I'm on a personal challenge to see as many of the Oscar nominated movies as possible by the Oscar Awards ceremony night, starting with Best Picture. I had already seen two of the eight when the nominations were announced, so I was one-fourth of the way to the first goal.
Last Friday night I went to see Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks. Note, there will be some spoilers in this blog post, so if you plan to see it, you may want to bookmark this for reading pleasure later. I've seen The Martian and Brooklyn, both great movies, but after seeing this movie, it has my current vote for Best Picture.
The story takes place during the Cold War where Russian spies were infiltrating the US and vice versa. A Russian spy was apprehended and the government approached Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks) to represent him in a court of law - because everyone deserves a "fair" trial. Donovan was an insurance lawyer and hadn't tried a criminal case in years, but he took on this task as a way to serve his country.
Paralleling to this story is the story of an American solider who was captured as a spy by the Russians and what ensues is a story of trade. One for one. The story involves the negotiating skills of Jim Donovan to not only trade the Russian spy for the US soldier, but also for an additional US student being held. The story beautifully depicted the terrible times that were the Cold War and the building of the Berlin Wall. Watching history on the screen was surreal.
At the end of the movie, when the trade was made, it was made on the Glienicke Bridge in Berlin, the exchange for one man for one man was made. The tension and drama of the build up as the confirmation was waiting from Checkpoint Charlie that the student had also been released kept you on the edge of your seat. I've spoiled enough, I won't go any further.
As I watched the movie and Jim Donovan (who was a real person) fight for the lives of two Americans, I also observed him seeing the value in the life of the Russian. His negotiating ability was to keep everyone coming out of this back to their home country, but also in good hands. His relationship with the Russian Spy and their connection was captivating. And more than once Jim uttered the words we hear so often today - All lives matter.
The Glienicke Bridge, the Bridge of Spies, was a place of redemption for Rudolf Abel, Russian Spy, and Frances Powell, US Soldier. Jim Donovan sacrificed a lot to bring these men to redemption....and back to their home countries.
Bigger than a negotiation with government officials or CIA representatives stands a Man who bridged the gap for us. Jesus sacrificed more than a lot. He sacrificed His Life so that I might be redeemed. That Bridge was Calvary, and His life was exchanged for mine. Because He knew all lives matter. Soli deo Gloria!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Friday, January 08, 2016
Walking on Sunshine
I love a comfortable shoe. Honestly, if I could wear flip flops year round, I'd be in Heaven....which I expect that footwear to be accompanying my glorified body in Heaven one day. This appreciation for comfortable shoes I inherited from my Dad. My Mom used to say that unless he could wiggle his toes freely in a pair of shoes, he didn't like them. I'm the same way.
I've been searching a long time for a comfortable walking shoe/sneaker to no avail. Being a huge Crocs fan, I've continued to wear those consistently, but I really longed for a shoe that fit just right and could be deemed a solid walking shoe for all year round. One day while out with my friend, Ashley, I noticed her shoes - Skechers GoWalk Memory Foam. I had perused these shoes online and wondered if they lived up to the hype. I asked her how she'd like them and she raved at how comfortable they were. Folks, I thought "I may have just found a winner."
I began to search online to find the best deal for a pair in my size and preferably black because black is the universal color. I finally found them on the Skechers site and placed my order. Anticipation was growing waiting on my shipment to arrive.
When I received my shoes, I put them on and it felt dreamy! It should. I was walking on memory foam, the stuff of mattresses! The true test would be the next day when I wore them all day. For me, sometimes shoes feel good when you first put them on, but after a day of wear, my feet hurt and they don't finish well. The next day I wore them and it was like walking on sunshine! All day long I felt airy and free as I walked in these newly-found jewels.
Cinderella is my favorite Disney princess - and my alter ego - and I felt like Prince Charming had just placed the glass slipper on my foot! They fit perfectly and I was on my way to a happily ever after for my feet.
I've been searching a long time for a comfortable walking shoe/sneaker to no avail. Being a huge Crocs fan, I've continued to wear those consistently, but I really longed for a shoe that fit just right and could be deemed a solid walking shoe for all year round. One day while out with my friend, Ashley, I noticed her shoes - Skechers GoWalk Memory Foam. I had perused these shoes online and wondered if they lived up to the hype. I asked her how she'd like them and she raved at how comfortable they were. Folks, I thought "I may have just found a winner."
I began to search online to find the best deal for a pair in my size and preferably black because black is the universal color. I finally found them on the Skechers site and placed my order. Anticipation was growing waiting on my shipment to arrive.
When I received my shoes, I put them on and it felt dreamy! It should. I was walking on memory foam, the stuff of mattresses! The true test would be the next day when I wore them all day. For me, sometimes shoes feel good when you first put them on, but after a day of wear, my feet hurt and they don't finish well. The next day I wore them and it was like walking on sunshine! All day long I felt airy and free as I walked in these newly-found jewels.
Cinderella is my favorite Disney princess - and my alter ego - and I felt like Prince Charming had just placed the glass slipper on my foot! They fit perfectly and I was on my way to a happily ever after for my feet.
Monday, January 04, 2016
2016: :Contentment
Happy 2016! Wow, just saying 2016 seems somewhat trippy. I remember when saying 2000 was a game changer. As a new year begins, I kick it off by choosing a word for for the year. Last year I chose "Joy" and you can read my recap on how that went and what I learned. Choosing words have been my goal each year beginning in 2013. Resolutions seem so 1993 and I do much better when I immerse myself in a word to focus on for the year that can touch every part of my life.
This year my word is Contentment. I have to give props to my word last year for bringing me to this word for 2016. If someone had told me in 2006 where I would be today and what I would have experienced, I may have crawled into the fetal position under my bed, never to come out. In those 10 years I've been through a company acquisition, loss of my Dad, loss of my Stepmom, and loss of friends who have passed on. In more upbeat news, I've kept the same job during that time (which for me is a feat!) and completed my MBA. But I'm still single (being factual, not lamenting) and some other things are the same. After the experiences of the last 10 years, my life has changed in ways I wouldn't have imagined.
My pastor's sermon yesterday was on target, as always, and he mentioned that this Christmas was the first time he had no one to call on Christmas because his immediate family has now all passed. I could empathize with him. The first year I had no one to call in my immediate family was 2014 and it was strange. But God has blessed me with friends that are family and I'm far from want of love at Christmas. I do believe, though, if I had no one, I would probably find myself reaching out to others who have no one. Because I get it.
So last year, I focused on Joy. Joy whether it be during the good times or bad. And during that time, I learned a lot about contentment. No, I may not be where I thought I would be 10 years ago, but I am confident that where I am today is right where I am supposed to be. That took a lot of God working on my heart to be able to say that without hesitation. I've never truly lamented my singleness, but have always hoped that one day God would bring the one He had for me into my life. What I've learned is that shouldn't stop my contentment. My life is abundantly full! (even without a man) And whether I'm single, dating or married, that status of my life doesn't drive my contentment. But apart from that, as a human, I find myself in a state of worry, complaining or fear that steals not only my joy but my contentment. And honestly, that's a horrible place to be, and makes me not much fun to be around.
During my year of Joy, I would stop often and realize how contented I was. I almost surprised myself! What I learned from that is contentment is found when my foundation is in the Lord, Who brings me joy. As I thought on my word for this year, it seemed a no-brainer. Contentment.
This year, I plan to focus on contentment. Immerse myself in it. Make sure that on days when I lean towards negativity or cynicism, I stop and ponder on my contentment. God allowed me a few snapshots this year of that place and it was joyful. I look forward to seeing how God will further set my course of contentment in 2016.
This year my word is Contentment. I have to give props to my word last year for bringing me to this word for 2016. If someone had told me in 2006 where I would be today and what I would have experienced, I may have crawled into the fetal position under my bed, never to come out. In those 10 years I've been through a company acquisition, loss of my Dad, loss of my Stepmom, and loss of friends who have passed on. In more upbeat news, I've kept the same job during that time (which for me is a feat!) and completed my MBA. But I'm still single (being factual, not lamenting) and some other things are the same. After the experiences of the last 10 years, my life has changed in ways I wouldn't have imagined.
My pastor's sermon yesterday was on target, as always, and he mentioned that this Christmas was the first time he had no one to call on Christmas because his immediate family has now all passed. I could empathize with him. The first year I had no one to call in my immediate family was 2014 and it was strange. But God has blessed me with friends that are family and I'm far from want of love at Christmas. I do believe, though, if I had no one, I would probably find myself reaching out to others who have no one. Because I get it.
So last year, I focused on Joy. Joy whether it be during the good times or bad. And during that time, I learned a lot about contentment. No, I may not be where I thought I would be 10 years ago, but I am confident that where I am today is right where I am supposed to be. That took a lot of God working on my heart to be able to say that without hesitation. I've never truly lamented my singleness, but have always hoped that one day God would bring the one He had for me into my life. What I've learned is that shouldn't stop my contentment. My life is abundantly full! (even without a man) And whether I'm single, dating or married, that status of my life doesn't drive my contentment. But apart from that, as a human, I find myself in a state of worry, complaining or fear that steals not only my joy but my contentment. And honestly, that's a horrible place to be, and makes me not much fun to be around.
During my year of Joy, I would stop often and realize how contented I was. I almost surprised myself! What I learned from that is contentment is found when my foundation is in the Lord, Who brings me joy. As I thought on my word for this year, it seemed a no-brainer. Contentment.
This year, I plan to focus on contentment. Immerse myself in it. Make sure that on days when I lean towards negativity or cynicism, I stop and ponder on my contentment. God allowed me a few snapshots this year of that place and it was joyful. I look forward to seeing how God will further set my course of contentment in 2016.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
2015: Joy
As 2015 comes to a close, I love reflecting on my year through the lens of the one word I chose for the past year. At the beginning of this year, I chose the word Joy. This past year has been a year full of joy, even in the midst of not-so-joyful circumstances.
In March, I spoke at our church's annual women's conference on Joy. I learned much more in preparing for this opportunity than I'm sure anyone else gleaned from my teaching. As I focused on the story of Nehemiah and the words of Ezra reminding the people that "the joy of the Lord is my strength" I learned that joy is there on the mountaintops and joy is there in the valleys. Why? Because the Lord is with me. Though I may have known that in my head, really immersing myself in that truth really stuck with me. I love teaching women and I love opportunities to speak and I hope that the words I shared made the same impact on the ladies in attendance as they had on me.
The end of June brought the closing of the last book in the pursuit of my MBA. After two years, I was done. Finished. Complete! I was ecstatic! For the first time in two years I wasn't balancing work, church and school and having some resemblance of a social life. Let's just say that I've been a reading fiend since July 1, and not of the textbook variety. When I started my MBA, it was just a few weeks after my Dad passed away. The journey took on a different perspective as I pursued this degree not only for my future career growth, but because Dad knew I was going back to school and was so proud. On days when I thought I couldn't read one more page about business strategy or economics, I would remember my Dad. My hero who never went to college and earned his high school education by taking the GED. Yet, he was one of the smartest men I ever knew. This was a joyful, albeit exhausting, journey.
In September, I celebrated the culmination of my year of Golden Jubilee. You see, this was the year I turned the big 5-0 and I prefer to call it "Golden Jubilee" than hitting the half century mark. I am blessed with so many wonderful friends. The celebrations were plentiful. If I was honest, I wasn't really keen on this birthday. I did accomplish my Master's by 50, but you always reflect on what you haven't done, not what you have accomplished. But, God is so faithful and I look forward to 50 more years (or however many the Lord blesses me with) to conquer new challenges and reach for my next milestone.
Lest you think the year was all lollipops and unicorns, there were some sad times as well. Many of my close friends lost loved ones suddenly or after long illnesses. Friends faced serious health issues. Work changes abounded. But that is the part about this year's word - Joy. Through all of those experiences, I still found joy. Granted, some of these didn't impact me personally, but in many cases, the losses just brought back the memories of the past losses in my life. Joy was there. And it all goes back to the Scripture in Nehemiah...."the joy of the Lord is my strength." The Lord is my joy and my strength. Without Him, life is desperately hopeless.
It's been a great year, full of joy. Even amidst the darker times. As I reflect on the year, I am grateful for His mercy and grace. As I look forward to 2016, and meditate on my next word, I know that my word for the upcoming year will be rooted in the foundation of joy. Stay tuned for the big reveal!
In March, I spoke at our church's annual women's conference on Joy. I learned much more in preparing for this opportunity than I'm sure anyone else gleaned from my teaching. As I focused on the story of Nehemiah and the words of Ezra reminding the people that "the joy of the Lord is my strength" I learned that joy is there on the mountaintops and joy is there in the valleys. Why? Because the Lord is with me. Though I may have known that in my head, really immersing myself in that truth really stuck with me. I love teaching women and I love opportunities to speak and I hope that the words I shared made the same impact on the ladies in attendance as they had on me.
The end of June brought the closing of the last book in the pursuit of my MBA. After two years, I was done. Finished. Complete! I was ecstatic! For the first time in two years I wasn't balancing work, church and school and having some resemblance of a social life. Let's just say that I've been a reading fiend since July 1, and not of the textbook variety. When I started my MBA, it was just a few weeks after my Dad passed away. The journey took on a different perspective as I pursued this degree not only for my future career growth, but because Dad knew I was going back to school and was so proud. On days when I thought I couldn't read one more page about business strategy or economics, I would remember my Dad. My hero who never went to college and earned his high school education by taking the GED. Yet, he was one of the smartest men I ever knew. This was a joyful, albeit exhausting, journey.
In September, I celebrated the culmination of my year of Golden Jubilee. You see, this was the year I turned the big 5-0 and I prefer to call it "Golden Jubilee" than hitting the half century mark. I am blessed with so many wonderful friends. The celebrations were plentiful. If I was honest, I wasn't really keen on this birthday. I did accomplish my Master's by 50, but you always reflect on what you haven't done, not what you have accomplished. But, God is so faithful and I look forward to 50 more years (or however many the Lord blesses me with) to conquer new challenges and reach for my next milestone.
Lest you think the year was all lollipops and unicorns, there were some sad times as well. Many of my close friends lost loved ones suddenly or after long illnesses. Friends faced serious health issues. Work changes abounded. But that is the part about this year's word - Joy. Through all of those experiences, I still found joy. Granted, some of these didn't impact me personally, but in many cases, the losses just brought back the memories of the past losses in my life. Joy was there. And it all goes back to the Scripture in Nehemiah...."the joy of the Lord is my strength." The Lord is my joy and my strength. Without Him, life is desperately hopeless.
It's been a great year, full of joy. Even amidst the darker times. As I reflect on the year, I am grateful for His mercy and grace. As I look forward to 2016, and meditate on my next word, I know that my word for the upcoming year will be rooted in the foundation of joy. Stay tuned for the big reveal!
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Good News at Christmas
Tis the season for holiday cheer and mayhem. And the real meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus. But amidst all the chaos and cacophony, the good news of Christmas gets lost. More than that, our news feeds are replete with negative news from all over our city, country and world. It can be quite a downer when I'm trying to feel all jolly, and Ho-ho-ho like. But the last few days, I've experienced some things that have warmed my heart amidst the negativity.
Last Friday morning, my day started off with a group Facebook message from one of my high school classmates. She had observed another classmate of ours posting something the night before about feeling suicidal. Sadly, I've not talked or heard from this classmate since high school. Apparently her life has turned very difficult. Her husband left her, she is addicted to drugs, and her son was taken away from her on Thursday. As high school classmates, we all rallied together to reach out to her, encourage her and pray for her. We banded together to donate money to buy Christmas gifts for her son, and are seeking out resources in the area to help her, especially a church.
The coolest thing about this is how our classmates mobilized. Social media was used for good. We were able to reach people near and far, even for a classmate who was struggling and lives across the country from most of us. People didn't hesitate to give money to help provide Christmas. Even today, plans are being made to go shopping and we're getting closer to more resources to help her. Maybe the most amazing thing is this. We all graduated high school in 1983....32 years ago. The bond we have transcends time.
Yesterday morning at work I experienced the second "feel good" event. One of my employees had noticed a man walking around the parking lot with his dog. He seemed disoriented. We have a lot of dog walkers from the area but this guy just didn't seem right. Two of my male employees went out to check on him. They discovered he was special needs, and seemed lost, not being able to find his house. Peter and Jon then called the non-emergency police line and explained the situation and the police said they'd come and make sure they got him home. The guy couldn't tell them where he lived, and only the first name of his parents. Peter got ingenious and took the phone number on the dog's tags, Googled it, and did a reverse lookup on the address. Jon got water for the guy and his dog, and the dog didn't drink any water, which was a good sign they hadn't been out too long. When the police got there, the work was done and all they had to do was transport the guy and his dog home.
I always say my team rocks, but yesterday, they truly hit it out of the park. They were alert to a problem, addressed the problem and resolved it. All before 11am. On days when work is discouraging and frustrating, being able to do a good deed, just makes the day better.
The best news this Christmas is Jesus' birth. And that's where I need to focus, but having these sweet events occur to help me remember that the world isn't completely lacking compassion gives me hope to keep plugging on. One day Jesus will come again, and when that day comes, oh what a joyful time of really good news that will be.
Last Friday morning, my day started off with a group Facebook message from one of my high school classmates. She had observed another classmate of ours posting something the night before about feeling suicidal. Sadly, I've not talked or heard from this classmate since high school. Apparently her life has turned very difficult. Her husband left her, she is addicted to drugs, and her son was taken away from her on Thursday. As high school classmates, we all rallied together to reach out to her, encourage her and pray for her. We banded together to donate money to buy Christmas gifts for her son, and are seeking out resources in the area to help her, especially a church.
The coolest thing about this is how our classmates mobilized. Social media was used for good. We were able to reach people near and far, even for a classmate who was struggling and lives across the country from most of us. People didn't hesitate to give money to help provide Christmas. Even today, plans are being made to go shopping and we're getting closer to more resources to help her. Maybe the most amazing thing is this. We all graduated high school in 1983....32 years ago. The bond we have transcends time.
Yesterday morning at work I experienced the second "feel good" event. One of my employees had noticed a man walking around the parking lot with his dog. He seemed disoriented. We have a lot of dog walkers from the area but this guy just didn't seem right. Two of my male employees went out to check on him. They discovered he was special needs, and seemed lost, not being able to find his house. Peter and Jon then called the non-emergency police line and explained the situation and the police said they'd come and make sure they got him home. The guy couldn't tell them where he lived, and only the first name of his parents. Peter got ingenious and took the phone number on the dog's tags, Googled it, and did a reverse lookup on the address. Jon got water for the guy and his dog, and the dog didn't drink any water, which was a good sign they hadn't been out too long. When the police got there, the work was done and all they had to do was transport the guy and his dog home.
I always say my team rocks, but yesterday, they truly hit it out of the park. They were alert to a problem, addressed the problem and resolved it. All before 11am. On days when work is discouraging and frustrating, being able to do a good deed, just makes the day better.
The best news this Christmas is Jesus' birth. And that's where I need to focus, but having these sweet events occur to help me remember that the world isn't completely lacking compassion gives me hope to keep plugging on. One day Jesus will come again, and when that day comes, oh what a joyful time of really good news that will be.
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