2012, Meet 2013

Happy New Year... 

...to all! Check out some of my most popular posts in the month of December. While you're at it, take a peek at my most popular posts ever! Let me know what you think in the comments section, I'd love to hear from you.

By The Way

2012 ended up being my most active year. This post will be my 119th  of the year. Whew! Hopefully this blog has introduced some new concepts that helped somebody grow in the faith this year. It certainly has been an adventure for me & I look forward to a new one in 2013.

Posts

Entry	Pageviews
Elijah & the Double Portion (First Guest!) Nov 1, 2012	105
Thorn of Humanity IV: Nightingale & the Rose Sep 19, 2012	55
Judgment & Provision in the Advent Dec 11, 2012, 2 comments	40
Thorn of Humanity III: Rose of Sharon Sep 18, 2012	32
First Christmas Post Dec 3, 2012	31

Posts

Entry	Pageviews
Thorn of Humanity IV: Nightingale & the Rose Sep 19, 2012	218
Elijah & the Double Portion (First Guest!) Nov 1, 2012	211
Athletes With Shuffling Feet Mar 16, 2012	124
What's Behind Your Mustache? May 14, 2012	85
A Grief Observed: Book Review Aug 10, 2012, 5 comments	85

Luther, Lewis & My Sunday School Teacher

How do you invite the Lord as a co builder of your family? Start with searching the scriptures for his design for holy matrimony. God's will for marriage is ignored and trashed today, with devastating consequences for all of society. Commit yourself to God's design. Trust and wait for God's blessings. Let your home be a place where God's Word is heard, where prayer and singing abound, and where the peace of Christ rules. Treat your spouse the way God treats you, with patience, humility, and forgiveness. Love your family the way God loves you.

My Sunday School Teacher

That's what I said!!

Yesterday's post (which coincided with my wedding anniversary) tried to convey these same sentiments. Marriage, at it's most basic level, is about honor & respect. Men & women are called to submit to each other in this ordinance. How do we defend marriage? Practice good marriage.

What's that you ask? What about love? Love grows. I could say it no better than the immortal C. S. Lewis, so I leave you with this quote:

4 More Years!

"It's political, obviously!"

Esqueleto

I have been married to my lovely wife, +Erin Jimenez for 4 years today. Specifically, the time of this post (12.20 PM) will coincide with the beginning of our wedding ceremony 4 years ago. 

Given the fact that this was an election year, I have been reminded of the uniqueness of our original wedding year in 2008. It was a leap year, Olympic year & Election year. Add to that, the year a dynamic duo joined marital forces.

This year, we also weathered the storm of a leap year, Olympic year & political year--all of which should probably give us a few months of extra marriage credit, no? I guess everyone goes through the same things.

What does all that have to do with Theology? Nothing. It has to do with Christian Living. Is marriage a political football? Yes! There is a thick, smarmy political fog embracing the marriage debate. It is a bumper-sticker fest of accusations, "stats, damnable stats & lies." (Samuel Clemens) Anyone who needs a platform can find a home on either side of the debate.

Am I, as the male Christian husband to my female wife, called to yell & scream with the loudest of them? Perhaps God requires me to engage in Facebook Faux Debates with friends who make abiblical assertions, burned bridges be damned.

No. My job is to be a good husband to my wife. I am to honor her & respect her & love her as Christ loves me. In doing so, I become an example to the doubting, unbelieving world. In this period of reflection on our marriage, I know that it has not been perfect. I know that I have failed her at points. But I'm glad that her heart is full of grace & forgiveness. 

I am glad for the past four years.

I look forward to future blessings.

More Reading

Anniversary Post

Stone cutters are important too

Reading: 2 Kings 12:9-16

I spent my 12/12/12 running a 12K, soaking in a hot tub for 12 minutes & eating a dozen doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. I also included a little but of spirituality in the mix with the passage above.

2 Kings is the twelfth book of the bible. Chapter twelve and verse twelve are smack-dab in the middle of the selection. Given the fact that I simply opened up to this passage, I have no immediate familiarity for the context.

However, it does make me think of the camp song, "If he Lord makes you a plumber, be a plumber for he Lord." The point is, anything we do has the capacity to be a ministry.

Further, The Lord always takes note of things done for him. He took care of the stonecutter and other craftsmen who worked for him here in his passage, and he will do the same for the faithful here in modern days.

God never promises material riches or excess wealth, but He does offer satisfaction. May we be found godly and content.

Judgment & Provision in the Advent

I spoke last Sunday night on a couple selections from Advent Liturgy & how they cause us to think of the first coming of our Lord. It's good to be reminded that the first Advent did not end with a baby in a manger, but goes beyond that, culminating in Christ's sacrifice.

The audio will be posted shortly  HAS BEEN POSTED on the BT sermons page. Read up below!

http://jmnz.us/USblA8

More Reading

First Christmas Post
Firstborn of the Three
Godliness to Us

First Christmas Post

First Christmas Candy Cane

There is a common story told during the Advent season of a candy maker in Indiana. It is the story of the candy cane & it's deep spiritual roots. You can read about it here. Find a presentation I put together for that story below.

Candy Cane Story on Prezi

I end with the fact that this may not actually be a factual story. Regardless of whether it is true or not, the fact remains that everywhere we look, we are reminded of God's great gift to man during this season. Merry Christmas!