The Cost of Halloween

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans are expected to spend $6.86 billion this year on Halloween candy, costumes, decorations and cards, which is an increase of 18 percent from last year. Their research also discovered that:

• 69 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween, (up from 64 percent last year).
• The average person will spend a record $72.31 on candy, decorations and costumes, (up from $66.28 last year).
• 15 percent of those responding to the survey plan to dress their pets in costume, with a total cost of $310 million).

For more information about the survey go to NRF.com.

More on Tim Tebow's Faith

The following comes from Pastors.com.

Tim Tebow starts for the Denver Broncos today. Here’s some insight into his Christian beliefs (from July 7, 2010).

CUMMING, Ga. (BP)--With dozens of kids toting Florida Gator signable footballs or miniature orange football helmets, or decked out in blue jerseys with "15" on the back -- and grown-ups wearing their game-day Gator shirts -- it could have been October in Gainesville, Fla.   

Instead, the site was First Redeemer Church, a sprawling, 4,000-member SBC church in Cumming, Ga., right in the middle of Georgia Bulldog and Georgia Tech country. The draw was Tim Tebow.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound former University of Florida Gator, Heisman Trophy winner and new Denver Bronco quarterback spoke to 4,800 in two packed worship services and at a breakfast on Sunday, July 4 [2010] as part of the church's annual "God and Country Day."

Tebow, who turns 23 in August [2010], was nattily dressed in a pink tie and gray pin-striped suit that failed to hide the bulging left arm that helped lead Florida to two national championships and two SEC championships. But Tebow, a member of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., didn't come to talk about football.

"I was recently doing an interview with a nationally known sports reporter," Tebow said. "She said, 'Now that you've graduated from college, are going to the NFL, will make a lot of money, everybody will know your name and want your autograph ... because of all that, do you count your life as a success?'  

"I told her, yes, I count my life as successful," Tebow said. "But not because I'm famous or won two national championships or the Heisman or going to the NFL, it's because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."

Victory for World Vision Hiring Policy

According to Crosswalk.com, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that World Vision has the right to hire only Christian staff. The case resulted from a lawsuit filed by three employees who were terminated in 2006 when it was discovered that they did not believe in the deity of Jesus or the doctrine of the Trinity. The three had previously agreed to the World Vision statement of faith when they were hired. For the full story go to Crosswalk.com.

Making Faith Stick During College

Youth pastors and parents alike are well aware that when their kids graduate from high school and go off to college, their faith comes under assault — in and out of the classroom. But a three-year longitudinal study conducted by the Fuller Youth Institute, called the College Transition Project, shows that when it comes to keeping their Christian faith on campus, some factors are more critical than others.

“One of the most interesting findings from the pilot project was the importance of doubt in a student’s faith maturity,” noted Powell Kubiak, a graduate of the Marriage and Family Program at Fuller, who coauthored the study. “The more college students felt that they had the opportunity to express their doubt while they were in high school, the higher levels of faith maturity and spiritual maturity (they had in college).” For more information about the research go to The Fuller Youth Institute.

Christian Film Has Impressive Opening Weekend

Last weekend, thanks to sold-out theaters, “Courageous,” the film produced by Sherwood Pictures, the production company of Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia, finished number four in total gross ticket sales, and number one in new movies and number one in per theater average. Only “Dolphin Tale,” “Moneyball” and “The Lion King 3D” had higher sales. Sherwood Baptist also produced the highly successful “Fireproof.” For the complete story go to ChurchExecutive.

Pastors Feel Privileged But Discouraged

The results of a new survey released last week by LifeWay Research show that almost all pastors (98%) feel privileged to be in ministry, and a majority also experience loneliness and discouragement. The research was based on interviews with 1,000 Protestant pastors in August of this year. For the complete report go to LifeWay.com.

NPR's top 100 Sci-Fi books

NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction Books. 

Going through the list I have read: 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16,17, 20, 23, 24, 25, 31, 34, 46, 48, 58, 76, 94.  Most of which I read by the time I finished college with the exception of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (which is still on-going).