This week I had the privilege of seeing the movie, Sarah's Choice, in its world premier location. I came into the theater very skeptical about how good it would be, but I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing it was!
It is the story of a young professional woman, Sarah, struggling to make ends meet while looking forward to a promotion. Her boyfriend, Matt is not so driven. In addition to being immature and not motivated to try to keep the job his uncle gave him, he often spends the night at Sarah's much to the dismay of her Christian mother. Her mom is very vocal about her displeasure about Sarah and Matt's relationship, but Sarah has long since abandoned God, because she believes he abandoned her.
After coming into work sick for a couple days, he coworker drags her to the bathroom and gives her a pregnancy test. When it comes out positive, they go to the clinic together. Even though Sarah does not care about following God anymore, she can't bear the idea of killing her child and doesn't believe that it is really a clump of cells like a wart, as the clinician tries to explain. On her way out, while she's seemingly alone on the elevator, a woman startles her and says, "don't do it." She explains that she will see three visions from God and gives her a Christmas card.
Okay, so here is where I really got a little irritated. I like realistic stories and the idea of having visions is slightly far fetched. Yet, Sarah has the same concerns later in the movie when she explains them to her mother's pastor and he said that it's still possible to have visions. And I do agree. But more on that later.
So, she wrestles with the idea and finally tells Matt that she's pregnant. He doesn't feel ready to marry Sarah or be a father and the two don't speak to each other for a while. During that time, Sarah does have visions, though, much to the dismay of her coworker. She sees visions of her daughter in different stages of her life. This is one of the great points of the movie: an aborted "fetus" is a child that otherwise would have had a life, filled with many experiences, some wonderful, some not so wonderful, but life nonetheless. And so begins her struggle: does she choose her career's future or her baby's future?
During Matt's struggle with what to do, he has a conversation with his uncle, that is possible the best scene of the movie. He asks his uncle if a marriage started because of an unplanned pregnancy could work out well, if people like that could truly love each other. His uncle tells him that all good marriages require work and that in order to get to the "great stuff" in marriage, you need to work through the "bad stuff."
In that scene where Sarah asks the pastor if she could trust the vision, he points out that if following the vision is something she knows is right and the other choice is wrong, it doesn't even matter that she had a vision. I love that concept.
One of the sweetest things in the movie is a scene with a bunch of girls releasing balloons with messages tied to them to float away. When Sarah asks what they're doing, the woman explains that it's a post-abortion healing activity. Girls write messages to their aborted babies, looking forward to seeing them in heaven, and it helps them move past the experience and receive God's forgiveness.
The film quality itself was awesome, unlike some of the Christian films that have been put out in past years. The acting was all very convincing. The costumes and sets were authentic and played along with the plot very well. It really wonderfully supports life and goes through some of the issues facing pregnant career women. Where the movie, Bella, asked the question, "what will she do with her baby if she keeps it?" this movie more asks, "what will she do with herself if she has a baby?" I think the movie goes through the idea very thoroughly and looks at all sides through characters that have made different choices. This is definitely a great tool for supporting life and adds some great ideas to the whole discussion.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Owl City--"If The Bombs Go Off, The Sun Will Still Be Shining"
Life gets terribly frustrating and upsetting sometimes. Today and this past week has really been one of those times for me. Music, though, really has a way of lifting my mood! And I just discovered the perfect artist that is doing that for me right now: Owl City. His stuff is addictive.
This music is so infectious. The main elements of the songs are techno beats, with drum loops and funky synthesizer sounds, reminiscent of the disco era. Adam Young, who comprises the entire Owl City "band" said that he's been influenced a lot by the European music and has a great respect for the DJs who have the ability to mix music so well.
His lyrics are captivating. So simple, "G-rated" as everyone calls them, but there's a certain profoundness underneath. Adam is a Christian; on his Myspace page he says, "I follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. He is my life, my strength, my all.1" Although some people criticize him for not being obvious about it in his songs, I have no trouble believing that. He says that his inspiration comes from his faith. With lyrics like, "When violet eyes get brighter and heavy wings grow lighter, I'll taste the sky and feel alive again and I'll forget the world that I knew,2" and "I get a thousand hugs, from ten thousand lightening bugs, as they try to teach me how to dance,3" and the thought of being "drenched in vanilla twilight,4" I can't help but think of heaven. The paradoxical thoughts and soul-stirring illustrations just give me shivers, because they allude to a world better than this one.
This guy inspires me. He made his music in his parents basement when he couldn't sleep. He finds it very inspirational to be alone in the calm windowless room, with no producers or recording engineers to interrupt his artistic flow. He has a lot of landscape paintings and "ethereal" nature photography in that room, the ideas of which, he says, creep into his music. Adam worked at Coca-Cola for two years and while he was there, he used the time to dream up the sound and look he wanted to have with his music. "Sometimes working in a monotonous environment can really free up your imagination,5" he says.
So, if you're having a bad day and need it to get better, or even when you're having a good day and want it to be phenomenal, listen to Owl City. There's something in the words "I've never been so afraid, but I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope, and that makes me feel brave,6" mixed with the upbeat sound that just makes the problems in life a little less intense. The cheery melodies go along with the message, so that it's easy to feel that there's hope and not just arbitrarily believe it.
I love how genuine this guy seems, too. In his music and blog posts, he presents this very authentic personality, that hopefully won't be hidden over time, due to his stalker-like fan following. In his promotional photos and music video, his face is never very visible, which I found odd at first, but realized that it's his humble way of showing that it's not about him, because in his fan photos, he has no problem smiling. I think it's just his way of not getting in the way of the music, the gift God gave him.
What's most refreshing is that he doesn't hide that he's a Christian. God is his number one influence, listed along with John Piper, C.S. Lewis and Rachel Joy Scott, the first girl killed at Columbine for being a Christian. As of October 1st, his song Fireflies is #3 on iTunes. Hopefully people in the music industry will notice this and realize that good music does sell and I hope that other Christians trying to succeed in the mainstream music world will realize that you don't have to compromise to be a success.
In one of Adam's blog posts, he writes, "I wake up every morning, hit my knees, and wholeheartedly thank God for allowing me to do what I do. I am endlessly grateful to Him for the time that has been given to me, for allowing me to be apart of people's lives in some small way, for blessing me in ways that are utterly indescribable. I am left speechless. Breathless. Overwhelmed."7 I hope listening to his music helps you feel the same way.
1. http://www.myspace.com/owlcity
2. Vanilla Twilight, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
3. Fireflies, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
4. Vanilla Twilight, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
5. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/12/breaking-owl-city/
6. Tidal Wave, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes'
7. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=201526773&blogId=510437323
This music is so infectious. The main elements of the songs are techno beats, with drum loops and funky synthesizer sounds, reminiscent of the disco era. Adam Young, who comprises the entire Owl City "band" said that he's been influenced a lot by the European music and has a great respect for the DJs who have the ability to mix music so well.
His lyrics are captivating. So simple, "G-rated" as everyone calls them, but there's a certain profoundness underneath. Adam is a Christian; on his Myspace page he says, "I follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. He is my life, my strength, my all.1" Although some people criticize him for not being obvious about it in his songs, I have no trouble believing that. He says that his inspiration comes from his faith. With lyrics like, "When violet eyes get brighter and heavy wings grow lighter, I'll taste the sky and feel alive again and I'll forget the world that I knew,2" and "I get a thousand hugs, from ten thousand lightening bugs, as they try to teach me how to dance,3" and the thought of being "drenched in vanilla twilight,4" I can't help but think of heaven. The paradoxical thoughts and soul-stirring illustrations just give me shivers, because they allude to a world better than this one.
This guy inspires me. He made his music in his parents basement when he couldn't sleep. He finds it very inspirational to be alone in the calm windowless room, with no producers or recording engineers to interrupt his artistic flow. He has a lot of landscape paintings and "ethereal" nature photography in that room, the ideas of which, he says, creep into his music. Adam worked at Coca-Cola for two years and while he was there, he used the time to dream up the sound and look he wanted to have with his music. "Sometimes working in a monotonous environment can really free up your imagination,5" he says.
So, if you're having a bad day and need it to get better, or even when you're having a good day and want it to be phenomenal, listen to Owl City. There's something in the words "I've never been so afraid, but I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope, and that makes me feel brave,6" mixed with the upbeat sound that just makes the problems in life a little less intense. The cheery melodies go along with the message, so that it's easy to feel that there's hope and not just arbitrarily believe it.
I love how genuine this guy seems, too. In his music and blog posts, he presents this very authentic personality, that hopefully won't be hidden over time, due to his stalker-like fan following. In his promotional photos and music video, his face is never very visible, which I found odd at first, but realized that it's his humble way of showing that it's not about him, because in his fan photos, he has no problem smiling. I think it's just his way of not getting in the way of the music, the gift God gave him.
What's most refreshing is that he doesn't hide that he's a Christian. God is his number one influence, listed along with John Piper, C.S. Lewis and Rachel Joy Scott, the first girl killed at Columbine for being a Christian. As of October 1st, his song Fireflies is #3 on iTunes. Hopefully people in the music industry will notice this and realize that good music does sell and I hope that other Christians trying to succeed in the mainstream music world will realize that you don't have to compromise to be a success.
In one of Adam's blog posts, he writes, "I wake up every morning, hit my knees, and wholeheartedly thank God for allowing me to do what I do. I am endlessly grateful to Him for the time that has been given to me, for allowing me to be apart of people's lives in some small way, for blessing me in ways that are utterly indescribable. I am left speechless. Breathless. Overwhelmed."7 I hope listening to his music helps you feel the same way.
1. http://www.myspace.com/owlcity
2. Vanilla Twilight, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
3. Fireflies, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
4. Vanilla Twilight, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes
5. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/12/breaking-owl-city/
6. Tidal Wave, by Owl City, on Ocean Eyes'
7. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=201526773&blogId=510437323
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
History, In the Making
It's been a bad day, you've been looking back
And all you can see is everything you wish you could take back
All your mistakes, a world of regrets
All of those moments you would rather forget
I know it's hard to believe
Let me refresh your memory
Yesterday is history
And history is miles away
So leave it all behind you
Let it always remind you of the day
The day that love made history
You know you can't stay right where you fell
The hardest part is forgiving yourself
But let's take a walk into today
And don't let your past get in the way
Yesterday is history
And history is miles away
So leave it all behind you
Let it always remind you of the day
The day that love made history
Would you believe that you are history
In the making, in the making?
Every choice that you are making
Every step that you are taking
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
Every word that you are saying
Every prayer that you are praying
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
History is in the making
History is in the making
Yesterday is history
And history is miles away
So leave it all behind you
Let it always remind you of the day
The day that love made history
Oh, history is in the making
--Matthew West-History
I think this song is appropriate to quote on the eve of the new year. It is so hopeful and encouraging.
This year has been a good one, full of triumphs and joy. I was going to write a very detailed summary, but that's what I was going to do last year…and it didn't happen. So, I'm just going to go for some highlights.
These are some of the wonderful things I've experienced in the last year (in no particular order):
• I had a wonderful birthday party with fifty people and it was great to know that my friends traveled so far to celebrate with me.
• I started learning guitar in February and am still playing! I love it!
• My family got to go to Washington DC and spend a couple days with Sarah Greek and attend the Rebelution conference, and meet some more rebelutionaries.
• I had a great time at Teenpact and met more new friends.
• We attended a new church for a brief time. We didn't make many lasting connections there, but one friend that I kept contact for a little while was a great encouragement to me in my song writing.
• Song writing? Yes, I've been writing songs! Mostly on the piano, but some on the guitar too. As of two days ago, I have 12 songs done, including one Christmas song.
• I also have started voice lessons, which are going very well. Even after only two lessons, my friends say they see great improvement in my singing.
• I got a new iPod for Christmas (which I named Bella, after the Bella in the movie of that same title), so I've started running again with it.
• Alejandra visited me a couple times this year. The first time, I almost died. ;-)
• Tatiana and I got to visit our friends in Rhode Island and see Coburn's play! We stayed up until 2 in the morning, talking. That was one of the most encouraging talks I've had in a while.
• Soulfest was an amazing time. We stayed with our cousins and dear friend Rachel along with our Japanese exchange student. It was at Soulfest that I decided to not buy any new clothes for a year. It's been five months and…it's a little hard, but I've been able to use my money so much better! Also at Soulfest, we got to meet some new friends, hang out with old ones and get BarlowGirl's autograph in my Do Hard Things book.
• The Art Music Justice Tour that came to Gordon College was fabulous and inspiring. That's when I decided to sponsor my third child, Uwamahoro. She's from Rawanda. Radia is from Ethiopia and Jacinta is from Mozambique. I love child sponsorship programs! It's so awesome to get the letters from them! I got to meet and hear talks by Sara Groves and Brandon Heath the next day.
• My family and I got to volunteer with blood:water mission at the Love Came Down at Christmas concert and because of that, we met Jars of Clay! I also met Leeland and got them to autograph my Do Hard Things book.
• While we're on the topic of concerts, I went to the Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, Tobymac concert for my birthday and it was the best over all show that I've ever been to.
• Graduation parties this year were fun! And I'm glad I got to see my friends Esther, Evan, Hannah and Corinne over breaks! Actually, I get to see Esther and Evan more than that!
• There was an awesome Thanksgiving break bowling party!
• Dad took me and my sisters out for his and Mom's 5th anniversary. So sweet.
• Worldview Academy was an awesome, awesome time! I met so many wonderful people and went street witnessing which was the best ever!
I think those are most of the cool things that happened this year! Thank you all for being great friends!
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
What I'm Liking :)
This is just a list of things that made me happy during the Christmas season and I thought they were worth sharing. It's great to look at my life and see that even though a lot of things went wrong lately, that God still was watching over me and giving me joy.
- I had the privilege of playing the piano for two Christmas pageants that our homeschool group did. I also got to sing two of my songs with my sisters.
- I finally started voice lessons and being strongly pushed by a friend and I'm loving them!
- I managed to not get sick for the holiday season (at least, not yet)! Quite a change from last year when I was very sick from the 9th to the 23rd.
- I got to have about twenty friends come over last Saturday for an awesome Christmas party that went well into the night. We had a great time of fun, fellowship and worship. It really meant a lot to me that everyone came!
- Yesterday morning, we went to Lynch Park and my sister and I went down to the beach, while the rest of the family went sledding. I collected shells and rocks and put them in a dish and vase when I got home. My sister took some great photos too of me on the beach and in the garden! It was a wonderful new Christmasy thing that I will remember forever!
- Last night we got to actually do something important. We helped some friends of ours clean their house, since the mom has problems with a chronic illness and four young children which makes it hard for things to get done. So, we got to have a wonderful time with them while helping them and at the end we sang some carols with my guitar.
- Today was a wonderful day, just spending time with my family and actually...catching up on some things around the house. It was nice this year to actually clean up from the meal and do laundry and put away the gifts instead of leaving it for the day after, in an attempt to cause a post-Christmas depression. Also, this was the first year that I made sure we read the Christmas story from the Bible before we went to done to open presents and I think that really helped put the day in proper focus.
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