Seven Years is Copper  

Posted by Benjie in

Tomorrow the Blushing Bride and I will celebrate seven years of matrimony. Since it's a Sunday and Sundays are always hectic anyway, we left the kids with Hannah's Grandma (who's up from Kentucky) and went out to the Olive Garden. We decided to exchange our gifts for each other while we were out.

Now you must understand that we decided on our first anniversary to try and get a "traditional" gift each year as one of the presents we do for each other. First anniversary was easy--paper; we both are book addicts, so that's easy. On year 5 (wood) was fun, I got a wooden-cased clock and had a cabinet made in the shape of a wardrobe (in honor of her love for C.S. Lewis and all things Narnia). But seven is copper or wool. This year it was time to get creative. We were neither one really excited about wool, and I didn't really want to get Hannah a set of copper bottomed cook pans, we began searching several months ago. I also wanted to steer clear of copper tea kettles. Hannah has a great collection of tea kettles, but she already has two of the copper variety. So we both went shopping at the "antique" stores. Here's the results of our labors:



The one on the left is the one I bought for Hannah. The one on the right is Hannah's gift to me. The only difference is I got gyped out of a platter (Hannah got the better deal), or I got the better deal because I ended up with the one that has the platter included.

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The Holidays Are Officially Here  

Posted by Benjie in ,

Last year I had the opportunity to "elf" myself. This year the videos are bigger and better. Click for this video, and then for this one. Let 'em load. You'll be glad you did.

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Thanksgiving Note  

Posted by Benjie in ,

I wanted to share an old song that I really loved about twenty years ago, "I Thank You, Lord" but couldn't find the lyrics. So, here's one I hadn't heard for years until about two weeks ago:

We've got so much, so much, so much, so much,
SO much, so much, so much, so much,
SO much, so much (clap)
To be thankful for.




Rather than list a list that goes on and on--here's just one of the many things that I'm thankful for:




My Blushing Bride




Choose one from your exhaustive list and post it in the comments.

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Word Police (Russian edition)  

Posted by Benjie in ,


I can’t stand it any more! I’ve been whining about the way we Americans use misuse English constantly, and now I’m fed up with the way we Americans have been using misusing Russian. It all started with a (not-so) innocent movie released about this time last year (and now out in home-viewing form). The problem is that we see Cyrillic letters and know nothing about them. So we hear the Russians name their international space station “Mir” with the Russian word for “Peace” and spell it with Cyrillic letters that mean nothing. The “backwards ‘r’” is not an ‘r’ at all, but the Russian vowel ‘ya’ which by itself means ‘I’. The Russians use our letter ‘p’ for the letter ‘r’.

It’s all a lettering issue. When we see the letters CCCP on film of Olympics gone by we Americans think “See, See, See, Pea” and the Russian says “Ess, Ess, Ess, Are”. And this brings me to my gripe of the day. Just recently I saw another picture advertising the movie we Americans call “Bore-At”. The Russian letters (ВОЯДТ) look like B – O – R – A – T to most Americans. The Cyrillic letters used in the movie posters spell what would actually be VO-YaDT if transliterated into English.

There, now I’ve let off the steam, I don’t expect I’ll watch the movie, but I feel better.

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I'm not Usually about Politics, but . . .  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

Check out this ad:



(HT: Bill Crider)

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Mulberry Grove -- Reaching Out with Angel Food  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

Our first distribution was on Saturday, November 17, 2007. Everything went smoothly and we had a great time ministering to our community.

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Self-Publishing, Anyone?  

Posted by Benjie in ,





The world of publishing is an interesting animal. Bill Crider got me to thinking about this very thing recently. Here are some thoughts I have on the matter.

If you’ve written your book, there are lots of ways to go about getting it published:

Vanity Press – These are the guys that will print whatever you want for a price. The purpose of this type of printing is twofold: (1) See your name on the by-line, and (2) make lots of money for the printer/publisher. Your books may never really see the light of day, and you’re required to order a minimum number of books.

Self-publishing Houses – By their description, these are publishing houses who try to avoid the stigma associated with vanity press. As I look at them, they are not much different, though. The point is they want to help you get your book in print. Many of these houses got their start by doing cookbook fundraising projects for a variety of groups. They are the publisher of choice for many a preacher who thinks he has something to say to the world. In defense of the Self-Publishers I have checked into, I must say that they do not sugarcoat the necessity of the author being the one front-line fighter for their own book. For a price most of these houses have a package deal that will give you a jump-start on the marketing of your book.

Online Print-On-Demand (POD) Self-publishers – The beauty of this style of book publishing which was birthed out of the technological revolution is that you can print only one book or five hundred or five thousand (discount pricing applies to bulk orders), or you can even sell downloadable copies of your book to save your customers money. Again there are packages that include marketing aids available for a fee.

Traditional Publishing Houses – The traditional route is the hardest route to take. At the same time, if you want to “make it” as an author, it is the route most likely to get you there. Some of the pitfalls that the aspiring author will have with traditional publishing start with the barriers to even getting your manuscript read. Most publishers have so many unsolicited submissions that they don’t have the manpower to read them all. This is probably because they’re already soliciting known and established authors to write another great book for them. To go this route, the best thing is to find an agent who will champion your book. Agents aren’t all about getting your book sold on the marketplace, but selling your idea/book to the publishers. Beware of charletans who ask you for money just to read your book, though. If you find an agent or even a publisher who is willing to accept unsolicited manuscripts, be sure to follow their instruction for submissions as closely as possible (many want a synopsis or proposal before reading an entire book—if yours doesn’t fit their needs they won’t waste their time or yours on a full manuscript). Then start waiting for the rejection notices: develop a thick skin—you’ll be turned down more often than accepted. It doesn’t mean that your writing is bad, it just didn’t tickle the right reader.

And now for my (“most humble”) advice for those who choose to go the route of self-publishing (thought I’d never get there, huh?):

Don’t do this if you’re looking to make money. I’ve published both with general SP houses and POD publishers. I’ve sold enough copies of my books to cover my initial investment, but little more. If you want to publish with SP houses (or POD houses, for that matter) be sure that you are writing for your own pleasure.

Don’t expect to “get discovered.” SP houses are really bad about advertising their service with names like Richard Paul Evans (The Christmas Box was originally a SP effort for family and friends) to entice people to publish their book with them.

Learn to be shameless in your self-promotion. Nobody really cares about your book but you and maybe a good friend or family member (my dad is a better PR man for my first books than I am). False humility often grasps new authors. If your book is really worth reading, tell people.

Finally, if you’re going to self-publish and want to have enough books printed to be sold on the market, start with a small printing. If the book just doesn’t sell, a printing of 500 to 1500 will leave with a lot fewer boxes of books to store than a 10K to 20K run. I personally think that if you’re the kind of author who can merit a multiple thousand copy run with a first edition of a book, you’ve probably already been discovered and are working with a major house somewhere because people will buy your book based on your name. Unless you bear the same name as someone like Stephen King, John Grisham, or Michael Crichton, and can get away with adding an initial to keep confusion (sort of) at bay, you’re not going to sell that many books on your first effort. Besides, even those guys don’t always write devourable material.

Happy writing, everyone!

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Did You Save Any?  

Posted by Benjie in


We're now at the end of Daylight Savings Time and preparing to move our clocks again to "Standard Time." So I have two questions:



  1. Did you save any? or

  2. What are you doing with all that daylight you saved over the summer?

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The Makings for a Long Night: a Review of One Night with the King  

Posted by Benjie in ,


My wife and I had been wanting to see this movie based on a novel based on a biblical story of the rise of Esther, Queen of Persia. I had heard good things about the book, and subsequently the movie. I’d even put the book (Haddasah by Tommy Tenney) on my “possibilities” list. After all, I like a good story taken from the Scripture and fictionalized to bring it to life for the modern reader. And the story of Esther is a GOOD story.

The movie itself could be great. There are no instances that I recall of vocabulary limited to vulgarity and swearing. There are no gratuitous sex scenes. And there is no unnecessary violence. (Even though the background story would allow all of these objectional materials.) All in all it is just the type of movie that family-oriented viewers has been calling for over a vast number of years. So what happens?

The plot is disjointed, the acting mediocre at best, and the retelling of the story of Esther removes all the best parts of the biblical story. Perhaps Tenney forgot to read the biblical account before penning his novel, perhaps the screen writers were just unfamiliar with the story of Esther and Mordecai and Xerxes and Haman, but the leaps which remove the power of faith and courage are missing in the movie. The villain Haman is characterized as one of the stronger characters in the story, and the ultimate irony so prevalent in the scripture is all but absent in this rendering of the story.

Bottom line, if you liked the story of Esther, this is a good movie to skip.

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The Word on Pastor Bookshelf Review Program  

Posted by Benjie in ,

Over the last three months I’ve been touting a new program that seemed like a really good idea – review a book, get another to review. What a great concept. The original idea was to help ministers and ministers-in-training to build their libraries while providing their opinions about the books they received. About a month ago, the review site just stopped updating the site – no new reviews, overviews, or blog entries.

Today, I got the word. The staff at Pastor Resources.com (part of the JCA Company) sent me this in an e-mail: “Pastor Resources has suspended our review programs indefinitely. We apologize for any and all inconveniences and frustrations. We are sincerely sorry. We thank you for your support of the program and one day we hope to reinstate the venture.”

So, I guess what this means is that you’ll just have to look for my unmitigated opinions on reading at Book ‘em Benj-O. Until the time that they are able to start the program up again, you can still click here to see if anything is worth your while at Pastor Resources.

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October Giveaway at Tim Challies' Blog  

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Here’s the scoop on the new giveaway at Challies.com: First prize is 40 copies (count ‘em 40) of R.C. Sproul’s The Truth of the Cross. The catch–the books are not for sale, but for the winner to use as giveaways (especially for evangelistic purposes). Suggestion: if you win you get 10 copies to give away at church, 10 to give to family members, 10 for Christmas gifts, and 10 to save for later opportunities. The winner also gets one copy of Jesus the Evangelist by Richard Phillips.

Second and Third prizes are one copy of Jesus the Evangelist and admission for two to the 2008 Ligonier Ministries National Conference. Click on the button below for more details.

October Giveaway

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Will You Help with Important Research?  

Posted by Benjie in ,

Barb Orlowski is hard at work doing research for her Doctor of Ministry degree. She is a candidate at A.C.T.S. Seminaries in Canada. Below you will find two request letters from Barb. First is a request outlining the type of people she needs to respond to research polls. The second letter is to pastors who might be helpful in the process as well. Read the notes. Then contact Barb if you can help. Also, if you operate a blog and could help get the word out, Barb would be most appreciative.

Hi Everyone,
I trust that you had a great summer. We enjoyed hiking a lot, especially in the alpine meadows among gorgeous and colorful wild flowers. It was amazing and we were filled with thanksgiving to God. I am back at my research desk and ready to step up the pace of my dissertation investigation. It is time to get the word out and request contributions from participants regarding this stimulating area of research.

The following are two “request for help” letters. I have prepared two questionnaires. One survey is for those who have experienced this situation in their church life and the other is for pastors who have been able to provide comfort and spiritual guidance to those who have come to them for help. If the following criteria describe you, I would welcome your participation in this study.

Thanks so much, Barb Orlowski

Request Letter No. 1
Request for Help for Potential Participants:

Hi Everyone, Sept. 2007

My name is Barb Orlowski. I am on the Doctor of Ministry program at A.C.T.S. Seminaries in Langley, B.C., Canada. In order to conduct the research necessary to complete my dissertation, I could use your help. I am conducting a survey among Christians who have experienced emotional and spiritual distress under authoritarian and controlling church leaders and have recovered from this experience.

Here are the criteria that I am looking for in participants:

1. Christians who have experienced emotional and spiritual distress under authoritarian and controlling church leaders and who have ceased to be associated with those congregations;
2. Christians who subsequently have recognized and processed their spiritual grief and pain and have experienced spiritual recovery;
3. Christians who are willing to share how they have processed their negative experience and have recovered spiritual harmony; those who can share what has happened since this painful episode. Christians who can answer this question: What factors have helped you to restore your confidence in God and His people?

If people feel that they fit the criteria for this study, please contact me.
I will give you further details about this study, and then I will send you the questionnaire along with the consent information. The responses given by those participating will be kept confidential. Your responses will be put in anonymous form and may be kept for further use after the completion of this study.

Thank you for your interest and participation in this study. I appreciate the time and effort that it takes to complete a questionnaire.

In Him, Barb

Barb’s contact email: churchexitersq@telus.net

* Comments and questions are welcome.

· When you respond to this request by emailing me
· *please let me know which site you saw this information. Thanks.


Request Letter No. 2
Request for Help from Pastors:

Greetings, Sept. 2007

I am student enrolled in the A.C.T.S. Doctor of Ministry program in Langley, B.C., Canada. In order to conduct the research necessary to complete my dissertation, I need the assistance of pastoral leaders. I could use your help with my research. I realize that you probably receive frequent requests to fill out surveys, but I would invite you to take a few minutes, complete a questionnaire and return it to me. This would be a significant help.

I am looking for pastors who have endeavored to provide spiritual guidance and help for the following people:

Christians who have experienced emotional and spiritual distress under authoritarian and controlling church leaders and who have ceased to be associated with those congregations.

There are many Christians who have faced the untimely distress of this particular yet widespread phenomenon. Many have simply left the church, while others have made an effort to reintegrate into a local church setting. It has taken courage for them to desire to reconnect with a pastor and seek their assistance in processing their grief and disillusionment with previous church leaders.

I would appreciate hearing how you, as a pastor, have provided spiritual guidance and encouragement for individuals who have faced this type of emotional and spiritual pain at the hands of those that they had trusted as their spiritual leaders. I believe that your insights would provide pertinent and helpful data for this study.

The information you give will be kept confidential. Any use of your responses in my dissertation will be put in anonymous form, but may be kept for further use after the completion of this study. If ever needed, I will ask for your permission to quote you.

Thank you for your interest and participation in this research. I appreciate the time and effort that it takes to complete a questionnaire.

Thanks, Barb Email Address: churchexitersq@telus.net

* Comments and questions are welcome.

· When you respond to this request by emailing me--
· *please let me know which site you saw this information. Thanks.

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If You Like Christian Fiction . . .  

Posted by Benjie in ,

For all you readers out there: You've got to see this!

I’ve discovered something new — a “blook” tour (blog + book tour = blook tour). And I’m hosting one for debut author Steven Hunt over at Book ‘em Benj-O. If you’re a fan of Christian fiction, private eye novels, or suspense, drop on by and check it out.

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Pointy-headed People Are Making Decisions Again  

Posted by Benjie in ,



Southwest Airlines has been on the cutting edge in domestic air travel many times. Now, I believe they’ve fallen over the edge. In the interest of making life easier, the bureaucrats over at Southwest have managed to complicate everything. I first heard that they were no longer going to allow families with small children to board first (read it here). Allowing them boarding privileges was helpful because traveling with little ones causes lots of unintentional delays—especially when trying to get down the tiny aisles on airplanes. But in the wisdom of the ages, the pointy-heads at Southwest have decided that boarding will go faster if they just let everyone crowd on like cattle into a chute.

This morning I head about this. Basically, Southwest has decided to keep their “open seating” policy, saving the headache of attendants clicking a few keys to assign a seat—oh, and think of all the printer ink it saves, too. Southwest also saves money in boarding passes, by handing out groupings with plastic, reusable passes. Now, to simplify matters, since parents with small children don’t get to board first, along with your color group you’ll get a number, and passengers get seated numerically as well as by color.

Here’s my question: how is this really easier than assigning seats and boarding by rows?

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Link Issue Update  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

The dead link for the Chazown website (referenced here) is no longer dead. Wait, though. It doesn't take you to the site that had all the interactive tools that feathered so well with the book. Now you are sent to the publisher's page for the book itself. You get a good description of the book and a short bio of Groeschel, but if you want to download the .pdf file of the Chazown Journal you'll be out of luck.

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Word Police -- "Anyways"  

Posted by Benjie in


I've encountered this aberration more often in spoken than in written language. Blessed be the advent of blogs. Now I get to see this non-word crop up even on the 'net. As a colloquialism I have encountered this one relatively frequently in my native Texas. But it seems to rear its ugly head around our nation. My typical response is simply to cringe. After all, they're just talking, right? But when it spews from the lips of educated Americans, my head starts to throb. The verbal pause "Anyway" should never be made plural by adding an 's' because it is a collective (by virtue of the "any" that introduces the word).


The purpose for this rant? I saw it on the comment section of a more than colloquial blog. Thank you very much.

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Journaling Chazown – Past Experience  

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Having examined core values and spiritual gifts, the concept found in Craig Groeschel’s Chazown directs the vision-seeker to look into personal experience. Not only should you dig into the good things that happened in your past, but also look closely at those things that could be designated as sad or disappointing—even tragic—to determine where God has been working in your life. Why? Scripture indicates that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The suggestion is that regardless of the circumstance—good or bad—if it is our desire to please God, He will use all our experiences to work together to advance His plan. With these ideas racing in my head, I addressed Groeschel’s “experience” questions:


  • What do your good and bad experiences have in common?

  • What do you think your experiences have done within you to prepare you for the future?

My answers:
The common thread in all my experiences have been family and relationships. These two concepts play a strong part in my experiences. There is a deep-seated need to for approval running through my experiences. I see a great concern when I have not been the crowd-pleaser that I want to be, and equally great jubilation when I have.
Developing the desire to please my audience, I have learned tact and discretion as well as communication skills that have been necessary in the path that lays before (and behind) me.

Finally, Groeschel asks the reader to try to name the next chapter in their life path. Keeping in mind the things I value, the gifts I’ve identified, and the dreams affected by my experience, I’ve come up with the following challenging title for my life’s book:

“Writing the Right Way”

Feel free to answer the questions for yourself, and share your next life chapter title if you wish. Some of the suggestions Groeschel offers as starting points are:


“Making a Difference”
“Starting Over”
“Restoring Brokenness”
“Going for It”
“Taking the Faith Risk”
“Living the Dream”
“Shaping Up”
“Close to God”


What do you think?

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One for the Funny Bone  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. And apparently the necessity of a mother is inventive. My wife found a news item about one Dawn Meehan who blogs here. The upshot of it is, this mother of (too many) has a knack for writing. Her trip from hell to the grocery store that resulted in an ebay auction gained her huge amounts (HUGE amounts) of attention. According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story, she is now sought after by the publishing and media industry in the manner of a Benny Hill closing credits scene. Read today's story here.

Take a gander at her blog and see what all the hoopla is about. And if you so feel inclined, check out some of her sponsors.

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IQ Test  

Posted by Benjie in ,

IQ test score
[HT: Josh]

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A Quick Apology  

Posted by Benjie in ,

Many of you have been checking out my post here. I must apologize for the bad link. After I had posted some of the journal entries from my working through Craig Groeschel’s material in Chazown the website for the book and issues disappeared. I do not know whether the Chazown.com website is experiencing issues or if it is permanently defunct. If it reappears I’ll let you know so that you can interact fully with the material, too.

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New Book Drawing from Challies.com  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

I always love new books--especially free ones. If you click on the button, you will be transported to a site where you can sign up for a drawing for a set of commentaries.

sept Giveaway

Just a note. The commentaries are from the Reformed school of theology. There will be three names drawn for different prizes:

  1. First prize = All six volumes.
  2. Second prize = Winner selects three of the titles.
  3. Third prize = Winner chooses one of the titles.

If you're interested click on the button above.

[HT: Our friends at Pastor Bookshelf]

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Word Police  

Posted by Benjie in ,


[I thought about calling this column "Grammar Police" but it's really not grammar that holds a problem for Americans--it's how we use the words (or misuse them). Anyway, I've decided that instead of correcting every little error (which I am wont to do--but that makes people cringe and run away), I'll occasionally point out a particular peeve in the way that we speak. In this way, I get my rant out and don't offend my friends. I'll only address those issues that catch my eye (or ear) when they really hack me off. For the time being I'll leave punctuation to the puncuation police. If you would like to join in the conversation, well that's what the comment section is for. Just remember that I like to keep the place clean when making your comments. And now on to . . .]


Today's Rant: Everyday


In writing, Americans have become lazy. Take for instance the word "everyday." This is a good word. It's an adjective (that means it modifies a noun). It should be used correctly in describing an item or event:


He is wearing his everyday shirt. (There is nothing special about the shirt, it could be worn any or every day.)


or, Their everyday routine is to eat breakfast before leaving for work.


Notice that in both our examples today the word everyday explains the item or event. On the other hand I have found more and more Americans using the adjective "everyday" when they mean to say every day. The difference is that when we want to indicate a daily occurence that but are not using the adjectival rendering, we should use the two word phrase "every day."


I go to the mall every day.


She eats yogurt every day.


What a world of difference one little space can make. So when writing, dear reader, remember to add the space when you are not modifying a noun.

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Tea Time!!!!  

Posted by Benjie in , ,


No, no . . . not tee time. I like golf as much as the next guy, but now we're talking Tea. While in Ukraine, I started drinking tea on occasion (when in Rome and all that). I didn't turn my back on coffee (the real man's drink), but I did develop an affinity for a cup 'o. What I found was the best "black tea" on the market--Lipton Yellow Label. A year into my discovery I learned a sad thing: You can't buy that in America. What would I do on furloughs? What happens if God decides to call me back to the 'States?


And then it happened. God called me back. I stashed one last fifty count box in the luggage and have been hoarding it these two and a half years. We've looked, we've searched, we've scoured. I've even gone in some of the health nut places with my blushing bride trying to find Yellow Label. But it's always been a no-go. Until just recently, that is.


Now you can get this smooth libation from one of the "partners" at Amazon.com. The one drawback is that the shipping shovels on a hefty tarriff. That's okay though, if you really like tea, it's worth the price. My bride ordered two 100 count boxes of the stuff and the shipping fee was just as much as both boxes combined! But I'm not complaining--I was almost out. And now, I don't have to be stingy with my precious tea. Get you some and try it. It'll relax you.

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Journaling Chazown – Spiritual Gifts  

Posted by Benjie in , , ,

[Again, you can find this post duplicated at Loom & Wheel Words.]




Following his pattern of developing ideas through questioning, Craig Groeschel asks three questions to help readers of Chazown begin finding their spiritual gifts. What is your passion? What is your impact? What is your secret belief? Each of the questions deals with the things that you do—the activity of your life.

First, what is it that you do with passion? What is it that you enjoy doing or suspect that you might enjoy doing? I find that communication is the thing that I have a passion about. I look for ways to communicate, to say the right word at the right time. I find that I have the same desire in my writing—to use the best word to communicate the best possible message at the perfect time. I like to think that once in awhile, I hit the mark.

What, then, do you do that seems to have a significant impact on the world around you? This is a tough question for me because as my mother has often observed, I am my own biggest critic. I’ve discovered that while sometimes my words do have the impact that I desire, it is more often time that impacts those around me. People seem to be more aware that I have spent time with them than they are to remember anything I say. This is especially true during times of crisis. Few if any people remember the words said in a prayer when they are going into a time of surgery, but most remember that you were there and that you offered a prayer.

Finally, what is it that you secretly believe that you can do—even if you’ve never tried it? Although I’ve journeyed down the road of self-publishing (in essence, paying up-front the costs of getting your book between covers and in hard copy form), I still feel that I’ve got the stuff to get my stories published. Groeschel asserts that you should do what you secretly know you can do. He follows up with another assertion that if you don’t do it, if you keep putting it off, you’ll lose the ability to do that which you secretly think you can do. (That’s double-talk for saying, “Put up or shut up.”)

Here’s another author’s perspective on the same idea:



A Dream Deferred
by Langston Hughes
(Langston Hughes homepage)



What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?


Once you have found these things, you are better equipped to find your spiritual gifts—those things which God has given you that will help you further the work of the Kingdom. Like other authors, Groeschel has found an assessment tool which will help followers of Jesus discover their gifts (based on a listing developed by the writers of the assessment tool). Here are my gifts based on that tool:

Apostleship – adaptability, with an emphasis on missions and cross-cultural witness.

Shepherding – care, nurture, and guiding.

Leadership – purpose and goal setting.

Knowledge – insight.

Teaching – able to communicate ideas.

Coupling this with the core values that I developed earlier, is it any wonder that the most energized I have been in my career path has been during those times I have been living in ministry? Serving as the pastor of a church is a hand-in-glove fit for me. I am able to use my gifts to address my personal values in an effort to build God’s kingdom. What a rush!

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Personality on Parade  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

Click to view my Personality Profile page


This is a chart showing my personality type. I've done these kinds of tests before, but it's always good to review.

Others have the same type as me. Here's a sample:

Famous ENFPs

Real ENFP People
Alicia Silverstone - actress (Clueless), fashion model
Andy Kaufman - American entertainer
Andy Rooney - television writer
Bill Cosby - actor, comedian, activist
Bill Moyers - journalist, commentator
Bob Dylan - singer-songwriter, musician
Bus ter Keaton - silent film comic actor
Carol Burnett - comedian
Charles Dickens - English novelist
Dave Thomas - businessman (Wendy's), philanthropist
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geise) - writer, cartoonist
Franz Joseph Haydn - composer
James Dobson - evangelical psychologist
Joseph Campbell - writer, orator
King Jordan - deaf president of Gallaudet University
Lewis Grizzard - humorist
Martin Short - Canadian actor, comedian
Paul Harvey - radio broadcaster
Paul Robeson - actor, athlete, singer, writer, activist
Phil Donahue - TV personality
Regis Philbin - TV personality
Robin Williams - actor
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) - writer
Sandra Bullock - actress
Sinbad - actor, comedian
Upton Sinclair - author, investigative journalist
Will Rogers - Comedian

Fictional ENFPs (Characters)
Ariel - The Little Mermaid
Balki - Perfect Strangers
Dr. Doug Ross - ER
Lara Antipova - Doctor Zhivago
Steve Urkel - Family Matters
Will - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

[HT: Kevin Bussey]

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The Egg on My Face Doesn't Hurt Too Much  

Posted by Benjie in ,

It's time to make an adjustment to an assessment. A day or two after I posted this, I got an email from the company. Here's a snip from customer representative Brenda R:

I apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. I have placed an
order for a lid that you will receive within 2-3 weeks. I apologize for the
service center giving you incorrect information. The part could have been
ordered direct at any time. in fact the lid is an inexpensive part and that
is why they most likely did not wish to sell it for such a small amount.

I've received the part and will expect it to work properly for some time.

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Journaling Chazown – Core Values  

Posted by Benjie in ,

[This post is also published at Loom & Wheel Words, a blog where I address more philosophical matters. Occasionally there will be a post that touches on the emphases of both of my personal blogs. If you are interested in the deeper topics that I might explore, you should click on the link to the side and visit my other blog.]

Craig Groeschel insists that your ultimate Life Vision, your Chazown, is tied indelibly to three areas of your life: your Core Values, your Spiritual Gifts, and your past experiences. Today we’ll deal with my response to the issue of Core Values. Core Values are those things that strike you at your heart (your core). They are the ideals that make you stand up and take notice. There are two questions which can help you arrive at what those core values might be.

First, what really angers me? What makes your righteousness get indignated? For me it amounts to three or four things (in no particular order, but even as I think about it to write these things, I begin to see red). Hurting children. When people take advantage of children in a way that God never intended, when children suffer needlessly because of government waste or parental ignorance, my dander flares.

Lying. So often I find that when people play on my good nature and then I find out they aren’t truthful with me, my head aches. Why would someone lie? To me or to anyone, why? I’ve known those people who would tell a lie when the truth would be more expedient, but lying—truthlessness—is their nature. Why?

False Pride. I think perhaps the one thing that makes me froth at the mouth most is this insane—inane—habit that especially believers in Christ exhibit. So many people are ready to offer prayer and advice for others in need, but then there are entire families filled with those who need (they really, really need) prayer or help and refuse to allow the Family of God to bear the burden with them. Who cares if it “looks like” you have a flaw? How presumptuous is that? That we might never ever need a friend.

And then, the second question: What brings me bliss? What shouts to you, “PARTEEE”? What gets your toes to tappin’, your mouth to rappin’ and your whole heart flappin’? Again, I found three standouts in the crowd. Presents. I suppose the reason that I love Christmas so much—aside from the fact that it’s when we celebrate the first coming of the Christ—is that our tradition suggests, no insists, no it outright requires, me to give gifts. I love giving gifts—especially those unexpected gifts that cost little, but mean a mint. One of my favorite things is to catch my beloved blushing bride off-guard with the perfect birthday, anniversary, or Christmas gift. But best yet was the time that I was able to sneak in the china cabinet when she was out of town. I even displayed the chine for when she returned from her trip to Grandma’s.

Laughter. Nothing makes my chest (some would say my head) swell with self-satisfaction than to know that someone enjoyed my company because I made them smile. I first realized this as a freshman in college. Dorm life—that’s the ticket. Getting to know the other men on my hall was always fun. People would roam the hall and if a door was open, it meant social hour was in session in that room. On one of these occasions I finally had to leave a group of friends to go (I don’t know—study or sleep or something) and as I left the room I heard one of the friends still in the room comment, “I just love Benjie, he’s so funny.” I hadn’t even been trying to be funny.

Communication. I suppose you could say that communication is my life. One of the greatest drives that I have as a pastor, author, blogger is that people catch what I’m trying to say. Sometimes I fall short of this goal because I have a tendency to overuse egghead vocabulary when I should be speaking to the third-grader in the crowd. But still, I want him to understand.

Having assessed these questions, I turned to the list that Groeschel provides at http://www.chazown.com/ to line up what I feel are the core values that most closely match my heart’s cry. Here’s what I came up with:



  • Authenticity


  • Creativity


  • Discipleship


  • Faith


  • Godliness


  • Humor


  • Integrity

I think that’s a fair list.

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A Milestone  

Posted by Benjie




Our little ladybug passed her first big milestone this weekend. Here are a couple of pictures.

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The Bourne Ultimatum – A Review  

Posted by Benjie in ,



Against the advice of my brother (“You will probably want to see the first two in order to fully enjoy this one”) the blushing bride and I got sitters for the kids and took in the latest chapter in Bourne movies. I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for action movies. As a matter of fact if you have fight scenes, chase scenes, and blow things up, I’m there!

Jason Bourne continues to have flashbacks that give him clues to who he really is. The problem is that the clues are extremely vague. Picking up news items that lead him to the explanation of the flashbacks—gleaning names and information along the way—Bourne travels all over the world, encountering new and old faces along the way.

Although I’ve seen snips of both of the earlier Bourne films, I still have a hard time casting Matt Damon in an action role. I must admit that he gives a surprisingly good rendition of an indestructible black-ops assassin who is bent on self-destruction through self-discovery. He is helped along the way by Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) and the ever present Pam Landy (Joan Allen). By the end of the movie, Bourne has a new name to claim, and a new outlook on life. The film leaves a wide berth for the possibility of the return of Bourne although it will be necessary for writers to dig deep for plot development.

For your dollar, this is a great action movie with lots of speed and destruction. The fight scenes are fast-paced, the chases high-speed, and there are a fair amount of gun-play and pyrotechnics to satisfy. Go see it on the big screen if it’s still playing in your town.

The Bourne Ultimatum gets 4 thumbs and makes me want to rent The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy.

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The Other Side of 44  

Posted by Benjie in


It's my birthday and after today I'll be on "The Other Side of 44." I’d like to mention a few things that being the “other side of 44” means.


  • On the other side of 44 I must be a good father, loving and just.

  • On the other side of 44 I must be an exemplary husband, always putting my wife first.

  • On the other side of 44 I must have integrity.

This is not a time for me to have a “mid-life crisis”. It is also not the time for you to have one either. We must work together to behave as followers of Jesus Christ—with love, selfless determination to reach a world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. What does this mean for you—being the other side of whatever age your last birthday marked? Write down some thoughts, put them where you can read them every day, and practice them.

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Do Not Buy This Product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Posted by Benjie in ,


When we finally landed in Mulberry Grove after returning to the USA, my blushing bride and I decided we needed to replace the non-working coffeemaker from my bachelor days. So we went shopping. I found something that I didn't know I was looking for--a thermal coffeemaker. This would be great. We wouldn't have to leave the coffee on all the time, and if we forgot to turn it off, it wouldn't burn the house down.


All the thermal models only held 8 cups, and sometimes I need to brew more. And then I found a Mr. Coffee machine that was not too expensive, but had a 10-cup carafe. We put the money down and got it--it was programmable and signaled when the coffee was ready and when it had been sitting long enough to be cold. What a great machine.


About 8 months after the purchase, the lid broke on the carafe. It just fell apart. Of course, it had started splitting earlier. All of this through normal use--usually only one pot a day, sometimes two (if we had guests). Okay, no problem, I'll call the service center--the nearest of which is over an hour away in St. Louis.


First call, "Sorry, that's on back order. Call back in about 8 weeks."

Six weeks later, "Sorry, still on back order."

Another three weeks, "Sorry, still unavailable."

Today (three weeks later, still), "Yes! That's available now, can you hold?"

Five minutes later, "Yes, that's available, but you can't just get the lid, you have to buy the 'craft'."

Me: "So how much is that?"


As it turns out, to replace my broken lid will cost me within ten dollars of the price of the original machine--NEW!


Do not buy this product. I repeat, do not buy this product!

1 Reader Response(s) »

I'm Roots!  

Posted by Benjie in ,

You know that I love books, so I couldn't resist this quiz. Change an answer here and there and I was everything from A Prayer for Owen Meany to Augustine's Confessions.




You're Roots!

by Alex Haley

While almost everyone agrees that you're brilliant, no one knows quite
how to categorize you. Some say that you're a person with an amazing family tree. Some
say that you're just a darn good storyteller. Others say that you're both and don't much
care where to draw the line. What is known is that your people have been through a great
number of trials and that you are where you are because of hard work. You have nothing to
lose but your chains.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.



[HT: Hannah]

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Journaling Chazown  

Posted by Benjie in , ,

The article below is the first of a series that I plan to double post here and at Loom & Wheel Words. Enjoy.

I just received a review copy of Craig Groeschel’s Chazown. The title is taken from the Hebrew word translated “dream, revelation, or vision.” In reading the first few pages, the author encouraged the reader to interact with the book in order to discover his own personal vision. In order to give a true reading to the book, I’m taking Groeschel’s advice and have logged on to http://www.chazown.com/ and down-loaded the accompanying journal. I’m also going to try to respond especially to the “You’re the Author” prompts as well as jot down thoughts that inspire me. Some of those thoughts will make their way here.

Groeschel introduces the idea of Chazown by indicating that the vision is one that will lead you to living your life in such a way that there is no question of God’s direction there. He uses the example of Joseph who dreams of being elevated into a place of leadership only to be thrown into a pit, into prison, and then finally to realize the dream. It occurred to me to ask the question “Are there people you know who are showing the spirit of vision spoken about in the book?” Below is one answer that struck me from recent days:

One man who is living and breathing Chazown in his life—before my eyes—is
Steve Hunt. Out of nowhere he contacts me with a glimpse of his vision:
write a story that points people to Jesus.

The journey has moved him from asking the question, “What shall I do to glorify
God?” to writing a novel that is tastefully filled with the gospel message in the hope to reach some who would never read the Bible with the message of salvation.

The writing of the book went smoothly as he wrote each evening after work. Then
with an impression from the Holy Spirit, he sent the manuscript to only one publisher for consideration. The publisher accepted his submission and now the
book is in stores with the second book in the process of editing and a third forming in his mind.

Steve’s statement to me (on more than one occasion): “I’m not looking to make any money; if one person comes to Christ by this effort, I will be happy.”

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A Mediocre-ly Good Book  

Posted by Benjie in , ,


Last week I posted a quote from this book. Now I've finished reading the book. You can read my review here or here. Mims has produced a book that has some value--mainly as companion to Rainer & Geiger's Simple Church (which was published three years after this book). In The Kingdom-Focused Church, Mims hits several good points. These points stand out amidst the repetative nature of the book. As one reviewer on Amazon.com put it the book is "Good . . . but nothing new." He even quotes from Mims in saying "It is not likely that I have said much in this book that is new to you" (p. 179).

Don't let this weakness keep you from reading the book, though--it could possibly be the reminder that you need to FOCUS.

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Here's a Quote!  

Posted by Benjie in ,


I'm reading a book on church function by Gene Mims, and he just hit me with a quote that addresses the church's fuss about worship that has been going on for some years now. People have been so caught up in what good worship is that they forget what real worship is. I've even known people who have dissolved long standing friendships over the style of worship that one or the other likes. So here's what Mims has to say in The Kingdom-Focused Church:

"Worship styles are as varied as the cultures and the people that embrace them. The fact that we worship is more important than how we do it. The form of our praise, which changes, is a distant second to the purpose, which doesn't. That purpose is encountering God in worship and being changed by His presence."

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Only One Day Left!  

Posted by Benjie in , , ,

Well, I'm back from the Rio Grande. We've been on mission trip with the church. It was a great week doing both construction (on a second story room to a small building) and VBS work at the same location. We got back tired and invigorated.

While I was gone I didn't get a chance to visit Gabbatha and vote for my favorite hair band--so they fell behind. So, today (Van Halen) you can click on over and vote (Van Halen) for the hair band from the eighties (Van Halen) that you think should be crowned (Van Halen) hair band of all time. Be sure to listen to the clips (Van Halen) and vote for the band (Van Halen) you think has the best sound (Van Halen). I would never (Van Halen) try to influence you to vote one way (Van Halen) or the other (Van Halen). I just know that since I can only vote once a day and the polls close at noon tomorrow (Van Halen), AND I didn't have access to my computers (Van Halen) which gave me two votes a day, one band (Van Halen) fell behind the other since they missed out on about 16 votes (Van Halen), that I need about 16 readers to "Jump" right on over and vote for the winning band (Van Halen). I would never try to tell you which (Van Halen) band (Van Halen) that (Van Halen) is (Van Halen).

Thanks for your support. Go here and vote now!

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Surprised by the Bridge  

Posted by Benjie in ,


Recently I finished a re-read of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I was touched, moved, and awed as usual by the great weaving of a tale of friendship, growing up, and creativity. (Read my review of the book here.) I re-read the book in anticipation of renting the new movie that has just been released on DVD.

I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about the movie. After all, the previews prepared viewers for an all-out fantasy on the lines of the recent release of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In reading the book, I was reminded that the focus of the story was on the lives of Jess and Leslie, two fifth-graders (one a shy, boy who hid his talent because of a fear of being labeled a sissy; the other the new-comer whose family has moved out of the city to get away from all the materialism there). The story introduces us to the mystical, magical land of Terabithia, but very rare are the scenes from within the land. So, one can see how previews showing only scenes from the make-believe land would cause me alarm. (Perhaps the people at Disney think that the compelling images that are actually true to the book would not create interest in this highly acclaimed story.)

What I found was that the book had been produced for the screen more than once. I arrived home with Terabithia in tow and sat down with the big bowl of popcorn and a readiness to be overwhelmed. In 1985, PBS produced a made-for-tv version that flashed onto the screen. The script was fairly true to the story with the major exception of Annette O’Toole playing a character that combined the crabby fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Myers, with the beautiful and inspiring music teacher, Miss Edmunds. I’m still unsure how the screenwriters came up with that one. The acting was so poor in this version that even though it seemed to follow the story line fairly well, I was falling asleep. Besides, I was wanting to watch the new Disney version. So . . . back to the video store for a trade.

What I then found was an engaging visual interpretation of Bridge to Terabithia. There were enough alterations that I was inclined to say that the movie was not really based on the book, but enough similarities that I felt I should let it go. The updating from the mid-70s to the early 21st century were handled well, but unnecessary in my opinion. The acting and the presentation were miles above the 1985 attempt at dramatizing the book. All in all, I found a movie that held merits on its own, let alone the connection to the Newbury Medal-winning book. At this point it is time to say, “Read the book, it’s better,” because that is what you’re always supposed to say. However, I believe that the two can co-exist happily this time. I prefer some of the nuances of the book, but was thrilled at the fantasy scenes provided by the movie (yes, the same ones that caused my initial concern about the movie). Where the book alludes to the forays into Terabithia itself, the movie takes you there. The result, you get the best of both worlds.

In today’s case, read the book or watch the movie, you’ll enjoy both. If you have time read the book and watch the movie, you won’t have to substitute either for the other.

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First Step  

Posted by Benjie in


She did it! Caty took her first steps today! And she didn't wait for a week to do it while I was on mission trip to Mexico. No she did it today, and while we were all at the house, too! And when her mother, brother, sister, and I all applauded and shouted for joy, she had to do it over and over again. She was taking steps and performing.

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Freakish Foray into the Furry Facial Fashion Fad  

Posted by Benjie in , ,


Let me start by saying I have nothing against facial hair. I have on occasion even been known to wear a mustache, and at a less cogent time or two I even tried to wear a beard (evidence in the form of pictures will not be posted here). However, I've resisted jumping on the new fad of wearing a goattee--you know that little mustache/beard thing that encircles the mouth of many men these days. That is, until now. This is the perfect beard for me since the whiskers don't come in well on my cheeks.

So, here is a photo of the culprit. What do you think? Does it look as silly here as it does on most men? Should I adopt the moniker "Colonel Sanders" or "Satan"?

What are your thoughts?

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Happy Birthday, America!  

Posted by Benjie


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48 and Counting!  

Posted by Benjie in , ,




Today is a special day. On this day in 1959, my parents—Thomas Preston Potter and Martha Jane Weaver—were united in wedlock. Highlights over the years include 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 37 years in the public school classroom, highs and lows associated with serving the local church as pastor, retirements, and I could go on. My folks have celebrated their anniversary by celebrating the birth of a grandchild, taking a cruise, and this year had a driving vacation that took them all the way to Canada and back.

If I could put into words the reasons I have to be thankful for my parents and their faithfulness to one another it would boil down to example. They have lived an example of what family is to be, what marriage ought to be, what love can be, and what faithfulness to the faith should be. Thanks Mom and Dad. Thanks for the example, thanks for the love, thanks, and thanks again.

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