Here in Toronto we largely avoided the first bunch of winter storms that pummeled the continent. But it appears that we’re now making up for lost time. We had a big one last week (a completely unexpected, ninja kind of a storm), we had a good one last night, and apparently several more are on the way. My wife is awfully excited. Me, well, not so much.

Valentine’s Day Is Coming - It’s going to come up fast. Thankfully my friend Becky makes awesome things that your wife will love. You can get 15% off all orders over $35 when you use the coupon code ‘challies15’ during checkout. The offer is valid until Tuesday, January 18.

Ex Nihilo - The winter edition of Southern Seminary’s magazine is now available online. “With content taking on the doctrine of creation, the publication carries the theme of ex nihilo (Latin, "out of nothing") to draw attention to one of the most fundamental and distinctive tenets of the Christian worldview - that God the sovereign Creator brought the universe into existence out of nothing.”

Guaranteed Happiness? - CNN has an interesting article about the lottery and whether or not the big win makes people happy in the long-term.

Shot in Head, Sneezing Bullets - I’m posting this one only because it’s so bizarre. Here’s the headline: “Italian man shot in head sneezes out bullet and lives.”

What Makes the King James Great? - Leland Ryken offers 4 reasons that the King James Version of the Bible is great. “The publication of the King James Version of the Bible in 1611 was the most important event in the history of book printing as a whole, inasmuch as it is the bestselling English book of all time.  I tell my students that the publication of the King James Bible was the most important event in the history of English and American literature.”

E-Book Trends - Michael Hyatt writes about some of the trends he foresees when it comes to e-books.

Toowoomba Flood - Here’s just a little glimpse of the flooding that’s happening in Queensland, Australia:

If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for. —C.H. Spurgeon