Great time at Lights of the World with the fam.

Just getting out of watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse with my 8 year old son. Quite possibly my new favorite superhero movie…in the top three for sure! Loved the story, the action, the voice acting, and the incredibly beautiful and thoughtful art. Hands down the most interesting and creative adaptation of the comic medium to film I have ever seen.

🍻 Christmas cheer, Christmas beer. A wonderful Irish stout.

Merry Christmas to all! It’s been a wonderful day around the Hale House. I love watching our kids enjoy giving and receiving gifts, and I love having a day with nothing on the schedule except enjoying each other’s company. Amber made a delicious breakfast and got me incredibly thoughtful presents. I so enjoy our simple way of celebrating Christmas Day. I have really needed this.

“Jesus, Lord at thy birth.” Love that line.

🌲Eve🏃🏻‍♂️

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Jesus statue popping out of the ground at Abtei Himmerod Germany

The KJZZ Holiday Show with Blaise Lantana & Friends at The Nash is about to start!

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Put ADOT under the tree because they are a gift

I am really loving facilitating pre-marital counseling for a couple I am performing the wedding ceremony for in February. Today we talked about the ceremony and I love the traditional elements they are choosing to keep in the liturgy, as well some some of the unconventional-yet-meaningful additions they are making. This book has been a great guide through the conversations so far.

You know what’s great about most personal blogs like the ones hosted at Micro.blog compared to other more comercial websites? Very little or no ads. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against advertising in principle but sites like Wired, Mashable, and even the Atlantic have made their sites such a chore to read. I love the clean aesthetic that’s encouraged in this new blogging movement.

Via this great guide on web typography.

Happy Hipster Christmas via the Church Humor Newsletter

🍻A new one. Came in the Winter seasonal pack, but would make a great summer beer. Tastes of citrus and melons.

THIS IS HAPPENING PEOPLE

Spending some time chaperoning my daughter’s class field trip to the Science Center!

View from the Skytrain at PHX.

Watching my kids through the screen on my phone instead of in the world is not an even trade.

My friend Chris is writing an awesome book to help individuals, churches, and families understand and practice so many of the traditions around Christmas that we often take for granted and sometimes have even forgotten!

Chris is passionate about helping people enter the worship of the historic church in meaningful ways, and he is a super thoughtful writer and researcher.

I am really excited about his book—I backed it immediately and you should too!

Drew Zeiba, writing for Vulture:

Refusing to be an artist-as-public figure in the era of social media seems almost reckless — like willful career suppression, if not suicide. As one recent art school graduate put it to me, Instagram has reached the level of “infrastructure.” And certainly, Instagram may at first seem like a boon to many artists — a form of social media centered on images. But artists are starting to feel that it’s just become an addiction, devouring their creativity.

Can You Make It As an Artist in 2018 Without Constantly Plugging Yourself on Instagram?

Signed up for ProtonMail today. Personally I’m not as freaked out as everyone else regarding Google’s use of my email for ads; but just in case I care more later I’ve got a back up.

EDIT: I actually already had an account, which I forgot about till I went to sign up. This time I reserved my preferred username.

WELL, it’s done. After just a few days on the free trial of Micro.blog, I’ve decided to really give old fashioned blogging another all-in go. My whole site is now imported and hosted on Micro.blog. I even added the podcasting upgrade because why not?

My ballerina princess is performing tonight.

Classical, creedal Christianity is reasonable because:

1. Theism (the belief that there is a supreme being of some kind) is a reasonable explanation for fine-tuning of the universe, the intuitive realm of objective moral values, and the universal phenomenon of transcendent longing.

2. A movement of invidividuals and groups grew quickly and unexpectly–against many opposing forces including embarrassment, social rejection, and open persecution–with a relatively unified, coherent, remarkably durable and reliable witness to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

3. The resulting meta-physical and philosophical frameworks have deep explanitory power in regards to the human condition, the problem of suffering, consistent morals and ethics, and living the good life.

4. My own experience of living in the story of Christianity has ignited faith, hope, and love in my own heart, and I continually see it doing the same in others–both in history and in the present.

Can’t imagine life without Amber. So beautiful, smart, tough, patient, godly, loving, kind, thoughtful, inspiring. Amazing partner in life.