Tag Archives: Entertainment
What are you watching? Listening to? Reading?
In a recent edition of “Decision” magazine, Franklin Graham wrote an outspoken article on the entertainment industry in America titled,
“Hollywood: Entertaining ourselves to death?”
After living many years in the hometown of the Graham’s, Franklin remains a household name. I worked with a man for 12 years who was in the same class as Franklin growing up.
Not only him, but many others who knew the “rebel” he was saw him giving his parents a hard time as a teenager into his early 20’s. However, he is now using that “rebellious overtone” to speak bluntly and candidly about issues facing our nation his father preached against for decades.
Like, Franklin I remember when there was no cussing, sex and very little violence except for a few John Wayne shootouts and The Rifleman. Good always won over evil but nothing was ever an embarrassment to watch with anyone else.
Trying to explain that to the generation of young people today is like helping them understand how we lived without cell phones and computers most of our lives. It is incomprehensible.
In the article he quoted Michael Landon who died many years ago after his efforts to keep TV/movies clean and child accessible.
“Let’s face it, television is an invention where you’re entertained in your living room by people you wouldn’t have in your house!”
Landon, speaking at a roast for Dean Martin was applauded with shameful grins.
There is no need to exacerbate the unlimited vulgarities played out on the screens today because we all know them. As garbage goes in, garbage goes out. In the process it filters through our brains leaving trash sloshing around for the enemy to use. And we wonder why we have nightmares.
The ill -fated, sick delusion of Hollywood has laid upon our nation a reputation certain leaders in other countries want no part of. Christian artist Natalie Grant walked out of the Grammy’s due to the Gay/LGBT community takeover of this awards show. Mandisa didn’t attend and won two awards. Threaded with the Gay implications and nuances throughout the show was a huge maneuver of control by this group.
A number of well-known actors such as Kevin Sorbo, Kirk Cameron and Gary Sinise have made their stance clear against homosexuality. An addition to the Gay agenda are any actors speaking out against the Obama administration. The latest fatality has been James Wood. He spoke that he now believes he will never get another acting job due to his conviction. And he is not alone in the “black list of fallen actors.” Kevin Sorbo recently revealed the number of offers for him has greatly diminished. So much for being qualified.
(An interesting side note about James Wood. He has an IQ of 186; higher than Einstein. And he has a story about flying on a plane a month before 9/11 in which there were 4 Middle Eastern men who he later found out were planning the attack; 2 of which were on the planes that evil day.)
The “Decision” magazine also had an article about the Ugandan President who signed an Anti-Homosexuality bill on 2/24. President Yoweri Museveni has been outspoken about the split his Ugandan church made from the Anglican Church of Canada 10 years ago over this issue. An Ugandan Archbishop stated, “homosexuality is incompatible with scripture.”
President Museveni has been criticized from Western leaders such as President Obama over certain remarks he has made and I quote:
“We have been disappointed by the conduct of the west, the way you conduct yourselves there. “
Having been told the Ugandan’s must abide by this stance he answered unequivocally,
“That’ where we say no.”
President of Uganda
President Museveni was interviewed by a CNN reporter who asked him if he personally dislikes homosexuals. His answer,
“Of course. They’re disgusting. What sort of people are they?”
Balance? Peace?
Peace that passes all understanding is worth striving for.
So is balance. The two have a connection. Balance can give peace and peace can give balance.
This is not the “peace” made up in the 70’s hippie movement or by John Lennon.
Far from it. All it amounted to was a silly sign:
Countries have fought throughout history for peace. Interpretation could mean people learning how to get along with each other.
Well, we know how that doesn’t work.
Why? We have lost our way.
We have moved away from that which is peace.
We have replaced it with “self.” Self centers on self which forgets others resulting in greed which is a basis for pride. Pride goes before the fall.
Peace can only be found through Christ. Step-by-step we have to rid ourselves of self as it is the only way to truly see Jesus. This is done by getting closer to God, reading his word and asking him to help us become more like Jesus.
On the other side of spiritual peace is the need for physical serenity. Our bodies react to all kinds of positive or negative feedback. The key is to balance them both.
Yea, I know… I hear you screaming, “how can I possibly be peaceful in this messed up, mucked up world?”
You have to search for it. Yearn for it. Seek it with all your heart. You may as well start now because the world isn’t peaceful at all. But you can be with God’s help.
Jeremiah 29: 12-14 “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.”
The following video caught my attention last night. As I watched it, I could feel my body and mind relaxing as she performs one of the most impossible acts of balance I have ever seen. It is a little over 7 minutes long, but she will keep you glued right up to the very end. After watching her, I questioned whether this performance is more physical or mental. What do you think?
Rumor has it….
Rumors are rumors. Trickle down gossip is infectious these days.
Evidently some people have such boring lives they feed on rumors or gossip to fill their voids.
My husband’s father called him today to ask if he and I were still married. What? The small town we use to live in where his father still resides somehow got wind of a divorce between me and Mark. …only we knew nothing about this.
As far as we both know we are still married. If we got divorced they never told us about it! I hate it when I am always the last to know the latest slandering secrets! HaHa!
Whoever decided we were no longer together must be desperate for some juicy chatter or scandalous blather.
Small towns are noted for their back fence talk. Forget keeping anything quiet; everybody knows everybody else and their business. Only pieces of information get lost in translations along the way.
In this country more dirty laundry is being hung out to dry. Exposing of detailed scandals line the daily news as journalists squeak out any chunk of hearsay they can dig up.
Distressing as it all may sound, it may be rumor or it may be the truth. The times we live in bring about the worst in some circles. The very thought of certain individuals inappropriate liaisons splashed across the screens of millions of viewers has become the norm.
Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 
After this election, it is hard to believe anything anyone says. We have become a nation of lies and deception so deep we will need more than a “Gossip Recovery” to heal our brokenness. We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to cleanse the wounds and change our verbal exchanges to unify instead of divide.
The effort necessary is to remove the “veil” covering the eyes of many who are “gullible” to the sly and unscrupulous movements of the enemy.
2 Corinthians 3: 15-18 “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
As we grow with Christ, the veil may be removed one shade at a time. God uncovers the truth the more we spend time with him. Stubbornness will limit what you see or what your heart understands. The process is dependent on your humility before the throne of God. Believe me; it is worth it to fall at his feet for any reason.
Maybe the rumor about Mark and me will make the front page news.
It would be nice before they make such an announcement to notify us first of our impending divorce! LOL!
http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/a-month-of-thankfulness-text-day-14/
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/what-is-the-problem/
Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved
Amorous Warmth
Lately it has been colder so our cat tends to stay inside more. Her feral characteristics love being outdoors, but her 10 years reveals the temperature in the house is much more appealing.
A grown cat requires their body to be 102 degrees for normal, healthy function. This explains why felines enjoy lying in the sun.
As the days cool, cats will find spots to accommodate the need for keeping their bodies at the 102 degree level.
Our “Maxicat” is conditional on all levels. She willingly acknowledges the spoiled attention, all you can eat buffets and the unconditional love we give her. Her aging has kept her much closer to home as she revels in the delights of giving us her presence.
Cats learn how to get what they want. Maxi is a master at announcing her entrance into any room, screaming in front of the refrigerator for tuna or making it known she is ready to nap by her compulsion to meowwwwwwwwww……….
At night, she jumps on our bed, kneads the blue blanket and speaks of her intentions with highly regarded anticipation. I have learned to beat her to it; otherwise she leaves no room for me to sleep as she stretches her long arms and feet across my side of the bed. She and my husband tolerate each other; so she will not sleep next to him.
She makes every effort to get as close to me as possible; not to show her love for me, but to keep her little body warm. As she snuggles in practically underneath my side, I can hear her purr; a sound that could start a motor boat. Reaching and keeping her temperature normal is like sleeping with a heating pad.
You may be wondering why I am writing about our “toasty kitty” on one of the most important days in the history of America.
Election Day has arrived and Maxi’s thermal fur reminds me of God’s amorous love for his people and our nation.
He founded America on the bases of the Declaration of Independence. Our rights stem from the Creator himself; they are not man-made. He has his army prepared to establish the “American Dream” once again through righteousness.
The road may not be easy as we reach for the cross because the devil is a roaring lion hunting for anyone he can devour. He has made appearances in many forms. The darkness has attempted to shutter hearts, create dissension and end life as we know it.
As darkness goes, so does the light that never burns out. The glow among the thorns and bristles shines ever so brightly hoping to warm the cold, bitter mortals lost by a plagued spirit. A spellbound, lying phantom who led the demise of 6 million Jews known as the Holocaust. Unfortunately, this apparition still exists today successfully camouflaging the truth.
But…..God has a plan; the church must rise up to defeat the carnage and extinguish the annihilation of the spirit of hate. And, I believe his plan is already in place and will explode with a battalion of the word of God which is the “Sword of the Spirit.” The truth will prevail.
As our feline friends produce comforting warmth for their protection from the cold winter months ahead, so shall our God. Only his doesn’t include fur.
Maxicat
http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/a-month-of-thankfulness-text-day-5/
http://womenswindow.com/2012/11/05/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
http://diaryofasuperchamp.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/help-i-am-distracted-i-just-cannot-focus/
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/to-know-his-truth/
Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved
News for the Soul or Whatever
I have a difficult time keeping up with my own life, much less what is going on in the world of communication. Below are a few worthy news stories:
Lance Armstrong botched up bad
Baby Kiko
New baby Giraffe named Kiko: Greenville Zoo
Donald Trump screams his own headline
“Jack” the cat escapes again
Eva Longoria: looking for love in all the wrong places
Justin and Jessica finally in marital bliss; she wore pink
Clark Kent quit the “Daily Planet”
“Sandy” is now a hurricane similar to the “Perfect Storm” of 1991
85 mph is now in Texas
Beluga Whale sounds like a human
Normal or Nuts? Dr. Keith Ablow
Sainthood for New York nun
“Noah” updated
Man shows up for his own funeral
Russell Crow is “Noah?”
Parents post “goofy” photos of themselves on daughter’s facebook page as punishment
Take a ride in the sky! 62 miles up; 2 hour trip on Richard Branson’s
“Spaceship Two” for a measly $200,000.00!
Unmanned machines: The military’s robots
Royal Wedding in Luxembourg; somewhere in Europe
Gas Prices drop 12 cents in one week in SC; still not below $2.00 a gallon
Homeless man wins $200,000 Lottery
The Woolly Worm
Local grocery store stops selling sprouts
35th Annual Woolly Worm Festival held in Banner Elk, NC;
Worm races: winning worm wins $1,000.00
NC Pastor delivers sermon from new roof
Lost Elmo returned to 5-year-old
Will Tebow be traded? Oh no!
Be careful what you eat; what is in your seafood?
Apple’s IPAD Mini: fits in your hand for a small fortune
And then there is James Bond, my favorite in the new movie “Skyfall” in US theatre’s November 9th.
So, there you have it. What could be more important?
Oh. Kim Kardashian’s latest fashion mistake.
Luke 8:18 “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
http://terry1954.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/so-what-makes-you-laugh/
http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/the-great-task-at-hand/
Al Capone Wasn’t the Only “Scarface”
“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
False accusations hurled at God’s people are often the last hit before promotion.
Since that is what God says in Job 42:10 then my double portion is on the way.
Remember the guy/girl you gazed at from a distance in high school? The one you admired as the star of everyday classrooms? They spoke to you only if necessary or the hall was so crowded they couldn’t avoid it. Your heart melted like candle wax as time passed and they noticed you.
Months of hopeful waiting for a meaningful conversation go by until one day it happened.
“Does anyone have the answers to last week’s English test?”
Your heart pounding, the proverbial lump in your throat forms as if to protrude from your neck and you ask yourself: “would that be cheating? Oh, but this is my chance.”
“I do.” The crowd thins as the love of your life saunters toward you.
The conversation silently presents itself and you write on a piece of heart framed paper the needed link to confirm your affections.
Thanking you for the noted lifeline to their graduation they begin to walk away.
Turning around the last words you ever wanted to hear flow out of their mouth was,
“Now what is your name?”
As if “Scarface” himself had entered the room only to slash your cheek, for days you sink to unknown lengths. Picking yourself up off the floor was not an option. The blood runs thick through the pain of despondency and dejection.
Hate filled thoughts slip through your mind. Piercing their heart wasn’t enough to ease your misery; you want revenge.
Of course that annoying, little voice whispers in your ear, “remember, don’t pay back evil for evil.” (Romans 12:17)
Years of facing Scarface most likely strike us all at one point or another. Different scenarios occur like this one in all kinds of relationships but the end result is a tell-tell sign of our maturity and growth.
Raising the ladder of trust with people is giving them a Totem Pole they can’t climb.
Asking them to do or give what they don’t have to begin with is often trial and error but diminishes respect for them and leans towards great disappointment.
Even as our wrong nature clings to that which we would like to receive is the open-eyed observation that Scarface isn’t at all what you thought. Your aim in believing their Christ-like claim is shot to pieces in a few ignorant words. Their egotistical behavior and arrogant self-admiration is notably their first goal in life.
Quickly and sadly, the truth surfaces and the ugly scar shines brighter than a 100 watt light bulb. The grieving begins of wasted time, effort and emotions we laid out as optimism settled in we could bring them closer to Christ.
Al Capone
Why don’t we see the superficiality and pompous attitude before the scar shows up?
Why are we blinded to the sinister corruption of their hearts as they use scripture and Biblical affirmations to back up their position?
Because we want for them what we have found in Jesus so much, the effort is worth it.
Getting in the gate is first and foremost, but many stop as soon as the door hits their rear-ends.
Just as Jesus trained disciples, so has he done with us.
As we move forward into the supernatural world of Christ, we know the joys and blessings are beyond the gate.
The age-old question of “isn’t there more to this life?” sinks deep in many who believe they have it all together. The boat is waiting but they aren’t quite ready to step in.
Self-sufficiency for the thick-skinned is like a drowning man without the life jacket he refused.
You can take a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it. We know he needs it, but it is up to him to lean over and take that first gulp.
Pride came through the gate with them instead of leaving it at the cross when they accepted Jesus. Scarface has his name on the list but he forgot to wash his face.
Titus 3: 10-11 “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”
Whether they end it with you or vice-versa, you have done all you can do humanly speaking. Give them to God, pray diligently for them and believe for a miracle.
Years may pass but your prayer is prominent for this soul left with his shirt tail stuck in the locked gate.
And….one day you get that phone call or message; Scarface much more humble now says,
“I’m ready now. Would you help me get rid of these scars?”
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/sin-and-misery/
http://thewayeverlasting.com/2012/09/12/quote-mastered/
http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/is-our-faith-genuine-3/
http://jesuscarriesme.com/2012/09/22/controlling-your-tongue-instead-of-your-tongue-controlling-you/
Football Players don’t Walk on Water
This may come as a shock to some of you but I am not a football fan.
Believe me I have tried to be. The sports junkie in me has never been able to adopt the hard knocks, driven tackles and obnoxious coaches.
The dangerous game of football has nothing on Russell Crowe. “The Gladiator” may have experienced concussions, broken bones and even death, but football is right behind it. At least the pros make enough money to put their bodies back together once they turn 40 and can’t move.
Questionable behaving fans screaming from the sidelines like life depended on the next touchdown.
Cheerleaders throwing each other around, swinging pom-poms and shouting,
“Let’s go! Let’s Go!”(Go where?)
Besides the fact I live on the east side of two of the most competitive college teams in history is a threat to my intelligence. These seemingly two menageries have been fighting each other on the field for decades. Yes, that is what I said. Menageries as if the teams are on exhibition for exotic actions in the end zone.
Add to these two is our Pastor’s team and you have the Gamecock Tigers fighting the Florida Gators. He is hard pressed not to keep his team out of a sermon.
And if the battle isn’t bad enough on the field, the fans are tailgating, chicken eating, and beer drinking buddies who make “the game” a conversation piece run wild.
Not that I was ever a NC State or North Carolina fan somehow my allegiance is there only because it is my home state.
But betraying that non-allegiance is not something I can bring myself to do. I must admit the two NC teams are just as bad as the SC teams when it comes right down to their field of football dreams and loyalty.
The local TV stations are all about football. Not only is the coverage spread across the state from August to December, you read about it on billboards, in newspapers and observe the collegiate flags flying around neighborhoods.
Our society’s culture is a picture of sports. We live it. Breathe it. And love it. The national past time of sports is big business.
Football and the American obsession with it is an example of where our priorities are. It is one of many sports keeping our attention. It may not be sports; it could be any one of many diversions from life.
Whatever the compulsion or fascination we are swayed by such neurosis as an escape, stress reliever or entertainment beyond infatuation; we are simply making a King that cannot save us.
Life needs balance; and priorities should be in order of importance.
Especially during football season.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.”
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/the-neglect-of-moral-training/
http://freedomborn.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/mountain-moving-faith/
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/when-the-race-is-ended/
Dots
media4lifephotography.com
Connecting the dots isn’t always easy. Just when you think you have them connected something comes along and erases them, disconnects them or moves them around.
Once disconnected, reconnecting them is not as easy as originally thought.
Why? The dots become rigid, uneven or mushy. They won’t stick together. And sticking together allows them to line up correctly.
Life is balance or it was designed to be. As with connecting dots our life needs to be lined up with God who gives us balance.
All of a sudden, evil throws a curve no one saw coming.
All of a sudden we are hit with the incomprehensible.
All of a sudden we are disconnected.
Or are we?
Somehow the workings of God show up in disconnecting dots. Even in the midst of horror unthinkable, he is there with his army shedding protection invisible to the human eye.
“What is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4: 18.
In the wake of senseless tragedies our nation wakes up and prays.
In what appears to be the lurking evil of evils the supernatural workings of God spare us from what we don’t see or might ever know.
In the realm of misguided demonic wickedness is a God who brings forth miracles in the middle of impossibilities.
God cannot create disorder but when it erupts, God reconnects the dots placing them in the order in which he designed them.
1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”
Whatever you may be dealing with or facing, if it is not peaceful, it is not God. Recognizing the difference is a step of faith; a moment of definition in a world of rancorous poison. In those moments he whispers in your ear a word of hope or wisdom to take the next step forward.
As we move forward trying to reconnect the dots after the Aurora massacre, continue to pray for the families of those who lost loved ones. Pray for the injured to be healed along with any emotional needs to be addressed and treated.
Pray for our nation to humble ourselves to seek God and his presence.
And thank God for reconnecting the dots in our lives to match up with his.
http://highlyfavored74.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/2733/
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/the-lord-would-have-the-wicked-made-known/
http://singularspectrum.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/hope-for-aurora/
Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved
My Song wasn’t Written by Josh Groban
God gifted many people with the vocal cords of angels. Musical geniuses, worship leaders, choirs, the Jennifer Hudson’s and Josh Groban’s of the world are blessed to open their mouths for all to hear their Adams Apples move.
We are surrounded by music on the radio, TV, concerts, Church and even in the shower. Musical prodigies and instrumental virtuoso’s have no limit in today’s culture. The harmonious melodies of all varieties are heard from the “Church in the Wildwood” to The National Anthem to American Idol.
Venues of rock concerts to the local taverns have skyrocketed talent that otherwise we would never know about.
But….I don’t have Celine Dion’s larynx or our church worship leader’s vocal box. The day God gave “sets of lungs” I must have been absent. Why he didn’t give me notice I still haven’t figured out.
I wanted to sing. Not sound like a croaking frog or a sick cow.
Why wouldn’t God want me to be able to sing like Bob Marley or Janis Joplin?
Why wouldn’t God gift me to spread his word through song? My husband has an esophagus that could serenade Juliet.
How did that happen? Was he in a different gift line than me? Or did God leave me out on purpose?
It’s bad enough I have no ability whatsoever to carry a tune, playing a musical instrument is worth a call to 911 for noise disturbance. There was no point in trying out for a tour with Josh Groban.
Worshipping God is difficult when the sounds reverberate from your throat like a squealing pig. So what does one do that has no tone? No melody? No harmony?
Enjoy the great and talented voices of others God has gifted.
Realize that just because we weren’t born to sing, doesn’t mean our gifts are any less useful or needed.
Search for the gifts and talents that God gave someone who was never meant to sing.
Moses had a speech impediment. The day he saw a “burning bush” he probably hadn’t written on his calendar, “Today I become the Deliverer.”
Joseph was treated with total disdain by his own brothers. The day he became the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt probably wasn’t his answer to ” What do you want to do when you grow up?”
And we can’t forget the Apostle Paul who hated Jesus and anyone who followed him. An educated Jew, Paul was blinded by God on a road trip. Did he wake up that morning, pack his bags and schedule a meeting with God to reform his ideologies of what it meant to be a Pharisee? Do you believe he expected that day on the Damascus road to become a “Jesus Fanatic?” Naaa….that wasn’t on his to do list.
Many are born with gifts and automatically know what to do with them.
But many are not born with natural gifts. Our journey is different.
It is like getting up on the wrong side of the bed and falling out of it.
Trial and error can turn into years of seeking God to find his plan for us as individuals. Along the way he may grant us clues or signs but often still feel like we are in the dark.
We make the mistake on our Damascus roads of seeking the goal; of always looking for that moment of knowing why we are here so we can begin to do God’s work.
In God’s world it may not be the goal as much as the process. Life gets in the way of identifying we are doing the call of God every day.
The reflection of our hearts; the service of our hands, the written word in a blog.
The smile we shed on a downtrodden soul or the laughter we share in an offbeat joke.
Maybe our voice, our Adams Apple of music is simply living out our own Damascus Road in the light of God’s son in our little corner of the world.
http://ladydeidre.com/2012/07/15/soaring-season/
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/believing-is-the-proof-of-the-spirits-work/
http://jesuscarriesme.com/2012/07/14/security-comes-from-faith-and-obedience/
http://diasolifeontheborder.org/2012/07/14/gods-timing-is-perfect/
Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved
Ecclesiastes 3: 1 “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”
Did Jesus have a Facebook Page? 
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