The Never Ending Story

If the title of this post makes you think this is going to be about the movie, sorry to disappoint.

In actuality I very much disliked that movie when I was a kid.

What I love is when I am nearing the end of a good book and never want it to end.

That's how it was with A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. To be honest, it wasn't that way in the beginning though. A couple of months ago, I read the first 2 chapters while sitting in Barnes & Noble on a date with my husband. We tend to do that on dates, go to a bookstore, dive into a book or magazine and not talk for a while. The first two chapters didn't really grab me, I didn't like his writing style because it seemed to be random thoughts all running into each other and the middle of the book had a cartoon story a few pages long. I thought to myself, "i don't know why people keep saying this book is so good?"

Well, it took our family's life changing move and a few more people to tell me how good the book was for me to go back to the store to purchase it. Once I got past the first few chapters of randomness, the books subtle wisdom started popping like firecrackers on Fourth of July. (Which by the way, our family will see at the Grand Canyon this July. ) The book is about the makings of a good story, whether film, print, or real life. At this present time we connect deeply with good storytelling for a couple of reasons....

1) This Father's Day: the kids and I wrote a story book about Daddy.

We created the book on our MAC and i tried to order a small paperback book. I didn't realize till I pushed Buy the book, that it was Pocket size. I was so frustrated, but then again, it made it all the more hilarious.

He was a king

( we made the crown and asked him if we could take a few pictures but didn't say why. "Wait just a minute," he said. He returned from the attic holding his scepter from high school homecoming. I have never seen that thing in the 10 years we have been married. So then he posed for the pictures)

The boys dressed up to play the roles of the servants, chefs, & castle guards

it was a dangerous story of laughter

And he loved every minute of reading it.

2) Our family is currently re-writing our own life story

It's not very often that this opportunity comes along. To be honest, we went through periods of feeling trapped in our daily life. Thankfully after a very long season of listening to God, waiting on His timing, and learning to pursue Christ above all else, he has finally called us elsewhere.

It is life-changing.

Donald Miller puts this into perspective though:

" You're finally out in the water; the shore is pushing off behind you and the trees are getting smaller. The distant shore doesn't seem so far, and you can feel the resolution coming, the feeling of geting out of your boat and walking the distant beach. You think the thing is going to happen fast, that you'll paddle for a bit and arrive on the other side, by lunch. but the truth is it isn't going to be over soon. the reward you get form a story is alway less that you thought it would be and harder than you imagined. The point of a story is never about the ending, remember its about your character getrting molded in the hard work of the middle." (pg 177)

I want to be mindful of the reality of re-writing our story. That it won't be a fantasy.

Again, perspective:

"Writing a story isn't about making your peaceful fantasies come true. The whole point of the story is the character arc. You didn't think Joy could change a person did you? Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over. But its conflict that changes a person." (Pg 180)

Why do we long for life to be easy, comfortable, and without struggle and conflict? Why is it so hard for us to sacrifice. There is never any growth or life change without sacrifice. That word has been ringing in my ears for some time now. It is the road our life story needs to travel for a while.

More perspective:

"It wasn't necessary to win for the story to be great, it was only necessary to sacrifice everything." (pg 231)

Lord, let our family tell your story of love, servanthood, sacrifice, reconciliation, & redemption. May we be spent for you! A life story not about us, but about your Kingdom. That is the only story worth telling and in the end, I want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

I pray that you too will think about the story your life is telling the world and I hope that you will find the courage to turn it into a "beautiful narrative."