Oh....my soul...Soul Surfer!!

Sunday afternoon after church, Darya, Syd and I
went to see the movie “Soul Surfer”.

Oh my soul!

This isn’t just a movie. It was buffet of encouragement for my soul.

Yes, it is kid friendly, a totally great family movie worth seeing on the big screen. The shark attack is portrayed as quick and is not graphic, at least according to me. However, Syd screamed and popped out of her chair. However, I think she worked herself up reflecting on Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, she probably had the music…da…da…da…da-da-da-da-da…playing in her mind every time it showed the ocean, but trust me this is not a thriller-horror classic like Jaws.

However, it is a movie about overcoming tragedy with human courage based on faith and trust in God and Jesus Christ, but it is so much more. It is about achieving your dreams. It is about what family is supposed to be about. It is about love and loving your enemies. It illustrates beautifully the importance of being rooted and secured in your faith prior to trials. It’s about determination and not giving up. It’s about having a positive attitude. I am not going to give away any details, because I want you to go see this movie, like yesterday. Yes, it is that good. But the real reason I think you should see it, is because it is a true story that will encourage and inspire you to live life right…regardless.

Honestly, it makes me swell with pride for Bethany Hamilton (the real girl, not the actress) who is obviously not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Please make sure you stay to read the very last credit, kudos, etc….that roll’s up. I wished it would have been the first, but it is in there.

But scrambled in this true story about competition and surfing was a spirit of courage so contagious, it ruined me. Ruined me for good. It was so contagious, I went to see it again tonight and you can bet I will purchase it on DVD when it comes out too.

Any movie that has biblical scripture, actual Bibles in it plus music from Brit Nicole, Francesca Battistelli and Carrie Underwood singing “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord”, you know it is going to be a good movie.

I love going to movies with Syd, she brings me much delight. I love her innocence. During the movie in what should have been a tender moment of kissing between a husband and wife, it was more like a horror movie complete with shrilling squeals and lots of squirming.



Look at my sexy prom date!
By the way, I take my popcorn everywhere!



This is Syd on the way home from Soul Surfer.
We just saw road kill and because she is squimish
she squealed and jumped knocking most of the popcorn
all over my vehicle.

See...all over my vehicle soooo....

when she got home she swept it out to feed the birds.
She is a sweet girl.



Syd always willing to play for me.
I love her!

Have you seen Soul Surfer yet? If so, did you love it like me?

What was your favorite part? I had several but I'd love to hear your favorite!

Stop the Insanity, Go Organic and Show Love!

Is it possible to love something, but you can’t do it? Sure it is! Look at American Idol and those people who love to sing, it is their life calling, but they can not carry a tune. That is me! Not that singing is my calling at all, but I love to sing songs to my Father, but the difference between those that try out for American Idol and me, are I KNOW I CAN’T sing! And if you have sat near me at church you know I can’t sing too! So I can identify with Garth! No, not Garth Brooks, but Garth the Wolf that can not howl in the new movie Alpha and Omega. Jayden and I had a date and went to see this movie today.

The movie was very cute. It is the ultimate road trip where two wolves (Humphrey & Kate) try to get home after being taken by park rangers and dumped thousands of miles away from their home. They are from different social classes, the Alpha’s who would be the elites and the Omega’s who are the lower end. Through their road trip adventure they discover despite their differences they have a love for one another and together they bring two rival packs together and they live in peace. Pastor just preached on this issue and entitled it “Confronting a Killer” out of James 2:1-13, that killer being the sin of partiality. How the enemy divides believers in many ways. With God there is no partiality, He shows no personal favoritism to no man (Galatians 2:6).

Partiality is a problem. It is a problem in the church and outside of the church. Showing partiality gives a conflicting picture of what it means to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. I have actually had this conversation with another believer in the church about myself and our family experiencing partiality in and outside of the church because of our race. This person basically told me that I was over reacting, that I possibly couldn’t discern that others were being prejudice towards us; but anyone who has experienced judgment, prejudice and partiality on a regular basis, you know identifying it is as easy as seeing the nose on your face. Judgment is so evident and real even Hollywood can recreate it without words, it is the looks, the avoiding manner, the exclusion.

However, as believers we are to look at people through the eyes of God and not at their economic status, the color of their skin, the clothes they do or don’t wear, the size of their body, the list goes on and on. As believers we are to live supernaturally because of who lives within our hearts. The truth is we’re all sin-infected, our best efforts, our righteousness the Bible says are like filthy rags in comparison to God (Isaiah 64:6). God is not impressed with mere appearances or keeping rules, but He is concerned with our hearts. His desire if for us to love one another fervently with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22), we are even to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), no wonder God says when we have fervent love for one another it covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). After all God is love (I John 4: 8) and he fervently loves us and by and through His Son Jesus Christ a multitude of sins were covered. There is nothing any of us can do, be or say that would warrant His love, but in His glorious grace and unfathomable mercy, He showered His love on me and calls me daughter!

Back to the movie Alpha and Omega, the camp is in disarray because they haven’t had meat! A vegetarian wolf, which I prefer to think of her as the optimistic wolf declares that caribou is over rated and she brings berries! She convinces others to join her and soon they are chanting, “Stop the Insanity, Go Organic!” I echo her in that we should “Stop the Insanity and Show Love!” Then Garth the Wolf, the wolf who can’t howl is often called “Barf”, I can relate to Garth in many ways. When he attempted to howl it was such a horrific noise that birds dropped dead out of the sky! I have a similar effect when I attempt to sing, people fall out. If they sit in front of me once, they won’t do it ever again! Yet there is hope! Garth eventually learns to sing because he sings from his heart. I sing from my heart too but I still sound like a sick cat, but I have the hope one day when I reach my eternal home that my voice will be healed, I will sing perfectly in pitch and tone, until then I will continue to make a joyful NOISE.