2008: Year in Review

Favorite Movie Watched in a Theater:
Iron Man (I guess; I was just too freaked out by The Dark Knight to enjoy it)

Favorite Movie Watched at Home for the First Time:
Hellboy (I know, that sounds weird)

Favorite Fiction Book Read for the First Time:
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Favorite Nonfiction Book Read for the First Time:
The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne

Favorite Podcast:
The Dan Patrick Show (got to be honest that I listened to the sports talk show more than any of my sermon podcasts)

Favorite Family Moment:
Going to Ecola together and playing mini-golf

Favorite 24 Moment:
Jack saving those African kids (that was pretty much the only 24 moment)

Favorite Survivor Moment:
Ruth King winning it all with Bob

Favorite New Show:
Eli Stone (bummed it is going off the air) and Life

Favorite New Song Purchased:
Goodnight Song by Tammany Hall NYC

Favorite Seminary Moment:
Graduating!!!!

Favorite Ministry Moment:
The New Testament Survey Class

Favorite California Moment:
Taking the kids to the park every day, even though it was December, while Oregon was dealing with a snow storm

Favorite Sports Moment Watched:
UCLA making their third straight Final Four (even though they blew it against Memphis)

Favorite Matthew Activity:
Reading with him

Favorite Jack Activity:
His dancin' antics

Favorite Married Moment:
Celebrating my birthday at Skymania Lodge

Favorite Friend Moment:
Going to the condo with Dave and Kelly

Favorite Bible Verse for the Year:
Hebrews 2:17: Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Third Day and Frodo

In some ways, the following two things are unrelated, but I wanted to include them in one post. They are both literary things that struck me over the past couple of weeks:

Frodo and Honorable Clothes

I recently read through the Lord of the Rings trilogy again. I was really struck by one passage in The Return of the King. It takes place after the ring has been destroyed, and while Frodo and Sam are talking to Gandalf about attending the coronation of the king (Aragorn):

"What shall we wear?" said Sam; for all he could see was the old and tattered clothes that they had journeyed in, lying folded on the ground beside their beds.

"The clothes that you wore on your way to Mordor," said Gandalf. "Even the orc-rags that you bore in the black land, Frodo, shall be preserved. No silks or linens, nor any armour or heraldry could be more honourable. But later I will find some other clothes, perhaps."

This little interchange brought me to tears because its power so struck me. There was honor for Frodo in Sam in their suffering, and to wear the clothes of suffering was a badge of honor. Power in weakness. Christ still bears His scars.

Third Day and Christmas

Then, I was struck by a Christmas song that I have heard many, many times: Do You Hear What I Hear? I was listening to Third Day's version of this Christmas carol a couple of days ago. I stopped to listen to the lyrics because I realized that I didn't know them. For one part, all I remembered was that the lyrics read, "A child, a child." I stopped to listen to what the carol says about the child. The words were so powerful to me:

A child, a child shivers in the cold

Let us bring him silver and gold.

This is quite a contrast to Silent Night, and the verse in Away in the Manger about Jesus not crying. Here is the glorious King who is worthy of all our gifts, and he is shivering in the cold. Even writing the words now brings me to tears because of the great gift of Christmas. The Son of God took on all of our weaknesses. . .and he shivered in the cold.