Now, Nathan must use every finger digit to show his age.
It was ten years ago today after 14 hours of labor, on an unseasonably 70º day that Nathan came into this world, as our healthy first born child.
A decade of joy, pain, struggle, triumph, and rewards followed that day. Lots of interventions and therapy of various kinds for his autism. Nathan continues to show us he is one amazing person. He is a special child, and a precious gift from God.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
God,
Your faithfulness is everlasting. You love endures.
You bind our wounds and cure the hurts of our hearts.
You make each day sweeter, and give us all we need.
Your abundance overwhelms me and dives into my soul.
(PLEASE note: Not shown in the picture, but also part of the prize -chocolate-)
Shown here is a fantastic book by Becky Garrison-Oh, and it’s autographed! (See how to get this awesome prize below!)
A fitting prize combo!
Here’s a book synopsis from Powell Books:
A challenge has been issued on matters of faith and Becky Garrison meets it head on in this witty yet poignant answer to the Anti-God gurus Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett.
Becky Garrison, religious satirist and senior contributing editor for “The Wittenberg Door,” is taking a stand. Where most Christians assume the character of the Cowardly Lion chanting, “I do believe, I do believe, I do believe,” Garrison refuses to simply thrust tracts at these self-proclaimed infidels.
Instead, Garrison steels her pen and takes on the ungodly program of the New Atheists, skewering each argument with her sharp satiric wit. Garrison turns aside the atheists’ assault without ignoring its real criticisms, namely, the church’s inadequate response to war, evolution, medical ethics, social justice, and other important issues in the post-9/11 world.
This from Becky:
I penned The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail at the request of Thomas Nelson, who wanted a satirical response to a select group of best selling authors, who in my view seemed to be behaving as badly as their fundamentalist counterparts. Both sides presented a black and white view of the world that reduced centuries of Christian and scientific thinking into easily digestible and often inaccurate soundbites. Such exchanges may make for entertaining cable news programming but they fail to present an faithful depiction of the Christian faith.
Since the publication of this book I’ve have the privilege of dialoguing with thoughtful freethinkers in my discussions with people like Greg Epstein, author of Good without God (http://www.harvardhumanist.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=30) and the Purple State of Mind (http://www.purplestateofmind.com) guys, as well as contributing regularly to Religion Dispatches (http://www.religiondispatches.org) and Killing the Buddha (http://killingthebuddha.com). I’ve found a group of folks, who decry the excesses of religious empires that threaten to demolish the wall separating church from state by siding with my ancestor Roger Williams, who coined the term “soul liberty” to denote the freedom of all to believe according to their own conscience. In addition, we acknowledge that religion and science can live in harmony without producing some faith based pseudo-science or a scientific world consists of cold hard facts that’s totally devoid of meaning. Also, we tend to roll our eyes at the latest biblical brands du jour albeit evangelical, prosperity gospel, power progressive, emergent, or New Monasticism that end up marketing certain missional mavericks as though they were the Messiah instead of following the living Christ.
What we share in common is a quest to explore what we share in common with our shared humanity in the hopes of addressing many of the concerns facing our world. My hope is that we can turn down the white noise of the New Atheists and then tune in to each other.
How can you get this great prize?
Becky thought this one up herself. This is her photo. Give it a caption. One winner will be picked.
Also-if you have questions about the book, or for Becky, leave them here, and she’ll reply. Fun, huh?
Awkward sign from Becky's trip to Canterbury Cathedral
This is the 2nd year I’ll use my birthday month to shower readers with gifts. It was fun last year, and this year, with quadruple the readership here, it should be even better!
And yes, it is a “custom” in the tradition of hobbits. (hobbits -give away gifts on their birthday)
I have a photo below of just a few things that will be up for grabs. I’ll be popping up every few days in February to offer you goodies, gadgets, books, surprises, and combo packs just for interacting here at this blog. (No strings, no money, I just enjoy mailing packages of gifts.)
Sometimes, word spreads fast when it comes to gifts, still, I thank you for passing this news along where you can. Watch for more informative posts, especially in February. If you enjoy giving more than receiving, and feel so moved, give your present away, and “pay it forward.”
Thanks, friends!
Just *some* of the gift items for blog readers in Feb.
