Around the Sphere

~ Volume XVIII ~

Away from the web I have been for a while;
Yet fear not my dear friends, cease not to smile;
While words around here have been waning in style;
I’ve returned to you now, with links by the pile!

At his insightful Crunchy Con blog, Rod Dreher recounts a telling experience from a recent sonogram session, where he discovered that his soon-to-be-born child is a girl. Apparently, some are not so happy at the news of a female offspring:

The sonogram technician told us that you’d be surprised at how many women burst into tears upon hearing the news, and apologize on the spot to their husbands or male partners.

“You are kidding me!” I said, shocked.

“Oh no,” the technician replied. “I’ve had boyfriends go sit right there in that chair when they find out, and put their heads in their hands.” Like it’s the end of the world.

In a world where children have become like fashion accessories to some, this is not all too surprising. Still, it pains the heart to think that some are so callous as to act like a child who didn’t get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

One who is definitely not so callous is Russell Moore. He doesn’t have daughters, but as he poignantly wrote a couple of weeks ago, fatherhood often teaches us more about God than any amount of schooling could do. Moore movingly tells of why he was not there when two of his sons were born, and how God’s glory is seen through that fact.

Colby Willen apparently fell asleep while reading my blog, and is now exploring ways to wake himself up. Actually, his thoughts are a little more serious than that and are worthy of reflection, even for a habitual “snoozer” like me.It is, however, a good thing that his alarm is not set to go off when a new post at TruePravda appears — he’d never wake up!

How far should one travel to go to church? The inestimable Jollyblogger tackles this issue with not just one, but two recent posts. This is a good subject to ponder, as I have been members of churches that were both near (5–minute drive) and far (25–minute drive) away. The distance does make a difference, and the effect it has should not remain unexamined.

That’s all for tonight, but shed not a tear;
There are more words pending, have ye no fear;
Come once and then often, do please appear;
Confusion be closed, and cloudy be clear.