So me being a delivery driver for a living, I lean heavily on my GPS to get me around. A GPS is a very useful invention and I love it dearly, but it has some flaws. It knows where you are and where you need to be and it calculates what it believes is the best route. The problem is that sometimes, what it thinks is the best route, is really not the way you want to go.
My GPS will only use the main roads when telling me where to go. But when I need to make a delivery quickly, I try to stick to the back roads as much as possible. So when I turn off of a main road, my GPS freaks out.
But here's where it gets interesting. My GPS doesn't immediately recalculate and provide a different route. Instead, it tells me to do a U-turn or make a series of turns to get back on that main road. My GPS has its eyes set on one route and I have to veer way off course before it will eventually give me a new set of directions.
You and I are like a GPS. We know where we're going and we have set our course. But the Lord knows what is best for us and will sometimes redirect us. He takes us down a side road and we scream out to turn around and go back to where we were. We want to navigate life using the route we believe is best. But you see, a GPS cannot see a car accident up ahead and does not know when traffic is backed up. All it calculates is the distance and an average speed. It does not comprehend traffic signals, slow drivers on "one lane" roads, or anything else. It is blind to the circumstances around it. We see a wreck ahead and make a detour. The GPS is oblivious to the wreck and tells you to get back on that road.
Or sometimes the GPS will tell you to get on a road that isn't there...I had one delivery where I was supposed to follow a road down to another road...only the road I was on became a dead end at someone's property. The GPS did not know that and told me I had another mile on that road even though my car was stopped in front of someone's house with no more road to follow. I ended up backtracking and using a different road...much to my GPS's displeasure.
You and I can be so narrow-minded sometimes. God wants something great for us, but it requires a detour. And we are slow to allow Him to deviate from our original course. We want to navigate life for ourselves and do not easily trust God's wisdom and insight.
Now whenever I make a detour or change my route and my GPS freaks...I smile. I think of how God must feel when He tries to direct us down a different road and we kick and scream...God is a good God and has never let me down. I must learn to trust that He knows best. Now if only my GPS could do the same....:-)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Cheers To Mistakes
Today is an important day to me. This day marks the 3rd anniversary of one of the my most risky decisions. Three years ago today I threw my heart into something having no idea how it would result. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Today, life for me is different. The results of that decision hurt. Even today, my heartstrings are strained. Things did not go as planned. I made mistakes and circumstances ended some of the happiest days of my life.
For months afterwards, I grappled with myself. Anger...regret...and then more anger. I had taken a gamble and loved the results for almost two years. But then the dice rolled where I wished them to not go and my world was rocked. My tower of happiness was toppling and I was ticked that I had taken such a risk. I made myself miserable for months.
I was a fool. Selfish, un-focused, stubborn...I wore my heart on my sleeve and hated my risky decision because of the pain it brought. I was quick to dismiss the many months of happiness and contentment that it provided.
To this day I bear the scar of my decision. And the pain is still real. But...I am no longer fearful to harbor the pain. To embrace my hurt and accept it.
I have since realized that I do not regret the decision made three years ago. It remains one of my most treasured moments. But I was reckless in my speech and my actions. I made myself hard to handle. And it cost me much more than I was ever willing to give up...
But cheers to mistakes. Salutes to the pain. The bleeding my heart has done this day and every day since reminds me that I live still. And the scars are a constant reminder of the risks of happiness.
The hurt keeps me vigilant to not repeat my mistakes. You see, wise men are just fools with a good memory. They are not better than the rest of us; they just learn from their pain. I have determined to be wise.
Three long years later, my life looks nothing like it did when I risked my heart as a young, ignorant 15 year old. I am harder; I have experienced deep pain. I have faced and have been asked to live with betrayal. I have uprooted my whole way of life and now live among different people in a place I never expected to be. I am changed.
There is a blessing in mistakes. They rip your heart apart so that you learn to survive them and grow stronger. I would not have been able to handle the past year without the pain of my risk three years ago.
Not a day goes by that I don't miss what I had. But had I not experienced the rough pain that kicked me until I stood up and faced it...I couldn't have handled what was coming.
Cheers to mistakes.
Today, life for me is different. The results of that decision hurt. Even today, my heartstrings are strained. Things did not go as planned. I made mistakes and circumstances ended some of the happiest days of my life.
For months afterwards, I grappled with myself. Anger...regret...and then more anger. I had taken a gamble and loved the results for almost two years. But then the dice rolled where I wished them to not go and my world was rocked. My tower of happiness was toppling and I was ticked that I had taken such a risk. I made myself miserable for months.
I was a fool. Selfish, un-focused, stubborn...I wore my heart on my sleeve and hated my risky decision because of the pain it brought. I was quick to dismiss the many months of happiness and contentment that it provided.
To this day I bear the scar of my decision. And the pain is still real. But...I am no longer fearful to harbor the pain. To embrace my hurt and accept it.
I have since realized that I do not regret the decision made three years ago. It remains one of my most treasured moments. But I was reckless in my speech and my actions. I made myself hard to handle. And it cost me much more than I was ever willing to give up...
But cheers to mistakes. Salutes to the pain. The bleeding my heart has done this day and every day since reminds me that I live still. And the scars are a constant reminder of the risks of happiness.
The hurt keeps me vigilant to not repeat my mistakes. You see, wise men are just fools with a good memory. They are not better than the rest of us; they just learn from their pain. I have determined to be wise.
Three long years later, my life looks nothing like it did when I risked my heart as a young, ignorant 15 year old. I am harder; I have experienced deep pain. I have faced and have been asked to live with betrayal. I have uprooted my whole way of life and now live among different people in a place I never expected to be. I am changed.
There is a blessing in mistakes. They rip your heart apart so that you learn to survive them and grow stronger. I would not have been able to handle the past year without the pain of my risk three years ago.
Not a day goes by that I don't miss what I had. But had I not experienced the rough pain that kicked me until I stood up and faced it...I couldn't have handled what was coming.
Cheers to mistakes.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
My Review of The Chronicles of Narnia Series
Alright, haven't blogged in a while and jumping back into things...
So my family went to see the new Chronicles of Narnia movie yesterday. I had heard mixed reviews of the film and was curious to see how the 3rd movie turned out. I was not disappointed.
I really liked the first movie...The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe was a work of brilliance on paper; Disney and Walden Media did it justice. When Prince Caspian came out, everyone rushed to the theaters to see if Prince Caspian would be as good as the first. I still think that the 1st movie was better, but as movies go, Prince Caspian had its highlights. I enjoyed the action and war scenes in this film much more than in the first and that success really bolstered them into this 3rd film.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was epic. The animations were, as always, fantastic. The action has continued to improve with each film and this one kept me engaged the whole film. I am curious as to why Disney dropped out on this 3rd movie when they were doing so well with the previous two. They were certainly making money off of this series, so perhaps their reasoning was deeper than budget...perhaps they needed to step away from everything else to focus on the anticipated film: Pirates of the Carribbean 4...which is expected to blow the other three out of the water. We shall see.
Anyway, back to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As movies go, it was excellent. I have heard very few people complain that the movie was low quality. The major complaint I hear...is that the movie strayed from the books a little more than fans desired. This is the common concern when movies are inspired by books. Here is my opinion on such things.
There is a definite difference in a book and a movie. Books appeal to one set of audiences and movies appeal to another group of people. Sometimes, you will find someone in the crowd who loves books AND movies and they expect harmony between the two. I am not convinced that such harmony would be fair to either side.
C.S. Lewis is a genius. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia, he is the author of many other popular books and I have found him to be a great source for Christian quotes. The man was and should always be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God. Few dispute this. And if any do...such discussions should take place on a different forum focused on Lewis himself.
But if we can agree on Lewis' brilliance, we recognize that he created something incredible with the Chronicles of Narnia. He wove a masterpiece that we would be hard-pressed to perfect. In fact, when I heard that they were making Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe way back in 2005, I was concerned then that they would butcher it. I am of the opinion that they did that with the Eragon movie. Christopher Paolini is a young author who hit it big with one series. His fans (me included) anxiously await the last book of the cycle. When we heard that an Eragon movie was coming out, I could hardly control my excitement. I was greatly disappointed with the results, however, as they messed with the plot so much that making a 2nd movie to match the 2nd book was too difficult to attempt and the movie Eragon has faded from memory for many.
I was relieved when this disappoint was not repeated with Narnia. The difference is that in Eragon, they were given free reign to create a film based off of the idea created in a book. The movie was not a copy of the book and so those of us who knew the book well were frankly offended with the lack of purity to the heart of the book. Narnia was different.
As I said, movies and books are different. And to return to my orignal point, movies should not feel pressured to be like books. I feel that books are created in a different way and with a different heart than movies are filmed. Authors and directors are not of the same mold. And because of this, I feel it is unfair for some to expect a filmed copy of the book. The Chronicles of Narnia books are INCREDIBLE...at least, those that I have read. I have yet to complete the series. Seeing the latest movie has inspired me to get back into the world of C.S. Lewis and having a break from college will help.
Anyway, the books are a work of genius and it does not do them justice to be copied. Books are most effective when allowed to stimulate our imaginations. My favorite books...Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of The Rings, The Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice Series...all of them worked my imagination. And the novel that I am devoted to creating is a blend of inspiration of all these great works together. That is the way books work.
Movies are not the same. A film cannot leave things up to someone's imagination because a film is visual. And so adjustments must be made. My concern is not that Walden Media would stray from the details of the book, but rather, I feared that they would stray from the HEART behind those details. They strayed from the heart of Eragon and it was a miserable failure. Though I dislike the Harry Potter series, Warner Brothers has stayed true to the heart of the story and that is why they have been so successful. The grumbling that they may get from fans are from those who were expecting an exact visual copy of the books. It has helped that they have the author, J.K. Rowling, on set for much of the film and this is not possible for Walden Media as C.S. Lewis is long gone.
However, I am pleased with their work because I truly felt that they stayed true to Lewis' heart. In truth, Narnia is one big, elaborate presentation of the Gospel message and the film stayed true to that. If you are a fan of the book series as I am, that is great! Read and enjoy the books and bask in the creativity that stemmed from the pen of C.S. Lewis himself. And if you are a fan of adventurous, action-packed movies like I am, then this is a fantastic film to indulge in. If you are both...as I am...then please recognize that balance must be maintained and that a film is not the same a book. The important thing is that the movie reflect the heart and message that Lewis had for the world. I think that on those terms, the film was a success.
The movies may be the only Narnia some people ever experience. Especially in this day and age, we find fewer and fewer people who love to sit down and read a good book. It is then the responsibility of the film-makers, then, to shine the message of the books in the films.
The last ten minutes of the movie is what did it for me. I recognized the symbolism portrayed and I LOVED how the film did it. The movie may have been the only Narnia some people ever see...and the reality of Jesus Christ shined brightly on the movie screen for the last ten minutes of the movie. I cried. It was a great movie, yes. But my joy comes from knowing that everything Lewis was striving to teach us in his books...was vividly and loyally portrayed in the movie. I think that C.S. Lewis would have been proud. His books will endure. But for those who may never pick up a copy of his work...Walden Media has shown us the heart of C.S. Lewis and his desire to see us recognize God and His plan in our lives.
I sincerely hope that Walden Media continues with the rest of the series and makes their future films with the same thoughtfulness that has made the previous three films so incredible.
So my family went to see the new Chronicles of Narnia movie yesterday. I had heard mixed reviews of the film and was curious to see how the 3rd movie turned out. I was not disappointed.
I really liked the first movie...The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe was a work of brilliance on paper; Disney and Walden Media did it justice. When Prince Caspian came out, everyone rushed to the theaters to see if Prince Caspian would be as good as the first. I still think that the 1st movie was better, but as movies go, Prince Caspian had its highlights. I enjoyed the action and war scenes in this film much more than in the first and that success really bolstered them into this 3rd film.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was epic. The animations were, as always, fantastic. The action has continued to improve with each film and this one kept me engaged the whole film. I am curious as to why Disney dropped out on this 3rd movie when they were doing so well with the previous two. They were certainly making money off of this series, so perhaps their reasoning was deeper than budget...perhaps they needed to step away from everything else to focus on the anticipated film: Pirates of the Carribbean 4...which is expected to blow the other three out of the water. We shall see.
Anyway, back to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As movies go, it was excellent. I have heard very few people complain that the movie was low quality. The major complaint I hear...is that the movie strayed from the books a little more than fans desired. This is the common concern when movies are inspired by books. Here is my opinion on such things.
There is a definite difference in a book and a movie. Books appeal to one set of audiences and movies appeal to another group of people. Sometimes, you will find someone in the crowd who loves books AND movies and they expect harmony between the two. I am not convinced that such harmony would be fair to either side.
C.S. Lewis is a genius. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia, he is the author of many other popular books and I have found him to be a great source for Christian quotes. The man was and should always be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God. Few dispute this. And if any do...such discussions should take place on a different forum focused on Lewis himself.
But if we can agree on Lewis' brilliance, we recognize that he created something incredible with the Chronicles of Narnia. He wove a masterpiece that we would be hard-pressed to perfect. In fact, when I heard that they were making Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe way back in 2005, I was concerned then that they would butcher it. I am of the opinion that they did that with the Eragon movie. Christopher Paolini is a young author who hit it big with one series. His fans (me included) anxiously await the last book of the cycle. When we heard that an Eragon movie was coming out, I could hardly control my excitement. I was greatly disappointed with the results, however, as they messed with the plot so much that making a 2nd movie to match the 2nd book was too difficult to attempt and the movie Eragon has faded from memory for many.
I was relieved when this disappoint was not repeated with Narnia. The difference is that in Eragon, they were given free reign to create a film based off of the idea created in a book. The movie was not a copy of the book and so those of us who knew the book well were frankly offended with the lack of purity to the heart of the book. Narnia was different.
As I said, movies and books are different. And to return to my orignal point, movies should not feel pressured to be like books. I feel that books are created in a different way and with a different heart than movies are filmed. Authors and directors are not of the same mold. And because of this, I feel it is unfair for some to expect a filmed copy of the book. The Chronicles of Narnia books are INCREDIBLE...at least, those that I have read. I have yet to complete the series. Seeing the latest movie has inspired me to get back into the world of C.S. Lewis and having a break from college will help.
Anyway, the books are a work of genius and it does not do them justice to be copied. Books are most effective when allowed to stimulate our imaginations. My favorite books...Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of The Rings, The Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice Series...all of them worked my imagination. And the novel that I am devoted to creating is a blend of inspiration of all these great works together. That is the way books work.
Movies are not the same. A film cannot leave things up to someone's imagination because a film is visual. And so adjustments must be made. My concern is not that Walden Media would stray from the details of the book, but rather, I feared that they would stray from the HEART behind those details. They strayed from the heart of Eragon and it was a miserable failure. Though I dislike the Harry Potter series, Warner Brothers has stayed true to the heart of the story and that is why they have been so successful. The grumbling that they may get from fans are from those who were expecting an exact visual copy of the books. It has helped that they have the author, J.K. Rowling, on set for much of the film and this is not possible for Walden Media as C.S. Lewis is long gone.
However, I am pleased with their work because I truly felt that they stayed true to Lewis' heart. In truth, Narnia is one big, elaborate presentation of the Gospel message and the film stayed true to that. If you are a fan of the book series as I am, that is great! Read and enjoy the books and bask in the creativity that stemmed from the pen of C.S. Lewis himself. And if you are a fan of adventurous, action-packed movies like I am, then this is a fantastic film to indulge in. If you are both...as I am...then please recognize that balance must be maintained and that a film is not the same a book. The important thing is that the movie reflect the heart and message that Lewis had for the world. I think that on those terms, the film was a success.
The movies may be the only Narnia some people ever experience. Especially in this day and age, we find fewer and fewer people who love to sit down and read a good book. It is then the responsibility of the film-makers, then, to shine the message of the books in the films.
The last ten minutes of the movie is what did it for me. I recognized the symbolism portrayed and I LOVED how the film did it. The movie may have been the only Narnia some people ever see...and the reality of Jesus Christ shined brightly on the movie screen for the last ten minutes of the movie. I cried. It was a great movie, yes. But my joy comes from knowing that everything Lewis was striving to teach us in his books...was vividly and loyally portrayed in the movie. I think that C.S. Lewis would have been proud. His books will endure. But for those who may never pick up a copy of his work...Walden Media has shown us the heart of C.S. Lewis and his desire to see us recognize God and His plan in our lives.
I sincerely hope that Walden Media continues with the rest of the series and makes their future films with the same thoughtfulness that has made the previous three films so incredible.
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