In the Event of My Birth…

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)


It’s Christmas time! Still not very winter-y these days, but with my speakers locked on 96.5 KOIT, my windshield sometimes icy in the mornings, and the large crowds at Target (and elsewhere) - it’s definitely beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

It’s a busy time for all, so I’ll keep it short. Listen up: YOU ARE A BLESSING. THE EARTH JUST WOULDN’T SPIN THE SAME WITHOUT YOU (it’s Christmas time, allow me to indulge you).

In “It’s A Wonderful Life”; Clarence, an angel sent down to help a distressed George Bailey, tells him, “Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole.”

Right away this reminded me of the action movie, “Wanted”.

“WHAT?!” you say? But stay with me. In “Wanted”, there is a league of super assassins who live by the motto, “Kill one, save a thousand”. But I think Jesus and his league of super guardians say, “Give LIFE to one, BLESS a thousand” (or more. It’s up to us, I suppose). These two very different films explore the same idea - the ripple effect of one life.

Just by being born you have blessed someone. Your ripple begins.

The most important birth, the most important ripple, is what we celebrate this time of year: the birth of Jesus Christ. One life that truly blessed - and keeps on blessing, as He still lives today. Think of His ripple effect.

The ripple effect of one life…

Though our ripple will never compare to that of Jesus; you’ve changed many people’s histories. You’re embedded in the memory of many. As small and unimportant as we everyday folk may feel, there’s someone out there that holds you in the highest esteem. And they’ll never forget you. Hard to believe, but think about it - we know who has blessed us. We remember those who have helped us out in a time of need. Surely, there’s someone out there that remembers you in that same way.

Just as in “It’s A Wonderful Life”, what would be different if you were never born at all? What if there WAS no you? Look around you and take inventory of your contributions. Go ahead! Think of the times that people have thanked you and appreciated what you did. What if you weren’t there? Would that person still have had groceries? Would that person still have had a house? Would that person still be with their family? Would that person still be alive? Would that person still have a job? Would that person still have the hope and joy that they have today?

Let’s be thankful for the people in our lives. Let’s be thankful that they are/were there to keep us moving forward, instead of leaving an awful hole.

And as you’re remembering them, keep in mind that someone’s remembering you.

It’s a wonderful life. You’re a wonderful life.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

- Eli

I Don’t Think We’re In Our Twenties Anymore, Toto!

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Ok, I’ll be honest – I didn’t “get” this movie at first. It ends with what seems like a lack of resolution. Or in the famous words of my dad, “I stayed up for THIS?!”

But I watched it again. I HAD to. I mean, it was nominated for EIGHT Academy Awards (aka Oscars)!!! It won four of the eight; including Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted from a novel) and an Oscar for the highly coveted, grand prize award: Best Picture.

Watching it again, I realized that the filmakers had pulled a good ‘ol bait and switch on me. You spend the entire film watching this suspenseful cat and mouse chase, only to realize that the movie isn’t about the cat, the mouse, OR the chase. It’s about the slow, old, limping cat that’s off screen trying to keep up.

Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. He starts the film off telling of how he became a sheriff at age twenty five. He talks about the “old timers”, and how he can’t help but compare himself to them as he wonders how they would operate in this present time. He tells of how he sent a young man to the electric chair. And then he turns his attention to the current crime in play; the cat and mouse chase.

The chase involves a hunter, a hitman, some drug money, and guns. Oh yeah, and there’s Ed Tom Bell somewhere. Always fifteen minutes too late; trying to keep up.

But the chase isn’t the point.

Ed Tom Bell is the focus here. He’s never SEEN a case like this. He became Sheriff at age twenty five. Sent a boy to the electric chair, and he’s been cruising through life ever since. No real challenges. Just driving around. Chillin in coffee shops. Daydreaming about the old timers while he, himself, has gotten old.

It’s almost like he successfully prosecuted one criminal, sent him to the chair, and then fell asleep for the next thirty years or so. But then THIS case comes along and rudely awakens him like a bucket of cold water. It has shaken him to his core.

The cat (hitman) ultimately catches up with the mouse (hunter). Ed Tom Bell discovers the hunter’s dead body. Too late. He failed. He couldn’t stop the bad guy. And he has no idea where he could be.

He’s shook. He ponders retirement as he comes to the realization that life flew by, he’s old, and his methods don’t work any longer. He has become one of the old timers that he so fondly spoke of.

In one scene, he visits his uncle Ellis, and he tells him everything that’s on his mind. His uncle replies unsympathetically, “Whatcha got ain’t nothin new, this country’s hard on people… You can’t stop what’s comin. It ain’t all waitin on YOU… That’s vanity.”

…That’s vanity…

So old Ed Tom Bell retires. Maybe he thought he was still twenty five years old. Maybe he thought he was more skilled than he actually was. No matter. The bad guy, the hitman, the cat, gets away. The hunter, the guy in over his head, the mouse, is dead. And the former sheriff sits in his kitchen, not knowing how to spend his days now. He tells of a dream he had. A dream about his father who has long passed. A dream that reminds him that he’s not too far behind his father. But he’s comforted that his father rides before him, and that he has built a fire for them in the darkness and in the cold. And that whenever he gets there, his father will be there. And then he wakes up.

He’s not twenty five anymore.

Oh, how time flies, huh? I’m convinced that if time were a person. Time would be a ninja. Constantly creeping up behind you. Hiding in the shadows. Next thing you know – the ninja has one hand on the back of your head and one hand on your chin. CRRACK! He’s snapped your neck. Geez, I know!

Or is time a thief? Like one of my favorite artists, k-os, says, “Time is a theif that leaves nothing behind…”

Maybe a ninja that thieves? Anyway…

What does this all mean to you? I know what it means to me. Have I been vain in the way I perceive time? Definitely. Do I just daydream? Kick it in coffee shops? Feel fulfilled by one or two past accomplishments? Yeah.

Maybe I’m more Ed Tom Bell than anybody else reading this, but I think we can all pull something from this.

At the beginning of the film, Ed Tom Bell says, “I don't want to push my chips forward and go out and meet something I don't understand. A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He'd have to say, "O.K., I'll be part of this world."” Will we ever be ready? What are we waiting for? We’re already walking this Earth - might as well jump in. Time to get hazardous…

In Ecclesiastes 12, the teacher/thinker/philosopher concludes his experiment by reminding us to enjoy and honor our Creator before we grow old (or older). Enjoy. Honor. Enjoy and Honor. Think about it. These two words wrap it ALL up.

Ecclesiastes 12 (The Message Bible)

1-2 Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

3-5 In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen. The shades are pulled down on the world. You can't come and go at will. Things grind to a halt. The hum of the household fades away. You are wakened now by bird-song. Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past. Even a stroll down the road has its terrors. Your hair turns apple-blossom white, Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body. Yes, you're well on your way to eternal rest, While your friends make plans for your funeral.

6-7 Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends. The body is put back in the same ground it came from. The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.

- Eli

Path. Purpose. (And the Angels we meet along the way)

Lady in the Water (2006)

Once, man and those in the water were linked. They inspired us. They spoke of the future. Man listened and it became real. But man does not listen very well. Man's need to own everything led him deeper into land. The world of man became more violent. War upon war played out, as there were no guides to listen to. Now those in the water are trying again... trying to reach us. They need only be glimpsed... and the awakening of man will happen. But their enemies roam the land. Yet still they try... try to help man. But man may have forgotten how to listen...

The movie starts out with a narration. One thing that hit me and stuck out was “Man does not listen well.” The narration goes on to say that at one time, we were inspired and listened. As we did what we wanted, our world became violent. “Man has forgotten how to listen.”

How many correlations can we make on these thoughts? The obvious one is God’s voice and inspiration in our own lives. As I listened to this opening, I immediately thought of my own life and found myself apologizing for continually muting God and making my own decisions.

The main character runs into this woman who he has taken under his wing to protect and help. She is a beautiful woman in distress who gives the main character the title of the “Protector.” In the movie there is an old fairytale that happens to be this young woman’s story which unfolds with the movie. A group of people, all having different titles and roles, have to do things right to ensure her safety. The main character’s back story is he was a doctor who lost his entire family one night when a thief broke in and killed them. He feels responsible for their death because he was not there to protect them. Now this character has limited information to work with but knows that he is to find all characters of this “fairytale” all while protecting the young woman. One thought in the movie was, the moral of a bedtime story is that no one is ever told who they are.

This again reminded me of my own life. How do I know what path I am to follow? How can I know that I am in the right place? This main character found out the hard way that he had things wrong. He was not “The Protector” as he thought he was. He ended up being “The Healer.” Those of us watching the movie can see why. He used to be a doctor, a natural healer. The circumstances of his life forced him to think he was a protector. He felt responsible and ashamed at losing his family and wanted to protect this young woman. He was not able to fulfill his true purpose until he forgave himself. Until he let go of the torment he put himself through and accept his true role, he was going to continue getting things wrong and feel lost.

In this character’s case, he wanted an opportunity to redeem himself on behalf of his family. This woman in need was his chance. She also helped solidify this by calling him “The Protector.” We must be careful who and what we listen to. The main character was never supposed to be “The Protector” but called to be “The Healer.”

Looking back on my life, I know I have let people influence me with titles and words that seemed to fit my situation more than it fit my purpose. Since being down here in San Diego, I have done a lot of growing and understanding.

Here is a story that happened to me one night. I went out on a date and ended up in Pacific Beach, which is where all the college students go to party and enjoy the beach. As we walk along the walkway a drunken guy yells out “Jesus loves you.” I tell him that Jesus loves him too and to have a good night. He then runs up to us and asks if he could pray with us. Now there are two other guys with him and all I can think was that prayer was the last thing on their mind. So I tell this guy sure and pay more attention to him than what is being said. As I look up, he has tears streaming down his face and saying one of the most heartfelt prayers I have ever heard. He even has a word for me, which at the time I definitely needed to hear (I questioned my decision to move to San Diego regularly before this incident). As he closes his prayer he thanks us for stopping with him and more importantly praying with him. He tells me that he is just a sinner who can’t seem to get things right, regardless of how hard he tries. He closes by asking us to take care of each other and to continue to be a blessing in others’ lives. Because sometimes, stopping to give someone time is all it takes to save their lives.

This floored me. In our busy lives we quickly try to race past the person asking for a handout or avoid them all together. We look at ourselves as above these people because we have a job and a roof over our heads. Or maybe it’s just me. But who did Jesus associate himself with, lepers, “losers,” the sick and lowly. All those that the rest of the people avoided. You never know who will have a message for you. You will never know who God will use to give you a message. You could miss out on something big by listening to your own voice or even the encouragement of others.

As in the case of this movie, sometimes we need an unsuspecting angel to come in and remind us of what our purpose and path should be.

- John Olague
10/14/08

The Responsibilities of the Responding Senses

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

I popped in Raiders of the Lost Ark the other night. Man, I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen these Indiana Jones movies. I remember little parts, but ultimately, the world of Indy is all new to me. Steven Spielberg? George Lucas? This movie must have had a lot of hype leading up to its release.

Anyway, I watched. And as the movie is coming to its climax we see Dr. Jones and his damsel in distress tied to a wooden post. The Nazi’s, seeking more power than they could imagine, open up the Ark of the Covenant and get… more power than they could imagine! Spirits fly out of the Ark and start melting everybody’s faces off; flesh is melting til only bones are left; people are blowing up. My first thought was, “Wow, great special effects, considering the time this was made.” Then Indy yells out to his damsel, “Keep your eyes SHUT!” And they do just that, they keep their eyes closed, and the spirits spare them, instead retreating back into the Ark.

And I thought, “So it is better to keep our eyes closed? Is it better to turn away and act like we didn’t see this or that?” Indiana Jones and his lady kept their eyes shut to the devastation that was going on around them and they were spared from a gruesome death.

So what do we do?

My mom has always said, “The more you know, the more you’re responsible for”. Which is very very true, and I agree. If we learn of a situation by seeing it or by hearing it, we are responsible for it. And being responsible means that if we are strong and able, we need to lend a hand and not just turn away because it’s more convenient. (Romans 15)

This topic makes me feel the need to bring up gossip real quick, because there are two sides or two approaches to this when the "Ark" (situation) is opened: There is the responder, and there is the gossiper. Gossip is just gossip and it helps no one. “The more you know, the more you’re responsible for”. Are you being responsible with what you know? We can conclude then, that gossipers are irresponsible. And they in turn, make their audience irresponsible. If they were responsible with their knowledge, they’d shut their mouths for two minutes and instead, call those that they’re talking about, and ask if they can help relieve their situation in any way.

So then, our way to responsible responding is:

OPEN YOUR EYES - SHUT YOUR MOUTH.

Open your eyes but shut your mouth. Open your eyes to what’s going on because a situation might need your responsibility or leadership, but shut your mouth unless you’re helping the situation. Indiana Jones kept his eyes closed to devastation; we must keep our mouths closed so that we won't cause devastation.

Untie your hands from behind your back. Untie yourself from the post and lend a hand. We need to respond to what we see, hear and feel. This is our responsibility.

So I guess if you take nothing away from this article, at least take this: It is your responsibility to respond to what you hear and see and know. If you don’t plan on responding, then you better just close your eyes and your ears.

Romans 15:1-6 (from The Message Bible)
1-2 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"
3-6That's exactly what Jesus did. He didn't make it easy for himself by avoiding people's troubles, but waded right in and helped out. "I took on the troubles of the troubled," is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we'll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!


-Eli

Interlude: Sacred Heart Hospital!

I recently went down to San Diego to visit my brother John. We went up to Universal Studios one of the days. Guess what we found in North hollywood? The Sacred Heart Hospital from the TV show 'Scrubs'! It's an ugly, old, decrepit, abandoned hospital building. But it was still dope seeing where one of the best shows ever is filmed.

As you can see, I quickly got out and spraypainted "Sacred Heart" on the wall, cause that's how I roll. Just kidding kids, that's not real.

Feel It

Matrix Reloaded (2003)


Towards the end of the second installment of the Matrix trilogy, Matrix Reloaded, we see our heroes running for their lives after their ship has been ruined. Coming up right behind them is a mob of machines, called sentinels, ready to have them a machine dinner. All of a sudden Neo stops. Trinity questions his action, thinking something’s wrong. Neo says, “Something’s different. I feel them…” He then lifts his hand up as if to say, “stop”. The sentinels come charging at him, and with a sort of non-contact nudge from Neo, the sentinels are fried and are stopped in their tracks, falling to the ground. Neo also collapses and goes into a coma.

For a long time, I didn’t understand this. For those of us that know the Matrix movies, we know that anything is possible in the Matrix - as long as the mind is strong enough. But they weren’t plugged into the Matrix at this point. They were in the real world! How was Neo, who is just as human as anybody else when outside of the Matrix, able to do this? It confused me, and my lack of understanding even dismissed it as a plot hole.

Then, upon my [insert double digit number here] time viewing the film, I finally got it! Neo said he could feel the sentinels. He could feel them within him; down to his bones. He stopped. He turned around and faced them head on. He figured if he can feel them, they can feel him. That’s when he releases all his energy, transferring it into the sentinels, and ultimately imploding them from within. Obviously, with no energy left, Neo collapses into his coma.

He felt them.

They felt him.

This made me think. And this thought made me even more excited than finally understanding this scene that had confused me for so long:

We feel God.

God feels… US?!

In the book of Genesis when Abraham is pleading for God to spare any righteous that may be in Sodom and Gomorrah, I believe God felt Abe’s burden and his yearning for this city. There was nothing in it for God. There was no special interest or conflict of interest. He agreed because He felt what Abraham felt.

In the end, the terms of the agreement weren’t met so God destroyed the city anyway, but still, He was moved to even consider an agreement. He was moved to consider changing His plans. Why? Because His heart grew heavy as Abraham’s heart grew heavy.

God was moved from the anger He felt to the compassion that Abraham felt. I used to get compassion mixed up with “to feel sorry for”, but that’s totally missing the mark. Compassion is “a deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it”. Thinking on compassion, God gave me this: Compassion is not giving a homeless man a dollar. Compassion is giving a homeless man a roof. And a meal. And the knowledge of how to succeed so he doesn’t have to be homeless anymore.

God, in His compassions, doesn’t just feel sorry for us; He feels a deep awareness of us. He FEELS us.

For in Him we live and move and exist. - Acts 17:28

I will dwell in them, and walk in them… - 2 Corinthians 6:16

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us… we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. – 1Corinthians 2:10-12, 16

We don’t belong to God. We are not God’s property. We are a part of God. We are one. We live and exist in Him. He dwells and walks in us. We feel Him. He feels us.

Are you feeling It?

- Eli

Agree? Disagree? Something to add? Leave a comment!