Just Keep Swimming

Does anyone remember the movie “Finding Nemo”?  There is a character named Dory, who has one of the best lines of the movie, and it can really relate to our lives.  I can write it all down, but why when you can see it for yourself here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVoC_CJbow

Sorry for sticking that song in your head.  Lol. 

But, maybe I’m not, as the point that Dory makes there is great, and it’s exactly the message that God has for us.  When life has you down you have to just keep swimming.  Think about it for a minute.  Life isn’t easy, and God never said it was going to be.  However, He did say that we should just keep going.  There will be roadblocks, but He’ll get us through it.  Faith in God is the light in the dark tunnel of life.  He will not only show you the way, but He IS the way, the truth, and the life. 

Sometimes we need to be reminded of these simple things….even if it’s in a kids' movie!

The Story of Us

“The Story of Us" is a movie that came out in 1999 starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer.  It’s a movie about the different stages that a couple goes through over 15 years of marriage.  Now, without giving the entire movie away, the couple is struggling and contemplating divorce. 

What I liked most about the movie when I first watched it is how realistic it seemed.  The movie didn’t sugar coat marriage at all.  It took a realistic look at what happens to people and how a relationship evolves.  Some of the funniest quotes from the movie are these:

“It is physically impossible to French-kiss a man who leaves the new roll of toilet paper resting on top of the empty cardboard roll. Does he not see it? DOES HE NOT *SEE* IT?”

“Marriage is the Jack Kevorkian of romance.”

“Isn't this the moment where one of us is supposed to say: Look, this is ridiculous, we love each other, all couples go through this, let's give it another try.”

I’ve always kept this movie in the back of my head.  Let’s be honest here for a minute, marriage isn’t easy.  There are going to be ups and downs and times when things aren’t going as smoothly as you’d both want them to be.  That is especially true when you add kids to the equation.  That is why we all have to work at our marriages.  If you just expect it to always be perfect you are just being a fool.  You have to spend time with your spouse.  You have to get away from everything else from time to time and really focus on each other.  That can be a couple hours, a day or two, a week, etc. 

I can tell you for certain that if you aren’t making the effort to be closer together then you are getting further apart.  God put you together and doesn’t want to see that happen.  Trust in Him and follow His guidance for your marriage.  If you do those things alone, then nothing will break you apart.

A 6th Sense

Have you ever seen the movie “The 6^th Sense”?  I won’t give anything away for those who haven’t seen it (where have you been?)   Let me just say that at the end of the movie the major plot twist is revealed and they show you that throughout the entire movie they were giving you clues as to that exact twist.  The problem is, unless you’d heard about it beforehand or had seen the movie before, you didn’t know that the clues were there.

I think we can easily correlate that to being a non-believer in Christ.  There are clues all around them as to how God is working in their lives or the lives of people around them.  Then one day they get a relationship with Christ and all of sudden they realize all the clues that He has left there throughtout their lives .  Their eyes are now open, and they are now aware of God and all of His greatness.

My question to you today is twofold.  First, do you remember what it was like when you opened your eyes to God for the first time and saw all the clues He had left for you?  If yes, then question two now applies:  Why not make that happen for someone else?  If you truly embrace the life that He has given you, then you have to be willing to share His love with others whom He is longing to reach.  Just like the plot of a good movie, the clues are already there…but sometimes the people around us need  to have their eyes opened to the main story line.