J is for Juggernaut

Juggernaut (noun): a literal or metaphorical force or object regarded as unstoppable, merciless, and destructive, and often, by implication, out of control.

The word comes from an early translation in English of the name Jagannath. During the mid-19th century, some European travellers were observing the Hindu festival of Ratha Yatra in Puri, India. During this a  procession of massive wooden chariots (called temple cars) carrying a statue of the deity were pulled through the streets. These chariots were incredibly heavy and nearly impossible to steer or stop quickly once in motion, Reports emerged that people deliberately allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the vehicle's wheels as a sacrifice. It's now thought these reports were an exaggeration or misinterpretation of actual events, but the false reports spread throughout Europe and America.

In the latter half of the 20th Century the term juggernaut was frequently used in the United Kingdom to describe any large heavy truck or articulated lorry (thought to be just as unstoppable)

The term is more commonly used nowadays for any form of powerful force or movement, thought by many to be unstoppable.

Finally, Marvel Comics fans will remember the Juggernaut (Cain Marko), a character created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby to fight the X-Men. He possessed superhuman strength and durability, and was virtually immune to most physical attacks; his helmet also protected him from mental attacks.

C is for Cosmic

cosmic (adjective): 

1. relating to the universe and the natural processes that happen in it.
2. (informal) vast, very great
3. (spirituality) relating to the concept that everything in existence is interconnected as one vast, unified whole.

Finally, Marvel Comics fans will of course know that cosmic radiation (the leftover energy from the Big Bang) was responsible for the creation of the Fantastic Four. 

Emotional Roller-Coaster

Boy, what a weekend!

Since leaving work on Friday, here is a list of  pretty much everything that happened since then. It's Monday morning when I draft this and I'm feeling emotionally drained... these are the events in alphabetical order, not order of occurrence...

• A night out with my Street Pastors team, and the corresponding lack of sleep
• Avengers: Infinity War (if you've seen the film, you'll understand...)
• Being turned away from my favourite restaurant as the girl said the kitchen staff simply couldn't cope with the backlog of orders. And where did we end up? … see below
• Doing the paperwork in preparation of our church administration meeting - which then had to be rearranged 
• Having the cinema projector break down after ten minutes of Infinity War starting. There was a further ten minute delay while they fixed it. And they restarted it again from the beginning, making a very long film - even longer!
• Purchasing the most expensive meal of burgers and fries that I had ever ordered! (this was where we ended up after not getting into my first choice of restaurant…) And I can't say I could taste the difference in the price. In fact, the fries simply weren't that good… not going there again!
• Sickness in the house - at one stage, thinking we might need an ambulance, then relief that it wasn't necessary, and then caring for the individual until they felt better. Was that food poisoning from the above restaurant? Not sure...
• Sorting out a current account at my bank for my youngest as she starts work
• The partial demolition of a local power station, less than a mile away. By explosion. At 11pm on a Saturday night!
• Waiting for a promised call from a double glazing company, which never arrived...

I've cut the usual weekly activities out, this is just what I did on top of 'business as usual'. I need a holiday... or a less eventful weekend!

Bulletproof?

"This time baby, I'll be bulletproof"
(Lyrics from the song "Bulletproof", written by Elly Jackson, Benedict Langmaid, Ben Langmaid, Eleanor Jackson )

Oh, I'd love to be bulletproof. Just like all those heroes that I have read about in the past. Shots bouncing off me like Superman, the Man of Steel. Clad in armour like Iron Man. Crashing through walls like The Thing. Nothing could phase me. Nothing would stop me.

But I know I'm not. I know from self-analysis that I am quite a sensitive person. That's how God has made me. OK, so that can have its good points. For example, I'm pretty good at the whole empathising bit with people. However, this does tend to make me highly vulnerable. I have to watch this... because I know I am not bulletproof. It makes me think twice - that strong instinct of self-preservation.

I'm coming around to a slightly different way of thinking in recent months. Perhaps I don't need to be bulletproof. 

Sure, I may have to leave myself open to a few of these figurative 'bullets' - but why should I automatically think of that first? I could also make a lot of difference in the lives of others.

Failure is not my only option - what if I succeeded?

Avengers: Marvel, Movies and Marshmallows

The other week, I went to see "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" with my family. Terrific, we all loved it. I definitely need a copy of the film for my DVD collection. I appreciated all the work that Joss Whedon and team put in to the production, developing some of the characters. I loved to see new members of one of my favourite superhero teams introduced and brought to life; characters that I had known since my teenage years as a young comics geek.

However, to tell the truth - if I had to find a fault it would be with the action sequences, well crafted though they were. There was just too much on the screen, so some of these were a little too much for me. Everything went by as a blur, particularly those shots where multiple Avengers were on screen at the same time. I'm going to have to sit down and watch some of these scenes again, just to pick up all of the detail.

I have since read other reviews of the film. One stood out to me. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said, "Although this movie is effective moment to moment, very little of it lingers in the mind afterward. The ideal vehicle for our age of immediate sensation and instant gratification, it disappears without a trace almost as soon as it's consumed."

Instant gratification. I want it now. Isn't that the catchphrase of the modern world?

Walter Mischel developed something called we now call the 'Stanford marshmallow experiment' to test gratification patterns in four-year-olds. In this study, children was offered a choice between one reward (say, a marshmallow) provided straight away, or two rewards if they waited for a short period of 15 minutes. He discovered that having an ability to resist eating the marshmallow immediately would indicate success in later life.

The modern 'action film' is fast-paced and breathtaking. Each new release tries to top the previous one. So, in order to attract a modern audience, new action movies need to be faster and have lots of exciting sequences, hoards of menacing foes, fiery explosions chasing people down a corridor. That has to be there to get the crowds in, I know. Yes, that particular 'marshmallow' is sweet - but I personally want something else from my films.

I want a good storyline. I want something to think about when I head off home. I want to be able to lose myself in their world for a couple of hours. I'm looking for emotion, for teamwork and, above all, for truth.

So, I don't see every movie that's at the cinema. I pick and choose something that's special to me. Something worth waiting for. Something that's definitely worth two marshmallows.

Oh, by the way, on the same day as I saw the film, I also picked up the DVD box set of 'Firefly', Joss Whedon's cult TV series. I'm currently working through the box. There's plenty there!!!

A Need To Go Deep

"The trouble with you, it's that you always take things too much to heart. I think you're thinking far too deeply..."

Sure, I've heard things like this before... and then today I come across these words...

“The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don’t have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.” (Luke 8:13 CEV)

Just think of one of those nice little summer bedding plants. It has very few roots, so although it may initially sprout leaves, then a flower, and look good for a while, it doesn’t last.

I want to last. I want to really listen to God’s Word; to allow it to nurture me, to change me.

I don't really want to be pretty and petty and shallow.

I want to be deep. I want deep roots so that in times of trial, I can keep going, keep bearing fruit. When the storms of life come, I want deep roots that keep me strong.

So, I don't want to be a pretty flower.

I want to be a tree. Old, gnarled, full of character. But still standing in spite of it all.

I am Groot. :)

Days Of Future Past

On Saturday, as an early birthday treat, I got to see "X-Men: Days of Future Past". Terrific film - and, as you might expect, it's got me thinking...

The plot of the film was inspired by the 1981 Uncanny X-Men storyline "Days of Future Past" by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, which I clearly remember reading when it first came out!

I can't say I ever thought I would be sitting watching a big screen film version of that particular X-Men story with my wife and two children 33 years later. At the time the comic was first published this cinema wasn't even built ... at that time the site was quite an unremarkable chalk quarry. Conclusion: Life doesn't work out the way you think it will.

Winston Churchill once said, "The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see". Another quotation states "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (George Santayana). However, I sometimes find that reviewing the past can be terribly difficult. Memories are funny things. I can struggle recalling the fine details about something that happened just last week. And yet, a scrap of paper from 30 years ago, a song, even a smell, can instantly take you back years in the past; trigger emotions that you thought were long dead and buried. I've been time-travelling a little bit myself lately (as I blogged earlier). And it's revealed to me how much has changed... 

As a science fiction fan, I am frequently introduced to another author's vision of the future. Some futures sound very appealing; others, less so. But a dystopian future isn't inevitable! And that goes for our individual futures, too....

We often think we cannot do anything in the present to change our current circumstances. On the contrary. The future is unwritten - thus, you can change it. Or work to improve the future of others. Even without a time machine (or whatever power Kitty was using in the X-Men movie)...

It all depends on the present. On what you do to change things now. On who you want to serve...

James 4:13-16 (ESV)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

My Brother

"You're my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a king
And I love You more than any other,
So much more than anything..."

A group of us were deep in study at our local House Fellowship group as part of our Lent course, looking at various names that people have used over the years for Jesus. A little light came on when the words 'my brother' came up. This brought to mind one of the verses from 'As The Deer' (lyrics by Martin J. Nystrom, verse noted above). It also planted a little thought in my head which led to this post.

Now, if I start to think about Jesus as my brother, it doesn't necessarily bring with it any pre-conceived ideas. I never had a brother or a sister when I grew up. Well, strictly that's not true. I have a half-brother and a half-sister (my dad was married and had two children with his first wife; after she passed away he married my mum and they had me). However, these two of my family were that much older than I, therefore they never grew up with me; I never developed that sort of closeness you get with siblings. So, essentially, I was raised as an only child.

Which of course means that I never climbed trees with a brother; we never had adventures together; we never went through the same life experiences together. There wasn't that brotherly bond that this term seems to imply.

So, how can I begin to identify with Jesus as 'my brother'? Perhaps I should take some examples from modern popular culture?

Bart Simpson and his sister Lisa?
Sherlock Holmes and his brother Mycroft?
Barry and Paul, The Chuckle Brothers?

Err ... perhaps not.

Well, a quick glance along my science fiction DVD shelf gives me quite a few examples of sibling relationships, unfortunately many of these don't seem to work very well either. Here's a few of the better-known ones, after a few minutes brainstorming:

Data and Lore (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Thor and Loki (Marvel Comics)
Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch (Marvel Comics)
The Human Torch and The Invisible Woman (Marvel Comics)
Peter and Nathan Petrelli (Heroes)
Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia (Star Wars)

I guess that I have more chance of understanding this if I take a broader view of 'brotherhood'. More than just simple genetics, this sort of 'brother' would be closer than a friend, indeed becoming so trusted and so close that you would be close as a member of your own family. And closer still ... sticking together, no matter what ...

And that's the kind of relationship Jesus wanted with mankind. He gave up so much when He came down to Earth as a human being, yet He wanted to become our 'brother' so he could have a chance at achieving that sort of intimacy. Closer than just friends. Closer than shared blood lines. Closer even than shared parents. Shared lives. Walking each step of the way together.

Hebrews 2:11-12 (NIV)
Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

The offer is still open.

Happy Easter to you.
:)

Great Responsibility

Another bizarre train of thought on the way home recently... a question: "How would you react if you suddenly got super powers?" (Not that I am expecting that to suddenly happen, I hasten to add...)

On a good day, of course I'd do the right thing. I'd probably do all I can to save lives, catch crooks, fight for truth and justice, get cats down from tall trees. The usual hero stuff. Make a difference in the world.

But, on a bad day? If I were tetchy and irritable? If the pressures of the day had really got to me? Then I fear that there may be people who would run the risk of getting blasted to kingdom come; zapped off to a remote island; struck down with some bizarre disability.

And that worries me. Because, as well meaning and altruistic as I believe I am, I can still sense that potential within me for chaos, mayhem and sheer self-centredness. If I started manifesting that sort of power, I would need much greater abilities for self-control before I would be safe to leave the house. I would live in fear that my 'dark side' might emerge.

There's a particular episode of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' that explored this subject well. Check out 'Hide And Q' when it's next on...

A great man once said that "Power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Or, as the legendary Stan Lee once put it, "with great power there comes great responsibility".

As for me, I need to work hard on improving my 'bad days'. I really can't spend all the time locked up at home when there are people that need me... Need to work on this now, before my powers kick in...

Because I can still make a difference in the world, even now. :)

The Fortress Of Solitude

We were looking at some verses from the Psalms at church this past weekend, in particular Psalm 18:2. The NIV translation reads as follows:

"The Lord is my rock,my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

As part of the Message, my officer used an illustration about Captain America's shield; how it was made, how the hero used it. A good illustration for a Marvel Comics fan like myself - it sparked off so many thoughts in my head, including this very blog post.

When arriving home, I started to think about the other words in this reading. The Lord is my fortress... And I hope fellow Marvelites will forgive me if I switch comics company allegiances for a little while. These verses sparked off thoughts about Superman.

The character of the Man of Steel has always had particular spiritual significance to me (remind me one day to blog about the similarities between Kal-El's life and the life of Moses), but I've come to appreciate him at a different level after realising that this American cultural icon, one of the mainstays of the DC Comics Universe, the Big Blue Cheese - is an introvert.

Think about it.

Here we see a person who strives to change the world for the better in his own way. He shuns publicity pretty much all of the time. His alter ego, Clark Kent, is almost a textbook introvert, a "mild-mannered" loner, a wallflower. Unpopular, weak, overlooked. And yet, hidden within him there is a heroic side to his character which leaps into action when he needs to get stuff done. 

But even this Superman persona, with its incredible strength and unique abilities, shows introvert qualities. He needs to get away from it all from time to time to recharge. He needs what he calls his 'Fortress of Solitude'. In the comics, this is a safe place where he can get away from it all to think. It's miles from anywhere, often depicted as located in the Arctic. Not too far for our hero, though...

In fact, the idea of such a retreat isn't unique to Superman. The concept and name of the 'Fortress of Solitude' first appeared in the Doc Savage pulp novels from the 1930s and 1940s. Doc Savage, who was known as the Man of Bronze (!), built his Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic and retreated to it alone in order to make new scientific or medical breakthroughs, and to store dangerous technology and other secrets.

I'm really pleased that my Lord offers me the same type of Fortress. As an introvert myself, I need to avail myself of this on a regular basis in order to function better before I go out to 'save the world'. My Lord provides an opportunity to spend time alone with Him whenever I need it. Somewhere safe. However, unlike Kal-El's fortress, ours is just a prayer away.

Dealing With Anger

I picked up a book at a Christian exhibition last week about anger*. It's a topic that I've blogged about before, something that I have struggled with, hence why I chose to read the book. It is an interesting read - already it has taught me a lot about the energy that is released through moments of high emotion. Not quite like they show it in the comics (see Jack Kirby's terrific illustration of the Incredible Hulk). But the whole subject of anger is something that I've been forced to study in some depth recently...

I felt tired on that particular afternoon, washed out, drained of energy, in pain with my knee, my ankle, my back. Yep, I had been overdoing it a bit! Long time readers to this blog will now that this happens from time to time...

An unfortunate event happened that afternoon; something that led to an extreme emotional response from me. I ranted, raved; really lost it big-time. However, in looking back on the whole unfortunate business afterwards to try and understand how I felt, I discovered that the experience filled me with new energy, new impetus. I was even pain-free for a short while. It was truly fascinating... how can something so wrong have such a right effect?

Well, my rational side concluded, I really need to look into this. I need to find some way to tap into this flow of hidden energy - without having to experience the down side, to 'lose it'...

Well, actually, it turns out I don't. Having read the first few chapters of the book, I realise now that it's not extra energy that I'm dragging up from somewhere - it's my natural energy level. The writer of this book revealed to me exactly how much of my own normal energy is being zapped by huge chunks of repressed anger - zapped by hurts that are there, just under the surface, all bottled up. I supposed it's a bit like a coiled spring which is under tension all of the time - it's a strain for me to keep everything going, an effort to keep it in, trying to stop it all spilling out. If I didn't have to bottle this up, could I have all this sort of energy on tap, all of the time?

The natural energy levels I used to have as a young man; the enthusiasm, the love of life. That is how God made me. That is how I used to be. That's how God created me. And that's who I need to find again, buried deep within me. And now it is time to deal with this, once and for all.

More later...

*The book is called "Healing Life's Hurts" by Graham Bretherick (Monarch Books).  The subtitle on the cover says this can 'make your anger work for you'. 

Not A Good Place

My regular readers will be well aware of the fact that I struggle with my moods. Other folk will simply say that there are days when I "don't seem to be in a good place". So I thought I would sit down and jot down exactly how things appear to me when I'm having one of my bad days; perhaps that might throw a bit of light on what exactly goes on in my head. There were a couple of days earlier this month... so I've taken the opportunity to study the way I feel, objectively.

What sets it off? Oh, I think I've worked that one out. The last few 'bouts' have occurred either on the day or even a day or two after I've had a really busy period. Occasions when I have been 'pushing it' - working just a little too hard, going just a little too long without a break. OK, then, overdoing it! However I doesn't happen every time - and often I find it's something really small and insignificant that just tips the balance. A small comment, maybe. The straw that breaks the camel's back?

The best word I can come up with to describe how I can feel during one of these bouts is "overwhelmed". Little problems can seem to be big ones; big problems are just too much. I start to brood - have you ever seen Michael Fassbender's terrific portrayal of Erik in "X-Men First Class"? That same brooding silence that you see in one of the early scenes, when Erik manipulates the coin between his fingers. I struggle against the mood, try to make sense of it.

However, I don't lose my faith on these occasions. It's been well proven to me that the Lord is in the darkness with me. I'm not alone. I am never alone. I seek out my Father's presence as I pray into my situation, crying out for a break, wanting something to change. The feeling claws at me, clinging to my legs as it tries to pull me down. It feels like I'm struggling through mud, or clay. My body aches, I'm far more sensitive to pain than usual. In the meantime I try to maintain "business as usual" but some days even the normal routine seems exceptionally difficult. Even easy tasks get increasingly hard. However, I still carry on. It shouldn't last long... Doesn't usually.

There's something else, though. During this time something odd happens. I become acutely aware of other people, of their behaviour. The fact they are saying to one thing to one person, something totally different to another. It's a bit like I'm in a soap opera, and not a particularly good one. And I am an unwilling and remote observer, hypersensitive to detail. If I feel I can, I'll try to do something, anything, to make a difference. When I try to do the right thing, more often than not, it fails. Was it meant to be? I sigh, try to pick up the pieces. Sometimes I just sit there and watch as the inevitable unfolds before me.

When my mood subsides and the bout is finally over, I begin to think freely again. Invariably I will try and do something dynamic, perhaps even a little out of character, just to kick-start some energy back into my life. Get myself moving again! I launch into frantic activity - start to plan, even start to blog more.

Does any of this make any sense?

Trust Your Intuition? - part two

Well, then. Some of you might remember my post from a couple of months ago. There's a link to it here. So, as a Christian, should I trust my intuition?

This is where I am getting mixed messages from some of the sources that I am reading. Some say no (your human intuition is flawed, don't follow it) - while others say yes (your intuition is a gift from God meant to help you and to complement any other gifts you may have).

I'm particularly aware of this topic at the moment, I am in the process of exploring spiritual gifts with the church and am reading a lot about gifts at the moment. I've also had a recent experience where some pretty loud 'alarm bells' went off in my head when I was doing a particular task. So intense was the experience I was quite rattled for nearly a full day by the experience and nearly a week later I'm still trying to work out what exactly that means to me personally...

I know from recent experience that there are times my 'intuition' tells me to flee when I know deep down that I really shouldn't. However, I have to give due consideration for these inner warnings which are there to protect me. Instead, I stand my ground; fighting that instinct to flee; struggling through despite that sense of inadequacy. I step outside of my comfort zone. That sort of thing.

Christians won't need reminding that we already have guidance available to us. God's Holy Spirit there to guide us. And herein lies a dilemma.

How can I tell if these feelings are the Holy Spirit’s prompting or my own intuition talking - a feeling that some people tell me is so often wrong?

I know that it is a question of context. They tell me to pray; to test both elements against scripture (What does the Bible say about my situation? Does the prompting I feel line up with God’s word?).

And I do. And often the feeling gets stronger...

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

Trust Your Intuition? - part one

OK, then. Your emotions aren't to be relied upon. But what of other feelings? Do you think that some people possess an innate form of intuition? Perhaps a sort of natural Spider Sense?

Let's just explain what I mean by that. I'm not talking about super powers! But I am talking from experience. Some say that it's your inner self picking up subtle non-verbal cues and creating feelings of assurance or unease to guide or warn you. One psychologist I read recently said this is a survival mechanism hard-wired into all of us that is trustworthy. Others have been telling me this is something that comes naturally, but only to certain personality types (especially mine - I'm an INFJ). Others simply stray off into the supernatural realm and call this sort of thing ESP!

As I mentioned before, I admit that I've had experience of this and it can be very off-putting. Like when you are in the middle of a situation and that familiar but irritating feeling sounds off, warning you (sometimes screaming at you!) not to trust a certain individual. Or times when I'm in an uncomfortable situation and my whole being keeps telling me to run away. But should I trust this instinct? Ignore it? Or, as a Christian, to use this as a cue to seek prayer support about it?

Feedback is welcomed - part two on this topic is already in draft and is to follow...

Catch Up

Well, it's back now to regular blogging after the Summer break. Thought I would let you know what's been going on in my mind since July by letting you know what paperback books I've been reading on holiday - whilst I've been sitting in a campsite in Suffolk:

The Avengers (novel adaptation of the recent movie) - read this in an afternoon. I thought I wanted something light to read - however this turned out to be far too light, it didn't do much for me, even though I'm a long standing Marvel Comics fan.

Mud, Sweat And Tears by Bear Grylls (autobiography) - my main read of the holiday, the story of a real man of action, the current Chief Scout. The book details how Bear became a member of the SAS (an incredible story in itself), how he suffered a horrific free-fall parachuting accident, then fighting his way back to health, and only eighteen months later becoming one of the youngest climbers to scale Everest.

Mood Mapping by Liz Miller (in an effort to understand and get to grips with my moods). Still digesting this one, but it's already given me some food for thought which I'll try and unpack here in a little while..

I've also been doing some research on feelings and instincts and reading a bit around the subject - secular and Christian authors - which will be the subject of my next few blog entries. Stay tuned!

Avengers!

A brief aside now to discuss something that's going to be hitting the big screen in the very near future. And this takes me right back to my childhood! You see, in my formative years, the name 'Avengers' referred to two separate series.

The Avengers was a 'spy-fi' TV series produced by a British company called ABC Television. A spin-off from another TV show called 'Police Surgeon', it initially focused on Dr. David Keel (Ian Hendry), assisted by John Steed (Patrick Macnee). When Hendry left, Macnee took the centre stage and Steed became the main character, sporting a bowler hat which soon became his trademark, ably accompanied by a succession of glamorous assistants; Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), Emma Peel (Diana Rigg), and Tara King (Linda Thorson). The shows mixed science fiction and fantasy with light-hearted adventure and parody. The show was produced between 1961 and 1969, and was exported to over 90 countries. A sequel series entitled The New Avengers (1976–1977) also featured Patrick Macnee with two new partners, Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley).

And, at the same time, The Avengers was a team of Marvel Comics superheroes, whose adventures first saw publication in 1963. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team was made up of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", which essentially meant that the series featured a selection of Marvel's individual characters, all working together as a team. New characters were introduced from time to time, which meant that the team's roster was constantly changing. With a battle cry of "Avengers Assemble!", the series has been published constantly ever since.

Both of these still have a fond place in my heart. And, very soon, both will have had movie spin-offs.

Unfortunately, the attempt to produce a big-screen version of the TV series was a bit of a disaster, producing a quite awful 1998 film - which I reviewed a while ago.

The film version of the comic book series looks to be much more promising. The movie is set to be released on 27th April 2012 in Europe, but the UK print of the film is being retitled as "Avengers Assemble", possibly to avoid confusion with the TV series. The film will star Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner as the team, with Samuel L. Jackson backing the team up.

Keeper Of The Flame

I'm blogging tonight in a pleasantly warm front room, beside a beautiful coal fire. Toasty warm! The kids are doing their homework, my wife Christine is sorting out her cross-stitch and I'm on the computer reflecting on the day. We've shut the sub-zero temperatures outside.

Yesterday's meeting at the Army was led by Major Howard Webber from THQ and was based on Leviticus 6:8-13. As part of his message he talked about the difficulty in keeping a fire burning. This certainly spoke volumes to Chris and I, who have coal-fired central heating here at home. In fact, I've been thinking about for most of the day today, where I have struggled to and from work through sleet and snow. Having a coal fire is a definite pain to maintain in the morning but I have been encouraged by Chris's running commentary during the day on how she's kept the fire going. Her work today to keep it alight has not only meant I have arrived home to a warm house, but has demonstrated the very message the Major preached from the platform yesterday!

As Christians, we believe that the fire of the Holy Spirit can indwell us and inspire us. However, it needs attention on a regular basis, otherwise if left alone it will go out! Without care and attention the fire within us will slowly die, until we are cold and useless. Properly maintained, a small spark can be fanned into a flame, which can keep us warm and effective - and can even be used to light other fires!

One last reflection now, from my childhood. Comics fans from the Sixties and Seventies will remember Stan Lee's acronym for those fans who recruited another to Marvel Comics fandom. Stan The Man gave us the right to add the initials KOF to our name - for 'Keeper Of The Flame'. It's thirty years later, and I find I'm still keeping the flame. And I am encouraging my family and friends to do so, too.

Psalm 18:28 (NIV)
"You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light."