He may be thirteen, but I can still wrangle him into the king-size between daddy and me if I offer him a scratch-back.  He’s as much a fidgeter as I am, but I wouldn’t trade those moments for the whole world.  It’s even sweeter if he’s the only one allowed to stay up and snuggle with us, watch a “big kids only” movie, and if we’re super fortunate, have a bit of talk-time, too.  This week, our middle got to stay up without any of the other siblings, and together we watched a movie we’ve seen before, but he wasn’t old enough to watch at first – Courageous, written and produced by the Kendrick Brothers.

 

 

Christian DVD’s have provided a great option for family movie nights.  From the time our kids were little and they were watching the “little kid” movies, we’ve sometimes enjoyed the chance to just curl up and zone out… but I’m never one to settle for wasted time – if we are going to watch something, I want it to have redeeming value.  As mainstream media becomes less about quality and worthy content, and more about political statements and moral decay, it’s harder to find material worthy of our time.  Having studied theater in college, it makes me giddy to see the quality of Christian production improving, and the Kendrick brothers have definitely been a marked part of that movement.

 

 

Recently, FishFlix sent us the Courageous DVD to review (disclosure: the movie was free to us; we had previously seen it and all opinions are our own).  It wasn’t a new movie, but I’ve realized that often, we don’t need “new;” our kids enjoy returning to movies they’ve enjoyed before.  For me, the journey of five men through the challenges of family life and career hadn’t lost its potency.  I’ll never forget the moment my dad knelt before my sister and myself and asked us to forgive him for his failings and spoke words of life into our daughter-hearts.  He didn’t shy away from his lack, but instead pointed us with hope toward the God and father who will never fail us.  He spoke of his own hope in what God could, and does do in our lives to bring healing and purpose.  As the men in the movie step tentatively and boldly toward a greater calling, they inspire us to do the same, whether we are fathers or mothers, or wherever we are in seasons of life.

 

At times, the acting is less than amazing or the effects or plot-line falter, but as with each of the Kendrick movies we’ve seen, we found ourselves willingly suspending belief, engaging in the story, and finding encouragement and challenge to step forward, step up, and be courageous ourselves.  And isn’t that what good theater does?  Share your favorite picks for family movie night!

 

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