Golden

Ted and Helen
July 1, 1961

Here we are at the start committing to each other
By His word and from our hearts
We will be a family in a house that will be a home
And with faith we'll build it strong

Now to be a family we've got to love each other
At any cost unselfishly
And our home must be a place that fully abounds with grace
A reflection of His face


We'll build a household of faith
That together we can make
And when the strong winds blow it won't fall down
As one in Him we'll grow and the whole world will know
We are a household of faith

Fifty years ago today, at Lower Falls Baptist Church in St. Albans, West Virginia, Ted Walborn  and Helen Mash, my parents, committed their lives to each other before God, their family, and their friends. Marriages that last for fifty years are rare--it seems right that we should call them golden anniversaries. We have much to learn from couples who reach this milestone about what it takes to make a marriage last for so long. 

Perhaps the finest quality of my parents' marriage has been their devotion to God. I can't remember when I didn't know about Jesus, when I wasn't learning Sunday school songs, when our family did something other than go to church on Sunday. My parents modeled their faith in every aspect of their lives--as a husband and wife, as parents to us children, as family members to their own parents and siblings, to their coworkers and friends. I'm sure they would tell you that God has held them together, in good times and bad, and He is the one who has helped them keep the vows they made to each other fifty years ago.

Not only have they served God, they have served others through their marriage. They cared for us children physically, emotionally, and spiritually so that we lacked nothing that we needed. They gave us the gift of music and then sacrificed themselves to help us develop our talents. I have always known that whatever I truly needed they would move heaven and earth to provide. They put action to that knowledge when my first husband died in 1996 and they moved from their lifelong home in Ohio to Michigan to help me raise Katie and Jonathan. Now Katie and Jonathan know the blessing of having been served by their grandparents. When my sister, Kristi, died from injuries she sustained in a car accident in 1990, we all were devastated. We still grieve her loss today. But after a few years, my parents took up God's call to comfort others with the comfort they received, and they have ministered to many other parents who have lost children and helped them through the darkness of their grief.

And now I watch them, as they grow older, serving each other. A few years ago, Mom had a run-in with cancer (thankfully she is cured now). Dad has experienced a series of surgeries, minor to major, over the past few years--on his ears, his knees, his back. And they are still there for each other, looking out for one another's needs--serving one another.

Today people talk about things being right for them, being fulfilled, finding themselves. Marriages often come to an end in the pursuit of these goals. My parents--and others who live and love for fifty years and more--inspire us to see that a marriage that lasts is a marriage focused outwardly--on God, others, and each other. 


Their fifty-year commitment to each other sets an example and inspires us all to a greater commitment to God, our spouses, and our families and friends. At a time when marriages are treated as disposable commodities, as easily discarded as yesterday's newspaper, my mom and dad have demonstrated that marriage is a rare treasure, to be carefully tended and guarded for as long as God gives it.

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad! What a blessing to have been raised and loved by you in a household of faith!

  

On God's Popularity

From The Wanderer, blog of Jeremy Walker, author of A Portrait of Paul:

"Attendance at the morning worship service will give you an indication of how popular your church is. Attendance at the evening worship service will give you an indication of how popular your pastor is. Attendance at the prayer meetings [or midweek Bible studies] will give you an indication of how popular God is.

Ouch?"

Book Review: The Next Story by Tim Challies

"I'd like to invite you to join me as we think about the 'next story,' a story we are living right now--life after the digital explosion. We'll explore some suggestions and ideas for how we as Christians can live in this new reality with character, virtue, and wisdom. And we'll examine how we can respond to these revolutionary changes as followers of Christ in a digital age, learning to live faithfully as the next story unfolds."

So writes popular Christian blogger and author Tim Challies, in the introduction to The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion, which takes a look at the digital world of mobile phones, computers, and the Internet. Part 1 considers "how God intended technology to function in the world he created." From that Challies seeks to gain an understanding of "what is always true about the relationship between humans and their technologies." Finally, the author addresses the history of technology--how we have gotten to where we are today. In part 2, Challies proposes ways we can live wisely in the digital age, using our technologies instead of allowing them to use us.

In the first part, then, Challies lays down foundational principles about technology and its use. Christians must understand that technology is a good, God-given gift  that is, like everything else, subject to the curse. Humans can use technology in a manner that glorifies God or to further our own sin by turning it into an idol.

He then looks at the effects technology is having on society and individuals, pointing out that in our excitement over a new technology, we fail to recognize the disadvantages that come along with it. He also reminds readers that within the technologies we use are biases that predispose us to see the world in one way and not another. In order to maintain our control over technology, we have to anticipate the changes that may result as we use it and respond to the changes with wisdom--admittedly not an easy task. Technology also affects ecology, promotes shifts in power (from old to young), and human biology, as scientists are now discovering the ways that our brains our changing as they are shaped by digital technology. Challies concludes part 1 by tracing the history of the technologies that have led us to the digital world of today.

Part 1 is significant and important, because by examining the theology, theory, and history behind digital technology, Challies moves beyond mere observation and opinion, and places the applications of part 2 in context. We see that technology is a good gift from God and understand that apart from our using it wisely, its effects, which can be bad as well as good, can overwhelm us, and we turn something good into something idolatrous. The chapter on the history of technology follows. As an editor, I might have organized the book differently, putting the history chapter before the others because it just makes sense to me to explain what the subject is and how we've gotten to where we are before we delve into the theology and theory of technology. It feels a little anticlimactic by the time the reader reaches this chapter, but the content is important, and the question of organization is a minor one.

Part 2 is eye-opening, convicting, and thought provoking as Challies guides the reader into a deeper level of thought regarding the day to day use of the technologies that most of us think little of. Chapter 4 deals with the pervasiveness of communication today--has communication itself become an idol, are we using our words well to be an encouragement. In chapter 5, Challies looks at how mediated our communication with others has become; we tend to avoid face-to-face contact and send emails rather than make phone calls. Chapter 6 deals with digital distractions and how they affect the quality and quantity of our work and steal us away from our families and friends. The subject of chapter 7, information and informationism, forces us to consider our information sources and recognize what information actually promotes knowledge and wisdom.

I personally found chapters 8 and 9 particularly informative. Chapter 8 considers information and authority, and takes a close look at search engines and Wikipedia. While I knew that Wikipedia was not necessarily a reliable source of information, I couldn't have explained exactly why. Challies shows how our notion of truth--and how truth is determined--is changing in light of Wikipedia and search engines. The shift to truth by consensus and majority opinion rather than authority is disturbing. Chapter 9 deals with privacy and visibility and how everything we do online leaves a permanent data trail that, were it revealed, would in many cases be at the least embarrassing and at the most incriminating.

The Next Story is important for its pioneering effort to understand biblically what technology is, how it affects us, and how we can use it wisely to glorify God. It answers the questions that not enough Christian technology users are even aware they should be asking, and it answers them in a wise and discerning fashion. With its "application" sections and questions for discussion, this is an ideal book for families and youth groups--in fact, technology users of all ages. Tim Challies has done a great job of showing us how to take our thoughts about technology and its use captive to the obedience of Christ. 

Sports in Moderation

There was no joy in Mudville Saturday afternoon when Jonathan's high school baseball team, the Wolf Pack, went down in defeat to the Saugatuck Indians. But it was a good season, and for Jonathan, a first-time player (he played T-ball back when he was in kindergarten), it was a good experience. He's sorry to see it all end.

I never thought it would be the case, but I guess I'm officially a sports mom. Jonathan decided this past school year--his junior year--that he wanted to be an athlete. And since he attends a small Christian school, anyone who would like to play is welcome on the team--with or without experience. Up to this point my sports experience has been less than zero. I never had an interest in or desire to play sports (I was a music and drama person), and aside from a short brush with soccer in junior high, Katie pretty much followed in my footsteps. Jonathan has blazed new trails for our family, and my time in the previously unknown leaves me with questions and concerns about the wide world of sports.

To be sure, it has been a positive experience for Jonathan. He's in much better shape physically--he slimmed right down during basketball season--and he's learned a lot about working together with others to accomplish a common goal. It's been good for him socially to interact with the other guys on the team. It's been confidence building as he has stretched himself to learn new skills and to work hard to improve. And yet . . . I find myself wondering about other lessons our kids are learning because of their involvement in sports. Are they good ones?

Some kids who participate in sports are learning that their leisure activities (and their parents' leisure activities as spectators) take priority over everything and are the most important thing in their lives. With practice every evening after school for a couple of hours, and games (often double headers that last about six hours) two or three times a week, of necessity sports activities shove everything else to the side. Are we teaching our kids that their games and practices are more important than homework, family life, and church involvement? What are we missing out on, and what are we unable to participate in because our kids are involved in sports? Would we be willing to devote the time and energy we pour into sports into Bible study?

Some kids who participate in sports are learning that their athletic ability is who they are--it is what makes them significant. In the end, sports ability is good for as long as you play sports in school. Few become professional athletes, a few more play in college, but for most, graduation from high school means the end of a sports career. And if you've learned that your value is in your ability to pitch a ball, to shoot baskets, to set records running a mile, and that the most important thing you can do is excel in sports, you're going to have a rude awakening someday when no one cares how many people you struck out your senior year or that your basketball team won the state tournament or that you still hold the record in your high school for the mile. They'll only care that you show up on time for class or work, meet deadlines, and produce results that require less physical prowess and more mental ability. For some kids, it will be unsettling at best, and devastating at its worst.

Some kids who participate in sports are learning that they are the center of the universe. No expense for clothing and equipment is too great. Parents do not have lives and interests of their own. They exist to transport their children to practices and games. Their own responsibilities (including paid jobs) become secondary as they block out huge amounts of time to attend games.

My husband and I sat Jonathan down early in the season. We told him that we supported him in his decision to participate in baseball, and we thought it would be a good activity for him. We told him that we love him. We also told him that with all the responsibilities we have, we couldn't possibly devote our time to attending all of his games. We would aim for one a week. We support him by working at jobs to earn money to pay for the things he needs. We support him by setting an example of prioritizing life's demands responsibly. We support him by not allowing him to forget about his more important responsibilities. We support him by setting an example of moderation.

Sports in moderation is a good thing. Children can learn important lessons that prepare them for life by playing sports in moderation. But sports not in moderation becomes like anything else not in moderation--an idol.
And kids--like the rest of us--don't need to be taught to have idols. They can accomplish that without any practice at all.