It's a fair question - What Would Jesus Do? I'm not sure that we can answer the question in every situation. Maybe a better question would be - What Did Jesus Do? We are able to answer that question. We have a record of the things he did during his life on earth. It may be better to focus our energy on answering the questions What Has Jesus Done? and What Is Jesus Doing? Nevertheless, the question What Would Jesus Do? has become a fad. (read more at Christian Cheese)
My lovely wife gave me an I-Tunes gift card for Kwanzaa. I don't know what music to purchase. Any ideas? Please let me know what I should purchase and why. The winning commenter will have the satisfaction of knowing that, in a very small way, they have influenced my decision. Thanks.
Happy belated Boxing Day.
In an effort to minimize the effects of global warming we decided to send out an e-card and e-film. You can view our Christmas picture and a 7 minute film at FamilyofBlacks.com. 
If you are still looking for that special something for that special someone - LOOK NO FURTHER! The gifts that keep on giving will be found at Christian Cheese. Act now and you too can waste several dollars on cheap Jesus junk!
A recent Time magazine article reveals research from a national study on the healthiest states in America. I am proud to say that our fine state was high atop the list.
1. Minnesota
2. Vermont
3. New Hampshire
4. Hawaii
5. Connecticut
6. Utah
7. Massachusetts
8. North Dakota
9. Maine
10. Wisconsin
It seems that most of the healthy states are in the northern part of the country and the least healthy are in the south. What gives?
Tonight there is a one hour Christmas episode of The Office. Maybe this year they won't do "Yankee Swap" and Michael will be loved more than "an oven mits worth."
I am working on a lesson that I will be presenting tonight at a local campus ministry. The students are finishing their fall semester and will be traveling home next week. In light of the upcoming holiday I thought I would share some horrible Christmas gift ideas with these college students. I was amazed to find this amazing gift. It is a contraption to aid in back shaving.
Here is a demonstration in case you didn't understand how to use the item.
From the web site - “Makes a great & unique gift! …made from the same material as ski helmets. The Razorba was tirelessly developed to allow easy shaving of your back.”
Justin Taylor links to ChristianAudio.com - a site offering downloads of The Pilgrim's Progress free with a discount code.
More information about bunions here.
FOB will have a new look soon. I know you are excited. Please contain yourself. Stay tuned.
My wife really enjoys Christmas music. Me...not so much. However, Sufjan Stevens recently released a 4-disc box set of Christmas music. It is interesting enough to keep my attention. There are some familiar tunes as well as a few originals. It is definitely worth the listen. It takes a special person to add a banjo to "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and Sufjan is certainly special.
My sister has her own blog now. She is married to Robert Alvin. She is now a Phillips. So is Robert Alvin. His name hasn't changed. You can learn more about the Phillips Phamily Pharm phere.
The turkey we had for Thanksgiving had 2 necks stuffed inside. Is that normal? Do most turkeys have two necks? I know they have two of some other parts but necks?
I read about the cuckoo today. This bird does not build its own nest. It lays its egg in the nest of another bird. That bird is then held responsible for caring for the egg and raising the young bird. The young cuckoo is usually larger than the other baby birds. The cuckoo throws the other babies out of the nest so that she gets all of the food. 
Finally! NBC's The Office put out a laughable episode in season 3. Jim's prank on Dwight last Thursday was classic. The entire Exclusive Producer's Cut may be seen here in 4 chapters. Jim's prank is in the beginning lines of chapter 1. It is worth the watch.
Last week an acquaintance (one who is a life-long North Dakotan) sent me the following list of ways to know if you live in the great Peace Garden state. The statements are to the tune of Jeff Foxworthy's comedy routine. After living here a little over a year we understand most of these statements.If "vacation" to you means going shopping for the weekend in Grand Forks, Fargo, Minot or Bismarck, you might live in North Dakota.
If parking your car for the night involves an extension cord, you might live in North Dakota.
If you're proud that your state makes the national news primarily because it houses the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in North Dakota.
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in North Dakota.
If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you mightlive in North Dakota.
If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy, you might live in North Dakota.
If you measure distance in hours, you might live in North Dakota.
If you often switch from "heat" to "A/C"in the same day and back again, you might live in North Dakota.
If you can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching, you might live in North Dakota.
If you see people wearing hunting clothes at social events, youmight live in North Dakota.
If you've installed security lights on your house and garage and than leave both unlocked, you might live in North Dakota.
If the largest traffic jam in your town centers around a highschool basketball game, you might live in North Dakota.
If there are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Wal-Mart at any given time, you might live in North Dakota.
If there are more people at work on Christmas Eve Day than on the opening day of deer gun hunting season, you might live in North Dakota.
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you might live in North Dakota.
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you might live in North Dakota.
If you consider Fargo exotic, you might live in North Dakota.
If your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your cottonwood, you might live in North Dakota.
If the sunbelt to you means Bismarck, you might live in North Dakota.
If you find 0 degrees a little chilly, you might live in NorthDakota.
We have a running gallery of bedhead pictures on our family web site. I have mentioned before that we would take additions from people outside of our family. Some have taken us up on the offer. Dave, a friend from the other side of the lake, sent this photo. He was not brave enough to show his face but his hair is pretty amazing.
If you would like to enter your photo into the great hall of bedhead fame send me a photo. If you send it to me it may appear on this blog or on our web site. Thanks Dave.
The blogosphere is littered with posts about the Haggard scandal. I have nothing more to say than what has already been said. Challies Dot Com posts a great piece reminding us of our own sin. He closes the article by saying,
If we look to Ted Haggard as a representative of all that is wrong in Evangelicalism, I think we miss the most important lesson. The lesson we need to learn is that we are every bit as sinful and fallible and willful and depraved as Haggard; perhaps more so. It is only the grace of God that, like a spider being held over the flame by a nearly-invisible web, prevents me from giving in to all the sin that is in me and being dragged down by it. Oh, that He would continue to extend this grace! And oh, that I would take heed lest I, too, fall, for what is in Haggard is in me.
There are many articles floating around about the Halloween pros and cons. I have posted a few links to such articles as well as some of my own thoughts here and here and here. Mars Hill posted a great article about Halloween here. It is packed full of historical information but the most helpful part of the article is the last paragraph. It says,
Lastly, for parents, don’t forget that gluttony is a sin. Be careful not to force your kids to learn this the hard way: lying on an altar of plastic wrap and tin-foil, holding their bulbous stomachs. If you participate in Halloween, it might be the perfect time to introduce the concept of moderation.
If you need proof that Halloween is, in fact, an evil holiday - here you go.
*Due to the graphic nature of the photographs below, viewer discretion is advised.
After reading this I have decided to post my comments about the previously quoted article. Tim Challies says,
"I do not foresee [Halloween] as a time when the people coming to your door are likely to be saved. But I do think it is a time that you can prove to your neighbors that you care about them, that you care about their children, and that you are glad to be in this world and this culture, even if you are not of this world or this culture."
Here is an excerpt from an article about Halloween. It is a great article and it would be worth your time to read the entire article at Challies Dot Com.
(To be fair, I made a comment about a section of the quote here on 10.26.2006).
The truth is that I have several convictions regarding Halloween. I despise the pagan aspects of it. I am convicted that my children should not dress as little devils or ghosts or monsters. But I am also convicted that there could be no worse witness to the neighbours than having a dark house, especially in a neighbourhood like ours which is small and where every person and every home is highly-visible. We know that, if we choose not to participate, the neighbors will notice and will smile knowingly, supposing that we feel too good to participate. We have nothing to fear from our neighbours or from their children. So my children will dress up (my son as a police officer and my daughter as a princess) and we will visit each of our neighbours, knocking on their doors and accepting their fistfuls of candy. Either my wife or I will remain at home, greeting people at our door with a smile and a handful of something tasty. If the kids are deemed too old to trick-or-treat, they'll be forced to sing a song to merit any handouts. Our door will be open and the light will be on. And we trust that the Light will shine brightly.
My encouragement to you today is to think and pray about this issue. I do not see Halloween as a great evangelistic occasion. I do not foresee it as a time when the people coming to your door are likely to be saved. But I do think it is a time that you can prove to your neighbors that you care about them, that you care about their children, and that you are glad to be in this world and this culture, even if you are not of this world or this culture. Halloween may serve as a bridge to the hearts of those who live around you who so desperately need a Savior.
If my math is correct that is a "net gain" of 7854.54 persons every day. I wonder if that .54 of a child has a difficult time in Jr. High."At 7:46 (ET) Tuesday morning, the United States became a nation of 300 million people, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated. Fueled by an estimated net gain of one person every 11 seconds..." (read full story)
Last Saturday (October 7th), Holly lost her Black-ness and became a Phillips. It was a beautiful wedding! They will be making their way to Nearly, Canada this week. We look forward to being with them soon.
Rob & Holly Phillips (10.7.2006)
Asher & Aunt Holly
Other Black People
The men of the wedding Desiring God posted excerpts from the 2006 National Conference. Here is an audio clip of Voddie Baucham. It is just over 3 minutes in length and well worth those minutes.
The Supremacy of Christ In Education
Justin Taylor has just posted links to all of the audio from the 2006 Desiring God National Conference here. The "Conversation with the Pastors" and "Speaker Panel Q & A" links are quite helpful. These are well worth the listen and they are FREE.
Although Driscoll was near the edge of inappropriate language...Piper was the first to cuss during the conference. Thought you might want to know. Challies has been live-blogging the conference. You can read his detailed comments here.
Autumn is my favorite season. I am telling my sons that it is their favorite season as well. They will soon understand.
Ezra seems to be taking it a bit better than Asher. Of course we did force him to wear the pumpkin hat. That may not be helping.
Soon it will be Halloween...ur...I mean Reformation Day.
There are times when other bloggers say things so well that it is pointless to say anything else. This is certainly true of Justin Taylor's blog post today at Between Two Worlds: A Mix of Theology, Philosophy, Politics and Culture. Enough said.
The reasons I love my wife are limitless. This morning I went on an early run through Oak Park. I returned home to find Kirsten greeting me at the front door with a tired, squinty smile. I love that girl.
The image above is one of the many reasons I love my wife. She had an idea several years ago to start posting pictures of her wild bedhead on our web site. It was her idea. She is amazing. Click HERE to veiw all photos and vote for your favorite. If you think you can top her bedhead send us a picture and we will add it to the gallery.
In the last two weeks I have listened to the same sermon three separate times. I listened to it in my office. I listened to it with my wife in our car on the way to a nearby, booming metropolis. I listened to it last evening with our small group. If you have a spouse or would like a spouse or if you know anyone who may have had a spouse at some point in their life - I would encourage you to listen to this sermon. In fact, I would encourage those who are married to listen to this sermon with your spouse.
The sermon is by Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It is an amazing look at the roles of men and women in a marriage. If you just groaned - listen to the sermon. It has changed my view of my relationship with my wife. Listen to it with your spouse and let me know what you think. I will post the link below.
"Covenant Headship" - The sermon is an hour and a half long but well worth the time.
Ezra is now in the 2-3 year old Sunday School class. Yesterday he re-learned that 1.) God created animals and 2.) God created everything. We talked about this lesson last evening before he went to bed. The letter "G" starts the word "mammot, bopa, mammy, and dott" (grandma, grandpa, mammy, and God).
Hollywood never ceases to amaze me.
(read more - viewer discretion advised)
I was sitting in my office today when I glanced out the window and saw my wife pull up in the MarshWiggle-Wagon. She went to a nearby store to purchase this lunchbox for me. Now I have something in which to carry my lunch instead of the plastic bag from said nearby store. She is the greatest wife ever made. Here is an interesting article written by an man who attended the Christian Bookseller's Association convention.
What say ye?
