Theological Stew
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  • Christ in Us: Abundance- Matthew Sower/Romans 8
  • Christ in Us: Acceptance
  • Christ in Us: Gratitude
  • Untitled
  • Creation: Forest: Genesis 2:4-14
  • Creation: Land: Genesis 4:

Maybe Today

2/5/2011

2 Comments

 
    I have a passion for movies and especially for finding theological themes in movies. That's the disclaimer. Not that I am a movie snob- (even though my Netflix queue may say otherwise.  Some of the categories on my queue include "Critically Acclaimed Visually Striking Cerebral Movies" or "Controversial Understated Emotional Foreign Dramas.") I'm more like a movie geek. I like obscure, somewhat heady movies with deep characterization and rich story.
    So when I recently watched the old 1980's version of Pippi Longstocking with my grandchildren, I did not expect to find anything remotely reflective about it.  The plot is thin and the acting even worse- all the children speak too fast with little or no believability; the adult cast is somewhat better (Eileen Brennan being the obvious bright spot) but overall sadly lacking...
    However, there one bit of dialogue that happens very quickly, that caught my attention. Pippi and the two neighborhood kids are going shopping.  As they are about to enter a "cleaning supply store," the children ask, "What are we buying today, Pippi?" A wide smile appears on  Pippi's face and she answers "A grand piano!"  The kids quickly interject "They don't sell pianos here, Pippi."  But Pippi's smile remains... "They might today!" she says.
    They might today! 
I think I want to adopt that as a personal motto! Too often I go into a situation, expecting it to turn out....well... exactly as I expect it to, and nothing more. And more often than not, I am correct.  But by holding on to my own expectations, I don't leave room for the Spirit to surprise me.  Heck, I don't even leave room for people to surprise me.
    Yet, I profess to believe in the God of surprises; the God who promises to go beyond everything I can dream or think or imagine!
    Today holds the promise of being something more than I expect.  But perhaps I need to hold the door open for grand pianos to be found in cleaning supply stores.  Perhaps I need to drop what I know to be true; what I think about the world, and instead look for what God is saying and doing in the world. 
    What would life look like if we all dropped our expectations; of people, of situations, of God... and just lived, watching and waiting for God's leading and movement in our lives?  How different would I respond to things that happen in any given day if I were free to act without anticipating the outcome?  And how would it affect the people with whom I interact?
    Would they perhaps be free to drop their walls as well? I don't know... but they might today!
Food for thought...


2 Comments
MSpra
8/12/2011 04:50:07 am

One of those Silent Giant movies would be The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Wonderful movie filled with many messages all served over Stew :)

Reply
Meaning Design link
7/12/2023 02:23:19 pm

Very nice bloog you have here

Reply



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    Linda Pepe

    Bringing people to the table, again and again...

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Photos from Ren :), Bert Heymans, Simon Matzinger
  • Home
  • Sermons
  • Movies That Cook
  • Things for Your Kitchen
  • Walk to Emmaus- Luke
  • The Unknown God- Acts 17
  • Prayer for the Church
  • Charlotte/ Acts 8:26-40
  • Sower/Jacob
  • Jacob/Prodigal Son
  • Jacob/Romans 8
  • Jacob Wrestling and Blessing
  • Jacob learning to live with a limp
  • FTF Timothy
  • The Field is Ready, Genesis/Romans
  • romans 8
  • Philippians 2:1-13
  • Ruth Dinsmore- Acts
  • Philippians 3: 5-14
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
  • 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-8
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:9-20
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-19
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
  • New Page
  • Advent 1 Isaiah 64
  • Advent 3 Isaiah 61
  • Christmas Eve Isaiah 9: 1-7
  • Baptism of Jesus Mark 1
  • Mark 1: 14-20
  • Breathe: Mark 1:21-28
  • Backyard Basics 4: Belong
  • Ash Wednesday
  • Backyard Basics 5/Blessings 1
  • Backyard Blessings 2: Generations- Genesis 17
  • Backyard Bless 3-CreationPsalm 19
  • Backyard Blessings 4: Healing Ps 107
  • Backyard Blessings 5: Love-Jeremiah 31
  • Easter Blooms John 20:1-18
  • Backyard Blooms: Luke 24:36-48
  • Vines- John 15: 1-8
  • John 15:9-15 Blessings: Friends
  • Bkyd Blooming: COnfidence- Acts 1
  • Backyard Breeze! Acts 2
  • Bkyrd Breezes:Isaiah 6/Romans 8
  • Bkyrd Brz: 1 Samuel 3/2 Cor
  • Mustard Seed Annointing
  • Bkyrd Breezes: Courage
  • Mark 6:1-13, Romans 12 Bkrd Breezes: Wisdom
  • Bkyrd Bodybuilding-Core- Ephesians 2
  • Bkyrd Bodybuilding- Cardio- Ephes 3
  • Backyard Bodybuilding: Legs, Back, Chest, Arms!
  • Bkyrd Bodybuilding- Nutrition-Ep 4
  • Mark 10:35-45
  • Mark 8:27-38
  • Mark 9:30-37 Bkyrd Stmbling:Pride
  • Bkyrd Stumbling Blocks: Patriarchy
  • Mark 4 Combined Service
  • Mark 12: 28-34 Backyard Bounty: Love
  • Backyard Bounty: Value
  • Backyard Bounty: Encouragement Mark 13:1-8
  • Backyard Bounty: Abundance!
  • Backyard Birthing: Speak- Advent 3
  • Backyard Birthing: Sing! Luke 1:39-46
  • Christmas Eve- Ressurection
  • Luke 2: 21-40 A Once Over
  • Epiphany- Matthew- Star of Wonder
  • Beyond the Backyard: The Call-
  • Beyond the Backyard: The Message- Luke 4
  • Beyond the Backyard: Words Matter- Jeremiah 1:4-19
  • Beyond the Backyard:
  • Beyond the Backyard: Compassion
  • Beatitudes: Imagine 1
  • Imagine: Beatitudes- Meekness
  • Imagine Beatitudes: No countries: Hungry, Thirsty, Filled
  • Imagine Luke 15
  • Easter Sermon: Mary- Through our Tears
  • Imagine: Beatitudes- Mercy and Pure Heart
  • Imagine Beatitudes: Peacemakers
  • Imaging: Beatitudes- Persecution/Rejoice!
  • New Page
  • Say yes! (Fig Tree/Potter/Ps139)
  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Things we leave behind
  • Say Yes: What we Bring- Luke 14
  • Luke16- Lazarus and the Rich Man
  • Luke 17:1-10- increase our faith
  • Luke 18- Widows, Judges, Labels and MIrrors
  • Pharisee, Tax Collector, Mirrors, and Prayer
  • Luke 19:1-10 -Zacchaeus
  • Luke 20:27-38 Seeing Scripture Differently
  • Seeing church differently Luke 21:5-19
  • John 6- Obstacles:Seeing community differently
  • Compassion Advent 2
  • Advent 3 Compassion 3 Mary
  • Advent 4: Compassion/Joseph Mt 1
  • The Nice List- Christmas Eve
  • Baptism of Jesus-Matthew
  • No Matter What: 1. Abraham
  • No Matter What: Jacob
  • No Matter What: Jacob/Tamar
  • No Matter What: Rahab
  • No Matter What: David
  • On the Road Again: Into the Unknown
  • On the Road: Nicodemus
  • Woman at the Well COVID-19
  • On the Road Again: Man Born Blind
  • On The Road Again: The Rest of Us
  • Easter: Up and On the Move-Mt. 28
  • Risen? Or Fake News? Mt. 28: 11-20
  • How the Virus Stole Easter
  • Emmaus, On the Road...Again?
  • Interruptions and Upheavals 2: Acts 2
  • John 14:1-14, 1 Peter 2:2-10
  • Acts 17:22-31 Interruptions and Upheavals 4
  • Know, Share, Go... Together- John 17
  • Acts 2: For Such a Time as This
  • Christ In Us: A Living Sanctuary Matthew 10
  • Christ in Us: Listening to YHWH
  • Christ in Us: Love Anyway
  • Christ in Us: Abundance
  • Christ in Us: Abundance- Matthew Sower/Romans 8
  • Christ in Us: Acceptance
  • Christ in Us: Gratitude
  • Untitled
  • Creation: Forest: Genesis 2:4-14
  • Creation: Land: Genesis 4: