After a very taxing day and the expiration of our productive energy, Alan and I sat down to watch a video. Somehow, there was a new movie in our queue which neither of us remembered adding. It had an intriguing title, and the first line mentioned a burned-out FBI agent going to the country and befriending a special needs child. It sounded like a warm, Hallmark-style movie with a happy ending, which seemed like the perfect way to end our day. Also, being a 2020 release, I thought it might make a good story to pass along to you as well! 🙂
Wrong! The movie started out warm and wonderful—panning mountains and idyllic country roads—but before long we were seeing artsy FBI flashbacks to sensuous ballet dancing, eruptions of profanity . . . and suddenly the realization that we were heading into a lesbian romance. Not at all what we’d hoped for. We shut it off and headed for bed, but the next morning when I looked it up, I was chagrined to discover that if I’d bothered to read the entire synopsis, I would have saved us both some time and frustration!
How many times do I make snap decisions based on incomplete information? Too many to count, for sure! Even videos that sound good aren’t always good; have you noticed? I need to be more careful and more prayerful, not only concerning what I watch, but also how I spend all my time, how I eat . . . even how I’m going to vote! What sources do I trust? Which candidates stand for what I believe is right? And on, and on!
I have a trio of little bronze monkeys sitting on a window ledge to remind us: “Speak no evil, see no evil; hear no evil.” It’s also been said:
“What goes in comes out.”
“You are what you eat.”
“What you sow you will reap.”
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (see Proverbs 23:7).
That next morning, I received an ad from Revelation Media concerning a free premiere showing of a new release called In His Image, which anyone who signs up for can watch free on October 20th. (They invite you to donate and they’ll send you a DVD, but I think you can watch it free without donating anything.) I’m going to share the link with you, but be sure to check it out for yourself! If you—like me—think it will be worthwhile, maybe you’d like to watch it too! It sounds good; I hope it is good, but if you watch it, I’d love to hear your critique!
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Summer Setting 