On the movie, Fireproof

We finally got around to renting the dvd, Fireproof.
I must say, after a few rounds of the husband and wife verbally attacking each other, I almost shut it off. Not that it wasn't a good movie. And I believe the movie made the point it was trying to make. But, with my 7 year old, 10 year old, 13 year old, and 14 year old (not to mention my 21 and 23 year old daughters) watching it with their Dad and me, I cringed at every shouting match the couple had.
Not that my children haven't seen their parents make mistakes, argue, or even get a little bent out of shape. But, let's just say that Kirk Cameron did a really good acting job of being an angry and selfish unsaved man; and that Erin Bethea did a good job of playing a "poor me, my husband is a jerk and doesn't appreciate me, and doesn't help around the house, I'm going to find my fulfillment outside the home" wife.
My 7 year old just couldn't figure it all out. His older sister had to explain that the wife in the movie wanted her husband to leave. Now he was REALLY confused. I don't think he grasps the concept that a husband and wife can leave each other
All that being said; maybe I shouldn't have let the younger kids watch it. But I did, and all in all, it was a worthwhile movie. Like I said, the movie did make its point. Other than learning it from their parents, our kids saw that marriage is a lifetime commitment and what forgiveness is, especially when Jesus Christ takes hold of your life
As a Christian woman who for some time has been walking in the sanctification process of becoming a godly wife, my first reaction to the wife's attitude was, "Good grief, just stay home and do your job". Although saying that is easier than doing it. Also, can an unregenerate (unsaved) woman think, "Well, I can't change him, so I just need to keep on doing what I should be doing."? Most cannot. Although, in days gone by (my mother's day; yes, I'm that old), I believe a lot of women did it, even in their unregenerate state. Let's face the fact that a lot of professing Christian women today do not think like that.
Aside from the fact that it takes hard work to have a good marriage, there are a few other points that I got out of the movie.
One point is: If you let your heart drift away from your spouse, you are going to find something else or someone else to give your heart over to.
The husband was not only so involved in his firefighter work to the point that he was overly conceited about his ability to save lives, but being on the internet a lot searching for the perfect boat, he let his eyes see things that they never should have seen. He was not guarding his heart. His apathy in his marriage led him down the path of "giving his heart over" to all those things.
The wife in the movie had a job outside the home. The job itself is a heart stealer for the wife. I know. I'm really going out on a limb here. The ability to earn her "own" money and do what she wants with it separates the husband and wife. Plus, she may feel more appreciated at the work place than at home. Another heart stealer for a woman working outside the home is that she is vulnerable to the attentions of other men. If she feels unappreciated by her husband, than the attentions from another man will pull her heart further away from her husband, not to mention the obvious temptation there. This is also true for men.
Another point is: If a husband and wife are not getting along, one of them has to be the initiator to mend things. someone has to be the giver, the server, to start the process of healing the marriage. This is also true in a good marriage where a minor spat has occurred. But as we see in the movie, this didn't work too well with his heart not in it. He was just going through the motions, not meaning it. Although, I have seen that if you go through the motions, sometimes the emotions follow. Personally, I have not witnessed this outside of a biblical Christian commitment.
On the lighter side, the movie had its funny moments. The firefighter who thought he was God's gift to the world cracked our whole family up. We also enjoyed watching the extra features. Watching the bloopers and the jokes that the movie crew played on each other were fun.
Thanks to the Kendrick brothers for another fine film made outside of Hollywood, that I believe is worth watching.
Also, thanks to my husband for guarding his heart.