HARMLESS THOUGHTS

My Netflix Pick of the Week is another classic.  I want to recommend this movie, not because I particularly enjoy this movie or because I think this is such a great movie, but simply because it is a classic.  Here is the Netflix description: Stanley Kubrick's quiet masterpiece probes the mysteries of space and human destiny. While investigating the appearance of mysterious monoliths throughout the universe, astronauts David (Keir Dullea) and Frank (Gary Lockwood) battle their ship's intelligent computer, HAL-9000. This epic sci-fi drama based on Arthur C. Clarke's story "The Sentinel" was nominated for four Academy Awards and won for its stunning special effects. The movie is rated G, so the whole family can watch it.  One warning though, the "bad stuff" in the movie is all of the evolutionary references.  If you watch it with your kids, it gives the option of opening up some dialogue on the topic. If you are already a Netflix subsrciber, click here t...

I'm going to borrow someone else's words for a moment... “Dad, what does it mean to be a man and not a woman?” or a daughter’s question, “Mom, what does it mean to be woman and not a man?” If you can only answer that question in terms of biology or in terms of pop-culture traits, this book is worth reading in full. Most of the Christians that I know would answer these questions, as the quote states, "...in terms of biology or in terms of pop-culture traits..."  I might even say that for most Christians that I know personally, to answer these questions by going to the Bible, may not even enter their minds. This is why I am going to share this resource with you. The book that the quote is referring to is a book by John Piper titled, What's the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible .  You can get the book on Amazon for a fairly inexpensive price, but you can also download a pdf version for free.  I downloaded it, then uploaded to G...

I used to draw all of the time.  Doodles, sketches, and even a couple of art classes.  Even as a young adult, I drew several pictures for my wife. Recently my youngest has been doing a lot of drawing, and doing very good at it.  Plus he loves it.  So I bought him a sketch book and some pencils over Christmas break.  Watching him draw had stirred up some old passions in me as well, so I decided to purchase a second sketchbook and a second pack of pencils.  That was over Christmas break. Yesterday I picked it up and decided to draw my oldest son as he played some video games on the laptop.  I call it... He Wasn't With Us Yesterday And the photo I took after I was done sketching... I forgot his bracelets, he moved his leg, I didn't draw the lamp correctly, I skipped the TV and the cup on the coffee table, ...

“I do not need to plead my own cause … I am a dead man already. My life is dead and hidden with Christ. It is your lives that in danger, you are dead in your sins. I will pray to God that after you have killed me, He will spare you from eternal destruction." - Kefa Sempangi, facing 5 would be assassins in Idi Amin’s Uganda [via Kingdom People ]

by Robert Frost A speck that would have been beneath my sight On any but a paper sheet so white Set off across what I had written there. And I had idly poised my pen in air To stop it with a period of ink, When something strange about it made me think. This was no dust speck by my breathing blown, But unmistakably a living mite With inclinations it could call its own. It paused as with suspicion of my pen, And then came racing wildly on again To where my manuscript was not yet dry; Then paused again and either drank or smelt -- With loathing, for again it turned to fly. Plainly with an intelligence I dealt. It seemed too tiny to have room for feet, Yet must have had a set of them complete To express how much it didn't want to die. It ran with terror and with cunning crept. It faltered: I could see it hesitate; Then in the middle of the open sheet Cower down in desperation to accept Whatever I accorded it of fate. I have none of the tenderer-than-thou Collectivistic regimenting l...

click to go to Netflix I visited the Creation Museum for the first time yesterday, so my Netflix Pick of the Week is going to reflect the topics that are trending in twitter stream of my mind.  The pick this week is Dragons or Dinosaurs .  Here is the Netflix description: Mythological representations of dragons appear in cultures worldwide, often resembling dinosaur species identified through their fossilized remains. Could this mean dragon legends are rooted in reality? This documentary seeks to find out. Interviews with researchers indicate that the existence of dinosaurs might actually help support the biblical story of creation and explain other mysteries of our cosmic origins. I added this movie to my instant queue several months ago.  It sounded interesting, but I was never in the mood to watch this movie when I sat down to make my nightly viewing choices.  I eventually watched it during one of my bouts with illness over the winter months.  I was st...

I just wanna be a sheep...  baa... baa... I just wanna be a sheep...  baa... baa... Pray the Lord my soul to keep... I just wanna be a sheep. (Image via  22 Words )

This was wonderful. (via 22 Words ) Of course, I'll always be partial to this rendition....

I started a post earlier this week and published it two days ago about, "What makes good preaching?"  If you go to part 1 , you can read a little more about where this came from and why I am blogging it.  To pick up where I left off, I want to quote the passage of scripture again, and then go on to point #3. preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV) 3) I am going to hone in on those three words, "reprove, rebuke, and exhort" to continue answering the question, "What makes good preaching?"  The word reprove can mean to convict, refute, or convince.  There may be a bit of a legal-feel to this verb; a little like what you might see when a lawyer gives his closing statements.  One might put it this way: Good preaching is convincing .  This doesn't mean that I have to dramatize the proceedings or to simply talk in a convincing fashion.  It also doesn...

My "watch instantly" pick of the week is an old black and white classic movie called High Noon.  Here is how Netflix describes the movie: Retiring Marshall Will Kane (Gary Cooper) insists on defending his town from a gang of hooligans who are due on the noon train -- but he faces the task alone as the cowardly townspeople flee like rats from a sinking ship. Director Fred Zinnemann creates an incredibly tense Western (rightly considered one of the true genre classics) that unfurls in real time -- as the clocks on the wall constantly remind us. Grace Kelly and Lloyd Bridges co-star. When I was a kid, pretty much all that I watched was old movies.  High Noon is one that I can distinctly remember watching on more than one occasion.  I always liked this movie because Gary Cooper, who does a great job of playing the "ordinary guy," continues to stick to his decision of taking a stand against the villains, even though, one by one, the townspeople, who had just talked ...

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Preach the word!" used before?  That phrase has meant different things to different people.  I've heard it used to describe the type of church that someone wants to attend, as in, "I really want to go to a church where thy preach the word."  I've also heard it used to describe what a particular preacher was doing when he was really a-rantin' and a-ravin'! This last Sunday at church I attempted to answer this question by picking apart the passage of scripture where this phrase occurs.  At the same time I figured that we might be able to answer a similar question, "What makes good preaching?"  We had an issue with my microphone, so the entire message didn't record, but this topic is hugely important to me, so I'm going to make an attempt at summarizing some of that material here on this blog. First, here is the passage of scripture: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, ...

"...neither is the Church a voluntary association for the cultivation of impressions, experiences, and impulses which men may have received from divine revelation and by reason of which they have formed definite convictions, condensed them into definite resolutions, rules, and customs of life and made them the center of their piety and morals.  "The Church is not the result of human election, decision, and disposition toward divine revelation.  It arises from the election, decision, and disposition of God toward man.  In revelation they have become an event.  There God meets men and communicates Himself to men. Men are not gathered into, nor preserved as, the Church by an agreement in sentiments, convictions, and resolutions.  "Rather, it is the one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith.  The Church is not a religious society." Karl Barth God in Action: Theological Addresses

I just wanted to take a moment to recommend a Google Chrome extension. I know we all love the occasional YouTube video from time to time.  Unfortunately, even when the video itself is clean and acceptable for viewing, the rest of the stuff that is present on the page may not be.  I've had many times that someone has sent me a funny or interesting video, but for some reason the related videos along the side have had some images that were completely inappropriate.  Sometimes I hesitate even clicking the link at all for that very reason.  So, I was glad to find " a cleaner YouTube ." Instead of attempting to describe what a cleaner YouTube does, let me just show you a couple of screenshots. Here is a typical YouTube video: Here is that same video's page with a cleaner YouTube: You can click either image to enlarge... Notice that all of the extra stuff has been eliminated from the page, giving you... well... a cleaner YouTube. If you use Googl...

Ever wonder what I do at the bus stop in the afternoon while I am waiting with the other teachers? [via Kevin DeYoung ]

My Netflix pick this week is going to be a documentary that my whole family enjoyed... Even my wife!  The documentary was called Microcosmos.  Here is the Netflix description: Employing unique microscopic cameras and powerful specialized microphones, this highly praised French documentary is a fascinating look at the seldom-explored world of insects and other minute creatures as they go about their daily lives. With footage of ladybugs feasting and snails mating to a mystical score by composer Bruno Coulais, the film won five César Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Music. Like I said, we all enjoyed the movie.  There was only a little bit of talking at the beginning, but this method of exploring this "microcosmos" was simply captivating. Once we started it, we couldn't finish it.  I will warn you though, more than once it shows some insects mating... and some snails... fascinating, but gross. It is available for instant viewing, so if you have Netfl...

My pick for this week is going to be a long-time favorite: Star Trek: The Next Generation . I am actually really excited about this.  I loved this show when I was a kid.  I don't want to offend anyone, but I thought it was way better than the originals... don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the originals, but this one was better.  I also think that it was much, much better than any of the following shows.  Better than Deep Space Nine, better than Voyager, and Better than Enterprise. Netflix just added all of the Star Trek shows, and included all seven seasons of The Next Generation.  I can't wait to start watching these with my boys!

I have now completed two school years and one summer term as a teacher and as a pastor.  Wearing these two hats, many times simultaneously, has left me stretched a little thin.  As Bilbo Baggins says on the occasion of his 111th Birthday, "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter, scraped over too much bread." I love that quote.  J.R.R. Tolkien does such an excellent job of writing in a way that leaves me feeling his words. Well, these are the words I have felt, more than once, over these last two years.  I want to do more, in both arenas, but there is simply, "too much bread." Now, don't get me wrong.  I don't regret the situation that I am in, and strangely, I haven't had one single "second thought."  Seriously, not once have I thought to myself, "I shouldn't have done this... I shouldn't have said yes."  I believe deeply that God has brought me to this place and that He has placed me in both of these positions... and...