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Book Review – Black Earth by Timothy Snyder

Black EarthI greatly enjoy reading about history, especially certain eras of history. One of those eras is the time period surrounding World War II. I find this period of time fascinating. In light of that interest, I decided to pick up and read Black Earth: The Holocaust As History And Warning, by Timothy Snyder. I thought it would be an interesting examination of one of the darkest periods of the twentieth century. It was not.

I found it very hard to read Black Earth. Snyder’s writing style was dry and cumbersome, and lacked any kind of excitement. His research was quite extensive, and it shows. He looked in great detail at the mind and politics of Hitler and German before and during the war. But his presentation was very dull, and lacked luster. I did find the history and the look into Hitler’s thought processes interesting, as much as I was able to stay engaged.

It is quite obvious that Snyder comes at this topic from a liberal perspective. And while I am not against reading books that I may not agree with, his approach belittles any other viewpoint, especially more conservative ones, if he acknowledges them at all.

And he makes some connections that make no sense whatsoever. The “lessons” he wants us to learn from the Holocaust, he applies to climate change and global warning, warning this generation to not make similar mistakes as those who lived in the 1930s and 40s. How he managed to make such a comparison, I have no idea. And beyond that, he ridicules those who reject the notion and political stance of climate change, implying that those who take an opposing view have their heads stuck in the sand.

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Coffee Break – 03.07.2016

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 322 BC, Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, died. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent (U.S. Patent No. 174,465) for his telephone. And in 1933, the board game Monopoly was invented.

Coffee Break

The Story Of The Bialetti Moka Express – The Italians have long been known for making coffee. And the stove top Moka Express has long been a staple of coffee making for the last half century. Here is the story behind it.

How To Restore A Vintage Pocket Knife – I love traditional style slipjoint pocket knives. I have a pretty good collection of them, and am always on the lookout for more. Often the best places to find these are flea markets and antique stores. But they may need a good cleaning and restoration. Here’s how.

Mapping The X-Files – The truth is out there. And now so is a map of all the locations the X-Files took place. This is a pretty cool concept, but not the only one out there. Here is another.

Finland – Last week, I posted a video about the wilds of Scotland. This week, enjoy this beautiful timelapse of Finland.

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Memorize Scripture: Philippians 4:14-16

Paul returns to the main theme of this section of his letter to the Philippians, their financial gifts in support of Paul’s ministry.

Take a look at this passage for yourself in Philippians 4:14-16:

Philippians 4:14-16

In the previous verses, Paul has just explained how he has learned the secret to being content, no matter what the circumstances may be. As he returns to the theme of the Philippians’ gift to him, he lets his readers know that their gift is not necessary for his contentment. And yet it is still greatly appreciated.

Paul sees more than just a financial gift. He sees the Christlike behavior and attitude of the givers. Not only have the Philippians accepted the Lordship of Christ, they have bought into Paul’s vision of spreading the gospel around the world.

Paul makes it very clear in this passage that the Philippian church was the only one that supported him as he worked to spread the message of Christ. And they have done so more than just in this instance. More than once, when Paul was in Thessalonica, they sent financial gifts as well. And the did so earlier in Paul’s ministry, when he was leaving Macedonia.

The Philippian church has set themselves in the position of being a continual ministry partner with Paul’s missional efforts. Though they may not be able to go and preach, as Paul does, they can contribute by supporting him as much as they can.

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Top Posts For February 2016

Reviewing The Month On JeffRandleman.com

I don’t know how the winter has been where you live, but it has been very odd here. We have had a couple of weekends with bad weather, but for the most part, our winter has felt more like spring. And now, spring is just around the corner.

Top Posts for February 2016

Around our house, with March beginning, we have flowers coming up, trees budding, and spring peepers making a lot of noise at night. We could very well still experience some winter weather, but it feels like spring may have sprung a bit early.

With spring comes a change in schedule for my family. Basketball season is over, so my cheerleader daughter has more free time. But with the warmer weather, my kids are feeling the urge to get outside a lot more. The coming weeks will probably see a significant increase in outdoor activities.

On the other hand, with the kids out in the yard, inside the house is more quiet, making it a bit easier to write and create. Although, the temptation is strong to head outside with my kids and enjoy the fresh air.

In case you missed them, here are the top seven posts from JeffRandleman.com for the month of February.

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Coffee Break – 02.29.2016

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1288, Scotland established this day as one when a woman could propose marriage to a man. In the event that he refused the proposal he was required to pay a fine. In 1860, the first electric tabulating machine was invented by Herman Hollerith. And in 2004, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 11 Oscars.

Coffee Break

The New Sensory Lexicon And Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel – The flavor wheel that most coffee roasters and drinkers refer to is almost twenty years old and has needed an update for a while. Finally, the SCAA has done so. This would make a great piece of art for the wall, don’t you think?

How To Collect And Buy Vintage Fountain Pens – One of my most favorite hobbies revolves around vintage analog writing instruments, such as old pencils, typewriters, and fountain pens. Of them all, the pen is my favorite. I collect several varieties, but my absolute favorite is the Parker Vacumatic.

Winter White – A recent winter storm covered much of the Midwest and the East Coast with snow. The Boston Globe has put together a great collection of beautiful photos from around the world. I especially liked 15, 16, and 34.

Wild Scotland – I have always wanted to visit the islands of the North Atlantic, including Iceland, Scotland, Wales, and England. This video is stunning in its portrayed beauty of Scotland. It’s best to watch if full screen, in HD, and with the volume up.

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Memorize Scripture: Philippians 4:12-13

In this passage, Paul explains how he has experienced the full range of having nothing to having plenty. He identifies a secret, and shares it with his readers.

You can see this passage for yourself in Philippians 4:12-13:

Philippians 4:12-13

Paul gives more details about the circumstances he shared in the previous couple of verses. He has learned two things. First, he knows what it feels like to be in need or to have plenty. And second, the secret of being content, no matter what the circumstances.

A brief survey of Paul’s life, found in 2 Corinthians 11, shows that Paul has experienced the full range of having nothing and having plenty. It is clear that he knows what he is talking about here.

One thing is well worth noting here: Paul’s sense of inner peace is very apparent. He almost seems as if none of this matters to him. And, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t.

Paul has learned something that few ever learn. He calls it a secret, a mystery that he has gained the key to. He has learned to be content in every circumstance.

This is something that few ever learn, and fewer still master, such as Paul did. In our culture, we do not understand how to be content very well. We always want something more, something new, something different. And we still think we “need” more. This is a very real struggle. We have learned to be very materialistic and we are never satisfied with what we have. We think we need more.