For those of you who have never heard of Ted Dekker or read his books, then this post will be boring and meaningless to you. However if you are a Dekker fan (like me) then you might find this interesting.
Recently, I have been reviewing books for different websites. If you like to read it’s not a bad deal. I get free books in the mail in exchange for my reviews. One of the sites I’m reviewing for (Christian Library Journal) sent out a mass email to all of us reviewers yesterday. Ted Dekker’s book Three has been made into a movie and is being released in theaters on January 5th. Christian Library Journal was setting a lucky reviewer up with a free DVD copy of the movie for screening plus an interview opportunity with Ted Dekker via phone. The first to respond through email wins. Luckily I happened to be sitting at my laptop when the email came. I responded back and got it.
Angie and I are currently in Houston visiting our friends Tony and Lindsay Slate. Oddly enough Tony was the one who introduced me to Ted Dekker’s novels a year and a half ago and Three was the first Dekker book I read. Anyway…moving on…We set up the interview and Ted Dekker called my cell phone this morning and I was able to talk to him for a half hour about Three and his other novels and movie projects. We had Ted on speaker phone and Angie and Tony sat with me as I asked questions and talked with one of my favorite authors. A very surreal moment that I will certainly never forget.
When Ted found out I haven’t seen the movie yet, he asked if I would set up another interview with him next week so we can talk about the movie more. I thought about it for about .0000001 seconds and said, “Sure.” Hopefully I’ll be getting the DVD within the next few days, and then next week sometime I will be able to talk with him more about the movie. Then I’m going to be writing a review/article for Christian Library Journal about the movie and about Ted Dekker.
Needless to say I’m extremely excited. Reading Ted’s books and following his career have really inspired me to write, and it was so awesome having a chance to talk with him. Just thought I’d let you know about my exciting day.
Yesterday we had our 20-week sonogram and found out we are having a girl! We are so excited. Everything looks great up to this point and we are so thankful. The only bad news is that apparently she has my feet. Long toes…long feet…..poor thing! Here’s some pictures of our baby girl:
Several times a day I find myself asking the following question: Why do I have pets? As I am writing this my cats, Sydney and Spencer, are sitting right next to the laptop watching every keystroke. I’m not sure where Hank (our chocolate lab) is, but I imagine he is doing something he shouldn’t. Laying on the couch, eating the remote control, or searching for Angie’s Bigfoot house shoes.
Sydney and Spencer couldn’t be more different, but amazingly they are both equally annoying. Sydney is the “smaller one” (although she isn’t all that small) and she likes to be in the middle of everything. She follows us around the house constantly, and she has convinced herself that every time we sit on the couch she has an open invitation to our laps. If we don’t pet her just the way she wants, she has no qualms about letting us know, usually in the form of high-pitched meow screams that are too terrible to describe in mere words. Sydney is not afraid of Hank in the least and she constantly lets him know by swatting his nose when he walks by. That never gets old. Sydney has become a master at getting Hank in trouble, and she is constantly pushing various items off of the counter onto the floor so Hank will pick them up and commence destruction. It took us awhile to figure out how Hank was getting all these things, and then one day I caught her in the act. That darn cat.
Then there is Spencer. What can I say about Spencer? Whenever people first lay eyes on him they always say something like, “That’s the biggest cat I’ve ever seen!”, and rightly so since Spencer is about the size of a baby rhinoceros. There is only one word to properly describe him: huge. Not only is he tall, but he is extremely fat and weighs close to 20lbs. (Yeah, I know. We’re horrible pet owners). Spencer doesn’t have a social bone in his enormous body and prefers to be left alone. He spends about 22 hours a day on our bed and the other 2 he spends eating. Spencer is only passionate about one thing in his life, and that would be his hatred for Hank. Oh how he hates Hank. I think since Hank was a puppy he has been confused by Spencer’s size, and he believes Spencer must be another dog. As a result, Hank tries to play with Spencer every chance he gets, and man what a show. We should sell tickets to it.
Having three pets in the house has incredible benefits: smelly cat litter, massive amounts of hair piled up in every corner, astronomical vet bills (don’t even get me started), and a backyard full of dog bombs. So why do we do it? Why do we run a zoo? Usually about the time I ask that question Hank comes over and lays his head in my lap, or Sydney curls up beside me, or even occasionally Spencer will climb up and attempt to smother me with his love. What can I say..I guess I’m just a sucker.
Do you ever just need to get some aggression out? Don’t we all? Some of us revert to punching walls or screaming obscenities. Others find true release in a few grueling miles on the treadmill. Not me. When I need to let it all out I prefer to smack penguins. Sounds cruel and unusual? Click on the link below and give it a try. You’ll love it….
Smack The Penguin
A few years ago my wife and I took a trip down to San Antonio, TX. On the way back we stopped at Natural Bridge Caverns, where you can actually explore some subterranean caverns on a guided tour. At one point on the tour, the guide gathers everyone together in a large room and turns off the lights to show everyone what true darkness is. Never have I been in that much darkness. I couldn’t see anyone around me and I couldn’t even see my hand when I held it an inch from my face. There were no visible shapes or forms. Just absolute, complete blackness.
Without the light I felt completely alone and helpless. If I had tried to find my way out of the room, I would have just wandered around aimlessly, probably hurting myself in the process. Just when the darkness began to creep me out the guide flipped a switch and the light flooded the room. Light never looked so good.
We often choose to wander around in our own darkness. We ignore the light that Christ offers us, and instead we trek out on our own, convinced that we can find the way. We can’t see where we are or where we are going. There is no direction or point of reference. In our effort to help ourselves we face the harsh reality that we are helpless. It’s only when we turn to Him and embrace His light that we find hope and salvation.
Father,
Thank you for the Light of the world. May we embrace Him and give our lives over to Him. Forgive us when we turn away from the Light and go out on our own. Help us to always follow You so others may see You in us.
Amen.
The only way out of your darkness is through Jesus. You can try everything else, but it is a futile quest. Salvation is only found in Him. Don’t be afraid. Go towards the Light.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” NIV
As humans we strive to get everything we can out of life. We work as hard as we can to make as much money as we can. We collect as much stuff as we can: the latest technology, the newest cars, the biggest homes, the most toys. Sometimes we think the answer lies in giving into our selfish desires and wants. All of these things have one common characteristic: They don’t satisfy. As a matter of fact they always leave us wanting more.
Jesus came to give us true life….life to the full. What is life to the full? It is complete submission to Him. It is a life that is full of hope for eternity. It means being content with what God has blessed you with and finding true joy in the simple things. You find relief because you no longer want or desire the things that don’t matter. Life to the full is life forever. It doesn’t end.
Father,
You offer us life to the full. Please open our eyes so we can see it and open our hearts so we can receive it. Help us to realize that true life can only be found in you, not in the things of this world. Thank you for sending your Son to die for us so that we could have eternal life.
Amen.
John 10:10b
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” NIV
