Mere Pilgrims

I Moved This Blog

2010-12-07T08:00:00.004-06:00

Thank you for stopping by; however, I moved the blog to a new location. You are welcome to stick around and read old blog entries at this site, or you can read them at the new site. Please follow this link to the new site; or the direct link here.

Christmas Season!

2010-11-30T19:25:00.000-06:00

Spending the evening with my wife:

Purchased our Christmas tree.
Of course decorating it.
Drinking hot chocolate.
Watching the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Tree on televsion.
Listening to Christmas tunes.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I know it's cheesy to say that, but my wife thought it would be a great way to end.

P.S. All in the proper order......Christmas celebrations follow Thanksgiving..not before.

Remember 3.5 Floppies?

2010-11-27T14:14:00.000-06:00

I came across a link that is selling posters commemorating 3.5 floppy disks. Each poster shows how many floppies it would take to hold current computer apps.

Result (Approximate)

46 disk for iTunes 8.02

358 disk for Adobe Photoshop CS4

1760 disk for the Sims 3

12 disk for Firefox 3, 36 disk for Firefox Add-ons

Clever Marketing for a Time-tested Technological Device

2010-11-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

Digital Irony

2010-11-03T09:41:00.000-05:00

So I bought a Kindle with my birthday money and received it in the mail yesterday. Check out this assortment of customer uploaded pictures here.

I debated back and forth on whether or not I should get one because I have concerns with so much digital culture. Of course there is a lot that can be affirmed about the technology, too.

At the end of day one, I predict that I will enjoy the device very much. In celebration of purchasing the Kindle I want to pass along two bits of digital irony:

The very first book I plan to read on my Kindle is entitled You are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier. I know nothing about the book except the title and it caught my attention one day parousing Barnes and Noble. I have some thoughts stewing in my mind that I hope this book might shed light on. And then maybe one day I will share them on my blog.
I find it incredibly humorous that there is a Kindle version of a book entitled Bookbinding and the Care of Books: A Handbook for Amateurs, Bookbinders & Librarians

Periodically, I plan on blogging about my personal observations and insights into my digital reading.

Related posts:
Recent thoughts about the Kindle (posted March 19, 2010)
Stuff that Caught My Eye (posted May 16, 2010). Really the first two links are related to today's post.

[Picture taken from a customer who uploaded it to Amazon]

Needs & Reminders

2010-10-29T16:27:00.002-05:00

I have experienced the biggest case of procrastination and writer's block this past week. I am writing a paper on Paul's letter to the Philippian Church (modern day map), specifically on chapter 3, verses 12-16. It is actually a very difficult passage grammatically, and I am having a hard time getting all of my jumbled thoughts into any resemblance of written coherence.

Paul ties his main purpose, which is a call towards unity in the church, with themes of suffering, resurrection, and imitation, bound together in union with Christ. You see, the Philippian church in general, and a couple of the individual members in particular were experiencing some sort of discord and/or rivalry. And what Paul does in his letter, among other things, is call them back to their identity in Christ Jesus. Corporate and relational unity is rooted in the example we have in Christ's life, death, and resurrection (certainly Christ's life and work is much more than an example as He is our propitiation, but He also serves as an example to be imitated). We share those things with him; therefore, let us walk according to our identity...let us walk in unity having the same mind as Christ.

Now jumping back to my writer's block. My head is full of input but not much output, which is why my paper is actually late. It was due this afternoon. I am okay with it being lat. My prof is okay with it being late (and I'm okay with a potential mark down due to its lateness). However, I have not been okay the past several days with my anxious block. I am running to everything else to placate my anxiety: 1) my google reader because there is always some blog or article to read; 2) youtube videos because there are millions of videos to watch (because who doesn't need to spend time watching planes landing in horrific crosswinds?); 3) and compounding my anxiety, I think about everything else I need to get done before Thanksgiving.

Now I say all of this for my benefit and for transitioning to the video below. As I drove to campus this afternoon, this song was played on the radio. I have heard Need To Breathe before. I have even seen them live at the Handle Bar in Greenville, but I have never heard this song. It is called Lay 'Em Down.

It was refreshing to hear this reminder...that the Lord calls to every person...that He meets our every need. This is just what I needed today...to be reminded. So, let's bring all our troubles and lay 'em down. Christ Jesus calls through His Word and by His Spirit; do we have ears to hear?

Today is like...

2010-10-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

I took my wife to work this morning. We were running a bit behind schedule so we decided to buy two biscuits from McDonald's. Although they don't have the best breakfast stuff, it is okay.

This morning I ordered a combo meal: black coffee, potato cake and a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit. It is my usual. Well, I didn't get my usual. I randomly received an egg/sausage McGriddle (basically the biscuit replaced with two pancakes that have warm pockets of syrup inside). I've never had one before because I've never wanted one before. Sure the concept sounds appealing but throwing down 400+ calories and 1000+ mg of sodium in one sitting is not my idea of a balanced breakfast.

However. This morning I didn't even care that they got my order wrong. I opened the wrapper, and without thinking, sunk my teeth into it. Of course it was good; nevertheless, I still stand by my assessment that the concept is appealing......but it is always a bad idea.

So, if you ask me how my day is going, I would have to say that today is like that.

Lucky....or Fired? Or both?

2010-10-22T22:39:00.001-05:00

Zing....Pow....Zwap....Pop.....Kapow!

2010-10-12T08:00:00.010-05:00

Malcolm Gladwell's most recent essay "Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted" is a social critique of social media. He pulls no punches...well, he doesn't so much sucker punch social media with his bare-knuckles as he sharply wins the argument like a skilled fencer.

When you read his essay.....and you should read his essay.....then humor yourself (and me) by inserting the words found in the title as you read it (think 1960's Batman, the television show).

I find his running illustration of the Civil Rights movement (contrasted with the recent events in Iran) as a wonderful example of what he calls "strong ties" (versus "weak ties," which social media generally fosters). He also has interesting observations regarding structures (hierarchy vs. networks) as they relate to activism.

I wonder if his essay is a timely piece to showcase the mystery of inertia, movements, fads, trends? I wonder if there are books available to teach a person "how to" foster social media for their business or online persona (or people like me who are blogging about it), then is it likely the bus has moved on? I wonder if there comes a point when the bus keeps moving and never slowing down or when there are too many bus stops and way too many people needing rides that it becomes an ineffective form of transportation?

Personally, I want to connect/build/cultivate/nurture relationships that are strong-ties––relationships that will inspire me to fight injustice and stand beside me when others want to spit in my face because I am sitting at their counter and are equally scared as me, but their presence is enough encouragement to stay the course. I want "strong-ties" to encourage me and stand beside me saying, "Play the man!" Likewise, I want to be like one who does that for those standing beside me.

On a related note:
Gladwell's essay reminds me of something else he has written: "The Power of Context: The Magic Number of 150" found in his book The Tipping Point.

Incomplete Thoughts.....or Thoughts Begun

2010-10-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

I want to write more. I really do. However, I find myself thinking too much and scribbling notes (either in my Moleskine notebook or in Evernote). I even have a category in my Evernote application called "incomplete thoughts" and my pocket notebook is full of them.

I wonder if my desire to write essays instead of blogs, articles instead of comments drives the gap between my will to write and what I accomplish to write. What do I mean by that? Writing an essay requires a well-defined, purposed and unpacked, completed thought. I rarely have any of those. Thus, my desire to write only grows....longings to contribute in the discourse of humanity; however, rarely do I pen anything. For contribution to be weighed, something must be put on the scale.

Perhaps it is my perspective....an incomplete thought vs. a thought only begun. For now I am content with blogs and scribbles.

Ad 'em to the list...

2010-09-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

Staplers are like q-tips and band-aids...

you never want to purchase them for yourself; however, when you need them you always hope someone has them. Add them to the list of stuff you need but don't want to buy.

Weddings, Vows, and Witnesses

2010-09-18T00:27:00.000-05:00

Two weekends ago I participated in a close friend's wedding. Tomorrow I am participating in another friend's wedding. Both these men mean a great deal to me, and I feel honored to be present at their weddings, and more importantly I feel honored to be their friend.

Related Posts: Participate Actively
Renewal

Thank You Blogger!

2010-08-31T19:14:00.001-05:00

Well upon my return to blogger, from a long hiatus, I learned of some of the new features in Blogger. Perhaps they are not so new, since the long gap between posts.

At one point this summer I dabbled a little bit with WordPress to develop a more robust blog; a pseudo website, if you will. Also, I noticed the 'stats' feature. Once upon a time I tracked statistics through Google Analytics, but it got to be more than I wanted or needed. It will be nice to occasionally check some of those same stats in house.

Now that Blogger has 'pages' and 'stats,' I think I will stay for awhile longer. Now I just have to get back to writing.

Back From Blogger Vacation

2010-08-31T00:08:00.000-05:00

I have nothing to write for my first post back from blogger vacation, so I will just say hello. Hello. More to come later.

Until then, take a look back at my very first post, a little more than one year ago.

I'm Still Here...

2010-06-04T16:27:00.000-05:00

...but on vacation. Well, I went to Seattle, which was fun but have been back home in St. Louis. I've been on vacation between class sessions.

I've been thinking but haven't wanted to write. Maybe soon.

Stuff that Caught My Eye (over the weekend)

2010-05-16T19:51:00.002-05:00

I am in the middle of exams....which means I am oscillating between two extremes: never reading articles/news/blogs in my reader to wasting too much time reading other things. Here is what caught my eye over the past few days.

Some stuff from Tim Challies:

Video review of the Kindle vs. iPad.
Survey about reading habits

Some stuff from Kevin DeYoung:

Catholicity and Apostolicty
Christians and feeling guilty

Some random stuff:

Gotta love an optical illusion
Sometime in your life you should watch this movie. I know, I know...it's random, but the climactic unveiling of the murderer is great. You can't beat a good Agatha Christi mystery.

Happy browsing...I have to go write a paper now.

Renewal

2010-05-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

I still have the index card that my wife wrote my wedding vow on. She wrote it so I could practice before our wedding day.

Two years ago today, on May 10, 2010, I made this vow:

I, PD, take thee Kelli, to be my wedded wife,
          and I do promise and covenant,
                    before God and these witnesses,
          to be thy loving and faithful husband;
                    in plenty and in want,
                    in joy and in sorrow,
                    in sickness and in health,
                    as long as we both shall live.

With God's help, I renew this vow day after day, month after month, and year after year. I love living life together with you!

Stuff that Caught My Eye

2010-04-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted some links. Enjoy a small taste of what has caught my eye:

From the Lausanne Movement. There is tons of stuff at the Lausanne website. I really encourage anyone to jump into the stream of conversations regarding this summer's Laussanne Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

Need to communicate a statistic or other number?

Illustrate numbers with context.

Books mentioned to me lately (I plan to check out):

Christian and Bored with Jesus? Or non-Christian and tired of the hype about Jesus?

A letter addressed to Christian's who are bored and want "Christ plus" something else.

What's the value of a diploma?

2010-04-29T11:26:00.000-05:00

If you never read Seth Godin's blog or if you have never heard of Seth Godin, then you should read his most recent post.

He is a person. He writes books. He knows marketing. He influences people. From his vantage point, he has some interesting things to say about the future of traditional higher education (despite the potentially incorrect/highly unlikely statement about Galileo at Harvard).

I think he makes interesting observations; I think it should make us pause and think about it. What do you think?

Related Posts:
Accordance v. the Competition
Who influences you?

Refreshing Reminder of God's Process

2010-04-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

Today I was introduced to a new blogger. With me, that statement is a dime a dozen; however, this new blogger is unique. Amanda, as her blog title explains, is a new Christian.

She has two blogs. One in which she wrote while an atheist–– and the new one in which she writes as a former atheist. Check out her blogs! She includes quotes, Scripture passages, etc. As I mentioned above, I think her blog is wonderfully unique. What's so unique about another blog? I'll tell you, but I hope you go see for yourself. The blog's unique characteristic is not that she writes cool quotes or important Bible verses (although she does do that, too), but it appears that she designs her own cartoons to illustrate the quotes or verses she mentions. Her blog is a cartooned commentary.

I've enjoyed seeing her interpretations. They are a refreshing reminder of God's process––bringing us from alienation (distance, hostility, separation from Him) to reconciliation (nearness, peace, relationship with Him).

Lord, thank you for the new life in Amanda! Amanda, thank you for creatively posting your journey!

Today is.....

2010-04-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Monday. Monday follows Sunday. Sunday is for gathering in worship of the Risen Lord, and Sunday is the day Chick-Fil-A is closed. Therefore, Monday is the day that Chick-fil-A is open!

Below is a video by comedian Tim Hawkins. He is funny by himself, but I think his comedic songs are funnier. Here is one about Chick-Fil-A.

Recent Meditations

2010-04-15T12:10:00.002-05:00

I encourage you to read prayers from Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. They make great gifts (how I got mine; thanks Marty!) but it would make a great gift for yourself.

There are numerous prayers, which makes it slippery. You can't read this book like other books: from cover to cover, one after another. Well, I suppose one could but I think you would be missing out on huge opportunities for meditating and making these prayers your own prayers.

Here is one I have been meditating on the lately, especially the bold sections (Living by Prayer, p. 266-267):

O God of the open ear,
Teach me to live by prayer as well as by providence,
   for myself, soul, body, children, family, church;
Give me a heart frameable to thy will;
           so might I live in prayer,
           and honour thee,
           being kept from evil, known and unknown.
Help me to see the sin that accompanies all I do,
           and the good I can distil from everything.
Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring my will to thine,
           and that without this it is folly to pray;
When I try to bring thy will to mine it is to command Christ,
           to be above him, and wiser than he:
           this is my sin and pride.
I can only succeed when I pray
          according to thy precept and promise,
          and to be done with as it pleases thee,
          according to thy sovereign will.
When thou commandest me to pray
         for pardon, peace, brokenness,
          it is because thou wilt give me the thing promised,
            for thy glory,
            as well as for my good.
Help me not only to desire small things
         but with holy boldness to desire great things
                for thy people, for myself,
                that they and I might live to show thy glory.
Teach me
        that it is wisdom for me to pray for all I have,
       out of love, willingly, not of necessity;
        that I may come to thee at any time,
     to lay open my needs acceptably to thee;
        that my great sin lies in my not keeping
     the savour of the ways;
        that the remembrance of this truth is one way
               to the sense of thy presence;
        that there is no wrath like the wrath of being
       governed by my own lusts for my own ends.

Living Letters: David Fisk

2010-04-14T08:00:00.007-05:00

Please welcome David Fisk to the blog. My wife and I have grown to be good friends with David and his wife over the past year. We are sad that they will soon be leaving upon graduation, especially since we are growing in our friendship; however, we are thankful and excited about what the Lord is doing in their lives. ~PD
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

My name is David Fisk and I’m a 4^th year Covenant student about to graduate in May. After graduation, my wife and I are moving back to SC to start a new RUF work at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC.

It’s a very bittersweet feeling having to say goodbye to Covenant. My time here has been the best and the worst time of my life. It has been horrible and incredible at the same time. If I had to sum up my seminary career, it would be this – maturity through brokenness.

In four years, I’ve had two hospitalizations lasting 10 days total, four ER trips, 10 MRI’s, a spinal tap, two epidurals, countless doctor’s visits, even more medications, physical therapy, laparoscopic surgery, and an eight month bout of Depression. Only one semester out of eight did not have some sort of medical crisis. There were times when I cried, times when I was angry at the Lord, and times when I wanted to drop out and go home. However, the Lord used these things as a cauldron of character formation.

In the times of despair, there was one question that continued to come to my mind – God, don’t you care that I’m hurting this much? I mean – God, why is this happening? God, are you even there? Why aren’t you doing anything? Here’s what I did learn. I learned that you don’t always get to know why suffering happens, but the answer to my questions cannot be that God doesn’t care or that He isn’t doing anything about suffering. It took me a long time to begin understanding that the evidence of God’s care for suffering is Jesus. By looking at the life and death of Jesus in order to save us from our sin, we see God’s willingness to take on Himself the pain and suffering of this sinful world. It shows us just how much He does care. God entered time and space and suffering to redeem the brokenness and to restore the relationship He intended to have with His people from the beginning.

Christian maturity looks at how Christ took on the suffering of the world for one reason – to redeem the world and gain us. Tim Keller taught me that understanding this beautiful truth “brings deep consolation and strength to face the brutal realities of life on earth. We can know that God is truly Immanuel – God with us – even in our worst sufferings" (Tim Keller. The Reason for God, p. 31).

I don’t know if I would choose to go down the same path again because of the difficult trials I have been through. But I know that if I did not endure what I endured, I would not cherish Jesus nor have the maturity and perspective to trust in the Lord like I do now. Even after all the pain, I can still know God does care and the proof of Jesus shows me just how much.

Tomorrow's Post

2010-04-13T08:00:00.006-05:00

It has been awhile, but tomorrow will welcome another guest blogger for my segment called Living Letters. David Fisk, a fellow classmate and soon-to-be graduate, is going to share how the Lord has used his time at Covenant as a way to grow him.

Related Posts:

Living Letters: John Pennylegion

Upcoming Guest Bloggers

Lost Momentum (Better yet, Happy Easter!)

2010-04-06T12:34:00.001-05:00

Today was my first day back to class from a four day Easter break. My wife and I went to Georgia to see our families and to celebrate Easter. It was so wonderful to spend time with our families, and living in St. Louis, we take every opportunity that we can get.

At the same time, the gap between writing posts is overwhelming. The blogosphere grows and morphs––the conversation carries off in another direction; someone, who might be interested in reading what you have to say loses interest because of the lack of posts. Information is submitted to the vacuum and forever lost. The pressure to keep up with it all makes me feel like I have completely lost momentum. What traction I had is now slipping away. Might as well start over, right? Jump start a new brand? I do feel the weight, but then I remember reality. No one reads this blog. No one is longing for my next word. Who am I kidding! So there is absolutely no reason try to cover lost ground.

Instead...I say, "Happy Easter!" I hope your time with family was as good as mine. I hope you were mesmerized by the love of God, and shocked at the cost of sending of His Son, and bursting with joy that the tomb is empty! THE FREAKIN' TOMB IS EMPTY!!! THAT IS A HUGE DEAL––NOT JUST ON SUNDAY MORNING, BUT TODAY AT 12:25 PM AS I TYPE THIS AND ABOUT TO GO GRAB SOME LUNCH AND THEN SPEND ALL AFTERNOON READING FOR CLASS REGARDING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. THE FREAKING' TOMB IS EMPTY....WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT ANXIETY DISORDERS? DEPRESSION? SCHIZOFRENIA? WHAT CAN YOU DO BUT I HOPE AND LONG FOR THE RESURRECTION!

Different Prescription Glasses

2010-03-23T13:21:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I watched a thought provoking video presentation by Sam Harris. He is described as "one of the Four Horsemen of Atheism." I have not read any of his books but have watched some videos. He is one of the more pleasant New Atheists, as he actually writes and speaks as a capable philosopher. More pleasant is his tone––he actually asks important questions and attempts to provide coherent answers without all the rhetorical fluff masquerading as an argument.

He and I observe the same world (only difference, he is much more intelligent), but we come to very different solutions to life's problems. Which of course reveals another difference–humans are limited by the extent of our knowledge. There is a ceiling, so to speak, that prevents us from grasping full knowledge. Full knowledge can only be ascertained by an outside source revealing it.

After watching his video, it struck me that everybody has a theology of God, theology of salvation, and theology of eschatology. Of course the categories, definitions, terms, and frameworks are viewed from very different focal points with the aid of very different lens. For instance, how one responds to the question, "Who is Jesus?" reveals much about how you view God, humanity, and the world.

Tim Keller's presentation, "Who is this Jesus?" offers a vivid contrast to Sam Harris' presuppositional starting points. You can download it for free by clicking the link or listening to it in the embedded player.

I encourage you to listen to both Tim Keller and Sam Harris. What are each offering the listener in their presentation? What are the future ramifications in the world if one of them is correct and the other wrong?

[UPDATE: I cannot figure out how to get the player to work. Please click the "download" link to stream it.]

The below video was embedded from TED: Ideas Worth Spreading:

(the irony of me sharing this video is that I don't consider the presentation's implications worth spreading)

Pursuing Ad Fontes: an Example

2010-03-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

One of my professors, Jay Sklar, begins every class with the following mantra:

Jay: "Shalom, class."

Class: "Shalom, Jay."

Jay: "Start with the Bible."

Class: "Not with the commentaries."

Jay: "Context..."

Class: "is king."

Apparently this call/response is Tivoed into my brain because it came to the tip of my tongue as I left the library this afternoon. I have an upcoming exegetical paper on Deuteronomy 28, and I am genuinely excited about studying the passage. However, if I am honest, walking out of the library with an arm full of Deuteronomy commentaries made me eager to read what these commentators have to say regarding the passage. How easy it is for me to first gravitate towards what other scholars and pastors have said about God's Word!

Growing in our relationship with God and developing the scope of our theology must be done in community, and this involves what other scholars and pastors have gleaned from their studies. To be sure, we are surrounded by a wondrous cloud of witnesses! But, may we look to the One who their fingers point to, rather than to the one who is pointing––the validity of their witness properly corresponds to the One who they bear witness to.

Therefore, let's first start with our Bibles. My prayer is to recall this mantra for the rest of my life.

Weekend Wrapup: Stuff that caught my eye

2010-03-20T16:04:00.000-05:00

Scheduling time for creativity
Technology giving sight to the blind
Brother vs. Brother
One segment of the blogosphere

Check!

2010-03-19T10:57:00.001-05:00

Just found out how to rotate my screen 90 degree. I can now hold my Mac like a book and use it as an e-reader.

Recent thoughts about the Kindle...

2010-03-19T10:55:00.002-05:00

Technology shifts and sifts the way we think about life. Yesterday I came across a free, Kindle download for my Mac. I wonder about the Kindle, the uncertain future of the iPad, and where the dust will settle?

Although the question is posed and we sit waiting for the answer, I believe books will never go out of style. There will always be a market demand for printed books because of me. That's right, I will forever want to physically handle a printed book. I like to physically hold it; I like to physically turn the page; I like to physically underline and handwrite comments in the margin; I like to judge books by their covers. If I am just one of millions who feel the same way about books, then I am pretty confident that there will always be a market for printed books.

Am I a book snob? Am I a book hypocrite? If I am honest–"Yes, to the former and "No," to the latter. Technology is neutral–it has things to affirm and to challenge. First off, a quick list of things I like about the Kindle (this is not exhaustive):

In the long run, I know it would save money on books.
It would save physical shelf space.
It would allow for easy access to a library of books at your fingertips while traveling, etc. (Which makes me pose the question, "With such availability, are we really reading or accumulating?" That sounds like a great post for another time!)

Now, the main reasons why I am hesitant to fork out the mullah:

It would take me years to "save" the money. Why? Right now in my life I am buying more printed, reference books than pleasure reading.
I am waiting to see what the iPad does in the coming years. I think if the iPad does all that I think it will able to do, then why spend $400 plus on a gadget that can do one thing, when you could spend a little bit more and get a gadget that does multiple things.
The books I would buy for Kindle are books that I want to read but don't want to spend much, if any, money on them. Nor would I care to read them twice. For these types of books, I am content to either read someone else's review about the book or skim the book at Barnes-n-Noble for free (OR USE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY).

Why spend $20-30 on a new book that will be read by millions this week but then be out of date as fast as the next book is off the press next week? So then, why spend the money on a Kindle that potentially will have the same fate as this week's bestseller? I suppose that is what at the end of the day holds me back––the future Kindle upgrades, soon-to-be-released iPad, or some other gadget that makes the first generation of e-readers obsolete.

Which is another reason I don't think printed books will ever be obsolete––as a technology, they have been tested by several thousands of years. With all this said, I installed the Kindle app on my Mac and went browsing for Kindle books. I found my first book that cost $0.00 and got really excited (I enjoy G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy and Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice). My next task is to figure out how to rotate my screen so I can turn my Mac into an e-reader. I can dabble with the technology without experiencing buyer's remorse.

UPDATE: After writing but before posting, I found out that the Kindle is not $400 plus anymore. The price is going down, but my reasons still stand at this time.

What's MacGyver's first name?

2010-03-16T10:00:00.007-05:00

We don't have cable so I don't get to watch one of my favorite shows: Mythbusters. Last night, however, I found the show on Netflix.

Here is an excerpt of the episode I watched last night:

No one can sport a mullet like MacGyver!

Does anyone know MacGyver's first name?

Litmus or Taboo?

2010-03-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

The words "inspiration" and "inerrancy" are used in doctrinal statements, spoken in friendly debates, and thrown like grenades in theological war zones. But what do they mean? I think I have an okay grasp of their meaning but long for greater understanding, especially as Christians become more and more biblically illiterate.

The current issue of "Modern Reformation" includes the following:

In this Issue: Consciences Held Captive By Ryan Glomsrud

God's Word in Human Words: The Inspiration of Scripture By Michael S. Horton

Getting Inspiration from Inspiration By Michael Allen

"Where Can We Go?": What to do when the Bible doesn't make any sense By Rick Ritchie

The Truthfulness of Scripture: Inerrancy By Michael S. Horton

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: Articles of Affirmation and Denial (Sidebar)

A Roundtable Discussion on Inerrancy

Textual Criticism: The Achilles Heel of Inerrancy? By Michael J. Kruger

The Self-Attestation of Scripture By Paul Helm

Revisiting the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: An Interview with R. C. Sproul

Shaping Citizens of the Kingdom: "Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation" by James K. A. Smith (Book Review) By David VanDrunen

"Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch" by John Webster (Book Review) By Ryan Glomsrud

Points of Contact: "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk (Book Review) By Ann Henderson Hart

The Aftermath: Looking Back at the Chicago Statement (Sidebar) By David F. Wells

"A zeitgeist film!"

2010-03-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

We've all heard the metaphor, but The Joneses, and upcoming movie, brings it to life. Go watch the trailer for yourself. I think it will be an interesting commentary on American Dream-isms. What do I mean by "American Dream-isms?" I don't know really because I just made it up. I mean for it to mean the cultural narratives that tell us, "If I have this or that, then my life will be better and complete."

Who doesn't want the next best thing? The new, bigger and better thing promises to fix all our problems; however, those promises always end up unfilled. I only know of one thing that fulfills all my longings, needs, and desires.

The movie will most likely be sad, frustrating, and (unfortunately) self-indicting. Despite this, it will be an opportunity to affirm and challenge the narratives with which our culture inundates us. The trailer includes critic's quotes. One such quote, I think, captures the movie very well: "A zeitgeist film!"

I look forward to watching it; most likely a rental.

Links & Misc. Stuff: 3.14.10

2010-03-14T15:59:00.002-05:00

Happy weekend to everybody! My week was really busy so a lot of my internet browsing happened on Friday and Saturday. Just want to pass some links your way:

Check out a promo video for Trevin Wax's Holy Subversion.
upcoming DVD study on the Gospel in Life by Tim Keller. Check out the trailer.
A thoughtful, pastoral response to a young woman concerned about her boyfriend's sexual past.
some helpful reminders about the joys in pastoral ministry
a pastor considers what vocational evangelism might look like in the future
NPR's Freshair ran a 2009 interview with Bart Ehrman on Friday. Brethren, we must be able to give a reason for the hope we have in Christ, appropriately handle Scripture, and to teach in order to build up the body so people are not blind-sided by such mis-information.
let the conversations begin! Cape Town 2010-3rd Lausanne Congress; 12 Cities-12 Conversations

Also in South Africa 2010!

Living Letters: John Pennylegion

2010-03-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

Please welcome Penny to the blog. He is a friend, a graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary, and currently serving as an assistant pastor. I'll let him explain more himself, but you can also learn more here.

Please introduce yourself.

My name is John Pennylegion, most everyone I know calls me “Penny” and I am an Assistant Pastor at The Covenant Presbyterian Church (CPC) in St. Louis, MO. I graduated in May 2009 from Covenant Seminary with an MDiv and started at CPC on June 1. I was married to my wife, Kat, in September 2003 and we have two daughters, Laine (3 ½) and Mead (1). When choosing names, we were going with different but not weird.

Tell us more about the work you are doing there, particularly your involvement with the Schaeffer Fellows.

While having regular pastoral responsibilities at CPC, my primary role is the Director of the Schaeffer Fellows Program. This is a new endeavor for CPC which began out of discussions between our Sr. Pastor (Ryan Lauglin) and some professors from Covenant Seminary. The Schaeffer Fellows program is a nine month internship where recent college graduates will come to St. Louis, work part-time internships, take seminary level classes, and be actively involved in the church community. The purpose is to help young Christians, who have plans to enter the marketplace, learn to integrate their faith with their vocation. Thus, we are seeking to train future lay leaders of our churches to be better equipped to engage the world through their vocation.

The foundational premise of the program is that God-honoring, kingdom valued work can and does take place in the context of ‘secular’ vocations. It is based off of an understanding that when Paul says in Colossians 1 “by [Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth...all things were created through him and for him…. and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” that he really means “all things” not just things that we determine to be “spiritual.” Thus, Christ’s dominion, his rule, is extended into every sphere of his world. And because of this, we act as his ambassadors not only by sharing our faith but also by extending his authority into our areas of vocation - be that the law, medicine, marketing, home building, home making, etc.

What have you learned during this process and the past year?

Since June, I’ve been working (with a board) to establish the foundational aspects of the Fellows program in preparation for the arrival of, what we hope will be, 10-14 Fellows in September. During these months, the thing that I find myself saying again and again in my prayers to God is, “I need your help.” I’m constantly confronted by the fact that I need more of Jesus; that all my hard work, determination, talent, etc. is all for not if Jesus is not intimately and actively involved. While this is not a new realization, over the last eight months it has become a more true realization to me. I find myself asking God for his grace and trust more often and desiring to depend upon him.

Upcoming Guest Bloggers

2010-03-09T16:00:00.014-06:00

Starting tomorrow there will be a new segment on this blog called "Living Letters." My goal is to have two posts per month from guest bloggers. Each person is an encouragement to me, and I want to share with you who they are, how the gospel is impacting their lives, and the work with which they are involved. Topics will include anything and everything as I have a developing vision for it.

Tomorrow's guest will be John Pennylegion. With his permission I divided his post into sections to make it feel more like an introductory interview.

If you enjoy audiobooks then you might...

2010-03-08T15:11:00.000-06:00

Check this link: download free audiobooks. There are some great books available!
My first downloads: The Federalist Papers and The Man who was Thursday.

Give Yourself an Assignment

2010-03-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today's brainstorm:

learn how to use a compass and a topographic map
plan an upcoming weekend get-away with your spouse or a group of friends
refurbish an old piece of furniture you found at a yard sale or antique shop
get ready for spring cleaning

Read some Books!

2010-03-06T09:26:00.003-06:00

Click this link to see pictures of spectacular libraries from around the world. There are a lot of them. I can only imagine the books found in these collections; likewise, imagine the scholars browsing their halls down through the centuries.

Now here is some motivating humor to read some books: "Go. Go away. Read some Books." ~Nacho Libre

YouTube - Kevin Martin: Superstar in the Making

2010-03-03T08:00:00.006-06:00

I found this video in my "drafts" folder. I meant to share this two weeks ago but forgot about it. The video is about Kevin Martin. We had some classes together in college.

My Conundrum

2010-03-02T08:00:00.003-06:00

My wife makes fun of me. I like Murphy Beds. Well, as she says, "You like anything that can fit inside a compartment."

I don't think she is right, but I do like intuitive packing–space saving–IKEA–like stuff. I like the way people in NYC have to live by maximizing their living/eating/work space. I appreciate creativity because I am not very creative myself.

My conundrum: I am 6'5'' and hate small, compact spaces. I need head and leg room. I wish I was about 4-5 inches shorter so I can fit more comfortably in the world.

So, check the link for some cool ideas to save living space; the bunk beds are my favorite. Also, whenever I verbalize my likes/dislikes, it usually confirms my wife's theories about me.

Stylish Space Saving Furniture on Third Avenue | Styleture.com - notable designs and functional living spaces

M.Night + Kung Fu= Awesome!

2010-02-25T12:01:00.001-06:00

M. Night Shyamalan is a great story teller. Okay, okay –The Happening was not so happenin'. I actually never saw it because a reliable friend and M.Night fan did not recommend it. Let's be reasonable––greatness cannot happen with every try. Even Mighty Casey struck out, and so did Babe Ruth....a lot! And he was the Great Bambino!

Back to M. Night being a great story teller. His stories start with a great concept. He uses vivid imagery and captivating cinematography, which only draws you into the characters and dialogue. He develops the story behind the story. I find myself just listening and watching the story unfold instead of working to follow or piecing the story together. When I watch his movies, I don't go to watch a movie; I go to be told a story.

Thus/therefore/hereafter/thereunto/consequently/without further ado, this post's subject line explains it all (and reveals my biases)!!

Just check out the trailer for his new movie.

I Hate Email Forwards But...

2010-02-22T09:02:00.002-06:00

My dad sends an occasional email forward; and they are occasionally funny. Instead of contributing to the email forward game I am just posting it here.

Customer Service --- Computer Repair

Caller : Hi, our printer is not working.
Customer Service: What is wrong with it?
Caller : Mouse is jammed.
Customer Service: Mouse? Printers don't have a mouse!!!

Caller: Mmmmm??.. Oh really?... I will send a picture.

[UPDATE: The Picture didn't initially post. Here is the picture, which is the very punch line for the joke. Sorry for the delay.]

Give Yourself an Assignment

2010-02-22T08:57:00.002-06:00

Good morning to you! Weekly brainstorm:

Write a letter to your state representative (I say this one because I have never done it, and I cynically believe it won't make a difference. Two to three generations ago this happened all the time. Maybe one day I will do this).
Decrease your digital intake.
It is still February, which means it is Black History month. Next time you are in a public place, shake a black person's hand (especially an older person who has witnessed much of the Civil Rights struggles) and tell them, "Isn't it wonderful that you (if you are white) and I can be in the same line/building/restaurant/other location?!"
Anonymously leave a grocery store gift card in a friend's mailbox.
Instead of telling your pastor how good (or bad) the sermon was, ask him how the gospel is shaping his life today.

Posting via email via Evernote

2010-02-19T15:15:00.001-06:00

From Evernote:

Posting via email via Evernote

The previous post (and this one, too) were published via email using Evernote.

I use Evernote, which is a free capturing application. Please click the link to check them out, but I just wanted to clarify that the post itself was not "From Evernote."

I wrote it (and this one, too) but just emailed the post directly to blogger using email.

A Wonderful Silence Overpowers a Weighty Sentence

2010-02-19T15:02:00.002-06:00

From Evernote:

A Wonderful Silence Overpowers a Weighty Sentence

I love the pause I experience after a profound statement. You know, the pause that makes you stop everything you are doing, thinking, and saying so that you can direct every ounce of your being towards concentrating on what was just said.

These moments usually happen to me after reading a great sentence in a book or hearing a great line in a movie. It is the zinger, the punch-line, the climactic statement; the focus of all that was said before and the point of what is said after. It is the proverbial "hmmm" moment.

That moment invites you to respond. But how? With a clarifying question; with a skeptical eye; with a cynical sneer; with an agreeable smile; with an argumentative retort? The possible responses are truly infinite. The experience, however, that I am talking about is when the singular, appropriate response is silence.

My whole day has been characterized by that response: SILENCE. I think of words but none come. Saying, "Wow!" or even a jaw-drop insufficiently expresses the silence I am experiencing. This silence has weight and power; I attempt to respond but I am held back. Fear, almost terror, begins to qualify this silence. Though it is the safest place to be.

Weekend Tidbits

2010-02-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

A couple of things that caught my eye this weekend:

fav4.org is a website that configures your 4 most used sites into your homepage
follow the Vancouver Olympics with google or at the Vancouver Games page
learn more about google buzz
how movements grow

Give Yourself an Assignment

2010-02-10T09:00:00.001-06:00

By now, if you have read my blog before that is, you should know that I occasionally brainstorm a list of "assignments." They are lists for you and for me to consider doing sometime today/this week/soon. As I do more and more of them, I will introduce them less and less.

Today's Brainstorm:

mail a handwritten thank you note
start using google reader for your online news/blogs/websites
don't assume recycling gets the job done; use less and resuse more
comment on this blog sometime; give some feedback and constructive criticism

Some things don't get posted

2010-02-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Good morning! This post is about posts that don't get posted.

I just spent twenty minutes reflecting on how my morning gospel reading (Matt. 14) is relating to circumstances in my life. I sat and thought; I sat and typed; I sat and re-read; I sat and edited; I sat and decided...not to post it.

Why? Some things are too personal. So I wrote this lil' ditty instead. Just because most of our life functions in the cloud doesn't mean you have to publish everything in the cloud. And honestly, not everything written is publish-worthy (so, PD, get over yourself)!

Today's takeaway: keep it to yourself and/or verbally tell a close confidant. Don't broadcast it to the whole world who probably won't see it anyway. (If you never read this post, you realize the irony in these last two sentences.)

Ever Need a Follow Up Reminder?

2010-02-09T17:00:00.002-06:00

So, getting a Mac was my first step; finding the website Lifehacker was my second step; and my final step into geek-dom was joining Twitter, where I can follow other gadget geeks. I came across this nifty tip today and have used it with almost every email I sent out today.

It is a great follow up tool. Click the link and watch the video.

FollowUpThen: Free, Fast and Simple Email Reminder

Posted using ShareThis

"What would you say that you do here?"

2010-02-09T09:00:00.018-06:00

Over the past the past six months, I have desired to write more. Starting this blog was one avenue to write on a consistent basis. I don't really care about people reading (well, that is a lie).

Communication is important, and there are many different mediums. For instance, it is a life-dream of mine to write a screenplay. I would like it to be made into a movie, but I am realistic about those chances. Still, writing a screenplay swirls in the back of my mind.

I also think it would be cool to write a novel. I appreciate the abilities of Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling to weave a world with their words (how about that for alliteration; I didn't even edit that for style!). However, I do not think I have the mental fortitude to tell a story worth telling. There is nothing I could say that hasn't been said already. (I have a theory that whenever I have a thought I should search C.S. Lewis' writings first. [Related post about this])

If I were to start writing more seriously (I mean, how serious is blogging, right?), than I would want to be an essayist. Not only is that more romantic than saying, "I'm a writer," but who does it anymore? Emerson? Lewis? Twain? I'm sure there are fascinating essayists out there. I suppose I haven't heard about them because they aren't dead yet. That is an interesting thought to consider: what's going to happen to people's blogs when they die? Will college students of the future be required to read Blog Anthology of 21st Century, Vols. 1-1,000? It would probably be something else I never read in college.

I promise I have a point with this post. I was thinking about writing this morning and a conversation happened in my head (no, I didn't hear voices). The conversation began, "What do you do?" This of course made me think of Office Space. Please be advised that the video below does contain profanities; it's still funny though.

Until the Dust Settles

2010-02-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

Social media works. I am convinced. It is amazing how fast information (old and new) zooms around the vast vaccum called the internet. So much information lost in its space waiting to be accessed.

Although I participate in the technology and affirm its benefits, I try to keep it within reality. So, consider my pondering mere speculation; it is not a prediction. I am not smart enough nor well-informed enough to stay ahead of the trends to make predictions.

Social media (perhaps, just speculating) may grow into a never ending black hole of lost information. A blog post here, a tweet there will never be seen because something else got posted a micro-click later. Thus, for social media to continue as is, it must maintain its purpose: communication. If it no longer serves as a means for communication or collaboration (both positives) towards productive results, than social media will implode just like the housing bubble with no valuable content to hold it up.

Until the dust settles...I am perfectly content in making a few posts, sharing a few links, spending "facetime" with my family, friends, neighbors, and reading a good ol' fashioned book.

Use this on your next weekend adventure

2010-02-07T13:26:00.000-06:00

goby.com

Posted using ShareThis

A Helpful Tool

2010-01-27T11:40:00.000-06:00

Memorizing Scripture is hard for me. Not because I can't memorize, but because I rarely make time for it.

I have been following Christ Jesus for about ten years now. In the earlier days, I committed a lot of Scripture to memory; since then much has been lost. This saddens and convicts me. I want God's word in my head and on my heart.

My renewed desire to memorize Scripture started with a modest goal: memorize one verse per week. Memorize Now is a tool that I am using to do just this.

No registration is required. You create "cards" of any text you want (not just Scripture) to memorize. There are various ways to help you memorize: letters or whole words can be removed. My favorite tool shows the first letter of each word. Click the "save" tab and follow the directions. There are other online memorizing tools, but I am currently dabbling with this one. Go check it out for yourself!

Can you guess what verse the picture shows?

Related Post:
Who Knows?

Give Yourself an Assignment

2010-01-25T09:03:00.000-06:00

Last week I mentioned that I would begin a weekly(ish) post: "Give Yourself and Assignment." Take them as merely ideas. More than anything they cultivate my idea generating temperament. Some will be good, others will be bad. If at any point you decide to follow through with one of the ideas, please leave a comment and share how it went.

Today's brainstorm:

call your mom and/or dad
start going to the same coffee shop; become a "regular"
take a half day off from work for a "prayer retreat."
consider a theological, philosophical, political, and/or economic viewpoint (aren't they usually interwoven?) different from your own. Learn about that opposing viewpoint from someone who holds it. Listen. Try to understand. Be able to articulate their position accurately and fairly (so they would say, "Yes, that is what I believe.") Then be able to articulate your own position accurately and clearly. Don't use strawmen. May your words be seasoned with grace, love, and truth.

Give Yourself an Assignment (Weekend Edition)

2010-01-21T08:22:00.005-06:00

I think I am going to do a post like this once every week or two. I am probably doing it more for me, but I do it also to encourage you. Just think of me as the "idea guy."

Today's Brainstorm:

Go ice skating.
Sleep in on Saturday; wake up and make pancakes.
Think of a question. Go ask the same question to 5 different people to hear/learn from their perspectives.
Write a letter to a friend or family member. (An actual, hand written one!)

This is funny to me...and so true.

2010-01-19T14:30:00.000-06:00

This guy is sick and tired of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. This only confirms what Lewis said about reading:

"It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones."

I recommend reading the rest of his comments relating to reading old books to modern books in his Introduction to St. Athanasius' On the Incarnation.

'Mercy killing' not part of law

2010-01-19T09:23:00.000-06:00

'Mercy killing' not part of law: "An Old Bailey judge sums up in the trial of a mother accused of murdering her son who was brain-damaged in an accident."

This is very interesting in light of recent discussion in England in particular, and Europe in general. What do you think about it?

Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes

2010-01-18T11:45:00.000-06:00

Below are some of his quotes. These quotes and more come from here.

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

"An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."

"Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them."

"A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan."

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

The Same Movie on the Same Row

2010-01-18T10:49:00.000-06:00

What do a bridge, a road, a school, and a national holiday have in common? They all are named in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. There is plenty of written history about this man and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, so I am not going to write in length about that. He is probably most well known for his "I Have a Dream" speech, which you can watch on any number of websites and blogs today. For instance, you can watch it here. Today I want to briefly write something more personal in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Twice this month I have gone to the movie theater, and both times I have gone to the restroom following the movie. And both times I was deeply moved by the experience of washing my hands next to an older black man. Not too long ago there were separate toilets, separate water fountains, separate schools, separate restaurants. "Separate but equal" is not equal. So this MLK Day, I am thankful to be able to wash my hands next to a black man and enjoy the same movie on the same row.

It makes sense for people of minority races to honor and celebrate MLK Day. It also makes sense for whites (that's me, a white guy) to honor and celebrate him. You see, the oppressor has the false perception of feeling superior and the oppressed has the real perception (but also false) of feeling inferior; however, the oppressors' dignity is also stolen when wickedness and injustice is committed against the oppressed. Correcting that injustice, in a way, restores the God-given dignity of both sides.

The laws have changed, but the battle of the heart continues to rage. Praise God that he ultimately judges with righteousness, justice, and equity! Praise God that in Christ Jesus there is "not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:9-15). He is the one the transforms and renews our hearts and restores our brokenness.

The Comment Sections

2010-01-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

I confess I read the comment sections on websites and blogs. I don't recommend doing this all the time or waste a lot of time doing it; nevertheless, it is an interesting exercise.

Go to youtube. Go to any news website that gets a lot of traffic. Just read and observe what's said. Follow people's flow of thought. Do they reference something in the article? Do they address a previous comment? Perhaps they do not address the content directly, rather they address the person (positively or negatively). What's the tone of their comment? This exercise is especially illuminating upon public discourse, values, and worldview regardless of how important the topic–or trivial. What is said in these rapid-fire scenarios often reveals what we truly believe.

Yes, to be sure the internet provides a certain level of anonymity, which gives the commenter the perceived permission to blast anything and everything that spews forth from his/her mind and heart. But that in of itself presents an interesting view into the human condition. It is not natural to love; it is not natural to build up. All the more important to be transformed from within, and then have love and encouragement overflow into every situation. Jesus is so good at this; why can't we be more like him? I want to be more like him.

P.S. If you do this, don't be shocked by the potential vulgarity.

Related Post:
Give Yourself an Assignment

Give Yourself an Assignment

2010-01-14T11:07:00.000-06:00

Do something. Doesn't matter what it is. Do something. Give yourself an assignment; follow through with it.

Today's Brainstorm:

Paint a bookshelf (which I did this morning)
Go eat lunch with a friend (which I will do later)
Go interview somebody that interests you; perhaps a person from a previous generation. Ask them how they see the world. What has changed? Do they see the changes as positive or negative? Who or what has helped influence them to be who they are now?
Read a book about something you know absolutely nothing about.

Chris Wright's Book

2010-01-14T08:30:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I mentioned Chris Wright's book, The God I Don't Understand. It is an honest reflection on some of the most difficult theological and philosophical questions of all time: evil and suffering. So far I have only read the first two chapters. Below is a breakdown of the section headings and chapter names.

What about Evil and Suffering?
The Mystery of Evil
The Offence of Evil
The Defeat of Evil
What about the Canaanites?
The Canaanites––Three Dead Ends
The Canaanites––Three Frameworks
What about the Cross?
The Cross––Why and What?
The Cross––How?
The Cross––According to the Scriptures
What about the End of the World
Cranks and Controversies
The Great Climax
The New Beginning

Related Post:
I Don't Understand Either

Posting by Email-I am so Behind the Times

2010-01-13T17:00:00.001-06:00

Testing the email posting feature. This might revolutionize how I do posts. Probably not, though.

I Don't Understand Either

2010-01-13T16:33:00.000-06:00

This winter break I have been reading books that interest me versus what has been assigned for class. Don't get me wrong, I love the content of my classes, but sometimes it is refreshing to read something because you want to read something. Perhaps towards the end of the month I will post something about what I have been reading.

But for now I want to mention one book in particular. The book is titled The God I Don't Understand by Chris Wright. I have only read the first two chapters; so far so good. Chapter Two (The Offence of Evil) is especially timely because of the current crisis in Haiti. Part of this chapter talks specifically about natural disasters.

We all respond to such circumstances differently; likewise, we respond to the news of such circumstances differently. Here are two links which give two very different responses. The first one seeks to quickly mobilize relief funds. The second one tries to provide an answer. Ironically, I found the second link from a twitter page (the person tweeting it was not doing so because he agreed with the person). Helpful use of media. Unhelpful use of media.

I will close with one more twitter reference. Pat's attempt at answers pales in comparison to John Piper's response––tears, sorrow, and continued trust in God.

He first wrote, "Weeping over these pictures from Haiti. http://ow.ly/W7rY"

and then, "When words (almost) fail. I wrote a poem this morning about Jesus in Haiti. http://ow.ly/W7EY."

I think John Piper's response is the more biblical one.

Mere Pilgrims...in Chicago.

2010-01-13T09:00:00.019-06:00

My wife and I live in St. Louis. Over the past year and half we have talked about spending a weekend in Chicago. Now I am more excited about that visit; last week she bought a Chicago/moleskin city notebook on sale at one of her favorite stores (she loves finding deals)!

I am a growing fan of moleskin notebooks. This book includes street maps; pages for planning an itinerary; plenty of space for journaling the trip; and tabbed sections for recording restaurants, entertainment, and tourist spots.

We look forward to going...sometime after the winter cold! This is one attraction we must see–the Shedd Aquarium.

Related Posts:
NYC
Mere Pilgrims...in the city
Airports

Google Reader as a filing system

2010-01-12T10:46:00.001-06:00

No matter one's vocation, there are needs for ongoing education. I think google reader can be used for just that.

My purposes are geared to my interests and my current calling, which is to be a seminary student preparing for future vocational ministry. So I pass this idea on for fellow seminarians and for current/future pastors; however, I think using Google Reader this way would prove beneficial for any professional career.

The picture is a screenshot of how I currently set up my Google Reader. I have folders, which I assign my websites and blogs. The number in parentheses next to the folder designates unread feeds. Some sites I check pretty much every day; others I check occasionally; some I very quickly skim the headline and only read what catches my eye. This is based on personal priorities. Setting priorities is a must for this to be maintained as a tool versus it becoming a snare and a time-waster.

I then organize posts with tags for further reference. I don't tag everything, and often I assign multiple tags for a given post. These tags are always a work in progress. Occasionally I consolidate categories, and I have edited and even deleted tags that prove unhelpful to my purposes.

I have two main goals for this:

Ongoing learning by reading a breadth of material (things I agree and disagree with). Doing this increases awareness and sharpens my critical thinking.
It is a filing system for illustrations, great ideas, articles I would reference again, etc.

Happy Reading!

Abusus Non Tollit Usum

2010-01-12T09:48:00.001-06:00

If you have been reading my blog at all or if you know me very well, then you would know that I am an information junky. I use google reader, the one-stop shop for all my digital perusing. However, I recently added Twitter as a medium for checking out the latest news and links. This has been really effective to follow companies or products that I would like to learn more about but not interested enough to follow their blog. I also use it to share links that I find interesting. Check me out at twitter.

Twitter began in 2006 so I have held off for a long time. Initially, I thought the concept of "tweeting" your location and your thoughts was another symptom of our narcissistic culture. You see, I am just one of the many hundreds of thousands of people who grew up with the internet, email, and aol IM for the past 15 years. Instant messaging has grown and evolved since, but the desired concept for instant communication and social networking remains the same. That is of course, one of the pro's; I could argue for many more con's. At this point I imagine my friend say, "Abusus non tollit usum," which means abuse does not take away from proper use.

So here I am, jumping on the wave of social media with platforms called Twitter and Facebook. I still believe they provide telling trends for our culture, not all of which are positive. But remember...Abusus non tollit usum.

Related Post:
Twitter?

You've got to check this out!

2010-01-02T19:58:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard about "sand painting?" I have seen it once before while wasting time on youtube. You know how that happens–you follow a link to youtube. Then you click a "related video" link in the sidebar...then another...then another. You do that several more times before waking up from your screen dream. It always amazes me where I end up. Hopefully, the video below doesn't cause a similar distraction.

The below video: Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII [description quoted from the info box].

Of course, I lack the context to fully appreciate the music and the story she is telling. Nevertheless, she is extremely talented. The music, the drama, the remembering, the storytelling are very moving–you can see it in the audience members' tears. I can only imagine the sorrow experienced by people in similar situations.

The nations continue to rage and kings plot. Oh how I long in hopeful expectation for the coming Day when such sorrow is no more!

What questions are we asking?

2009-12-31T10:08:00.003-06:00

Thought this was interesting. What questions are we asking? What questions are we neglecting?

The Gospel Provides the Questions : Kingdom People

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Are blogs booming or busting?

2009-12-31T08:39:00.000-06:00

Justin Taylor posted a summary of Trevin Wax's idea of the current state of the "blogosphere." You can read Justin's summary here. You can read Trevin's post here. Some of his thoughts are right on.

The new waves of technology and the fast access we have to information on the internet can be overwhelming, but at the end of the day an individual remains limited by his or her capacity for intake regardless of what browsers or social platforms they use. I for one can be a glutton for information so I must be intentional to push my "information plate" away when I am full.

Preparing to Prepare (for the New Year)

2009-12-30T11:11:00.000-06:00

The New Year isn't here just yet, but I am preparing for it. I'm downstairs in my office cleaning out old files; reorganizing boxes of things I want to keep; updating my mac to Snow Leopard; ongoing reflection of the past year as I think forward to the upcoming one.

(Also playing a little Super Nintendo; that's right-I am playing Super Mario World, which I haven't played in over 10 years. It is amazing how much you remember as if it was yesterday.)

Happy Incarnation Day (part 3)

2009-12-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

The following are some excerpts from the first two chapters of On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius.

Creation and the Fall (some excerpts)

"Now in dealing with these matters it is necessary first to recall what has already been said. You must understand why it is that the Word of the Father, so great and so high, has been made manifest in bodily form. He has not assumed a body as proper to His own nature, far from it, for as the Word He is without body. He has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men. We will begin, then, with the creation of the world and with God its Maker, for the first fact that you must grasp is this: the renewal of creation has been wrought by the Self-same Word Who made it in the beginning. There is thus no inconsistency between creation and salvation for the One Father has employed the same Agent for both works, effecting the salvation of the world through the same Word Who made it in the beginning."

"You may be wondering why we are discussing the origin of men when we set out to talk about the Word’s becoming Man. The former subject is relevant to the latter for this reason: it was our sorry case that caused the Word to come down, our transgression that called out His love for us, so that He made haste to help us and to appear among us. It is we who were the cause of His taking human form, and for our salvation that in His great love He was both born and manifested in a human body. For God had made man thus (that is, as an embodied spirit), and had willed that he should remain in incorruption. But men, having turned from the contemplation of God to evil of their own devising, had come inevitably under the law of death. Instead of remaining in the state in which God had created them, they were in process of becoming corrupted entirely, and death had them completely under its dominion. For the transgression of the commandment was making them turn back again according to their nature; and as they had at the beginning come into being out of non-existence, so were they now on the way to returning, through corruption, to non-existence again."

The Divine Dilemma and its Solution in the Incarnation (some excerpts)

"As, then, the creatures whom He had created reasonable, like the Word, were in fact perishing, and such noble works were on the road to ruin, what then was God, being Good, to do? Was He to let corruption and death have their way with them? In that case, what was the use of having made them in the beginning? Surely it would have been better never to have been created at all than, having been created, to be neglected and perish; and, besides that, such indifference to the ruin of His own work before His very eyes would argue not goodness in God but limitation, and that far more than if He had never created men at all. It was impossible, therefore, that God should leave man to be carried off by corruption, because it would be unfitting and unworthy of Himself."

"For naturally, since the Word of God was above all, when He offered His own temple and bodily instrument as a substitute for the life of all, He fulfilled in death all that was required. Naturally also, through this union of the immortal Son of God with our human nature, all men were clothed with incorruption in the promise of the resurrection. For the solidarity of mankind is such that, by virtue of the Word’s indwelling in a single human body, the corruption which goes with death has lost its power over all."

Happy Incarnation Day (part 2)

2009-12-23T10:26:00.002-06:00

Happy Incarnation Day (part 2)

This week I have been reading On the Incarnation of Christ by Athanasius. It is public domain so I recommend that you read it, skim it, meditate on his meditations, and wonder in the fact that Christmas celebrates Jesus' incarnation! At least look at the first five chapters, which are as follows:

Chapter 1: Creation and the Fall
Chapter 2: The Divine Dilemma and its Solution in the Incarnation
Chapter 3: The Divine Dilemma and its Solution in the Incarnation contin.
Chapter 4: The Death of Christ
Chapter 5: The Resurrection

Happy Incarnation Day!

2009-12-22T17:42:00.000-06:00

No, I don't mean the Jack Black song from Nacho Libre. I am on vacation in Georgia and loving it! The next couple of days I will have several posts on reflections leading up to Christmas Day.

We went to my wife's home church this past Sunday. The morning sermon was about Simeon from from Luke 2. The pastor incorporated an interesting technique, one I have learned is common for him during Christmas. He talked from Simeon's perspective in the first person. It was semi-speculative narrative (for effect) that was rooted in what was described in the text. It was engaging and was thought-provoking. If only I can have an ounce of anticipation that Simeon had for the coming Messiah!

The Sunday evening surface was from John 1. The sermon's main point: desperation. In light of this advent season and as Christmas approaches I was convicted because I often lack both forward anticipation and my present desperation. May I know my desperate need and look forward in hopeful anticipation for his salvation!

Op-Ed Columnist - Heaven and Nature - NYTimes.com

2009-12-21T22:52:00.001-06:00

Op-Ed Columnist - Heaven and Nature - NYTimes.com

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Thinking About Santa :: Desiring God

2009-12-18T08:22:00.001-06:00

Thinking About Santa :: Desiring God

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Top Ten's of the Year

2009-12-14T11:11:00.003-06:00

Time has put out their Top Ten Lists of 2009.

Fail Proof Plan

2009-12-13T21:46:00.005-06:00

Tonight I was reminded of two things. The first is a bottom-up, fail proof plan to end world hunger (joking, but slightly serious). The second is a personal reflection.

Strategically planned pot-luck dinners. My wife and I went to a dinner at our church tonight. It culminated the fall season's small groups and was the children's Christmas program. By each person/family bringing one dish that can feed 10-12 people, close to 250 people had their fill of some good eats. Pot-lucks meals feed large groups of people quickly, efficiently, and effectively. There should be no reason why people go hungry. It invites people into the community to be embraced and loved on; it encourages individual responsibility and contribution to the whole.
On a personal note–cold fried chicken straight out of the refrigerator tastes so good (breakfast, lunch, or dinner)!

[picture was taken from internet]

Twitter?

2009-12-11T11:20:00.001-06:00

New Poll: should I use twitter?

Gotta love 80's music!

2009-12-11T10:55:00.001-06:00

I woke up this morning with this song in my head...it was released in 1989 (I was 8 yrs old).

You can watch the original music video here. At first I was disappointed but the imagery with the family generations was interesting in context of the song. The video below is better because somebody made a slide show of the song.

Counseling Situations......and Marriage

2009-12-08T13:58:00.003-06:00

This article posted by JT highlights an email written by D.A. Carson to a young church planter. The church planter contacted Dr. Carson asking for advice on some pastoral concerns in his church: situations in which couples were living together/some had kids prior to conversion, and then one or both have since become Christians. Read the article here.

The article is insightful and a wonderful case study for pastoral ministry. Reading it made me think of a couple of questions to throw out to you. Think about it....post a comment......maybe we can get a discussion going.

As the cultural debate continues about marriage/civil unions, this thought crosses my mind: What if Christians got "married" legally before a civil magistrate at the beginning of the engagement? The engagement process would involve all the legal ramifications in a legal union–property, name change, social security, etc., but the engagement period would continue to be for marital preparation (lived out the same ways as it is currently). It would be kind of like a betrothal period. Then at the end of the engagement time (pre-marital counseling, preparation for the wedding day AND foundations for a lasting marriage) the couple joined in marriage before the Lord and community of witnesses. What could we affirm in this? What would be the challenges to doing something like? How would this be a witness to the world in light of same sex marriages, civil unions, and the high divorce rates? [one objection immediately would arise: well, we are already "married" so we no longer need to remain sexually celibate."]
Considering the circumstances mentioned in the article: how would it be handled/how would you handle a situation where a same sex couple (who have kids) come to know the Lord? Do you encourage them to split up? Do you encourage them to remain together but celibate? If so, how does the gospel speak into this situation? How would we help the family unit (albeit unconventional) clarify the new identity and dynamic to the children?

Mostly questions–I only have thoughts, but no answers. What do you think?

Mark Driscoll interviews R.C. Sproul

2009-12-05T14:13:00.002-06:00

This is really interesting. I have had several conversations with a pastor who draws the line of heresy at "christology," not "soteriology." One can be in error (though not necessarily heresy) with wrong, ill-informed soteriology; however, it is grave heresy if one is wrong about the person and work of Jesus Christ. It makes me think of 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 12:1-2; and the Nicene Creed. Click the link below to see the video.

Sproul: What Is the Biggest Upcoming Theological Battle?: "Before you click through to hear his answer, it’d be worth pausing to offer your own answer. Here is Sproul’s:" [link and quote comes from JT's blog @ gospelcoalition]

Any thoughts from you?

Reading together

2009-12-05T13:44:00.003-06:00

We should read out loud more.
We should read with other people out loud more.
We should listen to people read out loud more.

A couple of recommendations:

read large chunks of Scripture together. I have not read this yet, but it is on my mental wish list for the year. I have heard some good things about it: Unleashing the Word
read other books together. Lately, my wife and I have read Dr. Seuss' Fox on Socks. It is a wonderful tongue twister. The video below is the whole story; we do not read it this fast nor this well.

Read something about "reading"

2009-12-05T13:24:00.004-06:00

Reading is something most of America takes for granted everyday. But, we should not automatically assume people 1) know how to read; 2) know how to read well; and/or 3) actually read.

Tim Challie has a couple of posts about reading. Check them out!
"How to Read and Why"
"Rapid Reading"
"Misconceptions About Reading"

Tim Keller featured in New York Magazine

2009-11-30T20:04:00.000-06:00

check out this article about Tim Keller.

Google Wave Invites!!

2009-11-22T16:05:00.001-06:00

I just received some google wave invites. If you are interested, please contact me.

Make a Lighted Christmas Ball

2009-11-22T15:48:00.002-06:00

I know, I know. It is not even Thanksgiving and I am already talking about Christmas. It is breaking one of my personal rules (I don't have many of them, so I am so disappointed)!! My wife has been wondering when we are going to get our Christmas tree, and this afternoon she is starting to get out some of decorations.

So here is a random collection geared towards the upcoming celebrations of Jesus' Incarnation:

Make a Lighted Christmas Ball [Holidays]:Lifehacker featured this story. It's kind of a warm story of a community's Christmas tradition. Check out the link because there is a short video telling the story.
check out their blog @ http://lightedchristmasballs.blogspot.com/
check out this post from July

In order to justify myself, I still vow not to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Of course that is going to be hard because the radio and a McDonald's I sometimes visit have been playing Christmas tunes for a couple of weeks now.

Cheers...drink some eggnog!

Yep, there is an app for that!

2009-11-17T15:00:00.000-06:00

Drive a Car with Your iPhone [DIY]: "

A lot of people have been impressed with how you can find an app for everything. What about driving your car? With this (very) ambitious DIY project you can drive a car with your iPhone.

Why use your iPhone as merely an accessory to your car? You can flat out control it with this crazy DIY modification. Check out the video below to see how the mad scientists at Waterloo Labs modified a car—definitely not their daily mode of transport—to be controlled by an iPhone.

Check out their web site at the link below to see additional videos, as well as all the schematics and part lists you need to complete your iphone-remote controlled car—and, of course, if you build one, we definitely want some pics and video. Assuming you're not in the car while you're shooting them.

Drive a Car with Your iPhone [via Make]

40 yrs!!

2009-11-04T15:42:00.002-06:00

Considering one of today's class discussions about generations, the linked article below (please click to see the video) is really interesting. Sesame Street is about to celebrate their 40th anniversary–wow! That is a wide spectrum of people having been influenced by this television program at some level.

P.S. I don't understand their title choice. P.S.S. I was Big Bird at my kindergarten class graduation back in 1986-87 (I think those are the years).

A la peanut butter sandwiches!: "Google doodles celebrate events and anniversaries around the world, while reflecting the personality, interests and quirkiness of Google employees. Today, you likely noticed a pair of familiar feet on the Google homepage. Leading up to Sesame Street's 40th anniversary on November 10th, we're excited to be featuring some of our favorite characters over the next seven days. Today: Big Bird!

Many Googlers grew up on Sesame Street, watching the colorful, seamless blend of education and entertainment. We're delighted to have partnered with Sesame Street to create this special series of doodles, particularly since we share the same values of education, diversity and accessibility. And here's a fun find from the crew at Sesame; they found a little known video clip of Cookie Monster singing about Google (rhyming it with bugle) way back in 1982 — 16 years before our company even existed."

The article briefly continues and has links to other sites talking about this same topic.

Question of the Day

2009-11-04T07:28:00.004-06:00

What has your attention? What thoughts are shaping you as a person?

One suggestion to think about today is that you bear and reflect the living God's image.

This is pretty amazing!

2009-11-03T07:55:00.000-06:00

BBC - Earth News - A marvellous hummingbird display

Talking about speed reading!

2009-11-02T15:57:00.000-06:00

Recently I came across Tim Challies. I don't know much about him, but apparently he is a blog-poster/reader/writer-fiend. His new project is called 10 Million Words. He is going to take a year to read all of the Times Best Seller List and write short reviews.

This is amazing to me. I have no category in my brain for three or more books in a single week!

I finally got invited....now what?!!

2009-11-02T15:02:00.000-06:00

I finally received my invite to Google Wave. Sorry, I don't have any invites yet. It will be interesting to see how this google collaborative platform actually works or if it is beneficial to use. I'll keep you posted.

Does anyone out there have a wave profile? What do you think about it? What do you use it for?

Semper...always

2009-11-01T20:55:00.002-06:00

If you want to read more about Semper Reformanda check this out:

"In the latest issue of Tabletalk Michael Horton looks at the origin and meaning of an often misused slogan."

A Case in point

2009-11-01T20:43:00.017-06:00

In keeping with Reformation Day (yesterday), two errors have come to my attention.

My original blog banner had two misspelled words. Originally I had "ad fontis" and "semper reforma;" however, it should be Ad fontes (which means "to the source") and Semper Reformanda (meaning, always reforming). Since this post I have changed my banner subtitle to reflect the correct spellings. This correction is a great case in point of what those mottos strive after. I went directly "to the source" (was reading something regarding the Reformation) and after being confronted with the truth, I needed to "always reform" my mistakes. Perhaps in the future I will write more about why these two phrases stick out to me so much.

No-shave November!

2009-10-29T18:08:00.006-05:00

Well, it is almost that time of year again and I don't mean Halloween! Nor do I particularly mean Reformation Day, although both of those are fast approaching.

I know it's early, but I cannot help myself. In a few days it will be "NO-SHAVE NOVEMBER!!" Come participate in the festivities.

Community for the sake of community?

2009-10-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

Last thursday I wrote about community with a purpose. I think the word "community" and the idea of "community" and the desire to have "community" and the need for "community" is part and parcel with the human condition;
however, it has been a popular buzzword for almost the past 10 years. The reality, of course, the concept of community is older than the created order, which is why it is so important for humans to experience and understand. Every individual (even the most isolated) has a connotation of community despite the wide diversity of how it is conceptualized, communicated, practiced, and perpetuated.

Enough philosophying at the moment. More to come later, I'm sure. Right now I want to recommend the new NBC show called Community. Below is a trailer that highlights the characters and sets up the concept for the show.

Below is the shorter preview:

Thankfully I don't have much time to watch television. Much of what is out there, to quote my wife, "makes me feel like I'm wasting my life." But this is one show that I schedule time to watch. I think it is funny, and I love how it weaves cultural references from other movies and shows in clever ways.

I laugh a lot when I watch it, but I also think a lot. It implicitly explores ethical, sociological, psychological, philosophical, and theological meaning about life––all within the confines of a 30 minute show about a diverse group of people attending a small community college as they study Spanish together.

I will probably make comments from time to time regarding certain episodes. But for now, I recommend you watch it with friends....laugh together....affirm what's good and challenge what's bad about how they portray "community."

Community with a purpose

2009-10-15T21:02:00.005-05:00

Below is an excerpt from a blog I occasionally read called Life Together. I don't know anything about Soma Communities (where the quote comes from), but as far as their definition goes, I'm intrigued. If anyone knows more about Soma, I'd be interested in learning.

What is a Missional Community?:

"A Missional Community consists of a committed core of believers (FAMILY) who live out the mission of God together (MISSIONARIES) in a specific area or to a particular people group by demonstrating the gospel in tangible forms (SERVANTS) and declaring the gospel to others—both those who believe it and those who are being exposed to it (LEARNERS)."

Step up to the challenge

2009-10-15T13:52:00.004-05:00

The link below takes you to monergism.com (a huge resource of articles/mp3's/links).

"A Challenge from Roger Olson for Calvinists":

Read the challenge directly from Roger Olsen's blog here: Check out the links below too.

I don't know Roger Olsen, but you quickly see where he stands.

Honestly, I think it is a great challenge. We need to be able to articulate (in our speech and writing) all of what Scripture has to say. Communication is hard work; our intent should never be from the prideful ambition of merely "winning" the argument. However, Roger Olsen does have a point in his question. We must be writing stories that reflect the gospel's redemptive grace? Let's get crackin'.

This caught my eye in the first place because I will be reading two books for one of my courses during the next couple of weeks: Why I am not an Calvinist and its companion book Why I am not an Arminian. The latter book was written by two of my professors.