We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t love others until you love yourself.” Rhett Smith shares a great post on how loving yourself has a lot to do with taking care of yourself.
The differences between Mac and PC people.
An interesting take on Genesis 3:16 and pain in childbearing.
Donald Miller asks, Are any of us really independent?
So everyone has a tequila story, right? Whether it happened to you, or someone you know, you probably have at least one story. Last Thursday, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, we had a tequila tasting at work, with Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver and Camarena Silver being available to taste. So I figured, why not review them here? My only problem is, every tequila I try ultimately gets compared to Corazon Blanco, as it is still my favorite. It’s sweet, but not so sweet that it feels syrupy, and it has just the right amount of spice to remind you that you are indeed drinking tequila. But I shall try to review the three from Cinco de Mayo without letting Corazon cloud my judgment.
Up first is Cuervo Especial Silver. This one was the sweetest of the bunch, but that’s because it’s a mixto, meaning only 51% of it is fermented from the sugars of the agave plant, with the remaining 49% coming from cheaper sugar sources. That being said, it doesn’t have the bite usually associated with tequila and as a mixto, is at the lower end of the price spectrum when compared to other name brand tequilas. As I said, it was the sweetest of the three we had available at the tasting, with it’s taste being similar to sugar cane syrup in both flavor and texture. It tasted good, but felt like I was drinking a liqueur, as opposed to liquor. There is a hint of pepper in the finish, but not enough to scare any tequila newbies away. The smoothness and price make Jose Cuervo Especial Silver a great introduction to tequila for those who’ve held off on trying it because of hearing horror stories about it, since everyone has a tequila story.
Next is Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver. Unlike Especial Silver, this is a 100% blue agave tequila, meaning 100% of the distillate (distilled liquor before it is cut with water) comes from the blue agave plant. As such, it is a bit spicier than the Especial Silver. The “hint of pepper” that Especial Silver had in it’s finish is now present throughout the entire drinking experience, and it ain’t just a hint anymore, which might discourage those who’ve never had tequila. However, Cuervo Tradicional still retains much of the sweetness of the blue agave and makes a great margarita.
Last, but certainly not least, we tried Camarena Silver. Camarena is an new brand to me, as I had never heard of them until the last month. One sip though, and I thought I might have found a new favorite. It was as sweet as the Cuervo Tradicional, but without the peppery contrast – I was back to having a “hint of pepper”. But unlike Cuervo Especial, no syrupy taste/feel here – there is no mistaking that this is liquor and not liqueur. Add to that the fact that it’s nearly $15 cheaper than Corazon Blanco and I may have found a new go-to tequila. While it isn’t quite as good as Corazon, it is definitely the closest runner-up so far. If Corazon is an A+, Camarena is an A-. I would definitely recommend Camarena over the two Cuervo tequilas we had available for tasting, and I would also recommend it to those looking for an introduction to the world of tequila. I’ve tried silver/white tequilas from Corazon, Patron, Cuervo, Republic (also tried their reposado and anejo), El Jimador, Don Julio, Cabo Wabo, Sauza and 1800, among others, and Camarena beats every one of them (except for Corazon) in my opinion.
That’s the most common argument I hear when someone finds out I have chosen to remain sexually pure until I get married.
Seriously? You’re comparing your future (or current) spouse to a car?
That’s a pretty odd comparison to me, but hey, if we’re really going to compare a human being to a car, let’s really see how they stack up.
Just some thoughts.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers!!!! If you can’t be with your mother today, at least give her a call.
Obviously, with it being only one week since the announcement of bin Laden’s death, the blogosphere is full of posts concerning his death, and how Christians should and/or should not respond. So it should be no surprise that the first three posts this week are on that topic.
The difficulty that is loving our enemies.
How should Christians respond to the death of Osama bin Laden?
How would you respond if your pastor offered to let a Muslim group to hold services at your church? Or if a Muslim group offered your church plant the opportunity to hold Sunday services at their building? The Daily Show explored these questions last week with Big Mohammed’s House.
Dan Kimball on Hell, Universal Reconciliation and Evangelism.
The next generation is tired of Cirque du Soleil church.
It’s like rain on your wedding day.
It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid.
- Ironic, Alanis Morissette
Irony can be a beautiful thing sometimes. Other times, however, it can be a bit unsettling. Like when I read a Facebook post blaming our current President for their financial problems. The ironic part – it was written by someone who is taking advantage of the system and living off the very entitlements they argue are ruining the United States.
It boggles my mind.
The comments alone are worth reading.
Joy, because justice has been served?
Sadness, because Osama likely died not knowing Jesus?
I’m struggling with this myself. I remember 9/11 like it was yesterday. So far, it’s been THE event of my lifetime. Much like my mother remembers the exact moment in time she heard JFK had been shot, I remember the exact moment in time I found out about 9/11. So there’s a part of me that responded to the news of bin Laden’s death with pleasure. Seeing the alert from CNN actually brought a smile to my face. A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook from Mark Twain which sums up my initial response:
I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.
On the other hand, that reaction conflicts with my second reaction. In Ezekiel 33:11, God sends a message to a rebellious Israel: Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
I’m still torn.
There’s still that part of me that thinks, “he got what he deserved.”
But there’s another part of me that realizes I’m a sinner too. I may not have killed anyone, or orchestrated the murder of thousands of people over several decades, but that doesn’t make me any less deserving of hell. And, if the Bible is true, it doesn’t matter how good of a person I am, or how much good I do in this life – the only thing separating me from what I deserve is Jesus.
The End of Sexual Identity, a review from The Gospel Coalition.
The Gospel Coalition asks three pastors: How do you use liturgical elements in your church worship?
Where is Jesus’ resurrected body?
The top 10 reasons not to join a church plant.
400 years of the King James Bible (an infographic).
Ordo Salutis, or, the order and causes of salvation and damnation. Looks to be pretty interesting, although I’ll admit I haven’t had the time lately to dig in to something this consuming.
The Lord’s Supper: Eat, Drink and Be Merry.
Happy Easter/Resurrection Day! I hope everyone is having a great weekend.
Organized religion is dying.
Can Christians disagree on politics without being complete idiots?
Donald Miller, Napoleon and how Christ built an army without weapons.
5 Questions for Brian McLaren – a very interesting interview, even if you don’t agree with McLaren on certain issues.
Facebook is the new AOL – AKA The Death of Facebook.
Perry Noble shares his thoughts on Rob Bell and Love Wins. If you’re expecting him to review the book, don’t bother reading – there’s already plenty of reviews around the interweb. But if you want to see what it looks like for a pastor to disagree with Bell and do it in a respectful and loving way, this post is for you.
The past few weeks have been filled with distractions, most of which concerned looking for a new job, which is not a bad thing. I love working at F.Y.E., but the truth is, it doesn’t pay much, the hours are scarce and it’s a dying model. Thankfully, I received and accepted a full time job offer in Ruston.
But that’s not what this post is about.
I realized, that for the past few weeks, I’d put off reading a few books that I should have finished by now, two of which I’m going to review here on the blog. So today I once again picked up Love Wins, by Rob Bell, and while reading I came across a statement that rocked me to my core. Now, I’m only in chapter two, so I haven’t hit any of the really controversial stuff yet, but I felt like I needed to share this quote because it articulates a belief I’ve held for a few years now, but much more succinctly than I ever could.
Our eschatology shapes our ethics.
I grew up in a system of beliefs that centers on the hope of getting off this rock, which, as Bell points out, is contrary to the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13):
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
I’m not saying there won’t be a rapture.
I’m not saying we won’t leave this earth one day.
I’m still wrestling with my own thoughts and beliefs when it comes to the end of days.
What I am saying, or asking, is why are some of us so obsessed with getting away from this world? Why are we not praying the way Jesus did; “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Maybe because it’s easier to dream about a future where there is no crime, no poverty, no homelessness, no injustice, no greed, no sin, than it is to actually do something about it today.
Our eschatology shapes our ethics.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, it’s Passion Week (the week leading up to Easter Sunday). Last Sunday was Palm Sunday – the day Christians celebrate Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, tomorrow is Maundy Thursday – the day we celebrate The Last Supper, Friday is Good Friday – commemorating the crucifixion and death of Christ, and Sunday is Easter – the day we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
Coincidentally (or not), The Village Church released their latest worship album last month and the track In My Place fully encapsulates the story of Christ’s crucifixion and death, so I felt it would be appropriate to share the lyrics and a video in which Michael Bleecker (worship pastor @ The Village Church) explains the story behind the song and demonstrates how to play it.
In my place, He stood condemned
He Who knew no sin became sin for us
That we might become His righteousnessBearing all my sin and shame
The punishment and blame
He conquered the grave
That we might become the heirs of graceIn my place, Jesus died
The spotless Lamb laid down His life
The wrath of God was satisfied
In my place, Jesus diedNail pierced hands, bleeding side
His body bruised; my God crucified
A crown of thorns, dying cries
His flesh was torn; my God crucifiedHallelujah, what a Savior!
