My Father's Daughter

Abandon ship!

2006-06-26T22:57:00.000-04:00

It's not like I had thousands of readers...

But in case the 2 or 3 of you hadn't noticed, I've pretty much abandoned this blog for MSN Spaces. Joel set up our family site there, and I decided to move there too.

Continuity, you know.

So, from now on, please visit me at: http://ann-rannebarger.spaces.live.com/

See you soon!

Being a mom could be a 6-figure job

2006-05-06T22:44:00.000-04:00

I knew it!

So I asked Joel, 'Does this mean I get a corresponding benefits package with appropriate vacation time? How about sabbaticals?"

Christmas 2005

2006-05-02T15:20:00.000-04:00

What a handsome crew

Distinguishing

2006-04-24T21:51:00.000-04:00

Sorry it's been a while...

I am frequently torn in how to perceive American Christianity. Watching my parents spend their lives on the mission field of Poland calls me to no longer consider myself an American Christian but just a Christian. And then this, from a critique of Douglas Sweeney's The American Evangelical Story:

"But when evangelicalism began reaching out from its American context, Sweeney argues that the movement lost some of its integrity in translation: "Many patriotic Christians who loved the American way of life-and who prided themselves on the blessings of their nation's 'righteous empire'-often neglected the crucial task of distinguishing biblical Christianity from the rest of American culture."

God, I believe You ordained that America would be my birthplace and earthly home. Yet I also see You calling me to be more than "just" an American Christian. You just want me to be a follower of Your Son. Please help me to follow Him alone and to make You my heart's real home. ~ Amen~

Beware a Caricature

2006-03-01T23:35:00.000-05:00

A fascinating article by USA Today columnist Michael Medved concludes the following about conservative American Christians today:

"This new confidence on the part of conservative Christians highlights the vast gulf between this nation's religious conservatives and the vulnerability and hysteria of Islamist militants in the rest of the world. Widespread rhetorical and real-world violence in response to rude caricatures in an obscure Danish newspaper doesn't express religious strength or zeal but reflects, rather, an underlying sense of powerlessness and desperation.

With the spread of democracy even in unlikely Middle Eastern locales, Muslim fanatics sense they are losing the struggle; on the other hand, religious conservatives in the USA who take a cleareyed look at their own position of influence see themselves as part of the nation's most dynamic social and cultural force.

The refusal to launch a battle royal against the pro-gay messages of Brokeback Mountain doesn't show the weakness or defeatism of religious conservatives. Instead, it displays their strength and optimism as a maturing mass movement currently more interested in creating than complaining."

The American, conservative, politically minded, zealous, X-er in me is thrilled at this new respect. And to be called a "mass movement" is thrilling after so many years of barely registering on the national-influence scale... On the other hand didn't the decline of the early church, and ultimately Roman/"modern" civilization start with Constantine officially embracing Christianity and then legislating it on an empire? I’m all for being a Christian nation, but I am wary of being too well received, too popular for our own good. I recently read about a Hollywood insider who called Christians the new Gays, saying portraying gays positively used to be the edgy hip thing in TV and movies; now it’s portraying Christians positively. Wow. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

Much of the culture perceives the church as a caricature. But the Church is not just people perception of it. It is a living Body, and when that Body is healthy there is no safer, sweeter, more simple place to belong. How do I help my local Church get past the world’s caricature of it to the place where it is all real, all the time? Or as Rick Warren defines it, an authentic, courteous, mutual, hospitable, unified place?

Bonhoeffer's Costly Theology

2006-02-10T22:21:00.000-05:00

I just read a fascinating article from Christian History & Biography.

An excerpt here:

In Bonhoeffer's theology, there is an intimate relationship between Jesus Christ and the church. In his letters from prison Bonhoeffer spoke of Jesus as "the man for others." And in parallel fashion he wrote that the church is truly the church only when it exists for others. Just as Jesus lived his life completely for others (even unto death on the cross), so the church is to serve God by serving the world of need.

The church represents that gracious realm of God where sinners are welcomed, the wounded are healed, the oppressed are set free, and the poor receive the good news of the gospel. In The Communion of Saints, Bonhoeffer defined the church as "Christ existing as community." He believed that through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christ actually takes form in this community as it lives for others. Christ is revealed not just through the preached Word and the administered sacraments, but through the Christian community itself.

Is this true? How does this actually work itself out in the Church today? Are the Christians you know are revealing Christ to their world?

HALT

2006-01-24T15:26:00.000-05:00

I'm going to shamelessly paste someone else's thoughts here. Not that I'm taking credit. This comes from my MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) e-newsletter. This week was excellent, excellent stuff.

HALT
Kathy Dye, Area Coordinator

A whiny day. You know the kind. When everything is met with a whine. "Why do I have to eat my carrots?" "When can we go to town?" "How come I have to pick up my toys?" "I don't wanna!" "I don't need a nap!" "It's miiiiiiiiiine!" I think I am going to lose my mind!

I just want to shout out, "What's the matter with you? Why are you so whiny?"

Then I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, "why" this and "how come" that? What's the matter with ME? Oh no, now I'm whining!!

I read once that you should meet "whiners" head-on with the acronym HALT. H-A-L-T standing for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.

Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? Four conditions that can lead to the whines. Four conditions that can hit the very young, the very old and the in-between. Four conditions that are often relatively easy to fix.

So the next time you come nose to nose (or knees to nose) with a whiner, think HALT and see if you can put a halt to the whining. My personal favorite for a cure? A nap, of course. If not for the whiner, then for me!

OK so I'm not any better at posting here...

2006-01-24T15:21:00.000-05:00

I thought I would be.

I really thought, "If I have an actual grown-up looking blog, I will feel inspired to write frequent entries and random people will naturally run into this site and praise my wonderful work."

Wrong.

Like all things in my life, I need a reason to be disciplined. I have a hard time producing it on my own.

And if you want people to read your stuff (the "reason" state above) you need to tell them you are here.

So, I am here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-11-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

Psalm 103
A psalm of David.

1 Praise the LORD, I tell myself;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, I tell myself,
and never forget the good things he does for me.

3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.

4 He ransoms me from death
and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.

5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle's!

6 The LORD gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

7 He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious;
he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.

9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.

10 He has not punished us for all our sins,
nor does he deal with us as we deserve.

11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

12 He has removed our rebellious acts
as far away from us as the east is from the west.

13 The LORD is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

14 For he understands how weak we are;
he knows we are only dust.

15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

16 The wind blows, and we are gone--
as though we had never been here.

17 But the love of the LORD remains forever
with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children

18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!

19 The LORD has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.

20 Praise the LORD, you angels of his,
you mighty creatures who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.

21 Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!

22 Praise the LORD, everything he has created,
everywhere in his kingdom.
As for me--I, too, will praise the LORD.

Good-Bye Xanga?

2005-11-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

I've been posting sporadically on my Xanga site for about two years in a lame attempt to keep my family updated on life and all that. Hasn't gone too well. I haven't really found my voice there. I used to love writing but now when I sit down at a computer I mind sort of goes numb. I want to go back to the days of clever writing with direction and well constructed ideas. Xanga didn't seem to lend itself to that. I think this blog will also pretty much just be a place for me to put a quick thought or two down "on paper" or keep my friends posted on life. But maybe something worthwhile will come out of it too. I hope so.

I've been thinking a lot recently about how I truely am my father's daughter. I see it as a hallmark of my life. I absolutely love my dad, Jack, and miss him terribly (he lives many, many miles away). I often catch myself doing or saying things and realize that it's a reflection of him. I'm learning to love my heavenly Father too and want to catch myself doing or saying things that reflect Him. Hopefully you will see some of that here.