New Year's Letter to God

Here’s a twist on the ol’ New Years Resolution: write a letter to God. Stay with me here, it gets better.

Instead of writing a list of things you’d like to change or improve in the New Year, write it down in a form of a prayer. Write down the things that only God can change. Write down your hopes and dreams for the New Year. Write down the bad habits that you want to change and the good habits you want to adopt. Ask God to change your bad behaviors and to see other’s as He sees them. Write from your heart.

This might seem silly, but this isn’t a wish list, a set of demands or a letter to Santa. It’s a prayer in written form. When you letter is written, fold it up, place it in an envelope and set it aside…for a year. Put it someplace where you won’t be tempted to read it, but not so hidden that you forget where you put it. A year from now, open up the envelope and read what you wrote. You may be surprised by how much God has done for you in 365 days.

If you’re afraid that you’ll either lose your letter or that someone else will find it, another idea is to use the free service of FutureMe.org. Future Me is a letter writing service where you can jot down your thoughts and have them delivered in your email in box a year later. And it can be done totally anonymous. Although, you also have the option to mark your letter “Public But Anonymous” which means that the body of the letter will be available for others to view, but your name and email address remains a mystery.

While visiting the site, you can read other’s letters from the past. Some have been sent from all over the world. Some have been sent 50 years into the future!

One more thing, be sure to use an email address you plan on keeping for a long time.


Originally posted on Examiner.com

L'Angelus - The Next Big Thing?

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Katie, Johnny, Paige and Stephen Rees

Many who attended one of Michael W. Smith’s Christmas Concerts in December 2011 had a pleasant surprise. In addition to the fine presentation of Mr. Smith and full symphony orchestra, his special guests was the little known Louisiana quartet, L’angelus. Combining Cajun music with classical may seem like an add choice, but instead, it was brilliant. Good thing too as the group had to do some heavy lifting during some of the concerts as Michael battled with laryngitis.

Pronounced “Lawn-Jay-Loose,” the four siblings began performing in the mid ‘90s with the help of their mother, Linda Rees. Back then, Linda Lou and the Lucky Four, performed at hundreds of county fairs, rodeos, coffeehouses playing mostly country and popular tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Today, the group has ventured on their own playing more Cajun fare. The four-piece band consists of Katie (27) playing the guitar, Paige (26) the bass, Johnny (24) the drums and Stephen (22), the fiddle, swamp pop saxophone and harmonica.

The four are incredibly fun to watch play. Katie has a smile that won’t quit. She steps back a bit from Paige, who tends to whip her hair in all directions. Stephen makes it clear that he doesn’t play a violin – he plays the fiddle. And Johnny, the quiet one, hides behind his drums set, but plays like a mad man. In addition to the instrumentation, they harmonize their voices beautifully. They play “Ca C’est Bon,” one of their most popular hits, with delight as if they are playing it for the very first time and they alternate between English and French seamlessly.

In 2006 L’angelus was selected by Billboard Magazine as one of the six finalists in the Independent Music World Series and the group has been gaining international attention ever since. Before they embarked on the Christmas tour, the group was a featured guest at the World Youth Day with the Pope in August 2011. (To see a sample of their performance, click on the video below.)

L’angelus’ next performance will be at the New Year’s Cajun Party at St. Peter’s Church Hall in Carencro, LA this weekend. In July, they will team up again with Michael W. Smith and Laura Story for the 2012 Cruise of Canada trip.

To learn more about L’anglus and sample their music, visit their website.

Originally posted on Examiner.com.

Really?

Images of Santa Claus bowing before the baby Jesus have been popping up here and there for years now. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I understand the idea that all men should worship Jesus - including Santa and I understand that it is a way to show children that even though they love Santa, even he loves someone greater than himself. But I have a problem mixing the mythical to the spiritual. 

But now, two more images have appeared on the Net and my inner debate continues. I appreciate the thoughts behind these images. I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior but He is no longer a babe.


What do you think?

(Images: soulshepherding.org, jesusneedsnewpr.net)

Fourth time is a charm with Ghost Protocol

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Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg and
Jeremy Renner in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Movie: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton

Director: Brad Bird

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Action/Adventure

The problem with the Mission: Impossible films, is that I haven’t been able to enjoy them like I wanted to. I am old, but not old enough to have watched the original TV series (beyond the opening credits anyway) so I went into the movie franchise without knowing much. Then, the first three movies’ plotlines were so convoluted; I never really knew what was going on. To top it off, the first three movies were very Tom Cruise-centered, and if you’re not a big TC fan, it doesn’t leave you with much. They were always enjoyable, but not fantastic in my book. That all changed with Ghost Protocol.

Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol.” Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent a further attack. All he has to rely on is the help of fellow agents, Brandt (Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker), Benji (Simon Pegg, Shaun of the Dead) and Jane (Paula Patton, Jumping the Broom) each with their own personal motives.

While technically the 3^rd sequel to Mission: Impossible (1996), Ghost Protocol stands alone just fine. It doesn’t rely much on the previous storylines to confuse you. What is probably the most unique feature of this movie is that Brad Bird directs it. Bird has worked with many characters in Hollywood over the years, but most of the time they have been animated. Known for directing such great Pixar/Disney films like The Incredibles and Ratatouille, this marks Bird’s first live action directing gig. The film also has J. J. Abrams on its’ side as Producer. Abrams, one who can do no wrong, has brought us TV’s Lost, Fringe and last year’s sci-fi reboot of Star Trek. Instead of churning out just another film in the franchise, the crew took great skill is producing a bigger and better film. Oh, that Abrams. Always the over-achiever.

Ghost Protocol is also unique in that it is a fun film. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it doesn’t have the dark overtones of the previous films, and it has a lot of humor. It features more gadgets than usual and not all of them are working without flaws. The ensemble cast is a lot more appealing than Ethan’s usual Long Ranger routine. This time, they all have to trust each other and work as a team. They all have their own flaws and not always as confident as they should be with their given roles, making them a bit more relatable in a non-relatable universe.

Ghost Protocol is literally breath taking with its’ incredible views provided by IMAX. This is a must-see-at-the-theatre movie and if possible, an IMAX theatre. You really feel like you’re one of the team facing the same dangers that they do. There is plenty of violence, but not bloody or gruesome and I only counted two swear words in the whole film! In fact, I doubt that there is much for a Christian to take offense with this movie. Personally, I think that it is the best of all four films and I doubt that I’m alone with this assessment.

Originally posted at Examiner.com

     

Revisit with Sherlock and Friends

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Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are back at
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Movie: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Action/Adventure/Crime

While I’m all for updating the Sherlock Holmes story (I love the modern PBS television version), I miss some of the more classic touches. I’m not talking about smoking the big pipe or wearing that funny hat. But I miss the “elementary my dear Watson”-ness. I miss the mystery.

Don’t get me wrong. Warner Bros. has done a great job with this new franchise. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law make a great pair and banter back and forth very nicely. There is an emphasis on their friendship, strange as it is. The soundtrack by legendary Hans Zimmer is both contemporary and nostalgic at the same time providing a nice background and the costumes and sets are fantastic, especially in the newest, A Game of Shadows. But, Guy Ritchie seems to be so bent on making an action and adventure film, that he forgets that Sherlock is a detective.

A Game of Shadows timeline takes place shortly after the first film with Watson’s marriage to Mary (Kelly Reilly). There’s an adventure getting the groom to the alter in the first place and the newlywed’s honeymoon is short-lived as he and Sherlock face their greatest foe, Professor James Moriarty, excellently played by Jared Harris.

If you are a fan of the first “Downey” Sherlock film, you will no doubt like Game of Shadows as well. Noomi Rapace, (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is a welcome addition to the cast as Madam Simza Heron, a fortune-telling gypsy. We also get a chance to meet Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Stephen Fry) who appears to be just as eccentric as Sherlock, but in different ways. There are some beautiful shots of Switzerland this time around as well.

For the most part, Shadows is a very enjoyable film. No over-arching messages except maybe the value of friends, and nothing to be offended with either. It does feel a bit too long as the story lags between the action sequences, but still is an enjoyable visit with the sleuth.

Originally posted on Examiner.com

     

Seattle Theatres Announce Upcoming Productions

More information will be coming for most of these productions, but here is a brief introduction of what is being planned for you with links to the theatre’s websites to learn more:

Seattle Children’s Theatre

Show: A Year with Frog and Toad

Dates: December 16- 30, 2011, January 5-15, 2012

From the Theatre: “Eternally optimistic Frog and perpetually conservative Toad adventure through the seasons in this Broadway musical. The friends plant flowers, swim, enjoy Christmas Eve and simply celebrate the little things in life. Ordinary events become delightfully humorous escapades as a sled ride instills the range of emotions from trepidation to comic terror and a snail trudges through snow with the most elongated mail delivery. This friendship triumphs through challenges and sends a heart-warming holiday message to whole family.”

Village Theatre – Everett

Show: Annie Get Your Gun

Dates: January 6-29, 2012

From the Theatre: Village Theatre hits the bull’s-eye this season with Irving Berlin’s famous Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun. This Wild West show-within-a-show tells the ageless love story of the sharpest sharpshooter Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, the heartthrob of Buffalo Bill’s traveling show. Hum along to unforgettable tunes like “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “I Got The Sun in the Morning,” and “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” as we celebrate one of Broadway’s most enduring triumphs on the Mainstage.

Seattle Repertory Theatre

Show: How to Write a New Book for the Bible

Dates: January 13 – February 5, 2012

From the Theatre: “Writers are told to write what they know. But as Bill Cain discovers in writing about his own family, sometimes those we are closest to are the biggest mysteries of all. From the writer of Equivocation comes a beautiful new play taken from Cain’s own experiences caring for his dying mother. He asks the questions that speak to the heart of every family: What will never change…and what has to? A Jesuit priest as well as a playwright, Cain brings a fascinating view to this simple, powerful illustration of why the details of our lives and loves matter.”

Village Theatre – Issaquah

Show: The Odd Couple

Dates: January 18-February 26, 2012

From the Theatre: “Arguably the funniest comedy ever, this Neil Simon classic is one of the most famed stage plays in American history. Meet Oscar Madison, a carefree, positively unkempt, divorcé, and his new roomie, Felix Unger, an uptight, fastidious man, recently separated from his wife and practically suicidal. While it would seem that bunking together would be a last resort for these two, the decision to do so mixes slob with neat-freak, leading to total madness for them, and laugh-out-loud comedy for us!”

Taproot Theatre Company – Seattle

Show: Tartuffe

Dates: February 3 – March 3, 2012

From the Theatre: “Moliere’s comic masterpiece brings us the imposter Tartuffe, a con artist extraordinaire who oozes piety and charm. Will his hypocrisy be discovered before Orgon’s household is turned on its head? This famous farce is a cautionary tale told with lightening-quick wit, complete with star-crossed lovers, a badgering grandma and a plot that could be ripped from the headlines – or a Saturday night comedy show.”

5^th Avenue Theatre – Seattle

Show: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Dates: February 3 – March 4, Seattle

From the Theatre: “The musical that changed everything. A remarkable cast and an extraordinary collaboration with renowned choreographer Donald Byrd and Spectrum Dance Theatre bring this classic to vibrant life.”

Christmas With a Capital C movie receives about the same grade

Nancy Stafford and Ted McGinley in
 "Christmas With a Capital C"

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Movie: Christmas With a Capital C

Cast: Ted McGinley, Daniel Baldwin, Nancy Stafford and Ben Stine

Rating: Unrated (but probably “G”)

When faith-based films are done well, they should be praised. When they are just mediocre, they shouldn’t be. Still, movies like Christmas With a Capital C come out and many Christians will stand behind it not because that it is a good piece of art, but rather, because it is a Christian movie. Christmas With a Capital C could and should have been better. It has a nice premise, a great message and some pretty good acting but its main problem is the writing.

The movie takes place in a small Alaskan town where Christmas is a big deal. There is one play that everyone goes to, the annual “Merry Christmas” banner is put up and the beautiful nativity display is put in front of town hall. Dan Reed (Ted McGinley) is the mayor of this town and is happy with the status quo. However, when Mitch Bright (Daniel Baldwin), an attorney and Dan’s revival from high school returns to town, all he cherishes about the holiday is threatened. Mitch is offended by the display and pursues an injunction against it. Mitch also convinces some in the town that “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” is less offensive to the much-needed tourists and starts a campaign to run for mayor.

At first, the local Christians take offense by the man’s actions and want to fight for their freedom, but Dan’s wife Kristen (Nancy Stafford) reminds them that they can still have Christmas without actually saying “Christmas” and that actions speak louder than words. They do by doing acts of kindness marked with notes marked only with a “C.” Also thrown in the mix is a high school ski competition/romance that adds nothing to the main story.

As mentioned before, the acting is pretty good among the main characters, but the choices of actors are questionable. Baldwin makes a fine villain, but he’s hardly known for being someone as a person of faith. That isn’t to suggest that he isn’t, but on his own IMDB page he, describes his acting brothers as Alec being the big star, Stephen the born-again Christian, Billy the popular one with the girls, and he being the troublemaker. At least Baldwin can act.

The other questionable choice is that of Brad Stine who, even though he looks nothing like McGinley, plays his brother, Greg. Stine is a gifted Christian comedian and a great speaker. But that doesn’t necessarily translate well into acting. He seems out of place and goes on rants about Christmas for no apparent reason. It appears that that filmmakers were hoping to the same screen “magic” when other comedians improvise on the set. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

Above all else, a good story is meant to entertain or stir up an emotion. Although filmed in Alaska, the crew didn’t take full advantage of the beautiful scenery and story is dreadfully boring. There isn’t any real tension or high points of comedy or tear-jerking scenes.

Christmas With a Capital C is unofficially rated G and appropriate for the whole family.

11 Stocking Stuffers and Gifts You Never Knew Existed

With the mad dash towards Christmas, I don't need to tell you that now is the time to get your holiday shopping done. Got a particular stubborn religous family member you need to buy for? Well, look no further. I have collected a group of 10 relgious products that's sure to please...somebody. Believe it or not, all the items featured in this article are for real and can be found at ChristianDollarStore.com.

Happy Birthday Jesus Tree Topper

Why not surprise the kids by replacing your traditional star with this spooky Jesus doll on Christmas Eve. Then, when the kids run down the stairs to see what Santa left them, Jesus will scare them back to bed. You'll get to sleep in too! "Top quality,silk-like gown, made of resin, nail prints in hands, and 12" tall."

Clean Hands Clean Heart Sanitizer
Slim size spray hand sanitizer fits easily into pockets to use when needed quickly. Alcohol-free and fragrance-free hand sanitizer kills 99.9% of germs. Features Psalm 51:10 -Create in me a clean heart, O God. (KJV)

Fabulous Foam Bible Covers

"Fabulous Foam Bible Covers" include 1 self-adhesive alphabet and 24 assorted shapes. Covers: 13.5" x 10" with 3" handle.

Jesus Night Light
Let His light, light your way...so you don't use His name in vain when you stub your toe in the dark! Calming by day - frightening by night!

Colors of Faith Rubber Ducky
Each color represents something of faith:Red = Jesus' bloodGreen = New lifeBlue = BaptismPurple = Crown of LifeBlack = SinWhite = Purity

Wedding Bride Bear with Bible
Colorful, inspirational, adorable and soft. The Wedding Bride Holy Bear comes with her own Bible and gift card. Humiliating Groom Holy Bear sold separately.

Wedding Day Fun Crayons
I think these are meant to keep children busy during a wedding/reception. I know that I had a different idea of wedding day fun planned when I got married.

Nuts About Jesus Necklace
Boldly tell all your friends that you're "Nuts About Jesus" with this 18" Ichthus Fish necklace made by Forgiven Jewelry. Features "Come and follow me and be fishers of men."

Fruit of the Spirit Lip Gloss
It would almost be a sin to have chapped lips. Fruit of the Spirit Lip Gloss comes in a variety of flavors. Who knew that "Goodness" smells like strawberries?

Glory Grooves
The Glory Grooves cassette(!) features "soul shakin dance remixes" by Christian artists including: Amy Grant, Cindy Morgan, Point of Grace and Sandi Patty! 

Jesus Ruffs Me Dog Leash
Witness wear for dogs! This leash is perfect for walks around the neighborhood. Also good for unruly children. People might be offended to see your children on a leash, but they are bound to chuckle when they see the "Jesus Ruffs Me" slogan on the leash.

Couple banned from church for the sake of unity

“Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world,” so the song goes, “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight…” as long as they aren’t together. At least that seems to be the opinion of some at a small country church in Eastern Kentucky.

Early this week, Kentucky.com posted the story of how a little church in Pike County has taken a stand against interracial couples. The story states that back in June, Stella Harville, the daughter of one of the church members, and her fiancée sang a special song during one of the services. Stella with her pale white skin, brought Ticha Chikuni, who is black and a native of Zimbabwe, to her parents’ church to sing “I Surrender All” while she played the piano.

Apparently this didn’t sit well with the pastor or the congregation of 40. In fact, Melvin Thompson, the pastor at the time, told Harville’s father in August that the couple couldn’t sing at the church again. It was also at this time that Pastor Thompson stepped down as leader because of health reasons. However, last month, he proposed that the church go on record saying that while all people were welcome to attend public worship services there, the church did not “condone” interracial marriage.

Apparently, at the voting, nine people voted for the proposal, six voted against it and many more didn’t vote at all. (I find it interesting when church takes a vote on whether an issue is moral or not rather than consulting the Bible or even praying about it.) The recommendation stated that it was “not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve.”

So…segregation is now a way to build unity? Perhaps we should have blacks sit in the back pews to promote unity. Or allow men to sit on chairs during the services, while the women sit on the floor, like they do in other coutries, to promote unity. Perhaps we should only allow those who wear their Sunday best to enter the church and keep those who wear t-shirts and jeans outside to promote unity.

And why stop at just skin color? My mother is Dutch and my father is German. They both LOOK white so they can get away with it. They pull it off nicely in fact. But let’s face it. They are from two different nationalites. All hell could have broken loose. I guess that they shouldn’t have gotten together either…to promote unity.

As of today, December 2, the new pastor (Stacy Stepp) has said that he is seeking another vote, perhaps as early as this upcoming Sunday. Stepp, and many others in the community, are not for the “unity plan.” It’s interesting that a such small church can make such big headlines. Wouldn’t it be great if the headlines they made were about good news for a change?

Originally posted at Examiner.com

Go ahead. Be a quitter. (Book Review)

Book review: Quitter

Author: Jon Acuff

“I held eight jobs in eight years from 1998 when I graduated from college until 2006,” begins the book Quitter by Jon Acuff. “These weren’t petty, part-time jobs, like that summer I was a mailman or that afternoon I spent as a carny. The jobs I quit were 40-hour-a-week, 401(k)-offering, health-insurance-transferring, me-in-a-plain-colored-cubicle jobs. These were career jobs for most of my co-workers and in a period of twelve years, I managed to quit six of the eight. Another I was fired from and the other went out of business.”

Acuff goes on to say how he mastered the art of quitting and lays out a plan for how you can do the same. He’s not kidding.

Acuff is the creator of the Stuff Christians Like blog and author of the book of the same name. In Quitter, the goal is the help you, the reader, close the gap between your day job and dream job. How a man with a gift of sarcasm becomes a life coach is a mystery, but no matter. This book is full of good stuff. 

With his sense of wit, Acuff draws you in and is surprisingly candid about how he landed his dream job working for author, speaker and radio host, Dave Ramsey. It wasn’t a quick trip. Acuff talks about the toll his quitting took on his marriage and his finances. It’s a classic “learn from my mistakes” book that will challenge you as well as excite you for your future. And it has a happy ending.

People say things like “I’m a teacher, but I want to be an artist” or “I’m an accountant, but I want to be a therapist” or “I’m a project manager, but I want to start my own company.” In Quitter, Acuff helps you explore what it is you really want to do and how you can make a living out of it or at least finding purpose in your current job. It’s not a “get rich quick” guide or prosperity teaching book. It’s just an honest look from a chronic quitter who isn’t quitting anymore.

One of the best chapters in the book is, “Removing the ‘I’m’ from your ‘but.” In it, he talks about what he calls “hinge moments.” Many of us think we need a massive eureka moment to realize what it is that we want to do with our life, but a lot of times, we learn a lot more during a much smaller events. He lays out five questions to help you find your own “moments”and they are:

1. What do I love enough to do for free?
2. What do I do that causes time to feel different?
3. What do I enjoy doing regardless of the opinions of other people?
4. If only your life changed, would that be enough?
5. Are there any patterns in the things you like doing?

Other chapters in the book include:

• Why you shouldn’t quit your day job.
• What is keeping you from finding your dream job.
• Falling “in like” with a job you don’t love.
• How to hustle for a better job.
• How to be successful at success.
• How to quit your day job.

He also includes a “Are you really ready to quit your day job” quiz and a bonus chapter titled, “The Three Reasons You’ll Ignore Everything You Just Read.”

Acuff isn’t preachy or religious sounding. His tone is that of a friend and by the time you are finished reading the book, you’ll know so much about him, you’ll feel like you already are his friend. You can even get a glimpse of Mr. Acuff right now by clicking on the video link to see a preview of the book. And you can read the first chapter of the book by clicking here.

Originally posted at Examiner.com.