Blog- I Am Probably The Only Person Who Has Never Seen This Movie

I watched a movie this weekend that most of you have probably already seen. I've been fighting it since birth I think. My mom used to watch it when it came on TV when I was a kid and I vaguely remember the songs, and not wanting to watch it. I guess most young boys don't get really excited about musicals and such.

 

The movie? The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews. Yes, I must admit. I watched that movie for the first time this weekend.

 

My daughter had been singing a few of the songs lately that she had learned in Music class, so she really wanted to see it. I put it in the queue on Netflix, and so it showed up and we watched it. I was a bit reluctant at first, because in my mind, I figured it was going to be stupid and boring and emasculating to watch a movie such as this. I mean, come on, any movie that starts with a lady in a drab dress singing by herself on top of a mountain sets the stage as pretty pointless movie...right?

 

I'm not sure if you've seen it, so if I spoil it, I'm sorry. But here's the movie in a nutshell. This lady is living in a Nunnery and on her way to be a Nun. She gets a job as a nanny to 7 kids and falls in love with her employer who is a widower.  The movie takes place in Austria during WWII, with the backdrop of Nazi Germany.

 

The movie has quite a bit of layers. Love, intrigue, nationalism,family, good and evil, truth. Its got it all. At first glance it appears to just be a movie with singing kids in nickers, but it was quite different than I assumed. I loved the movie. It was great. I'll watch it again.

 

What's the point?I had a ton of assumptions about something I knew something about based on very limited information. Furthermore, I also had reservations based on what I thought other people thought about this movie, and how others would view me if they knew I had watched it, or even worse liked it.

 

What's the nugget? I am sure there are things about God, the Bible, or the Church that many people have assumptions about with very limited information. More than likely these assumptions  come from what they have heard from other people and how they perceive the things of God to be or not be.

 

Upon deeper investigation and a real life experience with the things of God, one may find themselves, as I have, regarding the Sound of Music, to reassess their preconceived notions, and change their viewpoint.

 

If you're in complete understanding of who God is, and what he's about. That's great- but realize that there are a bunch of people out there that are making assumptions about God based on limited information, not on the truth of His character as revealed in the Bible.  Perhaps you can make an impact in their life by sharing with them what you know to be true, and changing their perceptions.

 

Be blessed

matt

Posted via email from Faith and Victory Church Blog

Do This When You Meet Someone New- You'll WOW Them!

I meet people. Its what I do. Out and about, at church, at functions. Whatever it may be, I seem to be meeting people wherever I go.

 

I met someone yesterday. I wont say where, or in what context, as much as I will tell you the initial greeting that I had with them, was, well, lacking.

 

Here's what happened- I was at this place, there was someone whom I knew, and they introduced me to their friend. As I reached out to shake this persons hand, I was given an almost fully extended arm, that was rigid in nature, and only the finger tips of their hand. This is what that hand shake told me- I'm a a distance. I don't want to meet you. Here, I'll let you try to half way grab onto my fingers as an attempt to make it seem as though I'm being cordial.

 

I thought about it quite a bit yesterday and here's why- in my world, I think you only have one chance to make a first impression, and its made largely through the handshake.

 

There are some handshakes that really bug me-

 

The "over the top"- When someone shakes hands with theirs completely over yours, their palm facing down- to me it says dominance.

 

The "wet noodle" When someone gives you a limp collection of phalanges and expects you to cradle their broken hand- to me it says weakness.

 

The "grab you first" When someone someone clasps too fast, and doesn't give you the opportunity to get your hand in there. to me it says distrust.

 

The "break your hand" Very common among men- Its when you squeeze as though your life depended on it, but with no grimace. The goal is to make it seem as if this is your natural strength. To me it says shallowness.

 

Now when I say hand shake, this is what I mean- a fully embraced, all the way to the palms, not too hard, completely clasped handshake. No one's hand is farther in the shake than the other, no one's hand is more on top. Its a fully equal shaking of the hands that signifies the openness of the beginning of the relationship. Its firm, but not too hard. Its long enough to signify a connection but not too long to say that you're creepy. Its a just a good handshake.

 

Think about your handshake today. It says alot about who you are. Look for opportunities to have a good handshake with someone. Its the beginning of a relationship and a means by which you can start a relationship.

 

What the spiritual significance? God doesn't want you to be a dominant,weak, distrustful or shallow hand shaker. He wants you to be a person who is confident and can convey the love of God in any way shape or form. In America, that way can be through a handshake. Think about it. It can be a great ministry to people's souls.

 

Be blessed today. Go shake some hands

matt

 

http://www.faithandvictory.com

Posted via email from Faith and Victory Church Blog

Here is 4 Things You Should Love

Love is an important emotion. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you want to be loved and want to experience love. Its normal. We're wired that way.

I was preaching on love last night at church, and figured I could give you guys a condensed version. Here's the four loves you need to have-

1. Love for God.
I know this is a simple concept, but its a bedrock one. We need to have a deep love for God. Love for who He is, what he has done and what He is about. Our Passion should be to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind. This love should change us. The way we live, the way we act and the way we see the world. Love changes us.

2. Love for Family.
The Bible says that someone who doesn't care for his family is worse than a heathen. There are alot of people who say they love their family, but when it comes to their actions, it doesn't seem that way. When you love your family it shows in how you talk to them, interact with them, and serve them. If you are an angry person who lashes out at the people you love, its really not that loving.

3. Love for Enemies.
This one isn't that easy to do, but as Christians, we are called to love those who hate us. Think of the person that annoys you or hurts you constantly- that is the person that you're supposed to Love. Jesus said that if you love those who love you, its no good. We need to love the people that hate us. They need our love the most.

4. Love for Ourselves.
Probably the hardest one of them all. For some reason people think that a self-depreciating mindset that constantly tears themselves down is doing God a favor. God doesn't make junk. When you look in the mirror in the morning love what you see and thank God that he made you. The Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself. Meaning, being able to love others depends on being able to love yourself. Do it. It will change your life.

There you go. 35 minute sermon in 3 mins. Not nearly as exciting as a full sermon, but you can get the small edition today.

Be blessed today. Go practice some love.

matt

What You and The Times Square Bomber have in Common

This past week, a guy drove a SUV into times square and attempted to detonate a bomb. News flash- he failed. The bomb didn't go off. The people around tipped off the police and no one was hurt. Beautiful.

Did you notice what happened next? It took just over 50 hours for the dragnet of the NYPD and the supporting three letter agencies to apprehend this guy. They used military technology to track his cell phone and his whereabouts. They put him on the no-fly list and at the last minute, he was pulled off a plane that was bound for the middle east.

It was textbook police work that got this guy. I'm glad they did. Terrorists get no love in my book.

This guy, on some level, thought that whatever he did wouldn't be found out. That he could go and try to kill a bunch of innocent people and then go on with his life. He didn't seem to care about anyone else but himself and his cause. But here's the truth- he was found, and is going to be brought to justice.

Here's what I was thinking- the US Government was able to find this guy in about 2 days. What do you have in common with this guy? God can find you also. Its not as if you've done something bad, and that you need to be caught. The connection that I want to put out there today is this- God knows who you are and where you're at.

I want to encourage you with that truth- God knows. I realize at times it may not seem that way in the midst of your circumstance. It may seem as if God is not there, or that he is not working in your midst, but it only seems that way.

Right now. Today, the God of this universe is concerned with who you are and what you are doing. Yes, you may be going to through circumstance, but realize that circumstance has a way of developing character and fruit in your life that God can use to refine you into who he wants you to be.

Just because you're going through something doesn't mean that God has forgot about you.

Be encouraged today. Sure, there isn't a UAV Drone flying over the sky tracking your cell phone calls, but there is a God in the heavens that knows who you are and where you're at.

Be encouraged today. Be blessed.

matt

I Haven't Showered In Two Days

Its Tuesday Morning. I'm sitting at my kitchen table working on my laptop writing my blog. I got up this morning at 6, went to the gym, had some oats, started going through emails, and now I'm writing my blog. I haven't showered since Sunday morning before church.

I've got more emails to go through, phone calls to make, studying to do, people to see. There is going to to be a fellowship at our house tonight, and then I'm going to meet someone at 930 tonight for some coffee. I've got a pretty full day ahead of me.

So here was my day yesterday- I got up, put on my sweats, took the kids to school. Played video games most of the day, picked up the kids. Spent time with kids and wife. Stayed in sweats. No shower. No phone calls. No people. No email. I only got on Facebook one time.

Why am I telling you this? Because in all honesty, yesterday was a painful day for me. Why? because in my eyes, I was totally and completely unproductive. I sat around all day and the only thing I was able to accomplish was finishing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. In my sweats.

Not 'doing' is something that I struggle with. It pains me to do nothing. I feel guilty. I feel worthless. If I'm not actively engaged in productivity, it seems to me as if I am wasting my life away. That the clock is ticking and I'm being watched and judged on my outcomes. Most days I feel like this. I know. Its kind of weird isn't it?

Or is it? I'm sure there are some other 'productivity junkies' out there. That can't relax. Refuse to do nothing. Who on any given day can be found either working or finding something to work on around the house. Its 'in our blood' so to speak. We're hardwired to work, and when we don't do it, we feel lost.

But here's what I was thinking about yesterday- Even God rested. Yep, its in there, he created the heavens and the earth, and on the 7th day he rested. He didn't do anything I guess, probably went and did a round of golf with some of the angels or something. He just rested.

It got me to thinking, if God rested, so should I. I shouldn't feel guilty about hiding away in my sweats and doing nothing. When I have a day that I don't even shower, or shave, or do anything that resembles an outcome, its okay. I don't have to be defined by, or controlled by some sort of notion of a required outcome. Sometimes, its okay to just rest, and be.

Do you struggle with this? Here's the nugget for the day- every once in a while, you need to do nothing. Nada, zilch, bupkis. Just sit around and veg. Its oddly revitalizing to unplug and rest. I find that when I do it, I come back to my tasks with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm. Maybe God knew this, that's probably why he tells us to do this once a week.

If you spend most of your time doing nothing then this blog probably isn't for you. If you're a workhorse like me, hopefully this will strike a chord.

Be blessed.
matt