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Home Archives for Christianity and Faith

1/17/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

The Detroit Lions Are Doing Something Good for the Cause of Education

Say what you will, the 0-16 Detroit Lions at least are doing something to alleviate complaints that too many top-flight college athletes are jumping ship early and skipping out on finishing their degrees. From today's Detroit Free Press:There has been speculation that the fear of becoming a Lion was one of the variables Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford considered when he opted to remain at Oklahoma. It was also a consideration for Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who'll return to the Longhorns.... The deadline for declaring for the draft came Thursday. There were surprises along with Sanchez. Mississippi junior defensive end Greg Hardy, who had 8 1/2 sacks and 9 1/2 tackles for loss last season, opted to remain at Ole Miss. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Education, Random and Miscellaneous, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: 2010, amateur, college athletes, college football, Colt McCoy, complaints, cream, degrees, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Lions, exceptions, football players, franchise, grapevine, Greg Hardy, Heisman Trophy, miserable, Mississippi, modesty, NFL Draft, Oklahoma, option, overpaid, quarterback, Sam Bradford, talent, Texas

1/15/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Now That’s a Debate Dinesh D’Souza & Christopher Hitchens Couldn’t Win

The headline of the day comes from the Boulder Daily Camera (H/T Complete Colorado):Conservative D'Souza, atheist Hitchens to debate God at CU Go back and read that again, out loud if you must... Dinesh D'Souza and Christopher Hitchens - two very bright, educated, opinionated men - are going to debate against the Almighty? Of course, this won't be a fair fight by any remote stretch of human imagination. For example, try responding to this opening statement:Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Cultural Conservatism, General, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: atheism, Bible, Boulder, Catholic, Christopher Hitchens, Complete Colorado, conservative, Daily Camera, Dinesh D'Souza, editors, educated, fair fight, God, headline, human imagination, Job, Macky Auditorium, opinionated, religion, remote stretch

1/8/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter Publicly Endorses Posting State Check Register Online

Update: Colorado Spending Transparency has a similar response about the devil being in the details. Read the post to get a sense of just what some of those details might be. Face The State's report was correct: During his State of the State speech, just a moment ago, Gov. Bill Ritter announced he would back the Republican plan to post the state government's check register online. It's good to see transparency go forward as a non-partisan effort. The governor's announcement foresees a landmark moment for Colorado government, one that promises to empower the citizens of the state. The city of Fort Collins has set the standard for transparency. With the state moving forward, too, now it would be good to see other local governments - … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life Tagged With: Bill Ritter, check register, citizen empowerment, Colorado government, development, Face the State, Fort Collins, implementation, non-partisan, online, plan, policy, Republican, school districts, speech, State of the State, Transparency

12/26/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Christmas Roundup, Light Blogging Here at Mount Virtus Until 2009

It was nice to take a couple days off blogging to celebrate Christmas. Around the house we have a 2-year-old who definitely was interested in getting "more" presents but also who is just beginning to see that Christmas is mainly about the Savior's birth. She sat still to hear one of us read a version of the biblical Christmas story 5 different times over the 2 days. Good times. Memorable times. Around here we hear a lot of the toddler rendition of "Away in a Manger". She also has a fairly decent grasp on "Joy to the World." Other songs she doesn't sing but likes to request: Jingle Bells and Happy Birthday to Jesus. Last night, after we baked the cake for Jesus' birthday (a first-time tradition for our family), we had to explain that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: 2-year-old, 2009, Away in a Manger, biblical, birth, blogging, Blue Ribbon Committee, cake, Christmas, Christmas story, eating, Family, football, friends, girl, good times, governor's office, Happy Birthday, hard to grasp, House, interview, Jesus, Jingle Bells, Joy to the World, Ken Salazar, logic, out of the box, presents, reading, recommendations, rumor, Savior, sleeping, songs, tradition, U.S. Senate, usual sense, version, writing project

12/26/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rocky Mtn News Features Providence Bible Church, Denver’s Newest

The cover of the Christmas Day edition of the Rocky Mountain News featured a story on two churches - Denver's oldest and Denver's newest. The latter is the Providence Bible Church. Several years ago I met the eventual pastor and co-founder of Providence, Jason Janz, and have since agreed to be a prayer partner for the growing church. I am excited to read the updates of this exciting ministry that Jason sends out. It's a blessing to see more attention brought to this work:Providence Bible Church is a multiethnic congregation launched 12 weeks ago in Five Points. Using the media-savvy instincts of his generation, Pastor Jason Janz, 35, spent early donations on creating a DVD to tell Providence's story. The one-time rebel knew what kind … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: Christmas Day, churches, co-founder, congregation, Denver, donations, DVD, Jason Janz, ministry, multiethnic, New Testament, pastor, prayer, Providence Bible Church, Rocky Mountain News, worshippers

12/22/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

This is Christmas: Our 2-Year-Old Serenades Us with “Away in a Manger”

Okay, we're light on the politics here for a little while. It's too close to the sacred celebration of Christmas, and most people are completely tuned out anyway. Last night, the older Virtus girl (still nearly 2 months shy of her 3rd birthday) gave us a remarkably clear and *almost completely accurate rendition of "Away in a Manger"--the first verse lyrics with a little melody, anyway. Little things like that show the spirit of Christmas is growing in our household. So much to be thankful for (yes, we ARE rich), and many extra blessings beside. Fancy presents are nice (but overrated--if I see one more of those annoying Lexus commercials, I think I'll scream), though there aren't as many of them this year. Baked goodies I can rarely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Away in a Manger, baked goodies, blessings, Christmas, Family, fancy presents, friends, household, Lexus, price tag, rich, spirit, thankful

12/15/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Blog Silence: RIP, Jim Cannon

I'll be maintaining blog silence for a little while, having received the news earlier today of my friend Jim Cannon's premature passing. His loss is our pain, but his relief from great suffering, at home with the Savior. Speaking personally, my life is richer for having known Jim - one of the founding members of the old Rocky Mountain Alliance. He leaves me with fond memories of his courage, graciousness, and compassion, in the face of extremely trying physical struggles. Please keep Jim's family in your prayers most of all. More to come later. In the meantime, Snaggletooth also has some kind words to share. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, My Life Tagged With: blog silence, compassion, courage, fond memories, founding members, graciousness, Jim Cannon, kind words, news, physical struggles, premature passing, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Snaggletooth

12/11/2008 By Ben 4 Comments

And on the 12th Day of Christmas…

So now that I've become famous enough to make the title of a post concerning my "eleven Christmas wishes", I feel impelled to respond. Seriously, though, a watcher's post - somewhat more thoughtful and reasonable than previous endeavors of post-election analysis - requires some significant clarifications. It is because I believe this debate about the future of conservatism and the GOP is important that I wade in so thoroughly in this post that so few of you will actually read from beginning to end. Here are the overarching problems I see with a watcher's declarations. First, he has a strong tendency to lump all "social conservatives" into a box without distinction, shake them up, and spill them out with one accusation after another. How … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life, National Politics

12/10/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

Please Pray for Dong Yun Yoon

Update: Michelle Malkin posts an address where you can send Mr. Yoon an encouraging note, as well as pictures of the beautiful family lost. The story of San Diego's Dong Yun Yoon really moved me to write. Why? Because of the amazing character he showed in his response to the horrific tragedy -- the crash of a Marine fighter jet, caused by engine failure, into his home that killed his wife, 2 young daughters, and mother-in-law:Yoon, 37, pressed a handkerchief to his face and seemed to stagger upon viewing what little remained: a charred garage wall, piles of blackened beams, the family's Toyota Corolla -- miraculously undamaged -- parked on the street, and flowers placed nearby in memory of his family. "I believe my wife and two babies … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith Tagged With: Air Station Miramar, amazing character, comfort, daughters, Dong Yun Yoon, engine failure, God, horrific tragedy, Marine Corps, Marine fighter jet, mother-in-law, no ill will, pilot, prayers, response, San Diego, tragedy, wife

12/7/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

What I Want to See for the United States, Conservatism, and the GOP

Looking ahead to 2010 and beyond, this is what I want to see in the United States of America: A biblical, spiritual revival ... something for which I pray to God The revitalization of conservatism (a shared value in the Founders' "constrained vision") in American public life ... something of which I seek to persuade others A Republican Party more informed by conservative, limited government principles ... also something of which I seek to persuade others A governing Republican Party majority ...something for which I volunteer and vote Where incompatibilities between the above priorities can be proven with a reasonable degree of likelihood, the higher priority wins. (And no, I can't think of any situation where voting for or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, History, My Life Tagged With: 2010, aborition, agenda, belittle, biblical, boundaries, broader principles, clarification, Colorado, common opponent, compatible, Conservatism, conservative coalition, Constitution, constrained vision, debate, demonize, disagreements, discrepancy, educate, effective, electoral success, eschewed, exhaustive, falter, federal legislation, fidelity, fiscally conservative, Founders, governing majority, healthy, History, hollow badge, incompabitilities, incremental, lasting changes, limited government, Mark Hillman, national level, nostalgia, obsess, persuade, political illusion, political sphere, pragmatic issues, pray, pre-emption, principled humility, principles, priorities, productive conversation, promises, public life, purity, Reagan Republican, reasonable degree, religious aspiration, religious speech, Republican Party, respectful, restrictions, revitalization, revival, Right, Ronald Reagan, school choice, slash-and-burn politics, smile, social conservatism, social moderates, socialism, strong dose, taxpayer funding, tested, thoughts, throw under the bus, unaffiliated voter, United States, United States of America, vocal minority, volunteer, vote

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

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National News and Politics

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Blogs Extraordinaire

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Completing the Blogroll

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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