Creator's hand?

Another cool shot from space. Story can be found here.

Crown of thorns...in space...

Sorry that I missed an entry yesterday...an unscheduled visit to the AAC for Mavs-Jazz got in the way. Go Mavs!

I thought this story was really cool. The photo is above. Odd timing (Easter week) if you ask me...

Carrying the burden of Jesus...

A shot of conviction. No, we cannot possibly carry the burden that He carried for us. But these believers are compelled to climb a narrow road, in a crowd, carrying a cross...just like Jesus did.

What faith!!

Commenting now available...

There was some confusion...mainly with me...about how to setup commenting. Anybody should be able to comment now. Apologies.

Carry on...

Easter week

It's the week of Easter. And that means that "Sunday's comin'!!" I plan to try and find some interesting and inspiring things from around the world this week...images of Easter celebrations, videos of Easter sermons, articles containing testimonies of faith, and photos depicting the final few days that Jesus was on Earth up to His ascension.

I hope you will check back this week, and I hope that you will have that ultimate gift that God has given us in your mind all week!! God bless!

"...the least of these..."

I thought this picture was freakin' awesome!



Made me think of this...

40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’45“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(Matthew 25:40-46, NIV, courtesy of eBible)

Right of Conscience debate...

Below is a sample from a Facebook message that Melissa received yesterday...

There’s some interesting stuff going on in our federal government right now that will impact not only your access to healthcare but whether I’m allowed to practice medicine or not in this country. Currently there are 2 pieces of legislation that the President and Congress have in the works that will restrict what is called a doctor’s “right of conscience”. Healthcare right of conscience is the ability to practice medicine or dentistry guided by your religious or moral beliefs. In constitutional terms: it is “the free exercise of religion” guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. A doctor’s right of conscience includes but is not limited to the following:
1) The right to not perform an abortion
2) The right to not perform a physician-assisted suicide
3) The right to talk to young women about the wisdom of abstinence
4) The right to not prescribe birth control to a 16-year-old girl if they feel it would be encouraging destructive habits

The boldest steps ever taken to restrict these rights are currently being taken now through a) the rescission of Department of Health and Human Services regulation 45 CFR part 88, and likely b) the Freedom of Choice Act. If these regulations are passed without compromise, thousands of doctors and healthcare workers will potentially lose their right to practice medicine in the United States if they choose to incorporate their faith into their practice. The impact of this on you guys, people in need of healthcare, cannot be overstated. If interested, here’s what you can do:
1) A 30-day comment period on the Department of HHS regulation ends April 9! You can easily send your comment to the President and his folks at this website: www.Freedom2Care.org
2) Sign the FOCA petition at this website: www.fightfoca.com

In my opinion, the government should not be forcing the hand of those in the medical field like this. Patients have a choice in who provides their medical care, and they have the choice to seek out the services of a physician who will provide them with what they desire. If you feel strongly about this, I encourage you to follow the links above and let your voice be heard.

Editorial on the "study Bible"

I found this editorial over at Christianity Today. It's a little blurb on the "study Bible." A little sample...

Only time will tell how evangelicals' Bible-reading and -buying habits will change in coming years, but it's hard not to notice the swell of study Bibles in 2008, and indeed, applaud it. We could do with fewer niche Bibles that—as the NIV Bible for Girls' title reflects—often put individual consumers front and center. Specialty-brand Bibles usually squeeze the Word into ideological categories that make little sense given its original context, and encourage its use as an accessory rather than "the final authority in matters of faith and practice."

Conversely, study Bibles are meant for the whole church—for groups of laypeople seeking maps to the times, places, and cultures in which God revealed himself. A good study Bible bridges the gap between academic and devotional reading methods, relying on scholars' research to guide laypeople through passages that can be hard to understand today.

The editorial goes on to make some interesting points, mainly about the potential misuse of this type of Bible. I personally enjoy the study Bibles I have owned. The contributions from notable figures, the historical insight and context that I don't possess, and the general applications that are presented provide me with an extra avenue to travel down in my walk of faith.

What say you?