Breaker! Breaker 1-9! This here's the bigmouth rolling down the road just flirting with disaster! Just wanted to let you guys know to slow it down up around the bend as smokey's waiting to bite you in the britches if you ain't lookin' out for him. Can I get a big 10-4?
Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes, your interpreter for all thing CB, that's citizen's band radio for those of you who didn't exist in the 70's! The CB was the precursor to our cell phone and the message above is loosely translated: "Hey there, this is Randy traveling down the road having a great day! I just saw a police officer with his radar gun. He seemed as if he were ready to write a few tickets today so you better make sure you're doing the speed limit. If you got this message, let me know."
Communication sure has changed a lot in the last 40 years. We've now seemingly shortened everything to initials or numbers and it's difficult to understand without the aid of a teenage translator! Well, today's Musical Notes will attempt to stay away from both the CB language and the modern day "initializing" and just use plain 'ol words. You see we've got a long way to go and a short time to get there so we mustn't delay! Let's get started and do what they say can't be done!
With a mostly improvised script, Smokey and the Bandit became the second highest grossing film of 1977. It was a movie about a team of bootleggers who make a deal to get a load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas to Atlanta in 28 hours. (My map shows that it only takes 11 hours, 34 minutes, that however is mostly interstate miles and the roads look significantly different than they did in 1977!) Coors at the time could not be sold east of Oklahoma due to its lack of stabilizers and preservatives. (The Notes does not condone the consumption of alcohol, nor do we judge those who do choose to partake. If you do, do so responsibly, I have grandkids on the roads now!)
The movie featured the now iconic 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and the 1974 Kenworth Semis so prominently that Hal Needham, the director, considered the vehicles cast members. Various articles have intimated that the cars used in production were so beat up that none lasted past the production of the film. Burt Reynolds, however, sold one (either a replica that Pontiac made for him or the last surviving workable car) at an auction to help pay for his 1996 bankruptcy.
Smokey and the Bandit affirmed the iconic status that Burt Reynolds had created since his early days of acting and established his impact on Hollywood for the future as a director and producer. Reynolds has said that the movie was the one he had the most fun making.
In my opinion, Burt Reynolds was my generation's Cary Grant and John Wayne all rolled into one. He was the heartthrob of an era's female population with his tough exterior, and magnetic smile (mustache accentuated!) His movie career would span 57 years. He would have parts in television episodes beginning in 1958 and for the next 54 years, he would be seen on TVs in various roles. His most prominent television credits include Gunsmoke (1962-1965), Dan August (1970-1971), and Evening Shade (1990-1994), a show about a small town in Arkansas. He even recorded a record, 1973's Ask Me What I Am, produced by Bobby Goldsboro and Buddy Killen. But for most, Burt Reynolds will always be remembered as the gum chewing, cowboy hat wearing, driver of the '77 Trans Am with the eagle on the hood known as Bandit. His passing on September 6th of this year reminds us that we all have a destiny, even the seemingly unstoppable Bandit.
"East Bound and Down" was a smash hit for Jerry Reed, going all the way to #2 on the U.S. Country Charts. It tells the story of Smokey in the Bandit in under 2 minutes 45 seconds. While the song's theme is interspersed all throughout, I find it interesting that the main song from the movie takes up roughly about 2% of the movie.
The Bible says something very similar to us about our lives. In the perspective of all of time, our lives take up a small fraction. Tuesday's Musical Notes has expressed its belief that the earth at most is only about 6000 years old. (For the foundations of why we believe this go to answersingenesis.com.) The average human is blessed to exist 70 years. This means that your life potentially exists for 1% of all of time.
The Book of James, which is a letter written by Jesus' half-brother, has much to say about what we should do with our short expanse. James letter to Jewish Christians, chapter 4 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible parallel King David writes in the hymn book of the Bible, The Psalms, that man is a breath: Psalms 144:3-4 NIV/The Message/ESV
Given this, it is imperative that we are expedient with the use of our lives. On the posthumous 1983 release, The Prodigal Son, Christian Singer/Songwriter Keith Green noted as a prelude to his song "Open Your Eyes":
"This generation of believers that you and me are a part of, we are responsible for this generation of souls, all over the world. We're responsible for them. We're responsible to pray daily for the needs of ministries around the world and ask God "how about me not sending my money this time, how about me going? " it's so easy to write checks, it's so easy. But God can't cash out of state checks in heaven. He needs you!" ("This generation of believers...". "Open Your Eyes" by Keith Green from the 1983 album The Prodigal Son)
Burt Reynolds obviously made an impact on his generation. Ultimately, God will be the one who determines what that impact was and how it has effected Burt Reynolds destiny. We are all destined for somewhere. We were created to exist forever. The question is, where will that forever be? Will it be in a place of restoration to God through Jesus' sacrifice or will it be separated from Him in a place where there is no light, no Love, and no escape?
I can say with confidence that 1 of two things will happen to me. I will either meet Jesus after my last breath, or I will be east bound and down, loaded up and truckin' when He returns. I can say this because of a relationship that improves with each passing day and a couple of promises that Jesus, who I claim as my Savior, my restorer, and my Lord, made. (1, I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. (The Apostle Paul's letter to the Roman church, chapter 10 NIV/The Message/ESV) 2, He will return to take believers to heaven to be with Him forever. ( The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 24 NIV/The Message/ESV)
Dear friend, our time on this earth is short. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there. We make an impact to this generation every day with the lives that we lead. What will your impact be? How will this generation of souls be influenced by your life? Will you leave an impression of kindness and love, through the power of Holy Spirit in your life? Jesus loves all men the same. We should exemplify that every day of our lives. We gotta go out in His name. We "go out" the minute we awake each day. Submit your life to the calling of Holy Spirit to be restored to God through the sacrifice of Jesus. Open your eyes to the world all around you, and when He comes for you, be prepared to be east bound and down...just watch ol Bandit run...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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