matt's words/pictures: 2009

29 December 2009

20 December 2009

Happy X-mas

Before you get upset, I am keeping Christ in Christmas. In light of my field of study and work, I have no qualms with using the X in Christmas, as the early scribes who copied the New Testament in Greek made use of nomina sacra (which means "sacred name") when referring to God, Jesus, Father, Christ, Spirit, etc. For example, notice the chi-omega combination and the theta-sigma combination with lines above them:

Christmas in New Orleans has been a lot of fun this year. Tonight, Elise and I went to Fulton Street and the Roosevelt hotel to enjoy some festive scenery with some friends. It was a good time! Here's some pictures:

Merry Christmas!

Fulton Street

I'm wearing a scarf!

Vernon Whaley Wrote a Book!

17 December 2009

call me PROCTOR

16 December 2009

Laundry Day

14 December 2009

13 December 2009

11 December 2009

World Domination by Grey!

At the first annual CNTTS xmas party, I dominated at Risk!

05 December 2009

02 December 2009

I don't know what to think of these flags on this truck...

01 December 2009

Christmas!

NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible

Thomas Nelson Publishers has crafted an excellent volume in the NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible. The volume contains 250 stories pulled from the Bible that span from the tale of the creation of the universe to the story of God’s final redemption of his creation. Also included are the classic stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and Goliath, and Jesus’ various interactions throughout first-century Palestine.

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Bible is its literary uniqueness. Much of the Bible was written in narrative style for the purposes of being read aloud in a communal setting. As such, one of the major strengths of Greatest Stories is its dedication to literary qualities that make the Bible worth reading on a regular basis. In the same way, Greatest Stories would make a perfect book to read in a family setting.

The majority of the stories originate from the Old Testament rather than the New Testament, which makes sense considering the lack of narrative structure found in some of the New Testament epistles and Old Testament prophets. One of the major weaknesses of Greatest Stories lies in the fact that all the books of the Bible are not represented. As such, the editors chose to use Samuel and Kings but not Chronicles. In the same manner, many of the minor prophets and epistles are not represented, which fits within the goal of Greatest Stories but makes for an incomplete copy of the Bible.

Greatest Stories works well as a family reading tool, a gift, or a good way to be introduced to the Bible. The text of the NKJV is fairly readable, though not the easiest of the translations to read. Overall this monograph is an excellent addition to any library as an easy reference to some of the best stories of the Bible. As a member of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger program, I recommend this Bible for family use, as a gift, or an introduction to reading the Bible as part of any spiritual formation process. Visit http://brb.thomasnelson.com for more info on becoming part of the Book Review Blogger program.

19 November 2009

my sentiments exactly...

This is exactly how I feel about the blue dog...

04 September 2009

looks like cinnamon rolls... but it's really pizza!

12 August 2009

here's david, via nathan...

10 August 2009

my last day of summer!

09 August 2009

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by Nathan David Wilson

Nathan Wilson holds no punches in Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl—he states his goals up front and does not deviate. He claims in the preface that the work does not flow in a linear fashion, but rather in a series of rotations—like that of a tilt-a-whirl at any carnival. Do not let this structure intimidate—the unity of the book (even in the diversity of elements) becomes apparent even within the first few pages. Wilson admits that perhaps he explains too much in his preface, but his honesty and lack of pretense is refreshing!

If religion is an opiate as Marx suggests, Wilson claims that philosophy is an anesthetic, “a shot to keep the wonder away.” Much of Wilson’s work is aimed at discovering the world—what kind of place is it and why is it here. Philosophy is but one way to discover answers to these type of questions, however Wilson explores a new way to discover the world through the senses and through faith.

Although Wilson’s book is a breeze to read, it is almost like taking a trip to a museum or zoo. You can fly through the book in a day and just enjoy the journey, or you can take your time to look around and think deeply. As a doctoral student at a seminary, this book was a refreshing breath of air. In places, Wilson challenged me to think and broadened my mind. In other places, Wilson was a bit random and silly (which is ok!). I would highly recommend this book for anyone’s library.