Saturday, April 28, 2007

How much radon is in your home?


According to the US EPA:

Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family's health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims more than 20,000 lives annually.


Based on this EPA map, it looks like Sacramento has relatively low radon levels, but since the EPA recommends that we all test our home's radon levels, I ordered this test for us and for our family members in Colorado and Minnesota too, since the average radon levels appear to be pretty high in those states.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

happY burtday mommmmiiiie!!!!





wee luv u bunches!!!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Finding a Good Church

Let's face it. Some churches are better than others. And like it or not, our spiritual growth suffers when we're not adequately nourished. Hence, it's important to find a good church. But how do we measure what makes a church "good?" Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?

During my college years, I moved quite a bit -- from Minnesota to southern California for college, to DC for several internships, to England for study abroad, back to Minnesota a few times, and finally to Sacramento for full-time employment. Each time I moved, it was a challenge to find a good church. And I'm not even sure I knew what I was looking for.

By the time I landed in Sacramento, I decided that someone really ought to start a web directory of "good churches," so that folks like me wouldn't have to flip through the phone book trying to guess whether or not a church was okay.

Not that I had anything to do with it, but someone has finally tackled the daunting task of attempting to identify "good" churches. 9Marks Ministries, founded by Mark Dever, has created a church search tool enabling you to find churches near your zip characterized by the following "nine marks:"

  1. Expositional Preaching

  2. Biblical Theology

  3. Biblical Understanding of the Good News

  4. Biblical Understanding of Conversion

  5. Biblical Understanding of Evangelism

  6. Biblical Understanding of Membership

  7. Biblical Church Discipline

  8. Promotion of Christian Discipleship and Growth

  9. Biblical Understanding of Leadership.

Now don't panic if your church doesn't show up in the results -- at least not yet. If your church is characterized by the nine marks, you can request to have it added to the search. If your church isn't characterized by the nine marks, perhaps it's time to prayerfully consider finding one that is.

I'm thrilled that this church locator now exists so I can recommend it to others who may find themselves bouncing around the globe like I did during college. May God use the 9Marks ministry to help college students and others find good churches that provide Christ-exalting spiritual nourishment.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Capitol Walk 2007: Fiesta for Life


On Saturday, May 5 we will be participating in the Capitol Walk 2007 to benefit the Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center (APRC) of Sacramento. This year's walk is titled "Fiesta for Life."

As you may be aware, Christina has been serving as a volunteer counselor at APRC for nearly four years. APRC is "an outreach ministry committed to presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ through both word and action to women with unplanned pregnancies." It is a not-for-profit organization offering compassionate assistance to women, men, and teens. All services are free and confidential; these services include pregnancy testing, adoption advocacy, fetal development information, community referrals, practical support of clothing and formula, post abortion support, and abstinence education.

Would you be willing to sponsor us? Any pledge you are able to make, whether it be $5, $25, $50, or $100 will help APRC as it continues to provide assistance to those in need. (The Center does request that all pledges be at least $5.) APRC staff will collect your tax-deductible donation by mail, so there's no need to send any money now. But please use this nifty form to let us know how much you are willing to pledge.

Thanks for your support!

Friday, April 6, 2007

Good Friday Meditation


Today is a day we set aside to reflect on Christ's suffering and death. Our thinking typically goes something like this: "I'm glad He suffered so I don't have to." We then do our best to make sure our lives are as comfortable as possible. Sure, we're willing to suffer for Christ, but we hope we never actually have to do so.

In his classic work Desiring God, John Piper includes a provocative chapter on suffering. I found an abridged version of the chapter online, and I commend it to you as you reflect on Christ's sufferings, death, and resurrection.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Encouragement...

I read a sweetly provoking blog post today that I'd like to point all of you to. So, for all of you who are parents, desire to be parents, have ever been around a child, or were ever a child yourself, feel free to check it out.