‘He Loves me, He Loves me Not’

Last night my wife and I watched the French film – ‘He loves me, He loves me not’.

I had been reliably informed that it was an excellent film, but for the first half I thought it was fairly straight forward, but with a slight edge to it that kept you watching.

However half way through the film everything changed.

Now, I’m not going to ruin it for anyone. But let me tell you this, it is a great example of how context is everything. If you’re wanting to teach young students of the Bible that they need to look at context, get them to watch this film…

And there I shall leave it…

Homesickness – in the truest sense

Reading Tim Keller’s book ‘The Prodigal God’ has really awakened me to some errors in my own life.

I was reading chapter 6 ‘Redefining Hope’ and Keller starts talking about home. He notes how we often have a longing for a ‘moment’ or a memory of something, and we think that in that thing we will find what our hearts long for.

I experienced this for many years as a child with my birthday. My birthday for me was a day I always looked forward to, a special day that was meant to be unlike any other. And so when that day came each year I would want to make the most of every second of every minute of that day. I would live it intensely wanting to soak up every experience.

But it always, ultimately disappointed. Sure the parties were fun as a child, the presents were nice. But it was always over too soon and then I’d have another year to wait for that next glimpse of what I longed would be there.

Perhaps you’ve had similar experiences with other things.

New years resolution no.1 – I need your help

I’m not that into new years resolution, but there’s a few things I’d love to see come of 2010.

And for this one I need your help…

I want to write 10 songs that can be sung in a congregational setting. I’ve written a few over the years (which will be on a new album coming from the TCH lot, hopefully in Feb. see www.outoftimerecords.yolasite.com for more details.)

I obviously want these to be Bible-based and Christ-centred, so what I need from you are some suggestions of verses you’d like to see songs written around, or themes that perhaps there aren’t enough songs about in church song-books.

Please let me know by putting a comment on this post.

Ta!

Film review – Laurel and Hardy

For our last film club of 2009 we watched something a bit different. I brought along 3 early Laurel and Hardy ’shorts’ from 1929, 1930 and 1931.

It’s stating the obvious, but Laurel and Hardy were masters of comedy. From over-the-top slapstick (Hardy slips on a plate and ends up pulling the whole room down in ‘Our Wife’ 1931) to clever lines and gags (like being disappointed that their busking has brought no rewards, only to discover they’ve been busking outside the deaf and dumb institute in ‘Below Zero’ 1930).

But what led to interesting conversation was how women are portrayed in those shorts.

Obviously the focus of the episodes are Laurel and Hardy, but women play a significant part, generally as the latest love interest of Hardy. One of the film club weren’t too happy with how the women were portrayed in an obviously patriarchal setting, and were fairly two-dimensional.

However, I was interested to see what a dominant role the women played. Although the men may appear to call the shots, the women rule the roost. If they put their foot down the men are reduced to quivering and pleading wrecks. A philandering police officer, throwing his weight around in ‘Unaccustomed as we are’ (L + H’s first full ‘talkie’) returns to Hardy’s flat covered in bruises, courtesy of his irate wife who has discovered his escapades.

Dubai – a hidden slavery?

I’m not sure why I’ve put a question mark at the end of that title, given what’s in the article below.

There doesn’t seem anything hidden about the slave class of Dubai. Please read this article. It will open your eyes to an horrific situation that we are inadvertently supporting.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

Moving gospel pictures to different walls…

On Monday our elders were listing to a talk by Jonathan Dobson. Slightly weird listening to a talk where he’s referencing stuff that’s come from our church, but he’s putting into practice what we’re talking about! Challenging and encouraging.

One of the things we got talking about was his emphasis on constantly reminding people of what they’re about every time they get together. So Dobson uses the acronym ‘SPEL’ (irony?) Shared life and Truth; Pray; Engage peoples and cultures; Love one another.

I was very taken by this approach. In my experience when you stop reminding people of what you’re about we so easily slip back into ‘learned’ ways of doing things rather than biblical ways of doing things.

Someone raised the issue of people switching off to this though if you talk about it too much. Apparently if a picture has been on a wall more than two weeks then you don’t notice it as much.

So my suggestion was – rather than taking down the picture altogether – why not move it to a different wall?