Fascinating. On CBS News tonight Katie Couric asked the 2 main presidential candidates what’s their favorite movie – and their favorite scene in that movie. I found their answers interesting.
McCain cited Viva Zapata, and described it as a movie of heroism, honor, sacrifice, selflessness. His fave scene? One in which the hero’s newly-wed bride reads him the Bible. Wow!
Obama, on the other hand, likes The Godfather – because it’s about “old world gentility and ritual, with this savagery underneath. It's all about family.” OK, it's about family (and definitely savagery). But not exactly a family I’d want to emulate.
Should a candidate’s choice in movies influence our vote? Perhaps not. But it should not be ignored either. One of the reasons we write our fave movies on our websites (blogs, myspace, facebook etc.) is because movie choices reveal a lot about who we are.
Funny how we all see differently (I wrote a book about that called Women & Men in Dark Glasses!) We could all see the same movie and see it differently. What we take away from the books we read and the films we see tells a lot about what is dear to us.
So, I won’t cast my vote here – even though the choice is pretty clear according to my values. But hopefully, we are all watching vigilantly, weighing up what we see – and praying for God to guide us according to His will.
You can read the full transcript of Katie Couric’s interview with the two presidential candidates here.
Janey DeMeo © Copyright September 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Debunking the best dressed, worst dressed bunk
So, best dressed, worst best huh! Maybe it’s a matter of opinion. Partisan opinion.
As an artist, I love fashion. I wear it. I design it. (Sssshhh! Not everyone knows that). Fashion is art. So, of course I’m interested in what people wear. But this year’s People’s worst dressed, best dressed list disgusts me. And I don’t use the word lightly.
Why should I be surprised? Mrs. Obama made the best dressed. And of course, Mrs. McCain & Mrs. Palin made the worst dressed. Yet, Cindy McCain is one of the most elegant, beautifully dressed women out there. She’s a model of glamour. And as for Sarah, well, given that she’s drop-dead-gorgeous, I don’t blame her for dressing a tad frumpy at times. Attention to her beauty could detract from her message.
But the bottom line is that Cindy & Sarah didn’t stand a chance. Let’s face it: The media has it in for the Repubs. They have an unhealthly obsession for Obama and seem bent on promoting their bias at every opportunity. Even when it comes to promoting fashionistas.
Maybe the liberal media can brainwash some. But not me.
This is not a political blog. But since politics is today’s hot topic, it’s time to address media-mania and say, “enough is enough!” when it comes to endless, mindless bias, propaganda, slant, brainwashery etc.—and to present another perspective.
A kind reader of an earlier post corrected me when I quoted a friend’s opinion on the race to presidency. While I greatly appreciated her comment, I feel compelled to present the other side, the opinions of those who rarely are given a chance to express them -- and yet they protect our country.
Consider this home made YouTube of a young soldier, Joe, addressing today’s most mediatized presidential candidate.
As an artist, I love fashion. I wear it. I design it. (Sssshhh! Not everyone knows that). Fashion is art. So, of course I’m interested in what people wear. But this year’s People’s worst dressed, best dressed list disgusts me. And I don’t use the word lightly.
Why should I be surprised? Mrs. Obama made the best dressed. And of course, Mrs. McCain & Mrs. Palin made the worst dressed. Yet, Cindy McCain is one of the most elegant, beautifully dressed women out there. She’s a model of glamour. And as for Sarah, well, given that she’s drop-dead-gorgeous, I don’t blame her for dressing a tad frumpy at times. Attention to her beauty could detract from her message.
But the bottom line is that Cindy & Sarah didn’t stand a chance. Let’s face it: The media has it in for the Repubs. They have an unhealthly obsession for Obama and seem bent on promoting their bias at every opportunity. Even when it comes to promoting fashionistas.
Maybe the liberal media can brainwash some. But not me.
This is not a political blog. But since politics is today’s hot topic, it’s time to address media-mania and say, “enough is enough!” when it comes to endless, mindless bias, propaganda, slant, brainwashery etc.—and to present another perspective.
A kind reader of an earlier post corrected me when I quoted a friend’s opinion on the race to presidency. While I greatly appreciated her comment, I feel compelled to present the other side, the opinions of those who rarely are given a chance to express them -- and yet they protect our country.
Consider this home made YouTube of a young soldier, Joe, addressing today’s most mediatized presidential candidate.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Palin pales her opponent – a voice in the wilderness.
Just when I was tempted to think there’s no hope left for America, a voice in the wilderness comes forth to speak some words of wisdom: Sarah Palin.
No, I’m not good with politics. But I’m not stupid either (dah!) While I don’t believe all the propaganda that flies around – whether regarding Democrats or Republicans or even Hollywoodians for that matter – I know when something clashes with Bible values, or supports them. Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican Convention rang true to me. I hope it did to you too.
So far, I’ve been more impressed by Cindy McCain than her husband. But since Palin’s been brought into the picture, I’m much more confident that McCain could step up the plate if he is voted in. (No, I’m not a feminist at all, but with two wonderful women to back him up, John McCain’s surely gained points.)
I wonder if Mrs. Palin is an answer to prayers. Is she a sort of Deborah, a voice in the wilderness during dark times? So many Christians are disgusted by the over-indulgent spotlight on the Democrats – and are concerned about what this party’s leader promises Maybe their concern made them pray more? I don’t know. But I’m encouraged. But let’s not let up praying. May God’s will be done. And His alone. And may He find us obedient to do our part in ushering it in.
Janey L. DeMeo © Copyright September 2008
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
www.OrphansFirst.org
No, I’m not good with politics. But I’m not stupid either (dah!) While I don’t believe all the propaganda that flies around – whether regarding Democrats or Republicans or even Hollywoodians for that matter – I know when something clashes with Bible values, or supports them. Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican Convention rang true to me. I hope it did to you too.
So far, I’ve been more impressed by Cindy McCain than her husband. But since Palin’s been brought into the picture, I’m much more confident that McCain could step up the plate if he is voted in. (No, I’m not a feminist at all, but with two wonderful women to back him up, John McCain’s surely gained points.)
I wonder if Mrs. Palin is an answer to prayers. Is she a sort of Deborah, a voice in the wilderness during dark times? So many Christians are disgusted by the over-indulgent spotlight on the Democrats – and are concerned about what this party’s leader promises Maybe their concern made them pray more? I don’t know. But I’m encouraged. But let’s not let up praying. May God’s will be done. And His alone. And may He find us obedient to do our part in ushering it in.
Janey L. DeMeo © Copyright September 2008
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
www.OrphansFirst.org
Monday, August 25, 2008
Broken Angel
This month’s Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy (CSFF) blogtour features Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer—an action-packed, character-driven fantasy novel full of suspense. Please enjoy the following interview with Mr. Brouwer. It will no doubt whet your appetite to read the book.
JD - Mr. Brouwer, Broken Angel intrigued me right to the end and kept me reading. Yet, it was very different from one of my favorite books written by you, The Weeping Chamber. How different were these books to write? Do you feel more akin to one genre than another?
SB - Thank you for commenting kindly on The Weeping Chamber. It’s a special book to me because the research helped me learn so much about the historical background to the gospels. Technically, because of the setting and because of how booksellers categorize, yes, it is a different genre.
Sometimes when I am at schools, though, I ask the kids if they’d like to read a book about a man who was accused of working with the devil, who was hailed as a man who could lead a country to freedom from an evil empire, who was betrayed by one of his best friends, then tortured to death in public, then reappears after he was buried so deep in a tomb that it was impossible to get out. It’s fun to get their reaction, because they immediately think it’s a supernatural kind of thriller. Because in a sense, the events before and after the crucifixion are taut with suspense and the eerie feeling that comes when the fabric of the supernatural wraps a place and time on earth.
In that way, Broken Angel was not that much different to write.
I always try for suspense, no matter what genre. At this point, after 18 novels, I can see that I’ll continue with what my editor, Shannon, calls visionary suspense -- what if stories set in the near future that explore concepts that are hopefully unexpected, yet plausible.
JD - I enjoyed the different characters in Broken Angel, especially Caitlyn. But Mason Lee's cruelty gave me the creeps. I'm curious as to what inspired his character. Did you research cold-hearted criminals, watch horror movies or just conjure Lee's character up in your imagination?
SB - Unfortunately, I think villains are the easiest to create, and I say ‘unfortunately’ because I think it’s a simple matter of taking a vice that most of us have to resist -- selfishness -- and allowing a character to pursue his or her own goals without any regard or compassion for anyone who gets in the way of that self centered pursuit.
JD - I noticed Bill Myers endorsed your book (which is right up his alley). Bill is a personal friend and also on the advisory board of my non-profit organization, Orphans First (orphansfirst.org). Bill also spoke at the Commencement Ceremony of the Bible College my husband founded in France (we were church-planting missionaries there for 22 years). Do you know Bill? Has his work inspired you in any way?
SB - I have a great deal of respect and affection for Bill. We’ve worked together at workshops with kids (literacy) and he’s a profound thinker and compassionate man who is also capable of enjoying life like an eight-year-old boy. His work is inspiring because he sets the bar so high that it gives other writers a standard to follow.
JD - I love Cindy's accompanying song @ brokenangelsong.com. (Cindy may be blessed to know that I used to buy her soundtrax and sing her songs in our church in France.) Do you and Cindy often work together on projects?
SB - Cindy and I have only worked together on one other project -- The Weeping Chamber, and her album, The Loving Kind.
This time, many years later, the collaboration was not intentional. I had just finished my first draft of Broken Angel, and she played me a song she had been working on: Beautiful Bird.
It was as if Cindy had been inside my novelist mind for 10 months, because the song had the emotional resonance I wanted readers to take away from Broken Angel as Caitlyn finally takes flight for freedom.
I begged her to allow it to become part of the novel, but in a non-traditional sense. So readers can finish the book now, and go to www.brokenangelsong.com and hear the song and see the video that reflects the theme of the book: each of us are born to fly. (Our daughters are the angels in the video, and I hope this is something that readers might like, as despite the setting of Broken Angel, it really is a story about a daddy and his girl.)
JD - Thank you for taking time to bless my blogreaders with your answers. May God continue to bless you and Cindy--and your families--as you serve Him with your talents.
Check out reviews by some of my fellow bloggers.
*Participants’ Links:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Mark Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Sean Slagle
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
*Featured book, Broken Angel http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400070325 .
Featured author, Sigmund Brouwer: Web site – http://www.coolreading.com/ .
You might want to also check out Bill Myers whose link is on the side of this blog with other links.
Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com
JD - Mr. Brouwer, Broken Angel intrigued me right to the end and kept me reading. Yet, it was very different from one of my favorite books written by you, The Weeping Chamber. How different were these books to write? Do you feel more akin to one genre than another?
SB - Thank you for commenting kindly on The Weeping Chamber. It’s a special book to me because the research helped me learn so much about the historical background to the gospels. Technically, because of the setting and because of how booksellers categorize, yes, it is a different genre.
Sometimes when I am at schools, though, I ask the kids if they’d like to read a book about a man who was accused of working with the devil, who was hailed as a man who could lead a country to freedom from an evil empire, who was betrayed by one of his best friends, then tortured to death in public, then reappears after he was buried so deep in a tomb that it was impossible to get out. It’s fun to get their reaction, because they immediately think it’s a supernatural kind of thriller. Because in a sense, the events before and after the crucifixion are taut with suspense and the eerie feeling that comes when the fabric of the supernatural wraps a place and time on earth.
In that way, Broken Angel was not that much different to write.
I always try for suspense, no matter what genre. At this point, after 18 novels, I can see that I’ll continue with what my editor, Shannon, calls visionary suspense -- what if stories set in the near future that explore concepts that are hopefully unexpected, yet plausible.
JD - I enjoyed the different characters in Broken Angel, especially Caitlyn. But Mason Lee's cruelty gave me the creeps. I'm curious as to what inspired his character. Did you research cold-hearted criminals, watch horror movies or just conjure Lee's character up in your imagination?
SB - Unfortunately, I think villains are the easiest to create, and I say ‘unfortunately’ because I think it’s a simple matter of taking a vice that most of us have to resist -- selfishness -- and allowing a character to pursue his or her own goals without any regard or compassion for anyone who gets in the way of that self centered pursuit.
JD - I noticed Bill Myers endorsed your book (which is right up his alley). Bill is a personal friend and also on the advisory board of my non-profit organization, Orphans First (orphansfirst.org). Bill also spoke at the Commencement Ceremony of the Bible College my husband founded in France (we were church-planting missionaries there for 22 years). Do you know Bill? Has his work inspired you in any way?
SB - I have a great deal of respect and affection for Bill. We’ve worked together at workshops with kids (literacy) and he’s a profound thinker and compassionate man who is also capable of enjoying life like an eight-year-old boy. His work is inspiring because he sets the bar so high that it gives other writers a standard to follow.
JD - I love Cindy's accompanying song @ brokenangelsong.com. (Cindy may be blessed to know that I used to buy her soundtrax and sing her songs in our church in France.) Do you and Cindy often work together on projects?
SB - Cindy and I have only worked together on one other project -- The Weeping Chamber, and her album, The Loving Kind.
This time, many years later, the collaboration was not intentional. I had just finished my first draft of Broken Angel, and she played me a song she had been working on: Beautiful Bird.
It was as if Cindy had been inside my novelist mind for 10 months, because the song had the emotional resonance I wanted readers to take away from Broken Angel as Caitlyn finally takes flight for freedom.
I begged her to allow it to become part of the novel, but in a non-traditional sense. So readers can finish the book now, and go to www.brokenangelsong.com and hear the song and see the video that reflects the theme of the book: each of us are born to fly. (Our daughters are the angels in the video, and I hope this is something that readers might like, as despite the setting of Broken Angel, it really is a story about a daddy and his girl.)
JD - Thank you for taking time to bless my blogreaders with your answers. May God continue to bless you and Cindy--and your families--as you serve Him with your talents.
Check out reviews by some of my fellow bloggers.
*Participants’ Links:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Mark Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Sean Slagle
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
*Featured book, Broken Angel http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400070325 .
Featured author, Sigmund Brouwer: Web site – http://www.coolreading.com/ .
You might want to also check out Bill Myers whose link is on the side of this blog with other links.
Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com
Monday, August 18, 2008
Moving Madness
Ok, did I die? Is that why you haven’t heard from me? Obviously not since I’m writing this post. (Trust me, if I was in Heaven, I’d have a lot better things to do than blog). Nope! I moved. And moving is madness. Sheer madness.
Between packing up boxes, unpacking boxes, scraping walls, painting walls, and walking into tools which gouge chunks out of my leg, I’m exhausted. (Oh, and I still have to take care of my work for Orphans First – and everything else . . . ). But it’s all good in the end. Or, as one T-shirt reads, SAUL GOOD.
I have an interesting story about the T-shirt with the “Saul good” logo. I’ll have to tell it to you here on this blog someday. Or write an article on it. Trust me, it’s worth the telling. God has such wonderful ways of touching people’s lives. And He sometimes uses garb to do so. But, I still have boxes to unpack, so I must leave that for another day.
Thanks for stopping by. Please do so again soon. I’ll be posting a new book review this month, and much more. I may not have had time to post (for one thing, I didn’t have Internet connection for a few days), but I haven’t stopped pondering. Pondering is what I do best, so I’ll have lots of ponders to share in the future.
Janey
Janey L. DeMeo, MA © August 2008
.
Founder-director of Orphans First - orphansfirst.org
speaker, freelance writer, author - JaneyDeMeo.com
author of Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!
Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues.
Between packing up boxes, unpacking boxes, scraping walls, painting walls, and walking into tools which gouge chunks out of my leg, I’m exhausted. (Oh, and I still have to take care of my work for Orphans First – and everything else . . . ). But it’s all good in the end. Or, as one T-shirt reads, SAUL GOOD.
I have an interesting story about the T-shirt with the “Saul good” logo. I’ll have to tell it to you here on this blog someday. Or write an article on it. Trust me, it’s worth the telling. God has such wonderful ways of touching people’s lives. And He sometimes uses garb to do so. But, I still have boxes to unpack, so I must leave that for another day.
Thanks for stopping by. Please do so again soon. I’ll be posting a new book review this month, and much more. I may not have had time to post (for one thing, I didn’t have Internet connection for a few days), but I haven’t stopped pondering. Pondering is what I do best, so I’ll have lots of ponders to share in the future.
Janey
Janey L. DeMeo, MA © August 2008
.
Founder-director of Orphans First - orphansfirst.org
speaker, freelance writer, author - JaneyDeMeo.com
author of Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!
Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Shake-ups that Wake-up
Yesterday the house shook. So did I. It took a while before I realized I had, once again, felt an earthquake. It’s only a matter of time before So Cal gets the big one – or so they say. Meanwhile, we’re all receiving our share of shake-ups. And I believe those shake-ups are sent to wake up.
Seems every day I meet someone else who’s struggling with depression from some unjust, unexpected divorce, or a deadly disease, or the loss of their house. Life is shaking them up.
This past week, the son of pastor-evangelist Greg Laurie – Christopher – died. He left behind his younger brother, Dad, Mom, wife, baby daughter and another daughter on the way. Who can explain such loss? As Greg Laurie in last Sunday’s sermon, quoting from Job 1:21, “Naked I came into the world and naked I’ll leave it. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
He also said a lot of other inspiring things in that short, tear-jerking sermon. One thing’s for sure: when your faith is real, Christ is manifested and others can see Him through our response to the tragedies that rock our lives.
The weekend of August 15th, the Annual Harvest Crusade—founded by Greg Laurie—will take place again in the Angel Stadium near LA. These crusades draw thousands of people, and thousands get saved. (And you get to hear the coolest music.) I already know that Laurie’s messages will be the most powerful ever, and that there’ll be an incredible harvest of souls. God will use that pain for His gain. For His glory.
During foster care awareness month (May), the Steven Curtis Chapman family lost one of their adopted children. The story is convoluted (and I’ve blogged on it before so I won’t repeat it here). Why? I don’t know. Seems God allows a lot of shaking up to happen and the shaking up will bring waking up. God will use this tragedy to His glory – and perhaps in some curious way to bring more attention to the needs of the orphans waiting to be adopted.
My prayer today is that we could draw closer to the one who does the shaking so that our lives will be grounded in what cannot be shaken—so that what cannot be shaken may remain (Heb.12:27)—Christ.
Janey L. DeMeo, MA © July 2008
Seems every day I meet someone else who’s struggling with depression from some unjust, unexpected divorce, or a deadly disease, or the loss of their house. Life is shaking them up.
This past week, the son of pastor-evangelist Greg Laurie – Christopher – died. He left behind his younger brother, Dad, Mom, wife, baby daughter and another daughter on the way. Who can explain such loss? As Greg Laurie in last Sunday’s sermon, quoting from Job 1:21, “Naked I came into the world and naked I’ll leave it. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
He also said a lot of other inspiring things in that short, tear-jerking sermon. One thing’s for sure: when your faith is real, Christ is manifested and others can see Him through our response to the tragedies that rock our lives.
The weekend of August 15th, the Annual Harvest Crusade—founded by Greg Laurie—will take place again in the Angel Stadium near LA. These crusades draw thousands of people, and thousands get saved. (And you get to hear the coolest music.) I already know that Laurie’s messages will be the most powerful ever, and that there’ll be an incredible harvest of souls. God will use that pain for His gain. For His glory.
During foster care awareness month (May), the Steven Curtis Chapman family lost one of their adopted children. The story is convoluted (and I’ve blogged on it before so I won’t repeat it here). Why? I don’t know. Seems God allows a lot of shaking up to happen and the shaking up will bring waking up. God will use this tragedy to His glory – and perhaps in some curious way to bring more attention to the needs of the orphans waiting to be adopted.
My prayer today is that we could draw closer to the one who does the shaking so that our lives will be grounded in what cannot be shaken—so that what cannot be shaken may remain (Heb.12:27)—Christ.
Janey L. DeMeo, MA © July 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Orphans First -- not last!
A little boy’s heart is broken this week. Shattered in little pieces.
Allen expected to meet his adopting parents for the first time last week. He had already seen their photo and dreamed of the life he would share with them. But that all changed suddenly when . . . the parents changed their minds.
For reasons only they really know, they got cold feet. But now Allen is left with a cold future and possibly a cold heart.
The majority of people on the streets and in prisons were society’s rejects. They either didn’t have a family—like Allen—or their family was totally dysfunctional. That’s why I believe God would have us pray for the foster children and the world’s orphans. That’s why I do what I do with Orphans First—www.orphansfirst.org. That’s why I believe we should storm Heaven’s doors and ask the Lord what our part is in helping these children.
Let’s pray more than every before for a solution for Allen, and the many orphans who share his pain.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got my work cut out. And a large part of that work is on my knees. If you’d like to join me praying for the needy children, you can subscribe to the Orphans First Prayer Chain (find it on the Orphans First website).
Copyright©July 2008
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
Allen expected to meet his adopting parents for the first time last week. He had already seen their photo and dreamed of the life he would share with them. But that all changed suddenly when . . . the parents changed their minds.
For reasons only they really know, they got cold feet. But now Allen is left with a cold future and possibly a cold heart.
The majority of people on the streets and in prisons were society’s rejects. They either didn’t have a family—like Allen—or their family was totally dysfunctional. That’s why I believe God would have us pray for the foster children and the world’s orphans. That’s why I do what I do with Orphans First—www.orphansfirst.org. That’s why I believe we should storm Heaven’s doors and ask the Lord what our part is in helping these children.
Let’s pray more than every before for a solution for Allen, and the many orphans who share his pain.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got my work cut out. And a large part of that work is on my knees. If you’d like to join me praying for the needy children, you can subscribe to the Orphans First Prayer Chain (find it on the Orphans First website).
Copyright©July 2008
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
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