In honor of the burial of Gerald R. Ford - walking distance from my house.  The formation went right over my yard.

The Carnival of Beauty is up at Sallie's place!

(Note: this is a repost, moving it from a "page" to a post")

From Forgiven to Forgiving, Jay E. Adams

An excellent book (the best that I’ve read - ever) on Biblical forgiveness.

When I say this is the best book - I mean that I buy this book five at a time so that I can give them away!

from the back of the book:

What do the following statements about forgiveness have in common?·Forgiveness is obtained through apologizing.·The best thing you can do is “forgive and forget”.·You aren’t forgiven until you feel forgiven.·Even if someone hasn’t asked for forgiveness, you can still forgive them.These statements all represent popular misconceptions about true biblical forgiveness. Because forgiveness plays such a major role in our relationships with other people, it’s critical to have a clear idea of God’s plan for forgiving and being forgiven. Distortions in His plan can lead to twisted thinking and further pain for those struggling with forgiveness issues.In this book, Dr. Jay Adams carefully explores all dimensions of the process of forgiveness. He can help you understand biblical forgiveness from beginning to end, and apply that understanding to everyday situations ranging from forgiving your straying spouse or prodigal child–and being forgiven by them as well.If you have experienced the incredible power of God’s forgiveness in you life, read this book and see how forgiveness’ power can change your life as you relate to others.

- What forgiveness is and does. Forgiveness is NOT a feeling. Forgiveness is a promise and we are to model our forgiveness after God’s forgiveness of us. God promises to not hold our sins against us, and when we forgive we are promising not to hold another’s sins against them.- Forgiveness is a two-way street. Forgiveness involves repentence - and either way (if we are the one offended, or if we know that we have offended another) restoration begins with us. In one passage we are instructed to go to a spiritual sibling that we know we have offended, in another we are intructed to go to a spiritual sibling who has offended us. Either way, we should be running to the person we are at odds with.- “Apologizing” is the world’s substitute for forgiving. Looking at the entemology, “apologia” was a defense made at court. So, rather than asking forgiveness (God’s way), an apology started out being a defense against one’s sin. Look at our word “apologetics” - it means “defense of”. Saying “I apologize” is a far cry from “I have sinned against God and against you. Will you forgive me?” Think of our kids - how sincere do you think they were when they looked at their feet and mumbled “sorry” to their sibling? When a person says “sorry”, they are not asking the one offended to do anything, nor are they agreeing to do anything. The matter is not put to rest.- “Sorry” is an emotion”. “I sinned, please forgive me” is far more.Adams uses this illustration:

Picture the wrongdoer holding a basketball. He apologizes, saying, “I’m sorry.” The one offended shuffles his feet awkwardly. It is always awkward to respondn to an apology, because you are not asked to do anything, and yet some sort of response is expected. The offended party says something inane like, “Well, that’s OK.” But it isn’t. The matter has not been put to rest. When you say the wrongdoing it OK you either lie or condone a wrong. At the end of the transaction the wrongdoer is still holding the ball.

Now, consider forgiveness. The wrongdoer comes with his basketball. He says, “I wronged you. Will you forgive me?” In doing so, he tosses the ball to the other person. He is freed of his burden. Not the burden of responsibility has shifted. The one wronged is asked to do what God requires him to do. He must either make the promise or risk offending God…

This is where it gets personal. This week I offended a person. I tossed the basketball in this person’s direction - the basketball is in that person’s hands.

The above things are about the offending party - what about the one offended? Adams says the promise of forgiveness involves three things:

1. I will not bring the matter up to you
2. I will not bring the matter up to another
3. I will not bring the matter up myself

I've already posted my "New Year's Resolutions" - like it or not, it seems to be a habit that we think of the new year as a time for contemplation and of new beginnings.  I didn't want my spiritual goals for next year to be "do this, don't do that".  That's moralism.  Me trying to be better is not what makes me better.

Last year, I had a goal of "reading the Bible".  But me reading the Bible is not what works - it's letting the Bible read me.  Am I willing to be examined by the Word of God?  This is not so much about what I DO, but rather my thoughts and motivations.  Knowing what the Bible says is a good thing - I'm not saying that we shouldn't read the Bible...but knowing what it says is only the first step to "getting" why it says what it says.

There is a huge difference between KNOWING who Jesus is (lots of people know that) and BEING who Jesus is.  LIke the saying goes, "Jesus with skin on".  I want to be Jesus with skin on.

• Don't be afraid of controversy.  Jesus was not afraid to call the religious leaders of His time a "brood of vipers" because of what their theology of works was doing to the people.
• Controversy with grace is the key.  There was a difference in the way that Jesus treated people who were doing wrong and the way He treated people who were teaching wrong.

There is a huge difference between knowing the grace that was extended to me - and making a choice to extend that grace to everybody around me - even (especially) those who really don't deserve it.   I want to extend grace.

I sin.  Everybody does.  I've been reading a little Spurgeon here and there (and I'm going to be reading more).  One of the striking things about Spurgeon is that he never, EVER lost his sense of wonder about the grace of God that was extended to him. I am that "wretched man" in Romans who knows what to do, but doesn't have the ability to do it.  That which I want to do I do not do and that which I do not want to do, I do.  Or more to the point, that which I should not want to do, I do anyway.

If I could do it - if I wanted to do it - I wouldn't need grace.  But I do need grace.  And that is what amazing, that I need to let go of what I can DO (which is nothing) and cling to what Christ did.

This is what I want to do.

It is not bad - it is good - to know what you believe and to stand up for it.  Being opinionated is not a bad thing - being able to clearly articulate why you hold that opinion is better.  Having a clearly articulated opinion, and stating it with gentleness and respect is best.

That may be my "phrase" for 2007 - "gentleness and respect"

That's a good goal - and you can start fresh anytime you need to.

I'm really looking for a nice 3-column layout that I can use - with an image at the top that I can stick my own work into.

Sorry for the mess it might cause.

you know...resolutions.

I'm going to shoot for Six-fives. (yes, I've edited already)
Five fun things I want to do

1. learn how to ski
2. go snowshoeing
3. go backpacking
4. take the summer off
5. get a membership to Meijer Garden

Five places I want to eat

1. The beach
2. San Chez (I'll skip belly dancing night)
3. My mom and dad's front porch
4. At my daughter's graduation party
5. on a boat - any boat

Five physical things I want to accomplish

1. 500 miles. Walking by the pedometer or Walk Away the Pounds.
2. Goal weight (this is a stretch, but it can still be a goal)
3. Backpacking. Really.
4. Learn to ski. Yes, these are repeats, but they're good things.
5. Stop biting my nails.

Five Biblical things I want to learn more about

1. imputation
2. the words of Christ
3. amillenialism
4. Old Testament prophecy revealed in Christ
5. old earth vs. young earth

Five things I'm looking forward to

1. Finally getting my AA (the credits are done, but I want to GET it)
2. Taking the summer off
3. transferring to a 4-year university
4. loving
5. living

Five authors/topics I want to read more of

1. Spurgeon
2. John Piper
3. Weight Watchers recipes
4. Greek
5. James White

(ht: Challies)

So...I finally got around to it (Christmas break and all that) and I'm discovering a few books that I have not read...

Covenant Theology, Peter Golding

Darwin's God, Cornelius G. Hunter

The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism, Gregg Strawbridge

(more to come, I'm sure)

Books I want to read again:

• Prodigals and those who love them, Ruth Bell Graham

I ran across this book...it's my all-time, hands-down favorite book to give away to either adopted kids or adoptive parents or teachers of adopted kids.

These are my resolutions for 2006

• 1. What am I going to do more of? Read the Bible.

I actually did pretty well on this one.  No, I'm not all the way through my plan, but I'm digging into other places

• 2. What am I going to do less of? Leave unfinished projects.

We're going to keep working on this one...

• 3. What am I going to do more of? Healthy activity.

My new job took care of that.  Between that and my commitment to weight watchers is helping further.

• 4. What am I going to do less of? Over indulge.

The first half of the year, not so well.  The second half, good.  Even on holidays...but I'm indulging in targetted areas that allow me to not be deprived, while still getting on the track to real health.

• 5. What am I going to do more of? Take care of my family.

As my kids grow older, this means different things.  Being less of a safety net, letting them/pushing them. I think I did ok.

I thought I had a better week...but I did lose 1 1/2 pounds.

this stuff...I think I'm just a porter gal...and this is not porter.