Guest Blogger: Charrette - Finding Myself At The Movies

Today's guest blogger is Charrette, who joins us from Divergent Pathways.  Charrete is an artist, wife, and mother, and a woman of deep faith, who loves... well, she loves so many things... read her blog and see what I mean.

When I asked Charrete to do a guest post while I am on vacation, I told her that I would like her to write about "things that you believe in".  I know that sounds vague, but I told her to "free form at will"  Here is her post.

 

Despite all appearance, this is not a movie review.

I saw the film “Julie and Julia” tonight, with my husband. To say I was excited about seeing it would be an understatement. I am in awe of Meryl Streep, I enjoy Amy Adams too, and I love to cook. So I was practically guaranteed a light, fun, delicious evening at the cinema.

What I did NOT expect? Was that it would make me cry. And cry. And cry. I felt like my heart and soul had been flailed open the way Julia Child herself would debone a duck.  Because I didn't realize this movie is about much more than cooking. It’s about Friendship. And Love. And (are you ready for this?) Blogging.  But even these three things wouldn’t, shouldn’t make me cry on a typical Friday night. There was something else about this film that touched me on a very deep emotional level, something I almost can’t describe. I think it was the primal need it showcased to find ourselves...to locate our innermost self and find a vehicle for expressing it.  I immediately thought of specific friends who, at specific times in my life, have helped me find a part of myself. Cari helped me rediscover my love for the great outdoors, and especially mountain trails. Anne has helped me (through blogging) to rediscover my love of writing, awakened with a nearly transforming vengeance. Jeanne helped me awaken my inner mother. And Marie lent me a slice of her own sure-footed sense of identity, teaching me over most of a lifetime to love and appreciate my unique strengths. We all share a great love for scripture and far-reaching eternal truths.

I am convinced that God himself sent me these friends, to minister to me when I needed them most. To help me remember who I really am...a creative spirit with eternal roots and a familial connection to God that runs vast and deep.

The scriptures tell us that in order to find ourselves we must first be willing to lose ourselves. I think He was referring to selflessness and service. But in a way, He was also saying we have to GIVE OF OURSELVES in order to find ourselves. It happens in cooking. We invest time and effort and even a little creativity. To nourish those we love. And it ends up being like therapy...as we chop vegetables and revel in the colors and textures, then engage in meaningful conversation with our family and friends as we surround the table.

It happens in friendship. We share a little of ourselves with each other...divide the sorrows and multiply the joys. We listen, we love, we serve, and somehow it all comes back to us...bigger and better than when it left.

And it happens in blogging. Sometimes we’re able to share parts of ourselves here that we couldn’t possibly find an outlet for anyplace else. And kindred spirits respond. We find such validation here. We discover amazing things about ourselves in the process, and discover wonderful new friendships with people in such remote locations our paths likely would never have crossed.

But the most important way we give of ourselves is by submitting our lives, our gifts, our whole selves to His will. We lose ourselves -- our selfish, natural inclinations -- so He can find us. And reshape us. One of His modern-day prophets, Ezra Taft Benson, said:“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life.”

Thanks so much for this, Charrette.  I knew that I was going to be able to give my readers something great as soon as you told me that you would be my guest.  You have touched the heart of what blogging means to me and so many other people.