Considering David Wayne

One of my friends is dying. We’ve known this since shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer more than 5 years ago. He has lived beyond the average life span for a person whose cancer had spread so far. I started thinking about David’s impact in my life. Sometimes we don’t realize the impact of one person on our lives.

I met David Wayne after he transferred to RTS Orlando to finish his MDiv. I had graduated but was still working in the bookstore until the end of the summer. David would come in to browse and buy. He would talk with me and the other guys like Keith Mathison when he was in the store.

I wouldn’t see David for another 6 years. I was living in Winter Haven and serving a small ARP church as their pastor. One of the PCA churches in town was without a pastor. Spring was difficult for me. My girlfriend had unceremoniously dumped me and one of my good friends was leaving the area to serve as the pastor of an ARP church in the Carolinas (the heart of the ARP). I felt lost and lonely. But God would provide.

I heard the PCA church called a new pastor, and his name was David Wayne. I was excited they called a man I knew, although only casually. I was going to be out of town for his installation so I called the office to leave a message congratulating him and that I hoped to see him soon.

When we finally talked it took some time for him to remember who I was. But we were two men called to serve as solo pastors in a place we were still figuring out. So we began to spend more time together. It was a time of healing for me that none of us realized.

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Considering the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  With nothing to lose but a morning in which I had no plans, I decided to give it the ol’ college try.  This time we went to the right theater and saw yesterday’s intended film- The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.

Before I get to the movie, I have a few considerations.  This theater did not have stadium seating.  This made it a bit difficult for CavGirl to see over the seat in front of her.  I later noticed some people had booster seats.  I suppose that also would have helped the seat to stay down.  When you are only 30 lbs, and all of that is at the back of the seat … you will have issues.  This go around, there were far more younger children and babies.  This meant it was noisier, and there were more distractions as well since CavGirl loves to watch babies.  I had to answer the same 2 questions about pacifiers about a dozen times.

From CavGirl’s perspective, this movie was too scary.  She really didn’t like the villain, seen here.  That did prompt a few moments of “Dad-time” as she sat in my lap and hid her face in my chest, blanket covering her face.

It was not a fun as most Veggie Tale shows, and even Jonah.  She asked if we could leave about 3-4 times.  We didn’t.

The story was like the biblical story of Esther in that God was not explicitly mentioned, but worked behind the scenes to accomplish the deliverance of the prince and princess (unless the father, the good King with the evil usurper-wanna-be brother, is the metaphor for God).  I explained to her that life has moments when we are very afraid, but that is when we need to be brave until God saves us.  God will always save us, but sometimes life gets scary.  In the movie they also talked about tests, which reveal what is most important to us.

So, this wasn’t Big Idea’s best effort.  It was, as usual, mostly moralistic.  It was mildly enjoyable for me, and too scary for her.  At least there were no farting & pooping chipmunks, or barely clad dancers.  So, it had that going for it.  In terms of influences:

1. There was a tip o’ the hat to O, Brother, Where Art Thou? with the blind prophet speaking to 3 friends about to embark on a voyage in which one of them will regain his family’s respect.  This, of course, is one of my favorite movies.
2. The song and dance at the pirate tavern was quite reminiscent of the Camelot scene in Holy Grail.  Yes, another of my favorite movies, and an old standby for Veggie Tales.
3. The evil pirate was a pea who had a mechanical body, reminding me of Darth Vader.
4. The scene when the King gives them medals was a tip to Star Wars: A New Hope.  They just lacked a howling Wookie.  Yes, another one of my favorite movies.
5. The B-52s, whose cult-fav Rock Lobster was redone as Rock Monster.
6. Steve Taylor who appeared with the Newsboys for a song (I think that was the song).  I recognized his lyrical style and thought the voice sounded familiar.  He’s listed as a composer and performer on the soundtrack CD, but I’m not 100% certain of the song.

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Considering Her First Movie

CavGirl and I had a date this morning.  The local theaters run older kids movies a few mornings each week during the summer.  They are free since they expect you to spend money on concessions.  It works out well for everyone.  We were supposed to see this:

I double-checked the time and theater with my friend.  He was taking his daughter too.  Somehow wires got crossed because The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anythingwas not playing at that movie theater, and my friend was nowhere to be found.  It was at this moment that I was glad I didn’t tell CavGirl she’d see her friend this morning.  I was tempted to go home.

But my mind went back to the night before when I told her we were going on a date.  She was excited about the idea of going to the movie.  She wanted to bring Addison, her favorite doll.  She wanted to bring him in the stroller.  We compromised … ‘yes’ to Addison and ‘no’ to the stroller.  She was already disappointed, I didn’t want to completely disappoint her.

So … we saw this.  Yes, Alvin and the Chipmunks.  It was okay, aside from some words I was not excited about my daughter hearing.  Like “sucks” for instance- even though they used it to mean “awful”.  The scatological humor was something else I could do without.  The singers & dancers who joined them on stage were not exactly kid appropriate either.

But, she enjoyed her first taste of movie theater popcorn.  And she savored the Sprite that came with it in the kids combo.  She did really well for the first time in a movie theater.  She didn’t get restless until the last 10-15 minutes.

This may sound strange to some of you.  We know people who have been bringing their kids to the movies since they were a year old.  You might call us “old fashioned” since she’s 3 1/2 and has never gone to a movie.  Others might call us progressive because we took such a young child to the movies.

I thought she was old enough to enjoy it.  And I thought it was Veggie Tales.  Yes on the first, and no on the second.  But I had a good time watching a movie with my little girl- even if it was Alvin and the Chipmunks.

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