1) Really, outside of hitting, pitching and fielding the Cardinals are having a great April.
2) It is no Alarmism to assume pastors may soon risk much when preaching the Scriptures.
3) I walked into my daughter’s room and she was singing along to U2, so I’m winning, right?
4) In the new heavens and earth the way we think about ourselves will be a perfect reflection of how we really are. We will not overestimate our abilities nor undervalue what we can offer to others. We will, without irony or arrogance, see ourselves as we really are, reflecting the glory of the Holy King.
5) Vegetable hungry is harder than potato chip hungry.
6) If the purpose of Heaven Is for Real is to help people believe just that. My question is why did they not believe it before? The Scriptures are clear on its existence and goodness. What other fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith is not then believed in the Scripture that needs a multimedia campaign to be believed?
7) Read everything by Rod Dreher, especially this.
8) I know the “Five Points of Calvinism” are out of fashion, but I’m still thankful for them. Starting with our Total Depravity is a good practice in all our endeavors. It keeps us humble and reminds us the problem lies within us and not merely outside us.
9) Sometimes the kindest thing I can do for my kids is to not let them do what they want to do. Every parent knows this, if only instinctively. Why would we not expect the same kindness from God, our
Father?
Echoes and Stars 
The STL Cardinals are very awesome. I’ve grown weary of all of the Heaven books/movies that people flock after, but they never read the Bible. You ARE winning. Not sure what you mean about vegetable hungry. Limited atonement makes perfect sense to me. Saying no to our children sometimes is hard, but very necessary. Thank you Lord for telling me no too.
Total depravity is an interesting one. The impact it has on someone when they apply it to themself is extremely beneficial, as you’ve said. Where it is misused, unfortunately, is when it’s projected on others motives and actions such that we can’t see that they are age bearers of God.
Maybe “Heaven Is For Real” is the evangelical version seeing Jesus on a piece of toast or a potato chip. 😉
That’s a perfect analogy. Thanks for the laugh.
Is there a reliable critique of the theology of “Heaven Is For Real”? Is it wrong to be skeptical about this book/movie as a believer?
My ten-year-old granddaughter asked me about it.
” 6) If the purpose of Heaven Is for Real is to help people believe just that. My question is why did they not believe it before? The Scriptures are clear on its existence and goodness.”
Because the church has become so infatuated with pop culture and fads that they’d rather believe the imagination of an impressionable pre-schooler and trust the (cough) truthfulness of the parents re-telling of this tale than the word of God.