Last week, we watched Avatar. I had very low expectations of the film. Everyone kept saying to me that I would like it even if I didn't like the plot. That statement scared me! I hated Transformers. Amazing special effects, but there's a scene in it between the boy and his parents that makes my stomach curdle. But, back to Avatar. The plot unfolded and I enjoyed watching the main character find his way. I know that there is a theme of loving mother earth. But, I watched this as a fantasy film. I briefly thought of Baal and the Old Testament at the end of the film. But, my thoughts about the film centered mostly on other things after the film ended.
After the film ended, I cried for ten minutes. I know that may sound strange. I cried because of the things I felt the Lord laying on my heart. He helped me see through some bitterness I had been holding onto. He helped me see beauty. There is beauty in this film. It is incredible to think that it is all created by a computer. It is an amazing fantastical world--the world of Avatar. All beauty reflects God--even when it isn't intended to. This is such an amazing thing. We can find God everywhere--in His creation and in what the people Has created create. In creating things, we reflect our creator. Our creator was the only one, though, to create something from nothing. What an amazing, incredible thing to contemplate. A few years ago, my husband and I were in a Sunday school class about Beauty and Truth. Many of these things I thought about after Avatar I learned in that class.
Pt. 2
Francine River's new book is called Her Mother's Hope. I did not have to review this book. I read it, because I just wanted to. A gal at the library told me she had started reading it, but that it started off really slow. I think I've had it in my house for 4 weeks and not picked up the book at all because of it. I had no idea that a bad review could affect me so much! Realizing this has made me think a lot more about when I give positive and negative reviews.
Yesterday, I thought I would start reading it. I didn't put it down for long until I finished it today. It reminded me of why I have enjoyed Francine Rivers' books so much over the years. She tells the stories of the whole of people's lives--not just the romance in their lives. A few people have told me that they think she is heavy handed with the messages in her books. I don't think they could say that of this book.
This book is the story of a mom and her life growing up. She becomes a mom and has 4 children. The story centers on Hildemara Rose, her oldest daughter. As the story unfolded, I was surprised at how I felt about the main characters. Marta had my sympathy at the beginning and the end, but not the middle. Hildemara Rose had it all the way through.
The story of Marta and her daughter made me think about my relationship with my parents and with my children. Marta saw how she was treated by her father, but not how she treats her own daughter. I want my children to always know how much I love them. I want them to know that they have my approval and unconditional love. My mother gave this to me, but my father didn't. It was conditional at every turn. I don't want my children to feel the way I did growing up.
I have been struggling with Autumn procrastinating and the girls not picking up their toys. I know they are silly things in the whole scheme of life, aren't they? They have seemed so large in my mind of late. The story of Marta and her daughter made me think about what my daughters can hear from what I say and don't say to them. I need to consider these things carefully and take the lessons I've learned from this book deep into my heart. Weigh my words and choose them wisely. Make sure my children feel safe, approved of, and most of all loved.
So those are my musings that I've been meaning to write down.
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