Given that in-person chess has effectively ceased this year due to COVID-19, my “fire” for chess has waned. Still, notice how the amazing chess artist Mikhail Tal turns a small advantage into a great attack. Observe this position. What do you notice about it? Notice that black has a tremendous space advantage. Look at white’s pieces–most of them on the […]
Chess: Increasing Small Advantages
Confession at Thanksgiving
Heavenly Father, with grief and hatred of our sin we come before you now. We confess that we have sinned against you. We have broken your law and deserve your full wrath against our sin, except for our Savior, Jesus Christ. Specifically, we confess our forgetfulness of your many blessings. You have made us, sent Christ to die for our […]
More than Conquerors
Yesterday as I reflected on Isaiah’s amazing words, it struck me that God’s promise to be with us in the fire and waters changes the way we look at the fire and water – the trials of life. We don’t fear them. But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: […]
Brief Review: A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible: Second Edition
For years, I have longed to have the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament in one volume. Biblia Sacra is the common gold standard, but it is expensive. After looking at various options, I finally on A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible: Second Edition by A. Philip Brown II and Bryan W. Smith (Zondervan Academic; Hardcover, 2020). A […]
A Higher Power at Work
My children and I are enjoying listening to Where the Red Fern Grows together. After the boy gets his puppies, he reflects on God’s providence: Still mumbling names over and over, I glanced up. There, carved in the white bark of a sycamore tree, was a large heart. In the center of the heart were two names, “Dan” and “Ann.” […]