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We all know that it’s going on, but this article actually explains Why Airlines Want to Make You Suffer. The short answer: The worse the normal experience, the greater the likelihood you’ll pay for upgrades. Is Your Church Functionally Liberal? It’s not always as simple as we make it. “The liberal churches I’ve known are…

We know how to do the holidays up here in Canada. After Christmas, we double down and award ourselves a second public holiday called Boxing Day. So I’m going to take it a bit easy today. Here’s A La Carte and I’ll be back shortly with Free Stuff Fridays. Jack Miller has a helpful little…

Did Someone Else Write Shakespeare’s Works? – Ken Jennings says Shakespeare did it all himself. How to Change Your Mind – Here’s one Bible reading plan to consider in the new year. Beautiful Libraries – Some libraries are just amazingly beautiful. Pride – Bradford Littlejohn wraps up an excellent series on 7 deadly sins in…

14 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2014 – Bob Kellemen rounds up 14 books that will be of special interest to counselors. Craftsman – It is a joy to watch just about any craftsman at his trade. This is a fascinating video of a jeweler doing what he does. Unbroken – Christianity Today has a…

The Unbreakable Laura Hillenbrand – The New York Times has a brilliant profile of author Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit and Unbroken. 7 Myths About a Pastor’s Workweek – Thom Rainer dispels a few myths. Peter Jackson Must Be Stopped – I agree. And what bothers me most of all is that it will be…

The 9Marks blog has some good Advice for a New Elder. Thanks to Logos for sponsoring the blog this week with their article 3 Easy Ways to Get Logos 6 (and Special Gifts!). Sponsors help cover the costs associated with hosting and maintaining this site. This probably won’t be a shock, but family-friendly TV isn’t…

Friday is here, and it brings a brand new edition of Free Stuff Fridays. This week’s sponsor is Shepherd Press and they are giving away some great new products. There will be 5 winners this week, and each of the winners will receive the following items: For anyone who is interested, the following products will…

An Unforgettable Christmas – It is so true: “Kids learn to love what brings their parents delight.” There is direct application for the Christmas season. Embiggening English – It has been many, many years since I’ve watched an episode of The Simpsons. But I did enjoy reading this article about its impact on the English…

The Weight of Perfection in Marriage – This is a very enjoyable and challenging article on marriage. Pharma Spam – Ever wondered who’s behind all those spam emails you get that try to sell you cheap pills? This article explains. Through the Eyes of Spurgeon – This new documentary looks at the life and ministry…

Free Bible Study Tools – Jacob Gerber shows where to find and how to use some excellent free Bible study tools. The Things of Earth – Westminster Books is offering good discounts on some new books, including one that comes highly recommended by John Piper: The Things of Earth. The Dumbest Thing – Here’s the…

Board Game Sale – Amazon has a bunch of board games on sale today—with time to have them shipped before Christmas. Be sure to check out Ticket to Ride, Dominion, and 7 Wonders. I’m not as familiar with the rest of them. A Time to Speak – Today Gospel Coalition is sponsoring “A Time to…

Rebuilding Appalachia – I enjoyed this short film that shows the work of an interesting ministry. To the Dad Looking at Porn – In case you still don’t have enough reasons to stop looking at porn, here are more. Controlling Online Conversation – This article shows how it’s possible to control the news stories that…

I found an early review of the new movie Exodus: Gods and Kings. Not surprisingly, the movie does a terrible and downright blasphemous way of portraying God while also playing fast and loose with Scripture. Jean Lloyd shares Seven Things I Wish My Pastor Knew About My Homosexuality. The Gettys will be playing Carnegie Hall…

What Is Liberal Theology? – Justin Taylor provides a quick definition of liberal theology. Should You Do a Cleanse or Detox? – Cleanses and detoxes are a popular dietary trend today. Do they actually do anything? You probably won’t be shocked at the answer. ESV Bible Sale – Westminster Books has all of their ESV…

It has been a slow week for Kindle deals. The best of them came on Monday with a few more on Tuesday. I’ll keep looking for new ones. In the meantime, here are some interesting links: The University’s Rape System – “The longer we ignore this, the more women will be brutalized by the rape…

The Strange Oprahfication of Rob Bell – “Without intending malice or slander, I have to suggest that Bell is sounding less like a preacher of Christianity (even a liberal one) and more like the newest member of an affluent, West Coast cult.” The Modern Hymnal – You’ll enjoy this interview with Keith Getty. Confessions Of…

How Do You Sleep? – “As Christians I don’t think we give sleep much thought. I know I don’t. We know that our bodies need it and we acknowledge that it is a gift of God. But it turns out that there is more to it.” The Painful Lessons of Mars Hill – This will…

Marriage Is On the Rocks – Here’s an important follow-up to one of last week’s interesting articles. Divorce rates are falling but marriage is still on the rocks. How can that be? Read on… Why Christians Care About Sex – In a different (but related) matter, here is one take on why Christians care about…

This article from TIME outlines 10 Tricks Companies Use to Get You to Buy More. Don’t fall for them! You may well have encountered the “You’re Not Really Pro-Life Unless…” argument. Here’s why it doesn’t stand up. Reuters offers their Best Photos of the Year 2014. Warning: Some of them (especially the very first) are…