Where Have All the Good Movies Gone?

This past weekend Lee and I were trying to decide what to do. It seems like every weekend we consider going to the movies, but can’t find one worth seeing. Sometimes if there is a decent movie, it’s too “girly” for him or too “manly” for me.

These movie previews come on TV and make you want to see the movie. They make their movie look funny. They don’t let you know about all the unnecessary things they put in their movie to give it an R rating. I haven’t seen a comedy in a long time because all the new comedies are dirty (for a lack of a better word). There have been many movie previews that have looked good to me, but I’ve changed my mind when I read up on them.

Something that God has been working out in me over the past few years has been this idea of watching movies and other things. As Christians, we are called to live different from the world. There are obvious things that people think a Christian shouldn’t do, but people don’t often think about the kind of things they watch, look at, read, or listen to. What you put in your mind affects what comes out in your words and actions.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8

I have found that I personally feel better when I don’t pollute my mind with things of this world. Am I saying I’m perfect? No. Am I saying I never watch, read, or listen to something I shouldn’t? No. However, I am trying. I do check www.pluggedinonline.com before I go see or rent almost any movie. It is a great resource to tell you EVERYTHING negative you could possibly hear or see in a movie. It also tells you about TV shows, video games, and music.

I just wish some more people in Hollywood would make some decent movies. Most of the stuff that is in the movies to make them “bad” is completely unnecessary to the plot. Anyway, we ended up renting “Soul Surfer.”

Time Machine

I often think back fondly on memories I’ve made over the years. A certain song or movie will remind me of fun times with friends. Something will happen that reminds me of an inside joke I’ve shared. A picture or souvenir will remind me of a vacation I took. However, I try to be a person who lives in the present. I like to plan for the future without dwelling on it and I like to remember the past without living in it.

I can remember being so ready to graduate from high school. Over the years, I’ve had many friends say they wouldn’t go back to high school for anything. I don’t necessarily want to go back to high school either. I was definitely glad to leave classes and drama behind. On the other hand, there are some things about high school that I really do miss.

Most of those things that I miss revolve around being in band. My first 3 years in band were spent playing the clarinet and then my last 3 years were spent in color guard. Those are some of my fondest memories of high school. I met so many people and made so many great friends. The bus rides to away games were always eventful. I can remember passing around CD cases to see what CDs other people had that you wanted to borrow and sometimes we had bus-wide sing-alongs. Playing and cheering at football games was always fun and exciting-even when our team wasn’t doing very good. Performing at half time was always a rush.

Now that I’ve lived in and experienced a bigger city, I feel very blessed to have grown up in a small town. In Headland, there was only one of each school (elementary, middle, and high). So from the time you started kindergarten, you were a Headland Ram. School spirit was felt from kindergarten to 12th grade. Also, school spirit could be found throughout town. Everyone came to football games and parades. Homecoming was a community wide event. I miss that sense of school and community pride.

I was also lucky enough to get to experience color guard during my first year of college. I was a member of the SOUND OF THE SOUTH! (If you’re from Alabama or familiar with Troy…you can hear the announcer saying that in your head can’t you) That was also a great experience. How else would I have ever been able to perform at an FSU game and in the Louisiana Superdome? My favorite performance with the SOTS was at a band competition in Dothan. Performing in front of hundreds of high school band students who love the SOTS was an awesome feeling. Plus…my high school band was there.

The videos below are from the year I was in Troy's band. I am out there waving a flag somewhere.





Basically, I have very fond memories revolving around football. I miss going to football games and being a part of the whole experience.

If you had a time machine, what moment or moments from your past would you want to relive?