Two Tales in One

Three Mexican fishermen adrift at sea, fishing over the side of the boat to survive, with little hope of rescue. A former high ranking American businessman for a major motion picture company with a severe addiction problem, now jobless, with a failing marriage. The author weaves an almost unbelievable tale of connection between these two unlikely entities. He should know the story well. He was the businessman who met the fishermen and interviewed them after their miraculous rescue, which became a part of his own personal rescue.

With painstaking detail and a stranger-than-fiction quality this true story brings the reader to the realization that God is Sovereign in all of our paths, the good and the bad, and that He is in the business of rescuing.

I was given a complimentary copy of The Fourth Fishermen from Multnomah Press in exchange for my honest opinion about the book.

Skyfall: A Review

One can't help but think of A Series Of Unfortunate Events, for more than one reason, when watching the new 007 blockbuster, Skyfall.  Daniel Craig and Judi Dench play a complex version of employer and employee in what must be the world's most intriguing and formidable foreign intelligence agency.

Being shot by your own co-worker and falling off a moving train only to tumble into a gorge which holds a foaming river culminating in a rapid waterfall is just a part of Daniel Craig's very bad day.  Any day that  begins with the death of your partner has only one direction to go, but in true 007fashion, more peril awaits. There are damsels in distress and dragons to fight in Shanghai, among other things.

Bad guy Javier Bardem plays a close second to best villian ever (it's hard to beat Heath Legend's Joker in Dark Knight).  Yet, even more fascinating than a day in the life of 007 is creative directors  fantasmagorically brilliant opener, featuring graphics and music that still linger in the memory, long after the gunfights, fistfights, and explosions are over. The Lemony Snicket credit roll, another work of brilliance, had the same feel.

So as not to spoil it for you, I will only divulge that the ending is another very bad day for 007 in more ways than one. Still, why does it leave you with the feeling that you somehow envy his life?

And his first name? James. Still one of the most popular boy's names of all time. Coincidence? I think not.

Not Sure If…Downton Abbey, Gunsmoke, or the Gospel?

What do Western reruns, PBS, and the 700 Club have in common? At first glance nothing but non-prime time channels. But a deeper look reveals much more common ground than you might expect.

Elements of the Christian gospel story are threaded into the popular PBS serial drama Downton Abbey and   the same archetypes can be found in the good old weekly western. If you haven’t ever watched Gunsmoke or Downton Abbey pull up a chair and I’ll explain myself. 

Marshall Matt Dillon is the strong silent type, a fair-minded, expert gun-slinging law man in Dodge City during the days of the American Wild West (yes, the ‘get out of Dodge’ Dodge) The local saloon is run by Miss Kitty, a mature but sparkly-eyed, seasoned red-head who runs a tight saloon, mostly with those eyes. Miss Kitty is a woman of principles, but somehow you know that somewhere along the line, some of her principles have taken the practical low road. The thing that promises to redeem Miss Kitty (she does run a brothel, after all)  is Dillon’s regard for her, which is obvious in every episode.  The hour long segments include a sideshow from deputy Festus, a Barney Fife- like character with a southern twang, and Doc Adams, a crusty old country doctor who does most of his procedures with the anesthetic of a good stiff drink, one for the patient and one for him, afterwards. Festus and Doc put up a good show of hating each other, but no one really believes it. The TV series had a 20 year run, after quite a bit of popularity as a radio show, and ended in 1975, and as far as I know, with no overt romance between Dillon and Miss Kitty.

Across the pond, but not too far away in time, the British household of Downton Abbey is finding its way in a changing world. The head of the house has three daughters, neither of whom can legally inherit his estate. Mary, the eldest, has a secret concerning her virtue that keeps her from the obvious choice, the heir apparent, Matthew Crawley, a man of honor and humility who desperately wants to do his part to save the family fortune. Shame keeps Mary from Matthew, but his regard for her is obvious, and the viewer feels that if he were privy to the incriminating information, he would still love her. The many sideshow characters include the ever proper butler, Carson and prim housekeeper, Mrs. Hughes, cook Mrs. Patmore and scullery maid Daisy, all servants in the ‘downstairs’ storylines. Rising above the tapestry of this intertwining drama is the redemption of Mary. It is Matthew’s love for her which imparts to her the worth she cannot see in herself. At the end of the second season, Matthew and Mary are still in romantic gridlock. Although the previews for season three are out, they show nothing of the culmination of Matthew and Mary’s predicament.

The real corollary I see in these two cinematic creations is in the male savior figure (both named Matthew, incidentally) and the female in need of redemption. Nowhere is this story more poignant than in the New Testament narrative of Christ the bridegroom and a broken world-the church as His bride. I believe it is our knowledge of the reality of our own personal redemption that causes stories like these to resonate and capture our attention. Nor is their appeal gender-specific. Gunsmoke had wide appeal among men, and Downton Abbey has primarily female followers.

“God made Man because He loves stories.” said Elie Weisel. Indeed, we are His story. But it’s not the final season. Never have we needed redemption so much. Never has a story been in such need of a happy ending.

In Hope of a Better America

I have a dream.
It is a faintly fading dream, but it is by no means dead yet.
I dream of parents patiently explaining or calmly restraining their small children in public instead of verbally abusing them through the grocery aisles.
I dream of schools where students use praise for each other and their teachers instead of profanity.
I dream of teachers who are involved with the students lives and work in tandem with parents to educate the whole child, instead of using 'homework' which masquerades as rigorous teaching to cheat the students out of a home life.
I dream of an America where it is acceptable to speak openly about your personal faith, and where judgement is directed inward, instead of  towards those who may disagree.
I dream of politicians laying down acrimonious accusations and instead taking responsibility for their actions and expenditures.
I dream of businesses honestly offering services and products made locally for a decent profit, instead of bilking the public by promising more than they actually deliver and abusing people in other countries to turn a cheap trick on their customers.
I dream of  banks and financial institutions who use George Bailey as a role model rather than Mr. Potter.
I dream of charity organizations whose CEO's aren't embarrassed to report their earnings instead of making a killing off the heartstrings of America.
I dream of consumers who live within their means instead of blaming their high personal debt on the economy.
I dream of a place where winning the lottery isn't the total sum of the American Dream.
I hope I'm still sleeping, because I haven't seen it yet.

Dear Mr. President

I am writing to you, Mr. President, as I cannot have the luxury of meeting with you in person.

Thank you for choosing to serve America as the highest leader of the land. It is an honor you have worked hard to achieve. I remember at your first inauguration you addressed the voters who did not cast their vote for you and I am one of them. You promised that you would be my president, too.

On that promise I have a specific request. There is a very active dialogue and decision making process going on between the three branches of government regarding tax cuts, tax reform, government spending and various aspects of the 'fiscal cliff'. I cannot begin to imagine the complexity and magnitude of the office you hold. I only ask that as you govern, you consider the diversity and intensity of feeling in the matters which threaten to divide the fabric of our country. When I hear statements that lead me to believe that your mind is made up beforehand, I wonder why? I ask you to please engage in meaningful dialogue and active listening to all parties involved in the discussion. Some of those who have opposing views to your own are people I and a majority of the country have voted for to represent us. I am not so naive or close-minded as to believe that either party always has a corner on the best ideas for the bettering of America. That is the very reason that all three branches exist. All are needed to create the perfect Union we have been striving to achieve for well over 200 years.

I happen to align myself more closely with the Republican party, but my brother, an assistant chaplain for the United States Army who usually votes as a Democrat, often challenges my thinking to the point where I must concede that it is all too easy to only listen to the people who say the things you want them to say. And so it is that my own family is a representative of the partisan-like situation that I see in the government. I don't always agree with his conclusions, but still, I love my brother and consider him one of the most caring and sincere people I know. It would never be appropriate or wise for me to dig in to my own opinion and refuse to hear what he has to say. All I ask is that you do the same.

Thank you for being my president!

Sincerely,

Amy L Maris

#amwriting Posting Blogbook Soon

Please stay tuned, faithful blog readers. I will be posting my latest project here in installments, that is if my writer's club friends don't advise against it. I'd fall over in joyful delight if any of you would comment with constructive criticism, etc. Good or bad impressions are welcome.

In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's one last day to remember all that we have to be grateful for before the Christmas onslaught tries to make us 'want things'.

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ARGHHHHH! It isn't your grandmother's America. I get that.
But it's not mine anymore, either.
I may be overreacting.
I doubt it.
-More after I get to the acceptance stage of this grief.