"Falling Slowly" wins the Oscar-in case you missed it Monday, February 25, 2008 |
The best movie of the year (IMHO), "Once," won an Oscar last night for Best Song (full disclosure-I will unabashedly admit I have a TREMENDOUS crush on both Glen Hassard and Marketa Irglova). That being the case I practically wept like a child at their performance last night at the Oscars. It was such an unbelievable thing that a song like this, against the glitz and glamor of everything Disney, could be recognized with such an honor. Indeed, "Falling Slowly" stood in stark contrast to the others in the Oscar song race -- a small, independent, artist-driven turn going against larger studio songs and productions. The songs from "Enchanted," as nice as they are with a touch of Disney magic, are pure movie creations, and they fell flat on the Oscar stage.To top it off, Jon Stewart (my favorite man in television, and the only "news" I watch daily), BLEW MY MIND when he interrupted the Oscar broadcast coming back from a commercial break to bring Marketa back out (she got cut by the orchestra), to share her acceptance speech. Marketa made full use of the moment, solidifying their win as THE Oscar moment of the night with a beautiful, succinct statement about independence and artistry.
I love this movie, I love this song, and I love this couple. If you haven't seen "Once" please do. If you don't like it I'll reimburse your expense (as I check to see if you have a beating heart in your body)
Labels: Falling Slowly Oscar, Once
on being a dad part 2 Saturday, February 23, 2008 |
Well, the baby girl is about 10 weeks away. R and I finished the nursery (at least all the artsy fartsy cute picture hanging type little birdies flying from the ceiling stuff). I've also been reading some books on labor/delivery/life immediately following birth. It really surprises me how little you have to do to bring a baby home. Seriously...why does learning to drive have so many rules, while taking a baby home involves...ummm....taking a baby home. So while surfing the web, I recently found some simple placards that offer some helpful instruction for those first few months. I've included a few below. I've framed these at my house just in case I get confused on the nursing part...
Labels: becoming a dad
a quick jaunt to South Africa |
So Wednesday afternoon I found out I was headed to South Africa this past weekend. Cool. Hence the lack of posts. I returned on Wednesday afternoon, feeling great, and with a renewed passion for the work we're doing over there, and the team we're partnered with. The purpose of the trip was taking over about 5,000 Polaroid pics of folks who are apart of our church, so that within the context of our partnership we might be known by the people over there, and specifically to have them engage in some serious prayer over the consumeristic mindset that pervades basically everything we do.
So I'll write more details about the trip in a later post, but the facts are as follows. All pics got delivered, I got some quality time with our family over there (see this post), got some serious encouragement, and just generally felt renewed. It was awesome. Here's a picture I shoot of someone praying over one of our folks. Yea, those are tears. Many were crying. Our church will forever be different because of this.
So I'll write more details about the trip in a later post, but the facts are as follows. All pics got delivered, I got some quality time with our family over there (see this post), got some serious encouragement, and just generally felt renewed. It was awesome. Here's a picture I shoot of someone praying over one of our folks. Yea, those are tears. Many were crying. Our church will forever be different because of this.
Labels: South Africa
Hard lessons learned by a friend Tuesday, February 12, 2008 |
So a friend of mine took God seriously when he says we can find him among the poor, the hurting, the downtrodden (and not so much among rich suburban folks). So after experiencing Him in South Africa with some of us, she decided she wanted more. Good. She spent last summer in the Sudan serving as a Guidance Counselor for high school kids in one of the largest refugee camps in Darfur, and it fundamentally changed her. Not so much the experience, as the God she grew intimately in love with while hanging out with the least of these. He's a romancer, that God of ours.
So she came back to the US, and decided she'd like some more of this life. She raised some money over the next few months, and in January she went back. For a year. I saw her about a week before she left, and she had such tremendous peace at her decision, I couldn't help but marvel at her love of the Father, and her willingness to run after Him. Hard.
So I got an update from her this morning...it was a long one, and it really messed with me. In case any of you think I'm some sort of idealist, thinking all is perfect and buttoned up in relationship with our Lord, let me make it clear. It is not. It is messy, and hard, and breaking, and I've only had a taste. My friend is experiencing it at a whole different level. So below is an excerpt from one of her emails. It is so good, in such a different way than we hear it here in America. Nope, not about our plans succeeding. Nope, not about God "blessing" us with promotions or possessions. She's just in relationship with her Dad, and he's teaching her good stuff. I know I'm learning from her. Enjoy...
JADA AND MARIO
Even in this fund-raising /scholarship process though, im learning really hard and unexpected lessons. For those of you who remember Jada and Marios stories from last summer, i have quite the update for you; and quite a lesson from God that i wasnt anticipating. so i return to sudan, proud and with a great feeling of divine accomplishment. I spent the first few days combing the crowds and searching vigorously for the faces of my two closests students Jada and Mario. And then one day in the market, i looked up and there was Mario, he had already spotted me out and was smiling with and even more beautiful smile than i remembered. i caught my breath and then hugged him tightly. the importance of who this was, all struck me at once as i realized the months and months i had spent retelling this boys story to churches, and families, and more. i held his face in my hands and stared into his eyes, and then i wept. i cried tears of joy like i dont think ive ever cried before, and he buried his head in my shoulder. After getting the "drama" out of my system, i was able to greet Jada with nothing but smiles and excitement when i finally saw him days later. we sat and caught up, and i shared the good news of the results we had brought them form america--- and then they dropped the bomb. And i felt like everything i had worked for the past 5 months- everything that to me i had been fighting for-- lie within those two boys eyes. and all that inspiration was shattered in those next few moments. Both Jada and Mario, were about to be Repatriated. Repatriation is basically the process by which displaced persons and refugees are taken back to the place where they lived before the war/displacement occured. in other words, Jada and Mario- were leaving. in fact, the place they were being taken back to, was one of the LRA's army barracks during the war that changed their lives. my heart broke on the ground into a million pieces thinking of Jada, who just a few short years ago had been shot by the LRA, and that he would have to sleep on the same soil where they trained young boys to kill; my boys would have to build a life in the smae places where blood was spilled by a rebel army, all for the purpose of tearing lives apart.
Two thursdays ago, i watched a train of UN trucks shipping 500 families back to their homeland. and in one of those trucks was Mario and Jada. and as i stood by the roadside and waved goodbye to them, my heart was left broken, angry and confused; the two boys whose stories had stolen the tears of so many of you, who were then moved to give, --- the two boys who i was doing all of this for, more than any of the other kids--- were gone.
and somehow, in that same mix of emotions, there was room for me to feel a sort of confusing comfort. my initial reaction to the news of their leaving was to feel that i had failed to hear Gods direction clearly; or that i had even just made up this whole sponsorship idea in my own mind and that God hadnt even suggested it- that i had fallen into the american tendency to think that money will solve everthing- and i felt a shame in feeling that i had not only fooled myself, but that i had fooled every single person who donated- into thinking that this was Gods desire. CLEARLY IT COULDNT BE IF THINGS WERE FALLING APART LIKE THIS! and then Jesus held me in his comforting arms, and just spoke to me that sometimes God moves or breaks something in our spirit, and leads us to do something that IS of Gods will---but that doesnt mean that we will know or properly understand the reasons he holds for us doing those good deeds. and though my inspiration had seemed to proved to be for not, Gods vastness and room for goodness to still be done, is unimaginable.
So like i said, im in the midst of learning this lesson. and i dont understand all of it. but what i do know is that i find comfort and peace in knowing that the same way i looked adoringly into the yes of Jada and Mario, the way that i took their heartbreaking stories with me everywhere i ewnt, and fought for a way to make things better for them,---that is the exact way that God looks into the eyes of every single kid here. and because of this journey he took us on to find them help, 115 of those prescious kids will get to have a year of education that otherwise would be impossible. and as far as Jada and Mario, God has their steps ordered, and i have to rejoice in knowing tht God doesnt need me or any program of mine to do good things in their lives. and in a way---by taking them from me---he freed me. freed me to give room to learn what it means to trust in him. and as i stood by that roadside watching them pull away, i heard his whisper saying, "Sophie, i am faithfull to keep everything you entrust to me."
and he is.
till next time, sophie b.
So she came back to the US, and decided she'd like some more of this life. She raised some money over the next few months, and in January she went back. For a year. I saw her about a week before she left, and she had such tremendous peace at her decision, I couldn't help but marvel at her love of the Father, and her willingness to run after Him. Hard.
So I got an update from her this morning...it was a long one, and it really messed with me. In case any of you think I'm some sort of idealist, thinking all is perfect and buttoned up in relationship with our Lord, let me make it clear. It is not. It is messy, and hard, and breaking, and I've only had a taste. My friend is experiencing it at a whole different level. So below is an excerpt from one of her emails. It is so good, in such a different way than we hear it here in America. Nope, not about our plans succeeding. Nope, not about God "blessing" us with promotions or possessions. She's just in relationship with her Dad, and he's teaching her good stuff. I know I'm learning from her. Enjoy...
JADA AND MARIO
Even in this fund-raising /scholarship process though, im learning really hard and unexpected lessons. For those of you who remember Jada and Marios stories from last summer, i have quite the update for you; and quite a lesson from God that i wasnt anticipating. so i return to sudan, proud and with a great feeling of divine accomplishment. I spent the first few days combing the crowds and searching vigorously for the faces of my two closests students Jada and Mario. And then one day in the market, i looked up and there was Mario, he had already spotted me out and was smiling with and even more beautiful smile than i remembered. i caught my breath and then hugged him tightly. the importance of who this was, all struck me at once as i realized the months and months i had spent retelling this boys story to churches, and families, and more. i held his face in my hands and stared into his eyes, and then i wept. i cried tears of joy like i dont think ive ever cried before, and he buried his head in my shoulder. After getting the "drama" out of my system, i was able to greet Jada with nothing but smiles and excitement when i finally saw him days later. we sat and caught up, and i shared the good news of the results we had brought them form america--- and then they dropped the bomb. And i felt like everything i had worked for the past 5 months- everything that to me i had been fighting for-- lie within those two boys eyes. and all that inspiration was shattered in those next few moments. Both Jada and Mario, were about to be Repatriated. Repatriation is basically the process by which displaced persons and refugees are taken back to the place where they lived before the war/displacement occured. in other words, Jada and Mario- were leaving. in fact, the place they were being taken back to, was one of the LRA's army barracks during the war that changed their lives. my heart broke on the ground into a million pieces thinking of Jada, who just a few short years ago had been shot by the LRA, and that he would have to sleep on the same soil where they trained young boys to kill; my boys would have to build a life in the smae places where blood was spilled by a rebel army, all for the purpose of tearing lives apart.
Two thursdays ago, i watched a train of UN trucks shipping 500 families back to their homeland. and in one of those trucks was Mario and Jada. and as i stood by the roadside and waved goodbye to them, my heart was left broken, angry and confused; the two boys whose stories had stolen the tears of so many of you, who were then moved to give, --- the two boys who i was doing all of this for, more than any of the other kids--- were gone.
and somehow, in that same mix of emotions, there was room for me to feel a sort of confusing comfort. my initial reaction to the news of their leaving was to feel that i had failed to hear Gods direction clearly; or that i had even just made up this whole sponsorship idea in my own mind and that God hadnt even suggested it- that i had fallen into the american tendency to think that money will solve everthing- and i felt a shame in feeling that i had not only fooled myself, but that i had fooled every single person who donated- into thinking that this was Gods desire. CLEARLY IT COULDNT BE IF THINGS WERE FALLING APART LIKE THIS! and then Jesus held me in his comforting arms, and just spoke to me that sometimes God moves or breaks something in our spirit, and leads us to do something that IS of Gods will---but that doesnt mean that we will know or properly understand the reasons he holds for us doing those good deeds. and though my inspiration had seemed to proved to be for not, Gods vastness and room for goodness to still be done, is unimaginable.
So like i said, im in the midst of learning this lesson. and i dont understand all of it. but what i do know is that i find comfort and peace in knowing that the same way i looked adoringly into the yes of Jada and Mario, the way that i took their heartbreaking stories with me everywhere i ewnt, and fought for a way to make things better for them,---that is the exact way that God looks into the eyes of every single kid here. and because of this journey he took us on to find them help, 115 of those prescious kids will get to have a year of education that otherwise would be impossible. and as far as Jada and Mario, God has their steps ordered, and i have to rejoice in knowing tht God doesnt need me or any program of mine to do good things in their lives. and in a way---by taking them from me---he freed me. freed me to give room to learn what it means to trust in him. and as i stood by that roadside watching them pull away, i heard his whisper saying, "Sophie, i am faithfull to keep everything you entrust to me."
and he is.
till next time, sophie b.
Labels: sophie. God, Sudan
Colbert Quote of the Day Monday, February 11, 2008 |
If you keep voting the way you want, rather than the way we tell you you want, well then pundits are just going to have to stop telling you how to think. (Jan 9, 2008)
Labels: quote of the day, Stephen Colbert
Daft Punk on TV! |
Mark it down in history fans...two youtube clips in a row. Now I'm not one to just post clips all willy-nilly around my blog, just to have "fresh" content. Nay, I believeth that constitutes "lazy" blogging. But if you missed the Daft Punk performance last night (featuring Kanye West) on the Grammy's, you MUST watch it. Ye is great and all, but feel free to just soak in the musical goodness of Daft. They even appear at the end! First time in 14 years on the tele. Good good good. Please watch and enjoy...and if you're looking for a Christmas gift for me, feel free to get me the electronic pad they're playing at the end. That is sweet.
Labels: daft punk grammys, kanye west grammys, Stronger
losing my religion Friday, February 8, 2008 |
to weiner poopie. If you don't have 1:44 to watch this I feel sorry for you, b/c it's possibly the most absurdly awesome thing I've ever seen. Enjoy!
Labels: Jesus, weiner poopie
It's a Super Tuesday! Tuesday, February 5, 2008 |
We'll see what happens today...but I'm certainly interested. PLEASE read this article...it's the least biased I think I've ever read towards those of us who love Jesus AND others (which I'm pretty sure was the original intent of the whole thing). Enjoy...
New York Times Article
New York Times Article
I hate america part 2 Saturday, February 2, 2008 |
Just wanted to be sure everyone had heard this little nugget:
PS-Thanks government for all the millions spent on the baseball steriod issue. Your tireless effort has led to a groundbreaking report that has reinforced just how little America cares about baseball anymore.
The ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to explain why the league destroyed evidence related to spying by the Patriots. Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania and ranking member of the committee, said that Goodell would eventually be called before the committee to address two issues: the league's antitrust exemption in relation to its television contract and the destruction of the tapes that revealed spying by the Patriots
New York Times
Really? REALLY? The ranking Republican in the Senate OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA needs to have a hearing to address the potential taping of an opponent's game by the Patriots? Am I the only one in America who caught this? Are we really OK as a country with our elected officials making sure everything's ok in the NFL? Because I THINK there are some BIG F*&^%$# PROBLEMS IN THIS WORLD THAT THE SENATE COULD ADDRESS RIGHT NOW.
PS-Thanks government for all the millions spent on the baseball steriod issue. Your tireless effort has led to a groundbreaking report that has reinforced just how little America cares about baseball anymore.
Labels: Senate hearing on patriots