Something New

Here's something new...

I got to take my wife out, just the two of us, to a restaurant, for dinner last night! It was really nice.

We dropped the kids off at Gampy's for a birthday bash for Cole. As we pulled our van to the curb, and opened the side doors, two spanish girls started climbing into the van, even pushing through my kids to get in. I noticed a van pull in behind me, and said to the girls, "Whoa whoa whoa! I think you have the wrong van, honey." And they quickly left our van and got into the other. So that's something funny right there.

Then out to eat we went. I had a succulent prime rib sandwich and a Guinness. Rachel got a crab melt sandwich (yum). Then we came home and just hung out and chilled in a quiet house.

Who knows when this will happen again?

What's new?

"What's new?" This is a question that friends and family seem to ask me a lot. I never really have a good answer for it. "Not much," is all I usually can think of saying most of the time. And I guess that's fine by me. I'm not really about "what's new." I'm more about "what's the same." I work, I come home and do the family thing. When I have time, I do some other things like read, or practice karate, or something else I enjoy. That's pretty much what I do, and it's not really new. I suppose this is one of the reasons I'm so poor on the phone, or with coming up with things to blog about. I'm content with that though. I like when things are the steady, consistent, normal. New? Well, that could be good, but that could be bad too.

Now, having said that, here's something new: My baby niece is back home from the hospital after having heart surgery, and then a staph infection, and then a minor surgery in install some kind of a port thingy. But she's home now, and that's new, and we're all happy about that.

Prayer Against Vile Affections

"Thou knowest, O God, the sin which doth most easily beset me; enable me to cast it aside, that I may ever breathe in the clear element of purity and a safe conscience. O bless me by turning me from mine iniquities; and save me from that most damning and idolatrous of all iniquities -- the iniquity of a heart charged with vile affections, and setting them on the things which are beneath; and having no affections to set on the things which are above, as to supplant or subordinate all the evil desires of an evil and accursed nature. In me, that is in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing."

-- Thomas Chalmers, Sabbath Scripture Readings (on Acts 3).

Budweiser American Ale

I broke down and bought a case of Budweiser American Ale, on a co-worker's recommendation. As you can see from the picture, it pours a nice amber color, with a nice, thick, white head, and decent lacing. It smells of... of... well, no, I can't really pick anything up to distinguish it. It just smells like beer. First taste, hmm... not too bad. I can taste some hops, though it's more of a second billing hops rather than a star of the show hops. Something of a slight frutiness, I do believe. Sometimes I like to swallow some beer, keep my mouth closed for a bit, and just breathe through my nose and see if I pick up some subtlety in the finish -- yes, there's something there. Something a little bit nutty, maybe? I had to have a second one just to make sure. Yes, I do believe I like it. One negative is that this beer made me remember some past heartache, or was that the music I was listening to? Well, I'm going to blame it on the beer. Overall, I give it a Not Too Shabby. Budweiser American Ale reminds me of Killian's Irish Red (by Coors), and I'd be interested in a side by side taste test at some point.

By no means does Samuel Adams have anything to worry about, as this will not dethrone the real king of American beers. But this is a welcomed attempt at crafting something better than the average American beer, and I'm glad to say that I will actually drink it and not just use it to rinse my beer glass.

(this is cross-posted @ the Puritan Pub)

Atheism Remix

I recently ordered Atheism Remix by Al Mohler. and I finished reading it in a couple days. It's a surprisingly short book given the subject matter -- it's less than 100 pages of text. If you're looking for a detailed refutation of the New Atheists, this isn't the book. But, if you are looking for an excellent introduction into the subject of the New Atheism, the characters involved, the cultural and philosophical shifts that got us from there to here, as well as a review (and critique) of some of the responses from the Christian community to the New Atheism, then you should really consider purchasing this book. I learned a lot myself, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be educated about this theater of battle in Satan's war against all things good.

As for a detailed refutation of the New Atheism, last night I started reading The Irrational Atheist, by Vox Day. It's available for free, or for whatever donation you feel is appropriate, here: http://irrationalatheist.com/freedl.html

From what I've read so far, the Irrational Atheist seems to be a defensive sort of apologetic, as the author is making no positive argument for the Christian God, but the defense can be likened to the 1985 Chicago Bears defense... hard hitting and attacking defense. I can't say I agree with all the author's sentiments, but I'm kind of getting a feeling of "I probably wouldn't say that, but I'm glad someone else did." I need to spend some more time in this book, and I would like to write a review of it if God permits me the time to do so.

Back to Al Mohler... Atheism Remix is a good little book. I ordered mine from Solid Ground Books, and Mr. Gaydosh got the book to me straight away without delay (and for a couple bucks less than other folks are selling it for). Give it a read if you are so inclined.