tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75983666586182401022024-03-05T12:36:15.428-06:00Pascalian AwakeningsPascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-26627579624174039382009-09-05T22:37:00.009-05:002009-09-06T14:36:33.266-05:00Hear My Cry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPd2Tqj3UOXriITFloCouy-uNItbRC-mbzSbsDY1v12kqzEwp4qVIPX2IxHAw7B4IT0d2sVJAYimLXJaPsUO9896Q7MR7wQWCFNvXEUVWXGyRPmISZpPTX8IKgEl8rqXiRFW1X5b0lSDH/s1600-h/Her+My+Cry+Cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPd2Tqj3UOXriITFloCouy-uNItbRC-mbzSbsDY1v12kqzEwp4qVIPX2IxHAw7B4IT0d2sVJAYimLXJaPsUO9896Q7MR7wQWCFNvXEUVWXGyRPmISZpPTX8IKgEl8rqXiRFW1X5b0lSDH/s320/Her+My+Cry+Cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378194002787114994" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hear-Cry-Tish-Hagee-Tucker/dp/1607990709/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252208284&sr=8-1"><i style="">Hear My Cry</i></a> (Mustang, OK: Tate Publishing and Enterprises, 2009, 229 pages) is as complex a book as its author.<span style=""> </span>Tish Hagee Tucker is smart, witty, lively, loving, and God-honoring.<span style=""> </span>All of this comes through in <i style="">Hear My Cry</i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">In this journey through her battle with cancer, Tucker tells her tale in an engrossing manner. <span style=""> </span>She walks you through receiving the diagnosis and the treatment at M.D. Anderson in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Houston</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>Through this you can feel the emotional battles going on as though you are in the room with her.<span style=""> </span>Her unique way of viewing life and creative expression makes you laugh at occasions that are heart-breaking.<span style=""> </span>The struggles are so vivid that it is difficult not to shed a tear while reading.<span style=""> </span>But mostly, you are inspired by her faith and God’s faithfulness.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Tucker’s struggle reminds us of the importance and power of prayer.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Hear My Cry</i> teaches of the power of little acts of kindness, such as bringing a meal or washing a dog.<span style=""> </span>There are lessons of what <i style="">not</i> to do or say in times of turmoil.<span style=""> </span>Scripture and prayer saturate the book, as they saturated her life during the fight.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Hear My Cry</i> is a reminder to be thankful for our health, to value the time we have with family and friends, and, most of all, to live a life that brings glory and honor to God.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is much more to this book, but to find that out you will have to buy it.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CYvette%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">One more thing: a special bonus includes a coupon code for the audio book.</p> <p></p> Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-81695759590771141282009-05-03T17:57:00.002-05:002009-05-03T18:01:37.810-05:00Twittering in ChurchYes, I know I never blog anymore. This story was too fascinating to pass up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1895463,00.html">Time</a> magazine has an article on Twittering in Church which says:<br /><br /><p> </p><blockquote><p>John Voelz isn't trying to brag, but it's fair to say he was <a href="http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1603637,00.html" target="_blank">down with Twitter</a> before most people knew it was a proper noun. </p><p> Last year, Voelz, a pastor, was tweeting at a conference outside Nashville about ways to make the church experience more creative — ways to "make it not suck" — when suddenly it hit him: Twitter. (<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893837_1894156,00.html" target="_blank">The TIME 100: Ashton Kutcher on "The Twitter Guys"</a>) </p><p> Voelz and David McDonald, the other senior pastor at Westwinds Community Church in Jackson, Mich., spent two weeks educating their congregation about Twitter, the microblogging site that challenges users to communicate in 140 characters or less. They held training sessions where congregants brought in their laptops, iPhones and Blackberrys. They upped the bandwidth in the auditorium. (<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1847259,00.html" target="_blank">Finding God on YouTube</a>) </p><p> As expected, banter flourished. Tweets like "Nice shirt JVo" and "So glad they are doing Lenny Kravitz" flashed across three large video screens. But there was heartfelt stuff, too. </p><p> "I have a hard time recognizing God in the middle of everything." </p><p> "The more I press in to Him, the more He presses me out to be useful" </p><p> "sometimes healing is painful" </p><p>There's a time and a place for technology, and most houses of worship still say it's not at morning Mass. But instead of reminding worshippers to silence their cell phones, a small but growing number of churches around the country are following Voelz' lead and encouraging people to integrate text-messaging into their relationship with God. </p></blockquote><p></p><br />You can read the rest via the link above.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-90234423259381405512009-01-21T09:02:00.001-06:002009-01-21T09:02:19.935-06:00Brilliant<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/42E2fAWM6rA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/42E2fAWM6rA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-52302376232862096952008-11-20T17:34:00.009-06:002008-11-20T17:47:57.453-06:00ISTPI was slightly disappointed to find out that <a href="http://www.typealyzer.com/">Typealyzer </a>analyzed my blog is an ISTP, The Mechanics. I am an <a href="http://keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirsey&f=fourtemps&tab=5&c=mastermind">INTJ</a>, so at least two of my four letters are consistent. Typalyzer describes the ISTP as:<br /><br /><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270888949516000882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4JbbPJeRons0HW9XkX035uJTqcCs57jmROdvsgYXRJb1lJzTVD2O4AIw2Wtg5hAM5zs2Zn6y3JaOPcvmbHiqtSdLS1wQx6BkLOQn7HnZIU4UDCMPstGji1BhrKOeC4ZgRhGdXnrBxLdm/s320/istp.jpg" border="0" />The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generelly prefer to think things out for<br />themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.<br /><br />The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.<br /></em><br />I find that I am much more the INTJ than the ISTP, although I do like to have fun.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-32462230256707711502008-11-08T21:42:00.002-06:002008-11-08T21:56:44.134-06:00Book Meme<blockquote><a href="http://jamesbradfordpate.blogspot.com/"></a><a href="http://jamesbradfordpate.blogspot.com/"></blockquote></a>James tagged me with the <a href="http://jamesbradfordpate.blogspot.com/2008/11/epigones-eloquence-tagged-me-in.html">book meme</a>. He says that I am "supposed to pick up the nearest book, turn to page 123, find the fifth sentence, and post the three sentences after that." <br /><br />The book is <em>The Moral Vision of the New Testament</em> by Richard B. Hays. Because the first two paragraphs are primarily Scripture quotations, I am posting this:<br /><blockquote>Already in Aristotle's <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>, it is assumed that the ideals of sharing and unity of soul between friends are truisms: "All the proverbs agree with this: 'Friends have one soul between them' and 'Friends' goods are common property.'" Thus the Jerusalem community embodies in its life together the Greek vision of authentic friendship, not just between two people or within a small intimate circle but exponentially expanded into life of a community of thousands. Hostility, mistrust, and selfishness are replaced by a communal ethic of sharing that treats all members of the community as friends in accordance with the philosophical ideal.</blockquote><p>I am supposed to tag five people, so I tag Nick, Doug Groothius, Stan, Brian, and James Gibson.</p><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-225868910139270232008-11-03T20:40:00.007-06:002008-11-03T20:58:46.318-06:00Way CoolToday my first great niece entered the world at 12:18 p.m. She is the first of the next generation, and my brother is now a grandpa. Hildie came in at 19 inches and a whopping 9 lbs. 3 oz. What a softball player she will make.<br /><br />I think she is a little extrovert. I met her when she was almost two hours old, and she had been awake the whole time. She kept looking around. When I came over and looked at her in her holding container, she smiled.<br /><br />Momma and baby are fine. God is good.<br /><br />Here are a few pics.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsv0AvKgUX3FYKw9XC8SFm-6cVBy8dSl9lERXVLGba69Xt_MOpu4WqIzcwn-DbHstjSmm1D__AY6xWU-4k79Q7qYgVdztrmrDhwsEGkyvO69ubLYrZc6AagfcP_2peYJ1-DTGRhBz7Ax-9/s1600-h/Hildie+web4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264628276134764002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsv0AvKgUX3FYKw9XC8SFm-6cVBy8dSl9lERXVLGba69Xt_MOpu4WqIzcwn-DbHstjSmm1D__AY6xWU-4k79Q7qYgVdztrmrDhwsEGkyvO69ubLYrZc6AagfcP_2peYJ1-DTGRhBz7Ax-9/s320/Hildie+web4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh379jtCo8iAaAFIHH93EHY8PbKg3ddy0m5O1kzDz7E0rN8CHq3KDn5Sw5Xuxj_cM3-hcE3_8k1jTcUt_RZF00FCMrwne-9Wnq4s-yF65OnelSpvncmEGzYnF0zNKtZIlH1MHNuZFYvd61/s1600-h/Hildie+web3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264628273098625314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh379jtCo8iAaAFIHH93EHY8PbKg3ddy0m5O1kzDz7E0rN8CHq3KDn5Sw5Xuxj_cM3-hcE3_8k1jTcUt_RZF00FCMrwne-9Wnq4s-yF65OnelSpvncmEGzYnF0zNKtZIlH1MHNuZFYvd61/s320/Hildie+web3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP890j6bzEvASGzv6alNE9WxXQS4UUX_wt30smJPFyA1iGcLuISyriBjfXygLSF-CM_GMdFtTlCCcU2wDCQO1ZKjIgPOqKe6TfkAsbrCra1Phhy8SxYeQBd-cW5BvYtXRSpGbqIweO_E9Y/s1600-h/Hildie+web2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264628263612491906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP890j6bzEvASGzv6alNE9WxXQS4UUX_wt30smJPFyA1iGcLuISyriBjfXygLSF-CM_GMdFtTlCCcU2wDCQO1ZKjIgPOqKe6TfkAsbrCra1Phhy8SxYeQBd-cW5BvYtXRSpGbqIweO_E9Y/s320/Hildie+web2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfWtVjDv0vtc6zzSI04AS_FBJlLSlwb-_ERu-1qwVPaJ3wWWbK9cBwEVXNJcOpYAmOVMCvqlCcoqxOK3BMh1NyK4clI4ZyCMAkxZ8RZZkYdJqTX3lTJg3xYmY1a8WHxW7d75pWN1l06gv/s1600-h/Hildie+web1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264628258609833186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfWtVjDv0vtc6zzSI04AS_FBJlLSlwb-_ERu-1qwVPaJ3wWWbK9cBwEVXNJcOpYAmOVMCvqlCcoqxOK3BMh1NyK4clI4ZyCMAkxZ8RZZkYdJqTX3lTJg3xYmY1a8WHxW7d75pWN1l06gv/s320/Hildie+web1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-11655924713499581652008-10-30T23:39:00.003-05:002008-10-30T23:42:41.030-05:00Happy Halloween<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263173270414823330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildDynyaIgXUlcKcl3CiRHL9Pv4T8Wsj6DFX7R6wK8gTkVhC0VWN5xAtmQpA8RRuLiDrpp-mULIbhNBDMTilPVvXBEDD6nLweF1ZLnBCCFCFK6VRuHgASiyh-f2c5EKFC68Q5xuqkvUs0Q/s320/trickortreat.jpg" border="0" /><u></u><br /><br />I've seen this floating around, but I got it from <a href="http://prozacstan.blogspot.com/">Stan</a>. Thanks, Stan.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-63119723415976238882008-10-29T10:02:00.001-05:002008-10-29T10:03:25.767-05:00Obama the Socialist<embed FlashVars='videoId=189687' src='http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml' quality='high' bgcolor='#cccccc' width='332' height='316' name='comedy_central_player' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' allownetworking='external' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-22720788726394197882008-10-21T18:26:00.011-05:002008-10-21T18:57:41.821-05:00The Blue Parakeet<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_GkFQcXaYPWf2HkMhjriUTPJ3Hld067giw-TZsdbOX1PwDm50JC4tWOA5IUd8iDZVaNhfMjTp30WdDIhCDi612CH9HZiATIV9WZeuFWdQlJU_-luO2PWWrfDGZKWm5dYAkZgSauuhf89/s1600-h/blue+parakeet.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259753959426842370" style="WIDTH: 181px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" height="133" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_GkFQcXaYPWf2HkMhjriUTPJ3Hld067giw-TZsdbOX1PwDm50JC4tWOA5IUd8iDZVaNhfMjTp30WdDIhCDi612CH9HZiATIV9WZeuFWdQlJU_-luO2PWWrfDGZKWm5dYAkZgSauuhf89/s320/blue+parakeet.jpg" width="121" border="0" /></a></p>First, I must apologize to Robin at Zondervan and Scot McKnight for the lateness of this review. Second, I must thank them for the opportunity to read and review this delightful work.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Parakeet-Rethinking-Read-Bible/dp/0310284880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224631820&sr=8-1"><em>The Blue Parakeet</em> </a>by Scot McKnight contains 236 pages including the back matter, and this book is published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008.<br /><br />In <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Parakeet-Rethinking-Read-Bible/dp/0310284880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224631820&sr=8-1">The Blue Parakeet</a></em>, McKnight seeks to offer a way of reading Scripture that remains faithful to the story of the text. In chapter one he shows how people tend to pick and choose which portions of Scripture are accepted and practiced. In chapter two, he discusses three ways of reading the Bible: 1) Reading to retrieve biblical ideas and practices for today, 2) reading through tradition, and 3) reading with tradition.<br /><br />Chapter three reveals shortcuts taken in reading Scripture. In chapter four McKnight focuses on story and introduces the term Wiki-Story with the intention of focusing on one element: “the ongoing reworking of the biblical Story by new authors so they can speak the old story in new ways for their day.”<br /><br />Chapter five discusses the plot of Wiki-stories and shows the story has a plot, characters, and many authors who together tell the story. He states that, “The unity of the Boble is this Story. It is this Story that puts the Bible together.” Reading the Bible through a relational approach is discussed in chapter six. McKnight states, “God gave the Bible not so we can know <em>it</em> but so we can know and love God through <em>it</em>.”<br /><br />Chapter seven discusses listening to the Bible, and includes listening as love of God and others. “The Boring Chapter,” chapter eight, discusses missional listening. The missional focus of the story of the Bible gives us facts “so that we will move those facts into relationship, character, and action.” (And yes, “The Boring Chapter” is actually the name of the chapter.)<br /><br />Chapters eight and nine comprise the section of the book on discernment. Chapter nine is a provocative chapter designed to get people to think about how they are actually reading the Bible. What one must discover is what principles are used to adopt and adapt the Bible. Chapter ten discusses the pattern of discernment, which McKnight states, "as we read the Bible and locate each item in its place in the Story, as we listen to God speak to us in our world through God’s ancient word, we discern—through God’s Spirit and in the context of our community of faith—a pattern of how to live in our world."<br /><br />The final section of the book, which includes chapters eleven through fifteen, discusses women and ministry in the church. In this section McKnight explores WDWD (What Did Women Do?) in the Old and New Testaments. In his chapter on women in the Old Testament McKnight offers this nugget: “Deborah was, to use modern analogies, the president, the pope, and Rambo all bundled up in one female body!”<br /><br />McKnight wraps up the book proper by discussing “Now What?” He states the major elements of the Story as being<br /><br />1. God and creation<br />2. Adam and Eve as Eikons who crack the Eikon<br />3. God’s covenant community, where humans are restored to God, self, others, ad the world<br />4. Jesus Christ, who is the Story and in whose story we are to live<br />5. The church as Jesus’ covenant community<br />6. The consummation, when all the designs of our Creator God will finally be realized forever and ever.<br /><br />McKnight states that “our task in reading the Bible is to ‘map’ the elements of the Story in each wiki-story. If we keep our eyes on the six elements of the Story as outlined above, we will have all we need for reading the Bible. These six elements govern the story of the Bible and each book focuses on one or more of these elements.”<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Parakeet-Rethinking-Read-Bible/dp/0310284880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224631820&sr=8-1">The Blue Parakeet</a></em> offers an excellent lay level introduction for reading Scripture, and serves as a balance for those reading academic exegetical works. I highly recommend it for church classes and small groups interested in discussing the reading of Scripture.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-56908128191393916262008-10-09T17:36:00.002-05:002008-10-09T17:40:00.402-05:00BaptismNext week I'll be participating in a forum on baptism. Here are my questions for you:<br /><ul><li>How does your tradition view baptism and why? </li><li>How is it practiced? </li><li>Who is an authority on this practice? </li><li>What resources are you aware of?</li></ul><br />Thanks for your input.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-14708817698499339802008-10-04T20:52:00.007-05:002008-10-04T20:58:22.407-05:00Gordon Fee Makes Me Mad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcXm4Odh_4W3BcPyIeJbCsyGlJM5Y3R0Up9-E8YQK5EJ-U5E7Qh0_wKUJh-l1G6SXe-3yvTUIYHrqleWqmOaJusYlkjPVXuFc59yxQ72YpihaO2NnR7BUzaGJ_4i_d4wv5SZvOE1Pxrz9/s1600-h/corinthians.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253482714521592034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="206" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcXm4Odh_4W3BcPyIeJbCsyGlJM5Y3R0Up9-E8YQK5EJ-U5E7Qh0_wKUJh-l1G6SXe-3yvTUIYHrqleWqmOaJusYlkjPVXuFc59yxQ72YpihaO2NnR7BUzaGJ_4i_d4wv5SZvOE1Pxrz9/s320/corinthians.jpg" width="194" border="0" /></a> Gordon Fee really makes me mad. OK, not really. But he has made me do something I would rather not do. His commentary on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Epistle-Corinthians-International-Commentary-Testament/dp/0802825079/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223171709&sr=8-1">First Corinthians</a> is so good, I mark in it. When it comes to commentaries I would rather not mark in them, but this one is so good I end up marking in it.<br /><br />I have not been thoroughly consistent with this rule. In school, when writing, a paper I would highlight in commentaries. I do not do that as much. Gordon Fee has caused me to abandon this. I've accepted the fact that resistance is futile.<br /><br />So, he makes me mad, but in a good way.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-67472123250064576852008-09-29T13:06:00.003-05:002008-09-29T14:02:16.183-05:00QuestionI know I can go to Thomas to view a past vote of my representative. Do you know where to go to follow the votes as they are being voted upon?<br /><br />I'm trying to follow what my rep is doing on the bailout.<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />Update: I know how my rep voted, but the question remains. I'd like to follow along in the future.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-23189604357951674252008-09-20T10:51:00.007-05:002008-09-20T10:59:25.168-05:00More Lifeway PleasantnessRecently I <a href="http://pascalianawakenings.blogspot.com/2008/09/frustrating.html">wrote </a>of negative experiences at Lifeway using my minister's discount card. Now <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425565,00.html">Fox News</a> has this gem:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magazine Featuring Female Pastors Pulled From Shelves, 'Treated Like Pornography'</span><br /><br /><blockquote><strong>ATLANTA — The five women on the cover are dressed in black and smiling — not an uncommon strategy for selling magazines.</strong><span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT"><p><strong></strong></p><blockquote> <p></p></blockquote></span></blockquote><span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT"><blockquote><p>But these cover girls are women of the cloth, featured in Gospel Today magazine's latest issue, which the Southern Baptist Convention has pulled from the shelves at its bookstores, though the magazine is available for sale upon request.</p> <p>The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament. The magazine was taken off stands in more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the country, including six in metro Atlanta.</p> <p>Published for nearly 20 years, Gospel Today is the largest and most widely distributed urban Christian publication in the country, with a circulation of 240,000. The magazine's publisher, Teresa Hairston, said she was just reporting on a trend, not trying to promote women pastors.</p> <p>"They basically treated it like pornography and put it behind the counter," she said. "Unless a person goes into the store and asks for it, they won't see it displayed."</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Click on the Fox News link above to read the rest of the article.</p><p><br /></p><p>HT: Quixote<br /></p></span>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-36832227290092247112008-09-19T21:03:00.002-05:002008-09-19T21:06:42.437-05:00Strange ConfessionsI love animals. That is not strange and not my strange confession. My strange confession is that I love otters. Whenever I go to the Texas State Aquarium, I could stand and watch the river otters for the longest time. With that in mind, I hope this makes your day.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/epUk3T2Kfno&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/epUk3T2Kfno&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Can you feel the love?Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-78238544111585929172008-09-18T18:01:00.013-05:002008-09-18T21:17:16.447-05:00TestThis is a test. <a href="http://prozacstan.blogspot.com/">Stan McCullars</a> has this <a href="http://prozacstan.blogspot.com/2008/09/reftagger-from-logos.html">great post</a> on a cool gadget called <a href="http://www.logos.com/reftagger">RefTagger</a>.<br /><br />It inserts pop up boxes of the verses referenced, but you have to use the right abbreviations.<br /><br />Heb 4:12, Jer 20:9, Ps 1.1<br /><br />Thanks for the tip Stan!Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-39380965501764429592008-09-18T18:01:00.006-05:002008-09-18T20:24:54.317-05:00How To Be a Pentecostal In a Postmodern SocietyI'm posting this video as a test for <a href="http://sunestauromai.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/how-to-be-pentecostal-in-a-postmodern-society/">Brian</a>.<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-4889106444724607678&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-11001640688321472062008-09-18T18:01:00.003-05:002008-09-18T18:06:30.417-05:00Obama's New Spanish Language TV Ad Es ErróneoVia <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/from-the-fact-1.html">Jake Tapper</a><br /><h3>From the Fact Check Desk: Obama's New Spanish Language TV Ad Es Erróneo</h3> <p class="date"></p><blockquote><p class="date">September 17, 2008 5:53 PM</p> <!-- <p class="author">Natalie Gewargis</p>--> <p>Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has launched a new Spanish-language TV ad that seeks to paint Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as anti-immigrant, even tying the Republican to his longtime conservative talk-radio nemesis Rush Limbaugh.</p> <p>As first reported by the <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/obama_invokes_rush_limbaugh_in.html"><strong>Washington Post</strong></a>, Obama's ad features a narrator saying: "They want us to forget the insults we’ve put up with…the intolerance…they made us feel marginalized in this country we love so much."</p> <p>The screen then shows these two quotes from Limbaugh:</p> <p>“…stupid and unskilled Mexicans”<br />—Rush Limbaugh</p> <p>"You shut your mouth or you get out!”<br />—Rush Limbaugh</p> <p>The narrator then says, “John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote…and another, even worse, that continues the policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families. John McCain…more of the same old Republican tricks.”</p> <p><embed id="fo233804" name="fo233804" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/player/wpniplayer_viral.swf?thisObj=fo233804&vid=091708-17v_title" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="allowFullScreen=true&initVideoId=&servicesURL=http://www.brightcove.com&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://www.brightcove.com&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&autoStart=false" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" allowfullscreen="false" allowscriptaccess="always" seamlesstabbing="false" swliveconnect="true" width="297" height="332"></embed> </p> <p>There are some real factual problems with this ad, which is titled “Dos Caras,” or two faces.</p> <p>First of all, tying Sen. McCain – especially on the issue of immigration reform – to Limbaugh is unfair. </p> <p>Limbaugh opposed McCain on that issue. Vociferously. And in a larger sense, it’s unfair to link McCain to Limbaugh on a host of issues since Limbaugh, as any even occasional listener of his knows, doesn’t particularly care for McCain.</p> <p>Second, the quotes of Limbaugh’s are out of context.</p> <p>Railing against NAFTA in 1993, Limbaugh said, "If you are unskilled and uneducated, your job is going south. Skilled workers, educated people are going to do fine 'cause those are the kinds of jobs NAFTA is going to create. If we are going to start rewarding no skills and stupid people, I'm serious, let the unskilled jobs that take absolutely no knowledge whatsoever to do -- let stupid and unskilled Mexicans do that work."</p> <p>Not one of his most eloquent moments, to be sure, but his larger point was that NAFTA would mean that unskilled stupid Mexicans would be doing the jobs of unskilled stupid Americans. </p> <p>I’m not going to defend how he said it, but to act as if this was just a moment of Limbaugh slurring Mexicans is not accurate. Though again, certainly if people were offended I could understand why.</p> <p>The second quote is totally unfair. In 2006, Limbaugh was mocking Mexican law, and <a href="http://hojja-nusreddin.livejournal.com/1023816.html?thread=14625608"><strong>he wrote</strong></a>: </p> <p><em>“Everybody's making immigration proposals these days. Let me add mine to the mix. Call it The Limbaugh Laws: </em></p> <p><em>“First: If you immigrate to our country, you have to speak the native language. You have to be a professional or an investor; no unskilled workers allowed. Also, there will be no special bilingual programs in the schools with the Limbaugh Laws. No special ballots for elections. No government business will be conducted in your language. Foreigners will not have the right to vote or hold political office. </em></p> <p><em>“If you're in our country, you cannot be a burden to taxpayers. You are not entitled to welfare, food stamps, or other government goodies. You can come if you invest here: an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage. If not, stay home. But if you want to buy land, it'll be restricted. No waterfront, for instance. As a foreigner, you must relinquish individual rights to the property. </em></p> <p><em>“And another thing: You don't have the right to protest. You're allowed no demonstrations, no foreign flag waving, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our President or his policies. You're a foreigner: shut your mouth or get out! And if you come here illegally, you're going to jail. </em></p> <p><em>“You think the Limbaugh Laws are harsh? Well, every one of the laws I just mentioned are actual laws of Mexico today! That' how the Mexican government handles immigrants to their country. Yet Mexicans come here illegally and protest in our streets! </em></p> <p><em>“How do you say ‘double standard’ in Spanish? How about: ‘No mas!’”</em></p> <p>But even if one is uninclined to see Limbaugh's quotes as having been taken unfairly out of context, linking them to McCain makes as much sense as running a quote from Bill Maher and linking it to Obama.</p> <p>Asked for backup as to how Obama could link McCain to Limbaugh, the campaign provided this interview with McCain refusing to condemn the Minutemen from <a href="http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/13128"><strong>from the Kansas City Star</strong></a>: </p> <p><em>Q: ‘Are they a good thing? The Civil Defense Corps, do you think -- do they help in the immigration fight, or not?’ </em></p> <p><em>A: ‘I think they're citizens who are entitled to being engaged in the process. They're obviously very concerned about immigration.’</em></p> <p><em>Q: ‘Are they helpful?’ </em></p> <p><em>A: ‘I think that's up to others to judge. I don't agree with them, but they certainly are exercising their legal rights as citizens.’</em></p> <p>Asked about the “lies” they’re accusing McCain of telling, the Obama campaign provided evidence that McCain in July 2008 told La Raza that he would have voted for the DREAM act, a bill that provides scholarships for the children of illegal immigrants, even thought he earlier in the campaign season said he would have voted against the bill. </p> <p>Let’s delver further into this.</p> <p>In the November 2007, Myrtle Beach Sun-News, McCain said of the DREAM Act, which he had cosponsored in the past, "I think it has certain virtues associated with it. And I think other things have virtues associated with it. But the message is they want the borders secured first." </p> <p>The newspaper noted that McCain said he’d vote against a temporary worker program, even though he supports the idea. "I will vote against anything until we secure the borders," he said. "There is no way we're going to enact piecemeal immigration reform."</p> <p>Before La Raza, McCain was asked by a young Latina if he’d support the DREAM Act, and he said, “Yes. Yes.”</p> <p>The full exchange, however, goes like this: </p> <p><em>QUESTIONER: Hi. I’m a part of One Dream 2009 and I am one of the 6 million who either have an undocumented parent or is undocumented and I wanted to know if you would support humanity all around the world and support our Dream Act that we are trying to pass.</em></p> <p><em>MCCAIN: Yes. Yes. Thank you. But I will also enforce the existing laws of a country. And a nation’s first requirement is the nation’s security, and that’s why we have to have our borders secured. But, we can have a way and a process of people obtaining citizenship in this country. And, we cannot penalize people who come here legally and people who wait legally. And so, that’s a fundamental principle on which we have to operate. Thank you.</em></p> <p>The Obama campaign also provided a number of seemingly conflicting comments McCain has made about offering greater funding for education programs in the No Child Left Behind act -- telling the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in June that he “would fully fund those programs that have never been fully funded,” while not suggesting any greater funding for the bill when he’s talked about education in front of whiter audiences. </p> <p>That ignores the fact that McCain has suggested reallocating the way the $23 billion for NCLB is spent.</p> <p>McCain has changed his rhetoric and his emphasis when discussing immigration after almost losing the GOP presidential nomination because of it. </p> <p>He now says the borders must be secured before anything else happens. And in that, he’s opened himself up to charges of flip-flopping, though the Obama campaign is quoting him selectively and unfairly to make their points.</p> <p>The greater implication the ad makes, however, is that McCain is no friend to Latinos at all, beyond issues of funding the DREAM act or how NCLB money is distributed. By linking McCain to Limbaugh’s quotes, twisting Limbaugh’s quotes, and tying McCain to more extremist anti-immigration voices, the Obama campaign has crossed a line into misleading the viewers of its new TV ad. In Spanish, the word is erróneo.</p> <p>-- jpt</p></blockquote><p></p>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-66312596090062427112008-09-18T11:22:00.002-05:002008-09-18T11:24:03.143-05:00McCain Sings StreisandHilarious!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0cfh3dn5r8&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0cfh3dn5r8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-18431507777958543942008-09-17T11:30:00.002-05:002008-09-17T11:40:12.474-05:00The United States and the Church<a href="http://prozacstan.blogspot.com/">Stan McCullars</a> has a <a href="http://prozacstan.blogspot.com/">post </a>that prompted me to share this thought I've been considering for the past week.<br /><br />It seems that the United States and the church in the U.S. have a lot in common. Before I'm branded a heretic finish reading this. We are both hated until we are needed. Every time there is a crisis on the other side of the world, the response is "Call the Americans!" Every time there is a disaster or someone needs help, the response is "Call a church." In that way, we share a lot in common.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-52681592411104150022008-09-11T17:22:00.003-05:002008-09-11T17:34:34.122-05:00Thank You, Sony<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665376485"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YsGNbOmPayD3d2PNG19DNFeJaZa6BBvMsMTyFFhF4bzmJJLMIaQlhaJ4EU6A4BEbnEjuyjh-iM74bLuF3Cx1uGzCZcLO9K3m_JLA9_W1ezD2kbjsMRGTBRvqu5L0YgcZSYL1QsG9jGqr/s320/Sony.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244894544772862322" border="0" /></a>I have been working out a lot lately, and I quite enjoy it. I put on my music, and away I go. The club I go to has TV monitors where you tune in to an FM frequency to listen. So, I have an Insignia Pilot from Best Buy with a <a href="http://www.boostaroo.com/">Boostaroo </a>to make the music louder. The headphones I was using sound great (Bose ear buds), but after a while they would slip out of my ear from the sweat.<br /><br />This put me on a quest for new headphone that would not slip and had good sound. The first pair I bought was from Altec Lansing. I thought it would work because they had the ear clip. Silly me was not paying enough attention to notice that it was ear buds and not the ones that go in your ear. Ear buds tend to hurt.<br /><br />Then I bought the <a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665376485">Sony headphones</a> in the above picture. I tried them out today, and they were great. They are designed to withstand the moisture, so they don't slip. The sound great, even when the music is really loud.<br /><br />So thank you Sony for helping my workout today and in the future.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-53402531864958040872008-09-09T14:09:00.004-05:002008-09-09T14:37:22.453-05:00FrustratingI went to Lifeway Christian Stores today to pick up some items. I was pleased that they had the NLT Study Bible, so I bought a copy for myself and my nephew. When I was checking out I pulled out my minister's discount card. They asked if it was for me, and I said one Bible was and the other was not. Then the checker asked if it was personal or for the church. By that time, I was slightly peeved. So I told her that the question does not really make sense.<br /><br />How do you differentiate between a Bible for church use or personal use? If I study at home for a class I'm teaching then is it for the church? If I study at home for personal growth, then does it not count? Does Lifeway really think our lives are so demarcated that we have no personal benefit from Bible study for church? Where is their line?<br /><br />They really made me appreciate Cokesbury. When I shop there, the discount applies simply by pulling up my account. If there is a Y on the label, I get a discount; If there is a N, then I don't. Very simple without a grilling.<br /><br />This encounter at Lifeway was so irritating that I really do not want to shop there anymore. This "minister discount grilling" is not the first I encountered there. It makes me wonder if their response would be the same if I were a guy wearing a sport coat. I was wearing a black T-shirt that says, "My imaginary friend thinks you have serious problems." Today my imaginary friend was right.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-64359061977526291592008-09-04T20:25:00.003-05:002008-09-04T20:31:24.690-05:00So SadWhen I go to the mail box and it is there, I feel like it is Christmas. There is that plastic covering with the paper card stock. When I notice it in the box, I my reaction is just shy of Steve Martin in "The Jerk" at the arrival of the phone book: "The new phone book is here. The new phone book is here." When it arrives I border on giddy with glee. But not today.<br /><br />It started that way, but when I read the special text on paper card stock it said: "Last Issue." It seems as though <span style="font-style: italic;">Christian History and Biography</span> will no longer be published. They are going to make up the difference in my subscription with <span style="font-style: italic;">Christianity Today</span> issues, but I am thinking of seeing if they will send my money back. It is nothing against <span style="font-style: italic;">CT</span>; I just loved <span style="font-style: italic;">Christian History and Biography</span>.<br /><br />So sad. It is a good thing the NFL started tonight.Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-21918427760330523682008-08-31T18:57:00.002-05:002008-08-31T18:59:38.043-05:00Now That's CoolI'm waiting for the NLT Study Bible to come out. Poking around the internet, I checked out their <a href="http://www.nltstudybible.com/default.asp">web site</a>. This is really impressive. With the purchase of the NLTSB you get access to it online. I am quite fond of electronic editions for lesson preparation. This means I will not have to buy the electronic edition. Thanks a bunch NLTSB and Tyndale!Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-32291015167926485752008-08-25T19:03:00.000-05:002008-08-25T19:04:14.257-05:00Merry Christmas to Me!<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xuksQwGOtVs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xuksQwGOtVs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Pascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7598366658618240102.post-57043895290312625652008-08-22T15:41:00.009-05:002008-08-22T16:07:46.941-05:00BoooooooksIt is hopeless. I broke my book buying restriction by buying more books than I am allotted for the amount of books I have read. To be honest, I'm not going on that strong of a restriction again. It was too much pressure. Going into bookstores was a lot of pressure. Sometimes it almost caused a headache, and I'm not prone to headaches.<br /><br />Anyway, here are today's purchases:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdvr_uV5d_OyKN-sbXxvarGNSdpwLb7Oy0ZZ010QHnJsUlcoXjmpEN8fYWAvLiYEo7TctjSPzPk6DcOjGJpGEtEut_bIzU19SJhCjZT36zKaP2C-xUNckabBUq-6Ts3qpDtYWRa7VcscJ/s1600-h/apostolic2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdvr_uV5d_OyKN-sbXxvarGNSdpwLb7Oy0ZZ010QHnJsUlcoXjmpEN8fYWAvLiYEo7TctjSPzPk6DcOjGJpGEtEut_bIzU19SJhCjZT36zKaP2C-xUNckabBUq-6Ts3qpDtYWRa7VcscJ/s320/apostolic2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237447643605044994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDxja1QqyDRtkN0tAVP4vtUQPQEHNKWQjRCswAMkRBTLBQ0EwMpd62IWoe1OIT6fYMF3mSgS6wX0VTJApkPWm4DXrVQGrP0ERNppa_Izs_QW257j8Kbpa42AvlUWZIboM5MLoUyekXh1H/s1600-h/Apostolic+1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDxja1QqyDRtkN0tAVP4vtUQPQEHNKWQjRCswAMkRBTLBQ0EwMpd62IWoe1OIT6fYMF3mSgS6wX0VTJApkPWm4DXrVQGrP0ERNppa_Izs_QW257j8Kbpa42AvlUWZIboM5MLoUyekXh1H/s320/Apostolic+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237447643116904738" border="0" /></a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Apostolic-Fathers-Barnabas-Quadratus-Diognetus/dp/0674996089/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a">Apostolic </a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Apostolic-Fathers-Barnabas-Quadratus-Diognetus/dp/0674996089/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a">Fathers Volume 1</a> and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Apostolic-Fathers-Barnabas-Quadratus-Diognetus/dp/0674996089/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a">Apostolic Fathers Volume </a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Apostolic-Fathers-Barnabas-Quadratus-Diognetus/dp/0674996089/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219437887&sr=8-6">2</a> in the Loeb Classical Library edited and translated by Bart D. Ehrman<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uiiZGxE6x0SAxK5oimrqBzXuahQijCEwzDnzJhNDNoKHeUjeoewTrT7wSAx7zWB5pb0jCqBNfG3omgIRWv-i5TE0O1iocuLR34Ie3gHin1xblyvrzN8NDE5LnbKlHQTbp0JbAXpQNze_/s1600-h/surprising+work+of+god.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 103px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uiiZGxE6x0SAxK5oimrqBzXuahQijCEwzDnzJhNDNoKHeUjeoewTrT7wSAx7zWB5pb0jCqBNfG3omgIRWv-i5TE0O1iocuLR34Ie3gHin1xblyvrzN8NDE5LnbKlHQTbp0JbAXpQNze_/s320/surprising+work+of+god.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237447645942669442" border="0" /></a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Work-God-Ockenga-Evangelicalism/dp/0801035708/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219438118&sr=1-1">The Surprising Work of God</a> by Garth M. Rosell<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Womans-Place-Churches-Earliest-Christianity/dp/0800637771/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219438497&sr=1-1"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FyDo1UybUB986Gwx_53GoXmG_3i4w2kIbtI8Eg5g0A1k2Gp7JON33-PvI2GLtttp7ka6VBD2oj9qbRheDwTgxSuVKOdde__uoPoQiWs0AvapvmneBBpMsD1qEDUFHx9iTp061w3zH3Rn/s1600-h/womans+place.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FyDo1UybUB986Gwx_53GoXmG_3i4w2kIbtI8Eg5g0A1k2Gp7JON33-PvI2GLtttp7ka6VBD2oj9qbRheDwTgxSuVKOdde__uoPoQiWs0AvapvmneBBpMsD1qEDUFHx9iTp061w3zH3Rn/s320/womans+place.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237448689574786322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Womans-Place-Churches-Earliest-Christianity/dp/0800637771/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219438497&sr=1-1">A Woman's Place, House Churches in Earliest Christianity</a> </span>by Carolyn Osiek, Margaret Y. MacDonald with Janet H. Tulloch<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkiki_-xWqOdmJWSWlkvG_7frc9-hoUtiTJ25FzEBihRZNlPKFNi6cUVONsWSSR4yH_aDlvErsvPm5Iicm9GMURZkIY2YiqFp7kVIs2EkjJFHYEdtmn6RGl-GDgtAEZEH6R7XuhNPeCzc/s1600-h/Ivocab+greek.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkiki_-xWqOdmJWSWlkvG_7frc9-hoUtiTJ25FzEBihRZNlPKFNi6cUVONsWSSR4yH_aDlvErsvPm5Iicm9GMURZkIY2YiqFp7kVIs2EkjJFHYEdtmn6RGl-GDgtAEZEH6R7XuhNPeCzc/s320/Ivocab+greek.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237449358240538482" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/iVocab-Biblical-Greek-Flashcards-Computer/dp/0825427568/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219438620&sr=1-2"><span style="font-style: italic;">IVocab Greek</span></a> which does not qualify as a book.<br /><br />Oh yes, and last week I bought:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-Are-How-Pray-Spirituality/dp/0896223213/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219438912&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Who We Are is How We Pray, Matching Personality and Spirituality</span></a> by Charles J. KeatingPascalian Awakeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06924685855325388636noreply@blogger.com6