Thanks

My wife and I very rarely go to the movie theatre. (I've always preferred the English spelling of theatre.) It is even more rare for us to pay full price for a new movie, which in our neck of the woods is $9.75. Occasionally we'll go to a matinee if it's a movie we really want to see, though I can't remember the last time we did that. Sometimes we'll go to the $2 theatre, last doing this to see Walk the Line.

Last night we were supposed to get together with some friends, but they unfortunately had to cancel. Since we already had a babysitter, my wife suggested we go to a movie since we had several movie passes that friends and family had given us as gifts. As we drove to the theatre, I felt very thankful for my mom (free babysitting!) and our friends who'd given us these passes.

We decided to go to the movies despite the fact that there were exactly two movies (out of 19) that I was mildly interested in seeing, none Katie was interested in. I suggested we go see Click, mostly due to Tony's post that seemed, at least in most part, inspired by the movie. After seeing the movie, I was thankful for many things, among which was Tony's recommendation. (Thanks, Tony!)

I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it, but as Tony points out, there was a lot of the crude humor that Adam Sandler is known for, and (if you like his stuff) some very funny bits that weren't as crude. None of this was surprising. What was surprising was how touching and thought provoking the movie was. I suppose some might call the movie cheesy, and while it was a little over the top at times, a little cheese is usually a good thing. Ultimately, the movie asks questions about what it is, and who it is that we value.

Following the movie, my wife and I discussed how fortunate we are. While there are things I might whine about now and then, those things (that I whine about) are usually of little consequence and usually centered on money or what I perceive to be a lack of it. The truth is, however, that I have been incredibly blessed and God has always provided for my every need. I have a wonderful wife and daughter (and another due any day) a good home, a good job(?) (It's hard to think of it as a'job') and a great church family.

There are things that are truly important...and things that aren't and it's important to know the difference. Here are a few questions I asked myself after seeing the movie:

-If I had the remote, what would I do with it? (While I'm glad I don't have it, I do think I would want to rewind more than fast forward.)
-How often do I go on auto-pilot, especially with my wife or daughter?
-Am I a person who is "fully present"? (Thanks, Rob Bell.)
-Are material things really all that important?

This morning we celebrated the Lord's Table. We had lunch with our neighbors. I played with my daughter and hugged my wife. Tonight we had some friends and neighbors over. We played cards. Life is good.