CatHouse Chat

The Totally Awesome Beef and Black Bean Soup from Hell (in the good, spicy sense) Recipe

Yesterday, my Beloved Husband and I swung by our new farmer's market on the way to picking up the Darling Munchkin from school (she'd been on an overnight "bonding" trip with her class). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint), the only person there was a local beef farmer (Gregory's Boxwood Farm - and on Facebook as well). We had a great chat, and I purchased about 2 pounds of "beef soup bones" from him. Usually, you'd expect, well... bones, right? However, these were more like cross-cuts about 1/2 inch thick, with a good cross section of bone in them (he thought they were a bit odd, too, but he'd used a different butchering company than his usual). There was quite a bit of meat attached, and I immediately decided - since the day was a classic cloudy and damp fall day - that soup was on the menu!

Having the beef in hand, and some black beans (dried) in the pantry, I was a good little girl and googled around to look for a beef and black bean soup recipe - and this is the one I came across. I didn't have everything on THAT list, but I decided to use it as a jumping off point.

This is what I came up with, and it's had my Beloved and our Darling greedily slurping it down since it finished cooking! FAIR WARNING: if y'all don't like spicy food, you WILL have to make adjustments to tone it down - and this makes quite a bit, so feel free to cut it in half if necessary.

• 1.5 to 2 pounds of beef for soup, cut into a small dice (half- to quarter-inch cubes)
• 1.5 C. diced carrots
• 1.5 C. diced celery
• 2-3 C. diced onion
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 2 TB Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (from here - and I make it without the salt)
• 2-4 TB bacon fat (or olive oil, but I really wanted a rich, lucious flavor)

Sprinkle the Southwest Seasoning over the diced meat and mix to coat.

Heat up a large Dutch Oven - 6 quart size - over medium high heat and use about 1 TB of the bacon fat to brown the beef. Remember, don't crowd the meat! As these cubes are small, this will go very quickly, so keep an eye on things. Remove the beef to a bowl and set to one side.

Add in the rest of the bacon fat, and then the onions. Saute on medium high heat until softened, and then add in the garlic, celery, and carrots. Continue to saute for another 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add:

• 1 14oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of RoTel Hot Diced Tomatoes (this would be a good place to bump the spice level down if you want)
• 1 4.5oz can of chopped green chiles (I used Old El Paso)
• 4 14oz cans of beef stock (Swanson's fat-free works great!)
• 6 C cooked black beans
• 1-3 TB more of Southwest Seasoning, depending on your tastebuds

You could, if you want, also add lots of generous grinds of pepper to this! (Mmmmmm, PEPPER!)

Dump all those in, stir really well, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, drop the heat down to a simmer, cover it up, and let her bubble quietly away for about an hour and a half to two hours. After about an hour, test the seasoning level and add additional Seasoning if needed. This would also be the time to add a little bit of salt if you want to, but I find that if you get enough flavor in via the Hot Tomatoes, the Chiles, and the Seasoning, you will need very little salt. In any case, use a light hand with the salt: it's better for people to add to personal taste than for something to be too salty (and, yes, things CAN be too salty!)

You can serve this over rice, which the Beloved Husband likes, or with a yummy, crusty piece of fresh-baked bread (or cornbread!) alongside.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go do some greedy slurping of my own... ;-)

 

Never, never, never, NEVER FORGET!

 

Psalm 46:1-3:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
         A very present help in trouble.
 ² Therefore we will not fear,
         Even though the earth be removed, 
         And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
 ³ Though its waters roar and be troubled,
         Though the mountains shake with its swelling.  Selah 

 

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Psalm 91:1-6:

¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”          
 ³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 ⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge; 
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 ⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 

"Let's roll."

 

"Where was God? Where was God when 9-11 happened? Where was He??"

God was right there - still in control, unsurprised, and weeping with us. Jesus walked among our people, giving comfort, lending strength, guiding to safety - and taking some Home. The Holy Spirit was there, convicting of sin, applying salvation, and bearing witness.

Some on that day died and walked into God's presence and a joyous "Welcome Home!" from the angels - and some on that day died and fell into the beginning of their eternal torment in Hell.

But on that day, Christ was there, offering His salvation even unto the last moment.

We must never forget that day and we must never forget how much more terrible it could have been had God not laid His hand upon us only very lightly. We must never forget that day and must remember that we, too, are here for such a brief span of time, and that we know not the day or hour of our own deaths. We must never forget that day and must mourn for those who are trapped in the satanic death spiral of all who are without Christ. We must never forget that day and earnestly pray that God would send His Spirit to reveal the Light of the World and renew His church to be His bright witness in a sin-cursed world. 

We must never forget that day and solemnly commit to living our lives before the face of God: loving deeply, serving humbly, thinking wisely, living honestly, and worshiping joyously.

There is no freedom outside the freedom offered by Christ. There is no peace beyond the peace purchased by Christ. There is no justice without the justice meted out by Christ. There is no future aside from the future that Christ holds in His hands.

Remember September 11, 2001. Remember the fallen and their families. Remember all the fear and terror and pain. Remember the tears pouring out from the heart of a nation. 

And remember that, whether or not it happens again, there is a holy God who will judge, perfectly and finally. His hand is outstretched still to offer His mercy and forgiveness through His Son, and His command is that all people should turn to Him in repentance and worship.

One Day He is coming to judge the living and the dead, and the question is, When He comes, will He judge you, or will He welcome you?

 

God bless Kyle Busch and M&Ms - NASCAR #18 car!!!

Tomorrow night, September 10th, the Richmond International Raceway is hosting the NASCAR Wonderful Pistachios 400 (??? OK, crazy name...), and my Beloved and a friend of his are up there enjoying a guys' weekend out. Well, earlier today, they tweeted this photo to me:

Kyle Busch, who drives #18 (sponsored by M&Ms), is apparently the favorite to win, and I pray he does! Because not only is he racing in the Red White and Blue, M&Ms and Busch have stripped ALL corporate sponsorship logos from the car so that she can race in honor of the fallen of 9/11.

God bless you, sir. Thank you, M&Ms (I am so glad that they are my favorite candy already!)

My Beloved tells me that the tailgate reads,

 

"Never forget!"

I love J.D Robb's In Death... series, but...

She's completely off base in some things!

I finished the 32nd book in the series, Treachery in Death, yesterday and decided to go back and re-read from the beginning (yes, even I have my guilty pleasures, LOL!). I've just gotten up to the third book, where Eve is introduced to Leonardo, who will design her wedding gown, for her first consult. He says that Eve is 5' 9" and weighs one hundred and twenty pounds!

Folks, I'm 5' 2", and one-twenty is at the lower end of my healthy weight range: There is no way that Eve Dallas can weigh 120 and be fit and tough enough to handle all the a**-busting she does in each novel!

Plus, Rourke, Eve's love-interest, is described as being 6' 1" (or 2") and weighing 173. My husband, God love him, is 5" 11" and got down to 170 just before I gave birth to our daughter 15 years ago. The last month of my pregnancy, I outweighed him - and he was toooooo slim! He'd been biking to and from work and had, frankly, become quite scrawny, IMHO. At 6'1 or 2", I certainly wouldn't see a man weighing only 173 as anything but a scarecrow, although it's marginally more believable than Eve's weight issue.

Anyway. That's my rant for the day - frivolous, I know, but these little details can drive me pretty batty with irritation...

Cessationism, spiritual gifts, and - tangentially - Mark Driscoll

Anyone who has read CatHouse Chat for a while knows of my appreciation for the ministry and teaching of Mark Driscoll, the lead pastor/teacher at Mars Hill Church. Mark preaches, generally, from the Reformed/Calvinist tradition and his sermons have frequently been encouraging and edifying to me.

However, I have recently been seeing some discussions about some of his positions which do concern me. The main site I've noted is Pyromaniacs, which is authored by several men who seem to me to be quite sound theologically (posts mentioning Driscoll can be searched here). One of the gentlemen there, Dan Phillips, also posts on his own blog, Biblical Christianity, and occasionally continues the discussion there. Another contributor, Phil Johnson, is, if I recall correctly, a member/leader of John MacArthur's church, and a sometime contributor to the Grace to You blog, where Pastor John has been posting a series on the YRRs ("young, reformed, restless").

Now, these are all teachers I respect, and whose love for Christ I, personally, do not doubt. Nevertheless, Pyromaniacs & Co. have brought up some problems with Mark Driscoll's ministry that I must take seriously. I am persuaded that there is cause for concern, so I can no longer give my whole-hearted endorsement to Mars Hill Church/Mark Driscoll. I believe that there is a LOT of good coming out of that church, but I would now caution listeners/watchers to exercise careful discernment.

All that is an introduction to the questions I *do* have: Do we still have the Gifts of the Spirit ("charisma") today? If so, how do they operate? If not, why have they ceased? Have they ALL ceased? If so, why have some continued?

I think, from what I've read (and I realize that this is very simplified), that TeamPyro is pretty firmly on the side of cessationism (the gifts are no longer operational), at least in the sense that the big sign gifts (raising the dead, miraculous healings, tongues, revelation, etc.) have stopped. Driscoll, on the other hand, doesn't believe that - although I have seen him state that he's definitely not a "charismaniac," and that soi-disant "words from the Lord" need to be carefully evaluated according to Scripture before they are presented to the church body.

I confess that I do not, personally, have a complete answer.

I do believe that the Gifts are still operative, but not in the larger "this is proof of God's authority" sense that Moses, Elijah, Elisha, the Apostles, and - of course! - Jesus had. I believe that the exercise of gifts on that level was, as it were, God's personal "diplomatic credentials" so that anyone witnessing them would have no excuse that these men were indeed from God and spoke in His authority.

Having said that, I do believe that there is a place for the gifts: God does indeed call and gift some people to proclaim His Word in power and truth (without it being new revelation). God does gift some to be healers, whether via traditional medicine or the laying on of hands (but I'm highly suspicious of "faith healers," who seem on the whole to be chasing after personal glory rather than God's glory). God blesses some with extra measures of kindness, grace and service, while still commanding that ALL Christians demonstrate these qualities in their lives. 

I even think speaking in tongues is a working gift, although I suspect that God does it via an unusual facility with actual languages so that the Gospel may be proclaimed throughout all the world. "Spiritual" languages make me uncomfortable, in large part due to the "charismaniacs" who seem to babble senselessly and without proper decorum and orderliness. Paul actually addresses this very specifically in 1 Corinthians 14:6-17:

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Spiritual gifts - however they come to us today - are to be used FIRST to glorify God, and then to edify the Church and be a witness to unbelievers. Our God is not the author of chaos, but of reason and order; therefore, the charisma must be demonstrated in accord with God's character and in an orderly fashion. We are not to display them as if we were at a circus for entertainment and drama. After all, Paul continues in verses 26-33:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

What concerns me about the criticisms Pyromaniacs & Co. (and no disrespect in that title indended; it's merely a convenient way for me to generally refer to the worthy critics I listed) is not so much that Mark Driscoll believes that the charisma are in operation today, but their examples of how he's using them seem to contradict both biblical instruction and his own statements on how not to be a "charismaniac."

As I said, I have many questions about the spiritual gifts and how they're exercised. My opinion is that, perhaps, both Pyromaniacs and Driscoll go too far to either side. Nevertheless, they are teachers who have all helped me think more biblicly and have deepened my love for God. Frankly, they have all also taught me that there are a LOT of things about God that I do not - and possibly will never - know.

But then, that's just a glorious reminder that He's God, and I'm not! ;-)

Quote of the Day: "Language must mirror reality."

My adult Bible study just began an overview of Ravi Zacharias' book, Cries of The Heart. Today's section has this quote:

Language and reason are the special endowments of humanity, the pinnacle of God's creation. When we cease to understand the role of language we misuse that privilege and can reshape reality just by changing our use of words. Al we need to do today to see the ustter wrong-headedness of our culture is to see what we have done with words. Words such as freedom, love, pleasure, and marriage have all lost their meanings. In the beginning was the Word. God has spoken. Language must mirror reality [<-- this emphasis is mine -- K].

"Language must mirror reality."

Yet, today it so often doesn't!

Just look at the word "tolerance." The proper definition includes a sense that you can live peaceably alongside something - or someone - you disagree with. These days, we are labled "intolerant" if we disagree with govenment welfare policies or with gay marriage; we are expected to endorse, promote and approve these things to be "tolerant."

But, how can you "tolerate" something with which you have no disagreement?

"Language must mirrow reality."

God made this whole universe. He spoke the laws of physics and biology and morality into existance. He Himself created reality!

If we are so foolish to try and wrest His power away and redesign reality, we will lose and He will have the last laugh. No matter what your IQ, no matter how many degrees you have or how much influence you wield, you cannot - you WILL not! - conquer God. Instead:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.& Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness,they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. [emph. mine - K]

Is that not who we all are today?

Albert Mohler's article, "Reparative Therapy, Homosexuality and the Gospel of Jesus Christ," relates to this:

The normalization of homosexuality simply cannot be accepted by anyone committed to biblical Christianity. The new secular orthodoxy demands that Christians abandon the clear teachings of Scripture, and Christians must understand that the sinfulness of all homosexual behaviors is not only a matter of biblical authority, but also of the Gospel. To deny that sin is sin is to deny our need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians cannot accept any teaching that minimizes sin, for it is the knowledge of our sin that points us to our need for atonement, salvation, and the forgiveness of that sin through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Second, we must recognize that every human being is a sinner and that every sinner’s pattern of sexual attraction falls short of the glory of God. There is no sinner of physical maturity who will be able to say that he or she has never had a sinful thought related to sex or sexuality. Taking the Bible’s teachings about sin and sexuality with full force, we understand that every sinful human being is in need of redemption, and that includes the redemption of our sexual selves. [emph. mine - K]

As Isaiah says,

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; 
      Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; 
      Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 
      Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, 
      And prudent in their own sight!

We have taken reality and are trying to turn it upside down. We try to remake words to fit our own depraved and fallen definitions, calling what is evil, good, and what is good, evil. We refuse to acknowledge that we are ALL sinners under God's righteous and holy condemnation and that any sin separates us from God and condemns us to eternal hell.

We have twisted language so torturously that is is almost impossible to call sin what it is. We have crippled our ability to offer the glorious hope of the Gospel of forgiveness and redemption. We ourselves, though our corruption of language, condemn people to hell because we do not call evil EVIL and show people their desperate need for their God and Savior. We damn them to a life lacking hope, lacking transforming renewal, and lacking the power to change.

God is the God of reality. "Language must mirror reality."

God help us all...

Beef Enchilada Casserole - stolen from my Baby Sister

Of course, she's only 18 months younger than I am, so she's not a baby... But she's MY little sister, so she's always gonna be my "baby sister." **grinz** Well, I only saw her make this once, so I don't remember all the stuff she put in (and had to wing it, once I got home) , but it's easy, it's delicious, and it fills up tummies in a VERY happy way!

Oh, yeah, and I try to bunch processes and their ingredients. I suggest that you read through the recipe and make your shopping list, and when you start making the meal, you can also cook things concurrently (like the rice and the beef mixture). It's ALWAYS a great idea to read through a new recipe carefully FIRST so you don't have any surprises.

Here we go:

• 1 package Zatarain's Spanish Rice Mix, cooked to package instructions *BUT* using 1 can of Ro-Tel HOT tomatoes (if you don't like spicy, just follow the regular directions with canned chpooed tomatoes)

Next:

• 1-2 lb LEAN ground beef
• 2 packets taco seasoning (if you have your own mix, use... mmmm... 1/2 - 2/3 cup, or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup (or more) sliced fresh banana peppers
• 1 can, about 7 oz., of grilled/smoked Mexican peppers
• 3 cups diced onions
• 3 TB minced fresh garlic
• 1 14oz. can black beans (or more), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn

If you have good lean beef, you will NOT have to drain away fat. If you can only get 80% lean or less, make sure you brown the beef FIRST and then DRAIN OFF the fat, then continue with the recipe.

Anyway.... Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium heat. As it browns, add the onion, garlic, and all peppers. Make sure that, as the beef cooks, you keep an eye on it, break it up, and keep stirring... When the beef is mostly cooked, add the seasoning and keep stirring and breaking up the beef as the spices brown and get mixed in with the beef and onions. Frankly, I would say that at this stage, it is better to OVER season a bit.

Add the black beans and corn, and mix well, making sure everything is warmed through.

NOTE: I use 1 packet of Taco Bell seasoning, and a SALTLESS mix from Emeril Legasse, mixed haphazardly from this recipe (which is VERY worth your while... YUUUUUUMMMY!), and use it very generously.

OK, the rice is done, the beef is done... Now it's time to assemble the casserole. You will need a 13x9 pan, but it's going to be pretty full!

• about 18-20 corn tortillas, cut in half
• 1 19oz can enchilada sauce, with one smaller can in reserve, just in case (some people like more enchilada sauce, and I always think, better safe than sorry!)
• 4-6 cups shredded low-fat Mexican cheese mix, divided (reserve about 1 cup to top off the casserole)

Put about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your casserole, and spread it to coat the bottom. Dip about 10 tortilla halves in enchilada sauce and layer them evenly on the bottom of the pan. Add the rice and spread it out evenly (you could mix the rice and beef and just split that mixture in half, if you want) over the tortillas, then sprinkle about half of the cheese over it (MINUS the 1 cup reserve, of course).

Use about HALF of the remaining tortillas (coated in enchilada sauce) to cover the rice, then spread the beef mixture evenly over that layer and sprinkle the other half (MINUS that reserve) over it.

Finish with the last set of tortilla halves (again, coated in enchilada sauce), and then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole (I would say that you shouldn't use more than, oh, 1 cup, to top things off), cover with foil, and place it in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes.

Now, actually, at this point (before oven cooking), you could stuff it in the fridge or freezer to hold for later. If you choose to do so, make sure you defrost it and bring it to room temp (-ish...). You will have to add time to baking (hm.... thawed casserole MAY take an hour???), so start checking at about 40 minutes.

Once the casserole is hot throughout, uncover it, sprinkle the last bit of cheese over the top, and finish baking for 10-15 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes (if you can - but it's easier to cut if you are patient) and serve! You can add some sour cream if you like, or pout a little bit of good salsa on the top.

MMMMMMMMMM!

Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day...

"Oh, what a beautiful morning,
Oh, what a beautiful day!"

The words from that song from Oklahoma! are definitely a good beginning to what is shaping up to be a glorious day! I pray that everyone has a wonderful weekend ;-)

My brother, I worry about you...

You say imply that you're a Christian, yet you won't speak out beyond generalities. You show no interest in God's Word, you are indifferent to gathering together with His people. Your life and words have little evidence of His saving grace working to conform you to the image of His Son. Godly exortation seems to roll right off your back, producing - at best - a momentary sorrow, but no godly sorrow leading to repentance. Sin doesn't seem to grieve you or make you turn to God, but rather seems to be an occasion for a joke or a sarcastic remark.

My brother, you know I myself am far from perfect, and I would never presume to state that you are not, in fact, a Christian... 

But I see no fruit and I see no desire for obedience in your life, and it has me terribly worried.

John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

John 15:5-8 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw theminto the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

James 2:14-17 "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Romans 5:1-4 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Romans 8:5-8 "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Romans 8:29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

1 John 2:3-6 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness."

And finally,

Hebrews 10:19-25 "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

My brother, I love you. I ask you to consider your ways, to come before God honestly, and to make your choice openly. I would not see you cast into the fire because you were confident in a false faith; I would far rather rejoice with you in Heaven because of your true and living faith.

Just because I would LOVE to see their heads explode

[source]

Because if you oppose THAT, then you're either a racist or a sexist - or both!

Let's see if the Liberal-Progressive-Nutcases are willing to subject themselves to the rules they themselves set up in 2008... My prediction? It'll be a very coooooooooold day in Hell...

Obama just scorned the Republic our Founders gave us

Well, let me distinguish between professional politicians and the public at large. The public is not paying close attention to the ins and outs of how a Treasury option goes. They shouldn’t. They're worrying about their family; they're worrying about their jobs; they're worrying about their neighborhood. They've got a lot of other things on their plate. We're paid to worry about it.

via althouse.blogspot.com

You know, our Founders were all about keeping the power in the hands of the people, the ordinary citizen.

Now Obama comes along and says, "Aw, folks, don't worry your poor li'l heads about all that nasty debt stuff. It's far too complicated for y'all, so just let me and the 'professionals' take care of it. Bless your hearts.*"

...

I am a Christian, and Christian longsuffering and self-control forbid me from saying what I REALLY think.

Bless his little ol' heart.

* - You'll only get it if, by God's grace, you live or have lived in the South.

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Oh, this is cool... OMINOUS, but very cool!

Yeah, haven't updated in a month or more (I'm going to TRY to sit down and actually WRITE something today), so this is just a little something to remind myself that CatHouse Chat is NOT dead... ;-)

Anyway, this is a duststorm in Phoenix:

 

Our first snake for 2011

This king snake is about 4 1/2 feet long, and we let him go out back byour storage shed so he can gobble up all the mice and such to his tummy's content!

Thoughts on the END OF THE WORLD that, well, wasn't

It has been rather amusing - and somewhat painful - to watch all the sturm und drang that Harold Camping's prediction of the world's end on 21 May stirred up. I wasn't too surprised when the media et al. hyped it because that's what they do - and God forbid that they should bring in, you know, an actual biblical scholar or theologian to discuss the matter and provide a real, non-sensational rebuttal to Camping's non-biblical bid for attention.

So, basically, my main reaction was amusement at the gullibility of 'most everyone who opined on the matter in their quest to sensationalize a topic that is really quite serious.

Which point brings me to the painful aspect of all the hoopla: you may not believe it, but the Bible - God's Word - does speak of the end of the world. Jesus, in fact, speaks more of unsaved man's fate in Hell more than any other person in the Bible; if He spoke of it so much, simple respect for His character should make us take a look at our eternal destination and the end of the world.

Since I've written about salvation a few times on this blog but not about the end of the world (not that I recall, anyway), I thought I'd toss in a few of my own thoughts on the matter as my blog-brother, Michael, has.

Full disclosure time: while I hold to the premillennial rapture view of the end times, it is not something which I hold with a "closed hand." What I mean by that is, since

1. I have not personally done a dedicated study of end time prophecies and the history of that doctrine as held by the Christian Church, and
2. while I consider it an IMPORTANT doctrine, I don't believe it's a doctrine (generally) that is an essential of the faith (i.e., if you don't believe in the premillennial rapture view, you're not a Christian), so we should view the subject through the lens of Christian charity and liberty, and
3. several Bible teachers who I hold in great respect and honor for their diligence in the study and proclaimation of Scripture have opposing views, each with biblical reasoning that, at least, requires me to give them careful consideration, even if I don't think I agree with them, and
4. finally, remember that in any discussion, positions A, B and C (or however many), when they are in opposition, cannot ALL be right... but they CAN all be WRONG! We are still imperfect humans, and "see through a glass, darkly." We have not yet been glorified with the Son and thus do not have perfect knowledge untainted by sin. Even when we do enter Eternity to be with our Savior, there will always be things we do not - and will not - know: finite creatures such as ourselves are incapable of fully comprehending the infinite God who created us.

Due to these points, I cannot be dogmatic on what Christian view of the end times is the "right" one - except, of course, for the fact that Jesus said He would return to judge the world, condemn the unrighteous to eternal punishment, take His Church to be with Him in Eternity, and to bring a "new heaven and a new earth" in which there is no sin and no tears (see Revelation 21).

OK, so what's the big deal about the end times, then? Why did I feel saddened by all the posturing and pontificating and derision heaped up on Camping and his deluded prediction?

Simple: because Christ IS coming back! When, we don't know - but it could be before I finish this post, or it could be hundreds of years from now: we just don't know. However, God knows. He has set the year and the day and the hour and the very minute that He will bring history to an end and usher us all into eternity.

Look, folks, you don't even know if you'll be alive five seconds from now, much less what the date is for the end of the world. Yet the Bible makes clear that NOW is the time for salvation, NOW is the time to repent of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. Once you die, there will be no second chance, and your eternity is fixed. There are no second chances!

So, Christian, while we wait in anticipation of Christ's glorious Return, we should be diligent in being committed disciples of Christ. We should be earnestly working out our salvation by immersing ourselves in His Word and rooting out sin in our lives. We should be loving and nurturing our families, working to support them and training our children up in the love and admonition of our Lord. We should be gathering together as a Church family to worship and praise the One who is our Salvation and our Strength, committing ourselves to proclaiming His name to all the earth. We should be dedicated bosses and employees, working honestly and fairly at our jobs as a witness to the character of Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

We should be living lives of faithful service, forsaking indolence and foolishness, so that when our Savior returns, He will not find us idle or behaving shamefully.

Unbeliever, what about you? The End of the World™ has become rather a joke, hasn't it? I am sorry for that, but I do urge you to take a sober look at your life and at the reasonableness of the Christian faith (yeah, I know, you've been told it's all smoke and mirrors - but have you actually read any Christian apologists with any semblance of an open mind?). Christ is not narrow - "whosoever will may come" (John 3:16, naturally) and be welcomed. Christ is not a killjoy - "I have come so that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Christ does not ask you to come to Him blindly, but to count the cost carefully.

You know, there's a famous challenge given by Blaise Pascal, known as "Pascal's Wager." It basically says that, if you are an atheist and there is no God, you have lost nothing - but if there is a God, you lose EVERYTHING. However, if you are a Christian and there is no God, again, you have lost nothing.

But if you are a Christian and there is a God, you gain EVERYTHING.

Atheist futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal loss.

Christian futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal gain.

It's a poor reason to accept Christ, but perhaps it will put your feet on the path to understanding the depths of your own sin and the infinite love, grace, and forgiveness that Christ offers with an open hand.

At Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter stands up among the people in Jerusalem and quotes the prophet Joel. In Joel 2, God calls for Israel to repent and return to Him and then promises:

And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
& For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said,
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

NOW is the day of salvation; you do not know know the hour of your reckoning. NOW is the time, before it really is the End of the World.

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

 

The END OF THE WORLD!!! .. Well, maybe....

Harold Camping, as everyone knows and that I can't link on my mobile device, is certain that tomorrow is the END OF THE WORLD!!!!!!

To which I say: No one knows but the Father.

In preparation for Resurrection Day (also known as Easter *grinz*)

You know, technology can be a pain and it can be dangerous - but it can also be a blessing. I was listening to my Christian "channel" on Pandora today, and a song by Shane and Shane came up that was PERFECT for today: "Before the Throne of God Above."

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

Isn't it amazing that the God who created all the "infinite" universe - all the stars and galaxies, all the cells and atoms, all the people and animals that exist - would care so much for humanity that He came down to us and lived among us? Isn't it incredible that the God we sin and rebel against every day would still love us so much that He, in the Person of His Son, stands before the Father every moment, interceding for His children? Doesn't it fill you with awe that this perfect, holy, transcendent God would still be so involved with His creation and so desiring to reconcile us to Himself that He would bear all the punishment for our sins and pay the penalty in full on our behalf?!

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

Christian, do you realize that nothing you do can ever make God love you more? Do you realize that nothing you do can make Him love you LESS? Do you realize that He has loved you with an everlasting love and has chosen you as His child from the foundations of the earth? Do you - and I - really understand that no matter how intensely and truthfully Satan may accuse us and bring up all our sin, the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God as a propitiation for our sins has completely removed all the filthiness of sin? We stand efore God clothed in the perfect righteousness of His Son,m who loved us and gave Himself for our salvation.

Unbeliever, do you understand that God's mercy is deeper than the depths of the sea and more vast than all the heavens, and that He is willing and eager to gather you into His family and into eternal joy - if you will only listen to His Spirit calling your name and repent? The Perfect Father is waiting with open arms and will hold you close in His arms and pour out His love upon you if you will only come to Him!

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Satan is no longer my master; I have a new Master who desires only my eternal good. Satan has been defeated, and my new Master will no longer allow Satan to steal, kill and destroy me. Satan's power over me is broken forever, and if I resist him, he will flee. Instead of a callous slavemaster, I am now under the care and authority of the Loving Father who holds me in His hand and will never leave me nor forsake me. Though the devil may accuse me, I look upon the Author and Finisher of my faith: Christ Jesus, whose Spirit dwells within me... And greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Jesus cried out on the Cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" The very Son of God, who always did all that the Father commanded and in whom the Father was well-pleased, prayed to His Father for my forgiveness - for your forgiveness! How could God not have heard His Son's prayer and granted it with all His heart?!

Jesus cried out, "IT IS FINISHED!" All the infinite debt for our sins has been completely satisfied - paid in full. Jesus' work on the Cross has fully appeased the just wrath God had toward us, and now His resurrected life brings us into the very presence of His Father. We are now clothed in the spotless white of Jesus perfection and are presented before the Throne of God without stain or blemish.

No further sacrifices, no other acts of atonement are required of us - they would, indeed, be blasphemous! Since Jesus' perfect, complete, and finished work of atonement has been accomplished, Christians are now free to live before Him in grateful love and joy. We can now follow Him in liberty, desiring to do His will out of love rather than fear. We have been loosed from the terror of the penalty of the Law and follow the Spirit of God because the Law is now written on our hearts.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

So I look back to yesterday, Good Friday, and can mourn: it was MY sin that nailed Him to that Cross. But I also look back to Good Friday and rejoice, because Jesus knew my sin before I ever lived - and He loved me enough to provide the only way to gather me into His eternal kingdom.

I contemplate the stillness of this Saturday, when Jesus' body lay in the Tomb and Satan had apparently defeated God... I see that sad stillness and I look forward to Sunday, Resurrection Day, when Jesus rose from the grave in triumph over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus' resurrection is the proof of His completed work on the Cross - proof that God the Father had fully accepted the sacrifice of His Son on our behalf.

It. Is. FINISHED!

He is risen - He is risen indeed!

Christ has triumphed over my sin, and I can only live a life of loving gratitude and joy for all He has done for me.

Do you know Him? Have you bowed before Him to say "thank You"? Have you laid your life and hopes and dreams at His feet, knowing that He will remake them into an everlasting hymn of praise and glory to His name? Do you understand that though you give up your life to Christ, He will give it back to you transformed into holy perfection and multiplied to an eternal expression of His abundant life?

All I can do is echo His praises and point you to His perfection and love...

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Passover

Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.

‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.

So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. (Exodus 12:1-28, NKJV)

A few thousand years ago, God called His chosen people out of Egypt - but not before He had brought a series of judgements upon the land where they lived. Most people think that these judgements were only against Egypt, but here you see that the Jews who did not listen to and obey God's command would also suffer the consequences of the wrath of God.

The blood on the doorposts pointed to the sacrifice required to pay for the consequences of sin "for without shedding of blood, there is no remission" of sin. (Hebrews 9:22) Someone, something, must be given up to placate the wrath of the Holy and Perfect God against the sins of man.

This past Sunday, Christians celebrated Palm Sunday commemorating  Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

God presented His perfect, unblemished Lamb - His only begotten Son - to His chosen people. At the exact right time, in precisely the right manner, Israel's rightful Lord and King entered Jerusalem to the shouts of praise from thousands of people:

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

       “ Tell the daughter of Zion,
      ‘ Behold, your King is coming to you,
      Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
      A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

      “Hosanna to the Son of David!
      'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
      Hosanna in the highest!”

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-11)

God had returned to Jerusalem!

But only a few days later was Passover, the reminder of God's mercy in sparing the firstborn of Israel - and this time, God had provided His own Lamb, His judgement fell on that Lamb, and the Wrath of God wase poured out upon His Son who had offered Himself up as a propitiation for us all.

I would ask my brothers and sisters in Christ to keep His willing, loving sacrifice before us each and every day of our lives. Because Jesus suffered the full wrath of His Father in our place, we now walk in joyful freedom and loving obedience - or, we SHOULD. Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our salvation, and run with perseverance the race He has set before us - looking only unto Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

And I would ask - humbly, with earnest love - that my Jewish friends would turn their eyes upon Jesus and see that their long-awaited Messiah has come! He awaits them with open arms, longing to circumcise their hearts as they have circumcised their flesh. Just as God provided Abraham with the ram, so He has provided His own Lamb for the sins of His people so that the Law will no longer be a curse but a blessing!

As Paul - a Pharisee of Pharisees, a persecutor of Christ, and finally Christ's chosen apostle to the Gentiles - says of his people the Jews:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:1-13)

And in the meantime, I wish everyone a Passover and Easter filled with thanksgiving and joy, friends and family, and prayerful contemplation of all that our generous, loving and sovereign God has done for us.

SHALOM!

Testing, testing - it will be so cool if this works!

Testing the new Written on His Hands font in Open Office – I'm wondering in particular if I will be able to transfer this over to Typepad somehow...

This is the Sunshine In My Soul script. I think it's rather pretty..

And the is the Prophecy script. Very nice!

UPDATE: Well, drat. The Beloved Husband just checked via his laptop, and since he doesn't have these fonts installed, they show up at regular type on his computer. Hm. I guess that means I'll have to find a script font that is likely to be installed on most laptops....

 

Well, D'UH!

There are many arguments for a flat tax: Compliance costs are lower, it’s easier to understand, it doesn’t create a divide-and-conquer dynamic with regard to the tax brackets, it aligns taxpayers’ incentives, etc. But there’s a practical moral argument, too: The tax code is corrupt. Using the tax code as a cookie jar full of special favors for friends and supporters is corrupt. It does not matter that it’s legal, it is immoral. The purpose of taxes is to raise revenue for the government, not to repay political favors or to bribe voters with their own money. I do not think our tax system probably is really salvageable: Obamacare is not the only thing that should be repealed and replaced.

via www.nationalreview.com

Kevin D. Williamson, over at The National Review wrote this article, "Our Tax Code Is Corrupt," from which I quoted. Mr. Williamson's main point is that our tax code is corrupt (D'UH! again - believe me, I know!), and pulls out General Electric as an example.

Now, Mr. Williamson favors a flat tax, whereas I am leaning more toward the Fair Tax, but I agree totally with his main point about our corrupt tax system (and for the third time: D'UH!!!!!)

"Leveraging" my Kindle

This past week, life (at least as it relates to my reading and book buying habits) has been quite interesting. On Monday, my Beloved and Awesome Husband forwarded a link to this blog post. It is a conversation between Barry Eisler (here on Amazon) and Joe Konrath (here on Amazon), discussing self-publication and the attractions and benefits of not using the traditional publishing house route. The conversation was sparked, at least in part, by Mr. Eisler's decision to turn down a two-book-$500,000.00 advance in favor of striking out on his own. It's very long and there's a little bit of off-color remarks, but it's a fascinating read.

This article inspired me to take a look at some of the self-published authors on Amazon and see what was available in that $0.99-$4.99 sweet spot that Eisler and Konrath discussed - and there are a LOT! As a matter of fact, if you look at the Top 100 Kindle Bestsellers list, you will actually see TWO lists side by side: one for the top 100 PAID, and one for the top 100 FREE books on the Kindle. There is an embarrassment of riches available here, and I note that a very, very significant portion of the top 100 paid books are in that low priced sweet spot.

Which leads me to point out a couple of books that I really, really WANT on my Kindle, but that I will either borrow or wait on because the price is now, in my opinion, simply too high. I would love for publishers to "get" that I am far more likely - now, especially - to impulse buy a book I'm interested in when it's priced at $5 or lower (and especially if it's been out for more than 6 months!). Higher than that, and I have to think about it.

Now for the books:

• I saw mention of Andrew Brietbart's book Righteous Indignation over at Pajamas Media, and thought "Ooooooo, DO WANT!" - but the current pre-order price is $14.99 for the Kindle edition, and $14.73 for the hard copy. Whose brilliant idea was that?! For this story (read Dr. Helen Smith's brief review linked above at PJM), I'd pay more than $5 - but not that much more!
• I'd like to buy Randy Alcorn's book, the Grace and Truth Paradox, since my Adult Bible Study class will be finishing up a quick review of it tomorrow, but the Kindle edition is $9.99! The hard copy is only 96 pages long, and the book has been out since 2003. Sorry, I'll pass that up or maybe buy a used copy (from $0.87 plys $3.99 shipping).
• This book, Introverts in the Church, published in 2009, interests me and is on my Amazon wish list, but I wasn't sure if I really wanted it. If it had only been $3 or $4, I would have grabbed it and taken the risk.

On the other hand, I've purchased several books by authors I'd never heard of, but who had well-reviewed books with intriguing plot synopses - all $0.99, and none of which I'd have purchased at $6 or more:

• The Righteous, by Michael Wallace
• The Solomon Scandals, by David H. Rothman - this was suggested via Facebook by my darling blog-brother, GM Roper, and Mr. Rothman even responded to me in the comments there!
• Seven Days from Sunday, by M. H. Sargent
• Take the Monkeys and Run (I mean, really - how could I resist a title like that?!), by Karen Cantwell
• Live Free or Die (the Granite State Mysteries), by  Jesse Crockett
• Invisible, by Lorena McCourtney. OK, I lied. This one wasn't $0.99 - it was offered FREE to entice you to buy some of her other books in the Kindle store, many-if-not-most of which are priced in that sweet spot.

I've also taken advantage of purchasing low-cost collections of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Rudyard Kipling, and James Fenimore Cooper (of The Last of the Mohicans fame) as well as the Conscience of a Conservative (Goldwater), and classics like Plutarch's Lives, de Toqueville's Democracy in America, the Arabian Nights, Milton's Paradise Lost, Dante's Divine Comedy, a complete Shakespeare, and the Ultimate Mythology Collection (including Homer, the Illiad and so on).

Every. Single. One. of those books were less than $5. That's almost TWENTY books, purchased in the last week. None of those books went on my wishlist to languish into oblivion. None of those books' prices made me stop and think or decide to wait and see if the price would come down.

I want to buy books. I LOVE to buy books! And with my new Motorola XOOM with WiFi tentatively scheduled to arrive (from Amazon - yep, total Amazon fangirl, here!) on Wednesday (and the Kindle app is smokin' hot on it - I've tested it on my hubby's 3/4G XOOM), I'm going to be buying MORE ebooks.

But not at the prices you seem to want to sell them! Not anymore, anyway...

Publishers, you are in the business of selling books! Let me give you some advice: stop resisting the digital revolution, stop pushing paper sales at the expense of digital, lower your prices, and get those books moving off the shelves (virtual or otherwise)!!!!

Related articles

• NYT Best Seller Barry Eisler turns down $500,000 advance in favor of Self Publishing (myliteraryquest.wordpress.com)
• The Big Authors Begin To Bolt (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• Free Kindle Books (livingrichwithcoupons.com)
• Best Selling Author Turns Down Half A Million Dollar Publishing Contract To Self-Publish (techdirt.com)
• Best-Selling Author Refuses $500k; Self-Publishes Instead (news.slashdot.org)
• The self-publishing frenzy : a view from this side of the pond (davidhewson.com)