SILVER LININGS

Golly Bard

Has anyone seen this movie, "The Silver Linings Playbook"? 

So I am going to do a movie review on this blog instead of my sister blog. I must warn you there is some serious "potty mouth" and "trash talking" in this movie, but that's life and the beauty of it. Some adult and unchaste situations, some immodesty, but that being said I was really touched by this movie. I realized that I had stopped watching movies about 4 or 5 years ago, about the time I was baptized. I think I stopped because I have a short attention span for mediocrity. I have lived a long time, and I have seen some of the best and worst movies and in my own opinion (which I will not force on anyone else), the best stuff has been done, and everything else is a mish mash of what has gone before. There I said it, throw rocks if you will.   

So  this past weekend I had plans on attending a book fair,(which I didn't go to because I hurt my back and I stayed home on the sofa watching movies )  I am a book nerd, and my short attention span can tolerate a good book especially if I can bond with it. Right now the books I have been bonding with are scripture, more scripture and books that support that scripture). So the side affect is that any other genre that I venture into, will be aligned against the scripture aka the Word of God and will be judged accordingly. Now judge is a strong word, but I know that it’s true that the word of God is a double edged sword.

Hebrews 4:12-13

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do

I find that I cannot just watch a movie or a TV show without the real intent revealing itself to me. Sometimes I am offended and I have to turn it off, or shut the book, or leave the room. Sometimes I can watch and have the intent of the movie or book revealed to me as a lesson, as a parable, or something that can be used in my own life. Everything is a pattern for us to learn either good or evil. We are still making those choices.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the “beginning” as it were, the pattern of patterns. Eve was beguiled by the “serpent” with flattering words, meant to plant a seed of “doubt” or curiosity. The apple was only a token. In inviting Adam to partake, Eve had processed everything that she had been taught by Father, and compared it to the “flattery” of the serpent, and made a righteous decision. You know the rest of the story...  Their eyes were opened and from that point nothing would ever be the same.  

The synopsis of the movie "The Silver Linings Playbook” is about 2 broken people, a man and a woman who are essentially searching for love, real love. The man has been in a mental hospital in treatment for bipolar disorder which lead him to a violent attack, which ended his marriage and caused him to be there in the first place. While in confinement he decided that he wanted to improve himself and get better so that he could reconcile with his wife. So the wife is the villain in this story. The other female character is just as broken, but no less one worthy of love. Her husband is killed in a horrible accident, she is depressed and she act’s out by sleeping with some of her co-workers and she is fired. This is a match made in heaven if there ever was one.

This is a movie that will break your heart and then help you pick up the pieces. What I learned  is that we as a collective whole are essentially broken, some in more pieces than others. And, it is not the "baaadd" thing we feel that it is. 

There is a trend in the world that lends toward extreme perfectionism and seemingly rejects the person that you truly are.  It is  prevalent  under the guise of "make over" and "do over". There is an entire cottage industry of schemes that entice people to bring their broken selves; their less than beautiful or skinny or even lovable selves and place themselves into the hands of strangers and  fitness trainers, and money counselors  and therapists and whatever. Now, there is nothing wrong with any of this except that if not approached wisely, anyone can be preyed upon and hurt.

 I asked a question, does Heavenly Father accept us in all of our brokenness and does he accept  the meager perfection that only we can produce? What I learned and what I was taught is that the brokenness is a gift and a curse. A gift if we yield unto the enticing of that still small voice, who will tell us that we are loved warts and all. The Savior offers a makeover that is progressive and he does all the work. We just have to have a willingness..

Ezekiel 11:19-20 Amplified Bible

¹⁹ And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God],

²⁰ That they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

So what is that Silver Lining that we all look for. The scriptures counsel that those who diligently seek shall find. I had the impression that there is a Silver Lining but in a different way. I know that the silver lining is the Atonement, and I know it is the hope and promise of the reality of the Savior Jesus Christ and his promised return for us. Are we the only generation that has hoped for a silver lining, a ray of hope or a reason to continue on? Think about the disciples in Jerusalem, the Saviors last day on earth; when the Savior had given his last prayer, and given the gift of the Holy Spirit, as everyone was looking at him, watching him leave and ascend into the cloud,what were they feeling?

Acts 1:9-11

⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

¹⁰ And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.