Edison, the Man, 1940

Two years after he was Father Flanagan and ten years before he was Father of the Bride, Spencer Tracy played Thomas Edison, Father of Electric Light, in a movie about the struggles of getting inventions accepted by others. This film shows the inventor as a poor single guy who has to make money in order to continue developing his inventions. As he begins meeting with success, he finds a love interest and men who want to help him in his work.

This film showcases the sixty-year career of Thomas Alva Edison, as remembered by Edison on the night he is honored as an 82-year-old inventor. Edison’s fight to bring electric lights to a city park showed his determination to achieve success. Other inventions such as the stock ticker and the phonograph are also given important screen time.

Tracy was fabulous as Edison. His acting made everything seem like I was being invited to eavesdrop.

A Better Life

Children can be called Forces of Change. I use that phrase because adults have to adjust their schedules and habits when children come to live in their home. Becoming a parent causes us to take a closer look at ourselves and the decisions we make.

Today at Seek God With Me, I’m taking a closer look at myself to find out if I’m showing the character of God. If I’m learning from God, it should show up in my decisions. New attitudes taken from a wise teacher will change how we see, but also how we are seen. Join me today at Seek GodWith Me to take a closer look at a better life.

Laugh and Get Rich, 1931

Mrs. Austin must rent bedrooms to boarders to keep money coming in to pay bills. However, her kind-hearted, happy-go-lucky husband invests her money in everyone else’s projects. While the woman tries to keep her family afloat, her daughter is sought-after by two men: a young inventor and a charming liar.

Mrs. Austin, played by Edna May Oliver, reminds me of the Carol Burnett Show. Carol Burnett could’ve easily played this mother – and probably came very close in one of the many comedy sketches she was in.

Hugh Herbert is Mr. Austin. He’s always into something, a little odd, but likable. Russell Gleason is the very appealing inventor Larry Owens who’s sweet on Miss Austin.

I loved the party at Mrs. Austin’s sister’s house. There was a dance, and there was conflict. That scene added a good mixture of awkward, funny, uncomfortable, and sweet.

A Better Word

Here we are, mid-January, trying to set up new routines in order to fulfill new promises we make to ourselves. We get frustrated with our bodies because they don’t lie. They tell the secrets of our dessert-eating past. They make us and everyone else fully aware of our lack of fitness.

How are we going to be happy with ourselves in this new year?

We have to learn to let go.

God gave us Jesus so that we could learn to let go of what we’ve been in control of and accept what he’s in control of. God has a better handle on things than we do. By far. And we know it. But we still try to control our own lives with our feeble little plans.

Meanwhile, God waits for us to run to him.

So this year, let’s run.

Let’s run to Jesus since he’s made himself available for everyone. We can all rush forward to him and be accepted. We don’t have to drag our feet anymore through our old lives, trying to make things better on our own. Because of the blood of Jesus, we have a new life to be thankful for. New direction. Instead of hiding from God, we can run into his arms.

Run with me this year as we seek God together. Today on my devotional blog, Seek God With Me, I’m sharing about this new life that we have with Jesus. Thanks for joining me.

 

 

So Goes My Love, 1946

Myrna Loy plays Jane, a woman who is ready for a new life. She’s a smart, determined country girl on a mission to find a rich husband. Jane has a plan, but a neighbor foils her plan.

Don Ameche is Hiram Steven Maxim, a charming inventor who promises no fortune nor notoriety, but he succeeds in turning her head. Ameche plays this quirky character well. The matter-of-fact part of Maxim's personality doesn’t overwhelm his compassion.

The story, “A Genius in the Family”, was written by Hiram Percy Maxim. The screenplay credits go to Bruce Manning and Clifton James. The film doesn’t spend much time on specific inventions, but emphasizes the inventor’s family life instead. The happy ending shows that happiness requires patience and adjustment. Although we can easily identify with the characters, they’re certainly not a cookie-cutter family.

New Stuff

Last January, I reviewed some Edith Head movies (The Sting, A Place in the Sun, Sabrina, and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid) and paired the movies with devotionals about clothing. We took a look at garments of skin in Genesis, David trying on Saul’s armor in 1Samuel, the full armor of God in Ephesians, and Aaron’s priestly garments in Exodus.

February of 2012 was Girl Power month. I reviewed four movies from the 1930s with powerful female characters. I think a lot of people like to see a girl with strength and grit. Imitation of Life, Reckless, The Mad Miss Manton, and Too Hot to Handle all showed that kind of girl who, when she is down, that doesn’t mean you should count her out. My February devotionals were about powerful women of the Bible: Hannah, Deborah, Lydia, and a powerful mother from Matthew 15.

March was about World War II, and April was about murder. But I lightened things up a bit and discussed food in May. My devotionals were about the food issues of Jacob and Esau, Mary and Martha, Samson, and Jesus. My May movie reviews covered The Harvey Girls, The Lady and the Tramp, and That Touch of Mink.

June, July, and August gave me time to share the Psalms on my blog. Together, we read through 150 Psalms in 92 days.

September came along and helped me discuss convincing others of the truth. Truth is something that is sometimes amazingly difficult to persuade people about, at least in Alfred Hitchcock’s films. Therefore, I reviewed four of his films from the 1930s.

Last October, I encouraged us all to face the scary things in life. My devotionals covered topics like facing demons, facing disease, facing God, and facing self-will. I reviewed classic scary movies like The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

November was an important month for voters, so I covered ways of praying for our leaders. Some political-themed movies were highlighted: Kisses for my President, Goodbye my Fancy, and Meet John Doe. There were a lot of movies to choose from, so it was hard narrowing them down to only three.

December seems like a long time ago, now that Christmas is behind us. I helped us all get our Christmas wish list together by reminding us of how to pray for stuff. We prayed for God to help us make personal changes. We prayed for stuff like: being near God, allowing God to speak through us to our neighbors, and speaking helpful words. I reviewed movies that we see on TV every year: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and It’s a Wonderful Life.

So now, it’s January again. What will we see this year? I can imagine good things for this year. But we’ll need to set good goals in order to see good things happen.

In order to help us get in the mood for welcoming good changes and working to make things better, I’ll review movies about inventors. My devotionals will cover Bible verses that relate to a topic I’ll call New Stuff.

I will start today with a post about the new covenant. Join me at Seek God With Me and let me know what you think.

 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 1964



Rudolph is a normal reindeer, except that he has a birth defect: his nose. His nose shines so brightly, everyone turns their head.

Since he feels like a misfit, he joins other misfits and tries to make a new life for himself away from those who have called him names. Instead of seeing his nose as a gift, he sees it as a curse.

What makes you different from others? Rudolph’s nose didn’t make him feel special and useful until the end of the story. The ones calling him names didn’t realize that they had something that made them unique too. Some of us have to find out for ourselves what makes us special. We don’t all have gifts as obvious as the nose on our face.

This story is a family favorite every year. I especially love the part where Rudolph as a teenager gets called “cute” by a girl reindeer. He flipped out. It’s great to see someone feeling good about himself.

The ending shows the humility of a hero. Rudolph knew that he could help out by using his gift. He didn’t brag or flaunt it. He simply used it to help others.

Praying for Stuff, part three



Have you ever spoken bad words about someone and then realized they were in the room. You realized that when they said, “I can hear you.” I think it would freak out people who use God’s name in vain if God would respond in their hearing, “I can hear you.” 

Do you use helpful words? Join me at Seek God With Me. Today, I’m on the subject of how our words show our attitude.

Arrogant people speak with malice. The arrogant don’t really pray because they think they’re fine without God’s help. When we pray selfish prayers, we show our attitude in what we pray for. Since you and I have received God’s gift of repentance, we humble ourselves enough to use that gift and change our attitude. Then, you and I try to control our words in order to help others. Check out today’s post here.

It's A Wonderful Life, 1946, revisit



This movie is so good. Even though I’ve already reviewed it here, I can’t help revisiting it.

One of the things that I love about It’s A Wonderful Life is the filmmakers’ ability to show how a whole town is changed by one man’s self-sacrifice and fervent prayer.

We admire people in today’s world for these very things. You probably know someone who has given up their dreams to make someone else’s dreams come true. George Bailey is the hero of this movie because he made it a common practice to put aside his plans in order to help others.

Among those occurrences was the time he gave up his honeymoon money in order to help his Bailey Building & Loan customers during a crisis. Of course, Mary, his new bride, is the graceful heroine who was patient with him the whole time.

George helps out his community for years, and then another crisis hits. This crisis brings George to a new low. He’s so distracted by the crisis that he’s forgotten who he is. Clarence gives him the opportunity to remember who he is and refocus his efforts.

At one point, George wishes he’d never been born. A lot of people can identify with that feeling when they can’t see a way out of a problem they’re in. So Clarence helps distracted George find his way down memory lane, except things have changed in order to help George come back to reality. When George realizes the kind of man God has developed him into and the blessings God has given him, his wish changes direction and turns into a fervent prayer for God to allow him to get back to his wonderful life.

I love this movie’s encouragement for us to go out of our way to help others. George’s humility and “Do Unto Others” attitude strengthens the community he boldly stands up for.

Praying for Stuff, part two



Do you have a long wish list this Christmas? Some people are asking for needs and some are asking for wants. It’s hard to be the one in the neighborhood with the fewest toys. If that’s you and you have a real relationship with God, remember that other people see your relationship with God and wish they had that.

When you see your neighbors’ wealth and are tempted to wish you had all their stuff, remember to fight envy with compassion. Envy is from the fleshly part of you, but compassion is from the heart. According to Psalm 73:26, God is the strength of your heart.

You can pray for them, not that you would get what they have, but that they would get what you have.

Join me for more on this discussion at Seek God With Me.

A Charlie Brown Christmas, 1965



I love Christmastime. The season is filled with generosity, beauty, and music. When I think of Christmas entertainment, one show that comes to mind is the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

Vince Guaraldi plays the familiar songs that make us all want to do the Snoopy dance. The idea that Charlie Brown is such a blockhead that he can’t even pick out a good Christmas tree is such a sympathy-generator. And the free-spirited dance time that breaks out when the kids are supposed to be practicing for the Christmas play makes me want to dance too.

But Linus is, in my opinion, the hero of the show. He’s the one who cheers up Charlie Brown and tells him to get refocused on what Christmas is all about. Linus speaks from the Bible about the birth of Jesus, quoting from Luke chapter 2.

When a popular family show that reappears every year at this time reminds the audience that Christmas is about Jesus, it makes me smile. I think we all have picked out a scrawny tree or bought a less-than-perfect present. I think we all need to relax and remember it isn’t about the things we buy. Christmas is about Jesus.

Praying for Stuff, part one



Many people love this season. It’s Christmas time. Everyone is making a list and checking it twice, trying to find sales for the naughty and nice. 

Some people have decided Santa can’t give them what they want. They’re asking God for specific gifts for their Christmas morning. What are you praying for?

When one person is mesmerized by an item in a Christmas catalog, telling it there’s “nothing I desire besides you”, another is trying to pay bills so their house is warm on Christmas morning. When one person calls receiving a certain piece of jewelry “heaven”, another is thinking of recently deceased family members and realizing that the reason Heaven is Heaven is because Jesus is there.

Are you praying for more clothes or world peace? What did Jesus tell us to pray for?

Join me at Seek God With Me for more about prioritizing your wish list.