Shaun Groves
Beaches and swimming pools make up a larger portion of home movies than they do our real lives. So do Christmas mornings and birthday parties. And children.
If aliens came to your neighborhood and abducted not your neighbors but their home movies, they’d think, after viewing them all, that earthlings are almost always under three feet tall, live near water, eat lots of flaming cake, grow trees indoors, and somehow afford their lives of leisure without ever going to work.
Home movies lie by leaving out the forgettable. And there’s a lot of that.
They celebrate and chronicle only the stuff we want to remember always, the stuff we can watch in the nursing home someday and say to ourselves, “See? It was a great life!”
It’s not like we can carry a camera everywhere we go. We’ve got lives to live, offices to go to, bathrooms to clean, yards to mow, televisions to watch and blogs to read. Cameras get in the way. So we pick them up only in those very rare moments when we’re at our best, moments we need to remember.
What would it be like to live a life you wished you could film everyday?
To do work worth remembering?
To have less to take care of so there’s more time to do stuff worth remembering?
To spend less time watching people live and more time actually living a life worth remembering?
I sure don’t want you to stop reading my blog but maybe you should. In the time it takes you to catch up on my life everyday, could you be doing something with yours that’s worth remembering?
The people I admire most have lived lives of such passion, generosity, humility, love and deep connection to God and people that they seem too good to be true. Like home movies.
Michael Patterson says:
Shawn, this is something we have discussed a lot in our home over the past few years. I used to be obsessed with keeping my lawn looking really nice, and doing other chores around the house. Those things came first – then it was play time. In 2004 my friend and coworker, Jon Cahill died in a climbing accident on Mt. Rainier. I was asked to put together a video for his memorial service. I spent 3 days in tears going through the photos of his wife and 4 young children enjoying the outdoors. Since then, we have thought a lot more about what’s important… grass-not so much. Time with my family means everything. I take a lot of pictures now!
Shaun Groves says:
So sorry you lost a dear friend but so inspired by the addition that loss made to your life.
Coincidentally, I thought this post up while mowing the yard this morning and wondering if I could get by with mowing once every couple weeks…or replacing my grass with astroturf ; )
Michael Patterson says:
Funny… I tried mowing less often, but then it took twice as long to get through the job. I ended up getting a used commercial mower that goes REALLY fast.
shellie (baylormum) says:
Wow, like I said yesterday, I like the variety of topics you post! And I read blogs so I know who to pray for, who to cry with, who needs a hug, and who is doing selfless things. I learn from them all. I truly believe it makes me a better person by inspiring me on how to keep my life on the path of selflessness. In everything I do. Will I always be selfless? No, but, I am always learning. And sharing what works for me with others.
You have made me want to get out home movies & hook up my old 8mm camera to the TV….
Doug Hannah says:
Shaun, what an insightful post. Maybe I’m just in “that frame of mine” as I’ve watched another kid graduate from high school (2 down, 2 to go) but your thoughts just remind me how life is a vapor, and time passes so quickly.
Megan (Best of Fates) says:
I love how you connected this message with home movies.
Patty Gale says:
My husband pointed me to your blog, Shaun, and I just want to say thank you!
Is a military parent, with both of my sons currently deployed, this topic is very timely.
Having been in business for myself for 9 years now, the priorities of what I set out to accomplish have certainly changed since becoming a mom of deployed soldiers.
Great post!
Shaun Groves says:
Thanks for reading, Gale. How long are your sons deployed? What branch?
Kelli says:
My husband and I have felt a stirring for awhile now. We’ve ignored it and convinced ourselves that now isn’t the right time. But last weekend we heard a man speak that cut us to the core. He was the man who took me on my first mission trip to Russia when I was fifteen. My life bears a significant imprint because of this man’s investment into me.
He is dying of cancer.
And as we drove home after hearing him speak on this very same idea, we suddenly couldn’t remember why we kept ignoring this nagging in our spirits.
“We have young children.”
So did he, yet he invested in my life and took me, along with many others, to Russia and showed us a different way to serve God. And he did that year after year.
“We need to make a living.”
So did he, and God provided for his family’s needs time and time again.
“We are established and rooted here.”
So was he. He never lived permanently in Russia. But he served there faithfully.
So what do we do?
We’re praying fervently for the Lord to change our hearts, open our eyes and give us the courage to boldly follow through.
It’s kinda scary.
Thanks for sharing.
Shaun Groves says:
Thanks for sharing your fears with us. We’ll be praying for you guys. Keep us posted.
sarah valente says:
I just wanted you to know that we are right there with you. Praying for you and for an OBVIOUS move of the Spirit!
Cate says:
Definitely something to think about! What do we really want to remember? Perhaps the best memories will be the places where we’ve been His hands and feet!
Alan Johnston says:
Last spring, our youth ministry experienced something you hope never happens…a 15 year old very active in the youth group drowned at the beginning of spring break in a freak accident. We talked about it a lot before then, but we spend a TON of time these days talking about living a life that matters, that counts, that means something, that has no regrets.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 has been a huge favorite since then, as it seems to be Paul laying down life with no regrets, something we all should strive for. Songs like Justin McRoberts’ “Done Living,” Nichole Nordeman’s “Legacy,” Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” Matthew Wet’s “The Motions,” and others have really hit home and been used in series and messages we’ve done. It’s time for people to stop existing and start living, REALLY living. We have a banner up in our youth house that shows an expired parking meter and says ‘ Life is short, make yours count.’
Beth says:
My husband is deployed right now so this made me think about all the family activities that he hasn’t been in the picture for because he’s off serving his country. At least that’s what people call it. He’s more likely to tell you he’s serving His God, because he tries his best to be Christ’s ambassador wherever he goes. We’ll miss him again this summer, but I can assure you, he’s in the family pictures that really count.
Beth
sarah valente says:
Shaun, I follow a lot of blogs, but I only read three every day…yours is one of those.
I love your brevity. You know that your readers do have other blogs to read and, more importantly, lives to live. But even in the short time that I spend here, I always leave with something fresh and worthwhile. Thank you!
Shaun Groves says:
Thanks for reading, Sarah…and what on earth are you reading that makes me seem BRIEF?? ; )
Holly says:
Shaun:
As we struggle to simplify our lives, your post is very timely. Our Neighbors are Mennonite, and as outside observers, even my 6 year old senses a peace that they have and we don’t. What is amazing is that behind that peace, they have an industrial self worth to be contributing at all times. We look to the obvious to simplfy and that reveals more of the less than obvious that create our busyness that gives nothing back…Thanks for a timely post that inspires..now I have to go cut the grass…..