hot topics
2005 in review
2006 predictions
Book of Daniel
Chronicles of Narnia
Prayer of Jabez unanswered
Writers on Writing
contents
adultsite4adults [rated pg-13]
articles
- blog archives
books
- book reviews
comedy/drama
email
- forums
- polls
encouraging quotations
heavy topics
- humor
newspaper column
original music in .mp3 [new]
press room
- reprints
speaking schedule
spiritual resources
top ten lists
writing resources
XarisCom
search site
about moi
|
All that's really important to know is that I love God, my family, writing, speaking, and Chinese food—in that order.
If you want to know more—or have a really bad case of insomnia—click here.
Jim
|
|
daily favorites
Christianity Today
CyberCast News [balanced]
Dilbert
Drudge Report [leans right]
Frank and Ernest
Google News
GospelCom.net
Robin Lee Hatcher
Huffington Post [leans left]
Mallard Fillmore
ThinkChristian.net
weekly favorites
Chuck Colson
David Drury
Keith Drury
Dawn Eden
First Things
Barbara Nicolosi
Ken Schenk
Lawrence W Wilson
|
|
|
|
|
Saturday (01.14)
I'm a Brennan rather than Peyton Manning fan
In case you don't live in Indiana, there's a big football game Sunday. But to be honest,
I'd rather read a Brennan Manning
book than watch a Peyton Manning game. I think it may stem from (a) being picked last for
teams in junior high phys. ed., (b) hating any event with "spectator" in the title, (c) mourning
with my "cheesehead" wife that the Packers aren't playing Sunday . . .
- More [new]
|
Friday (01.13)
'loving' someone not 'liking' them more
This week, I'm editing a book by David Holdren. He makes a great point:
|
"Liking" is not simply a lesser degree of "loving." It’s not a matter of degree but direction!
Liking is all about my reaction to external stimuli. Loving has little to do with what comes
at us—it is all about what goes out from us to others!
|
|
I'll let you think about that for a minute. Meanwhile . . .
- Falling in love—and getting back up
- Looking for love in all the right places
- Perfect Love for imperfect people (co-authored by David Holdren in 1987)
Thursday (01.12)
twenty-five years of writing
I just realized this week that I began work editing a teen
magazine at my denomination's youth department in January 1981. Yikes, that's a quarter of a century of writing full-time for
various publishing houses and organizations (I think I need to go
lie down.) If you're interested in writing, here are some resources:
- How to break into a publisher's office—and more
- My four-credit online Freelance Writing class through Taylor University:
click for sylabus;
enrollment info
- Writers on Writing: Top Christian Authors Share Their Secrets . . .
Tuesday (01.10)
'tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions'
I think G. K. Chesterton was "absolutely" right about "tolerance."
- Some thoughts on absolutes
- Some thoughts on tolerance
Monday (01.09)
top ten movie clichés
1. Creepy sounds coming from the attic (accompanied by even creepier music) must always be investigated
by an unarmed woman in her most revealing underwear.
- More [new]
Howard Stern now offending ET?
Now that the "shock jock" is on pay satellite radio, earthly airwaves are free from his
(bleep) (bleep) (bleeping) (bleep). Of course, if there is life on other planets, this could
create real problems with extraterrestrials' perception of humanoids.
- Some down-to-earth thoughts on "dirty words"
|
|
Sunday (01.08)
reviewing Book of Daniel
Friday night NBC broadcast “The Book of Daniel” about an Episcopal priest and his dysfunctional family.
And, of course, Jesus himself appeared to offer advice for Father Dan’s Vicodin addiction, alcoholic wife Judith,
gay son Peter, hyper-heterosexual son Adam, and drug-dealing daughter Grace. So, what did you think?
1) Was Jesus portrayed accurately? Did His advice square with His gospels?
|
2) Was Father Dan an accurate portrayal of your average minister or priest?
3) Would NBC dare broadcast a show called, “The Book of Ibrahim,” about a Muslim cleric and his
dysfunctional family? And, of course, Allah himself appears to offer advice for Mullah Ibraim’s Vicodin
addiction, alcoholic wife Jabeen, gay son Parvez, fornicating son Ahmed, and drug-dealing daughter Ghada.
4) Were groups like the American Family Association over-reacting in their preemptive condemnation of the show?
5) Will the show have any effect on the cause of Christ?
- Here's what I think . . . [new]
- What do you think? [new]
- Genuine Jesus or counterfeit Christ?
Prayer of Jabez unanswered
I've never been a fan of Bruce Wilkinson's Prayer of Jabez.
In my review I called it the
"Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae' in the smorgasbord of spirituality.
It's all dessert without the meat and potatoes of discipleship or the fruits and vegetables of testing with
times of unanswered prayer. Both Wilkinson and his readers received a reality check when the former "Walk Through
the Bible" founder
left Africa with his dream of rescuing one million AIDS orphans unfulfilled.
To make matters worse,the Wall Street Journal ran a critical article on December 19 claiming he
"resigned in a huff from the African charity he founded."
- More including an exclusive
response from Wilkinson's spokesperson [new]
- Why? Answering life's tough questions
- The rest of the Bible story: a reality check
Last week (01.01-)
totally subjective, slightly biased year in review
Here are the topics I tackled in 2005, including Brad and Jen's split,
Michael Jackson's trial, the Terri Schiavo controversy, the final 'Star Wars,' prophecies of
New Orleans' destruction, Narnia mania and much, much more.
- Click here [new]
Last month
top ten sites for December
- 1 Home page
- 2 Is it a life or a choice?
- 3 "Jim Shorts" on holidays
- 4 "Jim Shorts" on sex
- 5 "Adult site" for adults
- 6 The Twelve Sites of Christmas
- 7 "Jim Shorts" on health issues
- 8 Short "Jim Shorts"
- 9 Out of My Mind (.mp3 music) [new]
- 10 "Jim Shorts" on spirituality
But wait, there's more . . .
enjoy 300 articles, book excerpts, humor . . .
Read a book excerpt, then go to amazon.com and buy them for yourself, family, friends,
co-workers, next door neighbor, paperboy, dentist, pastor, . . .
and now a word from our sponsor . . .
Thanks for stopping by! Hi, I'm Jim Watkins.
Each week I try to bring my guests "heavy topics with a light touch" in articles and editorials on a variety of subjects—everything from sex to sects.
Email me at jim@jameswatkins.com
and let me know how I can better serve you.
And, if you enjoyed your visit, please save it as a bookmark or favorites and come back for new material each week. Link it from your site. Then tell all your family, friends, and email pals about it! Thanks!
Okay, I admit that RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is not simple enough for me to undestand, so
presenting Ridiculously Stupid Syndication. Simply email me at
jim@jameswatkins.com
with "RSS" in the subject line and I'll sign you up for my weekly SPAM-O-GRAM email newsletter which will include
my latest rants, raves and reactions to current events. Now that's "really simple."
Finally (this is the last commercial, I promise), you can be a Pal and help Pay expenses
for this site by contributing securely using any major credit card with PayPal:
"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well" (3 John 2).
fine print
© James Watkins. All text and graphics on my sites, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted © in my name, James N. Watkins,
and are protected by United States copyright law and international copyright law under the Berne Convention. Please visit the press room for information on reprinting any text or graphics. Thanks!
WARNING: Reader assumes full responsibility for the proper and prescribed use of this site. For external use only. Discontinue if rash, redness, irritation, or swelling develops. If swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Side-effects may include drowsiness or mild to severe agitation. Do not read while operating heavy machinery. Keep away from open flame. Do not store above 475 degrees. Do not use near or place in water. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of XarisCom.com, GospelCom.net, any other person using the name James Watkins, or any other person real or fictitious, living or dead. Void where prohibited.
This site is brought to you by XarisCom.com and hosted by . . .
We support . . .
|
|
|
