Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions

Were it not for being contacted a few weeks ago about joining this blog tour it is highly probable I may have missed reading this latest publication from Mark Driscoll,

‘Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions'

…and that my friends would have been a shame.

Inspired by 1 Corinthians, in which Paul answers a series of questions posed by the people in the Corinthian church, Pastor Mark Driscoll set out to determine the most controversial questions among visitors to the Mars Hill Church website. In the end, 893 questions were asked and 343,203 votes were cast. The top nine questions are now each addressed in a chapter of Religion Saves.

Some details:
Following an introductory chapter devoted to the misconception that religion is what saves us, Driscoll tackles nine issues: birth control, humor, predestination, grace, sexual sin, faith and works, dating, the emerging church, and the regulative principle. Because the purpose of this book is to address commonly asked questions, all readers will find relevant, engaging material, written in Driscoll's distinctively edgy, yet theologically sound style.

Folks we live in a day when so many in and out of the church find themselves adrift and searching for doctrinally solid answers to questions like Pastor Mark addresses in Religion Saves. While these may not be your concerns, many of your friends, neighbors or family members are likely seeking a response – be they Jesus Followers or not.

Personally, I have ask some of these exact questions or I have been asked them by fellow sojourners. I admit to confusion at times over Emerging and Emergent churches (they sound so similar but are so very different). Pastor Driscoll does an excellent job in clarifying and separating the two.

Upon reading Religion Saves I was strengthened in my convictions and more confident at the prospect of engaging others in these 10 topics of conversation. I found sound biblical answers for myself and those I share my faith with. I found this book to be an easy read, yet will tell you, I purposefully took one chapter at a time, chewed it over a bit before continuing. I am grateful to have a resource I that espouses and directs me to so many biblical truths wrapped up in one compact publication.

Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, one of the fastest-growing churches in America. He is president of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network and is the author of several books, including Vintage Jesus.
Pastor Mark preaches on Sunday, trains pastors, and writes curriculum. Mark is married to his high school sweetheart, Grace, and they enjoy raising their three sons and two daughters. More about Mark here!
You may read or Listen to an excerpt here

Help!! In search of berry simple recipes

I got a call this week from a friend asking if I wanted her to pick us up some blueberries. Seems a local church had a farmer bringing a truckload of the tasty fruit in yesterday morning. They were selling these juicy gems by the gallon bag, at a dollar a pound no less. I said sure, we'll take a couple of bags.

I picked plenty of blueberries as a child and frequently buy those little tubs sold at the local market for about $4 a pack, but I can not say I have ever purchased - much less used 2 lbs of blue berries at a one time.

This is where my husband reminds me "You don't get out much, do you?"

After bringing home our eight dollars of berry's, it just seems wrong to freeze them all, so I suggested we pull several cookbooks from the shelf and find some more varied uses for our berries.

The first thing out of Kyra's mouth was "Pie, let's make blueberry pie".

First off folks...as a rule...I am not a pie baker. Me and crust just can't seem to get together. While I can be quite flaky at times, my crust...not so much.

There are many things I enjoy doing but pie baking is not at the top of that list....truth be told, not ON the list. I leave pure pie baking to those more gifted than I...folks like my niece Dorothy for one.

Take a look at what she can do with fresh apples!

This is from scratch y'all, nothing pre-made here.

Secondly, let me say as recently as a month ago Kyra turned her nose up at the offering of blueberry muffins and announced she that while she use to enjoy them...back when she was 5, since turning 6 her taste had changed and she really is not so fond of blueberries anymore.

So the 'let's make pie' comment surprised me, until I recalled our pie making experiences throughout the years. The child does not realize baking homemade pie usually doesn't involve pulling the crust from the freezer - thank you Madame Pillsbury and company.

It took the girl 3 years to eat all the parts of a pumpkin pie: whipped topping at 2, topping and filling at 3 and topping to crust by age 4. For my baby grand, pie is an acquired taste.

As usual, I digress.

So, after perusing cookbooks and the Internet at large we have become sufficiently inspired to create some new fresh and tasty treats, living beyond our usual smoothies and cereal topping.

Daring uh?

Georgia Jan make preserves look so simple and my grandmother would be sooo proud! That has become a possibility, we're thinking with Splenda??? Trying to keep Mr. B from going into insulin shock don't you know.

Anyway, wish us luck and if you have an berry simple recipes sugar free or not please drop us a line or send us a link, we would love to hear from you!

Crank up the volume and do the Gratitude Dance

What do you know, I have pondered and procrastinated long enough that another anniversary is upon me, a couple actually.

There are some in the blog-o-sphere who mark 100th blog post by listing one hundred somethings. This note marks my 100th post as well as the 4th anniversary of my youngest daughter Laurens homegoing.

4 years ago today was the last time I hugged my girl, said 'goodbye', 'be safe' and 'I love you'. If someone had told me 4 years ago those would be some of the very things I would be most grateful for, well I am guessing I would have argued the point. If you understand nothing else, know this: God heals us-time doesn't. I for one am so glad He did.

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.”– Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Below is the top 100 things I am most grateful for today. These are not in order or particularly profound, they are just my current 100 pulled from my life long gratitude list. At the end (if you make it that far) please share something you are most grateful for. I am not asking you for 100, but everyone should be able to share at least one thing, right?.

One Hundred Things I am Grateful For Today

1. Saying "I love you" as Lauren left that last evening.
   
2. Being forced by circumstances into confronting my daughter about the state of her relationship with God, a horrid yet wonderful experience.


3. My Heavenly Father's ever present love and comfort whether I always feel it or not I know He is with me.


4. That my God is not finished with me yet - He loves me too much to leave me as I am.


5. My renaissance man husband who's favorite date includes the two of us completing a home project together, all by way of several trips to Loews, Home Depot and a hot dog stand.


6. Gods amazing grace


7. Baby grands: old, new and on the way!


8. Color, and eyes to see it's many hues


9. My family, ALL of them: In laws, Outlaws, nuts and bolts!


10. Hugging my girl the last time I was with her


11. The power of prayer and the warriors who are faithful to pray.


12. Star filled skies


13. Shore lunch


14. Laurens unemployment during those weeks leading up to her death, time and experiences we would have missed were she gainfully employed like the last 8 years of her life.


15. My mother, without whom I would be a much different person.


16. Forgiveness


17. Learning to play golf at 50
    
18. My church family.


19. Extended family and friends that live lives filled with Jesus.


20. Grandparents, aunts and uncles that gave me unconditional love and a glimpse of my Fathers love for me.


21. Bible Study -I just love Bible Study!


22. Music. All kinds of music.


23. Lessons learned on the field trips of my life.


24. Pretend picnics with the grands


25. Real picnics with the grands


26. My returned sense of smell and the scent of those I love. - who knew?


27. My husband singing any time any where - the best!!!


28. My children by birth and marriage - a most blessed woman am I


29. The tunes my grandmother whistled


30. The sound of my son singing and playing guitar


31. Family Holidays and Reunions
    
32. Technology that connects and reunites almost anywhere, I just love it - well except for the parts where it breaks down or gobbles up these communications!


33. The way God brings things around full circle until we 'get it' and can use what we've learned to help someone else.


34. The delight catching fireflies brings


35. The sound of children's laughter - Can there be too much of such a good thing?
    
36. Wiffle ball games in the backyard


37. The Word and the many love letters my Heavenly Father has written me.


38. Air conditioning on these Hotlanta days and toasty fires when it cools down.


39. Memory and memorization! My brain has been an especially big mess these last 4 years, but alas, it's all seems to be coming back to me now.


40. The guilty pleasure of a good book and a hot cup of coffee


41. Saying bedtime prayers with the grands


42. Libraries - the sanctuary of my youth - back when it was Encyclopedia Britannica instead of Internet search engines!


43. All the good a little fleece can do


44. Photographs, without which I would be relying on memory alone (see #39)


45. This country where I can live, pray, worship and blog freely.


46. The men and women who serve, have been maimed and died to protect such freedom


47. Reverend Frank Rodgers and some of the most valuable things he brought into my life


48. Revelations and simple truths revealed through a child


49. Harmony- singing and living it
    
50. Tears


51. Joy in my sorrow


52. Angels seen and unseen


53. Many amazing and gifted teachers throughout the years


54. The wonders and glories of nature that call out to God with every sunrise and thunderstorm.


55. Our home sweet home


56. Waking to a chorus of birds singing out our window


57. The endless opportunities to bring help to someone in need


58. Bible Gateway Online


59. Answered prayer


60. Having my grand babies tell me a bedtime story


61. Poetry, like music-a gift from God that helps me speak when simple words are not enough
    
62. Road trips


63. Holding hands while we pray


64. Mountains and rolling hills
65. Breakfast of little boxes of cereal with the grands
    
66. My brothers, all six of them


67. Dancing with my sweetie


68. Car seats and child safety laws - how did our kids survive childhood?


69. Saved boxes of notes, cards and letters given to me by my children and grandchildren
    
70. Living in the now even as the past and future try and run me over
    
71. Spell chick check, 'nough said


72. A cool dip in the pool on a hot day


73. Illness- it reminds me to be grateful for my health


74. The plenty we have financially


75. A roof over our heads, food in our belly and clothes on our back


76. Snowfall: any time, any where


77. Playing games with my baby grands


78. Cozy, soft beds with freshly laundered sheets
    
79. Walks on the beach - the sand between my toes


80. Spring in full bloom


81. Trips to amusement parks and water parks with the grands


82. Watching hummingbirds fight over the feeder


83. Laughing with friends until my stomach hurts and my face aches
    
84. Holding the hand of those dearest to me


85. Blooming Red Bud trees in Spring


86. Laugh lines


87. Peace in a storm


88. Hot showers on cold mornings
    
89. The rippling sound from the creek after it rains


90. Mulligan's


91. The Siesta's, you girls are the real deal


92. My baby grands singing and praising God in the back seat


93. A drawer full of warm socks for my forever cold feet


94. Carrying sleeping children to bed


95. The warmth of the sun on a chilly day


96. My sweetie reading to me - especially at bedtime
    
97. Smiles on the grands faces after an evening of swimming in the 'hot pool' followed by chocolate cake - 'This was the best day of my entire life' as one put it.
    
98. Praying myself to sleep


99. For the most dear friends a gal could have. These folks make me laugh, cry and praise God all in the same moment. They are there for me on all occasions: listening, sharing and praying. Whether they have walked in my shoes are not, makes no difference - God only knows how grateful I am for you all.
100. 
     And lastly, in honor of these anniversaries please watch this video, crank up the volume and where ever you are...Do the Gratitude Dance!!
     
     
     
     
     

Care to share something you are grateful for?

Banana, Bologna and Peanuts

Back in the old days when I was a girl, summers and other holidays were often spent with my cousins - usually by way of some very patient and loving grandparents, aunts and uncles. These visits were often planned far in advance but just as many times, they were not.

A favorite 'stay over' maneuver was to wait until all the adults were clustered together hugging and saying good byes. We children used this time to stowaway, curling up on various car floor boards, our cousins topping us with their coats or feet in hopes no one would be missed us until we had traveled too far down the road to turn back. Since there were so many in my family we had an advantage over our cousins as one or two of us could make a break for it and often go unnoticed.

Bare in mind, this was long before car seats and seat belt laws - when kids rode wherever there was room or their parents allowed them to. There were 7 kids in our tribe and we sat just about everywhere but the luggage rack.

Often times, when we encountered passing cars gawking and counting heads, nothing tickled us more than to bob and weave enough to throw off any accurate tally. Understand this was before portable DVD players, we took our entertainment where we could get it.

While our stowaway schemes often failed, more often than not the attempt opened the door for family members to invite my brothers and I to stay with them a few days or in some cases weeks.

I remember these visits fondly as some of the richest and best of times of my childhood.

This summer our blond baby grand from St. Louis has come for a visit, a 3 week visit to be exact. Her stay coincides with Mr B's annual Canadian fishing trip and we could not be more thrilled. We are a little more than a week in and the girls and I have been having a blast!

As a rule, there are not many rules...well except maybe the one about not using the words banana, bologna and peanuts and truth be told, that rule is being broken every 6 hours or so.

Anyway, we have put away most of our 'to-do' lists, letting many household chores slide while meeting our primary daily goal: Fun, fun and more fun!

According to my girls...

So far, so good.

From Analog to High Def

These first few months the new year have brought many changes to our little home in Georgia.

For starters, we have involuntarily overhauled our Internet and email services. Such fun.

Please note the intended sarcasms in that last statement. As my grandma would say, 'I would just about take a beatin' than phone a call center for technical support, how about you?

With our communication crisis, I was drafted back into service as the family techno geek. Understand, it is not like I'm super cyber-savvy or anything - far from it. I'm just the designated point person who makes calls to various virtual nations when trouble shooting issues arise in our household.

My hubby tries to convince me that this is one of my talents as he emphasizes his trust in my keen ability to understand instruction via the phone or Internet no matter the country or continent of origin I may be reaching out to.

My response to that?

Hogwash!

After more than a months worth of calls, repair men in and out of the house and our email accounts being sucked into the great unknown (maybe where odd socks go to die???), we appear to have workable virtual communication.

We shall see.

Now while our virtual reality has been given a clean bill of health, the same has not been true of the family.

For the first time ever our baby grand was prescribed an antibiotic.

Ever!

This child has been blessed with incredible health for the past 6 years, having at most the occasional cough, cold or runny nose.

The first part of 2009 has been a polar opposite, with the child attending a bit more than week of classes in the month of February alone. The most distinguishing highlight of that month was an unplanned trip to the Pediatrician to be diagnosed with Strep Throat during Winter Break.

Like any good child our kiddo regularly invited us to the germ fest. Woo Hoo! Party on!

I must confess, we are all just sick of being sick, can you relate?

We are also very aware of how much we have to be grateful for.

Little man K began the year entertaining us (and himself) with various antics and an assortment of funny faces including him crossing his eyes at the strangest of times.

It has since been discovered that the little guy has very poor eye sight and was in need of some fairly strong glasses, the kind we used to call 'Coke bottle' glasses.

As his Mama pointed out, he sort of reminds us of Ralphie Parker from 'A Christmas Story'.

Isn't he darlin?

Seems Mr. K has taken to wearing his glasses like a champ. He ask for them first thing in the morning, only taking them off for naps or bed time.

I can't help but wonder how different the world must appear to our baby boy compared to his first 2 1/2 years.

It's as though the boy has jumped from seeing snowy analog images to vision in deep color and rich hues. Our little man now has the ability to view the High Definition plasma world most of us look out at every day.

How blessed we are!

Kaden's vision is so drastically improved that he does not want to return to his old way of seeing things. His Mama tells us, first thing in the morning the little guy gets grumpy if he does not get his specks right away. He has no desire to go back to his old way of seeing things.

Witnessing our little guy embrace his newly attained vision with such passion gives me a visual reminder to start each morning asking God for eyes to see and ears to hear in the way He would have me see it - listening to His leading and call on my life. There is nothing like allowing myself to yield to my Father that I might get a glimpse of this world through His eyes. Without continually submitting to His will, asking to be equipped with eyes and ears trained on Him, I am destined for disaster aboard the 'Tammy Train' - a ride that always ends with a crash and burn.

I pray to be as grumpy and stubborn as Mr. K in seeking vision through my Fathers eyes every day and in every way.

"You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. For this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears, understand with their heart,
and be converted—and I would heal them. "

Acts 28:26-27

My Heart Overflows

With all the hurt and suffering in the world lately, it becomes tempting to disengage, listen and read only the good news and basically pretend all is right with the world.


Lately, I find myself more aware than ever of how little control we have over anything, and for that I am so grateful.


History has shown my efforts to fix anything only guarantees failure.

What I try to more often is to press past my discomfort, ponder the hurt, relate as best I can to the need and pour my heart out to God.

These days my heart overflows with gratefulness for all the ways God has grants His abundant grace and mercy. He loves and cares for us despite the fact we neither deserve or have the ability to earn either. His response to our prayers are often so different than we might chose, but ultimately they are for our good and His glory, and this fills me with much gratitude.