Why Did I Get Married?
I really enjoy Tyler Perry's movies-- the way that he weaves things together and tells a story...Now to be fair, they are often formulaic and pieces of them are predictable and I can often figure out what's going to happen in some relationships pretty early on. But just like Nicholas Sparks, I enjoy watching his movies!
This one walked through some dsyfunctional relationships and focused on the importance of doing the work to maintain a marriage. There were (again) some backstories that I would have appreciated being fleshed out a bit more, but I've also been saying that a lot lately in terms of movies...Maybe I should get a better imagination!
Okay so the bad stuff...What I didn't appreciate about the movie was that it was the men who were doing everything right in the relationship and the women were doing everything wrong. Sure there were the infidelities of 2 of the men, but the women, although in strong career fields, seemed very much like weak, fragile things. If they weren't weak & fragile, they were cold and abusive. I didn't see a female character that was all that positive.
Taking that into consideration, I still enjoyed the movie and I will still watch another one of Tyler Perry's movies again!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
I Heart VBS!
Vacation Bible School is such an awesome time! Not only are the songs awesome & the stories engaging, but to be able to work with kids for a week and reminding them that God loves them is just fabulous! Their energy and enthusiasm are enough to build me up even when I'm feeling exhausted.
Just a plug for a moment for Cokesbury's Galactic Blast...The stories were just wonderful. It's not a big secret that the woman at the well is one of my favorite stories, but I've not ever seen it used in Bible School curriculum before...The stories used: Creation; Elijah at Mt. Horeb, The Woman at the Well, Jesus & the blind man...Great stories! I was impressed at several things-- taking some of these rich and complicated stories and making them kid-friendly without dumbing them down...and they used inclusive language most of the time. Not easy to do in curriculum!
One of my hesitations with Cokesbury's curriculum has usually been the music...But the music was well done and catchy and easy to learn. Again, I was impressed and it takes a bit to impress me.
I've seen Group's VBS curriculum for the last few years and before that it was someone else's. If Cokesbury has this high caliber of curriculum every year for VBS, I'm in...
Beyond the curriculum...This VBS was just awesome. I don't know if it's being in a new place that makes this VBS so incredible...I'm sure that has some to do with it. But, to see the message of the Gospel and the message of the love of God comprehended & understood by these kids who were present is just awesome! I mean really awesome!
One night I sat in the pews next to the 1st & 2nd graders and I asked one of the boys what the story was the night before...and he recounted to me in excitement the story of Elijah at Mt. Horeb and hearing God in the whisper. Another night as we were outside playing games, one of the kids saw the moon in the sky and said, "Wow! The moon really is with us all the time just like God is!"
Every night was just incredible, but to see the reckless abandon of the kids on Friday singing & dancing to their songs was so incredibly heartwarming. Just beautiful. They sang those songs with their whole being and with a passion that I think John Wesley meant when he wrote "Sing lustily" as one of his rules for singing. Astounding.
I loved every moment of the VBS and I can't wait to see what it brings about for the future here!
Just a plug for a moment for Cokesbury's Galactic Blast...The stories were just wonderful. It's not a big secret that the woman at the well is one of my favorite stories, but I've not ever seen it used in Bible School curriculum before...The stories used: Creation; Elijah at Mt. Horeb, The Woman at the Well, Jesus & the blind man...Great stories! I was impressed at several things-- taking some of these rich and complicated stories and making them kid-friendly without dumbing them down...and they used inclusive language most of the time. Not easy to do in curriculum!
One of my hesitations with Cokesbury's curriculum has usually been the music...But the music was well done and catchy and easy to learn. Again, I was impressed and it takes a bit to impress me.
I've seen Group's VBS curriculum for the last few years and before that it was someone else's. If Cokesbury has this high caliber of curriculum every year for VBS, I'm in...
Beyond the curriculum...This VBS was just awesome. I don't know if it's being in a new place that makes this VBS so incredible...I'm sure that has some to do with it. But, to see the message of the Gospel and the message of the love of God comprehended & understood by these kids who were present is just awesome! I mean really awesome!
One night I sat in the pews next to the 1st & 2nd graders and I asked one of the boys what the story was the night before...and he recounted to me in excitement the story of Elijah at Mt. Horeb and hearing God in the whisper. Another night as we were outside playing games, one of the kids saw the moon in the sky and said, "Wow! The moon really is with us all the time just like God is!"
Every night was just incredible, but to see the reckless abandon of the kids on Friday singing & dancing to their songs was so incredibly heartwarming. Just beautiful. They sang those songs with their whole being and with a passion that I think John Wesley meant when he wrote "Sing lustily" as one of his rules for singing. Astounding.
I loved every moment of the VBS and I can't wait to see what it brings about for the future here!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The thin line...
Several times over the past couple of weeks, I have been in the thin line of tension between life and death...It's a very strange place to be...On the one hand, sad and unfortunate and on the other full of grace and so very holy...
It first came with a message from a friend who was excitedly sharing that she & her husband were finally going to be parents! I know how long this process has been for them and they are adopting their baby soon. My heart fluttered with joy over their happiness and I prayed for all of the moments and days and years they would spend as, no doubt, amazing parents...When not even a half an hour passed by and I got an email saying that a friend & colleague, who I had just spent the previous 2 days with, had died suddenly. And in that moment, the world paused...Well, at least my world paused...And here I was, stuck in between unspeakable joy and shocking sorrow. For a bit, I didn't know what do--laugh or cry. So instead, I just breathed...
The 2nd time came just this week as we celebrated the lives of 2 men dear to this new congregation. Truthfully, I didn't know either of them and to my knowledge had not yet even met them. There have certainly been many funerals that I have done without knowing the person who had died and relying on the stories of friends and family to catch a glimpse into the life that we celebrate. This time, I wasn't the one officiating the funerals, but trying to catch a glimpse of these people through their funerals. I will say again, that being able to be present with a family during the grief of a family member or friend is an incredibly humbling and grace filled time. And once again, if my heart stops breaking for these ones who grieve, I need to stop doing what I'm doing...
But as the funerals of these men were happening, the decorations from our Vacation Bible School were happening...And it was remarkable at the thin line between life & death once again. On the one hand, I could hear conversations with people that I've known throughout the years criticizing the choice not to take down decorations and claiming that it made the funeral less important...But I also remember a funeral that I did where the man had wanted balloons on his casket to remind people to smile and laugh because they were supposed to celebrate his life and not mourn his death.
It is so amazing to be in that thin place between life and death...Where there are tears shed and in no time at all laughter rolls...And while there are moments that remind us stronger that we are in this thin place, we really are always in this thin place...In a moment, our hearts are broken...and in a moment, we are uplifted in ways that we never thought possible...We live in this thin place...
And it's an awe-filled place to be living... 1 Corinthians 13:12 "We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!"
It first came with a message from a friend who was excitedly sharing that she & her husband were finally going to be parents! I know how long this process has been for them and they are adopting their baby soon. My heart fluttered with joy over their happiness and I prayed for all of the moments and days and years they would spend as, no doubt, amazing parents...When not even a half an hour passed by and I got an email saying that a friend & colleague, who I had just spent the previous 2 days with, had died suddenly. And in that moment, the world paused...Well, at least my world paused...And here I was, stuck in between unspeakable joy and shocking sorrow. For a bit, I didn't know what do--laugh or cry. So instead, I just breathed...
The 2nd time came just this week as we celebrated the lives of 2 men dear to this new congregation. Truthfully, I didn't know either of them and to my knowledge had not yet even met them. There have certainly been many funerals that I have done without knowing the person who had died and relying on the stories of friends and family to catch a glimpse into the life that we celebrate. This time, I wasn't the one officiating the funerals, but trying to catch a glimpse of these people through their funerals. I will say again, that being able to be present with a family during the grief of a family member or friend is an incredibly humbling and grace filled time. And once again, if my heart stops breaking for these ones who grieve, I need to stop doing what I'm doing...
But as the funerals of these men were happening, the decorations from our Vacation Bible School were happening...And it was remarkable at the thin line between life & death once again. On the one hand, I could hear conversations with people that I've known throughout the years criticizing the choice not to take down decorations and claiming that it made the funeral less important...But I also remember a funeral that I did where the man had wanted balloons on his casket to remind people to smile and laugh because they were supposed to celebrate his life and not mourn his death.
It is so amazing to be in that thin place between life and death...Where there are tears shed and in no time at all laughter rolls...And while there are moments that remind us stronger that we are in this thin place, we really are always in this thin place...In a moment, our hearts are broken...and in a moment, we are uplifted in ways that we never thought possible...We live in this thin place...
And it's an awe-filled place to be living... 1 Corinthians 13:12 "We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!"
Monday, July 12, 2010
There's how many?
To say that I'm overwhelmed by all of the options that I have at my fingertips is the least...Oh, don't get me wrong-- I love it! It is by far refreshing to not have to drive an hour to the nearest Starbucks or half an hour to the nearest grocery store...And to have 2 Targets near me in less time than it would take me to get to 1 is pretty darn awesome! Let's be clear...as much as I'm overwhelmed, I'm also excited!
But I wonder how many is too many...And I'm not just talking about grocery stores or Starbucks. But all of the options that we have...I mean for crying out loud, how many different brands of toothpaste are out there! At what point do all of these options impede our ability to make a decision. We have to weigh out all of our options and get the best reviews and then there may even be a test period. At which point we hope that we've found the best option for ourselves. But then again...
What does that mean for spiritual life? In my new role, I'm focusing on youth & young adults and I've been doing a lot of thinking about these specific areas of ministry. Some because I happen to fall into the young adult category-- and with all of the options out there in terms of religion or spirituality, what is it that helps to make the decision?
I think we've grown accostumed to treating our spirituality or faith in the same way we do as our toothpaste. Examine it, review it, test it out, and if it works for me I'll stick with it. Which to some degree is important-- while faith is stepping out and hoping/believing that there is a path, there is a certain degree of skepticism regarding churches or institutions. And maybe I'm a product of my generation with skepticism for the church. The truth is, though, that I love the Church. There are times when I grow angry or frustrated with the church, but I love the Church. I have found a home in the Church and it makes me sad that others have not yet found that home or have not found it to be a safe place. And so the question returns...How do you "convince" people to choose your church/faith/home when there are so many options and skepticism out there.
It's not an easy task, but it's also not impossible. If I believed that it weren't possible for lives to be transformed through the power of Jesus Christ, well...I wouldn't be a pastor! I do believe that people's lives can be changed and that there is hope beyond what this world will tell us to hope in.
I am excited to embark on this journey and to work and walk with others who share this same dream and vision!
But I wonder how many is too many...And I'm not just talking about grocery stores or Starbucks. But all of the options that we have...I mean for crying out loud, how many different brands of toothpaste are out there! At what point do all of these options impede our ability to make a decision. We have to weigh out all of our options and get the best reviews and then there may even be a test period. At which point we hope that we've found the best option for ourselves. But then again...
What does that mean for spiritual life? In my new role, I'm focusing on youth & young adults and I've been doing a lot of thinking about these specific areas of ministry. Some because I happen to fall into the young adult category-- and with all of the options out there in terms of religion or spirituality, what is it that helps to make the decision?
I think we've grown accostumed to treating our spirituality or faith in the same way we do as our toothpaste. Examine it, review it, test it out, and if it works for me I'll stick with it. Which to some degree is important-- while faith is stepping out and hoping/believing that there is a path, there is a certain degree of skepticism regarding churches or institutions. And maybe I'm a product of my generation with skepticism for the church. The truth is, though, that I love the Church. There are times when I grow angry or frustrated with the church, but I love the Church. I have found a home in the Church and it makes me sad that others have not yet found that home or have not found it to be a safe place. And so the question returns...How do you "convince" people to choose your church/faith/home when there are so many options and skepticism out there.
It's not an easy task, but it's also not impossible. If I believed that it weren't possible for lives to be transformed through the power of Jesus Christ, well...I wouldn't be a pastor! I do believe that people's lives can be changed and that there is hope beyond what this world will tell us to hope in.
I am excited to embark on this journey and to work and walk with others who share this same dream and vision!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Movie Review: Eastern Promises
Eastern Promises
When I got this one in the mail from Netflix, I honestly could not remember why I had requested it or where I had ever heard of this movie before. There was nothing familiar about it as I read the synopsis and while I've heard of the actors peripherally, I don't necessarily follow their work. The best I can think is that it was a suggestion based off of other movies that I've enjoyed.
The plot follows a midwife who delivers a baby from a teenage girl who dies in childbirth and leaves behind a diary in Russian. As this diary is translated, it uncovers a dark world in the Russian mob and a fight to save this baby girl's life in many ways.
It is a very intriguing and wonderful concept and story for a movie. Tragic and dark for sure...There were several pieces to the story that I hoped would flesh out a little bit more, but it seemed as though there wasn't enough time to get to everything. The plots twists weren't as much of a surprise as there were many hints along the way, but they were kind of presented and then dropped. There were some character relationships that I wanted to see developed more that just weren't. I was also missing some backstory for the characters--they shared pieces, but not everything and it seemed as though it were missing.
It was very well done to be sure--the cinematography and story concept are excellent and the acting was beautifully done. I just wish some things had been hammered out a bit more rather than leaving them hanging.
When I got this one in the mail from Netflix, I honestly could not remember why I had requested it or where I had ever heard of this movie before. There was nothing familiar about it as I read the synopsis and while I've heard of the actors peripherally, I don't necessarily follow their work. The best I can think is that it was a suggestion based off of other movies that I've enjoyed.
The plot follows a midwife who delivers a baby from a teenage girl who dies in childbirth and leaves behind a diary in Russian. As this diary is translated, it uncovers a dark world in the Russian mob and a fight to save this baby girl's life in many ways.
It is a very intriguing and wonderful concept and story for a movie. Tragic and dark for sure...There were several pieces to the story that I hoped would flesh out a little bit more, but it seemed as though there wasn't enough time to get to everything. The plots twists weren't as much of a surprise as there were many hints along the way, but they were kind of presented and then dropped. There were some character relationships that I wanted to see developed more that just weren't. I was also missing some backstory for the characters--they shared pieces, but not everything and it seemed as though it were missing.
It was very well done to be sure--the cinematography and story concept are excellent and the acting was beautifully done. I just wish some things had been hammered out a bit more rather than leaving them hanging.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Movie Review: Walk Hard--The Dewey Cox Story
With it being summer and fewer shows on TV (unless you want to count reality shows, which I'm trying not to get sucked into!), it means that I have a little bit more time to catch up on my Netflix queue--which has gotten way out of control by the way...Guess that means I need to do some movie watching!
The first one that I watched was Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story . I really like John C. Reilly and especially when he & Will Ferrell team up. Now to be clear, it's not always family friendly when they work together. What I like about John C. Reilly is that he can do both dramatic & comedic roles--although I think he's been leaning a bit more comedic in the last few years. Which, he's had moderate success--depending on what you claim as success anyway.
I was hoping to have a laugh out loud movie experience and I didn't. Now it wasn't terrible and while there were a couple scenes that were graphic and I couldn't figure out what they had to do with moving the plot forward, it wasn't a waste of my time. I wouldn't reccommend it to anyone because it really wasn't that great...It failed in many ways as a spoof on the recent biopics of musicians. It wasn't clever enough to carry the jokes and they came off as just too corny or cliche for me.
But overall, I was entertained for the time that it was on!
The first one that I watched was Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story . I really like John C. Reilly and especially when he & Will Ferrell team up. Now to be clear, it's not always family friendly when they work together. What I like about John C. Reilly is that he can do both dramatic & comedic roles--although I think he's been leaning a bit more comedic in the last few years. Which, he's had moderate success--depending on what you claim as success anyway.
I was hoping to have a laugh out loud movie experience and I didn't. Now it wasn't terrible and while there were a couple scenes that were graphic and I couldn't figure out what they had to do with moving the plot forward, it wasn't a waste of my time. I wouldn't reccommend it to anyone because it really wasn't that great...It failed in many ways as a spoof on the recent biopics of musicians. It wasn't clever enough to carry the jokes and they came off as just too corny or cliche for me.
But overall, I was entertained for the time that it was on!
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