It's almost here...!!!

1 day until Daylight Saving!

Just a few more...

2 days until Daylight Saving!

Not long now...

3 days until Daylight Saving!

The Countdown continues...

4 days until Daylight Saving!

The silkworm and Jonny E.

I have had an afternoon of reading Jonathan Edwards and have especially enjoyed the sections from Images of Divine Things (1728).

#35. The silkworm is a remarkable type of Christ, which, when it dies, yields us that of which we make such glorious clothing. Christ became a worm for our sakes, and by his death finished that righteousness with which believers are clothed, and thereby procured that we should be clothed with robes of glory...

The Countdown begins...

Daylight saving time (DST), often referred to incorrectly as daylight 'savings' time, is a widely used system of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour from its official standard time for the duration of the spring and summer months. This is intended to provide a better match between the hours of daylight and the active hours of work and school. The "saved" daylight is spent on evening activities which get more daylight, rather than being "wasted" while people sleep past dawn...(continue reading)

We at PCK will begin a countdown to daylight saving time (the best day of the year).

Quick Holiness!

"The importance of The Holy Bible, whether as a master work of literature or religious canon, can hardly be overestimated. This comprehensive study guide provides a unique approach to reading The Holy Bible and helps readers dive deep into the New Testament to analyze the teachings of Jesus through poetry and parable. The guide also leads readers through the Old Testament, the foundation for both Judaism and Christianity and the moral and political beacon for many nations of the Western world. "

All of this in just 224 pages available here. Is this adding or taking away from the Scripture?

Is fat phat?

There is a great post at The Evangelical Outpost about the sin of gluttony.

Evil devil woman - be gone!

As the tundra begins to thaw in my home state and all other parts of the country are enjoying Spring, I am beginning to look forward to the days when I can go hiking, backpacking and camping. When weather permits the great outdoors calls my name. My hope is that my sons will also enjoy hiking and camping (translation: my duty as a father is to force them to enjoy those things I enjoy so that I will have an excuse to go on great trips with them - that is true parenting). As I think about the upcoming hiking season I cannot help but think about all of the things I "need" to make my hiking more enjoyable. My thoughts are constantly bombarded with the tension of need and want. Do I need top of the line boots to hike in the prairies of North Dakota? The answer to that question is the same answer to Paul's question in Romans about continuing in sin so that grace may increase. Do I want new boots? Well, sure!

Saturday evening Kirsten and I watched a documentary called Invisible Children which is about the children of Uganda who are forced to hide from the rebels to escape being enslaved to corrupt armies. Sunday morning the sermon was from Luke 10:25-37 on having A Passion for Compassion (the parable of the "good" Samaritan). Monday Kirsten and I read Luke 12. Jesus tells the parable of the man who runs out of room to store his crop. The rich man decides to build more store houses for his crop. God calls the rich man a fool and says "this very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself" (vv. 16-21). The point is - where are your treasures? Are they stored up here or are they stored in heaven?

I have been thinking quite a bit about this and had a conversation with a buddy of mine this morning about the topic. We were talking about the things in life that tempt us to want what we may not need. The REI catalogue was one of those things that we both decided could be, at times, a temptation to our wants (not needs). He said, "the REI catalogue is an evil devil woman." What more should be said?

I have been thinking - where are my treasures stored? How about you?

Predestined?

W.W.C.D. - (What Would Calvin Drink?)

Find out here!

A let down

I always dislike the days right after holidays. The days prior to holidays are so exciting. I spend my time thinking about the holiday to come. The day after Christmas is a good example - think about it. You were just with family, you probably received gifts, you may have gone to church, you probably didn't have to work - and the list could go on...and then the day after Christmas. What do you do? Nothing! It's over.
As bad as the day after Christmas is, the day after St. Patrick's Day is worse. I spend weeks looking forward to all of the hype. I set out my green clothing days in advance. I begin coloring my beer the first of March. The Irish music CD's are constantly spinning in the Black home. So here we are - it's the day after St. Patrick's Day. I am so depressed. What do I have to look forward to now? Nothing! It's over. I have to wait 364 days until next year.

Other Examples

1. The day after Groundhog's Day
2. The day after President's Day
3. The day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day
4. The day after Labor Day
5. The day after Boxing Day
6. The day after Grandparent's Day
7. The day after Administrative Assistant's Day (this one is up there with St. Patrick's Day)

It's a pity!

My friend over at Scatesomatic sent this picture to me today. What else is there to say?

Cheeto-licious

Last night on Letterman Rupert chose a contestant to see if they could find an image of someone in the manicotti. Someone in California claimed they saw the face of Jesus in their manicotti. Letterman took advantage of the opportunity but on his show it actually ended up being Burt Reynolds.

In other interesting food news. There will be a giant Cheeto on display in Iowa this week. This fascinating news story was brought to my attention by a friend.

"A motorcade with two sheriff's cars and a fire truck were part of the ceremony that helped unveil a giant Cheeto as a tourist attraction in northwest Iowa. The event culminated with the Cheeto's first live television appearance.
Bryce Wilson, 24, a disc jockey at KLGA-FM in Algona, arranged for the huge piece of snack food to be mailed from Hawaii and then set up a major event to unveil the Cheeto at a local restaurant." (Read more...)

Clive's best day ever

Our neighbors just got a Golden-doodle puppy. We have been telling Clive and Ezra for a few days that James and Amy are getting a puppy. Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

( The great introduction)

Chalk Art Trickery

Maybe you have seen this already. Click on the link below (and scroll down a bit) to see unbelievable chalk art. If ever you have taken drawing lessons and learned about perspective you will be amazed!

Chalk Art

The Black Academy Awards

There are more videos at www.familyofblacks.com.

To see the latest on Asher click here!

To see the latest on Ezra click here!

Let's Play Ball!

(pictured from left to right - Willie, Willie, Willie)

There is much talk about baseball in the news these days. I thought I would contribute to the baseball conversation. There are many great things about the sport but nothing compares to the Willie triplets. Their names will go down in history as being the greatest men to ever run the bases. Hats off to the Willies!

News at the parental Blacks

This is the big news in Cape Girardeau on a Saturday afternoon. My parents cat stalked a mole, dug it out of a hole and had it for lunch. Mmm, mole breath.

News in the Black home

Someone got a haircut and she is hot!

Raisin Box Fortunes

Recently I have been eating raisins. I don't know why. It is a finger food that Ezra has been eating recently. One day I grabbed a handful of raisins from his snack bag and could not stop eating. It's a strange snack. Who thought of this? I imagine the conversation went something like this: "let's take a perfectly good fruit and let it sit in the sun for a long time until the life is sucked out of it - then let's eat it." It's a strange snack.

We have been working with Ezra to try to get him to understand that God is Creator. When we see something that God has made we ask "Ezra, who made this." His response is the obvious - "Dod!" Yesterday I asked Ezra who made the raisins. His answer was the obvious - "Dod!" Initially I praised Ezra for answering correctly and then I thought...I suppose that God made the grape and some underpaid worker probably did most of the work in the raisin process. Of course Ezra doesn't understand that logic so I said again - "that's right, God made the raisins."

Sun-maid Raisins is doing something interesting with their packaging. Each snack-sized box of raisins comes witht the added incentive of a fortune. On the flap that folds into the box there is a short fortune or proverb much like a fortune cookie. I would like to share the last few days of fortune with you. Please understand that I am not endorsing these fortunes. Some of them may sound biblical but they are not Scripture. Please do not file suit against me because I encouraged you to live out these fortunes. I am simply sharing the sayings and it is your responsibility if you are to act on the fortunes.

1. Make plans for tomorrow.
2. Your true beauty leaves a lasting impression.
3. Your sense of humor is priceless.
4. Celebrate: you're on a roll.
5. True friends don't care what's in your piggy bank.

The fortune on the snack-sized box of Sun-Maid raisins is an interesting marketing tool. It may be a good use of space on the box but we all know that the best use of a raisin box is the raisin box kazoo.