Michael Rex spoofs Margaret Wise Brown’s classic children’s book Goodnight Moon with his new creation: Goodnight Goon.

Goodnight tomb.
Goodnight Goon.
Goodnight bones
    and black lagoon.

Goodnight moans.
Goodnight groans.
Goodnight creature,
Goodnight goo.
And goodnight to the werewolf whispering “BOO!”

Ray Pritchard encourages us to pray for ‘the other guy.’ “Who is the ‘other guy’? It’s the guy I’m not voting for on November 4. Doesn’t matter what his name is because I’m not voting for him. I’ve made up my mind, and I can’t be moved away from my decision. Let me say frankly that your ‘other guy’ may be the guy I’m going to vote for … I propose … starting today, say a prayer for ‘the other guy’ and his running mate every day between now and November 4. And don’t use prayer as a weapon against him. Pray for him, for his wife and children, pray for God’s blessing upon him. Pray for God to guide his steps. Pray that God will speak to him and that he will listen.”

Andrée Seu reflects on Narnia and Bible study. “‘Here on the mountain the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind.’ (The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis). The mountain is my morning Bible study. The drop to Narnia is life as I find it the rest of the day, and the air gets thick indeed.”

Claudia Riiff Finseth reflects on reading Tolkien in the winter. “My own epiphany reading Tolkien in winter is this: that all is not right nor ever shall be right in the world, yet still there is much that is lovely and worth our efforts. Each person’s responsibility is to make their contribution in their own time–in their own part of the story. And just maybe, somehow, I’ll be able to find within me what is needed to do my part.” Quoting Gandalf:

Other evils there are that may come; for Sauron is himself but a servant or emissary. Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule. (Gandalf, in The Last Debate, Part III)

A nonprofit organization is offering a $10,000 prize to an engaged couple that will agree to abstain from premarital sex — and no one has entered the contest!

“Someone asked me, ‘Is anyone going to respond?’” said contest organizer Phillippia Faust, director of an abstinence education program for Rockdale, DeKalb and Newton counties. “In our society, it is going to be hard to find [a couple who has not had premarital sex]. … But the standard is the standard.”

The prize also includes free flowers, invitations and other bridal goodies. I am sure there must be some eligible Christian couples who have already taken a stand on this issue. But if you want to enter, you had better move fast. The deadline is October 31.

CONTEST DETAILS

• What: Marriage for a Lifetime wedding essay contest
• Requirements: Bride and groom must agree to undergo premarital education. Must agree not to serve alcohol at reception. Couple either agrees not to have premarital sex or at least acknowledge it’s preferable not to. At least one of the couple must live in DeKalb, Newton or Rockdale counties.
• To apply: Submit 600-word essay to the Mature Project, Rockdale Medical Center, 1412 Milstead Ave., Conyers, GA 30012. Deadline: Oct. 31
• More information: 770-918-3659

Related posts: Living Together Before Marriage Series

Are you having trouble promoting small groups (home groups, growth groups, life groups, etc.) in your church? Perhaps Yoda can help. In this video Yoda shares about his first experience at a small group. May the Force be with you!

(Video length: 1:39)

“Who wants some Cheetos?” (Mace Windu)

Related posts:

• Star Wars Pumpkins
• Tim Keller and Darth Vader
• Darth Vader Plays a Mean Harmonica
• Jedi Squirrels
• George Lucas Syndrome

Veggie Tales is celebrating its 15 year anniversary. Our children range in age from 12-17 so, as you can probably guess, Veggie Tales have been a big part of our house over the past 15 years. Here are my two favorite Silly Songs with Larry (the part of the show where Larry comes out and sings a silly song).

I Love my Lips! (Video length: 3:22)

“My friends all laughed and I just stood there until the fire department came and broke the lock with a crowbar and I had to spend the next six weeks in lip rehab with this kid named Oscar who got stung by a bee right on the lip, and we couldn’t even talk to each other until the fifth week because both of our lips were so swollen and when he did start speaking he just spoke Polish and I only knew like three words in Polish except now I know four because Oscar taught me the word for lip — OOSTA!” (Larry the Cucumber)

The Dance of the Cucumber (Video length: 3:17)

HT: Big Idea

We have had a beautiful fall here in New England this year. Enjoy the great word pictures Cheryl Wheeler weaves together in this song while checking out some of the pictures my wife, Rose, took around our neighborhood this fall.

Click “►” button to play | Length: 3:16

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Cheryl Wheeler: “When Fall Comes to New England” (Available on the following CDs: When October Goes and Driving Home)

    Across our driveway

    Looking down our street

    Front flower garden

    Butterfly

    Up close

    Spread wings

    Neighbor’s house

    Carpet of leaves

International Justice Mission (IJM) has asked for prayer for a slave rescue operation tomorrow.

There will be a major slave rescue operation tomorrow at a rice mill in South Asia offices (precise location not being disclosed for security reasons).

It is night in South Asia right now. Our staff will begin the raid with the local police at 10am their time. They will not sleep until the operation is complete and the slaves are in safety and perpetrators arrrested. This could take one day or it could (more likely) take many.

Please pray that the work is swift, that all slaves are rescued, that the authorities are compliant, and that justice is delivered. Pray for healing for these victims of violent injustice, and pray for safety of our staff.

If you have ever read Gary Haugen’s book Terrify No More then you know just how daring and dangerous these rescue attempts can be. Please keep the IJM staff and this particular operation in prayer.

Update: Bethany Hoang reports from IJM: “For those of you who have been praying for the major rescue operations this week, I want to let you know that these operations were successful. I cannot give more detail due to security necessities, but if you have questions please contact me directly.”

The London Times reports on the new Atheist Bus Campaign sponsored by prominent atheistic writer Richard Dawkins.

“There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” That is the cheery message London buses will be carrying if Richard Dawkins, the atheist, can raise enough cash.

The slogan is to be daubed across 30 Westminster buses in retaliation for a series of bendy-bus Christian messages. CBS Outdoor, the bus advertising company, said that it would run the atheist ads in January. “Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride,” said Dawkins, who will match donations up to £5,500.

I would have to say that I worry less and enjoy life more knowing there is a God than I would if there wasn’t a God. Now compare Dawkins’ bus slogan to the closing words of Ecclesiastes and decide which is true wisdom.

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Related post: Humanist Bus Campaign

BiblePlaces.com presents Views That Have Vanished — a collection of over 700 never-before-seen photographs taken in Israel and the surrounding areas in the 1960s.

In the early 1960s, David Bivin went to study at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Armed with a Yashica-D medium-format camera, Bivin traveled the land of Israel and the surrounding regions taking photographs of biblical sites, archaeological excavations, and everyday scenes. Today these photographs provide a window on a land that has changed radically, as a result of the construction of cities, the Six Day War, and the unification of Jerusalem … The collection includes photographs of Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Greece, and Rome.

The Photo CD is on sale for only $20 from now until October 31 (free shipping in the U.S.). Click here to see a sample of “then and now” shots from the collection.

• Taliban Kills Aid Worker. Taliban soldiers killed a Christian aid worker from South Africa in a drive-by motorcycle shooting. A Taliban spokesman said, “We killed her … because she was spreading Christianity.”
• Through the Storm. Bill Reichart reviews the new book written by Lynne Spears, mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn (published by Thomas Nelson). Lynne describes her book as “the story of one simple, Southern woman whose family got caught in a tornado called fame and who is still trying to sort through the debris scattered all over her life in the aftermath.”
• Lord of the Rings Live in London. The Royal Albert Hall and the London Philharmonic Orchestra will present The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring in high definition with Howard Shore’s Academy award-winning score performed live on stage by the original soundtrack orchestra and choirs. I so want to be there!
• Sarah Palin Live in New York. Gov. Sarah Palin enjoyed some good-natured fun at her own expense on Saturday Night Live this weekend, which enjoyed its highest ratings in 14 years. Tina Fey’s impersonation of Palin is pretty amazing. (Can you tell them apart? Apparently Alec Baldwin can’t!)

The Big Picture celebrates World Animal Day (October 4, 2008) with stunning pictures of animals from all around the world. Here are my two favorites. (You can click on the pictures for larger versions.)

        Polar Bear and Cub | Stuttgart Zoo

        Common Kingfisher | Bird of the Year 2009

Started in Florence Italy in 1931 at a convention of ecologists, World Animal Day has since expanded its focus from its original intent, which was to bring attention to endangered or threatened species. The day is now set aside as a time to reflect on all of the animals we share this world with, and our involvement with them – and to spur action to commemorate that respectful relationship.

Yesterday’s message in the Called series was titled Called to Communicate, taken from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. The main idea of the message was that we are called by God to communicate the gospel to other people. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. Compelled by Christ’s love (2 Corinthians 5:11-15)
    A. Persuade others about Christ.
    B. Have a right motivation.
    C. Be convinced that Christ died for all.

II. Seeing others through Christ’s eyes (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
    A. Regard no one from a worldly point of view.
    B. Recognize that Christ makes all things new.

III. Serving as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
    A. God gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
    B. God has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Abraham Piper encourages us to judge people by the direction they’re going, not by the place where they are. “The same choice that’s a life-saving step forward for an unbeliever or struggling Christian would be pitiable retrogression for someone farther along.”

Bob Hyatt quotes David Sanford on the one mistake we dare not make. “If we learn anything from the Psalms, it’s that God isn’t afraid of our emotions, our struggles, and our questions. The one mistake we dare not make, Philip Yancey reminds us, is to confuse God (who is good) with life (which is hard). God feels the same way we do–and is taking the most radical steps possible (Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and more to come) to redeem the present situation.”

Justin Taylor quotes Michael Horton on Bible interpretation. “The best way to guard a true interpretation of Scripture, the Reformers insisted, was neither to naively embrace the infallibility of tradition, or the infallibility of the individual, but to recognize the communal interpretation of Scripture. The best way to ensure faithfulness to the text is to read it together, not only with the churches of our own time and place, but with the wider ‘communion of saints’ down through the age.”

Ray Pritchard discusses bad behavior in the Bible. “I love stories like this because they remind me that God is the real hero of the Bible. During a radio interview I was asked why so many Bible characters had serious flaws. My answer was simple. That’s all God has to work with. All the perfect people are in heaven. The only ones on earth are the folks with serious weaknesses. The talent pool has always been pretty thin when it comes to moral perfection … That’s what grace is all about. We do the messing up–and God does everything else.”

Pulpit Magazine quotes Richard baxter on serious preaching. “For myself, as I am ashamed of my dull and careless heart, and of my slow and unprofitable course of life, so, the Lord knows, I am ashamed of every sermon I preach; when I think what I have been speaking of, and who sent me, and that men’s salvation or damnation is so much concerned in it, I am ready to tremble lest God should judge me as a slighter of His truths and the souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty of their blood. Me thinks we should not speak a word to men in matters of such consequence without tears, or the greatest earnestness that possibly we can; were not we too much guilty of the sin which we reprove, it would be so.”