A Dedication (of Sorts) to Ted Bigelow

Ted--Pastor-Teacher--Grace Church, Hartford, CT

Setting up this post, I need to start with the famous words of Steve Cooley, a wonderful Associate Pastor at BBC. He described Ted as "crazy smart" and that about sums it up.

I recognize that what I'm about to type, he (Ted) has publicly denounced as any source of pride or achievement during his lifetime. He has acted as Paul did and publicly declared this in a Philippians 3:8 (skubala) sort of way. I have heard it with my own imperfect ears. So why do this? Because I believe it's informative and Christ-exalting.

There are a great many words that I could tell of my gratitude and praise to God for my Pastor. Many more words could tell of my personal experiences while being a part of his flock here in Connecticut. But as in all things, (and I'm sure much to the relief of my reader audience) I always have to bottom line it. I need to start at a base line and work my way up. I like to analyze things, situations, causes and effects, etc. The words and actions of people are interesting to me, with so many twists and turns in regards to their motivations, heart, and the like. Ted is no different.

Admittedly, I don't know him very well. Oh sure, we've been to each other's houses when our families have shared a meal together; we've shared a few jokes, but overall, my relationship with him is at an appropriate and opposite gender, non-married distance. So I really don't know him that well. He continues to surprise me at many turns.

But one way he has not changed or at least how I have come to the conclusion of how to bottom line his life from my perspective, is his deep, deep love for all things sound through the filter of biblical revelation--sound truth, sound doctrine, sound teaching and sound and thorough study. I've tried to think of ways to describe it. I've tried to write about it and practice, in small measure, the same type of studying so I could walk on a thorough, practiced, diligent and desire-filled path, but I need agonize no more. Thankfully, in a current book I'm reading, R.C. Sproul has done that for me and has bottom lined it in a way that I just couldn't. If my time was limited and I had to sum up my Pastor--here is how I would do it:

From R.C. Sproul's book Knowing Scripture:

The Role of the Teacher: [In regards to small groups and home bible studies] Pooling of knowledge is edifying to the church; pooling of ignorance is destructive and can manifest the problem of the blind leading the blind.

More often we face the problem of people calling themselves to the role of teacher who are simply not qualified to teach. A good teacher must have sound knowledge and the necessary skills to unravel difficult portions of Scripture. Here the need for mastery of language, history and theology are of critical importance. We need teachers who have sound knowledge and whose hearts are not set against the Word of God.

To sound teaching and diligent study God gives blessing.

Thank you, God, for giving Ted a mastery of language, history and theology. Thank you for giving Ted a heart that is not set against your holy scriptures. Thank you, God, for giving Ted his incredible and rare gift of intelligence; his enduring discipline and heart toward study throughout many years in his life; his keen insight into the text; and the masterful way in which he delivers.

And thank you, Ted, for earning your doctorate and continuing to study and love the word of God with the engine of a first-year seminary student, but with the mind of a meticulous, seasoned scholar. Your (and your family's) sacrifice has not gone unnoticed, nor un-thanked in my prayers.

Through God's immeasurable grace, He has enabled you to provide Grace Church with an indescribable blessing.

Lest I forget,

Lest I forget my humble beginnings,
Lest I forget my orphan status,
Lest I forget my American adoption,
Lest I forget my parent's sacrifice,
Lest I forget my night fevers,
Lest I forget my childhood fears,
Lest I forget my homecooked meals,
Lest I forget my safe, warm bed,
Lest I forget my doctor's visits,
Lest I forget my dental care,
Lest I forget my love for reading,
Lest I forget my nightly homework,
Lest I forget my expensive field trips,
Lest I forget my endless concerts, plays, choirs, youth events, camps, church functions, roller skating expeditions,
Lest I forget my telephone marathons,
Lest I forget my teenage drama,
Lest I forget my Mom's consolation,
Lest I forget my Dad's firm restraint,
Lest I forget my Christian upbringing,
Lest I forget my hearing the gospel,
Lest I forget my academic years,
Lest I forget my paying jobs,
Lest I forget my roommate antics,
Lest I forget my wayward ways,
Lest I forget my heart being drawn,
Lest I forget my peaceful solitude,
Lest I forget my dates with THE boy,
Lest I forget my receiving a ring,
Lest I forget my wedding day,
Lest I forget our apartment together
Lest I forget our Moody Church days,
Lest I forget our date nights out,
Lest I forget our first pregnancy test,
Lest I forget our 1st child, then #2, then #3,
Lest I forget our first home, then #2, then #3,
Lest I forget our friends and family,
Lest I forget our finding Calvary, then Grace,
Lest I forget our dear Pastor,
Lest I forget our Pastor's family,
Lest I forget our Pastor's passion and zeal for the inerrancy of scripture, sound doctrine and Lordship authority; and living it,
Lest I forget our spiritual growth,
Lest I forget our service opportunities,
Lest I forget our brothers and sisters in Christ,
Lest I forget our growth and maturity,
Lest I forget how wonderful the conviction of how far we have to go really is,
Lest I forget that in all of my complaining, grumbling, mumbling, bemoaning, clamorous, lamenting, bellyaching, bewailing, yelping, crabbing and otherwise, just downright sinful moments of my life...

There is HIS cross.

A Little Mirth

There once was a dog named Patti,
Whose mischevious acts were baddy.
She dug up the grass,
A naughty young lass,
And made her dear owners real saddy.

There once was a boy named Jacob,
Who, in the morning, would wake up.
Piano today,
For baseball to play
And other fun sports to take up.

There once was a girl named Ellie,
Who stared 'till you felt real chilly.
She stared and she stared,
and she stared and she stared,
A scary, young, innocent filly.

There once was babe named Caleb,
Who loved all his stories made up.
You'd tickle his ribs,
He'd laugh in his crib,
And then he'd like throwing his bib up.

There once was a lady named Mummy,
Whose make-up would often look runny.
She did not quite care,
About all her hair,
And that's why it always looks funny.

There once was a fair man named Daddy,
Who liked when him minions were happy.
He loved his honey,
His daughter and sonnies,
And even their puppy named Patti.

Fruit Cake

I have a strange question,
I'd like to inquire
What kind of person
has fruitcake desire?

Now, please do not fret,
or misunderstand.
My goal is not to
annoy or offend.

I really like fruit,
it's yummy and sweet.
Oranges and apples,
and grapes--yes! All three.

I like fruity flavors,
and fruit on a stick.
Fruit at the mall,
and fruit that you lick.

The colors are pretty.
Orange, yellow, and green
and purple and red
like the vegetable team.

Lest we forget
my favorite part.
I really like cake,
and desserts from a cart.

There's not much I know,
but one thing's for sure,
cake does it for me,
it's quite the allure.

In chocolate and yellow,
and even in plain,
I really like cake
in any ol' frame.

But this is what puzzles,
I'm sure to alarm.
What's with fruitcake?
I'm really disarmed.

It makes me so sad,
to think of it so.
Those innocent fruit,
screaming help from the dough.

Sinking and trying
to come up for some air.
Then cooking and baking,
Oh what dispair!

Let's face it, fruitcake.
You're really so icky.
You're heavy as stones
and your texture is sticky.

You're taste is real crazy,
there's way too much stuff.
Fruity and nutty,
I say, 'noughs enough!

So now I must wonder,
I'm left to just think.
Hooray for the day
When fruitcake's extinct!

A Formidable Journey

Come take a journey with me,
My partner and friend in what I see.
The view is wide and open in front,
making this journey a measureless hunt.

It starts with the scriptures, a traveling must.
The pure words of God--His personal touch.
Then open your heart to confess and believe
His Son, Jesus Christ--be sure to receive.

Next, take on your travels, a sound doctrine church.
The kind that plants not, in popular turf.
The kind that values the pure Holy word,
And rightly teaches in accuracy secured.

Take elders who guide and guard and protect,
Humble and soft and lack a stiff neck.
Then godly deacons, their hearts to pour out,
In ministry times, a sure-footed route.

Now comes the hardest part of the trip.
For some, this is where the travels might slip.
Authority, lordship and joy to be slaves,
Completely sold out to the One who has saved...

Those called by His voice as sheep in His fold,
We only hear Him and obey what we're told.
Not by our own strength or by our own might,
But caused by His Spirit, our eyes see the light.

And just as this journey seems too hard to take,
God sends His enabling, His power and sway.
Thus, armed and equipped with all the right things,
We soar through this life on eagle-like wings.

So off we travel, fulfilling our call,
Foremost in everything--love God with all.
Then loving our neighbor as ourselves,
And making a way for the gospel to tell.

This narrow pathway, wrought with hardship and trials,
Distractions and gas-guzzling obstacle miles.
But nothing can pluck or hinder or tear,
If glory to God be our highest affair.

(Dedicated to the glory of the Most High)

Ode To Scott

So yesterday we celebrated Scott's birthday--38 grand years. In thinking about the glory of God and how that manifests itself through my dear husband, I deemed it necessary to blog about the blessings of having not just a husband--not just any husband--but my own precious gift from above, Scott.

There are thousand of characteristics, of course, which would need it's own blogger set up, but I have decided that in the interest of time I would narrow it down to the top 12:

1) Godly integrity. The kid will not cheat, lie or otherwise try and gain things for himself, other than from hard work. Cut corners!? No way.

2) Wise. He is so incredibly sharp and wise. He methodically thinks out every angle and has even been given to using Excel spreadsheets to make various pro and con lists.

3) Peaceful. He desires peaceful resolutions to things. If given a fork-in-the-road decision--he'd rather take the meek road of a gentle spirit than get his own way.

4) Sacrificial. He always puts other people's feelings and wants over his own. He continually gives up his own, well-thought ordered restaurant meal to trade with his impulsive, grass-is-greener restaurant ordering wife.

5) Trustworthy. You can trust him. No, really! You can trust him. If he says he's going to be there, he's going to be there (in accordance with God's sovereignty, of course.) He does not feign sickness just to take a "mental health day" and he would probably walk a mile just to give back a misplaced penny.

6) Patient. He's married to me--need I say more?

7) Athletic. I know, kind of silly and yet it interests me quite a bit. He really likes sports and I like that he really likes sports.... a lot.

8) Handsome. Duh!

9) Maturing in Christ. His truest desire is to follow Christ and mature as he grows in His word. There's truly nothing better than that.

10) Humble. He's humble in Christ and the position of the race that God has placed Him in. In conversation, he purposely lets you talk instead of insisting on his preferences.

11) Brilliant. The kid has some mad math-formulating, statistic-citing skills that rival any Texas Instrument calculator.

12) Humorous, funny, witty. All under the same category of guttural, milk-spewing laughter.

While this isn't an exhaustive list, I do hope that it shows how 38 years of godly living has taken him from his life as a single, softball playing dude--to the glorifying-to-God husband that he is now. May God see fit to bless him with another 38 plus God-glorifying years.

Happy Birthday--I love you, dear Scott!