Living in the Big Tech World

Oh my; the curtains have been pulled aside completely and the world is seeing just how sneaky and sinister are Facebook's designs on the culture.  Just take your pick of evils.  For instance, there’s Facebook’s attempt to control the flow of thought with its highly sophisticated but increasingly transparent totalitarian vision.  Freedom and fair play? They don't even try and hide their disdain for those virtues anymore.

Then there is their ham-handed censorship of those political, religious, and social views that are contrary to those pushed by Big Brother. Facebook frequently limits the spread of posts that present contrary views and sometimes "lose" them altogether. Even when such posts are allowed, Facebook is increasingly requiring that they are linked to their own ideas of "corrective" explanations.

And, of course, they are plugged into all the other leftist tech giants (Twitter, Google, YouTube, Wikipedia) in tracking, restraining, exploiting, and manipulating you.

So, what to do about it?

Well, here's the 4-part approach we're taking.  

1) Though we know Vital Signs Ministries' Facebook and You Tube posts are at the mercy of Big Tech's prejudices and powers, we will, for now, continue on those platforms with hopes (and no small amount of prayers) that some of them will break through and still connect with people. We will also do so with some of our personal posts.

2) However, like several of our friends have already done, we are going to experiment with other platforms like Parler. 

3) We will be urging our friends to start bypassing the social networks and instead go directly to Vital Signs Ministries through our website and blogs...and do the same with other terrific sources of news and commentary. 

In this regard I recently answered a question posed by several friends who were bothered about the flood of fake news (from both old guard media and the Big Tech information platforms). They asked me how I keep up with cultural happenings without being overwhelmed by conflicting claims. My answer began with the need to keep one's priorities in place; namely, to live a life for God that centers on knowing the Word, walking in holiness, exercising spiritual disciplines, serving others, and always yearning for the upward call. However, in the specific matter of dealing with the day's news and views, I listed for them the internet sites I most frequent. Here is that part of my note to them.

* The first thing I look at in the morning is the email devotional we get from Joni Eareckson Tada. It's terrific. You can check out samples of that and even sign up for it right here.

The other sites I check in with almost daily?

Power Line

Lucianne.com

The Federalist

The Stream

Decision Magazine

Others that I frequently find enlightening and helpful are those that send me email updates. No, I don't always open them up. Like you, I've got a lot to do and many days there just isn't time to pursue them. But are they valued sources? Most certainly.  And I recommend them all highly. Those would include Daybreak Insider; Daily Signal (from Heritage Foundation); Live Action; Family Research Council; Bright (which comes through the Federalist); Town Hall; LifeNews.com; and a few others.

In fact, you will occasionally find compilation posts over on Vital Signs Blog that utilize these sources and more. Here's a couple of examples of such posts:

Did You Catch These?

This Weekend's "Top of the List" Reads

But please do not overlook this next important part of our living in this "brave new world." It is this. 4) Going really old school by replacing time spent in "social media" for genuine social interaction. And what does that mean? Letters and cards. Phone calls. In person visits. Coffee or tea conversations. Meals together. Bible study and prayer meetings. Doing physical activities together. Even utilizing newer technologies like Zoom for real conversations.

Actually connecting with people? Who knows? It might just catch on!

Yes, Virginia. Despite Big Brother's best efforts to herd you into the corral, you can live life informed, engaged, purposeful, and free. But it will take a little effort.

Did You Catch These?

Looking for some of the best, most relevant articles from the alternative media dealing with the culture wars? Here's a few of my suggestions from recent days.

* "Biden climate envoy John Kerry is a lifelong joke" (Editors, New York Post)

* "If Americans Can No Longer Trust Our Elections, We’re In Big Trouble" (Willis L. Krumholz, Federalist)

* "The approaching storm in US-Israel relations" (Caroline Glick, Jewish News Syndicate)

* "Does Supporting President Trump Hurt the Gospel? Andy Stanley Says Yes. Here Is Why I Disagree" (Shane Idleman, The Stream)

* "The Atlantic stuns with feature accused of ‘cheering eugenics,’ promoting ‘murder' of Down syndrome babies" (Brian Flood, Fox News)

* "Biden-Harris aim to cripple cops nationwide in name of Black Lives Matter" (Heather Mac Donald, New York Post)

* "5 Reasons Conservatives Should Have Hope For The Future" (Peter Burfeind, Federalist)

Should You Strive for a Balanced Christianity?

It seems that the number of books, articles, sermons and devotionals which extol the “balanced” Christian life are endless.  That’s too bad for, despite their good intentions, they are based upon a false premise, a premise whose source is actually Greek philosophy and not the Holy Scriptures at all.  Indeed, balance is the stuff of Galen, Aristotle and, in a more mystical sense, Plato.  But the Bible presents a much different ideal; namely, spiritual wholeness.  And a grateful, joyful embrace of this truth is a critically important corrective to the confusion, frustration and erroneous division that the pursuit of "balance" inevitably creates.

Let me illustrate the point with an excerpt from one of the sermons I preached at Faith Bible Church several years ago. The sermon was part of a 7-part series I was presenting on  “The Heroic Homemaker,” expository sermons dealing with the poem of Proverbs 31:10-31.  And as I came to verse 26 I took a few moments to show how the heroic homemaker’s life revealed not a balance of divergent (even competing) values but rather a unified, complete and thorough integration of godly virtues.  Here’s the sermon excerpt:

Verse 26 “She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” (NASB)

This verse is connected to the previous one in which the poet described the excellent wife’s adornment as her spiritual strength and dignity.  In other words, it was her godly character that shone through everything she did. Now he continues the same theme, letting us know that when the excellent wife spoke, it too was a reflection of her inner spirituality.  Her true heart for God, her inner beauty and integrity were revealed in the way she lived…including the way she spoke.

Wisdom and kindness are mixed together in her.  That’s true spirituality.  That’s evidence that the Holy Spirit is empowering someone, that their lives are marked by the combination of godly virtues: wisdom and kindness, grace and truth, mercy and justice.  Indeed, these virtues, these characteristics of God must all be present or none of them are!

Christians often suggest that these various characteristics are like counter-weights that need to be finely balanced against one another if you want to live right. In other words, you take wisdom and put it on this side of the scales and then you counter it with the weight of kindness on the other side so that you come up with a spiritual balance. They do the same with grace and truth, mercy and justice, love and holiness, and so on.

But that’s wrong…sadly and critically wrong.  True spirituality does not consist in balancing these virtues.  For crying out loud, they are not in opposition to one another!  Grace isn’t the opposite of truth.  Kindness is not a contradiction of holiness.  The law of God is not an inversion of the love of God.

God is not divided in Himself.  He is not “well-balanced.” Indeed, God is complete.  He is love and truth and righteousness and kindness and grace and holiness and…you get the idea.

These characteristics of God are all together. 100%.  Continual.  Co-existing.  And as the Christian lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, all of these virtues are alive in him. 100%.  Continual.  Co-existing. 

We do not balance one against the other.  We do not encounter situations in which we need to focus on kindness instead of holiness or where we need to tender justice with mercy or where we divide the church up into teams where the "truth guys" go out to do certain jobs while the "love guys" go out to do others.

Verse 26 isn’t implying that the heroic homemaker sometimes spoke wisely whereas, in other situations, she spoke kindly.  No, her speech was wise and kind.  Like the rest of her life, it was a whole thing.  Spiritual.  Infused with the complimentary characteristics of who God is.

Walking in the Spirit is a unified walk.  It integrates fully the fruit of the Spirit – all of them.  And all at the same time. It's not from 9 – 10:30, peace emphasis; 10:30 – noon, concentrate on love; noon – 2, let patience be foremost; 2 – 3:30, go for goodness; and so on.

Remember how we’ve emphasized that the New Testament teaches that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is all these things.  Fruit – singular.  Not fruits.  The single fruit of the Spirit is all of those wonderful things. Once again, let me repeat it. True spirituality is all of the virtues operating. 100%.  Continual.  Co-existing. 

So get away from thinking of spirituality as something that can be measured with scales.  The fruit of the Spirit does not consist of isolated virtues that serve in counter-weights to other virtues.  Remember, that whole balance thing comes from Greek philosophy, not Christianity.

True spirituality is a wholistic thing.  It is walking in the Spirit, empowered by all of His graces  and demonstrating all of His blessings.  We are complete in Christ – not divided, not full of competing values.  When we operate in Christ, we act in wisdom and kindness (both, at the same time) and we reveal love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering and so on (all of them, all at the same time).

This isn’t merely a matter of semantics.  This is a very important matter.  And many Christians have a lot of problems in their lives and ministries because of misunderstandings in this area.  They are forever living in the tension of competing forces: “How much should love be involved here as compared to righteousness?” “When should I act according to truth and when should I act in mercy?”

No.  God is not divided – ever.  Nor is the person who walks according to His Word, dependent on the Holy Spirit.  We are complete in Christ; liberated to live with all of the fruit of the Spirit enriching our life and blessing the lives of others. So leave the balance business to gymnasts, engineers and accountants. You commit to walk in the Spirit and experience the integration of His virtues in you. 100%. Continual. Co-existing."

A Marine Prayer (To Commemorate the 245th Birthday of the Corps)

Happy birthday to the U.S. Marine Corps which is 245 years old today!

“The U.S. Marine Corps Birthday celebrates the history, memory of those who served before and rekindles the bond that unites all generations of Marines. It is a celebration of the profound respect for the Marine Corps traditions and reverence of the heritage that distinguishes the Corps of Marines…The birthday itself was formally recognized in 1921 at the behest of Major General John Lejeune, who ordered November 10, 1775 to be officially recognized service-wide as the Marine Corps birthday.” (Courtesy Military Benefits Info)

My friend and pro-life colleague Dick Wilson (the photo above shows him back in the day) proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1956 through 1962 and has been a firm and enthusiastic supporter of the Corps ever since. One of the ways he has done this over the years was by volunteering with the Omaha detachment of the Marine Corps League. This service has long included color guard duty at the funerals of fellow Marines.

A few years ago, while bemoaning yet again the vapid verses that so often adorn the funeral program (greeting card poems that lacked both theological backbone and a manly respect for the unique character of the Marine's service to his country), Dick decided to write something more relevant and meaningful.

I think you'll agree with me that he succeeded. Feel free to pass it around.

A Marine Prayer

Almighty God, Father of the fatherless, now take me home.

I was what others could not be.

I went where others feared to go and did what others failed to do.

I asked nothing from those who gave nothing, but gave hope, security and freedom to all.

I have seen the face of terror; felt the stinging cold of fear and experienced the warm comfort of Your love and protection through it all.

I have enjoyed the sweet taste of life, comrades, love of country, Your guiding hand and word.

I have cried, failed, pained, loved and hoped. I have lived times others would say were best forgotten. But, what we are in life echoes into eternity.

I humbly offer that with Your guidance I have done my duty and lived with the grateful pride of what I am…a United States Marine.

Deep sea and sod for now hold our bodies, but You, O Lord, guard our souls until that final day when all stand before You guilty, and for those who believe, receive the gift of forgiveness and Eternal Life.

Almighty God, Father of Love, through the precious blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray You now take me home. For You have proven to be “Always Faithful.”

Semper Fidelis

Sharing the Power of Words

Claire and I have proposed a new ministry to the senior care centers we serve and we’re pleased to say we have already received enthusiastic endorsements of our proposal from activity directors. 

The new service?  Claire and I (and perhaps others will join us) are going to do readings of poetry, Scripture, and other short literary passages on camera that we will then offer to seniors via DVD, Zoom, and/or YouTube.  

We will keep you informed as to how this outreach develops.  

In the meantime, we continue to create our “Anti-Boredom” Packets for seniors even as we continue our prayers that we will someday (real soon) be able to return to the senior living facilities with live presentations of “When Swing Was King.”  And so, for those of you who enjoy the packets yourself as well as passing them along to seniors and baby boomer friends, #34 and #35 have now joined all the others on the Vital Signs Ministries web site.  Check ‘em all out at this link.  

This Weekend's "Top of the List" Reads

* "Why Aren’t We Allowed To Talk About George Soros’s Plan To Remake America?" (Robby Starbuck, Federalist)

* "Netherlands to Allow Euthanasia of Children Under 12 Years Old" (Decision Magazine staff)

* "The Mainstream Press Is Desperate To Help Joe Biden, Even If It Means A Media Blackout" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

* "America's most powerful people want you to shut up about Hunter Biden" (Tucker Carlson, Fox News)

* "What sanitizing Louis Farrakhan tells us about the West" (Melanie Phillips, Jewish News Syndicate)

* "Shelby Steele and America’s 'Poetic Truth'" (Mark Judge, Law & Liberty)

* "Merit on the Ropes: The campaign against educational excellence spreads to the suburbs" (Asra Q. Nomani and Max Eden, City Journal)

* "Stevie Nicks says ‘there would have been no Fleetwood Mac’ without her abortion" (Cassy Fiano-Chesser, Live Action)

Cool Cowboy Counsel (From One of the "Coolest" Cowboys of All)

Here’s a reminder that “once upon a time,” there were superstars in American entertainment whose desire was to actually help parents (instead of impede them) in their hopes of raising good kids, kids who embraced such virtues as idealism and hope, justice and courage, humility and selflessness. 

Pass 'em along. And thanks, Hoppy! 

 “Ten Guidelines for Life”

from Hopalong Cassidy 

1) The highest badge of honor a person can wear is honesty. Be truthful at all times. 

2) Your parents are the best friends you have. Listen to them and obey their instructions. 

3) If you want to be respected, you must respect others. Show good manners in every way. 

4) Only through hard work and study can you succeed. Don't be lazy. 

5) Your good deeds always come to light. So don't boast or be a show-off. 

6) If you waste time or money today, you will regret it tomorrow. Practice thrift in all ways. 

7) Many animals are good and loyal companions. Be friendly and kind to them. 

8) A strong, healthy body is a precious gift. Be neat and clean. 

9) Our country's laws are made for your protection. Observe them carefully. 

10) Children in many foreign lands are less fortunate than you. Be glad and proud you are an American.

Improving Your Prayer Life -- Part 1 of 4

Prayer is a critically important part of a thorough, consistent Christianity. Almost all of us would acknowledge that. Nevertheless, knowing that truth doesn’t mean that it is easy to apply. For even as we admit the extreme value of prayer, in our honest moments before God, we must also confess that prayer is a very difficult thing to get right. So, unlike the heartfelt, wise, relevant prayers we read in the Scriptures, our prayers seem so often to be awkward, anemic, and therefore, infrequent. Many Christians end up making peace with mediocrity or even surrender altogether.

Well, dare I say that there is yet hope (and practical help) for Christians who desire a better prayer life? Yes, I say exactly that. For I am one such believer who has experienced substantial improvement in my prayers. I certainly haven't arrived at the goal that God has set before me, but recent years have seen remarkable progress in both my and my wife's prayers of thanksgiving, worship, and intercession. And if God's grace is abundant enough to forgive us for past failings and to grant repeated fresh starts to build better prayer habits, He certainly will do that for others.      

It's a really exciting opportunity the Lord sets before us. And it is no doubt a perfect time in history to get our prayer life in better order. For yes, we can increase our understanding of prayer; we can experience a greater (and more natural) motivation to pray; we can improve our methods of prayer; and we can build our confidence to confidently, joyfully converse with the Lord Who so loves us.

In a 4-part series I'll be posting here on Vital Signs Blog, I’m going to address the subject of prayer designed to help us make practical improvements in our prayer disciplines. I'll begin with some wonderfully encouraging points related to what many refer to as "The Lord's Prayer," and then in subsequent posts deal with prayer as an natural outgrowth of authentic spirituality, suggest an eminently do-able evening prayer model that Claire and I love, and finish up with a presentation about the problems we encounter with prayers made in public.

I hope you'll come along on this adventure...and we will start with the article I link to below. It originally appeared as the July 2020 letter for Vital Signs Ministries and is entitled, "Some Thoughts on 'The Disciples' Prayer.'"

https://vitalsignsministries.org/newsletters/some-thoughts-on-the-disciples-prayer/

What? Me Worry?

While in Branson during our 2 weeks of working vacation, I have read several fine books. One, however, was particularly helpful and so I recommend it most heartily to any Christian who deals with anxiety, depression, defeat, distraction, and/or lack of focus and overcoming power over temptation. In other words, I recommend it most sincerely to all Christians! 

The book is Worry Less, Live More by Robert J. Morgan and we came by it in a most providential way; namely, it came completely unrequested in the mail one morning. I had never heard of the book or its author and, to be quite honest, it didn’t seem like the kind of book I usually go for. But when we figured out that it came from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as a token of appreciation for our support of that ministry, I decided to give it a try. I’m really glad I did. 

Worry Less, Live More is a pretty basic Bible study of one of the most popular texts of the entire Bible, Philippians 4:4-8, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” 

 But the popularity of this text doesn’t necessarily equate with a proper understanding, let along an effective application, of it. And so I found Morgan’s book stimulating, challenging, and comforting. I think you may too.

And What Might We Learn From This Country Church?

My, my, my. Did we ever have church yesterday morning!  Claire and I are in Branson and we re-visited Friendly Baptist Church, a church we have attended a few times since meeting many of their members when we joined them two years ago for the Life Chain.  In fact, we assembled with them again yesterday afternoon for that same pro-life witness.

But let me get back to the church service.  Before I go into a description of this church, however, let me warn you that you just might find my remarks a little unsettling. Why? Because they may suggest some important things that your church should be doing too…but are not.  If that’s the case, be aware you are far from being alone.  Indeed, the reasons that I’m talking about them is both to encourage you by the fact that there are still churches in America like this…and to illustrate a few “targets of opportunity” for all of us to work towards in those of our churches that need revival and reform.

First of all, let me say that the sermon was a fine, biblically-centered one.  Excellent content.  Well-crafted and delivered, though with humility and compassion.  Relevant.  Bold. Furthermore, it was a sermon which presented illustrations of a “grown-up sort” instead of Hollywood film clips, pop music lyrics, video game parallels, GIFS and memes, corny jokes, quotes from modern celebrities, and so on.  I really appreciated that.  Instead, the preacher used several other Scriptures to illustrate and expand the morning’s text (James 1:26-27) as well as insightful references to Charles Dickens, Martin Luther, Alexander Hamilton, the opportunity of a new Supreme Court Justice who would oppose Roe v Wade, the terribly poor record of the food stamp policy to alleviate poverty, the U.S. Constitution, the counter-productive rhetoric and actions of Black Lives Matter, a kind but firm presentation of biblical truth to someone caught up in sexual perversion, and more.  The sermon was challenging, persuasive, and presented important and immediate applications for the hearers.

But though the text of the Bible should always be the star of a Sunday morning church service, there are other elements. In this case, there were times of prayer, Bible reading, and music. (And, I mean, a lot of music -- but I’ll get to that in a moment.)  Let me begin with a review of the prayers. There were prayers lifted to God for the effect of that afternoon’s Life Chain, for the health of the President and First Lady (and other members of the administration who had tested positive for the Covid virus), and the health of several members of the church congregation who were undergoing trials.  Also, there were prayers for Amy Coney Barratt and the Supreme Court; for persecuted Christians around the world, for an overcoming end to the lies, chaos and destruction fomented by the devil; for the pastor and his hearers; for police and firefighters; for the election; and for all of us to hear carefully and heed consistently the message God had for us through His Word. These were critically important matters for believers in our time that were brought before the throne and Claire and I really appreciated that often-neglected ministry.

The Bible reading included a lengthy reading of Proverbs 14 by one of the congregation’s lay leaders who gave an excellent introduction to the text before asking those who could to stand while he read the Bible text itself.  Later, the pastor began his sermon with reading from Chapter 1 of James and the congregation stood for that as well. 

And then there was that wonderful music. We purposefully arrived at Friendly Baptist Church early because we knew that 8-12 musicians show up long before the service begins. They come to play beloved hymns about a half hour before with dozens of the saints coming in to enjoy the worshipful concert. These musicians (mostly older) play guitars, keyboards, fiddles, saxophone, steel guitar, harmonica, and more.  It is a really superb ministry with the people listening to great old hymns (instrumentals only) as they sing along, pray, enjoy memories, and prepare their hearts for the teaching of the Word.  But when the service starts, there are plenty more hymns to sing as well as 2-3 special music presentations. It was, as we have experienced before at this church, charming and inspiring and something which well contributes to a wholesome body life for the congregation.

But I’m not done yet.  Let me finish by telling you a bit about the announcements, the church bulletin, and what’s going on throughout the week at this church because they reveal how much further the ministry of the church goes beyond the Sunday morning program. In this too, I must say, the church is unfortunately unusual among evangelical churches of our day.  For instance, the announcements included a heartwarming pitch for the Life Chain outreach given by the pastor.  He spoke eloquently about the need for such public witnesses for the sanctity of life, warmly thanked the congregation for their faithfulness in this outreach in the past, and then gave a personal charge to everyone to join him in the afternoon’s event. Perhaps it’s needless to say, but that also impressed Claire and I a great deal.  Later, one of the members of the missionary committee explained how a final push for Operation Christmas Child would let them beat the record for the number of shoeboxes they had set in previous years. Yes, there were a couple of announcements that dealt with programs centered around the church building but how refreshing it was to see how this church sees it’s “holy business” as being outside the walls of the building too.

This visionary perspective was even seen in the church bulletin for there we saw another pitch for Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Child outreach, more information about the Life Chain, information about two other missionary endeavors, and finally, the weekly prayer calendar suggested by the Voice of the Martyrs, Wow. And the building is used beyond that Sunday morning too. For although, Covid has caused them to suspend Sunday evening services for awhile longer, there’s still Sunday School classes, a Monday night Bible study, a sewing circle, Wednesday night prayer service, and who knows what else? 

Like I said, we really experienced church yesterday morning. And how we pray that other American churches would rediscover (and quickly too) the need to speak to truth to the culture, to challenge pew-sitters to stop being molded by the world, to heartily seek to equip and  mobilize the church in counter-culture outreach, to get seriously involved in pro-life ministries, to find new respect for the beauty and power of traditional hymns which have been so beloved by generations, and more. Thank you, Lord, for allowing Claire and I the blessing, the inspiration, and the serious challenge that came our way yesterday through the brethren at Friendly Baptist Church.

Denny Reflects on The Mitford Novels

I’m sitting here in the pre-dawn quiet enjoying a cup of coffee and thinking about the beauty, relevance, and rich significance of what I’ve taken recently 

to calling “Mitford ministry”; that is,actions of Christian service that emphasize the values (and even the methods) that one sees portrayed so winsomely in the ministries of Fr. Tim Kavanaugh in Jan Karon’s heartwarming series of Mitford novels. 

Yes, I’m aware that some of Karon’s following relish the Mitford books as “escapist fiction,” enjoying them because the small town charms and eccentric characters present a welcome relief from lives that some readers might feel are either too hectic or too humdrum. I understand the sentiments of such readers because I too love the sheer pleasantness of the novels. However, from my first Mitford book (which I must confess was postponed for way too many years after Claire first started encouraging me to read them), I have found a wealth of spiritual conviction and challenge amid all the charm. Karon is a superb writer and storyteller but her talents are used not merely to entertain – as wonderful a purpose as that is – they also guide, equip, and encourage. For in and among her vivid place descriptions, fascinating characters, humor, literary references, and “page-turning readability,” Karon presents life lessons for the Christian that are winsome, memorable, and remarkably persuasive. 

 Let me mention another angle I take on the Mitford novels that might surprise those of you who know my longstanding appreciation of G.K. Chesterton. That angle is simply this – I believe Jan Karon’s Mitford novels are among the most Chestertonian literature around, celebrating as they so effectively do such blessings as home, family, friendship, courage, forgiveness, compassion, humility, sacrifice, food, what might be described as “local patriotism,” and an orthodox Christianity that is revealed in both precept and practice. A stretch? Not really. For beyond the abundant novelties and paradoxes which one relishes in Chesterton, the core values he celebrates in Manalive, The Napoleon of Notting Hill, The Flying Inn, and so many of his other novels, essays, and poetry are the very values I’ve mentioned above. 

 But it is not only the values of G.K. Chesterton I encounter when I’m in Mitford, it is also those ordinary, day by day acts of Christian love which Frances and Edith Schaeffer underscored were the stuff of “true spirituality.” Indeed, the early years of L’Abri reveal how devotedly the Schaeffer family sought to live out the same Chestertonian (and yes,“Mitfordian”) virtues I listed above. The Schaeffers argued the necessity of a solid intellectual understanding of Christianity while also insisting that the disciple’s lifestyle be marked by personal holiness, humble prayer, an appreciation of God’s handiwork, and an intense desire to serve the Lord through practical love towards others. 

 Did Jan Karon find inspiration for her novels from these saints? Maybe a bit. Maybe not at all. But that’s not the important point. Rather it is that Jan Karon, G.K. Chesterton, and the Schaeffers were all moved by the Holy Spirit to use their art (and/or their preaching, journalism, and personal walk of sanctification) to stimulate love and good deeds among their fellow believers…and to present a winsome apologetic for the gospel to unbelievers. But before I conclude “my musings on things Mitford,” let me reiterate the most important life lessons with which Fr. Tim Kavanaugh (and other characters and plot situations in the Jan Karon novels) refresh and challenge me. 

 1) The overarching value of personal spirituality. Over and again, Karon illustrates the beauty of the fruits of the Spirit in one’s life. And this means patience and forgiveness in dealing with “very draining persons;” spending time in both personal and corporate prayer; commitment to spiritual disciplines; personal development, including reading the Bible and other quality literature; and seeing divinely-inspired duty in such practical things as washing dishes, walking the dog, and preparing meals. 

 2) Devotion to marriage, family, and community. This includes such practical things as writing letters to one’s spouse; care in selecting gifts; hospitality of a variety of forms, including letters, calls, entertaining, and visits; ministry to children, the aged, and the sick; “home loyalties,” including support for one’s church and local businesses; and engaging joyfully in the dominion mandate in projects both big (building a new wing of a hospital or adopting a child) and small (gardening or restoring a nativity set). 

 3) Evangelism and discipleship that’s willing to be “in for the long haul.” 

 4) The “attitude of gratitude” for God’s creation, His Word, His will, and His plan of salvation through the gracious and substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. I would add that Karon also stresses thankfulness for the simple, beautiful things of life. For instance, Fr. Tim and Cynthia aren’t chasing the latest technologies or methods; they find happiness and contentment in warm blankets, a snuggling pet, a complement, a snowfall, a handwritten letter, a lunch at the diner with friends, an old book, a restored piece of furniture, a poem, a cup of tea, the moonrise, and so much more. They even seek to live with an “attitude of gratitude” when God brings challenges, disappointments, and trials their way. 

 Like millions of other readers, I would probably have thoroughly enjoyed Jan Karon’s novels and found a wealth of spiritual stimulation in them even if, for decades earlier, I hadn’t sought to live out the virtues taught me by Chesterton and the Schaeffers. But having done so has made the Mitford novels a very special treasure for me. Thank you, Jan Karon. 

 So, for art that doesn’t merely seek to imitate life but rather to enrich and deepen it with examples of lives well-invested for the Lord…lives reflecting personal sanctity, gratitude, joy, endurance, hope, and extremely practical “small dose” ministry which beautifies and blesses, Jan Karon’s Mitford novels receive my highest recommendations.

The Wind in the Willows Brunch

Our next Saturday morning brunch will be at our home on Saturday, November 14th at 10:00AM with an intriguing, heartwarming, and much beloved book as the focus of the morning.  That book began as tales told by a father to his young son but ended up winning the praises of such notables as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, A.A. Milne, and President Teddy Roosevelt. Indeed, Roosevelt not only persuaded Scribners to publish the book but he considered the characters in the book to have become his “dear friends.” The book?  Kenneth Graham’s The Wind in the Willows.  

You say you haven’t read it lately? Maybe even since the days of childhood? Well, I would urge you to discover afresh the joys, the beauty, and the profound life lessons of The Wind in the Willows. And to whet your appetite, here are a couple of interesting responses to Graham’s classic. The first is from A.A. Milne, the author of the Winnie the Pooh books.

Milne once said of The Wind in the Willows: “I shall not describe the book, for no description would help it.  But I shall just say this; that it is what I call a Household Book.  By a Household Book I mean a book which everybody in the household loves and quotes continually ever afterwards; a book which is read aloud to every new guest, and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth.  But it is a book which makes you feel that, though everybody in the house loves it, it is only you who really appreciate it in its true value, and that the others are scarcely worthy of it.  It is obvious, you persuade yourself, that the author was thinking of you when he wrote it.  ‘I hope this will please Jones,’ were his final words, as he laid down his pen.”

Here’s another sparkling observation from Milne: “One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and, if she does not like it, he asks her to return his letters. The older man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly. The book is a test of character. We can't criticize it, because it is criticizing us. But I must give you one word of warning. When you sit down to it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are sitting in judgment on my taste, or on the art of Kenneth Grahame. You are merely sitting in judgment on yourself. You may be worthy: I don't know, But it is you who are on trial.”

C.S. Lewis also chimed in on The Wind in the Willows. “It might be expected that such a book would unfit us for the harshness of reality and send us back to our daily lives unsettled and discontented. I do not find that it does so. The happiness which it presents to us is, in fact, full of the simplest and most attainable things -- food, sleep, exercise, friendship, the face of nature, even (in a sense) religion. That ‘simple but sustaining meal’ of ‘bacon and broad beans and a macaroni pudding’ which Rat gave to his friends has, I doubt not, helped down many a real nursery dinner. And in the same way the whole story, paradoxically enough, strengthens our relish for real life. This excursion into the preposterous sends us back with renewed pleasure to the actual.” 

Elsewhere Lewis wrote, “I never met The Wind in the Willows or the Bastable books till I was in my late twenties, and I do not think I have enjoyed them any the less on that account. I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story. The good ones last.” 

And finally, here’s one more. G.K. Chesterton scholar James Woodruff once named The Wind in the Willows as the most Chestertonian thing ever written by anyone other than Chesterton. He claimed this was because it is “a celebration of the primal things Chesterton loved -- Home and Friendship and Adventure -- all suffused with a sense of wonder and lived out by characters who write poetry and go forth to battle and both eat and drink with right good will.”

We are really looking forward to The Wind in the Willows Brunch on Saturday morning of November 14 (10 o’clock at the Hartford Cafe) and we hope you too will plan on being a part of this fun, festive, and stimulating morning.

Finally, A "When Swing Was King" Gig!

Thank the Lord, it’s been quite a day. The beginning was the regular coffee conversation early this morning at Paradise with Patrick & John. This is a seriously intentional fellowship and it's always stimulating and encouraging to me. Thanks so much, guys. I’m so honored with your friendship. Then it was home for breakfast and to oversee the young fellow doing the autumn reseeding and aerating of the lawn. 

 Next, I finished up #29 in our series of “Anti-Boredom” Packets and Claire sent them out to the senior care facilities. We also put finishing touches on a Power Point presentation for this Sunday’s service at our church. It involves photos of Vital Signs Ministries activities over 37 years backed by a terrific 3 1/2 minute song by Scott Wesley Brown, “Who Will Stand in the Gap?” While I was doing this, Claire was doing VSM finances, posting the September LifeSharer letter on the web, sending it out to our email list, and posting on the website the last couple of our activity packets. 

 And finally, the pièce de résistance; namely, our first “When Swing Was King” show since February! 

 That’s right. We were invited in to Immanuel Village Assisted Living to present amplified songs in their outside courtyard but in a place where residents could hear it by sitting inside a common area (safely distanced) or actually sitting on the patio near where Claire and I were working the computer, microphone, and speaker. We didn’t know if it would work – the distance, the divided audience, the lack of the photos which normally accompany the show, the time since we’ve been there, and so on. We were expecting 3 or 4 people to be sitting way out yonder with no substantial communication between us. 

 We were intensely happy to be completely wrong! For we ended up with a combined audience of 25 or more and, for about 90 minutes, they were deeply involved in enjoying the music and stories, welcoming us back with wonderful enthusiasm, and letting us know how much they have appreciated the activity pages (along with the personal stories and photos that accompany each packet) over these long months. We were even able to have several conversations with them. The activity directors suggested they weren’t all that surprised by the turnout because, “Hey, they are really grateful for you guys thinking of them and putting in all that work on those activity pages. We kinda’ figured you’d get a bunch.” Wow. What a sweet blessing for us. And what a combination of blessings for the day. Thank You, Lord Jesus.

Where Did It All Come From?

There are really only two options in the end. Either there is a personal God Who made everything (carefully, purposefully and in keeping with His moral character) or everything is mere meaninglessness, an absurd collision of matter and chance to which the only authentic response is despair.

How incomparably sweet then that the revelation of Holy Scripture corresponds to the overwhelming evidence of the world, the moral conscience, and the universal longing of the human heart in acknowledging that God is there…and He is not silent.

Finishing Well: Lessons from King Asa

As I started work this morning on the Vital Signs Ministries monthly letter, it dawned on me that I hadn't presented a link here on the blog to last month's (August) letter. I sometimes overlook that because I post it on our Facebook pages and the VSM website and then forget to make sure it's here too.

Right below is the link. And, if I do say so myself, it's a relevant challenge indeed so, please check it out.

Finishing Well: Lessons from King Asa

Going to the Dogs? #26 in Our "Anti-Boredom" Packets Is Out

Alas, the quarantines in the senior care facilities continue.

And, as long as this sad state of affairs goes on, we will keep creating our "Anti-Boredom" Packets for the residents who live there...and anyone else who needs a lift.

Last Friday, our first action after arriving home from our Colorado climbing trip was to send out #26 in our series. You can take a look at it (and all the others) on this page of the Vital Signs Ministries website.

And yes, inside #26 you will find 2 "dog photo quizzes" (with answers) that will give you a few smiles and memories. Here's one of them:

Back to the Top: Climbing Republic Mountain

When I was coming up to my 65th birthday, I decided to celebrate a little differently; namely, by attempting a hike of one of the 14ers back in my home state of Colorado. (The 14er label comes from being at least 14,000 feet in elevation.) And, you guessed it; that turned out to be the most harrowing, difficult birthday I ever had! But, thank the Lord for His enabling mercies, I made it to the summit of Mt. Bierstadt (14,065) and really relished the achievement. I followed up with another birthday hike the next year, making it up Mt. Quandary (14,265).

The recap and photos from those two adventures are 1) here  and 2) here.

However, the next year I was unable to keep up this new tradition because of both a torn meniscus and torn calf muscle. Those and other physical issues also kept me off the mountains for both my 68th and 69th birthdays (the latter coming just 8 weeks ago). Alas, it looked like I was forever done with that particular activity.

But, thank the Lord, He gave me another chance last Wednesday and despite the wildfires, the ongoing physical difficulties, a sleepless night before (stretched out in my car while a cold rain fell), and certainly the toughest climb yet, I was blessed to accompany 4 friends (Ron Scheffler, Mark Fichter, Sterling Fichter, and Ryan Dinville) to the top of Mt. Democrat (14,148) or, to use the historic name, Republic Mountain. (Note: The Mount Democrat moniker began with miners with Confederate sympathies who despised that a nearby peak had become known as Mount Lincoln. As one chronicler put it, they changed the name of Republic Mountain to Mount Democrat "to even the scales.")

Anyhow, here's a few photos and comments about the climb.

1) After enduring a lot of rain and cold while camping out on Tuesday night at the Kite Lake Trailhead, we started out about 5:10. Using flashlights, we headed north towards the saddle between Republic (Democrat) and Cameron.  This photo, taken after about 90 minutes of hiking, looks back southwest towards camp.

2) This is the goal...well, kind of. This far view of the mountain we will be directly climbing in about an hour (from this spot) actually shows the "false summit" of the mountain. This means that the true peak is hidden and you've got to go find it!

3) At the saddle between Republic and Cameron. My camera here is pointed almost directly north. Below is the valley in which the Middle Fork of the South Platte begins and in the background you can see Bartlett, Wheeler, North Star, and other impressive peaks.

4) This shot looks a bit further over the edge (no small test for a fellow who deals with vertigo) towards the valley floor. That shadow is thrown by Mount Cameron.

5) From the same vantage point, this photo shows how the valley breaks to the east. I love the contrast you find in the mountains of light and shadow, angle and curve, beauty and bleakness. By the way, the rounded mountain shown on the far horizon is Mount Quandary.

6) Okay, this is the first pitch towards the west and up from the saddle. If it looks intimidating, that's because it is! Indeed, not only must the hiker deal with the steep ascent in this portion, he or she must also scramble their way around with literally no path to guide them for quite awhile. One can sometimes find a few cairns to provide general guidance on the way back to some kind of trail. But, even then, this part of the climb is pretty frustrating, slow going, and a bit dangerous. So, be careful, kids.

7) Looking back toward the saddle and the ascent towards Cameron, this point in the trail represents a much-welcomed break from the scrambling. For quite a ways now, the hiker will be gingerly moving up several switchbacks on his way to the false summit.

8) At the broad plain beyond the false summit, there's still a ways to go. But this makes a great place to rest for a few minutes, take in the grand views to the west and southwest (which includes Mount Arkansas), and psyche up for the remaining 20 minutes or so.

9) From the same vantage point, this photo looks south towards the area where we started the morning. The light ribbon you can see moving down the Kite River Valley is the hardscrabble road that one takes (preferably, in a tough, high-clearance vehicle) from Alma 6.5 miles to the trailhead.

10) Arriving at the summit, all of us exchanged cameras to get both individual and group photos...plus the ones in which we posed with a 5-foot flag I had brought along. We took pictures for others who were there and one couple eagerly took advantage of our general offer to use our U.S. flag.  

And I'll post below again the photo that leads this story. It is surely one of my favorites from all my mountain photos from over the years. On the left (as you look at the photo) is Ryan Dinville (a family friend of the Fichters who now is a student living in Denver with obligations to the U.S. Air Force -- Ryan is an eager and skilled hiker and an overall nice guy); Mark Fichter (a recently retired farmer from southwest Iowa who now lives with his wife, Benita, in Bellevue -- Mark is a leader in his church and has long been a pro-life colleague), me; Sterling Fichter (Mark's oldest son who now farms on his dad's land -- Sterling is an experienced hiker with 11 14ers on his record so far -- and he is a toughened historical reeanactor whose specialty is the American mountain man era); and Ron Scheffler (a longtime friend and supporter of Vital Signs Ministries, Ron is married to Linda who was spending time with Claire in Breckenridge and Frisco during our absence -- this was Ron's 2nd 14er and he did remarkably well.)

Evolutionists Are Terrified of DNA

Denny Talks to Dr. Paul Kengor About Ronald Reagan's Christianity

It's another "blast from the past" from Vital Signs Radio.  Denny Hartford interviews Dr. Paul Kengor about Paul's book GOD AND RONALD REAGAN

On Intelligent Design

"The fundamental claim of intelligent design is straightforward and easily intelligible: namely, there are natural systems that cannot be adequately explained in terms of undirected natural forces and that exhibit features which in any other circumstance we would attribute to intelligence." 

(William A. Dembski)