In honor of the 2010 World Cup, I’ve created a working logo that FIFA is free to use. In fact, if anyone out there has a contact at FIFA, feel free to pass this along. Also, if anyone needs a graphic designer, I’d be glad to send my resume…

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.  The book was published in the late 1600s. It has been translated into over 200 languages, has never been out of print, and is one of the most widely read books of all time.  The main character, Christian, says of his journey toward the heavenly city, “I must venture: To go back is nothing but death, to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward” (p. 42).

Christian is asked why he desired so much to go to the heavenly city. He answered, “Why, there I hope to see him alive, that did hang dead on the Cross; and there I hope to be rid of all those things, that to this day are in me, an anoiance to me; there they say there is no death, and there I shall dwell with such Company as I like best. For to tell you truth, I love him, because I was by him eased of my burden, and I am weary of my inward sickness…” (p. 51).

“Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. Let him who is not in community beware of being alone” (p. 78).

“The individual must realize that his hours of aloneness react upon the community…Every act of self-control of the Christian is also a service to the fellowship” (p. 88-89).

“If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all” (p. 96).

“The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!…But it is the grace of the Gospel, which is so hard for the pious to understand, that it confronts us with the truth and says: ‘ You are a sinner, a great, desperate sinner; now come as the sinner that you are, to God who loves you…” (p. 110-111).

Christ-Centered Worship is so helpful for the modern worship leader. The worship liturgy should be telling the gospel story. I’ll give a more detailed summary of this book soon…

I may not be the sharpest hammer in the bag, but there are a few things that just don’t make sense.  I will list them for you.  ONE. I paid $11 to have this product “shipped” to me in 2-8 business days.  Is it acceptable business practice to have that big of a range?  I could drive to Nevada and back in less than 8 business days.  TWO. Maybe, just maybe 2-8 business days and $11 for shipping has something to do with sending my product WEST before it comes EAST?

File this one under “Am I the Only One?”…

Exercise your right as an American (actually, everyone on the interspace gets to vote) and vote in the Super Bowl Super Poll. The SBSP, for short.  You don’t have to promise to stay up until 11pm to watch the game.  You don’t even have to watch the game to vote. You just have to click one of the options below. Imaginary prizes will be awarded as soon as the game is over.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Thanks to everyone who entered their poetic masterpieces.  I have to say that eating a Thanksgiving meal with “Do You Hear What I Hear?” on in the background is a little weird.  So, anyone who mentioned that it’s weird to hear Christmas music in Thanksgiving already has 1 imaginary point.  The talent in this competition quickly identified themselves, and if we’re all honest (which we should be…tis the season, right?) we should know that the competition this time is really between Tom and Shelly.  Tom was a creative writing major at NC State (back up on the “pros can’t enter” complaint), and Shelly has zero LEFT brain ability (she admitted it).

Tom gets 18 points for going the extra stanza miles and writing something that actually makes sense when you read it out loud.  In fact, he makes you forget that you’re reading a Haiku and draws you in with his excellent use of blah…blah…

Shelly wins this time because of her reference to “On the Incarnation“, a CD that Daniel Renstrom just released (on which I recorded drums and guitars).  Shelly is the winner of her choice of any CD on iTunes.  Comment here with your choice and it will be gifted to you soon!

Thanks again to everyone who entered! Keep looking out for the next round of Haiku War…

Glad I could help…

As Brody says, today is the day.  On the Incarnation releases today on iTunes, through Daniel’s store, and through Amazon.com.  We would love for you to do two simple things. First, go buy and enjoy the record. Second, tell us your favorite song(s) and tell your friends your favorite song(s).  So there…I actually gave you FOUR things, but ’tis the season, right?