Laudable Linkage

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Barbara Harper

It has been a while since I’ve shared links of interest. Here are some I’ve found profitable the last few weeks:

Rachel Weeping For Her Children — The Massacre in Connecticut.

The tension of “God is good” and “It shouldn’t be this way.” I saw this the day before the tragedy in CT, but it is certainly apropos.

Newsweek vs. the New Testament. “So, in the waning days of Newsweek as a print magazine, the editors decided to take on the New Testament. Readers should note carefully that it is Newsweek, and not the New Testament, that is going out of print.”

10 Holiday Survival Tips for 2012 if you holidays are much less than merry.

Five Habits for Holiday Happiness.

How to Help the Hurting.

Misused Reasons to Abandon Christmas: #3 God Didn’t Command It, HT to Diane. Deftly answers the charge that “if God didn’t command it we shouldn’t do it” in regards to Christmas but could well be applied to many areas. Others in the series have to do with the supposed pagan origins of Christmas and “It’s the wrong date.” He’s not saying anyone should or should not celebrate, just pointing out the flaws in these arguments.

Obedience and Gospel-centered Mothering. The two are not antithetical.

What Do Men Really Want in a Wife?

The Best Christmas DIYs and Crafts Ever.

And finally, this is just too cute: a kid’s gospel quartet. I couldn’t get the video to embed here and it doesn’t seem to be on YouTube, but hopefully you can see it on Facebook here.

Laudable Linkage

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are some good online reads from the last couple of weeks:

The Value of Quiet Husbands. Good leadership isn’t always public and showy.

5 Questions Wives Should Not Ask Their Husbands.

Rising Above Familiarity With the Sublime, Part 1 and Part 2. Though written to preachers, it contains good advice for anyone who is in the Word of God regularly and is so familiar with parts of it that we can tend to lose sight of its wonder. Bonus, it’s written by our beloved former pastor.

True Womanhood Is Not About You and Me. “True womanhood is not wrapped in a sparkly white box tied up in the red, satin ribbon of our good behavior or correct conduct. True womanhood is a reflection of the very heart of God; the very character that we can rely on day-in and day-out.”

Author Adam Blumer (Fatal Illusions, linked to my review) has been writing a series In Defense of Clean Speech, arguing against the increasing practice of some Christian fiction authors to use vulgar or crude language or cursing in their work for “realism.” Part 4: What Is Unclean Speech? and Part 5: Flawed Arguments are especially good (you’ll find links to the other parts there.)

Another review of A Year of Biblical Womanhood, this one by Mary Kassian, one of the coiners of the word “complementarian,” who feels the author misrepresented the position and the movement.

2012 Photomicrography Competition, HT to Challies. There is a whole amazing world beyond our eyesight.

Years ago while in college I saw the movie and years later read and reread the book Peace Child about the Richardson family who went to minister to the Sawi tribe of Papua, New Guinea. The Sawi were headhunters who valued deception and thought Judas was the hero of the gospel. Finally one of their rites of a peace child gave an opening to present what the gospel truly meant. This video shows Richardson and his sons going back 50 years after their first visit. Amazing what God can do in people’s hearts!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are a few good reads from the last week:

Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood. I’m sharing this not just because of the book, but mainly for the discussion of Biblical interpretation. I don’t know if you have encountered this, but in many secular venues where there is any discussion of Christianity, often someone will toss out what they consider as absurd OT requirements as a reason to toss out the whole or to say we can’t or shouldn’t live by Biblical principles. This explains what is wrong with such an approach (and though it doesn’t say this, one could turn the conversation to a good witnessing opportunity in that all of these requirements were fulfilled in Christ.) Though the author of the book in question is asking questions many are asking and dealing with a confusing and controversial subject, the way she handles Scripture inclines me not to trust her conclusions.

A helpful, hopeful election perspective.

The greatest of these is “Sola Scriptura.” Good thoughts on good that came from the Reformation. “Luther and the Reformers didn’t get everything right… But their role was like that of a good teacher—not to teach students every fact they will ever need to know, but to teach them how to learn. The Reformers reminded the church how to learn—how to think—by pointing us to the Scriptures and away from human authorities.”

Sixty years of memories. Neat gift idea.

15 things home sewers can lean from industrial sewing.

Questionnaires for writing character profiles.

And I saw this on Pinterest.

Gotta run — busy day ahead. Have a great weekend!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here’s my regular round-up of rousing reads from the past week. 🙂

Redeemed Reader is hosting a read-along of The Hobbit leading up to the release of the first installment of Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated movie version of The Hobbit in December. She has some fun activities, giveaways, and guests scheduled. HT to Challies.

Several Christian Fiction authors are hosting a Scavenger Hunt beginning here, through tomorrow. Prizes are a Kindle Fire, 31 Christian fiction books, and several gift certificates.

12 Things to Do When You’re Criticized.

The Struggles and Hopes of a Disabled Dad.

Empty Nest or Open Nest?

Dee Henderson’s writing tips.

This video was made in response to a pro-abortion video of Hollywood actresses:

And this made me smile. I’ve never heard anyone, straight or curly, talk about how much they love their hair or how manageable it is. Well, except maybe on commercials.

Have a great weekend!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are just a few interesting reads from the Internet this week:

Of Babies and Beans? A Frightening Denial of Human Dignity.

10 Survival Tactics for Rescuing a Bad Day, HT to Lizzie.

Do Faithful Christians Take the Bible Literally?

What’s a Christian Business Owner Supposed to Do? “I’ve always thought—in a theoretical way—that I might someday face a situation where the government was asking or telling me to do something that was counter to God’s law as I understood it. If such a situation arose, I hoped I would have the backbone to stand tall and disobey the government mandate. Well, that day seems to have come.”

How to Retrieve What You’ve Read — Almost Instantly, HT to Robin Lee Hatcher’s Facebook page.

Some of the “Hey, Girl” pictures and captions on Pinterest are pretty funny, but I especially liked this one:

Hope you have a great Saturday!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are a few notable reads from the last couple of weeks:

Beware the peril that lurks in success. An interestingly written account of what David might have been thinking and feeling a year after his sin with Bathsheba.

10 tips to memorize a Bible chapter. I really need to do more of this.

Great Expectations. Great parenting or teaching tip: I learned the hard way that you can head off a lot of discipline problems by preparing children for what to expect and what’s expected of them in a given situation.

A love story in 22 pictures. Get the tissues ready…

Free e-book about David Brainerd.

Corner pocket tutorial. Love this: a neat way to prepare a wall hanging so that a rod doesn’t show.

The Moral Premise – employing one in writing.

Seen around Pinterest:

I haven’t seen this show, but I loved this saying:

Have a great weekend!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are some interesting reads seen around the Internet the last couple of weeks:

God’s Bridge to Eternal Life. Nice online gospel tract.

There are two excellent books free or nearly free for Kindle apps for a time: How I Know God Answers Prayer by Rosalind Goforth is a Christian Classic and is free at the time I am posting, and Words by Ginny Yttrup is 99 cents (my review of Words is here). I highly recommend both of these.

Steve Hafler posted Before You Take a Sip, Consider This, about the liberty of drinking alcohol, and the very next day his brother’s car was hit by a drunk driver, killing his sister-in-law and hospitalizing I think two of their children. Unfortunately he has taken down his post commenting on the accident, but Pastor Chris Anderson posted Ambivalence About Alcohol after ministering to the family. I am sure the family would appreciate prayer during this difficult time, and may this cause many to rethink the dangers of alcohol.

Why We Don’t Burn Down Things When Jesus Is Mocked.

Dear Pastors, Please Quit Picking On Video Games. I don’t like the use of the word “butt,” especially in a Christian context, but otherwise he makes some good points.

Book Review of Captivating, HT to Challies. I’ve not read this book. I’ve heard mixed things about it, and this blogger details some of its problems.

What If I Have a Very Overweight Friend?

Ask For Tolerance up front when discussing different viewpoints, HT to Challies.

A Literal Epidemic of Crutch Words, those “empty” words we could well leave out of our speech and writing, or words that don’t mean quite what we think they do. A few days later I saw this on Pinterest (with special meaning for Princess Bride fans) and chuckled:

This was going around Facebook:

And this was a series of texts between my husband and myself, illustrating the iPhone’s tendency to overdo auto-correction:

🙂

Happy Saturday!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Barbara Harper

I don’t mean to toot my own horn or call my own link laudable, but I thought some of you might be interested in seeing my latest newspaper column: Missionaries can be a force for good. My original title was “Tolerance, Evangelism, and Missions.” I only have one more column left — and too many ideas for it! In some ways it will be a relief not to have to meet this deadline every six weeks, but in a greater sense I will miss it. But I can reapply after a year. (If you are interested, my other columns are here.)

Here are some interesting online reads discovered in the last week or so:

The Redistribution of Wealth is a topic that comes up often in election years, but is it a Biblical idea? No, but the Bible does have much to say to those with any kind of wealth.

Making Friends With Imperfect People. There is no other kind….but this could be more aptly titled “Making Friends in Imperfect Situations.”

Here I Am, or There You Are? Makes all the difference in the world.

15+ Free Printable Grocery Lists from Tipnut, who always has a great wealth of good information.

I have never cooked salmon, but nikkipolani’s Slow Cooked Salmon sounds really good.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1.

Author Sarah Sundin is having Facebook party and giveaway of her novel With Every Letter (linked to my review).

I had not heard, that I remember, that they were making a movie titled “Lincoln,” but it looks good.

Hope you have a great Saturday!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Barbara Harper

Here are some good reads from the last couple of weeks:

Forsaken By God: When Our Fears Become Our Reality. “Psalms 22 ministers to us when we struggle with a God who didn’t move for us as we expected, who didn’t save us from a painful road of life that we prayerfully tried to avoid.”

Pacifying Lies and the Sympathizing Truth. Too often we want to comfort someone in trouble with trite phrases that aren’t even really true. “It is only in looking to Christ that my friend can find comfort. Only in pointing to Christ that I can be a comforter.”

I Don’t Wait Anymore. Excellent. “A lot of girls were sold on a deal and not on a Savior….What if we as girls had learned early on that having Him was everything, not a means to the life we think He would want us to have.”

It Matters Whom You Marry. In ways you might not think about.

SuperMom vs. Abiding Mom…not just for moms.

Upcycled Dressers: Painted, Wallpapered, and Decoupaged. Some creative ideas if you need to refinish furniture.

Hope you have a great Saturday!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Barbara Harper

It has been a few weeks since I’ve been able to do this, but here are some interesting reads seen around the Web lately:

What I’ve Learned Along the Way, “an article about preaching that is meant to be read by non-preachers.”

To My Daughters.

Some Basic Thoughts on Manhood: Confidence and Fear. Good insight for women.

Before You Decide to Leave. Things to consider before leaving a church.

Wifely Advice. Good and bad examples from Scripture.

I’m Tired of Hearing “the Gospel,” HT to Challies. Thabiti Anyabwile puts into words something that has concerned me but which I haven’t been able to articulate.

A Message From a Bachelor Pastor to His Congregation Before His Wedding, on the fight to remain pure for 44 years, HT to Challies.

Joel Olsteen and Family Feud, HT to Challies. Be sure to check out the scorecard.

Aphoristic Writing Advice From Famous Authors, HT to John Piper’s Twitter feed. I especially like Elmore Leonard’s: “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”

Seen on Facebook: