What is your legacy? : 2013

This year is evidence of God's grace.

6:21 AM

Paul, the philosopher

11:47 PM

Paul, the apostle, the man who wrote most of the New Testament was a well educated man.

I've never actually stopped to think about this. Sure, he made tents - and I think we tend to stop there. Okay yeah, that's what he did. He killed believers, he made tents, he met Jesus, got saved, stopped killing believers, made tents, got put in prison, wrote a lot of letters, encouraged believers [that list isn't a timeline b.t.w.]. I think about those things, I don't stop and think about his education.

This man went to places of education and proclaimed Christ. - He reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market places every day (while in Athens at least). He conversed with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. (Acts 16)

I'll let an excerpt from Doug Wilson's essay "Intro to Antithesis in Education" take over from here:

"Paul was not unaware of Aristotelian philosophy. He had been well educated under Gamaliel, and demonstrated in his writings a thorough knowledge of Greek philosophy and culture. He knew the language (Acts 21:37), he knew their poets (Acts 17:28), he quoted Diogenes the Cynic (1 Tim 6:10), he knew their current philosophies (Acts 17:17), and he knew the thought of Aristotle. In short, Paul was well-trained in classical culture. But this did not gain him an entry into their circles. The only problem was that he was a classicist who would not play the game of autonomous and humanistic philosophers. He was a classicist who did not fit in well at the philosophy department at the University of Athens (Acts 17:18). They didn't think a lot of him, but then again, he was happy to return fire:
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, the wisdom of God, the world, through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:20-21).

But it is the next chapter that he deals with Aristotle:
But the natural man does not recieve the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14).

When modern Christians read the phrase natural man, they tend to think of unregenerate man at his worst-- the drug addict, the philanderer the alcoholic. But Paul is making an entirely different point. He is talking about unregenerate man at his best. The word natural here (psychikos) was a word that was coined by Aristotle, and was used by him to refer to a man at the peak of his form -- man the way he would look after he had completed a rigorous and "classical" education. This is the man, who, according to Paul, does not know God, cannot know God, and does not receive the things of the Spirit.

So we see in Paul a biblical classicist. He does not run away from classical culture, nor is he defeated or comprimised by it. Rather, he declares the lordship of Jesus Christ over it. He does not run away, he does not compromise He takes every thought captive to Jesus Christ. He uses his vast learning in the cause of the gospel (Acts 26:24)....

I'm an instagram junkie and it needs to stop.

5:35 AM

Aysie Doodle

4:34 AM

Marriage.

1:11 AM

Marriage. It ain't easy. But, it's edifying. It draws us nearer to Christ. Through it, I've learned more about the character of Father. I'm very much in love with my husband. Absolutely 100% in love with him. But, I sometimes fail to show this and show it well.

Before I met Seth, a previous guy during his break up speech told me that I needed a man, not a coward like himself (his words, not mine). I needed someone strong and I needed someone who could protect me and lead me well. I was so mad and confused when I heard those words from this one guy that I didn't really comprehend this guy's heart behind those words - and honestly, I didn't really want to. But later, as my emotions calmed down and I was able to think clearly, that became my prayer. For a man who could lead me Biblically. For a man who would love me like Jesus loves the church.

Seth isn't perfect. He loves me well when I don't love him well. When I had/have panic attacks, he holds me until I calm down. When I am in the deepest pit, sure he gets frustrated, but I know that most of that frustration stems from having a wife who is hurting. He's never leaving me. I know and understand this reality and I am thankful for it.

When I was younger I had lies spoken into my heart. I would never make a man happy. I would never have a good relationship with my husband. Because of these lies, I have struggled to love Seth well and be the wife God calls me to be.

Seth isn't the man that matches up to my list of "must haves" from high school... and that's because God knows my needs and my heart better than I do. I never thought I'd marry a man 18 inches taller than me. I never thought that one of my biggest struggles in my marriage would be that I can't really hug my husband "whenever I want" because of our height difference. I never thought I'd marry a man who will do anything to protect me and guard me and lead our family in the way Father would have us go.

We are two sinners, who mess up a LOT but standing on the foundation that is Christ, who, loves us, forgives us, and teaches us more and more about himself. Thankful for my marriage. Thankful for Seth. Thankful for Jesus. Thankful for Gospel Truth.

Friendship

5:33 AM

I'm thankful for friendship. True. Honest. None Judgment. Godly Rebuking. Friendship. And one of the blessings of being in Seattle, is that God is answering my prayer for friendship. Now, flying into Seattle, this was my prayer. That, we would find this. That our community would spur us on toward truth. That would call us out when we needed that, friends that wouldn't shy away from the truth of the gospel for the sake of well... self righteousness, pride, what have you. Now, I want to be careful when I say that because I think.. no, I know that I have had friends like this in the past... I don't want to communicate with you that Seattle is the land of true and good friends, because it's not. My understanding of the gospel has changed, so my heart toward friendship has changed. In the past, I had friends like this, but I 1. lacked maturity and 2. I didn't have the heart to know and understand the love behind some of those friendships because of the hurt of friendships past. OR those friends never were in the same place as me *cough* +Damaris Campos Well. anyway, prayer was answered...but not as I expected, because well, God is funny that way. We moved across the country. God changed my heart and understanding and love for the gospel in a way that I could have never imagined. He is maturing me in many different ways and I can truly say my ears were opened more and my eyes can see clearer...

Originally I thought, well, God will give me some amazing pacific north west friends, right? Well, he has. Our community group is solid. We are certainly family. I adore my coworker. God has used her to spur me on toward truth... she's honest with me and loving and there is no judgment, but there is that "I think you might be dealing with pride and may need to repent of that" conversations.

Also, as of late, I am completely blessed by a friend who I never knew before moving to Seattle, yet is from the same wonderful city of San Angelo. We know many of the same people. My dad knows their dad (father-in-law). I just can't put my head around how God worked this out. I love the road we both took across the country to work for the same church, having no idea the other existed. God completely placed this friendship together, and I'm blessed to have yet another friend who spurs me on toward truth - toward the gospel. That says, I think what you're dealing with is "self-righteousness" or "bitterness." (*etc). I'm thankful for the friends here - in community group, in kids min, at my job, my friendship with Loren- I"m thankful for the friends who direct me to look full in Father's face. <3 I could go on forever. I'm not even sure this makes complete sense. But that's that, my friends.

Sweet Reunions

4:59 AM

Report. Cards.

12:22 AM

I never thought I would say I was thankful for Report Cards and Parent Teacher conferences. Oh, but I am. I get to sit, drink coffee and reflect on how faithful Father has been to answer prayer requests. And THEN I get to sit with parents and talk about how God is working in the lives of their children - and we get to laugh and cry and relish in the power of the gospel. God is allowing me to see how amazing it is to get to witness the heart change and growth in these children. I get to sit and reflect on how the gospel has the power to change lives and redirect that natural bend we have toward sin, back toward the saving power and grace of Jesus Christ.

A year ago, I had no clue if I was going to be able to work in Seattle or even find a job. Those who followed and know the amazing story of how God literally picked me up off the ground and placed me into the classroom at SCCS know that none of this could have been possible without God. He wanted us here. He went before us. Seth and I cannot deny that God wants us in this city for a purpose.

If I were to tell you the overarching theme of this past year I would say: I have grown in the gospel through watching and participating in the gospel with a group of 7 year olds. So, I get this amazing opportunity to partner with their parents in building a foundation of 1. the love of the gospel and 2. the love of learning into the hearts and minds of these children. I get the chance to cry with a parent over a child's struggle with pride and confidence. And then, on the reverse side of that thought I absolutely love sitting with a parent and our eyes being opened to the realization that a child broken free from the chains of perfectionism and pride and confidence. I love that I have had the opportunity to spend time in prayer with parents for knowledge to direct their children to the arms of Jesus.

I recently gave a speech at our school's fundraiser. It expresses what is going on in my heart as I work on these report cards:

Yesterday, I planned to come and tell you tonight about a student, who I have seen grow tremendously in many different areas academically and spiritually, but before I explained all these areas in which she has grown, I decided it would be wise to pull this student aside to see if she realizes what God has done in her life this year.
So, during recess I asked her, “What have you learned the most this year?”
She looked straight at me and said, “I have grown in the gospel.”
I wasn’t even expecting that answer from an 8-year-old.
I asked her what that meant to her, and she said she understands more of who Jesus is.
So, we sat there and we started to dissect her year together.
Those times she felt lonely? God used his story to remind her that she is not alone. He is always with her.
Those times she had a bad attitude over an assignment she didn’t want to do? She remembered that Jesus revealed her selfishness and her need for a rescuer.
The time she got into a disagreement with a friend? We remembered together how God revealed her pride, and how God used that time to show her true humility and weakness. We remembered that Jesus walked through humiliation perfectly so that even when we succumb to our pride, we have his good reputation.
What about that time when she pretended she didn’t know how to do her math assignments just so she could get the attention of her teacher? The gospel even applied to this situation. We talked about the first lie that Satan told Adam and Eve—that God’s love wasn’t enough for them. He convinced them they needed more than God’s love.
But could she also see God working in the every day things? “What about at recess?” He provides rest and fun and laughter.
In math, as she practices her multiplication facts, she hears about how perfect God is.
In phonics she hears how creative God must be to give the letter e so many jobs. By simply adding an e to a word, all the sounds in a word can change!
As she says a chant about ants working underground, she hears Proverbs 6:6: “Go to the ant, you sluggard, remember his ways and be wise.”
Truth surrounds her.
As I stand back and see that this child has grown academically, she has grown in self-control, in love and good deeds, in maturity, I see the message of the gospel fully covering this child.

The Socratic Method, on which Classical Education stems, is based on the idea that that there is a truth, it can be known and it can be explained. The gospel is the only truth there is.
My hope and prayer is that every student who walks through Seattle Classical Christian School would see every situation they encounter through the lens of the truth that is the gospel.

Grace that brought me to the fold of God!!

10:29 PM

There's a fountain filled with blood.

7:45 PM

I live in Seattle.

When I began to write in this blog at 20 years of age, little did I know that I would 6 years later, live in Seattle. Do I work for the newspaper? no. Oh, then surely the news station? Uhm nope. I teach first grade. Wait what? I live in Seattle. I teach first grade. My husband and I live in Seattle. Husband. +Seth Chomout is my husband. Six years ago, I would have said I was never getting married - six years ago, I begged God to teach me what it means to love - I of course, probably thought it would be comfortable and fun and like a huge engulfing hug - while in the same breath I would write deep, graphic poetry that displayed dirtiness and forgiveness and it meant something to me, but still, wasn't reality - I didn't understand it.

Here's the deal. I didn't find my identity in Christ. I found it in my writing. I found it in the fact that I liked cool indie music, that I wore vans and that I had a nose ring before it was cool. I found it in the fact that I loved everyone and they could sin all the want, but they were still loved by me! I didn't understand redemption fully. I didn't understand true repentance. I knew the words of the gospel, but I didn't know its power. I didn't know and understand GRACE. There came a point in my journey to find out what it means to love that I felt as if the world had grabbed my heart, taken a hammer and smashed it to bits. Friends. It SUCKED.

If you click through the blog posts of Lara Chomout's (Johnson's) past, you'll see a tiny bit that hurt. You'll hear my tears dripping off the posts as I describe rocking back and forth in my tiny german closet sobbing. You'll hear me speaking through the prostitutes and the harlots of the bible and identifying with them - but do you really hear of the redemption of Christ? I stopped blogging. I stopped writing real posts, and instead I tried to ignore all thoughts and emotions. I couldn't identify what was going on in my heart, so instead I tried to put all my burdens on the shoulders of my sweet husband, instead of the shoulders of Christ, which is what he calls us to do.

So, that's what I want to say to you today. I have been redeemed. When Christ looks at me, he calls me His and sees no blemish, no spot, he doesn't see a whore, a prostitute, a sinner - he sees perfection.. and I don't deserve that. He carries my burdens. He picks up the pieces of my heart, dusts them off, places it back together.

Guys, Sometimes I still wear my vans. I still listen to Page France, The Fruit Bats, Alexi Murdoch and Bishop Allen serenade me as I drive through the rainy weather of Seattle. But. that's not what people see when they look at me anymore.

There is a fountain filled with blood
  Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains:
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
  That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
  Wash all my sins away:
And there may I, though vile as he,
  Wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
  Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed ones of God
  Be saved, to sin no more:
Till all the ransomed ones of God,
  Be saved to sin no more.

E'er since by faith I saw the stream
  Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
  And shall be till I die:
Redeeming love has been my theme,
  And shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
  Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
  I'll sing Thy power to save:
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
  I'll sing Thy power to save.

What is your legacy?

Pregnancy Post #3

Pregnancy update #2

Beauty of the Ballard Bridge.

I'm Pregnant!

Training

This year is evidence of God's grace.

People Pleaser

I.love.this.city.

Paul, the philosopher

I'm an instagram junkie and it needs to stop.

Aysie Doodle

Marriage.

Friendship

Sweet Reunions

Report. Cards.

Grace that brought me to the fold of God!!

There's a fountain filled with blood.

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