Movie Worth Talking About: Place Beyond the Pines (2013)

From the moment we see Luke (Ryan Gosling), we like him.  Is it because he makes a striking figure?  He does, with his bleached blonde hair, muscles, and tattoos covering his body.  He is all muscle and power, yet he's quiet and reserved, not eager for the spotlight.  Is it because he's talented at driving a motorcycle?  He is, and that's interesting, but he's no daredevil.  The motorcycle he travels on isn't so much a vehicle to get around with as it is an extension of his body.  He's not much of a talker.  He communicates with the bike.  He uses it to show who he is and how he's feeling.  He rides the bike with two other stuntmen in a small metal cage.  He slams it through the forest when he's frustrated.  He's no bad boy.  Not in the way that you think.

No,  I think we like him and are affected by him because he's a walking wounded.  We like him for the same reason we like his son 15 years later.  A boy without his father is like a cat without his whiskers: blind and easily caught.  An easy prey for pain.  The bond and interdependence between sons and fathers is the major theme of this movie.  For the rest of this review, click here. 

The Importance of Self-Care

This past Sunday morning, the pastor at my church said something very important and did something very important as a leader.  He asked another member of the body to give the morning sermon.  He said today, he was just going to soak in and let someone speak into his life.  Today, someone else would give the sermon and he would receive.  This was such a great example to the Body.  Especially when you are serving and pouring out, if you don't take in, as well, and do things that will feed your soul, you have the potential to suffer spiritual burnout.

This has been on my heart for awhile for the people of my church, and maybe for every church out there.  I believe that, as Christians, we do not take the importance of self-care seriously.  This is an important lesson and one that is sometimes learned only through experience. Being in ministry has a tendency to bring out the best in us and the worst in us. 

2012: My Year in Review

2012 began with a family tragedy that was a big wake up call.  The day, January 1, started out fine enough.  The beginning of the year is always a time of hope and new beginnings.  I started the day with an awesome day of worship at my church, Journey.  Afterwards, a group of friends assembled for a brunch.  I was surrounded by friends having an awesome time, when I began to get calls and messages on my cell phone.  My younger sister texted to say I should come home.  I also noticed my older sister had called me.  Sensing something was wrong, I phoned my older sister in a back bedroom of my friend’s house only to be told my brother –in-law had died.  My nephew had found this body that morning.  I went home to be with my younger sister, who already had the news and we ended up driving home to be with the family.  

This is the kind of thing you read about in novels but never expect it to actually happen to you or to anyone you know.  I think at the point, my sister and I had been home maybe 2-3 days before we had to turn around the drive back.  But I have never regretted going.  It was a last-second decision and not anything that people even expected us to do, but it was a time to be with family and mourn together.  We were there for a week.  I was able to go with my older sister to the funeral home to make arrangements for the visitation.  I also helped her put together some pictures, cooked some food for the family, and talked to my family members.  We were there for a week.  

Once I was back home, I slowly re-entered life and my experience taught me you never know when can be your last day on Earth.  We already know that, but each time someone passes away, you learn that lesson a little deeper.  

In February, I finally started something I had been meaning to do years and began an EQV. 

Ruby Sparks: Love and Control

What do the following have in common: Pygmalion and Galatea, Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle, and now Calvin and Ruby Sparks?  Each pair includes a man who makes (or remakes) his ideal woman and a woman who refuses to be controlled.  These stories ask us to consider what, if anything, does love have to do with control?  Do we love someone as they are, or do we only love them when they do what we want?

Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano) is a writer who wrote a good book once.  He doesn't seem to have any stories left.  His social life consists of taking his muttish dog on walks and occasionally doing author talks to audiences he feel no connection with.  One day, he has a dream about a girl named Ruby Sparks.  She is beautiful, unique, fun, and compassionate.  She loves him just the way he is.  His therapist suggests he write a story about Ruby.  Calvin begins to write Ruby's character, and then, oddly, she appears in his apartment.

What Did You Sign Up For?

What Did You Sign Up For?

Did you smell that this morning?  No, it wasn’t the smell of last night’s movie theater popcorn, or even the smell of the much-appreciated brewed iced coffee we all go to enjoy this morning (thanks, Sam!).  Instead, it was the smell of being invited into something important. 

As Darby took the stage this morning and gave us our marching orders, I could smell the sweet smell of the aroma of Christ on his words.  He was speaking not his own words, but the words that My Sweet Savior has placed upon his heart and his lips to inspire us out of our ordinary, mundane lives into something bigger than ourselves.  

I know that the original launch team from Lynchburg must have smelled it, in spite of well-meaning friends and family who might think they have swallowed the Kool-Aid for sure when they shared their plans to move to Raleigh, NC to plant a church with this team.  Did they know what they were signing up for?  

How often have you had the opportunity to work on something of eternal significance? 

Does "Eating What You Want" Really Work: Why the Answer is Yes and No

Author Geneen Roth has written seven books on emotional eating. The two most famous are "Women, Food, and God," and "When Food is Love." In her books, Roth advocates stopping the diets or meal plans and simply eating what you want. By trusting ourselves and listening to our bodies, Roth believes women will reach their natural, healthy weight. Although there is much truth in what she said, I don't believe that using the "eat what you want" mantra will work every time. How do I know? I've tried it before.

To read the rest of this article on Yahoo Contributor Network, click here. 

Eating Out on the Medifast 5-and-1 Plan

In some ways, the trickiest part of the Medifast 5-and-1 part is the "1" part.  Five times a day, you simply eat a Medifast meal.  Whatever is in that packet or wrapper, you eat, sometimes mixing with water.
Once a day, you have to eat a meal made of lean protein and low- glycemic vegetables.  You can either make this meal at home or eat it at a restaurant.  This is where you can use some creativity.  Your lean and green meal is a chance to eat something fun and different.  You can make pseudo versions of almost anything, from pizza to mac and cheese to mashed potatoes.

But what about eating out?  Everyone wants to eat out sometimes.  Eating out can be tricky, but I have found some great options that work every time.  These are some ideas to get you started on your journey of eating out on the Medifast program.