“Laughing With” Lyrics:

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God when it’s gotten real late and their kid’s not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say “We’ve got some bad new, sir,”
No one’s laughing at God when there’s a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’ve lost all they got and they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God in a hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all laughing with God

Laughing With by Regina Spektor from the album Far

*Click through to see/hear the music video*

Tags: religion, spirituality

I’ve been invited to be a contributor to a great food blog that supports healthy eating and nourishing foods, The Real Food Revolution.

Carrien already has such an amazing resource for, as she puts it, reviving the lost art of nourishing ourselves.  There are some helpful posts on meal planning, reading food labels, getting children to eat, and how to make homemade yogurt.  Just to name a few!

My first post is a frugal but nourishing recipe and one that I’ve probably served if you have visited recently.  See ya there!

Tags: health, meals

“I hear so many Christians MURMURING about their imperfections, and their failures, and their addictions, and their shortcomings… and I see so little WAR!!!!”

Tags: Christianity, spirituality

John 10:16 “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

So, what is Jesus talking about?  There are some clues in the Old and New Testaments.

Isaiah 56:8 “The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

Ephesians 2:12-18  “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

To whom are these verses referring to?  Who will be made into one body (one flock)?

The answer is plain through the reading of the entire chapters in which the verses are found.  But perhaps it is most clear in Colossians 3.

Colossians 3:11 and 15 “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

All throughout his life, Jesus referred to the changes that were taking place, in that salvation would be offered to the Gentiles.  In John 10 when Jesus is speaking of the “one flock” that will be, He is speaking to the Jews and referring to the Gentile nation.

As the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles and many were saved, Jews and Gentiles had difficulty reconciling their differences.  Colossians and Ephesians are rich with the authors urging them to be united in Christ, as they were called into one body through Him.

Some of you are probably scratching your head, wondering why on earth I would be making a point about something so obvious as what is meant by “one flock”.

All I can say is, be thankful.

Tags: Christianity, presuppositions

Tags: house, simplicity

Is it okay to serve a sugary dessert when a diabetic friend is part of the group?  Should you just assume they’ll refrain from partaking if they need to?

What if you know they struggle with choosing wise foods, and have ended up in the ER after eating too much sugar?

Or what if a friend battles health issues due to being overweight?  Is it okay then to still serve a dessert?  They obviously have not practiced moderation, despite the consequences.

If overeating is gluttony, and gluttony is a sin, is it okay to urge someone to have your dessert if they have initially said they’re too full?

What about coaxing a friend to have a bigger helping, or even a second helping of dessert?

Is it okay to refer to a dessert in your Facebook status?  Even though there’s a possibility that someone who abuses food could read it and end up bingeing?

Is it admissable to order a dessert at a restaurant?  Since 63% of Americans are overweight and 31% are obese, there are sure to be a large percentage of patrons there who will see your dessert.  What if someone you attend church with happens to come in the restaurant, sees you eating your dessert and it weakens their resolve to avoid sweets?

Is it okay to plan an entire gathering around food, and then include some friends who are overweight?

Can you justify posting photos of a birthday cake?  What if someone considers it to be food porn?

If a friend dies from complications that stem from being overweight or diabetic, how responsible are you if you ever served, ordered, ate, or gave them dessert?

Is it defensible to eat dessert and drive?

Tags: Christianity, presuppositions

I’m heading into controversial territory today.

Yesterday I called Christians out for being rude.  Now I’m going to suggest that Christians could learn a thing or two from the gay community.

If there’s any group that Christians feel justified being rude to, it’s the gay community.  It’s easy to condemn from afar.  To lump them with the leather-clad paraders you see on television.  (That’s about as fair as lumping Christians in with the abortion clinic bombers.)  Yet, people who know a gay personally have only good things to say.

Gays are an example of good evangelism. Speaking from personal observation, they are conscientious neighbors,  proficient business owners, and thoughtful volunteers.  They are known for their kindness and, at least here in Flint, their well-kept homes.  Others in their proximity come to respect them, and value them as friends and colleagues.

Even in a larger sense, the overall perspective of gays is increasingly positive.  Just look at current movies .  In almost every film made in the past couple years, there is a gay part.  It’s usually an attractive, well-dressed and very caring male with a great sense of humor.

If a Christian is in a movie, they are an unhappy over-religious bigot driven by guilt and fear.

Christians would like to decry these characterizations as a result of a media push to normalize something that ought not be, and to censure something else they just don’t like.  But perhaps they are simply representations of the general public’s opionion, based on personal experience.  That’s scary.

Even if you adamantly disagree with the gay lifestyle, it is difficult, if not impossible to dismiss a gay on a personal, individual level.  Shouldn’t the same hold true for Christians?  If a Christian is to be dismissed, it should be due to a rejection of the Gospel, not because he is a jerk.

Preaching the Gospel isn’t simply about quoting Bible verses and spewing Thou-shalt-not’s to people who have no reason to care.

You preach the Gospel by how you live your life. Jesus should be living through you - your hands, mouth and feet.  People will listen to what you have to say when you gain their respect and admiration by showing God’s love, grace and mercy to them, regardless of whether or not they deserve it.  You certainly didn’t deserve it, and neither did I.

p.s.   The Gospel isn’t preached by refusing to patron a business owned by a gay person, either.  What exactly does that prove anyways, except that they are correct in thinking that you’re an idiot.

p.p.s.   I do hold the belief that the Bible teaches homosexuality is a sin.  Just as fornication, pride and dishonoring your parents are sins.  It is possible to treat someone lovingly while not condoning their particular transgression.  That’s what Jesus did.

Tags: Christianity, idiocy, presuppositions, worldview

Being a Christian isn’t an excuse for rude behavior.

The very fact that one is a Christian, which simply means they are saved by grace thru faith in Christ, should cause them to be one of nicest persons anyone has the blessing of meeting!

Otherworldly joy should spark attractive behavior such as humbleness, acts of service, patience, kindness, consideration for others above themselves, giving, honesty.  People should notice their willingness to work, good stewardship in money and possessions, and most of all, a true love for others.

How do unbelievers view you?

Are you the stranger who doesn’t seem to care about anyone outside your circle?  Are you the snob who is afraid you might get some of their sin on you?  Are you the hypocrite who is quick to point out their failures?  Are you the selfish one who won’t make time to get to know them?  Are you the jerk who tries to send a “message” by condemning?  The nay-sayer?  The boycotter?

The Gospel is enough to offend.  You don’t have to be offensive.

Those who know what you stand for and believe in will either accept it or reject it.  That is in God’s hands.  But what about your testimony as neighbor and fellow sojourner in this life with unbelievers? Are you someone others enjoy being around, whose friendship people seek after?  Are you quick to smile and even quicker to offer a helping hand?

It is a tragedy when Christians twist verses about being “separate from” or “hated by” the world into pat excuses for being unloving. Christ alone should be the “stumbling block” or the “foolishness” that some reject, not your poor attitude.

Get out of your self, your agenda, your excuses, your selfishness, your presuppositions, your unrighteous judgment, your habits, your upbringing, your tradition, your SIN…

And be nice.

Tags: Christianity, religion

Finally got some plants in our potager garden.

A variety of vegetables and herbs, from Simple Times Farm and the Flint Farmer’s Market.

Also planted some hostas, fern, shrubs and a tree in our shade garden.

A lovely beast that I’m trying to figure out what to do with. Make a patio under it? What should I grow on it? (preferably something edible) Hmm.

And random pics of some of the children..

Tags: landscaping, photos