It's official...

The threat was there, the forecasts were made, but still, I was not prepared for this day. This special day reserved for only one day out of each year. Now there has been some speculation as to the determining factors of this day, however after much careful consideration and observation it is official.

CONGRATULATIONS OCTOBER 10th! You have hereby become officially earned the distinction of being my LEAST FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR for 2009!



*For those of you wanting to know why this day has earned this special recognition it is simply this: SNOW!!!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince review

The much anticipated sixth installment of the Harry Potter saga has finally arrived and I, along with probably millions of other nerds, was in attendance for the midnight release, as I have been for the majority of the films. This, however, is the first time I have had a blog so I figured I would again join the ranks of millions and offer my humble opinion of the film.

SPOILER ALERT: DISCONTINUE YOUR READING OF THIS BLOG IMMEDIATELY IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO KNOW THE ENDING OF THIS MOVIE

Before I begin I will say that I long ago gave up hope that the movies would stay true to the books, and the people who constantly complain about there being so much left out need to come to grips with reality. Movies rarely live up to the books they are based off of. It's just the way things go so get over it and move on.

Ok, here we go...

I think the movie starts out pretty strong with the whole Death Eaters reeking havoc thing. My only criticism (and this comes from Order of Phoenix as well) is that the Death Eaters are flying...isn't that something that only Voldemort is supposed to have accomplished (according to Deathly Hallows)?

Bring on Daniel Radcliffe. I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. There's a little more professionalism in his acting and I'm liking it. Still not sold on Michael Gambon as Dumbledore though. Oh well. Actually I think all of the returning actors have a little bit more finesse in their approach to their respective characters.

Enter what is soon realized as the main focus of the movie: awkward teen romance. I actually thought they pulled this off brilliantly...in large part due to the improvements in their acting. The comedic relief that this brings to the story is refreshing and I'm guessing the writers focused on this aspect of the story to bring some light to an otherwise dark story (much like they tried in Prisoner of Azkaban). Jessie Cave is great as Lavender Brown.

Thank you for bringing back Quidditch. I thought Rupert Grint (Ron) was fantastic in the tryout scene and the game. Hysterical.

The surprise attack on the Burrow was random but the whole mystery and suspense of walking through the tall marsh grass and reeds was kind of cool. Totally unnecessary but I think they put it in because of what they took out at the end of the movie (more to come on that later).

I can't believe I'm saying this, and I hope my friend Mary doesn't read this, but I loved Tom Felton (Draco) in this movie. He's obviously got a more prominent role, but does a brilliant job of portraying the weight of the situation and the stress of the task that's been entrusted to him. It's enhanced by the comedy that the other characters are involved in but I think he does a great job in that role.

I loved the scene in the cave when Harry and Dumbledore were going after the horcrux. The inferi were awesome and I loved that pretty much the entire theatre knew one of them was going to grab Harry as soon as his hand went into the water yet the whole place jumped (myself included) when it happened. The underwater shot was magnificent and then Dumbledore raging with his fire power!!

So as I'm nearing the end of the movie I am actually really liking it. There are a few things I would have liked to see done differently:

1) I think they should have given just a little more time to introduce Fenrir Greyback, other than the brief sweep of the Wanted poster in Diagon Alley. People who haven't read the books will be confused as to who that big, out-of-character-for-a-Death-Eater, guy is. It's a great portrayal of him but who the heck is he?

2) I know you're not following the book exactly but can you at least get some of the small details right...Felix Felicis is GOLD!!!!!!!!! not clear. And you can't apparate on the Hogwarts grounds!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr...that should have been an easy one.

3) I was really hoping they would spend some more time on Harry diving into (literally) the life of Tom Riddle before he was Voldemort. It was such a fascinating part of the book and I think plays such a crucial role in Harry's quest to find the horcruxes during Deathly Hallows. Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Frank Dillane are awesome as the young Tom Riddles. I wish we could have seen more.

Ok, on to the end of the movie. Basically they rushed it. I think they just ran out of time and tried to cram everything into the last few minutes like they had a time limit. The run time is right at about 2 and a half hours...add the stinking extra half hour and get the ending right. I sat through 3 hours of King Kong!!! I can most certainly sit through an extra 30 min of Harry Potter...especially given the intensity of the end. I really wanted that battle at Hogwarts with the Order of the Phoenix members coming in.

In every movie Harry always seems to recklessly but bravely run into a dangerous situation, which he does at the Burrow (see above), but when it counts the most, when his hero, the man he looks up to pretty much as a father, the man he's sworn his undying loyalty to time and time again is in mortal danger, he passively sits on the sidelines and watches him die simply because Dumbledore asked nicely and said "Please." NO!!!! I wanted him to be pissed, horrified, angry, upset, furious, etc. etc. because he was detained against his will.

And then the flight of Severus Snape...OMG, he's the half-blood prince? Oh well. Move on. End of movie. WHAT?!?!? That should have been the pinnacle!! The book/movie are named for that moment and it lasted all of like 5 seconds...are you kidding me!!!???

Wow! So yeah, like I said before, I was really enjoying the movie right up until Dumbledore and Harry got back from the cave. It was all just so anti-climactic and sadly the ending for this book is almost more dramatic and significant than the ending of Deathly Hallows. I just hope they don't screw that one up.

So anyway, that is my long-winded review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I am definitely going to see it again, and it will be in my movie collection as soon as it is released on DVD. Was I disappointed? A little. But overall, very good movie!!

taking a look back

I started this journey back in January and as usually happens with my journaling, I haven't been very good about regularly posting. Oops!

Ok, so in January I signed up for the Hy-Vee Triathlon, something I've never really even thought I would do and let me tell you it's been a fun and crazy ride. I don't want to even count the number of hours I've spent training for this thing and now it's finally here. In 2 days I will race in what's quickly becoming one of the biggest triathlons in the country. Crazy!!!

The last couple weeks have been, well not exactly what I had hoped for. Around the beginning of June I started to feel a little lag in my training. I was getting tired and unmotivated to do the work I needed to do. June 14 I ran my first triathlon...a sprint tri which was basically half the distance of the Hy-Vee Tri. There were several things about racing that I had no idea what I was doing so it was really an experimental race. I survived, had a decent time, but more importantly figured out things that I needed to work on to be ready for this weekend. I was excited to get out and train hard for a couple days to work out the kinks in my race. Plans changed...

Tuesday of last week I was playing Ultimate Frisbee with friends from church. I went sprinting hard after the disc and felt this really sharp pain in the back of my leg. Crap! I just pulled my hamstring. Hamstring pulls can be pretty nasty so I was forced to take it easy for the last couple weeks and as a result I haven't had the chance to work on the things I wanted to work on. So going into this weekend I've been pretty stressed out thinking my entire race is going to be ruined.

Now hold on a minute...

I haven't been training for the last 5.5 months to have 1 not so hot week ruin it. I'm fine. I'm going to race, but I was letting one lousy week negate 5.5 months.

How often do we do that with our faith lives. I know I do. If I have a partiularly rough day where I'm struggling with things or I give in to a temptation I know I shouldn't, I tend to let the guilt of that one situation dwell on me for days. What I fail to do is look back at what God did 2,000 years ago on the cross and what He has offered to me freely since my salvation...GRACE!!

God's Greatest Gift!!

God's greatest gift to mankind is His Son, Jesus Christ...

...closely followed by McDonald's Shamrock Shakes!!! Sad that they are only available for a limited time each year :(

Old Dog Trying to Relearn Old Tricks?

Sometimes I wish I wasn't brought up in a church. Sometimes I wish my childhood, teenage years and early adult life would have been a complete mess and then someone would have swept into my life, shown me the light and love of Jesus Christ so that I would have been saved when I knew what I was doing.

For me, growing up in the church (especially a traditional Lutheran one) has made the Bible and really everything about being a Christian, kind of...well...old hat, I guess you could say. Since I started going to the DTC, I've realized just how "old" my faith really is. So...I've been trying to make a conscious effort to change that.

I've started being intentional about starting my day in the Word but I still feel like it's the same old, same old. The Bible is the living, breathing Word of God, therefore each time we read it there really should be something new, just like all living organisms are in a constant state of change. However, I can't help but read the Bible and feel like it's the same, old story. It's humbling really...to be in this position. I won't say that it's enjoyable but I think it's a good place to be.

good times!!

So there was this young boy today who came into Prairie Life with his mother and he was not having anything to do with the day care center. He ran screaming through the club trying to get away from whatever evil was lurking through those doors (I'm sure that's what was going through his mind)...

Anyway, that reminded me of the time when I was younger and my family went to Disney World for the first time. We were standing in line for the Haunted Mansion ride and as we got towards the entrance they stopped the line right at our group so we were first in line. After waiting a couple minutes the doors opened up and a large (I was in fourth grade), creepy butler guy walked out and said (in a very eerie, think Dracula style voice), "Your time has come." Now my brother was in about preschool at the time and he was having nothing to do with this butler dude and his large, creepy mansion...and apparently nobody else was either cause he planted his feet, threw out his arms and wasn't going anywhere. Well, we eventually got him into the mansion and on the ride and then it gets to the part where you look in the mirror and one of your group members turns into a ghost. Guess who got turned into a ghost? Yep, my brother.

So yeah...random story but I got a chuckle reliving that little piece of history today.

Something to ponder...

So I've been reading the book The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning (HIGHLY recommend if you haven't read it already!!!) and I read something today that really made me think so I thought I'd share it...

We all know the "Golden Rule" and then there's Jesus' teaching of "whatever you've done to the least of these, you've done to me." In the book, Brennan brings up a reflection on this passage by Carl Jung. It says, "What if you discovered that the least of the brethren of Jesus, the one who needs your love the most, the one you can help the most by loving, the one to whom your love will be most meaningful - what if you discovered that this least of the brethren of Jesus...is you?"

Interesting...

Also, later in the book, Brennan is reflecting on the subject of failure and how we live in a society where failure is not looked at favorably. Then he offers this thought, which really hit home being the perfectionist that I am...what if God expects more failure from us than we expect from ourselves?

No regrets

Everything happens for a reason.

It's a mantra of sorts that I hear all the time and I tend to agree with. This weekend I had, what I guess you could call an epiphany or maybe just a reaffirmation of what I already knew. At the DTC on Saturday night, Dan was teaching on the goodness of God and that because God is good, everything that comes from Him is good...even though it may be considered bad by the world's standards. It made me think back on my life and the things that have happened that weren't exactly the greatest, whether by my own doing or not...things you might say I regret: not marching my final two years of drum corps; majoring in business management seeing as how I'm not using it at all; moving to Chicago; staying at the church in Chicago for 5 years; not taking a job in Phoenix that I was all but offered. I look at these things and can talk for hours about the negative aspects of each...why I regret each thing.

But what I realized this weekend was that, had one thing been different in any of the situations I listed, I would not be where I'm at today and it's probably one of the best places I've ever been in my life. God has taken so much of what was hindering me away so that all I have left to do is what I've neglected to do for so long...to seek Him wholeheartedly and come to know God for who He really is, not just the watered down, pretty version that I've clung to for almost 27 years of my life.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ~Romans 8:28

Worship?

So I was thinking that I was going to write about a completely different topic today but last night a question came up during Bible study and I just had to blog about it (right Kelli?). The question landed hard on the subject of worship and what exactly this whole thing called "worship" is.

A few years ago I found myself (a lot because of my own doing) right in the middle of a worship war. Now, this wasn't just a small little argument or quarrel or even a battle...I'm talking all out war...not pretty! Anyway, having been involved in a church for pretty much my entire life and working at one for 5 years, I will admit that I had a pretty narrow definition of worship, and it wasn't until just a couple years ago that God started opening my eyes to a broader definition of worship. Last night at Bible study God brought worship into a whole new perspective. I didn't get a chance to share it with the guys...so here's the next best thing (actually probably better cause I'm guessing most of you wouldn't have been there to hear it).

The question was this: How did the disciples worship Jesus back in the day? Did they sit around and sing worship songs to him? Seems kind of silly at first, but it does make you think. Here's my thoughts...

When I was thinking about this question, I remembered a Nooma video by Rob Bell called "Chosen." In the video Rob takes a closer look at what exactly it meant to be a disciple using the Jewish tradition. In a nutshell, boys growing up in the Jewish tradition spend the majority of their childhood studying the Hebrew scriptures, hoping to be chosen by a Rabbi to be his disciple. Once selected those disciples devote their lives to learning the ways of their Rabbi so that they can carry on his teachings...essentially they want to become just like their Rabbi.

Now put that into the context of Jesus (Rabbi) and his disciples. See where I'm going? How did the disciples worship Jesus? By following him wherever he went, listening to his teachings, and learning to be just like him. Take a look at Romans 12:1 -

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Jesus gave of his life to save the world from sin and death. What better way to worship him than to follow his example and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice...to further his kingdom.

Worship has always been very close to my heart so I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on this topic.

I just can't help it...

So this has been on my mind all day today so I had to blog about it...

I got to see Kelli Rolfes 3 times this weekend!!! How cool is that?!?!?!

Confession...

I am a selfish person. I carry a lot of pride in myself and I often think of the benefits to me and not others.

I was reading about the King stage of the masculine journey today and something in there really convicted me...a King does everything for the benefit of others. It made me think about my reasons for doing a lot of things that I do, and I felt that I had to share this confession...get it out there for all to see as an act of humility. You see there are a lot of times people would ask me to do something and I would ask myself, "What's in it for me?" If I saw that there was a benefit to me: people would notice me, I'd get to meet certain people, I would be publicly recognized, I'd win something, only then would I agree to it.

Doing this triathlon is a huge step on my road to a humble heart. First, there's the whole issue of winning. I tend to shy away from things that I know I won't win. That was the first step. Then there's the training. I knew from the start that it would be hard work, but I can handle it. I'm an athlete...and humbly speaking, a pretty good one. Well, here I sit at the end of week 1 of training and I'm hurting: physically and emotionally. I've got a long road ahead of me, but by God's grace and strength and I'll get through. I can't get through this on my own...but I've got the King of kings on my side.

Soli Deo Gloria

It's a battle out there...

In the book The Way of the Wild Heart, John Eldredge talks about 6 stages that guys go through in their masculine journey: Beloved Son, Cowboy/Ranger, Warrior, Lover, King, Sage.

The Beloved Son is basically coming to know and accepting that you are loved and adored by your father, and more importantly, your heavenly Father.

Cowboy/Ranger is all about adventure. It's answering this question, "Do I have what it takes?"

I was reading about the Warrior stage this morning, which basically is building on the Cowboy stage and taking the confidence that you have and putting it to action...fighting for what's true.

Now this book is not just a book about growing up to be a man...it's about growing up to be a man in Christ. As I was reading today I kept thinking that this is where I'm at in my own faith life.

College, for me, I think was my time of accepting that I'm a Beloved Son of God. When I was called to Chicago, that was my Cowboy/Ranger stage...do I have what it takes to minister to these kids? Looking back on my experience I can also see quite a bit of the Warrior stage as well because there were many battles I had to fight, and as with any battle I came out wounded. But through it all I think I proved to myself that I do have what it takes...I do.

Now...I need to know how to fight. The devil is a strong enemy and he doesn't fight fair, which means I need to be that much stronger in my own convictions, in my own faith. I need to stand up for what I believe and for what I know is right. I think God has me in a great spot to help me build.

I've been very lucky in life. I've been blessed with a natural talent for almost anything. People have always joked around with me about it because things have always come easily to me: athletics, academics, the arts. I've never really had to work super hard to be good at anything. I could do well with minimal effort and if I tried, just a little bit, I could do really well. But that's not a good thing...at least not totally. Don't get me wrong, I really like being able to do a lot of different things...but I've never really had to fight for something.

As I said before, I'm training for my first triathlon...and it's kicking my butt HARD!! This is going to be a huge test for me. The training is hard. It's basically all new to me. I'm learning how to swim correctly. I'm learning how to race on a bike. I don't think I've ever run 6 miles at one time (I was a sprinter in track...not a distance runner). If I'm being honest...it sucks right now and it's only the first week. AND...I'm going to go through all of this training, all of this hard work...and I'm not going to win! There I said it. June 28, when I run this triathlon I will not be the first person to cross the finish line. I won't be second or third...I may not even be in the top half, but I'm going to finish and I think that's the lesson God wants me to learn through all of this.

I'm not going to win every battle. There will be times when I want to quit. But if I do the training. If I try my hardest. If I push myself to new limits. If I fight like I've never fought before then I will cross that finish line. I will be victorious....

I will be a WARRIOR!!

Welcome...

I've thought about doing this several times but have never actually taken the time to set one up. I've tried the whole journal thing and I'm not very dedicated to it...we'll see how I do here.

So what made me decide to start a blog now? Let me tell you...

The last couple months I've thought a lot about journeys, especially my own life's journey. I'm not going to write out the whole long novel but the very abridged version goes like this: I spent the first 18 years of my life in Nashua, Iowa. I went to college at Luther College (aka Heaven on Earth...Go Norse!!) After college it took me to the Chicago-area. Five years later it brought me back to Iowa...West Des Moines to be exact. 5 months later, here I sit listening to news reports of the bitter cold winter going on just outside the walls of my house, wondering..."Why the heck did I stay in the midwest?" Suffice it to say, however, that I probably wouldn't be writing this if I weren't here in Iowa right now...funny how God works.

Hmmm...God. Now there's another rollercoaster of a journey. Again, like my life story I'll give you the very abridged version. In college I saw my faith grow exponentially. God and I were like "peas and carrots" (thanks Forrest Gump). So when I moved to Chicago I was on a spiritual high. When I left Chicago I was on a spiritual low. Interesting considering I spent 5 years in Chicago working as a Youth Director at a church. So without going into any details I'll just say it was not the most pleasant of experiences (but God still moved). I came back to Iowa hoping to get recharged, but not without taking some time off...it was time well spent.

After much encouragement from my friends and a relentless onslaught of invitations from my sister, I started going to church again. All I can say is...God is GOOD!! To all my new friends at the DTC...you guys are AWESOME!!

Anyway, right now I'm currently reading the book The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge, which is conveniently subtitled "A Map for the Masculine Journey." Again...how does God do it? I've also begun the long and what looks to be like very difficult journey of training for my first triathlon this summer.

All of this combined together has brought me to this point of deciding to finally sit down and start a blog. I feel like God has brought me to this...crossroads in my life so I thought it would be a great way to catalog my journey and share my thoughts and experiences with anyone who cares. I hope you enjoy it!!