Bolt

This is such a cute (and funny) Disney movie. It was in the theaters in 2008. It is about a dog, Bolt, who stars on a TV show with a girl named Penny. The makers of the show have gone to great lengths to make sure Bolt really believes he is saving Penny from evil villains. When Bolt believes Penny has been kidnapped, he attempts to rescue her and ends up far from the studio in Hollywood. He meets a cat named Mittens who tells him he does not really have super powers. Bolt has an identity crisis, but with the help of Mittens, and Rhino, the hamster (who is hilarious), he makes his way back to Hollywood to see Penny again. I really enjoyed this film.

Wii Play

This is a pretty awesome game for the Wii. There are actually several different games on it. But my favorite is definitely the shooting game--there are different stages and you try to shoot stuff like balloons, tin cans, targets etc. The best is the last level where The Mii characters you've created are standing there and UFOs come to take you away and you have to shoot the UFOs down. Though playing alone is fine, it's even more fun to play against someone else where you shoot at the same time and try to get the best score. My mom and I love playing this. The riding the cow game is fun too!

Lamentations 3:19-26

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

I love this passage. It speaks of the pain, the bitterness, the anguish we experience one earth as a result of sin. But then it speaks of the hope we have in the LORD, the hope we can have only in Him. "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed." We may feel at times like we are about to be consumed, but we're not. God is faithful and compassionate always. We can depend on that in our darkest times. We can cling to these words in Lamentations and trust in our ever faithful God.

Shamrock Shake

The Shamrock Shake--that minty shake at McDonalds available during March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't drink Shamrock Shakes all the time, but I do like to get one each year cause it's a special thing, and it is pretty tasty!

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

This is the first book in Kingsbury's 9/11 series. It was very powerful and suspenseful. In the beginning, the story of two very different families is presented. In one family, Jake is a firefighter. He is a strong Christian and a devoted husband and father. His wife is not a Christian, and Jake prays that she will come to faith. In the other family, Eric is a business man who has come to care only about work, neglecting his wife and child. Though once a believer, a tragedy years ago has caused him to turn away from God. Jake and Eric are both in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and only one leaves alive. The fascinating story that plays out from there kept me so engrossed. For several reasons, it was an emotional experience at times reading this book. I personally think this is one of Kingsbury's best books.

Binding of Isaac

This stained glass window is located in the Melkite Catholic Cathedral in Roslindale, Massachusetts. I personally have not seen this particular part of Scripture portrayed in stained glass before. In this scene, an angel is stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac. I think the window is pretty cool. The photo of this window is by John Stephen Dwyer. Double click to enlarge.

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

This TNT movie is based on the true story of Ben Carson, a boy who overcame challenges in his childhood and young adulthood and became a world famous neurosurgeon and director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Children's Center. This was a very inspiring film, and I especially liked how when Ben was confronted with challenges, he always prayed for help. Cuba Gooding Jr. does a fantastic job playing Ben Carson.

The Spirituality of the Cross by Gene Edward Veith

I love this book because it really lays out the important Lutheran doctrines in a way that's easy for people to understand. It clarifies what distinguishes Lutheranism from other denominations. There are many people who like to think all religions are the same or at least that all Christian denominations are pretty much the same, but that isn't the case. But this book explains why Lutheran Christians believe the way they do about Justification, Law and Gospel, the Means of Grace, Worship, etc. What a wonderful resource!

Jeremiah 31:3

3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Everlasting love. What an awesome thing to ponder! That's our God's love for us--a love beyond comprehension, something we cannot grasp with our small minds. But it's real and the only thing we can really count on. And it's so important in a world where everyone wants to focus on their own efforts, that we remember it is God Who draws us.

Creation According to Genesis

I stumbled across the picture of this stained glass window on the internet when I was looking for some pictures depicting Creation. I thought it was really beautiful. This stained glass window is located in the Melkite Catholic Cathedral in Roslindale, Massachusetts. The photo is by John Stephen Dwyer. Double click to enlarge.

Auntie Mame

This fabulous 1958 film is about a fun, live life to the fullest woman, Mame, who becomes her nephew's guardian when the boy's father dies. Rosalind Russell is awesome playing Auntie Mame. There are so many humorous scenes. Some of my favs include when Mame visits Gloria's parents, and when they visit her. Great flick!

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This verse is so comforting. God does have a plan for each of us. The future can seem daunting, scary, overwhelming, etc., but when you look at this verse, you know God is in control and all our days are in His hands. He gives us good things; He is working all things for good. No matter how bad things may see to be, we have hope. Our hope is in Christ.