Allen R. Hunt's Blog, page 4

Anna K

Saw Anna Karenina with my daughter. Any movie that stars Keira Knightley is a friend of mine even if this was not her finest performance.

Believe it or not, Jude Law outperformed everyone in the flick, with his portrayal of the husband jilted by the wayward wife. The story tells a powerful tale of the destructiveness of sin (lust, in particular) and the lives left crushed and discarded in the ditch as a result. Tolstoy's narrative is stunning and revealing in its portrayal of human nature and our susceptibility to the seven deadly sins.

Very powerful. Really good but not great movie.

AHS Grade:   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

12th Angel

Just finished reading a book given to me. Og Mandino's The Twelfth Angel.

Short, inspirational story about a man struggling to cope with the death of his wife and child. Meets a young, inept player on the Little League team he is coaching. And both lives get redirected in the direction of grace. 

Nice, easy reminder of what parts of life matter and what parts do not.

AHS Grade:   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Redemption for Ray

Power outage. Two brothers competing head to head. A great comeback that fell just short. Yes, another Super Bowl has come and gone. And this one gave us all kinds of wonderful human drama.

The greatest drama emerged in the final game of one of football's pre-eminent warriors, Ray Lewis. Some love him; some hate him. His attorney says no evidence exists to suggest that Lewis played a role in two tragic deaths in Atlanta years ago and that Lewis heroically stepped up to help the victims' families. His critics say that he got away with murder and should never have been allowed to play in the NFL again.

Frankly, neither of those viewpoints matters much to me. The law matters, but so too does grace. Ray Lewis has shown forth a transformation in his life that is hard to dispute over the past decade. From messy pieces of the fabric of his life, with the help of God, Lewis has sewn together   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Sage Words

Had the privilege of spending some time with Cardinal Dolan this week and picked up his most recent newsletter. Very sage words.

As we mark the solemn 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, I would like to address my column this week to our teens and young adults, who I believe will ultimately prevail in restoring a sense of respect for all human life, including the innocent baby in her mother’s womb. Please feel free to share this column with a young adult in your life, or ask them to look for it at http://www.cny.org/.  

For much of the 40 years since the Supreme   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Got Stress?

Got stress? Economy shrinking in the 4th quarter squeezing you. Or the darkness of short days in the winter dejecting you. Or bills due from Christmas sitting on your desk. 

January to March are my busiest travel months. Way too much time in airports and on planes. Those always stress me out.

How do you release the stress and embrace the joy of your life? For me, the three life-saving keys are:

1) Prayer. You knew that was coming, but it's true. Time in the presence of God reminds you of His mercy (which I really need after TSA patdowns) and His immense power (this is His universe after all). Focus on listening more and talking less. Works every time.

2) Long walks. Even scientific research reveals that walks in the woods or in green spaces radically improve your state of mind more than nearly anything else you can do. Being outside actually helps heal   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Equipping Teenagers

Every parent knows that teenagers can be tough. My friend, Wayne, has operated Chick-Fil-A restaurants for forty years, and he has gained a lot of wisdom. Especially when it comes to teenagers. He's coached, employed, and taught a lot of them.

I admire how Wayne knows how to build teams, and how he invests in the young people who work for him. He sincerely desires to help them become the best-version-of-themselves. And he does it well.

So he and I are going to have an open conversation about how to equip teenagers. Not a presentation. Just a conversation. And we'd love for you to be a part and throw in your wisdom as well.

He and I will be at the Rivermont Station Chick-Fil-A. Saturday, February 16. From 9:00-11:00 a.m. Just chattiing about this topic. You can come and join in for as long or as short as you desire. And   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Motorcycles and Movies

Well, last Saturday, when I was getting some more coaching on motorcyle riding from Chris Carr at Two Wheel Adventures here in Atlanta, his team filmed some of the experience and sent it to me. How cool. We had a great day and I'm glad for their professional help in preparing me for the mean streets of Atlanta as well as our upcoming motorcycle rally to benefit the Murphy Harpst Children's Center on April 20.

You can see me learning to crawl, walk, and then run on a bike by clicking here. Enjoy and feel free to make fun of me if you are a seasoned biker :)  If you're like me, and would like some help, I do recommend Chris. A number of folks recommended him to me, and they were   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

4 Times the Risk

My father died 10 years ago last month. I still miss him. He was not a flashy guy to say the least. A quiet accountant who rarely socialized outside our family and who would rather be scourged than speak in public.

But my dad gave me something very valuable. Quiet predictability. He left for work at the same time each morning. He returned home each evening promptly at 5:30. That steadiness taught me that I could count on my father. 

He never came home drunk or in a rage. My father did not hit my mother. Dad worked hard, earned a living, and almost never missed work. He took our family to worship every Sunday that I can remember. Quiet, steady, predictable leadership. Consistency meant security. I could count on my life as a child being safe and stable.

In contrast, a new DOJ study sadly shows that teenagers of unmarried parents are almost 4 times more likely (380% to be exact) to be the   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

What a Week

The inauguration of a president, the celebration of Dr. King's birthday, and the 40th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. What an intersection of moments for our nation this week.

Dr. King's words from a Birmingham jail capture that unique intersection best:

"...though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.' Was not Amos an extremist for justice: 'Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.' .. And Abraham Lincoln: 'This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.' And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Tayari

Atlanta magazine had a great list of recent Southern literature recommendations. When we saw that list, my daughter and I agreed to read our way through the whole dang list.

First up: Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones.

What a wonderfully compelling story Tayari Jones has woven in this novel about two girls with the same father who happens to be married to two women (their mothers) at the same time. Set in 1980's Atlanta in the African-American community, this tale draws you into the world of two young black women trying to find themselves while also discovering the shocking news that they share the same father and inconvenient truth of his bigamy.

Strong   >>>>>   Read Entire Post