The Blind Side

Kathy and I go to the movies once in a "Blue Moon", so when we go we try to pick one that is worth the money and time. We decided on my birthday to go see "The Blind Side" since I had seen the story last year on one of the college football games. Since I like sports movies and especially those that are true this was my obvious choice.

Before going I did something I don't normally do and that was read the reviews. I was surprised at how many negative comments were out there by the "critics". It was criticized by some as being another "upper class showing superiority by helping a poor black boy". Some didn't like the way the characters were portrayed while others thought the story was just too "goody-goody". This is why I don't pay attention to a lot of reviews. As for this film, however there were tons more positive than negative viewpoints.

Like the movie "Rudy" this is not really as much a sports movie as it is a movie about people. It's a great movie on what happens when people decide to help someone who needs something positive in their life. This story has little to do with race and everything to do with opening our eyes to someone who is in need. You can't ignore the race factor when a young black teenager moves in with an upper class white family, the by far it's a story of someone helping a fellow human being get their life on the proper track.

I would recommend this movie to everyone. With the exception of one conversation toward the end it is good clean movie with a great lesson. It's the story not as much of a rich family helping a poor young man but of a caring family helping a homeless young man by giving him a home to stay in and the opportunity to reach his full potential.

It's the story of Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Michael Oher was recently drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. If you've read the book, Micheal Oher has said it is pretty accurate with the exception of the book questioning his I.Q. Which I'd have to agree with him since he was able to accomplish so much. The story actually tells us that many times we are the product of our environment and a situation that leaves no room for growth.

This is the story of a young man who has shown that he is able to get his life together and move forward in life leaving the past behind. The story of a man who will not let the downside of yesterday deter him from fulfilling great dreams.

It's also the story of a family who felt moved by God to help someone in need. It's the story of what can happen in a world where people care.

If you only see one movie this year or as I said once in a "Blue Moon", I'd pick this one. You won't regret it. You might take along an extra tissue though. By the way the movie next door was "New Moon", a much more popular but I'm sure much less uplifting than "The Blind Side".

When Worlds Come Crashing Down

There are times in a person's life that are suppose to be moments of euphoria. They are those times that we want to remember and relive over and over. Maybe it was a great athletic feat that won the big game or receiving an award in front of a large assembly. It could be your wedding day or the day you went forward and picked up that diploma that seemed so far away.

To parents it's when you see for the first time that small son or daughter that has come to live in your home. We've had the privilege of going through it twice. Both times were filled with smiles and laughter. But sometimes the smiles fail to last. Sometimes your world crashes down around you.

When our first son was 5 months old, Kathy took him in for a checkup. The pediatrician in a cold way blurted out to her, "your child is severely retarded". Since he was adopted and the adoption not yet final he urged her to give him back since he'd never be normal.

When your world comes crashing down and you are only 23 and 25 it's devastating. All your dreams seem to vanish into thin air. All your plans must now take a different orbit and move off into realms unknown. You cry, you get angry, but most of all you wonder "why" did this happen to me.

But somewhere along the line you have to decide that life goes on. Decisions have to be made. New plans have to be drawn up. You have to remap your life so you can keep going. You end up relying on God more than ever.

This year Scottie turned 36. Things haven't changed much in the last 36 years except that he is bigger. His mind and abilities are very little beyond the 5 months checkup. But we've made it through. It's been tough. It's still hard. But along the way there have been other smiles.

We have another son with a loving family that brings joy to our lives. He and his wife have a beautiful little girl that will make you smile. And when Scottie laughs it makes you feel good that he's enjoying something in this life.

When our worlds come crashing down, when our dreams fade away and when life gives us more than we think we can bear it's time to step back and look again. In doing that we can go down new and different paths. We can seek out other moments of euphoria.

When our worlds crash it doesn't mean our life has to die. It just means we have to rebuild.

Nehemiah once went outside the city of Jerusalem to inspect the walls. Upon reentering the city he spoke to the people saying, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace."

When our worlds come crashing down, the only way we can survive is to rebuild.

On Forwarding Email

Hardly a day goes by that I don't get an email that at the end wants me to forward it to 5 people or even everyone I know. They come in different forms. If I really love Jesus I'll forward this email on, indicating that if I don't forward it then I don't love Jesus. Others tell me if I'm patriotic then I'll send them on. Again it indicates that if I don't somehow I'm not a true American.

Next, there's the email that says I'll have good luck if I forward it to a certain number of people. Some of them even tell me the time the good luck will happen. On the opposite end are the ones that say I'll have bad luck if I don't send it on to someone else.

I've wondered, who is it out there that is determining if I love Jesus or if I'm patriotic or how lucky I'll be or not be by sending or not sending their email? What did they do before email to show love and patriotism? I don't ever remember sending a letter to prove my love or American pride. I do however remember getting a chain letter that threatened me with bad luck if I didn't send it to 5 people. I have had a little bad luck during the past 50 years or so. I guess I should have forwarded the letter!

Just to let you know, only on a rare occurrence do I forward an email and then only after I've removed all the meaningless threats at the end. But let me tell you something. I still love Jesus. My eyes still swell with tears when I hear the National Anthem at the Olympics. I've had all kinds of luck both good and bad and suspect I always will.

Simply put, forwarding an email gives us no assurance or promise whatsoever. We can share them if we think they are good, but not link them to who we are on the inside. We show we love Jesus by how we live every day. We show we are patriotic by flying our flag, by putting our hand over our hearts during the singing of our anthem or voting for our leaders. We realize that luck, bad or good happens, but by just living a good life we'll have more good than bad.

So next time you send me an email it will probably just stop right here on my computer. But you know what? I still love Jesus and my country and I still love you.

Oh, and by the way you might check Snopes and Truth or Fiction before you send me that 3 year old email about the non-existent virus that is going to wipe out my computer!