DISQUS

Just stopping by to say Happy New Year! Hope you are doing well, and being a list-maker myself, I've enjoyed the 12 lists of Christmas.

Mmmm - nothing wrong with being thankful for coffee. I'm being very thankful for the espresso I'm brewing right now . . .

And I'm with Cheryl. Can you post a video of the squanto hop??

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bravo!

I only wish I could've seen it.

Definitely some hard questions in there, Marcus, and I'm thankful our God is big enough to handle them. Sometimes I sit back and look out our faith and think about how strange it really is. I mean, we have a "relationship" with someone we can't see, can't hear, can't touch, and we talk to him, sing to him, write about him. We have strange rituals (eating his body and drinking his blood?). And yet, I know that the hope I experience is tangible. His love is palpable. His peace really does transcend. . .I look forward to heaven when this life all makes more sense.

I've heard of that book and will have to add it to my wish list.

I love it! Thanks for sharing. Off to iTunes!

PS - Thanks for the book recommendations, too!

First, I'm glad you're back (hopefully!). I've missed ya!

Secondly, I too love Halloween. My mom and I were just talking the other day about how much she loved Halloween as a child. We discussed how sad we are that it has become what it has (from the Christian angle you discuss to the sheer safety issues that come up as well), because it's such a beautiful opportunity for children to use their imaginations and creativity.

I'm not against the whole church event. Our church put on a Trunk or Treat in the parking lot, invited hundreds of people in the surrounding apartments, and handed out a ton of candy, hot dogs, and popcorn. Everyone had a wonderful time, and as a church we were able to get to know our neighbors (sort of like Dan points out).

We also went trick or treating a little with my daughter. Like Heather, we have a neighbor who goes over the top in their yard - complete with gallows, blacked in front porch with 7-8 black lights and a guy sitting with a toy chain saw chasing kids off the porch after they get their candy. Loads of fun.

Happy Sabbaticalling.

I created a Lijit account a couple weeks ago, but still haven't spent the time to play with it yet. Plus Wordpress.com doesn't like the widget. Guess it's another reason to take the plunge and move everything over to my domain. ugh.

Not sure what I think about this disqus business. Is it overwhelming for someone who is not a member? I don't really get it yet, but I haven't explored the site. It does, however, provide comic relief in the form of LL though . . .

What a fun time you had! My daughter decided that this year she wants to be a talking buoy for Halloween (as if she could be anything BUT "talking"), and I was thinking about how one thing I love about Halloween is how it spurs me on to creativity. I'm pretty sure our local Target will not have a buoy costume, so I will get to make one. Looks like you're having a similar kind of fun . . .

Love the concept. Will have to remember to check it out at my local bookstore.

Okay, you've convinced me. I've been hemming and hawing over whether or not to spend the money, and now I will. Thanks :)

That simple reminder is so reassuring. Thanks for adding a new adjective to the way I think about God.

I know that's why Peter's story is included in the Bible . . . he walked with Jesus, was his disciple and close friend, and still he denied in the heat of the moment. Here at home I am surrounded by people who share my beliefs. When I'm on the computer, it's easy to have confidence because I still have a screen (and some SSL) to protect me. Face to face, I wonder what I would do, too.

It's assuring to know he is with us - saying the right words or the wrong ones - until the end of the age. Thanks for sharing honestly with us. I'll pray for boldness and security in your identity in Christ as you share your heart and life with others this weekend.

While you're there, can you also find a comment proofreader? Evidently I need one, since I meant to say "items" instead of "times."

*sigh* I am so jealous. Perhaps this is something to put on my list to attend, especially since I'm considering starting a whole ezine related to this stuff. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on several of the times above. I've just started using Lijit, and so far I like it. I need to spend some time on it though. I'm also curious about Fast Company, too. I've long been a reader of the magazine, but haven't explored the site much.
Have fun!

Hey Marcus - Thanks for participating in the tour. I always love hearing your thoughts and opinions.

A great reminder. Made me think about this post from Ann Voskamp.

Marcus, I think your comment on the word "theory" expresses my point exactly. You honed in on the implications of using that word, when I was trying to highlight the fact that we all bring different definitions to these same words (evolution, creation, Darwinism, theory . . .) to the table and that makes the conversation confusing. :)

Oh, man! Sorry. That ended up being a longer comment than I expected. :)

Wow, Marcus, you know how to make an entrance!

What I find most confusing is that when people refer to "evolution" theory and "creation" theory and whether they believe in it or not, I find that they are using the same words to talk about very different concepts, and usually it seems they are only referring to part of the overall concept. What would be most beneficial to me in these types of conversations is for people to explain what they really mean rather than just using the general terms that carry so much meaning and controversy inherently in themselves now.

Have you ever seen Rob Bell's Everything is Spiritual video? In it he talks about 2-Dimensional world (which he called Flatland) and how the people who live in 2-Dimensional world can only see things in 2 dimensions, and so their entire world view - even vocabulary - is set within the context of the limit of their universe - two dimensions. He held up a marker and said if I show someone in Flatland the marker this way (showing the marker to the audience from the side), what would they see? A rectangle. If I showed it to them this way (showing the marker from the end) what do they see? A circle. And to the people in Flatland, they cannot describe it otherwise and they cannot see it otherwise. But in reality, the marker is both . . . even more. So if we live in our world (how many dimensions have we discovered now?) and God lives outside our world in a place with dimensions we don't even understand, can't we then assume that some things are beyond the limit of our language, our understanding?

I sort of feel that way about the way science and religion like to explain the way the world began and how it works.

Wow, I'm honored, Dan. That really means a lot. I'll do my best to live up to it! :)

I've definitely thought it was fascinating to see Presidential candidates with blogs, and myspace and facebook pages. This takes it to a whole new level. Seems to me it sounds like a good idea, but when you get to the implementation part, it's a ridiculous waste. Not to mention (as others point out) the censorship part. I hate to think about the way public opinion could be slanted or swayed based upon what is kept out of comments. And how do you ensure the "voice of the people" is really represented, rather than lobbyist or activist groups? And as the President of the United States, I want someone who can be decisive and make decisions in the best interest of the country. . . not someone who has to consult the comments on his blog for five days first. hmm, the more I think about this, the more it troubles me.

Wow, what a powerful picture!

Thank goodness for grace, huh? That he cares even about a little thing like a blog.

Glad you're back.

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