Coming to a Close

For those of you who aren’t in the know about TV, last week was full of finales. How I Met Your Mother ended its nine-year run on Monday. Thursday was the last episode of the short-lived series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. And Friday night, we said goodbye to Raising Hope, probably the most self-aware comedy on television. I love all of these shows, so it was a bit of a rough week for me, having to say goodbye to so many favorites. But, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

I am currently in a period of my life that includes a lot of “last times.” This is my last semester as an undergraduate. I recently came back from my last college Spring Break. I’m about to finish my last college paper, give my last presentation, and take my last round of final exams. Right now, my life feels like a series of mini-finales, and each one comes with a sudden realization that I’m never going to experience these things again. That’s a lot to handle.

As I’m experiencing all of these “last times,” I’ve decided to reflect on closure and what you’re supposed to do when you come to a place in your life that feels like an end. Here are a few things I’m trying to keep in mind.

1. Cherish the experiences… and learn from them.

The past four years have been wonderful. I am so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, for the things I’ve learned, and for the people I’ve met along the way. All of those things have been so real, and they’ve contributed to who I am today. I’ll never forget my time at Hendrix College and what an impact it has had on my life.

And just like I can get on Netflix and re-live my favorite TV shows after they end, I can cherish the memories of my time at college. The fact that this time in my life is ending doesn’t change the fact that it happened, and it was great. I can always look back on these great times I’ve had and reminisce with friends about all the fun stuff that we did in college. I’ll cherish that forever.

I’ll also learn from these experiences. Now that this phase of my life is coming to a close, it’s the perfect time to look back and not only enjoy the memories, but also get something meaningful out of them that I can use in the future. I’ve changed a lot over the past four years, in some ways for the good and in some ways maybe not so much. I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would, and now is a good time to contemplate what I’ve learned so that I can apply it in the future and change even more for the better in my next phase of life.

2. Don’t get stuck in the past.

I’m an extremely nostalgic person. I’ve written about that before. So when I come to these points in my life where things are changing, I have a tendency to fight that change. I’m happy with the way my life has been lately, so why would I want it to change? College has been so great to me. Why not just stay forever?

But the truth is that change happens, and it’s for the good. There’s a reason this time in my life is ending. I’ve learned what I was supposed to learn as an undergraduate, and now it’s time to move on. If I don’t accept that, then I’ll hold myself back and keep myself from being able to enjoy the memories of my college years and what’s to come.

You can’t live in the past. The world keeps spinning whether we like it or not. But change isn’t a bad thing, and there’s no reason to fear it. Letting go of the past opens us up to wonderful new possibilities, and that’s what I find myself looking at right now.

3. Get excited about the future.

I truly believe that my best days are ahead of me. It’s not that my past hasn’t been great. I’m just very optimistic about the future and what God has in store for me at seminary and beyond. I hope I always live my life as if my best days are ahead, because I know that God has a bright future planned for me. And He has the same in store for you if you’re following Him.

The future offers unlimited possibilities. There are millions of different roads I can take, countless different ways my life could go. And they’re all exciting and interesting and hopeful. I can’t wait to see which way I end up going. It’s like a really awesome mystery that’s going to unfold right before my eyes in time.

Because every end is also a new beginning. My college years are drawing to a close, and the rest of my life is starting. How cool is that? If you’re like me and you’re experiencing a closing period in your life, then you’re also getting ready for something new. Let us cherish this time in our lives, but hold on to it with a loose grip, because it will soon be gone. The future is bright, and it’s just around the corner. Let’s make this new phase in our lives even better than the last.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

I’ve decided to deem this year the Year of Midnight Premieres. I’ve only been to one midnight premiere before (The Dark Knight Rises), but there are some movies coming out this year that are so good, I can’t wait until Friday night to see them. I have to see them as soon as I possibly can. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was one of those movies.

Fortunately for me, midnight premieres may be going out of style and giving way to 8:00 pm premieres. Instead of showing the movie at midnight, several theaters showed the new Captain America movie at 8:00 pm on Thursday night. This probably broadened the appeal of seeing the movie early, and may have had something to do with The Winter Soldier becoming Fandango’s most pre-sold movie in history. But either way, I was sitting comfortably and wide-eyed at 8:00 Thursday night for the premiere of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and it was awesome.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the newest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’s the movie that most directly ties The Avengers with its upcoming sequel The Avengers: Age of Ultron. If you saw The Avengers and plan to see Age of Ultron, you’ll probably want to watch The Winter Soldier, because it’s a pretty important link between the two. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Even as a film independent of the MCU, The Winter Soldier is great. It’s both a superhero film and a spy thriller, something you wouldn’t normally think would work well together. But it actually turns out to be intriguing and still true to the superhero genre. Marvel took a chance with The Winter Soldier, and it payed off.

The cast is just incredible. You’ve got Chris Evans as Captain America, Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. We’ve seen all of these characters before, but we see more of Black Widow and Nick Fury than in any other film, and I’m glad. I’ve always wanted to know more about these two, and The Winter Soldier gives them lots of screen time. Other major characters include Anthony Mackie as Falcon, Cobie Smulders as Agent Hill, and Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, a member of the mysterious World Security Council. The characters and actors they chose for this movie were perfect.

This movie is also downright funny. It’s not meant to be a comedy, but the humor is perfectly timed and directed. You will laugh out loud when you watch The Winter Soldier. The comedy doesn’t take away from the action or the suspense, but it’s definitely there, and I love it.

Another great thing about The Winter Soldier is the relationship between Cap and the Soldier. In case you haven’t heard yet, I won’t give the Soldier’s identity away, but he has a history with the Captain, and that history affects some of the decisions that Captain America makes. It’s very cool to see Captain America’s internal struggle, as he’s been a fairly strait-forward character thus far.

And Marvel never lets you forget that no matter which movie you’re watching, you’re always a part of a bigger universe. There are several references to what the other Avengers are up to during the film, and even references to new characters that we’ll probably see in the near future. Keep an eye out for these references when you watch.

The stakes in The Winter Soldier are unbelievably high. It’s hard to imagine how the writers could top The Avengers, where the fate of the world is at stake, but they somehow managed to do it. You really care about what happens in The Winter Soldier, and the events of the movie will have ripple effects throughout the rest of the MCU. If you only see one Phase 2 movie before Age of Ultron, this one should be it. It ties directly into the Avengers sequel, which is shaping up to be pretty awesome. Check out Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and let me know what you thought of it!

March 2014

Hello, friends! I hope you’re having a great April Fools’ Day. Can you believe it’s already been 2014 for three months? That just seems crazy to me. But, since it’s a new month, it’s time for a life update. Here’s what’s been going on in my life in March.

I was supposed to start March by preaching at two different churches in one day, but the weather was bad, so both churches had to cancel. I was pretty disappointed, but these things happen. I’m very thankful for all the ministry opportunities I’ve been given lately, and I love serving any way that I can.

My fellow Religious Studies seniors and I went to Fort Worth earlier this month for the Southwestern Conference on Religious Studies (also known as SWCRS). We had a good time hanging out and listening to people present their papers. I even got to see my friends Walt present his senior thesis, which was really cool. Watching other people present inspired me to finish my thesis and gave me some preparation for my presentation in front of my peers and professors in May.

Speaking of my thesis, I finished it! Or the first draft, at least. A couple of weeks ago, I made that fateful click and sent my thesis off to be graded. It was a proud moment, but it also made me nervous. Handing something over for revision that you’ve been working on for so long can be very scary. But I feel good about the work I’ve done, and I was happy to have a break from writing.

Last week was Spring Break, and I made the most of it. I went to Cabot to visit with my friend Ross. He and I had fun catching up and watching Mr. Peabody and Sherman. On Sunday, I preached morning and night at Ozark Free Will Baptist Church. The people were really hospitable, and I think it all went pretty well. Of course, I also spent a lot of time with Aiden over the break, and I even got to go to Springdale to visit Clayton, Shelby, and their precious son Collin (pictured above). It was a much-needed break full of quality time with friends and family, plenty of sleep, and lots of TV.

Now, I’m back at school and getting back to work. I’ve got to revise my thesis and finish my other two classes, but graduation is right around the corner. I’m going to try to fully enjoy my last couple of months as an undergrad. March has been a great month, and April is already shaping up to be even better. Thank you guys for keeping up with my life and for joining me on this journey. I hope everything is going well, and I would love to hear from you. Have a great April! I’ll see you on Saturday when I review Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

As Told By Ginger

Remember the good old days? Back before papers and deadlines and bills? Back when all you did was go to school and then rush home to catch your favorite show on TV? Yeah, those were the days. My generation has experienced an early onset of nostalgia that makes us long for those days, and we relive them by re-watching old TV shows that used to mean a lot to us. At least, that’s what I did over Spring Break. I watched all 60 episodes of As Told By Ginger.

I’m sure most of you reading this remember As Told By Ginger. It aired on Nickelodeon from 2000 to 2003. You know, back when cartoons were good. As Told By Ginger tells the story of Ginger, a girl who is just trying to fit in and survive junior high (and later high school). It is told through the lens of her diary, which we often see her writing in. ATBG is a very down-to-earth show that simply tells Ginger’s story, and it’s a very compelling one.

If you don’t remember As Told By Ginger, you might still be familiar with the animation style. The show was produced by Klasky Csupo, the same company responsible for such gems as Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, and Rocket Power. But what sets this show apart is that it isn’t marketed toward children. As Told By Ginger aired during Nickelodeon’s TeenNick block and was meant to appeal to preteens and teens. So although there are some similarities to other cartoons of the time, ATBG is also very different.

My favorite thing about As Told By Ginger is that the show deals with some real issues. It’s meant to entertain, but it also does more than that. Ginger and her friends have to face some very tough challenges that preteens and teens also deal with in real life. Ginger’s parents are divorced, and she tries to build a relationship with her estranged father throughout the series. In one episode, Ginger writes a sad poem and is believed to suffer from depression. One of the final episodes features a breakup scene that’s as heartwrenching and real as anything you’ll see in a live action drama. Other themes explored are betrayal, first love, substance abuse, growing up, and even death. As Told By Ginger isn’t afraid of taking these issues head-on and dealing with them in a very real way, and that’s something that I appreciate a lot.

The characters on the show are just wonderful. The show focuses mainly on Ginger and her best friends Dodie and Macie. Darren, the classic boy next door, is also a main character. Ginger is taken under the wing of popular girl Courtney and thus develops a rivalry with Courtney’s best friend Miranda. But the show also focuses on Ginger’s family. Lois, Ginger’s mom, plays a key role, and most episodes feature some kind of storyline involving Carl (Ginger’s little brother), Hoodsey (Dodie’s little brother), and Blake (Courtney’s little brother) and their middle school hijinks. The show has a great cast, and they interact in hilarious, unexpected ways throughout the series.

Being a teen show, As Told By Ginger also breaks some cartoon conventions. The characters change outfits to show a change of day, which was probably a lot of work but adds to the show’s credibility. The characters also change in appearance over time, just like the show’s audience. Darren especially shows dramatic change over time, going from wimpy brace-face to hulking football stud. But all of the characters show some development, and I think that’s pretty cool.

As most good things do, As Told By Ginger ended long before it should have. It only ran for three seasons, and even some of those episodes didn’t air until years after they had been produced. It’s a bit of a shame, but thanks to the Internet, all of the episodes can be watched online. The show also airs on the TeenNick channel from time to time. I think As Told By Ginger is a great show that has a lot to offer. If you used to watch it, it can give you that nice sense of nostalgia people my age are so fond of. And if you’ve never seen it before, the show has a lot of heart and some great life lessons that anyone can appreciate. Check out As Told By Ginger and re-live one of the greatest cartoons (or maybe even one of the greatest shows) to ever grace television.

Little Things

The other night, I went to Walmart to buy some snacks (as college students tend to do when they should be doing their homework). As I walked up to the register to pay for my items, I did something out of habit. I asked the cashier how she was doing. She told me she was good, and then she paused. She looked at me and said, “You know, I’ve been working here all night, and you’re the first person to ask me how I’m doing.”

Wow. What a sad thought. This nice woman had been interacting with people all night, providing a service for them, and not one of them had bothered to simply ask, “How are you?” I don’t know about you, but that really struck me. It broke my heart a little bit. Maybe a little more than a little bit.

Sometimes, all I need is just to know that someone out there somewhere cares about me. When I’m feeling sad and alone, all I want is for someone to look me in the eye and tell me I mean something to them. That they notice me. That they care about what I’m feeling and about my well-being.

I don’t think we get that enough. That sense of just feeling acknowledged. Noticed. Cared about. Important. I think we all yearn for that at times, but we just don’t get it enough. We live in a society that oftentimes puts us down and makes us feel like nothing. Like we’re just a number, or less than a number. But we don’t have to feel that way. You don’t have to feel that way.

You are important. You are noticed. You are loved. And if no one’s told you that in a while, I am sincerely sorry. But I’m telling you now because it’s true.

This world needs some encouragement. There are people all around you every day who are struggling. Some of them may feel worthless, broken, even unloved. You may find yourself there right now. We all need some encouragement from time to time. But the good news is that there’s plenty to go around. All we have to do is share it.

What if we took one second out of our busy days to put down the to-do lists and the homework and the work projects and whatever else and just connect with one person around us? What if you took the time to look someone in the eye today and ask, “How are you doing?” and really mean it? Or even just smile at a stranger on the street? Do you have any idea what kind of difference you could make in a person’s life if you just took one second to show someone that they matter?

It really is the little things that often mean the most. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a crummy day turned completely around by a simple smile from a stranger I passed on the street. Or how many times I’ve felt really alone until someone came to me and sincerely asked me how I was doing. It didn’t cost them much time. It really wasn’t a big deal. But it meant the world to me. It showed me that I was important to someone, and that was enough.

Did I change that cashier’s life by asking her how she was doing? Probably not. But did I give her a little boost that helped get her through the rest of her shift? I like to think so. Little things can go a long way if they’re done in love. Give someone some encouragement today. Do one little thing for someone else. You never know how big an effect one little thing may have.