Two Stories I Loved This Week

a quick hello!

Hello Dear Friends!

I hope your week is beginning with strength in your body, petrol in your car, in-date milk in your fridge, a song in your heart, and everything you need to thrive! But even if it’s not, I know God wants to meet you with His grace and kindness this week. I pray you might have open eyes and heart to receive it.

Just a very short post from me today because this week I watched a new movie and finished a book. I LOVED both and must tell you about them!

Something to Watch -  Inside Out 2

Inside Out is one of my very, very favourite movies so I was both excited and nervous about a sequel. Wesley loves Inside Out as well (I can’t tell you how happy it makes me when he loves the things I love!) so we decided that Inside Out 2 would be his first movie in a theatre! It was such a special experience, partly because of Wesley’s great delight and partly because the movie is just fantastic.

It sticks with the ideas and style of the original movie, but expands the world in a really fun way. This time Riley is a teenager, just entering puberty, and a whole new bunch of emotions show up. If the first movie taught us that all emotions are useful and needed, this movie teaches us that we should not be ruled by our emotions. It’s a beautiful balance.

A theme that runs through the movie is the importance of our sense of self and the beliefs we hold about ourselves. Riley begins the movie with the strong conviction that ‘I am a good person.’  I must admit I rolled my eyes a little bit, thinking I would not like the way that theme was going but, oh my! The way they wrapped up that storyline was honest and magnificent and moving and it made me cry.  I don’t want to give too much away but really, you must see the movie if you can!

I know Pixar has made some flops lately, but in this movie at least, they are so back.

Something to Read – Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

What a very strange and wonderful book this is! This story is an alternate history of early nineteenth century England where magicians are respected members of British society, influencing war, politics and the weather. England was once a place where magic blossomed, and the mysterious figure, the Raven King ruled in the north. But the king has been long absent and for centuries there has been no magic in England. That is, until Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell arrive to bring a revival of English magic…

To top off this magnificent premise, the whole thing is written in the style of Jane Austin and Charles Dickens. And dotted with footnotes, referencing imagined scholarly works on magic in England. It’s a strange and sprawling masterpiece!

Since I put the book down I find I cannot stop thinking about it. Particularly the story of the ancient king, a land long awaiting his return and the revival of his power in the modern age. I was reminded that I too await the return of an Ancient King. That His power has shaped the reality I inhabit. That any power I have is only as a vessel of His power.  

Without giving too much away, at the very end of the book there is a scene where the earth itself rejoices over what it thinks is the return of this king and it moved me so deeply. I was reminded that our very real earth is awaiting the return of the King! The leaves and the clouds and the mountains are all invested in the Gospel, creation is awaiting its restoration and I hope I get to see the celebration when it comes!

The book left me with a fresh sense of wonder and enchantment. The whole earth throbs with the glory of God! May the King return soon!

Note: This is not a Christian book and I know not everyone is comfortable with magical themes in books. I felt this book fell into a Lord of the Rings category – lots of magic but only within the world of the story, totally detached from the real world. But of course, let your conscience be your guide.

---

We are busily preparing for our family trip to the USA! My whole family is able to gather and spend time at the lake with my grandparents and we are making the most of this opportunity. We don’t usually travel half this much… it’s been quite a year but we’re making the most of it! First stop is NYC with my sister and her boyfriend and we’re so excited to adventure and eat good food.

Before I go I need to get my first completed draft of a paper I’m working on getting published to my lecturer. He’s co-authoring the paper with me and the whole process has been a big learning curve! It’s a paper in divine judgement in this life, focussing on three passages from the Torah. It’s been a fascinating study and I might turn it into a short series of posts one day. I would really appreciate prayers that I am able to get this draft in! I would be so thrilled to be a real, published writer.

And to end, a blessing from 1 Thessalonians…

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

Amen, amen, amen!