The Hurt Locker

Last night, when my son Ryan had some buddies and buddettes over for games, and Doreen was on Facebook or cat juggling, I watched 'The Hurt Locker.' It won six Oscars, and I can see why. 

Right now I'm wishing English had something other than, 'Wow.' I guess it does, and some of those words were pretty liberally sprinkled in this powerful movie. But I won't use any of them here. 'Wow.'

It's about three U.S. Explosive Ordinance Disposal soldiers in Iraq. It's about the adrenalin. And the fear. And the danger. And the addiction to them all. I am in awe of these guys and all who put themselves in harm's way so that I can watch it on my laptop with surround sound headphones in an airconditioned room.

Reading that last sentence sounds flippant, and I don't mean to come across that way. So many servicemen and women, and their families, have hurts that will never heal. This movie brings that reality, and our appropriate sense of both horror and gratitude, a little closer to home.

Thinking Theologically About Memorial Day

Kevin DeYoung has a thought-provoking and, I think, helpful post about keeping Memorial Day (Monday) distinct from Sunday.

The points on which he elaborates:

1. Being a Christian does not remove ethnic or national identities
2. Patriotism, like other earthly 'prides,' can be a virtue or a vice
3. Allegiance to God and allegiance to your country are not inherently incompatible
4. God's people are not tied to any one nation
5. While patriotism can be good, the church is not a good place for patriotism

Read what he has to say here:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/05/26/thinking-theologically-about-memorial-day/

Thanks to Those Who Serve(d)

I just finished watching Tom Hanks' The Pacific. It's the 10-part HBO series which chronicles the U.S. Marines' experiences in the Pacific during WWII.

It's not as sweeping an epic as Band of Brother and, on many levels, not as interesting. But since my dad served in the Pacific, it felt a whole lot more real.

It is gritty, intense, lusty, vulgar, violent, and utterly compelling viewing. Probably the single best word to describe it is brutal. I have watched Band of Brothers three times. I won't be watching The Pacific again. Once was enough.

What a reminder of all that so many brave (and terrified) men and women went through (and are going through) for us. Words, and perhaps even images, are inadequate to really convey the reality, the hell, they endure(d).

Or the debt we owe them.