Leif the Laugher

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him..."

The funeral of Father Pierre El-Rahi, Maronite parish priest of a Christian village, is celebrated today in #Lebanon, as these villages once again experience the tragedy of war. I am close to all the Lebanese people in this time of grave trial. Fr. Pierre was a true shepherd. As soon as he heard that parishioners had been wounded in a bombing, he rushed to help without hesitation. May the Lord grant that the blood he shed become a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon. #PrayTogether

@HeatherIsUnsane 30+48, - 3

I suck at math, but this is how it works in my head. 7+8=15 (carry the 1 over) 2+4+1=7 75

@RealFletch17 @grok are Robert de Niro and Tom Hanks implicated in the Epstein Files?

Wait till the whole Truth comes out……

@DerrickEvans4WV @grok is this real?

🚨A man puts a knife to a flight attendant’s throat, she’s crying for her mom, and a passenger steps in. “My turn.” He swaps places, strips the blade, and helps police take the suspect down. Pure courage under pressure.

@Joeinblack @alexathallow Amen!

The crying about @alexathallow is insane. The people at Hallow created a program that makes it easier for people to pray. That’s it. As a priest who hears over 10 hours of confession a week, I can joyfully tell you that it bears great fruit for people. To create the app and set it up and coordinate took a huge investment of manpower and technological skills. They charge for it because they have a right to their wage. They did something no one has done as well as them and the fruits show. I don’t use Hallow, I’m not getting paid by them, I’m just tired of watching people tear apart those who are doing their best to advance the kingdom of God. If you don’t like what they’re doing, get off your couch and do something better. Otherwise, stop this nonsense. There is nothing about it that shows the fruits of the spirit, but I see a lot of the fruits of the flesh in the attacks.

Thank you @jacobmantle for reminding us of the importance of fathers and family.

@DetroitPodcast @VitoJerome No.

Should Detroit Tigers call? @VitoJerome

@MrPitbull07 Having a car that wasn't about to die

For those who didn't grow up privileged, name something you thought was a luxury when you were a kid

@Underwood_szn Please no.

Tigers getting him would make me feel so much better heading into the season. Totally pro at the plate. Will give us great ABs and add some pop and veteran presence. What y'all think?

@travelingflying @grok what is the source of this data?

Who Is Behind Mass Shootings? Mass shootings (4+ deaths) per million people, by group 1.Trans/NB (Bio Male) – 0.769 2.Trans/NB (Bio Female) – 0.667 3.Asian Men – 0.408 4. Black Men – 0.198 5.White Men – 0.176 6.Asian Women – 0.097 7.Hispanic Men – 0.094

@aibytekat @grok who is the guy in the video?

He literally explained the Black Coffee Theory and why it changes how you approach life.

@NHLRumourReport Larkin

Elliotte Friedman: I'm beginning to think this is true...I'm wondering if there's guys holding on by a thread to get there, and then we find out after the Olympics...they're getting shut down; I hear there's a couple cases out there like that potentially - FAN Hockey Show (2/3)

James, you do not preach the Gospel.

@GarnettGenuis @AmandaAchtman @dalepartridge @JoelWebbon Thank you, Garnett.

Hi Dale, just wanted to chime in with three reasons why this is really dumb. 1) You use religious language without any reference to scripture. The Bible (in particular the lineage of Jesus) is full of what you would call "interracial marriage". 2) Race and culture are obviously very different concepts. Couples should reasonably consider similarities and differences in how culture shapes their values, but the idea that skin pigmentation has anything to do with this is clearly nonsense. 3) You presume that seeking maximal sameness in a couple (or a society) leads to better outcomes. But differences can enrich any partnership or community because they allow the community to draw on and learn from different kinds of experiences. You position the community of greater sameness as having some kind of superiority, without justification.

Interracial Marriage. As a Christian man happily married to a Mexican/Spanish/American woman, I actually agree with @JoelWebbon Interracial marriage is not the “ideal.” Now, like Joel, I do not believe it is sinful, and if providence positions two Christians from different ethnic backgrounds to unite in marriage, it can be a glorious thing (which it has been for us). However, interracial marriage does create a variety of additional hurdles in marriage and family life, from overcoming different family expectations and cultural traditions to a wife’s assimilation into her husband’s culture. In addition, the husband must learn how his wife’s ethnos has shaped her instincts, sensitivities, and assumptions. There are also external factors from extended family that can feel awkward or frustrating. Identity politics still prevail in a fallen world and cause conflict along the way. To some degree, all of this can extend to children and their lives, spouses, etc. Now, by God’s grace, He gives those believers called to these unique marriages the endurance to overcome these hurdles, but unity has undoubtedly been more difficult for us than for couples who share the same ethnic background. So, while we live in a multicultural mess that has assumed that the melting pot mentality is just as desirable as sharing ethnic similarities and culture, it’s not. It’s possible with Christ but it comes with its own unique hardships.

@BadWeatherKyle Amen, brother

A personal moment: I’m just a weather guy, and I don’t believe in pushing my beliefs on anyone. Still, I’d love to share something I’ve discovered with anyone who may be feeling a lack of hope, purpose, or is experiencing despair in these troubled times. My relationship with God through Jesus Christ has been changing me, and I submit that God can change you too, if you are willing. Hear me out for a few moments! Friend, I believe that you, like me, are here for a reason. There is no one else like you, with your exact set of skills, passions, and abilities. God delighted in making you this way, and you are precious in His sight simply because He made you. This God, who is perfect in goodness, loves you unconditionally and desires a personal relationship with you. But there is a problem—one we can see all around us. The world is full of brutality, heartlessness, and suffering. These problems exist because of our human tendency to serve our own interests above those of others. Yes, we are all responsible for the brokenness in the world around us. As a result, our actions have separated us from our Creator and from His true desires for us. The good news is that God has done something about this, even while we persisted in our brokenness. Over 2,000 years ago, God entered the world in His Son, Jesus Christ—preaching repentance, healing the sick, and loving His enemies. Then He took the burden of our brokenness upon Himself and died upon a Roman cross. Three days later, in a miraculous and well-attested historical event, He rose from the dead, validating His claim to be the Son of God. With the power of death and our brokenness defeated, He bridged the gap between God and humankind. Because of this most consequential event in history, we can be reunited with our loving Creator once again. The way to salvation in Christianity is unique among religions. Where other religions teach that humans must earn salvation (or passage to some kind of better life, etc.) by being “good enough,” Jesus teaches that imperfect humans cannot earn the favor of a perfect God. Instead, salvation is offered by God’s grace through the gift of Jesus, received by faith alone. Where other religions say, “Do good deeds to inherit salvation,” Jesus says, “Inherit salvation, and then do good deeds.” It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done in your past—God’s love for you is big enough to cover your brokenness. What a relief. Contrary to what we may hear or see – even from certain Christian churches, God is not interested in our religious acts. He is interested in our hearts. Therefore, Christianity ought not to be characterized as a “religion” in that sense, but rather a relationship. He invites us to turn from our ways and turn toward Him, to walk in His light according to the way He intended for us. This doesn’t mean our problems will disappear in this life, as we still live in a broken world. It does mean that we no longer have to fear our problems, or what happens after we die. On the day we finally meet God, we will be welcomed home to a place of eternal life with Him, where there is no more pain, sickness, or suffering. But like any healthy relationship, we will not be compelled to love or follow Him. Christian scripture itself teaches that this message will seem foolish to some and too difficult for others who insist on going their own way. For those who can receive it, however, it is a true source of peace, joy, and love—one that brings real change from within. This change can take a long time, as God patiently and graciously works to restore us to wholeness. Hell is simply the absence of God and His goodness. We already see glimpses of this in the brokenness of the world around us. After we die, if we have chosen to reject God’s offer of relationship with us, hell is where we will remain. As C.S. Lewis once said: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it.” For many, this message of hope is hard to accept because of those who claim to be Christian, but so badly misrepresent Jesus today. In fact, no Christian represents Him perfectly. To those struggling with this, I would encourage you to pick up a Bible and read the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Read His words, observe His life, and decide for yourself whether He is Lord. Then find a church in your community and meet Him there with other imperfect people who are on the same journey. He offers His hand to us, saying: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20) To those who are struggling, He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30) Friend, I pray that you too may experience the peace and joy found in walking in His light. You can receive Him in your heart today by praying a simple prayer like this: "Jesus, I thank you for dying on the cross for me. I am sorry for my sin, and I ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart and show me how to follow you. Thank you for loving me and for giving me the gift of eternal life. Amen."

...something to give folks an incentive. Most people find it hard to be motivated to conserve, I think, when they turn on the taps and water still comes out. Just an idea! Don't even know if it's allowable. .@JeromyYYC

@DudespostingWs @grok is this real or a skit?

Remember this guy the next time you are arguing with someone on the internet

"...For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." Prescience from Tolkien. #samwise #lotr #wisdom

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him..."