Don't Even Get Me Started!

     Ok, so I went to see "Alice in Wonderland" tonight. This was actually my second time seeing it, it is so good, but that is another story. Anyway, directly behind me are two ladies with various young children with them. There was also a family with a young kid to my left. I'm talking 4-6ish.
     So the movie starts and I'm starting to see how things are gonna go with the two ladies behind me: "This is after she was in Wonderland before" "Oh, ok. Now who is that rabbit?" "Oh Helena Bonham Carter is in a lot of movies with Johnny Depp" "I don't think that is a good look for Anne Hathaway" blah blah blah BLAH BLAH!
     As the movie continues I get adjusted to tuning out the Chatty Cathys behind me when I hear (at a scene with heads floating in the moat around the Red Queen's Castle): "And this is a kid's movie!" I know that I heard at least one more time after that, I think during the scene with the scary dragon-ish Jabberwocky. By the time the movie ended the 4 year old to my left had to leave with her mom because she got scared (I am glad the mom knew to take her out but she did seem annoyed at her).
     The point is this: I wanted to turn to the talky talkersons and say "NO, THIS IS NOT A KID'S MOVIE!!!" I mean, read the ratings people! According to the MPAA Alice in Wonderland is rated PG because: 

     "Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary        images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar."


The smoking caterpillar reference makes me laugh. Anyway, the rating pretty much lets me know that I'm not going to be bringing my 4 to 6 year old to this movie! And here are just a few more clues: 

• I believe the previews show the scary Jabberwocky 
• Anyone who knows the story knows of the Red Queen's fondness for chopping off heads
• aaaannnd lastly: IT IS A TIM BURTON FILM! Tim Burton, you know, "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "The Corpse Bride", and "Sweeny Todd" just to name a few! C'mon people!! 

And don't say "But it's a Disney film!" Disney makes lots of films that aren't for kids. For example the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. NOT FOR YOUNG KIDS! And yes, Disney does market to younger audiences, but again, not four year olds. Alice was marketed to kids probably at least 10 and up, as evidenced by the "Sunny with a Chance" commercial I had to sit through (a Disney Channel tween show). 

     So, the moral of this story? Parents, be responsible! Check movie ratings. See the movie yourself or talk to other parents before you take your kids!! Use common sense. 

And another thing...texting on your 1000 watt bright phone while I'm trying to watch the movie! Really!? Don't get me started, don't EVEN get me started! (Shout out to all the Molly Shannon fans!) 

While I was still a long way off...

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
This is the scene from Luke 15 that Rembrandt painted in his 1669 work "The Return of the Prodigal Son". I recently heard a cool explanation of this painting. You see in Luke Jesus only mentions three, or maybe four main players in this drama. They are the Father, the Prodigal Son, the Older Brother, and "servants". It is interesting that Rembrandt chose to paint six people. There are of course the main three players. So who are the other three?
The first seems to be a servant. He finds himself right in the middle of this family drama, yet he seems disconnected, uninterested.
The second may also be a servant. She is standing behind the father, but is leaning in. She is interested in the situation unfolding in front of her. She is peering in from the outside.
The third person is a little harder to spot. S/he is in the top left corner of the painting, possibly unaware of what is going on. This person seems the most distant from the situation.
These thoughts on Rembrandt's depiction of the story in Luke made me wonder: which person am I in the painting? Am I the lost son coming home? The loving and accepting Father? The angry and jealous older brother?
Or maybe I'm one of the others (LOST anyone!). The servant witnessing the Father's great compassion and love but finding myself disconnected. Or maybe the one peering in from the outside, trying to get a better view. Needing, longing to see the outpouring of love. Or maybe I'm just a long way off, completely unaware.
As I was processing these thoughts it occurred to me: I am each one of these people, multiple times daily! I am the lost son, the jealous brother, the person willing to love and forgive. Sometimes I'm watching the scene but am disconnected; other times I'm actively looking for His love. And sometimes, I'm still a long way off.
The remarkable thing is this: regardless of the part I'm playing, God still runs to me and throws his arms around me and kisses me!

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