An Unfinished Life

It's a beautiful Monday morning in Southwestern Pennsylvania. I'm starting the week refreshed. Why? Because I took my Sabbath Experiment/Experience seriously again yesterday. For those of you who are new to the community, I should explain. A few years ago, I started something I called "The Sabbath Experiment." Every Monday, I wrote about it. Eventually, I realized it was no longer an experiment and changed the name to "The Sabbath Experience." You can read about it here.

Lately, I've drifted away from my commitment to rest on the Sabbath. I've had a lot of excuses, including many that could have applied yesterday. But I decided to throw the excuses aside and I relished my Sabbath.

The day started the way it usually does with Sunday School, worship, and lunch with the kids and grandkids. I love the current sermon series on blessing our neighbors being presented by our minister, Tom Fodi. It's challenging me to act, which is always a good thing. 

After we got home, my husband headed to the hospital to visit a dear friend who is in really shape. I napped. When he returned, Bill found me in front of the television watching a Hallmark movie. Of course, since Hallmark movies are his favorite, he joined me. Aside from making something to eat, we did little else other than watching TV, something we rarely do. At 9:00, I turned on a movie I'd never heard of called, AN UNFINISHED LIFE. 

Before I watched the movie, I sat and pondered the title -- an unfinished life. Wow. That's something that fits so many I've known who have died unexpectedly, leaving behind incomplete projects and unpaid bills, cluttered closets and unspoken apologies, unreached dreams and I'll-get-around-to-it-someday relationship repairs. Unfinished lives. It happens all the time.
 
Not only did I love the title (I mean, really -- isn't that a great title?), but I was drawn to the cast which included, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Lopez, Camryn Manheim, and Becca Gardner. 

Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I loved this movie. The chemistry between Redford and Freeman was fantastic and Lopez put in another amazing performance. With maybe one exception, I simply love Lopez as an actress. And my love of Redford goes back to the 70s. And then there's Freeman -- is he not an amazing actor? The movie scored 2 stars according to the description on Comcast. I couldn't help wondering who rated it. It received a solid 5 stars from me, and aside from some language I didn't appreciate, I found this movie to be exactly what I needed last night. It's a story of imperfect people struggling through this life of disappointments, bad choices, and grudges, catching a glimpse of grace and beauty and friendship along the way. In the end, it's a story of forgiveness and redemption. 

I went to bed last night feeling satisfied with my day . . . a Sabbath day intended for rest and renewal. But in the back of my mind, I was still pondering an unfinished life.

Monday -- bring it on. I'm ready for you.