The Pursuit of Happyness

On our Christmas vacation, my sister kept all of our kids for a sleepover one night while Bryan & I went to see the Will Smith movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Highly recommend it, and I'll try not to give away too much of the story here. I must say that a lot of the themes in this movie really hit home for both Bryan and me, though... some more than we'd like to admit.

Here are some of my thoughts (in random order):

• I was literally in a physical state of being stressed out for the entire duration of the film. No joke. Just ask Bryan. Go see the movie - you'll know what I mean.
• Mental toughness and resilience in life are paramount to success. Most people give up on their dreams way too soon. A wise friend once told me, "Circumstances don't make a man, they merely reveal him." This movie certainly confirms that concept. "Chris," the protagonist in this true story endures relentless trials, and of course has moments of weakness, but it is obvious that his heart is always striving toward a better life for his little boy.
• This film also reinforces the idea that money (or lack of money) doesn't make you a better person (or a worse one). Maybe having more money just magnifies the true character of a person. If you're generous with little (or frugal, or miserly, or happy - fill in the blank with any appropriate adjective you like), you'll be the same way when you have a lot, just on a grander scale.
• In America, we take so much for granted, and we rarely stop to think about the kind of situations that others might be going through...(or ask, or care, or help). Maybe those are two separate points. Especially in the corporate arena, people assume that everyone else has similar life circumstances, or only a "certain" kind of person can be a professional, or if you have a white-collar job, you live a comfortable lifestyle (or at least not below the poverty line). Unfortunately, that's not always the case. We need to keep our eyes open.
• I loved the way "Chris" always tried hard to present himself in a professional manner. It wasn't his reality, but a facade; although I think maybe it was not so much him being a phony as it was his way of visualizing himself in the position he was striving to achieve, (thereby causing others to see him that way and respond positively toward him). It was his way of believing in himself.
• I thought Bryan summed it up best when we were leaving the theater. His initial response to the movie was, "I will never look at a $5 bill the same way again." (You've got to see the movie to understand the real meaning of this comment. Sorry.)
• This was an inspirational story of a father's love. I see so many parallels to the love of God toward us. Jesus sacrificed everything to provide our salvation, to protect us from spiritual poverty, and to have a relationship with us. He fought for us. He did something that didn't make any sense (temporarily) in order to accomplish something that will last forever.
  

Have you seen "The Pursuit of Happyness"? What did you think? All I can say is when it comes out on DVD, I'll be the first in line.

Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

So, I just finished reading this awesome book called Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell. Only 177 pages, it's a quick read, but it's also packed with an amazing amount truth and insight. I was in such a state reading this book, because he shares so much knowledge that I couldn't wait to turn the pages and devour it all; yet some of the things he writes and the analogies he makes are so profound that I wanted to linger and savor them.

I once heard Rob Bell speak in person (at a Youth Specialties conference in Sacramento several years ago). I remember being captivated by his message and his passion then, and I bought the audio tape recording of it so I could take it home and let my husband listen to it too.

Rob is a pastor near Grand Rapids, Michigan. For our new small group we've been watching his series of videos called Nooma. They're basically object lessons, where he's giving a message and doing something at the same time. Like planting trees, or starting a fire, or eating in a diner. They're incredibly powerful messages, and generate wonderful discussions. I love how he makes his audience think, without feeding you his own conclusions. He makes you look inside your heart and points you to Jesus for your answers.

It completely changes how I think about events that happened in the Bible when I find out the ancient Jewish customs or the cultural background behind Christ's words, or the disciples' actions. It's so refreshing to listen to him explain these things, and think to myself, "Oh, now that makes sense to me!" It makes me want to go back and read those passages over again with my new eyes.

I'm definitely going to read Velvet Elvis again soon, but I might have to get a second so I can highlight it and make notes. Go and do likewise! You won't be disappointed.

Just in case you're not convinced yet, here's a little excerpt from Movement Six: NEW (page 146). The second statement may seem to be a little controversial, but keep reading:

"Heaven is full of forgiven people God loves, whom Jesus died for.

"Hell is full of forgiven people God loves, whom Jesus died for.

"The difference is how we choose to live, which story we choose to live in, which version of reality we trust.

"Ours or God's.

"When we choose God's vision of who we are, we are living as God made us to live. We are living in the flow of how we are going to live forever. This is the life of heaven, here and now. And as we live this life, in harmony with God's intentions for us, the life of heaven becomes more and more present in our lives. Heaven comes to earth."