Links to articles that made me think or made me laugh… Tim
Why Man and Woman Are Not Equal
The New York Times’s Gail Collins told NPR unequivocally that the most important primary finding of her brilliant book America’s Women (which faithfully sits to the left behind Leslie Knope’s desk in every Parks and Recreation episode), is that the most powerful and important influence women have had on our nation’s founding, growth, and success is this: They make men behave. All their other important contributions are secondary.
Colin Kaepernick is American—and Right
Colin Kaepernick protesting during the anthem isn’t anti-American; it’s affirming the very freedom America represents and giving us a real-time example of how you leverage your influence to change things for the better. In an age where pro athletes are seen as petulant, aloof, selfish babies, he chose to use his visibility and his platform to actually give a damn and to actually say something about something of importance. Crucifying him for this is missing the point of this country spectacularly.
Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away
“When people type their notes, they have this tendency to try to take verbatim notes and write down as much of the lecture as they can,” Mueller tells NPR’s Rachel Martin. “The students who were taking longhand notes in our studies were forced to be more selective — because you can’t write as fast as you can type. And that extra processing of the material that they were doing benefited them.”
Saved by faith alone? yes! no!
My thoughts here are not so much focused upon delineating the nature of saving faith as they are upon emphasizing the need to be quick to listen and slow to speak. If, however, I were to venture a brief paragraph about faith, I find the first position self-defeating. For example, one of the proof texts for “belief alone,” Romans 10:9-10, prescribes going beyond mere belief to do something – namely confess Jesus is Lord with one’s lips. Thus, if such “belief alone” can encompass the saving action of confession, why not also the saving action ascribed to baptism within the New Testament?
“Is it Wrong?” Why There Are Other Questions You Need to Ask
Christian living is not about “rule-keeping.” There are more questions that need to be asked than just, “Is it against the rules?” Christian living is about walking by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), walking by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26), and walking in the light (1 John 1:7). Which means we are called to a higher standard and we have to ask more mature questions than just, “Is it wrong?” or, “Is it lawful?” or, “Is it against the rules?”
A Not Surprising Marriage Report
- Couples spending $20,000 or more increase their odds of {divorce} 3.5% over couples spending $5,000 – 10,000.
- Those that spend approximately $1,000 have the greatest odds for a longer marriage.
- More the prospective grooms, spending $500 – 1,999 on an engagement rings decreases divorce rates by 1.3% over those spending $2,000 – $4,000.
A conclusion is that the more you spend on your wedding day you are increasing your chance for divorce.
Evangelism in Post-Christian Western Europe: Six Insights
- Migration is God’s gift to the Church.
- Culturally-relevant churches are harvest churches.
- “Fresh expressions” are an innovative means of outreach.
- The Church thrives where it is outward-focused.
- Denominations and networks are collaborating for a greater harvest.
- A new apologetic is emerging that is emotion-based.
As I begin to count the few white hairs that are becoming manifest and debate about buying a box of hair color, not that hair dye is intrinsically bad, what is my motivation? Do I want to buy into what the world says is of value or what God values? Do I want to just age gracefully (aka looking younger than one’s stated age) or age with grace, taking joy in this time of life and not try to push back the clock, as if that were possible? Proverbs says Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised and Gray hair is a crown of glory. After all, isn’t my age part of God’s sovereign plan for my life? He decided the year of my birth. Not a decade before. Not a decade after. And if every hair is numbered, that includes the ones that are no longer black.
Angered over Sap, Man Cuts Down Tree, Sending It onto His Own Apartment House
A man in Luzerne County cut down his neighbor’s tree over the weekend because he thought it was ruining his car. The tree ended up hitting his own apartment house.