Regenerate ...or not?

A friend of mine talked to me a few days ago about an image or a logo for a ministry called Regenerate. The ministry is for young adults in a suburban area in the midwest. I began working on the design and quickly found that it was difficult to represent the idea of "regenerate" in an image. Below I have posted two quick images that came to mind. Let me know what you think. I would be interested in any thoughts you have about how to represent "regenerate" in a simple image.

re·gen·er·ate
1. To reform spiritually or morally
2. To form, construct, or create anew, especially in an improved state
3. To give new life or energy to; revitalize.

"a worship gathering for young adults regenerating lives by rediscovering what has always been true."

I love my wife

I have been keeping an ongoing list of reasons why I love my wife. The list continues. She is an amazing woman and I love her more and more every single day!
27. her smile when I come home from a night meeting
28. her organization when it comes to planning a vacation
29. her thriftiness in finding good vacation spots
30. her selflessness in allowing me to go on long rides on my bike
31. bringing me the lunch I accidentally left at home
32. slipping a rice crispy treat into the lunch I accidentally left at home

did I mention...

1. her green eyes

2. her bright smile

Crucial lessons in life

I have the "How to of the day" setting on my iGoogle account. Usually the "how to" suggestions are useless but today is a different story. This is something that we will all need at some point.

How to Win at Rock, Paper, Scissors

1. Watch your opponent play others.
2. Know rookie tendencies.
3. Play scissors or paper against an experienced player.
4. Look for a double run.
5. Beat your last move.
6. Use probability to your advantage.
7. Keep your eyes on your opponent's hand just as the gesture is being thrown.

Warnings:

*An experienced pro may use all of these strategies against you. They might fake you out by, say, using scissors predominantly as their first gesture and then all of a sudden using paper when you least expect it.

*"Cloaking" is when a player delays their gesture as long as possible, so that you will not have a chance to predict their gesture.

*Beware of "shadowing" where the opposing player may pretend they are going to make a certain gesture and then rapidly change it at the last possible moment.

Which is easier?

I am reading through The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification: Growing in Holiness by Living in Union with Christ by Walter Marshall. The book was first published in 1692 and has been updated since. In the beginning pages Marshall says -

The only way you can possibly learn how to live a godly life is by reading the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures tell you two things about living a godly life: first, they tell you what God wants you to do (the law): second, they tell you how you can actually do it (the gospel). Which of these two is easier to learn?

Marshall answers the question and gives reason in the paragraphs that follow. What would you say? Which of these two is easier to learn and why?

True Religion

James 1:27 says "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Anthony Bradley discusses the staggering number of orphaned children in America asking the question "Why does America have orphans if it has Christian churches?"

He goes on to say

America has nearly 115,000 orphaned kids in foster care waiting to be adopted. Some wonder how this is possible in a country with Christian families. Surely, there are 115,000 missional families in America, right? Missional families, for example, embrace the redemptive mission of God and practice "true religion" in their local communities (James 1:27). Missional Christians in America could eliminate the foster care system tomorrow if we would stop "shootin' up" with the American Dream (heroine) in order to get high on a lame life lived for the sake of comfort and ease.

What do you think? Is this a fair assessment?

Mountain Trip Pictoral Review

(view from our cabin)

(Ezra in front of our cabin acting like a model)


(God's promise over our cabin)

(3-4 inches of snow)

(Ezra enjoyed the snow of the mountains)

(Asher using me as a chair during some inside time)

(Bison at Yellowstone National Park - and us)

(Ezra waiting for Old Faithful)

(Asher, mommy, Old Faithful and a granola bar)

(In all her faithfulness)

(Elk on our way back home from YNP)