Happy Thanksgiving!

One of my friends on Facebook said something that reminded me about how much I love Thanksgiving.  I love the "holiday season" in general--that period of time from Reformation Day (or All Saints Eve, if you wish) through New Year's Day--with all the colors, the change in the weather, the decorations, the music, and all the traditional festivities of the season.  Like most people, it's my favorite time of year.

But when I reflect on the two major holidays of this season (Thanksgiving and Christmas), if I had to rank one above the other, I think Thanksgiving would come out on top.  Why is this, you might wonder?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Thanksgiving isn't completely driven by mass consumerism?  There's less pressure from the retail industry to buy "stuff" for Thanksgiving (they got started on Christmas, already, months ago).  There's no scurrying around, trying to find the perfect gift for everyone in your family.  And while some money is spent on the Thanksgiving Dinner, it pales in comparison to the amount spent on gifts for Christmas.

What's even better, though, is what Thanksgiving focuses upon.  It is intentionally a day set apart to give thanks to God for His abundant and gracious provision for all of our needs.  This is made evident to us and we experience it firsthand in a symbolic way through our partaking in a great Thanksgiving feast.

But eating such a big meal alone would be pointless.  We partake of Thanksgiving meal in the company of family and friends.  Often, people invite into their homes others who have no place to go.  Just as with a good bottle of wine, the greatest part of Thankgiving is sharing it with others.

A large and yet intimate gathering of friends and family, assembled around a table, sharing time and food and experiences, and enjoying the goodness of God--that's true koinonia or "communion."  And isn't that a big part of what life is about?

"Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever" - the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Answer #1.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Van

A New Hymn of Praise

As my friends know, I am a big proponent of the classic hymns of the Christian faith.  The best ones have solid doctrinal content and singable, reverent tunes.  They are treasures to be taught and passed down to future generations.

I'm also a big fan of singing the Psalms.  What's better than singing the words of uninspired men is to sing the actual inspired Word of God itself!  In addition to the Psalms, however, there are also passages throughout other books of the Bible that contain a wealth of textual material for singing.  These are called "Canticles."  (For example, the Nunc Dimittis and the Magnificat.)

A few years ago I was reading through the book of Daniel and ran across a poem that I thought would be great to sing as a hymn.  The following are the words of the prophet Daniel, in response to the Lord having revealed to him the meaning of the king Nebuchadnezzar's dream:

(20) Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
(21) He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
(22) he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
(23) To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king's matter

(Daniel 2:20-23)

I wondered why such a great song of praise has never been put to verse. (Well, if it has, I have never seen it.)  So I made an attempt at transforming the text to meter. (I haven't yet gotten around to rhyming it, however.)  Here is what I have come up with.  It is in LM or 88 88 meter, and can be sung to just about any tune that fits those meters (for example, "Old Hundredth," aka "The Doxology").

Forever bless-ed be God's name,
To whom wis-dom and might belong.
He changes times and seasons too;
Removeth kings and sets them up.

He giveth wisdom to the wise,
Knowledge to those who grasp the truth;
Revealeth deep and hidden things;
He knows the dark, but dwells in light.

God of our fathers, unto You
We give you thanks and give you praise,
For You gave us wis-dom and might,
Revealed to us what we have asked.

What do you think?

2010 General Election - Part 3

This is Part 3 of my analysis of the 2010 General Election from Orange County, CA.  The following is a list of how I am voting on some of the Statewide and Local offices:

Governor

Chelene Nightingale (AI) -- Jerry Brown's failed policies have already been implemented and were harmful to the welfare of CA.  What's worse, by his own admission he's a big fat liar.  Meg Whitman's "hispandering" is attrocious.  Her positions on issues are as varied as the weather from day to day.  I cannot in good conscience vote for her when there's a significantly better, consistently conservative candidate on the ballot who recognizes what the problems are and has clear-headed solutions in mind.

As an aside, I am tired of playing the "vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote" game.  That is a self-fulfilling prophecy.  It is only the case when people of conscience buy into it and don't vote their conscience.  I'm also tired of being pandered to in the primary and taken for granted once the candidate I voted for is in office.  Christians are paid lip service by Republican candidates and then ignored once they are in office because the GOP candidates know they will always get the Christian vote.  From now on, I want candidates to earn my vote.)

Lt. Gov.
Jim King (AI) -- In my opinion, there's no way any Conservative in good conscience can vote for the tax traitor Abel Maldonado.  With Mike Villines, this guy sold out the taxpayers of CA when he broke his pledge not to raise taxes by casting the deciding vote to raise taxes by $12 billion in 2009.  What sweet deal did he get in exchange for his treachery?  The position of Lt. Governor of a bankrupt state.  I cannot reward him for that!  That's why I'm voting for King.

Sec. State
Damon Dunn (R)

Controller
Tony Strickland (R)

Treasurer
Robert Lauten (R)

Atty. General
Steve Cooley (R)

Insurance Commsr.
Richard Bronstein (L) -- Mike Villines is another tax traitor.  Along with Albel Maldonado, he raped the taxpayers of CA for $12 billion and sold his soul for the Insurance Commisioner seat.  I cannot in good conscience reward him with my vote.  And I certainly can't trust him to maintain ethical oversight of the insurance agencies of CA.

More to follow...