Book Review: The Hiding Place

by Corrie Ten Boom, 1971. The (true) story: A watchmaker and her family become involved with the Dutch underground during WWII and are eventually arrested.

I read this very interesting book at the recommendation of my sister-in-law. Everyone knows about WWII, but this is the first time I've ever considered domestic life in occupied Europe. The book has a lot of evil in it, but she doesn't go into many graphic details of the violence around her. (PG-13, suitable for a middle-schooler who is comfortable with the subject matter.)

To me the primary theme was Acts 5:29--we must obey God rather than men. It some situations it is impossible to avoid breaking a commandment. The characters struggle with this--especieally those who think they're fairly righteous.

The book has religious overtones. Corrie and her sister come to identify their sufferings with Christ's. The Ten Booms are devout Reformed Christians, but her book is not sectarian. In fact, while worshiping with other women in the concentration camp toward the end of the book, Corrie says she knows "that in darkness God's truth shines most clear." The truth the prisoners are seeing, despite different denominational traditions, is that we all come to God empty-handed and weak, and our only hope is for His mercy because of Jesus.

Issues Etc Two year anniversary

Sharing some of my favorite Issues Etc segments since their return.

How do you "get right with God"? If I think I have to do something for Him, it is like looking at a crucifix and saying, "That wasn't enough for me, Jesus." Thursday, January 7, 2010 (Pastor's Roundtable on Justification)--this is a heavy theological segment but it explains in detail how God has reconciled us to Himself.

Have you ever met a Christian who thinks she's doing well and doesn't struggle with sin anymore? Has someone looked down on you for needing forgiveness or wanting to come to the Lord's Supper?

In this segment Pastor Rottmann talks about our spiritual weakness.

Our own strength is worthless against sin. People who think they are being strong, resisting sin and doing good on their own, are probably puffed up with pride. God fills us when we are empty. 2 Corinthians 12:9--"My grace is sufficient for you.My power is made perfect in weakness." Jim Barton, my pastor in college taught about this verse often. Many college students feel weaker than they ever have--they struggle with grades or their major; they dealing with their own health problems; they hear of sickness or death in their families who are far away. He introduced us through Paul to life under the cross.

Change in the Church

http://issuesetc.org/2010/01/12/2387/

I like change. I like to go new places and try new things. I rarely cook the same meal twice. I adopt new technology. I even embrace new policies at work when everyone else is grumbling. But I have no use for a god that changes. I want a Rock, not shifting sand.

People who want to retain the historic Liturgy (aka Mass or Divine Service) are accused of fearing change. I do like to have variety in worship, but not "change."

In this segment, Pastor Lassman explores the ultimate implication of tearing down traditional worship and rebuilding with a new focus:

changing from

Gospel-centered worship (what Jesus has done for me)

to either

Law-centered worship (telling me what God wants me to do as someone He created--but if I'm honest I know I can't)

or

Seeker-centered worship (acknowledging and praising a Creator but not delivering the forgiveness, life, and salvation that are found in Christ alone).

How to make a mitered sampler blanket

1. Create a center. Use a rectangle about 3/4 as wide as it is long. (for example, 9" wide x 12" tall) for a standard blanket shape. Use a different shape if you'd like different afghan proportions (such as center square to build a square throw or baby blanket). Bind off on all edges.

2. Make mitered corners to begin strips

Version A--cast on 4st

Row 1 (RS): k1, (increase twice), k1

Row 2 (WS): k2,p4,k2

Row 3: k2, (increase twice), k2

Row 4: k2, p6, k2

Row 5: k3, (increase twice), k3

Row 6: k2, p8, k2

Continue increasing twice at or near the two center st in this manner.

Options for the increases: (k1-row below, k1) twice; kFB twice; (yo, k2, yo); if working a lace panel, work a k1 in place of a ssk or k2tog in pattern near the center line.

Version B--Cast on 3st.

Row 1 (RS): k1, (double increase), k1.

Row 2 (WS): k2, p2, k2

Row 3: k2, (double increase), k2.

Row 4: k2, p3, k2.

Row 5: k3, (double increase), k3

Row 6: k2, p5, k2

Continue adding a double increase in the center of the piece on each RS row in this manner. Options for the double increase include (k1, yo, k1) in one st; (yo, k1, yo); m1 on each side of center st

I begin working partial repeats of my pattern as soon as I have enough st.

• Allow 2 garter st, then begin the chart/pattern row at the right edge of the work.
• Skip any stitches that don't exist yet because you haven't gotten to the increases. Don't forget to increase twice on the RS rows.
• After you pass the center st, work the appropriate number of st on the left edge of work from the END of your chart/pattern. (This is easier for me with charted stitch patterns).

If you don't want to do this or are working a very narrow or complicated pattern, you can work in plain stockinette or garter st until you have enough st to work full pattern rows.

Increase until you have twice the number st needed for your pattern panel, plus 8st.

Arrange as follows:

2 garter st - (pattern) - 2 garter st - 2 garter st - (pattern) - 2 garter st.

(There is a selvedge of 2 garter st on either side of each pattern panel.)

3. Work strips

Divide at center. Proceed with pattern back and forth in rows. (k2, work across a right side pattern row, k2; stop at center and turn work; k2, work across a wrong side pattern row, k2.) Join a separate piece of yarn to remaining st another panel.

4. Assembly

Continue until each is panel is the appropriate length. (If working a rectangle, the panels will be different lengths to match the dimensions of the center.) Sew together. You may wish to lightly block panels before sewing, especially if the neighboring stitch patterns are very different in stretchiness (e.g. a lace next to a twist-stitch pattern). It is a good idea to sew as you go. It is hard to measure the width/length needed if you have many unconnected strips.

Repeat with more stitch patterns and colors. All following strips must be long enough to sew to the rectangle plus the previous pattern strip.

When blanket is desired size, add an edging or fringe if desired around entire outside, or just leave as is.

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Originally I was going to work each strip to the piece before it in the manner an edging is joined to a blanket or shawl as it is knitted. I ran into some gauge disasters.

The afghan I am making is for DSTwin. He declared that mitered corners are cooler than lapped corners, so this is not a true log cabin design. I think having two matching sides meeting in the corners gives a neatly layered frame effect and keeps the sampler from becoming too random. The strip construction also makes it portable.