Polycarp Movie Review

Friends of ours offered to let us borrow Polycarp, and we gladly accepted.

The movie, while using a very limited budget, was more thought-provoking and effective than most high-budget, secular-made movies.

The story revolved around a young girl named Anna, a former slave.  She is bought by the kind-hearted and God-fearing Polycarp, who gives her freedom.  Anna becomes the charge of a couple, and she starts to feel like family among them all.  Germanicus is a young man who, like a brother, works along-side Anna.  Anna hears new and startling doctrines, of one God, not many.  She asks questions of her new family, and they answer with patience and joy.

But not all is joyous.  The Roman government is trying to quell the Christians.  And on the day of testing, will Polycarp stand for the truth of Jesus?  Will Germanicus?  And how will the persecution of Christians affect Anna? . . .

Some of the acting in this movie was not the very best, but Polycarp's (or rather, Garry Nation's) was good, as were Germanicus's (Dusty Martin's, who played on Courageous) and Anna's (Eliyah Hurt), most of the time.  In any case, I was moved to tears many times.  How would my faith hold up under fire?

It is made for the entire family to watch, with nothing graphic, though the themes are somewhat deep and possibly scary.  Based on the real lives of Polycarp and Germanicus, your family should find this film inspiring.

Bravo, young filmmakers, Joe and Jerica Henline!  They had a lot of help, of course, as you can see in the behind the scenes documentary, but they are still impressively gifted.  Most of all, the message shines through in this movie, the message of courage among fear, faith beyond failure, and the love of God, which casts out fear.

Movie Night - Beyond the Mask Review

I had been wanting to see Beyond the Mask for quite some time.  Finally my family agreed to go with me, all except Mom.  Matthew and Andrew weren't too excited about it (especially Matthew), thinking the quality would not be that great.

We invited the Lees and others to go with us, but they didn't buy tickets in time...or so we thought.

We had bought tickets for the 5:00 hour, so we made our journey to Franklin early enough to get there in time.  But . . . when we got there, the ticket seller said that there was no 5:00 showing--it had been cancelled.  We had heard nothing of that, though I had noticed the button to buy tickets for that time had disappeared a day or two ago. I thought that the tickets had merely been sold out.  The lady said we could get our tickets switched to the 8:00 time, or that she'd give us a pass to go to that showing.  So, we really got a night showing for the afternoon rate.  But we had several hours to kill.

First we ate at Chick-Fil-A, though we had eaten a sandwich or something light before coming.  Our appetites had revived sufficiently to eat again. ;)

After that, we spotted a chocolate shop (called Paul's Chocolate Gallery) and we went in, curious.  Chocolate is never a bad idea, right?  The little shop had chocolate sculptures and a baby grand piano on one side, a glass case full of chocolate candies on the other.  We looked them over, noting flavors from orange cream to maple to peanut-butter.  The prices were more than I would usually pay for an inch-and-a-half square of chocolate: around $2.49 each.  Matthew or Andrew said jokingly, "She should get a discount for playing the piano."

"Actually, you do get a free piece of chocolate for playing a song," the young lady behind the counter said.

Ah!  Oh!  :)  I sat down at the piano (whose autographs were on the piano? didn't even read them), and played my Chopin waltz.  I messed up in the middle, but skipped by the parts I couldn't remember there, and finished.

The young lady liked it, and asked how long I'd been playing.

I picked for my free piece of chocolate the same as Andrew's--something with raspberry.  Mmm, it was quite good!  Matthew asked the young lady her favorite flavor, and she said the Balsamic one.  He tried this, and liked it.  Not as sickening sweet as some, but it didn't taste like balsamic vinegar, he said.

Annie played Greensleeves and got a free piece of chocolate. Not sure of the flavor.

The lady said we could have a second piece for free, too!  I thought I was supposed to play another song, so I made up an arrangement of Amazing Grace, and nabbed a second chocolate, this time pomegranate, which had a drizzle of reddish stripes on top.

Matthew plunked a few random notes on the piano and asked if he could have a free chocolate, too.

"No, that doesn't count," the young lady said with a smile.

She stepped out from behind the counter and talked with us more personally, about our family, piano playing, and even church.  Perhaps she was a Christian, as Annie thought.  We asked a little about the lady's work and the owner of the shop, too.

Eventually we headed out. Andrew and Matthew wanted to do some shopping; Matthew wanted to buy clothes at a thrift store, since he was a bit lacking in jeans and shirts.  So we remembered the nice thrift store called "Our Thrift Store," found it on the GPS, and went there.  The store was closed.  But we had noticed a goodwill on the way there, so we headed back to that.

I thought this whole adventure was maybe even better than a movie--free chocolate, spending time with siblings, and impromptu shopping.

Annie and I browsed the clothing, but most of it was a bit pricey--even half off about $4.00 each.  So we went back to the books and bought a few of those.  Annie also found me a nice white purse for $5.00.  I wasn't sure I wanted to buy it for that price, as there were a couple of stains on it, but I'm glad now that I did.  The stains are small and hardly noticed.  The bag looks quite classy, with silver rivets and rings.  Yes, it's cheap and hard faux-leather, but oh well.

Now we hustled back to the theater, as the time was almost upon us.

We sat through dozens of ads and previews (thankfully none bad), plugging our ears often because the sound was so loud.

The sound of the movie wasn't much better--Matthew even stuck in an ear-plug he happened to have in his pocket.

The movie started out quite exciting and intense.  And it kept my attention all the way through. Here's my review I submitted to Fandango.com:

"This is a good movie for kids and adults (though some of the violence may be too intense for young children), including lots of action, romance, and a little history. I enjoyed it and thought it was well done for an independent film. The acting was very good, not distracting as in some Christian movies. The script and costuming was quite good. The romance was a little modern and more intimate than I expected for a Christian movie, but overall not too bad. It may have just been the theater, but the sound was so loud we had to plug our ears at times (my brother wore an earplug in one ear). Of course, the graphics were not as good as a Hollywood film, but that's to be expected. I liked the theme of forgiveness not being earned, and it was put in there effortlessly. It kept me riveted; I'd count it a success in the main!"

Yes, the romance was the main thing I didn't like too much.  There were some good points about it, such as the lady seeking advice and approval from God, her mother, and her uncle (her father is dead).  But she does kiss the man before marriage.  And I was disappointed to see that in a conservative Christian movie.  They could have faked it, too, not shown their lips, but I think it did (I looked away a bit), and if the actors were indeed not married to each other, that would not be good.

Overall it was fun.

The guys picked apart all the fallacies or cliches on the way home, including not-perfect graphics.  But for a low-budget film, who can expect something totally amazing?  The guys actually did enjoy it more than they thought they would, so that's a success, too.

Kevin Swanson Radio Message

There is a lot of food for thought, here. Oversimplified?  I'm not so sure. Tell me what you think.  I have watched Batman Begins, and found it somewhat entertaining (with caveats), but I don't know if I should or could stomach the second and third movies.

Shooting Rampage in Colorado

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival

This post is overdue, but I hope you enjoy it. :)

I recently was blessed to be a volunteer at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.  I wasn't sure at first that it would work out, but some dear, kind friends and family helped me to be able to get a ride there--God was gracious!  The first day (Thursday) I went with friends who were volunteers that day, and we arrived early.

I came across my brother-in-law, Michael, and he introduced me to Mr. Pat Roy, writer and editor of the Jonathan Park radio adventure series. Mr. Roy was very down-to-earth and friendly, and I enjoyed talking with him.  I also was introduced to George Sarris, a compelling and animated Bible performer. Michael was kind enough to take me backstage, then offer to take me to lunch with him and Pat Roy.  I couldn't refuse such an offer, despite the egg salad sandwich and snacks in my lunch bag.  (I decided to save them for supper.)  On the way there, we met up with Mr. Colin Gunn, producer/writer of several documentaries, most recently IndoctriNation.  It was exciting to meet him and one of his daughters.  He was going to lunch, too, so we joined him.  I enjoyed hearing some of the things they have learned and what they've been up to, though I didn't hear as much as I would have liked, since the restaurant was a bit noisy with chattering people. Yet I count it a special time.

After that, I headed off to my first film.  I will list all the films I saw below, so stay tuned if you're interested in learning more about them and my thoughts on them.

Some friends and me at supper-time

Other people I met up with were: several families from our church (enjoyed a couple of outdoor meals and chats with them), Laura and Lacie Verret and their mom (always a pleasure!), Hannah Mendenhall, the makers of The Forgotten Martyr: Lady Jane Grey (they were sweet, down-to-earth people with an obvious love for the Lord), random strangers, my (previously only-online) friend Jenny Leding and her mother (both so sweet!), and dear friends who moved from the area to TN.  It was just a blessing all around. :)

The Verrets with me - Photo credit: My sister Annie

And part of that was my volunteering.  The first night I had a slot to work for an hour, and my early jitters wore off quickly, since the people were friendly and the night was informal.  One lady encouraged me, too, by saying I was doing a good job. (Thank you, whoever you were!)  Sadly, I didn't know all the answers to people's questions, but overall it wasn't too hard.  I left at the end of that film and headed to the Charlie Zahm and Tad Marks concert on the Riverwalk nearby, thankfully getting help and an escort from a friend.  At the concert I was to meet up with my sisters and nieces and nephews, but I also met up with Jenny Leding there, who was just leaving with friends.  It was surreal to see her there, but neat!  I didn't get to hear much of the concert, but it was good, and I also enjoyed talking with friends there.

Photo credit: My sister Annie

The next day our brother came to pick us up before the evening event.  We did arrive early in the morning, though, and saw some good films and met up with friends, again.  We also heard a lecture from Kevin Swanson, quite thought-provoking (read more below).

On Saturday, my brother drove my sister and me in at nearly 8:00 AM, since I had volunteer work then. I was stationed at the large theater this time, where they were showing Two Hats, then IndoctriNation. Annie and I met up (she had gone to somethings else during IndoctriNation, since we had already seen that) and saw some films together.

Jenny Leding and me - Photo credit: My sister Annie

Before the Closing Ceremonies, we wanted to eat somewhere and were looking for someone to help point us to the food court, or go eat with us.  We ran across Jenny Leding and her mom and asked them about that. They were going to eat elsewhere, but they kindly walked with us and helped us get to the food court.  I had them sign my autograph book (a film festival tradition), and we snapped a couple of photos before they headed off.  At the food court, we were pleasantly surprised to see two of our friends from church, Jill and Clara. They were eating frozen yogurt, and they invited us to sit with them, which we did with pleasure.

The Closing Ceremonies were quite exciting, though I was busy with the doors, thus a little distracted. 

Order of Events:
~Thursday~
1:00 pm - Unplanned (1:02) Mature
I had read the book of the same name by Abby Johnson, so I wanted to see this.  It was, again, touching and incredible.  Amazing to think that, by God's grace, simple acts of kindness and love can affect someone so much, even someone as deeply entrenched in her way of life in leading an abortion clinic!  We have to be concerned for others whether we agree with them or not. This story will stay in my mind and heart for a long time to come, and makes me want to work somehow against abortion.

2:45 pm - Weighing the Evidence: Examining the Fruit of Charles Finney vs. Jonathan Edwards (:52)
Narrated by articulate boys, this film presents the vast differences between Finney and Edwards.  Dr. Joe Morecraft is one of the men they interviewed. They give good descriptions of the two famous preacher's beliefs and how that translated into their work.  If you think counting Christians based on who said the sinner's prayer or walked the aisle is correct, or if you want to find out more about the differences between the men's two doctrines, you would do well to check out this film.

3:37 pm - Sforzando (1:05)
This film presents the staff and ways of learning at the Sforzando music camp. The staff seems committed to bringing glory to God and teaching children, et. all, to use their talents for Him with the best of their ability.  The music is conservative and Classical, getting into some of the reasons for this, as opposed to rock or music related to that.  I would not perhaps go as far against all the types of music the teacher denounced, but this was a minor, though interesting, point of the film.  I also appreciated the segment on music history and theory, and the humility and gentleness of the conductor.  The film seemed to drag a bit near the end, and I think there could have been a better wrap-up of the purpose and joy of music, not just a showcase of their music, which was not all wonderful to listen to. (Some was quite enjoyable.)

George Sarris

6:30 pm - Opening Ceremonies
We heard a rousing speech from Mr. Phillips, an excellent performance by George Sarris, and some special music! (Charlie Zahm led us in the U.S. national anthem.)

Charlie Zahm performing - Photo credit: My sister Annie

8:30 pm - Crying Wolf: Exposing the Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park
First place winner in the Creation category. I was volunteering at this film, otherwise I probably wouldn't have chosen to watch this. But it was very well-done and got its point across clearly.  Is man to be in dominion over the animals and to protect his own property, or not?  This film posits from the Scriptures that man is God's highest creation and we should not support the survival or needs of animals over that of humans.  It also concludes that the government has been less than fair in introducing wolves into the U.S.

Live at the Arneson River Theatre: Charlie Zahm and Tad Marks (8:30-10:00 pm, but I went over at about 9:35) - Toe-tapping music from two great ballad/folk musicians.

~Friday~
8:30 am - A Voice for Life (1:02) Mature
This is the amazing story of a woman named Melissa who survived an abortion.  She suffered no physical damage, but it was a blow when she found out her birth mother aborted her.  Though the film is told by Catholics, there is much here to learn and enjoy, in a similar vein as Unplanned, yet unique.

9:32 am - The Karen: Forgotten but not Forsaken (:23) Mature
Kirk Cameron narrates this heart-wrenching documentary of the Karen people.  Their faith and love in difficult circumstances is inspiring. Runner up in the Great Commission category.

10:30 - Young Filmmakers:
Like Treasure (:15)
This short film is a humorous retelling of the hidden treasure parable.  It is made in the tradition of the silent films of yesteryear, and is well done in that regard.  I laughed throughout, yet I think they got the serious message across pretty clearly.

Pain of Death (:11)
This story is set in the future, in a country (presumably America) in which Christians are hunted down and put to death.  A non-Christian father who is on the killing side of the business decides to do what he can to get his Christian daughter to safety before she is killed. I would give this a mature rating, though the violence is not gratuitous.  The acting and such are not the best (not unusual for a newbie film-maker), but it took some creativity to make and does get you to think.

The Forgotten Martyr: Lady Jane Grey (:15)
This--rightly, in my opinion--won the top Young Filmmaker's Award.  The cinematography, acting, and story were all well done, with an artistic quality and historicity.  Beyond that, it made me think of my own life, whether I am being a bold enough witness of Christ, and have the deep love of Christ that Lady Jane Grey showed.

Jonah (:14)
This is an animated film--pretty good for someone just starting out--of the Biblical story of Jonah. The story leaves off just after the Ninivites repent.

Joseph in Egypt II (:15)
This retelling of part of Joseph's story will likely bring a smile or laugh to your lips.  The characters are round-headed, cartoon-like characters, and they often speak in a more modern way.  I'm not sure if this approach is the best, but it does entertain as well as teach.

I Don't Believe in Guns (:08)
A humorous portrayal of the illustration by Gary DeMar, which shows that the Bible is an effective tool if we take it out and use it.  Runner up in the Young Filmmaker's category.

The Ultimate Weapon (:08)
A slightly more serious portrayal of the same Gary DeMar illustration about wielding the Bible boldly and well.  Friends of ours made this, and we enjoyed it!

The makers of The Ultimate Weapon and I Don't Believe in Guns talking about their movies. - Photo credit: My sister Annie

1:00 - Short Films (I missed some of these, but saw all listed):
The Dancer (:11)
A documentary giving a glimpse into the life of an orphan boy in India.

History of Nikola Tesla and Saint Patrick (:06)
These were two informative films, done in fun stick-figure style.

Check This Out (:15)
Informative, fast-paced segments make up this film, with questions about race, fossils, and more.  They are cute and easier to understand than the lectures. Put out by Answers in Genesis. Runner up in the Creation category.

The Save (:07)
To be candid, I didn't quite understand what this one was all about, except the obvious of baseball.  Maybe something about mentoring, too.  There is little to no talking in the film.  Perhaps I missed something, which isn't unlikely, since I know next to nothing about baseball and I was at the very back of the theater with a lot of heads in front of me.

The Jester (:11)
First place winner in Short Films.  A silent but color film, about a discouraged jester recently fired from his job for not producing enough laughs.  He walks about and stumbles on two stoic children leaning against a tree near a wagon.  He tries everything he can think of to get them to laugh, but the true way he does so comes as a surprise.  I wasn't sure what to make of this film at first, but there are a few Biblical principals artistically played out in it, and it did keep my attention all the way through.  The turnaround ending may come a bit suddenly, but in a short film it worked pretty well.  Not a light film as it may first appear, though it is not unnecessarily dark, either.

Johnny Texas (:15)
This silent film was a fun one, encouraging chivalry as a young man goes to find his sisters, who were kidnapped.


Brothers (:09)
This is the story of two adult brothers, one the "good kid," one the prodigal son.  At their father's funeral, there is tension between them. The acting is quite good, but the ending seems a bit sudden, perhaps.

Don't Lose Heart (:13)
In this film, we see a father out of touch with his daughter, who eagerly seeks his time.  The father eventually realizes that the relationship with his daughter is more important than his personal pursuits--but is it too late?

Love You (:04)
In a similar story-line to the previous film, we see a brother squelching his younger brother's desire to spend time with him.  Will the realization of wrong-doing come too late?


The Button (:15)
This was an animated lego film, with a few special effects to take it up a notch.  The story-line was intriguing, and I think I got the gist of the message, about selfishness and perhaps Prov. 14:12--There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

4:00 pm - Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and Your Family: A Biblical View of Fantasy, by Kevin Swanson
This talk was a helpful analysis of fantasy and how we should desire the pure and holy, not the wicked, even in a fantasy environment.  Where do the creatures get their power?  What's in a name or label, and does it matter?  Those and more were covered in this talk.

~Saturday~
8:30 am - Two Hats (1:26)
First place winner in the Great Commission category.  It was beautifully filmed and provided a lot of interesting tidbits of life in Papua New Guinea and the missionary family's setting up of the first Christian radio station there.  The family's cheerful and loving attitude is inspiring.  They also have a good multi-generational mindset, hoping to instill a love of missions in their children's lives.

10:30 am - IndoctriNation (2:12) Mature
First place winner in Documentaries, and much-deserved (also Runner up in the Best of Festival category).  Some of the subject matter is mature and a bit frightening, but it is very important for adults to see.  I watched it twice so far, and each time I was riveted.  The film keeps a good pace and has special touches of graphics and timelines.

1:00 pm - Church Planting in Utah and Idaho (:59) (Missed the first 5-10 minutes)
This is an informative and inspiring documentary of the LDS community and missionaries presenting the gospel to them.

2:00 pm - Only One Life: The Phyllis Rine Story (:11)
This is the story of a woman who proclaimed Christ in the everyday things, in talking to children, etc., at home and abroad.

2:12 pm - Uganda Man (1:05)
This is a colorful and captivating film about a Christian Ugandan, his story, and the story of his people.

3:45 pm - Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture (1:09) (Missed the last 5-10 minutes) Runner up in the Documentary category.  This is a thought-provoking film about the pitfalls of media. 

7:30  pm - Closing Ceremonies:
Performance by Becky Morecraft
Performance by George Sarris
Jubilee Awards
Performance by Charlie Zahm

The award winners humbly and joyfully thanked the Lord, and amid bursts of applause and cheers, Stephen Kendrick (winner of the Best of Festival Award for Courageous) pointed up in dedication to God.  His speech put it nicely: that in the Academy Awards it would be awkward if anyone thanked the Lord, but here it would be awkward if they didn't.  This was an exciting climax to an encouraging and enjoyable event.  And the fun didn't stop there!  Charlie Zahm sang and Tad Marks played afterward, along with young, adorable Virginia Phillips.  We missed hearing Mr. Phillips play the harmonica, but I heard tell that it was a great highlight, as well.  Will you be joining the group in 2013?

Watched this film tonight:



It is good--half movie, half documentary, and has a few quotes from Spurgeon and his sermons.  "Look and live"--what a wonderful, simple truth!  Jesus, if we are His, has paid it all!

Randomly, here are a few recent photos I took from the first month of 2012.

Jan. 7 - A walk with friends

 Jan.11 - A painting I was working on (done, now!)

 Jan. 15 - Some odd sort of sheep (at least the one on the left is odd!)

 Jan. 17 - Looking at God's beautiful creation on a walk

 Jan. 17 - Looking at God's beautiful, fascinating creation on a walk

 Jan. 19 - Light

IndoctriNation

IndoctriNation Trailer from IndoctriNation on Vimeo.


We watched this film recently and I highly recommend it.  It shows some of the serious problems with public schools via interviews, court cases, and facts. Some of it may shock you.  Please watch and support this film!

Links!

Western Conservatory is giving away a free subscription to their webinar on marrying well! With a wide range of topics, including the deadly danger of worry and maintaining peace and harmony between families, you will certainly find something to address your questions. To enter, go HERE and follow instructions.

Here are some limited-time-only online films that I recommend:

Divided - http://www.dividedthemovie.com/

Why are we seeing so many young people leaving the church? Are youth groups helping or hindering? This is an important film examining what is going on and what we can do about it.

Burzynski - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/11/burzynski-the-movie.asp

Mr. Burzynski discovered an amazing cancer treatment, but instead of helping to spread the good news, the FDA has done all they could to stop him. If you don't have time to watch the whole thing, please just watch the first 15 minutes. Believe me, it is worth your time.

Indoctrination Trailer

“They are stealing our children, but because they are leaving the body of the child with us, we don’t even know it is happening.”

- Erwin Lutzer, IndoctriNation

Colin Gunn and his family travel in a big yellow school bus across America shooting a new documentary film that explores the origins of the American education system, the effects of public schools on the Christian family, and the turning of the hearts of parents to their children through home education. http://indoctrinationmovie.com/

“It isn’t indoctrination. It’s insanity.” - R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Various

We have been packing up boxes in preparation to move to our new place. We have had volunteers of help from church--so gracious--and last week they helped move a bunch of furniture over. The new place has a large fenced-in garden that will be my mom's delight, but also a place for my sister and me to invest in and learn from...and perhaps I'll get to grow some butternut squash or something equally delightful. I have never done much gardening at all, but I think I will enjoy it once I get into the swing of things.

We know some people who are putting together a movie about Christian manhood, vengeance, and other themes. They hope to raise enough money to help with all the technical details before January 1. What is this movie? Jimmy Valiant: Scions of Danger. If you can spare even a dollar to give them, I'm sure they would appreciate it. Click here if you want to pledge your support.

Winter time is here, but in Texas there is hardly ever any snow. Soon "Christmas" will be here. Yet in our house there will be no gifts to wrap, no tree to decorate. Why? Well, for one, Jesus was not likely born in the winter. Then, the Bible says specifically to remember His death, though we are to remember His miraculous birth, as well. But most of all, I think my concern is the pagan origins of the holiday. Can something pagan be sanctified by Christians? Perhaps, but not if all the same elements are left in, such as Christmas trees and Santa Claus. The ties to the original meanings are too strong. Yet I struggle, because I like the look of twinkling lights and decorated trees, and in and of themselves I don't believe they are wrong. But on the same day as a pagan holiday first took place, and syncretized with Christian beliefs (first by Catholics, I think)....Can God be pleased with this? One may say the heart is the most important, and it is, but God always had His special ways of doing things, and was angry if it was not done in just the right way, and if holy was mixed with profane.

Anyway, for us, this holiday has always been off limits, and I think that is how it will stay for me. Let us rejoice daily that Jesus came, was born sinless, and died the spotless Lamb of God for sinful wretches!

In a similar vein, I have been thinking about books and movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. There are supposed to be Christian elements to them, and I can see them at least in TCON and have enjoyed the movies in part, but there are also pagan elements mixed in (such as fawns and other half-man half-animal beings). Is God pleased with this, even if I seem to get something good out of it? I have justified it, but seeing the correlation to Christmas has jarred my thoughts here....Does that mean I'll never, ever watch the movies? Not necessarily. I'm still mulling that one over.

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, Part 2

~Saturday~
We went to the last day of the film festival a bit later than the other days, missing the first hour and a half. We watched Live to Forgive in the large auditorium in the Municipal building. This was an amazing true story of a man who forgives and meets with his step-dad after he murdered his mom. We didn't agree with all the theology, exactly, and I didn't like some of the loud, rocky music, but otherwise it was very interesting.

Next we went to the other building to see Dispatches from the Front: A Bold Advance, which tugged at my heart, as well. We missed the first few minutes of it. The writing and filming were beautiful...but even more so was the love shown to others in countries where the gospel had not yet been given. The Christian converts in these countries shone with their love and words about Christ. We should be praying for them...and learning from their examples.

We broke for lunch after that; all three of us went to the food court in the mall.

Then we went to R.C. Sproul, Jr.'s lecture, where Mrs. Morecraft and her daughter, Mercy, were to announce the winners of her writing contest. I saw the Verrets and Lauren Bleser there, and sat next to them. Lauren said she'd cheer really loud for me and embarrass me if I won. :) I said I'd be embarrassed if I had to go up and say anything. Mercy did some funny country acting (pretending to be "Cousin Bertha Jean"). Then all the names of the winners were called, starting from the youngest category. As the list grew, including some ties, I grew more hopeful that my name might be among them. But no. Three of our friends/church members had won something, but not me. I was disappointed. It is in God's providence, though, and I'm sure it will help to keep my easily puffed-up ego deflated. I'm still writing poetry, though. It will always be something I enjoy, whether anyone else thinks it's good or not.

Annie and I had been thinking of leaving after the announcement to go see something else, but we decided to stay, as it was already pretty far into the hour and we thought it might be an interesting lecture. It was called "Where is God in Your Movie?" We are not really interested in becoming film-makers, but it was a good lecture in many ways. I could apply it to my writing, and life in general. I wasn't sure if I agreed 100% with everything he said, but the gist of it was good.

After that, we stayed to hear Kevin Swanson lecture on "Humor in the Family." It was good--not so humorous as it was thought-provoking. Our humor needs to be "attacking" what is bad, and endearing us to what is good, not the other way around, as some humor is.

In the break from 5:30 (? - our lectures went late, but I'm not sure how late) to 7:30, we went with Lauren to the mall's food court again. Lauren's new friend, Cindy, was there alone, so she joined us, though she had already eaten. Annie and Andy didn't join us at the round table, so I sat with just Lauren and Cindy. (My siblings didn't mean to be rude.) We talked as we ate, and I listened much of the time. Lauren and Cindy were talking about their pasts and conversions. I chimed in after Cindy's testimony, "That's how I was." And I told a little more about it.

Then they launched into a discussion on daughters staying home, as in the book So Much More.

After that, Andrew and Annie came over. We still had some time left before the Closing Ceremonies, so we headed to the Starbucks in the mall we were in and all (I think) ordered Pumpkin Spice Lattes (Annie and I shared one.) As I was waiting in line, I told Cindy a little more of my background and my dad, how he had died of cancer yet stayed strong in the Lord to the end, and how this had been in some ways helpful to me.

We talked some more as we gave them a ride in our van over to the other building. We were now talking about the churches we attended.

We separated. We met Mr. and Mrs. Marcic there and sat with them, though Annie didn't come until later because she was an usher. The closing ceremonies started with some ads for sponsors, I believe, or prayer, and singing. Mrs. Morecraft had sung in the opening ceremonies, and now the Salters/Amy Salter Rutherford played and sang. George Sarris also did his second Biblical dramatization--Jonah was the first one the night before (?) and this time it was Naaman the leper. I really enjoy those, the enthusiasm and character he puts into it.

Finally, the finalists and winners were announced! Not surprisingly, The Runner from Ravenshead won the Audience Choice award. The grand prize winner was Agenda: Grinding America Down. I was happy for them, and touched by their God-honoring story of praying and fasting and by the man's humility.

After the ceremonies, I got to have my photo taken with the little girl who played The Runner from Ravenshead. She seems as sweet as she looks. :) I also got my picture taken with Cindy B., the one I talked with earlier. I am glad to have met her. She is really sweet.

The next day, we went to the convention center for church services. Saw the Verrets again. We sat with the Marcics during the service. The preacher was Mr. Scott Brown, and he did an excellent job, on blessings and curses from Deuteronomy.

After the service and saying some goodbyes to our dear friends the Verrets and the Marcics, we headed home. Shortly thereafter, we left for the Sarratts' house, where we had a scrumptious meal. There were many other families with us. Annie and I sat and talked much of the time with Shanna Strackbein, who is easy to talk with and very sweet. She asked me about my writing, and we talked about Dickens and other books and movies. The Strackbein sisters and Shorts were talking about driving, and their trust in God even after being in some wrecks and close calls was encouraging.

On Tuesday, we had the Deamers over, along with a friend of theirs from Pennsylvania, who is a piano tuner, and his niece, Courtney. Annie and I got along well with Courtney, who is a soft-spoken but personable young lady. We had a supper of pot roast, potatoes, carrots, and a tossed salad, with chocolate cake for dessert. I was doing my share of talking during the meal, since Mr. Deamer was asking me some questions. Not that I took up all the conversation, or anything, but I was talking more than I usually do, at least during meals.

After supper (and a bit before supper, too), their friend, Michael, worked on tuning our baby grand piano. He said it was long overdue for a tuning. (When he was finished, the piano sounded much better--it had been more out of tune than we had realized! He also fixed the squeak that the soft pedal would always make when you lift your foot off.)

Annie, Courtney, and I talked and drank peppermint/chamomile tea together. Again, Dickens was mentioned. Courtney has some things in common with me, like liking to write.

I'm so thankful to God for such godly and caring friends, more than I ever had before. And for the peace that passes all understanding. :) I've been reading over some of my old journals lately, and I can see how fearful, inward-focused, and aimless I was before. Praise God for His sanctifying work day by day!

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, Part 1

~Thursday~
We missed the first morning & afternoon of the film festival, since Andrew had to work and we had no way of getting there. But it was okay with us, since most of the films at that time we weren't too excited about, or could see them later when they repeated. Grace took us in for the opening ceremonies at 6:30.

We spotted the Marcic family there (friends of ours from FL), and we greeted them but sat in different places.

There were some trailers for the upcoming films, and then Mr. Botkin spoke on how to evaluate Hollywood films. It was really good. Much of it I'd known before, but some of it surprised me a little. They talked about the films Finding Nemo, One Night With the King, and Love's Unending Legacy, all of which I have seen and thought were fairly decent, though not perfect. My favorite of the three would probably be Finding Nemo for its animation quality and comedy--otherwise I know there are a few problems with the message or attitudes in it.

After that, the film Divided was shown. It was not part of the competition, but it was excellent. It showed the dangers of youth groups and how the idea is not found anywhere in Scripture. The film quality and style were great, keeping your interest all the way through.

After the film, the film-makers talked a bit about how and why they had made the film.

~Friday~

Dawned with cold air. We got to the Municipal Auditorium early, since Annie was to be working there as a volunteer. The doors were closed, so we waited around. Eventually, we left Annie there with the Manteufels and Andrew and I drove over to the convention center to see Sybil Ludington and Journey to Everest.

The first movie was the story of a 16-year-old girl who rode 40 miles on horseback to round up the troops against the British in the Revolutionary War. It was inspiring in some ways, and mostly kept my interest. However, I thought the pacing was a little slow at times, showing the same basic scene with repeating music (especially so at the dance). Also, the acting could use some work, and some of Sybil's attitudes at first were not so great. In general I kind of enjoyed it, though, and wondered if I could do anything so brave and exhausting.

Andrew gave his thoughts on the film to one of the new Vision Forum interns, including the kind of guns used. The intern said he was very detailed and that it sounded like Andy could be one of the judges. :)

The next film, Journey to Everest, was interesting--especially seeing the numerous awful gods and goddesses they worship in Nepal. Overall not my favorite film, though, because it didn't seem to explain much in the way of spiritual depth or purpose. There was some of that, but mostly just what I had seen in the trailer.

Andrew and I went to lunch by ourselves after that, getting some Asian food. We brought Annie an Italian wrap for her lunch, and I stayed with her a little while and talked with Mr. Manteufel as Andy went to park.

Then we saw Agenda: Grinding America Down. This...this was a powerful film, which we watched as we sat next to the Verret family. Andrew came in late, since he had had trouble with finding a place to park that would accept his money--I guess he didn't have enough change. During the film, next to me, Lacie was jotting down notes. After a while, I pulled my notebook out and joined her in so doing. I had just recently learned something about Communism and the KGB from some youtube videos Andy shared with us. They were actually very fascinating, though somewhat out of date. But the history was there, and I had basically known nothing about it before then. What I knew was vague and somewhat inaccurate--the exciting spy version. Communism seeks to deceive, and is hard on those that don't agree with the system. So, this film tied in with that, talking more about Karl Marx and his various ties to different American organizations. I believe this film is one of the most important and useful ones in the film festival. Not a fun film to watch, but one we need to watch and re-watch, as Lacie said. At the close of the film, I asked Laura and Lacie to sign my autograph book. They wrote a couple of sweet notes. They are two girls I love and look up to, though they are quite a bit younger than I am.

We went down to the vending tables, looking at books and DVDs. There were even a few books and things for free, which we picked up. While there, Lacie gave me an idea for an art project, which I am seriously considering following up on. Mom, Annie, and I discussed it and possible ideas for it this morning, too. Should I tell you all or keep it a secret? I guess I will keep it a secret for now; sorry! :)


We went back upstairs to see The Runner from Ravenshead, and we all enjoyed that very much. It is an allegory and comedy, using all little kids from one family for the cast! And they are great in their roles. The message is one that should touch you as well, even if the allegory wasn't perfect. The movie was definitely better than I thought it would be.

The cast from The Runner from Ravenshead giving a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their film.

The sweet Verret family

We met up with the Marcics after a while. We were thinking of watching some other films, but since we wanted to eat supper with the Marcics, they said we should get to doing that if we wanted to get back in time for Ace Wonder, which we did. So we started out for Casa Rio after a bit of deliberation. We had a nice supper--Annie and I got a sort of tropical salad, and the others got enchiladas and such. Only Mr. and Mrs. Marcic, Jonathan, Meghan, and baby Nathan ate with us. We talked about various things like our families, friends, and the films we'd watched. Mr. Marcic more than kindly paid for our meals.

That night, we watched the premier screening of a rough-cut Ace Wonder. Even in an unfinished stage, it was quite amazing. Very professional.

...To Be Continued

Expected and Unexpected Visitors

The last few days have been a little busier than normal. Last Friday and Saturday we babysat my nephew, Nathaniel. We had some fun times and some trying times. My sister Annie did more than I, but I know whatever experience I get is good for me. We took Nathaniel to our church on Lord's Day, and after lunch my brother took Nathaniel back to his house.


On Saturday we also had some unexpected visitors. (Side note: that's one good reason to keep the house neat.) My mom's late sister's husband, Richard Mazanec, stopped in. We had a nice time talking, eating brunch, and watching The Eden String Quartet. My uncle, being a violin player and former preacher, enjoyed this very much. Mom, Annie, and I had watched it before (in fact, it was my mom's third time watching it), but it was still moving and lovely to watch for both of us. If you haven't watched this film and you enjoy music, I'd highly recommend it! Not just for the sake of the music, but to see such a lovely and godly family who work hard and express their love to others, young and old. It was inspiring and convicting for me to watch.

Right before Uncle Richard left, we received a phone call from some friends, who wanted to stop by to show us their new baby, whom we had not yet seen. We welcomed them in, and enjoyed little Raphael and talking with our friends. We all had the opportunity to hold the baby.


Today (as well as before) we have been doing some sorting and packing things into boxes, in preparation for our move to TX. My sister, Annie, and I had a nice break to play an online game like Scrabble with two of our sisters-in-law.

Praise the Lord for family and friends,
For joy that never ends.
Praise the Lord for hardship and sorrow,
For the gift of tomorrow.

Let us live our lives for the Savior,
With loving behavior.
Let us carry the cross He gives us
It should not be grievous.

-M.A.M. (Feb. 2, 2009)

Trip to Texas

This month, my mom, sister Annie, and I went to TX and stayed at my brother-in-law and sister's house. They have three adorable children, and we enjoyed our time spent with them all. The two older kids (just four and two years old) are learning well, from Bible stories to their ABCs to words like "omnipotent."

Annie with Michaella, Gabriella, and Malachi

We attended the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, as well. It was a great blessing to hear everyone praising God, and to see wholesome, inspiring films made by a wide variety of age groups.

We also were privileged to see Dean Jones, Kirk Cameron, Stephen Kendrick, and others, speaking about their films and their testimonies.

One of my favorite parts was seeing and hearing the lovely voices of the von Trapp singers (actual great-grandchildren of the The Sound of Music von Trapps). Such perfect harmony! Charlie Zahm, a folk/ballad singer, was also very enjoyable, and there was a nice solo by Mrs. Morecraft.

I saw a total of ten films throughout the festival, and each one made a favorable impression on me and nearly all gave me something of a challenge. Here's the list of the films I saw and some brief thoughts on them.

An American Adventure - The story of a WWII veteran. His gentle kindness and bravery were quite evident.

Fireproof - I had seen most of it before (just missed the first 10 minutes or so), but it was about as good the second time. It seems to be a helpful movie for marriages, and one that points to God and His saving power.

The Widow's Might - A unique sort of film, basically a drama, musical, comedy, contemporary film, and western! The message is good (helping a widow in trouble, etc.), and the music and production is quite well-done, too, especially considering it was made by mostly young people without a huge budget.

Abraham and Isaac - A dramatic and emotional portrayal of the true, Biblical story of Abraham about to sacrifice his son. Starring Dean Jones as Abraham. This helped me stand in Abraham's shoes and makes me want to have the same sort of faith. It also showed the might of God and brought me to inwardly praise Him.

Widow and Oil - This, as well, shows God’s power and love in the miracle of the widow’s oil that God multiplied.

The Rich Man and Lazarus - Based on the true story of the rich man and Lazarus, this shows that God doesn't save based on wealth, and that when a person dies it is too late to go from hell to heaven.

Pendragon: The Sword of His Father - This is rather long and not all the acting is the best, but the sets and graphics are rather impressive. The main character relies on God's help to aide him in battle, and, though determined not to back down, iscontent to leave the outcome in God's hand. He befriends a young lady whom he later comes to rescue.

Stained - This seemed strange and was intense, but quite good once I realized it was an allegory of salvation. It was professionally done, too.

Binding Faith - This is documentary about an Indian family facing persecution (the father is a pastor and signed a paper saying the soldiers could shoot him if they heard anything they didn't like). God delivered him one of these dangerous situations, and he continues to preach and plant churches in volatile areas. Very eye-opening and inspiring.

Bread Alone - This is about a Ukrainian family facing starvation under Stalin's rule. It teaches the vital importance of the Bible, as well as some history. The acting and filming impressed me, as well as the story.

Animals in the Bible - I watched this after the film festival was over, as my mom bought it. It was an interesting film on animals that are mentioned in the Bible, how we can learn from them, and some of their unique features.

I also got to meet one of the von Trapps--Melanie. She was sweet and humble, chatting with my mom and me as if she had known us for a while. She wrote her signature in my homemade autograph book and we had our picture taken with her.

I also got to meet my online friend (also a great, mission-minded photographer), Leah Cross. It was lovely to see her, though it was only for a little while.

And Uncle Leslie and Aunt Connie drove down to see us for a few hours and eat lunch with us, which was very nice.

There were several lectures at the film festival, three of which I was able to see. One was on cinematic music, one was on photography, and one was on evaluating a Hollywood movie. The last one was particularly eye-opening, as Mr. Botkin brought out various dangerous and worldly things that are not all easy to see on the surface of this particular movie (The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement).

I'm so thankful I was able to go (God gave me a respite in my cold for the three days I went to the film festival). This is a trip I shall not soon forget.