Hello, friends! If you were expecting this blog post to be an in-depth review and analysis of the popular Taylor Swift song, I’m sorry to disappoint. Although I do enjoy that song, the reason this week’s Stuff Devon Likes article is called 22 is that it’s doubling as a life update. Today is my 22nd birthday!
That’s right. I can officially say that I’m “feeling 22” and not be lying. Although I’m not doing anything particularly spectacular today, and I don’t feel any different than I did yesterday, I still thought today would be a good opportunity to reflect. And so I’ve decided to write this week’s Stuff Devon Likes post about birthdays. If you’d like to hear my thoughts on the subject, read on.
I’ve never completely understood the big deal about birthdays. I mean, it’s nice to have all these people texting me, writing on my Facebook wall, and sending me cards wishing me a happy birthday, but I don’t totally get it. It doesn’t particularly feel different from any other day. It’s not like I’m completely different today than I was yesterday, when I was a mere 21 years of age. But for some reason, it’s a big deal that today is my birthday.
What is a birthday, anyway? Is it just a celebration of the anniversary of one’s birth? We all know how much people love anniversaries. We even celebrate the anniversaries of horrible atrocities. And I’ve got an app on my phone called Timehop that tells me exactly what I was doing and sharing a year ago today, making everyday the anniversary of something. But I think a birthday is somehow more than that. Sure the date coincides with the date of your birth, but it can’t just be about the anniversary.
Maybe it’s a celebration that you’re getting older. We do have milestone birthdays, after all. When you turn five, you know you’re going to start school soon. Sixteen-year-olds get to drive. When you turn 18, you’re an adult and assumably almost done with high school. Twenty-two is the age that a lot of people are when they finish college nowadays. So maybe, at least up to a certain point, birthdays are used to celebrate the fact that you’re getting older and moving up to a new place in society. But our society also puts a huge emphasis on youth, and a lot of people start to dread birthdays as they get older because it’s a reminder of their aging, so I don’t think that’s completely it, either.
I think ultimately, birthdays are just special days where you take a little extra time to acknowledge people and let them know you’re glad they’re in your life. It’s not that you couldn’t do that on any other day. But birthdays offer a special reminder once a year to connect with someone and say, “Hey, I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you’re doing well.” To me, that’s what makes birthdays so special. It’s a nice reminder of all the people that care about you and are invested in your life. That’s why I love my birthday, and that’s why I love telling people happy birthday on their special days. To remind them that they’re important to me, even if it’s just by saying a few simple words.
So thank you to everyone who has wished me a happy birthday today. You’ve all made it very special. Twenty-one was a great year, but I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me at 22. I know it’s going to be a great one, and I’m excited to share it with each of you. Have a great day, and I’ll see you guys on Tuesday!
Well, another month has come and gone. That just blows my mind. I can’t believe June is already over! Between church camp, the mission trip, and working at the church, it’s all gone by so fast! But here we are on July 1, so it’s time for another life update blog post. Here’s what I’ve been up to in June.
For me, June was a month of traveling. I was gone three weeks this month, literally starting on June 1. That was the first day of teen camp at Camp Beaverfork. I stayed with the Cavanaugh teens and the praise band from Maple. We had a good time. I ran computer for the worship services and classes, so I managed to avoid spending too much time in the sun. But it was fun to hang out with the guys and to worship God with a good group of teens, even if the numbers were a little low because a lot of schools were still in session.
Teen camp ended on Thursday afternoon, so while I was in the area, I went to Cabot to visit with my friend Ross. We went to lunch and then saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (my third time to see it, still so good). It was nice to catch up with him for a bit. Then I went home, worked Friday, and relaxed Saturday. But on Sunday, it was time to hit the road again.
I wasn’t able to go to junior high week of camp because that was the week my church went on our mission trip to Hillsdale College in Moore, OK. We painted the dorms, replaced the furniture in their lobby, and even renovated the outside of one of the buildings. It was a lot of hard work, but it was rewarding, and everyone loved being able to spend time with our friends from the Alabama children’s home who came to work with us. After we finished working, we got to spend a day in Oklahoma City taking the kids back-to-school shopping. I was privileged to get to go shopping with my friend Seth, and we found him some awesome new clothes. It was a really fun trip.
When we got home from the mission trip on Friday, I was exhausted. I did my best to recuperate during my day and a half at home. On Sunday morning, I led children’s services at Ozark Free Will Baptist Church, and then I had Father’s Day lunch with my family. After that, it was time for my last road trip of the month.
I headed back to Camp Beaverfork for two back-to-back sessions of kids camp. During the first session, I stayed with the Cavanaugh group, and the second session, I counseled a couple of boys from Ozark who didn’t have an adult with them. I had fun hanging out with the kids and running computer and sound during services and classes. Who doesn’t love a little bit of children’s worship from time to time? But by the time Saturday rolled around, I was ready to come home.
So now my life is temporarily back to normal, if you can call it that. I’m back at home and working at the church every day. There’s some really exciting stuff going on at Cavanaugh Church right now, and I’m putting my all into it, so I guess you could say I’m the good kind of tired. But I’m loving every second of it, and I’m trying to learn and do as much as I can during my limited time here.
I’m starting to realize just how close my big move to Waco is. I’m applying for jobs in the area, and I looked at my calendar recently and accidentally discovered the first big church event that I’m going to have to miss because I’ll be away. It was a sad moment, but it’s also very exciting. I can’t wait to study God’s word and His work full-time, and I know He’s leading me to Waco for a purpose.
My running is going really well. I’ve been doing it for six weeks now, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I’m feeling good, eating better, and just really satisfied with the way things are going. The next step is to start meditating, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while but never got around to. I started it yesterday, so I’ll let you know in my July update how it goes.
To those of you who actually read down this far, thank you for keeping up with my life! I’ve got a lot going on, and I love sharing it with each of you. I’d love to hear what you’re up to, so contact me, and we’ll talk. Have a great July, friends, and I’ll see you later!
Everyone know that superhero movies are all the rage right now. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is booming with a new installment, Guardians of the Galaxy, coming in just a little over a month, and we can hardly go a day without hearing some new rumor about Zack Snyder’s upcoming superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which isn’t due for another two years. But the superhero craze isn’t limited to just the big screen. It’s leaking onto television as well.
TV shows based on superheroes or superhero universes are everywhere. Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD debuted least year with a big splash. This year alone, we’ll be seeing a new show from Marvel (Agent Carter) and three new shows from DC (Flash, Constantine, and Gotham). And next year, Marvel will be releasing its first Netflix original show, Daredevil. But before all of these shows, there was already a superhero TV show thriving on The CW. It’s called Arrow, and it’s the subject of Stuff Devon Likes this week.
I had heard of the Green Arrow before, but I didn’t know anything about him. His popularity pales in comparison to other DC heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. But I knew that The CW had chosen to make a show about him and that it was proving pretty popular. I was skeptical of the show at first because of the network that it’s on, but I stumbled across the DVD one day at Target and was so intrigued by the description that I just had to give it a try.
Arrow tells the story of Oliver Queen, a young billionaire who spends five years marooned on a remote island after his father’s ship, the Queen’s Gambit, unexpectedly sinks off the coast of China. The series begins with Oliver’s discovery and subsequent return home and tells the story of his transformation from a cocky playboy to a vigilante bent of righting the wrongs of his father and saving his city from the corruption that threaten to destroy it.
Along the way, Oliver tries to navigate his new life at home, his new place at his father’s company, and his relationship with his family, including his mother, younger sister, and surprise stepfather. He also has some personal wrongs to right, specifically with Laurel, his ex-girlfriend whose sister joined him on the Queen’s Gambit when it crashed, and Laurel’s father Detective Lance. Other important characters include Oliver’s best friend Tommy, his bodyguard Diggle and his tech-savvy friend Felicity Smoke.
But the show isn’t just about what happens to Oliver after he returns home. Most episodes switch back and forth between current events and flashbacks to what happened to Oliver during the five years he was on the island. Usually, the two stories are related in some way, and revelations about what happened on the island have important implications for Oliver once he’s returned to Starling City. It turns out Oliver didn’t just sit around for five years on the island. He had companions and went through a lot while he was there, resulting in a very different Oliver than the one who left five years before.
By day, a businessman and reckless billionaire. By night, a vigilante who dons and green hood and puts arrows in bad guys. The story pretty much writes itself. But as Oliver tries to save his city, he discovers more about his father’s misdeeds and just how close to the brink of collapse his city is. He enlists help, makes allies, and also creates a few enemies along the way. The show has amazing plot twists that take a long time to play out but are certainly worth the wait, and that’s what I love to see in a TV show.
Arrow will begin it third season in the fall, and it’s even become popular enough to get its own spin-off, Flash, which obviously centers around Barry Allen, also known as The Flash. I’m getting close to the end of season two, and I’m very excited about where this show is headed. Season one was great, but it was ultimately just and introduction and a setup for some absolutely fantastic plot twists in season two. And I’m sure we can expect to see more next year.
The show has been extremely successful, so I imagine that it has the potential to last a long time. I think five season would probably be ideal because that would give the creators enough time to tell us the full story of Oliver’s five years on the island and what happens in the following five years. It may last longer than that, but then it would lose the parallel structure, and I don’t think that would be as cool. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what The CW does with it.
Regardless, Arrow is a really cool show that you should definitely check out. It’s got action, romance, moral dilemmas, and even a little business drama, all wrapped up in an awesome superhero show. What more could you ask for? Check out Arrow on Netflix or DVD, and get caught up before Arrow season three and its spinoff Flash debut on The CW in the fall. Thank you guys for reading. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you Tuesday!
I like to consider myself a fairly successful person for someone my age. I just finished undergraduate school, and I’m about to start seminary. I have a great job that I love and a good social network of family of friends that I can depend on. I’ve accomplished some things that I’m proud of, and I feel like I’ve made at least some minor impacts in other people’s lives. I have a lot to be happy about. And yet, I often look at other people and wonder why I don’t have what they have. Sometimes, I get jealous.
Generally, I try to be content with what I have. I don’t get jealous often. But I recently had an experience with jealousy that inspired me to write this blog post. I walked into the guest bedroom at my house and found a book. The name of the author also happened to be the name of a guy I graduated from high school with. I was intrigued, so I looked him up, and it turned out that it was his book. He’s the same age as I am, and in the time that I’ve been focusing all of my energy on getting a bachelor’s degree, he’s gotten married, taken a youth pastor position at a church, had twins, graduated college, and published a book.
Wow. That’s a lot for a person to accomplish in four years, and that was a lot for me to process. My reaction was to immediately get jealous. I’ve spent all this time preparing for all these things, and this guy just went and did all of them at once. Why can’t I have a published book and a family of my own and a pastoral position at a church? And to make the situation worse, I read his book, and it was good! I was really jealous, and I let it stew for a few days.
But then I read a verse that completely changed my perspective. It was a part of my daily Bible reading, and it was God’s way of showing me how silly I was being. The verse comes from John 21, and it’s Jesus’ words to Peter when Peter asks Him about another disciple, John.
“Jesus said to him, ‘If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!’” —John 21:22
When I read that verse, I felt like Jesus was speaking directly to me. It penetrated my heart and showed me the truth about my jealousy. It’s none of my concern if God wants to use someone else differently than He uses me. God has different plans for each of us. Someone else’s may look a little more appealing, but that’s not what I’m supposed to be focused on. My focus should be solely set on what God is calling me to do right now.
And when I spend my time being jealous and focusing on what someone else has, I can’t put my full energy into the ministry that God has called me to do. Jealousy is in it and of itself counterproductive. It doesn’t bring you closer to getting what you want. It simply distracts you from doing what you should be doing in order to be what God has called you to be. And the only time you can be truly content is when you’re in the center of God’s will.
So I’m choosing not to waste my time on jealousy. Instead, I’m going to be thankful for what I do have on focus on being everything that God has called me to be. Only then will I live the best life possible, a life free from jealousy and anything else holding back from the only thing that matters: serving God. If you’re dealing with jealousy in your life right now, choose contentment instead. Follow Jesus’ command and simply follow Him. He knows what’s best for you, and He’ll give it to you if you’ll follow Him.
Note: The following is my discussion of a major plot point in the new film The Amazing Spider-Man. This post is only meant to be read by people who have already seen the film. Please do not read this post until you’ve already watched the movie, or this post will ruin the movie for you. You have been warned.
On the Death of Gwen Stacy
I have now seen The Amazing Spider-Man 2 three times. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a movie in theaters three times before, but this one was worth it. Each time I watched it, I noticed something new and really enjoyed experiencing it again. And one thing that really stuck out to me was that no matter how many times I watched Gwen Stacy die, it broke my heart every time. No amount of preparation can soften the blow of watching Spider-Man try and fail to save the woman he loves.
Experiencing this heart-wrenching scene over and over again left me with some tough questions that I really wanted to answer. Why is it so hard for us to watch Gwen Stacy die? How could the filmmakers do this to us? How can we (and our good friend Peter Parker) find some meaning in Gwen’s death, and how will Spider-Man as a character and as a franchise carry on without her? I couldn’t touch on any of these questions in my review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 because I didn’t want to give anything important away, but now I’m dedicating a post to contemplating these questions for those of who have already seen the movie. Here are my thoughts on the death of Gwen Stacy and what it will mean for the future of Spider-Man.
First of all, why should we care that Gwen dies? It’s not like we’ve been seeing her in Spider-Man movies for years. This is only the second movie in the rebooted franchise, so we haven’t really had a lot of time to even get to know her. This may be a little different for moviegoers who also happen to read the comic books and therefore already have a connection with Gwen, but I think Gwen’s death was a heartbreaking moment even for viewers who (like me) have never picked up a Spider-Man comic before in their lives.
But Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy is an extremely compelling character. She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s ambitious. Everyone instantly fell in love with her in the first movie, and that love only grew throughout the second one. You just can’t help but root for Gwen Stacy. And you can’t help but root for Gwen and Peter as a couple after witnessing their incredible chemistry in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. When all of a sudden and out of nowhere Gwen’s life ends, it’s a huge shock, and it’s a huge loss because we’re losing an incredible character and also a very compelling power couple at the same time.
It’s also incredibly sad to realize that Gwen died at the peak of her life. She was doing well in college, on the verge of moving to London to study at Oxford. She was doing so well. She was on her way to doing great things. And suddenly, all of that was gone.
On top of that, it’s also heartbreaking when one realizes the implications of Gwen’s death for Peter. The combination of the scene where Peter sits crying, holding Gwen’s body, and begging her to wake up and the next scene where Peter sits silently at her grave for months really demonstrates just what a catastrophic loss this is for Peter. As he says in the film, Gwen is his path. She’s been the one guiding him throughout his entire journey as Spider-Man, and now, without her, he’s lost.
So why would they do this? Why sacrifice Gwen Stacy? The writers had already killed of Captain Stacy, a pretty important character, in the last movie. Was it really necessary to kill another fundamental Spider-Man character, especially another Stacy? Was this a cheap ploy to make the movie more interesting, or is there something deeper going on here? I would argue that Gwen’s death was much more than a money-making scheme.
One recurring theme in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is Peter’s promise to Captain Stacy to stay away from Gwen. Peter can’t decide whether he can keep that promise or not, which puts him in a cycle of getting together with Gwen and then breaking up with her. All along, Gwen just wants to be able to make her own choice. She doesn’t want her father or Peter or anyone else telling her what to do. She is a strong, intelligent, independent woman, and she wants to make her own choice. And ultimately, she does. In the final battle between Spider-Man and Electro, Gwen chooses to intervene. She chooses to put her life in danger. She saves the city. And yes, she ultimately loses her life in the process. But the point is that putting her life in danger is a choice that Gwen makes. No one else makes it for her. Gwen wanted to make her own choices, and in the end, she did.
Her death really brought that point home. If she had made the choice and then been unscathed, it wouldn’t have been as powerful. But after knowing that she ultimately sacrifices her life for the greater good, hearing her say, “It’s my choice,” becomes an extremely bold and powerful statement of her independence. And I think that’s the biggest reason why Gwen had to die in the film.
Another reason for Gwen’s death is to put Peter to the test. As I said before, Gwen is Peter’s path. She’s been his guiding light all along. And now she’s gone. Who is Peter without Gwen? Is he still Spider-Man? Is he even still Peter? We get a glimpse of the answer to that question at the end of the movie when Spider-Man comes out of hiding to fight the Rhino, but the questions are still largely left unanswered. Seeing a Gwen-less Spider-Man in the The Amazing Spider-Man 3 will be interesting, and there are a lot of different directions the writers could go with it.
And that leads me to my final question. Where does the series go from here? Well, as anyone who watched the movie will know, Sony is currently building up to its Sinister Six spin-off movie expected to release in 2018. The Green Goblin, the leader of the Sinister Six, is the one responsible for Gwen Stacy’s death, and Peter Parker isn’t going to forget it. I imagine that Sony will do an origin story for the Sinister Six in the spin-off movie and then have Peter come face-to-face with them in The Amazing Spider-Man 4. Peter will go head-to-head with his childhood best friend, and he won’t be holding anything back in his attempt to avenge Gwen’s death. That’s all just my speculation, but regardless, Gwen’s death certainly raises the stakes for the relationship between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, and that will definitely boil over in future films.
I’m not sure what they’ll do with Spider-Man’s love life now that Gwen’s gone. Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker’s other love interest, was supposed to appear in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 portrayed by the lovely Shailene Woodley, but those scenes were cut out to focus on the relationship between Peter and Gwen. I doubt Shailene will come back to play the role, but I think we’ll definitely be seeing some version of MJ in The Amazing Spider-Man 3. I hope they won’t take that relationship to a romantic level until the fourth film because I think Peter should spend some time on his own mourning Gwen, but only time will tell where the writers will go with that.
Anyway, that’s my take on Gwen Stacy’s death. I’d love to hear yours! You can hit that Contact link at the top of the page, or you can find me on social media. I’d be happy to hear what you think about the whole thing and get a conversation going. Thank you for reading, and check back this Tuesday for a new blog post!
