60 Days

Last night I watched a movie that really made me think. And since it has been 60 days since I last posted something here, I thought I would share a few ideas.

The movie I watched was "Adjustment Bureau" Someone said it was based on a true story:)

The movie reconnected me with the importance and the personal power of agency. It reinforced the idea that we have agency to the extent we use it properly. Perhaps we could adopt the following motto: Choose the right or lose the right. Said differently, choose God or paint yourself into a corner. Too many people give up their agency and let life happen instead of making it happen.

Recently I read a Facebook status that said "Life is short: live your dream and wear your passion." That might be true for that person, but for me the concept of life is eternal and this part of life wasn't meant to be a life of ease, pleasure, and fun. This is a false notion based on a myth. Life is really about tasting the bitter to prize the good. Life is about facing challenges and finding opportunities. The next time someone tells you to eat, drink, and be merry, tell them to sacrifice, serve and be grateful, therein lies the true source of real joy.

But the movie Adjustment Bureau also shed light on a deeper principle than just agency. It wrestled with the concept of Divine Providence. How much does God participate in our daily lives? Maybe the answer is: as much as we let Him. Divine intervention doesn't take away from agency, it actually created it. Without the great gift of Gethsemane the great gift of agency would have been frustrated. In a sense, free will would have been a curse not a blessing.

Agency requires training. No one learned how to play football from a book. Life requires training and practice and wise instruction.

Life and agency also require reasonable restrictions. We need goals, but we also need limitations. Right and wrong still exist. God still has placed restrictions on us. Limitations don't bind, they really set us free.

Here is one of my goals: Never be too tired to listen to a child.

Here is one of my limitations: Don't ever lie. No more dishonesty.

Here is one of my goals: Learn to laugh at my problems. (I have a lot to laugh about)

The list of goals and limitations could go on and on.

I realized, last night, while watching the Adjustment Bureau, my life still has so much room for adjustments.