Pop Culture Christianity

We are always on the look out for movies that will be good for our whole family. To work for us, the movies must have a certain amount of excitement, preferably slapstick for Lois. Movies need to be family friendly (mostly) for the kids, and they need to not make me want to bang my head on a wall repeatedly. The movies we have gone through so far:

Curious George - good for all
George of the Jungle - kids love it, Lois loves it, my head might explode
Laurel and Hardy - Lois loves it, kind of loses the kids
Oh Brother Where Art Thou - good for all, the language is in a strong southern accent, so hopefully the kids haven't picked up Too much *new* vocabulary (although judging from my last post, I am just kidding myself on that account)
Back to the Future - not good - I had forgotten how much of the focus was on getting into someone, any one's, pants. Craziness!

We have found a trusty movie in Evan Almighty. It is family friendly, Steve Carrell is hilarious with lots of slapstick and falling down, the plot is fairly simple and the kids can follow it. We've watched it a couple (dozen) times by now.

On our latest viewing, I actually paid attention to a conversation between God and the wife. I'm going to butcher what was said, but here's what I understood. When we pray for patience, God doesn't just give us patience, he gives us opportunities to be patient. When we pray for family togetherness, God doesn't just make it all sunshine and rainbows, he gives us opportunities to love each other. I know there is some saint out there who has already written about this - but it took the voice of God, or Morgan Freeman, whatever he goes by these days, to point out what I already knew.

And you know what? These past few weeks I have been praying for patience and humility and love. And guess what I've been given? Ample opportunities! So many opportunities for patience from Del alone, that it makes my head swim! Today there were ten opportunities - all before one o'clock! If I took advantage of all those opportunities, I would be canonized pre-death, I'm pretty sure. If I was actually patient at every opportunity given, the Pope would be knocking on my door in no time.

But I can't do that. When you become a Saint, people want to take your writings to heart. They want your words for bookmarks and beautiful pictures and coasters. And all you would have from me would be some terrible half hearted quotes. Imagine - a beautiful gilt frame, my smiling face at the bottom, and written in a lovely, flowing script, "Don't teach your kids the word a$$, they will use it."
Or, "If Del lives to be four, he should thank his guardian angel." Nobody wants those quotes on their wall.

So I will spare you my Saint-hood, but I will continue to grasp the opportunities I'm given. You could pray for me, that I will take full advantage. And you could pray for Del. That he lives to be four.