Deadline: Movie Review

John and I were privileged to be able to view a feature film online yesterday. It's an independent film that was recently premiered in Nashville and will be showcased in theaters across the country. Below is a synopsis according to the deadline website:

Steve Talley and Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts star in Deadline, the story of the murder of an African American youth in rural Alabama that has gone uninvestigated, unsolved and unpunished for almost twenty years. But that changes when Nashville Times reporter Matt Harper meets an idealistic young blueblood bent on discovering the truth. Harper undertakes the investigation despite the opposition of his publisher, violent threats from mysterious forces, a break-up with his fiancée and his father's cancer diagnosis. Deadline is a story of murder, family, race, and of redemption — for a small Southern town and for Matt Harper.

Inspired by a true story, Deadline is adapted from Mark Ethridge's novel Grievances. Ethridge is a former managing editor of The Charlotte Observer. Deadline will be released in theaters nationwide in 2012.

At first I know John especially wasn't too keen on sitting down to watch this with me. We thought it would be a low budget film with bad acting. Even though the beginning started out only so-so, it wasn't long before we were drawn in. The story is compelling and knowing it was based on a true story made me grieve how we humans can often treat each other so inhumanely. This movie certainly highlighted the best and worst of humanity. It was well done and will definitely leave you rooting for the truth! I wish more journalists would have the courage of the men and women in this movie. It's a great independent film that you will want to support.

Be sure to check out the website to see the trailer, sign up for email updates and find out about where you can go see this in a theater near you.

Heaven is For Real

As most of you know, I read alot. I read fiction, non-fiction, Christian living, kids books, all kinds. I really enjoy reading. I love learning and imagining and books are the perfect avenue for those activities. In the course of my life as a reader I certainly have my favorite authors and books. In all of my reading, though, I don't know that any book, other than the Bible,  has quite impacted me the way this book has.

It's a short read. I read it in one sitting in under 3 hours. It's very easy to understand. However, it will rock your world! I feel like my passion for my Savior has been renewed a hundred fold and I am in love with this amazing God/man who redeemed me and waits to greet me one day.

I had heard about this book and have always been a little skeptical of near death experiences or people who claim to have died and had these "experiences" and then come back. So naturally, I was skeptical of this book as well. However, nothing in this book was contradictory to scripture. In fact most of what was shared was very much consistent with what the Bible teaches about Heaven. The evidences for the reality of this little boy's trip to heaven are astounding and I am choosing to believe them because there is no other choice, logically. There is no way he could have known some of the things he shared. If you are a Christian, you will be encouraged and dazzled by his story. If you're not, all I can say is what Colton said, "you really, really, need Jesus."

Throughout the book, as the story unfolds of his visit to heaven, his family would play a game and show him all these various pictures of Jesus to see if they could find one to match the likeness of the Jesus that Colton saw in heaven. Of course, none fit the bill. Towards the end of the book they show him one more picture thinking it will be wrong too, but this one is right. Not only is this one right, but unbeknown to him, this painting was done by a young girl who claimed she went to heaven as well. Could this be what Jesus actually looks like? Granted, I don't think any picture can do justice to his Glory and Majesty in Heaven. But still, is this what Jesus the man looked like? This picture took my breath away and I find myself longing to be with Him. It stirred something in me, passion. My husband was taken with it in a similar manner.

Oh that we may have the faith of children and the boldness to proclaim what we know to be true. Jesus is alive! Heaven is real! And there is only one way to get there! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

What History Forgets

One of my least favorite subjects growing up was History. That's kind of ironic considering I married a History buff. Nonetheless, I just couldn't see the relevance and more to the point, I just couldn't remember all those dates.

However, now that I am a bit older, and out of school, I find that I am fascinated in regards to the stories of history. I still am not good with dates, but I am intrigued by things that happened in the past. I think that if History class was presented as more of a story time instead of facts and figures then I would have relished that class back in the day.  I also think there are tons of things you don't learn about in history class that are so relevant and so interesting.

More to the point, I just finished an enlightening read, Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It's the story of the World's Fair that took place in Chicago around 1893. What struck me the most was how little I knew of what this fair entailed. My knowledge was limited to the fact that the Museum of Science and Industry building was a product of this world fair. But that is a grain of sand in the desert of knowledge and information that has eluded me until now.

This fair was a huge event. I mean, it changed Chicago and the whole country. It influenced architecture and engineering and pushed them to new heights, both literally and figuratively. It captured the imagination and captivated a country hit hard by recession. It was a phenomenal feat that it even happened at all. I wish I could have seen it. And that, my friends, is just scratching the surface. The story of how it came together is somewhat of a miracle, though not without hard work, sacrifice, and many hardships along the way.

The other part of story is that of a serial killer, H.H. Holmes that resided in Chicago during the building of and duration of the fair. Sadly, his is not a pleasant story and though he did hang for three murders committed in another state, Chicago will never know the extent of his rampage here. He was a sick, sick man, with the charm and beauty of the Devil himself, hence the title.

This story, this history, was completely intriguing and made me wonder why all history cannot be presented as such. It made me want to learn more. And I think I shall do some more research at the library when I get a chance. I want to see some pictures from this unbelievable fair! It also made me wonder how such a momentous event in the history of America seems to be omitted from history learned in school. I don't ever remember hearing about this. It's a shame!

Fun Gifts

Christmas has come and gone but the remnants will last a long time. We still have many cookies left over, which I am not complaining about. It's rather nice in fact. I know there will come a day when I go to have my tea and cookies and find that the there are, in fact, no more cookies. That will be a sad day. But for now, that day seems quite far away. Of course we have the wonderful memories. We also have some gifts.

I was rather excited this year about giving John his gift because I know it's something he's wanted for a while. And he loved it, which just made my day!

So here is my ode to three gifts we received this year that I thought were rather fun:

Here's to my "Little Drummer Boy", now you can use an actual drum at home.

Here's to the smiles that my Muppet's Snuggie brings to my face every time I put it on. Thanks Jen.

Here's to the most creative gift we received...cold hard cash! Thanks Mom.

A Lesson on Sin Inspired by Coffee

Why did I choose to drink the regular coffee for dinner? One can only speculate what was going on in my mind when I made the actual choice. Even I am not completely sure what I was thinking. I suppose my line of reasoning went something like this: “This is what John made and I really want coffee with our breakfast for dinner meal. Maybe if I just have one cup it will be ok. Maybe the caffeine won’t bother me this time.” So basically, I want it and maybe the normal consequences will somehow bypass me.

Hold up.

Isn’t that our justification for sin most times? “I want it. There’s no “good” reason why I shouldn’t have it. Besides, I’m sure any consequences won’t be that bad. There probably won’t be any at all.” Uh, yeah. That’s not really logical is it? All of our actions have consequences and every sin has a consequence that will catch up with us in one way or another.

So back to my coffee story. I drank it, despite my better judgment. And as I lay awake all night because of the caffeine that I was sure would have no effect on me this time, I pondered these thoughts about sin. I pondered Paul’s words about doing the things I don’t want to do, and not doing the things I should. I asked myself again and again why I chose to drink it knowing what it might do to me. And I could give myself no good answer.

Sin is like that. We choose it, again and again, with no good reason to offer for why. We are sinners. That’s why I’m so thankful for Jesus and His Spirit in us to help us make the right choice. Jesus, next time help me choose decaf or none at all!

Thoughts on Intelligence

The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery


I will admit it took me almost half the book before I was convinced that I could really comprehend and enjoy what I was reading, but it did lend to some rather complex thoughts. I can't say I really recommend this book but it will teach you some new vocabulary and make you think twice about the world around you.

I have some thoughts on one thought from the book on p166-167.
"I am going to say something really banal, but intelligence, in itself, is neither valuable nor interesting. Very intelligent people have devoted their lives to the question of the sex of angels, for example. But many intelligent people have a sort of bug: they think intelligence is an end in itself. They have one idea in mind: to be intelligent, which is really stupid. And when intelligence takes itself for its own goal, it operates very strangely: the proof that it exists is not to be found in the ingenuity or simplicity of what it produces, but in how obscurely it is expressed."

I found this to be excessively true and quite interesting. I think the human mind is fascinating and we are obviously creatures made to create and explore and acquire knowledge. I think what she describes here is maybe the difference between intelligence and wisdom. Anyone can be intelligent, know alot about something. But it takes someone wise to know how to apply it so it will have the most impact.

I was thinking about space travel and and the exploration of the universe. I can see both sides of the coin. We are born to explore and what more uncharted territory is there than space. I can see how this exploration has benefited us as a society. And yet, how many billions of dollars are spent on this exploration? Enough to feed the world I'm sure. It just seems a little unbalanced. I'm not sure what we are racing towards. It's like we have to keep up with the Jones's because if we don't then...I'm not sure? We get taken over and the country with the biggest guns wins? And this is supposed to convince me that we are intelligent beings capable on our own of doing good?

But I digress. So in conclusion I would just like to say that intelligence is a good thing. But please, don't just flaunt your intelligence as a badge. Do something with it to prove that you deserve it.

I am

I am a writer.

No, I have not published a book. No, I don’t have a column in the local paper. No, I don’t write articles for a magazine. However, I do write. Granted, not as often as I would like, but still, I write. I miss it when I am away too long. The words and thoughts can well up in me until I feel I will burst and can’t get them out fast enough on the page.

I am an artist.

I paint with the vernacular. I am enthralled and delighted by the challenge of taking a thought or idea and expressing it with the brush strokes of the pen (or in my case, the keyboard). My “art” can be simple or complex. It can be realism or impressionism. It can be whimsical, it can be serious. But above all it is my canvas to create as I see fit. There is always something intimidating about staring at a blank page. And then one word after another appears until I am amazed by what’s been brought to life.

I am a reader.

I read for pleasure. I read to learn. I read to think and ponder. Reading is my mental trip to the art museum. There are so many different galleries and types of artwork and they each have their own style and genre. Some works I can pass right by without a second glance and others make me take notice. As I gain inspiration from others “art” it makes me want to continue creating my own.