Around the Web:

Our Love-Hate Relationship with Christian Art

N.D. Wilson writes about recovering our confidence in the value of Christian Art.

Everyone is insecure about the branding of Christian art. Everyone worries about being labeled cheesy—even the cheesiest people I know. Some artists delude themselves into thinking that they aren’t, and others attempt to divorce their faith from their creations with a secular firewall.

This is a really good, really important post. Read more.

Five Truths about Thanksgiving

In the spirit of the week, Joseph Scheumann at Desiring God presents five theological truths about thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a pervasive and essential concept in Scripture. And although it is good to set aside a Thursday each November to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, the Scriptures have more to say about giving thanks than one day a year can handle.

Teenagers Prefer Print

GalleyCat covers a new study of teenagers and their reading habits.

The majority (62 percent) of 16-to-24 year-olds in the UK prefer print books to eBooks, according to a new report from Voxburner .

The report included responses from 1,420 participants who were surveyed them between September 25th and October 18th 2013.

I’m skeptical. Here’s why. The chances of the 1,420 participants they found being the kind of kids who prefer a screen are small. Why? Because those kids were inside playing Xbox, so they couldn’t answer the survey. Read more.

He Sets the Lonely in Families

Jessie Weaver at the Lifeway blog talks about being far away from family during the holidays. She identifies a huge need for the Church to step up.

One of those first Christmases we were in Virginia alone, I remember a strange guest around our Christmas tree: my dad’s work friend, who had recently had a broken engagement and was suffering heartbreak. We loved having him among us, and he gifted me with my very first (and only) Paula Abdul cassette tape, for which I will be forever grateful to him.

Super. Read more.

Around the Warren:

Adventures Ahead: Schemes, Dreams & a Godward Guide

S.D. Smith wrote about our plans for Story Warren over the holidays. We’re featuring an advent reading (more in Friday’s post) every day.

This may seem a little ironic for a website, but we’re genuinely eager to communicate that staying on-line all the time isn’t healthy and taking breaks from social media, blogs, and internet “life” are very likely good things. So…

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Julie Silander writes about the tooth fairy’s operations in her home.

Twas the month before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring –
– unless you count the faintest sound of delicate wings fluttering through the air, down the hall, and under the door into my daughter’s room. The tiny sprite hovered over a stuffed Tooth Fairy Bear, which had gotten quite comfortable in a doll’s white wicker chair. His work had been sparse as of late, but the little girl with a mouth full of teeth finally called upon his service.

Fun! Read more.

Family Advent Art & Reading Guide Introduction

James Witmer presents the introduction to the Family Advent Art & Reading Guide.

I love celebrating Christmas, and I love almost every Christmas tradition I’ve ever met. But once I had children of my own, I realized the idea of Santa Claus was eclipsing the joyous miracle of Jesus’ arrival among us. This made me feel decidedly Scrooge-like.

Get ready for advent! Read more.