Is your heart mortified?

It's been a good summer for reading. By God's grace, I've managed to finish off 3 books that I've been working on for a while now. This last one, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs, is one I highly recommend, especially for anyone with a melancholy streak like me. I have quoted it several times already on this blog, but for something written 400 years ago, it is very readable, has tons of great insight, and surprisingly a lot of great illustrations. Here's one last quote: "Let afflictions and troubles find you with a mortified heart to the world, and they will not break your bones; those whose bones are broken by crosses and afflictions are those who are alive to the world, who are not dead to the world. But no afflictions or troubles will break the bones of one who has a mortified heart and is dead to the world; that is, they will not be very grievous or painful to such a one as is mortified to the world."

1 John 2:15, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world..." Now do I mortify my heart with a shotgun or a knife?

Outside town...

We decided to be brave and ventured outside of Emporia yesterday. We went to a little town called Cottonwood Falls. It seemed like a quaint little place with the oldest working courthouse in Kansas in the background.Here we are on "busy" main street. This was just about the whole town.
For some reason, Emery closed her eyes and told me, "Daddy, you look dark." In this picture, she's also wearing her current favorite shirt. She calls it her letter A shirt. Every letter is the letter A right now...

Is it broken?

Apparently, diagnosing a fracture, especially in a child is a fairly imprecise science. According to the orthopedic surgeon, Andrew may have a break or he may a bone bruise. We'll know for sure (Lord willing) in 2 weeks. Regardless, Andrew could care less because he got a dinosaur cast! This is pretty much the best thing that could have happened to him.

Oh the monkey bars!

Yesterday afternoon, we got an unexpected call from school. On Andrew's 3rd day of school, he fell from the monkey bars (on to a wood mulch surface). He was not himself so we took him home. But instead of getting better, he continued to be very much not himself so we took him to the doctor. The x-ray did not show a fracture in his bones, but the doctor said he may have a fracture in his growth plate in his left elbow. We're going to see the orthopedic surgeon on Mon as Andrew continues to be in pain and his arm is quite swollen now.
He was very proud of his splint and is doing fine. I guess God wanted him to slow down from all of his many activities...

Hudson Taylor

I just finished Hudson Taylor's autobiography. And while it wasn't the most comprehensive summary of his life and ministry (it's only 159 pages), I do recommend it. It gives a glimpse into the life of a man who had incredible faith, prayed as if his life depended on it, and had amazing devotion and compassion for those who were lost without Christ. It had lots of great stories of God's provision, and it didn't hurt that it's an easy read too. Here are a couple of snippets.

In speaking of a time soon after his conversion experience, he writes, "How in the gladness of my heart I poured out my soul before God; and again and again confessing my grateful love to Him who had done everything for me...Well do I remember, as in unreserved consecration I put myself, my life, my friends, my all, upon the altar, the deep solemnity that came over my soul with the assurance that my offering was accepted.

The presence of God became unutterably real and blessed; and though but a child under 16, I remember stretching myself on the ground, and lying there silent before Him with unspeakable awe and unspeakable joy."

Taylor also talks about his philosophy of not collecting an offering after his missions presentations on China. He writes, "My wish was, not that those present should be relieved by making such contribution as might there and then be convenient, under the influence of a present emotion; but that each one should go home burdened with the deep need of China, and ask of God what He would have them do.

If, after thought and prayer, they were satisfied that a pecuniary contribution was what He wanted of them, it could be given to any missionary society having agents in China...but that perhaps in many cases what God wanted was not money contribution, but personal consecration to His service abroad; or the giving up of son or daughter - more precious than gold or silver - to His service.

I added that I thought the tendency of a collection was to leave the impression that the all-important thing was money, whereas no amount of money could convert a single soul; that what was needed was that men and women filled with the Holy Ghost should give themselves to the work: for the support of such there would never be a lack of funds."

The first day of school!

What an exciting day! Matthew and Emery started their first day of pre-school here at home with mommy. Andrew started his first day of school at Emporia Christian School. He is in the 1st grade and his class is a combination 1st and 2nd grade with about 15 students.He looks excited, doesn't he? He really is though, trust me.We decided to celebrate the great day for everyone. Praise God for a great start to the school year.

Andrew's first soccer game

I think it's been a good year for Andrew. He learned how to swim; he started really reading; he starts 1st grade on Wed; he rode a 2 wheel bike for the first time. And now, he played in his first soccer game. He may not kick the ball much, but he tries hard and runs as fast as he can...

On a separate and completely unrelated note, here's our little girl napping.That looks comfortable, doesn't it? It's a wonder she gets any sleep at all.