Saturday Good Reads

It was Thanksgiving Week, and a few stores began to call a halt to the madness known as Black Friday (led by the sports outfitter REI). That by itself was something to be thankful for.

The story of the refugees continued, and how quickly it polarized has something to do, I think, with the damage social media can do and a presidential political season. Beyond that, or perhaps in spite of it, there are real stories needing to be told, and David Rupert tells one of them. On the subject of where the refugee crisis came from, David Curry at Open Doors USA puts his finger on the canary in the coal mine (and it might surprise you). And Charisma Magazine reports that in country after country in the Middle East, an underground revival is underway – an underground Christian revival.

Poetry, photography (including some wonderful old photos from the American West), and a small bit of encouraging news from the university – in a few places, at least, students and administrators are fighting back against the craziness of political correctness.

And dancing!

Poetry

Forecast – Jerry Barrett at Gerald the Writer.

Love in the Time of Paranoia – John Blase at The Beautiful Due.

If you were gone – Loren Paulsson at World Narratives.

flamenco clouds - a found poem – Maureen Doallas at Writing Without Paper.

What wakes me – Troy Cady at T(r)oy Marbles.

Faith

Giving is Easy; Receiving is Hard – Jon Mertz at Thin Difference.

For the Fearless Future – Mick Silva.

What a five year old taught me about Santa, God and being thankful before... – Doug Spurling at Spurling Silver

The Underground Revival in the Middle East – J.D. King at Charisma Magazine.

Photography and Art

Cold Morning – Tim Good via Instagram.

The state of British art in 2015 – Anna Coatman at The Royal Academy of Art.

Scenes from the American West, 150 Years Ago – Alan Taylor at The Atlantic.

Life and Culture

Refugee Stories: Teenage girl speaks out, “Save my friends” – David Rupert at Red-Letter Believers.  

The Solution to the Refugee Crisis – David Curry of Open Doors USA via Fox News.

Princeton Students Fight Back – Steven Hayward at Powerline.

The New Dignity: Gnostic, Elitist, Self-Destructive Will to Power – Roberta Green Ahmanson at Public Discourse.

Dr. Everett Pipe: A Man Among Boys – Rod Dreher at American Conservative.

66 (Old) Movie Dance Scenes Mashup

Photograph by Lubos Houska via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.