Reintro into Blogosphere

It has been 10 months since my last post. Wow. Although my reasons may not seem convincing, let me explain. On September 10, 2010, my son—David Benjamin Tarter—was born. He has been a blessing in so many respects, but has surely hindered the blogging category of life.

In addition to David, I was entering the last semester of undergrad studies, working part-time, competing in the final season of my football career, and eventually moving from Minneapolis to Punta Gorda, Florida where we now reside. Life was busy and blogging became a non-essential (see my wife’s wonderful blog for all that has occurred in our life lately). Nevertheless, it has not left my mind and I have been perpetually creating ideas for future posts—this being the first.

From here on out, I intend to post once a week…please note the term intend. I will strive for discipline in the midst of controlled chaos, but would not bet my son’s life on it.

That being said, I thought it would be fitting to jot down some convictions impressed upon me during our stay in the Twin Cities:

1) I am NOT “God’s gift” to my wife, the church, or anyone.
2) I am very incompetent in so many ways.
3) I am quite thankful that God uses the weak things of the world for his glory.
4) My wife is very competent in many ways—and there are storehouses of knowledge that I can gain from listening to her.
5) God is the gracious benefactor of all good things, and I am a lowly beneficiary of his grace. I have nothing to give the Lord God Almighty. I simply receive that which he freely gives—this is the essence of Gospel reception.
6) Worship is not truly worship if one does not engage their mind along with their heart in praise and adoration. We are called to take part in the kingdom that worships in “spirit and in truth.”
7) In D.A. Carson’s words, “A text without a context is a pretext for a proof-text.” All of scripture must be read in context—in both the immediate and holistic sense.
8) The Bible is not a topical religious resource, or a mystical self-help book, but the revelation of who he is in all his glory, culminating in the person of Jesus Christ.
9) Any education or knowledge one might gain that is never tied back to God is ultimately superficial. This includes math, science, economics, etc.
10) Being with God in perfect fellowship forever is the “good news” of the Gospel; i.e. God is the Gospel, and heaven is not heaven without God.

This list is surely not exhaustive, but I think it shows the core of what God has done in my heart and mind these past 3 years.