Love Notes

There's a moment in the Disney classic, Cinderella, when the ragamuffin heroine lays claim to her wayward glass slipper and Prince Charming adoringly sweeps her into his arms and waltzes her away. It's a scene that draws longing sighs from every woman who watches it.

Why? Romance. That's what it's all about.

I've often wondered how that intangible sense of true love and devotion makes the leap from celluoid to reality. I know it happens. I've been around couples who have been married for decades and still glow when they sit side by side, hands lovingly intertwined.

However, I also know that the course of true love never runs smooth. In fact, Rocky Road might better entitle the majority of marriages I know.

But, last week a friend of mine told me a little secret. A tale of love that brought tears to my eyes and I must admit, a little envy to my heart. ;)

Her story wasn't about the latest piece of jewelry that her husband gave her, or the flowers that he sent. For my friend's husband passed away two years ago, just short of their wedding anniversary.

So now at the age of seventy, she is alone. But, thanks to her loving spouse, not always lonely.

For tucked away in drawers and cabinets throughout my friend's home are love notes scripted by her husband. Terms of endearments that he planted as romantic surprises for her during the course of their marriage.
Over the years, she saved his sweet inscriptions, often leaving them in their original hiding places. His loving sentiments tenderly playing anew with each re-discovery.

Now that he is gone, her life is a daily challenge of loving memories and sad yearning for this romantic man with whom she shared almost a half a century of life.

But in her indomitable way, my friend is continuing on with determination and enthusiasm. She is healthy and strong and lives each day with an interest in the world around her. She is surrounded by family and friends who support her and a community where she is acknowledged and respected. But most of all, she continues on with the inner knowledge that she is loved. Truly and totally.

And any time she thinks otherwise, all she has to do is open a kitchen drawer or look in her bedroom nightstand for a little reminder.

But somehow I think she knows, even before she opens that drawer. :p

Immortals 2011

I didn't want to see Immortals because it looked like 300 or Clash of the Titans, but rather because I wanted to see the future Man of Steel, Henry Cavill, in a heroic action role to get an idea of how he might fit in his upcoming, iconic role. Well, not only was I pleased with what I saw of him, but I was also pleased to find that this was a movie that exceeded Clash of the Titans (not hard to do), had the same artistic aesthetic as 300 but a little more refined (like the difference between a graphic novel and a painting), and some surprisingly awesome action. In short, it was a fun time at the movies as long as you aren't expecting anything of Oscar caliber

Overall the story of Theseus is fairly simple revenge tale. King Hyperion wants revenge on the gods for letting him down, Theseus wants revenge on Hyperion for killing his mother. The rage in both characters is what drives the story forward, but fortunately both leads give nuanced enough performances that it doesn't feel shallow. Rourke gives King Hyperion some gravitas with his ruthlessness that's driven by rage, sorrow, and disappointment. Cavill portrays a hero who wants revenge, yes, but also doesn't want to lose himself in the pursuit of it because it's not just about revenge; it's about justice. It's truly the light and the dark drawn from the same source but colliding together, and their final confrontation is as satisfying as it is brutal. Most of the other characters are serviceable, but the other stand-out is Luke Evans as Zeus, a god who is obviously conflicted but wants to do the right thing and help humanity stand against evil.

Speaking of the gods, much of this movie is driven by them... or rather one's belief and disbelief in them. Both Theseus and Hyperion share a common trait; they feel that the gods, if they are real, are capricious, unreliable, and certainly didn't ever do much to help them in their time of need. So many discussions center around this disappointment with the gods that I started to wonder why humanity is so quick to get angry at the divine. Even in our modern society, we still have people who trump reason over the myths of God, saying we should rely on ourselves and not childhood tales of faith. One of the common roots of this belief comes from some sort of disappointment. At some time God didn't live up our expectations of what he is supposed to do for us. Our pain, our hurt, our disappointment is his fault and because of that we'll choose to believe either he isn't real or doesn't care.

We are quick to consider all the ways God disappoints us and doesn't live up to our expectations, but perhaps we should stop and consider whether or not we are living up to his expectations or if we are disappointing him. Theseus eventually learns to view things from this different perspective while Hyperion never does. One of them is destroyed and one of them prevails; I'll let you take a guess as to which is which. ;)

Immortals was more a curiosity than anything else for me; I was curious to see the future Superman. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly enjoyable movie here as well. It's certainly better than Clash of the Titans (I know, that's not saying much) and at least on equal footing with 300 (although that film had a more lyrical quality to the dialogue whereas in this movie more often than not it's rather clumsy). Cavill makes for a fine leading man, Rourke is an imposing villain, and climax of the movie which involves a fierce battle between titans and gods plays almost like God of War the Movie. With the few mentioned caveats (it's bloody and people do get naked for no reason at one point), Immortals is a fun mythology-filled action film that just may get you thinking about your own disappointments with God[s]

Make a Difference

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point, an awesome one. .....
Take this quiz:

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Wanders

Wanders is a spectacular musical extravaganza that combines the elements of theater, concert, circus and dance in one exciting show. It is a sentimental journey of two “wanderers” who are brought into different magnificent acts by a tourist guide. The show boasts of a stellar line-up of Filipino artists performing side by side with premier Chinese acrobats and classically-trained Russian dancers. Wanders is a visual and auditory treat that features soulful renditions of timeless classics, gravity-defying acrobatics and visually stunning dance numbers.

Wanders is presented by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR). This is PAGCOR’s initial venture into world-class family-oriented entertainment to promote tourism in the country. “Wanders was conceptualized and produced by Filipinos with a vision. We no longer relied on foreigners for their ideas and expertise but collaborated with creative minds in the region to develop a show that is truly world-class. Wanders is not like other shows where we only ‘rent’ from foreign production companies. With this show, we relied solely on our own imagination and creativity,” says PAGCOR chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino.

The story unfolds with tourists Pol and Pola (Johan dela Fuente and Jenny Villegas) who meet a tourist guide (Calvin Millado) after losing their camera. The tourist guide welcomes them to various amazing acts performed by Filipino artists like Nonie Buencamino, Frenchie Dy, Kim Flores, Dreamie Magracia, Ronald Nacion, top local dance groups Hotlegs, Manoeuvres, and Whiplash and astonishing Chinese acrobats and Russian dancers.

The Chinese acrobats were chosen from the various acrobatic troupes in the Henan province of China. Henan is considered the breeding ground of the world’s top acrobatic performers. Acrobatics (Hundred Plays) have been part of the Chinese culture since the Western Han Dynasty over 2,500 years ago. Acrobats are respected in China because it takes years of rigorous training to achieve the excellence required by the ancient art form. Children who want to become acrobats start their training when they are four or five years old. The art form has gained a new life since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Troupes were established in the provinces, autonomous regions and special municipals. Some troupes are famous worldwide and they promote friendship and cultural exchanges.


The rest of Wanders.... and a lot more!..

Marley & Me

As a self-admitted dog lover, I confess that I went to Marley & Me for nothing but the dog. I wanted to watch him make a mess, I wanted to watch him be cute, and I wanted witness the love story that could not help but unfold with him in its center. But while Marley is cute and the story of his life sweet, Marley & Me is much less a story about a dog and much more a story about life in general.


I was very surprised. I thought Marley would have been a so-so film. I was wrong. I think this was because they were about life in all its dimensions –career, marriage, children, birth and death. I recommend Marley to you. In Marley you will experience Unconditional Love in a new tear jerking way.


In the account of Marley's life with the Grogan family are no epic tragedies, unrealistically comic collisions, or overly dramatic dilemmas. Instead Marley & Me tells a story that is really about no more than the ordinary ins, outs, ups, and downs of day-to-day life. And in the same way that the family comes to know Marley as both the worst dog ever and the greatest dog they could have ever known.

While Marley may be one of the world's worst-behaved dogs, to Grogan and his family, he also becomes a source of amusement, comfort, and love that they can always count on. In retrospect, Marley's crazy puppy antics bring smiles to their faces even long after they have passed. When Jenny has a miscarriage, Marley sits loyally by her side to comfort her as she mourns. As the children grow up, he plays with them and watches over them. And as Grogan struggles to come to terms with his own life and identity amid a sea of surprise, Marley is the one always there to join him in quiet contemplation. "A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor," says Grogan. "Give him your heart and he'll give you his." And in much the same way, that is also true of God.

There with us for the long haul, from one stage of life to the next, in joy and in sorrow, and through the unfolding of both our best laid plans as well as our most incomprehensible and unexpected journeys, God's love and loyalty, like a dog's, is a certainty on which we can always count. Like Marley, His love is not based on how much money we have, what kind of car we drive, or what kind of job we hold. Whether its expression be calm and quiet or loud and boisterous, He will never shy away from showing His love for us in whatever manner necessary. And in the same way that Marley becomes not merely a spectator to their unfolding lives and growing family but an inspiration, an encouragement, and integral member, so can God.

Just After Sunset

I haven’t always been a big fan of short stories. During my high school years, they seemed like additional ways for our teachers to torture students already loaded down with hours of homework. But since we had to read and respond to them in order to graduate, we naturally acquiesced. It wasn’t until I got to college that one of my professors introduced me to the writings of the late Flannery O’Connor. From there, I was hooked. Her imagery was vivid, her attention to detail was exquisite, and the endings that came out of nowhere were memorable. She made the process seem quite easy—or so I thought. A few years later, I tried my hand at writing my own short story—and quickly found out that I had a long way to go before I reached the level of the masters of the genre.


So when I learned that renowned author Stephen King was about to release a series of short stories, I was immediately intrigued. Admitted, the only work of his I’ve read was Misery, but it’s one of the few titles I distinctly remember. Nevertheless, I found the new collection, entitled Just After Sunset, at the local bookstore (it has a cover that will play tricks with your eyes) and am curious to see what’s inside.


What might it include? Interesting characters in challenging situations? Emotionally-charged plotlines? Trips that are out of the ordinary? Each is a real possibility.


According to the title description, the stories are going to remind the reader that “nothing is quite as it appears.” Sounds a lot like life, huh? We would love to be able to script our entire destinies while on Earth, but life rarely goes according to our plans. That’s because we are not our own; God not only created us, he knows the plans and has the blueprints for our existence. To that end, he makes sure there’s a reason for everything—even the minutest details of our day. Trusting him to handle our lives for us would be wise.


Now that the sun has gone down, it’s time to start reading Just After Sunset. I’m sure Mr. King would have it no other way.

Quantum of Solace

I'll give the bad news first: Quantum of Solace isn't as good as Casino Royale. While action is what most of us came for, in Quantum it pretty much takes over, leaving little room for the more character-centered storyline that gave its predecessor much of its strength. Although Quantum of Solace does contain its own share of twists, turns, and revelations, its more formulaic tale of simple government/corporate conspiracy does not exactly stand out amidst similar others. And even though Quantum of Solace does deliver adrenaline-pumping chase and fight scenes of almost every sort, with a rapid-fire editing style more akin to the Bourne franchise than Bond, a part of me missed the smoother, more fluid style that has always been classic 007.


That said, Quantum of Solace is still a good movie. As number two in what is expected to be at least a four-film run with Daniel Craig in its title role, its existence as more of a follow-up to the first and a bridge to the next is understandable. While it did take me a few beats to get up to speed with its rapid-fire action, that action still kept my heart pumping (in a good way) for most of the film's running time. And while both the film's espionage plot and character development are decidedly less engaging than in the first, they both still manage to pull you into their world and carry you along for the ride.


This Bond is touchy-feely, when he's not cold-cocking folks. He actually leaves villains alive to be prosecuted (sometimes), and admits his affection for Vesper, for Mathis, even M. This is not your father or your grandfather's Bond, but this is a Bond for 2008, where conscience is demanded, and blind allegiance is ridiculed (or should be).


This Bond IS different. The viewers are right. But this Bond is better, more real, and more substantial than any Bond before. Daniel Craig still won't win an Oscar, but he's proved that an old dog can learn new tricks, can grow, and become more human. And in doing so, Bond proves that there's hope and redemption for all of us, if we would only learn how to forgive.

Eagle Eye: Who Controls Your Life?

Is "Big Brother" watching you? Do you have control over your own destiny? Eagle Eye asks these questions while taking us on an action-packed journey into cyber-terrorism.

It all starts when Jerry Shaw's (Shia Labeouf) brother dies in a car accident. All of a sudden Jerry finds himself with three quarters of a million dollars in his bank account and he returns home to his apartment to discover it stacked high with weapons and explosives. A poster with the word surveillance is stuck prominently on one wall. Jerry then receives a phone call from a mysterious woman who says, "You've been activated," and then proceeds to give him instructions on how to get out of the situation alive... which includes a stunning escape from the FBI. Meanwhile, single mother Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) is out on the town with some friends when she too receives a call from the same mysterious woman. She is threatened with the death of her son if she does not comply with the instructions she is given.


Jerry and Rachel are pushed into a series of increasingly dangerous situations, with the technology of everyday life—such as mobile phones, security cameras, satellite imaging—being used to track their every move. But this mysterious caller is not the only person they need to worry about. They are now the country's most-wanted fugitives and the FBI is hot on their heels. In this battle for survival, Jerry and Rachel must work together in order to discover what is really happening—and more importantly, why?


Now, I'm sure most people want to find out the answers to this themselves, so I'll try not to give too much away. But I will say that you do have to suspend your disbelief a bit if you really want to enjoy this film. Otherwise you may find yourself sitting in the cinema saying, "Oh, come on, that can't happen!"... or something to that effect.


I think the reason movies such as Eagle Eye don't really make me uncomfortable is because I'm perfectly aware that there's really no such thing as privacy any more anyway. We're all perfectly happy to make not only our personal information known so we can have greater convenience online, through credit cards that we just have to tap, and with smart phones and so on, but we're also perfectly happy to make our preferences known as well so companies can more accurately cater to our desires. The fact is we're only concerned about an "invasion of privacy" when it's something that might stop us from doing what we want or might inconvenience our lifestyle.


Of course we have the exact same issues with God. We're perfectly happy to let him monitor our lives, or completely ignore the fact that he's monitoring our lives, just so long as he doesn't interfere with our lives. The moment his omniscience starts to have any sort of influence on how we live, that's when we become indignant and frustrated over a God who just won't leave us a alone and "demands" that we follow his own, arbitrary moral code. That's when we start complaining about a controlling, capricious God.


Well, let me again point out that this issue of surveillance, monitoring, and omniscience really depends on something very important: relationship. When you have a good relationship with God, you don't really have anything to worry about when it comes to the fact that he knows and sees everything you do. When you know that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life, you no longer feel inconvenienced or intimidated by God's surveillance of your life because God's view of you is filtered through the righteousness and holiness of Christ. You now live under grace and forgiveness, and more than that, because of your loving relationship with God, you're not that concerned about him controlling your life because you want to live it to please and honor him anyway... just as you behave for anyone you like or love.

In the same way, if you have a good relationship with the government, if you're a good citizen, just what do we really have to fear from government surveillance, especially considering they aren't getting any information we haven't already shared with wireless companies, credit card companies, online stores, and through the web with MySpace and Youtube? This issue of privacy versus surveillance for national security isn't really an issue; it's one we've already decided with our own high-tech lifestyles.


Okay, so back to the movie. Eagle Eye is certainly a serviceable espionage, action thriller... up to a certain point.


Eagle Eye contains some great action sequences, car chases ,and explosions that really make it one to see on the big screen. All the performances are credible, though there isn't a whole lot of character development—with the exception of Jerry Shaw, who gets most of the screen time in the early part of the film. And once the film's plot kicks into gear and the action gets going, the filmmakers do well to build a lot of suspense, keeping the audience interested and often on the edge of their seats.


Now the thing that struck me while watching this film, as Jerry and Rachel are being controlled by an external source (the mysterious woman), is that this is how so many people in society view God. They see Him as a god who wants to control the way we live, watching our every move and threatening our eternal souls if we don't follow his commands. It is a bleak picture of us having no say in what path we choose to take in life.


But it is a false picture. The truth is that God is not interested in controlling every aspect of our life; He just wants to be involved. He wants to be there with us when we set out on our journey. Sure, He has guidelines of how to live a life pleasing to Him, but we make our own choices. The fact is though, when we do let God enter our lives, when we do have a relationship with Him and involve Him in our journey, more often than not our choices will be pleasing to Him.


Anyway, back to the question I posed at the start: "'Do we have control over our own destiny?" While the film suggests for a while that we don't (as Jerry and Rachel feel they have no choice but to follow every command), when they realise what's actually happening they discover that they do, in fact, have a choice. And in the end it comes down to Jerry. He takes hold of his own destiny and makes his decision.


All in all. Eagle Eye didn't offer enough to keep me entertained. All it did was remind me of the fact that the movies it so liberally borrowed from were far superior and much more entertaining. Yes, there are a few entertaining chase sequences and a couple emotional moments, but the rest of Eagle Eye is so contrived, so unoriginal, and just all-around mediocre that even though this movie wants to convince you that there's somebody always watching, that person watching shouldn't be you... at least for this movie

The Parable of the Prodigal Son - I HATE IT!

Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the best-loved stories in the entire Bible. Throughout the ages, Christians have viewed the tale as a profound allegory of god’s longsuffering and ever-compassionate nature, so willing to forgive an errant child who squanders life and resources in pursuit of selfish pleasures. It is such a beautiful story, so rich in theological meaning, so reassuring to all who have ever sought divine forgiveness. The parable of the Prodigal Son—I HATE IT.


Most people like this story because they identify with the prodigal. I guess they regard themselves as squanderers and sinners like the young man. Not me. As a hyper-responsible oldest child, I identify with the elder son. Remember him? Most commentaries and sermons pay scant attention to his role in the narrative. Even though the Bible itself does not give the story a title, tradition calls it the parable of the Prodigal Son, not the parable of the Dutiful Son or even the parable of the Two Brothers. Yet the younger son’s antics constitute only the first half of the tale. The rest of the story is about the older son, the one who stays on the farm with his father, tending the cows and threshing wheat while his no-good brother is off whoring god-knows-where. The elder brother has always done what he was supposed to do. He has played by the rules, obeyed his father, and worked himself to the bone.


No wonder he raises hell when the reprobate shows up one day seeking to get back into the father’s good graces. We dutiful older sons/daughters know it’s just not fair. What’s the point of always doing what you’re supposed to do if it doesn’t earn you a few advantages?


When the prodigal’s father decides to throw a homecoming bash for his lost son, my heart goes out to the elder brother. I am furious with his father. The older son gets no party, no fatted calves, no ruby rings. Instead, dad comes outside with a few words for his sulking son: “You are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found” (Luke 15: 31-32). And that’s where the story ends. Jesus doesn’t tell us what happens next. It might be nice to imagine that the father’s words console the elder brother and convince him to join the party, but I don’t think so. The little speech is pretty lame. It reflects a father’s point of view, not that of a dutiful son. Do our parents really expect us to love our siblings as much as they do? It is easy for me to imagine the elder’s anguish stretching into weeks, months, and maybe years, renewed every time he sees his worthless brother strutting around in his new robe and flashing his fancy ring.


As I said, commentators usually focus on the father’s graciousness towards his younger son, making the story a theological allegory. That’s fine. But forgiveness of a child comes fairly easy for a parent. What loving father would not forgive a wayward son who returns home penitential and humble, no matter how wasteful he has been? There is nothing remarkable in that. The real story of forgiveness in the parable comes into focus when we consider the older son. He too must forgive the younger son, and it will be far harder for him than for the father. And, what’s more, he may also have to forgive his father.


That contention may make little sense if we only think of forgiveness as receiving pardon for violating a rule or a precept. The younger brother did nothing to harm his elder sibling. His recklessness did not diminish the older one’s life in the least. Nor did the father’s joy and spontaneous merry-making at his lost son’s reappearance mean he loved the elder any less. No laws were broken, no commandments were violated, no boundaries transgressed. So what’s to forgive?


Some years ago I came across an idea that helped clarify and deepen my understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness means relinquishment. It’s that simple. To relinquish something is to release whatever power it holds over us. If I forgive someone for a wrong done to me, I no longer allow that event to determine how I treat the other person. I may remember the wrong or I may forget it, but either way I have disarmed it. It no longer determines my actions, thoughts, or words. Forgiveness in this sense is rarely easy or quick. How often do we say, we “forgive” another person, but still hold a secret grudge? Because of its difficulty, forgiveness has to be practiced. It is less an act than a way of living, a discipline, a cultivated skill. I think this is why Jesus told his students to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21). True forgiveness often comes only at the end of an inner struggle.


If we view forgiveness in this light, perhaps we can see why it is necessary for the elder brother to forgive and why it will be so difficult. As long as he regards himself as slighted, that notion will worm its way into his soul and embitter him and make his life a living hell. It hardly matters whether the injustices he suffers were real or imagined. Either way, his struggle is with his own thoughts. The Buddha, a kindred spirit with Jesus on this matter, says it poetically:

“I have been insulted!” “I have been hurt!” “I have been beaten!” “I have been robbed!” Anger and hatred never cease for those who dwell on such thoughts (Dhammapada 1:3).



If we need a reason to forgive, this is a good one. We forgive to be free, to be liberated from the destructive power of anger and hatred. Of course, it’s a lot easier to nourish the thoughts of indignation. It’s hard to surrender the delicious feeling that we’ve suffered unfairly. But ultimately that sense does us no good. The elder brother might wallow in his hurt feelings, but what’s the point of that? How much better for him to let them go, to follow the discipline of relinquishment. Sure, it’s the harder path, but in the end the rewards are worth it.


I’d like to think the older brother realized that.

The Positives and Negatives of Guilt

You often hear about stress as a negative thing. All too often it is. Too much stress has the tendency to affect our mental, emotional and physical well-being. However, there is also a positive side to stress. The right amount of stress can motivate us, inspire us, push us to accomplish many things. Stress can bring out the productive, creative sides of us.

Think of how we are sometimes stretched into growth and change by stress. I, for one, sometimes need a good dose of stress to get things done. But sometimes, I feel a little guilty doing things that way.

Guilt, like stress, can have both a positive and negative impact on our lives. Typically, and more frequently, we associate guilt with the negative. There’s guilt by association. A guilty conscious. Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Not guilty. Guilty as sin. Even Webster’s views guilt in negative terms:
Guilt, n. 1) a state of wrongdoing; wickedness; 2) deserving of punishment.

People often determine good and bad by the presence or absence of feelings of guilt. Each individual responds to guilt in their own way. Do they show remorse? Do they ask forgiveness? Are they sincere? Frequently, we hear of individuals who cannot live with their guilt. In Poe’s "Tell-Tale Heart," the main character was eventually done in by his own guilt.

Some people, however, simply, do not feel guilt the same way that others do. There are always those in the news, literature, in the media, etc., who display little guilt or remorse for their actions (i.e., hardened criminals, dictators, immoral CEO’s, self-serving politicians, to name a few).

There are also those who use guilt to manipulate others. They may try to put us on a "guilt-trip." They try to control our emotions in order to get their way. Some of us suffer from the manipulations of others. And some of us suffer from our own self-inflicted guilt. Sometimes this guilt can be so overwhelming and have such a negative influence on us that it impacts our day-to-day functioning and interactions with others. Can any good come from guilt?

The answer is, yes. Guilt, like stress, can also have positive results. Guilt can often act as our conscience and our guide. It can influence us to "Do the right thing." It can make us realize we have behaved badly. It can make us feel remorse or sadness when we have acted in ways that hurt others. It may remind us to be good to family and friends, neighbors, strangers and the less fortunate. It can spur us to offer an apology or to make amends for our actions. It may act as a deterrent from acting one way while encouraging us to act another. It can create or foster feelings of sympathy and empathy. Guilt can actually make us better, more sensitive individuals.


So what role does guilt play in your spiritual life? How does it influence and inform your faith? Do you act in a more spiritual manner because of your beliefs, your desire to be a good, decent person, or your efforts to avoid those feelings of guilt? Do you ask forgiveness for your actions because you believe them to be wrong or to ease your conscience, or both? And is feeling guilty and asking forgiveness wrong?


Paul struggled with his feelings of guilt throughout his journey from ardent persecutor to founding father of the modern Christian Church. In Romans, he cries out with guilt, frustration and remorse that he did the things he shouldn’t do and didn’t do the things he knew God wanted him to do.

Like Paul, I, too, know what I should do and how I should act as a Christian. On many days, I just don’t come close to being the kind of person that I know God and Christ want me to be. On those days, a little guilt, like stress, can help remind me to try and be more of what I know I should be and do more of what I know I should do. On those days, a little guilt can be a good thing. Perhaps on those days, it’s good to feel a little guilty...

Feeling As If You Don’t Belong

"Nobody loves me for me!"

Even a bright professional can fell like this. Even if we functioned well and associated broadly, but still we felt some painful and paradoxical absence. Most certainly, we are not alone. We often complain of something missing in our relationships, marriage, family or work group. Most of us sense "belonging" is essential to our happiness and well-being.

Maybe we should pay attention on what are the universal factors that nurture a sense of belonging–warmth, trust, acceptance and empathic understanding. Most of us find these ingredients naturally in our ordinary relationships. Our emotional bonds, shared goals, mutual confidence, empathic communications, understanding acceptance, and energizing hopes connect and sustain us together. While we all occasionally feel like we don’t fit in, a chronic sense may signal a need for new skills or new insights about our relating.

What motivates our wish to connect? As our bodies need air and food, so our inner self needs recognition, appreciation, and affirmation–someone to hold us in "esteem." And once we ourselves are reliably nurtured, we in turn become the nurturers, looking beyond ourselves for some larger belonging–another relationship, a broader group, a shared ideal to bring us together.

For most, our family was our first place of belonging, and where we learned the rules and roles of belonging. We tend to continue those behaviors that were met with approval, and squelch those that were met with disapproval. From our small family-tribe, our social world then grows bigger and bigger, where we meet new challenges, satisfactions and frustrations. Some, who have felt the absence of belonging in the past or present, decide not to commune with others but rather to make themselves "immune." Since this need will not go away, however, we may end up substituting a deformed belonging, such as an addiction or abusive relationships.

In contrast, healthy belonging is a two-way street of mutuality and self-giving. We bring our gifts, our talents, our dreams, and our selves to the other. We expect the other to do likewise. When we predictably also reveal our faults and flaws, we trust others will love and accept us anyway. And we in turn accept theirs. In fact, sharing these untoward experiences can form incredibly intimate bonds. This ideal is easily present, and most of us spend a lifetime learning how to relate authentically.


There is an old Hasidic story about Heaven and Hell. "I will show you Hell," the Lord said to a rabbi, and led him to a room of famished, desperate people sitting around a large circular table. In the center was a pot of stew, enough for everyone. Yet no one ate. All they had was a single long-handled spoon; long enough to reach the stew, but too long to then get the food into one’s own mouth. "Now I will show you Heaven," said the Lord. The rabbi entered another room, identical to the first. They had the same table, same stew, and same long-handled spoon. Yet everyone was full, flourishing and exuberant. "I don’t understand the difference," said the rabbi. "It is simple," said the Lord. "You see, the people in this room have learned to use the spoon to feed each other." Now I am slowly learning to let myself be fed, and to pass it on to others...

Point Of Asking Theological Questions

Do we stop learning when we graduate from high school? College? Law school? Seminary? Graduate school? Medical school? No. As human beings, we are constantly learning and discovering new things. And our curiosity about what we learn, or at least provisionally accept, prompts us to ask new questions.

Because of this probably genetically encoded capacity to continuously learn, everyone is a theologian by nature, whether they recognize it or not (even atheists are theologians). Everyone at some time or another in their life asks themselves if God exists, and if so, how does God act in the world? When confronted with disaster, tragedy, and loss, it is not uncommon to ask fundamental and sometimes deeply troubling questions about the role of God as a saver or taker of life. We ask these very personal and profound questions often when we are confronted with a sense of our own mortality, or have witnessed something horrific - beyond easy human explanation. We automatically seek explanation, comfort, and understanding.

One’s theology, whether formally acknowledged as such or not, often provides the basis for what one chooses to do with one’s life, and the meaning one sees in life itself. If God is viewed by someone as a vindictive, abusive patriarch, the chances are good that that core theological belief will be reflected in that person’s day-to-day affairs. Likewise, theology also lies at the base of a moral or ethical perspective, which can profoundly affect social and personal relations.

Hence, although on this side of death we cannot know anything with absolute certainty (and there is no guarantee that we will know that much more on the other side), it is crucial to our lives and to our environment and the world, that we act as theologians, and ask the hard questions. The answers, though tentative, are important, because they will inform who we are, and how we behave in the world.

Lord of the Rings: An Epic Film of our Time

Fellowship of the Ring
I have to admit that when I was much younger I tried reading The Lord of the Rings and was frankly not impressed. I thought that Tolkien was far too descriptive and I never quite understood the story line. I struggled through the first book of the trilogy and never completed the series. I remember moving on to the stories by C.S. Lewis, like, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. I have said for years, "I just didn't need a chapter to describe the beard and eyebrows of Gandalf."


For a number of reasons I decided to wait to see the movie later when it was shown, one of those reasons was to let the more seasoned Tolkien readers interpret the movie. I believe it is about time to hear the opinions of one who is not a Tolkien disciple to give their impression, especially since I haven't read many comments that admit they are not dedicated followers. Shucks, for that matter I have already admitted that I have never read all of the books.


Prior to my thoughts on the film I must state that as I have gotten older, one of the things I have learned to appreciate in literature, either film ,or written, is allegory. While I was younger I realize that I didn't fully appreciate or understand this concept. I believe that is natural for a younger person however and is an appreciation that ferments with time and wisdom. Not to say that I am wise by any means but I certainly have had time to develop at least more wisdom since my mid teen years.


With the above said, I must say that I fully expected The Lord of the Rings to make it into my top 100 list of all time movies because of what I had already read about the movie. What I didn't expect was it to fall into my all time top 10 or even top 5 but this movie did just that. The Lord of the Rings is a brilliant movie with numerous parallels between good and evil. (Some of my all time top movies are: Star Wars, Amadeus, Apocalypse Now!, Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump...)


I have seen few movies that have told this story to the magnitude of this fine, fine film. Technically, everything from the casting to the story itself is fascinating and visually stunning. As far as film making goes it is as perfect as any movie ever made. What I will say is that the movie was so good that I did plan on going back and reading all of the books, and I plan to start over with the first book. I realize now that I have probably matured enough that I will enjoy them much more than I did when I was younger. I'll also say that the story looses very little on the screen. At least for me, the ability to add visually increased my ability to understand the story and this is one of those movies that is possibly better understood from watching it on screen than from reading it in print. This is a hard pill to swallow, especially from one who enjoys writing and reading as much as I do.


While I could spend a great deal of time commenting on this film technically, I find it essential to comment on other components that draw parallels between faith, particularly the Christian faith, and humankind.


While I was leaving the theater one of the comments brought up to me was that the film just seemed to end and of course there was the death of some of the primary characters that were loved and appreciated which my family and others did not understand. Reading what I have of the books and from doing some investigation I was reminding them that they needed to remember that the story does not end with this one movie. There were two more books to be told and we just needed to be patient because the movies were already made. There are numerous other components of the film that dealt with issues such as friendship, love, sacrifice, faith and many more. This is a movie that is easy to spoil but believe me those issues are dealt with beautifully in this film and in ways that should challenge the viewer to become stronger in each category.


There is one other issue dealt with in the film that I will mention. I have heard many Christians, of all people, be critical of the film because of it's portrayal of evil. "It was too scary." "Inappropriate for young children." "The story was just dark." These and other comments confounded me. My own personal view is that there are parts of the film that could be scary. The opportunity to discuss the spiritual components of evil as well as the sacrifice needed to overcome that evil is evident in this film. Being able to relate the Gospel clearly to those of all ages who do not know of the similar sacrifices that Jesus made to save mankind are evident.


I also appreciated the aspect of friendship and love that was portrayed. Lessons of real love and real friendship, to stick it out no matter how hard the difficulties, even when we are in water way over our heads and can't swim. These images can parallel a dedication to follow those we love, and ultimately Jesus Christ. To have such a passion that we would exercise, without question, "deep water faith."


The Lord of the Rings is a film that I will see again and again, and I will look forward to each new adventure I find along the way. It is that kind of movie that makes this possible.



The Two Towers

Technically, this movie is as good as the first because, again they were all filmed at the same time. The story continues with new characters and thus new story lines. We see the devotion of the characters to each other and their willingness to forsake their own lives in the attempt to save the life of not only those they love but for the sake of doing what is right, even when it appears that doing right could result in death.

The devotion to themselves, each other and their vision is a component that is an incredible reminder to each of us watching the film. This is not just a movie but in many ways a sermon that encourages one to examine their own life and thus, what they are doing with their life. Just as Gandalf is a figure that the characters of this movie will listen to and follow into battle that appears to lead to certain death, so is Christ that character for many others seeing this movie.



The Return of the King


I can find no better single word to describe the design, execution and impact of The Return of the King. Conventional wisdom dictates that movie scripts be designed and function in much the same way as a short story; another apt comparison would be the musical form of the overture.


It's well that audiences have a chance to catch their collective breath. Sequences of The Return of the King stack up as some of the most visceral entertainment ever conceived—too intense, I would imagine. The sequence in the Morgul Vale, for instance, had me literally cowering in my seat, even as Frodo himself cowered from the cry of the Witch King. I would never have anticipated that the Black Breath could be so effectively evoked through film.


As they worked on the final phase of this film, Jackson, Boyens and Walsh watched a young man be taken from this world by cancer. Was that the end of his story? Tolkien believed in a life after death, a "place called 'heaven' where the good here unfinished is completed." So do Boyens and Walsh, in a way. "The journey doesn't end here," their Gandalf says. Death is "just another path, one that we all must take. As the gray rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and turns to silver glass, then you'll see it. White shores; and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.

And a languid conclusion to a satisfying symphony.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars, United by the Force

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is essentially a big screen pilot for the Star Wars-themed cartoon series to premiere on Cartoon Network. And it feels like it. Its story is not complicated. If you wanted to divide it up into three individual episodes, you probably could. And visually, its style is much more along the lines of what you might find in late-night anime and weekend-long video game marathons than most full-length animated features of late.

In the Star Wars timeline, Star Wars: The Clone Wars takes place during the two to three years between Episode II and Episode III. Battles between Count Dooku's Separatists and the Republic's Jedi Knights continue as the Republic fights to restore peace to the galaxy. And when the movie opens, Anakin Skywalker and Ob-Wan Kenobi are right at the forefront of efforts to defeat the Separatist droid army.

Back in Galactic City, however, a plea for help has arrived from the crime lord Jabba the Hutt. His son has been kidnapped, and he has requested the Jedis' help in securing his return. If the Jedi can complete the mission, they stand to broker a treaty granting them safe passage through Hutt territory (an almost invaluable asset in the mostly Separatist dominated Outer Rim). If not, the Republic risks losing the territory to the Separatists and facing an even more difficult for peace.

Throughout the course of The Clone Wars' story, almost all the major Star Wars villains step into the limelight and establish the Separatist alliances that will create trouble for years to come. The missing years of Anakin's development between Episode II and III begin to fill in as he is forced to incorporate the function of teacher/mentor into his familiar role of fiercely independent and often reckless hero. And as the evil forces that must be fought reveal more of their true colors, so do the values that will eventually lead to their defeat.

Like I said, Star Wars: The Clone Wars feels more like a made-for-TV cartoon than the best in feature length animation. Its look is decidedly different, less fluid and more akin to the angular and jumpy look of video games. In fact, much of the movie is filled with action scenes that could easily be the product of a dozen or so talented gamers sitting right next to you in the theater. The dialogue and character/story development are thrown in between, not much more complex than pull-string lines that could easily fit inside its own characters' action-figure twins.

All in all, the movie, its story, and its look will primarily appeal to a decidedly younger audience. At the same time, in the character of Ziro the Hutt (Jabba's uncle) and a few scenes peppered throughout, the film hints that the series will throw in a few punches to keep its older audiences amused. And although its tales still won't rival the original trilogy, within the framework of the entire Star Wars' mythology, the missing time period that Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduces promises a story and a telling that will probably be of interest to most diehard Star Wars fans out there like me :)

While it may be simple, like the body of Star Wars' films before it, Star Wars: The Clone Wars also deals with many of the same themes. Most prominent is the battle between division and unity. It is what fuels the conflict that drives its greater story. But it is also what drives the development of many of its individual characters and the resolution of most of its smaller stories.

Within the Separatists, division is the name of the game. Not only do they seek to bring division to their galaxy, their plots are rife with betrayal and pursuit of individual power. If others can be sacrificed for your gain, they will be. If people do not prove to be an asset to your plot, then it is better to get rid of them right now. And if there are any alliances at all, let's just say that no one is in them for any other reasons but their own.

But just as the tales before and after it have shown, Star Wars: The Clone Wars reveals a world in which acts of division and selfishness always fall to acts of unity and selflessness. Through his partnership with his Padawan learner Ashoka, even Anakin's efforts become more valuable as he is forced to think beyond just himself. Ashoka's crucial role in the success of the Jedi mission proves that a partner's value can come in all ages, sizes, and experience levels. Putting her own life at risk for the sake of Anakin and her country, Senator Amidala challenges everyone to consider if we would offer our own lives for those to whom we claim allegiance. And with the best Jedi Knights in the Galaxy lending their services to their sometimes enemies the Hutts, they prove that the best way to get rid of division is not by destroying our enemies but by demonstrating our value as friends.

And so enters the value of the Star Wars mythology. As much as befriending an enemy or helping a friend may seem like an inconsequential act only influential over the two people it physically touches, the truth is that acts of union, friendship, and selflessness reach far beyond their origin. From single acts of kindness come greater movements of change. And as Jesus showed us long ago (and Star Wars points at on more than one occasion), through even one act of sacrificial love, the reality in which we live can be changed forever.

The Dark Knight: Be All That Bruce Wayne Can Be

I read an interesting discussion the other day between two sports personalities, ESPN's Mike & Mike In The Morning. One of the two Mikes, Golic I think it was, argued that Batman wasn't really a superhero because he didn't have any special powers, just a utility belt. If that's really all you think of Batman, then of course you probably aren't that keyed up about the Batman movie, The Dark Knight. You probably won't think it's all that clever that some Bat-theologians talk about the Dark Knight of the Soul. You may be somewhat attracted to the film because of its negative publicity, in light of the death of Heath Ledger, or you may be one of the Christian Bale bandwagon jumpers. But if you're hung up on that utility belt, you aren't one of the people who grew up thinking that Batman was the one who made superheroes human.

I grew up a Superman fan. At least until I was about ten, and then I switched to being a Batman fan. Superman was too perfect, too bland, too without fault (at least in the sections of Superman mythology that I was allowed to read in those days). Batman, on the other hand, was cool, dark, mysterious, and a little tortured. He was the smartest of the Justice League, maybe with the exception of the Martian Manhunter; but when I was ten, MM didn't get much love. So, Batman was the human one, the self-made superhero, unlike the flakier, accident-created Flash, the super-everything Superman (who I still privately liked), the Amazonian Wonder Woman, or any of the rotating heroes that joined them in the cartoons or comics.

Batman was only slightly tainted by the Adam West version that I saw and blew off with easy disdain. He was darkly dressed, wildly intelligent, and his alter ego shed light on the lack of sense of those around him. Bruce Wayne or Batman didn't just battle villains. Instead, he fought the demons in his head, the self doubt and sadness, the loss of his parents, and his need for vengeance. He was always battling his own desire for revenge with the city's need for justice (and maybe even a little mercy at times). Batman solved mysteries, rescued the misfortunate, and kicked some serious butt.

Then Michael Keaton made Batman super cool, with a little help from Jack Nicholson, who might be the best Joker ever (but I'll give Ledger a shot). Keaton was disarming with his wit and serious sense of humor. He was definitely torn between the world he longed for and the world that he had discovered in the cave and inside of himself. Yet he found the strength to overcome the evil around him and those who sought to take the good from him. Unfortunately, Batman was no match for George Clooney or the countless other villains who spoofed what Keaton and Nicholson had created, and I turned away from my "faith" in this ManBat to the likes of Wolverine and others in search of cool.

Somewhere along the way, whether it was Jeph Loeb or someone else, the work done in graphic novels began to draw me back under the Batman spell. When it finally came around for the first Christian Bale Batman movie, I was ready for someone to restore my live-action faith in the Batman, and of course, it was. Not only was Batman tortured and smart, physically unstoppable, and dedicated, but his villains were up to the task without stealing the limelight from Bale in the way that Nicholson had from Keaton.

Now I'm ready to believe again that Batman can be cool, and that there's a place for him in our 2008 world. Maybe we can believe in something human, yet driven, that can battle our darkest fears and right wrongs and instill justice. Maybe Superman is what Jesus might look like in 2008 (minus the impregnation of Mary Magdalene aka Lois Lane!); but Batman is the best we could be, if we chose to rise above it all.

Rome 1960: The Modern Olympics

There’s something about the Olympic Games that arouses passions inside people from around the world. Perhaps it’s the stirring music that beckons athletes to compete at the highest level as they compete for fame, notoriety, and a gold medal. Perhaps it’s the amazing stories of the athletes themselves, some who have overcome immense obstacles just for the privilege of representing their country. Perhaps it’s the moments where a star is created or an image is etched into the collective consciousness of billions. Perhaps it’s simply the torch lighting. Whatever the reason, it makes for compelling television viewing (and is even better attended in person).

As we near the start of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China, we’ve become used to certain facets of the modern Olympic movement. The product placements by competing athletes. The wall-to-wall coverage of every event (especially on the Internet). The blurring of what constitutes an Olympian (amateur versus professional). And (sadly) the phrase ‘positive drug test.’ It’s hard to imagine that at one time, none of these issues and situations existed at the Olympics.

That is, until the Rome Olympics of 1960.

Something was different about this particular gathering of the world’s athletes. The world, after two World Wars, had qualitatively changed. Germany was united and the Berlin Wall wasn’t constructed. China was divided. Athletes unlike any seen before graced the stage—like Rafer Johnson and Cassius Clay, who 36 years later (and one name change to Muhammad Ali) lit the torch in Atlanta.

Pulitzer-Prize winning author David Maraniss has taken a look at these games and has penned a work that will prove to be an enlightening read. The title: Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed The World.

Often, these events serve to challenge and inspire the world to be the best it can be. And so does the Bible—although it doesn’t mention the Olympics explicitly, it does offer numerous opportunities to encourage and inspire us to levels of greatness unattainable on our own.

Mamma Mia! : The Importance of Fathers

On stage, Mamma Mia! is a fun time—bright, colorful, and full of all the right songs, dances, and charades to send you away smiling. But as we all know, just because something is a hit on Broadway doesn't mean it will do quite as well in Hollywood. And when it comes to Mamma Mia!'s jump from stage to screen this year, it hits some places and misses others for an experience that is still fun but a little bit harder to fully embrace than its Broadway sister.

As always, a life full of singing and dancing does take a bit of getting used to. Dancing across the screen like a 21-year-old, Meryl Streep's Donna, while full of life, is a bit too much for me. Although I admire Pierce Brosnan for trying out something different, I just can't reconcile his standard action persona with his dreamy crooner, Sam Carmichael. But aside from Streep and Brosnan, the rest of Mamma Mia!'s cast is decidedly less awkward and much easier to stomach.

Amanda Seyfried proves that she is more than just a third place Mean Girl as the movie's youthful star Sophie. Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård play Sophie's other potential fathers, Harry and Bill, so well that I am reconsidering Firth's perpetual status as the perfect straight man. Donna's longtime friends Rosie and Tanya are brought to life by Julie Walters and Christine Baranski in a way that cannot help but make you want to shout, "You go girl!", every time they're on screen. And in general, the rest of the cast looks like they are having enough fun to mostly suspend the strange sense that it just isn't normal for entire crowds to spontaneously burst into song.

Then, there's the story. The perfect movie or show for a girls' night out, Mamma Mia! is a great story about mothers and daughters, best friends and girlfriends. Centered around the impending wedding of young Sophie, it's also about lovers and the love they share. Driven by Sophie's quest to find her father and the arrival of the three possible candidates, it is about fathers, daughters, and the value of knowing both where you're from and what your life has yielded. And tied up by reunions, reconciliations, and remembrances, it is about how amazing it is to share our lives with someone—even if we can do it all on our own.

Setting the story in motion and causing commotion from beginning to end is the question of who Sophie's father actually is.

"I feel like there's a part of me missing," Sophie tells her girlfriends. "And when I meet my dad, everything will fall into place.

"But as her mother sees it, he's never been there; so why should the identity of Sophie's father matter? "It's about knowing who I am," Sophie tells her fiancè Sky (Dominic Cooper).

But as he tells her, "That doesn't come from finding your father; it comes from finding yourself."

And in many ways, both Donna and Sky are right. If anyone in Sophie's life has contributed to who she is, it is her mother. When it comes to Sophie finding herself, it is first and foremost about herself. No matter how great a relationship any of us have with our mother, father, best friend, or high school sweetheart, at one point or another, we all learn that we must figure out who we are on our own before we can truly know who we are in relation to anyone else.

But, as the story unfolds, another truth also takes center stage. Almost every main character makes some discovery about themselves. They see what is lacking their lives. They embrace what they have shut out for so long. They pursue what they have been afraid to pursue. And as much as each person takes those steps on their own, it cannot be ignored that they each come to their decisions through their relationships with others.

For Sophie, there is no denying how much her mother means to her and how much their relationship has shaped who she has become. For many of the characters, the key to their forward movement is in seeing how much a potential love relationship means to them. And while Sophie's new path is one centered on independence, her time spent with her "fathers," the memories they share with her, and the wisdom they impart all play a part in the journey she begins at the movie's end.

For us, the same is true. Who we become is ultimately up to us. We are the only ones who can figure out who we are. The lives we lead are based on decisions only we can make. But the truth remains that we live in a world of relationships, in between people who have given pieces of themselves to us and people to whom we have given pieces of ourselves. And when it comes to knowing our father, I have to say: I wouldn't even begin to know or be who I am today if I didn't know who he was.

As much as I love him and appreciate all he has given me, I'm not talking about my dad who passed away 14 years ago; I'm talking about God. Even though I know my parents biologically created me, planned to have me, and probably love me more than most other people on this earth, the fact that God actually handpicked everything that is a part of who I am, created plans of purpose and worth for me and only me to fulfill, and loves me so much that there is nothing I could ever do to make him stop gives me a sense of value that I could find nowhere else. To know that I am a part of a web of purpose, connection, and relationship that is bigger than just me allows to me to believe that my small life still means something in this gigantic world. And as the cast of Mamma Mia! sings as they say goodbye, by being able to believe that my existence is actually part of a world that seems more like a fairytale or a dream, I have no doubt that I have been able to pursue my future and cross streams I never could have without that knowledge

Forever Odd

Author: Dean Koontz

Forever Odd, the second installment in what Dean Koontz promises will be an ongoing epic, is one of his best stories to date. It chronicles the life of Odd Thomas, a short-order cook with extraordinary abilities who lives in the Southern California town of Pico Mundo on the edge of the Mojave Desert. As his name implies, Odd is not your usual cook—or usual human being, for that matter. He possesses an unusual gift: the ability to see the dead walking among us. These walking specters are drawn to him because of this gift. He can talk to them, but they can only respond through gestures, facial expressions and body language. Odd believes that they cling to this world in a state of limbo, stuck as if to a spider’s web, because of strong emotions—anger, sorrow, despair—that are always connected to their untimely death. He also believes that they cannot leave until some form of reconciliation occurs. It’s not a new concept in supernatural literature, this idea that the dead cannot leave due to the strength of emotions attached to their death. But Koontz uses this concept as a backdrop to develop some of his most vibrant and endearing characters.

The strength of Koontz’s storytelling usually centers on his unique ability to create interesting characters. Odd Thomas is supported and sometimes guided in his adventures by a supporting cast that includes Chief Wyatt Porter, Pico Mundo’s grizzled, veteran police chief; Terri Stambaugh, Odd’s boss at the grill who is a fast talking, die-hard Elvis Presley fan; P. Oswald Boone, an author and Odd’s best friend, who is also a four-hundred pound mystery novelist with a clairvoyant cat; and the ghost of The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley himself.

The story opens with Odd awakening to find the spirit of a man he knows well, Dr. Wilbur Jessup, standing beside his bed. He rises to investigate and discovers the doctor’s body bludgeoned to death and his son missing. The son is Danny, Odd’s close friend who suffers from ontogenesis imperfecta, a crippling brittle bone disease. He suspects that Danny has been kidnapped from his home, possibly by his birth father, who was recently released from prison. We are immediately drawn into the adventure as Odd sets off in pursuit of Danny’s kidnappers.

We find that Odd’s special powers also stretch into other realms of the psychic. His “psychic magnetism” allows him to find people or unseen places by focusing on a mental image of them. He follows the psychic trail of Danny down into an underground, labyrinthine drainage system, and eventually emerges again far out in the desert. Standing on the edge of the desert, Odd places a call to Sheriff Porter, a father figure to Odd who possesses a firm but still uncertain belief in the young man’s extraordinary abilities. Odd has helped the sheriff solve cases before and found answers when none seemed evident using conventional police tactics. After Odd briefly updates the sheriff regarding the case, their conversation turns to the current mission in the desert. The following is a piece of this conversation recounted through Odd’s narrative:
Lying to him would be harder than lying to myself. “I’m being pulled, sir.”
“Pulled where?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m still on the move.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’d rather not say, sir.”

“You’re not gonna Lone Ranger this,” he worried.

“If that seems best.”

“No Tonto, no Silver – that’s not smart. Use your head, son.”

“Sometimes you’ve got to trust your heart.”

“No point in me arguing with you, is there?”

When events or timing lead us down to the heart-and-soul life, I believe that we are all faced with this choice at some time during our quest for eternal truth. We find ourselves compelled to follow some abstract feeling or uncertain belief out into the desert of our own souls, and we can only go there alone. We cannot always explain, even to those closest to us, why we believe so firmly that we must go. I think it is in this place and only here that we find God. But it isn’t an easy choice, and nothing at the time seems concrete, not even our own thoughts.

Whether it is Koontz’s intention or not, the character of Odd Thomas is on a constant faith journey. He is forever drawn away from the potential of a comfortable life and asked to follow spirits and feelings toward an unknown end. He simply must take a leap and follow his heart. The life of a Christian is not easy, and rarely do we have any or all of the answers to the questions of our future. We simply must trust in God and the belief that his plan at the end of our desert-journey is worth the risk of following such uncertainty. At his core, Odd has an unshakable faith in what he is called to do. This latest story by Dean Koontz, the mass-market, supernatural thriller king, deeply inspired my own often-shakable faith.

Coldplay: Viva La Vida

I can’t say I have always loved Coldplay, mainly because I went through a phase where everyone seemed to like them and I didn’t listen, just to be different. Fortunately for me, my old friend sat me down and forced me to listen to them and I haven’t looked back since.

Chris Martin and the rest of the band have always been very artistically and musically gifted in my opinion, but their newest release, Viva La Vida, covers a lot of new territory and blows the doors off of their first three albums. The record as a whole is much more epic, more experimental and quite brilliant in a lot of ways.

The intro song “Life in Technicolor” is simply instrumental with a few “whoa-oh’s” in the background, but it is very reminiscent of older U2 classics like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and it segues beautifully into the haunting “Cemeteries of London.” It is a song about the ghosts of England’s past, creeping through at night. The next track “Lost!” with its backbeat and accompanying organ is a rousing song with many possible meanings. It has already been interpreted by some as a message about salvation, but it seems to me to be more about being down but not out. As 2 Corinthians 4:9 says we are “…persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

Track 4, “42,” another ghost-themed song, seems depressing and longing, but includes such lyrics as “Time is so short and I’m sure there must be something more.” I like the musical changeup in this song, but the repetition wears a little bit after a first or second listen. The gorgeous melodies of “Lover in Japan/ Reign of Love” included with tons of religious imagery make this one of my favorite listens on the album. Even though I have never heard anyone from Coldplay profess any Christian beliefs, it is still nice to hear lyrics like “Lovers, keep on the road you’re on, runners, until the race is run,” or “Reign of love by the church we’re waiting, Reign of love, my knees go praying.” They are still very inspirational and perhaps a seed has been planted already in frontman Chris Martin’s brain somewhere in his past. “Yes” is a different track sung mostly in a very low key for Martin who is most well know for his amazing falsetto. It is a song about facing temptation and fighting against loneliness and contains some beautiful violin arrangements and an extended ending which sounds more hopeful than the rest of the song.

Next comes the title track, “Viva La Vida.” In my opinion this is one of the greatest songs written in the last couple of years. You’ve probably heard a clip of it on the iTunes commercial already but nothing prepared me for hearing this song in its entirety. The lyrics may seem a little grandiose or pompous on paper (“that is when I ruled the world,”) but the musical arrangement and accompanying vocals are so epic and spectacular that it connects everything seamlessly to produce a modern classic. I honestly still get chills listening to this song at high volume in my car! “Violet Hill” turns the tide a little more and reminds me of a few songs from the Beatles later years. “Strawberry Swing” has a lot of pretty background music, but doesn’t compare with the grandeur of the last track “Death and All His Friends.” It is very instrumentally diverse, and ends with a two minute outro, leaving the listener wanting more.

Some versions will come with a bonus version of “Lost” stripped down to just Martin and his piano, and I almost prefer it to the original. There is a beautiful simplicity to it, but an underlying power and it is a great way to bring the album to a close. This CD is a wonderful reminder of what people can do with the talent God gives to them. It is far superior to so much of what is released every week in the music world and gives me hope in the direction music seems to be going.

The Host: It's All In Your Mind. The Battle Is On.

My head is still striking even though it's my fourth entry. Who could have resist the cold breeze of the air and the pitter-patter of the rain outside. All I have to do is to have a cup of coffee, sit and think.(actually it is now my third cup of coffee. :p) Since it is my day-off, I guess I can hit it one more time.

I was at the bookstore a few days ago, taking a quick opportunity to peruse the shelves for something of interest. The layout of the place had changed, so it took me a few minutes to figure out where things were. Along the way, I noticed a display filled with books from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and an advertisement for a release party in early August for her newest work Breaking Dawn. I’m not a particularly huge fan of vampire stories, so I kept moving.

Once at the new release section, I noticed that Meyer had a book called The Host prominently displayed. Nothing that it was her first adult book, it seemed like an obvious choice for both casual reading and a review. One writer has compared her as a cross between Isaac Asimov and Stephen King. Pretty impressive!

Here’s the premise: Something’s inhabiting humans—taking over their minds while leaving them normal in every other way. Melanie Stryder’s mind is also invaded, but she’s not going to go down easy. Something about true love also comes into play with the man she loves. It sounds interesting, although I can’t seem to get Frank Peretti and his works on similar ‘invasions’ (This Present Darkness, The Oath) out of my mind. But due to Meyer’s past track record, I’ll give her some leeway.

Taking over minds is not an easy thing to do. Or is it? A person has to grant permission to whatever it is that wants in. Once this happens, one’s actions tend to embody what their mind is dictating. If the mind says, ‘go have fun,’ the tendency is to do something entertaining (provided one’s not in a business meeting or something). But when a person becomes a Christian, they willingly allow God’s truth to take over their mind, leading to changes in one’s actions. This battle of the mind is one that goes on throughout our lives, and whatever controls it controls who we are. Kind of scary, huh?

So what does the battle for one’s mind look like to you? And why does it matter who the winner is?

(And depending on how I like The Host, I might wait for the release of Breaking Dawn in August. But let’s see how this novel turns out first . . .)

Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian: Bringing Back the Magic

The first thing I noticed about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is how old the Pevensie children looked. I know. Child actors grow up. Kids become adolescents become adults. If there is any doubt, all you have to do is watch the Harry Potter movies in chronological order.

But when Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) appear for the first time in Prince Caspian, what struck me was something more than the changed appearance of its actors. If the Pevensies are supposed to have grown into adults in Narnia before returning home and then aged another year in the “real world” before returning to Narnia soon after Prince Caspian’s opening scenes, what I saw in their eyes made me believe that it was true. Gone is childhood naiveté and in its place is the acknowledgment of the much more complicated reality that surrounds them. Although each of them still cherishes the land of Narnia they have left behind, in each of them is also a recognition of the greater world of which they are a part. And as the newest Narnian adventure unfolded, it was that very necessity to reconcile the magical world of Narnia with the unmagical world of reality that pulled me in the most.

The story of Prince Caspian is about a kingdom in ruins, a magic that has died, and a rightful heir who has been denied his throne. For at least the first ten minutes of the movie, all is dark. Rooms are dark, the sky is dark, and the deeds in motion are dark. Although the movie begins with the first breath of a new life, the action quickly moves to the plotted assassination of the rightful heir to the Telmarine throne, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). When Caspian flees the castle to save his life, he stumbles into a world he thought no longer existed. And when he calls out for rescue on Susan’s horn, Caspian suddenly finds himself surrounded by the magical world of Narnia believed to have been made extinct by the many Telmarine kings before him.

The thing is, even though it is not extinct, the Narnia that Caspian finds is decidedly different from the one Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy left behind thousands of years before. When Caspian’s call brings them back, it only takes one misguided attempt to talk to a bear and one trip through a grove of silent, motionless trees for the children to see the same. And as they join forces with Prince Caspian and the remaining Narnians, it becomes their mission to both restore Caspian to his throne and bring magic back to a world now overrun with darkness.

Whether the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or Prince Caspian is better is a question that will probably be debated among even The Chronicles of Narnia’s greatest fans. When it comes to the acting ability of its main players, its action sequences, and its special effects, Caspian definitely surpasses its predecessor. For those like me who are less drawn in by stories of fantasy and more by those of reality, Caspian’s increased element of human struggle is one that will pull you in more than The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

If you are a small child like several of those at the screening I attended, however, that very shift towards a grittier, more human reality may make its battles a bit too real to watch. And in terms of the message that went along with that reality, I have to say that the first film did a bit better job of communicating it more through story and character than the slightly preachy feeling dialog of the second. But regardless of which of the movie’s strengths may pull you in and which of its weakness may turn you off, the story that is told in Prince Caspian and the way it is delivered is still one I believe will make a connection with many and be enjoyed by almost as diverse an audience as the first.

Going into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, like many people, I pretty much had its story pegged. Aslan is Jesus, and it is about his sacrifice and resurrection to deliver us from the bondage of our sins. But going into Prince Caspian, and even as I walked away from it, I must admit I wasn’t exactly sure what its story was supposed to be about. Its pieces were there, but my question was, what did they mean when I put them together?

World of darkness, bears that don’t talk, trees that don’t sing. “You get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that’s what you become,” says “Dear Little Friend” Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) upon the Pevensies’ return to the vastly changed world of Narnia… So, we do live in a world of sin and darkness, and the effect of that reality is nothing other than life-draining. Sounds about right.

Aslan remains mysteriously absent for much of the movie and doesn’t step in to save things until significant losses have already been incurred. “Things were never meant to happen the same way twice,” he tells Lucy… Okay, God isn’t going to keep coming and dying for us every time we get into a mess. Got it.

Lucy sees Aslan. No one else does. “I’m not going to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn’t exist,” says Peter… God may not be physically among us anymore, but he’s still here. I can see that.

“Maybe we’re the ones who need to prove ourselves to him,” says Lucy just before she leaves to find Aslan and call upon his help… Hmmm: free will, journey to be taken, life-giving power not so much making us wait as waiting for us to reach out for it. Interesting.
If The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the story of Christ’s sacrifice for us long ago, as I see it, Prince Caspian is the story of God’s existence in our lives now. Yes, Christ’s sacrifice may have saved us from eternal bondage to Satan (the White Witch), but that does not mean that our lives here and now will be free of struggle or complication. At times, it may seem that our world is completely devoid of any of the light or magic we associate with the existence of God, but that does not mean God is not here.

As much as our lives may be filled with ugly and complicated realities, it still remains that we are spiritual beings living in a spiritual world. And while the spirit of God may not be quite as blatantly present as a gigantic lion, in the gentle whisper of a breeze, in the energizing beat of a song, in the comforting embrace of a lover, and in the encouraging words of a friend, the spirit of God is still very much alive in our world today.

Reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is a lot like watching Kill Bill.

Two years ago I sat and watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2. Not once was I tempted to close my eyes to avoid seeing the blood and gore that accompanied the gratuitous dismemberments, because I never had a chance to be tempted. The swift slice-and-dice of Japanese steel kept my eyes riveted through the whole horrific scene. Only later, much later, did it occur to me that I had enjoyed the movie way too much.

I can say pretty much the same thing about reading The Da Vinci Code. You know you should look away; you know you shouldn’t have to suspend your disbelief quite so much; you know there are better things you could be doing with your time. Still, you don’t look away, because the fast-paced, cliffhanger action doesn’t give you much of a chance to look away. Unlike the Quentin Tarantino movie, however, The Da Vinci Code has managed to create an all-too-convincing alternate reality, one in which the truly disturbing action is taking place apart from the story and in the minds of readers-turned-believers.

The response to the book is disturbing not so much because DVC threatens our personal faith but because it exposes our cultural illiteracy. When the first DVC debunkers began writing and speaking out against Dan Brown’s shoddy research and flawed conclusions, I wondered if their out cry wasn’t an overreaction. I reasoned that anyone with even a superficial knowledge of early church history would immediately spot many of his factual errors. And the whole Knights Templar, Mary-Magdalene-as-Holy-Grail story line had been written off 20 years ago, when Holy Blood, Holy Grail provided a fascinating read—and a fanciful theory lacking any historical merit.

As it turned out, of course, the debunkers were and are needed, because an unknown percentage of DVC readers believe they have been deceived about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the authenticity of Scripture for their entire lives. Many traditional Christians are understandably upset about the confusion Brown has caused. One result has been a publishing phenomenon.

Brown made so many mistakes that you practically find yourself cheering him on when he manages to get something right. And yet, some people who know their history—dismiss the errors as insignificant. What really matters, for them, is the obviously true story that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalene, which the lying, murderous church has somehow managed to keep secret all this time. It’s as if they’ve suddenly taken leave of their senses, as if they cannot see that faulty research leads to faulty conclusions.

What is Dan Brown's gift to the church, if DVC makes us uncertain about what we really believe?...
DVC has done something else as well, something orthodox Christians need to be thankful for. It has, “set off a pretty loud pealing of the electric chimes at the front door of the culture.” I cannot recall a popular title that has set off such a loud pealing at the front door of the church as well. In that sense, Dan Brown has done us a service by leaving at our doorstep an invitation to indulge in some fairly heady talk with the culture around us. To miss that opportunity would be, well, a sin—. Our Challenge is in part to learn to communicate with that culture. If there's a man that will proudly announced that he hadn’t read the book because he refused to read anything that wasn’t worthwhile, by which he meant anything that wasn’t of a biblical, religious nature. I can understand his point and respect his resolve. But that kind of thinking makes it highly unlikely that he will be able to significantly impact the culture.

Reading DVC, along with Internet discussion boards about the book and reader reviews on Amazon and other sites, offers an invaluable glimpse into the postmodern mind. Our ability to interact with the culture on a deep theological level requires us to take advantage of as many of those glimpses as we can.

We truly do have an amazing opportunity at our doorstep. Dan Brown has given us a way to talk about spiritual realities that allows us to use the images and the history and even some of the words—the name of Jesus, no less!—that we cherish as part of our spiritual heritage. With so many readers-turned-believers placing their faith in Brown’s alternate reality, maybe we shouldn’t look away after all.

Illumine Compendium: The Purpose Driven Life And The Heavenly Man

It’s not uncommon for e-mailers to check their computer several times a day--eagerly wanting to know, “Has someone trying to reach me? What did they have to say?” And many e-mailers hope to hear that little voice from their computer that raises their expectations--it says, “You got mail.”...Here's a new friend who ask something but needs a big space to answer, here it goes:

One of my favorite book is "The Purpose-Driven Life", I found your writings in a strong and brave form of expressing yourself in an accurate words. In your own opinion, can you say that there are errors in that book? Your comments are important to me. -Mia

There must be a hundred ways to discuss The Purpose-Driven Life. Since it came out, it has become something of a publishing phenomenon, breaking all kinds of records. Its author, Rick Warren, is the founder and pastor of the huge Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The methods used at Saddleback to create its incredible success were chronicled in Warren’s first book, The Purpose-Driven Church. Around these two volumes are a panoply of other marketing tools designed to share Warren’s formulas for growth, ecclesiastical and spiritual.

The Purpose-Driven Life seems itself to be purpose-driven. It assumes much, but it presumes more. Apparently, it has found its largest audience among small groups. That’s a good thing, since it is in the context of such sharing that the best and most productive theology gets done. There is really something here for every Christian, but it needs to be discussed among a group of questioning individuals who will evaluate its suggestions and significances, hoping to make some of them their own.

The book is divided into 40 daily readings, grouped into categories including "You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure," and "You Were Shaped for Serving God." Its format is ideal for Lent, it was my Lenten discipline this year I challenged myself to read one chapter each day, and write a short reflection to share with friends. It is this type of deliberate practice that both affirms and contradicts Warren’s understanding of theology and the Christian faith. Giving yourself time to reflect deeply about Warren’s words and discuss his conclusions with others is helpful to seeing this book clearly, with all its blemishes and beauty.

After coming to the end of both Lent and The Purpose-Driven Life’s final chapter, I did some research on how the book has been received. Many of Warren’s critics have been unkind both to the author and his intentions. I for one bet Rick Warren is a super nice guy. I’d also wager that he is not guilty of deliberately attempting to derail two millennia of Christianity. If the church he pastors has caught any of the enthusiasm and vision exhibited in this book, it must be a fine place to learn and implement the Christian faith.

Nonetheless, The Purpose-Driven Life has its problems, the first being the book’s theocentric theology. I hope groups studying the book will question this at some level. In the first sentence of the first chapter ("It’s not all about you."), Warren throws down this gauntlet. All the prophetic and ethical necessities for such a beginning aside, maybe this comment alone will cause some readers to question the theological value of a book that seems to be assuming that it can slip into God’s head and proclaim where divine attention is focused.

Among Christians with strong devotional practices, the purpose of God’s entire scheme of redemption is focused on the individual ("If I were the only person who stood in need of redemption, Jesus would still willingly have come to earth and died for me"). We teach our children to sing "Jesus Loves Me" fully knowing that such an assertion appeals boldly to their childish egocentrism. Our understanding that God is aware of every grain of sand on the beach and hair on our head still remains one of the most profound realizations for Christians of any age.
One way in which Christianity interprets theism does underscore our insignificance in the vast realm of God’s creations, and the condescension of Jesus to provide our redemption. The finest expressions of this doctrine, however, have been those that emphasize that the same God who values each one of as precious also has the immense creativity to invent a universe that leaves us in awe and convinced that we can never understand the magnitude of the divine. Only when we realize that it is all about me, can we realize that it’s really not. And only when the issue of our true insignificance is acknowledged can we finally begin to grasp how wonderful it is that we do matter to the heart of God.

Since the book is written by a Christian very much in the tradition of this theology, both wings of this paradox eventually do get adequate ventilation. However, it almost seems by accident; Warren doesn’t appear to be aware that a paradox exits, one that requires more thought than a simplistic affirmation.

This simplistic affirmation also extends to The Purpose-Driven Life’s approach to the inspiration of scripture. It strikes me as curious that an author who cites fifteen versions of the Bible occasionally ignores both context and interpretation to make his point. We are expected to agree that, because scripture has been quoted, God has spoken, even when the quotation sounds forced. When someone begins a comment with "The Bible says…" there’s no telling how scripture is going to be used, or abused. Content cannot be divorced from context without the danger of inaccurate conclusions, and Warren slips down this slope on more than one occasion.


Finally, there’s Warren’s emphasis on finality. Without trying to rob Christianity of its eternal dimension, I still can’t agree with Warren’s emphasis on the significance of events as seen from an eternal perspective. Once again, we are asked to accept the assumption that nothing temporal is of value. While scriptural support for such an assertion can be found, the broader teaching of scripture is that it is precisely because of eternity that temporal things take on significance. Here is yet another paradox of our faith, one whose implications are understood only when it is seen in all its dimensions. When we look at our life here on earth as one that matters in the world to come, that gives us one more reason to cherish our temporal existence. That does not mean that everything we do has an eternal impact, but it does mean that when we recognize the implications of The Eternal, even the details become important.


Yet having said all the above, and despite its potholes, The Purpose- Driven Life is a rewarding read. Warren is not afraid to condemn human hubris and folly, or to encourage us to defer to one anther in recognition of our place as members of humanity and as believers. And though he stumbles at times, Warren is justified in attempting to discern patterns of thematic thought in scripture.

The Purpose-Driven Life does have purpose. Especially when discussed by a group, the book has the potential to stimulate good discussion and spiritual growth.



Another new friend ask me about a book...Thank you Jonathan for your message. Here it is:


"How about 'the heavenly man' by paul hathaway? ever read that piece yet? well for sure i'd like to read some lines from you about it.


Here's my own analysis for that book Jonathan...


Brother Yun, a Chinese Christian who first came to know the Lord as a young man in 1974 towards the end of the Cultural Revolution. It is a story full of amazing miracles, extraordinary church growth and horrendous suffering, which sums up many of the experiences of China's house churches over the past thirty years. Brother Yun's own words are interspersed with short testimonies from his wife, Deling, and with occasional contributions from other top Chinese house church leaders.


Brother Yun's testimony can be summed up in his own words, which describe his feelings after serving a four year prison sentence: "I had experienced so much in those four years, but God had been faithful. I'd suffered some horrible tortures, but God had been faithful. I'd been dragged in front of judges and courts, but God had been faithful. I'd been hungry, thirsty, and had fainted from exhaustion, but God had been faithful. Through it all, God was always faithful and loving to me. He had never left me nor forsaken me. His grace was always sufficient and He provided for my every need."


Although many of Brother Yun's experiences will be alien to most believers in the West, the lessons he learns are very relevant to us all. He is honest and humble enough to admit his mistakes, and his stories of disobedience to the Lord's instructions, burnout from overwork, and the problems caused by putting ministry before his family should ring bells for Christians wherever we live.


After all that he has suffered to bring to the Gospel to the unreached, Brother Yun has certainly earned the right to challenge us about our faithfulness in reaching the nations. Towards the end of the book, he shares concerning the vision of the Chinese house churches to take the Gospel "back to Jerusalem" and encourages us to join with them in this task.
This amazing book is a faith-building testimony to God's sovereign grace and His miraculous work on behalf of those who trust Him and delight in His Word. This excerpt make you hungry for a life of total surrender and victory in the midst of suffering in Christ.


Thank you to all the people sending me messages Lynn, Mia, Jonathan and Alex.