Watching Movies is Good for You

My darling husband and I have been watching the HBO series "Band of Brothers" lately. I already briefly mentioned a couple benefits of doing this. First, I get to snuggle with him for a whole hour while watching the DVD. Second, I get to imagine my husband being Lt. Speers running like crazy, somehow dazzling the Germans into inactivity, and saving the entire mission by just being that brave. My Chris could absolutely be that guy. He is amazing.

So that's good enough right? Some snuggles and an even moreso elevated view of my husband's excellence.

Now before I go on, I have heard a shocked reply from one of our guy friends at church about all this: "What? Barbara watches war movies with you? Incredible. But does she actually like them or does she just tolerate them to make you happy?"

I truthfully really do like them. Once upon a time I was a history major (a really bad one mind you) and I do find all these war movies fairly fascinating. Lots of character traits to be inspired by and to try to emulate.

And that is the biggest thing I am learning from watching Band of Brothers. How, you might wonder, does a housewife get inspired to improve in her duties at home by watching a war movie? I'm so glad you asked....

Numerous times in the story the men are hunkered down along the side of a ditch or in the relative safety of their fox holes. Some body who is taking charge for the moment does some little hand motions and next thing you know all the men are up and running full tilt. There is no hesitation. There is no second guessing. There is no waiting or counting the cost. All that has been done before they ever enlisted. They are there, in position, knowing what is required and what needs to be done. And they know that if they don't get up off their behinds and run right now, the mission will fail, their friends will die, and they will live with the shame of inactivity the rest of their lives.

So now, imagine me, the happy housewife, sitting on my bed with my laptop on my legs, happily typing this post, or reading yours. I see the mission ahead of me. I have counted the cost of having children and staying home with them and choosing to homeschool. I see the task at hand; the dishes in the sink, the pot of soup to make, and the applesauce to puree. And yet, here I sit. Inactive. Wishing there was another way of getting it all done.

What I need is that drive that says "now is the time to move. So go." What I need is the focus that I am fighting a battle here, not only against my own flesh, but also a battle for my childrens' hearts. My inactivity can be just the thing the enemy uses as the foot hold and the opportunity to weaken them and their faith.

Lord give me the courage and the focus to just get up and do the very obvious things you are showing me to do. I want to not have to convince myself to get up and do the next thing. Give me feet that move and hands that serve quickly, willingly, consistently.

Right now I am holding the line. Things are okay. I'm not retreating. But I'm not advancing either. Lord give me the faith and the character and the desire to conquer the next hill.