Fireproof

If you want to see a great story, rent a copy of Fireproof.

Fireproof stars Kirk Cameron, the adolescent star of Growing Pains. If you grew up in the 80’s, you’ll also remember Cameron from the cover of nearly every teenage magazine.

The movie has something for everyone: romance, fire, explosions, heart-pounding action, surprise, hot sauce, and a great storyline. Even your kids can watch it without you having to worry about scrambling for the remote to get through the uncomfortable scenes.

Although the movie has an unbeatable message, there is also a story behind the story.

Fireproof grossed over $33 million in theaters alone with another $25 million in DVD sales. More importantly, they did it on just a $500,000 budget. Unless your name is Bernie Madoff, you probably have never received such a high return on your (or someone else’s) money.

Fireproof was produced by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. With only a half-million-dollar production budget, you would easily expect this film to be second-rate. It’s not. In fact, there’s nothing second-rate about any of it.

So as you think about your own ability to make your dreams come true, think about what one church did with just ordinary people like you and me. So why not get started?

He Was Born Where???

He finally came. Palmer Lewis Hamilton was born on May 5, healthy and beautiful, and, like his sister, he was born at home.

I know what you’re thinking. For goodness sake, why didn’t they learn from the first one and get to the hospital sooner this time? But it wasn’t about the time. In fact, my wife, Michelle, has notoriously long labors. I guess the anguishing pain of natural childbirth just isn’t difficult enough. She has to make it last 20-40 hours. Not the typical modus operandi for someone who I think is allergic to procrastination.

No, we actually planned to have both children at home.

I still know what you’re thinking. Are you serious? Why would you do that? What if something goes wrong? Are you some kind of nut?

Having a home birth today isn’t like what you would picture on an episode of Little House on the Prairie where Dr. Baker arrives at the house and calls for hot towels and something for mom to bite down on while everyone else clears the room. Palmer’s birth was facilitated by Nina and Kelly, two fantastic midwives from CHOICE who have over 1,300 births between the two of them, and my 10-year-old son, who actually delivered both born-at-home babies. Talk about a memorable experience. He was a natural.

Besides stressing out the grandparents on the first at-home birth, there are some real advantages to having a baby at home. Michelle got to move about wherever she wanted, I got to sleep in my own bed instead of a half sprung cot, and my brother-in-law didn’t have to pay for hospital parking.

Having a birth at home isn’t for everyone, including those who have certain health risks, those who feel more comfortable in a hospital, and for those who just flat out don’t want to. If, however, you want to learn more about having a birth at home, visit www.choicemidwives.org.

80 Visits from the Tooth Fairy

My wife, Michelle, and I are expecting the arrival of our fourth child this week. God knew what He was doing when He honored women with the blessing of carrying a child. Being a mother requires incredible toughness. Plus, He knew that if men had to endure the pains of childbirth, our species would become extinct.

Even if math skills aren’t among what you would consider to be your most admirable traits, you still figured out that this will make a family of six. Six mouths to feed, 12 feet to cover, 16 years worth of college tuition, approximately 80 visits from the tooth fairy, and 192 report cards. Maybe Michelle and I just wanted to increase our chances that one of our kids would be sympathetic enough to care for us when we reach old age.

Grocery store managers are always happy to see me and my MasterCard go through the checkout line. It’s amazing how much food a two-year-old princess can sock away in that little belly. Plus, I’m still getting use to the fact that we need to hide the strawberries when my 10-year-old’s friend, Sam, spends the night. He’s been known to wipe out two quarts of them before dinner.

I still haven’t lost hope that some producer will seek us out for a reality TV show and offer to pay our grocery and clothing bill. The chances are slim, but based on some of the shows that have made it on the air, we still have a good shot. In the meantime, I’ve become a regular visitor to www.couponmom.com. It’s a great site that helps shoppers coordinate weekly specials with coupon offerings to get the best bargains. I recommend it. I saved a ton on strawberries.

But I’m still going to hide them from Sam.

What "Advance Thinking" Is All About

I just returned from the home of Mike Dodds. Mike was a wonderful employee of ours and just a really good guy. Sadly, Mike died in his sleep on Wednesday night.

We’ll miss Mike. He leaves behind a wife, a beautiful 10-year-old daughter, and a supportive and loving family.

Mike’s faith in God was strong, and he was one of those guys who “walked the walk and talked the talk.” Abraham Lincoln said, “I will destroy my enemies. I will make them my friends.” I think this describes how Mike lived.

Advance Thinking is about how our decisions today will impact tomorrow. Mike epitomized what Advance Thinking is all about.

I am sure that his daughter will go through times of bitterness and anger having lost her father so early. However, I am sure that she will more often remember the type of person that he was - how he was always friendly and worked hard, how he looked after his ailing mother and always had a gracious attitude, and most especially, about how he loved her.