For Christmas this year we gave our son a gun, swords (Playmobil Viking Ship), and a motorcycle. We gave our girls Prairie Bonnets, Dolls and an oven. How blue and pink is that? Funny thing is everyone was thrilled. We wrapped up the front room with the tree and presents and the kids had to burst through the wall of wrapping paper. Notice the Cat in picture two attacking Lauren! The last picture was Tyler watching the Christmas snow.
Here are a few Pictures:

A piece from my favorite holiday cartoon. Hope you enjoy, and merry Christmas.

Tyler is learning to become somewhat of a ham at the dinner table. He loves to make us laugh and do whatever he can beyond eating. The other day he was messing around and we finally quit paying attention. Then he turns to Heather and says, “Happy Birfday Mommy.” (It was not her birthday, but we have been wrapping a lot of gifts for Christmas lately). Then, in the greatest sincerity, he handed her a carrot he had wrapped up in his napkin. Heather said it may have been the best birthday gift she has ever received.

Tonight during our devotions we read about John the Baptist. After we are done we usually ask a few questions just to make sure the children payed attention. I asked Lauren what John was not allowed to drink. She replied:

“Wine and sensitive water.”
Boy are we at a fun stage right now as a family. I just wish I knew what sensitive water was!

I was out for a few days with a bug, but am back and have picked up a newer book edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor entitled, “Suffering and the Sovereignty of God”

I have particularly enjoyed the article by Mark R. Talbot and the quotes from Elie Wiesel’s book Night. This book is a first hand account of the Nazi death camps and the impact that had on Wiesel’s faith. Read a few quotes:

As the train stopped,…we saw flames rising from a tall chimney into a black sky…We stared at the flames in the darkness. A wretched stench floated in the air….We jumped out…In front of us, those flames. In the air, smell of burning flesh.

Not far from us, flames, huge flames were rising from a ditch. Something was being burned there. A truck drew close and unloaded it’s hold; small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own eyes…How is it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept silent?

In days gone by, Rosh Hashannah had dominated my life. I knew that my sins grieved the Almighty and so I pleaded for forgiveness…But now, I no longer pleaded for anything. I was no longer able to lament. On the contrary, I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused. My eyes had opened and I was alone, terribly alone in a world without God, without man. Without love or mercy.

Now obviously I do not agree with the conclusions. I do have to say I cannot imagine what he went through to come to this place. What a terrible picture, what a terrible darkness and night. We discussed Wednesday night about the way the world wants to apply pressure upon “Christians” to see if they bleed the same as the face they put forward. In other words, are we truly Christ’s disciples? How would we respond to such pressure as Wiesel faced? Do we bleed Christ?

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”

This verse can really be looked at from two perspectives. First, the people of God had forgotten the law of God. This pertains to a head knowledge. Today it would equate to the church’s unfamiliarity with the scriptures and inability to understand doctrine or what the scriptures teach. This is devastating to the church and causes her to be blown to and fro and remain weak if at all. But Secondly, it refers to an intimate knowledge of God, a relationship. One could also describe this as a love for God and His law. Head knowledge is not enough, traditions and rituals are not enough, there must be a real relationship or intimacy between man and God.

The key is one needs both the head knowledge and the intimate knowledge. How can you be intimate with someone you know nothing of? And how can you know so much about the most wonderful and greatest being in the world and not love Him?

Proverbs 29:11 “A fool give full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”

I just had to comment on this text. Therapy and counsel today tells us to not internalize things, that is unhealthy. You need to vent, but just properly. This verse teaches that venting is something a fool, or ungodly acting person, does. Why is this? Words are powerful and any time we vent we say things that are hurtful and not controlled, this is wrong. However, there is a greater truth that we must also see. When we internalize or hold back then we must deal with things inside ourselves. For the unbeliever this is frustrating so they say it is bad, but for the believer there is a being inside, the Holy Spirit, that is our greatest counselor. Internalizing is not to mean that we suppress things, but that we work things out between us and God. Internalizing basically should turn into prayer. We wait upon the Lord, we trust in the Lord, we call upon the Lord, we cast our cares upon the Lord.