War Hits Home

"So what will you be doing over there?"  It was a stupid question asked at a stupid time.  Thankfully my wife of 27 years gave me "the look" which prompts me to pull out of such verbal nose dives.  My future son-in-law, to whom the question was directed, also gave me a "look."  What I saw in his eyes brought reality crashing in fast and hard.  He is a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army, a specially trained Ranger about to be deployed on his first tour in Afghanistan.  And he had just walked into the kitchen with our daughter after proposing marriage.  She was beaming with excitement and I was almost blinded by the diamond studded ring.  It was a moment of great joy.  Interrupted briefly by my stupid question.  "So what will you be doing over there?"  What did I think he would be doing?  Playing Nerf basketball?  Tiddly Winks? No,  he will be doing what a soldier has been trained to do.  Suddenly I felt the wind knocked out of me; a sudden moment of recognition.  The war hit home in the midst of a joyful moment.  It has never been this close, this personal.  It will be more than a news story now, more than some general sympathy for others who have sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers in harms way on a daily basis.  So I join those who pray daily, incessantly....."Lord, bring him home safely."  

Remembering 9-11

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling the emotional heaviness of remembering 9-11.  I believe it is healthy for us to memorialize the event, to remember those who lost their lives, to support their families.  I teared up watching a recent report on the news of a 10 year old boy who was born shortly after his dad, a firefighter, perished in one of the towers.  He never met his Dad, never had the opportunity to talk with him or watch him live his life or receive his love.  But his Dad lives on in this little boy's heart through photos and through the memories his mother shares.  He said his Dad is his "hero."  What a legacy....a story which could be told over and over of others who gave their lives on that fateful day.  Maybe when we sift through all of the debris from 9-11, the physical, emotional, and spiritual....the enduring lesson is the importance of fundamental human needs:  love, family, and faith.  I can't get my mind or heart around the horror of 09/11/01, but I embrace the amazing human sacrifices which were made that day by those who listened to, in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln, "the better angels of our nature."  And I pray for their loved ones.

When A Chimp Says "No!"

Spoiler Alert:  The following comments are related to the film, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" which I saw yesterday.....plot lines are revealed!

One of my favorite films as I was growing up was "Planet of the Apes."  The sequels were not as good, but the original captured my imagination, especially with the famous and dramatic final scene (Statue of Liberty sticking out of the mud....a scene written by Rod Sterling of Twilight Zone fame).  So it was with great anticipation that I went yesterday to a local theater to view the recently released prequel.  With my free small popcorn (no, I don't want an upgrade to a medium for a dollar...it's "free"! and no, I don't want a 5.00 bottle of water!) and my 24 year old son by my side, I was ready to enjoy a couple of hours of diversionary entertainment.  I was not disappointed!

The climax of the film is when the genetically altered chimp Caesar rises up in rebellion against those who have captured and taunted him.  He utters in a loud, snarly, growl, "NO!"  He then leads other chimps in activities which give the movie its title.  So now we know why Charlton Heston and his fellow astronauts found the earth so oddly different around 3000AD!  Somehow this film managed to get me to sympathize with the chimp, identify with his struggle, and root for him to break free of his human oppressers.  When he said, "NO" I wanted to stand up and clap!

Why?  Because he was expressing an emotion we can all relate to....the desire to define oneself, to be free of the manipulative control of other people's demands and expectations, to hear one's own voice and declare it to the world.

And you thought it was just a movie about monkeys?!!

Post your thoughts!

Thoughts on Friday Night Lights....

My wife and I are hooked on Friday Night Lights….we watch at least one episode a night on Net Flix streaming.  What hooked us?  The characters and the realistic, compelling way they are drawn by the writers.  This is a show which has “nailed” life the way it really is; with all of its complexity.  You can tell in large brushes who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are, but upon further review it is not that clear.  Just like life.  Take Buddy Garrity for example….one of the “bad guys.”  He is an off putting,  obnoxious, car salesman (need I say more) whose whole life is focused on the local high school football team and who is a pest to any coach who comes to town.  Worse, he is adulterer who loses his wife and family because he has an affair with his secretary.  But wait….Buddy can be disarmingly warm and tender at times, particularly with his oldest daughter, Lyla.  One feels sympathy for him when he loses his family because of his adultery.  And in one episode he counsels the “good guy” (Panther coach Eric Taylor) to return to the town from his college job in Austin (4 hours away) because his wife and daughter are struggling with in his absence.  Yes, Buddy has his own selfish agenda for offering this counsel (he detests the current coach), but there is still the glimmer of concern and friendship toward Eric which shines through.

Oh, and Eric….he’s the “good guy” who is devoted to his wife (no adultery or even a sideways glance at another woman), who teaches his high school players to live with character and integrity.  A truly devoted family man (i.e. he is not Buddy Garrity).  But wait….not so fast…Eric leaves town to take a dreamed for college job.  While he is away his wife gives birth and begins to struggle emotionally, even having a breakdown in his presence.  Eric doesn’t return.  His daughter’s behavior spirals downward and she tells Eric how much she misses him, that she feels abandoned.  He doesn’t return.  No, he doesn’t return until aforementioned “bad guy”  Buddy Garrity lures him back to the town by promising to “can” the current coach so Eric can get his old job back and return to his family.  Nice.  After the dirty deed is done and Eric is returning to the locker room to talk to the players he glances up at a sign on the wall of the room.  It says, “Character is what you do when no one is looking.” Ouch!

So what do we have?  Flawed characters all the way around.  Generally “good people” who screw up at times and generally “bad people” who do good at times.  Sounds like sinners in need of redemption.  Sounds like you and me.  Sounds like the kind of people Jesus came for.  That’s why I like Friday Night Lights!