As I begin 2013, this thought has been on my mind. There were many people who started 2012 not knowing that it would be their last. I’ve known them. And so have you. We are not so different from them, are we? When I look in the rearview mirror, I see the years gathering up behind me, and I can hardly believe how quickly they’ve piled up. As life rattles forward, it seems the earth makes its annual journey a little quicker than the year before. Where have the years gone?
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Leadership Lessons from RG3
I was disappointed when the Redskins knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs last night. But I confess that—even though I’m a Cowboys fan—I’m finding it hard not to pull for Robert Griffin III. He’s a phenomenal talent, but there is much more to him than that. In an interview yesterday with The Washington Post, he gives us a glimpse into how he took the reins of leadership on his team and how he became a team captain as a rookie (virtually unheard of). It’s a story of leadership, character, and humility. It’s a case-study of proverbial wisdom fleshed-out in the life of a 22-year old.
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Does anyone care what happens to Hobby Lobby?
I am astonished that more Americans aren’t in an uproar about what is happening to Hobby Lobby right now. As many of you know, Hobby Lobby filed a lawsuit earlier this year to try and get relief from Obamacare’s abortion mandate. The case is still pending appeal, but the Supreme Court just rejected their request for an emergency injunction. In response, the Christian owners of Hobby Lobby have said they have no intention to pay for the abortion-inducing drugs required by Obamacare. That means that beginning on January 1, the United States government will fine Hobby Lobby $1.3 million dollars per day until Hobby Lobby complies.
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Remembering Chuck Colson
NBC News produces an annual video memorializing influential people who have died over the course of the year (see below). I was happy to see that they included Chuck Colson in this year’s list (at 4:18). The memorial designates him simply as “Special Counsel to the President.” Yet he was so much more than that.
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My contribution to the “Best of 2012” meme
It’s that time of year when all the “best of” lists appear ubiquitously across the internet. This post is my contribution to the genre, though I confess that I’m not so sure that the following list actually constitutes the “best of” DennyBurk.com. These rankings represent the most widely read posts of the year based on page views. Whether or not they are actually the “best of” remains to be seen. In any case, these ten were the ones that you were most interested in. I am very grateful for all of you who read the blog, and I am honored that you take the time to keep up with the…
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Top 10 YouTubes of 2012
It’s time for my annual posting of the Top 10 YouTube Videos of the Year (see last year’s list here). This ranking is totally unscientific. Only one person was polled to compile this list—yours truly. This year’s crop contains items relating to sports, theology, news, Christianity, and more. Some of the videos are humorous, and others are poignant. They’re not all actual YouTubes. They’re just internet videos. If you think I’ve left something out, let me know. I’ll think about adding it to the “Honorable Mention” category at the bottom. If you’re interested, here are links to lists from previous years: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008
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Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room
How could there possibly be anything more mysterious and wonderful than the incarnation of Jesus Christ? God became a man. God took on mortal human flesh and became subject to all the things that every other mortal is subject to. He sneezed. He coughed. He got headaches and an upset stomach. Every morning he got up, shook the dust out of His hair, and put his hand to the plow in his Father’s field. Jesus Christ was not only subject to sickness, but also to death. The eternal Son of God was die-able. In fact, he did die. And three days later, what was mortal became swallowed up by immortality…
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Does God hate Westboro Baptist Church?
Pastor Josh Buice says that God hates Westboro Baptist Church. He bases his argument on Proverbs 6:16-19, which reads: 16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. He shows that Westboro meets every one of these characteristics. Read the rest here. (HT: Tim Challies)
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The Pope on gender and the end of western civilization
Every year in December, the Pope delivers an address to the Roman Curia. The annual speech has been dubbed “The State of the Union” for the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope gave this year’s address earlier today, and it is already making waves—for all the right reasons. News reports and punditry have focused most of their attention on the speech’s implications for gay marriage—namely that the Pope opposes same-sex unions of any kind. Nevertheless, the focus on the legal question of gay marriage is a rather shallow analysis of the speech. Make no mistake. The Pope’s words are nothing less than a broadside against any notion of same-sex marriage. But…
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Doug Wilson on how to celebrate Christmas
The inimitable Doug Wilson argues that celebrating Christ’s advent should not be turned into an introspective dirge. There should be feasting and joy. In an essay for Christianity Today, he writes: Celebrate the stuff. Use fudge and eggnog and wine and roast beef. Use presents and wrapping paper. Embedded in many of the common complaints you hear about the holidays (consumerism, shopping, gluttony, etc.) are false assumptions about the point of the celebration. You do not prepare for a real celebration of the Incarnation through thirty days of Advent Gnosticism. At the same time, remembering your Puritan fathers, you must hate the sin while loving the stuff. Sin [is] not…