Nang tokx: Na'vi tuté

Heather and I waited to see Avatar until almost everyone else had seen it in the theaters - then we decided to go. But we loved it all the same. I'm sure Owen enjoyed the sounds through mommy's skin because the sound effects were so loud it startled us! H and I loved the storyline, the graphic brilliance, and the skillful and tastefully designed fight scenes. (Maybe I liked the fight scenes more than H did - did you see the bows and arrows?!)

However, before we saw the movie, I was privileged to read an article in Wired Magazine (my newest favorite reading obsession) about how the planet Pandora, the Na'vi people, and how the movie Avatar was created. It's really a fascinating story in Wired. (For an abridged version of the article, you can visit it here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/11/ff_avatar_cameron/)

And between the article I read and the movie we watched we had the privilege of attending the baptism of our niece, Caroline. Traveling back to Carly and Jim's house to celebrate this occasion, I noticed this "Nang tokx" in the parking lot of the church. For those of you who don't speak Na'vi, that translated to a "Surprise Body" or as I would call it, a "Found Object." I snapped this photo of this "Na'vi tuté" (or Na'vi Female) quickly before I knew all the characters of the movie. Originally I thought this was Jake Sully or Tsu'tey, but the more I  look at it I think it really the female character, Neytiri.

This is just a small part of a really special day filled with so much other activity. Caroline was baptized with waters from the Jordan River. The minister of the church had a friend send back water from the Jordan as a gift. Needless to say this made Caroline's baptism all the more special. So, in summary, to Caroline we want to say...
Ftxozari aylrrtok ngaru! Seykxel si nitram!
Nga yawne lu oer.

Found Objects: Tater Tots?

So, I'm sitting in class and it's a little after 6pm. Class begins and I pull open BibleWorks 7 so I can follow along with whatever we are talking about that day. Upon clicking on the BibleWorks link, this screen pops up. "Tater tots?" I think to myself "why do I see tater tots?" In a psychedelic blending of worlds and space and time - Not only am I sitting in the lecture hall at seminary, but I'm also 12 years old eating tater tots with my parents and siblings on some summer Wednesday night, there's a slight sound of Green Day in the air and thoughts of trading baseball cards and playing hockey. I love tater tots and always did as a kid. But what do tater tots and Bioethics have to do with each other? This was the very question I was faced with last semester when I pulled up this program (it sort of felt like an out of body experience on some illegal substance - yet completely legal).

Now mind you these is an easy explaination for all this. This screen slowly changes throughout the day. There is a coffee and an open bible in the morning hours, a night scene with glowing text at night and a regular day screen. But apparently between 6pm and 6:10pm this is the Splash Screen or intro screen that pops up to celebrate dinner. In one word: Hilarious. In two words: Tater Tots!

Found Objects: Halloween Cont'd

(my beautiful wife and handsome super hero son)

Super Owen says, "Evil doers, Beware!"

Found Objects: Halloween

Believe me when I say this, I haven't always been fine with celebrating Halloween. I grew up having a lot of fun with Halloween - though I admit I was a bit scared by evil I didn't understand. We would always have the loud scary sounds CD going and have the doorway decorated for when kids would come to the door. My mom would take me out no matter what I was dressed like. Some years it was a football player, or a knife wound victim, a dead football player, and I think once I was Batman. When I got older, Behn (my long time best friend) and I would go Trick-or-Treating until we got too old and other parents started giving us the evil eye.

In my college years when I converted from Catholicism to Protestantism I could have been described as a bit Fundamental. Halloween is a very real holiday for Pagan celebrations both today and in times past. I was very strict and literal about what I thought the Bible said about having to do with evil. Regarding Halloween-it was out because I couldn't have affection for anything evil or do anything that could be seen as evil. Somewhere there was a turning point in my thinking. Many conversations with my wife and with close friends made me think about the other creative outlets of Halloween. It made me begin to think about the other attributes of the 'holiday' and/or lack thereof. But, having such a creative wife who loves dressing up like a hippie or a cat always makes the day very fun, creative, and certainly not evil. Above you'll see me dressed as a cow at Trader Joe's last year standing next to a pumpkin with a Trader Joe's logo- my costume was a reused costume from the summer when we attended "Dress Like a Cow and Receive a Free Sandwich" (Sponsored by Chick-Fil-A).

I can't say I have found complete resolution for all of my thoughts regarding Halloween activities and the possible presence of evil. But I have come to enough of a resolution that I can dress up like a pilgrim or as Moses when the situation allows. Though my study of Halloween is far from complete, as a family we are comfortable putting a wholesome and creative spin on the day. For Owen, we have a cute little outfit for him that we can't wait to show you.

So I guess, you ought to stay tuned!

Found Objects: Family Fall Festivities

I suppose there are three found objects to this post...

1) Family: Our boy Owen was born on July 4th. He is just so darned cute and we love him so much. Everyday is a learning experience in what it means to be a parent and what it means to attempt to love someone (Heather and Owen) unconditionally. I have yet to figure out how a baby could survive without sleep-yet somehow he does. I think yesterday he slept for like 23 minutes all day. But he is such a sweet boy and really well tempered. He has a great smile and loves playing. We think he will be standing quickly because his legs, neck, and back are so strong. Oh, he also loves to walk the halls between 3 and 6 in the morning.

2) Fall: I'm not talking about when Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit. I'm talking about the season. I don't know when this happened, but, in my mind, the Fall became the camp ground for starting school and football practice. Since each of these experiences had their challenges and difficulties they somehow flavored Fall with a bitter taste. However, Heather's deep appreciation for the Fall has swayed me. That's what happens when someone you love loves something so much...you cant help but be won over. Over the past 5 years we have known each other (for 3 of which we have been married) she has pointed out reasons to love the Fall. I have come to appreciate the Fall season and love it as much as Heather loves it. So, knowing how much we love this candy corn laden Fall season, is it any surprise that we would celebrate it with our new little baby boy?

3) Festivities: Owen (a.k.a. Our Little Acorn) loved his first Fall Festivity-a trip to the local Russell Orchard. The sites, smells, and sounds were all enjoyable for us and were all new for him! We got to walk around the farm and play with pumpkins, see farm animals like a miniature horse, a humongous pig, chickens with feathery feet, and lots of fluffy bunnies (a family favorite). I can remember trips with my mom and grandparents to the orchards in Glastonbury, CT that reminded me how much fun Fall is! Seeing the apples getting pressed to make cider, smelling the animal food (which isn't pleasant in and of itself but has good memories attached to it!), and apple fritters. All these things remind me more and more why the Fall is a season to be embraced and celebrated.

Three cheers for Family Fall Festivities!

Found Objects: a chance to win a scholarship from Logos Bible Software!

This is the suggested message to put up on my blog.
Let's go with it...
Going to Seminary is expensive. On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find this Seminary Scholarship website today. Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes. What is best of all is that if you're in seminary and apply for the Seminary Scholarship, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I!

We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library.

So, do us both a favor and go apply for the Seminary Scholarship today.

Found Objects: A Competition to Guess the Starbucks Coffee I Want!

So two weeks ago, I posted a competition. Given my enjoyment of each of Starbucks eight bold coffees you-my loyal readers who I have been kept waiting more than two weeks for the results- were given the opportunity to guess which bold brew I would choose.

And the winner is: Alyssa Joy, Wethersfield who voted for Sumatra!

I will be rewarding her with a coffee themed prize.

Why Sumatra out of all the Bold Coffees? It was simply my favorite (alongside Komodo Dragon). Yet unlike Komodo Dragon, I had never had an entire bag of it before. I thought I would capitalize on this freebie and try Sumatra! Good guess, Alyssa!