I was relaxing by watching DVDs. Actually, re-watching.

I admit, it's not very intellectual. It's the Magnificent Seven TV Series, a shoot-'em-up Western that only lasted 2 seasons. But, since I was thinking about small groups during that time, here's 7 reasons that the Magnificent Seven are like a good small group.

1) It's a small group of people.

2) They stay together because they want to. Not because they want to keep up appearances, or because it's just become a habit. They could leave at any time, but they don't. 

3) They stay together to help other people. They don't look inwards, they look outwards. (In the story they are hired by the federal marshal to protect the town from rabblerousers and greedy ranch owners.)

4) They help each other along as well. When one falls, all the rest are there to get him up and in the right direction. (Okay, they don't always protect the town because one or two of them get into trouble in each episode, and so the rest of them have to ride off somewhere and rescue their friend/prevent him from making the wrong choice/shoot alot of bad guys dead etc.)

5) They are honest with each other. (Yah, so they threaten each other and trade barbs but they say what they mean and mean what they say.)

6) They are all individuals with their own traits but they set aside their differences for their common purpose (see 3). (It's not quite often that a series has 7 leading men... and each one has his strengths and weaknesses. Of course that comes at the expense of some subtlety because each one can be titled pretty accurately- the Kid (the newbie from the east), the ex-slave Healer, the Preacher (Ron Perlman, pre-pre-Hellboy), the Gambler, the Sharpshooter (Eric Close, post-Dark Skies and Now & Again and pre-Without a Trace), the Ladies' Man, and the Man (Michael Biehn, post-Terminator and pre-alot of other stuff).

7) They grow together. (Good thing it's a series- over time you can see that they accept each other more, overcome prejudices and risk more for each other.)

I know it's only a TV series, but hey, learn from anywhere right? And I finally figured out whom I think Chris Tomlin looks like: Michael Biehn. I think it's the cheekbones. 

Ah, a song.

"Wrecking Ball"

Just when my tears were falling deep enough to drown
Down in the valley of the shadow of a doubt
When I gave up that's when He came to lift me out and set me high

When I saw it as a gift of matchless worth
I started thinking it was something I deserved
He pulled the rug from underneath without a word and left me dry

Piece together these little mysteries
It isn't hard to see the writing on the wall
Triumph and tragedy, only God can be
Both the builder and the wrecking ball

He gave them freedom and a fertile promise land
They took for granted their deliverance at hand
Thirty-nine years later they're still walking through that sand
Wondering why

And He builds it up
And He knocks it down
Just to build it up even stronger

                                                     -Jill Phillips; written by Andy Gullahorn