Logocentric (adj).Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
I have always enjoyed the longer distance running and skiing. The Marathon in Summer Olympics and the 50km Mass Start in the Winter. My wife can't understand how I can watch the same race for several hours. But they are fascinating to me. I like the Downhill Slalom, Bobsled and Luge sports. Attending a Winter Olympics remains on my bucket list.
My favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics are the Luge, Bobsled, Figure Skating and curling. Initially, I thought I would be bored with curling but I'm not. It's fascinating how they determine each glide's angle and potential score.
When my children were younger we built them a luge course, they loved it. We were lucky that winter to have lots of snow to build up the walls and with some help with pallets that we covered with snow, it kept them and the neighborhood kids busy until it warmed up and melted. I was a lot more at ease with the luge course than I was when they decided to try arial jumps off our house roof. Never a dull moment when you live in Maine.
I am reading ESV through the Bible this time. Like you, I've explored a bunch of translations. My church uses NIV but my women's Bible study group (part of the same church) varies based on what Bible study we're doing.
Hope you enjoy the Olympics! I agree that the every four year thing makes them feel more special.
I read the New American Bible, which is a Catholic Bible. (NABRE) They include Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, which generally aren't included in other versions of the Bible. I would be curious to read an orthodox bible or the Ethiopian Bible as I hear they have differences as well.
As for the Olympics, I love the Winter Olympics. I'm just crossing my fingers I have time to watch!
In terms of the original texts the NASB has the best reputation among conservative scholars. It looks at more translations, has a sensible hierarchy of text selection and the best principles for approaching the translation task. It favors original texts when possible. The ESV and NKJV are on a similar level. The Net Bible gives the best overview of the discussions in its commentary. The NIV renders the original text to make it more readable. It is a more functional text which is why many churches use it but it is also less precise. Greek or Russian orthodox are more Septuagint orientated and there is a considerable amount of ethical or emotional rendering to the text.The disadvantage of the NASB is that it loses much of the Hebrew poetical style in its effort to be precise as this does not translate into the English
I'm very fortunate to have met some practicing and humble Christians. Truly humble people seek to serve, not attain power and influence. The actions of many Christians make me run the opposite way... as fast as I can.
In his book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee states: "Nothing has done greater damage to our Christian testimony than our trying to be right and demanding right of others. We become preoccupied with what is and what is not right. We ask ourselves,' Have we been justly or unjustly treated?' and we think thus to vindicate our actions. But that is not our standard. The whole question for us is one of crossbearing".
Jeff, this is an excellent book. Perhaps one for your reading list?
I've really liked this song since it first debuted in 2012. I can't say I ever really got into The Lumineers more than this one song, but hey, I guess that's what eventually makes some artists one-hit wonders, isn't it?
Not only was this song a legitimate hit on its own (18 non-consecutive weeks as a Billboard No. 1), but it got a lot of play by being featured in other media. It was featured on an episode of Hart of Dixie prior to its release, as well as on episodes of Bones and The X-Files. Perhaps most famously, though, Lennon and Maisy Stella, who play Connie Britton's daughters on Nashville, recorded a cover of the song that became incredibly popular and hit a few country charts itself! I actually like the fact that they redefined the song as a statement shared between two sisters, especially since Wesley Schultz and Jeremy Fraites from The Lumineers have mentioned that the original was intended as a "kiss off to disinterested concert-goers." Schultz even admitted in an interview that the song "was an effort to get under people's skin."
I don't know about you, but I'll take "sweet sentiment shared between sisters" over "let's troll the millennials in Brooklyn" any day.
My favorite story about The Lumineers is that, after struggling to make it in New York, they considered relocating to a variety of different cities including London, Philadelphia, and Boston. They eventually settled on Denver of all places (something about the vibrant "open mic" scene?). Anyway, while in Denver they met up with classically trained cellist Neyla Pekarek, who was just out of college and planning on becoming a music teacher until she saw Schultz and Fraites' posting on Craigslist looking for a cellist. Things apparently worked out well for them, because they've been a trio ever since.
Overall, I'm not sure The Lumineers are going to make it onto my "greatest bands of all time" list anytime soon. That said, "Ho Hey" (and its various covers) have prominently featured in my various playlists since it came out more than half a decade ago, so they clearly did something right with this song at least!
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