Checking For Bombs

By Peter (Rediscovering the Church)

My father once worked in an office which shared a parking lot with an army recruitment office. This was in England, back in the 1980's and, back then, England was going through a rough period where we had frequent terrorist threats and attacks.

Every now and then there would be a credible threat against all military offices and bases and the army guys would come by my Dad's office and nicely tell him that he should check under his car for bombs before going home.

It was all very exciting, but no bombs were ever found. We lived in a far too insignificant town for terrorists to come around our way. The threat was still real though, and the checks were necessary.

As I was reminiscing about those 'good old days' recently I started to really think about how important it is for us to check for hidden bombs. I'm not talking about C4, high explosive devices that will make your car jump three feet in the air like in a movie but rather hidden bombs in that threaten to destroy your life and your relationships.

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The Bible's Definition Of A Good Education: Part 3 - Wisdom

By Jason, M.Ed., M.A.R., Headmaster

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6, NKJV)

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10, NKJV)

Knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  These are the three words the Bible uses over and over again to describe the development of a mind and life that honor God.  Yet what do these words mean and what picture can we paint from them of the education that God would desire for our children?  We explored knowledge and understanding in previous articles. To summarize, we can define knowledge and understanding in this way:

Knowledge: The facts we know about something.  The information we acquire about God and His world. 

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All I Ever Have To Be

By MAD21

Fellow blogger Sarah Markley wrote a really good post this week called "Defining Me." It really got me thinking. My young children are beginning to have lives of their own between school schedules and activities like soccer and horseback riding. As a stay-at-home mom, I'm finding I have more flexibility in my time. That's not to say that I have more free time, just that I have a little more control over the insanity.

With this new flexibility in our family's routine, I'm finding that there is a little more time to think about how I'm spending my own life. My family is still my first priority, but once they are off and doing their own things, I'm left wondering what else God has planned for me. Which sometimes brings me to the same question that Sarah asked, "What defines me?" "Who am I?" Am I a mom, a teacher, a financial adviser, an office manager, a runner, a wife, a friend...

But after some thought, I realized the answer is... yes, I am all those things. Why do we have to make things so complicated? I came to the conclusion that who I am determines what I do. So if I want to know who I am, I not only need to look at how I spend my time, but also with what attitude I do it.

I have the amazing blessing of being a wife and mom to the best little girls ever. I take care of our household because I like it and I want to, I'm part of my children's education, and I run because I can. God has put me in this place at this moment, to do the things he's given me to do. And that's all I need to worry about. I don't need to try to be like anyone else, or accomplish more than what I'm doing. Because God has put me right here, right now. When the time comes for me to be anything more than what I am right now, I'll be waiting, with the faith that God will be there to guide me.

Amy Grant sang this song years ago. "All I ever have to be" ...is what you made me. It's the truth. He asks nothing more of us.

Fingerprint Friday: Our Little Furballs

By MAD21

I know that not everyone is a "cat-person." But quite honestly, I think most people who don't like cats have never been loved by one. Now, before you get all wound up over the "Cat vs. Dog" thing, know that my family are also "dog-people." We have a wonderful puppy, too, but I'll save her story for another day. Personally, my home just doesn't feel complete without one of each.

When my hubby and I got married, I brought two cats with me. They were brother and sister, but acted more like a married couple. It was quite entertaining. They were both given to me right after my previous cat had died. They were awful as kittens, I cannot say that strongly enough... AWFUL kittens. Most people, my parents included, would never have kept them. They tore everything up. But they became the most loving pets, but they were most assuredly, my pets. The girl cat, Emmy, didn't like anyone but me, and she let you know that if you got anywhere near her. She eventually accepted my hubby, but she would never had admitted it. They boy cat, Oscar, was like a little kid.. all the time. He was very mischievous, loved to play, and liked just about everyone.

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Can You Hear Me?

By MAD21

“God? Can you hear me? Are you there?” Wow. How many times have all of us asked God those questions? One has to wonder if He ever gets tired of hearing it. Like a parent who hears their child ask them the same question for the 100^th time. Or even like the cell phone commercial that has the guy walking all over the world in odd places saying, “Can you hear me now?”

Whether you are in a place where everything is going great for you, or you are caring for a sick loved one, looking for a job, or are feeling desperate for any reason, trust me, He ALWAYS wants to hear from you. Just as a parent will ALWAYS want their child to come to them, God will always want you.

If you are a parent, you know how happy you are when you talk to someone you love when you have been away for a long time, but when you talk to your child, that happiness is so intense it can take you to your knees. To hear that sweet little voice (or older mature voice) reaches right into your soul.

So think about it. If we feel that kind of deep, passionate love for our children, how much more does our Heavenly Father feel for us?

If it’s been awhile since you’ve had a chat with God, I encourage you to find the time. He is there waiting for you with open arms.