Basements

When Michelle and I moved up here, we had an apartment with a wet dungeon for a basement. There was no reason to ever go down there, there was no reason you would want to go down there. If it wasn't for a washer and dryer at the bottom of the steps we never would have. It would snow in the winter and we would get water down there. It would rain in the spring and we would get water down there. It could be a hot summer day and there would still be water pooling in the basement. We didn't mind, we didn't care, after all it was down there were we hardly ever went. The only creature who cared even a little were the spiders I think. There were plenty of those. They stayed down there for the most part and caught what ever came in through the cracks and openings in the mortar.

It has been several years since we left that old apartment for our house. The basement of which could not be more different. Mostly finished, with wood paneling and rainbow shag carpeting. I get the feeling I am in "that 70s show". It is also a place we put a fair amount of our stuff. Most of which either has to do with my office or is neatly boxed up children's clothing. The one constant is water. I was so happy to see it raining this morning and the snow melting that I almost forgot the basement leaks. Nothing a good old wet dry vac can't handle, but not what I had planned for the day.

As I told my mother about my wet basement she remembered how her mothers house would get so much water pooling in the back yard that the ducks from the nearby lakes got confused and would hang out in the backyard until the water all filtered into the ground or evaporated back into the air. I am quite glad I do not have ducks and especially geese congregating in my basement enjoying the cool water. Hannah, on the other hand, would love to pet a duck or two.

The pool is my friend

Yesterday, I got back into the pool. It has been years since I have tried to swim 500 yards and I felt it. It took me almost 20 minutes to accomplish, what used to serve as an eight minute or less, warm up. I used to think the pool was my friend, but yesterday it felt like my enemy. I felt good the first few laps, but that feeling quickly fell away and I felt very tight and sore. What is it about taking 10 or so years off of exercise that destroys you muscles so thoroughly? Perhaps it is the taking off part. I think it will be a miracle if I can get back into shape, but I am going to give it a shot. Today should feel just as bad if not worse than yesterday and I am ready for it. After all, the pool is my friend.

When Life Gives You Pumpkins...make pie!!

I am not sure how long I have seen pumpkins go to waste. They seem to be good for one night and then simply discarded. One of the joys of having little children is they are more than happy with a little pumpkin. The kind you don't actually carve. We used markers and created faces on our little pumpkins and then all of a sudden they disappeared from the front porch and we were making pumpkin pie. No one ever suspected a thing. And we had what felt like hours of fun making crust and pumpkin goo. It was a night to remember and probably will as we find pumpkin around the kitchen for the next few weeks.

Have you ever seen a fairy?

I am always amazed when I pull children's books off of my shelf and begin to read some of the stories. One such book is a collection of short stories and poems for children. Michelle must have brought it with her when we were married because I don't remember it. Today i read 'The Fairy Who Didn't Believe in Children' by: Margaret J. Baker. I wonder how many other people have read this old story. It was a charming little story full of spirit and wonder. Tinders, the fairy seeks out those mythological creatures called children and at first is disappointed by what she finds. She grows to enjoy children however and even discovers the wonders of long division in the process. I think i will read this story to Hannah tonight. I am sure she will enjoy it, and who knows, perhaps one day she will find a fairy in our garden.

Citizenship

Were are you a citizen and what does that mean? Do you ever think of how your citizenship effects your every day life? How it allows you to experience certain rights or binds you to particular laws? Who made the decision for you to be a citizen? I just remember saying the pledge in elementary school.

Citizenship is an important part of life and Paul reminds the Philippians in chapter 3:12-21 what it looks like to be a citizen of the heavenly kingdom.

There were those who didn't believe they were bound by any law, be it scriptural, moral or civil because of they had freedom in Christ. Today we call these folk antinomian. It might sound a little extreme or far fetched but this is an increasing problem in the church today. It has in part produced a sizable section of the church who don't look anything like Christ. They are described as enemies. Paul hopes they will not be the example for the church, and says, "their god is in their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things." They seek what will satisfy in the short term, boasting of their meaningless conquests, and all the while looking to themselves for wisdom.

Paul's encouragement is to keep straining forward, to keep pressing in, to continue to advance. His call to them is costly but is not without reward. Don't look at the perishable but the perennial. They are citizens who are saved by Christ and will be gloriously transformed by God who has power over all things. Live a life reflective of the God we know and worship. Who is pleased to call us sons and daughters. The freedom we have in Christ is not liberty to do what ever we want because we have been saved, it is meant to give us life to live not as a person who is dead but alive.

We must imitate those who are mature and therefore learn from an imperfect person what it means to strain, press into, reach out and long for what is ahead. This is why Paul asks the Philippians to imitate him. It is why he is sending Timothy to be with them and why he hopes to make it back to them.

We must live as responsible citizens in relationship with a big God.

A Warning

Continuing in the book of Philippians, Chapter 3:1-13. Paul presents the Philippian church with a difficult issue in this passage. A group called Judaizers were telling them they must follow the law and therefore must be circumcised to follow Jesus.

His warning against this group is for their safety and to clarify how they are made right before God. As a Jew, Paul, had it all. He was a super Jew. There wasn't anyone who was better, his list of accomplishments here and in other letters, reads like an experts resume. Yet, it is all rubbish. If his righteousness depended on those things then they would be gold, but his righteousness came from God who isn't impressed with our accomplishments. Righteousness from God depends on faith.

The judaizers derived a sense of confidence in following the law. Paul argued confidence can't be found in our flesh, but in Christ alone. The question we must ask ourselves is where do we find our confidence? Some have said if we want to answer this question we should look at our checkbook. Some have said we should look around at how we insulate ourselves from harm. I think these are helpful. We place our confidence in money, things, jobs, people. Perhaps it is time to realize were we have piles of rubbish in our lives, and were we have life.

Crooked and Twisted

It has been a little while since I last posted an update on the book of Philippians. I hope to catch up a little now. I will begin with 2:11 and end with 2:30.

I am struck by Paul's words about the "crooked and twisted generation". I know I have often heard this type of language and have even used it, but I still find it difficult language. There isn't any good reason I find it tough, there is evidence of the crooked and twisted all around. I couldn't run from the reality of this generation if I tried. The truth is, my work has done nothing but show me more of the hurt, pain, destruction, and yes the crooked and twisted in the lives of people around me.

It is Paul's desire for the Philippians to see this as well. But to not just observe the perversion and darkness in the world, but to engage it. "...shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life,..." This was the behavior Paul longed for from this beloved people. This is a dangerous life to live, a life all to familiar to Paul, one of sacrifice and service. Yet, these are the attributes of a follower of Christ. We are called to look different, to live different. To engage the world differently. This is what it means to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." To live not as you were, but as you are being made and have been made. New, by the power of the Holy Spirit, saved by the sacrifice and service of the Son and adopted into the family of our Father in heaven.

Our world is twisted and crooked, and it is our responsibility to care and to seek life for all those around us.