Lo and behold, there is a follow-up to the original painting:

The painting features current President Barak Obama standing on the Constitution and flanked by all the other presidents including George W. Bush who is just over his right shoulder. Click here for a larger, interactive, version of this painting.

What first strikes me about the painting itself (other than FDR standing) is that it is Obama who is standing on the Constitution amidst shreds of paper containing the Bill of Rights.  Could we not also put other presidents, like, I don’t know, George W. Bush himself who presided over the near military state as the Patriot Act was signed into law to “protect” the American people while giving the federal government unprecedented power over the populous?

More Than Meets the Eye

Short of making this post overly political (considering the subject of the painting), I want to comment on the overtones that this work shares considering the artist who painted it and the similarities to the one formerly mentioned.

If, according to the artist Jon McNaughton, the Constitution was handed to our country’s founders by Christ himself, its violation is not only a violation of the law of the land, but of God’s sacred decree.  We could equally expect the author to paint a picture of a group of nation leaders cracking the tablets containing the Ten Commandments or setting Bibles ablaze.  Should the US Constitution be put on the same stand as divine revelations from God?

Jesus Christ did not visit the Native Americans after his resurrection and he did not offer new sacred texts written on gold plates that were only seen and translated by one man in secret.  Christ did not visit the Founding Fathers of our country and hand them the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  The Constitution, while a firm foundation for our country, was not divinely inspired and is not infallible.

Secondly, and again more politically, this was painted by a Mormon.  Is it any coincidence that another Mormon has a very good chance at achieving the Republican nomination for president?  There are fewer subtleties in this work than the other, which contained several direct references to the Mormon faith, but it is no less a product of a specific political agenda that could definitely change the fabric of our republic.

It has been speculated that when George W. Bush was in office he saw himself as an active player in the End Times and acted accordingly.  The hubris that goes into that kind of decision-making is frightening because it may be likely that decisions are made to actually incite violence than to quell it.  What, then, happens when a person who considers the US Constitution the infallible Word of God along with the perspective that the Christian faith is wrong and incomplete?  My friend, it sets us up for a potentially even more compromised presidency marred with blind arrogance.

The motto of the Reformers is more relevant today: Sola Scriptura!  There is no higher authority that we can turn to than the inspired Word of God.  The Bible teaches us the history of God’s action and the story of humanity’s fall from grace and the restoration of God’s people by the salvific work of Christ on the cross.  No other document can compare and no other document is on the same level as this one.

I don’t usually make political comments, but something occurred to me watching the news tonight.  Many have talked about the high divorce rates that continue to climb higher.  People who are divorced remarry 65% of the time and they have an even higher divorce rate than the rest of us.

Could it be that even with criticism (and perhaps because of it), Newt has achieved the status of the common man?  ”He’s been there! He understands!”

What a time we live in.

Last week conversations erupted in regard to tiny little Amelia Rivera and her treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  Amelia is nearly three-years-old and has a lower than average IQ and some developmental delay.  She also has a rare condition called Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS) that will soon require a kidney transplant.  The entire Rivera family is eager to find a donor within their family in hopes of helping their little gift have a long and happy life.  Yet tears still streamed from shocked faces as her parents talked with her doctor.

The sobs and jaw on the floor is in response to what the doctor just said. Apparently little Mia is not eligible for a transplant because she is too stupid. The doctor said it almost as delicately, suggesting that mental retardation excludes her from the transplant surgery, even if a donor is found within the family.  The social worker seated next to the nephrologist suggested that with a life-long regiment of taking anti-rejection drugs, they cannot trust Mia to be able to care for herself as the reason to justify condemning her to death.  The hospital has the resources to save Mia’s life, but they would rather see her die. Read more about this conversation.

Thinking the Unthinkable

In his book Hunger for God [download here for free], John Piper takes a break from his discourse on the Christian practice of fasting to discuss abortion.  Certainly there are many strong opinions on the subject not only liberal and conservative but others who are attempting to approach the controversy in a more pragmatic way.  Yet at the core of the debate is the value that our society puts on the life of a child.  Piper rightly concludes that there will never be an end to abortion when our society continues to even consider it as an option.

This child with amazing support and love of a family may be the victim of abortion.  Though she has lived more than two years outside the womb, medical science has concluded that she has the right neither to breathe the air nor to have a chance to thrive.  Amelia is not the only one.

Evelyn Kraemer and Sareta-Beth McRann each have a son who was born with thanatophoric dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism whose name means “death-bearing” in Greek.  Evelyn recalls being encouraged to choose to kill her child, Samuel, in the womb because he may not live very long.  Sareta, after giving birth to baby Christian had to fight the doubt and utter denial of doctors that he was worth medical care, even as he showed signs of improvement.

Darling Samuel has now passed his fifth birthday and is a joy to his mother as he continues to reach new milestones.  Christian just turned nine-months and is living at home much to the amazement of his entire medical team.  Together these boys are two of fewer than ten in the world who live with this disorder.

Read about Samuel Mann.

Read about Christian McRann.

Special Abilities

It is not a day at the spa when it comes to taking care of a child with special needs.  While my own son, Tinsley, had had his medical complications, I can only imagine the difficulty that some parents have in managing the complicated health problems of their children.  Yet, there is also unspeakable joy and an utterly new perspective that these children bring with them.  They challenge us to view ourselves and the core of our being in ways that you could only understand if you could stand with them.  Songwriter Michael Card put it like this:

But he [Albert] carries ’round inside himself
The knowledge he gives free.
If you look through, not at, his life
A whole new world inside you’ll see.

Mia is much more than brain damaged and mentally retarded if those are even appropriate ways to speak about her condition.  She has unique gifts and abilities to give and receive love, to take the most difficult part of herself and wear it for the world to see.  Not many of us are lucky enough to have the opportunity to live in full presence of our deformities, embrace them, and inhale the deep richness of a life truly lived.

Beyond the Womb

Abortion is not only about the womb.  It is about the foundational belief in the sanctity of human life.  Our position on abortion is our position on who is allowed to live and who should die.  It is our stand against the evolutionary progress of the human race and instead rally the value of the one who God created in His image, even when that image is altered by our slavery to a fallen world.  Not that Amelia, Samuel, and Christian deserve those difficulties, but these difficulties along with every other disease are signs of the presence of sin in God’s kingdom that is here, but also yet to come.

Abortion is forsaking our trust in a sovereign God who promises that He will make all things new.  It means that we cannot accept what He ordains “for the good of those who love Him.”  Abortion means that ordinary humankind, not Christ, is responsible for itself and must purge the species of unwanted chromosomes.  Abortion is the utter denial of the return of a conquering Christ who will rid our world of every stain of sin.

I remember sitting in Sunday School class and hearing about the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions den, and Moses parting the Red Sea and wondering what this all means.  It seemed to be just a series of unrelated episodes, except for the common factor that God was intimately involved.

More recently I heard a sermon (at an undisclosed location) on Jesus calming the storm from the gospel of Luke.  The speaker eagerly talked about how the storm represents an obstacle in our lives that we have to try to get around or over or under, but Jesus may call us through the storm.  Does this interpretation accurately demonstrate the meaning of the passage?  What did Mark intend when he wrote it?  What did the event mean to those who witnessed it?  Most importantly what did Jesus intend to teach when he performed this miracle?

What we are talking about here is biblical theology.  It may sound intimidating, but it basically means the way that we find meaning in the pages of the Bible.  We all come to the Bible with a set of assumptions and learning to properly interpret the Bible helps us to comb through those assumptions and get to what the Bible is all about, first in terms of it being God’s Word, then in terms of it being God’s Word to us.

Start With Jesus

It is no surprise to the Christian that Jesus is the central character of the whole Bible.  While it was written over thousands of years before Jesus was born, it is clear from the opening pages of Genesis that God has a plan to redeem his people.  He doesn’t outright tell us what that plan is, but throughout the Old Testament he gives us clues or types for Christ that tell the Israelites something of what to expect.

Jesus himself tells us that the Bible is all about him.  In Luke 24:13-35 is a scene that occurs after Jesus’ resurrection from death.  Two friends are walking along and talking about what has happened to Jesus whom they followed.  As they talked Jesus himself walked up and entered into the conversation.  He told them that the things that had happened were prophesied and were necessary to fulfill God’s plan.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
(Luke 24:27 ESV)

Essentially, Jesus told these two men that the entire Old Testament is about him!  The basic story of the Bible is the story of Jesus Christ and how God planned to bring about the redemption of his people through his own death on the cross.  When we begin here and then step back through the Old Testament and move forward through the New, we have a framework for how to derive meaning from each passage of the Bible.

Road Signs to Truth

Biblical theology first begins with Christ’s own interpretation of the Bible: the Bible is a story about him.  When we grasp this concept, then we can begin to work on how each story, each passage connects back to Christ in some way.  I appreciate the analogy that each chapter is like a road sign that points us in the direction of Jesus.

I have often struggled with how the rules and regulations in Leviticus and Deuteronomy are about Jesus.  The Apostle Paul talks in Romans about the Law of Moses and how it functions to point out our sin.  Well, if we know what our sin is we then know our need for a savior.  We can also assume that the Savior would be someone would could and would meet all the requirements of the Law.  In some way then, the Law is a description of Jesus.  You see how even those passages tell us about Jesus?

Not only does the Old Testament tell us about Jesus’ character, but it tells us about his family, gives us people who in a sense foreshadow who Christ will be by the way that they live, and it tells us all the things that God did to make his plan a reality.  It is amazing how so many things could go wrong because of sin, but God was never surprised and his plan was never knocked off course.

What Does THAT Mean?

Let’s face it, there are many passages in the Bible that are hard to understand.  Sometimes the Bible can even seem like it is contradicting itself.  Biblical theology in expressing the unity of the story, also can help to interpret itself.  When a passage is difficult to understand it may be helpful to search the rest of the Bible for other places that particular topic or story is addressed or told.  If we see the Bible as being inspired by God, one singular source, then it is easy to conclude that the Bible must tell one truth, so where it is unclear it can be clarified with further study.

Back to Me

Finally, because the story of the Bible is about Jesus, it is also about each of us as Christians.  Rather than an allegorical interpretation like the one I mentioned earlier about Jesus calming the storm, we are part of the story because we are the reason that Jesus came and the story came to be in the first place.

The trouble is many people read the Bible and start to interpret by asking what the Bible says to me.  If we think of the Bible as a series of moral stories that help us live a better life, we miss the most powerful and true meaning of the Bible.  Remember, we start with Jesus because the whole Bible is about him.  When we start by asking what the passage says about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation, then we can follow-up by talking about what that means in our lives today.

Let’s take the story of Jesus calming the storm in the gospel of Mark.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
(Mark 4:35-41 ESV)

Notice when we are told the disciples became afraid: after the storm was over.  Jesus is calm the entire time, and then after he tells the storm to stop, he turns to them and asks them why they did not believe.  Rather than a story about the storms of life, this story is about Jesus’ authority over the created order.

In greater terms, it is a story to demonstrate who Jesus is: that he was sent from God.  To go even further, the disciples are concerned that they may die in the storm.  If we believe Jesus to be who he said he is and that he will do what he said he will do, then could he possible die in a storm at sea?  Hardly.  When Jesus wonders why the disciples still have no faith, he asks them why they do not yet believe that he is the Messiah come to save the world!

What then does this mean for my life? Far more than what it would mean if we interpret the storms as the “storms of life” and Jesus calming those waves as my commission to calm the storms of my life.  This story means that everything is under the power and authority of Christ.  It means that I can trust that he was able and effective in the work he did on the cross to rescue me from my death in sin.  I can trust that he is the One he said he is.  I can believe that whatever happens in my life that nothing will thwart his plan.

What Have We Learned?

1. Jesus is the central person in the Bible.
2. The entire Bible is a story about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation.
3. Both the Old and New Testaments tell us something about the character of God and his Son.
4. If we see the Bible as one consistent whole, unclear passages can be interpreted based on the rest of the Bible.
5. Because we are Christians, the stories in the Bible also apply to our daily lives if we first interpret them according to what they say about Jesus.

In the next several posts I will talk more about the concept of the typology of Christ in the Bible and then we will walk through the entire Bible as one complete story of God’s redemptive work through Jesus.  I am eager to show you what I have learned over the years about how the whole Bible tells the most beautiful and powerful story in all of history and fiction.  My ultimate hope is that you will be blessed as you see the Bible in a whole new way.

Let me track the logic for you. In the final chapters of his book Vintage Church, Mark recommends that pastors spend a concerted amount of time watching popular movies and television shows, with the exception of those he would consider pornographic (Vintage Church, p.225). He says that he owns multiple TiVo units so that he can watch everything while skipping through commercials to save time.

Dricoll seems to have a fairly liberal definition of pornography, at least in comparison to some. He accepts that there are acceptable depictions of the nude form in art (i.e. Michelangelo’s David), which many consider offensive. However, his concept of what constitutes as pornography has at least one interesting aspect. The definition of what Mark considers pornographic includes “along with sexual nudity and pornography, we also include women’s romance novels” (Real Marriage, p. 145).

I have heard this argument about these trashy novels before, and I think it holds merit. One of the distinct differences in the sexuality of men and women is that men are more visual in nature and women are more engaged by emotional content. The infamous Harlequin novels have graphic detail of sexual encounters according to the random interviews I have read with their authors. Their obvious appeal is the fantasy that it presents as these novels are consumed by a primarily female audience.

This kind of sinful lustful fantasizing extends to such things as the Twilight phenomenon, where older women, many of them mothers, openly fantasize about sexual desires they had for the young actors in the film (Real Marriage, p. 145).

I am in no way trying to defend the Twilight series (which implies that I think there is a defense for it). My curiosity lies in how Driscoll came to this conclusion. I see only 3 scenerios:

1. Mark began to read the books/watch the first movie and at some point decided that they must be pornographic according to the above definition and then stopped.
2. Mark did not read the books or watch the films, but instead made a preemptive judgement on their content based exclusively on media coverage and book jackets/previews for the films, which is irresponsible.
3. Mark has a different standard for what is pornographic for men and what is pornographic for women, thus he can justly watch the films and read the books with a clear conscience, but forbid women to do likewise.
4. Mark talked to a trusted someone who has read the books/watched the films and therefore has borrowed that opinion from that person and represented it in the book.

My suspicion is that Driscoll based his opinion on one of the first three options, or if the final one he got some bad information that he did not bother to further investigate. I feel safe to say this because this is only an example of this lack of integrity in all of Mark’s books I have read. In Vintage Jesus is was his reference to the movie Life of Brian, which he completely misrepresented not having seen the film.

My problem is that we have here a man who is so influential, representing our faith to thousands of people, who consistently neglects a foundational integrity in his writing.

Some of you are thinking, “Wait, Aaron! Are you advocating the idea that we cannot say anything about the sinful nature of an action without first experiencing that sin first hand?” Certainly not. Simply talk to a crack addict and they will tell you how terrible their life is because of the drug. I have to say that I have never read a Harlequin romance novel in my life and never plan to, but hearing about them from the author has been enough direct access to their content that I think I can make a fair judgment.

Instead, if the judgment is made on the media coverage of the series, what sets Twilight hype from the Harry Potter craze? What about wearing “Team Edward” shirts is different from people wearing capes and carrying around broomsticks?

The only real difference is the demographic and the fact that the Twilight series is primarily as story of romance. Therefore if romance is the problem then we should also ban Romeo and Juliet and Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities where passionate love lead to self-sacrifice and inspired many feminine romantic fantasies.

Only one of the above options leaves me without a sour taste in my mouth. The first implies, like in the third, that Mark has a different definition for pornography based on gender. Because of the observable difference between men and women and the way that they are stimulated sexually, Mark seems to have decided that there should be different standards for sin. Therefore what is perfectly moral and righteous for a man is not allowed for a woman. Should sin not be the same for men and women? Are we not all called to the same standards by God?

I would like to hear from you. What are your thoughts in terms of the supposed pornographic nature of the Twilight saga? Do you think the double standard is reasonable in this case?

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL REVIEW OF REAL MARRIAGE BY MARK AND GRACE DRICOLL

There are literally hundreds of books out there on marriage.  I think it is likely because no one really has the silver bullet to kill marital strife or even the day-to-day doldrums that every married person experiences.  Then comes along Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife Grace with their crack at it, appropriately titled Real Marriage.  I was eager to get my hands on this one in particular of Driscoll’s other books because this is a topic that he is both most noted and most criticized for.

The Driscolls tackle everything from the importance of being friends with your spouse to what kind of sex acts are permissible according to the Bible.  Most of the book is rather basic, although Mark has gotten much press for being willing to talk about things like oral and anal sex as well as birth control methods from the pulpit.  In an age where many from recent generations have not had an opportunity to talk about sex and marriage with Christian parents, it is good that someone is picking up the slack from a biblical perspective.

Most people can taste just a little bit of vomit when they hear the words “headship” and “submission.”  The Driscolls do a good job at looking at both concepts in sections of the book that were the most biblically grounded.  Mark does a good job of illustrating how headship is not being a tyrant or ogre and Grace discusses how submission does not mean that she is less than her husband, but simply functions differently in the relationship and in the household.

By far this is Mark’s most maturely written book to date (perhaps that is because he has his wife write it with him).  Other books have been frustrating with so much name-dropping, lack of fact-checking, and an overly casual style for his choice of topic.  Yet even with the higher level of professionalism, Mark continues to exhibit a strong level of arrogance and annoyingly promotes himself as the answer man.  Not to say that he has no wisdom to share; the manner is a definite turn-off.

Mark gives numerous statistics from the more than 187 books on marriage he has read at least part of, but neglects to mention that in terms of helping couples, research has shown that teaching methods and “tips” is not effective long-term.  This shows in how the book illustrates a variety of ideas and challenges to build a healthy marriage, essentially becoming a new set of rules and constraints some of which are drawn from Scripture but most from their personal experience and the, well, 187 books.

Rather than a new law, Christians need more gospel.  To say something really strong to Christians about their marriages what more effective way could there be but to apply the gospel of Jesus Christ to our marriage?  Instead of prescribing guidelines, tips, and methods, which are likely not effective anyway, finding out how I, a sinner saved by grace, can bring depth and intimacy with another sinner saved by grace, my wife.  The change of our hearts, minds, and souls that is effected by the gospel is much more than just personal, but it should permeate every aspect of our lives, including our relationships.

If you are a Christian and have specific questions about what should be allowed in the bedroom (it may surprise you) or about birth control this is a very good resource.  If you are looking for a book to help you to strengthen your marriage, address arguments, and learn to become more emotionally connected, then, as a licensed counselor, there are many others I would recommend instead.

[Legal: a free copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.  However, this does not incline me to write a positive review, but simply to give you my honest impressions of this work.]

Is your life empty?  Do you not have the riches that you expected when you signed up for this Christianity thing?  Well, you are in luck because in his newest book (published posthumously) Derek Prince offers 5 steps and 3 principles that are sure to get God to pay up for what he owes you.  Of course, that is not the way he puts it.  In fact throughout the book he denies that he is teaching the prosperity gospel and that the term “prosperity” means more than finances, yet most of his examples of God’s promises fulfilled mean amassing large amounts of material wealth.

Though he expressly denies it, Prince, like the other “prosperity gospel” preachers including Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer, teaches a strong perspective on the law.  Essentially he says that if we were to take God’s promises seriously and do what God commands, then we would have the wealth and prosperity that is promised in the Bible.  That is, as a matter of fact, entirely true.  The only trouble is that God expects perfect compliance with the Law, and none have been successful but Christ.

Poverty, says Prince, should not be considered a blessing.  In fact if it were so many of us would not be going to work to avoid it, he challenges.  While this it true that poverty is not a blessing, it does not mean that the sign of a person’s favor with God is only in their available wealth.  We can point to many people in Scripture that were faithful, that God called his own, and were poor, both spiritually and materially.  One stark example is the story of Lazarus, a very poor man, and a rich man had both died.  Lazarus was in heaven while the rich man (never named) found himself in hell.

A common error made in reading the Bible for prosperity is reading number.  That is often in Scripture, and let’s also include common everyday language, the word “you” or “your” could be either singular or plural.  Prince takes passages that are addressed to the entire nation of Israel and claims that they are written to the individual Christian who, if only will make good on God’s promise, will reap the abundant benefit.

In my post yesterday I described perhaps one of the only (somewhat) cogent points in the book.  Prince argued that the tradition of the tithe may have roots in Abraham giving a tenth of his spoils to a man who was called priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek.  In Hebrews, the author of the book argues that Christ is a priest in the tradition of Melchizedek.  Prince then concludes that we owe a tithe to Christ because of this connection.  However, neither the author of Hebrews nor any biblical author suggest that paying tithes comes from this event.  Creative, but you would think that someone, somewhere in the New Testament would mention it.

Prince makes another common error that many in the prosperity camp make.  He expressly states that the word “salvation” actually means “prosperity.”  I am sure you can quickly see how thinking that “salvation” means “material wealth” can completely change the way we read Scripture.  Prince is very referent about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  He does argue (briefly) for atonement, but then launches a spurious argument that suggests that Christ took on abject poverty when he went to the cross and because he took our poverty we are entitled to material wealth!

This is the most dangerous aspect of the whole book.  It is very apparent that Derek Prince, in line with other prosperity preachers and, oddly enough, most liberal Christians, puts a strong emphasis on God fulfilling promises here and now.  If God’s promise for prosperity is meant for this time and place, then what of the life to come?  If “salvation” means “prosperity” and “prosperity” means “material wealth,” is it not still true that you “can’t take it with you?”

Perhaps the cliche fits well here: Derek Prince, your god is too small.  The provision of the God of the Bible is not interested in material wealth, riches, and physical prosperity in all its forms.  Not that wealth is evil in its nature, but it is not the end that God had in mind when sending Christ to die.  ”Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart.”  And that heart is vile and evil.  Christ came to take our place, to bear the burden of sin that would crush us to death, and then free us to receive the abundance that is himself.  Christ was able to stay the wrath of God and then offer us not only forgiveness, a clean slate, but a righteous record that he added to our account, free of charge.

If Prince is right, that we must meet the demands of God’s law to receive his blessings, then we are all good as damned.  Thanks be to Jesus Christ for completing the work that we could never hope to do on our own!  Holy, holy, holy is his name!

[Legal: a free copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.  However, this does not incline me to write a positive review, but simply to give you my honest impressions of this work.]

We often think of tithing as an Old Testament idea, and many people argue that it is not Christian right along with the sacrificial laws that were only in effect for a time and were fulfilled in Christ.  Yet the first indicator for the tithe comes from Abraham.  Still obviously from the Old Testament, Genesis 14:17-20 tell how Abraham received a blessing from the King of Salem, called Melchizedek and a priest of God Most High.  In response to that blessing (which accompanied a meal of bread and wine), Abraham gave him a tenth, a tithe, of all his spoils.

This event takes on more significance when we read in Psalm 110 about the coming Messiah who is called “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”  Who is this priest who will be established forever?  The author of Hebrews speaks in depth about the significance of this title in chapters 5, 6 and especially 7.  Christ is this priest.  He is our high priest who makes intercession with God the Father on our behalf.  He has given us his richest blessings by laying his own life down for us to ensure that with him we would receive a rich inheritance of salvation, his righteousness, and eternal life.

And so, in essence, the author of Hebrews establishes a bridge.  To Abraham God promised that he would be the father of a nation and that all nations would be blessed through him.  What God promised was to bring about the Messiah, the savior of the world, through Abraham’s descendants.  After receiving that promise, Abraham modeled paying a tithe to Melchizedek, a shadow of Christ who would come as our priest.  It certainly makes sense to me that as Christians we stand with Abraham as he receives that promise, the promise that we have seen fulfilled, and pay our honor to Christ for his rich blessings by sharing a part of our income.

The last few weeks have been chocked full of milestones and improvements in Tinsley’s overall health.  He continues to show terrific stability in his ability to maintain his breathing and oxygen saturation with only normal “room air.”  His head control continues to improve and all of his therapists through First Steps are regularly surprised at his progress week to week.

He only had one serious incident, which was last week.  Tinsley had a small skin irritation from one of his sensor stickers.  We loaded him up in the car and he did not look especially well once we got to the doctor’s office.  We put him on oxygen and he appeared to improve.  However, once we got him in the car again he had significantly decreased his respiratory rate and was foaming at the mouth.

We ended up at an unfamiliar ER and had to instruct the medical staff on what he needed.  His wise mother suddenly thought, “What if he just has a plug?”  We changed his trach and he immediately began to breathe comfortably.  Good news from the experience was a precautionary x-ray that the attending physician deemed “crystal clear.”

We Will Not See You This Christmas

As much as we would love to show of our amazing miracle, it is crucial that he does not leave the house.  Because of his respiratory problems and the compromise he has due to his trach, Tinsley is at high risk for illness.  Our doctors tell us that a cold could cause him to be hospitalized and the flu could be life-threatening.  He is even at risk for diseases that people without trachs could not even get.  Tinsley had a brief problem with tracheitis a few weeks ago that required a few days in the hospital and antibiotics for a week after he came home.

Not only that, but here is what we need for Tinsley for a visit lasting only a few hours:

What you do not see here are the three major pieces of equipment that are actually attached to him, his emergency kit, his emergency oxygen tank, his suction machine, and, well, the baby.  There are no overnight bags and nothing for the parents, except perhaps a book.

We DO have Skype and a webcam, so if you also have Skype and a webcam we can wave to you and talk to you via internet where the only viruses that live will not hurt our boy.

As always I want to thank you all for your kind words, prayers, and other support as we continue to meet Tinsley’s health challenges.  There is little doubt, if any, that God is at work in our sweet baby’s life.  We are constantly amazed as we reflect on these past months at just how many details have been ironed out so far in advance.

Have a blessed Advent season and a merry Christmas!

In one of the perhaps 4 times that my wife and I have been able to leave the house together since our son became seriously ill, we happened to run into a friend we used to attend church with.  It had been a few years since we had spoken, yet she greeted us with, “Tell me how are things going with your son.  We have heard so much about him from Facebook.”

I have to say that I reacted with quite the concoction of emotion.  I first wondered why, knowing what was going on, she had neglected to visit, call, send a message, something to let us know that she was praying for us.  Then it occurred to me, “Even though Facebook has been around for some time, perhaps people are not sure how to use it to enter into these situations with those of us who are struggling with life’s circumstances.”

Here, then, are tips that I have come up with to specifically address how to use Facebook to help offer care, support, and prayer for people who are ill or in need.  If you think of any more, please feel free to contribute by adding your thoughts in the comments.

1. Click ‘Like’: This idea comes first because it is the simplest.  For many people Facebook is a quick stop in the day or the week, so it doesn’t lend to having in-depth interactions.  I cannot tell you how meaningful it is just to have someone click “like” on a post as an indication that they are offering support.  It shows not only your support, but that you have taken the time to read what was written and that you notice what is happening in our lives.
2. Say You Are ‘Praying’: Even if you are not sure what to say, which can be often in certain cases, simply adding the word “praying” to the comments means so much.  Obviously it mean a bit more than just clicking “like” because it not only is a show of support, but it is more specific that you are not only thinking of us and feel for us, but that you are specifically praying for God’s gracious intervention.
3. Thoughtful Comments: You may also choose to leave a longer comment.  We are always eager to hear that you have asked your church to pray for Tinsley.  It is also nice to hear from you if you have also gone through a similar experience, even if yours seems minor in comparison.  It is encouraging to hear stories where God intervened and how he saw you through.
4. Sharing Status Updates: When I post a status update asking for prayer, I really hope that as many people who read it will pray.  It is always welcome to share that prayer request by clicking “share” under the update.  That way when people choose to agree with us in prayer, their comments on your “share” send notifications to me as well.  It is a great comfort to know that so many believers are interceding for us.
5. Send a Private Message: We have been so thankful for messages we receive privately as well.  Either on Facebook itself or by email, card, text, or other forms of communication it is great to hear from you.  We have been blessed to hear from many people who have been in similar situations who share their stories with us in that format.  These stories are often very personal, and it is understandable and advisable to use this private format to share details that are not as appropriate to share in a public forum.

The Bible teaches in Galatians 6 to “bear one another’s burdens” as we participate in the Body of Christ.  Facebook and other social media can be such an excellent tool to stay connected, to build relationships, and to share love and support with others.  In our Christian service we should not limit our support to other Christians, but we can share the same love and kindness with all those who struggle with the effects of sin that have permeated every aspect of our lives.

Thank you again to all those who continue to take our petition for the health of our son to the Throne of Grace.  My wife and I were just sharing with a friend last night about the amazing providence of God we have seen in our lives over the last several years preparing for the health and well-being of our infant son.

God’s ways are so far beyond our ways.  Thanks be to God!