Wednesday, May 30, 2007

idols and fellowship

Last nite I went to a book discussion of sorts. A few girls are reading the book "Idols of the Heart" by Elyse Fitzpatrick and meeting on Tuesday evenings at Panera. Anyone is welcome. Last nite we had Chandra, Kirsten, and Nicole (nickie). Obviously, the book is to do with idolatry. It is a nice convicting supplement to the CE hour study we are doing right now that is a killer. The gospel is all about our nasty hearts. That is where it all comes from; even if we clean it up before it exits or contain it inside, our hearts need to be washed of their love of idolatry. Just the other day Wade was telling me about this passage from Calvin about our hearts being idol factories. This passage was also in the book and it is so clear that we are always worshipping and it is not always Jesus. It is easy for me to brush off the ideas of idolatry and think that the term is pretty abstract and so also can my thoughts be about it. But the author includes a nice definition of idolatry that I will paraphrase (paraphrase property of Chandra Oliver): An idol is something you will sin to get or you will sin if you do not get it. Something that you either say inside or your actions speak this: "Give me _____ or I die". In my life there are some blatant, constant idols, but also there are fluctuating, circumstantial idols. This is bad. I think Kirsten put it well when she said that the "idol" that creates idols is the idol of self. The heart, the fickle seat of emotions is perpetually plotting self-sufficiency. That Christ would seal our hearts here, now and help us to flee to Him for constant protection from this ever-returning love of self and adulterous affection for this world and its glories.

It was good. And I even helped the environment by running there. I think those sitting next to me would question whether it was worth it, but that's okay. I am planning to do that every week.

Friday, May 25, 2007

race date

the race is actually dec 9th, not in november

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

"Runners" Unite

I am trying to gather a "team" of runners (very loose usage) who would like to run the Whiterock Half-Marathon in November in Dallas. I don't think that we are going to run together necessarily, or at least not frequently. I think that it is helpful to know other people who are training towards the same goal. This will be my third attempt to complete training for a half, the last two were shelved b/c of pregnancy/nursing, and I am really hoping that the third time is a charm. I am personally not interested in having a good time, I am determined to keep running a thing that is not driven by competition for me. I run very slowly and only want to finish having run the whole way. This is very feasible, especially since I am not concerned about time.

Some people who have shown interest in this are: Wade, Josh, Kirsten, Jessica (I think), Chewy (Carolyn), Stephanie, Becky Bruning, Della, Collin (rumor of it), and Wade's brother, Mason. If anyone else is interested, email me and we can talk about it. Even if you are not a "runner", you must realize that Oprah Winfrey ran a full marathon, and not to be rude, but if she can do that, you can run a half. The general plan is to build up a base of running until August, and then start actual half-marathon training. I have access to some good plans, and there are these for every kind of person from wanting to finish to wanting to make everyone else look like statues!

I am thinking of team names presently. Just kidding. Kind of.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

nothing new under the sun

I am reading Augustine's Confessions (do you underline books or italicize?) for the first time. I was advised to not read it, but skim it. I am reading it anyhow. This advisor suggested that it wasn't worthy of reading because it is not a story, but I don't mind, or I actually enjoy reading non-stories. Besides, it is a story. Or at least it is so far. I am really loving it because it is ST. AUGUSTINE. He is like the first guy you mention when you start talking about reformed theological debates. At first I was pretty intimidated, but so far, I feel like he is oddly personable. It is really hard to explain, and Wade knows me better than anyone probably and I don't know that he really understood what I was trying to explain. So I will skip that attempt. But, this little tidbit is pretty humorous considering what is fashionable these days concerning eating, etc. This is not me taking a shot at vegetarians or vegans, because although I would disagree with them on all points (except unnecessary cruelty to animals), this is more directed at people that apologize to their salad before they eat it. I don't know if these people have a name, perhaps I dreamed them up, but after reading this passage it seemed very familiar. I think in Augustine's time they were called Manichee. I am pretty sure they were off in a lot of other ways, but this one is pretty odd.

"...I was gradually led to believe such nonsense as that a fig wept when it was plucked, and that the tree which bore it shed tears of mother's milk. But if some sanctified memeber of the sect were to eat the fig-someone else, of course, would have committed the sin of plucking it-he would digest it and breathe it out again in the form of angels or even as particles of God, retching them up as he groaned in prayer. These particles of the true and supreeme God were supposed to be imprisoned in the fruit and could only be released by means of the stomach and teeth of one of the elect. I was foolish enough to believe that we should show more kindness to the fruits of the earth than to mankind, for whose use they were intended." St. Augustine