What is a revolutionary without love?

Perhaps one of the most unnoticed actors, but also easily one of my favorites, Benicio del Toro (21 Grams, Snatch, the Usual Suspects) stars in a movie about the life and work of Che Guevara. The 4 plus hour movie will air in the United States in two parts (as none of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films made it to that length). One can watch the trailer here.

Admittedly, I fall in the category of "not knowing very much about Che Guevara" aside from seeing people (many of whom probably fall in the same category) wear t-shirts bearing his image religiously across the United States. And from an article in The Washington Times that one can access here (I think if you're on the facebook-imported version of my blog, the links may not work), it appears that the movie softens the image of Che in various places. Thus, I would encourage all to see the movie (I haven't yet, but really really want to) and then to do a bit of research on their own.

Final word: Benicio del Toro is the man.

Things that I really like right now....

Take a look if you want--this is kind of random.

TV on the Radio. They are an incredibly fresh band and write amazing lyrics. The song that really grabs me is DLZ, especially the first two stanzas. They read:

Congratulations on the mess you made of things;
On trying to reconstruct the air and all that brings.
And oxidation is the compromise you own
But this is beginning to feel like the dog wants her bones
saved

You force your fire then you falsify your deeds
Your methods dot the disconnect from all your creeds
And fortune strives to fill the vacuum that it feeds
But this is beginning to feel like the dog's lost her lead

Super harsh, but super raw. The song is obviously about hypocrisy, specifically in America, but I think they leave the lyrics the way they are for open interpretation.

Charles H. Spurgeon. I just started reading his devotional book, Morning & Evening, last night. Typically I do not like the short devotionals on one verse of scripture, but I really like what I've been reading--maybe it's just Spurgeon or more likely God (highly more likely).

The Watson Twins blog. Also fresh. And outright hilarious.

Finally, the Blind Boys of Alabama concert was incredible. Gospel concerts always are, but especially with such legends.

Brandon Flowers, Elton John.

Well my friends, I never expected to be using Brandon Flowers' name right along side that of Elton John--much less with respect to Christmas. Nonetheless, Brandon Flowers (the lead singer of the uber fun band, the Killers) released a Christmas single in which he sings with Elton John and Neil Tennant. I don't know why it took me so long to discover this--the killers for three years running have released a Christmas single, but I am super glad I did discover this.

So y'all better go check out the song "Joseph, better you than me" by the Killers, Elton John, and Neil Tennant.

Please excuse my musical nerdiness, sir

So, first things first, the Watson Twins are hilarious. I'm sorry, but I died of laughter reading their most recent blog (found at http://thewatsontwins.blogspot.com/). You should all check it out.

Second, the Watson Twins have an EP coming in February!!!!! They're first EP had its moments, but they were few. Their debut album, however, rocked my socks off. That being said, I'm super stoked for the EP.

oh bed of steel, be my winding wheel

Sometimes you stumble across just the right thing you need to hear for the situation you're in. Today, that happened to me in reading "The Cross of Christ" by John R. W. Stott (who looks extraordinarily similar to Bilbo Baggins). Here's what I read, perhaps it will help you too:

"If our peace-making is to be modeled on our heavenly Father's, however, we will conclude at once that it is quite different from appeasement. For the peace that God secures is never cheap peace, but always costly. He is indeed the world's preeminent peacemaker, but when he determined on reconciliation with us, his "enemies" who had rebelled against him, he "made peace" through the blood of Christ's cross (Col 1:20). To reconcile himself to us, and us to himself, and Jews, Gentiles and other hostile groups to each other, cost him nothing less than the painful shame of the cross. We have no right to expect, therefore, that we will be able to engage in conciliation work at no cost to ourselves, whether our involvement in the dispute is as the offending or offended party, or as a third party anxious to help enemies to become friends again.

What form might the cost take? Often it will begin with sustained, painstaking listening to both sides, the distress of witnessing the mutual bitterness and recriminations, the struggle to sympathize with each position, and the effort to understand the misunderstandings that have caused the communication breakdown. Honest listening may uncover unsuspected faults, which will in their turn necessitate their acknowledgment without resorting to face-saving subterfuges. If we are ourselves to blame, there will be the humiliation of apologizing, the deeper humiliation of making restitution where this is possible, and the deepest humiliation of all, which is to confess that the deep wounds we have caused will take time to heal and cannot light-heartedly be forgotten. If, on the other hand, the wrong has not been done by us, then we may have to bear the embarrassment of reproving or rebuking the other person, and thereby risk forfeiting his or her friendship. Although the followers of Jesus never have the right to refuse forgiveness, let alone to take revenge, we are not permitted to cheapen forgiveness by offering it prematurely when there has been no repentance. "If your brother sins," Jesus said, "rebuke him," and only then "if he repents, forgive him" (Lk 17:3)."

-From "The Cross of Christ" by John Stott (a book I highly recommend reading)