Head-dibs

"Whenever I passed, some few years ago, a certain shop-window in the West-end of London, I usually had an additional peep at a large card to which was attached a mummified cat grasping a mummified rat firmly in its jaws. If I remember rightly, these animals were discovered, in a preserved, albeit shrunken and dusty, condition, imprisoned between some rafters in the house during repairs. Evidently the unfortunate cat got jammed in its peculiar position accidentally, and being averse to releasing its own prisoner, and thereby being better able to release itself, held it securely until suffocation to both ensued. It was a striking illustration of the powerfulness of determination exercised by even the smaller class of animals." – James Scott, “Shopkeepers’ Advertising Novelties,” Strand, November 1895 (ht: The Futility Closet)

Many of the characters in Lewis Carroll’s stories were suggested by the illustrated tiles that decorated the fireplace in his study at Christ Church, Oxford. Springs in the Dead Sea ! " German group pinpoints new types of microorganisms growing in fissures on the saline seafloor near the springs, university announces." Thabiti Anyabwile comments on Multi-site churches . My two cents: nice idea, but then so was New Coke. Galatians, Gospel Indicatives and Gospel Imperatives . A sermon of 42 points. The Gospel according to Jonah . Clear hints of the gospel in unexpected places. How to Keep a Long Commute from Wrecking Your Healthy Habits .

A good writer shows the reader, rather than tells. This is a golden nugget of writing: " We kept on sitting there and admiring the sea which, it seemed, was loath to give up demonstrating that here it came rolling in from eastward, eastward, eastward. It was the eternal east wind, the trade wind, which had disturbed the sea’s surface, dug it up, and rolled it forward, up over the eastern horizon and over here to the islands. Here the unbroken advance of the sea was finally shattered against cliffs and reefs, while the east wind simply rose above coast and woods and mountains and continued westward unhindered, from island to island, toward the sunset." (Heyerdahl, Thor. Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft . New York: Pocket Books, 1984. p. 12) 

Jim Meskimen performs Clarence's speech from William Shakespeare's Richard III as a number of different celebrities, from George Clooney to Droopy Dog. I hope you have tears in your eyes as I did after watching this! (ht: Tim Challies)

"Twenty years before Columbus first returned from the New World, Nicolaus Copernicus was born on a flat, unmoving planet at the center of the universe, around which the sun endlessly circled. A century after his death, the same planet was a rotating sphere orbiting around its sun, somewhere in a universe too vast to have a center. The planet hadn't changed, of course, but the paradigm for understanding it had turned inside out."  (Michael Gelb, Discover your Genuis ) While the science of the day said the earth was flat or sat on the back of some animal, the Bible spoke of the earth free floating in space: "He...hangs the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7). The prophet Isaiah also tells us that the earth is round: "It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22). "The speculations of a philosopher are far removed from the judgment of the multitude, for his aim is to seek truth in all things." (Copernicus)

There is no finer expression of verse than this. Enjoy!

"And I said--this is my infirmity!" Psalm 77:10 The best of men--are but men at best! We all have many remaining corruptions; we are all encompassed, like the high priests of old, with many infirmities. And what effect should the consideration of this humiliating but undoubted truth, produce? Ought it not, among other results, to excite in us a spirit of constant watchfulness? We are frail creatures--ever liable to fall! And being exposed, in addition, to the wiles of our spiritual adversaries--our danger is considerably greater. It is on our indwelling corruptions, that Satan works--and often, alas, with sad success! In addition to our general infirmities, it is probable that there is some one, or more besetting sins--to which we are particularly liable; in which case it befits us to be doubly on our guard! "If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts--then rid yourselves of the foreign gods--and the Ashtoreths; and commit yourselves to the Lord ...

I got so inspired I nearly passed out! See more funny videos and TBT at Todays Big Thing .

Others taunt me with having knelt at well-curbs Always wrong to the light, so never seeing Deeper down in the well than where the water Gives me back in a shining surface picture Me myself in the summer heaven godlike Looking out of a wreath of fern and cloud puffs. Once, when trying with chin against a well-curb, I discerned, as I thought, beyond the picture, Through the picture, a something white, uncertain, Something more of the depths—and then I lost it. Water came to rebuke the too clear water. One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom, Blurred it, blotted it out. What was that whiteness? Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then, something.

The pressure of the moment can cause someone to kill   someone or something The leniency of consideration might treat with more   kindness Which is to be desired. Or at least often to be desired. But if my house is on fire and you notice, I wish you would   kill That fire. But if my hair is on fire, while I'm sure   you'll be enjoying The spectacle of it, act quickly or don't act at all. But   if a sudden Jarring of us all out of existence is eminent, do   something.

Ten years ago our nation was rocked by the sights of unparalleled terror on American soil. On 9/11/01 we became painfully aware that we live in a world in desperate need of the hope of Christ. On Sunday, 9/11/11, join with the CIU family to pray for God’s Spirit to comfort the grieving and draw many Muslims to faith in Christ. We will be led into prayer through a short 5-minute video featuring Christian leaders John Piper, David Platt, Crawford Loritts, Steve Richardson, Mafdy Yany and Robertson McQuilkin. It will be hosted by Dr. Jerry Rankin, Director of the Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at CIU.  This video and a downloable prayer guide, will soon be available at www.prayon911.com .  Please share this video with your church or small group on 9/11 as we all move From Fear to Faith.

I like the Chessboard (scroll down). Read the Bible in two weeks ! Or get the general idea, at least. Here's a list of 25 books every Christian should read . Brian asks, " What's the Most Over-rated book? " I thought I was all alone on my pick! So, what do you say? Here's a few examples of how NOT to clean a window .