Daily Links 2-11-14

In today's edition: the myself I was yesterday, what Al Mohler and Jay-Z have in common, the most significant spiritual decision, and more.

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What Al Mohler and Jay-Z have in common. You might think not much but they do share one common trait:

Dr. Al Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His interests appear to include: reading, classical music, ties, and world affairs.  

Jay-Z is one of the most prolific rappers of the last decade.  Jay is known for his platinum albums, flashy lyrics, Illuminati allegations, and being a hip-hop mogul. 

Yet, these two men share a common skill.  Although these men have pursued radically different goals, and have vastly different worldviews, these men have the unique ability to raise up leaders. They both share a reputation for identifying promising talent and then putting time, energy, and resources into developing these future leaders with the hope that one day they will go on to do great things. 

Be sure to read the whole thing.

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Timeless time management lessons from Winston Churchill. I'm finding it more and more effective to apply just these sorts of lessons and not allow myself be distracted by the sheer number of things that I have to do.

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Our most significant spiritual decision. We made a similar decision sixteen years ago when our second daughter was born. Although we weren't in the same position as this couple I can heartily agree this was one of the best decisions we ever made.

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A collection of 12 essential quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Related: if you haven't read Eric Metaxas' excellent biography Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy you should.

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The Myself I Was Yesterday - Tim Challies on men and friendship:

In my adult life I have been blessed with some dear and intimate friends. I have come to depend on them in some way, to rely on their counsel, to covet their prayers, to savor the times we spend together, to miss them when we are apart—in short, to love them, and to enjoy the very things I was told I should not enjoy.

But it has not come easily. It has taken a commitment from them to push past my defenses and it has taken effort from me to see that this is okay. It has required fighting against the tide, so to speak, bringing truth to bear against old errors. And biblical truth really does counter than ugly nonsense that claims that men shouldn’t have close friendships, that they should not be committed to one another, that they should never say, “I love you.” 

But I have found, and am finding, that friendship is worth the fight. It is worth the fight in finding men with whom I genuinely enjoy spending time and with whom I love to share experiences, but even more, it is worth the fight in finding men who will make me a better man.

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Some helpful tips for taking control of your e-mail inbox. If you're like me, e-mail can be overwhelming. But applying these tips will help you take control of it rather than it controlling you.

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This is a startup I could support: you design your own guitar and they will build it for you.

Daily Links 1-8-14

In today's links: making college pay off, a caution to Christians about alcohol, a word from a young woman to young men, and more.

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If you don't click through any other link in today's post, take time to read this heartfelt letter from a 19 year old young woman to young men. It is an amazing post.

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Baseball's Hall of Fame will announce their 2014 class of inductees later today. Before the announcement, take time to read this column from Jonah Keri on what's wrong with the current voting process, how to fix it, and what his ballot would look like if he could vote.

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Glenn Harlan Reynolds (a.k.a. Instapundit) on how to make college pay off:

In the field of higher education, reality is outrunning parody. A recent feature on the satire website the Onion proclaimed, "30-Year-Old Has Earned $11 More Than He Would Have Without College Education." Allowing for tuition, interest on student loans, and four years of foregone income while in school, the fictional student "Patrick Moorhouse" wasn't much better off. His years of stress and study, the article japed, "have been more or less a financial wash."

"Patrick" shouldn't feel too bad. Many college graduates would be happy to be $11 ahead instead of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, behind. The credit-driven higher education bubble of the past several decades has left legions of students deep in debt without improving their job prospects. To make college a good value again, today's parents and students need to be skeptical, frugal and demanding. There is no single solution to what ails higher education in the U.S., but changes are beginning to emerge, from outsourcing to online education, and they could transform the system.

His upcoming book, The New School: How the Information Age Will Save American Education from Itself, looks like it will be an important one to read this year.

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Eric Metaxas interviews Malcolm Gladwell at Socrates in the City:



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31 College Campuses that are the perfect wedding venue:

Duke Chapel, Duke University, Durham, NC

Hat tip: Neatorama

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Somehow I missed this when it was first published: The Distinct, Positive Impact of a Good Dad.

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A caution to Christians who drink alcohol. I don't have any objections to occasional drink. This article makes some very solid points.

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Friday Tweet Recap 8-9-13

Here's a roundup of interesting things that I found on the web and tweeted this week. Quite a boatload of links in today's edition. Be sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest:

A historian makes a case for examining the forgotten presidents.

10 signs you might be a Jane Austen addict. This link should in no way imply that I think any of the women in my household should be classified as addicts.

Two different stories on finding love and both of them are unusual: From Wrong Number to Wedded Bliss and From Hashtags to Holy Matrimony.

For some, college is not worth the debt. More and more, this is something that families have to consider before sending their kids off to school.

"How did you like the sermon?" is the wrong question to ask because sermons are not for liking.

6 Commonly Held Misconceptions about Introverts.

10 reasons parents need a date night (with helpful explanations for the kids).

A fascinating survey of book lovers. Some the stats in this survey are really surprising.

I was sorry to hear this news. I hope they will change their minds.

10 things that "Yahweh" means. I honestly didn't know this.

What strengthens and weakens integrity - it's the small choices that count.

Eric Metaxas argues that cultural elites are the next great unreached people group. He makes a very compelling case.

A controversy has arisen over the word "wrath" in a hymn. Timothy George explains the problem. And Thom Rainer has some insight on what this says about evangelism and the church.

A surprisingly positive New York Times profile of the business practices of Christian companies.

Dispelling 12 common myths about Calvinism.

In honor of the announcement of the 12th doctor, 8 pieces of Doctor Who tea swag.

This is one of the rarest things you will see in baseball: a one pitch strikeout.

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees received a well-deserved 211 game suspension from Major League Baseball. For those unfamiliar with the story, Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan has an excellent timeline of how this came to pass.

More on Rodriguez: the reason why MLB needs to enforce the rules regarding drug use.

Here's one of the best baseball promos I have ever seen: Vin Scully for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

It's been 25 years since the first night game at Wrigley Field. Some recollections from those who were there.

Reclaiming excellence as a Christian virtue.

Some wonderful and weird places for bookstores.

Here's a great case of suburban renewal: abandoned Wal-Mart turned into America's largest library.

That's it. Have a great weekend!

Friday Tweet recap

It's Friday so it's time for a recap of some things of interest I found on Twitter this week for your weekend enjoyment:

This past week marked the 44th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin did something unusual during the mission: he took communion on the moon.

More Apollo 11 from LIFE Magazine: Up Close with Apollo 11. These are some amazing photos (some of which weren't published in the magazine.

This is from one of my favorite sites: Fathering With Intentionality: The Importance of Creating a Family Culture.

From one of my favorite book-related blogs, 3 steps that will help you read more books during the summer.

Former President George H. W. Bush shaved his head to support the 2 year old son of a member of his Secret Service detail who is battling leukemia.

The best students don't go to public school.

For my bookish friends, 10 pieces of Jane Eyre swag.

Is reading worth the effort?

10 Insights to Help Us Better Relate to Others.

If you're travelling to London (or perhaps live there) be on the lookout for Books on the Underground. This is a neat idea.

A must-see interview with Eric Metaxas about religious freedom.

How you can make your life better by sending 5 simple e-mails.

Here's a sure sign that you're in the South.

How to cook a steak at home that will be better than anything you can get in a restaurant. I put this to the test and it worked perfectly.

So my team (the Cubs) are pretty much out of the pennant race for this season barring a miracle comeback. How about projecting which World Series matchups we'd like to see? 

Ever find yourself in need of a Disney quote? Here's the place to go.

"But God pursued me." How a liberal columnist came to know Christ.

8 Brilliant Scientific Screw-ups.

That's it. Have a great weekend.

Who To Follow On Twitter: Don't Know Much About History

Of all social media platforms I consider Twitter to be my favorite in part because it's a useful way to find out things that are of interest to me on the web. But it can be a little overwhelming to know exactly who to follow. In this series, I'll share some of the feeds that have become my favorite feeds to follow. The following is a list of authors with a bent towards history as well as a couple of historical feeds that are worth a follow:

1. Eric Metaxas (@EricMetaxas)

The New York Times Bestselling author probably wouldn't consider himself a historian or biographer but he has shown himself adept at both roles. His books include Bonhoeffer, Amazing Grace, and most recently 7 Men. He is also host of Socrates in the City in New York. He is also the host of Breakpoint Radio. In addition, he's an incredibly funny guy and definitely worth a follow.

2. Amity Shlaes (@AmityShlaes)

She is the author of the excellent biography Coolidge as well as the previous bestseller The Forgotten Man about the Great Depression. She frequently shares links of a historical nature particularly connected with her books. Both books should be on your must read list. My interview with her about The Forgotten Man is here.

3. Stephen Mansfield (@MansfieldWrites)

Most recently the author of Killing Jesus as well as faith biographies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, he is another author to definitely follow on Twitter. His tweets are often about a variety of different subjects with links to articles of note. Among books of his I would recommend are Ten Tortured Words about the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment and More Than Dates and Dead People which deals with restoring a Christian view to history.

4. Jane Hampton Cook (@janehamptoncook)

Formerly a webmistress during her time in the Bush White House, Cook has always had an interest in history. She is a frequent contributor on cable news as well as a prolific author. Her latest book is American Phoenix, a biography of John Quincy and Louisa Adams.

5. Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg)

Few people understand biblical prophecy and Middle East politics as well as Joel Rosenberg. He blogs about events in the Middle East at his Flash Traffic blog. He is also the author of numerous political thrillers, all of which I would heartily recommend. His latest book is Damascus Countdown.

6. Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC)

He's best known as a presidential historian and author of a number of books. But he's also proprietor of one of the coolest Twitter feeds out there. Don't take my word for it: read this Washington Post profile. His accidental entry into Twitter has been one of the best feeds to come along in a while. The reason? He tweets nothing but photos many of which had never before been published. I have no idea where he finds them but they are always worth checking out.

7. Life (@LIFE)

In its heydey, LIFE Magazine was the penultimate historical photo album. If it happened, LIFE photographed it. Now the vast archives of photos is being posted on the internet. Many of them weren't even published originally in the magazine. They tweet out whenever they post a new album on their site. You could easily spend hours and hours looking through their pictures.

8. World War II Tweets (@RealTimeWWII)

Imagine what it would be like to have Twitter cover a major geopolitical event like World War II and you have what this feed is all about. Started a couple of years ago, this project documents events as they happen on a particular date. As I am writing this, they are tweeting through 1941 and intend to continue all the way through the end of the war. They also frequently post photographs that are absolutely amazing.

9. Smithsonian National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum)

The largest repository of historical artifacts, the American History museum is a must-see for any history buff. They also frequently blog about their collection and send out tweets about new posts. If you want to know more about American history it's definitely a feed to follow.

Communion on the Moon

Forty years ago, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by walking on the moon. But before they exited the lunar module for their moonwalk, Buzz Aldrin took time to do something even more special. He took communion on the moon. Eric Metaxas has the entire story. Check out this special moment from one of the greatest events in history.