September Review

I've committed to reporting out on my monthly progress towards the three major goals I have for 2013. Below is my progress for the month of September.

Goal 1: Read 25 books.
I only read one book this month: Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards. It was a challenging read that I intend on writing about throughout October. I'm now at 19 for the year. I'm still on pace, but no longer ahead. I think I'll do some reading tonight.

Goal 2: Write 75 blog posts.
The beginning of the month was slow going, as I had a few other writing commitments that carried greater weight. I caught up towards the end of the month, and this makes six for September. My favorite for the month is probably the post about the nature about busyness. I'm now 58 for the year. Six a month the rest of the way will get me to 75.

Goal 3: Write 25 letters.
Starting this month I needed to average 3 a month to reach my goal, and I completed 3. It's still baffling to me that I'm most reluctant to begin each of these, but I gain perhaps the most reward upon their completion. Seventeen down, eight more to go.

It was a great month of quotes. Here are some of my favorites that I came across:

• "The difference between Christians and non-Christians is not that non-Christians sin whereas Christians don't. The difference is found in what side we take in the battle. Christians take God's side against sin, whereas non-Christians take sin's side against God. . . A Christian will sin, but turn to God again and his word and say, "help me fight my sin." A non-Christian, even if he recognizes his sin, effectively responds, "I want my sin more than God." - Mark Dever
• "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: non only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
• "Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator of aspiration. It reflects love, love of something we dream of doing, and desire, desire to do it. if you find yourself asking yourself, "Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?" chances are you are. The Counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death." - Steven Prestfield
• "I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguos and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence, but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood." - Clyde Kilby
• "The righteous are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves." - Tim Keller

And a few articles worth your attention:

• The Meaning of Justice - expounding on the above quote by Kilby.
• Have We Missed the Meaning of the Incarnation?
• The Cul-de-sac of Stupidity

October is a big month. I've beginning a new class, presenting at a conference, and preparing for the basketball season. Obstacles and opportunities abound. Every day matters.