The Room: Author Unknown

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the wall covered with index files. They were like the ones in the libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemed to go endlessly in either direction, had very different headings.
As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was the one that read "People I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names on each one. And then without being told, I knew where I was. This lifeless room with it's small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory could not match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought me joy and sweet memories, others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." There was also "Books I have read." "Lies I have told." "Comfort I have given," and "Jokes I have laughed at." Some were almost hilarious in the exactness like: "Things I have yelled at my brother." Others I couldn't laugh at, "Things I have done I my anger." "Things I have muttered under my breath at my parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I had hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 16 years of life to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed the truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my own signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I have listened to," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shout it, shamed not only by the quality of the music, but more by the amount of time I knew the file represented.
When I came to the file marked "Lustful thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test it's size and drew out a card. I shuddered at it's detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One Thought remained in my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. It's size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I couldn't dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it was strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to it's slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I have shared the Gospel with." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer and almost unused. I pulled on it's handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out in shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of the file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know about this room. I must lock it up and hide the key!
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No!... Please, not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bare to watch His response. And the moments I could bring myself to look at his face, I saw sorrow much deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did he have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things, but He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Starting at one end of the room He took out a file and one by one started to sign His name overmine on each card.
"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card away from Him. His name couldn't be on these cards, but there it was, written in red, so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written in His blood.
I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed, I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder, and said, "It is finished."
I stood up and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on it's door. There were still cards to be written.

The Joker is Taking Over

Warner Brothers is embracing the internet fan base for it's rebooted Batman franchise's sequel The Dark Knight wherein Batman (Christian Bale) comes face to face with his nemesis the Joker (played by Heath Ledger.) With a well planned viral campaign that started with a teaser shot of the new films logo. Later the logo became a link that will take you to www.IBelieveinHarveyDent.com with the ad campaign for Gotham's hopeful next District Attorney; Harvey Dent (played by Aaron Eckhart) After a few days the a new site was created www.IBelieveinHarveyDentToo.com with a picture of Dent vandalized with clown paint over his face. The website has since "crashed" and now states that the page can no longer be found. But, if you highlight the words while scrolling over the words on the page you will see a hidden message of a series of "HahAhAHAhahA" with letters hidden within them spelling out "See You in December." Ibelieveinharveydenttoo later became a link to another viral site "WhySoSerious.com" which in October began a countdown with a pumpkin that was rotting on one side (an homage to the Batman comic series "The Long Halloween" ) revealed a new challenge, or type of scavenger hunt for fans. The hunt revealed a message from the Joker saying "The Only Sensible Way to Live in This World is Without Rules," after the message was revealed a new picture of the Joker became available.

The picture also became a link to "rorysdeathkiss.com" and for those who have been following the filming of The Dark Knight "Rory's Death Kiss" has been the hidden shooting title of the movie to avoid fans from sneaking onto the sets and taking pictures. Since it's link date in early November deathkiss has been a hub for pictures of fans responding to the Joker's challenge of taking pictures in their local areas most historic/popular spot. The campaign ended on Nov. 16th, and all the fans who participated were given a note on the site saying "What a crime scene! The clock's struck 12 and I'm sending something for each and every every one of you clowns who made my list by the deadline. The fun-filled times should roll in shortly after the bird's been carved! Don't you just love the taste of envelope glue?" and special copies of "The Gotham Times" and were given links to a few websites:

• TheGothamTimes.com
• TheHaHaHaTimes.com
• RememberingGina.org
• GothamNationalBank.com
• WeAretheAnswer.org
• GothamPolice.com
• GothamCityRail.com
• WhySoSerious.com/PersonalityProfile

And now within the last 24 of this article there has been a new site has become available- WhySoSerious.com/Mausoleum. This link is to a safe that is locked and has a note from the Joker indicating that the dirty cops of Gotham have stolen evidence that belongs to him.

This viral campaign for The Dark Knight is a not necessarily a new form of marketing, but the planning that has gone into this campaign by Warner Brothers has set a new standard for building up suspense. To the degree that we still do not know what "the Joker" means by "See you in December" in the first twist in the campaign.

It is believed to be referring to the IMAX 7 minute feature that will be appearing in front of "I Am Legend" But we shall soon find out.

Spiritual Baggage

A few years ago, it almost feels like a lifetime now, there was a youth group in my area known as 2:42. This group organized by high school students who wanted to get to know more about their faith and get to know their Savior better met in a quaint basement and were lead by Pastor Brian Johnson. The purpose of this group was to devote two Friday nights (sometimes 3) a month to challenge each other and dig deeper into their budding faith. The name behind the group came from the book of Acts in chapter 2 verse 42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." And to me and the people involved this was a slice of heaven. Most of the friends I have now are the people I met through that group. These were the people who helped me understand that the God of the universe wanted me to rest in His hands. He wanted to know me and me to know and love Him.

As a born and raised Catholic this concept was lost on me, but by the end of the first meeting I attended my heart swelled with the idea of a God who was not waving his finger at me and shaking his head but rather holding out both arms and awaiting my embrace.

For a little over two years the group flourished under the mentoring of Pastor Johnson and grew fairly quickly and saw a handful of attendees baptized (myself included.) But God had greater plans for everyone involved in the group. God called Pastor Johnson away from the group to go minister in Michigan and leave the group to continue on it's own being led by the very students who started the group. This went well for a few months but quickly faltered and we saw many who had been baptized within the group fall away from their faith and get lost again in the earth.

2:42 has now been officially shut down for a couple years and my friends and I are all in college and moving on with life. Getting married, engaged, meeting that potential "special someone" and realizing who God has made us out to be under His guidance.

I recently got out of a relationship that lasted a little over a year and did some things I'm not particularly proud of, but what hurts the most was the way I view myself now after everything and knowing how badly I hurt my Savior.

But that's the great thing about Jesus: He forgives unconditionally. When we confess our sins He holds us in His pierced hands and says "It's okay, I understand" and just comforts us. He is the ultimate comfort. He takes our sins/spiritual baggage and loses it better than the O'Hare airport.

So what's the benefit from being baggage free?

• There's no carry ons to load into your overhead bin
• We are free to be who God wants us to be

I mean, c'mon, wouldn't a vacation be so much easier if you didn't have to pack and run through so many checklists to make sure you have everything?

Giving up your baggage to Christ is like having a relative who lives out of state and you go to visit them and they tell you "Don't bother packing. As soon as you get here we're going out and buying you everything you'll need. And you can stay in our brand new bed we just got." Jesus says the same to us, except He already paid for everything we could ever need.

The problem is we justify our desire to bring our baggage anyway "Oh, well that's great, but I think I want to bring my pillow... Just in case" Why would you still need to bring anything when it's all sitting there waiting for you?

You may say "Well, I'm just this person, I don't deserve it." Whenever I hear someone excuse their life or an action by using the word "just" you're underestimating the Creator of the universe. Jeremiah thought he could justify God's will for him "But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" (Jer. 1:6 The Message) If we put another way Jeremiah is saying "I'm just a kid!" To which God replies, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it. Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." (Jer. 1:7 The Message) God is taking Jeremiah's angst and worries (spiritual baggage) and saying I'll hold the world, you just go talk to My people.

The reason I share this sequence with you is because in 2004 a movie came out called "Finding Neverland" starring Johnny Depp as British play write and author J.M. Barrie. In the first few minutes of the film Barrie is at the park entertaining his new acquaintances, the Llewelyn Davies family, and about to perform with his dog Porthos who they are imagining is a bear when the second youngest boy, Peter, says "This is absurd. It's just a dog." To which Barrie memorably replies "Just a dog? Just? Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, 'He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man', or 'That's not a diamond, it's just a rock.' Just."

I believe that this is where we get the word 'just'ify. We can't read our Bible today, we're just too tired. I'd get more out of church if it was just a bit shorter. I'd listen more to the paster if he'd just keep his sermons shorter. Just. It's quite a powerful adjective when you want it to be.

My final movie reference for this post comes from Robert Zemeckis' "The Polar Express." Throughout the movie our main character; Hero Boy, knows that wherever he's going is somewhere special but he doesn't want to believe whole heartedly that he is in fact going to the North Pole because he's afraid of being tricked and being let down. Towards the end of the movie every child hears Santa's sleigh bells ringing as the reindeer are passing. Everyone but Hero Boy who wants so badly to hear the bells magical ring. Finally he opens his heart and lets his vulnerable side open to the thought that there is a Santa and he is real and he hears the bells and describes them as the most beautiful sound ever.

This is a perfect analogy for giving your faith and life to Christ and how acceptance of His sacrifice will bring the Holy Spirit into our lives. In order to hear God's will we need the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. It the *OnStar to our Christian walk. We need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open our hearts and believe in the One who sacrificed everything to allow us to know Him better.

So, please this Christmas season, open your heart to the Reason for the season. He will give you the greatest gift you can ever receive. And I pray for those who are saved but still have reserves and have not given their baggage to the One who will make the journey so much lighter.

God bless anyone and everyone who reads this.

'Tis the Season

The Friday after Thanksgiving not only kicks off the busiest shopping weekend of the year, but it also kicks off the sounds of the season. No, no, not cash registers opening and closing. It's that sound you hear everywhere you turn your radio dial-- Christmas music. Every year you see new CDs with the classics and new classics with some of the more famous modern classics like Newsong's "Christmas Shoes" (which is now also a movie featuring Rob Lowe.) With every new artist that comes out to the main stream you'll hear them take on a classic song into their style of music.


But there are a couple artists I would like to recommend to those who, like me, love the classics but with the same feeling and sound. Last year jazz singer Michael Buble (boo-blay) released his first Christmas CD "Let it Show!" A five song compilation of classics like "Let it Snow!" (obviously) "Grown-Up Christmas List," White Christmas," I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "The Christmas Song." All of these songs stay true to the songs of yore that gained the title of "classic" while Buble still throws in his own jazz stylings into the mix.

What makes Buble's CD a must buy is his piano accompaniment. The piano is just as prominent as Buble's presence in all the songs. The piano gives each song a classic feel to it, like someone just sat down at your living room piano (if you have one) and just started to play and sing.

And Josh Groban released his long awaited Christmas CD "Noel" this November. This full length Christmas album features guitarist Andy McKee in "Little Drummer Boy." Faith Hill offers her talents in a duet on the song "The First Noel." Other classics featured are "Angels We Have Heard on High (with Brian McKnight,)" "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Groban's single released last Christmas season "Ave Maria," Groban's own version of "The Christmas Song," "What Child is This," and "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear." Other songs inclued David Fosters "Thankful," "Panis Angelicus," "Petit Papa Noel," and the climax of the album "O Come All Ye Faithful" featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Groban's "Noel" is a guaranteed hit in any home. His classical operatic voice along with the orchestra and guest artists flows from song to song giving you the "warm fuzzies" during the cold winter months.

Both CDs offer something for everyone's Christmas spirit while being able to allow the listeners to call each version their generations own classic song.

2007 NFL MVP Debate 'Favre' from Over

Now that we're almost 12 weeks through the 2007 NFL season, the debate on who the Most Valuable Player for the entire league has begun. The front-runner according to just about everyone is Tom Brady of the New England Patriots running away with the award.

The only kink in Brady's candidacy-- three time MVP Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. If you recall after the draft when the Patriots not only got Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders for the low, low price of a fourth round draft pick (Cincinnati CB John Bowie) but they also stole Moss right out from under Favre and the Packers respective noses. Cue the drama of an angry Favre who wanted Moss in green and gold more than anyone ever wanted Moss in his life. Moss, a player a lot of experts thought was through after two injury plagued seasons in Oakland, has proven to be a valuable pickup for the Patriots having already gained over 1,000 yards through the air, helping lead the team in receiving yards, and setting a new franchise record for receiving touchdowns. Moss is projected to have 1600 yards receiving (which would be a new Patriots record) and extending his team record to an NFL record 26 receiving touchdowns.

Now why does Favre throw a kink in Brady's "magic" season? Because of the acquisition of Randy Moss and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Moss' resurgence has more to do with the fact he wants to play for a winner, not Brady's arm. And the fact that coach Belichick wants to pad his QBs numbers by running up the score. If you may recall the Patriots vs. the Miami Dolphins in week 7 the Pats were up 42-14 when Brady's back up Matt Casel threw two incomplete passes with an interception and Belichick found this unacceptable being up the four touchdowns so he put Brady back in to run up the score to 49-21 on Brady's sixth TD pass of the game. The Pats won the game 49-28. "I did it because of the score, one more turnover, and then it's a 14-point game in the middle of the fourth quarter," was Belichick's excuse for bringing Brady back into the game.

Now turn over to the NFC North this preseason-- the NFC champion Chicago Bears were supposed to run away with the division and Brett Favre was supposed to be washed up. Favre was angry at management about not getting him a play maker outside of his number one receiver: Donald Driver. With the lack of a running game Packers head coach Mike McCarthy asked Favre to step back form being a gunslinger and become more of a game manager. While implementing more slant patterns in the playbook to help expand a team without a running game and Favre has flourished with these new short slants.

While Tom Brady's off partying and enjoying the sweet life of a potential 16-0 season his prefect season is more based on the Pats becoming the New York Yankees of the NFL by having his front office stockpile proven wide receivers on the offensive side of the ball (trades with Miami for Wes Welker, the Moss trade, picking up free agent Donte Stallworth.) Favre is helping develop not just his young receivers (Greg Jennings, James Jones and Ruvell Martin,) he is also tutoring and mentoring his heir-apparent: Aaron Rodgers. Favre has developed into a player/coach for a team that thrives on defense and finds ways to tear apart defenses on offense. During this season Favre has broken almost every major passing record (even the not so prestigious career interceptions list) and will keep adding to his records for at least the rest of this season, a lot of the records falling this season are thanks to the Packers lack of a running game the first 8 weeks of the season, and with the emergence of Ryan Grant as the Packers primary running back Favre has found even more success passing for 1641 yards since Grant has taken over the starting job in the back field. The Packers defense is the catalyst for this season. But Favre is definitely the heart.

At the start of the season Favre and the Packers were projected to finish in the middle of the league at 8-8 or 7-9. Needless to say both the Packers and their hall of fame quarterback have done nothing but play the game it's supposed to be played and has a total of seven games with 300 or more passing yards. All this with no-name receivers. Not bought talent like Brady's Pats.

Brett Favre not only deserves the NFL MVP award for being the leader of a team that was supposed to go nowhere, fast. But he's been doing it while being honest with himself and the rest of his teammates saying "By no means can we rest, or think that we arrived," Favre said after a game against the Carolina Panthers, "because we haven't."

By being honest and telling the young players like it is Favre has been keeping his teammates from becoming overconfident because he knows what happens when you get cocky. Back in 2004 the Packers started 7-1 and stumbled to a 12-4 finish and missed out on home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Packers face the last real challenge on Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, this game could be an NFC championship game preview and also determine home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. If Favre leads the Pack over the Cowboys, good ol' number 4 should be considered a legitimate contender for his unprecedented fourth MVP award, and first since 1997.