This film was quite wonderful. Enjoy it if you get the chance.

**trailer**

What is it about a good epic film that can really draw us in?

I read this exerpt in Eugene Peterson's fairly recent publication entitled Eat This Book. It helps to explain a little more the power of a narrative. So here's some food for thought.

Have you ever noticed that there is something powerful about a story? They don't just tell us something and leave it there, they invite us to participate. A good writer gathers us into the story. We feel the emotions, get caught up in the drama, identify with the characters, see into nooks and crannies of life that we had overlooked, realize that there is more to this business of being human than we had yet explored. If the storyteller is good, doors and windows open.

Honest stories respect our freedom; they don't manipulate us, don't force us, don't distract us from life. They bring us into the spacious world in which God creates and saves and blesses. First through our imaginations and then through faith--imaginations and faith are close kin--they offer us a place in the story, invite us into this large story that takes place under the broad skies of God's purposes, in contrast to the gossipy anecdotes that we cook up on a hot plate in the stuffy closet of self.

Not all stories of course are honest. There are sentimentalizing stories that seduce us into escaping from life; there are propagandistic stories that attempt to enlist us in a cause or bully us into a sterotyped response;trivializing stories that represent life as merely cute or diverting.

The Christian life requires a form adequate to its content, a form that is at home in the Christian revelation and that respects each person's dignity and freedom with plenty of room for all our quirks and particularities. Story provides that form. The biblical story invites us in as participants in something larger than our sin-defined needs, into something truer than our culture-stunted ambitions. We enter these stories and recognize ourselves as participants, whether willing or unwilling, in the life of God.

I had never looked at it in this way. I love finding new, deeper way to look at life. Hmmm, I might just ponder some more.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving friends. There is much to be thankful for.

This morning I got stuck in traffic. Not because there was a wreck but because I made a wrong turn. Yep, I make this trip very frequently and I made a wrong turn. But you know, I'm glad I made the mistake because it gave me an extra 30 minutes in the car to just think and sing along with KSBJ and find peace for today. I've been praying for refreshment these past few days as I've just felt worn down. You would think that getting stuck in traffic would wear me down more, but it ended up being a source of great joy.

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to you I lift up my soul. -Psalm 142:8

I found a minute before class started to read todays posting from My Utmost for His Highest and good old Oswald reminded me of how really deep and rich is the relationship I can know in God.

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.

The bottom line is...I'm nothing without Christ. I mean I would be something I suppose, but I would be an unhappy wreck. God's spirit is beautiful and somehow my relationship with Him constantly refreshes my heart. I suppose it's similar to how a close friendship can restore your joy. I still don't understand, that's why it's a great mystery.

Love you friends.

Do you ever get stressed out? You live in America, you probably do. We work hard, forget to play and tend to fuel our bodies with junk. Stress is inevitable. But don't believe that your trapped. Decide for yourself each day what you want your life to look like. Pay the extra dollar to add fruit to your Chick-fil-A combo meal or take 15 minutes to go for a walk when you get home from work. The little things add up. Press on in taking care of yourself today friends. It will make you much more effective in taking care of others.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend friends.

I got a haircut and went for a run on the golf course today!

Such fun.

I was so clearly blessed by this exerpt from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers that I thought I'd just share his words.

November 14, 2008
Discovering Divine Design

As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me . . . —Genesis 24:27

We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. But as soon as he chooses to disobey, an inherent inner conflict is produced. On the spiritual level, inner conflict is the warning of the Spirit of God. When He warns us in this way, we must stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind to discern God’s will (see Romans 12:2 ). If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. ". . . the Lord led me . . ." and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit.

We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.

Beware of being obsessed with consistency to your own convictions instead of being devoted to God. If you are a saint and say, "I will never do this or that," in all probability this will be exactly what God will require of you. There was never a more inconsistent being on this earth than our Lord, but He was never inconsistent with His Father. The important consistency in a saint is not to a principle but to the divine life. It is the divine life that continually makes more and more discoveries about the divine mind. It is easier to be an excessive fanatic than it is to be consistently faithful, because God causes an amazing humbling of our religious conceit when we are faithful to Him.

daz·zle: \ˈda-zəl\ v.
a: to shine brilliantly
b: to arouse admiration by an impressive display
c: to overpower with light
d: to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance

I just returned from a fall retreat with some friends from church. It was just a wonderful time. I'll look forward to sharing more photos of the fall foliage I captured, but for now...enjoy these dazzling gems of leaves.

Creation never ceases to amaze me because anytime I reflect on the beauty of it, I find that it resonates a scripture passage that I've been reading. I love this about life. I love to see words come alive. God's word comes alive so often when I take time to see it...to face glory.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1.20

Adam Smith of Relevant Magazine closed his article entitled A Last Word on Voting with this...

“We’re inviting people to think,” he says. “Some folks go out and organize for one of the candidates. Others say, ‘We’re going to write in Jesus.’ Ultimately, [we hope] whatever they do is seeking first the Kingdom of God and embodying their politics with their lives rather than just trusting in a single candidate or a single politician to change the world for them. We vote every day with our lives. We vote every day with our feet, our hands, our lips and our wallets. Ultimate change does not just happen one day every four years.”

I thought a lot about what to write today in light of Election Day 2008. It's a big day and it's easy to be wishy washy or fanatical or just completely apathetic.

A lyric from John Mayer's CD Continuum keeps coming to mind...

Is there anyone who ever remembers
changing their mind from the paint on a sign?,
is there anyone who really recalls
ever breaking rank at all
for something someone yelled real loud one time?

I recognize that a little blog entry isn't going to inspire the world to make a good decision together. I will be honest and share that I've voting with the Mavericks. :-) On a big picture, I think that the people are most free when the government is smallest. I think freedom is one of the biggest issues at stake in this election. I recognize that the oppression of poverty is severe in this country, but I personally don't think that bigger government will be able to really reduce poverty. I recognize that this is a complex issue with a lot of ethical issues attached to both candidates.

I will leave you with some very fitting words from Mr. Paul of Tarsus...

You, my brothers (and sisters), were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."-Galatians 5:13-14

I think that love is the issue for our country guys and frankly that's a much bigger issue than the election. Love your neighbors today.

Happy Voting and happy loving.

In honor of the month of November and falling leaves everywhere...

I would like to wish everyone a HAPPY FALL!

I'll be learning much about the abdominal cavity today but I'll spare you the details this time. Have a beautiful day friends.

When you've got a lot to do in a little time, you might think it is efficient to multitask. Talk about stressful! He who chases two rabbits catches neither. Focus on one thing at a time for a better outcome.

I'm going to take my own advice and start working down the list of things to do one at a time.

Don't worry, I'm including getting out in the sunshine and having dinner with a sweet friend in the list :-) I'm still happy Lindsay, just a little more structured than usual these next few weeks.

The hope of Christmas break warms my heart.

Love you friends.