Growing our Girls

Thoughts on Narnia

Last night we had a "fajita night" with our Lifegroup (Sunday School). Gabbi stayed the night with my parents. I had thought maybe we'd take advantage and go to be early... however, when Daniel and Ashley said they were going to see the new Narnia movie, we got a crazy hair and were out until TWO. Well worth it though.... I think.
First we went by their place (they live in the apartments we are going to moving into). It was pretty exciting to see where we're going to be living. Dustin and I talked about where we'd put our furniture and I started getting visuals of where I'd hang certain things. I'm SO excited!
Then we rode together downtown to the Riviera (sp?). I'd never been to the that theater. I really liked it... it was a cool, spring night and there were outdoor escalators- which I'd never seen. It was just fun. Had we gone earlier I would've wanted to walk around market square and really get the "feel" of being downtown on a spring night. But... the movie was at 10:45 and by the time it was over we were all half asleep and the city was definitely dead.

The movie though... Oh, it was SO good! Equally as good, if not better, than the first. I love the symbolism in it... and how I can see the Christian parallel. On the way home I told Dustin, I really don't know how a non-Christian can get anything out of it. I mean, I guess yeah, they would see them as "good moral ideas" or something. But it is just so clear I don't know how they could deny it. I don't know if that makes sense?
The entire underlying theme is faith, in short. When Narnia was being attacked, Aslan wasn't showing his face to them clearly, and they started to doubt/ stopped believing. (All except Lucy, really). Then they began to do things in their own strength, and failed miserabley. *This is all a brief synopsis of what I took from it* The picture so much resembles our walk with the Lord- when His plan is not completely clear to us, do we still rest in Him? Do we still seek Him and His desires for our lives even when we don't understand? It really spoke to me in our situation right now- or maybe more a week ago.
My favorite scene, and it was truly thought provoking, was when Lucy was reunited with Aslan. One time she was dreaming, the next time was for real and near the end of the movie. The first time though, the flowers and trees around her seemed to come alive and we dancing. And Lucy just laughed and smiled. The second time, when she saw Aslan, she tackled him and they kinda rolled on the ground laughing. I really contemplate this. So often our picture of the Lord is of Him reigning over us, pointing His finger at us when we are in the wrong- possibley even a stern look on His face. Or maybe even if He's not "angry" at us... do we picture Him laughing with us playfully? The Bible says He delights in us. I truly think this is what it looks like for Him to delight in us. I love to think of Lucy's relationship with Aslan in light of mine with God. This morning at church even thinking of me seeing Jesus, tackling Him to the ground and laughing with Him inspired my heart to worship. Oh, how I long to rid this body of flesh, see my King face to face, hold him, laugh with Him... how I long to know His delight in me, even me...

I've told this story a couple times. But I was thinking a couple weeks ago about Gabbi. How I love her more than I ever thought capable, and how my love for her only grows as she grows. How Dustin and I love to watch her as she's growing, learning new things- the first time she rolled over, sat up, and now as she tries SO hard to crawl and is taking new strides each day. Even when she plays, Dustin and I can sit forever watching her, just smiling and practically drooling over her! WE DELIGHT IN HER. God showed me a couple weeks ago the picture: we as Gabbi's parents, Him as our Parent. And if we, being fallen love her and delight in her so much, how much greater HE delights in US. Oh, Father the things You teach me through my child! I loved this image.

The Lord knows my longing to truly know and believe His love for me. He's showing me new things each day. I'm just basking in it... His glory... He's amazing.