Radical Like John the Baptist

One thing I keep hearing as people talk about the emergent chuch is the radical nature of the Gospel that's been sanitized and even hidden by the church in Christendom for years. As a Lutheran I see Martin as one of the first to listen to the whole text and to let it work on him and not the other way arround.

Reading John this week has gotten me hopeful about the future church again maybe because I can see God at work through such radical preaching.

After hearing a particular story from scripture a few times I start to think I know what it's really about. And I must confess that sometimes I stop reading the story and just try to push ahead thinking I already know what the point of the Word already is supposed to be. Advent and Christmas are seasons when we are tempted to push past the story found in Scripture without spending any actual time listening to the stories. And the stories of God breaking into our lives at Christmas without our authorization are some of the best that we can share with the world.

John was never tamed or bridled. He was created by God on purpose and he came preaching a message that was so radical and so bold that people came out to the wilderness near the river Jordan to hear it. They came from Jerusalem and all over Judea to hear John's bold unrestrained message. It was a message that wasn't meant for somebody else or some other people. It was a message that was meant for the nation of Israel. And it rung in their ears so boldly they couldn't stop listening.

John spoke so boldly to them, the NRSV and NIV said he addressed the people who came out to be baptized by him in Luke 3:7, as “You brood of Vipers!” John literally calling them the γεννήματα spawn or offspring or the fruit of ἐχιδνων poisonous snakes. How's that for the opening line of a sermon. You brood of vipers. John understood that God was up to something big. He knew that Kingdom was coming and that the time had come to get ready.

Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:8-9 NRSV

John the Baptist was and is a dangerous radical. John was the most unrestrained man of his time in all Israel until Jesus came along. John came and told the people the straight truth. He didn't bother to shave off the rough edges that make us uncomfortable. John wasn't worried about being politically correct. He wasn't worried that the prophetic word that he shared with the people on God's behalf might sort of kind of make them uncomfortable. John knew who they were and he knew that they and all of us have shame, sin, guilt,and grief that we need to lay aside.

John's radical preaching was hard to ignore in his time and it's hard to ignore today. This past week I've been reading Wild at Heart by John Eldridge and seeing in John a true man of God who was really wild and free as God had intended. Eldridge makes a pretty good case in the first chapter that men are contained and constrained by our civilization and that was never God's design or plan. Adam, Eldridge says was created out in the wilderness, but Eve was created in the Garden. Eldridge even points to Jesus and John the Baptist being lead by the Spirit out to the wilderness. John was a radical bold man of God. He had a message from God that wasn't a lullaby. Repent. Lay down you sin. Repent. Don't fake it; don't pretend God doesn't know your sin. Repent.

Who do you imagine as a faithful man of God?
Do you imagine a nice guy, a real push over, a pussy cat or do you imagine someone dangerous an untamed: someone like John. But if your part of my generation of TV watchers you've seen Christian men often portrayed as a sort of Ned Flanders. Nice and restrained.

So what does that say about all of us: are we nice or a we wild and free, like John.

Look who's coming

Dateline: LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Walking along Pearl Street yesterday we spotted white car. The girls said there was even a red hat on the front seat.

2000 words or 2 pictures

Dateline: Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Milestones: 3 Girls & 1 Teddy

I haven't added to this blog in a while but I think this is a good time to reflect and share. Our family keeps on passing more milestones every week. Last spring we moved 120 miles west into the prarie. It was quite a change. Looking back its been a change that's brought us a lot of blessings.
Our big girls are full fledged 1st graders. Today it seems like they've done well making the jump into so many new parts of life: new town, new school, new friends, new activities: so much new and the seem to be doing great with it all. They are fast becoming proficient readers and their violin playing is getting a little better with practice each passing night.
They ride a bus to and from school and have only missed once. Iwalked with them really fast all the way to school;. I think that will help make sure they don't expect a car ride if they miss.
Our little girl is almost 8 months old. She's laughing and smiling like a toddler these days. I love her smile and the twinkle in her eyes. She fusses some when she's put down and is usually opposed to going to bed. As a new born she didn't complain much until her pants were full.
She's a fullfledged crawler who loves to stand up and play with the contents of any basket she can reach. She knows her toys are in a basket in the living room so its no surprise that any other basket: like 1 full of clean clothing might also be fun to explore.
Teddy, our American Water Spaniel, is 2 1/2 years old. He's a wonderful dog with our trio. He sleeps on the floor in or 6 year-olds' room most night. We never replaced the last bed that he chewed up with all his end of being a puppy energy. Now he curls up on the carpet with any stray cozy object he can find. Teddy's never been allowed on furniture or in a bed, and with our rooms hardwood he looks pretty smart crashed out on the carpet between our big girls' beds.
When we got Teddy we wanted a family dog who would be patient with kids, not shed much, and love to run, especially after birds. Teddy is all that and more.
Last week our almost toddler and I brought him to the vet for shots. 3 other dogs growled at Ted. he wasn't phased by their bad manners at all. Teddy and I went walking looking for birds to eat last weekend. I guess we'll have to keep at it.
Pax
unlikely

First Taste of Sweet Potato

Our wonderful 5 month old baby girl had her first taste of sweet potato baby food tonight. She was a bit perplexed at first but really started to smile with pride as she got her first meal (beyond rice cereal). Maybe she picked up cues because all of us were so excited to watch. My beloved decided that it was best to feed her as we all settled down for supper.

The funny thing about youngest babies is that the parents aren't the only ones to share the excitement of each first. Her older sisters were excited to watch and smile with her.

Traveling Minnesota and Iowa with Twins + 1: a suspension bridge in Iowa

One of the neat things about resettling this year in the prairie of southern Minnesota have been finding different places where we've never been to explore together as family.

Of note this week is a wonderful suspension bridge we found in Estherville, Iowa.

Our current home is just 3 blocks from a lake. It's great to live near a lake with two 6 year-olds and a baby. We have a great place to go on walks every morning and night. There's easy access just a short jaunt away for canoeing which is great. But there's something different between a lake and a river. Rivers rush even on calm sunny days when lakes seem still and inviting. Rivers team with unrestrained energy and even inspire a little bit of awe and wonder as we look on at the force contained within their banks.

So yesterday, when we were out exploring in a nearby town, we were pleasantly surprised to find a pedestrian suspension bridge just a few miles away from home. The bridge was shaky which made it all the more fun to cross over the small section of white water below.

Our minute younger twin, Gray for short, was definitely not going to go over that shaky bridge at first; but once we crossed one time she had to be sure to cross four times more to appreciate the full drama of the moment.

Traveling Minnesota with Twins plus 1: Harkin Store, New Ulm, Heritage Acres

One of the wonderful things about the 4th of July is the chance to get little extra time with family. This year we took in 3 great sites in south central Minnesota this year.

Harkin Store: On July 3rd we headed up to the Harkin Store. The store first opened in the 1870's as settlers moved up the Minnesota River Valley to settle. The store and the surrounding Minnesota River town of West Newton were left behind as the railroads and settlement moved up to the prairie above the river. The store closed and much of the contents are still there. The Harkin family turned it into a museum and the Minnesota State Historical Society/Nicollet County Historical Societies have taken over the operation of the store as a museum together.

When we entered the store we met a man dressed as the proprietor of a 19th century country store. The girls thought the store was great right down to the authentic hats they got to wear during the tour and the bonnet and night cap they got in the gift shop next door. They came with shopping lists in hand to see what they could or couldn't by at the store that they might have wanted to take home.

New Ulm: I can't hide my love for sauer kraut, braised ribs, and dumplings when I get to New Ulm. My daughters say that the food I pick at the Kaiserhoff stinks; but hey it's dad's chance to eat comfort food. The girls enjoyed seeing Herman Heights and the show at the Glockenspiel. They also liked the trip to Target to use the gift cards from Grandpa Bruce.

Heritage Acres:
Our longest exploration of the Holiday weekend was at Heritage Acres on the west side of Lake Sisseton. Established in the 1970's as an agricultural interpretive center it was an exciting place for twin 6 year-olds and their parents. The baby slept through most of the trip in her stroller as we wondered from building to building. The rest of us were able to explore while there was blue-grass music to listen to in the "Mall of 1900." We would have enjoyed having more time up on the hill to see even more and plan to go again the next time Heritage Acres is open.

Heritage acres is a neat collection of historic buildings brought together to retell the story of rural America in a hands on way. All the parts of a old farmstead: from the house to the chicken coup, the barn to the corn-crib have been moved on site, only the barn was originally on the site. An old railway depot, a country church, a one room-school (outfitted with books and a real teacher who taught in a one room school herself), a log cabin and a collection of stores (the Mall of 1900) built in a modern machine shed are all on site.

Topping off our fourth of July weekend were church, fireworks, and rhubarb pound cake; all in all a great way to celebrate the over through of colonial rule by the English.