4 months!

Nolan turned 4 months! Here is the progression in one picture. He's real happy.

Kara on the Ripcord at Michigan Adventure

Dear Dr. Hoffman

Hey Dr. Hoffman,


I know that you read this blog to check up on your little guy. We really miss you. We have not found a pediatrician that we liked as much as you yet. I guess we were spoiled for a while. When you read this, it would be great if you could maybe leave an e-mail address or something. We would love to know what is going on in your life as well.

Hope all is well,
Tom, Kara, Isaac, Nolan

Screwtape

I am reading “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. It is a fictional account of letters written from the point of view of a veteran Demon to his nephew Demon who is new in the tempting business. It is a fascinating book, of which I have never read anything like this before. They refer to the humans that they test as “Patients.” It is a book about the strategies that the tempters use to get us away from God. Screwtape is the Uncle and he is writing to Wormwood and giving him pointers on how to stay undercover and keep his patient unaware that he is even working in his life.

I ran into my favorite quote today. He writes this advice:

“You can keep him up late at night, not roistering, but staring at a dead fire in a cold room. All the healthy and outgoing activities which we want him to avoid can be inhibited and nothing given in return, so that at last he may say, as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here, “I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked.’”

That describes humanity. If Satan can get us to do nothing, he wins, so that when you die you say, “I did not live for God, nor did I live it up in sin, I just did nothing.”

I had to ask myself, and I pose this question to you, what is your proverbial “Dead Fire”? Television, Internet, Video Games, that great Novel, News, Radio, music, work, hobbies. Not that these things are in and of themselves bad, but if this robs you of time from your family, or your spouse, or your God, they have become distractions, and we make Satan's job very easy.

Just some thoughts.

Nolan is cute

Isaac crawled into Nolan's crib to greet him good morning the other day. Nolan is always really smiley in the morning, he must get that from me.

Happy Birthday Kara

My baby had a birthday. This is her cake we made. She is so beautiful.

Kara's Birthday Party!

Kara had a birthday party the other day. Isaac and I made her a cake as her present. As you can see we had a great time. Isaac is still talking about, "making mama a birthday cake, happy birthday mama!" It's really cute.

Lunch With Christian

I got the privilege of having lunch with Christian today. He just got back from Guadalajara Mexico on a missions trip with CTI ministiries. He went and joined a team of musicians and played music and spread the gospel. It was amazing to hear all the stories of how God moves.

Sometimes you forget that God is miraculous when you live in America, we are so full of answers and methods. We are so independent we don't need God. The consequence is the death of our soul. Mother Teresa referred to America as being spiritually poverty stricken. She said it was easier to preach Christ to a starving Hindu than a Agnostic American. (paraphrase).

Song of the Day : Opression : Ben Harper

I have been studying Ephesians lately, it is an amazing book. We are going to be going over the book in the fall with the youth ministry. There is a lot of stuff in Ephesians about battleing and waging war against the "dark forces" that are out to keep us ineffective, busy, sinful, occupied with anything but God's will and his work. I recently had a thought about this inspire me from a great movie, The Usual Suspects. In one of the film's most memorable moments, at the end Verbal quotes the French poet Baudelaire, saying "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." I add to this, the second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing Christians that he is not active in their life.

My brother Brian was talking to me and he said something pretty interesting. He said, "every time I start getting things right, something goes wrong and throws me off." I then saw something of a pattern there and asked, "do you think that is a coincidence? Sounds like a well thought out plan to me."

I then came upon a quote of a man who was interviewing some Soiux Indians. He was asking them about old Western Movies, and said was it really like that? The Indians flinging arrows one after another in volleys? The Indian relied, "Are you kidding?! Have you ever made an arrow by had before? When we let an arrow go, we expect to hear an, "Ouch." I think that Satan is the same way, he hand crafts his schemes directly at us to keep us ineffective for God. Satan does not always attack us with blatant temptations for sin, but if he can just keep us busy, or occupied, or even (Lord Forbid) entertained, then we are not focusing on God and what he wants to use us for.

The apostle Paul said something really cool in Acts 20, "If anyone suffers eternal death, it's not my fault, for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know." v26

All that said, I was listening to Ben Harper on the way to work today to get the proper theme song and background for my day, it was pretty insightful:

Oppression
you pray on us when we sleep
oppression
you chase after the tired the poor the weak
oppression
you know you mean only harm
oppression
you reach out with your long arm

but oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me

oppression
you seek population control
oppression
to divide and to conquer is your goal
oppression
I swear that hatred is your home
oppression
you just won't leave bad enough alone

but oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me

oppression
I don't see how you sleep
oppression
for your bleeding conscience I weep
oppression
you may have the dollar on your side
but oppression
from the gospel truth you cannot hide
and
oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me
oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall fear me

Compare that to some of these verses from Ephesians:

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

May I Have Two Seconds Please

would you so kindly take the poll located on the left of this page just to see who all comes here.

Lack of Blogging Here

I have not had any time to blog anything lately. If you would like to read up on some of my thoughts, you can go here:

www.shilohparents.com

I have been writing on "Revolutionary Parenting" by George Barna.

Also if you want to see some newer family photos, go to my wife's site:

www.kararundel.blogspot.com

Offer Accepted!

We just recieved word that our offer was accepted on this 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 acre, 2 car garage, barn, chicken coop, out in the country home. We'll keep you updated.