YES Man!

Got to watch Yes Man with my buddy Jared last night.

I generally can't stand Jim Carrey, but this movie was pretty good.

Here's the deep profound thought that I pulled from it.

Most everything I hear about effective leadership and ministry is saying 'No' frequently. "Turn down good opportunities to stay true to right opportunities." While this is truly a great concept and has real life application, it is hard for me personally to discern what good is vs. what right is.

In the movie, Jim Carrey makes a 'covenant' to always say yes in every situation. It's kind've a dumb concept, but here's the cool piece.

When we say YES to the one penultimate, grandiose thing God is calling us to, we become free from time constraints, stress and uncertainty. Instead of discerning what to say no to in a life that is run by the clock, paid by the hour, used by the minute, we need to figure out the ONE thing that we MUST say YES to. That YES can lead us into a life of purpose, passion and potency. It will reveal our livelihood, legitimacy and legacy.

What do you need to say YES to?

Bond...James Bond

Saturday I forced (I mean that) Shaina and I to go to a movie matinee. We had to-do-lists about a mile long each, but at somepoint you have to tell your to-do-list to shove it and take some time to just BE. Shaina is a pretty big James Bond fan. I, myself am a casual fan. I will watch the movies when they are on tv or something, but I never really got into the hype...until Daniel Craig.

Pierce Brosnan couldn't pull of Bond the way he was meant to be portrayed, but Daniel Craig rocks it like a rockstar. He's ripped, athletic and still looks fly in a suit.

Casino Royale was a great movie and I was curious to see if Quantum of Solace could measure up. In my opinion it is an action packed movie with a thought provoking theme of vengeance. Solace delivers the expected quota of car chase scenes and even incorporates a plane chase scene which was unique. Bond is upset at the loss of his love, Vespa from the end of Casino Royale and is seeking vengeance against the one who was responsible for her betrayal and death. Will he get his revenge? Will it be as satisfying as he believes it to be?

Good stuff and has a message for us all...Vengeance is not ours to repay. Instead it is the Lord who will seek and implement justice. We just need to be faithful.

So, the all important question...who is the best James Bond actor?

Man points down the drain

Shaina is at work. I just finished up at the pizza shop for the day, went to get my haircut and then got home. Fixed myself a hot juicy man-burger, with sunchips and macaroni salad to boot. I decided to go down to the man cave, a.k.a. the basement and throw something on while I ate.

Keep in mind we have basic cable, which is about 25 channels, many of which are either Spanish or religious, so remove those and theres basically like 8 channels. I flipped to TBS, generally a surefire place to spend a lunch break mindlessly watching something.

Not so today...A Walk to Remember was on. As soon as I saw it, the batteries must have disintegrated in the remote or something because I watched the last half hour of it with out once changing the channel.

To make matters worse, either the spices I added to my burger got to me or I was freakin' tearing up.

Is it ok to watch a chick flick? Yes...if there is a lady you are trying to impress with you.
Is it ok to tear up at a chick flick? See above answer.

I feel filthy. I had to watch the first 5 minutes of Home Improvement just to cover up the smell of femininity coming from the man cave.

Alright Man-fession...what one movie would you secretly watch by yourself and even tear up at?
Ladies, ever caught your fellow watching a chick flick when you weren't even around?

Prince Caspian

Shaina and I went with our church to see Prince Caspian tonight. First of all, kudos to the team that put this together! $6 for the movie a popcorn and a drink...felt like I was back in the good ol' days of 1994.

The movie was really good. I don't know if I had my theological thinking cap on or what but there were some really powerful things in this film. There is a line when Lucy and Aslan are reunited where Lucy says "You have grown" and Aslan (God) responds, "I grow as you do." I really had to think about that. I think as I have matured in my faith, my childlike trust and understanding of God's vastness has lessened. I have seen God work in certain ways and so I conclude that "God must be like this..." Maybe it's important to take another line out of this dialogue in which Aslan says that he does not work in the same way twice.

Anyways, the movie is better than the first...better action...more gut-wrenching scenes, all while including the same deep spiritual metaphors as the original.

Well that's enough for now. Suffice it to say that I really encourage you to watch this movie, though there are a couple parts that might not sit well with younger kids. If they do watch, just make sure to have dialogue with them to make sure they understand that in the end, God wins.

August Rush

Shaina and I got our most recent NetFlix last week and watched August Rush, a story about an orphan boy who believes wholeheartedly that he will get back to his parents, who for the majority of the movie don't know he exists. The way it will happen? Through the music that links them together of course.

Yes it is moderately predictable...Sure its a little bit cheezy...but all and all its a pretty decent feel good movie. Robin Williams gives one of his only good performances in the last decade as the man who introduces August Rush to the music he'd always had inside him. This unleashing of the music leads to him becoming a child prodigy, while Williams character manipulates and connives to make profit off of him and many other talented child musicians.

It does of course utilize the monotonously used "Caught up in passionate love at first sight" one night stand motif, which I hope no one believes is real or reliable. Other than that it brings up some good lessons.

The first is that the music is out there...don't get sappy on me...but the mighty Conductor is creating a symphony all around us...yet often we are too self absorbed to hear it, to find it...and to join along with it.

Second, a more ethically charged lesson. Child exploitation is not good. Now obviously a homeless man training and then exploiting the musical talents of homeless children is extreme...but this is something I see happening in this country...Often done by parents. What is the obsession with getting one's child to be involved so heavily in sports, music, drama...you name it? Kids are being rushed from this practice to this rehearsal, to this game, to this function...and while they may increase in their talents and win in their games...the place that feels the decrease and the loss is the home. The family unit is really messed up right now. Where is the family meal? Where are family nights? Family meetings? Family vacations? Family devotions?

I have seen it in my experiences working with youth...they go down the wrong path...drugs, alcohol, sex...you name it...and the parents wonder what went wrong? Sometimes they blame the youth group. "Why didn't you teach my kids better." Sadly, sometimes parents think that the hour a week that is spent in youth group is all the discipleship training that a young person needs to follow Christ. It is not the church's job to raise your kid up in the faith of Christ...It is yours! Own it...Embrace it...Live it. Dang...I start with a post about a movie and end up with a sermon.

Fool's Gold

As part of my noble role as husband, I went with Shaina to a matinee (after all, who in their right mind pays 10 bucks for a movie?) and saw Fool's Gold the day after Valentine's Day.

There were a few funny moments, a few intense moments, but for the most part, I was unimpressed. It was more of an action movie than I was anticipating, but the general plot was lame and the characters were cheesily underdeveloped. There's (as usual) a good deal of crudeness throughout the movie but it does end on a positive message of restoring relationships.

I wouldn't pay to watch this if I were you...but if you catch it 3 years from now on TBS and you are bored out of your wig...watch it and be sedated for 2 hours.

Any movies out there you'd recommend?