...and I'm a sinner.

If you haven't already noticed, the Mormon Church changed their ads. Their old ads were aimed towards family values and would end like this, "family...isn't about time? This is a message from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." The message wasn't anything controversial.  Anyone with a heart could "awww" over the cutesy ad. 

Now, they are choosing attractive, cool, normal, surfers, workers to share how awesome they are and end with, "...and I'm a Mormon." Why are they advertising? It's quite funny really, because it confirms that you don't have to know much in order to join. It's treated almost like a club. You like families, outings, skateboarding, art, etc? So join the church already! Duh!  So, in closing I like to end with this:

Hi, I'm Ingrid and I'm a wife, Mother, piano player, disciplinary, chef, house cleaner, and Community Manager...and I'm a sinner.

We Have Seen His Glory!

I was thankful to receive "In Christ Alone" by Sinclair B. Ferguson as a gift from my sister-in-law, Teresa. Just the title, “In Christ Alone” should grasp the attention of any fellow Christian wanting to understand our Lord better or for someone, like myself, who desires to live the Gospel-centered life. I have always been a fan of reading Ferguson's books. After all, my first Reformed Pastor provided me with "By Grace Alone" through the mail before visiting his congregation for the very first time. Ferguson amazes me with how simple and basic of a read he is, yet turns a clear understanding of who Jesus is into something delightful and confounding.

I usually wait until AFTER I read a book to provide my thoughts, but silly thing is, I am only through the first section! I am very excited about it, that I find it only necessary to share my first thoughts about the opening of his book. I wish I could write this entire blog post in my own words, but I have quoted Ferguson instead a majority of the time.  His remarks alone are fascinating.

Part 1 of the book starts off with the Prologue to Christ. “The Word Became Flesh” was the best way to put it. Ferguson reminds the Christian reader how fascinating that each of the Gospels has a different starting point. For instance, Matthew begins with Abraham, Mark with John the Baptist, and Luke with Zechariah and Elizabeth. Later, he adds a staggering point about John’s Gospel. This Gospel begins in eternity! John’s motifs are the identity of Jesus, revelation in Jesus, fulfillment in Jesus, and the work of Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I always linger when reading the opening versus of John’s Gospel; just to sink in the knowledge that He is the Word made flesh (1:14)-- hits me every time! Ferguson points out the thrill and suspense while reading this, and asks the reader to read the Prologue slowly and read out loud to feel it. He is Jesus! Ferguson says, “Jesus comes to us from the deep recesses of eternity.” Ferguson also explains:

Our Savior is the God-man, and we should think of Him as both! Just in the first verse, He is described as the companion of God (He “was with God”), who simultaneously, is Himself God (“the Word was God”).

The basic key to John’s Gospel is quite simple…our Lord has two natures united in one person. God the Son made flesh. As John’s Gospel records Jesus’ self-revelation, it breaks into two sections—His own identity and His fellowship with the Father and the Spirit.

The law was given through Moss, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (1:17). Through Moses in the Old Testament, God is revealed in pictures and ceremonies.  Jesus is the reality. Ferguson goes onto explain the fulfillment in Jesus:

Like John the Baptist (1:15), the Law and the Prophets were only witnesses to the Light; Jesus is the Light itself.  That is why, for John, the events, imagery, and language of the Old Testament are like a shadow cast backward into history by Christ, the Light of the World.  The dwelling of God in the wilderness tabernacle foreshadowed the presence of the Word incarnate as the final temple.  It is in Him, alone that finally see God's glory (1:14).

The ending to this first section of the book takes me on a spin as Ferguson goes onto explain the work of Jesus. I have to admit, at times I must re-read a section 2-3 times in order for it to sink in. While reading the closing section I again paused at hearing that John’s Christology is a Christology from above and from below. Christ comes from the Father, BUT He is also born of the Virgin Mary. I am a huge fan of John Calvin, and he writes:

How great is the difference between the spiritual glory of the Word of God and the stinking filth of our flesh! Yet the Son of God stooped so low as to take to himself that flesh addicted to so many wretchedness’s.

The Word became flesh. The Word made His dwelling among us. The Word revealed His glory. Ferguson reminded me that re-reading John's Gospel is bigger on the inside than it appears to be from the outside. The Gospel of John is the first true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The World Is Watching You

I have been a member of facebook for about 4 years now. I joined in order to get rid of my myspace account due to the immature posts, lame designs, bad search engine, and the annoying music on friends pages. Facebook had a better search engine, professional, and better secured...so we thought. It is not new to hear the dangers of having a facebook account. Some are pretty simple...don't reveal your address, phone number, social security number, password, etc.


I am happy that a recent article revealed the risks of sharing your job complaints and personal lifestyle. Insurers and employers are now turning to social networking sites to track down their employees and clients. It’s quite genius really. In fact, I turned to social networking sites when hiring employers. I would easily place a huge red X on your resume if I found posts that revealed heavy partying or any unprofessionalism. Believe it or not, the easiest way to disqualify an employer are their status posts. If you can’t spell, than most likely you will not qualify for a receptionist position. I couldn’t imagine receiving emails from someone at work who types,

Gonna go 2 lunch. Do ya need anything? I be @ da restaurant across da street.

I know…I lack in trying to emulate someone’s “ghetto” internet skills. I suck at trying to make this believable, however, I hope you get the point.


One of my facebook discoveries is being revealed to one of your associates and finding out that they aren’t who you thought they were. Whether this is good or bad, I discovered that some have poor work ethic. They get a job, and later complain about co-workers or annoying clients. Life isn’t easy. Get over it.


The worst job complaints are from teachers. After reading posts from young new teachers (none of my friends to make it clear) my jaw dropped as I was revealed about their bratty students and co-workers. As a Mother of a young child who will soon have to face the school system, it definitely worries me. Not to mention, I am a daughter of two teachers (both public and private entities). I never heard my parents share stories about how stupid their students are or laughing at their papers as they are grading them.  I am proud of my parents trying to make a difference in a student’s life. You want them to succeed, not the opposite. When I shared this information to my parents, they simply said teaching isn’t for them. You don’t get involved into certain careers for the money.


Next time you wish to vent on facebook or share how hot or awesome you are, please pause and think about who is reading it.

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Glad I Am Not Like You

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18: 10-14

 

Pharisees…we all have it in us at times. The Pharisees were the ultimate religious people among the Jews during Christ’s life on earth. They were determined not to break any of God’s laws. The essential problem lay in their different understanding of the nature of God. For the Pharisees, God is primarily one who makes demands. For them, the Scriptures of the Old Testament were a set of rules that must be kept at all costs. For Jesus, as well as the Old Testament believers, God is primarily “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps. 145:8).

This lesson from Scripture reminds me of my need for a Savior. Many times, I forget the cross and worry how holy and better I am than others. In my Mormon days, I use to marvel at my good deeds and would easily question those who were outside the Mormon faith. We need to be careful that we do not add our own man-made rules to the Scriptures. Some convictions that we hold dearly may be derived more from our particular Christian culture than derived from Scripture, and we need to learn to discern the differences. It is okay to have cultural convictions, but we should be careful that we do not elevate them to the same authority as Scripture. The reason for so much judgmentalism among Christians today occurs because we do this. But that is basically what the Pharisees were doing. It is easy to become confined to this, but we must be careful not to become modern-day Pharisees.

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:36

New Routine

Today marks day one of John’s crazy schedule. John works 6:30-3ish Monday-Friday and takes evening classes on Monday in Reston, VA and on Thursday in Lanham, Maryland. In addition to this, he is taking one course online to speed up the process of graduating in January. With the times he isn’t in class, he is studying or working out. We had a lame tradition that we eat dinner at Wegman’s (grocery store for all you who don’t live on the east coast) and later goes grocery shopping as a family. This will be my first Monday evening grocery shopping alone with a toddler. I made a pros and cons list to this whole experience of grocery shopping.



CONS:


1) Have to lift the heavy items alone.


2) Remember everything that I seem to forget on my own list.


3) Handle a toddler who only screams when I am at a stop with the cart.


4) Can’t rush through the aisles while John is off to the side waiting patiently with Isaiah.




PROS:


1) Won’t hear “we don’t need that.”
2) Reminding me how bad and fattening some things are.


3) Reminding me I need to be supportive of his diet.


4) Hear a loud extended sigh that only embarrasses me publicly when I am being a scatterbrain in the warzone at Wegman’s.

Cyber Gangsters

Maybe you have gone through the same experience as I have. Have you ever run into a relationship where the person has split personalities between reality and cyber world? For instance, the person can be rather harsh, insensitive, and controversial online but when you hang-out in reality; they are kept to themselves, were respectful, and sort of wimpy. It is always easy for a human to recreate themselves online. I believe they fulfill that emptiness in the world via cyberspace. Why? Well, none other to prove they are funny, intelligent, hardcore, sexy, etc.  I wish to leave this thought on your minds when you encounter one in the near future. Remember, folks to be kind and treat your cyber gangsters with love and attention, because we all know they need fuel.