Saturday, December 20, 2008



Merry Christmas! Once again we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior from our sin, Jesus Christ.

Two thousand eight has brought many opportunities for us to grow in the Grace and knowledge of God and we are very grateful! Kyle was given the priviledge and responsiblity of serving God through ministering to the youth of our church, has decided to further his education at Western Reformed Seminary, and has continued to lead our family as loving husband, father, and wrestling coach to Gunnar. We have all adjusted to our new hometown of Port Orchard and love our home and neighbors! God is so good to us!

Paige is at home raising Gunnar, our busy eighteen month old who has learned to communicate to us through sign language, and who loves to "play" his imaginary guitar. He loves to throw balls, "read" books, and push cars off the table so they "crash." He is all boy and loves the attention he receives from Mama, Dada, and the countless babysitters we have from church. We are persuing to train him up so that he might trust and obey God and be a humble servant who will love Him and His Word. Along with working at home, Paige loves helping out the church, visiting family and friends, and finding excuses to get lunch at Costco.

All in all, God has blessed us with wonderful family, friends in the faith, and opportunities to go beyond our comforts and trust the Lord in all things. What joy we have in serving the Sovereign God who cares for us and who became a helpless baby, so that we might be able to humbly worship Him. As we put up our tree, hang ornaments, and wrap presents, we are more aware every year that our traditions may have the capacity to edify our relationships, but ultimately can not awaken our hearts to the awe and worship of our King. Only God can give such a gift!
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.

May the Prince of Peace reign in all our hearts this Christmas, and give Him glory!

Thursday, December 11, 2008


So I just now figured out how to put a picture in the middle of the blog....wow, I am stupid. Here is a picture of us in August, trust me I have many more updated ones, however I will wait until after Christmas to put more on.

Kyle just finished his Greek final today and thinks he did well. Gunnar is really communicating well with his sign language, and is quite the crack up. He loves to yell "mama!" and then wait until I look at him to literally pretend to crack up like an adult. He hangs out with too many old people! His latest new "gig" is to pretend like he is playing the guitar when a song with a beat plays. His favorite to rock to is track 6 on our Enfield CD. He LOVES to dance and "play" music. I have a feeling weve got a musician on our hands, but we sure hope he plays baseball too! ;) He is quite a joy to be around and is continuing to be very loving.

Monday, December 8, 2008

The Old "L" Word

Here is a exurpt from one of my favorite"daily" blogs: Miscellanies. Hope you enjoy as I did!
Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!


What is Legalism?
Ah the ole “L” word. Many of us use the word in our vocab. But what is it and what does it mean? That’s a question I’m asked on a frequent basis and one I like to revisit annually on this blog.
I can distinctly remember the time when this question begged for clarification in my own life. At one time three events collided (and all took place in the same week). I think each event reveals why clarifying the dangers of legalism are necessary and worthy of revisiting frequently.
First was a conversation with a woman who had decided to permit her daughter to skip church in order to participate in soccer games. “I don’t want to be legalistic about church,” she said. Another encounter was with a man who defined legalism as “living by lots of rules.” And the third encounter was with a man who labeled Christians who abstained from alcohol as legalists.
Let me say from the start that I’m not saying these people are right or wrong in their convictions. What is important to see is that each statement (I believe) reveals a superficial and fundamentally flawed view of legalism.
Let me explain.
Rules are not the problem
Almost 900 passages in the Bible contain the phrase “do not.” Which is to say that the Bible contains quite a lot of prohibitions. Jesus condensed some chief prohibitions for us: “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother’” (Luke 18:20). There are a lot of rules in the Bible.
Which is to say that if you apply the entire Bible to the Christian life, you can end up with a long list of helpful rules and reminders (i.e. the “one anothers”). Doesn’t this fact explain why Jonathan Edwards was compelled to compose his long list of resolutions?
See the fundamental danger of legalism is not living with rules or not living by rules—whether you attend church every week or not, whether you drink wine or not. Legalism points to a much deeper heart issue.
A false gospel
At its most dangerous level, legalism is a soteriological problem. That is, legalism is a false gospel and a false hope. Legalism is the lie that says God’s pleasure and joy in me is dependent upon my performance rather than the finished work of Christ.
It is legalism that causes the Pharisee to look proudly into the sky in the presence of a tax collector. It is legalism that causes a poor missionary in Africa to think God is more pleased with him than an American Christian businessman driving a Mercedes. It is legalism that causes the preacher behind the pulpit to think God is more pleased with him than the tatooed Christian teenager sitting in the back row.
Legalism is the lie that God will find more pleasure in me because my obedience is greater than others or that God looks at me with disgust because I am not living up to His expectations. It is the failure to remember that God’s pleasure in us comes outside of us (in the finished work of Christ). Legalism causes the heart to forget that God sings over us because of the work He has done, not because of what we have done (Zeph. 3:15-17).
Believers equally bring pleasure to God because the pleasure He receives in us is the purchased pleasure of the substitution of Jesus Christ. Any imagined superiority to other Christians (not rules or a lack of rules) is the sure sign of the legalist.
The irony of legalism
The great irony (and danger) of legalism is this: If you think God is more pleased with you because you take your child to a soccer game instead of church, if you think God is more pleased with you because you do not live by rules, and if you think God is more pleased with you because you do drink alcohol—you are just as legalistic as the man who thinks that perfect church attendance, lists of rules, and abstaining from alcohol makes him more pleasing to God.
Rules are not the problem.
And whether our convictions are biblical or unbiblical is another issue altogether. Legalism is not so much objective (are my convictions biblical or not?) but subjective (what do my convictions get me?). And this is what makes legalism dangerous whether your convictions are biblically accurate or not.
From what I hear, often what is labeled as legalistic too often focuses primarily upon rules or a lack thereof rather than the gospel.
As I’ve seen in my own heart, what sustains self-righteous legalism is a failure to boast only in the righteousness of the Cross of Christ. Once I take my eyes off the Cross I begin boasting in my list of rules or boasting in my lack of rules. Either way, I know I have fallen into legalism.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Luther's 95 Theses

Wish I would have thought to post this on Reformation Day, but I think it well for us to go back and to recall where we came from as Protestants and to thank God for the example of a common vessel He used in our church father Martin Luther. To God be all Glory forever and ever. Amen.



Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences
by Dr. Martin Luther, 1517

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.
In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope. grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.
76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Fall is here in Washington. It is quite lovely and colorful! Even though I know that God has created all of this, I still tend to forget that He is in control of every detail. He has created every color on every branch and paints them a different color every day until He blows them off.

Likewise in our lives He brings many colors into our days and when He so chooses, takes them away for a season to prune us and shape us for His glory and our good! What joy this can bring us in difficult circumstances. He is the one who giveth and taketh away. Praise Him with me!

Gunnar is sixteen months old and is such a joy! He loves food, books, and cars! I praise God for this season and look forward to the next. His vocabulary is growing and so is he! He measured in the 75% in height and 25% in weight. (This is the same from his birth.) He is so loving and kind to everyone and we continue to find joy in shaping him to obey and trust the Lord. We see God's faithfulness most when we obey Him! He is the only one worthy of Honor and Praise!

Kyle is well and working hard ministering to the youth at our church and local High School. He loves where God has placed him and has found a "old" pastime he enjoys.....school! Yes, he is attending Western Reformed Seminary and will continue to further his education. Greek is his current class, and is very difficult...you might keep him in your prayers! :)

I (Paige) am at home with our beloved Gunnar and also am working on "Fall" projects. (Finding new Fall recipes, organizing more and more, taking Gunny to the library every week for "Storytime", and keeping our home managed well.) I am sure there are many more but those are the most enjoyable. I also enjoy a book study every Wednesday. We are reading "Disciplines of a Godly Woman" by Barbara Hughes. What a wonderful look at what God desires for us! I also am reading 6-10 more...yes I am one of those people. In God's Word , Kyle and I have been reading the Samuels and Colossians. His word is so rich, so indwelling. We serve the Holiest God and we are revered to love Him more.

Kyle just came back from the NANC National Conference in St.Louis, MO (nanc.org) and was richly blessed there with biblical teaching and counseling information as he does counsel youth and familes from time to time.

I just came back from the West Coast Ligonier Conference in Phoenix, AZ (ligonier.org) and had the joy to hear God's Word from my 2nd favorite pastor, R.C. Sproul and stay with my 3rd favorite family, the Andersons. At the end of the conference, I slipped him a note and a picture of the three of us. Just two days ago, we recieved one from him! That was such a treat!

Enjoy this season and revel in the goodness of God lest we forget that every good and perfect gift is from Him! Love to you all.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

1st Haircut!

Gunnar, being the cute little chap he is, never made a peep while getting his haircut for the first time. Being the flirt he is, enjoyed Dede, the lady cutting his hair. Now that that long hair is gone, he looks a lot more gentlemanly. Yeah!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Faithfulness of God

Well, sorry about the pics not being up yet. I have not had enough time as of late to justify my posting pictures. So I hope you will forgive me. We do have Gunnnar's birthday pictures, however they are awaiting my email box. I will put them up as soon as I do get them from the Patterson's.

However, right before we celebrated his first birthday, we had just arrived home from our conference in sunny and very hot Palm Springs. We LOVED the weather and we were greeted by our old friends from church and school. What a line up of godly men we heard from! Rick Holland, John MacArthur, John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, Randy Alcorn, and my favorite, Steve Lawson. The theme of it was Heaven and Hell. You can imagine the depth and glory of God that we heard through expository preaching, worshipful music, and godly fellowship. You can hear any of these sermons for FREE on http://resolved.org. John Piper's second sermon really lifted the veil of the glories of the cross, and of Heaven for my soul. What a time of worship the whole weekend was. If we are not living, in all things, for the conscience glory of Almighty God, we are wasting time and dishonoring the Savior! What convivtion and Grace we experienced!

If we are wasting time, we are wasting our life!
Soli Deo Gloria, Paige

Monday, June 2, 2008

Almost ONE!!

Gunnar is almost one year. He has really changed in the last week or two. He is "walking". He has officially taken two, three steps...but he is not really walking. I figured if I can't capture it on camera, he's not quite there yet. He is also signing "thank you" and "kisses" and "yeah Gunnar" very, I mean very often. "Mama" came out today for the first time. But it was "vmava". It was very special though. We are preparing for our Palm Springs trip on the 13th and are looking forward to having Mommy and Daddy time. We are attending the Resolved Conference (resolved.org) and looking forward to solid biblical teaching from some of our favorite theologians and pastors. Praise God!

Pictures are coming later today or tomorrow, so check back!
Love,
Paige(r)

Monday, May 5, 2008

our latest pictures of gunn are up

Gunnar is getting so big....and handsome! Here are pictures from our vacation and from other cd's i have found. He is saying "ut-oh" a lot, using his hands with EVERYTHING he "says". Others include "eh" (sounding very Canadian), and "ba-ba" . He is very close to walking, but quite content crawling...who knows when he'll take the first step. He loves food and will eat pretting much anything these days. He does not like bell pepper. :)

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Welcome to The Patterson's Blog!!
We are so excited that we can start this so that all our friends can see us (Gunnar) as of late and keep in touch with you better. If you have any requests, please let us know...We love you!
Love, Kyle and Paige

Contemplating How Short He Wants It

Contemplating How Short He Wants It

Good Haircutting Form

Good Haircutting Form

One of His Many Girlfriends-Dede

One of His Many Girlfriends-Dede

I am So Tired, I Can't Even Smile

I am So Tired, I Can't Even Smile

Las Vegas Vacation

Las Vegas Vacation
april 08

Off to Church

Off to Church
i am very solemn on sunday mornings

Eating Breakfast

Eating Breakfast
you can kinda see my teeth!

I'm Here!

I'm Here!
proud Grandpa

Newborn Gunnar

Newborn Gunnar
with Grandpa

8 Days Old

8 Days Old