I heart contests!!!

Go check out the Kingdom People Christmas Giveaway to find out how you can win some great books. Personally, I realy want that study Bible. So if I don't win, you know what to get me for Chistmas :).

Avoid all extremes save one...

Food for thought courtesy of Wormwood in The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis:

"I had not forgotten my promise to consider whether we should make the patient an extreme patriot or an extreme pacifist. All extremes, except extreme devotion to the Enemy [God], are to be encouraged."

The Jar Glove

There's got to be a better way...

Abortion Is About God

Here's a phenomenal video by John Piper about abortion.

Just a quote

Found this unattributed quote on the sign of a tire shop of all places, but I think it's very true of life - especially the spiritual part.

"If you find a road without obstacles, it probably doesn't lead
anywhere."

Couldn't have said it better...

This showed up in my feeds from Parchment and Pen a few days ago, but now the link to the specific post is gone (but I still have it preserved in my feed-reader - muhaha). I don't think I could say the following any better. And I love the fact the source is an elderly woman. Anyways, here's the post made by Dan Wallace over at P&P:

Politics and Evangelicals: An Email From My Mom

via Parchment and Pen by Dan Wallace on 7/22/08

N.B. RMMers, this email is something that my little old gray-haired mother sent to a long-time friend recently. Many of you can relate to the bombardment of factoids on your computer from well-meaning friends and conservative spam-generators. You may not agree with Nayda Wallace about her viewpoints, but I trust that you’ll see some good wisdom here nonetheless. I have found her missive to be a very articulate statement about how conservatives (both politically and religiously) should integrate politics with Christian beliefs. There is a priority scheme here that focuses on kingdom ethics and on Christ Jesus. Mom, thanks for your continued wisdom and sage advice that you have shown now for more than five decades of my life.

Dear _________,

Whereas I usually agree politically with most of what you say, I don’t always agree that we must repeat the message to our liberal loved ones. Here’s why (choose whichever reason you prefer): 1) I have a stronger message for them (especially if they don’t know it already), and that is that Jesus loves them. 2) As Joe Aldrich used to say, “when love is felt, the message is heard.” 3) If # 2 is true the message will not be heard if it is mixed with capitalized Obama factoids (some of which are highly suspect as to being fact). 4) I don’t believe that the conservatives are the good guys and the liberals are the bad guys. However, I do believe that some of the strong points of each party are worth merit and many of each party are not worth merit. And I do agree with more of the conservative basics than the liberal ones. 5) I don’t believe we live in a black and white world except in matters of faith. And even then, I have reduced my matters of faith to just what I believe the Bible teaches absolutely! I like the way Dan explains it and it is thus: “The older I get and the more I study, I find I believe less and less but that which I do believe, I believe more and more.” (Apologies to Dan as I paraphrased from memory.) (In other words, no arguments about “dunking or sprinkling,” which version of the Bible was the one Paul used, and whether I would stake my life on post-trib or pre-trib rapture—either way, I want to be there!) 6) I don’t believe Jesus died for a political party, but for sinners…including Democrats, Republicans, Muslims, and HORRORS, even Nazis! I do believe that conservatives are frequently arrogant about that fact. 7) Hence, although I read what you send, and digest it, and frequently save it on my computer, I seldom send it on because I want my relationship with these loved ones based on my love for them which is only possible because I’m forgiven. Having said all that, I admit to storing little bits of political trivia in my ancient brain to recall at moments of opportunity. Always couched in the greater truth that the body politic is not the end-all, be-all in God’s kingdom. And having said all that, I nevertheless really enjoyed the ad the conservative businessman placed in the paper. It took guts and conviction, traits which are frequently in short supply. And so for it’s worth, your passion is admirable. Your consistency is …well…consistent! And even though I commented that I might have enough guts to forward certain items on, I actually knew I wouldn’t. I will, however, store it away as a possible topic of conversation at the rare opportune moment. End of sermon for the day.

Love, Nayda B.

Hope you enjoyed this, and Dan, I hope you don't mind me reproducing this here.

Coolness

While we're at it:




















HT: Noel

The Truth About Reality

HT: Jonathan

Rich Astly would never:

My New Favorites

My new favorite blog: Stuff Christians Like
-Some of the funniest writing in the blogosphere. Especially if you have a "Christian upbringing".

My new favorite movie: King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
-Hilarious, heartfelt, heartwarming, hijinxy, and um...I've been to Funspot.

My new favorite music: The Classic Crime
-Good stuff. Thanks, Ian.

My new favorite (free) software: Evernote
-Has the greatest potentional of all software ever known to man. Maybe not, but very close. But the coolest thing is that it somehow makes it possible to scan photos for text.

A not so tall order

Aim lower, Think smaller, Give up, Go have a cup of coffee


I really like this video. It's not anything new or something I haven't heard before, and this message always pushes me to want big changes in the way we do things. But it always comes down to how? I like the advice given here - go have a cup of coffee with believers who aren't necessarily like you, and I think that's a great step. But I think the problem really is with my impatience. I want the change, and I want it now - whether it's personal or corporate. Anyways, go have that cup of coffee and take that first small step to some big changes.

HT to Adam via his shared Google Reader list.

How NOT to use Powerpoint

Just a great line...

This is a great line from the book "No Country for Old Men" that just stuck out at me:

"...who must think that he thought that they thought that he thought they were very dumb. He thought about that."

BTW, it's an excellent story that explores the corruption of all men. Not much resolution, but a good story doesn't necessarily have to resolve itself, IMHO.

Need Harmony

by The Skit Guys



Listen for "that rhymes" in whisper. These guys are good.

A couple of great sermons

Both links are for downloading the audio:

Matt Chandler's Easter Sermon

"My Deliverance" by Rob Bell

Listen with caution - you will be challenged.