Friday Snippets and Soundbites

It's the last Friday of July! Where has the summer gone?

But we have plans to help you end the month (and the week) well. Check out this week's stories of the weird that we've culled from actual news stories. You won't be sorry! (And if today's "Snippets and Soundbites" isn't enough randomness for you, check out page 38 in this month's—and every month's—issue of ec.)

Pardon me (or him)

We read today that New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is considering pardoning outlaw Billy the Kid, some 130 years after he was shot down by frontier lawman Pat Garrett. When Garrett's descendants heard about Richardson possibly granting Billy the Kid a posthumous pardon for his crimes, they sent a letter this week that asked him not to pardon the outlaw, saying such an act would represent an "inexcusable defamation" of Garret and that it was wrong to pardon such an outlaw. The governor plans to meet with the family next week to discuss the issue and is reportedly still in the process of making his decision. Other descendants of people important to the Billy the Kid saga, namely the family of John Henry Tunstall, a rancher who Billy the Kid worked as a ranch hand for, are also against the pardon. There are lots of stories and legends about Billy the Kid—ranging from him killing 21 people, one for each year of his life to a belief by some that Garrett didn't kill him in that shoot-out on July 14, 1881. Some insist Garrett didn't kill the real Kid and that Billy went on to live in Texas where he called himself "Brushy Bill" Roberts and died of a heart attack at age 90 in 1950. To learn more, go here.

Hidden treasure
Rick Norsigian bought a box at a garage sale 10 years ago and announced this week that it contained glass negatives that have reportedly been authenticated as negatives of pictures taken by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams. Norsigian and his lawyer say that a team of experts studied the negatives over the last six months and believe them to be authentic. They believe the negatives are from the early years of Adams' career and were previously thought to have been destroyed in a fire at his Yosemite National Park studio in 1937. The problem? Adams' representatives aren't buying it, going as far as to call Norsigian's negatives an "unfortunate fraud." To learn more about this story, go here. To learn more about Ansel Adams and his work, go here.

Say what?
A South Carolina woman was in for a surprise when she took her car to a mechanic last week. Apparently, the car would just stop running. When the mechanic began investigating, he found a cheeseburger and a pickle inside the car's gas tank. The woman has no idea how it got there and made a complaint to the police regarding the vandalism. To learn more, go here.

We need your input!

Like most magazines, we spend a lot of time trying to think ahead. You'll be getting the August issue of ec soon, but we finished editing that one about a month-and-a-half ago.

Right now, we're hard at work on the October issue. With that in mind, we'd love if you could give us some feedback, thoughts, and—wait for it—quotes for an article we're planning about Halloween.
Our question(s) for you is simple: What are your thoughts on Christians taking part in Halloween. Is it a do or a don't? If you do choose to take part, how can you do so in a way that shines a light on Christ?

Sound off in the comments or tell us on Facebook. We'd love to include your quote alongside the article in the October 2010 issue of ec.

But you better act fast!

Exit Strategies: Conversations you need to have before you leave home

Maybe you just graduated from high school and know you only have a few months left at home before you’re on your own. Maybe you’re going to college, basic training, or entering the work force. Whatever you’re going to do when you enter the “real world,” make the most of the time you have right now by investing in your loved one’s lives. Here are some key people to have conversations with before you take off. They will provide you with invaluable support and advice.

Parents  
Your move out of the house is not going to hit anyone harder than your dad and mom. This is an intensely bittersweet time for them. Cherish the simple moments and make time to have fun together! Sample questions to ask:
• What was the best and worst thing for you about leaving home for the first time?
• What do you think was the best ­decision you ever made?
• How can we pray for each other while I am away?

Younger siblings  
If you have little brothers or sisters and will be going far away when you leave, you will unfortunately miss some big moments in their lives. Try to plan your trips home around important events like games, ­performances, and graduations. Don’t take your annoying siblings for granted, though, because, believe it or not, in the end you are really going to miss them. Sample questions to ask:
• Is there anything you are excited about in this upcoming school year?
• How do you think the house will be different without me being here all the time?
• Will you call me if you miss me or something big happens in your life?

Older siblings
Your older brother or sister knows what it feels like to move on after high school. He or she has key insights into the experience you are about to have, including the family dynamic. If you and your older sibling are going to the same college, he or she will be able to provide even more beneficial information. Sample questions to ask:
• How are Dad and Mom going to handle me going to college?
• Do you have any regrets from your first year?
• What is the best way to deal with roommates?

A mentor you admire
Hopefully, you have a person in your life whom you look up to and consider a spiritual adviser. That relationship does not have to end just because you are beginning a new phase of life. Your mentor will almost certainly be honored to continue that role in your life. Sample questions to ask him or her:
• How did you meet most of your college friends?
• Do you have any recommendations about dating while in school?
• Can I call you to talk if I need ­accountability or support?

A professional in your future field of employment
If you already have your major or job decided, then you’re already way ahead of the game. Set yourself up for success by following in the footsteps of someone who has done it right. Find a (contactable) person after whom you could model your career. Hopefully, he or she will meet with you in person or talk to you on the phone, but if that person is busy, you’ll have to settle for e-mail. A professional will be able to give you insight into the industry, possible internships, and optimally become a contact and resource for you. Sample questions to ask:
• What advice do you have to offer about college?
• Once I graduate, what will future employers be looking for in candidates?
• What is the secret to your success?

A current student or recent alum of your school
If you’re college-bound, know this: most of the things you figure out about your particular college you’ll find out like everyone—the hard way. But someone who goes/went there is able to give you information you won’t find in an admissions brochure or on the website. Sample questions to ask:
• Can you give me some insider tips about the school?
• Are there any particular professors or classes I should avoid or pursue?
• What are some things to bring that I would not know I needed?

Your best friends from high school
If you are headed to a different college than your closest friends, it will be a difficult social adjustment. Fortunately, this is one of the greatest opportunities you will ever have to start fresh, meet new people, and make all kinds of friends. But you will always treasure your BFFs from high school because they know you inside and out and understand where you came from. Sample questions to ask:
• What are some of your favorite memories about us?
• How are we going to keep in touch?
• When are you planning trips to our hometown? (Hopefully you can plan them at the same time.) 

Other stuff to do before you leave home
• Look through photo albums together with your family members and friends.
• Learn to make your favorite meal and your mom’s special recipe.
• Go over routine automobile maintenance with your dad or some mechanically minded person.
• Eat at the best local restaurants.
• Leave your family and friends secret notes to discover after you have left.
• Have a game night with your family.
• Thank members of your church staff or youth group leaders for the time they have invested in you.
• Give your pet(s) a big hug and take a picture with it (them).
• Take a little alone time in your favorite spot and reflect on your past journey and future dreams.
• Fully appreciate sleeping in your own bed at night.

Article by Julie Partin. "Exit Strategy: Conversations to have before you leave home,"ec magazine, July 2010 (Nashville: LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention), p. 56-57.

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Good morning, ec fans! We hope you've had a wonderful week and are surviving the summer! (It's been HOT in Nashville. Hope you're staying cool wherever you are!)

Let's get this weekend started off right, with this week's edition of "Snippets and Soundbites." If this post doesn't provide enough news of the weird for you, check out page 38 in this month's (and every month's) issue of ec.

Now, let's see what strange things cropped up in the news this week!

What's that smell?
Jessica Zabala and Jonathan Smith are getting married tomorrow at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. That wouldn't be big news to anyone but their closest friends and family except that the rare "corpse flower" at the museum could be in full bloom during the couple's ceremony. The "corpse flower's” scientific name Amorphophallus titanum. It's a rare plant which has only ever bloomed 29 times in the United States and when it does so, the bloom's fragrance has been compared to the stench of dead bodies. Officials say the smell will dissipate about 12 hours after the bloom fully opens, but it was only 2/3 of the way open yesterday. Jessica and Jonathan are getting married in the next room and preparing for what could be a stinky wedding. Learn more here.

Luke. . . Give me all your money!

Maybe that's what a bank robber should have said when he donned a Darth Vader mask, marched into a NY bank and demanded money. The man entered a Chase bank branch on Long Island yesterday wearing the mask, a blue cape and camouflage pants. He displayed a gun and demanded money from the bank employees, escaping with an undetermined amount of cash. Apparently, it's been the month for strange bank robberies in NY. Police say Edward Pemberton used a bouquet of flowers to conceal a note demanding cash during a $440 bank heist July 15. They say he used a potted plant as a similar prop in a holdup at another bank earlier this month. Learn more here.

Where's my computer?
Sandra Bechthold liked her laptop. The 2-year-old Dell Inspiron met her needs and helped her do her work. Bechtold, the manager of an Idaho thrift store, brought the laptop to work with her earlier this moth, but had to work offsite that day. She left the store in the hands of volunteers and a staffer and left her laptop and case behind. Somehow, though, the laptop found its way into the store's donation room and was sold while Bechtold was offsite. For $5. Yep, $5, a price a volunteer decided upon because she'd once seen a laptop with no software sold for a similar price. When Bechtold returned to find her computer missing, she was shocked. She has placed a classified ad offering to buy the computer back. The moral of this story: take your laptop with you!

Endurance

I have to admit it: I am not enjoying this summer very much.

Back in January, we asked you to try something new (see page 6 of the January issue). It may sound funny to you, but the staff of ec often go along and do the very things we’re telling you to do in your lives.

My “new thing” in January was signing myself up for ballet class. I’ve been going once a week since the end of January, and I love it. I’ve learned so much, and I don’t feel so clumsy. It’s hard work, but I don’t mind working hard (and neither should you).

So in the middle of my long, hot, dreadful summer (which could be a lot worse), I also hit the wall last night in my ballet class.

You know what hitting the wall is, right? When you’re running and you can’t breathe and your legs muscles seize up and won’t work anymore? In the Tour de France, the month-long, 2,000+ mile bicycle race, they say a rider has “cracked” when he just can’t do any more. Sometimes hitting the wall is physical, and sometimes—like last night was for me—it’s mental.

When you “crack” physically, it’s pretty easy to know what you need. Rest, sleep, a break from whatever activities caused you to hit the wall in the first place. But what about when you crack mentally?

Last night near the end of class, my teacher was giving us instructions about what to do next, and I simply got overwhelmed. I was on the wrong leg, I was trying not to fall over, I didn’t feel good physically...and my brain joined the fun by saying all kinds of junk to me. I know I’m going to be the worst one in the class at this, I thought as I tried to listen. A few minutes later, I don’t feel good. I really should go sit down and wait this out. My mind was suddenly my enemy, resistant to the training I was getting and in full-out rebellion.

This obviously isn’t the first time my mind has tried to get me to give up. And if it hasn’t already happened to you, your brain will someday play this trick on you.

Because the real question is not, can you—it’s will you. And, it’s a question that will be asked in one way or another of you your whole life. Will you work hard to make good grades? Will you be a faithful friend? Will you do what you say you’ll do? And of course, will you get this ballet combination or not?

You see, you can find a lot of instances in Scripture where Christians are told to apply their will in a situation. You could sum it up like this: “work hard and apply yourself, but leave the results to God.” Right? Paul said it: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). Paul had to decide to plant, and Apollos had to decide to water.

Leaving the results to God is often very difficult, but it can be just as hard to apply our own will to getting something done. Have you hit the wall? Do you need a mental break from all you’re doing, even though it’s summertime? Is the idea of a new school year making you feel stressed out already? Are you really, truly struggling?

Sometimes we Christians get so caught up in the idea of struggling against something that we forget that struggling is really trying to hold on to the very thing we aren’t supposed to be doing. If you’re struggling to do something that is a question of your will—don’t. Just make a decision and get it done. If you’re struggling not to do something that is a question of your will, just stop. Just quit it. Don’t entertain the thought of a struggle. Commit yourself to your course of action, and follow through. At first it will be difficult—but it will get easier.

Mental endurance is made up of tiny little decisions of your will. Pick what you are going to do, and stick to it. Let all your little decisions contribute to your success.

Try this: Look at your situation as objectively as possible, and just do the next thing. You probably can’t see your way through to the end of most situations, but you probably can see what your next step should be. Try focusing on just that. For me, in my class last night, I gave myself an internal shake and said to myself, You’re not giving up. Do this and be the worst if you have to, but you are going to do it. And then I did. And it wasn’t that hard, I wasn’t the worst, I didn’t die, and I didn’t embarrass myself.

My “next thing” was to push back against my own fears and apply my will to overcome my feelings. To do what I’d decided to do. It’s hard to do that, of course. But you can do it. The question really is, will you?

A small guide for making BIG decisions

Fly by the seat of your pants.
Let your conscience be your guide.
Take the road less traveled.
Surely you’ve heard one of these pearls of worldly wisdom when it came time to make a big decision.


Life is full of decisions. Navigating your way through life without having a trustworthy guide is just about as silly as making all your decisions using the playground game of “Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Moe.”
How do you make wise decisions?

They can be the big ones such as choosing a career, deciding where to go to college, or finding “the One.” Even the so-called smaller decisions can be life-changing: what group of friends to hang out with, where to go for spring break, whether to go to that party.

Here are some practical suggestions and steps to follow:

1. Are you a Christian?
 This entire process depends on your answer.
If you are, there is a wealth of solid guidance available to you. It’s like having 24/7 tech support at your fingertips. If you aren’t a Christian, the following suggestions probably won’t mean much to you, in which case you could find yourself depending on ­advice and clichés while you float your way down the creek of life without a paddle.

2. Whom are you trying to please? 
Admit it: sometimes you’ve already made up your mind, but are just looking for someone to agree with you. That can be a good or bad thing, ­depending on your priorities. We can be good at fooling ourselves during this process. Some people can even find “support” in the Bible for their wrong choices. Test yourself to see if you would be open to ­following other ­suggestions, especially if it came from God’s Word or a trusted wise person. If you can answer yes, then you might be on the right track.

3. What does God say about it? 
Go to church long enough, and you’ll ­probably hear something about “seeking God’s will.” You were probably just as confused as I was. One definition of will is a “wish or desire.”1 What do you think God wishes for you? Read His Word. It is the primary way God speaks to us and should be an important part of your decision-making process. Seek God’s wisdom and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand as you read Scripture. Your specific situation may not be outlined in the Bible, but there are biblical principles to guide you. Seek God, read His Word, and obey it.

4. God gave you a brain, so use it. 
Is your situation something God has already clearly answered in His Word? (Hint: you’ll have to do some research to find out.) Have your parents forbidden you to do something, and you are wondering if you should follow their rules or not? Are you operating purely on feelings? Is it against the law? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then your search is over. Follow what God’s Word, your parents, or the law says. Sometimes, it’s more about being obedient than
being confused.

5. Pray. 
Need help making an important decision? There’s an app for that! One of our most important tools for making decisions is prayer. No, it doesn’t always make sense. No, you don’t always get the answer you want (or as quickly as you want it!). It’s not on a 3G network. James 1:5-6 instructs us to ask God for wisdom without doubting Him. Jesus tells us to ask and seek, comparing Himself to a loving father who wants to give his children what they need. (See Matthew 7:7-11.) Did you get that? God actually cares about what you need.

6. Seek guidance. 
Ask for advice from someone you know who lives out his or her Christian faith. Talk out the pros and cons. Sometimes the process of arriving at a decision is as important as the end result. Furthermore, as a Christian, you have the ultimate adviser in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us when we don’t even know what to pray for, searches our hearts for us, and even steps in for us to ask for what we need in a way that matches God’s will. (See Rom. 8:26-27.)

7. Be ready to obey. 
The tricky part now is acting on what you have decided to do through prayer, God’s Word, and counsel from others. Ever heard the saying,“The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will”?

This is not always true, nor is it biblical. Think about Jesus’ disciples in the boat during a storm, Daniel waiting for the lions to eat him, and Jesus praying His heart out the night before He was crucified. Following what God wants you to do will not always be safe (at least in the worldly definition). But trust that God always has a perfect plan.

Think about it in terms of the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. At one point in the book, the children in Narnia are learning about Aslan (the talking lion character who represents God), and they are told, “’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”2

The point is this: sometimes, what God wants you to do won’t always be the thing that looks the safest or most secure, at least from our point of view. But God has our best interests and His glory in mind—and He knows what He’s doing even when we don’t.

If nothing else makes sense, take this truth with you: God cares about every decision you make and wants to walk through it all with you. Remember, it may be a wild ride, but you won’t be on it alone. 

Sources
1. “Will,” Dictionary.com, cited 1 April 2010. Available from the Internet: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/will.
2. C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1950), 146.


For more on this topic, see this article and more in the July 2010 issue of ec. See page 46-48.
Article by Brandi Lunsford, "Flip a coin: a small guide for making big decisions," ec magazine (Nashville: LifeWay Christian Resources, 2010), 46-48).

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Welcome to Friday, ec fans!

Let's get your day (and your weekend) started right with some crazy news stories we've come across this week. You know you want to. . .

(And if today's installment just isn't enough randomness for you, check out page 38 in this month's—and every month's—issue of the magazine!)

Ready for some fun? Let's go!

I'm a cop. Yeah, that's it. 

At least that's what a New Hampshire woman tried to say when a couple caught her in their kitchen. The homeowners walked into their kitchen on Wednesday to find a woman they didn't know standing there. When they asked her who she was and what she was doing, the woman said she was a police officer, then added that she had been chasing a burglar from their home. The couple asked for identification and the woman claimed the burglar had run of with it. (What?) She then pretended to call her sargeant, told the homeowners she had to go back to the station to type up her report, and left. The couple still wasn't convinced and wrote down the woman's license plate number and called the police. The woman was later arrested after a car accident. She is charged with burglary, impersonating a police officer, driving under the influence and simple assault. To learn more, go here.

Whistle while you walk. Except don't. 

Charleston, S.C., is a fun city, right? There's all the historic stuff, plus it's just a great city with a lot to do. But in one of its suburbs one thing you probably WON'T be doing if you visit is walking down the street singing or whistling a tune. Why? The town council of Sullivan's Island has given initial approval to an amendment to its noise ordinance. It would make it unlawful "for any person to yell, shout, hoot, whistle or sing on the public streets." The restrictions will be most heavily enforced during the hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., but the amendment also says they can be enforced at any other time when noise is annoying or disturbing the quiet for the townspeople. Sullivan's Island isn't alone in their decision to ban singing and whistling on the city streets. The municipal codes of Richton Park, Ill., Florence, Ky., and La Mirada, Calif., are among those that ban whistling and singing. For more on this story, go here. Want to read about other strange laws? Go here.

What? He paid the bill.

While we're on the topic of laws and law breakers, we might as well tell you the story of a New Jersey man who counterfeit money to pay his bail. Yes, you read that correctly. He use FAKE money to pay his bail. Apparently the man had been arrested on July 7 and was accused of shoplifting at a Cinnaminson, N.J., supermarket and clothing store. Police realized he had two outstanding warrants and put the man in jail. The man quickly paid his bail with $400 in cash—that the police later discovered wasn't even real bills. But then the story gets stranger. . . before the police could go in search of the man to arrest him on the counterfeiting charge, he showed back up at the police station arguing that his bail should have only been $200 and asking for a refund. He was promptly arrested and charged with counterfeiting. He has a $5,000 bail—which he has yet to pay. To learn more, check out the story here.

A day in the life

Just a little snapshot of what's happening in our world today.

Summer intern Adam shows us how to use the ec team's Ripstik. Sort of.

Director's cut: Conflict in movies

If you've seen the July print edition of ec, you know that our cover story deals with conflict and conflict resolution. With that in mind, we thought it would be a fun idea to take a look at conflict in the movies. So that's exactly what ec writer Justin McCord did in his article on page 30 of the issue—and now you can read it here!

“Life imitates art far more than art imitates life,” wrote Oscar Wilde, the famed Irish poet and writer.
Does life imitate art? Do our lives regurgitate the contents of the movies, TV, books, and culture that we consume? Or does art imitate life? Are the movies that we watch simply reflections of the world around us? (Deep, huh?) 

Have you ever thought about how movies handle life issues? Yes, most movies are fiction, but characters still deal with the same conflicts that we do in everyday life. In fact, movies can give us examples of how we should (and shouldn’t) handle conflict.

Napoleon Dynamite
(Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004)
Lovable, yes, but let’s be honest—Napoleon is ­different. He deals with a lot of the same pressures we all do in high school, and he’s kind of an outcast. He has a different look than the other kids, and he spends his downtime ­doodling mythical creatures like the Liger.
Among Napoleon’s many conflicts is the pressure to fit in. Napoleon isn’t an athlete. The cheerleaders don’t pay attention to him. Napoleon could have easily conformed to the world around him. Napoleon could have chosen to dress and talk like everyone else around him. He could’ve chosen to blend into the crowd. But he didn’t.

Napoleon chose to be himself even if he was different. By choosing to be himself, Napoleon found friends who liked him for who he was rather than who they wanted him to be.
First John 2:15-17 tells us to avoid the cravings of sinful man. Certainly, the desire to be well liked and popular is something we all face. Instead of conforming, look at the example of Napoleon Dynamite, who chose to always be true to himself. Even if that meant wearing moon boots.

Twilight
(Summit Entertainment, 2008)
Bella and Edward. (Sigh.) Like Romeo and Juliet, these two star-crossed lovers find themselves bound together but torn apart. Their conflict rests in that they shouldn’t be together. He’s a vampire. She’s a human. Bella and Edward have to put barriers between them to make sure he doesn’t break out in an ice-cold vampire sweat, thirsty for Bella’s blood.

Temptations take on many forms in relationships. We know that we, even as ­believers in Christ, are going to be tempted.

In fact, Jesus Himself was tempted. In Matthew 4, Jesus goes into the desert to be tempted. Remember, Jesus was flesh and bone like we are. He faced the same temptations that you and I face.

You’re going to face temptations, but know that Jesus did, too. Instead of giving into temptation, choose to glorify God through your life choices.

The Breakfast Club
(A&M Films, 1985)
This movie chronicles a group of students from different social circles stuck in detention together on a Saturday. There’s the jock. The nerd. The criminal. The princess. The outcast.

The five spend their eight hours and 40 minutes gradually opening up to each other, discovering that they have more in common than they realized. They all have strained relationships with their parents and don’t want to make the same mistakes they’ve seen the adults around them make. The group comes together and realizes they are individuals, no longer confined to the stereotypes or cliques in which they’ve been living.

Have you ever considered the lives of Jesus’ disciples? They were fishermen and tax collectors (See Luke 5). It would have been easy to pass judgment on these men based on the labels we give them. Jesus saw them for something more. He saw their potential for changing the world, which is what they did in the Book of Acts. (See Acts 1–2.)

You might think you’re just a label: Jock. Princess. Criminal. You’re not. Like the disciples, Jesus has a bigger plan for your life.

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Hey, ec readers! We hope you had a wonderful July 4 holiday and a beautiful week so far. We'd like to welcome you to the second weekend in July. . . and get it started right with some "Snippets and Soundbites." Ready for a few of the stranger stories we found when we scoured the news this week?

Let's go!

This is no laughing matter.
The Dublin Zoo (that's the Dublin in Ireland) was overjoyed yesterday when Kelli the penguin returned home to the zoo and her penguin partner, Mick. Kelli was abducted from the zoo around 8 a.m. on Tuesday and found wandering around on a sidewalk some hours later. A taxi driver reported that three men who had a bag with a live animal in it did hail his cab on Tuesday morning, but when he asked, they told him the animal was only a rabbit. Apparently, the zoo used a microchip implanted in Kelli, a 10-year-old Humboldt penguin, to locate her after the abduction, which they believe to have been an attempt at a prank. The problem? The zoo officials aren't laughing, since this prank put on of their animals in a dangerous situation in which she could have been hurt or killed. Kelli was returned to the zoo in an agitated state after her ordeal and being checked out by a vet. She calmed down when returned to her partner, Mick, and appears to be doing fine. The Dublin Zoo is used to pranks; in 2008, its switchboard was overwhelmed by callers asking to speak to Rory Lyon, G. Raffe and Ana Conda. To learn more about this story, go here.

Back in the old days.
Antisa Khvichava has lived a long life. So long, in fact, that the officials of the country of Georgia (where she lives; it's a former Soviet republic) claimed she is the oldest person on Earth this week. Yesterday was her birthday, and officials claimed she was born in 1880, making her 130. She lives with her 40-year-old grandson in the mountains in the western part of Georgia and spoke to reporters through an interpreter, mostly because she never learned Georgian and only speaks a local language. Records to show that she retired from her job as a tea and corn picker in 1965, when she was 85. Her birth certificate has been lost, though, one of many documents misplaced or destroyed in the years following the collapse of the Russian Empire and various revolutions. The Gerontology Research Group currently recognizes 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard of Saint Barthelemy, France, as the world's oldest person. They haven't actually examined Khvichava's claim yet. To read more, go here.

Um, what?
In Egypt, a farmer is celebrating the birth of a two-headed calf on his farm as a miracle. Yes, you read that correctly. A two-headed calf. The calf was delivered on Saturday, and the farmer said it took tow hours and a lot of pulling to do so. A veterinarian has examined the calf and expects it to survive. The calf still can't stand up because of its heavy heads and weak legs, and is being fed her mother's milk with a baby bottle. To see a picture and learn more, go here.

(If you need more news of the weird, check out page 38 in this month—and every month's—issue of ec.)

Music Minute: The Golden Age of Contemporary Christian Music

Ok, let's face it: Christian music is hard to define. The book of Psalms, hymnal songs with the notes stacked up like plastic cups, the worship band at your church with two drum sets, three electric guitars and that guy who thinks he's Eric Clapton singing, Keith Green's 70s-style pop-gospel, and Hawk Nelson don't seem like they have a lot in common, but they are all examples of Christian music. Christian music might be defined as "music about Jesus," except that sometimes it isn't. Sometimes Jesus isn't even mentioned. Johnny Cash released songs that could properly be called Christian, but they weren't on a Christian record label—do they count? Worship music differs a lot from most contemporary Christian music.

Christian music is usually a personal expression of Christian faith. It's usually produced by a Christian record label. It's separate from secular music and (usually) their record labels.

That idea of separation probably came from a desire by the Christians who were producing the music to have some artistic control over what the songs said and sounded like. These days, Christian music is very popular and well-established...but it wasn't always that way. In the late 1960s, a group of believers called the Jesus Movement—Christian hippies, more or less—branched out to start their own labels. (The term Jesus freak was originally aimed at—and later embraced by—Jesus movement people.) The contemporary Christian music of the early 70s was a blend of folk music and southern rock. Word Records signed 16-year old Amy Grant to a five-week record contract in 1977. Her album was released in the spring of 1978, a few weeks before her high-school graduation. Christian music in the 80s enjoyed a long run of pop and rock hits.

But contemporary Christian music really took off in the 90s. What I've called the "golden" age of Christian music happened right next to the alternative music explosion we talked about a few weeks ago. Christian music had its own fashion, aesthetic, and sound. These days, Christian music isn't very different from secular music. It's a lot cleaner, but the sound tends to be pretty similar. The mid-1990s were the beginning of that for Christian music...the point where Christian music started to become a serious music market.

Now that you have a little history, here are five Christian albums from the 90s you should check out:

1. dc Talk, Jesus Freak. Yes, we know everyone knows the song. But there are so many good songs on this album, from "What If I Stumble?" to "Colored People."



2. Jars of Clay, Jars of Clay. Four college boys from Illinois won a Gospel Music Association talent contest—and this album shows why. The song "Flood" was a giant crossover hit.



3. Sixpence None the Richer, Sixpence None the Richer. Leigh Nash's soaring vocals shine, especially on Kiss Me and "There She Goes," which have been used in a lot of movie and TV soundtracks.



4. SonicFlood, SonicFlood. Probably the first really big full-length praise and worship album (though I could be wrong about that), this album is not to be missed. Check out "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever."



5. The OC Supertones, Chase the Sun. These Orange County, California boys mixed rock, soul, ska, and surf sounds into one big happy mashup. Check out "Hallelujah."



Here's hoping you find something new and interesting in the Christian music of the 90s!

Snippets and Soundbites

It's Friday! It's almost Independence Day!

So what's the best way to get the holiday weekend started? We think "Snippets and Soundbites" sounds like a great idea.

(And remember: if this edition of "Snippets and Soundbites" isn't enough random and slightly off-beat news for you, check out page 38 in every issue of ec. You won't be disappointed!)

Spelling error ends in jail time.

Your teachers have always told you that grammar and spelling is important, but you've probably never wondered if a misspelling could send you to jail. Well, it can, if it's in a phony letter you're trying to use to fool the police. Just ask a Paducah, Ken., woman. The woman's son was in jail and charged with receiving stolen property. Hoping to get her son's bail lowered, the woman presented a letter from Wagner and Sons Moving to officials, believing his bail would be lowered if he had written proof of employment. Court officials got suspicious when they noticed the company's name was misspelled in the letter. When they checked it out, they discovered the woman had asked for such a letter from the company and had been refused. Apparently, she then took matters into her own hands and forged the document. She was charged with evidence tampering and now both mother and son are in jail in leiu of cash bond. Read all about it here. If you're interested in stopping crimes against grammar, there's a Facebook page for that.

Sweet dreams!

Have you ever wondered if your pet dreams? Probably, when you've watched your cat's legs "run" while she's asleep or your dog bark while he's snoozing on the couch. Well, guess what? Scientists say dogs and cats DO dream. According to a researched at MIT, cats and dogs do replay images of past events in their minds, much like humans do when they recall past experiences while sleeping. It's all because humans, dogs, and cats all have a hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that deals with memory. Dogs and cats have different stages of sleep, just like humans, and most dreaming occurs in REM stage. Non-REM dreams are usually simply quick snapshots of things that happened that day. REM is a deeper state and REM cycle dreams last longer and tap into a bigger pool of experiences, drawn from weeks, months, and even years in the past. For people, REM sleep comes around about every 90 minutes. For cats, it occurs every 25 minutes. For dogs, it appears that the frequency and length of dreams depends on their physical size, meaning longer REM cycles and dreaming periods for Great Danes and much shorter dreams for tiny dogs. Want to know if your pet is dreaming? Look for these clues: whisker twitching, paw tremors, irregular breathing and—in dogs—occasional high-pitched yips. To learn more about pets and their dreams, go here.

Fly away home

Gregory Reese came to Hawaii for work, but once there, not one, but two job offers fell through. Soon, he was homeless. To make matters worse, his father has lung cancer and couldn't afford a ticket to get Reese back home to Washington state. That's where Reese's situation in the newspaper and was touched that he wanted to go home to be with his dad. So, she bought him a $299 ticket from Hawaii to Seattle. Reese flew home yesterday and Denise Saki, the woman who bought his ticket, says she'd like to create a program that would help more homeless people stranded on the island get back home to their families on the mainland.

Image © Hemera / Thinkstock

July Daily Bible Readings

Hey guys, it’s a new month. And when a new month starts, you know what that means—DAILY BIBLE READINGS!! I know you’re excited. And if you’re not, I am! Here are the Scripture passages to study this month for those of you who are reading through the whole Bible this year. (You’re halfway there; you can do it!)

Have a happy Fourth of July this weekend. Yay America!

JULY 2010:
Thursday, July 1: 2 Chronicles 32–33; John 19
Friday, July 2: 2 Chronicles 34; John 20
Saturday, July 3: 2 Chronicles 36; John 21

Sunday, July 4: Ezra 1–2; Acts 1
Monday, July 5: Ezra 3–4; Acts 2:1-21
Tuesday, July 6: Ezra 5–7; Acts 2:22-47
Wednesday, July 7: Ezra 8–10; Acts 3
Thursday, July 8: Nehemiah 1–2; Acts 4
Friday, July 9: Nehemiah 3–4; Acts 5
Saturday, July 10: Nehemiah 5–6; Acts 6

Sunday, July 11: Nehemiah 7–8; Acts 7:1-36
Monday, July 12: Nehemiah 9–10; Acts 7:37-60
Tuesday, July 13: Nehemiah 11–13; Acts 8
Wednesday, July 14: Esther 1–3; Acts 9:1-19a
Thursday, July 15: Esther 4–7; Acts 9:19b-43
Friday, July 16: Esther 8–10; Acts 10:1-33
Saturday, July 17: Job 1–3; Acts 10:34-48

Sunday, July 18: Job 4–7; Acts 11
Monday, July 19: Job 8–10; Acts 12
Tuesday, July 20: Job 11–14; Acts 13:1-25
Wednesday, July 21: Job 15–19; Acts 13:26-52
Thursday, July 22: Job 20–24; Acts 14
Friday, July 23: Job 25–27; Acts 15
Saturday, July 24: Job 28; Acts 16:1-15

Sunday, July 25: Job 29–31; Acts 16:16-40
Monday, July 26: Job 32–37; Acts 17:1-21
Tuesday, July 27: Job 38–42; Acts 17:22-34
Wednesday, July 28: Psalms 1–3; Acts 18
Thursday, July 29: Psalms 4–6; Acts 19:1-20
Friday, July 30: Psalms 7–9; Acts 19:21-41
Saturday, July 31: Psalms 10–12; Acts 20:1-16