Justice / Travel

Impact

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Last time I talked briefly about a woman who’s influence on me was both deep and wide.1 Today I want to talk about the opposite end of the spectrum, a woman I spent a total of forty-five minutes with, in the company of several other people, six-and-a-half years ago.

It was our first trip to Cambodia. The church body we’re members of had formed a partnership with IJM, and a member of their church mobilization team led seven of us from 121 on a trip to meet as many organizations working on the ground as possible, and learn as much as we could about the country and the cause (combatting sex trafficking).

Family

The Power of Pachyderms

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20160204_Cambodia_0223My daughter, who as you know lives with her husband and son in Cambodia, has a new carved elephant sitting on their TV stand. It’s an African bull elephant sitting on his haunches, with painted ears, eyes, and toes. It seems a bit out-of-place — it’s the only carved anything in their house that I know of, and certainly in their family room. As a result, I knew why it was there even before I asked her about it.

Homeland of ElephantMy wife and I also have an elephant — several elephants, actually — on a lacquered piece on the wall of our bedroom.

Spiritual Journey / Television

Alicia Florrick and the Formidability of Forgiveness

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Alicia

The Good Wife has long been my favorite show on TV.1 It’s legal shenanigans are often ludicrous but always fascinating, it has some of the most well-written and well-developed characters around, and many of those characters are multi-faceted women that are the antithesis of the one-notes we usually get on network TV.

A couple of weeks ago, the title character, Alicia Florrick, has a bombshell dropped on her when Eli, a long-time associate and friend, tells her that he once did something that interfered with Alicia’s relationship with another man she loved. Eli is telling her in order to ask for her forgiveness, but until now, she didn’t even know it had happened.

Movies

The Force Awakened, but Originality Slept In

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There’s this movie you might have heard about. I’ve already written about the experience of seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens — the first of the three times I saw it was probably the most fun I’ve had at a movie theater in thirty years.

But what about the movie itself — was it any good? (Warning, lots of spoilers. Although if you haven’t seen the movie already, you’re probably not going to.) I’m not going to write a proper review, since it’s far too late and you didn’t need a review to decide whether to go see it, anyway. But I will share a few thoughts before we talk about the important stuff.

Movies

Help Wanted, Experience Preferred

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In late 1966, a young guitar player who had toured with the Isley Brothers and Little Richard came to England. He was managed by a former member of The Animals, who quickly recruited a bass player and drummer to form a new three-piece band. After going with Pete Townsend to hear them play, Eric Clapton said, “I thought that was it, the game was up for all of us, we may as well pack it in.”

Music

O Come Joy to the Silent Holy Drummer Emmanuel

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It’s Christmas season and you know that means – another 184 versions of the Christmas songs that you used to love but now cringe when you hear them. In the last few years, “O Holy Night” and “O Come O Come Emmanuel”1 have proven especially popular. I have eleven of the former and a dozen of the latter, including two EPs and one CD I purchased this year that have both on them.

For all the wannabe recording artists out there, and the three current ones that haven’t already put out a Christmas album, here’s a word to the wise — the world doesn’t want another version of “Joy to the World.” Or “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Or especially “Silent Night.”