Six-Pack (45)

Welcome to the holiday edition of the Six-Pack. It’s not likely your holiday, but it is mine. This Six-Pack is being delivered late from the airport, a slot of time I knew I could sit to share some of the best piece I’ve recently read online.

As per usual, most pieces are faith-focused or ministry-minded, with a sprinkling of who-knows-what!

Need further direction? Start at my *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) Why All Churches Should Have a Birth Plan
I’ve never been part of a church with a birth plan. Here are a list of reasons why that’s not a good thing.

2) Matt Slick on The Daily Show (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Matt Slick was asked to be a guest on The Daily Show, as a Christian voice on the topic of homosexuality. He thought he should say no. He ended up saying yes. Here is why he regrets that move.

3) Communion on the Moon
If you ever get to commemorate the death of Jesus on the moon, you won’t be the first one to do it.

4) An Atheist Chastises Evangelicals Who Don’t Evangelize
Magician Penn Jilette tells why he feels indignation toward Christians who keep their faith to themselves.

5) Jonathan Bender Turns Inventor
I once drafted this next-Michael-Jordan in a fantasy basketball league. Crippled by knee problems, he has turned his career-ending affliction into a second career.

6) 27 Best Tolkien Quotes (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I do love me some quotes. And I do love me some Tolkien. And I am sharing this post!

Another Six-Pack served.  Have at it!

May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the One who loves you deeply. Grace and peace, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Which link above was most intriguing–why that one? Direct others readers to the best of the bunch. Your input makes this post better!

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Sunday Six-Pack (18)

Welcome to the weekend after a week in which even sitting to type a short blog post was an impossibility.  Here’s hoping that your weekend (a LONG weekend in Canada) allows you a chance to sigh.  Thanks for showing up for some “Wandering & Wondering”.

This week’s Six-Pack features the usual: A half-dozen of the best things I’ve read online in the past seven days.  As is the norm, most of these articles are faith-focused or ministry-geared, with a bit of who-knows-what tossed in!

If you need help prioritizing, note my two “Picks of the Week”, and roll on from there.

Today’s edition:

1) 4 Things I’ve Learned about God Through My Baby Who Was Born Blind
The Resurgence‘s Mike Anderson opens this piece like this: “It’s not often that you get the opportunity to empathize with God; I recently experienced that bitter-sweet insight when I found out that my eleven-week-old baby girl was born almost completely blind.”  His brief but sharp observations are worth a stop today.

2) Serving Communion to Former Cannibals
Tony Merida recounts the powerful story of missionary John G. Paton (1824-1907). *PICK OF THE WEEK*

3) Pastoral Advice from a Professional Wrestler
Pastor Jay Sanders reflects on one sentence of profound pastoral advice from Nikita Koloff. *PICK OF THE WEEK*

4) They Cuss in ET.  WTF?!
Is violence now more permissible than swearing or nudity in our movies?  Steven Schlozman thinks so.  And then he wonders why.

5) 24 Creativity Quotes to Bring Out Your Inner Artist
I love great quotes.  (If you do too, subscribe to my Twitter feed @jasonbandura, and I’ll keep ’em coming for you.)  This batch may serve to fuel the quest toward fresh thinking and imaginative inventing.  Enjoy!

6) Who are the Coptic Christians?
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Coptic Christians in Egypt.  If you have but have been unclear on who these people are exactly, The Guardian’s Jonathan Jones would like to help you out, while giving you an art education at the same time.

Enjoy your weekend, friends, through renewing yourself and reverencing God.