The Truth Project

What a wonderful article in the May/June Family North Carolina magazine. The article is titled, " Worldview Crisis: The Truth Project Helps Develop a Biblical Worldview." The "Truth Project" was developed by Focus on the Family for the purpose of helping Christians develop a Biblically-informed worldview. I have quoted the first couple of paragraphs to help us understand what a worldview is:

A worldview is the conceptual framework by which one understands the world around him. Another way to explain the concept of "worldview" is a set of lenses through which one sees his or her surroundings. Glasses bend light before it enters the eye and is reflected off the retina, thereby altering with varying degrees of subtlety what one sees. While eyeglasses generally bend light in such a way as to connect impaired vision, the fact remains that they alter what one sees. That is, they serve as a barrier or field through which all visual imput must pass before it reaches the retina and is interpreted by the brain. As long as a person is wearing glasses, the images he sees will always be slightly altered in order to present an image of the world that has been adjusted, however slightly.

Worldviews work in a similar manner. Instead of glass, worldviews are made of presuppositions that determine how one understands the world. These presuppositions are determined by factors like tradition, experience, and possibly even genetic factors. Every bit of information that a person digests is interpreted through these "lenses," so that any conclusions drawn from that information will necessarily be shaped by the person's presuppositions. pp. 25-26

Utimately, The Truth Project is about actively forming a worldview instead of being passively formed by one. p. 27

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A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

Bill O'Reilly's A Bold Fresh of Humanity is an interesting read. He contends the things he has encountered through his life experience has shaped his vision and his philosophy. I agree but would call it his worldview. That is why as Christians we need to stay in the Word and be faithful to church. That's why it is important to have friends who think Biblically. I've only included two quotes for you to think about:

When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer "present" or guilty." Theodore Roosevelt p. 7

Along the way, he has many adventures and encounters that have shaped his vision and philosophy. p. 252

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The Long Goodbye

Even though I do not agree with Patti Davis on political issues, I will say she is an excellent writer. And her Dad happens to be my favorite President in my life time. In her book, The Long Goodbye, she tells about the last days of her Dads life here on earth. You will see a child's heart and love for her father. I trust you will enjoy the quotes below:

"Why aren't you crying?" [Reagan favorite horse had died] I asked him through my own tears. He (RR) put his hand on my shoulder and met my eyes. "Because," he said, "I'm thinking about all the wonderful times I had with her [the horse]. We had some great years together." It was one of my first lessons about death - about looking past it, if only for a few moments, at all the life that went before, all the loveliness and the rich memories. Those are what sustain us, is the lesson my father was trying to impart. p. viii

As his daughter, I will remember his strong arms lifting me onto the back of a horse and how he taught me that one of the most important things was to get back on whenever I fell off so fear wouldn't set in. p. xv

It's echoed throughout my life: Get back on after you fall off, so fear won't set in. p. 80

In my father's pocket, he keeps what he calls his lucky coin. One of them says, "Let go and let God." p. 100

He changed America because America liked him. And when we like someone, we do change; we become less rigid, more content. Even the people who disagreed with Ronald Reagan stood for liked the man. They couldn't help it. It was his warmth, his humor. p. 122

We're not always meant to know why, my father used to say; we're meant to trust. p. 195

One day, when we reached the top, wind swirling around us and the sky big and endless above, I stood on my tiptoes, stretched my arm up toward all that blue, and asked him, "If I reach up really high, can I touch God?" He answered, "You don't have to reach up. God is everywhere, all the time, all around us." p. 196

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The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture is a must read. Even though he uses some "bad" words he has much truth in this book. I have included a few below:

When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you. That lesson has stuck with me my whole life. When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering to tell you anymore, that's a bad place to be. You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you, and want to make you better. p. 37

The brick walls are there for a reason. They're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. pp. 51-52

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer. p. 149

Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and it can lead to all your dreams coming true. p. 179

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the five people you meet in heaven

Mitch Albom reminds me in his book, the five people you meet in heaven, that no one lives for just themselves. We all have a part in other people's lives. Sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. I have listed a few quotes from the book below:

Sometimes when you sacrifice something something precious, you're not really losing it. You're just passing it on to someone else. p. 94

We move through places every day that would never have been if not for those who came before us. Our work-places, where we spend so much time-we often think they began with our arrival. That's not true. p. 123

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Trial By Ordeal

If you enjoy adventure and a compelling, realistic story then you need to read Craig Parshall's Trial By Ordeal. It was such a fun, enjoyable read. I usually do not share quotes from a novel, but sometimes there is something that I want to be reminded of. So I've shared that below:

Like the way I learned the folks at the Windy City Mission could look at ruined people, in stained clothing and smelling of urine, and still see the image of God there. Marred by sin - but worthy of redemption. p. 319

I want God to constantly remind me about those that may be unlovely are the ones we need to allow Him to love through us!

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Clayton's Story

You will be convicted after watching this video: