Robinson Crusoe

Here are some pictures of my son with his first tatoo and our garden since the last post. The first plant is the pumpkin, the 2nd sunflower, and the 3rd corn of course. The kids are really enjoying watching how fast the plants change!

I have been reading Robinson Crusoe for the first time. I was really struck by the following passage which followed Crusoe having been told by his father not to become a sailor and not listening then going on a voyage, finding himself in his first storm, promising to God from within the storm to return to his father and give up on sailing.

From Chapter 1

"To make short this sad part of my story, we went the way of all sailors; the punch was made, and I was made half drunk with it; and in that one night's wickedness I drowned all my repentance, all my reflections upon my past conduct, all my resolutions for the future. In a word as the sea was returned to its smoothness of surface and settled calmness by the abatement of the storm, so the hurry of my thoughts being over, my fears and apprehensions of being swallowed up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my former desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows and promises that I had made in my distress. I found, indeed, some interval of reflection; and the serious thoughts did, as it were, endeavor to return again sometimes; but I shook them off, and roused myself from them as it were from a distemper, and applying myself to drinking and company, soon mastered the return of those fits, for so I called them. And I had in 5 or 6 days got as complete a victory over my conscience as any young fellow that resolved not to be troubled with it could desire."

From Chapter 2

"I have often since observed how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases, viz., that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which can only make them be esteemed wise men."

I share these just because I found them so profound and convicting of my own actions.

New Life

My kids and I planted vegetable seeds last Monday and after a week of watering and limited sunshine we saw the proof that God has been at work all week long even though we couldn't see it. Our green beans, sunflowers, pumpkins, and corn all pushed through the soil today. It was very exciting!

I have felt a renewed vigor in the Lord in the last couple of days. I can feel writing itching to sprout from the last month and a half's seeming dormancy.

My four year old wandered off at the store today and so my wife warned her about the dangers of strangers taking her away if she is by herself. After my wife put her to bed tonight she came back down riddled with fear about strangers coming and getting her. It was calming and reassuring to her to be told that not only would daddy not let strangers get in our house but that God was more powerful even than daddy and that he loves us, and takes care of us, and would keep strangers from getting in our house. And what's even better is that I really believe it myself. Not that God won't let "bad" things touch us but rather that he loves us and is looking out for us. If he loved, cared for, and looked after these seeds all week long, how much more must he have been looking out for us this last week?