Entries from May 2007 ↓

. . . of AWESOME.

I think that I may need this t-shirt.

(HT: Uncrate)

As if I need more reasons to be proud of my little girl . . . her current favorite song is Sufjan Stevens’ Chicago. Almost every time* she sees me open iTunes, she says “Daddy, would you put on ‘Down in Chicago’?” (That’s what she hears when Sufjan actually sings “drove to Chicago” in the first verse.) I beam — at least internally — when she sings along . . . “You came to take us.  All things go! All things go!”

We might not have cool enough to have been featured in Columbus Monthly‘s recent article on “Columbus’ Hipster Parents” (unlike some people I know), but I think we’re doing alright as we try to raise a little cultural missionary.

[Now if I can only get her to quit enjoying that commercial radio crap her mommy occasionally enjoys. ]

*: The rare exceptions to this are when she asks for The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me.

Joe Thorn provides his advice for those of us discerning a call to full-time vocational Gospel ministry.

Very helpful stuff.

Just a couple tonight.

Travis asks . . .

“What is your current favorite disc to spin… errr… album to queue up on your iPod?”

Right now, I’d say that my favorites are The Light Divides by Winterpills and (no surprise) Derek Webb’s The Ringing Bell. I’ve been spinning Shearwater (thanks, Travis), Eluvium, and Half-Handed Cloud quite a bit lately, as well.

Of course, you could just look at my Last.FM music profile.

Dad asks

“Is the evil in the world a before the foundation of the world type predestined, God determined set of events?”

Yes.

Okay, more than that would probably be helpful. How about some Westminster Confession of Faith goodness?

WCF III.1: God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

This is an admittedly difficult and funny-tasting pill to swallow, even for those of us who love Westminster, Calvin, and all that good “reformed” stuff. God ordains all acts, even those that HE has called evil. But at the same time, he’s not the author of sin, and he does not “offer violence” upon the will of those who commit such acts. Huh? Maybe I’ll dedicate a post to this one of these days.

Round 2 tomorrow. Meanwhile, have some pictures.

(This is what I wore to church tonight.)

It’s been a busy week and I’ve obviously had very little time to come up with a substantive post (there are a couple in the works, but not ready yet).  So . . . I want you to give me something to write about by asking me a question that I can address in a post in the near future.   It can be about anything (within reason) — my views, theology, church, politics, family, music, technology, whatever, etc.

I can’t guarantee any profoundly insightful answers, but I can guarantee honesty.  Of course, I reserve the right to pick and choose the questions I answer, but like I said, as long as it’s within reason and I don’t get inundated with inquiries (hah), there shouldn’t be an issue.

So, let me have it.

(And don’t worry, those of you wondering . . . the baptism question will be addressed soon.  No need to ask about that one.)