CAPTAIN AMERICA – woo woo – an Avenger in WWII!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Virginia

If you’re looking for a fun movie outing this weekend, check out Captain America: The First Avenger.  I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun at a movie (ok, so Fast Five was also a hilarious happening especially when they got in cars – zoom, zoom – QUITE a ride even with a 10 ton safe dragging behind!)

This is a Marvel Comics production (don’t expect Kings Speech acting) and is surprisingly good for the genre.  Set during WWII, Steve Rogers is a tiny, SKINNY guy who can’t get drafted altho he tries & tries because he wants to fight the bullies (note: he has lots of experience as a beaten-up bully target.)  He may be tiny, but his huge courageous heart is noted by military scientist Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who drafts him into a new experiment where he turns into, guess who?  Captain America.

Ladies, beware!  the Drool Factor is rather high (or ‘eye candy’ as my friend Julie calls it!)*  The newly improved Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has lots of MUSCLES and is super-human, but not too super (he can’t fly or do weird out-of-space stuff.) He can run fast & dodge bullets & throw a heavy shield &… he can be killed.

There’s a love interest, Peggy (who throws a good punch!), a very bad Nazi-HYDRA villain who morphs into Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), a hard-boiled he-must-be-convinced military boss Col. Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), hairpin missions with Capt. America’s team of ace-soldiers (a rather fun bunch with Neal McDonough as mustached ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan), lots of ’40s music & USO shows (showgirls inclusive)…and, well, good times to be had by all (except the bad guys!)

Rated PG – there might be a ‘damn’ or two (Capt. America is courteously shy), there’s one kiss (make that a peck + a kiss = 2); the PG must be for action sequences that are quite tame compared to Band of Brothers.

Be sure to wait through the credits at the end (it’s a long wait – a zillion people worked on this film in a zillion ways & a zillion places), but there’s a preview of the new Avengers movie with the whole gang…

Capt. America + Thor in ONE movie? wow…

(*Editors Note: the Drool Factor in this movie is not quite as high as the strategic shirtless scene in the movie Thor.  woah! that was GOURMET eye candy!)

http://captainamerica.marvel.com/

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character muscles & CRUTCHES…in Africa

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Virginia

“The measure of a person’s character is, what does it take to stop you?”

I shared these words with Domeka, a dynamic young pastor my Papa mentors on Mondays, as he slowly hobbled in with a swollen sprained ankle.  ouch! Hard to get around on crutches & it’s painfully hard to get motivated to get around, but he determinedly made it.

My Papa emailed this quote years ago when I fell (splat) on some unwieldy pavement, fracturing my ankle during Christmas holidays in South Africa. It became a mantra of sorts as I struggled to cope with life on crutches. The thing is, I didn’t go home for Christmas since I couldn’t bear the 30+ hour journey after neck disc surgery the previous summer in America. (I returned in August a wee bit too early figuring 1/2 days were possible, but not figuring how the long journey would set the healing process back…and, well, HURT.)

God IS good – ALL the time – and going back early assisted the birth process of a large malaria project for the whole country of Tanzania (the 1/2 days paid off!)  Back to South Africa…hobbling through the airport on crutches with a scary neck brace did serve as an effective male repellent (chivalry seems to be rather lost in males these days!)  But that was just the beginning. After 4 weeks wearing an aircast, hopping & hobbling (while still driving, mind you, & keeping a regular work schedule in Tanzania) I went to Dr. Ype who x-rayed the misbehaving-still-very-swollen ankle to find it was actually badly fractured. On went an immovable cast (no more driving) and stern instructions YOU MUST USE CRUTCHES for three – gasp – months.

egads.  My apartment was located up 3 flights of stairs. Our office was – guess what – up 3 flights of stairs. January – February – March are hotter-than-fireballs (in the August ‘winter’ of Dar es Salaam temperatures are a cool 80 degrees!) So, I dripped to work, dripped to meetings (literally puddled my way up 4 flights of stairs to UNHCR) & dripped home on crutches…

…what does it take to stop you? what does it take to stop you?… (hop, hop, breathe, rest arms, drip, drip..)

My travel schedule was heavy: a conference in Uganda, Roll Back Malaria regional meetings in Nairobi, important international meetings in Arusha. African airports generally tend to have lots of stairs and few elevators. I learned the value of zipdrive sticks – trying to drag a laptop around on crutches through an airport increases the puddle factor TREMENDOUSLY.

Then, while up in Arusha – and still on crutches – I met malaria up close & personal: 104 fever, zigzagidy joint pain like you can’t believe & yet still ‘wobbled’ (hobbling in a wobbly fashion) to meetings at our National Office as a walking advertisement for our malaria programs…

OK, so God was extremely generous in the grace department (I am a rather wimpy amazon woman with very limited muscle-development inclinations) but this whole-do-Africa-on-crutches thing DID build up character muscles. (here i previously thought climbing the ‘stairs of repentance’ up Mount Sinai in Egypt was hard..humph!)

Of course, I asked for God’s help (note ‘wimpy amazon’ is understated) & to have made it through that time on crutches – in the heat – is nothing short of miraculous. But I also thought of the many children, mothers, fathers, sisters & brothers suffering from malaria, HIV/AIDS and so many other challenges… their courageous examples of not giving up also motivated me to keep going (and then there’s always my Papa, who can’t move anything & yet he faithfully keeps on, keeping on!)

What does it take to stop you?  There are all sorts of crutches that keep us from moving forward after our spills (splat) on the pavement of life – bruised egos & empty pockets, tears and fears, maybe sprained hearts too hurt to love anew. Why not let God keep building those character muscles. Instead of asking ‘why?’ focus on taking that next step…drip, drip, puff, puff, wobble, hobble…and you might find yourself before long walking healed in His Love – casting those crutches aside.

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be disjointed, but rather may be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13

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Paul Schwartz: GLORIA!!

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Virginia

Glória Patri et Fílio et Spirítui Sancto. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc et semper et in sæ´cula sæculórum. Amen.

I am so into classical choral music – beautiful voices singing of the Heavenlies – from Handel to Mozart to Beethoven to Faure to brilliant modern day composers like Karl Jenkins. Listening ‘with’ the music transports me to a different zone – of worship, quiet reverence, beauty and magnificent expression.  (Listening to inspirational music has certainly aided the pursuit of roses in the rubble of some of the places I’ve worked!)

Paul Schwartz takes magnificent expression to a completely different DIMENSION, however, in his modern interpretation of the Latin Glory Be prayer – Gloria Patri.

As a long-time groupie of ‘crossover’ classical composer Paul Schwartz,  I really enjoyed his first State of Grace compilation that included a lovely upbeat rendition of the Shaker Lord of the Dance hymn. After finding the sequel “Turning to Peace” CD that adapts & blends the traditional Magnificat and Stabat Mater, I popped it in the car player on the way home a few years ago – and almost ran off the road when this Gloria Patri came on…

wow! I mean like, really – WOW!  Most of this CD is expressively poignant  – especially the songs ‘Turning to Peace’ and ‘Fear Not’ – so this Gloria just POPS.  You can imagine lots of joyous dancing, spinning even, in the presence of God (somehow I don’t think sitting on our tushis will happen much there!)

Give it a listen and see if you don’t get up lifted off your feet in GLORIOUS praise!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

http://www.paulschwartz.com/bio.html

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THE FINAL INQUIRY : Dolph Lungren does Roman Jerusalem

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Virginia

If you’re looking for a weekend movie, consider this all-inclusive inspirational action, mystery and romance drama set in the Holy Land after the death of Christ. Great cast, great music by Andrea Morricone and an interesting story.

I found this DVD a random way while seeking a birthday present for my Mama in a Christian bookstore. Since there were no Amy Carmichael books (my Mama’s favorite FAVORITE), this looked like a possible viewing option for the Savvy Saints…

Then I noticed that action-hero DOLPH LUNGREN plays one of the main roles. Hmmn, maybe not  such a safe option (his movies are usually overbrimming with action & a wee bit of violence) but as a long-time groupie, I wanted to see it!  The sales lady said it was good (she looked matronly devout) so in it went into Mama’s gift bag.

We’ve actually enjoyed watching it several times – there’s lots to catch the first go round what with political plots, double-dealing, Roman wars in Germania, Caesar shenanigans, 36 AD CSI-ish autopsies, a love story, a few brawls & fight scenes (Dolph Lungren has to knock heads around somehow!)

The basic storyline: Caesar Tiberius (Max von Sydow) sends Roman Tribune Tito Valerio Tauro (dreamy Italian actor Daniele Liotti) to investigate the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tauro takes his servant/slave Brixos (Dolph Lungren) on the journey to Jerusalem & the Judea environs where they meet all sorts of folks…

My Papa’s favorite scene is when Tauro meets Peter in Galilee. wow. Mama likes the love story between Tauro & Tabitha (Spanish actress Monica Cruz – Penelope’s sister.)  In my favorite scene, proud & all-powerful Tribune Tauro falls on his knees begging Mary for help, but she lifts him up by clasping his hand (something Jewish women NEVER did!) & takes him over to Peter.

Rated PG (a few mild battle scenes, a CSI-ish examination of a charred skeleton & a murder or two) – The Final Inquiry is not just a movie about faith, it’s an adventure (like faith!)

Go Dolph!

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Baking Cakes in Kigali

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Virginia

This is one of my FAVORITE books of the past few years.  Written by Gaile Parkin, a former aid worker in Rwanda who grew up in Zambia, Baking Cakes in Kigali captures the generous hearts of so many African women in Angel Tungararza – a Tanzanian expat living in Kigali who likes to bake, guess what? Cakes…

And she’s very good at it. Soon her uniquely creative cakes are the most sought after for every sort of occasion – weddings, engagements, work parties, diplomatic occasions. But as she interacts with her customers, discussions over cups of tea stray far beyond cakes into issues of Africa – HIV/AIDs, genocide, reconciliation, forgiveness – along with universal challenges of finding & keeping love alive.  Angel draws from her deep well of wisdom and compassion to share generously with them – and with us!!

Then there’s her supportive husband Pius, an expat professor at the Kigali Institute of Science & Technology, their 5 grandchildren, colorful neighbors in their international apartment building, the scenery of Kigali and Rwanda environs  – all beautifully woven into a tale that left me wanting: MORE!!

Please author Gaile Parkin – I keep checking Amazon – when is your next book in this series coming out?? (hint, hint… we want MORE of Angel & her cakes!!)

If you want to visit Africa but tickets are a bit pricey, read this book and enjoy a memorable visit to Kigali on the cheap – and come away so much richer.

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hangovers… iPads… &… my benevolent brother

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Virginia

Saturday morning I woke up really hung-over with a bad case of iPaditis.  It didn’t help that we had to get up even earlier than normal (my brother had to be some place at 8:00AM!) Trudging to the kitchen bleary-eyed, revving up the tea kettle (& looking for something to use as an IV tea drip liberally dosed with Tylenol) the why-oh-why recriminations stacked up…

Maybe I should back up.  Two weeks ago my sister came to to hang out with the Savvy Saints so my brother Dwight & I could have a whole Saturday out.  Discussing schedule priorities on the way to the Big City (besides meeting up with friends for supper), Dwight mentioned he wanted ‘to go to the Apple Store.’

Suddenly my day got better and BETTER (more than just prospective Cheesecake Factory yums.) You see, my brother likes i-whatevers, but especially his iPad.  He pre-ordered the first version (after reading trade mags, MacLife & Pro-Apple Propaganda of all sorts) and has been a real iPad groupie/enthusiastic user since.   When the iPad2 came out in April, however, he did not get too excited (despite my encouragement.)

As the beneficiary of his two previous i-touch technology upgrades (so very cool to make playlists with zillions of songs), you may understand my reaction when he added, “I want to buy the new iPad2!” and why I so helpfully guided him through the maze of shops directly to the doorway of the Apple Store (and why I treated him to coffee afterwards at Nordstrom’s…)

Happily thereafter as the new beneficiary of my brother’s iPad2 technology upgrade, I have become an iPad1 enthusiast – keeping up with so much more on the internet (now surfing at nite during ‘must-rest-knees-blues!’) signing up for blogs, loading my Kindle books (right to the same page read, amazing how they can do that!), watching Netflix streaming movies, shows and doing so much more – (you can even send your ‘notes’ in one touch to your email!)  – the first two iPad user weeks zoomed busily by.

Friday night, however, I decided to learn about APPS (my brother loaded a few, but he is into GAMES, it must be a guy thing) and how to get them (ie, set up an Apple Store acct) and finding good ones …wow oh wow oh wow!!! so little time, so much to do! Tunein Radio (accessing hundreds of stations all over the globe- Brazilian jazz, baroque classical, World music etc.), news apps, cooking apps, ‘pimp-your-screen’ apps with lots of crazy artwork… podcasts of fav authors, actors, personages.  All these new iPad to-do-tasks might distract from prayer – but then there are PRAYER APPS and devotions (280 radio broadcasts in a Fulton Sheen app, more dailies to read, special prayers…even faith-based-FOOD apps…)

AMAZING!!!

Back to Saturday morning’s painful technology upgrade Hangover – it’s too easy to stay up way, way, way too late having too, too, too much fun on the iPad thus contracting iPaditis (lack of sleep due to iPad overindulgences..)

The Cure?  Self-control to turn iPad OFF by 11:00PM (maybe 12:00AM on weekends??)

grace, peace & sober iPaditis survivors –

Virginia

p.s. my benevolent brother is, like, TOTALLY AMAZINGLY UTTERLY AWESOMELY AWESOME!!!

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Falling in Love….

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Virginia

roses in the rubble (Kosovo '99)

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, in falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.  What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide every-thing.”    

Father Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

(Pedro Arrupe: Essential Writings; Orbis Books, 2004)

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‘Arranged:’ Faith & Friendship in NYC

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Virginia

My sister recommended this movie that we found delightfully inspirational, especially given the cross-cultural, religious & political challenges in the Middle East. This spunky independent film is set in Brooklyn, where two first-year elementary teachers meet at school and find they have more in common with each other than with their wild colleagues.

The hitch: Rochel Meshenberg (Zoe Lister-Jones) is Orthodox Jewish while Nisira Khaldi (Francis Benhamou) comes from a devout Muslim Syrian family.  Both live at home and are consumed with the next big step in their lives: arranged marriages.

Although their families look askance at their friendship, Rochel and Nisira forge ahead dodging dweeby potential mates (the Orthodox Jewish ‘dating’ scenes are hilarious!) and then comparing notes. Add in shenanigans from their liberally feminist Jewish principal, (“here, take this money – go and buy yourselves some new clothes,”) pressure from their families and neighbors, they must stand up for themselves and their beliefs.  But with a bit of faith and friendship, they facipulate (manipulation with a bit of facilitation thrown in) their way into arranged marriages with husbands they really like…

Watching this again last week on Netflix streaming, I felt like cheering!  If you’re looking for an inspirational movie this weekend (no blood & guts), give ‘Arranged’ a look-see.   “Friendship has no religion…”

http://www.arrangedthemovie.com/index.html

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‘upside-downs’ & pineapple cake blues

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Virginia

Last weekend I experienced a bad case of the upside-downs…literally. After checking the baking progress of a carefully constructed pineapple upside-down cake, it looked done (according to the recipe time, it should have been and then some!) Inverting it upside-down on a cake plate, however, hot brown sugar syrup splattered all over the counter. A bit dismayed dodging the scalding, sticky mess, I unclasped the spring-form pan & took the top off (very carefully) to find a total DISASTER: an alarmingly large sinking crater of liquid batter.

Major-league pineapple cake blues ensued.  AUGH!!! What to do? With busy pots on burners bubbling away for a special celebratory dinner, there was no time to procure a cake or bake another one. Contemplating the demise of all those yummy ingredients also increased the blues factor. Frazzled, yet suddenly dazzled with possibilities, I quickly ‘upside-downed’ the ruined cake back into the pan, and (with a prayer) put it back into the oven for a second round of baking.

While tending the busy dinner pots, a food flash of divine inspiration hit (this also required a bit of faith that everything would ‘pan out’ ok)  – why not make more brown sugar syrup to replace the sticky mess scrubbed off the counter? After 30 more baking minutes, the crispier cratered cake was upside-downed (again), poked, drizzled with the new syrup & later served after dinner with a bit of faith & whipped cream. (Note: turned upside-down no one could see the solidly baked crater underneath!)

My brother, the feted one who chose the cake, said it was the “best pineapple cake he ever ate” & there were no crumbs left on anyone’s plates (mine inclusive!)

While washing up with a grateful heart, I got to thinking – hmmm, Lord, maybe there’s a lesson here? Sometimes our lives get messy with upside-downs when things don’t turn out as we expect and look disastrous – like crashing craters of cake and carefully crafted brown sugar syrup splattered everywhere. We get stuck in the blues, all befuddled & muddled in the craters and splatters – how we’ve mixed things up, our failures, seemingly wasted efforts, or what’s been dealt on our plates.

But God has given us good ingredients – mercy, grace, wisdom, peace, patience, and joy mixed in His everlasting batter of LOVE for us. If we by faith persevere, God IS good in the divine inspiration department and 2nd chances are what He’s all about.

Don’t give up. Try again…

No crumbs left.

this morning, last piece pineapple upside-down cake

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Aaron Neville: “I Know I’ve Been Changed”

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Virginia

“When the storm of life is raging Lord…Stand by me…

When this old world is tossing me like a ship on a raging sea,

Will thou, Mary’s baby…Shelter in the time of storm…

Stand by me.”       (Charles A. Tindley)

So sings Aaron Neville at the beginning of this collection of inspiring Gospel tunes that testify to the courage and resilience of the people of his native New Orleans – and all of us – as we face the storms of life with faith and hope.

As an Aaron Neville groupie FOREVER (since the Neville Brothers) I have so enjoyed grooving to his records, tapes, CDs (he’s been churning out hits since the ’60s) – but this is my absolute favorite, FAVORITE!  Since Christmas it’s been played at least once a day – with copies in the car, my room, the kitchen, on i-touches & the computer…

He blends gospel with a bit of gumbo and his angel-like voice to inspire – keep on, keeping on, even when times are tough, trust and let God use you “anywhere, anytime.”  My favorite songs, #8- “Tell Me What Kind of Man Jesus Is” and #9- “I Want To Live So God Can Use Me,” are  awesome southern Gospel at its best. Listening to the whole CD, however, is like attending a church service with segments of praise, testimony, teaching, reflection, prayer and…joyous worship!

Aaron Neville is not only one of the most amazingly gifted singers out there with his truly unique voice, he is also a devout man of faith who has weathered many storms in his life (drug addiction, poverty, loss…)  From his inspiring example and music, you can tell “the purity of prayer is never far from his lips, the power of music never far from his heart,” as stated by Monica A. Coates in the CD intro.

Celebrating his his 50th year recording music, Aaron Neville keeps the Gospel joy coming in “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”  Give it a listen, but be careful – you might get inspired to do some changing.

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