THYME Magazine: The Man Behind the Day

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IX, Issue VIa

The Patron Saint of Love

Flowers.com has been advertising nonstop for the past week. Today is the day we celebrate young love and romance. But the day we celebrate has special significance for the Christian church as it is a remembrance of a man who upheld the sacred institution of marriage and paid the ultimate price for doing so. In the days of Roman Emperor Claudius II, there lived a priest named Valentine. Believing that unmarried soldiers fought better, being unencumbered by thoughts of family, Clauias issued an edict forbidding young people to marry. In a decadent empire, this would not necessarily require celebacy, but cleaving to another in lifelong commitment was forbidden!

This would most affect the young Christian church, who upheld the sacredness of marriage and family. Valentine felt that young people should be encouraged to marry within the Christian church so he secretly performed the marriage ceremonies for young couples anyway. Eventually he was caught, imprisoned and tortured for doing so.

One of the men who was to judge him in line with the Roman law at the time was a man called Asterius, whose daughter was blind. He was supposed to have prayed with and healed the young girl with such astonishing effect that Asterius himself became Christian as a result." -- Father Frank O'Gara  [1.]

A cruel execution was ordered for Valentine. In 269 AD he was beaten, stoned and finally decapitated. Before he died, it is said, he was able to write a last letter to Asterius' daughter.  He signed it: "From your Valentine," inspiring the notes of affection we send our loved ones today! His is a very real story of sacrificial love and devotion to G-d's ways. Though much of his history is not clear, and several churches claim to have his bones. One is Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, where Father O'Gara (quoted above) is the Pastor. He says: "Love -- human love and sexuality is wonderful, and blessed by G-d -- but also the shadow of the cross. That's what Valentine means to me."

THYME Magazine: Mazel Tov!

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VIII, Issue XXIVa

The Greatest Gift

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." -- 1 Corinthians 13

Special Blessings on this Special Day!


Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Truett Cathy.

THYME Magazine: A Powerful Lesson in a Video

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VIII, Issue XXIVa

An Inspiring Video from Rejoice

Here is a short video with a huge message. As China has become a modern power, her divorce rate has skyrocketed. This touching story puts faces on that statistic and the woman in the story's response to her husband's presentation of the divorce papers is a lesson for all of us. I read a piece about how 'empty nesters' often find themselves lacking in real intimacy. Again, the article only presented the phenomenon. It did not go far enough in offering a solution. Older couples often find themselves more as partners in a venture and when the children leave the house, it is game over for the team effort. But there is often so much richness overlooked. The Divine uses the story to inspire and draw close to us in the Sedar and Purim. Couples have their rich story as well. We don't take enough time to retell it. When Faye's husband hands her the divorce papers to sign, she makes a simple request.

She agrees to sign the papers after one month, if he will do but one thing for her... every day, once a day, she asks him to hold her. He moves out, but complies with her request. Here Faye brings him into their story. She arranges to meet him at places that are the settings: the place they became engaged, the place they first kissed, the place they first told each other that they loved each other. Finally she hands him the signed papers at the place they first met. You will have to watch the video to learn how the story ends. I can promise you it will be worth the effort. You see, this little video has much to say about how we cherish the person who is G-d's most special gift to us. Rekindling memories and early conversations is the stuff of Divine inspiration, and a great challenge for all of us who are married to another beautiful person!


Powerful video from Rejoice.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VI, Issue IX

Marriage Wins in the Big Picture

A 'Best of THYMEs' Feature...

"In terms of their social orientations, journalists are clearly more influenced by the post- 1960s "new morality." Few attend church or synagogue." -- Donald Lazere, American Media and Mass Culture: Left Perspectives.

It is not surprising then that the 'other' weekly news magazine last week stated that traditional marriage has Already Lost [click to read]. This week they're looking at Latino Influence in the Church [click to read] and The Rise of Evangélicos [click to read]. Journalist Elizabeth Dias has discovered a growing interest in Faith among the Latino community. She writes: "What I discovered signaled a Latino Reformation. Both churches were doubling in size every few years. Many of the congregants were Catholic converts, and even more may have been undocumented. All were fervent believers—they sang with hands high, danced during worship, and often brought their own tambourines and flags to Sunday services. They were charismatic and believed in miracles. They told me their stories over tamales and café con leche—how they converted, how G-d healed their physical illnesses, and how their churches became refuges from hunger and homelessness. To the mainstream American culture, and even other white evangelical churches, they were invisible. But they were hiding in plain sight."

"I offer the single most politically incorrect statement a modern American — indeed a modern Westerner, period — can make: I first look to the Bible for moral guidance and for wisdom." -- Dennis Prager [click to read].

The post 1960's culture declared marriage 'obsolete' thirty years ago. Certainly there are trends toward cohabitation, easy divorce and out-of-wedlock parenting (and a new set of societal costs as a result), but marriage as an institution is still a strong force in our society. Mark Steyn [click to read] has a pretty straightforward picture of what is really happening here. Steyn writes: "Gay marriage? It came up at dinner Down Under this time last year, and the prominent Aussie politician on my right said matter-of-factly, "It's not about expanding marriage, it's about destroying marriage."

Steyn's article is worth pondering. The case of Elane Photography [click to read] and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association [click to read] bear out Steyn's argument. These cases are not about freedom to marry, but about imposing a civil morality, or civil legality [1.] upon people of faith. In the first case, a photographer is sued for not photographing a same-sex ceremony for reasons of faith [2.]. In the second, a Methodist organization does not allow their facility to be used for a same-sex ceremony for the same reason. Ultimately this is about First Amendment protected religious freedom. Most of us would not deny a person the right to live with whoever they choose, and civil and contract law allow for the sharing of property. Most of us also acknowledge that this country was built upon religious liberty as well as individual freedom.

Marriage has come under attack in times past. Claudius II, Emperor of Rome issued an edict prohibiting marriage for his troops, seeing family life as a 'distraction' to them. A priest named Valentine [3.] performed secret marriages anyway. He was beheaded on February 14, 270. People still give their wives cards on that date, and soldiers still get married. For people of Faith, marriage is more than a human institution. In Ephesians 5:25-32, Paul states:

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

Thus marriage is, for the person of faith, a picture of the relationship of the believer with his G-d. The sacrifice and fidelity of a traditional relationship are essential to this picture. Marriage as an institution survived Claudius. Today, the challenge is to build our own marriages upon the challenge of Ephesians 5. The marriage that models relationship of humanity to G-d is impossible to codify. Those precious couples who's lives actually reflect this, (and I greatly admire them), create a transcendent work of art that no law can snuff out.

It is for this reason that I see great hope for the institution. Are not the stories we remember the stories of love that is steadfast and triumphant in the face of overwhelming challenge. G-d in His wisdom has made that a picture of the Relationship of Redemption!

Revelation 19:6-9 speaks of the time when people of all nations are joined in communion with G-d:

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord G-d omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of G-d."

In Isaiah 60 [4.] and in Revelation 21 Believers look to a New Heaven and a New Earth where a Heavenly Jerusalem descends to join the Earth. Here is a Kingdom that needs no temple, needs no sun to light it, for G-d Himself is the force that illuminates it! [5.]

"And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth: for the first Heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from G-d out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of G-d is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and G-d himself shall be with them, and be their G-d." -- Revelation 21:1-3


Journey to Jesus, a mural depicting the nations coming to Jesus in the New Heaven and New Earth described in Revelation 21. Mural by Kristina Elaine Riley and Bob Kirchman

Journey to Jesus [click to view larger images].

"Our Christian hope is that we're going to live with Christ in a new Earth, where there is not only no more death, but where life is what it was always meant to be." -- Timothy Keller.


The hope of Heaven.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VI, Issue II
 
Pursuit of Virtue
Cover: The School of Athens by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino

"Properly understood, therefore, when John Locke, Samuel Johnson, and Thomas Jefferson wrote of 'the pursuit of happiness,' they were invoking the Greek and Roman philosophical tradition in which happiness is bound up with the civic virtues of courage, moderation, and justice. Because they are civic virtues, not just personal attributes, they implicate the social aspect of eudaimonia. The pursuit of happiness, therefore, is not merely a matter of achieving individual pleasure." -- Carol V. Hamilton, Ph.d.

The 'other' weekly news magazine this week considers The Pursuit of Happiness [click to read]. Quoting the philosophers who say we're "wired for happiness," they then delve into the conundrum of why we are so unhappy. THYME once again ventures in where angels fear to tread... to consider the truth intended by the original writers.

Modern Americans err because they've replaced the institutions of virtue and protection with the multiplex cinema and the mall as center of the settlement. Consider the first Jamestown settlement, where the church, the storehouse and the armory were at the center. Personal happiness, in the packaging of self-actualization demands we redefine marriage and reduce consequences for pleasurable behaviours. Society must now provide outcome instead of opportunity, even if that outcome is tepid compared to the results of mankind unchained to pursue loftier goals that are out of the direct pervue of government.

Thus, many are lauding the Supreme Court's latest "Dred Scott"  [1.] moment as an American triumph, overturning a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act and striking down the restoration of California's popularly ratified Proposition Eight. The portion of DOMA actually overturned has to do with an inheritance case and is NOT at all like Roe vs Wade, which nullified state abortion laws in a sweeping motion. The media rushes to herald it, but it does not really create what qualifies as a landmark decision. In fact it is but one more strike against traditional thinking which includes the government forcing Catholic Charities in Massachussetts to place children with same-sex couples (they folded rather than compromise their beliefs), the suit against a photographer who, on faith grounds, declined to photograph a same-sex ceremony and the Methodist group in New Jersey who were denied tax-exempt status because they would not allow a same-sex ceremony to be performed in their facility [2.]

Marriage Wins in the Big Picture [click to read]

In each of these cases, there were other options open to the couples and they were in no way forbidden from creating their covenant relationship. At issue, in each case, was the religious freedom of those who hold that G-d alone may define what is marriage. Beyond the religious freedom considerations, a strong body of research suggests that children are best raised by a father and a mother [3.] While the thought may nor be politically correct, the evidence is well-documented. State law is still able to support traditional marriage and may well strengthen the virtues epitomized in eudaimonia by doing so. Courage, moderation and justice would ask: "what is best for our children?"

The First Amendment of the Constitution both prohibits government establishment of a 'state' church and protects citizens in the free exercise of their faith. While it is a good thing to restrict the government's direction of the distribution of an estate (property being an important right), it also follows that the government has no business redefining what for many is a matter of faith (freedom of belief being one of the fundamental rights). Providing protection for a person's directives concerning shared property and hospital visitation priviledges is in keeping with the virtues of courage, moderation and justice. Creating a 'right' for someone to overwrite the tenets of faith with fines and sanctions is the antithesis of them.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume V, Issue XVII

Marriage Wins in the Big Picture

"In terms of their social orientations, journalists are clearly more influenced by the post- 1960s "new morality." Few attend church or synagogue." -- Donald Lazere, American Media and Mass Culture: Left Perspectives.

It is not surprising then that the 'other' weekly news magazine last week stated that traditional marriage has Already Lost [click to read]. This week they're looking at Latino Influence in the Church [click to read] and The Rise of Evangélicos [click to read]. Journalist Elizabeth Dias has discovered a growing interest in Faith among the Latino community. She writes: "What I discovered signaled a Latino Reformation. Both churches were doubling in size every few years. Many of the congregants were Catholic converts, and even more may have been undocumented. All were fervent believers—they sang with hands high, danced during worship, and often brought their own tambourines and flags to Sunday services. They were charismatic and believed in miracles. They told me their stories over tamales and café con leche—how they converted, how G-d healed their physical illnesses, and how their churches became refuges from hunger and homelessness. To the mainstream American culture, and even other white evangelical churches, they were invisible. But they were hiding in plain sight."

"I offer the single most politically incorrect statement a modern American — indeed a modern Westerner, period — can make: I first look to the Bible for moral guidance and for wisdom." -- Dennis Prager [click to read].

The post 1960's culture declared marriage 'obsolete' thirty years ago. Certainly there are trends toward cohabitation, easy divorce and out-of-wedlock parenting (and a new set of societal costs as a result), but marriage as an institution is still a strong force in our society. Mark Steyn [click to read] has a pretty straightforward picture of what is really happening here. Steyn writes: "Gay marriage? It came up at dinner Down Under this time last year, and the prominent Aussie politician on my right said matter-of-factly, "It's not about expanding marriage, it's about destroying marriage."

Steyn's article is worth pondering. The case of Elane Photography [click to read] and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association [click to read] bear out Steyn's argument. These cases are not about freedom to marry, but about imposing a civil morality, or civil legality [1.] upon people of faith. In the first case, a photographer is sued for not photographing a same-sex ceremony for reasons of faith [2.]. In the second, a Methodist organization does not allow their facility to be used for a same-sex ceremony for the same reason. Ultimately this is about First Amendment protected religious freedom. Most of us would not deny a person the right to live with whoever they choose, and civil and contract law allow for the sharing of property. Most of us also acknowledge that this country was built upon religious liberty as well as individual freedom.

Marriage has come under attack in times past. Claudius II, Emperor of Rome issued an edict prohibiting marriage for his troops, seeing family life as a 'distraction' to them. A priest named Valentine [3.] performed secret marriages anyway. He was beheaded on February 14, 270. People still give their wives cards on that date, and soldiers still get married. For people of Faith, marriage is more than a human institution. In Ephesians 5:25-32, Paul states:

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

Thus marriage is, for the person of faith, a picture of the relationship of the believer with his G-d. The sacrifice and fidelity of a traditional relationship are essential to this picture. Marriage as an institution survived Claudius. Today, the challenge is to build our own marriages upon the challenge of Ephesians 5. The marriage that models relationship of humanity to G-d is impossible to codify. Those precious couples who's lives actually reflect this, (and I greatly admire them), create a transcendent work of art that no law can snuff out.

It is for this reason that I see great hope for the institution. Are not the stories we remember the stories of love that is steadfast and triumphant in the face of overwhelming challenge. G-d in His wisdom has made that a picture of the Relationship of Redemption!

Revelation 19:6-9 speaks of the time when people of all nations are joined in communion with G-d:

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord G-d omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of G-d."

In Isaiah 60 [4.] and in Revelation 21 Believers look to a New Heaven and a New Earth where a Heavenly Jerusalem descends to join the Earth. Here is a Kingdom that needs no temple, needs no sun to light it, for G-d Himself is the force that illuminates it! [5.]

"And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth: for the first Heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from G-d out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of G-d is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and G-d himself shall be with them, and be their G-d." -- Revelation 21:1-3


Journey to Jesus, a mural depicting the nations coming to Jesus in the New Heaven and New Earth described in Revelation 21. Mural by Kristina Elaine Riley and Bob Kirchman

Journey to Jesus [click to view larger images].

"Our Christian hope is that we're going to live with Christ in a new Earth, where there is not only no more death, but where life is what it was always meant to be." -- Timothy Keller.


The hope of Heaven.

Nurturing a True Passion for Marriage

The Humble Daily Realities of Building Great Marriage


Happy Family. ht/Dawn.

"Suppose I said, “My passion isn’t to build up my marriage. My passion is for Marriage. I want the institution of Marriage to be revered again. I’ll work for that. I’ll pray for that. I’ll sacrifice for that. But don’t expect me to hunker down in the humble daily realities of building a great marriage with my wife Jani. I’m aiming at something grander.” If I said that, would you think, “Wow, Ray is so committed”? Or would you wonder if I had lost my mind?" -- Ray Ortlund [1.]

With these words, Pastor Ray Ortlund addresses those of us who claim to have a passion to build the Kingdom of G-d, but don't have much interest in being part of the daily workings of the local church. Indeed much ink has been spilled over passion for the institution of marriage in the past few days. I am challenged by Pastor Ortlund's observation that I have been a slacker when it comes to doing the real work involved in building my own marriage.

Indeed, we may win or lose our preferred definition of marriage at the ballot box, but the case for marriage really needs to be won in the trenches. Christian marriage is in trouble these days. It is all too easy to fall into default patterns and ignore commands such as that to "Love your wife as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for her." That is radical living and does not come naturally in today's narcissistic world.

Although the Church is referred to as "The Bride of Christ" and we look forward to that day mentioned in Revelation 21 when the New Jerusalem appears "like a bride," there is no mention of an earthly wife in Scripture. Still, Christ gives us insight in those instances where he does relate to women. In John 8, a woman "caught in adultry, the very act" is brought to Jesus. The men want to stone her to death. OK, if she was caught in the very act, where's the guy? Jesus stoops down, writes on the ground, and her accusers turn away. Jesus does not condemn her, but tells her to change the way she lives.

Another time Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. He asks her for a drink, which is pretty radical for a respected rabbi. He was not supposed to talk to a woman, let alone a Samaritan one. Again Jesus shows grace as he speaks truth. That is the challenge. There is a lot of ungraciousness these days.

Many of us are all too eager to speak our "truth," but all too quick to forget the grace part. Grace is hard work. Talk is cheap. Grace weeds the garden. Grace does the dishes. Grace is slow to speak and quick to listen. So I first want to challenge myself, if I truely believe in the institution of marriage, I will work on it, starting with the foundations. I need to repent where I have not lived like I believe in my own marriage, and I need to seek G-d for the grace to live it as He would have me live it. My challenge is to bring to the table a marriage that reflects the work of G-d in my life... a testimony to HIM, and the Kingdom He is building.

Anticipation!

Don't Waste It on Less Than the Best

There has been plenty of anticipation in our house over the past few months. After the wedding I finally got around to checking Randy Alcorn's Blog and what should he be writing about but Anticipating a Redeemed Earth. Wow! I'm told that the reason they break the glass at a wedding is because as great is the joy of the present moment, it cannot be complete until we are in Jerusalem. Looking at Revelation chapter 21 in that light, we anticipate our Master arriving as the bridegroom. We celebrate marriage for the joy it brings us now and for the picture it is of our Master's great love for us. The picture G-d paints for us of His love was painted on the faces of our young couple as they exchanged vows, rings, kisses and tender glances.

To welcome our families, I planted shrubs, cleared brush and nurtured flowers. That might be a picture of our lives on this present Earth. Nurturing our garden in anticipation of the one who longs to walk with us in the garden again. In fact He is often mistaken for the gardener.


Anticipating the Bridegroom [Revelation 21]

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" -- Revelation 21:2

Although I was not always cheerful in these labours, it was deeply satisfying. After the bride and groom departed and the 'formal' reception ended, I found myself on our front lawn playing bocci with my neices and nephews. My son-in-law had introduced the game to our family so it was fitting that we include it in the 'informal' party. My son and his girlfriend graciously built a campfire on the hill behind our house. We stayed up pretty late.

A baton has been passed. A new generation begins and affirms our belief in the promise of the future.