Critics

As the KingdomBuilders Bible Study takes a break this week from Nehemiah, I'm pretty sick this week, I can't get the thought of Sanballat and Tobiah out of my mind. Critics...gotta luv 'em...or do we? j/k I'm sure there's a scripture about loving our enemies and stuff like that ;)

One of the things that has always been unsettling to me is the movie critic, well not just the movie critic most critics really, but let's stick with the movie critic. Here's a dude that makes a living hacking on some other dudes work. The critic has most likely never made a movie of his own, in fact he probably tried, but found out he had no talent. But what he did have was a sharp tongue...or pen...uh keyboard?

Anyways, that's why I try to do movie reviews mainly from a spiritual perspective. Sometimes the devil on the other side of the shoulder gets me, but for the most part I want to see something Biblical...something God may want to say from a movie rather than hack some dudes life's work! Because hey Directors, Writers, Actors, etc have feelings too.

Having someone critique you, watch every move you make, and judge your heart is like making a cool snow man and having a dog p!$ on it (see picture above).

Whenever I think I have someone nailed I try to think of this verse, But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Sam 16:7)

Even Samuel judged wrongly, by appearance...only God knows the heart. It's best to ask humble questions, than boastful accusations. That way we can understand the heart...and maybe, just maybe connect with the other person at a deeper level, than just random outward judgments.

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes, from Theodore Roosevelt. Hope this blog makes sense...if not I'm sure some critic will point it out.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection

New Trilogy Bundle

A Warm up for Number 4!

CoachZ | 05/13/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

All three discs have the theatrical version of the movies intact and unaltered, which is great. Some things ought to be left well enough alone. Plus, there are the teasers for the fourth film. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for May 22nd to come around!

Mothers Day BBQ

I went over to a friends for a Mother's Day BBQ. I thought it was awesome that he stuck all the chicken in this bundt pan!

27 Dresses

Even the Selfless Have Needs

Like, Taming That Sailor's Tongue?

CoachZ | 04/30/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

This movie reminds me of the saying, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” This movie also reminds me of the pre-flight warning: “If you are sitting next to someone that needs assistance with their oxygen mask, please make sure yours is secure first.”

Moondance Alexander

Direct to DVD

Kid tested and approved...

CoachZ | 04/30/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

This movie proves a couple of things for me: first, figure skaters can’t act (Sasha Cohen is in this one); second, Kids love the darndest movies (mine won’t stop watching it). Rent/Queue it (even if it’s for the kids).

My New Do

So I had a Pedro moment (from Napoleon Dynamite) and got real hot, so I decided to shave off most of my hair. This is #8 on the top and #7 on the sides. What do you think? I was inspired by the new Asian dude on Lost Ken Leung aka Miles Straume.

I guess he has more bangs...

Morro Bay Kite Festival

Linda took some time off this weekend, so the boys and I decided to have a Kite kinda Saturday. First we tried to check out the kite surfing Xpo by the Pismo Pier, but the wind wasn't up enough yet. So we headed for Morro Bay to check out the Kite Festival. I've never heard of this.

We ate some Kettle Korn and some halfway cooked chicken kabobs while we watched professional kite flyers fly their kites to music. I kid you not. It was pretty cool actually. Josh got a free no fuss kite that flies real well too!

I think we'll go next year!

My Friend Joe

This is my friend Joe. You can't see it real well, but he's holding a brown belt. At our Aikido dojo that's the level right before black belt. He was just promoted tonight.

Here's what I know about Joe. He's in his 60's, a war veteran, tough as nails ex-bar bouncer, he could probably kill you with his bare hands, and he's one of the kindest people I know. He decided a few years back to take Aikido because he didn't like the person he had become. The martial art is all about the art of self-defense through loving non-violent, non-resistent methods (aka no kicking, punching, jabbing fingers in your eyeballs kinda thing)

FYI this Dojo is run by a Christian Couple who daily share the Gospel with their students, through their lives, actions, as well as their words. Some have come to saving faith, but everyone IS loved!

I've been working at Full Circle Aikido for almost a year and a half and Joe has been there almost every time I have. I look forward to working with him, mainly because he's a real genuine tough guy and they are hard to find...even harder to hang out with.

So congratulations Joe! You deserve it.

Josh Flying Kite

1st Moblog

Here it is my 1st foray into mobblogging

Trashing the Bride

I randomly came across a blog, Trash the Dress. They trashed this dress but mostly it's pictures of brides in their dress in unorthodox places. Pretty cool and artistic...but a bit disturbing. Kinda like the trend that I'm seeing of trashing the bride of Christ, the Church. I keep seeing it; from my fellow writers on HollywoodJesus.com to rockers, even George Barna seems to be getting into it.

What are they saying? Stuff like:

• The Church is out of touch and irrelevant
• The Church is stupid and mean
• The Church isn't what Jesus intended
• The Church is the new Nazi regime (not kidding check out the documentary Rebellion of Thought)

Basically they are saying everyone should leave the church for this or that reason.

I'll be the first to admit there are issues. The first church I went to, the one that I got saved and married at, had an ugly split. Words cannot describe how horrendous a split is. It sent my wife and I into a spiritual tail spin.

I remember moving here and trying to find a church. My poor wife started looking through the yellow pages for a church and I just kept saying no. Anglican? No. Baptist? No. Calvary Chapel? No. Grace? No. Presbyterian? No. You get the picture.

God led us to CalvarySLO and I'm so glad he did. We reconnected with Jesus here and found so much healing. Beauty from ashes and that sort of thing. Is CalvarySLO perfect? No. But guess what Jesus reigns there. God is praised, Jesus is lifted up, and the Holy Spirit shows up often...Love rules the roost!

So what I learned is that some churches are messed up, some aren't. The CHURCH as a whole is not messed up. Why don't we treat church like we treat other things in our lives? If we visit a restaurant that gives us Montezuma's Revenge we don't stop going to all restaurants, we go to a different one that won't! If we go to a Doctor or Dentist that's a quack we don't lay off Doctors all together, especially if you have a broken arm or something, we find a different one.

So like me maybe you've had a horrific experience at a church...actually more than likely you have. But that's no reason to trash her. She's worth Jesus dying for her, she might be worth your effort to make her better. As the old saying goes, "Be part of the solution, not the problem."

The more I serve at CalvarySLO the more I realize it needs each and everyone that is there to love and serve it...sometimes die to ourselves. For example, I really wanted to see CalvarySLO doing a lot more in the community. First I started griping about it to everyone that would listen and every once in a while I'd send the pastors an e-mail about it. Nothing happened.

I had a choice. I could start trying to do more things in the community and see if others at CalvarySLO caught the same vision OR I could pout bitterly and leave the church. Guess which one I chose. Praise the Lord, he decided to make it stick and there seems to be quite a movement at CalvarySLO towards making God's name great in the community.

I love my church, but I also love the Church. Jesus died for her warts and all. The Rebellion of Thought folks said the Church is like a train on a collision course towards another oncoming train and we should all jump off. I kinda think a Christ like dude should tell everyone to go to the caboose while he disconnects the locomotive from the rest of the train.

Hope that makes sense...cause trashing the bride sure doesn't.

Walking with God

Walking with God

And Talking with Him, too...

It's possible and should be normal

CoachZ | 04/15/08 | Books, Reviews, Blogs

For me, Walking with God has confirmed a lot of things about my walking and talking relationship with God. For others, it may be the start of something radically new. Regardless it is a must read. I hope you’ll pick it up.

Recent Stuff

These are some random pics that were on my phone and I was clearing them.

First one was today 4/14. Had a pretty rough week last week so I took a maintenance day (that's adult speak for playing hookie from school - at my work we get 2 weeks worth!)

I walked to my old stomping grounds the Oceano Dunes Recreation Area. I know you couldn't tell just by looking at me but I used to be an ATV riding, mullet flying out of my helmet, I love the smell of two stroke gasoline in the morning kinda guy. It's been a long time since I jumped my friend's dad's sand rail out in the California desert, but I still remember I felt like Luke Duke jumping the General Lee!


This is a picture of dinner at my neighbor's (Phil & Megan). They cooked us BBQ'd Tri-Tip (notice the perfect red areas?), a wonderful root vegetable medley with delicately cooked mushrooms, oh and green beans served the only way I like veggies...w/ bacon!

I smothered my whole dish with the juices on the cutting board from the meat, is that bad?





Phil was good enough to brew me a decaf espresso to go with my deelish strawberry shortcake that my equally deelish bride put together.












Here are Josh and Maeve playing! I did a little forced perspective here so Maeve looks like a Giant compared to little hobbit Jason...who is actually sitting down.










Hope you like the pics. When I used to come up here to Oceano Dunes I was not a Christian, but I remember something in my heart being moved by the beauty and vibrancy of that area. The colors always seemed crisper there, the air so clear, and the sky a blue I had never seen. It may have had to do with the fact that I lived in a suburb of a suburb of LA. The colors there can always be described in shades of brown with a touch of smog.

When I went back there today I saw it again...the beauty and the vibrancy. And my heart was moved to worship, the God who had created all of it. I wonder about all the people who were there, camping and riding mechanized vehicles of all sorts, if they too were moved, without knowing why...I hope they will some day!

When we went to Phil and Megan's house, Phil kept saying, "Man I can't believe it took us 6 years to get together for dinner." Isn't that weird? Six years of going to the same church AND being neighbors and never getting together to share a meal. It's a sad comment on our busyness and how we take for granted that we can always do it another time.

Here's to having them over next! (Before another 6 years goes by!)

Review Queue...what's in the hopper?

Here are the Screeners I have waiting for a review. The review should come out on the date of release. I also put an asterisk next to the DVDs I want to see, but don't have a screener for.

Dan in Real Life, DVD Release 3/11/08*
The Seeker, DVD Release 3/18/08
I am Legend, DVD Release 3/18/08*
Walk the Line 2 Disc Extended Cut, DVD Release 3/25/08
Alvin & the Chipmunks, DVD Release 4/1/08
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, DVD Release 4/8/08
Lions for Lambs, DVD Release 4/8/08
Music Within, DVD Release 4/8/08
Resurrecting the Champ, DVD Release 4/8/08
Juno, DVD Release 4/15/08


I'm doing a book:
Walking with God by John Eldredge, Release 4/15/08 (It's real good...)

Alvin & the Chipmunks DVD

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Now on DVD

Who has your best interests at heart?

CoachZ | 04/01/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

The tension between Dave Seville and Ian Hawke made it interesting to me. Bottom line we have to ask ourselves: who has our best interests at heart, God (Dave) or Satan (Ian)? I hope you come up with the same conclusion as these animated chipmunks!

Duck Day DooDoo

Eight years ago Saturday, my wife was very pregnant with our 1st son Josh. She decided to go feed the ducks down in Oceano at the Pier St. pond. She had Josh the very next day and she has made tradition of feeding the ducks with Josh, Grandma, and later Jason the day before Josh's birthday.

This year Duck Day ended up being on a Saturday so I was able to go. There weren't very many ducks, but there sure were a lot of Seagulls (aka rats with wings). So we decided to feed them. They decided to...well bomb me with poo.

The above picture is the first attack. I then put my hood on, because there were seagulls everywhere in the air. The picture below is the second bombing. I was holding the Trader Joe's bag in front of my pants and I got this gift.


It was a great time, I was so glad to be able to go with the family. I have to laugh that these seagulls had such a field day pooing on me when all i was trying to do was feed them. It got me thinking about what I do to God. He provides everything I need, not want, but need and I poo on him by complaining or not being thankful.

Lord help me not to be a seagull!

For a much better take on the event check out my bride's blog.

What MovesMen?

This is my sword. My beautiful bride Linda gave it to me for our 10th Anniversary. It's a constant reminder to war for God's Kingdom, my home and family, as well as Jesus' bride the church.

If you recognize the sword that is because it is an exact replica of Anduril, the sword wielded by Aragorn in the movie version of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. As a side note we did not tell each other what we were getting, but I bought Linda an exact replica of the pendant Arwen wore in the movies. She is my Evenstar.

Ok...to the reason of this post. When we have guests over to our house for the first time I usually show them the sword, especially if there are men in the group. I'm always amazed at the reaction of the men, or boys.

We could be having a fine conversation very civil, lots of fun and all that, throughout the whole time, but when I break out the sword a transformation comes over them. All of a sudden they are alive, animated and well...engaged. The women for the most part are interested, but the reaction of the males in the room is very evident, they are into the sword.

This always gets me thinking:

• What is it about a sword or gun (even airsoft!) or weapon that so touches the heart of a man?
• Why doesn't it touch the heart of a woman in the same way?
  
• Is that good or bad or just different?
• What is the spiritual connection?

Anyways, just something that came up and MovedMe yesterday as we had some special people over that hadn't seen the sword yet. We were having a great conversation and I remembered they hadn't seen it. There was a family there Father/Husband, Mother/Wife, son and daughter. Let's just say there was huge excitement coming from the testosterone side of the family!

Huh...go figure.

Walk the Line 2 Disc Special Extended Cut

Walk the Line

Extended Cut Now Out

Johnnny and June Share More Than Just Initials With JC

CoachZ | 03/25/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

Walk the Line is very much about Jesus. And what is amazing is I can’t recall his name mentioned once, but it is still about him. Specifically it is about how Jesus came after sinner extraordinaire Johnny Cash through June Carter and her family.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

Life Isn't What You Expect

That's actually a good thing...

CoachZ | 03/18/08 | Movies, Previews, On DVD

Will Stanton is called into a fantastic adventure, but it’s hard… real hard. See, Will is the chosen one, a seventh son of a seventh son, who must seek out 6 signs that will turn away an evil being bent on destroying the earth. In doing so he can save the world.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Eccentric or Cute?

It Might Amaze You Half to Death

CoachZ | 03/04/08 | Blogs, Previews, On DVD

My 7-year-old son said, “This movie amazes me half to death.” So apparently there is something about it that interested him as well, thus the recommendation I have for it. Some of it haunts me and I don’t know why yet, even after watching it a few times.