Snuggle Corner

Courageous the Movie

There are those rare times when you watch a movie with gratefulness in your heart. Not only are you grateful for the message that is going out in a time when our society is gorging itself on all forms of immorality, but also you are grateful to know that God's message of truth is still being mercifully sent to our country.

Courageous has held its own on the secular charts of the movie industry. 3 weeks after its premiere, Courageous is standing at the 8th most popular movie based on initial weekend gross. Perusing the statistics did raise some questions...Movies like: Footloose and The Ides of March loom high on the chart, but what are the true statistics of popularity based on number of theaters carrying the movie, weeks showing and gross income? The stats say alot!

Here is the current list and the cumulative gross of the current top 8 movies:

As of 10/23/11

1)  Real Steel - Cumulative Gross (CG) - $51,731,456

2)  Footloose - CG - $15,556,113

3)  The Thing - CG - $8,493,665

4)  The Ides of March - CG - $21,763,235

5)  Dolphin Tale - CG -  $58,560,166 

6)  Moneyball - CG - $57,668,988

7)  50/50 - CG - $24,279,152

8)  Courageous - CG - $21,282,828

Statistics given for this list include: movie ranking based on initial weekend gross, cumulative gross income, total number of weeks in theaters and the number of theaters showing each movie. This got me to thinking...are these stats really showing the true facts of popularity. Here is what was discovered...

- The average number of theaters carrying these top 8 movies is: 2739
- The number of theaters carrying Courageous: 1214

- The average number of weeks these movies have been out: 2.5 weeks

- The average cumulative gross income for these movies is: $32,416,950


Taking into consideration the total number of theaters that have shown Courageous - 1214, and the average number of theaters showing the other top 7 movies - 2739,  the initial stats don't show the whole story.


By taking the gross revenue of each movie and dividing it by the number of theaters showing the movie, as well as incorporating the number of weeks each movie has been out,  the stats look different. 


Here is the list of popularity based on gross income per theater and number of weeks each movie has been out.:


1)  Real Steel - $7,519.11
2)  Courageous - $5,843.72
3)  Moneyball - $5,076,50
4)  Ides of Marh - $4,948.44
5)  Dolphin Tale - $4,455.28
6)  Footloose - $4,383.24
7)  50/50 - $3,384.80
8)  The Thing - $2,835.00


The total number of theaters showing Courageous is 1214. The number of theaters showing Footloose is 3549. There are 2315 more theaters showing Footloose. That means there are 2315 more opportunities to see Footloose and yet people are going out of their way to see Courageous. 


Considering these facts Courageous is actually the 2nd top viewed movie in theaters right now. That is amazing and should be known.


If you haven't seen this movie yet, do yourself, your family and your children a life-changing favor and see it. You will not be disappointed and you will continue to make the statement to the Hollywood crowd that the viewing public wants morals and truth depicted on the movie screen.

Ready To Fly

It may have come early for some, late for others.  For a majority it comes with the arrival of the college years. Most of us clearly remember our first flight from our childhood nest.  As a young 18 year old the sky is the limit. How thrilling it is to be in a new dorm, still emitting fumes from fresh paint and newly cleaned carpet. It is a time of independence and discovery.  Freedom, new friends, optional classes, liberal teachers, and no boundaries can create quite an enticing atmosphere.  Cleaving to an image of adulthood, yet lacking a majority of experience can result in quite a flight. Eventually new and shiny does fade.  Reality and consequence grab hold of our feet and we realize that even new becomes ordinary and many paths have uphill climbs.

When our children leave the nest we see this departure with eyes of wisdom and experience. We carry scars and wounds from our own fledgling flights which resulted in bad landings and close calls. Youth just aims for the sky and trusts that their delicate wings will keep them from the ground, even if only for a few minutes at a time. Parents delight in the flight of their young. The memory of the adventure and the zest for life are thrilling. As the seasoned aerialist knows, part of the thrill comes from the simple fact that ignorance is bliss. How hard will they fall? What scars and wounds will they carry? Has the preparation for flight been enough? As they spring forward from the nest you both cheer and reach out to hold them at the same time.  Why is it that the first motion almost always seems to be that of dropping like a rock and then at last, flight?

There is a great inward focus on the part of the fledgling before first flight; a preparatory compression that takes place while gathering strength and courage to spring forth from the comfort and familiarity of the nest. For the fledgling this seems natural, for the parent it is odd and causes pain. It is one of those seasons where, like the priests who stepped into the flooded waters of the Jordan while holding the ark as the Israelites passed  by, you must get your feet wet, raise your hands in prayer and trust God to lead you through it. God is faithful. He goes with our children where we can’t go. He knows their thoughts, their hearts and the plans He has for them. He will work all things together for good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.  We can trust Him with this great work. “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. “ 1 Thessalonians 5:24.