"Iscariot, a novel" Book Review

Traitor by a kiss, thirty pieces of silver, and a noose. The story of Judas Iscariot seems well known to plenty yet we focus only on the last week of the man's life. Who was this man that was called by Jesus to be one of the twelve disciples? What drove Judas to turn on his master after three years of marvels, wandering, and teaching?

Tosca Lee's “Iscariot” brings to life the infamous disciple of Christ, the man who traded Jesus for the price of a slave: Judas. The tale begins with a Jewish boy who faced persecution, loss of loved ones, and a longing for the prophesied Messiah. Judas's past is not unlike that of many in his time as he clings to the faith of his forefathers and seeks refuge in the Law. We follow his life as he grows from the lost boy into a man grounded in his faith, an intellectual, and a growing family. Whispers begin to grow as a Galilean begins teaching in the temple. Is this man the long awaited Messiah; is he another heretic that will lead to the Jews being punished under the Roman thumb. Judas decides to follow this man called Jesus.

Lee, known for her eloquent spinning of words, has brought another historical character to life. As with her novel “Havah: the story of Eve”, we visit a character that is nearly forgotten except for his specific and obvious role within the life of Christ. This is a refreshing glimpse into the ministry of Christ that does not ignore the fact that Judas was one of the twelve that Jesus gave authority to perform works in His name according to the gospels (Matthew 10).

If you have caught yourself wondering if there is more to the life of Judas Iscariot, wondering what role he played during the three year ministry of Jesus Christ, then pick up a copy of Iscariot that releases February 2013. Tosca Lee brings forth a novel of speculative fiction like no other author I've come across. Do not miss the opportunity to experience the journey of a disciple like you've never read before. Be ready to go on a literary journey that will have you pondering what you truly know about these Biblical figures we so easily gloss over. Who was Judas? And more importantly who was Jesus in Judas's eyes?

Want a sneak peak before reading? Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oot5bI7lDYE

Shutterfly is getting into the Holiday Spirit by Giving Away 50 Holiday Cards!

I do hope you read the title! If not let me make it loud and clear: Shutterfly is getting into the Holiday Spirit by Giving Away 50 Holiday Cards!

If you don't know about Shutterfly, please visit www.shutterfly.com. This is the company that we (my mother and I) order all of Chloe's portrait prints from. They do a fantabulous job at printing, and always have great promotion. We love them, and they time and time again show how much they appreciate their customers by giving away lots of free stuff! This year they have all sorts of beautiful holiday cards. I really can't even decide which is my favorite, but I'm trying.

To look at some Christmas Photo Cards yourself, check out: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

Celebrate another holiday, more than one, or have lots of friends and relatives that celebrate things like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or all three? Here are some Holiday cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

And what could be a better holiday gift than a calendar chock full of pictures of the cutie in your life? I know both sets of grand parents and great parents would absolutely LOVE to have a Chloe calendar! What about you? http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

I know, I know I'm really selling their products. But seriously folks, these people do an amazing job and I cannot wait to send out my own holiday cards. Thankfully we have already taken some adorable family photos to put on them. Have you seen them? Because if not, they will make your heart melt. Go visit my facebook page.

And it wouldn't be like me not to give y'all an update on the pixie. She is learning to not only roll over (both ways) and do it multiple times, but she can scoot herself off her play mat about a foot away from where she began. I'm going to have to buy her those foam puzzle pieces mats for play time so that she does not get carpet burn!

http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

Too long!

My my my! Since my last post our lives have changed completely. Lets do a run down since a year and a half ago.

Matt and I were pregnant with our first child. She will be 6 months old in 5 days! She is smart as a whip, and that isn't just mommy pride talking. With being 2 months premature, the pediatricians suspected that she could be developmentally behind even until she reached 2 years of age. This is most definitely not the case. She actually almost always passes the "baby development" milestones before the charted "normal" times for a full term baby. Doctor says that if her eyes don't change from blue at 6 months then more than likely they will stay blue. Even though my grandfather and great grandfather both had blue eyes, and people in Matt's family do too....I just never imagined my own daughter having the brightest eyes I've ever seen. Honestly, I'm still not convinced they will stay blue. But we shall see, won't we?

My cat Digital (Digi) ran away. She is declawed and never been an outside cat. She survived the wild of Valdosta for 6 months until she trotted in a lady's townhouse while that lady was putting away her groceries. Her adorableness and friendly manner (and the "Hey, I hope this couch seat isn't taken" approach) led the woman to check the collar and hope we weren't a family just neglecting this adorable kitty. Obviously not the case when we answer the phone and I start yelling "DIGI? SOMEONE FOUND DIGI???" So she came back to us, and we were very surprised.

Riley grew to 52 lbs of muscle, and is an absolutely different dog now that we have employed the uses of a shock collar. To some it may seem inhumane, but she really needed it. No about of discipline stopped the jumping the fence. Nor did making a barrier. She always found a way out. But not with the shock collar! Just the weight around her neck reminds her of what is to come. Ah the bliss of having a well behaved pooch.

The Gatt Mobile is slowly dying, and The Gatt has finally decided that as a proper super hero he must have a proper vehicle that will sport him around. The iron grey Isuzu will need a proper...something. Scrapping for more monies! But this also means that almost all of our Christmas is money towards that new vehicle. But hey, at least we realize that we need to do such things, and also that our families are not only willing but graciously giving us amounts to help.

Which, Christmas is fast approaching. Our tree is already up and decorated, and Chloe has her own. I did want to get her a tinkerbell ornament, but they are quite expensive! Or a tree topper. Ohhh!!'

And, quickly following this post will be another one about Christmas cards at shutterfly. If I do this, I get 50! Yep 50! free ones. Yay!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

The movie is officially released today when local theaters open. Some had midnight previews for the die hard x-men fans. Have you seen it? I saw it on Wednesday. And wow.


SPOILERS AHEAD
STORY
The storyline was great. The past three movies did not go into detail about Logan's true mutation, just that he healed remarkably fast. Not that he essentially could never die. The story goes into detail about how Logan discovered his mutation, and how came to have a very close bond to Sabertooth...and eventually how they became arch enemies. And the movie ends with Logan knowing nothing about his past, not remembering the adamantium implants, or the pain of his rather long life.

Screenplay

OH MY GOODNESS. Such an amazing job. The introduction of the movie is very artistic and downright beautiful through a war scene (Yeh that is possible). (Yes introductions can come after the movie starts. Consider that first bit a prologue of sorts) . Overall the angles, the scenery, the set was well thought-out. GREAT screen play.

Acting
Hugh Jackman delivered a great role. Very emotional, very believable and did not drop character (especially in the accent field). He is very talented, and shows that through this movie. Schreiber did a great job as well. My husband was not completely happy about Gambit, but there is no pleasing my husband unless they found perfection or him to play Gambit. So that part is moot. However, the directors did a great job making characters less fantastical and more realistic: Deadpool and Gambit. Is it likely that a man that was recently on an operating table is going to done the entire red and black suit? And lets face it, the guy that did Gambit really did look similar in a lot of ways. He just didn't wear spandex his entire life:

CGI and Effects

This is where everyone can tell that the budget was severely lacking. Wolverine's adamantium claws were subpar, and looked much more realistic in past films. I believe I also saw a scene where one of those claws was floating miraculously and not attached to his hand. You have to look closely mind you, and I could be wrong. It was 1 in the morning after all. There is a scene with Wolverine walking out of 2 explosions. 1 looks plausible but silly, the other is simply ridiculous. This is not a macho biker flick, folks. Stop trying to make it look like it for 1 scene.


Overall the movie was enjoyable and worthy of spending your time watching, especially if you enjoyed X-men movies before (not necessarily counting 3, because we were all a bit disappointed in Phoenix (if not more than just disappointed).

Go see it. It is worth it. Unless you're an extreme fanatic, and then I'd ask you to step back and realize that things cannot be purely transfered from 1 medium of art to another. Especially when one involves drawings, and the other involves real people.

Circular Christianity: Argument that Go Round and Round.

Before beginning this blog I shall put a disclaimer:

DISCLAIMER:

I am a professed Christian, and I believe there is a high importance for organized religion. I have the utmost respect for the Church as a body and as denominations. However, it is not perfect and needs reformation from time to time. It is the curse of being the child of the reformation: you yourself are told to be reformed when need be. So let us all know this is truly of love, respect, but a wish for change in a positive manner.

And so, the blog begins:

Circular Christianity: Argument that Go Round and Round.


The main example I will give in this blog is in reference to a very common argument when dealing with capital Punishment. Does the Bible condone Capital Punishment, or is it more so a Jewish tradition that we have to understand the laws of the time, but now no longer follow? Many Christians believe that God himself condones the death penalty today, and that he expects it inside the Government. These laws are found in the Torah. When reminded that the Bible (and inside the Bible the Torah) also says that one should not eat pork, should not work on the Sabbath day, and not to wear mixed linens, the same people will tell you that as Christians, we are no longer bound by the law. They are not bound by the law that they are clinging to in order to justify the death of an individual (even if he or she is guilty of a crime)? Since we are still holding onto our chains, then let us not be like warm and follow all laws concerning capital punishment.

Here are some examples:

Murder
Adultery
Premarital sex
Careless handling of livestock
To shame one's parents (please note this Law did apply to married persons)
Work on the Sabbath
Perjury
Gluttony

Ever fudged on your taxes? How many of us have become gluttons in one way or another? How
many more of us have committed some sexual act outside of marriage? And especially, how many of us go to work on the Sabbath (not to mention do more than rest and worship?) Why are we not putting these people to death, and why are some of these no longer considered sinful (or at least exceedingly sinful in the eyes of man?) Because Christians claim to be loving, understanding, and forgiving like Christ. Why, then, if we as Christians are no longer bound by the law, must be still be enslaved by the laws of capital punishment? Or is there something else at stake?

Forgive me if I sound like a conspirator, but the Church over the decades has chosen certain sins to be put into the hierarchy of magnified sins. This term, magnified sins, is in reference to the sins that the Church likes to wail, scream, and preach about. Homosexuality, Premarital sex, Drinking, drug use, etc. As of late I have been watching the church, and listening to its passionate cries for change n the outside world. Genuinely concerned for the world, the Church attempts to put their standards upon it instead of putting their standards on themselves. How is the world to change if the church itself is corroding?

How many gluttons sit in our pews each Sunday? And how many adulterers? AND how many gossipers? These seem to be rampant in the Church society. Yet we do nothing for the sins actually inside our community. Instead we preach of the outside world and their horribleness. How they are evil and rotting and going to hell. Preaching of the sins that fill our pews may cause our offering plates to not be lined as well, and our attendance numbers to go down. So, in the broader sense: Preaching the sins of the church is bad economics and business all together. Whatever happened to the whole "nonprofit organization"?

We are to not be of this world, but how are we not of it? We are rotting and just as evil. Jesus is the ONLY thing separating us from them. We are no better, no more worthy. In fact, He did not come to separate us, but to unite us. I have heard a reference to the cliche visual of the cross bridging the gap between us and God over a million times. Why are we not using the Cross to now bridge the gap between God and the lost?

The term Christians, which used to have negative connotations (for different reasons than the negative ones in place now), was said to mean "Little Christs". Christians embraced the term, because we are in fact suppose to be "little Christs" and to emulate him with our lives. But instead we are casting the helpless and those in need aside; we are preaching hatred instead of showing love. Christ never showed condemnation when in the presence of a sinner. When healing the sick, or showing forgiveness and love Christ did not show the men and women of Israel their faults. He did not list them in order to put the fear of God in their hearts. No, since they had already come that far, Christ knew that the fear of God was already present even if only slightly. He allowed them to know their own sins, to naturally realize and have personal convictions. His commandment was to "Go and sin no more". He was firm in letting them know that they were sinners, but not the specifics. I am sure that short but firm commandment is all that was needed--all that IS needed.

On a side note, I do not know if Jesus is all for the death penalty seeing as how he was a participant in the Roman Governments biggest form of capital punishment. I just don't see him enjoying the idea too much. But that is just a side thought.

Why can we not be like Jesus? Why must we be condescending...attempting to play the role of the Holy Spirit in order to convict the sinner when we have sins in our own lives? Can Christians as a unit not be more educated and logical as to put up better arguments than what we have already put forth (and also pretended as if the arguments for valid, solid, and still standing after a strong wind)? I know we CAN, but do we want to? Or are we too concerned that people who are already professed Christians will turn away? Maybe we should be less concerned about keeping our pews filled with those already Christians, and be more concerned about reaching those who have yet to hear. Maybe we should focus on our own growing disease, and attempt to be more Christ like in the processes.

Why are we, as Christians, being selective in the laws that we choose to follow? Why not instead, follow the new commandments that Christianity is based upon: the fact that Christ

came to fulfill the Torah.

Envy

Lust...In Check

Gluttony...In Check

Greed...In Check

Pride...In Check

Sloth...In check (could be better)

Wrath...In Check

Envy....In..crap!

Envy is one of the aforementione 7 deadly sins or cardinal sins mind you.   It is the one I have currnently been struggling with tonight. In Dante's oh so famous writings an envious sinner would have his eyes sewn shut with wire, because the use his eyes to gain pleasure from another man's pain.   

Envy can be defined as spite for another human being in response to their success. I think that is a fabulous definition.

I shouldn't be envious. There is no good reason for it other than I am acting childish.  When thinking through the situation I am not angered, and truly with logic I am not envious. However my raw emotion..if envy can be condensed to an emotion to begin with.. is envy.  But why?

I am not an envious person. I generally bask in the success of others. Not tonight. Bah.

How does one battle envy other than inner chastisement? According to Prudentius  there are 7 Contrary Virtues in which to combat the 7 Cardinal Sins:

Chastity      vs. Lust

Abstinence vs. Glutton

Liberality   vs. Greed

Humility     vs. Pride

Diligence     vs. Sloth

Patiences    vs. Wrath

Kindess       vs. Envy

In order to combat my envy, I shall do random acts of kindness tomorrow specifically to the person I feel I have most slighted. It is odd, because I know it is envy, but I truly wish nothing bad on the person. I just...wish it could be different.

I am listening currently to Jonathan Larson's "Goodbye Love". It fits the mood.  The whole thing fits but really at 2:42

We shall see if anything comes from this. 

Dreams

Dreams.

There once was a classroom full of dreams. Timmy wanted to be a police officer. Susan wanted to be a Veterinarian. Dominique wanted to be a singer. Tina wanted to be a nurse.

But what if in that classroom full of dreams, the teacher said no?

"oh Dominique, you can't be a singer because you have a lisp. How about a fire fighter instead? Or an army man! And Tina! Surely you do not want to be a nurse, you became squeamish at Timmy's bloody knee today on the playground!"

Most parents, when finding out that a teacher had told their child they could not be anything they wanted to be when growing up, would be infuriated. But you know, sometimes that teacher is right.

All our dreams can't come true. There just simply isn't enough time in the world, and that realization has been pounding at me for quite some time now.

My main dreams that seem to contradict themselves are being a mother, and being a psychologist. You see, more than likely I would want to stay home for a good 2 years of my child's life to raise them. At 3 they would be able to go to preschool. But then, at such an age difference I would more than likely wish to have another. And I have always wanted to have more than 2 children. We'll say three, all of which have 2 years apart. That is six years of stay at home mommying.

I will be approximately 23 when I receive my BA in Psychology, and then 6 Semesters of a Masters Program which means 2-3 more years of college. Which personally I would imagine it being 3. To finish off the schooling part I need a 1 to 2 year internship to be able to get my license within the state of GA to practice Clinical Psychology. At that point I am 28 years of age (if things go according to this time schedule).

Am I suppose to start my career after all that school or start my stay at home mommying? See, I have a very high chance of medically needing a hysterectomy by the age of 35-36. Maybe later if that part of my genetics was blessed. However they were not. I have PCOS which means that with each year it becomes harder and harder for me to be able to conceive.

So what am I suppose to do? I know I can technically be a career woman and a mother at the same time, but I will not have anywhere near the tenure to be able to be a part time clinican in a private practice. Not in that time frame.

Then there is the whole once the kids are in school you can go back to work. And maybe that could be so. But at 35 am I going to want to start a career?

I guess my main thing is that I have this voice in the back of my head that tells me I am going to school for absolutely no reason—that I am wasting my time. I could be working a 40 hour/week job as a secretary, be able to do things locally like plays with the ‘Dosta Playhouse, work on my artwork more, and be lining a good nest egg for the kids.

See, I found out the other day that I like doing the house wife thing. And THAT flipped me around even more because I always imagined I would hate it. But no, I enjoyed it immensely. I cooked 3 meals that day, cleaned up around the house and just had a great time.

The fun part is that I am very positive any of you reading this blog will tell me to stay in school—that finishing college is always the answer. I frickin’ hate school you guys. God, Do I hate it. I am still immensely intrigued by psychology. I still want to practice it. But I want to be a mother too. BAH! I do not know what to do.