I’m watching you, Dad
January 25, 2009
Less is more?
January 16, 2009
By Kim at The Upward Call blog
When I was in my first year of university, one of the introductory English courses I took was taught by a prof who loved Ernest Hemingway.
I did not like Hemingway much.
The prof loved to say in his Scottish brogue, “Less is more, folks, less is more.” He applied this Hemingway-esque maxim to everything, including our essays, which he assured us all were pretty sad, because they contained more of our own opinions that actual analysis. He was probably right.
I think about that principle a lot more as I get older: less is more. Having less “stuff” in my possession provides more satisfaction, it seems. Talking less gives me more trouble-free days than days when I blabber on and on …
Myths about infertility: ‘People say the dumbest things’
January 15, 2009
‘Why do conservative Christians have so many children?’
December 22, 2008
Two or Three’s Daniel G. offers six reasons conservative Christians have more children than liberals and non-Christians.
Weekend Walkabout, December 20, 2008
December 20, 2008
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
“All” Always Means ALL. Right? - Phil Johnson
A Bad Sign - The Sacred Sandwich
CCM Magazine’s Top Ten Artist Blogs of 2008 (HT: Worship.com)
Don’t Waste Your Sexuality - Josh Harris
The Elvis-Beatles Relativity Fallacy - Rod Dreher
“Free” Christian music downloads from CompassionArt - Gospel Soundcheck
Glorifying God in Our Christmas Shopping - Tony Reinke
“Does my gift serve the soul of the recipient?”
How Hellish is ‘Time Out’? - Russell Moore
If Only it Were That Clear - Mark D. Roberts
Jonestown and the Reformed Movement - R. Scott Clark
“As weird and impossible as Jonestown seems today, what happened to them and what they did to themselves, is not utterly unrelated to ideas, causes, and personalities in the Reformed movement over the last three decades.”
Killing is My Business, and Business is Good - Paul Manata
Lewis’s Famous Essay on Bulverism (HT: Victor Reppert)
Martin Luther’s Christmas Book - Between Two Worlds
No Good Reason - Cerulean Sanctum
“In sorting through this clothing, the realization that I throw away just about nothing hit home.”
Online Community…Does it exist? YES! But I Think You Are Asking the Wrong Question - Rhett Smith
Phillips Daylight Window Concept Presentation - Joshua Sowin
Q+A :: How many U.S. churches exist? - Church Relevance
Reflections from a Church Pianist - Amy Scott
“When I have a brain freeze at a bad time, I’ve got a special look for the other musicians that asks, ‘What are you people thinking, man?’”
Six Christmas Poems - Marcus Goodyear
Tim Challies Day - Justin Taylor
Unpacking forgiveness in real life - Dan Phillips
Volition: A Short Film - Jonathan Ignacio
“It is a fifteen minute film focusing on three of the worst atrocities of human rights this world has faced.”
Why read through Calvin’s Institutes in 2009? - Ligon Duncan
Xmas Giveaway - Trevin Wax
“For the next ten days (Dec. 15-25), you have the opportunity to register to win all ten of my favorite books this year. Plus, an ESV Study Bible. That’s $260 worth of books!”
You Should Subscribe - Green Baggins
Zeitgeist as Agent? - Pseudo-Polymath
“Consider … for a moment the intelligent ant colony … from the ant’s perspective … here with man as ant. “
Christian Carnival 254
December 12, 2008
Get your tickets! Step right up, step right up! This week’s Christian Carnival is set up over at chasing the wind.
Posts include:
- How to Be a Sidetracked Mom
- Solomon - God’s Greatest Disappointment?
- Objections to Calvinism: Does the New Testament discuss Limited Atonement?
- Hey! You’ve got my nose!
“Reading is for Boys”
December 5, 2008
The first in a series of posts on encouraging boys to read, by Jeff Robinson, is up at the Gender Blog:
“I am thankful for a father who told me at a young age: ‘Son, you’re not much of a man if you don’t read good books and learn from them …’”
Christmas Roundup
December 4, 2008
Nicki Adams shares a list of links she and her cohorts at titus2talk have compiled over the last few years, including a provocative post entitled, “Down With Santa Claus!”
Michael Spencer on parenting
December 3, 2008
The Internet Monk offers seven observations for parents:
“1. You want to produce a happy, healthy, productive, well-balanced human being. If, in your urgency to produce a religious child, you produce a distorted child, you’ve not been a good parent. The end doesn’t justify the means in Christian parenting …”
Fathers, step up
December 2, 2008
Douglas Wilson posts on the importance of dads:
“When a child has grown up under the devastation of unmitting harshness (and sometimes not so unwitting), or the devastation of neglect, the one thing a father may not say is that it ‘was not that big a deal.’ Of course it was a big deal. Your child is (hopefully) going to be praying the Lord’s Prayer for the rest of his life. What will naturally, readily, come to mind whenever he starts, whenever he says, ‘Our Father . . .’ What does that mean to him, and who taught it to him?”
“Does good parenting call for some measure of hypocrisy?”
December 2, 2008
Wow–the blogosphere is full of moral dilemmas today. Abraham Piper wonders if it’s hypocritical to want your kids to be better than you were.
Thanksgiving/Weekend Walkabout, Nov. 27, 2008
November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
Advent on your iPhone - Father Z
“Those of you who have an iPhone may want to know about a fun application for Advent for $0.99.”
The Blind Spot of the Spiritual Formation Movement - Craig Brian Larson
“Read books on spiritual formation and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who lists listening to the preaching of God’s Word as a first-order spiritual discipline.”
Check out free downloads from Christian music artist Josh Garrels - Joanne Brokaw
“Like other indie acts with a blatant faith message but an unconventional delivery … Garrels doesn’t quite fit the typical Christian music mold.”
The Day I Schmoozed - Amy Scott:
“Just tell her what she wants to hear.”
Evangelicals Adopting Advent - Cathy Lynn Grossman (HT: SharperIron)
“They’re giving a new, personalized spin to the prayers, candles and calendars to track the building excitement, and set a spiritual tone day by day.”
Faith and Politics - Doug Pagitt
“I was asked by the folks at Conservative Reformed Mafia blog to discuss my thoughts on faith and politics in light of my interest in running for the Minnesota State Legislature. I responded to questions with a video …”
Gordon Brown sells the nation’s soul to Satan - Cranmer
“As Gordon Brown has already sold the nation’s soul to the EU, all further treaties with the Devil are subject to EU scrutiny.”
Helpful Books on Justification - Mark Driscoll
It’s Time to Rethink the Issue of Homosexuality - Ken Silva
“Yes, you read that right; I do believe the time has come to rethink how we’re handling the issue of homosexuality in the Body of Christ. But maybe not like you think.”
The Jelly Bellies of Christendom - Prodigal Jon
“Super Sweaty Pastor – usually wrapped in a monogrammed handkerchief, these beans are slightly salty and super sticky from perspiration, taste like licking a Thompson Chain Reference and smell like a locker room”
Kids and Philanthropy: Teaching Your Children To Be Charitable - Beth Kanter
Logos360 Announced - The Wait Begins - ChurchCrunch
“It is, without question, simply a matter of time before we see what’ll it’ll really do to the digital landscape for Church Management Software.”
Meditations on Thanks and Giving - Carolyn McCulley
“As I prepare for Thanksgiving, one image is burned into my mind …”
National Geographic on Qeiyafa - Todd Bolen
“Much of the story reports what has been covered elsewhere, but there are some problems with the article.”
Of Crusaders and the West - Joshua Claybourn
“Our understanding of society and the individual certainly has its roots in the Crusaders.”
Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day October 3, 1863 - Abe Lincoln/Worship.com
“In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict …”
Q 2009 - Greg Atkinson
“Q is a gathering where church leaders and cultural influencers from the fields of business, politics, media, education, entertainment and the arts are exposed to the future of culture and the church’s responsibility to advance the common good in society.”
Recessions Are Good? - Rob Moll
“Recessions, before the Great Depression, were often viewed as good things.”
Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints (review) - Rebecca Writes
“I’ve reached the age where I think more and more about getting old, and I’ll let you in on a secret if you promise not to tell …”
Twilight (Book Review) - Tim Challies
“Admittedly, this is my first foray into fiction written for teen girls.”
An Unwanted Detour - Suzanne Hadley:
“A week later I sat in a doctor’s office trying to hold back tears.”
Video Interviews with John Lennox - Justin Taylor
“Creator or the Multiverse?”
What is the Church Year? - Mark Daniels
“The Church Year is a human invention. Observing it won’t make us better than anybody else. Nor does keeping it ’save’ a person from sin and death. But …”
50 eXcellent Blog Footer Designs - Hongkiat.com (sorry, had to reach for this one)
“In the eye of a visitor, the footer is perhaps one of the most unnoticeable section but to a designer who knows how important user experience, navigation and designs, they are treated the same.”
You May Be a Hyper-Calvinist If … - Phil Johnson
“Within the militantly Arminian sector of the Southern Baptist Convention, it seems there are still those who insist that ‘by the definition of Phil Johnson,’ James White is a hyper-Calvinist …”
Zane Hodges (1933–2008) - Dan Wallace (I mentioned Hodges’ passing, but it means much more coming from an accomplished Greek scholar):
“Zane taught Greek and New Testament courses at Dallas Seminary from 1960 to 1987. I took him for more courses than from any other NT prof, and learned a great deal from him. His skills with the Greek text were breathtaking. I never knew a professor who could sight-read as well as Hodges (except for Johnson). And he thought through his positions well. I didn’t agree with him on everything; in fact, I would say that I disagreed with him on most of his positions. I was always a bit nervous coming into his class because I wasn’t sure what he would say that hour that might rock my world. But I enjoyed immensely how he structured the courses, how he argued his positions, and how charismatic he was in the classroom. He was a superb preacher and very persuasive. His electives always had the highest enrollment by far of any NT electives at DTS. … Zane Hodges will be dearly missed. But he now knows the joys of his Savior and is finally home.”
Weekend Walkabout: Nov. 21, 2008
November 21, 2008
[Friends, I'm pressed for time today – please pardon the dearth of posts. May your weekend be a joyful one. You can help it in that direction by making time to seek Him. See you Monday, Lord willing. - HC]
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
- The Addict in Us All, Carolyn McCulley
- Benedict on Monasticism, The Anchoress
- Considering Servant Leadership (parts one, two, three), Jan Lynn
- Dear Church Member, Ragamuffin Soul
- The Empty Promise of Meditation, Al Mohler
- Five by Five, Defending. Contending.
- Great Ideas for churches to make the most of Christmas, what’s next
- Happy 100th Birthday, Irene Peterson!, John Piper
- If not consumerism, what?, Rod Dreher
- Joshua Guthrie: Dollar for a Drink, Alex Harris
- Korea - 14 Days - Questions, Questions, Questions…, John Saddington
- Lately, I’ve Been Rethinking My Position on Gay Marriage, Locusts & Honey
- A Mother’s Hope, girl talk
- New Archaeological Evidence for the Old Testament?, Aaron C. Rathburn
- Operation 513: In Memory of a Fellow Evangelist, Reformed Evangelist
- Puritan Reformed Journal, Vol. 1, Michael Dewalt
- Qeiyafa, Looting, and Buried Secrets, Todd Bolen
- The Realism of the Supernatural, Sally Thomas
- Study: Two Thirds of Americans Believe Their Values Not Shared by Hollywood, Sharper Iron
- Ten Dollar Blessings and a Lesson in Circles, Billy Coffey
- The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism Part 1: The Biblical Worldview, Michael Spencer
- Videos of the Week - 11/20/08, Collide
- Why I Gave Up ‘Humility’, John Stackhouse
- X-Ray Discovery Sparked 19th-Century DIY Craze, Wired Science
- Your ‘past’ year resolution?, Eugene Cho
- Zondervan Acquires Online Community-Building Resource for Churches, Justin Taylor
Audio, video: Mars Hill parenting conference with Tedd Tripp
November 13, 2008
Available here (HT: Worship.com)
Tedd Tripp is the author of Shepherding a Child’s Heart.
Weekend Walkabout: Nov. 8, 2008
November 8, 2008
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
- Amway Evangelism
- Billy Clubs, Firehoses, and Attack Dogs for the New Civil Rights Movement
- C’mon Obama Voter, You Have To Admit This is Pretty Funny
- Dominican Republic - Ordinary Superheroes
- Errr…
- Fear Not!
- “Gross Food Related Youth Group Games” (Stuff Christians Like)
- “How Not to Raise a Pagan”
- I’m Saved! But From What? - Part 3
- James White - Debates in London
- King David’s Water Tunnel in Jerusalem
- Law and Gospel: Galatians - The practice of Christian liberty
- Missing your calling
- Nate Huss recognizes National Adoption Month with new song, video
- Obama and the Bishops
- Passion For The City
- Quote of the day
- Real Life Photoshop
- Still having a dream
- Two songs
- Urban Exile: Re-discovering Justice?
- Voting for our imaginations
- What Churches Can Learn from Election Marketing
- X-ray Crab (OK, not from a Christian blog, but it does start with an ‘X’!)
- You’re a Hyper-Calvinist
- ‘Zack and Miri’ Advertising Leaves Out the P-Word
