Monday, August 27, 2018

August 27 – “T-I-Double Guh-Er”


Yet another good day at church yesterday.  Lots of kids.  Even one that kept escaping from the nursery.  The little two-year-old guy is cute as a button, but absolutely cannot stay still for very long.  Reminds me of someone from long ago … me, maybe?  I’ve been praying for God to call someone out to work with all the kiddos we have coming now.  Chris certainly has her hands full now. 

Last night we had a real treat.  We went to the movies.  Yep.  Haven’t done that in a long, long time.  We have developed kind of a routine when it comes to movies.  I start out by casually mentioning that I want to see them when they first come out in theaters.  Ultimately, we wait until they come out in DVD form.  Then I start hinting that I plan to buy to buy them.  Chris does her best to find reason after reason why we shouldn’t.  “It’s too close to Christmas or your birthday.”  “Are you sure you want to see that one?”  I make every excuse to walk past the movie section in WalMart and look longingly at the shelves.  Sometimes I even pick one up, just to check out the information on back.  And sometimes it will mysteriously find its way into our cart when neither of us is looking (I close my eyes).  And if I ever make a WalMart on my own?  Done and done.

So last night we went to the movies.  Christopher Robin.  Now, I never did the Winnie the Pooh thing when I was a kid.  Too busy reading about Joe DiMaggio and Billy Sunday and Babe Ruth and listening on the radio to the exploits of such greats as Bob Aspromonte and Sandy Koufax and Brooks Robinson.  But I was introduced to the world of the 100 Acre Wood as a senior in high school.  The drama department elected to put on the play, The House at Pooh Corner.  And I won the part of … T-I-Double Guh-Er.”  Yup.  Good ol’ Tigger.  Awesomely bouncy, Tiggers-can-do-anything Tigger.  That’s me.  Defined my entire life direction until Jesus exploded into my life.  Not that my Tigger persona ever completely left …

Now the movie itself … don’t worry.  No spoiler alerts here.  I want you to go see it for yourself.  Or wait until it comes out on video.  Then sneak over to WalMart and let it jump secretly into your basket as you walk by.  The setting of the movie has Christopher Robin as a grown-up, engrossed in the troubles at work and dangerously close to losing his family.  Kind of like when Robin Williams was Peter Pan.  And then a jar of honey accidentally falls off the table and crashes to the floor …  That’s it.  All you’re getting from me.  Suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one.  When I told Chris that I loved it, she replied, “I know.”  Guess she heard me laughing at all the funny parts and agreeing with all the Pooh-ish wisdom. 

And the thing is, I still enjoyed the movie in spite of the loud explosions of baby crying and small child escaping.  Remember the mention of the two-year-old at church?  His twin was at the movies with us.  So were his Mom and older brother and baby sibling.  This youngster was rambunctious to say the least.  After a bout with screaming and wailing that we thought was the baby, but now I’m pretty sure it was little Wreck-It-Ralph, Mom finally took him to the back briefly.  Then I guess she gave up and settled in to watch the movie.  At that point the youngster began running all over the theater, followed closely behind by older brother.  Way better, and more entertaining than allowing him to let loose with that piercing scream.  At one point I glanced over and he was at my side.  He pointed to the rear of the theater.  I grinned at him and pointed in the direction of his Mom and told him he needed to find his way back to her.  He laughed and skipped merrily away – to the back of the theater, of course.  Later he completely won my heart.  He appeared once again at my side, this time hauling one of those massive tubs of popcorn that they sell for an arm and a leg.  He grinned that mischievous grin at me and then held out his hand.  In it was a friendship offering - a single kernel of his precious popcorn.  Gotta love the heart of a little kid. 

So … go see the movie, especially if you grew up with Winnie the Pooh and his friends.  I don’t think you’ll get to experience the frivolities of a two-year-old (unless you bring one with you, in which case you won’t get to see much of the cinematic magic), but the movie should hold your attention, nonetheless.

Psalms 95:6-7 says, “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

Father, bless that little guy who offered me popcorn.  Walk with him as he grows old enough to experience you for himself.  Amen.

No comments: