Peacemaking in Practice

As we read the Bible, we find that even the best of churches like the "dream church" in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-47) experience conflict and need peacemaking (see Acts chapter 15). I am greatly enjoying sitting under the teaching of Ken Sande today. Ken is the leader of Peacemaker Ministries. Ken is a great servant of the church of the Lord Jesus and has provided many helpful ministry resources at their website. Watch this video:

God is a God of Hard Cases

Pastor Alfred Poirier just finished teaching the biblical and theological foundations of the ministry of peacemaking tonight at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. I thank God for his teaching, but I thank God more for his mercy. God used Alfred tonight to give me hope that God can use a peace-breaker and a peace-faker like me to be one of his peace-makers. Thank you, Jesus.

Copper, I'm Still Not Buying

Copper Mountain has priced themselves out of the front range family ski market. Two years ago we got a Copper Four Pass for $69. Last year we bought them again for $84. This year Intrawest raised four pass prices to $139. Today they dropped them to $119. Yes, that's great Summit County skiing for less than $30 per day, but it's still too pricey, especially since we have to spend a half hour or more riding shuttles from the Copper parking lots and then walking to the lifts with our kids in tow.

I'm still not buying Copper Four Passes. The Colorado Pass is still a much better deal for people who plan to ski 12 or more days per season.

http://www.passwagon.com/four_pass.htm

Seasonal Rentals Start Today

We'll be at Christy Sports this morning picking out skis, boots and poles for Anna & Sophie. I can't wait for Arapahoe Basin to open. The region's two highest ski areas - Arapahoe Basin and Loveland Ski Area - compete for the earliest opening day, usually sometime in late October. That means I can most likely be on my skis sometime in the next 3-4 weeks!

Here's a picture of the Kellys at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park last week.

Cowper's Still on My Top 40

If you don't know the story of William Cowper, take a quick trip to the cyberhymnal.

I really enjoyed singing "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" to myself this morning as I spent time with God reading the Bible and praying.

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

DisneyWorld Top 10

We got back from Florida late last night. Here's a quick video clip of Anna, Sophie & cousin Lilly at the Festival of the Lion King. What a show!

My top 10:
10. Pirates of the Caribbean with new Captain Jack Sparrow audio-animatronics. Just like him.
9. Finding Nemo: The Musical. It's much better live than the promo clips that Disney has out.
8. Lights, Motors, Action stunt show from Disney Studios Paris. Incredible driving!
7. Mission Space. Downright awesome. Way to go, Gary Sinise!
6. Splash Mountain at night with Sophie and Anna laughing in the front seats.
5. The Laugh Floor with Mike Wizowski in Tomorrowland. Cool digital characters, live voices.
4. Mickey's Philharmagic. Great music, surprising effects and Donald Duck shot out of a tuba.
3. Seeing Megan play the part of an extra in the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
2. The Disney Princess lunch at the Akershus Restaurant at the Norway Pavillion in Epcot.
1. Expedition Everest. A great queue, a great coaster and an even greater surprise in the middle.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Finished. Done. Over. At last, closure!

Since I finished it late last night on the plane back from Orlando, Megan and I have been enjoying conversations about this last book of the Harry Potter series. (Note to husbands: I heartily recommend reading what your wife is reading and talking about it with her as a means of keeping your marriage healthy.)

Warning: If you haven't finished the book yet, there are spoilers below. I suggest you wait to read this after you've finished reading the series. (Watching the movies does NOT count!)

First, some of what I liked:

• Neville Longbottom! I'm so proud of that kid. I think he and Luna Lovegood should get married and have weird kids together.
• Rowling's portrayal of our fallen human condition through the imperfect personalities of James Potter, Harry, Dumbledore and so many others. Though the plethora of magical plot devices wore on me at times, I particularly appreciated the way she portrayed Dumbledore's temptation to power. As Jeremiah 17:9 says: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it?"
• The tragic and trustworthy Severus Snape. His redemption and steadfast unrequited love for Lily Potter are one of the most beautiful aspects of this book. But sad. Really sad. Snape is another of those who so poignantly reflects our fallen-ness back at us.
• Percy's change of heart and subsequent duel with the Minister of Magic.
• Hagrid.
  
• A unique application of the Christ-figure in the characters of Lilly and Harry Potter. I blogged earlier this year that Harry was going to die. Meg pointed out to me that Rowling was very careful with how she handled Harry's death-march to Voldemort and subsequent conversation with Dumbledore in the netherworld. But I still think Harry died. If he wasn't dead, where was he?
  
• Hermione's "Jane Austin" kiss with Ron after he proves the change in his character by his concern for the house-elves.
• A happy ending.
  

Now some of what I didn't like:

• Rowling's view of life and death. A number of times, Rowling says that there are things worse than death, but she never comes close to speaking of hell. Within all the darkness of the book, death is often portrayed as a peaceful, even appealing. It is not. As a Christian, I don't like death. Death is the result of the fall of man into sin. Death is NOT natural. It is alien to God's original good creation and it is a just and terrible consequence of sin. But it will not always be so. Jesus will come again soon to destroy death for good.
  
• Having Christmas presents but never talking about Jesus. Using cathedral-like architecture but never mentioning the church. Holding funerals but never even hinting at the reason why people do not have to grieve without hope. Yep, I'm a Jesus freak.
  
• I still have no idea what Rowling has in mind when she writes of "a well-ordered soul." The idea of splitting a soul is entirely foreign to human experience. We are embodied souls. Horcruxes do not exist. Like so many false ideas that the church has faced over the centuries, Rowling is playing with spiritual ideas that have real moral consequences. I am fearful that many who do not know what the bible teaches about humanity will become even more confused. So many times people who conceive of the soul and the body as two separable parts get into big trouble. Remember the gnostics, the antinomians, the ascetics and the legalists.
  
• With all the right and wrong in the Harry Potter series, there is not a clear understanding of the sinfulness of sin in these books. Too much misbehavior is marginalized as just "what wizards do". Harry and James and many others are poor heroes in this respect. And so much of this magic stuff is just plain selfish and evil.

I'm glad it's over. I'm done reading Harry Potter books.

This is a good series, but I do not recommend the last 5 books for children under 12 or 13. As always, parents must shepherd their children's hearts and watch that magic doesn't replace Jesus in our kids' affections. Have them read the Narnia books before they are 13.

This is a good series, but not a great series like Tolkien's Ring Trilogy. We shall see in about 20 years how this stands this test of time as another generation looks for summer reading.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to taking Megan on a date to the next Harry Potter movie.