Labor Day has passed and today our children return to school after a long summer break. They headed off just a few minutes ago with their new backpacks and binders and pencils and bottles of hand sanitizer (how come I didn’t have hand sanitizer when I was in school?). This year our youngest begins her first year of kindergarten (which you may know as pre-school). It is going to be strangely quiet around here! I guess it will give us a little preview of what it will be like when we are empty-nesters.

Elisha Foundation’s Winter Retreat - This January the Elisha Foundation will be holding a winter retreat and seeking to serve families who have a disabled child. If that’s your family, or if you know of such a family, be sure to let them know about the Foundation. It is an excellent ministry.

Dave Swavely - Author Dave Swavely, who has written several good books, has just began a blog. I’m sure it will prove to be one worth adding to your RSS reader.

Boxers, Briefs and Books - John Grisham pens an op-ed for the Times and writes about some of the awful jobs he had before he wrote his first novel. “I had never worked so hard in my life, nor imagined that writing could be such an effort. It was more difficult than laying asphalt, and at times more frustrating than selling underwear. But it paid off. Eventually, I was able to leave the law and quit politics. Writing's still the most difficult job I've ever had -- but it's worth it.”

The Ugliest Animals on the Planet - Ignore the evolutionary mumbo-jumbo and you can enjoy this roundup of some of the world’s ugliest animals.

Who’s in the Blogosphere? - Here is an infographic sharing a bit of information about blogging and bloggers.

How Barack Obama Is Like George Costanza - James Taranto, writing for the Wall Street Journal, tells us how Barack Obama is like George Costanza. Granting that it is a bit of a strained comparison, it’s still an enjoyable read. “Reader Daniel Loomis sends along his capsule summary of “The Summer of George,” the eighth-season finale of Seinfeld, which aired May 15, 1997: “George uses his severance from the Yankees to stimulate the perfect summer—the ‘Summer of George’—but spends it playing frolf (frisbee golf), watching ‘The White Shadow,’ ‘investing’ in a recliner with a built-in refrigerator, taking midmorning naps, banging his head on tables, and having insignificant telephone conversations. Eventually, he ends up in the hospital having to relearn to walk.’”

Lashing Out in Prayer - R.C. Sproul writes about lashing out at God in prayer and discusses whether this is biblical. “Scripture is brutally honest with us, revealing the faults and vices of the saints, as well as their virtues. We see inappropriate conduct even from great men such as Abraham, Moses, and David. Thus, the fact that the Bible tells us that various men tried to bargain or negotiate with God should not communicate to us that this is the appropriate way to deal with Him.”

The Spirit never loosens where the Word binds; the Spirit never justifies where the Word condemns; the Spirit never approves where the Word disapproves; the Spirit never blesses where the Word curses. —Thomas Brooks