[[*---Don't Catch Me As I Fall---*]]

Saturday, May 20, 2006

[[TOP TEN SURPRISES IN “THE DA VINCI CODE”]]

By Dave Tippett

10. In Last Supper painting, Da Vinci drew himself in background as waiter preparing the bill

9. In the painting, James seen listening to iPod in background

8. In movie, TV in background has old “Andy of Mayberry” episode on, the one where Aunt Bea warns Opie to not be involved in no heresy

7. One disciple at Last Supper table seems to have Nike swoosh on his sandal

6. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” revealed to have been first wife of that American Gothic farmer guy with the pitch fork

5. Was discovered that Da Vinci was insanely jealous of the ancient ancestor of Thomas Kincaide and their better-selling “The Soft Lighting Last Supper” painting

4. Da Vinci’s followup painting was first velveteen Elvis

3. The Books of Judas and Mary Magdalene traced to goofy teens on MySpace.com

2. “Code” actually just Da Vinci’s ATM card pin

1. Closer examination of Last Supper’s tablecloth reveals food strains that map out who shot JFK

Copyright 2006 Dave Tippett (djtippHA@yahoo.com). Permission is granted to send this to others, with attribution, but not for commercial purposes.

[[ Falling On ]]*|1:08 AM|

[[Too much ado about Da Vinci: Is Asia more concerned about the movie?]]

There's so much Da Vinci Code news lately that I swore to myself NOT to watch the movie. Seriously, information overload, people. Interestingly enough, there's been lots of reaction from the church authorities here (and in Asia) - almost every day there are articles from the leaders of the church emphasising that The Da Vinci Code is fiction. Looks like church leaders in Malaysia are really worried about the impact this movie/book has on Christians/non-Christians.

In Thailand, they were so worried that ten minutes of the movie's ending was censored. (Apparently, they did it because of pressures from church leaders.) How that could improve matters is a mystery, and I really doubt anyone would want to see a movie when they know that there's not going to be an ending! Though, in the end, the censorship board apparently relented and decided to show the entire movie. (Good news for the distributors!)

China's official Catholic church, meanwhile, is calling for a boycott. Manila is banning the movie. Malaysia, at least in the paper I work for, has oodles of articles in the newspapers reminding us about the fact and fiction of The Da Vinci Code.
So, is it my imagination, or does it seem like Asian Christians are more concerned about The Da Vinci Code than our Western counterparts?

I think so.

[[ Falling On ]]*|1:07 AM|

[[What kind of person was Judas?]]

I was taught, whether through literature or through speakers, that Judas was evil. So evil that hell didn't even want him, according to a movie I once watched. (He became the father of vampires, interestingly enough!)

But is the real Judas evil? Or was he simply misguided? Was he very much like you and me, only that he thought by betraying Jesus he could force Jesus into action? A speaker (can't remember who!) once theorised that Judas was frustrated by Jesus' lack of interest in a revolution to overthrow the Romans. He thought that by initiating the capture of Jesus, he'd force Him into action. He has seen Jesus' powers, after all. He was pretty sure that Jesus would defend Himself or be forced into some kind of action when he was captured by the Romans.

Of course, we know how that turned out. Was Judas in it for the money? I don't think so ... why then throw away the money? Or was he overcome by such remorse by his greedy actions that he was disgusted with himself?

The thing is, scary as it may seem, I think there's a bit of Judas in each of us. Isn't there a part of us that says that we have to do some "necessary evil" to do "some good"? Perhaps that's what Judas was thinking when he betrayed Jesus.

I began thinking about Judas thanks to The Bloke's (from In the Outer) series of great posts about Judas: Was Judas misunderstood? and Can we learn anything from Judas?

He asks an interesting question:

So, was Judas saved? Was he doing the will of God by delivering the Son of God to be crucified for the sins of the world? Or did he lose his faith? Perhaps he did not even believed from the start? Even so, did Christ’s bountiful mercy and grace reach out to him?
And I wonder: Will we see Judas in Heaven?

[[ Falling On ]]*|1:04 AM|

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

[[Everlasting Friends]]

We were strangers that seek for a friendship.
The times we spent with each other made us inseparable.
The problems we solved together made us wiser.
We laughed together,
and we cried on each other shoulders.
We shared secrets and stories.
When we needed help with anything
we had each other to depend on.
We tutored each other.
We did homework together,
and started gossip too.
We played spades on the cafeteria table,
and said jokes too.
We played volleyball, softball, and
occasionally basketball.
The times we had in school were fun.
We had difficult tasks,
but sticking together like we did got us through.
We are everlasting friends
and no matter what happen we will always
have each other in the end.
You can only lose friendship
when your memory of that person is erased.
You will always be in my
past, present, and future memories.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:59 PM|

[[J E S U S]]

A virgin birth, as a baby born,
God's only son Jesus, born Christmas morn.
Fulfilling prophesy that prophets told.
Miracle of miracles as His life unfold.

Wonderful Counselor, His will we must seek.
Guiding mankind from the rich to the meek.
Mighty God He is known to all to be.
Everlasting Father throughout eternity.

King of Kings, He is greater than all.
No kingdom greater has man ever saw.
Lord of Lords, He deserves our praise.
As He cares for you all of your days.

As Immanuel, God with us He'll be.
The Prince of Peace from strife to set free.
No matter the name that He may be to you.
Remember He loves you, no matter what you do.

Carla Bell

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:59 PM|

[[The Everlasting Voices]]

O SWEET everlasting Voices, be still;
Go to the guards of the heavenly fold
And bid them wander obeying your will,
Flame under flame, till Time be no more;
Have you not heard that our hearts are old,
That you call in birds, in wind on the hill,
In shaken boughs, in tide on the shore?
O sweet everlasting Voices, be still.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:58 PM|

[[Everlasting Sorrow]]

I cry out like a slave being tortured
The pain is everlasting
The grave of my ancestors
Calls out my name
Struggles of life keep me down
That's why you see me wear this frown
It signifies my unhappiness
It justifies my sorrow
Its a warning sign to all
When they see me they see horror
I have been dragging my self
Through the dirt of lies and hate
Not knowing if the next day
I'll have food on my plate
The clothes on my back are old and torn
But they cover the wounds and scars
Of my skin
A reminder of what i've been through
And what is to come
I sing my song of freedom so
God may hear my cry
But God has turned away
And left me to fend in this dismay

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:57 PM|

[[Everlasting]]

Something to keep something to give
Something that teaches one how to live

As precious as gold as light as a feather Something to appreciate no matter the weather

A gift of the heart a gift of the soul
A gift not bought a gift not sold

Life changing it's true
A gift for me a gift for you

Once you have it you won't let go
For it keeps within your soul

Everlasting describes its grasp
Far reaching makes it last

Maybe you guessed it maybe you can
I call it Everlasting for it rings true

The gift is Joy for me for you

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:57 PM|

[[And The Moon And The Stars And The World]]

long walk at night
the breeze freezes my spirit
the moon warms it up
pulling at my poetic soul
the crickets sing their poems to the night
a million other insects contribute their share
to loosen up the night
for lovers, husbands and wives
while a tide of words too
creep in all directions in my mental sphere
saturates the poetic bar of the intellect
waiting to be strummed into verses
the rhythm swims along with them
as i write out verse by verse
the moon my friend shares its light
the night wind inspires
lovelorn stars wave all the way
a million light years away
heralding the birth of a song
sparkling, twinkling
guided by intricate orchestration of the night
before gracing the written page
long walk in the night
even the insects with the lamps
start to lend me their lights
between the twinke of the stars
they dance, sing, beat out a dance

inspired by

And The Moon And The Stars And The World
-
Long walks at night-
that's what good for the soul:
peeking into windows
watching tired housewives
trying to fight off
their beer-maddened husbands.

Charles Bukowski

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:54 PM|

[[Friends and Lovers]]

Sometimes I feel sad and sometimes I feel blue
but whenever I see you, I'm as happy as can be
for you bring a smile upon my face
and a feeling of joy within my heart
you're like my sunshine in the morning
and my stars that glow at night
you're like the waves in the ocean
the cool breeze in the wind
like the call of the birds in the morning dew
like the sounds of beauty in the night
you see all of these things are of beauty and love
that's how I feel whenever you are near
for it was the passion and desire from both of us
that opened up the world for our eyes to see
for our love of each other will grow and grow
and our needs and desires will be more everyday
for a friend you once were and will always be
has turned into love as it should have been
so I want you to know as a friend and lover
that in my heart and arms you'll always stay
for our love for each other will never fade.

andli litt

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:53 PM|

[[A Broken Promise and You.]]

It was a time of new. New school, new classes, new teachers, new friends, and new possibilities. School was ok, classes were fine, kids were different, teachers were cool. But then... then there was you. Always alone. You didn’t really talk much. So I didn’t notice you. Til someone pointed you out. But I promised myself. I promised. After him I promised. I promised myself that I wouldn't fall again. But you... you were... are different. Quiet. A loner. Well... I broke that promise. For you. Only you. I don’t really understand why. I hardly know you. Hardly. Know. You. But I want to. I want to know you. Do you want me to know you? Do you want to know me too? Well…? What are you waiting for.

Floy Devlin

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:52 PM|

[[Friends Till The End]]

When I rise up early in the morning
The first thing I do, is think of you
Cause you know how to get me started
each new day I'm about to go through.
When my world goes crazy,
you're always there to show your love
You've never ever let me down
There's one thing I know for sure
with you my dreams will come true
Since you're the only one there for me,
We will be friends till the end.

Eunice Ogunleye

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:49 PM|

[[friends]]

Of all the friends I've ever met,
You're the one I won't forget.
And if I die
Before you do
I'll go to heaven
And wait for you
I'll give the angels
Back their wings
And risk the loss
Of everything
Just to prove
My friendship is true.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:44 PM|

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

[[Jesus christ : the real story]]

Introduction

Who was Jesus? Few will dispute that a man named Jesus lived 2,000 years ago and that He was a great teacher who impacted the world from His time forward.

He made a claim that was breathtaking in its audacity—that He was the very Son of God. For much of His lifetime He commanded only a small following, people who believed that claim and considered Him their promised Deliverer and King. Many others later came to believe that He was the Son of God as a result of the testimony of those followers.

Yet during His time the religious authorities rejected Him as the Son of God. Many of His statements were so contrary to their teachings and traditions that they opposed Him and eventually succeeded in having Him put to death.

Likewise, the local Roman authorities also saw Him as a threat and became complicit in His execution, being the ones who actually carried it out. The religions of His day opposed the growth of His teachings and used unlawful and violent means to try to destroy the Church He founded. The government of Rome also came to vigorously persecute the followers of this Jewish teacher from Galilee.

Controversy about Jesus continues

Today Jesus remains a controversial figure. The record of Jesus' life as recorded in the Gospel accounts has come into question in many ways. For example, the Gospel writers presented the miracles of Jesus as supernatural. Today, however, many rationalize them away as a normal function of nature misunderstood at the time, or they simply dismiss them altogether as fables.

Yet another and more modern reconstruction of the true Jesus appears in books and movies about His life. For example, most people have come to accept a popular likeness of Jesus far different from the way He really looked 2,000 years ago. These portrayals give an inaccurate picture of Christ's humanity. Such movies as The Last Temptation of Christ and the stage play Jesus Christ Superstar, along with countless television productions, have left a lasting impression on our minds and in the process distorted, as we will see, the true historical Jesus.

Of course, one can easily point to variations in the beliefs and practices of those who've claimed to be Jesus' followers down through the centuries and rightfully ask the questions, "Who is the real Jesus, anyway? And why should I want to follow Him?"

Certainly if you take His statements as recorded by His first-century disciples literally, and then you consider all that has happened since, you may well perceive that most of those who have professed to follow Jesus over the centuries actually haven't—and the same is true today.

Yet you might conclude that this is only to be expected—that Jesus taught nice but impractical ideas, things that can't really work in the real world. Then again, perhaps the old saying, "the trouble with Christianity is that it has never been tried," has a lot of truth to it. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Jesus I like, but I don't know about His followers."

Discovering the real Jesus

What is the real story? Can the true picture of Jesus emerge after 2,000 years of differing views? Who should we believe as we try to find it?

To know the real Jesus would include the fact that what He really taught, and what He really did, is essential for eternal life. Praying to His Father, Jesus said, "This is eternal life: to know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3, Revised English Bible, emphasis added throughout).

Did Jesus do what the records show? Was He—is He—really who He claimed to be? Can it be proved historically? Or are we left to simply accept it on blind faith?

And then perhaps the most important question: Does it really matter?

Let's put it this way: If the story of Jesus is a myth, if the reported events of His life along with His claims and teachings are the fabrication of a small group of conspirators, then it certainly doesn't matter. We are then left to devise the meaning of human life from our own imaginations.

But if Jesus Christ is who He says He was—the Son of God who came to earth to live as a human being, who died at the hands of fellow human beings and who was raised from the dead three days and three nights later—then that changes everything.

For this one single event—God living and dying as a man—then becomes the most amazing event in the entire history of humanity.

It puts all of us in a situation that requires our full attention—because it leaves us ultimately accountable for how we choose to respond.

[[ Falling On ]]*|10:30 PM|

[[]]

A Two-way Relationship
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. - Isaiah 50:4b

The prophet Isaiah describes his relationship to God as a relationship that has two-way communication. Have you ever felt that your communication with God was only one way - you to Him only? Isaiah tells us, "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.... The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back" (Is. 50:4-5).

The key to Isaiah's relationship with God lies in four important principles:

1. He had an instructed tongue. Isaiah had given over rule of his life completely to God's purposes.

2. He knew the word of the Lord, which allowed him to sustain and encourage others.

3. He took time to listen.

4. He did not flee from the tough assignments. He didn't shrink back.

If we are to be able to listen to God, we must follow the same principles. Knowing and spending time studying God's Word allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind His instructions for what He wants for us. Recently, I became very busy in my work and other activities. It wasn't long before I felt distance between God and me. I had to make a conscious decision to carve out more time alone to listen, study, and meditate on His Word. This is the lifeline for the follower of Jesus. When we begin to lose the relationship, we are susceptible to becoming rebellious, going our own way. Invest your life in this relationship so that you may continue to hear His voice and sustain the weary ones around you.

[[ Falling On ]]*|5:07 PM|