contacted the FBI, who brought down six men from Yugoslavia and the Middle East who were plotting to slaughter scores of American soldiers at Fort Dix and perhaps other military installments in the Northeast. Certainly this clerk is a hero, and thankfully his bravery has resulted in the arrest of these alleged conspirators, who have reportedly said that they were willing to die "in the name of Allah."

But of course there are objections now coming from New Jersey's Muslim community, who dislike the use of the phrase "Islamic militants" to describe these murderous terrorists. Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim lawyer, thinks that the use of this phrase sends the message to the public that Islam and militancy are synonymous. "Don't equate actions with religion," he told the writer of this Associated Press news story.

My first objection to Mr. Mohammed's objection to the phrase "Islamic militants" because it makes the two words synonymous comes from my own study and knowledge of the English language. "Islamic" is simply an adjective describing the noun "militants," and it certainly doesn't make the two words synonyms any more than the phrase "black cat" makes the words "black" and "cat" synonyms. In fact, the adjective functions to set the noun apart from other types of the same noun. If I tell you I'm going to take the black cat home from the animal shelter, you know that I'm not going to bring the tabby or the white cat home. So when we use the phrase "Islamic militants," we're setting these particular militants apart from other types of militants, whether they are Lutheran militants, United Reformed militants, or Amish militants (which would actually be an oxymoron--but more on that in another language lesson). Mr. Mohammed's objection here would simply suggest that he perhaps needs to review basic grammar or the definition of the word "synonym." What else would be an appropriate way to describe six men who, in their own words, said this: "In the end, when it comes to defending your religion [which is Islam], when someone . . . attacks your religion [Islam], your way of life, then you go jihad." "Islamic militants" would seem to be an accurate description here.

The other interesting piece here is Mr. Mohammed's advice to not "equate actions with religion." How different is that from our own Christian understanding of faith and action. And how typical of someone in this culture to separate what one believes from what one does, which is why in America we can have a married president who claims to believe in Christ while behaving sexually promiscuously with White House interns and then lying about it. But I digress.

Both the Scriptures and the Catechism teach us something different. For those who believe in God and confess this undoubted, catholic Christian faith, actions (what we do) most certainly flow from our religion (what we believe). James tells us, "I will show you my faith by my works . . . Faith without works is dead . . . Faith was working together with [Abraham's] works, and by works faith was made perfect" (2:17, 18, 22).

And our beloved Heidelberg Catechism's third part, "Our Thankfulness," teaches us this:

Q. Since we have been delivered from our misery by grace alone through Christ, without any merit of our own, why must we yet do good works?

A. Because Christ, having redeemed us by His blood, also renews us by His Holy Spirit to be His image, so that with our whole life we may show ourselves thankful to God for His benefits, and He may be praised by us. Further, that we ourselves may be assured of our faith by its fruits, and that by our godly walk of life we may win our neighbors for Christ (emphasis mine).

For the Christian, religion can't help but be equated with our works. So then, how do Muslims show their thankfulness if actions and religion are two different things?

The Test of Lawlessness: 1 John 2:28-3:10

In this passage, John gives us yet another test to come to a better understanding of our relationship before God, whether we are born of Him or not. If we are lawless, we will fail the test.

If we pass this test, it is dependent on our present condition. Three things are true about Christians: they remain in Jesus (v. 28), they are born of Jesus (v. 29), and they are children of God (3:1-3). Remaining in Jesus reminds us of John 15, where Jesus tells us that He is the vine, and we are the branches. This remaining in Him is a relationship where we desire to know Him more fully, and the result of this is that we have greater confidence in Him. It would be impossible for us to practice righteousness if we were not born of Him. His work is essential, and because of this we are able to practice righteousness. Our relationship as children of God is like that relationship between father and child; it does not mean that we are God. Because we are children of God, we ought not fit in with the world. In fact, the world will not and cannot understand us if we are children of God.

Being in Jesus, then, is contrasted with lawlessness, and lawlessness is living without the law. If we abide in Christ, then we are not lawless. But we all sin, so how can any of us pass this test? Some of the nuances of the verbs are lost in translation, but the emphasis here is on continuing in sin. No true child of God will live in a state of sin. A person cannot be lawless and be a Christian at the same time. A person cannot be a Christian who continues to improve his or her skills in stealing, for example. We will sin, and we may even repeat sins from time to time, but true Christians will never delight in their sin. A true Christian will repent, and as we are told in 1:9, "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We should not despair; God will purify us.

Defining Terms

I made the most appalling discovery yesterday at work. K. and I were in my office, writing ad copy for books and music, and we had been working on the copy for a book about marriage. We had already used the word marriage about three times in about seven sentences, so we decided to see if there was another word we could use in its place for the sake of variety.

I have the Merriam-Webster dictionary on my computer, so I pulled it up, typed in marriage, and started reading. I didn't find any good synonyms, but I did discover this as the second definition: "the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage (same-sex marriage)."

When did this become an official definition for marriage? There is only one state in the United States that has legalized same-sex marriage (Massachusetts--the home of such stalwart people as Ted Kennedy and Barney Frank), so that would hardly qualify same-sex marriage as a widely accepted concept. And what's more, when did we start adding adjectival phrases to the beginning of marriage: "same-sex" marriage, "gay" marriage, "homosexual" marriage? Back in those radical sixties when I was growing up--as far as I know--it was just "marriage." At least it was in Wauseon, Ohio.

And now I realize that this is just one more thing that I have to protect my children from. When I was growing up, I was often told to "look it up" by teachers and parents when I had a question about a word's definition. And then as a teacher and parent myself, I was frequently sending students and my own children to dictionaries with their questions about spelling and definitions. Who would have ever thought the dictionary could be such a dangerous place?