FIREPROOF YOUR MARRIAGE
"FIREPROOF" is the name of a movie out in 2009. On the back it
states: "A Movie ... A Marriage ... A Movement! At work, inside
burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old
firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in
the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.
His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his
toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.
Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing states on the back cover:
"Fireproof is an entertaining reminder of what it takes to win in
marriage."
It is indeed not only very entertaining, and superbly done, but
of course the lessons of marriage, or as the movie shows, a
marriage going drastically wrong and of the tracks, gives you
some of the things that once good married couples do to
themselves and each other to bring themselves to the decision of
devorce. This is not about one partner getting into drugs, or
crime, or becoming an alcoholic, many movies over the decades
have depicted those kinds of "once good but now bad" marriages.
This movie is about the slow, over time, over work habits, over
letting go of the small but important things, that can keep a
marriage healthy and alive, or see it slip away to destruction.
It is a movie that shows the importance of keeping and doing and
thinking, the things that usually most couples do and think when
in love and desire to marry.
It is based around the life of a fireman and his working wife. It
has some sit on the edge of your seat scene in the life of a
fireman. It has some fine humor contained in the sometimes life
at a Fire Station, with some of the other characters of Firemen.
Yes, it has its "Christian religious" entries, but presented in a
not to "overly done" way.
I found it very enjoyable, and very touching as the story
unravelled itself in a few ways not expected.
Marriage today in the 21st century is not easy for many couples,
after the initial flame of passion has burnt away some. This is
the story of such a couple. It brings out in an emotional way,
the little things that can mean a lot, to an enduring marriage.
We would be very naive to believe all such troubled marriages can
end this way, the way it does in the movie, but "with" or
"without" religion or God or Christ in the equation, some so
troubled marriages can end the way the movie does.
I could wish and pray that all so troubled marriages would end
this way, but as they say "It takes two to Tango." In the end the
"second one" puts forth the effort to take back the marriage,
hence with BOTH sitting in the front seats of the car going in
the same direction, the marriage is restored to where it was at
one time, and where it should have been all along.
I have seen it work. I counselled a number of couples back in the
1980s in my ministry in Ontario, where the couples were not
religious; they had just messed up in their lives to each other
as the couple in this movie had done. Certain laws, certain
things you do and think from a certain mind-set, even if you are
not "religious" can cement your marriage, make it strong, to last
till death does you part. I've seen couples cement their marriage
back into its wonderful shape, with "religion" and "without
religion."
Marriage must have, for lack of better words, certain laws, that
are followed, to give it happy success. Many of those laws are
not "theological" in nature per se. It's like the many laws of
health (balanced diet, good nights sleep, exercise etc.) - you
follow them and generally you can have good health (the average
person that is without unusual genetic etc. problems). So with
marriages, you put certain laws into effect, observing them,
never crossing them off the list as "not needed now" attitude;
and two people putting out those laws of "living together" under
marriage, and most of the time, a good marriage will be the
result.
Notice I said "and two people putting out" for though I have seen
some couples stay married where only one was putting out, the
marriage was lopsided and did not have the spark of love from
both sides meeting to produce a huge flame. One can put out and
put out and put out, while the other does no putting out and so
in time ends up putting out the other ones "put out" - which
usually then is back to no one putting out for one; the sad end
being divorce or a very sad and dull marriage. In my 66 years of
life so far I've known of two couples that lived under the same
roof, never spoke to each other except in a written note, now and
again.
This movie gives you the hope that many couples out there, with
troubled marriages, like depicted in this movie, will BOTH OF
THEM FIND THE ROAD (of common sense, or common sense with Christ)
BACK TO A REAL HAPPY, EXITING, INTERESTING, AND FULFILLED
MARRIAGE.
A MOVIE I HAD TO BUY FOR MY COLLECTION OF "PULLING HEART STRINGS"
MOVIES. IT WAS TOUCHING, I SHED A FEW TEARS HERE AND THERE, AND
SOME GOOD LAUGHS AT TIMES.
YES .... I'LL RECOMMEND IT TO YOU. I understand Wal-Mart is at
present carrying it, naturally the Bible Books stores will have
it.
.............................
Keith Hunt - April 2009
