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

180 Movie - 33 minutes that will rock your world!

2011-12-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

Sawyer's Senior Project

2011-05-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

We had the privilege of attending Sawyer’s Senior Project presentation the other day. He chose to do his senior project on the history of audio recording. He did a stellar job presenting his material. We were all very impressed with what he had put together. At the end of his presentation he played a CD that had his three minute layered composition that he wrote and recorded on acoustic guitar. Well done Sawyer.

You can listen to Sawyer's acoustic guitar composition here.

Here are some photos from his presentation.

On This Veterans Day 2010.... Thank You All so much!

2010-11-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day Montage - American Anthem By~ Norah Jones

Christianity vs. Jesusanity — The Postmodern Temptation ~ Albert Mohler.com

2010-11-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

The most hard-core forms of postmodern thought are generally limited to academic campuses, but the postmodern worldview is trickling down in various forms to the popular level. While postmodern literary theorists debate the meaning of “totalizing metanarratives,” at the level of popular piety we see the widespread substitution of “spirituality” for biblical Christianity.

In this sense, spirituality is a project centered in the self and constantly negotiable — more about “meaning” than truth. Where does Jesus Christ fit in all this? Darrell L. Bock and Daniel B. Wallace argue that popular culture is on a quest “to unseat the biblical Christ.” They make their case in Dethroning Jesus [Thomas Nelson]..

As Bock and Wallace explain, classical biblical Christianity is being replaced by “Jesusanity.” In their words:

“Jesusanity” is a coined term for the alternative story about Jesus. Here the center of the story is still Jesus, but Jesus as either a prophet or a teacher of religious wisdom. In Jesusanity, Jesus remains very much Jesus of Nazareth. He points the way to God and leads people into a journey with God. His role is primarily one of teacher, guide, and example. Jesus’ special status involves his insight into the human condition and the enlightenment he brings to it. There is no enthronement of Jesus at God’s side, only the power of his teaching and example. In this story, the key is that Jesus inspires others, but there is no throne for him. He is one among many – the best, perhaps, and one worthy to learn from and follow.

Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is both fully human and fully divine. Thus, Jesus does not need to be “humanized.” As the Apostle Paul taught in Philippians 2:5-11, Jesus humbled Himself to take on full and authentic humanity. So, the real issue in Jesusanity is not humanizing Jesus, but denying His deity. Christianity and Jesusanity tell two different stories and represent two very different faiths. As Bock and Wallace explain:

Both of these stories afford Jesus a great deal of respect, but they are very different stories in regard to his importance. In one, Jesus is worshipped. In the other, he is simply respected. In one, he is intimately associated with God. In the other, he points to God. In one he is the Way. In the other, he shows the way. We cannot understand the public discussion about Jesus without understanding that the discussion entails these two distinct stories.

Dethroning Jesus comes in the wake of much cultural conversation and media attention devoted to the so-called gospels of Judas and Thomas and the collection generally known as the Gnostic gospels. These texts, never accepted by the Church as Scripture, do present very different understandings of Jesus than that taught by the Apostles and confessed by orthodox Christians. These different understandings are now represented by very different portraits of Jesus in the postmodern public square. As Bock and Wallace argue:

The portrait of Jesus in the public square has led to two stories about Jesus, and this despite the fact that both of these stories have often been called Christianity. One is Christianity, while the other is Jesusanity. The distinction between the two stories has surfaced for a variety of reasons, the most relevant of which we have sought to trace in this first overview. Four basic areas have contributed to the rise of these two different portraits of Jesus: (1) historical skepticism, (2) new imagination, (3) cultural factors that have changed how we assess things, and (4) the innate desire in people to seek, cope with or understand the spiritual. Within these four areas are twelve distinct factors: (1) skepticism about institutional religion of all sorts, (2) the rise of higher criticism, (3) the new finds in archaeology, (4) a larger sea change in the way we view history (written by winners/losers), (5) a selective appeal to ancient evidence, (6) the way Christianity is taught in many religious study programs, (7) increasing media attention, (8) the appeal of public-square crossover novels, (9) the intrigue of the pursuit of a spiritual journey, (10) the cultural desire to acknowledge religious diversity, (11) the growing recognition that religion motivates people, and (12) a brittle fundamentalism.

Each of these factors plays a part, but the “increasing media attention” is surely a major factor. Much of this attention is superficial and sloppy. The National Geographic Society, for example, should be embarrassed by its sensationalism in promoting exaggerated and misleading claims about the Gospel of Judas in its magazine and on television. The authors of Dethroning Jesus helpfully debunk many of the confusing claims made in recent years, answering those who assail the integrity of the New Testament and those who promote sensationalistic claims such as the discovery of the “lost tomb of Jesus.”

Of course, more is at stake here than a battle over rival intellectual understandings of Jesus. As Bock and Wallace acknowledge, “Christianity is not Jesusanity for a reason. Jesus is about more than ideas.” We must never depreciate the urgency of getting the doctrine right and understanding Jesus Christ as the Bible presents Him. But Jesus demands faith, not just correct knowledge.

Jesusanity fits the postmodern mind and the postmodern mood, but it cannot save. We really do not know what Christianity is if we do not also understand what it is not.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Raising Your Family in Sodom ~ John MacArthur

2010-08-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Although we’ve noticed the steady, pebble-by-pebble crumbling of the family for decades, we’re now watching the landslide. We live in an age where society is no longer content to simply ignore the sanctity of marriage and the family—it attacks it with a vengeance. God’s established order for life has become a threat to this culture’s pursuit of sexual freedom.

Consider the global range of attacks on the family within the last decade. Back in 2000, Dutch parliament passed the first legislation in history that granted same-sex couples the right to marry. Following the Netherland’s lead were Belgium (2003), Spain (2005), Canada (2005), South Africa (2006), and Norway (2008). Although traditional marriage was challenged much earlier in the U.S. (1993), social conservatives and moral majority leaders quickly enacted protective measures, prompting Congress to adopt same-sex marriage bans nationwide. The bans didn’t last long. Conservative “victories” were short-lived as judges began lifting bans and pushing Congress to amend the constitution. Since 2008, opposition against marriage and the family has intensified in America, taking many unsuspecting Christians by surprise.

The most recent example happened in California last week. On August 4, elected U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, himself a homosexual, carried out his own attack against the family. He used his judicial powers to overturn the will of California’s voters regarding Proposition 8, which proposed an amendment to California’s constitution, defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Judge Walker declared Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Period. At this point, Judge Walker has won a temporary victory for the pro-homosexual agenda to redefine the fundamental concept of marriage according to their preferred sin.

Brace yourself, believer. You’re going to keep seeing this fire-storm of opposition against the family. Soon, many people will consign Christians who uphold a biblical view of marriage and family to the same moral category as white supremacy groups, and they’ll consider any effort to oppose homosexuality as a hate crime. In fact, it won’t be long before this blog post becomes a violation of law, under “hate speech” legislation.

Take another example: Carrie Prejean, one of the contestants in the 2009 Miss USA pageant, made public statements against same-sex marriage. The media demanded her head on a platter. One of the judges, a homosexual, asked whether she believed every state should legalize same-sex marriage. Prejean responded, “I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman.” Officials of the pageant immediately expressed outrage and open hostility toward her convictions. Prejean is no model of biblical Christianity, but the hostile reactions to her simple confession is a sample of what’s to come.

With mounting intensity, society continues to wage war on the traditional, biblical view of the family. Another key player in this war is Hollywood. Whenever Hollywood portrays families in modern films, television dramas, and sitcoms, they nearly always caricature them as a grossly dysfunctional unit. Not only is there a noted absence of any male leadership in most instances, but oftentimes there’s no authority figure present at all, creating a scenario where anything goes. But not only is dad absent, so is mom. She’s either working outside the home, or working on an adulterous relationship. Even the titles of many mainline television programs betray their outrageous content. Programs such as ‘Sex in the City’ and ‘Desperate Housewives’ have turned marital infidelity into a laughing matter. It’s prime-time “entertainment,” and Americans eat it up.

Such portrayals of the American family were once rare for Hollywood, but now they literally dominate the big-screen. And here’s why: they are accurate reflections of our fallen culture, a culture that systematically undermines love, order, authority, and righteousness. Commenting on the epidemic absence of morality within society, John MacArthur writes:

Casual sex is expected. Divorce is epidemic. Marriage itself is in decline, as multitudes of men and women have decided it’s preferable to live together without making a covenant or formally constituting a family. Abortion is a worldwide plague. Juvenile delinquency is rampant, and many parents have deliberately abandoned their roles of authority in the family. On the other hand, child abuse in many forms is escalating.

All those elements prevail in our society and resonate with our fallen flesh. Therefore, they dominate the entertainment industry. It’s the law of supply and demand in action. Hollywood gives people what they want—corruption.

Trying to find a traditional, structured family anywhere on television is nearly impossible. While lamenting Hollywood’s sick portrayal of families,someone made the following observation:

The only television “family” who regularly attend church together are the Simpsons—and they are cartoon exaggerations deliberately saddled with the worst imaginable traits, designed mainly to mock and malign both church and family. It’s no joke, though. A relentless parade of similarly dysfunctional assortments of people assaults us on television and in the movies. Hollywood has given a broad new meaning to the word family. Meanwhile, traditional nuclear families with a strong, reliable father and a mother whose priorities are in the home have been banished from popular culture, made to feel as if they were the caricature.

Such examples may seem subtle and harmless to some Christians. But over time, like water erosion on the face of rock, these secular ideas at first influence then control the thinking of many unsuspecting Christians who expose their families to such corrupting ideas.

Take Lot, for example. Lot “pitched his tent as far as Sodom.” Why is that significant? Because ”the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” The next time we find Lot in the inspired record, he is no longer a stranger to the wicked inhabitants of Sodom—he’s one of their leading citizens. Further, he calls them his “brothers,” chooses one of their citizens as his wife, and raises his two daughters in a pagan environment. Apparently, Lot acclimatized himself to the wicked lifestyle of the Sodomites. When God sent two angels to rescue His family, the entire male population of Sodom sought to assault the angelic visitors sexually, who had lodged with Lot’s family for the night. What was Lot’s solution to the problem? He quickly offered his two virgin daughters to satisfy their sexual cravings. During the angelic rescue, Lot was reluctant to abandon his residence in Sodom, and when he finally realized the danger he and his family were in, his sons-in-law mocked his warnings to flee. Apparently, the citizens of Sodom didn't take Lot too seriously when it came to discussions about God.

In the New Testament, Peter uses the story of Lot as an example of how God can rescue His people from the jaws of temptation. In the process, he sheds additional light on the severity of Sodom’s corrupting influence when he writes that God, “delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day be seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” After God rescued Lot’s family and sent judgment upon Sodom, Lot’s wife, longing to return to her sinful pattern of life was turned into a pillar of salt. Following that tragedy, Lot’s two daughters got their father drunk and committed sexual incest with him in order to preserve their family lineage. The record of Lot closes on a bitter note—he was a tormented soul who jeopardized himself and his family with a compromised way of life. For his legacy, he spawned two cursed people groups—the Ammorites and the Moabites.

If God hadn’t told us Lot was “righteous” (2 Peter 2:7, 8), it would be very difficult to identify Him as a citizen of God’s kingdom. The story of Lot is a classic example of how easily the world is able to pollute and corrupt a righteous mind.

Christian, how close have you pitched your tent to Sodom? Have you taken a close look at your family lately?

Think about this: How are today’s Christians indifferent or asleep in the cultural battle for the family? How is the enemy infiltrating Christian homes (e.g., immersion in modern technology, exposure to secular entertainment)? Enjoy the thread.

Tommy Clayton
Web Content Developer

www.gty.org

Are you a Good person? This is a great video..

2010-08-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

Guys Day Out July 2010

2010-07-21T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is a slide show from when Allen, Sawyer and WiL spent the day together outdoors. As you can see it was a beautiful day outside indeed. In order to view the slide show in the best quality, watch in HD "720p" resolution. Otherwise the pictures end up looking pretty grainy.

Sweetly Broken

2010-07-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

What Do You Think About Contemplative Prayer? John Piper responds..

2010-05-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Leading Atheists Display Their Bias - Answers in Genesis

2010-05-25T15:36:00.001-07:00

Leading Atheists Display Their Bias - Answers in Genesis

Posted using ShareThis

Palm Sunday..... Prepare Ye The Way!

2010-04-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

That's My King! I wonder do you know Him?

2010-04-05T12:13:00.001-07:00

That's My King! from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

The Wonderful Cross (Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin)

2010-04-05T12:10:00.001-07:00

John 3:16

2010-03-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

This is a heart wrenching movie forsure. The sacrifice this man makes with his son is powerful. It's hard to contain my tears through it all- ugh. However an awesome parallel of John 3:16! In that God sent His only son to be the atonment for our sins. For the redeeming of mankind through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ...

" For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that who so ever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16 KJV

WiL singing with the "His Image" Childrens Choir @ Church..

2010-02-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

Happy "10th" Birthday WiL! ☺

2010-02-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby boy is 10 years old today?!? Wow....it's crazy how fast time passes. You are such a sweet and caring little guy who loves God and family above all. I hope you stay that way, all the while growing closer to the Lord and becoming the man God has predestined you to be. I love you little man my Valentines baby..♥♥ :)

Sovereign Hand of God

2010-01-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

“Just as the telescope and microscope show us that there is order and design in all the works of God’s hand, from the greatest planet down to the least insect, so does the Bible teach us that there is wisdom, order and design in all the events of our daily life. There is no such thing as ‘chance’, ‘luck’, or ‘accident’ in the Christian journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by God: and all things are ‘working together’ for the believer’s good (Rom. 8:28).”

~ J.C. Ryle

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

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

On November 19th, 2009 Allen and a group of others were apart of a project called "The Origin into Schools Project". Along with some other various groups around the country they all participated in distributing copies of the 150th Anniversary Edition of
Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species.

This version also included a very special 50 page introduction by Ray Comfort about Charles Darwin and his background growing up.
Finally an awesome presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so students could have a
balanced view of creation vs. evolution. And since most or all of the colleges don't provide a version such as this one on campus or in the student stores, this book was given out for free to every student and faculty member interested. It was a great day and everything went well, so as always - All Glory Be to God!

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.

Gospel Rap ..

2008-08-28T11:47:00.000-07:00
I'm not a huge fan of Rap music but I really appreciate this guy and his efforts to spread the gospel through his music ministry- praise God. And I can actually understand what he is saying unlike some Rap music that's out there today... so cool.

Dune Sledding..

2008-07-28T15:32:00.001-07:00

The Boyz Day Out..

2008-07-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Fourth of July..

2008-07-08T04:02:00.000-07:00
Allen* Alegra* Sawyer* Deanna..Alegra * Sawyer..
Alegra* WiL* Sawyer* Deanna..
We had a fun fourth just being all goofy watching the fireworks from our driveway. Our niece Alegra came down from Templeton to hang out with us for the holiday weekend and we had such a blast can't wait to see her again. I thank God for the freedom we have to celebrate with family and friends.

Back from Mexico..

2008-06-28T22:55:00.001-07:00
Sawyer made it back from Mexico on the 22nd and was completely burned out as you can tell from the picture. He had a blast and enjoyed getting to know the family whom they were building one of the homes for, he actually said he got really attached to them especially the kids. He was grateful to be apart of something very important and he will remember forever, so much so that he plans to return next June to build more homes. I am trying to get him to do a short video diary of his experience in Mexico so I can post it on the Blog so everyone can hear for themselves he's kinda stubborn but I'm working on him so keep checking back. More pictures from Mexico to follow as well, thank you for all your prayer's very much appreciated..

Mexico Mission Trip..

2008-06-17T14:14:00.000-07:00
Signing in..
Prayer..
Brothers by the bus..
Loading up..
The Convoy..

Well Sawyer left on Monday 6/16 for the Mexico mission trip along with about 133 other students and leaders form our church , Grace in San Luis Obispo. With mixed emotion we hung out and watched as they signed in, prayed, loaded everything up and left. One of what will be many defining moments as parents I guess ? Sorting out how I feel is the weird part because I am so proud of him first off for making a commitment to go on the Mexico mission trip! Because as we all know making any commitment at 15 is rough, like I still can't get him to commit to taking the trash out everyday -LOL so this is huge for us.. I was a little nervous and a bit anxious too but am reminded that God our creator is in complete control what ever the outcome of any situation may be and quickly comforted by that . WiL was unusually clingy to his big brother that morning also I guess he realized he would be without his sparring partner for a week ? Nah I'm kidding he was missing Sawyer as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot.. Now I'm just excited for him with all he's gonna experience like learning a servants heart, fellowship, close friendships and humility with a sense of appreciation for how God has blessed his life and memories that he will have forever- pretty awesome, he returns on Sunday 6/22... This is the ministry he teamed up with Amor Ministries if you're interested in seeing what they are about ....

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17

Schools Out !

2008-06-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

School is out woo hoo ! ..... These pics are from the last couple day's hanging out on the playground of our charter school and with such awesome weather, we are so blessed. Hope you enjoy your summer vacation as well - stay safe...

Blast from the Past..

2008-06-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is a follow up to a previous post titled "Sawyers new favorite sound" and I said I would post a picture of Allen in his early Bass playing day's. He is about 19 years old here and playing in a band called " Mirrors Edge " - a speed metal band along with my two brother's Tony Furnari on vocals and Tim Furnari on drums. The guitar player was a guy named James not sure what happened to him? They recorded an album and played around the local San Luis Obispo bars and college/garage parties what ever was happening during the 1989 music scene, they rocked and I was proud of them of course being that my boyfriend and two brother's were in the band. They played together for a few years until finally parting ways to pursue other band's. All of them are still great musicians just doin different things now, however the memories will last forever. Besides who can ever forget the 80's right ?? LOL good times ... love ya guys......

Recent Random Pictures..

2008-05-24T15:28:00.000-07:00
WiL~ In Pismo Beach..

Sawyer~

In San Luis Obispo..

As a Homeschooling mom I thought this was funny..

2008-04-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

*Click on pic to enlarge

'' Homeschooling "

2008-04-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hey how's it going ?

2008-04-18T14:44:00.000-07:00
Just wanted to say Hello to all our Family that we don't see often enough.. To those in Northern Cal, Southern Cal, Palm Springs, Colorado, and Michigan.."Hello we Love you and miss you a lot.."

~ Deanna, Allen, Sawyer and WiL ~

WiL's Lego Creation..

2008-04-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

This picture is one of WiL's many Lego creations he builds every other day across my counter top, some are so elaborate that I almost hate to make him clean up and put away. This one happens to be his interpretation of Good Friday with Jesus on the cross and the crowd that followed at Calvary . With Easter just passing this is still vary much on his mind, he has an apparent Cross Centered life I can always learn a lot from him - only 8 years old but sometimes way beyond his years..

Sawyer's new favorite sound...

2008-04-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sawyer's musical interest these days is his new Bass Guitar, an awesome new gift from Uncle Butch our favorite Jazz Guitarist and a Big "Thank You" to him for that gift - what a surprise it was and very much appreciated indeed.. It's so strange to hear a thumping bass rumble through the house again after Allen sold his bass 10 years ago and stopped playing, now it's like whoa what a trip ! I'll have to find some pics of Allen in his bass playing days and post them as well. Since Sawyer already plays drums he seems to be picking this up surprisingly well. The other day he heard a song on T.V. which was by that old 70's band ''Cream"- kinda weird ? then a while later I could hear him playing it on his bass that was also weird I must say, to hear my child playing a song that I listened to when I was in elementary school- yikes! I just seriously aged myself ahaaa... Anyway it's all pretty surreal at times.

"Don't Waste Your Life''

2008-04-09T15:11:00.000-07:00
"Don't Waste Your Life" Conference with John Piper in SLO, CA

We just went to hear John Piper speak on the theme of his book Don't Waste Your Life, and it was Awesome but that doesn't even begin to describe it, just so powerful.. So many of the things he said and the statements plastered on posters all over the place just impacted me very much and I keep playing them over in my head..

GOD CREATED US TO LIVE WITH A SINGLE PASSION
TO JOYFULLY DISPLAY HIS SUPREME EXCELLENCE IN
ALL THE SPHERES OF LIFE. THE WASTED LIFE IS THE
LIFE WITHOUT THIS PASSION....

Every Person's life will end with a flat line. The beats of your heart are precious and few...and every one of them is a blood-bought gift of God. Don't waste them on petty pursuits and fleeting pleasures, where moth and rust destroy. Take part in the greatest cause in the world and the grandest story that will ever be: the exaltation of Christ in all things for the joy of all peoples...

Only one life,'Twill soon be past;
Only what's done for Christ will last.

"LET NONE SAY IN THE END, "I'VE WASTED IT!"

And I encourage everyone to go to: Desiring God ministries to listen to the audio and or read the notes from it... It is very impacting and powerful..Glory be to God for humble teacher's and preacher's like John Piper and so many others... I was so blessed to be there and meet other like minded Christians and also run into some ol' friends I haven't seen in sometime..

~Deanna~ March 29, 2008

First Post

2008-03-25T11:20:00.000-07:00
Nothing spectacular - just wanted to get this going! I've procrastinated long enough. So now that I've confessed, this is my first post.