Piper on the Racism of Abortion and the Pro-choice movement

Here is a very cogent case that abortion is one of the societal structures that consistant social liberals should hate. If pro-choice folks really valued true freedom (i.e. the freedom to not sin, and to be righteous), then they would hate abortion.
(It should be noted that I am not a Republican posting for the party platform. I am a human, a creature created in the image of God, posting for the party platform.)

A Third Way for Jekyll

This past couple of weeks I have been plodding my way through Keller's The Reason for God, and it has been very helpful on a variety of levels. However, the sine qua non of Keller's stuff is his insight into the depravity of our own righteousness. Particularly clear on the matter is his exposition of this quote from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,

I resolved in my future conduct to redeem the past; and I can say with honesty that my resolve was fruitful of some good. You know how earnestly, in the last months of the last year, I labored to relieve suffering; you know that much was done for others....[But as] I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active goodwill with the lazy cruelty of their neglect...at the very moment of that vain-glorious thought, a qualm came over ma, a horrid nausea and the most dreadful shuddering....I looked down...I was once more Edward Hyde.

Keller goes on to explain "Like so many people Jekyll knows he is a sinner, so he tries desperately to cover his sin with great piles of good works. Yet his efforts do not actually shrivel his pride and self-centeredness, they only aggravate it. They lead him to superiority, self-righteousness, pride and suddenly -- look! Jekyll becomes Hyde, not in spite of his goodness, but because of his goodness." (p. 182-3)

Those who know the story know that Dr. Jekyll despairs and takes his own life when he comes to the horrifyingly insightful realization that his attempts to atone for his sins merely fuel the fire. But there is another way, a miraculous way that would have healed the sickness inside of Jekyll. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus makes the Jekyll in all of us an over that would have stopped the tragic end to that story. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (ESV)

I plead with you who do not know the Savior, Unload!

The treadmill

Recently, we purchased a new treadmill! I cannot even express my excitment. It's so nice to be running and look out the window at the 20 inches of snow falling from the sky and below freezing temperatures, and still be sweating away in shorts and a T-shirt on the treadmill.

However, as I was running the other day, wearing the heart rate monitor Nathan gave me for Christmas, I was completely baffled at how high my heart rate was at the speed at which I was running (which I will not make public... ehem). Anyway, I convinced myself that the treadmill must be at an incline or uphill or something. Because I certainly couldn't be THAT out of shape. I ran a half marathon last summer and a 10k in October and off and on since then. Getting into it again since moving, hadn't been that long.....and you'd think all the progress I made would have kept me in somewhat good shape. As embarrassing as it was, I told Nathan, "I think this treadmill makes me run up hill; I'm so out of breath so easily and my heart rate is so high, even for the sporadic running these last few months." To which he smirked, and said, "Are you sure it's the treadmill? Maybe it's supposed to be that way to compensate for the difference between running outside and on a treadmill?" I didn't think so......So, I spent the next 24 hours walking by the treadmill, examining the angle at which it bottom sat. And I was convinced it was slanted. Not sure, if it was the floor or the treadmill, but I was sure of it.

So, while Nathan wasn't looking, at the risk of looking ridiculous, I put a tennis ball on it and watched. And sure enough............AHA!!! It rolled pretty quickly right off the back!

No wonder, I'm so relieved. Even though, I might be out of shape and have hopes of running a marathon this year, I'm not crazy or just making excuses.

Mystery solved, the treadmill is slanted.

Now we just have to figure out how to fix it as it lacks a reverse incline. And I can find out how out of shape I REALLY am and how much training is ahead of me.

Welcome

Welcome to Nathan and Anna's blog. Although we may be bookworms, we hope we're not too boring for at least our closest friends and family to read about our interesting adventures as we begin this transition to living in Philadelphia.