Problems are for Solving

Last night our family watched an old movie A Man Called Peter together. It was a fun movie to watch as a family, though certainly not perfect. The love story between Peter and Catherine was wonderfully told, and Peter’s receiving a call from God and waiting for His timing in all things (though not always patiently) was beautiful to watch.

I highly recommend the movie, especially if you haven’t seen it.

It did, though, raise some thoughts.

First, the movie tells the story, with honor to Christ, of a man who loved Jesus and lived for Him. Preaching right up to the last minute. But never once did the producers let the Gospel of salvation through forgiveness in Christ alone by grace alone shine through. Not surprising, even in 1955, but sad.

Second, the church that Marshall pastored is still there in Washington DC. The seminary he attended is still standing. Both are abominably liberal (in the theological, not political sense). They have a wonderful history, and yet today they stand as a shadow of what they used to be. I found that sad, especially since this is less than 100 years ago.

Marshall’s highlight sermon (though I don’t know the veracity of this part of the film) was to a group of Naval Graduates on the day of his son’s birth and just before Pearl Harbor. He changed his sermon at the last minute, and preached, not knowing what was to come, about the brevity of life and the importance of liberty.

It was a great film, and despite its flaws I encourage you to see it if you haven’t. You will laugh and cry, and while there’s some singing it’s not a musical (that’s for you, Seth).

Marshall is a man to be admired, who went to Washington and made a difference. And he made a difference not by flowing with the town, but by rightly ministering to the people that God brough his way, including a freshman senator. I look forward to meeting Dr. Marshall one day.

Yesterday I saw a sad movie.

It was called The Hoax, starring Richard Gere. It’s a story based on actual events from the early 1970’s, about an author whose book gets rejected by a publisher after being promised on Friday that it would be published. He’d already spent the advance he was expecting–”it’s only a formality” he was told on Friday afternoon. But at a party that evening he’s told the boss didn’t like the book and it’s done.

So Monday he goes in and says he’s working on the most significant book of the 20th century. He doesn’t even know what it is, but manages to get his editor to come to a meeting where he tells her it’s a co-written autobiography of Howard Hughes. He’s quickly built and elaborate lie that he thinks will end with him making hundreds of thousands for writing a book that no one will ever challenge–Hughes at this point had not come out of hiding in years.

In order to complete the lie, he steals from a Hughes associate. Later on he commits adultery, sacrifices his best friends marriage (in order to have something to hold over him–he’s the researcher/typist for the manuscript). He throws everything in his life away, and ends up finally getting caught and sued by the publisher–has to return the money (after spending quite a bit) and goes to jail.

This is the protagonist! The guy we’re supposed to be rooting for. Continue Reading »

It’s my birthday too –yeah!

See this—it’s a blog post! Most of you probably thought I forgot I had a blog. For the most part . . . I did.

Today is my 37^th birthday. I’m officially in my upper 30’s—still a kid for the most part I’d say. I have been abundantly blessed.

Today my wife gave me a copy of Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss, which I’ve wanted for a while. You’ll see that it’s been added to my reading list in the sidebar. I’ve got two there that I’ve finished and can add at least one more now.

The children gave me panda themed homemade gifts in honor of the main present. I have wonderful children and we’re looking forward (see countdown in the sidebar) to the arrival of Little Engine in a few months.

News items:

The house on McClure is listed with a realtor. We pray it sells quickly.

The Ben-Ezras are officially in the neighborhood. They have to move one more time to the real house, but we’re enjoying having them two doors down.

Code Enforcement got me a birthday present too! A beautiful bright orange “Notice to Abate� sticker on the door of the McClure house. Crystal pulled it down, but we have limbs to move. Thankfully my friends the Aringtons are going to help out because . . .

I leave town tomorrow (plane @ 5:50 AM) with Moriah for San Antonio. I won’t be back until late Saturday.

TC and I had a date this week for the first time in a while. We saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and I came away with at least one sermon illustration.

Praise God for his abundant blessings. Hopefully now that the McClure house is on the market I’ll have some time to write again.

Tonight, as hopefully continues to be our family custom, I read to my children before putting them to bed.

Tonight we started a new book.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is a book we have wanted to start for some time. It is a bit archaic in its language, but I am taking the time to explain what Defoe’s language means as we read. This is the first time I have read the book also, and I think I will enjoy it.

New to me as we read the first chapter is Crusoe’s “monolog” on his parents wishes that he not go to sea and his own problems there stemming from his not bending to their counsel. A self-awareness that I wish I had at times–but spending 28 years shipwrecked tends to make one think.

As we read we will be contrasting the Christian suffering of Crusoe in Defoe’s story with the story of Cast Away which was stripped of any reference to the supernatural providence of God. I’m sure I’ll have more to write about our reading in this classic as time goes on.