2nd chance

Hey there- ya all.
Good movie on dvd this week that many may not know about.



click the link and find out a bit more.

It's been a few months

...since I posted. And it will be a couple of more till I get back to this thing on any kind of a regular basis. Wedding planning and job hunting has taken over my life. May 6th I will be a married man, and life will begin to return to some kind of a normal pace. See you sometime around then.

Here is our wedding web page if you need something to tide you over.

Something inside me wishes this was photoshoped

But no, it's real



I know it's the right thing to do, but something about it seems so wrong. And even know I am a die-hard Cubby fan, I still have to root for the south siders this weekend. It will be cool if they win. I doubt I will watch a game, but I'll still be rooting for them. It does hurt a little that they made it back quicker then the Cubs though.

Sneak Peak of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe

There was a preview of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe at Wheaton Bible Church today. Most of us were disappointed with the amount of the film that was shown, but there was plenty of other stuff that made it worth being there for two hours.

One of those things was right as you walked into to lobby of the church. There were props from the movie displayed around. Here's a few photos of some of the cooler stuff they displayed. They were taken with my cell phone camera, which does, as you can tell, suck. You may click the photos for a larger version if you witch, I mean wish...

Armor of the Armies of Narnia:



Fawn in Armor for battle


The White Witch's Turkish Delights Box
It was much more shiny in person. No flash on my cell phone.


The White Witch's Chalice


Miniature Minotaur and Some Weapons


Very Cool (and kind of scary) Goblin Mask



The presentation itself had its moments of boredom, with some moments that were just so great it made it all worth it. They opened things up with a showing of the trailer that has been around for months now. The out came the people who talked and talked about how the Christian community could help promote it. There was also someone from Disney who showed a few slides from the movie.

After a bit they introduced Steven Curtis Chapman. He said a few words about how he found Narnia later in life and how he and his son co-wrote the song from the Narnia soundtrack. Then he sang "Remembering You" from the soundtrack of the movie. It was a pretty nice version with just him and his guitar. Steven also did a song from his new Christmas recording that was also pretty good.

We were also treated to hearing a bit from C.S. Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham. It was really a treat to hear some of his memories of his stepfather. It was pretty amusing to hear how he was disappointed the first time he met "Jack" (C.S. Lewis deciced as a child he didn't like the name Clive and insisted everyone call him Jack). Douglas looked like a charicter out of a Lewis book himself, with his vest and big old boots. The picture isn't the greatest, but it gives you an idea of what he looked like.

Eventually, they did get around to showing us a pretty cool 10 minute clip from the movie. And I do have to say, it does look pretty darn cool. The clip started off showing London being bombed with the children being rushed off to a bomb shelter by their mother. Next they are being put on a train out to the country so they are out of danger from the bombings, and brought to the home of the professor. After there it was a montage of many scenes. We see Mr. Tumnus and Mr. and Mrs Beaver. Both Tumnus and the Beavers look great. We see a bit of Asland. Asland is being voiced by Liam Neeson, and I couldn't help but think "is this what happens to Jedi's when they die?" The big battle between the White Witches Armies and the forces of Asland look great. They mentioned there are over 50 different races of creatures in that battle. The movie looks great. And hopefully I'll be there to see it when it comes out Dec 9th.

Happy Birthday

There is one person who is responable for probley about 25% of my 500 hits on this page, and it's her birthday today. So Happy Birthday Mom. Hope life is treating you well.

The Race

There is a poem I like to read when things are tough. The first time I heard it had to be over 10 years ago at a young adult group I use to go too. I had a bad Xerox of it for a while, then it got lost. Then back when I worked at SBC they gave us they little motivational book, which included the much loved poem in it! I think I may have let a little squeaks of joy when I saw it in there. Reading it always puts a little wind in my sails. I thought I would share it with all four of you that read this blog.

They all lined up so full of hope,
Each thought to win the race,
Or tie for first, or if not that,
At least take second place.

And fathers watched from off the side,
Each cheering for his son;
And each boy hoped to show his dad
That he would be the one.

The whistle blew, and off they went,
Young hearts and hopes afire,
To win, to be the hero there
Was each young boy’s desire.

And one boy in particular
Whose dad was in the crowd,
Was running in the lead and thought,
My dad will be so proud.

But as they sped down the field
Across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win,
Lost his step and slipped.

Trying hard to catch himself,
His hands flew out in brace,
And mid the laughter of the crowd,
He fell flat on his face.

So down he fell and with him hope,
He couldn’t win, not now;
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished
To disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up,
And showed his anxious face;
Which to the boy so clearly said;
Get up and win the race.

He quickly rose, no damage done
A bit behind that’s all:
And ran with all his might and mind
To make up for his fall.

So anxious to restore himself,
To catch up, to win,
His mind went faster then his legs,
He slipped and fell again.

He wished then he had quit before,
With only one disgrace;
I’m hopeless as a runner now,
I shouldn’t try to race.

But in the laughing crowd he searched,
And found his father’s face,
That steady look that said again,
Get up and win the race.

So up he jumped to try again,
Ten yards behind the last;
If I’m going to gain those yards
I’ve gotta move real fast

Exerting everything he had,
He regained eight or ten;
But trying so hard to catch the lead
He slipped and fell again.

Defeat; he lay there silently
A tear dropped from his eye;
There’s no sense in running anymore
Three strikes I’m out, why try.

The will to rise had disappeared
All hope had fled away;
So far behind, so error prone
I’ll never go all the way.
     
I’ve lost- so what’s the use he though,
I’ll live with my disgrace;
But then he thought about his dad
Who soon he’d have to face.

Get up- an echo sounded low,
Get up and take your place;
You were not meant for failure here,
Get up and win the race.

With borrowed will, get up it said,
You haven’t lost at all
For winning is not more then this
To rise each time you fall

So up he rose to run once more,
And a new commit;
He resolved that win or lose the race,
At least he wouldn’t quit

Three times he’d fallen, stumbling,
Three times he rose again;
Now he gave it all he had,
And ran as thought to win

They cheered the winning runner
As he crossed the line, first place;
Head high and prud and happy,
No falling, no failing, no disgrace

But when the fallen youngster
Crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer
For finishing the race.

And even though he came in last
With head bowed low unproud,
You would have thought he won the race
To listen to the crowd.

And to his dad, he sadly said,
I didn’t do so well;
To me you won, his father said,
You rose each time you fell.

And now when things seem dark
And hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy
Helps me in my race.

For all of life is like that race
With ups and downs and all,
And all you have to do to win
Is rise each time you fall.

Life's Ups and Downs

Such a crazy weekend!

My plans to go to Indy this weekend got screwed up when my job insisted I work on Sunday. But luckily Amy decided to come up here and see me. Then Saturday work gave me my paperwork to get my insurance started, and I decided to do what I thought was the right thing and tell them that I accepted another position somewhere and I would be leaving in a month. I just didn't want them to go through paying for my insurance when I was going to quit two weeks after it started. Well, my "right thing" led them to letting me go an hour later.


But even with that happening, I can't seem to think this was a bad weekend. I got to spend more time with Amy. And that's always a good thing. And even with the craziness of this weekend, it was great. She is great. It seems kind of crazy to be thinking of someone as much as I do of her, and as highly as I do of her. But I do. And being with her in the mist of this craziness made a world of difference. She pushes me and challenges me to grow. She believes I can do it. She makes me laugh and smile. I don't think I can do her justice in a few words on here, but trust me when I say I am a lucky guy.

We finally took a couple photos of us together this weekend. The first one is outside my apartment building after church. I look like a robot or bored in that one, but the girl next to me is pretty darn cute. And then Amy took the next one while we were sitting on my couch.

Not What You Want To Read About The Place You Dined At Last Week

Roaches force closing of popular eatery

Tribune staff reports
Published September 13, 2005, 8:33 AM CDT

Dick's Last Resort, a popular Streeterville restaurant that cheekily calls itself the "Shame of Chicago" on its menu, was ordered temporarily closed this week after public health inspectors allegedly found cockroaches in the kitchen, WGN-Ch. 9 reported.

Food also allegedly was found stored at unsafe temperatures, and mold was discovered growing in an ice machine in the restaurant at 435 E. Illinois St., Chicago Department of Public Health officials said.

Dick's will remain closed until it corrects the problems and is re-inspected and found in compliance with city codes, WGN reported.

Amy and I dinned here last week before we took our boat tour downtown. My salad was good, but I'm really glad we didn't get sick now. Although when I told Amy this she did remind me that her mudslide was the worst she ever had. It must have been the mold.....

Who Is He To You?

I heard this at a young adult retreat a few years ago, and I'm still quite found of it, so I thought I would share it will you all (or should that be y'all).

Let us call the roll of some of the professions:
To artists, He is the One altogether lovely.
To architects, He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To physicians, He is the Great Physician.
To preachers, He is the Word of God.
To philosophers, He is the Wisdom of God.
To the dying, He is the Resurrection and the Life.
To geologists, He is the Rock of ages.
To farmers, He is the Lord of the harvest.
To professors, He is the Master Teacher.
To prodigals, He is the forgiving Father.
To the lost sheep, He is the Good Shepherd.
To thirsty souls, He is the Water of life.
To the hungry, He is the Bread of life.
To philanthropists, He is God's Unspeakable Gift.
Nineteen centuries after His sojourn on earth, His shadow is larger and
growing larger than ever before. No one can measure His height or His
influence.

(Herbert Gabhart in a message given at the Union University in Jackson, TN, January 1952 as cited in The Book of Jesus, Calvin Miller, ed., p. 43).

The Chicagoist

I changed up the links in the sidebar a bit tonight, and I added a few new one, including my new favorite The Chicagoist. It has all kind of fun little chicago happenings and stories and I enjoyed reading it's stories. It's part of a serise of sites including The Gothamist (but who would want to read about NYC? I mean if it was so cool, the would have made Gotham City based on NY and not Chicago in the new Christian Bale movie, Right?!?), The Londonist, The Seattlest, The Shanghaist amd my favorite sounding one, The Austinist (becasue it sounds like the awesomist).