Random

✽ Tomorrow (Saturday) is US Passport Day. No appointment needed to apply for a passport at regional passport agencies. "Passport-themed events for adults and children will take place at regional passport agencies and thousands of passport acceptance facilities around the country." ~ link

✽ "For nearly 30 years, India and Bangladesh have argued over control of a tiny rock island in the Bay of Bengal. Now rising sea levels have resolved the dispute for them: the island's gone." ~ link

✽ Globally speaking, the winter we just finished was the fifth warmest on record. Yeah, yeah, we know YOU had the coldest winter imaginable but you're only living on a small speck of the planet. ~ link

✽ States are coming up with new ways to collect sales taxes on goods bought out of state, including those from online retailers. Good luck. ~ link

✽ Big government undermines discipleship:

The main reason for the decline of the church in the West is Christian support for large government, which undermines the very integrity of the church itself as the counter-story that interprets the world's politics. The reason it is so difficult to get Christians to attend to all the practices of discipleship is because they frankly see no need in a society where the government is the major player in the lives of people in the way that makes the church irrelevant... ~ Allan Bevere (via)

Does that mean that if a government wants to use its power for doing good rather than for aggression, that we should oppose it? Is there really a shortage of opportunity for Christians to excel at doing good in ways that exceed anything the government might possibly do?

✽ It looks like it will be a great afternoon for our MasterPiece Church Palm Sunday gathering in the park -- lighter winds and 80°. Join us! ~ link

✽ "Over 1.1 million Christians live in Saudi Arabia in 2010, whereas only about 50 lived there in 1910." ~ link

✽ The uke, one of the most versatile of the stringed instruments, is played in different ways around the world. Ukulele & Languages is a website exploring how various cultures and languages influence the way the uke is played. ~ link (via)

✽ "The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has come up with an unusual way of saving money: changing their email font. The school expects to use 30% less ink by switching from Arial to Century Gothic." ~ link