Love is the river - on Psalm 1

I (Chris), for almost every year of my education, attended a Christian school.  We were not super wealthy but my folks worked 4 jobs between them because they felt it important we go to a smaller Christian school.  I am grateful for this.  It has added to who I have become and there is not a day that goes by that I don't pull something up from the files of my time in Christian school that is helpful or, at the very least, funny to remember.

Like the film we made for the Fall fair fundraiser called "Fatman and Blobbin" about two overweight crime fighters trying to defeat the evil "Slimfast".  I digress.

Also, Christian school is why you rarely see me in a tie...I wore one as part of my uniform and think that was quite enough.  Ties nowadays are saved for funerals and weddings only and especially those I am officiating.  I did wear a tie to my Mother's funeral because she told me she would haunt me if I did not.

At the beginning of the almost every school year, I was required to memorize the 1st Psalm.  Because of this repetition, as I went to read it today, I realized that the new year has become for me like the first day of school.  It's a resetting, a start over and Psalm 1 just seemed a proper way to begin the year.  I also realized how deeply all those repeat memorizations have imprinted these words of warning, promise and instruction on my mind.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sits in the seat of mockers nor stands in the path of sinners.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in this law he meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree, planted by the rivers of waters that brings forth fruit in season.  His leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does will prosper."

I have always wondered how in the world you could meditate on scripture day and night.  And as a kid, I really felt short of the mark in the "delight" area.  Oh yes, I could read and memorize the Bible as a chore or assignment, but who actually delights in this stuff?

But as I was reading today, I realized how to delight in God's law.  Jesus gave us the key.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt 22:37 - 40

This is a way to wrap our minds and hearts around meditating on God's law, even delighting in it.  All we have to do is think about, ponder, plan and enact love for God and love for others in our day.  To live our days and nights in love is to constantly meditate on God's law.  I have only had small tastes of this but I know that this is a delight.

Picture in your mind a big tree on the banks of a river.  It is serene, healthy, vital and active with life.  There is quiet strength emanating from the roots up through the trunk and out to the branches and leaves.  It is a place where birds and other creatures find shelter and sustenance.  Do you want to be like that?

Then live a life of love.  Love God, love others.  This is God's delightful law.

Merry Christmas from the Whitlers!

You can look at our short little Christmas greeting letter with some links to more holiday pics by GLONKING HERE!

Mystery Christmas by the Rap Stars!

(repost from the Fire Bowl)As so many around the world have come to expect, Christmastime means a new offering from everybody's favorite seasonal rap group, the Rap Stars!  They have generously agreed to let us post the newest piece here.  You can download this song and the other Rap Stars holiday raps for free in a brand new Christmas 3-pac!  Just GLONK HERE!

The Whitlers...in truck stop animal hats!

I need a montage.

I wish I could be in a montage. I really need one right now.

You know, when you’re backed up against the ropes, everything is a mess, there doesn’t seem to be a way out and all you have is a small group of friends and a crazy idea that will only work if you get the timing just right.  But the only way to get from point A to point B is if that really encouraging music starts playing.   I feel like it should start to play any minute now.

What encouraging music?   You know..the montage music.  As soon as it starts to play, me and my friends will kick it into high gear.  Yep, we’ll work together to build stuff, we’ll exercise, someone will do some welding, we’ll have some minor set backs and maybe even a few laughs.  But by the end of that awesome song, we’ll have it pretty much figured out.   It only takes one song to lose weight, get in shape for the big fight, figure out the main problem or build that thing that’s going to (with a little luck) get the job done.  Heck, with the right song, we might even could build a house!

I just need to figure out how to get it to play. In the meantime, I’ll just sit here.  Geez, I hope that music starts soon.   I could use a good montage about now.

Or maybe...

A PSALM OF LIFE by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO THE PSALMIST

Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.

Life is real ! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.

Pumpkins, Dr. Who, the Little Mermaid and Big Foot!

This year, we discovered pumpkin templates...they were a bit more work than we're used to but we got some great pumpkins out of them.  This is Stella's "kitty bat".

Sam went for the free style design.  It looks like the mouth but no, my friend, that is a moustache.  The mouth is making an "o" underneath.

Back to the templates with Amie's "two spooks"

I free styled this design but it was inspired by a template of an alien.

And finally, Josh's "Hunger Games" logo...pretty sweet.

Happy Halloween from Dr. Who, The Little Mermaid and Big Foot!




Here's my song again about Amie's favorite holiday...enjoy!

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Sci Fi Country - a new song by Chris

For the past few weeks over at the Fire Bowl, we've been exploring stories and lessons learned from crossing cultures and this is our last entry on the subject.  You can enjoy this original song by me right here by clicking on the player.  If you would like to download the song, listen to more music or subscribe to future Fire Bowl and Whitler audio, just GLONK HERE.

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