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Daily devotional

More of Reformed Perspective!

Can you build it better?

We had another wonderful response to our brick-building contest. We asked whether entrants could think of “things that aren’t but should be” – we wanted to see if they could “build it better” and more than 200 entrants said that yes, they could. We had all sorts of cars and trucks and motorhomes and tractors that could drive, and fly or float, turn garbage into tires or rocket right across the ocean at 28,000 km/hr (and, if you weren’t careful, they might even sting you!). In a “great minds think alike” moment, two entrants designed creative alarm clocks that used a teapot and a coffee pot to motivate a sleepy sort to get up now! And if you don’t like coffee or tea? There was a hot chocolate machine too!

Some of the submissions were enormous like a plane that was 6 feet, 7 inches long, and a robot that people can go inside of. There were also a number of major appliances reinvented – dishwashers, dryers, and washing machines that had been upgraded to be even more automatic. And let’s not forget some fantastic homes – an apartment building that includes a smooth bar, a house on wheels, one that flies, and who wouldn’t want to live in a castle?

There were also some entries that were powered and functional – like a tractor that could distribute Mentos, and a bulldozer of sorts that can collect all the LEGO that gets kicked under your couches. It was clear once again that our readers are a creative lot.

While a picture can be worth a thousand words, in this case you have to check out the videos. Be sure to check out our YouTube playlist to go see the winners and the honorees give you a tour of their creation. The inventiveness on display is sure to spawn even more. Do you want to encourage your kids’ creativity? Watch these videos with the whole family and you won’t be able to stop your littles (and maybe your bigs too) from pulling out your LEGOs.

That family fun is a big part of the reason we’ve enjoyed this contest. Our kids are growing up with screens all around them, and we need to help them fight the pull to distraction. And when hundreds of parents and kids do something constructive and creative instead, we’re experiencing the joy of doing what God made us to do – we are glorifying Him in time spent in communion, and glorifying Him too, by reflecting just a bit of His creativity.

*****

Adults 18+

WINNER
Colin Van Manen – Samurai sword mech
Built entirely out of extra grey pieces, complete with a sword, a jetpack, a face mask, fully-functioning and posable parts… and with a pilot seat for the driver because it’s a better commute than a car, right?

HONORABLE MENTION
Felicity Tamminga – Washer/dryer one-basket system
Imagine if you had a special laundry basket that could just be dropped right into your washing machine, and then, when the wash is done, lifted out and slotted right into your dryer – no hauling each piece out one by one!

14-17-years-old

WINNER
Jeremy, 15 – Tea pot alarm clock
Have you ever slept through your alarm? That won’t happen with this upgrade – instead of just a sound, this one tips a teapot over to pour water on sleeping you. To add to the cleverness, the interior of the clock is a model bedroom, complete with bed, sleeper, and tiny teapot alarm clock!

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Everett, 14 – Technic crane
This is a functional, motorized crane that works via a remote control. It’s just downright impressive!

Charlotte, 14 – The ultimate motorhome!
It’s got 3, count them, 3 bumpouts, a cat condo, bathtub, fireplace, solar panels, and all the storage you’d ever need.

Gerred, 17 – Avro Arrow CF-105
This is what should have been – but wasn’t – if Canada, under Prime Minister Diefenbaker, hadn’t scrapped the Avro Arrow. Everyone loves a good history lesson with their build, right? It includes air defense systems with nuclear-armed missiles and functional landing gear and is just a really cleanly built plane.

10-13-years-old

WINNER
Quinten, 13 - A self-sustainable floating island
This is a detailed build! It includes dams, wind turbines, rooftop gardens, and solar panels. There’s space for camping, for farms and rural areas, plus a city equipped with a hospital, police station, fire station, and a church. There’s even a lighthouse to guide the boats from the ocean/lake. To add to the detail, there are even layers of rock underneath the build where the island was ripped from the ground.


HONORABLE MENTIONS
Austin, 13 – Self-cleaning LEGO machine
LEGO should clean itself up, but it doesn’t. Introducing the self-cleaning LEGO machine! An entirely motorized vehicle with two drive wheels – each with its own motor – and a spinning blade connected by gears to its own motor. It collects the LEGO into the hopper for you to simply empty and start again. Problem solved!

Evan, 13 – Plane and tank
A plane…and a tank? With stabilizers, shooting missiles, a tank turret under each wheel, wing flaps, and landing gear where the tank wheels are hidden while flying and deployed while driving, and extendable wings for added armor – who’s the engineer up for building this?

Eden, 12 – The mall with more
There are some things we can all agree on, and this is one of them: “I think that all malls should have a waterpark and a petting zoo.”

9 and under

WINNER
Oscar, 9 - Jurassic World abandoned jungle
Join 7 explorers as they brave Jurassic World with all its predators, erupting volcanoes, caves with hidden animals, fighting dinosaurs, and a dino-capturing helicopter. Let your imagination run wild!

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Eliza, 8 – Bumble car
It’s a bee car that can drive, park, and fly. And watch out, it can also sting!

Adam, 6 – Hygiene helper
“It has everything you need to go to school” – a toothbrush to brush your teeth, comb and scissors to style your hair, gets you dressed, helps you eat breakfast, and will walk right up to you to get things started!

Carina, 9 – Walk-in picture frame
“I thought it would be really cool if you could walk into a picture frame because then you could paint or draw your own world and walk right in.”

Some of our other favorites!

There were so many great entries that we just had to share at least a few more – here are some of our other finalists! Be sure to check out even more videos on our YouTube playlist.

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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...
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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 property, close by where we buried the cow a few months ago. Micah asked me, “Daddy, when I die, can you bury me next to Bluey?” Micah called him Bluey Leapey because of his eyes. They were a kind of blue, and the flickering of his eyelids made Micah think of the name “Leapey.” Micah found Bluey’s nest fallen to the ground from the towering palm trees by the kitchen complex. Bluey had fallen with the nest, then climbed partway back up the tree where Micah found him, stunned, clinging to the bark. For two days Micah researched how to care for injured wild baby birds. He did everything he could to nurture and save the little bird. One clear instruction from the many sources consulted Micah completely ignored: “Do not handle the bird too much.” For some reason, Bluey did not seem to like being placed in the remnant of the nest we gathered up. He much preferred to nestle on Micah’s chest, clinging to his shirt. I fully expected the bird to die within minutes, but he lasted two days with Micah feeding him fruit and bread moistened with water. Micah is seven years old. He is an active, energetic, carefree, very physical child. He is also extremely sensitive. This morning we awoke to hear his wails of lamentation as he discovered Bluey’s lifeless form lying in the carefully prepared nesting box next to his bed. Micah’s weeping continued as we headed out after breakfast and laid Bluey to rest in a small hole dug under a spreading tree in the back field. Why did Micah cry? Is his grief a consequence of his innate understanding that death is abnormal, an enemy, a cursed result of sin and the Fall? Or his is grief abnormal, an enemy, a cursed result of sin and the Fall? Death is good? There are those who, in an attempt to resolve perceived conflicts between science and faith, propose that the Bible be read in the light of modern scientific research. Since scientists claim that multiple lines of evidence point to animal ancestry for humans, and an evolutionary origin to all of life, some Christian scientists believe that the Bible should be read in such a way that it allows for a world in which animal and human life developed over millions of years. Contrary to atheistic evolutionism, this Christian version understands the process not to be the result of random chance, but rather a beautiful, intricate process created and directed by God Himself for His glory. There’s a problem: this theory requires that death and suffering exist in this world long before the arrival of Adam and Eve. (In fact, this theory makes it impossible to even hold on to the Biblical Adam and Eve, but that’s a different story.) The problem is dismissed by Christians who believe that God used evolution to create life on this planet. They argue that when the Bible says that death entered into the world through Man’s sin, this is a reference to the death of humans. It doesn’t refer to the death of non-human creatures. Science has established the presence of catastrophic death and disease well before the arrival of homo sapiens in the history of evolution. According to evolutionary creationists, that’s OK. Evolution requires millions of years of birth, suffering, and death in order to progress. This can be understood to be “very good,” as God declared of His creation, as long as it doesn’t refer to human death. Since Adam and Eve’s respective “parents” or non-human progenitors were not actually human, but only human-like, it doesn’t matter that they suffered and died before the Fall. This is all part of God’s glorious plan of (evolutionary) creation, which He declared very good (Genesis 1:31). It’s really good and beautiful that foxes eat rabbits. Or that little birds fall out of trees and die. It’s all part of how Creation/Evolution works. Behold, it was very good. And it is very good. Why is Micah crying then? According to the thesis that Creation is through Evolution, I guess Micah’s sinful little heart is rebelling against God’s good and perfect creative work. Who is Micah to question what God calls very good? This is the way God has made the world: through suffering and death, Life is perfected. That’s the way it was before the Fall, and that’s the way it continues after the Fall. Not the way it is supposed to be However, the Bible teaches something different. The Bible informs the way I comfort and instruct Micah at this important educational moment. We speak together about the very good creation into which our sin introduced death and destruction as results of God’s curse. This is an important instructional opportunity to show Micah that the wages of sin is death: not just death in the sense of a heart stopping or a person not breathing anymore, but death in all of its horrible catastrophically destructive aspects as it affects Man, relationships, animals, and all of creation. This little bird died because Eve took a bite from a fruit that God had told her not to eat. This little bird died because we are sinners. The creation is groaning and is in bondage to decay because of our sin. But here is the good news. Jesus is making all things new. In the new creation, things are very, very good. There is no more death. In the new heavens and the new earth, Micah will no longer weep over a dead little bird, because Jesus is bringing about the day when the full Life-giving and Life-transforming results of Jesus’ death and resurrection will finally rid the universe of every last vestige of the heart-wrenching sadness and misery that results from our Fall. Rev. Wieske is currently pastor at the St. Albert Canadian Reformed Church. He wrote this article while serving as a missionary in Brazil. The article first appeared in the July/August 2015 issue of Reformed Perspective under the title "Of baby birds, death, and creation."...

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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 miserab...
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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 you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 46:3-4) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4a) ***** Around the year 1000, on a low-lying mountain and near to a trade route, a castle was built. Named Weinsberg Castle, it was situated in what is known today as Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Along the right bank of the Rhine, the area abutted Germany’s largest continuous forest, the Black Forest. It also boasted beautiful valleys and small lakes. Fruit was grown in these valleys and the region had a delightful profusion of vineyards. Weinsberg is, after all, translated as “wine mountain.” The rich, well-drained soil on its sides, plunges roots solidly and deeply downward to seek water. The vines, consequently, produce well-nourished grapes. Truly a wonderful piece of property and a pleasure to visit. The Castle of Weinsberg does not stand on that mountain any longer, although if you were to pass along a nearby road, you could climb up and visit its ruins. There is a story about the importance of power, wealth and fame touching Weinsberg. It is a good story! Feudal feuding In the 1100s, two rival families in Europe were engaged in a feud. The names of these two families, were Welf and Hohenstaufen. Rather like the American Hatfield vs. McCoy disagreement, ongoing power struggles and quarrelling had long taken place in the Weinsberg Castle area. It was not always comfortable or safe to live in the shadow of this beautiful fortress. The Castle of Weinsberg, and its small surrounding town, belonged to the house of Welf, with Welf VI as its head. Conrad III was the head of the Hohenstaufen faction. In 1138, anger came to a head for the two families due to the fact that Conrad III had just been elected the new Holy Roman Emperor, rather than Welf VI. Bloodshed rather than reconciliation loomed on the horizon. It appeared as if Conrad III, who laid siege to Weinsberg Castle in 1140, might triumph. But the small town and its castle stood firm. The house of Welf were an obstinate lot who refused to buckle, much to Conrad’s irritation. Seemingly, relief appeared on the horizon for the Welf family. A relative was marching to their aid with an army at his side. However, the tide turned as this army was crushed by Conrad. The siege of Weinsberg continued and turned out to be a brutal and protracted affair. Conrad III's forces employed a range of tactics to wear down the city's defenses. His army, comprised of heavily armored knights and skilled archers, surrounded the city, totally cutting off the castle’s supply lines, and blocking escape routes. Despite the defenders' valiant efforts, the relentless pressure eventually took its toll, and the once-formidable walls of Weinsberg Castle began to crumble. The Welfs, whose ancestry could be traced back to Charlemagne (747-814), the first Holy Roman Emperor, were a proud family. By all rights, they should have conceded the battle. But they did not. Conrad, angered by their obstinacy, vowed that he would make Castle Weinsberg an example to all his enemies. He sent this ultimatum to them: “Unless you surrender, I am going to demolish the city, burn your houses and put you all to the sword.” A boon granted The citizens were, at this point, filled with terror and despair. Supplies were scarce and starvation hung in the air. The men of Weinsberg, knowing that further fighting was futile, sent a reply to the angry besieger. They asked for a pardon. But Conrad was inflexible at this point. He had been offended by the length of the siege, and it had rubbed him the wrong way. Then he received another message from the castle: “We are not afraid to die and we are ready to continue fighting. We are even prepared to see the castle destroyed and our houses burned; but we are not prepared to see our women die. So, we beg that their lives be spared and that they be allowed to leave the castle.” Conrad granted this request. And, perhaps suddenly struck by some compassion, he permitted an extra boon for the wives as well. Not only would he allow them to leave the castle unmolested, but he would also give them approval to carry out their most precious possession. But he stipulated that this possession had to be carried by them – carried without the help of carts or animals. When Conrad’s message was read out loud in the town square, all the men nodded soberly. They agreed to his conditions and were happy their wives would be spared. The Weinsberg women, including Welf VI’s wife, Uta, had also been listening to the message. Uta, at the time of her marriage to Welf, had been one of the richest heiresses in Germany. A wealthy, respected woman, she left the square solemnly, Conrad’s message ringing in her ears. Then she assembled with all the women of Weinsberg. Together they gravely and rationally conferred with one another, and they came to a decision about what they would carry out – about what their most treasured possession was. Total agreement The next morning, the gates of Weinsberg Castle were thrown wide open for the departure of the duchess and the other women, who would take, so it was thought, money and provisions for the journey ahead to safe territory. But Conrad III, and his army, were taken aback at what came through the gates. The first woman to appear was the Duchess Uta, and, on her shoulders, she bore her husband, Welf VI. Behind her came all the other women. Some of them, like Uta, carried their husbands; others carried parents, children, or sickly relatives on their backs. Disregarding jewelry and personal safety, but counting loyalty and love for their husbands and others as their most precious possessions, the women bore fellow citizens on their shoulders. It was not an easy physical feat and it was one that might have been unacceptable to Conrad. As a matter of fact, Duke Friedrich, Conrad’s brother, commented disapprovingly that such things should not be allowed. The king, however, with a certain amount of admiration, showed favor to the women's cunning, and replied that it would not be fitting to change one’s royal word. He honored his agreement despite the fact that he had not foreseen the result. The siege ended peacefully and the castle was later renamed Schloss Weibertreu, which means “castle of women’s faith,” symbolizing the bravery and loyalty of those women. Another man Although this story warms hearts and illustrates bravery, affection and compassion, there is a story, another story, which is greater and filled with more grace and love for saving family, than even these women were able to give. This other story involves a man who, although he was of princely dynasty, did not have a particularly regal appearance. He was not popular either. The truth is that he was mocked by most. He was neither respected nor wanted. He did not impress his opponents. As a matter of fact, you could go so far as to say that he was despised and rejected by people. Yet, despite his high disapproval rating (even his few friends forsook him), this man walked freely, alone and of his own accord, towards a battlefield. This battlefield was a vineyard and it was called Gethsemane. Filled with dying branches, it was being besieged by the “god of this world,” by the “prince of the power of the air” – by the most hideous and evil host that ever was on earth. Incredibly, the man’s goal was to fight a battle by himself against this horrendous horde. Why? So that he could carry his family to safety away from this murderous throng. In the darkness of the blackest of nights, the besieging army, carrying torches, spears and staves, met the solitary man. And the man, walking boldly towards them, asked this opposing army a question. Twice he asked the same question: “Whom do you seek?” When he was told that he was the one whom they wanted, the man answered by giving these amazing words of creation, redemption, and comfort: “I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” The voice of that man, the voice of Truth, echoes and resounds: “Let these men, let my people, go.” Ecce Homo. What the Man said then, is true today and will be true tomorrow. Jesus knows His people. They are part of His family. They are the branches in His vineyard, and He is the vine. They are a people freed, a people let go and they are His own. And He knows them even though they might be old and have gray hairs. His care extends beyond time and He carries them with love and purpose, even through extremely difficult and besieged times. He bears them in their griefs and He carries them in their sorrows, carries them to a heavenly mansion which He has prepared for them....

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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 m...
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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

Four years ago, in February 2022, Canada’s federal government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time since it was enacted back in 1988, granting itself extraordinary power to break up the truckers’ convoy that assembled in Ottawa and elsewhere to protest Covid policies. By invoking the Act, the government received the power to prohibit citizens from assembling, as well as freeze bank accounts of those involved in the protests, and even ban and freeze crowdfunding, among other measures. In January of this year, the country’s Federal Court of Appeal made a unanimous decision, agreeing with the lower court ruling from 2024, that the government had not been legally justified to making use of the Emergencies Act. The court ruled that the protests “fell well short of a threat to national security.” The court also found there simply wasn’t sufficient evidence to back up the government’s claim that the convoy posed a threat of serious violence. “When all these legal and factual considerations are taken into account, we fail to see how the could ‘reasonably believe’ that a threat to national security existed at the time the decision to invoke the Act was made.” This decision is a good example of why civil governments need checks and balances on themselves, given our sinful human condition, and particularly a check on the age-old thirst for more power. The legislative and executive branches require the accountability and safeguards that are supposed to come from the Constitution, through the oversight of the judicial branch. For Christians, obeying the Romans 13 command to “be subject to the governing authorities” isn’t as simple as submitting to whatever the Prime Minister or Governor General orders in a given moment. In this case, it was the Prime Minister and Governor General that were acting illegally, and not the private citizens – the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation, among others – who successfully challenged them in court....

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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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