Did you notice? This year, the Halloween candy was barely sorted (M&Ms, Snickers, Tootsie Pops/Rolls=keep, Almond Joys=trade), when a full-scale, no-holds-barred, in-your-face Christmas assault was launched. Drug stores are full of Christmas tree ornaments and candy-striped candles, playing “Jingle Bell Rock.” Snowy television ads are jingling about Christmas presents. It’s like they took some secret… Continue reading reaching for christmas
Updated for 2009. 1. Treat it like the unrecognized, under-appreciated “pre-holiday” holiday that it is, and decorate your entire house and yard with orange lights, pumpkins, spiders, coffins, cobwebs, ghosts, and scary music. 2. Turn off the porch light and go out for a nice, uninterrupted dinner. 3. Find a church with a “harvest” celebration.… Continue reading halloween options for christians
While I was in Thailand, I had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people, doing amazing work in southeast Asia. I thought you should know about at least one. Karen Smith is director of the New Life Center Foundation, an organization that works with children – particularly girls – who are being trafficked into… Continue reading your tax dollars working
They tell me it’s called Dragon Fruit. I confess I’ve never even heard of it, so I’m giving myself five points for immediately eating some. Then when I finally googled it and saw what it looks like – wow. Talk about a fruit that makes a fashion statement: hot pink with leopard-print lining. It’s crunchy… Continue reading i don’t know what it is but I ate it anyway
No, I’m not talking about Charlton Heston. In fact, ABC’s Nightline recently launched a series on The Ten Commandments. The perspectives are remarkably balanced, though rather than going through the commandments chronologically, they opted to start with #7 – thou shalt not commit adultery – obviously a “sexier” way to kick off a new series.… Continue reading tv & the 10 commandments
I spent today at Biola University at the Christian web conference, which continues tomorrow. Turns out, this is an expanded version of GodBlogCon, the first Christian blog conference of its kind back in 2005, which has evolved to include social networking and interactive media. Here are a few snapshots. Tim Challies spoke on Ephesians 4:15:… Continue reading christian web conference
The Wall Street Journal recently published an incredible article about why constantly living life at breakneck speed could give you motion sickness. It provides important context, something the writer points out is now missing from much of our hurried communications. And as a believer, I think it’s important to consider how we communicate the Gospel… Continue reading Manifesto for Slow Communication
Yesterday I was invited to host a livestreaming discussion between speakers/authors Dr. J.P. Moreland and Pastor Mike Erre. Mark your calendar right now and plan to tune in Tuesday, August 18 at 10am PST, at http://conversantlife.com/live. These are two of our faith’s modern-day greats. Dr. Moreland is professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology… Continue reading Livestream Hosting
Almost a year ago, a study was released which found that women spend 3,276 hours of their lives getting ready – about four and a half months. Now, another study has provided valuable perspective on why that’s necessary: Men spend almost a year of their lives ogling women.
Fast Company recently published a remarkable article called Why Your Gut is More Ethical Than Your Brain. It’s remarkable, in my opinion, because it’s coming from a professional, secular, forward-thinking magazine, and concludes that how you feel about an ethical decision – your gut instinct – is more reliable than reason. In fact, researchers concluded… Continue reading the science of conscience
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