Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Rousing a Sleeping Giant

Peggy Noonan wrote a positive review of her experience regarding last week's Presidential Inauguration in her mostly weekly "Declarations" column in the WSJ Opinion Journal. Near the end, she wrote some insightful words about the potential pluses and minuses of President Obama's self-confident persona and how he might do what he doesn't intend to do:

"As for Mr. Obama, some thoughts that start with a hunch. He has the kind of self-confidence that will serve him well or undo him. He has to be careful about what he wants, because he's going to get it, at least at the beginning. He claimed a lot of moderate territory in his Inaugural Address (deepen and expand our alliances, put aside debates on size of government and aim for government that is competent and constructive), but no one is certain, still, what governing philosophy guides him. He would be most unwise to rouse the sleeping giant that is American conservatism. One thing that would rouse it, and begin to bring its broken pieces back together, would be radical movement on abortion, such as pushing the so-called Freedom of Choice Act.

"There was another great gathering in Washington this week, of those who themselves are not always invited or included, because of their unflinching views. The Right to Life march was marked, according to participants, by an air of peacefulness, and unusual sweetness. The attitude toward President Obama? They prayed for him. As great Americans, which is what they are, would."

Saturday, January 3, 2009

2009 Devotional Reading

Last year as part of my most-days devotional reading, I completed The Christian Almanac by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur and Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry & Richard Blackaby. I highly recommend both resources.

My 2009 devotional reading includes the morning readings from Morning & Evening (I'll save the evening readings for another year, Lord willing) by C.H. Spurgeon and The One-Year Christian History by Michael & Sharon Rusten. My personal reading Bible for the year is the English Standard Version Literary Study Bible. I plan to read through this Bible chronologically along with many others of the First Christian Church of Owensville congregation who are also reading through-the-Bible-in-a-year.