Armour of Light

Peace, Love and War

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Leo Tolstoy War and PeaceAs part of our celebration of “all things Russia” for Valentine’s Day, be sure to read our post in Rose’s Ridge, “From Russia With Love,” and try our recipes of Russian dishes from Around The Table. Also learn some interesting facts and view beautiful pictures here.

“What makes the 19th century Russian writers so distinctive” writes Francine Prose in New York Times’ ‘Bookends’ from November 25, 2014, “is the force, the directness, the honesty and accuracy with which they depicted the most essential aspects of human experience – childbirth, childhood, death, first love, marriage, happiness, loneliness, betrayal, poverty, wealth, war and peace…”

Born to a prominent family in the Russian nobility, Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was regarded as a “virtually untouchable genius” whose two great works, War and Peace (1865-1869) and Anna Karenina (1875-1877) “combine unprecedented depth of characterization and keenness of observation with a profound interest in the philosophical underpinnings of everyday life.”* Read more

Snuggle Up With “Red Sparrow”

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Red Sparrow ReviewPlease note: ATG is “traveling” this week along “Rose’s Ridge” in another “realm” – we’ll be back at the “table” next week!

Until then: With all of the winter storms snuggle up with a good Russian Spy Novel: Red Sparrow – a 2013 classic spy thriller by Jason Matthew, a veteran CIA officer with  over 30 years as an officer of the CIA’s former Operations Directorate  now known as the National Clandestine Service. It will transport you into the James Bond-esque world of secret operations and clandestine meetings in far-flung exotic places. And as an extra the author provides authentic Russian recipes, such as chicken Kiev and Schchi (Russian Cabbage Soup), that tantalize your culinary Russian imagination.

American Gladiators

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Deflategate New England Patriots “In addition to the hopes and dreams of his team, the quarterback carries the flag for entire cities, regions, and metaphorically, ways of life,” writes Kofi Bofah in his article from Wall St. Cheat Sheet, “The 10 Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time” (December 2014). He continues:

“The pressure is unreal, considering the fact that sports-obsessed Americans look to the gridiron gladiator strength, controlled violence, and an escape from the routine fare of the daily grind. The quarterback is viewed as the one member of the entourage that combines leadership, intelligence, and strategic thought alongside brute force to control games and emerge victorious…

“…Sports fans, of course, recognize that the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time emerge as icons that define cities, dynasties, and eras…indeed, the term “Quarterback” entices the imagination to personify ‘all that is right’ with America.”

It is in the spirit of excitement and anticipation of Super Bowl XLIX that we put forth ATG’s top quarterback picks from the past, followed by our favorite quotes of theirs: Read more

I Have A…

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Hilton Head Island beach palmetto dunes

Happy Martin Luther King Day from ATG!
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
–Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Wonder of the Human Will

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January

With each New Year come new beginnings, new hopes and new dreams – and, perhaps less welcomed, but not less important, change. But, change – as unsettling, disconcerting and frightening as it can be – is not always bad. In fact, change is good. It is necessary; it is what pushes and advances us. It is instructive; it teaches, inspires and transforms. After all, as Henri Bergson once said: “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” And Confucius: “They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.”

It is in this spirit that ATG puts forth two “must see” movies of the New Year (see below), both of which underscore the necessity of hope and the transformative power of change. We *hope* you enjoy! Read more

Magical Moments of Christmas Classics

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Best Christmas Movies“I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been closely associated,” film director Francis Ford Coppola once said. “The very earliest people who made film were magicians.”

With Christmas day nearly upon us, it is certainly difficult to dispel the feeling of magic that seems to linger in the air and permeate our soul with just a flicker of light, warmth of a fire or viewing of a holiday film.

Indeed, we couldn’t agree more with Mr. Coppola – a great amount of magic can be found in movies, particularly in the holiday classics that, by their very nature, capture the Christmas spirit and – more often than not – remind us of all the good we have in our lives. It’s amazing how certain scenes in particular have the ability to evoke such powerful sentiments, leaving us with unexpected chills or causing us to think or reflect on something in a way we never have – or at least have forgotten to do.

So, in the magical spirit of Christmas, we’ve compiled a list of ATG’s top ten holiday movies (from oldest to most recent), in addition to those moments and quotes that left us with that good, “magical” feeling – either that, or those that were just plain funny! Read more

Wishing for a Miracle This Holiday Season

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Eric Metaxas Miracles Book Review“We must think about these things,” writes Eric Metaxas* in the opening pages of the book Miracles. “We must wonder about them and about our lives and about life in general. It is healthy to wonder. We have a deep need for wondering. ‘Wonder’ is of course the root of the word ‘wonderful,’ so we must wonder generally and we must wonder specifically.”

And that is certainly what he inspires us to do in his new book about miracles, a thought-provoking, logical and thorough account of “what miracles are, why they happen and how they can change your life.” Read more