A bit more orderly...

I am for sure not known as an "organized person."  But it was high time to do something here. 

So, now I will be posting the following kind of stuff on a side blog: 

1. Wayne Grudem's systematic theology

2. A deeper look at some Swedish worship songs

3. Updates and what I've learned from church services, Bible studies, etc.

4. Bible memorization progress.

5. Related books and articles that are challenging and encouraging in my walk with the Lord.

You can go see it here:  http://troendeibergsjon.blogspot.se/

The latest two blog entries are about Bible memorization and my slow but sure reading of Wayne Grudem's systematic theology. 

Enjoy! 

Wayne Grudem

I am not teaching anything here, but rather just summarizing the words of Wayne Grudem's book, Systematic Theology.

This is a heck of a book, almost 1,300 pages long.  And I am somewhere around page 75 now.

But it is exciting to get a stable foothold of how to look at all aspects of the Bible in a better way!

Here is where you can find the previous sections I have written:

Part 1: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/05/book-reviewsystematic-theology.html

Part 2: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/05/book-review-part-two-grudems-systematic.html

Part 3: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/05/book-review-wayne-grudem-part-3.html

Part 4: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/11/book-review-wayne-grudem-part-4.html

Part 5: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/11/systematic-theology-review-part-5.html

Part 6: http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2012/11/systematic-theology-review-part-6-see.html

Part 7:  

Anki update

Let's start with something that I have been really enjoying.

Anki!

(You can read the original blog here:
 http://www.andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2013/01/its-you-anki.html)

Well, January has just finished, and here are the verses that I have had a total joy to memorize.  It's working, and it is fantastic to have the word of God filling my thoughts.

And before you start thinking, "well good for you,"  this is not my attempt to boast.  But rather to encourage others that this idiot over here who has never been able to memorize scripture can by the grace of God, enjoy his word, and you can too!

1 Samuel 16:7 / But the Lord said to Samuel, b“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his  stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward  appearance, cbut the Lord looks on the heart.”

1 Samuel 2:2 / “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like  our God.

2 Corinthians 4:18 / as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For  the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Timothy 1:7 / For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 3:16 / All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for  correction, and for training in righteousness.

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.   / Psalm 90:14

Eph.5.15-16 / Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the  time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 2:8,9 / For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not a result of works,  so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 3:20-21 / Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,  according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout  all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Exod.15.2 / The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God,  and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Gen.1.28 / And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and   subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every  living thing that moves on the earth."

Hebrews 10:25 / not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another,  and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Isa.53.6 / All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD  has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

John 10:10 / The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 14:6 / Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father  except through me."

John 15:13 / Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 1:1 / In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2-3 / He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was  not any thing made that was made.

Joshua 22:5 / Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant  of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his  commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Joshua 24:15 /  And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will  serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites  in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my   house, we will serve the LORD.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 / The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end ; they are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness.

Luke 19:10 / For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Matt.16.24 / Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take   up his cross and follow me."

Matthew 10:2-4 / And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits,  to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are  these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John  his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus,  and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Micah 6:8 / He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? But to do  justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

Proverbs 29:17 / Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

Ps.103.12 / As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Ps.139.16 / Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the  days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 118:24 / This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 4:8 / In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Romans 12: 11-12 / Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be  patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 3:23 / for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 / For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our  Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 / For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, neither things present   nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to  separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 John 1:9 / If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all  unrighteousness.

It's you, Anki!

(this is NOT an advertisement, but when you find something good, you should share it, right?)

I have spent a good chunk of time laughing at my husband as he sits (seemingly) endlessly clicking his way through his daily portion of Anki.

And now I am seeing the light and joining in!

Aren't you curious what Anki is?! 

http://ankisrs.net/index.html

So here's the deal.  Anki is a program for computers and smart phones, that lets you make and sift through flash cards.  Sounds simple, right?

As you go through each card, you decide whether you need to repeat the card or have already got it down pat...and it will act accordingly and either increase or decrease that card's amount of repeating.

I am a terrible memorizer, but this has really helped me in my 2013 goal to memorize a lot more scripture!

Praise the Lord for his word, which gives us life.....

And thank you Lord for programs like Anki.

Now, are you ready to join me and memorize scripture together?

Do I dare?

While my parents were visiting for Christmas, my dad shared in our church, and once again I heard him say (as I have heard many many times from him) how important scripture memory is.

And this time I want to really do something about it.

1 verse a day, 365 days.....

This will include some verses that I "know" but may not know well, or don't know the chapter or verse.

Please feel free to comment with some verses you think I should memorize this year!

Can I do it?!  Don't know but it is worth a try!

Here are the verses from week one:

Psalm 90:14

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

2 Corinthians 4:18
as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

  

Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8,9For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not a result of works,  so that no one may boast.

Olof and Hanna's wedding!

When my now-husband Daniel was dating me, he invited me to come to Sweden to meet his family. 

I also got to meet a lot of his friends and try to find out if Daniel really was the great guy he seemed to be (yes, he IS). 

One of Daniel's first friends that I got to meet was a sun-browned blond haired guy wearing jeans shorts that were rolled up (let's just say that was not a typical American trend), who took us out flying over Varberg in a  3 person airplane! We had to pick him up because he didnt have his own car to get there....(and still doesnt). 

And that is the Olof that just got married last week...Congratulations, Olof and Hanna!

Both of their fathers, who are Lutheran priests,  shared in leading the service.  

A few memorable bits from the wedding...

Olof shouting his "I DO!", and Hanna sweetly tearfully answering with her vows. 

Several sweet harmonious songs, including a Keith Green song I have never heard in Swedish before. 

A very cold hip hip hurrah out on the church steps followed by some glogg (cider) to warm up with. 

I don't know if they forgot or chose not to do it, but there was no "you may kiss the bride" moment...

Notice here, Hanna's little crown that was pinned in her hair...very sweet and very Swedish?

It's cold but they are both so happy!

Ha, at least this couple has some common sense.  Last week at Gothenburg's amusement park  Liseberg, we saw a bride walking around with a strapless dress and no jacket in below freezing weather!  

Nice matching scarves...

My sweet husband being blocked by the apple cider bottle.  It was a luxury for us to be out without the kiddos, and we enjoyed it!

And then comes the food, skits, speeches, and even some dancing!

Everyone is busy reading the wedding booklets....something that America should start doing...it is a really cool habit!

Apparently Hanna's family are big board game kind of people, so the bride and groom got to play a life sized board game with each of the guests as the spaces to move around on...it was fun to see them both creatively cheat to try to get to the finish line first. 

And just in case the food was not enough, there was a huge table of cakes, which i think were made by various relatives.  That is also a cool tradition that America needs to consider!

Not just one little bride and groom statue, but four!

 Olof and Hanna, if you read this, thanks for letting us come to your wedding!  What a wonderful evening, and we wish you a lifetime of serving and loving God and each other!

In summary, some things that are cool/unique about Swedish weddings:
The wedding booklet
The family made cakes
cool flowers in the hair
lots of funny skits
(this wedding even had a little book in each toilet stall for guests to sign their "well wishes")
The fact that often the waitresses and waiters are volunteer friends who then usually get others to repay the favor when their own family members get married.
When the bride goes out of the room all the single girls are allowed to come and kiss the groom (usually on the cheek), and vice versa.

Gingerbread men and houses

Swedish people take their Christmas gingerbread very seriously.  

(I haven't found Molasses anywhere here, and their little g.men and women are usually thin and crispy, so there are some big differences from American gingerbread!)

 The family gets together (as much as is possible), heaps of dough are made and at the ready, and off we go.

Lydia is finally old enough to enjoy making shapes, seeing the process, and eating enormous amounts of gingerbread cookies...

 Markus, not quite ready to help.  He spent most of his time being dressed up in his sister's apron and hair cover, chewing on the plastic cookie cutters and rolling pins, and being cute.

 And then we discovered this beauty...Ikea makes and sells plenty of furniture that you have to assemble yourself, but did you know that they sell gingerbread kits with a great step by step assembly book!  I was NOT disappointed.

Here's a step by step glance of our house building...

1.  Make sure all the pieces are there!  *I wonder if Ikea would give us a free replacement door or roof if one piece was missing like they do with real furniture?*

2.  Get the "goods" and don't eat them yet!

 3.  BE VERY CAREFUL....I have never seen this in America but it works great!  Melted sugar is a much better cement than icing, and works almost immediately.  No more waiting three hours for the walls and roof to "dry" together.  But on the other hand, hot melted sugar burns can really hurt.

 Here is the assembled kit.  Hands are unburnt, house is stuck together better than crazy glue, and here we go!

 My sweet Mother in law Monica was also doing a house...and Lydia ran back and forth helping both of us.

Green?  Bold choice for a roof...is it gonna work out?

 Markus wants to help with the icing process...ha, no way!

 Lydia is delighted to get a piece of broken candy cane....

 And here's the final result! Lydia and Markus spelled out with black licorice...

And here is Farmor's sweet house...which looked much sweeter with a layer of fresh snow all around and some little people standing outside.

And we are still trying to eat up the last bits of gingerbread men.  I am confident Lydia is up for the job. 

Christmas 2012

Where to start!?  This was a full and FUN Christmas!

Blogs are like plants...they seem to get a little wilty when they are neglected, and man they need regular care!

But the care is worthwhile as they bloom (i.e. share our lives with those few people who read this blog. )

    This Christmas, my parents came to visit, and it as a sweet time!

This is Lydia's new skill, "over-cheesing".  We're working on it....

We spent half of the time in big old Gothenburg, and half of the time in Horred, a wee little town in the countryside.  And when you are in the countryside, you have time and space to make stuff like this:

Jonas is helping Lydia with some finishing touches....

More to come....

Julsånger : Swedish Christmas songs!

Let's look at some famous Swedish Christmas songs, starting with "Nu tändas tusen juleljus."

(Here is what wikipedia has to say about it in English).

Let´s start with the text.  Here´s a summary.

Thousands of Christmas candles are lighting up houses during the Christmas season.   And with those lights comes the good news that our Lord Jesus Christ is born, and he is our savior and God.
The star over Bethlehem, may its gentle light shine in with hope and peace to every house and home.
In every dark and poor heart, send a gentle beam of Gods love light in just this Christmas.

I am not real sure what Emmy Köhler was going for, but if this was a prayer that every family that celebrates Christmas would really and truly understand Jesus as their savior and God, then I give a resounding AMEN.
If she is pointing to the merciful gift of Jesus as our savior that can penetrate the poorest and darkest person, then I say Amen!

I would love to hear more about what this song is all about....because especially when I have kids now, I want to know more about what it is I am teaching them!!

Nu tändas tusen juleljus
på jordens mörka rund,
och tusen, tusen stråla ock
på himlens djupblå grund.

Och över stad och land i kväll
går julens glada bud,
att född är Herren Jesus Krist,
vår Frälsare och Gud.

Du stjärna över Betlehem,
o, låt ditt milda ljus
få lysa in med hopp och frid
i varje hem och hus!

I varje hjärta armt och mörkt
sänd du en stråle blid,
en stråle av Guds kärleks ljus
i signad juletid!

stadsmuseet : The city museum

The city museum in Gothenburg just made themselves MUUUCH more child friendly, with a whole section for kids to explore, touch, climb on, and play in! And it was a gem!

Among other things was this sweet little cafe where the kids could pretend they were working as waitresses and "sell" pastries and coffee.  Lydia was very busy there, and even Markus (crawling front and center in the picture) enjoyed it.  Other highlights?  A ton of blocks that look like they are wood blocks, but are actually some kind of foam that kids can build to their hearts delight with....also a bunch of magnetic words specialized to Gothenburg that the kids (who can read) can make funny sentences with...a really old fashioned street-car that the kids can pretend to drive and watch black and white  footage of how it was to drive in the old days with horses and buggies zooming around...

All that, and it is smack in the middle of the city, within walking distance to brunnsparken metro stop.  We are going there AGAIN!!

Santa hijacked Christmas and I don't like it one bit!

Sure, there is always something for somebody to complain about.  But this is a worthwhile rant here.  A few reasons why I am sad that Santa Claus has overtaken Jesus in the bid for Christmas day celebrations:

1.   I bet the person who inspired the present day Santa Claus, whatever kind of "saint" or nice person he was, would be horrified to see how his "fame" has managed to almost totally remove Jesus' birthday from the public celebrations of Christmas.  I might not agree with what the original "St. Nicholas" stood for, but I sure don't think he wanted to take Jesus' place in fame and focus!

Scott Ingram's book, "Greek Immigrants," says the following: 

"Saint Nicholas The original Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, was a 

Greek born in Turkey in the fourth century. He was very religious 

from an early age and devoted his life to Christianity."

2. Many of my Muslim friends that I have asked (especially when I lived in the Arab world) could only name Santa Claus when asked what Christmas is all about.  And that is just sad.  

Muslims also actually believe in Jesus miraculous virgin birth, so although they do not celebrate Christmas as a holiday, they usually do not have anything against us Christians celebrating that Jesus was born.  

3.  Both in America and in Sweden, being able to publically celebrate Jesus' birth has been continually suppressed.  At a playgroup today (sponsored by the Swedish government), there was a lot of focus on tomten (swedish santa equivalent), and ZERO speaking or notice about Jesus.  I have not asked the teachers yet, but just walked away from the morning really sad that THIS is what we are teaching our kids.  

4.  Singing a Christmas song does not mean you are forcing anyone to believe what it says, it just means that if it is called CHRISTmas, then remember that it is really a holiday for CHRIST and not Santa. 

5.  All the focus on christmas presents (and what is Santa giving you, blah blah blah), simply serves to add to the selfishness and busyness of the season, and takes away from the quality time to focus on advent (i.e. waiting and expecting for Jesus' birth). 

Lydia already knows that Santa Claus is not real, that is it her parents that give her gifts, and that those gifts echo the gifts that the wisemen gave Jesus, because this whole thing is to celebrate ONE thing only, that Jesus was born.   And she is 3.  And she gets it.  And it is just fine with her. 

Isaiah 9:6, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Det är alltid någonting som någon kan klaga på, men det har är värd att prata om!
Här är några orsaker varför jag är ledsen att tomten här kidnappat Jul och Jesus plats i den högtiden. 

1.  Jag är sakert att den person som inspirerade idags jultomten, oavsett om han var en helgon eller snäll manniskor, skulle var upprörd att ser hur hans popularitiet har lyckats nästan ta bort Jesu födelsedag från de offentliga firandet av julen. Jag kanske inte håller med om vad den ursprungliga Sänkt Nicholas stod för men jag tror säker INTE att han ville ta Jesu plats i berömmelse och fokus!

Scott Ingram bok, "grekiska invandrare", säger följande:

"Den ursprungliga jultomten, Sankt Nikolaus, var en

Grekiska född i Turkiet i det fjärde århundradet. Han var mycket religiös

från tidig ålder och ägnade sitt liv åt kristendomen. "

2. Många av mina muslimska vänner som jag har frågat om vad julen handlar om, (speciellt när jag bodde i arabvärlden) kunde bara nämna jultomten. Och det är bara sorgligt.

Muslimer faktiskt också tro på Jesus mirakulöst jungfrufödseln, så även om de inte fira jul som en högtid, de (i min erfarenhet  inte har något emot oss kristna firar att Jesus föddes.

3. Både i USA och i Sverige, att kunna offentligt fira Jesu födelse har kontinualt undertrycks. Vid en lekgruppen idag (sponsrad av den svenska regeringen), fanns det en hel del fokus på jultomten och noll prat, sång, eller fokus om Jesus. Jag har inte frågat lärarna ännu, men bara gick ifrån den morgonen verkligen sorgligt att detta är vad vi lär våra barn.  Vi vill heller lära de en lugn än sanningen av vad en högtid betyder. 

4. Att sjunger en julsång betyder inte att du tvingar någon att tro på vad den säger, det betyder bara att om det kallas julen, så kom ihåg att det verkligen är en helgdag för Kristus och inte jultomten.

5. Allt fokus på julklappar (och vad Santa ger dig, bla bla bla), helt enkelt tjänar till att lägga till själviskhet och om alla kontakter av säsongen, och tar avstånd från den kvalitetstid att fokusera på advent (dvs. väntar och förväntningar på Jesus födelse). Jag är inte emot julgåvor, men de ska har sin plats, och inte huvudplats.

Lydia redan vet att jultomten inte är verklig,  att det är föräldrarna (och familjen) som ger henne gåvor, och att dessa gåvor kopiera de originala gåvor som vismännen gav Jesus, eftersom det hela meningen av jul är att fira en sak bara, att Jesus föddes. Och hon är 3. Och hon fattar det. Varför fattar världen inte det?

Jes 9:6,  Ty ett barn blir oss fött, en son blir oss given. 
På hans axlar vilar herradömet, och hans namn är: 
Under, Rådgivare, Mäktig Gud, Evig Fader, Fridsfurste.