At the Center of It All

When the psalmists saw the sun rise in the East and set in the West, they assumed the sun was going around the earth. It “rose” in the morning, traveled across the sky during the day, and “set” in the evening (Psalm 50:1; 113:3). They naturally assumed that the earth was the center of the heavenly domain. Scientists would later call this a geocentric view of our solar system (from Greek ge, meaning ...

Read More

Dedication to the Word

It’s no secret I’m a sports fan, but I hardly know what to make of the “extreme” sports that are so popular. Take BASE jumping, for example, in which athletes jump from dangerous locations wearing parachutes designed to deploy in tight spots. The word BASE stands for Buildings, Antennae, Spans (bridges), and Earth (cliffs).

Read More

Get Out of Town

The Frenchman Jules Verne wrote the novel in 1873, and two movie adaptations have been made (1956, 2004). In fact, the 1956 film won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The story? Around the World in 80 Days, of course! It’s the story of Phileas Fogg of London and his valet who accept a £20,000 wager—a challenge to travel around the world in 80 days.

Read More

An Inward Inventory

A century ago, rural America shopped at crossroads grocery stores or small-town general stores. The shelves of those stores were not always full; you couldn’t depend on what you needed being in stock. Inventory was managed with paper and pencil. Orders to suppliers might be called in by telephone or given in person to a traveling sales representative who stopped by periodically.

Read More