For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies. Lord of all, to Thee we raise This, our hymn of grateful praise.
– Folliett Sandford Pierpoint, 1864
Andrew finished editing his documentary on The Eclipse of April 8, 2024, as viewed from Ashtabula, Ohio. It’s well worth seeing and will likely plunge you into deep levels of worship. I cry every time I see it. Here is a link to the finished film:
He begins with a glimpse of the partial eclipse from August 21, 2017, and then moves to this year’s phenomenon. It was a social event as much as an astronomical one. After doing several interviews with the sky watchers who had gathered in his location—including one from The Netherlands who would go on to propose to his girlfriend during totality—he gets to the eclipse proper.
At that point, Drew overlays a soundtrack from Sight & Sound’s David production, where Israel’s king worships the God who made the sun, moon, and stars, and everything else in all creation. For believers, the effect is both rich and remarkable. Psalm 19 is still relevant 3,000 years after its composition.
Oh, and everyone was happy that “she said yes” to the proposal. As a father, I am happiest that my son fell to his knees in worship of the Creator at the high point of the cosmic spectacle. As the Apostle John put it:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4).
I stayed home and watched a partial occlusion from my perch here in Eastern Pennsylvania, surrounded by my stunning flowerbeds, which is a different kind of beauty than found in the skies, but no less glorious. Snaps of those gems are below. Also included are a few shots of our newly expanded garden box. I’ll take more pics when I install the critter fence later today.
Our son had a birthday last week, and we celebrated his life by going to see Daniel at Sight & Sound in Lancaster where he works on the lighting team. We did the usual gifts, dinner, and cake thing with him, but the real fun this year was getting a tour of the backstage, substage, and catwalks where Andrew spends most of his time at work. It was kind of a take-your-parents-to-work day. Not only is the facility massive; it’s also a technological marvel. Broadway’s on-stage talent is phenomenal, but they’ve got nothing on Sight & Sound’s sets and tech operation. Backstage photos are forbidden, so I have just a few snaps below that comply with the rules.
The production itself was fantastic. While David was downright emotional, Daniel was quite cerebral. The former made me cry; the latter made me think. It surely had touching moments in it, too, but the real power of the script was its correspondence to today’s realities. America is just a modern-day Babylon, and God’s people are now in exile, much like the Israelites of old. So be it. God still has plans for us, so we live for the good of the city while we’re a part of it. I know the tickets are pricey, but if you can at all go see Daniel, you won’t regret it.
Drew asked his nerdy seminary prof of a dad if I had seen any historical inaccuracies. There were only two that I noticed—one major and one minor. The major error involved the Star of David Daniel had on his satchel. That symbol originated with the Jewish community in Prague in the 17th century AD. As such, it has neither biblical nor Talmudic authority, and Daniel surely wouldn’t have had it on any of his property in the 6th century B.C.
The minor error involved an incorrect vowel point in the handwriting on the wall scene. The Hebrew samech (“s” sound) in the last word of Daniel 5:25 should have had a chireq vowel (single dot) underneath it, not a tsere (double dot), such that it looks like this.
Actually, the vowel pointings were anachronistic, too, as those dots and dashes weren’t added until the middle ages by the Masoretic scholars. Moreover, the original handwriting on the wall likely appeared in cursive Aramaic (an international language at that time), not the Hebrew block script. But if the Hebrew block script is used, the vowel point they want under the samech is a chireq not a tsere. (My hunch is that that someone mistook a sublinear cantillation mark in the Hebrew Bible as a vowel point.)
Anyway, I shared those things with Drew only because he asked. We don’t go to such productions to find fault. I’m sure there were also fabrics, weapons, helmets, etc., that were likewise anachronistic, but that’s pretty common in these kinds of productions. You do the best you can with the budget you have. Still, I was impressed. And inspired. Daniel is possibly my favorite Old Testament book, right up there with Genesis, Exodus, and Ecclesiastes. I did a sermon series in it last year, and it was a blast.
I love that my son is having the time of his life working for such a wonderful Christian organization. His perseverance has paid off. On top of everything, he was just cast in a small part for Sight & Sound’s second film, which will be in production shortly. Their first film, I Heard the Bells, was the moving story behind the writing of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Christmas carol of the same name. Their second film has yet to be announced, so stay tuned!
A glimpse at our fantastic seats.One piece in the collection of stunning sets.We got to see all the sets and props up close during our back-stage tour.The view behind us.Somewhere up there in the ceiling is our son, harnessed in so he doesn’t land on us.An authorized production photo of Daniel in ancient Babylon.An authorized behind-the-scenes photo.The back of the Sight & Sound facility.The only place where such a sign is not a joke.Barns and other storage facilities for the stage animals.
Samuel’s tuck-in time usually involves a bedtime catechism of some sort. Below is a recent night featuring some Bible quizzing. I got emotional at the end of the clip because Isaiah 12:2b was the very first Bible verse I ever memorized (thanks to the VBS teachers at the Fairview Street Mennonite Church in Reading, PA a long time ago). I doubt, however, that I was this adorable in my recitation of it. Below are a few other recent snaps and vids. Enjoy!
And a couple shots of our sanctuary before an incredible day of celebrating the resurrection.
Image credit: freepik.com
In addition to which…
It was fun to watch the coverage of the eclipse and see even professional commentators get emotional at the spectacle (cf. Psalm 19:1). Andrew went to Ashtabula, OH (which was in the path of totality) to get better pictures. Sonya decided at the last minute to go with him, so I stayed home alone to celebrate with Oreos.
Just kidding. That’s a cool meme making its rounds on social media, but here’s an old song that comes to mind when it comes to all things eclipse.
Three friends were talking in a restaurant one day when the conversation turned to dying. They asked each other what they would like said about them at their funerals. The first man said, “I’d like someone to talk about my career success and all the good things I did for people during my life.” The second man said, “I’d like someone to talk about what a great husband and father I was, and how much I loved my family and took care of them.” The third man said, “I’d like someone to say, ‘Look! He’s moving!’”
That’s the story of Easter. Jesus was dead on Friday, but on Sunday morning he was moving again. In fact, the Greek word for resurrection is anastasia, which literally means “to stand again.” Unfortunately, it’s sometimes hard to see what’s right in front of our face. That’s the story of the women who come to Jesus’s tomb on that first Easter Sunday. There’s a vitally important truth staring them in the face, but they can’t see it yet. We might not have seen it, either.
The women come on Sunday morning to finish the burial they had started Friday afternoon. The Sabbath was approaching, so they had to cut short their preparations. Consequently, they come back the following day to finish the job. When they get there, they find that the stone had been rolled away, and the tomb is now empty. Jesus’ body is gone. Verse 4 tells us they started “wondering” about this. (Who wouldn’t have?)
The good news is they don’t stay in the dark very long. God tells them directly what happened. Two men in radiant garments give them the explanation. According to the other gospels, these men are “angels” or “messengers” from God. The whole scene reminds us that Christian faith rests entirely on hearing, believing, and resting in what God has spoken.
Without divine revelation, these women would have stared at the empty tomb for hours and debated what it could possibly mean. That’s what happens when we think Jesus is still dead. We miss it completely. Specifically, there are three things these women miss—and they’re the same things people often miss today. They miss the miracle of the resurrection; they miss the meaning of the resurrection; and they miss the marvel of the resurrection. They make three “grave errors,” but in all three cases, the gift of divine revelation gets them back on track. Specifically:
They see Jesus as a good man but not the God-man.
They see Jesus as a prophet but not the fulfillment of prophecy.
They see Jesus as a religious duty but not a real-life delight.
In love, God corrects their fuzzy vision with lenses of truth. In time, they come to see the grand reality that the resurrection of Jesus changes everything—from here to eternity. They come to see that Easter really happened, Easter really matters, and Easter really transforms. We can see it, too, for Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
Yesterday I forbade any reference to—or celebration of—my birthday in the morning. It was the Lord’s Day, not mine. More than that, it was Easter Sunday. I wanted the focus to be completely on Jesus and what he did for us on that most central day in the church calendar.
My family and church family mostly followed that counsel. During the pre-service church breakfast, somebody started a spontaneous round of “Happy Birthday.” I’m told they just couldn’t help themselves. After breakfast, we went to the sanctuary and had a truly special time of celebrating the resurrection of Christ with a whole lot of people in attendance—more than ever before in our church’s history. But it was moving to be there and rejoice in the empty tomb regardless of how many came.
Fought the fight, the battle won. Alleluia—the line we were singing as my mother-in-law went home to be with the Lord last December. It was tough to sing those beautiful words this year during the Easter service.
Anyway, not to be outdone, Samuel wanted to sing “Happy Birthday” to me, too, and his mommy caught part of his rendition on video. I was charmed, to say the least. We had a nice relaxing birthday celebration with family (and some friends who stopped by) early evening and into the night.
Given the precarious situation involving my conception and delivery, I’m just glad I was ever born at all. And because of Easter, I was born again.
Given the special days we’re celebrating this time of year, you may have thought the title of this post had something to do with Judas’s kiss of betrayal. But no, the kiss I’m referring to involves Samuel and Levi trying to show a measure of affection to each other. The result of their clumsy attempt at a brotherly smooch is quite adorable.
In other news, our church recently got our new pew cushions installed, just in time for Holy Week. They look good, and they feel great. But there might be a fear afoot that the pastor will think he can preach longer sermons. Uh oh!
Seriously, it’s been a deeply meaningful week for all of us, and the turnout for the Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday services has been wonderful. We’re looking forward to a great celebration tomorrow at the Easter service.
I think I’ve done more sobbing during preparation this year than previous years, and that will probably continue tomorrow. After all, my mother-in-law passed away right as we were singing, “Fought the fight the battle won.” Maybe this dynamic comes with age, but, thankfully, the gospel story never gets old to me.
May it be fresh and new for you as well tomorrow as you rejoice in the empty tomb of Jesus.
There are so many reasons for joy in this neck of the woods right now. First, Andrew is thriving in his new role at Sight & Sound. He’s part of the lighting team for their newest production, Daniel, which premiered last week. From his description, theater lighting at that level is much more sophisticated than I had ever imagined, but he’s well suited and trained for it. (His undergrad studies were in film and media arts at Temple University.) Not many people get to say they work in professional music theater—let alone Christian musical theater. He says the show is not to be missed. I get to see it on April 11, which is his birthday.
Second, I got wonderful feedback on my latest dissertation chapter. I’m over the moon about it since this one had heavy doses of Sumerian and Akkadian in it, which I’m hardly an expert in but worked hard to get oriented to. It featured lots of Greek and Hebrew, too, along with a handful of other languages, but I was on edge about the Sumerian and Akkadian because the title of one of my readers is “Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Semitic Languages.” You can imagine the pressure a title like that conveys. It was, by far, the hardest chapter to write, so I really think I can pick up the pace now. Still, academic writing is awfully tedious, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m nerd enough to enjoy it.
Third, the boys continue to grow and delight everyone around them. How cool is it that we live just 10 minutes away from Samuel and Levi? We get to watch them almost every Wednesday and keep them overnight nearly every Friday, which is pizza night. Saturday mornings may involve some cartoons and pancakes. Oh, and the toy room. And yard time. Below are some pics and clips of these precious munchkins.
Fourth, the flower beds are starting to explode with signs of spring. My cherry tree is always stunning this time of year, and the daffs have really shot up, along with the hyacinths. I eagerly await the arrival of the tulips. Maybe they’ll get here by Easter, which just happens to be my birthday this year. But no one’s allowed to call attention to it. That day belongs to Christ alone.
Finally, below is an interesting tune by Coldplay, “Up with the Birds,” voted one of the top songs about springtime. I’m not sure I would have put it on the list, but a reviewer calls it “one of the most hopeful and optimistic things we’ve ever heard. The combination of cheerful lyrics and the enchanting string of instruments in the background has us feeling like we’re floating right into the warmer season.”
How ’bout we just stay in springtime?
Either way, enjoy!
Levi at 8 months.No more pictures, Mommy. I’ve got things to do.Brotherly love.Learning to take turns.Flowers for Mommy.
Micah gets a father-of-the-year award for this.
Double trouble at Home Depot.
Loving little Levi.No poker face on this dude.The view out my home office window.The flowering cherry is a gift I’ll always treasure.The daffs are here.And here.And here. (I need to re-set the decorative rocks.)The flower beds have come alive.The hyacinths await the arrival of the tulips.Home, sweet, home.
Swimming must be in the genes. Micah and Bethany took Samuel and Levi this past weekend to a hotel in Grantville, PA, one with an indoor swimming pool. They had a great time. Both boys enjoyed a couple days splashing around in the water and playing with their toys in the room, along with some cartoon watching. They also enjoyed a good “break-ey” Saturday morning featuring yummy pancakes and “milkies.” The joy on their faces almost makes up for our not getting to keep them overnight on Friday. Forecasts call for spring-like temperatures this week, so maybe we’ll get to take them to the park on Wednesday, provided it doesn’t rain. But, hey, since they like the water so much….
There’s a saint and a sinner on Mount Calvary. What separates them is Jesus. In Luke 23:35-43, we find Jesus hanging between two criminals—one a scoffer and one a brand-new believer. Having mocked Jesus earlier during the crucifixion (Mark 15:32), this “repentant thief” has a change of heart at some point, asking Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. Jesus responds with memorable words of grace and assurance: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
With death approaching, the repentant thief begins to fear God and take responsibility for his own wrongdoing. Perhaps his heart was softened by the prayer of forgiveness that Jesus had prayed earlier (Luke 23:34). Showing both courage and confidence, he takes a public stand for Jesus, expressing his belief that Jesus would have a life beyond the cross. As a result, the man learns he would be spending eternity with Jesus in heaven. Nowhere in Scripture is it clearer that salvation is by grace through faith.
Throughout this series, we’re looking for both the “good news” and the “good life” in each of these sayings from the cross. That is, each statement has in it divine grace for us to receive (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and a divine example for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21). Practical applications, then, abound from this second saying of Christ from the cross:
Jesus dies in the company of unbelievers, attracting them to God.
Believers should live in the company of unbelievers, attracting them to God.
Jesus dies refusing to retaliate for the insults and injuries inflicted on him.
Believers should live refusing to retaliate for the insults and injuries inflicted on him.
Jesus dies submitting to God’s agenda rather than to the world’s agenda.
Believers should live submitting to God’s agenda rather than to the world’s agenda.
Jesus dies speaking words of hope and encouragement to the hurting.
Believers should live speaking words of hope and encouragement to the hurting.
Jesus dies helping someone in a similar predicament as himself.
Believers should live helping someone in a similar predicament as themselves.
Jesus dies serving someone who is totally unable to return the favor.
Believers should live serving someone who is totally unable to return the favor.
Jesus dies joining God where he is at work, sharing the good news.
Believers should live joining God where he is at work, sharing the good news.
In short, the message of this second saying from the cross is twofold: Humble yourself to receive the gift of Jesus, and pattern your life after the death of Jesus. It’s still true today—what separates saints and sinners is Jesus. Thankfully, God in Christ can respond to the faintest cry in the last moments of a person’s life (cf. Rom 10:13). Including ours.
On a Personal Note
Don Francisco used to sing a gospel folk song called “Too Small a Price,” told from the vantage point of this repentant thief on the cross. Francisco came to a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Towers 3 dormitory at West Virginia University back in the day when the Lord was pursuing me big time. This song, more than all the others he sang that night, bore deep into my soul, and it was instrumental in my own conversion to Christ. I’ll place a recording of it below for those who may not have heard it.
Though the agony continued there it was still too small a price To be allowed to hear those words, and to die beside the Christ. – Don Francisco
Samuel was caught reading a book by himself yesterday. If my math is correct, he’s only 26 months old. Yes, most of his articulation in this clip comes from memory, but he does know his letters and numbers already. My hope is that this will be the start of a lifelong journey of enjoying a good book and beverage as a way of life. Anyway, I just had to share this clip. It’s the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
Below are also some other goodies, just because it’s Friday. Included is the new Billy Joel song. He hasn’t produced anything in decades, but this piece is quintessential Billy after a long hibernation. Moreover, the video shows—finally—a good use of AI: Billy at the piano over the years singing his latest song. Quite creative.
Samuel enjoying a homemade snow slide.Levi bundled up and braving the elements.We recently lit the fireplace, though the picture doesn’t do it justice.
The first statement of Jesus from the cross is, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). One can hardly think of a more unlikely thing for Jesus to say, given the circumstances in which he says it. Crucifixion was designed to be maximally painful. As the ancients said, to be crucified was to “die a thousand deaths.”
As such, this gracious prayer is spoken from inside the vortex of a living hell on earth. Jesus does not defend his innocence or curse his enemies; rather, he prays for those who are torturing him. Indeed, he is practicing what he preached about forgiveness, which is noteworthy because he has the power to stop the entire ordeal. But the removal of our sin is more important to Jesus than the removal of his own suffering, so he endures the pain.
Mercifully, a great exchange is taking place here at Calvary (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). “Bearing shame and scoffing rude / In my place condemned he stood.” God didn’t sweep our sins under the rug; he swept them onto Christ. Jesus takes our place and dies our death. What Jesus is really praying here is, “Father, forgive them, and condemn me. Charge their wrongdoing to my account, and I will pay the cost.” In the cross of Christ, then, we see what God has done about what we have done. For God to take our part, he had to take our place. And he does so in Christ.
Moreover, though immersed in agony, Jesus died believing in the goodness of God despite the wickedness of man—as revealed by the fact that his first word from the cross is, “Father.” His steadfast faith is the kind of faith we need to extend forgiveness to others, too, which is always difficult. We tend to attribute other people’s faults to their character, and our own faults to our environment. The cross challenges that perspective, for as Jesus himself taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” When we don’t forgive others, we tear down the very bridge we need to walk on to connect with God. Forgiving those who’ve wronged us is actually the key to not being victimized or controlled by them any longer.
In the end, if the murder of the Son of God is forgivable, then your sin—whatever it may be—is forgivable, too. So, accept your acceptance from God, and then forgive others as Christ forgave you—gracefully and extravagantly.
A dear lady at church recently asked where all the pictures of my favorite little boys have been. It’s true, I haven’t posted in a while (though I’ve still been scanning all my favorite sites with their fun memes, captivating songs, and wonderful pics and vids). In any event, I suppose the answer to her question is threefold.
First, I wanted to take some time to grieve my mother-in-law. Her death came right before Christmas, and in my vocation, sometimes you just have to put your own emotions on hold for a while and get back to them later. Second, I just submitted another dissertation chapter. It was a fun one, but it was also complicated since it involved heavy doses of Sumerian and Akkadian, which required more concentration than usual. And third, I’ve spent the past couple months cleaning up some projects to better facilitate the “life adjustments” that will be coming soon. (More on that later, maybe.)
In any event, I’ll share some recent shots of the dear munchkins. Oh, how I adore these little guys and am blessed that they live so close. I’ll also try to get some sermon summaries posted soon, too.
Be blessed.
Bonus
Our kitchen renovation was completed last December, but I never posted any pictures of it. Here is one small part of it (hopefully with more snaps to come), shared here because yesterday’s Valentine’s Day gift included a few items to help organize the teas and sweeteners we have at our beverage station.
Luke 15 contains three of the most famous parables Jesus ever taught: the parable of the lost sheep; the parable of the lost coin; and the parable of the lost sons. Or if we put the emphasis where Jesus puts it, we might call them: the parable of the seeking shepherd; the parable of the seeking woman; and the parable of the seeking father.
According to Jesus, God is graciously seeking the lost. But “lost” here does not mean just unbelievers; believers are in view, too. The sheep strays from the flock it was already a part of. The coin is lost at home, not out on the streets. The son leaves the family he had lived in for years. So, God is also seeking to recapture those who already know him but have strayed from him. If that weren’t enough, we also discover in Luke 15 the unbridled joy that erupts in heaven when a wayward person is restored.
While each parable is worthy of detailed study, this sermon looks at the chapter as whole, surveying the broad themes common to each: human folly; the value of human beings (even when lost); the costly search of the rescuer; and heaven’s joy when that which is lost is found.
Quite interestingly, there is something about the “neck” in each of these stories, a detail that is often overlooked. The shepherd finds the lost sheep and puts it around his neck. The woman finds the lost coin and (presumably) puts it back in her necklace where it came from. The father sees his lost son and “fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20, KJV). The neck is the place of honor, intimacy, and embrace.
As Jesus Christ is God in human flesh, these parables constitute “God explaining God to us.” And one of the great truths we learn here is that God refuses to be God without his people living in his embrace. Indeed, these parables expound to us the love and grace of God unlike anywhere else in Scripture.
Move over, Billy Joel. There’s a new piano man in town. His name is Samuel White. Christmas made such an impression on him this year that he’s still singing holiday music. And playing it. It’s not easy to sing and play at the same time, but he’s going for it. His style is somewhere between Elton John and Jerry Lee Lewis. The first piece below is his own recollection of “Joy to the World,” verse 1. The second piece is Rend Collective’s version of “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” Enjoy.
