Daily Links 2-21-14

A roundup of links for your weekend reading: things Christians should remember about depression, love lessons from Taylor Swift (!), rumor of the day, and more.

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5 Things Christians Should Know About Depression and Anxiety. The problem that we face is that both are easily misunderstood. This is a good example of things that we need to keep in mind when trying to help people that are dealing with these issues.

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The 13 Most Influential Candy Bars of All Time. Who knew that candy was so important? (Hat tip: Mental Floss)

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Love Lessons From Taylor Swift. Or, more appropriately, what not to do in relationships.

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One Great Question to Ask a Friend. This is a terrific post.

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Did you know the Army has a hidden treasure trove of artifacts? Take a photographic tour of one of the most secret archives in existence. (Hat tip: Neatorama)

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Rumor of the day: Pushing Daisies may become a Broadway musical. I'd be on board with this idea.

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This is disturbing: a church is being accused of "emotionally manipulating" folks into "spontaneous baptism". Definitely not good. (Hat tip: Free Republic)

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The late Roger Ebert explains the essential elements of film noir.

Daily Links 2-12-14

In today's edition: looking away from worthless things, happiness and marriage, an uncommon brotherhood, and more.

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Looking away from worthless things:

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Psalm 119:37: "Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in your way." 

God asks us to meditate upon things that are true, right, noble, pure, excellent, lovely and praise-worthy (Phil 4:8).  But in today’s modern world, it is all too easy it is to fill our minds with frivolous, meaningless, worldly distractions even if we aren’t trying to.  The moment we walk into a restaurant, mall, or grocery store, our senses are typically bombarded with worldly images, sensuality, and pop-culture icons.  Even if we don’t willingly participate in these things - the sights, sounds, and worldly messages we encounter can easily clutter our minds and undermine our ability to be solely focused on Jesus Christ. 

I have learned firsthand that it’s not enough for me to merely “disagree” or “disapprove” of the worldly images and messages that seek to assault my senses, but to proactively turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things, as Psalm 119 prescribes.  I may shake my head and say “Tsk, tsk!” while studying a magazine cover that celebrates impurity or watching raunchy images float across a television screen.  But this does not protect my mind from the damaging effects of those things.  And while it’s not possible to walk around blindfolded, I do have the ability to look away as soon as I encounter an image or message that is opposite of God’s Truth. 

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Innovation alert: 7 simple improvements that perfected everyday products. These are really neat.

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"Happiness is the result of a healthy marriage. It is not the reason for marriage."

The point of marriage isn’t to find our missing half. It’s to help each other become all God intended. Our future, real selves. In marriage, two people partner to that end. They see the best in each other—the person God created them to be—and they push and pull each other toward that goal. 

Don’t get married because you think he or she is “the one.” Trust me, they’re not. There’s no such thing! But do get married when you see who God is making somebody to be, and it lights you up. When you want to be a part of that story of transformation, that journey to the future. When you are well aware it will be a long and bumpy ride, but you don’t want to miss one mile. Because you believe in God’s calling on them, and you want in. 

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Always treat your girlfriend right: A World War II case study. Some food for thought in how we treat each other in relationships.

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An Uncommon Brotherhood. The true story of the Four Chaplains - men of different faiths who came together in a time of crisis to provide comfort to those in need.

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Why preach through books of the Bible?

I had a conversation with a minister friend who had been involved in discussing what pastors were preaching in their churches. While most seemed to agree that exposition of the biblical text must have priority in the church, few thought it wise to preach consecutively through books of the Bible—particularly with series that extended beyond twelve weeks. I understand the challenge of longer series but also see the value in the long run. The forty-four sermons that I preached through Ephesians in 1990–91, literally transformed my life, theology, and congregation. Eight or ten sermons would not have sufficed to uproot faulty theology and set us on a right course. The fifty-two sermons in Hebrews in 2000–01, sharpened our understanding of the gospel and its application to the whole of life.

Hat tip: Aaron Armstrong

Should Teens Be Allowed to Date?

Our family has chosen to not allow our girls to date until they are ready to consider marriage (which won't be for a while yet). Lest you think I am being too prudish, I offer this article from Acculturated for your consideration.

Think about the purpose of dating. It’s not just some fun thing people do. It’s going into dating with that mindset that takes a wrecking ball to the heart. 

No, the most essential purpose of dating is to seek out and get to know a potential spouse. Sure dating also entails emotional and spiritual growth. But a big part of that growth is to prepare you to be a better spouse and parent. Life and nature have this pretty stubborn trajectory, and marriage and family is the direction we hurtle, whether we like it or not. 

So let’s go back to teen dating. Pretty sure there is a broad consensus that teenagers should not get married. With the exception of maybe the Duggar family, people on both sides of the aisle tend to agree that men and women should be emotionally (and heck, physically) mature before they take lifelong vows, especially if those vows are to stand a chance of actually being life-long. Ok maybe the Duggars are a bad example because Josh Duggar (married son) actually seems like more of a man than your average 30 year-old. But I digress.

Heck, call me a bad social conservative, but I don’t even think women should get married until they are in their mid-twenties and have had a little time to experience some independence after college, which yes, I think they should attend. Unmarried. 

The average female body doesn’t even stop growing until around the age of 25. And call me crazy, but it seems un-ideal for a woman to have a baby when her body is still growing and developing. And considering that babies are the natural result of marriage, well – it’s worth thinking about these things.

Yes, it is worth thinking about these things. Unfortunately, many families don't carefully consider the pros and cons of teenage dating before allowing their children to pursue relationships. And it's best to start thinking about it early before your kids are teenagers.

Daily Links 9-18-13

Lessons from a breakup, guarding your heart against Satan's tactics, stalling cohabitation rates, the classiest McDonalds in America and more in today's roundup of links.

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Not all relationships end well. But that doesn't mean there aren't lessons to be learned from a breakup.

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When a couple is preparing to get married, Satan will do everything he can to destroy it before it begins. So it's best to know what tactics he will use so you can guard your heart against them.

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Cohabitation rates are stalling. Is that good news? Well, yes and no.

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A three-way tie for the National League Central Division (and Wild Card) is not beyond the realm of possibility. So how in the world would such a tie be broken? Jayson Stark has the answers.

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A peek inside the classiest McDonalds in America. It's a fun story.

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Why theology matters to musicians (via Worship Ideas)

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.

It's Just as Well That This Is Over

I'm forever giving advice to my daughters on things to look for in a potential mate. Now I can add this to the list: if the guy won't sacrifice himself to protect you from a foul ball then he's not worth having. Case in point:

Now the girl would like us to believe that their relationship didn't end because of the foul ball. But I think we all know better.

Hat tip: Powerline