Loving the Sinner…

Ugh, I have not been able to get on to this blog to write. Sometimes life is busy, and there is only so many hours in a day.

Defending Wrong

I always tell JJ to live centered between the hands–you know, “on the one hand…but on the other hand…”

Fencing vs. Swordfighting

Someone shared this on their Facebook page today. Looks like we are right in the middle of the sixteen-year-old “My Mom is so annoying.” I can’t wait to reach 25 years and hear him say, “Mom, you were right.”

Ugh, I so hate when teenagers get “snarky,” which means “critical; cutting; testy.” JJ’s snarkiness has been like Michigan weather. In Michigan, we can go for days and weeks without seeing the sun because the Lakes are cloud-makers and they hold the clouds over our state. We are used to it, although too many sunless days can get very tiresome.

A Gentle World With Gentle People

My son hasn’t been the easiest person to live with in the last couple weeks. He is more argumentative (and insulting) than normal when he doesn’t get his way. I suspect he is trying to establish his independence and he thinks he is scoring a win when his skillful words hurt, but he doesn’t yet realize how damaging his words can be.

How We See

I’ve learned a lot about Greek and Hebraic thinking in recent years. I know, I know, I have written about it quite a bit, but it really does affect many things, ranging from our belief about God and Scripture to life and to teaching a teenage son.  One aspect of Greek thinking is that two opposite things can’t both be true–if Thing A is true then Thing B is false. Greek thinking has resulted in many church debates and denominational splits over the centuries as people argue(d) about things like “Does God choose us OR do we choose God?” or “Is God sovereign OR do we have free will?” “They can’t both be true!” Hebrew thinking, on the other hand, believes that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our ways and there is room for mystery. Two seemingly opposite things can both be true. God chooses us AND we choose Him. God is sovereign AND we have free will. The Jews believe “these, also, are the words of God.”

Chili Day

EJ and JJ are having a good time up north. They are hunting on a 100+ acre property that is owned by his friend’s uncle. They are nice and comfy in a heated deer blind. JJ took this picture with his cell phone this morning:

Acknowledge & Accept

One of my favorite books that we are reading in our homeschool is The Book of Jewish Values – A Day-by-Day Guide to Ethical Living by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. The book has taught us a lot, caused us to pondering many things, and has resulted in some interesting discussions. I HIGHLY recommend this book. Today’s reading went along with what I have been writing lately about repentance and forgiveness, so I’d like to share it:

Rebuilding Boundaries

Whenever I have contact with my Mom/family, I go through a cycle over and over again. With each contact, I have to re-work through what I already worked through before. Maybe some day I will hold firm to it. the cycle is:

Confusing Times

I try my very best to be truthful–to wrestle with the truth, to pursue truth, to let truth change me, to think truth, to write about the truth, and to live truth. I try to present the truth about myself too, both good things and bad, both strengths and weaknesses, failures and weaknesses. I’m not sure I am always successful, but I try.

Unrepentant Hearts

Yesterday afternoon I made apple pies while EJ watched football on TV. While the pies were baking, I took my dog Danny for  a walk. The day was beautiful and the walk delightful. When I got back, the pies had been taken out of the oven (as I asked EJ to do). I was out of tea and he wanted ice cream to go along with the pie, so I walked to the gas station/store to buy both. The store didn’t have the brand of instant tea that I like (they had Nestea, not Lipton) so I bought me a couple of bottles of Sobe Lifewater instead. It was a good delicious treat.