Compendium of links #36

I had a fantastic week in Boston, a great couple of days with my mom’s side of the family, and then a whirlwind week at work (say that five times fast). I will do some more posts about Boston soon – but first, links to clear out of my browser! I can’t even wait until Saturday, the browser is so full.

10 excellent reasons to date a bookworm – as linked on a Facebook group I belong to.

Two-year degrees show stronger path to middle-class income – Finally, someone is acknowledging that not every career needs oodles of hours spent in a classroom! Via @PaulGlader.

A Christian blogger tells husbands to treat their family time like a part-time job – ensuring that a man will put his full effort into strengthening the marriage and building up the children. Via Challies.

So true: (on Indexed, one of my favorite online comics)

From another Christian blogger’s essay, “A Hundredfold”…

…I wanted him to know that following Jesus is more than worth it, even with all it entails for gay people. And I also wanted to tell him that I had come to know this not just from studying the Bible and listening to others, but from my own personal experience.

Homosexuality is an issue I have battled with my entire Christian life. It took a long time to admit to myself, longer to admit to others, and even longer to see something of God’s good purposes through it all. There have been all sorts of ups and downs. But this battle is not devoid of blessings, as Paul discovered with his own unyielding thorn in the flesh. Struggling with sexuality has been an opportunity to experience more of God’s grace, rather than less.

The whole essay is worth a read. Not long either. (Via Challies, again.)

I really need to buy this shirt.

Try your hand at a pretty extensive collection of word puzzles (like “yyy men”).

Gene Veith blogged recently about a quote on journalism from one of my favorite historical journalists (and favorite authors, period), G.K. Chesterton:

“It is the one great weakness of journalism as a picture of our modern existence, that it must be a picture made up entirely of exceptions. We announce on flaring posters that a man has fallen off a scaffolding. We do not announce on flaring posters that a man has not fallen off a scaffolding. Yet this latter fact is fundamentally more exciting, as indicating that that moving tower of terror and mystery, a man, is still abroad upon the earth. That the man has not fallen off a scaffolding is really more sensational; and it is also some thousand times more common. But journalism cannot reasonably be expected thus to insist upon the permanent miracles. Busy editors cannot be expected to put on their posters, “Mr. Wilkinson Still Safe,” or “Mr. Jones, of Worthing, Not Dead Yet.” They cannot announce the happiness of mankind at all. They cannot describe all the forks that are not stolen, or all the marriages that are not judiciously dissolved. Hence the complex picture they give of life is of necessity fallacious; they can only represent what is unusual. However democratic they may be, they are only concerned with the minority. [from The Ball and the Cross]

Apparently there is a reason things are cute. And it all comes down to how much things resemble babies. (Via Challies, I think.)

My cousin found this set of guides on flirting and laughed her head off. She told me about them and I did the same. The Microsoft Paint-esque illustrations are my favorite part.

I must’ve had this link open for quite some time. Building a community isn’t easy. Relevant Magazine had a few tips for it – including asking how to help people, asking for help, and committing to a church, among others.

Finally, a friend of mine is weirdly excited to see the movie Warm Bodies when it comes out. Here’s why.

If the entire movie has the “voice” that makes this trailer so entertaining, I might even go see it.