Here's hoping the Palestinians fail

Later today Mahmoud Abbas will launch his bid at the UN, seeking formal recognition of Palestine. I seriously hopes he fails. Why? Watch the video below to find out...

Play your destiny!

"Every one will someday be an immortal horror or an everlasting splendour. This does not mean we are to be perpetually solemn, we must play. But our merriment must be the kind which is between people who have from the outset taken each other seriously. The weight of your neighbours glory is a burden you should put on your back every day and only humility will carry it." 

C.S.Lewis, The Weight of Glory

What's your vanity?

Samuel Johnson in an insightful comment on the human condition notes that “Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess.” Isn't that so true? Which one is it for you?

Quote of the week: A New Adam, A New Eve

Adam sinned through a corruption of his leadership role, and Eve sinned in a corruption of her helping role. Through the gospel, God has sent us another Adam, the Lord Jesus, and God has also established a new Eve, the Christian Church. Just as Eve was taken from the side of Adam, so also the Church was born of water and blood, straight from the side of the Lord Jesus (John 19:34). In this new context, individual Christian husbands and wives are instructed to rebuild the ruins of their respective roles.

Via: A wedding exhortation

Other biggies that also occurred on September 11th

1297

William Wallace defeats forces of the English crown in the Battle of Stirling Bridge. As anyone who’s seen Braveheart knows, the party doesn’t last long for Wallace, but the Scots do regain their independence in 1328.

1609

English explorer Henry Hudson sails up a river on the coast of northeastern America aboard the Dutch vesselHalve Maen (Half Moon). In the process he discovers the island of Manhattan. He successfully navigates the river which now bears his name all the way to present-day Albany.

1814

In the War of 1812, the Battle of Plattsburgh ends in a decisive American victory. This marks the end of a British invasion into the northern states of the U.S. The redcoats retreat into Canada. The two sides sign a peace treaty in Ghent several months later.

1962

The Beatles record the third and final version of what will be their first single, “Love Me Do,” at EMI Studios on Abbey Road. The first two recordings are deemed unsatisfactory due to Ringo Starr’s drumming. His replacements on the other recordings are Pete Best and Andy White. On the third and final cut, Ringo is relegated to playing tambourine.

and one from the annals of the Church...

Patiens of Lyons, bishop, (whose feast day is 11th September and who tradition claims died today in c.480). Patiens was bishop of Lyons from around AD450. Invasions of the Goths were a constant difficulty, but Patients proved to be a strong man of the kind most needed. He combined great love of the poor with enterprise shown in the building and repair of churches and is said to have fed thousands during the famines of 472 and 475. Apart from his sympathies for Arian heretics, Patiens seems like a generally good chap who despite his foibles would still outdo (me thinks) most of our current herd of Bishops.


HT: Mentalfloss and Fellowship of St James Calender

Predestination fires Missionary

"At the beginning of my missionary career I said that if predestination were true I could not be a missionary. Now after 20 years of struggling with the hardness of the human heart, I say I could never be a missionary unless I believed in the doctrine of predestination."

John Alexander, a former president of Inter-Varsity

Driscoll and 'heavy D' talk grace

Click here to find out which 'heavy D' Mark Driscoll is chatting to.

"Marijuana-haze hymnody"

Can you guess which hymn is being described below?

This syrupy piece of marijuana-haze hymnody is found in the hymnals of churches that have substituted sentiment for orthodoxy and worship. 

The song would be much improved if the spacy refrain were omitted. I don’t know if Horatio Spafford actually wrote this refrain in his original poem or if it were added by Philip Bliss in his gooey music, but I do know that if I smoked marijuana I’d love it. It drifts along in a haze that is so far unlike anything God enjoys, as seen in the book of psalms, that is might as well be Hindu.

Find out in this stimulating and provocative post

Friday Fun: Unusual church signs

I submit that only in America, would you get these somewhat clever, a bit funny and mostly outrageous signs. Now why is that?