Prophetic Musings

This just became #1 on the list of things that I must acquire before I die. Watch the video too.

OK, after the drama of the last couple weeks, I'm going to get back to actual writing. I'll try to have a couple things up this week, along with my Worship Exodus series that was supposed to come last week.

Question for readers: Do you prefer the series posts or more general commentary? Or do you even care at all?

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:4-7

Never has that been more true than today for me. For a week I begged, pleaded, sought, and finally today, received an answer to my prayers.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Yes, this last week was hard, and seemed like it would go on forever. I felt like God had left me on an island, fending for myself. Little did I know that behind the scenes, away from my view, he was making things happen that would far surpass what I could hope for. So, I am forever grateful. Have I learned my lesson? I hope so, but I'm sure in the future I will despair again, feeling like I've lost touch with God. I only pray that in that time, I will look back on what I've just experienced and handle it wiser, and more prayerfully.

Thanks to all those who sent messages to me. It helps to have people around you who can help you through these kind of things.

I read this article today about the growing number of people who are overweight or obese. This really ticked me off.

If people keep gaining weight at the current rate, fat will be the norm by 2015, with 75 percent of U.S. adults overweight and 41 percent obese, U.S. researchers predicted on Wednesday.

I'm overweight. In fact, according to the BMI calculations, I'm obese. I'm also losing weight, having dropped 20 pounds in the last three weeks. What ticks me off is that according to the BMI calculations, I was overweight when I graduated from high school, and will probably never get below their measurement for obese. Why? Because I'm naturally muscular (yes, it's under the fat right now) and have a very large frame.

When I graduated high school I weighed 190 pounds. I'm 5'10" tall. That puts me at the upper range of the overweight category. A year or so after graduating, I hit 210, which makes me obese. During high school, I played sports all the time and lifted weights. I was not even remotely fat. According to the BMI, I become overweight once I went over 174 pounds. The only way I can get back to "normal" would be to whither away to nothing.

So, when you see reports like this, remember that BMI is one calculator that doesn't work. Not even remotely. Tom Cruise and The Rock are obese according to this. Do you really believe that? They aren't fat, their fit. That doesn't appear to be taken into account though.

So, I'm sure you all read what I wrote last week. And I'm sure most of you have figured out what it was about. Here's a downdate (I can't call it an update because that's not the direction it's going).

Tuesday morning I decided that my ear felt like it was dirty, so I would clean it out. I put the Q-Tip in my ear and since then, I can barely hear out of my left ear. It's the same feeling that you get when someone hits you in the head and your ear rings, only it's a constant ringing. For three days now, my ear has been stopped up and I'm crankier than I was before because I can't hear. I'm going to the doctor today even though we can't afford it. I'm hoping it's something simple, but I doubt it will be.

A wrote on here several months back about a song called Miracle Maker. Right now, there is a portion of this song that describes me.

I’m waiting here for my life to change,
When the waters stir you can rearrange me.
Just one touch is all I need,
I’ve nothing much but the wounds I feel,
I’m looking for the hand of the miracle man.

I'm just holding on right now. I know that whatever is going on, no matter what kind of downward spiral life feels like it is on, my faith is secure. I know who God is and that He loves us, but I feel like an abandoned child, one who has been abandoned by God, by life, by friends and family, by happiness, and by joy. I'm waiting here for my touch. I have faith that with one touch, all can be made whole. In the grand scheme of things, this will probably be a minor problem, but right now it's so painful and so rough that I can only look forward to the end of it. I truly feel that Satan is attacking me, but Satan can not attack without God allowing it. Therefore, God is allowing me to get beaten up for a reason. If I only knew what that reason was, I could learn my lesson and be done with it, but I don't. As a sign at my office says, "The beatings will continue until morale improves."

Life is full of jagged edges, and I'm cut up pretty bad right now. I'm reminded of a part of the film Serenity, when Mal and Zoe are speaking about both the ship they live on and Zoe, who had just lost her husband.

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: You think she'll hold together?
Zoë: She's torn up plenty, but she'll fly true.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Could be bumpy.
Zoë: Always is. 

I'm extremely negative right now, as my wife will tell you. I have this tendency when things get tough. I tend to cuddle up to the darkness. A guy I used to work with called me The Dark Overlord and the Heart of Darkness because when I feel like it, I can embrace the macabre and the underside of life. My sarcasm and cynicism don't help me come out of it either. However, God said that we are all wonderfully and beautifully made, and He wouldn't have woven me together like this unless He had a reason to.

So there you have it. An update on a life that you probably don't care to hear. I'm still on hold for new articles because honestly, I just don't feel like it right now.

This slideshow is simply amazing to see. Popular Mechanics does a phenomenal job with this. I'll be buying their August issue.

In one of my college classes this summer, my professor took me to task about homeschooling after I gave reasons why we choose to homeschool our kids. He picked the wrong day to start something with me.

Sorry if I offend anyone with this, but it could happen.

What you are saying is based on conjecture, so here is some fact.

Based on a study done of homeschooled kids versus public school kids, the average public school child scored 50% on a basic battery of tests versus 85% by homeschool children. Overall testing scores average 50% for public school, 65-75% for private schools, and 75-85% for homeschool. Based on current research of adults who were homeschooled, it indicates that homeschooled kids grow up to participate in more community service, vote and attend public meetings more frequently, and go to and succeed in college at a higher rate.

It was not until 1852 that the United States introduced compulsory schooling. It was common before this for children to be taught at home. In fact, it is believed that during this period the United States had its highest national literacy rate.

As for your comment about "worldly exposure", I will say that yes, they will eventually be exposed to it. However, it will be done on our terms. We know our child better than anyone else, so we will be the ones to determine when they are ready to be exposed to something. We are not trying to shield them from anything, we are simply trying to maintain balance in their lives.

I don't understand the idea of how regular hours is such a big deal. When we homeschool, we spend roughly two-three hours focused on our children. There are not 20 other kids needing help, trying to get attention, or acting up. Because of this, the school day is over quicker and they can focus on other activities.

From my perspective, why should I spend "my money" to send everyone else's child to school? I don't want any of "your money", I just want what I pay into the system. This year, my property tax that goes to the local ISD is $2190. That is more than enough to pay for my children's homeschool materials. In fact, it's way more than enough. It costs $6583 per student per year in another local ISD, which doesn't include construction, equipment, and debt financing.

Homeschool education is closer to the real world than traditional education. How many times in your life outside of public school are you going to be surrounded by 20-30 other people who have birthdays within a 12 month period, all listening to a single authority figure? Not very often. Homeschool children are not forced into thinking specifically about their single peer group. We meet families from all walks of life, young and old, rich and poor.

Finally, homeschool kids have the opportunity to have better relationships with their parents and siblings than public school kids, mainly because they are not separated from their family for 7+ hours per day. This gives us the chance to know our kids better and be closer as a family.

It boils down to a choice. We choose to home school. Others choose to send their kids to private school. Others choose to send their kids to public school. I'm not saying we have the only answer, I'm saying that this is the best answer for our family. Will that change? Possibly, but not likely. My mom was a public school teacher for 30 years, and she's solidly behind our decision. This isn't about the haves and have nots. It's about the opportunities we want to give our kids.

Upset with events. Tired of the same old status quo. Wanting something more, but having no idea how to get there. Wondering if I missed the boat a long time ago. Have I had my chance and faltered? Or is that chance never coming? Looking for proof that what I'm doing is right for me and my family. Fearing I may never get out of this rut. Will it get better? Can it get worse? Am I too chicken to change things? Is my personality getting in the way of my judgement?

This is what happens when the ideal of what you want your life to be is intruded upon by the reality of what your life really is. All the things that are good fall to the back and all the things that are bad move to the front. Then, you start reacting to things that you never have before, you start thinking you aren't good enough, or you're too nice, or you're not talented enough, or nobody really cares. That all you are is a replaceable cog in the machine, and if you move on, nobody will care. You question yourself and wonder if it's just not your time, or you don't know the right people, or this isn't something that God wants for you.

But I've been searching for that for a long time. I've tried several things, and none of them have worked. I put my heart into something and eventually will fall on my face. I'm good at a lot of things, but great at nothing. I'm not set apart from anyone because I'm just like everyone else. We've all got problems, so why should anyone worry about mine?

I'm fighting it, but I'm really struggling with it. And I fear losing this battle, because I don't know what it will mean.

I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm not expecting anything, because that's the way I am. I know this is public, and I know who will probably read it. I don't care. This all boils down to one simple thing, but because of my pride I'm not going to say what it is. The smart people will figure it out anyway. I'm not looking for a gift, a handout, or a shoulder to cry on. I'm just wanting confirmation that what I believe to be true is actually true. That what I hope to happen will actually someday happen. That what I pray for will actually come to be. If it won't, that's fine. All I want is a yes or no, stay or take off.

Writing is catharsis for me. I only have one outlet where it can go. Skip this if you want.

No articles this week. Move along.

We are told that we should fear God. The Old Testament Hebrew word for fear is yir'âh, meaning fear or reverence. Proverbs 2:1-5 says:

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD   and find the knowledge of God.

 By extension, the Greek word used in the New Testament for the fear of God is phobeō, which means to frighten, be alarmed, but also to be in awe of, and to revere.

So, which is it? Are to be frightened about what God can do, or are we to show him reverence? Really, it depends on what side you are on. If you do not believe that God is real, then you may find someday that you have something very real to fear about what kind of power God has. If you are a Christian, then we show Him the reverence that He rightly deserves.

However, elsewhere in the New Testament we are called to an intimacy with Him. I Corinthians 1:9 says "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." The word fellowship is translated as communion or partnership. Obviously this is more than a simple "God you are so great" kind of relationship. We are to be partners with Him in our own faith. This requires us to do work on it as well. As partners, we have to be comfortable with each other as well.

How do we become comfortable with God? It's a simple answer - prayer. I've been reading The Power in Prayer by Charles H. Spurgeon and it's really turned my life on it's ear. My thought processes are changing because of how this book portrays prayer. I've long felt that the small things in life are unimportant to God in the grand scheme of things, but lately have become to step away from that thought. I've had a project that I've long tried to finish but always ran into problems with it. Today, when I sat down to it the first thing I did was say a quick prayer to God about it. Lo and behold, I zoomed through it without any problems. The sad part is that it took me a couple of hours to realize what gift God had given me. Through getting that done early, I was able to spend some more time with my kids and have a great afternoon.

Being comfortable with God is all about spending time with Him in prayer and in His word. Just like any kind of partnership, you don't truly know someone until you spend time with them. I've been at my job for nearly five years and there are still things I don't know about the people I work with. How much more do I not yet know about God? The wonder is in the journey and I feel like I'm just getting started again.

At first glance, the table doesn't appear to be anything of significance. It's a table. It doesn't contain the rod of Aaron or show off the Ten Commandments. It seems little more than an surface to hold the various items. However, the table and what it contains is a substantial part of the Tabernacle and represents a significant role in our worship to God.

First, let's look at the table itself. Exodus 25:23-28 describes how the table was to be constructed. It was to be made of acacia wood and be approximately 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high. The table was then to be overlaid with pure gold and given a rim of about three inches on every side. This rim brings to mind a crown of sorts. There were to be four gold rings attached to the table at the four corners, and two poles inserted in the rings to carry the table with.

What did the table represent though? Acacia wood is somewhat incorruptible, being very hard, very heavy, and nearly indestructible to insects. It is also very beautiful with a fine grain and being brownish-orange in color. This part of the table represents the humanity of Christ. Like the wood of the acacia tree, Christ was born out of the earth, but was not as susceptible to the elements of the world. The solid gold that encapsulated the table is like the divinity that surrounded Christ's body. It covers the table, protecting it from the outside elements.

Let's talk about the items that were placed on the table. There were plates, utensils, pitchers, and bowls that were all made out of solid gold. Also on the table was the bread of Presence. The various golden items on the table represent that our place is set before God. We are invited to take a seat at his feast table. The bread is the sustenance that God provides to us through daily walking with him. It is our literal Daily Bread.

In addition to sustenance, the bread also represents the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The bread of Presence is talked about in Leviticus 24:5-6. The table in the Lord's house is to always be spread and ready for the feast. This bread shows that there is plenty for everyone.

How does this all tie in to worship? We are invited to his table daily, but do we daily partake? All we have to do is pray and meditate on him in order to be in his presence, but do we do that? Such a simple act shows worship and love to God, but do we take the time out of our lives to display that to Him? His table is always open to us, His bread is available to us to provide daily for our needs. This is a daily form of worship that is vital to our growing in Him.

With the summer movie season in full roar, Transformers steps onto the scene louder, bigger, and more explosively than its fellow summer films. In this film, Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) holds the key to a war that has been fought over centuries by beings from the planet called Cybertron. The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), fight to protect earth from Megatron (Hugo Weaving) and the Decepticons, who plan to use the device to enslave Earth and build more of their mechanical brethren. The action begins when Sam purchases his first car, a beat-up, old Camaro which just happens to be the Autobot Bumblebee (Mark Ryan). Sam is joined by his high school crush Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), who is hopelessly out of his league, but needs a ride home after ditching her boyfriend. When Sam and Mikaela discover that Bumblebee is not from Earth, they go on a ride which can only end by saving the world.

This movie is as subtle as any film directed by Michael Bay (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) can be; which is to say, it hammers you from the beginning, lets up for a few minutes, then hammers you until the end. Transformers is loud, long, and in your face. The action scenes are over the top, the characters are somewhat shallow, and the explosions are massive. Normally, this would mean that a film is not well done. However, when the movie in question is about huge robots from outer space, then all these negatives become positives. While Bay won't win an Oscar for Transformers, he deserves credit for creating a fun ride.

The special effects in Transformers are first rate. The robots looked like they belonged in the environment--nothing seemed to be obviously fake about them. Some long-time fans of the Transformers toys (like me) will be disappointed in small details about the movie, such as the fact that Bumblebee is a Chevrolet Camaro instead of a Volkswagen Beetle. Few of the characters in this film transform into the same devices as their originals, though most are very close. Only a few from the expansive Transformers line make it into the film, which is actually good as the peripheral human characters grow quite extensively.

Shia LeBeouf does a fine job of carrying this film. The 21 year-old actor is very comfortable with the camera and his lines are delivered much the same as he delivers them in all his movies. His smooth-talking, slightly neurotic persona fits well with the story. All the actors who are given much screen time find a way to at least make their presence known, though outside of Sam and Mikaela, none of the characters are very well developed. However, the movie is called Transformers, and not People, so this can be understood. It's a long (2 hours, 24 minutes) ride which will hold most of its appeal for teen boys and boys over 30 who grew up with the original.

For all the good things said about the film, it is rated PG-13 for a reason. There is a lot of violence, though most all of that is violence against robots which are obviously fantastical in nature. There is a fair amount of swearing, along with some fairly strong sexual overtones, an old woman giving a man the finger, and some intense scenes. A brief discussion of masturbation takes place which is played for laughs. Depending on the maturity of your youth, they should be fine with it. Also, the introduction to the movie states that all life was brought about by a cube called the Allspark, which contradicts the Christian belief of God's creation. The core message of the film is that sacrifice is sometimes necessary, which could make for good discussion afterwards.

I went into this film not expecting a great deal from it. I still have my collection of Transformers at home (which my four year-old has since determined to be his) and I own a DVD of the original Transformers movie. Seeing some of Michael Bay's previous films, I expected this to be no different. This film is different from his previous blockbusters because of the source material. Since the story requires you to already suspend disbelief, the largeness and volume of it really don't detract from the film. The human element is still there though, because when everything is stripped away it is a boy-meets-girl, boy-falls-for-girl, boy-finds-his-car-is-a-giant-robot, girl-falls-for-boy, they-all-save-the-world kind of story. Typical summer movie fare though. Transformers is a decent film that is somewhat faithful to the source material. If you're just wanting something fun that you don't have to think about this summer, then give it a shot. Who knows, you might find more than meets the eye.

(Originally posted at Youth Ministry Exchange)

Pixar's latest offering, Ratatouille, tells the story of a rat who wishes for something more and a young man who pretends to be something he's not. Together, they resurrect a once-popular restaurant that has fallen from its perch atop French cuisine since the death of its founder. Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) is a rat who aspires to be a chef, much to the chagrin of his father,  Django (Brian Dennehy), leader of their rat clan. Through Remy's attempt to create something more tasteful out of a mushroom the family is swept away into Paris, becoming separated along the way. Remy is guided to a restaurant by the angelic appearance of Gusteau (Brad Garrett), the former proprietor of Gasteau's who passed away after the restaurant lost its five star rating. Remy then meets up with Linguini (Lou Romano) who is the restaurant's garbage boy, and who unknowingly bears a secret with him that the current head chef, Skinner (Ian Holm) would do anything to hide.  Linguini discovers Remy's cooking talents and they team up to create a new buzz around the restaurant, helped along by Colette (Janeane Garofalo), and drawing the attention of food critic Alton Ego (Peter O'Toole), whose poor review of Gasteau's caused the demise of its namesake chef.

Ratatouille is masterfully animated by Pixar, once again proving that they are the masters of 3D computer animation. With each new film out of Emeryville, Pixar creates characters that look more lifelike and environments that are just this side of real. The music by Michael Giacchino is catchy, but doesn't stand out like previous Pixar scores have. The film is directed and written by Brad Bird, who previously directed The Iron Giant and The Incredibles.

This film has been given extremely high reviews from many sources, having a score on Rotten Tomatoes of over 90%. However, I feel like it's missing something. Ratatouille seemed to be a long ride that never really arrived anywhere. It lacked the memorable characters of Toy Story and the emotional depth of Finding Nemo. Pixar has been synonymous with great storytelling since Toy Story debuted, but this film feels like it never got past the novelty of a cooking rat. There were funny moments, but none that stood out. There were several chase scenes, but all of them seemed overly frenetic at first, then repetitive after that.

The voice actors did a fine job, but some of the French accents were very difficult to understand. Peter O'Toole does a masterful job as the uptight food critic, stealing the end of the film. Pixar voice regular John Ratzenberger makes his appearance as well, though I didn't know which character he was until looking it up later.

For youth, Ratatouille would be a tough draw. There isn't the slapstick comedy that Cars employed, and there isn't the subtle humor of Toy Story. Unless your kids really want to see a movie about a rat that cooks, I can't see the appeal. The younger kids in the theater didn't seem to enjoy it much--30 minutes into the movie several began shuffling around. My own children kept asking if we could go home. There is a scene of one character intentionally getting another character drunk in order to get him to confess something. Also, it is implied that there is a child born out of wedlock, but this is never specifically stated in the film.

I wanted to love this movie. I wanted to add it to my video collection along side of each of the other classic Pixar/Disney films. Pixar set a high standard for themselves, and up to now, they constantly raised their own standard. The funniest scene of the day was actually in Lifted, the alien abduction themed short film screened before the main feature. Ratatouille is often just on the cusp of good moments, but ultimately fell flat for me. Maybe it would be better on a second viewing, but with so many big movies out this summer, it probably won't get many of those.