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.

happY burtday mommmmiiiie!!!!

wee luv u bunches!!!

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.

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!

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.

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.

Eliana Says Thank You, Thank You...

Classic Eliana. She will keep saying "thank you" until someone says "you're welcome!" (Video courtesy of Lila.)

Coke Rewards

If you haven't been saving those "Coke Rewards" codes that come on 12 packs and bottles of Coke products, it's time to start doing so. We've been collecting these codes and turning them in for free Blockbuster rentals for quite a few months now.

There are a bunch of other "reward" options available at My Coke Rewards, but it seems to me that the free rentals give you the best value for your points.

It's pretty fun collecting the points once you get your account set up. Although I've been known to bring home empty Coke bottles I find lying around, I assure you that I haven't resorted to any dumpster diving -- at least not yet!

The Word: Above all Earthly Powers (Cont.)

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Sacramento organized by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. The conference theme was “The Word: Above all Earthly Powers.”

For those of you who weren't able to attend, as well as for my own review and retention, I've put together my own extremely abridged summary of the conference. If you attended the conference, feel free to leave a comment sharing your favorite highlights or anything I missed.

The conference organizers must have liked the Sacramento weather, because they announced they'll be back next year. More information on upcoming conferences and MP3s of prior conferences are available on the Alliance web site.

Church Growth 101

From time to time, I'm a substitute teacher at the Capitol Ministries staff Bible study at work. It's often a challenge to select a good topic for the study. But this week a certain article in the Sacramento Bee grabbed my attention by highlighting a local church that seems to know how to bring in the crowds.

There are many competing viewpoints these days on the best strategies to get folks to attend church or make professions of faith. Some tactics seem to work well from a numbers perspective and some even manage to get the secular media's attention from time to time. But we must ask, are these biblical methods that truly glorify God?

I decided to take to take a closer look at this issue by titling this week's study "Church Growth 101." In the study, I attempt to outline a biblical model for the expansion of Christ's church. I invite you to read my notes and, if you so desire, leave your feedback here.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!

Let's Party!

You're the best Daddy!!

Bring on the cake!! Baby Danny doesn't taste so good...

Happy Birthday, Daddy!! We love you!!

*Disclaimer: No children were harmed in the production of this blog post, nor was any caffeine actually consumed by a youngster.*

Fill 'er Up!!

"It'll buy you 20 gallons of gas in California," my husband says about the $60 figure we put on line 71 of our Form 1040 this year.

You, too, can boost your refund (or reduce your tax payment!) with this Credit for Federal Telephone Excise Tax Paid. Get your piece of the $10 billion IRS expects to refund in telephone excise taxes.

According to page 60 of the 20006 1040 Instruction Manual, one exemption will get you $30, 2 exemptions will get you $40, 3 exemptions provides $50, and 4 or more exemptions gets you 20 gallons of gas in California.