These are the words from 1 Corinthians 13

These are the same words, but I typed in faith, hope and love a few extra times to make the words grow larger.

These are the most frequently used words on the blog recently.  Of course when you’re writing, you don’t know how often you are using any particular word.  I really dig the value of the words that stand out here.

Same words, different layout, color and font.

Hopefully, you can take some time to go enjoy creating word art.  If you do, you will need to take a “screenshot” of your screen, paste the “screenshot” into a progam like Microsoft Paint, crop the screenshot, and then save it as a .jpg if you want to keep it for yourself.  If you don’t want to do that, you can simply give it a title and save it into the Wordle public gallery.  It would be fun to come back to this post and share a link to your creations in the comment section.

In fact, let’s just have a contest for fun.  Who can create the most interesting piece of word art.  I’ve thrown the gauntlet down, so have at it.  Click here to start creating.

DOING YOUR BEST AT WHATEVER YOU DO

WALL.E is a robot all along, doing a thankless job.  And yet in the midst of all this isolation and with no incentive whatsoever, WALL.E never fails to do a great job.  As you watch the opening scenes, you realize that he has learned to copy the structure he sees in the buildings humans left behind, and build replicas out of trash.  It’s not enough for him to simply clean up and make cubes out of trash.  He creates out of trash.  How much better served would we all be if we would make the best of our situations… and even learn to be creative at it.  How much would our attitude change.  Maybe we’d become a bit more like WALL.E who we see whistling on the way to work.  The New Testament gives us just that sort of advice when we are challenged to do whatever we do “as unto the Lord”.  The task is not relevant.  The attitude with which it is tackled is.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

When WALL.E first spies the object of his love, I was immediately reminded of the biblical story of creation.  The Bible tells us that Adam was created first and God put him to work.  But Adam noticed he didn’t have a partner, another one like him.  Then God makes Eve… and I’ve always imagined Adam sort of flipping out when he first lay eyes on her, saying “Way to go, God!”  WALL.E was all alone at the beginning of the movie but on that fateful day that his love interest showed up he was immediately smitten.  I about fell out of my super-comfortable theatre chair when she said her name was EVE.  I have to think that was no coincidence by the creators (pun intended) of the movie.  It was clear that WALL.E was out of his league, but that didn’t stop him.  And through a variety of circumstances that unfold througout the movie, he consistently shows unconditional love, come rain or shine (literally).  Wouldn’t it be cool if we, as Christ folowers could live liek that.  We are urged to througout the New Testament.  That is one of the key ways that we are supposed to represent Jesus Christ to the world around us.

UPDATED INFORMATION - It appears as though the director, Andrew Stanton,  may very well have been processing this movie through a spiritual lens himself.  I just found this quote from an interview with him that I thought I would pass along to all of you:

“…what really interested me was the idea of the most human thing in the universe being a machine because it has more interest in finding out what the point of living is than actual people. The greatest commandment Christ gives us is to love, but that’s not always our priority. So I came up with this premise that could demonstrate what I was trying to say — that irrational love defeats the world’s programming. You’ve got these two robots that are trying to go above their basest directives, literally their programming, to experience love.

With the human characters I wanted to show that our programming is the routines and habits that distract us to the point that we’re not really making connections to the people next to us. We’re not engaging in relationships, which are the point of living — relationship with God and relationship with other people”

IT’S NEVER TO LATE TO RISE UP

As the movie unfolds, we see that all humans live in “hover chairs”.  They don’t walk anywhere.  I’m thinking that I may be in training for that lifestyle when I plop down in my recliner every night.  Anyway, at one point, the captain of the space ship realizes that they need to return to earth.  But the auto-pilot tells him that they cannot return.  It’s a matter of surviving.  The Captain then summons up the courage to say, “But I don’t want to survive.  I want to live!”  How many people have simply settled for surviving because they’ve given up on living?  No matter what your situation or condition (heck, these guys could barely walk anymore after all that hovering), it’s never too late to start living.  We were never meant to simply survive.  That is not why God created us to live.  And when sin entered the equation and messed that up, Jesus Christ said in John 10:10 that he came to restore us to that original design… that we might live, and live to the full.

CONCLUSION

There is much to enjoy about WALL.E and I encourage you to take it in either in the theater or on DVD.  Enjoy the laughter and the real human emotion.  But don’t miss the lessons either.  There’s plenty to go around.

We got a gift certificate at Christmas to go to the movies. We had intended to use it for the new installment of the Chronicles of Narnia, but we got to see that free of charge. So…. we were able to preserve our certificates and go see the older, wiser, and slightly grayer Indiana Jones this afternoon.

As an Indiana Jones installment, it was true to character. It incorporates plenty of standard Indiana Jones elements. Most of them highly enjoyable and it stirs the old memories. This is a smart move by the filmmakers since if they’re going to re-launch the Indy brand, they need to connect it to the old one first.

I particularly got a kick out of a scene that included a snake, Indy’s favorite reptile. There is plenty of use of Indy’s whip, and the first one is good for a laugh to boot. The fighting is old school with old school sound effects. But that’s part of the appeal back to the older versions. As with all Indy movies, there are puzzles to solve and adventures to set out on. This edition is very consistent with the older versions and worth the watch. Be advised though that this is NOT a movie for younger children. There is even one scene that gave me the willys (lots of ants… “why did it have to be ants?”)

That’s my general review… not let me add a few spiritual thoughts.

“it seems like we’re at a point where life just takes from us instead of giving.” - At one point Indy is lamenting the recent loss of both his dad and one of his best friends in short order. To which his dean made the preceding statement. Without question, we do experience times in life where it feels as if life actually is taking and not giving. But didn’t Job suffer through that situation? His response is that “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes, blessed be the name of the Lord”. Another perspective on this statement is that life is not about what we receive… it is about what we give. Have you ever heard the following quote: “We earn a living by what we get. We earn a life by what we give.” Jesus himself said that he came to serve, not to be served. The point is that our focus should be on what we give, not what we get. And even when it seems that all that we love and care about is being taken away, let us remember the wisdom of Job.

“If you want to be a good archeologist, get out of the library.” - In a fun scene, Indy passes through the library on a motorcycle (you’ll just have to see it for yourself), and as he leaves, he makes that statement. This particular quote struck me pretty hard. As a ministry leader, there is so much to do. Administrative details, study, prayer, etc. There is often more to do than there are hours in the day. But I tend to believe that the advice Indy gave to the Archeology student rings true for people in ministry. So much of what I do keeps my tied down to an office, but ministry happens “out there”. Maybe that line speaks to you in some other way as well. For me personally, I am praying that I can find my way out of the library and out to the field.

I hope you can make it out to enjoy the new chapter of Indiana Jones. If you do, enjoy it for the entertainment… but see if God reveals any spiritual treasure for you to dig up in the process.

First of all, I was absolutely crazy for the first installment. I thought the first “National Treasure” was an outstanding movie. Part #2 is a pretty good movie in it’s own right, but not quite the equal of the first (but then again, sequels rarely are). Anyway, here’s my take and observations about the movie.

1. NO OBJECTIONABLE LANGUAGE - I’m not trying to be a prude here, but when did it become necessary for every movie worth watching to have a bazillion curse words? I’ve served in the Army. I’ve worked in the business world. I attended a state university. I know that language flies frequently. But is profane language ABSOULUTELY NECESSARY to make a movie worth watching?  Seldom, if ever, have I seen a movie where such coarse language added to the enjoyment of the film. So it is with a great deal of satisfaction that I applaud both installments of National Treasure. These movies prove that the story and the acting is what carries the movie. These movies have proven that adult action movies can be highly successful and entertaining while not making you cringe during every other word.

2. OVERALL THEME - Who doesn’t love a great mystery? Who doesn’t love solving puzzles? OK.. some of you may get headaches when you’re trying to figure one out yourself (no Soduku for you), but it’s still fun to watch someone else figure it out. The clue-solving and discovery themes are lots of fun. Plus I love the historical elements that these movies bring to bear. Since I’m a bit of a history nut myself, I really enjoy them matching pieces of history from one continent to another in a chase to unravel the mystery. The locations are great and the wide-angle shots of MT Rushmore are awesome.

3. SPIRITUAL LESSONS - Any movie you watch can contain spiritual lessons if you look for them. I’d like to encourage you to make that a regular habit in your viewing. See what God can teach you through the different stories you see in movies. One of the remarkable things you begin to discover is how you can see and hear God in virtually any circumstance. Here are a few take-aways for me from National Treasure:

• Benjamin Gates (Cage’s character) goes to great lengths to defend the honor of his grandfather’s name. He puts himself at great risk to ensure that the name of his grandfather is not smeared. What if we were as passionate about the name of our Lord and Savior? What if we were willing to go to great lengths to defend the honor of the name of our Lord? What would that look like? How would it effect our lives? Our actions? Our attitudes? How would it effect our involvement in the church we are a part of that carries his mission forward?
• Mitch (The bad guy) says “A man only has one lifetime. But history can remember you forever.” As we look back on history we see that everyone leaves a legacy. It can be something great and remarkable, or it can be utterly disastrous. The Bible teaches us that we are to live our lives “in light of eternity”. But do we? How much of what we do is based purely on the wants/needs of today with no thought of the future, much less a legacy? We do only have one lifetime in which to achieve what God has purposed us to do. If we do that, then we will be remembered forever… by the one who matters most. God himself.

All in all, this was a highly enjoyable movie. A slightly darker movie than the first, but greatly entertaining. There are still plenty of one-liners that provide lots of laughs and break the tension. It’s a fun movie to get lost in for a couple of hours of family entertainment.

If you have any insights or thoughts on the movie, please add them in the comments below.

“The preseason is over and it’s time for the real game to begin. This is a 12-round championship bout. (I know….I’m mixing my sports metaphors, but WORK WITH ME PEOPLE! Sheesh!) It will be interesting to see who’s in top form tonight and who’s susceptible to the hook (get it? Hook? Come on…that was pretty good). I think the four at the bottom of my power rankings (Cheezit, “Busted” Hernandez, Malubay Barbie, and KLC) are the most vulnerable which is why I placed them there. But there are always the potential surprises. Which is WHY WE PLAY THE GAMES! So, in the immortal words of Michael Buffer, “LLLLLLET’S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLE!””

That’s right. You read it here FIRST!!!! Apparently the producers of AI realized that I was on to something and decided to run with it. I’m expecting a royalty check anytime now. Although I must admit that DA just doesn’t cut it in a boxing robe.

So…tonight we discover who delivered the knock-out blow in the final round. According to Simon, DA will win by a KO. And I must admit, after last night I have resigned myself to the likelihood that he will be declared the winner. But if so, it will be on a technicality, not because of a KO. There is speculation as to whether or not Cook pulled a punch or two last night thinking he may be better served by losing than winning. If so, he will most definitely have a contract opportunity waiting for him… but my opinion of him would go down since I ALWAYS play to win.

Tune in tonight for spot-on analysis and insight to the final installment of this year’s Battle Royale!

IT’S SHOWTIME…..

OK…the opening scene looks a little bizarre with the Davids looking eyeball to eyeball. But.. we know there’s plenty of entertainment to come tonight. So we’re off and running. According to Seacrest, there were over 97,000,000 votes. I can’t help but wonder how many people that actually represents. With four hours to dial, some of those people could have voted hundreds of times. But I guess there’s no way to break that out. Any way you slice it… that’s a lot of phone calls.

OPENING ACT

Final 12 sing with the dancers from “So You Think You Can Dance”. Zach can’t wait for that show to start. It’s by far his favorite program. Watching the singers try to dance proves that Brooke isn’t the only one who can’t dance. Archie is highly challenged on that front too. He will NOT be entering the dance competition. You heard it here first.

THE DAVID DUET

Singing a song from “Spiderman”, this is actually a really, really good song. This is a song that Cook blows out of the water. It also shows where Archie could really branch out… by doing duets with more edgy singers. One of the best songs of the season.

SYESHA / SEAL DUET

How exciting do you think it must be for someone like her to wind up on stage in front of millions of people sharing singing parts with SEAL. He has an amazing voice… you think she’s having a good time? She really came into her own in the last month. Don’t know what will happen for her, but she will always have this amazing memory.

JASON CASTRO

The dread-locked wonder is back to sing Alleluia again. I didn’t really care for this all that much the first time around, but according to the judges, this was probably his brightest moment of the competition. Whatever you think of the song, at least he didn’t get to the finals.

FORD HYBRIDS, ANYONE? - A cool consolation prize for whoever doesn’t win.

FINAL 6 WOMEN

Singing “Works Hard for the Money”, it’s really surprising to see how many of the gals absolutely cannot dance. Not only can Brooke not dance… neither can the Rock ‘n Roll Nurse. I’m also reminded that the men this year were a stronger group than the gals. This is a big night for Mercado. First singing with SEAL, now with Donna Summer. Pretty cool stuff for her. She’s also really the only gal that can actually move.

DONNA SUMMER

She really made waves in the ’70s and ’80s, but having Summer in the AI finale seems like an odd choice to me. The best part may have been Seacrest trying to dance with the dancers. That was a hoot.

JOHNS & SMITHSON DUET

I do agree with Seacrest that they left too early. At least Double D certainly did. This is actually a good pairing. I think they have some commonality and complement each other. This may be the most engaging I have seen Smithson be with a piece of music for the whole season. Maybe she just needs someone to pull it out of her. The duets have actually been really good tonight. Far better than the usual stuff on the Grand Finale.

JIMMY KIMMEL - The Simon bit with his criticisms set to music was funny..

TOP 6 GUYS

As I already mentioned, the guys are definitely better as a group than the gals. It’s cool to see the big CHEEZIT back again.

BRYAN ADAMS

He’s got the same kind of vibe and vocal quality that Cook is going for. He’s probably a good model for Cook to work from. His voice is still just appealing as it ever was. And he makes WAYYYYY more sense to be in the finale than Donna Summer. The guys seem to be really enjoying this and so does the crowd. Well done guys!

COOK AND ZZ TOP

Cook must be blowing a gasket about right now. If this what you love to do… this is like having every dream you’ve ever had come true all at once. The amazing thing is that he seems in his element… Cool enough to be living out a dream. Even better to be thriving in it. Cook is making it work. Even if he does win this thing, I don’t think he’ll ever have a bigger moment than this one.

BROOKE WHITE AND GRAHAM NASH

This is a good pairing for Brooke. She does the whole “folk” thing really well. It’s really sort of the core of who she is. The only thing that is a bit surprising to me is that they have her singing a lot of harmony rather than lead. They also don’t have a good vocal mix between them, but I still enjoy anything that Brooke does. And by the way… she’s barefoot.

GUITAR HERO, COOK-STYLE - Are you kidding me? I can’t believe that Cook just did that commercial. Funny…but totally NOT expecting that one.

JONAS BROTHERS

I don’t know much about their music, but I’m sure that the produced version must be better than this. The mix is NOT good. For the most part, this has been a very good show so far, but this was not the best segment.

“BEST FRIENDS FOREVER” - No comment. Wait a minute… OMG… here comes the USC (wrong USC if you’re from South Carolina… which is THE USC). This is the comedy relief. This will get more laughs than Jimmy Kimmel. Paula and Randy join the craziness… and the song continues after the music. OK.. I laughed. I’m over it.

ONE REPUBLIC & ARCHULETA

A great piece of music, and the mix is solid again. And here comes Archie. As usual his solo vocal is solid… but I am absolutely convinced after the opening duet he did with Cook and now with this one… he should be doing duets. It serves him far better. It gives his the depth he lacks on his own while allowing his vocals to soar. Great song all around.

JORDIN SPARKS

I really like her… and admired her progress last year. But she should fire whoever picked out the gold aluminum foil dress. Really, Really bad! She has definitely gained a lot more comfort as a performer in the last year. Which is probably the only way she could even muster the courage to come onstage with that hideous outfit.

GLADYS KNIGHT PIP TRY-OUTS - Jack Black is a scene-stealer. Was there even anyone else back there with him?

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Speaking of someone that has grown as a performer….sheesh! The year Underwood won, she looked like a mannequin most nights. She could barely move… but she had a golden voice. Now she is the total package as an entertainer. It’s stunning how much success she has had. But she is not too proud to credit AI for giving her the chance to get where she is. I wasn’t sure what to expect for her when she won… but she’s got staying power. She’ll be on the scene for a long time. Maybe longer than any other Idol since country music stars typically have much longer careers.

GUITAR HERE, ARCHIE-STYLE - Holy Cow! If I was surprised by the Cook version, I’m stunned at this one.

TOP 12 SONG & GEORGE MICHAEL

Is it just me or does AO seem to be somewhere else? Kinda weird. When they all sing together, it’s good. the individual parts are a little lacking in this one. This must be a George Michael salute. The guys look like they’re trying out for “Men in Black 3″… they just need the Ray-Bans. And now, fresh from the set of Eli Stone, it’s time for George himself. I don’t care for his lifestyle, but there’s no denying he’s got an unbelievable voice.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPION BEGINS NOW

Both Davids are center stage. Randy tones down his “molten hot lava” love for DA, and calls them both winners. Cowell apologizes for his declaration of Archie as the winner. Actually a classy move by Simon. So the results are now in hand….

AND THE WINNER AND HOLDER OF THE BELT IS….

Cookie is the winner by 12 million votes. It’s not only a little surprising that he beat the Archie groupies but that he won by a truckload of votes. Simon was completely backward in his assessment from last night. it was Cookie that wins by a KO… Way to go Cook! The one who should have won did win. A satisfying finish! And a great final episode.

FINAL IDOL THOUGHTS FROM 2008

This has been a blast for me to share with those of you who read this blog something that I enjoy so much. There is something wonderful about sharing the things you enjoy and care about with others…. being able to bring them along for the ride… helping them to see what you see and appreciate what you do. So I would be amiss without sharing with you the thing that matters most… that Jesus Christ is Lord… and that he wants to know you personally and wants you to know him personally. He wants to share his life with you.. his thoughts with you… his joy with you… his hopes for you. This is what God says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God wants to share his future with you through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ on the cross. It can be yours. A personal walk with the God of the universe can be yours if you simply and humbly invite him into your life to be your savior and leader. As cool as it was for David Cook to sing with musical idols, how much cooler it will be for you to walk with and know in a very real and personal way the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I may never meet you here, but I will meet you in eternity if you accept the offer of salvation from Jesus Christ. And we can sing and swap stories and laugh about how American Idol brought us together and led you to Christ. It’s as simple as asking. For a more thorough explanation, you can read my page entitled, “The Main Thing“.

If you have any questions, or would like to share with me what’s going on with you, please respond to this blog or drop me an email. My email is in the “About” page.

May God bless you. I hope I will hear from you now, or meet you in eternity. Thanks for sharing this ride with me.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, (by the way… it’s a good read if you’ve got a minute) I think DC should be the run away winner based on talent and potential. He has held the top spot in my rankings since Round 2. Archie has been near the top as well, but I would not put him in the same category as Cook. What makes the finale interesting is not that Archie is really the equal of Cook, but that his voting block may be enough to get him there.

I’ll be live with the competition tonight. Come back over to enjoy it together.

10 Minutes to game-time. I can only imagine what this must be like for the Davids. I played sports and there’s nothing like those last few minutes before gametime. But that was always with a small number watching. Knowing that it’s game-time and 25-30 million people are watching would be unreal. We’ll see who has their game-face on in just a few minutes.

The whole family has gathered to give me a few extra insights…

HOLY COW! THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN READING MY BLOG…I SWEAR THIS IS UNREAL (BUT IN A VERY COOL WAY!)

I can’t believe they just came out and completely did the whole boxing championship announcer thing. Somebody finally realized that I’ve been on the right track all season long. OH HECK… Now they’re doing like a tale of the tape kind of thing and a head-to-head comparison. What a hoot.

Archuleta just does not look like an AI Winner standing up there beside DC. As the judges share a few last minute thoughts, Cowell kills me with the “hate your opponent” comment. He’s in character tonight.

DAVID COOK

• Clive Davis Song Choice - Interesting observation for this choice for Cook as Davis talked about spiritual exploration. “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” I know that he can’t sound like Bono or U2, but he has a chance to make a statement here. He has a totally confident look about him as he kicks into the 2nd verse. It’s like he is totally in his element here. This is no U2 version, but it’s not lacking. I think it’s a strong opening flurry for DC.
• New Song Choice - Singing something called “Dream Big” sounds about right for DC. The gunslinger has his six-shooter out for this one and has a chance to bring a little rock-flavor to the annual winner’s ballad. This song really suits Cook’s voice and almost sounds like it belongs to him… which makes for a good winner’s song. Another good performance. Simon, though, isn’t digging it all that much.
• Contestant’s Choice - The World I Know is not a song I know… but it’s his last shot at securing the championship. I like the acoustic guitar and sound. This really gives DC three completely different sounds for the night. Archie will finish up with another ballad, “Imagine”, which means he will not climb out of his box all night. This is probably the best effort for Cook tonight. It’s a strong, intense, but controlled sound. It really showed his full range and versatility. A great finish. I’m really surprised at Cowell’s remarks. I TOTALLY DISAGREE with his assessment of it being the wrong song. Why would doing something he’s already done be better? Whether he wins or not, I thought it was an awesome finish.

DAVID ARCHULETA

• Clive Davis Song Choice - A good choice by Davis for the strength of Archie’s voice… the ballad. Elton John always handled these ballads with a lot of flair and even power. This is the kind of song that DA shines on. This is actually the most animated I think I have ever seen DA. We just might be in for a fight to the finish here. BTW - I think Randy is pulling for DA.
• New Song Choice - In This Moment HAS TO BE A BALLAD. First of all it’s the typical “victory” song for AI, and it’s the only kind of song DA does well. And to no one’s surprise, it IS a ballad. I really did think that the first song was one of his better performances of the year. But this it the typical boring schlock that DA typically sings. The judges will probably slobber over themselves, but I wasn’t all that thrilled with it. It almost seems as if the judges are leaning toward DA. My oldest son, Zach, just said he thinks it may be because he thinks DA has more long-term potential than Cook. I don’t see it… but maybe he’s on the same page the judges are. Somebody help him before he completely falls apart in teary-eyed amazement.
• Contestant’s Choice - Finishing up with the song that established him early on as a favorite, Archie stays entirely in his comfort zone for the whole night. He’s as good as anyone has ever been on this show with these types of songs, but I just don’t see him becoming a major star. He probably has a Clay Aiken-type future. Randy finally makes it clear that he is and has been pulling for DA…. and Simon goes slightly overboard by declaring the night a KO in Archie’s favor.

FINAL ANALYSIS

It was no surprise to have the DvD finale we just had. I would have preferred someone else to go up against DC since we all knew that everything that DA did would be a ballad. I will grant you that DA did what he did with great chops tonight. He was good. But I don’t believe he’s a pop star. He can’t sing ballads forever.

Cook has been my leading contender since Round 2. He has shown week in and week out far more range, ability, skill, courage, and originality. He has been and should be the favorite. But it is clear to me after tonight that he has an uphill battle to win this thing. The judges are squarely in DA’s corner. So Cook will have to not only overcome the speed-dialers (which is hard enough), he will also have to beat the judges too.

I haven’t changed my mind about who SHOULD win… but I think I have a new name for who I think WILL win. I think DA is now the prohibitive favorite to be wearing the belt at the end tomorrow night. But DC may be totally OK with that. Somebody get him Daughtry’s phone #.

A WEEKLY RANKINGS HISTORY

Each week I have ranked the contenders as I see them. The table below contains the weekly rankings of both DA and DC since the first round. With the exception of Round 1, DC has been at the top of my rankings. DA has been a little more up and down, but never lower than #4. They are a bit misleading since I ranked by gender in the first two rounds. But from Round 3 forward, the rankings represent all contenders.

Based purely on the rankings, it would appear that we have the best two in the championship. But these rankings represented the survivability as well as the talent of the contenders as I saw them and not necessarily who I just thought was best. So what does that mean? Here’s my take…

ARE THE BEST IN THE FINALS?

DAVID COOK - No beating around the bush here. Without any question, I believe DC is the best overall competitor in this season’s competition. He has shown surprising diversity, ability and confidence. He has certainly been the most innovative and daring singer this season. I think he has shown that he has the chops and the range to make it in the music biz. I would NOT rate him as good as Chris Daughtry, but he is hands-down this season’s best.

DAVID ARCHULETA - He has maintained a high ranking throughout the season, but I just don’t believe he’s the second best contender. He may have the purest voice in the competition and what he does, he does extremely well. But even when he sings a song spot-on, it’s missing the believability factor. That’s not necessarily a slam against him, he just doesn’t have the age and experience to make you believe he’s singing from the depth of his life. Ultimately, that effects how his songs impact you.

BEST FINALS MATCH-UP AGAINST D.C. (Toss up between two)

MICHAEL JOHNS - The Dingo Dude met his demise just as he was starting to discover his strength. He was more inconsistent than DA, but far more believable. And when he was on, he was dynamite. There is no question in my mind that he could have had, and still may have, a far more viable future in the industry. And he most definitely would have brought a lot more energy to the finale than DA.

BROOKE WHITE - Brooke seemed to sort of fall apart as the competition went on, but she was unique among all the contestants. She brought a vulnerable quality that no one else had this year. Plus she was totally authentic. There was no sense of pretense with Brooke. What she lacked was confidence and that’s what got to her. With the right coaching and mentoring, she could have a wonderful career. Regardless, I would have enjoyed seeing her against DC in the championship.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Clearly I think DC should win this thing going away. That’s not to throw DA under the bus. It’s just that he’s still got some growing to do…. and he has time. But after watching the “going home” videos from last week, there is no question that DA has a lot of female fans…and this is important…. THEY VOTE…AND THEY VOTE OFTEN. With that realization, the finale is up for grabs. DC has the goods…. DA has the fans. It’s not my favorite pairing for the finale, but like millions of others, I will tune it to see who can be the last man standing. I hope you’ll join me.

While I will agree with Zach that it was a bit slow, the overall content was very satisfying. There are deeply spiritual themes in this movie that impact me in significant ways, as was the case with the first one. There is something about story and visual elements that communicate in ways to me that other methods do not. I guess that’s why Jesus taught so often with parables. Here are a few elements that really resonated with me.

LUCY SEES ASLAN WHEN NO ONE ELSE DOES

Early on in their return to Narnia, the children reach an impassable barrier. Lucy sees Aslan (the Christ figure) but no one else does. When Peter asked her why she could see Aslan and he couldn’t she replied, “Perhaps you weren’t looking.” How many times have I missed seeing Jesus simply because I wasn’t looking? How many times have I walked by opportunities he had created for me because I had my mind somewhere else? How many blessings have I missed out on by failing to follow his leading because I already had a plan that didn’t need him? I want to be like Lucy… I want to see through eyes of faith.

FORGETTING OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND OUR DELIVERER

During another scene, Peter makes a plan to attack the castle of Lord Miraz. As the plan is debated, warriors dedicate themselves to fighting to the death. Lucy makes an interesting observation. She says, “it is though there are no other options. You will die here, or die there. Perhaps you are forgetting who delivered us the last time.” Lucy clearly understands the need to wait on the power and wisdom of Aslan to lead them. But Peter is tired of waiting. The attack on the castle meets with disaster and creates a powerful picture of how our impatience can have dire consequences… not only for ourselves, but for others. I understand Peter. Maybe too well. I am not a patient man. But I know that I must rely on my deliverer…. even if that means waiting sometimes.

ASLAN IS BOTH GENTLE AND POWERFUL

There is something absolutely captivating to me about a lion being the picture of Jesus Christ. I can’t really explain the internal reaction I have to the image, but it is powerful and it is very moving. What is so awesome about this story is the incredible range of character that our Lord has. When Lucy and Aslan finally meet up, there is warmth and joy, laughter and encouragement. In another scene, Aslan displays strength and power, and even judgment against evil. I know that is who my Lord is. He is all those things and more. There is something about this movie that draws me to him. I want to know him both in his gentleness and encouragement. I also want to know him in his power and strength. I want to have the child-like faith that Lucy has. The kind of faith that sees him above all others. The kind of faith that is willing to wait. The kind of faith that is willing to risk. The kind of faith that shows others that he is real.

You may not like it much as an action movie. You may be like Zach and decide once is enough. But I hope you are willing to let it elevate your faith. And I hope you are willing to let it remind you of what an awesome God we serve.

BTW - The swashbuckling mouse is a hoot. Loved him!

For another thorough review of the Christian perspective, click here to read the post at Christ and Pop Culture.

Archuleta did what he does best - he sang ballads well. But he also showed how limited he is with a very mediocre effort on the Chris Brown song.

Mercado displayed a lot of pizazz and spiciness along with some pretty good vocals. She is a far more interesting and entertaining performer than Archuleta, but she is swimming upstream against the judges. They are clearly in the camp of the Davids.

Cook had a misstep with the middle song by Switchfoot. Great choice, poor execution. But at least that was sandwiched between two other very good performances. He is by far the most versatile and marketable of the three. He should easily win.

The question for tomorrow night will be if the voters are swayed by the pronouncements of the judges or if they will elevate Mercado into the final against Cook. We’ll see.

Tonight we’ll get the answer to that last question. For my money, I’d rather watch Syesha perform than Archuleta, but we know he has legions of teeny-boppers and undoubtedly some love-sick women in his corner and Syesha doesn’t have. They will not be swayed. What’s up for grabs are the “Independent” voters. Just like the presidential election, this week probably hangs in the balance of uncommitted voters and how they react to last night, and how they react to the judges clear preference for DA vs DC.

Will it be David vs David….

or Cook & Mercado?

Tune back in for live coverage of tonight’s elimination. Right here!

Non-Elimination Stuff

• The best thing about the group songs is that they are almost over.
• Fantasia - I really grew to like her during the season she won because she overcame a lot and had a Macy Gray kind of voice. I still think she has the ability to sing like crazy, but I wasn’t too crazy about this song. I didn’t understand half the words and there was a lot of screaming… but maybe it’s just me.

RESULTS - WHO’S IN TROUBLE…

• Archuleta - First one out on stage is DA. There’s no way that they are going to officially declare his position, or anybody’s position for that matter this early in the show. OK…they’re doing the “going home” videos. Teeny-bopper girls everywhere (and a few of the older variety). These are his voters. this will be tough for Mercado to beat. Sheesh! (or Syesha).
• Mercado - It must be sort of overwhelming for these kids to show up in their hometowns and experience something like this. it must be somewhat surreal. I hope they all take in as much of it as they can because there may never be anything else like it again. I understand the tears. They are certainly tears of joy. Regardless of what happens, I hope the moment remains with them long from now.
• Cook - How about that… he only went to the audition to support his bro!  How’s that for a kick in the pants for little bro?  Interesting thing about watching the video segment is that it seems that Cook really does have the most diverse fan base.  It seems to span ages… and has both men and women, boys and girls.  That’s the kind of fan base that can sustain a stronger career than the purely female base that I saw for Archuleta.

Ok… we’re coming down to the wire.  Something is getting ready to happen.

AND THE LOSER OF THE “CLOSE ENOUGH TO SNIFF THE FINALS” ROUND IS……

Syesha Mercado… Well, the judges got their wish and the long predicted finale is now a reality.  It’s really no great surprise, but I thought that she really had a chance to upset Archuleta.  She has shown a lot more personality than DA and is far more interesting to watch.  She’s been in the bottom so many times, I don’t think this was much of a surprise to her.  She reacted as if it were a given.  And while I have thought for weeks it would wind up with DA vs DC, I would rather have had her in the championship round.  Oh well, it will be the Little D against the Big D.  I’m expecting Big D to put a hurting on Little D.

Good luck, Syesha.  I hope you enjoyed your moment.  And maybe you’ll have a few more.

JUDGES PICKS

• David Archuleta - A Billy Joel song is a pretty natural pick for DA, but it’s a broken record in terms of style. I must give him credit for the acapella start. Very confident, and very strong. He was rock-solid with it. I never have any real complaints with his ability, just that he lacks personality and depth, aka believability. All in all. a very strong performance though.
• Syesha Mercado - An Alicia Keys song is a bold and big opportunity for her to rise above DA. She has finally reached the stage in the competition where her personality actually shines through and complements the song. The song was challenging with lots of runs, but she delivered beautifully. She is a real player to make the finals.
• David Cook - Cowell’s pick for DC is really out of left field. A Roberta Flack song for a rocker dude. Nothing predictable about that one. But DC can really show some chops and versatility here, which I know he has. While it may not be the best thing he’s ever done, it is a huge complement that he can pull off something like this song. And the final notes were really strong.

PERSONAL CHOICES

• DA - A Chris Brown song may give him a chance to raise his game a bit. He’s been locked into ballads for a long time. And stumbling onto center stage, DA is showing his limited range. I give him credit for trying to show something different, but what he’s really showing is that he can’t successfully move out of his box. Plus, the believability factor plays into this one too. Trouble is brewing.
• SM - Fever has the potential to be really, really different. And after DA showed his limited range, SM has the chance to really put him under the bus with this one. What in the world has gotten into this girl? This is not the same girl that sange in the first 4-6 rounds. Big props for this as a personal choice. Very creative and I think successful. I’m really surprised by the critique of Abdul and Cowell. I don’t think she will regret it. Far more entertaining than the song DA just did.
• DC - Picking a Switchfoot song is really surprising. Switchfoot is a popular contemporary Christian band. Most people probably will not be familiar with this song, but he actually is far off the original artist’s quality. This is another surprise, because Switchfoot performs this MUCH, MUCH better, and I would have thought DC would match them. Critique may depend on their familiarity with it. At least Randy knows them, and knows he missed it.

PRODUCER CHOICES

• DA - Singing another snoozer song, DA does the Dan Fogleberg song, “Longer”. Fogleberg is actually a Peoria, IL native, where I am blogging from. This song is much more in tune with DA’s abilities. He’s good at what he’s good at… he’s the ballad man. I think Randy wants him to sing the phone book… just a guess.
• SM - Another up-tempo song for her. She has become an actual performer, not just a singer. Maybe that’s the best description of the difference between her and DA… he’s purely a singer. It appears to me that the judges are still pulling for the David vs David finale. I don’t know why. Archuleta is as exciting as watching wall paper dry. At least she offers some spice.
• DC - I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing seems like a good pick for him. But he seems to still be a little off. Looks like he’s starting to settle into the song though and hit his stride. Very good finish. I think the crowd liked it.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Archuleta did what he does best - he sang ballads well. But he also showed how limited he is with a very mediocre effort on the Chris Brown song.

Mercado displayed a lot of pizazz and spiciness along with some pretty good vocals. She is a far more interesting and entertaining performer than Archuleta, but she is swimming upstream against the judges. They are clearly in the camp of the Davids.

Cook had a misstep with the middle song by Switchfoot. Great choice, poor execution. But at least that was sandwiched between two other very good performances. He is by far the most versatile and marketable of the three. He should easily win.

The question for tomorrow night will be if the voters are swayed by the pronouncements of the judges or if they will elevate Mercado into the final against Cook. We’ll see.