Mr. Automatic

The Red Sox (temporarily?) broke out of their slump last night.  I was pretty disgusted up until then.  I don't want to waste the precious few games I get to see with miserable loses.  The wife was, "you're not enjoying this are you?".  But the boys, led by Manny (except for the long sequence in [...]

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Patriotic Gophers and Gators

Golden Gopher Laurence Maroney, a running back was picked by the Patriots in the first round.  With their backs getting older, they felt the need to grab only the 2nd back taken in the draft.  Belichek compared his style to the Edge.  If he's 2/3 the back of James, he should help the Patriots long-term.  [...]

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O Sweet Mercy

I don't usually listen to Mercy Me, so I have nothing to say of much substance aside from this: where's the cross?  Of course, my knowledge of their songs is quite limited, so forgive me if this is inaccurate. 
I reviewed the Newsboys Love, Liberty, Disco for a magazine in the late 90's.  That was my [...]

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Medical Practice

I had a mole removed this week.  I hadn't noticed the bumps on it before.  I actually don't mind, because I get to pick the brain of my doctor.  This will come to a sad end, since he will soon be moving to Wyoming to run clinics on the Reservation.  My family will miss him [...]

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Sports Slump

Ho-hum.  For me the NBA is over until we gear up for the draft.  The Celtics didn't make the playoffs, so I'm not too interested right now (much to my wife's delight).  There are no teams that excite me.  About the most exciting part would be waiting for Rasheed or Artest to draw T's and [...]

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Together for the Gospel

Sorry, but I just can't seem to get into attending all the big conferences.  Part of it is personal.  Before being a pastor- they were GREAT!  As a pastor, I find my greatest need during study leave it to get away with a few books, some peace & quiet, and not increase the pace of [...]

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Bono’s Banal Babbling

I finally finished Vertigo: Live in Chicago the other morning while I made breakfast for the family.  My daughter & I were dancing to the last third of the concert.  They really picked it up for the encore.
The material from Achtung Baby seems less cynical, which is nice.  The performance was great.
Except for Bono’s extended [...]

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Mommy’s Little Helper

It is just amazing to watch my little girl grow up (a whole 16 months next week).  She'll pick up gardening tools and join my wife in the flower beds.  She was playing with the dustpan & brush the other day.  She's little miss domestic.
After practicing on the dog for awhile, she now has begun [...]

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Manny Got His Groove Back

Manny's slump is OVER.
He's now up around .300 and starting to drive the ball.
 This bodes well for the Sox, who haven't really been lighting it up on offense thus far.  But they are still atop the AL East thanks to better pitching and defense.
Papi provides his usual power (9 homers thus far) and Lowell has [...]

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Not So Jollyblogger

I was wonder what had happened to the Jollyblogger this week.  He's been MIA with a stomach bug.  Visit him and wish him a speedy recovery.

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God is the Gospel- His Pleasant Gifts

From God is the Gospel:
“Answered prayer is based on Jesus’ priestly intercession for us, and that intercession is based on the blood he shed to remove our sins and release the flood of prayer-answering grace.”
This would be why God does not hear the prayers of non-Christians lest they be prayers of repentance.  Jesus’ blood is [...]

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Am I Missing Something? the Duke Scandal

Let's see, the only evidence these guys attacked her would appear to be her id from a photo array.
The evidence that one of the 2 men arrested for this crime did not commit it sounds very compelling to me (phone logs, ATM receipts, cabbie testimony, ID on the dorm security log).
I smell politics, and at least [...]

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God is the Gospel- His Saving and Painful Gifts

“It’s the line between God-cherishing gratitude and gift-cherishing idolatry.”
Piper’s thinking in God is the Gospel is not novel, tracing back at least as far as Augustine.  But it is quite on target.  We tend to exalt the gift over the Giver (oh, what insane people we are).  We have a tendency to shrink God’s glory [...]

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How Mexico Treats Illegal Immigrants

Vicente & Co. want us to be nice to their citizens who happen to enter this nation illegally.  I understand, they are concerned about their citizens.  Not concerned enough to improve their economy and reduce corruption, but they like the flow of money into Mexico.
The National Human Rights Commission has found that the Mexican government, [...]

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One, Two, Three Strikes and You’re Out

Curt Schilling is BACK!
 1.64 ERA
16 Ks to only 3 walks
 .64 WHIP
 And better than ever?!

 Josh Beckett is Pumped!
 3-0
1.29 ERA
 1.05 WHIP

Jonathan Papelbon Shuts the Door!
6 Saves in 6 opportunities
0.00 ERA
6 Ks and 0 walks
.29 WHIP

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Chalke in Trouble, McLaren Next?

Adrian Warnock makes note of the EA's concern over Chalke's denial of the substitutionary penal atonement (which is echoed by McLaren).  They (Chalke & McLaren) claim the penal (punishment) aspect to substitutionary atonement was added by the Reformers.  They claim it is not to be found in Anselm, for instance.  I will supply some choice [...]

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More Light on the Worship Song Debate

I decided to put in a link to Samuel Storms' initial response to Colson's piece in CT.  These are pretty much the pieces that sparked the internet debate on many a blog.
As you look at the lyrics of the 'offending' song- Draw Me Close- one thing not mentioned by either party is that this is, [...]

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God is the Gospel: Contrition

Some quotes and thoughts from chapter 8 of Piper’s book God is the Gospel:
“the good news of forgiveness awakens the pain of remorse as well as the joy of release.”
True forgiveness has both experiences.  True repentance includes godly sorrow, for the evil of the act (not just the lousy consequences).  Unless we are captivated by [...]

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God is the Gospel: The Gladness of God

From God is the Gospel-
“God’s glory consists much in the fact that he is happy beyond all our imagination. … No one would want to spend eternity with an unhappy God.  If God were unhappy, then the goal of gospel would not be a happy goal, and that means it would be no gospel at [...]

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New Contracts

I was excited to see yesterday that:
1. Coco Crisp signed an extension w/the Red Sox. He still comes at less than half of what we would have had to pay Johnny Damon. These means we have money for depth, which as we see right now (with Coco on the DL w/a finger injury, [...]

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