Friday Snippets and Soundbites

• What's your favorite book? Lord of the Rings? Gone with the Wind? Don't read much? Well, a 2008 Harris Interactive Poll regarding Americans' favorite book was recently released. And the result? Most of us (or at least the more than 2,500 people surveyed) say the Bible is our favorite book. The rest of the list is as follows: 2. Gone With the Wind; 3. Lord of the Rings (series); 4. Harry Potter (series); 5. The Stand; 6. The Da Vinci Code; 7. To Kill a Mockingbird; 8. Angels and Demons; 9. Atlas Shrugged; 10. The Catcher in the Rye.

• Jason Truby spent four years writing songs and recording with Christian band P.O.D., but has now decided to pursue his musical career on his own. He's currently based out of Little Rock, Ark., and says he had to be true to himself and his kind of music, which tends more toward classical and jazz/fusion styles. He's set to follow up his two previous solo instrumental albums with his first solo vocal project later this year.

• Jenny, the oldest gorilla in captivity, celebrated her 55th birthday this week. Although the Dallas Zoo officials don't know the exact date of her birth, they do know she was born in western Africa in 1953 and acquired by the zoo in 1957. Zoo officials say gorillas generally live to be 30-35 in the wild, but zoo health care (and protection from predators) have increased that lifespan. Jenny celebrated her big day with a frozen fruit cake. That she didn't share.

• Girls! Girls! Girls! We need your input. We're hard at work on a new girls resource at LifeWay and members of that team have asked if you'd send them some of your thoughts. Girls only, please! Send responses the the questions below to Pam Gibbs. Include your first name and age (no last names!) Thanks so much for the help. Now for the questions:
1. What do you like about the story of Esther?
2. What characteristics of Esther do you like? Why?
3. Tell about a time when you learned that pride can be dangerous.
4. Tell about a time when you stood up for something. What happened?
5. Tell about a time when you did something in a hurry and later regretted it.
6. What are some things you're grateful that God has done in your life?

• Need a good laugh on a Friday morning? Start off your day with this video we found on YouTube. "The One Semester of Spanish Spanish Love Song" makes us laugh, so watch, listen, laugh. (It supposed to be dumb!)