by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/31/2007
As a writer, I enjoyed reading this article about the cliches that made this year's bad English list. Choosing from among 2,000 submissions, the public relations department at Michigan's Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie targeted 19 affronts to the English language in its well-known jab at the worlds of media, sports, advertising and politics. The contributors gave first prize to the phrase "a perfect storm," saying it was numbingly applied to virtually any notable coincidence. If you're... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/31/2007
"Our learning must be seasoned before it can be put to use in full effectiveness. Experience has its lessons to impart and we will profit by them. Struggle and stress and strife will give the fiber which is the basis of character, and that we my not be lacking in humility less adversity come upon us. So we set forth for our work in the world not blindly, but hopefully, not carelessly, but with seriousness of purpose, resolved to give... Read more.
by Tom Neven on 12/31/2007
Why'd the chicken cross the road? (Warning: Extreme political incorrectness follows.) DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems. OPRAH: Well, I understand that... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/29/2007
I rarely tackle anything of a political nature on this blog, but when Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday, the event felt significant. As my family watched the news reports, I told my dad, "This seems like a news report you'd see in a movie about the end times." And indeed, I wonder if we'll look back on this particular event as a catalyst to what follows in world events. A controversial figure, Bhutto had been living... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/28/2007
As editor of Boundless, I'm very familiar with the articles we publish each week. There've been a lot of great ones, and some exceptional ones. During this last week of the year, I wanted to highlight some that you may have missed when they first hit the stands: I'm Just Not Attracted To Her Author Michael Lawrence recognizes that while a lot of single guys may admire the women around them, they're not pursuing any of them because there's just... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/28/2007
I have seen the Lord's hand move in my life in obvious ways over the years. Often in my prayers the Spirit will lead me to recount them one-by-one with my heart overflowing with praise and thanksgiving. And now, at the end of the year, I plan to remember them anew with my family. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses does a lot of recounting for a new generation of Israelites. As they stand ready to take possession of the... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/27/2007
Here in Colorado Springs, we had a perfect combination of snow. We had the white Christmas that so many songs pine for this time of year -- with beautiful swirling flakes throughout the day. Then on Wednesday we had a blue sky that made for ideal sledding. It's snowing again today. I'm watching the cars in the parking lot slowly get covered in a blanket of white. But as the flakes dance around outside my window, I have to admit... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/27/2007
Everyone loves a feel-good story at Christmastime. And my favorite feel-good stories have to do with adoption. The New York Sun reports this story of the unlikely adoption of an Iraqi orphan by a U.S. soldier. Captain Scott Southworth first met Ala'a four years ago: On September 6, 2003, halfway through his 13-month deployment, Captain Southworth and his military police unit paid a visit to the orphanage. They played and chatted with the children; Captain Southworth was talking with one... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/26/2007
It was Christmas break and the campus was closing down, so I went back home for a few weeks. As the days passed, I grew restless and bored. I missed spending time with friends between classes. I missed the mental stimulation. I found myself increasingly eager to leave the emptiness of small town Upper Michigan and return to the normality of college life. It's been over a decade since that particular Christmas break, but the memories of that time are... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/25/2007
We obviously celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, but is that really when He was born? Well, I'm not sure. But there are a few ideas out there. We know that Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist (Luke 1:24-27, 36). So, if we can figure out when John was born, we can figure out when Jesus was born. John the Baptist's father was a man named Zacharias. Zacharias was from the tribe of Levi, which... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/24/2007
This week I blogged about holiday blues brought on by annoying circumstances, but many people suffer a different kind of pain at Christmas ... the pain of remembering a lost loved one. This is the case for Jennifer Napier who wrote the article "Birthdays with Jesus." Since my sister's death, December and March have been two particularly difficult months for me. When December draws close, I tend to cry thinking of how old my sister would've been. I've often imagined... Read more.
by Tom Neven on 12/24/2007
I like to think of Christianity as the "Who'd a Thunk It?" faith. In so many ways it defies man's expectations, and yet it is so perfect and obvious. There was the fact that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, something that really should not be in doubt but which makes so much sense after you think about it -- Rob Bell to the contrary. That he would be a unassuming servant and not a conquering king also... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/22/2007
There's a link at the bottom of one of this week's articles to download free Christmas music from Sovereign Grace. A number of authors published on Boundless are affiliated with Sovereign Grace (e.g., Carolyn McCulley, Bob Kauflin, Eric Simmons, C.J. Mahaney, Joshua Harris) -- I think you'll enjoy their music as much as you do these authors' articles. I love pretty much everything these guys produce; this song is no exception. After you download it and add it to your... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/21/2007
The kids wanted to finish watching "It's a Wonderful Life" this morning. One of the last scenes I caught before coming into the office was George Bailey jumping off the bridge after contemplating suicide. At the office, I came across a Los Angeles Times article saying that scene "could well have given birth to the media myth that Christmas is a trigger for increased suicides and episodes of depression." But then it went on to say: It is a baseless... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/21/2007
Hooray for Christmas! In Jason Boyett's latest TrueU article, he talks about his very favorite Christmas story. (He also mentions his favorite Christmas movies which include Charlie Brown, The Grinch and good old Rudolph.) Boyett's favorite is not found in Luke 2, though. It comes from Luke 15 -- the parable of the prodigal son. Boyett loves this story because it reminds him of how completely amazing the incarnation is. God came to earth -- as one of us --... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/21/2007
It's almost impossible to not to give away some plot lines when describing I Am Legend so if you haven't seen it, be warned. I found the movie both entertaining and disappointing ... if that's even possible. The visual of an apocalyptic New York City was cool, the pace was right on and Will Smith was enjoyable to watch. But then there were those computer-generated (CG) "night feeders" Smith's character had to battle for the second half of the movie.... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/20/2007
It's that time of year again. Time to go home for Christmas. Or stick around and make Christmas traditions of your own. Either way, the events surrounding such a wonderful and emotional holiday can create stress. Today, Boundless is featuring an article I wrote two years ago about overcoming holiday blues. I also talked about it for a Focus on the Family TV short. A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Pamela, who wrote: I just wondered --... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/20/2007
The U.S. Senate released a report today proving that there is no "consensus" among scientists on the issue of climate change. These scientists are neither Holocaust deniers nor moonlanding deniers or round-earth deniers, but are legitimate scientists engaged in the scientific process. (Let me insert here that I am strongly in favor of wise stewardship of the planet. God gave us the responsibility to care for the environment, and those who violate it are expressing a disdain for the Creator.... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/20/2007
Lynne Spears (mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn) is writing a book about parenting. Apparently this book has been put on hold ... indefinitely. The publisher declined to comment about why, but I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that Britney Spears is constantly in the news for her antics, and now 16-year-old Jamie Lynn has announced that she's pregnant by her boyfriend. Maybe it's a good idea to wait on the book. Although it doesn't... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/20/2007
Whew. I shipped the last of nine boxes yesterday, the last possible day for getting it to my aunt in Maine for a reasonable price. (Overnighting it on Friday would have run upwards of $50.) Now if I can just finish the 100+ cards that are spilling over my nightstand and drop them in the mailbox by 2 p.m. today, bake another batch of biscotti for friends here in town, clean the house for Saturday night's party, finish wrapping all... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/20/2007
It's not often that I disagree with Suzanne. But in this case, I do. And vehemently. In an article published on Boundless back in 2004, "Surviving Christmas Without the Lord of the Rings," Suzanne bemoaned her first Christmas break in three years that didn't include a new release from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. She listed a number of things those who love the movie could do to get through the Christmas season. Among them: Read the books Play... Read more.
by Tom Neven on 12/19/2007
Think Christmas movies and what comes to mind? Certainly Miracle on 34th Street. Or It's a Wonderful Life. There's always Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Or how about A Christmas Story? Well, as they used to say on Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the others." And according to this recent story in Time, it's becoming the nation's favorite Christmas movie. According to the article, "In a 2006 Harris poll, respondents from 18 to 41 years old named... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/19/2007
Today is the funeral service for Stephanie and Rachel Works, the sisters murdered in the shootings at New Life Church in Colorado Springs two Sundays ago. Their dad, who was also shot, was just released from the hospital on Tuesday, and today he will be attending his daughters' funeral. Also in attendance will be a group from Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church. They sent an announcement to a local TV news station which read: "Thank god for sending this tragedy,"... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/19/2007
A study published yesterday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JECH) reports that abortions increase the risk of low birth weight in future pregnancies by a factor of three, and of premature birth by a factor of two. Though the data contained in the study is 40 years old (I wonder why it didn't see the light of day sooner), it is the most thorough and conclusive U.S. study of its kind. According to Time: The study not... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/19/2007
The Line is hosted by TypePad. For the most part we're very happy with their service. They've recently reconfigured our comment spam filter, however, and it's wrongly stopping a lot of legitimate comments. Hmf. I've submitted a help ticket with them, and am awaiting their reply. Thanks for being patient as we work our way through this problem. Please know that we don't consider you to be spammers. Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/19/2007
Resurgence blogger Anthony Bradley is calling on pastors and small group leaders to give "mama's boys" their masculinity back. He says women, children, the church, and the world are desperate for it. Bradley writes that mama's boys typically come from mothers with passive, abusive or absent husbands. He says that without a father to keep the natural affections of a mother in check, women can actually become too close with their sons. And a son's unhealthy closeness with a mother... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/18/2007
Our fall 2007 Focus on the Family Institute students just graduated. It's very quiet around the office now. Sad. It's so fun to watch a semester at the Institute progress. When the 88 students first come, no one knows each other and all you hear are the same small-talky questions over and over again: "Where are you from? What school do you go to? What's your major?" We go on a retreat in the mountains the first weekend the students... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/18/2007
Apparently, growing up is out of style. (And in case you haven't gotten the memo, so are mullets.) A recent article highlights a study about adulthood published in the December issue of Journal of Family Psychology. In the study, 18-25-year-olds and their parents agreed that adulthood had not yet come. Most of these young people are just as irresponsible as they were in high school, and now that they're in college and away from home, they have more opportunity to... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/18/2007
I only remember two college all-nighters—uh, make that three. One I spent in the journalism house getting out the next issue of the student newspaper. A second I spent trying to memorize 1 Corinthians 12-13 for a final project (I should have chosen the option of writing a 15-page paper instead). And the third I spent compiling a hermeneutics project. In each situation, I was left with too much to do in a short amount of time. Not sleeping seemed... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/17/2007
A bit of coding ... and now we've got an RSS feed for comments, something a few of you have requested over the past few months. Scroll down the left column -- you should see the RSS feeds below our search box. Now, if we could only get RSS configured for our Web site, Boundless.org.... Enjoy! Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/17/2007
Seems there's some confusion about these two abbreviations. The first -- e.g. -- is short for exempli gratia, which means "for example." Here's an example: I like Italian food (e.g., spaghetti, lasagna, gnocchi). Note the comma before the first item in that parenthetical list. The second -- i.e. -- is short for id est, which means "that is." An example: I like Italian food (i.e., food from Italy). That is all. Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/14/2007
The journal Sleep (now where can I get a subscription to that one?) recently published a study affirming what we already know deep in our hearts: napping makes us better people. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Here's what the study concluded, though: Coffee significantly improves performance in young and middle-aged participants. Napping (that bwessed awwangement, that dweam wiffin a dweam*) is more efficient in younger than in older participants. Countermeasures to sleepiness should be adapted according to the... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/14/2007
Dr. Al Mohler reports that Richard Dawkins, well-known atheist and author of The God Delusion will be singing Christmas carols this year. According to the BBC: Prof Dawkins, who has frequently spoken out against creationism and religious fundamentalism, replied: "I'm not one of those who wants to stop Christian traditions. "This is historically a Christian country. I'm a cultural Christian in the same way many of my friends call themselves cultural Jews or cultural Muslims. "So, yes, I like singing... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/14/2007
I've been at home sick for the past three days. The first day was definitely the worst -- I won't go into too many details, but let's just say that my crackers and Fresca didn't stay in my stomach. I had a fever, aches, nausea -- the works. I'm doing much better now -- mainly just trying to get my energy back. I've spent my time at home sleeping, pouting about missing my department's Christmas party and watching the first... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/14/2007
We keep some very basic statistics about who visits The Line. We don't know anything personal, but we are able to see where our readers come from, for example. Countries represented in the past month include: Botswana Micronesia Rwanda Latvia Samoa Aruba Monaco Myanmar Albania Madagascar Albania Gambia Brunei Guatemala El Salvador Syria Nepal Oman Balarus Luxembourg Tanzania Cyprus Zimbabwe Mongolia Yemen Iraq Sri Lanka Macao Azerbaijan Bangladesh Malawi Fiji Estonia Cambodia Ethiopia Lebanon Slovenia Namibia Guam Moldova Qatar Morocco... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/13/2007
Today, if singles can't find potential mates among their acquaintances -- or among their family's and friend's acquaintances -- all they need to do is go online. I mean, it seems that out of millions of profiles you could at least find one that matches your 29 dimensions of compatibility, right? But what do you do if even that fails? Well, you get matched by your DNA, of course. An ABC affiliate in Boston reports on a new dating service... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/13/2007
A new study by BYU has found that today's college women are growing more permissive about pornography -- with 49 percent of the female college students surveyed finding pornography acceptable. The key question asked of students and their parents was if they agreed or disagreed that viewing pornography is an acceptable way to express one's sexuality. Lead author Jason Carroll, a BYU family life professor, offered two explanations for high acceptance among college women and men, 67 percent of whom... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/13/2007
Remember those? When you were a kid you'd scoop up a handful from the gutter and watch in amazement as they spiraled to the ground? I do. The years have squelched the hours when I'd be filled with wonder at the falling of maple seeds. For all their showiness, only a select few ever accomplished their goal of growing into a tree. Instead, most ended up ground into the pavement or choked in the tall backyard grass. I find myself... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/13/2007
A number of our readers are engaged in the global warming discussion. For their benefit, here are some recent headlines: Arctic Sea Ice Re-Freezing at Record Pace Record High Antarctic Ice Levels Ignored by Media Earth's Heat Adds to Climate Change to Melt Greenland Ice Island Shrinking by Global Warming… But for Over 100 Years? Fall in weather deaths dents climate warnings Weather Channel Founder: Global Warming 'Greatest Scam in History' Jews Are Responsible For Global Warming Chris Horner Identifies... Read more.
by Tom Neven on 12/12/2007
In Part I of this series I raised the topic of Christians in Hollywood. Based on responses to that, I promised to follow up with how Christians in Hollywood should behave, and here I asked what makes a good movie. Finally, here, let's look at what kinds of movies Christians should make, and what kinds should they watch. Let's first look at two types of stories that get made into movies: the Platonic and the Aristotelian. (HT Ron Austin of... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/11/2007
In "The Hipper-Than-Thou Pastor," Time Magazine profiles Rob Bell, the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. Describing Bell and his "geeky-hip glasses, black pants, black shirt and polyester white belt," the article makes the point that Bell isn't your average pastor. The fact that Bell is making a significant impact on Evangelicalism is undeniable. His books Velvet Elvis and Sex God have enjoyed wide audiences in Christian circles. And he has created a form of video message... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/11/2007
Some of the most engaging debates among Boundless commenters have been over how to engage as Christians with culture. Many of our readers believe passionately that Christians need to get out of their gospel ghettos and be engaged with popular music, books, TV shows, movies, Web sites and more in order to stay relevant to non-believers. Other readers believe Christians live out the call to be "in the world but not of the world" by being distinctly set apart in... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/11/2007
Thanks to my friend Hunter for alerting me to GoodSearch.com, a search engine that gives 50 percent of the revenue it receives from your search business to the charity of your choice. Plus, the search results are powered by Yahoo!, a trusted name among search engines. Close to 50,000 charities, schools and Christian organizations (e.g. Focus on the Family) are already listed on GoodSearch.com, and more are being added each day. An "amount raised" button shows you the overall amount... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/11/2007
Under Roe v. Wade, which of these are allowed to perform abortions? a. Licensed physician b. Nurse practitioner c. Resident assistant d. Registered nurse e. All of the above That's one of 12 questions from Roe IQ designed to "measure the current awareness of Roe and its effects, as well as to provide detailed information about the ruling." I only got 10 out of 12 (83.33%) and I worked for a pro-life ministry for five years. I don't know who's... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/10/2007
I just heard a little about Matthew J. Murray, the shooter who died yesterday during the incident at New Life Church. He was 24-year-old, former home school student. Neighbors described his family as religious. He and his 21-year-old brother lived at home. Sounds a little like my family and maybe yours. It's not the profile I'd expect of a killer. The troubled foster child who opened fire in an Omaha mall last week is a little easier to understand. And... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/10/2007
Noviana was walking to school with a few of her Christian friends, chatting about this and that. Out of the blue, three men savagely attacked the group of girls, beheading three of them. They put the girls' heads in plastic bags and left one at the steps of a church, pledging in handwritten notes that there would be more such murders. Noviana barely escaped the attack with wounds both physical and emotional. This was two years ago in Indonesia. The... Read more.
by Tom Neven on 12/10/2007
By now most readers should know about the murders at a dormitory for Youth With a Mission in a Denver suburb and at New Life Church in Colorado Springs. As of this writing, details are still sketchy, but the victims at YWAM and at New Life have been identified. The motive of the killer or killers -- the shootings may be related -- remains a mystery at the moment. Someone on the radio this morning, citing the recent shootings at... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/07/2007
I've recently been receiving some letters from guys telling me that they want to be intentional but that women they know have not been receptive. In my article "What Girls Wish You Knew," I laid out some of the things that catch a woman's eye -- for good and bad. Among these are a man who is consistently kind, shows signs of a vital relationship with God, respects women and takes initiative. I know there are guys out there who... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/06/2007
Another new TrueU article is from J. Budziszewski's "Ask Theophilus" column. The professor responds to a student who is wondering about what success looks like in the eyes of God. The student wants to be successful, but is wondering exactly how to go about that, since the Bible doesn't clearly define what success is. Budziszewski/Theophilus begins by pointing out a few Bible verses that specifically link actions with consequences: "A wicked man earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/06/2007
The last time something like this happened, I blogged about how we all look for some sort of "reason" behind mass killings. Now I find myself thinking about what I would do if I found myself in the middle of such a heinous act. It's not so strange, is it? To think that something like that might happen to us in this day and age of seemingly annual young-white-male-shooting-sprees? This report from KETV News provides some detail of what witnesses... Read more.
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