Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (August 9)

thursday

Today’s Kindle deals include just one single, solitary book.

(Yesterday on the blog: Twenty Years Ago Today)

“That’s Us Someday,” I Told Him.

I enjoyed this one. “Clear and sharp, a remembrance of once-upon-a-time played inside my mind. A day long ago I reached for my husband’s attention, my hand brushing his, while three little girls giggled and wiggled around our legs clamoring for our attention. We were in an amusement park, and our girls were in orbits of excitement when I saw a family of five coming toward us. ‘That’s us someday,’ I told him.”

Who’s Responsible for Your Bad Tech Habits? It’s Complicated

Here’s one for all of us to reflect on. “First the phones gave. They gave connection and communication. Then they gave music and movies and maps. Then came the apps, and with the apps came… well… everything. And we took it all gladly. But somewhere along the way, the phones began to take, too. They took our attention, distracting us from dates and family dinners. They took our time, devouring hours of our days a few minutes at a time.”

The Gardens Behind Monet’s Masterpieces (Video)

“Claude Monet led the way in art history as the father of French Impressionism. But his paintings of water lilies and peonies weren’t confined to canvas. In addition to his work as a painter, Monet maintained stunning gardens, the inspiration for his masterpieces. Tragically, after World War II, his gardens were destroyed and left neglected. In the 1970s, Gilbert Vahé along with a team of gardeners brought the landscape back to its former glory, taking cues from Monet’s paintings to recreate the scenery. Ever since then, Gilbert has been watching over Giverny, protecting and preserving the legendary gardens.”

Pursue Useful Knowledge

“Nothing is as arrogant as ignorance—unless it’s being puffed up with knowledge.” This is a good little video clip/article from Robert Godfrey.

Bonnie Banks and Communion Tokens

“The roots of communion tokens actually go back to John Calvin. It was his desire that the members of his church would be given these tokens. He wanted to have a company of pastors at the church of Geneva meet with members of the church throughout the week, and the pastors would give tokens to those whose souls were ready to participate in the Lord’s Supper. When the Lord’s Day rolled around and it was time for the Lord’s Supper, parishioners would present their tokens and would be allowed to partake at the Lord’s Table.”

The Cutthroat World of Orthodontic Invisible Aligner Startups

I found this article interesting, perhaps because of the sheer volume of orthodontic work I’ve had to pay for as our kids have grown up. (Note there is one swear word in a quote.)

The Best Place to Flourish

Colin Smith: “Focus your best effort on what God has given you to do right now. It’s easy to waste your life, always looking at the next thing, but the best place to flourish is where God has set you down. Whatever God has given you to do, do it with all your heart!”

Flashback: The Mark of the Most Successful Worship Leaders

A worship leader serves his congregation best when he chooses songs they can sing and sing well. He is highly attuned to their ability. He prioritizes the singability of songs over their newness or oldness or author or theological density. He gauges his success not by his own worship, but by theirs.

Can we follow the Savior far, who have no wound or scar?

—Amy Carmichael

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 23)

    A La Carte: Connection and commitment / When your mind gets stuck / Prayer postures in the Bible / Fading with age / Does God care about how I work? / 7 essential things to know about God’s holiness / and more.

  • Evangelize 2024: Growing a Church That Proclaims The Gospel

    This week the blog is sponsored by Matthias Media. Does your evangelistic passion match the New Testament call to proclaim Christ’s name to all people? God calls on us to partner with him in “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet 3:12) by laboring to make people ready for that day, having…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 22)

    A La Carte: No facts or evidence required / Unity is not the same as total agreement / Christians and magic / Beware of local cults / In the school of contentment / Books by Jen Wilkin / and more.

  • The Hands and Feet of the Bible

    The Hands and Feet of the Bible

    The Bible has life and the Bible brings life because it has been spoken by God. The Bible’s life, its voice, its feet, and hands are the life, voice, feet, and hands of God extended toward his people. For that reason among others it is always worthy of our time, our attention, and our dedication.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (July 20)

    A La Carte: The wedding of the century / Why grieving people need a theology of giving / God desires your happiness / Sincere love and hospitality in the church / Real life is a better teacher than social media / and more.