We’ve got a new President and a new first lady (and a new website).

Jonathan Williams has an excellent set of suggestions on learning to turn “them” into “us.” One of our students at North Park doing good. Art Boulet asks “emerging into what?” Derek Leman‘s excellent reflections on “texts” and “textuality.” Dan Kimball asks if blogs, Twitter and Facebook can be addictions. Thinking of writing a book? Listen to an editor (one of the best). Four things for Christians to avoid. John Frye’s starting to sound like Pete Rollins. Tamara really believes in missional — and she’s got great ideas.

Marko on where to start in leading.

One of the bright young Bible scholars is Mike Bird. He’s got a new publication, something I’m glad to see. President Obama’s been spoofed himself.

The first election I recall was that of Kennedy. In 45 years or so of elections, I can’t recall ever seeing this much enthusiasm for a new President (perhaps Reagan’s first?) and I’m quite certain we’ve never seen this much support from young voters and college students.

Here’s an excellent blog by Brett McCracken; he analyzes “hipster” culture. That same cultural generation, undoubtedly, presents some new challenges for education. Though not new news, this piece speaks of one of the issues — learning styles. Here’s a bold form of communicating.

Dave Dunbar’s newest in the Missional Journal; he examines the “problem” we do have in the evangelical and missional world.

Bob Smietana‘s piece about the decline in baptisms in Southern Baptist Churches. [Link previously broken, now fixed.]

Event: Willow’s TruthQuest, hosted by Andy Martin, on Friday Feb 13 will do a session about evolution and Darwin — 200 years later.

Quote of the week, from Dick Morris, ever objective critic of anything Democrat, commenting on an Obama idea: “Whooppee doo!” (With the lower jaw moving as it does.)

1. Good news: the healthiness of a Mediterranean diet and helps unclog the arteries.
2. And Thomas Friedman suggests how we can unclog the (economic) arteries.
3. Some educrats, though, are unclogging the education system by removing the wrong AP subjects.
4. SIU loses control of the Ulysses S. Grant papers and the Union leader’s stuff will be housed in the South (of all places!).
5. Jobs and pay that don’t require a college education.

Now that we’ve got a “progressive” (the favored word for “liberal”) President, it’s time to read his critics in The National Review. It’s always wise to listen to the critics.

6. Os Guinness on what Obama faces.
7. George Will on what Obama said.
8. There’s nothing like a fight in Texas, and they’re now pulling guns on one another about evolution and creation.
9. From Xbox to Atari!
10. In my judgment, 900M for the Cubs is a steal. Speaking of the Cubs …

Sports:

Yes, Lou Piniella has plans for next year’s playoffs. Just in case you haven’t noticed, the Cubs are now beginning to assume they will be in the playoffs. You heard it here first: next year we’ll be in the World Series.

Someone might disagree and even prove me wrong, but Indiana and Iowa are two of the worst teams I’ve seen in the Big Ten in a long, long time. And how about those Northwestern Wildcats whuppin’ the Spartans in their own gym! (Makes you think the Cubs can really do it.)