Free Christmas songs

Justin at Between Two Worlds has received permission to offer several free Christmas songs for download.

The first two are from Isaac Wardell and the folks at Bifrost Arts. Their album is Salvation Is Created: A Christmas Record From Bifrost Arts. Kevin Twit, founder of Indelible Grace Music, describes the project this way, "This is an exquisitely beautiful record. The string arrangements are lush and creative. The sonic quality of the recording and the mixing is superb. But it is not a light sappy project at all—Thomas Kincaid and his ilk had nothing to do with this music, and for that we can be thankful."

Joy Joy!!! (Featuring Devon Sproule and Paul Curreri) [5:15]
Download the mp3 (right-click then “save as”).

Veiled In Darkness (Featuring Matt Bauer and Maeve) [5:19]
Download the mp3 (right-click then “save as”).

The next set is from Sovereign Grace music. Their Christmas album is Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man.

Savior contains twelve truth-saturated songs, suitable for worshiping God year-round. Each song ponders and celebrates the reason for Christ’s coming.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
(Download the mp3)

Rejoice
(Download the mp3)

The third set are from the folks at Red Mountain Music and their album, Silent Night.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
(Download the MP3.)

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
(Download the MP3.)

The final set are from Sojourn Music and their album Advent Songs.

Joy to the World
(Download the MP3)

Hosanna in the Highest
(Download the MP3)

Thanks to Justin Taylor and especially these talented musicians!

Happy Birthday, Eli!

He's 12 today!

Breaking a habit

Poor girl! Faith will be wearing casts on both legs for the next several weeks. For as long as I can remember Faith has walked mostly on her tip-toes and the orthopedic doctor noticed that her calf muscles were shortening such that she couldn't fully extend her feet. According to the specialist casts are the best way to break the habit of tip-toe walking before her calf muscles or ankles are permanently damaged. She looks sad in the picture but that's mostly because of the extra attention she's getting. She can still run and play, she just can't tip toe all that well.

I guess sometimes our problems in life can get to the point where only a strong forcing function can correct it before real damage occurs. It's worth asking yourself, where is one needed in my life?

Getting into shape

As the year draws to a close it's about time for the gyms and jogging trails to fill up with people and their New Year's Resolutions. Whether or not you're inclined to that, I'd ask you to consider this statement, "Bodily training is of some value, but godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come." (1 Tim 4:8)

So how about a resolution for "spiritual training" (godliness) in 2010? Here are some helps to consider using (most of them courtesy of Challies).

For the Love of God by D.A. Carson. This two-volume devotional contains a systematic 365-day plan, based on the M’Cheyne Bible-reading schedule, that will in the course of a year guide you through the New Testament and Psalms twice and the rest of the Old Testament once. To accompany the reading plan Carson has also written comments and reflections regarding each day’s scriptural passages. “And, most uniquely, he offers you perspective that places each reading into the larger framework of history and God’s eternal plan to deepen your understanding of his sovereignty—and the unity and power of his Word.”

Daily Readings from the Life of Christ by John MacArthur. This two-volume set is recently published by Moody and focuses on the life of Christ. “In this daily devotional by highly acclaimed author John MacArthur, your hungry heart will be focused on God and His Word. With insights on the life of Jesus, thoughts to ponder, and wisdom gleaned from years of careful study, this devotional will feed your daily walk.”

Voices from the Past edited by Richard Rushing. This volume, brand new from Banner of Truth, offers daily devotional readings from the Puritans. It does not follow any particular order (that I can see) in the Scripture passages accompanying each devotional.

Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. This is a classic devotional that offers two daily readings, one for the morning and (you guessed it) one for the evening. Again, the accompanying Scripture passages do not follow any set order. If purchasing it as a gift for someone else, there are attractive gift editions of it available.

Through the Bible Through the Year by John Stott. “John Stott has assembled a new book that will guide readers through the Bible according to the church calendar. Seeking to renew a Trinitarian approach to Scripture, Stott divides these daily reflections into three sections. From September to December, Stott focuses on how God the Father revealed himself in the Old Testament. From January through Pentecost, he focuses on the life of Christ in and through the Gospels. And between May and August, Stott looks at the Holy Spirit in Acts, the epistles, and Revelation.”

DayOne Publications has an ongoing series that offers readings from the writings of a number of well-known Christian pastors or theologians. Currently available are:

365 Days with Calvin edited by Joel Beeke (brand new).

365 Days with Newton edited by Marylynn Rouse .

365 Days with Spurgeon edited by Terence Peter Crosby (there are 4 volumes available).

Walking with God Day by Day by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. “Walking with God Day by Day offers brief daily devotionals that engage the mind and the heart. You will not just find spiritual nourishment in its pages; you will learn about God and the great themes of the Bible. Robert Backhouse has compiled excerpts from choice passages in the writings of Dr. Lloyd-Jones according to monthly themes. By reading this devotional, you will grow in your understanding of God and learn to apply the truth of His Word day by day.”

Faith Alone by Martin Luther. “Freshly translated from the original German into today’s English, this book contains a treasury of devotionals taken from Luther’s writings and sermons (1513 to 1546), conveniently divided into daily readings to point readers to the Bible and a deeper understanding of faith.”

Daily Dose of Bible Knowledge. Though I have this book, I have not yet read through all of it. I mention it, though, because I really like the idea behind it. The book “helps you start every day with a fascinating exploration of the Bible. The book includes 365 inspiring one-page articles that delve into everything from the Ark of the Covenant to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The articles are grouped into 52 weeks, with each day of the week dedicated to a particular subject area.” So it is not a devotional, per se, but still a helpful day-by-day kind of book.

Tabletalk Magazine by Ligonier Ministries. If you’d rather receive a monthly publication than buy a book, consider Ligonier Ministries’ Tabletalk. In each monthly issue it offers daily devotionals along with a good number of articles written by many respected pastors, theologians, authors and the occasional Canadian blogger.

Prof. Horner’s Bible Reading Program. He’s a professor from the Master’s College. In this program, you read in ten different places every day.

J.C. Ryle’s Daily Readings from All Four Gospels: For Morning and Evening. You will find his writing clear and easy to follow, and simple and warm. This Daily Readings is based on Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.

Providence Pageant

The children of our church put on a great Christmas pageant last night under the able direction of Mrs J.
We were all impressed with how much work went into this one-night only performance. From the set to the costumes everything looked great. But most impressive was the focus on the Scriptures, with many of the children reciting substantial passages from memory or singing solos of Christ-centered Christmas carols.
This also turned out to be a great outreach event to our neighborhood and friends. So it was a win-win for evangelism and for nurturing the faith of our covenant children.
This will be one of the highlights of our time at Providence.

The Blind Side

When WORLD magazine ran a cover story on the movie The Blind Side, which tells the story of a very shy, large, and homeless boy from the projects and his adoption by an upper class family in Memphis, Kristin and I were itching to see it. Thanks to visiting grandparents last night we were able to.

After reading WORLD's gushing review our expectations for the movie were so high I was concerned it would turn out to be a let down. In terms of some of the casting choices, dialog, and basic acting skills I doubt it will be a contender for an Academy Award. Yet the story in this movie is indeed a rare jewel. The fact that the story is true gives it power. The scenes from the projects and the contrast with affluent Southern culture is accurately done.

But what sets this movie apart from other true stories is that the love this family showed to one orphaned child could also be shown by you and me, right where we are at, right now. The end result would certainly be different than this movie's ending, but it need not be any less glorious in God's eyes. The reality of poverty and children in desperate need in our own backyard is undeniable. This movie reveals the joy of sharing with those in need and how it transforms both the giver and the receiver.

I hope you'll see it. Its effect on your heart and mind will last long after the credits roll.

Isaiah's world

The older boys and I were treated to dinner out tonight by their grandfather. They were excited to go to Golden Corral. If you haven't been there in a while, they've changed to a new business model which seems to be working well for them--serve as much B-quality food to as many people at one time as you can.

While we were sitting at a table eating Isaiah was yammering on about all kinds of things. (His role in our family is to single-handedly get our daily word count up to the national family average.) But I do try to listen to him and when he said, "I've eaten at fancy restaurants before," that one got to me. Maybe we don't take this boy out enough.

John MacArthur & his old football coach

A great story of God's grace...50 years in the making.

John MacArthur - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Over Mt Sinai

For those parents that plan on teaching their children the Westminster Shorter Catechism, here are a few fresh memorization tips.

You'll need to prepare for a long hike over Mt Sinai; to get through the 10 commandments you'll cover 42 questions. Two of my children have been bogged down here for months; but one has made it through and for that I'm thankful. The material is wonderfully applicable to everyday situations.

Two tips on a positive note. First, try to catechize your older children in the presence of the younger ones. You'll find that the younger children will already be familiar with the material when they get to it, and in some cases already have it memorized without any direct catechizing.

Second, once you get far along in the catechism you'll need large blocks of time to get through the material. To help keep the boys' attention we toss a ball back and forth between the question and answer. Some weeks to save time we'll just do the even numbered questions, the odd ones, or every third one.

We've been at this for years now and the only two regrets I have is that I haven't been as faithful as I could have been and I haven't been able to talk about the answers as much as I like. I hope to remedy that second regret in the years ahead.

Gobble Gobble Ping Pong Day

The turkey is putting me to sleep early tonight, but before I give out I wanted to mention we had a great Thanksgiving. A total of 14 people spent most of the day at our house either playing games or preparing a great meal.

We staged a ping pong tournament, played chess, dodgeball-freezetag, and Isaiah's favorite, Stratego. Then we feasted! It was a great day!

An American Marriage

Mars Hill Audio sheds light, in their latest volume, on why Americans want to marry more than Europeans and why Americans much more often than Europeans end up divorced, too.

It comes down to twin commitments--marriage and individualism--both of them uniquely dear to Americans, and incompatible over the long haul.

It seems like everyone in America wants to marry at some point in their life, even gays. Not so in Europe. But here it's still seen as a sign of the good life, regardless of whether it happens after co-habitation and children.

However, America is also the land of expressive individualism. If your marriage doesn’t fulfill you, you are almost obliged to leave it. What matters most is self-fulfillment.

It doesn’t seem to matter that we are such a religious nation; individualism trumps faith commitments. In fact, the churches that have grown the most are those that have learned to cater to the individual with a self-fulfillment message.

What should we do? Learn what marriage is for. To put it briefly, marriage is for the mutual help of husband and wife, for bringing up godly children, and for preventing immorality. (WCF 24.2)

A new invention

To keep children awake in the car

HT: AHM

Happy 10th to Grace!

We're supposed to wrestle

On decision making:

"Proverbs, and the wisdom literature in general, counter the idea that being spiritual means handing all decisions over to the leading of the Lord. The opposite is true. Proverbs reveals that God does not make all people’s decisions for them, but rather expects them to use his gift of reason to interpret the circumstances and events of life within the framework of revelation that he has given. Yet when they have exercised their responsibility in decision-making, they can look back and see that the sovereign God has guided.”

—Graeme Goldsworthy, in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (IVP 2000), p. 210. See also Gospel and Wisdom in the Goldsworthy Trilogy.

(HT: The Shepherd's Scrapbook via Z)

Rio Grande Enrichment Studies

Talent shows during my elementary school days consisted of 5th graders strumming air guitars and pounding air drums while lip synching to something in the Top 40. By high school the talented ones were break-dancing. That was about it; the rest of us were happy to finish our school days in obscurity.

So last night I was blown away by the performances at the Rio Grande Enrichment Studies' version of a talent show. My older two children attend this "help the homeschooler" school that has been around for 15 years.

A 5th grader, who was too short to use the lectern, recited a lengthy poem with verve and a vocal mastery unknown to most adults. Another male student, this one teen-aged and recently named to All State choir, sang a Handel piece solo with great affection. Then came a series of short persuasive speeches from seniors down to 6th graders. All of them were given with precision and passion.

My hat's off to the staff of RGES and the parents of these children. They are doing a fine work; one that gives me hope in the future generation.

Bud & Me -- Boys of Adventure

In 1909, five year old Temple and his nine year old brother, Bud, rode horseback from Oklahoma to Santa Fe, New Mexico – ALONE!

That was just the beginning. Their most famous horseback adventure was their record-breaking ride from New York to San Francisco. The two boy wonders crossed the rugged North American continent, once again without any adult presence (much less a GPS)! Despite a series of hair-raising adventures, including losing their horses and being on foot for three days in the deserts of Utah, the young adventurers galloped into San Francisco to a thunderous welcome.

Bud and Me, co-written by Temple’s wife and his daughter, is a story of bravery, perseverance and remarkable character. It is a rare tale of adventure that will be enjoyed by the entire family.

Misfires from the Christmas photo shoot

I enjoy posting embarrasing pictures of the family on the blog. It's my payback for having to wear the matching red sweater in public.

Here are some of the photos that won't make it on the Christmas card this year.

Looks like Zeke has gone back to the bottle.


Who knew that Faith really likes throwing leaves?


The most uncomfortable photo I've ever posed for. I'm half the man I was.

What to expect in seminary

It may be helpful for some considering seminary if I briefly describe a typical week's worth of work for an introductory class. Here was last week's assignment from Introduction to Reformed Theology, a 3 credit hour course at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary:

1. Attend class (for me, listen to the audio)

2. Make an outline of three chapters in the Westminster Confession of Faith

3. Memorize four questions and answers from the Westminster Shorter Catechism

4. Read 3 hours in John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion

The total time spent each week is about 8 hours.

A touch of persecution

I started a Bible Study at work two weeks ago. I took great care to be above reproach with this: secured approval from my boss, used no government resources in announcing the study, scheduled it during lunch time, etc.

But today I was told that because I am a supervisor some people are saying that I may start to unfairly reward those that attend the study. These same people called one of the attendees a kiss-up, insinuating he attends the study only to gain favor with his boss.

None of this should be surprising, but it has been a while since I've tasted a bit of slander for obedience to Christ.

Of course my anonymous accusers are right about me. I'm a sinner and so it could be that I may show favortism. But this is not unique. Any supervisor who does anything outside of work with some of his team faces the same temptation. So I'll heed the warning from my accusers and press on as long as God allows.

School age boys

Sometimes I can agree with this quote from an unknown school teacher:

"What is sin? [Answer:] What is boy?"


Marvin Olasky, during a recent speech, about the difficulty many boys have adjusting to a schoolroom environment.