Let's be reasonable with one another, shall we?

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Happy Birthday to YOU!

Some of the posts below are direct links. Others I only refer to by naming them. If you want to see any of the non-linked items, (for those of you who may not know how these blogs work), you can click on the month's archive in my left sidebar and scroll through to find them. I only linked the ones I really liked.

Today is a birthday of sorts. One year ago today, I began my "blog."
Happy Birthday to you, dear blog! It has been an interesting year here at Rose's Reasonings for me.
I have "met" a lot of interesting people around this place! I had had a lot of interesting and challenging discussions too. I have been edified and encouraged also. I hope in some small way I have been a positive for some of those who read here.

I knew Jeremy as a blogger right from the get-go, (where is Jeremy?) as well as Shawn, Brian, Joe, and John Rush. My husband was, of course, my favorite blogger of all (he started about a month before I).

Last October, I posted a series on "What is Worldliness" beginning here. We talked about Christians participating in holidays (like Halloween) and other aspects of worldliness. I think I met Matthew and Earl this month. (They came as a pair at the time.) I could mention others, but my "meeting" these two really sticks out in my mind.

In November, I pondered living in the third person , Biblical authority, what to do when the Bible seems to contradict itself, and I began delving into the daunting TULIP (see sidebar.)

In December, I continued down to TULIP path and also posted on a quote from the movie, Batman. A certain blogger inspired me to create the Reasonable Blogger Award. (I have a new recipient in mind, but I need to find the time to properly honor this very special person ... soon.) "Why your church is dispensational" was a post from another blogger that brought out a lively discussion. I posted on meeting Jeremy at Christmas. That was pretty neat.

In January, I posted one of my favorite posts What can be done, by whom? I posted on "God helps those who help themselves?" and another of my favorite discussions, The gift that requires work?

In February, I delved into the question, "Is the Christian Dual Natured?" I was surprised at how much controversy surrounded that subject. These are the kind of discussions that have taught me quite a lot. That same month I helped launch, and joined a new group blog, Unashamed of Grace, and wow! did I learn alot about html and websiting. I even redesigned my own blog. One reason why I started this blogging was to learn about web graphics. I learned a lot that month with many late nights and HTML!

In March, I asked for prayer for Chad Cole, John's nephew as he had been beaten nearly to death by drug dealers. I posted on why I like Big Buts and my salute to my frined Matthew, Every Blessing in Christ. I also posted on "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

In April, I posted on The Samaritan Woman and why Christians Should do Good Deeds. I awarded two moreReasonable Bloggers, but I had to later, remove it from one of them per his request. I posted on Ephesians 2:8-9 and I began a series on the question "What is Faith? Is Faith a Gift? It had a Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, ... and spilling into May... Part 4, and Part 5. Honestly, I had a part 6 in mind, covering perhaps the most important verse that explains what faith is, but I got so discouraged with some aspects of the discussion, that I had to take a vacation and a break from blogging! It wore me out! I took out my frustrations by tearing apart our master bathroom - John and I stripped it to the bare walls. (We are finally finishing the remodel just this week. I will post a picture. wow)

Over the summer, I posted on 2 Corinthians 5, a Very Morbid Subject, The Parble of the Sower, some various other parables in July and aslo The Parable of the Lost Son. I also started a new series, Mischaracterizations and Logical Conclusions. I am on the lookout for more entries on this series. They will hopefully be supplied by OTHERS in blogdom! Tell me if you see one from either perspective! At the end of August, I posted my presentation of the gospel, the GOOD NEWS, (find in at the top of my right sidebar) of which I still have some fine-tuning to do.

In September I have discussed biological homosexulaity, renting, zealots and corpses. (Is this blog going downhill or what?)

Thanks for reading my thoughts all you, my visitors. Thanks for your challenges, your blessings, your input! Thanks to those of you who have your won blogs for sharing your hearts with others.

I hope the next year will be even better than the last.

24 Comments:

  • Congratulations on this milestone. Your blog is a blessing to me as I am sure it is to many others. I hope this next year takes you to even greater heights. (Maybe you could post on why Christians shouldn't rent to corpses).

    By Blogger Gordon, at 9/26/2006 12:28 PM  

  • My blog is older than your blog.

    It has been really great visiting over the last year.

    I remember back when we were discussing Halloween thinking-

    "Oh no, I have really offended this Rose lady. I do not think I am going to get on with her very well."

    I hope I am more tactful than I was back then.

    Your blog is the best out there.

    Every Blessing in Christ

    Matthew

    By Blogger Matthew Celestine, at 9/26/2006 12:33 PM  

  • Hey Rose~
    Seeing you grow spiritually over the last year has been a blessing to me. I want to echo GC's comment and agree whole heartily with DF.

    I can only add thanks for redesigning my blog and teaching me a lot about html (did I pronounce that correctly html). Now I have to go, I have a post for my blog and a bathroom to finish...

    God bless you,
    Brother John

    By Blogger J. Wendell, at 9/26/2006 12:50 PM  

  • Rosie,

    I have nothing witty or charming to say.

    I am glad you are around. You are nice.

    Antonio

    By Blogger Antonio, at 9/26/2006 4:07 PM  

  • Gordon,
    You are so kind to say such. Renting to corpses? LOL!

    Matthew,
    I have seen you say that before about your thoughts during the discussion on Halloween. I hold these thoughts as very precious, considering how fast of friends we have become through the whole blogging exercise. You have become more tactful, IMHO.
    Thank you so much for the vote of confidence!

    John,
    You are welcome. Thanks for your patience as we have done this together. :~)

    Antonio,
    You don't need to be witty and charming all the time! Just your affirmation means a lot to me. God bless.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/26/2006 4:36 PM  

  • A very happy birthday!!! Congrats on reaching this milestone. I'm glad I found your blog, and I enjoy the discussions you have here.

    I participate a lot less than I would like to, and probably more than I should sometimes ;) but it is a blessing to read your posts.

    steve :)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/26/2006 6:35 PM  

  • If this year is better than last year I'll hate you guts!

    :( !!

    By Blogger Unknown, at 9/26/2006 6:50 PM  

  • Ooops... Happy Birthday to your amazing blog!

    But don't show off too much this year :D

    he he he

    By Blogger Unknown, at 9/26/2006 6:51 PM  

  • Happy Birthday. Delightful blog! My God continue to richly bless us all through you, and all the other friends you've brought together via this blog.

    By Blogger Earl Flask, at 9/26/2006 10:21 PM  

  • Steve,
    I am glad that you come around here. I have to find more time to explore some of the newer blogs (to me) that I have not spent a lot of time on - like yours! Thanks for your comment.

    Jodie,
    Me, show off? What would I be showing off ... my amazing knowledge of theology ... or my comrehensive grasp of historical Christianity? (neither of which I have) My wit? My good looks? My superior intellect? haha! Please! Your comments were a very nice compliment. Luv ya sister.

    Earl,
    Thanks so much for your kind words. You have been a blessing in the last year.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/27/2006 2:29 PM  

  • You are one of my favourite regular reads. Happy Birthday! That makes you 41 now, right?

    By Blogger Neil, at 9/27/2006 3:04 PM  

  • Congratulations Rose!

    You're a Better Blogger than Betty Botter who Bought a Bit of Better Butter....

    Thanks for the html help months ago....

    Keep up the good work.

    JRush

    By Blogger John R., at 9/27/2006 3:54 PM  

  • Hey bugblaster,
    That is very nice to know. Thank you. BTW - I love your choices for avatars. They are very spunky.

    John Rush,
    Is it really you? It is good to see you and read your humorous comment. I miss seeing your comments. I have noticed about two or maybe three on a couple of other blogs in the last 8 or 10 months, but not much here. I hope your family is well and that your church is doing fine. God bless you, brother!

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/29/2006 11:19 AM  

  • i am very confused . . .

    you quote Miles, free grace bloggers link to you, and you go to a church that a long time ago preached the "believe only/free grace/one true Gospel".

    But now it's a 5 Point Tulip/Lordship/Calvinist citadel of modified covenental theology.

    How can you worship there?

    How can you listen to the un-biblical gospel that is preached there?

    How can you fellowship and not reprove such things?

    Just wondering . . ..

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/30/2006 5:57 PM  

  • Happy Birthday!

    Ah yes I remember all those anonymous comments on Calvinism over at Doxo's blog and then watching you come out of your shell..Hey come to think of it we all kinda are coming out it in differant ways and forms. Hasn't this blogging been an interesting thing?

    I kind of swung back and forth on a pendulum while you gradually grew into this...well....a maybe budded into this Rose.

    I have learned much and grown much as well and your blog has contributed to that. Thanks so much. Congradulations and may you have many more blessed blog days ahead.

    By Blogger Bhedr, at 9/30/2006 5:58 PM  

  • Brian,
    Thanks a lot for the comment. It has been an interesting exercise and has helped my understanding of many things!

    Anonymous,
    Are you familiar with Emmanuel Baptist Church? It sounds like you may know something of our heritage. Here's the thing - you make statements about where we currently are that are not really solid. Our pastor is from the Master's Seminary, but he is not a covenant theologian at all. He is definately a dispensationalist. He is a 5 pointer, but he does not proclaim this from the pulpit every week. In fact, he has only said things once in a while that raised my eyebrow as a non-Calvinist and I HAVE indeed spoken to him on these, humbly. My husband and I do challenge on things that we feel are off, but the situation is not as stark as you have stated:

    a 5 Point Tulip/Lordship/Calvinist citadel of modified covenental theology

    In fact, you could look at our web page to see what we publicly stand for as a church, regardless of any one individaul's personal convictions.

    Check it out:
    My church's "statement of faith"

    My church's web presentation of "God's plan of salvation"

    Would it be right to leave a church just because there may be a small thing here or there that is questionable? I would rather stay and represent the school of thought that was originally there and still is. We do this in the spirit of Robert Ketcham. Do you know of him?

    We love our church that has been in fellowship for 107 years now with solid Biblical teaching. We love our pastor because of his expositional preaching. He is a strong pulpiteer. He has a great love of Biblical doctrine. We are not perfect, though, and neither is he or any memeber of our church.

    We do not think it is wise to throw the baby out with the bath water when it comes to the sweet fellowship of the saints. It would take a much more dramatic shift than this to cause us to leave!

    Why don't you tell me where you come across your information on our past and our current situation?

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/30/2006 10:03 PM  

  • Hi Rose~
    I like the restraint you used in dealing with your blog guest who himself claimed to be "very confused", I think that is quite apparent and perhaps a bit of an understatement.

    I would invite this person (that Jesus died for) to listen to any of the archived messages and state what exactly he preceives as unbiblical. Anyone can accsess them here I would urge this "very confused" person (that Jesus loves) to scroll down and download the messages entitled "The Day After Tomorrow".

    If the "very confused" person (that Jesus cares for tenderly) has any further doubt as to how you and the head of your house feel about CT, that one could read here. I do hope the "very confused" person may find some satisfaction and consider these wise words, Do We Have To Fight About This?

    In God's grace,
    Brother John

    1John 2:7

    By Blogger J. Wendell, at 9/30/2006 10:52 PM  

  • I am sure Emmanuel Baptist is better in theology than the church I go to.

    But then in the UK, there tends to be a bit less choice for sound churches.

    God Bless

    Matthew

    By Blogger Matthew Celestine, at 10/01/2006 10:31 AM  

  • I for one am thankful that both Rose and John do not see men like me who have a Calvinist perspective as being hopelessly lost and realize that we believe in Sola Fida but that we all must grow in the faith together. Yes there are issues that we must seperate over but the ol Arminian Calvinsism debate that Whitfield and Wesley debated over yet remained together for Christ sake produced some of the most blessed hymns ever written. Some Calvinists and Lordships would break fellowship with me and some free gracers would break fellowsip with Rose and John, but that is over the line. We must grow into one man in the faith on this.

    Wesley said of Whitfield when asked if he believed if he would see Whitfield in heaven after preaching his funeral something like, "No I do not expect to see him in heaven as he will be so much nearer the throne of grace."

    Wesley also said of Whitfield, "Can anything but love beget love."

    No one can deny though that in these debates that every(pardon me) stinking:-) time the blessed message of Sola Fida, Sola Christus, Sola Gratias, and Sola Deo Gloria is magnified above all things and it is wonderful to behold.

    Pardon my typos and mispellings:-)

    John and Rose I appreciate your heart for the Lord and you willingness to consider other views and testing them against scripture while also challenging with your own. I appreciate also the fact that John and Rose don't align completely together yet they are being nourished into one man by the mettle of Scripture and the love of our Lord.

    By Blogger Bhedr, at 10/01/2006 2:15 PM  

  • Brian,
    Thanks for your words of encouragement.

    Brother John

    By Blogger J. Wendell, at 10/02/2006 5:01 AM  

  • Yes, Brian, thanks. It is nice to read such things from you. You understand what I am saying.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 10/02/2006 9:12 AM  

  • Hi DF,
    Really?

    By Blogger Rose~, at 10/02/2006 9:13 AM  

  • Hey Rose, it's been a blast coming by and I look forward to continueing to do so.

    By Blogger Todd Saunders, at 10/02/2006 12:18 PM  

  • Your welcome guys. We're all in this crucible of Grace together.

    In fact our nation would never have become what it was unless the Civil War brought all things to a head in order to bring the country into a Union.

    I am ever still open to always believing that God works in mysterious ways and especially when I don't understand him.

    But you guys understand that much and I wish we all did...God is a mystery and I am so glad he is because there even remains so much to be discovered even when we behold Him for eternity.

    By Blogger Bhedr, at 10/02/2006 8:23 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

 

Who Links Here