Sunday during the Christian Ed hour we had a very involved discussion on the movie The Waitress. If you haven’t seen it before, its a movie about a dissatisfied pregnant woman who has an affair with her married doctor (of all people). Actually there are other affairs going on in the movie as well. To make matters weirder, the main character’s husband is an incredibly insecure, controlling scumbag, so as to make the affair look not so bad. I liked the movie so much because I enjoyed it while at the same time I felt precarious and disturbed (wondering if I should really ‘pull’ for the Waitress). That’s what I enjoyed most about the film.

Regardless of likes/dislikes (it was probably 50-50), our discussion was very helpful to me, and I think to most of those who participated. A few things came out of our discussion.

First of all, before we talked about what we didn’t like or what was ‘bad’ about the movie, we had to say something positive. That’s what Paul did with the Athenians (Acts 17), and so I think he leaves us a biblical model to follow. Here’s what we discovered.

Positives depicted

1.) Affairs are very clearly depicted not so much about love, but escape and adventure, and how they make one feel (contrary to love-concerned for the happiness of another). And they really do hurt people.

2.) Andy Griffith’s character (who was worth the price of admission alone) did not approve of her affair, and continued to be the voice of reason and wisdom throughout the movie. Randy even compared him to being sort of a Proverbial character. While old and seemingly crotchedy at times, Proverbs come to us via the Holy Spirit working through a heart of experience, love, and fear of the Lord. Nice work Pastor Randy.

3.) There was never ANY thought of abortion throughout this unwanted pregnancy from ANY woman in the film. The only one who mentioned it was her husband, but he didn’t want to go to Hell for suggesting and having her follow through with it. In an abort first, ask questions later media/movie world, we were all pleasantly surprised with this.

Negatives

There are always negatives as well. Perhaps most unsettling was the depiction of marital infidelity and lack of commitment to wedding vows. Someone mentioned that this was what we should expect from our culture. True, but it is also something that we’ve seen out of the church as well. Divorce is unfortunately nearly as common in the church today. And that is to be expected since people don’t commit to anything these days-why should it be different with marriage?

In addition to discussing characters, positives/negatives, worldviews presented, I was simply blessed to be with a number of different thoughtful minds. Several women helped me see some specific flaws in the main character, as well as some good traits with the hated husband. These women weren’t digesting the perhaps pro-feminist theme! Way to go ladies.

Anyhow, I hope others learned as much as I did. I still like this movie a lot. But the discussion made me question some of the things I liked about it and see some other likeable things I ignored. Whether you like this movie or not, it does bring about some intelligent discussion.
Watching a movie by myself can be good, but only through discussion in community can we get the most out of them.

This post is kind of weird, and if you don’t like it, I apologize. What I mean by ‘weird’ is that it is a blog post about my blog. But in no way is it meant to be conceited-as though anything is ever ‘meant’ to be conceited. Now let me explain.

Someone in church yesterday encouraged me greatly with some kind words about my blog. Only those who receive encouragement understand how important it is!

Anyway, he told me that I see God in everyday life. And that was what he appreciated most about the blog. I told him, “You get it!” For that really is one of my hopes in this blog. Everyday as we go through the mundane, ordinary experiences (although getting ultra-sounds is not all that mundane or ordinary unless you have like 20 kids), we have opportunities to turn them into ‘devotions.’

Since all of life is to be offered to God as worship-not just corporate worship on Sundays (although this is a non-negotiable, even though people try to negotiate out of this privilege/responsibility)-we ought to look at our world with a ‘devotional’ eye.

At times it is seeing comparisons and analogies in movies or in our experiences. Other times it is simply reflecting on the beauty of sunny Florida, or the people around us at the grocery store. Wherever we look, if we look closely enough, we can see the world declaring His glory-even in the movies of fallen humanity. Psalms 8 and 19 remind us of these truths.

While a typical devotional life may start very early in the morning for some (not that early for me), it really doesn’t need to stop. And it doesn’t have to if we can train ourselves to see God in the ordinary. The ordinary can be quite devotional if we let it.

Yesterday was really busy. I just got back in town, had to prepare my sermon for this Sunday. But time was limited after a later than usual start, and the fact we had an Ultra Sound scheduled for “Little T” (little tyke). Well that last part turned out to be the more fun part of the day (although sermon prep came and went more easily since I finished my outline before I left for VA-if only outlines would make themselves!).

Apparently “Little T” is probably a misnomer. Although only 20 weeks young (or T-19), he has the legs of a 21 weeker. Even now the kid is all legs! We don’t expect that to change until late high school.

One of the more shocking things about our time yesterday happened as the doctor told me to turn to the side. I thought she was trying to make me miss the penis, or lack thereof, as she maneuvered the magic pen (like Mortimer on Bill Cosby’s “Picture Pages”-although it didn’t make any cool sound).

But no, she was checking out my profile. Apparently “Little T” and I have the same ‘gently sloping nose.’ I was thrilled. But she said my gently sloping nose was a good nose. I’ll have to take her word for it. Its not that I hate my nose; its just that I never thought it was a ‘good nose.’

Also, “Little T” would not stay put to pose for pictures. He was all over the place. At least he didn’t do anything embarrassing like pick his nose. But I’m not sure kids get ‘boogs’ until they actually get out of the womb. After some poking around, we left him with his privacy. Regardless, some things you can learn from an ultrasound.

I’ll try to scan some pictures and put them up here so you can see “Little T’s” gently sloping nose and gargantuan, mammoth-like femur that belies that of 21 ‘weeker.’

One more thing I learned-or rather was reminded of-is that God’s process of growing babies inside peoples stomachs is like, really in depth, cool, and amazing. Everything just knows where to go. Wow.

I’m really not one for New Year’s celebrations. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them; I really just don’t get them. Why stay up to 12:00 am just to see a new year officially begin? Since the Clemson/Auburn game ended before midnight, and I didn’t feel like waiting an hour to see that dude jump his motorcycle across a football field, we turned in early.

But before Amy and I went to bed that night our prayers did at least take on a somewhat festive tone. In our short time of thanksgiving, prior to our regular supplications for a healthy baby, family concerns, and for fruitful fishing (I’m kidding), I led us in a brief time reflecting on God’s faithfulness in 2007.

I guess its really not a whole lot different than what we ought to do at Thanksgiving. But faithfulness goes beyond just having provisions-its God’s presence with you when provisions are low or absent. Before starting a new year, I did find it helpful to remember how God was with us through the thick and lean times.

NowI think I’m about ready for this new year to start. Not bad, I’m only 3 days late.

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of going to see one of my college buddies coach his basketball team (Hampden-Sydney College). It’s only an hour and a half drive from Richmond, so that makes it pretty easy to get up there, particularly when your brother-in-law is a Hampden Sydney alum.

Last night I spent some time with my cousins, and Aunt/Uncle in Richmond. There were babies galore, some of them fairly fresh: 5-6 months or so. So it was extremely nice for them to ‘assemble’ with one day’s notice, and not play the ‘sick baby card.’ Flexibility is always a good thing, especially when its another’s flexibility that is tested!

I had been out of my normal daily bible reading the last few days, but fortunately felt both a strong need and desire to get back in it this morning at the airport. Recently I have been trying to carefully study the Christmas accounts in Luke and Matthew. Since Christmas is officially over now, I found it apropos to look at what happened after the Magi left.

In Matthew 2, Herod got wicked angry and gave orders to kill all the children under two years of age in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas.

Two things to note regarding this event:

1.) Anger problems can sometimes be avoided by proper understanding of God’s Providence.

God spoke through a dream, warning the Magi not to return to Herod. It was God’s will that they did not return to Herod. Did Herod know that God had spoken to them through a dream? No, but it was clear to Herod that they would not be coming back to him-that shows God’s will clearly enough.

I was reminded this morning that I often become angry when things don’t correspond to my desire and expectations. Or when people don’t do things I expect them to do.
But looking at this passage, I need to be reminded that they have acted exactly according to the ‘script.’ Hopefully I can relax more and not get so angry. I have no intention of killing a bunch of toddlers, but my anger shows up in other ways.

2.) Even when things aren’t recorded for us in history books, it doesn’t mean that they didn’t happen the way the bible says they did

There is no mention of Herod’s killing these Bethlehem babies in secular writings. Two explanations shall come forth. First of all, Herod did a ton of killing (his wife, mother-in-law, kids, enemies-which he considered to be everyone) that to record every act of murder would be impossible!

Next, Bethlehem was a small town. Scholars think that the town had only 1000 folks (if not half that), and so the number of babies might not have exceded 20. Just a scholastic conjecture, but it is certainly interesting. Jocephus and other historians might not have even known about a tragedy in a small town, or even bothered to record it. Things that happen in big towns always get more publicity.

Sometimes historical documents reinforce what we read in the bible, sometimes they don’t. But it shouldn’t bother us. After all, Jocephus was a turncoat Jew writing for the Romans. In his writings, he tries to justify his turning. He was even more biased than the bible writers. And they weren’t getting paid like he would have been! Just some food for thought for the skeptic (or skeptic in us).

For the last two Christian Ed classes I’ve led, we’ve done a mini-series I call, “Christmas in the Bible.” We looked at the two different accounts in Luke and Matthew, as well as took a quiz on what exactly is and what isn’t in the bible. You’d be surprised how much you assume.

Yesterday, we examined the historical background of Herod the Great and the Magi (the wise men), and had a fun time speculating on some of their heart motivations. Speculating can be dangerous if it is not tempered by community, other scriptures, and a recognition that speculation cannot be confused with special revelation (bible).

However we all found it helpful to speculate a bit to dig a little deeper into these scripture accounts of Christ’s birth and the short time thereafter (Magi found Jesus in a house, perhaps up to 2 years later). Since the Magi were overjoyed, and ‘rejoiced exceedingly with great joy,’ probably knew somewhat of what/whom they were seeking (they would have been very well educated), worshiped Jesus, we found great application this Christmas.

Instead of being bothered by a Bucs loss this morning (which really doesn’t mean anything in the long run, or short run either-they’ll end up the same seed in the playoffs regardless) or all the busyness that lies ahead, I was reminded to rejoice simply in Jesus. Not presents, not family, not the blessings I’ve received, but simply in Jesus’ coming and promise to come again.

We concluded with some reflection on the poem “The Journey of the Magi” by T.S. Eliot. I think this poem reflects his own spiritual journey to Christianity. Here’s an excerpt we briefly pondered. Its an inquiry into what the Magi might have felt like when they returned to the East. I recommend “googling” the rest of it.

  
All this was a long time ago,
I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt.
I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

I tried to reflect upon the meaning of Christmas more fully by neglecting my normal sports talk programs. However, I didn’t find that time the least bit helpful. I’m not nearly as contemplative or reflective as I once thought. Car time will probably not be the best reflection time for me. Perhaps it might work for you.

Instead I sat back in my favorite chair and listened to Indelible Grace’s “Your King Has Come” Christmas album. Various artists have rewritten (slightly) for guitar some of the traditional hymns (the good ones-with one exception) and have been very edifying to myself and Amy. I highly recommend this CD.