A Little Gold at the Globes

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I do enjoy relaxing in front of the TV as a form of down time. My wife, Melissa, and I don't go out to movies or restaurants (I have had the afore mentioned fast food issue on my own) and we don't take in theatre or many events (minus the occasional Chris Tomlin concert). So, it was not out of the ordinary for her and I to sit down and Tivo through the Golden Globe awards. We breezed through the pre-show festivities (Melissa loves the dresses) and we were both excited to root on our favorite characters from our favorite shows.

While the snub to "Prison Break" was glaring in my mind, I was happy to hear that both "Lost" and "House" were up for awards in various capacities. We love these shows--not because they are "Christian", but because they make us think. They have led to many a great discussion about our faith, both with each other and with others.

One of our favorite actresses from "Lost" is Evangeline Lilly. Not only is she a great actress, but she has always struck us as a down-to-earth, humble person--rare traits in Hollywood.

A quick search of "Evangeline Lilly" and "Christian" on the net will 'net' you tons of results. While I can't vouch for her personally, it seems that her upbringing, her stance on moral issues, her disposition and her history speak clearly of her faith. From teaching Sunday School in her Baptist and Mennonite churches to doing missions work in the Philippines, she has not shied away from her faith. She has continually stood for what is right in her career and been a great example to those who believe that there is a higher standard than the FCC. Even in the midst of her home burning down recently (see the photo at right), she reacted the way I hope I would in the same spot. (side note: she notoriously struggles with her language... i guess God is still working on her!)

I bring her up because I had to do a double take during her interview with Ryan Seacrest before the Golden Globes. When questioned about her recent comments about not liking being a "celebrity" and whether or not she meant it, she didn't pull the typical Hollywood response. You know--the "oh, that was taken out of context. I didn't mean for it to come across like that" dismissal. She said "that is absolutely accurate" and continued to explain how she has always thought that the idea of celebrity is a hoax. She stood her ground and made it clear that neither she nor the Jacks, Brads, Leos or Clints of the world are what it is all about. She also hinted that she is strongly considering leaving the show because she's really tired of being the center of attention.

Sure, she's made choices that many believers would (for better or for worse) scoff at. Sure, she could give up some more of those areas to Christ (we all could). I just had to make it a point to simply recognize that in a world full of celebrity, it stood out as a little glimmer of truth in the midst of a whole lot of acting.

Now, I'd go watch the news, but Tivo's got my back.

PS - set your DVRs... SWITCHFOOT is on Leno one week from tonight - Tuesday, the 23rd!