day no. 15,392: taking time with you

"Making memories is the only way to take time with you." -- Paige Van Voorst

The past few years have led Paige and I to implement a number of traditions. Some on the annual level, some on the weekly; some of greater scale, some of smaller. But nevertheless, we have been intentional in creating a culture in our home through making memories. We are making our best effort to provide an inheritance for our children that consists of small things like singing Rebecca Black's, "It's Friday!" every Friday night during Pizza night to larger things like celebrating our Dutch heritage on December 6 with St. Nicholas' Day and wooden shoes and Dutch chocolate to boot (dad joke alert). 

"The home is a museum of memories and we are the curators" -- Edith Schaeffer, What is a Family?

I want to take these days with me and I want to provide something worth celebrating and safekeeping for my children. We are doing this through the discipline and delight of making memories and living intentionally in light of Christ for the love of those He has given to us.

"There is something about saying, 'We always do this,' which helps keep the years together. Time is such an elusive thing that if we keep on meaning to do something interesting, but never do it, year would follow year with no special thoughtfulness being expressed in making gifts, surprises, charming table settings, and familiar, favorite food. Tradition is a good gift intended to guard the best gifts." -- Edith Schaeffer,  What is a Family?

day no. 15,391: heroic and humble

2 Samuel 10:12
Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to Him.

Let us be brave in our behavior and in accepting whatever outcome God determines to be best. It is better to fight in faith and die faithfully than to fight timidly determined that God must deliver your enemies since you suited up for battle today.  Be like Beowulf: heroic and humble, willing to attempt great feats for God's glory and willing to receive defeat by God's providence.

In truth, the Geats’ prince gladly trusted
his mettle, his might, the mercy of God!
Let wisest God, sacred Lord, on which side soever
doom decree as He deemeth right.
-- Beowulf

day no. 15,390: their presence in the porridge

"There is something of the same idea at the back of the great American experiment; the experiment of a democracy of diverse races which has been compared to a melting-pot. But even that metaphor implies that the pot itself is of a certain shape and a certain substance; a pretty solid substance. The melting-pot must not melt. The original shape was traced on the lines of Jeffersonian democracy; and it will remain in that shape until it becomes shapeless. America invites all men to become citizens; but it implies the dogma that there is such a thing as citizenship." -- G.K. Chesterton, What I Saw In America

America is a melting pot, but if it is to remain America, the pot cannot also melt. America must either mean something or it will mean nothing. If it welcomes outsiders into her border, it must welcome them into something and those added in must be melted into the ingredients in the pot without expecting the pot to change its shape to accommodate their presence in the porridge. 

day no. 15,389: suffer like a man

"You must keep your head clear. Keep your head clear and know how to suffer like a man. Or a fish, he thought." -- Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

There is way of suffering that betrays manhood. A man must suffer well. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. If you whimper and whine when the suffering comes, your resolve is without resolution.

Proverbs 24:10

If thou faint in the day of adversity,

thy strength is small.

day no. 15,388 continued... molon labe

While reading Douglas Wilson's "Same Sex Mirage" again today, I came across a new term: "molon labe." This is reported by Plutarch as Leonidas' response o the Persians request to surrender their weapons. It is a Latinized rendering of the original Greek which essentially means, "Come and take 'em!" Reminds me of this,

1 Kings 20:11

Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.

day no. 15,388: luck comes when you are ready

"It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready." 
-- Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

You can do everything precisely right and still not have things work out. You can do nothing right and things can end up working out somehow. But of the two, it is better to be prepared, for then when things begin to work out, you are positioned well to take full advantage of the fortune you find at that time.

Proverbs 16:9

A man's heart deviseth his way:

but the LORD directeth his steps.

day no. 15,387: build this house

2 Samuel 7:24-29

And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God. And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,' and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever."

Psalm 90:12-17 

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be shown to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

May God grant us the grace of having our houses established in the Messianic line. While those pre-dating Christ's incarnation could pray in hopes of having their families represented in the lineage of those to whom the Christ would be born, those of us post-dating His incarnation can pray in hopes of having our families incorporated into the lineage of those descending from Christ's lineage by grace and through faith.

May God establish my home as one rooted in His glory and may my children group up knowing Him, satisfied in Him alone and zealous to pursue Him in every endeavor placed before them. 

May I see my children marry well and may the fruit of those unions produce children who may receive what was first passed down to me. May I see my children raise their children to know, love and obey God.

May generations of Van Voorsts harvest worship of Jesus because of this generation of Van Voorsts is planting and cultivating worship of Jesus.

God, establish my house for Jesus' glory and my descendants' good.

May a thousand generations of grandchildren inherit the blessings and privileges of homes oriented completely and cheerfully around Christ. Establish Your Name in our household and use our household to establish Your Kingdom here on earth, as it already is in Heaven. 

Amen.

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for He gives to His beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.