I wonder if this is a Chicagoan peering into the beauties of Liechtenstein… and this Chicagoan gets a feel from a Netherlands shot why it was that Rembrandt could paint so well.

Centurion ministries — good story.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and read the two addresses by Tim Gombis on our Trinitarian life. Good stuff.

Psalms, the school of prayer. From another magazine, Wineskins, a piece on immigration.

Mart DeHaan, of Radio Bible Class, takes a gentle, listening approach to the emerging movement. And in his critique he continues his reasonable approach.

Out of Ur spoofs “Url” — one of the great things about blogging is this kind of fun. Bethany Hoang has an interesting post on what we can do besides pray. Michael Spencer’s thoughts on common sins. Dan Kimball … on defining “marriage” … in a California voting context. Jim Martin’s profound question about living in thoughtlessness. Bob Robinson continues his series on the election with why evangelicals could vote for Obama. David Fitch on the temptation to be pragmatic. Karen passes on a piece about Johnny Cash theology.

Tom Smith’s post on atheist advertising.

Forgiveness as the way forward. (HT: RJS)

Recently I was told that many pastors are worrying about budgets.

Emergent Village morphs into a new form: Tony Jones steps down as EV National Coordinator and there will be a continued focus on grass-roots level conversations. Tony’s blog moves to Beliefnet.com. We offer here a collective thanks to Tony.

Wonderful story.

I’ll be in Pittsburgh today and here’s a site that has some live blogging and twittering.

Here comes winter …

1. Baseball, statistics, and health-care improvements.
2. Two parties, three “tendencies,” and a nice analysis. David Brooks is always reasonable.
3. Science and faith: a review of recent books that argue evangelicals can be evolutionists. It’s too bad Daniel Harrell’s book didn’t get into the mix.
4. WWJB?

Mayor Daley, when asked what happened to the Cubs, said “So, you gave the playoffs and the Series to the Phillies. Why the Phillies?! Why not just give it to the Mets!”

5. Joe Sixth-Sense.
6. This isn’t a blog post; it’s a newspaper article!
7. The Vatican develops more screening for evaluating potential priests.
8. ?All you need is three guys and a little boat, and the next day you?re millionaires.”
9. I was reading a chp in a book on prophesying godlessness when a friend sent me the fictitious letter of Dobson. It reads like an apocalyptic scenario.
10. Days of King David rediscovered.
11. Mbeki.

Sports:

Scary good athletes.

Please hide the Cubs highlights!

On the Phillies winning the World Series. To begin with, baseball season ended when the NLCS ended because those American leaguers refuse to play real baseball — when the pitcher bats, we’ve got real baseball.

On the Phillies … my brother-in-law, Ron, told us in July the Cubs would not make it to the World Series because the Phillies were the best team in baseball.

That Isiah Thomas story is one odd story and one that draws pity instead of criticism.