"Science would be impossible without the truth of the Christian worldview" -Justin Holcomb, from the Resurgence on "Why Science Needs the Christian Worldview". It's a short, clear article that makes 9 arguments of how nature and our human experience point to God. Without from the world's functioning as a rational, uniform and 'fit together' sort of place, studying nature in a systematic way (a.k.a. science) would have been pointless.
In fact the presupposition that we live in a designed place and can study it because it is consistent (not random) occurred because of a Christian worldview of a Creator designing all that we see (and don't see). Think of our friends Mr. Newton, Mr. Da Vinci, Mr. Galileo- though their thinking got them in trouble in their day, it also came from this worldview.
Today science assumes nature has a rational order but takes God out of the picture and, in some cases, mocks those who believe in God or an intelligent designer. These 9 reasons encourage my timid, fearful self who can feel insecure about being a Christian in science. I hope they challenge someone who would be opposed to a Christian worldview and start a discussion, too.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
But for you
Conditional
Fearing
the Son
Promises of the
Promises of the
Sun Rising
in Goodness
Perfection
Rightness
Healing
Helping
FREE
Joy
Leaping
Dancing
Fearless
Fullness
Skipping
Overflowing
Child-like
at last.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Joining in with the whales and stars
Poems and thoughts from Louie Giglio, 9/22/2011 @ The DesiringGod National Conference
"This world is messed up at an amazing magnitude." -LG
Crying.
Sing a new hallelujah.
Reach across the table.
Reach across the ocean.
Reach to my neighbor.
Can I, when I don't know what to say?
When she has hurt me so much?
When I have done this?
May your blood drop into the hard soil of her heart,
soak in,
break up the clods,
so roots can sink in,
yes, so
gospel roots can sink in and
grow.
and flourish.
Tears that sing of his faithfulness.
Tears that sting of brokenness.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Worship happens wherever God is.
The ripple effect of Grace.
We are not all here at our leisure
But under the mandate of the grace of God.
The Universe's primary function is to
give
praise to
God.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wrecked, and not put back together in a simple form or fashion." -LG
Whoa is me, I am lost.
Wrecked, deep. Done.
Wrecked by sinful condition
Searing grace of God
To hear the question
"who shall we send?"
"Send me."
Light steps
miles- coming quietly
never still and shining
brilliant, wading deep in the
song of glory to the one who sees
Who reaches down this city
Unconditionally this day
Who breathes this family
Sets in place this body
People for this time.
"This world is messed up at an amazing magnitude." -LG
Crying.
Sing a new hallelujah.
Reach across the table.
Reach across the ocean.
Reach to my neighbor.
Can I, when I don't know what to say?
When she has hurt me so much?
When I have done this?
May your blood drop into the hard soil of her heart,
soak in,
break up the clods,
so roots can sink in,
yes, so
gospel roots can sink in and
grow.
and flourish.
Tears that sing of his faithfulness.
Tears that sting of brokenness.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Worship happens wherever God is.
The ripple effect of Grace.
We are not all here at our leisure
But under the mandate of the grace of God.
The Universe's primary function is to
give
praise to
God.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wrecked, and not put back together in a simple form or fashion." -LG
Whoa is me, I am lost.
Wrecked, deep. Done.
Wrecked by sinful condition
Searing grace of God
To hear the question
"who shall we send?"
"Send me."
Light steps
miles- coming quietly
never still and shining
brilliant, wading deep in the
song of glory to the one who sees
Who reaches down this city
Unconditionally this day
Who breathes this family
Sets in place this body
People for this time.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
the community
Oh, Aldo. Sometimes he just hits the spot. I've got the broad community of soil, water, fauna and flora on my mind as I just returned from a refreshing weekend with new friends; folks who are passionate about Jesus and restoring creation. It was a privilege to spend the weekend in Northern Michigan at Au Sable (and to be a member of the Grad Fellows program this year) and to get into deep conversations about research, outreach, physics, networks, and of course, porcupine poo. Hurray for snow- hikes and cross country and a night of broom ball under the nicest pole barn I've ever been in! I'm brimming with thanks to our Creator, who designed us for rich fellowship like this! I feel reinvigorated to fight for the things that preserve communities, as Aldo says, and I'm thankful to know other fighters-- to be reminded I am not alone. Praise to the one who made this wondrous world and cares deeply about all of its inhabitants.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Merry Christmas
What says Merry Christmas Better than a Broccoli lute?
Big Broccoli Ocarina:Angels We Have Heard On High (by Heita3)
Big Broccoli Ocarina:Angels We Have Heard On High (by Heita3)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Division/Never Let Me Go
Nameless guilt
hangs over every lyric.
would not touch it, living on the cusp
raging wanton lust against a burning front.
All I can think of; peacock feathers, fireflies
proof in my mind.
But his, besides
is the love of his lover, the acceptance, the forgiveness
the conscious-numbing divide.
Perhaps it is all too well
Christmas is a reflection of the fall
a draught of religious fantasy
combined with consumerist orgy.
Failed market systems still sell well.
I’m sorry.
I’m so sorry.
I’m sorry that this brokenness leads to vengeance.
I’m sorry your turning has hardened your heart’s yearning.
I’m sorry that I am a poor ambassador, and the steeple’s
door
has clanged shut
Shutting you out.
A love letter of judgment.
Bent,
un-condescendingly,
When the One you ought to know condescended so breathtakingly.
He humbled himself, taking on Flesh.
And, to the point of Death.
He it is, I yearn, for you to know.
This Christmas I pray His love would be shown.
to you.
So your P.h.D. theories
would tremble beneath
the weight of His glory.
So your excuses and bitterness
would melt
from the heat of His brilliance.
So your distance and this divide
would be bridged by
His Coming.
Blood-shedding Love rumbling across the centuries
“born for such a time as this” and yet has never heard.
Blood-shedding Love rumbling across the centuries
“born for such a time as this” and yet has never heard.
This Christmas I pray for providential hearing.
Not just for him, but for all divided from Him.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Diminishing Returns
I'm struggling not to drink the diet coke next to me right now. Should I just take a nap? The law of diminishing returns says I should... and that through taking breaks, naps, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep, productivity increases (such as reaction time) are measurable. I think I should employ this technique of "renewal" breaks between 90 minutes of work as I start full-time thesis work in the coming weeks! And the renewal part is key- doing something refreshing, like a walk or run outside, jump roping or swimming could potential renewable opportunities...
From the Harvard Business Review blog (by Tony Schwartz):
Bill works essentially without stopping, juggling tasks at his desk and running between meetings all day long. He even eats lunch at his desk. Sound familiar?
Nick, by contrast, works intensely for approximately 90 minutes at a stretch, and then takes a 15 minute break before resuming work. At 12:15, he goes out for lunch for 45 minutes, or works out in a nearby gym. At 3 pm, he closes his eyes at his desk and takes a rest. Sometimes it turns into a 15 or 20 minute nap. Finally, between 4:30 and 5, Nick takes a 15 minute walk outside.
Bill spends 10 hours on the job. He begins work at about 80 percent of his capacity, instinctively pacing himself rather than pushing all out, because he knows he's got a long day ahead.
By 1 pm, Bill is feeling some fatigue. He's dropped to 60 percent of his capacity and he's inexorably losing steam. Between 4 and 7 pm, he's averaging about 40 percent of his capacity.
It's called the law of diminishing returns. Bill's average over 10 hours is 60 percent of his capacity, which means he effectively delivers 6 hours of work.
Nick puts in the same 10 hours. He feels comfortable working at 90 percent of his capacity, because he knows he's going to have a break before too long. He slows a little as the day wears on, but after a midday lunch or workout, and a midafternoon rest, he's still at 70 percent during the last three hours of the day.
Nick takes off a total of two hours during his 10 at work, so he only puts in 8 hours. During that time, he's working at an average of 80 percent of his capacity, so he's delivering just under 6 ½ hours of work — a half hour more than Bill.
Because Nick is more focused and alert than Bill, he also makes fewer mistakes, and when he returns home at night, he has more energy left for his family.
It's not just the number of hours we sit at a desk in that determines the value we generate. It's the energy we bring to the hours we work. Human beings are designed to pulse rhythmically between spending and renewing energy. That's how we operate at our best. Maintaining a steady reservoir of energy — physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually — requires refueling it intermittently.
Work the way Nick does, and you'll get more done, in less time, at a higher level of quality, more sustainably.
Create a workplace that truly values a balanced relationship between intense work and real renewal, and you'll not only get greater productivity from employees, but also higher engagement and job satisfaction.
There's plenty of evidence that increased rest and renewal serve performance.
Consider a study conducted by NASA, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration, of pilots on long haul flights. One group of pilots was given an opportunity to take 40 minute naps mid-flight, and ended up getting an average of 26 minutes of actual sleep. Their median reaction time improved by 16 percent following their naps.
Non-napping pilots, tested at a similar halfway point in the flight, experienced a 34 percent deterioration in reaction time. They also experienced 22 micro sleeps of 2-10 seconds during the last 30 minutes of the flight. The pilots who took naps experienced none.
Or consider the study that performance expert Anders Ericcson did of violinists at the Berlin Academy of Music. The best of the violinists practiced in sessions no longer than 90 minutes, and took a break in between each one. They almost never practiced more than 4 ½ hours over a day. What they instinctively understood was the law of diminishing returns.
The top violinists also got an average of more than 8 hours of sleep a night, and took a 20-30 minute nap every afternoon. Over a week, they slept 16 hours more than the average American does.
During my 30s and 40s, I wrote three books. I sat at my desk each day from 7 am to 7 pm, struggling to stay focused. Each book took me at least a year to write. For my most recent books, I wrote in a schedule that matched the great violinists — three 90 minute sessions with a renewal break in between each one.
I wrote both those books in six months — investing less than half the number of hours I had for each of my first three books. When I was working, I was truly working. When I was recharging — whether by getting something to eat, or meditating, or taking a run — I was truly refueling.
Stress isn't the enemy in the workplace. Indeed, stress is the only means by which we can expand capacity. Just think about weightlifting. By stressing your muscles, and then recovering, you gradually build strength. Our real enemy is the absence of intermittent renewal.
From the Harvard Business Review blog (by Tony Schwartz):
How to Accomplish More by Doing Less
Two people of equal skill work in the same office. For the sake of comparison, let's say both arrive at work at 9 am each day, and leave at 7 pm.Bill works essentially without stopping, juggling tasks at his desk and running between meetings all day long. He even eats lunch at his desk. Sound familiar?
Nick, by contrast, works intensely for approximately 90 minutes at a stretch, and then takes a 15 minute break before resuming work. At 12:15, he goes out for lunch for 45 minutes, or works out in a nearby gym. At 3 pm, he closes his eyes at his desk and takes a rest. Sometimes it turns into a 15 or 20 minute nap. Finally, between 4:30 and 5, Nick takes a 15 minute walk outside.
Bill spends 10 hours on the job. He begins work at about 80 percent of his capacity, instinctively pacing himself rather than pushing all out, because he knows he's got a long day ahead.
By 1 pm, Bill is feeling some fatigue. He's dropped to 60 percent of his capacity and he's inexorably losing steam. Between 4 and 7 pm, he's averaging about 40 percent of his capacity.
It's called the law of diminishing returns. Bill's average over 10 hours is 60 percent of his capacity, which means he effectively delivers 6 hours of work.
Nick puts in the same 10 hours. He feels comfortable working at 90 percent of his capacity, because he knows he's going to have a break before too long. He slows a little as the day wears on, but after a midday lunch or workout, and a midafternoon rest, he's still at 70 percent during the last three hours of the day.
Nick takes off a total of two hours during his 10 at work, so he only puts in 8 hours. During that time, he's working at an average of 80 percent of his capacity, so he's delivering just under 6 ½ hours of work — a half hour more than Bill.
Because Nick is more focused and alert than Bill, he also makes fewer mistakes, and when he returns home at night, he has more energy left for his family.
It's not just the number of hours we sit at a desk in that determines the value we generate. It's the energy we bring to the hours we work. Human beings are designed to pulse rhythmically between spending and renewing energy. That's how we operate at our best. Maintaining a steady reservoir of energy — physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually — requires refueling it intermittently.
Work the way Nick does, and you'll get more done, in less time, at a higher level of quality, more sustainably.
Create a workplace that truly values a balanced relationship between intense work and real renewal, and you'll not only get greater productivity from employees, but also higher engagement and job satisfaction.
There's plenty of evidence that increased rest and renewal serve performance.
Consider a study conducted by NASA, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration, of pilots on long haul flights. One group of pilots was given an opportunity to take 40 minute naps mid-flight, and ended up getting an average of 26 minutes of actual sleep. Their median reaction time improved by 16 percent following their naps.
Non-napping pilots, tested at a similar halfway point in the flight, experienced a 34 percent deterioration in reaction time. They also experienced 22 micro sleeps of 2-10 seconds during the last 30 minutes of the flight. The pilots who took naps experienced none.
Or consider the study that performance expert Anders Ericcson did of violinists at the Berlin Academy of Music. The best of the violinists practiced in sessions no longer than 90 minutes, and took a break in between each one. They almost never practiced more than 4 ½ hours over a day. What they instinctively understood was the law of diminishing returns.
The top violinists also got an average of more than 8 hours of sleep a night, and took a 20-30 minute nap every afternoon. Over a week, they slept 16 hours more than the average American does.
During my 30s and 40s, I wrote three books. I sat at my desk each day from 7 am to 7 pm, struggling to stay focused. Each book took me at least a year to write. For my most recent books, I wrote in a schedule that matched the great violinists — three 90 minute sessions with a renewal break in between each one.
I wrote both those books in six months — investing less than half the number of hours I had for each of my first three books. When I was working, I was truly working. When I was recharging — whether by getting something to eat, or meditating, or taking a run — I was truly refueling.
Stress isn't the enemy in the workplace. Indeed, stress is the only means by which we can expand capacity. Just think about weightlifting. By stressing your muscles, and then recovering, you gradually build strength. Our real enemy is the absence of intermittent renewal.
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