Chillin'

No new entries until the new year. I am busy catching up with friends and family.

Quote of the Day - The Birth of Christ

As Philip Yancey says, I have never seen this version of the story on a Christmas card. Yet is is the truer story, the rest of the picture of what was going on that fateful night. Yancey calls the birth of Christ the Great Invasion, "a daring raid by the ruler of the forces of good into the universe's seat of evil." Spiritually speaking, this is no silent night. It is D-Day."

John Eldredge on Philip Yancey

Quote of the Day - Ulysses S. Grant

The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.

Ulysses S. Grant.

Quote of the Day - Billy Graham

Only those who want everything done for them are bored.

Billy Graham

Article for the Day - Episcopal parishes in Virginia break away

Parishes in Virginia break away as the Episcopal Church of America struggles to keep its house in order. Click here.

Quote of the Day - Bono

"If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed. …When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my s—- and everybody else’s. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is this man? And was He who He said He was, or was He just a religious nut? And there it is, and that’s the question."

Bono

Video of the Week - Yosemite

Sam, Rick, and I took a backpacking trip on the Upper Chiquito Trail in Yosemite a little over a year ago. It was a blast and I definitely want to take another one soon. I was limited to what I could take on the trip and regret not taking more equipment but was at least able to put a video together. Thanks to Rick who also took some fantastic pictures.

Quote of the Day - Martin Luther King Jr.

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven will pause to say, 'There lived a great street sweeper who did his job well'."

Martin Luther King Jr.

Quote of the Day - William Wilberforce

“Let everyone regulate his conduct . . . by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us, and the path of duty will be clear before him.”

William Wilberforce

Rise of the Vulcans

I am reading Rise of the Vulcans. Does anybody know anything about it?

Quote of the Day - Dwight D. Eisenhower

From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Second Video of the Week - Interlaken Adventure

Brian and I met up in Interlaken, Switzerland a couple of years ago for an extreme sports weekend. Here's a video of our 450-foot bungee jump in the Alps.

Video - Meet the Press

Eliot A. Cohen of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies comments on Meet the Press on the Iraq Study Group Report. (Internet Explorer required)

Angels

Kudos to my Angels who just signed left-handed reliever, Darren Oliver. This bolsters an already strong bullpen with Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Shields, recently signed Justin Speir, and Hector Carrasco. This addition solidifies the Angel pitching staff and makes it perhaps the deepest in the majors. Stay tuned as to whether they trade pitching for a power hitter. Don't be surprised if they sign Barry Zito and trade one of their young starters. Rumors have spread that the Angels could trade Casey Kotchman and Chone Figgins for Atlanta first baseman Adam Laroche. If they could do it without trading pitching, this would position them as one of the favorites to win it all next year.

Quote of the Day - Dwight D. Eisenhower

I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Quote of the Day

It is always easy to be giving with other people's money.

No Way to Win a War

I am always quite skeptic of the effectiveness of government commissions, especially ones consisting exclusively of politicians. My boy Eliot Cohen wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal summing up my sentiments.

Quote of the Day - Soren Kierkegaard

One can advise comfortably from a safe port.

Soren Kierkegaard

Quote of the Day - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Pessimism never won any battle.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Quote of the Day - Soren Kierkegaard

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.

Soren Kierkegaard

Quote of the Day - Dwight D. Eisenhower

If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Video of the week - Rubber Band William Tell

My roommates and I can do some odd stuff when we are bored. Gainer really hit it with a rubber band.

Quote of the Day - Soren Kierkegaard

It is so hard to believe because it is so hard to obey.

Soren Kierkegaard