"I wanna bite the hand that feeds me..."

"...I wanna bite that hand so badly."

Hey there, folks.

57 visits without even a new post? I love you kids.

Some thoughts.

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I rented "Lost in Translation" and watched it for the second time, last night. Some of you may remember what I thought of it the first time. If not, here's a good place to start. I appreciated the film overall, but had some problems with issues brought up (or not brought up) in the movie. The question of emotional infidelity, as the review states. But thinking back, I knew this was because of my last relationship, and what I thought did or did not occur.

So I wanted to watch the film again, now that more time has passed. And while I still enjoyed it, I have to admit I felt even less about it than I did the first time. I couldn't really connect to it, emotionally, the way I do with Eternal Sunshine or Garden State. I mean, I could recognize the "weighty, emotional" scenes, and where those feelings were being communicated. But it didn't stick with me. There was no gut reaction. I was pretty much cold to it.

The only reaction I had (and maybe this is still a good one) is that the movie, as a whole, is very sad. Even the ending, ultimately, is sad. The hope of renewal, given birth by this brief relationship, seems more fleeting to me now.

The movie is still pretty. I would still recommend it to some folks. But it's not one I would watch for fun, or for any kind of catharsis. I'm just at a different place in my life. Maybe in twenty years or so, I'll feel differently.

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Speaking of movies, I highly recommend (though blindly) that you find a theater near you that is screening "Beyond the Gates of Splendor." I read the original book, "Through Gates of Splendor," and I get the feeling this goes through and beyond the material there. The movie is a documentary about five missionaries (and their families) whose lives are changed during their ministry to native tribes in South America. It's a really amazing story of courage, forgiveness, grace, and hope. I can't wait to see it myself, and I'd encourage you to do the same. Everything I've heard about it from friends has been positive. Check it out.

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If I owe you an email, I promise I'll write you back. Eventually.

I hope to have Chapter 4 of the blog-serial done and posted by the middle of next week. I'm only going to do one or two more, then take it offline for a while. I'm hoping that an actual workable narrative will grow out of this, because I'd like to start actually publishing books, instead of just talking about it.

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There is a very interesting and thought-provoking article by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross about the dangers that formerly Islamic Christian converts face. Check it out. And remember to be in prayer for our brothers and sisters in the Muslim world, who face daily dangers and persecution for the Cross of Christ. We have it too easy in the West.

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Peace to you. Peace to you who are dealing with loss and grief. Peace to you who are worried about the future, about jobs, about money. Peace to you who long for a love like no other. Peace to you.

The Peace of Christ to you.