Come and Get It!

You know when you do a search on google or any other search engine how the thing you entered in the search field ends up in ads on the right side of the page? Say you were looking for a new set of the Chronicles of Narnia and entered that in the search field. The results page would include things like, "Get the Chronicles of Narnia at Amazon.com. Shop Amazon!" Well, I caught wind of someone having recently performed a search for me on a certain search engine (one that I have never used), so I went to this engine and typed in the same search criteria they did (nothing you ever do on the internet is a secret...keep that in mind). When I hit return, I got this ad on the right side of the page:

• Matt Bradley at Amazon

  Low prices on Matt Bradley. Qualified orders over $25 ship free

  amazon.com

Now, don't get me wrong. I appreciate the sentiment. But I resent the implication that I can be bought, much less at "low prices" (an obvious insinuation that I'm cheap!). So please, don't be fooled by such ads. They are only scurrilous attempts to separate you from your hard earned money. I can assure you, as the copyright holder on "Matt Bradley" I have not released the rights to anyone. However, for the right amount...

The Dilbert Principle

Anyone else find humor in the fact that "Dilbert Principle" makes the "See also" section of the FAA's wikipedia entry? Too funny.

Nothing Short of World Domination

Today, Apple will take one more step in its global reign of brilliance. You won't want to miss it. If you would be a hep cat, get thee to MacRumors and follow along live starting at 11am central.

Monty Python: Sports the Way It Should Be

No matter how many times you've seen it, this is still funny.

Old on Worship in the American Protestant Churches

"This program for the renewal of worship [according to historic reformed principles] in American Protestant churches of today may not be exactly what everyone is looking for. In our evangelistic zeal we are looking for programs that will attract people. We think we have to put honey on the lip of the bitter cup of salvation. It is the story of the wedding of Cana all over again, but with this difference. At the crucial moment when the wine failed, we took matters into our own hands and used those five stone jars to mix up a batch of Kool-Aid instead. It seemed like a good solution in terms of our American culture. Unfortunately, all too soon the guests discovered the fraud. Alas! What are we to do now? How can we possibly minister to those who thirst for the real thing? There is but one thing to do, as Mary, the mother of Jesus, understood so very well. You remember how the story goes. After presenting the problem to Jesus, Mary turned to the servants and said to them, 'Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). The servants did just that, and the water was turned to wine, wine rich and mellow beyond anything they had ever tasted before."

- Hughes Oliphant Old, Worship: Reformed According to Scripture

Yes...sweep the atheists away...

One of my favorite narratives from the early church is the Martyrdom of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Perhaps this is because I was first acquainted with the story while living in Smyrna, today called Izmir. One of my friends and co-laborers, Will Nielson, is currently working on a translation and notes of this narrative and posting his efforts on his blog. Each entry is short, but well done. Check it out and follow along as the story unfolds. It's a story of great conviction and highly inspiring. May we all face persecution of every kind with the fortitude of Polycarp to the glory of God.

On pastors and their people...

Pastor Rob Allen shared with the interns this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, taken from Life Together:

"A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men..."

What a moving and challenging thought for pastors from Bonhoeffer.

Political Posturing

So in this season of non-stop poli talk, I've been tracking along pretty well, trying to figure out how I might vote (assuming I do). I start off by ruling out the dems. I just can't go that route. However, among republicans I was beginning to despair. Some of the strongest political sentiments I have felt in a long time are directed at Mitt Romney...I want him to lose as badly as I want Hillary Clinton to lose. If either of them become president then I'm moving to the BVI. Huckabee isn't bad, but I'm still watching to see if the faith thing is just a card he plays. He was a bit skimpier on it last night in NH, leading me to believe he sees it as just another card in his deck. He's also not a true conservative. Fiscally he's just another democrat. The Corner has done a decent job of exposing Huckabee for what he is. But the more I consider McCain, the more convinced I become that he is the man. Anyone out there (from a sympathetically conservative pov) got any insights into why I shouldn't vote for McCain? I don't think he's the most "conservative" option. I think Romney is the most "conservative". But if I'm right about that, then that just goes to show how silly the conservative side has become. Romney is a status quo politician that will tell any lie he has to in order to get elected. Anyway...I'm looking for someone to set me straight. What am I missing? Why shouldn't I vote for McCain?