I've been meaning to see Avatar for two or three weeks- ever since I read a blog that called it a cross-between Lord of the Rings, Pocahontas and the Smurfs, I've been intrigued. So I went to see it in 3D on Saturday. It was the first 3D film I'd ever seen- I got the glasses, smuggled in a contraband bottle of water, used the bathroom and settled down to watch the 160 minute film.
Oh my days. Two and a half hours went by in no time at all. Avatar is now on the list of my favourite non-musical movies (musicals need a category all of their own) with The Shawshank Redemption, all three LotR movies and The Princess Bride.
The animation, needless to say, is superb. The planet of Pandora is stunningly beautiful and the race of aliens look extremely realistic. But it's not the animation that makes it a brilliant film. Nor is it the storyline, which is a little predictable. It's not the animation or the storyline that get you involved in the movie. It's not the animation or the storyline that make you laugh and cry with the characters. Avatar is very well acted and supremely directed- James Cameron succeeds at doing, in my opinion, one of the hardest things in cinema by making the human race that bad guys and the aliens the good guys. When you're sitting in your seat wishing the death upon your own race, you know the director and the actors did a good job.
I think the makers also did a beautiful job of portraying the alien culture- maybe I like it more because it's a very strongly deistic culture, but you're easily drawn into the world of Pandora, its beautiful scenery and its peaceful, gaiaistic lifestyle. Which gives you all the more reason to hate the humans who disrupt their idyllic life.
I went to see the film again today after having lunch with a friend- we'd been planning out some stuff for a session we're leading in a couple of weeks and so I had my notebook with me. I grabbed it during the movie and wrote down some of the quotes I considered particularly notable. Some of my favourites that don't spoil the film for everyone else:
'One life ends, another begins.'
'It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.'
'All energy is only borrowed- one day you have to give it back.' (Not sure about the theology of this one but it's a good quote all the same.)
'Every person is born twice.The second time is when you earn your place among the People forever.'
'I was a warrior who dreamed he could bring peace. Sooner or later though, you always have to wake up.'
'Sometimes your whole life boils down to one insane move.'
In conclusion, GO SEE IT GO SEE IT GO SEE IT. Totally worth whatever money you'd pay for it twice. Unless you have a mysterious phobia of tall blue people.
Peace out.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Father of Lies
John 8:44- 'When [the devil] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.'
I can do it alone.
I don't need anyone's help with this.
A little lie won't hurt.
No one will know.
I got this.
It's not really sin.
Looking isn't touching.
I didn't say it out loud.
Everybody else does it.
That law doesn't apply any more.
Just one more, then I'll stop.
I got this.
It's not their business anyway.
That part of my life belongs to me.
I can go this far and then stop and go back.
It's not like it's one of the big sins.
It feels so right, how can it be wrong?
They can't judge me.
I'm following the spirit of the law- I don't have to obey the exact commandments.
One won't hurt.
No one understands why I'm doing it or what I'm going through.
I got this.
I can do it alone.
I don't need anyone's help with this.
A little lie won't hurt.
No one will know.
I got this.
It's not really sin.
Looking isn't touching.
I didn't say it out loud.
Everybody else does it.
That law doesn't apply any more.
Just one more, then I'll stop.
I got this.
It's not their business anyway.
That part of my life belongs to me.
I can go this far and then stop and go back.
It's not like it's one of the big sins.
It feels so right, how can it be wrong?
They can't judge me.
I'm following the spirit of the law- I don't have to obey the exact commandments.
One won't hurt.
No one understands why I'm doing it or what I'm going through.
I got this.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
The Glory of the Cross
~ Oh the glory of it all is: He came here, as redemption from the fall that we may live, that's the glory of it all. ~
David Crowder*Band
Glory? Really?
The cross doesn't look so glorious to me. It looks like a big chunk of rough wood, the ancient equivalent of a hangman's noose or an electric chair. Bloodstained, two of three long, iron nails still sticking out of it, ugly and forsaken at a crossroads.
And I'm supposed to believe that the King of creation hung naked, bleeding & dying there, and THAT is glorious?
I think God's idea of glory is a little different to ours.
I think God was so assured of His glory that He was prepared to give it up willingly, knowing that it was His to take up & put down as He wished.
I think God understood that heavenly glory was worth less if His creation was lying chaotic and desolate below Him.
I think God saw His glory reflected in humanity & considered it His greatest glory, in the same way that a loving parent will scorn the praise of peers and bring up a child in the best way they can.
I think God loved us so incredibly deeply that all the glory in the world was put aside so that He could tell us how much He loves us.
And I think that assurance & understanding & sight & love led Him to that ugly chunk of wood at a crossroads.
And that's glorious.
Not the cross alone. But the journey from Eden to eternity, from heaven to creation to sin to Egypt to Israel to exile to occupation to Bethlehem to Galilee to Jerusalem to Friday afternoon to Sunday morning to ascension to intercession to that final victory at the end of days to beyond the limits of time itself, when all of creation is caught up in the holiness and the love of God and sings an unending hallelujah to the only One who is worthy.
That is glorious.
David Crowder*Band
Glory? Really?
The cross doesn't look so glorious to me. It looks like a big chunk of rough wood, the ancient equivalent of a hangman's noose or an electric chair. Bloodstained, two of three long, iron nails still sticking out of it, ugly and forsaken at a crossroads.
And I'm supposed to believe that the King of creation hung naked, bleeding & dying there, and THAT is glorious?
I think God's idea of glory is a little different to ours.
I think God was so assured of His glory that He was prepared to give it up willingly, knowing that it was His to take up & put down as He wished.
I think God understood that heavenly glory was worth less if His creation was lying chaotic and desolate below Him.
I think God saw His glory reflected in humanity & considered it His greatest glory, in the same way that a loving parent will scorn the praise of peers and bring up a child in the best way they can.
I think God loved us so incredibly deeply that all the glory in the world was put aside so that He could tell us how much He loves us.
And I think that assurance & understanding & sight & love led Him to that ugly chunk of wood at a crossroads.
And that's glorious.
Not the cross alone. But the journey from Eden to eternity, from heaven to creation to sin to Egypt to Israel to exile to occupation to Bethlehem to Galilee to Jerusalem to Friday afternoon to Sunday morning to ascension to intercession to that final victory at the end of days to beyond the limits of time itself, when all of creation is caught up in the holiness and the love of God and sings an unending hallelujah to the only One who is worthy.
That is glorious.
Not My Life
~ This is not about me, this is all about You, take my life and capture me into Your view ~
Pj Benedetta
This life is not mine to live.
This life is His to live through me.
If this life were mine to live, I would be my own master.
If this life were mine to live, I would spend my time doing what I want to satisfy myself.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no pricking conscience if I did something selfish.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no restrictions to stop me acting a certain way.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, I could fall in love with & be with whomever I want.
If this life were mine to live, I could wear outrageous, revealing clothes & feel no shame or guilt.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no higher authority in it than me.
If this life were mine to live, I would such a powerful god there would be no room for another.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
This life is not mine to live.
This is His life to live through me.
And although it may mean sacrifice,
I would not have it any other way.
Pj Benedetta
This life is not mine to live.
This life is His to live through me.
If this life were mine to live, I would be my own master.
If this life were mine to live, I would spend my time doing what I want to satisfy myself.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no pricking conscience if I did something selfish.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no restrictions to stop me acting a certain way.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, I could fall in love with & be with whomever I want.
If this life were mine to live, I could wear outrageous, revealing clothes & feel no shame or guilt.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
If this life were mine to live, there would be no higher authority in it than me.
If this life were mine to live, I would such a powerful god there would be no room for another.
If this life were mine to live, I would be the central object of my life & everything would revolve around me.
This life is not mine to live.
This is His life to live through me.
And although it may mean sacrifice,
I would not have it any other way.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
My New Year's Resolution
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art,
Be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance now and always.
Thou and Thou only the first in my heart-
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Peace out.
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art,
Be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance now and always.
Thou and Thou only the first in my heart-
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Peace out.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
2009
My, how the year flies by when you're having fun. It seemed only yesterday that I was waving 'au revoir' to 2008 during a late night prayer evening with my old youth group, and now it's December 28th and I'm staring straight at the next decade which is fast approaching.
It's been a good year. I've grown up (not in height, mournfully) a great deal and I believe that I'm in a far better place in pretty much every way (again, apart from the height) than the places I was in this time last year. I have shorter hair, greater faith, deeper understanding and more friends, which are all things to be thankful for.
It hasn't been an easy year. I've fallen out with God, fallen out with people and fallen out with my own conscience more times than I care to count. I've probably been lower than I've ever been before, and yet I've come out of that declaring the goodness of God. I thought that the saying 'you don't appreciate the mountains until you've been in the valleys' was terribly cliched, but it's also very true and something to be thankful for.
It's been a varied year. I've been to 2 weddings (and a funeral), plays and concerts, stayed in at least 10 different houses overnight, eaten at at least 50 different places other than these 10 houses and met at least 100 different people who don't live in any of the above houses or work in the above 50 places. I don't recall many, if any, of these 160+ occurrences to have been bad experiences, which is another thing to be thankful for.
It's been a year of new things. My firsts this year include visiting a boarding school, attending an engagement party, spending Christmas away from family, getting a drivers license, roller skating, shaving my head, visiting America, flying alone, celebrating Thanksgiving, driving on the wrong side of the road on purpose without getting yelled at, eating grits, air-mailing greeting cards, celebrating SAD (singles awareness day, it's on February 14th), making a mosaic, leading worship at a wedding, understanding American football, travelling by coach, making fudge and throwing water over a laptop. Except for eating grits, spending Christmas away from family and throwing water over a laptop (the latter of which I would seriously counsel you against doing), all have been good experiences, which is something to be thankful for.
It's been a year in which God has shown Himself to me time and time again. I have ignored Him, offended Him, upset Him, insulted Him, refused to listen to Him, acted as if He didn't exist and generally done things throughout the year to really hack Him off, and every time He takes me back. And that is something to be very thankful for.
Peace out y'all. Best wishes and prayers for 2010.
AH
It's been a good year. I've grown up (not in height, mournfully) a great deal and I believe that I'm in a far better place in pretty much every way (again, apart from the height) than the places I was in this time last year. I have shorter hair, greater faith, deeper understanding and more friends, which are all things to be thankful for.
It hasn't been an easy year. I've fallen out with God, fallen out with people and fallen out with my own conscience more times than I care to count. I've probably been lower than I've ever been before, and yet I've come out of that declaring the goodness of God. I thought that the saying 'you don't appreciate the mountains until you've been in the valleys' was terribly cliched, but it's also very true and something to be thankful for.
It's been a varied year. I've been to 2 weddings (and a funeral), plays and concerts, stayed in at least 10 different houses overnight, eaten at at least 50 different places other than these 10 houses and met at least 100 different people who don't live in any of the above houses or work in the above 50 places. I don't recall many, if any, of these 160+ occurrences to have been bad experiences, which is another thing to be thankful for.
It's been a year of new things. My firsts this year include visiting a boarding school, attending an engagement party, spending Christmas away from family, getting a drivers license, roller skating, shaving my head, visiting America, flying alone, celebrating Thanksgiving, driving on the wrong side of the road on purpose without getting yelled at, eating grits, air-mailing greeting cards, celebrating SAD (singles awareness day, it's on February 14th), making a mosaic, leading worship at a wedding, understanding American football, travelling by coach, making fudge and throwing water over a laptop. Except for eating grits, spending Christmas away from family and throwing water over a laptop (the latter of which I would seriously counsel you against doing), all have been good experiences, which is something to be thankful for.
It's been a year in which God has shown Himself to me time and time again. I have ignored Him, offended Him, upset Him, insulted Him, refused to listen to Him, acted as if He didn't exist and generally done things throughout the year to really hack Him off, and every time He takes me back. And that is something to be very thankful for.
Peace out y'all. Best wishes and prayers for 2010.
AH
Friday, 25 December 2009
Clint Eastwood is Jesus. Sort of. Just read it, OK?
I watched the film Gran Torino tonight. It's a Clint Eastwood film in terms of direction and cast, about a conservative, old-school American who almost begrudingly becomes involved in the lives of his Chinese next-door neighbours. The family has unwanted connections to a street gang and when Clint Eastwood's character attempts to protect his neighbours, the gang retaliate and attck the family he's come to care deeply about. Eastwood is left with a choice- does he strike back in anger or take a step back and leave the family to deal with it themselves?
In an unexpected (from my point of view, anyway) twist, our unlikely hero goes to the gang house and tricks the gang members into shooting him in plain view of the whole street. The gang are jailed and the family are free to live their lives without fear of retaliation. All is well.
Except that Eastwood's character dies.
It seems to me like Clint stole a few ideas from an old, old book. The main character is left with a choice- does he aggressively and hard-handedly intervene in a mess that isn't his fault and isn't his problem, or does he let the people he loves attempt to deal with it themselves? Neither. He chooses to sacrifice himself to save those he loves.
Christmas is a time when we celebrate the arrival of a most unlikely hero, a king born in a stable, a god encapsulated in a tiny baby. But we can sometimes miss the point a little. Jesus was born to give us life through his death. Christmas happened so that Easter could happen.
There's a song I've heard since coming here, taken from the perspective of Joseph, Jesus' adoptive father (well, not exactly, but close enough). My favourite line in the whole song is this:
'Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say, but this is such a strange way to save the world'. And I'm inclined to agree. It was a very strange way to save the world. But it was the way of grace, humility and extravagant, extraordinary love. Which is, after all what God is all about.
May God bless you this Christmas with love, joy, friends, laughter, family, hugs and time to think a little more deeply than usual. Peace out,
AH
In an unexpected (from my point of view, anyway) twist, our unlikely hero goes to the gang house and tricks the gang members into shooting him in plain view of the whole street. The gang are jailed and the family are free to live their lives without fear of retaliation. All is well.
Except that Eastwood's character dies.
It seems to me like Clint stole a few ideas from an old, old book. The main character is left with a choice- does he aggressively and hard-handedly intervene in a mess that isn't his fault and isn't his problem, or does he let the people he loves attempt to deal with it themselves? Neither. He chooses to sacrifice himself to save those he loves.
Christmas is a time when we celebrate the arrival of a most unlikely hero, a king born in a stable, a god encapsulated in a tiny baby. But we can sometimes miss the point a little. Jesus was born to give us life through his death. Christmas happened so that Easter could happen.
There's a song I've heard since coming here, taken from the perspective of Joseph, Jesus' adoptive father (well, not exactly, but close enough). My favourite line in the whole song is this:
'Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say, but this is such a strange way to save the world'. And I'm inclined to agree. It was a very strange way to save the world. But it was the way of grace, humility and extravagant, extraordinary love. Which is, after all what God is all about.
May God bless you this Christmas with love, joy, friends, laughter, family, hugs and time to think a little more deeply than usual. Peace out,
AH
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
