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August 23, 2024

3 Things I Like This Week – August 23

Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1. Blackstone Griddle

Lest you forget that I am a middle aged white man, here is your most recent reminder. For years I have used a standard gas grill and generally loved it. When I first saw viral videos (a phrase to make a middle aged white man’s stomach turn) of grown men being giddy over their Blackstone stir fry or their Blackstone fajitas or their full Blackstone breakfasts I rolled my eyes and held staunchly to tradition. But as is the case for most prejudiced people, I simply needed gracious exposure. So when a friend cooked an entire breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and toast I was softened. Then I saw a couple guys at our church cook about 600 hot dogs lickety split on two black stones for an event, and I was moved. Then I talked to a couple friends who are Blackstone enthusiasts and I was converted. I got one a few months ago, and sure enough, Blackstone stir fry, fajitas, and breakfasts are amazing. And while I still get to use my grill (open flame cooking is just different), you can cook so many different kinds of delicious things on one of these. So consider this the latest middle aged white guy endorsements for your outdoor cooking setup.

 

2. Pappyland by Wright Thompson

Wright Thompson is one of the best non-fiction storytellers I have ever read. He is a journalist, yes, but also a brilliant writer. He captures and expresses the stories of people beautifully. For years I read his work about athletes and teams and places, and when I picked up Pappyland I anticipated more magnificent writing, telling me the story and lore of a legendary bourbon. What I got instead was the story and lore of a legendary bourbon woven throughout a magnificently told memoir of family and legacy–both the author’s and the VanWinkles’. It is a true southern memoir, if you are familiar with that warm, dark genre. It is an ode to craftsmanship and a dirge for bygone days. And it is a hopeful work, marked by affection and loyalty. Whether or not you care a speck about bourbon, if you love great writing and memoir you’ll appreciate this book.

 

3. The Oxford Comma

I can’t decide whether to offer a pedantic defense of a grammatical necessity or poetic ode to a much-maligned friend. (If you are unfamiliar with what this particular use of the comma is, then content yourself with reading Pappyland while cooking on your Blackstone.) Much has been written on this matter, mostly of the pedantic sort, being that grammarians tend toward pedantry. But the fact remains that the Oxford comma is not just utilitarian, it is elegant. It provides cadence and flow to the reading of words, a particularly meaningful aspect of works read aloud. I could drone on and state a thorough case for this most crucial of punctuations. Instead I will simply plant my flag, don my jersey, and carry my flame for the magnificent Oxford comma.

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Published on August 23, 2024 05:21

August 22, 2024

Kindle Deals for August 22

Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

Welcome: Loving Your Church by Making Space for Everyone by Jen Oshman – $3.99

God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say about Gender Identity? by Andrew T. Walker – $2.99

Christian Worldview Handbook edited by David Docklery & Trevin Wax – $4.99

Who Moved My Pulpit?: Leading Change in the Church by Thomas Rainer – $4.27

Exalting Jesus in Luke by Thabiti Anyabwile – $4.99

Philippians For You: Shine with joy as you live by faith by Steven J. Lawson – $4.99

The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson – $2.99

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard – $2.99

Atlantic Nightmare: The longest continuous military campaign in World War II by Richard Freeman – $.99

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand – $4.99

I’m Staying with My Boys: The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC by John Basilone – $2.99

Antietam by Bruce Catton – $1.99

Lincoln and the Power of the Press: The War for Public Opinion by Harold Holzer – $2.99

MY BOOKS:

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

These links are Amazon affiliate links.

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Published on August 22, 2024 05:09

August 21, 2024

August 20, 2024

August 19, 2024

Kindle Deals for August 19

Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms by Tim Keller – $4.99

Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions by Tim Keller – $4.99

You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well by Jen Wilkin & J.T. English – $4.99

Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life by Robert Smith Jr. – $4.99

The Whole Counsel of God: Why and How to Preach the Entire Bible by Tim Patrick & Andrew Reid – $4.74

Letters and Papers from Prison by Dietrich Bonhoeffer – $3.99

To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview edited by Francs Beckwith, J.P. Moreland, & William Lane Craig – $2.99

Urban Legends of the Old Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions by David Croteau & Gary Yates – $4.99

The Church: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology) by Gregg Allison – $3.99

Faithful Theology: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology) by Graham Cole – $3.99

The Attributes of God: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology) by Gerald Bray – $3.99

The Trinity: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology) by Scott R. Swain – $3.99

MY BOOKS:

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

These links are Amazon affiliate links.

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Published on August 19, 2024 05:37

The Lifter of My Head

“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3)

I remember reading some storybook when I was a kid and coming across the description of a character as having “a hangdog look about him.” I didn’t know precisely what that meant, but I knew what that meant. I could picture it: sad eyes, drooping features, head down like an old hound dog that’s been mistreated for far too long.

When I read Psalm 3:3, that description comes to mind–the downcast, drooping, weary posture of someone who is overwhelmed. We feel like that often in the face of life’s hardships. It’s too much for us.

Another memory from my youth comes to mind when I read this verse, that of all the pep talks I received after striking out or missing a tackle, or losing a game. They almost always included some version of “chin up, you’ll get it next time.” But that’s not what the psalmist is saying.

This is not a psalm calling for an attitude adjustment or a positive perspective. It is a promise for us in the middle of immense hardship. It isn’t a chipper reminder to “chin up.” It’s a declaration that God will lift our weary, worried, frightened heads.

And when he lifts them, what will we see? No longer will we stare at our own selves and the circumstances we can’t fix. Instead, we will see him, our shield and glory, the one fighting for us and defending us, and working on our behalf. When he lifts our heads, our countenance will change from hangdog to hopeful. And when he lifts our chins, we can set our faces in resolute faith.

I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe! 

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Published on August 19, 2024 04:36

August 16, 2024

3 Things I Like This Week – August 16

Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1. The Bear

In the streaming age there are more drama series being cranked out than anyone could possibly watch, and, in my estimation, most of them are crap artistically and morally. So when I find an exceptional one it feels like discovering a particular treasure. The Bear is just such a show. I suppose I should include the necessary evangelical caveats about profanity and whatnot, but honestly that should be expected in any show about the restaurant industry and especially any show that is set in Chicago. The thing that The Bear does so remarkably well is capture the breadth and depth of its characters–honorable, troubled, joyful, broken, driven, fearful, loving, embittered, and so forth. And it does so with a pitch perfect representation of place and culture, both the food industry and the city in which it is set. By doing this it tells a richer story of relationships, dreams, aspirations, failures, and successes than almost any series or movie I have seen. And on top of all this, the acting is wonderful right down the line.

 

2. Oscar Peterson’s Night Train

Oscar Peterson is my favorite Jazz musician and Night Train is my favorite of his albums. It features the full spectrum of his talents as he plays an array of songs. Since I am not steeped in the technicalities of music, I lack the verbiage to describe what Peterson does on this album. What I can say is that It is brilliant, and I can describe the feelings it evokes (which is really the point of good jazz). It is filled with joy communicated in a manner that is equally soothing and elated. It is marked by lament communicated with soul. It is rich and deep and light and full of light.

3. The Americano

Craft coffee shops and roasteries abound. Coffee snobs, er, connoisseurs love to offer tasting notes for their favorite single origin organic light roasts from that particular region of Madagascar. But there is really only one true test I trust to know if a coffee shop is any good: the quality of their Americano. The Americano leaves bad espresso nowhere to hide since it has only two ingredients, espresso and hot water. (It was named by the Italians in “honor” of the American G.I.s who couldn’t handle the full strength concentration of pure espresso.) If you are a coffee drinker who prefers cream and sugar and various flavors, this is not the beverage for you. It is dark, it is bitter, but when done right it carries all the richness of properly roasted and brewed espresso. It is the naked truth of coffee and it is wonderful.

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Published on August 16, 2024 07:31

August 15, 2024