In the first chapter of quite possibly my favorite book of the Bible (if it weren't for Romans and Hebrews and Haggai and...well, ok, maybe I'll stick with "favorite Gospel"), John records his inspired eyewitness testimony about the Messiah.

One of Christ's distinguishing attributes, the thing which stuck out about Him, was that He was full of grace. The One who had the same glory as the Father, when living as a human, exuded grace in His motives, actions, thoughts; in His work, His play, His ministry; with His family, His friends, His enemies; when He was tired or rested, speaking or listening. In short, John says He was full of grace.

While pondering the remarkable character of the Godman Jesus, I was struck anew by the disparity between His character and mine. Aware of my need to be like Him, I started comparing how much grace I understand and show to the Divine standard of "full."

When the convicting Spirit begins to break the dam of your memory, the ensuing flood is catastrophic. All the times I grimaced angrily (and worse inside) at the Greenville driver who cut me off, or spoke just a little more curtly (as I rolled my eyes in frustration internally) to the person who kept needing help to get logged in at our computer lab, or reacted with greater kindness to the faculty member who thought ahead than to the one who came asking for equipment at the last minute, all those times trickled, then streamed, then gushed into the forefront of my mind.

Whole villages of shoddy thinking were caught in the path. Railroad tracks of selfishness and the string of cars on them disappeared in the swollen current. At last the whole mess began piling up at the stone bridge, the last structure standing defiantly against the dirty, raging waters. Pride shuddered, convulsed, and at last gave way.

And that pride is really what I saw at the heart of it. (i know, i know, you're not surprised.) But I saw it so clearly in those moments.

I don't show grace to people because I don't think they deserve it.
I want grace shown to me because I think I do.

I hope the openness of that confession dulls none of its ugliness. That is nasty, putrid flesh. I know it's me, and I think it could be you, too.

But oh, the contrasting beauty of "full of grace." There is such a winsomeness to the character of our Christ, and that beauty reveals both the raunchy ugliness of pride and the sparkling glory of God.

Oh to be like Thee, oh to be like Thee...stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

What is the unrest of the will?

It is the unrest of unsettled resolution. It is to be vacillating in purpose, one day determined to be a meek, holy, upright man, the next day forsaking that determination and plunging anew into sin;
one day resolved to give up all for God, and the next day compromising between God and Mammon;
one day to be strong in my resolution toward the right, and the next day to find, with Samson, that my resolves snap like the green withes and new ropes, in the crisis of a mighty temptation.

There can be no such thing as the peace of God when there is not a fixed resolve, when you cannot say with David: "O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, trusting in Thee."

A.T. Pierson

You will guard him in shalom, shalom (the fullest, most wonderful peace) whose mind is propped up by You, because he trusts in You.
Is. 26:3

"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection is the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted." (Martin, Judith. Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1982)

AP Photo

As he was starting to pull away, skirting the crowd about 9.5 kilometers (5.9 miles) from the finish, Armstrong's right handlebar caught a spectator's outstretched bag, toppling him. Iban Mayo of Spain hit Armstrong and fell, too. Ullrich, however, swerved to avoid them, and raced ahead. Armstrong's Tour, it seemed for an instant, was over. Ullrich would win.

But then two things happened. Ullrich, perhaps recalling that Armstrong had waited for him when he crashed in the 2001, slowed while the Texan picked himself up, remounted and rejoined the race.

"Ullrich showed incredible fair play," said Stephen Roche, the 1987 Tour winner. "Both of them showed they are true champions."

Armstrong almost fell again just moments later when his right foot slipped from his pedal. But from there, he never looked back.

Powered by the adrenaline of the crash, he overtook Ullrich and Mayo and raced to the summit, finishing first, slumped exhausted over his handlebars. His effort turned the razor-thin 15-second advantage he had over Ullrich into a more comfortable cushion of 67 seconds and gave the Texan and his team a morale boost at a vital time.
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"Moses' outstanding ability and heroic mind are evident in that he submitted to so many annoyances, endured so many troubles, and, unbeaten by weariness, every day undertook new labors.
The greatness of his spirit can never be praised enough.
He spent himself freely for a depraved and perverse people; and he did not desist from his purpose although he saw no gratitude for his kindness...Surely, he possessed many virtues, worthy of the highest praise."

John Calvin (from his commentary on Exodus)

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A free service from the government, registering will supposedly stop the vast majority of telemarketers from calling your home or cell phone.

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"That other people should believe me to be better than I know myself to be, is an indication more of human stupidity than of any virtues in myself."

Bernard of Clairvaux

(Martin Luther, normally not known as a fan of monks--"Bernard loved Jesus as much as any one can.")

6 values of studying Church history:

1. Corrective--shows us remedies for doctrinal and ecclesiastical issues

2. Cautionary--shows us dangers of trends, fads, and ideologies

3. Illustrative--for sermons

4. Explanatory of the present and how we got here--we stand on the shoulders of the theologians of the past

5. Encouraging and motivational--Christians in the past have stood, often seemingly alone, and done great things for God, and so can we

6. Liberative--frees men from the bondage of ignorant traditionalism and uninformed exclusivism

from Dr. Ed Panosian