tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190076772024-03-13T06:49:41.089-04:00The Life and Times of David FerrellThis is basically just a place where you can get to know me, David Ferrell, and what's going on in my life.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-26651325870264083672023-03-15T20:13:00.000-04:002023-03-15T20:13:04.179-04:00He Holds All Things<p> Life feels fragile at times.</p><p>There are days, seasons even where the world seems cracked, open.</p><p>Weakened by the Fall, by our circumstances, the days feel heavier, weightier.</p><p>The closer we come to the end, the more it seems like our days are like sand through our hands.</p><p>Time keeps ticking and we can't stop it.</p><p>Sometimes it feels like we don't have enough time in a given day.</p><p>Time to pray</p><p>Time to think</p><p>Time to do what we want, what we're obligated to do, where our ambitions lie.</p><p>It's in moments like these where we are aware of our own frailty,</p><p>Our own mortality,</p><p>Our own lack of control.</p><p>And yet...</p><p>We know who has control.</p><p>We know the one who offers life eternal.</p><p>He is strong when we are weak.</p><p>His ways are better than our own.</p><p>He is the creator of time and holds it in His perfect hands</p><p>We may not be able to control time, but we know who does and we can trust His hands with it.</p><p>He will restore all that is broken.</p><p>He brings what is dead to life.</p><p>He is making all things new.</p><p>His yoke is easy and His burden light.</p><p>And He calls us His own.</p><p>He is light and in Him is no darkness at all.</p><p>He holds all things together by His might.</p><p><br /></p>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-11075568668066017792018-05-27T21:51:00.000-04:002018-05-27T21:51:58.338-04:00I got a MacBook Pro!!I got a MacBook Pro, which I'm posting from right now. <br />
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I really have wanted for a long time to get into iOS app development. After doing a lot of research, I ended up getting the 256GB edition with 16GB of RAM and the touch bar. What do you guys think of the MacBook Pro. Do you have any tips? Let me know in the comments.<br />
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--DavidDavid Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-22849987639270509912018-04-30T20:11:00.002-04:002018-04-30T20:13:18.845-04:00Look who's back after all these years writing a blog post, writing a blog post!!!Hello everyone.<br />
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It's been a while since I've written on the blog. A lot's happened, not the least of which is that I've had a son, a daughter, and another son.<br />
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Yes, that's right, I have 3 lovely children and they're all pretty amazing. However, I don't want to put pictures of them up here because, well, the Internet has some creepy people in it sometimes and well, this is a public blog, anyone can get here.<br />
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If you happened to get here after 5 whole years of me not posting anything, then welcome! Here you'll find an assortment of my interests.<br />
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Since it's been a while, here's what you can expect:<br />
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I love film, so occasionally there will be a film review here. I also love Jesus, and love talking about theology, so I often will talk about what I'm reading in the Bible or books on theology or just share how the Lord is working in my life. Right now, he's growing me in grace through my children and my wife and it's amazing as well as challenging.<br />
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What else? Oh, sometimes I'll just share events going on my life too.<br />
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As always, you're welcome to leave comments. Fair warning, though, I do screen them.<br />
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Thanks for visiting<br />
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--DavidDavid Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-72047483635649881742013-04-21T17:12:00.001-04:002013-04-21T17:12:11.152-04:00The Gospel <br />
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I have long thought about writing a blog entry that presents the Christian gospel. After writing my post on the prosperity gospel I realized that maybe there are people out there who don't really know what the true Christian gospel is. In this day and age, so much information about Christianity, Jesus, God, religion, and the like is readily available through the click of a mouse or the flip of a TV remote, that it's hard to discern what's true and what's not sometimes. This is one of several reasons why I think it's important to establish the true gospel amidst a sea of false gospels.<br />
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So, what is the true gospel? Well, the answer to this question is both simple and complex.<br />
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To start, the gospel is centered around the person of Jesus Christ. In fact, Paul the apostle defines the gospel in this way:<br />
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"For <a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/1Co11.23%3BGa1.12/" original-title="ch. 11:23; Gal. 1:12" style="display: none;">l</a>I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died <a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/Jn1.29%3BGa1.4%3BHb5.1%3BHb5.3%3B1P2.24/" original-title="John 1:29; Gal. 1:4; Heb. 5:1, 3; 1 Pet. 2:24" style="display: none;">m</a>for our sins <a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/Is53.1%3BDn9.26%3BZc13.7%3B1P1.11/" original-title="Isa. 53; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 13:7; [1 Pet. 1:11]" style="display: none;">n</a>in accordance with the Scriptures, <span class="verse-num" id="v46015004-1" style="display: none;">4 </span><a alt="esv_01" class="va" href="http://www.blogger.com/null" rel="v46015004" style="display: none;"></a>that he was buried, that he was raised <a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/Hs6.2%3BMt12.40%3BJn2.22/" original-title="[Hos. 6:2; Matt. 12:40; John 2:22]" style="display: none;">o</a>on the third day <a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/Ps16.10%3BIs53.10%3BAc2.25-32%3BAc13.33-35%3BAc26.22-23/" original-title="Ps. 16:10; Isa. 53:10; [Acts 2:25-32; 13:33-35; 26:22, 23]" style="display: none;">p</a>in accordance with the Scriptures," - I Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV)<br />
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Paul defines the gospel as Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Still, it doesn't answer the question of why He had to die or why he had to rise again. <br />
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In simple terms, Christ had to die to pay the debt that we owed God for breaking His law by sinning. Sin is any act in violation of God's law. God's law is an extension of God's character, and since God is infinite and holy, any act that is contrary to His nature has an eternal consequence. Thus, as Paul says in Romans 3:23, "the wages of sin is death"; not just death here, but death eternally in hell. So how is God's wrath against us satisfied? Answer: Blood. One of many overarching themes in the Bible is the notion of blood as a sacrifice. In the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed to pay for the sins of the Hebrew nation. Often, it was a spotless lamb without blemish, foreshadowing the coming of the sinless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.<br />
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Jesus is both man and God. The theological term for this is the hypostatic union: the union of 2 natures, the divine and human, in the single person of Christ. Jesus needed to be both man and God because only a man could successfully fulfill the Law and only God could pay a sacrifice worthy enough to pay for our debt of sin. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and therefore, fulfilled the Law. He also died in our place, and paid our debt on the cross. (Colossians 2:14). All those who believe on Him are free from sin and the shame and guilt that go along with it. Hallelujah!<br />
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How does one receive Jesus? Repent of your sin and accept the free gift of grace through faith in Jesus. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9-10. When you believe on the true Jesus and in the true gospel, a transformation takes place. Jesus calls it being "born again" (John 3). In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul talks about it this way: "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17) Being a Christian isn't just having knowledge that Christ died on the cross. Even the demons believe that. It's putting your full trust and hope in Him and calling him, "Lord", surrendering your will to His. Being a Christian is not a life where everything is hunky dory and goes just the way you would imagine. Jesus changes your desires to conform with His to start a brand new life walking with Him. Christianity is a life led and guided by God Himself, submitting to the Father's will through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. God doesn't offer the things of the world. Instead he offers something much greater: a relationship with Him. Will you put your trust in Him today? Repent of your sin, accept His free gift of salvation, make Jesus your Lord and Savior. He's waiting with open arms. You don't have to do anything to earn it, in fact, you can't. It's offered freely, that's why it's a gift. Will you accept His gift today?David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-63905858033666504732013-03-02T09:01:00.002-05:002013-03-02T09:01:26.311-05:00WEC Harlem Shake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jDDHnxKamg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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A couple weeks ago, my student group made this Harlem Shake video. Enjoy!David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-40259813150082193912012-10-30T19:26:00.002-04:002012-10-30T19:26:29.583-04:00Thoughts on Cloud AtlasThis past Saturday I had the opportunity to see the new film by the Wachowski Brothers a.k.a. Wachowski Starship, <em>Cloud Atlas. </em>While I don't want to hash out fully here why I enjoyed the film, I do want to give some of my thoughts. So here's what I liked, loved, and also what I didn't enjoy and didn't love about the film. <br />
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Artistically, the film is a great film. Beginning and end shots are linked together very well, filled in the middle by 6 intertwining storylines. Here's a list of the periods of time:<br />
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1. Mid 19th century - a man aboard a ship in the Pacific Islands, harboring a stowaway<br />
2. 1936 - a homosexual composer trying to write a masterpiece with the help of a composer who hasn't written a good work in years.<br />
3. 1970s - an audacious reporter gets the story of her career fall into her lap that could topple an oil industry.<br />
4. 2012 - a publicist, his rise to prominence, his fall, and his plot to escape an assisted living facility<br />
5. 2312, or somewhere around there - a genetically engineered waitress escapes her confined life and discovers the truth behind her world.<br />
6. 106, "After the Fall", actually some years after 2312, a tribal group hosts a stranger trying to discover truth buried in the past that will benefit mankind. Meanwhile, the main character of this time period is literally haunted by an "evil conscious".<br />
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It should be mentioned at this point that there is a very small core cast playing several different parts, in all 6 timelines. The makeup work and the incredible acting ability are both on full display in this film. This adds to the beauty and intricacy of this film.<br />
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The storylines are all very different in plot, but in theme, they are all similar. On the surface, you can definitely see the links between each storyline, but dig deeper and there is a whole network teeming with details to analyze. To me, a movie that can spark discussion is a movie worth seeing and <em>Cloud Atlas</em> is no exception. Themes of freedom, good and evil, love, loss, defying the established order, and relationships are some of the few elements that this film explores.<br />
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So in terms of structure, acting, plot, and art, this film earns high marks in my book. <br />
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But here's my problem:<br />
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It can clearly be seen by anyone who knows anything about eastern religion, that this movie illustrates re-incarnation. There are conversations about past lives and how "everything is connnected".<br />
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Furthermore, the film has a flippant view of sexuality, especially in the 1930s segment. Its message: have sex with whoever you want. It doesn't matter if you're married or not. It doesn't matter if you're committing adultery. It doesn't matter if you're having sex with someone of the same gender.<br />
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There was also language and violence in the film, but those were of less significance to me then the issues previously mentioned.<br />
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While I did enjoy the film overall, I can't ignore it's problems, and it's problems are enough for me to steer certain Christians away from it. I believe it's benefits outweigh it's problems, but there are some who this film could affect in a negatively spiritual way.<br />
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I haven't come down on a final rating of this film, it has it's good and it's bad. On one hand, I see it as a great film artistically, but morally and spiritually, it gets an F. I don't expect every film to adhere to my worldview, but I also don't want anyone buying into reincarnation, past lives, and sexual immorality as acceptable because of a film.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-15750290279237872912012-02-26T17:25:00.000-05:002012-02-26T17:25:07.544-05:00The prosperity gospel... and why it's wrongI have long wanted to post something about this. Not because I feel the need to criticize or that I want to condemn people, but that I think that truth must be told and false teachings should be exposed. Also, I believe that since I love the Church as a whole, that I should speak the truth in that love. It's one thing to make a mistake here and there from the pulpit, it's quite another to base your entire ministry on a lie. Here's some common teachings I've noticed from various prosperity teachers. Some may preach only some of these principles, but all of them are wrong.<br />
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1. Since we are children of God, we deserve and should expect health and wealth.<br />
2. Poverty and sickness for the believer died with Jesus on the cross of Calvary<br />
3. When we give, we should expect something in return.<br />
4. When we pray, we activate the power of God.<br />
5. Freedom includes freedom from poverty.<br />
6. If you're going through sickness, you're out of the will of God.<br />
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So, looking at this list, there's an obvious theme running through these verses and that's that God serves us. It's a selfish gospel, one that says that if you're not successful, you're not "good" enough. A gospel that says that God's will is for you to be wealthy. It's a gospel that elevates the position of the believer and lowers the position of the Father. <br />
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Let's get one thing straight, God submits to NO ONE. God is sovereign, and ruler of all things. If he chooses to bless us, monetarily or otherwise, it's not because we deserve it. The bible says that "none are righteous", that "all have sinned and fallen short". But let's look at the heresy of the statements above.<br />
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Expecting wealth goes against what Jesus said in Matthew "Lay not for yourselves, treasures on earth, where moth and dust corrupt, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Clearly, Jesus understood how close money is tied to the condition of the heart. When believers are told that they aren't wealthy, it's because they're mindset is wrong, that they aren't being "freedom minded", or some such nonsense, it enforces the belief that money is a sign of following God, that money is a sign of spiritual success. Nothing could be further from the truth.<br />
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The power of God can NOT be activated by the likes of little peons like us. The power of God is awesome, and something that can't be turned on by us through prayer. However, in the economy of God, when we pray, God listens. Sometimes he says "Yes", sometimes he says "No", and sometimes our requests don't meet with his timing. To say that we can activate the power of God shows a total lack of understanding of how biblical prayer works. Prayer is more than requesting God for things. It's a way to show honor, to give praise, to communicate with God, and above all, a way to strengthen our relationship with God.<br />
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Paul in I Timothy Chapter 6, clearly addresses those false teachers who would claim that gain equates godliness. Let's take a look:<br />
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"If anyone (E)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with (F)the sound[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching (G)that accords with godliness, 4 (H)he is puffed up with conceit and (I)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for (J)controversy and for (K)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people (L)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (M)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But (N)godliness (O)with contentment is great gain, 7 for (P)we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But (Q)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But (R)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, (S)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that (T)plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of (U)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."<br />
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I Timothy 6:3-10<br />
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Logically, from this context, anyone who teaches that "godliness is a means of gain" is "puffed up with conceit and understands nothing." I'm saying this to expose the heresy and falsehood of the prosperity gospel and their teachers. If you're tracking with me, you can probably already identify a couple. I say these things because I am fed up with people justifying what they believe by saying things such as "they preach Jesus!" Wake up and smell the coffee, people! That's not the Jesus I serve! The Jesus I serve was born into a manger, not a mansion. He wore sandals and ragged robes, not Armani suits. The freedom that he gives is not freedom from poverty and lack, but freedom from sin and freedom from the guilt, depression, and shame that goes along with it.<br />
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I say these things in love because I truly believe that God can change anyone's heart and that it wouldn't be right as a brother in Christ to sit idly by while the Church is being swayed to believe an out and out lie. I want this "prosperity gospel" movement to die. This "Jesus" is a cheap substitute for the Son of God whom I love. <br />
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Lord, I pray that eyes would open, that your truth would penetrate hearts and that you would give those caught in the trap of the prosperity gospel ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of your Word. Amen.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-12665994196701577352011-12-09T19:01:00.000-05:002011-12-09T19:01:12.923-05:00Rachel's first Switchfoot Concert.On Saturday, I went to see my favorite active band, Switchfoot, in concert. I was excited for this concert for the following reasons: <br />
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1. This was the first show I would be going to after the release of their new album, Vice Verses, which I believe to be their best one yet. <br />
2. This was my first sold out Switchfoot concert.<br />
3. This was the first time my fiancee, Rachel, experienced the awesomeness that is Switchfoot.<br />
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The concert was in Charlottesville at the Jefferson Theater. This is definitely worth mentioning as is not only Charlottesville a beautiful town, but the theater was beautiful as well. It had a large area for people to stand and rock out on the bottom level and 2 levels of balconies. It looked like an old movie theater that ripped out the theater seats.<br />
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Opening things up was Honor by August. Usually I'm not really impressed by the opening act, but Honor by August, while not being phenomenal, was very good for an opening band. I got to talk with some of the members after the show and they were very down to earth.<br />
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Now, on to the main act. Switchfoot put on an amazing show. They opened things up with "The Original", a very fun and upbeat song from the new album that definitely set the right tone for what was coming. Here's the full setlist, that included 9 songs from the new album<br />
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The Original<br />
Stars<br />
The War Inside<br />
We Are One Tonight<br />
This is Your Life<br />
Souvenirs<br />
Afterlife<br />
Been Caught(cover song)<br />
Mess of Me<br />
Restless<br />
Dare You to Move<br />
Vice Verses (first time live in the States)<br />
Dark Horses<br />
Meant to Live<br />
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After that, the crowd roared and asked for one more song. They gave us not 1, not 2, but 3.<br />
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They played Hello Hurricane, and then the perfect encore song, "Where I Belong", followed by "The Sound." <br />
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But the crowd hadn't had enough and Switchfoot came out for a second encore, performing "Needle and Haystack Life."<br />
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It was an amazing experience, not one I will soon forget.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-3037650581731539422011-10-07T20:54:00.000-04:002011-10-07T20:54:25.048-04:00The Best (and worst) day at the movies ... and some other stuffWell, it's been 2 months since I wrote on the blog. A lot has happened between August 5th and now. Summer ended, fall began. Football season returned with the Redskins at 3-1. It's been quite a month musically. 4, count them, 4, of my favorite bands released new albums<br />
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NeedtoBreathe - The Reckoning, a very good album, but not quite as good as their previous work<br />
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Gungor - Ghosts upon the Earth<br />
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Mute Math - Odd Soul<br />
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and finally, Switchfoot, in their best ever album, Vice Verses. Yes, I think it's better than The Beautiful Letdown and Hello Hurricane. Easily, easily has the best album ending song that they've ever made.<br />
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Anyway, moving on to why I'm really here. A very interesting thing happened this past summer when I went to go see a movie. Not just any movie, but my pick for the best movie of the year so far, "The Tree of Life". I had been waiting and waiting for this movie to come out for some time due to the buzz that the movie was getting ever since it won the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It finally arrived at the Naro this past summer and I decided to go see it with a good friend of mine.<br />
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We went in and the theater was not jam packed, but it had a considerable number of people. My friend and I sat down and after the first few minutes we both knew this wasn't going to be just any movie. It was going to be a very memorable movie The Tree of Life beautifully illustrates how life seldom gives us straight answers and when we look up at the sky and ask God why, He rarely gives answers us directly. In the case of the film, God and the director, Terrence Malick, answers in the most appropriate way, by showing us. There is very little dialogue at the beginning and end of the film, but in the middle is where we get to see the main character fleshed out and his ongoing struggle with nature vs. grace, most embodied with the struggle of the death of his brother, which we are made aware of at the beginning of the film. How the story plays out, I am not here to say, but it is one of beauty, grace, elegance, and meditation. Malick doesn't use a conventional narrative and it works. Instead, the audience is left to ponder the far reaches of what is possible and glimpse at the beauty of what lies beyond.<br />
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The Tree of Life sparked a discussion between me and my friend. One that only a great movie does. Once we were back at his apartment, I came to find out that some friends of his were watching "Battle: Los Angeles" upstairs. So I settled in and watched a little bit because several of the poeple watching the movie were also my friends. Now, I already knew the reputation of this film and so I wasn't expecting much. What ended up happening though, is I had the singular worst experience watching a movie this entire year and I only watched about 45 minutes of the movie. The following are some quotes that my friend and I have since said about the film.<br />
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"I never thought 45 minutes could feel like an eternity."<br />
"You start cheering for the aliens just so the movie will end."<br />
"A mind numbing, cliche-ridden experience."<br />
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The dialogue in the film was horrible. When they weren't screaming commands at each other, most of the conversations were just filler between the predictable, messy action sequences. I don't mind action movies or alien invasion movies. I do mind when they're bad.<br />
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This experience of seeing the best and worst films of the year in the same day I won't soon forget. The friend I went with summed it up best when he said, "You know a film is great when even after seeing a film as bad as Battle: Los Angeles, you still remember the greater film."David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-44482542680629017702011-08-05T19:00:00.000-04:002011-08-05T19:00:08.101-04:00Switchfoot - Vice Verses Listening Session (Mobile Version)<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zYqbOMr6hWU?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br /><br />Switchfoot Listening SessionDavid Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-65619932070268845152011-08-05T18:57:00.000-04:002011-08-05T18:57:52.508-04:00I'm Engaged!For those of you haven't heard, I am engaged. I proposed on the evening of July 24th to my now fiancee, Rachel, at the Lions' Bridge. I've been dating Rachel since last August and I had no doubt in my mind she was the one I wanted to marry. For those of you who have been praying for me and also those who have left e-mails, facebook messages, phone calls, etc, you have my sincere thanks. I'm looking forward to what the future has in store for the 2 of us.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-29035456722410668452011-05-10T19:38:00.002-04:002011-05-10T19:43:44.438-04:00Praising God is crazy when you think about itAt first glance, worshiping God through music may not seem crazy. As a Christian, it's what we do. If you go to church it's normal. The team of worship leaders get up and the congregation sings along to a power point slide, a hymnal, or, if you're really old-school, an overhead projector. Whatever the case may be, most Christians don't think praising God on a Sunday or even during the week, for that matter, is unusual. I would agree that for a Christian, it shouldn't be unusual, but let's stop and think about what is actually going on when we sing to Him.<br />
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When Christians sing to God, it's first and foremost an act of worship. It's not merely spouting off words to a tune. It's surrender. It's an expression of thanks. Ultimately, singing to God is an act of giving glory back to Himself and to the born again believer, this is the best thing since sliced bread. But praising God is odd to anyone else because it requires the denial of yourself as the ultimate receiver of glory. It requires trading your own ambition, desires, and goals for those of God.<br />
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I love to sing to God. It's one of the greatest joys I have as a believer. I love to lift my hands and jump and down in the joy I have in Him. Still, some think it's weird that I do that. In response, I have a question: do you jump up and down and lift your hands at rock concerts? If so, why do you do that? It's because you enjoy the music and are expressing your satisfaction in it, right? Or maybe you really like the band? <br />
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Then why is it when you come to worship the God of the universe, the very being who wove you together in your mother's womb, numbered the stars and knows them by name, breathed life into man, and died for you so that you could be reconciled to him, you stand like a stick in the mud and have about as much energy as a cardboard cutout. We serve a mighty God, who despite his incomprehensibly vast amount of power and glory, loved you so much that He hung on a cross for you. That's something worth dancing up and down the aisles about! I still wonder why in certain Christian circles, there's this atmosphere of limitation in one's expression of worship. Myself, I have no problem dancing, lifting my hands, falling on my face, and basically just being real before God. What I'm not saying is that every Christian should go dancing down the aisles. What I am saying though is that if you're a Christian, there's a reason to go crazy for Jesus and Jesus deserves more than just cattle in a sanctuary.<br />
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2 Corinthians 5:13-15 is one of my favorite passages in the entire bible because it explains to unbelievers why Christians go crazy for Jesus, while giving a summary of the gospel itself. Here's what it says:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28892" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">14</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28893" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">15</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Think about what this is saying. "Christ's love compels us." In other words, we should <i>want</i> to go crazy for God. What's even crazier is that we no longer live for ourselves, and we're okay with it! In a world that is totally consumed with the idea of satisfying the self, this is a radical notion. But a true believer, being transformed by Christ, desires more than anything to live for Christ, who died and was raised again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So Christians, let's start acting like it! Let's go before God not just in singing to him, but in all areas of our life, with a joyful and grateful heart, giving thanks and adoration to Him who sits on the throne of grace.</span>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-61438563589961271852010-12-26T15:27:00.000-05:002010-12-26T15:27:15.201-05:00The story of JonahHere's a wonderful rendition of the story of Jonah told by a little girl.<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16404771" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16404771">The story of Jonah</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/corinth">Corinth Baptist Church</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-70662228438382799612010-12-26T15:24:00.000-05:002010-12-26T15:24:09.908-05:00White ChristmasWell, last night we had our first White Christmas in my area since 1948! Wow, that's a long time! I've always enjoyed playing in the snow for a number of reasons. Those include, snow angels, snow men, and the fact that snow is so rare in Hampton Roads. There's nothing like taking a bunch of snow and pelting your sister with it, either... all in good Christian love of course.<br />
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Another thing snow reminds me of is how clean Christ wipes away our sins and that couldn't come at a better time than at Christmas. In fact, in Psalm 51, King David was asking for mercy from God for his sin of adultery and murder and asked God to wash him "white as snow". This creates a perfect picture of how wide God's mercy is for us. This is the very reason Christ came on Christmas, that we would be made clean and able to commune with God. Wow! <br />
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Merry Christmas, everyone!<br />
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--DavidDavid Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-8224808014559464902010-11-18T19:25:00.000-05:002010-11-18T19:25:30.450-05:00Happy Birthday, Mom!Today is my mother's birthday! For those of you who haven't had the privilege of meeting mom Ferrell, she's a great Christian woman and has set a great example for me to follow. The vast majority of principles, virtues, and life lessons I have learned from my mom. Not only that, but she has brought 3 children through their college undergraduate studies, she gives of her time and energy to our family, and she's just fun to talk to. Needless to say, I love my mom and it's always a joy to celebrate her birthday.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-43835890022547622872010-09-17T22:33:00.000-04:002010-09-17T22:33:21.309-04:00Switchfoot - The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues) [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]Switchfoot's music video of "The Sound", a song inspired by John M. Perkins, a civil rights activist dedicated to bringing one nation together united by the power of love.<br /><br />He said it best when he said, "Love is the final fight."<br /><br />Enjoy the video, check out www.jmpf.org . Special benefit concert for the John M. Perkins foundation on the 29th. Ustream feed at www.ustream.tv/switchfoot.<br /><br />Switchfoot will also be playing at the Norva on Oct. 6th at 8PM. If you like what you hear and see, you'll love their show.<br /><br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/mNQgABsUfK8/hqdefault.jpg");" height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mNQgABsUfK8?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mNQgABsUfK8?fs=1&hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="295" width="480"></embed></object>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-88347337735131291172010-09-16T17:59:00.002-04:002010-09-16T18:31:15.814-04:00A powerful 3 word phrase.Being a Christian nearly my entire life, sometimes sayings, phrases, and even scripture, pass by our eyes and ears and we take them for granted but don't let them penetrate our heart. One such phrase I had heard for years and the truth I took for granted. It wasn't until I heard a sermon on the phrase and really let it soak into my mind and heart that I was blown away by what the truth meant. This little 3 word phrase sums up everything that we should aspire to be, everything that we hope for, our reason for existence, and more than anything, displays the power and unbelievable blessings we've been bestowed as Christians.<br /><br />That phrase is, "Christ in you."<br /><br />At first glance it seems like such a trite phrase that every Christian understands. "Oh yeah, I get it, Jesus died, was resurrected, and now He lives in me through the person of the Holy Spirit." I get it. But think about what this means! <br /><br />Colossians describes Christ as having the fullness of God's deity in Him. All of God's power, might, majesty, and glory are in Christ. God is Christ. The creator of worlds, galaxies, planets, stars, comets, trees, animals, sky, clouds, the very air you breathe is Christ. Not only that that same God <span style="font-style: italic;">died </span>on a cross for you, a sinner who deserved every ounce of God's wrath, but in His mind-blowing grace, took your place and your punishment on Himself through Christ. 3 days later He rose from the grave. He promised a Helper and the Holy Spirit was sent to live and provide wisdom and guidance to our lives. That Spirit is Christ and He dwells in you!<br /><br />The fullness of God dwells in You! Christ in You! If we, as Christians could grasp this principle and truth that the God of the universe dwells and works in us, we would be a force to reckon with. <br /><br />Paul put it this way in Colossians 1:25-27<br /><br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29475">25</sup>I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29476">26</sup>the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29477">27</sup>To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.<br /><br />You see God's purpose is all about God giving glory to Himself and the hope for that is Christ in you, residing in you, working through you, living in you, that will accomplish that. When we take hold of that truth and deny ourselves, we magnify God, he gets the glory and as a reward, we get joy.<br /><br />Walk in this truth and may God infiltrate your life.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-76924433463750091882010-09-09T06:20:00.005-04:002010-09-09T19:50:46.625-04:00What Will People Think? What Will People Do? I Don't Really CareIn 2009, I dove headlong into a ministry that has since changed my perspective on God, given me a new purpose, and has also been quite a ride. I'm talking of leading my student Community Group. This past year has been a journey that I won't easily forget. I've developed spiritually and also built relationships with a group of rowdy teenagers. <br /><br />Last year, the student ministry kicked off the year with an event called One. I remember that day very clearly. The worship center was packed out and at the end of the night, many students made a commitment for Christ.<br /><br />Last night, we kicked off the year in the same fashion and WOW, was it powerful.<br /><br />First off, I have to go on record and say this was hands down my favorite One experience thus far. It was the 3rd we've had and this one blew the other 2 out of the water. Of course, when God shows up, crazy and beautiful things happen.<br /><br />The theme last night was Jesus Freak and <a href="http://robshep.com">Rob</a> began by telling a little bit about the eponymous song. For those who don't know, Rob and I share a strong affinity for DC Talk, the band who performs the song. They're both mine and Rob's favorite band, although Switchfoot is a very, very close second for me. Jesus Freak is my all-time favorite song, so when the band came out and performed the song, I, of course, had a smile from ear to ear and screamed like a little girl when they were done. The whole band did exceedingly well performing the song. Mike gave easily one of the best and ridiculously face-melting guitar performances ever to hearken the WEC stage. Rob did a great job with Toby's part and Keren, Rob B, Larry, Randy, and Brooke all did their part to make it one of the most memorable performances ever.<br /><br />We had 3 worship songs and then Rob came and gave the message. He spoke on impacting the community around us by living for Christ and becoming a "Jesus Freak", one who is so ardently enthused about Jesus that he or she doesn't care what people think or say, he or she just lives for Him.<br /><br />At the end of the night we sang "The Stand" by Hillsong and Rob called the students who were willing to make a stand for Christ to come on stage. What followed was a moment that made this 26 year old cry. There before me was a crowd of teenagers lifting their hands and eyes to God singing, "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned in awe of the One who gave it all. I'll stand my soul, Lord, to You surrendered. All I am is Yours."<br /><br />I can't wait to hear the stories from the lives of those students. It makes me proud to be a part of what God's doing in their lives at WEC.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-32839372829217499072010-08-29T17:27:00.003-04:002010-08-29T17:57:35.635-04:00Entitlement? What's that?Last week, in a bible study that I've been attending, we discussed the topic of tolerance and fairness. We mentioned that, as Christians, we can be tolerant of other religions and still maintain the belief that Jesus is the only way to God. The argument of, "that's not fair" was then brought to mind. At that point in the conversation, I kinda butted in and said, "grace isn't fair." As Christians it isn't fair that we get freedom from sin, it isn't fair that we have a way out of darkness. The Christian life as we know it isn't fair. What would be fair is that we would spend eternity separated from God due to our sin. But God in His mercy sent His Son to die on a cross so we didn't have to.<br /><br />And yet...<br />Humans, even Christians, sometimes fall victim to the idea of entitlement. What do I mean by that? Well, what I mean by this is the feeling that says that because of something I've done or an attribute or characteristic that I have, I deserve or am entitled to a reward, item, object, or something else that is desirable.<br /><br />Hear me on this: nothing could be further from the truth.<br /><br />The food you eat: that's a gift.<br />Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness may be written down as a right in The Declaration of Independence, but no, my friend, you are not entitled to it. It's a gift.<br />The job you have, as miserable or wonderful as it may be, is a gift.<br />Your family is a gift.<br />That iPod you saved up for is a gift.<br />The money you worked for is a gift. You worked for it, but it is not entitled to you. God owns it.<br />Your teachers or professors, they are gifts.<br />Your intelligence is a gift. (Don't waste it!)<br />Your significant other is not entitled to you. Sure, there's that marriage license, but he or she is a gift!<br />And one last one: The very breath you are breathing, the breath that gives you life, is a gift.<br /><br />You see, friends, God demands payment for sin because He and sin don't go together. We are sinners. All have sinned and fallen short. In order for justice to be served, a payment had to be made and our lives were the price. But God, in His mercy, made the ultimate sacrifice by doing the unthinkable, sacrificing His son, in payment for us. But it did not end there for 3 days later Christ was risen and we have the privilege, not the right, to share in His resurrected life if we believe on the name that is above every other, the name of Jesus.<br /><br />We can not and should not fool ourselves into thinking that we deserve something. Instead, we should lift our eyes to the heavens and thank God for the mercy and blessings He has shown.<br /><br />We are entitled to nothing. We have been given more than we deserve. So instead of saying, "That's not fair." Let's change our attitude and say, "Thank you for what I've been given."<br /><br />And when we live a life glorifying the God who gave it all, God rewards us with joy, peace, and true life.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-58530227450085037052010-08-24T18:38:00.003-04:002010-08-25T22:03:16.959-04:00Time with the Cooley clan.This past Saturday I went to Richmond to see my mom's side of the family and to celebrate my uncle Matt's 40th birthday. It was a lot of fun. We had steak <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> chicken and green beans and mushrooms for dinner. It was delicious. Also, Baggo (also known as cornhole) is a tradition whenever we get together. I didn't have time to play a full game, though.<br /><br />All 3 of my Mom's brothers were there along with all of their children, which just so happens to be all girls, which makes myself and my brother a little out-numbered. There's 5 of them and 2 of us. This would normally be fine because I've known my cousins all there life, enjoy their company and love them.<br /><br />There was just one thing that really bugged me that Saturday evening.<br /><br />They all ganged up on me, yes all 5 of them, and asked why I was still single. Granted, they have somewhat of a point. Yes, I am 26 and still single, but I'm quite happy with my life and enjoy what I do. I have a great job, go to a great church, get out and have fun, have friends, etc. Of course, there's no reasoning with these girls. I think it's partly cuz they want another girl in the family.<br /><br />In all honesty, I still love my cousins and I know they only want the best for me. I just find it quite humorous that they think I can't be happy if I'm single, which is so far from the truth. I wanted to say to them, "Jesus was single," but I knew that wouldn't do much good.<br /><br />All this to say, I am waiting for whoever God has in store for me and preparing myself to be the kind of man God wants me to be for her.<br /><br />Special note to my cousins: I still love ya.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-91407289626263479572010-08-17T08:47:00.003-04:002010-08-18T09:06:26.003-04:00Things I learned from vacation 2010Things I learned from vacation:<br /><br />Chicago is beyond awesome.<br />Signs is a contagious game.<br />People over the age of 25 fall asleep more easily during late night movies.<br />The closer you are to your friends, the smaller your space bubble is.<br />Kayaking in shallow water alone is not a good idea.<br />Searching for a public library in Indiana is like playing the Water Temple in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time<br />Sunflowers are a lot bigger when you see them in person.<br />Indian food and wine goes together.<br />The Tides aren't any better playing away from home, but I cheer for them anyway.<br />Wrigley Field was built in 1914.<br />Hercule Poirot and Britney Spears' music makes a hilarious combination.<br />A car traveling from Lafayette to Chicago or vice versa is a time machine. (thanks to time zones)<br />I don't want Ignatius the Ultimate Youth Pastor anywhere near my church.<br />It takes an hour or more to get Chicago's deep dish pizza. Is it worth it? OH YEAH!<br />Virginia should import Indiana's night sky.<br />Time with people you love is priceless.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-27530852973821247432010-07-18T19:09:00.002-04:002010-07-18T19:39:40.091-04:00Movie Review: InceptionAbout a year ago, I was sitting in the movie theater waiting for a movie to come on when a teaser trailer for a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio came on. There wasn't much shown, some cool special effects scenes and Leo giving a very contemplative look towards the camera. The first shot was "From Christopher Nolan". At this point I had seen every one of his movies except for <span style="font-style: italic;">Insomnia</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Following</span>. This got me intrigued. Then they showed the rest of the teaser trailer. From that point I was hooked. Nolan has never made a movie that I didn't like. There were some I liked more than others, but he's never made a movie where I walked out of the theater thinking, "Wow, that movie was bad." So, when I heard about this film, I knew it would be on my list to see the following year. The movie I'm talking about is of course, <span style="font-style: italic;">Inception</span>, which is almost guaranteed to rake in box office millions this weekend. Having seen it last night, it will probably stay at the top for a while. <br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>For those of you who are uninformed about the basic plot of the movie, here's a brief synopsis, without giving away anything. DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a man who has experience extracting information from a person's mind by entering his or her dream. However, a man from a very lucrative corporation asks him to do the unthinkable, plant an idea into his competitor's mind. For reasons, I will not disclose here, Cobb accepts and assembles a team to perform this task. That, in a nutshell, is what the movie centers around. However, Nolan does so much more with the film by introducing complex ideas and thoughts centered around the idea of the thin line between the waking world and the dream world. What would happen if we temporarily lived in the dream world? Would we want to come back? This is just one question that Nolan addresses. <br /><br />I can't tell you much about the film for one simple reason: you have to see it for yourself. I could tell you about it, but it's a very experiential film. In a summer full of films with no weight, creativity, or intelligence behind them, Christopher Nolan has created a wholly original film that dares to be different. Where most movies this summer are asking you to check your brain at the door, <span style="font-style: italic;">Inception</span> demands you put in overdrive.<br /><br />David's rating: 4 stars out of 4.David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-22072114158996076832010-06-02T21:05:00.005-04:002010-06-02T22:21:01.598-04:00Favorite Thing #2: SmallvilleI've been meaning to come back to my blog for a long time, but I couldn't decide on what to write about. Then a number of things happened to help me decide.<br /><br />1. Heroes got cancelled after only 4 seasons.<br />2. Smallville was renewed for it's 10th season.<br />3. It was announced that Smallville's 10th season would be it's last.<br />4. I watched the Richard Donner cut of Superman II<br />5. I bought Season 1 and 2 of Smallville and the Richard Donner Cut at the same time.<br />6. I met a new friend with the same love of Smallville that I have.<br /><br />How do these relate?<br /><br />Heroes being cancelled after 4 seasons proved what I had long suspected: that the show was more focused on plot than characters. After they changed the characters after the 1st season, that's when I stopped watching and apparently a lot of other people did too.<br /><br />The next 2 reasons are self explanatory: I've been watching the show since day one so when the show was renewed I was excited, but I should also mention that while I was sad that Smallville will be ending after this season, I also thought it was a good decision. I can't think of a better time to end it. It seems to fit the story arc so well and where they're going with the storyline makes sense for it to be Clark's last confrontation before he sports the tights and cape.<br /><br />After watching the Richard Donner cut of Superman II, I couldn't help but think about how Smallville had maintained a similar serious nature and tone to the Superman story. Also, there are <em>several</em> nods to the Superman films. Among them being the guest appearance of Christopher Reeve himself.<br /><br />For those of you who have been living in a cave for the past 9 years: Smallville is a show chronicling the life of Clark Kent from his birth to the time he becomes the great American superhero: Superman.<br /><br />To say Smallville is one of my favorite things almost seems like too little to say for such a great show. I've been watching the show since day 1 and if I ever miss a show I always find a way to watch it before the following week. Though there have been many changes throughout the years: Michael Rosenbaum and Kristen Kreuk leaving being 2 of the biggest, Smallville has maintained its integrity and focus. While many shows these days include crude humor, inappropriate situations, and sex overload, Smallville has maintained relatively clean. What impresses me the most is that while each season has an individual story arc, it builds upon the previous one and sets the vision for the next and the character development, to me, is unparalleled. When you've been watching this show for as long as I have, you begin to become attached to the characters and you look forward to what the future has in store for them. The writing is some of the best in the industry. They know how to build a compelling plot without sacrificing character development and they also create a plot situations specific for each character so that they can explore a different aspect of who they are. I've watched too many TV ads where it feels like they're just using star power to pull an audience without creating characters that are actually enjoyable week after week. It's also one of the very few shows I know that have both self contained episode plots along with an overarching story arc. Most shows I've seen on the air are all about plot, but you get no satisfaction from that single episode. You have to watch the whole season to get that. <br /><br />On a final note, I think the Superman saga itself intrigues me because it's so similar to how God loved us enough to send us his only son.<br /><br />"They can be a great people Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you, my only son."David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-647544885201176222010-04-30T19:08:00.002-04:002010-05-05T18:26:44.033-04:00There Ain't No DrugHave you ever been enjoying a nice, relaxing television show, when a drug commercial comes on, that makes you laugh and uncomfortable at the same time? And then you think to yourself, "People buy this stuff?" I certainly have. Recently I read an article about a spray that apparently stimulates the "cuddle hormone" allowing for more affection from the male half of a relationship. I posted the article on my facebook page later with the caption, "Need emotion in your relationship? Just use this spray!".<br /><br />The reason I bring this up is that more and more drugs are being created for problems that don't require a drug. That or drug advertisements create the illusion that their particular product will solve all of your problems. You know what I'm talking about. Those commercials that come on and you see the main character of the commercial in a down and out mood, the colors are bland, and you get a sense that he or she is helpless. Then he or she takes the drug and suddenly his or her life is completely better. The family comes together, everything is perfect, the colors in the commercial get brighter, and inevitably you get the cheesy slogan at the end after all the side effects are run by your ears at lightning speed.<br /><br />Now, this is not discounting the effect of the drug and what it can do for some people. I just think that buying a drug impulsively is a bad idea. A smart customer should research all options before making a decision, <span style="font-style: italic;">especially what the side effects are</span>! Also, advertisers should be clear and list the side effects clearly so that customers aren't effected negatively. It could also prevent future lawsuits.<br /><br />But there's another problem. There are tons of drugs that deal with symptoms and not with the real problem: yourself. For instance, if you have a hangover, there are drugs you can take to relieve the pain, but you caused the problem by drinking too much. If you smoke, you will get cancer eventually, and there are drugs that are taken as a result, but you could have decided to quit earlier. If you have heartburn, you can take tums, but you could have prevented it by watching your diet. There are so called "weight loss pills", but you could have exercised. If you have problems cuddling, now there is a spray that can help you get over your bad self. In each of these cases, the problem ultimately came back to the person. The simple solution: do what you can to be healthy and if necessary, be held accountable.<br /><br />In the same way, we are all sinners. Nothing we do can make us right with God. Sure, we may feel better, but the root of the problem never goes away. Deeds don't obtain righteousness. Only the blood of Christ shed on Calvary can set us free. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9<br /><br />As Switchfoot put it in their song <span style="font-style:italic;">Mess of Me</span>, "There ain't no drug, the sickness is myself."<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/et1vriu29Qk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/et1vriu29Qk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hQTexs-__Dg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hQTexs-__Dg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19007677.post-33664684774366053532010-04-20T23:49:00.002-04:002010-04-20T23:51:31.157-04:00SABOTAAAAAGE!!!!Switchfoot rocking out with a cover of the Beastie Boys' rock classic.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lr4-86rwpwg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lr4-86rwpwg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>David Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07323926945994650065noreply@blogger.com3