When every tear is wiped away . . .

Today was the second in Pastor Frank's sermon series on Revelation. We have learned that Christ is
in control of the past, present and future (last Sunday) and how in the future every tear will be wiped away as everything is made right in the presence of Christ.

I'm including one of my tree photos because I believe heaven will have large and beautiful trees. This one is imperfect but beautiful in the setting sun in Mt. Juliet after dinner tonight. Another tree photo is in my Nature Blog.

The Words

I watched The Words movie tonight and liked it even if difficult at times. It is about a young writer who steals a novel from a lost manuscript and the great difficulty of living with a lie or any life mistake. It is negative motivation to be honest. The movie doesn't moralize, but easily could be considered a lesson on honesty or about the pain lies can give the liar.

Blue Like Jazz

I just watched the movie version of the book, Blue Like Jazz, from Netflix. Wow! It's a very honest and sincere movie about college students struggling with who God is or whether he even exists. It's about a 19 year old conservative Christian boy (Southern Baptist) student in a Texas junior college who transfers to the most Godless campus possible in rebellion against the hypocrisy he has grown up with. Even he was surprised by the outcome. Messy but very inspiring!

Though this book and movie was written for twentysomething and thirtysomething postmodern Christians, it's a great watch for all with some pretty meaningful conclusions. I liked it even though it was not at all like my experience on a Godless college campus in 1958-60. I was touched by how God can and does work in surprising ways to make himself known.  Available on Netflix.  with good description there.

The One who is, who was, and who is coming

That title is a portion of Revelation 1:4 HCSB and was the subject of Pastor Frank's sermon this past Sunday. As I think of my life, all the best things that happened were when I stayed focused on Jesus and when I focused on other things including myself, life got more difficult. It is more than just asking WWW? (What Would Jesus Do?) but making him and his ways the focus of my life, an incarnation of Christ,   "because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4 HCSB

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Last night via Netflix I saw the powerful 1993 drama movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape and in some ways it had a spiritual impact on me or maybe I wanted it to and it was just an emotional experience. Gilbert's mostly patient caring for his developmentally challenged younger brother in a dysfunctional family was almost heroic as well as very conflicted. I saw myself in Gilbert (Johnny Depp) over and over as I recalled the challenges of caring for Juli while trying to go on with my life in so many complicated situations (like Gilbert). Maybe I will write it down someday - another story to tell! The added interest of the movie was seeing a young Johnny Depp and an even younger Leonardo DiCaprio. Plus Juliette Lewis was great as the girlfriend! A delightful movie for me! See the  trailer or an essay on the movie. Gilbert said something like "Everything has a purpose, I just can't figure out what the purpose of this is." I know the feeling Gilbert!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  
Romans 8:28 NIV

Into The Congo Inspiration

I just finished reading Ron Meyer's chronicling of his 31 years as a missionary in the Congo of Central Africa. It was heart-warming to see how God worked in and through his life in the African Forest, especially since Ron is a new friend and fellow-resident of McKendree Village. He also gave me an idea of how I might write a similar chronicle of my 3 years in The Gambia, West Africa. I think I too would share it as a series of stories as he did. Of course as a photo nut, I will probably use more photos!  :-)