My Contribution

So, here's my answer and I apologize if I have raised expectations as to what I have to add to the discussion.  I previously mentioned that my initial pick was The Wizard of Oz and, in some ways I have much more in common with Dorothy than with the character I am about to name.  Heck--I dressed up as Dorothy one Halloween growing up.  Is there anyone who doesn't dream of a place where there "isn't any trouble"?

I said in my last post that Kevin's answer tied in with mine.  Here's how.  Sometime when I was in elementary school, I started noticing that everything I studied could teach me something about God.  I started looking for those connections.  Specifically, I remember my seventh grade science class where I drew cell structures and reflected on how the electrons moving around the nucleus were like souls orbiting their creator.  Those were thoughts I kept to myself but from that time on, I have never read or watched or learned anything without placing it in the context of what I know about God.  So when Kevin said that he responds "As you wish" to God's call to him each day to be the best husband and father he can, I nodded.  He gets it.

Every story we hear, read or watch has meaning.  There is no such thing as "just a story".  I evaluate stories for the way they tie into the story of salvation.  They get a thumbs up for corresponding to it and a thumbs down for contradicting it.  This is especially true of love stories.  True love always leads to God from whom all love flows.  It calls us to be the best version of ourselves and often, to change.  But always, to respond in some way.

My story is about a love that frees and brings forth new life.  I'm sure some of you know it.  It is Disney's Tangled.  People have criticized Disney for changing the title from the original Rapunzel to Tangled but I love the name because it describes perfectly the state of things at the beginning of the film. Rapunzel is tangled in the web of Mother Gothel's vanity and deception and the hunky hero, Flynn, is tangled in a life of sin.  Fortunately for both of them, Flynn climbs the tower and acts as escort to the lost princess who eventually reclaims her birthright.  

While I really love everything about this movie and have quite the crush on Flynn Rider (Chris doesn't mind since he's a cartoon character), the part about the movie that makes me cry every time is the boat scene.  Rapunzel has waited her entire life to see the lights (lanterns released for the lost princess) and there she is, beginning life anew with her guy.  Visually, the scene is stunning and the song even more so.

All those days watching from the windows

All those years outside looking in

All that time never even knowing

Just how blind I've been

Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight

Now I'm here, suddenly I see

Standing here, it's all so clear

I'm where I'm meant to be

Eugene(Flynn):

All those days chasing down a daydream

All those years living in a blur

All that time never truly seeing

Things, the way they were

And at last I see the light

And it's like the fog has lifted

And at last I see the light

And it's like the sky is new

And it's warm and real and bright

And the world has somehow shifted

All at once everything looks different

Now that I see you

So, Flynn and Rapunzel are singing about "seeing the light" in each other and all I can think of is God.  I don't know about you but I am aware every day of my limitations in getting close to Him.  I see dimly.  I squint.  I fumble and fall.  But one day I know that I will sing the words to this song.  I know I will.  Because heaven will be freedom and perfect sight.  No more contact lenses for me.  

As for my prince down below, Chris has taught me more than anyone in my life what love is.  If I am able to love even one person beyond our daughters, it is because of him.  And that is what love does.  It empowers us to spread that love to the end of the earth.  Which is what we see at the end of Tangled.  Rapunzel becomes a kind and loving ruler with her sidekick Flynn to support her.  True love gives and shares.  True love is forever.  All love comes from God.

See you back here next time.

Madeleine drew this for me for mother's day.

Awesome really.

Here, Chris does "the smolder".  Ok...it's working..gotta' go :)