From NYTimes: LA PAZ, Bolivia — When NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across an Andean plant called quinoa. With an exceptional balance of protein and amino acids, quinoa, they declared, is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients. But while Bolivians have lived off it for centuries, quinoa remained little more than a curiosity outside the Andes for years, found in health food shops and... Read more

This post is by “T” — one of our regular readers. It concerns whether we need to focus on having more than one pastor. Sola Plura Pastora – 1 – Is sola pastora a problem? I have a thesis. The thesis is that the prevalent, though often unspoken, western practice/ecclesiology of sola pastora — one pastor — is long overdue for a slow but steady and thoughtful overhaul. In this series, for however long it lasts, I’d like to discuss... Read more

“You turn the light on, you get all kinds of bugs.” Read more

See this? “Sometimes, man’s best friend needs a little help of his own. Graham Waspe counted on his guide dog, a yellow Labrador named Edward, for six years. So Waspe wasn’t about to give up on him when cataracts left Edward blind. The 60-year-old man and his wife, Sandra, kept the loyal four-legged helper and adopted a second dog to help lead both man and dog together. The new Labrador, a 2-year-old female named Opal, has become fast friends with... Read more

The Pastor: A Memoir, by Eugene Peterson 15 Mar by Chaplain Mike “The way is made by walking” (Antonio Machado) Eugene Peterson’s career as a pastor has been a living tortoise and hare fable. In an age of emphasis on church growth, Peterson was “the contemplative pastor.” As the calling of minister morphed into the job of CEO, whose main task is to “run the church,” he renounced that role and sought to maintain the pastor’s singular vocation as one... Read more