We have a family tradition of concluding our Thanksgiving meal with the Lord's Supper.  Some of you may know the LS as Communion, or Eucharist, or something like that.  This year, Sonnetjoy and Pendragon are thousands of miles away.  Through the miracle of the internet and with thanks to Skype, however, we were able to observe the Lord's Supper as a family on Friday.

Yes, Friday. Sonnetjoy had to work on Thanksgiving, so we did it all on Friday.

I still had my usual problem with the Lord's Supper: I read the passages from the Bible and I begin to choke up and cry.  This began about 15 years ago while we were in Misawa JA.  For the church Christmas play, they had me play the grandfather.  They made my hair white with baby powder, and had me sit on the step to the podium platform while the children came around me, and one sat on each knee.  One of them brought a Bible to me and said, "Read it to us again, Grandpa, read it to us again."  Unexpectedly I choked up and tears came unbidden.

When I talked to my bride about this, I asked why does this take me by surprise?  She said "It never takes us by surprise."  So I must be a real softie, if my bride and children know that I am going to cry when I read the Christmas story or the Lord's Supper passages.

What can I say?

I like to read multiple books at the same time.  I am currently reading Dan Brown's page turner "The Lost Symbol," with "The Complete Sherlock Holmes," and "The Chronicles of Narnia; The Magician's Nephew;" and some other (theological) books too.  I really like the Barnes and Nobel leather bound series of books, they are leather bound, with a matching placekeeper ribbon, and very inexpensive.  I want to get some more books from the series, great quality for a nice price!

Here is the first interesting confluence.  Sir Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia" in 1887.  In that story Doyle introduced Dr. Watson, Holmes faithful recording companion.  Dr. Watson was medically retired from the British Army due to a leg wound received in (wait for it ... here it comes) the Afghan Wars!  122 years later, guess where one of America's wars is continuing?  Wait for it, I'm not talking about Iraq ... but ... Afghanistan!

The second interesting confluence is in the opening pages of Lewis' "The Magician's Nephew."  Do you know what the time period selected for this "children's book" was?  Guess.  You'll never guess: Lewis said that the events took place at about the time that Sherlock Holmes was living in and working from 221b Baker Street.

Sorry, no link to "The Lost Symbol" yet; maybe later in the book.  Although it's a page turner, I really question the accuracy of his details to make the story line "work."  His other books were page turners too, but wow, were they ever wanting in their details!

Over the course of may years as a Christian, Bible teacher, and pastor, I have acquired several study Bibles.

If you like your compu, you may want to look at something basic that is expandable like Quickverse, or Wordsearch.  They have multiple translations of the Bible, and commentaries from the public domain, and more recent ones for purchase at modest prices.  Do an Internet search on either title, or go to ChristianBook.com and use their site's search engine for them.

If you have the cha-ching for it, I love and use BibleWorks8 all the time.  This does not have the commentaries and devotionals, but has some amazing scholarly tools for only $399; but that is for the more serious Bible scholar or pastor.  If you can handle the Greek and Hebrew, this is my tool of choice.

On the other hand, however, if you want something in your hand, I recommend and have used the Thompson Chain Reference Bible for many years.  It is for purchase in most of the modern translations including the NASB, NIV, and of course the standard KJV.  Prices will vary depending on the type of cover you get with it.  Again ChristianBook.com or DiscountBible.com will have them.

I just read a great article in Christianity Today about singleness.

I recommend this article because of I have more than skin in this game, I have flesh and blood.  Then, I also have devout and wonderful Christian Xanga friends that also are working with these issues, or these issues are working them over.

The article and the book called Singled Out are written by two mature Christian women who happen to be single.

The problem, as they describe it, is that marriage is viewed as the ideal state for everyone, when Paul clearly says that some are called to singleness.  Also that marriage is the example used by Paul to describe the relationship between Christ and the church. 

However, singleness should not be viewed as abstinence waiting for marriage, but as chastity because of devotion to Christ: there are things a single person can do for God that a married person cannot do, a la Lottie Diggs Moon and missions to the Chinese before the Communist takeover.  Lottie Moon gave away her personal wealth, and even her own food, for the people she served in China.  Lottie Moon died of starvation in Kobe Harbor, JA on Christmas Eve, weighing only 50 pounds because she gave away her own food.

This article and book may be worth checking out by heartbroken Christian singles who are waiting for their Christian mate, and/or their loving and concerned friends.

John Piper also recently wrote about this, quoting C.S. Lewis.  He said something we have often counseled married couples with: in marriage the husband's position of "headship" is to reflect that of Christ and the church.  "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;" (Eph 5:25　NAS).

When Christ gave himself up for the church, he DIED for her.  Husbands, guys, this is a lot more than our western model of being in charge; this is a model of suffering, of service, of tolerance and acceptance; grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  All of these are attributes of Christ toward the church, for which He 'gave Himself up.'  Husbands, guys, if we would love our wives sacrificially as Christ loved (that is, loves) the church, there would not be all the divorces we see among Christians (or should I say 'christians?').  I have heard Christian ladies say that would make it easy for them to fulfill their part in the Eph 5 passage; to be subject to their husbands.

I pray for my single friends and my 'skin.'

Okay, I have posted more today than I have in a very long time.  I hope those of you who read my posts will put up with one more.

While I was looking for a Greek text to use in my other posts, texts that would not require special fonts, I found the Greek Bible Study website.  It has the KJV, NASB, ESV, and Greek text side-by-side, with loads of tools for the Greek.  Pick an OT passage and the LXX appears for the Greek, along side the other translations you chose.  It  also has the Spanish Reina Valera edition.  Learn to read the Bible in Spanish & Greek!! 

You do have to have a membership, but that's free.  There is also supposed to be a link to allow you to hear the text read, but I think the Vista system is gobbling that up and I can't hear it just now.  Try it, you'll like it!

Greek Bible Study