Since this is my first post about a movie, I thought it better be a good one. It doesn’t get much better than Clint Eastwood. I have been wanting to see his new movie, “Gran Torino,” since I saw the ad’s for it on TV. I was thinking that it looked a like a classic Eastwood picture, such as “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (which happens to be my all time favorite Western…and that’s saying something!)

Anyway, on Valentine’s Day, I got to go on a date with my wife and see “Gran Torino.” I was not disappointed (neither was my wife who enjoyed it also). Not only is it a classic Eastwood movie, it is a powerful redemptive story. The movie is all about sin, death, forgiveness, sacrifice, i.e., redemption. It actually starts and finishes in church (that’s all I will say).

As we head into the Lenten Season, it is good for us contemplate these themes. If you haven’t seen this movie, it is a good one to get you thinking about The Redemption Story that we are a part of. One caveat, it is rated R because the language is strong and salty, but not merely gratuitous. However, I do want  to honor personal convictions.

Lastly, as a side note, my family actually had a Ford Gran Torino as a kid. But it was not like Clint’s in the movie, it was a station wagon about as long as an aircraft carrier!

Shane+