Prata Potpourri: Modesty & Dignity, World’s deepest sinkhole, Video Lecture Tour of Jerusalem & Environs, Apartment Therapy; More
By Elizabeth Prata
We have passed the traditional gateway to summer: Memorial Day Weekend. I hope you had a nice one. I rested on Saturday and on Sunday after church there was a BBQ picnic at a member’s home. I’ve had a few pamering apointments during the week, adn a few social engagements.
I’m looking forward to a slower pace, some penetrating reading (Man in His Fourfold State by Thomas Boston) and some light reading, (The Way of the Gladiator) and trying some new recipes. I also want to do more photography. Will I do some bookbinding or crafting? Maybe. I know I will binge some TV shows in some evenings. I like TV. So, nothing fancy, just a nice season of 8 weeks of being a homebody.
Time for another roundup of interesting links and pics that I call Prata Potpourri. Enjoy.
Pastor Tom Buck posted this graphic on Twitter, saying someone sent it to him. The origin is embedded in the graphic, it’s from Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte NC. It contrasts godly repentance with worldly sorrow. It’s helpful.
Pastor Darrell Harrison of the Just Thinking Podcast had an essay published in TableTalk magazine, pondering our artificial culture. It’s good.
Here’s an excerpt: “Lamentably, many professing believers succumb to such shallow enticements, choosing instead to gratify their flesh rather than obey God. An example from Scripture is that of Demas, who became so enamored of the world that he deserted the Apostle Paul in carrying out the work of the gospel (2 Tim. 4:10).”
If you care to descend 2800 feet into a recently discovered world’s deepest sinkhole to explore a unique microclimate containing rare and undiscovered plants and animals, then have at it. It is in China. The site Beauty of Planet Earth says of the giant hole,
The Xiaozhai Tiankeng is more than just a giant hole in the ground. Its unique microclimate, with its own weather patterns and lush vegetation, has fostered a distinct ecosystem. A total of 1,285 plant species, among them the ginkgo, along with various rare animals such as the clouded leopard and the Chinese Giant Salamander, have been discovered in the sinkhole. Due to its remote location, many plant and animal species found within the sinkhole haven’t been documented elsewhere, potentially representing new discoveries for science.
Thinking Biblically is a hub of resources from experts ranging from theologians to paleontologists affiliated with The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, CA. If you are interested in a 12-episode video tour & Lectures of Old Jerusalem led by Mater’s Seminary professor Dr. William Varner, seeing and learning about the biblical places mentioned in the Bible, then this series is for you. It’s free.
It’s summer. Not that the hot season these days sparks the need for less clothing, it seems that less clothing rather than more clothing is the standard whatever the season. WHen did our culture get so casual with showing so much flesh?
Here are two resources. One is by Jeff Pollard, an Elder at a Florida Church, editor of the Free Grace Broadcaster and manager at Chapel Library. He wrote a 40 page essay titled Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America. Here is the blurb-
God’s Word has much to say about the way we dress, especially in worship. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America examines relevant portions of Scripture and investigates a little fashion history in order to present a Biblical doctrine of modesty. This is an important discussion for both men and women. While this controversial subject often falls into the realm of subjective experience and speculation, the author begins with a study of Holy Scripture.
It’s free to read online at Chapel Library, you can download, or ask for a free hard copy through the mail.
The other resource is a thread from Twitter by Virgil L. Walker that explores the same concerns. He also write it up on his substack, which is linked below. @VirgilWalkerOMA
The black-and-white photo below went viral. Caption: “Before sagging, bonnets, and Walmart PJs were worn in public…” It’s not just nostalgia. It’s a rebuke. We used to dress like we belonged. From Dignity to Disorder:
This isn’t suits vs. sweats. It’s about the collapse of culture. When we dressed with honor, it wasn’t vanity. It was identity. It said: I belong to a family, to a Church, to a standard. Today? We dress like we’ve been abandoned by all three. Listen to or read my Substack article for more:
Do you like seeing homes and how the owner decorated? Apartment Therapy has got your back. If you like Quiet Luxury, Dark & Brooding, Coastal Inspired, Enviable Exposed Brick, Inspired Kitchens, whatever style you enjoy, click on the image to see more of it.
