I'll Be Home for Christmas

Christmas in the Northeast! The mystical powers of hot chocolate warming hands and hearts. Snow-flocked trees that stretch farther than aisle six of the local home improvement store. Carols and candlelight. Walk-thru light displays, drive-thru light displays, life-sized living nativities, and any other hyphenated holiday activity you can imagine. Quaint shops beckon givers in from the cold. Families gather, coats piled on a bed in the guest room. Memories of Christmases past. Every Christmas I have ever celebrated (save one) has been celebrated right here in the Northeast. Our home. Now that may not seem very adventurous to you; perhaps it isn't. But being home for Christmas, commemorating the season in ways that are familiar --and developing new traditions here and there --is, to me, one of the principal elements of Christmas. Before you get all Jesus is the reason for the season! on me, allow me to explain.

We've gotten to be a certain age, my husband and me. We have lost friends this year, and friends have lost spouses this year. We have friends right now who, for lack of a better euphemism, are facing the beginning of the end. It has weighed heavily on our hearts. But in that heaviness, God has spoken through His Word, through the words of others, that this is not our home. We are sojourners and pilgrims. We are servants of the Most High, given a commission, and retained here to complete it. We are to be in this world, not of it; to love our neighbors and pray for those in authority, much as the exiles in Babylon were commanded to do; and in so doing, to bring glory to God. In this season, we are reminded that our Savior, Jesus Christ, Himself being God, left His home and came to us. His very name, Immanuel, means God with us. God, in the body of a man, far from His heavenly home --one much better than the likes of this world --to be our representative, our example, our salvation. This world was not His home. Nor did it welcome Him (nor does it welcome Him today) with open arms. Being in our home, surrounded by our familiar "Christmas things," engaging in our Christmas traditions, sitting on the sofa shoulder-to-shoulder with family decked in pj's, reminds me that, as good as this is, Jesus left His home to give us something far better. Jesus was uncomfortable so that I could be comfortable; not here in this world --though I think I live far too comfortably, with roots far too deep --but in the Kingdom of God; for now, working to bring the joy and hope of heaven to Earth, but knowing this is not where my journey will end.

Matthew 18:2-5, records Jesus' words about childlike faith and humility. He spoke them, standing before His listeners, as a full-grown man, a God-Man who came to humanity as a newborn. He was fully aware of what it meant to be a child in their society: He condescended to be one. And my memories of Christmases past, childlike wonder, warm and fighting sleep in the backseat of my parents' sedan as we traveled from house to house on Christmas Eve; big bows on choir robes, and footie pajamas; tossing and turning until what seemed to be the wee-est hours of the morning in anticipation of what waited under a tinseled tree. Innocent and trusting. Home was wherever my parents were. This, too, is the point of Christmas, of this place not being our home. Though this may indeed be where we are most comfortable celebrating, though this may be what is most familiar, our home is where our Father is. Our home is not streets of gold or pearly gates any more than it is Luci snoring by a fireplace decked with balsam fir or festive stockings hanging low with the weight of generosity. Staying put right here in the Northeast --or wherever you hang your hat --in this place that I know as intimately as my own skin, awakens the knowledge that my Father knows me as no other, better than I know myself, and He is my true Home. This is just a backseat, this is just a choir loft, this is just a place I can lay my head and sip hot chocolate, a place I can be grateful for traditions and cozy December nights; but He is my Home. And where He is, there I will be also. Right here, in our home and in our hearts.

Midweek: Step Eight

Will you help me?

The words sat there on my screen. Years ago, I would have been guilted into, been bullied into, or self-promoted my way into helping. I sure don't want this person to be mad at me. Or, I can help because I am that strong and that resourceful. But Jesus has changed me. He's taught me boundaries and the power of prayer. I've seen what He can do when people lean on Him rather than those around them. And I've learned that I am no one's Savior. To help in this case would mean exposing my family to various levels of risk. To help could cause all sorts of legal issues. To help might actually be encouraging the behavior that got this person into the mess in the first place. I politely but firmly said, Not in the way in which you are asking. An answer which was met with a thanks-for-nothing attitude. Confirmation.

Step Eight says, I made a list of all persons I had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. We are at another list-making step in Walking the Twelve Steps with Jesus Christ. As is sometimes the case with lists we make, a list can actually hinder our progress if we don't choose to accept that list-making is for the purpose of activity and commit to that activity. So, this is a list of people we have wronged, harmed; an easy place to become stuck in shame and self-absorbed thinking. Yes, even thinking poorly of oneself is self-absorbed. But we are making a list for a purpose, putting victims and consequences to our bad choices, seeking in a later step to make amends when possible, and paying attention to even the smallest of ripples our addiction has caused. Step Eight not only includes those we have seen face-to-face, but those who we have never seen because of broken relationships; grandchildren or nieces and nephews kept safe by courageous, dutiful parents who do not want their children exposed to the insanity of our addiction --even if it meant dissolving a relationship. This step understands their response and credits them for it while recognizing our actions as the impetus for theirs. Also included is a general examination of our opinions of and behavior toward certain groups of people. Have we, in our addiction, committed crimes which we have justified by saying "those people" deserve it? Have we treated other addicts poorly and without human compassion because we see our broken selves in them? Like an onion, this is a step which could be peeled back, layer after layer over many years. But it needs to be made, as I mentioned, with a clear commitment to action and for the purpose of learning to keep our list of offenses short.

When the above person asked for my help, two things came to mind. First, this person was not really making a request: to request anything of anyone is to be grateful your request was considered and to be prepared for a refusal. This is the attitude behind our list in Step Eight. As I mentioned, activity is forthcoming, and things may not turn out as we plan; regardless the outcome, the purpose is healing. The response of another cannot make us whole; only Jesus can. Secondly, how far Jesus has brought me! Twenty years ago, I secretly would have provided "help", knowing my husband would have been furious. Fifteen years ago, I would have blamed the No squarely on my husband. Even five years ago, I would have refused, but I definitely would have started a fight when I received the person's snarky response. However, because of Jesus, I established a boundary, confident it was the right response, and I accepted whatever this person had to say --snarky or not --as the result of their issues talking; not adding to my list of persons I had harmed or things for which I need to make amends.

The cycle of shame that feeds our bad behavior, addictive or otherwise can be broken with Jesus. One step at a time.

  

What Would Change Your Life This Christmas?

The interviewer posed the question: What could someone have said or spoken over you to change the trajectory of your life? "Interesting question," I thought. "What would be my answer?" She wasn't asking me, however; I was listening to an interview with two pastors whose faithfulness I admire. The first gave his answer: You are someone; you are worth something, and there is hope. "Oooh, good answer! I could've used that," I thought. The second pastor spoke the answer that came up from my heart and dissipated all those warm fuzzies I was feeling from the first pastor: I just needed to obey. That right there was a truth bomb, and it had hit me a split-second before the sound of his words had hit my ears. There was something for me to learn here.

Let me first say, both pastors were preaching the Gospel. God demonstrated through the incarnation of His Son that we are all worth something; He gave us all hope, but a greater brand of hope than we could have ever imagined --eternal Hope. Jesus demonstrated it with His blood! That's what we are worth to Him. And just as He obeyed His Father in making a way for the One True God to be our Father through His flesh, we are to obey as He did. We just need to obey. 

But why? 

1. Because He is God. Plain and simple, cut and dried. He is worthy, and His worth is not up for debate.

2. Because He gave His life for us (not quid pro quo, but homage. I'll get back to the quid pro quo thing.)

3. Because if He is willing to lay down His life for us, He must love us. And if He is all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent, and immutable; if He is Faithful and True, why would we not trust Him implicitly? Would He ever mislead us? Did He save us just to destroy us? Does He hold it over our heads: "See, see what I did for you? I died for you: you owe Me?" No more than a chair says to us, "You were so tired yesterday. You sat in me and I held you up; I provided a place for you to rest: you owe me." We are free to walk around thinking fire insurance is enough, just as we are free to walk around thinking that to have a chair is refreshing. But is it? We demonstrate our belief in Jesus and His sacrifice and His resurrection; we demonstrate the sufficiency of His work and His person by entering into a covenant relationship with Him and, because He is perfect, because He knows best, because He knows all and has all power, because He loves us better than we could ever love ourselves, we obey; we follow His plan. As I mentioned before, there is no quid pro quo, but when One demonstrates His integrity and love, is He not worthy of ours?

The Christmas season is all about the trajectory of life --of many lives --being changed. The demonstration by a perfect God that we are worth something: Here is Hope. And the call to follow and obey because Hope has come and desires a covenant relationship with us.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!

Positively Unpopular

This year seems to have been one of transformation --and not necessarily in ways we would typically label "good." We've lost iconic talent and steadfast Christian leaders. From Bertucci's to Burger King to Bear Grylls, bankruptcy impacted them all. The closure of hospitals, schools, churches, and even our own national government caused people to go without services. 

Or seek them elsewhere.

A friend expressed an opinion that would, in the public forum, likely be unpopular. I think it's a good thing people had to do without SNAP benefits. They were forced to find other resources. I hadn't considered that, but I understood the hope behind her thought process. Imagine never having to depend upon the government again; being free of all of their shenanigans and pretense at the expense of citizens. Imagine discovering a family of believers who stand with you --not only in your time of financial struggle, but when you are forced to decide next steps in the care of an aging parent --all because you went to them for food one day in October. Imagine being a taxpayer who no longer has to support the ridiculous salaries of self-serving career politicians because, through a government shutdown, we learned how to come together as citizens, to support one another, and to do away with the excess at the top. Could this ever be?

And the closure of our local hospital several months ago. As people raged and speculated over the loss of life that would occur absent the presence of our nearby trauma center, as people panicked over the burden that would place on other hospitals in our region, a thought came to my mind: Haven't we been praying for abortions to cease? Of course, they didn't cease completely, but in our little corner of the world, the reduction of resources (or difficulty obtaining them) has been a blessing. I know, unpopular; but the willingness to see how God is working even in the midst of change and pain is important.

Lastly, Pope Leo. He recently made a historic visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque, a distinguished place of worship for Muslims, where he was invited to pray. This was a tremendous opportunity to stand with leaders of Islam in a show of unity and peace; to make a general statement about the power of prayer and the importance of worship in the lives of all people. It could have gained the pope worldwide accolades for his diplomacy and commitment to seeking faith. Instead, he declined. He took off his shoes and walked the halls of the mosque, but he refused strange fire; he stood for the worship of the One True God who is worshipped in spirit and truth. Definitely unpopular on the world stage, but integrity is rarely popular with those who are unwilling to seek it or live by it when it costs. I certainly can't speak for the leader of the Catholic Church, but I'm inclined to think that, outside of personal conviction, he understands what God can do with those who are willing to follow His rules for their lives. He can demonstrate his conviction because he knows the cost of disobedience and compromise; he can do the unexpected and unconventional because he serves a God who did the unexpected, suffered the unconventional and died to save an entire world. 

It's not popular to be positive when all the "facts," all the tangibles scream Tragedy! We're labelled hatemongers and warmongers. We're said to be anti-Christ: Christ is loving, after all. We're condemned for our exclusivity. We're chastised for our resistance to compromise. But maybe it just boils down to the ability to see what God can do. Maybe it's because those who tend to be positive, visionary, uncompromising, and unpopular have for their Master a God who can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine. 

Midweek: Step Seven

 Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove these wrongs.

I know I already covered Step Seven in my last post on Walking the Twelve Steps with Jesus Christ. But something occurred to me as I was spending a little more time with the text: the act of going before our God and His mighty grace is indispensable. And worth addressing with a little more depth. 

Have you ever watched a child begin to walk? It all begins with intent. From the first moment a child raises that one leg to crawl or begins to rock on hands and knees, there is an idea, a desire to move forward. Once in a while, when the standing doesn't go so well or the falling becomes too frustrating, you will see the child abandon the idea of walking upright and return to crawling. However, when surrounded by plenty of things upon which the child can pull himself/herself up, when encouraged by parents and caregivers, the child will persevere and, eventually, walk. The intent, with the proper support, has stimulated the action necessary for success. 

Walking the Twelve Steps with Jesus Christ requires us to understand and act. Intention without action remains intangible. If you recall Step Six: I was ready to have God remove all the wrongs of my past life, it's a condition of preparedness, desire, intent. And while it's important our hearts are made ready for change, it is not change itself. Step Seven is that movement toward change.

I'll be honest, when I read through the steps for the first time, the word that came to mind was "redundant." I admit that..., I came to believe that..., I was ready to have... Why so much focus on our attitude? Why, after we know these things, do we have to take time to decide next steps? Let me answer that second question first. Because this is a process. If we go back to the example of the baby, God, in His wisdom, designed walking as a process; the strengthening of bones and muscles, the formation of muscle memory. Little by little, the mind of the child and the body come into sync to accomplish the task of walking. One can take the lead if the other is prepared to accompany it. Our intentions are formed by information, examination; from there we decide next steps. That is why the focus on our attitudes. How we perceive ourselves, what we know about God, impact the decisions we make. Our decisions then (hopefully) align with our behavior to lead a better life, to handle situations in a way that does not destroy us. This is why Step Six by itself is not enough; being ready is not enough. We must consciously, humbly, gratefully ask God to remove wrongs. And not just until the urge passes. The sincerity of our request is demonstrated by our willingness to allow them to stay removed. When faced with the wrongs of our life again, we turn to God. Is there more I need to confess about this? If so, please show me; if not, I stand on Your Word that I am a new creation. That was then; I'm trusting in You now. 

Uncovering wrongs that are keeping us bound is an important step. Knowing who God is and what He is capable of doing is as well. Those should foster in us a desire to be released from bondage. But taking that step to humbly come before God, asking Him to use His mighty grace to free us, is vital to our recovery.

The Desires of Your Heart

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Catalogs are hitting the mailbox on the daily, and our youngest is armed with pen and big dreams as he seizes each one. Does wanting end with childhood? Of course not! We've got our twenty-somethings strategizing their lists like corporate takeovers and, if I'm being honest, there are a few things I'd like to have if someone else is buying. But what are the true desires of our heart? Is it just a bunch of stuff, things we wouldn't necessarily spend our hard-earned money to buy?

I grew up hearing others talk about their "life's verse;" that verse of Scripture God faithfully, repeatedly dropped on you at every turn; or the one that always spoke hope when you needed it most; or the one that has challenged you to keep pushing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). But years ago, the verse that stopped me dead in my tracks was Acts 20:24:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

These are the words of the Apostle Paul. But, in his case, they were far more than words; he proved them with every assignment he completed for the cause of Christ. And in his first letter to the church in Corinth, he encouraged them with these words:

Imitate me as I imitate Christ. 

I longed to comply. Oddly enough, God sent a few other verses my way --many of them on rotation --and the one which always vexed me, left me knowing that if I was to truly complete the ministry of reconciliation I'd been given, my desires had to change.

Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 37:4

Not that I would receive all those things with which I'd been hoping someone would fill my stocking, but that the God I serve would alter my desires, place them in my heart, that I might want what He wants. 

That I would be at peace when I am rejected by others for the glory of God.

That I would be okay with being invisible for the glory of God.

That I would cheerfully endure hardship for the glory of God.

That I would love to work --a lot! --for the glory of God.

That I would enjoy the gift of rest --even though there is much to do --for the glory of God.

That I would easily repent and ask forgiveness for the glory of God.

That I would wholeheartedly love the "unlovable" for the glory of God.

That I would rejoice in serving the greedy and ungrateful for the glory of God.

That I would be the first to give thanks in ALL things for the glory of God.

That I would obey --heart, mind, body, and soul in agreement with my Lord --for the glory of God.

That I would never try to claim anything for myself but direct every offering that so much as touches this vessel to the One who has given me all things. Including right and good desires.

You can't get that from a catalog.

A Vision for Thanksgiving

always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah
~ Ephesians 5:20

It's Thanksgiving, and I'm sure you've got better things to do than hanging around reading a blog, so I'm going to make this as brief as possible. Weeks ago, I was listening to a pastor talk about heaven. He speculated that, if the saints who have gone before us can indeed know what is going on here on earth, that they know it in full, the end of the story even as we are in the midst of it. What came to mind were the words of Jesus recorded in John 11:4:

 This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.

Lazarus was dead when Jesus and His disciples got there --obviously dead, starting-to-stink dead. How could Jesus say Lazarus' illness would not result in death? Perhaps Jesus was giving His disciples an opportunity to see in full while they were here on terra firma. Can you see it? Perhaps He was assuring them that unemployment, illness, addiction, infertility, divorce, homelessness, sexual abuse --even physical death is an incomplete picture for those who are in Christ, for those who are called according to His purpose. 

We are saints who have not yet been called to heaven; we know only in part. But does that prevent us from asking God to train our eyes in preparation for that day? to renew our minds to know a bigger picture exists and train our eyes to begin to see it? Scripture assures us it is there, and because of who God is and the veracity of His Word, we can certainly trust that. I believe, it is in seeing the greater picture, in trusting it exists, that we can give thanks as we are meant to do. Always and in every thing.

Happy Thanksgiving!    

Midweek: NKJV Peace of God Bible

Do you know someone who struggles with feelings of anxiousness? Are you looking for a resource to help you focus firmly on the Prince of Peace? This might be the Bible you can share or keep for your own this Christmas. The NKJV Peace of God Bible from Thomas Nelson and editor, Jeremiah Johnston, PhD, is a great way to bear in mind the peace that surpasses all understanding in all circumstances as you study and employ God's Word. Devotions --some using Johnston's own life experiences as object lessons --examine the theme of God's shalom throughout Scripture and encourage the reader to walk in that assured peace. (A convenient topical index of devotions is provided in the back matter.) 

The three articles in the front of the book discuss "The Peace of God: Find It and Keep It," how "Believers Can Recover the Peace of God," and how to "Find God and His Peace: The Plan of Salvation" (essentially, how mankind can have peace with God). My criticism here has more to do with the placement of the articles than the content. I would have placed the plan of salvation (peace with God) as the first article for a couple of reasons; one being, peace with God is required for all, and secondly, the peace of God inhabits our spirits as we study His Word and do life with Him. 

Just behind the Topical Index of Devotions is a Features Index which catalogues all of the devotions and "Peace Notes," pithy remarks and reminders about God's peace. For example, "The peace of God, which includes happiness and joy, is a discipline we learn, not an automatic skill or natural Christian ability." (Point made). After this are the concordance and full-color maps.

From Thomas Nelson's Website:

Key features include:

• 365 devotionals that explore how to receive and live out God’s peace, each tied to a key verse or passage
• 365 Peace Notes offering brief reflections on how peace is worked out in everyday life
• Book introductions that highlight the role of peace in each section of Scripture
• Topical indexes to help you explore how God’s peace shapes relationships and decisions
• In-depth articles exploring what the peace of God is, how to reclaim it, and how salvation anchors it
• Concise concordance and full index of devotionals and features for easier study
• End-of-page translators’ notes and cross-references for enhanced understanding
• Line-matched, double-column typesetting for a cleaner reading experience
• Clear and readable 9.5-point NKJV Comfort Print® for long reading sessions without fatigue

As for aesthetics, the complimentary copy I received was burgundy bonded leather with the spine stamped in gold, gilt-edged pages, a presentation page, and two satin bookmarks, each a different color. The words of Jesus are printed in red. 

It's a very nice Bible. I love the simplicity of it. The devotions are definitely helpful, and the prayer notes are very "portable;" they provide something to consider throughout the day. It currently retails for $79.99, though Amazon offers the same copy I received for $53.98, and christianbook.com is offering it for $51.99.

The Little Things

In his best seller, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, Erik Larson says,

In the end, Schweiger's attack on the Lusitania succeeded because of a chance confluence of forces. Even the tiniest alteration in a single vector could have saved the ship.

When I read the over-a-page-long list of If onlys proposed by Larson --had the ship not been delayed by being commissioned to pick up passengers from another vessel, had the fog remained minutes longer, had the U-boat captain not miscalculated the Lusitania's speed, and others --I was reminded of some of the more awful moments of my past. If I had only... Had I not... Regret. Holy regret. Is there such a thing? I think so. Those moments when we realize just how unmanageable our lives had become as the result of decisions we believed to be infinitesimal, inconsequential; occasions upon which we were given the choice to obey, but sensed no penalty if we did not.

Conversely, I was reminded of my tenure with a large corporation. So many of the big problems were caused by little ones, mere oversights, miniscule transgressions. One of my mentors would remind us often: Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves. 

Is it not so with our spiritual lives? Hebrews 12:14, 15 warn:

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Notice where it all starts: pursuing peace with others and holiness (the pursuit of Christlikeness) before God. Then, the explanation in the form of progression; from falling short of what God intends, to bitterness rooted and causing discord, to the poisoning of many. A small thing, a disagreement, a hurt can lead to infection in the body; it can cause us to fall into conflict, not peace, with others and corrupt us.

Matthew 5:23, 24 commands:

Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Immediately, in the midst of what you are doing. Why? Because the condition of our hearts, the pain and strife residing there impact not only our relationship with our brother, but our worship. There is a chain reaction that can throw us off course; that can affect those worshipping around us. Just a small thing, right? A tiny offense.

James 3:5, 6 reminds us of the damage a small, unchecked member of the body can inflict:

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 

The spark of a careless remark, the flicker of a covetous thought permitted to be expressed --and the body of Christ is brought to corruption, its reputation called into question. All because one small thing was permitted off leash, permitted to take hold, permitted to fester, thus allowing a member of the body to fall ill with unholiness, and the entire body to be poisoned.

Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. If only I hadn't listened to gossip. If only I hadn't repeated it. If only I had been honest with him about the way his behavior impacts others. If only I hadn't led them to believe I was in agreement but gently expressed what has been on my heart. If only I had taken more time to pray about it. If only I'd removed the plank from my own eye before I confronted her about that speck in hers. 

If we do what Scripture teaches us to do, all day, every day, all of life will remain on track (or, afloat, as the case may be). Not perfect, mind you, but in accordance with God's Word. If we surrender our hearts to the examination of the Holy Spirit and make the necessary changes, who we are and who Christ is, can never be called into question. We can know that whatever life sends hurtling toward us will not condemn us or destroy us, but will only bring us closer to becoming who we are meant to be.

Learning Beauty

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The worms, the sprickets, the naked mole rats --all manner of critters who are either so ugly they evoke some sort of pity causing us to be tender toward them, or they make our skin crawl. He created trees which, in this season, are more fiery and more impressive than those earlier days of the year when their leaves were plump and variegated with chlorophyll, their very life's blood. He created sky and sea, hill and vale, winter chills and summer heat. He created the smell of jasmine and gardenia and peat and sulfur. He created daylight by which we work and darkness by which we were meant to sleep. He created our unruly hair (which we may think for certain came as a result of The Fall) and our T-Rex arms. He created pitch-perfect voices and those that crackle and screech like a murder of angry crows. He created fingers that obey when we put brush to canvas and those that, in their fierce rebellion are perfectly adept at whizzing over a keyboard as they enter data. And He said it was good. When it came to mankind, God said His creation was very good. 

What I'm repenting of today, however, is why I have done Him such a disservice, such a dishonor by not noticing. Never mind how I've critiqued every square inch of my body. Never mind how I grumbled at my tiny children's inability to do things for themselves --Mom, can you get my ball out of the tree? --just as I'd sat down for the first time that day. Never mind how I've avoided talking to the friendly chatterbox who hangs out by the coffee station. Never mind that I have resented His choices in how He has created or developed the people and things around me --that's a whole different level of offense for a whole different article --but I am guilty of simply not noticing. I am guilty of not even seeing the beauty in the faces of those He has created, of not breathing in deeply the crisp autumn air, of not resting beneath a tree in summer, of not whispering Amazing! as the sun begins to set in a sky that makes Crayola green with envy. Of being so busy, so familiar, so critical, and so wrapped up in myself, I walk past the many gifts He's given again and again without so much as a single nod. A dull grey sky today? Yawn. And yet, we are without excuse. There is goodness in everything He has made. He said so.

Annie Dillard, in her book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, strives to understand the song of birds:

Sometimes birdsong seems just like the garbled speech of infants.  There is a certain age at which a child looks at you in all earnestness and delivers a long, pleased speech in all the true inflections of spoken English, but with not one recognizable syllable. There is no way you can tell the child that if language had been a melody, he had mastered it and done well, but that since it was in fact a sense, he had botched it utterly.

Today I watched and heard a wren, a sparrow, and the mockingbird singing. My brain started to trill why why why, what is the meaning meaning meaning? It's not that they know something we don't; we know much more than they do, and surely they don't even know why they sing. No; we have been as usual asking the wrong question. It does not matter a hoot what the mockingbird on the chimney is singing. ... The real question is: Why is it beautiful? 

It's beautiful because it is a gift, straight from the imagination and nature of an infinite God. It is beautiful because He made this world and all He placed in it for His glory and for our benefit. We have been tasked with the responsibility of tending and keeping this world; of living in it; we are not mere property managers, but witnesses of the very personality of God as revealed in His creation. We must steward the beauty and wonder of it in addition to simply guarding against abuse, for beauty and wonder are in the Creator's nature. Today I am challenged to stop my foolish, self-centered bustling --those things I think are so relevant (like the garbled speech of a child delivered with passion but lacking real meaning) --and learn the beauty of the people and the world around me by looking for our Father's character in it.   

Midweek: Steps Five, Six, and Seven

Our dog sheds. A lot! My husband vacuums. A lot! It really is a symbiotic relationship. He likes to vacuum, and Luci provides the motivation. There's just one additional component. Each time my husband vacuums --or at least most of the time --I am apprised of his plunder (voluntarily or no) as he empties the canister. I just vacuumed yesterday and --did you see (displaying the container for my benefit) --do you see how much hair is in here?! Since yesterday! It's half-full! How is this even possible?! The second time he says "see" it is punctuated that I might actually look up from what I'm doing and see. I acknowledge his offense, and he is then free to dump the spoils of his labor.

Step Five: I admitted to God, to myself, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs. 

Step Six: I was entirely ready to have God remove all the wrongs of my past life.

Step Seven: I humbly asked Him to remove these wrongs.

All those things we explored, the results of our searching and fearless moral inventory; the answers we sought as we identified the wrongs we suffered, the wrongs we committed in our past life --these things we have collected and collated, the things we have admitted and recognized as being detrimental to us, these must be unloaded.

If my husband was to vacuum day after day without purging the repository of its collected debris, the vacuum would clog and would be rendered unable to do its job. Build-up would occur. The vacuum might eventually break altogether. It certainly would be unable to receive anything else.

The garbage we accumulate as we live in a fallen world, even the wrongs we have committed toward others must be addressed. Once addressed, they must be dumped. The anger that builds in response to abuse, the shame that takes root in response to the betrayal of a friend --these are things we must confess. Yes, I allowed this to hold me in bitterness. Yes, I did that in order to score. And admission is liberating, but we must be liberated even further by submitting to the liberation of the cross, Jesus Christ, the Power greater than ourselves. We must submit these wrongs to the standard of a perfect, holy God, a standard we can never hope to meet by our own efforts; but a standard that has been met by our Savior, Jesus Christ. We claim the blood of Jesus over these things, knowing He has purchased our forgiveness by His own body. We speak these wrongs aloud that we might be emptied of them and prepared to receive all God has intended for us. We expose our dirt to the Light of the World, Jesus, asking that we be forgiven and made new; and we ask others to pray for us and hold us accountable in our wrongs and the obsessive behaviors which resulted. We want to remain clean and free to receive the newness of life in Jesus as we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father. 

Collecting Luci's daily flotsam and jetsam is important. We don't want to live in that, suffering from allergies and finding fur in everything from our towels to our tomato soup. But we don't --or, rather, my husband doesn't go around collecting in order to preserve it for posterity. It's acknowledged, contained, and discarded, a byproduct of life. As are the wrongs that occur in this world. But stand back, pay attention, See!, when we are made empty of our grief, our fear, our rage, our resentment --the byproducts of life --and we partner with Jesus and a trusted confidant, we will be filled with fullness of joy and have life in abundance!

        

Praying for Revival

Have you heard all the talk about a revival? I've heard it for years, and on some level, it wearies me. True, the winds have definitely shifted, and there are lines being drawn (Not always a good thing). It is becoming clearer who stands for what, and those hidden or asleep are beginning to come into the light. But the talk of revival shouldn't be something we just stand back and appreciate like a work of art. It should embolden each of us to do more, to say more. Jesus didn't sit on the sidelines, and neither should we. We can't host a Superbowl party and brag how it helped our team win. 

In his book, Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill said:

Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.

The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer—the highest ministry of all human offices—is open to all.

Revival begins in each of us. If your life is lacking in vision, chances are, it's lacking in prayer. If your worship is lacking passion, chances are, your life is lacking in prayer. Prayer is not only open to but required of every Christian servant. In prayer revival starts. It is as simple as that! No need to set up a tent or pass out flyers. No need to take Bible courses or get yourself a street corner and a megaphone. Revival is labor-intensive, but not always in a visible way. Revival happens in our prayer closets, in the silence and depth of our hearts. Because, when revival occurs, it occurs in us first. Only then can we take our newness of life wherever we go. Only then can we honestly, straightforwardly share our newness of life with the masses. If I am truly filled to overflow with the mercy of God, I will treat others with mercy. If I am truly filled to overflow with the joy of the Holy Spirit, those around me will be bathed in it. If we want to fill our churches, we have to fill our lives with the practice of prayer. That our hearts would be made pure. That our behavior would not be contrived, not summoned up at the sight of a Pride parade or a teen wearing a pentagram; but that our behavior would truly reflect the fullness and compassion in our hearts. That we would surrender regularly to the Holy Spirit's examination and conviction. That those who hear (or see) our message will be made ready in advance to receive Jesus. That those who resist the message, their rejection would not last longer than their life. That those who attempt test what is in us will discover integrity.  

Revival's most effective tool is prayer. Because, yes, God through our prayers reforms and revives circumstances; but, most of all, prayer reforms and revives us. 

One to Worship

And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:
'For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,'
that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

~ 2 Chronicles 5:11-14

Whew! Imagine your pastor, on a Sunday morning, unable to finish delivering the message because the glory of the Lord has filled the room. People are singing and weeping. Someone is speaking in tongues. Many are standing, arms raised and swaying. Others are kneeling, radiant faces lifted heavenward. Praise, true awe-inspired worship is happening, and the moment, just as it is, must go on. On one hand, these events took place; on another, I pray they are yet to be. As I read the above passaged and imagined such a scene taking place in our own church, a sense of gratitude flooded my spirit. Gratitude for what, exactly? The fact that it happened once assures me it can happen again. The fact my God is faithful and wants all His people to worship in spirit and truth assures me He can make it happen in people yielded and living expectantly. The fact that He has given us the power and privilege of prayer assures me I can pray to that end.

We were made to worship God. We are, in fact, at our very best when we are worshipping Him. But...

There's that stack of bills again.

This pain in my lower back just will not quit.

Mitchell, did you throw your dinosaur in the toilet again???

Waddya mean my flight is cancelled?

Day after day, the trials and temptations of this world pummel us. We never seem to get ahead, and we are weary. The congregation idles; the air grows stagnant. Offering wanes and wallets are empty. Sin crouches at our door. And we are weary. How are we to worship when there is so much pain and oppression? Were things that much more different, that much easier for God's people back in the day of Solomon and the people of Israel? Of course not, they had their problems --the Old Testament relates one after the other. How did they receive such a blessedness and we, post-cross, post-resurrection languish?

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) That's not some trite saying; that is a command. Because worship changes your perspective. Because God is due all glory and honor no matter the situation. Because simple gratitude takes us to a level of worship that builds greater worship and calls others to join us! Because to give thanks is contagious. Because the historical worship at the temple was many instruments and voices sounding as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord. Because the worship we long to see in our churches, our nation, our world can begin with one voice praising and thanking the Lord in all circumstances. God can bring about revival. He only needs one. 

Be the one.

Midweek: Enduring Word Study Bible, NKJV

Today, I am very excited to bring you Thomas Nelson's NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible. I have used pastor/teacher, David Guzik's Enduring Word online commentary for years. His supporting information and insights are helpful as are the additional quotes and commentary by other great pastors and teachers. Obviously, a single printed volume including Bible text cannot include all the helps found on Enduring Word's online format; but this Bible is a wonderful verse-by-verse study resource. Guzik's thorough but simple commentary is suitable for all understanding, and this edition would make a nice gift for anyone serious about Bible study.

As for the specifics, the free copy I received came in a sturdy printed box. It is bound in black leather with gilded edges. The spine is also stamped in gold. Two permanent satin bookmarks (of different colors) and a presentation page complete the classic look. The text is in a two-column format in 9.5-point Comfort Print®. The words of Jesus are in red. At the bottom of the text are cross-references translator notes. Beneath these are the study notes from Pastor Guzik. 

At the start of each book is an introduction that provides background information and prompts the reader to take note of themes present in the book. Throughout the text are four hundred application notes to help one apply Bible teaching to daily life, and fifty in-depth articles that address important biblical topics and theological questions. Helpful charts include Scriptural references explaining our Identity in Christ, and reading plans for Thirty Days of Getting to Know God and Thirty Days of Getting to Know Jesus. Another chart breaks down books of the Bible into their literary categories. Just a few words about this chart. Its layout is giving Periodic Table of the Elements. However, the books are, for all intents and purposes in order of their placement in the Bible (separated only by Old and New Testaments), and the colored coding system is very difficult to distinguish in print: the light blue has little to no variation from the medium blue, has little to no variation from the dark blue. It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. What I do enjoy is the article Between the Testaments that is located between the Old and New Testaments, of course. This period of four hundred years of history (between Malachi and Matthew) is addressed with little more than a blank page in most Bibles. An article covering the importance of this period is refreshing to see.

Lastly, the back matter includes a concordance with more than two hundred entries and behind this, colorful maps. 

The NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible is currently listed at $99.99, but is available on Amazon for $75.03 or through christianbook.com for $66.99. There are hardcover and Leathersoft™ editions available as well.

The bottom line? If I was a study Bible kinda gal, this would probably be the one. As I mentioned before, Guzik's unvarnished, easy-to-understand commentary is perfect for providing clear explanation while leaving deeper diving or specific application to the reader and his or her submission to the Holy Spirit.

2AM Troubles

Just a couple months ago I was preparing for a trip, a few hours of driving by myself. I've done longer. I've done the same drive with my aging mother and/or children in tow. I've done others while sick and in much worse weather. But. In the middle of the night, hours before I was scheduled to leave, the voice came. "You can't do this." My first reaction was shock at how silly that sounded. My second was to ask, "Are You telling me I shouldn't?" I'm not an alarmist. My mind doesn't immediately think God is trying to protect me from some terrible danger or, likewise, assume the enemy is attempting to keep me from something wonderful along the way. But have I been known to allow things like this to keep me staring at the ceiling for the next several hours? Sure, I've done it. I know the enemy wants to steal the King's glory by derailing and distracting His subjects. Conversely, I know God speaks to our hearts for His glory and our good. But how is one to figure which is which at 2 AM?   

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have wisdom. You might call it discernment. Either way, I'm not talking about that revelation that warns us the person speaking is a fraud or assists us in knowing specifically how to pray for a situation. That's a bit different. This is the wisdom of knowing the Scriptures and having walked with the Lord through flood and fire, through joy and abundance. This is the revelation that comes as we pray and spend time in quiet with the Lord. It is the steps we take at 2 in the afternoon that determine how we navigate the thoughts at 2 AM. It is the place we sit on Sunday morning that determines whether we will lie awake in bed on Tuesday night. It is our intake of God's Word each day that keeps us in peace each night. And it's a process. Gaining wisdom is not a take two aspirin and call me in the morning remedy for confusion. Wisdom increases as we increase our nearness to the One who is Wisdom. You might even say wisdom is improved hearing; hearing the Shepherd's voice, recognizing it as such, and following as He leads. It's not necessarily a weapon forged of logic and determination; we're not rationalizing here --Is Satan trying to rob me of my peace? Is God waking me to pray? Is this the lime tortilla chips I ate before bed? Wisdom comes less from thinking and more from knowing The King. And under no circumstances should it result in discussion with the enemy! 

So, at 2 AM, I didn't throw pillows at the enemy from across the room. I didn't review my resume' of every long-distance drive. I didn't wake my husband, call my daughter, check the forecast, kick the tires, or even take another melatonin. By God's grace, I directed my response to Him; and I believe that made all the difference. Within minutes, I dropped back off to sleep and slept soundly until morning. Something that could have kept me wide-eyed for hours, on a night when I definitely wanted to rest well, was overthrown. Insert victory dance here. (Not for me, mind you, but for the Holy Spirit who is constantly at work in me!) Knowing God and His Word, trusting in His provision for and hand on my life, and directing all questions and concerns to Him and Him alone, is the best remedy for those late night, early morning battles. 

That, and skipping the lime tortilla chips before bed.

    

A Village of Servants

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.

~Nehemiah 12:27-29

Where do you live? Did you carefully choose your school district? Did you choose the community with the lowest crime rate or the best community events calendar? Are you minutes from work, or do you have a lengthy commute? Why did you choose to live where you live?

Our youngest and I had this discussion the other day. I'd expressed how little I like the area in which we live. Sure, our neighborhood is fine; I love our neighbors. But it's the congestion, it's the not having fields for him to safely roam and explore, it's the heavy air. "Why don't we move?" he asked. Because this is where God has us for now; He's not called us to anything elsewhere, so we serve Him here. 

When Jerusalem's city walls were rebuilt and it was time to dedicate them to the Lord, a great celebration took place. Those known to be singers had built themselves their own little community around the city. Matthew Poole's commentary says: That they might be near at hand for the service of God, and of his house. No messenger would have to travel far and wide to gather those willing and equipped to sing for the Lord, they all lived in the same neighborhood nearby. They chose to live where they could most readily serve the Lord. People are people, and I'm sure the altos didn't always agree with the tenors at the HOA meetings. Maybe the lead soprano allowed her dog to bark at all hours of the day or night. The contralto never picks up her trashcans, the baritone might grumble to his wife. Despite all the issues that come with life in community, their highest priority was service to our God; and they positioned their homes, their wives, their children in the place that allowed them to do that best.

We were placed in our home long ago, before we really served the Lord. We did not choose the place that allowed us to serve Him best, but by His grace, He has used us here (more of a Jeremiah 29:5-14 situation, I guess 😉). Whatever the circumstances, though, the Lord God uses those whose hearts reside in a place prepared to serve Him, those who want to know how best to be His ambassadors above all else. With hearts truly yielded to Him, we can be a village of servants wherever we are. 

 

Midweek: Step Four

So, here's where the rubber meets the road, as they say, Step Four of Walking the Twelve Steps with Jesus Christ:

I made a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself, seeking to identify the wrongs of my past life.

Let's talk about "wrongs." Wrongs as we experience them are negative, hurtful events that happen in the process of living. We are wronged. We wrong others. They are identified by pain and discomfort in our spirit. Wrongs, I'm going to say, more narrowly, more biblically defined are any behavior toward another person which results in the breaking of the love relationship; any behavior contrary to God's command to love one another. I feel the first definition; I have felt it for years. The second, narrower, more biblically based definition calls me to move past what I have felt, to think about what I have inflicted (perhaps in response to what I have felt), and to point my life toward Jesus Christ. And that is the backbone of recovery and the backbone of the Gospel: here is your condition; here is something better. Saved from sin to more. Of course, there are some steps in between, some specifics, but in a nutshell, we cannot move toward who we were created to be without realizing we're not there yet, and there is no point in moving from where we are without realizing there is more we were meant to be.

Don't get me wrong, this is not a "best self" talk. This is not about looking yourself in the mirror each morning and doing affirmations about your great teeth or your business acumen. This is not about careful monitoring of your "path to happiness" or eliminating scads of people who impede your "mental wellness." Sidenote: if you've had to eliminate scads, it might not be them --just sayin'. This is not something quantitative or self-directed. This is giving your self into the care of your Creator, your Father (if you claim the blood of Jesus over your will and your life) that His Spirit might work to make you holy, more like the "you" He designed you to be, more like the "you" before you were wronged, more like the "you" before you wronged others, more like the "you" that would have been had you not been born into sin. It's a process, but it's His process. We can allow it; we can obey Him in corroboration with it; but we cannot do it through our own efforts.

Step Four tells us that part of this process is wading through the ugly and uncomfortable. Something of an irony, really, because it's usually the ugly and uncomfortable that cause us to seek out and adopt addictive behaviors in the first place. So now, here we are, face-to-face with them, staring them down by the power of the Holy Spirit, and saying, "God, will You please take these?" We ask forgiveness from Him where there is need. We ask Him for peace and healing where we are broken. And we ask Him, from this point forward, to guide us in life as we live it so that we do not find ourselves in the same place again. Here is where we are/were; here is where, by Your grace, I want to be. It may sound like, "I betrayed my spouse; I want to be a trustworthy partner." Or "I have allowed this pain to control me for so long; I want to obey only You, God." It's a tough step and, perhaps, the one that may take the longest; but it is a turning point, the place where past meets future in the present. This is the point at which we link the lessons of the past, God's forgiveness and healing of our past, with the Hope of our present and future, Jesus Christ, and the empowerment of His Holy Spirit. 

What's Best Is the Only True God

Google the best way to get to Kroger or the best way to cook Lima beans, and you're liable to come up with at least a dozen different answers. Do you want to avoid tolls or wear and tear on your brakes? Do you like your veggies al dente or super buttery? "Best" seems to be a matter of opinion. Was it always this way? "Best" seemed pretty cut-and-dried in the past. The blue ribbon went to the best pie in the county; a single team was awarded the honor of being the best team in the league. But with the world's population and its opinions expanding well into the billions, the removal of distance and obstacles via the internet, and, I think, the inclination for us to mollify those who may not be the best but sure gave it the effort, Best is a lot more difficult to pinpoint. Look at the latest controversy over awards shows. Do we recognize the artist who lives a life more in keeping with the essence of the art? Do we recognize the artist with the greatest number of downloads? Do we recognize the artist whose work had the greatest impact for good? What determines and defines "Best"?

Best can get a little more complicated when we factor in those things which certainly don't feel the best or, maybe, don't start out to be very good at all. Time goes by, and we come to know that traffic delay kept us from walking in on our friends as they frantically put the last joyous details of our party in place. Surprise! Best. The nearby hospital that closes down, taking its abortion business with it. Best. Our dysfunctional upbringing that prepares us to adopt a great kid with a desire to shed her dysfunctional beginnings. Best.

But Best and all of its subjectivity is not the same as "Only." In fact, "Only" is probably much more difficult to identify in today's world. Did I mention the world's population in the billions? 

John 17:3 says:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the Only true God. Not the best, the Only. He possesses an exclusivity no one or no thing can possess. All are free to deny it --like denying my blackberry pie deserves the blue ribbon or denying a layoff "worked out for the best." We are free to say there are many paths to heaven or utopia or whatever, that God is not the only one worthy of our worship. Denying He is Only, however, does not make it any less true; it does not make God any less Only. Scripture says every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. If that's true, and I believe it is, we will know for sure. One day we will come to the realization that God is God and there is no other. He is Only. It is His Only-ness that makes Him the Best: He is superlative and exclusive, greatest and without rival, Best in His category and Only in His category.

And for us, it is best we worship Him only. No matter how you like your lima beans.

I'm Okay with Getting Halloween Wrong

Former Halloweiner here! There was a time it was by far my favorite holiday! By late September, fall cleaning was complete, and the ghoulish transformation of our home began. Meals could no longer be eaten in the dining room: it was used for a macabre spread of floating eyeballs and severed limbs. Every haunted hayride and trunk-or-treat we could squeeze into our schedule, we did. And costumes were designed, fitted, and tweaked by the time the first leaves began to fall. BUT GOD...

In my childhood, Mom and I spent Saturday afternoons watching horror flicks. I loved a good mystery, but it didn't stop with Nancy Drew --the scarier the better. I cut my metal teeth on Ozzy and Iron Maiden; I loved their connection to the demonic and the lore of backward masking. I had a close relative who dabbled in the black arts (or seemed to) and had a pentagram etched into the floor. Personally, I leaned more toward pornography and dark practices. BUT GOD...

I heard there were connections between the "celebration" of Halloween and the Satanic. Pastors warned how easily we can become "sucked in." I knew all about portals from witnessing what the demonic had done in my family members and me. I toyed with the idea of skipping Halloweening but feared I was "taking religion too far." If I just threw out all of those cute little witches, I'd be okay, right? BUT GOD... 

Here's the thing about that "clean slate" I mentioned last week: why on earth would someone who refuses to eat hours after she's been to the dentist for a cleaning, hastily, recklessly muck up the clean slate given her by Jesus? Jesus died so that my sins are paid for; I have a fresh start without shame. Jesus, my Representative, rose to life so that I can live a new life, an eternal life in a way unbound by things of this world (sin, death, expectations, judgment, fear, etc.). Jesus ascended into heaven so that His Holy Spirit would dwell within me changing me and sanctifying me for as long as I submit and obey. Is messing around with Halloween that important to me that I would risk desensitizing myself to things anti-Christ in nature? Is being like everyone else so important to me that I would open a portal for my child the way I've seen portals open for others? Has the Holy Spirit given me clear warnings against celebrating a day that celebrates death when I am called to life? Has the Holy Spirit given me clear warnings against celebrating a day that celebrates darkness when I am called by the Light of the world to be light to the world?

And, I have to be honest: even as I write this, wonderful memories of our children and past "celebrations" tease me into thinking I'm being a bit extra about all this. My flesh begins to tingle with the excitement of visiting a haunted hayride or walking dark streets with a host of others in disguise. But I'd be a fool to think there is no deception in a holiday that exalts the other-spiritual. And that's really what it is, isn't it? It's a promotion or a glorification of the spirit world; but certainly not the spirit world of the Holy Spirit. And if not Him, then who?

Riaan Swiegelaar, a former reverend with the South African Satanic Church and, by God's grace, obedient Christian, doesn't waffle on his warning to parents about Halloween. He says it is the highest "holy" day on the Satanic calendar, a day when human sacrifices peak in number. Swiegelaar notes that the founder of the Church of Satan (Anton LaVey) and co-founder of Satanism as a religion had a very well-known quote: I want to thank Christian parents for allowing their children to celebrate the devil one day of the year.

The Church of Satan has this to say about Halloween on its website:

Satanists embrace what this holiday has become, and do not feel the need to be tied to ancient practices. This night, we smile at the amateur explorers of their own inner darkness, for we know that they enjoy their brief dip into the pool of the “shadow world.” We encourage their tenebrous fantasies, the candied indulgence, and the wide-ranging evocation of our aesthetics (while tolerating some of the chintzy versions), even if it is but once a year.

So, am I taking religion too far? Am I Doin' Too Much? Perhaps I am, but where is the risk? If I am indeed erring on the side of caution, what have I lost? But if I choose to meet the approval of public opinion or the retailers or even my child, what will I lose? There are things far too precious I am unwilling to gamble, so I'll just have to be okay with getting Halloween wrong.