Scripture to Memorize

Here's a list of 40 Bible verses I have compiled for my children to memorize and also for my wife and I to use weekly as simple and easy platforms to catechise (instruct) our children with.
    The Spirit moved me deeply last year reading Colossians 3:16 where it states, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...".  and, well, I was convicted that It -- the Word --wasn't dwelling deeply much of anywhere inside me or my family, so one idea I had among many was to set about to find a list "out there" of Bible passages to use for memorization.  We'd been doing a bit of this but nothing very orderly.  Unfortunately, most of what I found were only happy, feel-good verses (typically taken out of it's context) or they didn't reflect the whole counsel of God's Word even in the slightest.  
     I want my children to wrestle with the tough passages of Scripture as well as the "common sense" or easy ones.  I want God's Word to prepare them to understand and deal with death, temptation, laughter, Satan, irony, ungodly neighbors, cheats, heralding the Good News, liars, hyperbole and being patient with Christians (perhaps the most difficult task on the planet).
     So, I went about assembling a list that I hope reflects some of all that.  I've put together two lists so far, and this list below will likely last us through 2011.  My other is mainly comprised of Proverbs, more of the coram Deo emphasis (before God's face) dealing with day-to-day struggles and decisions.
     My wife goes over one verse a week in the mornings before our kids lessons and then I go over that same verse after dinner each night, coupling it with a Scripture reading.
     Anyway, here they are.  Please feel free to copy them if you so desire, and may God's Word burrow down deep into you and your family's soul.

 Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.”
 Luke 17:33 - “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but whoever  loses his life will find it.”
 Isaiah 6:3 – “Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"
 Proverbs 30:5 - “Every word of God is true, and He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”
 Matthew 7:12 - “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
 Job 28:28 – “The fear of the Lord is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding.”

Revelation by Flannery O'Connor

Are you a high to middle class American?  Are you also a Christian and have been for say, 10 years or more?  If so, you absolutely must drop everything you are doing, or about to do, and sit down and read the fictional, short story Revelation by the late, great Flannery O'Connor.  It is around 15 pages in length and can be found online HERE 

Read it and when you're done ponder your perceived virtues and cherished idiosyncrasies.  Then prepare to get a bit dirty, bloody and honest, and examine yourself with the Word as the scalpel. 
    
Here's a couple of grieving and deeply haunting questions I found myself asking: "How often do I hold these "virtues" of mine up as the standard in harsh judgement of others made in the triune image of God?  How often do I act as though I'm the one "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"?  (Colossians 2:2-3).  

Yeah, read it and let Spirit do His work.

We Are Always Speaking (even when our lips aren't moving)

    "Meaning in language depends on consensus.  The sound "cat" denotes a feline to English speakers because English speakers agree that it does.  French speakers can make no sense of the sound, but say "chat" (without the "t") and everything becomes clear.

    Augustine gives a neat twist to this common notion.  Not only do we know what words mean because a group agrees, but learning what words mean involves coming to agreement with those who use the word.  Learning that "katze" means "cat" unites me, in a small way, with all German-speakers.

    This is the heart of Augustine's analysis of the dangers of superstition.  If an astrologer says, "If Venus is in the fifth house, you'll fall in love," and I agree, even if I agree simply by failing to disagree, I have formed a pact in falsehood.  Worse, by agreeing with the astrologer, I've entered into a league with the demons who inspired his false signs in the first place.

    Confronted with a false word, there is no way to remain neutral, to let it slide.  I must either enter into fellowship with falsehood or break the consensus by disagreeing and telling the truth.  "No", I must say to the astrologer, "Venus doesn't mean that."

    Such disagreement is a liberation.  But Augustine's analysis also raises disturbing questions about our culture's mania for politeness.  What kind of villainy do we tolerate when we smile and smile and refuse to disagree?"

  - Peter Liethart,  Touchstone Magazine: July/August 2008

Living Life in the Spirit

"Whatsoever evil thou sayest of thyself, be content that others should think it to be true: and if thou callest thyself a fool, be not angry if another say so of thee."

    - Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Excercise of Holy Living (1650)

10 Wonderful Picture Books for Young Girls

1)  The Princess and the Kiss
      by Jennie Bishop
2)  A Bargain for Frances
      by Russell Hoban

3)  My First Little House Books series

      (especially Dance at Grandpa's)

4)  Just Plain Fancy by Patricia Polacco
5)  James Herriot's Treasury for Children (farm animal stories)
6)  Little Daylight by George MacDonald
     (a wonderful storybook version, isbn #0688063012)
7)  Thundercake by Patricia Polacco
8)  Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban
9)  Corduroy by Don Freeman
10)  The Little House by Virgina Lee Burton

A Maplebar + 2 strips bacon = The Good Life

No, your eyes are not misleading you, these really

are maplebars with two strips of bacon on top. 

It goes for a mere $1.96 at DK Donuts (not the
national chain) in downtown Boise located
at State and 13th. They just recently started

selling these novelties, but beyond these they have,

in my opinion, the best doughnuts in the Valley.

I snapped this pic from my cellphone after securing

for myself a fine apple fritter for the morning rounds.