Today, September 15th, we received our copy of Every Thought Captive. In it, Laurn wrote an artical about our time in Virginia and the things we learned. It is a wonderful artical and I wanted to share it. Hope you enjoy it.
June 26th marked the beginning of another couples camp in Mendota, Virginia. My wife and I own a mini- farm in Ridgefield, Washington. Amongst other things, we raise cows, chickens, a golden retriever, a few farm cats, kids and tomatoes. God has seen fit, in his kind providence, to bless us with seven children ranging from 15 years to 9 months. We got word through our dear friends the Seiferts (couples camp alumni) that it was the place to be, so we decided to make the long and arduous trip. The east coast, we were soon to discover, seemed to be an entirely different planet. While we have been conditioned, on the west coast, to live fast paced, drive euro designed cars, live in homes that resemble a Cabela’s store, and spend half our salaries on lattes, such is not the case in Mendota. Imagine our dismay to find only one Starbucks location in the entire county. It seemed as though the culture in Virginia simply didn’t care about such things. It was here, on this remote side of the moon, that we began to triage our life. With the few short years we have been given here on this earth, what really matters. What engagements lend themselves to dominion taking and kingdom advancement?
Camp officially began with a discussion about breakfast cereal. You know, how it was consumed, why it was consumed and if the little marshmallow goodies were left for the last or not. With the ice broken, we then moved to the central theme, the kingdom of God. We were fascinated with the basics, the essentials. As we live our lives, the basic assumptions, the things we pre-suppose, often go unremembered. It was revitalizing to hear them once again. RC spoken of covenant life, the nature of the Kingdom of God, how we need to apply ourselves to believe the promises of the covenant and live our lives accordingly, the God appointed roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives, the unique example of Federal headship and submission displayed for us in the trinity. Question and answer time evoked a parade of topics, ranging from the problem of evil (why does evil exist in a benevolent, omnipotent Gods world?) to the proper place of older daughters (in or outside the home). We loved the fact that all this was taking place in the basement of the Sproul home. There was something familial about it. Something that resembled the life of the covenant. You never quite know a man until you see his children. The sproul children were indeed a delight to us and a constant reminder of our little olive plants back home. Their smiles and obvious joy spoke volumes. Denise seemed always ready with delicious food (especially the pasta) and a willing hospitality that brightened our time there. All this against the backdrop of RC’s bout with a kidney stone. I now knew the man.
I would be remise if I didn’t mention anything about the covenant community there at St. Peter. The few days we spent with the folks in Virginia began with a dance and ended with a baptismal feast. Our evenings were spent watching the fire flies wink in the trees while mulling over the virtues of good Virginia burly. Our hosts were the Murphy’s of Brumley Gap. What a testament they were to us of the sovereignty of God, and a window into a God honoring home. It has been said that ideas have consequences. We watched those consequences played out before us in a way that left no doubt of the worldview behind them. Thank you once again Steve and Kara.
The Lords day worship had all the familiar liturgy of home. We sang Psalms of assent, heard the word of God expounded, feasted on the life of Christ at his table, and exalted our father corporately, as the body of Christ, in the baptism of a covenant child. We were moved at the pastoral display. When the infant was marked, Lawrence wept.
Truly, I could wax on and on about the rich theology gleaned in our time there, the practical counsel we received, the experience of life with the people, getting to know Dante Tremaine, but in the end, all I really want to talk about is my beloved wife. After all, this was couples camp. Psalm 128:3-4 states “your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.” With hope renewed, vigor restored, and headship in tact, my prayer is that I will love my wife as Christ loves the church. That as the father has given to the son a dominion, laws and authority, that I will bestow the same upon my bride. That she will be to me as a treasure of great worth, to be cherished, nurtured, invested in and protected. That I will be to her a prophet, priest and king, so that on that day, on that day of days, I will not be found wanting.
Laurn just could not resist giving the kids their Christmas gift so that they could play in the snow with it. They have been having a blast. In fact last night (22nd) it came in handy. My parents decided to come down early and parked at our neighbors so we used the quad to transport their entire car load of gifts, luggage, and food for their 4 day stay. It was fun. Just as we were pulling out of our driveway, 6 snowmobiles flew past us down Carty road. What a site. The locals here (from Reidikes) say they have not seen this much snow since 1979. Here are a few fun pictures. More will follow of the kids on the quad.
