Summer movies!

Summer usually officially arrives for me with the summer movie season. There are at least three major films that I have been looking forward to, the first of which released today. Ironman 2 has arrived and I can't wait to see it. I'm trying to convince Donna it would make an appropriate Mother's Day outing Sunday evening but she doesn't seem convinced. I loved the first Ironman. Robert Downey, Jr. is one of my favorite actors of late (loved him in Sherlock Holmes) and he is perfect for the role of Tony Stark!

Next up is Robin Hood. The latest reinvention of this legend of folklore is brought to the screen by the dynamic duo of Russell Crow and Sir Ridley Scott. Their first outing together (Gladiator) is one of the best movies ever made! Throw in Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian and how can you go wrong? The beloved story of rights made wrong by the merry-making, arrow-shooting Robin of the hood should get a nice dose of masculinity and grit by Mr. Scott, hopefully making it a bit more manly than the Disney or Costner versions.

Last, but certainly not least, Toy Story 3 releases in June! The first two installments from Disney/Pixar were as good as it gets: Great story telling, incredible animation and all around fun! I never tire of Woody, Buzz and the gang. There is a nostalgia attached to these films that is irresistible for any boy who grew up with a toy box in his room and I can't wait to get lost in the story these toys provide this time around!

In addition to these releases, I'm also looking forward to Shrek Forever After, The Prince of Persia, Marmaduke, The Karate Kid, Knight and Day, Despicable Me and others. How about you? What summer movies are you looking forward to?

A blog about my blog

Look what I found! I had no idea, but this was featured in the April 18th addition of the Daily Advertiser (our local paper). I'm extremely honored!

Acadiana News

Hot Links: Blog roll by Cody Daigle cdaigle@theadvertiser.com Blog of the Week: Mile Markers jeffables.blogspot.com Who: Jeff Ables What: Ables covers a grab bag of topics — entries on spiritual issues sit side by side entries about the Oscars — and he does it all with distinctly personable voice. Why We Love It: Jeff Ables has a lot on his plate. As a pastor at Crossroads Church, he’s got a congregation to think of, and as a father of two teenagers, he’s got an equal burden at home. But Ables still finds time to blog. And his corner of the web is an interesting look beyond the public roles of a local leader. At the intersection of technology and faith, Ables is writing down his life and letting us take a peek inside.

Cartoons

Phil (Bubba) Ables

As a result of some prompting from my friend Kraig Menard (Reallykraig.blogspot.com), I have decided to let those of you who are unaware in on a little known talent I've had since I was a kid - Cartooning. (I guess ultimately you'll be the ones who decide whether you think it's an actual talent or not!)

I started doing cartoons when I was quite young and had a lot of encouragement. So much so, I really believed I had a knack for the art world. That's until seventh grade when I took my first art class in school and flunked out BIG TIME! It seems art is much more than cartooning and I had little talent (or interest) in the rest of it. Throw in a pretty serious case of ADD and early experimentation with some unmentionable junior high activity and... Well lets just say my art career was over before it really began. However, through the years I continued to cartoon and I still enjoy it. I've even used it from time to time in ministry designing newsletters and such.

My greatest cartoon accomplishment is my caricature of my brother Phil, who we grew up calling "Bubba." (Every family in the south has a Bubba). My Bubba cartoons have provided a lot of family fun through the years and some interesting Christmas gifts as well. (As I write this I'm drinking coffee out of a Bubba Coffee mug from Christmas 2008.) In the year 2000 I produced a Bubba calendar and I thought I'd introduce my work to you with the June cover from that calendar. It's a tip of the hat to a favorite family vacation spot from our childhood - The Buffalo River in Northwestern Arkansas. The pig shows up in all my Bubba cartoons as an inside family joke. Hope you all enjoy!

Access To Great Truth

This week, Donna and I and our executive team attended the ARC All Access Conference at Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge. The ARC (Association of related churches) is a wonderful church planting network and they put on an incredible conference with a stellar line-up of speakers. Following the lead of a fellow-blogger and one of the members of that executive team that enjoyed the conference with us (Daphne Gaspard) I thought I'd share a few of my favorite speakers' quotes.

Priscilla Shirer

John 11:55 says that people were leaving the countryside of Bethany going to Jerusalem at Passover looking for Jesus. John 12:1 says that at the same time Jesus was leaving Jerusalem for Bethany. We need to make sure we're not going the opposite direction of Jesus! They assumed He'd be in Jerusalem where the crowds were. He was more interested in the three people waiting in Bethany - Lazarus, Martha and Mary - one who would fellowship with Him, One who would wait on Him and one who would worship Him!

Robert Morris

Mammon is a spirit. All money has the spirit of Mammon on it and the only thing that can take it off is the tithe! The spirit of Mammon talks. It makes false promises about things only God can really provide. Mammon is the spirit of anti-Christ. That's why in the book of Revelations, the Bible says those without the Mark of the Beast will not be able to buy and sell. Tithing is actually a type of Jesus. The tithe is our first fruits and Jesus was God's first fruits!

Stovall Weems

The apron and handkerchiefs that Paul wore that were taken and placed on the sick to heal them in Acts 19 were items Paul wore when working as a tent maker to support his ministry. This is the kind of Kingdom sweat that produces miracles. If we want God to work we've got to be willing to work! Sweat is also generated by the heat of God's fire, provided by the Holy Spirit. In Luke 22, Jesus prayed until His sweat became like great drops of blood. The blood of Jesus was being shed before He ever reached the cross because of Kingdom sweat! Kingdom sweat has a redemptive nature!

Good stuff, huh? Just a little sample of some of the wonderful truth we had access to this week. We are so thankful we got to attend and soak it up!