Well, the time has come to reveal the rest of the list. As I mentioned before, I love to read. And a huge amount of what I read each day comes from blogs on the internet. I pointed out the richness and methods of reading blogs before (go here to read what I wrote), while also introducing the list of my 75 favorite blogs, beginning with #75 to #51 followed by #50 to #26. Out of the roughly 180 blogs I'm "subscribed" to, these 75 are the ones I most look forward to reading each day. So concluding the list, here are my 25 favorite blogs on the internet:
25. Brian Schmitz’s Magic BasketBlog (Other-Sports)
Behind the scenes stories on the Orlando Magic from the Orlando newspaper beat writers.
24. Fallible Blogma (Christian-Catholic)
The personal blog of a young-adult Catholic on the forefront of the intersection between New Media and the Church.
23. Third Quarter Collapse (Other-Sports)
My favorite blog covering my favorite sports team, the Orlando Magic.
22. Busted Halo (Christian-Catholic)
An online magazine geared towards spirituality-seeking young adults. Plenty of great articles for 20-and-30-somethings.
21. Googling God (Christian-Catholic)
Written by Mike Hayes, who is one of the experts on young adults in the Catholic Church. He offers articles, links, and commentaries all geared towards the spirituality of young adults.
20. Why I Am Catholic (Christian-Catholic)
A series of daily articles that each list a separate reason for being Catholic; most are profound explorations of different Saints, doctrines, or practices.
19. The Art of Manliness (Other-Life)
A blog on all things related to being a man; offers skills, tips, and advice on embracing and enhancing masculinity.
18. Don Miller’s Blog (Christian-Personal)
The personal blog of popular Christian author Don Miller. His most famous book is his spiritual memoir "Blue Like Jazz". He also wrote "A Million Miles In A Thousand Years", which I reviewed here.
17. Catholic Vote Action (Christian-Catholic)
One of the most popular Catholic political blogs on the internet, formerly known as "American Papist"; can at times be scathing, so beware.
16. Happy Catholic (Christian-Catholic)
Written by Julie, a convert from agnosticism to Catholicism, the blog is heavy on book reviews, quotes, and links, all of which are good.
15. Kingdom People (Christian-Baptist)
Plenty of daily links, book reviews, and articles from a Baptist perspective.
14. Justin Taylor’s Blog (Christian-Reformed)
Solid Christian articles and links from around the internet, specifically written through the lens of Reformed Christianity.
13. 10 Million Words (Christian-Books)
Tim Challies, blogger at Challies.com, aims to read every word every book that appears on the New York Time's Bestsellers list during 2010; he’s writing reviews of each book from a Reformed Christian perspective and details his experiences throughout the year.
12. True Hoop (Other-Sports)
Undoubtedly the most insightful blog on all things related to the NBA; full of behind-the-scenes stories, video, and statistical analysis.
11. The Ignatius Press Blog (Christian-Books)
Features mostly clips and previews of current and upcoming books published by Ignatius Press, as well as short commentaries on current events from a Catholic perspective.
10. Purify Your Bride (Christian-Catholic)
Articles probing the logic and theology of Catholic and Protestant beliefs; definitely one of the most intellectually stimulating blogs I read.
9. Hearts and Minds Books (Christian-Books)
Bookstore owners who each month review dozens of popular Christian books. They read and review more books than anyone else I know of. Also, their blog/site is setup to offer the best books on a particular subject (social justice/vocations/etc.) which allows you to find their recommendations easily; the best site for Christian bibliomaniacs.
8. The Deacon’s Bench (Christian-Catholic)
A Catholic deacon's personal blog which features videos, links, and short articles on the Catholic faith.
7. Divine Life (Christian-Catholic)
The personal blog of Eric Sammons, a Catholic author--and fellow convert from Protestantism--who is getting his Master's degree in Theology; well-written articles on Catholicism.
6. Challies (Christian-Reformed)
The third-most popular Christian blog on the internet according to ChurchRelevance; Tim Challies writes articles and posts links daily, all from a strongly Reformed Church perspective. He is also a heavy book reader so he offers many reviews and snippets from books, flavored with a handful of daily links.
5. Lifehacker (Other-Life)
All sorts of tips, tricks, and products to help you "hack" your life (to perform daily tasks more easily and efficiently); really focused on technology with links to tons of free, helpful, downloadable programs.
4. Conversion Diary (Christian-Catholic)
A popular blog written by an atheist-turned Catholic who offers insightful experiences as a mom and a women of faith.
3. Standing On My Head (Christian-Catholic)
A blog by an Anglican-priest-turned-Catholic that features many good articles and commentary on current events from a well-formed Catholic perspective. He is also an author who wrote "The Gargoyle Code", which I reviewed here.
2. Aggie Catholics (Christian-Catholic)
The blog for the Catholic campus ministry at Texas A&M; multiple posts per day with videos and links to other articles; fantastic blog for college-aged or young adult Catholics.
1. Stuff Christians Like (Christian-Humor)
One of the funniest writers I know, Jon Acuff writes satirically about the Christian life. See my review of his upcoming book here.
Whew. So there's the whole list. I must add the caveat, though, that rarely a week goes by when I don't find a new blog to "subscribe" to, while also finding another to "unsubscribe" from. Reading blogs is pretty fluid, rarely stagnant. Like I mentioned in the opening paragraph, if you want to learn a little more about "blogs" or the best ways to efficiently read them, check out a previous post I wrote on "Blogs and RSS Basics". I hope my list of 75 opened you up to new writings and helped you to find at least a couple of new blogs to "subscribe" to. And like last time, if you'd like to list some of your favorite blogs, then feel free to leave a comment below, even if it's your own blog (permission is hereby granted for unbridled self-promotion)!
May we all recognize that we are all tour guides on this journey, ones who must point out to others greatness, beauty, and value wherever it is to be seen or read.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Free Book Giveaway!
I've received an extra copy of "The Gargoyle Code" from Fr. Dwight Longenecker, which I reviewed here. I'm giving away this copy, shipped free of charge to a reader of this blog. If you would like to receive it, post a comment below with your name, and on Saturday (Feb. 13) I will do a random drawing, mailing the book to the randomly selected person. The winner should receive the book just in time for Lent!
UPDATE: I've used an online random generator, and the winner of the book is Ryan Moore. Ryan, be on the lookout for an e-mail.
UPDATE: I've used an online random generator, and the winner of the book is Ryan Moore. Ryan, be on the lookout for an e-mail.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
"The Gargoyle Code" - Review
There is a tradition dating back to St. Benedict that says you should read a good spiritual book during the months of Lent as a sign of devotion and spiritual growth. To this end, Fr. Dwight Longenecker—a former Evangelical college student, Anglican-priest, and now Catholic-priest—has written a delectable book, “The Gargoyle Code”.
The book is essentially a collection of letters between a master, demonic tempter and a young diabolical trainee. For those familiar with C.S. Lewis, you’ll immediately recognize that “The Gargoyle Code” shares its genre and style with Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters”.
The plot is similar in both books: the tempters of Hell use every tactic possible to lure their “assignments”—the people of earth—into eternal damnation. However, Fr. Longenecker’s book differs from Lewis’ in a couple of ways.
First, “The Gargoyle Code” describes the temptations of a handful of Catholic men and women. The two main tempters, a master demon named Slubgrip and a novice tempter named Dogwart, are in charge of an old, ultra-conservative Catholic man and a struggling, young adult Catholic, respectively. Whereas Lewis sought to describe the tempting of “mere” Christians, Fr. Longenecker details the trials of men and women tempted in uniquely Catholic ways: belittling the significance of the Mass, rote prayer and confession or the discernment of religious vocation.
Also different from Lewis’ book, “The Gargoyle Code” contains a chapter for each day during Lent, making this a great book to read during this time. Recognizing the liturgical season of Lent as the time of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, and as a time to deeply contemplate our own spiritual attacks and temptations, this book is an appropriate guide during this season.
Besides being a more ‘Catholic’ version of “The Screwtape Letters”, however, “The Gargoyle Code” is also a more modern version. The tempters in Fr. Longenecker’s book encourage sloth through the medium of 24/7 sports networks and vanity through the use of media. In the Introduction to the book, Fr. Longenecker invites the reader to read the tempter’s communications as a mirror; that is, to see oneself in each situation and temptation. This is very easy to do, maybe moreso than in Lewis’ older book, for the majority of temptations are ones each of us has encountered at some time or another.
The communications of the tempters reveal something significant: things are not always as they seem. Our culture sees quaint things like attending Mass, living chastely, or deathbed penitents as novelties at best and insignificant at worst. But looking through the eyes of the underworld, one sees the immense power that each of these acts carries. This is nothing new, of course, if one considers the words of the great Saints throughout history; many of them wrote about the lethality of the Eucharist, the greatest spiritual weapon in the armory of the Church.
A simple, honest prayer can move mountains as Jesus hinted at, yet those may be the mountains of Hell instead of the Rockies. This book injects significance into each small movement of faith, helping to show how the smallest acts are huge blows to the forces that seek to draw us far from God.
We are involved in a war, invisible though it may be; this is our unfortunate condition. But we are armed with an infinite supply of weapons, and a King who is unconquerable. In the life of faith, especially during the time of Lent, a line is drawn in the sand, a line temptation challenges us to cross. If you are looking for fuel to fight against temptation during the season of Lent, or want to better recognize the ploys of evil, I strongly recommend picking up a copy of “The Gargoyle Code”; if you order a copy now, you should get it right in time for the beginning of Lent!
(If you would like to read a handful of excerpts from "The Gargoyle Code", click here.)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tim Keller's review of "The Shack"
I finished reading the mega-hit book, "The Shack" almost a year ago. Since then, I've heard the author, William Paul Young, speak twice in person. Yet even after all of that I've had difficulty forming definite opinions about the book. The story paints a fantastic picture of God's love--especially in the midst of suffering--but I still had a queasy feeling after reading it. I felt that there were some subtle, yet serious, doctrinal errors about God in the book. "The Shack" surely wasn't marketed as a book of systematic theology, yet still there is danger when any bestseller paints pictures of God, fictional or not. This is because, for many people, this fictional image of God may be the only one they're ever exposed to.
So if you write about God, you should seek to do it right.
I've read many reviews of the book, and most of them--especially the ones from Christian polemicists--come down hard on the book and the author, essentially preparing the wood and stake for a heretic burning. Others, find little to no fault in the material and claim it to be nothing more than a wonderful work of fiction. I tend to fall somewhere between the two groups.
So with all of that said, a couple of weeks ago I came across what is probably the most agreeable review of "The Shack" I have yet found. It was written by Tim Keller, a popular writer ("The Prodigal God" and "The Reason For God") and pastor of a large Presbyterian church in New York.
Check out Tim's review here. What did you think of this book?
"The Good Samaritan" - Talk
Over the past month or so, I've traveled to three different Catholic parishes around Central Florida to give a talk on Jesus' "Good Samaritan" parable (Luke 10:25-37). As a part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' "Journey to Justice" experience, I gave some short commentary on this parable, one of Jesus' most well-known. The hope was that listeners would break through the familiarity of the story in order to embrace the call to compassion and justice latent within Jesus' words. Click below to listen a recording of the talk:
(If the above player doesn't work, or if you want to download the talk, right-click here, select "Save Link As", and choose where you would like to save it on your computer.)
(If the above player doesn't work, or if you want to download the talk, right-click here, select "Save Link As", and choose where you would like to save it on your computer.)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
My 75 Favorite Blogs - #50 to #26
I love to read. And a huge amount of what I read each day comes from blogs on the internet. I pointed out the richness and methods of reading blogs a couple of days ago (go here to read what I wrote), while also introducing the list of my 75 favorite blogs, beginning with #75 to #51. Out of the roughly 180 blogs I'm "subscribed" to, these 75 are the ones I most look forward to reading each day. So continuing on, here is the next set of my favorites, #50 to #26:
50. Jennifer’s Favorite Links (Other-Links)
Links to fascinating stories from all around the internet; usually about 1 link every couple of days.
49. Patrick Madrid’s Blog (Christian-Catholic)
Personal blog of popular Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid.
48. Just Wallpaper (Christian-Technology)
Semi-regular postings of social-justice-themed desktop wallpapers for your computer. These cool wallpapers regularly cycle through my computer background.
47. Sainthood Project (Christian-Catholic)
Offers tips and challenges to live a more saintly life.
46. Desiring God Blog (Christian-Reformed)
The blog of Desiring God Ministries, headed by popular writer and preacher John Piper. I don’t always agree with the bloggers at Desiring God, but the large majority of their stuff is very good food for the soul.
45. Albert Mohler’s Blog (Christian-Baptist)
The personal blog of the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; another guys I don’t always agree with, but most of what he says is very good and well-articulated.
44. Fallible Blogma (Christian-Catholic)
A site offering social and political commentary on the news from the perspective of a young Catholic man.
43. Burnside Writer’s Collective (Christian-Magazine)
An online Christian magazine aimed towards people disenfranchised by traditional Christianity. This group of writers was gathered by author Don Miller in Portland, OR.
42. Okie-Booklady (Other-Books)
A fellow Catholic bibliomaniac who posts links, articles, and plenty of book reviews.
41. Voices of CRS (Christian-Catholic)
Articles, news, and prayers from Catholic Relief Services, the international service arm of the American Catholic Church.
40. Dwight Howard’s Blog (Other-Sports)
The personal blog of my favorite basketball player, Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard.
39. Seth Godin’s Blog (Other-Business)
Short daily posts by productivity guru Seth Godin; great to read even if you don't work in the realm of business.
38. C.S. Lewis Blog (Christian-C.S. Lewis)
Semi-regular articles on C.S. Lewis' thought and works written by a collection of C.S. Lewis scholars.
37. Wrecked For the Ordinary (Christian-Social Justice)
A weekly web-zine full of articles aimed at 20-and-30-somethings with a strong emphasis on spirituality and social justice.
36. Catholic Spiritual Direction (Christian-Catholic)
A blog written by a Catholic priest--someone who is particularly adept at spiritual direction--to give online spiritual direction through articles and Q&A's.
35. OSV Daily Take (Christian-Catholic)
News stories and editorials on current events from a Catholic perspective; the official blog of the "Our Sunday Visitor" newspaper, one of my favorite publications.
34. Intentional Disciples (Christian-Catholic)
A group blog from the Catherine of Siena Institute which aims to recognize and ignite the spiritual gifts within lay men and women of the Catholic Church. As a convert from Evangelical Protestantism to Catholicism I really appreciate the importance they place on spiritual formation; these men and women embrace the best of both Evangelicalism and Catholicism.
33. Change the World – Orlando Sentinel (Local-Justice)
The best blog I know of to find opportunities to make a difference in the greater Central Florida Community.
32. Inside Catholic (Christian-Catholic)
Blog postings and columns from a diverse group of clergy, theologians, experts, and laypeople. The articles mainly commentate on Catholicism in the public square.
31. @realrobbell on Twitter (Christian-Twitter)
Twitter updates from popular preacher and writer Rob Bell.
30. Canterbury Tales (Christian-Catholic)
Blog written by an Anglican-priest convert to Catholicism. He is pursuing his PhD, but his writing is fairly popularized; lots of good writings on Paul and the Jew-ishness of Jesus and the Catholic Church.
29. There, I Fixed It (Other-Humor)
A hilarious picture-blog of people performing do-it-yourself fixes to common problems.
28. Hoopsworld (Other-Sports)
Rumors, headlines and stories from the NBA.
27. The Frame (Other-Photography)
A fascinating picture-blog detailing major world events through photos, published by the Sacramento Bee.
26. The Big Picture (Other-Photography)
Another fascinating picture-blog detailing major world events through photos.
So, that's the second batch. Be on the lookout for #25 to #1 soon. Again, if you want to learn a little more about "blogs" or the best ways to efficiently read them, check out a previous post I wrote on "Blogs and RSS Basics". And like last time, if you'd like to list some of your favorite blogs, then feel free to leave a comment below, even if it's your own blog (permission is hereby granted for unbridled self-promotion)!
50. Jennifer’s Favorite Links (Other-Links)
Links to fascinating stories from all around the internet; usually about 1 link every couple of days.
49. Patrick Madrid’s Blog (Christian-Catholic)
Personal blog of popular Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid.
48. Just Wallpaper (Christian-Technology)
Semi-regular postings of social-justice-themed desktop wallpapers for your computer. These cool wallpapers regularly cycle through my computer background.
47. Sainthood Project (Christian-Catholic)
Offers tips and challenges to live a more saintly life.
46. Desiring God Blog (Christian-Reformed)
The blog of Desiring God Ministries, headed by popular writer and preacher John Piper. I don’t always agree with the bloggers at Desiring God, but the large majority of their stuff is very good food for the soul.
45. Albert Mohler’s Blog (Christian-Baptist)
The personal blog of the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; another guys I don’t always agree with, but most of what he says is very good and well-articulated.
44. Fallible Blogma (Christian-Catholic)
A site offering social and political commentary on the news from the perspective of a young Catholic man.
43. Burnside Writer’s Collective (Christian-Magazine)
An online Christian magazine aimed towards people disenfranchised by traditional Christianity. This group of writers was gathered by author Don Miller in Portland, OR.
42. Okie-Booklady (Other-Books)
A fellow Catholic bibliomaniac who posts links, articles, and plenty of book reviews.
41. Voices of CRS (Christian-Catholic)
Articles, news, and prayers from Catholic Relief Services, the international service arm of the American Catholic Church.
40. Dwight Howard’s Blog (Other-Sports)
The personal blog of my favorite basketball player, Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard.
39. Seth Godin’s Blog (Other-Business)
Short daily posts by productivity guru Seth Godin; great to read even if you don't work in the realm of business.
38. C.S. Lewis Blog (Christian-C.S. Lewis)
Semi-regular articles on C.S. Lewis' thought and works written by a collection of C.S. Lewis scholars.
37. Wrecked For the Ordinary (Christian-Social Justice)
A weekly web-zine full of articles aimed at 20-and-30-somethings with a strong emphasis on spirituality and social justice.
36. Catholic Spiritual Direction (Christian-Catholic)
A blog written by a Catholic priest--someone who is particularly adept at spiritual direction--to give online spiritual direction through articles and Q&A's.
35. OSV Daily Take (Christian-Catholic)
News stories and editorials on current events from a Catholic perspective; the official blog of the "Our Sunday Visitor" newspaper, one of my favorite publications.
34. Intentional Disciples (Christian-Catholic)
A group blog from the Catherine of Siena Institute which aims to recognize and ignite the spiritual gifts within lay men and women of the Catholic Church. As a convert from Evangelical Protestantism to Catholicism I really appreciate the importance they place on spiritual formation; these men and women embrace the best of both Evangelicalism and Catholicism.
33. Change the World – Orlando Sentinel (Local-Justice)
The best blog I know of to find opportunities to make a difference in the greater Central Florida Community.
32. Inside Catholic (Christian-Catholic)
Blog postings and columns from a diverse group of clergy, theologians, experts, and laypeople. The articles mainly commentate on Catholicism in the public square.
31. @realrobbell on Twitter (Christian-Twitter)
Twitter updates from popular preacher and writer Rob Bell.
30. Canterbury Tales (Christian-Catholic)
Blog written by an Anglican-priest convert to Catholicism. He is pursuing his PhD, but his writing is fairly popularized; lots of good writings on Paul and the Jew-ishness of Jesus and the Catholic Church.
29. There, I Fixed It (Other-Humor)
A hilarious picture-blog of people performing do-it-yourself fixes to common problems.
28. Hoopsworld (Other-Sports)
Rumors, headlines and stories from the NBA.
27. The Frame (Other-Photography)
A fascinating picture-blog detailing major world events through photos, published by the Sacramento Bee.
26. The Big Picture (Other-Photography)
Another fascinating picture-blog detailing major world events through photos.
So, that's the second batch. Be on the lookout for #25 to #1 soon. Again, if you want to learn a little more about "blogs" or the best ways to efficiently read them, check out a previous post I wrote on "Blogs and RSS Basics". And like last time, if you'd like to list some of your favorite blogs, then feel free to leave a comment below, even if it's your own blog (permission is hereby granted for unbridled self-promotion)!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
My 75 Favorite Blogs - #75 to #51
For an introduction to blogs and how to subscribe to their RSS feeds, check out my previous post. But with that simple introduction, the next quest is to find great blogs in cyberspace.
And so I write this post.
It's sometimes difficult to find good blogs around the internet, unless they are recommended by another blog, website, or person. So I thought it would be a good idea to spread to others the wealth of good blogs that I've found over the last few years.
I currently have 142 "subscriptions" in my Google Reader (meaning that I am subscribed to 142 different blogs or websites), and Google's statistics tell me that I read on average about 180 posts per day (except on Sundays, when I typically don't read any). However, I say "read" lightly; on an average day, out of those 180, I usually read all 180 headlines, skim about 75 articles that seem of particular interest to me, and read in-depth about 30 of the most alluring articles. This total process, scattered throughout the day, probably takes up a total of about an hour-and-a-half. The wealth of information, news, spiritual writing, and theology I read during that hour-and-a-half would have taken weeks to acquire a couple of decades ago.
So aware of the riches available when blogs are read efficiently, I decided to share my 75 favorite blogs; the blogs I most look forward to reading each day. The higher ranking a blog has on my list of 75, the more likely I am to read each new article in its entirety; the lower the ranking, the more likely I am to skim its headlines.
Two things should be noted. First, this grouping of blogs is incredibly subjective; they all float within my own personal interests and preferences, so be forewarned that some of these may be of very little interest to you. Second, it was incredibly difficult to rank the blogs I follow through any type of quantitative comparison. To make the list I created ten tiers of blogs, and attempted to rank the blogs within each tier before stacking the tiers on top of each other. I'm sure I could spend many, many hours adjusting and readjusting the rankings, but at present they present a picture of relative goodness, hazy though it may be.
I hope, at the very least, that you're able to find at least a few new blogs that you haven't read before.
Well, here we go:
75. Tech Tips for Catholics (Christian--Technology)
A group of writers who aim to help Christians embrace and harness the power of New Media; postings aren't particularly regular.
74. Army of Martyrs (Christian--Catholic)
A convert to Catholicism writes semi-regularly from a heavily theological perspective.
73. Zondervan Blog (Christian--Books)
A blog on new releases and author interviews from a popular Christian publisher.
72. Take the Poor With You (Christian--Simplicity)
A blog by a Catholic woman who seeks to live as a radical steward in the world.
71. Wisdom and Folly (Christian--Media)
A husband-and-wife blog that features articles and plenty of reviews of movies and media from a Christian perspective.
70. Cool Tools for Catholics (Christian--Catholic)
Shows how Catholics can harness technology and internet tools. Posts are made sporadically, usually only once a month or so.
69. Prodigal Magazine (Christian--Men)
Articles from an online magazine geared towards Christian men.
68. Musings From A Catholic Bookstore (Christian--Catholic)
The official blog of the "Aquinas and More" Catholic Bookstore that posts updates on sales and products.
67. Central Florida Coalition For the Homeless Blog (Christian--Local)
Updates and news from Central Florida's largest anti-homeless organization.
66. 20SomethingFinance (Other--Finances)
A finance blog for 20-somethings and other young adults covering financial basics.
65. Point Haired Dilbert (Other--Microsoft Excel)
Tips and tricks for Microsoft Excel.
64. ESPN NBA (Other--Sports)
Headlines and stories from the NBA.
63. Catholic Media Review (Christian--Catholic)
Books, TV shows, and movies reviewed from a Catholic perspective.
62. Wise As Serpants (Christian--Economics)
A blog co-authored by a couple of professors on Florida State University that explores issues of compassion and justice within the field of economics.
61. US Catholic (Christian--Catholic)
Writings on issues relevant to Catholics in America; focuses heavily on news commentary.
60. Florida Catholic Blog (Christian--Catholic)
Articles and news items from the monthly Florida Catholic newspaper.
59. Finding the Inciting Incident (Christian--Personal)
A relatively new blog by a good friend of mine looking at parts of our lives--parts of our stories--that force us to change; he is one of the best storytellers I know.
58. Official Google Blog (Other--Technology)
Information on current and future products from Google.
57. Chesterton and Friends (Christian--G.K. Chesterton)
A series of writings from a group of G.K. Chesterton devotees.
56. Pilgrimage of the Heart (Christian--Personal)
Personal blog of Jeff Goins; geared towards missionary activity, social justice, and aimed at young-adult Christian audience.
55. The League of Bearded Catholics (Christian--Catholic)
Writings that center around J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Hilaire Belloc--four literary-Christian giants of the twentieth century.
54. Sonitus Sanctus (Christian--Catholic)
Offers free Catholic audio clips from around the internet; especially old homilies and talks.
53. Get Rich Slowly (Other--Finances)
Personal finance tips, strategies, and advice in down-to-Earth language.
52. Christianity Today – Books and Culture (Christian--Books)
Book and media reviews from one of the most popular Christian Magazines.
51. Freakonomics Blog (Other--Economics)
Fascinating posts and links to economic quandaries in the world. If you liked the book "Freakonomics", this is a daily dose of the same.
So, that's the first batch. Be on the lookout for #50 to #26 soon. Finally, if you'd like to list some of your favorite blogs, then feel free to leave a comment below; I'm always open to finding great blogs!
And so I write this post.
It's sometimes difficult to find good blogs around the internet, unless they are recommended by another blog, website, or person. So I thought it would be a good idea to spread to others the wealth of good blogs that I've found over the last few years.
I currently have 142 "subscriptions" in my Google Reader (meaning that I am subscribed to 142 different blogs or websites), and Google's statistics tell me that I read on average about 180 posts per day (except on Sundays, when I typically don't read any). However, I say "read" lightly; on an average day, out of those 180, I usually read all 180 headlines, skim about 75 articles that seem of particular interest to me, and read in-depth about 30 of the most alluring articles. This total process, scattered throughout the day, probably takes up a total of about an hour-and-a-half. The wealth of information, news, spiritual writing, and theology I read during that hour-and-a-half would have taken weeks to acquire a couple of decades ago.
So aware of the riches available when blogs are read efficiently, I decided to share my 75 favorite blogs; the blogs I most look forward to reading each day. The higher ranking a blog has on my list of 75, the more likely I am to read each new article in its entirety; the lower the ranking, the more likely I am to skim its headlines.
Two things should be noted. First, this grouping of blogs is incredibly subjective; they all float within my own personal interests and preferences, so be forewarned that some of these may be of very little interest to you. Second, it was incredibly difficult to rank the blogs I follow through any type of quantitative comparison. To make the list I created ten tiers of blogs, and attempted to rank the blogs within each tier before stacking the tiers on top of each other. I'm sure I could spend many, many hours adjusting and readjusting the rankings, but at present they present a picture of relative goodness, hazy though it may be.
I hope, at the very least, that you're able to find at least a few new blogs that you haven't read before.
Well, here we go:
75. Tech Tips for Catholics (Christian--Technology)
A group of writers who aim to help Christians embrace and harness the power of New Media; postings aren't particularly regular.
74. Army of Martyrs (Christian--Catholic)
A convert to Catholicism writes semi-regularly from a heavily theological perspective.
73. Zondervan Blog (Christian--Books)
A blog on new releases and author interviews from a popular Christian publisher.
72. Take the Poor With You (Christian--Simplicity)
A blog by a Catholic woman who seeks to live as a radical steward in the world.
71. Wisdom and Folly (Christian--Media)
A husband-and-wife blog that features articles and plenty of reviews of movies and media from a Christian perspective.
70. Cool Tools for Catholics (Christian--Catholic)
Shows how Catholics can harness technology and internet tools. Posts are made sporadically, usually only once a month or so.
69. Prodigal Magazine (Christian--Men)
Articles from an online magazine geared towards Christian men.
68. Musings From A Catholic Bookstore (Christian--Catholic)
The official blog of the "Aquinas and More" Catholic Bookstore that posts updates on sales and products.
67. Central Florida Coalition For the Homeless Blog (Christian--Local)
Updates and news from Central Florida's largest anti-homeless organization.
66. 20SomethingFinance (Other--Finances)
A finance blog for 20-somethings and other young adults covering financial basics.
65. Point Haired Dilbert (Other--Microsoft Excel)
Tips and tricks for Microsoft Excel.
64. ESPN NBA (Other--Sports)
Headlines and stories from the NBA.
63. Catholic Media Review (Christian--Catholic)
Books, TV shows, and movies reviewed from a Catholic perspective.
62. Wise As Serpants (Christian--Economics)
A blog co-authored by a couple of professors on Florida State University that explores issues of compassion and justice within the field of economics.
61. US Catholic (Christian--Catholic)
Writings on issues relevant to Catholics in America; focuses heavily on news commentary.
60. Florida Catholic Blog (Christian--Catholic)
Articles and news items from the monthly Florida Catholic newspaper.
59. Finding the Inciting Incident (Christian--Personal)
A relatively new blog by a good friend of mine looking at parts of our lives--parts of our stories--that force us to change; he is one of the best storytellers I know.
58. Official Google Blog (Other--Technology)
Information on current and future products from Google.
57. Chesterton and Friends (Christian--G.K. Chesterton)
A series of writings from a group of G.K. Chesterton devotees.
56. Pilgrimage of the Heart (Christian--Personal)
Personal blog of Jeff Goins; geared towards missionary activity, social justice, and aimed at young-adult Christian audience.
55. The League of Bearded Catholics (Christian--Catholic)
Writings that center around J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Hilaire Belloc--four literary-Christian giants of the twentieth century.
54. Sonitus Sanctus (Christian--Catholic)
Offers free Catholic audio clips from around the internet; especially old homilies and talks.
53. Get Rich Slowly (Other--Finances)
Personal finance tips, strategies, and advice in down-to-Earth language.
52. Christianity Today – Books and Culture (Christian--Books)
Book and media reviews from one of the most popular Christian Magazines.
51. Freakonomics Blog (Other--Economics)
Fascinating posts and links to economic quandaries in the world. If you liked the book "Freakonomics", this is a daily dose of the same.
So, that's the first batch. Be on the lookout for #50 to #26 soon. Finally, if you'd like to list some of your favorite blogs, then feel free to leave a comment below; I'm always open to finding great blogs!
Blog and RSS Basics
One of the best ways that I have grown in both knowledge and faith has been through the reading of "blogs" on the internet. For those of you unfamiliar with "blogs", well, you're reading one right now. A "blog"--short for "web log"--is simply a collection of online articles, also known as "posts".
All over the internet lurk hundreds of blogs that are full of articles on your favorite topics. After finding a small handful of good blogs, the next quandary is how to find the time to read them all. Do you have to painstakingly go to each website every day and check whether or not new content was added?
Thankfully, the answer is 'no'. There are such things called "aggregators"--also called RSS readers--which pull in new content from your favorite blogs and websites to one central source. The RSS reader I use, one of the most popular ones on the internet, is Google Reader (which is absolutely free). For a brief introduction to RSS readers and an explanation of how to use one, I suggest you go here. Suffice it to say that you can learn about RSS readers and set up a free account with Google in a matter of 10 minutes. Watch the video below to learn more about Google Reader:
Once you have chosen an RSS reader (such as Google Reader), you are now ready to add--the phrase used in the blog world is "subscribe to"-- some of your favorite blogs from around the internet. To add a blog to your RSS reader, you simply click the little orange rectangle with three white arcs inside it; you can see an example of one of these at the top right of this site, but you will also usually find them on the far-right side of the address bar of your internet browser.
Anytime you find an interesting blog, look in the address bar or on the blog site itself for this symbol. Clicking on this orange button will lead you through the short process needed to make sure that all new content added to that particular site will be sent directly to your RSS reader. For instance, clicking on the orange RSS icon below will allow you to subscribe to this blog:
Therefore, instead of checking dozens of your favorite sites every day, you just need to make a trip to one spot: your RSS reader. This makes reading blogs incredibly easy and efficient.
Once you have an RSS reader and know how to "subscribe to" blogs (don't be deceived by the phrase "subscribe to" though; subscribing to blogs is free) the final mission is to find blogs with great content. I will write about that in my next post....
All over the internet lurk hundreds of blogs that are full of articles on your favorite topics. After finding a small handful of good blogs, the next quandary is how to find the time to read them all. Do you have to painstakingly go to each website every day and check whether or not new content was added?
Thankfully, the answer is 'no'. There are such things called "aggregators"--also called RSS readers--which pull in new content from your favorite blogs and websites to one central source. The RSS reader I use, one of the most popular ones on the internet, is Google Reader (which is absolutely free). For a brief introduction to RSS readers and an explanation of how to use one, I suggest you go here. Suffice it to say that you can learn about RSS readers and set up a free account with Google in a matter of 10 minutes. Watch the video below to learn more about Google Reader:
Once you have chosen an RSS reader (such as Google Reader), you are now ready to add--the phrase used in the blog world is "subscribe to"-- some of your favorite blogs from around the internet. To add a blog to your RSS reader, you simply click the little orange rectangle with three white arcs inside it; you can see an example of one of these at the top right of this site, but you will also usually find them on the far-right side of the address bar of your internet browser.
Anytime you find an interesting blog, look in the address bar or on the blog site itself for this symbol. Clicking on this orange button will lead you through the short process needed to make sure that all new content added to that particular site will be sent directly to your RSS reader. For instance, clicking on the orange RSS icon below will allow you to subscribe to this blog:
Once you have an RSS reader and know how to "subscribe to" blogs (don't be deceived by the phrase "subscribe to" though; subscribing to blogs is free) the final mission is to find blogs with great content. I will write about that in my next post....
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
"Stuff Christians Like" - Review
"If you buy this book, God will make you rich."
And so begins a wild, satirical ride through the world of all things Christian. In "Stuff Christians Like" (Zondervan, 208 pages, $12.99), popular blogger and first-time author Jon Acuff explores the oft-unspoken funny side of faith, navigating the treacherous waters of church life, prayer circle etiquette, and proper side-hug technique (see book cover), among other things. Through a collection of over 100 short essays and a handful of amusing illustrations, Jon pokes fun at many of the odd things that Christians like to think, say, and do.
Like any humorist, Jon will strongly appeal to some people—I find myself in this group—while scandalizing others. Many who grew up saturated with the culture of the American church will find that these words precisely articulate the bizarreness we Christians sometimes share. On the other hand, those who grew up without many of these experiences may see Jon’s writings as the epitome of irreverence.
Regardless of which school of thought you find yourself in, it is hard to argue with the premise of "Stuff Christians Like" . In the book, Jon recognizes that among the many labels Christians get branded with today, one of the rarest is "funny", noting that Christians are rarely associated with "an abundance of humor or wit or satire." Psalm 126 reveals that ancient nations recognized the goodness of God through the laughter of His people. Today, however, many non-believers see Christians as sufferers of what Jon calls SCS (Somber Christian Syndrome). SCS sufferers believe that truly being Christian means being serious and reverent all the time, never finding the humor latent within so many of our spiritual situations.
So, Jon wrote this book to be part of the cure.
In “Stuff Christians Like”, Jon pokes fun at many things Christians like, including:
- Not Knowing How To Hold Hands - "'Please join hands' are three of the most terrifying words you’ll ever hear a minister say. (Second only to, 'We never talk about money at our church, but today…')"
- Thinking You’re Supposed To Go Into Full-Time Ministry – "As a Christian, you’re obligated to think about going into full-time ministry at least once every three years." and later joking that, "It’s a well-known Christian fact that if you surrender your life to God—if you really turn over your hopes and dreams to him and truly give him control of your entire life—the first thing he’s going to do is send you to Africa. Immediately."
- Saying “I’ll Pray For You”…And Then Not – "Sometimes saying, "I’ll pray for you" is just the Christian equivalent of ending a date by saying, "I’ll give you a call." It shouldn’t be, but it is, and right now I have about a 17 percent success rate when it comes to actually following through on my ‘I’ll pray for you’ promises. I know that’s horrible, but that reflects a ten-year average that includes 2000-2005, when I was batting about 0.000. I’ve done better these last five years to pull up my average, but you know what they say about prayer statistics: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint".
Through his keen gift of observation, Jon gives an in-depth breakdown of the seven people you meet in a prayer circle—The Opener, The Almost-er, The Rambler, The Cave-In, The Gunslinger, The Shot Blocker, and The Closer. He also describes the five different hand-raising styles noticed most often in worship--The Ninja, The Half & Half, The Pound Cake, The Double High Five, and The YMCA. The depth of each description makes it clear that Jon has studied the Christian species quite intently.
Through reading Jon’s blog since its inception, one thing I missed from the book was Jon’s more serious tone. On the "Stuff Christians Like" blog, Jon uses every Wednesday to write seriously about a particular issue of faith, most of the time dwelling on the reality of God’s unbelievable love. The last chapter of the book is titled "Saturday Night Cryfest", which alludes to the mountain-top, emotional peak of typical Christian weekend retreats. This chapter does lean towards the serious side, but its small tastes of seriousness seem like an afterthought to the silliness of the rest of the book.
Jon is one of the funniest writers I know, but he is also one of the best communicators of God’s love. So, while it is difficult to balance snarky, sarcastic humor with serious, honest writing, I would have loved more of Jon’s serious side sprinkled amidst the fun (but hopefully that means a second book!).
The "Stuff Christians Like" book builds upon the popularity of Jon's blog, which has been a wild success on the internet in no small part because of the readers and commenters of the blog. The blog’s community doesn’t just gather to read and poke fun at Christian culture. Instead, the readers of the "Stuff Christians Like" blog pooled $30,000 in just 18 hours to build a kindergarten in Vietnam, followed a couple of weeks later by another $30,000 to build a second school. That’s truly a testament to the unitive power of Jon’s satire. It also shows that Jon does what any good humorist does: he uses humor as a path to bring people somewhere else, whether that is a place of joyful relief, a needy village in Vietnam, or to the very heart of God.
And the power of the “Stuff Christians Like” community doesn’t stop there. Over the past few weeks at Amazon.com, the humor of Jon’s book could be seen in the sales rankings themselves. Pre-orders of "Stuff Christians Like" not only made the book one of the top 70 sold on Amazon.com for a short while—despite not being released for another couple of months—but the book also hilariously held down the #1 position for "Church History" for a few days (I’m not sure who categorized "Stuff Christians Like" as history, but they must have a good sense of humor!).
Like the "Stuff Christians Like" blog, the book’s satirical look at Christian culture clears away the silly clutter of faith, revealing a wondrously loving God underneath it all. If you find Jon’s humorous blog postings to be too irreverent, you’ll probably find the book to be the same. But if Jon’s talent to "see things as they really are" helps you move beyond the awkwardness of being Christian and closer to the uncluttered heart of God, then check out the "Stuff Christians Like" book.
At the very least, buying a copy may make you rich.
(You can pre-order "Stuff Christians Like" from Amazon.com for only $8.00 right now, which is a pretty great price for a brand-new paperback book. If you want to read more of Jon’s writings, head over to the “Stuff Christians Like” blog where you will find over 700 essays and ideas like the ones in the book. Reading the articles on the blog will give you a good feel as to whether or not you’ll like the book.
Also, you can read a sample chapter of the "Stuff Christians Like" book here (link is a PDF).
Finally, below is a video of Jon giving a talk to a church in Nashville.)
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