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And heavy-laden.
And, I need rest.
It is just the wear of the day to day, you know? The daily grind can do that.
It is the kind of day that I just want to crawl into bed and wrap the comforter around me and sleep for a month.
Yet, I know that is not what I need.
The rest that I seek will not come from mere sleep. I need more.
I need a touch from the Lord.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Not the traditional idea of rest, at least in worldly terms. Something better, though.
Because, folks, I could go to my bed, I could crawl under the comforter, I could sleep for as long as my body would let me, and I *might* get at least some physical renewal (although I doubt even that), but when I get up, the same issues, the same stresses, the same problems will be waiting for me.
The rest offered by the Lord here is true refreshment and revitalization. The promise that He will see us through all of the problems we face, that He is right there beside us to lean on. Any problem we face can seem much less ominous knowing that God is there to help us through.
There is still work to do. There is still a yoke, still a burden, but it is different than those things that the world puts on us. The world drags us down, but the work of the Lord revitalizes us.
It is a joy to be able to serve, to share in the blessing that God gives. If you've ever been on a retreat with a youth group, you can understand. Yes, it is a lot of work, and it can be hard... but, the rewards, the opportunity to be around as God moves in a situation, stirs a heart... its the best spiritual battery recharge you'll ever find.
So, once again, I remind myself to shake off the things of this world, strap on the yoke, and move forward... already feeling better for it.
Type at you later.
Diary of Hope, 2006). Christine Kerrick Images, Christine Kerrick (writer, artist, publisher), $9.95, 56 pp.
This is a graphic novel (period). Many graphic novels are just glorified comic books. Kerrick uses a combination of journal entries, sketches, illustrations and even some sequential art to propel the narrative. This book covers roughly the same ground as her recently completed three issue mini series, Empire. However while the same characters from Empire are involved in the same situations Diary of Hope complements and not just repeats the events of the mini series.
Diary of Hope brings a greater depth into the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, Hope Mason. Hope is a young woman whose father, along with millions of others, have suddenly and mysteriously vanished from earth without a trace. The Diary documents Hope's life during the five years after the disappearance of her father. During this period she struggles with her own spirituality and belief in God. After much hardship and soul searching she follows the lead of her father, repents of her sin and becomes a Christian. This causes her to lose old friends and gain new ones and eventually leads to her death by martyrdom at the book's conclusion.
Kerrick's theological stance on the end times is a pre-millennial dispensationalist one. This position holds that true Christians will be physically taken out (raptured) of the world before the "Great Tribulation" and bodily return of Christi and the end of history. While not all Christians hold to this eschatological position the books succeeds as a compelling and gripping drama on its own merits despite whether the reader agrees with the future times scenario underlaying the story.
This is one of the best reads and professionally done packages to come out of the Christian comics movement in recent years. Christine Kerrick and batted a home run with this book. Buy it and savor it. Whether you agree or not with the end times scheme you will be blessed.
(This review was written in August 2006)
www.christinekerrick.com
Shalom,
Mike
There appear to be two camps for this album - those that love the complex, introspective music with powerful lyrics, and those that hate the plodding and moodiness of this album.
Where do I land? Well, not nearly as polarized, I'm afraid.
First, let me just say this - the music itself is incredible. It runs the gamut from bluegrass to contemporary, hitting just about everything in between. The experimentation with instruments, for the most part, is exciting and welcome.
The songs themselves... well, the first word that springs to mind for most of these is "melancholy." It is a very moody kind of album, and, if you are in that certain mindset, I'm sure there are levels of complexity within the lyrics to be mined thoroughly.
Me? I'll admit it... some of the album just brought me down.
There are some real highlights on the album. Amazing Grace, which is not the well known hymn, is just a fantastic song. The first of two songs to feature Ashley Cleveland (as background vocals), the music is punctuated by the use of an organ, and features strong lyrics.
Another solid tune is Faith Enough, which features some of the strongest, deepest lyrics on the album. I got more and more out of this song with each subsequent playing.
At the risk of sounding pedestrian, I really do like Show Your Love, which I would say is the closest of a more "traditional" Jars of Clay song. It isn't a particularly complex song, just one I enjoy. The fact that it is the most mainstream type of song on the album doesn't change that for me.
The faster paced I'm In The Way was a welcome inclusion on an album that is generally slow and reflective. It has an absolutely fantastic drum beat that makes this a favorite on the album for me, a former percussionist.
Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet, one of the two covers on the album, is set to an almost Waltz beat. There is an inviting quirkiness to the music itself, and the repeated words take on a reflective mantra that can be quite powerful if you simply focus on them.
But, all of those songs serve as preamble to the "wow" song of the album - Jealous Kind. Just a thoroughly powerful song in tone and word, everything clicked. I could listen to this song over and over, and never grow tired of it.
Only Alive, while a strong song lyrically and musically, suffers mainly due to the wrong voice singing it. Dan Haseltine does a passable job, but this song would obviously be benefitted with the voice of, say, a Johnny Cash giving it the strength it needs.
The lowest point of the entire album is the song Trouble Is. A song so blatantly influenced by Man of Constant Sorrow from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, invites criticism if for no other reason than it simply does not measure up to that song. Well, that and the bluegrass music with the drum machine slammed underneath.
As for the rest of the album, I found two major problems. First, it was unremarkable. Second, it was uneven, probably due to the experimentation with so many styles, or maybe the ill-fitting voice for the songs on the album.
This one is tough. Where the album excelled, it blew me away. Where it didn't, it really, really didn't. Making the album a 13 song album was a mistake, as the album probably could have been stellar with the weeding out of two or three songs. As it is, with the extra songs, it detracts from the whole. On the 1 to 10 scale, I'm giving it a 6.5.
So, what's on tap in my Sansa for the next week? How about a little Chris Tomlin, and his album, Arriving?
As always, if you have a suggestion of something you think I should be listening to, let me know.
Type at you later!
I suppose my interest started when I learned how many times his efforts to produce various pieces of art were thwarted by the demands of those funding him for other works.
I mean, Michelangelo was an amazing sculptor, and yet, time and again, he was called on to paint. Mind you, he was amazing at that as well (after all, he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel), but there had to be such frustration at not being able to do what he truly felt he had a gift for.
I think every artist and aspiring artist that is NOT independently wealthy can understand.
Anyway, when I read The Agony and the Ecstasy, (yes, read - it is more than just a movie, friends), there is one quote that hit me like a 2x4. It is a line that Bertoldo says to Michelangelo:
Talent is cheap; dedication is expensive.
I knew a guy a while back. I would have to say that I was terribly jealous of him. How's that for honesty? He had this amazing drawing ability. When I say amazing, I mean AMAZING. He was drawing at a level as a teenager that I don't know if I'll ever reach in my life. Worse yet, it came so easy for him.
Isn't that always the way?
(See? Told you I was jealous... or used to be, anyway.)
It would hard to be jealous of his talent now because he has done absolutely nothing with it. NOTHING.
Yes, its a waste, but I suppose that is a person's choice. Some people just don't want to put any of the needed effort behind their talents.
Talent is one of those things that some people are just born with. Sure, I fully believe that anyone can learn just about anything with enough effort, but to have such a knack for something, to be born with that kind of talent, it is priceless.
Priceless and, yet, cheap. Priceless in value, but because it comes without effort, those who hold those talents can take them for granted, even toss them aside.
Talent costs nothing, and some people treat it like that's exactly what it is worth.
The key is dedication. You take what you have, and you focus, put the work and time in, and move forward. Talent is nice, certainly gives a healthy head start, but if you don't do anything with it, what good is it?
In the dictionary, to be dedicated means to be wholly committed. Quite simply, to be dedicated to something means to put everything you are and have into it.
Everything.
Dedication *is* expensive.
As a matter of fact, going back to the Agony and the Ecstasy, the very next line after the quote I've mentioned is this:
It will cost you your life.
This is where the rubber meets the road, though. You can take whatever level of talent you have for something, be it math, computers, teaching, speaking, art, or whatever, and you can choose to put your full effort behind it to turn it into something... or you can choose not to.
Don't worry if you choose to not cultivate your talent. You certainly won't be alone.
Like Blaise Pascal once said:
Nothing is as approved as mediocrity, the majority has established it and it fixes its fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.
Type at you later.
I’ve been on a “superhero” book kick lately. I posted recently about the book Who Needs a Superhero?, and the book I just finished was of like sort: The Gospel According To The World’s Greatest Superhero, by Stephen Skelton. To Skelton, the “world’s greatest,” is obviously Superman.
I always had problems really “liking” Superman. Not that I thought he was bad or anything, but I found it hard to be interested in a guy who do anything and couldn’t be hurt. Where was the suspense or drama in that?
I eventually learned that Superman wasn’t always like he is today, and in fact, Superman couldn’t always fly. Right now, you’re probably having one of those “duh” moments like I did when I realized it. Remember: “Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound”?
My son Brett loves Superman. I’ve said it before (yeah—I’ll likely say it again), comics of today are much different than when I was a kid. I won’t let my kids look at most of what is produced today. I can’t even let them read much of what I wrote a few years back…but that’s another story for another day.
Skelton’s book, though, makes me reconsider some of the Superman thoughts I’ve had.
Skelton reminds us that scripture says God reveals Himself to man in nature itself. Truth doesn’t have to come purely from the prophets. It can also come from worldly wisdom: wise men, scholars, and philosophers. If this is true, then when can’t God reveal Himself to us through fictional characters? Skelton’s argument, of course, is that He can.
I remember when I “got” it about God revealing Himself to us through nature. As a kid I did a lot of camping out with my friends—even sleeping on top of a 75 foot high water tower (another story for another day). At 2 a.m. in Mississippi during the “camping” months, the stars are usually visible for all to see. I can remember many nights just looking at the multitude of stars and talking about the vastness with my friends, particularly Wynndel and Mike. I remember being blown away by how big the universe is. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was just God revealing Himself to me through His creation.
Skelton goes on to say that “If Superman fights for truth and Christ is truth, then Superman fights for Christ.” (Emphasis mine)
Skelton falsely credits Superman for a few firsts, but we can’t blame him for that—many do the same. The Superman concept was actually originally presented in The Gladiator, a novel written by Philip Wylie and published in 1929, about ten years before Superman. Again, most folks don’t know this and Wylie’s novel is out of print and very difficult to find.
Skelton also says it is the Christian duty to bring spiritual revelation out of entertainment, something I find very cool. Generally, he means that Christians should take entertainment and cull spiritual truth out of it so that we can discuss those truths with non-Christians. I belong to an internet “group” of Christian comic creators and this topic is frequently debated, albeit from the creator side. What I find particularly enticing is that Skelton points out Jesus told the crowds parables…but explained it later to the disciples when they were away from the crowds and alone.
Cool.
I’d recommend this book to any Christian “artist” (spoken, written, sung, whatever) to help give encouragement for what you do. Also, any true fans of Superman would be interested in this. The parallels Skelton finds of Superman to Christ are both fascinating and interesting.
*Sigh*
The first images from the new Star Trek film are surfacing. Well, actually, there were some images of Zachary Quinto (Sylar on Heroes) as Spock that made the rounds earlier, but these are the official type of images, going along with the first teaser trailer for the new film.
Most importantly, its a look at the new version of the classic Enterprise.
It looks... fine.
Oh, who am I kidding? Try as I might, I cannot get excited over this.
Why?
The film is being made by J.J. Abrams.
For those of you that don't know, J.J. Abrams is a highly successful writer, director, and producer. He has been responsible for some majorly successful productions...
... that I don't like.
You know that super-successful juggernaut called Lost? Yeah, he did that. You remember Alias? Yeah, he did that. You remember Mission: Impossible III? No? Well, can't blame you there. But, yeah, he did that, too.
He's also done this big Cloverfield thing that came out this weekend. Yep, people have been talking about that for a while, but me? No interest at all.
Why do I dislike what Abrams makes? It all goes back to Alias. See, I started watching Alias right at the start. I thought I was watching a show about spies.
Who doesn't like a good spy thriller, right?
Unfortunately, it wasn't long until the spy-centric show was caught up in ancient prophecies and magical devices and Rambaldi-this and Rambaldi-that, and me? I was stuck. I was stuck in this horrible show.
You know, that is where I have to give credit to Lost. I watched the very first episode, and they at least threw an invisible dinosaur right into the pilot in order to warn me, hey, you don't wanna watch this show.
And, so, I watched Alias, and each episode connected to the last, and I could never get off. Finally, after three seasons of watching this show I didn't even like, I looked at my family and said, "I hate this show, and I'm not going to watch it anymore!"
Oh, sweet freedom! Glorious freedom from the bondage of this lodestone!
I'm not kidding. It was such a relief to be free of this show, despite the constant cliffhangers and mysteries that I'll never have answers about.
(But, I was tricked... and I saw Mission: Impossible III... which was just a horribly rehashed episode of Alias with a higher caliber of actor.)
Thus, it was with no small amount of horror that I heard that J.J. Abrams was taking over the Star Trek movie franchise, and re-birthing it.
I don't think I can handle a Star Trek with mysterious polar bears, invisible dinosaurs, ancient transporters designed by DiVinci knock-offs, and prophecies of Ensign Chekov as the key to it all.
Ugh.
Type at you later.
(Another request - Nightcrawler.)
That's right, folks, after ten months without the Star Spangled Avenger, Captain America is set to make his debut on January 30, 2008, in Captain America 34.
His debut?!?
Yeah, this ain't the Cap we all knew and loved. It is another person (I won't say who, so as not to spoil it) in the... well, disturbing yet familiar costume.
The modified (rather liberally dubbed a "redesign") costume is the product of Alex Ross and what looks to be a black marker. Or, for the most part anyway. There are other subtle differences (no ear holes, modified gloves), and, of course, the costume is very, very shiny.
It is a horrible, horrible look. This costume design makes the baby Jesus cry.
(A joke probably lost on many of you that did not grow up in a predominantly Catholic town where children were constantly told that would occur if their behavior was bad.)
Still, after nearly a year of NOT having a Captain America in a comic book titled Captain America, I'm looking forward to this. The writer on the series, Ed Brubaker, should be applauded for managing to keep a comic going without the title character for this long.
(Of course, if you ask some of my friends, you will find out that my patience was wearing thin here, and I was about to drop the book. Having a Cap back, even if it isn't Steve Rogers, has held that off... for the moment.)
But, this isn't the only time that Captain America will be returning this year.
In another project slated for this year, there will be a 12-part series titled Avengers/Invaders in which the Invaders from World War II will somehow be plucked out of the 40's and transported to the modern day Marvel Universe. The Invaders were a team of heroes that included an android Human Torch, Namor the Submariner, and, of course, Captain America.
It will be interesting to see how the original Captain America, fresh from the 1940's, will react to the guy in the teflon suit.
I'm looking forward to that... a lot.
Type at you later.
7 Seconds and a Dead Fish (c) 2008 Jesse Hamm
I’m happy to announce that Community Comics has been able to place Jesse Hamm’s inspirational indy comic, 7 Seconds and a Dead Fish, at WOWIO -- and it’s available for FREE!
7 Seconds and a Dead Fish tells the story of a young man as he tenaciously clings to his faith when the religious system he has been brought up in has turned its message to merely speak to the tenets of the government. Jesse’s excellent black and white artwork captures the bleak landscape and atmosphere of the story, while his expressive style imbues the protagonist with strength and hope. It’s a small press classic that exemplifies intelligent inspirational comics.
Papa complained about the film Madagascar portraying the aye-aye's as more African than the natives actually are in that island (relatives of Hawwaiins or Phillipinos I recall) and while funny probably is twice as insulting since they didn't even steryotype the actual Natives properly! I get so upset at films which only give us what we already assume about other cultures and never risks giving us something "new" because no one might get it or the movie will get too educational and bore people wither way :( So when I thought of making a cartoon music video of the link I gave you...I actually thought of Characturing Carl Gardner as a Bush Baby, but I'm thinking now that doing so may still be too offensive since Black people don't really like animal films to begin with...and I know they'll assume that it's a Aye-Aye character anyway (though my mom theought they were funny, so I'm only worried of the people who think Black people should be offended over stuff)!Maybe I should just stick to Howlin' Wolf characturized as Tennissee Hurt (for the extra wrinkles) as a Turtle singing "Smockstack Lightnin...."
Btw here's the Lyrics, though I rather not dicuss the ethics of that :
Down in Mexicali
There's a crazy little place that I know
Where the drinks are hotter than the chili sauce
And the boss is a cat named Joe
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pianna [this is the way he pronounces
it; to rhyme with "bandana"]
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
Well, the first time that I saw him
He was sittin' on a piano stool
I said "Tell me dad, when does the fun begin?"
He just winked his eye and said "Man, be cool."
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pianna
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
All of a sudden in walks this chick
Joe starts playing on a Latin kick
Around her waist she wore three fishnets
She started dancin' with the castanets
I didn't know just what to expect
She threw her arms around my neck
We started dancin' all around the floor
And then she did a dance I never saw before.
So if you're south of the border
I mean down in Mexico
And you wanna get straight,
Man, don't hesitate
Just look up a cat named Joe.
He wears a red bandana, plays a blues pianna
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache
In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico
[Spoken by Carl Gardner:]
Yeah, como est usted senorita
Come with me to the border, south of the border, that is
In Mexico, yeah in Mexico
You can get your kicks in Mexico
Come with me baby, come with me, come with me, crazy, yeah
I formed what some would call a list. A list? Yes, a list... of four.
Four?
Hmm. Yeah, that was a problem, because today is Friday, and that means four just won't cut it!
The first four just instantly popped into my head, but the fifth eluded me. There were shows I thought of... but I don't know if they ranked high enough to be included in a list of five.
Finally, I figured I could solve the problem by expanding the list to ten. If I could come up with ten shows that I would consider favorites, then I could weed out the favorites of that list and come up with the five I needed.
It worked.
Before we get to this list, though, please remember a few things I considered when drafting this.
First, these are my favorites. In no way should that be misconstrued as being the "best" TV shows ever. I know there are better shows out there, but these are the ones that I like best.
Second, the choice of the shows is based on my overall enjoyment of them throughout their run. All shows can have a lackluster season. That doesn't put them out of the running unless those lackluster seasons overwhelm the good.
Third, I didn't toss in shows that ran for a single season or less. A show can be brilliant for a season and just stink in the overall. If the show wasn't around long enough to get a good sampling, I eliminated it.
Fourth, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I realize that there are some shows that were on my list of ten that may have qualified to be in the top five, but they are are still being run on a constant basis. As a result, I don't have that "I wish this was still on" feeling about them that I do other shows that are not being run currently. That definitely affected the ranking of these, in at least two cases.
Now that you have been prepared, on with the show!
My Five Favorite TV Shows
Show the First - Quantum Leap
Without a doubt, this is my favorite show of all time. Following Dr. Samuel Beckett as he traveled through time, putting things right that once went wrong, was the television highlight of my high school years. I followed this show through various schedule changes, participated in the letter writing campaign to save it, and have even considered attending the Quantum Leap Convention (in L.A. in 2009!). I even get excited about every rumor of a revival of this show, and I've watched the entire first season of Journeyman on NBC because it reminds me of Quantum Leap. I miss this show a lot.
Show the Second - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and I will argue with anyone that this is the best of the Treks. The storylines of this show are epic, and connected throughout the run. The caliber of acting on this series is fantastic, and Avery Brooks, in particular, is amazing as Captain Benjamin Sisko. This show ran for seven seasons, but could have gone longer. It went out on a high note, which I'm thankful for, but I still wish it had stuck around for a couple of more seasons.
Show the Third - Mystery Science Theater 3000
I remember the first time I ever saw this show. It was at a friend's house. The show was on Comedy Central, a channel that our cable system didn't have, but his did. The very next day, I harrassed my father until he called our cable company to request that it be added. It only took about a year before they finally did. Just in time for the annual Turkey Day Marathon. I even remember the song used in the commercials promoting it:
We gather together
To watch cheesy movies
On Comedy Central
On Thanksgiving Day
At Mystery Science
(deep breath)
Theatre 3000,
Its 30 straight hours
And its called Turkey Day!
It is one thing to remember a theme song (which I also know, each of the versions!), but the song from a commercial? Now, that's impact.
The show was great. A guy and his robots, making fun of horrible films inflicted on them by a mad scientist and his henchman. If that doesn't scream "Must See TV," I don't know what does.
Show the Fourth - Wild West Tech
Hey, here's something you probably don't know about me - I love the Old West. I love Westerns, I've read most of the books written by Louis L'Amour, and if there is a documentary on the Old West, I'm likely to watch it.
And, that is what I love about this show. It is like a really fascinating documentary, broken up into bite sized pieces. Each episode focuses on a topic, like gamblers or gunslingers, and then proceeds to tell about the technology used, enrobed in the most interesting tales from the time. I could watch these shows for hours and never get bored.
Show the Fifth - Law & Order
I've watched this show since it premiered 18 years ago. I like procedural dramas, and this has to be my favorite of all of them.
The show is divided into the two aspects of a case - the investigation and the prosecution. It is like two half hour shows that interact. I think it helps the show to not drag as most hour long procedurals seem to do.
With the focus on a single case, from beginning to end, you get the whole story, and can really get in depth. And, I like that the focus is on the work and not the characters. Sure, over the years, we've learned about the cops and the attorneys on the show, but almost always in an offhand sort of way.
And, since it has been on 18 years, I have to figure I'm not the only one out there that likes it.
Oh, and as a bonus, here is a list of the other five, without order or comment:
Star Trek
Angel
Voltron: Defender of the Universe
The Dick Van Dyke Show
M*A*S*H
Type at you later.
I need a personal soundtrack.
I mean, why can't I have one? If we are supposed to be the hero of our own story, it seems to me everyone needs a soundtrack.
I've actually had times in my life where music played such a strong role that I could easily assemble the soundtrack for it. For example, there was a time back in college where I could easily map out exactly what the soundtrack would be if they made a movie of that moment of my life. I believe that the order was something along this line:
Lady in Red - Chris De Burgh
Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon
The Glory of Love - Peter Cetera
When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
Breakfast at Tiffanys - Deep Blue Something
At This Moment - Billy Vera and the Beaters
She - The Monkees
Love Stinks - J. Geils Band
It Must Have Been Love - Roxette
I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle
Yep. Thanks to YouTube, there it is, the chronicle of a college heartbreak, laid out in song and video. Man, I am so a child of the 80's.
But I need a more general type of soundtrack. I want music that I can hear in my head for sequences in my life... not tied to particular events. I need an openning credits song, an action song, a comedic moment song, a touching/heartfelt moment song, a rise-to-the-occasion/overcoming song, a victory song, etc., etc., etc.
More than any of those, though, I want a theme song. A song that, if it played while I walked into a room, people would say, yep, that fits him.
It would not be without precedent. I mean, who can doubt Darth Vader is on his way when you hear THAT music (you know what I'm talking about)? And pro wrestlers have had this forever! As a kid, I can remember Another One Bites the Dust blaring as the Junk Yard Dog made his way to the ring, or knowing I was about to see Hulk Hogan when I Am A Real American started playing.
The one I've claimed thus far has been You've Got The Touch by Stan Bush, but I'm thinking there may be a better one out there for me. It could be I'm like one of those TV shows that changes its theme each season. Maybe it is time for a change.
Any suggestions?
Type at you later.
(Original character - Eagle Red)
Yeah, I was surprised, too. Nevertheless, it'll happen.
Not that I have anything against Matthew Perry. I just wouldn't think that I'd be quoting one of his movies.
Anyway, one of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 37:4 -
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
There are verses in the Word of God that we cling to in hard times, and this is a big one for me. I would imagine this is true of anyone that isn't quite in the place in their life that they want to be. It is a verse that gives hope. It is a verse that can keep dreams alive.
Of course, there are those that would like to think that this means God will get them a new Escalade, or a fancy mansion, or a million dollars and a barrel of spending money.
Sorry, folks. God isn't a giant slot machine in the sky. If you are looking for prizes, try game shows.
The problem is the that people tend to focus on the wrong part of this verse - the "what do I get" part. Or, at least, the *obvious* "what do I get" part.
Because, folks, don't miss it - there are two things you get in this verse.
The verse starts out "Delight yourself in the Lord." It is a command, but also a precious invitation. Delight yourself in the Lord, take full joy in Him, celebrate Him.
We are talking the key to happiness, here, folks.
And, once you delight yourself in Him, you are gonna find out that your priorities change. Sorry to tell you that, but it is true. Trust me, though, once you start delighting in God, you won't mind so much that your previous "desire" for the riches of this world suddenly don't seem so strong.
(Here it comes.)
There is a line in the movie Fools Rush In that I think of when I think about what happens when our desires start lining up with God's as we delight in Him. In the movie, two people from wildly different worlds marry, and these differences threaten to tear them apart. Matthew Perry's character, though, realizes that he is truly in love, and in a girl-swooning moment of cinema says this line:
You are everything I never knew I always wanted.
When we delight in God, when we truly start to find joy in Him, our hearts and minds adjust. Our desires change. Things we didn't care about before are now very important, while other things that we obsessed over previously recede into the background.
When we delight in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart... even if we don't know what they are just yet.
Type at you later.
In the meantime, I need to find a job. I'd really like to find a job in which I'll be drawing - I would find it really depressing to go back to working at a hospital or bookstore after all of this schooling I've been doing. I'm also going to have to start paying back my student loans in six months. So I need to find something that's going to pay the equivalent of a $12/hour full-time job. Ergh. Any prayers on this would really be appreciated.
But I have a lot to be thankful to God for. He's guided us to a very nice apartment (it's a bit bigger than our old apartment in Minneapolis) in a neighborhood that's safe and familiar to me, and my wife is working. We have cable for the first time ever, and our new internet connection is SO fast it makes my head spin. Now if I could just get all this unpacking done...
Yun, The Illustrated Story of the Heavenly Man (2006), Monarch Books, Paul Hattaway (co-writer), Rico Rival (artist), 126 pp., $11.99 each.
In 1997 Paradox Press (a DC Comics imprint) published the Big Book of Martyrs. This book presented stories and legends primarily of early church and Roman Catholic martyrs for the faith. Martyrs and the persecuted church made up a very rich source for Christian sequential stories (comics). The graphic biography of Brother Yun is an excellent example of what can be done within the comics medium with modern persecution stories.
Brother Yun was born in 1958 in the tiny farming village of Liu Lao Zhuang of China's Henan Province. The story follows Yun's life as he was born into a family where his mother was a devout Christian and his father an ex-imperial soldier (who was miraculously healed by fervent prayers of terminal cancer). The book gives some historical background of the Protestant church in China. The rest of the book follows Yun's intense childhood desire to own a Bible and how God used him to teach and preach in the underground house church in China. There are many ups and downs in Yun's life journey as he faced beatings, torture, imprisonment, temptation and conflict within the church itself. This is a story of the triumph of faith and God's love in the face of seemingly overwhelming hardship and persecution.
Artist Rico Rival uses varied panel layouts and dramatic poses to keep the story moving. The inking tends to look rushed—almost as if these drawings were preliminary sketches. Since Rico is such an excellent comics story teller with very smooth transitions from page to page and from panel to panel in a very episodic story is a minor criticism. Still if he had taken more time or had a top notch inker doing the finishes— the art would have been even more effective. Nate Butler and Ed Morris helped in adapting the script to comics format.
The Christian church is facing heavy and increasing persecution many Muslim, Hindu and communist countries. Graphic biographies like Yun, the Heavenly Man is an excellent way of calling attention (and the need for help and prayer) to our brothers and sisters who are in very real ways suffering for their faith.
www.lionhudson.com
UPDATE: As I posted on the main page...WonderCon is out this year...our goal now is to get accepted into Comic-Con this July! A small press submission comittee must first approve of our artwork and story before letting us have a table. Space is limited. Pray that our story and artwork will agree with them and we will be invited. WonderCon is great since it's so close to home...but Comic-Con is the big dance! Pray that we get this great opportunity!
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to introduce myself and tell you the latest about Spirit Knight. I'm planning on posting my experience from WonderCon 2005 and 2006 but wanted to start off with our latest WC last March.
Let me tell you a little bit about our story. Sam had it all...and lost it all. He's on the edge of ending his own life when events arise that puts him out on the street with no where to go and no one to turn to. As I've heard and experienced many times, "God's rarely early, but he's never late." Sam meets the Archangel Micheal, who recruites him into service. Sam is reluctant but is reminded in his dreams of his childhood commitment to God. Sam's mission is to find and destroy shape changing demons that are now roaming the earth. That's almost as hard as re-kindling his own faith in God. Spirit knight is a four issue mini-series that will be wrapped up this winter in time for WonderCon 2008 with our latest issue "Devil's Canyon."
Troy Gustafson and I are partners at Red Machine Comics. Troy does the artwork (you wouldn't want to see mine :-) and I'm the writer. I wrote four issues three years ago and have been updating each issue as we move forward. Spirit Knight #3 "Return of the King" has been our most successful so far. As in past Cons, we had comic books, t-shirts, free Bibles and this year our big addition was Elvis Glasses. We also gave away our first issue. I had a great printing deal a couple of years ago that gave us thousands of copies of Spirit Knight #1. We decided to give it away to anyone walking by. If the sign for FREE Bibles or Elvis Glasses didn't stop them...the free comic at least slowed them down. We then sold issues 2 and 3 for a low $5 and gave them a free pair of Elvis glasses or T-shirt (their choice) and offered them a free Bible and 11x17 poster. We offered to sign anything for free and they always left our table pretty happy. Most tables charge over the top for almost everything. We offered our t-shirts for $5. They could get all three issues for $5 and pick up free items even if they didn't buy an issue. The best part was talking to people and telling them our story and who we are. Most people were impressed that "Christians" would be in a place like the Con. I always thought Christians need to be outside the four walls of the church...that's where we can be our most influencial.
I e-mailed our table neighbors in our row a week before the Con. That really broke the ice once we got there and they already knew who we were. It really left an impression on Dale Murphy who kept going on and on about how nice we were to anyone who would listen. We also had other folks seeking us out, reminding us of last year and wanting an update on us and our story.
I've gone on and on and couldn't put everything we did to words...mostly, the most important part of this experience was just being there. Yes, we actually made money, praise the Lord! We paid for the table and paid for our print run. I just want to encourage those Christian artists, publishers, etc. to take the extra step to attend your local comic book convention. We had many opportunities to share our faith with other Christians, aethiests and everything in between. The main question asked was, "Are you guys religious or something?" Our token answer was that we are Christians and we deal with physical and spiritual struggles in our comic. That usually started a spirited conversation. Remember, alot of comics out there deal with demons, satan and other unholy things...we give them a different perspective. We give them the anti-Spawn...the Christian Constantine...coming from the perspective of what would really happen if an Angel stopped you in a dark alley. I've gotten off the main subject of the paragraph, but I think being able to speak face to face with someone, unashamed of your faith, in the belly of the beast (that would be San Francisco), shows courage and faith that people are looking for.
Overall it was our best Con so far and we hope we can make the big show, ComiCon, next year if God allows the time and funds to attend. Until then, we will be at WonderCon 2008 in February. Any and all prayers would be appreciated as we work on our final chapter.
I posted a few photos from WonderCon 2007 but here is more for you to chew on over at our website: http://www.spirit-knight.com/wondercon07.html
I'd love to hear about your experiences. Ups and downs, highs and lows would be interesting to take as examples of good or bad things to do at the Con. I would definitely encourage people to attend more shows in the future. People are looking for something different...I think we all have something awesome to offer and let God take care of the rest.
-Bryan
So, I loaded the album into my computer and downloaded it to my Sansa Express. I placed the earphones in my ears and hit play...
... and immediately remembered why I didn't spend much time on this album.
Nevertheless, I was committed for the week. Otherwise, I probably would have replayed my kneejerk reaction from a few years ago, when I listened to the CD (maybe) once, hated it, and put it away, never to be played again.
Until this past week.
Since I was stuck with the album, I tried to make the best of it. The problem is that I'm a HUGE Petra fan. I love so many of their songs, and it was almost a personal affront to me to hear these rearranged versions.
I decided to think of this album very much as an "unplugged" album. I tried not to focus too much on how different the songs were from the original versions, but, instead, to focus on the aspects of each of the songs that I enjoyed in this form.
First off, let me just say, once I got past my "that's not right!" feelings, I really was amazed at aspects of this album.
Most obviously, the acoustic factor that was so jarring when I first started listening, soon became the aspect that I warmed to fastest. As I listened during my Bible study one day, I was shocked to find how much these softer versions of great songs added to my personal worship experience.
Along that same line, I realized that, while I love the traditional sound of Petra, these arrangements allowed the music to be far more accessible to the general populous. I could very much see these arrangements being used in any church, during any service.
As the week progressed, I also became more and more aware of the background orchestration, which added depth and strength to these arrangements. To hear such a variety of instruments on a Petra album became a real treat for me.
Generally speaking, I came to appreciate many of the new arrangements on their own merits. While I still prefer the originals on some of these, I was genuinely shocked as I began to realize that I was actually enjoying some of the songs on this album more than the originals.
The version of Judas Kiss on this album is one of those. I appreciated the use of the harmonica (HARMONICA! ON A PETRA ALBUM!) as well as the orchestra.
The most successful remake on this album, in my eyes, in terms of an updated "voice" to the the song has to be Beat the System. The original, while a classic, is very dated sounding. This update is a very strong way to usher the song to a new generation.
Far and away, though, my favorite new arrangement has to be for Praying Man. I love the original, but I have to say, I love this version even more. It is a very blue-sy version, and, yes, it has the harmonica that I'm enamored with on this album.
There are stumbling points on the album, though. Most of the songs are not improvements on the originals. I found myself often thinking, even after repeated plays, yeah, it is okay, but the original is still better.
The worst offender on the entire album, though, is The Coloring Song. The update is nowhere near as amazing as the original. It is a darker, plodding version of that great original. This is the one song on the entire album that I'm thankful that I don't have to listen to again.
On the original song front, there is The Longing and Breathe In. The Longing is a decent song, with a good message, but nothing spectacular. On the other hand, Breathe In is a fantastic song, with only one problem - it isn't a Petra song.
It is great, don't get me wrong, but it isn't a Petra tune at all. As a result, it seems an odd inclusion on this album (especially when you factor in that John Schlitt doesn't sing lead on this song - unlike every other song on the album). I could very much imagine it being done by one of the former members of DC Talk, or the Newsboys.
Overall, I've really come to enjoy the album and its different take on some classics. By giving the album a chance, I learned that my initial reaction was merely an over reaction to a new way of looking at things. Yeah, there was some stumbling, but there was also a homerun or two. On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd give the album about a 7.5.
And what is being loading into my Sansa for this next week? It is the Jars of Clay album, Who We Are Instead.
As always, if you have a suggestion of something you think I should be listening to, let me know.
Type at you later!
(Another request - Magneto.)
"Even Pigeons Go To Heaven (Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis)(Samuel Tourneux) Animated in CG, tells the story of an elderly man whogets a sneak peak at the hereafter by a con-man minister. Funny"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0FwyLPqXNI
Peter And The Wolf (Breakthru Films, Suzi Templeton) Charming,modern retelling of the Russian classic with edgy stop-mo puppets andrealistic settings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaJ5oTi0_xg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGPEq4fYVX4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe5NShRF3RY
Jeu (NFB, Gerorges Schwizgebel) A beautiful abstract movingpainting. This one should be running continuously at the Museum ofModern Art.
PIANO MUSIC!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS-CHawElIg
My Love (Moya Lyubov) (Aleksandr Petrov) Magnificent painting on glass technique and a beautiful visualization of first love.
This one is nice since it comes before the anticipated Repunzel movie from Disney which mimics the same effect using 3D Rendering Software. Though I can't see much lyp sync in here, not that it matters...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z2c6GN5eSuI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=faE6mwyX5kI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f8zdVJGzmKs
If I had to pick one though (which I guess is how it works) It would be Peter and the Wolf...Love that Cat and the design of the movie overall!
