P031909PS-0533, originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream.

This one is for my photography friends.

I spent some time today browsing The Official White House Photostream on Flickr and I must say, there’s some legit stuff in there. The white house photographer for most (maybe all) the images is a guy by the name of Pete Souza and his work is simply fantastic.

If you get a chance be sure and check out all the photos The White House is posting on Flickr and when you’re ready for more awesomness, take a glance at Pete Souza’s portfolio site — the “Wrigley Field” images are fabulous.

I know it’s been over a week, but I had a few photos from Easter I thought I’d share.

Here’s us in our Easter outfits. Bethany thought it would be fun if I wore a suit, so I Twittered about it and went for it!

Adam (our brother) on the other hand was having struggles with is Easter attire

We went over to a friend’s house and enjoyed a meal together. This is Mike cutting the bestest Easter turkey. I’m not sure if turkey is a traditional Easter food, but it was enjoyable!

Just another shot of the turkey… for good measure.

Turkey + Golf on TV = Snooze Fest for the Fellas

While the guys slept I enjoyed a Coke… nothing special here, but I was only guy not sleeping so I had to do something.

Finally (and I try and save the best for last), a shot of the wives cleaning up! They’re so nice…

HEAR: Three Qualities God is Looking For in His Servants
A few weeks back we had a missionary to Uganda as a guest preacher at our church while our pastor was gone. He preached a phenomenal sermon on the “three qualities God is looking for in His servants” out of Isaiah 66, and you would do well to give it a listen. I guarantee it will convict your heart and you will appreciate this pastor’s passion for God’s word and God’s people. Click this link to begin listening or to download the mp3 file (right-click and select “Save As…” to download the file to your computer).

SEE: John Mayer Singing Without a Guitar in His Hands

John Mayer enters the video at about a minute in, so go ahead and fast forward.

DO: Read Last Week’s Cover Story From Newsweek
Last weeks cover story titled “The End of Christian America” which seeks to reveal the latest findings that the number of claiming Christians had dropped some 10% in the past 15 years. Thankfully, they interviewed who I believe to be one of the best-thinking, conservative theologians, Dr. Albert Mohler. Here’s a quick snippet from the article:

“The moral teachings of Christianity have exerted an incalculable influence on Western civilization,” Mohler says. “As those moral teachings fade into cultural memory, a secularized morality takes their place. Once Christianity is abandoned by a significant portion of the population, the moral landscape necessarily changes. For the better part of the 20th century, the nations of Western Europe led the way in the abandonment of Christian commitments. Christian moral reflexes and moral principles gave way to the loosening grip of a Christian memory. Now even that Christian memory is absent from the lives of millions.”

Click here to read the entire article: “The End of Christian America.”

To see all the past “Hear, See, and Do” posts click here.

The fortune you see above is from my lunch today. Normally I just crack my cookie in half, eat one side and then the other and toss the fortune. Sure, I’ll read it and maybe add a silly ending, but for the most part they’re just little silly sayings that come with a sweet cookie crust. I notice sometimes in the lunch room at work that the fortune cookie is such a big deal to people — people always want “good fortune” I guess? But my fortune today seemed to remind me of something quite greater than good fortune, or even “good tidings” — it reminded me of the Gospel.

I know this weekend we will celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but I can’t help but think about his birth. I know I’m told I’m only supposed to think about that around December 25th, but unless He’s born, He won’t die, and if He doesn’t die then He doesn’t rise again 3 days later, and if He doesn’t rise, well, the Bible says I’m the most to be pitied. As I think about his birth, I’m drawn to the passage in Luke 2, where a messenger brings a message that is truly good tidings:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”