Apr. 6, 2006 - Just Saying Hello
I realize I disappeared without saying a word. That wasn't nice of me.
My blog is actually over here now: http://www.onewaypurpose.com
Do ya'll think I should crosspost over here.
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Dec. 1, 2005 - Qualifications
Reuters (Oddly Enough)
Germans value letters attached to their name more than money, love or having children with nine out of ten rating a good qualification as their most important aim in life, a survey showed Wednesday.In Germany even minor academic degrees appear on business cards and doctorate titles adorn many letter boxes.
According to a survey of 1,000 people by insurer Allianz just eight in ten Germans said finding love for life was their top priority and even fewer rated financial security as their number one goal.
Perfect bliss may be to have a title that runs longer than the length of a name, such as that of “Uni.-Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Horst Wildemann” at Munich’s Technical University.
That is so fantastic. Germany is going to become the country of knowledge. Products coming from Germany will be of the highest quality. There will be no equivalent in education. They will reach beyond the spheres of the common human intelligence, and explore many high and new things. They will make many breakthrough discoveries. This is the highest fulfillment of humanity.
Why then are ‘those who have been trained so knowledgeably’ predicting a great downfall in Europe? Why is it that there is a looming collapse of all Europe ever stood for? Why is it that they are facing at this point “a slow but inexorable exit from history”? Should this not be the time when everything begins to happen? Shouldn’t this be the time when history is beginning to be written? You’d think so.
But there is one thing that is causing concern.
The year 2000 saw a turning point for the region when its population started on an emphatic decline. Nor is there prospect of a change in direction any time soon. …. even if women started having more children again and at younger ages, there would still be too few potential mothers to make an immediate difference. So the region’s population will keep on falling for decades.
Europe could soon encounter what demographers call “negative momentum” when a shrinking population goes into an ever-steeper spiral of decline. … Twelve of the major 27 countries feature falling numbers. If present trends persist, the decline will become still bigger and arrive faster in more distant decades as the region increasingly falls prey to negative momentum.
Already Europe features 35 people of pensionable age for every 100 people of working age; by 2050 and supposing present demographic trends persist, the total of pensioners will climb to 75 for every 100 workers. Italy and Spain could even see their ratios soar to reach 1:1. Italy, France and Germany pay their pensions out of their current tax revenues, which means that taxes will expand massively if they are to keep funding pensions at the generous levels established thus far. German workers already assign 30% of their income, and Italians 33%, to state pensions. … The old-age dependency ratio, i.e. those aged 65-plus in relation to those aged 15-64, would soar by three quarters in the near future
What is it about education that is making family go out the window? What is it about education that is killing society? I personally have relatives in europe who are doing the same thing. Trying to complete an education, 30, 35, not married, not really interested. Has education been teaching them more than just medicine or law? Has it also been ingraining in its students a life like this? Is this the same thing happening here in America? Well… Just remember:
Homeschooling is illegal in almost all of Europe
And read this:
…Let’s note that its situation is quite the opposite of the United States with its annual population growth of 1.1%. This is by far the highest of the developed countries (and even higher than China’s), producing an additional three million people per year to go with the 293 million or so already in the United States. If that rate of increase were maintained–and there are no measures thus far to reduce it–today’s baby would, by the time he or she reaches old age, be sharing the country with almost 600 million fellow Americans.
Needless to say:
The outlook will also affect the hopes of many Europeans to create a superpower to rival the United States.
…In fact numerous experts such as Paul and Anne Ehrlich, David Pimentel and John Holdren have urged that Europe and America should consider a long-term commitment to cutting back on its human numbers in light of its drain on planetary resources.
I don’t want to get too much into the political side in this commentary. But looking at this situation provides some interesting diversion. It appears that ‘the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world’.
What part does homeschooling have to play in all this? Back in 2001, two million children were being homeschooled, the number growing by 15 to 20% every year. Homeschooling is undergoing ‘positive momentum’. But what’s happening to these students? We know, that many go on simply with an even better education, but we also know that there are those who keep the attitude they learned from their parents. Tell me what mom will homeschool and work full time. Moreover, it appears that there is something more meaningful than letters or money to certain homeschoolers. 18% of homeschooling families earn less than $25000 a year. People ask, “How can you afford it? We both work and we don’t have any children and we can hardly pay our bills.”
Most homeschoolers never demanded a mansion to have their families in, to homeschool in. Some of these parents have degrees, big degrees, small degrees. But they put them aside for something better, family. There is strong evidence to show that every woman would, deep down inside, want to be a mother and stay at home. Apparently women realize that after wasting the first 35 years of their life. Then they decide to settle down and have a family. Kinda late.
As for me, I have nothing against a higher education. But it is important that every person keep in mind that this is not a phenomenon, that this is the work of higher powers. According to another article the website of the Rockefeller-Gorbachev Earth Charter declares:
The Earth Charter values and principles must be taught, contemplated, applied and internalized. To this end, the Earth Charter needs to be incorporated into both formal and non-formal*(homeschooling)* education. This process must involve various communities, continue to integrate the Charter into the curriculum of schools and universities, and constitute an ongoing process of life-long learning.
*my insert
The education is not necessarily the main problem in itself. But what’s being said, is that it’s important that people spend their life learning and forget about families. (Europe appears to be the first big fish.) America however seems to have people who are still interested in families. Thus the ‘alarming’ growth in population here.
Take into account these facts for America.
- The people who are anti-family will only fizzle out unless they convert more members. Their only hope.
- On the other hand, the people who are pro-family, will expand. (assuming the values are passed on to the children) Nature takes care of itself it appears.
As to me, I have only one desire for any letters after my name. I’d like three of them — R.F.A. I may attain other degrees, but I must continue to honestly be able to sign after my name, Ready For Anything. Even if the Lord would have that include a large family. Family values must continue to be taught. Education must not take priority over God’s plan for my life. I will stand strong.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
That is the secret.
David Boskovic, R.F.A.
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Nov. 24, 2005 - Homeschooling
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
There are varied opinions on who this quote is of, but home-schooling is just one positive result in walking the road not taken. It has always been around, but the home education revival has in the last 30 years spread like wildfire.
Public school had become a freeway. It was time for a re-orientation of what education really meant. Families knew that something had to change, but a lot of them didn’t know how. But when home-schooling began to grow, it came as water to the thirsty Christian families who were looking for a better way.
I’m a result of that.
And because of that, home-schooling has always been a system I have full-heartedly supported, defended, and – of course – practiced. You ask me why.
The experience of being educated at home was timeless. Although none of us are doing anything spectacular like finishing high-school 3 years early, we have the privilege of enjoying one factor, ‘family’. We don’t go out to school and spend all day there, and then come back to homework. We finish our school and have the rest of the day to learn things not found in books – or in public school.
People say, “You have to face the real world at one time or another.” Unfortunately it’s said in the wrong way. We are growing up in the real world. We’re growing up knowing where our world is, and where the world is. We know the difference. I’ve had people tell me I’m sheltered. To a degree they’re right. To a degree they’re not. They’re right in that I am not washed, exposed, and treated by the elements of sin so prevalent in the world. They’re wrong in assuming I’m going to have a culture shock when I step out the door. Nothing surprises a home-schooler. We’ve been balanced and stabilized at home; we’re prepared to travel the Real-Life Rd. that’s ahead of us.
What if my parents hadn’t home-schooled us?
That’s a question I’ve thought of before. I know people who’ve been public schooled and have come out alright. In fact, that’s likely your case. But if I know myself well enough, my world-view would be entirely different. But I don’t want to dwell on the aspects of ‘if’. I simply want to take the opportunity to thank God for leading my parents to bring us (6 children) up outside of the city, worldly influence, television, and public school (all of which were things they had grown up with). I can only look back and say how thankful I am for the opportunity to have a family. As I look around today and see the number of families that are broken up, disunited, split, and unhappy, and I see the children who are suffering from the effects of this evil – and I look at our family and I see, simply spoken, a lot to be thankful for. If you haven’t been home-schooled, I’m not saying you’re life has been greatly detrimentally affected by it. But I do say that you have missed an experience.
I know that many of you reading (this was written for my email magazine with a very broad subscribership) have not been home-schooled and have grown up in the city, and have had a great family life. I don’t contend. When our parents place God and their family first in life, it may not result in a home education, but it’s resulted in things we’re glad we didn’t miss out on – because God’s way is the best way. In my case it was a home education, and that is something that has bonded family ties all over the world -- because of one thing, ‘home’. It has long been known that the home is building block of society; it has long been known that when home fails, society fails. America is seeing a revolution because ‘home’ is taking the priority in many more families’ lives.
One day, before my father was married, he was on a flight. When the flight attendant came around with the meals, the man sitting next to him refused his meal. During the course of later conversation, my someday-to-be-dad asked him why he didn’t eat. His response:
“I'm a Satanist and today is a high day in our religion. I’m fasting for the breakup of families.”
After asking a couple more questions, my father retreated into stunned silence. This man was a Satanist. His staggering answer stuck with my dad. Was he going to succumb to the efforts of Satan to break up families? Was his family going to fall into the same trap? Thank God it was not.
I know it’s almost a little dangerous to attribute where I am in life to the fact that I was home-schooled, but I want to focus for just a moment on an interesting aspect of every individual. It’s called attitude. I give myself the privilege of saying that home-schooling creates a very unique attitude in those who are products of it. We are different, but we’re better for it. That attitude is worth keeping.
With these thoughts in review, it’s quite easy to see that I fully intend on continuing the trend if the Lord should bless me with a family someday. The path has been now well trodden, my experience on it has been excellent, I have no regrets.
David D. Boskovic
© Copyright 2005, David Boskovic. [Published] — Request permission before re-publishing. Share freely, as long as name remains intact.
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Nov. 24, 2005 - Thanksgiving
Yes, it’s American Thanksgiving, and I’m from Canada, but I still am going to make a post about what I’m thankful for today. I am thankful for… Oh, so many things.
*My Parents*
I’ll give you one guess why I’m thankful for them. :P Well, that’s not the only thing about them. You see, I wasn’t always so thankful for them. There was a time in my life when I actually regretted their presence quite a bit. Thankfully, God used various circumstances to bring myself to him. That was nearly 4 years ago now. I’m thankful my parents are concerned about our spiritual well-being. I’m thankful that my parents decided to homeschool us. (reminds me I should post my article on homeschooling) I’m thankful that they followed God as he led them to this place out in the country. I’m thankful, to have the privilege of growing up in a strong Christian, God-centered family. Thanks Mom and Dad, for following the Lord, and showing us the way too.
*My Siblings*
We. That’s the word here. It’s all of *us* that make the *we*. If it weren’t for all of us, there wouldn’t be the family. And oh, families are no fun without people in them. Right? My brother especially deserves special thanks. We’ve been pretty close the past few years. He’s that… how do you say it… balancing force? He’s able to balance out some of my over ‘enthusiasm’ with reality pretty quickly. :) My younger sister too. Christina. If some of you girls wonder why I don’t have any girl-phobia. It’s because of her. :) And all the younger ones too. Bright spots. As all of you will agree who have younger sisters. :)
What else shall I say I’m thankful for? God, but he knows that. :) Well, I’m going to be turning 17 quite soon now, and I’ve been thinking how fast the last couple years have gone. For the past couple years I’ve been looking forwards to the ‘older teen’ years. But all of a sudden I’m starting to arrive there and, wow. I’m glad for this, that I have trusted the Lord through the last few years. I cannot imagine what I would be doing now if I hadn’t. Would I have followed my older brother’s steps into the world, into a life of sin? My attitude would likely have taken me there. I chose the Lord early, and I’m thankful for that. It has blessed my life so much. It is my life purpose, goal, and heartfelt desire to continue sharing that blessing with others.
God Bless you all on this evening, the snow is blowing here and it’s down to -13ºC(9ºF) Tonight. It’s cold, it's blowing snow, but our hearts are all warm I trust. May God be with you all, and give you cause to be thankful.
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Nov. 20, 2005 - Welcome to Toronto
There are reports a semi-automatic weapon was recovered near the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Albion Rd. near Martin Grove Rd., where several shots were fired..
Another person in the church suffered a heart attack in the chaos that followed and was rushed to hospital.
Remember I mentioned something in that story of when we went up north for a day? I said we had to drive right through that area of shootings. Well, we drove right by that church.
So... Canada who has spent there 1.x billion dollars on the gunregistry to 'cull violence' has been experiencing more and more of it. Just so you americans know, all guns must be registered in Canada, you're not allowed to own any hundguns without a really, really special license, if you shoot in self-defense, you'll be in jail before the shooter. yep Ok, that's Canada.
And this is Toronto, number 69 homicide victim for the year, mind you I guess that's nothing for you Americans. But this has just been happening in the last couple years. I wonder if it has anything to do with teaching kids that right and wrong don't exist. Well, actually I don't wonder. Homeschooled? Be glad of it.
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Nov. 11, 2005 - Focus, Focus
Focus, Focus, Focus, Focus... Photographers do it all the time, in fact
it's the major part of getting any clear picture. Same goes for us, a
clear view needs focus. A firm foundation needs a clear view. It all
ties together. What then are we doing to focus our lives in the right
direction?
Well, tonight was the first ASideTrackedFocus chat
meeting -- and that inspired me to post something on the topic. Besides
being inspired, which is a pre-requisite to writing anything good, I
have an article due on this subject. So double-duty here I go. I think
ASF really picked up on something good there. As a teen myself, I stand
always in search of others who are on the same track -- purposefully
heading forwards, focusing their lives on one main goal, to follow The
Master, to make The Life our life.
So what does it mean to
focus our lives? What does it mean to get the right perspective, the
right depth of field, the right clarity? If you've ever used a camera,
you'll understand my examples... it doesn't take much to focus on a far
away object, not only that, depth of field just doesn't allow for the
wiping out of other stuff. The closer you get, the more of the
surrounding objects can be blurred into oblivion. A final macro will
only bring into focus the very subject of the photo. I've always been a
macro person, I love getting up close. Take this for example.
So what does that have to do with what I'm talking about? Well, very
simply put, the closer to Christ, the less must be in the picture.
Focusing is not only focusing on something, it's getting other things
out of the picture. To make our purpose and goals one and only one
thing, takes a macro, it takes getting up close. It needs us to draw
nigh to God, to focus on Him, and only Him. Then and there we can get a
clear picture of what God wants for us. Not too many teens want to take
the effort to put the other things aside, to get off the main track of
society, and power against the flow. It makes leaders what they are,
leaders. Purpose, focus... reflected in one thing, strength.
Coming up, "Goals, Defensive Driving!"
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Nov. 9, 2005 - A day in the woods.
"Look at this bear footprint! Over here! See... the paw and this claw..." I brushed away a few leaves with my boot. Some of them were imbedded in the mud. I pulled them out. It was yesterday afternoon, sunny, a perfect day for walking through the woods. But where were we?
We had been trying to get up north for months, but so much stood in the way: schedules, no 4x4 vehicles, and also not quite the interest on my dad’s part. Finally though, we found out Monday morning that we were going to be renting a truck and going up. At last... nearly three years since our last trip there. My parents quickly planned what to do with the little girls... deciding they would go over to the L’s to enjoy a day with their family; then we went and picked up our truck – which turned out to be a brand new 2006 Dodge Ram, minus a few weeks and miles. But where were we heading?
30 years ago my dad bought 700 acres of pure wilderness about 4 hours north of here in the Muskoka region. Situated among innumerable lakes it provides a wonderful quiet place right ‘out of this world’. That’s where we are heading now.
Isaac and I were up at 4:30 and milked the cow, then came back and got everybody up. Finally around 6:00 we were ready to roll away. We piled into the comfortable spacious quad cab and closed the doors. The lights faded precociously, making me feel like a concert was about to begin. "What would the day hold? What would we see? What would we discover?"
We had hoped to miss traffic in Toronto by starting early. Poor luck – 7:30 found us facing an 18 lane traffic jam. We felt like action so we bypassed the main routes and took to the city. Right through the area where there have been too many people shot in their cars while driving down the road in the past month. It felt great to finally be out of the city and facing open country again.
2 hours later found us turning onto the Olde Wagon Road – the name suits the road to perfection. The unmaintained forest access road was fun going after mostly freeway driving. We met some hunters on the road and my dad leaned out and asked them how it was going and if they had seen any bears? Hunting was great, and no, they hadn’t seen any bears. My mom sighed in relief, I groaned in disappointment. We wound along through the forest, uphill, downhill, this way, that way, over rocks, through mud, twisting, turning, and then down a hill with 3 foot ruts on either side and finally up our lane. We were there!
We drove around a bit and checked things out and then came back and had lunch. After loading up some logs and rocks we wanted to take home we decided to go and walk down to the ‘Old Clearing’. After some trail switching and taking a look from the top of a cliff out onto the clearing, we were back on the right trail. We hurried on down through the pines and came out into the clearing minutes later. Around that tree, that same tree I remember seeing since I was a little boy. It has grown, I have grown. The dried grass looks the same. The green carpets of moss and clumps of frosty lichen are what they always have been.
When we got to the ‘Old foundation’ we clambered in and got some pictures of ourselves. The ‘Old Foundation’ is the remains of some settler’s cabin. Years back I had discovered a piece of a Sears & Roebuck catalog from the early 1900’s in a little cedar shack nearby. It had listed canoes for slightly more than a dollar and ladders for mere cents. We are left to imagine what life might have been for him. Maybe he went off in war and never came back. Maybe he was lured out of the frontier to the big cities. Maybe, maybe, maybe, but here are the remains of history. Nearby stand the row of great cedars that have stood out in my memory for years.
We hear water so we go looking for the beaver dam pushing into the forest towards the river. That’s when I saw what I thought was a bear footprint. After studying it a little more we decided it was just a moose print. There were traces everywhere of moose and deer. And then we see it. Nice and fresh, a good 25 foot dam across, the water running through it, splashing down and flowing on in a much more stagnant way.
Finally we head back to the cabin. We had only been there for a few hours, but it was great, we had enjoyed a day out in the woods. I wished we had been able to stay and see the stars again, but weather and time would not allow. We packed up and headed out, bringing us to the main road half an hour later. I leaned back in my seat, the pavement hummed below me. Then I reached down and pulled out my notebook to recount the day’s happenings. There is a lone plane circling overhead, the moon is visible, white against the blue sky. I turn back to my paper. I wanted to share a little bit of our day with my friends.
It was a wonderful day; the time was totally worth it, every bit! I wish you had been there!
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Nov. 6, 2005 - Naughty Figs
To laugh or not to laugh, that is the question:
One basket had very good figs, [...] and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten they were so bad.
Seriously, that is quote from the KJV. Ruth was reading, and I thought she had gone on a rabbit trail or something. We all were laughing at the 'naughty fig(lets)'.
Anyways. They say to make short and interesting posts. Did I succeed. Time will tell. :)
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Nov. 6, 2005 - Explorations
When I first started exploring HSB the other day for teen bloggers, I
was starting to feel a little disappointed when I discovered that most
of the bloggers were like -- you got it, older than myself, and usually
with a few more children than myself. Between random blogging and blog
hopping I discovered a couple interesting blogs, and then 'woe and
behold', I discovered the club. Well, I added all the interesting
blogs. And ended up with a small friends list. *feels victorious* Maybe
I should have just contacted the resident detective Tim and gotten all
the information like that. But hey, it feels more fulfilling this way.
Anyhow, the story concludes that basically I feel like I'm here now. I
mean, at least I don't feel totally lost. And that brings me to:
I found you, but you were not lost. Who are you?
a blogger of course. :)
God Bless!
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Nov. 4, 2005 - Concludes Today
Well, there, I actually filled up the page and made it look like somebody lives here. That's not near all
the articles I've written. But that's all I'll post for now. I need to
reserve some of them for the days when I have nothing to write you
know. :)
But not all my writing is inspirational. As you'll
find out as time goes on. But right now, I need to get off the computer
and focus on a couple articles I must finish this weekend. I doubt if
anybody has seen this blog yet. So I need to start appearing into the
realm of other HSB'ers. (what do we all go by here anyhow?)
Anyhow, now to show you the more practical side of my writing.
But: 6 entries for one day is enough. :)
And: LJ still has my journalling loyalty.
However: I really like HSB, and intend to be present here.
So: Hello from my new Blog!
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Nov. 4, 2005 - God's Will
This is another quite recent article, written for a magazine on the topic of 'God's Will' (what else?)
What does it really mean to desire God’s will above all else in our lives? In answer to this question I go back to what desiring God’s will really means in its essence. Before we can truly desire to know God’s will, we must abandon our own selves in faith. The essence of ‘desiring God’s will’ is ‘trusting Him’, regardless of what he reveals. For what would His will mean to us if he were one that we would doubt? Without trust, God’s will would mean absolutely nothing, because… the evidence of it is not seen. Sometimes I start imagining to myself how it would be if there were some cut and dried way of discovering God’s will. Some way that could be mapped out and given to everybody to follow. Some way where there would not be any questions, some way where we knew God’s will for our lives from the start. Something… that would make us all just as the Israelites again.
And that very facet was something I was observing the other evening. “The Israelites had everything they could ask for. They lived under the physical shadow of God. God dwelt with them physically. They had every evidence; they had every proof they needed, and yet they doubted God.” Until now it was something I simply couldn’t comprehend. They were given the privilege of witnessing God in tangible reality. They heard him, they felt him, and they took him for granted. “How could they?!” But the answer lies in one single statement. They had no faith. For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1) Regardless of whether we can see God or not, regardless of whether we know… how could we ever believe Him without placing our trust in Him? Why would we even be here today, desiring to know His will?
To truly desire God’s will, culminates in one word: trust. And then there are the two aspects of it… trusting to ask, and trusting the answer. And this is what the topic is, ‘knowing God’s will’. We all know how to ask questions. But when we ask them of God, we really desire an answer – or we should. But one thing that I have too often found myself doing, is putting my own stipulations and expectations on the answer. Most of us wouldn’t do that consciously, but are we asking God the question in total trust, willing to accept the answer, whatever it is? Asking God can only be done when we truly are ready to trust any answer He may give us. But this is where we all have questions. How can we be sure it is God speaking? I’ll be totally honest with you. I really am looking forwards to hearing what those who have more experience listening to His answers have to say. I have never experienced God’s voice more than once in the same way. Therefore I could not say, do this, do that, and get the answer. But an interesting excerpt from an article by Winkie Pratney fits here very well. Let me share it with you.
God has three answers in guidance - (1)"Yes" (2) "No" and (3) "Wait". We cannot have a demanding attitude towards God. Sometimes there must be delays. Our lives are bound up with others, and many times God has to wait until they are ready (or until we are), before giving us the go-ahead. "Wait" is the most difficult of all answers, but sometimes it's the most necessary. Here is the test of a love-slave. (Psalm 62:1,5, 33:20, 25:5, 27:14, 40:1, 130:5, 37:7; Isaiah 40:31, 49:23; Hosea 12:6; 1 Chron.28:9)
Reading this excerpt reminded me immediately of my parent’s testimony of God leading them together. The story… well, whoever decides to embark on listening to it is in for a late night – if you get what I mean. In other words, it really won’t fit on this page. :) But the Yes, No, and Wait were very real answers in that story. I know a lot of you will probably want to hear it now that I mentioned it, since this is a subject that we all face at one time or another, but for now I’ll just say this. “Wait can be the most difficult of all answers. But yet it can also be one of the most rewarding! Amen!”
But wait is only that if we are asked to wait. When we are delivered the command to move ahead, to step forwards, to do, to act, we cannot stand idle. This excerpt from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon strikes the question in a way that can only be done by such a man.
His will is done in heaven instantly, and without hesitation. We, I fear, are given to delays. We plead that we must look the thing round about. "Second thoughts are best," we say, whereas the first thoughts of eager love are the prime production of our being. I would that we were obedient at all hazard, for therein lies the truest safety. Oh, to do what God bids us, as God bids us, on the spot, and at the moment! It is not ours to debate, but to perform. Let us dedicate ourselves as perfectly as Esther consecrated herself when she espoused the cause of her people, and said, "If I perish, I perish." We must not consult with flesh and blood, or make a reserve for our own selfishness, but at once most vigorously follow the divine command.
Trust, obedience, action… this sums up the core of the topic. May we stand on our path, ready for instruction, ready to obey, ready to wait, ready to be, and ready to act. May we stand before our Lord without baggage, without terms, fully open to his guidance. Above all, may His will be done in our life… as it is in heaven.
Let us pray the Lord that we may do His will on earth as it is done in heaven; that is, joyfully, without the slightest weariness. When our hearts are right, it is a glad thing to serve God, though it be only to unloose the latchets of our Master's shoes. To be employed by Jesus in service which will bring us no repute, but much reproach, should be our delight. If we were altogether as we should be, sorrow for Christ's sake would be joy: ay, we should have joy right along, in dark nights as well as in bright days. Even as they are glad in heaven, with a felicity born of the presence of the Lord, so should we be glad, and find our strength in the joy of the Lord. – C. H. Spurgeon
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Nov. 4, 2005 - Salvation
This is a relatively recent article which was written and published in a magazine on the topic of 'Salvation'.
In my own walk with God, the moment of my salvation is not a stunning story. Sometimes this leaves us thinking that maybe our experience is not the same as those who have experienced something more. But where does the real meaning of our salvation come from? The Lord brings each of us to repentance and salvation in many different ways. And even more different is the walk of every Christian. But the goal, the purpose, and the promise for every Christian are the same – Eternal life. This is the question that presses close to every heart. Where is my eternity going to be spent? And we thank God for showing us the way, and giving us the promise of eternal life. The moment of salvation may be a different story for each of us, but eternity is the same.
At 12 I was already showing major streaks of rebellion, I was not happy nor was I in any way at peace with myself or God. I was upset at everybody in general and nobody in particular. I lived in a family of unfair, demented, angry individuals – or so I thought. Life was mean to me or rather I was mean to life. In my heart, deep down, I knew that I wanted something better. I had accepted Christ as my Savior a couple years before, but that seemed to me not to be working at all. I told God that I didn’t want him in my life, and that I wanted to have my own way. I didn’t care about God, and I didn’t care about anybody really. And that was me.
Some of you may not know what a miserable life it is to incessantly argue and resist everything you are told. But that is exactly what I was doing, and I was feeling pretty wretched about it too. And the more miserable I felt, the more miserable I was. I was securely but ignorantly caught in the powerful trap of rebellion Satan had set for me. I thought I was right and everybody else had lost their minds, I was never the problem. I was always being good and everybody else around me was the ones who were miserable. As you might have guessed, my parents were extremely concerned about me, and were doing their best to show me my error. They must have feared what I was going to be like when I was really a teenager.
If any of you have experienced it, life is not easy for the person who makes life hard for himself. I was no exception. Life did not seem fair to me, and God was by no means letting me go easily. My frustration mounted.
Looking back now, I see how much God was watching over me and caring for me. My parents were praying for me and God was hearing their prayers. I could have responded in more rebellion as God continually strove with me, and that’s what I did – for a while.
But I wasn’t happy. Sometimes I thought of my dedication to Christ, but I still wanted to be my own. I didn’t want God to make any plans for me. I didn’t want him to direct my life. But… and then there was always the ‘but’. I wanted to be happy; I wanted to get out of this hole my life was in. I was desperate for a solution. And at that time, God brought a book into my life. I will always be thankful for David Burkholder who took the time to share with his book Young Man Be Strong. I read it, and I saw in it a life which I wanted. I saw that there was a way to conquer myself. Finally on my 13th birthday I sat down and basically took a look at myself. It was the dividing point in my life. Which way would I go? I stood at a crossroads. One half of me wanted to be a rebel. The other half wanted something better. I chose the better.
This meant a major decision on my part. My biggest struggle was with arguing. In effect I decided to shut up. I was not going to let my tongue get the best of my life. And I told the Lord that I wasn't going to talk back, I asked Him for help to stand against temptation, and to be strong. Now I tell you, for me that was a difference, and you have no idea how tough that was for me. Talking comes naturally for me. And not to talk is the biggest struggle of my life.
I don’t have the time or space to tell you all what happened between then and now. God was merciful and gave me the strength to stand temptation. I found new fulfillment in His word, I found that life with God was actually fun. I began to enjoy things; I began to feel that I actually was living. And people began to notice a difference in my life.
And that was the decision. As I stand where I am now, and look back at the last few years, I realize how much God has watched over me. I turn and look ahead and see how much I still have to learn. And then I look beside me… and I know that He is walking there. And this is where the Joy of the Christian life comes to – the walking.
The learning, the leaning, the asking, and the faith – this is our walk with God. And walking with God is an experience. In my mind, it is more of an experience than the moment of salvation. We look ahead and we know that we do not know. We look ahead and we know that God knows. In the now, we walk. We may stumble, we may fail. But He is faithful and ready and willing to forgive. There is so much to learn. And I am thankful that the Lord has given me kind, concerned, and loving parents to direct me onwards and upwards. I thank God for not letting me go, for not letting me forget Him. I thank God for his promise of eternal life.
I look ahead and know that there is great excitement in store for me. I know that God has a plan for my life and that he will use me for His purpose. With a tremor of anticipation and a thrill of confidence I know that I can trust my life – every aspect of my life – present, past, and future into God’s hands. I know that they are in a safe place. And right now, I can have joy!
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Nov. 4, 2005 - Fear or Faith
This is an article I wrote back in the early summer sometime. It was written for a magazine with the volume topic on 'fear'.
How many of us have asked ourselves this question, this question that searches to the very depths of our heart, looking, seeking, wanting an answer more than anything besides, and then returns empty handed. If you have ever been hunting for something, or have ever gone fishing and have come back with one of those looks on your face akin to despair, you somewhat understand the feeling of frustration which now accompanies this question. It is a question I had asked myself, it is a question I could never answer myself, a question that produced only uncertainty, because I was asking the wrong person.
Asking the wrong person... So many times this is the very root of our problems. God is standing there, waiting for us, waiting for us to ask Him, to seek his face. He who has infinite knowledge, He who has the answer to all of our questions, is right there before us. Ask Him! "Lord, what is thy purpose in my life?" Aha! Now we are asking the right Person, now we are looking in the right place. But now, are we looking for the right answer? Are we asking God for a blueprint of our lives? Hardly! That would take all the fun out of the Christian experience! Just imagine, just for a moment, try to imagine, that you know all what God's plan is for your life. You would never need to talk to Him again!! Oh no, we could never do that, it would spoil everything completely. Rather, what we need to do is to let Him lead us, to let Him take our hand; to trust that we don't need to worry at all about what we're going to do. God has one plan for all of us that you and I can grasp right now, and that is to trustingly follow Him.
This is one thing that people commonly seem to have a problem with. "Follow Him?!? You mean I can't plan my own life? No thanks man." But… here is where the biggest mistake of all is made, an assuming that God is going to do something scary, a fear of the unknown. Really, if you have these same heart tremors I'm not surprised at all. It is something that we all experience when we aren't quite sure we want to give up our own will. But just stop here for a moment and let reason conquer the unreasonable. How much do we see? What do we know compared to God? We have plans for our life. God has a plan for our life. Who has the better? What if you want to be a plumber or a police officer or the president? We all have dreams like that, we all want to be someone or do something, and God knows all that. Yes, He knows our deepest heart longings, yet greater still He knows what is best. God created each of us as personal individuals, he knows. And if God really and truly does know, we can trust Him with our lives!
Trust... this is the alternative to fear. Now we are left with what it has all boiled down to, fear or faith. In fact at this moment I think it would almost fit to put the typo I just made, which is, 'fear of faith'. You know, even though both of those words have an uncanny poetic similarity to each other, there is so stark of a contrast between the two that not even the illustration of black vs. white would do justice to the difference. Fear or Faith, one gives us a lifetime of stress, worry and pain; the other gives us an eternity of peace. On paper the difference is so clear, but in our hearts we are so often tempted to fear. Why? The Prince of fear… that depraved serpent who instilled his likeness in Adam and Eve, is the answer. By that fallen nature we are filled with fear. Since the beginning of sin, fear has filled the universe. It has been placed in every living creature. Only He who is "perfect love" can cast out all fear. Only when He dwells within us can all fear be cast out. Satan will try to fill us with fear; he will try to muddle our minds. There is not a doubt about it. But when we are filled with fear, we know exactly where to go to find peace. Fear can only last as long as it takes for us to fall to our knees, only as long as it takes to trust God. Fear entered the world at the beginning, and it will remain until it is overcome by faith.
Here we are... making choices, choices that will affect us throughout our life. We have the opportunity to place our ship under the guidance of our Savior. We have the opportunity now, to let God lead us, to trust Him that He knows this ocean and that He has traversed the waters before us. We have this opportunity, this wonderful opportunity! Come along with me and let us let Him guide our ships, not only on the tempest, not only on the starless nights, but even when we are sure we know the way. In fact, that is the time when we need Him most. There is something that seems to happen a lot to those excellent navigators, when they are sure of the way, when they are positive about their position. Something happens, and they lose the way. Lost in the deep... we see so many of these young pilots today, sailing their ships hither and yon, hunting, searching for a landmark, trying to find their way, asking themselves, asking the wrong person. They are being blown closer and closer to the reef, their veins bulge, their muscles are sore, their sails are tattered, but their mouths remain silent. Daily, ships are smashed to pieces on the rocks, daily captains lose their lives.
"Oh Lord! Use me! Use my ship; use my ship to guide some weary pilots who have lost their way, help me guide them to Thee."
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Nov. 4, 2005 - Considerations
So, I considered further what I would do with this blog, and concluded by deciding to file all my previously written articles. More will be added as time goes on.
I hope to be able to update it quite frequently with articles, commentaries, and so on, exclusively for the readers here. If you know me elsewhere, be sure to check back here often for updates. I intend to patronize this site. :)
That said, I also did some customization of the blog to my temporary satisfaction. I think it's ready to hold some words. Here goes!
God Bless!
David
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Nov. 4, 2005 - Blog Forth
My first post in this newly discovered Blogosphere. Actually, I've been
part of that definitely uncircular sphere for quite a while. But I just
discovered there is what I've always thought should be -- a
homeschooler's blogging site. And now it's here! And I'm here! And I
see that I'm not the only teenager here, so I'm looking forwards to
getting to know you all.
Just me.
