Category Archives: Six-Pack

Saturday Six-Pack (42)

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Welcome to the weekend and to the Six-Pack. Below is the latest installment of best-of pieces I’ve recently read online. You know the routine: Most are faith-focused or ministry-minded; others are covered under the banner of who-knows-what!

If you need direction, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) The Beauty of Ambiguity
Paul Young, author of “The Shack”, posted this on his blog five years ago. Today, I direct you that way.

2) What a Coffin Maker Can Teach Us (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Joel Miller posted in reference to a three-minute video, which features Marcus Daly reflecting on his work of coffin-making. There is something profound here that is worth your time.

3) Common Fault Lines in Maintaining an Evangelical Approach to Homosexuality (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
In this TGC piece, Kevin DeYoung attempts to identify some of the ways that Evangelicals get into trouble in their efforts to voice their views on homosexuality. I greatly appreciate the nuanced nature of this contribution.

4) Heaven is Real: A Doctor’s Experience with the Afterlife
In case this topic intrigues you but you’d prefer not to commit the hours necessary to read an entire book, Newsweek featured this piece on neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander and his remarkable account.

5) 13 Things Americans Do That the Rest of the World Finds Bizarre
Enjoy this piece (by Business Insider) sent to me by one of my American friends. Then create your own list of ones that weren‘t covered!

6) Leaving Westboro Baptist Church
A regular reader sent me this one–thanks Dave. Give a listen to this CBC interview of how two former members of the infamous church became friends with a prominent Jewish blogger via Twitter. No joke!

There you have it. May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Sunday Six-Pack (41)

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The Six-Pack is back, after a week off. Thanks to all who offered birthday wishes and helped make it fun to put another candle on the cake.

Back to the blog, here are the best online pieces I found this week. Most are faith-focused or ministry-minded; others are just who-knows-what!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) 31 Unmistakable Signs that You’re an Introvert
Susan Cain wrote a brilliant book called “Quiet: The Power of Introverts“. This post is very loosely and lightly associated with that work.

2) The Einstein Principle: Accomplish More by Doing Less
You may never discover a reality-altering formula; you may not pull the crazy-genius hair-do either. But Study Hacks presents at least one way you might strive to be like Albert.

3) Christians and Masturbation: Seven Perspectives (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Rachel Held Evans puts forward this “panel post” on one of this sensitive subject. There are a number of insightful portions in this piece, in regard to how Christians might view sexuality, purity, and fantasy.

4) Two Things I Do that Increase My Creative Output the Most (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Donald Miller shares his two best moves on better producing creatively.  I think he’s on to something here.

5) The Incredible Dating Power of a Guitar Case
Looking for more dates? PsyBlog says, “Consider your props!” 😉

6) Coffee: From Field to Cup
I don’t personally touch the stuff, but I am surrounded by many who do. And they don’t just touch it; they bathe in it. Or something like that. This video (from Mental Floss) helps you java-lovers with “the rest of the story”.

May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Holiday

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Today’s Six-Pack has been suspended.

China, among other nations, celebrates Children’s Day every first of June, and this blogger is aging today by one full year. So in the quest to remain a forever-child, I am overstepping my authority by declaring today a holiday!

Happy Children’s Day!

children's day

Saturday Six-Pack (40)

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Welcome to the final Saturday Six-Pack for May 2013!

Grab your mug and settle in. Here are are six of the best articles I’ve read recently.  Most are faith-focused or ministry-minded; others are just a bit of who-knows-what!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Six Recent Lessons from Turnaround Churches
Thom Rainer has discovered that 9 of 10 North American churches are shrinking or growing at a rate behind their communities. Here are six lessons he recently learned from such churches who are turning it around.

2) The Divine Dance (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Scot McKnight shares these Tim-Keller-filled reflections on the Trinity. What does it mean? A whole lot!

3) Learning the Gospel from My Children
A pastor named Jason Micheli recently preached this sermon, and I am a sucker for anything that revolves around Luke 15.

4) Daily Rituals of the Most Creative People (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I am fascinated by how creativity works. This little essay, based on a full-length book, scratched that itch for a few moments.  For the record, I am unlikely to adopt many of W.H. Auden’s “labor-saving devices”.

5) Hotel Pornography and the Market of Morality
I found this piece, from The Public Discourse, ten months after its publishing. Well-written piece that uses a movement looking to ban hotel pay-per-view pornography as a case study on the strange dance between morality, economics, politics, and more.

6) 8 Habits of Highly Productive People
While the title looks like a knock-off of a best-selling classic, and the article contains a handful of typos, a few ideas here might help those longing to be more productive.

May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Saturday Six-Pack (39)

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Welcome to the long weekend edition of the Saturday Six-Pack.

Settle in for a few minutes, and move your way through six of the of the best online pieces I found this week. Most are faith-focused or ministry-minded; others are just who-knows-what!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) The Unexpected Antidote to Procrastination
What can a prairie boy learn from surfers about life? At least one great thing, according to this HBR piece.

2) Engaging Lecturers Can Breed Overconfidence
Research Digest makes the suggestion that great speakers actually distort the learning process for their listeners. So speakers, aim to suck! Or at least read this post to be aware of what happens when you’re excellent at your job.

3) What Seems to Help in the Midst of Pain
If you’ve ever hurt or wished to help others when they hurt, then Kathy Escobar‘s thoughts may serve you well today.

4) 2013 Chick-Fil-A Leadercast Highlights
I’ve long heard rave reviews of this annual conference. Michael Hyatt has posted a short list of his take-homes from the most recent event.

5) You Only Have $5. What is the Best Way to Invest and Grow Your Money? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
This brilliant piece uses an assignment given to Stanford students to vividly highlight the vital place for “out there” thinking.

6) Preaching Better Sermons Top 121 Tweets (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Preaching Rocket’s most recent online workshop can be tasted here in 121 tweet-sized morsels! Speakers of all stripes, have at it!

May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]