On becoming a Hero or a Villain

It's coming to me that if we attempt to meet our own ends or be self-satisfied those ends find us to eventually be the villain of our own story, and far worse--the greater story. But on the other hand when we make our lives about what is outside our selves, about others, about the greater good, or greatest good, God, and so on, we become the hero of both stories.

So many times we look at the means rather than the end. We think of happiness as the end, for instance. Some of us do. I have. Various means are sought to find that end. Isn't it odd that it is the pursuit of happiness, the journey, which brings the reward? But it is. We may think that is a gyp, but life is about growing wise, not about constant amusement, no matter what TV tells us.

It is the virtue, the noble things, the selfless things that when pursued bring a lasting contentment no quantity of money could ever buy this, and no other thing can bring it to us. (Seldom are the rich content by just richness alone. Momentarily are they happy. The poorest countries have the lowest suicide rates and the richest have the highest says the research.) The good traits aren't pursued as much as grown into along the way and fulfilled when our minds have been righted by goodness and we get better at goodness toward others. The pursuit can right us or make us all wrong. From the inside out. Indeed, I think our hearts--our true hearts are revealed from the journey, by what we turn into and what contents us or turns us one day malcontent. By a sort of path we become Frodo or Gollum.

Where do we look for our satisfaction? Do we look toward the material? Money, houses, clothes, cars, thrilling vacations, fine food, wine, women, song. Do we look in status or prestige of some kind? Climbing corporate rungs, education degrees, political advancements, accolades. These falter and crumble.

It is in spite of these and beyond them where we may become the heroes of the greater story, which will in turn grant that our story come out best in the end. It doesn't work the other way around. Trying so hard to get our story right while neglecting the greater story of greater good, the story God is writing, clouds our destiny, and may make an antagonist of each one of us. Slowly, before we are wiser. God wants the players, if you don't mind, to love his children--the other players. In every story there are villains, but take care that you aren't one of them.

Short Review of U2 3D, the movie experience

I saw U2 3D in the IMAX in Harrisburg on Saturday with my husband. I thought it might be like watching a documentary complete with a narrator and behind the scenes footage, but was happily surprised it was really like being at a real concert with value added features of up-close views and flying graphics-- and no ringing in your ears for days afterwards. They played about 20 songs and if you enjoy rock and roll with driving guitar riffs, a good drum core to it, and firm backbone bass with a haunting tenor lead vocal you'll like it. This music uncharacteristically isn't about the typic sex, drugs, and violence of just about all the other rock and roll bands since God knows when and you might like it too-- or you might not. U2 is famous for writing songs about unity, love, and peace. Bono regularly uses in fame and platform to promote causes to end poverty, 3rd world indebtedness, war, disease and injustice. He probably has a Jesus complex, but I think it's endearing, even noble, if you don't end up growing tired of it. It's lasted 27 plus years now.

You can see more about it all at u2.com.

This is a really thrilling and unique movie and concert 3D experience. If you get a chance to see and hear it for yourself, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

The view from first week

Well, Wednesday will, for the next 15 weeks, be the day I feel very bedraggled. The one - two punch of intense graduate educate and commuter driving 177.2 miles (total) on a Monday and Tuesday evening apparently hits me Wednesday a.m. officially, and by 7:15, I feel out-of-my body exhausted, crazy, grouchy, or worse. But, on the positive side, I do love what I'm learning, I have great friends and professors at school, and I think all things considered it will be a wonderful time of growth, challenge, insight, intrigue, and more.

I'll try to keep you posted on the "more" part.

School starts Monday / prayer in the foyer

I have to say I don't like to drive at night. I'm a bit scared right now.

I'd like prayer for my Monday and Tuesday night drives to night classes in school term, if you would.

It should be an exciting time of school, but I want to tell you I'm nervous about the workload and the driving. I won't get home until 11 p.m. on Monday nights, and so by Wednesdays, I could be quite worn down.

Today, it was so sweet. A friend just heard my concerned at right before I walked out the church doors to get in our vehicle, she said, "Let's just pray right now." And this was really nice. It's great to feel loved like that. And I know God likes that type of thing. People just drop their route and they put their arm around youand ask for help. I think he smiles about that.

So, in that theme. How can I pray for you?
Leave a comment here, or go to my website and email me, if you want it to be private. I will lift YOU up.

Becoming known

Wild and scratched in the underbrush

Heart racing, fur matted in blood

I wait

For you.

I see patches of you.

And what is most wounded will in time

Come out and want to be seen, at first.

Then held and learned of, slowly,

And then known and loved,

Fully.

And I may see your eyes unblinking for the first time

In clear day.


And then, when courage has filled me, I’ll ask, in some way, the same of you.

Relaxed and unguarded

What would it take to be completely unguarded with another person? Relaxed. Fists down. It's a level of intimacy that's rare to find, hard to maintain, even easy to dismiss at first, but once you land there in that soft place, all the air comes out of your lungs. (The big exhale you didn't realize you really needed, because you didn't realize just how long or strangely you've been holding your breath). The tension eases from your limbs and you feel like yourself, maybe for the first time. Or you feel like your best self.

It takes an amazing amount of trust to even image this would be a good idea, because when you deeply relax and let go, you expose yourself to being mortally wounded. Just one well placed strike will kill you, or disfigure you beyond recognition, and some of us don't look the same because of this. And of course you expose yourself to being mortally loved from this same thing, which is why if it ever happens, if the chance truly comes along -- it's worth it.

Somehow, it is.

link to the Prince

I'm very excited because one of my most beloved tales is coming to life on May 16- Prince Caspian. It is the 3rd book (or 4th depending on your series) in the Chronicles of Narnia series. These books do even get better with perspective I think. It's hard for me to read them to my daughter without tearing up as I read about Aslan. The Lion DOES get bigger as we get older.

It's regrettable the film makers didn't start filming this story right away after the Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe. (I image they had to wait for commercial success first) but the children are sort of a bit too old. They should only be a year old, and the actor playing Lucy has aged what looks like 3-4 years. Before she was the picture of innocence and as cute as a button, now she's a "tween" . . . and the actor playing Peter is mannish, but all in all I think it'll be great anyway. These characters also appear in the book The Last Battle... but (again) the film folks should have had the sense to film this story already, or they'll have to feature these "children's" children in the roles.

(hope this link I'm trying to set up works, but if not it's at disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/)