legacy

Growing Wiser While You Wait (Part 2)

It’s very important to choose movies that will help you grow wiser. The following is a short summary of some of the most uplifting movies that you and your family could ever watch, and you may find yourselves enjoying them over and over as you share them with others.

My favorite movies are all of the Sherwood Picture movies produced by the Kendrick brothers, but I will include a few other favorites, too.

Flywheel is about a car salesman, who changes his dishonest ways of selling cars, and sees the fruit of doing things God’s way.

Facing the Giants is a great movie for football enthusiasts that teaches lessons on perseverance, faith, and patience.

Fireproof encourages us to value the marriage covenant more, and to get rid of things that may destroy that relationship.

Courageous shows how a godly father can have an incredible impact on a family.

War Room is a film about prayer, and how God rewards our diligence of spending time with Him.

Overcomer, their newest film, begins by showing the consequences that negatively affect a child when parents make selfish choices; and then shows how God can heal relationships when a parent repents, still leaving a lasting legacy for his child.

Faith Like Potatoes is the true story of Angus Buchan, a Scottish-born African farmer who trusts God completely even when the odds are against him.

Second Chance is about a church that is ministering to the needs in an inner city along with its sister church that has grown into a mega-church and is focused on its own agenda rather than on the needs of people.

Treasures of the Snow teaches the lesson of forgiveness, whether we need to forgive ourself or someone who has terribly hurt us.

Reflecting, Remembering, and Helpful Hints for Aging Well

 

The dictionary definition of “reflect” is “to recollect or realize after thought, to think seriously; contemplate upon”; and the definition of “remember” is to “recollect , recall, or to bring back to mind again.”  Although, they are not synonyms, there is a similarity between the two words.

Thirteen years ago, my children bought me a unique journal called  “Reflections from a Mother’s Heart, Your Life Story in Your Own Words.” This type of book becomes a family legacy for your children. It also helps you remember important and interesting experiences from your past. Families used to have more time- and take more time- to talk to each other, to tell stories from the past, to look at their photos and photo albums, and even to read together.

However, in recent years, it seems like most families are living “life in the fast lane”. Everyone is too busy doing their own thing. Some families never even have a sit-down meal together anymore. I am really not surprised that there are so many elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease these days. Many seniors are left alone, not seeing their children or grandchildren very often. They often just watch television or look at Facebook to pass their time. I just read an article about how grandparents stay younger and healthier if they help care for their grandchildren. Learning a language or studying things that challenge the brain (like Algebra) can also help keep their brain healthier. Fasting, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, cutting back on foods with lots of sugar or caffeine, and  exercising more can also help keep the mind sharp.

Organizing and decluttering your life can help, since most people in our culture own too much “stuff”. Try having a “technology fast” regularly, and read more instead, especially biographies of men and women of faith; but most importantly, invite Christ’s control over every area of your life and learn to “abide in Him” (Read John 15 and 1 John 2:28) As you reflect, especially on God, and enjoy the beauty of his creation, you may actually experience peace and quietness in your own private world.