i must be on a video kick

going to biola were some of the best years of my life and these dudes totally captured what it is like to be on campus, go to basketball games, eat in the caf, worship, live in the dorms, and make the best friends ever (i even got to marry my best friend from biola). this video won a youtube contest for a short video on why your college campus rocks.

check it out...

and #1 is...

best ever...no need to say anything else. i know it is a long clip, but well worth all the time.

my favorite movies part 2

i saw the first time when i was in jr. high. totally changed my life at the time, and i still think it speaks volumes about our commonalities, hurts and fears, and dreams no matter what our backgrounds.
here is #3... "the breakfast club"



i saw the usaf thunderbirds fly when i was 5 years old and that started my obsession with jets and flying. after i saw #2 on my list, i thought for sure i knew what i wanted to do for the rest of my life. God had other plans for me and i would never change what i have now for what might have been. still, this movie is totally awesome.

at #2..."top gun"

my top 5 favorite movies part 1

there are some who say it is really tough to pick your all time favorite movies. my favorite movies list has not changed in at least a decade, athough the movies may change places (except for #1 which always has been and always will be #1) from time to time. all these movies have made an impact on me; either my dreams, my view on people, or in my understanding of life. some of the clips may be a bit long, but i believe well worth the time.

i have decided to break this post into two parts; one today and one tomorrow. so, without further ado... here they are beginning with #5.




"get busy living, or get busy dying". one of the best lines ever...

#4:

just a really cool ending. if you have not seen the movie, then skip the clip.

hope

there is much to be said about hope. president-elect obama wrote a book titled "the audacity of hope" and star wars episode IV was called "a new hope". the bible has quite a lot to say on the subject; much that is hard to wrap my head around. i read the following this morning in my bible..."even when there was no reason for hope, abraham kept hoping- believing that he would become the father of many nations" Romans 4:18. that is just incredible, no reason to hope, yet hope did not diminish and God counted it as righteousness for abraham.

i love a lot of movies but the clip below is from one of my top 5 all time favorites, "the shawshank redemption". this is a great example of hope discovered, hope believed in, and hope fulfilled.

enjoy.




perhaps my next postings will be clips from my 5 all time favorite movies...

my karate kid

i can't wait till they teach him the 'crane kick'...

the cool thing is that he really loves his tae kwon do class and is passionate about it.

perhaps a video will be posted soon.

politics

nnnnnnoooooooooooo.......!

don't do it matt, don't bring up that topic. not here, not now, please.

well too bad, it's my blog, so read on with caution...

actually, i don't want to write about anything political at all. mostly because several conversations, blog postings, and responses on that very topic has resulted in unjust accusations, hurt feelings, unfair criticisms, miscommunication, misinterpreted statements, and a small but painful family war of words. the bummer was that true dialogue and debate was never really part of the discussion (i'm to blame for my part in this as well). i believe that the issues written about (i.e. health care, taxes) are critical and need to discussed. the question isn't "are these important issues or not", but rather, "what is the best solution to resolve these very complex issues". we may never agree on what is the best strategy, but we can at least come to terms that we all have the best interest of others in mind and care deeply for others in need.

i did not vote for obama. however, i do believe that he has best interest of the united states in mind. i am not convinced that his foreign policy is strong enough, or that his tax plan is actually going to stimulate and grow the economy, or that his stance on health care is the best. all that being said, he is now my president and it is my privilege and duty as a citizen of the greatest country on earth to pray for him, and support him as best i can. there are some in the media who have said that if mccain were elected president they would move to canada. that is both tragic and stupid.

ultimately, the president is not in control. neither is the congress, or the house of representatives, or the state or federal government. God is and always will be in control, no matter who sits in the oval office and what laws and policies he signs. with that in mind i know i can sleep and live and work in peace.