My first trip to the cinema in absolutely ages took me to see Click, the new Adam Sandler film.
Having got over the excitement of seeing the trailer for Spiderman 3, the film proved quite enjoyable. It tells the tale of hard working Michael Newman who comes into possession of a remote control that controls...his life. Without spoiling the ending, what starts out as a gadget that makes Michael's day to day living easier, eventually begins to overrule his choices automatically and take him away from what is most important to him.
Apart from opting to go for a safe, Hollywood pleasing ending rather than one which would have been thought provoking, the film hit home a couple of points.
Firstly, our modern obsession with control. We want things to be easy, and to have everything on our terms. We are the most important people in the universe. Philip Yancey's new book 'Prayer' quotes theologian Daniel Hawk who states 'the basic human problem is that everyone believes that there is a God and I am it'. Incidentally, the theological geek in me remembered that Michael means 'he who is like God'. I wonder if the makers of Click realised this as they gave their central character this name as he acted out as someone who believed he was God of his own life.
Uncomfortable as it may be, I agree with Hawk. We all want to have life on our own terms, to be God, without any consequences. If anything, Click helped remind me that the easy way, chosing to live as though the only God is me and that I should insist on my right to do whatever is best for me has shallow and ultimately dire consequences.
Now we come to the part where I have to work hard to avoid spoiling the plot totally. The other hard hitting message of the film comes as Michael hauls himself from his hospital bed to stagger after his son to give him a message. (For those of you keeping score at home, yes, this bit did make me cry).
The message is this: 'Family comes first'.
Not a bad thing to go out for some entertainment and leave with a reminder to keep in mind when faced with Monday's work pressures.
Don't crumble to the demands of workaholism or be tempted by the easy way out.
Ignore what the world says is important. Don't listen to the tyranny of the urgent.
Family comes first.
Monday, October 30, 2006
14 Years
Spent some time with old friends on Saturday.
The first one of our clique hits 28 years of age next weekend.
As the increasingly regular cloud of nostalgia descended on the balcony where we were chatting, it dawned on us that we were all 14 years old when we meet.
Those of you with mathematical tendencies will see where I am going with this.
We've been friends for half our lives.
A friendship group that has enjoyed and endured school exams, different colleges, different universities, two weeks in Greece, religious and political differences, a wild Millennium eve party, round the world trips, Man Utd winning, relationship break ups, Man Utd losing, Oasis at Knebworth, poker, a weekend in Madrid and much more that I cannot list here without incriminating the innocent.
I've blogged on how great my friends are before, and hope that they are aware of it in the way I am when I'm with them, not just when they see these messages.
In a life full of uncertainty, it's good to have moments like this.
If I know anything, I know I am blessed.
The first one of our clique hits 28 years of age next weekend.
As the increasingly regular cloud of nostalgia descended on the balcony where we were chatting, it dawned on us that we were all 14 years old when we meet.
Those of you with mathematical tendencies will see where I am going with this.
We've been friends for half our lives.
A friendship group that has enjoyed and endured school exams, different colleges, different universities, two weeks in Greece, religious and political differences, a wild Millennium eve party, round the world trips, Man Utd winning, relationship break ups, Man Utd losing, Oasis at Knebworth, poker, a weekend in Madrid and much more that I cannot list here without incriminating the innocent.
I've blogged on how great my friends are before, and hope that they are aware of it in the way I am when I'm with them, not just when they see these messages.
In a life full of uncertainty, it's good to have moments like this.
If I know anything, I know I am blessed.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Things I Discovered During A Weekend In Dublin
It is possible to mix Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al', 'Sweet Child O' Mine' by Guns 'n 'Roses and 'Jump Around' by House of Pain together in the same DJ set.
Eating a whole tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream is the equivilent in fat content to consuming a carton of Flora margarine. (But nowhere near as tasty I would presume)
Being face to face with a tiger isn't scary when there is an inch of glass between you. However, seeing a sleeping boa constrictor and witnessing a mole snake eat a mouse whilst separated between the same quantity of glass makes me disappear rapidly into my jumper.
Guinness tastes better in Dublin.
I can't convert prices from Sterling to Euros in my head nearly as fast as I would like.
A bowlful of Irish stew is very filling.
If a U2 song is played in a pub, everyone sings along.
The builders of a church opposite the apartment we stayed in dedicated their work by inscribing 'Deo.Optimo.Maximo' across the front of the building. I remembered I don't know any Latin, so had to look the meaning up. It means 'To God, most good, most great'. I thought how great it would be if everything I did was worthy of dedication to a most great, most good God.
Eating a whole tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream is the equivilent in fat content to consuming a carton of Flora margarine. (But nowhere near as tasty I would presume)
Being face to face with a tiger isn't scary when there is an inch of glass between you. However, seeing a sleeping boa constrictor and witnessing a mole snake eat a mouse whilst separated between the same quantity of glass makes me disappear rapidly into my jumper.
Guinness tastes better in Dublin.
I can't convert prices from Sterling to Euros in my head nearly as fast as I would like.
A bowlful of Irish stew is very filling.
If a U2 song is played in a pub, everyone sings along.
The builders of a church opposite the apartment we stayed in dedicated their work by inscribing 'Deo.Optimo.Maximo' across the front of the building. I remembered I don't know any Latin, so had to look the meaning up. It means 'To God, most good, most great'. I thought how great it would be if everything I did was worthy of dedication to a most great, most good God.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
A Night In The Life Of Loser Church Boy
7pm arrive at event.
7-7.05pm-begin to set up event. Try to remind self to chat to team members arriving, not just focus on task.
7.06pm-Remind self again that people are more important than any one thing that needs to be done, stop charging around so much.
7.30pm-team time. Bring random thought, encourage prayer for each other and event.
8pm-start event, greet young people arriving at event, sign them in on list. Frustrate said young people by having to ask them more than once to spell names and repeat telephone numbers. Feel old and deaf. Sign young people in and out of building for next hour. Realise one of my old youth leader's children is now old enough to attend this event. Sign them in, feel old. Intersperse time on door with some meaningful conversation with young people. And some downright surreal chats as well.
9pm-change over roles, roam building. Banter with some young people. Try not to take the insults personally. Quell minor uprisings. Drink Coke. More bizarre conversations about nothing in particular. One further meaningful conversation. Wonder why the balance is that way and people feel more comfortable spouting nonsense around me than something profound. Walk On...
10pm-event finishes, tidy up. See 7.06pm.
10.30pm-worship. Remember how much more God cares for every single young person in attendance this evening. And also those who were not there. Overwhelmed with sense of humility at being part of such an event.
11pm-building locked up. View text messages unanswered from throughout the evening. 2. Surely there should be more? Review challenging text sent by friend earlier that day.
Be Like Jesus.
I wonder if I was?
7-7.05pm-begin to set up event. Try to remind self to chat to team members arriving, not just focus on task.
7.06pm-Remind self again that people are more important than any one thing that needs to be done, stop charging around so much.
7.30pm-team time. Bring random thought, encourage prayer for each other and event.
8pm-start event, greet young people arriving at event, sign them in on list. Frustrate said young people by having to ask them more than once to spell names and repeat telephone numbers. Feel old and deaf. Sign young people in and out of building for next hour. Realise one of my old youth leader's children is now old enough to attend this event. Sign them in, feel old. Intersperse time on door with some meaningful conversation with young people. And some downright surreal chats as well.
9pm-change over roles, roam building. Banter with some young people. Try not to take the insults personally. Quell minor uprisings. Drink Coke. More bizarre conversations about nothing in particular. One further meaningful conversation. Wonder why the balance is that way and people feel more comfortable spouting nonsense around me than something profound. Walk On...
10pm-event finishes, tidy up. See 7.06pm.
10.30pm-worship. Remember how much more God cares for every single young person in attendance this evening. And also those who were not there. Overwhelmed with sense of humility at being part of such an event.
11pm-building locked up. View text messages unanswered from throughout the evening. 2. Surely there should be more? Review challenging text sent by friend earlier that day.
Be Like Jesus.
I wonder if I was?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
