Month: August 2012

Family Friday goes to the Olympics: Less ball sports, more boat sports

Image: John David Merce,, USA TODAY Sports

Olympic volleyball on the TV evoked two different reactions from our two boys the other day. The two-year-old started jumping up and down on the bed chanting, “Vol-ley-BALL! Vol-ley-BALL!”

This same two-year-old had at another time been lounging on the bed until he saw a gymnast come on, at which point he stood up on the bed and lifted his hands straight up in the air, high above his head. He tumbled forward in his best effort at a somersault.

The four-year-old, on the other hand, seeing volleyball on TV, said, “I don’t want to watch any more ball sports… I want to watch a BOAT sport.”

Son, I’m sorry you didn’t get to watch it yesterday, but you’ll be glad to know that the women’s eight rowing team has won the gold.

William L. Lane free downloads on the Gospel of Mark

Here’s a link to a Mark teaching series that Dr. William L. Lane led at Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN in 1998. He’s the author of the commentary pictured at right, one of the best for the Gospel of Mark. (Click on the image to look inside the book at Amazon.) From the By/For site:

This Mark teaching series is led by Dr. William L. Lane, author of The Gospel According to Mark from the New International Commentary on the New Testament series. This series was the final time Dr. Lane lectured on Mark.

The study page includes a pdf file of class notes and 13 lectures by Dr. Lane. See it all here.

“Do Olympic Swimmers Pee in the Pool?”

Breaking news: Olympic swimmers pee in the pool. A lot. From a former USA national team member:

Before a race is an interesting time. It depends on the meet and to some extent the color of the pool deck. I kid you not. You always try to pee before you swim, but sometimes your body defies logic and finds a way to refill your bladder just to spite you. Adrenaline and nerves wreak havoc on your system, and I knew tons of other swimmers that always, regardless of prior planning, had to pee right before a race. What to do if you’re desperate?

Read the whole thing here.

It was all sex and the Septuagint

Here are my top five most-visited posts for the month of July. It was all sex and the Septuagint (and BibleWorks!). Much more is coming this month on BibleWorks, as I will be reviewing BibleWorks 9.

1. Sex as colonization?

2. Why you need the Septuagint (now featuring two new updates about Jesus and the Septuagint)

3. BibleWorks in the pew? (Not quite, but the next best thing)

4. BibleWorks and the Septuagint

5. Sex as colonization? A reply to my comment, and my reply back

If you haven’t already, you can vote here for what you want to keep seeing at Words on the Word.

“Bringing our Pain to God” (Michael Card)

We’re afraid of other people’s pain. Like Job’s friends, we’re afraid when we don’t have answers. Job doesn’t get any answers for his sufferings, but he gets God.

–Michael Card, from this great article on Biblical lament in worship.

He’s got an album called The Hidden Face of God, which you can hear at Grooveshark for free (or click on the album image to the left). It kicks off with a great Gospel-flavored track called, “Come Lift Up Your Sorrows.”

July 2012 Biblical Studies Carnival

Head over to Reading Acts for the July “Biblical Studies Carnival.” It’s a compilation of many, many posts on all things Biblical studies on the blogosphere in July. There is some really good stuff there, and Phil has done a great job gathering some informative links. I’m thankful to have received mention in the carnival (of my July posts here, here, and here).