7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 3)

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I bought an iPhone 4! It's coming in a week. Not the new one, but the old one that was new and amazing one year ago. That's new enough for me. I need your help. I don't want to have to waste a thousand hours looking for iphone apps (which I probably will anyways). What are your top 3 must-have apps and why? (you can give me one if that request came across like an essay prompt)

Mmmm...apps you can eat!
source

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If you don't already, I really recommend this blog. When I say that some people are a breath of fresh air, Joseph is one of those guys. He's honest, straight to the point and a vigilante for the Church. I mean that last part in the most good possible way. His blog, Defend Us in Battle, is prayerful, social and light hearted at times. I started doing these quick takes so I could add that "personal touch" to my blog. I'll be honest, I'm new to blogging because I never liked blogging. It felt too exhibitionistic to me. I'm still figuring out how blogging can best serve Christ. Sometimes I read critiques of blogging, even Joseph's recent post, and I ask myself, "Is he talking about me?" I enjoy writing and don't blog for cathartic reasons. This blog really is about "...why I'm Catholic and other things about that..." So...

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...I was thinking about infallibility. I'm doing a post on Monday, and I need your help. My friend posted this, and then we were talking about my post on Monday and he reminded me of what he wrote there. So I said to myself, "Crud", I'm stealing his line. Then I realized that my argument was different and was an addendum to his argument so to speak. So, if you want a preview of Monday, go read the post at the link.

Some people believe that Christianity can always be presented as a ray of light beaming from the eternal city. I can blame this view on either (a) youthful ignorance or (b) a lack of personal suffering; or (c) something I haven't thought of. In fact, Jesus talked like this, this, this, this, this, and this. Why do I bring this up? I feel a need to defend a particular style of writing. Why? Because, I've read here or there about how we all need to be "smiley-happy-people" for Jesus. That's true but incomplete. The reality is that St. Augustine in On Baptism sounded more like "I pity the fool" than "God-bless their hearts" when talking to the schismatic Donatists.

Bringing a family back together many times requires addressing the dirty, nasty, keep-in-the-closet stuff. If ever my writing offend thee, pluck out your eye and read it with the other. No, really, sometimes my writing is blunt force trauma to the head. Why? Because, Christian unity is not always a ray of light. Sometimes, it means saying "Get thee behind me Satan". The fact that there are 38,000 denominations should do more than cause us pause, it should rend our hearts. We need to be eating together and writing that lays a common meal upon the table is important, but sometimes you have to get in the living room and air it out; and sometimes the guy wearing the self-made pope hat needs to be dressed-down--if you get my meaning.

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On a lighter note, it's getting cooler down here in the south...

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Exposing more of my personal life, I enjoy watching football. Have you heard of a bibliophile? It's someone that is obsessed with books. Well, that is not my struggle. I really like to read, especially non-fiction (yawn), but I also REALLY like to watch sports. It was a learning curve for my wife when we first got married. Marriage can be tough, especially adjusting to the quirks of the other spouse. Two recommendations: (1) DON'T try to change your spouse--you did not marry them under that pretense and (2) TRY to change yourself--your spouse deserves it!

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I retract last week's comment about being the only one that is male that does quick takes. In fact this guy's pictures make his quick takes today a whole lot better than mine.

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For the best Steve Jobs tribute picture, go here and check out an acquaintance of mine and incredible, REAL (makes a living doing it), bonafide artist: Owen Swain. 

(Quick Takes extra: my 2 year old son was just on my bed praying the rosary. If I could have captured the audio, it would have absolutely melted your heart. It melted mine.)

Have a wonderful weekend! It shall be raining here!

Thanks Jen for hosting!