Kingdom of Heaven, The Movie

I decided to watch "Kingdom of Heaven" for a few reasons. Being someone who grew up in the Middle East, I was curious to see how the movie would portray one of our most admired leaders Saladin. I wasn't disappointed with his character in this movie.

I also wanted to see Hollywood's take on the subject of the crusades. With Hollywood, you may never know what you get. With this movie, they tried to keep a balanced account of what happened during that time. Of course, they had to insert a love story in the plot to make it more entertaining. That's very Hollywood.

And I wanted to compare this movie to my favorite Arabic movie on the same subject, which is "Al-Nasr Saladin." Comparing the two, I still love the Arabic story more than Hollywood's story.

With that said, I have to say I like the message the movie sends us. The message is that you have to find Kingdom of Heaven in your heart. If you can't find God in your heart, then you may wonder the world all your life without ever finding him.

---

Kingdom of Heaven

Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Chirstmas everyone. I hope you have a great Christmas with your family and friends. Mark and me are spending Christmas in Beaumont this year. This is probably the least stressful Christmas in my whole life.

The Dallas Morning News did a report about Chaldean Christmas traditions in the DFW area. It's really hard to find Chaldeans in Dallas-Fort Worth area because we blend well with the locals and there aren't many Chaldean families who live in this area.



Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

The Kansas City Southern's Holiday Express train churns out smoke and plays holiday music in Beaumont on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005. The train will visit and distribute goody bags in 20 communities by Dec. 18.

Tomorrow, I'll post a photo so y'all can see my tree.


Merry Christmas everyone

The Vatican Christmas Tree

Until I read the following report, I never wondered who lights the Vatican Christmas tree. The Associated Press reports:

VATICAN CITY — An 11-year-old Austrian boy who saved the life of a young relative last summer lit a towering Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square on Saturday, giving Vatican City a festive air.

Juergen Lengauer, who last summer saved a 2-year-old relative from drowning in a pool, lit the 100-foot fir from the Upper Austrian town of Eferding. The tree glowed yellow as a choir sang in German just after sunset.

The tree, along with a nativity scene, will be the Vatican's centerpiece for tourists and pilgrims who flock there during the holidays.

Read more...

He's really a hero.
 

Murder of a Nun In The Amazon

ORIGINAL POST Feb. 15, 2005
Last Saturday, Sister Dorothy Stang was killed in the Amazon. The ABC News reported:

Stang, 73, a naturalized Brazilian originally from Dayton, Ohio, was attacked Saturday in a settlement 30 miles from Anapu, where she worked helping some 400 families survive in the rugged jungle.

A witness said that when two gunmen approached her, she pulled out a Bible and began to read. Her killers listened for a moment, took a few steps back and fired, he said. Coroners said she was shot six times at close range by two guns.

"Dorothy's last words were the only words she knew: the word of God," said Mary Alice McCabe, a nun from Connecticut who has lived in Brazil for 34 years.

Read more...

May her soul rest in peace above the Amazon skies, where she lived and worked with the poor for many years.

---

UPDATE I - Dec. 16, 2005
The Associated Press reported:

BELEM, Brazil, Dec. 10 (AP) - Two Brazilian men were convicted Saturday of killing an American nun who spent decades trying to save the Amazon rain forest, in a trial many saw as a test of Brazil's commitment to prosecuting land-related killings.

Rayfran das Neves Sales and Clodoaldo Carlos Batista were found guilty of killing Dorothy Stang on Feb. 12 in the heart of the Amazon rain forest.

The seven-member jury sentenced Mr. Sales, who the prosecutor said shot the nun six times with a .38 caliber revolver on a muddy road, to 27 years in prison. Mr. Batista, charged as an accomplice, was sentenced to 17 years. They had faced up to 30 years.

Read more...

I hope these news bring some peace of mind to her family and the people who loved her.

Tom Gibb from BBC News, Braxil has more details about Sr. Dorothy.

---

UPDATE II - Apr. 27, 2006
The Associated Press reports:

BELEM, Brazil - An Amazon farmer pleaded guilty Wednesday to hiring the gunmen in the killing of a nun from Ohio and was sentenced to 18 years for the slaying, which he said was ordered by two ranchers.

Amair Feijoli da Cunha, 38, told a jury the ranchers wanted Dorothy Stang killed because of her opposition to their plans to log a disputed patch of rainforest.

Feijoli said he offered money to two gunmen to shoot the 73-year-old nun on Feb. 12, 2005, at the behest of ranchers Vitalmiro Moura and Regivaldo Galvao.

Read more...

Justice feels good.

The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch, and The wardrobe

This weekend, I watched "Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" in the movie theater. The movie was truthful to the book. They didn't change or miss any bit of the book.

Being someone who lived in a war zone, experienced a lot of bombing and had to move to another city when the bombing got too heavy, the first few minutes of the movie got to my emotions. I thought I was over those memories. I guess I was wrong.

The young actors were great. I loved Lucy. The scenes, the other actors, the animals, the graphics, the music and everything else in this movie was excellent. Even my husband, who wasn't motivated to see the movie because of the religious references, wants to see the next movie in the series.

Last week, I finished reading "The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe." I still have the rest of Narnia books to read. I think I fall under the spell of C.S. Lewis. I like his use of short chapters. You don't get bored reading the books. I think that's part of the book's success.

Now, each time I have a bad day, I tell my husband that I want to go to Narnia. He laughs.

---

The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Lion, The Witch, and The wardrobe
The Soundtrack


Chronicles of Narnia
The Books Set

A Sign of Hope In Basra

Basra, my city of birth AND my favorite Iraqi city, suffered a lot from the militias that want to turn the city into a mini-Iran. Lately, many Christian families left the city because of different types of harassment from those militias.

In the middle of this darkness, there's a glimpse of hope in Basra. AsiaNews reports:

Basra (AsiaNews) - The ordination of ten Chaldean Catholics as deacons in Basra last Sunday has given believers hope in the future, this according to Mgr Djibrail Kassab, Archbishop of Basra, who spoke to AsiaNews about his congregationÂ’s expectations vis-à-vis the upcoming elections and Christmas.

Last Sunday, the Archbishop celebrated the closing mass of the Year of the Eucharist. "Two days ago," the prelate said, "we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation according to the Chaldean liturgy." Ten new deacons were ordained on this occasion.

"The church was full. We were about 350," he noted. "We could read happiness on the faces of the faithful and the new deacons."

"These are always moments of great joy," he added.

Read more...

This is really a sign of hope. Mgr Kassab was my church pastor when I lived in Baghdad. He's a very energetic person. I'm not surprised he kept people's faith alive during the last two years. You need to meet him to understand the kind of good person he is.
 

Reflections of a Peacemaker

This week, I read Mattie J.T. Stepanek's book "Reflections of a Peacemaker." The book was published after Mattie's death last year. It's a collection of his thoughts during his short life. It's the best book to buy for children and adults as a gift of love, peace and hope.

While reading the book, I kept wondering how this young boy kept his faith through the death of his older siblings at such a young age -- not to mention his physical suffering. His faith makes put us all to shame. We have less problems and struggles, but seem to lose our faith from time to time.

I still believe Mattie was a real angel sent to brighten our lives. I'm grateful for the day I watched him on the Oprah Winfery Show.

Mattie loved to call himself a "poet, peacemaker and philosopher who played." His best advise was "remember to play after every storm."

---

Reflections of a Peacemaker:
A Portrait Through Heartsongs

Office Christmas Party

Here's a joke that made me laugh. It was sent to me last year. So, probably some of you have already read it:

MEMO: Office Christmas Party
DATE: December 1
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23, starting at noon in the banquet room at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue. No-host bar, but plenty of eggnog! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!

---

DATE: December 2
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Christmas Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish Employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday that often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. Happy now?

---

DATE: December 3
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table...you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads "AA Only," you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How do you suggest that I handle this? Somebody? Anybody?

---

DATE: December 7
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Holiday Party

What a diverse company we are! I had no idea that December 20 begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps Luigi's can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party -- the days are so short this time of year -- or else package everything for take-home in little foil swans. Will that work? Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the rest rooms. Did I miss anything?

---

DATE: December 8
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Holiday Party

So December 22 marks the Winter Solstice -- what do you expect me to do, a tap-dance on your heads? Fire regulations at Luigi's prohibit the request of burning of sage by our "earth-based Goddess-worshipping" employees, but we'll try to accommodate your shamanic drumming circle during the band's breaks. Okay???

---

DATE: December 9
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Holiday Party

People, people, people, nothing sinister was intended by having our CEO dress up like Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red suit." It's a tradition, folks, like sugar shock at Halloween or family feuds over the Thanksgiving turkey or broken hearts on Valentine's Day. Could we lighten up? Please?

---

DATE: December 10
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Holiday Party

Vegetarians!?!?!? I've had it with you people!!! We're going to keep this party at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your #$%^&!*# salad bar, including hydroponic tomatoes...but you know, they have feelings, too. Tomatoes scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream, I'm hearing them scream right now!

---

DATE: December 14
FROM: Teri Bishops, (Acting Human Resources Director)
TO: Everyone
RE: Pat Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pat Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness and I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off.

---

Have a nice Christmas party everyone.