New Blog!

I've got a new blog which is purely dedicated to reviewing new and recommendable things, such as books, films, music, gadgets, recipes etc.

I hope you'll find it both interesting and helpful.

Thank you for your continued support!

http://www.allthingsreviewable.wordpress.com

Edinburgh Fringe

"This would be the only place where the sun is shining, but it’s minus five degrees!” The dark haired Canadian, comically poised in nothing but his underwear, winked at the tittering crowd. I glanced up at the blazingly blue sky, felt the warmth of the midday sun soak into my bare shoulders and couldn’t help but smile. Playing the British weather card was always guaranteed a reaction.

The Edinburgh Fringe was in full swing; the golden sandstone grandeur of Scotland’s national museum a serene and surprising backdrop to the ongoing frivolity. Rows of quirky canvas stalls were strewn along the sidelines of the spectacle, proudly exhibiting unique articles of jewellery, clothing and art. My sister-in-law perused them with great interest, delicately fingering each gem while her Mum walked tentatively behind, hoping the crisp twenty pound notes (Scottish, of course) would not be sweet-talked from her purse.

The buzz in the air was energising. Pulling into the station an hour earlier, we had been full of anticipation for the much-awaited evening event. We had tickets to see the Tattoo and, in our imaginings of it (who doesn’t love men in kilts?) we had clean forgotten that Edinburgh’s streets would be littered with hopeful, ambitious dancers, singers and performers. It was more than a pleasant surprise as we, like thousands others, found ourselves caught up in the exuberance.

The duo of near-naked men, now being wrapped together in cling-film (and somewhat inappropriately patted down) by two middle-aged, obviously single women, were drawing an even larger crowd with their hilarity. The pair had captivated our attention from the outset, as they brazenly, yet comically, attacked and humiliated their spectators.

A petite, elderly woman, resting alone against the black, iron fencing which bordered the museum, visibly recoiled as the loudest of the two (at this stage, fully dressed) pointed at her and shouted: “This is the most dangerous woman in Edinburgh! Look, she’s behind bars!” Roaring with laughter, while also niggled by a pang of sympathy for this innocent bystander – who, it turned out, was hunting for her lost husband (Mike Tucker) - I knew we would be in for a good show. Intelligent and dignified? Certainly not. Cringe-worthy and fabulous? Of course!

Nearing the pinnacle of their performance, while embarrassingly enveloped in a cellophane cocoon, their heads jolted up and to the left as a man – clearly of the clerical calling – missioned towards them. Head bowed, but not low enough to disguise the white dog collar, he ignored the crowd and our inquisitive looks (was he going to reprimand them for their indecency?). Silence fell and all eyes rested on this man of the cloth as he drew closer to the (genuinely surprised) Canadians. “Are you Mike Tucker?” the taller one called. The clergyman stopped short, raised his head and revealed a face full of horror as he absorbed his surroundings. He couldn’t have run away any quicker and we couldn’t have laughed any harder.

How easily we are entertained.

Apple iPad

We are seeing history in the making as technology hits a new level of brilliance. Following on from the innovative success of the iPod Touch, Apple has released news concering the production of their newest, and supposedly greatest, creation to date - the iPad.

As slim as the iPod Touch and as large as a magazine, the iPad boasts to be an aesthetically pleasing product to behold and to be held. Those who were involved in the design and production of this prototype have stated that they intended the iPad to feel completely comfortable in the hands of its owner; in the same way as a book or a newspaper is naturally handled. As such, Apple are claiming that a person's regular activites can be all the more enhanced by the use of the iPad. Web browsing, email, viewing photos, watching movies, playing games and reading books are at their best, according to Senior Vice President of product marketing- Phil Schiller, and certain applications have been created to ensure that this will be so.

The iPhone and the iPod, as they stand, have access to iTunes and the App store, but as well as these the iPad intends to bring to the market the iBook store. At the touch of a finger, you can chose, download and immediately start reading a book. You could imagine that on such a large display, where the book fills the screen and a single touch turns the page, the experience is almost as satisfying as holding a real book in your hands. One of the creators, Scott Forstall, says that "when you couple books with a high-res colour display, reading an eBook is just such a pleasure".

But the question begs to be asked, why not just do all this on a laptop? Surely it is just as easy to browse the web, send an email, watch a film and read a book on a laptop as it would be on the iPad? Well, aside from the obvious of having touch-screen technology that would accompany the iPad, rendering the keyboard obsolete, there is also the benefit of having no right or wrong way to hold the device. It can be flipped any which way, and the picture will automatically adjust for however you are holding it. It also seems to be far superior to a laptop in the way it allows you to share the screen with a friend. LED and IPS technology, in the iPad, permits you to tilt the screen at an angle without the quality of the image being compromised. Which means watching a film, or viewing photos, with another person doesn't impare the experience.

Overall, it looks very impressive! However, I wouldn't get too excited about rushing to the shops to buy one just yet. Apple have a few hurdles to clear before the iPad can be released to the retail world, and even then, there's no guarantee we'll see them on UK shelves. Some speculate that we might be seeing the iPad some time in June of this year, following a proposed US release for the end of March, but we'll just have to wait and see.

So what are your thoughts on the iPad? Do you think it is just a glorified iPod or iPhone? Do you think it far surpasses the purposes of a laptop? Would you consider buying one if they were released in the UK? They've estimated that prices would start at around $499 (aprox. £313). Please feel free to leave your comments!

Avatar

Fifteen years have passed since Oscar-winning James Cameron first embarked on his epic journey to create something that would potentially revolutionize the film industry forever. Avatar has now hit our screens, and it's taking the nation by storm.

Set in the year 2154 amid the foreign, yet beautiful, surroundings of Pandora - an Earth-like moon - we find a team of human scientists dedicated to the study of a native people; the Na'vi. Yet, as in all typical American films, there is an underlying selfish objective which accompanies the presence of humans in this distant land. I'm sure you've guessed it, but just in case you haven't twigged yet, the Na'vi community happens to be sitting on a "goldmine" of precious mineral which, once retrieved, would solve Earth's energy crisis once and for all. That's right, fuel.

Ex-marine paraplegic, Jake Sully, is called to Pandora to continue the work of his murdered twin brother. As they shared similar DNA, Jake is introduced to his brother's Avatar - a replica of the 10-foot tall, blue-skinned indigenous Na'vi - and brings it to life through a specially designed machine enabling him to live in the alien land as one of the natives. Having so far been unsuccesful in reaching a diplomatic relationship with the Na'vi, the team are keen for Jake to learn the ways of the indigenous group, gain their trust and persuade them to move away from the mineral enriched land. Failing to do so within a certain time frame, however, means that power-crazed Colonel Quartich, leader of the forces out in Pandora, will execute his plan to take their territory by miltary force - an approach he has not been reluctant to voice from the start. What he didn't bank on, however, was Jake's growing love for the luscious beauty of the forest and for the people. Jake becomes torn between the two worlds until war eventually breaks out and he must decide which side to defend.

While the film would lack a certain credibility with regard to its simple, uninspiring storyline and the intangibility of, and between, the main characters, it well makes up for it with the sheer brilliance of the imagery and graphics. Avatar incoporates the most stunning visual effects which suceed in pulling you into the incredible world of Pandora. As a viewer, especially when watching it in 3D, you find yourself becoming a part of the film. The forest, in its beauty, tranquility and magnificance, is almost addictive. It reminded me instantly of Fern Gully which, for those of you who haven't seen it, portrays the forest as something truly magical.

The film also manifests a strong spiritual element, which I found to be both fascinating and eerie. The Na'vi believe in a diety, akin to the worship of Mother Nature, called Eywa. While she is not a deity who answers specific prayers - but instead sustains a healthy balance in nature - they do appeal to her for the salvation of their people during the war. It was actually a heavily integrated aspect of the film, and it is fitting with how today's society seems to be crying out for something to fill a spiritual void and to answer life's questions surrounding suffering and war.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic film. It has undoubtedly raised the bar in film making and we can expect great things to follow. This is the future of great cinema.

Daily Audio Bible

I don't know about everyone else, but I sometimes struggle to fit a "quite time" into my day. By that, I mean a regular time of day that I sit down with my Bible and spend some quality time with God; reading his Word and praying to him. The reasons tend to be varied - from busyness to lethargy. It can be hard to motivate yourself to want to spend time with God. We are too easily swayed by other things - watching TV, spending an extra half an hour in bed, being distracted by housework and the like.

And it shouldn't be a chore - it should be something we love to do. We should enjoy sitting down with God every day and meditating over his Word. So why is it so difficult? Well I think the simple answer to that is our own selfishness and the devil's all-too-easy and clever manipulation of that sin.

But recently I've discovered a really encouraging and helpful aid to enjoy, and stick to, spending time with God on a daily basis. It's a podcast, which is free to subscribe to through iTunes, called the "Daily Audio Bible". Basically, this guy called Brian Hardin felt God calling him to set up his own podcast with the aim of reading through the Bible in a year. So he did! Every day, Brian reads a variety of passages from the Bible to the backing track of gentle nature sounds, introduced by a short history or context of the passage and followed by a short devotional commentary about what we can learn from the text. He also reads from a different translation of the Bible each week, so that the listener gains a wider understanding of Scripture from these other versions.

At the moment, he's working his way through Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and Proverbs and so he includes a passage from each of these books every day. I've found this really helpful as his approach of, for want of a better phrase, "mixing it up" is incredibly refreshing. His love for God, and for others, is evidently genuine and challenging.

What I find most amazing about listening to the Daily Audio Bible, is how connected you suddenly feel to your brothers and sisters in Christ. There is an allocated slot at the end of the podcast for voice recorded messages of people from all around the world, who have phoned it to mention a particular request for prayer. In an instant, listening to the description of their current situation or of a friend's dilemma, you feel an overwhelming desire to pray for them. This person, half way across the world who you've never met, suddenly has a place in your heart. It's then that you truly realise how united we are, as a Church, in Christ Jesus our Lord. How incredible is that?

I really recommend any one reading this to access iTunes (download it if you don't already have it), search for the Daily Audio Bible podcast on the iTunes store and subscribe to it. It's free and it will automatically upload the newest podcast to your computer whenever you log in to iTunes. It really has been a blessing to me. I can listen to the podcasts on my ipod in bed in the morning, or on my way to work, or sat in a coffee shop. Having that flexibility really does make it easier to spend time delving into God's word on a daily basis, no matter how busy you are. Having someone read it to you also brings the message of the Bible to life and I really do recommend it!

You can also check out their website at http://www.dailyaudiobible.com/ and if you click on "About Us" you can watch a short video clip about how the idea was formed and what it's aiming to do. It really is a wonderful ministry that reaches out to millions of people. They also raise money for various organisations. At the moment they're encouraging listeners to offer a donation to help rescue women who are forced into prostituion and drug abuse.

Seriously, check it out!

A Word From God

Yesterday I was given some news that stirred up an array of emotions that I had been trying to keep under control for a while. As a result, I suddenly felt alone, abandoned and in pain. I tried to get my heart and head into the right place by spending all afternoon in prayer and reading God's word but I didn't really feel any peace or comfort from that immediately. I wanted to feel Him with me, but I couldn't.

This morning, I went into the bookshop as normal. And a customer came in - who I recognised straight away - but I couldn't remember her name. I'd only met her once before, and I remembered that she was a lovely lady who had spoken to me about a friend of her's who was quite ill. She came up to me and told me that when she woke up this morning, she suddenly had a strong desire to pray for me. She'd only met me once, and she didn't know my name or anything else about me, except that I worked in the shop! She told me that she felt that God had given her this desire to pray for me and to come into the shop later to give me a word of encouragement and to give me a few bible verses to meditate over. How amazing is that?!

So she told me that God showed her that I was really struggling with something and was feeling very alone and very sad, but to take comfort in the fact that God hasn't ever left me. That he is right there in the middle of everything holding me up. She said that he is sharpening me and training me to be ready for some kind of ministry, and that it will come at a cost. And even though I have endured painful things in my life, and will continue to do so, he has a wonderful plan for me. She encouraged me to just let go of everything and to hand it over to God, trusting that his will and his ways are perfect.

I thought this was absolutely incredible! That God would speak to me through a stranger, and tell me exactly what I needed to hear. I felt such peace from her message. I know some people feel a bit sceptical about visions, words from God and the like, because it's not as common now as it was perhaps in the Old Testament. But I believe in the gifts and power of the Spirit. And if these gifts are not forced, or particularly invited, then God can reveal things to people in this way.

I just wanted to share this with you all.

Friendship

Recently, I've been reflecting on the varying levels of friendship and how our perceptions of it change over time. Since moving to Reading, I've really noticed how dramatic the shift has been from the safety of studentdom to the shock of the "real world", especially with regard to friendship groups.

Throughout school and university, I've been surrounded by big groups of people that I've spent a great deal of time with. At school, it seems to be a given that you attach strongly to a group of people because you spend all day, every day, with the same people. I really miss the intimacy of the group we had at school - Katie, Katie, Emma, Beth, Craig and Gemma - but people move on from that and unfortunately you can't quite keep that same connection when you're away from those circumstances.

At university it's a slightly different situation. There is a great deal of freedom, a bigger group of people to befriend and you don't spend as many hours in lectures as you would have spent at school. Yet the friendships seem to be even more intimate than those made at school. Here, you're all in the same boat - away from home for the first time - and so you're forced together in quite an unnatural situation. I made some fantastic friends at Bangor and I really miss them. We still keep in touch, of course, but it's not the same as seeing them every day.

Alex, Rhodri, Lois, Dawn, Dan, Tom and Little Dave were people that I was especially close to on our course. Most of us were inseperable. Lectures together, lunch together, library together, pub together, dancing together, beach together, picnics together, walks together, cinema together. Pretty much everything we did, we did it together. When people say that the most free time you will have is at uni, they're not wrong. And we pretty much spent all our free time together!

So when you leave, and enter the real world, it really throws you. At least, this is what I felt. I can't just text everyone and say "Pub?" or "Cuppa in Dylans?" - we're miles apart! That really sucks.

But my friend, Helen, who I used to live with in Bangor for a couple of years, came to visit this weekend. We were talking about this and she reminded me that university is a completely unique and unnatural situation, and that you can't continue that type of commitment outside of university. It doesn't mean that the frendship loses any depth, or reality, but that it just can't ever exist in the same context again.

And that's where I realised that our understanding of what friendship is has to change as our circumstances change. After uni, we just don't physically have the ability to see each of our friends all the time, or to be able to do everything with them. But the mark of a real friendship means that your love for them will never wane (I'm not getting soppy - if you've got a real friendship, then you do love each other). You think about your friend, you get in touch when you can, you meet up when you're able to, you pray for them, you text, email or write to them and you just generally let them know, in your own way, how much they mean to you. You treasure all the great times you had and reminisce about them together. And there's something just as intimate and deep in that as there is in spending every minute with them.

I thought that was just a really great reminder. So if anyone, like me, has been missing the freedom of being able to go out when you like with friends at university, then I hope you can take comfort in the fact that it doesn't mean you're any less of a friend to them if you can't see them all the time. As the saying goes, "absense makes the heart grow fonder" and you could develop an even greater friendship with someone when you're further away from them because you're forced to try and keep in touch. Relationships are so integral to our humanity and real friendships and emotional attachments are things that we all crave.

Twilight

I, like thousand others, have fallen spectacularly head-over-heels in love with the Twilight series. From the family of 'vegetarian' vampires to the enemy pack of the werewolves, from the assumed royalty of the Volturi to the ancient Quileute legends and from suspense-filled action to unbridled romance - the Twilight books are undoubtedly the most gripping novels I've read to date.

If you haven't seized the opportunity to read the books yet - you must! Get them all, get them now. But be warned, Stephanie Meyer's words flow so effortlessly from the page that you'll have a near-impossible job not to read the book in one sitting. Too many have fallen into the trap of reading late into the hours of the morning, before realization strikes that the sun is actually starting to rise again and that the alarm clock will soon start beeping.

I won't say much for the film, as the books are the sole feeders for the imagination, which in turn creates the intensity and atmosphere that we, as readers, crave. But I will tell you this: a film can't ever do the book justice, but it does what it can to emanate the suspence, romance and magic of the story. Bella is not how I imagined her and R-Pattz is only human, so how can we really expect him to be as superhuman as Edward? Overall, it was good. It gets better each time you watch it and I'm excited to see the New Moon film in November! (See trailer here)

One last warning: if you read the books, you will fall in love with Edward. That is just a fact. If you think your other-half, your job or your sleep pattern might not take too kindly to your obsession with a fictional vampire, then perhaps you'd better give it a miss. Being in love with Edward has its risks - you may suddenly find yourself wanting to become a vampire, just so you can be with him. It sounds crazy, I know, but that is how you will feel. Ask anyone (female) who has read the books and they'll tell you the same thing.

I would say "I hope you enjoy them" but I don't need to, I know you will. Kudos to Miss Meyer.

Consumerism

Last night, one of our pastors (James Muldoon) preached a very challenging and culture-appropriate sermon on greed, covetousness and consumerism. Expounding on Luke 12: 13-34, James picked up on Jesus' strong warning against greed - "Watch out! Be on your guard!" (v. 15). He talked about how Jesus illustrated that a person's life isn't measured, or made complete, by the acquisition of material possessions. In the end, we can't take anything with us when we die. As somebody had pointedly remarked to him, "you don't see a removal van following a hearse, do you?"

The passage encourages us to be on the lookout for signs of greed and to take actions to stamp it out when we recongise it. I found it a real challenge. He ran through a list of things that would be considered covetous or greedy. Engaging in retail therapy, excessive amounts of food, wanting the newest model of mobile/ipod/car, dreaming of a bigger house, etc etc. Things probably most of us would consider to be quite normal - we're not dreaming of being millionaires, having swimming pools, planes, helicopters and the like - we only want to buy a little something from the shops to cheer ourselves up, we only want that extra slice of delicious chocolate cake, we only want the best toys for our kids... but this passage tells us that wanting more than what we really need, is greed. And greed is sinful.

And once it's taken hold of you, it's a diffult thing to shake. We need to recognise what those triggers are that make us greedy. Is it walking past the shops? Is it opening the kitchen cupboards? Is it flicking through a magazine? Is it going to a friend's house who has a bigger TV than us? Very challenging indeed. I probably find it mostly with food. I suppose I comfort eat, if I'm being honest. When I'm feeling low, I'll go straight to the corner shop and stock up on Thai Sweet Chilli Sensations Crisps or microwave butter popcorn. I certainly don't need it - it's only going to give me temporary satisfaction. It won't erase the problem that made me feel down in the first place, and in facts it adds a whole new problem - greed - and the sin of that being a psychological crutch. James said "God knows the content of your stomach". That was a bit of a wake-up call.

I think we desensitize ourselves to the sin of greed. Our culture certainly doesn't help matters. We've got adverts screaming at us, telling us we need the newest of everything. We've got high street stores inviting us in with their enticing window displays. We've got friends competing with each other for the best gadgets, homes and holidays. On some level, we've convinced ourselves that it's OK to want bigger and better things. James reeled off a list of items that people said they couldn't live without - TV, internet, mobile phones, chocolate etc - but then asked: "What if you were in a third-world country, experiencing a famine? What couldn't you live without then?" Certainly a poignant question.

He goes on to explain the pointlessness of worrying and how we should trust that God will provide for all our needs. To listen to the full sermon (and I recommend that you do; James has a very good preaching style and it would be better to listen to it youself than to just read my brief explanation of it), entitled "Covetousness and Care", dated the 4th October, visit our church's website at http://www.careybaptistchurch.org.uk/

Dream World

A few nights ago, I had a dream. Its subject was unusual -but it wasn't one of those dreams where its oddity could be attributed to eating something peculiar before bedtime. I knew that it had a meaning - and it was related to something close to my heart. This was my dream:

The world was a busy and confusing place. People, not seeming to know where they were headed, travelled at a pace akin to a brisk walk - oozing urgency. Young mothers were racing, in exceedingly impractical stilettoes, with prams occupied by their screaming infants. Business men in sharp, swarve Italian suits scurried down the street, briefcases swinging helplessly at their sides, whilst constantly checking the time on their Rolex watches. There was a real weightiness about the situation, the reason for which I couldn't quite identify.

Then, all of a sudden, I was approached by a man. I knew instantly that he exhibited marks of a celestial being - but I could never quite figure out whether he was God, Jesus or an angel. He told me, in both an authoritative and gentle way, that I needed to do something for him. He told me that something terrible was about to happen and all these people, that I saw before me, did not know it was going to happen. He told me that there would be a number of buses, each arriving and departing at certain and precise times, from the same location, which would relocate people to a place of safety. He told me that it was my job to tell people that someting bad was about to happen and to encourage them to get on the buses. Then he left me.

I was filled with an incredible sense of urgency. I saw all these people before me - mothers, children, the elderly... "Quick! Quick!" I shouted. "Something terrible is about to happen! We need to all get on this bus, and it will take us to a safe place!" I was met with cold stares, confused expressions and even laughter. "Please, please listen to me! We all need to get on this bus! You... sir... won't you get on the bus, so that you can be taken somewhere safe? You... what about your child? Don't you want her to be safe? Quick, we must hurry, we don't have much time!"

After a long time of shouting, I managed to persuade a few people to get on the bus with me. Mostly women and children. Some elderly people and a couple of other people who seemed to trust that I was telling the truth. All of a sudden, the doors of the bus shut. A brilliant light flooded our eyes and by the time we had adjusted them to see again, we had left the place that we knew. Instead, we had been transported to a whole different world. I wouldn't be able to explain it - it was magical. Everything moved at a slow, pleasant and refreshing pace - there were mountains, and lakes and there was snow everywhere. People, who were already there, were dressed in big fur coats. Everything the eye could see sparkled as if it were coated in a layer of glitter. I wanted to stay there forever. But the man I had met earlier was in this world - he walked up to me and said "It is time to go back and collect the others". So I went.

After a few trips, I was coming back with fewer people each time. By the fourth or fifth attempt at persuading people to get onto the bus, I had become sincerley dejected. Nobody would listen. Nobody would believe me. I became saddened and angry. This wonderful place was there waiting for them, and all they would face in this world was some sort of terrifying distaster. I decided that I'd had enough - they were so infuriating. "Stuff them" I thought.. "I'll just leave them to suffer and I'll go and live in that wondeful place forever, they've had their chance." So I got on the bus, for what I thought would be my final time, and went back to the safety of that world.

As soon as I stepped off the bus, the man who had set this all in motion stormed up to me in a blazing rage. I had never seen anybody so angry. He looked so different. "How dare you! How dare you give up on those people!"

"But they wouldn't listen to me." I said, attempting to defend myself. "I gave them plenty of chances to get on the bus, but they kept laughing at me. What's the point in telling them the same thing again and again if they won't listen?"

"You will go back, and you will keep telling them that they need to get on the bus. You will keep telling them that getting on the bus is the only way that they will be safe. It's too dangerous for them to stay where they are. Don't be discouraged or angry if they don't listen to you - just keeping telling them what they need to hear."

So I went back - time and time again. I was exhausted and frustrated, but I did as the man had asked me to. I only brought a handful back with me each time, but after about six more trips, I realised that those handfuls of people added up to quite a lot when they were together in this new, safe world. I was glad I had gone back to get them. The man then came up to me again and said "It is time. You will not go back there anymore. It is the end of that world now. It has gone, and all the people with it who would not believe you. But these people are safe because they chose to accept what you were telling them as truth. Aren't you glad, now, that you didn't give up? Look how happy they all are. Look how many people still live, even though many people have died."

And that was it. It was an amazing dream. I knew I was dreaming about the end of the world - but I didn't actually see it happen. And I also know that I wasn't having a prophetic dream. I don't believe that God is going to transport all his children out of this world by the bus load like that, or that we'll all be wearing fur coats in heaven and playing in the snow! (Well, you never know actually...) But I was impacted hugely by the dream. I believe that God was telling me not to give up on evangelism. No matter how frustrating it can be at times, no matter how unresponsive people are to the gospel message, no matter how afraid we are or even ashamed, and no matter how much we feel like just giving up, we need to persevere with evangelism. It's our duty, as Christians, to share the good news of Christ with people who don't yet know him! Just think - there was a time that you did not know him, so how would you know him today if somebody had not told you about him?

God speaks to us in so many different ways - he speaks to us when we read the Bible (his word), he speaks to us through other people, he speaks to us in our dreams and he speaks to us in so many other ways! We need to be receptive to his word - listen to it, dwell upon it and act on it.

How is God talking to you today?

Knowing

Knowing, a newly released film starring Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury and Rose Byrne, is an exceptional amalgamation of genres - sci fi meets thriller. In this bold and bleak depiction of earth's future, as directed by Alex Proyas, the characters are brought to life to illuminate human vulnerability and inability to control the future.

John Koestler (Cage), a widower and a son of a preacher - who struggles to comprehend that there might be a divinely inspired purpose behind everything - embarks upon a thrilling and dangerous race against time in a couragous, albeit fruitless, attempt to prevent disasters of a colossal nature. His acquisition of such prophetic knowledge regarding disasterous occurences of the future begins when his son, Caleb (Canterbury), discovers a note left in a time capsule at a local elementary school, buried in the ground for fifty years.

A seemingly random and meaningless string of numbers scribbled fiercly onto a piece of paper, at first glance, was penned in 1959 by a disturbed young girl by the name of Lucinda, who found herself constantly tormented by voices. Deciphered by John, an Astrophysicist at MIT, the note soon reveals itself to be a cryptic warning, compiled of dates, coordinates and death toll numbers, pointing towards all the great tragedies endured by the world in the latter half of the twentieth century, including 9/11 and the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Convinced that the deadly digits are now directing him to imminent local catastrophes, and worried that his son is somehow connected to the prophecy, John contacts the family of Lucinda for quick answers on what may have been her ultimate and final prediction. Diana (Byrne) and her daughter, Abby, unwittingly become an integral part of the story, providing clues to help uncover the unnerving, apocalytpic fate of the entire human race.

Theological to the core, the film picks up the much needed intervention of extra-terrestrial beings; whether they're meant to be aliens or angels is a little unclear. Throughout the film, they are "talking" to a number of children and as the film draws to an Armageddon, the creatures reveal that only those who heard the call could choose to be led by them to safety. In this sense, there comes into play a sort of rapture event at the end of the film, before the final judgement falls.

If you're looking for a Christian film - this certainly wouldn't be at the top of my list. It's not intentionally Christian, although it does, surprisingly, portray Christianity in a favourable light. There are overt references to Ezekiel, John's gospel and events in the book of Revelation. The gospel is not preached, as such, but there are undertones of it in reference to the prophecy, how it paved the way to its final conclusion and how people were blind to it. Subtly reminiscent of Jesus, perhaps?

As a film, the special effects were spectacular, the plot was exciting and unusual, but there was something lacking. Cage's character was, for want of a better word, vacant. He distanced himself from all genuine relationships and even the connection with his son was disjointed. Throughout the film, there was also a perpetual tension portrayed mostly in the music. I'm a bit of a lightweight when it comes to scary films, and watching this film in an empty house, in the dark, was a bit much for me! But, admittedly, I did enjoy it. It had a bit of a Sixth Sense feel to it. It was tense sci fi-thriller with strong theological overtones. Watch it if you get the chance!

Reflections

We've now been living in Reading for just over a year and a lot has happened in that time - not all of it good. In fact, everything has pretty much worked out to be the opposite of what we had planned for the second year of our marriage. With another year passing, I've recently been able to reflect on what we've done and how far God has brought us, and to see God's goodness and will for our lives.

There have been some difficult times this year - we've really been missing the company of our friends in Wales, especially Rich and Jo, who we spent almost every weekend with. For Jan, I know he has been missing his work colleagues at Prospects and I've particularly missed spending quality time with my university friends (Lois, Dawn, Dan, Rhodri, Alex, Little Dave, Tom...) We've also battled to find work, we've struggled to support ourselves financially and we've suffered in not being alone as husband and wife in our own home. But God has shown us recently that, despite what we've considered to be "bad", he has been working in our lives to guide us to where we are now.

For about five months, I had the worst job in the world! (Slightly dramatic, but there we go). Being a supervisor at Blacks was insanely stressful. I worked, on average, fifty hours a week. I lost an awful lot of weight, I was stressed, exhausted and I didn't like the person I had become while working there. I put on a brave face for the rest of the world but I was actually quite depressed and, although we needed the money, I couldn't cope working there whilst doing an MTh at the same time. Either my job, my Master's or my sanity would have eventually given in at some point. So I decided to jack in the job.

But looking back, working at Blacks has actually been one of the best things that ever happened to me. Not only did I acquire some valuable leadership skills, among others, I also made some incredible friends. One girl in particular, Shelley, has become a very close friend, and I could not imagine living here now without her friendship. On top of that, the experience brought me a lot closer to God. I had to draw on his strength day by day to be able to cope with the demands, office politics, and physical exertion of the job. He aided me in battling forward with my work until I had cleared my student overdraft and he let me know when it was time to leave.

If I had never worked at Blacks, and if Jan hadn't worked for a year at the Christian bookshop, I don't think I would ever have applied for a position at the bookshop. And if I had, I certainly wouldn't have been given the job as I wouldn't have had any valuable retail experience. We're both very happy in our new jobs now, and it's obvious, now, how God has guided us to them.

So we still may not have our own home, or a family, or any money. But we're getting there. And even if we never get there, God has taught us that these things aren't a measure of a man, and we shouldn't be focusing all our attention on trying to acquire them. This past year has been a real lesson of patience, trust and obedience. We are constantly reminded that we need to be confident in God's perfect will, and that we need not worry about what tomorrow holds, for it is all in God's hands, and that is an amazing comfort! (Matthew 6.34 is one of my favourite verses!) We just need to make sure that we constantly remind ourselves of that fact, and to pray that we would live to please God in all that we do, at all times, no matter what the circumstances.

During difficult times, it is often hard to see the whole picture. It has been a real encouragement to be able to sit back and reflect on this past year - to see how everything has fitted together - and for that I am thankful! We are blessed daily - we have food, a roof over our heads and we're members of a great, bible-believing, mission-oriented church. If it is his will, then we will both make some more friends here, and we will get a steady income, a family and a house. But I hope to be able to live more in the present, worrying only about how to please God now, and not to worry so much about the future.

Lasagne Recipe

As many of you know, I love food. I love to cook it and I love to eat it. I'm especially fond of quite a few recipes (from the traditional to the slightly more exotic) but I believe that you just can't beat a good lasagne. It's my favourite dish to cook!

Funnily enough, I wouldn't ever order a lasagne at a restaurant. I'm not sure why, exactly, I think I've just had bad experiences with that particular dish - either they serve it with too much white sauce, or there is too much meat (yes, I said it!) without any real flavour. I like flavour - a dish has got to have a real zing to it; something to excite my tastebuds. Poor things, they only get attention on average three times a day, they deserve something mouthwateringly delicious, don't they?

So I've been experimenting with different variations of this fine, Italian meal over the past couple of years. I can probably guess what you're thinking - it's only lasagne, it's not rocket science! You just stir some mince, add a few herbs and chuck in some chopped tomatoes, right? Err, wrong! If you want a good flavour, you have to put in the right ingredients. I think, in the end, it definately comes down to personal taste. I like my lasagne quite light in texture, but tomatoey and rich in taste and others like it meaty and filling. I've finally come to a (rough) recipe that I quite like and thought I'd share it with the world (or at least the four of you who read my blog!) I apologise in advance as I don't ever stick to exact measurements unless I'm following a recipe for the first time. So it will require a reasonable amount of guesswork to decipher my recipe:

Serves 6

You will need:
- 2 bags of frozen minced beef

- 1 large onion

- 1 large carrot

- 2 garlic cloves

- 3 tins of chopped tomatoes

- Some dried herbs (pick your own - basil/oregano etc)

- a generous tablespoon of tomato puree

- A few drops of Lea & Perrins sauce

- 2 teaspoons of sugar

- A sprinkle of ground black pepper

- Lasagne sheets (dried is fine, but fresh is better)

- Grated cheese (mature is best)

For the white sauce:

- A generous knob of butter

- 3 or 4 tablespoons of plain flour

- About a pint of milk (ish)

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan assisted). Heat some olive oil in a wok (it's nice and big - better than a frying pan). Dice your onion and your carrot and crush your garlic. Fry it all together on a medium heat until soft - add some ground pepper. Then stir in the frozen mince. Keep stiring until cooked. Add the three tins of chopped tomatoes, tomatoe puree, Lea & Perrins, sugar and the herbs. Stir and leave to simmer.

Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a deep pan. Take it off the heat and stir in the flour to make a stiff rue. Add a little milk, still taken off the heat, and stir well. Add a little more and smooth it out. Keep adding little bits of milk and stiring the sauce so that it is silky and smooth. Finally, pour in the rest of the milk and put it back onto a low heat. Let it gently heat up, making sure you stir it constantly. If it's heating too quickly, and lumps are beginning to form, take it off the heat for a while and keep stiring. After about 7 minutes, it will start to thicken up. When it gets to the perfect consistency, take it off the heat and set it to one side.

By now, your meat sauce should be perfect. Taste it to be sure. Perhaps add more pepper if it needs it. Don't add salt. Spoon a small amount into an appropriate oven dish and then top with some sheets of lasagne. Keep repeating this until you have layered all your meat and pasta. Now, stir in a small amount of the cheese into the white sauce. Spoon this on to the top layer of your pasta and make sure it spreads out evenly to cover the corners - you don't want your pasta to go dry in the oven. Then top with a generous helping of cheese and put it in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and is a beautiful shade of golden brown!

Voila! You have a lovely lasagne :-) If you want something lighter still, a really good tip is to replace the white sauce with a tub of creme fraiche and then to top it with fresh, grated parmesan. Mmmm, delicious!

Writing Update # 2

I sat down the other day, read what I had written of my novel so far and thought "this is terrible." I wasn't happy with the development of the characters, I didn't feel as if the plot was really taking off how I had intended it to and the underlying issues weren't as thought-provoking, disturbing or challenging as I had hoped. And I knew, there and then, that I had to scrap it; start afresh.

The predominant issue and message that need to be tackled and addressed haven't changed. I still want to cover the effects of abuse and to promote an ethic of forgiveness. Yet, for some reason, it didn't work as planned. But I'm glad I got as far as I did. It taught me what worked and what didn't - there are things that I'll happily take away with me and use for this next idea and there are things I'll know to stay clear of.

I was soon struck with a new idea - a new plot, new characters, a new setting. It is still in keeping with the theme of that which I had already written, but the narrative, I believe, will be all the more compelling. For me, I can envisage the novel capturing a real sense of romanticism. I mean this, not in keeping with the entirety of the Romantic movement, but in these two specific ways - firstly by being able to enjoy the creative license of "liberalism in literature" (thank you, Victor Hugo) and secondly by being able to focus on the understanding and implications of human volition.

I can reveal that I'm planning on setting a great deal of the novel in France. While the internet serves as a great tool for researching purposes, it is nevertheless not as beneficial as experiencing something first hand. A website can't successfully place you into the heart of a particular location - it can't identify specific aromas, it can't tell you how you'd feel walking along the beach, barefooted, with the warmth of the sun on your back, it can't express the assortment of sounds you'd be greeted with at the local marketplace. You need to really know it to be able to feel it, and you need to really feel it to be able to write it.

So while the internet will come in incredibly handy for researching basic facts about places, people and buildings in France, it won't serve to equip me well enough to write a successful novel. I'll have to go to France (what a shame...) and experience it all for myself. I'm excited about this!

Writing Update # 1

As many of you will have gathered from my recent posts, I am currently in the process of writing a novel. As this is my first attempt at tackling an epic work of fiction, I thought it would be beneficial (and hopefully of some interest) to regularly update my progress. I want to take the time now, as I may be too swamped/stressed later, to thank you all for your support. I have had many encouraging comments, especially on this blog, and it has really given me the confidence to go ahead with this. I have always enjoyed writing but I am naturally a doubtful person and so I don't always believe that I am any good at it - but thanks to my husband, many friends and everyone else who reads my blog, I have had a renewal of belief in myself and of the gift God has given me. I hope and pray that I can use it for his glory.

As this is the first update, I warn you that it might be a bit long. But I can assure you that not all of my updates will be this detailed, as I'll want to keep the majority of my plot a surprise!

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I have officially been writing my novel for a week now, after quite some time of careful planning. I first sat down and asked myself why I wanted to write a Christian novel. This is what I came up with:

1. To use my talents to serve and glorify my Lord and King
2. To challenge Christians to practice total forgiveness (and to remind myself to do the same)
3. To illustrate the forgiving nature of God
4. To illustrate that sin and guilt can be eradicated
5. To point non-Christians to the gospel and to Christ
6. And to do all these things in a loving and compassionate way, not forgetting that I’m trying to relate to real people with real feelings.

I try to remind myself of these things every day. If I lose sight of why I'm writing this novel, then I might as well not write it at all. I obviously want the story line to be interesting, captivating and entertaining, but I also want it to convey a very significant message. I want Christ to be at the heart of it. Mostly, I want this book to be about forgiveness. In all honesty, I struggle with it sometimes and writing this book will hopefully help me in that area too.

The novel will pick up a very difficult, and even disturbing, issue that many children in this world unfortunately have to endure. Abuse. Now I'm aware of how delicate an issue this is and that is why I don't want to forget that I may be addressing people who have had to go through this. I don't ever want to lose sight of the fact that I'm relating to real people with real feelings, as set out in the sixth point. So I know I'm going to have to pray for real wisdom and compassion to be able to write this novel well. If you would like to pray for me on this point too, then I would greatly appreciate it.

I plan to write a little bit each day, even if it is just a sentence, so that I don't lose sight of what I am doing. So far, I have written the prologue and a good portion of the first chapter. While I have the plot in place, an idea of the twists and turns each chapter will take and how the characters are going to develop, I have had a little trouble knowing how effectively the words on the paper actually reflect what I am imagining. Even though I have read the pages back to myself countless times, I can't be sure that it is reading exactly how I intended it to. This might sound a little complicated but because I can already see how everything plays out in my head, the way I read what I've written may be biased. I realise that this may be the case for the duration of the novel so I am just going to persevere with it and I will just have to rely on a number of trusted proof-readers (friends) to give me honest, constructive feedback when I have finished.

So far it is going well. It needs a lot of tweaking already, but I am happy with the progress I've made. As long as I keep those six points in mind, and pray often for God's guidance, then I have faith that I will be able to see it through to the end. Whether it gets published or not is a different question and it is completely in God's hands.