Eleventary

The Shelf Life

2012-02-22T16:22:00.001-06:00

Serious reading andclassical methodologies: such things hardly represent the kind of wiz-bangrazzle-dazzle doohickeries that excite the educational reformers, socialplanners, religious leaders, and political prognosticators these days. But then, who asked them anyway? They're the ones who got us into the current designer disaster ofcultural disintegration and disarray--where all the profundities of a civilizedmoral order have become so much rubbish. So, how do we go about developing the habits of lifetime learning--reading, studying, and resisting the tyranny of the urgent--that we need in order to do the things we are called to do and to be the things we are called to be?

1. Read. “Abroad interest in books usually means a broad interest in life.” Lyman Abbott

2.Read Deeply. “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Richard Steele

3.Read Out of Your Time. “Ihate to read new books. Contemporary writers may generally be divided into twoclasses—one’s friends or one’s foes. Of the first we are compelled to think too well, and of the last we aredisposed to think too ill, to receive much genuine pleasure from the perusal,or to judge fairly of the merits of either.” William Hazlitt

4.Read Classically. “Aclassic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” ItaloCalvino

5.Read Above Your Head. “Youmay perhaps be brought to acknowledge that it is very well worthwhile to betormented for two or three years of one’s life, for the sake of being able toread all the rest of it.” Jane Austen

6. Read According to Plan. “Itis a good plan to have a book with you in all places and at all times.” OliverWendell Holmes

7.Just Read: The Medium Is Nearly as Vital as Message. “Ifyou cannot read all your books, at any rate handle, or as it were, fondlethem.” Winston Churchill

8.Read All Along the Footnote Trail. “Ifa book is worth reading, it is worth buying.” John Ruskin

9.Read with an Eye to Leaving a Legacy. “Alittle library, growing every year, is an honorable part of a man’s history.”Henry Ward Beecher

10.Read with All Joy in the Journey. “When I get a little money, I buy books; and ifthere is any left, I buy food and clothes.” Desiderius Erasmus

11. ReadConstantly (at least daily). “Inthe case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can getthrough, but rather how many can get through to you.” Mortimer Adler

"Youcan find all the new ideas in the old books; only there you will find thembalanced, kept in their place, and sometimes contradicted and overcome by otherand better ideas. The greatwriters did not neglect a fad because they had not thought of it, but becausethey had thought of it and of all the answers to it as well." G.K. Chesterton

“Theoldest books are still only just out to those who have not yet read them.” SamuelButler

A Busy Ministry

2012-02-13T11:20:00.002-06:00

http://kingsmeadow.com

http://parishpres.org

http://grantian.blogspot.com

http://eleventary.blogspot.com

http://ppgi.blogspot.com

http://parishlife.blogspot.com

http://deruns.blogspot.com

http://www.ms-academy.org

http://csmedes.org

http://www.franklinclassical.com

http://newcollegefranklin.org

Favorite Indonesian Foods

2012-02-10T08:20:00.000-06:00

1. Satay

2. Nasi Goreng

3. Char Siew Wonton

4. Popiah

5. Roti prata

6. GorengPisang

7. Kalamansi Limes

8. Rojak

9. Ayam Penyet

10. Sambal Belachan

11. Nasi Lemak

Schaeffer 100 Conference

2012-01-07T08:06:00.000-06:00

On the Nightstand

2012-01-02T07:26:00.001-06:00

It seems I'm always reading several books at once. I read some for my work--so, for instance right now I'm reading "The American Colonial Mind and the Classical Tradition" by Richard Gummere and "Sailing the Wine Dark Sea" by Thomas Cahill. At the same time, I am working through Derek Kidner's "Genesis" and Victor Hamilton's "The Book of Genesis."

I am almost finished with Walter Isaacson's "Steve Jobs," which I got for Christmas. But, I couldn't help getting started on Rick Marschall's "Bully: The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt," also a Christmas gift.

My friend Mike Milton's new book, "Songs in the Night," came in the mail just a few days before Christmas--I started it the minute I opened the package. Likewise, I began reading the new N.T. Wright translation, "The Kingdom New Testament," right after I brought it home.

I try to read everything Douglas Wilson writes--which is a feat in and of itself. I always learn so much about writing--besides whatever it is that he happens to be writing about. But with his "Wordsmithy," a book of advice to writers, I am getting a double-dose.

After slogging through Umberto Eco's very dark "The Prague Cemetery," I thought I probably needed something really edifying to read next. So, I am re-reading Ian MacLaren's "St. Jude's."

And, for my devotions, I am slowly savoring the third volume of "Daily Scripture Readings" by Thomas Chalmers. So rich.

Next up: I gave copies of Niall Ferguson's book, "Civilization: The West and the Rest," to three different people for Christmas, but I didn't keep a copy for myself. So this week, by hook or by crook, I'm going to get over to Parnassus for that--and while I'm in that part of town, I'll also step into Logos to re-supply and re-provision.

Christmas Favs

2011-12-14T14:33:00.004-06:00

1. "On Christmas" by G.K. Chesterton

2. "Christmas Stories" by Charles Dickens

3. "On the Incarnation" by Athanasius

4. "Nativity Hymns" by Isaac Watts

5. "The Birth of the Savior" by C.H. Spurgeon

6. "No Holly for Miss Quinn" by Miss Read

7. "Corrie's Christmas Memories" by Corrie Ten Boom

8. "The Fourth Wise Man" by Henry van Dyke

9. "Shepherds Abiding" by Jan Karon

10. "A New England Christmas" Henry Wadswoth Longfellow

11. "The Invention of Lefse" by Larry Woiwode

Christmas Wish List

2011-11-19T07:41:00.001-06:00

1. “Civilization” by Niall Ferguson

2. “The Kingdom New Testament” by N.T. Wright

3. "Bully" by Rick Marschall

4. “Death of Kings” by Bernard Cornwell

5. "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson

6. “Holidays in Heck” by P.J. O’Rourke

7. "Thomas Manton" by Derek Cooper

8. “Songs in the Night" by Mike Milton

9. “King Rat” by China Mieville

10. "Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem" by Carol Delaney

11. “Justification” by N.T. Wright

Favorite Quotes on Prayer

2011-11-11T11:47:00.001-06:00

1. "Prayer does not fit us for thegreater work; prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers.

2. “What the church needs today is not more machinery or better,not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost canuse—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer" E.M. Bounds

3. "Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose ourarguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers." J. Sidlow Baxter

4. "Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking toGod for men is greater still." E.M. Bounds

5. "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest Christian on hisknees." William Cowper

6. “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians frompraying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work andprayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but hetrembles when we pray.” Samuel Chadwick

7. “I would ratherteach one man to pray than ten men to preach.” Charles Spurgeon

8. “To make intercession for men is the most powerful andpractical way in which we can express our love for them." John Calvin

9. "If you want that splendid power in prayer, you mustremain in loving, living, lasting, conscious, practical, abiding union with theLord Jesus Christ." C. H. Spurgeon

10. "The word of Godis the food by which prayer is nourished and made strong." E. M.Bounds

11. "Prayershould be the breath of our breathing, the thought of our thinking, the soul ofour feeling, the life of our living, the sound of our hearing, and the growthof our growing. Prayer is lengthwithout end, width without bounds, height without top, and depth withoutbottom; illimitable in its breadth, exhaustless in height, fathomless indepths, and infinite in extension. Oh, for determined men and women who will rise early and really burn forGod. Oh for a faith that willsweep into heaven with the early dawning of morning and have ships from ashoreless sea loaded in the soul's harbor ere the ordinary laborer has knockedthe dew from the scythe or the lackluster has turned from his pallet of strawto spread nature's treasures of fruit before the early buyers. Oh, for such.” Homer W. Hodge

Favorite Martin Luther Quotes

2011-10-28T08:47:00.001-05:00

1. “Hierstehe ich; Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen!”

2. “If I professwith the loudest voice and clearest exposition every part of the truth of Godexcept precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at thatmoment attacking, then I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may beprofessing Him. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier isproved; and to be steady on all battlefields besides is merely flight anddisgrace if he flinches at that point”

3. “I am moreafraid of my own heart than of the Pope and all his cardinals. I have within methe great Pope: Self. I more fear what is within me than anything that mightcome from without.”

4. “Faithis a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a mancould stake his life on it a thousand times.”

5. “Forwhere God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel.”

6. “I amafraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless theydiligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in theheart of the youth.”

7. “Musicis the art of the prophets and the gift of God.”

8. “Our Lord has written the promise ofresurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

9. “Youare not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”

10. “Thereis no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or companythan a good marriage.”

11. “Whateveryour heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”

Paul Johnson Books Since 2003

2011-10-24T07:44:00.001-05:00

1. The Vanished Landscape

2. Washington

3. Creators

4. Heroes

5. Churchill

6. Humorists

7. Jesus

8. New Journeys into Chaos

9. Civil War in America

10. Brief Lives

11. Socrates

What to Remember When Reading the Bible

2011-09-26T15:57:00.003-05:00

1. Remember the one, centralstory: the whole Bible is about just one thing. The pattern of creation, fall,redemption, and restoration runs throughout the Old and New Testaments.

2. Remember that the Bibleis its own best commentary. The Word interprets itself; Scripture explainsScripture.

3. Remember to readindividual passages in their context—textual, literary, symbolic, historical,cultural, grammatical, and theological.

4. Remember that allBiblical revelation is intended to reveal. Always look for the most obviousliterary sense of a text.

5. Remember that allScripture is inspired and superintended by the Holy Spirit. So, every littledetail matters.

6. Remember that Scripturehas only one meaning but multiple applications—so, it is important todistinguish between indicatives and imperatives.

7. Remember that we readtranslations of the Bible. All languages have strengths, weaknesses, andpeculiarities—and moving from Greek and Hebrew to one of our modern languages(such as 21st century American English) will always require some additionalscrutiny and study.

8. Remember that we mustalways interpret experience in light of Scripture and history in light of revelation; not the other way around.

9. Remember that the NewTestament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.

10. Remember that “there isnothing new under the sun.” So, beware of innovative or novel interpretationsof Scripture. Steer clear of new “discoveries” in Biblical revelation. We havea rich legacy of wisdom passed down to us from throughout church history so weshould consult good commentaries whenever possible--and look to the “old paths”more often than not.

11. Remember that we shouldalways read Scripture prayerfully, submitting to the guidance of the HolySpirit.

My Picks for Most Significant Archeological Discoveries

2011-09-09T17:38:00.002-05:00

1. The Rosetta Stone

2. The Dead Sea Scrolls

3. Assurbanipal’s Library at Nineveh

4. Robinson’s Arch in Jerusalem

5. Kibbutz Ginnosar Boat

6. The Ebla Library

7. The City of Troy

8. Caesarea Maritima

9. Sodom and Gomorrah

10. The City of Pompeii

11. King Tut’s Tomb

My Favorite Street Foods

2011-08-01T06:55:00.000-05:00

1. Bratwurst in Leipzig
2. Frites in Antwerp
3. Coffee in Bogota
4. Falafel in Jerusalem
5. Pain au Raisin in Paris
6. Lamb Kebab in Amman
7. Satay in Jakarta
8. Wienwurst in Vienna
9. Nathan's Coney in Brooklyn
10. Stroopwafel in Amsterdam
11. Haggis in Edinburgh

Essential John Stott Books

2011-07-29T08:14:00.000-05:00

1. Your Mind Matters
2. Basic Christianity
3. Christian Counterculturalism
4. The Cross of Christ
5. The Living Church
6. The Message of Romans
7. Standing Firm in Truth
8. I Believe in Preaching
9. Culture and the Bible
10. Christian Mission in the Modern World
11. The Preacher's Portrait

Summer Reading, So Far

2011-07-23T13:19:00.002-05:00

1. “The Greater Journey,” David McCollough
2. “The Righteous Shall Live by Faith: Romans,” R.C. Sproul
3. “Magic,” G.K. Chesterton
4. “The Mighty Weakness of John Knox,” Douglas Bond
5. “Portrait of a Spy,” Daniel Silva
5. “Poke the Box,” Seth Godin
7. “Reformed Dogmatics in One-Volume,” Herman Bavinck
8. “The Lives of Robert and James Haldane,” Alexander Haldane
9. “Enchantment,” Guy Kawasaki
10. “The Fort,” Bernard Cornwell
11. “An Ocean Full of Angels,” Peter Kreeft

Romans 12:21

2011-06-24T16:57:00.002-05:00

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Why I Go to ACCS Every Year

2011-06-20T09:47:00.001-05:00

1. Encouragement, encouragement, encouragement.
2. Book buying extravaganza.
3. Catching up with dear friends from all over the world.
4. Book buying extravaganza.
5. Practical help for teaching better, smarter, and more enjoyably.
6. Book buying extravaganza.
7. Refocusing our discipling vision.
8. Book buying extravaganza.
9. Borrowing great ideas from the best of the best.
10. Hearing Douglas Wilson wax eloquent.
11. Oh yes, and book buying extravaganza.

Where We'll Go in England

2011-05-13T12:05:00.002-05:00

1. Brighton’s Medieval Lanes
2. Nash’s Royal Pavilions
3. All Hallow’s Barking at the Tower
4. Vespers at Bunhill Fields
5. Churchill's Chartwell
6. The Hever Castle Gardens
7. Southwark Cathedral
8. Poet’s Corner at Westminster
9. Ely Cathedral
10. Evensong at King's College
11. St. James Piccadilly

Where We'll Shop in England

2011-05-13T12:04:00.002-05:00

1. Hatchard’s Bookstore
2. Stanford’s Maps
3. Waterstone’s Books
4. George Trumper’s
5. G. David Bookshop
6. Fortnum and Mason
7. Covent Garden
8. Regent’s Street
9. Cecil Court
10. High Street Lewes Books
11. W.H. Smith’s Stationers

Where We'll Eat in England

2011-05-13T12:03:00.002-05:00

1. Pret a Manger
2. Nero’s Coffee
3. Barbacoa
4. Wagamama’s
5. Jamie’s Italian Kitchen
6. The Cambridge Eagle
7. The Borough Market
8. West Cornwall Pasty
9. Nandos Peri-Peri
10. Maoz Falafel
11. Fifteen London

After 20 Years, Why I'm Still Teaching

2011-05-05T17:08:00.001-05:00

1. I get to love what I love in front of my students.
2. I inevitably learn more--even more than those I’m teaching.
3. I have a great excuse to buy more books.
4. And then, I have a great excuse to read more books.
5. I am forced to make real-life connections rather than simply pontificate in the theoretical.
6. I am provoked to think about the future and scrutinize the present through the lens of the past.
7. I am able to reacquaint myself with the best of our great legacy of art, music, and ideas.
8. I get the satisfaction of seeing the “lights come on.”
9. I am constantly prodded to hone my communications skills.
10. I get to bear testimony to the grace and mercy of God, in space, in time, and in me.
11. I am privileged to catch early glimpses of the future leaders of our culture in action.

Samuel Johnson's Dictum

2011-03-26T08:34:00.000-05:00

"To be happy at home is the end of all labor."

Favorite Paul Johnson Books

2011-03-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

1. Modern Times
2. The Birth of the Modern
3. To Hell with Picasso
4. Intellectuals
5. Art: A New History
6. Civil War America
7. Churchill
8. Jesus
9. Humorists
10. Heroes
11. Creators

Reagan at 100: Favorite Books

2011-02-05T09:19:00.005-06:00

1. Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation, by Ronald Reagan: While nearly everyone else seems to be focusing on books about Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth, I am much more interested in books by Ronald Reagan. And though there are many, this slim volume tops the list. With afterwards by C. Everett Koop and Malcolm Muggeridge, this book epitomizes the courage, principle, and substance of the “Great Communicator.”
2. Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America, by Ronald Reagan and edited by Kiron Skinner, Annelise Anderson, and Martin Anderson: Comprised largely of short radio commentaries delivered during the pre-presidential period (1975-1980), this collection is quintessential Reagan.
3. Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches, by Ronald Reagan: This collection is largely from the presidential years (1981-1989).
4. Reagan: A Life In Letters, by Ronald Reagan and edited by Kiron Skinner, Annelise Anderson, and Martin Anderson: Here all the warmth, humor, and greatness of Reagan is altogether evident.
5. Stories in His Own Hand: The Everyday Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, by Ronald Reagan and edited by Kiron K. Skinner, Annelise Anderson, and Martin Anderson: From laugh-out-loud-funny to can’t-help-but-weep, Reagan could tell a story better than nearly anyone but Will Rogers.
6. The Reagan Diaries Unabridged: Volume 1: January 1981-October 1985 Volume 2: November 1985-January 1989, by Ronald Reagan: Here are the essential historical archives.
7. A Shining City, by Ronald Reagan: This collection of 50 post-presidencial speeches, from his farewell address to his final public communication announcing his Alzheimer's disease provide a poignant postlude to an amazing career—I still remember the electric atmosphere he created at the 1992 GOP convention in the Astrodome.
8. Reagan’s Path to Victory, by Ronald Reagan and edited by Kiron Skinner, Annelise Anderson, and Martin Anderson: This collection of pre-presidential speeches reveals Reagan as a prolific and thoughtful writer, who wrestled with the whole range of modern cultural and political issues with principled good sense.
9. The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, by Ronald Reagan and edited by James C. Humes: Even political enemies have to smile.
10. An American Life, by Ronald Reagan: This is how he wanted to be remembered.
11. I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan, by Ronald Reagan: What an amazing love story.

Schaeffer at 99: Favorite Books

2011-01-30T00:37:00.001-06:00

1. Two Contents, Two Realities OK. So, technically this is not so much a book as a booklet. But, it has been a tremendous influence in the shaping of my credo.
2. How Should We then Live? This one book (and then later, the accompanying film series) helped me shift my interest in History toward a more Biblical Moral Philosophy—which has defined my life and calling ever since.
3. A Christian Manifesto For me, this book is courage personified.
4. Baptism This tiny pamphlet is what finally enabled me to make the move from Reformed Baptist to Reformed Presbyterian.
5. Whatever Happened to the Human Race I was pro-life before this book. I was a pro-life activist after this book.
6. The Great Evangelical Disaster This is the book that convinced me that I must be a committed churchman, not just a committed Christian.
7. The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason and He Is There and He Is Not Silent This trilogy was the gateway for me into substantive Biblical and Reformed theology.
8. True Spirituality This has been one of the most influential books in the mapping of my inner life.
9. No Little People This book introduced me to Dutch Reformed theological categories—and has served as a foundation for virtually all the work I have done through the years.
10. Art and the Bible This book helped lay the groundwork for my way of seeing—and thus, my whole approach to ministry.
11. The Mark of the Christian This book has served as a great check on everything I write, say, or do.

The Shed Office

2011-01-28T11:51:00.012-06:00

New Book Favs: 2010

2010-12-31T15:18:00.001-06:00

1. The Chestnut King, N.D. Wilson
2. Herman Bavinck, Ron Gleason
3. Defending Constantine, Peter Leithart
4. Generous Justice, Tim Keller
5. What I Learned in Narnia, Douglas Wilson
6. The Fort, Bernard Cornwell
7. Colonel Roosevelt, Edmund Morris
8. Loving the Little Years, Rachel Jankovic
9. In the Company of Others, Jan Karon
10. Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxis
11. Abortion: A Rational Look R.C. Sproul

New Music Favs: 2010

2010-12-31T14:51:00.001-06:00

1. Still, Nathan Clark George and Mark Stoffel
2. My Cry Ascends, Greg Wilbur
3. Twelfth Night, HEM
4. The Distance In Between, Matthew Perryman Jones
5. Infinite Arms, Band of Horses
6. So Runs the World Away, Josh Ritter
7. A Good Day, Priscilla Ahn
8. Feedback, Derek Webb
9. In Feast or Fallow, Sandra McCracken
10. Raising Up the Dead, Caedmon’s Call
11. Broken Bells, James Mercer and Danger Mouse

What I've Learned from TR

2010-12-27T12:14:00.000-06:00

1. The first prerequisite of true leadership is a happy home. The private life is the proving ground for the public life.

2. Leadership is the art of pursuing the ideal in the midst of a world that is something less than ideal—and never losing sight of either notion.

3. A leader is an idealist who is simultaneously blessed with a strong dose of reality.

4. A leader knows that what is really important in life rarely puts on airs of importance.

5. There is little extraordinary about the achievements of a genius, a prodigy, or a savant. Inevitably, a great leader is someone who overcomes tremendous obstacles and still succeeds.

6. A leader has the ability to take any circumstance and see it through the lens of happy providence. He is living proof the fact that laughter is indeed, the best medicine.

7. The efficacy of leadership depends, to a large degree, on the leader’s incognizance of the consequences of doing right.

8. A leader understands that failure is merely the backdoor to success.

9. A leader will always prefer to be faithful than famous.

10. A leader invariably lives his life as a sincere imitator of the best attributes of others. Heroes always have heroes.

11. With great privileges come great responsibilities. Blessings bring with them duties. And the joy of liberty is the most sober obligation ever entrusted to men or nations.

How to Deal with Critics

2010-12-27T11:39:00.002-06:00

1. “Remember, it is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

2. "Receive constructive, helpful criticism; use it to grow, learn, change, and repent. Shrug off destructive, hateful criticism; just acknowledge it as a lamentable but inevitable part of life in this poor fallen world." Francis Schaeffer

3. “It doesn’t matter how many people don’t get it. What matters is how many people do. Ten percent of people will find a way to take anything you say or do personally. Expect it.” Tim Ferriss

4. “People are always least productive in reactive mode.” Samuel Smiles

5. “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.” Colin Powell

6. “If you are really effective at what you do, ninety percent of the things said about you will be critical.” Scott Boras

7. “If you want to learn, grow, and improve, you must be content to be thought foolish and stupid as you do.” Epictetus

8. “To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” Elbert Hubbard

9. “The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had little or no impact on you. That, and showing how much fun you’re having. Don’t get angry, don’t get even--focus on living well and that will eat at them more than anything you can do.” Tim Ferriss

10. “No commendation is greater than the condemnation of one’s fiercest sworn enemies.” Theodore Roosevelt

11. “Keep calm and carry on.” Winston Churchill

Favorite Global Warming Moments

2010-12-24T13:26:00.015-06:00

Bah Humbug: As Far As the Curse Is Found

2010-12-23T17:13:00.004-06:00

1. Humbug is an old word of indeterminate etymology meaning “spectacle” or “hoax” or “jest,” often referring to some unjustified reputation or publicity.

2. Of course, the word is most often associated with Ebenezer Scrooge, a character created by Charles Dickens in The Christmas Carol. He famously dismissed Christmas declaring, “Bah! Humbug!” Interestingly, variations of the term make appearances in any number of European languages:

3. Humbug may well be derived from the Old Norse words hum, meaning “night” or “shadow” or “dark air,” and bugges, a variant of bogey, meaning “apparition” or "ghost."

4. In Icelandic, húm means “twilight.”

5. In Faeroese, hómi means “unclear.”

6. Humi in Swedish means “dark suspicion.” This word may well be derived from the Old Swedish verb hymla, still in use, which means “to conceal," "to hide," or "to evade the truth.”

7. In Old English and Anglo Saxon, hum means “to deceive.” And bugges is a word that appears in Wyclif’s earliest translation of the English Bible meaning “specter.” And that may well be derived from the much older Celtic word bwg, meaning “scarecrow.”

8. But, it could also be derived from the Early Italian, uomo bugiardo, which literally means “lying man.”

9. Uim-bog is supposed to mean “soft copper” in Ancient Gaelic—still used in Ireland as slang for “worthless money.”

10. In other words, “Bah! Humbug!” may very well be an apt declaration for Christmas (much to the chagrin of Scrooge): it is the declaration that Christ has come to expose the fraudulence, the impotence, the bugaboo nonsense of this poor fallen world; but even more, He has come to replace the dark specters, the apparitional hoaxes of sin, the evasions of the truth at the heart of sin.

11. Thus: He has come to make His blessings flow as far as the curse is found.

Favorite Christmas Books

2010-12-18T16:35:00.000-06:00

1. On Christmas: Poems, Essays, and Stories by G.K. Chesterton
2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
3. Corrie’s Christmas Memories by Corrie ten Boom
4. Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
5. No Holly for Miss Quinn by Miss Read
6. Village Christmas by Miss Read
7. The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry
8. Christmas Bells and Other Poems by H. W. Longfellow
9. Texas Night before Christmas by James Rice
10. The Fourth Wiseman by Henry van Dyke
11. Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Most Frequently Consulted Eschatology Books

2010-11-29T14:36:00.002-06:00

1. “Revelation: Four Views: A Parallel Commentary” by Steve Gregg
2. “The Last Days According to Jesus” by R.C. Sproul
3. “An Eschatology of Victory” by Marcellus Kik
4. “Israel and the New Covenant” by Roderick Campbell
5. “Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of Revelation” by David Chilton
6. “Paradise Restored: An Eschatology of Hope” by David Chilton
7. “The Puritan Hope” by Iain Murray
8. “The Returning King” by Vern Poythress
9. “Heaven Misplaced” by Douglas Wilson
10. “Vindication of Jesus Christ: A Reader’s Guide” by James Jordan
11. “The Message of Revelation” by Michael Wilcock

What I Must Always Remember

2010-11-29T13:54:00.000-06:00

1. Remember the one, central story: the whole Bible is about just one thing. The pattern of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration runs throughout the Old and New Testaments.
2. Remember that the Bible is its own best commentary. The Word interprets itself; Scripture explains Scripture.
3. Remember to read individual passages in their context—textual, literary, symbolic, historical, cultural, grammatical, and theological.
4. Remember that all Biblical revelation is intended to reveal. Always look for the most obvious literary sense of a text.
5. Remember that all Scripture is inspired and superintended by the Holy Spirit. So, every little detail matters.
6. Remember that Scripture has only one meaning but multiple applications—so, it is important to distinguish between indicatives and imperatives.
7. Remember that we read translations of the Bible. All languages have strengths, weaknesses, and peculiarities—and moving from Greek and Hebrew to one of our modern languages (such as 21st century American English) will always require some additional scrutiny and study.
8. Remember that we must always interpret experience in light of Scripture; not the other way around.
9. Remember that the New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.
10. Remember that “there is nothing new under the sun.” So, beware of innovative or novel interpretations of Scripture. Steer clear of new “discoveries” in Biblical revelation. We have a rich legacy of wisdom passed down to us from throughout church history so we should consult good commentaries whenever possible--and look to the “old paths” more often than not.
11. Remember that we should always read Scripture prayerfully, submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

My Favorite Books on Puritanism

2010-11-29T13:35:00.001-06:00

1. “A Quest for Godliness” by J. I. Packer
2. “Worldly Saints” by Leland Ryken
3. "Magnalia Christi Americana" by Cotton Mather
4. “The Puritans” by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
5. “The Reformation in England” by Merle d'Aubigne
6. “Cromwell” by Theodore Roosevelt
7. “The Puritan Hope” by Iain Murray
8. “The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations” by I.D.E. Thomas
9. “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford
11. "Visible Saints" by Edmund Morgan

My Favorite C.S. Lewis Books

2010-11-22T20:55:00.004-06:00

1. Beyond Personality (later, included as a part of Mere Christianity)
2. An Experiment in Criticism
3. The Screwtape Letters
4. The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition
5. The Pilgrim's Regress
6. The Great Divorce
7. An Introduction to Paradise Lost
8. They Asked for a Paper
9. Surprised by Joy
10. Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
11. Till We Have Faces

(Yes, yes, I do realize that the Narnia books are not on this list. But, well, the Narnia books did not make the list despite the fact that I really do love them. There are just so many other wonderful Lewis books ahead of them. Also missing are the Space Trilogy books, most of the essays, and a bevy of other worthwhile-reads. So, for this Eleventary tribute on the anniversary of his death in 1963, I've just listed my top eleven must-reads).

Favorite BBQ Joints

2010-11-01T12:17:00.002-05:00

1. Red Baron's, Midland, TX
2. Rudy's, Leon Springs, TX
3. Smitty's, Crockett, TX
4. Salt Lick, Austin, TX
5. Angelo's, Fort Worth, TX
6. Goode and Co, Houston, TX
7. Sonny Bryan's, Dallas, TX
8. Red Bryan's, Dallas, TX
9. Dreamland, Tuscaloosa, AL
10. Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO
11. Cafe Tejas, Franklin, TN

Favorite Ben Franklin Quotes

2010-10-25T19:44:00.000-05:00

1. A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.
2. A good conscience is a continual Christmas.
3. A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.
4. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.
5. All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.
6. As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence.
7. Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.
8. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
9. Creditors have better memories than debtors.
10. Diligence is the mother of good luck.
11. Do good to your friends to keep them, to your enemies to win them.

Ragnar Relay

2010-09-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

Sum Ergo Sum

My Greatest Influences: In the Living Years

2010-07-07T13:48:00.002-05:00

1. Francis Schaeffer
2. D. James Kennedy
3. John R. W. Stott
4. J.I. Packer
5. R.C. Sproul
6. William Lane
7. Paul Johnson
8. Jay Adams
9. Iain Murray
10. D. Martin Lloyd Jones
11. Haddon Robinson

My Greatest Influences: Democracy of the Dead

2010-07-07T13:40:00.004-05:00

1. Charles Spurgeon
2. Thomas Chalmers
3. G.K. Chesterton
4. Abraham Kuyper
5. Arthur Quiller-Couch
6. Augustine of Hippo
7. Martin Bucer
8. Jan Amos Comenius
9. J.R.R. Tolkien
10. C.S. Lewis
11. John Calvin

Books by or about Thomas Chalmers

2010-07-06T09:54:00.004-05:00

1. The St. Andrew's Seven by Stuart Piggin and John Roxborough
2. A Scottish Christian Heritage by Iain H. Murray (just a chapter, but excellent)
3. Unity and Diversity by Sandy Finlayson (again, just a chapter)
4. Sabbath Scripture Readings: New Testament by Thomas Chalmers
5. Sabbath Scripture Readings: Old Testament by Thomas Chalmers
6. The Expulsive Power of a New Affection by Thomas Chalmers (a powerful sermon)
7. Lost Causes by George and Karen Grant (just one chapter)
8. Astronomical Discourses by Thomas Chalmers (due later in 2010 from the Chalmers Foundation, with an intro on his apologetic methods by George Grant)
9. Second Fiddles by George Grant (one chapter in a book due in 2011 from Reformation Trust)
10. The Churchmanship of Thomas Chalmers by George Grant (also due in 2011 from Reformation Trust)
11. Thomas Chalmers: Pastor, Reformer, Educator, and Pioneer (due in 2012 from Christian Focus)

Favorite Books by William Gairdner

2010-07-03T11:47:00.001-05:00

1. War Against the Family
2. The Book of Absolutes
3. OH, OH, CANADA!
4. The Trouble with Canada
5. The Critical Wager
6. Constitutional Crack-Up
7. On Higher Ground
8. After Liberalism
9. Canada's Founding Debates
10. The Trouble with Democracy
11. Rethinking Track and Field

New iPhone Apps I'm Testing

2010-06-25T09:45:00.003-05:00

1. Evernote
2. SoundHound
3. GoodGuide
4. iBooks
5. PoliticsDaily
6. GoodReads
7. ESPN ScoreCenter
8. Shazam
9. 8-Glasses-a-Day
10.Chipotle
11. Pandora

What I Write in My Journal

2010-06-19T13:42:00.011-05:00

1. Notes from whatever books or journals I am currently reading
2. Memorable quotes I run across
3. Ideas for books, articles, poems, lectures, songs, stories, illustrations, or other projects
4. Outlines and bibliographies for whatever it is that I’m presently researching
5. Architectural sketches, doodles, conceptuals, floor plans, layouts, site plans, and illuminations
6. Devotional reflections and Scriptural insights
7. Sermon and lecture notetaking
8. Rants--particularly those that are unfit for publication
9. Long-term planning ideas, goals, and aspirations
10. Reflections from self-examination
11. Prayers, intercessions, supplications, and thanks

Why the Church Must Be Pro-Life

2010-06-09T15:23:00.000-05:00

"Souls are more or less firmly attached to bodies." Amy Carmichael

Reformational Models for 2nd Fiddles

2010-06-03T15:25:00.000-05:00

1. Geert Groote to Thomas a Kempis
2. Jerome of Prague to Jan Hus
3. Philip Melancthon to Martin Luther
4. Peter Martyr to Martin Bucer
5. Martin Bucer to John Calvin—and Luther and Zwingli and Cranmer
6. Heinrich Bullinger to Ulrich Zwingli
7. Theodore Beza to John Calvin
8. Groen van Prinsterer to Abraham Kuyper
9. James Stewart to David Livingstone
10. James Bryan to Birmingham
11. Hans Rookmaaker to Francis Schaeffer

Biblical Models for 2nd Fiddles

2010-06-02T07:42:00.001-05:00

1. Jethro to Moses
2. Joshua to Moses
3. Caleb to Joshua
4. Deborah to Barak
5. Jonathan to David
6. Nathan to David
7. Andrew to Peter
8. Philip to James
9. Timothy to Paul
10. Titus to Paul
11. Epaphroditus to Paul

What I'm Looking Forward to in London

2010-05-17T06:36:00.002-05:00

1. Blessing My Students with What Blesses Me
2. King's College Evensong in Cambridge
3. All Soul's Church on a Sunday Morning
4. A Quiet Walk through Bunhill Fields
5. Churchill's Study and Studio at Chartwell
6. Hever Castle's Gardens
7. Borough Market on a Saturday
8. G. David Bookshop in Cambeidge
9. Ely Cathedral's Lady Chapel
10. Waggamama's Noodle Bar
11. Covent Garden's Pret, Marathon Store, and Stanford's Maps

My Endurance Race Bucket List

2010-05-14T20:37:00.002-05:00

1. Boston Marathon
2. Reykjavik Marathon
3. Prague Marathon
4. Ragnar Relay
5. London Marathon
6. Chicago Marathon
7. Chattanooga Triathlon
8. Race the Trace 250-Miler
9. San Antonio Marathon
10. New York Marathon
11. Houston Marathon

Traveler's Counsel to My Students

2010-05-13T07:44:00.002-05:00

1. “Never forget that every place is unique—just like every place else.” Tristan Gylberd

2. “Life is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor.” Arnold Toynbee

3. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost

4. “Travel somehow broadens the mind and softens the heart.” Mark Twain

5. “See the world and you’ll see it altogether differently.” Groen van Prinsterer

6. “Travel is the laboratory where theory meets practice, where notion encounters application.” Benjamin Franklin

7. “Travel is more than a visitor seeing sights; it is the profound changing—the deep and permanent changing—of that visitor’s perspective of the world, and of his own place in it.” James Ferguson

8. “The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page.” St. Augustine

9. “If you always go where you have always have gone and always do what you have always done, you will always be what you always have been.” Tristan Gylberd

10. “You can lead a youngster abroad, but you cannot make him travel.” Hilaire Belloc

11. “With visions of redemption, I walk against the crowd.” Arthur Quiller-Couch

Churchill's Challenge: May 13, 1940

2010-05-13T07:05:00.000-05:00

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat."

List of Lists from Eco's Infinity of Lists

2010-04-29T07:53:00.001-05:00

1. Achilles’ Shield, Iliad, Book II, vv. 595-1015
2. The Battle of Lepanto, Andrrea Vicentino
3. The Fall of Rebel Angels, Gustav Dore
4. Cupola del Duomo de Parma Correggio
5. Allegory of Fire, Jan Brueghel the Elder
6. Entering the Ark, Jacob Savery
7. Fallen Angels, Peter Paul Rubens
8. Arrival of Isabella of Parma, Martin van Meytens
9. Banquet at Casa Nani, Pietro Longhi
10. Picture Gallery, Giovanni Paolo Pannini
11. The Library, Felix Vallotton

The Most Terrifying Words

2010-04-03T09:21:00.002-05:00

“I'm from the government and I'm here to help.” Ronald Reagan

Post-Health Care Reform Resolves

2010-03-23T13:18:00.001-05:00

1. Pray more. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
2. Listen first. James 1:19
3. Work harder. Colossians 3:23
4. Serve others. Galatians 6:9
5. Defend life. Proverbs 24:11-12
6. Grumble less. James 5:9
7. Do justice. Amos 5:24
8. Love mercy. Micah 6:8
9. Walk humbly. Proverbs 15:33
10. Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
11. Trust Jesus. Revelation 19:6

A Lifetime of Reading

2010-03-04T12:08:00.002-06:00

1. Read--“A broad interest in books usually means a broad interest in life.” Lyman Abbott

2. Read Deeply--“ Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Richard Steele

3. Read Out of Your Time--“I hate to read new books. Contemporary writers may generally be divided into two classes—one’s friends or one’s foes. Of the first we are compelled to think too well, and of the last we are disposed to think too ill, to receive much genuine pleasure from the perusal, or to judge fairly of the merits of either.” William Hazlitt

4. Read Classically--“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Italo Calvino

5. Read Above Your Head--“You may perhaps be brought to acknowledge that it is very well worthwhile to be tormented for two or three years of one’s life, for the sake of being able to read all the rest of it.” Jane Austen

6. Read and Re-Read--"Re-reading, we always find a new book." C.S. Lewis

7. Have a Plan--“It is a good plan to have a book with you in all places and at all times.” Oliver Wendell Holmes

8. Medium Is Nearly as Vital as Message--“If you cannot read all your books, at any rate handle, or as it were, fondle them.” Winston Churchill

9. Follow the Footnote Trail--“If a book is worth reading, it is worth buying.” John Ruskin

10. Leave a Legacy--“A little library, growing every year, is an honorable part of a man’s history.” Henry Ward Beecher

11. Joy in the Journey--“When I get a little money, I buy books; and if there is any left, I buy food and clothes.” Desiderius Erasmus

2010 Super Bowl Ad Favs

2010-02-08T08:32:00.002-06:00

1. VW: Stevie Wonder Punching Game
2. Google: Parisian Love
3. Snickers: Betty White
4. The Late Show: Leno, Oprah, and Letterman
5. NFL: Liftoff
6. Budweiser: Longhorn and Clydesdale
7. Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood
8. Dodge Charger: Man’s Last Stand
9. Denny’s: Overworked Chickens
10. Doritos: Ninja Revenge
11. Focus: Tebow and Mom

Favorite Fiction of 2009

2010-01-29T13:29:00.003-06:00

1. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson
3. Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell
4. The Ebb Tide by James Blaylock
5. The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle
6. The Stress of Her Regard (Revised Edition) by Tim Powers
7. Metamorphosis by James P. Blaylock and Tim Powers
8. Relentless by Dean Koontz
9. Ancient Highway by Brett Lott
10. Tales of the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien
11. Again to Carthage by John Parker

Favorite Non-Fiction of 2009

2010-01-29T13:15:00.001-06:00

1. Infinity of Lists by Umberto Eco
2. The White Horse King by Ben Merkel
3. Churchill by Paul Johnson
4. Reflections on the Revolution: Islam and the West by Christopher Caldwell
5. Free by Chris Anderson
6. Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology by Burk Parsons, editor
7. Why Architecture Matters by Paul Goldberger
8. Planet Narnia by Michael Ward
9. Heroes by Iain Murray
10. The Christian Lover by Michael Haykin
11. Five Cities that Ruled the World by Doug Wilson

Favorite Theology of 2009

2010-01-29T13:05:00.001-06:00

1. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
2. Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by N.D. Wilson
3. Sabbath Scripture Readings by Thomas Chalmers
4. Romans: St. Andrew’s Commentary by R.C. Sproul
5. The Commission by David Zanotti
6. Sermons Beyond Volume 63 by Charles Spurgeon
7. John Calvin by John Piper
8. Speaking the Truth in Love: John Frame's Theology by John Hughes
9. The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Thomas Boston
10. In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson
11. A Better Freedom by Michael Card

Favorite Carols

2009-12-19T15:46:00.003-06:00

1. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
2. Wexford Carol
3. Good King Wenceslas
4. Sussex Carol
5. Coventry Carol
6. Divinum Mysterium
7. Nos Golan
8. Once in Royal David's City
9. Wessex Carol
10. A Virgin Unspotted
11. Joy to the World

Jesse's L'Abri Adventure

2009-12-10T20:59:00.010-06:00

Winter Favs

2009-12-10T05:54:00.002-06:00

1. The beautiful Yuletide season at Parish.
2. Greg Wilbur’s Lessons and Carols.
3. Afternoons writing snug in the Daug Haus.
4. My annual January mission trip—this year to Iraq, Italy, and Austria.
5. Long dark mornings with café robusto at Maxximo Jo’s
6. Football played in the cold, cold, cold.
7. Big hot bowls of Texas chili.
8. A fresh batch of journals to work with.
9. Gethsemane Farms cakes.
10. Dokkestul chocolate covered cherries.
11. My Chesterton and Solzhenitsyn reading plan (I just can’t seem to read either during the warmer months).

Winter Light

2009-11-28T07:37:00.011-06:00

My Current Favs

2009-11-06T10:14:00.015-06:00

St. Andrew's Chapel

2009-10-21T15:32:00.015-05:00

How to Tell You've Arrived at Cafe Tejas

2009-10-10T15:04:00.013-05:00

Fall Favs

2009-10-05T08:00:00.004-05:00

1. Cooler Temperatures
2. Fall Foliage
3. Football Games Under the Lights
4. Long Walks in the Woods
5. Dark Roast Coffees
6. Fires in the Fireplace
7. 5K and Half Marathon Season
8. Chili
9. Mock Turtlenecks
10. Sweater Vests
11. Corduroys

Fall Reading Group

2009-09-30T20:58:00.005-05:00

1. Idols for Destruction by Herb Schlossberg
2. Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by N.D. Wilson
3. A Better Freedom by Mike Card
4. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
5. The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield
6. In Praise of Folly by Erasmus
7. Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
8. The Prince by Machiavelli
9. The White Horse King by Ben Merkle
10. Five Cities by Douglas Wilson
11. The Summa of the Summa by Thomas Aquinas, ed. Peter Kreeft

A Few of My Favorite Things

2009-09-23T06:14:00.012-05:00

My Top Author Encounters

2009-09-23T05:12:00.000-05:00

1. Tom Wolfe in the Reagan National Airport
2. Francis Schaeffer in a little bookshop in St. Louis, MO
3. Jan Karon for dinner near her home in Blowing Rock, NC
4. Aiden Mackey at his home in Bedford, UK
5. Virginia Maxwell-Scott at her home in Abbotsford, UK
6. Thomas Cahill at a book signing in Washington, DC
7. Iain Murray at a study center in Edinburgh, UK
8. Dean Karnazes running together in Memphis, TN
9. Christopher Catherwood at Cambridge University
10. J.I. Packer at a conference in San Diego, CA
11. Kinky Friedman at a book signing in Austin, TX

Favorite Chalmers Quotes

2009-09-02T21:09:00.002-05:00

1. Regardless of how large, your vision is too small.

2. Gargantuanism and the care of souls cannot coexist.

3. Doubt both doubt and doubters.

4. The permanent things matter. The temporal things only matter to the degree that they are connected with the permanent things.

5. My God, save me from the peace which is no peace; let me have no peace without my Saviour or with my sin.

6. You always can do less than you think in five years and more than you think in fifty.

7. As in Algebra, it is not the ipsa corpora of quantity, but with its mere nominal representatives that we have to do.

8. Moral Philosophy stands to Christianity in the relation that Law does to Gospel, that the preaching of the Baptist did to that of Christ.

9. The Church of Jesus Christ will either multiply or divide.

10. Unforgiveness is the poison we drink hoping another will die.

11. Gospel preaching always requires great courage, both to execute and to tolerate, for it must ever needs be a running toward a lion’s roar.

Favorite Augustine Quotes

2009-09-02T17:36:00.004-05:00

1. Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.

2. Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

3. Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.

4. Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider.

5. If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.

6. In the absence of true justice, what is a government’s sovereignty but organized robbery?

7. It is not the punishment but the cause that makes the martyr.

8. It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

9. Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.

10. The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

11. You have created us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart cannot rest until it rests in You.

The Garden: Still Abloom

2009-08-23T14:37:00.011-05:00

August Garden

2009-08-07T14:56:00.011-05:00

Summertime Saturday

2009-07-26T15:29:00.015-05:00

In the Garden

2009-07-23T10:49:00.013-05:00

After the Rain

2009-07-23T10:32:00.012-05:00

Mmm Lamb!

2009-07-18T19:56:00.004-05:00

Wise Words: Winston Churchill

2009-06-23T09:09:00.001-05:00

"The empires of the future are the empires of the mind."

Wise Words: Dom Gregory Dix

2009-06-15T07:43:00.001-05:00

"The opposite of faith is not doubt; it is personal opinion."

Eleventary Garden: 3rd Look

2009-06-13T20:09:00.012-05:00

J.C. Ryle's Lament

2009-06-11T07:01:00.000-05:00

"There is no duty in religion so neglected as private prayer."

11 minutes of Hem

2009-06-09T17:03:00.001-05:00

Eleventary Garden: 2nd Look

2009-05-10T20:41:00.010-05:00

Sir Richard Steele on Reading

2009-05-09T09:03:00.001-05:00

“Reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.”

London Favorites

2009-05-09T07:17:00.002-05:00

1. Waterstone’s
2. Pret a Manger
3. Stanford’s
4. Wagamama’s
5. Hatchard’s
6. George Trumper’s
7. W.H. Smith
8. West Corwall Pasty
9. Cecil Court
10. Neil’s Yard
11. Southwark Market

Heaven

2009-05-09T07:15:00.001-05:00

"I've always imagined that Heaven would be a library." Jorge Borges

Statistics

2009-05-04T22:36:00.000-05:00

"Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable." --Mark Twain

An Eleventary Garden

2009-05-04T10:51:00.008-05:00

So Says Alexandre Dumas

2009-05-02T07:17:00.000-05:00

"Rogues are preferable to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest."

Essential Run Gear

2009-04-18T08:58:00.001-05:00

1. Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8
2. PowerStep Insoles
3. DeFeet Cush Lo
4. RaceReady LD Sixer Shorts
5. RaceReady CoolMax Alta-T
6. Headsweats Cap
7. Brooks ShoePocket
8. Brooks Podium Vest
9. BodyGlide
10. RunKeeper iPod and DailyMile
11. Gatorade Rain

Ah, Quotations!

2009-04-17T14:52:00.001-05:00

"I hate quotations. Tell me what you know." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

In Time

2009-04-03T09:13:00.001-05:00

"Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time." Theodore Roosevelt

Away Again

2009-03-14T08:29:00.001-05:00

"It is a dangerous business going out your front door." Tolkien

Amplitude

2009-03-11T20:44:00.001-05:00

"Ample ability is of little account without ample opportunity." Napoleon Bonaparte

Worst Case Scenario

2009-03-11T13:27:00.009-05:00

1. Asking Hillary to steer foreign policy at State
2. Reversing Mexico City
3. Requiring tax funding for abortion-harvested stem cells
4. Boosting abortion businesses with a $457 million stimulus package
5. Picking Dawn Johnsen, NARAL shill, for Assistant Attorney General
6. Nominating Tim Kaine for DNC
7. Tapping Michael Schiavo attorney, Thomas Perrelli for Justice
8. Choosing James Steinberg for Deputy Secretary of State
9. Picking David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General
10. Going on a $410 billion porkalooza spending spree
11. Nominating Kathleen Sebelius for HHS

The Public Square

2009-03-07T08:33:00.002-06:00

If worldlings desecrate the holy, then let Christians consecrate the secular.

His Story

2009-03-02T07:36:00.001-06:00

"Every Christian ought to be a good historian." Caleb Archibald Evans