Matt's Musings

I've been seeing a popular bumper sticker out lately that reads — "Is It 2012 Yet?" This, of course, is a reference to the Mayan calendar prediction that the world will end in December of 2012. And it fits perfectly with people's fascination with the end of the world. I remember when I was in college, in the fall of 1999, and all the Y2K madness was going on. One night in December, just before Christmas break, my friend and I walked to the nearby theater and saw "End of Days." (Of course end of the world films are always popular during such periods). Walking back to campus, we couldn't help but wonder if the world would be plunged into chaos on New Year's eve. I remember people buying bottled water, canned food, and pulling out all the cash they could just after Christmas. Everyone braced for the worst — and nothing happened. Looking back now, it seems silly. But at the time, it seemed so real. Now we're in it again. With two years to go before t...

This will come as no surprise to those who know me well, but I watch a lot of football games on TV. I watch at least two games, sometimes more (more than one at once) on Sundays, and I watch the highlights in between. I love the NFL. But there are things that bother me. Yesterday, I noticed a lot of receivers dropping the ball in clutch situations. Sometimes it was good — a Ram receiver dropped the ball to give Denver new life — and sometimes it wasn't — Daniel Graham dropped a pass in the clutch squandering that new life for Denver. Sometimes it was pivotal — DeSean Jackson dropped a pass in the end zone as the Eagles comeback fell short — and sometimes it wasn't — several New Orleans Saints dropped passes from Drew Brees but the team rallied to win anyway. But none was bigger than the drop by Steve Johnson in Buffalo. In that game Johnson — who was WIDE open — dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass. Everyone in the stadium thought the game was over, but it continued....

With the College Football regular season coming to an end, this was set up to be the biggest weekend for those hoping to get to the national title game. Auburn faced rival Alabama, Oregon faced Arizona, TCU hoped to stay perfect, and Boise State faced a stiff test in Nevada. Going into the weekend, the big question was whether or not Boise State and or TCU would get a chance to play for the title. Both were undefeated, but from non-BCS conference that didn't afford them much respect. Early in the day, it looked as though Auburn might make things more interesting when they fell behind 24-0 to Alabama. Instead, Auburn battled back behind embattled quarterback Cam Newton and pulled off the 28-27 win to all but assure them of a shot at the title. Oregon, similarly, held serve and appears a lock for the title game. TCU won their game big, but appears to be the odd team out, again... Then there's Boise State. Riding the nation's longest winning streak, Boise has been critical dar...

Those that doubt that we're living in the most consumer-driving culture in history need look no further than Black Friday. Black Friday is the day when millions of Americans begin the ever expansive process of getting ready for Christmas. No, Black Friday isn't about preparing your hearts for the season, decorating the house, or even making holiday plans. It's about spending money you don't have to buy tons of things people don't need all in the name of tradition. Now, it might sound like I'm down on the whole thing, which is somewhat true, but like many others I was out there in the cold early morning hours shopping. I first started waking up at the crack of dawn — or rather before dawn was ready to begin — a few years ago. Looking in the enormous amount of circulars that accompany the Thanksgiving day paper, I saw some cool deals and thought, why not? I was totally unprepared for the kind of chaos I was about to embrace. Each year since, though I've gone, ...

I've been thinking about thankfulness a lot this week. I guess it comes with the season :) That was also the focus of our message on Wednesday night. Yesterday I felt so blessed in my life. I had a great day with family, I watched football, and I played with the most precious dog in the world — Keeper — and all my parents other pets. It was a great day to rest, relax, and reflect. On days like that, it's easy to be thankful for everything I have, and every opportunity I have. But I think the true discipline of thankfulness comes when you can be truly thankful when things go wrong. I have had many times in my life that I would consider low points. Those times when anger, frustration, and confusion lead to despair about where my path is leading. And each time the Lord has used those times in my life to redirect me toward the path He has for me. That's what I'm truly thankful for. What are you thankful for?

Here's a look at the movies, or rather movie, I saw this week. The penultimate chapter in the Harry Potter saga! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Ralph Fiennes Synopsis: Endings are hard, especially when it comes to beloved film series. You have to find a way to wrap up the story that’s compelling, advances the relationships established in previous films and provides some sort of closure. After nearly a decade on screen, it seems hard to believe that “Harry Potter” is coming to an end. But if the first half of the series’ final chapter, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” is any indication, this series has found the right way to say goodbye. Some have compared “Deathly Hallows Part 1” to the “Harry Potter” equivalent of “Empire Strikes Back.” While the film doesn’t end in quite as perilous a position, it certainly sets the stage for an epic final installment in July. As is to be expected, little gets r...

With Thanksgiving less than 24-hours away, most of us will be logging some family time. Nothing breaks up that time better than watching a good movie (or, you know, football). So, in honor of our prolonged family time I thought I'd continue my look at favorite films by genre with some family dramas. As always, films only fit on one of these lists. If you have other favorites, feel free to add a comment and, as always, Happy Thanksgiving! 5. The Goonies (1985) This is a fun movie. Produced by Steven Spielberg, directed by Richard Donner, there are a lot of reasons why this movie is a classic. Though its 25 years old, the film continues to be a favorite among teens and young adults — Biola actually showed it every year at some point when I was in college. The film also has a pretty decent cast — Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Martha Plimpton, and Corey Feldman. Who doesn't enjoy watching a group of teens track down One-Eyed Willie's treasure ship? 4. Big Fish (2003) This is probabl...