Healthy Marriage Movie Guide-- The Ultimate Gift

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This 2006 film is heart-warming, intense, and has so much to give. Grab some snacks and your favorite person and be prepared to experience all the emotions!

Discuss:
è Jason is sent to Texas to work on a ranch owned by one of his grandfather’s friends. He spends a lot of time waiting for his circumstances to change, does half baked work, and then realizes that ultimately, he needs to do the work to get the results he wants (getting back to the city). In what ways have you learned this lesson in your marriage, that wanted results come from hard work: time, energy, focus, diligence, etc?
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è The posterity of Red Steven somehow did not get his kind, humble, generous spirit. We see this at the beginning of the film, as they are gathered, wondering what he left them in his will, but also when Jason gathers the family for Thanksgiving. Jason was hoping that everyone could share what they are most thankful for, but he is laughed at. What are you most thankful for? Who do you want to be surrounded by on the important days?

è  “Butterflies. Lots of Butterflies” If you could describe the idea of ‘heaven’, what would it look like? How can you create that peaceful, happy scene in your life and marriage?

è “There’s something basically unfair about a person dying.” No one wants to be faced with these kinds of trials in their life, but often those are the cards we are dealt. If you knew you had a short amount of time left, what things would begin to outweigh everything else? Where would you start to spend more time and with whom?

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è Jason ends up in Ecuador, in a small village where his grandfather and father had spent a lot of time. He is left there to spend time in the library and fix the books that the people have been using heavily. In what ways could you and your spouse simplify your lives? Is there something within the realm of service that you could begin to do together?

è One of the ultimate lessons in this movie is forgiveness. What obstacles have you overcome in your marriage regarding forgiveness? How have you learned to forgive one another in order to live happier?

è Following are the 12 gifts that Red Steven wanted to pass on to his grandson. In the end of the movie, in his last video message he tells Jason that he has finished all he needed to, some while he was alive, but finished after his death. “As long as you are still alive, I will be too”. Discuss ways in which you can work on each of these areas of your life and marriage. Resolve to work on one, or even better set aside a section of the calendar for each gift.


The gifts:
1.    The gift of work
2.    The gift of money
3.    The gift of friends
4.    The gift of learning
5.    The gifts of problems
6.    The gift of family
7.    The gift of laughter
8.    The gift of dreams
9.    The gift of giving
10. The gift of gratitude
11. The gift of a day
12. The gift of love

è Dreams---Jason wants to help others realize their dreams. How do you help your spouse realize their dreams? What can you do better?  What are your dreams?   “My dream was the perfect day. I’m just finishing it. My dream was to be with people that I love, who love each other, who love me.”

What were your favorite lessons in this movie? How can you live your lives more fully and meaningfully?

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