Friday, April 06, 2012

Hither and thither 4/6/12

For openers, a visualization and recontextualization of Judges 17:6; 21:25.

  • A good Good Friday thought in Michael Kelley's When “Abba” Became “My God.” Excerpt: " we now cry, “Abba, Father,” precisely because He cried “My God.” (h-t Trevin)
  • Trevin also links to a marvelous, moving reflection by the late W. A. Criswell, titled When the Light of the World Flickered Out.
  • Now to lighter fare.
  • Some nice developments for both books, since the last H&T:
  • First, TWTG received a nomination by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in the New Authors category. Phil Johnson tells me that this is a really big deal; me, I don't know.
  • Also really nice: Jaci Greggs reviewed the Proverbs book. If you don't follow her on Twitter, I recommend that you do.
  • Aside: I know that a number of people have bought and are reading the book, but it's a much slower read than TWTG, so reviews like Jaci's and Fred's and Robert's and Rachael's and Casey's, and the excerpts in Robert and Kjos, are fewer and farther between.
  • Second aside, on Casey: meaning to return a favor to Casey and do one for Tim Challies (his publisher), I made the time for a last-minute read and endorsement of his little book But God. I'm really glad I did. Good read: Bibley, Gospelly, encouraging. If you haven't read it, I commend it to you again.
  • Also really nice: Dr. Thomas Schreiner reviewed TWTG for Themelios. I used to read that journal in and before my seminary days, never dreaming that one of my books would receive such a gracious review from such a prominent scholar.
  • And BTW: Dr. Schreiner's friendly criticisms are both very well-taken. As to the first, I've only recently grown to see the prominence of that theme myself. Were I doing a second edition of the book (and allowed a few more pages), that theme would figure in much more prominently. As to the second, I intended to focus on the local church in a followup book, if sales of TWTG made it a wise investment for the publisher.
  • Vegan bacon. Exactly. (h-t KDY)
  • Reader Keith Lamborn suggests an iPad case especially for BibChr readers.
  • New York City? Figures alert: tax-funded group teaches homeless how to invade and occupy apartments. (thx Chris Carney)
  • So how would you like your, you know, squid?
  • You can meet the middle kid at the Band O' Clinkers function.
  • Everyone knows Macs are malware-proof. Except when they're not.
  • Ed Driscoll says this is the week Obama jumped the shark. My responses:
  • One: how many such weeks have there already been?
  • Two: that's premised on an informed, educated, and sane voting public, which I believe our legal friends might call "assuming facts not in evidence." (I.e. if we had such a voting public, we'd not be having this conversation.)
  • Three: get back to me after November 6, and we'll see.
  • This week's Perfect Food nominee:
  • Followed by this brief dose of reality.
  • I'm hearing good things about October Baby, which Chris Carney notes was rejected by major studios. Seen it?
  • Kerry Allen found a cat busting some pretty cool Yoda moves on a couple of doggy-thugs.
  • Well, at least evolutionists are starting to be a bit more up-front.
  • Marla Beale found an awfully cute collection of crocheted Star Wars figures.
  • I don't do Easter Eggs like I don't do Halloween; but if you do, Martin Pitcher can show you how to make Lego Easter Eggs.
  • And Martin would like to believe this, but I suspect a joke.
  • But this, also from Martin, is no joke, Matey.
  • Until some entrepreneur seizes on it.
  • Ed Welch (not generally regarded as a "squish," I believe) has some interesting positive input on some psychiatric medications. (h-t Tim)
  • Yes, thank you for asking, I am still loving Texas.
  • I think that if I were to do this, I'd spend one day reading the New York Times — or an Oprah Book Club selection, or Origin of the Species — then the next reading the Bible. It might make the point more forcefully. (Chris Carney and Russell Sherrard)
  • So until next time, goodbye, hope to see you at T4G next week, and... be nice to your fish.
  • Then...






21 comments:

canewbie said...

Re: Squid preference.
How 'bout live......YUM!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYr1rt4XYU

Lynn Arthur

canewbie said...

I loved October Baby. It's pro-life without being preachy. And star, Rachel Hendrix is terrific.

Lynn Arthur

DJP said...

Hey Lynn. I may be being over-squeamish, but I have mixed feelings about that vid.

Teaching my kids to fish for trout, one thing I impress on them: if you're keeping the trout, kill it right away. I abhor these techniques that keep trout alive in what must be misery for the sake of a point or two greater freshness (it's a Prov. 12:28 thing).

So it's an entertaining vid and I appreciate you sharing it. Don't love the guy's repeated casual "Oh my God"s, and I'm sure you don't either. But what I really think about it depends on what kills a squid. With a trout, simple: whack his head, he's dead. With a squid? Dunno. I can easily believe that all the things the vid shows are simple nervous-system activities and the squid's long-gone.

Wow, way too much thinking for what I know you meant as a light little vid.

(c:

Kris N. said...

Yay! H & T!

The Blainemonster said...

I am T4G bound!

Dan said...

Re Dr. Schreiner's first criticism on TWTG (relating the biblical story to the theme of the kingdom in Jesus' ministry) — you mentioned you've recently started to pay serious attention to this.

Would you recommend any resources / books? (I'd especially value your suggestions, given your dispensational perspective. Thanks.)

DJP said...

Thanks, Dan. Well, Alva McClain's The Greatness of the Kingdom is a classic I want to re-read. Some of my own awakening to this is reflected in the Messiah in the OT talks I gave in England last summer; Google Ashford Bible Conference 2011.

Dan said...

Thanks! I remember you posting those, but did not listen then. Will have to now.

DJP said...

I hope it's profitable. Now, don't expect a full development of KoG, but one of the insights that hit me in prepping, which I do develop some, is that Days 1-6a basically represent the creation of the Kingdom of God, and we shouldn't think that Adam fell and God the Father said "Oh, shoot, so much for that idea. Come here, Son, now I have something else for You to do."

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Hurray! H&T is back!

Bet you're busy, though. Diving into a new church, a new city, a new home... and right at Holy Week.

A joyful resurrection day to you and the family,

Julie

DJP said...

Yeah, I want to at least try to do one at least every other week.

Andrew Lindsey said...

Are you going out of your way to be kind to Trevin?
Are you and centuri0n good-cop/bad-copping him?

DJP said...

He's two of a dozen or more ht's, right? Aren't they good links? I don't think you'll ever find me being otherwise towards Trevin.

Frank can speak for himself, but before his critique of one post, I think he's been consistently positive. Hasn't he? In fact, he's the one got me following Trevin's Tweets.

JG said...

Why thank you for the shout-outs, kind sir! That post has gotten nearly 100 hits now.

I'm still not where I can say I "love" Texas. I'm from Oklahoma, after all. But I really do love El Paso. I'm glad you're enjoying flyover country :)

JG said...

Okay, that was prior to THIS post. It's gotten significantly more now.

DJP said...

That's good. It's a terrific review. I wish you got fifty thousand hits on it, and a couple of hundred comments.

(A man can wish, right?)

JG said...

Well, when two or three wish together...oh wait....

Sonja said...

I don't worry so much about the drivers doing what was right in his own eyes, it's the pedestrians blithely strolling through the mayhem. Apparently Prov. 22:13 doesn't apply to them.

Thanks for the H&T!

Solameanie said...

Would you believe they actually sell Texas-shaped hamburgers up here in IL? Can't remember the brand name, but they are some type of gourmet burger.

Scot said...

I wish I could be at T4G next week.

The intersection is just another day in Africa.

Will there be any new rules for H&T submissions with your new pastorate & every other week schedule?

canewbie said...

You're absolutely right, Dan.
While I was watching that vid, my skin was crawling in sympathy for that poor creature.
Please forgive my poor judgement in passing it along.

Lynn A.