It’s a new year, a new decade, and a wonderful time to begin a new journey. Journeys are a major focus of this column. I love to explore the different journeys of our lives and how truths about these journeys can be found in the films we watch, the books we read and the music we hear. These are not, however, journeys that burn gasoline, earn frequent flyer miles or require stamps in a passport. These are journeys of the spirit – voyages that tell us so much about our selves. These personal journeys can often be very long and somewhat difficult, but they can also be very rewarding. There…
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Suffering and pain lead to a love deeper than simple happiness
As a nurse at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, my wife Linda has seen more than her fair share of pain and suffering. Beautiful, smiling children become sick and travel to the hospital for care and cures. Many leave the hospital after their stays and return home to happy childhoods and long lives. Some, however, succumb to their illnesses and return instead to God’s loving arms. Their families and caregivers are left on earth to deal with the pain and suffering from their loss. How could God, the source of all love and goodness, allow this suffering to happen? It’s a question explored by author C. S.…
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It takes faith & fortitude to be an Iron Man
In the Iron Man films, the second of which is currently in theaters, Robert Downey, Jr. portrays Anthony Stark, a brilliant scientist, engineer and narcissistic playboy who succeeds his father as the CEO of the family business. This business, however, is not a neighborhood hardware store; it’s a multi-billion dollar weapons manufacturer that supplies arms to governments and terrorist groups around the world. During a Middle East trip to demonstrate his company’s weapons, Tony is injured and captured by terrorists. Tiny shrapnel from a bomb blast threaten to penetrate his heart, but he is saved by a doctor who implants an industrial-strength magnet in his chest. Tony must keep the…
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There’s magic and personal enlightenment in Narnia
It’s a remarkable joy of parenthood to see one’s reflection in the lives of your children. Whether it’s a common habit, a shared outlook on life or similar ways to work out problems, it’s always great to see a little bit of myself in my children. I was in that frame of mind when I watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe last week. To my surprise, I saw some of myself in the Pevensie children as well. On the surface, Wardrobe is a fanciful tale, full of magical creatures, breathtaking events and grand themes. Underneath, it’s a personal journey of faith that calls for the belief in others…
