Month: March 2016

Sarah Fights Movie Fights

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

I am in no way affiliated with or an owner or creator of Movie Fights or Screen Junkies. I’m just a huge fan, and this is meant only as a fun way for me (Sarah) to flex my argument muscles. No copyright infringement or offense or hard feelings are intended.

If you don’t know what Movie Fights is, it’s a youttube show created by Screen Junkies where nerds get to fight about stuff that really matters, namely comic books, movies, and pop culture. Since I, obviously, will never be invited to be on the show, I thought it would be fun to watch their latest movie fight and put my two cents in about what I would argue. Below is a link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luWszLI09R0

Just to be fair, I’m not going to take down the other fighter’s answers, since they can’t respond to me here. I’m just going to present the argument for my choice.

Again, I am not affiliated with Screen Junkies or Movie Fights in anyway.

First Fight: Which Actor Has Had the Best Performance in a Bad Movie?

My answer: Hugh Jackman in X-Men: The Last Stand

First of all, you can’t argue that X-Men: The Last Stand isn’t a bad movie. Just saying the title aloud makes all X-Men fans, and all movie fans, groan. It was so bad that they had to make an entire movie just to undo all the damage that X-Men: The Last Stand did to the franchise.

That being said, Hugh Jackman is still really good in it. He gives Wolverine his usual bravado and charm, but he also really makes the emotional scenes impactful. The movie as a whole doesn’t work, but Hugh Jackman really stands above the rest and rises above the bad material with another solid performance. He could sleepwalk through the movie by that point, but he didn’t. All of the other actors seems bored or lost or just phoning it in, but his performance is on a different level. He brought his A game. He is the best part of an otherwise atrocious movie.

Second Fight: Which Stallone Movie Would Work Better With Arnold?

My Answer: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over

Stallone is so his own person it’s hard to recast him. To make it work for this fight, it has to work BETTER than casting Stallone. I would argue that most of his roles are iconic because of what he brings to them. Even if he’s not an amazing actor, he does what he does very well. Therefore, I looked for a movie where he was absolutely NOT doing what he does best (i.e. being tough and punching people). Comedy is not in his wheelhouse. Children’s movies are not in his wheelhouse. He doesn’t understand them, just like he doesn’t understand comedy. Arnold has more experience doing both comedy and children’s movies (Kindergarten Cop, Twins, Junior, Jingle All the Way), therefore I chose SpyKids 3-D: Game Over to replace Stallone.

Think about it. Arnold would have brought the same level of action stardom to the role. Kids know Arnold probably even better than Stallone, so it would have been just as fun if not more fun for them to see him do this part. Plus, watching Arnold play a villain in a children’s movie would be hilarious. The movie would not miss a beat, and Arnold would bring another layer of goofiness and weird charm to the role than Stallone did.

Fight 3: What Superhero Would You Want To Be For An Entire Year?

My Pick: Superman

This is SO OBVIOUS I can’t even believe no one picked him. OF COURSE I want to BE Superman. He’s basically immortal. He can fly, he’s indestructible, he’s as close to being a god as you can ever get. He isn’t emotionally damaged like Batman. He isn’t a raging alcoholic. He doesn’t have the issues that other heroes have. He’s a good person, he’s a good guy. As long as you go into every situation with Lex just ASSUMING he has kryptonite and make a contingency plan, I’ll be golden. I can literally do and accomplish anything I want.

Fight 4: If You Could Punch One Actor In The Face, Who Would It Be?

My Answer: Tom Hanks

I don’t want to punch anyone in the face ever, so I’m picking someone who’s so nice I can punch him and then immediately apologize, and he’ll not only forgive me I could probably ask him for a hug and he’ll say “okay”. It’s well documented that he’s the nicest guy in show business. He’s amazingly sweet and giving, and he’d forgive me for hurting someone. Anyone else would hold a grudge, and how could I live with myself for that?

Fight 5: Which Movie Character Deserves Its Own Lego Set and Lego Movie?

My Answer: Princess Bride.

Another no-brainer. Princess Bride has amazing sets: The Pit of Despair, the castle, the boat, the Cliffs of Insanity… lots of possibilities for fun and building and recreating your own adventures. There are lots of swords and other weapons and props you could use. You also have pirate, knights, “the man in black”, Andre the Giant, the six-fingered man, the list goes on and on. Every character is iconic and would be instantly recognizable as a Lego piece. The movie also has a lot of humor all ready, so translating it to a movie would be perfectly in line with the canon film without changing much.

Fight 6: Pitch a Blockbuster as a Low-Budget Indie

My Answer: The Dark Knight Rises

Everyone loved The Dark Knight. Everyone loved Batman Begins. What went wrong with The Dark Knight Rises? The answer is that the passion for the characters was gone. The passion for a cohesive story was gone. If Chris Nolan had been forced to focus more on the things that made the first two movies so good, we could have avoided the bloated mess that was The Dark Knight Rises. We know that Christopher Nolan is an incredibly creative director. He’s made movies with low budgets before, and he’s made them look amazing. If instead of just trying to duplicate his box office success he had been forced to get creative again and make things work with very little money, this movie would have been more interesting and more fun for everyone.

These are my answers! I didn’t let myself use the answers any of the fighters used, since that’s the rules. What are your answers? Let me know!

Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

Overall Grade: C-

First of all, there will be some spoilers here so if you care about that kind of thing, see the movie and come back later. I’m not going to go out of my way to spoil things, but I’m not going to avoid it, either. Just giving you fair warning.

You know the characters. You love them. You put a towel around your neck and pretend to be them in the backyard… or maybe that’s just me.

Whatever. Don’t judge me.

Anyway, this is the movie we’ve all been waiting for. Batman and Superman finally on screen together. What could be better?

Turns out, either of them separately.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a terrible movie. There is a lot to like here, and a ton of unrealized potential to be an amazing superhero slam-bang action flick for the ages. Alas, it ultimately falls short.

Let’s start with the positive:

1 – Ben Affleck is actually a good Batman. He’s older and wiser, and a hell of a lot more cynical and jaded, but he still kicks a lot of ass. I like the way this film emphasizes the detective aspect of being Batman, and how he uses each of his personas to the maximum degree to achieve his goals. I also like how secret identities don’t remain too secret to the smart people. It felt right. Also, he uses a voice modifier instead of a gravely voice. Good choice.

2 – Jeremy Irons is a great Alfred. Well, let’s be honest. Jeremy Irons is just great in general. But I like the way this Alfred is always seen doing practical, mechanical things. He’s much more of a partner than a butler. He’s not as quipy as other Alfreds have been, but I’m hoping he’ll have an expanded role in the future so he gets more screen time.

Just let Jeremy Irons be in everything, okay?

3 – The actual Batman versus Superman fight is AWESOME. It’s everything you want it to be, BUT–

(the Bad now)

1 – IT TAKES TOO DAMN LONG TO GET TO THE FIGHT! I mean, come on! It’s CALLED Batman V. Superman! Why does it take almost 2 whole hours to see them go at it?

2 – The movie is bloated and has WAY too much going on. The entire Zod suplot needed to be out of there. The whole focus should have been on the building tension between these two titans, and then their battle, the end. 90 minutes, in and out. A streamlined, simplified script would have been nice. And needed.

3 – Wonder Woman was useless and wasted. Again, that’s because there was too much going on. She should have been integral to the plot, trying to make peace and not wanting to choose sides, even if she has loyalties (which she doesn’t seem to). As it is, in this movie, she doesn’t seem to have a motivation for anything she does. Either give her something to DO, or just cut her out until the next one.

4 – The geography was weird and distracting. It took no one any time to get anywhere, and also since when are Gotham and Metropolis like in eye-sight of each other? Time, space, and scale was all wonky on every level, and it kept taking me out of the movie. I hated that. And you know it’s bad if I’m complaining about it.

5 – When people aren’t punching stuff, it’s boring. When people are punching stuff, it’s confusing.

6 – The chases are terrible, make no sense, and are hard to follow.

7 – Even if she’s played by Amy Adams, Lois Lane is a dumbass that I hate. Always have, always will.

Overall, I wasn’t bored by the film for the most part. It needed to be about an hour shorter, and I’m in no rush to see it again, but it was also uneven and inconsistent. You spend the whole movie thinking you’re building up to one thing, then that happens, then something ELSE happens for another forty minutes. It’s just too much.

Get Your Submissions In Now!

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

The March/April submission period is almost over, so NOW is the time to get your stories in!

You might have some questions, so below learn more about what we’re looking for:

What Can I Submit to UpWriteLadies?

Anything! We will take your fiction or non-fiction pieces, including blog posts! Write about your views on religion, pop culture, art, entertainment, life, politics, or whatever. Or dust off that old story you’ve been working on for months and send it to us! We want to give YOU a forum to share YOUR voice, in whatever form that takes.

Just be sure to check out our submission guidelines first, then send your file to UpWriteLadies@gmail.com!

Why Should I Submit Something?

There are so many reasons!

First of all, winning submissions are posted right here on the first and third Fridays of the month, so your story and your voice can get out there to a broader audience. This will expand your readership and help you influence a whole new circle of amazing women (and men).

Second of all, the entire point of UpWriteLadies is to give YOU a voice. We want all women everywhere to share their passions, whatever those may be.

Thirdly, it’s fun! Every month, you get to see what we’re reading, what we’re loving, and what your fellow women writers are producing. Join the fun! Join the revolution!

 

– Sarah

 

Everything I Know About Being A Woman, I Learned From Roz Doyle By Sarah

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

Few female characters in the history of television have kicked as much butt or taken as many names as Roz Doyle, the amazing radio producer on the sitcom Frasier, played for eleven seasons by Peri Gilpin. I grew up watching episodes of Frasier in syndication, but it wasn’t until the entire run was put up on Netflix that I realized how truly awesome Roz Doyle really is, and how much she taught me about what it means to be a woman in the modern world.

Don’t Apologize for Being Good at Your Job

The first thing Roz taught me is that being good at your job isn’t something to be ashamed of. From the first episode, Roz is an amazing producer, and she makes no bones about it. She never cows to male counterparts or refuses to speak up for fear of offending someone.

Importantly, she doesn’t belittle anyone else or pick fights just for the sake of arguing, either. She is just an extremely competent radio producer with ideas and opinions, and she makes sure her male colleagues take her seriously. She will challenge them when they are wrong, listens to them when they are right, and through sheer tenacity and talent manages to be considered a true equal in every respect. From this example, I learned to be confident in my workplace. I learned not to undersell my talents and abilities, but to be proud of my accomplishments.

Men Don’t Define Me

Unlike many sitcom characters, Roz Doyle doesn’t end up married or in a serious relationship at the end of Frasier. She dated a lot and came close a few times, but in the end she ended up single.

And you know what?

That’s just fine.

Roz was happy being single. She had an amazing daughter she was raising on her own, she had a close network of family and friends who loved and respected her, and she had the career and life she had built for herself over years of struggle and hardships. She was not defined by the man in her life. She defined success on her terms. Of course, she battled the same insecurities as all women do, but the important lesson I learned from her example is that I don’t need a traditional life to be happy. I don’t need to wait for a Prince Charming to rescue me.

I can rescue myself.

Just like Roz.

Men and Women Can Be “Just Friends”

Frasier and Roz are friends.

Just friends.

Sure, they’re both tempted to see if their relationship could be more romantic, and even sleep together at one point, but they immediately recognize it was a horrible mistake. They both know they wouldn’t work as a romantic couple, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be close. They refuse to let that fact ruin the beautiful relationship they do have, however. They don’t have to be lovers to love each other. They will always love each other, no matter what.

And that friendship is more important to either of them than any marriage or dating relationship would ever be.

From this relationship, I learned that it’s okay to have platonic friends. I don’t have to feel awkward about being “just friends”. I don’t have to worry about “the friend zone”. The friend zone can be a pretty awesome place to be.

Unfortunately, there have not been many female sitcom characters who are as strong, dedicated, loyal, and independent as Roz Doyle. Here’s hoping the next generation gets someone as amazing to look up to.

THE SECOND FEBRUARY SUBMISSION WINNER: A Christmas Star Wish by Vanessa Martin

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Below is our second published piece from reader submissions! This week (and only a day late) is Amber’s Pick. It is a fictional children’s short story written by Vanessa Martin.

The reason I picked this piece is ultimately because of the sweet message. Even though it may be hard to get into a Christmas mindset in springtime, once you read the story you’ll be able to feel the chill in the air and the lure of hot chocolate and twinkling lights. I also liked the originality of the two main characters. So here it is. Enjoy!

A CHRISTMAS STAR WISH

By Vanessa Martin

Franklin the Ferret sat all alone in his cage, watching the people walk by. No one ever stopped to hold him or even to talk to him. And if they did look at him, they sometimes would make a weird scrunched nose face. He didn’t understand what was wrong with him. He was friendly, he never bit anyone, and he enjoyed being cuddled. Most ferrets never wanted anything to do with people and some would even nip at their fingers, and those ferrets were always adopted and taken home. But not him!!

Franklin didn’t know why the people were afraid of him. What was so wrong with him that everyone just ignored him?

Well, you see….when Franklin was born, he was born with half a right back leg and he was also blind in his left eye. All the people wanted the animals that were perfect and since he had a handicap, per se, no one wanted him. As the Thanksgiving holiday went by and Christmas grew very near, Franklin would sit all alone looking out the window beside his cage. He started making wishes on the brightest star in the sky, for a family who would love him and want to take him home with them. He wished and wished and wished, and nothing ever happened. No family came and all the people would still walk on by without a glance.

What Franklin didn’t know was that his wishes were heard. They were heard loud and clear at the North Pole by a few of the elves, so they went and told Santa. Santa Claus could see everything happening in the store where Franklin lived and knew that he had to make Franklin’s wish come true. Santa wanted to make sure that Franklin knew and felt the miracle of Christmas. But with Christmas only two days away, he knew he would have to act fast.

***

On the other side of the city, an eight-year-old little boy named Justin sat watching his brother and parents decorate the tree for Christmas. Justin couldn’t participate or get too close because of his wheelchair.

There were only two days left before Christmas and he just wished it was already over. He didn’t believe in Santa anymore-not that he ever had. Getting tired of watching his family do something he couldn’t do made him more depressed. So he turned his chair around to face the window where he could see the snow falling. Glancing up toward the sky, he noticed that the brightest star in the sky was sparkling very intense that night. He just stared at it, too scared to make a wish. Because all the other wishes he had asked for in the past, had never came true.

He always wished that he could walk and play like all the other children, but those wishes never came true. And since he couldn’t walk or see very well, the other kids just made fun of him.

Justin was still hesitant, but he went ahead and made one last wish. Justin wished that he would find someone who could understand what he was going through. Someone who would be there with him through everything that came his way. After making his wish, he turned around and told his parents he was going to go watch one of the Christmas specials that was playing on the television that evening. As he rolled his chair to the next room, he started feeling mad at himself, but also sad at the same time. He didn’t know why he even made a wish; it wasn’t as if anyone would hear it.

What Justin didn’t know was that his wish had made it all the way to the North Pole where a pair of little ears heard it. The elf knew he had to bring this to Santa’s attention. Because no child should ever feel sad at Christmastime.

***

The little elf ran all the way to the woodshop, where Santa was doing inventory for his trip the next night.

The elf spoke so fast that Santa had to tell him to slow down. Once Santa heard about the wish, he looked through his magical snow globe into Justin’s house and could see the tiny little boy with real thick glasses and braces on his legs, sitting in his wheelchair. He could hear the sniffling sounds that were coming from the little boy as he sat watching television, trying not to let any tears fall.

Santa knew right then and there exactly what he was going to do. He could make two wishes come true that holiday season, one for a brave little boy and the other for a furry little animal. He was going to bring Franklin and Justin together.

***

The day before Christmas, Santa walked into the pet shop and went directly to Franklin’s cage, who was watching the people walk by. Santa asked Franklin if he would like to be part of a real family for Christmas. Franklin told Santa that was what he wanted more than anything in the world, and Santa told him that he had heard his wish the night before. Franklin couldn’t believe what was happening. He jumping up and down in his cage with joy. He was finally going to have a family.

Later that evening, Franklin sat beside Santa in his sleigh, all set to meet his new family. He could barely contain his excitement. He watched as Santa made his rounds; all the while Franklin didn’t make a peep. They were almost finished when Santa told him to get prepared.

Santa landed his sleigh on top of a shingled roof and held open his bag. He looked at Franklin and said, “This is your new home. A little boy named Justin lives here. Like you, he has trouble seeing and walking. And I know you will become great pals.” Franklin jumped into Santa’s bag, ready for the trip down the chimney.

Santa filled the stockings with care then ate a few nibbles of cookie and drank a bit of milk, before turning to Franklin and telling him it was time to go under the tree. Franklin jumped out of the bag and into a small cage that had magically appeared when Santa nodded his head. He said good-bye, put his finger to his nose then disappeared back up the chimney.

***

The next morning, Justin made his way to the family room and saw all the presents under the tree. But the one present that caught his eye was a little cage with a bow on it. He rolled his chair over and looked down into it. Looking back at him was Franklin, with his one good eye and his one blind eye. Justin also noticed that the animal only had half a right back leg. Justin yelled out to his mom and dad to come see what was under the tree. They both stood there, shocked, because they knew that the present had not been there last night when they went to bed. The father plucked a card off the top of the cage, while the mother opened it up and took Franklin out. She gently laid him in Justin’s arms and the little boy sat petting him, listening while his father read aloud.

Dear Justin,

I wanted to let you know that your wish was heard loud and clear—all the way to the North Pole. I knew that I had to do something to restore your belief in Santa and show you the Miracle of Christmas, and I hope I have. I would like to introduce you to Franklin. He needs a special friend and I thought of you and how good of a friend you would be. I wish you and Franklin a lifetime of fun and love for one another. Oh and by the way, Franklin really likes apples and to snuggle up on your lap while you pet him.

Love,

Santa Claus – the big guy in the red suit

His parents couldn’t believe what they were hearing or seeing. They both looked over at Justin petting the ferret lying on his lap. And for the first time, in a long time, he was smiling more than he ever had and when they looked down at Franklin, they didn’t know what to think because it looked like Franklin was smiling, too.

From then on, both Justin and Franklin never stopped believing in Santa or that wishes come true.

***

So remember, if you ever have a doubt, that Santa Claus is real and the Miracle of Christmas is very powerful. And if you ever make a wish around Christmastime, on the brightest star in the sky, you can believe…it was heard.

 

 

This is Vanessa Martin’s first children’s story, but will not be her last. She’s working on her first mystery/suspense novel as you read this. Vanessa Martin is 42 years old and lives in Ohio. She loves to read, cook, and write. This story was written for her seven nieces and nephews.

April Submissions Now Open!

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

We’re springing into March like a lion, fellow UpWrite Ladies! Which means that our next submission period is now open!

We will accept all  short story and non-fiction submissions for April publication up until 11:59 pm PST on Saturday, March 26th. Yes, that’s right, procrastinators and perfectionists – you get almost an entire month to tweak and hone and write and rewrite.

Once we pick our winners, we’ll contact them to ask for a profile.

Sarah will publish her pick for winning story (along with review and profile of the author) on the FIRST FRIDAY in April. Even though that means April 1st aka April Fools’ Day, we’re not fooling you! Amber will post her winning pick (along with review and profile) on the THIRD FRIDAY in March. We will open the contest again for the next month, so if your story is not selected this time around, don’t despair! You can always resubmit. After all, as Ernest Hemingway said, “The only kind of writing is rewriting.”

Please review our guidelines for more information and how to submit.

And don’t forget to share and forward this page to all women writers you know! Let’s keep the spring in our steps and the words flowing on the page.

THE FIRST FEBRUARY SUBMISSION WINNER: The Problem With Preachers by Rachel

Posted on by UpWriteLadies

Below is our first published piece from a submission by a reader! This week is Sarah’s Pick. It is a non-fiction, opinion piece by Rachel. Please note that the opinions and views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or views of UpWriteLadies.

The reason I picked this piece is because it is a well-written, well-reasoned, passionate argument. From it’s opening paragraph to the closing, it’s a griping read whether you agree with the view or not. It’s a strong view, for sure, but strong opinions make for good discussion, and I’m sure this piece will lead to lots of discussion!

THE PROBLEM WITH PREACHERS

By Rachel

I’ve got a confession to get off my chest. Few people know this about me, and I am afraid I will fall out of favor in many Christian circles if they knew the truth. I don’t like Joel Osteen. Or pretty much any Christian preacher who is rich and famous for being a Christian preacher. I know, I know, I’m just a close-minded simpleton who must be jealous of their success, and if I could just get on their bandwagon surely I would feel better about myself (the power of I am!?) and I would be able to harness all of the blessings God is obviously waiting to bestow upon my life.

But the problem is, I already have blessings from God. Even though I’m poor, and living in debt, and recognize that I am actually not that awesome of a person. Even though I think frequently about how bad of a sinner I am and recognize that I am a selfish, arrogant person. God still has blessed me with the greatest gift of all – His Son who died to forgive my sins. He has not said to wait until I feel good about myself, or really to think about myself much at all. The most important thing is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) which has nothing to do with loving yourself. Granted, the “love your neighbor as yourself” (verse 39) is vaguely about loving yourself, but more in a “you already know you love yourself so love others just as much” kind of way.

I know I struggle with a dichotomy of judgment – am I just judging these people, which I am not supposed to do? Or am I being wary of a potential false prophet? How is it that Jesus, the prophets, the apostles, they all were allowed to call people out on sin but we are now in a day and age that even mentioning sin means we are judging people and are personally subjected to God’s judgment for this? I recently heard a sermon at my church discussing the idea of judgment and how we should NOT be judging non-Christians to a Christian standard, but we should be looking at ourselves within the church and keeping each other accountable. So go ahead and call me judgmental, but I think we should hold pastors of mega churches to a Biblical standard.

I must admit, I feel a little bit like a heretic when I tell someone I’m not a huge fan of a famous, popular Christian. I see the look of confusion, or is it disgust, contort their face subconsciously. Is it because I am too much of a cynic to believe someone rich and famous could really be living right? Surely Jesus did not say that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” (oh wait, that is His exact words – Matthew 19:24).

Joel Osteen is not someone I have given much thought to, because I just write-off anyone who preaches a “feel good” message as an inspirational speaker, not a pastor. But then I realized he is actually supposed to be a pastor and when he’s on TV it’s probably a broadcast of him preaching his Sunday sermon at his church. Except he is not preaching. At least, not how I understand the job of a pastor. He will not call people sinners, he will not talk about the importance of recognizing our depravity and the need to turn to our Savior for forgiveness and change. To be a pastor there is no requirement to do the visual illustration showing how repentance means turning 180 degrees away from sin and watching a pastor walk in one direction then literally turn completely around and walk in a different direction. No, you can be a pastor without the illustration. But has Joel Osteen ever done a single illustration relating to our sins and need for a Savior? Does he explain to people that in order to get these supposed blessings from God you probably have to be “on the team” so to speak, and explain how to become a Christian?

The best I can tell, Joel Osteen’s sermons are nothing more than uplifting language, making us feel like we can accomplish ANYTHING if we just believe. Which is nice sentiment. But believe in what? In ourselves? In an all-powerful genie god that will give us whatever we desire? It is hard to dislike someone when their words are sweet honey telling you that despite past failures something good is on your horizon. But alas, I do dislike him. I can’t stand listening to him talk. I can’t stand looking at his books that do little more than make people feel good about themselves and line his pockets with cash. Lots of cash.

God calls us to something greater than ourselves. One verse that inspirational preachers like Joel Osteen and other “feel-good-ers” like to turn to is 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.” Yes, God did say that, but when is the last time you’ve heard someone uplifting with that verse explain the context? Do they mention that God was actually talking to an ENTIRE NATION and not a single person, much less talking to YOU? Do they mention that this promise was given before a SEVENTY YEAR stint in exile? Most, if not all, of the people alive when the words were written were not alive when the exile ended. Jeremiah 29:11 is about looking forward to God’s redemption not about your personal selfish journey through life. It is about the bigger picture of furthering God’s kingdom, not advancing your career. When will we stop living so firmly in this present life, being coddled by “pastors” like Joel Osteen telling us that we are great, we are amazing, we just need to change our views of ourselves and we can reach a better life.

None of this bothered me so much until I looked a little more into Joel Osteen. I discovered his newest best-selling book is called “The power of I AM: Two words that will change your life today.” Joel Osteen, I did not dislike you so much until you had the nerve, the gall, to take the name of God Moses was given in the desert “I AM” and turned it into a book title which in no way represents this God. This book is about changing how you think not recognizing the great I AM that I AM. You have lost any lingering respect I could have, and I hope that you can realize your own depravity and sin in time to change your message to one of repentance followed by truly seeking after the life God wants. It is good to want to become better, to want to live your best life. But that should not a pastor’s complete message week after week, book after book. Joel Osteen is like the sweet talking door-to-door salesman who makes you feel good about yourself, convinces you how smart you are, then somehow that convinces you to purchase his product and make him rich. I’ve never liked sweet talking door-to-door salesmen.

So there, I have let out my secret. I hope I haven’t offended anyone and made them think less of me. Oh wait, except if being concerned that people are preaching a false message instead of the true message of God’s love and salvation means you dislike me, then go ahead. I’d rather you hate my message than try to milk things down to the point none of us know the truth.

Peace.

 

Rachel was born and raised in the small town of Bennington, VT. She then moved with her husband and three children a stone’s throw south to the even smaller town of Pownal. Rachel studies nutrition policy at Tufts University and it especially interested in maternal and children’ nutrition. She enjoys cooking, and has a strange desire to cook every time the kitchen is finally clean.