A Hectic Week

We are trying to establish our routines for this year and we are going through transitional pains as it were. Money is as tight as ever, but there is hope on the horizon with Ellice's new job (God be praised) and the increase in income forthcoming. As I'm not taking classes this semester, I'm going to be able to focus on my writing and church activities.

The week shakes down like this: every other Monday we'll be gaming for a few hours--if you don't keep the game up, it dies and we are having way too much fun to let that happen. Tuesdays will be volleyball, almost straight through until spring. Ellice and I have decided to take the church's sign language class on Wednesdays. Ellice has Bible study and bunco on Thursdays, and Friday is grocery night. Saturdays are resting-date days, and Saturday nights will be UK football of course. Sunday is church and lesson planning for Ellice. I'll probably be writing on Thursday and Sundays. Somewhere in there we'd like to walk and swim at the YMCA, once Ellice feels up to it. There you go, that's our week in a nutshell.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

This daily devotional was intense; an uplifting read that was at times thought provoking but at others rather harsh. This turn of the century work seemed to be written from a missions perspective, with an emphasis on trusting God for everything and sacrificing self. While appropriate, the language was very dogmatic as if Chambers himself held not only the keys to life, the universe and everything (Christ of course) but also the definitive disciplines and activities that everyone should follow as a Christian. There was an awful lot of good theology here, but I found myself arguing at least once a week with his point. I guess you could say that's good, healthy, thought-provoking religious literature, and my rating will reflect that. ***

The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel

Lee Strobel is famous for his scientific and historical analysis of Jesus the person and how we can show that he was the Christ. This book is one of his briefer works, a quick journalistic investigation into the divinity of the child in the manger. His rationale is pretty good, but a strong skeptic will not a few leaps in logic here and there. Much of what is dug up is interesting and very useful in discussions with non-Christians, but I doubt that a cynic would take the information without corobaration. In general, I found the book interesting and informative food for thought. **1/2

Whew!

Working mostly, more physical therapy, lots and lots of prayer for a job for me or Ellice and health for a friend. Still up in the air whether I'll be taking more classes this semester, mostly based on whether we need the loan money. I'm done with course work and just need to get hired for my practicum. (student teaching isn't feasible at this point).

The wife and I have had a tough time of it emotionally and spiritually. But we're trying to have faith and keep praying.

UPDATE
Well, it finally happened. Ellice got an interview two days after a meltdown, and then we got the callback--she got the job as a 1st grade teacher!!!! In Clark County even, so we can carpool. No classes this semester. The Lord be praised, we get to keep our apartment... and we'll be able to eat! The only downside is I have to get up an hour earlier but hey, we all make sacrifices. Speaking of that, I better get to bed....

STAR WARS: The Clone Wars
Way cool. I was lovin' it the whole time. The movie is short but feature length. It is a cartoon in the vein of the short lived series and is a predictable springboard for the new cartoon coming out in the fall. But it was great eye candy, with a neat take on the traditional Star Wars sound on the soundtrack. Anakin is reluctantly assigned a padawan learner in the middle of a battle with the Separtists. The action launches from there with typical heavies Count Dooku and his apprentice, Asaaj Ventress. Two thumbs way up for any Star Wars fan out there. After a while, you forget you are watching a cartoon. ***1/2

Vacation

Well, it has been a while since I blogged, and since then I've been rehabilitating my pulled groin muscle, working my way out of a wheelchair and off crutches.

The trip to Florida, the cruise, and the Bahamas were fun. The highlights were the Kennedy Space Center, Arabian Nights, which is a horse and dinner show, leaving the country for reef-protected beaches of Nassau, being on the high seas, and of course, the Magic Kingdom. Disneyworld was a great way to cap off the whole thing.

Aside from all of that, a lot of hobbling, job-searching and taking it easy while I heal (except for the Physical Therapy). Lots of soreness still, and we suspect there may be a hernia and/or a broken ankle involved. Only time and x-rays will tell.

Pray for us as we are having a tough time dealing with the job situations, financial responsibilities and we are still of course still depressed about Hope. Also, an unnamed friend is in need of life-saving medical care.

Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
(Bear in mind that I was exhausted when viewing this movie from 10+ hours of driving the day before, and the review probably reflects that)

Take 3. This movie was entertaining, much like the other two. There is a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the change in female leads, but other than that, the main stars have returned. This time Jet Li is the life-challenged adversary, a Chinese undead lord whose entire army was cursed into terra cota warriors. The effects are spectacular, which is to be expected anymore in this day and age; the plot seems contrived in spots, but is strong enough to propel the story forward. The newcomers take some getting used to, but the acting is passable for this kind of flick. The movie is a little slow up front, but the payoff of the climactic battle is worth the investment in time. My biggest knock is that most of the good lines for the movie were in the commercials, and I found myself waiting for them to be delivered. I really like the series, though this is most likely the lesser installment of the three. **1/2