GroshLink

Thought it was time I [Theresa] said a few words about how this pregnancy is progressing. Things are going well and Baby is growing and developing well, as far as we are able to discern. Desperate to know how many babies were in there I had an ultrasound at 9 weeks--there's only one :)  It's always reassuring to see that little heart beating, especially early on when you can't feel any baby movements yet.  And because of my somewhat atypical pregnancy history my OB sent me for a consultation with a maternal and fetal medicine specialist.  I went there today and had another ultrasound (surprise!  I wasn't expecting that one).  Everything looks great for 12 weeks and Baby was quite active.  It's strange to be looking at your child and yet not even know its gender.  Too early to tell.  But I could easily imagine myself kissing that cute little nose, girl or boy.  I get another ultrasound in 6 weeks to check the growth of Baby and hopefully find out gender.

Due to the loss of my grandmother, I canceled my late November visit to 'da Burgh.  I'm working on rescheduling the trip for the spring, possibly presenting on Loving God with our Whole Body in tandem with an Emerging Scholars Network presentation on Loving God with our Whole Mind.  Pray for discernment in spring travel plans in order to give proper space to being present for the expected birth of the fourth child in early June.

One compensation has been that I've had the opportunity to connect with Greg during his visit with family over Thanksgiving and a number of our friends will be visiting us this weekend, including Shayna with her boys (part of her trip from Canada to visit family in Ohio), Chloe, and Toby.  We'll see how much of the basement is finished and ready to host by Saturday.

If you're planning to come to our December 4 Dessert please RSVP to us by email/phone ASAP.  Thanks.  We'd like to have a final count by Wednesday. 

The Terminator-like Beowulf comes face-to-face with us on the screen, again (note:  also received press in the recent graphic novel).  Anyone seen this version?  Not sure I'm up to it.  My friend in medieval lit reminded me Beowulf is about the necessity of fighting evil, while not allowing the power you must cultivate to do so in turn destroy yourself and your civilization.  Beowulf, literally, spends 10x as much time talking as fighting, because one of the poem's main points is that he is NOT an out-of-control warrior, but a fighter governed by the laws and customs of civilization -- and THAT is what makes him an ideal hero. But WE make him a muscle-bound clod.

Wish I had time to get back to the classic in the midst of all of my reading, reflection, and writing.  For those with interest, Never Mind Grendel. Can Beowulf Conquer the 21st-Century Guilt Trip? in the Chronicle for Higher Education has an excellent survey of the original writing, its interactions with Christian thought (including Tolkien), and the current film. Below is the provoking conclusion:

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Today I'll wrap up Practicing a Christ-centered Christmas and next week I'll begin an advent devotions adult elective.  These devotions, among CCEL's recently added, show that for Anselm, there was no clear separation between devotions and doctrine; his fervent prayer was fueled by his robust theology, and the reverse was also true. May we approach the mysteries of Christmas with such a attitude.

Awake, my soul, awake! show your spirit, arouse your senses, shake off the sluggishness of that deadly heaviness that is upon you, begin to take care for your salvation. Let the idleness of vain imaginations be put to flight, let go of sloth, hold fast to diligence. Be instant in holy meditations, cleave to the good things which are of God: leaving that which is temporal, give heed to that which is eternal. Now in this godly employment of your mind, to what can you turn your thoughts more wholesomely and profitably than to the sweet contemplations of your Creator's immeasurable benefits toward you. Consider therefore the greatness and dignity that he bestowed upon you at the beginning of your creation; and judge for yourself with what love and reverence he ought to be worshipped.

- Anselm (1033-1109), from Meditation I, in Devotions of Saint Anselm at the CCEL.

Hope you didn't buy too much wrapping paper yesterday!  I came across a post on the Advent Conspiracy which reminded me you can wrap gifts in newspaper (the comics are great for a little color!) or paper bags (when you can find them!).  My Aunt Susan has been using comics for years, for a variety of gift-giving times . . . love catching up on the stories.  You can see how out of touch I am in this area.  I think that Theresa gets her wrappping paper after-season when it's really cheap or at Goodwill after it's gone past the original purchaser's taste.  But wrapping with newspaper, paper bags, and comics would conserve resources during our current family budget crunch.

  Yesterday evening my grandmother, Eleanor Grosh (born in 1919), moved from this life to the next.  After sharing the news with Ellen and Hayley, we spent some time grieving . . . only relieved by the joy of having my sister Amanda, who has been out of town for 2 months, swing by to spend time with us.  (More)

We are to be "always and for everything giving thanks" (Eph. 5:20). Most of us give thanks sometimes for some things; Spirit-filled believers give thanks always for all things. There is no time at which, and no circumstance for which, they do not give thanks. They do so "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," that is because they are one with Christ and "to God the Father," because the Holy Spirit witnesses with their spirit that they are God's children and that their Father is wholly good and wise. Grumbling, one of Israel's besetting sings, is serious because it is a symptom of unbelief. Whenever we start moaning and groaning, it is proof positive that we are not filled with the Spirit. Whenever the Holy Spirit fills believers, they thank their heavenly Father at all times for all things. -- John Stott. BAPTISM AND FULLNESS, Second Edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1976, p. 58. ISBN 0877846480.

Links for other Thanksgiving quotes from wqotw:  (More)

For those with interest here is material I'm beginning to assemble/organize from the Practicing a Christ-centered.  Note to participants:  feel free to use the comment box to help me remember pieces I've left out and give comments on what you've found helpful/unhelpful.

Blog posts: 

Relational Gift-giving -- some tips
The Advent Conspiracy
Christmas in September? -- why dig into this topic
Practicing a Christ-centered Christmas -- return to for book and link suggestions
Christ of Christmas -- how the idea behind the class emerged

Syllabus:
How does one not become immersed in and pursue a nostalgic, commercialized, feel-good Christmas?   Share the fears, challenges, special moments, and customs of your past Christmases.  Celebrate the Word becoming flesh and blood, and moving into the neighborhood through Scripture, song, and various spiritual practices.  Receive insight to embrace the call and find accountability to reproduce the likeness of Jesus during this upcoming Christmas season.  (More)

Make a joyful noise. The Psalmist refers only to that part of the service of God which consists in recounting his benefits and giving thanks. And since he invites the whole of the inhabitants of the earth indiscriminately to praise the Lord, he seems, in the spirit of prophecy, to refer to the period when the Church would be gathered out of different nations. Hence he commands (verse 2) that God should be served with gladness, intimating that his kindness towards his own people is so great as to furnish them with abundant ground for rejoicing. This is better expressed in the third verse, in which he first reprehends the presumption of those who had wickedly revolted from the true God. ... We can never be at a loss for constant cause of praising him. It would be the basest ingratitude on our part, if we wearied in rendering to God the tribute of praise to which he is entitled. -- John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Psalm 100.  Read this classic at the CCEL.

Amen!

 Placing The State of the University by Stanley Hauerwas on my Christmas list, if you'd like to bless me with copy, let me know (note:  other request below).  Here's a quote from the Books & Culture Review, Hauerwas at School: What's a university for?

Today, Hauerwas writes, (More)

In follow-up to The Worthiness of God, how about Mark Noll's take on Praise the Lord: Song, culture, divine bounty, and issues of harmonization?

Thank-you to my friend Kevin for passing along Recovering a bold vision for preaching by Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., the ninth president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. At one point in the article, Mohler asks: 

Should the preacher seek to preach a biblical text through an expository sermon? Or, should the preacher direct the sermon to the "felt needs" and perceived concerns of the hearers?  (More)

This week's worship quote fits right in with the The Advent Conspiracy and I found it an encouragement as by the leading of God's Spirit our family, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and the local congregation of which we are a part pursues the Dangerous Act of Worship. Note: Mark Labberton opened Following Christ 02 with a strong call to do such, maybe this book should come off my shelf and into my hands this holiday season. 

Mark Labberton suggests that the real [worship war] battle is over our concept of God and the radical values of his kingdom. 

For those desiring to invest in their relational gift-giving, as suggested by The Advent Conspiracy, take a look at Sew, Mama, Sew! where each day in November focuses on a particular theme for handmade gift giving this season. Via Serina via Tricia.

Some other time consuming, yet fulfilling gift ideas from those posting on the Advent Conspiracy's Facebook Group and Merry and Meaningful from Christianity Today include:

While Theresa was out for a check-up on the 11 week child she's carrying (moving right along!), I had the opportunity to work with the PT on helping Eden go down the basement steps while holding the rail with her left hand and leading with her right leg, using the step stool to see Avery (Amanda's bird that we're watching while she's at Penland for her weaving class), standing while building a block tower, crawling back up the steps leading with her right leg, and then standing at her play table for a tea party with her babies.  So we're continuing to press on with the use of walker which is particularly successful at Kid's Playhouse at Etown BIC, practicing balance while standing/playing at the table, and encouraging Eden to lead with her right leg.   (More)

Thank-you to Kevin who passed along Evangelicalism Today A Symposium: Six Evangelicals Assess Their Movement. Well worth the read. As in previous conversations of this sort, I appreciate David Lyle Jeffrey's contributions the most.

Thank-you to Kristen for passing along the link to The Advent Conspiracy (and letting me know there's a Facebook group):

[AC] Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption.

This year, Christmas isn't about credit cards. It's about:
- Worshipping Christ more meaningfully.
- Refusing our culture's hunger for consumerism.
- Giving relationally to our friends and family.
- Loving all by giving to those most in need.

Similar thoughts have been woven throughout Practicing a Christ-centered Christmas.   (More)

While researching material on Advent, I came across Jaroslav Pelikan's The Light of the World (NY:  Harper & Brothers, 1962), which explores the work of Athanasius (c293-373). 

Join me in reflecting upon Athanasius' interpretation of the meaning of our literary images of God.  More quotes coming . . . 

"In order to express our thought in language, it is necessary to make use of an unsatisfactory image taken from the tangible and familiar objects; for it is rash to pry into the incomprehensible nature [of God]."  (More)