"Love Everywhere"

For the third time this month I have watched the movie, "Love Actually" (released in 2003). I just love this movie for some quirky reason. The movie begins five weeks before Christmas, the setting is London, and the movie is made and produced in Great Britain. And the clip is loaded with big named English actors and actresses.

There are seven stories (there was eight, but they clipped those scenes out) going on at the same time about love. (1) There is Hugh Grant who plays the prime minister and falls for one of the gals who serves him his daily tea. (2) There is Liam Neeson (who is the voice of Aslan in the Narnia series) who just lost his wife and his step son has fallen in love with a gal at school. (3) Kiera Knighly makes her debut (shot right before she left for Pirates of the Caribbeans - the director had strongly encouraged her not to take that "silly" movie - but she did and I'm sure she hasn't regretted it) and at 18 or so she gets married and her husband's best friend (played by Andrew Lincoln) is in love with her. (4) Then we have Alan Rickman (who plays Snape fabulously in the Harry Potter series) with his wife played by Emma Thompson and he is confused because he gives a beautiful locket neckless to his assistant. (5) Then we have Colin Firth (who played the famous Mr. Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice series) whose girlfriend cheats on him with his brother and then the Colin character goes overseas to write and falls for his housekeeper. (6) Bill Nighly (whose birthday is a day before mine and also plays in the Pirates of the Caribbean series) plays this crazed rock star who sings the winning song of the year, "If you Really Love Christmas, Come on and Let it Snow." Bill's character comes out and finally appreciates his manager as his friend. (7) And lastly, and the story line that I find unnecessary, two innocent people stand in for famous people's romantic scenes. As they stand in at these sets they fall for each other. The last story line make the movie a R rating.

At the beginning of the movie they have people greeting each other at the airport while Hugh Grant, as the prime minister of England, says,

"Whenever I get gloomy about the state of the world, I think about the arrival gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion is to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. Seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it is not particularly dignified (scene of a older couple kissing) or news worthy, but it is always there. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriend and girlfriends, old friends, new friends. When the planes hit the twin towers as far as I know the phone calls from the people on board were not messages of hate or revenge. They were all messages of love. If you look for it, I got a sneaky feeling that you will find that love is all around."

Okay, it is a bit sickly, but I liked it anyway. A bit naive in a way since there is so much hatred in the world (the wars and bitterness among countries and tribes), but a great reminder of the love we do have in our lives. In the movie they say things like, since it is Christmas I thought I should tell you.... So my challenge to you today is, since it is Christmas, tell someone that you love or care for them. Someone you have never told them that you appreciate them for this or that, or a loved one you haven't told them for a long time that you love them, or a friend that you haven't expressed how thankful you are for their friendship. Then let us know who you shared with this Christmas season.

The ultimate love proclaimed was announced at Christ's birth. God wanted to let us know that He loves us so He sent His one and only son to proclaim His love among us. This is what we celebrate today. May His message have special meaning to you this Christmas. Luke 2:8-14

Merry Christmas.