Lost Marbles: “See ya in another life Brotha”

You don’t have to be a fan of ‘Lost’ to appreciate someone trying to save the world one life at a time.  That’s Desmond Hume-  the 1 person in Lost continually seeing strength in people they do not see in themselves. 

Desmond’s faith in others and his destiny doesnt come from his strength, it flows from his weakness.  A defining moment of Desmond’s life happened when someone said to him, “you will never be a great man.”

“What you’re not is worthy of drinking my whiskey…how could you ever be worthy of my daughter?”

Widmore’s voice is that voice in my head that tells me I’m no one and will amount to nothing.  Regardless of achievement, this voice will always find something I havent accomplished.  Regardless of success, it will whisper to me somewhere I have failed.  No matter who I become, it will point at someone “who’s become more” to show me I don’t measure up. 

This voice is a lie.  There is another life Brotha.

We can go through our mundane monotony, believing the lies about who we really are.  Desmond leaves this moment, and out in the street realizes he’s not that weak man Widmore saw.  He spends the next years reminding people of their true identity-that they have a part to play so much larger than the lies they’ve believed. 

It’s people like Des who have kept me alive.  People who see in me what I don’t have the strength to believe myself.  You want to talk about leadership?   A leader is one who who cares enough to wake us from the nightmare of living suffocated by the lies we’ve believed about ourselves.   People who change our world see something in us maybe no one else sees…. and they help us see it and believe it ourselves.  

Don’t just settle for listening to the right voices…. BE the right voice for others.  If you and I have been lied to this much…imagine what others have believed.  They need a new lease on life–life lived under the truth.

Being the right voice gives a person a whole new life.  This is how we can say as Des does so simply…

“See you in another life, brotha”

Let’s make a movie together. I’m serious.

This is not a joke.  I’m making a movie.  The screenplay, based on a best selling book, is done.  The producer, director, and all positions are filled. 

The Christian subculture has devoured so many ‘out of the box’ non cookie cutter souls in its short existence.   We drew the blurred line of sacred and secular, when maybe there never was supposed to be a line anyway.  But there’s a story that needs to be told.  And that story is

Blue Like Jazz the movie.  Based on the Book, “Blue Like Jazz:  Non-relgious thoughts on Christian spirituality”. 

If yours isn’t the typical Christian story of bad kid is bad, goes to church, gets saved, and life is perfect from then on,  this this is a movie that may speak for your story.  This story is about how God who will chase you down with His love and wonder even if you had a bad taste in your mouth from a negative church experience…and will draw you back to Him and to taking your place in His church in the process.  If you have not read the book, you can read Chapter 1 for free here.

So I said I’m making a movie…which is no lie.  I’m one of hundreds of “associate producers” to be listed in this movies credits.  The beautiful thing is, you can also play a part in this movie, this story (as an extra, associate producer, producer’s assistant, …etc).   Let’s make this movie together.  Watch this short video to see how

You can find out the whole process here at SaveBlueLikeJazz

It’s great to be part of a generation in a time when we can lead people to experience the Christian life.  In Don’s words from Blue Like Jazz the book, following Christ is the most liberating decision in a world full of constraints….

“I never liked it when the preachers said we had to follow Jesus. Sometimes they would make Him sound angry. But I liked the story the folksinger told. I liked the idea of Jesus becoming man, so that we would be able to trust Him, and I like that he healed people and loved them and cared deeply about how people were feeling.

When I understood that the decision to follow Jesus was very much like the decision the hostages had to make to follow their rescuer, I knew then that I needed to decide whether or not I would follow Him. The decision was simple once I asked myself, Is Jesus the son of God, are we being held captive in a world run by Satan, a world filled with brokenness, and do I believe Jesus can rescue me from this condition?”

 

It’s great to be a part of a movement like this.  I hope you will consider joining it with me.  As Don said today, this could “be the first crowd-sourced theatrical release of its kind, and if the Kickstarter campaign goes over 200k (and some change), it will be the largest crowd-sourced project ever. It’s the kind of stuff that leads the national news.”

Lost Marbles: “We have to go back”

Watching this fan video definitely took me back.  2 of the top lingering moments in 6 seasons for me were definitely Charlie’s “Not Pennys Boat” and Jack saying, “We have to go back”.

Jack tried to go on with his everyday life after leaving the Island.  For a time, it worked, but the pea under the mattress grew into a watermelon.  His ability to love, trust, forgive, and avoid addiction and depression were all tied to unfinished business. 

He wasn’t alone.  Kate was haunted by needing to find Claire.  Sun was desperate to get back to Jin.  Hurley tried to find solitude in going crazy.  Sayid killed people.  and more people.  Desmond just couldn’t stay on Pennys boat. 

Is there any place, person, or dream you have to go back to?  No matter how comfortable life gets, no matter what success you achieve….you can’t help but wonder?  My brother in law says I’m always writing about redemption.  Well maybe today I am…or maybe I’m even writing about healing.  The place, person, or dream you go back to may not be pleasant at all…but it can give you closure, or maybe a whole new open door.

God on the Wire: I ain’t him…I can’t go home.

Note, there is some profanity in this clip. 

Namond’s dad is in prison serving life…his mom has had him out dealing drugs to build up his own rep and keep her lavish lifestyle.  Here, he gives up altogether, letting down his guard he’s had up all season long…he knows where to go…but he doesn’t know where he can stay. 

When a kid hits rock bottom, realizes running game and the street just aren’t where he needs to be….. where else can they go?  Or as Duke said on Season 5… “how do we get from this world to that?” 

Ideally,  the local churches in these neighborhoods would be places of sanctuary, mentoring, job training, tutoring, and neighborhood transformation.  Whos’ doing this right out there?  And are they providing a model? 

I keep thinking I don’t want to see how “the Wire” ends.  How these 4 kids turn out.  I guess what I’m really afraid of is will they find the new “home” they need to get them out of the cycle that’s bound to have them dead by 18….

God on the Wire: if these kids aren’t ours, then whose are they?

“The kids in this school aren’t yours. You do your peace with them and you let them go.”

The video here is a slice of the Wire, Season 4, Episode 12. Duquan, aka Dukie, is an 8th grade kid whose addict parents sell his school uniforms for drugs and hardly ever feed him. Prez, a new teacher, intervenes, buys new uniforms for Duquan, keeps them at school, and has his wife do Duquan’s laundry. Also, he teaches him computer skills and builds a strong mentor relationship with him. As this video shows, the joy is shortlived.

Duquan is “At Risk Youth” as they come. For moments in Season 4, he has flashes of greatness, and you think he will somehow escape the hell he’s lived. Prez is his lifeline, but Dukie lets go.

What the assistant principal, Ms. Donnelly, said was her way of coping. And she’s wrong.