Peek Family ~ a peek into this life that God has given us together ~

Origin into Schools Project- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,CA Nov 2009

2009-12-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

Twas the month before Christmas

2009-12-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

Twas the month before Christmas

When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying

Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away

The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit

Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod

Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa

In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down

At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears

You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty

Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen

On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter

To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith

Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded

The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday!

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!

***received via email

Equal Before Christ - J.C.Ryle

2009-11-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

“There is no royal road to rest of soul. Let that never be forgotten. There is only one way to the Father – Jesus Christ. One door into heaven – Jesus Christ. One path to heart-peace and rest – Jesus Christ. By that way all laboring and heavy-laden ones must go, whatever their rank or condition.

“Kings in their palaces and paupers in the workhouse, all are on the same level in this matter. All alike must walk in the ‘old paths’ and come to Christ, if they feel soul-weary and thirsty. All must drink of the same fountain, if they would have their thirst relieved.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel — And Why So Many Christians Think It Is. - Albert Mohler

2009-11-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

One of the most amazing statements by the Apostle Paul is his indictment of the Galatian Christians for abandoning the Gospel. "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel," Paul declared. As he stated so emphatically, the Galatians had failed in the crucial test of discerning the authentic Gospel from its counterfeits.
His words could not be more clear: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you have received, he is to be accursed!" [Gal. 1:6-7]
This warning from the Apostle Paul, expressed in the language of the Apostle's shock and grief, is addressed not only to the church in Galatia, but to every congregation in every age. In our own day -- and in our own churches -- we desperately need to hear and to heed this warning. In our own time, we face false gospels no less subversive and seductive than those encountered and embraced by the Galatians.
In our own context, one of the most seductive false gospels is moralism. This false gospel can take many forms and can emerge from any number of political and cultural impulses. Nevertheless, the basic structure of moralism comes down to this -- the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior.
Sadly, this false gospel is particularly attractive to those who believe themselves to be evangelicals motivated by a biblical impulse. Far too many believers and their churches succumb to the logic of moralism and reduce the Gospel to a message of moral improvement. In other words, we communicate to lost persons the message that what God desires for them and demands of them is to get their lives straight.
In one sense, we are born to be moralists. Created in God's image, we have been given the moral capacity of conscience. From our earliest days our conscience cries out to us the knowledge of our guilt, shortcomings, and misbehaviors. In other words, our conscience communicates our sinfulness.
Add to this the fact that the process of parenting and child rearing tends to inculcate moralism from our earliest years. Very quickly we learn that our parents are concerned with our behavior. Well behaved children are rewarded with parental approval, while misbehavior brings parental sanction. This message is reinforced by other authorities in young lives and pervades the culture at large.
Writing about his own childhood in rural Georgia, the novelist Ferrol Sams described the deeply-ingrained tradition of being "raised right." As he explained, the child who is "raised right" pleases his parents and other adults by adhering to moral conventions and social etiquette. A young person who is "raised right" emerges as an adult who obeys the laws, respects his neighbors, gives at least lip service to religious expectations, and stays away from scandal. The point is clear -- this is what parents expect, the culture affirms, and many churches celebrate. But our communities are filled with people who have been "raised right" but are headed for hell.
The seduction of moralism is the essence of its power. We are so easily seduced into believing that we actually can gain all the approval we need by our behavior. Of course, in order to participate in this seduction, we must negotiate a moral code that defines acceptable behavior with innumerable loopholes. Most moralists would not claim to be without sin, but merely beyond scandal. That is considered sufficient.
Moralists can be categorized as both liberal and conservative. In each case, a specific set of moral concerns frames the moral expectation. As a generalization, it is often true that liberals focus on a set of moral expectations related to social ethics while conservatives tend to focus on personal ethics. The essence of moralism is apparent in both -- the belief that we can achieve righteousness by means of proper behavior.
The theological temptation of moralism is one many Christians and churches find it difficult to resist. The danger is that the church will communicate by both direct and indirect means that what God expects of fallen humanity is moral improvement. In so doing, the church subverts the Gospel and communicates a false gospel to a fallen world.
Christ's Church has no option but to teach the Word of God, and the Bible faithfully reveals the law of God and a comprehensive moral code. Christians understand that God has revealed Himself throughout creation in such a way that He has gifted all humanity with the restraining power of the law. Furthermore, He has spoken to us in His word with the gift of specific commands and comprehensive moral instruction. The faithful Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must contend for the righteousness of these commands and the grace given to us in the knowledge of what is good and what is evil. We also have a responsibility to bear witness of this knowledge of good and evil to our neighbors. The restraining power of the law is essential to human community and to civilization.
Just as parents rightly teach their children to obey moral instruction, the church also bears responsibility to teach its own the moral commands of God and to bear witness to the larger society of what God has declared to be right and good for His human creatures.
But these impulses, right and necessary as they are, are not the Gospel. Indeed, one of the most insidious false gospels is a moralism that promises the favor of God and the satisfaction of God's righteousness to sinners if they will only behave and commit themselves to moral improvement.
The moralist impulse in the church reduces the Bible to a codebook for human behavior and substitutes moral instruction for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Far too many evangelical pulpits are given over to moralistic messages rather than the preaching of the Gospel.
The corrective to moralism comes directly from the Apostle Paul when he insists that "a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus." Salvation comes to those who are "justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." [Gal. 2:16]
We sin against Christ and we misrepresent the Gospel when we suggest to sinners that what God demands of them is moral improvement in accordance with the Law. Moralism makes sense to sinners, for it is but an expansion of what we have been taught from our earliest days. But moralism is not the Gospel, and it will not save. The only gospel that saves is the Gospel of Christ. As Paul reminded the Galatians, "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." [Gal. 4:4-5]
We are justified by faith alone, saved by grace alone, and redeemed from our sin by Christ alone. Moralism produces sinners who are (potentially) better behaved. The Gospel of Christ transforms sinners into the adopted sons and daughters of God.
The Church must never evade, accommodate, revise, or hide the law of God. Indeed, it is the Law that shows us our sin and makes clear our inadequacy and our total lack of righteousness. The Law cannot impart life but, as Paul insists, it "has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." [Gal. 3:24]
The deadly danger of moralism has been a constant temptation to the church and an ever-convenient substitute for the Gospel. Clearly, millions of our neighbors believe that moralism is our message. Nothing less than the boldest preaching of the Gospel will suffice to correct this impression and to lead sinners to salvation in Christ.
Hell will be highly populated with those who were "raised right." The citizens of heaven will be those who, by the sheer grace and mercy of God, are there solely because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Moralism is not the gospel.

www.AlbertMohler.com

Tolerant Intolerance Luke 6:27-28

2009-11-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

Tolerant Intolerance
Luke 6:27-28

John MacArthur

The Age of Tolerance Post-modernism's veneration of tolerance is its most obvious feature. But the version of "tolerance" peddled by post-modernists is actually a twisted and dangerous corruption of true virtue.

Incidentally, tolerance is never mentioned in the Bible as a virtue, except in the sense of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering (cf. Ephesians 4:2.) In fact, the contemporary notion of tolerance is a pathetically feeble concept compared to the love Scripture commands Christians to show even to their enemies. Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you" (Luke 6:27-28; cf. vv. 29-36).

When our grandparents spoke of tolerance as a virtue, they had something like that in mind. The word used to mean respecting people and treating them kindly even when we believe they are wrong. But the post-modern notion of tolerance means we must never regard anyone else's opinions as "wrong." Biblical tolerance is for people; post-modern tolerance is for ideas.

Accepting every belief as equally valid is hardly a real virtue, but it is about the kind of only "virtue" post-modernism knows anything about. Traditional virtues (including humility, self control, and chastity) are openly scorned -- and even regarded as transgressions -- in the world of post-modernism.

Predictably, the beatification of post-modern tolerance has had a disastrous effect on real virtue in our society. In this age of tolerance, what was once forbidden is now encouraged. What was once universally deemed immoral is now celebrated. Marital infidelity and divorce have been normalized. Profanity is commonplace. Abortion, homosexuality, and moral perversions of all kinds are championed by large advocacy groups and enthusiastically promoted by the popular media. The post-modern notion of "tolerance" is systematically turning genuine virtue on its head.

Just about the only remaining taboo is the naive and politically incorrect notion that another person's "alternative lifestyle," religion, or different perspective is wrong.

One major exception to that rule stands out starkly: it is OK for post-modernists to be intolerant of those who claim they know the truth -- particularly biblical Christians. In fact, those who fancy themselves the leading advocates of tolerance today are often the most outspoken opponents of evangelical Christianity.

Look on the Web, for example, and see what is being said by the self styled champions of "religious tolerance." What you'll find is a great deal of intolerance for Bible based Christianity. In fact, some of the most bitterly anti-Christian material on the World Wide Web can be found at sites supposedly promoting religious tolerance.

Why is that? Why does authentic biblical Christianity find such ferocious opposition from people who think they are paragons of tolerance? It is because the truth-claims of Scripture -- and particularly Jesus' claim to be the only way to God -- are diametrically opposed to the fundamental presuppositions of the post-modern mind. The Christian message represents a death blow to the post-modernist worldview.

But as long as Christians are being duped or intimidated into softening the bold claims of Christ and widening the narrow road, the church will make no headway against post-modernism. We need to recover the distinctiveness of the gospel. We need to regain our confidence in the power of God's truth. And we need to proclaim boldly that Christ is the only true hope for the people of this world.

That may not be what people want to hear in this pseudo-tolerant age of post-modernism. But it is true nonetheless. And precisely because it is true and the gospel of Christ is the only hope for a lost world, it is all the more urgent that we rise above all the voices of confusion in the world and say so.

Gideon DiMeglio Story

2009-09-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Such a sweet story of Love for a child. These parents chose to love their baby in spite of what the Dr's found in the ultrasound. I praise God for there faith in Him, with total trust and reliance. God knows what He's doing and is right ALL the time no matter how we see it. All Glory be to God.

Run For Your Life from Churches without the True Gospel!

2009-07-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

I'm so grateful to attend a church that is faithful to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. If your not in a church that is teaching and edifying Christ as our saviour, then I pray God will open your eyes and lead to one that is solid. My thanks to the pastors and elders of Grace Church SLO, for their faithfulness. .

KATIE’S VERY SPECIAL BRITHDAY PARTY

2009-07-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

Family – thanks for patiently waiting see the video footage from Katie’s very special birthday party. I know we’ll never forget it! Maybe it’s a bit presumptuous of me to assume you were waiting to see the footage. But if you were, you don’t have to wait any longer.

We consolidated the best footage and came up with two (ten minute or so) videos for your enjoyment. We also took the few photos we acquired that day and put a short slideshow together.

Before you watch any of the videos, and if your bandwidth will allow it, be sure to click the “HD” button at the bottom of each video. This will enable you to watch the video in high definition. If in the event the video keeps stalling, you don’t have enough bandwidth to watch them in HD. If this occurs, click the HD button again to watch the videos in normal mode. Sit back and enjoy the show.

One last thing – we want to thank Tony for sharing his wonderful family with us. It was a total blessing to see all the girls together. And BIG THANKS to Justin and Jennifer for driving the five hours one way to share Jasmin and new baby Jayden with us. If you ever need a babysitter…you got one.

May God reveal and bless you all richly in Christ Jesus.

PART ONE

PART TWO

SLIDESHOW

By Your Side..~ Tenth Avenue North

2009-07-02T15:45:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day! To my Dad, Husband, and Brother's..

2009-06-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dad, Allen, Tim, and Tony I Love you all so much. I hope you have a great Father's Day today, with many more in the years to come...

Dad & WiL

Tim, Allen and Tony

A Father Means ~

A Father means so many things...
A understanding heart,
A source of strength and of support
Right from the very start.
A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way.
With encouragement and forgiveness
No matter what comes your way.
A special generosity and always affection, too
A Father means so many things
When he's a man like you
~Author Unknown~

Love from your daughter, wife, and sister.. = )

8th Grade Graduation...

2009-06-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I was honored to see my Beautiful niece Alegra graduate from the 8th grade. We All Love You so much and are very proud of you, great job. Congratulation's to all the Templeton Middle School graduates class of 2009!

A Major Force in Education -- Homeschooling in America

2009-06-04T17:39:00.001-07:00
The U.S. Department of Education has released its periodic review of schooling in America, and it offers a revealing look at the growth of homeschooling. The picture of contemporary homeschooling offers some real surprises and raises some new questions.

"The Condition of Education 2009" is produced by the National Center for Education Statistics, and it contains a wealth of statistical data. Approximately 50 million children are enrolled in the public schools for grades K-12. In 2007 5.9 million children were enrolled in private schools and the percentage of those enrolled in "Conservative Christian schools" increased from 13 to 15 percent of that total.

Homeschooling was the choice of families for 2.9 percent of all school-age children in the United States in 2007, involving 1.5 million students. By comparison, in 1999 only 850,000 children were homeschooled. By 2003, that number was up to 1.1 million. This report indicates significant jumps in homeschooling as compared to other educational options. In fact, the report reveals that the actual number of American children whose parents choose homeschooling for at least part of their education exceeds 3 million. According to the report, 1.5 million children are exclusively homeschooled while another 1.5 million are homeschooled for at least part of the school week.

At this point, the picture grows even more interesting. When parents were asked why they chose to homeschool their children, 36 percent cited a desire to provide children specifically religious or moral instruction. After that, 21 percent of parents pointed to concerns about the environment of schools, 17 percent cited dissatisfaction with educational quality in the schools, and 14 percent cited "other reasons." Among those "other reasons" was a concern for more family time together.

Higher numbers of parents with college educations and greater family incomes are now homeschooling. This trend points to the fact that homeschooling is increasingly the option of first choice for many parents. This pattern is also revealed in increasing numbers of college students, primarily young women, who indicate that they desire a college education so that they will be better equipped in years ahead to be homeschooling parents.

One area of concern is also revealed in the study. In 1999, 49 percent of homeschooled children were boys and 51 percent were girls. Now, boys account for only 42 percent of homeschooled students. This represents a significant shift that raises a host of questions. Why the drop in the percentage of boys?

One reason often cited is a desire on the part of boys to play team sports. This becomes especially acute during the high school years, when schools emerge as the main arena for organized team sports. But there are surely other factors in play here. Mothers often cite greater difficulty in teaching boys as they move into middle school and high school levels. For this reason alone, most fathers should be far more engaged in the homeschool experience. Homeschooling will suffer a significant loss if a gender imbalance among students continues or increases.

An interesting aspect of this report is the fact that so many parents cite a desire for more time with their children as a motivation for homeschooling. The average child is awake for just over 100 hours a week. During the school year, traditional schooling requires students to be at the school for about 35 of those 100 waking hours. Add to that the additional hours involved in transportation to and from the school and then homework assignments, and the total investment of time can easily claim half of the child's waking hours -- and these are usually the prime waking hours as well.

Homeschooling is now a major force in American education, and Christian parents have been in the vanguard of this movement. For many Christian parents, homeschooling represents the fulfillment of the biblical mandate for parents to teach their children. These parents deserve our respect, our support, our advocacy, and our prayers. This movement is a sign of hope on our educational horizon, and a phenomenon that can no longer be dismissed as a fringe movement.

As president of a seminary and college, I can attest to the fact that questions about the educational aptitude of homeschooled students are now settled. These students can hold their own as compared to students from all other educational backgrounds. One other fact speaks loudly to me concerning their education. Most of the homeschooled students I meet at the college and graduate levels indicate an eager determination to homeschool their own children when that time comes.

Education cannot be reduced to statistics, but the trends revealed in this new report from the Department of Education deserve close attention. In our day, education represents a clash of worldviews. Increasingly toxic approaches to education (or what is called education) drive many schools and many school systems. In that light, the fact that so many Christian parents are taking education into their own hands is a sign of hope. As this new report makes clear, we should expect homeschooling to be a growth industry in years ahead.

www.AlbertMohler.com

What's free about speech?

2009-05-15T19:26:00.000-07:00
Free speech or is it? If you get asked your opinion on an issue but then verbally hacked for it then how is it free? Every vote counts , yeah right!

Again we get to vote on issue's according to how strongly we feel or the importance of the said issue. However if a group of citizen's don't particularly like the outcome or the results then it's all about kicking and screaming,ranting and raving until they can overturn it. So why bother ?
It's so reminiscent of elementary school playground antics. How ridiculous it was then, how sad and pathetic it is now.

The thing that really saddens me about it all I guess is the fact that my Grandfather's fought and bled so we could have all these "Free Rights". Now it just seems all in vain for nothing. = (

Largest deployment of Colo. Guard since WWII

2009-04-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

Largest deployment of Colo. Guard since WWII

Associated Press - April 17, 2009 6:54 PM ET

DENVER (AP) - More than 400 members of the Colorado Army National Guard are leaving Saturday for a yearlong tour in Iraq - the largest deployment of state Guard troops since World War II.

Soldiers and about 1,500 family members held a going-away ceremony at Denver's Pepsi Center on Friday.

The 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery unit based in Colorado Springs will do mainly infantry work. In World War II, the unit helped liberate the Nazi death camp at Dachau.

Can you please keep them in your prayers as they deploy for Iraq. This is my niece Justine and her husband Mike, both going to Iraq for the first time and also as newlyweds. Pray for all who are going and a safe return as well. Thank you in advance..

The True Meaning of the Cross ..

2009-04-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mom ! ...

2009-03-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

A MOTHER'S LOVE

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

I thought this was so fitting, since I'm not very good with words myself. I couldn't even find words big enough to tell you how much you mean to me and how greatly I appreciate you. I Love you forever Mom, I hope you had a great birthday today.. ~Love from us all~ Deanna, Allen, Sawyer & WiL = )

Pictures from WiL's Birthday

2009-03-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

Happy "9th" Birthday WiL !

2009-03-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Happy be-lated Birthday WiL. Since your birthday was on February 14th, sorry for the delayed post. The sweetest Valentines Day gift we've ever been blessed with and a day to remember forever. We thank God for you and know that you were definitely God's will in our lives. It's obvious you love Jesus with all your heart, please don't ever stop seeking HIM everyday day of your life. We all love you sooo much WiL. = ) ~ Momma, Daddy and Sawyer..

Destiny Nicole Peek ~1/23/91~

2009-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to you our sweet baby girl on what would be your 18th birthday today. Our heart's still ache and miss you terribly. We know that one day we will all be together again as a family, in eternity forever with Jesus. No more tears and no more pain for HE will wipe them all away...Until then ~ Momma and Daddy will always love you..

Pictures from Sawyer's birthday

2009-01-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

Sawyer with Papa and WiL.

WiL and Papa singing "Happy Birthday" to Sawyer.

Happy "16th" Birthday Sawyer !

2008-12-06T00:28:00.000-08:00

We Love You Sooo Much Son, we thank God for you and all the joy you've brought us these past sixteen years.. Wow!? where did that time go?... Seek HIM in all your days..God Bless you son.. Love forever Mom & Dad and your Lil bro WiL.. = )

Jeremy Camp ~ There Will Be a Day devotional..

2008-11-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

WiL in his "Buzz Lightyear" costume..

2008-10-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

Avila Valley Barn

2008-10-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Mahatma Gandhi..

2008-10-02T18:35:00.000-07:00
Mahatma Gandhi, as you know walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him... A super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

LOL! My sister-in-law e-mailed this to me and I thought it was too funny not to post.