The Parable of 'The Princess Bride'

My favorite scene from the movie The Princess Bride is when the hero, referred to at first as "the man in black," confronts the evil Sicilian, Vizzini. Having already bested his two henchmen in contests of fencing and strength, the man in black challenges Vizzini to a battle of wits in order to save the woman he loves.

The contest is simple. Two goblets of wine are poured, the hero conceals them, and adds an odorless poison. Vizzini must choose one of the goblets, and both will drink at the same time. Vizzini must decide which goblet is safe to drink.

Vizzini shares his thought process out-loud, carrying on a circuitous monologue of logic for five minutes in an attempt to get the man in black to betray the location of the poison. When he is unsuccessful, he resorts to trickery. Vizzini redirects his opponent's attention elsewhere, and switches the goblets.

When the man in black turns back to the Sicilian, Vizzini picks up the goblet closest to him, puts it to his lips, and watches carefully as his opponent does the same without hesitation. Seeing this, he believes that he is safe, drinks his wine, and the man in black does the same. Thinking himself the winner, he laughs and mocks the man in black, bragging of his superior intelligence until he collapses in death a few moments later.

As our hero is untying his beloved, he reveals to her that both of the goblets had been poisoned, and that he had been building up a resistance to that particular poison for the past two years. There was never any doubt of the outcome from the beginning of the contest.

I believe that many people of faith have forgotten their faith in today's culture. Bible-believing Christians know the way the story ends, and any progress that evil seems to be making against the will of God will eventually be swallowed whole by his all-encompassing plan.

Christians know this to be true, but we don't always act as if it were. We have been quaking at the perceived progress of evil brought to us by the news for years, but never so much as we have recently. Whether the source is secular media or newsletters from para-church organizations, we sometimes act as if evil is unstoppable, and that good is in full-retreat.

Has God ceased being omnipotent? Does He tremble at political changes in the wind? Are there developments in our times that have taken our omniscient God by surprise? The very thought is laughable.

I don't suggest that we relax our guard and turn a blind eye to evil in the knowledge that God is in control. God often honors us by choosing individuals as agents of His change in the world. What I am suggesting is that we adjust our attitude toward the spirit of our age. We must always remember that there was never any doubt of the outcome from the beginning of this contest, and we should act in the knowledge of this truth.

Rob Pearce is the founder of WorshipBasics.com, a website created for the support and encouragement of others starting contemporary worship services in traditional churches. Visit at http://www.worshipbasics.com and signup for a free mini-course - Solutions for the 7 Roadblocks to Contemporary Worship.

How To Write A Killer Father Of The Bride Speech

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An ideal father of the bride speech is something that conveys the significance of the event with added humor and eloquence that is perfect for the occasion. Here are some guiding patterns on how to write a great father of the bride speech.

1. First part is the welcoming and the wishing part. After greeting every person in attendance start the speech by telling about yourself and introducing yourself to the guests who still don't know you well.

2. Inject some humor by relating events in the planning and eventual wedding itself that you think is funny. This is to make everybody comfortable and having them laughing at the start will get your confidence rising.

3. The next part should be directed to the bride, by complimenting on how beautiful she looks or adding lines such as "I still remember that cute baby that cries at night, I can't believe that baby has grown to be such a beautiful bride today"

4. Relate to the wedding guests about your own daughter, her achievements prior to getting married, emphasize on the kind of special relationship you shared with each other as father and daughter. Add some humor, by telling some funny things she'd done in her life but in the end make sure it all comes out good and praise her by being a father and a gentleman.

5. Silly stories about your daughter or the bride is a welcome addition to the speech. This is needed to lighten up the situation and have everyone laugh a little.

6. Talk about some of the standout moments before her wedding, events that make the bride as an unforgettable individual. What makes you proud of having her as your daughter?

7. Next part would be to include a short part about how you and your wife see your daughter while growing up.

8. Tell the guests about your dreams for your daughter and how she accomplished some of it and enough to make you proud. Mention the ups and downs of her life, but please do not mention stories about her former boyfriends.

9. Lastly conclude the speech by telling everyone how happy you and the rest of your family of seeing your daughter take on a new role as wife and soon as a mother. Tell them how she made you proud of her.

10. Have a toast with the family of the groom and the rest of the guest; wish the newlywed the best things to come.

The following is a simple pattern to follow in writing that perfect father of the bride speech. Anybody is free to add to the speech as long as it will bring more emotions and sincerity to the occasion. One important thing to remember is that the father of the bride speech is an opportunity to honor the bride and uplift her spirit in this momentous and wonderfully special event in her life.

Relax, smile and be confident that way you can honor your daughter with a great father of the bride speech.

Find tips on father of the bride speech, best man toasts.

Should a Bride Hide Her Tattoos?

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Every generation of brides faces unique questions as they prepare for their weddings. When our mothers got married, it was probably something like, "Can I get away with a bridal gown with bare shoulders for a church wedding?". For a lot of today's brides, the overwhelming dilemma is what to do about her tattoos; should she show them, hide them, or what? These are some of the considerations to help you decide.

There are several different approaches that women take to their tattoos. There are those who love them, have many, and consider their ink to be a major part of who they are. This article isn't really for those brides; they already know that they will be showing their tattoos. This article is for the other type of tattooed bride, the one who is more casual about tattoos, has only one or two, and perhaps even has never shown her tattoos to her family. This is the bride who feels conflicted about the tattoo dilemma.

One of the biggest issues in the tattoo dilemma often involves the mother of the bride. Most moms are not interested in seeing body art on their daughters during the wedding ceremony. Sometimes this can present an opportunity for compromise. The bride agrees to cover her ink for the ceremony, but does not hide it for the reception. This can be a good solution, particularly if the wedding ceremony is going to be traditional.

If you decide to hide a tattoo for the ceremony, there are a few ways in which it can be done, depending on where it is. One possibility is to get special tattoo covering makeup. The effectiveness of this tactic will depend on the size and color of the tattoo. This can be an option for tattoos that are in hard to cover places such as hands or arms. Do be aware that makeup can tend to smear, especially after a night on the dance floor.

Tattoos on the back of the shoulder are very popular, and they can be concealed for the ceremony with a shrug worn over the bridal gown. Even a full veil will help to soften the look of a tattoo on the upper back. On the other hand, if you prefer not to cover a back tattoo, it is important to choose a gown that works well with the design. To be avoided is any kind of strap that will cut the image in half. Open backs look much better than divided or half hidden tattoos.

A cool way to hide a tattoo on the wrist or neck is with custom bridal jewelry. An extra wide bracelet created from rows of crystals and pearls will add style to your bridal ensemble as well as hiding a wrist tattoo. If the body art you wish to cover is on the neck, then custom bridal jewelry in the form of a beautiful choker will do the trick. The great part is that you will get some fabulous jewelry as well as getting the look that you want for your wedding.

The decision of whether or not to hide a tattoo for your wedding is an entirely personal one, although family and social pressure will often come into play, as well. Ultimately, each bride has to make the choice that will make her happy, while showing respect for her family and their customs. And remember, if you decide to conceal a tattoo, be sure to do it completely, but if you prefer to let it be seen, go ahead and really showcase it.

Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about. Let us know at SilverlandJewelry.com. Special body adornments have always been important in every society, from the classic pearl bridal jewelry of a traditional bride to the unique tattoos of cutting edge brides.