~ THIS AND THAT ~

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

• The faith based film Alone Yet Not Alone is showing at the Carmike Theatre at Grand Prairie in Peoria. You might want to catch it this week as it may not be held over after Thursday.
• Duck Dynasty fans already know this, but for the rest of you, season 6 began on June 11 on A&E.
• Ligonier Ministries has made the audio and video of all sessions at their recent West Coast Conference available. Check them out here: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/2014-west-coast-conference-audio-and-video-now-available/

WEBSITES AND ARTICLES:

• Check out the newly updated website of the Gospel Coalition here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/
• This short article, entitled “Success is Dangerous” by Jared Wilson is an interesting one: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/gospeldrivenchurch/2014/06/11/success-is-dangerous/
• Here’s an interesting article about people who attend megachurches: http://leadnet.org/9-fascinating-facts-about-people-who-attend-megachurches/
• Check out this article entitled “Ten Personalities that Have No Place in Christian Marriage” from Jason Helopoulos – http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2014/06/12/10-personalities-that-have-no-place-in-christian-marriage/

BOOKS:

• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman is one of those best-selling Christian books that I had not read. Not sure why, but I finally listened to the audiobook a few weeks ago. That was about the same time that Tammy suggested we do a book or Bible study over the summer. I suggested reading and discussing The Five Love Languages. We’re starting today! Why not considering doing the same with someone you love?
• This year, World Magazine, instead of having one Book of the Year, chose an outstanding title in each of three categories—popular theology, history, and analysis. Two more in each category are runners-up, and they also spotlighted a book that doesn’t fit in those categories but deserves special recognition. Read more here: http://www.worldmag.com/2014/06/books_of_the_year/page1
• Desiring God announces their latest e-book, Good: The Joy of Christian Manhood and Womanhood, which is available in three formats, free of charge. Desiring God has teamed up with the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood to produce a multi-contributor volume that aims at a fresh articulation of God’s good design in creating men and women. This new resource — the collaboration of 14 contributors — seeks to cast a vision for manhood and womanhood that is rooted more in beauty than mere ideology, more in gladness than mere position. Read more here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/good-the-joy-of-christian-manhood-and-womanhood-new-ebook
• Cal Thomas was recently the guest on Steve Brown’s excellent podcast Steve Brown, etc. He was talking about his new book: What Works: Common Sense Solutions for America, a book that is on my reading list. Check out the interview here: http://tunein.com/radio/Steve-Brown-Etc-p203155/

MUSIC:

• Amazon Prime recently added streaming music. Read about it here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/12/amazon-prime-adds-prime-music/10359025/
• After nearly two years and over 150 shows, Audio Adrenaline has announced that Kevin Max is stepping down as lead singer of the band. Josh Engler, formerly of the band Abandon, will replace Max as the group’s new lead vocalist. Read more here: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/article/audio-adrenaline-announces-new-lead-vocalist/
• Chris Tomlin will be in concert at the US Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington on July 19. Brandon Heath will be the opening act. Don’t miss the opportunity to see Tomlin, the songwriter whose songs are sung more than any other songwriter in the world. In 2012 for example, his songs were sung more than 3 million times in churches around the world. As of June 12, great seats were still available for the concert. Come on people, country music shows sell out quickly at the Coliseum. Let’s show them that a quality Christian music artist can pack the place as well! To find out more and to purchase tickets, go to http://www.uscellularcoliseum.com/calendar-of-events/270-an-evening-with-chris-tomlin-with-special-guest-brandon-heath/

~ UPDATED PAGES ON THE BLOG ~

Integrating Faith and Work
Here is a link to a condensed version of a paper I wrote on my vocation as a leader in the Calling, Vocation and Work course I took at Covenant Seminary in the summer of 2013. Calling Vocation & Work-condensed PDF

Bucket List Updates
Looks like I’m going to be knocking two items off of my bucket list over the next several months:
• See Ringo Starr in concert. The former Beatles’ drummer will be in concert at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis in early October. I’m excited to finally see him in concert with his All-Starr Band, which this tour features Todd Rundgren and former members of Toto, Santana, Mr. Mister and Billy Joel’s and Don Henley’s bands. We’ll also be seeing Paul McCartney, the only other surviving Beatle, in concert this summer, so it will be quite the nostalgic year. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

• Visit Israel with Michael Card as guide. After a lot of prayer, Tammy and I made the decision that I would register for the Journey Through Israel with Michael Card: 11 Day – Life of Christ trip, January 1-11, 2015. Read more details about the trip:  http://coramdeotheblog.com/bill-and-his-bloggers/bills-bucket-list/

Book Reviews
• The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You by Andy Andrews
• The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter by Ian O’Connor
• Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Makes You Free by Tullian Tchividjian

Theology and Misc. Book Reviews
• By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me by Sinclair Ferguson
• Indescribable: Encountering the Glory of God in the Beauty of the Universe by Louie Giglio and Matt Redman
• For Calvinism by Michael Horton
• How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home by Derek W. H. Thomas
• Twelve Unlikely Heroes: How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur
• The Disappearance of God: Dangerous Beliefs in the New Spiritual Openness by Albert Mohler
• The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen
• Who Am I? Identity in Christ by Jerry Bridges

Movie Reviews
• How to Train Your Dragon 2
• Belle

Music Review
• iTunes Session – Crowder

THE HUMDRUM LIFE OF A HOUSEWIFE – by Tammy Pence
(Imagine this as an episode of the TV Show Frasier)

So I’m sitting at the computer in my pajamas, trying to buy an online ticket to an event, and here’s what happened over the last 30 minutes:
• I get to the ‘5 minutes left to make your purchase’ page, and Molly, our dog, frantically has to go outside.
• We just got new credit cards, and I keep getting ‘problem processing your credit card’.
• In the meantime, I also have to use the ladies room.
• Then I hear knocking on the patio door – it’s the men that cut our grass and they want Molly out of the backyard.
• She’s barking – running – acting goofy. Meanwhile I’m in my PJ’s with no foundation garment on trying to round her up.
• Back to the computer – I’ve accidentally chosen too many tickets, and have to figure out how to edit that.
• In the meantime, the 5 minutes has expired.
• Starting the process over again, I’m STILL having trouble with the credit card (they said the new card wasn’t activated, even though I KNOW I called the 1-800 number and took off the sticker).
• I switch to paying with the debit card and FINALLY purchase the ticket.
• Immediately I go to my bank’s website to transfer money to cover the debit card purchase – from savings to checking. Too late! Overdraft transfer fee. Ugh!
• I topped it all off with a phone call to the visa card company to find out why my card wouldn’t work. And what do I receive for my trouble? An endless list of security questions!
So, honey, what did you do with your day today?
Quotable
You are either a Christian or you are not a Christian; you cannot be partly a Christian. –Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Quotable ~ From “At the Cross” by Chris Tomlin
At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life.
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus.