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Jeff Randleman

Jeff Randleman is a husband of one, a father of six, a minister and a writer. He spends most of his days working with the church or spending time with his family.

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Coffee Break – 11.03.2014

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Coffee Jerks – The early age of television advertising seems to have had few boundaries, even while being very strict in other ways, such as naming your competitor’s product. These ads for coffee are so pathetic that they are almost laughable, if they weren’t so cringe-worthy. It seems that political correctness may have a valid use after all…

7 Smartphone Photography Tips And Tricks – These are some creative ideas on using your phone to accomplish some pretty cool shots. I just might have to try the “panodash” myself.

How Busy People Make Time To Read – Ever wonder how people fit in the time to read all that they do? Here are several good suggestions for finding the time to read more. Some of these may be more helpful than others, but I can see how each of these could be useful to some people. I, however, simply cannot apply the “50 Page Rule.” If I start something, I feel a strong need to finish it.

Why You Need More Art In Your Life – “If you want to find more creativity, satisfaction, and happiness, the single best solution I know is adding more art to your life.” I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. However, not all of what some consider art is appealing to other people. With this in mind, find that which you find creative and celebrate it.

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Top Posts For October 2014

In last month’s Top Posts, I stated that the fall was gearing up to be a busy season. I had no idea how true that would turn out to be, just not in the way I expected it.

October 2014 Word Picture from Wordle.net

As we enter into the fall, our busy season has dramatically increased. First, our Worship and Children’s Minister resigned. That has caused our church’s leadership to scramble a bit as we seek to ensure that the transition flows smoothly, and as we begin the process of looking for someone to fill those roles.

As a result, we’ve been meeting weekly to discuss, plan and pray. We’ve been busy.

And then, just over a week ago, my wife slipped down the stairs in our home, breaking her ankle. Thankfully, the baby is ok and there are no complications to the pregnancy. However, Heather’s ankle didn’t fare so well. It’s not a very good break (what one is?), and she has to stay off of it for several weeks. That is difficult for her to do, because she’s a busy mother. She has a hard time just “sitting around.”

That has added to our busy, stressful fall.

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Memorize Scripture: Titus 1:12-14

Paul has been instructing Titus to address the false teachers on Crete, and he leaves little doubt that these “rebellious people” are some of the very Cretans themselves.

You can see his statements about the people of Crete in Titus 1:12-14:

Titus 1:12-14

Paul does not paint a very good picture of the people on the island of Crete, but he does so by their very own words. He quotes a Cretan philosopher and prophet by the name of Epimenides, who lived around 600 BC. According to tradition, Epimenides predicted the Persian War ten years early, and may have been responsible for the Greeks to sacrifice to “the appropriate gods.” According to a Greek historian, this led the Athenians to create an altar “to an unknown god,” giving Paul the opportunity to address the Greeks in Acts 17:23.

The irony here is that Epimenides was a Cretan himself. Therefore, if he states that all Cretans are liars, then he is a liar, and his statement is a lie, making the opposite claim, that he is speaking the truth.

Paul, however, states that his statement is actually true, that Cretans have a reputation for being dishonest for the purpose of selfish gain. They were known as being “evil brutes,” or wild beasts, who would do whatever it took to get ahead, regardless of what it took. Since Crete has no wild animals, the native population took on that role, according to Epimenides. Pushing others out of the way to gain an advantage for themselves is characteristic of wild animals.

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Book Review – Noah by Mark Lundy

NoahI’m not really all that excited about graphic novels. The right story can make one great, and I’ve read a few that I enjoy, but I would much rather sit down with a good comic book instead, preferably Superman or other members of the Justice League, although I have been known to read a few Marvel comics from time to time.

So when I received a copy of Noah, which is subtitled “A Wordless Picture Book,” I wasn’t expecting to be overly impressed. I expected either a collection of drawings loosely connected, or a graphic novel without words, of which I really didn’t get the point.

However, I was surprised. In reality, Noah is both of those things: a graphic novel without the words, and a collection of art, but it is well designed and the art is exceptional.

On the positive side, the illustrations are well done, and evocative. Although they are slightly graphic novel-ish, they communicate the scenarios depicted quite well. And the sequence of the illustrations follows closely along with the biblical narrative of Noah and the Flood. In fact, there are a couple of illustrations that my kids may find a bit disturbing, including one man who is drowning. It’s a touch too graphic.

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Thankfulness And A Broken Ankle

The past week has been pretty quiet around here, and I apologize for that. Sunday morning, my wife fell and suffered a broken ankle. You may know that she is pregnant, and that has been a concern in this situation. I am relieved to say that the baby is fine (it’s a girl, by the way), but her ankle is not so good.

Ankle

The orthopedic doctor has instructed her to stay off of it for the next month. That has definitely changed our daily routines. As a result, the past few days have been less focused on writing and more on shuttling her to the doctor, and the kids to various activities. We are very thankful for those friends and family members who have helped us, and continue to do so. You are loved!

Needless to say, my writing schedule has taken a back seat to these family needs this week. I hope to resume a more normal schedule in the next few days. It will be nice to resume a normal routine as much as possible until Heather gets back on her feet.

Even in the midst of a minor crisis, there is much to be thankful for. The baby is fine. The injury could have been worse, or could have happened to one of the kids. The outpouring of love and support from friends and family has been tremendous, and our church family has been right there every moment we’ve needed someone.

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Coffee Break – 10.27.2014

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5 Tips For Brewing The Best Cup Of Coffee – I am often asked about why I choose to make my coffee the way I do, via Chemex. After explaining it, invariably the next question is how I do it. The Roasterie has listed five necessities for the perfect cup of coffee.

How To Get A Good Night’s Sleep – The right amount of sleep, and good quality sleep, is critical to your health. Here are twenty-two things to consider when striving for a good night’s rest.

The Perfect Paper Airplane – A few weeks ago, I shared how to create a great paper airplane.  Here is another way to create an excellent airplane, this time in video format. Definitely worth knowing.