Red in the ledger

Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, was an obscure comic book character until she was made popular by her appearances in the Marvel superhero movies beginning with the film Iron-Man 2.  She went on to secure her place as a full-fledged member of the Avengers.  She has a fascinating back-story: “Gifted spy Natasha Romanoff is more than worthy of her moniker, Black Widow.  Ruthless, efficient, and exceptionally skilled, Natasha strikes fear into the hearts of her enemies.  Although she once operated on the side of evil, her innate heroism enabled her to overcome her upbringing and defect, setting her on a lifelong path of redemption.” (Source: https://www.marvel.com/characters/black-widow-natasha-romanova/in-comics)

Natasha’s dark past is alluded to in a memorable scene in the blockbuster film Marvel’s The Avengers.  Thor’s ruthless brother, Loki, is being held prisoner by the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (for the uniformed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, and it is also the group that Natasha works for); Natasha is sent to interrogate him about another agent.  She doesn’t attempt to get the information by force, but by sharing a part of her past with him.  I wish I could quote their entire compelling dialogue, but I won’t, as I want to get to my main point today.

 

She says to Loki, “Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I made a name for myself.  I have a specific skill set.  I didn’t care who I used it for, or on.  I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar in a bad way.  Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call.”  Later on, Loki asks her, “And what are you now?”  “It’s really not that complicated,” she answers.  “I got red in my ledger; I’d like to wipe it out.”

I’m fascinated by Natasha Romanoff’s statement because it gives us insight into her heart – and by extension, into countless other hearts like hers; those who also have red in the ledger and they want to see it gone.  Natasha strives to make up for the sins in her past with a lifestyle of morality.  To put it another way: she seeks to make amends for her bad works by piling good works on top of them.  Please don’t misunderstand me on this one: I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t seek reformation.  I believe that a person should turn over a new leaf in their life when they see they are living in a destructive way.  Nor am I suggesting that good works aren’t important at all; they are crucial (I want to write an entire blog on that subject next time, God willing).  What I am saying is no one can wipe out the red in their ledger by good deeds alone.  Why not?

I once heard a pastor use an illustration that answers this inquiry: imagine you have a refrigerator that reeks.  It is discovered that it is due to a rotting piece of food that has been in there too long.  You can put all the fresh, new items of food you want inside that fridge, but it won’t affect the smell; the bad food still remains inside.  In the same way, piling a whole bunch of good works will do nothing for the stench of the bad works that still remain inside the human heart.

Someone wants to ask, “If all that is true, then what can be done about that red in the ledger?”  An old hymn states, “What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”  What can wipe out the red in our ledger?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.  

The Bible says, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy” (Titus 3:5).  The Bible says, “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One…is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1b-2).  God Himself declares, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake” (Isaiah 43:25).  We need only put our faith, trust, and belief in Jesus Christ; Acts 10:43 states, “To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”  Have you trusted in Jesus Christ to forgive you and wash you clean?  If not, don’t let this opportunity go by, you can do it right here and now.  Romans 10 says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

Kevin

The fleeting postseason of the Colorado Rockies

Sadly, the postseason for the Rockies officially ended yesterday.  They were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.  One reason for this quick exit from the playoffs is Colorado’s lack of offense.  Aside from game 1 (which ended in a 3-2 score) the Rockies were shut out in every game!  Let’s give credit to the Brewers; they played a very good series.

This was not the way the Rockies wanted their season to end, but they should hold their heads up high; it was an excellent season, and they should be optimistic for the future.  Furthermore, speaking from my perspective as a fan, I got caught up in the success and excitement of the Rockies season in a way that I haven’t in a very long time.

To add insult to injury, the same day that the Rockies were eliminated from playoff contention, the Denver Broncos lost their third game in a row to drop to a record of 2-3.  I won’t sugarcoat it: the Broncos were pummeled by the New York Jets; the final score was 34-16.  The Jets offense went wild – running back Isaiah Crowell alone ran for a career high 219 yards on 15 carries – while the Jets deserve credit, quite frankly, it was an ugly loss for Denver.  Many Bronco fans are remembering how the Broncos went on a similar losing streak last year and ended up with an abysmal season of 5-11.  In short, it was a tough day for Colorado teams yesterday.  

Kevin

Looking at the Colorado Rockies season

It has been a whirlwind ride the last few days for the Colorado Rockies – and their fans.  On September 30th, the Rockies defeated the Washington Nationals by an impressive score of 12-0, to end the regular season (further, Colorado had won 9 of their last 10 games).  They ended up with a record of 91-71 – the same record as the Los Angeles Dodgers.  So the two teams had to play a 163rd game to determine who was going to win the National League West Division crown.  The Dodgers won that game by a score of 5-2.  It is a disappointment that Colorado was unable to achieve their first division title; but kudos to the Dodgers.

Next up for the Rockies is a Wild Card Elimination Game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago.  As I write these words, the game is going to start in a few hours (for those who think that I should have composed this blog after this crucial game, you are probably right, but I’ve decided to write this content now, and we’ll go from there).  The Cubs have walked a similar path in that they too lost the opportunity to win a division title; on their 163rd game, they were defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 3-1.  Tonight’s game is going to be played in Chicago because the Cubs ended up with a better record; they ended up going 95-68.  Without a doubt, this Cubs team is going to be a huge challenge for the Rockies.

With all of that stated, I want take a step back and look at the Colorado Rockies regular season as a whole.  With the loss to the Dodgers, in the winner-take-all 163rd game, the Rockies ended up with a regular season record of 91-72.  What I find amazing is that this record, speaking from nothing more than number of wins, is the second best season in Colorado Rockies history!  The 2009 Rockies notched a record of 92-70 (this team went to the playoffs but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional series).  The only time the Rockies went to the World Series was in 2007; that team’s record was 90-73 Source: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/history/year_by_year_results.jsp

It’s been a fun season, but I am certainly rooting that the Rockies season continues past this do-or-die game against the Cubs.  To be continued!

Kevin

(Update for posterity - written on 10/3: The Rockies defeated the Cubs by a score of 2-1.  It took 13 innings for the game to be decided, but "Rocktober", as it has been dubbed, continues!)

The wit of my dad - Jerry Bauer

In celebration of the fact that today is my dad’s birthday I’m going to convey a few quotes that highlights his humor.  I want to begin with one I’ve already shared, but it was a while back and it is worth repeating.  Upon greeting his coworkers, after hearing how they were, he would reply, “Well, you look terrible.”  He made this remark all the time.  So much so that I remember my mother got after him about it at one point.  He replied, “They know I’m joking.  If they really did look terrible, I would never say it.”

Another line is if a person announced what they were going to do, he would repeat it.  For example, if you were at a restaurant and you said, “I’m going to get fries with my meal today.”  He would immediately respond, “You know, you should get fries with your meal.”  “Hey, good idea,” you might reply.  Then Dad’s line: “Aren’t you glad I thought of that?”  Classic Jerry Bauer wit!

A third illustration involves music.  Sometimes Dad would begin to sing lines from a song, but at other sillier times, he would just randomly sing one word: “Knee!”  I remember when someone finally asked him why he did this; and where he even got the idea.  He explained that he had seen a character known simply as Swedish Chef from The Muppets Show sing the phrase, “Kneesh Nimway” (or something like that anyway; it was performed by the brilliant Jim Henson who was essentially delivering lines of gibberish) and Dad decided to shorten it to “knee”.  Thus, one of his more memorable humorous catchphrases was born.

Let me give one more and I will start to wrap this up.  Dad loved sports.  I know he would be happy to see the Colorado Rockies doing so well.  Not only are they having one of their best seasons, just based on wins, but they are on the doorstep of winning their division for the first time in their history.  Usually we Rockies fans have to endure another losing season.  Whenever my dad met someone from out of state, he, being a great conversationalist, asked about the sports team that they followed.  So for instance, he might say, “You have a good team there in New York; the Yankees are playing well,” he would then joke, “We live in Colorado where there isn’t a professional baseball team!”

I am barely scratching the surface when it comes to the funny and unique lines, or what I might call Dad-isms.  I actually toyed with the idea of sharing 12 quotes, in honor of his birthday being on September 12th; there is certainly enough material that I could have compiled such a list, but I decided against it.

Let me conclude with this: I want you to understand that as silly as my dad could be, he was serious when he needed to be.  He was serious about loving and protecting his family.  He was serious about being excellent in his vocation as a Christian radio announcer (I still cringe whenever I hear a radio station have dead air, or make a mistake in a recorded announcement or something, because I know Dad would cringe too).  He was serious about his values and convictions.  And of course, he was serious about his faith in God. 

Kevin

Time does not heal all wounds

I recently heard a sermon where the pastor mentioned how his generation could instantly recollect where they were when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated.  He went on to say that this generation can immediately remember where they were when they heard the news that the Twin Towers had collapsed; a tragic event that, of course, occurred on this day, 17 years ago.  This pastor was right.  I could certainly tell you where I was.

As I mentally go back to that traumatic day, my heart goes out to those who lost loved ones.  I know this is an especially difficult day for them.  I also know it doesn’t really make any difference that it’s been 17 years.  Contrary to popular belief, time doesn’t heal all wounds.  In fact, if anyone happens to read my words that lost a spouse, family member, friend (or whatever the situation might be) on that horrible day, I want you to know I have been praying for you on this hard day.

In 2003, the Christian music group Avalon had this line in their song Everything to Me: “We’re living in uncertain times, and more and more, I find that I’m aware of how fragile life can be.” Tomorrow is my dad’s birthday, and because of how fragile life really is, we will be remembering how his life didn’t last nearly as long as anyone thought it would.  I may not know what it feels like to lose a beloved family member because of a terrorist attack, but I do know the pain of having to face an unexpected death.

I recently quoted from Paul Asay’s book God on the Streets of Gotham: What the Big Screen Batman can Teach Us about God and Ourselves regarding a different subject matter; I want to conclude today by citing another excerpt from his book.  At one point, he writes, “Most of us have experienced pain, from the death of a loved one to an out-of-the-blue betrayal to the unexpected loss of a lifelong dream.  It’s not like we’re expected to deal with these trials with a forced smile or stoic resolve.  We grieve.  We get angry.  We wail and moan.”  How true it is.

Kevin

A memorable film turns 10

Here’s an interesting historical tidbit: it was in 2008 when the film The Dark Knight starring Christian Bale was released.  I vividly remember seeing this film in theatres for the first time; to understand that this was already 10 years ago makes me shake my head in amazement (and sort of makes me feel old).

There is a lot I would like to say about this film.  I think I could write a week’s worth of blogs on this movie.  I would like to talk about some of my favorite scenes, and some problems I have with the movie that bother me, even to this day.  This is one of those movies that sticks in your brain long after.  Maybe I will devote another blog to this memorable film, but for today, I want to tackle two subjects.

First of all, it would be quite careless of me if I didn’t mention Heath Ledger’s masterful performance as the Joker.  There have been various interpretations of the Joker over the years; I appreciate the take that each of the actors have taken (I found Mark Hamill’s Joker very effective; I should write a blog about that version of Joker one day), but as Paul Asay, in his excellent book God on the Streets of Gotham: What the Big Screen Batman can Teach Us About God and Ourselves writes, “I don’t know if there’s ever been a more gripping depiction of pure evil in cinema than Heath Ledger’s unforgettable Joker.”  In my opinion, Heath’s Joker is the enduring legacy of The Dark Knight.

Secondly, this movie presents compelling topics.  I read a fascinating article by an author named David Chen.  At one point, he mentions the sad plight of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in the film.  Chen writes, “At the beginning of the film, Dent represents absolute good, a goodness that’s so pure, that has so much potential to change Gotham, that even Batman is thinking of hanging up his spurs…Dent’s journey from light to darkness is handled plausibly and adeptly in the film, which makes his story arc monstrously tragic…The film makes us realize that we, as humans are limited…Dent is not just a proxy for hope, he’s a proxy for us as well, reminding us of the duality that lies within each of us.”  (Source: https://www.slashfilm.com/assessing-the-themes-of-the-dark-knight/

Kevin

A new film worth considering

Earlier this month, the animated movie The Death of Superman was released.  When I first heard about this, I thought it was strange that they decided to do this.  You see, way back in 2007, the animated film Superman: Doomsday was unveiled.  What this film attempted to do was truncate three popular Superman graphic novels (The Death of Superman; World Without a Superman; and The Return of Superman into one animated film).  I’ve even blogged about Superman: Doomsday a few times.  While I’m happy it exists, this new film The Death of Superman is a much, much better version.  I feel like this is the version that should have existed all along.

For various reasons, I almost didn’t give this new movie a chance, but I’m sure glad I did.  I’m not ashamed that I cried a few times upon viewing this.  If you want to see a film that captures the essence of those first two graphic novels, I recommend The Death of Superman to you (they decided to release an upcoming second film Reign of the Supermen that covers the graphic novel The Return of Superman; and frankly, I think that’s a very good decision). 

Let me issue a caution: The Death of Superman (and Superman: Doomsday for that matter) is violent.  I know I’ve said it’s an animated movie, but it’s not for young children.  For those that don’t know, The Death of Superman is essentially the story of how Superman saves Metropolis from a heartless monster named Doomsday.  Doomsday has no conscience, mercy, or morality; he murders anyone that happens to be in his path.  Superman and Doomsday, in an epic fight, end up killing each other.  So, as you might expect, this film has a lot of violence, brutality (via Doomsday), and bloodshed in it.

But with that stated, I really like this movie.  You can see that the filmmakers had a deep love for the graphic novels; but really you don’t even have to have any knowledge of what transpired in those graphic novels to enjoy this film.  In short, this is a tale of the world’s greatest superhero giving his life for the citizens that he loves.  Many years ago, I heard a critic summing up the 1993 film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm by stating, “This is Gotham City’s savior the way he was meant to be.”  I submit that The Death of Superman captures Metropolis’ savior the way he was meant to be.

Kevin