Racing

Despite Deanna's exhaustion after the game on Friday night, she pleaded with Don and me to have Family Movie Night.

Every year, our family spends September returning to the discipline that lagged horribly over the summer. We limit our media exposure. We spend much more quality time together as a family. We focus on chores, homework, and bedtimes. We eat nutritious meals at regular times. And we spend much more time in Christian study, family prayers, etc.

This year, in preparation for September, I asked the children what they would like to see us do. Daelyn and Dane were quiet, but Deanna had lots of suggestions.

"Why not schedule a family bikeride? And can we have Game Night? What about a Family Movie Night each week and we can watch only Christian movies?"

"I'm not sure we can find that many "Christian" movies, hon," I responded. "Let's think. There's one that came out in theaters about the Englishman who was instrumental in abolishing slavery in England. I think it's called 'Amazing Grace'. Can you think of any others?"

"There's 'Facing the Giants'," Deanna responded. "And the same church that made that made another Christian movie, also."

"Okay. And ever since the Olympics, I've been wanting to rent 'Chariots of Fire' for you guys. That's a few. We may be able to do it, after all."

So, while I was throwing dinner together Friday night, I called our local Blockbuster. To my surprise, they had both 'Chariots of Fire' and 'Amazing Grace'. I decided to pick up the former for this weekend, afraid the further we get away from the Olympics, the less likely they are to have a copy.

I hadn't seen it since it first came out and had forgotten lots of the details. As I watched the story unfold, I wondered why this had been such a popular movie. By today's standards, it's hard to follow and slow-moving. Other than the music, the subject matter is fairly deep and certainly too much for children . . . or so I thought.

I did help explain the two storylines that were juxtaposed. On the one hand, you have the Jewish man who feels he must win in order to justify his existence. On the other, you have the Christian who justifies his running because of his existence. Harold Abrahams can't bear to lose and will do anything to win. Eric Liddle runs as his third love - the first is God, the second is the mission field. His only real reason to run is that God gave him this gift and he believes he should use it.

I was shocked that the children seemed to really grasp the story. As deep as it is, they clearly could see that one man ran for identity, the other because of his identity.

During the movie, we noticed a very loud, persistent noise and realized that Daelyn had fallen asleep between us on the couch and was snoring. We all took time to look at his sweet little face in slumber before Don carried him off to bed. We finished the movie without the youngest Doughty.

Yesterday, between cartoons, Daelyn put the DVD back in again. And again today. The movie seemed to draw him. Despite the intensity and adult subject matter, he really enjoyed it, as did the other two.

Next week, I'll rent 'Amazing Grace' and we'll see if that has as much of an impact on the children. I guess the Lord is accomplishing much this September as we grow closer to Him and each other.