paravanes:meditations

Memorial Day will arrive soon in the United States. Dinners, picnics, barbeques, parades, short vacation trips, etc. will mark the day or the weekend for many. In the past, this day was known as Decoration Day, a time to remember the war dead, those who died in military service to the country. Sometime during this weekend, I will make the trek to the cemetery where my parents are buried, clean the gravesite, and post a small American flag. My father, who served in both WWII and Korea, and my grandfather, who served in WWI (and is buried elsewhere), deserve that much honor on that day. I recently re-read A. W. Tozer's devotional, "This World: Playground or Battleground" (read it by clicking the link in the title of this post), and this inspiring essay reminded me of why the Christian life on this side is not an exercise in play, but an exercise in warfare--spiritual warfare, but warfare nevertheless. We have a mission. We have a commander. We have an enemy.We have ...

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. --2 Peter 1:16-18, NIV Can I say, along with the Apostle Peter, "I am an eyewitness of His majesty?" I appreciate and understand the need to teach the humanity of Jesus, of how He relates to us because has has lived as one of us. He has experienced the human experience, even while He lived above and beyond it. He truly was, is, and will be "God with us." Still, I must never forget His majesty. He is with us, but He is more than us. I want my life to be living proof of that; I want my life to be a script of His majesty. I want to be a...

It's been over two years since I ditched the TV from my home, never to return! In a moment of inspiration, I decided the still, small voice telling me not to bother with upgrading my TV was worthy of my obedience. Disclaimer: I watch videos online and we own a portable DVD player. So, what has happened in the years since going TV-free? I: have spent more time talking with friends, in person, by phone, and online, have learned to cook at least a dozen new dishes, and am exploring more ways to make real art in the kitchen, have perfected the art of silent sitting/meditation/deep breathing for fifteen minutes at a time, have read more good books, have lost weight, have found time to do more volunteer work, have learned to resist advertising (there's so little of it without the TV), have found more accurate and internationally-oriented news sources, have gotten more (and better!) sleep, have basically lived a more complete, balanced life. TV-free can be ...