welcome October

I love this month.

Football: in full swing
Hockey: Just getting started
Basball: playoffs baby
Trees: changing colors
Jackets: I get to wear them

... another consolation is that my birthday is on the 5th... not quite as exciting as that used to be... I'll be 30 this year.

Reading that last sentence is just weird. I can't believe I'm that old already. I guess I always thought that I'd perpetually be in my 20's with little responsibility and virtually no accountability... those were the days..

Now I'm married with several responsibilities... but the funny thing is, I'd never go back. I am blessed beyond what I had ever imagined.

I love this month and I love my life!

perfect...

I am far from it. I keep learning that more and more every day. Despite this fact, I'm beginning to love mornings. Not because I am a morning person (there is little hope for me there), but because I can wake up and be fully drenched in God's mercies... I love it.

There is something about being still. I think David and the other authors of the Psalms hit it right on the head when you see a little caption that looks like this: Selah

I never really understood what this truly meant until I intentionally practiced sitting and doing nothing, but reflect and let God speak into my heart. There is nothing that recharges me more than this. My soul is at peace... even when my surroundings are in turmoil, I still have the morning to look forward to.

my poor, neglected blog

Ever since the insurgence of 'facebook' I have rarely posted here... I think most of my once-loyal followers have long since retired from checking this here blog...
I'm sorry random, contemplative.. it's not you, it's me.
You have always been here waiting for me like a faithful, golden retriever... (sigh)

perhaps I'll blog again.
perhaps the millions of followers will once again, someday, see our relationship blossom.

goodbye my LOOOOOOOOOOVVVVEE!!!!

movie critic's corner

A few nights ago my wife and I rented the movie 'Taken'. I was really looking forward to viewing this film seeing that I am a HUGE fan of 'revenge' movies.

For those of you who are not familiar with this film, let me lay out the basic plot: Liam Neeson (the father figure), reluctantly allows his 17 year-old daughter to travel around Europe with her 19 year-old female friend. Neeson plays a former government operative who has seen too much in his time to feel easy about his daughter's summer plans. Upon her arrival to Paris, such said daughter and friend are kidnapped by unseen assailants, who are involved with trafficking, which puts into motion a well-equipped, knowledgeable yet vengeful father who then takes justice into his own hands.

Now the basic plot of this film had a sense of 'realism' to it. I say this because kidnappings REALLY happen... Human trafficking REALLY happens... and heroic acts to stop these tragedies REALLY happen... With this being said, my expectations were leaning toward a 'realistic' story line. That expectation was sadly unfulfilled due to the 'fantasy' elements that were thrown into the film.

Let me expand on my point by pointing out two very similar, yet different movies... Similar because they are both 'revenge' movies, but different due to 'realism' vs. 'fantasy'.



Movie #1: "Man On Fire" - This movie leans towards 'realism' based on these factors: It was shot in Mexico City, a real place. The film also let you feel, very clearly, that it was taking place in present day. The story line (like 'Taken') includes a former agent (Denzel Washington) who's past and mental scars are unclear, a kidnapping, parents feeling real pain, corrupt law enforcement and a seemingly impossible mission. Washington's character bleeds, hurts, fails, emits emotion from all ends of the 'emotion spectrum'... he is not invincible and ultimately, he does NOT complete ALL aspects of what he sets out to do, but gets done what he needs to get done... by any means possible. Even at his own demise. It made me feel like this story line could actually happen.

Real.




Movie #2: "Payback" - This movie leans towards 'fantasy'. Like the previous two films mentioned above, the main character (Mel Gibson) is motivated by 'something' to get 'what's his'. The films 'Taken' and 'Man On Fire' use human motivation which triggers a more emotional pull on the audience. 'Payback' uses a large sum of money as motivation. Also, the city that the film takes place in is ambiguous, Gibson's character cheats death multiple times and the audience can't relate to the characters because they are written in to stereotypes (ie: mobsters, hookers, assassins, etc.)

Fantasy.

Now back to 'Taken'. The plot elements were 'real-life' and emotionally tugging much like 'Man On Fire', but Neeson's character was all fantasy. He didn't bleed, didn't feel pain, cheated death... all the fantastic qualities you would find in 'Payback'.

Saying all this leaves me to conclude that I wish the director would have chosen one or the other. Fantasy or Realism. Not both. The two elements didn't get along too well in my opinion.

I give this film a 6 out of 10. A great story line with mediocre acting at best. Rent it. Don't buy it.

the end.

Jericho Road Church LAUNCH!!

This Sunday night we are launching our church services! it's at 2411 Hall Rd (Cancun Connection) right next to Love INC
-Take Apple Ave. east, Left on Sheridan, right on Hall, second building on the right.

Join us for a great time at 5:30 PM!!!

I have a new neice

jake comes to work with me...

I think he gets more done than I do there... he's definately busy!

Happy (Late) Easter!

Acts 2:42-47

We are planting a church! Our Bible study has been meeting for about ten weeks.. we have seen God move and act in awesome ways during this time and look forward to see how He will continue to use us. This community longs to be what Acts 2 states. More people have been coming each week and it has been convincingly clear to us that God is calling us to this unbelievable privilege!

Feel free to come see what God is doing... We meet on Saturday nights for now (until we lauch, hopefully in the fall) at 6pm at 1683 E. Oakdale, 49444 (otherwise known as Wagenmaker Greenhouses). If nothing else pray for God's wisdom for our leadership team! And if you have any sweet church name ideas, now is the time to give your input.

(:



"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

#271

Dave Matthews has written a few songs with numbers as titles... I think the numbers represent the sequential order of which they were written... thus post 271.

I'm no Dave. So call my title to this post unoriginal. I've decided that there is nothing much original anymore... especially in music. Let me at this time quote the Barenaked Ladies: "It's all been done"

I'm convinced that the only thing that's original anymore is video games. I was playing Madden '09 on xbox 360 last night and could not concentrate on actually controlling the game play because I was so enamored by the graphics. I saw a commercial for the gears of war video game and thought I was watching real footage for a second... then I saw some robots or aliens or something and realized it was otherwise.

I watched the movie The Rocker the other night. Horrible. Completely supports my claim here...

I really don't know where I'm going with all this... I think I just wanted to rant... I was in the mood.

hooray for a new post.

Hey all... sorry these are so few and far between these days.... it's rare I find time to have internet, and when I do it's usually occupied by catching up on email, facebook and myspace messages so this gets neglected...

so many things have been happening in my life... too many to mention right now, but a few highlights to point out..

* I'm quitting my job at the buckle and will be working in the greenhouses this fall again... this will be good knowing that I'll have my evenings free to spend with my family.

* As my wife mentioned in her blog, a vagabond named Justin is living in our basement right now... he has been a blessing and huge encouragement... we've had many good dialogues and I look forward to see what God is going to do in his life.

* God is continuing to work in my heart with the situation of my brother-in-law Jerry. What the enemy means for evil, God uses for His glory... and I am learning more what that means every day.

Don't give up on my blog ye faithful readers... I'll be back in full-force before you know it!