Tiktaalik

Although a lot of the article was “could be’s” masquerading as facts, it was interesting nevertheless:

NYT article

And here is an example of a Tiktaalik-inspired meme:

Meme
From knowyourmeme.com

Thought for today: Don’t be manipulated

Thought for today: Don’t be manipulated

Today’s thought for today was inspired by this Leo Tolstoy quote:

“Only during a period of war does it become obvious how millions of people can be manipulated. People, millions of people, are filled with pride while doing things which those same people actually consider stupid, evil, dangerous, painful, and criminal, and they strongly criticize these things—but continue doing them.”

Leo Tolstoy quote

It’s God’s Pulpit

Interesting article in today’s NYT:

NYT article

Fellow ministers…and Christian churches in general…it’s not your pulpit, it’s God’s. We need to treat it with reverence. Not just the pulpit: any association that could be rightly considered blaspheming His name.

Final note: I am not commenting on the legitimacy of the 2020 election nor whether one should question it.

Hero

 

Happy Friday Thoughts

 

“Wake Me Up (Universal Language Mix)” by Aloe Blacc

Neat new version of a tremendous song:

Blacc’s original tweet isn’t there anymore (?)…but his follow-up one is:

And the original song…

Impressed with the New York Times

If you’ve been reading my Nibble Ninja blog, you know I lean conservative. However, I really wanted a good home-delivered paper, and the Denver Post doesn’t fit the bill (and not because of its liberal slant).

So, I am trying out The New York Times. First issue came today, and I have to admit I am impressed. It’s too early to know if that’ll equate to me continuing to spend what it costs to have it on my doorstep, but credit where credit is due.

Having said that, being that I am more conservative than most of its writers, I suspect I am more aware of cases in it where they are providing opinion instead of factual journalism. Can you also spot it in this front page article?

Recommended: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

A little while back Augie and I had a hankerin’ for pizza, but wanted to try something new. We drove a bit, only to discover our destination was take out only.

So, we went next door to Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.

It. Was. Great!

As I put in the Google review:

Although a bit more expensive than normal fast food, it is also a lot better quality. Big thumbs up from the whole family!

Nice employees too. 🙂

Update: Adding a picture from a later visit…although I already had eaten some of it…so you can see the portions are plenty large.

This restaurant has become a family favorite, thanks to the food and the people.

Plate of food

The update was from today.

If you have a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit nearby…and you’re not a vegetarian :-), you should go check it out!

Huge kudos to the folks at the Tower Road location in Denver. Thanks for always being so awesome.

“Roman Soldier Assigned To Guard Tomb Of Some Jewish Carpenter Looking Forward To Uneventful Weekend”

Father Stu Gets It Wrong

Although he recently said some great stuff about redemption, I think Mark Wahlberg is mistaken here:

The problem with his view is that there is an assumption that kids can just figure it out for themselves. We don’t do that with non-spiritual things (“Hey, he’ll pick up piano on his own…”) and if we honestly believe there are eternal consequences to making the right decision, as parents we must lay the foundation for a correct choice.

Church surrounded by treedNow, that isn’t forcing them to believe. Someone either believes or doesn’t. You can lead the horse to water, but you cannot force it to drink.

You can force your kids to go to church with you (and you should), but…in the end…you cannot force them to drink the living water (see John 4:10). If you dont “force” them to do what is spiritually beneficial, it’ll be like allowing them to choose between a healthy plate of vegetables or ice cream. The likelihood that they will choose wrongly is huge, especially since the worldly buffet is not just vegetables versus ice cream…it is vegetables versus myriad other unhealthy options that “taste better” to our fallen natures.

Also, don’t forget, when you are avoiding “forcing” your kids into faith, the devil has no compunctions against evangelizing the young ones under your care into hell. He’s not out there saying, “Let’s just let Sally decide on her own.”  (“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

My parents gave me a choice when I was 6-ish whether I wanted to continue to go to Sunday school (I don’t think they were attending at all). You can guess how I (regrettably) chose. Praise God He didn’t give up on me, and I found faith later in life. But, I didn’t know him in the most formative years, and that is a tragedy of sorts, not just for me, but for those who I hurt.

P.S. I discuss the “great stuff about redemption” Wahlberg said here: Read More

“No Quarter” by Tangerine

I am generally not a fan of Led Zeppelin remakes, and I think it is especially hard for a female voice to pull off.

But both musically and vocally, Tangerine always pulls it off. This is premiering on YouTube as I write this:

Smokey the Bear

As of late, I have been collecting Funko Pop! dolls. Well, not in the “collector” sense, since I don’t keep the boxes. Instead, they are either characters I really like, or bring back fond memories. The one I grabbed at GameStop today is of the later type:

Smokey the Bear Funko Pop!

Why do I have fond memories of Smokey the Bear? Because I grew up in Canaan, New Hampshire, and either knew the first NH Smokey the Bear (or possibly his son…but he was an older gentleman, regardless). Here is a post about the first guy in NH to play Smokey, from a Facebook post (the next two images are the complete post):

Facebook post

Newspaper article

I don’t know if you read the left article, but part of the reason I am fond of Smokey is ‘cause I was one of the Junior Rangers and can still remember standing on a rock in the middle of the green, pine woods, wearing the metal badge and feeling on top of the world.

Those were different times. God blessed me and still does. But, I especially feel blessed by my childhood.