Friday, December 31, 2010

New Book Favs: 2010

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

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

Monday, December 27, 2010

What I've Learned from TR

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

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

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Bah Humbug: As Far As the Curse Is Found

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.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Favorite Christmas Books

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

Monday, November 29, 2010

Most Frequently Consulted Eschatology Books

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

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

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

Monday, November 22, 2010

My Favorite C.S. Lewis Books

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).

Monday, November 1, 2010

Favorite BBQ Joints

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

Monday, October 25, 2010

Favorite Ben Franklin Quotes

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.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

My Greatest Influences: In the Living Years

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

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

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Books by or about Thomas Chalmers

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)

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Favorite Books by William Gairdner

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

Friday, June 25, 2010

New iPhone Apps I'm Testing

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

Saturday, June 19, 2010

What I Write in My Journal

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