My Humble Opinion

I went to see this movie on Tuesday night. To preface this, I had heard rave reviews from friends since it first came out, before all of the Oscar buzz. Then it got nominated, and won an award, then got nominated again, and so on and so forth. And because I love a good underdog, and so many people around me praised the film, I thought I should check it out.

The Oscars always have these obscure, "film festival" movies nominated for Best Picture, and I guess this falls into that category. From what I've heard, it was a fairly low budget film, with no huge names to back it (in the U.S., at least). It's the story of how a young man who grew up in the slums in Mumbai goes on to win 20 million rupees ($1,000,000) on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in India. As he answers more and more questions correctly and reaches the final question, he is arrested and accused of cheating. The film, then, is a beautiful and often sad story. Each question leads to a different memory in his past, where the answers can be found. For example, at one such question, the man/boy claims that he "prays every day that he didn't know the answer to that question." I won't spoil it for you by telling you more details or the end.

I really liked the movie on many different levels. One, it is very different than all these Clint Eastwood mega movies we usually get nominated. It shows people a different side to the world they are used to. On top of this, it is beautifully filmed, and the score is amazing!

I'm definitely a film novice, but I will also assuredly recommend this film to anyone who can get a chance to see it, whenever you can.



Also, I can't believe it's almost February! All I can think of is the movie Groundhog Day. Oh man! I'll have to rent that again. Will the groundhog please predict us out of this hellish winter?

Enjoy the weekend!

Peace,
J

Whirlwind

I don't know how, but life sometimes seems to have the capability of going by ridiculously fast yet dragging slow. I think it's a conspiracy on the part of WINTER. These past few weeks have been filled with a surprise party for Amanda, packing her up, driving her down to Cincinnati and staying for a few days, coming back in the middle of a work week and getting chewed out by clients who insist that our business install a public bathroom because, and I quote, they have to "pee real bad," moving Lindsay from my room to the now Amanda-less room, and basically getting our house in order. Throw in grad school applications, my sister moving to PA, and family coming to visit, and it all seems to go so fast! But for some reason, I'm really feeling that winter will never be over, it seems so slow! Oh well.

Hopefully I'll be able to post a picture or two of our newly arranged digs in the next few days.

That's been it for life lately, spinning around, working, tutoring, etc. I've hardly had time to read, or catch up on some movies I've wanted to see. Hopefully, tomorrow night I'll either see Slumdog Millionaire or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Oh, and by the way, I did not fail to recognize that we got a new president at some point in all of this. :)

Peace,

J

Boasting

A friend and I were discussing the genre of science fiction the other day. I personally get a lot of jibes for reading it (all in good fun, the covers of these books are awfully cheesy), but I continue to read it for many reasons. My friend said something to me that I agreed with, along the lines of how "all good science fiction is usually a very good social commentary." And it's so true! I think the reason I love the genre, especially the Ender series, is that it certainly comments on how the world is today, and definitely on society itself.
I was reading through my most recent Orson Scott Card book, Speaker for the Dead, and came across a conversation between the main character, Ender, and a young boy, Olhado. Bear with me--a little background: Ender has decided that he is going to allow an alien race headed by a single queen, who 3000 years earlier had tried to destroy the human race, come back to life based on the fact that he believes that the alien race never intended to hurt humans, but rather learn from them. The conversation starts when Olhado asks Ender how sure he is that this is true:

"I'm as sure," said Ender, "as I am of anything."

"Not absolutely sure," said Olhado.

"Sure enough to bring her back to life," said Ender. "And that's as sure as we ever are of anything. We believe it enough to act as though it's true. When we're that sure, we call it knowledge. Facts. We bet our lives on it."
"I guess that's what you're doing. Betting your life on her being what you think she is."

"I'm more arrogant than that. I'm betting your life, too, and everybody else's, and I'm not so much as asking anyone else's opinion."

As I was reading this, I couldn't help but think of the verse in Galatians where Paul speaks of boasting:


But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (6:14)

The term "boast" implies arrogance. Only those who are arrogant boast. And I am sure to many, Paul often seems arrogant in his claims--but the thing is, Paul is willing not only to be his life on the truth that is Christ, he'd probably be willing to bet yours, too--without asking your opinion.

How many of us would do the same? Many of us are okay with betting our own lives on Christ, but how many of us are "arrogant" enough to bet our brother's, our sister's, our parents', best friends', our own children's lives on Christ, without so much as asking them? When it comes down to it, are we believing in his redemption of our souls enough to actually act like we do? It's always easy to say you are sure, and to say you believe--the acting part is hard. Boasting in Christ is hard--it's seen as arrogant and obnoxious to many lost souls. I myself fail at this a lot--I often want people I've just met, or have known forever, to like me. And being so arrogant as to claim that Christ has died for this world--that that and its implications is the only truth that matters--and that I'd be willing to bet your life on it, stranger, friend, family-- doesn't result in many people liking us.

I pray that it doesn't always work out that way--that somewhere, our boasting in Christ gets through to someone. That being that sure about something is inspiring to others. I pray that we act on what we believe.

And all this from a little sci-fi! Maybe you should try it out yourself ;)

Peace,
J

Much Too Long

I was wondering how many of us feel "un." By that I mean, unmotivated, uninterested, just plain old blah. January will do that to you! At least here in the winter states.

Christmas and New Year's just flew by in a flurry of activities, emotions, illnesses, and of course, unexpected (and happy) events. Now I am getting settled back into a routine, which is welcoming to a certain point, but I still wish I had vacation time! Oh well. The grass is always greener on the other side.

Posts will be sporadic for a bit--Amanda is leaving us in two weeks! So we will be packing, moving, saying goodbyes, and all around contemplating how much life changes in the next two weeks. In addition, I am still trying to complete the last bit of a university application. If anyone feels up to it, prayer for Amanda's move would be appreciated. We are really going to miss her. And if anyone wants to pray for motivation for me to get this application going, I wouldn't complain.

Thanks to anyone who actually takes the time to read this! It boggles my mind how even one person would visit here, so I am in awe.

In leaving, here is a quote by Pablo Picasso that I love:

I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it.


Keep the peace,

J

Let it snow...I guess...

Well, after a week or two of subzero temperatures and ice and snow, I think I can safely say that I strongly dislike winter in the city. It seems so cozy when you are all tucked into a house in the woods, and the snow is actually white. Here, people still go 70 miles per hour, barreling through inches of gray, wet, dirty snow and ice, and I don't think I can remember a time when I didn't spin out at an intersection or fishtail when turning onto the road to my house. Ahhh, winter.

However, I do have to be grateful. I am warm at night, I have amazing friends, and I get to see my family for more than 24 hours this weekend. A lot of us have so much in this world and don't even realize it. The other day at dinner, some friends and I were discussing how when it gets this cold, we think about all of those people out there-- for some of us, actually just down the street or outside our front door--who don't have a home to go to when it gets to be 10 or 20 below. Where do they go? I encourage you to think about that in the coming days--not just to be thankful for what you have, but to realize that the body of Christ has a responsibility to others. I admit I am often guilty of forgetting about those who live differently than I do, and I want to remember them all year, not just when it's cold, or Christmas, or Hanukkah. It's a rough world...and aren't we supposed to be shining a little of Christ's warmth into every corner? It's just something that deserves our attention, whatever that means for you--praying, giving, or spending time helping.

I'll be heading to my parents' for the holidays, so on a Christmas note, I thought I'd share this clip from my favorite Christmas movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol:









Have a happy holiday season! Bring on 2009!


Peace,

J

Up and Down

It's amazing what can happen in a day, and how quickly a person can go from happy to extremely frustrated in a matter of hours.

For example, last night, Linds and I went to concert that she had won tickets to. Not just any concert, mind you. This was JINGLE BALL 2008. We had been trying to win tickets for weeks, and she finally won! It was like six concerts in one (hosted by our favorite radio deejays). So, I was bopping along to Rihanna, having a generally great time in this crowd:



A few short hours later (it all pretty much felt like the same day though), I was bringing my roommate to the airport, and got stuck in this for an hour and twenty minutes:




Ahh, the highs and lows of life.

Catch it!

It seems the topic of late, at least in 2008, has been that of suffering. I don't want to use that word melodramatically, nor do I want to get into the discussion of comparing sufferings. Each person has their own problems and tolerance for pain, I believe (physical and emotional), and God gives us each what we can handle. So, on this topic, I was collecting my thoughts this afternoon, and reading over some old notes from books I've read, and I found this quote. It's from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger:

Once you get past all the Mr. Vinsons, you're going to start getting closer and closer--that is, if you want to, and if you look for it and wait for it--to the kind of information that will be very, very dear to your heart. Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever been confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them--if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry.

I was driving home the other night, listening to the radio, and a horrible thought came into my head. I just kept wondering why bad things happen to me, why my life seems so hard, and why can't things go smoothly ever for me. I felt awful about it, but I just couldn't seem to get out of that mental framework. I feel like I've been stuck there for many months now, and witnessing my friends go through hard times makes me wonder if life just isn't one big constant struggle. However, I tried to remember everything I've been given freely, it would seem. Number one, God has given me his grace. I also have a very warm bed and home, food on a regular basis, plenty of clothing, a decent job, opportunities to go to graduate school, a family who would take me in again, if I was ever on the street, the list goes on and on. When I think of these things, I don't try to diminish and push away the pain and suffering that I personally feel, I just try to fit things into perspective, and try to see the situation through God's eyes. This quote by Salinger made me just realize, I am not the first person to see the tragedy that so often is this world. And I have others before me whom I can read, listen to, and speak with who remind me that I am not alone. And I think that is the point--God filled this earth with six billion people and counting: a pretty strong hint that he wants us to spend time together, I'd say. Whether we are bonding over shared happiness, sadness, loneliness, or joy, at least we have someone to share it with!