Dominion Family

Thanksgiving Files for You

Cindy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:09:56 +0000

In order to simplify our November poem and hymn selections I put them all in a file and printed four copies to use during MT. We can even use them Thanksgiving Day to sing (start practicing Murphys. I am not going to try the GP again. Our family can’t hit the high notes) The last poem is one that Dana posted just today. I fell in love with it.

Thanksgiving Files

Get your own at Scribd or explore others:

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Praising the Lord. Music: Part 3

Cindy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:15:41 +0000

The children at home are getting very excited by the fact that everyone will be home for Thanksgiving. They are already making up teams and plotting pranks. Last night, in spite of the fact that we have never watched the show, we played American Idol rather spontaneously. All 6 of us at home stood up and sang and sometimes danced. Alex kept yelling out “disqualified.” He would make a brutal judge. I concentrated on Broadway standards while Benjamin walked the line with a string of Johnny Cash songs. Christopher chose arena songs that we all had to join in to make work in the living room. Most of our neighbors are deaf which probably came in handy during We Will Rock You. Andrew absolutely stunned us by singing Si Do Mhaimeo I. and Emily knew a lot of the words to I will Survive plus she can carry a tune. That was great family fun.

It is good to have a heart full of music. Personally, I know nothing about the technical side of music, can’t carry a tune and can’t reach the high notes but for some reason I have always been drawn into music. My grandmother was said to be able to play any tune on the piano after hearing it once. I believe it because Timothy can do the same thing.

There are strong opinions about what kind of music should be in church and I don’t want to touch on that at all, that is outside the boundaries and expertise of this blog but when it comes to praising the Lord in the home and car, it is no holds barred.

One good thing came out of our musical confusion while raising our older boys, they grew up listening to some great Christian music from the 70’s: Keith Green, Phil Keaggy, Mylon LeFevre (a bit too hard for me now), The Love Song*, Randy Stonehill** (His best friend from Venezuela even goes to our church.), and Michael Card.

Music is a connection to our spiritual heritage. It can help keep our hearts soft and remind us to praise the Lord and rejoice always.

Here are a few of my personal selections for praising the Lord. I don’t get any sort of renumeration for the list, it is just a sample of what we listen to sometimes.

I recently purchased these files from Sovereign Grace music. Terry Stauffer tells how the words to the songs comforted his family after their daughter Emily’s murder.

Come Weary Saints

The Valley of Vision

Here is the first iMix I have ever made. It didn’t pick up all the music from my list but that is just as well. It is long enough.

What did we do before You Tube?

*Two Hands

or how about…

Little Country Church on the edge of town…dododododododo.

**The Sky Is Falling

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Bloggy Humor

Cindy — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:03:52 +0000

Amy linked to this and I laughed so hard I had to post it.

I GET this!

This gives me a chance to say that I appreciate the adult conversation of the blog world. I haven’t been in a vehicle since Friday night when my van died. Most of my conversations consist of :

Nodding interestedly while someone tells me which team won and which team lost.
Nodding disinterestedly while they try to tell me why.
Listening while Alex tells me his latest discovery. “You aren’t finished growing until you are 56.” That explains a lot. I think I may be still growing.
Telling people to get off the computer and read.
Explaining the sin nature.
Explaining that I do this because I love them.
Being corrected by teenagers.
Being shown how to use Facebook by Emily.
Talking to my neighbor about the weather and its relation to her arthritis.
Explaining why I said no. My husband isn’t here to say, “Stop arguing with your mother.”
And of course, talking on the phone to all the many family members who don’t live here anymore.
Talking to myself. Things are reaching the critical stage.

Oh, I better go; the garbage men are here and I want to run out and say Hi.

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Reflections on the Long Haul

Cindy — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:06:25 +0000

Sometimes it is hard having a large family. Many young women feel that the hard part is being pregnant and having nursing babies and toddlers always around. Come to think of it that does sound daunting!
On the flip side, when the children start flying away it happens just as fast. The seismic shift in family life can leave gaping holes. But when the dust is settled, something amazing usually takes place. Everyone moves up a notch. Maturity levels rise. Relationships change and blossom. A child who was content to be under the radar is suddenly a leader. I have seen this happen over and over again but it is always a source of surprise and encouragement to me.

Having been in the race for so long, I sometimes visualize myself at the end. It helps me to remember that if I only had Andrew and Alex I would feel like I was at the beginning of the journey. Their fresh, eager little faces keep me motivated to finish the race faithful and strong. I want my age and experience to be a benefit to those little guys rather than the drag it sometimes seems. It would be so easy to say, “been there, done that,” and move on to fresh pursuits and interests. It would be easy to not read the Little House series aloud for the 4th time. It would be easy to let increasing technopoly rob them of a simple childhood, to let them become, what so many other little boys are today, addicted to gaming. (I am hoping in coming days to discuss homeschooling & poetic knowledge once again.)

But homeschooling and child training are not hobbies for me. They are my calling*. If I was purposeful and eager 25 years ago I want to be ever so much more so today. It is going to take a lot more prayer and way more caffeine. I have lost a whole boatload of naivete. I came pre-loaded with more than my fair share. I have gained a wagon load of caution. But I am not so jaded that I don’t see the wonders God has performed in my family.

3 John 1:4 says it all: “I have no greater joy than to see my children walk in the truth.”

Putting no confidence in the flesh, Please God, let me finish the race.

* Meaning I know that they aren’t a calling for everyone.

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Special Offer from Trivium Pursuit

Cindy — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:37:57 +0000

This just in
A great opportunity!!

I have been a longtime subscriber to the Bluedorn’s newsletters. I love their balanced approach. Laurie also has a blog. Their Hand That Rocks the Cradle was a lifesaver for me many, many years ago. I need to break that out again and see how many of the books we have now read.

Special Offer from Trivium Pursuit and Christian Logic

Our readers have the opportunity to receive two free ebooks from Trivium Pursuit.

1.The 73 page ebook of the entire text of Chapter Twelve: Ten Things to Do With Children Ages Ten Through Twelve from the book Teaching the Trivium: Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn

2.The new 94 page ebook Ancient Literature: Significant Excerpts from the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum - Volume Two: Alexander the Great.

You will receive both of these ebooks when you subscribe to the Homeschooling with the Trivium newsletter. This offer is only for new subscribers to Homeschooling with the Trivium and is good only through November 30. Go here to subscribe.

In addition, if you subscribe to Christian Logic’s Fallacy Detective News you will receive two lessons from the logic textbook The Thinking Toolbox by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn (Lessons 12 and 13, along with exercises and answer key). This offer is only for new subscribers to The Fallacy Detective News and is good only through November 30. Go here to subscribe.

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January Book Club Notice: All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes

Cindy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:48:50 +0000

For those who have never participated in our reading club here is a link to a series of posts from the last one we did.

I will arrange dates and schedules and set up a Mr Linky. You will need to get a copy of the book and blog about the chapter we are reading. We usually set up a day of the week to post but that is just to keep us all on the same page. You can also comment on any or all of the other blog posts linked to in the Mr Linky, so you don’t have to have a blog to participate. You can also have a student participate. No commitment required.

Sources for All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myers:

Horrible over sight on my part. Please order from Rick first. His prices are always better and he is offering a deal of $10.00 Post Paid. Can’t beat that. I am a bear of little brain!

Cumberland Books
PO Box 155
Dunnville, KY 42528

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Let’s Jazz it Up. Music: Part 2

Cindy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:02:24 +0000

So let us start here:
We have the Bible.
We have the Holy Spirit if we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone.
We have everything we need for life and godliness.
We have liberty in Christ.

Tidbits:

The problem I had from my more fundamental days was that I ended up listening to virtually nothing. I was afraid of music. Having grown up in a solid Christian home with parents with broad and eclectic tastes in music, I never quite felt comfortable saying, “This is the exact line in which music becomes God’s music…” but I was around people who were sure they knew. The thing I could never give up was Christmas music.*

Another factor from my own past was that I had never participated in rebellion in which a certain music was attached. Many people have to be careful to avoid certain music that reminds them and stirs them to bad things. We should never despise this decision.

The good thing about transparency is that it helps us be in an iron sharpening iron relationship. We can’t do that if we just pretend. There is a place for Christians to challenge one another in our lifestyles and habits. It is important that we at least try to understand where a rebuke is coming from even if we want to kill the rebuker. This is also an important child raising concept. If someone tells you your little darling did something wrong, don’t automatically assume they got it wrong. Look for the grain of truth and you will be a better parent. Accept a rebuke and you will be a wiser person.
I personally find this one of life’s most difficult challenges. My usual first response to a rebuke is: En garde!

Music is a shortcut to our hearts. We connect emotionally to music and because of that it is dangerous. But we don’t have to throw it all away in fear. It is also a gift from God for His praise and glory but also,I think, for our joy and sorrow.

Before I tell our Music Story I want to say that the Internet has brought the world to our doorstep. We are to live in the world but not be of the world and yet the world is ever with us late and soon. The only antidote that I know of in the face of this onslaught is the frequent reading of God’s word, The Bible. Our hearts must be filled with God’s word. I don’t mean that our hearts must be filled with theology and sermons found on the Internet but that if we expect to make it through this slough we must read the Bible morning, noon and night. It must be hidden in our hearts. Not so that we can throw verses at one another in an argument over music but so that while we are listening to music or surfing the net or reading blogs our discernment is sharp.

It is a mess of a lot easier to ban music from the home than practice and learn discernment. The problem with substituting elimination for discernment is that it leads to pride. There is the opposite problem of substituting liberty for discernment. This also leads to pride.

* I don’t think these post strike a note with people who haven’t been through the whole fundamental music lifestyle thing. If you never threw records on a bonfire (some things do need to go on a bonfire) then try not to laugh at our agonies.

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Come Let Us Haggle. Music: Part 1

Cindy — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:58:57 +0000

When I said I was writing about music to no good purpose, I meant it, just like when I said my goal was to run just 1 mile I meant it. I have been thinking of how to broach the subject because while it is good to discuss these things in the light of the Bible, the Internet is a vast domain and we all have different experiences and stories. To be honest, I am just like you still haggling over many of these issues. The earlier post was just a bit of transparency. Hillaire Belloc has a book called The Four Men: A Farrago
in which four men travel about the countryside together. They are 4 distinctly different men and yet they are the same man at different periods of his life. Isn’t that a wonderful premise for a book?

I don’t want to get bogged down in a long blog post on the subject so maybe I can just throw out a few snippets here and there for discussion over the next week.

Our family journey has us both growing up CMA(Christian and Missionary Alliance) and active in the denomination all over the country. We then joined a Presbyterian church after a shocking conversation about predestination with a friend. We went Baptist during our Gothard years. Returned to Presbyterianism until we decided to leave one church. With no other options we attended a Baptist church again temporarily until we joined our present Presbyterian church. To our Baptist friends we are too Presbyterian and sometimes I am pretty sure my Presby friends get a little frustrated with me. But if you ask all the children, which is not how I recommend doing these things, they would all say they were happier in the Presbyterian churches we attended. Our current church is like a dream come true. There is a whole story in the above paragraph that I can hardly begin to relate because it has us going back and forth in our own minds over the years on many issues including music.
And we are still haggling, but to tell the truth we have more freedom to do that where we are now.
Many of the readers of this blog are people I have met along the way at one point or another and a few of you have walked almost the whole way with me.

So let me give you a little example of the sort of dichotomy we have seen:
Our boys are attending a fundamental Baptist college in Chattanooga. Their first choice was an expensive Presbyterian school also in Chatt. The Baptist school has a no dancing policy while the Presbyterian school requires their students to take a ballroom (type) dancing class. Two Christian schools in the same city with entirely different worldviews.

It is always very comfortable to separate ourselves along those sorts of lines, dancers/non-dancers, drinkers/non-drinkers, Premil/postmil, Calvinsist/should-be-Calvinists* etc. but the Internet has made it a little more obvious that many of us are very alike in many ways and then suddenly drastically different. There is also a danger that we will cause one another to stumble, a very real danger. The danger I am always worried about though is the danger that we will all just pretend to be something we are not while sin grows rampant under the carpet. Have I said that before? As in everything, there is a balance between sharing too much and not sharing enough.

And then there is the Bible!

I will try and share some of our family’s musical journey and also some of our favorite Christian artists and CDs in future posts.

*Just kidding

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In Which I Ramble About Music to no Good Purpose

Cindy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:07:37 +0000

As you read this I am on a road trip which proves my magnanimity and ability to let people disagree with me. I am helping take my sweet little grand baby and his mother(they are inseparable) to live in another state. While I do want my son to have his family with him, I am rather crushed by the loss. They will be back for a Thanksgiving visit, but still.

So I have been scouring the internet for audio ideas for the trip. Having older children and even older parents, to say my taste in music is eclectic is ridiculous. After all my dad is the one who introduced the children to the Bee Gees. Would you believe I have a son who likes Tragedy?
But then again I once had a son who couldn’t believe I didn’t like The Coward of the County and another one who was shocked when I didn’t think Copacabana was the single greatest song ever written. This will not make a bit of sense to those of you with only younger children or less passionate families*. The good news is that taste changes with maturity which is not quite the same thing as saying you can’t be 40 and like KC & the Sunshine Band.

The truth is that I like Twist & Shout in small doses and I do get a bit weird over 70s soft rock but I swear I would never purposely listen to I Started a Joke. Ok, Ok, I like Staying Alive.

Yesterday I listened to Vivaldi AND Landing in London. Have you ever listened to Landing in London? It’s not in the Vision Forum catalog and that is probably a good call on their part. It is one of those minor key depressing rockish ballads. I absolutely love it and always play it when I am sad and should be listening to I Will Praise You in This Storm or various versions of the frowning Providence song . I found it on my computer one day and I don’t even know who bought it but I am pretty sure it was Eeyore (Any guesses?****). To get the full effect you should listen to it while staring numbly into the computer screen and thinking of people far away. It is so postmodern. And it starts with a plane landing in London in a storm. How cool is that?

I am not actually recommending the song. What I am really doing is chatting blithely while burning The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for the trip.

And now the CDs are burned and I am ready to hit the road.

I am also accepting music confessions. If you listen to Neil Diamond now is the time to get it off your chest. I promise we will make fun of you.

Question: On iTunes what does it mean when it says Alternative? Is it pop for snobs? What makes Coldplay not pop? Their social conscience? What they name their children? For the record, I don’t listen to Coldplay. I’m just not cool enough to like Alternative music.

*I highly recommend less passionateness*** or impactfulness**. In our family once a flag is planted the battle never ends no matter how ludicrous the original idea was: “I know Phil Keaggy cut his own finger off! I am willing to go to jail to prove it. If I have to die I will never admit he didn’t. Even if Phil Keaggy himself walks in this room…..” FYI Phil Keaggy did not cut his own finger off. I asked his manager.

**Not a word

***Not a good word

****Also known as the human tornado. Another hint: Known to enjoy cucumbers over cookies.

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Creation and the Godhead

Cindy — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:45:15 +0000

In my defense, I grew up in Florida. I am guessing that explains why I lose all perspective in the autumn. I honestly don’t feel able to do anything but just revel in the beauty. In a couple of days most of it will be over but I am finding myself just a tiny bit impatient with non-Christians. At least in North Alabama it is pretty clear that God is. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see it and we have a lot of those around here.

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above [1] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice [2] goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

I am thinking this explains how even without the enlivening of the Holy Spirit leading to salvation man is still guilty before God.

Romans 1 repeats the message.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

As Lynne said in the comments there is only one person we can say is awesome without being cliche.

Our God is awesome!

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