Tragedy in Myanmar. Mass starvation caused by a plague of rats.

12 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

Just yesterday, the World Health Organization announced that the swine flu outbreak was now a pandemic. While we now much about the danger this outbreak poses, there are deadly threats that have, so far, gone under the radar. From Food for the Hungry comes this report about the Chin people in Myanmar:

About 200 villages in the Chin State in Western Myanmar are suffering from extreme food shortages due to a rat infestation. The phenomenon known as “maudam” occurs about once every 50 years when flowering bamboo trees produce a fruit that nourishes the rat population. The last time it struck was in 1958, preceded by incidents in 1911 and 1862. Rats feed on the fruit, multiplying by the millions until the fruit supply disappears after which the rodents ravage local rice and corn crops.

Eyewitnesses report barren fields and empty seed bins. In addition, as many as 100 children and elderly have already died from malnutrition and of the 100,000 Chin people who remain, many are weak, thin and sick. Without intervention, the situation will only worsen.

Nova has produced a documentary for PBS that is good in getting an education on how the disaster has spread. Because this is happening in a nation most people can’t find on a map and isn’t worldwide, it may be hard to be moved. Yet, there is a need and an opportunity to put your faith into practice. Go here to help.

HT: Desiring God blog

Great technology at your fingertips

11 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

In these heady days of new technology, it is easy to get caught up in the latest great must-have new gadget. As Exhibit A I would present myself. Ignoring the gentle jabs lobbed my way, I tote my MacBook to men’s Bible study on Friday mornings so I can view the ESV Study Bible online and quickly jump to passages. I love it.

That said, I can appreciate this post by Tim Challies talking about how he fell out of love with his Kindle. It did it’s job, but couldn’t quite match the technology it was trying to replace:

Something changed between then and now—I came to see that all of the things that frustrated me about the Kindle were things that made it not like a book. It’s book-like qualities were it’s best qualities; it’s non-book-like qualities were the ones that got to me. All of the things that annoyed me were the things that made the experience more like operating a computer and less like reading a book. Pages took too long to turn; I could not splash yellow highlighter on the pages; I could not skim through the book looking quickly for a word or phrase or note; I could not scrawl notes in the margins. Sure, there were a few advantages—the notes I did take (saved in a text file on the Kindle) could be exported to my computer simply by plugging in a USB cable; books were less expensive and instantly added to my collection; hundreds of classics were available for free. But overall, the Kindle experience paled in comparison to the happy, familiar, comforting experience of sitting down with a book. Everything I wanted the Kindle to do, a book could do better.

He goes on to list more reasons why the book is the perfect technology. Perhaps this will change one day, but for now I can see his point. I work at a newspaper, which I hear every day is a dying industry. Yet, there is a feeling of holding a newspaper in your hand or the anticipation of picking up the day’s news off your front porch (or wherever it lands!) or handing a section to your wife so you can have the sports pages that so far has not been replaced. A common joke in our family is that an e-mail doesn’t exist for my in-laws until it is printed out and held in their hands. Some things are hard to replace.

So, we can appreciate new technology, but don’t be so quick to trash the old technology (or the people who are devoted to it). God works in mysterious way.

The chilling words recounted

10 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

ultrasound Gretchen Naugle, wife of Desiring God resources director Lukas Naugle, recounts at A Beautiful Work a disturbing episode in her life:

This month marks a strange anniversary of sorts for me. It was 2 years ago this month that I was sitting in a chair looking at my unborn baby in 4D. She was precious! We had previously found out that our baby had several “markers” for down syndrome and had enlarged kidneys which may have required surgery upon birth. Thus we were monitored more carefully and had a ton more ultrasound shots at a hospital. This was the first level 3 ultrasound with this pregnancy (I had had one with my 3rd with no problems). I got to gaze upon my baby for almost a full hour – it was wonderful! I was there alone as my husband was out of town. The specialist doctor called me in after the ultrasound to go over the findings. The first words out of his mouth to me were “Well you will have to come in tomorrow for your abortion because of how far along you are.” I was utterly shocked and devastated. All I could do was mutter “What??????” He then proceeded to tell me that my baby had more “markers” for down syndrome and it didn’t look good. I was more shocked that his automatic assumption was that I would abort my baby. I almost couldn’t comprehend what he was telling me in that office. All I wanted to do was run as far away from that man as possible.

Read the rest of the post to see that, unfortunately, Gretchen’s encounter is not that uncommon for women with babies diagnosed with Down syndrome.

The ESV Study Bible now available as an ePub book

9 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

Crossway Books announced Tuesday that the English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible is now available for $14.99 as an ePub book for the iPhone, iPod Touch or other portable devices. To read it (if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch) use the free application Stanza. And, if you don’t have one of those devices, you can also download the free e-reader for your desktop or laptop (if you’re on a Mac) to have the ESV there if you wish.

If you think taking your tunes with you is cool imagine taking God’s word and the comprehensive, complementary material included with the ESV Study Bible. So, this is what we’re talking about:

2 million words of Bible text and insightful teaching.
20,000 notes-focusing especially on understanding the Bible text and providing answers to frequently raised issues.
Over 50 articles-including articles on the Bible’s authority and reliability; on biblical archaeology, theology, ethics, and personal application.
200-plus charts-offering key insights and in-depth analysis in clear, concise outline form; located throughout the Bible.*
Over 200 maps-created with the latest digital technology, satellite images, and archaeological research; throughout the Bible.
40 all-new illustrations-including renderings and architectural diagrams of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, Solomon’s temple, Herod’s temple, the city of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time and throughout the history of Israel, and many more.

The times are a changin’ when it comes to public opinion

9 June 20099 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

President Obama, barely in office four and one-half months, has brought tremendous change already. From Rasmussen Reports on Monday comes evidence:

Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six out of 10 key issues, including the top issue of the economy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% now trust the GOP more to handle economic issues, while 39% trust Democrats more.

This is the first time in over two years of polling that the GOP has held the advantage on this issue. The parties were close in May, with the Democrats holding a modest 44% to 43% edge. The latest survey was taken just after General Motors announced it was going into bankruptcy as part of a deal brokered by the Obama administration that gives the government majority ownership of the failing automaker.

Voters not affiliated with either party now trust the GOP more to handle economic issues by a two-to-one margin.

Separate Rasmussen tracking shows that the economy remains the top issue among voters in terms of importance.

Republicans now hold a six-point lead on the issue of government ethics and corruption, the second most important issue to all voters and the top issue among unaffiliated voters. That shows a large shift from May, when Democrats held an 11-point lead on the issue.

New iPhones: Apple wants you to stimulate the economy

8 June 20098 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

A little silver lining on the dark economy cloud as reported by the Associated Press:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple Inc. slashed the entry price for an iPhone in half and rolled out new laptops for $300 less than previous models Monday, the company’s first dramatic price cuts since the recession began a year and a half ago.

Apple unveiled two new models of the iPhone – the 3G S – that will sport a faster processor and sought-after features like an internal compass, a video camera and an improved photo camera. A 16-gigabyte version of the 3G S will cost $199 and a 32-gigabyte model will be $299. The 8-gigabyte iPhone 3G, which came out last year, will be cut to $99 from $199.

All those people who dished out $599 two years ago for lesser phones will be really glad to hear this news. Or not.

Overcome the fear of living

7 June 20097 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

I have mentioned it earlier, but I can’t recommend high enough Kevin DeYoung’s excellent “Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will.” This little book will have a deep impact on your view of approaching God’s will and what it means. Here is how DeYoung puts it:

The will of God isn’t a special direction here or a bit of secret knowledge there. God doesn’t put us in a maze, turn out the lights, and tell us, “Get out and good luck.” In one sense, we trust in the will of God as His sovereign plan for our future. In another sense, we obey the will of God as His good word for our lives. In no sense should we be scrambling around trying to turn to the right page of our personal choose-your-own-adventure novel.

God’s will for your life and my life is simpler, harder, and easier than that. Simpler, because there are no secrets we must discover. Harder, because denying ourselves, living for others, and obeying God is more difficult than taking a new job and moving to Fargo. Easier, because as Augustine said, God commands what He wills and grants what He commands.

Thank you to Kevin DeYoung for writing this book. Just do something. Buy this book and read it.

Let’s not forget the sacrifices of D-Day

6 June 20096 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

From the U.S. Army‘s Web site dedicated to this historic day:

June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded — but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

Buddy and Julie Miller: The King and Queen of Americana

5 June 20095 June 2009 TBLeave a comment

This is a little late, but it’s something worth your attention. For any of you who love heartfelt music by that is heartwrenching, touching and utterly human, then you should check out Buddy and Julie Miller. The Wall Street Journal says this about the Millers:

Buddy and Julie Miller have essentially reigned since the mid-1990s as the unpretentious but royal couple of Americana music, that lovably motley modern-roots music genre derived from the American music traditions of country, folk, gospel, roots rock and more. Their CDs, whether recorded together or individually, have consistently garnered high praise for both the songs they write for them and for the often touching, sometimes feisty country-soul delivery.

The couple, now in their 50s, have weathered a load of misfortune over the years. Just this year Buddy suffered a heart attack during a concert with Emmylou Harris and underwent heart bypass surgery. Julie, meanwhile, has battled fibromyalgia and lost a brother suddenly when he was struck by lightning. They are a walking folk song. Their latest effort, long incubating, is called “Written in Chalk,” and delivers songs filled with heartache and longing. And nobody does it better than Buddy and Julie Miller, especially when they sing lyrics like these from the title track:

All our words are written down in chalk
Out in the rain on the sidewalk
If all our heartaches were in a stack
They’d go all the way up to heaven and back

We don’t know the trouble we’re in
We don’t know how to get home again
Jesus come and save us from our sin

They are unique and talented voices on the musical landscape. I thank God for the talents of Buddy and Julie Miller.