Finding the Gospel

Take a long hard look at my face

Take away the things I can’t replace

Take my heart, go on take it away

I’ve got nothing to say

Take away this sense of regret

Take the things I need to forget

Take the mistakes I haven’t made yet

They’re all I have left

I don’t want to be the one who lets you down

All I did was run myself around

I wish I could have seen through your eyes

Maybe then I would have realized

I’m the only one who’s bleeding

For the things I never needed

The things I never needed

Take a good long look at yourself

Take the weight off everyone else

Take the hardest blow that was dealt

It’s all on your shoulders

~Things I Never Needed, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Bottling Cedar Gables Chokeberry Port with my parents late Saturday night.

The Gospel comes through loud and clear sometimes, and there it was, playing on Pandora on my Black Keyes station. A new artist I discovered, and added because I thought she sounds kind of like a country version of the Black Keyes. Aaron and I have made a game out of this: the objective being finding the most references to the Gospel hidden in the secular world around us - movies, music, television, billboards, newspaper and online written material.

Click to link your post to mine if you, too, have found a Gospel reference in an unlikely place.

The role of wine for the Christian

I unwittingly opened a Pandora's box in the Christian world with my last post, which included photos of chokeberries drying on our countertop, and a description of my husband's lovely Farmhouse Wines fermenting in our basement currently. I published a representative comment on yesterday's blog. I received six other similar comments, and so would like to take the time to post my position on wine. I believe wholeheartedly that Christians are free to consume alcoholic beverages in moderation. There are also plenty of examples in Scripture where wine in excess is damaging (for a summary of both the positive and negative references to alcohol in Scripture, read an excellent bulleted list here). Because I think we are more familiar with the arguments against the drinking of alcohol for Christians, I will summarize my reasons for supporting the consumption of alcohol (if desired) among Christians here:


I Timothy 5:23, Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

In terms of moderation, God is also clear in His instruction: Phillipians 4:5, Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

How about the beauty and sensuality of this passage? Song of Solomon 8:2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

Wine is also equated with blessing in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 33:28, Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

It was used as both a drink offering to the one true God (Ex. 29:40 & Numbers 15:4-10) and to idols (Deut. 32:37-38). It was given in abundance (not just sips!) to the Jews when they were obedient (Hosea 2:22, Joel 2:19) and they were deprived of it as punishment (Isaiah 24:7).

It is supposed to make our hearts glad, as in Psalms 104:15, And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

It was given to those who were suffering or in pain (Proverbs 31:6).

Most notably, Christ turned water into wine as His first miracle, probably at a rather indulgent wedding feast! (John 2)

Finally, my thoughts about the moderate consumption of wine blend with my overall view of how Christians today are to live their lives. The hallmark verse on this subject differentiates life under grace with life under the law: Galatians 5:1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

So this is sick!

For almost two weeks now, the kids have been ravaged by some mysteriously potent infection with Cryptosporidium (a coccidian protozoan parasite, for those of you who - like me! - care). A week ago, I caught it from them. It has been an interesting time in our household - a definite time of focusing inward and experiencing exhaustion together. We've had some sweet moments reading book after book, and watching movie after movie. We had the kids sleeping in our bedroom on an extra mattress for a week so we could handle the frequent bathroom trips without any accidents - that brought back beautiful memories of our days with the "family bed". We've survived on delicious Greek yogurt with an extra sour kick from powdered probiotics, and mixed up batch after batch of homemade electrolyte replacement. Through it all, everyone has fared well, with the exception of Katrina, who has lost 9 pounds in the past two weeks. I am thankful I took the old-fashioned route and never worked to eliminate the natural softness of her figure. Without an extra pound or two, my dear girl would be so much more ill.

Aaron has enjoyed the extra time at home, and has bottled two of his Farmhouse Wines from the 2008 vintage: apple & Hawk Ridge Wild Plum. Another delicious batch of wine was hand-pressed and lovingly placed in the fermenter: Whistle Lane Chokeberry. And - perhaps most exciting - his first ever batch of port is also bubbling away in the basement, casting off a lovely aroma of berries and tang: Cedar Gables Chokeberry Port.

And so it goes, life as we know it. Compelled by the service of these four dear children, we have set aside every date on our calendar for two weeks (with the exception of our first night back at the bowling league on Wednesday). Please pray for a quick recovery from this point. The kids have begun to chow down toast and bagels, so I have hope that they will soon be on the mend after weeks of not eating more than a tablespoon of even the most delectable food. Someday even coccidian protozoa will bow, right?

And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. (Isaiah 33:24)

...unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (Isaiah 45:23)