Groundhog Day...

Groundhog Day 2009 has come and gone...and according to that little "Whistling Pig", looks like 6 more weeks of winter for us snow weary souls. But I'm not here to talk about varmits...let's talk about life.

Most of you should be familiar with the Bill Murray movie, 'Groundhog Day'. The basic story of the movie is that Bill's character is stuck in time and is forced to relive the same day over and over and over again until he gets something right. As watchers, we are privy to his hits and misses, his triumphs and his failures. And we watch as each morning he wakes up to the same tune on the radio. He tries, but nothing seems to change...that is until he meets someone who makes him think about really changing his life.

There is a scene in another movie that leads my thoughts along a similar path. In the movie 'City Slickers', Billy Crystal's character is having a conversation on horseback with his friend who was caught with another woman and was consequently sued for divorce. As they are riding their horses along the trail, Crystal relates that this 'vacation', this outdoor experience can be a 'Do Over' for his friend... a time to start fresh and to try and avoid the mistakes of the past.

Do you see the similarities? In each movie, the characters had made mistakes and were paying a high price for their transgressions. In both movies, the main characters meet someone who makes them realize they need change in their lives. In each movie, these same characters are given an opportunity that few of us realize in our lifetimes... a "do-over", a chance to try again...an opportunity to continue with life on this earth with friends, family, and even strangers, while trying to avoid the mistakes of our past, knowing that their past doesn't matter anymore.

This two movies are simple illustrations of God's unlimited mercy and His unconditional love. You see, humans love each other for what they can do for each other and for what they expect in return. God loves us, not because of what we can do for him, but just because he wants to. God loves us for who we are, not what we can do.

The best news for Christians today is this...everyday is a Groundhog Day...everyday is an opprtunity to start fresh...a "do over" of life.

Anybody out there want to join me in another day of starting over??