Early Post of Weekly Once-Over (11.27.2013) - Have a save Thanksgiving

Thankful For The Gift or the Giver?: If the foundation of our thankfulness is that we get God, then you and I will give thanks always for everything, because we're always getting God. However, if the foundation of our thankfulness is the gift, and not the giver, then our gratitude will ebb and flow based on how much of our true treasure we are getting.

A Table Of Forgetful Remembrance: On some level, every gathering of family around a table is a shadow of this idea of remembrance, a time when we recall our collective history, making days like Thanksgiving ones we anticipate with a mix of joy and dread, depending on who will pull up a chair to the feast. Why? Because our collective history is often dotted with land mines—difficult personalities, past hurts, broken relationships.

Proud People Don't Give Thanks: Desiring God put together a 10 minute clip of a sermon by John Piper he did nearly 30 years ago. This is definitely worth listening to.

Giving Thanks In Hitler's Reich: The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. 

The First Thanksgiving: McKenzie concludes with the observation that, unlike the Pilgrims, we are too comfortable in this world. American Christians today rarely hunger for heaven. The Pilgrims, despite any of their faults, help us remember that we must “set [our] minds on things above” (Col. 3:2) and “lay up treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20).

Sabbath Rest and the Moral Limits of Consumption: Each year it seems like the Christmas season starts a little earlier. I'm not talking about the four weeks of Advent or the Christmas season that begins on December 24. The church calendar and the liturgical year remain the same. It is, rather, the Christmas shopping season that seems to be pushed forward bit by bit with each passing year.

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Weekly Once-Over (11.7.2013): 

PhoneStack: Next Time We Meet, Let's Do This: "Of course, this might not work for every gathering (Kempt got a boatload of negative responses and exceptions), but I do love the intentionality of a group of people acknowledging the challenges of smartphones and choosing to do something together to enrich their time." Here is a fun game to play the next time your out with friends.

Elected Homecoming Queen: An Exceptional Story:  "Molly Anne Dutton shouldn't be here today. Not according to the opinion polls. Even many pro-life Christians make an exception that would have snuffed out her life." This is a great post about hope and encouragement for pro-life.

Men, here is How to Plan Fall Traditions:  "Gentlemen, it is time to start thinking about and planning this season. Think about some of your favorite childhood memories. Chances are they involved two big things: repetition and your senses." Gentlemen, the words "I don't care" should not be words in your vocabulary. Here are some practical ways husbands can plan traditions for their families.

Driven vs. Called:  "The pressures of church planting can shift the defining reality of our hearts from following God's call to being driven by our own merits. Here are a few practical ways to check the motives of your ministry."

Is All Sin Equal in God's Eyes:  "A reader of this site recently asked me this question: Is all sin equal in God’s eyes? It is a common question and the answer is of the variety that is always a little bit unsatisfying: It is one of those “yes and no” answers." Let the blog post explain.

Top Ten Myths About Giving:  "...in the spirit of Mythbusters, I have used bad science to compile this top ten list.  Gallup can spend their energy accurately polling the populace to determine ranking.  I will continue to eschew proper sample sizes in favor of personal conjecture. But regardless, I’m fairly confident that you have fallen prey to at least one of these myths about giving, so read on."

18 Thing I Will Not Regret Doing with My Kids:  "Like most parents, I have those moments where guilt and regret comes over me like a wave. I consider then how much of my parenting time has already passed by and how little remains. My oldest child, my son, is thirteen. He is already a teenager, just one year away from high school, just eight years from the age I was when I left home to get married. My girls are following close behind him. When that wave rises up, when I feel like I could drown beneath all that regret, I sometimes consider those things I will never regret. Here are 18 things I know I will not regret doing with my kids."

"Evangelism is as much about listening as it is about speaking." - Steve Timmis 

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