Wind, blowing snow and a flood

I'm currently driving to drop off a car to my brother in Coeur d'Alene, ID.  This isn't a trip that was on my schedule.  But, with the immediate need for a set of wheels, my mom and I are making the trip, thanks to several people that have helped purchase the car.  So, with the new set of wheels and the weekend off, I currently find myself in a hotel in Billings, MT.

Cheyenne to Billings isn't really that long of a drive.  Typically, the drive should only take 6ish hours.  However, February in Wyoming presents uncertainty with weather.  Earlier this week, Winter Storm Kayla moved through dumping a foot of snow on Cheyenne.  The effects of that snow storm were still being felt today through most of the eastern part of the state.  When I say felt, I have to clarify just a bit before I continue with the story.

Many people associate Chicago as being the Windy City.  Ask anyone in Cheyenne and most of them will scoff at that notion, and then correct you by informing you that Cheyenne is windier than Chicago.  Not just words, fact.  Cheyenne average wind speed - 12.4mph and Chicago is 10.3mph.  This sets the stage for the rest of the story.

My mom and I finally tore out of Cheyenne about 9:45.  Just minutes before we left, the State DOT opened up I-25 (only north/south interstate in Wyoming).  Despite it being opened, there was a high wind warning along with warnings for patchy ice from Cheyenne to Buffalo.  I knew we were in for a long trip.  I wasn't expecting such a long trip.  A long, slow, windy, icy and flat out horrible drive of a trip.

Despite the awful driving conditions to just south of Buffalo, and the slow speeds, it provided me with some great windshield time.  God took the crap of the day and turned it to gold.  He blew my mind.  He showed me his beauty, his provisions and his designs.

If you are one for road trips, I highly suggest taking a ho hum drive up I-25, then on west I-90 into Billings (the rest of Montana and Northern Idaho will be observed tomorrow).  No, the scenery won't change much, but you will get to see the mountains to the west while going through Wyoming.  Once you hit Montana, you'll get the same thing, but add in a few rivers.  Then, the farther west you get you'll be shown a river most of the way across Montana, a few mountain passes to traverse and some of the most beautiful scenery in the US.  But, I digress.

Anyway, my trip today I got to see all the above mentioned of Wyoming.  But, while I was taking it all in, I began thinking of the flood.  You know, that flood that covered the whole world.  The flood that Noah and his family took a whole bunch of pets on a boat to save themselves and the animals from drowning.  Yeah, that flood.  I began to see the very spot I was driving as being covered by water.  Then, that water receding, forming the very mountains I was looking at.  I began to imagine the water flowing along the valleys I had driven through.  Next, I wondered what Noah and family were thinking as the water was receding.  My mind was absolutely blown.

What does all that have to do with me driving what is possibly the longest trip from Cheyenne to Billings?  Nothing.  Nothing at all.  But, it was God distracting me with some pretty cool scenery and a completely different perspective of the flood.

Tomorrow, more driving, more scenery and eventually getting to hang with my brother, niece and nephews.  Night all.

Noah - A Flood of Disagreement

Have you ever had that one movie you just have to see?  You can't wait to go see it.  You have waited for months to see the song.  You follow the movie Twitter page so you don't miss the newest preview.  Then, you see something posted about how awful the movie is.  Your heart drops as if you just had your job review and it wasn't as positive as you had hoped.  Now you are conflicted if you should see the movie or not.  Never mind that your favorite actor/actress is in the movie.  This review isn't what you expected.  Then you start seeing others praising and condemning the movie all the time.  "Great movie that takes liberty and portrays everything it should," to, "Awful movie that fails to capture the true essence of the plot."  So what do you do?  Toss caution to the wind and go see it?  Or listen to the detractors?

This is what I see happening with Noah. The critics in Hollywood are raving about how amazing the whole movie is.  The actors/actresses in it can't stop raving about the writing, the plot and how fun the project was.  On the other side I see/hear people complaining about how awful the movie is because it isn't true to the Bible.  It isn't a "Christian" movie because it was written by an atheist.  The list goes on from both sides.  Me, I say who cares!  Okay, that might not be true.  Maybe I do care, but not the way you would expect me to care.

My take on Noah has nothing to do with the movie itself.  I don't care if there is artistic liberty (which I've heard has happened) or if the movie is true to the Bible.  Heck, I don't even care if the women speak or not (which I've read they do and some have had issues with this).  I have no desire to see the movie, simply because I just don't want to.  I have nothing against the movie and nothing that supports going to see the movie.  It is one of those movies I look at and think there are better things to spend my entertainment dollars on.  Anyway, I'm not here to encourage or discourage your attendance at the theaters.  Rather, why the disagreement?

Over the weeks I have read and heard many Christians discuss the merits of the film.  Most don't agree with the premise of the movie nor do they agree with a movie being made that doesn't represent the Bible correctly.  Even fewer have stated they want to go see the movie simply because they feel the movie is blasphemy.  Okay....Where, may I ask, did you see that this was a "Christian" movie?  Did you not know the movie was a Hollywood production?  Again, not the purpose of this blog.  I've also seen and heard people voice their disagreement with the movie yet still believe, "If someone eventually discovers the truth..."  Yeah, okay, if that is your take, go for it.

My biggest observation is that none of these Christians see the bigger picture.  Sure you can recognize that God can use anything to bring people into a relationship with him.  Just as he used an ass to speak to Balaam, he could use this movie to speak to people.  I'm not one to discount that outlook and hope.  BUT, why argue about this?  Why argue about this Hollywood movie at all?  What if this is all a grand design of those that wrote and made the movie?

I'm of the firm belief that Christians have gotten so distracted by the fact that this is, "A disgrace of Biblical representation," that we are forgetting the point.  Because of our disdain for the film and the constant arguing and bitterness involved those that aren't Christians would rather go see it simply to distance themselves from Christianity.  They see the arguing and believe us to be the same hypocritical people we always are.  They see us as hating anything that isn't in agreement with what we believe.  What reason would they have to discover the truth after the movie when all they see is hate and bickering before they attend a showing?  Additionally, if you think that your values, beliefs and faith are going to be swayed just by seeing a movie, then maybe you are the one needing to discover what the Bible really says just as much as the ones you believe need to know the truth about Noah.

If you want to go catch a matinee showing of Noah this week, by all means, do.  Enjoy a couple hours away from the pressures of life and indulge in a big old tub of popcorn and large soda with the movie.  If you have no desire to see a movie of any sort, then chill at home.  All I ask of you is to remember, not every Christian you meet hates this movie and some of us are just as fed up with all the bickering just as much as you are.