From the Inside Out

Back in the 60s there was a popular television show that spoofed the typical spy flicks of the time.  The brain child of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart followed a secret agent who was a delightful mix between James Bond and Inspector Clouseau.  Bumbling, clumsy and not too bright, Maxwell Smart always managed to save the day – mostly due to dumb luck and the skill of his partner, Agent 99.

The film adaptation of the movie was released this weekend, and we went to check it out.  One of the things I liked about the movie is that it doesn’t try too hard to be the original Get Smart.  It has elements of the original tv series, but doesn’t attempt to be an exact replica.  I’ve read some reviews that criticize the movie because of this fact, but seriously, nothing is ever as good as the original. 

With that said, I thought the movie was great.  I’m not a big fan of Steve Carell, but he did a fantastic job of portraying this version of Maxwell Smart.  There were some scenes that made me laugh so hard I cried.  I won’t tell you what those scenes were because I don’t want to spoil the fun for you.  Dwayne Johnson and Anne Hathaway also delivered good supporting performances as Agent 23 and Agent 99.

All in all, (use nasal Maxwell Smart voice here) “would you believe” I’m giving it an enthusiastic thumbs up?  Yeah, that’s right.  Go see it.  If you are a Steve Carell fan, you will love it.  If you aren’t, you will still love it – I did. 

As I waited for the hotel elevator this morning, I glanced briefly at the sign hanging on the wall in front of me.  It’s one of those standard warning signs providing instructions for what to do in case of a fire — only this time something was different. 

“In case of fire…use air” — that cracked me up.  It’s a classic “Warning Fail.”  I’m not sure if it’s good enough to make it in the official Fail blog, but I may submit it anyway.

I’m happy to report that my Fear Factor blog was selected for the June edition of the Public Speaking and Presentations Skills Blog Carnival.  This monthly carnival includes blogs on a variety of speaking topics including:  

• Public Speaking Tips
• Presentation Skills Advice
• Tips to make money as a speaker
• Tips, advice and suggestions for Toastmasters members
• PowerPoint tips and tricks

Check it out!

Many non-believers have the unfortunate perception that those who follow Christ are weak and ignorant.  This has always bothered me.  As a fiercely independent, self-sufficient individual, I hate the notion that Christianity is simply a psychological crutch for those who need help or a security blanket for the insecure.

I’m not a follower because I need religion to survive, and I don’t consider myself to be one of the uneducated masses.  Most of the time, I think those implications are simply used by skeptics to intimidate and discredit Christians, effectively silencing their voices.

However, another thought struck me yesterday.  Which is worse:  (1) admitting that you are weak and you need help or (2) living in denial?  What if admitting that you can’t make it on your own is not a sign of weakness after all?  Think about it.  Is it easy to admit your life is not going the way you’d planned and you need help?  I think not.  It takes a strong person to make that confession and to take the steps to make a change.

Sometimes I watch a show called Intervention.  It’s a documentary that exposes the daily lives of drug addicts.  At the end of the show, the family participates in a last ditch effort to save the addict.  As you watch family members ask the addict whether they will get treatment, you can see how hard it is for the addict to make the decision.  They know they need help, but it’s too hard to change.  Living in mire and despair is easier than getting help and treatment.  It’s amazing how, in that moment when they make the decision to change, they are both weak and strong — weak in their addiction; strong in courage and hope.

Is it really any different for those who decide to become Christians?  We were lost, addicted to sin and bound by the flesh until someone came along and asked us to give it up in order to live a more fulfilling life.  It wasn’t easy to admit we needed help.  It wasn’t easy to change.  In fact, it was downright hard.  But in admitting our weakness, we found strength and courage – to live a full life, to withstand temptation, to become a better person.

So, that leads me back to my first question.  Are Christians weak?  Well, I’ll let you decide for yourself.  I think you know where I stand.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I need God.  If that makes me weak, then so be it.  At least I have the courage to get help and the fortitude to stand up for my beliefs. 

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already Sunday night.  This weekend passed so quickly.  I guess the saying is true – time flies when you’re having fun!  And when you have that much fun, it makes you really tired so here’s my brief “weekend in review” summary:

• Nicolas’s Belt Test:  We got up early Saturday morning to watch my nephew’s black belt test.  Gary received his black belt a few years ago, and it’s a big deal.  Anyway, I’m really proud of Nick.  He’s a great kid, and it’s so cool to see him achieve such a special accomplishment at a young age. 

• Pirates of Patmos:  After the test, we headed back to the church to prepare for Saturday’s performance of Pirates.  I’m happy to report that it was a great night.  We had a terrific crowd, outstanding energy and no major missteps.  A couple of the cast members were still battling sickness, but they made it through the entire performance.  You would never have known they were feeling terrible.  After the performance, we received rave reviews.  We even had kids and adults taking pictures with the pirates and the “princess”.  It was really cool.  The best thing is that one of the ladies who helped build the set made a decision to be baptized last night!  That makes it all worthwhile.  Isn’t God amazing?
• Sunday morning came quickly.  I had to be at church at 8 am for praise team practice.  I was wiped out — physically and mentally.  Somehow I managed to make it through both services even though I was close to losing my voice (please remind me to not sing after doing a play next time).  Jeff Manning preached today on “Jaws” (all of our sermons this month have been related to the ocean, pirates or boats to coincide with the Pirates production — they called it our Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series — cool, huh?).  Anyway, I really enjoy hearing him minister.  He’s just so entertaining, and he always manages to weave a great message into the midst of the entertainment. 
• One Life:  After church, we rushed home and prepared for the One Life young married’s group meeting which was being hosted at our house tonight. 
• Travel to San Jose:  Unfortunately, I had to miss the One Life meeting.  I really wanted to be there because Ben Sanders was speaking about faith.  He’s a good speaker, and I was looking forward to his discussion, but that pesky thing called a job was sending me elsewhere.  After cleaning the house, I had to get packed and ready to fly to San Jose.  I’m here now and will be here for the rest of the week.

Well, there you have it…my weekend in review.  It was amazing!  I can’t believe Pirates is actually over.  I have been working on it since January.  It doesn’t seem real yet, but I know it is. 

Now we move on to the next event:  Saturday Night Life, October 4, 2008

Have a great week everyone!