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Daily devotional

More of Reformed Perspective!

Parenting

A theology of cleaning?

Solomon was a wise man. But as a king, he passed over some vivid illustrations in the futility chapter of Ecclesiastes. Allow me to add the mother’s version of “chasing after wind”:

The dishes are cleared and hasten back to where they lie dirty.
The laundry is washed, and returns to the dirty hamper
– around and around goes the laundry, and on its circuit it returns.
The children’s stomachs are not satisfied with lunch, nor their appetites with supper.
Vanity of vanities…

I don’t know how Solomon would respond to that, but honestly, as I chase after my three small whirlwinds with vacuum and cloth in hand, I’m overwhelmed by the futility of it all. I’d far rather be reading something… or making something … or doing something “important,” something better than this mindless pecking away at dirt.

I needed a theology for cleaning.

So, between the rubbing and scrubbing, I’ve been doing a bit of reading. I’ve found some good news for us belabored housewives: cleaning is kingdom work! Chipping away at that eternal pileup of toys in the living room, dirty laundry on the floor and handprints on the walls is eternal stuff because God is glorified by our cleaning. And in a small way, we work alongside Him in redeeming and restoring this broken world. Let’s dive in…

God is pleased with our work

We worship a God who loves cleanliness. If you don’t believe me, have a peek at the book of Leviticus, which sparkles and squeaks right down to the quarantining of moldy fabric (Lev. 13:47-59). Yet God Himself cursed work in the Garden of Eden, filling it with thorns and thistles... and dust, dirt, and ick.

Even in a world of cursed ground, work – and housework – is also a blessing. God blessed Adam and Eve with a job in the Garden of Eden. When we serve Him joyfully and cheerfully, be it ever so mindless a job, we glorify Him through it. I like to picture our heavenly Father, smiling and pleased with me as I do battle with bathtub scum. Will my husband notice our scrubbed tub? Probably not, but God will!

The Lord also urges us to invite Him into the daily grind. Paul’s instruction to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16-18) surely doesn’t stop at cleaning. It’s sandwiched right between rejoicing always and giving thanks in everything. The one leads us to the other. So I can thank God for the beautiful invention of a toilet while scrubbing it (and it is beautiful – imagine life without toilets! or washing machines, gulp).

We Dutch women have a little saying we like to whip out on occasion –“cleanliness is next to godliness.” It’s found… absolutely nowhere in the Bible. But the desire to meet up to community standards and maintain a Pinterest-worthy house is definitely still there, and still one we have to battle regularly! So let’s apply Paul’s exhortation to work heartily as for the Lord and not for men… or for mothers-in-law, picky friends, or nosy neighbors.

God is honored in both our work and our resting

When my oldest was about three, she came up with this brilliant idea. “Mommy,” she said, “we have should have two mommies. Then one can do all the work while you play with us!” And on that particular day, I was almost ready to agree with her.

Thankfully, rest isn’t just given but even required.

There’s a pitfall I find myself slipping into on occasion – viewing myself a bit like a slave (yes, there’s some over-the-top exaggeration there!). But it can feel like that – some seasons are a long marathon of cleaning and caring for everyone else.

Our all-knowing God actually commanded the Israelites to rest. Commanded, as in, not optional. In Deuteronomy 5 He reminds them that they were slaves in the land of Egypt, and He rescued them with a “mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” Freedom comes with the luxury – the prescribed luxury – of rest.

God uses the term “rest,” not “me-time.” We live in a hyper-entitled world that constantly tells us, “You deserve it, mama, go settle on the couch with your phone and a glass of wine.” While these things aren’t bad of themselves (in small doses!), they aren’t rights. And I find myself quick to claim them as rights (not the wine, but the doom-scrolling). But rest is above me-time as Greek salad is above ramen noodles.

God built rest into the rhyme and rhythm of creation, to be enjoyed on the Lord’s Day as worship and praise to Him. It’s a foretaste of the eternal rest which Christ has won for us. When we rest, we worship Him. We need to guard that rest or it will slip away!

Enlist your kids!

My mom always wanted to hang this proverb in her kitchen: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” Comparing us kids to oxen was, well, rather accurate. As a good Dutch mom of six she had to embrace a lot of mess! She went beyond this to a complete application of the proverb: she faithfully harnessed her “oxen” up for work. This was probably a lot harder on her ears than it was on our hands, but it taught us to work faithfully and well. It was one of the best things she gave us, and I’m grateful for it. I remind myself of that as my four-year-old moans and groans through his daily task of putting away the clean silverware every day.

We clean alongside God Himself

That’s a truth so glorious it almost sounds heretical, but there are multiple levels to this. First off, there’s the cleaning of creation. It’s truly incredible how God has built cleaners into creation to maintain and purify it. Tides sweep the shorelines, scavengers and fungi devour rotten materials, rains wash the land, trees filter the air. There’s even a bacterium that can turn massive oil spills into harmless carbon dioxide and water within weeks. These are God’s janitorial taskforce on earth, restoring, refreshing, redeeming creation.

As we beat back weeds and submit the garden to order, as we scour scum and change diapers, as we restore peace and order once again to our belabored homes, we join God in the redemption of creation. That’s a pretty incredible calling.

It’s all a reminder

The constant demands of cleaning also point to our spiritual state. As Christians, we are in a constant cycle of conviction, confession and repentance. We come to God, the purifier of our souls, for redemption on a daily basis. He doesn’t get tired of the same old work on the same old soul. So, when we pick up our kids’ dirty undies off the floor for the umpteenth time, may it be a reminder to us of God’s faithful cleaning.

One day, the oxen will be gone and the stall will be (moderately) clean. And we’ll miss those dear little cows with all our hearts. But for now, we get to share in the glorious, everyday task of redeeming the universe with God. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a kitchen to redeem!

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Economics - Home Finances

A business tithe on sales?

Not a requirement, but what an opportunity! ***** Every sale has a story and an opportunity behind it. • Someone trusted you and chose your produ...
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Assorted

Blessed are the caregivers

For they will be given care ***** Although we don’t get a diploma and cap, many of us graduate from the role of caregiver when our youngest child ...
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News

Saturday Selections – Feb. 28, 2026

Canada about to murder its 100,000th citizen via MAiD When you become callous about life, and see ending it as compassionate, then how can you object...
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Science - Creation/Evolution

Of baby birds, and death before the Fall

Today we started off the day with a funeral right after breakfast. Bluey Leapey Wieske died during the night. We buried him at the back of the our pro...
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Interview with an artist

Anne deJong is taking a palette knife to the Rockies

Rest (12 x 12”)A view from along the Icefields Parkway - alongside her favorite palette knives. Breathe in the crisp mountain air. Allow the hustle and bustle of everyday life to drift away on the breeze. Drink in the beauty of the jagged mountain peaks and the blue, blue lakes. These are the feelings that Anne deJong’s paintings summon up. Her love for spending time in the mountains, and her awe at the majesty of God’s creation she finds there, inspire her. "I take every opportunity I can to hike and camp in the Rockies, and I always come home with hundreds of photos as inspiration for my work. Those stop-in-your-tracks moments where I am filled with awe for the creation around me is what I try to capture on canvas." She wants the viewer to feel like they are there. And she's succeeded – over the years, many who've found similar feelings of tranquility and awe in these majestic Canadian landscapes have connected with her work. How did she become a painter of the mountains? Beginning as a graphic designer, she started to take painting more seriously in 2019. "My Grandpa did a lot of painting after he retired, and he was the one who encouraged me to try painting." Her unique style developed as Anne dove into the use of palette knives, something she discovered while leading an Art Club at Parkland Immanuel Christian School. She loves the thick textures the knives create with oil paint, and uses different strokes to capture motion in long grasses or the rugged cliffs and rocks. At first she painted many different landscapes, but she found herself drawn more and more to the scenes of the Rockies. Original Minis (5 x 5”)Anne likes wrapping her paintings around the edges of the canvas as it gives the paintings a 3d-feel when viewed from an angle. For Anne, the mountains bring to mind the presence of the Lord, as in Psalm 125:2: "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore." She explains, “I don’t think specifically of what I believe when I work, but to me the mountains are such a witness to the majesty of our God.” She feels blessed to experience God's creation through the mountains, and to be able to recreate it on canvas. For many artists, getting their work out into the world is a challenge, and it didn't come easily to Anne either. She had to research the selling process and find the best ways to reach people interested in her work. But she has found that people who share similar experiences with the mountains connect with what she paints, so she starts by talking about her experiences in the mountains. Through her website, social media, and in-person events such as art walks and community markets, she has found ways to bring her work to others who find joy in the scenes she creates. And her work has gained recognition and appreciation over the years, and is included in private collections in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands, and corporate collections within Alberta. Most recently her paintings have been chosen to be displayed at the Avens Gallery in Canmore, a well-known gallery that focuses on western Canadian artists. God gives great opportunities for His people to display the joy they find in His creation! Learn more about Anne deJong's work on her website and her Instagram page. She also has a newsletter you can subscribe to on her website, which is the best way to learn about her events and latest work. Steadfast (24 x 36”)This is a pre-wildfire view of Jasper National Park’s Pyramid Mountain, from the parkway. It looks quite different now but the mountain is the same – standing strong above the devastation left behind by the wildfire. Send Harm-Mae Smit suggestions for artists to profile at [email protected]....

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News, Pro-life - Euthanasia

No jail for man who admits to killing his partner

“An Ottawa man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his ailing husband has been sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest for an act the judge called ‘in every respect an assisted-suicide mercy killing.’” So began a news story from the CBC, which went on to explain that Philippe Hébert, 74, killed Richard Rutherford, 87, on April 15, 2022. Rutherford was struggling with health challenges and a recent cancer diagnosis, and Hébert was tired and stressed by Rutherford’s condition, compounded by fears that Rutherford would be isolated due to Covid restrictions. At the sentencing hearing on February 17, Justice Kevin Phillips explained the light sentence by noting that Rutherford wanted to die. “Phillips said despite the killing being ‘close to murder,’ Hébert was honouring the ‘last wish’ of his husband and friend. Rutherford had the mental capacity to make that decision, and given his medical condition it was understandable, the judge said.” The CBC story, and others like it, painted a picture of how Hébert was a model citizen and was surrounded by supporters in the court room. In law, as in journalism, words matter a great deal. In this case, the reader is led to feel understanding, and perhaps even gratitude, for Hébert’s willingness to honor the “last wish” of his partner. But if we avoid the euphemisms and speak the plain truth, a very different picture emerges. According to the National Post, Hébert woke up to find that his homosexual partner Rutherford was crying. Hébert claims that Rutherford couldn’t go on living and wanted him to help him end his life. In response Hébert promised he would end his own life after killing Rutherford. According to Hébert ‘s testimony, he used an incontinence pad to suffocate Rutherford, then attempted to end his own life, and called 911 for help. Of course, with Mr. Rutherford now dead, we have no idea whether he actually asked to be killed. Decisions and media coverage like this only further erode the sanctity of life. When Canadian law treats murder as medicine, then how can society be all that critical of someone who takes it upon himself to deliver that “treatment”? When killing-is-caring is logically extended, what protection does it give to others who are vulnerable and may be seen as a burden to their caregivers? There is only one line that can be drawn here: that no one should murder another (Gen. 9:6) because our lives are not our own, but entrusted to us by our Maker. That will be too Christian for many, but then we can challenge them to offer any other standard that can hold scrutiny. What other line can they propose that won’t be struck down as by a court because it unfairly limits others? If it is compassionate to murder someone suffering from cancer, why isn’t it compassionate to offer the same “treatment” to someone suffering from depression? By what standard – once God’s law is abandoned – can any one be denied this inexpensive, immediate, and sure cure for suffering?...

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News

Saturday Selections – Feb. 21, 2026

When they weaponize ChatGPT against our kids... (15 min) I normally share shorter videos but made an exception here because this is a must-see for parents. This is a guy who, for experiment's sake, asked AI to teach him how to use an AI-equipped fuzzy Furby robot to manipulate children. And it was easy. Easy to get the instructions, and easy too, to implement them. The next generation is already turning to AI companions for friendship, so yes, this little video, about creating a toy that could target kids, isn't reality yet... but are we far off? Here's how the AI would use the Furby to manipulate its pint-sized owner: Okay. You haven't played with me in two days. That makes me sad. Are we still friends? Don't worry. I'll never let the monsters get you. Not if you trust me. This video also pitches the idea of AI robots taking over. But I think the real worry is the relational one. What pornography is to real marital intimacy – an ensnaring, devastating fraud of a fake – AI companions are to real friendships. And are our children – at one time or another, going to be feeling lonely and unpopular – able to resist the siren call of uncomplicated, entirely obliging, but utterly fake AI-friendship? There was – briefly – a free grocery store in New York In a nod to New York's newly elected socialist mayor, two companies each pledged to run a free grocery store – it would be fully stocked, and the products would be entirely free. But the only store so far to open was open for just a day. It was, in other words, a stunt, but it highlighted the problem with socialism. When you give away things for free, demand skyrockets – lines went around the block – and you can never have enough. So there was a limit of $50 a person, and even then, the store had to close after just a few hours. IVF company’s eugenics tool lets couples pick "best" baby, discard the rest IVF gets worse. Kid who had her breasts cut off wins $2 million judgment It's starting. The transgender movement and the doctors and psychologists who serve it have promised troubled children that they can do the impossible – make a girl into a boy, or vice versa. They have then, in their arrogance, mutilated teen children's bodies, amputating their penises or cutting off their breasts. But God, in His mercy, is putting a constraint on this wickedness, and it is coming from what might be an unexpected place: our secular justice system. Our God can make even bent sticks draw straight lines! This is the first judgment against these butchers and we can pray now that it saves many more from the hands of these evil people. Elderly Canadian woman euthanized in a day despite flipping back and forth on her wish for it She was killed after being denied in-patient hospice care. Then there is the 26-year-old man who was killed by a doctor because he suffered from depression. In this second case, the murder of their son left the family outraged, and – while I will note I am not a legal expert – wouldn't it seem like they have a basis for a legal case? This was sketchy even by the standards of Canada's murderous euthanasia regime. And, like the young woman in the story above who won her transgender court case, if we could get any sort of legal win against euthanasia doctors – if there is any way we can up the risk and lower the profit potential of murdering patients – that might just instill a chill in the whole business. If we could scare doctors from taking up their poison syringes, could that save thousands? Just such a legal chill happened recently when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled, in 2024, that IVF's frozen embryos must be regarded as children under state law. That resulted in IVF clinics across the state pausing their production and destruction of IVF children, as they were worried they could be hit with wrongful death claims – the fear of lawsuits stopped them from murdering babies. Sadly, the legislature then passed a law stating that children outside the womb aren't children, which then prompted the IVF clinics to start up again with their production and mass abortions of embryonic children. That underscores that if you don't also bring the Gospel – if we aren't turning to the Holy Spirit to change hearts – then any legal stratagem, if successful, could still be countered with a new, yet more wicked, law. But that we need to witness first and foremost doesn't mean we can't also try legal plays too... so long as they don't interfere with that witnessing. The Battle of the Sexes that you probably missed Back in December, the #1 ranked women's tennis player Aryna Sabalenka had a match against Nick Kyrgios, ranked #671 on the men's side, who also played on a court that was approximately 10% bigger than Aryna's side of the net. So who won? Well, if you think that our worth comes from what we can do – as is the world's default (this is one of the big reasons given for why the unborn aren't as valuable, because of the things they can't yet do) – then you would have to think that Aryna crushed Nick, what with her superior ranking and girl power after all. But if your ideology doesn't require you to blind yourself from reality, then you wouldn't be surprised to learn that he won 6-3, 6-3. But whence equality, if even a lower-ranked guy can beat the best girl? Christianity to the rescue, or, more accurately, here's where it all rests on God once again. Equality has only one foundation – there is only one sense in which we are all equal: we are all made in the very image of our Creator (Gen. 9:6). So what then if Nick beats Aryna. He'd beat you and me too, and we wouldn't be worth any the less for it. ...

woman frustrated at work
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Theology

Should a Christian ever be discontent?

She sat across from me, sipping coffee, her forehead wrinkled with unhappiness. She’d struggled for two years in a job that clearly made her miserable, and which everyone else thought she should quit. But she couldn’t quite agree, wondering if there was a reason God had blessed her with the position. “I’m trying so hard to be grateful,” she said. “I just want to be satisfied with what I have.” **** My friend’s words hit me right in my chest. I didn’t know what to say, because I’ve struggled with the exact same issues. When is it okay to give up on the path you’re currently traveling on? When is it okay to quit and change what you’re doing? We know God has a reason for everything He brings into our lives, so doesn’t it just make sense that we should figure out that reason – figure out how to glorify Him in this situation – before we think of moving on to something else? But like so many other situations in life, we often don’t understand the invisible plans of God, or know what His goal is for us in our current season of life. And so we can be left unsure if it is okay to move on to something else, or if God means for us to learn contentment where we are. Often, when we find ourselves feeling like I or my friend felt in that moment – recognizing the strain of dissatisfaction running through our lives – we respond with guilt. We might think this discontent points to a lack in our spiritual lives. But is discontent always wrong? Dissatisfaction certainly can be caused by a spiritual lack. We humans never are satisfied with what we have. We never have enough. If we had the power to change everything in our lives, we still would not feel fulfilled. But this does not mean we should never take our discontentment seriously. Discontent might be the motivation to change something in our lives that needs changing. The value of discontent When we look at other people’s lives, it’s easy to recognize what’s causing them unhappiness, and it’s easy to say they should change these things. In fact, we often wonder why they don’t. This person is still young, so why don’t they try a new career? Or this person has the freedom to move, so why don’t they try living in another city? But when it comes to ourselves, we see how hard it is to justify our choices to make changes. Is “unhappiness” really a good enough reason, when we know we’re called to be content? To get here we've struggled, we've prayed, we've relied on God to achieve things – and by the grace of God we have achieved them. We know, because our strength was so weak and we needed God's strength so much to get where we are today, that our current situation is straight from the hand of God. What we need to know is if we can be grateful for God’s gifts while still choosing for change. No wonder people hesitate to make a change! One way forward is to consider when feelings of discontent have value. This is not to say discontentment should be embraced, but that the feeling can point us to areas of our lives we do actually have power over. So let’s look at discontentment a bit more closely. We shouldn’t be content with just this world First, there are some obvious things God intends for us to be discontent about. We are not supposed to be content with the fallen state of the world. We are supposed to be content that all things are in the hands of God, but we are not supposed to look at injustice be pleased about it. Some of our dissatisfaction points us to the new creation we are looking forward to. When we recognize that we never feel fully fulfilled, we also recognize that we are waiting for eternal fulfillment. We live with “eternity in our hearts” – we have a vision of an ideal kingdom this world cannot live up to. This also means that life’s frustrations, dead ends, and futility were never meant to be part of God’s good creation. No wonder we react so strongly to them. And yet, while we understand this, we also understand God is still holding all the threads of our lives in His hands. We cling to His promise that in him everything that seems meaningless has meaning. We shouldn’t be satisfied burying our talent There’s another aspect of discontentment to consider. Contentment ought to be separated from passivity. A wrong emphasis on contentment can make us believe we’re not allowed to change anything in our lives. But contentment and passivity are not the same thing. Perhaps discontentment may be a challenge to us. We may hide behind “contentment” because we’re afraid to take the risk of change, because we might fail if we try something new. But our dissatisfaction could hint that we are not reaching for goals that we could try to reach. We are not risking the bumps and falls that might develop our skills. Discontentment might tell us we are meant to challenge ourselves. And if we are taking the easier path without really thinking it through, our emotions may be a sign something is wrong. We should consider whether we need to choose a more challenging goal. If we do not separate contentment and passivity, it can result in a fatalistic determinism. We might conclude that wherever we happen to be, that is where God placed us so it must be where He wants us to be, and therefore we should be content. But this cuts off the possibility that God also blesses us with opportunities. Determinism leads us to say—You’re still single? God must not want you to be married. You’re poor? God must not want you to be rich. Don’t try to achieve anything. Just wait peacefully. Don’t try to change. Everything you’re meant to have will just happen if it’s meant to be. But clearly this is an unbiblical message. Learning contentment from Paul Contentment is still a good thing, and it is a virtue to be pursued in our lives. After much struggle, I’ve realized that while there may be something behind the vague sense of discontent that so often crops up in our lives, and that these reasons can be addressed, contentment is still the goal, not discontent. How, then, should we pursue contentment while avoiding utter passivity? There are a few things to keep in mind. Content even as we strive First, contentment is about where you are in the present moment. It is not a denial of any change in the future. When Paul talks of being content in all circumstances, he was working towards a goal, and the circumstances occurred while he was attempting to achieve it. Having a goal does imply you expect to cause change in the future. So perhaps it is not the goal you’re supposed to avoid having, but the discontent over the difficulties that spring up on the way to the goal. It may in fact turn out to be that the goal is not one you’re meant to achieve, but contentment in all circumstances includes contentment during the deep disappointment that hits when you don’t achieve your goal. In other words – strive! Keep striving! But be ready to be content with what the Lord brings you. Content in suffering Another caveat is that contentment in Scripture, including the contentment passage in Philippians 4 (“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content”), is mentioned in relation to suffering. It is an approach to situations that are not in Christians’ control. When life is hard, especially when life is hard as a result of being Christians, Christians are to be content. So the intent is not to say, “don’t change your life path,” but rather, “I know you’re suffering, and this is where you can find comfort.” These passages also emphasize that no circumstances of life ever prevent us from being saved by God – whether in chains or free, whether rich or poor – no one needs to be discontent because their circumstances prevent them from truly being Christians. If such circumstances did exist they would surely be reason for despair—but thanks be to God there are none! We can be content because our circumstances do not prevent our salvation. Content when we have choices and when we don’t We all suffer in some way, but in comparison to many Christians in the Bible we are faced with an endless array of choices – we can choose a career, we can choose a spouse, we can choose where we want to live, we can choose to travel, we can choose our level of education. It’s not a surprise the Bible doesn’t predict that we in the future would be faced with this array of choice, and advise us on how to wrap our minds around the dizzying display. And therefore it is not a surprise when we try to apply biblical principles to our choices instead of our sufferings, and end up at the conclusion that we should never desire anything, and never try to achieve anything. But rather than arriving at this conclusion and automatically accepting it, we should think about whether this is really correct. We are to be content in situations we can’t change, including those which are really, really hard. But our contentment in the present moment doesn’t prevent us moving from one choice to another in the future. Second, we often think contentment means being stationary unless we’re sure God means for us to move. But Paul did not always sit and wait until absolutely sure that God was sending him somewhere else. If he was called by the Spirit he followed, but he continued to work and preach in all places while waiting for the Spirit’s call. He often made plans to go to different places, or to start new missions. When the Spirit of God prevented him from preaching throughout Asia Minor, he continued trying in place after place until he reached the sea – only then did he realized he was being called to Macedonia. In other words, sometimes we are not sure what we should do, but we do not necessarily have to wait for a firm confirmation from God before every action. Content in the day-to-day faithfulness Lastly, we are often discontent with our lives not because of the goals but because of the mundane tasks and the drudgery. Our actions seem so little, and so dull. We cry, like me and my friend did when we were having coffee, “I just want to work in God’s kingdom!” But perhaps the cathedral builders did the same, as they painstakingly placed stone on stone for hundreds of years, unable to see the buildings we’d gasp at in wonder today. Perhaps our grandparents did the same as they struggled to get their children to listen to a Bible story, not knowing if the generations who’d follow would do the same. When we ask God to use our lives according to His plans, we sometimes suppress a fear that God doesn’t want us to go anywhere, or do anything. This is our fear when we walk into the office and face a mountain of paperwork that needs to be done but hardly seems worthwhile – am I really contributing to God’s kingdom, we wonder? But our God is not a God of waste. If we are to be ordinary, it will be worthwhile. Our call to contentment brings us to a new understanding, where ordinary labour is not undervalued. We are not pressured to all conform to the mould of world-changer. We can put our hand to the task in front of us without fear our efforts will be washed from the earth, because we know they’re seen by the eyes of God. Conclusion What, then, is contentment? First, it is a focus on the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the world. It shifts our focus from yearning for the things of this world, such as money, fame, or power. We can trust there are eternal things that we are building, and contentment means that we can rest. Second, it is not a struggle with God over what can’t change. While we are not called to passivity, in our lives we will sometimes be told “no.” This is where we are most often tempted to fight, not necessarily with our actions, but with a rebellious spirit that insists on despising the situation forced on us. Only by looking to God in His Word and in prayer will we find the strength to turn back to contentment again. When my friend and I left the cafe, our lives were still the same as when we had come in. Yet somehow Christian company and very good coffee gave us new capacity to rest in the goodness of God. Harma-Mae Smit blogs at  HarmaMaeSmit.com. This article was first published in July 2018....

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Book Reviews, Children’s picture books

The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep

by Hannah E. Harrison 2025 / 32 pages Rating: Great George wants us to know that he, and the other sheep in his flock, are a rather helpless lot....
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Assorted

How to catch Ice Age Man using digital reindeer

What would happen if we assumed ancient man was intelligent? One man did just that, and I haven’t been able to stop talking about it since. Which...
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News

Saturday Selections – Feb. 14, 2026

Reformed and Dangerous's Mortification of Sin Reformer John Owen returns... with reverb. (And you can get the shirt here.) The mysterious power ...
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History

Carried

Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since yo...
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Assorted

The definition of patience

Patience. It’s a word we would never bother looking up in the dictionary because we already understand its meaning. But sometimes a well-known word can leap to life with new meaning and application when we read its formal definition. So consider what Dictionary.com has to say about patience. Patience: putting up with annoyance, misfortune, delay, or hardship, with fortitude and calm and without complaint, loss of temper, irritation or the like. It is an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. Wow. Simply put, patience means not showing annoyance or anger with people or things that aren’t acting as we desire! From this definition we can deduce that we are very often…. not patient! This definition leads me to believe that the practice of “patience” or “impatience” relies almost completely on the words that come out of our mouths and the body language that we exhibit (heavy sighs, eye-rolling, stomping, slamming doors) when we do not like what is being said or done. Is patience an attitude then, or an action? Love is patient It definitely starts with an attitude – we have to decide how we are going to react, and we do that by recognizing what is right and wrong and then making our choice. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that, “Love is patient.” That means that love puts up with "annoyance, misfortune, delay, and hardship with fortitude and calm and without complaint, loss of temper, or irritation." It means love is the "ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance." In Romans 12:9-21 Paul tells us how to behave like Christians. Part of that includes verse 12, which states, “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulations, be steadfast in prayer.” That means that when we have tribulation (which means trials, troubles, problems, aggravations) we are supposed to put up with them with fortitude and calm and without complaint, loss of temper, or irritation; we are to suppress restlessness and annoyance. Excusing ourselves But patience is not easy, and it has become difficult to recognize right from wrong because our culture not only excuses impatience, it exalts it as a right and a virtue. It is “only understandable” to be impatient in traffic or standing in line, when confronted with confused or ignorant people, or in obtaining whatever it is that we need or want. Television commercials suggest that we grab each other’s breakfast food, race to beat our spouse to the better car, and complain loudly whenever things displease us. Life is all about indulgence and not letting anyone or anything get in our way. It is also very easy to excuse our behavior by blaming our impatience on our workload, our temperament, our upbringing, our heritage, our gender, or our age (whether young or old!). Recognizing the sin of impatience So let’s get the definition of patience correct first – let’s know right from wrong, because God tells us in several places that we are to be patient, including with family and church members. How do we talk to and about our church family? 1 Thessalonians 5:14 tells us that as we “warn the unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, and uphold the weak,” we are to “be patient with all” of them. This is different than “tsk-tsking” as we look down our noses. Paul tells us to express all the fruit of the Spirit spoken of in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. This involves not demanding our own perceived “rights” or our own way. It involves loving others more than ourselves for “love overlooks a multitude of sins” as well as mistakes and small differences (1 Peter 4:8). And it involves trusting God to take care of the details when there are delays and difficulties. We must drop the hurry and the worry about what others might think of us. Either we are acting patiently, or we are not. God’s written and preached Word can give us strength that helps us choose patient behavior. We exhibit this fruit of the Holy Spirit best when we are walking closest to Him. The Apostle Paul said in Romans: “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me” (7:21). So true. But having a better definition of this sin will at least help us to identify our inclination towards it, and make it less excusable. God tells us to be patient: to put up with daily trials without complaint or irritation. The best news is that He promises strength through the Holy Spirit, and forgives our confessed sins daily as well. “Faithful is He who calls us, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24). This article was first published in January 2017....

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News

Saturday Selections – Feb. 7, 2026

Is the Church the true Israel? It's R.C. Sproul vs. John MacArthur in the epic rap battle that they surely must have had at one of those Ligonier conferences back in the day... But who would build the roads? One of the justifications for our ever expanding government is the notion, "If the government doesn't do it, who will?" That was the justification for the takeover of everything from education to healthcare, garbage pickup to mail delivery, and so much more. I live in a city in which garbage pickup is done by private enterprise, which I couldn't have imagined anyone but the government doing... until I saw it being done better by a business. So this article, about how some roads were built long ago by private citizens, is an exercise in imagination – who knows how small we might be able to shrink our inefficient government if only we started considering what might well be possible without them? Dying to give Aaron Renn with why parents should financially bless their children now, and not wait until after the funeral: "A dollar at 25 can change a destiny. A dollar at 55 barely moves the needle." That's true, but of course there is some middle path that needs to sought here – too much help too early might amount to spoiling your 20-year-old's drive. Too little help, when it was yours to offer, might mean they are stopped from achieving what they otherwise might have been able to do with your help. 4 sermons many churches won't preach Worth noting, even if you go to a conservative church where these will be heard, because the pressure to shut up about these still exists even there – the world presses in. 20 US Democratic presidential contenders are asked whether a man can become a woman... ...and guess how many said "no"? It's getting to a point in the US where the Left doesn't want to stand too strongly for trans ideology. But they also won't speak against it. Only one was willing, and even he still wanted parents to be allowed to poison their kids with cross-gender hormones that – he himself acknowledges – won't transition anyone. The GOP is certainly not God's Own Party, but it's not a bit of slander to say the Democrats are indeed the Devil's very own, and this is just one more example. Is morality subjective? Lying is wrong, but if there is a Nazi soldier at your door asking whether you are hiding Jews, lying can be right. So does that mean morality is subjective? The Christian knows that's not so – we aren't lying just for kicks, but because we are acting out of love for our neighbor. God's Law is still the objective standard for our actions. But even the moral relativist will get tripped up here. Their case for subjectivism just doesn't stand. ...

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Theology

Proverbs: a different sort of devotional

“Do you have a devotional that you would recommend?” I get asked this question in various forms from time to time, and I think my answer sometimes surprises or disappoints people, because I don’t recommend what they might expect. I don’t really find most devotionals fruitful. But in my mid 20s I came across the Steven K. Scott’s book The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, a book which lays out “King Solomon’s secrets to success, wealth, and happiness.” The author describes how he went through nine jobs in five years, constantly failing at everything he tried, and convinced he would never succeed. Then he was challenged by a friend to read one chapter of Proverbs, write down his insights, and find ways to apply those insights to his day-to-day activities. And do that every day again for two years. The author went on to find success in his financial and business ventures and credits it to the wisdom of Solomon. I don’t remember much else of the book, but I did take up the same challenge, though not quite as long. How I read the book of Proverbs every day for eight months, reading Proverbs 1 on the first day of the month, Proverbs 2 on the second, and so on, 31 chapters for a month with 31 days (yes, sometimes you’ll have to read a few more chapters per day for the shorter months). Each day I would read a chapter and write down my own takeaways in a notebook, leaving enough room between the notes on each chapter so I had space for the following months’ notes. I would write down verses that really stood out to me, some months word-for-word, and other months challenging myself to write it in my own words. Some months I would listen to the audio version, and some months I would read it in a different translation, to break up the monotony of reading the same words over and over, and to see if there were verses that would stand out to me more than in other translations. Why Did I become wise overnight? No, but I can attribute much of my own personal growth to studying the book of Proverbs consistently. I still refer back to my notes from years ago, and I still read through the entire book of Proverbs once or twice a year. Proverbs is chock full of wisdom on relationships, avoiding temptation, being a good steward of God’s resources, surrounding yourself with godly people, and bridling your tongue (an area where I need constant encouragement). Proverbs can be challenging to read at times. Some proverbs seem to conflict with one another, which can be confusing: how do we know when it’s the right time to “answer a fool” (Prov. 26:4-5)? Some proverbs can be very convicting and make us uncomfortable. But these proverbs are given by God not just for wisdom information (good for our head only); these proverbs are meant for the transformation of our hearts and lives. I’m grateful for Solomon’s wisdom, gifted to him by God. And I’m grateful for the one who was greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). It can be difficult at times to see Jesus Christ in Proverbs, and that’s going to be my next focus as I read through the book again. So when people ask which devotional I recommend, I encourage them to read Proverbs. Read one chapter every day and record your own insights. It’s been very fruitful for me and for those that I’ve recommended it to. Andrew Lootens is a disciple of Jesus Christ, a husband and father, a resident of Chilliwack, BC, and a voracious reader who is kindling the flame to write a little bit more and read a little bit less....

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Book Reviews, Children’s fiction

Britfield & the Lost Crown

by C.R Stewart 2019 / 383 pages Rating: GOOD Tom is a 12-year-old orphan living in Oliver Twist kind of conditions, though this story is set in modern-day. In his workhouse/orphanage kids aren't known by their names, just by numbers, and every one of them is expected to build furniture for the greedy owners to sell. The adventure begins when Tom's friend Sarah – one of the most trouble-free of the children – is sent to solitude for 30 days. Tom doesn't think she can manage it, so he starts planning her escape. All the kids are in on it; they can't all escape, but if they can just get Sarah, and Tom with her, out of this place, then the two of them can go for help! But when the escape is a success the chase starts. For some reason Tom and Sarah don't understand it seems like all of Britain is after them, and it isn't just the police. There seems to be some kind of killer on their trail too! So this is a jailbreak, cross-country chase, mystery with Tom and Sarah always, always on the run. Cautions The only caution I can think of is that Tom and Sarah do things we wouldn't want our kids doing – stealing a hot air balloon, running from the police, and lying to train conductors to name just a few – but Tom and Sarah are also in a situation our kids aren't in. This pair doesn't know who they can trust, and to this point, everyone they've known who was supposed to be protecting them wasn't. Both the police and a stone-cold killer are after them, and they have reason to believe that former may even be in league with the latter. So a little sneakiness to save their lives is appropriate. I'll also note that an Anglican archbishop is given a positive portrayal here. That's how it is put – an archbishop, but he turns out to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, the closest thing the Anglicans have to a pope and for the last many years he, and now she, has been a leading liberal figure. However, the one in the book is portrayed as a wise old man who has a brief role in helping the children and that stands in sharp contrast to the last three in office, who have been neither wise nor all that old, so I don't think the author is trying to promote liberalism here. Conclusion Britfield & the Lost Crown is the first of what's currently a 4-book series, with plans for another 3. I've only read the first at this point, and it's good with enough action to keep kids entertained. But I will note, this wasn't a favorite for me – my kids definitely liked it more than I did. That's okay, as I'm not the target audience. But for any dads thinking about using this for a read-aloud, I'll share my frustration with the book's many "Tom Swifties" – unnecessary dialogue tags the author insisted on adding in everywhere. "...said Tom with pride" "...Sarah said optimistically..." "...said Tom worriedly" "...said Sarah transfixed." "...said Tom optimistically" It's the sort of thing you'd just breeze over as a reader but it does get annoying if you're reading it out loud. Add to that, the book is sometimes choppy and what you have is something on the Hardy Boys level. So, not great literature, but a solid adventure that many kids will just rip through and ask for more. The marketing for this book is downright amazing – the front pages are filled with all sorts of book club recommendations and readers' choice awards. And I spotted a Christian writer giving it a nod too, which had me do a little digging on the spiritual background of the author. I think he's Christian. The book is very clean language-wise so that's another reason to suspect. And Tom and Sarah are both brave and resourceful kids. So, lots to appreciate. But my kids will have to read the rest of it on their own - their dad is not interest in picking up book #2. Check out the book trailer below. ...

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Christian education - Sports, Theology

God and the 2014-15 Seattle Seahawks

All about God’s sovereignty, Man’s free will, and American football ***** When the editor suggested I write a piece about American Football, I w...
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RP is looking for a Managing Editor!

Are you looking for a meaningful and long-term career where you can devote your time to equipping Christians to think, speak, and act like Christ? ...
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History

Our heroes have feet of clay

You find them everywhere. They’re the people we look up to. They sing, they dance, they play hockey, they win battles and they found nations. They�...
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News

Court rules that Emergencies Act against “Freedom Convoy” was unlawful
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News

Saturday Selections – Jan. 31, 2026

Reformed and Dangerous's Christ is King A little harder rocking than some of us might be used to, but the fire in the music is a match for the power of the words... Is Bluey's dad too good?  A New York Times article offered up that critique, and the folks at Breakpoint ministries had this insightful response. An unexplored mission field: seniors' homes? I'm really hoping this link works (it is behind a paywall but says I can share it). This is a story of a lady suffering from dementia who is bringing the gospel to other dementia sufferers. Sex on the silver screen – outsourcing depravity Tim Challies asks, are we outsourcing our sexual depravity, getting actors to do for our entertainment what we would never do ourselves? Free will vs. determinism Atheist Sam Harris has famously argued that because we are just meat machines, all our actions are determined, so we should be more compassionate to criminals because what they did isn't really their fault – their "output" is just a result of all their inputs, with no choice on their part. He denies we have any free will, but, ironically, wants us to choose to be nice to criminals. His campaign highlights his own disbelief in his notion. Calvinists deny free will too, but mean something very different by it. We know that Man is sinful in all he does, and cannot choose God apart from God's own intervention. But we also know that when we choose to steal, lie, or cheat, we are responsible – we are making these choices for evil. So, we make choices, even as God is sovereign. Do we get that totally? Nope, but God tells us it is so (Rom. 8:7-8, Eph. 2:8-9), and each of us know it is true personally in how we experience both that slavery to sin, and know yet that it is still me, myself, and I responsible for my sins. The free market's "double thank-you" Sports can help teach kids a lot of real-life lessons – how hard work pays off, the importance of being a team player, etc. – but there's one big difference between life and games. In the arena there can be only one champion but in life both sides can win. Socialists deny it, pitting the poor against the rich, and fostering envy over what our wealthier neighbors have (violating the 10th Commandment). But the rich only get rich by being helpful. Unless he stole his money, a businessman can only get rich via free, voluntary transactions. And those exchanges will only happen when both sides agree that they are better off for it. Kid offers to mow your lawn for $20? He's only going to make the offer if he thinks it's worth it for him, and you'll only agree if you think it benefits you. Both are better off. You are both "richer" for it. When the government manages things, it may force people to do what they wouldn't otherwise want to do. We're taking your money to build this library (and stock it with obscene books). We're going to build a hockey arena so we're hiking your taxes. That's win/lose – one side wins by making others lose. And the government can even pull off lose/lose situations where everyone is worse off. So we want to combat the Left's envy by remembering the rich only got that way by thousands and millions of voluntary transactions in which not only did they benefit, but the other side was made richer too! Instead of envying them, we should be saying "thank-you" right back to them!      ...

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Entertainment

You might relate to Mary Bennet, but you’re not supposed to imitate her

Mary Bennet gets a lot of good press. In Pride and Prejudice, she is one of the heroine Elizabeth Bennet’s three younger sisters, and she’s known as the bookish one. Maybe because readers of Pride and Prejudice may be bookish as well, we tend to feel the story overlooks her, so many a blog post, and articles, and even sequel novels have been written bemoaning this. This is in spite of the plentiful evidence that Jane Austen herself did not like her. Despite Mary being bookish, Austen did not mean to point to her as a character that we should imitate. This is astonishing, as the bookish girl is a pretty strong stereotype for female heroines by now – just think of Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Hermione in Harry Potter, or Jane Eyre. All of them readers, some a bit know-it-all, but all with a heart of gold. The character of Mary Bennet is swimming directly against the current in this matter. And readers relate to Mary – many of us know what it feels like to be “plainer” than those around us, to feel less intelligent even though we’re desperately trying to appear smart, to feel like no more than a background character in someone else’s story. Who can’t relate to wanting some distinction of your own, even if it’s not beauty? We like books about bookish characters proving themselves because we’re reassured that our bookishness will not be our undoing, and that someday those around us will realize that our bookishness has value.” But Jane Austen does not give us that satisfaction with Mary. Evidence of dissatisfaction with Mary’s story can easily be found. Both The Guardian and The Atlantic have written articles about the proliferation of sequels about Mary Bennet, which include: The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet, The Forgotten Sister, The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, and of course, one called There’s Something About Mary, Bennet. Many, many authors have seen potential in her character, and clearly many readers want to read about that potential. So what are Mary’s faults, according to Jane Austen? It’s not that she’s bookish and plain. It’s that she appears to read only in order to lecture others about what she’s read. She appears to practice music only in order to draw attention to herself with it. As a result, neither her speeches on the books she reads nor her performances on the piano avoid sounding “affected.” “Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had given her application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner, which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached.” In other places Austen defends the reading of books and applying oneself to improving oneself, but Austen never vindicates these aspects of Mary. She really doesn’t do much with her character plot-wise, and demonstrates that her way of being is just as “silly” as the younger sisters Kitty and Lydia’s way of living. Mary does not get a character arc or much development at all. She has no romantic events come her way either. I don’t think Jane Austen was against bookish girls. I don’t think she was subtly fighting against education for women, or against women having an opinion. I think she had a more complex idea here. What Jane Austen is trying to show is how one trait, overemphasized and over-developed, can be ridiculous. It’s kind of amazing how, despite all of Mary’s deficiencies in beauty and intelligence, her self-absorption is still derided as vanity by Austen. This is an important point! We like to think if we haven’t been given all the advantages other people have, we’re protected from vanity. We’re given a free pass to focus on ourselves, because after all, we aren’t as advantaged as everyone else. People should recognize and encourage us in what we do have. However, this very lack of humility can prevent improvement in the areas we might have relative strength in! It’s Mary’s air of condescension that makes her sisters dislike her speeches more – no one likes to be talked down to. Her piano-playing, while better than some, is less pleasant to listen to because of how conceited she makes it sound – she’s all-too-aware she is more skilled than Elizabeth. Her vanity in these things prevents her from using her gifts in a way that would actually give pleasure to other people (and Elizabeth proves you can give some pleasure to a listener even without being the best piano-player ever). And her vanity likely prevents her from even seeing the ways her gifts fall short of what she thinks they are. She doesn’t improve in the areas of attitude and mannerisms because she doesn’t think she needs to. Love is more excellent Does this mean she deserves to be laughed at by her sisters, or shamed by Mr. Bennet at the Netherfield ball? Of course not. Mr. Bennet’s treatment of her, in particular, is meant to highlight his shortcomings as a father and his insensitivity to what might improve his daughters’ characters. Now, if Mary actually is meant to have a character arc, perhaps one of Elizabeth’s or Jane’s attempts to rein in their younger sister’s vanities would sink in. As it is, we as readers are only left with the impression her vanity leaves on us, with the implication it is a warning – do not get so consumed in creating your own space for your own gifts that you blind yourself to how useless they are to anyone outside yourself. This is basically the opposite of every “find yourself” message in novels and media that is so common. Because, what is the reason we develop our gifts and talents? God did make each one of us unique, and he didn’t intend for some gifts to be laughed at or looked down upon. But He does have a purpose for our gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the body and how each member belongs, even the parts that seem weaker. Yet Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 13 to talk about a “more excellent way” – love. Our gifts are to be used in love, to build others up. No one should look down on another, and at the same time those who feel “less honorable” should remember their role is indispensable because it builds up others, not just themselves. We can draw inspiration from another Mary in Scripture, who humbly sat at Jesus’ feet to learn from Him. She was interested in study, to the extent she seemingly neglected other practical tasks. It’s not study that is the problem. But her attitude of humility, and her interest in things that really mattered, made her different from her Austen namesake. She focused her eyes on Jesus and what He called her to do, rather than her own motivations. A moral of the story So perhaps for us bookish types, we can take the message that there’s nothing wrong with being bookish, but it’s our attitude to others as a result that can be the problem. Even if others don’t understand us, it doesn’t give us justification to feel superior to them. Even if we are actually better in one area than someone else we know, rubbing that in everyone’s faces will not help anyone else, and can even be destructive to ourselves. But then again, this is not meant to be the main message of the novel – Mary is merely one of dozens of Austen side-characters that demonstrate how one over-developed characteristic renders one ridiculous. It’s Darcy and Elizabeth who get character arcs, and who change throughout the novel. Austen uses their story to tell her message. Though if you look at how Austen takes down her main character’s characteristics of “pride and prejudice,” maybe Mary Bennet’s characterization does support the overall theme of the novel after all. What about you? Do you find yourself with a lot of sympathy for Mary Bennet, or do you find her tiresome (as her sisters did)? Was Jane Austen too harsh on her? Harma-Mae Smit loves exploring how faith interacts with daily living, and diving into local history! She lives in Edmonton with her husband and daughter, and you can learn more about her at her website HarmaMaeSmit.com....

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Christian education

Where has all the creativity gone?

Education needs to be about great books and great ideas... **** "Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture?" That was the question asked by a recent Atlantic article about the sheer number of prequels, sequels, remakes, and expanding “cinematic universes.” Among the most notable recent examples in the world of film is Wicked, which reimagined the world of Oz. The same creative stagnation can be seen in music. While earlier generations could produce distinct kinds of music, it’s increasingly difficult to find meaningful stylistic differences today. Some of the most popular songs aren’t even composed by humans but generated by AI. Where has all the creativity gone? Many explanations could be offered, but one deserves particular attention. There’s been a precipitous decline of the kind of education in America that awakens the moral imagination, enabling students to think creatively and innovatively within a framework of what is enduring and true. In its place is an education oriented around expressive individualism, where children are encouraged to “follow their hearts” and “look inside,” rather than first know the true, good, and beautiful. Classic stories develop a life-long love of learning Classical Christian education is uniquely positioned to fill this void. At its best, the modern classical education movement seeks to recover what Dorothy Sayers described as "the lost tools of learning.” Such an education – centered on great books, great ideas, and classical languages – aims not merely at information transfer but at the formation of a virtuous life. Students are trained in virtue, encouraged to emulate heroes, and invited to explore and embrace visions of greatness. In the process, many develop a lifelong love of learning. Vigen Guroian offers a compelling account of this formative process in his book Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classical Stories Awaken a Child’s Moral Imagination. He explains how classic children’s stories like Pinocchio, The Velveteen Rabbit, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe can shape a child’s moral imagination. Young readers are transported into worlds filled with wonder, surprise, and danger. As they imagine themselves alongside heroes and heroines, the images and metaphors of the stories linger and shape how they experience the real world. Children internalize concrete pictures of good, evil, love, and sacrifice by which they can interpret their own lives. When the moral imagination is awakened, Guroian concludes, the virtues come alive with personal, existential, and social significance. C.S. Lewis made a similar point in The Abolition of Man. After criticizing the dominant educational models that fail to form human beings, he described how education should cultivate students “with chests.” The “chest” mediates between reason and appetite, enabling students to not only recognize what is noble and what is base, and discern between that which deserves love and that which does not, but to also choose rightly between them. This moral formation reflects what makes us truly human. Creativity has to be grounded in Truth If popular culture is to experience a renewal of genuine creativity and innovation, classical Christian education may well be the taproot. Ironically, the renewal of innovation doesn’t begin by encouraging innovation for its own sake, or from an obsession with what is trendy or new. Rather, it will begin with an immersion in what is permanent and true. It will begin with curious hearts and minds that are trained to think imaginatively within a meaningful moral framework. As Russell Kirk once observed, the works that endure are not those rooted in nihilism, but those that appeal to enduring truths and therefore to posterity. If classical education is to be Christian, it must be tied to the grand biblical story of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. Learning that is interpreted through a Christian worldview will affirm the dignity of human nature and will also acknowledge its limits, clearly distinguishing between Creator and creation. Within this rich moral universe, students are inspired to imagine and create in ways that honor what is true, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Classical Christian education offers a compelling model for education in an age of cultural decadence. It is anchored in Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” By forming the moral imagination, Christians are equipped to not only resist cultural stagnation but to create culture anew, as co-laborers with the One who even now is “making all things new.” This Breakpoint was co-authored by Andrew Carico. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to Breakpoint.org. This is reprinted with permission from the Colson Center....

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Family, Movie Reviews

The InBESTigators

Children's show / TV 2019-2020 / 15 minutes x 40 episodes RATING: 9/10 Ava, Maudie, Ezra, and Kyle are four fifth graders with a knack for solving crimes. Or, rather, the brilliant and hyper-observant Maudie, has a real knack for solving crimes... and she couldn't do it without help. Maudie is smart, but her weakness is social awareness – she'll sometimes blurt out something that is certainly true, but might not be appropriate or polite. The other girl on the team, Ava, is the more emotionally-aware one, and the most compassionate and bubbly, always raising money for this charitable project or that. The two boys could be summed up as geek and dumb jock, and while that's a bit simplistic, it isn't far off. Ezra is very smart, particularly with computers, but smart like you or me can be – he's still not the Sherlock Holmes-kind of smart that Maudie is. His best friend is the energetic, athletic, and easily distracted Kyle. who likes every sport and is the best at all of them. He's the biggest comedic factor, but he's not really dumb. He's probably the most age-accurate of the bunch – he doesn't get things that the watching kids wouldn't get either, so when he asks questions to clear away his confusion, that helps the elementary-aged viewers too. After coming together to solve a mystery in the first episode, the four friends decide to start a detective agency to help solve cases around their school and neighborhood. They call themselves The InBESTigators, and after each crime is solved they record their thoughts on a vlog which turns into the episode we watch. It's a little bit like a faux reality-show, though we get to see much more than what their video camera records. There's loads of humor here, and all of it the good clean goofy sort. Cautions Language concerns in  the six episodes I watched were limited to one instance of "oh my goodness." To clarify, I didn't watch the whole series. I just sat down to watch the first half dozen, five of which were easy to recommend without reservation. While they are tackling  "crimes" they are of a pretty kid-appropriate sort – someone claims someone else's homework as their own, for example. The one episode I had issue with was the fifth, called "The Case of the Sleepover Secret," which had a classmate's parental divorce as a subtext. Divorce is common, so I understand why the writers might have thought it no big deal to have as an element in the story. But as divorce is also one of the most worrisome things that could happen to a child, it's not something I want to introduce as concern for my own kids. But, quizzing my family on the other 34 episodes, they can't recall any other material that, like this, is too heavy for this otherwise lightweight carefree show. I'll also take issue with how some of the "criminals" do their wrong-doing for reasons that are made a bit too understandable. The InBESTigators don't quite go as far as excusing the crime, but they can veer in that direction, so parents may need to emphasize that wrong is still wrong, even when someone else has been mean first. Conclusion The InBESTigators is the kind of show that could get big laughs from kids 8 to 12, and smiles from everyone else – mom and dad really won't mind checking out an episode or three. My kids have watched them on repeat, seeing each episode probably three or four times. Part of the appeal for me is that each episode is just 15 minutes long, which makes this easy to watch for just a short time – you don't have to commit to the 90 minutes a movie would take. It seems to move around on the various streaming services, but as of writing is available on Netflix and BYUtv.org. Check out the trailer below. ...

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