What is the Bible Basically About?

Here is a great video featuring Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. This is something that I'm constantly being reminded of as I read through the Old Testament.

Paul Newman

 Image From Soda Head

"Why go out for a hamburger when you have a steak at home?"
       - Paul Newman when asked why he stayed faithful to his second wife Joanne Woodward from 1958 until his death in 2008.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Image from Comics.com

    I (and the US Postal Service) are so thankful for Netflix.  I look forward to my next DVD in the mail, but wouldn't it be nice to open your mailbox to find more than just your Netflix envelope, your Southern Living Magazine, and some junk mail.  What if, on occasion, you received a real letter that someone took time to write and send.  Today, it is so easy to type an email and press send that we have lost the art of letter writing.  It is amazing how much more personal and special a letter is than a facebook message.
    Since I want to start writing more letters I figured I needed to come up with some reasons to write people. So here are some "excuses" I came up with to jump start my letter writing.
1. Special Occasions: I often buy a card for friends and family when there is a birthday, anniversary, graduation, new baby, so on.  I am not at all opposed to greeting cards, they are often sweet or really funny, but instead of letting the card do all the talking why not take the opportunity to tell the person how much you really appreciate and love them by simply adding a note to the card or writing a letter to commemorate that special occasion.
2. Thanks: Most of our moms taught us early to send thank you notes.  Instead of treating it as a chore, treat it as an opportunity.  Thank the person for the gift, tell them how much you appreciate it, how you will use it, then take the time to tell them how important they are to you.  And if you don't see them often take this opportunity to tell them what is going on with you, what a nice way for them to hear about your life.  And remember thank you notes don't have to be for material gifts only.  Send a note of thanks for hospitality, help at work or school, or for kindness someone showed you when you were sick or down.
3. Thinking of you: This is the tough one for me.  I tend not to contact people unless there is a specific reason to, I know lame.  I am sure we can all think of someone, like maybe a grandmother or friend who lives out-of-town, that would love to hear how we are and maybe even receive a picture or two.  I am going to try and get better at this by sending a "just thinking of you" letter once a month to a friend or family member.
4. A love letter: now this is tricky if you live with the one you love, but you don't have to put a stamp on it for it to be considered a letter.  Ryan and I have written each other letters for special occasions several times over the last couple years and they are so special to us.  They are a neat way to record how we have grown in love for one another throughout the years.  Think about decades from now how special those letters will be.  Hint for all you boyfriends or husbands:  I really think most women would agree that a love letter is very romantic (and it can be a cheap part of any gift!)

So those are my thoughts on occasions to write a letter so far... do you have any thoughts?  Do you have any good excuses to mail someone a letter?  Do you love/hate "snail mail"?

Here is a nice post about 10 Reasons to Write a Letter from a blog called 365 Letters.
And here is an article from Art of Manliness about letter writing.

Run and Tell That!

I'm not feeling a question this week. Instead, here are the clips that Laura and I have been watching over and over this week.

This first one is brought to you by the great state of Alabama, where we grow 'em good. News just couldn't get better in Huntsville.



But if that wasn't enough, Autotune the News made this awesome remix. It is really catchy, I'm warning you.



And finally, we already posted the awesome Double Rainbow Clip, but the same guys who made the above clip also made this pretty sweet remix.



I love YouTube.

This Week's Answers: Dream Job

In 1993 I was eight years old, and there were few things that I loved more than Auburn football. If you've seen pictures of me, you would probably argue that I liked triple cheeseburgers more than football, but I digress. Anyway, Auburn was on probation that year, so there was a TV ban and we couldn't watch any of the football games. I remember listening to Jim Fyffe call the games all year long. He was a fantastic radio broadcaster, adding color, knowledge of the game, and life to the games he called. The above clip is taken from the Alabama game and is one of Fyffe's more famous calls, as he screams "Eleven and O!" over and over again. Auburn went undefeated that season, and it was a blast to listen throughout the year.

I would love to be a play-by-play college football announcer. What a fun job! Hanging out with coaches and players would be fun, but taking something that you are seeing and describing it a way that can captivate audiences is a skill that is a rare find. So if I could do it well, that would be the dream job.

The 2mm Monster

Photo from ELS Podcast Blog

  

    It has been said that it is "the worse pain you have ever experienced" or "worse than giving birth and no baby to show for it."  I would have never thought that something so small could cause SO much anguish.

    At about 12:15 yesterday I was eating lunch with a friend at school.  We had found a quiet area in a lobby to sit, eat, and relax a little before class at 1.  I got up momentarily to answer a phone call and then went to the restroom.  Before I got back to the lobby I started having sharp pain in my left side which radiated into my back and stomach.  On a scale of 1 to 10 the pain was about an 5.  Within 3 minutes the pain was an 7.  It honestly felt like someone had stabbed me in the side.  I immediately thought, oh my goodness, I think I have a kidney stone.  I panicked asking my friend  "what do I do about my patient at 2:00?"  She, being the awesome friend she is, encouraged me to go straight to student health and she would cover me the rest of the day.  I grabbed my wallet, phone, and water bottle and proceeded to walk the 2 blocks to student health from the dental school. By the time I got there the pain had gotten even worse, but luckily I arrived right as they were starting back from lunch and they got me back to a room within 10 minutes.  At this point I could only pace around the room to keep from crying from the pain.  I was sweating and felt nauseated, and nothing gave me relief .  About 20 minutes later, the doctor completed the normal diagnostic run down, checking the source of the pain, and proceeded to tell me, "You probably have a kidney stone.  The pain could get worse so you need to get the the ER as soon as possible."  I thought, "Worse? Is that possible?"

    With my car being 8 blocks away and plus I am unsure that I could drive at this point anyway, I called Ryan to come get me.  He immediately left work and got downtown as soon as possible.  Ryan's dad was the closest person to me, so he actually left work to come get me so I could get to the ER faster, even though they both arrived at about the same time.

    Once I got to the ER, of course you have to got through triage all over again even though I was in excruciating pain.   About 20 minutes later I was in a room, with my sweet husband to comfort me, and I laid down trying to get some sort of relief.  Within 20 minutes I actually started feeling better.  Of course!  I finally get to an ER bed, within reach of morphine, and then the pain decreases.  Once the doctor came in my pain was at a bearable 7.  By the time they started an IV and gave me some meds it had decreased even more.  

    The doctor order a CT, and after examining the results told me that my left ureter (tube from the kidney to the bladder) was inflamed so if I was feeling relief it was because I had just finished passing the stone.  So I passed about a 2mm stone in about 2 and a half hours without any pain medication. The doctor told me they saw another stone in my right kidney, basically a ticking time bomb for this to happen all over again!  Needless to say I am drinking water like crazy and praying that the stone that is still there will just disappear.  Once we left the ER I felt fine, was just tired.

    Insane day.  Treated a patient that morning, passed a kidney stone that afternoon, had dinner with Ryan, and then fell into bed and was asleep by 9.  Then today it was almost like it never happened.  Other than the terrible memories I have of the event and being more tired than normal, I was back at school today in clinic like normal.  Talk about a strange turn of events.  Needless to say, I am officially ready for the weekend, which I will most likely spend resting, plus a little relaxing fun with friends.  And I will end this unique post with a quick message to Ryan and my family.  Ryan - thanks for caring for me so well, I am blessed to have you as a husband.  Mom and Dad - thanks you for your prayers and checking up on me.  I am so glad to have you near when things like this happen!

 

Web Roundup

Sharpie Pencil

I have yet to use one, but if this is as good as it sounds I have a feeling I will love it!

Image from Sharpie Blog

The Mindset List
Beloit College puts together a list every year about the mindset of new college freshman.  Pretty interesting.  Some of my favorites:
   1. Few in the class know how to write in cursive.
   12. Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.
   26. Unless they found one in their grandparents' closet, they have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides.
   32. Czechoslovakia has never existed.

Lost for free on Hulu
Being a Lost fan, if someone asks me about it I always encourage them to check out the first season and see if they like it.  (WARNING: You are almost always inevitably hooked within a couple episodes and will most likely proceed to watch the entire series.)  But if you are curious, now is your time.  Seasons 1-5 are free on Hulu for the rest of 2010.

Image from Hulu

Stuff Christians Like
Even though this site is already linked on our blog I had to draw attention to it at least once.  I absolutely love this blog.  The author, Jon Acuff, had the idea to talk about hilarious (but true) things that we do as Christians.  One of my personal favorite posts: Christian Bumper Stickers.  Check out the blog and his book.

The Magical World

Image from Mynt Condition

Sometimes I think that I am caught in the middle of a mindless dance. Wake up. Go to work. Come home. Eat. Work. Sleep. Repeat. Often after two or three days of this in a row,  I step back and have to ask how on earth I have managed to wonder aimlessly through a few days. Maybe it is that I do not think much of this routine has great significance. How is it that we go throughout our lives and find it lacking? Why do you think men have mid-life crises?

For Christmas last year, Laura got me The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. I had read a fair amount of the beloved comic strip before, so I was thrilled when I received it and started reading a few strips a night. In the middle of a busy and stressful school semester, it was so refreshing to have that waiting at my bedside every night. While it is a comic strip and has some hysterical moments, it really made me think about the adventure that is there in everyday life. Looking at the world through the eyes of an imaginative eight-year-old brings back memories of tying blankets around your neck and jumping off the porch, pretending that you were Superman and you could reach the moon if you wanted too. There were the times that my best friend and I were Ninja Turtles, saving our houses from immanent doom. Or even practicing the winning shot that I hoped I would score in a championship basketball game one day.

But then one day we were too old to find adventure in the mundane. Suddenly we thought it foolish to waste times in such silly games. Adventure came in building bike ramps, riding a four wheeler up a mountain, or daring to ride your bike down dog-infested streets. Junior high, high school, college, all of these brought about new adventures, from road trips to hide and seek, football games to school dances.

Somehow adulthood seems like it can be completely devoid of adventure. Instead of showing up around every corner, it is the Cheshire Cat, popping up here and there, just out of our reach until we give up pursuit. But when I stop to look at it, I think that adventure is still there. I found it tonight in wondering the halls of the church with my wife, singing at the top of our lungs while having contests jumping off the stairs. It doesn't look the same as adventure when I was 10 or even 20, but it is my adventure nonetheless. And in embracing that, I think that life is again infinitely exciting. No longer is the humdrum of work and routine my only option. Now I can dream big. It may take work to find your adventure. Maybe it will take some active searching, spending time with friends in the great outdoors or with your wife on a road trip to nowhere. But when we take time to look, I'm sure that we will find it.

"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy... Let's go exploring!"

This Week's Question: Dream Job

Image from New World Software Quality Assurance

What is your dream job? Let's assume that you have all the necessary training that you would need and make all the money you would need as well. Let's also assume that it is not your current job. Have fun!

This Week's Answers: Favorite Book

Image From The Manhattan Rare Book Company

I have always felt like books have had the power to transport you into another world. Authors have the distinct privilege of inventing scenes, characters, and plots that allow readers to immerse themselves. If you have never truly lost yourself in a book, you are not reading the right stuff. Whether it is the hauntingly beautiful worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, the bleak prose of Ernest Hemingway, or the way that John Steinbeck crafts his characters and scenes, when I read a good book I feel like I have been there with the characters. I feel what they feel. The sights and sounds are there, as are the glories and the disappointments. So here is my list of the best books I have ever read.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. This is my all-time favorite book. The story is compelling as you follow the Joad family on their trek to California in order to try and find work. Every book I had read before this had to have a fast pace story or some sort of plot ploy in order to keep my attention, but Steinbeck's writing is breathtaking. Even when he takes an entire chapter to step back from the narrative and describe a scene unrelated to the plight of the Joads, I can't help but hang on every word. I'm in the middle of reading through all of Steinbeck's published work because I loved this book that much. If you haven't read it, please do. It is definitely worth the wait.

Image From Info Addict

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien is the master of fantasy. While Peter Jackson made good on The Lord of the Rings by doing an excellent job of portraying Middle Earth on the big screen, nothing beats reading about the world from Tolkien himself. I first saw the kind of cheesy animated movie from the 70s when I was young and decided to read it probably in middle school. I've read it three times since then because the story, the characters, and Middle Earth itself is so engrossing. Very good book.

I could list several more that I might call favorites, but these are the two that I would consistently rate as the two best books I've ever read. If you want some more, here are a few that I would say are close to belonging on the list.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Any poetry by Walt Whitman or Carl Sandburg

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Jurassic Park and The Lost World by Michael Crichton

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

The Passing Shadow

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach."

J.R.R Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Wordle

I thought this website was pretty cool so I thought I would share.  It is called Wordle.  Here is how it works:  You gather a group of words or some text, like maybe a letter or bible verse, that you love.  Then you type it in and the website helps you form your own word art!  

Awesome right!  Here is one I made in about 5 minutes:

Question of the Week: Favorite Book

I love reading. It is one of the more relaxing and consistent hobbies that I've maintained consistently throughout my life. One of the problems of getting into reading though is finding good books. There are millions of books out there to read, but for every great book, there are a thousand bad or mediocre ones. So to spread the love, I thought I'd ask about your favorite book. Maybe it is a classic that everybody reads in high school or even earlier, or maybe it is an obscure author who has only a few things out there. Whatever it is, let us know! Laura and I will post our favorites on Saturday. Happy reading!

By the way, the awesome picture used came from Curious Expeditions blog. Their post on the world's most beautiful libraries can be found here and is fantastic!

This Week's Answers: Stay at Home Dad

Men bring home the bacon. They are financial providers. They do not really know how to relate to kids as well as women. They all long to be outside the home. If a man were a stay at home dad, he would probably mess things up (see above picture of the superhero "Pull Up Boy").

Except for that last one, which I made up because I liked the picture, I've heard all of these statements at one point or another. To some degree I'm okay with them, especially if we are talking about your own family context. If that is the way that things work best at your house or how you have decided to run your family, more power to you. But do these things make being a stay at home dad a non-option? Here are a few thoughts that Laura and I discussed this past week.

1. Men should be providers. I think this is close to incontrovertible. But the reason I think this is that I don't think men should be bums, not necessarily based on something I find in Scripture. Where this argument really takes off is how you define provider. Which leads to...

2. Provider can mean different things. I recoil at the thought of provider meaning only financial provider. I don't have a problem with a man being a financial provider, but I think it is unrealistic to assume that provider only or primarily relates to bringing in the most money. In our particular situation, I will not make as much money as Laura, guaranteed. It is a simple fact that she as a dentist is going to make more money than me as a teacher or administrator in a high school. Am I therefore not a provider? I don't think so. I know some people who have said that this is going to cause great strain in our marriage down the road. Call me naive, but I do not think it will. I hate using this argument, but it's the 21st century and I think that we are over that. So, I don't think provider has to mean "I make the most money and completely support the family financially."

3. Provider may even mean something unrelated to money. In the above example, I'm still working and making some money. But what happens if we say that Laura and I decide that she wants to work and I want to be a stay-at-home dad? Does that mean that I am no longer a provider? I still would say that is a provider. I think that the stay-at-home dad provides the support and ability for a wife to pursue a career and provides the love and care that children need. Is it the right situation for everyone? Absolutely not. But is it always wrong? I would say absolutely not as well.

4. I do not think that what is often taught about man's and woman's roles in the church today are biblical. That is not to say that they are innately wrong, but I think that modern pop psychology (more like pop psychology from the mid 20th century) is baptized under the name Christian and is then termed biblical by people who assume it to be true. I know guys who would be great fathers and stay-at-home dads. Personally, I like to cook, wash dishes, teach, and I'm not bad at laundry and other household chores. Plus, I like kids and would like to spend days with my own kids one day. On the other hand, I know women who love to work. They are good at their jobs and they love doing it. It's not that they don't like their kids, but they want to have a career too. Are we going outside the realms of biblical manhood and womanhood? I tend to think not.

That was a random post and question, I know, but I need to think it out some. If you have any thoughts, feel free to comment!

The Trinity: A Response to an Earlier Comment

Last week, the question of the week was regarding the Trinity. I received a comment on that post with a link to a video that essentially denies the divinity of Christ and attempts to repudiate the claims of Trinitarian theology. I tried to simply leave a comment on that comment, but it was too lengthy. So I decided ot make it a post in and of itself. I know it is pretty meaty, but I think it is well worth some consideration and hope it leads to more conversation.

Hi Adam,

I will admit that I have yet to watch the video, but I did find your blog and check out a few of your posts, and this one in particular. I will try to go back and watch the video later. I noticed that I cannot comment on your blog, so this is really my only chance of having any dialogue.

I think your position has some flaws and is not the best explanation of Scripture as a whole.

Your issue seems to be one of Christology, namely that Jesus is not divine but is a created being who is deemed the Son of God. One question I did have reading your post was whether or not you think Jesus was always the Son of God or just became the Son of God at his baptism or what. The way you began to speak of it reminded me more of Greek mythology, but I could have misread it.

Rather than dispute the arguments you make at this point (though some of that is done here), I will simply pose some issues that I think are not dealt with adequately in your position. I think these elements are much more clearly dealt with from a Trinitarian perspective, or at least a perspective which says that Jesus is fully God just as he is fully man.

1. You are quick to point out that Jesus says "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" in John 17:3. But if you keep reading you will run into verse five: "And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." This seems to me to be clear evidence for the pre-existent Christ at the very least, if not more. I'm not sure that your position lends itself to a pre-existent Christ.

2. In John 20:28, Thomas sees and is invited to touch the wounds of Jesus and his response is "My Lord and my God!" If Jesus knew that he was not God, would he not rebuke such a declaration? Yet he gives no such rebuke. The only explanations that are apparent are either (a) Jesus is God and therefore does not rebuke Thomas or (b) Jesus is a liar and wants people to think that he is God. Only one of those options looks good to me.

3. 1 John 5:20 says "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." The Greek here is pretty tricky, but I agree with most translators and translating committees that this is a reference to Jesus being God.

4. You make an argument that Jesus saying that "I and the Father are One" in John 10:30 is a reference to unity of purpose. Why then in John 10:31 do the Jews pick up stones to kill him? Being of the same purpose with the Father would seem a good thing, yet they respond with deep animosity. This response is based not on unity of purpose, but on a claim of divinity.

5. In discussion with the Jews in John 8:58, Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." After this, they pick up stones in order to stone him. The reason for this is because he claims to be co-eternal with God the Father. He uses the epithet "I am," the same designation that translates YAHWEH in Exodus 3:14. It seems for such a strong response and for Jesus to use these words that it would almost have to be a claim of divinity.

6. You mention Philippians 2:11 in part of this post as well. What then do you do with the first part of this very famous "Christ hymn"? Philippians 2:5-7 says, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." If the wording of him being in the form of God is not enough, how can someone who is not God but simply man make himself nothing? It doesn't seem to fit unless it speaks of the incarnation of Jesus.

7. This is more of a philosophical argument, I admit, but I find it hard to believe that the death of a good or even a perfect man could have any effect on other people's standing before God. If he was a perfect man and no more, then I think that his death may have very well paid for his own way to heaven. I don't see how his goodness is imputed to me if he is not God. Like I said, that is merely a philosophical argument, but one that is worth thinking about nonetheless.

I hope that helps to clarify my view. I believe that it is also the view of orthodox Christianity throughout Scripture and throughout church history. The burden of proof lies with your view and I do not think you have provided Scriptural basis for Arianism.

Moreover, your post boasts as if being able to know everything about God is a good thing. I agree that we should press "further up and further in" as C.S. Lewis would put it, but I also believe that there are things I do not, cannot, and will not know about God. That is why he is God! If I perfectly understood him, then I myself would be a god.

Dear readers, please take time to consider. Take time to think. Take time to dig though God's Word. Pray for the Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) to illuminate your eyes, ears, and minds as you read and study. The Truth may seem allusive, and it may take hard work and deep thinking, but it is well worth it. May our love of Christ and the hope that is found in him spur us on to deeper affection, greater knowledge, and unquenchable desire.

Ryan

Farewell to Shadowlands

"The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning." And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all stories, and we can most truly say they all lived happily every after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventure in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

C.S. Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle

Today's My Favorite Things: Birthday Edition

So today's edition of my favorite things is short but sweet.  My tribute today is to my wonderful husband on his 25 birthday!   I also want to say Happy Birthday to my awesome big sister, I love you Leigh.

  
    To Ryan, 

Happy Birthday.  It is hard to believe that we have celebrated 9 of your birthdays together.  I hope on this birthday you know how loved you are.  I love you more every passing day as you serve me, challenge me, encourage me, and care for me.  Thank you for being a constant source of joy in my life.  Praise God for allowing me to marry the man of my dreams and my best friend in this life.

    Love, Your Wife

What to Get Your Guy for His Birthday

What on earth will I buy for my dad, brother, husband, boyfriend, etc.? As a guy, I often think that buying gifts for women is really difficult. After being married for a few years, it seems though that Laura sometimes has the same trouble finding a fun gift for me. So to help solve some woes or at least throw out a few ideas, I thought I'd put together a gift giving guide with some things that most guys would love. Hopefully you can at least find one something your guy would really appreciate and have fun with.

Dockers Soft Khakis

I bought of pair of these awesome pants this past weekend and really love them. They fit great and look pretty good as well. Not only that, but they are extremely versatile. I wore them to church with some nicer shoes and a button up, but pulled them off with a T-shirt and sandals as well. Excellent!

Amazon Kindle

Now this actually pains me to say, but I'm starting to think that the Kindle would be awesome to have. I'm an Apple guy through and through, but it is tough to beat the price and functionality of a Kindle. I will never be a completely digital reader. I'm too attached to having books in my hand that you can feel and smell and place on your shelf for posterity's sake. Still, if your guy is a reader and wouldn't mind having a few books on an e-reader, the Kindle is the way to go.

Shaving Equipment

 This may sound like a weird one, and I will admit that it is one that I doubt every guy would go crazy for, but I absolutely love my shaving gear. Up until about a month ago, all I had ever used were disposable or cartridge razor blades that you see commercials for all the time. The problem was that I hated shaving, replacements cost a ton, and I still got pretty bad razor burn and redness from shaving with these supposedly super high tech razors. I started reading up on different alternatives and found some articles on using a good old fashioned double edged safety razor. It does have a little more up front cost for the razor, a good brush, shaving cream, and blades, but the shaving cream lasts longer and smells better, the blades are much cheaper, and my skin is much healthier since the switch. I love shaving now, which is really weird to say. There are plenty of good options out there in this category. I have a Merkur razor, a Parker brush, and some Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream. 

Newspaper Subscription

Let's face it: as a twenty-something in a busy environment, sometimes the news just doesn't happen. I hate TV news because it seems like a load of screaming men and women who think that the loudest screamer wins. I'm not a huge fan of internet news because the coverage is usually so sparse. But I still love having a newspaper. It is an easy way to stay connected with local, national, and international news so that you can stay informed about what is happening around you. Laura and I subscribe to the Birmingham News. It has decent local coverage and also has enough coupons to make your subscription worth your money (we pay $2 a week, we have had the paper for 2 weeks, we just saved $13 in coupons at the grocery store tonight from coupons we got from the Sunday paper). If you are looking for more in depth national or international news, I recommend the Wall Street Journal. Great reporting, good editorials, and a pretty balanced perspective on things.

Flint and Steel Firestarter 

For the outdoors man in your life, there is this handy fire starter. It would be handy on the next camping trip, or perhaps if he ends up as a guest host on man vs. wild. Just a thought.

Beer Brewing Kit

I'm going out on a limb here, but I like a beer every now and then. If you have questions about that, please feel free to ask me. I have never been nor ever plan to get drunk as it looks like nothing but a bad choice that precedes many other bad choices. But a good beer with pizza or sipping on a dark beer while reading the paper at night is something that I enjoy. For my birthday this year, Laura got me a home beer brewing kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. It includes everything you need to brew one gallon of grain brewed beer. We haven't made it yet, but I think it will be fun to try out.

Netflix

  

Laura and I decided to do the free trial for Netflix in June and we planned on canceling in July. Well, here comes August and we are still enjoying our subscription to Netflix. If your guy is a movie buff, he will love it. Plus, this is a fairly inexpensive option that the both of you would enjoy.

Saddleback Leather Briefcase

This is not a cheap gift. In fact, it is downright expensive. I would have a hard time justifying this except for the fact that (1) it is beautiful craftsmanship that both looks good and is eminently practical, and (2) it has a 100 year warranty. That is right. Your kids and possibly grandkids will be using this bag long after you are gone. Saddleback Leather Company makes all of their bags, including this briefcase, from high quality leather and create each one by hand. This is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill gift, so you would have to save up for a while to make the purchase, but I think it would be worth it.

Give Your Time!

When it comes down to it, most husbands would simply love to spend some good quality time with their wives and know that they are appreciated. I know for Laura and I that I feel like I am constantly busy running from school to one job to the next job to homework to bed with nothing to break the monotony sometimes. When we really settle down and Laura makes a nice meal at home or plans an evening out, I love that. I love knowing that we will be able to spend some quality time together, talking about the craziness going on in our lives and the mundane things as well. At the end of the day, that is better than any gift that she could ever buy.

Question of the Week: Stay-At-Home Dad

"Do you think it is manly to be a stay-at-home dad?" I read the question on The Art of Manliness and thought I'd ask the people I work with to get their opinion. I was hoping the question would generate a few comments and short answers, but it quickly turned into a verbal firestorm. Most people said that if the situation called for a man to stay at home and that was the best way for them to provide for their family, then yes, it is good for a man to stay at home. However one guy insisted that it is not only unmanly, but it is not biblical and a direct violation of the way God created us. What do you think? Is it permissible or manly for a guy to be a stay-at-home dad?