Month: January 2010

Sherlock Holmes Review

Welcome back everyone to Deeper Waters. Last night, I put our Trinitarian Commentary on hold because it was New Year’s Eve and I wanted to celebrate the New Year with a blog. Tonight, I’m putting it on hold because last night, I also saw the movie Sherlock Holmes. So I will be giving you readers my take on it. Before that, I do ask again your prayers as I continue on the path of Christlikeness. I also ask your prayers for my financial situation as I do have to make some decisions in that area very soon. Finally, I ask for your prayers regarding another area in my life related to both of these. I pray for the work of the Holy Spirit there. For now, let’s get to the review.

The movie starts with action immediately with Holmes and his assistant Watson. One scene early on has Holmes studying a man he’ll need to get past in combat and he analyzes his condition and how to best attack in a step-by-step procedure. There’s a reason Holmes was an inspiration for the creation of USA network detective, Adrian Monk. (Ironically, I finished reading “Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop”, right before I went to see this movie.

The mystery in the movie involves the case of a criminal who has recently been caught and then lo and behold, a few days later it is claimed that he has come back to life by the powers of black magic. He makes his presence known and tells the people that a new age is coming to England and he is in charge.

Hence, one of my friends wrote to me asking about non-Christian overtones and I would say they are there. Holmes, of course, is quite naturalistic not believing in anything supernatural in the movie apparently. Of course, I have no problem with seeking naturalistic explanations.  I have a problem with ruling out all other explanations a priori.

The mystery itself is quite difficult to figure out and the viewer must pay attention to everything that happens and I do mean everything. It does make great use of flashbacks to go back and show earlier events that happened so the viewer can realize all the connections that he should have made earlier.

For those who want action, there won’t be a lack of it. Sherlock Holmes does have skill in combat, which is something that surprised me in the movie. Granted, I haven’t really read the mysteries of Holmes, but I don’t picture a detective like that being a fighter. However, he does fight more with his mind where he plans how he’ll attack and how his opponent will respond and how he’ll counter-attack, again in a step-by-step procedure.

Overall, my mind was distracted last night, so I’m not sure how much I was able to enjoy, but it was a pretty good film. I really don’t think many people will solve the mystery before the movie is over, but then, I suppose that’s what made Sherlock Holmes such a great detective.

Tomorrow, we continue our commentary.

New Year 2010

Hello everyone and welcome back to Deeper Waters. Tonight, we’re going to not do our usual Trinitarian Commentary simply because this is a special event as we have just rung in a new year and a new decade. I would also like to think my most recent commenter. I do appreciate the comments. Before we get to tonight’s blo, I do ask for your continued prayers that I will become a more Christlike man, the man that I need to be for the future that lies before me. I also ask that you pray for my financial situation as this will be an expensive new year for me. Finally, I ask for prayers in a certain area of my life in which there is much to overcome. Now let’s blog.

2009 has been an interesting year. It had me awfully nervous at the start seeing as I am an incredibly strong conservative. However, what’s a guy to do? I could either cower and say things will never work out, or I could look in the face of danger and say I’m going to make the most of it.

Many readers who know me know the major events that have taken place in my life this year. There have been happenings I never would have dreamed of happening that happened this year. It’s amazing how much things can change so quickly. This year has seen a lot of growth for me and I’m pleased with that.

I looked back some as I watched the ball come tonight and thought of how far things have come. Maybe you did the same. I had a friend with me who remembered the time when 2000 was the big year everyone was looking for. Well now we’re a decade past that year. There were many things some of us were worried about in 2009 and now, we look back and wonder why we did at all. It’s amazing how we make temporary problems so eternal.

Now, we have a whole new year ahead of us. 2010 looms before us with promise. Some of us have some plans of things that we hope to accomplish in this year. We don’t know where this year will go, but let us not look at it with doom and gloom and fear of what lies ahead. Let’s instead take this new year and embrace and celebrate it. Would that we not just do that with each new year but with each new day.

There will be joys and there will be sorrows. There will be victories and there will be defeats. There will be difficulties and there will be celebrations. These are all part of life. Let us realize that. Let us also realize that we cannot change the circumstances in our lives. However, we can change the way that we respond to those circumstances. Let us make it a point in this new year that we will not be overcome but we will overcome. As Christians, this is our duty. We are salt and light in the world and we are to make an impact for Christ.

It’s a new year. Do something great for the kingdom. Enjoy this year to the glory of God.