Break Time

I decided to take a break for a little while. I have been writing about motivation and decided to keep it light in this entry.
I have been watching a butt load of movies, mustly DVD's. I thought I would rate a few movies. I don't want to make a list from 1 to 10 are anything like that, just rate 'em likes I sees 'em.

I'll start with Babel starring Brad Pitt. This movie reminded me of Crash. There were four different story lines going on at the same time with all of them sharing a common thread. The order is not chronological but I was able to follow enough to keep up. I liked the movie because of its complexity. I would not buy the movie and probably will not watch it again, but a good way to burn up 2+ hours.


The Prestige is next up. I was really intrigued by this movie based on what Mike said at Gotthammer . It had the same feel as The Illustionist, same time period, etc. but is was a darker movie. This movie had a rich complexity also. It reminded me of a coil of wire tightly wound until the end and poof! it all comes together. This is a movie I will definitly watch again. One time is not enough I don't believe to catch all the subtleties. Excellent movie.

Castle in the Sky. What can be said about this animated movie about a floating castle and a quest by both nations and pirates to possess the power of the castle. A pretty good movie for both child and adult alike. It is pretty long for some small kids, but my 8 and 5 year olds were very captivated by it and watched from beginning to end. Good family flick.

Driving Miss Daisy. I have never seen this movie. I know I am a weird-o, but I never have. I was thinking about Morgan Freeman movies that I have never seen and this was one of the only ones. This was a feel good movie. A good movie though. The acting was great. The characters were excellent. I don't know if I will ever watch this movie again, but I will probably not forget it.

Bridges of Madison County. Here we go again, a movie that I probably should have watched long before this past week but just never have. The recommendation by Lyndon at WLS really pushed me to see it. I really liked it. Clint Eastwood in a romantic movie, odd but good. Meryl Streep played a very sensuous lady from Italy transported to Idaho through marriage to a vetern. The movie is very thought provoking. What is marital love? Dedication to a spouse both mentally and physically is difficult if you entertain certain notions. Good movie to help you answer those questions or at least start the process of discovery.

2001: A Space Odyssey. I watched bits and pieces of this through the years but have never sat down and watched stem to stern in one sitting. This movie is puzzling, at times gut-wrenchingly quite, bizarre, thought-provoking, and terrifying. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, so it took some time and research on line to figure out what was going on. After a better understanding, it really is a movie ahead of its time. Certainly a good sci-fi, or should I say "sci-non"?

Running with Scissors. I listened to the audiobook some months back and found out later that they were making it into a movie. Augusten Burroughs is laugh out loud funny to me. He may not be that funny to everyone, but to me he really is. He did the book narration so I was able to hear his voice. Until you hear his voice, you really can't appreciate the fullness of his comedy. Running with Scissors the movie helped me to enjoy the characters better, but it was more supplemental to the book to me. The movie may be OK by itself, but I don't know.

The Departed. There is no doubt this movie won Best Movie at the Academy Awards. It has been my experience with all star casts (all star sports is the same) that there is too much ego to make the movie (sports) work. This is certainly an exception to the rule. This was a movie that was very complex, layered. There was some questions that didn't get answered till the end of the movie. I like movies like this. It keeps me interested till the end. If I can figure out the end in the first half hour, I lose interest quick. Well worth your time to watch this one. I will probably watch it again and appreciate the characters more.

I will continue later with more movies as I watch them.

Crash

I know. I know. This movie has been out for a while, but I finally watched it. I had heard that it was hard to follow, but it wasn't. I now wish that I had watched it before last night.
I won't go into great details about the movie for those that have not seen it, but it really follows my whole motivation journey. It deals with prejudices between all people groups. The good, the bad, and the ugly are represented. I will definitely watch it again because I would like to dissect it a little more, but suffice it to say, really a great movie.
I am glad that this story was told. I am glad that it is being watched by so many people (based on it being the number 1 rented DVD since it came out on DVD). Maybe we are headed in a positive direction. Maybe we will get to a point, soon where we will be able to sit at table with all "makes and models" and be able to have a conversation that doesn't end in hate and prejudice. I don't agree with all things, but I do have an open mind. I want to know what makes others "tick". What is their point of view? What is their motivations?
Maybe this motivation journey is more a journey into culture differences than anything else.
I've mentioned this before, but it needs repeating. When watching the Behind the Scenes of the Syriana DVD, George Clooney observed while on location in the Middle East that no matter how hard we want to, "we cannot bomb this (cultural religiosity) out of them!" No matter how much we think we don't agree with others, we don't possess the right perspective. We haven't walked a mile in their shoes. We haven't even had the guts to try the shoes on. Until we can see through their eyes, we have no base on which to condemn.
I don't know where this journey is going, but watching Crash really helped me see a little more clearly.

Motivation cont.

I was watching Nell a couple of days ago. I saw that it was on and caught the movie at the very beginning so left it on and watched. A cool thing was said in the movie that went right along with my motivation journey. One of the doctors in the movie starts to talk about motives and ulterior motives. I really tuned in to see what he would say. He said that every body has motives. Good ones and bad ones. There are main motives and ulterior motives. He even said that Mother Teresa has motives and ulterior motives. He said her motive was to leave the world better than she found it. This got me to thinking. What are my motives and ulterior motives? Are they conscience decisions or are they based on things deep inside my psyche? Where do they begin and end? What causes me to put into action what it is that I do? Why am I writing this down? What do I hope to accomplish? I just can't put a finger on it.

Thanks For The Ride

Thanks boys. Thanks for the great memories. There has never been a greater season in Saints history, but hopefully this isn't the end. I am looking forward to many more great seasons from Sean Payton, Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Deuce McAlister, Reggie Bush, Charles Grant, Scott Fujita, and so on and so on.

Motivation...

I have been reading a book called Being Good. It is a ethics book in its simplest form(s). I started to realize that maybe motivation is lead out of an ethical drive which is based in and around my beliefs. But what happens when my beliefs change, which seem to happen more and more regularly. I don't have a core belief system I don't think. What DO I believe? Maybe knowing what I believe will help me understand what my motivations are. Maybe I'll never be able to pin down this idea, but I will keep trying. Something drives me, us. Are we in control of our motivations or do they control us. I want to find out what a pure motive is. Does it exist? I was thinking the other day that no matter what I did, the end result was self-serving. Is that all there is? Self-serving actions. Some will say that they do what they do because they love others. But DO they? Are they doing it to hope for a return? Some may say, and in fact I've said at one time, that I am doing what I do out of commitment, love, etc. of/for God, but isn't this also self-serving. I've heard pastors say that they are looking forward to the day when they stand before the Lord and He commends them with, Well done! Isn't that self-serving? Are there any truly non self-serving acts?
Still searching....

Motivation Part 2

As if in response to yesterday's post, I went to the library to kill some time and found a book by Mother Teresa called In The Heart of The World. I had to fight back several emotions. Tears mostly. I guess when you are faced with the character of Mother Teresa, there is little to smile about when you contemplate your character in comparison. Without a doubt, I would loved to have met this great women. I am pretty certain that she could help me understand motivation. I would definitely ask her what motivates her to be so loving, compassionate, just, pure, good. I know that she was not perfect in all things, but she was certainly closer than I have ever been or ever may be. I would encourage you to read this very short book if for nothing else but to be reminded about a great women of history of which few will ever equal. I will close for today with a quote from the chapter titled "On Sacrifice". She said, "Love, to be real, must cost--it must hurt--it must empty us of self." I guess that is as good a starting point as any when contemplating motivation. Thank you Mother Teresa.

Motivation Part One

I have been thinking a great deal about motivation for the past two years. I don't know what brought on the desire to know what it is that drives me to do the things that I do. All I am certain of is I am fairly uncertain about what those motivations are. I will try to hash out some of my thoughts over the next several weeks. I hope that if anyone has some insights that you express them via commenting. What drives you/me to do the things we do?

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Already 2007?!?

Another year has come and gone. My boys are a year closer to being on their own. I've been married another year. Life just won't stop! Jane! Stop this crazy thing! Well I will try to do better with my blogging this coming year. I have really slacked off. I haven't been reading as much lately. Been watching a lot of movies though. I have Blockbuster's online movie service, I recently subscribed to HBO, plus what has been playing on regular TV for the holidays. LOTS of movies! I guess I should do something like my friend, Gotthammer, and do some kind of movie review, list, etc. I don't know, I'll have to think about that some.
Well, while I was perusing other blogs, I came across this quote and thought it was a good one for the new year:
Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.
-William Faulkner

Has it been that long?

I can't believe it has been since the beginning of November that I last posted! I have to blame the holidays, work, not working, stress from not working, etc. Anyhoo, I have been reading one book as often as I have had time, The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg. I have really enjoyed it. It is a book that was recommended by Barbara Brown Taylor at the end of her memoir, Leaving Church.
After all this time, I really don't have a great deal to say but I did see something pretty funny that I would like to share it with you. This is a clip of one of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan (its a windows media file).
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Ain't It The Truth

Things that make you go, "Ummmmm".

Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor

Just got finished reading one of the most important books I have read in a while. It's really hard to explain to someone that has not been through a similar experience what you're talking about when you say "Leaving (rather Left) Church". Because I can relate so well to what Barbara is saying in the book, it really impacted me. You ever read a book like that? There is an epithical moment when you feel like someone has invaded your thoughts and like a good reporter, taken good notes. There were some parts that really grabbed me. Like when she talks about a pool party. She has just recently resigned her post of priest and is invited to a pool party. After talking to members of the church that she only knew in passing (which she comments that she wished she would have gotten to know them better), people start pushing others into the pool. After a short while she begins to wish that others would not view her as "waterproof" and push her in. Her wish is fulfilled and someone pushes her in. At that moment she begins to feel like an equal instead of a superior and she is refreshed.
If you check this book out, be aware that the first part is a little slow but important to the second half of the book. She takes you from the beginning of her "call" to being ordained to being one of the first women priest to leaving church.
I wish that I could meet and have coffee with her. I would love to hear her speak the words audibly about the journey and in that moment feel my soul resonate with each word. Thanks Barbara for your courage.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Just got finished watching The Big Kahuna starring Kevin Spacey(Larry),Danny Devito(Phil), and Peter Facinelli (Bob)in which they are salesmen at an industrial lubricant convention. I wanted to watch the show after watching the end and reading some quotes from the movie. If you haven't seen it, watch it. It is not for the weak. There is plenty of language in it, so be prepared.
There is a section of dialogue between Phil and Bob,who is a born again Christian, which sums up for me what I have really been feeling for a long time. The two characters are talking about honesty. Phil says that he can trust Larry because he is honest, blunt, but most importantly he is honest. The section of dialogue that I really likes is as follows:
Phil (asking Bob a question about honesty):"Has it touched the whole of my life?"
Bob:What does that mean?
Phil: That means that you preaching Jesus is no different than Larry or anybody else preaching lubricants. It doesn't matter whether you're selling Jesus or Buddha or civil rights or how to make money in real estate with no money down. That doesn't make you a human being. It makes you a marketing rep. If you want to talk to someone honestly,as a human being, ask him about his kids. Find out what his dreams are, just to find out. For no other reason. Because as soon as you lay your hands on a conversation,to steer it,it's not a conversation anymore.It's a pitch, and you're not a human being. You're a marketing rep (emphasis mine).
Isn't that powerful! I mean if you were to ask me to tell you how evangelism is to be done two or three years ago and you stipulated that I couldn't steer a conversation with a "lost" person, I would not have been able to. What is evangelism to the Southern Baptist mind but an opportunity to sell wares? I speak of my own mind and am not classifying all Southern Baptist thought.
Recently, while talking to my friend at Words Less Spoken, I confided in him that I do not wish to hold conversations with anybody with an agenda of steering the conversation to Jesus, religion, etc. If the topics come up by the other party, fine, and even then I will not be pressing. I only desire to be honest with people and having relationships with people on the sole idea that you are seeking a convert to a religion is in my opinion very dishonest.
Your thoughts?

Continued....

Still reading Sweet's book and I have gotten to the chapter that fires up my soul, "Our relationship with those outside the faith and with those who are different". Leonard talks my language when he talks about what evangelism is supposed to be. And I quote, "The key to evangelism is to be receivers of others--ushers to the Other, not users of others. In receiving others, we enter into their world of abundant otherness--their experiences, their thought patterns, their stories. In using others, we treat people as objects and hope to get something out of them (a conversion, a donation, their acquiescence to our argument). One can receive others and celebrate their stories without buying into their every perspective. This is how the early Christians dealt with the multiplicity of faiths in the ancient world. They did not blast away at other religions. They simply made the ultimate claim for Jesus as the Son of God with everything that was in them."
Later in the chapter, Sweet makes the claim that evangelism is being in relationship with the others and that relationship is best described as "having a meal" with them. Sitting with someone to a meal is very spiritual, very...relational. I had to think about the people that I eat meals with, my wife and two boys and my friend Lyndon(when we are working in the same area). With that in mind, who are the closest people to me at this point of my life? My wife and boys and friend. This then begs the question, how then do I enter into relationships with the others? By sitting down to a meal with them regularly. How is this done? By my being intentional about entering into relationships with others. Maybe that is vague and I do not wish it to be, but that is all that I can say. Be intentional. Be aware of my surroundings and especially those that are in them. Being led by God's Spirit in my daily wonderings, as I go.
I want to end with a very refreshing statement Sweet quotes from The Hobbit. "In the journeys of Bilbo Baggins through forest and dale, Bilbo and his companions came to rest in the house of Elrond. '[Elrond's house] was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all...All of them, the ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes'". Don't you want to be at Elrond's house? Can't you smell the green grass? Are you enraptured with peace and tranquility? I can actually feel warmth of the sun on my face as well as the gentle breeze across by body. Isn't this not only what we want but what we should want for the others? Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Out of the Question, Into the Mystery

I am reading Len Sweet's book and he makes a pretty good assessment of the "post-modern" movement. He says, "The postmodern quest has been misunderstood as an abandonment of the quest for truth. It is far from an abandonment, but is rather a rerouting of the quest for truth along more relational and less rational paths. The question at the heart of Christianity is not a philosophical one or a political one or a liturgical one. The question at the heart of Christianity is a relational one: 'Who do you say that I am?' Who we say Jesus is says who we are." I believe that is the postmodern question's answer for me. It is all about relationship. My relationship with God and my relationship with my neighbor. You can't have one without the other. Jesus answered the postmodern question long before it was pre-modern. Who is Jesus to me? Beyond all the fluff, Jesus is still mysterious. He is hard to pin down and understand fully. All I can truthfully say is that He is more real today than in days past. I will confess to you, I used to rely on the encounters others had with Jesus to justify my faith. Until recently, my experiences with Jesus where "out of body", now they are more personal, more relational.
Maybe, and I am just spiff-balling here, in order for one's relationship with I Am to progress one must stop the insanity that is modern Christianity and say, "I am not going to 'go with the flow' any longer without understanding how this all relates to me. I will no longer accept hand-me-down answers to the questions that are central to my relationship with the Almighty. I am going to ask some questions and I am not going to stop until I find the answers."
I don't believe that I will find all the answers but I do believe that I will never stop asking and seeking.
Len quotes L. Robert Keck, "It is better to have a heart that makes love than a mind that makes sense." And that pretty much sums it up for me.

Sim Cp

Our Endangered Values

I am listening to the audiobook of Jimmy Carter's "Our Endangered Values". When the book came out, I didn't think that I would like it. So far it is good. He seems very down to earth and easy to understand.
He made a comment that I thought was quite interesting. He was talking about religious fundamentalism and how he defined the attitude of those adhereing to it. The attitude of the fundamentalist is "I am right. Anyone the disagrees with me is inherently wrong" which leads to, "because you are wrong, you cannot be considered on the same level of existence as I am" which leads to "you must be sub-human" to finally, "your life really isn't worth anything". Now this may at first glance seem extreme, but isn't that what some of our history teaches us. Once I have an idea that I believe is without reproach, and I will no longer listen to what others have to say about there beliefs, the slide down to "death to the infidel" begins. Hasn't this been proved in our world and country histories? The question in my mind then,using association, is "Isn't this where right wing fundamentalist headed?" Has the invasion already begun? The blue states verses the red states. No longer is platforms or political ideas used to decide who is best suited for presidency of the US, but what theological beliefs one posseses or rather "exudes". Are we at the beginning of a new era in our country? When the seperation of church and state is nothing but a very blurred line? I think I'll put my lot in with the secular humanist, which Jimmy Carter was accused of being, even though he still considers himself an evangelical Christian. I know that in the truest sense of the word, he is, but the words seem to now carry a stigma. Just like the word Christianity. Everybody is a Christian now because it is socially excepted. That is why those that are really Christian have started using the term "Christ-follower". It sort of shocks the senses a little and causes some to ask quesitons, which I guess is the point. Sorry about the rabbit trail I was just on. Well to close I would like to say we all need to be shocked back into reality and take a step back and see what is happening all around us. When will the cycle be broken? I hope soon.

Sim CP

Good Idea!

I have been visiting a church trying to find a community to join. This morning the preacher said that he wanted all the "lifestyle referees" to put up their uniforms, give up the whistles, and close the locker room door. In other words, STOP JUDGING PEOPLE!! He said that we need to be concerned with the inside of a person and not their outside, which I know to be true, but I need to be reminded. This week I will spend more time focusing on the inside of a person instead of judging them for their lifestyle or shortcomings. Lord, help me to see your creation as You do.

Sim CP

Vader & Earl Voice Over Fun


You have to be a fan of James Earl Jones movies and Star Wars to appreciate this. If you are, this will hurt your sides.

How Star Wars Should had ended


Because I am a Star Wars fan, I don't spend a lot of time of plot holes, but this one is pretty funny. Check out the creators website: www.howitshouldhaveended.com, especially if you are a movie fan. Very well done sketches.

Morality

I liked Don Miller's book "Blue like Jazz" so much, that I found and read another of his books, "Searching for God Knows What". He uses a metaphor nearly through out the entire book, off and on, about being in a lifeboat. It came from a class he was in. His teacher asked them if one person in a lifeboat had to been thrown out, who would be? Each person in the lifeboat was from different classes, ethnicities, ages, etc. The class had to choose someone to throw out and give reasons for their choice. He discovered that not only was the lifeboat "project" very difficult if not impossible, but that Jesus came and said, "Don't worry about being thrown out of the lifeboat, there is no lifeboat." In fact, Don says that His saying there was no lifeboat is what got Him into the most trouble with the affluent people. Jesus challenged the social structure of His day and paid the ultimate price, death. Miller said, "...one group, the moral group, is at odds with another group, the immoral group, and the fight is about dominance in a fallen system rather than rescue from a fallen system." That statement stayed with me for nearly an entire day.
Later,Don Miller referred to Paul and his pre and post Damascus Road experiences. Paul was convinced he was doing the right thing by waging war against those he had perceived were in the "wrong" and deserved to be thrown out of the lifeboat. He really thought He was doing God a favor, doing God's will. On Mars Hill, Paul doesn't label the Athenians as pagan and attack, he actually compliments them as "spiritual" and quotes some of there own literature. How refreshingly different from the "moral guard" of today's America. I'll end with a C.S.Lewis quote, "Most of us are not really approaching the subject in order to find out what Christianity says: We are approaching it in the hope of finding support from Christianity for the views of our party. We are looking for an ally where we are offered either a Master or -- a Judge." How true that is.

Sim CP