Whose View Really Matters? (Reflections on space particles)

Last week, while sitting in the urgent care waiting room (for reasons that wound up not being all that urgent and would be too tedious to recite here)I overheard an episode of "The View". While I sat there with three of my four children my attention was drawn to the opinions being espoused by Whoopie Goldberg. She commented on how she couldn't see how any religion that stated that their way was the only way could be right. How dare anyone say there was only one way to God! Following her statements about what she believed about religion the studio audience erupted in applause at her great "wisdom". It occurred to me at that moment the enormity of one's self-importance. Here were a group of ladies sitting around a table with their cups of coffee, discussing their opinions on every topic under the sun. And as they did this in front of both a studio audience and thousands of TV viewers, their opinions suddenly took on a greater importance to both them and their listeners. Now it matters what Whoopie Goldberg believes about religion and she, along with other hosts of such programs, has now placed herself in a position of her opinion dictating what is true. In the end her "view" of what makes religion right will not matter at all. The only view that matters is God's. What prideful people we are to think that simply because we can't understand something or don't agree with it, it couldn't possibly be true. Because of this mindset we invent a truth that we can understand and is pleasant to believe. But will that change what is true? No, just because people express their opinions passionately and other people listen does not changes God's truth - that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but the free gift of salvation is found (only) in His Son. (Rom. 3:23 and 6:23).

On the heels of this encounter with "The View" Jason and I spent an evening at the Griffith Observatory. Here we discovered, not for the first time, views of seemingly intelligent people on the formation of our universe. It was espoused all through this beautiful museum how 13 billion years ago our amazing world was formed through the "Big Bang". Forgetting that it is called the "Big Bang Theory" it was written on walls and stated in videos as fact. Such a view, that takes God our of the picture and does not give Him the glory and praise He so richly deserves for His creation, is both maddening and saddening. Think of Romans 1, verse 20 - for since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. And then in verses 22-23 it says professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image...
As Jason and I peered through the giant telescope on the roof to view a cluster of four stars just below Orion's belt, and saw photographs taken of the sun and read the facts about the planets and the history of astronomy we were filled with awe at our great God! We marveled at His creative genius and beauty. We thanked Him for Earth, the perfect planet for habitation, because He made it so.



Is it the view of the scientists that matters because they are educated and talk with such certainty about how they believe the universe was created? What then? If some did not believe their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar... Rom. 3:3-4

God IS true regardless of the views of fallen mankind. Praise Him for being so! I choose to believe His truth. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth - words that seemed all the more beautiful to me as I re-read Genesis 1 today, because of the greatness of their truth. No matter what man tries to do to make God fit his personal view of how he thinks He should be, or remove Him altogether, it does not change that His if found true. And, all will acknowledge that some day. Praise Him!

*Incidentally, I encourage all to go the the Griffith Observatory! Regardless of the views of man portrayed one cannot escape the beauty and greatness of God at a place where His creation is on such wonderful display! And thank you to Jason Hartung for leading us last week at Bible study in "God of Wonders" and "Indescribable"! Those thoughts were on my heart and I appreciated those songs!

Sad Realization

I'm in a class right now that I don't have to teach, I only have to supervise them. It is my yearbook class and it is supposed to be student led and run. It is their job to put together our school yearbook with my supervision. I just caught myself sitting at my desk looking out over the class. This is what I saw: 1. several students working hard on the computers to put together their yearbook pages, 2. A couple of kids doing some homework while they wait for a free computer, 3. A good number of them sitting around socializing and hanging out because their pages are done, 4. Most of these students know nothing of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for our sins. This is not the saddest thing that I see. The saddest part of what is before my eyes is that I know the best news these kids can ever hear and the law says that I am not allowed to share it with them.

"This guy is smarter than me!"

So I was at this party last night and this guy kept announcing to everyone that I was smarter than him! It got to be very embarassing. His name was Albert Esomething. I cant' remember his last name!

Sweet Isabel

While standing at the bathroom counter this afternoon and doing our nails Isabel said the following: "Acacia, I like you the best." She's such a sweetie.

4x4

I was tagged by my good friend, Mary, to post the fourth picture from my fourth folder in my picture file. It just so happens that my fourth folder is all of Brenton when he was first born. This picture was taken by Emily Lycklama when Brenton was a mere 5 days old. It's one of my favorites and honestly shows a little of his personality as he has one eye open. Heaven forbid that he should miss out on anything that might be going on while he naps, thus one eye open so as to catch anything important. Thanks Emily for the beautiful pictures of my beautiful boy. Now I'm tagging Mom, Dena, Heidi and Acacia. Let's see your fourth pictures from your fourth folders. I can't wait to see what you all have.

Weekend Away

God is so good! He blessed Heather and me with a weekend away from our kids. Now before you get the wrong idea, we love our kids. But we also recognize that we needed some time away from them. This is evidenced by our first night away. We went to bed at the reasonable hour of 9:00 p.m and slept until 8:00 a.m. the next morning.


We had a wonderful time with wonderful weather. Below are a few shots from in and around the Pismo Beach region.

Happy Birthday Me Hearties!

Wednesday was Jason's birthday! Now, we love to celebrate birthdays in our household and the kids have taken to my enjoyment of picking a theme for each birthday. Isabel and Acacia decided that Daddy should have a pirate party. On Wednesday Acacia and I had a good time looking up pirate things on the computer and printing out and coloring some for Jason's "party" that night. She felt so special getting to help prepare for his special day, we were only sad that Isabel didn't get to help as she was at school. So, I made pirate hats and eye patches for everyone and we colored a treasure map and treasure chest. I'm sure the kids had more fun than Daddy but it shows how much they love him; that it was important to them that he get to have a party just like theirs. We love Daddy and wish him a very happy birthday!

Isabel and Acacia - "ARGGH!"

Testimony of Martyn Lloyd Jones

"I am a Christian solely and entirely because of the grace of God and not because of anything that I have thought or said or done. He brought me to know that I was dead, 'dead in trespasses and sins', a slave to the world, and the flesh, and the devil, that in me 'dwelleth no good thing", and that I was under the wrath of God and heading for eternal punishment.

"He brought me to see that the real cause of all my troubles and ill, and that of all men, was an evil and fallen nature which hated God and loved sin. My trouble was not only that I did things that were wrong, but that I myself was wrong at the very centre of my being."