"The Nativity Story"
"The Nativity Story" is the first Biblically-based movie to be produced by a major film company since the epic "Ben-Hur" (1959). Epic "The Nativity Story" is not, at least not on the grand scale of "Ben-Hur" or "The Ten Commandments" (1956), with lavish sets and thousands of extras. No, the strength of "The Nativity Story" lies in giving us a glimpse of the real lives and real emotions of real people. Mary, a young girl forced into marriage to an older man she barely knows. Joseph, who chooses this girl because he sees in her a rare purity. Elizabeth, the godly older woman who understands Mary when no one else does. Joseph’s raw agony when he sees, in front of the entire city of Nazareth, that his bride has been unfaithful, and then his unbending commitment to his wife when he learns the truth. Mary, learning to love and trust and respect this man who is willing to share and posses her lifelong humiliation and ostracism from the people who were once her friends.
The film is simply and realistically set, and is supported by a strong historical context. The music in many places contains haunting reminiscences of well-loved Christmas carols.
As Christians, we believe "Jesus is the reason for the season," but we have heard the story so many times, it has become flat. "The Nativity Story" reminds us that the people God chose to take the most important roles in the birth of Christ were ordinary people like us with dreams, disappointments, hopes, and fears.
Tagged...wow
In the blogosphere I generally frequent, tagging is mostly passe'. I guess most of us are just too old, sophisticated, and busy to tag or respond if we are. Deep inside, though, I wuvs being tagged.
My apologies to JB for not responding sooner...I haven't had home internet access since the end of September and only ten minutes here or there at the library to quickly check my e-mail.
Anyway...on to the fun stuff...
When was the last time you brushed your teeth?
This morning.
What do your teeth usually look like?
Clean, clean, clean. Having grown up in a country where they call dentists "Dr. Pain" I have made sure to take as good care of my teeth as possible.
What book do you like to read over and over?
Besides the Bible? Hmm...I will willingly read any of the Chronicles of Narnia when time permits. I also often can be found reading The Valley of Vision.
How many times do you crack your neck?
Never. I prefer not to have arthritis in my neck when I get old, thank you.
What’s your favorite logo?
UniQlo because it means soft, comfy, non-ugly clothes.
How many times have you been on an air plane?
*laughs* Too many times to count. The first was when I was 3 months old. I will estimate probably 60-70.
What were you wearing this day last week?
Uhh...probably jeans and a knit shirt. That has been my uniform for the last few weeks.
When was the last time you ate peanut butter?
Sometime last week, I think. I try to avoid it because of the hydrogenated oils and calories.
Do you like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" with Jonny Depp?
Never seen it. Never intend to. I didn't care for the original movie. I do enjoy Johnny Depp's acting, though.
What is your fav. Exercise?
Pilates all the way. I would do it twice a day if I had time.
Do you like this tag?
Yeah, the questions are a lot more interesting than your usual tag questions.
Ever considered living in a hobbit hole in new Zealand?
I've been to the real Hobbitton (okay, the movie set of Hobbitton) in NZ. If the hobbit holes looked like they do in the LOTR movies, I would *love* to live there. NZ is my Middle Earth. Unfortunately, the hobbit holes in NZ are just fronts with buggy, spider-webby 3ft. of space behind the door. So, no, I wouldn't want to live there. I will live in the beautiful hobbit holes in my imagination, set on the rolling green hills of NZ.
What are you obsessed with?
Dark chocolate!!!
How many times a day do you check your email?
At home, probably 20-30. Here...I'm hoping to whittle that down to 2-3.
Finish this sentence ''they are taking the..."
They are taking the rum! Why is the rum gone!?
Why did you answer it that way?
Because you asked me about Johnny Depp earlier, and it's really late at night, and I'm just a leetle goofy.
What is the first thing you think of in the morning?
Sleep! I want more sleep!
What is your fav. Super hero besides Jesus?
The invincible and ever-adorable Mighty Mouse!
go to the person who tagged you and leave them two different comments on two different posts.
How do you like better: Jack Sparrow or Will Turner?
Well, now that POTC2 has come out...uhh...Will, I suppose. But Jack moved up in my estimation.
What are three of your future children’s names?
Evelyn, Morgan, Lorna
How would you describe yourself?
Eccentric, eclectic, hard to get to know, shy, nervous
Pick a word you use most often.
It's a tie between "indeed" and "anyway"
Tag three people.
Three? What three? I only have five friends, three of whom have already done this and one of whom is a busy homeschooling mom. Okay, I will tag Angel, though. She needs tagging.
Friendship: When does it end?
X-posted from Light in the Shadowlands
There's a lot of talk in Christian circles today about friendship and "community." The topic came up today on a message board for Christian homeschoolers that I frequent. The person who started the discussion said this: A friend of mine told me recently that if one of her friends were living in "unrepentant sin", she would have to break fellowship with them... Do you ever "break fellowship" with a friend for something they've done? Do you consider this Biblical? I guess my personal feeling on it is that once I'm friends with a person, I'll never give up on them. If they live a lifestyle I don't approve, I'm still going to care about them and talk to them and be their friend. If one of my friends decided to move in with her boyfriend, she would probably feel uncomfortable around me because she would know I didn't approve of that... But I wouldn't cut her for it.I realize that this is a popular view among Christians today. True, we are supposed to love and forgive when people sin against us, but are we supposed to look the other way when a fellow believer is living in a pattern of unrepentant sin? Here's how I replied on the message board:
I never have [broken fellowship with a friend because of unrepentant
sin], but yes, I would consider it. Yes, I do believe it is Biblical (if the
person in question is a believer).
Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he
listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you,
take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses
every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them,tell it to the
church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a
Gentile and a tax collector.
I don't believe that "breaking fellowship" means you're giving up on a friend. The very best thing we can do for our friends is to relate to them
in a Biblical way. Taking a serious, Biblical attitude about sin and acting in the way the Bible tells us to is the sincerest expression of
friendship.
Not much to see here...
I keep this blog mostly to keep up with my homeschoolblogger friends. You can read my regular blog at Light in the Shadowlands.
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