Minneapolis is fun!

I thought the conference would be great and it totally exceeded even those high expectations. But I was very pleasantly surprised at how much there is to Minneapolis, which I wasn't expecting. I love big cities and so it was fun to be smack dab in the middle of a lively downtown for several days.



My personal feeling is that if I'm going to eat out, it might as well be good! I see no point in spending money on food that can be made just as well, if not better at home easily. So, knowing that we'd have no choice but to eat out during the conference I did a little homework on where we might want to indulge our appetites. I was very happy with most all of our eatery selections which included lots of stuff we can't get in Emporia including, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cuban and very "gourmet" type foods. This was a tasty Cuban hash with perfectly cooked plantains, one of Peter's favorite things.One of the very fun surprises was running into old friends Brett and Vaness Craycraft, from our church in CA, and catching up with their lives and vice versa. Since we've moved, they also moved to Chicago, so there was much to catch up on.

We also got to enjoy the conference and build our friendship with the Autreys from Flint Hills. I LIKE them!
Seeing some authors that we have read and really been blessed by was pretty neat. Randy Alcorn signing our "Treasure Principle" book.

There was much more that I would've liked to explore and see in MN, but we didn't have time. I think I'd actually be willing to go there again just to see the sights. We didn't even hit the Mall of America! I think we'll be revisiting there someday... Thank you Lord for a wonderful time!

Desiring God National Conference

Sandy and I just returned from Minnesota where we attended the Desiring God 2010 National Conference. We left the kids with grandma and grandpa and had a phenomenal time in the big city listening to speakers like John Piper, Al Mohler, Frances Chan, R.C. Sproul, Randy Alcorn and quite a few others.

In fact, Sandy almost got famous. Click here to see pictures from the conference. If you go to the 3rd to the last picture, you can see Randy Alcorn to the left and some nice family talking with him at the table. But if you look very closely at the right side of the picture, you can see half of someone...no, not me - Sandy!We had a great time, and I'll blog more about the fun stuff later. But I had a bit of an A-ha! spiritual moment. God was so good and kind to bless me with some spiritual illumination. On the first day of the conference, I listened to Tullian Tchividjian, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. He was speaking about Gospel math - Jesus + nothing = everything.

He talked about how Gospel math addresses the issue of identity. Our identity is in Christ so we don't need any person's approval or affection because God already approves and loves us through Christ. Because of the Gospel, I have nothing to prove or to protect. I can lose my reputation, my prestige, and/or my standing in human eyes because I already am established before God. My identity is secure in Christ, and I don't have to worry about losing anything because I already have everything I could ever need or want.

I've definitely known that my identity is in Christ for many years. But I didn't realize that I hadn't truly understood the implications of that. I have been searching for many, many years for the affection and approval of others. I have been searching to belong to a group, to be accepted by others. Tullian said that living your life trying to gain favor or acceptance = slavery.

God opened my eyes this weekend to realize that I have been trying to do that. I have been trying more hardest and best to please people. To gain others' acceptance and approval for my ministry. And doing this, has been killing my soul. I have been trying to be something I can't. I've been trying to be someone I'm not.

That was another theme in this conference. Many of the pastors who spoke exhorted us to be ourselves as pastors. Don't try and be John Piper. Don't try and be someone you're not. Use the gifts and personality that God has given you to do the best you can in Christ, but be yourself.

What freedom this brings! God has already approved and accepted me as I am so that I can serve Him in love. I can be the pastor He has gifted me to be. And by His grace, I can turn from the idol of seeking others' praise and acceptance. Because of the Gospel, I can receive criticism and disapproval of others because I am secure in Christ.

Jesus + nothing = EVERYTHING...amen!

Korean food!

Sandy's parents flew into town yesterday, and boy are we loving it - the kids have been bouncing off the walls!We decided to celebrate their first full day here with a Korean feast for dinner. It was fabulous!The signature dish was some Korean bbq also known as kalbi. It's a short rib that is marinated in a soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar sauce (I can't tell you the other ingredients - it's a national secret). And grilled to perfection. Man, was it good!

#20 - Worldliness ed. by C.J. Mahaney

This fall, my allergies have been wicked. I have spent many a sleepless night testing out Puffs Plus products and making mountains of tissue. And after all my research, I can attest - Puffs Plus works well. This has also allowed me to get some reading done.I just finished Worldliness. It is written by several men from Sovereign Grace Ministries and edited by C.J. Mahaney. The book only has 6 chapters - the first defines and explains the concept of worldliness, the others deal with specific topics such as media, music, clothes and "stuff."

I never thought of myself as particularly worldly. I don't care about being or dressing trendy. I haven't watched tv at all in the last few years, and I see a movie in the theater about once a year. We don't even have a Netflix subscription! Who doesn't have one of those these days?! The only sports team I really follow is my Lakers. I couldn't tell you much of anything about college football or basketball, and I have no clue what's going on in the NFL.

When I lived in the LA area, worldliness seemed to swirl all around me. I couldn't avoid the latest entertainment news and trends no matter how hard I tried. But now I live in a small town in Kansas. I'm not worldly at all, right?

Unfortunately no. Worldliness comes from my heart. I have come to realize that some of the most worldly people could live in the least worldly settings. Worldliness is not the exclusive domain of those with big bucks and who live in big cities. It is simply one expression of a sinful heart to which all have in common.

Here are some quotes:

• Today, the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world...Our peril is far more obscure and far more insidious. We aren't under attack from without; we're decaying from within.
• Worldliness, then, is a love for this fallen world...More specifically, it is to gratify and exalt oneself to the exclusion of God. It rejects God's rule and replaces it with our own. It exalts our opinions above God's truth.
• What dominates your mind and stirs your heart? Is it discontentment with your life? Longings for earthly pleasures? Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness? Or is your prayer life characterized by heartfelt supplications for God's will to be done and his kingdom come?
• Some people try to define worldliness as living outside a specific set of rules or conservative standards. If you listen to music with a certain beat, dress in fashionable clothes, watch movies with a certain rating, or indulge in certain luxuries of modern society, surely you must be worldly...Worldliness does not consist in outward behavior, though our actions can certainly be an evidence of worldliness within. But the real location of worldliness is internal. It resides in our hearts.
• The evil in our desires often lies not in what we want, but in the fact that we want it too much...The cravings of sinful man are legitimate desires that have become false gods we worship. It's wanting too much the things of this fallen world. A sinful craving is when a legitimate desire for financial success becomes a silent demand for financial success; an interest in clothes and fashion becomes a preoccupation; love of music morphs into an obsession with the hottest band; or the desire to enjoy a good movie becomes a need to see the latest blockbuster.
• We must fight worldliness because it dulls our affections for Christ and distracts our attention from Christ. Worldliness is so serious because Christ is so glorious.
• Simply stated, coveting is desiring stuff too much or desiring too much stuff. It's replacing our delight in God with joy in stuff. Materialism is what happens when coveting has cash to spend.
• One common fallacy that dazes some Christians is 'virtual giving' - giving that occurs only in one's mind, if-things-were-only-different. 'If I had more,' we say, 'I'd give more.' That's virtual giving. In reality, if we had more, we would undoubtedly find new ways to use it or store it.
• We [fathers] must not simply oversee our daughters' closets; we must teach them God's perspective on modest dress and educate them about the temptations of men. And we must have clear standards informed by Scripture, not by culture. This will make it easier for them to follow our leadership when difficult choices are necessary.

A couple of the chapters didn't have much of an impact on me. But I thought a couple were quite challenging and helpful, especially the chapter on modesty written by C.J. Mahaney. I recommend that one to all women and to all fathers of daughters. It sure will be an interesting aspect of parenting when Emery gets a little older!

Getting closer

We're almost there. Technically, the house is done. Now, we're finishing up the shed.We put the shutters up and here's the house!

Psalm 56:3-4

Little children fear a lot of things. And though I don't struggle with a lot of fears, I have come to realize that I do (along with most adults) have some fears. We fear death, the unknown, financial insecurity, the loss of health, what other people may do or say and also very large spiders, just to name a few.

Thanks be to God that the antidote for fear is trust in the atoning death of Jesus Christ for my sin which leads to the never ending presence of our great God. This comfort is priceless for adults and children.

Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God whose word I praise. In God I have put my trust. I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?
Duke, Rip Cord, Snake Eyes and Scarlet are NOT part of Psalm 56:3-4 by the way. :)

Horsey

So I was playing horsey with Matt and Emery the other day. But my knees could only last so long. However, Emery wasn't ready to stop...so guess who the horsey had to be?
Did I mention that these 2 never cease to crack me up?