A Mounting Spiritual Battle

Today was a heavy day. I feel beaten down in my spirit for no particular reason. It is not that today's spiritual battle was so highly unusual or uniquely intense. Intense, yes. Unique, yes in the sense that they all are. But today was nothing that should throw my spirit down in the "body slam" that it has. It was just another untypically typical day down at the abortion mill, standing on the sidewalk offering hope, love, and judgement (yes, God speaks of that, too) to the women, and fighting on behalf of those "being led away to slaughter". But I believe what made today different was the spiritual warfare that is happening on a broader scale now in our nation, due to the horrific case of Kermitt Gosnell. And Satan's attacks are ramping up. It is a sign that he is feeling the threat to his vile kingdom. I ask that all Christians keep the sidewalk counsellors/missionaries in their prayers! I have spoken to others who are feeling equally beaten down. And I have heard that the tactic that the mainstream news will take is to claim that pro-life missionaries ("protesters" as they like to call us) are what is driving these women into such "houses of horror". Can you imagine anything so absurd and illogical? But now that they feel the pressure to actually cover the story of this mass murderer, they must spin it in a way that does not disparage their sacred cow.
Sadly, we did not have any confirmed saves today at the mill, though some did witness a woman crying for over 30 minutes and then leaving with her assumed boyfriend, who waved as they left. Believing in faith that this was a save is a comfort to this worn-out heart of mine. And I was also thankful today for the lack of rain! It blew over and left us with a sunny, breezy morning. Perfect outdoor weather! I was also blessed to have a great team today, despite Lisa and her family being sick and unable to come. A sidewalk preacher, Jesse Boyd, and his daughter came, along with a Daniel and Courtney Parks (?) who are regulars on Saturdays. We also had a new face out, as well as several others I had not yet met. It was especially encouraging to have strong men there to speak truth boldly. Sometimes the boldness seemed to me to cross a line and there was a time of intense back and forth between one man on our team and Lazarus (the bouncer who desperately needs to "rise from the dead"), but I know we were all praying for God to work through even that situation and I truly believe He did. And I am learning that even when we judge actions, we still do not fully know a heart and we must always give the benefit of the doubt while seeking to learn from both the positive and the negative interactions. Love can be the motivation for the too-extreme actions of both mercy and justice. I later saw it in reverse as another sidewalk counsellor (a lady this time) was far too understanding with a man who was claiming not all murder by abortion is wrong. All of us should be working to find that balance between mercy and justice, as God is a God of both mercy and justice and we seek to emulate Him, as He commands us to. But in our culture we tend to excuse the love that leans too heavily on the side of mercy...perhaps because our love for God and hatred for sin is just not strong enough. We have a serious problem understanding...or even wanting to understand...the incomprehensible holiness and righteousness of God!
One way that God used those "moments of raw humanity" today was to pull a man named Shamari outside to discuss abortion with us, as he felt we were being too judgemental. Poor, deceived Shamari talked in circles, obviously struggling with the Truth and not wanting to allow his conscience (or us) to "win" the argument. He was polite and kind, but so, so blinded! Caryn and I talked with him and finally had to leave the Holy Spirit to deal with him. But when I asked him to read Matthew 25 about the final judgement, he actually agreed and it was the first time he allowed me to speak freely and didn't interrupt with "reasoning". I felt the Holy Spirit was dealing with him strongly in that moment, so pray that the work is completed in his heart and that he will not continue to harden himself to the plain, simple truth.
Caryn shared with me her own heartbreak of today...a couple there to abort their baby due to doctor's "orders". She prayed with them and pleaded on behalf of the baby, but the father was apathetic and they were already convinced of the decision. After counselling them fruitlessly, she had to turn away and weep. How much will God hold these doctors accountable who tell these trusting women that their lives are in danger if they do not kill their own child! I do not believe that the circumstances are even usually as dire as they claim. However, even in such a case, who are doctors to "play God" and decide that the mother's life is more important than her helpless child's? Do any of us have the knowledge of God to be able to see His plans (Jeremiah 29:11)? Is it up to us to take on His role and decide who lives and who dies?
Another atrocity was the car that pulled in with their "Jesus fish" and cross firmly affixed to their trunk. When their hypocrisy was pointed out, they responded with obscene gestures and cursing. Despicable! These are the religious hypocrites Jesus condemned (Matthew 23)! They go to church on Sunday and sing lies of false praise to the idol-god made in their own image and then pull in the parking lot the next week to murder their innocent child! Their prayers are an abomination (Proverbs 28:9)! But, sadly, they are the rotten fruit of pastors that preach an "easy" gospel...a false "pray this prayer and you've got your golden ticket to heaven" gospel, which is contrary to what Jesus taught (Matthew 16:24-25). Every time they speak the precious name of my Savior, Jesus, they use His name in vain and break the third commandment because of the wicked testimony of their lives. May they repent and accept God's radical grace before it is too late for them!
Sadder still was the lady who came into the mobile ultrasound RV and saw her tiny twins on the monitor, but was apparently unmoved. Her car was seen back in the parking lot a few minutes later and she proceeded with her scheduled murder. Seeing her own flesh and blood on that screen did nothing to change her heart. Or perhaps it was pressure from her grandmother, who was also present, as many young women are told they have no choice and are horribly pressured into this horrific decision. It is sometimes hard to know the whole story, but we see the choice of murder and we grieve for the baby who had no choice whatsoever in the matter!
We left with heavy hearts, heavier than what is normal for all of us. Even my children felt the extra weight of the battle today. Again, I ask that you keep all of the sidewalk missionaries in your prayers in a special way over the next few weeks. We are under spiritual attack, as I believe the Gosnell case is a powerful testimony against abortion and gives support to the work we are doing. I believe this case could be a major spark in lighting a fire in the hearts of Christians across the country to put an end to the atrocity of abortion! Pray for faith to believe this can happen and then follow God's command to "rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11).

Crazy Day at Latrobe

Now, the promised status update from the mill:

This morning started off with a well-intentioned man getting on the mic who signed the statement of faith Lisa gave him, but who we do not believe truly agrees with the doctrines of Christianity, due to a number of reasons. It is always difficult when we work for the same cause, but our ultimate cause (the Gospel) is different! We were all very concerned with the situation, but praise the Lord he did not deviate from the facts of abortion into shaky theological territory or outright heresy. Pray that God would win these kind people from other religions into his "fold" and that we could all be completely of one mind and one spirit in Jesus Christ!

Next on the list of events was a car that Annalise was able to stop. She and a man named Dan were able to talk to the girls inside for a minute until Lazarus, the bouncer, came tearing out of the parking lot and pulled up beside them. He was yelling at them, then got out and shoved Dan a couple times and held a fist in his face. We called the police and filed papers for the assault, while Lazarus fled somewhere (likely in the building), leaving his SUV in the parking lot. On the positive side, we didn't have to deal with his loud music the rest of the morning! The police officer strongly hinted that Dan should press charges, so pray that this would be one more crack in the foundation of this evil place. God WILL bring it down in His time! Many of us who minister together feel this very strongly in our spirits and are praying for this.

I watched the car drive down the road, praying that it would just keep on going, but a minute or two later I saw it come back and pull over. I walked very quickly down the road to meet with the girl as she got out. I asked her if she was there for an abortion and she replied that she was. I asked, "Can I pray over you before you go in there?" I put my arm around her and prayed that she would not go through with the abortion and that she would realize it was murder. The Holy Spirit moved me to gentleness, so every truth spoken with love was in a gentle tone. She was appreciative, but set in what she was about to do. She told me she had a child and no money for another. I told her about all our resources, about adoption, etc., but that was not what she wanted to do.

As she determinedly walked down the sidewalk toward the slaughter house, I asked if she knew it was murder, to which she replied, "yes" in a tone that said she couldn't think about that ugly reality and then she asked me to just not show her any pictures because she "had a weak stomach". So, naturally, I showed her pictures! I showed her the reality of abortion by confronting her with the truth...the picture of a tiny baby not much bigger than a dime, cut into tiny pieces. She was disturbed, but would not be moved. Pray for that girl that the conviction she feels would not go away until she repents. (This was one of my first "real" counselling moments and I was nervous! I'm usually on the mic. How is it that a microphone doesn't intimidate me but talking to someone one-on-one does? God equips us each for different jobs, I guess! But he wants us available for whatever He needs us for at the moment.)

Another lady and her daughter took a booklet from Wendy and were receptive, but unsuccessful in getting the lady they brought to come out. As far as we know, she went through with the abortion. Pray for this lady.

Finally, we had a very interesting conversation with a psychology major who just wanted to talk to us because he "respected what we were doing" even though he disagreed...at least that is what he claimed. But his body language and his tone of voice betrayed his conscience and we could hear the cognitive dissonance (all the rest of us being former psych major or minors ourselves ;) ) spilling out of him! Even Konur (11) told me later that he didn't seem to believe his own words. Pray for him to stop ignoring his conscience and believing the lies he knows he is accepting! He had brought his girlfriend. We asked why she couldn't give the baby up for adoption and were told she wouldn't care for her baby while pregnant the baby would end up with fetal alcohol syndrome. He said a baby like that should not live, to which Lisa replied that her own daughter, Annalise, has FAS. She brought her over and introduced her, asking "Pete" if he believed she didn't deserve to live. It was an uncomfortable moment for Pete. ;) There were many other interesting moments in that conversation, including a brief deconstruction of relativism, as he claimed all our reasonings were just "your truth, but not mine", to which I replied that his green shirt was red because that was MY truth.

Well, one last "finally", actually. As we drove home and "debriefed", praying for all the varied situations we encountered today, we nearly got in another car accident in the SAME spot as last time! It's a very bad entry onto the highway that runs right into an exit ramp and another car couldn't decide what lane to be in and nearly caused an accident! I'm thankful I was alert enough to get out of the way and that God protected us.

Now this, my Christian friends, is what an exciting Friday looks like! Who wouldn't want to experience these stories? Are they tragic? Yes, many are. But the excitement of the one or two saves or hopeful cases outweighs it all! And even in the tragedies, when you know you are planting seeds and you truly have real hope in Jesus Christ, you know that you ARE making an eternal impact, whether you see it or not. If we focus on the death of babies, we are giving into Satan and allowing him to discourage us from this ministry. Our focus, even in the midst of so much death and tragedy, is the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15)! It is the hope that is offered for these young moms, regardless of whether or not they go through with murder, that we have to cling to. And even the one or two saves a day which seem so insignificant compared with the losses will multiply, as those babies will someday have babies of their own. Who will we meet in heaven someday who is there because we stood up for life today? Praise the Lord he uses weak ones like us to do abundantly more than we could ask or think!

Safe or Sanctified

(I am going to do a little preaching to myself here, so recognize that I speak as one who is still learning, and doing much of my learning in this public way).

American Christians worship the god of comfort. We base many of our decisions on comfort...decisions on preferences like where to live, where to work, what to wear. Decisions on convictions such as homeschooling or public schooling, birth control or no birth control. And we seem to have a deep belief that we have a God-given right to comfort. But I don't see this in the Bible. Yes, I see that God wants us to be happy, but so often I see that His way of bringing about our ultimate happiness is often not anything of which we would ever conceive.

One thing that impresses me about times past is the depth of those Christians' faith and devotion to God. Compare yourself to a John Bunyan, Susannah Wesley, or William Tyndale and you will probably find yourself falling shamefully short. Certainly being tortured, imprisoned, and martyred for the faith would lead to sanctification, but even those with "normal" lives seemed to have so much spiritual depth. I often wonder if the "normalness" of discomfort in that time played the major role in many of our Christian heroes' sanctification. So many women struggled just with the simple daily chores. Laundry was real work. Eating required far more reliance on things beyond human control, such as weather conditions in order to grow the food, health in order to harvest it, and time in order to prepare it. God had a part in the process, and faith was exercised regularly. Today, we open the freezer, pull out a bag of peas and dump it in a pot on the stove. No peas left? No problem. Having "faith" that the grocery store will be well-stocked, we hop in our cars to make the quick trip up the road, swipe a piece of plastic to "harvest" it, and return to slave for a full 10 minutes to heat them on the stove.

And food was just one aspect of faith-stretching that these Christian giants of the past faced. What about childbirth? Women got pregnant often, and there was no guarantee that the delivery would be safe and easy. In fact, very often it was not. It was a fairly common occurrence for a woman to die in childbirth, leaving her husband and little ones behind. Today, it is almost inconceivable to our weak spirits. Women hear from their doctors that they may face death if they refuse to prevent, or worse abort, a pregnancy. So they opt for "safety". Sure, no one wants to face their mortality, especially with so much earthly treasure to lose. But treasure, whether it be material or familial, is still just temporal. Eternal riches are gained only through sanctification. And women of those days had no choice but to accept God's path to sanctification, whatever it brought along the way. In having to accept it, they faced their mortality with faith in a loving God who was sovereign over all, and hope in an eternity filled with greater riches than earth's.

Schooling, too, was an issue of discomfort at times. Imagine not only having the daily work load to bear, but also having the responsibility of educating and discipling your children, who were often numerous, due to no birth control options. One of the biggest reasons (or excuses, if we are to be completely honest) I hear from a person who chooses not to homeschool is, "I just don't have the patience." Really? You don't have patience for your own child? Don't get me wrong. I have days when my humanity is blatantly evident. To put it another way, I yell at my kids too! But what about sanctification? If you do not have the patience, would you be willing to put yourself in a position of discomfort in order to gain that quality, which is directly related to love (1 Cor. 13)? Back then, homeschooling was the common practice and parents had to have patience or learn to develop it quickly!

As you read this, you may be counting your blessings, feeling grateful for our modern conveniences and societal advances. But are we really better off?

You see, this life is not about comfort. If we constantly take advantage of our many modern "perks" by making our choices based purely on what is "best" according to personal comfort, and then dismissing the issue with two simple words (Christian liberty), then we have missed it. We should not ask ourselves which decisions or convictions are most comfortable, but rather we should ask ourselves which decisions will most pull us out of our comfort zones and cause us to rely on the Lord the most. Which options will grow us in our faith? We should not ask which options are safest, but which have the most potential to cause sanctification. Isn't spiritual growth more important than life itself? Likewise, isn't obedience to God more important than anything, including our own mortality? If in our eternal life we have nothing to show for this life, were all the comfortable decisions really best?

Once identified, we should ask the Lord if that uncomfortable, dangerous, sanctification-producing decision is truly what He wants for us individually. And not just pray, but plead for it for the growth it can bring! I think more often than not, He will direct us down that narrow way. Or, as Robert Frost put it so well, "the road less traveled by". And that, my friends, will make all the difference!

Cognitive Dissonance is my Best Friend

I posted this little statement as my Facebook status update earlier today: Cognitive Dissonance is my best friend, as long as she doesn't stay as a guest too long. It really sums things up for me. But what I hate is when I can't seem to work it all out in my head...when she decides to take up residence in the guest room of my mind and outwears her welcome. I'm feeling that way about a lot of various things these days.

I guess that's where we have to have humility to recognize that there is a certain amount of mystery to this life and to our spirituality. And all our ponderances...all our "musings and puzzlings" if you will...may not be entirely answered this side of eternity. It's okay to suffer through a little...or a lot...of cognitive dissonance. Maybe at some point we just let go of it and give it to God?

So, what is my brain driving me crazy over? I'm not sure I want to go into every nuance and detail here at this point. It isn't overly private, but I think I just want my brain to have a little more time to chew on it all. I think, also, I am a little too tired to do any more mental chewing at this time. A fresh day and some rest would put me more in the mood. Not to mention the fact that I have chewed on it for months and seem to go in circles and it is a subject that I don't think is answered very simply, in fact. Sometimes I think I know what I think and then I find another angle, another hidden facet that I hadn't spied before. And sometimes that hidden facet leads me to still other topics and angles that need conquering.

So, about this time, maybe you are wondering why I am even sharing this. I think I may be wondering that a bit, as well. But I suppose I just want to encourage you to be okay with your own cognitive dissonance. Be okay with not having all the answers worked out. Too many people in this world already know everything. And I think we miss out on exciting discoveries when we are not human enough to admit that maybe we don't have the answers we thought we did.

Social-Lies-ing

I once heard of a psychologist who had "discovered" the cathartic experience of telling the truth, even when it was most difficult. He started a whole practice based on the idea that it is always best to always tell the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or painful. It intrigued me because...well, because of the truth of it! We read in John that the truth will set us free (John 8:32).

Yet, most of us don't really believe it. At least, in practice we don't. I consider myself one of the few fortunate women to be married to a man who always tells me the truth. I may not want to hear that my rear end is getting larger or that I really need a shower to get the stink off me, but you know what? It is unbelievably freeing to never have to doubt the words of the one who is dearest in the world to you. It takes away the insecurity and suspicion. Is he just saying my butt looks good because he knows that's what I want to hear or does it really look the same size as before I had three children? Does he really like that meal that I made? Am I really a good writer, mother, wife? Hearing honest answers to these questions allows me the opportunity to truly grow and become a better person. And in seeing the benefits to our truth-based relationship, I have become more comfortable with simply answering questions truthfully myself, rather than participating in social lies.

But there's a catch. Part of the downside is that I sometimes truly forget the "social norms" of our culture. I forget that not everyone wants to hear the truth when they ask a question. This is a warning to you. Do not ask me questions that you really don't want answers to. Ladies, seriously...When you are nine months pregnant, you are huge. Just accept it and move on. I mean, you have another whole person inside of you! I am not saying you are huge and ugly. Do not assume that "huge" means "fat". In fact, I think pregnancy is beautiful, large bellies and all. And even if you do look puffy and strange, I promise not to tell you that you look puffy and strange...unless you ask me. So, please, don't ask me. But if you ignore this warning, I'll probably try my best to nicely deflect the question or dress up my answer because I also believe in doing to others as I would have them do to me. (Nothing is so frustrating as wanting reassurance from my husband only to get the harsh truth...no ribbons, bows, or glitter included. But of course, those are the exceptions, not the rule. He understands I still need a little glitter on the ugly truth from time to time)!

So, if the truth will set us free, then I believe it will set us free in all areas. If I don't fit in because of it, then I guess that's okay, too. Maybe more can join me in the quest for being completely truthful so we can all be odd specimens of society together!

Unity in Disunity

So often lately, as I've become more and more controversial and outspoken with my convictions, I've felt the tension both internally and externally, to keep my differences silent and just abide by a "live and let live" attitude. After all, aren't Christians called to unity? Aren't we supposed to focus on our similarities, not our differences? Paul even says in Ephesians 4:1-3 that we are to seek unity among our brothers and sisters.

But wait a minute. Aren't we also challenged to sharpen one another (Proverbs 27:17)? And how can we sharpen one another if we are too afraid to get a little "controversial"? How can we sharpen one another if we are afraid to offend? I don't believe any of my Christian friends would need me to sharpen them on core doctrines...those things upon which we can all agree. It is the "gray" areas that become difficult to navigate at times. But the Bible gives us direction for all areas of life (2 Peter 1:3). And in our modern culture, it seems there are so many "new" things that the Bible does not specifically address. Yet, the Bible does in fact speak to all these things, as we are told in the passage in Peter.

So, it seems we are called, to some extent, to challenge one another in the uncomfortable things...The things that make us defensive, nervous, and perhaps even angry. And we don't do it because we want to stir up trouble. We do it because we love the brethren (1 Peter 1:22) and are called to be challenging one another, no matter what our culture preaches about unity and getting along.

No, the call to Christian unity does not mean that I keep my personal convictions silent. It means that I share them with love, not harshness, for the sake of edification. And it means that Christians don't get so offended when a brother or sister in Christ does this. We seek unity, even in our exhortation. We seek to find common ground, yet be open to exploring our differences with an open heart to what God may show us in order to grow us. We can all learn from each other, whether or not we ultimately agree or disagree. And, hear this, disagreement does not equal disunity. I disagree with a lot of my friends on things I find very, very important. Yet, I still love them and consider us unified as Christians because we are unified in Christ.

You see, sometimes I think the problem is not as much with those sharing their convictions as it is with those who are listening. If we all truly want unity, we will be willing to listen, rather than expect others to simply be quiet. We will be willing to then offer our own convictions in return. It is an "iron sharpening iron" process, not a knife throwing contest (with the target being each other). And this Biblical process is beautiful when done in love! What are we so afraid of?

So, please forgive me when I offend. It is not my heart to offend. And please sharpen me, as well! But seek unity, as I do, in the sometimes painful sharpening process. It is a process of friction and removing tiny pieces of the knife in order to sharpen. It requires an open spirit on both sides, one that is willing to deal with the friction and the possibility of losing something, for the ultimate goal of sanctification. Because the key to sanctification is a love for truth more than a love for being "right". And one of the most beautiful testaments to the power of the love of Christ is our Christian unity despite our differences of conviction. The world will not see that if we are too afraid to challenge one another in love.

"Sheltering". . . or Protecting?

Of all the tired stereotypes about homeschooling...and there are many...one that has become quite tiring to me is the idea that Christian homeschooling parents have made the decision to homeschool out of some kind of paranoid fear of the world and a need to "shelter" our children. This misconception does have some valid roots. After all, many homeschooling parents, myself included, are concerned about protecting their children, and wish to minimize the influence of the world. However, the implication of this stereotype is that we have a fear-based form of parenting and are not trusting God. This is simply untrue for the majority of homeschooling parents that I know.

To start, let's ask ourselves if "sheltering" our children is an automatic indication of fear or not trusting God. Is "sheltering" truly a bad thing? I contend that it is all a matter of how it's packaged. When a person uses the word "shelter", instantly images of drawn window shades and shy, fearful children are brought to mind. It is a word with a heavy connotation. And, in my opinion, it is rather unfair to use it so copiously when referring to homeschoolers as a whole. So, let's use the word "protect" instead. Now that we have substituted a word that more fully conveys the truth of the matter, let's ask ourselves if "protecting" our children is a negative thing. I think the obvious answer is "no". One of our very jobs as parents is to provide protection for our children. In fact, in Mark 9:42, we are told, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." Pretty heavy words! And if we take this warning seriously, it may lead us to take so-called extreme measures to avoid putting our little ones in danger of being led into sin.

Now, in all fairness, every parent must use discernment as to what they will guard their children from. We protect our children from many things on a daily basis. Some are obvious dangers. Some are more subtle. Perhaps to many parents, school seems to be something from which parents should not need to protect their children, and homeschoolers seem to be acting out of paranoia and fear. Schooling seems to be an amoral issue in and of itself. But I would argue against this notion and further point out that not all parents have felt this way throughout history. In fact, when public school first became compulsory in 1852, citizens actually met the local officials with guns drawn! It seems they found the idea of sending their children off with strangers for seven hours of the day a bit too radical! Today we have grown accustomed to the idea, and the court of time has rendered it innocuous in our minds. This is our "normal". But could it be that it is not so normal after all? Could it be that we have just learned not to question the status quo? Could it be that "this is the way we've always done it" has become good enough for us?

Whether you see a danger in the secular institution of public education and the influences of often godless peers and teachers or not, homeschoolers frequently do. (Disclaimer: I know there are some godly teachers who are trying to make a difference. I commend them, though I personally feel the foundation is such that a Christian cannot truly effect lasting change in the system. But that is a topic for another day and another blog post.) And if I, as a parent, see a danger to my children, should I not do what is necessary to protect them? And, to take it further, should I not warn others of the danger I see? I recently heard the argument that God protected Daniel in the lion's den, implying that we should trust that He will likewise protect our children from harm within the public school. First, though the passage does deal with God's protection, I would argue that we should be careful drawing such a conclusion from a Scripture that has nothing to do with education. I don't believe that passage is addressing our schooling choices. But, if we were to apply it to the topic at hand, I would agree that God certainly can protect them. He is sovereign and in control of every aspect of our lives. However, I would make the point that as parents, we don't generally throw our children into the lion's den and then ask God to protect them after we have personally put them in harm's way. This is presuming upon God's mercy. Life is dangerous, yes, but that is all the more reason to be vigilant and carefully consider how much time we will invest in discipleship ("schooling")!

So, are we homeschoolers choosing our path out of fear? Or is it out of a deep conviction to protect our children? I propose that it is the later. And it is my heart's burden that many more parents will take a fresh look at something we've all come to take for granted as normal. I share not with a heart to put myself or my "superior" Christian parenting skills on a platform, but out of a sincere hope that more parents will start to see the dangers of allowing others to spend the majority of the day with their children, the children with whom God has blessed and entrusted them.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."