Two Movies

Well, well, well. I haven't checked in for awhile. Thanks for asking. I have not really had much to say. Lots of intense family stuff.

My oldest daughter asked me to watch a documentary called Jesus Camp. I had to admit that I was grieved right away when I started the movie. I come from a charismatic background. I still believe that gifts are for today, but I am so much more conservative than I used to be and cringe at the abuse perpetrated in charismatic circles. I think becoming a reformed Christian has contributed to my desire that all things be in order and pleasing to God. I was grieved to see kids in a Jesus Camp being revved up emotionally and in a manipulative manner to respond to "preaching" by a woman who didn't even bother to open her Bible to expound on scriptures. I can't fault the desire of the kids to be pleasing to God, but I felt sad about their rote answers and performance expectations. I also gagged knowing that they were passing out Chick Tracks! Ugh. My oldest daughter once attended a teen camp where she became ill after accidentally eating mayonnaise. She has always been allergic to mayonnaise. She was told by a counselor (after throwing up a few times) that she had a "Spirit of Anorexia" and they needed to cast it out. What nonsense! She has never forgotten that particular episode, and in fact has been hindered by what she perceived as a twisted version of Christianity. Dang. I wish I could have come around to a Reformed view so much earlier in life so that she could have experienced a healthier viewpoint in my opinion. But...hey. God is sovereign and knows exactly what she needs.

I just got back from watching Amazing Grace. I had a much different reaction to this movie! I was blessed by some comments in the movie and very moved by the ending where a Color Guard played Amazing Grace with bagpipes and other instruments. I guess what impressed me was the dignity portrayed in the movie as well as the dignified beautiful rendition of the song at the end. I love to see the glory of God manifested in such a way. I, like so many of us, am tired of being innundated by "celebrity trainwreck lifestyles" . We have so little dignity left in our society.

I think there was an unintentional, or perhaps intentional, nod to Jonathan Edwards in the movie. Edwards had written a brilliant essay on spiders and spiderwebs as a young boy, and to see Wilberforce marveling at the intricacy of a spider web made me think of Edwards.

There were flaws in the movie and I could have done without the girlfriend's lowcut dresses, but the audience applauded at the end and sat through the credits. It is rare to see a movie where the characters actually have the kind of character to emulate. I came away with a couple of thoughts.

First of all, I came away with an enhanced desire to know what God wants to do in my life at this point. The movie was inspiring in that Wilberforce had such a passsion for a cause. Every few years I take stock of what I am doing, and right now my husband and I are in a holding pattern. We drive an hour to church so have a hard time feeling like we are really part of the church and have something to offer. I have always had my hand in something. I have worked in homeless shelters, and with at-risk teens. I have taught in a Christian school. I have a hard time just doing nothing. But, that is where I am right now. :) My husband is also feeling aimless. He is a good teacher of the Word, and has a servant's heart, willing to help anybody. We don't really know what God is doing, but we both feel like couch potatoes waiting and praying to God for the next move.

Second thought. I stated already that I love a movie that portrays dignity. I am so tired of trendy, push the envelope movies. I hate the language that is spewing out of movies, and the focus on sex and particular popular agendas. I like a movie that inspires me to be better and desire better things in my life. I would have liked the Resolved Conference (focused on Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions) that took place recently. Tim Challies liveblogged it. Yay.

It is interesting that one of the reviews I liked for Amazing Grace comes from a (I think) chick site here. I found it by reading Richard Pearcey's blog which happens to have a variety of reviews of Amazing Grace.

Well that's all the news that is fit to print from my corner of the world. Adios y'all for now.