Movie Review: Last of the Mohicians

What would you do if you were the last of your family, your heritage, or your culture? Would you record it? Perhaps share with others? Or maybe try to save it?
   Chingachgook and his son are the last of his tribe. Hawkeye, his adopted white son, also remains, but is not of indian blood. Together they face the perils of the french and indian war. They operate as a small group, standing up for the commoners in the face of British tyranny. In the course of doing so, they discover a plot to murder an entire family, as another indian, Maugwa, desires revenge for his people.
   These three men take it upon themselves to defend this family.

Even it if will cost them their lives.

Things I liked
   The three men who are the Last of the Mohicans have many admirable traits. In essence, they are true gentlemen. They treat women with respect and protect them. They are selfless, always sacrificing themselves for others. They stand up against the authority when the officers do not keep their word. They also communicate with wisdom and tact. Save for one example, the men were models worthy of respect.
   All the settlers fighting for britain have their families as the main concern in their eye. Everything they do is to protect their families and make sure they are safe in this dangerous land. A few men in the film die protecting women they swore to defend or care about.

A certain quote stuck with me as well, in regards to one general surrendering to another.

Death and honor are thought to be the same, but today I have learned that sometimes they are not.

I appreciated the fact that, in the midst of this war and killings shown, value on human life was clearly established. That it was more honorable to save lives if possible, rather than sending everyone in your command to their deaths for a fort.

Things I didn't like
There was quite a bit of violence, as the indians are out to destroy the british troops. The indian's guerrilla type warfare was devastating against the british troops on the road. We see the devastation in full. Tomahawks fly, chop, and hack. Indians and soliders are shot point blank with rifles. Soliders are stabbed and then scalped. One indian cuts the heart out of a man and holds it above his head in victory. While blood and gore are minimal, the massacres are definitely something which will make you want to turn your head. I did anyway.

Cora and Hawkeye have an intense and intimate scene where they kiss for long periods of time. Definitely could have done without that.

We see a girl commit suicide. A man is burned at stake, and then shot to relieve his suffering. There is some cursing, but I do not recall hearing God's name being used in vain.

Closing Thoughts

   The Last of The Mohicans is not a story of an epic quest, an invincible hero, or even an ultimate goal. This movie is simply a story of the trials three men face trying to do good for the common people. Britain's military is oppressive and laws relative to the situation at hand. These men choose to help others instead taking care of themselves. It is about little stories. Each with little thoughts to take and chew on should the discerning view desire.
   Thoughts on submission to government, honor, sacrifice, equality of race and justification are all themes which the movie shows. Most biblically so, but some not so much.

    If I have a complaint against the film as a whole, it would be the violence as the scalpings and ritualistic removal of an organ. Seeing that kind of massacres should be enough to turn anyone's stomach sour. That, and the unneeded intimate scene between Hawkeye and Cora.

   The heros exhibit many admirable biblical traits, and no so admirable in others. There are some touching scenes, and some gruesome ones as well. The value of this movie lies not in the story, but the interaction between the characters we can feel good rooting for. So while this film does not get a thumbs up, I'll definitely tip my hat to it, because some of the messages are well worth remembering.

Flashbacks: The Power of Stories

We all have life stories.

Stories of joy, stories of suffering, and stories of lessons learned. The cool thing is, God uses these events in out lives to teach us things. To grow us in our character. And to strengthen our relationship with him.

I have found though, all to often we forget these events, which hurt us, and prevent us from teaching others what we have learned in life. Often we remember the lesson, but not the context. Thing is, people don't remember lectures about why you shouldn't do something....
   They remember stories, and the result of the actions which took place in that story. The lessons learned from life experiences stick with a person. Look at scripture, how did Christ teach? Through stories.

So I personally have been challenged to not only recall past stories, but to share and record them. I never have journaled, which is huge flaw on my part. But it is simply something I cannot do. These coming "Flashbacks" is an effort on my part to record past events of my life which taught me something. I do this not for my benefit, but for the benefit of my future family, and maybe you might learn something too. I'd also like to challenge you, what are your memorable flashbacks? What are events, people, times which are burned into your memory from experience?

I'll be answering those questions in the future. I hope you will join me and do the same.

Combating Women in Combat

Yes, I am responding to current events with a blog post. It seems to be happening more and more of late.

I am sure you have heard of the Pentagon's most recent change in policy. That of allowing women to take positions of combat should they desire, or show above average qualifications.

   Before I go into the following... I'm going to tell you I don't think the only place for women is at home. I believe places in business, politics, and other societal areas are fine for women to participate in. I don't think scripture calls women to be only ones who are "Barefoot, Pregnant, and in the Kitchen."
   The following points come as always, based off scripture. You can argue all day about physical prowess and scientific comparison of male/female body types... And both have valid points. Problem is, if you base your arguments upon these facts, you are simply debating scientific viewpoints. These are not what we should base our opinions on, because our understanding of science is always changing.

   Personally, I think it if fine if a woman wants a domestic intelligence job, and can do it well, let he work there. My personal line comes up when they can be placed into combat, on the ground, situations. The recent decision does not place women in combat role, but rather, allows them to volunteer to do so.  I do not believe at all in any way women should have, or be allowed to have, a role in combat. 

   I say this because I see nowhere in scripture a precedent placed that it is a woman's role to go out and fight for her country or family. It is clearly, the man's role and job to defend his family. I see today, a society shirking off that responsibility in the name of equality. Guess what? Men and women aren't the same. They have different God-given Strengths and weaknesses. This is a good thing! Instead of celebrating these differences, we see a society rejecting God's perfect design, and replacing it with what they deem best.

"Uh Austin?" You say. "What about Deborah?"

I'm so glad you asked. ;)

Women did indeed have roles other than wife in scripture.... Specifically to this topic of leadership and war.
   We see first, and most famously, Esther. Who was made queen in a time of jewish captivity, and used that political power to save the jewish race.
    We see Deborah, made judge and leader of the military in the darkest time of the jewish people. Why? Because there were no men to fill the position.
   Also in Judges, we see Jael, the wife of Heber, let the commander of the Caanaite army into her tent, and then killed him in his sleep, as God predicted.

What do all of these have in common? The state of their society was in ruins or degradation. In each of these stories, we see the Jewish people have turned from the perfect ways God has made known to them... and the result creates stories which are terrible and sad.

This is the same thing we are seeing today. In the name of "women's rights" (which I believe are a good thing), we are taking the roles of men, and societally pressuring women to step into those roles. The majority of men also, are at huge fault, for gladly relinquishing these roles, so as not to seem stuck in the cave man stone age. They too are succumbing to the societal pressures of "progress". Not all progress is good. If I am walking towards a cliff edge, I am indeed making progress, but walking over a cliff, even if it is your goal, is not beneficial to your health.

There is a huge difference between women having equal rights in society, and being pressured into roles not designed for them by God. That is what is happening today. And I shudder to think in a few generations what that will look like if something doesn't change. 

   What we can rejoice in though, is in the knowledge God has everything planned out and is going to his plan. He wasn't surprised by this, He isn't concerned. Honestly, I am not concerned either. Am I sad? Yes. Am I frustrated? Yes. But if we rest in the knowledge God knows what he is doing, we can have peace, and praise Him for working all things to His glory.

The Dash of Stan the Man Musial

Whenever a personal hero of mine passes, I am reminded of a poem. Stan Musial died a few days ago at the old age of 92. For those who don't know, he was a man of character, integrity, and humility. He was a continuing bright light in all of baseball both on the field and off. 

He was a gentleman, and left quite the legacy and example to follow for those who play sports.

Deaths like these remind me of this poem, ironically written by an athlete himself. What dash am I creating? How will people remember my dash? Is it reflecting Christ? Is it a Biblical example? I pray and hope so. It reminds me it doesn't matter how long you live, but how you live in the time God has given you.

So with that, here is possibly my favorite poem of all time. It doesn't have perfect pentameter, nor does it completely rhyme. But poetry is more than just meter and verse. It is an expression of thought, and this he does quite well.

The Dash
I have seen death stare at me with my own eyes in a way many cannot know.
I’ve seen death take others but still leave here below.

I’ve heard many screams of mother cries but death has refused to hear.
In my life I have seen many faces with many, many tears.

After death has come and gone, a tombstone sits for many to see,
But is serves no more than a symbol of a person’s memory.

Under the person’s name it reads the date of birth-and the date the person passed,
But the more I think about the tombstone the only important thing is the dash. 

Yes, I see the name of the person but that I might forget,
I also read the date of birth and death, but even that might not stick.

But thinking about the person, I can’t help but to remember the dash,
Because it represents a person’s life and that will always last. 

So when you begin to chart your life, make sure you are on a positive path.
Because people may forget your birth and death, but they will never forget your dash.
~Alton Maiden (Notre Dame football player)

What does your dash look like?

Movie Review: Forever Strong

Soccer is for sissies, football is for boys, and rugby is for men. 

Rick is a young man who plays rugby, but acts like a boy. He loses his temper, he hangs out with the wrong crowd, and is as arrogant as they come. Like proverbs says though, with Pride, comes the fall.
   And oh how Rick falls. He falls so hard, and so deep, he lands in a juvenile detention center and will remain there until a change in behavior is observed. Instead of shaping up however, he turns for the worse. He picks fights with inmates, and does not observe the center's rules. The center assistant, Marcus, decides to attempt to help Rick out, and gets him playing on another rugby team. The only bugger is, this is the rival team of Rick's school.
   Coach Gelwix and Marcus begin to teach Rick what it means to be a man, and how to act as one. Rick now has a decision to make. Will he stay loyal to his father and school? Or will he remain true to what he now knows what is right? Will he go back to bad habits? Or will he continue on the path he is leading?

He has to decide, if will he remain forever strong.

Things I liked
This movie is a coming of age tale about a young man who has to beat his pride before it beats him. Rick learns throughout this film life is not just about himself. That a team isn't about winning, but about character. He learns to forgive, to submit, and to stand strong for the truth. All traits which are admirable and scriptural.

This would never happen however, without mentors. Marcus and Gelwix feed wisdom to Rick constantly. They give him a second chance, and a third chance, and a fourth... The provide grace and compassion to Rick, even when he doesn't deserve it in the least. Coach Gelwix is a man to take special note of. He tells Rick:

"God doesn’t make a no-good anything." 

In one of his lawnchair sessions, saying that everyone has a purpose. He brings a team together based not upon winning games, but on winning characters.

“I’m more interested in turning out champion boys than champion teams.”

The coach binds the team together based upon principles of character, not plays in a book. We see them do charity activities in addition to playing the game.

The rival team Rick is a part of is one of incredible quality. The young men, for the most part, are very patient with Rick, giving him an example and forgiveness when again, he deserves none and attacks many teammates. They know how to have fun too, pulling pranks on others, and doing it all in a clean and harmless way. In tragedy too, they rally around, and comfort each other like brothers. Their mantra is this... and they stick to it.

We only have one real rule – don’t do anything that would embarrass you, the team, or your family.

Things I didn't like
An early scene has a bunch of guys and gals at a pool party. All the girls had bikinis, and there were a few close ups. All of the people are drinking, and most quite drunk. It is worth noting however, the results of these actions show how terrible the consequences are.

One guy gives another "the finger".

A guy gets hit by a car. And another person is flung from a car. We see their body in a fence later.

If you have never seen rugby, know it is a very physical sport, and they hit each other hard. Something to be aware of. Some blood is shown on a few players during the game because of the nature of the sport.


Closing Thoughts

I want you to be forever strong on the field so you will be forever strong off it.

Coach Gelwix tells this to his players right before a game. He gives them context for life, not just a sport. A context where we are to live in a manner which puts others above self. Sound familiar?

Forever Strong tells a powerful tale of a boy who fell, and through the guidance, counsel, and love of others is built into a man. It tells of a team which is focused on each other more than winning a game. It tells of second chances, and everyone should be given one.

It is a rough and tumble film chock full of scriptural themes and lasting lessons. Lessons it wouldn't hurt for us to be reminded of either. Because of that, Forever Strong is a forever keeper in my playbook, and should be in yours as well. 

Death Star Petition. Just for fun. ;)

So, I don't have anything deep or meaningful to post today... but thought this was worth blogging about.

Death Star Petition

That petition is a valid one, requesting the construction of a death star to protect our borders. the response is quite funny, and if you have a spare moment... check it out. ;)

Star Trek TOS Phaser Project: The Color Scheme

There are many different types of Color schemes of Phasers in the Star Trek Original season. The first season was largely a work in progress as it was being made, so the consistency of props was nonexistent. The tricorders and communicators are varied as well... All of this is from reading, and opinions are going to vary because of the inconsistency of the prop making methods.

Because all the color schemes and combinations are "Screen Accurate", this allows for a bit of flexibility in choosing my preferred color setup... So here are the more well known versions in the TV show.
First, the Black and White model. These are only found in the first eight TV shows to my knowledge. Some say the color was a cream or pearl... Something to consider. You can see why they *ahem* phased them out.

Rare Original screen used white phaser. They are rare because most were painted over.

What the color of the remaining handles were depends in the type of Phaser you are talking about. There is the Stunt/dummy model which is the cheapest of all the props, often not even colored. Then there is a AA model. These usually had a Black handle with a grey/blue color. Some say it was completely grey. My opinion is it was more of a slate color... This is most commonly seen prop. Some had gold grips, to based off the hero, but failed in the execution... Again, IMO. ;)

AA version prop. Note the lack of the metal conical tip

The last version, is of course the Hero Version (or AAA), which I will be basing my project off of. These got close ups and had functional parts such as raised sights. There are two opinions as to what the color of the Hero grips were, either Dark Bronze Metallic or a Charcoal Grey Metallic.
   The color of the body of the Phaser is a dark blue. No Metallic. Here are two Screen Captures... Both have the Metal Conical tips.

So, after the long and lengthy amount of research, I think I will be going with the dark Bronze handle and a dark blue Slate paint job.

Here are the paints I plan to use.
For the Pistol Body:
Santa Fe Blue. http://www.testors.com/products/137307
And more to consider here: http://www.testors.com/category/560957/Naval_Colors

For the Type 2 (smaller Phaser):
This color is tricky, because it is supposed to look dark grey in the light, and black in less light.
Engine Black: http://www.testors.com/products/137240

For the Bronze Grip:
Rustoelum Dark Bronze Metallic: http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-7272830-Metallic-Bronze-11-Ounce/dp/B000ZYTNJA

Random Pictures of 2013 (Part 1)

Around the first of the year, I considered doing a 365 day challenge. I realized however, it is much easier said than done. I decided instead, to do something I call "Random Pics of 2013". I have no idea how many parts it will be, but it will just be a collaboration of pics I take and edit throughout the year.

So here is Part 1

Story of my life right now. Studying studying studying! :)

A gift from my best friend. I think he knows me to well. :P

We played this on New Year's. Pretty much the best game ever.

Grace. She really does have a green and blue eye.

Firewood.

Another Day, Another Story

Another day has come and gone, which is pretty cool, considering everything which was accomplished and learned.

I was able to get to work on my car today, FINALLY finished the sanding of primer. We'll be shooting color in a few days! More importantly though, I talked with a guy about luck, and it was pretty interesting. The question posed on the radio was "do people make their own luck?", and we talked about that question for a while. Does luck exist? Is God luck? Why are good people unlucky? are all questions we discussed. I was able to offer scripture to a great many number questions by the grace of God, and he in turn with more questions. Not only was it productive in terms of work, but also in terms of eternity.

Do you know how to make a telegraph? I do now. In history discussion, we decided to start off the new year with a . -  and gets some hands on stuff made. They worked after some finagling with the wires. Pretty cool they were! Here is a link should you desire to make one:
http://www.w1tp.com/perbuild.htm

My bro and I got to go to a chick-fil-a that opened today! It was so fun. There were balloons, happy people, and the chick-fil-a cow (which was kinda creepy). What always amazes me about chickfila most is not the food, but the quality of service. The workers there set a standard which is so incredibly high and polite, it honestly challenges me to do the same where I work. A quality business is not just in the products they offer, but in the people they hire. Chickfila has figure that out, and as long as they keep up that service... I'll keep giving em my money.

So, just another blessed day in the life of Austin. God is so good to us, and it floors me to fathom where that goodness comes from. :)

The Star Trek TOS Phaser Project

I don't know about you, but Star Trek "The Original Series" is one of my favorite TV shows. Yes. It is cheesy, corny, and not even realistic. But the actors are some of the most memorable in TV history, and work together in a way which we don't see anymore in TV shows.

While most props were rather... Lame. There are three which are pretty interesting. First, the Tricorder. Spock's Instrument of choice when he needed to pick up life forms or any other reading. Second, the communicator, which was their ticket back to the Enterprise. Lastly, The Phaser, which was first a tool to cut, weld, or heat. A weapon to defend themselves from hostile aliens. And a  bomb. If it gets set into overload.

You don't want your phaser to go into overload.

I have wanted to build a fully functional 1:1 Star Trek Phaser for a long time now. There are many cheapy kid models, but few quality cast kits. Even Fewer which are 1:1 scale. After a few months of searching I managed to snag 2 of these Brand new:

This cast kit is a full 1:1 Scale, which was made back in the 80s. The people who made this actually operated out of a garage, and because these were so accurate, got a cease and desist order from CBS. They are very hard to find, but they will pop up on ebay once or twice a year. It is one of the best kits out there to install electronics and maintain the accurate scale.

So here's the goal. To turn this pile of plastic into two fully functional LED phasers with sound. The Type 1, with two modes. The Type 2, with one. Rechargeable cells will also be used, so you plug it in instead of swapping batts.

A project and a half, but I think it will be fun, and provide that nice change needed from saber building at times.

So, things to do.
1. Find proper adhesive and purchase
2. Find accurate paints
3. Find replica sized metal thumbscrew
4. Mounting solution for grip other than glue
5. Custom Soundboard with a friend of mine
6. Layout internal electronics
7. Switch and LED holes
8. Dual Mode switch solution
9. Photoshop settings diagram
10. Glue, sand, bondo, and paint pieces
11. Install electronics
12. Close everything up and test/fire/enjoy

If you are wondering. I plan to make a High powered Phaser that will actually burn through items, pop balloons, etc with the second model. Using a LED Laser Diode this is possible (the same kind which burn DVDs, CDs, etc. I wanted to tackle the easier project first. ;)

Only Three More To Go!

Today I passed a the biggest roadblock for finishing my Degree.

The Principles of Finance DSST. Back in August, I failed it with a 391. Passing is 400.

So, a few weeks ago, I attacked it again with a vengeance. So much studying on Cost of Debt, WAAC, CAMP, TVM, and more. To be honest though, I was super stressed about going in to take it this morning.

But by the Grace of God and hard work, I passed it with a 423!

That makes three tests left for completing the BSBA in General Management. Lord willing I'll take Money and Banking next week. I've heard it is also a bugger of a test. Can't be worse than finance though. I am almost sure of it. ;)

To celebrate the passing of the test, I went out to lunch with mom. It was great to just chat and catch up over a cheeseburger. Follow that up with a sunny afternoon drive... It was a very nice way to celebrate in my opinion. It is days like these I marvel at the sheer goodness of God. :)

Movie Review: The Dark Knight

This second part of the Batman Trilogy, as directed by Christopher Nolan, introduces Batman's arch nemesis.
He comes in without a story, an intro, or a motive, and offers to the mobs, who have been crushed under Batman's and Jeff Gordon's rule, that he will kill Batman. All they have to do is chalk up half of all they have.

So desperate to be rid of Gotham's knight and hero they agree, and so sets in motion the most twisted and vile actions of Gotham's newest super-villain.

The Joker.

Things I liked
The reoccurring theme of the Dark Knight, if it could be summed up in one word, would "Sacrifice".
   Batman, once again, is a light in the darkness of Gotham. He keeps his rule of "no killing", even when faced with the temptation and perhaps, justification to do so. He is Gotham's "White Knight", who takes all guilt upon himself for the good of the city.
   Harvy Dent, a statesman who does not succumb to the the threats of the Joker and the Mobsters sacrifices his career for Batman, he chooses to fight crime not to get votes, but because it is right. He is the hero which the public people of Gotham grow to love, and as such, the Joker grows to hate.
   Another man familiar with sacrifice is Chief of Police Jeff Gordon. He faces death many times, and is prepared to give his life for ordinary citizens, Harvy Dent, and even Batman. He puts his position at stake by providing the help Batman needs, and stepping back when is necessary.

When we see a man act in a manner which is extremely selfish, and we see him almost lose his life over that action. Anytime a person acts for himself, the consequences are quite bad. Save for the Joker, he didn't get that memo.

Lucius Fox and Alfred are two men who serve as mentors to Bruce Wayne. They speak some profound wisdom in the movie in dealing with the Joker and acting in a manner which is good for others and not self.

The Civilians of Gotham also choose to stand up against the Joker, and don't participate in his final social experiment.

Things I didn't like
The reoccurring thing I didn't like can be summed up into one word. The Joker and his murders.
   The violence in The Dark Knight is not of blood, gore, and mass killings. They are mental, the camera looks away, and try as you might not to, makes you imagine what happened behind that closed door. The Joker puts is best.

Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions. In... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are.

And he does use the knife. In terrible, mesmerizing, and horrifying ways. He tells stories. Stories of how he got the scars on his face. You are drawn into the 30 second tale of family abuse or a  broken marriage. And then... A swift movement and the camera cuts away. Letting your depraved heart fill in all "those little details".
   Many people are shot, some villains, some police officers. We see a men hung, dressed like batman, hanging from the Gotham bridge. Another hostage is "played with" by the Joker on a News Station. The Joker blows up buildings, cars, and more. He sets on fire a pile of money with an accountant strapped to the top. He kills a man with a pencil through the eye. A man is blown up with a bomb implanted in his stomach. We see a man's face catch on fire, and a full closeup of the damage afterwards in gruesome detail. A young woman is killed with a bomb.
And that is not even all of the examples.

There are about a dozen profanities, God's name is used in vain, and so is Jesus' a few times as well.

There are a few low cut dresses shown, as Bruce has to maintain his public image of a reckless and dumb young guy.

Closing Thoughts
I'll say this now. These thoughts are going to be long and many. The Dark knight is a complex movie of many themes to consider. There are no plot spoilers though.

What is perhaps most disturbing about the Joker isn't the fact he uses a knife, enjoys killing, or does not recognize a moral compass. What is most disturbing, is he understands man's natural state of depravity, and he embraces it.

These people's morals, their code. It's like a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you, when the chips are down... These... "Civilized" people... They'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster, I'm just ahead of the curve. 

We see and read here the Joker understands man is flawed and naturally evil. However, he rejects the hope there is something better, rather, chooses to live without a spiritual mask, and be who he truly is. The result is a man whose methods are so disturbing and evil, it makes you ask "Is that really inside me?"
   If the motive of the Joker could be fleshed out, I would say it is making Batman see how society and even himself are living under a self placed spirit of delusion. That they are being "clowns" in their nice little societies, putting their faith in Laws and Rules.

"You have all these rules and you think they'll save you! The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules."

Instead, he advocates anarchy, because that is living in reality, not hiding who you really are.

"I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. You know... You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan". But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!"

   This movie without doubt shows there is evil in the hearts of man and in the world. What it fails to do is provide the viewer with equal confidence of there being "good" in the world as well. This actually isn't surprising though, as Christ is absent from the movie. Without Christ, there is no good in man, and honestly that is what we see in the Joker and in many other characters.
   The sole redeemer is Batman, who plays the role of of the literary "Christ Figure". He sacrifices for those he loves, his name, and his well being to save the people of Gotham. Not from physical destruction, but a societal one. He takes the blame, for which he has done no wrong, in the form of a lie. A lie in which does not serve or protect himself, but ultimately serves and protects others.

   The Dark Knight is a mesmerizing, horrifying, and thought provoking film. I cannot think of another movie which demonstrates man's natural state anymore clearly than this one, and does so in a manner so well done.
   What is no joke however, is the lack of hope, which I expected to be shown in the Dark Knight Rises. The fact is, the Joker, and his ideals are all but disregarded in the third movie, which leaves the lack of good still in question. Ultimately we know good will conquer evil in the end, and there is Good in this universe, which is the Trinity of God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
   This is where The Dark Knight falls so terribly short. Instead of combating such a terrible evil with a greater good, the evil is allowed to win. Maybe not on the script, but it definitely does in our mind. Making us imagine and feel murders, while watching the Joker gleefully go on his merry path of heartless destruction, is enough to turn anyone's stomach sour. Then the best we see our hero do, the Batman, is take the blame for an action the Joker did? It is heroic, but hardly a victory. In fact, one could argue Batman still lost, because the Joker got his way and killed the Batman, just not physically.

   Evil triumphs over good in this movie, which is something I can neither advocate nor recommend. The Joker plays masterfully from his hand, while Batman desperately claws for any card which will give him a hand to play.
  That hand never comes, because it was the Joker's game all along. Batman was just the inexperienced opponent to make the game interesting.

Movie Review: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Soren is a young barn owl who dreams of becoming a Guardian of Ga'Hoole. He knows their stories by heart, and yearns for the day when he can fly and discover the island on which they live.

   That dream is cut short however, when he and his brother fall from the nest while branching when their parents were away. They are captured by "The Pure Ones" and made to serve them. Soren, by choice, goes to be a "picker" and mine metals for the Pure one's Army. It seems as though his dream of meeting the guardians will never be realized.

  Escape is the only option for survival, but Soren cannot yet fly. In time though, he learns how, and with his friend manages to escape the fortress. His sole mission is to find the Guardians and alert them of the terrible things the Pure One's are doing.
   But there is a greater enemy than even Soren or the Guardians know of, and he is determined to enslave all the land with his power and might. And with a new weapon...

Not even the Guardians can stop him.

Things I liked
   This movie is packed with biblical qualities and traits. One which stands out the most is the character of Soren. He is a barn owl with a love for the old tales of the guardians. He loves their bravery, their courage, and their oath to protect the weak. We see that play out in the movie, as he adores these characters, he embodies their oath and mission.
   This is translated into a young owl who is meek in his natural abilities, merciful to his brother who is not kind nor appreciative when Soren tries to help. This trait of mercy stands out the most to me, because even when his brother makes extremely bad choices, he still stands ready to forgive and provide that second chance.
   We also see Soren use his strength and will to serve others rather than himself. He stands up for a young elf owl, and suffers the same fate as she does because of it. He has faith in things not yet seen, which is shown to be a powerful parallel to one's own conscience and spirit. It is shown to believe because you know something is right, rather than require proof with your own eyes.

   In one scene, we see an old owl willingly sacrifice his life for the lives of two owlets. He is killed by the "Pure Ones" who are the antagonists in the film. What I enjoyed about the portrayal of evil in this movie was it was so realistic. Initially, it looks beautiful, desirable, and right. Then, because of selfishness some owls choose to join the pure one's we see how filth, corrupt, and dark the evil truly is. They say "Honor is just a form of weakness." Later we see poetic justice in regard to that quote.

War is depicted in a way which puts an excellent perspective as not only how awful it is, but why it is appropriate to engage in war. One of the Guardians tells Soren about the battle Soren has dreamed of his entire life:

"War isn't glorious, amazing, or even heroic. It's merely doing what's right. And doing it again and again."

In that one quote the essence of wars are captured, and when war does come, there is no victory celebration, no heros to be had, only owls doing what is right. And that is defending the weak who are unable to defend themselves.

No profanities are used in the movie.

The final thing which I enjoyed was the stunning brilliance and artistry of the movie. I believe this very well could be the greatest animated film done in terms of art. It is some of the best eye candy I've seen in a while.

Things I didn't like
There is one crude attempt at humor where an owl gets pinched in the groin.

There are some battle scenes, and the most we see is feathers fly. A few owls do die, one in a terrible manner. Since these are not people, it did not bother me very much, but for the younger kids, it is pretty intense and they might be scared a bit by the battle scene at the end.

Closing thoughts
Rarely I find a movie where I can recommend it to others wholeheartedly. The Legend of the Guardians is one of those rare films.

This movie embodies and advocates so many Christian qualities it is astounding. Mercy, faith, compassion, forgiveness, meekness, honor, truth, family values, and more. It shows evil for what it truly is, even in the fact it looks nice on the outside, but inside, it is horrible. Then we see good in all of its glory, and how it prevails over darkness. It shows war as something terrible and sad, necessary only to protect others. And frankly, this is the best animated movie of all time... In my opinion.

They speak of their "Gizzard" which equates to our soul and conscience, and we should always listen to what it says is right, rather than what others say or our head tells us. The parallels are astounding.

So if you haven't seen this movie, and want something clean with lasting messages presented in a beautiful and memorable way. Pick up "Legends of the Guardians", you won't regret it.

The Rewarded Sin

In reading Proverbs today, there was a scripture dealing with procrastination. It really got me, and it is amazing how one can read these chapters month after month... and still get something new each and every-time.

Proverbs 3:27-28

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

I think this applies to procrastination in that often we have time and power to get something done, but choose not to because we would rather do something else...

I read a quote about this, and thought it was very fitting to this verse... So I made it up into a pic, to remind me how serious this action is.

I've procrastinated many times because of my laziness, but always laughed it off with a funny pic, joke, etc. The fact is, procrastination and wasting of time is not a laughing matter. Rather, as we see here, yet another sin of selfishness. 

So here's to focusing time and effort into completing a task for another as fast as possible, rather than focusing on myself and putting it off till I feel like it. :)

What we did on New Year's eve/New Year's

Many of us have unique family traditions for New Year's. We always spend it at home. We eat tons of junk, play board games, and watch movies. It is nice to just spend some time with family and reminisce on the past year.

Here is a pic of our spread. Bacon wrapped lil smokies... Cheesy Bacon Bites... Pigs in a blanket...toasted Ravioli... Quite nourishing for sure.

Out Root Beer on Ice. Literally.

The piece that strikes fear into every settler's heart.

Settlers of Catan that is. Best game ever. I was orange, and I won. :) 

So how did you spend your new year's?

2012. A Personal Reflection.

Years go by so quickly now, and often I forget all the happens in the past year. It is good to sit back and think about how God has blessed us and worked in various ways in times past. It is so cool to look back see the story he wove, and know he is still doing that today. So here is my personal reflection of 2012.


To be honest, 2012 started pretty normal, and became something Epic. I had studies and working on the car in the spring. That lasted throughout the year, and I have a month left, Lord willing, for both.
   The first thing I remember about 2012 was attending TeenPact Staff Training in Oklahoma. The week taught me so much in learning how to lead, direct, and manage others. I also learned a ton about showing Christ in every action, and the importance of daily disciplines in spending time with him. I met some great guys there, and still talk to some today.
   In March playing Ultimate Frisbee was the main event. I led a small team in our homeschool league. We came out in first place with a 9-3 record. It was a great experience of stretching my physical limits and maintaining good sportsmanship as a leader of a team. Not so much in losing, but remaining humble in the winning. Here is a video I made advertising the 2013 season.

 Also in the spring I was blessed to be able to co-direct "Much ado about Nothing" with my past History Discussion teacher. She rocks and we had a lot of fun. We might be doing count of Monte Cristo this year. Really looking forward to that. All depending on finishing my degree...
   I was able to staff in the TeenPact program for my state and put that training to use. Even though I felt mildy prepared, I truly did not know what was going to happen or what I was going to do, which was a huge growing experience. It stretched me spiritually and taught me about servant leadership in ways I didn't think possible. I also learned about flexibility and to enjoy the changes which God put in front of us each day. Just to make sure we knew He was ultimately in charge and not us. We did presentations, field experiences, and fellowshipped with the students. All of the activities were focused on building better servant leaders equipped to engage the culture in which they live. Some great pics and videos of that week are here:
Illinois TeenPact 2012 Memories
   The Last activity of note in the Spring was going to TeenPact National Convention. If you haven't noticed, this leadership school has shaped me immensely in the past few years. We went up as a small group of friends, and came home more like brothers and sisters, with all the annoyances too. :D The theme of that year was "GO". Expounding upon the principle taught in 2011, which was actively and patiently waiting, 2012 focused on GOing and moving in the direction God is leading you. Very deep and cool stuff.

Then came Summer, and with it came Australia. Originally we planned to go to China, but it didn't work out. Australia was truly one of the most amazing experiences ever. The amount of things we saw, did, and experienced most will never do in their life time. Diving on the great barrier reef, seeing the twelve apostles, and touring the Sydney opera house were just some of the things we did. I have a few more posts about Australia I will eventually add here, but all of our adventures are tagged with "Australia" below. 

Then we had to come back home and face reality once again. Fall brought to me the wall of College and needing to complete it. Quickly. So all through September, October, November, and now December I worked on Tests, courses, and finals. By the grace of God,  and a lot of hard work I now only have four tests remaining. All of which I plan to complete this month. It is going to be a hard long haul, but I believe it is possible. Then I will be finished with my degree.

So there is a synopsis of 2012 and how I lived it. Very full and very rich. I feel so incredibly blessed to be living this life which has been given to me, I truly cannot wait to see what is in store for this year.