To Be A Pilgrim

I Was There – Five Years Later

Ryan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:05:22 +0000

The Pistons and Pacers brawled five years ago today. We had almost left a few minutes earlier when we had figured the Pistons were going to lose. In the final minute, things went really bad. Watching the video brings back the emotions of disgust.

Thirty minutes later on the drive home, there were still police cars racing to the Palace.

Here’s what I said a few years ago.

The Power and Danger of Iconography

Ryan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:53:06 +0000

I’ve never heard of this guy before. Good stuff. Can Christians use these principles in Kingdom work?

Editing Changes Everything

Ryan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:06:59 +0000

Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ

Ryan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:44:53 +0000

Be introduced to our favorite Christmas CD, though it’s not literally Christmas music and we listen year-round without apology. We’ve had the CD for a year, and iTunes says we have played this on our desktop 140 times in the past. It’s a great work to have internalized in your heart, and I love that it falls so easily of our boys’ tongues.

Andrew Peterson wrote the music. Here is the backstory, the retelling of how this came to pass.

Need an introduction? You can listen to the story here for free. Then go buy it.

Trailer for The White Horse King (book)

Ryan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:29:39 +0000

Gorilla Poet Productions will make you want to read every book they produce a trailer for, so don’t bother watching unless you have the $10. I’ve heard good things about this book, the first by Ben Merkle. It’s just sitting in my wishlist, ready to be purchased.

On Terrorism and Those Who Terrorize

Ryan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:08:02 +0000

Good read by Douglas Wilson:

Nadil Malik Hasan and the Street Light

Actually It Was Superimposed

Ryan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:11:04 +0000

Tonight in a fast-food restaurant…

Had to Chrissy, referring to the large painting behind him: “Is that an abstract?”

Chrissy: “uhhh”

Me: “No, it’s not.”

Kar: “Well, I know it’s not a still life.”

One Year Later

Ryan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:05:59 +0000

Grandpa Hayward died one year ago today. I found these pictures in the last few months. Read here what I wrote last year after the funeral.

1982 - Grand Marais or therabouts

1984 - At the Piper wedding

Sexual Detox and False Messages

Ryan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:10 +0000

Some of you have never heard of Tim Challies. He is a one of a small handful of the Christian uber-bloggers (and of them, he’s the only one I read with any sort of regularity). He does his work here (Challies). He inspires me to read more, to consider more, to encourage more with my gifts as he does his. For a living he designs websites, reviews books, blogs, and more. In 2010, he has challenged himself to read ALL of the NY Times non-fiction, hardcover bestsellers. He is chronicling the feat at 10 Million Words. He has posted daily since October 1, 2003.

Besides the crowds who actually go to his website every day, over 6,000 people are subscribed to receive his feed through Google Reader alone (which is how I see his posts). He posts one article and one very short best-of-the-web type of post per day (called A-La-Carte). I’m glad to introduce you if you haven’t met.

Challies is a gift to the church-at-large. He is cogent, concise and is careful with his readers time. He just finished a gem of a series for men and young men (Sexual Detox). His wife entered the writing realm to craft a follow-up message for wives (False Messages). I strongly recommend that ALL of my readers take time to read ALL these messages (at least the ones directed to your gender) that affect us all deeply.

While it will take a little time to get through all the messages, they are immensely important and well-written summaries of the truths of Scripture related to the topics of pornography and sex. These topics are far too easily shunned in public because of the obvious discomfort that it takes to discuss these things out of private. Praise God for Tim and Aileen’s courage; they are spot-on. Thank God for His wonderful gifts.

Sexual Detox I: Pornifying the Marriage Bed

Sexual Detox II: Breaking Free

Sexual Detox III: A Theology of Sex

Sexual Detox IV: Detoxification

Sexual Detox V: Freedom

________________________
False Messages I: What He Really Wants

False Messages II: The Heart of Rejection

False Messages III: Desiring Him

Boom-Dee-Ah-Da

Ryan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:00:58 +0000

It’s back. A new version of Discovery’s “I Love the Whole World” commercial is being played:

Here is the original.