Movies and Books

Movies and Books Some of the most favorite past times for people these days are watching movies and reading books. These two types of media have been a huge influence in our world today. Both have many differences and similarities. Most people do; however, prefer movies over books. There are many different types of movies and books: horror, romance, comedies, mystery, war, history, etc. Books and movies are both great ways to get away from the real world and let your imagination run wild.

    Movies are a huge influence in all cultures in the world. Everybody loves movies, well most people. Movies are an easy way to see a story in about two hours, instead of reading for hours and hours on end. It has been very rare when a book will be better than a book. There was one movie that was better than the books, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Well from what I have heard it was better than the books. Movies are great way to relax, sitting in front of a TV with some of your best friends with a bowl of popcorn being handed around. Like in some movies and books you will be on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, dying to know what will happen next. However, unlike books, when you watch movies it is a way to flirt. When the intense part comes you can grab your friend’s hand and just hold it tightly until the moment passes. I find these moments some of the funniest moments in my life. Most people love to have a movie marathon, where they will watch a whole bunch of movies all at once with friends. Movies can be watched over and over again, books can be re-read by those who have the patience.

   Books are also a nice way to get away, to sit down in a nice peaceful place with a cup of tea or coffee and just read. Whenever I open up a book, my mind will suddenly open up the door to that imaginary world. The sounds, the colors, and the surroundings will be around me. I am usually oblivious to my real surrounds and all that is going around me while I read, because I will be so captivated by the book. Books are a way to imagine things on your own and go into more details with descriptions, when you watch a movie that is how the person imagined that world and is not your own imagination. You are given the imagination; with books usually the writer will give you a description, but it is up to you whether you want to use that description or not. Also, books make you think about the plot and what is going to happen next. When you read a book, most of the time you will not find out what happens in an hour or two. Unless you are a very fast reader or the book was just short, very short. So when someone reads a book one question is always in their head’ “What is going to happen next?” Which make readers want to read fast and ignore everything else that is going on around them.

    Both movies and books had to start from one main characteristic, imagination. When that person had an idea in their head, they were creating a type of dream. Then slowly they were able to build off of it and create a full story of some sorts. Some authors and directors even take a big event and create a story from that event, so like the big event was real but the story was fantasy. So lets take World War II for example, an author or director may have made up a story about some Jews hiding who later on get caught and go to prison camps. So the event was based off of people who went through what a lot of Jews went through during World War II but the people themselves were not real. There are many of differences between books and movies; however, there are a lot of similarities. There are some people in this world who do not read books because they are too lazy or they just do not like to read. Then there are those who prefer books over movies, because books are more descriptive and dive into the details. Movies and books are pretty even if it came to a contest on which one would be better; both are good for relaxing and just chilling if you are stressed.

Cadi Forbes

Cadi Forbes in The Last Sin Eater, is a small 10-year-old girl who has a strong adventurous spirit with confused side. Cadi loves the mountains, forests, and fields full of flowers that surround her. After she finishes her chores each day, she always goes off into the forest looking for an adventure. When Cadi first encounters the Sin Eater and a foreigner that she calls the Man of God her whole view of the world changes. She digs up secrets from the past, which test Cadi’s faith in God and what she believes is right and wrong.

Cadi first encounters the Sin Eater at her grandmother’s funeral, when she accidentally looked upon the face of the Sin Eater. Cadi’s curiosity and search for freedom from her sins, she begins a search for the Sin Eater. She made a journey up to Dead Man’s Mountain which is a forbidden mountain to all those except for the Sin Eater. During her journey she is fearful of the future and hoping that the poor man can take away her sins and she can live the rest of her life in peace. Also Cadi has a rebellious side to her, the Kai warn everyone not to go down to where the Man of God was; however, Cadi goes down there to listen to him and becomes confused with what the man’s words are. When she goes and talks with him she embraces his words and becomes saved, changing her life forever.

One of Cadi’s biggest struggles through this story was past sins and guilt. Throughout the beginning of the story, Cadi could not forgive herself for seeing her sister die and believed it was her fault that she feel off the tree bridge and into the water. When Cadi finally accepted Christ as her Lord she was able to release herself from the sin that was holding her down. A few days later when Fagan gets beaten and the Man of God dies from Brogan Kai’s beaten; Cadi believes its her fault because she talked to the man and Fagan came with her. Cadi also was scared for Fagan and herself, she allowed herself to be taken over by fear which gave her a weak side, she was letting Brogan Kai win by making her fear him. Which was something she had to overcome later on.

Cadi has a lot of internal conflict in this book. With what she knows is right, but yet trying to do it in a way that no one gets hurt. After Fagan’s beating and the Man of God’s death, Cadi doesn’t understand why God allowed him to die and Fagan to get hurt. She does not know who to believe and how understand God’s ways. When Fagan then talks to her she begins to understand and is ready to take up the challenge to share what the Man of God had said with many people. Also. Cadi is afraid for the Sin Eater, not knowing how he would react to her words. She knew it would hurt him, for he was deceived for twenty-two years. Cadi almost didn’t have the courage to at one point, but then gathered her courage to go talk to him.

Cadi and I are a lot alike in many ways: her sense of adventure, dwelling upon past sins, afraid for the future, and not understanding God’s ways. Cadi mostly struggled with internal conflicts, trying to figure out what her values were in life. I believe Cadi is stronger than she believed; all she needed to do was find that strength in God. The main lesson I learned from Cadi was that I need to find my identity in Christ and look to him in my times of trouble instead of myself. To not deal upon past sins, for Jesus took that all away when he died on the cross. God is with us every step of the way walking before and besides us.

Big Brothers

There are many things in this world that mean a lot to me and things I would love to write about. However, there is one topic that means so much to me that I have never begun to describe to many people. Big brothers have been a big part of my life. I have always had that need to feel that there was a guy out there for me. A man who was not wanting to date me or want more then just friends. A brother who was a  Godly man, who would give me a big bear hug when I was at my worst. A man who would become protective over me if a guy came to close to me, and a man who would care.

I do in fact have one older brother that is blood related, named Sam. It was in fact Sam who gave me the name Katrina, because they thought I was going to be a boy. Well since I disappointed them and they got stuck with me, my parents allowed Sam to name me. I do not know why, but my brother and I were very close and still are. However, when he reached high school I never saw him much. He was out with his friends and being to cool for my family. Once he went off to college I really never saw him or heard from him. However, once I saw him for the first time after he had left, he had changed so much. It felt like he was taking up his role more in becoming my big brother. I felt protected for the first time. Ever since then he has been taking me out on dates and wanting to spend quality time with me. To me, that means so much. To be able to have a relationship with a man where you don’t have to be dating in order to have fun with and love. It is amazing.

Kyle Ladner was my next big brother and my first big brother that wasn’t blood related. When I first moved to Malaysia, I was accepted into the Ladner family right away as their sister. Keegan and I still argue that me being six months older doesn’t count, but it does; however, that is another story. Anyways, once Kyle came to Dalat for high school he was my big brother. At first we didn’t talk much or hang out and I was fine with that. It wasn’t actually till my freshman year of high school that I realized he was my big brother. It was during S.E.W., I was going through a really hard time during then. I was missing my siblings, for it was the first time for me to be the only child and I was struggling with some friend issues. After one of the night services, all of it just came out. I began to cry and everyone was praying for each other. I was however, sitting alone just letting the tears come. Then suddenly I feel an arm go around me and I look over to see Kyle sitting next to me, saying that it was going to be ok. From then on I realized how much Kyle meant to me. It was such an amazing feeling to know that there was someone who would always be there for me if I needed to talk.

Kirk Fraiser didn’t become my brother until second semester of my freshman year. It was a chapel day, I was still going through some hard times and that particular day my friend had decided to remind me of something I was trying to forget. It ticked me off, I started to go into a bad mood the rest of the mourning, until chapel came along. That particular day was the day Mr. Gwaltney decided to ask the question: How are you really feeling? What is the best thing that has happen to you this year?, What is the worse thing that has happened to you this year?, and What would you ask God? I broke out in chapel crying. I was trying so hard to cover it up as well, but that didn’t really work out to well it just became worse. Kirk saw me, came over, sat next to me and put his arm around me. Then he began to pray for me, something that not many people do unless I ask for it. Kirk had known I was going through a hard time and that I was missing my siblings a lot. The prayer he prayed for me was so encouraging and in that prayer he called me his sister. Usually I am the one who chooses my brothers and decides who is going to take on the job to look after me. However, Kirk chose that job for me and that meant a lot right there.

Josh Ray became my big brother when he started wanting to know how I was really doing in life. Every now and then he will ask me how I am really doing. Not my fake answer that I give everyone saying that I am doing good, but the honest one. Josh can also give the most comforting hugs I have ever received. They are hugs that make me feel safe and protected. Hugs that tell me that everything is going to be alright and that I don’t need to fear anything. Josh is the brother who protects me from other guys. The other week a guy was flirting with me and Josh got so ticked off at him that Josh yelled at him in front of many people. However, I was oblivious to this that didn’t find out till later from another one of my good friends. It was funny but also important though for me to find out this, because it made me feel like there was someone there who is willing to protect me from other men who may not have the right intentions.

These big brothers have had an amazing impact on my life. They have taught me many lessons and have put me on the right path towards God. All of these great men have made me feel beautiful in different ways. Some people may think that big brothers are just in excuse for me to flirt or have a hug from a guy; however, no. Big brothers to me have a deeper meaning than that. God has always provided me with a big brother and I hope he continues to provide for me.

Women vs. Culture

The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck, shows many different arguments and themes. However, there is only one argument I will be talking about and that is The Oppression of Women in Chinese Culture. I am a type of women who is strongly for women’s rights and when I read this book it made me mad most of the time. God made women to serve men, but not to be treated like property. Culture has a huge effect on people, but does that mean it is right? Sometimes culture is not always the right thing when it comes to human being’s fate.

One culture of the Chinese is to have women’s feet bound at very young age. This in their culture is a sign a beauty and so that women would not run away from they husbands when they were married. I am not really sure why they think it is beautiful, for me it is not that pretty. In The Good Earth, at one point Wang Lung complains to his wife that she is not beautiful for not having her feet bound. However, later on he realizes that if she had her feet bound, she would have not been able to work so hard for him. When the foot binding begins, it cripples the feet so that later on in the years you cannot walk. Wang Lung daughter starts to complain to her father when she starts to get her feet bound. At first Wang Lung didn’t even know that his daughter was having her feet bound. Later on he finds out that it was his wife, O-lan, doings; for he had called her ugly for not having her feet bound. This is not very healthy for women back then, because sometimes the women would be beaten for not working hard enough. How are they suppose to work if it hurts for them to even walk?

Back then; women were also sold as slaves or to men. One Chinese man sells his daughter to a soldier; however, he did this because he was low on money and he did not want his daughter to suffer. Another man sells his seven year old daughter to Wang Lung because he also was low on money and did not want to see his daughter suffer or to be sold to an untrustful wealthy man. Back then, young beautiful women who were sold to wealthy men were most likely raped or sexually abused. At one point O-lan is willing to sell her oldest daughter for her family to make their way back to Wang Lung’s property, for they were living in the city during the famine. In these few little incidents we see how women were thought of. Women were more of the back up plan, or the supply for money if it was needed. There were some situations when the fathers were thinking of their daughter’s well being; however, women were treated more like property. Some men just had no respect for women. It’s like us women are here to have children, work, and be treated like trash. That is not they way things should be, women should be shown the same amount of respect as we give men.

The last point of women in the Chinese culture is their status. At one point when there is a famine that hits the little village they live in, and O-lan gives birth to a baby girl. Out of love for her family she strangles the child, because it would starve them to death and also would just cause the baby girl to suffer from malnourishment. One on hand O-lan is thinking of her family, not wanting them to starve. Also she knows that the child will just suffer if she lets it live, so in the end she kills her. Now if she had given birth to a son, then it is most likely that she would have not killed him. Men in Chinese culture are much more valuable, because they can work and make money. I am actually surprised that there are enough Chinese women for the men, because so many are abused and killed.

Chinese culture has changed much today from their old traditions. However though, I do believe that some of their traditions may be still followed. Women have suffered so much in this world. There are many other cultures where women are abused and taken for granted. I believe that God created women for a better cause. Culture is not always correct. There are cultures out there were they make human sacrifices and that is not right in any culture. I believe that when it comes to humans, culture should be very careful. The decisions or things that happen to us at a young age (like being beaten over and over or foot binding), can help us shape us when we are older.

My Sucicide

This is a good spot, I thought to myself

As I stopped under a big tree with thick moss

I had been walking in the forest,

Not caring about the time.

Just thinking

I then sat under the tree and put my back against the damp moss

I then brought out my pen and paper

And began to write

Write, write, and write

I don’t know how long I wrote for

But that didn’t matter

I then finished and looked over my work

My last words on earth

I then put the note in my pocket, some where that I knew it would be ruined.

I then sat there is silence

My mind whirled

My hands began to shake

Memories flowed like water into my head

Emotions pierced my heart and soul.

Tears started to roll down my face.

I wiped them away with my black hands.

Then I slowly brought out the knife.

Its blade was icy cold against my fingers.

I saw an image in the blade

A person who had been suffering

Someone who felt they had died inside

And yet, no one knew

Except me….

I put the blade against my throat

Ready to slice it.

Ready to let the blood flow from me and drain the life out of me.

But I couldn’t do it

I have the courage take someone else’s life,

But not the courage to take my own.

Then a question came to my mind,

“What will people say when they find out?

Will they think that I was weak?

That I didn’t have the strength to pull through this hard time?

Will they think I’m a coward?

That I couldn’t take on the challenge of life?

Or will they think nothing at all?

What will my family think?

My parents?

Will they think that they didn’t try hard enough?

That its there fault their child couldn’t stand life anymore?

Will they think that they didn’t love me enough?

What would God think?

Would he think that I couldn’t trust him?

That his love wasn’t enough for me?

That he created a person who could have succeeded,

Who could have survived and be a great warrior?

That his son’s death on the cross was for nothing….

That his work was all for nothing….”

I then took the knife, hid it in my pocket

And walked away

Judgement

Why are we so quick to judge?

Every mourning I wake up

Look in the mirror and put on a mask.

One that shows what other people want me to be.

A mask that shows i’m the perfect girl

A girl who is wise, smart, and someone who has no problems.

Most of the time I feel like my life is a play.

And the world is my stage

Outside of the safety of my room.

Every eye on me, giving me the death stare

Waiting for me to mess up, then quick to judge

The world outside has put pressure on me to be someone I’m not

Like an actress

An actress who turns out to be the criminal

And the world sees me as that

But inside, my soul aches

It aches for freedom.

To be myself

To escape from the locked box I keep hidden inside of my chest

Just a rusty old box

Nothing special, for that is what I feel.

But that box is my most precious possession

Inside of that box

The rusty old box holds the real me

It may be ugly on the outside

But on the inside,

Inside it is gold.

It is wild

With forests, mountains, deserts, oceans,

Inside lies the sun!

Only few have seen this box or what lies inside.

For those people are the ones who know the real me

The person who God intended me to be.

But I have doubts

How will I be the person God has intended me to be,

If I cannot even be myself with the people I love?

So I say to you

If you feel judged,

Then first stop judging others

And they will eventually learn to respect you.

The journey may be hard

But trust in God

And he will give you the strength you need

The strength to survive.

The Chains of Darkness

The chains held me back,

Weight of them heavy on my wrists.

I can hear the screams of others behind me.

I slowly weaken,

But I cannot give up now.

I can see the light near,

But yet so far away.

I struggle to break free from these chains

That are holding me back from freedom,

Freedom that I long for.

The sound of a whip comes from behind,

Unexpected pain came quick.

I yelled out in pain!

It feels of a thousand nails pounding into my body, into my soul.

It is too much.

I fall,

Into darkness.

Not knowing when or what my body will hit.

It felt as if I would never land,

A darkness without end.

Hard, cold, sharp rocks suddenly came

Hitting them hard,

Pain swallows my body up like water.

I feel a dark, heavy, shadow lay upon me,

But yet nothing was there.

The light in front starts to fade.

I feel as if I cannot make it.

Then darkness envelops me.

Consuming everything I am,

Making me something I’m not.

The pressure becomes too much

I slowly begin to die.

A cold, long, lonely death.

I hear death, sorrow, guilt, shame ringing in my ears.

I wished it would go away!

I call out for freedom,

For salvation,

For a savior!

But nothing,

Just pain.

Tears envelop my eyes.

I feel alone,

I don’t know what to do.

Suddenly silence.

The screams fade,

My tears become dry,

I feel peace.

The light ahead becomes brighter.

I see a man standing.

Not a man in darkness,

But a man who is golden.

A brighter gold then anything I have seen before.

I suddenly feel the strength I need,

The strength to break free of the chains.

I stand up,

Ignoring the pain

I run to the light.

I run to the man,

The man who is golden.

I run harder then I have before,

He embraces me with open arms.

His arms surround me,

Making me warm.

I wished to never let go,

To stay in that embrace of love.

I felt safe.

Worried that I would fall back into darkness,

I look back.

To my relief, the darkness slowly disappears.

Then I look at the man,

The tall, golden man.

He smiled,

A smile that filled me with a warm happiness.

I then took the hand he held out and looked ahead,

To the light

And he led me to safety.

Away from the darkness that I don’t need to fear anymore,

For I have Him

I Can Feel…

I can feel the weight of the world on my shoulders

I can feel a strong wind pushing me back, closer to the edge of a cliff

I can feel thorns breaking through my shoes, my skin. Making me weak.

I can feel the pain of others in my mind.

I can feel my own suffering, its too much.

But then, I can feel Him.

I can feel the weight lift from my shoulders.

I can feel the wind turn into a cool breeze.

I can feel my mind go to rest.

I can feel his warmth, his smile, his strength.

I can feel Him put His arms around me.

I can feel Him holding me in His arms.

I can feel peace for the first time, in a long time.

I can feel His love.

I Am Who I Am

I am who I am

I cannot fly, change people’s hearts, or am perfect.

I cannot describe myself, for every day I become older, wise or foolish you can judge.

I am who God made me to be

I am trying my best to stay on this road of suffering,

But with God’s help anything is possible.

Peace

It is the color of a light blue like a clear sky.
It sounds like the wind, a wind blowing across a parrie.
It tastes of bitter sweet
It smells of a pine forest
It looks like clear ocean water, with the most colorful coral and beautiful fish.
It makes me feel free from the chains of judgment, guilt, sorrow, and worries that I have everyday of my life.