Where God Left His Shoes

This is a realistic and hard look at what many people face in our alabaster cities. When a family becomes homeless and Frank Diaz (Leguizamo) unsuccessfully looks for another job to support his wife and kids, he turns to stealing. Knowing that he doesn't want to go that direction, desperation leads him to such measures and even to teach his step-son to do the same. He changes and tries to do better, but the ending isn't a perfect fix. It's open-ended and often such is life. It is a socially-challenging movie. What is our response to those who are struggling to make ends meet? Do we see the Lord present in the homeless? Will he turn to us and say, "What you did to the least of these, you did for me"? This made me examine my own values and motives.

To End All Wars

One of my favorite movies is "To End All Wars" with Keifer Southerland. It is an amazing film about a POW camp in Japan during WWII and what torture the American & British soldiers endured. Even though it's brutal, it speaks so eloquently about forgiveness and personal transformation. We have the choice in such horrible circumstances to either become bitter, angry and resentful or to be compassionate, forgiving and peace-filled. This film transforms, challenges and pushes one to consider what limits do I put on love.