It is only through by the strength of God!!

It is only by the strnght of God I am able to keep going, I am sooo tired. For the last two weeks I have been sick and recovering from a cold, but still had to work on this. I am so tired. My average night bedtime is like 2 or 3 am. Yesterday I Slept late and got 8 hours of sleep. Only through prayer and God's word and I able to keep going.

And you have to Pray, pray, pray for things to work out!! Then it does.

Living the Word

OK, the reality is that living with all that is needed to make this project come to fruition has been challenging. It has only been with the strength of God I have been able to survive. This is how our apartment has looked for a while as I prepared for the shoot:

What has kept the weeds from overcoming my focus has been this:

God's Word.

Like the parable of the sower, I find there are constant distractions all around me that I must keep weeding out. It is only God's Word that keeps me strong. Still I feel, as much as I have tried, there are many areas I have failed and certainly not lived up to God's standard, so I certainly need grace. All I can do is Thank God for his sacrifice so I can have a chance.

God is Moving in Amazing Ways!!!

Well it's been a while since my last Biblical Resarch post. As this blog deal more specifically with my spirtual journal in the production of this project, this part of the blog will be seen by those whose spirit has been stirred. You know who you are and I did not stir it. If you choose to deny him that is your choice, but he's brought you this far, and I don't mean to this blog - I mean in your life. Jeremiah 29:11-14

So. I am in the midst of pre-production. God has blest me and answered my prayers in regards to the talent I wanted to work with on their project. Everyone has their own gift. Each one is special. So many hearts, with so much love. I see elements in each of them, that help me uderstand why God loves each of us so much.

Now I pray that we all will get through all the production and not have to re-shoot anything.

Lord give us strength!!!

The Word... IS... The way

Wow is all I can say.  I am always amazed at how God continues to open my heart and show me more and more with his word.  Today I was studying the Crucifixion.  Using the Archeological Bible it is all so real.   It touched me so much.  Jesus sacrificed so much, went through so much for my horrible sinful self.  Later on in prayer I realized that through this project I am learning to be the lamp stand God created me to be.  To shine as he designed me to.  Not with postcards, handouts or catch phrases, but using the tools the Lord has given me.  It truly is the most challenging walk I have taken, because it's all me out there.  I can't act the rehearsed lines, or hand out the written phrases.  It's my heart devotion, my faith, my life commitment and my example that speak or are silent and that is convicting.  God is who does the work.  Thank God he is with me though each step.  I see now what I was trying to say in "I am right here".    I just hadn't learned it yet.  But I knew something wasn't right.    --the learning never ends.

Be a Lamp on a Stand - Midterm Review...

I just had midterm Reviews.  It was a great experience.  To God be the Glory!! What is showed me is that just as in Mark 4:25 I need to be a Lamp stand:  

"Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?  For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is disclosed is meant to be brought out into the open.  If any on has ears to hear, let him hear."  

And so I see I need to be a lamp. Some of the comments I was given were directly toward the motivation of my piece and what I was saying and how I need to say it fully.  

In the Lofe Application bible the question asked along with this scripture is if your life is show others how to find God and if not what bowls are in your way.  For me, my bowls are:

Fear

A desire to fit in

Wanting acceptance more than righteousness - I fought so long to be accepted, then got it, then realized it was useless, then found that what was really valuable was God, but still fight with myself for social acceptance.

But, just as the purpose of a Thesis is to contribute to the development of a subject of area of study.  My purpose is not only to contribute technology, but both  spiritually and morally to a field depraved of both.

Jesus goes on in his teaching during scripture to say:

"Consider carefully what you you hear," he continued, "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you -and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

I have been given much.  Many talents, many blessings, much love, forgiveness, grace beyond belief.    Yet I complain and grumble at soooo much.  there is a refining of my heart going on .  today we volunteered our last interview shoot for the Hope World Wide documentary interviews.  As I haven't slept much this week I was so tired.  But this is my husbands project and I needed to support him and do lighting and be the "reporter".   Afterwards we show test footage for my thesis while the lights were still up.  And I was humbled - God always gives back.  I saw some major flaws.  , just as I saw them in my character, they are in my film.  All need reworking to that God can shine.  

Much prayer is needed.

Daily Study continues...

I realize that it's been a while since I've posted on this Blog.  I've had to put so much on the VFX Blog.  I continue my daily study, and each day I learn more about the culture of the times.  Some relevant to this project, some not.  But all great!!  Most importantly it keeps me focused.  Once I get the Tech stuff  done I think I know what my topic for my research paper will be.  It will include the use of the "Invisible Arts" in the media and the influence of our all powerful Invincible God in Media.

Galilee - Galilee of the Nations

The northern part of Naphtli  a coastal city on the Sea of  Galilee, near Caperneum, was a mixed race of Jews and pagans after the captivity in Assyria.   Therefore the region was called " Galilee of the nations" and it's people "Gentiles".   During and after the captivity these people impoverished Judaism and their accent became peculiar and noticeable.  ( Thus Peter's accent being pointed out as he denied Jesus) This caused purer Jews to despise the Galileans.  

Thesis wise, this will effect my casting for the crowd.

Eating Positions

Eating Positions during Jesus' day were in the reclining position, that is resting on one arm and sitting back on it.  Usually resting on a pillow or mat or something.  I have to find and do more research to find out about women.  There are quotes about Reclining and Jesus reclining throughout the new testament, but I have to find our what the women and kids did as they were not with the men.  -Facts from the Archeological Bible

We're on our way to Canaan Land!!!

 

This is Curtis and I on our way to the Holy Land Experience in Florida.  I couldn't help but be reminded of that old spiritual, We're on our way to Canaan's Land!!

We'll it was a Beautiful day !!!
 

Making It Entertaining and Dynamic!!

This is a link to a great article on the type of project I want to create:

Click to go to the Post- Christian Film Maker Wake Up Call

This is the type of project I hope all my research will produce.

Jesus and the Clearing of the Temple

In regards to the Holy Land Experience, much will follow on that later, but first things first...

Jesus clearing the Temple.

Well I learned a lot about the Temple in Jesus' Day.  They built a recreation of it at he Holy Land Experience and a model recreation of Jerusalem which was amazing.  It was also great to walk through the "streets of Jerusalem".  

Jesus clearing the Temple - Mark 11:12-34, Luke 19:45-48 and John 2:12-25

Jesus was Angry because the Court of the Gentiles was filled with  those selling items for sacrifice and money exchangers.   As animals for sacrifice were being sold in the Court of Gentiles the house of the Lord was not a "house of prayer" for all nations but was becoming a smell, moist marketplace.   Jesus over turns the tables of the money changers and dries out the tables of those selling doves.  Animals sold were Cattle, sheep and doves.  Money exchanged was Roman currency and other Foreign currency for the Tyrean Shekels.   The Chief priest and the teachers of the Law were there as well as the disciples.

On My Way to the Holy Land Experience

Today, I go to the Holy Land Expereince. I have been in Florida on "vacation" since January 2, 2008 since I started the Blogs and my site. Today I will visit this Site. From there website there are lots of archeological reproductions and great insights I can gain from this experience. I can wait to see what God will teach me. I will go study now to prepare my self. God is Good!!!

Sea of Galilee- Jesus walking on Water

During my normal Bible studies I learned that the Sea of Galilee, which is the lowest body of water on earth and is 1,300 ft below sea level has lumps of asphalt floating on it in its southern end.  I don't know if this will have any relevance to anything I might do but I found it interesting. I read through Jesus walking on water today. Matthew 14:22-34, Mark 6:45-56 From the Archeological bible I learned the following:

Location:

Sea of Galilee 14 miles long, 6 miles wide (actually a lake)

Boat take off:

????Near Shores of Bethsaida

Take off Description:

( As this was just after the feeding of the 5,000 it could have been a barren place)

Boat Landing:

Gennesaret

Landing Description: 

3 mile plain along the north western shore of the Sea of Galilee going about 1 mile inland. Rich, well watered soil, very fertile probably covered with Fig, olive, palm and walnut trees.

Time:

Fourth Watch,   which was from 3:00 am to 6:00 am

Conditions:  rough stormy waters with the wind against the disciples paddling against the wind in the boat.

Boat:

A boat from Jesus' time that was found was 26.5 feet long, 7.5 feet wide and 4.5 feet deep.  It could hold a ton- five crew members and a catch or the crew and ten passengers.  They used a large dragnet (Hundreds of feet long or a circular casting net 6.3 -8.8 yards diameter) - Historical notes on Fishing taken from the Archeological  Bible page 1676.  There's a great map of Jesus' Ministry on Map 11 with details of possible locations.

The feeding of the 5,000

Today I studied looked at the feeding of the 5,000 in the Archeological Bible.  Matthew 14:13-21 and Mark 6:30-44.  This was not my traditional bible study, but more of one to find out historical elements and facts I didn't know to add to the script of Living and Active if this is the biblical story told.  This is what I found out:

Possible Location:

Jesus' hometown Nazareth Near the Sea of Galilee

Location Description:   

A remote green grass area around the Sea of Galilee.  As the

area was covered with green grass, it was either after the late winter or early spring rains.

Nearby Towns:

Capernaum and Bethsaida (population 2,000-3000 each)

Bread:

Represented a gift from God, I'd imagine like Manna as in Exodus.  You had to pick up scraps that fell to the ground during a meal.

Bread Type:

Flat Barley Loaves - Cheap, a staple for the poor.  You could eat several in one meal.

Basket Type:

"kophinos" -" small wicker baskets part of daily attire" they were carried on the back to hold provisions.  Twelve were collected by the apostles after the feeding.

The Crowd:

5,000 men counted, arranged in groups of hundreds and fifties. Women and Children did not eat with men in pubic gatherings but they would have been there also and were most likely fed in a separate place.  The total people count count could have reached 10.0000.

The Journey has begun

Well I have begun my biblical research for the living and active short thesis film that God willing I will be doing.   My biblical studies will be a supplement to my normal daily studies and the Lord willing another means to learn and grow.   I began officially almost a week ago, but couldn't start the blogging until now.  Currently I am using the Archaeological Bible for my research as it has a lot of historical and cultural information that is very valuable to this type of project.  I am currently looking at recreating one of three biblical adventures as I like to call them from the Bible.  Either the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus teaching the people on the Sea of Galilee or the Sermon on the Mount.  All three of these are easily visible recognizable events that won't require much dialogue to have dramatic impact.  

In my research for the feeding of the 5,000 I have run a into great information on page 1575 of the  Archeological Bible about Jewish meals.  This is a great resource in how to tie the Modern day location of the main character to the Biblical ones God makes it clear to me that dramtizing this part of the bible is best.