Happy Birthday Faith!

Today is Faith's third birthday.  For the next two weeks we will have two three year old girls, until Emma turns four in the middle of May.  Faith is an adorable little girl.  She is full of laughter and joy.  She is also strong-willed and when she does not want something, she lets us know.  She loves cuddles and tickling.  She has a special love for Amanda.  When we get near the house after preschool, Faith just keeps repeating "Mommy, mommy, mommy..."  Faith loves to put on her fairy wings and pretend to fly.  We are so thankful to have Faith in our family.  We love you Faith, have a great birthday!

Autism Awareness Month

As April and Autism Awareness Month winds down, I thought I would share some ways that you can support a family with autism.

1. Provide respite for the family.  If you are not comfortable caring for an autistic child, find someone who can.
2. Get to know the child with autism, find out what they are interested in.
3. Reach out to the siblings of the autistic child.
4. Do not avoid the family and do not assume that they are too busy for friends or get togethers.
5. Encourage them.
6. Ask them what they need.
7. Pray for them.

Whatever you do, do not pretend that autism does not exist.  It is real, it is serious and it is hard.  There are families that could use your support.

Autism Awareness Month

Nick Peters at the Deeper Waters blog has been posting all month on autism from an insider's perspective, as someone diagnosed with Asperger's.  You can find his blog here.

Two Years Later

Two years ago today, my mother passed away.  It was actually an Easter Sunday the last time she was at church. That afternoon, after church, she went to the hospital and a couple of weeks later she passed away.  As a pastor, I tell people to just let time do its job and things will get better over time.  There is of course truth in this.  However, as a son I will tell you that I miss my mom as much now as when she first died, if not more.    We had Abby visiting us this weekend, and of that I am thankful.  Beyond the obvious reasons, Abby has a lot of my mom in her.  She is like a living photo album (Logan does the same thing for my dad).  Thanks Abby.  I want to say, thanks mom for all you have done for me and I miss you lots!

Happy Easter!

Easter Saturday: The Forgotten Holy Day

Good Friday is an incredibly important day for Christians as we remember the death of Jesus.  We love Easter Sunday as we celebrate the tremendous miracle of Jesus' resurrection.  Many people even enjoy Easter Monday (whatever that is) as some people get the day off.  But what about Easter Saturday?  What do we do about today?  This is the day of waiting.  This is the day when Jesus is still dead in the tomb.  This is the day when the disciples are thinking the game is all over.  We ignore Easter Saturday.

But the fact is that this is the place where we live.  We are in the time of waiting.  We are past the time when things are the worst but we are not yet where God brings the ultimate victory.  Christians have died to sin, but our bodies have not yet been raised with Christ.  We are Easter Saturday people.  So in the midst of all your Easter celebrations, do not forget poor little Easter Saturday.  

Lent Forty

“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
(Revelation 1:12–18 ESV)

Who Takes Communion?

In some churches, only members of that congregation are allowed to take communion.  Other churches are not concerned where your membership is, as long as you are a Christian, that is have made a personal commitment to Jesus.  At a recent church service we attended, the pastor leading communion made sure to stress that one must have received Christ as Savior to receive communion.  Amanda asked me why that is. Good question.  The only guidance we have in the Bible is from 1 Corinthians.


“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.” (1 Corinthians 11:27–34 ESV)

Many Christians assume that you must be in very good standing with God to receive communion and if you feel things are not quite right, one must let communion pass by.  Obviously, non-Christians would be included in those not quite right with God.  But is that what Paul is teaching here?  The concern in this passage is that the Corinthians, who celebrated communion within a larger community meal, allowed the rich to eat much and the poor to go without.  That is is the sin of this passage.  Paul never touches on what to do about non-Christians.

So what about today?  For many non-Christians who visit a church, communion will be nothing more than little chunks of bread and a shot glass full of grape juice.  This is likely true for many Christians as well.  But there may be some non-Christians who experience Christ in the act of communion.  As they reflect on what the bread and cup represent, they may been to see what Jesus has done for them and desire to respond.  For that reason, I do not demand that people in my church have a personal relationship with Jesus before they receive communion.  Communion may in fact be an important part in entering that relationship.

Who Did Cain Marry?

Of all the Bible questions that I am asked, there is one that rises to the top of the list.  In fact I have been asked twice in the last week.  The question is: who did Cain marry if the only people at the time who had lived were Adam, Eve, Cain, Able and Seth?  The problem is this:


“Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 
Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.” (Genesis 4:16–17 ESV)

Who was his wife and who were the people of Nod?  The missing piece of the puzzle is this: “The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:4 ESV)  Adam lived 800 years after the birth of his third son and there was plenty of time to have more children, something this verse confirms.  There I said it!  When people ask you this question, send them straight to Genesis 5:4.

Autism Awareness Month

One of the things often important to people with autism is consistency and predictability.  When there are even slight changes in the routine, there can be major issues.  For example, the other day Logan asked to watch Finding Nemo.  The movie worked fine.  Unfortunately there was a fingerprint on the DVD and the preview for Lion King 1 1/2 did not work.  Who cares about previews, right?  Well this caused a major meltdown for Logan.  Thankfully I was able to clean up the DVD and get it working with all previews intact.  And there was much rejoicing! That is life with autism.

Lent Thirty-Nine

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
(Hebrews 9:24–28 ESV)

Lent Thirty-Eight

“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 1:22–31 ESV)

Lent Thirty-Seven

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”
(Acts 2:22–33 ESV)

Breakfast With Jesus

One of my favourite resurrection appearance passages in the Bible is this:


“After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.”
(John 21:1–12 ESV)

I love the fact that Jesus, fresh from conquering sin and death, decides to cook breakfast for his friends!  In the spirit of this passage, Woodford Baptist Church is having its annual Easter Sunday Breakfast Service on April 24, 2011 at 9:00 am.  This is a very informal service where we sit downstairs around the breakfast table, enjoying a great meal and celebrating that Jesus rose from the dead.  If you live in the Owen Sound/Meaford area, feel free to join us.

Lent Thirty-Six

“There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 
So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
(John 19:18–30 ESV)

Lent Thirty-Five

“And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:19–29 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

Do not assume that all autistic people are alike.  You cannot meet one person and then figure you know what to expect the next time.  Not only are there different levels of severity, there are differences even between people who are on the same level of the spectrum.  Logan and Abby are both considered severe.  If you spent some time with Logan and Abby, you would find certain things the same.  But their personalities and the ways the autism affects them are very different.  With autism, as with every other area of life, do not assume.

Starbucks

As a fan of Starbucks, I thought I would promote these two books:

When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics By Paul Copan / Baker Books There is apologetics, when the actual Bible, God or the faith are being actively maligned, and then there are the difficult questions that sometimes arise in casual conversation. In this book Paul Copan is addressing the latter, and carefully examines each one - its logic, validity and theological implications. This is what he calls 'everyday apologetics', and whether the questions are directed toward Christianity itself, the Christian worldview, or simply truth and reality he does not shy away from tough problems some people - even Christians - have with the faith. Questions about denominations (Why so many?), lying (Is it okay to lie to Nazis?), and God (Why does He seem so egotistical?) just scratch the surface of Christianity's uniqueness. Over a dozen questions are dealt with head-on, but many others are answered within each chapter, and end-of-chapter suggested reading lists will assist those who need to dig deeper.

The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion By Leonard Sweet / Random House, Inc You don't stand in line at Starbucks just to buy a cup of coffee. You stop for the experience surrounding the cup of coffee. Too many of us line up for God out of duty or guilt. We completely miss the warmth and richness of the experience of living with God. If we'd learn to see what God is doing on earth, we could participate fully in the irresistible life that he offers. You can learn to pay attention like never before, to identify where God is already in business right in your neighborhood. The doors are open and the coffee is brewing. God is serving the refreshing antidote to the unsatisfying, arms-length spiritual life---and he won't even make you stand in line. Let Leonard Sweet show you how the passion that Starbucks has for creating an irresistible experience can connect you with God's stirring introduction to the experience of faith.

Lent Thirty-Four

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
(Luke 23:39–43 ESV)

Hope's Reason: A Journal of Apologetics

The first volume of Hope's Reason is now available in print form from Amazon.com.

Easter Services

If you live in the Meaford/Owen Sound/Collingwood area, I would like to invite you to some Easter services.

On April 22 at 10:30 am, there will be a combined Good Friday service at First Baptist Church Meaford.  Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Cook Street Pentecostal Tabernacle, First Baptist Church, Olivet Baptist Church and Woodford Baptist Church will join together for this service.  Dan Mihalic will be our speaker.

On April 24 at 9:00 am, there will be a breakfast Easter morning service at Woodford Baptist Church.  We will join together downstairs and the entire service will be at the breakfast table as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

On April 24 at 11:00 am, there will be an Easter Sunday service at First Baptist Church Meaford.  All are welcome to join us in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus through worship.

Lent Thirty-Three

“And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their headsand saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. 
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(Matthew 27:37–46 ESV)

Jesus in the Synoptic Tradition

They syllabus for the course I am teaching on Jesus in the Synoptic Tradition for the modular program at Tyndale University College is now up.  You can find the syllabus here.  If you are near the Toronto area, we would love to have you in the class.

Lent Thirty-Two

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” 
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
(Matthew 21:33–44 ESV)

Lent Thirty-One

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
(Matthew 16:21–28 ESV)

Living in a Season of Change

First Baptist Church Thornbury is hosting this event:

"Living in a Season of Change"

            - multi-faith

            - cultural diversity

            - environmental challenges

 

" Is God sending a message and we are not listening?"

 

 

Date: Sunday May 15th 2011

Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Place: First Baptist Thornbury, 72 Bruce Street (south of Hwy 26 at the lights)

Phone: 519 599 6247 (church) 

 

Come when you can, leave when you must, chili and bread for those who stay.

Let us know if you are coming to help with our planning, but if you get free at the last moment come anyways!

Autism Awareness Month

Here is the TED talk by Temple Grandin.  It is a great insight into the autistic mind and the importance of valuing people who think differently.

Lent Thirty

“And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
(Mark 15:33–39 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

I have not seen this movie but I heard it was good.  It is the story of Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who went on to get her Ph.D. and to have a major impact on the agricultural industry.  She is an inspiration to people living with autism.

Lent Twenty-Nine

“Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”
(Mark 15:6–15 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

Since today is Justus' birthday, I thought I would talk about a neglected aspect of autism.  Autism is difficult for the autistic child and for the parents but it is also difficult for the siblings.  Much of the parents' attention often gets focused on the autistic child.  Other children might feel left out or get frustrated that their toys get broken.  Often they end up taking on additional responsibilities, taking care of their autistic brother or sister.  Do you know a family with autism?  Do you want to help them?  Consider reaching out to the siblings of the autistic child.

Happy Birthday Justus!

Today is Justus' fifth birthday!  Justus is a great kid.  We have a special relationship.  He has been accused of being my "Mini Me."  He has taken on many of my personality traits, even joining me my appreciation of superheroes, Star Wars and classic rock.  We love to hang out and Justus normally "helps" me when I do projects around the house.  I am so thankful Justus is in our life.  Happy Birthday Justus!

Lent Twenty-Eight

“And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
(Mark 14:32–41 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

One of the things that I must emphasize is not to prejudge people with autism.  Since it is Logan's birthday today, I will use him as an example.  If you met him, you might see a far off expression and strange sounds.  Logan is nonverbal and may only echo back other people's words.  But hand Logan a computer (or an iPhone or an iPad or an iPod) and he will log on to the Internet and start navigating sites such as Youtube.  He can grab his favorite books and type out their titles to find videos that go with them.  Logan is an amazingly smart kid, even though people might not see that right away because of his communication issues.  So when you meet someone with autism, don't be so quick to judge.

Lent Twenty-Seven

“And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
(Mark 14:22–25 ESV)

Happy Birthday Logan!

Today is Logan's tenth birthday.  I can't believe my son is in the double digits!  Logan is an awesome kid and I am so proud of him.  He is a smart and lovable kid who breaks hearts wherever he goes.  He is my pal and I love hanging out with him.  I actually feel robbed when I miss our time of reading the Guardians of Ga'Hoole at bed time. Cuddling with him on the couch is one of my favorite things.  He is able to demonstrate love beyond words.  Have a great birthday Logan.  We love you!

Remembering a Prayer

Ten years ago, Amanda was pregnant with Logan.  I was about to be ordained, was interviewing with Mount Hamilton Baptist Church and was finishing up my thesis for my M.Th. at McMaster Divinity College.  It was a hectic time to say the least.  Amanda and I prayed that she would not go into labour until I was finished my thesis.  Ten years ago tonight I printed off my thesis.  An hour later Amanda went into labour.  Lesson: Be specific in your prayers.  

Autism Awareness Month

One of the first movies I saw related to autism was Rain Man.  What other autism-related movies have you seen or recommend?

Lent Twenty-Six

“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
(Mark 14:3–9 ESV)

Writing Contest

Some of you might be interested in this.  It is a writing contest through Word Alive.  Click on the badge to check it out.

Scripture and the Authority of God

Agree or disagree with him, it is never a waste of time to read N.T. Wright.  This looks to be a particularly interesting book and I would love to hear from anyone who has read it.  Consider reviewing it for Hope's Reason.

Scripture and the Authority of God By N.T. Wright / HarperOne According to Wright, evangelicals and liberals are misreading the Bible. He explains why both overly literal and politically correct positions are indefensible; reveals a model for understanding God's authority and Scripture; and offers new case studies on keeping the Sabbath and marital monogamy to clarify the interpretive process. An expanded edition of The Last Word. 224 pages, hardcover from HarperOne.

Lent Twenty-Five

“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
(Mark 8:31–33 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

Are you interested in learning more about autism.  I found this book extremely helpful.  You can also order it from Amazon for as little as a cent!

Lent Twenty-Four

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.”
(Malachi 3:1–3 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

This information is taken from the Autism Society of Canada.

Terms and Definitions

Terms used to refer to various Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) can be very confusing at first: one will hear terms such as:

• Autism, classic autism, high functioning autism
• Autistic Disorder
• Asperger Syndrome or Asperger's Disorder
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A note on terms and labels

It is important to distinguish between the clinical terms and descriptions of ASD and our understanding and knowledge of people who live with ASD. We need to understand clinical terms used in medical settings, during diagnosis, and in certain treatment or intervention settings. However, it is wise to keep in mind that these terms may also be seen as limiting labels to some people on the spectrum who feel that ASDs have been "medicalized" to the point where individuals who are unique in their skills, abilities and value to their communities, have been forgotten or eclipsed by the "disorder".

All are commonly used terms and may be interpreted differently in various settings. The term "autism" is often used in two different ways. It is used to refer specifically to Autistic Disorder and it is also used more generally to refer to all ASDs.

The term "spectrum" refers to a continuum of severity or developmental impairment. Children and adults with ASDs usually have particular communication and social characteristics in common, but the conditions cover a wide spectrum, with individual differences in:

• Number and particular kinds of symptoms
• Severity - mild to severe
• Age of onset
• Levels of functioning
• Challenges with social interactions

There are in fact five Autism Spectrum Disorders described under this diagnostic category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) that appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. While the DSM-IV still categorizes autism as a mental health disorder, there is debate about whether this classification is appropriate.

Lent Twenty-Three

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”
(Zechariah 12:10 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

When Logan was diagnosed with autism, we were asked to put Abby into a research project.  The research was an attempt to provide a diagnosis much earlier by examining siblings, who were more likely to develop  autism.  I never thought that there would be any issues with Abby, but agreed to put her in the project for the sake of research.  However, it was not long before there were some warning signs.  Unlike Logan, Abby never developed language.  She had some stronger behaviors than Logan as well.  Soon Abby had her own diagnosis of autism.  Abby is very different than Logan.  Especially in their younger years, we used to describe the difference in this way: Logan was happy in his world and Abby was miserable in our world.  Abby has made some good strides but unfortunately her behaviors required that she go to a group home (more on that in a later post).  No matter where she lives, Abby will always be daddy's girl.

Lent Twenty-Two

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.”
(Micah 5:2–4 ESV)

Autism Awareness Month

April is autism month.  As a result, periodically throughout the month I will write posts dealing with autism.  I may share a bit of our story, share some resources and deal with some questions.

It is interesting that April is autism awareness month as April is also the month our son Logan was born.  Logan seemed to be the perfect little baby.  He was incredibly cute and quite bright.  It did not take long for him to figure out how to use our VCR.  I remember seeing a chart on the door of a doctor's office that said how many words a child should have by each age.  I was relieved to see that Logan was almost exactly on track.  But then things changed.  Words disappeared.  Logan became fixated on things like ceiling fans.  He did not play appropriately with toys and showed no interest in playing with other children.  We went to a developmental pediatrician to "rule out" autism.  After seeing Logan, the doctor returned to the room.  He was carrying a box of kleenex.  We knew we were in trouble.  Logan received his diagnosis of autism.  I had no idea what to expect.  My knowledge of autism was based pretty much on Rainman.  We have learned much since then.  Logan's autism has been a challenge but it has actually made us better people.  We are thankful for all the support and prayers that we have received throughout our journey.

Lent Twenty-One

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.”
(Daniel 9:24–26 ESV)