Marc Heinrich at Purgatorio posts classic Christian comic book covers from the past. Incidentally, my Sunday School teacher was the son of Al Hartley who drew these comics. (Click on the covers for larger versions.)

Bill Gates in an exit interview: “I’m never fully satisfied with any Microsoft product.” Don Surber replies: “Neither are we!”

Bill Buckner finds grace 22 years later. This is the definite “feel good” story of the week. Check it out even if you are not a Boston Red Sox fan.

Doug Groothius updates his lessons learned from Francis Schaeffer (that I first blogged about here: Quick Takes – 7/21/2007). “Having recently reread many of the works of Francis A. Schaeffer, I am compelled to list several lessons he can teach Bible-believing Christians (and others) today.”

Christianity Today interviews Douglas Gresham on the upcoming Prince Caspian movie. “It’s a fabulous film. I’m very, very pleased. It’s a film that portrays probably even more strongly than the book the essential message of Prince Caspian, which is a return to truth and faith and honor and justice after a millennium of corruption in Narnia.”

Tim Keller describes some over-zealous Christians as not Christian enough. “Think of [those Christian] people you consider to be fanatical. They’re overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive and harsh. Why? It’s not because they are too Christian but because they are not Christian enough. They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, empathetic, forgiving, or understanding—as Christ was.” (HT: On Earth as it is in Heaven)

John Percival reviews Tim Keller’s new book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. “If you have longed for a book to give a sceptical friend or to help you think about your faith in a deeper and more culturally engaged way then this is the book you’ve been waiting for … Keller starts with the concept of doubt and invites both believers and sceptics to examine and confront their doubts: for the believer, being honest about personal and cultural objections to faith; for the sceptic, being willing to question deeply cherished beliefs.”

Molly Piper offers her thoughts on How to Help Your Grieving Friend. “Not surprisingly, I’ve had lots of conversations with other families who have grieved a tragedy like ours and reflected on my own experience in the past few months … I thought I would try to relay some of the helpful things you can do to understand and help your friends who are grieving. Of course this is all from my own experience, and I certainly am not a grief expert in any authoritative way, I just know what I’ve gone through.”

Hymnscript. Pretty hymn sheets available for free download and distribution. (HT: Semper Reformanda)

Diploma Guide presents a List of Online Archives for Free Unabridged Books Online. “Here’s where you can go to get free unabridged reference books, novels, audio books and other texts online.”

Matt Lewis explains what Humphrey Bogart, Captain Kirk and John McCain all have in common. “Humphrey Bogart never said, ‘play it again, Sam,’ Captain Kirk never uttered, ‘Beam me up, Scotty’ — and John McCain never promised a hundred year war!”

Abraham Piper offers six reasons why pastors should blog. “In this article I want to convince as many pastors as possible to sit down and start a blog today. If I can’t convince them, then I want to convince churchgoers to hound their pastor until he does.”

Wendell Berry writes a letter encouraging young writers. “The first obligation of a writer is to tell the truth–or to come as near to telling it as is humanly possible. To do that, it is necessary to learn to write well. And to learn to write well, it is necessary to learn to read well.” (HT: Sand in the Gears)

Mark Mikasa lost his wife, Midi, and son, Nathan, in a car accident on January 1, 2008. Mark has been blogging openly and honestly about how he and his remaining son, Lucas, have been coping and adjusting since. You will find some helpful words on grief and loss from a Christian perspective as you read Mark’s posts. Please pray for Mark and Lucas as they walk this journey together.

Andrew Jackson writes on How to Engage in Politics without Losing Your Soul. “Over the years I have watched many Christians who became zealously active in partisan politics actually ‘lose their souls.’ That is, they lost their unique public witness as a Christian; they began to act contrary to the character of Christ and the fruit of the Holy Spirit; and they became agents of division within the church itself.”

Jim Martin asks some good questions about Staying Fully Alive Until You Die. “What message do we send others when we simply exist? How does this impact our children and others around us? What have you noticed in people who remain fully alive on this earth versus those who simply exist? What do you see in one that seems to be absent in the other? What should a person do intentionally to remain fully alive?”

Joe Carter sometimes wonders if he will end up being The Last Evangelical in America. “I think being an evangelical is the best way for me to be Christian; for better or worse, I’ll never abandon the tradition or the label. I’ll remain attached to the tradition that gave us Jonathan Edwards and Jim Bakker, William Wilberforce and the Wittenburg Door…and Francis Schaeffer.” Don’t worry, Joe, I will be right by your side.

D. Roller quotes C.S. Lewis on three ways of writing for children. “There are three ways of writing for children … the third way, which is the only one I could ever use myself, consists in writing a children’s story because a children’s story is the best art-form for something you have to say.” (C. S. Lewis)

Wheatstone Academy. “Wheatstone Academy transforms the lives of Christian students by engaging their minds and hearts in an unparalleled week-long experience. This summer, young men and women will be challenged by world-class Christian teachers with the vision of a life that sees the truth of Christianity and discerns the ideas that shape our culture.”

David Kotter asks: Is a woman just an egg factory? “‘Egg Donors Wanted’ ads [are] increasingly [being] seen on the Internet, in college newspapers and on city trains … Prices are especially high for fertile college women with top test scores and picture-perfect looks. Many websites exhibit pictures of potential donors sorted by hair color, height, dress size, education and SAT scores.”

Darrell Bock reminds us that the gospel is about relationship with God. “So the gospel is not about avoiding hell or getting to heaven; it is about coming back into a healthy relationship with the living God, on His initiative and grace. It is not about going or not going somewhere; it is about … what God has done for us. So when we discuss it or present it, we should make the ongoing relationship the key topic. Otherwise people think a decision is all there is to the gospel, when it is far more.”

Eric Carpenter shares what he feels is the #1 blessing of homeschooling. “One great benefit for our children is the integration of their studies around Jesus Christ. In other words, as they are learning about math, they see that it is God who created math to be the way it is. As they study literature, they see what great gifts God has given to us to be able to read and write prose and poetry. As they study science, God’s hand in creation becomes more apparent to them. As they look at world history, they can see God’s providential care over his people and world.”

Josh Sowin quotes economist Thomas Sowell on the real minimum wage. “Unfortunately, the real minimum wage is always zero, regardless of the laws, and that is the wage that many workers receive in the wake of the creation or escalation of a government-mandated minimum wage, because they lose their jobs or fail to find jobs when they enter the labor force. Making it illegal to pay less than a given amount does not make a worker’s productivity worth that amount—and, if it is not, that worker is unlikely to be employed.” (Sowell, Basic Economics; 3rd Edition, Basic Books, 2007, p. 211.)

Nicole at 168 Hours ran a nice series on hospitality last month. You can find a roundup of the links to her series here: Hospitality Posts

Abraham Piper shares 22 words about believing you’re right. “Everyone always thinks they’re right. The moment we discover we’re wrong, we’ve already changed our mind, and we think we’re right again.”

Tony Kummer at Ministry-to-Children.com provides a great Children’s Easter Crafts Resource Page. “Easter is a Christian holiday that almost demands special treatment in your children’s church and Sunday school. Here are some craft ideas online that can help you get started.”

Maeve at Daily Writing Tips examines the roots of the words Good Friday and Easter. “Among the many meanings of ‘good’ are virtuous, moral, and wise. One of the meanings of the word holy is ‘infinitely good.’ From such meanings come the expressions ‘the Good Book’ and ‘Good Friday.'”

Justin Childers at CROSS-eyed quotes Bryan Chapell on the Christ-focus of every passage of Scripture: “In its context, every passage possesses one or more of four redemptive foci. The text may be:
    1) predictive of the work of Christ,
    2) preparatory for the work of Christ,
    3) reflective of the work of Christ, and/or
    4) resultant of the work of Christ.”
(Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching, p. 282)

Bob Krumm raises four questions that must be answered before taking actions to negate global warming and its effects:

1. Is the climate warming outside of the range of normal variation?
2. If so, is the climate change due to man’s influence?
3. Is the net effect of the climate change more negative than positive?
4. Is there a reasonable expectation that the recommended changes will reverse the negative effects without introducing more negative effects?

“We need a ‘yes’ answer to all four questions before taking any actions or we risk either wasting money or making the situation worse.”

Stephen Altrogge asks the question: Does God care about Exercise?

“Nowhere in the Bible will you find a scripture that says, ‘You must exercise three times a week ( and make sure one of those days is a good cardio work out).’ But we do read in 1 Corinthians 10:31, ‘So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.’ Every minute of our lives is to be lived for the glory of God, and exercise is a wonderful means of helping us live for the glory of God. How? By extending our years of service to God, and by making us more effective in serving the Lord.” (HT: Semper Reformanda)

Steven D. Greydanus offers up a fun rhyming review of the new Dr. Seuss movie: Horton Hears a Who.

But the last time Who-ville came to the screen
Seuss-ian magic was not to be seen.
Jim Carrey’s Grinch was nothing to relish
And Mike Myer’s Hat Cat was no more Geisel-ish.

Could La-La Land ever give Horton his due?
A pro-life pachyderm who’s trusty and true?
And with Jim Carrey back! As Horton’s own voice!
The Grinch! Could there be a peculiarer choice?

But… what’s this? From Blue Sky? Creators of Manny
The Mammoth, Ice Age’s pachyderm nanny?
The makers of Robots? Could they get it right?
Could they pull off Horton? You know, they just might…

And they have! Their Horton’s playful and kind
Responsible, long-suffering, stout in a bind.
And, as if atoning, even Jim Carrey…
He’s not at all grinchy! He’s Horton-y! Very!

Mark D. Roberts shares some public prayer “bloopers” in his post: When Your Prayer Doesn’t Come Out Quite Right.

The Encyclopedia of Life. “The Encyclopedia of Life is an ecosystem of websites that makes all key information about all life on Earth accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.”

Jason Robertson shares the greatest question ever asked by the devil. “The great question of the Book of Job is not ‘Why do the righteous suffer?’ but ‘Why do people serve God?’ Would you serve God if there were no blessings attached? What if God were to show you no mercy? What if there were no heaven? What if there were no hell? Would you still serve God? Why or why not? The Devil asked a legitimate question.”

Tim Challies interviews Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, Ben Zobrist. “I do sense an increased responsibility as a Christian athlete in our culture, because our culture exalts performance so much. There are many kids and adults alike who dream of being in our shoes. I believe as a Christian athlete, we are called to use that highly respected platform to deflect any praise to Whom it really belongs and to help people see beyond the glory of a man-made game or ballpark.”

Tia lists 15 ways churches can serve third culture kids. “Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who grow up in a culture other than their parents’. Their ‘home’ culture is the first culture; their ‘host’ culture, the second. And they live in the middle, the ‘third’ culture. TCKs include children of missionaries or other international workers. They face unique struggles in their lives of transition. It’s our privilege as the body of Christ to provide care for them as they join with their parents in God’s call on their lives to be overseas.”

Gene Edward Veith discusses the neglected doctrine of vocation. “The doctrine of vocation is the theology of the Christian life. It solves the much-vexed problems of the relationship between faith and works, Christ and culture, how Christians are to live in the world. Less theoretically, vocation is the key to strong marriages and successful parenting. It contains the Christian perspective on politics and government. It shows the value, as well as the limits, of the secular world. And it shows Christians the meaning of their lives.” (HT: On Earth as it is in Heaven)

Jim Elliff encourages the church towards a more spontaneous and genuine evangelism. “Nothing is more discouraging than evangelism. The mere mention of the word strikes fear in most people. If it is my goal when speaking in a church to make all my listeners uncomfortable and convicted, all I have to do is say, ‘evangelize!,’ and the guilt quotient rises as fast as the heads drop. Beads of sweat appear on the pastor’s brow. It is the great undone command, and none of us like to be reminded of it. In my view, much of our fear comes because we’ve made evangelism too difficult and confusing.” (HT: ekklesia)

Extreme sports edition.

Daredevil Robbie Madison jumps 322 feet (the length of a football field) to
set a new motorcycle distance jumping world record on New Years Eve.

(Video length: 0:35)

HT: Neatorama
 

Every basketball player dreams of hitting the game winning shot at
the buzzer. How about doing it from the full length of the court?

(Video length: 0:44)

HT: Presurfer
 

Mike Parsons rides a 66-foot-high wave at the Jaws Maui Tow-In
World Surfing Championship.

(Video length: 1:29)

HT: Christ is Deeper Still

Binary decoder. “The binary number system (aka base 2) represents values using two symbols, typically 0 and 1. Computers call these bits. A bit is either off (0) or on (1). When arranged in sets of 8 bits (1 byte) 256 values can be represented (0-255). Using an ASCII chart, these values can be mapped to characters and text can be stored. It’s not magic, it’s just math!”

Ray Pritchard offers some advice to the discontented. “You are where you are right now because God wants you there. You may be happy about your current circumstances or you may be miserable. Most likely you are somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter. You are where you are at this moment because God wants you there. How do I know that? Because if God wanted you somewhere else, you’d be somewhere [else], and when he does want you somewhere else, that’s where you will be. If God is God, that must be true.”

Thabiti Anyabwile expresses appreciation for Samuel Rutherford’s ministry as described by Andrew Bonar. “The parish of Anwoth had no large village near the church. The people were scattered over a hilly district, and were quite a rural flock. But their shepherd knew that the Chief Shepherd counted them worth caring for; he was not one who thought that his learning and talents would be ill spent if laid out in seeking to save souls, obscure and unknown … Anwoth was dear to him rather as the sphere appointed him by his Master, than because of the fruit he saw of his labours.”

Mark Dever shares wise counsel concerning the bondage of guidance. “The way many Christians practice seeking God’s will before they make a decision amounts to spiritual and emotional bondage. Christ has died to give us liberty and freedom (Rom. 6; Gal. 5; I Peter 2). We can only know the truth about God’s will by what His Spirit reveals to us. He has revealed God’s mind authoritatively in His Word. We should give ourselves to study what He has revealed. Personal reading, meditation, sermons, friends and books are all available to us to help us to better understand God’s revealed will.”

Bryan McWhite quotes Jerry Bridges on disobedience vs. defeat in the Christian life. “It might be good if we stopped using the terms ‘victory’ and ‘defeat’ to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms ‘obedience’ and ‘disobedience.’ When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may, in fact, be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey.” (Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness, pp. 80-81)

New TV Episodes. Find out when your favorite TV shows will return now that the writers’ strike is over.

Tax Rebate Calculator. Find out the size of your rebate under the new economic stimulus package.

Richard Mouw reflects on hymns as compacted theology. “The hymns of the past are the shorthand poetic records of the spiritual and theological memories of the Christian church.”

Matthew Cornell identifies three indecisive phrases that mean the opposite of what they say, weaken your mind and hurt productivity. He explains why they are unhelpful and also shares the few times they are okay to use. Do you use any of these three phrases?

1. “Let me think about it.”
2. “Let’s get together sometime.”
3. “Interesting.”

Justin Taylor shares some ideas from Old Testament scholar Gordon Wenham on picturing the sacrifices from the Old Testament. “It is very difficult for modern readers to picture the sacrifices described in Leviticus, because they, unlike ancient Israelites, have never seen, let alone participated in a sacrifice. What we really need is a video showing all the different kinds of sacrifices, the burnt offerings, the peace offering, the sin offering, and so on! Just as the stories in the Old Testament are designed for reading aloud, not silently, so these ritual texts are meant for people who already have a good idea of how to sacrifice. They are just underlining important or controversial points, so that anyone offering a sacrifice would do it in a way acceptable to God.”

Mark Roberts explains What is Ash Wednesday? and What is Lent? “I grew up with only a vague notion of Ash Wednesday. To me it was some Catholic holy day that I, as an evangelical Protestant, didn’t have to worry about, thanks be to God.”

African-American Snapshots & Portraits. Here are snapshots of African-Americans of all ages and from various walks of life. I really enjoyed scrolling through these photos. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful in the world than people. (HT: Presurfer)

10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online. “Whether you are a current writer or looking to break into the craft, formal writing courses can help you hone your skills. If you don’t have the money or the time for a campus-based course, there are plenty of universities that offer free writing courses online.” (HT: Lifehacker)

Elizabeth Marquardt reports on the effects of divorce on aging parents. “Because of profound changes in how Americans organize and sustain — and often break up — our families, our nation will soon confront a never-before-seen shift in how we die and whom we’ll have around us when we do. And the likelihood is that on every level, we will be dying much more alone.”

Michael Mckinley speaks up in defense of “long, boring sermons.” “Information retention is really a secondary consideration … Something much greater and more important is happening in a sermon. We are holding up Christ from all the Scriptures, we are exploring the ways that he is beautiful, we are feeding on him by faith and celebrating his works together.”

Trevin Wax thanks his parents for shooting Mario. “Thank you for limiting my access to computer games and Nintendo when we were growing up. I realize it would have been much easier for you to let the Nintendo babysit us four kids. But you put our well-being ahead of your own comfort and taught us to read, write, make music, create radio shows, play in the backyard, and make movies. We’re the better for it today.”

Carl Trueman objects to the modern phrase “doing church.” “Church is not something we do; rather, it is something which God does; it is an act of God’s grace. Just as God acts in Christ to save, so he acts in his church to save. The church is not something which human beings construct in grateful response to God; rather, it is something which God himself creates by a sovereign act of his grace.” (I guess Carl wouldn’t like the title of my sermon series on 1 Timothy last year: “Doing Church Together!”)

Pulpit Magazine offers some thoughts on home, private or public schools. “It is a decision that must be made on a case-by-case basis, using biblical principles and prayerful wisdom to make a God-honoring choice. It involves knowing the Word, knowing the schools in your area, and knowing each of your children. Remember that the ultimate responsibility for the proper education of your children rests upon you—the parents—not the school or the church (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Ephesians 6:4). Those two institutions are vital to a child’s overall development, but standards, convictions, and moral strength should be implemented at home.”

Bibliography Creator – Enter the ISBNs of all the books you used in a paper; get back a perfectly formatted bibliography ready to cut and paste into your paper’s “Works Cited” page. Choose various formats such as MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, etc. (See next entry for more great student resources.)

Lifehack compiles The Ultimate Student Resource List. “It’s back to school time, yet again. In the spirit of the season, I decided to gather together the best tools, websites, and advice I know of to help make you a more effective and relaxed student this semester. Since I know you’re broke, it’s all free!”

Dave Harvey discusses various chapters from his book on Christian marriage, When Sinners Say I Do. Using brief video clips on YouTube, Harvey discusses such issues as conflict, forgiveness, growth in holiness, God’s grace, the gospel and sex, and coping with bereavement.

Tim Challies reviews the book Inside Prince Caspian, by Devin Brown. “As an author and writer, this book revealed to me all kinds of good opportunities to look to Lewis for examples or for illustrations. As a reader it revealed to me just how much I missed in reading the book. As a Christian it revealed the depth of spiritual insight Lewis managed to relay even in what seem to be such simple stories.”

Mary Lofthus reminds her readers of the value of asking people questions. “One time I asked an acquaintance in Sunday school what coffee she was drinking. That led to a discussion about how she roasts her own coffee beans. And now we’re friends. Today I met a woman who said she had a horse stable. I asked if she boarded horses or raised horses. She told me about her dream to provide therapeutic riding for handicapped children. She is well on her way with 17 horses. I wish her well. I’m glad I asked.”

John McArthur offers some good insights on what it means to pray without ceasing. “To ‘pray without ceasing’ means when you are tempted, you hold the temptation before God and ask for His help. When you experience something good and beautiful, you immediately thank the Lord for it. When you see evil around you, you ask God to make it right and to use you toward that end, if that is His will. When you meet someone who does not know Christ, you pray for God to draw that person to Himself and to use you to be a faithful witness. When you encounter trouble, you turn to God as your Deliverer.”

Jon Smith provides pastoral reflections on being comforters to the suffering. This article grew out of his own experience of being comforted by friends when he and his wife lost their infant son. Here are Jon’s main summary points:

• Weep with those who weep.
• Help them run to where their supreme comfort can be found.
• Help them speak with honest emotion.
• Choose your words carefully.
• Let them initiate the doctrinal questions.
• Don’t ignore them or the death.
• Pray for those who are suffering.

I am sure Job wished that he had friends like these!

Name that tune. A song is playing on the radio, and you wish you knew what it was. Call (866) 411-SONG, wait for the beep and hold your cell phone near the music for 15 seconds. 411-SONG will identify the song and send you a text message with the artist and song name and a link to get it if you are interested. The cost? First song ID is free. Subsequent ID’s are $0.99 each.

Steve Mathewson offers pastors good advice on what to do when the Bible contradicts your idea for a sermon. “The tension between ‘what you thought going in’ and ‘what you realize after further study’ causes the truth to make an even greater impression on you than if you had understood it going into your study process. Also, this tension can make the sermon idea more ‘sticky’ for your listeners. There’s something memorable about a sermon in which the preacher says, ‘The Bible surprised me this week.'”

Jim Martin offers encouraging words to those who may be feeling insecure about life or ministry: What You Do Really Matters. “I want to believe that if my work is offered up to the Lord, then it is significant ministry. I want to always believe that God does not measure things the way we do. Rather, he is the God who is able to make much out of little. He feeds thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish. He is the God who blesses the most unassuming ministry and turns it into a powerful force for his purposes.”

Albert Mohler responds to a column in the New York Times where the writer insists that she has no need for marriage, and that her private commitment to the man she loves is sufficient. “Marriage is not primarily about what we as individuals think we want or need. It is about a central public commitment that the society needs, that couples need, that children need, and yes, that the spouses need. Marriage is a public institution, not merely a private commitment. It identifies the couple as a pair committed to lifelong marriage and thus to be respected in this commitment.”

John Piper shares about the prayer responsibility that was handed down to him when his father passed away last year. “Now that he is with Jesus, I feel the weight of being the patriarch in the Piper family … There is no great-grandfather anymore, only grandfather, and it feels like a wonderful opportunity for me to love my grandchildren and my kids. I do that mainly through daily prayer. I name before God every day all of my children and all of my grandchildren the way Job did. Scripture says that Job got up and sacrificed for his children every day, if perchance they had sinned. I pray rather to try and keep them from sinning. Nonetheless, there is a prayer cover that I feel like I owe this Piper clan which my dad once kept up.”

Justin Taylor interviews Scott Klusendorf about his upcoming book: Equipped to Engage: Pro-Life Christians in the Brave New World. “The pro-life position has more explanatory power than the abortion-choice and pro-embryonic research ones. For example, advocates of elective abortion and embryonic stem cell research cannot account for basic human equality. If humans have value only because of some acquired property like consciousness, it follows that since this acquired property comes in varying degrees, basic human rights come in varying degrees. It’s far more reasonable to argue that although humans differ immensely in their respective degrees of development, they are nonetheless equal because they share a common human nature.”

Evangelist Luis Palau shares a list of his favorite evangelistic websites.

Children’s Minister Tony Kummer has a great article on How To Choose The Right Vacation Bible School Curriculum. “Vacation Bible School curriculum options are getting better every year. With the host of excellent VBS themes comes a problem – which one is right for your church? Here are the top elements I look at when choosing a Vacation Bible School curriculum.”

Don Surber provides a lighter look at this election year’s presidential candidates with his clever “Cartoonidates.” My three favorites were Hillary Clinton as Velma, Barack Obama as Snagglepuss, and Fred Thompson as Fred Flintstone. But Mitt Romney as Mr. Ranger (from Yogi Bear), John McCain as Papa Smurf, Rudy Guiliani as Scooby Doo and Mike Huckabee as Huckleberry Hound are also priceless!

Jodi Benson, the voice of Walt Disney’s The Little Mermaid, talks about her role in the recent Disney film Enchanted. “I love to sing. It’s an extension of who I am as a person, and it’s a great way for me to worship. I’m so happy that I can use my opportunities to get out and encourage people. When I’m onstage singing and sharing songs, it’s an extension of the joy I feel. I try to lift people up and give them a happy moment with my music.”

English professor Devin Brown offers some suggestions to Andrew Adamson, director of the upcoming Prince Caspian movie. “My wish list actually represents a genuine concern about the film. Why get so anxious about what, to many people, will be just a movie? The answer is that for me—and a good number of people like me—these books are on that list of special things in life that have become a part of us and have helped make us who we are.”

C. Michael Patton gives a thoughtful answer to the question: Are all sins really equal in God’s sight? “I think that it is biblical and necessary to say that some sins are more grievous in the sight of God than others … There are many instances in the Scriptures where degrees of sin are distinguished. 1. Christ tells Pilate that the Jewish leaders have committed a worse sin than him, saying “he who has handed me over to you has committed the greater sin” (Jn. 19:11).”

Veggie Tales creator Phil Vischer talks about lessons learned in this interview at TheHigherCalling.org. “At age 21, Phil Vischer had created VeggieTales to make cartoons with content. To staff the work, he incorporated Big Idea. By his early 30s, he was helmsman of the biggest animation enterprise between New York and L.A. By his mid-30s, he was in bankruptcy court. In his new book, Me, Myself and Bob, the man who left his ocean-liner sized dream by life raft turns and looks back with hard-won wisdom.”

Robert P. George, co-author with Christopher Tollefsen of Embryo: A Defense of Human Life, argues for the dignity of human life at all stages of development. “At all stages of our lives — from the embryonic through the fetal, infant, child, and adolescent stages and into adulthood — we are human beings with dignity and the right to life. Our dignity does not come from having achieved a certain level of intellectual proficiency or even conscious awareness. … We have our dignity in virtue of the kind of entity we are: that is human being, a creature with a rational nature. And we became that when we came to be.”