500 Days of Summer

One of the joys of ministry is seeing church kids grow up and do well in life. It's hard not to feel a sense of "parental" pride, particularly if they were actively involved in church life. It helps give a sense of accomplishment in a "business" where success is measured more often in long term ways than short term ways.

A hundred years ago, when I was youth director at First UMC here in Madison, one of the kids in the youth groups was a fun/crazy/energized young guy named Marc Webb. Marc was once on a mission trip that Becky and I led that stays fresh in our memory for mostly fun/positive reasons. I say mostly because we're talking about what was then a teenage boy, which won't to speak for itself.

Fast forward. Marc, for some time now has been very successful in one of the foremost expressions of Pop culture. For some time now Marc has been working in California making commerials, music videos and "stuff" as he describes it.

Fast forward again. Marc's mom called last spring and invited Becky and me to Madison's premier of Marc's debut as a director of a full length feature film. Cool. Very Cool.

Now understand that whereas I like movies, I don't get to see them in the theater very often. That's because the 8 year in our house has a different viewing list from his 20 year sister and 16 year brother and it usually falls to me to find an alternative activity when others in the family go to the movies. Also if truth be told most movies don't work for me for one reason or another. I'm pretty picky.

But I'm here to say that I was blown away by Marc's movie. It's called "500 Days of Summer" and it's in the theaters right now. It's funny. It's sad. It's cleaver. It's a delightful movie experience. It also has gotten great reviews by real life movie reviewers. For example, it got "Two Thumbs Up." In short go see it. You won't be disappointed.

Bottom line? I couldn't be happier for Marc and his family. And, okay, I am happy for me as well.