Go See A Movie - Change a Life!

I am cutting and pasting this article from another site.

It's from Christian Headlines, if you want, you can look it up for yourself.

I think it's worth a read because it shows the effect of going to see a faith-based film when it's released in the theater as opposed to seeing it on BluRay.


The faith-based hit film I Can Only Imagine grossed more than $83 million in the United States, but its impact around the world may have been even greater.

Director Jon Erwin says more than 100 countries – including China – have paid to distribute and in some cases translate the films made by him and his filmmaking brother, Andrew.

“When a movie is a hit in America… it goes on global autopilot,” Jon Erwin told an audience at the National Religious Broadcasters convention March 27. “So all these countries around the world begin to pay you for the right to translate and distribute your movie. So it's the gospel on for-profit autopilot.”

Even China, which has shut down churches, torn down crosses, and threatened to eliminate Christianity, wanted to show I Can Only Imagine – simply because it was a hit.

“I find it very interesting that in the same year that China actually restricted... Christianity, they paid for I Can Only Imagine,” Jon Erwin said. “They paid for the right to translate it and distribute it to their people. That's happened in over 100 countries around the world with our films.

“What happens is, when you watch a movie in America, and you buy your ticket, and that movie becomes a hit, you're pretty much guaranteed 10 people around the world are going to see it on your behalf because of these incredible things called output deals. And, in fact, there's a lot of places around the world where you can do more in a movie theater than you can openly on the streets. It's incredible how far the message gets.”

Erwin was at NRB to announce four new movies as part of a new faith-based studio, Kingdom.

He called entertainment America’s “second largest export,” behind agriculture.

Based on a true story, I Can Only Imagine tells how the father of MercyMe’s Bart Millard came to Christ late in life. Dennis Quaid plays the father.

Erwin relayed an anecdote of the movie having an impact in Australia. A Christian woman named Sharon, he said, watched it with her son in the theater. She was crying after the film.

“And a stranger behind her said, 'Do you know Jesus?' And she said, 'Do you?' And the stranger said, 'No, but I need this in my life. ... What happened to [actor] Dennis Quaid, I need to happen to me. And I need someone to explain it to me.' And they had this conversation right in the theater,” Erwin said.

“What we found is that a movie is an incredible tool of emotional instigation, that if you can tell the right story in the right way, it really does have the power to change people’s lives.”

Time Travel

I hate when movies or TV shows use time travel to tell a story. 

I understand why writers use it, it's a way to tell a "What if..." story.  What if we could stop someone from becoming a terrorist?  What if we could prevent two people from meeting?  What if we could hit the guy who put pineapple on pizza over the head with one of those cardboard tube used for gift wrap and shout "No you fool!"  It would be a very different world indeed.

But we do NOT have a time machine, nor will we.  Sorry, Cher will just have to keep singing that song. 

It's all fantasy.

I hate time travel stuff because it indulges our tendency to allow ourselves to feel really bad for our former choices.  We dream about how we could change things if we had the chance.  Plus, if you COULD go back, you would be constantly paranoid about what you were doing, because your actions will affect countless other lives!  Imagine a scenario where just ordering a pizza could cause a world wide apocalypse!  It could happen, just sayin'.

If you read any studies about the mind and how it affects the body, you will begin to see that dwelling on the past, lamenting our actions (or lack thereof) is a key contributor to poor health.  Certain chemicals are released that can cause high blood pressure and even obesity.  You don't want those things!

Not many of us worry about Terminator assassins hunting us down from the future, but we do worry ABOUT the future.  The same scenarios play out in our brains.  What if I win the lottery?  What if I buy a Hyundai instead of a KIA?  What if the Leafs win the cup?  You can see how stress can build over time!  Pun intended!

Leave time alone!  I think time is an illusion.  We have now.  That's it.  "Now" decisions affect the future.  If you want a different future, have a different "now".  If you make a decision today that will give you the future you want, in a way, you are a time traveler!

It would be cool to buy a DeLorean and trick it out with a Mr. Fusion reactor and get it up to 88 miles per hour and head to any era we so desire, but that sort of thing only happens in the movies.

Take today.  Enjoy today.  Plan for tomorrow.  Make it a good future!

Let's Talk, or Better Yet, Let's Do THIS...

There is some controversy around the Bell "Let's Talk" campaign.  The purpose of the day is to bring an awareness of mental illness and to lift the stigma surrounding it.  Good goals.  Some say it works, some say it doesn't. 
Is talking enough?  I would say, it's a better start than doing nothing.

This point was really driven home to me when I read this article.  It's about what non-Christians want from conversations about faith.

Check this out...

It's interesting that so many people want to talk, but how many people are really available to LISTEN?

"Nearly all non-Christians (identify with a faith other than Christianity or no faith at all) and lapsed Christians (identify as Christian but have not attended church within the past month) have a friend or family member who practices and prioritizes Christianity—but these believers may not be their ideal conversation partners when it comes to faith. For instance, more than six in 10 non-Christians and lapsed Christians (62%) say they would be open to talking about faith matters with someone who listens without judgment—the top quality they value—but only one-third (34%) sees this trait in the Christians they know personally."

WOW!  The thing people with things to talk about value, they can't find!

Can we listen without judgement, or is it all important to us to BE RIGHT and to SET PEOPLE STRAIGHT?

The research shows us what the real focus should be!

Instead of Let's Talk, maybe it SHOULD be "Let's Listen".

Are you a professional?

I would like to share this article with you! It is by, Phil Cooke. He is a Christian media expert and knows his stuff. Take from it what you will. I loved it!  The full web page can be found here 

It’s Time to Decide: Are You An Amateur Or Professional?

At some point in our careers we need to decide how serious we are about the pursuit. As the old saying goes: “The thinking that got you into this mess isn’t the thinking you need to get out.”  All of us start as beginners or amateurs – and there’s no shame in that. But at some point, some decide that the pursuit is worth the self discipline it takes to reach the next level, while others decide to stay where they are. I could use a million examples – maybe you’re restarting or changing careers, perhaps you’re a divorced or single mom. You took time off for school or to raise a family. I met a man recently who had spent years caring for his terminally ill wife, and now needed to get back into the workplace.

Whatever it is, there’s a point where a “soccer mom,” a man changing careers, or someone else in transition decides to become a professional leader. Here’s a handful of decisions he or she needs to consider in order to arrive at that destination:

An amateur believes his passion and energy is all he needs to make a successful presentation.
A professional dedicates the time and effort it takes to become an effective public speaker.

An amateur uses lots of emoticons and exclamation marks in her emails.
A professional expresses herself in an articulate, businesslike way.

An amateur thinks everyone at the meeting wants to hear his ideas.
A professional listens first, then shares based on what he’s heard.

An amateur gets dressed for work, and shows up looking like, well… an amateur.
A professional gets dressed for work, and shows up looking like a professional.

An amateur figures it’s too late to change. She is what she is.
A professional knows it’s never too late to change and is always learning.

An amateur is awkward and hesitant when he meets new people.
A professional knows that people skills are some of the most important skills you can possess.

When an amateur has a problem with her computer she gets exasperated, and then calls a teenager, spouse, or neighbor to fix it. 
A professional takes a class or finds a mentor so she can take care of it herself. At the very least she runs through potential options so she doesn’t waste someone else’s time.

An amateur believes that it’s OK to turn in a report with grammatical and punctuation errors. After all, it’s the ideas in his report that matter.
A professional knows that clear communication is critical. How you express your message is as important as the message itself.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

What did you think?  Comment below!

Muscle Car Ministry

Not an actual shot of the incident, but close enough to give you a good idea of the scenario

We have new neighbors.

They are two young guys and they each have a muscle car.  The exact same model  There must have been a two for one sale.  Not sure if they do the whole BOGO thing for Dodge Chargers, but in this economy, it's anyone's guess.  Regardless of how they came to posses these super charged beasts of the industrial age, I don't think they thought through how they would perform in the winter months.  8 cylinders of power is great for cruising down the main drag in the dog days of summer and leaning to one side as you tip your head to look over your Ray-Bans at a cute girl with exactly 20 followers on Instagram, but when the snow flies, the only thing you'll be looking over is a snowbank if you don't have the proper tires on your schmooze-mobile.

These guys have no snow tires.  They also do not shovel their driveway.

All the torque in the world won't get you to move an inch when you're sitting on what is essentially the mini-glacier we call Ontario in December.

Here's what happened early one morning after a brief snowfall.

I am in bed early because of my job.  I awake at four a.m. to go into work at 5.  Weekends for me are the only time I get to sleep in.  Saturday and Sunday are sacred days of sabbath rest where the alarm on my phone lets me stay horizontal for as long as I care to be without a hint of responsibility, other thank making coffee and bacon at whatever hour I choose to lift myself from the mattress.  It's glorious!  That's why I was so perturbed to be woken at 3 a.m. on a Sunday by the constant revving of a 6.4 liter V8 engine.  At first, I thought it was a snow plow, but the roar of the motor did not fade into the distance of a snowy night, it remained constant, dying down for only a few moments before returning with a fiery vengeance.

I was determined to call the police on whoever was the offending rev-er and get them in "trouble".  This was outrageous!  But I had to know for sure what was causing this ruckus.  I got out of bed and crept downstairs, picking up my flashlight from the bowl beside the door, and opened up to peek around the porch.  (It was cold and I was minimally dressed, so this would be a quick peek.)
It was as I suspected, the neighbor person was revving his big block in the next door driveway, but the car was moving back and forth only a few feet at a a time.  He was very clearly, stuck in his own driveway.

It was decision time.  Do I continue with my plan to call the cops and then try and return to my slumber, or do I get dressed and go help him?

These are the times when you realize you should probably do the thing you don't want to do.  Upstairs I went to get my pants and shirt on and go lend a hand.  Why not be neighborly?  I am awake anyway.

As I stepped out of the house, I grabbed my trusty snow shovel from the porch and walked over to Mr. Stucky McStuckerson.   I say I would like to lend a hand as as we spoke just a few words, out of the corner of my eye, I see the neighbor from across the street exit his house and come to the edge of the curb.  This looked promising!  The whole street, coming together to aid a poor soul in need of help!  What hope swelled within my bosom for the future of mankind!  We would lead the way together to a new era of kindness and compassion!  One driveway at a time!

Before I could explain what was happening, neighbor #2 began to speak.  Did he ask how he could pitch in and resolve this slippery situation?  No!  He began to unleash a torrent of anger and rage in my direction!  He expounded, in very succinct terms, that the hour was late and the noise was too dreadful!  He spoke for not only his household, but the surrounding domiciles also!  How could you make such a din!  It violates basic human decency!

When there was a break in the tirade, I interjected that if we could, together, help this individual, we could resolve the situation and all get back to a warm winters nap.

He would have none of it.  With a few more words, he stormed back into the house.

I realized at that moment, that he came out of his house seeing only me and my shovel!  For all he knew, I was the sole architect of the evenings sinister symphony!  The fellow in the offending vehicle never moved and never bothered to speak up and defend me or explain his actions!  He just sat there!  I took all HIS grief from the sleepy street umpire who had called foul on the noise!

I became very direct and asked him which way he was trying to go, in or out.

He said "In".

So, like Samson of old, the spirit of strength came upon me and, unaided, I pushed that noisy beast into place and bid him a good evening.

The whole affair reminded me of the gospel story.

We are like the car, spinning its wheels, all flash and no grip.  Loads of potential but no traction.  Out from a perfect environment comes Jesus.  He arrives to help, to get us unstuck from our issues.  As humans do, we focus our anger, like my neighbor, on the one who seems to be causing the trouble.  Without asking questions, we blame the One who is here to save us and unload on Him!  Silently He absorbs our blame and with supernatural power brings a resolution!

Who knew you could learn so much from a noisy neighbor?

Surviving the Fire

You may have seen the recent story about the painting of Jesus that somehow survived a massive fire that destroyed a church.  The structure was completely wrecked and the only thing to make it through the destruction was the painting.  It was pretty much untouched by the fire.

It seems like a cheesy story right?  But listen to what one of the church members said about the whole thing...

"I'm personally taking it as a sign and a reminder that the Jesus, the Christ that we serve is still alive and even though our church building is gone our church is here and the God we serve is still here," said Maria Kakalowski, a parishioner of the church,

Think about that!  You're point of view on the bad things that happen in your life make a huge difference.  It can either fill you with doubts and fear or it can remind you of the things that really last.

Jesus said something I have always found to be encouraging...

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  Matthew 24:35 King James Version (KJV)

It's a pretty big claim to say things like that!  If you trust what He said then , no matter what you can lean on the things that are eternal, because they will outlast any fire or disaster or tragedy that comes along!

When bad times hit, what do you trust in?

Come With Me If You Want To Love Junk!

Photo by Felipe Belluco on Unsplash

One of the things that gives me a little boost of joy is to wander around a flea market of an antiques mall in a town that is new!  I love the smells, I love the thrill of scanning for a treasure that may be hiding under a box or a shelf!

Maybe I'm just getting older and the things that interest me are changing, I don't know.

I like the flea markets because you never know what you are going to find.

If you go to a big box store, you pretty much know what to expect.

If you go to an antiques mall, you have no clue what you might find or what memories you may discover there.

One time in Sarnia, I planned to have a quick stop at a local store packed with "junk" to look around.  The half hour I thought it would take to walk through ended up being almost two hours!  I was on the hunt for something very specific and I stumbled upon a couple of clues that suggested I should not leave there without a meticulous search.  I opened boxes, moved items around and even asked if I could go behind a display case.  There was just enough room to squeeze in and open a box or two in my quest for this object.  The owner said he did not want to let me back there, but when he was outside, I did it anyway!  I heard him come back in briefly so I froze, hoping he would think I was a mannequin!  Once the coast was clear, I resumed my search!

I did not find the thing I was looking for, but I had a very entertaining time seeing the contents of the "shop" and digging through rooms and rooms of fascinating old curiosities!  I was about to leave and I thought, it would be rude to not buy anything after practically rearranging the store so I grabbed a small action figure of The Terminator that had caught my eye earlier.

The Terminator figure I know own.

I brought it outside to where the owner was arranging a sidewalk display and asked him "How much"?

"Five dollars."

I was a little shocked because I expected a dollar or two would be the going rate for an old action figure that was quite dirty!

I said "Five dollars?"

"Yup, that's what they go for!".

I considered for a moment, and thought about how he knew that grime covered Terminator action figure were going for five bucks a pop.  Where do you get that information?

I was about to question him and try and bargain for the robot assassin from the future, but in the end I decided, it was worth it.

I said "You know what, I had a great time poking around and seeing your stuff, is there more?"

He said " I have another whole sea-crate full, I just don't have room to put it in the store right now.  I'll put it out in the next couple months."

I gave him two toonies and a loonie and said...

"I'll be back."