Jesus claimed to fulfill His mission by dying for us

John Stott, one of the most influential Christians of our time, said Jesus claimed to fulfill His mission by dying for us:

"And the reason for this emphasis by the apostles is that they had seen it in the mind of Jesus himself.  It set him apart from the other religious leaders in history.  They died of natural causes in a good old age, having successfully completed their mission.  Muhammad was 62, Confucius 72, the Buddha 80 and Moses 120.  But Jesus died the horrible death of crucifixion in his early thirties, repudiated by his own people, apparently a complete failure, yet claiming to fulfill His mission by His death.  Indeed, during his last few days on earth, he was still looking forward to the accomplishment of his work.
"So the church has been right to choose the cross as its symbol for Christianity.  It could have chosen he crib in which the baby Jesus was laid, or the carpenter’s bench, or the boat from which he taught the people, or the towel with which he washed and wiped the disciple’s feet or the tomb from which he rose again, or the throne he occupies today, any one of these could have been an appropriate symbol of the Christian faith.  But the church passed them all by in favor of the cross, which stands for the necessity and centrality of his death." 
John Stott, Why I Am a Christian (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003), 50-51.

John Calvin's definition of faith

John Calvin gave this definition of faith:

“We must not think that Christian faith is a pure and simple knowledge of God, or an understanding of the Scripture, which flutters about in the brain without touching the heart.  That is the opinion we normally hold of things which are validated for us by some reason which sounds probable.
Christian faith is, rather, a sure and solid assurance of the heart, by which we cling securely to the mercy of God which is promised to us through the gospel.”

John Calvin, Truth for All Time: A Brief Outline of the Christian Faith, Stuart Olyott, trans. (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1998), 28.

Einstein's cluttered desk

One study by researchers at the University of Minnesota found a messy environment can make us more creative, whereas orderly surroundings make us more likely to confirm to traditional expectations.
As Albert Einstein – the owner of a notoriously messy desk – put it: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

Can decluttering your house really make you happier?
By Sarah Griffiths
15 May 2019
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190515-can-decluttering-your-house-really-spark-joy  as of 5/16/2019

"Life is a process of accepting the messes and learning to clean them up."

Quote from email:
New York Times Thursday Evening Briefing
Date: Thu, May 9, 2019, 6:32 PM

"Life is a process of accepting the messes and learning to clean them up."
That's according to Kelley Schlise, a plumber's daughter who will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall.
Hers is one of five college application essays about work, class and money selected by our money columnist Ron Leiber after his sixth annual callout to high school seniors.