1 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,640 S1: Welcome to Chris Fabry live program. From the heart to 2 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,800 S1: the heart for the heart. Welcome to the day after Christmas. 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,360 S1: Did you survive your celebration? Oh, I hope so. I 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,119 S1: always wonder what to feature here on the day after Christmas, 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,560 S1: because you're kind of in that world where you want 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,880 S1: to celebrate the incarnation. There's no reason to stop doing that. 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,120 S1: But at the same time, there's this feeling of, you know, 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,440 S1: let's move forward. So I think today's best of broadcast 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,959 S1: is just the ticket for you and me. Buckle up 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,520 S1: for a guided tour of Bedford Falls. It's a Wonderful 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,640 S1: Life is one of the all time favorite Christmas films 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,240 S1: that people watch again and again and again. Maybe you've 13 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,120 S1: seen it this year, and there's a reason that they 14 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,639 S1: watch it again and again and again. And you're going 15 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,040 S1: to hear Bob Welch talk about it from a dozen 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,800 S1: years ago here on this program. That's the plan. I'm 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,640 S1: sticking to it. Let me thank our team behind the scenes, 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,050 S1: Ryan McConaughey doing all things technical. Tricia is our producer. 19 00:01:00,370 --> 00:01:03,130 S1: Since the program is recorded, we will not be taking 20 00:01:03,130 --> 00:01:06,530 S1: your calls today. Disregard any dated information that you hear 21 00:01:06,530 --> 00:01:09,850 S1: in this program from a dozen years ago. But since 22 00:01:09,850 --> 00:01:13,770 S1: it's Friday. That's right. It's time for the fabulous fabric Friday. Sigh. 23 00:01:13,770 --> 00:01:16,289 S1: Here's what it does when we oxygenate your blood too, 24 00:01:16,330 --> 00:01:19,569 S1: we get your endorphins going. Three we raise your serotonin level. 25 00:01:19,850 --> 00:01:23,690 S1: Four we promote lymphatic drainage. In five we stimulate your 26 00:01:23,690 --> 00:01:27,250 S1: parasympathetic system. That's why we call it the five lung languages. 27 00:01:27,610 --> 00:01:31,570 S1: We also stimulate your vagus nerve. We help you release acetylcholine. 28 00:01:31,569 --> 00:01:34,890 S1: And don't you dare forget what it does to cortisol dissipation. 29 00:01:35,130 --> 00:01:38,170 S1: Taking four seconds of air through your nose. Hold it 30 00:01:38,170 --> 00:01:41,009 S1: for seconds. And then as you release that air through 31 00:01:41,050 --> 00:01:43,170 S1: your mouth, push on the left side of your rib 32 00:01:43,170 --> 00:01:46,850 S1: cage to get rid of all that bad carbon dioxide. Today, 33 00:01:46,850 --> 00:01:51,370 S1: give an after Christmas sigh and a Bedford falls sigh. 34 00:01:51,410 --> 00:01:53,690 S1: Give a sigh for George Bailey and Mary and all 35 00:01:53,690 --> 00:01:57,250 S1: the kids and that drafty old house. Give a sigh 36 00:01:57,290 --> 00:02:00,340 S1: for buffalo gals and high school dances. Give a sigh 37 00:02:00,380 --> 00:02:03,020 S1: for old Mr. Potter and how easy it was to 38 00:02:03,060 --> 00:02:06,100 S1: dislike that man, and how hard it was to see 39 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:10,540 S1: yourself in him. Everybody thinks they're George Bailey. Nobody thinks they're. Mr. 40 00:02:10,540 --> 00:02:14,139 S1: Potter gave a sigh for Zuzu's petals, for the sound 41 00:02:14,139 --> 00:02:17,459 S1: of a bell ringing, for what teacher says for Clarence. 42 00:02:17,700 --> 00:02:21,100 S1: And Merry Christmas, you old building and loan. The fabulous 43 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:24,580 S1: favorite Friday Sighs brought to you by Mama and Papa Dollar, 44 00:02:24,620 --> 00:02:29,260 S1: Sam Wainwright, Ernie, Bert and Uncle Billy. All rights reserved. 45 00:02:29,740 --> 00:02:33,460 S1: Void where prohibited. Okay, before we get to the fun, 46 00:02:33,780 --> 00:02:38,020 S1: in less than a week, 2025 is over. Kaput. And 47 00:02:38,020 --> 00:02:40,220 S1: we need your help with the back fence. Would you 48 00:02:40,220 --> 00:02:43,260 S1: support this program with a year end gift? I'll put 49 00:02:43,260 --> 00:02:46,260 S1: it plain and straight. Get to the point. Click through today, 50 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:50,100 S1: Chris Fabry live. We need your help. Give a gift. 51 00:02:50,340 --> 00:02:53,299 S1: We still have copies of that fantastic Christmas book that 52 00:02:53,300 --> 00:02:57,019 S1: you will read year after year after year. Hosanna in excelsis. 53 00:02:57,470 --> 00:03:00,630 S1: It has him and Carroll stories. The text of those hymns. 54 00:03:00,669 --> 00:03:03,870 S1: It's it's just fantastic. We will put that in the 55 00:03:03,870 --> 00:03:06,030 S1: mail to you. But if you have never given or 56 00:03:06,030 --> 00:03:11,630 S1: maybe it's been a while. Reach out today. Chris Fabry. Chris. 57 00:03:14,830 --> 00:03:19,030 S1: My pal Travis Thrasher says on Facebook the lesson that 58 00:03:19,030 --> 00:03:21,470 S1: he learned from It's a Wonderful Life. Never employ your 59 00:03:21,470 --> 00:03:28,390 S1: Uncle Billy. Yeah. Oh, and my son did this play 60 00:03:28,389 --> 00:03:30,070 S1: he was in. And some of you have had this, 61 00:03:30,110 --> 00:03:32,990 S1: you know, community players around the country have done this 62 00:03:32,990 --> 00:03:36,430 S1: this year. The radio version of it's a wonderful it's 63 00:03:36,430 --> 00:03:40,590 S1: just so much fun. I believe that Jimmy Stewart and 64 00:03:40,590 --> 00:03:45,190 S1: Donna Reed did this on radio around the time, uh, 65 00:03:45,190 --> 00:03:47,830 S1: or either a few years after it was released. I 66 00:03:47,830 --> 00:03:50,470 S1: can't remember when it was, but they did this on 67 00:03:50,470 --> 00:03:53,750 S1: radio and and the radio version. It's only like 50 minutes. 68 00:03:53,750 --> 00:03:56,880 S1: It's just so self-contained and it's. And it gets everything 69 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:01,080 S1: in there and and Uncle Billy, the fellow who played 70 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,600 S1: Uncle Billy in the Tucson version of this, was just 71 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,160 S1: spot on. But Travis is right. There is a cost 72 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:15,880 S1: to employing Uncle Billy, and sometimes you will have to 73 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:22,440 S1: pay for mistakes that Uncle Billy makes. But another person 74 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,640 S1: has posted on Facebook, I learned that the road less 75 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:32,000 S1: traveled down the path of suffering and difficult circumstances, molds 76 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:37,480 S1: us into better people and furthers our sanctification. I like that. 77 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,680 S1: All right, so if you want to talk with Bob, 78 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,640 S1: if you want to tell me your answer to that question, 79 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:51,839 S1: here's the number again. 187754836758775483675. Online. Chris. Org you'll see 80 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,060 S1: on the right hand side 52 little Lessons from It's 81 00:04:56,060 --> 00:04:59,060 S1: a Wonderful Life. And joining us now, Mr. Bob Welch. 82 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:02,060 S1: He speaks nationwide. He's the founder and director of the 83 00:05:02,100 --> 00:05:06,299 S1: Beachside Writer's Workshop in Oregon. And he and his wife, Sally, 84 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:09,420 S1: have two grown sons, three grandchildren. It's probably you've got 85 00:05:09,420 --> 00:05:12,380 S1: probably like 50 grandchildren by now, Bob, is that right? 86 00:05:12,580 --> 00:05:14,779 S2: Yeah, for going on five for. 87 00:05:14,779 --> 00:05:17,099 S1: Going on five. Excellent. Well, welcome back to the program. 88 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:17,739 S1: How are you? 89 00:05:18,020 --> 00:05:20,540 S2: I'm fine. Chris, it's good to be with you again. 90 00:05:20,820 --> 00:05:23,620 S1: I love doing this because it's a fun topic that 91 00:05:23,620 --> 00:05:27,220 S1: will lead us to something deeper. Let me throw that 92 00:05:27,220 --> 00:05:30,100 S1: question to you. What is what is one lesson that 93 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:33,180 S1: you've learned from It's a Wonderful Life that you learn 94 00:05:33,180 --> 00:05:34,380 S1: relearn every year? 95 00:05:35,740 --> 00:05:39,260 S2: Oh, I think that one of them is that one 96 00:05:39,260 --> 00:05:41,660 S2: of the more subtle lessons in there is that the 97 00:05:42,460 --> 00:05:45,420 S2: Donna Reed, you got a dance lesson. And that is, 98 00:05:45,460 --> 00:05:48,420 S2: if you think about that last night when George and his, uh, 99 00:05:48,420 --> 00:05:51,220 S2: is having dinner with his family and his brother Harry's 100 00:05:51,260 --> 00:05:53,150 S2: going to the dance and George doesn't want to go. go. 101 00:05:53,190 --> 00:05:57,630 S2: He's graduated. He's he's beyond all that childlessness and and 102 00:05:57,630 --> 00:06:01,070 S2: but he winds up going nevertheless and it sort of 103 00:06:01,110 --> 00:06:03,750 S2: changes his life. And I kind of think that at 104 00:06:03,750 --> 00:06:07,390 S2: times we play it too safe. And George took a 105 00:06:07,430 --> 00:06:09,950 S2: risk not only not only did he go to the dance, 106 00:06:09,950 --> 00:06:12,750 S2: he danced. Not only did he dance, he he, uh, 107 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:17,790 S2: got involved in the jitterbug contest and won. And, um, 108 00:06:18,070 --> 00:06:20,630 S2: so I think I think sometimes you Gotta dance is 109 00:06:20,630 --> 00:06:22,950 S2: a lesson that I like. That is more one of 110 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:25,390 S2: the more subtle ones I think the movie brings out. 111 00:06:25,670 --> 00:06:28,070 S1: Okay. Nate has corrected you. He just said to me 112 00:06:28,070 --> 00:06:30,190 S1: they danced the Charleston. It wasn't the jitterbug. 113 00:06:30,510 --> 00:06:33,510 S2: You're right. Right. Not the jitterbug. Nate is very sharp. 114 00:06:33,550 --> 00:06:34,630 S3: Yeah. He is. 115 00:06:34,910 --> 00:06:37,750 S1: He's very perspicacious, as they say in the business. 116 00:06:37,750 --> 00:06:40,229 S2: And that's anything by him today. 117 00:06:40,270 --> 00:06:43,229 S1: That's the thing. If you say something wrong about that film, 118 00:06:43,230 --> 00:06:44,910 S1: to some people, they're just going to jump on it. 119 00:06:44,910 --> 00:06:45,989 S1: They're going to jump on you. 120 00:06:46,029 --> 00:06:48,550 S2: I've already had that happen. And I because there are 121 00:06:48,550 --> 00:06:50,110 S2: a few errors in the book. 122 00:06:50,870 --> 00:06:51,669 S3: What, what. 123 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,440 S1: Any other errors that you made that you're going to 124 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:55,080 S1: correct in another? 125 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,320 S2: Well, the interesting the interesting thing last year I had 126 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,840 S2: I was working at a newspaper in Oregon at the time, 127 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:05,080 S2: and I was interviewing Karolyn Grimes, who is the who 128 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,760 S2: played Zuzu, the little girl, and she was coming to 129 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,280 S2: Eugene and and I said, are there any more questions 130 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,360 S2: that you I didn't ask you that you wished that 131 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,000 S2: I had? And she goes, yeah. Why did you say that? 132 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,040 S2: The roses were were paper. They were real. And I said, 133 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,680 S2: oh my gosh, they were. And I don't know what 134 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,800 S2: it is. I've seen the movie over a hundred times, 135 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,520 S2: and I guess it's because Zuzu says, daddy, paste them, 136 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,240 S2: paste them. And I've always just assumed that was a 137 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,920 S2: little construction paper, uh, Rose that she had brought back. 138 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,440 S2: And George was trying to make it look real. And, um, 139 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:38,880 S2: that's the way I did it. And it got past 140 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,400 S2: 4 or 5 editors, and I'm embarrassed that one it 141 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,520 S2: will be will be fixed in subsequent printings. But I 142 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,360 S2: saw Carolyn this weekend in Seneca Falls at the Wonderful 143 00:07:50,450 --> 00:07:53,290 S2: Life Festival, and I'm not sure she's quite forgiven me 144 00:07:53,290 --> 00:07:53,890 S2: on that one. 145 00:07:55,050 --> 00:07:57,250 S1: How is she? How is Zuzu doing? And how old 146 00:07:57,250 --> 00:07:58,290 S1: is Zuzu now? 147 00:07:58,330 --> 00:08:02,250 S2: She is in her mid 70s and she's doing well. And, um, we. 148 00:08:02,410 --> 00:08:04,970 S2: Every year in Seneca Falls, New York, they have this 149 00:08:04,970 --> 00:08:09,010 S2: Wonderful life festival because they believe that Frank Capra, uh, 150 00:08:09,010 --> 00:08:12,930 S2: designed Bedford Falls after their community. And there's some circumstantial 151 00:08:12,930 --> 00:08:16,850 S2: evidence suggesting that that could be true. Um, but anyway, 152 00:08:16,850 --> 00:08:19,130 S2: I saw her just over the weekend, and she's doing 153 00:08:19,130 --> 00:08:21,530 S2: well and having a lot of fun with this. And 154 00:08:21,530 --> 00:08:24,570 S2: it's just amazing to see people show up having driven 155 00:08:24,850 --> 00:08:29,210 S2: 6 or 7 hours from North Carolina or Maryland or wherever. And, uh, 156 00:08:29,370 --> 00:08:31,650 S2: when they hear that, you know, they'll say to me, 157 00:08:31,690 --> 00:08:33,689 S2: you know, I was signing my book there at the end. 158 00:08:33,730 --> 00:08:36,810 S2: I'm sort of like the class A team, uh, amid 159 00:08:36,850 --> 00:08:41,730 S2: Major League Baseball teams. And they'll say, is that really Zuzu? And. Yeah. 160 00:08:41,770 --> 00:08:45,290 S2: Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. So she's. 161 00:08:45,450 --> 00:08:45,810 S4: Great. 162 00:08:46,090 --> 00:08:49,740 S1: There's something about this. And and I, I come up 163 00:08:49,740 --> 00:08:53,059 S1: with so many different ones every year. And and one 164 00:08:53,059 --> 00:08:55,340 S1: of them on the front of the book is the 165 00:08:55,340 --> 00:08:58,660 S1: picture of Jimmy with the with Zuzu hanging onto his 166 00:08:58,660 --> 00:09:00,780 S1: neck and Donna looking up at him, and all the 167 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:03,660 S1: kids are around. It's just, you know, daddy's home, daddy's home. 168 00:09:04,020 --> 00:09:08,340 S1: And your cup of joy is only as full as 169 00:09:08,460 --> 00:09:12,100 S1: your your, you know, the mountain is only as high 170 00:09:12,140 --> 00:09:15,700 S1: as the valley is deep. And your your joy is 171 00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:19,980 S1: only as great as the sorrow that you have gone through. 172 00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:23,900 S1: And you see this in his life, and the obstacles 173 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:26,940 S1: that are thrown up against him all through his life. 174 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:30,820 S2: Exactly. You know, it's it's only through that dark times. 175 00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:34,060 S2: And it was a it was a dark movie. And, 176 00:09:34,780 --> 00:09:37,459 S2: you know, it starts out, you know, man is doesn't 177 00:09:37,460 --> 00:09:39,500 S2: start out that way. But a man is considering throwing 178 00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:42,220 S2: his life away that can't get any darker than that. 179 00:09:42,260 --> 00:09:45,500 S2: And and it's it's through that testing ground. It's through 180 00:09:45,540 --> 00:09:50,190 S2: that perspective changing that clearance takes George through that. That 181 00:09:50,190 --> 00:09:52,630 S2: brings him back to life. That brings him back to hope. 182 00:09:52,630 --> 00:09:56,390 S2: That brings him back to an understanding of what really 183 00:09:56,390 --> 00:09:58,790 S2: matters in life is is it going off and doing 184 00:09:58,790 --> 00:10:02,870 S2: things and building things and creating things and learning things? No, 185 00:10:02,870 --> 00:10:05,790 S2: it's the stuff that it's the stuff that's right around 186 00:10:05,790 --> 00:10:09,150 S2: us that's most important that we so easily miss. When 187 00:10:09,150 --> 00:10:12,110 S2: we sort of rely on the world's definition of what 188 00:10:12,110 --> 00:10:13,110 S2: is success. 189 00:10:13,230 --> 00:10:13,710 S4: Yes. 190 00:10:13,750 --> 00:10:17,870 S1: Which takes us to Cathy in Florida. Cathy. Uh, this 191 00:10:17,870 --> 00:10:22,270 S1: point of the movie, you use this. You have used this, right? 192 00:10:22,990 --> 00:10:27,590 S5: I have, yes. It's amazing. Yeah. I had I'm a 193 00:10:27,590 --> 00:10:30,429 S5: guidance counselor in Palm Beach County at a public school, 194 00:10:30,470 --> 00:10:33,590 S5: and I had a student who, um, had a very 195 00:10:33,590 --> 00:10:35,829 S5: hard life. Her. You know, she was kind of a 196 00:10:35,870 --> 00:10:39,350 S5: caregiver for her mother, and she was really depressed. And, 197 00:10:39,750 --> 00:10:41,589 S5: you know, she was in my office one day talking 198 00:10:41,590 --> 00:10:43,790 S5: about how she didn't have any she couldn't see any 199 00:10:43,790 --> 00:10:46,880 S5: purpose for her life at all. And, you know, and 200 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,040 S5: of course, my antennas went up because, you know, when 201 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,200 S5: you hear that from a kid, you start what do 202 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,520 S5: you have a plan? You know, but you didn't plan. 203 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,319 S5: But anyway, um, and so I said, well, I'm going 204 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,280 S5: to give you you're going to have to do some 205 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,520 S5: movie therapy. I'm going to give you a movie. It's 206 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,320 S5: an old timey movie. It's in black and white, but 207 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,320 S5: you're going to watch this and you're going to come 208 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,480 S5: back and we're going to talk about how important your 209 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,360 S5: life really is. And I made her watch It's a 210 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:14,040 S5: Wonderful Life because she honestly didn't see any purpose in 211 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,600 S5: her life. And after watching that movie, she saw how 212 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,400 S5: important everybody's life is. And you don't realize the effect 213 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,559 S5: you have on other people, you know, until later on, maybe. 214 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,440 S5: Or you know, anyway, so it was pretty cool. It's 215 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,560 S5: one of my favorite movies. I've seen it a thousand 216 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:29,240 S5: times too. 217 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,600 S1: I love that, Kathy. And for that student then to 218 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,640 S1: be able to see herself through Jimmy Stewart, who obviously 219 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,040 S1: not like her, you know, not in the same situation. 220 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,880 S1: But Bob, that just shows the universality of what art 221 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:43,640 S1: can do. 222 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,290 S2: Exactly. I think, you know, I know they're in my hometown, Eugene, Oregon. 223 00:11:47,290 --> 00:11:49,690 S2: I know of a bank that requires its employees to 224 00:11:49,730 --> 00:11:53,890 S2: watch the movie, to remind them of what a difference 225 00:11:53,890 --> 00:11:56,610 S2: they make, for better or worse, in the people around them. 226 00:11:56,610 --> 00:11:58,929 S2: And I think that what Cassie's on to here is 227 00:11:58,929 --> 00:12:01,650 S2: that it's really a movie about perspective, because when you 228 00:12:01,650 --> 00:12:04,290 S2: think about it, when George first is on that bridge, 229 00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:07,089 S2: it's snowing, it's Christmas Eve. He doesn't think he has 230 00:12:07,090 --> 00:12:10,170 S2: anything to live for, and he's considering jumping when he 231 00:12:10,170 --> 00:12:14,050 S2: goes and Clarence comes in and in essence, saves him 232 00:12:14,050 --> 00:12:17,650 S2: and shows him life without George Bailey. And he returns 233 00:12:17,650 --> 00:12:22,050 S2: to that bridge hours later. It's interesting to note that 234 00:12:22,050 --> 00:12:27,170 S2: nothing circumstantially has changed. He still owes $8,000. There's still 235 00:12:27,170 --> 00:12:29,450 S2: a warrant for his arrest. As far as he knows, 236 00:12:29,450 --> 00:12:32,810 S2: his family. His Mary is is angry with him for 237 00:12:32,809 --> 00:12:37,130 S2: the tirade that he threw. Um, you know, Potter is 238 00:12:37,170 --> 00:12:41,650 S2: after him. There's, you know, his car has been bashed 239 00:12:41,650 --> 00:12:45,460 S2: into a tree. Uh, there's there's nothing to suggest that, 240 00:12:45,460 --> 00:12:48,740 S2: that things should be better. And yet his perspective on 241 00:12:48,740 --> 00:12:52,060 S2: life is totally changed. That's because what has changed is 242 00:12:52,059 --> 00:12:55,940 S2: George Bailey's perspective on life and. And what the angel, 243 00:12:55,980 --> 00:12:59,860 S2: the gift that the angel gave him was perspective, the 244 00:13:00,260 --> 00:13:03,260 S2: the reality as looking at the same things that he 245 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:06,660 S2: knew of before, but looking at them in a different light. 246 00:13:06,660 --> 00:13:08,180 S2: And that's what changes him. 247 00:13:08,660 --> 00:13:11,860 S1: Yeah, he woke up to himself, he woke up to 248 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:14,780 S1: what reality was, and he was able to see him 249 00:13:14,780 --> 00:13:17,900 S1: saying to Mr. Potter, this rabble you're talking about, they 250 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:19,940 S1: do most of the working and paying and living and 251 00:13:19,940 --> 00:13:22,420 S1: dying in this community. We're going to talk more about 252 00:13:22,420 --> 00:13:25,260 S1: It's a Wonderful Life. On this command performance of Chris 253 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:29,500 S1: Fabry live on Moody Radio. Visit us online. Chris Fabry live. 254 00:13:43,350 --> 00:13:46,710 S6: Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was 255 00:13:46,710 --> 00:13:48,390 S6: drowned at the age of nine. 256 00:13:48,470 --> 00:13:50,750 S7: That's a lie. Harry Bailey went to war. He got 257 00:13:50,750 --> 00:13:52,710 S7: the Congressional Medal of Honor. He saved the lives of 258 00:13:52,710 --> 00:13:54,069 S7: every man on that transport. 259 00:13:54,110 --> 00:13:57,150 S6: Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to 260 00:13:57,190 --> 00:14:05,430 S6: save them because you weren't there to save Harry. You see, George, 261 00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:09,270 S6: you really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what 262 00:14:09,270 --> 00:14:12,390 S6: a mistake it would be to throw it away? 263 00:14:13,350 --> 00:14:15,630 S1: Bob Welch is joining us today. If you want to 264 00:14:15,630 --> 00:14:18,350 S1: find out more about 52 Little Lessons from It's a 265 00:14:18,350 --> 00:14:22,470 S1: Wonderful Life, go to Chris Fabry Live. That's a huge 266 00:14:22,510 --> 00:14:24,230 S1: turning point in the film, isn't it? 267 00:14:24,830 --> 00:14:28,270 S2: Oh, definitely. Um, I mean, that's the the real point 268 00:14:28,270 --> 00:14:31,150 S2: of insight is I think that that's when George finally 269 00:14:31,150 --> 00:14:34,750 S2: gets it, that. Yeah, he didn't just have some bad liquor. Um, 270 00:14:35,590 --> 00:14:37,750 S2: and the guy was, you know, he hasn't been hypnotized, 271 00:14:37,750 --> 00:14:40,510 S2: but but that that this angel is real. And it's 272 00:14:40,510 --> 00:14:45,530 S2: that one scene where the camera is right up in 273 00:14:45,530 --> 00:14:48,570 S2: his eyes, and you can see he finally gets it. 274 00:14:48,890 --> 00:14:52,050 S2: So it comes clear to him that this angel is 275 00:14:52,650 --> 00:14:55,090 S2: the trip that he took was the truth. And he 276 00:14:55,130 --> 00:14:58,050 S2: finally gets it. It seeps. It seeps into his soul. 277 00:14:58,410 --> 00:14:58,970 S4: Yes. 278 00:14:59,410 --> 00:15:02,410 S1: Yeah it does. And and it's interesting because I know 279 00:15:02,450 --> 00:15:07,770 S1: you are interested in writing and stories. It's interesting the 280 00:15:07,770 --> 00:15:10,850 S1: way that this story begins. And it's one of those 281 00:15:10,850 --> 00:15:14,410 S1: things that you tell beginning fiction writers. You don't start 282 00:15:14,410 --> 00:15:18,450 S1: at the beginning of the story. You start at the conflict, 283 00:15:18,650 --> 00:15:22,810 S1: and the conflict is where everybody is praying for this guy. 284 00:15:22,850 --> 00:15:25,530 S1: You don't even know. You don't know why they're praying 285 00:15:25,530 --> 00:15:28,650 S1: for him, but he is in big trouble. And that's 286 00:15:28,690 --> 00:15:32,530 S1: a that's a really important, uh, fiction fiction point, isn't it? 287 00:15:32,570 --> 00:15:36,250 S2: A great it's a great example of foreshadowing. It immediately 288 00:15:36,410 --> 00:15:39,730 S2: just just as, uh, as Clarence wants to understand. Well, 289 00:15:39,730 --> 00:15:42,500 S2: who was this George Bailey? Well, we as as viewers 290 00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:43,980 S2: of the movie, we want to know. Well, who is 291 00:15:43,980 --> 00:15:46,820 S2: this George Bailey? Why? Why should we care about this guy? 292 00:15:46,860 --> 00:15:49,740 S2: And and as we grow up with him and we 293 00:15:49,740 --> 00:15:52,180 S2: see the kind of young man he was and and 294 00:15:52,180 --> 00:15:55,180 S2: everything we like George Bailey, just like Clarence says. Well, 295 00:15:55,220 --> 00:15:58,860 S2: I like I like George Bailey and and we do too. 296 00:15:58,860 --> 00:16:01,020 S2: And that's why it hurts so much when we see 297 00:16:01,020 --> 00:16:04,340 S2: him go through that pain. And and in essence, he 298 00:16:04,340 --> 00:16:07,340 S2: takes on the pain of the community and and, uh. 299 00:16:07,740 --> 00:16:08,540 S4: Yes. 300 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:11,980 S2: Interesting. At no point does he ever come clean and 301 00:16:11,980 --> 00:16:16,580 S2: say that Uncle Billy, you know, screwed up. He, uh, 302 00:16:16,580 --> 00:16:18,900 S2: to anyone else, he, you know, with with Uncle Billy, 303 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,780 S2: there's that one scene where certainly he acknowledges that it's 304 00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:24,060 S2: Uncle Billy's fault, but. But he has a time, you know, 305 00:16:24,060 --> 00:16:26,580 S2: when he goes to Potter on Christmas Eve. Um, he 306 00:16:26,580 --> 00:16:30,260 S2: doesn't say that Uncle Billy lost 8000 bucks. He says, uh, 307 00:16:30,260 --> 00:16:34,700 S2: I lost $8,000, or we've lost $8,000. The inference was 308 00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:38,990 S2: that he was owning the mistake. And even even potter 309 00:16:38,990 --> 00:16:40,990 S2: was a little surprised by that. But that's just the 310 00:16:40,990 --> 00:16:43,310 S2: type of guy he was. But but the reality was, 311 00:16:43,310 --> 00:16:45,190 S2: even though George did all the right things for all 312 00:16:45,190 --> 00:16:48,270 S2: the right reasons, he never saw that as significant. He 313 00:16:48,270 --> 00:16:51,670 S2: never saw it as important. Because, remember, he always wanted 314 00:16:51,670 --> 00:16:54,510 S2: to go places and build things. And for him, success 315 00:16:54,510 --> 00:16:57,470 S2: was getting out of Bedford Falls was being like Sam 316 00:16:57,470 --> 00:16:59,710 S2: Wainwright was being like his brother. It was a war 317 00:16:59,710 --> 00:17:03,270 S2: hero and and a football hero. And so in his 318 00:17:03,270 --> 00:17:05,630 S2: own eyes, he was always a failure because he didn't 319 00:17:05,630 --> 00:17:08,990 S2: get to go anywhere. He married the hometown girl. He 320 00:17:08,990 --> 00:17:11,990 S2: ran the Bailey Building and Loan. And that's why in 321 00:17:11,990 --> 00:17:15,389 S2: the Christmas Eve scene, he's kicking us. He's kicking the 322 00:17:15,790 --> 00:17:19,190 S2: balsa wood models of his bridges and his projects, because 323 00:17:19,190 --> 00:17:22,310 S2: that's that is, in essence, his realization that that's never 324 00:17:22,310 --> 00:17:24,870 S2: going to happen. He's never really going to leave. And 325 00:17:24,910 --> 00:17:27,230 S2: he's he's a failure. He sees himself as a total 326 00:17:27,230 --> 00:17:28,429 S2: failure at that moment. 327 00:17:28,710 --> 00:17:29,470 S4: Oh, it's interesting. 328 00:17:29,510 --> 00:17:32,590 S1: Too, that it just struck me as he's walking up 329 00:17:32,590 --> 00:17:35,630 S1: the stairs to go to Zuzu and that, you know, 330 00:17:35,670 --> 00:17:39,840 S1: the thing on, on the stairwell comes off in his hand. 331 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:41,600 S4: Yes. 332 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,480 S1: And and he is all into building and constructing. And 333 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,440 S1: he lives in a drafty house. Right? Lives in an 334 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,920 S1: old house. And so this is the tension that George 335 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,600 S1: has through everything in his life, all the people around him. 336 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,440 S1: He's trying to give them a better life, you know, 337 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,440 S1: two rooms and a bathroom and a roof over their heads. 338 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,520 S1: And he's been struggling with that all of his life. 339 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,200 S2: Exactly. You know, the Scripture talks about, you know, love 340 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,520 S2: others as you love yourself. And in a sense, maybe 341 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,640 S2: that was George's biggest problem, that he never really loved 342 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:17,359 S2: and appreciated himself until that visit with Clarence the Angel. 343 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,359 S2: And and that's what was able to help him change 344 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,720 S2: his perspective on everything. And that I love that newel 345 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,960 S2: post scene because he's going up the stairs and he's 346 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,879 S2: so angry the first time on Christmas Eve that he 347 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,720 S2: wants to throw it down when it comes off. And 348 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:35,119 S2: then hours later, he comes back and he's going upstairs. 349 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,330 S2: He's happy. Kids marry, um, and he picks it up 350 00:18:39,330 --> 00:18:41,330 S2: and it comes off as it always does. And what 351 00:18:41,330 --> 00:18:43,490 S2: does he do? He kisses it and puts it back. 352 00:18:43,690 --> 00:18:47,170 S2: And that, to me is a great image of again, 353 00:18:47,170 --> 00:18:50,609 S2: circumstances had not changed at all, but his attitude had changed. 354 00:18:50,609 --> 00:18:52,450 S2: He looked at life totally differently. 355 00:18:52,810 --> 00:18:57,449 S1: Embracing what God has given you and seeing the beauty 356 00:18:57,450 --> 00:18:59,810 S1: in the midst of the imperfection. 357 00:18:59,850 --> 00:19:00,250 S2: Exactly. 358 00:19:00,290 --> 00:19:04,050 S1: And oh, this is so good. Okay, Ben is in Florida. Ben, 359 00:19:04,090 --> 00:19:05,770 S1: you're on with Bob Welch. Go right ahead. 360 00:19:07,330 --> 00:19:09,410 S8: Uh, lesson that I seem to have learned from It's 361 00:19:09,410 --> 00:19:12,729 S8: Wonderful Life over the years is it was George's goal 362 00:19:12,730 --> 00:19:16,010 S8: in life to, as he put it up my feet 363 00:19:16,010 --> 00:19:18,450 S8: from this crummy old town and see the world. And 364 00:19:18,609 --> 00:19:24,210 S8: it just may be that staying in the crummy old 365 00:19:24,250 --> 00:19:26,490 S8: town will make all the difference in the world to 366 00:19:26,890 --> 00:19:30,090 S8: yourself and ultimately to others. 367 00:19:30,410 --> 00:19:30,970 S4: Yes. 368 00:19:31,330 --> 00:19:34,250 S1: If he had gone, if he had, you know, run, 369 00:19:34,250 --> 00:19:37,980 S1: run after whatever that was. Mary would not have come 370 00:19:37,980 --> 00:19:40,700 S1: into his life. He wouldn't have had those children. He 371 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:43,379 S1: wouldn't have had the relationships with the people in the, 372 00:19:43,580 --> 00:19:45,340 S1: you know, in the town that he did, that he 373 00:19:45,340 --> 00:19:48,100 S1: eventually did, all because of these bad things that kept 374 00:19:48,100 --> 00:19:49,980 S1: happen to him. All right, Bob, go ahead. 375 00:19:50,380 --> 00:19:52,700 S2: There's that one. There's that one scene to when they've 376 00:19:52,700 --> 00:19:56,659 S2: just helped welcome the martinis into their new house. And, 377 00:19:56,700 --> 00:19:58,580 S2: you know, Sam Wainwright's there with his wife, and they 378 00:19:58,580 --> 00:20:00,740 S2: want to invite George and Mary to go to Florida 379 00:20:00,740 --> 00:20:05,899 S2: with him. And. And George and Mary turn turned them down. And, uh, 380 00:20:06,100 --> 00:20:08,500 S2: everybody's left, and he's walking back to his car and 381 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:12,780 S2: he kicks the the door of his of his, um, uh, 382 00:20:13,500 --> 00:20:17,300 S2: car shot in anger, you know, because it's never it 383 00:20:17,300 --> 00:20:21,820 S2: never closes properly. And, and, uh, I think in that moment, 384 00:20:21,859 --> 00:20:23,859 S2: he that's another one of those moments where he feels 385 00:20:23,859 --> 00:20:26,500 S2: like a failure. He, in essence, he really wants to 386 00:20:26,500 --> 00:20:29,420 S2: be Sam Wainwright. Uh, I know that's a leap, but 387 00:20:29,420 --> 00:20:32,140 S2: I think it's really true. I mean, he's envious of 388 00:20:32,140 --> 00:20:34,710 S2: him when they're on the doorstep, you know, giving them 389 00:20:34,710 --> 00:20:37,149 S2: the food and the and the the bread and the 390 00:20:37,150 --> 00:20:41,190 S2: wine to, to to sort of, uh, honor the martinis. 391 00:20:41,390 --> 00:20:43,909 S2: He says to Mary, well, there's Sam Wainwright and she goes, 392 00:20:43,950 --> 00:20:47,550 S2: you know, something like, oh, you know, ignore him or whatever, 393 00:20:47,550 --> 00:20:49,670 S2: but but, you know, he but George has never been 394 00:20:49,670 --> 00:20:52,590 S2: able to forget because Sam Wainwright represents all that he, 395 00:20:52,590 --> 00:20:55,390 S2: in essence, wanted to be. But would we want George 396 00:20:55,390 --> 00:20:58,150 S2: to be Sam? Because we know, in essence, what what 397 00:20:58,190 --> 00:21:01,110 S2: became Sam Wainwright appears to be a guy who has 398 00:21:01,109 --> 00:21:04,030 S2: a lot of money, but maybe not much else. I mean, 399 00:21:04,190 --> 00:21:06,350 S2: he seems a little bit shallow. You know, he's got 400 00:21:06,350 --> 00:21:08,669 S2: the pretty women, but but, you know, he's kind of 401 00:21:08,710 --> 00:21:10,670 S2: all dressed up with nowhere to go. But but we 402 00:21:10,670 --> 00:21:13,110 S2: look at George and we say, there's a man of substance. 403 00:21:13,109 --> 00:21:14,870 S2: There's a man who's made a difference. There's a man 404 00:21:14,869 --> 00:21:17,469 S2: who who on his deathbed looks back and says, you 405 00:21:17,470 --> 00:21:21,070 S2: know what? You know, I think that I can honestly 406 00:21:21,070 --> 00:21:24,710 S2: say I've left a decent legacy and but but again, 407 00:21:24,710 --> 00:21:28,150 S2: George doesn't see that in himself. He sees. Which is 408 00:21:28,150 --> 00:21:32,000 S2: why he's in Potter's office the next day, smoking a cigar. guard. 409 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,560 S1: Well, and here's the other thing about that. You know, 410 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,560 S1: I think Sam was into plastics, and I don't know 411 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,720 S1: if they meant at that time, uh, this type of thing, 412 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,040 S1: but what is real and what is fabricated? 413 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,760 S2: Good, good. Interesting. Interesting point. I hadn't really caught that, but. Yeah. 414 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,920 S1: And Sam, you know, comes through in the end and 415 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,160 S1: he offers him, you know, $25,000. I'll wire it to you, 416 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,919 S1: you know. So. Right. Sam's not an all bad character, 417 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:04,440 S1: but you see all in, you know, George stays and 418 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,360 S1: this is reality. He stays in the real thing. And 419 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,880 S1: he actually is even encouraging Sam to. Why don't you 420 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,640 S1: build that, uh, you know, that that, uh, construct that 421 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,639 S1: thing over here, that building. Bring the plant here. We 422 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,680 S1: got plenty of people, right? All right. Patrick is in Indiana. Hi, Patrick. 423 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,120 S1: You're on the program. Right ahead. 424 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,120 S9: Yeah. Uh, uh, keyed in on your comment earlier about, uh, 425 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,240 S9: you know, all of us have a village or you 426 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,170 S9: hire a Billy, and, you know, there's a cost to it. Yeah. 427 00:22:33,010 --> 00:22:36,450 S9: You know. Well, I think, you know, what we fail 428 00:22:36,450 --> 00:22:38,490 S9: to see is that, you know, it's not what Uncle 429 00:22:38,530 --> 00:22:41,570 S9: Billy can do for us. It's what we can do 430 00:22:41,570 --> 00:22:45,730 S9: for Uncle Billy. Uh, you know, and if it hadn't 431 00:22:45,730 --> 00:22:50,370 S9: been for Uncle Billy, George would have never received, uh, 432 00:22:51,369 --> 00:22:54,490 S9: the impact for the impact that his life had made 433 00:22:54,490 --> 00:22:57,889 S9: on so many. If Uncle Billy never lost $8,000 because, 434 00:22:57,930 --> 00:23:00,410 S9: you know, he wouldn't have had people rushing into his home, 435 00:23:00,690 --> 00:23:03,810 S9: you know, at midnight on Christmas Eve, you know, bringing 436 00:23:03,810 --> 00:23:07,490 S9: their penny jars and just showing. Right. Uh, George, how 437 00:23:07,490 --> 00:23:14,010 S9: valuable and how appreciated he was. Right. So there's a cost, but, 438 00:23:14,050 --> 00:23:16,530 S9: you know, it's more. What can we do for those 439 00:23:16,530 --> 00:23:18,450 S9: in our lives who can't do anything for us? 440 00:23:19,010 --> 00:23:19,410 S8: Mm. 441 00:23:20,210 --> 00:23:23,570 S2: Yeah. Good. Good point. Yeah. You know, Uncle Billy was 442 00:23:23,609 --> 00:23:26,649 S2: a lovable old guy who, you know, certainly forgot a 443 00:23:26,690 --> 00:23:29,990 S2: lot of things, but, um, um, you know, made a 444 00:23:29,990 --> 00:23:31,909 S2: difference there in the end. Although, as I recall, in 445 00:23:31,910 --> 00:23:34,150 S2: the last scene, he's he says, Mary did it, Mary 446 00:23:34,150 --> 00:23:35,909 S2: did it, you know, but but, you know, he's the 447 00:23:35,910 --> 00:23:39,469 S2: one who's carrying the basket. So clearly he had gone out. And, um, 448 00:23:39,830 --> 00:23:41,990 S2: whether that was because of guilt or just his good 449 00:23:41,990 --> 00:23:45,030 S2: naturedness or not, probably, maybe a little bit of each, 450 00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:47,350 S2: but he certainly had helped save the day, hadn't he? 451 00:23:47,710 --> 00:23:53,229 S1: Yes. Yeah. And him absorbing that is another aspect of that. Patrick, 452 00:23:53,230 --> 00:23:55,270 S1: I'm glad you called today, but I want you to 453 00:23:55,270 --> 00:23:58,030 S1: think about this. All of the characters that you see 454 00:23:58,030 --> 00:23:59,950 S1: in that film, and we can go down the line 455 00:23:59,950 --> 00:24:04,950 S1: here from the angel Clarence to George and Mary, and 456 00:24:04,950 --> 00:24:08,429 S1: then on Uncle Billy and on down. There is a 457 00:24:08,790 --> 00:24:14,710 S1: desire in each of them. Everybody wants something in in 458 00:24:14,750 --> 00:24:19,790 S1: this story. And Clarence, when he comes to the the 459 00:24:19,830 --> 00:24:21,949 S1: angel and this was I had a theological problem with 460 00:24:21,950 --> 00:24:24,350 S1: the movie to begin with because that's not how the 461 00:24:24,350 --> 00:24:27,990 S1: angels are depicted, you know, and, and, uh, that he's 462 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,560 S1: 200 years old. No, no, no, angels were. So you 463 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,119 S1: have to take a leap, a theological leap over that 464 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:34,760 S1: once you get there. 465 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:35,680 S2: At the door, don't. 466 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,720 S1: You? Yeah, exactly. Once you get there, though, you see 467 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,920 S1: that he wants his wings. He is in it for 468 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,200 S1: the wings. That's why he's doing what he's doing. And 469 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,120 S1: of course, he wants to help the human beings down there. 470 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:53,760 S1: George really has this desire and this want to go 471 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,840 S1: abroad and to study out there and to build things. 472 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,720 S1: And here he is, stuck in this little town. But 473 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:03,159 S1: the trick of any good story is taking the character 474 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:07,800 S1: from what they want to what they need. And what 475 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,120 S1: George needs to see really, is how big an impact 476 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,320 S1: he has made on that little town and on all 477 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,479 S1: of those lives around him, and he cannot see it. 478 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,760 S1: Does that sing in your soul today? Is it pointing 479 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,560 S1: out something, uh, hitting a nerve in your heart? I 480 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,370 S1: hope it is. Bob Welch is our guest today. Lessons 481 00:25:30,369 --> 00:25:32,770 S1: from It's a Wonderful Life is our featured resource at 482 00:25:32,770 --> 00:25:38,130 S1: Chris Fabry Lives. This program originated 12 years ago. Can 483 00:25:38,130 --> 00:25:41,290 S1: you believe it? It still rings true today, doesn't it? 484 00:25:41,330 --> 00:25:44,609 S1: Go to the website, Chris. You can see more about 485 00:25:44,609 --> 00:25:50,050 S1: our featured resource today right there Chris. There's more coming 486 00:25:50,050 --> 00:25:52,210 S1: up straight ahead on Moody Radio. 487 00:26:06,890 --> 00:26:09,930 S10: Oh yeah. You remember It's a Wonderful Life and that 488 00:26:09,930 --> 00:26:12,450 S10: song that they sing, the George and Mary sing as 489 00:26:12,450 --> 00:26:15,250 S10: they're coming back after they fell in the pool and 490 00:26:15,250 --> 00:26:17,929 S10: then closes out the film. I think it was actually 491 00:26:17,930 --> 00:26:20,530 S10: on the record player, too, when he goes. 492 00:26:20,530 --> 00:26:23,490 S1: Over to her house and he says, all that old song. 493 00:26:23,490 --> 00:26:26,219 S1: I know that because Nate told me, Bob Welch is 494 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:26,940 S1: joining us today. 495 00:26:27,180 --> 00:26:29,500 S2: For a while until Mary busted the record. 496 00:26:29,540 --> 00:26:33,540 S1: She broke it. Yes. Yeah. 52 Little Lessons from It's 497 00:26:33,540 --> 00:26:37,140 S1: a Wonderful Life, our featured resource at Chris. Org. All right. 498 00:26:37,140 --> 00:26:39,939 S1: There's another need versus want. You know George wants to 499 00:26:39,940 --> 00:26:42,780 S1: go travel the world. What he needs is he needs 500 00:26:42,780 --> 00:26:46,139 S1: to see what kind of difference he's made. Mary all 501 00:26:46,140 --> 00:26:50,820 S1: throughout the film, she wants George. She she sees him 502 00:26:50,820 --> 00:26:53,899 S1: from an early, early on that this is the guy 503 00:26:53,940 --> 00:26:54,580 S1: for her. 504 00:26:54,859 --> 00:26:58,300 S2: Right? Mary is the one with perspective. Mary. Mary's a 505 00:26:58,300 --> 00:27:01,940 S2: little bit better grounded than George, I think. You know, 506 00:27:02,140 --> 00:27:04,340 S2: when they're talking that night, you know, she's the one. 507 00:27:04,380 --> 00:27:05,859 S2: You know, he said, well, I know you went off 508 00:27:05,859 --> 00:27:08,140 S2: to college with the rest of the guys. And and 509 00:27:08,140 --> 00:27:10,820 S2: she says, yeah, but I'm like being home. And he goes, well, 510 00:27:10,820 --> 00:27:14,659 S2: why you like it back in Bedford Falls? And, uh, 511 00:27:14,780 --> 00:27:17,700 S2: so she's the one that sort of realizes that there 512 00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:20,940 S2: you can find satisfaction where you are. You don't have 513 00:27:20,940 --> 00:27:23,780 S2: to go someplace, you don't have to do something big 514 00:27:23,780 --> 00:27:27,750 S2: and be somebody important to be significant in God's eyes. 515 00:27:28,070 --> 00:27:31,790 S2: She's the one after the wedding, even though initially she 516 00:27:31,790 --> 00:27:35,150 S2: doesn't want to stop. Um, when there's the run on 517 00:27:35,150 --> 00:27:37,750 S2: the bank, she's the one that comes up with the 518 00:27:37,750 --> 00:27:42,149 S2: creative solution to use their $2,000 of money of wedding 519 00:27:42,430 --> 00:27:46,790 S2: present money to save the day. Um, she's the one who, 520 00:27:47,150 --> 00:27:50,190 S2: after George goes berserk on Christmas Eve and starts kicking 521 00:27:50,190 --> 00:27:54,070 S2: everything instead of trying to exact revenge or packing up 522 00:27:54,070 --> 00:27:56,550 S2: the kids and moving to her mom's. She's the one 523 00:27:56,550 --> 00:28:00,590 S2: that starts praying for George and then goes out to, uh, 524 00:28:00,630 --> 00:28:03,550 S2: is the catalyst for the people in the community to 525 00:28:03,590 --> 00:28:06,830 S2: help show George how much they care about him. And 526 00:28:06,830 --> 00:28:09,629 S2: so really, she's she is sort of the quiet hero 527 00:28:09,630 --> 00:28:10,390 S2: in the movie. 528 00:28:10,590 --> 00:28:13,910 S1: Yes. Which takes us to Jim in Plainfield, Indiana. Hey, Jim. 529 00:28:13,950 --> 00:28:14,670 S1: Go right ahead. 530 00:28:15,270 --> 00:28:16,150 S9: Uh, how are. 531 00:28:16,150 --> 00:28:17,189 S11: You guys doing? 532 00:28:17,350 --> 00:28:18,030 S1: Great. 533 00:28:18,070 --> 00:28:19,350 S2: Doing fine. Thanks, Jim. 534 00:28:19,950 --> 00:28:22,109 S9: One of my favorite movies. I don't know how many 535 00:28:22,109 --> 00:28:23,840 S9: times I've seen it, it and I've seen it in 536 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:28,600 S9: a stage production as a musical. But I was talking 537 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,920 S9: to this call screener back, Mary's character, and it just 538 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,240 S9: seemed like she had this grand vision from when she 539 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,600 S9: was a young girl, and she reaches over the counter 540 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,680 S9: and whispers in his deaf ear, I love you, George 541 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,440 S9: Bailey just keeps hanging on through all of the the changes. 542 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,680 S9: And then she has this vision of this, this old 543 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,280 S9: broken down home that they throw rocks through when they're 544 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,760 S9: making wishes and and when she says, you know, we've 545 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:58,880 S9: got her home, he goes home and she describes what 546 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,360 S9: it was. And he says that broken down old thing, 547 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,080 S9: and she has this vision of a home, and he 548 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,040 S9: just sees it as just an old, dilapidated building. And, 549 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,719 S9: you know, you're right. She just seems to be the 550 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:11,960 S9: one that seems to be so much more grounded. 551 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,920 S2: You're that's you really point out an interesting thing, Jim, 552 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:20,280 S2: and it's true that in essence, George, in the end 553 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,690 S2: comes around to her way of thinking. She's looked at 554 00:29:23,690 --> 00:29:26,050 S2: life that way all along. She never thought she had 555 00:29:26,050 --> 00:29:29,490 S2: to go off and do something important to be important. And. 556 00:29:29,490 --> 00:29:31,810 S2: And in the end, George kind of winds up. They 557 00:29:31,850 --> 00:29:35,930 S2: wind up sort of soulmates in that same sense that, uh, 558 00:29:35,970 --> 00:29:38,290 S2: together they can make a difference right there in their 559 00:29:38,290 --> 00:29:40,810 S2: own community. But but you're right, it's Mary who has 560 00:29:40,810 --> 00:29:43,770 S2: that perspective from the moment she whispers into the ear, 561 00:29:43,810 --> 00:29:45,770 S2: you know, George Bailey, I'll love you till the day 562 00:29:45,770 --> 00:29:46,490 S2: I die. 563 00:29:47,050 --> 00:29:50,130 S1: I love the the idea of vision, too. With the 564 00:29:50,130 --> 00:29:53,730 S1: old house, she could see it for what it could become. 565 00:29:53,970 --> 00:29:57,570 S1: And he just saw it as, you know, as it appeared. 566 00:29:57,730 --> 00:30:00,450 S1: And don't we need those types of people in our lives? 567 00:30:00,450 --> 00:30:03,730 S2: He wanted to go out and create new things and build, 568 00:30:03,970 --> 00:30:07,010 S2: you know, he wanted to be a cutting edge guy. And, and, uh, 569 00:30:07,010 --> 00:30:14,010 S2: she saw that you could restore things and applicable to our, 570 00:30:14,050 --> 00:30:17,970 S2: to the way that we live. Because even ourselves, you know, that, 571 00:30:18,290 --> 00:30:21,820 S2: you know, we're never enough. But we can, um, we 572 00:30:21,820 --> 00:30:24,460 S2: can change. We can become more than we once were. 573 00:30:24,740 --> 00:30:28,300 S2: Just like the old Granville house was a dilapidated old thing. 574 00:30:28,340 --> 00:30:30,340 S2: And George wouldn't live in it even if he were 575 00:30:30,340 --> 00:30:33,940 S2: a ghost. But Mary saw that it could become something 576 00:30:33,980 --> 00:30:36,260 S2: far more, and she spearheaded that effort. 577 00:30:36,620 --> 00:30:38,860 S1: Love it. Thanks, Jim, for your call. All right, now, 578 00:30:38,860 --> 00:30:41,940 S1: here is a a person who does not agree. But 579 00:30:41,940 --> 00:30:45,460 S1: I'm going to let this anonymous caller here in. Let's 580 00:30:45,460 --> 00:30:48,100 S1: see if we can change Anonymous's mind. Hey anonymous, go 581 00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:48,700 S1: right ahead. 582 00:30:49,820 --> 00:30:51,020 S9: Yes, I've watched. 583 00:30:51,020 --> 00:30:55,020 S12: The show several times and I think it's horrible. It 584 00:30:55,020 --> 00:30:58,500 S12: is about a self-centered man that doesn't do anything but 585 00:30:58,540 --> 00:31:02,020 S12: whine and care about himself. He has good things going 586 00:31:02,020 --> 00:31:06,220 S12: for him, but he never appreciates anything. He whines. Everybody 587 00:31:06,220 --> 00:31:09,500 S12: else has got it better than he is. Everybody else is. 588 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:13,180 S12: Grass is greener on the other side. Nobody knows what 589 00:31:13,180 --> 00:31:16,420 S12: he goes through. He's just a little kid that's never 590 00:31:16,420 --> 00:31:22,910 S12: grown up and he whines about everything. Everything you say. 591 00:31:22,950 --> 00:31:27,150 S1: You're so hard on George O. Anonymous. See? 592 00:31:27,190 --> 00:31:28,270 S2: Now, take that one. 593 00:31:28,630 --> 00:31:30,150 S1: Yeah, you go ahead. Okay, Bob. 594 00:31:30,630 --> 00:31:34,150 S2: Uh, certainly. Certainly at the end of the movie, I will. 595 00:31:34,150 --> 00:31:36,870 S2: I will give her this. That George slips into self-pity. 596 00:31:36,910 --> 00:31:39,950 S2: I don't know if, you know, whining and whining and whining. 597 00:31:39,950 --> 00:31:42,430 S2: I'm not sure that would be applicable, but let's go 598 00:31:42,430 --> 00:31:46,950 S2: back and look at what George did because because he stayed. 599 00:31:46,990 --> 00:31:49,670 S2: He was the sort of their family was a stabilizing 600 00:31:49,670 --> 00:31:52,350 S2: force in town. He didn't have to stay at the 601 00:31:52,350 --> 00:31:55,590 S2: Bailey Building and Loan. He chose to. He didn't have 602 00:31:55,590 --> 00:31:59,630 S2: to help. Violet. Vic, uh, the town hussy. But he 603 00:31:59,630 --> 00:32:03,190 S2: chose to, um, he didn't have to give the martinis 604 00:32:03,230 --> 00:32:06,310 S2: a house at half the value, but he chose to. 605 00:32:06,470 --> 00:32:10,230 S2: And so he allowed an entire lower income part of 606 00:32:10,270 --> 00:32:13,550 S2: that community to live in houses. I hardly call that 607 00:32:13,830 --> 00:32:17,880 S2: a whining and whining and whining and only caring about himself. 608 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:21,520 S2: So I would disagree with the caller, respectfully, that all 609 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,400 S2: he did was whine about his life. Again, I would 610 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:28,080 S2: agree that toward the end, on Christmas Eve, he does, uh, 611 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,480 S2: devolve into a sense of self-pity. There's no doubt about that. 612 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,840 S2: But I think that George lived an honorable life and 613 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:40,240 S2: and was always about other people and not about himself. Yeah. 614 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:45,960 S1: Where he winds up anonymous is gratitude, though. He realizes, uh, 615 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:49,640 S1: the effect that his life has had in spite of, 616 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:52,440 S1: you know, the fact that he couldn't see it. So 617 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,880 S1: don't you think that counteracts some of what what you saw? 618 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:02,480 S12: I think part of the thing is he wanted dreams. 619 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,120 S12: He had the big dream. But I don't know that 620 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:09,440 S12: he had the ambition or the really want to do it. 621 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,840 S12: I have gone through lots of things in life. If 622 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,000 S12: you want something that bad, you go out and get it. 623 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,860 S12: You find a way to do it. And he could 624 00:33:18,860 --> 00:33:22,660 S12: tell them what he wanted and still get other things too. 625 00:33:23,060 --> 00:33:25,580 S1: Okay, that's a really good point. Let me jump in there. 626 00:33:25,620 --> 00:33:29,660 S1: That that, you know, that everybody else is controlling his life. 627 00:33:29,660 --> 00:33:31,340 S1: And oh, now I got to stay at the building 628 00:33:31,340 --> 00:33:35,340 S1: alone because his father died or the board has voted. And, 629 00:33:35,380 --> 00:33:40,540 S1: you know, it's our $2,000 that you're using here. And 630 00:33:40,540 --> 00:33:42,940 S1: so she sees this Bob as just a person who 631 00:33:42,940 --> 00:33:46,420 S1: is being steamrolled all of his life, and he's allowed 632 00:33:46,420 --> 00:33:47,500 S1: this to happen. 633 00:33:48,060 --> 00:33:49,900 S2: Well, I would disagree. I would say that. I would 634 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:52,540 S2: say he had George Bailey had a choice in every 635 00:33:52,540 --> 00:33:56,500 S2: one of those cases. He didn't have to stay. Again, 636 00:33:57,020 --> 00:33:59,140 S2: there was. Was there pressure on him to stay? Did 637 00:33:59,140 --> 00:34:02,500 S2: his father want him to take over the building? Certainly. 638 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:04,420 S2: But he didn't have to. He could have left. He 639 00:34:04,420 --> 00:34:06,900 S2: could have left his family. He could have gone off 640 00:34:06,900 --> 00:34:09,259 S2: and tried to do those things. And I don't think 641 00:34:09,260 --> 00:34:11,620 S2: that that makes him a noble man, because he leaves 642 00:34:11,620 --> 00:34:14,299 S2: his family, leaves his community and goes off and and 643 00:34:14,300 --> 00:34:17,190 S2: tries to follow his dreams. Now I'm. I'm all for 644 00:34:17,190 --> 00:34:20,670 S2: following one's dreams, but. But not at the expense of 645 00:34:20,670 --> 00:34:23,710 S2: the people around you. Okay? And I think what George 646 00:34:23,710 --> 00:34:28,069 S2: did was he stayed and was a, was a stabilizing 647 00:34:28,070 --> 00:34:30,830 S2: force in a community that, during the Depression and World 648 00:34:30,830 --> 00:34:33,950 S2: War Two, was going through some very, very difficult times. 649 00:34:33,950 --> 00:34:38,350 S2: And it was his again, it was his humility and 650 00:34:38,350 --> 00:34:43,590 S2: his other orientedness that allowed the people, like the cab driver, 651 00:34:43,630 --> 00:34:47,029 S2: Ernie Bishop, to to buy a house. And Violet, when 652 00:34:47,030 --> 00:34:48,910 S2: he's going, she's going off to New York. He's the 653 00:34:48,910 --> 00:34:51,190 S2: one that digs into his own pockets to give her money. 654 00:34:51,390 --> 00:34:55,469 S2: So I just disagree that, you know, certainly George, like 655 00:34:55,510 --> 00:34:58,549 S2: us all, had his blind spots and but I don't 656 00:34:58,550 --> 00:35:00,710 S2: think selfishness was one of them. 657 00:35:01,830 --> 00:35:05,870 S1: I appreciate you calling anonymous. It made the conversation richer. 658 00:35:06,070 --> 00:35:09,150 S1: And one of the scenes that I just love is 659 00:35:09,150 --> 00:35:13,230 S1: the scene between the dad and George at the table 660 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,840 S1: When he broaches this, you know he's getting ready to 661 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,480 S1: go off the next day and he's and and the 662 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,520 S1: level that they get to in conversation of a father 663 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,160 S1: and a son and the heart of the dad and the. 664 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,560 S1: You can see how conflicted George is even though he 665 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:31,799 S1: has this desire to do this. It's like, I don't 666 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:36,000 S1: want to dishonor my father because you're you're my hero, pop, 667 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:39,160 S1: you know? Right, right, right. And that is that is 668 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,880 S1: really at the heart, I think, of what is different 669 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,399 S1: about George not being self centered. He really does want 670 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:46,080 S1: to honor. 671 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,439 S2: Exactly. In fact, that's one of my lessons is, you know, 672 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,920 S2: don't wait to say the things that need to be said. 673 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,600 S2: And as you recall in that scene, while he does 674 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,239 S2: sort of put his foot in his mouth and, you know, 675 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,000 S2: I couldn't stand, you know, staying around here in this 676 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:04,880 S2: nickel and dime organization, you know, um, but he does, 677 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,839 S2: but he stops himself and, and he says to his father, 678 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,440 S2: you know, I think you're a swell guy. And, and 679 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,520 S2: when you think about that, you know, 3 or 4 680 00:36:12,610 --> 00:36:15,690 S2: hours later, the man's dead. And yet that's. Those are 681 00:36:15,690 --> 00:36:17,850 S2: the last words he got to hear from his son. 682 00:36:18,050 --> 00:36:21,330 S2: And and those are the words that George gets to 683 00:36:21,370 --> 00:36:23,810 S2: live with the rest of his life knowing. The last 684 00:36:23,810 --> 00:36:25,810 S2: thing I said to my father was how much I 685 00:36:25,850 --> 00:36:28,050 S2: cared about him, and what a great guy that he was. 686 00:36:28,090 --> 00:36:31,530 S2: And so say those things that need, need, need being said. 687 00:36:32,010 --> 00:36:35,089 S1: So true. Bob Welch is with us. This is Chris 688 00:36:35,130 --> 00:36:39,609 S1: Fabry live from 12 years ago. This program holds up, 689 00:36:39,610 --> 00:36:42,089 S1: doesn't it? It doesn't it touch a nerve inside? I 690 00:36:42,090 --> 00:36:44,130 S1: hope you're enjoying it as much as I am hearing 691 00:36:44,130 --> 00:36:47,250 S1: it again. Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life is our 692 00:36:47,250 --> 00:36:54,290 S1: featured resource at Chris. Favorite. Chris favorite. There's more straight 693 00:36:54,290 --> 00:36:55,850 S1: ahead on Moody Radio. 694 00:37:07,050 --> 00:37:13,100 S7: Hello. Bedford falls. Merry Christmas. 695 00:37:13,420 --> 00:37:20,580 S13: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas George. Merry Christmas movie house. Merry 696 00:37:20,580 --> 00:37:27,180 S13: Christmas emporium. Merry Christmas, you wonderful old building and loan. 697 00:37:31,820 --> 00:37:36,780 S13: Hooray for Christmas, Mr. Potter. Happy New Year to you 698 00:37:37,100 --> 00:37:40,020 S13: in jail. Go on home. They're waiting for you. 699 00:37:42,219 --> 00:37:43,259 S1: I wanted to do. 700 00:37:43,300 --> 00:37:45,620 S14: My Lionel Barrymore impersonation. Here. 701 00:37:45,620 --> 00:37:48,820 S1: This is Chris Fabry. Live that from It's a Wonderful Life. 702 00:37:48,820 --> 00:37:52,820 S1: There is the turnaround. I guess. The spoiler alert. There's 703 00:37:52,820 --> 00:37:56,660 S1: where George turns around and he sees what he has 704 00:37:56,700 --> 00:38:01,380 S1: and not what he doesn't have. Maggie is in canton, Ohio. 705 00:38:01,420 --> 00:38:02,940 S1: Maggie joined the conversation. 706 00:38:04,020 --> 00:38:06,980 S15: Hi. Thanks for taking my call. You know, I love 707 00:38:06,980 --> 00:38:11,469 S15: this movie. It's one of the best, I think we 708 00:38:11,469 --> 00:38:15,509 S15: can all all of us can identify with George. I 709 00:38:15,510 --> 00:38:19,230 S15: think he felt invisible on a day to day that 710 00:38:19,230 --> 00:38:21,469 S15: going through his life day to day. I just think 711 00:38:21,469 --> 00:38:24,509 S15: that he got to the point where he felt invisible, 712 00:38:24,550 --> 00:38:26,790 S15: as good a guy as he was, and he believed 713 00:38:26,790 --> 00:38:30,589 S15: in himself. He really did. And we all go through that. 714 00:38:30,630 --> 00:38:34,790 S15: We can all identify with what George is experiencing, and 715 00:38:34,790 --> 00:38:42,030 S15: yet it's the George Bailey's of this world that don't get, 716 00:38:42,230 --> 00:38:46,590 S15: not that he wanted credit, but that he wanted something more. 717 00:38:46,590 --> 00:38:49,830 S15: And he didn't feel it was. It isn't shown. Do 718 00:38:49,830 --> 00:38:52,230 S15: you know what I mean? It really isn't shown because 719 00:38:52,270 --> 00:38:57,190 S15: we continuously place the Sam Wainwright's of this world on 720 00:38:57,190 --> 00:38:57,950 S15: a pedestal. 721 00:38:57,989 --> 00:38:58,509 S2: Right? 722 00:38:58,670 --> 00:39:01,509 S15: And they're the ones who get the accolade, and they're 723 00:39:01,550 --> 00:39:05,830 S15: the ones who are talked about. And it's the real heroes, 724 00:39:05,830 --> 00:39:11,080 S15: the dads and the moms raising families who kind of 725 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:12,400 S15: feel left out of it. 726 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,480 S2: Yeah, I think that that's you bring up a great 727 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:17,239 S2: point and I'm glad you did that. And I think 728 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:21,040 S2: we live in a culture that increasingly is is honoring 729 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:23,520 S2: the Sam Wainwrights of the world, and it makes it 730 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:27,520 S2: all the harder for us to feel worthy of ourselves 731 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,640 S2: for just doing the right things. And particularly in the 732 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:33,279 S2: day of Twitter and Facebook and the stuff where we 733 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:37,960 S2: have a chance to sort of promote ourselves, um, that 734 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,600 S2: the person who toils in the shadows just doing the 735 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:44,439 S2: right thing for his family, for his community, for his church, uh, 736 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:48,200 S2: that person doesn't get those strokes. And and I think 737 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:50,480 S2: the one of the lessons here, though, that life isn't 738 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:54,000 S2: about strokes. Yes, it is about doing the right thing 739 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:56,520 S2: in the shadows, if that's what's called for. 740 00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:01,520 S1: Well, and and I ask that question about want versus need. 741 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:04,760 S1: Think about George's kids. Now, he had all these kids 742 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:08,250 S1: out there, and there's Janey, who's playing the piano, and 743 00:40:08,250 --> 00:40:10,770 S1: the one kid who's always asking, what does this mean? 744 00:40:10,770 --> 00:40:14,250 S1: And so that kid needs a dictionary, and this other child, 745 00:40:14,290 --> 00:40:16,609 S1: you know, needs to be noticed. But what do they 746 00:40:16,610 --> 00:40:20,570 S1: really want? They don't want their dad to be Sam Wainwright. 747 00:40:20,610 --> 00:40:23,569 S1: They don't need him to, you know, make millions of 748 00:40:23,570 --> 00:40:26,090 S1: dollars and to be in plastics and to be running 749 00:40:26,090 --> 00:40:29,570 S1: all over the world. They want a daddy who's at home, 750 00:40:29,690 --> 00:40:32,930 S1: who will come into your room and kiss you and 751 00:40:32,930 --> 00:40:34,770 S1: tell you it's going to be all better, and that 752 00:40:34,770 --> 00:40:37,089 S1: your rose petals are going to be all better as well. 753 00:40:37,210 --> 00:40:40,170 S2: Exactly. That's I think that that's a good point. And 754 00:40:40,170 --> 00:40:43,130 S2: I'm glad that you brought that up. And, and, uh, 755 00:40:43,130 --> 00:40:45,569 S2: but it's so easy for us to, to buy into 756 00:40:45,570 --> 00:40:49,210 S2: the world's vision of what success is, and we have 757 00:40:49,210 --> 00:40:51,770 S2: to fight with that on, I think, on a daily basis. And, 758 00:40:51,810 --> 00:40:54,570 S2: and in the end, it's, it's, it's looking our maker 759 00:40:54,570 --> 00:40:56,810 S2: in the face. It's looking at ourselves in the mirror 760 00:40:56,810 --> 00:40:58,569 S2: and saying, you know, did I do the right thing 761 00:40:58,570 --> 00:41:01,970 S2: for the right reason? And, and I agree with our caller. 762 00:41:01,969 --> 00:41:04,450 S2: I think she put it very eloquently, better than I 763 00:41:04,450 --> 00:41:09,299 S2: probably could that that it really is about, um, you know, uh, 764 00:41:09,300 --> 00:41:11,460 S2: what we can what we can just do for the 765 00:41:11,460 --> 00:41:13,980 S2: people around us. That's so very important. 766 00:41:14,020 --> 00:41:16,819 S1: And and it's not that Sam is. It's not that 767 00:41:16,820 --> 00:41:19,340 S1: Sam is bad, either. It's not like the people who, 768 00:41:19,380 --> 00:41:22,620 S1: you know, are successes, quote unquote, in society. It's it's 769 00:41:22,620 --> 00:41:25,859 S1: those of us who aren't who aspire to this and 770 00:41:25,860 --> 00:41:28,739 S1: who say that is success. And it's not. 771 00:41:28,780 --> 00:41:32,219 S2: Right. Exactly. But it's what people give up in order 772 00:41:32,219 --> 00:41:34,859 S2: to get that fame and fortune and that notoriety. What 773 00:41:34,860 --> 00:41:37,700 S2: have you given up in the process? I'm. I'm reading 774 00:41:37,700 --> 00:41:41,100 S2: a book about a rock star, a singer who I 775 00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:43,700 S2: won't mention, but somebody who I love since I was, 776 00:41:44,060 --> 00:41:46,700 S2: you know, in the 70s. And as I read this book, 777 00:41:46,700 --> 00:41:49,779 S2: I go, you know what? This guy is famous. And 778 00:41:49,780 --> 00:41:53,020 S2: I think people think, but look at the carnage he's 779 00:41:53,020 --> 00:41:58,299 S2: left behind, the broken relationships, the promises not kept. It's pathetic. 780 00:41:58,300 --> 00:42:02,779 S2: And yet he he will he will die. An honored man, probably. 781 00:42:02,820 --> 00:42:07,870 S2: And yet, here's the reality is that that we're we're 782 00:42:07,870 --> 00:42:11,750 S2: not about pleasing man. That's that's not the the ultimate 783 00:42:11,750 --> 00:42:12,550 S2: goal here. 784 00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:16,750 S1: Yes. Or ourselves. See, if George just wanted to please 785 00:42:16,750 --> 00:42:19,910 S1: himself or follow his dream and his passion. ET cetera. 786 00:42:19,910 --> 00:42:22,390 S1: ET cetera. It would have taken him to a totally 787 00:42:22,390 --> 00:42:27,550 S1: different place. But when you put others before yourself, you 788 00:42:27,590 --> 00:42:31,230 S1: actually will win in the end. Uh, Maggie, thanks for 789 00:42:31,230 --> 00:42:34,390 S1: your call today. Steve in Indiana. Hey, Steve, can you 790 00:42:34,390 --> 00:42:34,830 S1: hear me? 791 00:42:35,510 --> 00:42:35,950 S13: Yeah. 792 00:42:36,270 --> 00:42:37,190 S1: Okay. Go right ahead. 793 00:42:37,230 --> 00:42:40,790 S9: I have loved Wonderful life for so long. I've always 794 00:42:40,790 --> 00:42:44,030 S9: looked at it and thought that one of the greatest 795 00:42:44,030 --> 00:42:46,790 S9: things you could do is break that down into a 796 00:42:46,830 --> 00:42:49,670 S9: Bible study anyway, because there's just so many things in 797 00:42:49,670 --> 00:42:52,709 S9: there that you can use. But one of the things 798 00:42:52,710 --> 00:42:56,510 S9: that always struck me was how throughout the movie, you know, 799 00:42:56,550 --> 00:43:00,430 S9: Potter was always sort of the presence of more or 800 00:43:00,430 --> 00:43:03,850 S9: less evil in our lives and how George always sort 801 00:43:03,890 --> 00:43:08,170 S9: of dealt with that throughout the movie. And even when, 802 00:43:08,210 --> 00:43:12,530 S9: you know, he he had George and Uncle Billy's money 803 00:43:12,530 --> 00:43:14,810 S9: in his hand. You know, my wife was looking at 804 00:43:14,810 --> 00:43:16,810 S9: it and says, well, he can't keep that. And I said, 805 00:43:16,969 --> 00:43:20,930 S9: do you expect evil to do right? Yeah. And so, 806 00:43:21,330 --> 00:43:23,969 S9: you know, here's always this presence and how, you know, 807 00:43:24,010 --> 00:43:26,210 S9: I was just always amazed at how George sort of 808 00:43:26,250 --> 00:43:30,330 S9: dealt with that. You know, every time the presence of, of, 809 00:43:30,610 --> 00:43:33,770 S9: you know, the bad things and the evil was there, 810 00:43:33,810 --> 00:43:36,130 S9: how he dealt with those things throughout the movie. 811 00:43:37,610 --> 00:43:42,049 S2: Yeah, I think that that's true. And, um, um, I 812 00:43:42,050 --> 00:43:45,450 S2: just think the important thing is to, to, uh, just 813 00:43:45,450 --> 00:43:50,650 S2: to remember that it's our job to be, um, model 814 00:43:50,770 --> 00:43:54,930 S2: to others, and it's our job to be, um, graceful 815 00:43:54,930 --> 00:43:57,930 S2: to others. I in my book, 52 Little Lessons from 816 00:43:57,930 --> 00:44:01,009 S2: It's a Wonderful Life, I suggest at the end. At 817 00:44:01,010 --> 00:44:04,940 S2: one point, Capra had an ending that said that that 818 00:44:04,940 --> 00:44:08,300 S2: had Potter coming back to the house and actually coming 819 00:44:08,300 --> 00:44:11,060 S2: up to the door and ready to knock on the 820 00:44:11,060 --> 00:44:14,460 S2: Baileys door. But he couldn't bring himself to do so 821 00:44:14,460 --> 00:44:18,220 S2: because he didn't think himself worthy. He had the $8,000 822 00:44:18,219 --> 00:44:20,419 S2: on an envelope. He was going to return it, but 823 00:44:20,420 --> 00:44:23,460 S2: the reason he didn't knock was he didn't think himself worthy. 824 00:44:24,060 --> 00:44:27,540 S2: Who among us is worthy for God's grace? None of 825 00:44:27,540 --> 00:44:30,740 S2: us is. And yet God grants us that grace. So 826 00:44:30,780 --> 00:44:33,140 S2: I think we need to grant those grace. I, I 827 00:44:33,300 --> 00:44:36,180 S2: suggest that I would love the movie if I had 828 00:44:36,180 --> 00:44:38,620 S2: an alternative ending. I think I would end it with 829 00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:41,180 S2: the angels up there saying, hey, there's trouble down there. 830 00:44:41,180 --> 00:44:46,220 S2: A lot of people are playing, praying for a guy, um, um, 831 00:44:46,260 --> 00:44:49,060 S2: named Mr. Potter tonight. And and I just think it 832 00:44:49,060 --> 00:44:51,779 S2: would be interesting to suggest that, that we need to 833 00:44:51,780 --> 00:44:54,340 S2: find grace in our lives for somebody like that, because 834 00:44:54,340 --> 00:44:56,859 S2: why is he the way that he is? I would 835 00:44:56,900 --> 00:44:59,780 S2: bet that no one ever showed him grace in his life. 836 00:44:59,780 --> 00:45:02,750 S2: No one ever showed him compassion or love. And so 837 00:45:02,750 --> 00:45:07,830 S2: he grew up knowing nothing but meanness and covetousness and such. 838 00:45:07,870 --> 00:45:10,270 S2: And that's why he became a miser. So we've got 839 00:45:10,270 --> 00:45:13,109 S2: to be that light for somebody like who's living that 840 00:45:13,110 --> 00:45:14,590 S2: dark life as well. 841 00:45:14,989 --> 00:45:18,270 S1: See, there it is again. I started out the program 842 00:45:18,270 --> 00:45:22,310 S1: today with that whole idea that nobody wants to resonate 843 00:45:22,310 --> 00:45:26,710 S1: with Mr. Potter. We do not see ourselves in Mr. 844 00:45:26,710 --> 00:45:30,550 S1: Potter because he's so miserly and he's so mean, and he. 845 00:45:30,870 --> 00:45:33,469 S1: He hides the money and George is going to go 846 00:45:33,469 --> 00:45:36,790 S1: to jail. And all we did. That's not us. But 847 00:45:36,790 --> 00:45:39,910 S1: really it is. We've all sinned. We've all fallen short 848 00:45:39,910 --> 00:45:42,950 S1: of the glory of God. That's why Christmas had to happen. 849 00:45:42,950 --> 00:45:46,630 S1: That's why the incarnation had to happen. Because we needed 850 00:45:46,830 --> 00:45:52,110 S1: the full forgiveness that only could be paid, that sin 851 00:45:52,110 --> 00:45:55,830 S1: debt could be paid by a righteous one. And that's 852 00:45:55,830 --> 00:45:58,870 S1: not you and that's not me. We're not righteous. No. 853 00:45:58,870 --> 00:46:02,520 S1: Not one. but he. Jesus was. Isn't that good? Uh, 854 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,160 S1: I like to see myself as George Bailey, too, but 855 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:09,560 S1: I am seeing myself as I get older. More like Mr. Potter. 856 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:13,200 S1: How about you? The Bob made the point at the 857 00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:15,840 S1: end of the program that it's a lot like the 858 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:19,680 S1: prodigal son story, that we see ourselves as the loving 859 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:23,239 S1: father who's waiting for the son. We don't see ourselves 860 00:46:23,239 --> 00:46:26,520 S1: as the prodigal. We don't want to. We don't see 861 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:30,280 S1: ourselves as the older brother either. All right, that's another program. 862 00:46:30,719 --> 00:46:34,200 S1: What a great way to end the day after Christmas. 863 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,160 S1: Thank you for listening to the the conversation today at 864 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:40,759 S1: the radio backyard fence. Next week we have some great, 865 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:44,160 S1: fantastic programs from this past year that I want to 866 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:46,640 S1: play for you. Hope you'll come back. Have a great 867 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:49,920 S1: weekend and always remember Chris Fabry Live is a production 868 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:53,760 S1: of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.