Switchfoot
I don’t know why but everytime I open my Windows Media Player, my brain always commands me to play Switchfoot’s songs. Yeah. Switchfoot. I assume that you already hear them. But in case not, I’ll give you some idea as what I have known about them.
- Jon Foreman is the lead vocalist of Switchfoot who had a duet with Many Moore for Someday Well Know.
- Most of the movie soundtracks of “A Walk To Remember” starring Shane West and Many Moore were composed by the band including Only Hope, You, Learning to Breathe and Dare You To Move.
- The latest single of Switchfoot “This Is Home” is the soundtrack of the movie “Prince Caspian Chronicles of Narnia”.
- Jerome Fontamillas, member of Switchfoot, is actually Pinoy.
- The band is based in San Diego, California.
I like Switchfoot because their songs reflect about themselves. I can see their passion of bringing some worthwhile message in their songs. Though they don’t label themselves as a Christian band but they are Christians. It’s up to the listeners on how they will judge their music. But as for me, Switchfoot’s songs are inspiring.
I recommend all of their albums: The Legend of Chin, A New Way To Be Human, Learning to Breathe, The Beautiful Letdown, Nothing is Sound and Oh! Gravity.
Fireproof 2008 movie review
Yeah. Fireproof is another film from Sherwood Pictures that is also behind of Facing the Giants.
I am not married but still I believe God spoke to me the time I watched this movie. Okay, I am 22 now and who knows 8 years later or less, I will get married. Fireproof explains the struggles a couple may find in marriage and how God repairs it.
To see the plot of the movie, read this Fireproof 2008 film website from Wikipedia.
Never leave your partner behind
Even before, God already created marriage. Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be all alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
Caleb and Catherine Holt forgets their purpose why they got married. Maybe at first time, they felt that love is basing in their emotions, well as we know, emotions cannot be trusted. They said bad things towards each other which we know is pointless. Until, Catherine said “I want out.” So they thought Divorce was the answer.
Caleb’s parents who feel accountable for his son took a visit and talked with their son. Caleb was irritated to his mother and so he is much comfortable to talk to his father than to his mom. His father had a strong foundation of Jesus and challenged his son to commit the 40 day Love Dare while they were preparing of divorce lawsuit. Caleb expected the Love Dare to be not a religious commitment. While following the half-way point of the Love Dare challenge, Caleb saw that it was not working. He was totally hurt. He was loving a Catherine who in return did not love him back. He talked to his dad again and realized that he needs someone who can make him change. At that point, he has faith to Jesus who loves us all inspite of the rejections we did to Him.
In the movie, we saw how Jesus works when we have him. There is understanding, true love and peace.
I recommend this movie to all of you out there. I hope that through this, God is speaking to you. My prayer is that you’ll learn a new perspective about marriage that can please God.
I want to congratulate the Sherwood Pictures and all other people who contributed a lot to this movie. May we have this kind of movie more. I am so blessed with this movie.
I Am Legend movie review and quotes
I saw the movie I AM LEGEND starred by Will Smith. And I thought writing a review about the movie could add something interesting on this website. And so I’ll start now.
SYNOPSIS:
In 2009, there will be a deep research on reprogramming a measle virus. On this genetically engineered virus, it is believed that it could cure cancer. Thus, making the measle virus beneficial rather than harmful to the human race.
But three years later (2009+3=2012), the effect of that innovative research turned the civilized New York City into ground zero, meaning the viruses infected the people and made them blood thirsty zombies (comparable to Resident Evil, eh?), thus, the city was inhabited with sick people.
It happened then that only Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) and his companion dog Samantha were immune. The zombies were afraid of sunlight (they are literally termed as dark seekers) and so they were nocturnal. This affected the lifestyle of the survivors. At daytime, Neville was finding a cure for the dark seekers. At night, Neville locked up all the windows and doors of his house so that no dark seekers might caught him.
The struggle of Neville started when his dog accidentally followed the running deer and entered inside a dark room of the building where dark seekers hided. Neville got nearly infected with the zombies; luckily he had escaped out of the building. With this, Neville find a way to trick them. He caught one zombie girl who’ll be useful on his research on their cure.
But the zombies were mindful and also tricked Neville back. With the situation, his dog Samantha got infected and died. Neville’s life changed when his dog passed away.
Until it turned out that the last man on earth was not all alone.
Well, it’s for you to find out how the rest of the story goes.
GREATEST QUOTES and APPLICATIONS ON MY CHRISTIAN LIFE:
The I AM LEGEND movie has many worthy memorable quotes. I did write a few.
I like the part when Ana and Ethan enters the scene. Neville was working on his lab to find a cure when Ana entered and saw the pictures of the turned zombies people. They have these lines:
Anna: Did all of them die?
Neville: Yes.
Anna: My God.
Neville: God didn’t do this Anna. We did.My comment: We should always remember that in the beginning God created a beautiful paradise for us to live. And it is only us who ruin everything. Right? So Neville is right on this quote.
Another part I like is when Neville shared to Ana how he named her daughter Marley. Well, Neville like Bob Marley and explained to Ana about Bob Marley’s music.
Neville: He had this idea. He believed that you could cure racism and hate literally cures it by injecting music and love into people’s lives. When they were scheduled to perform at a peace rally, a gunman came to his house and shot him down. Two days later, he walked out on that stage, and sang. Somebody asked him, “Why?” He said “The people, who are trying to make this world worse, are not taking a day off. How can I? Light up the darkness!”
My comment: Yes. Our enemies are not stopping until they let us down. So there’s no way for us to stop. Keep serving the Lord and be the light and salt of the earth. Read Matthew 5:13-16 Bob Marley is right!
Then my favorite scene is when Ana convinced Neville to come with her to go to a colony of immune people. She had this faith that God has a plan for everything. She was certain that there’s a colony even if she had not figured out how she knew. But Neville insisted that there is no God which I strongly disagree.
Anna: Come with us, Neville. To the colony.
Neville: There is no colony, Anna. Everything just fell apart. There was no evacuation.
Anna: You’re wrong. There is a colony. I know, ok.
Neville: How do you know, Anna?
Anna: I just know.
Neville: How? I said how do you know? How could you know?
Anna: God told me. He has a plan.
Neville: God told you?
Anna: Yes.
Neville: The God?
Anna: Yes. I know how this sounds.
Neville: It sounds crazy.
Anna: But something told me to turn on the radio. Something told me to come up here.
Neville: My voice on the radio told you to come here, Anna.
Anna: You were trying to kill yourself last night, right?
Neville: Anna.
Anna: And I got here just in time to save your life.
Neville: Stop it.
Anna: Do you think it’s a coincidence.
Neville: Just stop it.
Anna: He must have sent me here for a reason.
Neville: Stop it.
Anna: Neville, the world is quieter now. You just have to listen. If we listen, we can hear God’s plan.
Neville: God’s plan?
Anna: Yeah.
Neville: Alright, let me tell you about your God’s plan. It was 6 billion people on Earth, when the infection hit. KV had a 90 percent kill rate, that’s 5.4 billion people dead, crashed and bled out. Dead. Less than 1% immunity left 12 million healthy people , like you, me and Ethan. The other 588 million turned into your “Dark seekers”. And then they got hungry, and they killed and fed on everybody. Everybody! Every singled person that you or I have ever known is dead! Dead! There is no God. There is no God!My comment: Neville is 100% wrong on his statement that there is no God. Many people died not because it was all of His plan, but because of man’s hardheadedness. In Romans 1: 24, 26 & 28, it is clearly stated that God will let those people who don’t follow His plan go on their own way. So we have the freedom to do what is right and what is not. But after all these, the time will come that we will be judged. So on this movie, people who wished to exceed God’s greatest knowledge failed to overcome their problems. And so we suffer from our own desires.
But in the end of the movie, Neville finally knew the reason why Anna was around. She is the connector from the legend to the next legacy. She brought to them the cure which Neville discovered just in time the zombies attacked them. When Neville opened his heart and saw the situations, he just remembered his daughter. And he began to listen to things. I mean, things that can’t be heard by our ears but can be heard by the eyes of our heart alone.
The movie is great. The cinematography depicted how a city will turned if there are no busy people enjoying it. The plants that are growing on the streets is already a thumbs up. The make up of the zombie people is good enough. Will Smith is a good actor on this. And the dog looks rational on this one.
For me, the movie is 99.5%. The 0.5% remaining are for the mistakes they got like the flags which were still in perfect conditions on the movie for three years and others.
The Altar and the Door – Casting Crowns
Let me start this post by singing. Please understand the lyrics to get its meaning.
The Altar and the Door Lyrics
Album: The Altar and the Door
Artist: Casting Crowns
Careless, I am reckless.
I’m a wrong-way-travelin’-slowly-unraveling shell of a man
Burnt out, I’m so numb now
That the fire’s just an ember way down in the corner of my cold, cold heartREFRAIN:
Lord, this time I’ll make it right
here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come and my will was done
my heart is broken as I…CHORUS:
Cry, like so many times before
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor
oh Lord I try
But this time, Jesus, how can I be sure
I will not lose my follow through
between the altar and the doorHere at the altar,
oh my world so black and white
How could I ever falter
What You’ve shown me to be right
repeat refrain and chorusI’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me
Jesus, I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord who You are in me
Oh Lord, I…
repeat refrain and chorus
While understanding the lyrics, I found out that Mark Hall, the composer, is also pointing the song to me. Sometimes I feel that the fire of serving the Lord is replaced by such cold heart. I make covenant to the Lord at the altar with my pastor praying for me, that somehow He will show to me how good He is and how will I give His love back. So refreshing to feel that way.
But then… after that, I mean after leaving the altar and after passing the door of the church, I am encountering the glory of the world. Yes, the WORLD. I repeat, World. Should I stand firm to spark the light? I know I will but there is always an instance that my light fades… You know what I mean?
Struggling, right? Then come Sunday again, having enlightened by the word of God and having understood by the message of pastor, I make the covenant again at the altar. Guilty of what I did, I said to my Savior “Lord this time, I make it right. Here at the altar, I lay my life. Your kingdom come but MY WILL was done. My heart is broken.” Then I cry, because many times I promise to the Lord and always feel that I am caught between the altar and the door. Then I asked, “This time Jesus how can I be sure that I will not lose my follow through between the altar and the door?”
I am trying so hard. To stop trying so hard. Just let You be who You are. Lord who You are in me. Jesus I am trying so hard.
The bridge of the song tells me that Mark Hall is not the one who is holding unto Jesus but… Jesus is the one holding him to get closer to Him.
Isn’t that great? The Lord of Lords. The King of Kings is holding me? I am not perfect. I understand that. I always cry because I feel guilty knowing that He died Himself on the cross just to save me and yet, MY WILL is always done and not His. Lord, please help me to be sensitive on Your will.
Well, that is just an introduction of this music album review. hahaha I am perfectly talked by the lyrics and so of course, I should react and write my reflections of the song. Thanks if you are reading them and more thanks if you understand of what I was talking about. hehehe
Casting Crown’s The Altar and The Door Album is super way cool and super dooooper great! Yup. Great! It inspires me and surely it will inspire you too. If you don’t like living with hatred and you can’t escape to the environment where you can always listen to sad songs, switch to christian music now! And let’s talk about love! And replace hatred with love. Listening to christian songs will help you remember that these things in this world are always not going to be perfect. But Jesus paid our imperfections. Being not ignorant about this will keep you happy always. I swear.
Casting Crowns reach out to young people like me who are called to His purpose. Songs like Prayer For A Friend, Somewhere In The Middle, I Know You’re There, What This World Needs… simply rock for Jesus!
Well, my final rating for this album, 100%.
We Stand – Hillsong United
Hillsong United is famous in producing praise and worship songs that is not far from the taste of the new generations. The genre of their music could be pop, rock, soul, alternative or what you have but all of their lyrics have the same goal, that is to tell the world about His great love, that Jesus Christ is the living son of the living God who died on the cross just to save those people who accepted Him.
Though Hillsong United We Stand album was released many years ago, listening to the songs somewhat brings me to the present just like the album was newly released. It has 17 tracks in all. 2 tracks are instrumentals, the Intro and prelude of Our God Reigns which is the finale. Marty Sampson is one of the worship leaders. He lead Take It All and From The Inside Out which these songs are also included in the Hillsong’s Mighty To Save album. Other tracks include Time Has Come, From God Above, Let Your Kingdom Come, Revolution, None But Jesus, Fire Fall Down and more…
Part of the lyrics they have in their album.
Jesus we’re living for Your name. We’ll never be ashamed of You. Our praise and all we are today. Take. Take. Take It All. – Take It All
The time has come to stand for all we believe in. So, I for one I’m gonna give my praise to You, Jesus. Today. Today is all or nothing. All the way, the praise goes out to You. Yeah. All the praise goes out to You. – Time Has Come
Everlasting. Your light will shine when all else fades. Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fame. And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise from the inside out. Lord, my soul cries out. – From The Inside Out
The album could really inspire you just like what it did to me. The songs have awaken my sleeping soul. Yeah. Thanks for this album, and it always reminds me how great His love is.
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