AECT

Anthony sez, Had a fair to middlin' turnout for the talk at the AECT Conferenceat the Galt House. I spoke on a project we did with 100 students who built critical thinking exercises to link learning objects to the award winning courses we built a couple of years back. Best part was linking up with old friend Luther after all these years. I can't believe it- he looks better than me!

25 years later...

Hung a while with an old friend and colleague, from the Pink Palace days- my first full blown educational media venture- and here is my cohort in creativity from those days. I can say without reservation that I am proud of the work we did together! I was still known as Tony back then- when we were just babies. Here after all these years we find we are in the same line of work, and both working on PhD's... pretty cool, methinks. Maybe we'll get a chance to work on some projects together again, who knows?

Laver of Favor

We cry for mercy
Come to our relief
We cry for mercy
Come and heal our grief.

We spread out our hands
Souls like a parched land
Show us the way to go
To you we lift our souls.

In your kindness is forgiveness.
In your cleansing, purity
In confession we find righteousness
And a faithful and just walk for all to see.

Do not profane his presence
Come to worship in holiness
In purity we enter in.
In humility we confess our sin.

And there is but one place of washing
One brazen laver that purifies
Here where we confess our iniquity
Covered by the blood of the lamb we arise.
Covered by the blood of the lamb sin dies.

In your kindness is forgiveness.
In your cleansing, purity
In confession we find righteousness
And a faithful and just walk for all to see.

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2009

Weapons of Warfare

This is not a game, this is not a game
The lion of Judah is not tame
Born on a battlefield
We rise to never yield
Except to our sovereign’s command
The battlelines are where we stand.

Armored in the profound
We seek to silence every sound
Raised up against the throne of grace
To rout out evil in this place.

Destroying speculation
The fortresses’ destruction.
Every lofty thing raised up
Against the knowledge of our God

Our captives made from every thought
Taken prisoner to the obedience of Christ.
His bride is the once-for-all blood-bought
Willing prisoner to the obedience of Christ.

Army of mighty servants raise
Your hardy hearts in praise
Army of righteousness,
Destroying evil’s fortresses
Given divine power
To pull down every tower
Raised against the blood bought
Lambs of the lion
Who conquer from Zion

Living in what the light revealed
Routing out what darkness would conceal
The mortars overhead illuminate the sin
Destroy the devastation
That strangles every nation
Following the captain of salvation

Anthony Foster
October 25, 2009
2 Corinthians 10:3-4

We are Healed

Mercy’s incantation
Death secured our sure salvation
Raised to new creation
Miracle of rcconciliation
In the mystery revealed
By his wounds we are healed.

The impossible we find
Here in our savior’s mind
The impossible we seek to do
All things are possible in You.
We become the righteousness of God in You.

In suffering and pain
We discover loss is gain
For even though we die we live
Yet not I but by the life Christ gives
Throughout history concealed
By his wounds we are healed

We lose if we seek life to retain
In losing life we discover loss is gain
Power is perfected
In the stone that was rejected
Weakness is the strength of stone
Laid down before the presence of the throne

The impossible we find
Here in our savior’s mind
The impossible we seek to do
All things are possible in You.
We become the righteousness of God in You.

In this fellowship of suffering
We bind ourselves as offerings
A pleasing sacrifice
For we are found in Christ
And our hemhorraging heart is sealed
By his wounds we are healed.

October 27, 2009
Anthony Foster

Stream of Conciousness blogging...

Re.:Geezer Worship

A multitude of years does not a wizened saint make. I know some old fools and have been known to claim that moniker for myself. Yet some of the greatest spiritual giants I have known have had some serious mileage on them on the road with the Lord. I recall Miss Dorothy Armstrong, who taught me bible verses in Sunday School, Miss Anita Byrum, whose heart for the lost was humbling and inspiring, and others who have gone on before me now.

Re.: Bygone Musical Tastes: I don't get too bent out of shape when folks in the church want to have a bit of the memorable music of their journeys and not just something written in the past five years.

Re.: On singing in church. the PW leader at church sunday was attempting to teach a new PW song and didn't quite have it down himself. That reminded me of another quote from an older lady who was struggling to attain to a praise song that ended every line in "yeah, yeah": "Not very tuneful, is it?"

And it was just last week that we visited a church where the hymnbook attempted to take us to the mountaintop (musically speaking that is). My falsetto got a real workout.

Geezer Worship (A Heart that Perseveres)

Every day for all these years
They’ve traded in their tears and fears
For long sustaining providence
And their profane heart repents
This is the beauty of wisdom
In the heart that perseveres.

Moment by moment, day after day
Week after week they watch and pray
Multiplied minutes return
A heart that still burns year by year
This is the beauty of faithfulness
In the heart that perseveres.

The head now is wizened, the brow furrowed deep
Draws near the horizon, yet still the heart leaps
The memories are sweeter, the countenance blessed
Displaying the peace of a heart that has confessed.
Conforming to the likeness of the Lord of righteousness!

Here is the life that waits upon the Lord
On eagles wings lifted- a life that’s outpoured
They live long and prosper
They that humbly draw near
Here is the glory of Jesus
In the heart that perseveres.

Anthony Foster
October 26, 2009

Soon that Day

Soon that day will come
When this life is done
When our dreams and plans shall end
Soon that day shall come
It will surprise some
But watchful comprehend

So awake from sleep
Wade into the deep
And immerse yourself in love
Open up your eyes
Search the eastern skies
He’s returning from above!

We see your plan unfold
You do not withold
Of your presence in this world
Maranatha Lord!
Sound the trumpet’s chord
We prepare for your return.

Prepare us to be watchful
The bridegroom’s on His way
His returning could be any day
So watch and pray
Watch and pray

Lord come take us home
May your Kingdom come
Come and draw us to your side
You’ve prepared a place
For each child of Grace
There we’ll evermore abide

Anthony Foster
October 25, 2009

Gardens of Grace

It is our call to cultivate
The hardened soils within our gate.
Our gardens overrun by weeds
Are choking out redemptive seeds.

We turn from darkness as we shed
Our light abroad to wake the dead
To eradicate the hatred in this place
As we cultivate this garden of grace.

We won’t look further than our hearts
To find the perfect place to start
Change begins here where our garden grows
The seeds we plant
The light we grant
The water of life we allow to flow.
And grace will grow, will surely grow.

Here in the garden of grace
The seed we sow
The weeds we hoe
And love will surely start to grow freely in this place
In this garden, beautiful garden of grace…

We feed the soil of the ground
With lives sacrificially laid down
The evidence will surely show
There in the Christ-like crop that grows
By what we harvest we will know.
And so the seeds can sink their roots
To become the fledgling tender shoots

Through seasons of mercy-Seasons of change
Seasons of shadows The vine life remains
Seasons of blessing Working out what Christ works in
Through times of testing A new season can begin.

Here in the garden of grace
The seed we sow
The weeds we hoe
And love will surely start to grow freely in this place
In this garden, beautiful garden of grace…


Anthony Foster
October 26, 2009

Give us a place near your altar

Give us a place near your altar
A blood bought place of our own
Where we can boldly enter in
And stand before your throne.
Draw us unto your bleeding side
Neath the shadow of your cross we hide
Hid with Christ in God we now abide.

How lovely is your dwelling place
The courts of the Lord of Grace
Where hearts cry out
And spirits shout
As we run the race
The glory of our sun and shield
Emblazoned on our eye
The mystery’s revealed
Answers to every why.

Give us a place near your altar
A place where our souls can rest
A mansion in glory built by your hands
By the nail scarred hands we are blessed.
A place for us to finally dwell
We enter in and it is well
The glories there no human tongue can tell

How lovely is your dwelling place
The courts of the Lord of Grace
Where hearts cry out
And spirits shout
As we run the race
The glory of our sun and shield
Emblazoned on our eye
The mystery’s revealed
Answers to every why.

October 26, 2009
Anthony Foster

Pilgrim Heart

Set our hearts on pilgrimage
Give us a pilgrim's heart
Take us on a journey far
Far from comfort, raise the bar
Step by step we make our way
A pilgrim heart will never stray.

Train our hearts in righteousness
Give us a prosperous heart
Let it break forth in joy
Every stronghold destroy
As your name and word we confess
Give us a heart of righteousness.

Set our hearts on pilgrimage
Take us over glory's edge.
Set our hearts on pilgrimage
Take us over glory's edge.

Make our hearts an open door
Give us a fearless heart
No fear of death's dark penalty
No fear of life and eternity
Fear of the unknown falls away
For with God in control we watch and pray.

Set our hearts on pilgrimage
Take us over glory's edge.
Set our hearts on pilgrimage
Take us over glory's edge.

Anthony Foster
October 26, 2009

In Your Arms

In this quiet special place
In this respite from the race
Jesus I will seek your face
Resting quietly in your arms.

In this sanctuary sweet
Just to sit here at your feet
I will find my heart complete
Resting quietly in your arms

In the midst of trial and test
In the turmoil I am blessed
In toil and trouble I find rest
Falling safely in your arms.

Here I sense you are so near
Close to you I draw
Keep me ever present here
In this place of grace and awe.
Sovereign over circumstance
Make my heart to daily dance
Coming away or still in the fray
With your arms wrapped ‘round me
Your blessed peace surrounds me.

In this simple place of rest
I will be your welcome guest
As I bless you I am blessed
Resting quietly in your arms.

I am weak but you are strong
I cast myself on you headlong
Here we sing redemption’s song
Resting quietly in your arms

God my Father give me Grace
Spirit help me keep your pace
Christ my restless heart replace
Sheltered from the world’s alarms
Jesus keep my soul from harm.
As I rest here in your arms

Anthony Foster
October 22, 2009

Magnificent Journey

The star-wheel turns
As the human heart yearns
Here in the foundry of faith we burn
Here in the extreme
Beyond the dross we will dream
Where nothing is as it may seem

From when we exit the womb
Till we enter the tomb
We start to the grave from the delivery room
On the journey of faith
We run the holy race
And we live and move by Grace.

Magnificent journey
From the cradle to the gurney
Don’t want to go it on my own
The journey with Jesus
We’re bound as he frees us
Never alone, we’re never alone
So there’s joy in this magnificent journey
Awed at the sights we will see
So join me on this magnificent journey
For here on the road we are free.

Past every milestone
In Christ we’re never alone
Joined unto Jesus as we make our way home
Here on our course
Fueled by faith’s fiery force
The Spirit now guides us back to our One source

A heavenly stairway
Where we work and we play
As we learn to love others along the way.
Caretakers of grace
Here in this time and space
Rooted in heaven while we toil in this place

Magnificent journey
From the cradle to the gurney
Don’t want to go it on my own
The journey with Jesus
We’re bound as he frees us
Never alone, we’re never alone
So there’s joy in this magnificent journey
Awed at the sights we will see
So join me on this magnificent journey
For here on the road we are free.

Anthony Foster
October 18, 2009

Alien Wisdom

I need a wisdom that is far beyond my thought
I need to know how to choose what I ought..
I seek a better way, a better choice
I seek to harmonize with my creator’s voice.

I need an alien wisdom- from far beyond my soul
I need an alien wisdom if I hope to become whole
The power to think and the power to choose
The power to walk away and lose
The power that comes when I become weak
Alien wisdom is what I seek.

There is one place to which any fool can turn
A place to grow and a place to learn
Here at His feet is wisdom’s source
Where the supernatural takes its course.

I will fear the Lord and draw near to the Lord
Then I will be a wizened man.
To consume his word, and obey what I have heard
To act on it and stand.
Then I will understand his plan.

I need an alien wisdom- from far beyond my soul
I need an alien wisdom if I hope to become whole
The power to think and the power to choose
The power to walk away and lose
The power that comes when I become weak
Alien wisdom is what I seek.

There is a forgiveness Full and free
It comes to those who repent and see
That God is still God
And sin is still sin
This is the place where
we see new life begin.
This is the place of wisdom’s source
This is the place where we find our course.

I need an alien wisdom- from far beyond my soul
I need an alien wisdom if I hope to become whole
The power to think and the power to choose
The power to walk away and lose
The power that comes when I become weak
Alien wisdom is what I seek.

Celebrating Adoption

We attended a SNAP mix and match event yesterday at Salato and it was a diametric departure from what we experienced earlier in the year, where there was little mixing and no matching, and the caseworkers and volunteers seemed all too shy. We taught a couple of great kids how to fish (their first time!) and got to know a couple of others as well, one of whom impressed me with her active mind and interaction with the other kids and workers. And one of the kids caught a fish about ten seconds after drowning her first worm. That was too cool.

We went through a wildlife exhibit and talked about beasts and bees and bugs. This was incredibly encouraging for us as we also got to spend some time with some of the workers involved in the program from another part of the state. We also had some incredibly responsive kids to get to know better. We're praying the Lord will see fit to bless us with further interaction, if it be His will.

We need encouragement big time as we have been a part of the system for nearly a year now and have had one roadblock after another. We wish we could take ALL of the kids in and raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I watched as one young lady (whose name I cannot mention for sake of anonymity) praying over her meal and was reminded that in the crisis times we all go through God is faithful and reveals himself in kindness and tenderness to us all, if we will receive Him. It was a view of the good, the true and the beautiful that uplifted my spirit in praise.

We were blessed to visit a local church this morning and the make good on an invitation we had some time ago. One of the members who was one of my favorite people when I was a child is a member there and had called my Mom recently to invite her to their church. We briefly reminisced about the shoe shine kits he helped us kids make in VBS circa 1965 or so- which is still in service, I may add- and that he also used HIS this morning.It was the kind of feeling only afforded by a spiritual heritage and there's nothing on earth that can replace that. We also heard a VERY sound message from Isaiah 53 this morning on SIN. It is a paradox that such a message could be so encouraging- but that is life this side of the cross. Knowing that there is an ABSENCE of condemnation in Christ is something we often take for granted, and regular, sound theological expositions of Sin and its CURE from the pulpits of America could go a long way in righting our course...

'Whatever' so totally tops most annoying word poll

I think the outcome of this poll has an underlying issue- that Americans tend to become easily exasperated. I know, not everyone these days calls 911 when Mickey -D gets their order wrong. But don't you notice, everywhere you look- that people are operating on the edge of losing it?

While it may be true that as Throeau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them", many are much more overt in living lives of not so quiet exasperation.

Trying something new doesn't always work out...

THe post below was sent remotely, after which I was supposed to go in and edit it. Trouble is, it completely slipped my mind. Therefore I resolve that there will be no more remote posting on this site from yours truly!

Higher Education News

How Higher Ed is beginning to be disrupted- from Techdirt-

Interesting article and fun discussion - An online university falls short of the ideal-

I think this calls for some thought on the value of physical space for a LEARNING ENVIRONMENT...