Review :: The Mist

I have mentioned before that since becoming a dad several years back I have found myself changed when watching media. Stephen King's "The Mist" pricked my fatherly nerve quickly and often.

This suspenseful and tragic tale follows a father and son in a small Northeastern town suddenly crippled by a mysterious mist. A eclectic band representing a cross-cut of culture (the artist, the blue collar mechanic, gnarled Harley rider, teacher, lawyer, military man and religious nut job) is trapped inside the local A&P as this mist descends and begins its devastation. Suspense and drama abound as various plans are hatched to escape from their progressively desperate position. The religious nut spouts Jim Jones-type theology, a weird hybrid of the Old Testament and Revelation sans Jesus, getting scores of followers as the tale moves on. Eventually stirring the crowd to scream for "expiation" to calm the beast.

"The Mist" explores the heights and depths of the human condition under great duress, but in all this lies what many critics have called "one of the most daring endings in recent history". This ending has stuck with me almost a day later and mainly for its darkness and virtual nihilistic approach. While I understand the actions of the heroes, it is nonetheless pessimistic and depressing.

Now this is freaky...

I'm literally left speechless and will let the images speak for themselves...

Here's TREE MAN!

What I'm listening to today....

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Listening to the other voice

I have tried to start up a routine after letting lay dormant in a strange imposed hibernation. If I am to grow as a leader, father, husband, friend and person then discipline is not my enemy. Discipline creates margin for me to operate freely in. Discipline creates time to reflect and learn from my many failures and few successes. And in my new routine I am trying to be far more intentional in reading from both Scripture and spiritual "giants" such as Tozer, Lewis, Chesterton and Kierkegaard.

In today's reading, CS Lewis talks about hearing the other voice:

"The real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply of shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting the larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Stand back from all your natural fussings and frettings; come in out of the wind."

- CS Lewis

The Economy of Megachurches

Churches are slowly dying in many ways across this country. With the average church size of 60 or less the average Joe does not darken the do or of many houses of worship. But at the same time megachurches are growing and sprouting up around the country. Churches like Willow Creek and North Point, which have been around for years to places such as Elevation and Mars Hill have sprung up recently. Many of these churches of well over 1500 people are not your run-of-the-mill churches...they are deeply involved and influential in the local economies of their cities. The New York Times has an interesting article from this past week about this new phenomenon.

One Writer's Rant

My buddy Paul just sent me this clip from the upcoming film about Harlan Ellison called "Dreams with Sharp Teeth". In this time of a writer's strike, some poignant words.

WARNING :: the language on this is strong for those with weak constitutions.

Bad Writing at its best...

Anne Lamott and Grace

I have a love for Anne Lamott and her no-nonsense writing style. Her books "Bird by Bird" and "Traveling Mercies" are some of my favorites. Relevant Magazine recently interviewed her and she had a great definition of grace:

"Grace is miraculous, unmerited love and fresh air and the comfort of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the book I write about going skiing and having a terrible experience where I ended up stunned and freezing in a shack where the ski patrol brought me to warm up. The kerosene heater in the shack was filling the air with a foul odor, but the cracks in the shack allowed more oxygen in. The smell of the trees through those very small spaces connected me to a bigger space. That’s grace."

What I'm listening to today....

If you're in and around Cincinnati this Christmas...come to their Christmas concert. An experience not to miss.


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Prepping for 2008

I've started preparing for the new year a little earlier than usual. My mind is constantly turning toward what lies ahead for our Life Groups, Creativity and Outreach. I certainly do not want to fascinate myself obsessively with what could happen instead of the reality in front of me. But I think is pertinent for me as a leader to constantly evaluate and flex to create a more vibrant environment for success.

I have fallen out of the habit of reading as I once did so I have started the literary engines again. I just ordered three books from Amazon..."Creating Community" by Andy Stanley, "7 Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry" by Bill Donahue and "The Big Idea" by Dave Ferguson. Excited to see what wisdom I can glean and where it all leads...

Jack Bauer :: 1994 edition

I graduated high school in 1994 when the internet was sweeping the nation, AOL was all the rave, you were cool if you had a Geocities page and a pager meant you were somebody. So check out "24" if Jack Bauer had started in 1994. (FYI...some minor language ahead)

What I'm listening to today....

I'm experimenting with a little feature. Most days I'm listening to some kind of music or another. So I thought I would highlight some of the music I listen to each day. See what you think...

SeeqPod Music beta - Playable Search