Month: October 2009

At the Moment

Enduring Physical Discomforts

Karen

I’d like to write little vignettes, little moments in time, just to document my thoughts and the events of the moment. My biggest challenge, will be keeping it short.

Hence the “vignette” part.

I tend to think that I can’t possibly post anything under 1,000 words. I don’t know why I think that. Actually, I don’t think that, it just sort of works out that way. I’m long winded, I guess.

Let’s see if I can break that mindset because sometimes? Precious moments are simply that – moments.

I mentioned that we took Jazz in for an orthodontist consultation. They took x-rays and determined that the boy still has THREE baby teeth.

Three. I was shocked. I mean, the kid is 14 1/2 – is that even normal??

But no worries, the permanent teeth were clearly visible and the baby teeth were literally hanging on by a thread.

We went to Panera Bread Monday night as part of a fundraiser for the high school band. And while there, Jazz bit down a little too hard on a piece of bacon and though his tooth didn’t come out, it knocked it pretty loose.

We came home and the boy grabbed a paper towel and immediately worked it out. No fuss. No drama. The tooth popped out and there wasn’t even any blood. Which leads me to believe the sucker had been ready to come out for quite some time and Jazz simply ignored it.

He does that. He ignores his teeth. He ignores them when they get loose and he simply waits for the tooth to fall out on it’s own. Or it gets knocked into an awkward position and it hurts him to eat and he has no choice but to get the thing out because by that time, it annoys him.

Jazz is getting really good at ignoring physical discomfort. I think that’s a good thing, to a point, of course. But these past several weeks have really taught him a lot about enduring discomforts. He’s been pretty sick, a head cold, and yet, he’s still had to practice and show up for his performances. He’s had to emotionally and physically move past his aches and pains and concentrate on the task at hand.

Though it’s about killed me to see him SO tired and feeling SO bad, I think it’s been a good lesson for him to learn.

Life, unfortunately, doesn’t stop because of one loose tooth or a stuffy head.

NaNoWriMo

Na-No-WHAT-O?

Karen

If you’ve been reading me for any length of time, then you KNOW I sort of have this unhealthy obsession with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

And it’s unhealthy in the fact that I REALLY get into it. So much so, in fact, that I splurged on this totally awesome, but totally overpriced (IMO) NaNoWriMo hoodie.

But hello?! Check out the awesome-ness!! And besides, I’m justifying the overage on the fact that it’s going to a good cause and OH MY GOSH, I’ve never run across a writing program that has blessed me more.

So, it’s totally worth it to me. 😀

I will likely wear this hoodie for many, many years — I’m the sort of person who tends to literally wear out her clothing, so I will definitely get some good use out of it. And who knows? Maybe someone will ask me what the acronym stands for and I’ll have a chance to scare tell them all about the most awesome writing program available.

Which brings me to my favorite part: talking about NaNoWriMo. 😀

For those of you that don’t know (and if not, WHERE exactly have you been these past few years?! *grin*), NaNoWriMo is:

From the NaNoWriMo website:

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

And that’s exactly why this project appeals to me so much – the QUANTITY part. I spend too much time worrying about the quality. In fact, there are times it actually paralyzes me so that I either get discouraged or disgusted with myself – either way, I end up quitting my project.

But NaNoWriMo has given me permission to just write. I tie my inner critic up, shut the bugger in a closet and I’m FREE to write anything I want. It’s soooo liberating.

But instead of of continuing my random blubbering about the program, I’m going to take Benjamin Solah’s questions and answer them here. This will give you a pretty good idea of how I feel about NaNo and what my plans are. If you want to take these questions and answer them on your own blog, be sure and let Benjamin know that you participated.

When and how did you find out about NaNoWriMo? How did it go?

Ugh. I’ve been staring at this question for eons. HOW did I find out about NaNo? I can’t remember! I’m thinking I stumbled across … oh wait, yes I DO remember!! (I’m excited because it’s a big deal when I can remember things *smile*).

I was reading a chick-lit blog maintained by four really awesome writers. Three of the writers escape me at the moment, but one of them stuck out – Lani Diane Rich. I loved her voice so much that I followed her links back to her personal blog and read more about how she got started in writing.

And she got started with NaNoWriMo. In fact, she went on to PUBLISH her NaNoWriMo novel!! I thought that was sooo cool and to this day, that still inspires me.

After I researched the program a little more, I got terribly excited and immediately signed up, October 1, 2005.

I was scared out of my cotton-picking mind when it was time to start. I wrote some such crap nonsense story about a woman who travels to New York City to try and make a go of her desire to be a talk radio host.

It was truly garbage. No, really. I’m not sugar coating it, it really, really stunk. But that wasn’t the point. The fact that someone finally gave me permission to write, to just let go of my inhibitions and WRITE, was really the thing I took away from the experience. I’ll never forget that feeling – it was amazing and was quite literally what broke my literary cocoon — I emerged not necessarily a better writer, but definitely a more free writer.

How many times have you done NaNoWriMo?

This will be my fifth year. I plan on participating in NaNoWriMo until I reach the day I A. don’t remember what NaNoWriMo stands for and/or B. when I’m physically unable to.

And that includes talking. Because even if my fingers don’t work, I’ll use a tape recorder. 🙂

How many times have you won? If you haven’t won, what was your best result?

I’ve won all four years. And I will continue to win because I’m too OCD NOT to.

How did it go last year?

Really well, actually. I have settled into a groove, I suppose. I just mentally prepare myself to write 2,000 words, period. I don’t think about it too much, I just do it.

I’m usually really strong in the first two weeks, and I actually get ahead of the game (you need to write 1,667 words a day in order to make your 50,000 goal), which is good, because by the third week, I’m burned out and I rarely end up writing that week. Then, by week four, I’m panicking because time is ticking and I REALLY want that nifty winner’s badge, so I buckle down and cross the finish line with usually one or two days to spare.

Usually.

Where do you write and with what do you write?

I have to leave my house to write. I usually end up in either a study room at the public library or at the university library where it’s really, really quiet. Sometimes, if I have a full day scheduled, I’ll get up early and shut myself off in my husband’s music studio and write before everyone else gets up. It has to be really, really, and I mean REALLY stone-cold silent in order for me to write.

I usually cart my laptop around. Though there have been times I’ve taken my Neo someplace off-the-wall, like the park or the lake, simply because I need a change of scenery.

This year might be a challenge though. I work from home so have had the freedom to do all of that in the past. This year … I will likely end up getting a holiday job (hoping it turns into something more permanent after the holidays) so who knows how that will pan out this year.

How do you find time to write?

See above.


Are your partners, friends and family allies or enemies?

Yes. And no.

Kevin, my husband, is very supportive. He knows how important this is to me, even though he doesn’t fully “get” it. He’s rarely around when I’m writing, but on the weekends, he’s usually okay with me leaving and hanging out at the library for a bit AS LONG AS it doesn’t completely interfere with our time together.

I can’t ask for a more supportive spouse, quite frankly.

The boys don’t really get it either. They just roll their eyes at me, but they are interested enough to ask what my word count is and that really warms my heart.


What are you strengths and what do you use to help you get to the end?

My strengths are my beginnings. I pride myself on starting the story smack dab in the middle of the excitement. My characters are usually pretty charismatic, if not a little inconsistent, but I enjoy surprising the reader with an uncharacteristic move now and again.

I think my biggest motivation to finish is seeing that fancy-smancy YOU WON page that pops up after you submit your final word count.

That and the web badge.

It’s quite a high to me to know that I produced that much in such a short amount of time.

What are your weaknesses, obstacles and challenges that hinder you from finishing?

My biggest weakness is boredom. In addition to the doubt, I just get bored with the story. The middle kills me each and every time. Then I get discouraged because I think, “Well, this story must suck because if I’m bored, my reader is definitely going to be bored.”

My biggest obstacle is my procrastination and short attention span. I am INSANELY EASY TO DISTRACT.

Oh look! A bird!

So making myself sit down and write is my biggest challenge. (Like this entry? I think I’ve stopped and gone to go do something else about 30 times now).

Do you plot/outline/plan or do you write by the seat of your pants? How much do you plot or how unprepared are you?

Good lord, no. I WISH I had the discipline to sit down and plot out my story, I’d get so much done and I’d actually finish something, but no. I prefer to follow my characters around like an eager dog just waiting for that delicious bone. Again, I get bored. I like surprising myself because my characters inevitably take the story off in a direction I never, ever thought possible and suddenly, I’m faced with a new challenge.

So no, I don’t plot. I’m a pantser – I just write by the seat of my pants.

I go through a lot of pants. 😀


Do you participate in the real life community, go to write ins and meet ups in your area?

*sigh* I would love to. But my community seems to lean toward drama. In fact, the very first email I received for this year’s NaNo cautioned, and outlined, what to do if/when someone acted inappropriately.

No thank you. I don’t DO drama. I simply won’t put myself in a situation where I’m forced to deal with it. I’ve read enough of the online exchanges to know, they simply aren’t my crowd. They’re all college-aged kids hell-bent on being cool and drowning their livers. Again, I’m way too old for that crap and I’m simply not interested.

What are your writing aids? Special snacks, music, totems, rewards or punishments?

For some odd reason, I’m like Pavlov’s dog when it comes to writing. I MUST have some sort of caffeinated drink by my side when I write. That could be coffee, it could be an energy drink, but I always seem to write better when I’m high on caffeine.

I try really hard to stay away from the sugary snacks – I crash pretty hard – so I tend to snack on crackers, dry pancakes and flour tortilla shells.

Yes, I AM that boring.

I also have to wear my reading glasses. I technically don’t need them, but I feel smarter when I wear them … so I wear them.

Hey, I can use all the help I can get, thank you very much.

My goal, if it pans out, is to post a little something from my main character on my blog each week. Who knows if it will work out, but that’s my goal for now.

In the meantime, I have some more brainstorming to do. You’ll know it’s happening when you see the smoke plumes in the distance. 😀

Good luck if you’re participating!

Band

First Marching Competition – Valhalla Results

Karen

Marching bands have come a long way from just playing the marches of John Phillip Sousa, as demonstrated by a battle of the bands Saturday at the Valhalla Marching Band Festival.

There wasn’t so much as a toot of Sousa’s “Washington Post” march to be heard from just before dawn to the festival’s end near midnight.

Instead, performances by some bands included an homage to Michael Jackson — complete with drum majors in black fedoras and suits and sequined silver gloves — fistfighting horn players in a cowboy-themed performance and even knights in shining armor.

valhalla

My heart started pumping hard Saturday morning and it didn’t stop until late Sunday.

What a weekend. What-a-weekend.

Today, I feel like I’m recovering from a marathon. And I didn’t even run it!

Jazz had his first band competition Saturday. It started at 8:00 a.m., but they weren’t scheduled to perform until 4:45 p.m.

They lumped the participating schools into classes starting at A and ending at D – the class determination depended on the number of winds and brass in the band. Since Jazz goes to a larger school, his school was categorized as D.

His band director wanted the kids to go through the routine one more time before it was time to head to the stadium, so we dropped Jazz off at the school at 1:00 and they spent an hour warming up and going through their songs. At 2:15, he called me and we came back home so he could change. (He actually took his uniform to school with him, but didn’t know he needed to change first before we arrived to pick him up – but it was all good, we had time. Poor kid was so scatter-brained and excited, he didn’t know which way was up).

We arrived at the designated area and dropped him off. Me, Kevin and Dude then went up to the stadium and paid our $7.00 bucks each (yikes!) and took our seats. We arrived just in time to see the last few bands in the C class perform.

They were spectacular. In fact, every single band we watched was absolutely spectacular. I can’t IMAGINE being the judges, talk about tough decisions!!

Our kids were the first band in the D class to perform. And they did great. The Color Guard gals really looked beautiful and though our songs were slower and quieter than most of the other bands’ songs, they were classy, elegant and really, really beautiful. I had serious doubts about the music selection going into the competition, but I can now see why the director picked those pieces. They were unusual and really difficult for a marching band to perform, and perform well.

And our kids? Played them perfectly. I couldn’t have been more proud of them.

But the problem with being first? You have to sit through and see the rest of the competition.

And OH. MY GOSH. The bands that came after our kids were phenomenal. No seriously, they blew me away! They had PROPS, and BIG MOVES, and FUNKY, UNUSUAL music and it was all IN YOUR FACE sort of entertainment so that by the time all of the bands had performed and we were waiting to hear who won what in the prelims and who would go onto the finals, I was depressed and absolutely terrified. Our kids were fantastic, and their talent certainly measured up to everyone else’s, but I was worried the actual show wasn’t flashy enough. Our Color Guard girls wore classic white, flowing costumes and our drum majors wore all white, smart drum major uniforms, which is great, but when compared to the sparkly and outrageous costumes that some of the other Color Guards wore, or the actual ball gowns that some of the other drum majors wore (my brain shut down at that point – BALL GOWNS?!), I was seriously worried we wouldn’t get into the finals.

Here is a short mash-up of the prelims – our kids aren’t on here, but you’ll get a general feel for what sort of entertainment we had the privilege to watch that day.

Thirty-two bands performed, only 12 would go to the finals. I was chewing my fingernails, I was so nervous for our kids.

The time came. All of the drum majors lined up to hear the results. I should have taken pictures of them all lined up, but I was honestly so focused on what was going on, that thought never even crossed my mind.

They began announcing awards for outstanding winds, marching and maneuvering, drum major, soloist, percussion, and Auxiliary.

Our Color Guard won the outstanding auxiliary!! This was quite an honor considering ALL of the other creative performances!!

Then it came time to read which bands placed and which ones would go on to the finals.

I felt faint. All of our kids had gathered across the field and were sitting in the away bleachers. I thought it was so classy of them to stick around and watch the other bands as opposed to going back to their base and changing out of their uniforms, like all of the other bands did.

Fourth place was announced. It went to the school the boys’ friend attended.

Now the pressure was really on.

Third place was announced.

AND IT WAS OUR KIDS!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh, the entire band were on their feet and cheering, it was so exciting!!

But we weren’t out of the woods yet. According to the rules:

The first place band in preliminaries in Class A, B, C, & D automatically make finals. The next & highest scoring bands, regardless of class, complete the finalist bands.

So even though we placed third in the prelimiaries, it didn’t necessarily mean we would go onto the finals – it all depended on our scores.

And I meant to keep track of our scores, but like a dolt, I didn’t buy a program until after finals started. Yeah, I’ll be more prepared next year. (No I won’t).

They began announcing the eight bands who would go on to the finals (because remember, the bands that placed first in their class were automatically entered).

Name after name was called and my heart continued to pound harder and harder with each name called. I had to hold onto the railing (because by this time, we were standing on the sidelines) to keep from keeling over.

I lowered my head and with each name called, I kept saying our kids’ school name hoping that would somehow make the announcer call our band.

And then it happened …. THEY CALLED OUR NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE WERE IN THE FINALS!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh, just typing that makes my heart pump hard again. I’m also still hoarse from yelling my fool head off. 😀

They called for a break and we walked across the field to meet Jazz. The band hadn’t been excused yet so we stood around and listened to their band director caution them about eating heavy, greasy, fatty foods and to stick to water, no carbonated drinks (it would dehydrate them). He then asked everyone to meet up at “their” place at 9:15 p.m.

It was sort of a mad house to get out of there, but we took Jazz to Taco Bell (making sure he didn’t order anything greasy and making doubly sure he didn’t spill anything on his overalls). He was too excited to eat, but I made him scarf down a chicken taquito and drink some water.

After bathroom breaks, we headed home.

Yes, home.

I didn’t allow him to compete in finals. It was getting late and he was looking so exhausted that I didn’t think it was in his best interest to continue.

PSYCH! AS IF!

No, the temperatures had plummeted by that time and we were all freezing. So we ran home to grab a sleeping bag, I could change my shoes (I was wearing these and my toes were frozen solid) and Dude wanted to grab a stocking cap.

After we grabbed our extra gear, we headed back to the meeting place and dropped Jazz back off. Since the bands were using one of the other high school stadiums (a bigger and better facility), all of the competing bands were stationed all over the area. Our band actually happened to be using a neighbor’s yard. I’m sure that wasn’t annoying for the poor guy. lol

We headed back to the stadium and watched the bands compete for the “hardware” (i.e. trophies), one more time.

Finally, at 10:30, our kids were back on the field.

I don’t know what their band director told them, but I can honestly say, these kids never played so hard, or concentrated so much on doing a great job as they did in this last performance.

They were perfect. The songs they played require them to get really soft, then go loud, then go really soft again and oh my freaking gosh, it was so pretty I had tears in my eyes (of course, it could have been the cold wind or the fact that I was emotional, but we’ll go with touched). And I’m not just saying this because it was MY kid in that bunch; they were breathtaking.

Two more bands performed after our kids and then it was time to wait to hear the results.

Again, the place was sizzling with electricity, the place was so on edge. The announcer began speaking …

Twelfth place goes to …

Eleventh place goes to …

Tenth place goes to …

Ninth place goes to …

And still, they hadn’t called our school. My heart rate jacked up into over drive.

Eight place goes to …

Seventh place goes to …

Sixth place goes to …

Fifth place goes to …

I was near breaking point. We made the top five?!?

Fourth place goes to …. US!!

Our kids placed fourth!!! Out of 32 bands!!!!! OH. MY. GOSH!! It was so exciting!!

They then announced the top three and I have to say, I totally agree with their choices. The top three schools were … I don’t even know what adjective to use – they were THAT good. And they certainly deserved their wins.

Again, our kids sat on the away bleachers and though they cheered, they really didn’t cheer that much – they were reserved. Which I thought was odd. Maybe they were in shock?

People began filing out of the stadium and we began the journey back across the field again. It was only when, after the drum majors had made it back over with our trophies (because our Color Guard? Made Outstanding Auxiliary again in finals!), that our kids came alive and screamed with excitement. Everyone paused as they were leaving to look over and smile.

Our kids were so …. CLASSY!!!

Needless to say, our first competition was just ….. indescribable. I checked the results from last year’s competition and our school didn’t make it to finals. So, the fact that not only did they make it to finals but placed fourth is A FREAKING BIG DEAL!!

YAHOO!

Here is a picture of Jazz after we located him and gave him his much deserved congratulations.

Valhalla - Oct 09 - Won 4th place

Saturday was one of the most exciting days in recent memory. I’m still recovering. Jazz was just exhausted yesterday and actually felt a little sick. But after getting plenty of rest, he felt better today. I think it was all the adrenaline and the excitement that got to him.

Next weekend, we head to St. Louis for the Bands of America competition. I can’t wait.

I hope my heart can take it.

Abundant Life

Teaching: Truth Matters – Part Two

Karen

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

“What is truth?” That is the question every human being will at one time or another have to face, and answer. Those who choose to face it in this lifetime, and who come to God for the answer, will be set free by the truth, and eventually gain everlasting life. Those who do not choose to come to grips with this question, and those who go to the wrong source for the answer, will remain in bondage. And one day they will stand face to face with The Answer, Jesus Christ, who will righteously judge them. How each of us relates to truth determines not only our everlasting destiny, but also the quality of our life now.

About 2000 years ago, a high-ranking Roman government official had the opportunity to stand face to face with the only man in history who could perfectly answer this critical question. That official was Pilate, and before him stood Jesus of Nazareth.

John 18:37 and 38
(37) “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
(38) “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

Pilate asked his question rhetorically, perhaps even throwing up his hands. We know that because it says he went out without waiting for Jesus to answer. Too bad, because “The Answer” was looking at him. Millions of people today are asking that same question, and doing so with the same attitude Pilate had. But you can ask it, stay in the presence of Jesus Christ, and allow the risen Lord to answer it for you.

In the last sentence of verse 37, the KJV reads: “…Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice,” but I think the NIV more clearly communicates the gist of what Jesus said. The fact you can be on the side of truth means there is also another side, the side of error, or untruth. I want to be on the side of truth, don’t you? The question is: How do we get there—and stay there day after day?

The Postmodern Assault on Truth

The theme for our ministry in 2008 was “Truth Matters.” Interestingly, that pithy phrase is true whether “matters” is a verb or a noun. As a verb, to “matter” is “to be of importance,” so truth matters. In fact, it is of the utmost importance. To “matter” means to “make a difference,” as between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and error, light and darkness, health and sickness. As a noun, “matter” is “something of consequence,” and also “the substance or substances of which any physical object consists,” so the components of truth also “matter.”

In the verses we will consider, the Greek word translated “truth” is aletheia, which means “reality” or “the revealed essence of a matter.” Notice that the root of “reality” is r-e-a-l. I don’t know about you, but I want to “get real,” because REAL-ity is always my friend. Capital “T” Truth comes only from God, and the goal of each Christian should be to make His Truth our truth, our reality.

Today, the very concept of truth itself is under assault from what is called “postmodernism.” “Pre-modernism” was the worldview held by most thinking people up until about the mid-1800s, and it was an openness to outside reality, such as historical facts, logical ideas, the laws of nature, divine revelation, and moral principles. Then “modernists,” giddy with the promise of science, claimed that the only truth was that which was testable by scientific rationalism.

Now the cultural mainstream embraces “postmodernism,” a worldview that tries to do without truth altogether. Postmodernists hold that there is no such thing as absolute truth, which, ironically, is itself an absolute! They say that truth is relative, and we each construct our own beliefs, so that what is true for you may not be true for me. The rejection of truth means that attempts by one to persuade another are acts of oppression. Evangelism is considered an infringement upon another’s “right” to his own truth. One of the most destructive beliefs of postmodernism is that words do not have fixed meanings, so we can make up our own meanings for them. That idea has even crept into the Church. [For further study read, Gnosticism: Gnostic ideas have had an influence on Christianity.]

The Two Sides of Truth

So what is the answer to Pilate’s question? Let us allow the Word of God to show us that there are two sides to the coin of truth. Then we will see the various ways we can choose to value this coin.

John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

God is the only source of absolute truth, and the written Word of God is the only standard by which to discern truth from error. But God also gave us His Word so that we can take it into our hearts and live it in relationship to others.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

In the two verses above, we see that truth is both doctrinal and practical, propositional and relational. The point of The Book is to know and love The Man and become like him. Only then will anyone experience what 1 Timothy 6:19 calls “…the life that is truly life.” As the following verses show, the choice is between freedom and slavery:

John 8:31 and 32
(31) To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
(32) Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

If experimentally knowing the truth makes one free, then, conversely, believing error about spiritual matters puts one in bondage (and maybe bandage). That brings up the practical relevance of truth itself. When it comes to the quality of our lives, it is vital to believe truth and not error about anything that relates to God, Jesus Christ, or any topic set forth in the Word of God.

“THE” truth means that there is only one, and this phrase appears about 165 times in Scripture. The Word of God is truth and, relative to any particular verse, it means there is only one right meaning—the meaning the Author originally intended. It is God’s burning desire that we know and embrace the truth to the end that the truth holds us.

1 Timothy 2:3 and 4
(3) This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
(4) who wants all men to be saved and to come to [unto] a knowledge [epignosis = a thorough knowledge acquired by participation] of the truth.

The will of God is that all men come all the way unto a thorough, practically applied knowledge of the truth, i.e., His Word, so that they are free, whole, and fruitful. If that is God’s will, then the will of His antithesis, the Devil, is that they never hear the truth and are thus enslaved, unhealthy, and fruitless. We must fight him using the whole armor of God, as set forth in Ephesians 6:10-17. It is significant that in verse 14 the belt of truth is the foundation of the whole armor, and in verse 17 the Word of God is the sword of the spirit we are to wield.

Responses to the Truth

Having established that God wants us to come unto a knowledge of the truth, let us now let the Word show us the different ways people respond to the truth, which, by the way, are just like they responded to Jesus himself: some embrace truth, some are indifferent to it, and some try to destroy it. We will first see “what it is not,” and then what it is—God wants us to belong to the truth.

2 Timothy 3:6 and 7
(6) They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
(7) always learning but never able to acknowledge [epiginosko] the truth.

Titus 1:13 and 14
(13) This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith
(14) and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:10
and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Acts 20:30
Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

Did you note the ascending degree of antipathy to the truth in those five passages? Truth is not acknowledged, then rejected, refused, distorted, and even suppressed. Make no mistake about it, “This is war!” and the Enemy is employing many willfully wicked people in his assault on truth. Yes, it is a “World War,” but in terms of the weapons being used, it is also a “Word War.” What can we do to win it day by day?

2 Timothy 2:15-18
(15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
(16) Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
(17) Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
(18a) who have wandered away from the truth…

What we see here is that even those who come to the truth can stray off course if they do not walk circumspectly, that is, honestly and accountably before God and their brethren. To me, “wandering away” implies a lack of focus, a carelessness about staying on the path of truth. And deviating off course can happen almost imperceptibly, one degree at a time. That is why we each need mature Christians in our lives, true friends who will tell us if they see us heading off course.

Internalizing the Truth

Okay, how about you? How do you desire to relate to the truth? One thing to understand is that when we come into this world, truth is external to us. God’s goal for us is to internalize it, as David said in Psalm 51:6: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” We can do that only by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching the truth such that it gets down into our hearts and comes out by showing up in our behavior. The reason we want to know The Book is to be like The Man.

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