It never ceases to amaze me about how God leads us. About a year-and-a-half ago my friend Dave gave me this movie to watch- With Honors. I never could quite watch it; something always came up, or I was sort of 'blocked' from watching it. It finally seemed to be the right time yesterday.

The movie plays on the quirks of life, the unexpected twists and turns that happen. This is common to all good movies, stories, even to life itself. The wild goose calls and life is never the same.

Monty's senior year takes an unexpected turn when a power outage sends him into a thesis panic. His computer has just crashed; what would he do if something happened to the only hard copy? Monty sets out in the snow to a nearby copy shop, only to take a nasty fall and see the precious envelope go flying through a grate. He sneaks into the basement of Widener Library and finds his manuscript in the dirty hands of Simon Wilder (Joe Pesci), a homeless man who's moved into a corner of the cellar and is feeding sheets of Monty's masterwork into the flames for warmth. Monty makes a deal, allowing Simon to move into the abandoned van in his yard if Simon will give back the manuscript...

I knew the story line, yet early on I really didn't like Simon. God gently but very clearly spoke to me about my own ability to resist His grace, His leading. We all often react when our best laid plans go awry. That's what makes life, life!

God's leading is often in the form of a Mary Grace, a book in the head, an unexpected twist or turn or a new adventure in life. The new adventure turns into a life-giving experience for Monty. Simon dies, yet Monty has a new life (sound familiar?). That's another spiritual truth about God's leading, but that's for another post.

Monty set out to get a degree with honors, yet he leaves that pidly dream behind because he received an education and a life with honors!

My favorite part was the geese that I heard flying outside of the house while I watched the movie. Perhaps they were the same two geese that flew around the field several times last night at James' soccer game. These geese are doves that push us into the wild!

Mark 1:10-12
God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."

At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild...