Locally Shot Movie Truly Moving

“The Grace Card”

I had the opportunity to attend a private preview of a Memphis movie that does not come out in theaters till February 25, 2011.

It is called THE GRACE CARD. It is the very first movie from Graceworks Pictures located right here in Shelby County. Graceworks is the vision of Memphis optometrist Dr. David Evans, who directed and also served as the executive producer of THE GRACE CARD. Calvary Pictures is a ministry of Calvary, a Church of the Nazarene, led by Pastor Lynn Holmes in Cordova.

The church-based moviemaking ministry that spawned Fireproof inspired Memphis' own Calvary Church to make this movie.

It is about two Memphis policemen who have very different backgrounds and beliefs. And they have one other difference—the color of their skin.

Set in present day Memphis, we first see a Caucasian father endure the tragedy of losing a child senselessly. It is clear, as we fast-forward about 17 years; this event shaped him almost exclusively. He is now a Memphis cop that reminded me a lot of the type of cop that the O.J. Simpson defense team made Mark Fuhrman out to be. Angry. Racist. Distant. Bitter.

Then, thanks to a supervisor (played by Shelby County Commissioner, Chris Thomas) this atheistic racist cop is paired with--of all people—an African American part time preacher.

While award-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. maybe the only face or name you will recognize in this moving drama, the acting by amateurs is still superb.

There is a transparency in the way the home life of these two men is portrayed that seems so real. It is like you are a fly on the wall of their homes. Troubles with a rebellious teen, struggles with money and the pressure of career plans all are laid bare, with a ring of truth. While the movie earned a PG-13 rating due to its police action, I still believe it to be a family movie suitable for kids several years younger.

But forgiveness and grace are not normal Hollywood commodities. The movies will not have a large release, but neither did similar movies like Facing the Giants and Fireproof. If you want to see if it is near you, see the website at www.TheGraceCardMovie.com.

If you don't see your town on the list, contact actionsquads@providentfilms.org to help bring the theater to your town.

Grace is not easy and it is not cheap, though desired by us all. Living here in Shelby County, we know how often the so-called “race card” is played…What about playing a “Grace Card?”

You won’t regret it.

Our Society Today

OUR SOCIETY

A society can be judged by how we treat the most helpless among us.

The single most helpless life is a “fetus” (Greek for “baby”). We have aborted 50 million lives in what is supposed to be the safest place on earth, their own mother’s wombs. This loss of 50 millions souls is also a loss of a large work force as well. This is one reason why Social Security is bankrupt, as many of the terminated children would be working and paying in their share during the 37 years since abortion was legalized.

Further, people are quick to blame God for things like cancer. However, it is possible that the scientist destined to cure cancer was sent, and was aborted. Ironically, many who are rabid in their support for healthcare reform do not believe in the right of healthcare for the unborn. Future generations may well look back on this as the “slavery of our time”… a time when one “race” of people had no rights. Not even the right to life.

The way our society treats the elderly is also troubling. Nursing Homes in Tennessee are the fifth worse in the whole nation. Many chronically under staff and have trouble with getting good aides when they do hire one. No doubt there are some who just cannot be cared for at home. And, there are certainly good nursing homes out there, but I wind up having to sue those that mistreat the elderly, allow infected bedsores and repeated falls.

I often say that the World War II generation was our finest generation. Too many are just shelved at nursing homes while their children’s worlds are in turmoil due to serial divorces and constant activity. The economy seems to be set up for both parents to have to work outside the home, and thus entrust the state with the education of the children. This is a very recent concept. All this hurts another class of people: our children.

Were things really better “Back in the good old days?” In the 1950’s, a couple's work schedules in the 1950s, the husband probably had a 40-hour working week. The time commuting to work was much lower and other activities probably accounted for 55-60 hours of his waking time. The mother was often a stay-at-home mother, and usually took a job as a teacher, nurse or secretary to pay extra bills from time to time. There was more time and enough money to support this home-centered lifestyle.

Now, our kids are busy too. Many parents have their children involved in a whole range of outside activities such as competitive sports. Oddly, this is in an effort to give our kids the best in life. Some of the sports actually play on Sundays, preventing church attendance as a family. What little theology is taught today to kids is poked fun of at school, as atheistic evolution is taught as fact! Parents have missed the main thing to teach children, which is how to have a personal relationship with Christ, because it was not taught to them. Lost in one generation! Families are rarely sitting down at the table to eat dinner together in our society. And if many families did, they would be too busy texting friends to talk.

The way we treat our unborn children, our elderly and our young children tell much about our society. The world was not always like this. It does not have to continue to spiral downward. No one can change things in your family until someone decides they need to change. Decide to be a family that has dinner together, that attends a Bible-teaching church together, that honors traditional marriage, that takes a stand on issues based on principles (not convenience) and that makes a difference for the short time we are here.

DRIVING A RACE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME

For my 40th birthday, I received an opportunity to drive a real race car with the Race On driving people. 

It was different than  thought it would be.  First off, you are alone in the car. Secondly you are NOT alone on the Track!! That means passing and so forth. 

You do have to follow an instructor.  You are supposed to follow 1-2 car lengths but i found that very hard to do at first. 

I do recommend this as a great gift or experience for you.