And Now We Find Ourselves Here

So I was watching the tube the other day and I saw an advertisement for a new movie. Keep in mind this was during prime time.  The title was "Zach and Miri Make a Porno". As I sat and watched the commercial, feeling somewhat dumbfounded, I couldn't help but be a little shocked as to what now passes as fair game for mainstream comedy. IMDB has this for the synopsis:

Lifelong platonic friends Zack and Miri look to solve their respective cash-flow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.

Now, I wouldn't be surprised that if you sat down and watched this movie (which I am not recommending, by the way), that you might actually find a few funny scenes, and probably even some heart-warming moments. After all, they are almost billing it as a romantic comedy.  But the basic premise of the movie just steps over another line.  It's been the practice of the movie industry for years to throw a smattering of bad language, a little nudity, and a couple of bedroom scenes into their "Rated R" comedies for years, but it this just seems to be a new low.

I understand that this movie has an "R" rating, and is therefore intended for "adults".  I've never been accused of being a prude (at least not to my face), but it just feels like ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is now fair game for the media in songs, movies, and television.  There's no longer any sense of the sacred or profane.  Nothing is too holy that it can't be made fun of, and nothing is too profane that it can't be slathered all over prime-time television.  

In my opinion, and that's all it is, this just reeks of the media latest attempt to find something new and provocative, to push the envelope, and to be the one that breaks new ground "artistically".

But, for me personally, this was ground that I would have love to have left unbroken.

If You Are of the Praying Kind...

Hello all.

My older sister, Teresa, was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. She began chemo a few weeks ago, and seems to be doing well. At this time, she seems to be feeling pretty good most days.

Her attitude and outlook have been incredible throughout the entire ordeal.

So, for those of you that pray, I'm asking that you add her to your list. She reads my blog at times as well, so if you would like to give her any words of encouragement, feel free to comment away!

Thank you.

The Cowboys Game...in 30 Seconds or Less

Let's just say, for fun, that you hid in our back room tonight during the Cowboy game. This is what you would have heard:

C'mon!! What were you thinking?

Go! Go! Go!

What? Give me a break!!

Not again...hold on to the football!!

Go, Crayton, go! Wahoo!!

Nathanael, don't hit the TV.

Folk...what is wrong with you?!??!

Stop them, stop them, stop...aw, man.

Yes!

You've got to stop them. You've got to...

C'mon Dallas! You can do it, just move that ball.

C'mon Folk, c'mon Folk...yes!!!!!!

Great, now just get into field goal range.

Okay, now hold 'em and get that ball back.

Watch out! They're gonna...I can't believe that just happened.

And of course, this is all my wife talking.

The Will of God (aka: What's for dinner?)

My friend Jeff just put up a new post today. It deals, in part, with his need to redefine his "calling" outside of the traditional church setting.

His blog got me to thinking, and I started to comment, but as I started typing, I realized I had too much to say and I should really just blog it.

--

Over the last couple of years, the Lord has been revealing to me that "doing the will of God" is quite often a small, or seemingly (to us) random thing. Sometimes we only seek His will for things like: Who do I marry? Do I take this job?

But if you look at the life of Jesus, you see it is made up of equal parts big and small events. Of course, he had a HUGE calling and destiny (to die for the sins of the world, etc.), but if you look at his life moment by moment, it's like this:

Jesus went here. Then he traveled there. Then he talked to this guy. Then he talked to that gal. Then he prayed. Then he went in a boat.

Even when the crowds were following him and he was performing miracles, afterwards when he pulled away with just the disciples, some of the most powerful words he spoke were spoken in that intimate setting.

One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 12:2-

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

That scripture has always blown my mind -- you mean we can "test and approve what God's will is"?  Wow.  But it starts with renewing your mind.

I've heard lots of people talk about "renewing your mind", and they are normally referring to keeping out the "bad stuff".  I agree with that - garbage in, garbage out.  But sometimes, I think some of our religious mindsets have to be renewed as well.

Sometimes people only put the "will of God" in a mystical, gigantic, major decision category.  But I think that God's will should effect everything in our lives.  We are all in "full time ministry", if you know what I mean.

Should I become a missionary?  Big decision, and certainly  part of determining God's will for my life.

Should I talk to my co-worker that's having a hard day?  Doesn't seem like that big of a decision...probably not going to change MY life.  But it could possibly change theirs.

I joking alternately titled this blog "What's for dinner?" That's a tongue in cheek way of saying if we only try to bring God into the BIG decisions, the MONUMENTAL decisions, I think we limit what God can do through us.

Praying about what shirt to wear today? Probably overkill. Asking for direction about who might need a phone call this week? Why not?

WOW!! Aaroneous Findings Reaches the Big 5-0!

Well, this is it, my 50th blog!  Others might wait for 100 to make a milestone, but not me!  Especially not with the rate I've been churning them out lately (SLOOOWWWWLLYYY).

For those of you who are my faithful readers (both of you), thank you very much!!  It is always nice to hear a "I read on your blog" or "that was cool when you said...".  One of those every once in a while makes it all worth it.

Anyway, I am going to be involved in a little side project.   Some friends and I are going to watch 50 "classic" movies and give our thoughts and recommendations about them.  The movies were filmed between the beginning of WWII and the present, and include no foreign language films.  We compiled our list using the Time Top 100 List, the AFI Top 100 List, and the IMDB Top 250 List. Every few weeks we will watch another movie, and then Kristen will post her thoughts (along with ours) on a new blog she's just created:

Silver Screen Sandwich

Hope you stop by sometime and see what's up with that!

(Pretty wimpy blog for number 50, huh?)