Monday, June 30, 2008

Is that Muslim?!

Posted by Kenneth

On the pick guard of my guitar I have two stickers that people usually think is some sort symbol of Islam. Which is interesting because the only "public" place I bring my guitar out is in church or at a bible study to lead worship. Anyway, the stickers on the guitar are a Palmetto tree and a crescent. These represent the South Carolina (my home state) state flag...NOT Islam!

The Palmetto tree on the flag is a tribute to the palmetto logs that were used to build Ft. Moultrie in the Revolutionary War, which withstood bombardment by British warships quite well (palmetto is a soft wood and the cannon balls were pretty much absorbed). The crescent is thought to be a piece of armor worn around the neck called a gorget.



Kenneth's Big 3-0







Posted by Rebecca




This past Thursday June 26th was Kenneth's 30th birthday! The big 3-0!!! We had a ton of fun. First he and I went to Charles Towne Landing in Charleston, because Kenneth loves history. It is the place where the first settlers landed in 1607. There is a visitors center with a museum, and a trail that takes you around the landing with remains of old houses and archaeological digs. There was also a little zoo with animals that were in the area when the settlers first arrived.


Then we went to downtown Charleston and went to the market to do some shopping. The buildings that are now the modern day market, were used as the slave markets hundreds of years ago.


We went to the famous Hymans Seafood restaurant for dinner with some of his family. We ate a ton, and really enjoyed ourselves. Afterwards, we came back to his older sister Jenny and her husband Blaine's house and had a Narf tournament. (Kenneth's favorite card game)


Overall, We had ton of food, and a ton of fun on Kenneth's 30th birthday!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The "Stonewall" Calvinist.


Posted by Kenneth

Well, ever since we’ve been in South Carolina we’ve been surrounded by history. Anytime we drive somewhere we drive by 300 year old houses, Revolutionary War battlefields, War Between the States (Civil War) battlefields, cemeteries, old churches …and the list goes on and on. One thing is sure, South Carolina is steeped in early American history.
All this history has been very intriguing to me. As I try to discern Biblical ethics in the wars, politics, culture, and church of our own day and age, I am curious how the earlier Americans dealt with these same issues in their age. I mean, how did born again Christians deal with the issues involved with the War Between the States? Was it a “just war”? Is there even such a thing as a just war? Were all slave owners brutal bigots? Were any slave owners even born again? Did all the slaves hate their masters and living conditions? How did the believing slaves endure through slavery? Was the war even about slavery? Or the Great Awakening before the Revolution, how did that effect the culture of New England? Was religious freedom worth going to war for? What did evangelism look like during these times?… and so on.
Well, the best way to get these kind of questions answered is to read about the people involved. So, that’s what I have begun to do. My first book was a biography on the Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson written by Bronwyn Mills. My aim in this blog is to not tell you everything I learned about something or someone, but just some interesting things that I think are note-worthy.
The reason I chose Stonewall is because of a painting of him in my parents house called “ The Prayer Warrior”. Stonewall Jackson was a brilliant General for the South during the War. General Jackson and Robert E. Lee were a much feared duo in the Virginia/Maryland area during the first two thirds of the War. For the most part they maintained a defensive stance. Squashing every attempt of invasion the North made. Thomas J. Jackson received the nickname “Stonewall” during the battle of Bull Run when another general, General Bernard Bee, was rallying his retreating men. When Bee spotted Jackson and his men bravely holding their position he shouted “ Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!”. The South went on to win the battle. Bee died in that battle.
Probably the most interesting thing I learned about Stonewall was that he was a Reformed (Calvinist) Presbyterian who leaned strongly on the sovereignty and providence of God. He was a feared warrior on the battlefield and a hard-charging general in camp, yet he was greatly loved by his men. They knew him to be a man of prayer. He was even regularly seen praying during battles. He would frequently lead groups of his soldiers in prayer. While he and his men camped they would have tent revivals and many would be born again.Concerning Jackson's views on slavery his wife Anna said that he,"found the institution a responsible and troublesome one, and have heard him say that he would prefer to see the Negroes free, but he...accepted slavery, as it existed in the South, not as a thing desirable in itself, but as allowed by Providence for ends which it was not his business to determine."
On May 2nd 1863, while on a scouting mission with his officers, Stonewall Jackson was shot in his left arm by confederate troops who mistook them for union soldiers. His arm had to be amputated. General Robert E. Lee said this famous line while Jackson was out of commission, “He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right arm”. On May 10th 1863 General Stonewall Jackson died.
Many speculate that had he not died the War Between the States may have ended differently… we’ll never know. Here are some quotes by him and about him…




At the dedication of a statue erected in honor of Stonewall shortly after the war the preacher prayed, " When in Thine inscrutable decree it was ordained that the Confederacy should fail, it became necessary for Thee to remove Thy servant Stonewall Jackson...".




The Sovereign decrees of God comforted and emboldened Jackson.


"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me." He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: "That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave"




General Jackson on his death bed.


"I see from the number of physicians that you think my condition dangerous, but I thank God, if it is His will, that I am ready to go."




Stonewall's Last words.


"Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees ..."



This mans life was saturated in the sovereignty of God. I am encouraged by his strong testimony to be ready for the day the King has decreed when my life here will end. I pray that I will not waste my life but that the Lord will embolden me to be a radical risk taker, wise strategist, enemy discerner, prayerful encourager, and a biblical minded soldier on this spiritual battlefield we call earth.




Friday, June 20, 2008

Music Recommendation!


I STRONGLY recommend Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt's new album "In Christ Alone". If anyone knows my musical taste...then you kind of know what to expect...really good vocals and music! There is very strong lyrical content on this album, mostly do to the fact that half the songs on the album are hymns. I love this album. You can get it on iTunes.

Kenneth

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Life as a Vapor



You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14

John Piper writes,

The Son of God is not a vapor. He is solid reality, with no beginning and no ending. His name is Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday and today and forever. He looked His disciples in the eye and said without irony or exaggeration, “Before Abraham was, I Am.”

But what about us? Once we were not, and now we exist? Humans come into being. For how long? Forever. Either in heaven or in hell. There is no going out of existence. For that would not be joy for those who love God nor punishment for those who don’t.

You exist forever. There is no use protesting that you did not ask to exist and would like not to. That is not an option. You and God are both in the universe to stay- either as friends on His terms, or enemies. Which it will be is proven in this life. And this life is a vapor. Two seconds, and we will be gone- to heaven or to hell. “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone” (Psalm 103:15-16).


Jesus Christ came into this world- this fleeting, fallen, fickle world- and did the greatest thing that will ever be done. As the perfect Son of God, He died in our place, absorbed the wrath of God, paid the penalty for sin, provided the righteousness of the law, and rose invincible from the dead- all in a vapor’s life of thirty-three years. Because of that, we have something firm to grasp. “Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:7-8). The gospel is firm and lasts forever.

Friday, June 13, 2008

First Blog Ever!!!


Hey! Thanks for visiting The Padgett Post! This is Kenneth writing the first blog on this here thing. Rebecca (my wonderful wife), and I are currently in South Carolina at my parents house for the summer. We will be heading up to Kentucky in August so that I can attend Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. We are pretty excited about that. It will probably take three to four years. We will be updating this blog frequently with personal jabber about whatever is new in our lives...or about whatever we want to write about. We will (hopefully) also post our thoughts on the books we are reading, things that we are learning in the Bible, and whatever ever else we think will be necessary for edification(building up). So check this blog regularly if you want...we hope you do.